Phoenix

We've been in Phoenix, AZ since Thursday.  It's so incredibly hot here that the race my husband's driving in is (fortunately) at night.  At 7pm tonight, to be exact.

The kids and I are at the hotel, as Clara can't get enough of the pool, but I'm going to have to somehow convince them that going to the racetrack now is going to be so much more fun than splashing around.  Ugh.

The dogs stayed at home.  Nora has been going there to let them out, feed them, etc. as well as being there all day yesterday helping clean the house.  On Thrusday, though, no sooner had we just pulled up to the hotel, that our neighbor called to tell me that 2 of our dogs (Malachi and Carmela) were at her house visiting, along with another neighbor's dog (???).  I figured someone must have left the gates open.  But when our neighbor decided the dog party was over and graciously walked every one of them home, our shepherd (Malachi) was already inside and the gate was closed.

It's almost like Toy Story, how the toys come alive when humans aren't around.  Maybe our pets have everything totally figured out and only act stupid when we're there...  maybe they get high or drunk when we're out.  Maybe they can cook gourmet meals and they watch CNN.

Maybe the next time we leave town I'll leave a couple of brooms and the vacuum out and see what happens...

 

PS:  It's so nice being at a race as a family again...  I wish we could do so more often.

the longest break

Man, it really has been forever since I last wrote.  Here I am again, or at least for the duration of this writing...

I've been sick for about a month.  I had a cold, then a cough and it's been with me ever since.  I don't think it will *ever* go away.  I've tried anitbiotics, allergy medicine, massage therapy, ignoring it and it's still as much there as day one...  sigh...

I stopped taking all meds.  I only take one to get me going in the morning, although sometimes it doesn't work (it's something that is given to narcoleptics).  I've also been to a nutritional dr. ("doctor" being loosely used title), whom I really liked and he seemed to hit the nail on the head a couple of times.  So after a lot of talking, we paid for the consult and only half of the supplements they suggested (I'm just not sure I was confident enough to plonker down over $1000 to "try" new methods so we went with the basics) and I've been taking these lately.  I think they are working somewhat...

So nothing funny/weird/off-the-wall/out-of-the-blue to post today, on my very pityful "comeback" day. 

I just wanted to try writing again.

Nevermind, here is one:  Today we went into a Lucky store and as I stood there looking at their corduroy pants very close to a mirror, my daughter informed me that one of her friends has some pants that "make her butt do this" and she promptly stuck her bootie up and out.  All the while she was looking in the mirror.  Wow.

There was more stuff said after that.  Something about "her mom has a pair too" but I was so gone I don't quite remember, plus I think she wasn't even sure she got all the facts right.

Since I have no behind, I immediately wanted to ask her where I could find some pants like that.  Then I remembered she's barely 7 years old and probably wouldn't know how to get to the store that sold them...!!

Actually no, I was as shocked as the next person and somehow in my infinite motherly wisdom I figured out a way for us to finish the conversation and leaving it, as best we could, in a way that all is now well with the universe once again.

Alas, a mental note has been duly made.

Please go here if you haven't yet

http://hometown.aol.com/_dyn/

This is about the ONE campaign.  I really believe it's worth while...

Suicidal Pets

There is a psychological epidemic that seems to be silently sweeping pet nation, and one that I am starting to really suspect.  Why haven't I read any reports of this yet, are the pet stores aware of this and keeping the information from the general public???

Last year sometime, my son got a fish named Walkie.  He seemed to really care about this cold, slimy little thing and I'm convinced Walkie knew and loved ME very much instead, as he always seemed to get excited to see me -- even if I was just walking past.  Anyway, we went on a trip out of town for just a few days, and when I came back I saw a really dark piece of what seemed like beef jerky lying on the carpet.  But no, it was Walky.  He had jumped out of his bowl during our absence...  Maybe he wanted to go with us?  (I did quickly replace Walkie without saying a thing to our kids, so as far as I know, the Walkie now is the only Walkie we ever had.  And don't anyone ruin that.

Then, just a few days ago, my daughter put her "Little Maria" mouse down on the table to she could get the other mouse (a not-so-smart move I had no idea my daughter had been practicing)  and Little Maria jumped off.  The next day, Little Maria had expired.  This was actually quite sad for our daughter, as we are not allowed to even mention Little Maria's death around our house.

And today, I get up to say good morning to our parakeet.  You guessed it, it's dead too.  Seemingly this bird, in some attempt at a poorly-calculated protest, emptied out his entire food bowl (it's all at the bottom of its cage) as soon as I put it down.  I didn't check on him yesterday, but I could hear him (he sounded fine) and said hi to him from far away.  So I don't know how long birds last without food, but his protest-through-fasting was successful for about 2 days.

Where are all the pet psychologists when you need them??

Help for my friend!

Looking for responsible person flying from Los Angeles, Encino or Burbank airports to Indianapolis, IN, preferably on a constant basis such as a flight attendant.  Trustworthy and able to resist temptation, person must be able to carry a package of the size and aroma of an In-N-Out burger.

Inquiries, please post here.

Thank you.

 

And the answer is...

...Conrad Aiken when he thought he was dying he told his wife "Give my love to the world", the dramatic flair of which she found amusing... he didn't die that time.  She liked it so much, the phrase now resides on her tombstone at the Bonaventure Cemetery, the same cemetery that "Midnight In The Garden of Good and Evil" centered around... 

And no, I'm not an intellectual, I just become obsessed with topics that interest me and I research them to death.  This happened with Savannah, GA after reading the book Midnight In The Garden Of Good And Evil.   I love true stories.  I become engulfed in the experience...

Another very interesting story is the one about a Philipino lady named Teresita...  According to court records, her spirit came back to avenge her death and catch the man who had robbed and murdered her.  I first saw it in a TV movie called "A Voice From The Grave", so then I bought the book.  I can't remember the name of it, but it all happened in the '70s.  The most interesting part is that the man, who was probably going to get off because of circumstancial evidence, ended up confessing to the entire crime.  Those involved believe that Teresita's spirit appeared to him and scared him shitless... 

I already told my husband that if I die before him, he better never re-marry or I'll haunt his evey waking moment...

 

There are only 161 shopping days left until my birthday!!!!!

Sometimes it takes me a while...

Today I saw my kids get excited for the umpteenth time about buying all sorts of purpley, confetti-sprinkled, pink-and-shiny, star-doused, magic, rolling-twisty snacks...  And it wasn't until we were at home, relaxing after dinner that I realized:  they are being entertained by the foods (loosely termed) they eat.      Food as entertainment??  Sheesh... no wonder there is an obesity problem in the U.S.   I have been soooo guilty of supporting this way of thinking... and I have only now figured it out..????   Good grief!