Category Archives: the boys

Tramps Like Us (and other random thoughts)

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I have so much to say, but no real desire to sit down and say it.  So instead, I’ll torment you with a slew of random thoughts…

* Having to go to a laundromat is bad enough (stupid rentals in SoCal with no laundry facilities!).  But to have the damn machines rip you off is just wrong!  So very wrong.  It cost me $8 to do two (super) loads of laundry that normally only cost $4.  And of course, the owner wasn’t around *grr*

* I put the Halloween shirt on the pupster today, you know, to get him in the spirit and all that jazz…but he’s just not happy about it.  Instead, he keeps rubbing up against things to try to remove it.

* I’m one of those wives…you know, the ones that shop for their husbands.  Well, my hubby is famous for deciding that he doesn’t like something long after the return period.   I do my best to hang onto the receipts, but this doesn’t always work.  In fact, I got blackballed from Mervyn’s my first year living with him because I returned too many (of his) things without receipts.  And now, I can’t seem to find the receipt for the damn backpack he made me buy for him.  I’ll just have to keep looking, but at least it was on clearance for only $12.

* I was really, really hoping for a new camera before my trip to Albuquerque this weekend.  My little Canon Powershot A520 has been quite good to me, but lately, the lens cap thingie doesn’t always want to open.  So I mentioned it to the hubby, and I kinda had the okay to get a new one.  But then, well, the lens cap thingie started working just fine.  So I’ve decided to give up my dream of a new camera.  Maybe he’ll get me one for Christmas (though if he had his way, I’d just use his original Nikon D70 – but it’s not small enough to fit in my purse and sometimes, that’s what matters!)

* I still can’t get over how weird Sting looked at Herbie’s tribute.  I mean really, who in the world wears brown casual shoes with a black jacket and pants (no, not a suit)?  And why in the world is Chris Botti’s jacket so damn shiny???  Herbie looks good, no?

* And speaking of Sting and Chris Botti…rumor has it there might be a three way going on with wife Trudie.  Strange youtube video as support of said rumor. 

* And on the topic of the Herbie/Monk thing…I just don’t get Joni Mitchell.  Am I missing something?  Or am I just too young?  She tells these stories through songs, but really, they’re not like songs at all.  When I hear her name, all I can think of is the Emma Thompson character in Love Actually.

* And speaking of Love Actually, I still have no idea where that damn movie disappeared to.  I’ve torn the house apart and it’s just not here.  I guess I’ll need to trade in some CDs so I can get a new copy.  Let’s face it, it’s a good movie.

* My medication is kicking in and I feel a thousand times better.  Believe it or not, I can actually drive over the hill and not get totally clogged up.

In closing…the Bruce show was a little disappointing.  Keep in mind, I’m not a big fan, so the older, more obscure stuff was lost on me.   It looked like the fans really loved the show – lots of singing, lots of dancing and lots of fist pumping (my shoulder still hurts from Bad Lands) – and things sounded great.  It’s just hard to get so pumped for a show where out of 2.5 hours of music, I only knew like 6 songs!  Kind of sad.  I loved the Rising tour (saw him twice) and I really enjoyed his folksy stuff from last summer, but this show just didn’t do it for me.  So much so that both M & I decided that neither of us wanted to go again tonight (we thought we’d have to fight it out between the two of us to see who got to go tonight).  The hubby was able to get rid of the ticket though, so no worries.

That Husband o’ Mine…

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This morning, as the hubby was getting ready to leave for work:

him: oh no boys, mama found the picture of my cute real estate lady [as he walks into the office to hand me her business card].

me: this, is going in the trash.  We don’t need it [toss].

him: but what if I need to ask her real estate questions?

me: you won’t.

him: but what if I need to talk to her about real estate?

me: you won’t.

him: what if she says “oh no, this wine is going right to my head?”

me: ???

him: [goofy grin] I love you baby! [smooch]

Yes, my husband is a whacky nut job, but lordy I love him and his crazy antics so!

Mi Casa is Bueno, but that Casa is Mucho Bueno*

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I love our apartment. I love our street and neighborhood. I love the wall I painted and think it really helps to make the place look not so much like an apartment and more like a home.

I love and appreciate our landlords (though there are some other challenges like their crazy, psycho, 95ish mother that lives next door, but that’s a completely different story for another day). And I’m just thrilled that after listening to our bathroom faucet leak for nearly a month, it’s finally fixed – though how the hot water and cold water switched sides I have no idea (and it does take a little getting used to).

You might remember a while back I was coveting both my neighbor’s and my landlord’s current remodels. Well, remodeling is still going on and while I’m glad it’s not me having to go through upheaval for this whole time, we are affected daily. Everything in our house is covered in dust. Sadly, that includes electronics like amplifiers, printer/copiers and computers. Needless to say, it’s freaking the hubby out a bit.

So instead of complaining about the dust, the noise and the constant dog barking, I’ve decided to work on manifesting us a new home! I’ve even found the house and it’s in our same neighborhood even. No mind you, it doesn’t have to be this house (there’s another one in the Arroyo that I’m keeping my eye on as well), but I do love this one and always have since it first went on the market shortly after moving to this area.

So let’s do it, let’s bring this baby home!

new house

* PS – I don’t speak Spanish so please forgive my bastardized Spanish in the title

Practicing Gratitude

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After having spent a wonderful, if not hot, extended weekend with the hubby, I’m thinking it’s time to show some gratitude (and maybe a little meditation later).

* I am so happy and grateful for my awesome husband and boys. They may sometimes seem to drive me crazy, but really, they’re the best.

* I am so happy and grateful for the change in the weather. Over the next couple days, it will be 10-20 degrees cooler!! I’m SO happy ’bout that. And of course, I’m thrilled to be sleeping in something cooler than 85 in the bedroom.

* I’m so happy and grateful for my work and my upcoming endeavors. Things are really moving along and I’m loving it!

* I’m so happy and grateful for my friends. I love being able to visit with them or being able to just pick up the phone to chat. It’s great knowing that we’re each others’ support systems. It’s good to know where to turn when you need support.

* I’m so happy and grateful that things are financially going along well. Of course, I’m open to anything that the Universe wishes to provide us with, knowing it’s for the good of all involved.

* I’m also so happy and grateful for the killer bargains I’ve gotten over the past couple of days. So much so that I just had to share them with others.

* Overall, I’m just so happy and grateful to just Be.

One Boy, Two Boy, Three Boy, Love

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Today was one of those days that when the hubby left I was just bursting with love and gratitude. Maybe it was the way our cat was scared of the lawn guy’s blowers and was crying and hiding behind my hubby’s legs. Maybe it was the way that our dog was barking at the lawn guys trying to keep them away from us. Maybe it was the way that my hubby just looked at me before he kissed me goodbye as he left for work.

I don’t know and can’t rightly say for sure. All I know is that I love all of my boys and today, all day long, my heart was bursting with love. As I’ve said before, sometimes, all you need is love.

Thursday Thirteen – 13 Joys of Summer

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A Pedicure & New FlipFlops - What More Could You Ask For?

While I might not appreciate the heat of summer (and man, it gets HOT in the Valley here – nearly as not as Albuquerque, yet with humidity…gross!), but I do look forward to summer none the less.

1. fresh fruits and veggies straight from the Farmer’s Markets
2. better yet, watermelon – I could eat fresh, summer watermelon all day long
3. swimming outside or visits to the beach
4. concert season – better still, outdoor concerts
5. summer TV – for me, it means tons of reading since there’s nothing on TV and I just love that
6. comfortable evening walks with the hubby & the boy
7. gelato – for some reason, we only make time for gelato during the summer
8. grilling veggies and meats – tastes so good
9. family get-togethers – we seem to find more time to get-together once all the kids get out of school
10. summer clothes – I love not having to wear jackets or sweaters
11. summer sandals and no more socks!
12. flip flops – speaking of, where is that last order I placed for new flip flops?
13. pedicures, pedicures, pedicures!!

Thursday Thirteen – Things that Make Me Smile

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Thirteen Things that Make Me Smile

1. My husband doing his goofy, white-boy dance
2. My pupster smiling when he’s tummy up getting love
3. When our cat tries to snuggle with our dog
4. Reading praise for my website
5. Phone calls and emails from old friends
6. Reading a good book
7. Good chocolate
8. Finding a bargain
9. The first sip of a well-made margarita
10. Taking a great picture
11. A beautiful LA day after a rain
12. Tulips
13. Fitting into a smaller size

For These Things I Am Grateful…

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I just thought that I’d take a moment and focus on some of the many, many things that I am so happy and grateful for…

* we’ll start with the obvious, yet very important…my health, wealth, happiness, joy, work, love, home, family, friends, husband and boys!

* my upcoming haircut, brow wax and pedicure!!

* my current batch of chick-lit – I’m so loving reading the breezy stuff!

* the fact that we’re off on a vacation full of good friends, good food and good wine in just over a week!

* that I’m going on that vacation 20 or so pounds lighter than when we went last year – and it shows!

* my clean car – I should show my gratitude and appreciation for it now since it might rain tomorrow!

* that while today may have been a tad chilly and overcast, the weather as a whole has been just lovely and perfect for our evening walks!

* and so, so much more!

Edited to add: the reason I even started this was to express my gratitude for our new toilet!!! No more wondering if it’s going to flush. No more non-stop running through the night. Ah…the joys of a new toilet!

How Familiar Does This Sound?

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A friend pointed this story out to me today. It sounded so familiar, I just had to share.

I Has a Sweet Potato

You know, a lot of times I write up random posts and then don’t post them. But Best Beloved just called me, and I could not really explain why I was inarticulate about sweet potatoes, so I said I’d go ahead and post this. That way, she can read it at work and know just what kind of day it has been. (Short version, for those who do not feel like reading the whole post: ARRRRRRG. Fucking sweet potatoes.)

The longer version, summarized in conversation form:

Dog: I am starving.
Me: Actually, no. You aren’t starving. You get two very good meals a day. And treats. And Best Beloved fed you extra food while I was gone.
Dog: STARVING.
Me: I saw you get fed not four hours ago! You are not starving.
Dog: Pity me, a sad and tragic creature, for I can barely walk, I am so starving. WOE.
Me: I am now ignoring you.
Dog: STARVING.
Dog: Did you hear me? I am starving.
Dog: Are you seriously ignoring me? Fine.

[There is a pause, during which the dog exits the room in a pointed manner.]

[From the kitchen, there comes a noise like someone is eating a baseball bat.]

Me, yelling: What the hell are you doing?
Me: *makes haste for the kitchen and finds dog there*
Dog: *picks up entire raw sweet potato, which is what was causing the baseball bat noise, and flees for the bedroom*
Me: *chases dog, retrieves most of sweet potato, less the portion which has disappeared into dog’s gullet*
Dog: See? STARVING.
Me: …That can’t be good for you. It’s a RAW SWEET POTATO.
Dog: I had to do it. I haven’t been fed. Ever.
Me: You realize you aren’t normal. Normal dogs don’t steal raw sweet potatoes.
Dog, sadly: I was badly brought up.
Me: Yes. Yes, you were.
Dog: By people who starved me.
Me: Oh, no. I am not doing this again.
Me: *exits the room, bearing sweet potato*

[There is a pause.]

[There is a noise like someone is trying to eat a baseball bat very very quietly.]

Me: Oh, for the love of GOD.
Me: *heads off to the kitchen*
Dog: I am not eating a raw sweet potato.
Me: You have sweet potato parts all over your snout.
Dog: But you don’t actually SEE a raw sweet potato, do you? So maybe that’s just – um. A birthmark.
Me: Did you seriously eat a whole sweet potato?
Dog: You don’t listen. I told you, I wasn’t eating a sweet potato.
Me, searching around fruitlessly: Look. NO MORE SWEET POTATOES.
Me: Oh, what am I saying? This is you we’re talking about, here. *goes to hide all the sweet potatoes that are left – which isn’t many – in the fridge, because some people cannot be trusted*
Dog: *attempts to look thwarted*
Dog: *does not succeed, because her tail is wagging so hard small cyclones are forming in the kitchen*
Me: *has a very bad feeling about this*

[There is a pause, during which I do not even bother trying to return to what I was doing. I just stand in the computer room, waiting.]

[There is, as I wholly expected, a baseball-bat-eating noise.]

Me, stomping back to the kitchen: OKAY. GIVE ME THE DAMNED SWEET POTATO.
Dog, looking up guiltily: What sweet potato?
Me: THE ONE IN YOUR MOUTH.
Dog: Oh, did you want this? I just, um. Found it. Lying here.
Me: *confiscates the sweet potato and deposits it in the locking trashcan*
Me: Let us say no more about this.
Dog: …Nooooo! They be stealin’ my sweet potato!

[I attempt to remember what I was doing before the sweet potato episode.]

[Some ten minutes later, I succeed, and return to it.]

[NOT ONE MINUTE LATER, I hear a noise with which I have become all too familiar.]

Me, bonking head on desk: Arg.
Me, arriving in kitchen: How did you even get another sweet potato?
Dog, smugly: I have my ways.
Me: Are you punishing me for being away for several days? I was at a FUNERAL, you know. It wasn’t FUN.
Dog: How would I know? You didn’t take me. You left me here with only one human to look after my needs. One human is NOT ENOUGH.
Me: *shuts dog in bedroom, conducts a sweep of the kitchen to track down all remaining sweet potatoes, wipes up random sweet potato particles from floor, eradicates all traces of sweet potato from house*
Me: *lets dog out*
Dog, sulkily: Oh, so you think you’ve won.

[I watch her go about her business with the same sense of overwhelming doom that heroines of Victorian novels get when they meet Count Sinistrus Grimblack for the first time.]

[Half an hour later, there is a wetter, juicier eating noise, as though someone was eating a very moist baseball bat.]

Me, wearily: What NOW?
Dog, hunched over the remains of a butternut squash: *says something garbled because her mouth is full*
Me: Okay. Fine.
Me: *stomps over, empties entire vegetable bowl into trash*
Me: WE JUST WON’T HAVE ANY ROOT VEGETABLES ANYMORE. THERE. ARE YOU HAPPY?
Dog: I’m not even remotely sorry. I told you I was hungry. And you went to a funeral without me.
Me: ARRRRRRRRG.

[A half-hour later, there is another baseball-bat-eating noise from the kitchen. The dog, who apparently does not know how to win gracefully, has found another sweet potato, or possibly caused one to materialize from the Rift.]

Me, hauling chewed sweet potato parts from the mouth of a dog very reluctant to part with them: Oh my god how is this my life?
Dog: Don’t you think it would just be easier to feed me?
Me: EVERYONE GO TO THE BEDROOM AND STAY THERE. EAT NOTHING.
Dog: Actually, I feel…um…not so good.
Dog: *throws up* *vomit is very bright orange*

[Unfortunate details ensue.]

Some time later:
Me, attempting to rescue something from the wreckage: So. What have we learned from this?
Dog: Sweet potatoes are yummy!
Other Dog, looking thoughtful: I should pay more attention to crunching noises. Sweet potatoes are probably yummy.
Me: I need a lobotomy.

And that, Best Beloved – and anyone else who made it through that – is What Kind of Day It Has Been.

FUCKING SWEET POTATOES. ARG.

This story and many others can be found in MetaQuotes – Overheard on LJ