IT'S WEDNESDAY!!!!

It took ALL DAMN WEEK, but Wednesday is finally here. The season finale of Sons of Anarchy is tonight. I think I have "life" situated so I'll be more than ready at 10:00.

Dinner will be quick and dirty, Junior will be in the express bathtub line. The only loose end is one of the big boys is out with a friend and isn't supposed to be home until 10:00. If he breaks curfew and I have to lecture during my SOA time....someone is going to be picking up dead leaves in the yard AND the spare lot. With a pair of chopsticks.

Thanksgiving is tomorrow and I'm glad. We're having a late dinner this year - like 6:00 feed bag time late. So HOORAY I get to sleep in tomorrow instead of waking up in a panic trying to get things done. Also, Thanksgiving is NOT at my house this year so I really don't have much to worry about except being at Mom & Dad's by 4:00.

I'm bringing to the meal:

• Punch - the drinking kind. Hardly as much fun as the other kind of punch but generally safer around the childrens. I hunted down (like it was an animal) a punch fountain a few years ago and it's the best damned $20 I have ever spent on punch. The fountain has three tiers and lights (!!) so even if you're only serving Kool-aid...it looks spectacular! When I make Christmas punch (for adults only) the streams of the fountain make big ol' foamy boob looking blobs in the bowl. You know its a party when there's light-up boobies in the punch.
• Green Bean Casserole - just like all the other years. Hey, it's a classic, a favorite and a "safe" side dish (as opposed to a Nasty-Assery "casserole"). This year Alton Brown has inspired - maybe even challenged - me to make it from scritchety-scratch. I'm a bit nervous because GBC is a staple and how the hell can you mess up a holiday staple and not manage to melt and pour into the nearest a/c vent after dinner should there be an issue with said casserole you prepared. Here me now Lowe's Foods: If you don't have panko bread crumbs on your shelf when I arrive this evening....someone is getting hurt.
• Sweet Tea - made with real sugar, brewed in a metal pot on the stove then lovingly dumped into my construction-type dispenser cooler. It's only two gallons so I'm hoping that's enough. Heck, I can drink a gallon a day by myself. Sweet tea is a drug.
• Kid table - easy AND stress reducing. Just rip (screw) legs off and toss into the back of the car.
• Kid stuff - MY FAVORITE!!! I bought about $50 worth of Dollar Tree arts and craft supplies during the July 4th family gathering. I never had so much fun with pipe cleaners, googly eyes, foam shaped sticky things, scissors and glue. I think my nieces and nephews had fun too. When I wasn't pushing them out of my way and hoarding all the sparkly pieces for my project. Oh come on now, I didn't push them that hard. I think Nana and Mr. Grandpa need a collage of home-made turkey hands on their shiny new fridge.

Here's to hoping you have a Happy Thanksgiving and you get what you want out of the SOA finale. If Tig doesn't bite the big one or at least get severely maimed I think it will have a direct effect on my Green Bean Casserole. Then....my lovely Tig....YOUR ASS IS MINE!!!

Roomba Cat

Dear Mom and Dad,

You have a video camera. You have three animals at home: a cat and two dogs that very strangely resemble your children's personalities and the pets arrived in the same damn order that your children did. (so very weird!)

You have a new home. With all that new floor. Tons-o-floor.

If you don't get a Roomba and then make videos to amuse me....I'm kidnapping the cat and leaving Junior with you.

Hey yall!

Thank you Mr. Motorcycle for linking to my SOA post. (LOOK MA! I GOTS A LINK!!) And thank you Google Reader for finding Mr. Motorcycle for me! His blog is the first one I've found that discusses the show and I've enjoyed digging thru his archives and remembering things I've forgotten. Too bad FX didn't run a marathon this weekend so we'd be good and SOA'd up for this Wednesday's finale.

While I have new scoot friends visiting my ramblings, can I please invite you to, if you're not doing so already, support the MRF. Here are 10 reasons why you should join that I stole (!!) from my friend Vinny's website because 1) I'm too lazy to write my own diatribe and 2) if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

10 Reasons why you should join the MRF:

10) They are fighting to make sure your medical claims are paid by your insurance companies.

9) They are fighting to secure funding for rider training.

8) They are fighting to secure funding to fix pot holes and other road hazards.

7) They are fighting for your right to modify your bike.

6) We need to help them fund a office and lobbyist in Washington, DC so they can continue the fight.

5) They support us on state level legislation.

4) They have been OUR federal MRO since 1984!

3) They are well organized, efficiently managed, and will work to provide a safer riding future for all of us.

2) You will get another patch and pin for your vest, along with a newsletter.

1) For $30 you can support motorcycle awareness, safety, education, and contribute to the growth of motorcycling in America!

www.MRF.org

Thirty dollars folks. What's that...a rally tshirt and two beers?

In 2000 I was blessed to be included on a SMRO sponsored lobby trip to DC. The MRF works hard, those were some of the busiest 4 days I ever spent in MY LIFE. It's very special to see the machine in action with your own eyes. And it kicks ass to walk into your state's offices and introduce the MRF to YOUR Senator or Congressman. "Yo, I'm from back home and this guy KNOWS what I want. When he asks, you listen. You act...FOR ME."

When I re-upped my membership this year, I tossed in an additional $10 donation and today I received a letter of thanks from Kirk Willard, MRF President and it included a kick ass MRF Freedom Fighter sticker. If you can, don't forget to include a little extra donation. They're worth it and SO ARE YOU!

So go out there and get MRF'd up!

Be a part of the solution!!

How much is too much?

From the time the previews started airing in early summer, I knew I was going to watch Sons of Anarchy on FX. I'm a huge fan of Nip/Tuck and I assumed that SOA would be just as good as N/T and SOA was based on an m/c so I knew it would keep my attention.

(I am a member of an SMRO which is so very NOT anything like an m/c but I am down with motorcycles and brotherhood. I've read a few club books so I have an idea of m/c culture. An idea. No real clue because I've not been there, but an idea. Not trying to go there either. Mommy likey scoots is the point I'm trying to make here.)

I have so thoroughly enjoyed watching Sons of Anarchy this season. I had to watch the majority of this season by myself. After the show started in September, the husband shipped out to Texas for work. Unfortunately, he was without TV for a few weeks and when he finally did get moved into a TV friendly area, no FX so he's not been able to keep up with the show. Poor husband, he really missed out. He's been home for two episodes now and he's so sorry he missed out. We'll be renting the series on Netflix for sure.

So I watched the majority of the series by myself, completely immersed. No pesky husband bothering me, talking/asking questions when I'm trying to listen, no nudge-nudge, wink-wink. Just me and SAMCRO all cuddled up in the bed every Wednesday night at 10:00 pm. Sometimes I'd watch again at 11:00 pm. I usually watch reruns on hulu.com too...just to be sure I didn't miss anything important.

And there are many plot lines to follow but the one that has struck me the most is Opie and Donna. I've always thought about how potentially difficult it could be to raise a family in an m/c. Opie just pulled 5 years in jail and has returned home to do-it-all Donna and two kids. Opie landed in jail because a brother-turned-rat testified against him. (wicked revenge on said rat ensues - WICKED I tell you!!) Donna is pissed because she sees that she lost her husband to the club's business and consequence. I'm sure the club helped her out when she needed it, Gemma bought her some groceries at least once this season. But basically Donna hates the club.

Opie walks the fine line upon arriving at home. Working a "real" job at the mill. The job he hates. The job that barely puts money on the table. Opie comes around the m/c in a limited capacity, minding his parole status to keep out of trouble.

Opie struggles. He loves Donna and his children, he has a burning desire to take care of them and make up for the last 5 years he's been gone. Opie has the uncomfortable "do I still fit in here" vibe both at home and at the m/c. In a manly way, Opie shares his struggle with Jax and they have some (what I like to call) bro-mantic conversations.

Bills are falling behind, Donna continues to bitch about money and the club. Donna starts packing her shit telling Opie she's leaving, she can't take it anymore. "It's me and the kids or the club."

And Opie opens up the dam on her....and I get all big-eyed and lean forward...

Opie lets his quiet rage open to Donna and he tells her he's not leaving the club. He is a brother and he loves his club. He is a father and he loves his children. He is a husband and he loves his wife. That's why he does all these things, love and income. Opie pretty much tells her, "I love you, I love my kids, I love my club. The club puts good money on the table. The club makes me happy, it's where I belong. I do these things to take care of you and the kids. I LOVE YOU AND IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT THEN YOU CAN LEAVE." Opie then plops down a fat envelope of cash on the kitchen table and leaves.

I. So. Swoon. Hooray Opie! Hooray love! Hooray for love from a big ol' burly biker.

Then that ATF bitch screws every damn thing up. Oh how I loathe her. I giggled with GLEE when Otto dribbled her head like a basketball on the interrogation room table. Best basketball game I ever saw.

ATF bitch sets up Opie to look like he's ratted on the club. Balls-out set up at that. Swoops the whole family up to some kind of witness protection program clearing house center, pays off huge chunks of debt for Opie. Opie and Donna stand together strong against the ATF and are eventually allowed to return home. Opie goes home with a bug in his cell phone and his truck. Tig finds said bugs, tells Clay and the two of them are convinced Opie's ratting and decide to knock off Opie.

AFTER Opie saves Tig's (WORTHLESS!!) hide in a transaction gone wrong and pops a cap in a dude's ass to keep Tig (who is scared of DOLLS!) from taking a bullet in the head, Tig has the nerve to DRAW a shot in the back of Opie's head but can't do it. Opie just saved his life.

I don't remember what Tig told Clay about the failed hit but they decide to try again later that evening after Abel's welcome home party.

As Opie and Donna are leaving the party, Donna decides she wants to stay and help Gemma clean up. Opie agrees to take the kids home. They switch cars.

I'm yelling, "No! No! Don't switch cars!! Don't LEAVE. Stay at the party!!" Of course they don't listen to me and Donna gets machine gunned down by Tig as she's driving Opie's truck to the store to buy some cleaning supplies.

I am so heartbroken. Opie and Donna were in a good place. Their love and commitment to family AND CLUB was just reaffirmed. Written in stone and carved in ink. DAMMIT MAN!!

Oh I was so upset. I was trying not to cry, I could tell the ugly cry was coming on. My throat grew a huge ball in it, eyes watered, nose got runny. I was trying to stay quiet so I could hear the TV (oh yeah....it's just TV) but they started playing that damn sad music and I just quit fighting. Tears rolled.

They cut to a scene of Tig and he was bleeding from his forehead (more like a FIVEhead) and husband said, "He shot himself!" and I just blurted out a crying "GOOD!"

I still think about it. Stupid ATF Lady, bastard Tig, shithead Clay. ARG!

And this morning on the way to work...I saw a car just like Donna's and all those feelings rushed back. Dammit. It's JUST A TV SHOW!

Judging from next week's previews I don't think Tig shot himself but I do believe Jax will be doing some serious avenging next week.

Is it Wednesday yet?

Music Tames the Savage Beast

UPDATE: I just checked One Minute Writer and today's word was LISTEN. Write about what you hear right now. Thanks C. Beth - I just did that! Two birds with ONE stone!!

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This is what kept me from killing you dumbasses driving down Main Street today. You can thank my boyfriend, Da Bone, for your safety. You might want to send the DOT a thank you card for continuing to outlaw dash-mounted assault rifles as well.

CRANK IT UP!!







Also, I'd like to NOT thank the dumbass at Hardee's for giving me DIET Coke instead of REAL Coke. So glad I upsized YOU GIANT ASS!!

WOOT OFF!

Yesterday I'd been feeling pretty bad about my production at work. Or rather, LACK OF production. So I got busy and actually did work. Papers were scanned, filed, copied, stapled and done. I attribute all of this work action to the action of turning on the light in my office.

You read that right, I actually TURNED ON THE LIGHT in my office.

Bossman has me in a bad habit of working in a damned cave. No overhead lights and only desk lamps. Which truly is nice, cozy and pretty laid back. It's just too laid back for me...if you actually expect me to work. (Don't forget, bossman also hooked me up with cable TV and Netflix will let me watch movies instantly(!) on my computer. I work in the den of lazy.)

I'd been feeling very bad about me because I was being lazy and doing a very bad job for the good money they pay me. I felt like I'd been stealing - most likely because I had.

So I turned the lights on (take THAT bossman!) and got productive. I came in this morning and turned the light on, preparing for a nice productive Wednesday, at least until I take the big boys to the dentist (a.k.a. paid torture - well spent money!!) this afternoon.

And continue morning ritual:

• Turn on the heat (you could hang meat in here in the winter time!)
• Make coffee
• Fire up computer
• Browse Google Reader to see who's saying what today
• Check email

In email box I find email from WOOT! and this can only mean one thing:

WOOT! OFF!!

DAMMIT!! I just vowed to be a good productive girl. I turned the corner. I was productive. I desired repeat performance today. I thought about and planned what I would do at my magic desk today. I had goals and "where's my damn money" phone calls to make. (I will still make the calls, I gotta make sure I get paid to do nothing around here, right?)

They've already sold the mini SD cards and Leakfrogs. DOUBLE DAMN!! I'll light a candle for the Bag of Crap and hope to score three.

I have no willpower. I'm wooting. F5 to you!!

Boob Shaper

Good story about children finding adult things here.

Story also contains new (to me!) and interesting product.

If this concept has been around since the 30's....WHY THE HELL DIDN'T SOMEONE SAY SO??!!??

• I can save $120 PER YEAR on that area down there.
• I don't have to deal with that area down there except 2 or 3 times a day.
• No leaks!
• I don't have to carry drumsticks around with me.
• No more toilet panic. Will it flush???

As I noticed in Tanis' comments a lot of folks were all "eewww!" and some were even female "eewww"-ers. Clearly these folks did not watch "Dirty Oprah" a few weeks ago. I'm not all "do what Oprah says" and I really only watch her show once or twice a week. (Oprah airs the same time as my precious hottie, Hank Hill. Guess who wins most of the time?) But I saw the previews and the show did NOT disappoint.

And the show did hit pretty damn close to home. Controlling woman/mother and docile husband in couples therapy. (I know...mirror much, anyone?) They were part of some series on Showtime I think and it was very interesting to see a portion of what they went thru.

What I took from the show:

• I should let the husband drive (the car) more often. I believe the term used was "surrender control." Can you hear my ego being crushed from there?

Also, lots of folks don't pay attention to their bodies, the sexual parts. Or at least let on that they do. I know this Diva Cup thing will be something new to get used to and there will be lots of looking, poking and prodding in that area down there to get it right. Big deal. Everything has a learning curve.

Even when you took Driver's Ed - they put you in the seat with the wheel but the instructor still has a pedal on his side to brake-check your ass for driving thru empty parking spaces.

So easy, a child could use it

I had some time to kill yesterday afternoon so Junior and I stopped by my parents' house on the way home. While Mom was digging thru her beads Junior found a small calculator with a key ring on it. Mom said he could have it and Junior was very pleased with Nana AND his find.

He started playing "scheduler" immediately. "It's my scheduler Mama!" How in the hell does this child have the word scheduler in his vocabulary? He's three and can't find his shoes most of the time.

We still had to stop by the grocery store so we didn't stay at Nana and Mr. Grandpa's house too long. We make it to the (second!) grocery store stop and as I'm walking Junior down the meat isle, I noticed he was sitting in the buggy, holding his "scheduler" near his mouth and saying, "Milk, eggs, butter."



He forgot the juice but I give him a solid 10 for presentation and form.

So the big question is.....does this behavior present itself due to:

• Bad parenting / too much TV
• Good marketing / irritating commercials!!
• Good imagination / at least he wasn't licking the damned cart handle (again, UGH!)

I'm settling for D, all of the above. Trust me, if you knew Junior and he was your charge for more than 30 minutes....you'd go with D too!

Banjo of Consternation

My Bag O Crap arrived today - A DAY EARLY. WOO HOO.

I probably should have brought the camera in so I could post photos but I really wasn't planning on seeing it today so...onto the crap I got!

• (1) SOYO FreeStyler 500 Bluetooth V1.2 Headset: I can't try this out with the new phone yet because it's supposed to charge for SIX HOURS the first time. GAH! Can't play with new toy!!
• (6) iGo Universal Wall Power Adapter: Yeah, 6 of em. And the best part - they DON'T come with the tips. You must buy tips separately. Six with no tips. Let's all say it together: YANKEE SWAP!!
• (1) JVC Carrying Bag: This is awesome. I don't have a camcorder to put inside of it but the bag is roomy enough to hold all of my camera paraphernalia. The bag has a loop on the back of it so you can put your belt thru it and have a HUGE fanny pack.
• (17) bags of Woot poots: All but 3 were intact. I will save these for husband since he'll be coming home from Texas next week and lord knows - he's still not tired of Texas after being there since September 13th. [sarcasm mode OFF]
• (1) Tornado Spray Jet Wash Gun WITH six spray patterns: Who the hell told Woot! that I needed to wash my car? Will I be prosecuted for bathing Junior in this same manner? If so, how long? I could use a vacation.

Well that was an awesome haul. No mini SD card or Sansas but I think the blue tooth makes up for that. I'll try again for my second crap on the next Woot! Off. Should be in a couple of weeks.

Y'all should think good thoughts for me because I'll most likely be giving unwanted craps to you for Christmas. Woot! craps, not the other kind of craps. Unless you've been VERY naughty!

OMW: Child

Today's prompt: What affect has a child, whether yours or someone else's, had on your life?

I am a god-mother. A Fairy God-mother on good days. I had a good day Sunday. My godchild had her ears pierced ... again.

Her birthday party was the weekend before Halloween. I try to never buy her clothes because I want her to wear what she wants to wear, not what I pick out. She was getting a Nintendo DS thing from her parents so I opted to go with a $50 gift card from Walmart for her gift. I'd also cleaned out my jewelry drawer this summer and had collected a small bag of trinkets I was finally OK parting with as I think she's at an age she'll start caring for things a bit better.

One of the items in the jewelry was a pink and blue necklace and earring set from Avon. Every time I would wear it she would always comment on how much she liked them. I thought her ears were still pierced so when she opened the box and saw what I had given her she was sad that she'd let her ears grow over.

She managed to score a few more gift cards and some cash as well. This past Sunday we all headed to Wallyworld and she had her ears re-pierced. I even go to help her pick out which studs she was going to get. She got the nice sparkly ones that seem to flash a bit of color, even though they're white. What a tough girl, she didn't even cry. She did flinch and give a surprising "OH!" face when the second ear was done.

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I would post the photo but I still don't have a mini-SD card in my new phone. Also, I have not yet received my Woot! crap yet. It's scheduled to be delivered to the office Saturday (how convenient GRR!). Some folks have received some mini-SD's in their boxes so I'm holding out hope that my seven pound crap will contain said goodies. Everyone seems to be getting the Tornado water sprayers, old-as-dirt PC joysticks and some kind of USB phone thing that makes your phone jacks make a network to share Internet access. Can't complain for what $8 is going to buy you, even if it is from 1992. Some of the folks have received letters from the Woot! Gods in their crap. One of them is expecting a 250 lb shipment to be delivered! How exciting!!

OMW: Jeopardy!

Today's prompt is:
If you were on the game show Jeopardy!, what interesting story would you tell to introduce yourself?

Alex: Welcome to the show Jocelyn. It says here that you're a Professional Man-Sitter. Can you please detail what that means?

Jocelyn: Well Alex, I am the office manager at my company's southeastern NC branch office. All our employees at this location are male. I'm also married and have three boys at home. So all day, all night (all long!) I am surrounded by men. The majority of these men act as if I'm they're mother and I must tend to their every whim, question and need. It's a good thing they pay me well.

Alex: Wow, that's a lot of time to be surrounded by men. What was your previous job?

Jocelyn: Previously I was a marketing manager for a real estate firm in a gated golf community.

Alex: That sounds luxurious and exciting.

Jocelyn: It is unless the office is full of bitchy hateful women and the big boss is a cunt.

Alex: You sound bitter, Jocelyn.

Jocelyn: Oh, I'm not bitter Alex. That "experience" was one of the greatest life-lessons I've ever lived thru.

Of course, I would never let Alex know that I once let a man convince me that I was not smart enough to take the contestant exam. The Jeopardy! team was in my neighboring big town and I let the bastard talk me out of going to try out. I was so stupid and weak back then. HRUMPH!

A few years later I did get brave and try out for WHEEL! OF! FORTUNE!! the last time Vanna was in her home-town for Sun Fun Festival. That was a ton of fun and I did get a call-back from them to take the real test.

The initial WOF event was a big rally-type thing. You just filled out a basic contestant questionnaire then they hauled everyone into the convention center hall and pulled random names out. I wasn't called up to the stage that day so I believe my call-back was purely rated by my last name. My maiden name is pretty unique. So unique the only other ones in the phone book are my relatives.

The call-back was in a small conference room and had about 50 folks in it. The chairs were lined up like audience chairs and we basically played a bunch of WOF puzzles. Then they busted out with the written test. The written test was HARD. Hard because it's WOF and you SEE these puzzles. Puzzles written out where you have to write in the answers instead of shouting at the TV screen made it difficult for me.

After we finished taking the written exams the day was considered over and as we were headed down the stairs an ambulance crew was headed up the stairs. A fellow try-out had a mild heart attack and had to be taken to the hospital!

Why does the universe like to eat Sharpies, then spit them out?

I usually have a Sharpie on me at all times...because really, you never know when one will come in handy. If it's not on my physical person, there's one in the dash of the car.

Lately it seems that every time I've used a Sharpie, when I retrieve it from it's living place it's not there. I walk from my desk to the supply drawer to fetch a new one and by the time I get back to my desk, there's the original Sharpie.

What's the deal? Is my doppelganger just messing with me? I did buy a box of "industrial" Sharpies. "Specially formulated ink for industrial, commercial and laboratory use. Super-permanent black ink." I'm wondering if they have an auto-cloaking feature too?

One minute.

I recently discovered the "Blogs of Note" section in Blogger. I found a few that are nice to look at and today's blog of note has me psyched. One Minute Writer. I often think to myself "I should write in my blog today" but then I'm blank when I get here. I want to try this so I'll begin today.

Today's prompt is: VOTE. What would I tell an 18-year old American to encourage them to vote today?

And I only have a minute!?!? Ack!

For me, the short answer is: The government considers you an adult. From here on out, there's no more Mom and Dad to hide behind. 18=adult, YOU. You've wanted to be grown for at least the past 5 years and now is your time to be grown. Educate yourself. Ask, ask, and ask questions. Know what you want and research the candidate that fits to your ideals.

In reality, speaking to most 18-year olds you'd need to include a lot of "like"s and "you know"s.

So like The Man is hip to you, you know? He like knows where you live and junk. You can't go out and totally like buy a beer or anything but They still, like want your vote. Do like Diddy and mash a button dude.

I voted last week so I wouldn't have to stand in line today. I've been watching Fox news all day (Don't hate me for cheating, CNN. I just wanted to try it and Fox's boobs are a little bigger than yours.) and now I wished I would have stood in line today. I feel left out. It is rainy today so if I was standing in line I'd have HUGE humidity head so I'm not missing that. But I do feel left out of today's excitement. And I'm totally not getting anything for FREE because I did not vote on today. We're in a small town so we don't even have any of the big stores that are giving free things away so I'm really not missing out. I'm just whining.

BUT I LIKE TOTALLY VOTED DUDE!

Could I be any more scattered today?

I have zero focus today. Zero focus to task anyway.

I haven't had any pepper jack cheese in a while so I bought an 8 oz block yesterday along with some wheat crackers. Very tasty. I sat and read all the stuff in my reader and managed to eat almost 3 ounces of cheese without blinking an eye. How the hell does that happen? And what kind of price will I pay for that? I was going to make spaghetti for dinner but I think I might need to "Eat Fresh" and have spinach salad for dinner. Cheese shots and a spinach chaser should stop any ... stoppages from eating too much cheese.


I'm having a Weight Watchers Smart Ones for lunch. Home Style Beef Pot Roast. This is one of my favorites and today it seems to have a billion carrots in it. I don't have a problem eating carrots but DAMN, can I get a few more green beans to balance out all the damned orange? There's only 8 green beans. 8!! Also, it's 2:00, a little past lunch time but I did have to wait for the cheese to go down a bit and I didn't really get hungry until now.


Getting hungry. With all the doctor business and test results and needing to lose weight - it cracks me up when I DO get hungry because for a long time, I didn't wait to get hungry to eat. I just ate. "That looks good, I'm going to eat it." Terrible way to live folks. It's not terrible, it is actually quite tasty, it's just not right. I'm getting reacquainted with "hungry."


I ran into an old friend at Walmart yesterday. She told me of a classmate's passing and that was not fun. He was only 37, just a few weeks older than me. Left behind a wife and two kids. I can't imagine how horrible that must be to survive your husband passing so soon in life. There must be a ton of paperwork to deal with. He had some time in the military so hopefully his widow got one of those "I'm here to help you thru this" guys. I know I had not seen him since high school so the picture in my mind was very different from his obit photo. He looked VERY foreign from my mind's eye. I wonder how the class of 89 will look when we have the next reunion - twenty years later.


I think Junior had a good Halloween. Husband is still out of town so that left the two of us to celebrate (the big boys went to a lock-in at the church). Our neighbors joined us for the walk up and down the street for Trick or Treating. Only 4 houses were open/on/passing out candy and that was a real bummer. A bummer for me, Junior still doesn't quite know the difference. He had a much better time giving out candy. We did manage to get a whole 11ish kids by the house. I counted the kids as they walked up the driveway and gave Junior the goodie bags to pass out. As soon as I opened the door he would ask, "WHAT YOU NAME?" and if they didn't answer - he just kept asking until they'd eek out a reply. He'd toss their treat in the sack and say, "Happy Halloween" and everyone was happy.


Mr. Tat Cat kicked the bucket last week. He'd been acting "off" and he was either 15 or 16, pretty damned old for a cat who lived outside. He spent a day or two sleeping in my bed, highly affectionate in his final days so I was not caught completely off guard when the neighbor called. She found him in her backyard, one of his favorite places to be. We buried him under the nicest tree in the spare lot. Thanks for the good times Tat, you'll be missed.


Falling back always makes me happy. This is the one time of year I feel rested. The clock is my friend, it's not yelling at me to get the hell out of the bed and on with your day! I feel awake when it's time to wake up. Junior passed out before I could get him in the bathtub (How's that "I'm NOT taking a nap!" program working for you NOW sucker!?) last night so I had to get him up early to get the stink off of him. He was pleasant this morning until I put raisins in his oatmeal. As I was trying to shower and get dressed he came in about 48 times to tell me, "No raisins, MOM!" To which I replied, "I'm sorry, you'll just have to eat around the raisins." The first time. The other 47 times I shooed him out and told him to go eat. When it was time to leave the house the oatmeal AND raisins were gone. Ha ha! You ate it.


Carl Edwards kicked some ass in Texas yesterday. Serious ass. His gas/math nerds earned their money. I hope he does well at Atlanta too. I do not want to see JJ get 3 in a row. That'd just be rude. I worked in the house a lot during the race but the last 50 or so laps I was glued to the tv. Damn good race. Thanks Carl!