The Crazy Hip Blog Mamas asked about our thoughts on the end of winter and approach of spring. We woke this morning to a new coating of wet, sticky, white stuff. It was no surprise, as the local weather sensationalizers were forecasting 3-7" in the metro. So far, we've only gotten about an inch. The dogs love to walk in it; the snow is the right depth and consistency for them to leave perfect little paw prints on the road.
As much as I hate winter, I kind of like spring snow. When winter looms out ahead of me, promising nothing but bitter cold, dark, and high propane bills, I get really depressed. In March, I know the snow won't last long. We got 11 inches last week, and it's long gone. Today's accumulation will be gone by Wednesday, since tomorrow's forecast is sunshine and 37 degrees. In spring, I can enjoy snow because it does not threaten to smother me for three more months. The days are longer, the wind less bitter (though sometimes still pretty raw!) and the air holds the promise of warm days to come. Bring on April!
31 March 2008
30 March 2008
Dreary
The weather is mild, but gloomy. The grey clouds seem to stifle any life or energy I have. Bleah. iPastor was home to rally the troops, and Alex helped Thing 3 clean her room, so I came home from work to find progress. iPastor also went to the internet, Source of All Information, and found a way to rig a little homemade gizmo to improve our broadcast TV reception, so we have a couple more channels coming in well enough to watch out here in the boondocks. I'm all for PBS, but it gets a little old when that's ALL we can pull in. Now I'm off so Thing 1 can write a paper she put off all weekend. That apple is not far from the tree at all...
29 March 2008
Now I've gone and done it...
...I went and bought a bike. I stopped at the local new and used bike shop, and for less than the cost of a tank of gas, I got myself a bike, complete with baskets and knobby tires. I'll pick it up Wednesday after they give it a once-over. I plan to ride it to and from work, weather permitting. With local gas prices at $3.24, it shouldn't take too long to see some benefit. Maybe my butt will see some benefit, too.
28 March 2008
I got nothing...except a photo Friday
A run-of-the mill day here at Casa del Goose. Hung out this morning and got some housework done, then went to work both jobs and came home to find Thing 3 puking. Gave her some TLC until she got to sleep, then came here to waste some time. Tomorrow is a one-job Saturday! Woohoo. I've got papers to write, so I'll use my time wisely...right.
CHBM asked for "Kids in the Kitchen Pics." I like this one...
CHBM asked for "Kids in the Kitchen Pics." I like this one...
27 March 2008
The narcissistic post
So, Groovy Mom and the Flip Flop Queen have been posting swell karaoke video. I posted some crappy video last year. I dig the app Groovy Mom uses, but my poor ol' Mac just isn't up to it. So, I poked around until I found something I thought would support the files I have. These are from a demo I did for a contest that required a demo (go figure...) Somewhere around here I have a live song from a Christmas concert I did, that I really like, but I need to go digging to find it. Argh. Anyway, let's see if this has been worth the time I wasted invested in it...
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26 March 2008
Hey, Mr. Peabody...
Guess the reference and win...I dunno, something I dig out of the basement storeroom.
For those who can pin down the reference, you will have prior knowledge of a device called the wayback machine. On the internet, the Wayback Machine does indeed exist to archive web content. I have bemoaned the lost website here on occasion, from the stupid domain host that dropped us like a hot potato out of the blue one day for "too much traffic." I think that may still be lost to the ether, but iPastor was playing around the other day and remembered the wayback machine, and pulled up some archived versions of the Firestorm site. Back then, the ol' bloggaroo was tagged on the back of that site. Here are some treats for your viewing pleasure. Count the Things for an idea of how old these tidbits are. Some of the pictures load, some do not, I don't know why, because they would have all been hosted the same. Oh well.
This was a fun little trip.
So was this.
And finally, some ranting, complete with potty mouth.
Go visit and dig around archive.org a bit. Almost as much fun as googling yourself, and doesn't sound as dirty...
For those who can pin down the reference, you will have prior knowledge of a device called the wayback machine. On the internet, the Wayback Machine does indeed exist to archive web content. I have bemoaned the lost website here on occasion, from the stupid domain host that dropped us like a hot potato out of the blue one day for "too much traffic." I think that may still be lost to the ether, but iPastor was playing around the other day and remembered the wayback machine, and pulled up some archived versions of the Firestorm site. Back then, the ol' bloggaroo was tagged on the back of that site. Here are some treats for your viewing pleasure. Count the Things for an idea of how old these tidbits are. Some of the pictures load, some do not, I don't know why, because they would have all been hosted the same. Oh well.
This was a fun little trip.
So was this.
And finally, some ranting, complete with potty mouth.
Go visit and dig around archive.org a bit. Almost as much fun as googling yourself, and doesn't sound as dirty...
25 March 2008
Zzzzzz
Been spending my campus time today doing resume checks, signing up for job fairs, determining dates to take PraxisII, and all that lovely paperwork-type stuff. Drains a body. Makes my head tired.
Other than that, it's been schoolwork and trying not to eat every unclaimed item in the NTSO. What is up with that? All the munchies, none o' the fun...
Other than that, it's been schoolwork and trying not to eat every unclaimed item in the NTSO. What is up with that? All the munchies, none o' the fun...
24 March 2008
Controlled Mayhem
So the kids had the day off school and I worked two jobs. Guess what got done around the house...
23 March 2008
He is Risen!
He is Risen indeed! Blessed Easter to all!
***
I'm beginning to wonder if I have a mild bug of some sort. I really zonked out last night, and I needed a nap this afternoon. Just feel worn and draggy. No fever or other symptoms, just shot.
***
I told Thing 2 to clean off her bed, and she has her whole room ripped apart in that "worse before it's better" stage of cleaning. Hate to stop her, but hope she doesn't fizzle out before she's done. Thing 1 did the same sort of job last week, and I think little sister likes how it turned out and is trying to follow suit. More power to her!
***
Off to do some work of my own. The sun is out, so I hate to miss it!
***
I'm beginning to wonder if I have a mild bug of some sort. I really zonked out last night, and I needed a nap this afternoon. Just feel worn and draggy. No fever or other symptoms, just shot.
***
I told Thing 2 to clean off her bed, and she has her whole room ripped apart in that "worse before it's better" stage of cleaning. Hate to stop her, but hope she doesn't fizzle out before she's done. Thing 1 did the same sort of job last week, and I think little sister likes how it turned out and is trying to follow suit. More power to her!
***
Off to do some work of my own. The sun is out, so I hate to miss it!
22 March 2008
Slop
Still more snow today! Made for a sloppy run to the cities to visit Elsie. Stopped very briefly at Borders and Target on the way home. Got back about 9 and I am shot. Highway hypnosis is a drag; I get all warm and lulled by the drone of the motor and my brain feels like mush. Now to sleep it off.
21 March 2008
March in Minnesota
I stayed in Marshall after class to attend a meeting for an online high school starting next year. It's not the first, but the kids are interested so I checked it out. It was raining when I left Marshall yesterday. I drove into this storm. Ew. It didn't really bother me, I just went slowly. There was someone ahead of me who couldn't decide which side of the road to drive on, and the biggest challenge was just not to follow the tracks he left.
There was no school today anyway, so the kids have been out using the snow to its best advantage. It's fairly warm and the moisture content is perfect for snowman and snowfort construction. I'll stay inside and man the hot chocolate production and cookie baking.
20 March 2008
Seven random things.
Hm. Got tagged, I see...Trouble with these things is not repeating stuff I already posted way back when. Oh well...
1. I won a VFW/American Legion essay contest on freedom in the 4th grade.
2. My second cousin was the art teacher at my grade school and also the Legion Auxiliary president. Everyone hated her and gave me crap. There truly is nothing better to do in small towns.
3. I was a bullied kid, but I survived. I can understand those who don't. I have a lot of empathy for the bullying issues I see on TV and read about for ed classes. Never got to the point of gunning down a school, though.
4. I snort when I get a good laugh on.
5. I don't think I've got grey hair yet. I color too often to tell. My mom was silver by 35, so I'm kinda surprised.
6. My teeth are still really crooked, despite three years of braces.
7. I like spinach. (That's lame, but this is harder than it looks...)
OK, who to tag...
1.Mama Michel
2.The Flip Flop Queen
3.Kelly
4.Cosmic Junkie
5.Rachel
6.Jamie Dawn
7.Groovy Mom
1. Link to your tagger (that's ME) and post these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
4. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
1. I won a VFW/American Legion essay contest on freedom in the 4th grade.
2. My second cousin was the art teacher at my grade school and also the Legion Auxiliary president. Everyone hated her and gave me crap. There truly is nothing better to do in small towns.
3. I was a bullied kid, but I survived. I can understand those who don't. I have a lot of empathy for the bullying issues I see on TV and read about for ed classes. Never got to the point of gunning down a school, though.
4. I snort when I get a good laugh on.
5. I don't think I've got grey hair yet. I color too often to tell. My mom was silver by 35, so I'm kinda surprised.
6. My teeth are still really crooked, despite three years of braces.
7. I like spinach. (That's lame, but this is harder than it looks...)
OK, who to tag...
1.Mama Michel
2.The Flip Flop Queen
3.Kelly
4.Cosmic Junkie
5.Rachel
6.Jamie Dawn
7.Groovy Mom
1. Link to your tagger (that's ME) and post these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
4. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
19 March 2008
18 March 2008
Ten On Tuesday
This week's theme: Ten places I'd take a visitor to my home town. In our case, town is 200 people, so I've expanded to what I consider "home turf." Play along in the
comments or link back to your list on your own blog...
1. Really Big Tree:
This is about four miles from my house and almost the first thing we visit when we have exchange students.
2.
Camp Release
The link will give you the history of the event there. Our own little piece of the Dakota Conflict of 1862.
3. Art's Dairy Freeze. (In Season)
My kids would be far more excited about this (and iPastor.) I don't really like it that much, but I'm all for the nostalgia. There's one in my hometown I'd list if we lived there.
4. Our Church!
5. If a visitor had kids to entertain, we'd hit the PYC. Someone is really making a go of Prairieland Youth Center. It's putting a disused building to work, and providing activities for kids. Several have tried and failed since I came to town, and iPastor and his buddy Dan built their first DJ business from the ashes of their go at one wayyyy back when. It has been very difficult for any of these people to enlist community or municipal support, and the present management, while enduring some growing pains and reorganizing, is rallying to keep this going.
6. We would have to lunch at Valentino's.
7. And have supper at Duffy's
8. Historic Chippewa City
9. Swenson Farm Are you getting the Historical Society theme here? For one thing, we are interested in this stuff. Also, there's not much else to do here.
10.LacQuiParle Mission If we went geographically, this would be by the tree, but oh well.
***
Only in Minnesota, would you find at, oh, say, 6am, a woman in her jammies, slippers and fuzzy robe, plowing a minivan in reverse through the plow rut. Successfully.
comments or link back to your list on your own blog...
1. Really Big Tree:
This is about four miles from my house and almost the first thing we visit when we have exchange students.2.
Camp Release
The link will give you the history of the event there. Our own little piece of the Dakota Conflict of 1862.
3. Art's Dairy Freeze. (In Season)
My kids would be far more excited about this (and iPastor.) I don't really like it that much, but I'm all for the nostalgia. There's one in my hometown I'd list if we lived there.
4. Our Church!
5. If a visitor had kids to entertain, we'd hit the PYC. Someone is really making a go of Prairieland Youth Center. It's putting a disused building to work, and providing activities for kids. Several have tried and failed since I came to town, and iPastor and his buddy Dan built their first DJ business from the ashes of their go at one wayyyy back when. It has been very difficult for any of these people to enlist community or municipal support, and the present management, while enduring some growing pains and reorganizing, is rallying to keep this going.
6. We would have to lunch at Valentino's.
7. And have supper at Duffy's
8. Historic Chippewa City
9. Swenson Farm Are you getting the Historical Society theme here? For one thing, we are interested in this stuff. Also, there's not much else to do here.
10.LacQuiParle Mission If we went geographically, this would be by the tree, but oh well.
***
Only in Minnesota, would you find at, oh, say, 6am, a woman in her jammies, slippers and fuzzy robe, plowing a minivan in reverse through the plow rut. Successfully.
17 March 2008
Snowy
Lovely white poofy stuff coming down. Doesn't last too long this time of year; by tomorrow it'll be brown slop. The yard looks clean for now.
I have no telephone, and no idea why. The internet is up, the phone appears to be fully charged, and there's no reason I can think of that I get dead air. I also have no idea where iPastor has the vonage box rigged in to check it out.
Checked out some meme things for Monday, but none of them sparked my interest. That and many were St. Pat's related. I believe firmly that Saint Patrick spends most of March 17 every year spinning like a top in his grave. I have no idea what green beer and debauchery have to do with St. Pat. Or being Irish. Just an excuse for the Norwegians around here to tint a keg. Of to get ready for work and track down a sitter on foot.
I have no telephone, and no idea why. The internet is up, the phone appears to be fully charged, and there's no reason I can think of that I get dead air. I also have no idea where iPastor has the vonage box rigged in to check it out.
Checked out some meme things for Monday, but none of them sparked my interest. That and many were St. Pat's related. I believe firmly that Saint Patrick spends most of March 17 every year spinning like a top in his grave. I have no idea what green beer and debauchery have to do with St. Pat. Or being Irish. Just an excuse for the Norwegians around here to tint a keg. Of to get ready for work and track down a sitter on foot.
16 March 2008
Hosanna
It was our church's annual breakfast and egg hunt today. We like to beat the rush and take care of stuff on Palm Sunday. We had lots of wonderful food, but the kids had one goal in mind. They came home with buttloads of candy. Thing 3 got the "golden" egg and won a little Zebco fishing kit that Thing 4 is quite jealous of.
Speaking of Thing 4, he's been coming into his own lately, but also showing sides to his temperment that I druther not see. He crawled into be with me this morning chirping about his trip for pizza and the Horton movie with grandpa. He proceeded to explain left and right (correctly) to me, and play with the cat. Getting ready for church, however, became a struggle. He threw a fit over jelly toast, then acted up all through church. It'll all come around, I'm sure, but it was a trying morning.
Now it's time to wind down tonight and gear up for tomorrow. Nite, y'all.
Speaking of Thing 4, he's been coming into his own lately, but also showing sides to his temperment that I druther not see. He crawled into be with me this morning chirping about his trip for pizza and the Horton movie with grandpa. He proceeded to explain left and right (correctly) to me, and play with the cat. Getting ready for church, however, became a struggle. He threw a fit over jelly toast, then acted up all through church. It'll all come around, I'm sure, but it was a trying morning.
Now it's time to wind down tonight and gear up for tomorrow. Nite, y'all.
15 March 2008
14 March 2008
Hootin' and hollerin'
The concert was awesome. We dropped the girls off with g'ma and headed for ELmen Canter at Augie for the concert. Revive opened: good fun, young noise. Then Decemberadio took the stage rocking it old school. They had apparently studied 80's hair band style and it was working for them. The riff into Kansas'"Carry On" didn't hurt, either. Sanctus Real was third; everything on their playlist has had airplay lately, so they are up and coming. The openers were an hour and a half, then they struck all the equipment from the stage and Third Day hit. Wow. Just. Wow. Mac had a twinkle in his eye that looked like he was having a blast, or he's a really good faker. The band was fired up and put on an excellent show. We hung on the rail. iPastor's secret superpower is being able to get to the front of any GA concert crowd, so we got Mac's water dumped on us (which was all right, blessed hot in a crowd of jumping co-eds.) and came home with a guitar pick. We also scavenged enough Coke caps to pay for one of the kid's college, cuz I'm tacky that way. Scored some swag on the way out, and hit Lange's for breakfast on the way home. Good times.
Got home at 2:15 in the blessed am, so I slept in and my day is shot, for I am off to work and out the door!
Got home at 2:15 in the blessed am, so I slept in and my day is shot, for I am off to work and out the door!
13 March 2008
It's a lovely day...
...and I'm sitting inside. All that sunshine means slush. Ick.
Getting ready to ship the kids off for weekend at G'Ma D's house. Chasing down undies and socks, etc. Better get to it.
Getting ready to ship the kids off for weekend at G'Ma D's house. Chasing down undies and socks, etc. Better get to it.
12 March 2008
11 March 2008
List of the day:
Ten on Tuesday!
10 Things I'm Looking Forward to in the Spring
1. Lower propane bills!
2. Fires in the firepit
3. Taking another swing at gardening
4. Graduating!
5. Mud (although I'm sure this one will soon become one of "Ten things I'm sick of this spring"...)
6. Thunderstorms
7. Opening windows
8. Dumpster day! (Town supplies free dumpster for one truckload of junk from each house)
9. Longer days.
10. Walking the dogs without snowy paws.
So, what are you looking forward to?
10 Things I'm Looking Forward to in the Spring
1. Lower propane bills!
2. Fires in the firepit
3. Taking another swing at gardening
4. Graduating!
5. Mud (although I'm sure this one will soon become one of "Ten things I'm sick of this spring"...)
6. Thunderstorms
7. Opening windows
8. Dumpster day! (Town supplies free dumpster for one truckload of junk from each house)
9. Longer days.
10. Walking the dogs without snowy paws.
So, what are you looking forward to?
10 March 2008
Ramping up
Time to get off the chair and get cracking with some chores before I head off to both jobs today. I have all day off tomorrow, and I need to do some serious planning so I don't just fritter it all away. I'm just in a sluggish mood today, physically and heartwise. Yuck.
09 March 2008
Party Pooper
Tonight my kids ambushed me in the hallway with waterguns. It was one of those spontaneous bonding moments, right out of the wacky family montage in a sitcom. They were getting along, playing together, laughing and having a blast. All I could think of was how angry I was with them for doing that instead of the simple chores I'd been asking them to finish all day, and I had just reminded them about again. It sucked the joy out of the moment for me. Tonight I am just too weary.
08 March 2008
Speedrun V2.0
We ran to the cities today to visit Elsie. I usually don't have problems driving in the cities, but this and this were kicking my butt today. It was like that scene in European Vacation, where Clark keeps hollering "I can't get left!" "Look kids, Big Ben, Parliament!" I could see the stinkin' Washington Avenue bridge from anywhere in the neighborhood, but I couldn't get on the dang thing! At least the Wiki explains why it's so verschlugende hard... Anyway, we had been told her visitors were limited, so I dropped Thing 1 and iPastor off, then we headed to the N burbs to visit my bro and the rest of my clan who were in town for a visit. We had a lovely lunch and some chat, then headed back to miss the Washington Avenue bridge AGAIN. We were able to all pop into Elsie's room long enough to say Hi and give sanitized smooches, than we headed to MOA just long enough for iPastor to browse the Apple store with his gift card, and play a little parking tag. We then decided to take an alternate route home in order to eat at the Bayrischer Hof. Who knew that Springsteen, the Eagles and the Beatles were all accordion music? There was just enough snow to make driving interesting; speeds varied from 65 to 45 all the way home. It'll wait until morning to shovel.
07 March 2008
Friday Meme-ness
Look! Blog Fodder, and a list! Two birds with one stone! Yay for writing prompts!
Appetizer
If you could be any current celebrity for one whole week, who would you want to be?
I'd like to be Bono, with money, recognition and resources to make a difference in underprivileged parts of the world.
Soup
On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being highest), how much do you enjoy talking on the phone?
Erm, 5. Love being able to connect with people far away. Love visiting. Hate waiting on hold. Hate answering machines. Hate being easily distracted from the conversation by stuff around me.
Salad
Name a charitable organization to which you have donated (or would like to).
Modest Needs
Main Course
What is a food you like so much you could eat it every single day for a month?
Orange creme whole milk yogurt
Dessert
Have you or anyone in your family had the flu this year?
Don't think so, but we're constantly passing around some bug or another.
Appetizer
If you could be any current celebrity for one whole week, who would you want to be?
I'd like to be Bono, with money, recognition and resources to make a difference in underprivileged parts of the world.
Soup
On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being highest), how much do you enjoy talking on the phone?
Erm, 5. Love being able to connect with people far away. Love visiting. Hate waiting on hold. Hate answering machines. Hate being easily distracted from the conversation by stuff around me.
Salad
Name a charitable organization to which you have donated (or would like to).
Modest Needs
Main Course
What is a food you like so much you could eat it every single day for a month?
Orange creme whole milk yogurt
Dessert
Have you or anyone in your family had the flu this year?
Don't think so, but we're constantly passing around some bug or another.
06 March 2008
Bleh
The week rolls on...
Thing 1 is having bus troubles. Our route has a bad rep for troublesome behavior, so the driver is pretty strict and brooks no nonsense. With all the kids he has to get safely to school, I usually appreciate this. However, Thing 1 has been on one sort of restriction or another since Christmas break. She feels as if she is unfairly singled out, or sometimes she will take the fall for a group thing to avoid a confrontation with the driver. Now she's been ejected from the bus for two weeks, and the school wants her to write an apology to the driver and to us for inconveniencing us. After talking with her, and corroborating with the other Things and some other kids on the bus, we feel she is not to blame for this incident and her dad wrote a letter to school explaining it. The school counselor wants her to go ahead and write the letter and "take responsibility," though she is in possession of a letter that tells her we INSTRUCTED HER NOT TO. Hello? Bucking parental authority is for teenagers, not the school counselors. Not making matters easier is the fact that she has been dealing with an intern in the counselors office. We'll be calling and changing that as well.
***
iPastor's mom is not doing well. She has been hospitalized this week with pneumonia, and they are having a difficult time keeping her fever down. Hoping to go visit tomorrow. Sucks that the decent healthcare is so far away.
***
Tuckered out. Two job days all week, and next week too. Bonus: Next week is spring break at school, so my two school days off work are FREE!! Thursday iPastor and I are going to Sioux Falls to see Third Day. Woot! We'll drop Things 1 and 2 off at G'ma & G'Pa D's for their combined birthday weekend. Bonus day for going together this year. Off to bed. Rest is good.
Thing 1 is having bus troubles. Our route has a bad rep for troublesome behavior, so the driver is pretty strict and brooks no nonsense. With all the kids he has to get safely to school, I usually appreciate this. However, Thing 1 has been on one sort of restriction or another since Christmas break. She feels as if she is unfairly singled out, or sometimes she will take the fall for a group thing to avoid a confrontation with the driver. Now she's been ejected from the bus for two weeks, and the school wants her to write an apology to the driver and to us for inconveniencing us. After talking with her, and corroborating with the other Things and some other kids on the bus, we feel she is not to blame for this incident and her dad wrote a letter to school explaining it. The school counselor wants her to go ahead and write the letter and "take responsibility," though she is in possession of a letter that tells her we INSTRUCTED HER NOT TO. Hello? Bucking parental authority is for teenagers, not the school counselors. Not making matters easier is the fact that she has been dealing with an intern in the counselors office. We'll be calling and changing that as well.
***
iPastor's mom is not doing well. She has been hospitalized this week with pneumonia, and they are having a difficult time keeping her fever down. Hoping to go visit tomorrow. Sucks that the decent healthcare is so far away.
***
Tuckered out. Two job days all week, and next week too. Bonus: Next week is spring break at school, so my two school days off work are FREE!! Thursday iPastor and I are going to Sioux Falls to see Third Day. Woot! We'll drop Things 1 and 2 off at G'ma & G'Pa D's for their combined birthday weekend. Bonus day for going together this year. Off to bed. Rest is good.
05 March 2008
04 March 2008
It's My Big Break!
From 11:45-5:30. Trying to find a productive way to spend time. Today I have all my reading done and no major assignments until after spring break. Got my first Austen paper back. A. I rock. Now if only it paid money...
03 March 2008
Can't trust that day...
Off to a rolling start here. It wouldn't be so bad if Thing 4 would just crawl into bed with us and sleep, but he has to sprawl across the pillow with his whole body, grind his teeth and snore. Sleep was a relative concept last night. Then the rest of the family wonders why I don't feel like getting out of bed right away in the morning. Arg.
***
Got a new toy over in the sidebar. The Blogger folks were pimping it out in the dashboard, so I'll give it a try, as long as it's free. Check it out and see what you think. Any serious foolishness may be posted to the blog for fodder.
***
NaBloPoMo has expanded their format to every month now. Jump in where you are and get your feet wet. The theme for this month is lists. The Cosmic Junkie sent one last week that I will address here rather than email, because I am lazy that way. Two birds with one stone and all that...However, I can't find it right now, so I'll do it later.
***
Last week I joked that I only had one two-job day, whatever would I do with all my free time. It's come back to me in spades, as every day until Saturday is a two-job day, except for the twelve hour school day tomorrow. I may be a little scarce here...
***
Got a new toy over in the sidebar. The Blogger folks were pimping it out in the dashboard, so I'll give it a try, as long as it's free. Check it out and see what you think. Any serious foolishness may be posted to the blog for fodder.
***
NaBloPoMo has expanded their format to every month now. Jump in where you are and get your feet wet. The theme for this month is lists. The Cosmic Junkie sent one last week that I will address here rather than email, because I am lazy that way. Two birds with one stone and all that...However, I can't find it right now, so I'll do it later.
***
Last week I joked that I only had one two-job day, whatever would I do with all my free time. It's come back to me in spades, as every day until Saturday is a two-job day, except for the twelve hour school day tomorrow. I may be a little scarce here...
02 March 2008
Happy Birthday Thing 1
I'm aging as we speak. My first thing was born 15 years ago today. Pull up a chair and I'll tell you about it. Guys are allowed to zone out or glaze over, childbirth stories are a woman thing, to be sure.
At that time, iPastor was actually mayor of Montevideo, and was settling in for a particularly grueling fiscal meeting of some sort. He joked as he left, "Feel free to go into labor and get me out of this meeting." Ever an obliging and agreeable wife, I started having contractions. I called him home, and settled in to wait. The contractions were sporadic, so I headed for bed. When I woke in the morning, the contractions were becoming stronger and closer, so we headed to the hospital, where I got all checked in and settled into a room. By then the contractions were three minutes apart and getting hard. I foolishly had the thought that this was textbook, and proceeding like clockwork. That's when the doc came in and burst my bubble. Contractions were three minutes apart, but I was only dilated to two. No pushing a baby through that. He started a pitocin drip, and drove me to the edge of insanity. Periodically, a nurse would come in and rip my loins asunder to see if I'd dilated any further. The news was never very hopeful for me, so they'd pat my hand, help me to the bathroom, or fetch me a basin in which to puke. The doctor had made some brief mention of pain medication, but he wasn't a real proponent of it, feeling it slowed delivery. Six hours after the drip started, I had finally decided that I. NEEDED. DRUGS. NOW. when the nurse chirped "Oh, you're at 10, I'll get the doctor and you can push." With the end in sight, I could do without meds. Once they fetched the doctor from the clinic we got down to business and in 10 minutes I had a purple, squirming, eight and a half pound daughter.
Apparently I was a bit noisy, because the nurse told me a couple of times not to grunt, to concentrate on pushing the baby out. Not the way to my good side. In the aftermath, while they were stitching and cleaning me up, it came out in conversation(between her and the doctor, don't mind the groggy chick that you're sewing back together over here)that her kids were adopted. Adoptive parents are awesome, but don't be telling me how to force eight and a half pounds of grapefruit through a 10cm window if you've never done it yourself. Sheesh.
For all that, I got this:
She was a little smaller back then, but only slightly more cranky. 15-year-old girls just have a different set of needs to meet and different tears to dry. On a good day, she's funny, smiley and full of life. We'll stick with good days for now. Happy Birthday Thing 1. Love my girl, I do, I do.
At that time, iPastor was actually mayor of Montevideo, and was settling in for a particularly grueling fiscal meeting of some sort. He joked as he left, "Feel free to go into labor and get me out of this meeting." Ever an obliging and agreeable wife, I started having contractions. I called him home, and settled in to wait. The contractions were sporadic, so I headed for bed. When I woke in the morning, the contractions were becoming stronger and closer, so we headed to the hospital, where I got all checked in and settled into a room. By then the contractions were three minutes apart and getting hard. I foolishly had the thought that this was textbook, and proceeding like clockwork. That's when the doc came in and burst my bubble. Contractions were three minutes apart, but I was only dilated to two. No pushing a baby through that. He started a pitocin drip, and drove me to the edge of insanity. Periodically, a nurse would come in and rip my loins asunder to see if I'd dilated any further. The news was never very hopeful for me, so they'd pat my hand, help me to the bathroom, or fetch me a basin in which to puke. The doctor had made some brief mention of pain medication, but he wasn't a real proponent of it, feeling it slowed delivery. Six hours after the drip started, I had finally decided that I. NEEDED. DRUGS. NOW. when the nurse chirped "Oh, you're at 10, I'll get the doctor and you can push." With the end in sight, I could do without meds. Once they fetched the doctor from the clinic we got down to business and in 10 minutes I had a purple, squirming, eight and a half pound daughter.
Apparently I was a bit noisy, because the nurse told me a couple of times not to grunt, to concentrate on pushing the baby out. Not the way to my good side. In the aftermath, while they were stitching and cleaning me up, it came out in conversation(between her and the doctor, don't mind the groggy chick that you're sewing back together over here)that her kids were adopted. Adoptive parents are awesome, but don't be telling me how to force eight and a half pounds of grapefruit through a 10cm window if you've never done it yourself. Sheesh.
For all that, I got this:
She was a little smaller back then, but only slightly more cranky. 15-year-old girls just have a different set of needs to meet and different tears to dry. On a good day, she's funny, smiley and full of life. We'll stick with good days for now. Happy Birthday Thing 1. Love my girl, I do, I do.
01 March 2008
American Waitress
Two job day today, then picking up the German kid from the school dance. Which, due to a huge basketball tournament in town, they held at the American Legion. Ummm. Made waiting around for the kids a little more interesting for the grownups...
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