Going off the deep end

This evening was the Rangers' team party at one of the player's homes with a very cool pool. The boys all had a blast. It was a lot of fun for everyone. I was hating life because of the splint on my leg - I can't swim. I like to get in with the kids. Army of Dad was one of only about three or four parents to actually get in the water. This shot was funny as all the kids lined up to jump in simultaneously. They were counting down and I was all ready for the picture when they all went: 5-4-3-2-then jumped and yelled- 1! Dude. So, I pulled a flag raising on them and made them do it again.

And, the buddies. Hot Rod (in the middle) is really good buddies with J, the kid on the right. They played baseball together in spring 2007, too. The kid on the left is the one who hit three balls over the fence in the first game of the tournament on Wednesday. He and Hot Rod really mesh well on the baseball field and in the dugout. Good little team leaders.
This is the kids coaxing their coach into the pool. You may notice me trying to hide behind the blue striped towel on the right of the clip. I had already gotten the bottom of my splint damp traipsing across the deck. Didn't want that giant splash to douse me.

And, how gorgeous is this little girl? That is a Julia Roberts smile in the works, isn't it? More baseball on Monday and hopefully Tuesday.

A seat with a view

This is my view of the game now that I'm on crutches. Yeah, those are my swollen toes propped up in a portable chair. That is Hot Rod out in left field in this particular inning. This is from the loss Friday night 15-14. The boys won today and will go to the championship game on Monday. If they win, they will have to play the same team on Tuesday and beat them again to claim first place (double elimination tournament.) But, we're guaranteed second, although I don't quite think that is good enough in these boys' eyes.

Birding, AoM Style

This was so sweet. Hot Rod was helping me carry my stuff to the car today when he noticed this little bird on the porch swing. Then, while we were watching, it landed on the perch to the birdhouse. While we were watching, the bird's mate landed on the side of the birdhouse, too. So cute. What makes it even neater is that this house is the one that Little Bit and my dad made together earlier this year. *click on the picture for a larger view*

Can anyone tell me what kind of bird that is?

SPF: Watching You

This week's Stuff Portrait Friday follows the musical theme of Tribute. For me, it was pretty easy.

Watching Hot Rod trying to be so much like his dad is funny. When the Rodney Atkins song "Watching You" came out, I immediately thought of these two. These photos are actually by Uzz, but I'm going to steal them for this SPF.

I love these lyrics:

Cause I've been watching you dad, ain't that cool

I'm your buckaroo, I wanna be like you

And eat all my food and grow as tall as you are

By then I'll be as strong as superman

We'll be just alike, hey won't we dad

When I can do everything you do

Cause I've been watching you

So, did you play?

When you think it can't get any worse

It can.

Army of Dad was on his way to a job interview around lunchtime when he was involved in a hit and run accident in the rental car today.

*sigh*

Fortunately, he wasn't injured. He said he's stiff and sore, though. We've only gotten to talk on the phone briefly between dealing with insurance, getting another rental, the accident itself, trying to reach the interviewer to tell him what happened.

I didn't take any pain meds this afternoon since I was going to have to retrieve children from school, so I'm a really grumpy person right now because of the pain. Army of Dad had to deal with insurance and rental car people for a few hours - long story - so he is running WAY behind to get here and he has all of Hot Rod's baseball gear with him. We have to leave in 30 minutes to get to the fields, too.

Joy.

*sigh* I'm wondering what we've done to piss off God.

Post-op Udpate

I survived the Topaz procedure. Now, I'm just battling the post-op anesthesia-induced nausea. I tend to suffer with it about half the time after operations, unfortunately. Not the ideal way to drop a few pounds, but I guess I'll take it. :) My stomach hurts from puking. My right leg is a bit sore from supporting all my weight with the crutches. I'm sure my shoulders, back and arms will be sore in a few days from the crutches, too.

But, aside from that, I'm good. :)

SAW

Yeah, tomorrow I go under the knife for my Topaz procedure to cure/treat my plantar fasciitis in my left foot. I had this done in my right foot almost four years ago and have been pain free ever since.

Causes of plantar faciitis, according to the Mayo Clinic:
Active in sports - I was a competitive athlete for years, only having given up most of that once I had kids. I was still playing softball even after Little Bit was born five years ago and with coaching, you have to be a little physical
Flat-footed - I have always been flat-footed (and slow).
Middle-aged or older - oh yuck.
Overweight - guilty as charged.

*sigh*

Of course, now I'm getting nervous and anxious and all that. I always do. I hate anesthesia because I have issues with it. I'm either puking for a day afterward or there are complications with administering my anesthesia. In January for my ablation, the anesthesia guy didn't get the IV into a vein and was just pumping stuff into my arm. Nice. *sighing again* So, I may go take some anti-anxiety meds the doc gave me before the last operation (they didn't work then, but why not try?)

Oh yeah, you're wondering why the title of this post is SAW? That is my surgeon's initials. He outlines his work and then initials it with SAW. Sick bastard. I really hope it isn't instructions. :)

Twins?

Ok, this is funny. My friend, RC (in the tie) sends me this random email today telling me how he has discovered from American Idol friends of his that he looks like this dude from American Idol. Ok, I can see it. Now, I don't know how Chikezie (or whoever he is) sings, but let me just tell you that he isn't in any danger of RC stealing his props at the mic. LOL

The more I look at the pics, the more I think Chikezie *I want to say Bless You every time I try to even say the name* looks like a cross between RC and Levar Burton.

Wild boys

On Saturday, we had Hot Rod's birthday party at a local church rec center. Fun was had by all. These goofy boys just crack me up. There were a couple of others who were there, but they weren't quite as rough and tumble as this group of six. The boys played dodgeball for most of the party.

This was pretty funny. One of the kids who came wrote a letter to Hot Rod regaling him of the tale of his mom washing his shorts with chewing gum in the pocket and how when she pulled them out of the dryer, the gum was stretchy and gooey. He even illustrated the story, too.

This kiddo has been one of Hot Rod's best friends since kindergarten. It is fun to watch them grow over the years. He knew exactly what Hot Rod would like - an Xbox 360 baseball game. Batter up!

Then, we had the water gun fights outside. Sister enjoyed that, too.

Give me some more cake, or the birthday boy gets it! Just too funny catching them in this shot. Literally. :)

Remember this?

I'm not trying to seduce you. LOL. They all want me, they can't have me, so they all come and dance beside me. Ohmigosh, this just makes me crack up. Who DIDN'T Macarena? I mean, really? At a baseball game? A club? While driving down the road? At home? Admit it. You did the Macarena at home while listening to the radio.

His two friends were so fine ... gotta love the lyrics. Heyyyyyy Macarena.

Soulja Boy Spongebob

Because LabKat has determined I'm secretly a 15-year-old black girl. I love this stuff, though. I can't listen to it all the time because most hip hop content is pretty foul for my kids to hear. But, I have a goal of learning the Crank Dat Soulja Boy dance moves once I'm off crutches. Whattya think?

Hot Rod Round Up

Last week, Hot Rod's third grade class took a field trip to the Science Place in Dallas. The name has changed, but I can't remember the new one. It was really pretty. This pond was behind the museum and made a great place for lunch.

The bees were out enjoying the flowers and I thought it was pretty neat. The kids loved dining on these bridge-thingees that went over the pond. We saw turtles and fish, too. Great fun.

Here is my mom and Little Bit with the group. My mom came to help with the girl, but I had to babysit both of them, too. Mom is getting old and it is scary. At one point, she was walking hand in hand with Little Bit and stepped in front of a SUV. I had to shout to get her to look up. Scary. Then, mom had to go to the bathroom and we lost her. *shaking my head*

My butterfly girl.

And, my boy, the leaf in the wind. Let's just hope he doesn't meet the same fate as the last fella who said that, gorrammit. *vague Serenity/Firefly reference for you non-geeks out there*

And, of course, my weatherman had a ball forecasting with his buddies. Check out ALL that weather over Texas. I guess that is pretty accurate for the most part. We do get our fair share of random stuff.

Then, the boy making a great dig on a bad throw last week at first base.

And, pretty Little Bit at Hot Rod's game. His team finished third in the regular season. Not too bad.

Remember Memorial Day

The "Memorial" in Memorial Day has been ignored by too many of us who are beneficiaries of those who have given the ultimate sacrifice, according to USMemorialDay.org.
Often we do not observe the day as it should be, a day where we actively remember our ancestors, our family members, our loved ones, our neighbors, and our friends who have given the ultimate sacrifice:
*by visiting cemeteries and placing flags or flowers on the graves of our fallen heroes.
*by visiting memorials.
*by flying the U.S. Flag at half-staff until noon.
*by flying the 'POW/MIA Flag' as well (Section 1082 of the 1998 Defense Authorization Act).
*by participating in a "National Moment of Remembrance": at 3 p.m. to pause and think upon the true meaning of the day, and for Taps to be played.
*by renewing a pledge to aid the widows, widowers, and orphans of our falled dead, and to aid the disabled veterans.

I'm on a wonderful email list provided by CatholicMil.org. Today, I received an informative item regarding Memorial Day. In it, I received this touching Air Force poster along with other information including a link to a homily presented on Nov. 19, 2000, by the late Pope John Paul II. Here are two wonderful excerpts of his words:

Who better than you, dear soldiers and members of the police, young men and women, can testify to the violence and to the disruptive forces of evil present in the world? You fight against them every day: indeed, you are called to defend the weak, to protect the honest, to foster the peaceful coexistence of peoples. The role of the sentinel, who scans the horizon to avert danger and promote justice and peace everywhere, befits each of you.

I would like to offer a tribute to your many friends who have paid with their lives for fidelity to their mission. Forgetting themselves and despising danger, they rendered the community a priceless service. Today, during the Eucharistic celebration, we entrust them to the Lord with gratitude and admiration. But where did they find the strength necessary to do their duty to the full, other than in total adherence to the professed ideals? Many of them believed in Christ, and his words illumined their existence and gave exemplary value to their sacrifice. They made the Gospel their code of conduct. May the example of your colleagues, who in faithfully doing their duty reached the heights of heroism and, perhaps, of holiness, be an example to you."

Fallen military, to me, should also include those who sacrificed their well-being for our country and freedoms, too. Currently, there are 297 Catholic chaplains in the military ministering to 1.2 million Catholics in their pastoral care. In a special Memorial Day issue, National Catholic Register features a front page article entitled "They Paid the Ultimate Price" written by Paul A. Barra. The article mentions the only chaplain casualty in the War Against Terrorism: Father Timothy Vakoc. He now lives in a Minneapolis VA hospital , from what I can tell by researching on the Internet briefly this morning. Last year, he received U.S. Army's Combat Action Badge in a special ceremony. A year ago, an article said Father Tim reads emails sent to him. There is a link there with his address for cards and correspondence, too. I think it would be great for people to send him a card and their prayers for him. Father Tim inspires all those who know him, from what I can tell. I'm not sure you could find a better blessing.

God Bless You, Father Tim.

Additionally, an Internet friend of mine, USMCR Retired RH, said he will be remembering the following individuals and I thought we could all pause to remember them, today, too.

Army PFC Randal “Randy” Boyd. Killed in action 02 June 1971, Republic of Viet Nam . 20 years old. Randy was killed instantly by a mortar round that landed right next to him.

Marine PVT Willam Raymond Hardin, a permanent resident of the Veterans Administration Hospital due to service in Viet Nam . 1971. 20 years old.

Marine 2nd Lt. Darren Bell, who died with 18 other Marines in a CH53helicopter crash in a mountainous region of South Korea during Exercise Team Spirit on 20 March 1989. 23 years old.

Marine Major Gerry “Beave” Bloomfield. On Nov. 2, 2005, Gerry was piloting an AH-1W Super Cobra helicopter was shot down while flying very low to the ground in support of Marines in combat. Al-Qaida in Iraq claimed responsibility. (also killed Capt. Michael Martino, 32, of Fairfax , Va. ), The helicopter crashed during daylong fighting Wednesday in the insurgent stronghold 70 miles west of Baghdad . Besides Gerry and Mike, an American Army lieutenant, 2nd Lt. Mark J. Procopio, 28, of Stowe , Vt , died when a bomb exploded as he was rushing to Gerry’s crash site. Gerry is survived by wife Julie and 13-year-old son Ryan.

Reminder:
The Flag Code states: "To place the flag at half staff, hoist it to the peak for an instant and lower it to a position half way between the top and bottom of the staff. The flag is to be raised again to the peak for a moment before it is lowered. On Memorial Day the flag is displayed at half staff until noon and at full staff from noon to sunset."

SPF: Preschool Musical

Well, this isn't a picture, but a video, but it is perfect for the Stuff Portrait Friday of 'someone in music.' Little Bit had the music in her tonight at her preschool graduation. If you don't know her, she's the one in the white dress on the far left.

She's got the music in her (ok, sue me, it is my cheesey High School Musical reference). This is so darn cute, I can't help but smile big time while watching it.

So, did you play and do it by the rules better than me?

The new graduate

Tonight, Little Bit had her pre-kindergarten graduation. She was so proud. I love this smile while she was in line before they sang and danced.

And, getting her diploma from her teachers. I love both of these kids and I'm going to miss having them in Little Bit's life come fall when she goes to kindergarten in public school. I wish I had the money to keep her at the private school, but our school is so good that it will be fine.

At the reception with her morning and afternoon teachers. Are they cute, or what? Both of them are drama/theater majors in college. Ms. J is more into dance than any other aspect and I think Mr. B is into acting.

Granny and PaPa came to the big event.

All three kids are so funny and so different.

And, future sorority sisters, I can see it. I almost had them do the finger triangles for "Delta Love." I see Tri Delt in their futures.

After the big event. We didn't realize that was both wore green shirts and denim. Doh!

And, how is that for some love? Little Bit created a journal over the year and her teachers bound it with a nice cover for the parents. My sweet baby girl. I've got tears in my eyes just thinking about it. Many of her journal entries - which she had to sound out the words and write them herself - were about me and her. I love mommy because she plays with me. The best thing about Valentine's Day is my mommy loves me ... melts my heart. Maternal pride, people. Maternal pride.

Green belt

Pickle advanced tonight earning his adult green belt. He was very proud of himself. It keeps getting harder and harder. The skills, katas, etc. are cumulative now. For an ADD kid with other issues, it is really hard, but he has set his goals and is really proud of himself for working to achieve them.
I was full of maternal pride tonight. He wanted to get his picture made with the cute brown belts who helped score his tests. :)

Now THAT is a mouthful

Just a random string of things ... but doing a story today about a South Korean company buying a high rise in San Francisco and looked up the company's web site. This is their street adress in Seoul:

150-994, 45-1, Yoido-dong Youngdeungpo-gu

All Star

In honor of my Hot Rod's birthday. Shrek 2 came out around the time he was born, so this song was on the radio alot. Army of Dad used to dance around with Hot Rod and sing this to him. It was also a great diaper-changing song to distract the boy, too. I can't hear this song now without thinking of Hot Rod and Army of Dad. :)

Number 9, Number 9, Number 9

Wednesday, my middle kid - Hot Rod - will be 9. He is very keen on the No. 9 right now. Not only will it be his age, but it is his baseball number and he was born in 1999. He thought all of that is very cool. I can't believe my Baby Bird will be 9. That was my name for him as a newborn because he was hungry all the time and he looked like a baby bird waiting for mom to give him a worm. :) This video clip was his single up the middle at his baseball game Tuesday night. His team was in first place and would maintain that status had they won. But, they lost and will likely finish third. Its a shame. Right now I can't get photos uploaded, so I'll post a video of his base hit tonight at his baseball game. His coach joked about Hot Rod trying to decapitate him. I started to tell him that it was payback for not giving Hot Rod a chance at shortstop all season. My kid did make an ESPN-worthy backhanded stop of a hot shot down the third base line, then got up and threw a kid out at second base. That's my boy. Happy Birthday, Hot Rod!

Darwin was right

At least on some things, he was on target. As a member of the media and former daily newspaper reporter, I cringe whenever I read of dumb shit reporters and photographers do. This one is right at the top.

IN-COM-PLETE

Saturday night, the kids and I were treated to a Dallas Desperados (arena football league) game in the luxury suite of a Dallas law firm, courtesy of my friend CF. He won the tickets from his firm and knew we're a sports family and called me to join him. The first shot here is the view from the luxury suite. Too cool. The best part of the suite was that you had leg room. Sort of like the difference between riding economy and first class on an airplane.

This is CF. We graduated from high school together and actually attended school together from second grade to high school graduation.

Then, my son getting funky. *shaking my head* Too funny. He definitely dances like a white boy, huh? The big treat of the night for Little Bit was getting to ride in CF's convertible Chrysler Sebring. It was pretty swank and cool, I must admit. But, I was a nervous wreck with the kids in a convertible. But, we survived and kids loved it. We owe CF a big thank you!

Oh yeah, the In-com-plete thing is something the Desperados' announcer does whenever the opponent throws an incomplete pass. It is pretty funny, actually. I love the constant action of the AFL, I must say.

Go three!

Hot Rod's team is in sole possession of first place right now with only two more games for the whole league. If they can win on Tuesday, they will remain in first place. If they lose (in conjunction with results from the other game) they could drop as low as third or fourth. The division is that close. Not too shabby for a team that started off 0-3-1. Now, they're 6-4-1. This was his 2-RBI triple in the last game in which they run-ruled the last place team. This ball went to centerfield.

When I do my moves on the catwalk

Is this child made for the runway or what? She just cracks me up at how much she loves to pose. This was the ballet outfit and her friend from class. It is really nice that these gals are friends as I'm buddies with her mom, too. Sweet little girl.

And, that robot costume is too funny. My daughter looks like some sort of action hero (or is it heroine?) in this pose. I kept thinking of Wonder Woman with those 'bracelets.'

Dancing Queen

On Saturday, Little Bit had her dance recital. I just thought this was so cute. Sorry guys, no video of of Miss Rachel. :) But, my little robot is pretty darn cute.

What a dick!

And I don't mean that in a good way.

Watching the LA Galaxy and FC Dallas soccer match on TV this afternoon and I could hear the screams of ecstasy from girls throughout Pizza Hut Park every time Beckham touched the ball. And, it made me think, I bet he is the biggest jizz-head on the planet. I mean, how can you not be a full-of-yourself primetime asshole without everyone oohing and ahhing over every little thing you do?

A little while later, one of my FCD faves, Adrian Serioux, got a red card (rightly so) for a tackle on Becks. But, bitch boy gets up and starts shoving and being a jerk. Nothing called on him. Then, he follows Serioux off the field continuing to taunt him, waving bye and the ref doesn't bat an eye. Come on, dude. How about a yellow for unsporting, if nothing else?

I dunno. I just had a feeling and it showed I was right. I'm disappointed. But, then again, he looks like a bad boy for a reason. He is.

Giambi's Thong

I cracked up at the image of Jason Giambi wearing a gold lame tiger striped thong to break out of a slump. Then, I threw up a little in my mouth when I read that he has loaned it to other guys (like Johnny Damon and Robin Ventura) to help them get out of their slumps.

Something about dudes wearing each other's thongs just grosses me out a bit.

The Scientist

I love this song. I'm on a Cold Play kind of mood today, I think. I'm starting to mellow from the stress a bit.

Come up to meet you, tell you I'm sorry
You don't know how lovely you are.
I had to find you, tell you I need you,
Tell you I set you apart.

Tell me your secrets and ask me your questions,
Oh lets go back to the start.
Running in circles, Comin' up Tails
Heads on a science apart.

Nobody said it was easy,
It's such a shame for us to part.
Nobody said it was easy,
No one ever said it would be this hard.

Oh take me back to the start.

I was just guessin' at numbers and figures,
Pulling your puzzles apart.
Questions of science, science and progress
Do not speak as loud as my heart.

And tell me you love me, come back and haunt me
Oh and I rush to the start.
Runnin' in circles, Chasin' up Tails
Comin' back as we are

Nobody said it was easy,
Oh it's such a shame for us to part.
Nobody said it was easy,
No one ever said it would be so hard.

I'm goin' back to the start.

Everybody was kung fu fighting

Last night, Little Bit earned her yellow belt in American Karate. She was very proud of herself. It was really sweet. She studied pretty hard this week in preparation of knowing her terms and information about karate and knowing her techniques, too. She is the smallest kid at her classes, so she is always getting attention. It is too cute.

SPF: Lyrics

So, this week the Stuff Portrait Friday assignment was to illustrate a song lyric. I had been motivated until some troll ticked me off, so I didn't do anything last night. I got on the laptop briefly and looked through old images and found something that made me think of "Slip Sliding Away" by Simon & Garfunkel:
Slip sliding away, slip sliding away
You know the nearer your destination, the more you slip sliding away

My Indiana in-laws laugh at pictures like these. We don't have a need for sleds here except maybe once or twice a year, so we make do with laundry baskets. Kids still love it. :) This was in 2007. No ice storms this year for basketing down the driveway. This year, we got real snow. :)
And, Coolio's "Sumpin New". Pretty obvious, sorry.
Slide, slide, but that's the past ...
So, did you play? Go to Random and Odd and see who played.

Say what you mean and mean what you say

I really need to think about what I say before I say it.

On Sunday at the Rangers game, Little Bit finished up her popsicle and asked what to do with the stick. Throw it down, I said, meaning to drop it on the ground. Instead, she launched it about four rows down. Thankfully, she hit an empty seat.

*shaking my head*

This morning, Hot Rod was finishing up a project on Venus and needed to pull his report off the spiral notebook (which has those little perforated thingees on the side, so you can pull it out nicely. So, he asks me how to get his paper off and I reply, tear it off. Next thing I know, he is asking for scissors because he is making his paper look tacky. What? Bring it here. Sure enough, he was ripping the paper in the middle (not at the perforations.) You told me to rip it out, he says.

Gees Louise. You'd think being a writer would teach me not to speak so literally to children. As Bill Engvall would say, here's my sign.

Career Day

In the morning, I go to Hot Rod's school to try and engage about two-dozen third-graders with the glamorous life of a freelance writer.

*insert the Imperial March here*

Yeah, that is sort of how I feel. Marching to my own long, slow, torturous demise. *deep sigh* Nah, it really won't be that bad. Actually, I do this each year and most of the time, the children are pretty engaging and ask a lot of questions.

Then again, I regale them with tales of stupid teenagers walking along train tracks in the rain and fog and exploding when a train hits them. Or I share the story of the bum who got hit by three different cars and my next-door neighbor, the EMT, picking up the pieces on the highway. Occasionally, I share stories of oil field explosions and bomb threats. All great fun for 9-year-old boys.

I will tell them about fun stuff I've gotten to do like hang out with penguins at SeaWorld or ride in a pace car at 120 mph on Texas Motor Speedway. Then, of course, I tell them about the importance of meeting deadlines, spelling, fact checking. But, that is the boring part. :)

I was looking around for a tip sheet on ways to engage children with a career day presentation as a writer - last year I followed an electrician who showed kids exploding stuff and a fire truck was coming up after me - gees. Anyway. I found a column by a St. Louis Post Dispatch columnist about his experiences with career day. Good stuff. I think he nailed how I feel right on the head!

Wish me luck. This is going to be like herding cats, I think.

Hurt

Army of Dad and I love this version of Hurt. We like NIN, too, but Johnny Cash does it so well. It is sort of appropriate for us right now. Brave faces or not. I know I'm hurting. I know he has to be, too. Yeah, things could be worse, we know. But, they really do suck. *sigh*

Baseball Tonight

Sunday I celebrated Mother's Day at the Rangers game. It couldn't be a better way for me to mark the occasion. We even got rhinestone-studded Rangers caps for me and Little Bit at the game. I'll post those pics later, but there are two plays from tonight's baseball games that were great. If you missed Sports Center, you have to go see the unassisted triple play and Cuddyer's crazy catch.

Fat or Phat?

Of course, leave it to Army of Dad to find a blog with a gun-totin' conservative hot chick. That is pretty much right up his alley. He even told me about the nasty comments that were directed at her where she got into a political debate with some folks and instead of arguing points, they sank to the "you're fat" level of playground politics.

*sigh*

It might be different if she were, oh, let's say, fat. But, she's not. I think most guys would think she's pretty hot unless they're those guys who think Kate Moss is hot. This gal might be phat (pretty hot and tempting - see, I'm on the low down with some stuff, *snort*) but not fat. Anyway. She's cute and I don't see my honey kicking her out of bed if given the shot.

A rose by any other name ...

This is what I call a Mother's Day gift. Little Bit, Hot Rod and Pickle helped Army of Dad select some flowers and a caladium for my back garden (which has been sorely neglected by me) for my gift. On Sunday morning, the two little ones helped dad fix the garden. Army of Dad thought this picture was funny because I'm on the phone (my FIL called to wish me Happy Mother's Day) and Hot Rod is being a clown. Little Bit is cute always.

These roses are in my back yard. They have a special place in my heart because they came from a cutting from my mother's rosebush, which came from a cutting from the rosebush in my late Granny's yard. I was telling the kids this story and they decided that they want rosebushes from this, too, when they have homes. I think we can arrange that.

Sic 'em, Bears!

Yep, only missing two other gals to have completed the Baylor roomie reunion on Saturday. One gal is MIA somewhere on the Left Coast. I think I last heard she was in Oregon, but she sort of intentionally lost touch with us after she got divorced, went into treatment for bulemia (and got help for being molested as a child by her uncle and then getting blamed for it as an adult by her grandmother when she told). *sigh* But, that is a whole other story. We missed her and wish we could find her. Then, another roomie didn't really want to participate, but that is sort of expected. She was always a bit fickle. Regardless. We had a great time. In addition to the tasty food of Chuy's and tres leches cake that made me almost orgasmic, the company and conversation were good. It was really fun to see them again. We all sort of fell back into our roles. The smart gal (the blonde) was a Tri-Delt. She is now a high school math teacher. The black gal was always resourceful and now she's a business owner (with two businesses). And, then, there's me - in the middle - which is pretty typical. I was always in the middle of everything - the boisterous joker who was never afraid of laughing loudly and cracking a joke. Good stuff. We have to do this more often than once every 17 years.

Losing my Religion

Yeah, this was the view as I drove by the AAC on the way home from Houston on Mother's Day. Despite being down two games to the *shuddering violently* Red Wings, I was going to keep on singing my Journey song (psst, Army of Dad, it is an old 80s band and the song is Don't Stop Believin'). But, alas, I'm not thinking I have that much faith left these days. *sigh* Yeah, Subby, Bite me.

Burning Up for Your Love

Looking at these pictures is kind of grim. My honey's favorite car in shambles. *sigh* His favorite CD, given to him for our 10th anniversary, forever lodged into the gnarled up dashboard.
Nothing will make you forget aches and pains more than seeing your honey sitting behind the wheel as the car begins to burn. I was about 200-300 yards away (it is a sort of blur now) when Army of Dad got behind the wheel of the car to try and move it off the roadway (the stupid, but nice, lady he hit had initially refused to move her car off the road, so about 30 minutes later, we got her to agree to move after the 911 operator and insurance folks on the phone told her to move). Anyway, I'm across a field when I see flames under the car. I try to dial AoD and he keeps rejecting the call because he's busy. So, I know he doesn't know its on fire. So, then, I just start running like Forrest Gump. Now, not normally a big deal, unless you have a burning, searing bone spur in your left foot that is scheduled for surgery on May 28. But, I didn't even think about my foot hurting. I just took off like a bat out of hell to get my honey out of the car. About the time I'm in shouting range of him, the flames are now popping out of the top of the car and he realizes that the damn thing is on fire and gets out.

The kids thought it was great fun to see the fire truck come and put out dad's car. I have never actually seen a car melt before. Literally melt. That is messed up. All this from a fender bender. The Dodge Dakota that AoD hit was barely damaged. This car wasn't so bad till the fire. I mean, it was going to need some serious work, but damn. So, we spent much of today car shopping. *sigh* I hate buying a car almost as much as I hate going to the dentist and that is a lot.