P Dos

Above -Dad and Pat Bullock the 2nd at Marty and Bill's home in Estes Park

I think Amy got it right. The bird is P2. It's becoming obvious that the bird has a bone to pick with me. And I have very mixed feelings about the woman.

She was my father's second wife. Patricia Louise Temple Ziesen (sp) Taylor Bullock. Or Pat2 or P2 as we "step" daughters called her.

Dad actually met Pat before he met our mother. She would visit her Atlantic grandparents from her home in Omaha (she was a Benson Bunny). So Dad was a teen when he first met her. Then, when he attended Kemper Military School (he didn't buckle down in high school and back then, finishing high school in military school was the thing to do) in Boonville, MO, Pat attended some nearby school and they went to a dance together.

But they had long ago lost track of each other. Until 1998, in the months following our mother's July 1997 lung cancer death. It was a grueling year after mom's diagnosis, and dad got to suffer through it all. I've complained about their relationship - the fighting through the years. But under it all, I pretend to myself that they still truly loved each other. So watching mom suffer took its toll on Dad.

After she passed away, and all of us went home post funeral, we all tried to talk to him frequently. He was still in Atlantic until fall. Mom had always been the communicator - but in the end stages of her illness he took over. When I would say goodbye after a phone conversation, he would always cry. It was torture! He was such a social guy, and was so very lonely.

That fall, Susi flew in, and she and I drove Mr. Davey to his Marco Island winter home. He actually drove most of it, be we were along for company. (While he had many little medical conditions, a bad prostate was never one and potty stops were infrequent - though he didn't torture us with the "bump the peg" game of our youth). He cried when it was time for Susi and I to leave, and both of us were nervous to see that he was scoping out the "singles" pages in the local paper. Yikes - look out for skanky women just after his $$!

His loneliness continued that winter, though his Marco friends did their best to keep him busy. He wanted a companion to do things with! Imagine our surprise the next time our fam visited Marco - I think it was Christmas, he was happily chatting on the phone frequently to someone! (I was worried as he'd become a HSN addict purchasing things like mops - 2 very special ones. Like he'd ever mopped in his life!).

It came out that he'd reconnected with his friend of old Pat Temple now Taylor, after seeing her mother's obituary in the Atlantic paper and sweet talked the funeral home folks into her contact information. She was widowed (divorced from the abusive Ziesan guy who was the father of her 3 children Cindy, Linn and Steve - all around our ages) from Emmet Taylor in Denver, where she lived - in Lakewood. Dad fell hook line and sinker before even seeing her again!

All of us daughters noticed that twinkle was back in his eye, in his voice! We began to email back and forth fast and furious - and quickly came up with the Pat2 nickname. P2 seemed to have a variety of illnesses - gallbladder I think that spring, but eventually she and dad got together and that was all she wrote. He couldn't get her to the altar fast enough. She was enamored by him as well.

Us...not so much. She never really took to us or our kids - though she seemed to go through the motions just for him. Hell she had 2 of her own grand kids in Albuquerque that she hardly knew (Linn's kids). Her daughter Cindy, who we never met had MS and that whole deal was strange as they seemed to be estranged. Linn, a nurse, was married with the kids, and Steve was a slovenly jovial guy who worked sometimes. (The Bullock girls definitely had more going for us them the "other" kids...)

But P2 made Dad extremely happy. In fact it was a little disturbing to see him so gaga over someone who was not my mother. Before long, the two lovebirds were planning to be married! And plans were set for a ceremony at my Aunt Marty's in Estes Park with a party for Dad's 70th bday in Denver to follow. They kept her condo in Lakewood, and his two - in Atlantic (she totally redid it - it did need updating, but did she have to give us all back ALL of our family photos from the wall?) and Marco. Okay his did need updating, but her taste was pretty blah...

Dad and Pat2 married in 1998, and lived together through his by-pass surgery and her various illnesses until lung cancer finally took her life in 2002. The end of her life was very ugly between the Bullock's and Pat's children, none-the-less she's buried beside Dad in the Atlantic Cemetery.

So no wonder yesterday a.m. as I stood in the kitchen trying to get the wheels spinning in my brain for the day's activities (Juddy's bday), and take my daily meds, the cardinal (Pdos incarnate) smacked into the window startling me. Biatch!

The bday boy

We're just back from taking the bday boy out for a late lunch at Hickory Park in Ames. We picked him up outside his apartment - he claimed to still be under the effects of alcohol from the night before. He did reek of the stuff!

So I had to rush off last night right when I got to the good part of my blog - the birth. What rush of emotions when Jud was born. Relief - the tremendous cramps were over (though that uterine massage is torture!), joy - he was healthy and shock - a boy!?!

There was never much discussion about what his name would be. Even after we'd picked out Andrew for Amy if she had been a boy, I didn't consider that name this time. And if he'd been a girl, he would have been Claire. I still love that name. I've told the story before about how my dog growing up was named after my dad's middle name. Jud or Judson for long. David after dad. George Judson Stewart, my Grandma Zora's grandfather and Adnah David Bullock my grandpa's grandfather.

Paul was good enough to go along with it. And...as a bonus today Jud said he'd done the whole FaceBook deal where you get a grade for your parents for how original they were in naming you. We got an A+ for Jud (and I think a D- for Amy).

We were overjoyed to have a new fam member. When we phoned Amy to tell her, she mentioned that she'd planned on a sister - but she quickly came around. When she came out to the hospital to visit that day (had Jud on Monday, didn't go home until Thursday), she somehow yanked the chain in the potty, causing the nurses to come running. Oops! And she quickly learned that the baby wasn't much fun - at least to start with.

We love our Juddy David, and are very proud of the young man he's become. (Even if he did reek at lunchtime...)

My lil buddy

Tomorrow is the day 'o birth (pirate language from Facebook) of my little buddy Judson David. I like to call him that, because he's nearly 6 foot 2 inches, dwarfing the rest of us. He wasn't quite so big some 21 years ago.

Paul and I went through an abbreviated version of Lamaze - I think at the college or the hospital, before Jud was born. I remembered watching a video at home on giving birth, that totally brought the experience back to me from Amy. Not in a good way! Scary. Amy was ready to be a big sis.

Sandy Hysell at work was preggers too. (Those were the FNB years) She was due a day or so after me - my due date was January 27, 1989. Of course after my Amy experience I wasn't much spectin' to pop that baby out any time early. I wasn't nearly as miserable during the last weeks of that pregnancy.

Again, Pablo and I didn't know what sex the baby was. My womanly intuition was saying girl as I felt pretty similar to my first pregnancy. I had a video of the ultrasound - and did scrutinize it pretty good to no avail. I was lucky to find the heart let alone any other body parts.

So after a long weekend, imagine my surprise - when I rolled over I felt a pop, and a warm trickle. My water had broken. I called the doc's office quickly along with Pablo who was already at work, and he rushed right home. We dropped Amy off at the sitters, with an overnight bag. Bobbie and Jeff were picking her up to stay the night.

When we got to the doc's office (it was Dr. Mark Young, who, coincidentally was the husband of a gal who lived on my dorm floor at ISU) they confirmed that yes, my water broke. I was having a baby that day. The Doc sent me to the hospital.

On the way into the hospital, we passed a very sad group of people heading the other way - out of the hospital. We found out later that their 12 year old daughter Callie Spainhower, had been killed that morning in a tragic traffic accident. I've always thought of that moment as one that was very telling in my life - our coming joy of birth versus the death of a child. I'll never forget the grief on their faces.

Dr. Young was mr natural. He wanted me to go into labor on my own and was willing to wait. I was supposed to walk around and stimulate my nipples. Nothing was happening when he checked on me at lunch time. When he got off work later that afternoon, he finally gave me the pitocin - which kicked things off.

Labor drug out all evening - Paul was in the nursery listening to the Hawks hoops. I had to through a washcloth at him at one point - the pain settling in. Finally, after 11 PM it was time to have the kid. The hospital had a birthing chair back then - which seemed to work great compared to my experience (with forceps) with Amy.

This time I got the urge to push. And after a few pushes that baby pertinear shot out of me. And it was a boy! The first in my fam since my Dad. And we had decided to name him after my dad (and doggy bro). He looked just like Amy had at birth, 'cept for a certain appendage. We were thrilled.

Of course we called Amy in the a.m. to report the news, and she was less than pleased as she'd put her order in for a sister...

Hope Jud enjoys his big Jud-A-palooza partay tonight, and doesn't drink 21 shots! Stay safe little buddy. Love ya.

Always there for me

I just finished listening to this book on CD. I read it a few years ago, and enjoyed hearing it read to me by an excellent reader. I love Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child books. Today I finished Preston's newest book. Funny, my sis Cindy loves these books as well. I have discovered all my sissies and I love many of the same authors.

My mother helped me gain my love for reading. She always had book nearby, and visited the library (or, as Cindo says she pronounced it - libary) often - taking me along. As children we were surrounded by beloved books - and as I blogged before, she bought us OZ books for special gifts.

So all through my life, books have been there for me. Through thick and thin! When I was a child, and got bored - I could read and re-read the books we had in the house. And then, when my parents began to be the Bickersons (that's what Cindo called them when they argued), I could retire to my room with a book - and lose track of time and the scary reality of them fighting.

In fact, even today I get a little panicky if I don't have a book around - and one to read after I'm done with that one. I take my book to work each day to read at lunch. That way when I don't even leave my cubicle, I get away! (I have a backup book, one I own in my file cabinet in case I forget my current book.) I read my current book at night too, in bed. Reading fictions relaxes me.

When I go to Jason's Deli, during my lonely weeknights in DM, I take my book in to read while I wait for my food and while I eat. I might not have any friends to eat with, but my book keeps me company.

Books - thanks for always being there for me. And thanks for paving my way to meet other book lovers like the Book Chicks!

Getting back on the horse

This is not the purse I found on sale, but it's the right brand!

If at first you don't succeed...when you get bucked off the horse, you need to get right back on again...anything worth doing is worth doing well. There are lots of sayings that work here.

The whole shopping thing. I tried again tonight, and it went better. I tried my ass off! I went to Valley West - really my fave in DM. Oh, yes I am seduced a bit by Jordan Creek, the fancy new mall. But when I wish to get down to biz, I head for Valley West.

In order to get into the proper frame of mind, I entered through Calypso, the quirky fun store that contains antiques to funny stuff. I like looking around there and the people who work there are nice. They didn't let me down this time either - as I was greeted by a couple people who didn't sound like they were just following the "you must greet each shopper" rule.

Then I headed to Von Mauer - the ritzy store. I perused the men's sweaters - yikes one I liked was $125. No thanks. I got to thinking about purses - my present purse (Fossil, anniversary gift from my beloved Pool Boy - yes I bought it myself) is a winter leather. So I'll be needing a summer model soon, right? Wow the store had a Dooney and Bourke on sale at $62! I liked it. My enthusiasm soared! Yet a clear head prevailed. Younkers too carries purses I told myself.

So I strolled through the mall - noticing that a couple stores closed. Sports/shoes. I slipped through Eddie Bauer's. Good prices, but nothing calling out to me. On I went, stopping in the CD Warehouse to see if they might have a Lion King soundtrack (the play not the Disney movie). Nope.

The stores are beginning to set out spring clothes - and I'm more impressed with them than the winter stuff. But come one - the skinny jeans are not good for my womanly hips! I scoped out the purses in Younkers - no sales of D&B purses.

On my way back to the other end of the mall, of course I had to swing through my fave shoe store. Be still my heart - saw lots of shoes I'd love to have. But nothing I needed to shell out money today for.

While in the shoe store, my baby girl called. She's needed some support this week - it's tough to be a new kid in town. After that, one last swing through Von Mauer to gaze upon the purse. Maybe I'll get it next week if it's still there. Or maybe not.

But the thrill was there!

I lost somethin...

It's my shoppin' jones. I feel so bad without it. Shopping gene, where can you be?

Last winter I enjoyed shopping quite often. It helped me get through the winter - finding items on sale to fill out my wardrobe. 10 years of working at a landfill had somehow left me bereft of decent clothes to wear working in the big city. I loved the thrill of locating those great sale deals.

This year - I try! I walk listlessly through the malls. I've tried them all. Jordan Creek, Valley West and tonight I even wandered through Merle Hay - the grandaddy of DM malls. I remember when MH wasn't even covered.

The first time I recall shopping at MH with Mom and my sissies, and Mom had promised me a turtle. Yep - a real one. But we couldn't find any around the mall - the stores weren't yet under a roof. So I ended up with some type of goopy pink stuff - similar to Play Dough, but gooier.

I miss it. My shopping enjoyment. Maybe this crappy weather has sucked it out of me. I hope spring weather will return my lust of all things shoe and activewear.

White knuckle affair

We didn't wear our medals to breakfast again today - I didn't take pics today so am using this one from October.

Driving to work today was a white knuckle affair! I started the day calmly, with my homies at breakfast celebrating Lucy's bday. I had oatmeal. Exciting huh? We had a full compliment of homies. Pat, Nancy, Lucy, Patti, Deb, Bobbie, Linda, Susan, Diana and me.

We laughed a lot as usual. We gave Pat crap when she tried to tell Chuck (our waitress) that he gave her too much toast. Duh Pat, two halves make a whole. What are friends for? Glad to see Diana - Don had his second hip replacement, and she's been so busy with family stuff, work (important job - she does my taxes!) and now nurse.

During the night before, as forecast, it began to snow. However we got more than they had projected. So after breakfast I went back home to monitor road reports and weather. About 8 a.m. I couldn't stand the stress of waiting - so I took off for DM across Highway 34. It was icy and blowing snow made seeing tough. The wind was very strong.

By Osceola I had another problem - I had to pee (all that coffee at breakfast). I decided to forge on - I have a strong bladder (I told myself) I can make it. Travel on I-35 was slow. I got behind 3 cement trucks going 45 or so. Around New Virginia it began to snow again. Traffic slowed as we began to see cars in the ditch.

My white knuckles weren't the only part of my body stressed by now. My bladder was getting very uncomfortable. Not quite as bad as last summer at the Ozarks (when I was forced to rush into the men's room with tears in my eyes after boating all afternoon), but close. I debated pulling off at the Winterset exit, but it looked icy. So I put the pedal to the metal (not really I was still going 40).

Just south of Grand I did pass a couple cars and cruised to the McDonald's on Mills Civic Parkway. Relief at last! The weather hasn't gotten any better, so I passed on heading to Davenport this afternoon. Might try it in the a.m. or may just phone it in!

That pesky bird

The cardinal will not give up. He wants to live with us! After the book chicks discussed "The Lovely Bones" and there was discussion about death and life after. What does happen to us at death?

Dianne says she still talks to her long dead mother in times of need. Francie wondered if her deceased father was channeling through her DVR to disturb her sleep each night. Then Thea burst her bubble, saying she thinks that's when the company uploads information. Anyhow, the discussion got me thinking.

What if the cardinal battering our home is really one of our loved ones? Patrick is that you? Jud said that during Christmas break, while he lived here, Cardinal battered the window in his room downstairs. Usually Cardy bumps the kitchen window, and the one in the office, though I've seen him at the front before too.

He's relentless - going at it all through the day. In the kitchen, he starts low shooting up from somewhere out of sight. Then he bumps the window and drops like a stone. I finally was able to snap a couple photos - it was tough as I had to push the shutter before he was in sight. So I got a lot of photos of nothing due to bad timing.

Dad/Mom is that you? If so...what do you want? Is there some message you need to give us? Paul puts out birdseed periodically - so we've got that covered. Be will safe little birdie! No matter who you are.

The sun will come out

From left - Vicki (visiting Omaha for her bachelorette party, Rob (look at those heels!), Chris and me in my ugly Hawaiian shirt and topsiders - ever the preppie.

Bet your bottom dollar that the sun will come out....(from that kinda irritating Annie song) eventually (my word). After many long gray, misty foggy depressing days, I got up to a glowing orange orb in the sky today.

I'm sure it won't last - somehow the snow on the ground and the wind or lack thereof will combine to make clouds/fog again shortly. I think they're even calling for snow showers today. But for now it's sunny alleluia! (what kind of a word IS alleluia anyway???).

Speaking of Little Orphan Annie, I went to see that once with my HS buddies. It was just after college (if this was a film, it would show a way-back time machine in my mind) when Robbie Dob, Christie Jo and I all lived in Omaha. To frame this story I must return even farther back to late grade school - around 6th grade?

That was when Robbie Dob's parents decided to get a deeevorce. It was not something that happened a great deal back then. People were more likely to stick out marriages - even bad ones, because of the stigma involved in divorcing, religious views and who knows what else.

Robyn's Mom, Jody had fallen in love with the husband of another couple in my parent's large group of friends - Tom. Tom is someone my dad grew up with - they were longtime friends.

Suddenly, Robyn and her sis Karla (Cindy's age) and Tom's children (Mike, Lynn and Christie) were all stuck in the middle of this triangle. Not a good place to be - I'm sure the divorce and the aftermath had a huge effect on the children. Because it also had an effect on the rest of us.

Suddenly Jody and Tom were on the blackball list. They were no longer welcome in my parents' circles. Bridge club, poker club, golf groups - they were no longer welcome. And Atlantic is a small town! J & T paid the price for their relationship that's for sure.

These days, divorce is common in Atlantic (and everywhere else). It's more common to find mixed families instead of original married couples. But back then, Mom had a hard time dealing with my friendship with Robyn, since she didn't even wish to speak to Jody. And that went on through those junior and senior high years - and made sneaking out ever so much more easy!

So, by 1981, after ten years or so went by, Mom and Dad's group of friends slowly allowed Tom and Jody back into the group. Robyn, Chris and I all ended up living on Omaha. I was in my job stint as Office Manager at Gamble Robinson - now a parking lot in the Old Market. Rob worked at various jobs - dental assistant for one and Chris worked at an insurance company.

Jody, Rob's mom invited us all to attend Little Orphan Annie at the Orpheum Theater in Omaha - a beautiful venue that had been redone. We were delighted to attend. After the show, we were all in a singy mood (Jody had a nice voice and was known for leading the way in sing-a-longs at the country club bar). I sang (to tune of Tomorrow from Annie) "Thank you Jody Bredensteiner (she'd been Henningsen since her marriage to Tom)" and immediately realized my faux pas. Chris whispered Bullock, you F'd up!" and I had!

Just saw my neighbor Kit walk by all bundled up. She's out enjoying the sunshine. Think I will too!

Damn proud and the fog

It's been foggy for weeks in Iowa. And after the ice cameth (I know not a word...), it's foggy and icy. But it's the gray that's getting to everyone - the lack of sun. It's depressing.

That's why I was so pleased and proud today when our son Jud called to say he got a summer internship job offer! Just after Christmas, Jud had a phone interview with the John Deere Corporation. He said it went fine, but he also was the kid who once told me he got all the questions right on his Basic Skills test. Okay, that was in 2nd grand or something, but I still tend to wonder about his self evaluation skills.

So he told us last week that he'd heard from the interviewer who would contact him for another interview. He hadn't heard from her by Friday and wondered if he should contact her again. Paul told him it wouldn't hurt to email her. Then, earlier this week he told Paul that he was to interview again via phone on Tuesday.

Guess what? He thought that went really well too. Oh, be still my heart. Don't get our hopes up. Things like that don't happen for Jud I told myself. He has no experience in his chosen major - Logistics and Supply Chair Management. He mumbles on the phone.

You see, oh me of little faith still flashes back to Old Jud - the young one who had tantrums and was kinda surly and unapproachable for adults. He had a reputation in middle school as a hothead when it came to sports. He struggled his freshman year in school, and acted furious that we demanded more effort.

Oh sure, he's done a 180 since high school. His frosh year of collecge, after his roomie moved out of the dorms at Christmas, I thought he was going to be a hermit in his room - one of those kids who only plays video games. After all, Steve is the social one - more outgoing than Jud by far! He surprised even himself, I think, by making friends with a large fun group of guys and girls. Jud was popular!

And all our friends and family have commented what a different kid he seems to be. Especially when you get him going - one on one. He can talk your ear off - just like that 3 year old we once knew.

Old Jud does pop up now and then - during our Christmas trip over that 3,000+ miles he was a little crabby a couple times. But so was I. Over all we got along well, and my relatives all gushed over how outgoing he is.

Even so, I didn't want to get my hopes up. When he told Paul the interviewer was very positive and complimentary, and he was expecting a job offer I still couldn't believe it.

Knock my socks off - he got the job! A wonderful opportunity for Jud to check out what life in the real world - in a factory is like. I think everyone should have one factory job - just so you appreciate all it takes to make products. So you appreciate the job factory workers do!

He'll work in Moline, IL - (the dark side...Hawkeye Country), and will live at St. Ambrose University with other interns. I'm so very proud of Jud. He'll be 21 on the 30th. Happy Birthday!

Ice woman cometh

Big ice storm in Ioway today. My car was covered by the stuff - so much so, that I worked at Joan's all day. I'm so lucky I can do that - have a program called Citrix, which allows me to access all my work computer files.

My room here is downstairs. There is one window, but it's not big. So I'm pretty protected - didn't hear it raining during the night like Joanie did. I'm glad! Rain in January is a scary sound when the temp is below freezing. Ice soon began accumulating - on everything.

Joan's new Jeep Grand Cherokee is parked in the garage - along with lots of other stuff like the snow blower and boxes. So Joan's old Jeep and my Subaru are parked outside. Not good on a night like last night. First thing this a.m. Joan and I went out and checked out the vehicles. I decided not to fight the battle of ice removal, since I have the option of working at home. Joan chipped away and was able to take off for work. She called and said roads weren't bad.

Around noonish I ventured out to see the damage - it had rained pretty hard off and on during the morning, as I Citrixed away on my computer. Technology is amazing - my work emails delivered direct to my laptop. Crap - my car even had MORE ice on it than before. I snapped the photo attached.

I discovered that the ice chipping tool Joan had (some type of Ho(e) - the tool not Joan) was a real lifesaver. I chopped a path to the Subaru and tried to pry open the back of the car - bingo. Got in without breaking a door handle. Unfortunately I'm not that limber, so climbing thru the back of the car to the front isn't too easy. I started her up and jacked up the defrosters front and back.

Then I continued my chopping, discovering that the ice chipped up in big sheets, and I could shove the ho under it pretty easily. I worked away until my fingers got too cold. I turned off my car and came in for lunch and a bit more work. Come 3 PM I went back out, this time in my warmer clothes, and began chopping away - bound and determined to clear a path for Joan to get back up the driveway after work.

It was kinda therapeutic. I have a compulsive need to clear ice - the stuff on my car was like a puzzle. I used my ice scraper and the handle of the hoe. It was nearly an inch thick on my wheels. It was like popping bubble wrap -getting ice to come off the car. Quite satisfying!

Tonight my fingers are sore from being cold and my muscles are stiffening. But as God is my witness, my car is cleared of the stuff, and I did pretty good on the double wide driveway too, plus the sidewalk (just ask the Mormon Missionaries who just talked their way in the door to pitch their spiel to Joanie).

Vending Machine

I typed nearly this whole blog and it disappeared. Bummer. Will try recreate one of my better blogs. (okay I tired out and this isn't that great...may add some more tonight if'n I'm not too tired from chipping the half inch of ice on my car and the driveway).

I love vending machines - this fact came to me today when I went down to floor 4 in the unlovely Wallace Building to get a Peach Fresca. Good stuff! The Coke machine it comes out of has a little conveyor belt - that gently guides my Fresca to me.

I've loved vendos for a long time. Back in the day Harry Hjortshoj had those peanut machines in his Standard Gas Station. (or sometimes it was little Boston Baked Bean candies). I'd get a penny from Dad and plug it in for a handful.

Sal and I visited the Apco gas station by the barn where we kept our horses when we were 13 or so. A nice Coke in a bottle and a Snickers. Yum!

In college Jane scared the shit out of some unsuspecting girl who was peering into the Maple vending machines making her choice, when Jane blurted out "food" as we approached. Over in the Commons they even had more selections - I liked getting ice cream sandwiches. The Hub on campus had lots of selections - I liked Zingers which I would heat up in those nifty microwaves that were just invented.

I've had my share of vending heartbreak - coins won't be accepted, no right change, jammed candy. So near, yet so far! I've also found coins in machines - jackpot!

Avatar

Um, when will my avatar be done? I want one with boobs, and buff arms. Not sure I want to be bluish though.

Went to the movie Avatar last night. We met Bobbie, Jeff, Sharon and Al at the Strand in Creston. It's much cheaper to go to a movie there than in DM, but in this case, I think the extra few bucks a ticket would have been worth it for the good sound system, and visual effects.

The movie - not my favorite ever, but not bad. Stunning visuals. Plot - not too original. Too long. Cute guy, and the twist (won't say as you might not have seen it). Sigourney Weaver is looking good. Took me a while to place Phoebe's brother as one of the bad guys.

I give it a solid B.

Watchin' football

I'm watching the Vikings/Cowboys with my man. Pro football is his fave sport. He spends as much time on all things Packer as he does on any hobby. Oh yes he loves the Clones, but he grew up with the Pack.

In that vein, Jud has grown up with America's team - the Dallas Cowboys. Not sure why because neither Paul nor I have been 'Boys fans. But they were on TV when he was little and they were good - they Troy Aikman era, you know. He had brief romances with other teams - I recall Mark Brunell with Jacksonville on his bday cake one year. But the Cowboys were really it.

My grandma, Momo did love Roger Staubach. But Jud never knew her - so this Cowboys love is all on his own. They've had some rough years lately - not winning any playoff games, until this year. Frankly, the Cowboys are easy to hate. Jerry Jones, the owner is kinda sleazy. The whole America's Team thing.

But Jud likes 'em, so Paul and I cheer for them too. I like my mens to be happy. I've always liked the Vikings - closest team to Iowa besides Chiefs you know. Plus Fran Tarkenton was also a fave of Momo.

The 'Boys aren't looking too great in this one so far. I feel badly for Juddy.

Senseless

Actually I ran out of cute phrases to return to the one remaining sense I haven't yet covered. Hearing. I've got pretty good hearing, I must say - despite a youth filled with loud stereo music and concerts that made my ears ring.

My ears do stick out pretty far - lucky they're covered by my hair. They get a little sore inside when I listen to my iPod lots. And I've complained before in my blog about my irritation with the sounds around my cubicle at Wally (the Wallace Building).

Those contaminated sites folks congregate one cube over from me - and catch up on their lives. Discussing their evenings and how much they scooped, car problems and sometimes (gasp) even work related topics.

My ears got really good when I had babies - hypersensitive. We never did have a baby monitor, so I spent nights with one ear open. When the kids were newborns, they slept in our room for the first couple weeks in a bassinet. After that, even though they were in their own rooms, I could here them making baby noises - grunting and groaning before they even cried.

The worst noise in the world was waking up to a sick child. Rarely would they make it in beside my bed before I woke up. Amy used to wake up with "growing pains" in her feet and legs. Many times we'd go downstairs so she could sit with her feet in our hot tub. Jud had his tonsils out at age 5, and had some complications - waking up screaming due to blocked eustacian tubes.

I can also hear a little doxie sitting by our front door, whining to get out - all the way from my room. When Paul can be sitting right there and not hear her.

My hearing is too good when it comes to TV - I always have to ask for it to be turned down. Especially during commercials - what's with that? Why are they so loud?

Circle of Life

My Poolboy and I went to The Lion King last night. My ticket was a gift from the cherubs (I know, wasn't that another great gift? They're getting sooo good at this!).

It was a long week! Had to stay in the Big City through Friday due to a meeting scheduled for that day. And I was a bit down in the mouth (and all other body parts) as early as Tuesday. It was one of those endless cubicle feelings - feeling, yep, sorry for myself. I eat breakfast in the cube, lunch in the cube and don't get off work till it's nearly dark. Pity Party of one - me invited.

I pulled through the week with a little massage therapy (thanks Chris) and self-talk. And talk with Pablo and Amy, and my roomie Joanie. And my Friday meeting went pretty well - at General Mills in Carlisle with those energetic Iowa Waste Exchange folks. And I was soooo looking forward to seeing my honey - he was to pick me up for our date.

It was reminiscent of our dating days - oh so long ago. On Friday night, in Omaha I'd await my loverboy's arrival from Oakland. Paul and I headed downtown, parked in the ramp and walked over to that Brew Pub downtown. We snuck in without reservations for a quick din din. Then to Legend for another beverage - it was so fun catching up on the week's activities and thoughts. He'd had a guy's night - Jeff and Steve went with him to the ISU/Texas game - and shock - no stop at the strip club. Those guys are gettin' old!

Then we headed to the Civic Center, where Paul had a quick coffee before they opened the auditorium. We were way in the back - with extra space around us to spread out. And, Paul brought his good camo binoculars - so I had no trouble seeing faces etc.

The show was as beautiful as I remembered - Amy and I went back in 2000 (hey, 10 years ago!) in NYC with cousin Peg and sis in law Jean Fox. The puppets, songs, set - all fantastic. And I freely admit, by the end, when they sing Circle of Life again, I was ready to blubber. I held my composure though and just leaked a few tears. (Paul admitted that he too teared up). Such an overwhelming time for the senses - and emotion. If you haven't seen it - go!

Back to my senses

So speaking of sandwiches (my fave, Cali Club eaten Tuesday night and Wednesday lunch), reported and photo shown here. Taste is one of my senses that has changed quite a bit through the years. Though I still draw the line at some stuff.

My mother was a believer in the "everyone must try everything rule". Even when it came to little girls and brussel sprouts. Yuck! I'll never eat another one, thanks to that rule. I got good at chewing stuff and spitting it surrepticiously into my napkin (or slipping it to Jud the doggy).

When I was little, I was a ketchup only girl. No mustard, ever. It took until I got to college for me to broaden my food horizons - thanks mostly to Vicki, who had a more adventurous nature when it came to food. She turned me onto some of the good things in life - like onions on my pizza. Before that, I was pretty much a pepperoni pizza girl.

She liked to embellish basic recipes - like adding more stuff onto cheap frozen pizzas. Vicki pretty much taught me to cook - I imitated her. Mom hadn't taken the time to force lil ol tomboy me to cook (except for that stuff I HAD to bake for 4-H, pot o' gold bread and buttermilk chocolate cake). She taught me to brown hamburger - for spaghetti and hamburger helper. I learned to add cheese and mushrooms to scrambled eggs.

I can't say that I have a flair for gourmet foods, like my sis Cindo was born with (and apparently her pretend daughter, my girl Amy). One time in New Orleans, when Cindy was about 12, we dined at a fancy restaurant and while Mom was busy helping Betsy (the pickiest of eaters when she was little) and me order (I got meatballs and spaghetti at a seafood place), Cindy ordered a whole horseshoe crab. She was delighted when it arrived and ate the whole thing.

I stay pretty basic at restaurants, because dammit, I know what I like and I like what I know! Why get something you may not like as well, when you've already got something you know you'll enjoy? But I do like fish, and all the types of meat. I enjoy meatless stuff too - but peppers don't agree with me.

One thing I've come to realize is that as I age, I like more and different flavors. Perhaps because my taste buds are aging just like me!

Fave Christmas gift

I utilized my Christmas gift from the kids tonight - a massage by Chris Davis, Soul Essentials. Good therapy for my bod, and as a bonus, she's a great listener. Chris has a very calm demeanor. She also has great hands!

I always feel a little slutty going for a massage. It' something nice for me that I'm paying for (or in this case Amy and Jud are paying for) And like I don't deserve it. Even though I work my ass off.

Last night, I was feeling a little sorry for myself. It's a long week and I was feeling like I never saw the light of day - probably because during some weeks, I don't. I eat breakfast and lunch at my cubicle and it's dark when I go out after work. So I was having my own little pity party. Sometimes we need to feel sorry for ourselves.

Then we need to suck it up, put on our big girl panties and do the job. And figure out a way to make my life a little more exciting each and every day. This massage is one of those ways. A little TLC for me. I deserve it!

Best Samwich evah

My sannie above, complete with steamed veggie. Yum!


I had my fave sannie for supper tonight. A Jason's Deli California Club. It's a delightful blend of croissant, turkey, tomato, guacamole, alfalfa sprouts, a bold Swiss cheese and mayo, lightly toasted. It comes with either fruit and a yogurt dip or steamed veggies. I usually eat half and save the other half for tomorrow for lunch. Jason's also has an ice cream maker, so I plan DQ worker and serve myself up a nice little bit 'O cream with chocolate sauce for dessert. I take my book along and read while I eat. So I'm a lone eater - no friends. Good thing I'm so self confident!

Bowlin' Baby!

So we went to our very first bowl game a couple weeks ago! I've had other opportunities to watch my beloved Clones in bowl games - such as the 1977 Peach Bowl. But hell, I wasn't as big a fan then while I was actually a student, as I am now. Plus Vicki Kim, the big O of organizing trips, didn't organize one! My friend Thea says it wasn't that fun - she went.

Oops - took time out to work on our computer network (at Joan's). Why oh why didn't I get a kid who was a whiz kid with computers. I only have me. Been working on issues with Linksys for a week. No luck! So I started the above blog last night. Back at it.

We left Grand Junction (after our fab Xmas with my fam in Vail) on Sunday 12/17 after a night with the Alvillars (that's my sis Susi - her last name is pronounced all vee ar. They have a beautiful mansion that backs up to the Grand Mesa - a gorgeous natural wonder. We had spaghetti, yum nice change after all the Xmas food.

Jud, Paul and I headed south and west through Utah and some gorgeous desert scenery. We ate breakfast at Denny's in Moab and entered Indian Reservations. My bro in law Jim cautioned us not to speed. Some of that portion of our trip was pretty bleak. We got to Flagstaff, AZ (home of the Lumberjacks, school of niece Jordie) that night - a nice small city in the foothills of mountains.

Monday it was on to Aunt Jean and Uncle Bruce's in Green Valley, AZ, a couple hours south of Phoenix, a beautiful home in a retirement community. We had a drink in the fancy clubhouse. I'm mad that I didn't think to take pics! It was so good to see 'em.

Tuesday the 29th it was off to Tempe and my very first ISU Cyclones bowl game. So...back to football talk.

Okay, then there were the 80's and 90's - a dark couple decades in Cyclone football history. Jim Criner (the Clones definitely weren't finer with Criner...), Jim Walden - seemed to be a nice guy but not a good coach. And remember there weren't nearly as many bowls back then.

Then, the good Danny Mac years - I recall several lean years prior to improvement. I'm glad ISU stuck with Mac - he was just the coach to slowly improve things - and BEAT those damn Hawkeyes (after 15 straight years of getting our asses kicked by those turkeys). I'll never forget the year Sage Rosenfels and company engineered a victory in Iowa City - it was a FINE day indeed!

In 2000, the Clones were invited to play in the Insight Bowl in Phoenix. Lots of our friends went, but we couldn't afford it. (yep, I know insert sad clown face and violin music). I only worked part time back then, and didn't make a bundle at my job as recycling coordinator. Same story for the next couple bowls - Independence and Houston Bowls early in that same decade.

So when our new coach Paul Rhoads willed our team to 6 regular season victories, becoming bowl eligible at the Colorado game in Ames. We were there. And you mighta heard we beat Nebraska at Lincoln. Stunner!

So we waited on pins and needles to find out which bowl would pick us (pick me, pick me!). We had a good track record with Insight, and by golly they picked us over Missouri. Go Clones!

We stayed at the Embassy Suites - a great place for staying multiple days since it's a 2 room suite. Jud had his own buddies to stay with, so we had a little break from each other. Yay (for both parties). We ran into Dwight and Marilyn right after checking in, and headed to Scottsdale for some siteseeing - art galleries. Dwight liked the naked ladies.

That evening we went to an underground bar for a Cyclone party, then headed back to Embassy to meet with my hometown buddies, Toni and Dan Mason and Jeff Allen - all my classmates ('76 baby). Fun to catch up with them!

The next day McKims blew into town and we went into campus town for lunch - the Library had good burgers (and the librarian - waitresses were hot to according to Paul). More tomorrow on my bowl game experience.

Seeing is believing

the wire frame years - I was about 15. I believe Mom was wearing her wiglet. Note - I'm the only seester with short hair, because I wasn't born with the hair handling gene.


I blame my eye doc, Don McKim for allowing me to wear these huge frames. Guess I can't blame him for the bangs. Look how reddish baby Juddy's hair was - no wonder his beard is that color.


Just like most kids I was excited to get glasses in 6th grade. I went to see classmate Sherry Smith's (our grade - there was a Sherry Smith a grade below us too so we always had to distinguish) father Dr. Ralph Smith. And I was shocked an dismayed at the clarity my new lenses provided. Trees had leaves again!

Soon it became evident that my brown plastic framed specs were a hassle! I had to either wear them all the time - slipping down my nose, getting dirty or leave them behind and then need them later.

In middle school I got wire framed glasses - the latest rage! Unfortunately they caused my classmates to call me Mrs. Beasley of Family Affair, Buffy and Jody fame. Sis Betso had one of the dolls who too had "granny glasses". Not a nickname a middle schooler seeks out while trying desperately to fit in.

By 10th grade I got contact lenses - the original hard ones. They were hard to put in, but were great for sports and it was great to have eyes again instead of corrective lenses sitting on my face. I was never one able to keep the lenses in 24/7. As I said before, I had allergies so the lenses sometimes caused irritation. I had to remove them at night.

I wore contacts for the next few years - through college. This was before the time of disposable lenses, so each one was precious. My junior year in college, I got new lenses at Christmas break just before heading to party with Moose and Steve at a night that included a stop by the big ISU Dance Marathon. I drank a bottle of cold duck and ended up staying in the guys' dorm floor - (Stevenson house was also hosting a party) rather than driving home. (One wise choice that night).

I didn't have my contact case with me so I put my contacts in a Hardee's cup (hmm safe place huh). In the morning, I found that one of my new lenses was gone (hope nobody drank it) and the other was missing a pie shaped wedge. Another time I lost a lens in the bathroom of our apartment. The lost was found when we had a male visitor who finally lifted the toilet seat and the precious treasure lens was perched on the rim. Don't think I ever put that sucker back in my eye!

By the time I got out of college, soft contacts were the rage. I tried them, but found that my vision - looking at computer printouts was not good enough. Fuzzy didn't cut it. I began to wear glasses again, starting a long string of pretty ugly frames - you know - the 80's and 90's. I know, someday the red framed number I'm now sporting will someday look like cat eye frames from the 50's. Probably about the time granny glasses are in again!

I've got a trial pair of contact lenses in my drawer right now, but just haven't dredged up the courage to pop them in. I considered Lasix surgery - my left eye is much worse than my right and even with glasses my vision is not the greatest. I hate driving at night especially. But the cost of surgery and the belief that anything that could go wrong would keep me from it. Plus I don't want my eyeballs to dissolve when I'm 90 - that surgery isn't yet proven out over time.

So I'm a four eyes. There are worse things...

Coming to my senses

The Bullocks with Gpa and Gma Morehead on the occasion of their 50th anniversary. I think my socks were adorable - with mary janes (the shoe not the smoke).

After writing about my sense of smell (lack of), I decided I'd cover the rest of my senses. Today - touch. Fitting as I'm scheduled for a massage. Can't wait for Chris's fine strong hands working deep into my flesh. Moan.

I love to be tickled. We were a tickling family. Dad would tickle us and make noises like he was a cold wind until goosebumps popped out. Mom loved us to rub her feet and legs - now that I'm middle aged, I know why.

My sisters and I played "Going on a Treasure Hunt" - a tickling game. I know - sounds kinky as I say it now. I think it was Cindo that showed us how to do it.
The tickling was on our backs, okay - so it wasn't kinky.
Going on a Treasure Hunt - lightly pound fist in a clockwise motion
X Marks the Spot - draw X with finger
With a Dot and a Dot - poke with finger twice
and a Dash and a Dash - draw two lines
and a Big Question Mark - draw question mark
Pinches and Squeezes, pinches and squeezes - use this opportunity to torture them
Knife Stab - bury fist into their back (not too hard)
Bullet Holes - simulate bullet holes with finger ends.
now comes the good part:
Upsies and Downsies - tickle with all fingers tickling up the back and down
Downsies and Upsies - reverse
*Note - here is where I would tell younger sis Betso that she did it incorrectly and would need to do it over.
Egg crack, the yoke runs down - here's where you can make their scalp crawl - clap above their head and drag fingers lightly down their hair like an egg yoke.
Cool summer breeze - blow on their back, and say it don't spray it making it into a summer shower.

I still love to have my back (and pretty much all my dry skin) scratched. And I love to be tickled. I won't go into details on this, as I do say in my blog description that this is a clean, low sex blog.

My skin is really showing signs of aging. Fair skin and sun don't work, but we didn't know about sun screen back in the day. So I've had a few age spots appear (they used to be called freckles, but now they've joined together to become age spots). But my skin still holds me together and I appreciate the stuff. It can be tickled!

*Bets and I shared a room - twin beds against opposite walls - when we couldn't sleep, sometimes we'd get in bed together and tickle each others backs.

Lost my senses

My sense of smell has never been very good. I suppose it stems way back to my early childhood when I was diagnosed with allergies. Mom and Dad took me to Iowa City to see Dr. Seabome (not sure of spelling). You may recall my parents (and Grandparents) are U of I grads, so the U of I hospital was in their stomping grounds.

So they dragged me off across the state to get lots of holes poked into me with stuff that made me itch. Then I got to take allergy shots from an early age through age 18. During a few bad episodes I took steroids to reduce symptoms. Nose sprays have also played into my lack of olfactory nerves.

Sometimes I'm glad I'm nasally challenged. When I worked at the landfill my lack of sense of smell served me very well! And I'm sure my family of men have snuck a few of their own silent smells by me when I wasn't looking.

But I miss out too. Oh I can smell some good stuff - bread at Subway for example. And grilling meat while tailgating. I don't catch a lot of smells though.

I enjoy reading descriptions of people smelling things. I know, it's funny - sniffing vicariously through others. I'm listening to a book right now where the author has the main character identifying subtle smells in a room - lotion, perfume, hairspray. I rarely smell those things long past the time that they were first applied.

I listened to the book describing these things while driving by a hog confinement. Oh yes, I could smell that! (my gramps used call it the smell of money).

Memory

or lack thereof. Mine is pretty bad these days. I just read an article in the NYT (New York Times) about middle (old?) learning and memory by Barbara Strauch. It was pretty interesting. I just hope I remember it in a couple weeks.

The author talked about what I call my book Alzheimer's. I can read a book a couple years after reading it the first time, and most times I can't remember what happens. Barbara says aging brains (even middle aged like mine) fall into what's called the default mode and the mind wanders off and begins daydreaming.

The author states what I thought is true. (Yep, I'm really a genius under the guise of a mild mannered trash lady) I still know a lot of shit - it's just buried under all the other shit I know. The article goes on to give a name for that phenomenon that happens to all of us - tots - something on the tip of the tongue. I can't remember a name, but it starts with a T. It pops into my head when I'm not straining so hard to poop it out.

Another cool thing the article points out is that as the brain gets older, it gets better at picking out the central idea, the big picture. The older brain allows for great complexity and deeper understanding. Just call me Dali Lama.

I found it very interesting that even though we oldsters have "well connected pathways" in our brains, we need to give 'em a nudge and jiggle our synapses by confronting views that are not like ours. So Bets - you're good for me! LOL

And that says to me that folks like Glen Beck need to hang out with me and challenge their beliefs (which they often pass of as facts...). When we learn things a new way, we scrambled our eggy brains, establishing new neuron connections - which is a good thing.

I hope to keep learning all my life. Recently a TV station did an article of an older woman who finally graduated from ISU after leaving to get married after a couple years of school. She hadn't been at school for 60 or so years, but she and her hubby moved back to Ames from Portland for a year and a half so she could finish up. Maybe I'll get my masters after all!

Pure as the driven

I'm getting my fill of driving in snow this winter. We've had a lot, and I even missed some while on my whirlwind tour of
Kansas
Colorado
Utah
Arizona
New Mexico
Texas
Oklahoma
and back to Kansas to home sweet home.

But before I left, I drove in lots of the fluffy white stuff. I know, I waxed poetic and nostolgic about the stuff - sledding, hours spent playing in it. Yeah, yeah. I'm over it.

What happened to the winters where we barely got any? Jeepers I long for those days.

You know how some people were simply born to drive? I'm not really one, but my daddy was. He drove 50,000 miles a year and was at home behind the wheel. In all those years, he only got in a couple accidents - not his fault. One time some chick hit him - I think it was a hit and run.

Don McKim is born to drive. I think it's cuz he's a control freak, but he IS a great driver. My Pablo is a good driver too, but he gets a bit nervous as I do in traffic or bad weather. Donnie is just calm about it. Moose is a somewhat (a lot) agressive but is a great driver too. And he lives for traffic.

Other people shouldn't be allowed behind the wheel. Ever. They aren't good at it. Or they try to multitask. Dangerous, uh huh. Scary.

My friend Jeff (I'll call him McFee) is a decent driver but he wanders, because he gazes around, checking out the crops, livestock and other various scenery items. So he edges out onto the shoulder and drifts over the center line, causing anxiety on my part.

My baby boy Judson is a good driver, but is not confident. This could stem from riding with me - I admit I make noises when I don't think a car is going to stop at a stop sign, or someone attempts to merge wrongly. And Paul gets him so worked up about driving in bad weather that he stays home when one flake flies. (Okay I'm a little like that too). Amy is a very good driver. (she has banned me from making any noises unless we're going to die.

I bite my tongue.

Special Christmas

For the first time in many years, I got to be with 2 of my sisters - Suso bean and Cindo bean. Between that and getting to be with most precious baby girl Amy, it was great Christmas. And don't discount having Juddy and Pablo my fave Pool Boy there too along with Jim, Boldie, Jordie and Colby.

Lefebvres have lived in Vail for over 30 years. Each year since they've been married, Bolder has gotten a real Colorado pine for their Christmas tree. I think this year was the best evah! He doesn't rip them off - he and Colby get the proper tag that allows them to harvest a tree. They have a 2 story family room - good thing!

We got to Cindo's Christmas a.m. around 9:30 a.m. , allowing them to recover a bit from the big Xmas Eve bash. The place looked pretty good considering the bad ass kids had tried to wreck the joint. There was a huge stack o gifts under the tree, due to the three families an all. While we didn't drag most of our gifts along to Vail, we did have Amy's, plus a few others. I had Lefebvres this year - and got them a yard poker birdhouse at the Farmer's Market in DM, made from recycled materials of course. As a bonus I picked up a couple ornaments - a lil case o Bud for Boldie and an outhouse for camping fanatic Colbs.

Alvillars gave us a fantastic Colorado gift basket containing various 'Rado footstuffs. I also received a lovely soft scarf - now I need a nice coat to go with it. Betso Bean sent a basket (surprise!) to Cindo who must have had her. Amy got lots of little things - some she had put on her list (sweaters from AE and some, not as expected - a hat I thought just looked like her). J&A got Paul a lovely wallet - leather like butta. Amy got Marczyk's shirts all around - Jordie got one like mine - it says "Extra Virgin" on the back, while Jim's says "Meat, Yum".

Jud purchased an extra special ISU cap for Bolder who loves the Cyclone just cuz we do. I thought it was touching that Jud shopped for the specific type of cap that he knows Boldie likes.

I love watching people open gifts! And I loved being with people I love on a very special day.

Groshees

I hate to shop for groceries (groshees). It's a never ending job, and I get it a big rut, purchasing the same shit over and over. You see good shopping requires research (recipes, ingredients), and must involve some type of list making. I'm not good about doing either.

And when I do have a list, I often disregard it. At least until I'm all the way in line to pay. And then I look at the list and realize I've forgotten a key ingredient. Crap! Do I have time to run and get it while the checker checks? Prolly not, oh well - we'll just eat soup again..

When we went through Denver on our way to Vail and the Insight Bowl in Tempe, AZ we got to see Marczyks Fine Food - the store where Amy works. It's a fancy schmancy store compared to any I've been in. It would be fun to shop in! http://www.marczykfinefoods.com/

They carry lots of gourmet, imported and organic products. They have a deli and a wine store. They have $$ expensive free range no antibiotic meats. The store is colorful and ritzy looking.

Amy makes all the signage and pitches in wherever else she's needed. If you read back when I was walking down employment memory lane you'll see that my first job out of college was in grocery wholesaling. Fun that Amos is following in my footsteps. Okay - she's not really, but I can pretend, can't I??

Back online

Finally - back to WiFi hookup. I've been out of touch since Christmas Day! I was Jonesing. Not really - I was too busy to worry about Internet access. Good busy.

When I last blogged, we had just experienced our Beano's evening. The rest of our Vail portion of the trip was mahvelous as well. Paul, Amy and Jud skied on the 24th. Not ideal conditions - cold and I think we have more snow here in Ioway, especially after the big storm we missed. We went to Wal-Mart (it's the size of a small town) in Avon that day to purchase some stuff I forgot.

We got to Cindo and Bolder's early, to beat the crowd. It was fun to have the cousins hanging out - Amy, Jud with Colby Lefebvre and Jordan Alvillar. We snapped photos and snarfed the Moe's wings and pulled pork Chef Colby provided from his work. Friends began to drift in - many I'd met in past years.

We stayed for the first set of Bolder's Christmas caroles. As I was singing in the kitchen, I was a member of what Bolder calls the Kitchenettes - he calls out names like that ala Lawrence Welk. A good time was had by all! Sounds like it got a bit outa control later, when parents failed to keep track of their kids causing sis Cindy to melt down. Glad I missed that part!