Fave shows

Joan gets Showtime these days. And she's getting some other channels for $12.95 for 2 months. She got tired of only getting the basics I guess. I like Showtime - Weeds, which got pretty dark after Year 1, but is still darkly funny. Dexter - I love the books - a serial killer who is a cop and only kills bad guys.

I am still shocked when they swear and show butts on TV. Pablo and I haven't ever gotten movie channels - unless you count when we got HBO free by mistake at our old house for a while. The first time Dexter's sis Deb dropped the MF bomb my head snapped up from my laptop - wha??? Then I remembered - oh yeah...Showtime baby.

Shows like this take me back to my first fave shows beyond the soaps. St. Elsewhere, Hill Street Blues, Thirty Something - those were some good dramas. The kind where you truly became involved in the characters' lives. Good writing and good acting. Today it seems many of those types of shows are relegated to the cable pay channels.

I do like The Good Wife - a regular network show. Last year's fave Saving Grace just finished up, and I couldn't watch since Joan doesn't get TNT. Hope Grace got saved - guess I could check it out on my laptop. That's entertainment!

The pain of AA

Adult Acne that is. My one ovary must be alive and kicking - enough hormones to make my chin break out. I must ask Dr. Ava Feldman about it tomorrow before she sands the cancer cells off my leg.

I had a nice trip to See the Rabbits (Cedar Rapids) today. I was actually in Marion, but who really knows where that is...at another, you guessed it, trash meeting. It was the EMS (Environmental Management System) folks today. Lovely venue - a City Park that was LEED certified, which means all environmental and shit. Ground source heat, concrete floors, good insulation -all the building products were from within 300 miles.

Beautiful day for a drive. I took one of the state's hybrid Honda Civic's - 7.7 gallons to drive over 320 miles. Pretty good! Long day - left at 6 a.m. back at the parking garage at 7:30 p.m.

Joan and I walked about 8:3o p.m. - she's on late duty at her job this week as dispatcher at FedEx so we got home about the same time. I could tell her shin splints were bugging her though about halfway thru the walk when she started walking on her tippytoes. I geared it back from my usual speed - unusual as I'm the one usually feeling like I'm holding people back!

Hard to believe I'm looking forward to a day in my cubicle tomorrow. I've been on the go for a week.

Holy Water

In the movie The Exorcist, didn't they put holy water on the person inhabited by the devil, which caused the inflicted person to burn and wail? Hmmm. Not me. I ordered Holy Water to drink in Gurnee, Illinois at our get-together with the Behrs and Wilts. It contained 12 liquors and 3 fruits juices - healthy, right? And no - they weren't full shots.

Holy water came in its own little pitcher - just for me. It was yum. Okay - a bit sweet. But it was quite refreshing after a day on my feet, walking around downtown Chicago.

We had a fun weekend with our old college friends. Did I say old? I meant long-time.

We stopped in Moline, IL to see JudBud on our way to Wilts. I think he was pretty happy to have someone visit - even his parientes. He had perused the local menus to find us a lunch place - we ended up down by the J Deere showplace.

Then it was on to Gurnee - suffering through a bit of Chicago traffic, but hey it's to be expected. We arrived at Wilt's lovely home around 5ish and Behrs were there shortly after - drinks and snacks all around. Alyssa is a budding cook. Later we attended her softball game - Moose was the coach and the rest of us were the mosquito bait. We could have sat down - or napped as Kay brought a folding cot instead of chair.

We were soooo lucky it got the rain out of its system during the night - Saturday was downright loverly. We packed 8 into the Behr van and tooled downtown, mama Kay gave us each our Taste of Chicago Tickets. For me, Chicago tasted like a skewer of shrimp and deep dish veggie pizza, followed by mango rice pudding. And oh, vodka lemonade. Everyone wandered and selected the things that appealed to them. We saw the Chicago Bean (not to be confused with Cindo Bean or Betso Bean).

Then we shopped a bit and headed back to Gurnee, taking the north route along the lake - what a beautiful view. Beach, mansions, two universities, and parks were a lot nicer to see than Freeway. Then we stopped for sandwiches (a Taste of Gurnee?). That's when I had the Holy Water - Paul had concerns that I would get Schnockered. Oh ye of little faith. There was a lot of ice in that cut lil pitcher. Plus I ate.

I love my friends. Such a comfy feeling - knowing their histories, so they can tell us (and us, them) about their fam etc. without all that pesky explaining that goes along with new friends. Tired last night - and today. Worth it!

Past Chicago Trips

It's been many years since Behrs and Goldsmiths visited Wilts in Chi-town. Paul and I stopped there a few years ago on our way to the fam golf in Wisconsin. But no Behrs.

When Wilts first moved to Chicago, of course we had to go for a house-warming, to deliver the most beautiful crappy" orb le fleur". That's French for - real rose in round glass water-filled container that was so ancient the rose was rotted. Purty, real purty. We found it on a back shelf when we moved into our first home in Creston -the Broms weren't real thorough when they moved out.

And we were there when the guys shingled that house. We also did some sightseeing when we were in the metropolis, visiting the Museum of Natural History. Another time we took the chillens to the Aquarium.

One time (it may have been on one of the same trips, but the adult night out) we had all piled into Fred's Dad's full sized van and cracked a cold one in downtown Chicago. While driving to our selected location, some knucklehead merged into our vehicle in dense traffic, making it necessary for us to go to the police station (and stash good beer hastily back into the cooler). We parked under the L, and saw the seamy underside of the city. That may have been the night we dined at Ditka's - giant pork chops.

We ate at Dick's Last Resort on one visit, down on the pier. Barbequed ribs on butcher block paper. Afterwards we strolled along Navy Pier and saw some dickwad try to impress the chicks by pulling his giant cigarette boat away from the pier, but forgot to untie the boat first. Duh. Too many brewskis. The POlice needed to talk to him.

We're at least 10 years older this trip - but hey, we don't have youngsters to deal with, so that cuts at least 10 years off our true age, right?

Mr. Moose

We're heading to Chi-town to get together with Moose, Kay, Vic and Freddie Carl this weekend. After I met Vicki, my very first week of college (and her HS honey Fred), Moose was the next one of the bunch I met. Before Pablo the Pool Boy.

Our sophomore year, Sal, Jane and I wanted to play flag football so we asked our new Residence Assistant (is that what the A stood for?) if she knew any coaches. It just so happened she knew some guys from Birch - Stephenson House. They turned out to be Steve Wilt (Moose) and Steve Hauser (Shit Head) Okay that name didn't really stick, and neither did others. We called him Hosehead and Hausari too.

All the guys who lived in Stephenson House got assigned a name when they moved in - by the older guys. As we got to know Moose and Steve and attended some parties over there we met Pig Farmer, Larry (was that his real name?) Dirger or Den Rat, Dairy Cow (real last name was Ayrshire) and Yellow Fever.

I remember the day we met them down on the Willow practice field. Sally had an immediate crush on Hauser. Of course he was smitten by her too. It was a short lived thing - Sal never really liked nice guys. Hauser took it well. Sometime in there Moose and I had a brief "like" thing where we danced together at the end of house parties when the slow music came on (and Moose had imbibed enough beer) and a few makeout sessions. Luckily neither of us was slutty and it didn't go farther than that.

By our later in our junior year, M&S were mostly our best guy friends. Our romantic guy friends didn't feel threatened by them. That spring I started to see Paul, and our friend Bob Fitzpatrick liked a gal from Audubon named Kay who Paul also knew. We went on a double date. In the meantime Bob also decided he liked the looks of another friend of ours - Jane Ertl. I know - hard to keep it all straight.

After Moose and Hauser's super senior fall semester (5th year) and graduation, Hauser moved away after graduation but Moose got a job in Ankeny and he and Fred (who had moved to Ames by then) got to be great buddies. Vic and Fred got married. I know, it's all kinda incestuous. Moose was like Vic and Fred's lovechild. haha

In the meantime college roomie Jane Flack began living with none other than Kay from Audubon and her cat lovin' friend Mary. By now Pablo and I were betrothed, and I was traveling for a living - when I got to DM I stayed with Jane. Moose began appearing with her. What? Moose with Kay? How did that happen? It turned out to be a good match and by 1985 those lovebirds were married too.

Hauser (I know you're all wondering what ever happened to him...) first went to Florida? Or was it Arizona? He flew in from somewhere far away for our wedding. He moved to the Twin Cities and met someone he knew in college - Ann and they eventually married. So far we've all lived happily ever after (for the most part).

It will be good to see our good friends once again this weekend, and to go to the big Windy City.

All in the fam

Not my fam this time. But at the wedding Pablo and I attended last weekend, check this out - only in a small town. It was a huge wedding - over 400 people RSVPd, perhaps closer to 500. Amanda Miller and Michael Buck. BF and GF since junior high with very few breaks.

One of the bridesmaids is from a broken family. When the fam first moved to Creston - I would have never thought they were doomed to the D word. Divorce. Amy is the youngest child and she's my Amy's age. Always liked the kid - took her around to lots of AAU volleyball games. She's a sweetie - can get along with anyone.

The dad Chris was the HS principal, first and then later after he got another degree, he became a college mgt. guy -VP or something. Julie, the mom is a free spirit. She does real estate appraisals and travels a bit. So I think Amy was prolly in junior high or so when her folks split up. Sad deal. I think 'ol Chris had a wandering eye, but I'm sure there was more to it than that.

Julie eventually moved to DM and remarried - this time to another appraiser. Chris dated around and then married Sandy, a woman in town who had lost her husband several years ago, raising her kids alone for a long time. They moved the two blended families into the Harris house. The new family didn't last long. I'm sure the dynamics were rough. Whatever.

So divorce again for Chris. Meets someone else at the college marriage again. Builds a house. Amy graduates and attends SWCC and then ISU. Chris decides to get his doctorate and moves to Ames. Not sure if he's married or not.

So we're at this wedding. Amy is a bridesmaid. Julie is there with spouse, sitting with Sarah the oldest daughter and her spouse, along with Chris and Amy's BF. Daughter Erin and her BF are there too. At the reception, they all sat together! Later, here comes Sandy - I see her chatting with Chris. It all seemed very civilized and I'm sure it made Amy very happy to see her family all together - along with a couple of the Harris boys Jess and Willy.

The other funny thing was trying to figure out just who was related to the groom's and the bride's families. Lots of cousins on the Miller side. Kinda like the Goldsmiths around Earlville.

It was a fun wedding - seeing Amy's classmates (it was really the guys she liked a lot) having such a good time dancing and being together. Wish Amy and Jud could have been there again, just like they were for Krissy and Caleb's wedding.

Bicycle

A cool Apple Krate above

While I rode my bike yesterday a.m. I thought about all the bikes I've had through the years. Starting with my first trike, that unfortunately I left parked behind Bubba's car in our driveway and it ended up a bit scrunched when he backed out into it. It was green with a white metal seat. Those old trikes were sturdy and you could stand behind the "driver" on the axle of the back wheels - even when you were a bigger kid.

Next I must have had some sort of hand me down starter bike that I don't remember. I kinda remember training wheels - but not the bike. But oh my first very own two wheeler! It had a banana seat (right when those became popular), a white wicker backet on the front (good to carry piano music) and was a lovely aqua blue. Of course it was no Apple Krate - that's what the cool Schwinn bikes were called that the boys got. But I loved it. I spent a lot of time on that little machine.

Next, when I was around fourteen, I got a 10-speed bike. Again I was in love! We got it down at Western Auto in Atlantic and it was a Western Flyer. It too was blue, with white tape wrapping the cool handlebars that curled under so I could go ever so fast. One time I was messing around on it in our neighborhood, hit a curb and crashed. Lucky, besides a few scrapes only my pride was bruised.

When I hadn't had it too long I rode it over to show it to Chris D, and on the way the brake started rubbing on the tire with each rotation. Rub, rub, BANG. It went flat. What was that about? I had to walk my new bike into Chris's driveway deflated. She wondered what I was doing - pampering my new bike. Took a trip to Western Auto for a new tube to fix it.

I've only had 2 more bikes since then - Paul and I bought new Raleighs when we were first married. Got them in Ames at the bike store downtown, twins of each other. Mine was always a bit too tall for me - guys bike.

A couple years ago my sis-in-law Carol sold me her spouse's bike. Bud passed away right after dad did. It's got a lower cross bar so I don't have to kill myself to get on. It's a 21 speed but I stick with 7. It's probably 10 years old - Trek, a crosstrainer. A nice bike. Gets me where I'm going. Guess what - it's blue!

Newfs

As in newfriends. I met some last night - thanks to Joan. She asked me to come along when she was meeting with her girlfriends at a Mexican Joint in West Des Moines.

My first reaction when she asked me to think "How can I get out of this?" It was my inner shy girl talking to me. Meeting new people isn't my fave thing to do - especially when they all know each other and I know nobody but Joan. But I couldn't think of an excuse, so in a weak moment, I said okay.

I put in another long day yesterday doing software training, so I was tired by 5ish when I got done. I wasn't scheduled to meet the group until sometime after 5:30, so I hit Von Maur to check out the merchandise. No buying just looking. My cellie rang and Joan was en route - so I headed to the joint, spotting Joan on the patio of the Mexi-joint.

Introductions all around. Did I remember a name later? Noooo. I am so bad about that. Is there name remembering course one can take? - sign me up! It was Joan, her buddy Brenda, and 3 others. They were nice and funny. Of course I wasn't up on all their conversations - in on all their stuff. One told great stories about her garage sale (and dropped the F bomb, which acourse warmed my heart). We stayed until after 9PM - had a great time and hope they ask us out again. It's fun having friends in DM.

Wild day in the world of

this trash lady. It started last night really...a phone call on my cellie about now (9PM), letting me know the software trainer I had lined up for the $35,000 worth of Environmental Management Software had his flight from Toronto cancelled due to bad weather in Chicago. WTF?!? I had people lined up to be at the WDM Library at 9 AM to start the training.

The sales rep wanted to know if we wanted to cancel the training for today. Heck no! I worked damn hard to set up the training today and tomorrow for the DM area folks and Th/Friday for the Cedar Rapids/Dubuque peeps. There are no other dates available. What are the other options are there? We could try doing online and send Greg on Standby ASAP - so hope by noon. Let's do that I said! It would require me jumping into action at the library and getting technology on my side - I can do it.

And that's what we did. The library staff was very helpful - arranging for us to use a staff meeting room for phone access, and I had to scramble to get my computer to download GoToMeeting software. But we got 'er did. (Southern Ioway lingo) The folks attending are from Centerville and Atlantic - so they aren't picky. We got along fine. Greg arrived at 11:30 a.m. after doing the first couple hours online. Phew...Long day though - stayed until 5 PM. Then I got my hair did. (staying in my southern Iowa lingo...) new highlights.

Got the bad news from my boss in an email during the day that his proposal that I be promoted was struck down by Administrative Services. They just promoted someone else from our department, and with the budget etc. He suggests we try again in a few month. Bummer. I'm disappointed - I feel like I work really hard and deserve to be a program planner 3. But I'll keep working hard - and hope to be rewarded in the future - before I'm too old to enjoy it.

EWF

Me in lovely Hawaiian shirt, Rob, Chris behind and Vic.

Earth Wind and Fire

My best memories of EWF are from Iowa City. Whaaaat you ask? The place of the root of all evil? But, si - es verdad.

We jump in the wayback machine. I was in college, and I drove my little red Chevy Monza to visit my friend Chris at the Chi O house at the U of I. Robbie Dob drove over from Atlantic. (she was a former Iowa student, but unfortunate circumstances prevented her return after her frosh year - nobody told her she had to actually attend class) It must have been our junior or senior year.

So we had an Atown reunion in Iowa City. I don't remember the whole weekend. I do remember driving together in my car with my EWF cassette playing, singing at the top of our lungs. Then we went for pizza and there was a singer dude - guitar, microphone. Robyn, being Ms Friendly got to chatting with him. Chris was no slouch there either. Before we knew it, we were posing on the stage with the microphone.

I recall being downtown at some point - at the Airliner. And drinking beer. Robyn, Chris and I always had a grand time together. One time those same gals came to ISU for a weekend - our frosh year (Robyn had not yet flunked out). We all hit the showers together - it was the dorms - we could do that, there were 3 in a row. We sang "Lady Sings the Blues" in 3 part harmony (okay we just sang) sounding so much like Diana Ross we had an audience when we got out. haha

I miss those guys...

Where's the ark? Big 12 loses 2

The rain just keeps coming. Rain, stop briefly, heat up, repeat. That's been the weather pattern of the past couple weeks and it doesn't look to stop soon. It's like last winter, only warmer.

Bobbie and Jeff mentioned they wanted to go to the DM Farmer's Market Saturday a.m. - leave at 7 a.m. So, despite the fact that I spent my weeks there, I got up early to head that way once again. It was overcast when we headed to McFee's house and they drove their Charger. Of course about 20 minutes north of town it started to rain - which turned into cats and dogs by the I-80. Crap!

We headed to Perkins for breakfast when we got to WDM. The rain stopped while we ate and we headed downtown, sad to find out the market had been cancelled. There were a few brave vendors left - Jeff was able to get some nice looking green beans, and we scored some dutch letters (they're all S's by the way). Now what? We didn't want to rush back to Creston.

We headed towards West Glen where we found some of the Farmer's Market vendors set up - and I got a nice welded metal garden pretty to donate to the Iowa Recycling Association Annual Meeting. Plus I'll have to go back to get something for whichever sis I have for Xmas this year.

Then we hit DSW - a giant shoe warehouse near Jordan Creek. Kinda overwhelming - I didn't get anything as I'd purchased my shoe quota earlier this week. Bobbie got black work shoes. After that it was off to Champps at Jordan Creek for BMs - Bloody Marys. Yum.

Bobbie and I shopped a bit more, but sadly Jeff and Paul spent more in drinks while we spent nothing. Watched a bit of the England/USA soccer match and ate. Back to Ctown before church. Fun day for a rainy one - rained again early this a.m. so my walked got shortened yet again. I won't get in shape at this rate!

Been watching all the news on the Big 12 demise - or so they say. There are a million opinions no facts yet. It makes me very sad to see money breaking up and changing tradition. Nebraska in the Big 10? That's just not right. Tom Osborn, your ego betrays you. College athletics is out of control. The NCAA has lost control. It's crazy. The Iowa press has been very disappointing - the DM Register sickening. Are they that excited to see ISU downgraded to a lesser conference?

I hope the whole thing is settled soon as I can't take this waiting!

Was it just me?

Or was this a really long week? Granted I did have to work in DM Monday-Thursday. The first time in a couple weeks. It seemed like 8 days instead of 4. By Tuesday I was ready to go home. And you may have read my crabby FSFS Wednesday blog.

On top of my personal health issues, you may have heard about something going on with the Big 12 Conference. You know - related to my beloved ISU Cyclones. So all week long it's been in the news - rumors of the conference demise and how the Clones would be left out in the cold. The media seemed downright giddy over this turn of events.

Again, just like when ISU loses to certain in-state rivals, I stupidly and childishly take those things personally. The snide comments written by anonymous chumps on newspaper articles. The blog by a known plagarizing former DM Reg writer Hawk fan suggesting ISU will soon be playing Drake again.

Oh geez all these little things - and the big one. Not living with my very own husband, added up to a rather sucky week. I needed to cry. So I did - just a little, when I got home last night. A little stress relief.

I'm a lucky gal - many more good things than bad in my life. And I am indeed thankful and blessed - I don't forget that! This too shall pass.

So TGIF. Today I believe a couple lemondrop martinis may be in order.

FSFS

Feeling sorry for self. That's me. I found out the spot I had biopsied on my leg had some basal cells and needs further scraping. Right before that call, Dr. Kuhl's office called to schedule my very first colonoscopy. yay.

Frick.

That all happened right before lunch. Good thing it was nice out today so I walked down to Jimmy Johns for a sannie. And I got a cookie. Heck yes. The sun and food perked me up a bit.

Work has been a bit grueling this week - I won't get into it a bore all 5 of you to tears, but some solid waste professionals well....just aren't too. They suck. And it's up to me to figure out a way to improve things in their areas. Yay me.

So by the end of week it was...yep FSFS again. What's the remedy? You guessed it. Shoes. I be needing some sandals for the wedding- Bucks coming up in a couple weeks and little Leslie July 17 (her 26th bday). I also needed some greeting cards I headed for World Market my fave card place. So I decided to stop at Marshall's as long as I was in the neighborhood.

Jackpot! Who knew they had such deals. Just the thing for someone who might lose a leg soon. I found a totally awesome pair of gold sandals for $34, and be still my heart, some Merrill Maryjane's just like the tan ones I already have and have gotten lots of compliments on - for $39! Get out of town! I've never seen them for less than $59. So I couldn't pass them up - I'm nothing if not loyal to my favorite things.

I realize buying shit does not make my problems go away. But at least I don't feel as sorry for myself! A quick stop at the Waukee Libary and a nice walk with my roomie Joan didn't hurt either. And tomorrow is Thursday - going home day!

More kid stuff

Krissy getting married reminded be of the good 'ol days of when the kids used to play house. Back then we lived at 201 E Prairie and McFees lived on Mulberry - a scant 3 or 4 blocks from each other. The kids got together quite a bit for play dates.

Kimmy, of course would come with her cute little pink Barbie case - full of weapons! Jud and she loved their collections of plastic knives, sticks and the large wooden swords they got when we attended the Renaissance Festival in KC. Why would parents allow kids to get wooden swords you ask? Good question! But we did and nobody lost an eye or nothin'

We had a great Little Tykes kitchen set - oven and stove top, with dishes fake food etc. There was even a phone on the side. Lots of pretend fun - I ate a lot of empty calories from that kitchen! Krissy and Amy were very precise and intense about their play - Kim and Jud not so much, much to the older girls' irritation at times.

Other times A&K would be in stealth mode, spying on the youngsters as they played their little hearts out - pretending to "get" bageyes" a/k/a bad guys. Until Jud realized Kim was really a chick, she was his best buddy - it's too bad it had to end.

I think the Goldsmith kids and the McFee kids will always be friends - due to their shared history, even though as the years went by during junior high and then high school separate interests took the four of them in different directions. Funny the four of them ended up at good 'ol ISU. It was fun to have them all together again - even if briefly at the wedding this past weekend.

Monday after

The Monday after a good weekend sucks. I'm feeling crabby and sad. It's over and I don't know when the kids will both be home again. Work was busy/crazy. Odie is still acting like she doesn't feel well. I'm tired.

But tomorrow is Tuesday. I'll get over it.

Jud's friend Noelle says Paul Goldsmith has a block of tickets for the Iowa Cubs game this week. Umm not my guy.

Sa-weet fam time

We had some sweet family time this weekend. As four independent adults, it's not like we all sit, hold hands and sing kumbaya when we're together. Okay so we're a little dysfunctional - it's hard to meld back together after being apart so much.

But yet it works - it's our family. We laugh, make sarcastic remarks to each other and interact. It was great and I'm very glad A & J made the effort to make it here. Jud arrived Friday afternoon - it's under 4 hours from the Quad Cities to here. He's getting some great experience on America's highways this summer.

We grilled steaks that night as the poor kid hadn't eaten a home-cooked meal for weeks. We had an invite to sit on McKim's deck for drinks after supper, so we headed there for an enjoyable evening. Higgins were there too - it was Sharon's bday!

During the night it started to rain and storm...and rain and rain - nearly 5 inches. I could imagine Bobbie and Jeff on the eve of their daughter's wedding worrying about the tent and the reception. I would have! It continued to rain all a.m. Paul headed to DM around noon to pick Amy up at the airport - she'd been at a concert the night before and I'm afrain she was still inebriated from the night before for her flight...she had a hangover by the time she got home!

That afternoon Odie started acting sick - like she had a bellyache, so P and I took her to the vet. Diagnosis - impacted anal glands. Poor thing - her pooper was sore! No wonder she was moaning.

We dressed for the wedding and got there early. The ceremony was short and sweet - a friend of the couple, Nick Juelsgaard did the honors and did a wonderful job. It was simple and 14 minutes - Jud timed it! Reception at Crestmoor. We took a pic in our nice clothes and were kinda color coordinated.

Jud was enthralled by the fabulous invention - the beer keg trailer cooler. 5 kegs chilled to perfection, free. I found out later he also partook in shots of good vodka. Luckily, he's not a sloppy drunk and carries on a pretty decent conversation after drinking. Amy did not drink, still suffering from the prior evening.

Bobbie and Jeff were holding up pretty well, and seemed to be enjoying themselves. The DJ did a nice job - and when Love Shack came on, Paul looked at me like "oh shit, now she wants to dance". But he was bailed out by my girlies! First Deb, but then lots of them - we danced because we could. The dance floor was a little slanted due to the hillside - good thing I wasn't drunk! We danced later too - when Dancing Queen came on, plus a few other faves. All too soon the reception was over. Krissy and Caleb Carroll were moving their party to Super 8.

We got to ride in the McKim RV and went to Sidetracked, a blue collar bar in town. 3 of the 4 bridal parents were with us. They were pondering whether they were down a child now, or up one!?!? Good question. A good time was had by all.

Today it was hard to say goodbye, after burgers for lunch. (Amy is done being a vegan for now) Everyone is going back to their own lives. We do get to see them both in July at Leslie's wedding! Yay.

Mom's bday

Another of Momma's bdays have come and gone - without her. She's been gone since 1997. Hard to believe. The kids have grown up so much - she would enjoy them a lot at this stage of their lives.

Sarah Kohan, Betso's baby girl is graduating from 8th grade - Catholic school in Kennewick, WA this weekend, another big milestone missed by parents on my side. Sad. I'm glad Wayne's parents could be there. Sarah was an infant and lil bro David was in utero when Mom passed away. They're the youngest of the grandkids.

Dad got to know all the grandkids and did a pretty good job of it! He made such an effort to keep track of their birthdays and to visit and call. One year Kay Harris make a calendar with all the birthdays in it, and photos of everyone. Since we lived closest to Atlantic, Dad's summer home, Amy and Jud got to see him quite a bit in the warm months. They were lucky.

Mom's birthday fell on June 4, Dad's September 4 and mine November 4 - so 4 is a lucky number in our family - at least to me. I still think of Mom and Dad quite often, though not as much as I used to - which makes me a little sad.

My bad memories of Mom are fading the most - which is a good thing. I shouldn't hang on to them. Why would I? I need to just forgive her, but remember enough to not turn into her - a sometimes mean person. Who drank to overcome her anger or depression? I pledge to not deal with loneliness or depression with liquor. Hell I just drink for fun!

Happy Birthday Patricia Nelle Morehead Bullock - perhaps you would have been 81 if you hadn't smoked all those cigarettes. You were one of the smartest women I have ever known. You taught me a lot and helped make me the mother and woman I am. Thank you.

Krissy's gettin' married

Little Krissy McFee is getting married Saturday. Yikes! The girl who used to come over to play at our house, mostly as a package deal with her little sis. You've gotta be kidding - somebodies Mrs?

Okay - so she's 24. The same age I was when I got married. That's not so young. (she's still a baby...) And she's dated Caleb ever since she started coming to watch Jud play soccer all those years ago. (haha that's what she told Jud).

So our friends Bobbie and Jeff will be the parents of a married person. So weird. I'm excited for K&C - and wish for them many happy years of marriage.

Other stuff: There is a lady at the Wallace Building that has a car just like my snazzy little silver Subaru. Last week she pulled in near me right after I parked and I looked up and almost called out something funny like "Nice Car", but then I got a look at her - kind of a Nurse Ratched sour puss! Never mind, I'll enjoy my car without sharing. I hate to think she has one just like it.

Losing

Modern family tonight is about a poor loser - in this case it's the father at chess. In our case it was Jud. The worse loser ever. In the history of young children.

Jud was such a bad loser that we came up with ways to avoid winning at all costs. He would throw a huge tantrum hissy fit. It was quite unpleasant. Children's games are torture anyway. Games like Candyland - which sure, has a fun-sounding name, but is probably the suckiest game ever.

In Candyland one would select color-coded cards, traveling along a color coded path - with a few good and bad cards and path pieces thrown in. The worst was Clumpy or something like that - when you picked that card, you had to go all the way back to the beginning of the game. You were screwed. Jud did not like that. He would be very angry if he selected Clumpy.

Candyland was pretty hard to reverse cheat at. But we managed - by putting a slight bend in the Clumpy card. Ha! You can pull the wool over a 4-year old's eyes. Especially if the kid wants to win badly enough. And he did.

Chutes and Ladders was another distressing game. One would climb climb climb those ladders and then somehow land upon a chute that would take you so far back. Jud did not like that. I don't remember how we got around that one...

Once we got video games it was hard to cheat. Jud spent a lot of time stomping his feet and yelling at the games. Somehow our first giant Gameboy ended up with a cracked screen in the bottom of his closet He swears he knows not how...

The good news is, once puberty hit, he was magically cured of this insane inability to handle losing. Okay not totally, but he is much better. I think it was all that family therapy as a child - our successful handling of gameplaying. Or maybe not.

Furlough

I took my last furlough day today. Yep 8 whole unpaid hours. It was marvelous, even though expensive to my pocketbook in order to help the state budget.

I was in post trip recovery mode. Laundry - we still had the down comforter and the heated bed pad (though not turned on) on our bed and I was hot last night, and not in a sexy way. Time to switch to summer bedding!

I was ready for a nice home cooked meal so I dragged out the new crockpot cookbook - rib recipe. No milk in the house and I was starving for my morning cereal - ya'll know what a cereal nut I am! It had been days since my last bowl. Quick trip to Fareway for groceries. Then home to eat breakfast...ahhh.

Popped the ribs into the oven as instructed, along with a bunch of other ingredients - sweet and sour. Then I hopped on my laptop. No not literally! So nice to have a day to myself! Read my book. More laundry. I rode my bike and figured out what bad shape I'm in. Yikes! Felt good though -worked up a sweat. Paul came home for lunch as I was putting the ribs in the crockpot.

Ran to the library and filled the car up in prep for tomorrow's work trip. (Only one night away from home all week - Paul said he'll be sick of me, but then took it right back. Hoping he wasn't kidding). Vacuumed, made the bed.

So nice to have a leisurely day to myself. Even if I'm not getting paid! Couldn't help it - read my work emails. They seem to be surviving without me. Back at it tomorrow. But only for a couple days. Home Thursday night after a couple days of work. Physical Friday with a new doc or PA, Blythe Waltersdorf. Always glad to get that over with. Hope the ribs are good!