No time to blog, just wanted to say goodbye. We're leaving for Myrtle Beach in just a little bit.
Have a great week everyone!
Friday, March 31, 2006
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Down on the Farm
And the man at the back said everyone attack, and it turned into a ballroom blitz. This one line of this Krokus song has been in my head for about four days now. It's driving me quite mad! Now that that's out of the way, I can get to the details of the past few days.
I mentioned (complained) that I was going to be insanely busy last week and in fact, the busyness has trickled well into this week too. A few things that I didn't anticipate were thrown into the mix, but for the protection of the innocent, I can't blog about it. Too many people I know have been busted writing about people they know, then spend weeks trying to mend fences. But, it would make for really good blogging fodder if I could write about it.
To steal a phrase from Plimco, the siding job is coming along swimmingly. Well, not really, I've just been wanting to use swimmingly in a sentence. Smirk. Actually, the siding job is killing me. I failed to communicate that this job we are working on is an addition to an old farm house. I also failed to mention that this family has a working pig farm.
All day long, I hear, "uhRHEEE, RHEEE, ungthth" and squealing like someone is getting murdered. I suppose the pigs are cute enough, but they are nothing like the sort EB White speaks of. They are much bigger than I imagined, even being a girl from the country and having some knowledge as to the goings on of farms. These are the fellas that greet me every time I journey to the barn next to their pen to gather more siding material. (Our stuff has to be kept enclosed otherwise the birds will poop all over it - yes, there's that many.)
Too bad pictures can't portray a smell. See that mud that they're standing it. It's not mud. The brown one is the male of the bunch. Know how I know? He was on top of the pink ones all day long!
As if pigs weren't enough, they have two big lumus black labs, Buddy and Bosco that think it's a game when they steal a freshly cut piece of siding and go running around with it in their mouths, head held high, while I chase them threatening to feed them to the pigs. And cows....
Cows, I think, are the most curious of all creatures. Every time I look over at them, this is exactly what I see. They are all staring at me.
Today was a rainy day. Cold rain. I wasn't very happy about that. Not only did I have water dripping on me from the roof, but rain always makes a farm smell worse than it really is. And everything was muddy. When I used to build full time, it was great fun to ask a person who was jumping around holding his thumb and cussing a blue streak, "did you just hit your hand?". Not so fun anymore. Especially when you're the one with the busted thumb. What do you expect when you're on wobbly scaffolding up in the air trying to nail a one and half inch nail.
Here's a close up in case you don't believe it's me.
All right then, that's what I've been doing all week. Now I get to play catch up on everything else that went neglected, including blogging.
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Schedule Change
As I mentally lay out my plans for the rest of the week, I realize that there will not be enough minutes in a day for me to accomplish all that I need to, even if I work into the night hours. As Clew likes to say, "I'm going to be busier than a one-legged man in an ass kicking contest."
I've got two mortgages that are in the phase that requirs the most work on my part, a couple from California that wants to see five houses, and about a million errands that need to be done this week. And that's after delegating and juggling certain tasks to a later, more convenient time and date.
Tomorrow, I dust off my hammer and tool belt to start a siding job, which means I have to cancel doctor appointments, tanning appointments and try to fit my excersize, real estate and mortgage appointments into my evenings. And sometime during all this, I have to find time to make six dozen cookies for Friday night's play that my kids are in. Not to mention, cut out of work early that day because I'm in charge of the concession stand.
So with this sudden explosion of work, I doubt I will be around Blogger much until this weekend. I'll be thinking of all of you while I bake, build and bullshit with my clients.
I've got two mortgages that are in the phase that requirs the most work on my part, a couple from California that wants to see five houses, and about a million errands that need to be done this week. And that's after delegating and juggling certain tasks to a later, more convenient time and date.
Tomorrow, I dust off my hammer and tool belt to start a siding job, which means I have to cancel doctor appointments, tanning appointments and try to fit my excersize, real estate and mortgage appointments into my evenings. And sometime during all this, I have to find time to make six dozen cookies for Friday night's play that my kids are in. Not to mention, cut out of work early that day because I'm in charge of the concession stand.
So with this sudden explosion of work, I doubt I will be around Blogger much until this weekend. I'll be thinking of all of you while I bake, build and bullshit with my clients.
Friday, March 17, 2006
What are your chances of getting lucky today?
According to research, not very good. Only one in ten thousand if you're searching for a four leaf clover.In honor of St. Patricks Day, I decided to do some research on our little clover friend. I remember searching for them as a child and recall even finding a few. I can't say that I have been overly lucky through out my life though, and now I know why. Apparently, they don't hold any mystical lucky powers, the four-leaf clover is caused either by genetic or environmental factors.
According to legend, each leaf represents something. One leaf is for FAITH, the second for HOPE, the third for LOVE, and the fourth, naturally, for LUCK! In Irish tradition the Shamrock or three-leaf clover represents the Holy Trinity: one leaf for the Father, one for the Son and one for the Holy Spirit. When a Shamrock is found with the fourth leaf, it represents God's Grace.
So, friends, armed with these new found facts, let me save you the time you'd spend in the clover patch looking for a little quadrant of luck and just wish all of you good fortune and good cheer.
Breath Easy
It's hard to tell from this picture, but the Nebulizer was not a welcome ritual in Drew's little world. He screamed the entire seven minutes the treatment took us and for a few minutes after just for good measure.
Even though his dad was the one that held him down, he didn't want anything to do with me.
But after only two days, he will hold the mask in place by himself. I think he knows it helps him feel better and he does act much more like himself now.
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
I'm guest host over at Joy's blog today while she is unable to be an active participant. This is the second time I've had the honor blog-sitting in my brief blogging exeprience. It's liberating and stressfull all at the same time. I suppose if you don't post for a week or so, your blog goes stale and you lose traffic. So, what should I do while I'm gone for a week in April? Let things fizzle out until I return or turn the reins over to someone else. I'll think about that another day. For now, visit Joy Is Me, introduce yourself and enjoy some of the other guest posters.
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Monday, March 13, 2006
Custom Order Apples
Across the street from my pediatrician's office is a grocery store called Big Top Market. As if a trip to the supermarket wasn't already a circus, they had to throw in the monkey music and obnoxious red and white stripes.
I took the baby back to the doctor today because he just hasn't been acting like himself and I overheard this statement announced through the store's PA even over the traffic on the busy street.
"Sandy Knocker! Your apples are ready for pick up in produce."
What? Huh? Who special orders apples?
Incidentally, the kid needs breathing treatments three times a day. So now we have a nebulizer.
I took the baby back to the doctor today because he just hasn't been acting like himself and I overheard this statement announced through the store's PA even over the traffic on the busy street.
"Sandy Knocker! Your apples are ready for pick up in produce."
What? Huh? Who special orders apples?
Incidentally, the kid needs breathing treatments three times a day. So now we have a nebulizer.
Friday, March 10, 2006
100 Things
I was going to save this list for my 100th post (I'm almost there), but that's so unoriginal. Besides, I'm working on something else for my big milestone. So here it is, 100 things you were dying to know about me. (Some of this was written over a month ago and may be old news already.)
1. My name is Michelle. So much for anonymity.
2. I have to think about it for like 2 minutes before I can say anonymity correctly.
3. I want to be a writer.
4. I want my book to be fiction because someone said it was the hardest way to break into the market.
5. I want my book to be on Oprah's Book Club list, because someone told me I could never do it.
6. I used to have a lot more energy than I do now.
7. Losing several babies and dealing with infertility has sapped a lot of that energy.
8. Even though I have a beautiful baby, I can't quite get over the loss of Owen and several other pregnancies.
9. I know more than any person should about reproductive health and infertility issues.
10. If you're having trouble getting pregnant, save your money on a Reproductive Endocrinologist and email me. Seriously!
11. I don't smoke.
12. I don't take any street drugs.
13. I do like to drink. Vodka is my poison.
14. I'm not an alcoholic.
15. I love to scrap book and take pictures. I love telling the story of our lives in this way.
16. However, pictures also hold our feelings frozen in the not so good times.
17. Although I've been pissed at Him, I have a strong faith in God.
18. I suppose that should have been first on this list.
19. I still need to work on my faith.
20. I know how to build houses. My husband and I built 17 - just the two of us.
21. I had really nice arms when I was building.
22. And a really nice tan.
23. Now I have wrinkles and freckles.
24. I still don't look like I'm 37 though.
25. I can't believe I'm old enough to have a child graduating next year.
26. I started this blog because I was bored.
27. I didn't intend for it to be an online communication for my new blogger friends. Not that I'm complaining.
28. I wanted to have an outlet for my creative needs.
29. I don't feel satisfied with that outlet yet.
30. I hate cleaning my house, but I can't function if it isn't clean.
31. I'm learning to live with a mess sometimes.
32. I don't think I'll ever be totally cured. I just like things clean.
33. I'm too critical of people. I wasn't always like that.
34. Being a landlord has shown me a different side of humanity.
35. I'm a real estate agent and a mortgage broker. I hate both jobs.
36. I've been in charge of marketing for Blue Cross and Blue Shield. Not selling policies, but designing posters for other company's employees.
37. I hated that too. The politics involved over shadowed any creativity.
38. I had great benefits working there though.
39. Now, I don't even have prescription coverage.
40. I love to decorate.
41. I love gardening. Never in my life have I felt closer to God than when I was working in my garden.
42. I still haven't figured out why.
43. It's amazing that I can grow anything, because I inevitably kill all my indoor plants.
44. I wish I could travel more.
45. I love the way I feel when I'm on vacation.
46. I get migraine headaches. They suck.
47. Since I had the baby, I haven't had near as many as I used to.
48. I can't do a back handspring any more. I discovered this last summer when I broke the top of my foot trying. At a wedding. Yes, Vodka was involved.
49. I held the school record for highest score in diving. I was ranked 8th in the state at one time.
50. I hated diving.
51. I loved playing softball. I played 3rd base. Line drives hurt like crazy!
52. I put ketchup on my macaroni and cheese.
53. I've converted almost my whole family now.
54. I'm a grazer. I don't eat much at a sitting, but I nibble all day long.
55. Until recently, this has always worked for me.
56. I'd be happy losing another 10 pounds, but I have 20 to go to be at pre-pregnancy weight.
57. My nick name growing up was Mimi.
58. Clew has shortened that to Mims.
59. I love to watch movies.
60. I love to read.
61. I have 327 books in my modest little library.
62. I have yet to read them all.
63. I love winter, but I prefer summer.
64. Being barefoot is the best thing in the world.
65. Flip flops are second, especially after a pedicure.
66. I've been known to walk into door frames becasue I'm staring down at my newly polished toes.
67. I hate cleaning my vehicle.
68. I hate getting groceries.
69. I save at least 35% on my grocery bill every week because I shop for the deals and clip coupons.
70. I only started this coupon craze about 8 months ago.
71. I'm a great friend.
72. But I hate a clinger.
73. I love, love, love, love, love music.
74. Almost any kind, but not rap.
75. I'm a night person. I can stay up really late, but I hate getting up in the morning.
76. I am obsessed with wrinkles.
77. Since I was a little girl, if I feel one in the sheets or my jeans, I have to fiddle with it.
78. I also look for patterns in everything. This drives me crazy.
79. My hair is in a ponytail 85% of the time.
80. I do not look good with short hair, even though it is always pulled back from my face.
81. My favorite smell is the scent of clean sheets that have been hung out on the line.
82. These provide the best wrinkles.
83. Despite my sickness to be organized, it looks like a tornado went through my garage.
84. I adore my neighbors - well, most of them.
85. The summer is one big party on my street.
86. I don't have a television in my room.
87. I hate being taken advantage of. I don't know too many people that do.
88. It seems that it happens to me alot. Maybe I'm too nice.
89. Teenagers are tough. One minute I'm sad that they're so old, the next minute, I can't wait for them to move out. What's wrong with me?
90. I wonder if I'll ever feel this way about the baby.
91. Sometimes I feel like an inadequate mom.
92. I don't feel like an inadequate wife.
93. I sometimes think I'm not true to myself.
94. I'm glad this list is almost done.
95. I'll probably think of 20 more interesting things when I finish. That's what I do.
96. Things on this list will probably change in the next six months.
97. I don't mind change.
98. I'm used to it.
99. For the most part, I like myself.
100. For the most part, I like all of you! :)
1. My name is Michelle. So much for anonymity.
2. I have to think about it for like 2 minutes before I can say anonymity correctly.
3. I want to be a writer.
4. I want my book to be fiction because someone said it was the hardest way to break into the market.
5. I want my book to be on Oprah's Book Club list, because someone told me I could never do it.
6. I used to have a lot more energy than I do now.
7. Losing several babies and dealing with infertility has sapped a lot of that energy.
8. Even though I have a beautiful baby, I can't quite get over the loss of Owen and several other pregnancies.
9. I know more than any person should about reproductive health and infertility issues.
10. If you're having trouble getting pregnant, save your money on a Reproductive Endocrinologist and email me. Seriously!
11. I don't smoke.
12. I don't take any street drugs.
13. I do like to drink. Vodka is my poison.
14. I'm not an alcoholic.
15. I love to scrap book and take pictures. I love telling the story of our lives in this way.
16. However, pictures also hold our feelings frozen in the not so good times.
17. Although I've been pissed at Him, I have a strong faith in God.
18. I suppose that should have been first on this list.
19. I still need to work on my faith.
20. I know how to build houses. My husband and I built 17 - just the two of us.
21. I had really nice arms when I was building.
22. And a really nice tan.
23. Now I have wrinkles and freckles.
24. I still don't look like I'm 37 though.
25. I can't believe I'm old enough to have a child graduating next year.
26. I started this blog because I was bored.
27. I didn't intend for it to be an online communication for my new blogger friends. Not that I'm complaining.
28. I wanted to have an outlet for my creative needs.
29. I don't feel satisfied with that outlet yet.
30. I hate cleaning my house, but I can't function if it isn't clean.
31. I'm learning to live with a mess sometimes.
32. I don't think I'll ever be totally cured. I just like things clean.
33. I'm too critical of people. I wasn't always like that.
34. Being a landlord has shown me a different side of humanity.
35. I'm a real estate agent and a mortgage broker. I hate both jobs.
36. I've been in charge of marketing for Blue Cross and Blue Shield. Not selling policies, but designing posters for other company's employees.
37. I hated that too. The politics involved over shadowed any creativity.
38. I had great benefits working there though.
39. Now, I don't even have prescription coverage.
40. I love to decorate.
41. I love gardening. Never in my life have I felt closer to God than when I was working in my garden.
42. I still haven't figured out why.
43. It's amazing that I can grow anything, because I inevitably kill all my indoor plants.
44. I wish I could travel more.
45. I love the way I feel when I'm on vacation.
46. I get migraine headaches. They suck.
47. Since I had the baby, I haven't had near as many as I used to.
48. I can't do a back handspring any more. I discovered this last summer when I broke the top of my foot trying. At a wedding. Yes, Vodka was involved.
49. I held the school record for highest score in diving. I was ranked 8th in the state at one time.
50. I hated diving.
51. I loved playing softball. I played 3rd base. Line drives hurt like crazy!
52. I put ketchup on my macaroni and cheese.
53. I've converted almost my whole family now.
54. I'm a grazer. I don't eat much at a sitting, but I nibble all day long.
55. Until recently, this has always worked for me.
56. I'd be happy losing another 10 pounds, but I have 20 to go to be at pre-pregnancy weight.
57. My nick name growing up was Mimi.
58. Clew has shortened that to Mims.
59. I love to watch movies.
60. I love to read.
61. I have 327 books in my modest little library.
62. I have yet to read them all.
63. I love winter, but I prefer summer.
64. Being barefoot is the best thing in the world.
65. Flip flops are second, especially after a pedicure.
66. I've been known to walk into door frames becasue I'm staring down at my newly polished toes.
67. I hate cleaning my vehicle.
68. I hate getting groceries.
69. I save at least 35% on my grocery bill every week because I shop for the deals and clip coupons.
70. I only started this coupon craze about 8 months ago.
71. I'm a great friend.
72. But I hate a clinger.
73. I love, love, love, love, love music.
74. Almost any kind, but not rap.
75. I'm a night person. I can stay up really late, but I hate getting up in the morning.
76. I am obsessed with wrinkles.
77. Since I was a little girl, if I feel one in the sheets or my jeans, I have to fiddle with it.
78. I also look for patterns in everything. This drives me crazy.
79. My hair is in a ponytail 85% of the time.
80. I do not look good with short hair, even though it is always pulled back from my face.
81. My favorite smell is the scent of clean sheets that have been hung out on the line.
82. These provide the best wrinkles.
83. Despite my sickness to be organized, it looks like a tornado went through my garage.
84. I adore my neighbors - well, most of them.
85. The summer is one big party on my street.
86. I don't have a television in my room.
87. I hate being taken advantage of. I don't know too many people that do.
88. It seems that it happens to me alot. Maybe I'm too nice.
89. Teenagers are tough. One minute I'm sad that they're so old, the next minute, I can't wait for them to move out. What's wrong with me?
90. I wonder if I'll ever feel this way about the baby.
91. Sometimes I feel like an inadequate mom.
92. I don't feel like an inadequate wife.
93. I sometimes think I'm not true to myself.
94. I'm glad this list is almost done.
95. I'll probably think of 20 more interesting things when I finish. That's what I do.
96. Things on this list will probably change in the next six months.
97. I don't mind change.
98. I'm used to it.
99. For the most part, I like myself.
100. For the most part, I like all of you! :)
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
Monday, March 06, 2006
Weekend Review
Well, my visit with Clew came to an end about 50 minutes ago. It's been 18 months since we've seen each other, so leaving today was a little difficult, but we had a ton of fun while she was here.
The weekend started out with an overnight scrapbook event. In all the excitement, we forgot to bring our snacks to share and a cup with a cover as was required by the host of the event, so we stopped at Target for a quick shopping trip. After purchasing more scrapbook supplies, knocking over an entire cup display, and laughing about fur gel for dogs, we were on our way to scrap. Because we were late, we got placed in a room down the hall from everyone else with three other scrappers, but we made the best of it.
The weekend started out with an overnight scrapbook event. In all the excitement, we forgot to bring our snacks to share and a cup with a cover as was required by the host of the event, so we stopped at Target for a quick shopping trip. After purchasing more scrapbook supplies, knocking over an entire cup display, and laughing about fur gel for dogs, we were on our way to scrap. Because we were late, we got placed in a room down the hall from everyone else with three other scrappers, but we made the best of it.
Drawing by Clew.
We made quite the mess!
Saturday late afternoon, we went back to my house for....
Chinese food....
Beer......
and wine.
We watched a few movies, played some games....this is what I think of her big win...
I know she has to get back to her family and her responsibilities, but it was so nice to see her again and just relax and hang out.
I miss you already sis.
Friday, March 03, 2006
School Trip Update
After talking to the prinicpal and the truancy officer yesterday, Emily will be able to go on her class trip after all, even if she misses more school. I don't know how they are going to handle the director, but at this point, I don't care. I don't want her to treat Emily any different on the trip either, so as long as I got my way, I'm good.
T-minus 5 hours and counting until Clew arrives. In classic Bainwen style, "SQUEEEEE"!
T-minus 5 hours and counting until Clew arrives. In classic Bainwen style, "SQUEEEEE"!
Thursday, March 02, 2006
Thursday Thoughts
Since my babysitting duties at Coffee Break were cancelled due to an ice storm (a phone call letting me know this would have been appreciated) and it's not time for me to go to therapy yet, I'd thought I'd attempt a post.
I've got nothing to write about - or rather nothing that I feel like organizing any thought for, so I decided that this would be a hodge podge rambling of sorts. Little snippets of what's going on in my life at the moment, but nothing that would justify a full blog write up.
Sit back and be prepared to be bowled over with boredom!
The biggest and least boring news I have is that Clew is gonna be here tomorrow. She'll already be on the road at this time tomorrow, but I'll be waiting impatiently for her arrival. We're going to a hotel Friday afternoon and plan on pulling a cropping all-nighter. Saturday continues with more scrapbooking and then we head back to my house for Chinese food, a nap, and more hanging out. Ditto for Sunday and then she'll be heading home on Monday. :( Sorry, I can't show you any pictures of us together. (Shhhh, she's paranoid about internet safety. Don't tell her I said so.) But for all of you wondering, she looks like Angelina Jolie. And I'm not the only one who thinks so. She's really smart too. I'm not sure why I hang out with her.
I've got a call into the principal of my daughter's school. The more I think about the conversation with the trip director, the pissder I get. I know pissder isn't a word, but it should be. I don't know how far the conversation will get me, but I'll feel better about myself knowing that I made the call.
My neck is feeling better. Just in time to wreck it again staring down at a scrapbook for 12 hours. I have a different physical therapist on Tuesdays. April. She's even better than Chad. I love her. She worked on me for an extra half hour because my muscles were so tight. Of course this was after I offered her my left over fertility drugs and needles which total about $1400.
I started a new project last weekend. I picked up some of that chalk board paint and painted a square on one of our empty bar walls. I plan on using it to list all the different brews we have available. I still want to build a frame to put around it, but for now, the black square on the wall will have to do. Note to self: pick up chalk after therapy.
Every single time I go out, I see at least one grey or white Impala in front of me. On back roads, on the freeway, I'll even pull up behind one in a parking lot. There's no mistaking those round tail lights. I never noticed them before, why now? Weird.
Since I'm boring myself to tears, I'm sure you've all stopped reading, so I guess I'll go to therapy.
I've got nothing to write about - or rather nothing that I feel like organizing any thought for, so I decided that this would be a hodge podge rambling of sorts. Little snippets of what's going on in my life at the moment, but nothing that would justify a full blog write up.
Sit back and be prepared to be bowled over with boredom!
The biggest and least boring news I have is that Clew is gonna be here tomorrow. She'll already be on the road at this time tomorrow, but I'll be waiting impatiently for her arrival. We're going to a hotel Friday afternoon and plan on pulling a cropping all-nighter. Saturday continues with more scrapbooking and then we head back to my house for Chinese food, a nap, and more hanging out. Ditto for Sunday and then she'll be heading home on Monday. :( Sorry, I can't show you any pictures of us together. (Shhhh, she's paranoid about internet safety. Don't tell her I said so.) But for all of you wondering, she looks like Angelina Jolie. And I'm not the only one who thinks so. She's really smart too. I'm not sure why I hang out with her.
I've got a call into the principal of my daughter's school. The more I think about the conversation with the trip director, the pissder I get. I know pissder isn't a word, but it should be. I don't know how far the conversation will get me, but I'll feel better about myself knowing that I made the call.
My neck is feeling better. Just in time to wreck it again staring down at a scrapbook for 12 hours. I have a different physical therapist on Tuesdays. April. She's even better than Chad. I love her. She worked on me for an extra half hour because my muscles were so tight. Of course this was after I offered her my left over fertility drugs and needles which total about $1400.
I started a new project last weekend. I picked up some of that chalk board paint and painted a square on one of our empty bar walls. I plan on using it to list all the different brews we have available. I still want to build a frame to put around it, but for now, the black square on the wall will have to do. Note to self: pick up chalk after therapy.
Every single time I go out, I see at least one grey or white Impala in front of me. On back roads, on the freeway, I'll even pull up behind one in a parking lot. There's no mistaking those round tail lights. I never noticed them before, why now? Weird.
Since I'm boring myself to tears, I'm sure you've all stopped reading, so I guess I'll go to therapy.
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