Living with Cranky McWhineypants

I live with "essential personnel." Yes, the Moose is considered such, even when he bugs me, someone considers him "essential." I love the snow. The Diva loves the snow. Hell, even the dog loves the snow. We haven't had a great snowfall like this in probably 20 years. I want to enjoy it. Cranky McWhineypants has to work night shift this weekend. Dude, I am sorry that you have to go to work but don't rain on our snow parade! I don't have to be back to work until Wednesday and I survived the "Others" Christmas Chaos Tour 2010 that visited my house yesterday so suck it up, Moose! Do I need to remind you that there is NO H in Whine(ypants)?! GAH!

I am faking being a good parent tonight

I am tired. The mother in law will be here tomorrow and I have, I admit, been in the wine a bit.. Ok-a lot. We are awaiting 6 inches of snow on Christmas Day afternoon/evening and I am secretly spazzing in my head. The diva wants to watch a movie. We need AA batteries. Boo hiss. We don't have any. I still have 3 things to wrap, I mean stuff in gift bags. After fake playing with the Blu Ray, the diva finally decides she'll watch the peasant ABC Family Channel and be happy. Yay. I didn't want to get up again anyway.

green purse

These past few weeks I've been dealing with a terminally ill person and trying to provide that person the gentlest way to pass on. She died over a week ago and she was homeless. I can only imagine the adventures she lived in her life and perhaps some choices that I feel would be disrespectful to judge, especially posthumously. Today her purse was delivered to me to pass on to her next of kin. All these years of living, all the hopes and dreams this lady had, are reduced to the contents of a green purse. I don't want to even inventory the purse because I just feel it would be disrespectful. This green purse...and whatever it holds...sitting on the floor in my office awaiting a reunion with its owner's loved one. I hope there is a special remembrance of the lady awaiting her loved one's inspection of the purse.
How profound to have your life's work reduced to a green purse.

For my sweet sweet diva. 6 years ago, I was mere hours from your early bird arrival. About 6 hours from now, you would announce your intention to the world. I love you with all my heart and being. Yes, you were named after this song but it's because your Papa (my father) played Neil Diamond as I grew up and there was no other song so fitting. Thank you for the joy and laughter you bring us every single day.

Neil Diamond - Sweet Caroline - 2008

www.youtube.com

BBC Radio Theatre London U.K. 2008-05-14

ATTENTION PLEASE! We HAVE a hobby! Woot!

Praise God and pass the bread, we have found an extracurricular activity that doesn't involve competition and the diva's progress will be strictly at her own will and determination. Taekwondo!!! I had no idea it was all one word until we walked into the studio. Seriously. I was making it all Hooked On Phonics/3 wordy. Surprise! It's one word. So I learned something new today.

We literally stumbled upon this idea. The diva has wanted to do some form of martial arts ever since she saw a Scooby Doo Samarai movie a year ago and we've waited until we felt she'd get the most out of the experience. The diva and I went to our local county fair last week and went to various booths. We tripped over some debris on the ground and looked up. There was the ATA booth. The diva realized what the ATA was before I did. I signed up for a free class for the diva and we scheduled exactly when we'd go. It was this evening.

First impression-wow-this place is clean and looks "important." I don't know how to explain that part but it just did. It was organized. For some reason I expected either Hitler to meet us at the door and make us all cry or complete chaos. It was a great feel. Kids were being kids but as soon as they bowed to the mats and stepped in for class, it was ON! I was glad that the diva was positioned within the class to where she could see a very impressive young boy, perhaps a few years older than her. She followed a lot of his lead. Even as an adult, I did not feel worthy to spy on the class. There was plenty of interaction between their instructor and the kids. They know their kids. They command respect and they earn it. The diva was fully immersed in the instruction and the Moose and I were so excited to see her focus.

I'm excited to see what the next 6 months (and beyond) bring to all of us!

Words coming to fruition

Today I asked the diva more about school. Kindergarten has been a great transition for us and I am proud that (so far) I know her homework! LOL. I am certain I won't always be able to say that and probably sooner than I hope!

Every day when I drop the diva off I say, "I love you. Remember to be a good friend and a good listener." I know I say it so much that some days she says it with me but I really mean it when I say it. Seems like such a simple statement but it can go a long way. There is a new boy with red hair in the diva's class. I asked who the diva plays with at recess and she said named 'a friend' and ___, the new boy." Oh really? How new is he? According to her he's VERY new and she is glad to be his friend. I told her I bet the new boy with red hair is glad that she is being a good friend and the diva agreed.

It appears that not only is the diva being a good friend but mostly a good listener. I am so proud of her.

First mouse of the season-EEK!

So I am typing this with throw up in my mouth, a wine glass to my left (well, that's nothing new) and there is a MOUSE in this damn house and I am PISSED because I can NOT claim him on my taxes, I did NOT rescue him from the Green Mile at the animal shelter, and he is evil and uninvited and....oh I am SO not happy about this. I heart Fall, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF MICE TRYING TO BE SQUATTERS IN MY HOUSE, and I just would like ONE FALL to just know that not ONE mouse has been in my house. We've had enough of mice for the year. We went to Disney, saw Mickey and all the cool insanity that is Disney World, and ok, I've had my fill of mice. I will NOT sleep until I see a lifeless mouse in a mousetrap. Calling the pest control peeps tomorrow to ask them to expedite a visit to our home.

Completely unhinged. ::insert feigned shock::

The homemade laundry detergent source

I really like this recipe and I haven't bought laundry detergent since I started making this Earth Day 2008.
www.thefamilyhomestead.com/laundrysoap.htm

I have used it to clean the refrigerator, kitchen sink and stove top in a pinch. I also like to use it in the diva's tub because I don't like for her to sit in chemicals. I switch around different white soaps: Lever 2000, Ivory, white Dial, a fake Lever 2000 that I found in Aldi's...The author uses essential oils in her detergent but if you don't, it's hypoallergenic.

www.thefamilyhomestead.com is a really good source for lots of cool stuff. My hat's off to her!

THE GREEN MILE FROM BOTH SIDES

June 5, 2009 was a dark, heartbreaking day in the Asbell house. We had to take our beloved Labrador, Hannah, to the veterinarian to be put to sleep.  The reality of the situation was that the sweet dog who picked out my husband (here forth known as Moose) before I knew I even wanted to date him long-term, had reached the end of her road. In our minds we battled the Quality of Life versus How Much We Did Not Want to Let Her Go. Either way was going to hurt someone. We managed to survive the day, thanks to our dear friend Melissa and having the time to quietly hold and love on Hannah before she went to the Diamond Castle (what the diva describes Heaven to be).  I confessed to Melissa (who happens to be a minister) that it would have been easier to put down the Moose (insert lightning strike) and somewhere in the back of my mind I knew that was not a nice thing to say.  In the past few months we’d gotten numerous requests from the diva to get another dog. Late August and early September I did some “pre-shopping” at the local animal shelter and about 2 weekends later, I knew we found our next dog. Initially he went against all I anticipated us wanting. A.) He was a boy, B.) He was NOT a Retriever, C.) Did I mention we didn’t think we’d want a boy? Well, insert an approximately 6 month old MALE, German Shepherd/Heinz 57 dog and you have Scooby, the dog formerly known as Malcolm. To know that we’ve saved a dog from The Green Mile makes it all the more special. To see the look on Scooby’s face when we brought him home and showed him the big fenced-in backyard was priceless. I have never seen a dog’s jaw drop (except in a cartoon or 8). He has already cemented his place in our family and hearts.

Taking a hobby more seriously

New blog and new take on free therapy. This blog is a supplement to my Facebook statuses that change frequently throughout the day. I am not going to promise a daily blog but just a way to expand on some of the blurbs I throw out there.


Sooooo-here goes. Please be gentle with your comments and I'll be gentle with my retorts.