My Call to Destiny

Doesn't have a voice mail box set up. I'll have to try again.

But at least I got the chicken outta my ass.

Stepping off the Ledge

Got a call from a dancer yesterday looking to make reservations for our show Friday night. The restaurant's number was giving her a recording saying the number had been disconnected. She called me to see what the deal was.

First off, I answered the phone with a shitty attitude after spending a day with the Girl arguing over the fact that I am not about to let a 3yo talk me into breaking the law at her whim. Where does she get this stubborn streak?

Anyway, after spening 5 minutes talking to this dancer I finally realized which dancer I was, in fact talking to. I actually like the version of the dancer.

Anyway, I assued her that I would run over to the restaurant and personally get her reservation down in the books. Then Whatever other ones she had, I would add them.

After watching Sparky be his Clown Prince self at Tball and Kabloey send the first pitch at him into the wrning track, it was time for me to get the Girl and Sparky home.

On a lark, I turned north to Sunrise. It was dark in teh dining room and lit in the kitchen. i parked badly so i cold jump out and check the phone number. It was the same, but gasp! arg! there was a sign that read "restaurant close" [sic].

Spluttering back to the car, I drove around, cutting between pedestrians (yes, yes, very unhip in the Pacific Northwest, but in the South you accumulate points for how many you make scream). I pulled into the alley, dodging Gospel Mission homeless outdoor buffet diners and parked. I pulled Sparky adn Girl out of car with the stern admonition to keep holding my hand. A "gentlemen" was reading the riot act to another in front of the pawn shop. Yup, the best part of town.

I got to the door, saw some heads in the back and the door was unlocked. I opened it, calling the owner's name. (Yes, if I was a buxom blonde bimbo in a chop top and shorts, the music would have been veering toward ominous. I also would not have had two young children with me.)

A head attached to a body came out. He told me there was no more Indian restaurant there, that it would be an Italian restaurant by the end of next month.

Splutter and befuddled, I took the kids outside, past the now growing number of "gentlemen" (they had made it to four), and headed to the car. Called Samira to tell her what was up. She spluttered and we agreed I would call Z, our featured dancer this month, to tell her what was up.

Z spluttered, came up with "what I would do" and agreed to wait to hear from me on the morrow.

The morrow is here after a few more spluttering phone calls to Samira and Arries.

In a typical Pacific Northwest scenario, I dropped the kids off, told my story wnough times to start to unnerve me, jumped in the van with Whiskey Jack and drove off to score some freen sand.

IT WAS CLOSED! opened Fridays only. *sigh* On to the Store of Ultimate Decadence where I bought more cheese than needed, especially as the SoUD will host a cheese sale in two days. Therapy shopping, OK?

I had promised the Girl a cocoa. Offered to buy a decaf for WJ. We agreed to have WJ unload groceries and I would trip over to Starbucks.

I get the orders right. Spill some cocoa on the hip music display. The cashier says, "I hope you're having a good day." Huh?

I asked her how much of my life story was she interested in hearing. I needed a new belly dance venue. And before I irritate the nice gentlemen (Notice, no quotes) behind me, I gave her the in a nutshell version.

The gentlemen asked what sort of dance? Belly dancing. "I have an underground lounge." RED FLAGS! Creep alert! He goes on to list his philanthropic buildings, he is real estate, there's lots of place to host such an event. I took his name and number with a promise to call. As I write his info down, I ask him if he had ever been written up in the news. he said, yes, a few times. Hmmmm.

Get to school with groceries intact, load up Sparky, butter braids, go home. Eat lunch - gotta home fuel you know. Head over to Moonflower Magicks to beg for a space Friday. It works out! I ask the help there if they had ever heard of this guy. One of them has.

Seems this guy is wealthy, in real estate, politician and known. That bodes well.

I haven't called him yet. But I'll let you know when I step off the. Will you have to scrap me off the pavement or dodge my flying crap? We'll see.

No pithy title today

Right off - SPARKY CAN READ! I listened to him read "Go, Dog, Go!" last night. Sure "here" and "there" threw him, but he did read. I am in awe of the learning process one goes through to learn to read. I asked if he wanted to read it again tonight. He said, “Sure and this time I’ll start from the beginning." He has since said he wants to take on "Hop on Pop" tonight.

Ditched Kindergarten today (with the teacher's permission) to go on a field trip with Kabloey. To the new Wal-Mart! To explore the environmental engineering they are using to prevent water pollution and erosion. I wasn't crazy about it, but it turned out to be a really good trip.

We lucked out and had a real EE there, Steve, who was able to explain to us the whys and wherefores of what they did. Now I can pick out erosion cloth and other means of slowing water down.

Himself and I celebrated 19 years of connubial bliss Tuesday. Went to Mae Rim Monday night with the whole family. Nida was most impressed that we came back. She said to the Girl, "Now I trust you. You kept your promise." Kabloey found out he likes calamari.

Kabloey was envious of Sparky and the Girl having been through the kitchen before. So once the other diners left, he asked for and received a tour.

For some reason I blurted out that it was our anniversary and that my birthday was coming up. With Nida heading to Thailand in a couple of weeks, she asked what we wanted from there. 24K gold would have been too much, but she claimed she'll bring something back for us. We'll see. I'll still go eat there, either way.

Himself's show closes this weekend. He has learned a bunch and enjoyed himself overall, I would say.

Baseball is in full swing. (yup, I meant that.) Thankfully the boys have games one after the other on the same days. That'll make life easier. And we'll all have a chance to watch them.

Going on a field trip with Sparky tomorrow to Casa De-pot. Kindergartners using hammers and nails. That'll be fun.

I found my quote but don't know how to post it.

Dammit.

Anyway, it's

"All I really need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt!
~Lucy Van Pelt (in Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz)

Thanks to Granny Moon for having this jewel on hand.

Surreality

I have been to two of the most "out of my league"parties the last two night. The first was the St Paddy's Day see-who-can-drink-more-than-sane-people-should-drink. Himself gives a shudderingly accurate account of the "event."

It was like flaming death headed toward me. I weaseled, wimped out, chicken shitted, all that. I can slam dunk an Irish Cream or Kahlua, no worries. But I was not willing to go to Opening Day for Little League carrying my head in my oversized purse.

So yeah, I spent an hour in the living with the squids, watching some Mickey Mouse cartoons and knitting.

Then this evening, Misterpher - oh wait, he hates that name. I hereby dub him Sparky. (When Kabloey was in kindergarten, I would have Sparky with me. Just as the bell rang and the teeming masses of elementary school children and teachers would come in, Sparky would drop to him 18 month old knees and bark. It was fun when someone would trip over him. All I could do was to smile wanly and shrug. Yeah.)

ANYway, Sparky was invited to a 6 hour spagetti [sic] feed. The Great Non-communicator was hosting this shindig for his kid with whom he shares with Mother. (She is most specific that she be labeled Mother and GNC as Father. I guess one wouldn't know to look at them?)

So The Girl, Sparky and I knock around after pictures for a few hours. We check out our local pagan store. Driving by earlier in the day I saw workman covering a window with plywood. After Tball pics, we hoofed it over and asked WTF happened?

Seems a drive brick found its way into the display. Nothing was taken except the sunlight, but man, how messed up is that? But then this is the store into which xtians run in, shout out, "You are Satan's whore!" in their most xtain manner and run out like chicken shits. Whatever.

Sorry for the property damage, though. But I do rest easier knowing that whoever did will have to deal with some kind of karmic repayment at some time. One day they'll wake up with a brick through their life and wonder what did they do to deserve it? Hmm.

Anyway, bought Sparky and the Girl some cool stones and me my official Baseball earrings. French hook with a moonstone round, crescent moon and teeny spiral woman shape. Just subversive wnough for the conservatives. Yeah.

From MM, I was able to talk the two of them into Thai Food. We parked, dodged a homeless guy talking to himself, got to the door. It was locked! Arg! Curse you!

Then a ginormous Expedition/small prick car drives up with a small woman in it saying, "You wait! I be right there."

Seems the owner, Nida, had to battle traffic going north. She did make it in time to keep my growling belly happy. She gave the squids a "tour" of the kitchen, chatted them up enough to be charmed, and made a wonderful meal for us. Sparky loved the rice (no surprise), the Girl dug the wide noodles and I scored with the Ginger Prawns. A lovely conversation and a chance for the squids to run around the restaurant, and the Girl to not make it to the potty on time.

We had to go to Tarjay anyway. Sparky debated the standard light saber gift, but threw it over for the $1 a pack paint set. I was most pleased as my usual gift limit is $10 and gift and clearance bagging altogether came in at $5! Add on some replacement clothes and clown sized girl underwear (I thought they would fit!), and the latest Gurinder Chadha flick available on DVD.

After the Girl yelled at me for numerous crimes against girlhood - primarily not buying the more expensive CUTE outfit - we drove slowly over to the "Spagetti Feed." Sparky fell asleep, I asked the Girl to do the same. She yelled at me again, then tired out and fell asleep. I pulled over to the local elementary school, locked the doors, took the keys outta the ignition, leaned back and crashed too.

An hour later, I woke up and drove the 37 feet to the party. I knew one person there, besides the GNC. And she is quite uncommunicative herself. I sat in a chair with the Girl and watched "Madagascar." Then Migraine Woman showed up and we talked.

Spagetti was good. Kabloey had a second helping, but he picked the spicy version and left a lot of it on his plate. I was able to bribe the kids with ice cream to leave before bedtime.

No present opening, no cake. Not a word. Strange party.

But we whizzed away. Sparky had to pee, so we made it - barely - to the side of our house. We head over to QFC for an ice cream run. We loaded up, barked a bit, then read.

They're asleep. I finished another panel for the Girl's blanket, started another, started wash and may even end up in front of the brain-sucker. We'll see.

So, now I thought of something else

Misterpher had to get two fillings yesterday. Dr. Dang is a nice enough guy. But he does set you up with four hands and at elast three instruments in your mouth and then expects to carry on some sort of conversation with you. Yeesh.

He also lends you sunglasses for the bright overhead light and plays soothing music into headphone to drown out the drilling in your head. Nice try Doc.

Well, Misterpher said he would go in by himself. So the Girl and I sat in the waiting room, waiting. Well, she drew dots while I knitted on Bina's hat. Then a lovely Russian couple, lady maneuvering the gentleman's wheelchair got to the door. I leaped up to hold the door open, only to burst out, "OW! My foot! You rolled on my foot!"

The poor couple jumped and the receptionist laughed. I apologized for jerking their chain after just laying eyes on them. They, thankfully, say how my warped humor had gottenthrough my social filters.

The girl then drew them "dots" and passed numerous sheets of paper to anyone breathing in teh room.

Misterpher, on the other hand, was experienceing his first shot of Novacaine. He didn't like it. I thought the TV in the room would distract him from the discomfort. But then, they did have four hands and three instruments hanging out of his mouth.

Theystarted drilling and he screamed. Another shot. He was really upset. I stayed out as long as I could. I didn't want him to think that something was really wrong if I was in there. So, I waited as long as I could.

Finally, The Girl and I packed our dots and knitting and went into his room.

The music was playing, the TV was running, but the drilling in his head was disturbing him a lot. I tried the ball of the ball of the foot pressure point my student MT uses. Of course, that meant I had to be about 12 inches from Misterpher's stinky peds, but if it meant he wouldn't thrash and wail, I would risk the nasal assault.

I think it helped. His face was droopy and swollen, but he made it to T-ball practice just fine. And I don't see any residual resentment about the whole sitch.

But just to make sure, I'll be dosing him with Aconite before our next visit.

Today

Today, with Whiskey Jack out of town, I was at loose ends. Not enough of a grocery list to warrant a trip to Consumerist Hell (costco) and our pantry is stuffed to the gills so that a trip to the Prospector wasn't needed.

So I hung out in the parking lot with different people.

Came across Laid Back Mom in the cafetorium with her breakfast-eating son. After dropping off some checks to classrooms for the treasurer, we hooked up with LBM and chatted in the parking lot.

The Girl took of her coat, socks and boots and played in the car. She has figured out how to lay the seat back and was having a grand time. She got me to lay my seat back and the energy ran right out my back side.

Then Damian came by to chat up up. His kid is hosting a longer than average party Saturday. Seems D has a 6-hour spaghetti sauce recipe. He has also said he would help with the co-op's website. I never heard from him.

But thanks to LBM's subtle sledge hammer hints, he told me he never figured out what I was needing help on. So Saturday, while the 6-hour sauce of going, we'll hang with the computer to figure out what we want to do.

LBM spied another LBM with Child Friend to the Girl. She chatted with her a bit. My Girl saw that her Girl was around, so she bucked up, got dressed and came out of my car. Soon they were in my car sliding down the back of the seat. Then OBMWCF and I chatted in the rain for 45 or so minutes.

Once I saw I had an hour and a half before Misterpher got out of class, I decided just to hang out at the school library, wrap some books and keep the Girl from cutting everything in site with the sticky scissors.

I got about 10 books done. We got back to the car, played/knitted some more and brought a kid to his babysitter and we stopped at Mikie's for lunch.

Girl and Misterpher are watching Bob the Builder and I'm catching up.

It's Been Three Days?

Really? Man, I have a rep for being regular with my blogs. Oh well, I'll have to deal with it.

SGF and another woman are talking me about putting the Girl into pre-school next year. I am still mulling the question over. I know it's pre-fucking-school, but I didn't go to pre-school and look how I turned out. Oh. Never mind.

Anyway. I did realize what the bigger issue was, not just the schedule (the other mom said she would not let my Tusday schedule get in the way), but the money might be an issue. But bigger still is what the hell will I do when I have no children in the house?

RainWoman said, "nap."

SGF said, "You'll be so fucking relieved. You'll be able to do something in 30 minutes, that with the kdis around takes three hours."

Laid Back Mom said, "Something will come up. You won't notice."

Himself said, "You'll find something to do."

We'll see.

The Eyes Have it

After listening to me bitch about my wonky glasses, Himself slated $$ from our tax refund to go to our optometrist. So as we met up with Whiskey Jack this morning, The Girl insisted on going with WJ and not to my appointment. WJ was amenable provided I bring Bina home. Fine and dandy.

I was able to rush home, set out some CD cases for a freecycler and get to the doc's office with time enough to knit a few more rows of Misterpher's scarf. A woman came over and told me her story of her loom knitting. (She was making a small tube that took her three years to complete. She only used free yarn and it stretched several hundred feet because she was making a hat that spiraled on itself. But, of course, that was years ago.)

I go into the exam room. Chat with the doc. He does the exam. Then he dilated my eyes. OH MY FREAKING DOODLE! I don't think I will ever agree to that again, unless I have an entourage to help my wide-eyed butt home! (Serves me right. I sat there regaling this guy with stories of 16th century Ladies of the Italian court using belladonna to dilate their eyes because it was thought to be beautiful.)

It was like the movies in the 40's. They would smear vaseline on the camera lens to soften the aging actresses' images. I kept blinking thinking the glob of crap would pass away. But noooooooo! I was close to becoming a menace on the road.

And the SUN! ARGGG! I just had to have an eye doctor appointment on the one sunny day in the fucking Pacific Northwest! Sure, I could have told Misterpher no effing way would I show him my dilated eyes, but I had to. What an idiot.

And of course, like every optometrist, he had the dorkey "Oh look at me, I got my eyes dilated" sun shields inserts. Not even the ones that fit over your glasses. Nope, I got the ones that slide under my glasses so it's eyes, large hunk of brown dork plastic, my itty-bitty prescription lenses. Yeesh.

As I was dropping off one of the kids to her dad, he was making a visible effort not to stare at my "condition" and not to laugh or scream. I lifted them off with the unrequested excuse, "IwenttotheeyedoctortodayandheflippingdilatedmyeyesOK?"

His response: "Oh good, I thought you were being as weird as I thought you are."

My pithy retort: "I am that weird, but not to the point of looking stoopid."

I made it over to WJ's for QFC lunch and Misterpher to chuck a brick at Bina. (And this after she lists off her top 10 mean people, which, BTW, included Misterpher.) We agreed that I needed to take my squids with me to my 1:45 meeting, not because of bricks mind you, but because the Elfinator needed a nap and only some naked time was keeping him from blowing a gasket.

So I head over the school and meet. The overhead flourescents made pretty wavy images that made me feel nauseated. So I subjected myself to more cruel snickers and stuck the damn thing in my glasses.

After some doodling around, we deliver squished cupcakes to Kabloey's classroom to celebrate his 10th birthday. It was Misterpher's idea to have the kids sing the song to him in high-pitched dissonant voices. They sounded much like the mermaids' song in the latest HP flick. I asked if they would make sense if we dunked them all in water. Mr H saw the humor in that. Thankfully.

So we made it home. I called SGF to ask her to take Misterpher to Tball with Sam-I-Am. She agreed. The Girl napped, Kabloey played on the computer conquering the world, I read some of my latest "conventional wisdom is Fucking wrong!" book and napped too. With the blinds closed.

Himself came home tonight. Look Ma, no rehearsal! and has taken over parenting and homemaking for the evening.

I gotta get me an entourage.

So now the real thing

While the squids are upstairs tormenting each other, I am stealing a few minutes to check e-mails and blog. Snippets from my life:

Himself's show opened last night. Well done one and all. I laughed so much to warrant a scornful glare from the man two rows in front of me. Second act, he moved. Fine.

It is a relief to see a good show at the community theatre level. Or at any level. One would think that as adults, people would be able to take on a certain level of professionalism. I am amazed when that is not so. In spite of the trauma, Rough Crossing went quite smoothly.

The Girl gleaned a bikini and a pink chiffon skirt recently. She wears them every day. Yesterday, she showed me how she had to lean over and get her 3 year old chest into the bra part. "Just like Mama." I retold the story to DrooFi last night. They seemed aghast. Good.

I am still knitting Misterpher's scarf. Not a perfect waffle stitch, but it'll do. Misterpher saw that I added another skein to it. He wants me to use up the whole skein. It'll be a long one then.

Yesterday's student massage went surprisingly well. As much as this guy talks, he is getting good. (And of course, that "free" price can't be beat.) But yesterday as I was face-down, our conversation dwindled to nothing. I was pleased and he was able to leave me groggy enough to tell me to "lay there until you can intergrate it all together again" or something like that.

The truck's front passenger is fixed! Yahoo! No more grunting and gauging correct trajectory to close the damn thing. I still double check to see it's closed though. Habit. Hmmm, now that the door is fixed, I don't have to tell anyone how to deal with it. Does that remove it from the Heap Category?

Next car project - The Hand Mixer's winshield.

Been the useful housewife this week since Himself was in tech week all week. Used disposable plates, cups (as big as Misterpher's face - thank you gleaning!), cutlery. Actually baked bread and cookies and washed the equipment! Ooooh, AAaaaahhhhh! THEN! I gave the bread to a bake sale!

What has happened? I haven't bitched at Himself, demanding face time all week. Could it be - gasp, arg! - that I am behaving in a mature manner?!

Well, I did make him late for his call Opening Night.

All this for a series of uninterruped belly dance classes starting June. Oh yeah.

Salvaging a Comment to Whiskey Jack

Even though I joined LiveJournal, my comment to her recent post won't go through, even with the correct password. So here it is:

I don't know if we'll ever achieve the life size doll level. But then, the one kid in my house who can't handle full-sized costumed characters is Kabloey. He suffered emotional trauma one Spring when he was almost 2(?) and we went to the Edmonds Easter Egg Hunt. Kabloey saw the Bunny and MacGruff the Crime Dog. He squirreled up Himself in no time. Even Thursday night, he wouldn't go into the room with the Cat in the Hat and Things 1 and 2 for a picture.

The Girl wanted Barbies for her 3rd birthday. I tried to circumvent that by searching the inter for a Rosie O'Donnell doll. Regular shaped AND alternative lifestyle. Girl looked at it, then set her up in a tea party with a dinosaur and cat. Then she danced off in her light up Cinderella shoes.

*sigh*

Rain Outs and the Domestic Goddess

Man, I come up with great titles, but then I feel the entry lacks the potential. Oh well, you make the call.

It's raining here in Rainland. What's new?

I woke up today hell-bent to be flexible. So -

I talked WJ into forgoing the gym today. It was too easy. But then it's always easy for her to drive me back to my car.

Tried to unload the Heap on the body shop. While Himself and I knew I was to bring it in today, the guy said Friday. Whatever. Frankly, if the hinges were unpainted, I wouldn't care. But he seems to. Probably cares about the added charges it would elicit too. Oh well.

We went to Freddy's. Bought some fructose so I can indulge in my Domestic Goddess urgings to bake. The sweetener has gone way up in price. I guess I must return to the Store of Absolute Decadence to check out their prices.

The Girl blew a gasket over not getting the carseat of choice. We had an awkwardly silent ride home - well as silent as can be with a screaming three year old demanding preferential seating. Ironic thing is, WJ would have pulled the Elfinator from the seat, but she knew from her experience he would blow a gasket. She didn't expect the Girl to blow hers.

Oh well, I got to show off my gentle parenting skills. I am a much better parent in public.

When we got home, I gave the Girl some Pulsatilla. She threw herself on the bed and then was fine.

We baked cookies. Now I am fighting the squids off of them. Nutrition - bleh.

Misterpher's Mrs. Coach called to cancel t-ball practice. Fine and dandy. Gotta make it over to the printer to pick up brochures. Think up Dinner and bake some bread for a bake sale for Kabloey's class.

Oh, and spend some more of our tax refund in the form of soon-to-be-known-as-albatross prepaid AmEx money cards.

Nothing much

While I haven't been running around at Mach 2 with my hair on fire, I have been providing backup for Himself who is in the midst of tech week for Rough Crossing.

My oh my, it has been, too. The director has bowed out - FOUR DAYS BEFORE THEY OPEN!!! All I have is Himself's version. But well, he's a professional and looking like an ass on stage is not an option. Anyway, that bit of drama is hopefully concluded. May the cast nail all their lines and wring every laugh they can.

Cranked out three knitting projects for Kabloey's class fundraising for next year field trips. I am rather impressed with the blue-teal-purple combo. I added pony beads to the hat in a spiral and randomly on the scarf. Then since the scarf was not as long as I would want it, I sews up the ends to make a Mobius scarf. Pretty happy with them, I must say.

Misterpher started T-ball yesterday. Sam-I-Am is on his team. They had a great time. Kabloey and EEAN (said like Michael Constantine from My Big Fat Greek Wedding) played ball. They knock it into the blackberry thorns and tried to get it. Truckin' Dyke said she wasn't going to help them.

In my best Super Mom way, I climbed up a steep windy incline, braved the thorns, slipped outta my birkies a few times, managed to wrestled a fallen limb to nudge the ball down the hill. I was able to growl, "You guys owe me big for this. A thank you definitely, if not a hug. EEAN was amenable to the TY but not the hug. Kabloey was fine with both.

They came grousing over a little later about the guys who were playing basketball on the basketball court. "Uh, play baseball in the grass, away from the blackberries?"

Misterpher and Sam-I-Am played well. For some reason though, the hyper competitive head of little league was coaching. This is the guy who doesn't believe kids need to go to bed on time if a game is played on a game night. He flung out nasty remarks to Himself last year when I pulled Kabloey from a game because I didn't see where keeping an 8yo out two hours past his bedtime was a good thing. Oh well, I guess whatever lesson he has for me, I haven't learned it yet.

Anyway, I still made a stink about the practice being over at 6 and by golly we had to go. I had a Gleaning Cult meeting in Snohomish at 7. So I told the Coach of Record that we had to go. Luckily, at least this time, someone else had a life to live after 6. Team shirts were passed out and we flew outta there.

Good thing we flew because it gave me plenty of time to miss my turn and wind up in Marysville, not once but twice! The third time I missed my turn, I told the kids to hold on, "Mama's gonna break the law." (Sounds like I needed a double barrel, huh?)

Nothing so extreme as that, but I did go four-wheeling over the median. Kabloey pretty much froze with terror. "Don't ever do that again, Mama." The Girl was asleep and Misterpher kept quiet.

We made it to the meeting. Thankfully, there was NOT a 30 minutes sermonette about women being subservient to men. But we did get a 45 minute speech about, jaysus, I don't know what. It was dead silent in the hall.

Except for Misterpher's occasional outburst of chicken British. He was hooked up to the portable dvd player and "Valiant." Then, when you asked him to quiet down, he hollered back at you. Very headphonic, I must say. Kabloey had his gameboy. The Girl asked to wear her new gleaned bikini and pink ballet skirt ensemble. I thought it would be a bit much for the fundy gleaners.

Laid Back Mom was there. I got her to change seats to be in our row. The Girl was adamant that LBM sit next to her. But not before I got to snuggle a bit in her neck.

Anyway, the meeting went 2 hours. Misterpher and The Girl helped with the raffle. M took the mike for a moment, poised to say something. Admittedly, I held my breath and prayed. I truly have no idea what that kid will say from one moment to the next. "My brother is....... crazy." Yes, I could breathe again.

Gleaned this morning with Firefighter's Wife. She had been one of the trio when I first joined. FW left to have more time with the family. Then Psycho Gleaner left a couple of weeks ago. I am looking for a new partner. Well, with most of the subs I've had, we have been able to load up in 30 minutes. Unload in 60. Half the time. And no theological baiting.

Brought Bina and Misterpher to Costco to pick up a few things including the new HP movie. Was able to bribe them with a hot dog lunch. They did beautfully! Except the part when Misterpher decided to take a short cut in the parking lot and I couldn't find him.

Spent a lazy afternoon with Whiskey Jack. She blanched some edamame for the kids. We ate it. It's green! It's good! It's good for you too! And fresh pineapple. Ahhhh.

So Kabloey is working on his POTW. It's a math problem Mr H uses to get the kids ready for the WASL. I have turned into my dad. I am making him figure it out for himself.

How pissy can you get?

SAHM Super Powers

Yesterday WJ wanted to go to the Kite Store. KS didn't open until 10:30, so we trotted over to a park to run the squids about.

As we got out of the van, I saw three Goths-in-Black on the merry-go-round. WJ used her super hero arm and leg length to stretch through the van to unleash the Girl and the Elfinator. I commented that the A&L length was in fact her super power (I'll find that blog later). Mine would be the Ego of Steel.

We scared off the Goths with our mere presence. Our joyous abandon spotting the squids on the wet playground equipment seemed to annoy the homeless guy on the bench, as he soon left.

A kindly gentleman with a wiener dog graciously allowed the kids to "pet" the dog. Of course toddler dog petting involves more than a normal amount of chasing, giggling and squeaking.

WJ seems bent on determining her "kryptonite." It has gone from what I call a "quirk" (taking on dares involving heights and not being able to get down) to Lack of Sleep and Caffeine. Interesting.

Now that I think about it, my kryptonite may be - remember the Ego of Steel - would be a small child telling me I am full of shit. Not using those exact words, of course, but the phrase, "but I was just - " sends me into orbit. Other phrases, especially, "S/he started it" really make my knees buckle.

But, of course, the Ego of Steel doesn't want to investigate too far. Because that would make me introspective and finding fault with myself is way out of line.

Another Step on the Dark Path

Wulp, WJ asked me what my plans are. And never mind she wanted to fo to Central Market to day. In light of my lack of financial largesse but lack of tools with which to blow it effectively, I said sure, but I have a budget.

We drove to the Market. I marvelled at the architectural growth in that area. I shelled out for an iced tea and two cocoas for the Girl and the Elfinator. Four bucks down.

We get to the Market and my, oh my! I have been there before but having someone who actually enjoys going there and is willing to go is a new treat!

I did well, I came in one dollar under my ready cash limit. (Thank WJ for picking up teh flour - that would have sent me past my limit.)

I stopped by the school to make 500 copies of an information night flyer to go to the school. For some reason, the copier decided I didn't need to perform the magic of different colored paper. So half the flyers are in a lovely pastel blue and the other half are white.

Stopped off at the printer to request a bazillion copies of another fabulous flyer. Got my student massage and a dose of belly dance dish. Played at the playground during baseball practice. Blew up at Misterpher, took away videos, Himself talked me into re-instated Movie night, and bloggin away.

Not bad for $15.