Black Friday

Hi everyone. Hope you all had a FABULOUS Thanksgiving. I did.

I missed my mom and grandma terribly. I felt bad when Mom called me yesterday---but all in all, it's best for Grandma, and we WILL make a trip in the next two weeks.

Aside from THAT, I had a lovely Thanksgiving. Mr. Perfectly planned and executed the menu nearly from beginning to end. My only duties for the day was to make pecan pies (one regular and one chocolate pecan), and to make the broth for Chicken Noodle soup. This is the alternative to Turkey that Mr. P. wanted for dinner. With HOMEMADE egg noodles. Yum. It's one of our favorite meals. We top mashed potatoes with the homemade chicken noodle soup. Yes, I know...it's carb overkill, but man...let me tell you....unless you've had it, DON'T KNOCK IT. Obviously, this isn't a menu we eat regularly-----but OMG...when we do eat it.......it's knock your socks off good.

We had a raw veggie tray to help offset the lack of fiber in the meal itself....with raw tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, celery and green onion. Mr. P. also tried to make "Jessie Rolls" that I so failed at on Sunday. His weren't perfect, either. We apparently have a learning curve to perfect them. I will honestly say that the first two times I made them, they were pretty good. The 3rd time sucked and when Mr. P made them.....meh---just okay. Although, I didn't bake them, so I appreciate his dinner more than you and he will ever know.

We got up this morning at 3am to go shopping on 'Black Friday'. We went right back to sleep. We got up around 6 am to do the same and hit the mall. I wanted the free snow globe from JC Penneys......they were out. I should have been there at 4am when they opened. I am very disappointed. I've gotten the free JC Penneys's snow globe for at least the last 5 years if not more. **sigh** Laziness gets you NOWHERE.

We went to Lowes and got quite the deal. They'd advertised 14 gal 'Shop Vacs' with a 4.5 horse power motor for $29. They were sold out by the time we arrived. Another customer had 2 in his cart, when I asked him where he'd gotten them. He told me, but also told me they were completely out of the advertised product. But some dude that worked at Lowe's told him that they'd sell the 5.5 HORSEPOWER similar one for the same price. I went looking. There was only one left, and my cart was overflowing full. I found Mr. P, and sent him to the Shop Vac section and tracked down (stalked) the customer I'd talked to before to see WHO had agreed to such a deal.......and he pointed out some guy....whom I asked about substituting the shop vacs. He told me 'NO'. That they weren't substituting anything. I TOLD him that the OTHER GUY was getting a deal--and he said that there had been a miscommunication and that the big manager dude said 'no substitutions'. I stalked (tracked down) that other guy AGAIN in his checkout line and told him they weren't giving me the same deal as he got....and he whispered that the girl was ringing his up as $29 right then, and I should try coming through her line. Mr. P was at this point dragging the full cart AND the Shop Vac up to my location, and we got into line with the same lady that rang up the mysterious guy I'd been talking to all morning. I just said to her that we wanted the same deal he got, and she said "Yeah, I know", and rang it through as $29!!!! A $90 shop vac with 14 gal capacity and a 5.5 horsepower motor was OURS!!!

We also got a new over the stove microwave, some storage containers, a flashlight and 2 poinsettias. Whew. All for $148.00. Mr. P is now trying to install a brand spanking new Microwave.

Ph.d. and her husband came over with their dogs for a few minutes this morning. Wow. 5 dogs in this tiny house is quite the feat. Dex spent most of his time humping Lester, their almost 6 month old basset hound--If you read my blog YOU'VE SEEN HIS BABY PICTURES!! Not only did 7 lb Dex hump the 35 lb Lester, Dex also proceeded to lick Lester's....well....'private parts'. Lester is neutered, so there's not much left, but what was there was licked by baby puppy dachshund. It was sort of embarrassing.

Heather then called and wanted to go to lunch. Her favorite place is my Mexican place that has the Margarita's that I so love.......so I joined her and Maddie (who is 5) and Heather's sister, Mia...who is ALSO 5. I partook in a Jumbo Margarita, ate lunch, and then we all went to Kohl's. Their early bird specials were supposed to be gone at 1 pm, and we got there at 2 pm. But, I've been to Kohl's before when they've announced an extension of their early bird deals due to great demand. Sure enough, as we walked in the doors, they were announcing that the specials would end at 3pm instead of 1pm. I bought a purse (which I have an addiction to---it's orange, and slouchy, and big.....it's wonderful), and 3 towels and a down comforter for Son #1. He sleeps all curled up in various throw sized blankets and I thought he finally deserved a full sized comforter of his own.

So, here I sit......debating the idea of going to buy a WHITE Christmas tree this year. Talk me out of it, Internet.......it's wrong....so wrong to have as many Christmas trees in our house as we do. We have 3 artificial ones. THREE PEOPLE.......one we use, one is too big for our tiny little house (and HELLO.......pre lit trees? Once you go pre-lit, you NEVVVVAAAAA go back) and a fiber optic one we took from my Grandma Winnie's house after she died. I'm too sad to put that one up. Besides, it's only a 3 footer. I keep thinking white tree, with silver, brown and light turquoise ornaments..........can you IMAGINE? The lovliness? THE EXPENSE? THE STUPIDNESS when we have a perfectly good (albeit scrawny) tree that we got for $25 a few years ago. Pre-lit with 400 measly lights.

I'd take another scrawny 400 light tree....IN WHITE.....and decorate it all cutsey......Wal Mart has them.......I NEED AN INTERVENTION!!

Well, that's all I've got for now. I've got pictures, but none are loaded onto my profile yet, and since I'm computer illiterate, it'll have to wait til Mr. P. gets the new microwave installed and for him to have time to deal with photos. For my Blog. Nothing important, you know.

hahah...just joking honey.....take your time.......I understand!!!!

Happy Day after Thanksgiving people!!!!

I suck

No, seriously……We planned on going to Des Moines for Thanksgiving---with Mom, and my Step-dad, and my grandma/grandpa and Uncle and cousins.

My grandma, who is 85, had her knee replaced at the end of October. She’s had quite a difficult recovery---two weeks ago she wasn’t keeping any food or drink down---and the doctors don’t know why. The admitted her to the hospital and ran tests and came up with the fact that she may be reacting to all the medication she’s on. Oh….and to back this story up….the week after she had the knee replaced, she ended up having to have the incision re-opened and debrieded---she had a staph infection.

So, here she is, 85, having 2 surgeries back to back, and reacting to her medication PLUS plugging away at her re-hab---she’s quite weak. She finally started eating on Sunday (this past Sunday) she said.

With Son #1’s girlfriend having a stomach bug, we’ve been fearful if HE comes down with it that we’d take it to Des Moines with us. We’ve been on guard, waiting to see if he gets what SHE has. I went ahead and made hotel (Motel?) reservations. We picked a place that will allow pets so we could take Dex –and show him off, and not board him. He’s such a sweet baby puppy----and he needs socialization. He’s doing GREAT on his housetraining, so we thought this trip would be FABULOUS for him.

Anyway---yesterday my nose was drippy all day—this isn’t unusual. I have pretty terrible hay fever type allergies, so my nose almost ALWAYS runs. I got home and had more than normal head congestion. I called my Mom to visit with her, and she immediately noticed my lovely nasal sounding voice. I was still hoping it would be allergies, but overnight it appears it isn’t. I have a standard head cold. It isn’t bad---but the fear of giving grandma ANY type of illness is so great. If she’d get a cold or a stomach bug or something, it could be DEVASTATING for her in her present state of health. I went to the doctor for routine bloodwork (cholesterol, etc), and asked for a flu shot. They took one look at my runny nose and congested voice and said ‘nope’ not til you are over your cold. I said…’what if it’s allergies??” And she wouldn’t give in.

So, we aren’t going to Des Moines. I feel almost like a failure----We didn’t go last year due to a bizarre weather pattern that lasted all of 10 hours or something, but prevented us from travelling. I’m worried they’ll think I’m fabricating excuses!! But, mostly I miss my grandma and mom. I was looking forward to their cooking and being with them.

I’m at work, and at times I think ‘hey….maybe I’m better….maybe it IS allergies’, then another round of sneezing starts, and the waterworks go in full force. I have a headache and am tired, so I assume it’s a cold. Although, I’ll never be certain….but rather than chance giving something to Grandma, I’ll just wait.

So, now I’m at work, and have to shop for stuff for some semblance of a dinner tomorrow.

Toodles for now. Take a moment and feel sorry for me. THEN be thankful for whatever you are thankful for.

It's Thanksgiving!

We had Thanksgiving at Perfectly's Dad's Sunday. It was very nice. Stressful at moments, but overall, very nice. Dad tends to get.....well.....TENSE when there are lots of people around to impress. I took 3 bottles of wine to help alleviate the tension (except Perfectly's dad really doesn't drink), and lo and behold the In-Laws brought another 3 bottles! Oh.....who all was there? It was quite a party!!

Me, Mr. P, Son #1 and his new girlfriend, son #2 and Girlfriend, Heather, Maddie, my brother, my in-laws, Teenie and HER son#2. Did I forget anyone? Nope....it was all the 'family'.

As mentioned before, we have quite a small family---and to me it's so nice to be able to include in-laws, and BFF's in the mix.........

My goal was to arrive at 9:30 am to start the "Jessie Rolls". My great aunt Jessie made the very best yeast rolls we've ever eaten. I, of course, never KNEW that maybe I'd NEED her secret info someday. You KNOW....she was going to make Jessie Rolls FOREVER. But, my impatient self never paid Aunt Jessie much attention when she MADE the rolls.......so now trying to re-create them is nearly impossible. They weren't so good. A little heavy and overcooked.

But anyway, I didn't get there til 10 am....and Heather, who was my trusty helper didn't get there til maybe 10:15 am. We whipped up the beginnings of the yeast dough.....and Perfectly's dad had his 'list' to make sure the timing of everything was just right. IT'S A THANKSGIVING MEAL PEOPLE! Of COURSE it isn't going to come out all on time....just right. It's a Holiday RULE........unless you are Martha Stewart or something.

So, what were the highlights? Hmmmm.......there are so MANY.

Rolls were not that fabulous.

Mother-in-law drank probably 3 glasses of wine BEFORE dinner....and had nothing else to eat in the day.

Stuffing was far to peppery (Perfectly's dad's fault)

Ham was okay, but not fabulous. We bought a different brand. Lesson Learned.

It was pointed out to the entire table that I was the ONLY one who voted for OBAMA. (how do they know? huh? for real...)

Father in law was griping about 'where are all the CHANGES he promised'? WTF? HE ISN'T EVEN IN OFFICE YET.....DUHHHHH......AND HE'S BEEN ELECTED FOR ALL OF WHAT.....3 WEEKS?

Son #1's girlfriend ended up having a stomach virus and throwing up in Mr. P's car on the way home (poor kid...I feel bad for her...and son #1.....)

Father-in-law pulled his gun out at the dinner table....to show it off. We had quite the discussion of the guns they own and how both he and she have conceal and carry permits. Hey Teenie and her son #2...WELCOME TO THE FAM! See the guns?

Mother in law was flushed and drowsy at dinner. Go figure. Let's hope SHE wasn't packing.

GOOD TIMES!!!! I bet you ALL want to come to the next event! I'll get with you with times and dates. See you THEN!!

Wasting away FOR Margaritaville

It's Friday night....my FAVORITE night......and what am I doing? Sitting at the computer, blogging, having my dogs stare at me.

I am really WISHING that you all LIVED here so we could go out for Margaritas. The JUMBO one for $6.95 (that's 26 oz of Margarita fun). Teenie is a. busy b. ignoring me or c. doesnt' have her phone plugged in/on/with her. I'm guessing busy, but fearful she's ignoring my stalkerish 3 calls in an hour. I stalk then fret. Stalk then worry. Sorry MelissaLion and Crissy--I don't fit the sociopathic stereotype of stalkers that don't care about their stalkeree's feelings. I do care, I just can't always help myself.

Hey....that reminds me. For those of you whom I'm already stalking (MelissaLion and Crissy) and for those that may want me to stalk you (anyone? Anyone? Bueller?), I NEED YOUR CONTACT INFO!! That's all existing phone numbers (home, work, cell, spouse/sig. other, etc), addresses and all e-mail addresses. HOW CAN I CALL YOU 3X IN ONE HOUR TO SEE IF YOU WANT VIRTUAL MARGARITAS unless I know how to contact you all!!????

Oh, and DAISEE---YOU CAME BACK!!! I got your comments yesterday, but due to stressful work and home circumstances, I didn't really respond. I took an anti-anxiety pill and went to bed at 8:30 pm.

I was WORRIED that maybe I wasn't WORTHY of being stalked by one so cute and fun!!! But you came back...I was SO happy.

And Stoogie. I am worried. I'm worried that you tire of me, since all the OTHER blogger girls talk about sex toys and their va-jay-jays....and all I ever reference is my boobs. COME BACK TO ME, STOOGIE!! come back.

Mr. Perfectly is out and about to Blue Springs today. Our high school football team is IN THE SEMI-FINALS!!! Can you say WOOOOTTTTT?? Son #2 is a freshman, but he's dressing out and will be on the sidelines with the rest of the team. He won't play, but if we win....we'll go on to the championships in St. Louis the week of Turkey Day. He'll get to go and dress out for that too. If we make it. Keep your fingers crossed and talk to the Football gods......

Okay, back to me. Today is Heather's birthday, and SHE'S going to have a big ole margarita with me. Or maybe I should say I'm going with her for a celebratory birthday dinner (and a JUMBO Margarita!!!).

I hate not having a huge pool of stalkeree's to choose from when my BFF's aren't available. It sucks. I wish I was like Jakki and had people waiting in LINE to be in her presence. I worry that people dont' like me and I dont' know...I just get weird.

I AM however, planning on taking the camera to record some of my beautiful niece's 23rd birthday AND MY JUMBO MARGARITA. And if Perfectly's dad comes, maybe him too. (he's Heather's grandpa!!)

Oh, and I'm just kidding about the wasting away stuff. I've got alot of poundage to go before one could say I'm even CLOSE to wasting away. It just made a fun blog title. It's all about you, internet......I try to please.

It's official....I'm old

Why am I old? here are a few reasons:

1. I'm going to bed earlier and earlier
2. I hear my mother's voice when I speak
3. I wear nightgowns. Not cute sassy PJ's but a NIGHTGOWN. From JCPenney, no less. To top it off, I've been known, of late, to come home and immediately put the nightgown on......and stay in it all evening.
4. Cleaning out 2 cabinets made me happy
5. I'm looking FORWARD to cooking and stuff for Thanksgiving!
6. I bemoan the youth of today.


Maybe it's the time change, and it's dark early. I dont' know, but I'm not liking it.

Send some Geritol and incontinence pads my way for Christmas. Looks like I'll be needing them.

I must have a problem

Today son #2 had to have an MRI on his knee. Currently he's in one of those long braces....from thigh to calf? They think there may be a bone chip or something behind his knee cap.

So, after running around with him, I stayed home. I managed to get quite a bit accomplished. I have a small house. I don't mind my home....it's comfortable for us. 3 bedrooms. 1 and a half baths......but the kitchen is the tiniest I've ever seen in a house. I mean I know there are hardly kitchens in alot of large city apartments and condos but this is a HOUSE. A whole HOUSE. And my kitchen is smaller than many BATHROOMS.

Anyway, we have a baker's rack along an empty wall---it is filled with STUFF. A coffee maker, extra, pretty plates, and the lower shelves have all my pots and pans. The very top shelf holds my canisters and the base for my phone. I have coffee cups hung on hooks all around it. The coffee mugs are dusty and rarely get washed, let alone used. My father in law bought me a set of stainless steel cookware. Some with NO nonstick on it. We are overflowing on the baker's rack. Mr. Perfectly cusses at LEAST once a day, if not more, over the overflow of crap that I sit on the floor hoping SOMEONE will DO something with it.

So, this morning, before the MRI, while in my jammies, I got busy. I cleaned out a cabinet (that we added in said tiny kitchen) I cleaned out cereal that wasn't getting eaten, crackers that have been LONG forgotten and replaced many times over.....with the replacements being long forgotten....I took some misc. stuff downstairs to store (with all the other crap we don't know what to do with), and I put all my liquor on a shelf in the cabinet, and moved some small appliances and big pots into the cabinet, freeing up alot of space on the bottom shelf of the bakers rack.......

We put all of our soda (or pop) and juice and other drinks ON THE FLOOR in FRONT of the bakers rack....which makes me trip, and I cuss at least once a day over the 12 packs of soda laying around. It's terrible. REALLY terrible.

Anyway, I moved some stuff around, made the bottom shelf of the rack for the soda and drinks, and hopefully will appease my wonderful husband. In the meantime, I found 4 brand new sets of gladware (or the other brands.......same stuff tho). Plastic containers with plastic lids. We lose lids. ALL THE TIME. So, trying to be helpful, I buy MORE containers AND lids but we never seem to throw the lid-less containers away....this upsets Mr. Perfectly alot too.

When I went to store our bazillion piece cookie cutter set (WTF? I don't make cookies) and a couple of other various items.....I found....YOU GUESSED IT...another two sets of plastic.

WHOOPSIE!! I apparently have a problem. No wonder Mr. Perfectly gets all bent out of shape.

So, I guess my next task is to match up lids with containers and pitch the lid-less ones.

Oh, and son #2 failed to take the trash out on Thursday, so our barrel is totally full and I have an extra 3 full bags of kitchen trash. Now I guess I'll add some plastic trash.

I don't think of us as pack rats. We get rid of LOTS of stuff on a regular basis. We, in fact, are the trashiest people I know!!! We don't always have full barrels, but we put our trash out twice a week, and MANY times the big rolling trash cart is overflowing. How can this be? It's nuts. No........(hangs head) we don't recycle. Mr. Perfectly told me if I wanted to recycle, it would be all my job. He said I'd have to wash out all cans, bottles and whatever else was recycled to prevent bugs.......and he wasn't doing ANY of it........so, it's not getting done. I'm not patient or dedicated enough to recycle. I know, I'm a bad, bad person.

I tried to learn how to get the pictures from the photo memory card to the computer. I apparently am the dumbest person on earth, because I couldn't do it by myself or with help from Mr. Perfectly. I am such an idiot at times.

I took pictures of my messy kitchen/baker's rack, and I have some of Buster at the vet this past Saturday---all muzzled like Hannibal Lecter again......poor baby. He got x-rays........nothing appears to be wrong, and he is hobbling around on 3 legs for no apparent reason.

Alas, the photos will have to wait.

Oh....here's a final thought. Ruby.

I have often posted on how I wish I had lots of friends, and how I'm afraid of being judged on my weight, blah blah blah. Right?

I found a 'reality show' on they Style Network called Ruby. She's a very overweight woman on a mission to lose weight. For all the right reasons. HERSELF, mainly. She's absolutely lovely. I fell in love with her on her first show. She's outgoing, kind and seems to be such a fabulous person!!! She has a huge support system, and lots of friends, and the girl seems to have most of her shit together.

If you have a sec, look it up on the internet, or watch her show. You'll fall for her too!! I imagine my internets as people like Ruby's friends. Y'all love me for me......(I hope).....and Stoogie loves me for my boobs. haha...just joking Stoogie.

I'm off for now.......gotta cook din for the fam.

Resume

Hi.

I'm applying for the job of Crissy's Stalker---as she requested. I posted some job qualifications on her blog, but it's RUDE to take up THAT much space in someone's comments, so I thought I'd put my resume/qualifications on MY blog so she can make an informed decision.

Oh, I am quite flexible, so if by happenstance, you need a stalker in YOUR life, then give me a jingle......I'm sure I can fit more than one stalkeree in my life.

I am uniquely qualified to be your stalker, as I do this on a regular basis and have done so all my life. I am not a creepy stalker, or a stalker wanting to see you NEKKID, but one who only wants to have as MANY BFF's in her life as possible.

I am also qualified to be a Princess Stalker, as some of my attributes will show...I can be as Entitled and Princess-ish as the next stalker.

Like when I was a kid and ran after people to walk to school with me that I thought left me behind!

Like my ability to call your home, work and cell phones and send a text in mere SECONDS hoping to catch up with you do stuff, or to chat!

Like when I was in high school, and I drove by my then boyfriend's car a millionty times while he was out of town to just 'see' the car......

Like when I get my feelings hurt when you have plans with your FAMILY instead of me.

Like not needing speed-dial on old fashioned phones since my fingers can dial and redial numbers lightning fast!

My uncanny ability to remember phone numbers in general.

My uncanny ability to remember things you tell me, no matter how insignificant.

My uncanny ability to have hours long phone conversations about such riviting topics as Dogs and Teenagers.

My use of google to find shit out.

Like how I KNOW I shouldn't call back within 10 minutes after calling all your known numbers and texting you, but I do anyway, JUST IN CASE you may not have gotten my messages or noticed your missed calls.

Like my desire to just email you to see what you are doing....and have you respond.

and the biggest of all? I stalk MYSELF looking for return e-mails, and comments to my blog. I check my own e-mail like WAAAYYYY too often to see if you've communicated with me in some way....to see if my posts were witty and made you laugh, or if you think I'm insightful and intelligent!

Yes, I know. My mad skillz are enough to make the tens of you that read my blog RACING to have me be your own stalker. You all will be vying to be first in my e-mails and comments.

MelissaLion? I know you are just DYING to have me stalk YOU too........

I know it's amazing that a busy Wife, Mom and employee would have the TIME to acquire such an impressive list of stalker skills, but I multi task well, and have learned how to accomplish much while doing other tasks. Like checking my e-mail and Sitemeter!!

I'll be awaiting your applications!! I can't WAIT to see the traffic this awesome post brings to my site!!

Toodles for now!!

I appreciate your consideration

Oh, my references? I'll provide them upon request. They will be from Teenie, Jakki and Ph.D!!