This Picture Brings Me So Much Joy!!!

Y’all can’t tell me my girl wasn’t getting down!!!

Friday Randoms

• I appreciate y’alls appreciation of my extraordinary artwork.  And I’m happy to report that I have had no issues getting home since Monday
• If you wear not-so-dark-rinse jeans and a sparkly tank top to work?  Throwing a blazer on over it doesn’t make it business casual.  But I did it anyway.
• Last Friday night LG and I went to see Hotel Tr.ansylvania.  Cute little movie.  I was initially upset that I left my phone at home – I’d planned on reading during the movie – but ended up getting caught up in the story.  If you’ve got little ones, I recommend.
• There is a woodpecker having its way with the side of our house.  No bueno.
• Homecoming is this weekend.  I’m not going. 
• I’m ready for this election to be over and done with.  The hatred and foolishness is making me particularly weary this go ’round.  I honestly don’t know how or why anyone chooses politics as a career.  I could not do it ’cause I’d have let some of these folks know exactly how stupid the words coming out of their mouth are – and I would not have been PC in my delivery.
• I’m going to St. Louis next month for a training.  I don’t think anyone reading is in the Lou, but if you are and want to get together, let me know.  I know I’m going to the Arch – any other must sees??
• Every Thursday night I stay up until 9 so I can watch S.candal.  And every Thursday night I fall asleep by the second commercial break.  Guess what I watch every Friday at work?
• Y’all know I stopped running right? Well, I did.  I don’t like it.  And I like Zumba.  And running was keeping me from Zumba and LG from karate lessons.  So, I stopped.  Well not entirely.  I get up and run/walk ~3 miles on Sunday mornings. That’s enough.  I applaud all you die hard runners, but running shall not be my primary form of cardio.  Nope.
• My current workout regimen is:  holding plank every morning and night; Zumba on Monday, Thursday, Saturday; and Sunday run/walks.  Next week I’m adding a weight training class on Mondays.  I think this will get me where I want to be physically – and keep me there.
• I love having home warranty insurance.  For the most part.  Our oven stopped working and I just knew they were going to have to replace that 30 year old relic with a new one.  Wouldn’t you know it – I think those resourceful jokers have found all the replacement parts!  Oh well, I’ll just be glad to have an oven again – I’m in the mood to bake.
• Tonight LG has a bridge ceremony – from Daisy to Brownie in Girl Scouts.  If that ceremony isn’t too long (how could it be?) we’re going to “Park After Dark” for “spooky science and creepy crafts.”  Tomorrow we’re going to the pumpkin patch to commune with nature.  Outside of church on Sunday, that’s it. The rest of the weekend will be spent with me in sweats puttering around the house
• Do you have big weekend plans?
• Have a great weekend – be blessed!!

And the Side-eye Award Goes To…Me. O_o

So last night?  Yeah, I couldn’t find my way home.  Let that sink in for a moment.

I picked LG up from school at 5:00 which means we should be walking in our home at 5:05, 5:03 if the two lights between the school and the house are working in our favor.

I take our normal route only to discover that a portion of the street that runs behind our home is blocked off and I cannot turn into our subdivision.  No problem – I’ll just go back up a street and come out on another portion of the street.  Except…apparently there is no street that I can access to get where I need to go.  How do I know?  Because I spent a good 30 minutes turning up one street and down another trying to get home.  You know – the home we’ve lived in for 9 years.  Yeah, that one.

I called Smoochy and told him I couldn’t get home.  He thought the car had run hot again.  Nope.  Then that dude asked me if I was having some sort of menopausal mind lapse.  Sir!  I certainly am not.  I just can’t find a through street.  I told him forget it, I’d go around the neighborhood and come in through the back.  So 36 minutes later LG and I finally walked into our blessed house.  I was spent.  And felt really ridiculous for having such a hard time getting home.

This morning I was talking to a dad who lives behind us and guess what?  He – and a number of his neighbors – had done the same thing.  Apparently there used to me a through street (I knew it!!!) but access was closed a few years ago and now there really are only two ways into and out of our area.  Except for right now, there’s only one way in and out thanks to whatever the heck they’re doing to the street.  I fully expect it to be paved with gold for all of the hassle I encountered last night.

In case you are a visual learner, I took a few moment to sketch out my experience last night.  You’re welcome.

Grrrr…

Book Club – The Story of Beautiful Girl

Well, what did y’all think of our latest read?

I thought it was okay.  I went into this book with no expectations, but still managed to be disappointed by the time I finished.  It was just so sad all around and the last 3 or 4 chapters were rushed – I thought the author could’ve done a better job with the way she “distributed” her story.  We got a lot of details in the beginning of the book and by the end, it seemed like she was tired of writing and wrapped it up as quickly as possible.

The book did give me pause when I realized that this fictionalized story could very well have happened.  The treatment of non-neuronormative (look at me being all PC) people has come a long way in this society though no doubt, there’s plenty of room for improvement in the way those with challenges are treated – both inside and outside of facilities and group homes.  And poor Homan – outside of his hearing loss, there was nothing wrong with him and yet he’d been institutionalized because no one took time to properly assess his status.

Anyhow, I borrowed a few questions from the guide at the back of the book.  Feel free to answer any/all of these or just let your thoughts flow free.  As always, I’ll be back throughout the course of the day to read y’alls comments and to add more of my own.

1.  What did you learn that you didn’t already know about the history of people with disabilities and the ways they were routinely treated by society?

2.  Martha’s former students provide her with support for the first several years of Julia’s life. Was there a teacher in your life who meant as much to you as Martha meant to her students?

3.  Why do you think Martha took on the incredible responsibility of raising another woman’s child instead of contacting proper authorities? What would you have done in her place?

4.  Homan is up against incredible odds in making his way in the world, especially once his uncle Blue dies. Discuss the way that race, impairment, illiteracy, and institutionalization play a part in how he interacts with the world and how the world reacts to him.

Anywho, let’s get into it – what did you think?

That Can Be Arranged

After a particularly heated debate in blog land many, many moons ago I vowed that I would stop posting my opinions on dating.  Because really, what did I know?  I married my college sweetheart and quite honestly have never dated as an adult.  All of my dating took place around frat parties, Homecoming dances and all-school skate nights.  Concerns about a potential suitor’s credit score, income, car, children, ex-wife, home-ownership?  Never came into play.  As long as he was nice, could take me to the movies (and yep, we still had $1 movies back then), take me to Little Rock (the big city) every now and again, and wasn’t on the freak list?  I was good.

But that doesn’t mean I don’t read blog posts dedicated to dating, watch news reports on how hard it is to get partnered up in these days and times, or ignore the fact that I know scores of awesome men and women who cannot seem to meet Mr. or Mrs. Right.

I also observe the world around me and it really, truly makes me concerned for LG and her future relationships.  Have people always been so…crazy?!?!?

So I’ve been thinking that while LG would probably protest and fight me with the strength of a thousand sumo wrestlers on this – if I could?  I would totally arrange a marriage for her.  I know, or “know” lots of folks who are raising boys to be men in a manner of which I “approve.” If the apples don’t fall from the tree?  These boys will be good husband material in the next, oh say, 20 years.

So, if you’re parenting (or know of) a young man between 8-13 who loves God, is kind, plans to pursue higher education, and can deal with a chatty, marvelous only girl child whose parents want and plan nothing but the best for her? Holler at me.  I kid.  Kind of…

Of course, I type all of this knowing good and well that if arranged marriage was a part of my reality, my mom would’ve hooked me up with K, a boy I went to high school with, who had no sense of humor, and never talked.  Totally wouldn’t have worked!

 

Monday Morning Musings

• Do you match your socks to your shoes, your shirt, your pants?  I had on a blue, yellow, white and fuchsia striped cardigan, a white tank, blue jeans and fuchsia loafers.  What color socks “should” I have worn??
• I do not care for red velvet cake.  I don’t understand the hype.
• This weekend we celebrated my birthday since Smoochy wasn’t home on Tuesday.  He brought me a cheesecake and his feelings were so hurt when I told him I don’t like cheesecake.  Yes, I bake them – because other people like them, not for my own personal consumption.  Yet another dessert over which I do not understand the hype.  Team pound cake!
• Smoochy told LG about this trip to Spain we are trying to make happen.  Why, why, why???  Sir, you are not new to this parenting game – I don’t tell LG anything about going anywhere until the night before.  At the earliest!  While I appreciate all of her questions and concerns?  I really was not trying to deal with this for the next 8 or 9 months.  Grrrrrrr!
• In 79 days? I will be free to buy nail polish once again.  Bwahahahahaha!  I.Cant.Wait.
• Running makes me hungry and sleepy.  Guess what I was before I started running?  Hungry and sleepy.  Why am I doing this again?!?
• Did I tell y’all that last Sunday when we were driving back from Arkansas my child said “Daddy, when we get to Louisiana will you pull over so I can get a scratch-off ticket?”  Hold up.  What in the world does this kid know about a scratch-off ticket and gambling?  Maybe she is sneaking out of the house once I fall asleep at 9 8 every night.
• Tarjhay has sweaters for $15 this week.  Have I mentioned how much I enjoy their cardigans?  Well, I do.  And I’m surely going to purchase one – and only one – after work today.  Now, if we could get some consistently cool weather, it’ll be all to the good.

That’s it.  What’s shaking?

Ask And It Shall Be Given Unto You

Wedding weekend pics with a few extras thrown in for good measure.  This one’s for you KRock

This child’s hair? Makes me want to weep every time I have to wash, detangle and style it. I’m thinking a texturizer would make our lives soooo much easier.

All those plastic, robotic dinosaurs were totally scary! Don’t I look petrified?

Crystal Bridges Museum. Looking from one “pod” to the next. Man, this place was stunning!

This sculpture was mad realistic. It’s the artist as he imagines he will look when he’s older.

So yeah, I took more pictures at the museum than anywhere else

My niece, LG, and my nephew. They had such a good time together. So much fun that they could hardly be still to take a good picture

Youngest brother and the kiddos

Womp womp

Yay!!!!!

You already know – we had to take LG on a quick tour of our beloved alma mater. And you already know – she was unimpressed. SMH.

Smoochy and I had a long, long discussion about slavery, sharecropping, and picking cotton. Let’s just say I thank God I was born when/where I was. I was tired just looking at all that cotton. I cannot imagine having to pick it for a “living.”

Jesus Wept…and So Did We

So this past weekend, Smoochy, LG, and I traveled to Northwest Arkansas for my middle brother’s wedding.  Wrote a little blog about it.  Like to read it?  Here it goes:

• The fact that Smoochy went with us?  Had LG and I all beside ourselves with excitement.  I’ve mentioned on here before that Smoochy is always reluctant to take a day or two off from work.  Well, we had a ball!  Even he had to admit that he’s going to have to make a more concerted effort to relax and enjoy life a bit more.  Yay!
• Smooch’s assignment for the trip was to a) get the rental car and b) make sure my brothers were uh…sober enough to stand.  Let’s start with the rental car.  I am notoriously “thrifty.”  Smoochy?  Not so much.  I usually always rent the smallest, most gasoline efficient vehicle on the lot.  Smoochy pulled up in a Suburban.  I was HOT!  He had not even considered that filling this thing up was going to cost more than I spend on gas in a month.  Wooo sah.  We’ve been married for 13 years.  I knew this was one I was going to have to let go…after I told him it was crazy.  And aren’t you proud of me – I only told him once twice a few times.
• Eight hours – and $100 worth of gas later – we pulled into Fayetteville.  Met up with the rest of my family – mother, father, brother, niece, nephew, uncle, aunts, grandma and we all caught up.
• Saturday morning we got up and most of us went to the Crystal Bridges museum in Bentonville.  Y’all.  This museum is gorgeous! Built with WalMart money it is located in a natural, wooded area, suspended over a natural hot spring, and no expense was spared.  Saw an original Norman Rockwell, a few from Georgia O’Keefe, and the creepiest, most realistic sculpture ever.
• Oh, and if your mother hops into the passenger seat so she can help you navigate?  There’s a good chance that even with two smartphones in her hands, one of which has voice navigation turned on, if you ask her which way to turn she’ll say “how should I know?”  Ma’am….
• Fast forward to the wedding.
• Hated my ensemble.  Really I did.  Moving on…
• I walk in to the space – they married at the aviation museum – and who do I see but my youngest brother!  You know, the one who wasn’t coming?  The one whose relationship with the rest of us is strained at best?  Yeah, him.  I was in a state of shock.  I was like “hey” and gave him a hug.  Then I started crying.  Then my oldest brother walked over and started crying.  I later learned that my mom and future SIL were in the back crying.  God is faithful, I tell you!  I had prayed and prayed and prayed and prayed some more that that dude would not miss the wedding – and he didn’t.  He didn’t stay long, maybe 2 hours, we didn’t hash anything out, I’m not sure our relationship is any better today than it was a few days ago, but he came.  My prayer – and the prayers of many – was answered and for that I give God all the glory.
• Then my brother and now SIL exchanged vows.  The wedding ceremony was great – totally them.  They wrote their own vows, the groomsmen wore Vans tennis shoes – as did the bride, and they were surrounded by an awesome group of people who love and support them.  My heart was full of joy.
• And then it was time to party!  Do I really need to tell you that Smoochy failed at part 2 of his assignment?  Those jokers were still lit up from Friday night and proceeded to indulge a bit more Saturday night!  My SIL’s cousin was the DJ and he did a great job of playing a variety of music that appealed to everyone present – from line dances to The Devil Went Down to Georgia to Don’t Stop Believing to The Percolator – there was something for everybody and we danced until we couldn’t dance any more!
• Sunday we slept as long as we could, said our goodbyes and everyone headed back to their respective homes.
• We had an awesome time.  My brother and his wife are happy, we got to see family and hang out with hers (I love my SIL’s family – they are fun, down to earth folks), and got in a little bit of culture, and Smoochy drove the entire trip!  I had prepared myself to drive since he was going to work as soon as we got in on Sunday night, but I think he was really feeling that truck and drove all the way up and back.  Yay!
• Yesterday LG was out of school – thanks for “discovering” America Senor Columbus – so I took an extra day off and took my girl to the fair.  We had big fun!
• And that my friends, is what we did over the course of the last few days.  How’s life in your neck of the woods?

Two more things – Happy 40th Birthday to Me!!! and Happy Anniversary to Psonya!