My Favorite Night of the Year!

Cozy Pajamas. 

Paper hats.

 Delicious food. 

Hearty laughs.

Hot Cocoa.

Christmas lights.

Fun Friends.

Make for one Fun Elf Night!



Feeling the Spirit

Pissed as I am about having to work on yet another Christmas, I keep reminding myself how unforgettable last year's Christmas was which eases the amount of anger even if for a little while.  As an act of rebellion, I vowed to not put up my tree or any decorations.  That would sure show them!  Besides that, it somehow seems pointless to put up a present-less tree for the cats. They just undecorate it and chew on the power cords anyway. Its just a bunch of unnecessary work putting up a gawdy tree in a teeny tiny living room.  So no tree or lights for me this year.

Then something happened after listening to some Christmas songs on the radio (Little Drummer Boy, anyone?)  Perhaps like the Grinch, my "heart grew three sizes" after hearing that song, but the spirit came over me. 

The Spirit of Christmas and the Spirit of Elf.  Yes, Elf.  Its time for my annual Elf party on Tuesday.  Usually I like to decorate for my buddies to help us get into the Spirit of Elf.  I was going to consider not decorating, but I am just so excited to host Elf that I decided to decorate! 

First, it was just going to be lights.  Then, I figured "what the hell" and got out the tree.  Then the ornaments.  Then the shelf of snowmen and Santas.  Yes, it looks a little like Will Ferrel vomited Christmas in here :)

 I am more excited for Elf Night than I am for Christmas, so why NOT decorate?  Yet another newcomer will be making an appearance making the grand count at 5 humans, 3 felines, and one overgrown Elf.

Tino had to help me decorate :)

Out of Care and Concern for my Brother

My brother called me up frantically asking if I could pick up a prescription for him. Since he had to pick up his girlfriend from the airport, he would not be able to make it to the pharmacy before it closed.  Whatever medication it was, he could not wait until the next day to get it.  So I obliged, and agreed to pick up his prescription for him.

Before calling me to get it for him, my brother called my parents' house to get my phone number.  Of course, my mom questioned why he wanted my number so my brother told her about the prescription.

Now, my mom was unaware that my brother was on any kind of medication and was rather curious what he was taking especially because he has a reputation for misusing prescription medications.  As any mother would do, she phoned me up and told me to be sure to let her know what this medication was that my brother needed so urgently. 

After I picked up the prescription, I immediately wondered how on Earth I was going to tell my mom what I had discovered. 

Would I be breaching my brother's confidence?

Would he want his mom to know (let alone his little sister)?

Could I keep a straight face when I told my mom that my brother was taking........


Viagra?

My Momma and Me

Who would have thunk that such a tiny critter could cause such a huge scare for my family. 

This is the culprit

Not the penny.  The tick on the penny so shown to illustrate the size of the tiny creature who caused havoc on my momma. 

My mom got sick.  Real sick.  So sick she called me to bring her to the ER on Saturday.  After tests and more tests, they found "nothing" and sent her home with a "stomach ulcer" and prescriptions for Maalox and Prilosec. 

Whatever.

Three days, 2 CT Scans, 1 Ultrasound, 2 Chest X-rays, 1 EKG, 3 urine tests, and about 30 vials of blood later, we have our answer.  Erhiculosis.  A tick borne illness similar to Lyme's Disease treatable with antibiotics.  WHEW!

Though it isn't all hunky dory.  In addition to Erhiculosis, she has pneumonia complicated by Emphysema, and another bacterial infection called H. Pylori. Other possibilities thrown around are concerning words  like "diabetes" and "oxygen tank".  Though the last two are unlikely, it remains scary stuff, but overall that news is way better than what could have been. 

Yes, we thought she could be at death's door, and wow, did it age my ever youthful mom.  Weak from dehydration and not eating for 4 days can do that to a person, but to see it done to my mom is petrifying.  A glimpse into what the future could hold.  Giving my mom a shower in the hospital is not something I ever thought I would be doing.  Seeing her so weak and vulnerable saddened me.  She is still in the hospital, but hopeful to be home soon with added strength and usual humor.

My dad has more important things to do, like keep the bar stool warm, so I have been running two households:  my own, and my mom's.  Dogs, cats, and fish to be fed and exercised.  Never mind my dad; he can fend for himself.  Though in his attempts to be helpful, he did unload the dishwasher.  Too bad the dishes were dirty and needed to be returned to their original position in the dishwasher.  It was a good attempt I guess.

If all of this has taught me anything, it has taught me that I am capable of handling a crisis situation.  In fact, I do pretty darn good in the midst of a crisis, and take charge when other's won't.  Especially when it comes to my mom.

See, she is more than my mom.  She is, in every sense of the word, my Best Friend.

My mom and I at my Aunt's Hawaiian themed wedding.

At yet another wedding

Becoming Pinocchio

My emotions have been front and center lately.  This is very peculiar for someone who had to force tears at a Make-A-Wish Foundation training session while watching movies of children with terminal illnesses.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not cold hearted by any means.  Its just that my emotions are pretty stuffed controlled, and I tend to choose when and where to let them loose.  That occurs usually only once or twice a year.

Lately, that is not the case.

Just today, I found myself in tears on three separate occasions, and more seem to be at the brim.  Overall, I am rather happy, but certain images or stories will elicit strong emotions within me where normally I would think, "oh, how touching", and move on with my day.  Unless its a Disney cartoon with a human/animal or animal/animal bond, I remain pretty dry-eyed in the most heart wrenching movies.  I shed not one tear during Stepmom or My Sister's Keeper (But throw in Ice Age or Brother Bear and I sob uncontrollably).

So it was rather odd to feel the tears travelling down my cheek after watching J.R Martinez's performance on Dancing With the Stars.  A Dancing show made me cry!  Me!  Very strange. 
http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2011/10/jr-martinez-on-dancing-with-the-stars-an-inspiring-tear-jerking/

Then, while watching a video clip of a young woman hear for the first time after getting hearing implants, the tears fell again. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsOo3jzkhYA&feature=player_embedded

Most would agree that both stories are touching, and most would even shed a tear.  Its just a little out of the ordinary for me.  And just the other day, my mom informed me that she was saying nightly prayers for a friend of mine.  Good thing I had my sunglasses on because my eyes welled up with tears and that familiar lump surfaced in my throat.

Perhaps its because my life has been a little more emotional.  Not necessarily my life, but several of those who are close to me. 

Or perhaps, like Pinocchio, I am becoming a real girl. 

My Little Secret

I now know why Superman wears his underwear on the outside of his clothing:

He swaggers down the street with a calm confidence.  He is definitely "all that and a bag of chips".  His shit certainly does not stink.  And nobody is gonna mess with a dude like that.

I get it now.  I really get it.

One of the best things I did on my vacation was to purchase new underwear.  I cannot stop talking about my undies.  I'm telling coworkers, men and women alike, all about how I have robots on my butt.  They are so fun and, like I do with most new things, I have now become obsessed with my panties.

I get out of bed in the morning with a bit of excitement for picking out a new pair of underwear to put on for the day.  As I slide them on, I peek in the mirror, say "oh yeah", and give my booty a love tap!  Oh, my God, I cannot believe I am blogging about my underwear.........times are slow for blogging topics I guess.

Still, my undies are on my mind all day long.  I choose my panty of choice based on my activity of the day.  For example, my favorite pair of underwear are grey with pink robots all over them.  I mindfully chose not to wear them to work one day in case I had to work on another floor.  I did not want to "waste" them on people I don't care about.  So I saved them for a day I was certain I would be working with my usual coworkers.  Does this sound a bit messed up to you?

Nobody sees them.  Or at least, they are not supposed to see them.  But that day I forced at least two coworkers to take a peek at my robot undies.  And last night at a bonfire, I showed the whole crowd (only they weren't the robot ones this time).  I was sober mind you.

Yes, this may seem all a little too obsessive and extreme, but wearing my novelty panties makes me feel happy.  I, too, walk with a little more confidence (I admit my shit does indeed stink, and I don't believe I come with a bag of chips....) all because of the simple pleasure of my little secret under my pants. 

OK, that sounded dirty.... ;)

What I Did for Week 3 of my Vacation/Staycation

Only one more day of bliss.  One more day to do whatever whenever however.  No time table to keep to, no alarm to wake to, no kids to strap down on a bed.  I was blessed to have very good weather for the duration of my vacation and I certainly made the most of each day. 

Week 3 was a little more of the same, but the following is the remainder of the list of what I Did on My Summer Vacation:

1. I totally forgot to mention on my first list that I mastered the technique of peeing in the woods.  I'll spare you the details, but I successfully tinkled several times without splashing pee all over myself.
2. See #1 above....I peed on Park Point today....
3. I got some Mom Time in which is always a blessing
4. I mourned the loss of my 80's bangs, but grew to embrace and enjoy my side sweepers.
5. Walked bare foot on the beach.
6. Sat on a rock overlooking the city contemplating how little grasshoppers look like tiny robots.
7. Snuggled with Tino on the chillier mornings under the blankies.
8. Part way winterized my garden
9. Appreciated each and every second and gave thanks for the sunshine.
10. Mentally prepared for the return to work.
11. Plucked 235,123 grey hairs from my head....man oh man, they popped out like whoa recently
12. Finished yet another book.  Ahhhh.

It went so fast, and now I can look forward to having days off.  I keep having to remind myself that just because I head back to work, doesn't mean that I will never a day off again.  Back to the Salt Mines I go.......