On Tuesday Hubs turned 48.

We searched for a gift that he’d think was great.

We searched all over, both high and low

But the perfect gift? It didn’t show.

Son1 said, “Let’s take Dad on a trip”

But where to go? A coin we’ll flip!

If I tell you where, can you keep it hush?

Well, we’ll see a Garden that’s named Busch.

We’ll ride some rides and we’ll have fun

On our weekend trip out in the sun.

So now I’m off–we’ll be seein’ ya!

We’re taking Hubs down to Virginia!

~~~~~~~~~~

I’m packing today. We leave tomorrow and return Sunday. Have a great Labor day Weekend. Have fun and stay safe.  

Yesterday’s post dealt with ‘memory’ and getting things done. Miss Loving Annie suggested that I get a notepad and write things down. This made me laugh for several reasons.

A few years ago, I decided to get more organized with my life. I began to file things, to  get rid of things I no longer used or wore, threw out things that I thought I needed as keepsakes, etc.

One thing stood out glaringly. As I cleared drawer after drawer throughout the house, I found paper. Lots and lots of paper. Scraps of paper, magazine clippings, envelopes and napkins. Each had some kind of ‘important’ message on them.

Recipes for cakes and cookies, do-it-yourself household tips, book titles that I wanted to check out of the library, phone numbers, websites to be checked out, reminders of meetings at school, or doctor appointments. Oh a few were for Hubs–addresses for him to check out jobs, phone messages, etc. But the majority were mine.

So I went to the store and bought a 5-subject small notepad. I separated papers and put everything into it’s little place. It worked out great. Even in July, if I saw something that would make a great  Christmas gift for someone, it went into the book.

I named it my “Memory”

It went everywhere with me. I was on top of my game. There it was- in my handbag-whenever I needed it.

Then I changed bags.

It was smaller and not all the same things fit into it. So the ‘memory’ was the first thing to go. I kept it on the table beside my bed. Then I cleaned the bedroom and moved my book to the dining room, where I could access it during the day when something came up. Then I cleared that table because we were having company. Where is it now? I don’t know.

I’ve lost my ‘memory’.

I’d like to find it and start using it again, but what is to stop me from repeating the cycle? When I had it around, I actually used it. But when I misplaced it, I went back to my old habit of using scraps so easily that I never realized the loss of the book until I went to library and couldn’t remember the name of the book I wanted, or I had no idea what I wanted to get my son as a gift for Christmas and couldn’t remember the “perfect” thing that I saw in the spring.

What do you do learn a new habit? How do you keep track of things like this? Am I doomed to forever be the woman with a mind like Swiss Cheese?

I’d like my ‘memory’ back!

Hi, you’ve reached Metalmom! I can’t come to the blog right now. I am currently on vacation for the week! The key is under the mat, beer’s in the fridge, and alcohol is hidden everywhere. I’d appreciate it if you mow the lawn and DON’T get busted for noise violations if you have a barbecue! Keep the girls and the drinkers legal, and no pooping in the sinks like last year!! BEEP……..

A funny thing happens during a vacation, holiday, or long weekend. You know what it is because you  have all felt it at one time or another.

It is the “Time Warp”.

I was able to hang out on the Fourth doing nothing in particular. I played on Facebook and played with Bandit. I visited my FIL in the hospital. Later on in the afternoon, my son gathered up his single friends who had no plans and held an impromptu barbecue. All in all, it was a great day.

After sleeping in a bit on Saturday, I got up, showered, and went out to breakfast with my girlfriend and my daughter. It was a good time. I napped in the afternoon and when I woke up, it had happened. Time shifted.

I couldn’t shake the feeling that there were things that I had to get done because “tomorrow is a work day.” I felt like I had to finish other things because the radio shows that I listen to were coming on soon. I thought my son had to go to work because it was Sunday night.

It was no such thing. It was only Saturday.

This particular ‘time warp’ is different from wishing that time would move faster.”It’s only Wednesday??” Doesn’t apply. It’s the warp where you realize that you  have an extra day. You can sit down and relax or finish the job that you have been putting off.

It is kind of related to the feeling when you eat dinner early or finish a task way ahead of time. “Why, it’s still early! I still have time to ___!”

When the holiday happens to fall on a Monday, it makes the week whiz by. Thursday comes along and all of a sudden you realize that the weekend will  begin tomorrow!

It’s a time warp and it’s a bonus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdu7xoHU9DA

I don’t usually pay a whole lot of attention to the Fourth of July. Well, yes I do, but in the superficial way. You know, barbecues, fireworks, parades and such. But I don’t usually think about it.

This year, America is beating me over the head with it’s significance.

I watched Good Morning America yesterday and I saw Senator McCain spout alot of incomprehensible bullshit when asked a direct question by Robin Roberts. He rambled on and on about South America and the drug problems.He never addressed the question posed to him….”Why are you there at a time when the American public is in such financial straits?”

I’m not saying that I am for either him or Senator Obama, but I am glad that I have the right to choose.

I watch the news and see the horrors playing out in other countries. Women are unheard and unseen. There are no freedoms. And I am glad that I am living here.

A man is being arraigned in Philadelphia today on charges of  aggravated assault, making terroristic threats and corruption of a minor for making a  video for YouTube detailing the correct way to shoot a cop . He allegedly showed this to his son too.  I was appalled by the hatred spewed by this man. I was disgusted that anyone could feel this way about our protectors. But he is using his freedom of speech. And as much as I disagree with him, I am glad that the right exists.

And every day, you and I make use of our freedom of expression by writing whatever we want on our blog. We choose whether or not we want to read the words put down by others. We choose the topics we wish to blog about. And I am glad that right exists.

So when you head off to your parades, your barbecues, and your fireworks, thank your forefathers for all that they did to ensure that we have a country like this.

Have a safe and happy Fourth. 

Every year, beginning around March, I begin to spazz over the weight I haven’t been able to shed no matter how hard I try. I spazz because bathing suit weather is around the corner. Normally, there is a cushion involved because we don’t usually vacation until mid- to late August. This year we are going in late July.

AAAHHH!!!!

There is no time to do anything about my predicament. Oh well…..

We put a deposit on the place we are staying at and took a little spin around the area. What I saw made me forget about MY weight.

Did I actually see these particular women? No, but I might as well have. Oh dear God! What makes people think this is okay? Why should boobs spill out of your top? If you are NOT eighteen years old or perky, put that shit away!!!

Does anyone really want to see a woman (or man–you fellas are not immune to this behavior!) lift all of those rolls of fat to apply sunscreen? When you turn around, we DON’T want to see where the good Lord split you!

Hubs and I saw a woman with her four kids crossing the street, looking pretty close to  this. We looked at each other and simultaneously said “Holy Shit!” I almost felt the bile rise in my throat.

I don’t think I will be worried about how I look in a swimsuit this year. Mine will cover my ass. I will not ‘accidently’ pop a titty out of the top. And I will look at these other women and say  “Damn! I look pretty fuckin’ hot compared to her!”

My Dad is just a normal man. Six foot, three inches of blue-collar EveryMan. He is honest as the day is long. Smarter than one might think. Wickedly funny. And secretly sensitive. Growing up, Dad was always working or napping. He was the man to be feared. When Mom said,”Wait til your dad gets home”, you shook in your shoes.

When I reach into the past for some of my clearest memories of my dad, this is what I come up with….

I remember my Dad walking into our apartment, sweaty and tired after a long day of work, and kissing my sister on the top of her head as she sat in her high chair. (Mom said I had to be close to three years old.)

I remember sitting at the table sobbing, as my dad tried for the umpteenth time to teach me long division. I remember that I started right after dinner and we finished past my 8:30 bedtime. ( I passed math that year with flying colors)

I remember getting suspended for drinking in high school. He had to take the day off to meet with the nuns. He defended me and denied the possibility that I was guilty…even though he knew I was guilty as sin!

I remember the humiliation I suffered when he picked my sorry ass up from a kegger.I couldn’t even stand up between my friends who sheepishly dragged me to his car. And he never blinked an eye when I claimed to have only had 2 beers.

I remember waiting my cue to begin walking down the aisle at my wedding. My arm through his, he squeezed and whispered “The car is right out that door beside the curb. We can get into it and drive if that’s what you want. No questions asked.” I never loved him more than at that moment.

I remember when Son2 was born. Hubs had pneumonia and was banned from the hospital. Mom and Dad came to get me at 2 in the morning. Mom was my birth coach. We got to the hospital and I was put into a wheel chair. As they wheeled me away, Dad kissed me and said “See ya later” and he turned away quickly so that I couldn’t see that he was crying.

I remember five years later, as I was home alone and miscarrying. I called him and couldn’t even breathe through the pain. He charged into my house, and lifted me from the floor in his capable hands and carried me to the waiting car. I don’t remember anything after that until I woke up in the recovery room.

These are not the only things that come to mind. They are just the most vivid. Last month we celebrated his 65th birthday. Yes, he is still young. Apparently he gives Mom a reason to buy lingerie at Victoria’s Secret (AAH!! TMI, MOM!!!!)  He is still the one I’d call in a pinch.

And I’m sure he could still find a way to pick me up if I needed it.

I love you, Dad.

I’ve got some things floating around so I’m getting right to it!

What is freewriting? Freewriting is writing whatever comes to mind, usually writing for a predetermined amount of time without regard to spelling, grammar, structure, etc. and no editing is done. We have chosen five minutes for right now, we will add or subtract from that in the weeks to come as we see fit.

 Shown damn near actual size.

Tonight I bought some Easter marshmallows. They were so fresh and soft! I love them. Anyway, I ate oneright away in the car. It made me so happy that I shoved three into my mouth at one time. Then Hubs asked me a questuon and I couln’t talk because my mouth was so full. He laughed and said “I wish some one you knew was walkijng by so they could see you.” Well, no one I knew would be surprised to see me thusly. so he dared me to put eight into my mouth. He didn’t think I could do it.  I did. And almost died a horrible death by choking on a wad of marshmallow. Asshole. Never dare me. Other than that it  has been a week from hell. I have the pictures and bruises to prove it. They will;be posted. someday….. As soon as the kids go home today, I will be drinking  to celebrate the end of another Spring Break. I survived!

I’m linking Shiny, Finn, Randi, Absurdist and Robin. Who else wants to be included?  Let me know…..Hmmm…I should get an autolink thingamajigger. Happy Friday!

This week is spring break,

the kids have no school.

I’ll have extra brats here

but the pay will be cool.

A group of small kids

All under age eight

Will be dropped off so early

and they’ll stay kind of late.

I may get to see you

Or then again not

I may be too busy

wiping asses and snot.

So think of me often

and thank destiny.

at least you’ll be working–

And you won’t be me!

Normally on a Friday, I would have “Freewrite” here. I don’t think anyone else did it today either. But let me just say,

I FEEL BETTER!!!

I went to bed early last night (so I never did a post) and wonder of wonders……SNOW! Enough snow that the schools are closed. That means no kids over here for me! I told Babygirl to shut off her alarm and ran back to my bed before it could get cold! I got to sleep in! YAY!

So…No “Freewrite”. I’m taking a snow day. I think I’ll have a hot cup of coffee and watch Hubs do the manly job of shoveling. Maybe I’ll even ‘warm him up’ when he gets in!

Have a great Friday everyone!