Insomniac

I've always had trouble sleeping, but it seems to have gone to extremes lately. I've been going to bed later and later and later, and most recently it's been an average of 3 am. Not so good when I get up between 6 and 6:30!

I've no idea what's causing it. I don't do caffeine; my eating habits haven't changed; my routine is basically the same. It's not even that I'm thinking about the million things that I always have to do. I just can't sleep.

I've been forcing myself to make my non-sleep time productive though, and I'm wading my way through the shelves of books.

Some I've read, but I won't ever revist. Those are being put in a box to be donated to the library. Every time the box gets filled, off it goes. I've taken 7 so far.

Some I need to read, and I've never taken the time. Those are being put into a certain bookshelf so that I can wade my way through. Once I'm done, most of them go into the donate box.

Some I love, and I won't ever part with. Those are also going into a certain bookshelf. I absolutely love going to that bookshelf to peruse. I've read everything in that section -- some of them several times -- and it's like visiting old friends.

I'm glad that I'm working my way through something that's needed to be done for ages, but I think I'd really prefer being able to sleep.

Quote

Opportunity only knocks once. Temptation leans on the doorbell.

-- unknown

Birthday party day!

Spyder's birthday party was (finally!) today, at a local park. Truthfully, it was one of the easiest parties we've ever thrown! We always go all out for birthdays. We've had a space party (where we turned one room into a space ship and "launched" everyone), a detective party (everyone followed clues to find the treat bags), and a spy party (everyone went through "spy academy" and graduated afterward). They're always tons of fun for all of us, but it's usually a lot of work getting everything together. This one took almost nothing!

Spyder's birthday was two weeks ago, but schedules have made it nearly impossible to plan a party. Every Saturday from the beginning of May to the end of June was booked! Church activity, Mother's Day, another church activity, Memorial Day, VBS, VBS, Father's Day, etc, etc. So we opted to have it on a weekday, a couple of days after the local schools were out. Worked out perfectly!

Spyder specifically asked to have it at this particular park, which he LOVES, but isn't near our house, so we don't get there often. He's become quite the amateur magician, and he wanted to perform for his friends, so he ultimately decided that he wanted the party to be a Talent Show. It was excellent! We had dancers, a martial arts demonstration, magicians, and a balloon artist! Luckily, the park has a really nice, large gazebo, so we had the party there, and afterward the children went to play in the play area.

It was hot today -- 90 degrees was the high, I think -- so instead of the usual cake and ice cream, we had a decorate your own cupcake time. I always stress about the cake. Always. I usually make the cake. Normally I like to decorate the cake to look like it came from a bakery, but I was afraid I'd mess up the cake in transit, so I opted for cupcakes instead. Yesterday I baked 34 cupcakes. I had planned to decorate them too, with different cute scenes, but at the last moment I had the (brilliant!) idea that the children might like to do their own. It was a HUGE hit, and it saved me two hours of work, so I'm all about it! I may have to make it a tradition. LOL!

Of course, the children were exhausted and filthy afterward, but it was an excellent time. I remember park parties when I was little, and I never liked them. They were hot (no shade) with tons of bugs, so I was reluctant to agree to the park idea. I'm very glad I did though. The children had a great time, and I didn't have hours of cleanup afterward!

*sigh* I'm hooked!

WEBoggle is my newest internet addiction! I'm not all that great compared to some of those who play, but I can usually get about 25-30 words out of the 4x4 puzzle. I've never been one for internet gaming, but this really has me hooked!

Just this once

I'm rather sad that I don't like country music. I was flipping channels in the car this evening, and I ran across Keith Urban's Making Memories of Us. What a sweet song, and such a lovely sentiment. It's so seldom that popular media portray love and relationships in such a simple and beautiful way. Angst and drama are so much more "interesting" and "sellable."

While I love the lyrics (with the exception of using the word "Paw" for the sweetheart's father -- who uses that term now? -- well, my children do, for their grandfather) and the music, I just couldn't get past the affected Southern accent and the typical country twang. When I was in the car, I kept thinking, "Surely this man can't have this kind of accent." I'm from the South, and no one that I know sounds like that! Obviously, I must have been correct, since I found out that he's Australian! And yes, I know, I've been told that I must live in a bubble for not knowing who he was.

I hope that some non-country artist records this song so that I can fully enjoy it!

One of the more disgusting things I've read lately:

Urine Therapy.

I'm pretty sure that I'm staying away from this.

The Rules for being a Dog

• I must insist on being inside the House at all times, even when it's quite lovely outside.
• If I am required to be outside when I don't want to be, I must sit on the steps outside the Door, occasionally Whining loudly and Pawing at the Door to remind my Human that I am not to be forgotten.
• When my Small Humans are outside, I must argue with my Sibling about who should Play with my Small Human.
• When I am inside the house with my Humans, I must follow them around intently, observing any opportunity for food nicking.
• I must be underfoot at all times, particularly when my Human is in the kitchen.
• If my Human is eating or drinking anything at all, I must sit at -- or better yet, ON -- her feet, ready to grab a dropped crumb at any moment.
• When I am bored with my Humans, I must lie in one of My Spots. My favorite Spot is behind my Human's rocker, just close enough so that she can't actually use the rocker. My second favorite Spot is on My couch. When I am on My couch, I must have my favorite pillow. If my pillow is not in the correct Spot on the couch, I will Whine until my Human locates my pillow.
• If the front curtains are open, I must sit at the window, Barking, Growling, and sometimes Whining at the Birds that Dare Trespass in My territory.
• If my Human has been outside the house for any amount of time, I must Sniff every possible inch of her to determine if she has been two-timing me by Petting other Dogs. If I find evidence of her Treachery, I will snuffle loudly to show my disapproval.

An excellent day!

Today Skeeter took off work at midday so that we could have a family day. Oh, we had a blast!

First on the agenda was the Greek Festival. Loads of yummy food and good music. Somehow we missed the dancers this year though. Skeeter and I had gyros this year, instead of the usual kebabs. Skeeter said he'd probably stick with the gyro, but I think next year I'll go back to the kebab. I forgot that dill is a key ingredient in the gyro, and I'm not all that fond of dill. For dessert, we shared loukoumades, a puffy pastry with honey, cinnamon, nuts, and powdered sugar. Messy but good.

We usually meet our friends Diane and Ginger with their boys, but this year we were running late -- stinking bank! -- and Diane and the boys went on the church tour, so we completely missed them. Diane called my cell phone just as we were leaving the festival, so we chatted with them for just a few moments before we walked back to the car.

Afterward we went to the bookstore to buy a birthday gift for Spyder. His birthday is soon, and the poor boy didn't have a thing for his birthday until today! While at the bookstore, we got a coffee -- of course -- and Sass and Spyder each found a book to buy.

Afterward we went The Learning House, a local educator store, where Spyder got to choose some of his birthday presents -- all science supplies. He picked out beakers, test tubes, petri dishes, litmus paper, and a few other things I'm sure that I'm forgetting. They were out of the test tube stand though, so we had to order that. He can't wait to use them, but he has to wait until his birthday. Plus we'll need to get ingredients for the experiments!

After the big shopping experience, we went to the bargain theatre to see The Pink Panther. Skeeter and Spyder loved it, but I wasn't all that thrilled with it. It had some funny parts, but overall I just didn't like it much.

We came home briefly after the movie. Mostly we played outside on the swingset and with the dogs, then we ran out to Kohl's. Skeeter found two pair of pants on the clearance rack -- $10 each -- and we made the thrilling discovery that he's moved down TWO sizes without really trying! Hey, I suppose walking on the highway is good for something!

We stopped at the Sonic on the way home, and now we're in for the night. Finally! It really was an excellent day.

An eBay mystery

Strange things are afoot at the local PO.

I sold a book on eBay on April 4. I shipped it a day or so after the person paid. On April 14, it showed up on my porch. Skeeter didn't remember putting it ON the porch, so I assume that somehow it worked its way back to me instead of to the recipient, although there was nothing on the package to indicate that.

I shipped it again on April 15. Last week, I got an email from the buyer asking if I had shipped it. So I sent her an email telling her what had happened. It hadn't shown up on her end though. I did send it media mail, which is occasionally very slow, and it was tax time. But, wanting to give good customer service, I told her that I would check at the PO to see if they had more information than is available online.

The woman at the PO was (not surprisingly) unhelpful.

Two days ago I found the package -- in the manager's office of the bookstore where I work!! I haven't asked the receiver yet, but I assume that they got it in with the regular shipments. I had used a box from the bookstore, and I had just taped the label over the original one.

I know for certain that I never, ever took the book to the store. There was no reason to. I packed it at the kitchen table, as always, and I even used packing paper that came from my Southern Living at Home shipment. And I remember taking it the post office because it was April 15, and I shipped multiple packages that day. And of course, they were all huge, so I had to make two trips to the car.

I was in the manager's office, getting ready to leave for the day. I needed to get something from a file drawer, and POOF, I saw my lost book sitting in the box in front of the cabinet! I shouted "That's my book!" and I think the manager jumped a foot. Of course, I had to tell him the whole story. I'm not sure he believed me, but I know he wanted me to shut up about my lost book, so he let me take it. LOL!

I kept babbling, "It's out of print. I swear, it's my book! There's a newer edition now. We don't even have any copies of the new edition in the store. And that's the packing paper that came out of my Southern Living at Home stuff. It's my book!"

So now I'm sending this book for a THIRD time, and I'm hoping that it will get there. I did learn a lesson from this though. From now on, I will always include the shipping invoice inside the package.

The Winds of Change

I feel like I'm moving into a completely new arena of parenthood. My children went to their first sleepover this weekend.

On one hand, it was wonderfully liberating. I have never been without my children for more than a couple of hours since they were born. Never ever. Skeeter and I went to dinner (at the Olive Garden -- yummy, yummy!), then we went home and watched Waking Ned Devine (a quirky little movie, but quite good). The movie ended at about 11:30, and we went to bed.

Not an exciting night, certainly, but it was fantastic. During that entire time, I didn't have to be the policeman or the referee. I was just a woman, enjoying the evening with her husband.

On the other hand, I didn't sleep well. I kept waking every couple of hours, thinking that I needed to check on the children for some reason. They were fine, of course, and it wasn't even that I was worried about them. I had trouble relaxing once my mind was unoccupied, simply because checking on them is what I do.

It's a very good thing that changes come a bit at a time. It would be too much of a shock for me if it came all at once.

A few comments on the weather

Good heavens!! The weather so far this year has been so strange. We seem to move from one extreme to the other, with almost no time in between.

We usually manage to make it until the first of May before we have to turn on the air conditioner, and it usually stays on until mid to late September. The heat goes on anywhere from mid-October to the first of November, and it stays on until mid to late March.

This year has been far from typical. So far, we've turned off the heat, had to turn it back on, turned it back off, turned on the a/c. Turned off the a/c again, then turned it back on. It's been on since. At one point in April it was 95 degrees. Thankfully, that heat wave only lasted for a few days. Overall though, I think that April has been far from typical, weather-wise.

Just Monday it was 85 degrees (warmer than normal, but still not horrid), where we spent a lovely (if crowded) day at the zoo. I just went out to feed the birds and it was CHILLY! Came in to check the temperature, and it's currently 56 degrees! Crazy weather. Crazy! Thankfully, we have an indoor activity planned for the afternoon!

April really is the cruellest month.

Unrealistic expectations

When I was working at the bookstore tonight, I had at least 11 requests for Tennessee Williams Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. We had two copies in the store, and we sold both of them before I got there this evening.

The teacher assigned the book today, expected them all to have copies tomorrow, and would be giving each student a ZERO for each day he/she didn't have it. (Three different students told me this, each at different times, so I don't think they were all exaggerating.) Every bookstore in town is sold out. And we have 10+ stores in the area. I know. I called them all.

The teacher is entitled to classroom autonomy, so I suppose there isn't anything that the students (or the parents) can really DO about it. But in my opinion, that's just wrong. If the teacher had set aside the books for them, then yes, she absolutely has the right to require that they get them that quickly. But none of them were assured a copy of the book, and those who don't get the zeros this week are just the lucky ones who can drive or dial the phone faster than the others.

A Girl Named Zippy

My latest read was Haven Kimmel's A Girl Named Zippy, and it was absolutely delightful! Read it, read it, read it!!

The book is really just a collection of essays about the ins and outs of growing up in a small Middle American community. It reads like Spoon River Anthology, where much of what is told isn't stated, but inferred.

I grew up in a small-ish town, and some parts of the book brought me back to my own joys and discoveries of childhood. I can't express enough how much I enjoyed this book!

I was thrilled to find that Kimmel has written another book of essays further detailing her small and small town years, and it's definitely high on my "must read" list.

The dogs are good for me

We have two dogs. They were (very unexpected) Christmas gifts in 2004 when we found them abandoned in below-freezing temperatures. They were only 5 weeks old when we got them, but now at 50 and 65 lbs, they're hard to remember that small!

Watching them grow up and seeing how their personalities develop has been the most fun part of having them.

Brownie is the larger of the two, but he's the "scaredy dog." He's terrified of loads of things, but the ones that come to mind first are the vacuum cleaner and mylar balloons. He always wants to be in the middle of everything, particularly anything that's taking place in the kitchen (LOL!). We always joke about him, particularly how the big and brawny dog is the one who is scared of everything, but he's a very loving and happy dog.

Lucy is much, much different than her brother. We always joke that she's the cat-dog because she has the same "You're just here to feed me" attitude that I usually see in cats. She's very aloof, although she does enjoy a good petting on her own terms. :o) She's definitely a bird dog. She's constantly tracking the birds and squirrels that happen to get too close to her domain (the backyard). She's never caught a squirrel -- that I've seen -- but I have seen the remains of several birds who got too close. She's currently in a war with a bluejay that has taken up residence in the live oak tree, and I've enjoyed watching them annoy each other. LOL!

Yes, having the dogs puts more work on me, like cleaning the neverending bits of dog hair that seem to get everywhere, but I'm so glad to have them.

This morning we had a terrible thunderstorm, and neither of them wanted to go out for their morning pee. When it was mostly over, Skeeter insisted (quite rightfully!), but they were both quite annoyed about it. Once the trip outside was finished and they were back in, Brownie looked at Skeeter and howled at him. Not a menacing bark or growl, but a howl, as if to say "How could you make me go out there!?! Use your eyes, man! It's wet and growly and awful!"

It was the biggest laugh I've had in ages, and even now I'm having trouble typing through the laugh-tears. It made me remember how much I like having my furry, four footed babies.

A Labor of Love

Well, probably nothing that dramatic. :o)

Last year around my birthday I decided to grow my hair long so that I could donate it to Locks of Love. It was pretty short when I decided, just barely brushing my shoulders. I haven't had it long since I was about 6, so it was definitely a new experience for me.

It really did become a sacrifice for the last few months, and that wasn't something that I expected. It had gotten so long that it was significantly heavier than usual. It took much longer to wash and dry, and it always looked and felt dirty at the end of the day.

This year, at my birthday last week, I went to the salon to see if it was long enough to donate, and . . . HOORAY!! . . . it was!

The transformation:

Bristle Love

Oh, how I love my new toothbrush!! LOL! I'm such a cheap old biddy. I always buy the generic Target brand toothbrushes. They get the job done, but they're nothing special. I've just never been able to spend almost $4 on the "fancy" name brand toothbrushes.

Today I opened my new toothbrush, which happened to be a freebie from a local dentist that I got at the Christmas parade. (I thought that was great -- throwing toothbrushes instead of candy! LOL!) I really, really need to figure out what kind it is because it's fantastic, and I will *definitely* spend the extra money for it!

I just Googled and figured out what I have. Just in case you're wondering, it's the Oral-B CrossAction toothbrush. And it's most certainly worth the $4!

The Science of Magic

We spent the day at the Pink Palace Museum, and we had a BLAST! For some reason, the children were fascinated with the idea that it had been built as someone's home, so we spent over an hour in the mansion portion. And the public portion isn't all that big! The public is only allowed in the entry, a hallway, and two rooms. The hallway and rooms are set up with exhibits on the history of the area, but the entry is just a huge open space -- with a stuffed polar bear (??)! I need to remember to ask why the polar bear is there. LOL!

Once we left the original mansion, we went to the traveling exhibit, The Science of Magic. Spyder (the aspiring magician) was absolutely thrilled! Sass was excited too, since the exhibit is very "hands-on" and she got to do the magic too. It was actually our second time at the exhibit, but the first time we went was during Spring Break for the schools, so it was completely packed. It was much, much nicer being able to enjoy it without the big crowd.

It's a great exhibit, and I'll be sad for it to go. I can't wait to see what's next though!

SchoolHouse Rock LIVE!

LOVE IT!! We saw SchoolHouse Rock Live last week, and everyone loved it! I can honestly say that Sass, Spyder, and I all had a fantastic time.

For me, of course, it was a stroll (jog, maybe?) down memory lane. I remember how much I loved those three or four minute songs when I was little. I'd watch the Saturday morning cartoons just waiting for SchoolHouse Rock.

My children watch the DVD regularly, but it's not quite the same. There's just something about having a favorite song surprise you on the television, like when you're flipping channels and come across a movie that you already own and you watch it anyway. Or maybe that's just me? :o)

Tin Roof Tango!

Spyder and I went to see Tin Roof Tango last week. What a show! The group essentially plays folk music from around the world, and it was outstanding!

The group plays traditional instruments, which made it even more fascinating. One of the main instruments used was the hammered dulcimer, which we've seen at the Renaissance Festival many times (but Spyder never realized -- LOL!). I think his favorite instrument was the South American RainStick.

Spyder was laughing and dancing and singing through all of it! He loved it so much that we even bought the CD!

Back in the saddle again!

WHEW! It's been quite a month! From the urchins being ill to running about for different activities, the days have been quite full! I feel like my life was running me. I think (I *think*) that we're settled into our usual routine once again. Still busy and on-the-go, as springtime always is, but I'm not allowing things to get out of hand. :o)

I haven't quite worked eBay listings into the schedule again, but I suppose that will come.

At the moment, I'm trying to gather Easter basket items. I know what they're getting; I just need to go and BUY it without having me with them (quite a difficult thing)!