General Musings

Ok- this is going to be a very random post & blurps on lots of little topics- sorry about that!

We've been having some nasty weather here in the midwest lately. Sunday night the horrible tornados ripped through Joplin MO leaving more than 100 dead and we spent part of the evening in the basement. Princess Bear (PB) has a huge tendency to freak out when its time to hit the basement when the tornado sirens go off. I'm the only one in the house that is scared of storms. She'll actually sit on the front porch swing with my parents and watch storms. Those tornado sirens go off though and the kid starts to freak. I've tried explaining to her that going to the basement is just a way to make sure we're safe & nothing calms her down. Ugh! Then yesterday we had a storm come rolling through here unlike anything I've seen since living in AL or NC. It was just sheets of rain that left NO visability. There actually wasn't a lot of lightning or thunder. Just a lot of wind and rain. My parents & PB were on the porch watching things. Next thing I know the power in the house cuts out. Now we have some dumb a$$ squirrels around here that can't figure out transformer boxes aren't their friends and there was a similar boom when a transformer blows. I started getting out candles and checking our flashlights. I called Ameren to let them know the power was out. Then I got my dinner that was 3/4 of the way through heating in the microwave when the power blew and ate. By then my parents & PB came in and PB started to freak. The last time we had any sort of power outage was in the dead of winter and it was damn cold! Luckily we have a fireplace and plenty of wood so it wasn't much of a problem. Unfortunately that is what PB immediately things of when the power goes out. So my mom & dad did some family reading time with her & read a few chapters of the TumTum & Nutmeg book they're currently reading. Then PB tried finding things to play with. Littlest Pet Shops? Little itty bitty pieces everywhere as we're quickly losing daylight? Um, nope don't think so. Ball? nope candles everywhere. So we colored and did magnet board pics for awhile but boredom settled in quickly. I also found out that reading my flashlight makes for odd shadows that can be headache producing if you aren't careful! So I'm going to be hitting some garage sales looking for some camping laterns. Since I want to do some backyard camping with PB that will be handy anyway. I also realize that PB is WAY reliant on electricty as I am. Fortunately give me a book and I can kill time anywhere. I've been reading Laura Ingals Wilder to PB and reminded her that this is how Laura & Mary lived with Ma & Pa every day- it didn't consol her!

Now since I'm a TV junkie here is a quick recap of my thoughts on last weeks season finales!
Castle- WTF????? Ok I LOVE me some Max Martini & really hate seeing him as a bad guy. Beyond that the Captain was the bad guy? So didn't see that coming! Castle telling Kate he loved her after she's been shot? Thats some timing for you! Ugh! Now the show can't go on if she is dead so its a given she isn't so what happens now???
NCIS- No huge surprises here until the very end of the show. Who is slipping secrets???? I don't like that Zeva has gotten back together with Ray but what can you do. I also don't like that they killed Franks off but it was well done. Kort needs to be b%#ch slapped- just my opinion
NCIS LA- ok I didn't catch season 1 of this but still like the show. I loved the part when G, Sam, and Kenzie were turning in theire shields and weapons. Deacs is the last one and says "I would if I could". I love when he flips those out there like that!
Criminal Minds- ok- how many times is Joe Montenga's (?) daughter going to guest star? Other than that I waited the whole freaking episode for JJ to show up. Seems as though they're bringing her back which is awesome! Now they just need to catch Doyle and get Prentiss out of hiding!
The Mentalist- Ok my new favorite TV line is from this just because for a week I've thought about it and laughed each time! Lisbon is trying on her bridesmaid dress and of course its what we all would hate to wear as bridesmaids- pink and strapless! Jane walks in and then is telling her how she looks great and says "You look like a princess- an angry little princess" LOVE IT!

The garden is of course going through another is it or isn't it happening stage. I tried giving my dad information on permanent beds. Even if we can't do raised beds permanent would be good- no go. My mom had all of us outside doing her bidding bright and early Sunday. PB also got something- G-d only knows what dumped all over her that led to a shower and a scrubbed until she looked like a lobster shower. Our neighbor loaned us his tiller so as soon as the ground is workable my dad is doing that. So I raked up the spent pine needles and left over tomato ick from last year. I did not know that Seed Savers has retail seeds so I was at Kelly Seeds yesterday having a grand time. I also bought some heirloom sweet pea seeds but can't find nicotainia seeds or plants anywhere :(

So that is my random thoughts & activities!

Garden?????

In between healing from my surgery, a very, very wet spring and general illness there has been absolutely no planting going on here and I'm so bummed! I have several pots of herbs that are doing well in their grow house but thats it. I did try to convince my dad that raised beds are the best way to go. Back it up with all sorts of data and got shot down. SO I'm going to go for a permanent bed set up and hope that helps. I know tilling every year is bad but are dirt is basically clay. At least with a permanent bed approach the dirt won't get so compacted. I can get some decent crop rotation schedule going on and still use square foot gardening. I really just wish I could get out there & set some of this in motion!

High School Reunion?

When I was in OT for my post op wrist & elbow recovery the COTA that I worked with was someone I graduated with. For the most part I have very little memory of those in my graduating class. I was part of a small group that hung out together and kept in touch for awhile after graduation. I wish there were some that I was still in contact with but not that many. Jill, the COTA, is all gung ho for our 20th reunion. First I have to get over the fact that its been 20 years since I walked out of that hell hole and then deal with the fact that I really don't want to go. Since the implosion of my friendship with Jessi I truly have no desire to go. I didn't make it to the previous reunions and don't quite get why people get so excited about reunions. For the most part I hated my high school experience. I was extremely alternative in a Catholic high school. My head was buzzed except for my bangs. Please think back to the late '80's and it won't seem as weird then- I promise! I was very into the Cure, Depeche Mode and had copies of Sid Vicious' obituary all over my locker.

Also, I started at a school called Bergan. In a town this size it still had 2 high schools when I started and there was a bitter rivalry. You went to the high school that your grandparents, parents & siblings went to. Since both my parents had been raised in Chicago there wasn't a big alliance to either school. My youngest aunt & uncle went to Bergan but it was entirely up to me. I decided to go to Bergan and entered there a total and complete prep. I'll have to see if I can find my freshman year and sophmore year pictures to share- what a complete identity shift! I was comfortable with the change and amazingly my parents although they didn't like it supported me. My sophmore year the two high schools combined but were still housed on 2 campuses. My junior year all those idiots from downtown invaded out building. It did bring some nice changes. The best was seeing my friend Jeremy on a daily basis. It also brought about a new girls dean. She was a royal bitch! My hair style was deemed against the new dress code and I had to grow it out. The dean actually measured my hair once a week to make sure I was growing it out. G-d I hated that place! I had my left ear pierced up top on the cartiledge. The school rules where that you could only wear 1 pair of earrings so I wore 1 in the cartiledge and one lower on my right side. Still only 1 pair of earrings. Pushing it a bit perhaps but still within the rules. My mom was there fighting my detentions on a regular basis! There were also a lot of those I deserved. My friend Monika and I had it timed just right so we could get down to our cars, smoke a quick cigarrette and get to study hall in time for detention. I thought I was so cool- If my daughter acts like this I will beat her ass!

I did walk out of there with some really good friends and memories that I'll always treasure. There are many friendships that haven't held up to the test of time and I really am sad about that. There are friendships that I don't regret losing. There are people I miss a lot & wish I could go back and change. There are friends that have passed away and its always with a heavy sense of sadness that I think about them. I just can't picture myself walking into my 20 year reunion and walk out smiling.

Did you go to your reunions?

Ugh- I did it again!

Well, I disappeared. Instead of blogging and venting on here I let my family get the best of me. Not a good thing. I'll lash myself 40 times with a wet noodle.

Anyway, since then the Royal Wedding happened. I actually got up at 4am to watch the festivities. My friend Jen from Jen on the Edge did an incredible love blogging of the Royal wedding. You can check it out HERE. We text back and forth for a bit. The whole thing made me remember Charles and Diana's wedding. I watched that in my grandparents basement with my Aunt Joanne and my grandma. You really can't watch anything pertaining to William or Harry and not think of their mum. The wedding was spectacular and a lot of fun to watch (although I felt like crud babysitting my nephews later that morning!). I LOVED LOVED LOVED Pippa's maid of honor gown- gorgeous. Kate looked incredible- very Grace Kelly-ish. I was a bit disappointed in the flowers but what can you do?

Easter & Mothers Day were their usual family traumas thanks to my mother. Enough said on that.

I found a gorgeous First Communion gown for Princess Bear (PB) for next year. It was being clearanced and then my mom had a $10 off coupon. So by the time all was said and done the dress was $18- can't beat that!

I'm waiting for PB's pool to arrive but my parents are now saying they aren't sure about the pool. Its high enough to be legal but not too deep. I really don't know why this is even an issue for them.

More updates to come on a regular schedule- really!