First Meme

I really don't have any idea what a meme is, but the word is thrown around the blogosphere like a hot potato. In french it means "the same". I'm guessing it means do the same thing I do, only in your words. Someone, feel free to tell me if I am anywhere close to solving this mystery. Anyway, I have jumped on to Laskigals meme she offered up to anyone today. By the way, there are some hot pictures of her husband's hair on her blog......Here are the rules:

• Pick up the nearest book of at least 123 pages.


• Open the book to page 123.


• Find the 5th sentence.


• Post the next 3 sentences.


• Tag 5 people.

OK, #1, I am not one for tagging people, so if you would like to indulge in this meme, let me know and knock yourself out. #2 The last book I read was Sleeping with Ward Cleaver, which I have already sung praises about. Since then, too much relocating my parents, so I have read nothing longer than a 5 page article and even that took a few days. So I just meandered over to the bookcase and grabbed, How to Say It to Girls: Communicating with Your Growing Daughter
This is what I found.....(Topic is Spirituality)
"*Let's say 3 things we're each thankful for before I tuck you into bed.
*I'm praying to God for help to figure out what to do.
*I believe that there's a strong energy for good in the world.
Encourage her questions about religion and spirituality."

Nothing juicy there, just some good wholesome advice. Now you know I will be going to page 123 of the next book I read to check things out. I am planning on having time to read another book around Mother's Day.

Streaking or not....

I blew my own streak. I wanted to post every day in March and my damn friends took me out to dinner Friday night, allowed my to drink too much and stayed at my house until 11:30 at which point I crawled up to bed. Can one have better friends?

Let me back up to say that Friday morning, I was on my way to Sturbridge Village (2 1/2 hours away) following a bus full of 5th graders with my sister in law(sil). My sil had her son's cell phone. He forgot to take it on the bus with him. A 1/2 hour or so into the trip, his cell phone gets a text message. Of course, she looks at it and reads it. That's when we became 11 again. She starts answering the text messages like she is him. Then I have to say, "Ask her if she likes, so and so", so she does and gets the answer "No WAy!" We amuse ourselves for 1 HOUR unbeknownst to the girls that it was not C they are talking to, but his mom and aunt! We cracked ourselves up. C was not too happy when we told him what we had been up to, but he forgave us. (Phew)

It rained most of the way there and all morning long. S.V. is mostly outside. The rain didn't seem to bother the oxen, the roosters, the lambs, the people who work there or especially the kids.

I guess it didn't bother me too much either although I was asked what I was harboring under my jacket a few times due to my camera that stayed warmer and drier than I did.
K at the old school house.

The car ride back was less eventful probably because we had rescued K and C from the bus and took them home with us. The ride started off fine, SIL slept, K and C played magnetic checkers, I daydreamed about a beach in Aruba, I mean I paid very close attention to the road. With 1/2 hour left, all talk turned to poop. Kids think poop is hysterical. C had to go, but didn't want to make me stop until it was almost too late! We pulled off the highway and drove to a nice hotel where he relieved himself, jumped into the car and said, "Quick, we have to leave, I just dropped a foot long in there and the place will never be the same!" K and C laughed about this the whole way home.

I thought I could write yesterday, but wound up cleaning the house in the AM for the ant exterminator. Yes, I am sure he appreciated my clean counters. The big carpenter ants appreciated my clean hallways. I don't think they appreciated the poisonous spray into their nests. My mom, dad and brother decided that Sat. afternoon would be a fabulous time to go to IKEA. All 3 were not comfortable in the front of my bro's truck, so my mom was going to drive herself. Being the oldest kid, makes you the most responsible kid. (Funny, I can be 41 and still a kid!) My mom has had trouble with her sciatica and I didn't want her driving that far herself, so B and I went with her. We arrived at IKEA at 2:30 on Sat. afternoon. Not a time I would recommend to anyone. The entire United Nations was there. Didn't stop me from getting a bunch of stuff, though. My (anal) brother measured this and that (everything), used the calculator and went through a few pencils figuring out what was needed for parent's new house. We got home at 8:15!

Guess what we all will be doing today? You guessed it, putting together $500 worth of IKEA furniture. Better go get some batteries for my electric screwdriver since it's too chilly to go streaking.

The Day After

Thank you eveyone for my birthday wishes! I even got a blog entry dedicated to me by my friend Rebecca over at Seaside Designs. She is the most creative person I know. She sells her beautiful ocean-y (new word!) jewelry, soaps, candles, lotions, sea glass creations, and more all over the country! Actually, you can see and buy some of her delightful creations here.

My day was busy and ordinary albeit for enjoying a lovely lunch with my mom and my dear friend, Faith and people shouting Happy Birthday every once and awhile, oh and dare I forget the presents! Had a maritime meeting, hip hop class, picked up girls from school, moved furniture around my parents house and took B to soccer practice. I was most eager to get B's card because of what she said the other night(scroll a few posts down).

This is what she wrote, "Dear Mommy, I love you so so so much and I've spent 9 years with you and hopefully there will be so many more to come! Happy Birthday! Love, B".

Yes, B, with any luck, there will be about another 60 or so(knock on wood). That's what I am working toward! Of course I did get rollerblades from my dear family, so I may be a little bruised!

World's Greatest Story (about me, of course!)

4 score and 7 years ago.....OK, maybe not quite that long ago.....a beautiful (smart, kind, lovely, darling) little girl was born. Her wonderful mother was in the hospital knocked out (yes, it was that long ago), while her dashing father was at her grandparents' house washing the car. (Can you imagine? Not wiping the brow of his laboring (but asleep) bride, but home washing the car!) He had the phone out the window waiting for the good word from the Dr.. Finally the phone rang around 1 that beautiful Easter Sunday afternoon, he hopped in his clean car and flew to the hospital.

There was his snoring, I mean, lovely wife and his stunningly gorgeous baby girl (hey, it's my story, I can embellish). They named this dreamy little girl Susan (which means Lily, which is appropriate for Easter, don't you think?). The handsome father wanted to name her Judy after an old girlfriend, but thankfully the mother woke from her drug induced slumber and straightened him out!

There it is, the story of my birth. I love birthdays and plan on making a big deal out of mine for the next 60 or so years. What better way to celebrate another year well lived with all the highs and lows that come with life in general? No time to lament getting older, or adding another gray hair, or another wrinkle....it's time to celebrate the present. I mean the here and now, but if you have presents, bring'em on!

What to write.....

Pondering things to write about tonight..... I thought I was going to write about how I got interviewed for the newspaper since I am running for school committee, then I thought about writing how B watched many episodes of America's Next Top Model (UGH), or I could have told you about how my dog and my sister's dog took off today for a 1/2 hour jaunt to who knows where while I frantically looked for them. But no, none of those will compare to what B just told me. (My birthday is tomorrow). "Mommy, I tried to make your card not like a death notice." HUH? "Yeah, I tried to make it not sound like something I would write on your grave stone."
me, "That's great, honey. Sweet dreams!"

MCAS, blah

Egg salad for lunch, number 1. This will probably be followed by days 2 -7 as well.

My girls had a great Easter weekend and had to go back to school today for MCAS. These are the Massachusetts standardized testing units they use for graduation. Granted, you have to pass your sophomore year to graduate, but they start the stress in the 3rd grade. Sent B to school today with her wrist in an ace bandage. OK, so the story behind this is that I walked the dog while she rollerbladed Friday and she fell on her wrist. This is my daughter who is dying to have a cast, dying to get an xray and one day wanting to become a Dr. (a rich Dr. who can play golf when she wants, but a Dr. nonetheless). Sorry kid, no swelling, no black and blue and plenty of movement. Instead of the xray she got lots of frozen peas (hey, they form around the wrist better than ice) and an ace bandage. Very disappointing to her, but she got sympathy today with the ace bandage. She also had a slight cold, so I sent her with kleenex and a pencil sharpener and a few cough drops and a large bottle of water. One must be in traction to miss the MCAS. Also, once they start, there is no getting up until you are done.

As I was waiting in a Dr's office with my mom, who has had severe ciatic nerve problems since she and my dad started moving a month ago, the elementary school nurse called. Seems B's teacher did not appreciate the way she was trying to cough up a lung and the minute she was done with the test, he decided she should come home until test 2 which is Wed morning. OK, fine. When do I get my masters in medicine anyway. Doesn't experience count for anything?

Happy Easter!

We had a very nice sunny and chilly day here on Cape Cod. I am stuffed to the gills with ham and a brownie sundae. Hope you all had a nice day, too!
Don't be fooled by the temp in this picture! I made them stand outside for 60 seconds withouth their jackets on so I could see their cute outfits! Chalk up another point in the best mom award category!