Look in a mirror before you leave the house!

OK I am going to get on my little soapbox for a moment and comment on some hideous things I have seen recently.

1. Check your "rear view" mirror before you leave the house. I don't want to see crack especially if it is attached to a tool belt. And absolutely NO crack with Cottage Cheese dimples in it!

2. I am a firm believer in the theory that anything spandex should not be produced or made in certain sizes.

3. If you can't breathe while buttoning your pants to put them on...it really isn't going to get THAT much better once "they get stretched out"

4. Muffin top. Don't do it. I have done it on accident on occasion but once you see yourself you'll understand why people tell you NOT to do it.

5. And for the men out there...If your jeans make you look like this guy (below) does in his jeans we are NOT turned on! Somethings are better left to the imagination or not thought of at all.

6. If your cleavage is so high that you have a serious risk of suffocation should you lean too far forward then it is time to let those babies breathe a little
.
7. Just do everyone a favor and look in the mirror before you leave the house.

Just funny

So I typed "Just funny" into my handy dandy Google search engine and clicked on the images link.

I picked the ones that made me chuckle to post here...

Enjoy!

A bittersweet day

As I have posted before my Dad was my Superman. Today was the 8 year mark since he passed away. Even all these years later, on this day, I can look at the clock and tell you what I was doing at that exact time on THE day. I know my Mom is happy with Beau. My Dad would want her to be taken care of... it is just still hard to swallow at times.




The other part of my day has me quite excited! I went to the license branch today and went inside expecting a line. I walked up to the counter directly and they sent me to take my test. I took the test AND renewed my plates for the car and was out the door in less than 20 minutes!

Yes you read that correctly 20 stinking minutes.... I think it must be a record of some sort... at least for me anyway!

Anyway back to this test. That's right. I passed! I am now an official permit carrying motorcycle wannabe chick! Now let the REAL shopping begin for a motorcycle!

And yes Patty... I am keeping the car for when the weather gets crummy. And yes I will wear a full face helmet with the wind guard... Any more concerns out there?

The crazy I call family

So my presence was required at the land up north for the birthday party of Beau...the man my Mom married last September.

• I did not go out on the jet ski because I was the only person present with the knowledge and/or skills to drive the jet ski. Therefore I would have been responsible for taking everyone else on the rides they would have wanted. Not usually a problem BUT there are two boys in this family that I do not trust and would not want to be stuck in the middle of the lake with them.
• One of the step sisters drives me nuts. She has never uttered the words Thank You but she orders everyone around down to the food we will serve her because she has MD and is in a wheelchair. Apparently she was this way before the wheelchair but now she milks it for all it is worth.
• She even drove back to the house because we didn't give her enough chocolate cake in her take home package, even though she had 4 pieces of white and 4 pieces of chocolate. She didn't get any more.
• Beau opened a card from Mom and Mom was honestly shocked. She addressed it and signed the card but has no memory of the card at all. She says it might be from his birthday last year....and it happened to be on the table with the other cards.... I wish she would talk to a doctor about this since HIPPA has our hands tied.
• Mom also tried giving away one of my favorite stuffed animals. The one my grandparents got me when I was in the hospital once. BUT NO...she insists that a neighbor bought it at a garage sale for her last weekend. This would be the equivalent of giving away your childhood blankie...(yes I know, sis, but it wasn't my fault!).

I am ready for sleep and off to work this week. I have more to share about the weekend but that is for another day.

Like we need another thing to worry about!

Burger King.

What were you thinking?

Many women already have hormonal problems with age and well.... WE JUST DO! OK!

Like I didn't have enough to worry about that now I watch which foods I eat out of fear of growing a mustache!




Yes I know it is a joke but I do still find the dancing guy a little creepy!

Choices???

So I have a choice to make. I have been studying the handbook for my motorcycle permit and I think I am ready for the written test. I am indeed going to be upgrading to a faster one with the requirement of an actual motorcycle license.

I have two bikes/scooters/motorcycles that I really like and are within my price range.

Of course the more "real" looking one appeals to my other side, the alter ego side, the one who wants to have fun, the one that still remembers what it was like to be a "bad girl".

Of course this one appeals to my grown up side. The "you are a child of God" and director of a daycare side. The you must look professional showing up to work on this thing side.

All I know is that I can't get mine to hold a charge and it is killing me to not be out on the road with the wind in my face!

A present for one of my stafff

I seriously want to get this shirt for one of my employees. On a small staff of 9 she is the one who constantly "stirs the pot"...my little nonconformist....she is the one I walk by a room and I hear her bad mouthing X, Y OR Z...well or me.

I know she is looking for another job and has had interviews. I would rather she quit than be fired BUT the documentation is piling up on her and she is bringing moral down... hugely.

It is all happy go lucky until she walks in the building and starts complaining. Within a matter of an hour she usually has started enough crap that at least 2 or 3 people are snapping at each other.

If she survives tomorrow it will be a miracle.

On a happier note...I have given up on the new car idea and I am looking at motorcycles while I prepare for my Motorcycle Permit Test.

I know I know... yes I will always wear a helmet. BUT I am ready for some fun!

One of those days...sigh

At work I already had meetings scheduled that I had to reschedule and work around as one of our "state ladies" popped in for a surprise visit. I had everything in order it was just an inconvenience today. I had board members crawling around all ready as they are preparing for an event at the church AND I had 2 staff out because of vacation and DR. appts.

Being pulled in 4 different directions isn't always fun.

Tomorrow we will hopefully have a calmer day, employees returning to work and all will be well at the ol' job. WELL....maybe I will just hope for an "OK" day as it IS daycare after all.

Is it the end yet?

Big Red dropped off another load of stuff tonight. At first I thought he was bringing things a few pieces at a time just so he could see me as he has a habit of standing around and wanting to converse with me.

Then I realized it is taking him THAT long to clean up the house and sort through things. If you will remember this post.

Tonight he brought over among other things a trunk. I glanced through it quickly and found a few folders of papers from college, a blanket, rocks (I have no idea what they are from but I must have thought them worthy of saving at some point) and my senior booklet.

This booklet is not my yearbook or senior book that you order but something we as a class made.

Every student in our Senior English Composition class had to write a few distinct stories to include. We were given a few suggestions such as "Senioritis", "What I'd like to forget...", "My favorite memory from High School", "My Last Will and Testament" and "How to survive..."

I have enjoyed spending the last hour or so reading through these. It has been a nice trip down memory lane. I am sure we didn't have exclusive rights on all the STUPID things we did. Growing up in the country we had many stories of Railroad Track jumping, T P ing, forking, skipping school to go out on the lake etc.

BUT......I am so glad I don't have to deal with that anymore. I wouldn't go back to High School for any amount of money. Sure you could argue the lack of responsibly, the chance to start over and many other things but I wouldn't be the person I am today without MY life experiences.

APS- the best explanation I've heard yet

This is by far the best explanation I've heard yet. It is easier to understand than all the doctor lingo I usually hear.

It is just over 6 minutes but well worth the time to understand this disease.

Grandpa would have loved it!

So I watched the final episode of The Price is Right with Bob Barker as the host. I know and I am not even in my 60's yet.

I wrote of one Grandpa yesterday that watched Billy Graham fervently and today I watched the final episode of a show that the other Grandpa scheduled his day around.

You see I spent a great deal of time with these Grandparents. Every summer I would spend at least 2 or 3 weeks at their house. This is where I learned how to drive a riding lawnmower, pick raspberries, shuck corn, "snap" green beans and appreciate nature and the outdoors at dusk as well. A typical day would entail becoming a "mall walker" before the stores opened for the day, eating out at Richard's restaurant then returning home to do a few chores like cleaning and "fetching the whatchamacallit from the upstairs". I might be sent out to get the mail or mow the lawn but none of these activities could ever interrupt "The Price is Right".

Grandpa could, without fail, nail ever price requested and bid successfully on the showcases. He was usually Very VERY close. I always told him that when I got my driving license we would drive to the studio and he could play...and meet Bob Barker.

Of course that never happened but the dreams we had.....

He would have loved the big send off of Bob Barker because it was simply a game show with an extra "I love everyone" right before his closing tag line about controlling the pet population by spaying and neutering your pets.

Grandpa would have loved it.

Ruth Graham

No matter what your stance on which religion is "right" one has to admit that we lost a very Godly woman today.

According to the AP Ruth Graham wife of Billy Graham died this afternoon at the age of 87.

I find it amazing that in the midst of their grief they are talking of how they look forward to seeing her in heaven.

Yes I understand this in principle but within hours of her passing they are saying this?.... That is an incredibly deep faith. Maybe it comes with age or wisdom or a longer walk with God...(or great press agents) but I know when I lose someone I am angry at first... it takes several days for the heaven part to kick in inside my mind.

I am just amazed once again by all that God can do with one person or one couple who are devoted to God with their whole hearts.

I remember as a child my Grandpa would watch the crusades on TV...he never sent money in that I know of but I watched as he wept while he was praying and watching people give their hearts to God on TV. This was foreign to me as a child but now I understand.

Just a thought rattling around in my brain.

The weekend in a nutshell

So I spent the day on Saturday up in the great north attending a whole town type garage sale. There were about 100 sales and I think I was at about 90 of them...
with my Mom.

Sigh.

I did however clean up for the daycare. I think I bought every piece of Little Tykes equipment I could find.
I bought a slide, a stove, a ride on dump truck, a baby care set with a changing table and swing, a rocker, a baby cradle, a ride on tractor with a tow behind trailer, a desk toy and a bulletin board.


I also picked up some orange cones, a few baby toys, a Boggle Jr. game, a bag of dress up clothes, puzzles, hard dress up hats (firefighter etc) and a walker for the baby room. Not bad for only about $41.00.

The haul of goodies made it worth spending the day with Mom when she's not firing on all cylinders...you know when she forgets stuff and complains all. day. long.

We had a very powerful sermon today at church. Actually it was more of a monologue. One of the Pastors who doesn't normally speak on Sundays stood and gave a dramatic presentation of the Sermon on the Mount. I can't even begin to do it justice here so I will not attempt it. I can say he stood at the front and quoted the entire chapter word for word with props and pauses.

Wow.

I didn't get the lawn mowed or much laundry done. The next free evening I have is Thursday and I probably will be cited by the city for a stand or two of grass being too long. I wish I knew a neighborhood kid I could pay $5 bucks to mow it just this once. Hey $5.00 is a deal for as little as the yard is!

I'll have to do laundry at some point this week or by Weds. I won't be able to attend work in anything but PJ's!

I might as well go throw a load in now...

Ta Ta

The Princess Bride is the best!

I love this movie! I think hands down this is my favorite movie ever!
The Battle of Wits!




The Wedding!



Just thought I would share...

More later!

The games are over....for now.

The car search is over for now...sigh. I waved Bye Bye as I could not get the deal I wanted. They did finally offer to pay off my car completely but...I got the actual payoff amount (from my bank) and the dealer had "inadvertently" added almost $300 in an overage.

Hmmmmmm...

They found out that my Credit Union would only finance the NADA value of the car and decided if I wanted the car I would have to go back up to 11.25% interest rate to be financed through them...well maybe they could get 10.25%....

Hmmmmmmmm.......


Then they started criticizing the credit union I work with. The CU that has walked me through other loans successfully... my student loans...my line of credit for surviving the divorce... helped guide me through "finances 101" after my Dad passed away.

And he had the nerve to tell me they weren't looking out for me like their dealership was?!!?

These people I have know less than 3 days were taking care of me better than the people who have known me by name and account numbers for the last 17 years? The people who pull my account up as I approach the window because they recognize me... The people who teared up at the window when they heard of a miscarriage... The people who helped me protect my accounts and assets before I filed for divorce so that Big Red couldn't take advantage of me....

I don't think the people at the dealership had my best interests in mind like my Credit Union does. I know some of you may think I am exaggerating but this truly is how my CU treats my family and I. Am I right sis?

The dealership was kind enough..cough cough...to give me back the deposit check and tell me I could change my mind at any time...or talk my credit union into "working with such a valued member" to get a higher loan amount...but the car is not worth $$ the loan amount...

I should have stuck with my gut instinct to stay away from this particular dealership.

Lesson learned.

I started some research again and discovered I can buy a 2006/2007 car for about the same payment because the loan time is longer.

Who knows.......All I know is I am done looking this week.

The itch for a new car....

So the dealership called today again...they sweetened the deal.

You see the itch comes from a few issues:

1. I didn't really pick out the car I currently own. It was purchased a month or so before the wedding and it was deemed the "family car". This was the 4 door soon-to-be-mom-mobile. This was the car we purchased that would be used to transport the children when we decided to have them. The thing that burns is that I really believe he never intended on having children with me. So why this car?

2. I am newly divorced and I need to rebuild some of my credit. No matter how good your credit was before a divorce it always seems to take it's toll on the score. So the car will be nicer and in better condition than what I own. My payments won't be too much higher than what I pay now (providing the deal goes through as planned). And I will be rebuilding the credit in my new/old name.

3. I could use a little fun right now. Going from the family car to a sporty VW Bug will provide some fun and will lift the self esteem a little.

4. If this car doesn't work out I can guarantee you that I will have a newer more reliable car within a month or so. It may not be a Bug but it will not need as much work as mine.

I did have the manly man who understands these kinds of cars that I know take it for a test drive and kick the tires and such. I got the thumbs up from him.

Only time will tell....

Let the games begin!

So I wasted a few gallons of that precious commodity we call gas to drive around to a car lot or two searching for the next One4JC vehicle.

I feel like I am getting hosed because they see me walk on the lot and play rock paper scissors to see who gets to take a crack at me.

I was chased down on 2 different lots as they tried to talk to me but on the 3rd lot my escape route was blocked by an oncoming car.

Crap!

I found a car that I love at this lot. I found a black bug in my price range with everything except the moon roof. He, the dealer who caught me, did talk me into a test drive.

Next thing I know he has whisked me into the showroom to talk prices, relieved of my keys to appraise the "trade-in" and pulled out paperwork to start the financing process.

I humored him to see what he could offer me.

Just because I am a female doesn't mean I am totally ignorant about the price of cars, trade in values and other testosterone laden things.

He came back with a payment of $350.00/month at 11.25% interest rate for an $8500.00 car!

I laughed at him and asked for my keys back.

He started back tracking and negotiating. I did get the loan lengthened, my trade-in value upped and the interest rate down to 7.5%. However it is still out of my price range. I told him I needed to have someone come look at the car. He offered me a phone. I said I needed to crunch numbers and pray about it and he still tried to get me to put a refundable deposit down on the car. I didn't.

We left it that he will call me Monday morning and I will work on my own financing and person to look at the car. However I do not like the pressure he tried to use. He wanted me sign the paperwork and drive away with the car within an hour of the first test drive.

I don't think so.