We'll Always have Paris

The last time I went to the show I saw Hannah Montana in 3D and the time before that I can't remember what I went to see but I think it was the Beatles tribute Across the Universe. Yeha I go to the movies once a year. I am sure blockbuster is chalked full of movies I haven't seen. Now that I have responsibility of raising an infant child on my own I just can't go to the movies after work for a matinee like I used to. Now that I don't do it very much I should have appreciated more. Going places involves planning and timing who knew getting 2 hours of "me" time would take so much work, only to get where you planned to go and be thoroughly exhausted that all you long for is to go home and sleep!!

Well tonight I am going to the movies with my sister and new friend Sandra to see the much anticipated movie of my year!!!.................Sex and the City! I didn't realize until last night when I was in line getting tickets how excited I am to see this movie. Oh what you don't purchase your movie tickets 28 hours in advance COME ON it is 2008!If you are going to get into a show on Friday night you better plan ahead and get there early to find a good seat. While your at it get a second job. How do teenagers go out anymore, or afford to take friends out on dates?? Since when is the price of a movie ticket $9? No wonder movies are breaking box offices records in the millions. Next year I might have to plan a longer "me" time so I can slip into another movie just to get my money's worth.

I don't want to read any reviews about the movie. I want to be totally surprised and form my own opinion. Considering there wasn't much hype around the movie I don't want to get my hopes up or be spoiled by an over boisterous critic.

That was close

My daily commute is long and tiresome and has been for at least 10 years. I have drove many miles at all kinds of speeds, under and over bridges, taking short cuts to avoid back-ups, and have taken scenic routes to break up the mundane. I drive 35 miles one way to work, that is 70 miles.in.one.day! Some of you can relate while others are lucky to be able to drive a shorter distance or be it ever so blessed to walk! I consider myself a well seasoned driver but nothing prepared me for what happened last night.
As I drove home with my precious cargo in the back rockn' out to Laurie Berkner, it happened. With the warmer weather upon us road construction is in full swing, orange barrels line my commute here there and everywhere. It is no surprise to me that on the two lane freeway for the ride home turns to one lane just before my exit. Now that I drive the speed limit most days I have also become courteous and let semi-trucks merge into my lane but not on an all the time basis. So the truck driver pulls in front of me and flashes his lights as a thank you, but moments later one of his 18 tires BLOWS UP! BAM! It was loud and the truck began to swerve, I brace for the impacted of a tire the size of my SUV to bust through my windshield, I had no where to go, there was NO shoulder on the left and orange barrels surrounding a hole to the right where the road once was. So I turned on the hazard lights and began to break and prayed that the guy behind me wasn't going to rear end me in the process. I was pelted with hot rubber and rock from the gravel hauler I be-friended in front of me and hoped that he would noticed and get over ASAP! I was in panic mode and throwing out words and trying to think of what to do next. All was well the truck got over and I took the blunt of the debris (the tire that shred without falling off the truck)while drivers behind me slowed down and wondered what the heck was happening.
I believe the words that left my mouth when this all happened was "SHIT!" what the heck"! "oh-no" "oh-no""oh-NO"! it all happened so fast but when we slowed down my sweet baby in the back who was singing about monkeys and elephants soon repeated "shit,oh-no,SHIT Momma"! so goes her first swear word.

Acceptable Behavior?

As I was blog reading during lunch and catching up on a newly found blogger from Utah, she is full of wit and charm. Sarah references an article I found interesting, until I got to the few last words....man I am one old BROAD; translation,

Function:
noun
Date:
1659

1 British : an expansion of a river —often used in plural
2 often offensive : woman

and will be painting my nails tonight! I wonder how old it to old for open toed shoes?

Friendly Meal

The last time I mentioned having a dinner date with a person of the opposite sex it went in all kinds of directions, so I can't believe I am going to tell you this type of thing again. I am a big girl and I can take your criticism and opinions which is why I am throwing this out to all of you(Lord give me strength, for I know not my weaknesses).
I am going to a dinner tonight with my neighbors son, a man who I have known for six years now. My neighbors are of the retired variety and remind me much of my Grandparents(love to hear gossip and think the world is a soap opera). They pretty much hang out around the house tinkering with things and throwing the occasional outdoor party(nothing like my grandparents). They have always been very neighborly, they have let the dog out when I wasn't home on time, plowed the driveway in the winter because I don't have a tractor, returned a stray garbage can that flew down the road on a windy day, took me out to dinner when I was PG and fed up with it all. A genuine nice family who many days I don't know what I would have done without them. Like the day my hot water tank decided NOT heat up I am paranoid of lighting the pilot light so my neighbor came over twice to light the damn thing, only to find out the water tank needed to be replaced completely.
Anyway because I have known this family so long I know they have been trying to hook-up their son for sometime now, occasionally asking me when I was still married if I had any single friends. Somehow I just got the feeling that in recent months after my divorce they have been plotting to set me up. I was right their son called the other night and asked if I wanted to have dinner sometime, and I being the nice person I am accepted the offer. Now don't get me wrong he is a nice guy but just not the type of guy I usually go for and probably would have never accepted the offer if it wasn't my neighbors son. Is that shallow of me??
Another thing I am reluctant to mention is that he is in a wheelchair, from an accident on a construction site which he fell from a second story building, that left him paralyzed from the waist down. In some ways this makes me uncomfortable in ways I don't even know how to describe. I am trying to overlook the fact and he is not crazy in the head, he just can't walk. What is the best way to feel comfortable enough around this situation?
We are going to dinner tonight and I am thinking it will be nice just to have conversation over a meal I did not have to prepare. A meal that is served hot and I can eat it in one sitting without getting up five times to get more beans or juice or try to catch a plate before it goes over the table cause were "all done"!

Comfort Food

You are not going to believe what is going on over at my house right now. If you take a whiff out the window and point it in the direction NE and catch the down wind you may get a hint scent of pot roast with carrots and mushrooms simmering in a bath of onion soup! Let's hope that the trusty crock pot I am using didn't blow a fuse or spark a short and catch fire(which in my case may be doing me a favor so I can get out of the house I am living in and move closer to oh people, and it is taking a long time for my left arm to grow back after cutting it off to buy gas last week, and it would be great to move before I have my other arm removed, then it would defeat the whole purpose in driving)!
I love to cook and used to do it quite often, since becoming a single mom I just don't have the time. Then there is the fact that there is only so much lemon chicken you can shovel into an 18 month old mouth before she is over loaded, and offers the plate to the dog. The left overs become an issue because they just don't taste the same to me the next day unless it is a bowl of pasta. So I don't cook anymore but when I get the chance I return to my old favorites, the comfort food. Good thing it isn't everyday because the last 10 pounds I want to lose after the birth of my child would be 20 or more. Tonight is pot roast with carrots served with mashed potatoes and if I get the chance homemade gravy. A few weeks ago my sister and I indulged in meatloaf, which I must digress is awesome leftovers on soft wonder bread!
Many of the foods I love to cook are old past times and recipes I inherited from my PaPa many years ago. I miss the old fart and his love of cooking. All week he would shop at four or five different grocery stores to get the best deals on meat and groceries. Then spend the weekend preparing the best meal for who ever would stop in for a visit which would be at least a handful of us. I would love helping him prepare the celery and onion, chopped to the finest morsel, he never complained that my half was chopped different than his. It would take all day to cook the meals he prepared, he would have never understood the 30-minute meal. I can hear him now "the longer you cook it the more flavor", I am sure the extra dollop of butter when the dish started to dry out helped the flavor too.

What is your favorite comfort food? and when is the last time you ate it?

Can I go back to bed and start over?

Daycare called and said my 18 month old does not want to get along with others, head butting, throwing toys, and not sharing top the list.
I told the daycare if she feels anything like me today, she won't want to run reports, call customers, or do anything job related either.

Lunch, Nails, and a Traveling Cocktail Bar

I spent my mothers day with my in-laws, I know it sounds like a weird situation when your divorced you don't think you would hang out with your in-laws but heck I love them alot (they have really helped me in the last two years)and it helps they are alot of FUN! For Mothers Day last year we had brunch at the club house where my SIL's family lives. Lunch is pretty much a combination buffet of food they serve at weddings and golf outings, it's pretty good and they have a chocolate tower which if you ask me anywhere there is a warm bath of chocolate to put over the top of a rice krispie treat has got to be good! This year like last we share a meal with the family load the kids up with mac & cheese, tater tots and watermelon, after we go back to the house where the men take over the task of everyday life with the children. My FIL took care of Morgan. The Moms get a couple hours to themselves. Last year we went golfing, it was my first time and as beginners luck would have it, I beat the in-laws with my sloppy swing with the use of their golf clubs. We planned to golf again this year to start a tradition of sorts, but the rain dampened our spirits.
So we did the next best thing, we treated ourselves to pedicures and manicures. This would be no ordinary trip to the nail salon though, my MIL had packed the fun. (insert climatic game show music) She brought along the traveling cocktail bar stocked with travel size rum, vodka, southern comfort, jack daniels, kahlua, tonic water, cranberry juice, and coke!! This duffel bag sized cooler was packed with party supplies. My MIL promised to shake us up a key lime martini but was disappointed to find that she did not pack the shaker, and could not convince my SIL to stop at Williams & Sonoma to buy a new one! At the nail salon we dropped MIL at the door and she strapped her duffel bag over her shoulder and hobbled in while we parked the car. As my SIL and I got into our pedicure chairs my MIL whispers to the nail lady "hey can we mix up drinks in here?" and the lady says "I see nothing" so MIL served!! a couple hours later and out of tonic water we ventured to Tom's Oyster Bar for beer and sushi.
Fully loaded and laughing so hard our faces hurt we went home to find all the children fully rested where it seems the men had put them down for a nap for 2 hours while we were gone!! We hung out and played with the kids the reason we are MOMs. I love to see Morgan so happy to play with her cousins. Then reality set in and the buzz wore off when we had to feed the kids a helping of fish sticks and frozen peas. I realized it was late and had to get home, Morgan needed a bath and I had to prepare lunch not to mention the cozy pants and a blanket were calling my name. Responsibility really blows sometimes, but it makes me more greatful for the fun times.
How was your Mothers Day?

One in A BazillionMillion......

I searched and searched the internet for a touching poem or set of words that would sound as if they came from my own heart but nothing really grabbed me. After searching for over an hour I thought well shit I can come up with something so here is your Mother's Day gift from me(don't say I never gave you anything);

My Friend the Mother

You made a choice to be a Mother,
a superwoman like no other.
Sweet innocent child you adore,
the one you swear will one day soar.
Your beautiful child sent from above,
the one who just peed on your living room rug.
Your days are long with no sleep,
for your ears now hear every peep.
No one said it would be easy,
but to look at their smile is so pleasing.
A Mother's job is never done,
so God created wine for fun.
Everyday with your child is a gift,
the love in your heart will never shift.

Happy Mother's Day to you my friend,
I am to busy a card I will not send!

You didn't know I wrote poetry?? HUH wait til Father's Day that should be a good one! With lots of love from one Mother to the Other may your day be filled with much happiness and less poopy diapers and runny noses. XOXOXO

Trashy Tuesday

I know you all are just itchin to get an update on Saturday. Those of you wanting to live vicariously through me have a better chance of juicy details by reading a romance novel. With that said dating sucks!! It's a cat and mouse fiasco, a game I am not particularly good at, a game that doesn't get good until you've been in it awhile, a game where I have been riding the bench for quite some time. I may have in fact gotten my hopes up to high, do I want to be the cat or the mouse?
Friday I went to get my hair done and stopped in at Kohls to spend my gift card, all in anticipation of my night out. The haircut turned out to short this time and the shirt I bought just didn't fit right when I got it home. All signs pointed to your not going anywhere Saturday because he hasn't even called you since Monday night, GO to bed, do not pass GO, do not collect $200. Also I was relying on my sister to watch Morgan because SD had a baseball tournament he had to coach, and my sister was coming down with some sort of sickness that grounded her to the couch Friday after work running a fever and sore throat.
Saturday I went about my weekend routine cleaning house and wiping baby butts. My sister was sick but went to work and told me she would still watch Morgan if it all panned out. I decided that I would go somewhere but after I put baby to bed, so my sister would just have to listen for her. All morning I contemplated calling BTC but resisted thinking he is the one who asked me out I will not call him to sound desperate. So I waited, waited, waited and waited until 5:22pm!! Get a phone call to say he was sent out of town for work early in the week and just got off the plane but was heading home to get ready for a Pistons game to entertain clients. He felt bad and wanted to meet after the game but didn't know what time. I expressed that it would be to late I am not one to stay out after 12 midnight especially since I have a baby that is on a routine and would be up by 5am whether I liked it or not, I don't have a relief pitcher to let me sleep in. I told him to go have a good time no big deal.
I did however still go out on Saturday to the Algonac bowling alley to hang out with some friends I have recently met at church. We shared a few laughs with a couple of beers and I went home by 12 midnight. I did get a call from BTC around 11pm and he still wanted to meet but I declined.
I did call my mutual friend of BTC, and told her about the situation and she called him later to just get the low-down of what is going on in his life without sounding as if she was getting the info for me. She was happy as was I to find out that BTC is defiantly single again, he is no longer in his long term relationship. So you can all stop the name calling and I can stop looking like a home-wrecker. We will see if BTC calls again and go from there, somehow I think he may, but this time I will be the mouse or is it the cat?

Finding Joy

I have been renewing my faith for almost two years now and have found Kensington Community Church thanks to a good friend KT. Many times I have sat in service and feel as if the pastor is directly speaking to me and I have on many occasions cried tears of happiness and fear. Most times I sit by myself and for an hour I contemplate the messages, most have resonated in me and can be plugged into my own life. Yesterday was no exception, you can listen to or watch the service on their web-site.

Yesterday instead of taking Morgan to the nursery, which is lead by my good friend superstar I brought Morgan with me. She had fallen asleep on the way to church so I thought she would just cuddle and fall back to sleep in the service. The message this week about Joy, was full of funny videos and opened up with the band singing Footloose, I mean how cool is that a church bringing back 1984??!! Needless to say there would be no sleeping, but total involvement on behalf of my child. She was good for about 40 minutes then we were off to sit in the parenting room to listen to the rest of the sermon. Out of the norm they played a couple songs at the end of the service, so I went back into the auditorium, figuring the talking of my daughter will be drowned out by the music and she would enjoy listening.
The final song was very upbeat, spiritual and got the congregation on their feet. I was sitting toward the front about 12 rows back, on the end seat and decided to let Morgan stand and dance next to me. As we were participating in the song Morgan decided she wanted to stand in front so she clapped her hands and danced all the way down the aisle to the front and stood next to the pastor. In that moment I was overcome by JOY!! God was there giving me a this is what parenthood is for moment! Most parents would have picked their child up and went back to their seats but I stood next to mine and we clapped as tears filled my eyes, this was my child my baby girl full of JOY and happy to be dancing, singing, and putting smiles on faces of other parishioners, for them to see all 27 inches of a baby they never met dance and feel what God has given her!
We danced as if no one was watching at that moment I wished every second could be bottled and preserved forever. A moment that made me forget about sleepless nights and tipping the dinner plate to the dog, a time I will remember when she gets mad because I won't let her wear make-up or date or move out because she is my daughter and everyday with her is my JOY!

Frolicking Friday

I'm gonna start titling my posts saucy sassy names so I don't give anyone the wrong impression of me. I am not bitter, angry, or hold any grudge to anyone who gives me constructive criticism. I can take it I am a big girl and know when to turn away and dodge situation that may seem harmful. Thank all of you for your comments and I will now move on and talk more about Morgan.

Morgan is in daycare and has been for almost a year. Though out this past year the girl has been sick, mostly with whatever the other five kids at daycare have. Cough, Cold, Flu, Pink Eye, thank goodness she has dodged the ear infection bullet. At least once a month something gets pasted along that cost me $25 for a trip the doctor and $10 to the Meijer pharmacy. It should be no surprise to me that she is sick again, but this time four days after the trip to the doctor Monday, where the doctor said she is fine just a cough give her the decongestant from last time!

Yesterday morning after her bottle as usual she will lay in bed with me and cuddle and slowly wake. Only yesterday morning after five minutes of peaceful slumber I was puked on!! and then tried to remove us from the bed without soiling the sheets I just changed the night before only to be puked on again, and once more on her bedroom floor while I tried to change her out of her pajamas and me out of the night clothes I had on. The fever didn't show up until the afternoon and into the evening, and was still hanging around 99' this morning. Her appetite has seemed to regain consciousness so I took her to my mother in-law, where she has been feeling better.

I am hoping that the queasy feeling I am getting right now has nothing to do with the flu, and has something to do with the fact that I woke at 4 am this morning and am in need of a nap. There goes the trip to Kohls to spend my $20 gift card on a hot new number for Saturday.

Back Peddle Thursday

OK so you all think I am some type of home wreckin tramp???!!! The mini-skirt and stripper shoes all a joke people. COME ON! You are entitled to your own opinions, but geez did you have to take me so seriously??!! Perhaps I made my last post seem desperate and maybe I should not have mentioned that BTC is single and dating.

Is is so wrong for me to have dinner with an old friend and share conversation?

I am not trying to break up anyones relationship nor would I ever want to make someone feel the way I did not to long ago. This friend BTC is well aware of what I have been through, and I hope that he puts those feelings into consideration when he asked me if I wanted to hang out. If in the course of our time out together it is implied that I may be the other woman I am driving myself right home.

Please forgive me if I sounded as if I was planning my next future with an exisiting friend. At the time of the post I was just excited to have the opportunity to go out with someone of the opposite sex and have some fun. Thank you to my BFF&A for calling me and reassuring me of my common sense judgement over people and she knows I have considered my risk.

***I do appreciate your comments and advice, I did ask for it. I know you are all just looking out for my best interest.