Thursday, March 31, 2011

and....HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESSICA!!!!!

Rounding out the birthday month.... last but certainly not least... is my beautiful daughter Jessica...



Told you she was gorgeous...
And, something to be proud of let me tell you.

I have a simply dreadful cold, and need to finish off my birthday shopping for her... but feel so CRAPPY, I may have to give money... such an uncreative gift.  Although almost always the right fit.

Sunday, March 27, 2011

VERMIN........

We heard noise in the attic.... I of course, in an effort to deny all unpleasantries, convinced myself that it was outside. But it wasn't.

A little background here.

A couple years ago, we had to have a new roof put on THIS OLD HOUSE. It was a major undertaking, both physically and financially. But, it HAD to be done. So we got bids, and looked at each other like 'really'? Yeah really. So we chose a guy we liked, and went with it. I know I drove him crazy, vacillating on the shingles, and whether or not to keep the troughs that accent the valleys. But I finally made my choices and they started. His crew came.... the foreman and I had words when I saw one of the glass globes from our lightening rods fly off the roof onto the grass... they were supposed to go back on, unharmed... hello???? They survived. Anyway, After this little 'discussion' he told me this was the hardest job they'd ever done. It had LAYERS upon layers of shingles including the original wood ones.

Wow, sucked to be them. But it sucked even more to be us.

We had to pay for it... and almost worse, we had to clean out the attic (which is full of stuff) and cover everything so it wouldn't get dirty. Now let me tell you... when we sell this house, it's going to be like the Clinique counter.... a free gift with a purchase. And if you happen to have 2 girls and a boy, you are in luck. Toys, memorabilia, good stuff....

ANYWAY..

There was a 'little' problem with some of the trim boards. Gosh, they are only 108 years old... what do you mean they are rotting?? There were some places they were. So Mark began searching for someone who could replicate said boards. To no avail. So he did the only thing he could do....pretended it didn't exist (he learned that from me). So we ran with it... until we had house guests. And you all know how I feel about house guests. Someone had moved into the attic.

So, my handy son set a live trap and look who we caught!





But, he wasn't alone... oh no, not even close.... Earlier this week it was snowing... big huge pink fluffy hunks of insulation... so picturesque... all over my bushes and porch. Damn squirrels.. as I stood there, pondered what to do about this, I heard a racket, and saw a large black bird come out of the 'hole' with some insulation and fly off.... THERE ARE BIRDS IN MY ATTIC. I'm pretty sure it was a raven, just 'sayin'

I HATE BIRDS EVEN MORE THAN HOUSE GUESTS.

I was really edgy. REALLY. What if they get in the wall and get loose in my house? They will peck out your eyes you know.  It was a long week, waiting for my 'men' to address the situation.

So yesterday Mark and Corbin got up there, and assessed the hole (temporarily) and Mark pried off a hunk of trim, put some lovely metal mesh to keep out the critters.
He's going to take the trim board somewhere to have an enormous amount of footage made.  Chaaaa Ching!!


Man, I just love an old house.




Thursday, March 17, 2011

A FASCINATINGLY BUSY WEEK.....

Okay........

I lied.

It really wasn't that fascinating. Just busy.

Sunday night, my husband and I stayed with my nephews.  They are 10 and 6.. well, their brother, who is 16 was around... but, technically we weren't babysitting him.  Anyway, man, are we old.  Mark built a monorail system and a train system and yes, the living room looked like Disneyworld.  Actually, it sounded like it too... the stupid monorail kept welcoming us to Disney.  We had pizza, played some silly game show, where we were only allowed 'free talking' during the commercial time, which wasn't often enough, let me tell you, supervised bath and bedtime.. and whew... we were exhausted.  They are pretty cute though, and they do love their uncle!

One funny from the night, the older one, who is SUPER smart, was watching TV.  There was a Lysol commercial on. He turns to me, and says, 'do you use Clorox or Lysol to clean your toilet'.... I said, well, right now, I have Clorox... he said, you really should use Lysol, it's better on germs.   So, I guess going forward I'll be buying some Lysol!!

Speaking of cleaning... tomorrow is 'cleaning lady' day, so I had to go around and straighten up all the messes I lazily left this week.  Hey, I was busy....remember?  I had to spend one day at the mall, because of the Land Rover dealer, they were holding my car hostage... Okay, they did give me a BRAND NEW one to drive...but, I wasn't going HOME... I mean it's a good 1/2 hour away.

They made me shop all day.  Really.  I was forced to pick up some shoes... 3 pair....
and a purse... and some presents...but, I can't say what, the recipients read this...

I spent a good portion of a couple days in horror watching what was happening in Japan. My cousin's son lives there, (I guess he'd be my 2nd cousin?), he is okay, but,  I think it'd be a good time to visit home....the whole nuclear thing is scary.   Those poor people, what an unfathomable nightmare.

I also had an entire day of laundry and unpacking from my trip to Houston last week.... and I needed to chat on the phone, I had friends I needed to catch up with... you know.... 

And today, I taught 1st grade. It was a really fun day.  Love that age,  they were all WONDERFUL and I really did enjoy myself.  I looked funky though.....I had on a lavender shirt this morning, then remembered it was St. Patrick's Day.  I changed into green, of course, I am after all Irish.  I got to school, looked down at my GREEN shoes, and noticed I still had on the lavender striped socks... I was sporting a Pippy Longstocking look... weird.

I miss my job... not enough to work full time, but IF by some miracle they let me job share again...I'm there....

although........ that would hamper my traveling, and I did buy new luggage...



Happy St. Paddy's to you~  

Saturday, March 12, 2011

BACK.....

We are home... greeted, might I add by two very happy dogs


and one happy to be rid of them son....

It's so nice to be loved.

Now there's laundry to be done, and a HUGE stack of mail to go through and of course UPS....

I always seem to get UPS when I'm gone. Hummmm, could there be a correlation.... nothing to do, internet access while in Houston? Shop, shop, shop.....

nah... coincidence I am sure.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

GARGOYLES, BIRTHDAYS AND RODEOS....

I'm deep in the Heart again.... and have noticed often when I walk down the hall in Mark's building, that I'm the only one around. However, I don't really feel alone.  Now I have to confess, the hall kind of reminds me of the movie 'The Shining'.  I really do expect to see the twins.... but they aren't there...

I'm not crazy.

I'm not alone in the hall and I really am being watched... but not the twins.... it's the 'boys'... at least I think they are boys and they are everywhere.




It was Mark's birthday last night. So we celebrated Houston style... and went to the Rodeo.  It's Rodeo Month down here, and it's a big thing. Seriously.  So we dressed up, and went.  And stuck out like the Yankees we are. We were lacking, boots, hats, Wranglers, ornate belts, short tight skirt...you get the idea.  But... we had fun.  Saw some bull riding (why anyone would do this is beyond me)

Barrel racing, calf roping, steer wrestling and bucking broncos,


Oh, and then we saw something really cute...

Yes, ladies, that is KEITH URBAN....


The lady behind me was screaming bloody murder. He was cute and all, but it's not like it was the BEATLES...


am I dating myself?


Sunday, March 6, 2011

CITY CELEBRATION......

As I mentioned, it was Scarlett's birthday last week, so Saturday we loaded up the troops and headed into Chicago for a little celebrating, eating, present-ing action.

She was concerned that her apartment was too small to comfortably fit everyone, but, as a good friend says, we aren't 'wide bodies' so we did fine.  My sister and her crew, my mom and my family all squeezed in and had a GREAT time, as you can see if you check out the pictures. (Corbin was there, somehow he managed to avoid the camera?)

the twins......

everyone wants to hold 'the girls'








I told you we had FUN, and now we roll on to the NEXT March Birthday... Mark.

So, stay tuned.....

Thursday, March 3, 2011

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SCARLETT!!!

Today is my daughter Scarlett's 25th birthday!  Wow.  Seems like just yesterday she was a tiny new baby, fighting for her life.  Fast forward 25 years and she is a beautiful, talented, delightful young woman, of whom we are very proud.  Happy Birthday Scarlett!!!


 

Isn't she a beauty?!