You would not believe the amount of food I have had to pack to feed this crew for two days! LOL. Much much different from when we first started camping years ago when we only had 2 small children, ages 3 and 1. The amount of food would be laughable if I was married with no children or had 2 or 3 small children, but all five of us are basically adults now, plus we have 2 extra kids coming with... food for (7) seven people, two of which are teenage boys and one of those boys is 6'5".

We are heading out in about a half hour and I think I have all bases covered. The last of the things on my quickly scrawled 'to do' list and we are off. I checked the weather report and of course today is windy and cloudy... (incredible wind out there!) and tomorrow is scattered showers and wind. The next day (the day we leave) is SUNNY AND 75 degrees. LOL. Ahhh... somehow I think this weekend trip might continue with the bad luck and horrible week that I've had thus far. Everything I've touched has gone to crap, my luck has been awful, nothing going right... and I'm tempting fate by making this trip now too.

Wish me luck! LOL.

Labels: rambling, vacation, What More Can Go Wrong

*edited with a tiny update*

My coffee this morning is delicious... and really, maybe that's all that really counts. It's what I need to focus on right now anyway, because it really is that good, and my night last night was pretty lousy.

Yesterday I ran errands (Coffeehusband was with me) and bought 2 more folding chairs, a boat cover and a couple items for camping. One of which is the only thing that Coffeegirl asked for; almond poppy seed muffins from Costco for breakfast. It's something I've always done - bought Costco muffins for the first morning breakfast camping. Except earlier this week when I stopped in to pick them up all they had were trays of banana nut (ew), an apple cinnamon something (ew) chocolate (ok, that's a given) and corn muffins (think corn bread in a muffin shape). No almond or lemon poppy seed, either of which would work. No problem. I bought a 20 pack of gum (which only lasts around 2 weeks with this crew...) and figured I'd come back on Friday. Well, Friday they didn't have any either! Row and row of ugly muffins but no poppy seed. So I asked. It seems that right now Costco has discontinued poppy seed muffins and in its place brought in apple muffins with maple glaze.

When he told me that I couldn't help myself. I stuck out my tongue, made a face and said "Blaaaaa" or some similar sound.

We left muffin-less and went to the grocery store where I bought a package mix of both almond and lemon poppy seed, as well as double chocolate muffins. I'm currently baking them as I type this and will be taking them with us for breakfast in the morning.

I also gave in and bought things I never typically allow in the house... like potato chips and onion dip. It's not that I won't buy them because they aren't healthy. It's because if I buy them I will eat them. All of them. Onion dip is one of my top three all time favorite foods in the universe. And sure enough, when I got home I had zero self control and tore into them. I had 3/4 of the container of dip gone within 15 minutes and when I put it away I knew I would regret it later... which I did. More on that in a minute.

At that point the kids were starting to get home from school and schedules were being worked out. Dh and I would drive an hour to our sons football game, BabyGirl would be driving later with a friend. Coffeegirl was staying home to hang out with friends and of course Coffeekid was playing.

We left and went to the game - and the only frustrating thing I want to add is this is the first school we have ever visited in the 20 years we played in various high school activities and sports, and all of the past 12 years of the kids playing in various sports that the school charged more for the 'visiting' team to get in than their own home team! We accidently came in through the home team side and paid our 5 bucks each, (kids were $3 as usual) but I found out that all the people that came in through the visitor gate had to pay $6 and the little kids had to pay $4. Not a big deal until you saw the rest of thing they were doing. The band played a pounding drum beat to cover every single time our cheerleaders started in on our school song, the concession stand people gave sloppy food and hotdogs with ketchup smeared all over the buns, etc. to the people wearing our school letters/colors and the announcer of the game was joke! His little smears and innuendo's and rude comments during the game were sad and almost laughable. And perhaps the one thing that *almost* went over the line was their 'accidental' tendency to FORGET TO RUN THE CLOCK! The game was in play and our boys were kicking butt and the clock sat at 2 minutes 48 seconds and wasn't running. Our crowd started to call out 'run the clock!' and do you know what their press box did? ADDED 10 SECONDS! Went backwards and brought it up to 2:58. The ref's still didn't notice - and play resumed and again the other team 'forgot' to run the clock.

Finally our side was loud enough the ref's heard and noticed and the clock was started but they had a good 1 1/2 minutes of 'extra' time given to them to try to get the ball back from us and in little ways like that they showed what their town is really made of. None of the rude things they were doing was an all out 'in your face' violation... but they were all uncalled for and rude.

I also had an 'issue' with the woman sitting next to us. I had Coffeekid's school bag sitting at my feet as he brought it to me to bring home for him as he was riding the football bus home with his uniform and pads and didn't have enough hands. No problem. But this womans two kids were climbing back and forth and back and forth and she reached down and moved MY bag and made a big production of it and then as I looked down she said, "There! Now it won't accidentally fall under the bleachers this way..." I was a little miffed that she took it upon herself to move MY bag instead of just asking me, and the way she placed it it was more likely to slip.... but I said NOTHING. Really, I had nothing to say and didn't really care so I glanced away and was pulling my hair back into a pony.

I'm not sure what she wanted me to say or not say but she threw a hissy fit! "WELL!" she exclaimed and turned towards the woman next to her and started to tell the (dramatic?) story about how she moved my bag and uh.... I didn't say anything? I'm not sure what dramatic spin she put on it but it lasted long enough for a 1 1/2 minute explanation, some hand gestures, loud sighing and eye rolling and her friend looking over to check me out and see what I looked like.

All over moving a school bag about 8 inches.

After that she decided she hated me and made a point of shoving my stuff over a little bit every chance she could, and whipping her blanket around and covering BabyGirls sweatshirt and purse, and Coffeekids 2 t-shirts I had on the seat next to me. (We bought him two t-shirts to choose from to wear after his game because his shirts were always soaked with sweat and sometimes he forgot to bring a new shirt. I would have grabbed one, but dh grabbed two... this is important in just a little bit).

The game was great - but slowly and surely I felt the chip and dip I had inhaled eaten earlier coming back to haunt me. The upset stomach, the sharp gas pains. Ouch. It built up until at half time it was almost as bad as the beginning of labor pains. I spent the third period sitting as straight and still as I possibly could as any movement at all sent sharp stabbing pains to my lower stomach area and I felt as if someone was stabbing me repeatedly with a knife. Oh what I go through when I give in to temptation once a year and binge on my beloved onion dip!

Almost in tears, dh finally said he wanted to leave, as he wanted to beat the crowd. So we quickly grabbed our things just as the 4th period started and tried to get out quickly before any action went on so we wouldn't be in anyones way.

I grabbed Coffeekids school bag, the blanket, and my travel mug of coffee and my purse... quickly glancing around at the seat area but dh was already heading down the stadium stairs and I could barely move without crying out in pain because my gut hurt so incredibly bad. I was almost limping with the pain and could barely move!

Well, we got to the truck and started on the drive home. After about 30 minutes I asked dh; "I don't see Coffeekids t-shirts. Did you grab them?"

No.

And I didn't see them in the bag either.

We forgot (2) of his t-shirts at the stadium! Because dh insisted on grabbing two of them - he also grabbed two of Coffeekids favorites. One is a Hollister t-shirt and the other we had made for him special on vacation in Myrtle Beach this Spring.

Gone.

I was not only in tremendous pain but now I was PISSED. TWO of his best t-shirts! I had a feeling they were "under" the ladies blanket next to me... or that she had knocked them to the ground with her many blanket maneuvers.

We got home and I walked into the kitchen only to see that Coffeegirl had made herself double decker taco's around 5:00 that night before going to her friends to sleep over and she left ALL THE FOOD OUT!

The chopped lettuce in the baggy was wilted and brown. The taco meat container had been left open on the cupboard and was not only room temperature, but we have two cats. They aren't allowed on the counters, and hardly ever jump up because they've been trained to stay off, but if we weren't here and the taco meat (an entire pound of it) was left out, I had no way of knowing so it all had to be thrown out.

I was in such a horrible mood by this point!

Dh and I ended up in a huge fight over the kitty litter box which ended up in me being called a 'bitch' and told to 'shut up' and I went to bed and had a horrible night tossing and turning and wondering if I could get Coffeekids t-shirts back if I emailed both their school and ours and had them check lost and found... I know they were just 't-shirts' but Hollister t-shirts are about $25 each and the Myrtle Beach one can't be replaced! We literally designed it and had the guy make it for us because we couldn't find one he liked at the time.

Sigh.

Well... here I am now.

Coffee in hand, muffins made and a LOT of packing to do as I haven't started at all. We leave around 1:00 to go camping and not one thing is packed, from food to clothes to sleeping bags. Nada.

As you can tell I'm not too concerned. After 20 years of packing this family of five for trips and vacations I have found I pack best at the last minute anyway. It's more organized that way.

On the flip side, the 4 Rolaids I took helped me actually get a little sleep and I feel oh-so-much better!

NO MORE ONION DIP FOR ME THIS WEEKEND!!!!


*edited*

One shirt was found! I had called BabyGirl on the cell when I realized we didn't have them and asked if she was still at the game. Nope. Was she close to the stadium? No, why? So I told her. She offered to go back for them but I told her no. We f-ed up and it was our fault. It was the other towns 'Homecoming' and the crowds and traffic were pretty big in that area and it was a mad house... I didn't want her to go back - just come home.

Well - you know what she did. She went back! She looked and found the Hollister t-shirt. I can live with losing one t-shirt... so I'm glad the Hollister was found. She is SO AWESOME! And if we EVER see ANYONE with the shirt WE DESIGNED from Myrtle Beach we'll know immediately it's Coffeekids shirt and I won't hesitate to tell that person so! LOL.

Labels: coffeekid, rambling, vacation

I found this a few years ago when I 'wasn't working' and got a laugh out of it. How very true and how very 'me' in so many ways. My husband isn't talented enough to write something like this, but this guy speaks for a LOT of men.



My Wife Doesn't "Work"
By Gary Lautens

Is there anything more embarrassing today than being married to a woman who doesn't "work?"
Take Jackie for instance; She weaves, spins wool, attends classes twice a week at art college and is currently putting together a seven- foot tapestry she designed for the living room. She also whips up a hundred meals a week, irons a dozen shirts, waxes and washes the floors, walks the dog and throws a dinner party once a week.

But she doesn't "work."

She feels a minimum of two foreheads a week (to see if they're warm), listens to enough homework to get a degree from Oxford, runs the family budget, finds things in the basement no other living human being can find, reminds Richard to comb his hair every morning, cheers up Jane when she gets a zit on her face and refinishes furniture.

She does the shopping, locates the bargains, washes gym stuff, keeps track of everybody's underwear, answers family mail, makes certain nobody leaves a ring around the bathtub and takes care of minor medical problems.

But she doesn't "work."

She cuts hair, cleans the filter on the furnace, clips the dog's nails, provides waltz lessons for male members of the family, vacuums, puts treats in school lunch bags for a noonday surprise, hangs up coats, rubs feet when they get cold, provides laughs whether needed or not, removes splinters, gives instruction on the application of eye shadow, announces if it's a boot day, smiles through the recounting of old Monty Python skits and files class photographs.

She doesn't let anyone out of the house without a hug; she tucks Jane into bed every night (even though Jane is fourteen and almost as big as her mother); she knows the postal rates, moves sofas, listens solemnly when someone in the house says he or she is going to be Prime Minister, a famous athlete or just an astonishing detective (Richard's current ambition); she hangs pictures (eighty on our one wall), sews on buttons, visits art galleries.

But "work"? I'm afraid not.

Jackie lengthens jeans, unplugs plumbing, remembers to serve spaghetti once a week (the kids' favorite), picks out newspaper items that might make columns, does thirty sit- ups every morning to stay trim, explains patiently to Richard why he can't wear the same shirt eighteen days in a row and makes Christmas cards.

Mind you, she doesn't jog three times a week now, act as lifeguard at the Y, or take German at night school, and her university class on great books is over.

But she did broadloom Jane's bedroom, make our front- room coffee table (from an old dining-room suite), and (just last week) figured out how to replace the bulb in our slide projector when Daddy had failed.

That is, unfortunately, beside the point.

Jackie does not go to an office, perform brain surgery, drive a truck, belong to a union, type up letters, sell real estate, host a TV show or even wrestle.

In short, she doesn't "work."

Mind you, she did "work" the first three years we were married and trying to get a start, but she quit a month or two before she had Stephen.

So she's just a homemaker, wife and mother now.

Perhaps one day when the kids are a little more grown up, Jackie will "work" again, but in the meantime, I'm afraid she's too busy.

Labels: Happy Housewife, supermom

I was reading the news tonight and saw a story about an officer bit by a boa constrictor. I always cringe at these stories not because I feel bad for the officer, but because I feel bad for the snake! The snake only bit after the other officer dropped it! I'd want to bite too after being scared.

I have never looked up (googled) what other people do if bit by a non poisonous, constricting snake such as a boa or a python, but I've owned pythons and boa's and I have a special place in my heart for them.

So! On the off-chance you are ever bit by a python or boa (Shut up! It could happen.) Don't freak out. Don't shake it off and by all means don't try to pull it off. It's teeth are slanted backwards so you'll just end up ripping your skin. Let the snake do it's thing and it will also want to wrap around you - it's instinct. Once it gets there it's going to be confused and surprised so it's going to sit there a minute and wonder what in the heck it should do next.

As soon as the snake latches on, if you can, get up and walk to your bathroom or wherever you keep your rubbing alcohol. If you can't get it yourself have someone else in the house or near you get it for you. Place some rubbing alcohol on a tissue or toilet paper, even a piece of cloth. Place this up near the snakes nose. The smell will force the snake into opening his mouth and letting go to get away from the alcohol scent.

When he lets go and unwraps, you take him off and put him in a pillow case, his habitat or even on the floor. He goes on his merry way and you put some anti-bacterial ointment on the bite. Neither you nor the snake are the worse for the wear.

The end.

Labels: News, Useless information

Last night BabyGirl slept over at a friends home. They came here around noon and commented on how tired they were. Not only did they get to bed late after going to the movies, but her friends alarm clock had gone off at 6:30 am. Not a big deal that her alarm might go off... except that particular clock wasn't plugged in.

She had to plug it into the wall outlet to turn it on to use the buttons to turn the alarm off.

Labels: ghosts