You Won't See This in California

This morning I had one of those experiences that made me feel like “now I’ve seen it all”. I was half-heartedly watching the news when a commercial caught my eye, and not because of the product being solicited. It must have been an ad for a local silversmith (or something of the likes); they were showing belt buckles and maybe even jewelry. A cowboy was shown herding cattle and it was then that I noticed that one of the cows in the upper-right of my TV screen was humping one of the other cows. You cannot tell me that the editors didn’t notice this. Look at what kind of crap they pull (and get away with) in Montana. What else can I expect from a state that puts on a Testicle Festival in the spring?

Four Glorious Days

Is there anything as wonderful as NOT being at work? This Thanksgiving, I am so, so, so thankful to not be at work. Don't get me wrong, work is fine. But not being there is finer. Being home these four days gives me the energy to do those little extras around the house. No worries, I'm not wasting my time cleaning, but doing the small stuff that I'm often just too tired to do. Like make my bed (ok, not so fun, but nice when it's done). Or having a house full of kids and making them caramel corn, coloring with them and playing primary with them; staying up late trying to beat T. & S. at Catch Phrase; and trying out new recipes. It's my goal to not leave the house (other than church and then choir) the whole weekend. I'm not being completely disgusting, I am putting on making and even a bra each of these days. Later today we will put up our tree. After more than a week of unusually warm and sunny weather, today has turned cold. The forecast calls for snow and highs reaching just 24 degrees in the coming days, as if opening the invisible gates to the Christmas season.

You've Got a Shop Around the Corner

As cheesy as it sounds, I've been a long time fan of the movie You've Got Mail. I think that Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks are a fabulous combination.

Like many movies that we love, You've Got Mail is not entirely original. It is based on a 1939 Jimmy Stewart-Margaret Sullivan movie; and this morning I finally got to watch The Shop Around the Corner. I've seen bits and pieces before, but today I got to see it in it's entirety.

It is completely adorable and I was very surprised at how many similarities there were between the two, especially because the second is based on technology not even yet imagined in the first.

Not many people are up before dawn on Sunday mornings like I usually am, but maybe we should all make a habit of it. That's when the good stuff is on cable (and I don't mean Hoochies Gone Wild).

PS Hmmm. Maybe there is a trend. I am also a fan of Notting Hill and it's predecessor Roman Holiday.

No Cranberries at Our Table

What are your Thanksgiving plans? You are more than welcome to come to our house.

Our plans have been greatly altered, but Thanksgiving has been a juggling act for the last 3 years. When your husband works retail, the Day-After-Sales have to be taken in to consideration. Traveling is pretty much out of the question.

We’ve decided to celebrate Thanksgiving at our house with S.S. (our daycare provider and good friend) and her family.

Last night S.S. and I sat down together in my living room (after our spaghetti dinner) and map out our Thanksgiving dinner. Our menu is pretty standard, and looks something like this:

Turkey

Steak (because David hates turkey)

Mashed potatoes

Stuffing

Gravy

Green slime

Rolls

Corn

Salad Pumpkin pie Apple pie.

I’ve never cooked a turkey, and my gravy experience is limited. Many phone calls will go back and forth with my mom as I take on this challenge, and my questions have already started with how to purchase the bird. I haven’t decided on my approach to the stuffing, but am leaning more towards ‘from scratch’ rather than Stove Top. Which just leads to more questions, like in the bird or not. I’m looking forward to our day. I am also looking forward to our ward dinner (set for this Saturday night), for which I have committed to make 5lbs mashed potatoes and enough salad and dressing for 40 people. I will miss my family very much and will constantly wonder what’s going on during their Thanksgiving celebration, but I hope they know that we’ll be okay. Whoever you are, wherever you are: Happy Thanksgiving. I hope you have a great one.

Weddings and Funerals

Due to the many life changes we experience, we often lose touch with those we care about. We may think of them daily, but for some reason time passes without a visit or phone call. Then comes the old cliche: we only see each other at weddings and funerals.

On Friday I was thrilled to see that I had received an email from my former boss, someone I adore but am on the verge of losing touch with. The thrill was short lived, as the email was to inform me of the death of a co-worker; a young man (just 23) who had died in a car accident at 1:30am on Friday. He was a single dad, working so hard to keep his life on track and to do everything possible for his 3-year-old son. His reason for being on the road in the middle of the night is still unknown.

My geography will keep me from attending the funeral and is the cause of this nagging feeling of helplessness. Not only did I work with the man who died, but I also worked with his father, and can't even begin to imagine the toll this tragedy has taken on him and his family.

This family doesn't appear to be religious, but is surrounded by people who are. I hope that they will be receptive to the support that is available to them.

Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream

I have dreamt very strange dreams all my life. Freak of nature strange. I think my mom used to wonder about me. Even in to adulthood I dream about very strange things; and people in the very distant past. There have been reoccurring dreams, often disturbing, but lately they have subsided. The house dreams, the teeth falling out dreams, and the “I can’t remember my locker combination” dreams (hello, I graduated high school over 13 years ago) have mysteriously ceased from haunting me. I seek out people who have studied dream interpretation. Why don’t I study it myself? Then I might find out how deeply disturbed I am. Last night’s dream was a first and I can’t seem to shake it. I dreamt that someone beat the crap out of me. No, not my husband. A stranger. But this guy pulverized my face. I kept having to tell my friends and acquaintances what happened, because it was visible that I had an accident or something. The stranger knocked out some of my teeth (which is strange because I haven’t had a ‘tooth’ dream in quite some time). I refused to look in the mirror or feel with my tongue to see how many teeth were missing. Why do I dream these things? I consider myself a fairly nice person without enemies. I don’t lead a life full of crime. I couldn’t me more boring. Am I worried about someone attacking me for the $2000+ worth of Girl Scout cookies that are cluttering my home? The person who clobbered me in my dream wasn’t trying to take anything from me. Maybe it’s time I studied the whole dream interpretation concept and get myself figured out.

When I'm In Town...

Since the purchase of the golden tickets that will provide us the opportunity to be with our family at Christmas, home is all I can think of. While I am there I hope to: 1.) visit the ocean. They don't have one of those in MT. 2.) visit the mall. I don't even have a Macy's here. 3.) visit the nearby Chevy's, Baja Fresh and Round Table. Often. 4.) Sisters, sisters, sisters. Okay, I only have 2 but I can't get enough of them. 5.) then there's the brothers. They're pretty great too. 6.) Grandma's house. Not a fancy house, but a magical place to be. 7.) may sound pathetic, but I can't wait to take mom on in a game of Scrabble. 8.) maybe this time I'll tag along when my dad takes my kids to the $1 store. With so much to look forward to I'd better prepare myself for the inevitable: coming back to MT.

So Long, Benny

While I sit here at work, on the edge of my seat, praying for a project (any work at all will do), I can't help but wonder if Maddie will ever forgive me. Benny the Big Black Lab no longer resides in my home. The kids and David said goodbye to her on Saturday. I drove her to the shelter we adopted her from. Our original plan was to tell the kids that she ran away. It wouldn't be too far from the truth. Just last Thursday night the kids and I had to drive around looking for her in the dark. Secretly I hoped that we wouldn't find her. While some of you might think I'm heartless, the list of destruction caused by Benny is long. We told the kids the truth and it broke Maddie's heart. Isaac was sad, but Maddie was devasted. She's had her share of cats come and go (run aways and even one hit by a car). But this was our first dog. Benny was long awaited and we were very excited to have her. Unfortunately she was more than we bargained for. Yesterday a friend told me that she never forgave her mom for getting rid of their biting dog. I hope that Maddie will forgive me and understand that I want the best for Benny. I guess I could have told her "kid - it's me or the dog".

When Good Pets Go Bad

She pulled down the insulation in my basement. She destroyed a perfectly good full-sized mattress. She ate one of my favorite sweaters. She shredded her 2 (expensive) doggy pillows. She knocks down any person who gets close enough. She is unbelievably strong. She chewed the posts on my deck. She has all but ruined my brand-new house. My shoulder will never be the same after trying to maintain control of her on a leash. I’m ready for her to not live at our house anymore. PS This is my 100th post. Whoopty-freakin'-do.