Hitting on senior citizens at bells my own cleaners, or in other words,today was Wednesday...

While I was dropping off H's dry cleaning this morning, I ran into an older gentleman. He was wearing wool pants, a sweater vest and a wool sports coat and the only way he could have looked more like Sean Connery was if he had a wool cap on. So I decided to hit on him...

"You look very dapper today."

And then he hit back,

"I am 86 years old and when a young beautiful woman tells me I look good, it makes my day."

"And since I am 40 (practically) when someone tells me I am young it makes my day."

" you are young, and beautiful."

Laughter and goodbyes and have a nice days. Then he jauntily got in his caddy and I hopped in my minivan.

And I remain firm in my belief that compliments and Christmas cards are the grease that make the world go round.

Hiding places and cruel booby traps

Tonight I heard some unorthodox crunching and munching and saw that the dog was eating a Halloween size pack of Reeses pieces, wrapper included, of course.... I had found this extra bag of candy the other day and I needed a piece thought they might be a good source for Annabelle's Friday lunch treat. (the only day I put dessert in her lunch). But somehow naughty children discovered it and were sneaking candy here and there. I really have no problem with a certain amount of naughtiness in fact, i think it is healthy. But, when I heard the dog munching on another piece and scolded the girls, I noticed that they seemed unconcerned with their candies' disappearance. They were far too interested in watching a nature show with their dad and this could only mean one thing-- there was a stockpile of which I was unaware. When the dog ate another candy plus wrapper I made them 'fess up. It was in the bookshelf. So I promptly disposed of it and when Annabelle went to get another piece and I told her I threw it all way, the look on her face told me there was another cache in the house. I said as much and all three of them burst out laughing. H said he was sworn to secrecy and had known about the stash for several days. They ate a few more pieces and I went to the pantry. To the source of the naughtiness. I hid the candy up high, I mean she might still need some for her lunch, and then I filled the bag with dried cranberries.

Take that you little shits....

Red light ahead

I was always annoyed when adults would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up, so I never ask kids that. But when you are the parent to an adorable 5 year old and the world is her oyster, your crazy mom mind sometimes wonders what she will end up doing. She is so athletic, sometimes I think she will be in the Olympics or a ballet dancer. She is so creative about things and likes to sings and make up her own songs, so maybe a lyricist or a performer of some sort. Or just an artist. We were at the mfah the other day and she commented that when we got home she was going to draw something so they could "have one of mine." She also has such a mechanical mind she likes to "play Legos" and rinky tinks(what we call tinker toys.) So maybe and engineer or architect. She likes to build forts and the other day tied her scooter onto her bike and then onto her ez roller and turned the entire contraption into Santa's sleigh with reindeer--she always manages to find a new way to play with a toy, something its creator would never have imagined , so maybe an inventor. She is such a nature girl and always has been, even as a baby if she was fussy we just took her outside and she would stop crying, so maybe a park ranger or a biologist. Or maybe something with animals. She was actually teaching our old dog a new trick the other day--how to climb the stairs, which Bella cannot do because she is stupid, but she tries to because Annabelle was coaxing her with goldfish and she loves Annabelle and loves goldfish. And let's not forget when she was three and had an obsession with all things dentistry.

But it was the other day that she said something that made me think in a totally new direction for her career choice, something I never would have considered for her in a million years. We play this game where we try to get an "express" while we are driving, which is to say no red lights. We really like to play it as we are heading down shepherd, because there are a million lights and it is a challenge. We have made a few rules, If the light is red and you slow down but don't have to stop before it turns green, it counts as green. Turning right on red is the same as a green light. Whatever. But then I hear this one:"mom, what if you are almost at a red light, and are slowing down and then it turns green but the person at the front of the line is texting and not paying attention (where would she get that idea?) and they kind of waste the light and then you have to stop? It's not really your fault but you have stopped. What does that count as?"

"Hmmm. That is a slippery slope, my lambkin a slippery slope..."

Resolute

I find lists very comforting and think of things in terms of lists, and if i do just one thing on this list it will be a success. and if i don't, its just a list. So here it goes, better late than never....

1. Spiritual

A. Go to Confession, which I view as optional but suspect is perhaps more than that...
B. read some spiritual book
C. Read bible more
D. Pray more

2. Home keeping
A. Organize every room
B. errands just once a week
C. Finish painting girls room and hang letters and make hooks
D. Laundry every day, fold and PUT AWAY
E. laundry room clean
F. Car not trash can on wheels
G. Organize pictures and make albums.
F. Be one of those people.

3. Children
A. Nourish and cherish
B. play more
C. Yell less
D. Eliminate the word "hurry"


4. Health
A. Lose 20 lbs
B. exercise 3 times a week/ 45 minutes of cardio
C. Juice and cleanse
D. Vegetarian meals 2 times a week

Stewardship
A. Save more money
B. don't waste food

Me
A. Read more books
B. all of this other stuff
C. Take more pictures

Husband
A. The goals for my husband numerous and multifaceted but they are my goals for him--what I perceive he should do, not his goals, because I doubt he has any because he thinks his shit doesn't stink. Like, that is literal, he actually thinks that, which is why he offers to share the bathroom with me while I brush my teeth-- so maybe my goal is to just live my life in a way that inspires him and makes his life a little easier. And I doubt I need to tell him what he needs to do, because he knows....

Blog
Maybe I will write more and put some more pictures up.

Happy new year from castroville Texas

Help me. My mother is telling me how, since its New Year's Day, she has organized her underwear drawer, and she is telling me in great detail. The panties she got from "queen Victoria, you know that store..." Then my dad cuts in, "you mean queen latifah." Now she is telling me her New Year's resolutions, which include "be more tolerant of your dad." This is on her list every year and also what she does for lent. I suggested cussing less, and her reply was "I don't consider that to be a detriment." Then she ordered my dad to fetch her something and added please as an afterthought. "See? I am doing good," she points out, proudly.

Well, at least she's made some, which is better than me.