A Day in the Life...

It was a beautiful Saturday. The start of a great three-day weekend. What more could you ask for?

The only thing planned was a wedding for our friend's daughter. I can't believe that I have friends whose kids are getting married already, but I digress.

The wedding was going to be held at our church, and the boys were serving.

I was playing on Facebook, the game word twist, with my brother in-law and son. I was getting my butt beat, but that's okay. Jenni was out shopping for... something.

All is well. I still have three hours before I even have to think about getting ready, and the phone rings...

** dramatic music pause **

I stand up, and it happens.

Pain. Lots and lots of pain. My back has decided to go on holiday. It happened, quite literally, as I answered the phone. Jenni didn't notice, until the end of our conversation.

Apparently I grunt and groan while talking on the phone. Who knew.

Lovely Wife: "What's wrong with you?"
Achy-Breaky Back: "I just threw my back out."
LW: "Riiight."
ABB: "No, I'm serious. It hurts!"
LW: "And the fact that there is a wedding in four hours has nothing to do with it."
ABB: "No. It really hurts."
LW: "When did it happen?"
ABB: "Just now."
Pause
ABB: "I'm still going to the wedding, I just hope they have an open bar, that should loosen the back right."
LW: "Whatever."


I get off the phone and stumble to the couch, and proceed to play some more Word Twist. There wasn't anything else I could do anyway, except stay off of it. So that's what I did.

I get into the shower to get ready for the wedding and the heat is actually helping. So I figure that this will be better by evening. Then the colder air hit my back and it started to tighten up once again. I'm still going to the wedding though. Just no dancing later.

We get to the church around 1:30, everyone is feeling fine, with the exception of me looking like I'm forty years older. The boys go set up and Jenni and I take our seats.

It is a wedding Mass, way better than just a service in my opinion, and we go through a reading from the book of Tobit - I love that reading, then we move on to Saint Paul's letter to the Corinthians. You know the one "... love is patience, love is kind..."

Monsignor reads the Gospel, and gives a homily (one that Benjy says he's heard a few times) talking about the three rings of a marriage; engagement ring, wedding ring and suffering, which gets a chuckle from all us married folks. He turns it into a serious talk about how we are to suffer to make our marriages last, or better yet, we have to deal with suffering together as married couples.

They perform the sacrament of marriage, bless the rings, place the rings...

Benjy collapses.

Holy Smoke! The kid just dropped hard on the marble floor. My father in-law is up there in a jiff, and I'm struggling to get out of the pew. We all meet out in the Narthex, someone is calling 9-1-1, and Benjy is looking really pale. We get him some lemonade to drink, figuring he's got low blood sugar - then get told to not give him something to drink. Oops.

What is especially scary about this episode; is that it has happened before. Only that time Benjy had an actual seizure, this time we're pretty sure that he just passed out. They take him to the hospital - I go home to rest my back and watch the other kids, and they do a series of tests. They test for strep, check his temperature (he was at 101), check his tonsils (they were HUGE), and give him an IV. They also give him a CT scan, because he hit his head pretty hard, and determined that he has whiplash. They also gave him a prescription for something to kill whatever bug was starting to come into play.

They get home around six, and Jenni decides to go to the reception, while I stay at home and monitor Benjy.

Benjy is doing okay today; a little sore, which is understandable considering what he went through. He kept his sense of humor though, as he posted on his Facebook shortly after returning home:

"Benjamin is back from the hospital... i suggest you dont fall on marble... it hurts."

No kidding.

McCain-Palin A Ticket I Can Vote For

Okay, you all may or may not know how I feel about John McCain.



I take it all back.



Well at least this eases the pain.



Such a bold choice.



Such a wise choice.



Sign me up!!!



I was hoping for something like this, and I am so excited that it has happened that I am willing to contribute to a national campaign, for the first time in my life.



She's Pro-Life! She's Conservative! She's Got Spunk! She's NOT from D.C.! She's a Maverick! She's our next Vice President!!

Perfect!

Rock on!!!

This is Not Acceptable

I started blogging so that I would have an outlet for my writing (because I am always working on that great American novel, don't you know)

However, this month has had a rather lackluster performance, for me. I mean this is just my ninth post this month.

Ninth!

I mean I had a streak of over three months of daily posts going at one time, and now I have Nine! In a thirty-one day month.

Way bad.

Way not cool.

Way too many short sentences.

So, my solution is; to quit my job and post non-stop.

Okay that is the absolutely dumbest thing I have EVER written and/or said.

Seriously.

Okay, except maybe for that time I asked the lady when she was due and she told me... "I'm not pregnant!"

Oops.

I mean I can say that she looked pregnant, but I will get absolutely no sympathy from any female readers. All I can say is lesson learned. I don't even ask my wife when she is due, when I KNOW that she is pregnant.

Okay, she's not right now, so calm down there everyone. This is not an announcement post. That's for tomorrow...

I have so much to talk about like;

BIDEN!!! - You have to be kidding me? This dude plagiarizes speeches and talks out of his behind half the time, he thinks that he is almost as good as Obama thinks he is. But I digress...

I was seriously kidding about the whole pregnancy thing, now put the phone back on the hook - Mom - and read through the whole thing... Sheesh!

Yes, I am mean and arrogant and I DO KNOW IT ALL!!! Bwah ha ha ha!!!

Never mind that, it's just my evil twin muse.

Where was I? Oh yeah Biden - a Catholic that will try to over rule the Church's two-thousand year old history to fit his own needs. I hate those kind of people, like Kerry, Kennedy and any other politician that thinks they know better than the Pope.

I didn't forget about that braniac Pelosi. All I have to say is that I hope my fellow Catholics will join me in sending her a copy of the Catechism, highlighting the area where it says that abortion is evil, no matter when it occurs. Let us all take a quiet moment to pray for all those lost children, because of abortions....

Miss Sister 2008 - a bad idea that has come and gone. Praise God!

The Cubs are kicking some serious booty right now... watch out for the Rockies though, they are heating up (please don't wake me, just yet).

Soccer season is upon us. Yea!! I can hardly wait; there is nothing more enjoyable than making kids run around and work out, while I stuff another brownie in my face.

Not this year though - I need to lose about six hundred of those brownies.

Okay I'm done. Hope it was as good for you as it was for me.



P.S. - I know that there are lots of other stories out there, but I need to make it last for at least 20 more posts in five days.

P.P.S - I know I should have written out twenty up there, so quit sending those nasty emails. I have feelings to you know.

P.P.P.S - Only Seventy-Three more days until we start election 2012! Get your web domains early

Good Night and God Bless!!

I've Been Remiss In Accepting This Honor

I was given a blog award.

An impressive blog award.

An impressive blog award that I should have mentioned sooner.

Like a month ago.

I have been a bad award winner.

I have been an ungrateful (appearing) and bad award winner.

I need to make up for that, because, well this:

The Nirvana award disclaimer (enacted 7-21-08, ratified on that same date): I can't help it if I am not the only person on the Internet that thinks you are cute, smart, original, creative, hot, excellent, good, great, in need of a hug, in need of a bouquet of flowers, in need of a poem, and/or funny. I cannot be held accountable for the actions of others that may or may not have resulted in a duplication of the award in question. Accepting the award is up to you, but once you do accept said award if I hear any crap about said award I am revoking said award because if I gave you said award you deserved said award so deal with said award. Thank you very much.

You see that?

I mean what is worse than hearing any "crap" about said award, than hearing NOTHING about said award?

So what is said award?

Glad you asked. It is this...

Now, I personally being as insecure as the next guy, do not believe that I deserve this. However, I am not one to disclaim an award... especially with the airtight disclaimer above. I mean, I would be afraid of what would happen to me if I chose to not accept it.

That being said, I would like to present my acceptance speech - at least the text of said speech, anyway:

Thank you!

Thank you so much. I am glad that all of my hard work has been finally noticed enough that I proudly accept this Brillante Weblog Premio-2008 award.

I look back at the history of this award and just can't help to wonder who else in history would be deserving of this award, if it only were available then.

We're talking TJ - Thomas Jefferson, my favorite bespectacled founding father Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Edison would be trying to pry it from Nicola Tesla's hands I am sure. Others would include names like Dickens, Shakespeare, Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Einstein and Aristotle to just name a few.

I am honored to be among such men.

This award is not just for men either, and the list of women receiving this award would be just as glamorous; with Catherine the Great, Mary Shelley, Cleopatra, heck I think Margaret Thatcher won it twice, I digress because this is actually about me now.

You see, the insecurity I had at the beginning of this speech has blossomed into some serious hubris, so I must bring this to an end, but not before thanking the important people:

My wife, Jenni, always there for me through thick or thin, without who I would be lost and a complete nutcase. My kids who really do try to understand what planet it is I come from. My in-laws that have been there to pick me up when I have fallen, as have my parents - although it would be nice to see them again!

Thank you very much for this great honor Holly - I shall continue to read your blog, no matter what.

I promise.

Really, I do.

Stop playing that music already!!! I'm only halfway thr...

A Story That Needs To Be Read (Really)

I've been away for a while.

Not my fault.

Promise.

That being said I would like to start of what is sure to be a flurry of posts (whatever Roger), with a touching story that you may or may not have seen in your email boxes... but it touched me so much, that I just had to share.

Make sure you get your Kleenex ready. Here goes...

In 1986, Peter Davies was on holiday in Kenya after graduating from Northwestern University .

On a hike through the bush, he came across a young bull elephant standing with one leg raised in the air. The elephant seemed distressed, so Peter approached it very carefully.

He got down on one knee and inspected the elephant's foot and found a large piece of wood deeply embedded in it. As carefully and as gently as he could, Peter worked the wood out with his hunting knife, after which the elephant gingerly put down its foot.

The elephant turned to face the man, and with a rather curious look on its face, stared at him for several tense moments. Peter stood frozen , thinking of no thing else but being trampled.

Eventually the elephant trumpeted loudly, turned, and walked away. Peter never forgot that elephant or the events of that day.

Twenty years later, Peter was walking through the Brookfield Zoo with his teen aged son. As they approached the elephant enclosure, one of the creatures turned and walked over to near where Peter and his son Cameron were standing.

The large bull elephant stared at Peter, lifted its front foot off the ground, and then put it down.

The elephant did that several times then trumpeted loudly, all the while staring at the man.
Remembering the encounter in 1986, Peter couldn't help wondering if this was the same elephant.

Peter summoned up his courage, climbed over the railing and made his way into the enclosure. He walked right up to the elephant and stared back in wonder.

The elephant trumpeted again, wrapped its trunk around one of Peter legs and slammed his stupid ass against the railing, killing him instantly.

Probably wasn't the same elephant.

Oh Plurk!

I enjoy Plurk.

Plurk is fun.

Plurk is a great way to meet people across the country.

Plurk is currently down.

What the heck am I going to do? I mean the Olympics are on, and we need to have our running commentary on all things, USA!

We all have a dislike of one Tim Daggett? Because he is such a downer.

"A mistake of epic proportions!!"

Dude. It's just a sport. Chill the heck out.

Russia invading Georgia is more of an epic bad thing.

A Tsunami wave wiping out and entire country side, that's epic.

An earthquake that killed over 70,000 people, most of them children, that's a epic disaster.

Someone slipping on a vault, heck that's just a mistake.

Then there is Michael Phelps... I really don't need to say more, I mean there are married women swooning over the kid, and well, it's fun.

Jordan took over for me last night, I apparently was too exhausted to fight about it, while she and Benjy slung insults and jokes at the Internet and Plurk-verse, I snored the woman's all-around away.

No worries, I just saw a recap - in five minutes, that told me the whole story.

Why am I writing all of this?

Because Plurk is down, of course.

Let's Start This Trip From the Beginning, Again!

I want to write something good.

I want to write something funny.

I want to write something good and funny.

Something that will knock your socks off and make you roll on the floor laughing hysterically for hours.

Why the sudden interest, on my part, to entertain?

Let’s just call it Cubs Revenge 2008.

That’s right, I’m blaming the Chicago Cubs for this, and the fact that they played the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday.

You see, if the Cubs weren’t playing the Cubs on that day, I would have never had to fork over the money to buy the tickets, would have had no desire to miss work (well, maybe), and I surely would not have enjoyed all eleven innings of baseball fun with a fever above three digits.

Yep, I went there sick, and only got sicker.

And sicker.

And even more sick.

I wanted to plan my funeral.

At some point, if you didn’t look too close, you might have thought I was dead.

That is why I want to be good and funny and make you all roll your eyes and heads and whatever other body parts you can get to roll. I figure that I have been gone long enough that I might have to reintroduce myself.

Hi, I’m Roger and I’m no longer sick.

I have one very beautiful and patient wife, and six lovely, if not quite as patient, children.

I live in Illinois, near Chicago, and I love it here. Except when it is 90/90 or worse. 90/90 being my little nickname for freaking hot and humid! Kind of catchy, feel free to use it I don’t mind, and I’m pretty sure that only the voices in my head have used it before.

I work at a job where I get to tell twenty-five grownups to quit acting like children. Some days, my kids are more mature than these knuckleheads. That’s okay, the pay isn’t that great and just got worse (benefits cost increase), but it has so far managed to pay most of my bills. At least the ones that count.

I am a Roman Catholic, and proud to be one, so don’t try and mess with me, because I do have a mean streak when it comes to defending my faith and my family. Oh, and we have six children because God felt us worthy of them, not because we are Catholic, and we do know what causes it. Isn’t it fun?

I aspire to be a writer, heck I am a writer. I’m just not as well published as others, but I am better than a lot and will not back down from that claim, until St Peter comes looking for me. At which time, I fully intend on taking over the position of Heavenly Scribe.

Maybe.

Our children are loads of fun and a great joy to us, and I will share stories about them (much to their chagrin), and try not to embarrass them too much.

Whatever!

That’s what kids are for, right?

I learn from them each and every day, and love them more than even I thought possible.
Andy is our oldest at 17; he is going through those wonderful holy-crap-I’m-almost-free moments, then he comes home to Mom and Dad.

Benjy is 13 going on 35 and is smart as can be, but he loves the computer games a little too much at times. He also loves to play soccer; surprisingly he likes it more with me as his coach. Watching the Olympics now has him yearning to be a gymnast. I think he was impressed by the upper body strength, more than anything.

Jessica is 10, and depending on what day it is can be the sweetest thing ever, whereas if she doesn’t get enough sleep; her Daddy’s temper starts to flare up. I wish that was a part of me that would just evolve away.

Kaitlynn is 8, and blond. She plays the ‘dumb blond’ part to a tee. Here is the best part; we know it is an act, as she could easily be a grade or two higher than where she is. She is also the social butterfly and is not ashamed that I call her my ‘Cuddlebug.’

Margaret is 5, and apparently my favorite child. This news flash comes from the other five and might have something to do with the fact that I can’t say no to her. The others just don’t remember that I did, and pretty much still do, the same thing for them.

Daniel is 2, and such fun, especially now that he is talking so much more. I love when he says “Chok-chok” for chocolate, and today he hurt his toe and noticed some Starburst. Jenni saw this and asked him if a Starburst would make his foot feel better, he said it would, so Benjy gave him one…. And he put it on his foot.
Jenni is the saint that married me, and best yet, still puts up with me. She knows how to push me into a fight, and how to shut me up better than anyone on this planet. I don’t mess with Jenni; she’ll kick my butt.

Okay, so it wasn’t necessarily funny.

Maybe it wasn’t even very good.

It is I though. Including the short paragraphs, so if you don’t like short paragraphs, I can guarantee that you will not like me. Really would be a shame to part on such a thing like short paragraphs, and I hope that you will stick around, or at least pop in every now and again.

Don’t forget to comment. I like those, even the ones that are kind of Spam-ish, like the dude that left me a note when I was talking about my obsession with Monster Slurpee’s, and told me there was an energy shot that I could add to it. I tried it, and you know what? It was pretty cool, but I might want to get into better shape before I try that again. Although I did reach my target heart rate while sitting down, so it may work as the new cardio.

Okay, enough for now… I have more to post on later, including some answers to your questions (I haven’t forgotten), and a meme! You heard me, a meme about eight things to do before I die, which seems appropriate considering what I just went through.

See, you need to stick around for that, plus much more; including football picks, and predictions, and various rants about one of the two morons running for president. I have an idea, why don’t we just have an election for everybody in Congress, and no incumbents can run. What do you all think of that?

One other thing I forgot to mention about me, I like to talk/write, so my posts can get wordy, especially if I have a good half hour to compose.

Bye-bye and God Bless you all.



P.S. - Why is everything underlined? If you know, please let me know, because it's kind of annoying to me.

Peace.

Ramblings of a Man with a Cold

Okay, I have no idea what I am going to write, and no idea where this will end up - total stream of consciousness here.

Got it?

Good.


It's 12:07AM as I start this, and I don't know why I was compelled to turn on the computer and write something, could be this freaking cold, or maybe Mr. Muse has decided to show up, because he likes to work nights.

I really don't know.

Maybe it's the movie August Rush that spoke to me, granted this ain't no pretty music, but who knows, maybe it will be.

The movie was excellent, it's a story about a young boy in search of his parents and has a great creepy performance by Robin Williams.

Seriously great.

Let's put it this way, I wanted to reach inside the computer and kick his Ass, not many characters get to me to me that way.

Then again, maybe it's the Tylenol Cold talking.

Speaking of that stuff, I wish it would contain my cough, it is so hard to sleep when I keep coughing.

I am sure that Jenni is glad that I am out of the bedroom for the moment.

Whoa, who is slowly creeping down my street?

Whew! It didn't look like they were doing anything, just going home - one of my neighbors kids must be visiting.

Granted it is after midnight--- sing along if you know the words...

Sorry, I don't know them either.

Want to hear something funny? These last few sentences have been written with an Irish accent.

Could you tell?

Oh looky, the train is blowing his flipping whistle.

Did I mention that it was after midnight.

My one neighbor, let's call her "Ho-Drunk" is all in a tizzy about the park district wanting to build a pool/recreation center.

And the problem is?

Well, she is afraid that our taxes will go up - no doubt. So she's going to give the city a piece of her mind.

Dammit!

I should tell her that the city probably has NOTHING to do with it, as it would fall under the park district's jurisdiction. Also, I should mention that they need to have an election to get the dang thing approved.

It's more fun this way, I think.

Why 'Ho-Drunk?'

Well, my lovely bride of sixteen plus years has a great habit of creating words for use, remember Assitude? I'd link it now, but then the train of whatever thoughts would leave the station, and we can't have that, now can we?

Anyway, her name is Holly - I am sure that my blog friends TexasHolly, and AnglophileFootballFanatic are nothing like her though.

Back to 'Ho-Drunk,' you see she has a way of jumping from dude to dude. Heck there was a time, I kid you not , she had two different boyfriends visit on the same weekend.

Awkward.

So, naturally Holly go shortened to Ho. I'm pretty sure you all can figure out the drunk part.
Now this is a woman that has told people that I used to work with, that I'm an A-Hole. No doubt I can be, hence Assitude. (I really should remember to add some links tomorrow when I am more awake).

But never, I repeat NEVER to her. In fact, I can probably count on both my hands and feet the amount of words, I have actually spoken to her - in eleven years!

Sure, maybe that seems a little standoff-ish, but remember I am no ones social butterfly (i.e. I am as introverted as they come, really.)

Okay, maybe not THAT introverted.

Enough about that.... NEXT!

Wow, I just lost my signature, how the heck did I do that? I wonder if it will ever come back? Oh I am sure that I could put it back, but remember it is after midnight, and me brain isn't working quite right there, don't you know? (More Irish)

I am curious to see how the comments go with this piece, if there will even be any? Like Plurk, where I like to pimp myself out on occasion, wait, I haven't actually done that... So if any of you all want to, feel free to "Pump Up the Karma, Pump up the Karma!"

Oh and leave a comment to, please. :)

Looky there, it's 12:35 and my time is nearly up... bet you didn't know I set a half hour time limit, now did you. Guess what? Me neither!

However, the meds, plus the hot sower, plus nearly cutting myself shaving (I hate that! Shaving that is, do they make Nair for faces?), which always wakes me up and keeps the adrenaline pumping. Oh and half an hour of this nonsense, I have but four more words for you...

Listen to the music.

Thirty-Seven Things You Did Not Know (about me) and Were Afraid to Ask.

There comes a time in every blogger's life when they need to share just a few more things about their lives... Here are thirty-seven more from me.

Exciting isn't it? I mean there just may be a tidbit in these thirty-seven things that will make you ooh and ah about the man writing these words.

No really, there just might be.

If not, if you can go through this entire post and not have a question about who I am and what I am about, then you need to ask a question of me, because I have failed to produce a satisfactory post and I don't want to do that.

That's my way of pandering for comments now people! I promise to answer all questions in a future post. No really, I do promise.

For now, sit back and enjoy this thirty-seven bits of information, and don't forget to ask a question for me at the end --- in the comments section. :)

1. Do you like blue cheese? Yes, usually in dressing, but I have been known to have some on a burger every now and again.

2. Have you ever smoked? Yes, but I didn't inhale. Seriously, I smoke cigarettes like cigars, and only when I am drunk and bored and at a night club. In other words, a very, very, VERY long time ago. (Kids, this does not mean that it is okay).

3. Do you own a gun? With six kids that would not be advisable.

4. What flavor Kool-Aid was your favorite? Grape.

5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? Nope.

6. What do you think of hot dogs? Chicago style hot dogs ROCK!!

7. Favorite Christmas movie? A Christmas Carol, almost any version. I just love that story by Charles Dickens.

8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? It used to be Diet Coke, now it is either water or Iced Tea.

9. Can you do push ups? Sure. How many do you want me to do? Just keep the number low, please. I'm still in training.

10. What's your favorite piece of jewelry? My wedding ring

11. Favorite hobby? Reading and Writing.

12. Do you have A.D.D.? I do not.

13. Do you wear glasses/contacts? No, 20/16 last check up, but I'm thinking that five years has past since my last check, and... maybe I'll need them soon.

14. Middle name? William

15. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment? I wonder if anyone has read this far, I am not a fan of hot, humid weather, Cubs Win!!

16. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink? Arizona Green Tea, Arizona Pomegranate Green Tea, Arizona Diet Green Tea.

17. Current worry? I really don't worry about anything, except when the kids or my wife are travelling.

18. Current hate right now? Mosquito bites (Lots of those suckers!)

19. Favorite place to be? Home with my family, or Scotland, or... Disney World!!

20. How did you bring in the new year? By watching the kids and their friends celebrate it, or by sleeping.

21. Where would you like to go? Heaven.

22. Name three people who will complete this? Tom, Dick and Harry - who knows who is even reading this.

23. Do you own slippers? No.

24. What shirt are you wearing? A Walt Disney World 2004 character shirt with; Mickey, Donald, Goofy and Pluto on it. It is gray and the characters are drawn in black and white. The only color on the shirt is a red number 2, a yellow number 0, a green number 0, and a blue number 4.

25. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? No. Don't want to slide off.

26. Can you whistle? Yes.

27. Favorite color? Emerald Green.

28. Would you be a pirate? Sure if this were the fifteenth century, looks like a good time.

29. What songs do you sing in the shower? I don't sing in the shower, it takes too much energy that early in the morning.

30. Favorite Girl's Name? I have four; Jennifer, Jessica, Kaitlynn, and Margaret also known as Jenni, Jessie, Katie and Maggie.

31. Favorite boy's name? Nicholas Alexander, probably some Slavic influence there, I'm not sure. I am also fond of Andrew, Benjamin and Daniel.

32. What's in your pocket right now? No pockets on these shorts, so nothing.

33. Last thing that made you laugh? My two-year old getting excited about some cantaloupe. Although this is a close second...



34. What vehicle do you drive? A 2000 Plymouth Voyager mini-van.

35. Worst injury you've ever had? I have dislocated both of my pinkies; one while playing basketball, the other while playing football. Oh, and both of my ankles are pretty loose (I guess that's the term for very weak ligaments) from years playing soccer.

36. Do you love where you live? Yes. The house could be bigger, but I really don't have any complaints other than petty neighbor things.

37. How many TVs do you have in your house? Too many. Seven, with only four hooked up for cable, really, really basic cable.

"How's that kitchen coming along?"

First of all, I wanted to let you all know that Roger has allowed me, his wife, to post on his blog today. What a great guy!!

Remember waaayyyy back to here? And here? Seriously, did you think this project was already done and Roger just forgot to update you all? Did you think he would have finished this a long time ago!?!?! Do you think he should have finished this a long time ago? Well, it's still not done - but look at it now!!!

My Dad helped us put in our three new hanging lights

My Dad also made a small bookcase to fit at the end of our now very long island. He built a new countertop for the existing island and taught ME how to tile and grout.

The tiles were all leftover from my parent's bathroom. When they moved into their brand new home, there was a leak in the masterbath. The builder sent over a whole new bathroom supply of tiles. They didn't need even a third of the tiles! I have learned from my parents - you never throw anything away. The tiles we have now inherited! My Dad even thinks there are enough left over to do the rest of the countertops!

The ceiling still needs to be painted. The area behind the new range needs to be sanded and painted - along with the small area above the microwave.

We also still need to rent a floor sander and get the floors in the eat-in part of the kitchen finished. That's gonna be a mess. But it will look soooo good when it's done. Our new kitchen is so much brighter and we don't suffer brain damage when we use our island now! It's the largest counterspace in my entire kitchen and I love it!!! The storage in the kitchen has grown which will come in handy when we're finally ready to begin our new school year!! Hmm, maybe on Monday we can begin!

<--- how do I remove that!?!?! I don't want to create my own, so I'll just sign out: Jenni

Obsession Confession

Forgive me bloggers for I have sinned, it has been a while since my last confession - in fact, this is my first on these pages...

I have obsessions.

Some are good, like being obsessed with my family’s welfare.

Some are bad, like my obsession for being lazy, and eating everything in sight.

I go to work, and try to eke out a living that is good enough to supply the basic necessities of family life, you know food, shelter and the like (the like being a Wii, PS2, Beer).

I sit on my couch, enjoying a good book or television show (although they are getting harder and harder to find). Maybe the writers should go back on strike, until they can come up with an original idea – I’m sure there are a few left.

I am a huge fan of a certain mouse.

Okay, technically, I’m not that big of a fan of Mickey Mouse (Go Goofy!!), but I do love his house, especially the one in Florida, where we will be in December (6-14), some 125 days away – but who’s counting.

I am obsessed with becoming a writer, but only as far as my self-esteem will allow me.

You know Grumpy is seriously misunderstood, but very popular. Why is that? I mean I would think that Happy would be promoted more, or Sleepy, Bashful, Doc and Sneezy. Dopey has a huge following as well; I think that Disney is colluding against five of their dwarves.

I love to read – almost anything. Romance novels are not my cup of tea, just like adventure novels may not be someone else’s. I love a good mystery, and can tolerate some horror.

Why am I telling you this? Because I am sure that others share the same obsessions, especially the Disney one – I mean have you seen all of the blogs dedicated to Disney themes? It is crazy! It is cool! It is crazy-cool!!

So, why the heck am I bothering to tell you these obsessions?

Because I have two, no three, new ones and I feel that it is important to get this information out there.

Consider it a public safety announcement.

A public safety announcement without the benefit of star power and only being broadcast in this section of the blog universe, for you and me, and my family that is here to help you and them (maybe even me).

What are these obsessions, you are asking, nay demanding?

The first one is Jelly Belly Belly Flops ®.

What are Belly Flops®? They are irregular jellybeans. They are irregular jellybeans that are sold in two-pound packages at about four dollars a pound. If you have ever bought Jelly Belly’s® before, you know that the going rate for them is closer to eight dollars a pound. They still taste great just look weird. As the package says:

“These special beans taste great, but don’t quite meet all of our demanding standards for size, color, shape and flavor.”

Pretty awesome, isn’t it?

My next latest obsession is a frozen dark-purple drink known as a Monster Black Ice Slurpee™. These are freaking awesome! They also come with some pretty cool aluminum straws, in at least four different colors; orange, green, purple and red.

I can’t get enough! They make me bounce off a wall, or two. They make me explore things that I normally wouldn’t explore. I won’t mention what it is, but if you have ever had anything grape flavored, or at least purple, you will know of what I am speaking. It’s a guy thing. I think I have said too much.

Finally, my latest obsession is a social networking site known as Plurk. You can see a widget for it on the side, over there – on the right, about halfway down the page. I have “met” many friends there, and made some as well. In fact, I think that I have befriended most of the Plurkers (that is what we are called) from Birmingham, Alabama.

Pretty cool, don’t you think?

So what could be wrong with my new obsessions, you ask? Well, the Jelly Belly’s® are adding to my weight issues, so it MUST be stopped. Of course, we just had someone stop by the factory in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin and pick up twelve (yes, I wrote twelve) two-pound bags of Belly Flops®.

Uh oh.

I’m not sure about the nutrition facts of a Monster Black Ice Slurpee™, but I am sure that it is probably more than my Arizona® Diet Green Tea, which does not have any adverse effect on my GI tract. The problems being that the guys that work for me know that I like them, and try to bribe me with them. I can’t be rude and not accept said bribe, now can I? It would not be a good thing to have someone’s feelings get hurt, just because the drink may or may not be good for me, now would it?

Maybe.

Plurking has yet to cause any fights at home, although Danny came by to say good night to me once, and I said, “Okay.” He stood there for a bit, confused, and then kicked me in the shins to pull me away from the computer monitor. So maybe I should keep my plurking obsession to after nine post meridian, to save my shins from getting bruised too much. Or at work, but I do not advice that situation for anybody, especially myself, knowing my history with the IT police.

There, I feel better now. I appreciate your time, and will now go and pray a few Hail Mary’s to ease my guilt.

Have a great evening!

I know that I will be popping Jelly Flops® and washing them down with a Monster Black Ice Slurpee™, while plurking myself.

See you there!