Wednesday, October 23, 2013

A Very Scary Five Minutes

Monday I was out running errands.
I was listening to WTOP (as per usual) when they broke with the story about the school shooting in Nevada.
As you know, I have a niece and nephew who are students in Nevada.
WTOP did not mention the location of the shooting, so I was a little concerned as I went into the last store on my list.  It was just a run in and run out kind of a trip so i just grabbed my credit card and left every thing else in the car.
When I got back to the car about ten minutes later, there was a missed call on my cell phone.
It had a Nevada area code, but it was an unfamiliar number.
My heart skipped several beats.
I called the number back but all I got was an generic voice mail recording.
I called my sister-in-law, but got HER voice mail.
I called my brother, but got a text saying that he was busy and would call me back.
I was having a little trouble breathing.
Then WTOP broke back in and said that the school was near Reno.  As relieved as I was about it not being "my" students, I felt so sad for the school near Reno.
I got back home and turned on TV and sure enough, Grey's Anatomy was doing a show about a school shooting.  Oh no.
My brother called me back - his was the unknown number - his new work cell phone. He couldn't believe the timing of it all - he wasn't even in Nevada and wasn't aware of the shooting when he just randomly called me.
I am so heartsick about the upswing in school shootings.
It used to be that school was the safe place for your children to be.
But now it seems like there aren't any "safe" places anymore.
So hug your family close and pray for Sparks, Nevada and all the school systems and students and teachers.
And pray for a solution to all this madness.
There has to be one out there....


Saturday, October 19, 2013

Good Morning World!!!

Neve woke up this morning and within five minutes was downstairs bright-eyed and chirping about cats.
Grey, however, surveyed the situation, grabbed a pop-tart and asked if he could take it back upstairs.





I, on the other hand, had staggered down the stairs two hours earlier at 6:15 AM to let the girls out and I hadn't progressed much past standing.




So I offered up donuts and bacon - it IS Saturday morning after all - and chocolate milk in fancy goblets.



 Now the house smells agreeably like bacon and coffee... 



 And I savored my first cup.



Turns out that there is a Very Important Mickey Mouse Clubhouse to watch so I need to join the chocolate milk swilling donut eating baconators.



 It is a cool crisp autumn Saturday morning....



We don't have to hurry anywhere and they are both happy to be here.



These Saturday mornings don't come by that often...

And these babies are little for so short a time...

Maybe I'll have another cup of coffee.  Sofia the First is on next....

Thursday, October 17, 2013

I Want an Owl

I've decided that I want an Owl. 

I need an Owl.

I mentioned it to Audrey.  She said "And would you like to be whisked away to Hogwarts too?"

I mentioned it to my other children. Let's just say that I am sure if they keep making those faces that they are going to freeze like that.  And then where would they be?

I mentioned it to Lucy and Ellie.  They figured that if cat food is tasty - owl food could be even better!

I would've mentioned it to Larry but he is out of town at the moment.  But it's ok.  I'm sure he wouldn't mind.

Then I mentioned it to the cats.  They said "Owls??  Owls??  Baked or fried??"

Hmmmnnn....

I guess that some dreams are better left unrequited....

Owls...Yummmm....



Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Electronic Family

Audrey and I have a love/hate relationship with the movie "Stepmom".  We sit and get mad at the daughter actor - I mean who talks like that without getting smacked?  And we cry and cry. And we generally make the same remarks.

This morning I was flipping thru the channels and saw that Stepmom was playing and since it was about half way thru so I turned it on.  I figured it was safe.

I was by myself.

What a mistake.

I was sniffling as I texted Audrey - 

Me:  Stupid Stepmom movie.

Me:  We didn't sing and do choreographed dances enough as a family.  I hereby apologize.

Audrey:   I feel like you say that every time you watch Stepmom. ...we've forgiven you...as a family.  It's ok.

Me:  I want Susan Sarandon's wardrobe.  It's classic.

Me:  And her house too.

Me:  Thank you.  And the two of them riding that ONE horse in the snow??  Did they not watch The Horse Whisperer?

Audrey:  Apparently not...

Then we had to stop texting because she was at work and I couldn't see to text anymore because I was frankly sobbing by then.  

Stupid movie.....


Friday, October 4, 2013

Best-laid Plans...

Yesterday I hit the road to pick Larry up from the Metro.

The sun was shining and I was feeling good.

I picked up Larry and even tho he had to work an hour later than usual, we figured that we were up for some shopping.  So we made a plan....

 "We'll just run over to Costco on the way home and get a few things.  We'll pick up water and bleach and milk etc.  Then maybe swing by the Checkers drive thru and get a chili dog!"

Traffic was heavy and about and hour and a half later (or approximately 16 miles) we began to scale back our plans.

"We'll just go to Wegman's and get a little bit of water and some milk and save Costco for Saturday.  Maybe run by McDonalds and try out the new Mighty Wings and get a hamburger...."

Then about 45 minutes later (9 miles) we got on the exit to 29 and sat stock still for 10 minutes before we started c-r-e-e-p-i-n-g towards the bridge.

And we scaled our plans back even further....

We'll just run by the McDonalds drive-thru and then stop at the B.P. and grab a couple of big Aquafina's and that will hold us until tomorrow!"

Like I said...

Best-laid plans of mice and men often go astray....

* Not Actually yesterday's traffic - but close to it...