I'm Back! (part 2)

Hellooooo everyone! I'm finally back from my trip across the world. Ok, really only like 3 states, but it felt MUCH longer.

For those of you that don't know, my Mom passed away on March 26,2008. On March 26,2009, 4 of my sisters, myself and Ed were at her grave site and we unveiled her headstone. Usually this isn't a big deal, but did I mention that Ed pretty much made the ENTIRE thing? He made the form, mixed and poured the concrete and laser etched the front and back plaques for it. Then, after we hauled it there in his truck, he unloaded it (I helped a bit) and placed it (this involved him actually tying a strap around his waist and PULLING this 500 pound stone down a hill), and then assembling the entire thing there in the wind and cold and partially in the dark. Here is a pic of it.

Back:

Front:

He did and AMAZING job. My Mom loved birds, and her favorite were the hummingbirds she fed, so he put a hummingbird and a rose (her fav flower) on the front. Also on the front, he etched all of our names in the corners. On the back he etched the poem that is on her rememberence card with another rose and a candle and heart. I don't think I can ever tell him how much this meant to me and my family. A potentially crappy day was made better by the stone and the fact that we were there together.

The other thing that made this trip "memorable" was the fact that my sister Melissa who lives in Colorado had NO idea that me, Mary,Susan,Ed, Beckatang and Ray (Beckatang's guy,now renamed Earl by the sisters) were going to be there. AND only one sister (Susan) knew about the stone. So, it was a real "interesting" trip for a lot of reasons.

I hope I wasn't too much of a downer, but that's where I was and I feel a bit better. Perhaps some closure? I still miss my Mom every day, but it's a bit easier to pick myself up and go on.....

I love you, Mom.

I'm Back!

The basic stupidity of people

Here is the conversation I had with Bug. She is an MP at Camp Pendleton.

Me: Hey. What ya doin?

Bug: Driving home from work. So I wrote some tickets today.

Me: Oh really? For what?

Bug: Diffrent things. This one guy was parked in a red zone. He had been there for about an hour, and was starting to impede traffic, so I went over to his truck and was writing him up when he came out. He says to me that I shouldn't be writing him up because he had his hazard lights on, so it was ok.

Me: WHAT? Seriously? He said that?

Bug: Yep. I told him that unfortunatly for him, his hazard light force field didn't work for me, and gave him his ticket.

That's why I love her so...she takes NO crap from anyone, for any reason, and isn't afraid to say what she thinks.


Beckatang!

Bloggity, bloggity , blog

Well, it has been a few weeks since I last posted. (Thanks for yelling at me Beckatang) I wish I could say that I just haven't had anything to post, but the truth is that I have just been very tired and more than a little busy lately.

The renovations are moving along....sorta. We kinda lost a bit of steam for a few days, but we are back on track. I will have pics soon...the luxurification process is a long and arduous one, to be sure. However, Ed assures me that there is an end in sight.....

We did manage to take a couple of days off and we took RattChuk, Anthostein and Little Bit (Anthostein's Girlfriend) to Universal Studios. It was a lot of fun. I saw all kinds of interesting characters, and some of them even worked there. We stayed at the Glendale Hilton. It was nice. I will post pictures.

I had to finally break down and do two things I HATE to do. I went to the Dr. and the Dentist. I know, right!!! After having a migrane non stop for 3 days, I really had no choice but to go. The only problem was that my Dr. was unavailable and I had to see a PA. I belive that it stands for Pain in the Ass. This idiot spent the first 15 minutes of the visit telling me what I should have done. " You should have gone to the urgent care", "you shouldn't have waited so long" , Urgent care is available in Glendale"...blah blah blah...I finally told him that he needed to stop telling me what he thinks I should have done cuz I ain't no time traveler and it isn't going to change anything, and instead he should just shut up and help me NOW. I am here NOW...FIX IT!!!! He then started to tell me about HIS headaches and I stopped him and said "I don't really care about you, FIX IT NOW!!!" After I mentioned I had an appointment with my actual Dr. on the 20th and I was going to let her know how my visit with him went, he changed his tune. I got a shot (in the butt! ) and a prescription and was on my merry way!

As for the Dntist...well....I haven't gone to a dentist in a LONG ass time and it turns out I need a deep cleaning ($360), a root canal and crown ($700), a second crown ($600) and 6 fillings ($700). Also, RattChuk went and has to have both of her bottom wisdoms taken out ($450). RattChuk has an appointment Apr 6 for her stuff andI go in for the first half of my cleaning on Apr 7. The rest will take place in June or July. Lucky me.

Work has been VERY busy. Now I'm not talking late for my break cuz I'm on a call busy, I mean 187 calls in que, admin red alert busy. I guess I shouldn't complain too much, at least I have a job. And these days that's saying a lot! Also, I will be working 14 hours OT next week. THAT will help the bank account!

We found (or actually he found us) someone that has a Monte Carlo that is for sale for $300 that has the parts Anthostein needs for Marge. Ed is going to go check it out tomorrow.

I guess that's it for now...

I'm just sayin........

An Open Letter to James Thatcher, Brand Manager, Proctor and Gamble

Dear Mr. Thatcher, I have been a loyal user of your Always maxi pads for over 20 years, and I appreciate many of their features. Why, without the LeakGuard Core™ or Dri-Weave™ absorbency, I'd probably never go horseback riding or salsa dancing, and I'd certainly steer clear of running up and down the beach in tight, white shorts. But my favorite feature has to be your revolutionary Flexi-Wings. Kudos on being the only company smart enough to realize how crucial it is that maxi pads be aerodynamic. I can't tell you how safe and secure I feel each month knowing there's a little F-16 in my pants.

Have you ever had a menstrual period, Mr. Thatcher? Ever suffered from "the curse"? I'm guessing you haven't. Well, my "time of the month" is starting right now. As I type, I can already feel hormonal forces violently surging through my body. Just a few minutes from now, my body will adjust and I'll be transformed into what my husband likes to call "an inbred hillbilly with knife skills." Isn't the human body amazing? As brand manager in the feminine-hygiene division, you've no doubt seen quite a bit of research on what exactly happens during your customers' monthly visits from Aunt Flo. Therefore, you must know about the bloating, puffiness, and cramping we endure, and about our intense mood swings, crying jags, and out-of-control behavior. You surely realize it's a tough time for most women. In fact, only last week, my friend Jennifer fought the violent urge to shove her boyfriend's testicles into a George Foreman Grill just because he told her he thought Grey's Anatomy was written by drunken chimps. Crazy!

The point is, sir, you of all people must realize that America is just crawling with homicidal maniacs in capri pants. Which brings me to the reason for my letter. Last month, while in the throes of cramping so painful I wanted to reach inside my body and yank out my uterus, I opened an Always maxi pad, and there, printed on the adhesive backing, were these words: "Have a Happy Period." Are you fucking kidding me? What I mean is, does any part of your tiny middle-manager brain really think happiness—actual smiling, laughing happiness—is possible during a menstrual period? Did anything mentioned above sound the least bit pleasurable? Well, did it, James? FYI, unless you're some kind of sick S&M freak girl, there will never be anything "happy" about a day in which you have to jack yourself up on Motrin and Kahlúa and lock yourself in your house just so you don't march down to the local Walgreens armed with a hunting rifle and a sketchy plan to end your life in a blaze of glory.

For the love of God, pull your head out, man. If you just have to slap a moronic message on a maxi pad, wouldn't it make more sense to say something that's actually pertinent, like "Put Down the Hammer" or "Vehicular Manslaughter Is Wrong"? Or are you just picking on us? Sir, please inform your accounting department that, effective immediately, there will be an $8 drop in monthly profits, for I have chosen to take my maxi-pad business elsewhere. And though I will certainly miss your Flexi-Wings, I will not for one minute miss your brand of condescending bullshit.

And that's a promise I will keep. Always.