Twilight

Two weeks ago I finished reading the Twilight Saga, by Stephanie Meyer for the second time. I finished it the first time in 10 days. Yes, all four books in 10 days. That was during the aftermath of Hurricane Ike when we didn't have power for 17 days! I read by flashlight. 

After I finished the books I thought, "Well, what am I gonna read now?"  I opened up Twilight to read for the third time. It was like turning into the arms of your best and favourite lover. 

I don't quite know what it is about this story that has me, and millions of others, hooked. Edward does have a sort of "Darcian" quality about him. Bella is ok. I think that the atmosphere of the story draws you in and you feel comfortable in it. 

I am of the Anne Rice school of vampires. I've always imagined them her way. The depth of Lestat and the Children of the Millennia hold my attention. I think that Anne Rice delved as deeply and fully into their histories that one would be satisfied in knowing all about their vampiric lives.

Stephanie Meyer, on the other hand, has much more story to tell. You know this by what is left untold. Such as, Alice's story about what she found out about herself as Bella was convalescing and the introduction of all of the other vampires in the fourth book. I hope that some day she will go back to those characters and really flesh them out into more stories. Now THOSE would be fun to read.

Getting Old? Not Me!

This weekend is my 20th High School Reunion. I am way excited. Tell you how it turns out when I get back. Love ya! M.

I'm Just Sayin'...

It's really sad when you can get a skirt and a dress for $15 less that it takes to fill up your gas tank. I'm just sayin'...

Jobs, Cars, Soccer and Life, in General...

It has been absolutely forever since I've had a chance to post. Not that I haven't wanted to, mind you, but I've either been too tired or just flat out haven't had the time.

So here we go.

In the later part of January, I started working outside of the home after 6.5 years of being at home with the boy. It has been quite an adjustment. I miss having time to do some of the things that I used to, but I enjoy the feeling of not having to pick which bill not to pay so that we can still eat. I've finally gotten to the point where we can take the toll road to get the boy to school and me to work. Before, it took us and hour and a half to get home every night. Now we have cut that time in half! Sweet!

When I first started working we were still driving my little Ford Focus station wagon. You know, that car just hasn't been the same since I had that wreck last spring. So we did the most natural thing we could. We bought a new to us used car---- 2001 Volkswagen Golf 1.8 T with 50k miles. Looked good, really cute in fact. It was navy blue with 4 doors a hatchback and a sun roof! Man was it fun to drive... Until it rained.......

I started driving the Golf to work the week that we had a hellacious rainstorm. I'm cruisin' on down the road and nothing. The engine light came on and the darn thing stopped in the middle of the road and rain. It was 5:15pm. My phone was dead and so was my NEW CAR.

I asked a man if I could use his phone. We were at a stop light and traffic was building up. He was going to help me push the car off to the side. I decided to try it and it started. Whew! I'm good to go. I turn the car to go pick up the boy from Spring Break child care & it dies three times before I get to the next intersection. I decided to park it in the nearest parking lot.

There was another nice man who came out of the restaurant where I parked the car. "Can I use your phone please? Mine is dead and my car keeps dying on me.". He stayed with me for over an hour and let me use his phone. I had to call the hubby to pick up the boy. Good thing we didn't trade in the old car, eh??? I called the dealer where we bought the car and they were almost no help. It took 6 different phone calls to get to the correct car rental place. It was 5:50pm and the car rental place closed at 6pm. Shit, shit, SHIT!

Meanwhile, there is this lovely man who is letting me use his phone. I'm trying my very best not to go berserk! The car rental place was like, "We can't come get you because I'm the only one in the shop." HELLO! Your motto is "We'll pick you UP!". Good Grief! Also, we are trying to pay our credit cards off, so we don't have them any more. Well, I can't rent a car to you unless you have a credit card or two bills. "I don't carry my bills with me!" "I understand ma'am, but I have to follow procedure." Mind you this bull crap is ticking away at my time to get there BEFORE they close! The gentleman whose phone I was using even offered to secure the rental with HIS credit card and we would pay cash at the end. Nope, no go. Can't do that ma'am. Shit! I tell the guy, I'm going to call my husband, he'll bring what we need, PLEASE DON'T LEAVE!" The gentleman who was with me the entire time drove me down to the car rental place.

While we were going down the road, he and I talked cars and kids. He had just moved to the metropolis from the next fair state over. I thanked him profusely and apologized for monopolizing his time. He said that he would hope that someone would do the same for his wife; who was still with his kids the next state over. As we were talking , he told me he had three children and that his youngest was named the same as mine. God truly does working in mysterious ways...

He got me to the car rental place and the hubby and the boy had not quite gotten there yet with all of the neccesary documents. They requested referrences and actually called them. Whoda thunk it? We finally got the rental and had it for a week. Since we had reliable transportation, we took it to see the hubbys' parents. It was a good, but fast trip.

When we got back to work we got the VW back. We went to dinner and took a little ride to test out the car. Just as we were getting ready to turn on to our street..................... The freaking engine light came on AGAIN!

"Hubby, empty out the car. We are taking this thing back tonight and I'm not taking NO for an answer." I was highly insensed,to say the absolutely least. We packed up and went to the dealer.

Now when I am happy, I'm quite the chatty gal with a light and airy walk. When I am homicidally angry, I'm quiet and slightly menacing with a hard, slow steady walk. I'm sure that the look on my face could have spoken volumes. Which is probably why the first guy to catch my eye tried to walk away. I very calmly, but firmly said, "Sir." He looked at me again and I told him, "We bought our car from you all and we have had it in the shop more than it has been in our driveway. I'm going to make this very simple for you. We are giving you back the car and the keys and you are NOT going to send us a bill."

Indeed, they looked at the service record on the car and took it back, with no problems. We found out a few days ago that they put that lemon back on the lot. A person who was looking at the car found our number in the car, probably something we had forgotten, and gave the hubby a call. He told them that there was something very wrong with the car and not to buy it. I sure hope that they took his advice.

The rest of the week I drove the Focus with minimal incident, but the car was tired. Finally, on that Saturday, it died again. I didn't freak this time, because we were all together. I just wanted to go home. The hubby said that he wanted to go look at the Hyundai Santa Fe's again. Well, two hours later I drove of the lot with MY brand spankin' new 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe. I love this car! We still have the Focus for rainy days for the hubby. He's cool with it.

This season is the boy's and my third season of soccer. I'm still his coach, but this season I was also his Division Co-ordinator. The season has been going pretty well. The kids are really great and the parents are too. I can really tell the difference in their abilities this season. My team kicks Ball!

:-( The boy has decided that in the fall he wants to be a Tiger Scout instead of play soccer. I think he's tired of mom being his coach. Frankly, I think I could use a break from it too. Maybe I could keep time or call out substitution...

Choir has been going busy too AND I'm on the call committee to find a replacement for our retired minister of music, plus working full time and trying to still be the perfect wifey. You might ask, "How's that workin' for ya???" Not so great. The house is a wreck, we eat out WAY too often and the laundry is backin' up like a bad sewer line.

Geeze! If I could afford it we'd have a maid. Then again, I don't want anybody to see our messy digs. Of course, just when I think our house is the filthiest pig-sty on Earth, I see someone who is showing off their even messier house on TV no less, for millions to see. Have they no SHAME!?

Well, back in August I got pneumonia somehow. Just as my doctor predicted, I have been sick much more since. I have had more sore throats and ear troubles since then than I have had in my entire 16 year marriage. It seems like everytime I think I'm going to get well, something else comes up to bite me in the booty. I'm so tired all the time and the hubby keeps after me to rest, but who has the time??? I'm hoping that after May is over, I'll at least get to sleep till 7:30 or 8am on Saturday mornings again. I miss my naps. And to think, as a child, I NEVER took naps. Now I can't seem to get enough sleep.

The hubby is still in school and is doing quite well. Work on the other hand, not so well, so if you pray, please pray for his work situation to get better. Thanks.

I thank God that mine seems to be going ok. I love what I am doing and the people I work with. I'm hoping that an offer for permanent employment will be made in the next few months, meanwhile I'm learning all that I can cram into my head about this new-to-me industry and helping out in any way I can while maintaining a pleasant and productive attitude. By the way: It can be done...I'm doing it. You know, pleasant AND productive. It's all a mind set.

So this is my life as I know it. Sorry that it has taken so long for me to catch you up and Thank You for continuing to check on me. I love you all and hope to be a regular in the blogosphere again.

Much love and affection to you all!!! m.

So, How Do You Use this Check Thingie Again?

I have forgotten how to write a check. Oh my goodness. I thought that I would never be able to forget how to write a check. They taught us how to do that in the seventh grade for Heaven's sake. Oh please...

I'm trying to pay the Tax Assesor-Collector as much as we can and I realise that I wrote XXXX-hundred Dollars and no cents instead of X thousand - X hundred dollars and no cents on the line. Then, I manage to put the thing in the envelope without writing the account number on the "For" line. I put "property tax" in that space. Of course, I rectified that mistake by jotting the account number above my lovely little note. Geeze, it must have been too long since I have written a check!

It's a good thing they have the little "reminders" on the back of the envelope.

6 Weird Things About Moi.

I have been tagged by Sweet Serendipity!

These are the rules:

1. Each player of this game starts with the “6 weird things about you”.

2. People who get tagged need to write a blog of their own 6 weird things as well as state this rule clearly.

3. At the end, you need to choose 6 people to be tagged and list their names. Don’t forget to leave a comment that says “you are tagged” in their comments and tell them to read your blog.

1. I have silver hairs on my head; AND I LIKE THEM!
2. I have big feet, size 10.
3. I kind of like proof reading.
4. I really don't like to be touched.
5. I blow my nose every morning.
6. I can't breathe when it is hot.

I should tag others, but I can't think right now. Must do laundry and cooking for the week.

New Job

Hey! I have completed the first week of my new job. I love it! The drive is a bit long, but it is worth it to not have to have the lack of money constantly on my mind. Hopefully, they will like me well enough to make me a permanent employee. We'll see. Wish me luck!

A Different Meme.

I found this at Rowan's place and thought that the questions were quite original. I may add a few.

Enjoy.

1: When you eat pasta, do you sprinkle Parmesan and / or Romano cheese on to it, or are you one of those types who skips the cheese?

I dig shredded parmesan on most pasta, but grated parmesan on my tomato soup!

2: Ben Franklin once said, “Lighthouses are more useful than churches”. Where would you rather go; to a church or a lighthouse?

I don't know, I love me church, but I also have a love affair with lighthouses as well. I'd probabaly go to church, then spend the afternoon checking out the lighthouse. :-)

3: Speaking of quotes, grab the nearest book, turn to page 13 of said book and write out your favorite passage from that page.
Geeze, I had 3 to choose from... "Great is thy faithfulness, Great is thy faithfulness! Morning by morning new mercies I see; All I have needed Thy hand hath provided- Great is thy Faithfulness, Lord unto me." from a very old Baptist Hymnal

4: Is it OK to let the dishes soak in the sink, or should they be washed immediately? (no cheating by claiming that you always use the dishwasher). I DO use the dishwasher, but mostly they sit in the sink for a few days. I'm bad about emptying the dishwasher...

5: One pill make you larger, and one pill makes you small: What is/was your favorite recreational drug? (even if your clean and sober now)
Alcohol (underage)

6: And the ones that mother gives you, don’t do anything at all: What is / was your favorite legal drug?
Fried pickles at Katz's Deli

7: Pretending that money is no object, what luxury or outlandish service would you use as much as possible?
A laundry or housecleaning and lawn service. :-D

8: Through some kind of legal technicality, Charles Manson is finally going to be put to death for his part in the Tate – La Bianca murders. You are at the prison and have two choices: you can either call Governor Schwarzenegger and request a stay of execution, or, you can be the one who pulls the switch that fries him. Which do you choose?
Burn,baby BURN! He deserves nothing less. Why should we have to pay for his upkeep. He's sick and twisted and there is NO rehabilitating him. Have you looked in his eyes? Scary mutha!

9: Through a fluke, you’ve discovered that a simple combination of several food stuffs can be blended together to form a compound that cures everything from common colds, as well as cancer and AIDS. After you patent it, do you bring your discovery to a pharmaceutical company thereby insuring that you will be filthy rich for the rest of your life, or do you give the cure away to those who need it?
Go on take the money and run!

10: For some reason, chocolate makes me randy: what food turns you on?
Whatever chow my husband cooks/buys for me. :-)

11: Morning person or night owl, what type are you?
Morning these days. Getting ready for the life of gainful employment! :-)

12: You’ve written your life story, what’s the title of it?
"You are Alright There, Kid"

13. Poker or Rummy? (my question)
Rummy, everytime!

kudos to pax for creating this meme. Different is always good.

Go ahead and give it a try. I want to see your answers!

Weeeeeee-Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

I think that the suit did the trick!

What is this crazy person blathering on about you may be asking?

I GOTS ME A JOB!!!!!!!! Yee Haw! Finalement!!

I start at the end of the month. I'm so incredibly happy right now. I can finally help the hubby out with the finances. He's been struggling under the strain of taking care of us for years now. So now that the boy is in school, I've been casually looking for a job and intensified the search these last two weeks and one stuck. Thanks be to the Creator!

I'll be working in the energy industry as a receptionist for an international conglomerate. Yeah! The hours are regular business hours and it is only 16 minutes away from the boys' school.

We just signed the boy up for afterschool care. He's excited to get to play with more kids and for us the price was reasonable and it is a national childcare chain with Judeo-Christian core beliefs, which is important to us.

I haven't felt this light about our financial situation since before I started working at my last job which was back in 1998.

Also, I put my car in the shop today. Hopefully, it won't take more than a few days to hunt down what is wrong with the car. Then we will have my baby back in good working order and we can drive it for a few more years.

We'll have to take it easy on my pay for a little bit. I'll have to pay back the hubbys' school account for the repair on the car and for the daycare start up expenses, then after that, I'll be able to start paying down the debt and putting some back for savings. I can't wait!!

I know that the hubby is looking forward to having help paying the bills. Now he can concentrate on regular work hours and not have to work any overtime which dips into his study time. The most important thing that I think he needs to do is make good grades.

Actually, his grades have gone up quite nicely since he got his new ride a while back. He's managed to get his GPA above a 3.0 for the overall GPA. I'm really proud of him. He's been working so hard at work and school. It is really my pleasure to take some of the financial responsiblity off his shoulders. I guess that's why God made helpmates.

Anyway, that's all I have to report for now. (I think this is the most I've said in a while...)