Wednesday, June 30, 2004

"Never eat more than you can lift."
--Miss Piggy


Well, I'm planning on following that sage advice tonight, but I can lift a LOT of fried chicken and cottage fries with gravy at Stroud's. Can't wait!! Bday meal for Mikey turning 30!

I got all fired up and decided it was time I started riding my bike again. Got it loaded (barely) into the back of the blazer, poor Joey had to ride to school with a bike seat next to his head. I was thinking I'd start slow, with some little trails at a basically flat park near work. I got on there and felt unstoppable, so of course, I take off down the road. After getting a LONG way from work, I thought, you know, no one can come & get me because I have the keys here and my bike won't fit into anybody else's car. SO, I decided I had to trek back UP all the hills I had enjoyed riding DOWN. All in all, I had a wonderful experience, uplifting, motivating and I didn't have to get off to walk once. I was so proud of myself. sweaty, but proud.

I'm riding the bike my aunt Angie bought over in France when she was young and cycling across Europe. It's older than I am by far, and is amazing. Baby bro Will put some serious time & money into it, so I think I'd better tell him to take it to FL with him. It's SO easy to ride, you can just glide forever. Anyway, I was so amazingly athletic, it was scary. Then, of course, I had to go out in a bang. NOPE, no graceful athleticism allowed here. So, I unlatch the helmet, coast up to my Blazer, pull one foot out of the little holder-thing, lean over and expect to pull the other foot out and stand up, BUT my foot is stuck in the dang thing. Short story, IN FRONT OF A LOT OF WITNESSES (and all men, of course) I fall over HARD all the way to the pavement. My helmet is no where NEAR my head, apparently you really DO need the little strap latched, crack my head, end up with one foot crammed up where a foot should not be, bruised my butt, scratched my leg and was basically all twisted up in this greasy chained, metallic thing and black-top. I almost gave one old guy a heart-attack. I had about 4 guys pulling me out and once they decided I was alive, they applauded. Yeah, just watch sports center for the highlights.....I'm still sitting carefully and walking a little shaky. If I can get my butt back on the seat, I'm going to try to make the lunch-time ride a habit. It really energized my day. (and was SO much more fun than sweating and jogging/walking/gasping that I used to do for exercise!)

I figured I worked off at least a big fried chicken breast, 3 helpings of cottage fries with gravy, mashed potatoes and green beans and MAYBE even a cinnamon bread roll thing that they make....I can taste it now!!

OH, best part of the day is my new look. I got to work, looked down and realized I have a lovely BLACK 4 inch long mark from the bike chain across my left breast on my white sweater. NOW after the "incident" I have matching chain marks embedded into both shins. Then for lunch I had a campbells soup to go thing and it spilled an orange stain in my lap. I look like serious white-trash, stylin!

Tuesday, June 29, 2004

"I can be changed by what happens to me, but I refuse to be reduced by it."
--Maya Angelou


Happy Birthday to my brother Mike. I think he's 30 now. Scary!

Well, I survived a trip to the old rich-lady swimsuit shop. I've tried on every combination of suits/coverups/parts at Target, Wally World, Kmart and Dillards. I figured I'd better head to the professionals (plus they had a buy one, get one 1/2 off sale). You think that would be a plus, but it actually just added more pressure! I ended up running on my lunch break, trying on about 30 suits and leaving there spending WAY too much money for 2 suits. One is about 15 years too young for me and one is about 15 years too old. I found the PERFECT combo, but OF COURSE the sizes weren't available for me. It was a gorgeous light blue tank top that pushed up the little chest to fake it and a cute little miniskirt bottom that actually looked CUTE and not just like you were trying to hide your big ass. They had the cute skirt, but the only top was XXL. Even while pregnant I was not an XXL on top, and the little lady helping me said, "well we DO alterations, but I just don't think they can alter it that much" so I've got the cute skirt and a bikini top. Guess it's time to bump up work on the old crunches. Actually, I haven't done anything resembling a crunch or situp unless you count having sex about once every 6 months. SO it's now time to START situps, UGH. And the other suit was this cute cut, like a short tennis-dress that Venus might wear (ok in a size that would fall OFF Venus, but still cute as heck on me) BUT it's got material that resembles a couch in the 70's. I thought, maybe if you squint your eyes....brought it back to work and I thought the admin ladies and sales exec's were going to fall off their chairs laughing at me. Apparently I have the perfect suit if I were 50-55yrs old, so it looks like I just bought my mom a suit.

Tonight's Joey's "family fun water night" at the JCC pool, so I guess I'm going to try out the bikini top thing. Hope not to scare the poor little parents there.

Monday, June 28, 2004

"Let me listen to me and not to them."
--Gertrude Stein


I missed my little blog diary this weekend. Can't wait until we get our Roadrunner crap straightened out. Joey and I had a pretty nice weekend. He went bowling Friday night with my friend's daughter Samanta babysitting. He came home with a bag full of spiderman stuff, doll ("action figure, mom"), pillow, bracelet, toys, tattoo's etc. They spoil him there so much, he absolutely loves it. It's helped with Beth being gone to get to do special things just for Joey.

Sat. we had Josh & Elizabeth over for a playdate. Josh is in Joey's class at camp and Elizabeth is a 7yr old red-head that is in our Elizabeth's group at camp too. The boys had a blast, and having Elizabeth there was almost like Joey had a big sister to play with, he was hugging and hugging her. Their mom & I sat around drinking diet cokes and talking and I really had fun. Michael R. came over later that night and put Joey to bed and I went out with my Italian Stallion I met a few weeks ago. Had fun dancing & drinking a few cocktails with him at the Quacamole Grill in KC, MO. So far, things have been "casual" but flirty and he knows I don't want any big-ass relationships, but we'll see. I think he's on his way down the road I don't want to go on, but we'll play it by ear. It was sweet to have a guy open the door, tell me I look beautiful, buy ALL my drinks, blush & be visibly embarrased when I paid our cover as he talked to a friend. The "new metrosexual" style of guys has turned men into wimps and I love the old-fashioned pig-headed guy SO much more than the new crap! Really had fun, when the guy kisses me, I melt, it's dreamy, and I get stuck in 50's-lingo-land, can't help it. dreamy.

I'm going to start a list of "good things to know" to each of my kids. I've learned so many things the hard way that I'd like a list. stupid things, important things, everything in between. Once I get this page figured out, I'm going to link another file I can just add to whenever. I'll ask others to send me things they've learned from life. When Beth was a baby, I started a few journals that way, things a woman would pass to her daughter, and I never finished them. Some things are for women only, some are for both. Kind of reminds me of that "graduation song" thing that was out a few years ago with the guy reading lists of things to know and it ends up with "always wear sunscreen."

Can't focus today. Finishing up a lot of little details and am just kind of discombobulated, as Calvin & Hobbs would say. Don't really know why. Guess it doesn't really matter.

Friday, June 25, 2004

"One of the secrets of a happy life is continuous small treats."
--Iris Murdoch


I think I'll take my continuous small treats in a margarita or three tonight! Heading out to the Fox & Hound to meet some friends saying good-bye to John from the Sprint group I go out with once in a while. Should be fun. Then, might head out to the boats to play a little cards. I was distracted last time by my Italian guy, so maybe this time I can concentrate and play a little better. Jildo, I've made the move to Texas Hold-Em, LOVE it, but OMG I have to watch out.

Ate BBQ for lunch, but it wasn't GOOD bbq, it was OK bbq. It's just sitting in my tummy like a load of bricks. UGH. I'm going through jack-stack withdrawal.

Taking Joey to the Royals game on Sunday, should be fun. I hope we make it past the 4th inning. Actually, I hope we make it TO the 4th inning. Royals traded another good player, go figure. Last year was fun, anyway. Who are we to bitch about wanting more than one winning season in a row???? I'd feel better if we could at least win a few.

That's it for now, not much going on here. Work, work work. Haven't heard from Beth yet, left another message in NM. Hope my little guardian angel is keeping that kid safe and happy.

Just found out my cousin Kevin is overseas working for the engineering firm that just had the guy captured and beheaded. His mom's doing pretty good, he's in Afganistan now, training before all the fun begins. He's the kind of guy who would view this as a big adventure. Actually, I'm kind of jealous of the ability to just pick up and go to the other end of the world without worrying about anything.

off for the weekend, can't wait!

Thursday, June 24, 2004

"I am no longer what I was. I will remain what I have become."
--Coco Chanel


Well, I've finally started my blog. My dear friends who have put up with me for years, know that I am not good at keeping in contact. Email helps, but I end up telling some people the same things 3 times and others nothing and wondering why they don't know what's going on. I thought this would help. People can follow the boring details of my life and I can have a place to put thoughts down so I don't go insane and talk to myself. Ok, I'll still probably talk to myself, but maybe this way I won't answer as often.

Jildo, once I figure out this bloggin thing, I'm setting you up on one also.

Let's see, baby bro Will just took a job with an engineering firm in Naples, FL making lots of $$ and has an apartment picked out in a ritzy area. Can't wait to visit for vacation. He's going to be on the gulf coast side right off the beach, and just above the top of the everglades, gator-ville. He's got a new cute little girlfriend, Regan. They've been dating about 2 months or so and seem pretty serious. She seems to treat him nice and is more of a "beer and pizza" girl that his unengaged-ex (all Plaza and champagne).

My dating life is strange as always. I have an old guy that looks like Kenny Rogers (eerily so) that I see as friends but who would give anything to be my sugar-daddy. Was fun to go out with, but no option of long-term as he is about 1 year younger than my DAD and also a BOWLER, so no-go. Good friends now. ALSO, I got a phone call back in November from Vickie....DXXX. I thought it was his daughter, so I said "what can I do for you?" and she said "stop dating my husband". That'll wake you up, I think I actually fell off the couch on that one. I let her know nothing past friendship had happened, and there wouldn't be any future either.

Met a big, strong, cute Italian playing poker at Ameristar Casino. That's not a good place to pick up men. There are a LOT of men there, but you've got to figure, Sat night they'd prefer sitting around with other men gambling than going out on dates. SO, figure he's a gambler and not much future, but I'm tired of not dating because I don't want to get in a relationship. I just want to have a little fun. This guy is sweet, intense, ITALIAN--sexy, kisses like you wouldn't believe, and is fun. He'd fall in love in a second, so I've already given my "just for fun" speech and warned him that I'm NOT wanting anything more than talking once in a while and a date every couple of weeks, so it's casual. but, OMG he's sexy...gotta love those Italian men. Plus, I'll probably eat very well. :)

My daughter's just left with her Dad for her 4 weeks of summer visit. Joey's having a hard time with it, but is being pretty tough. Plus he gets spoiled by everyone to make up for him not getting to go. Dad took the little guy to the Royal's game and they stayed till the 4th inning. The highlight for Joey was the Dippin' Dots ice cream. He also picked the hot-dog that won the race on the tv screen at the game, so there you go. The Royals also won the game and scored some runs with fireworks, so Grandpa had a good time too. It sounded pretty cute, eating peanuts out of their baseball gloves (you know you have to have the glove on the entire time you're in the stands just in case).

That's it, back to work. Check in later for more quotes and various ramblings.