Happy Whatever-you-call-it Day!

Doesn't this cartoon remind you of what you want to do sometimes? Happy Whatever-you-call-it Day to all the administrators out there, your work is appreciated. Without us, who would take all the shit people have to dish out? Who would know where the closed files are? Who would handle all the crazies?
To those who have administrators, show them some love. (My boss had "forgotten" what today was till one of the other girls reminded him.) We try our hardest to get things flowing for you, to keep those crazy people at bay, and to make everything as easy as possible.
*Update- I went to lunch with two of the agents that I like here, and my bossman joined us. Came back to my desk to find a beautiful plant and a nice card from the bossman. No 20's, Nita, maybe next year.

You just can't look away

Here are some pictures of (what's left of) one of Daddy's friend's car. He was in an accident about two weeks ago, and he got the car towed to his house so he can take the motor out and put it in another car. (Die-hard car guys.) He ended up hitting a pole backwards (car spun out at a turn, he was obviously going too fast.) Thankfully there was no one in the backseat, they surely would have died. He is fine, he got a few stitches over his eye and has a couple of scratches here and there. He had to cancel his physical test for the police academy because he was in pain, but he's already signed up for the next one. In the last picture you can see that the exhaust system is perfectly intact. Stupid exhaust systems rust out all the time, but hit a pole and they survive...

Cripes.

I just answered the phone: Good afternoon, company name here, how can I have it?

I really really have to stop reading blogs while I'm answering the phone.
(The line I was reading was : I will have it.)
The guy must have thought we were a phone sex service. Thank God he didn't tell me how I could have it...

May Breakfast

My boss has planned a May Breakfast for both offices. Together. That's about forty agents. And three administrators. And most likely his wife and cute little dog. So when he first mentioned the idea of a May Breakfast, I thought his wife will never cook for that many people. Then he told me how it was going to go down. There is a restaurant right down the block from my office that my boss frequents when he is on this side of town. They are one of those exclusive restaurants that open at one and serve $18 salads. (I hope I'm not the only one who thinks that is ridiculous.) Anyhoo- my boss has somehow convinced these people to open up for us at 9 a.m and cook us breakfast.

Apparently they like my boss, because they didn't even think twice about it. So we're having May Breakfast at a very exclusive, very uppity restaurant where my boss will pay for the breakfast of forty plus people. I'm sure they're giving him a deal, but that still seems like it'll be about a million dollars. It's times like this that I think I should get into this real estate thing, but in about five minutes the phone will ring and I will come to my senses and say Fuck. That.

Everyone comes here for Elmo

I got one of those site meters. I get a kick out of reading the funny searches that bring people to the blogs I read. So I said "Hey, I wonder what people are looking for when they accidently hop onto my blog."

ELMO.

Why would I think they would be looking for something else? Of course, there have been some strange requests:

• Elmo dressed like a Pimp. (?)
• Killing Elmo (Big Bird is plotting...)
• Lalalala shut the fuck up (yeah, sometimes I wanna say it, too)

But basically everyone is looking for Elmo. Sorry to disappoint. So-I took some pics of my boy and his favorite monster.

Here he actually looks like he's trying to run Elmo over with the monster truck. So I guess that covers killing Elmo.

Next is the sleeping bag my mother got him for Easter, you know, since he goes camping ALL THE TIME. Notice in the first pic he doesn't actually want to lay ON the sleeping bag...and I would also like to point out that the sleeping bag is thrown on my kitchen floor as I'm trying to cook something that resembles food. And in the second pic he is trying to get his binky in Elmo's mouth. (that covers the 'shut the fuck up' part.) The Elmo in the truck pic is the cooperative Elmo, taking the binky, the sippy, crackers, shoes, fingers...the sleeping bag Elmo, not so much.

And yes he was running around in a diaper and a T-shirt. It was a rainy Saturday. And the T-shirt was the only thing he would let me touch him with.

So if anyone happens upon here not looking for Elmo, I'll let you guys know.

Friday, Friday, Friday

It's Friday, it's gorgeous out. Daddy has tomorrow off and it's going to rain. So we have worked an entire week that every single day has been beautiful, and the weekend is going to be crappy. Oh, the joy of working forty plus hours!
So I'm on a search to find stuff to make everyone smile at least a bit today. I need it, so I'm forcing it on you.

• I wonder how she would react if she actually won something big! (gotta love her laugh, really!)
• Lucky Lady. At least she'll spend her last years very, very happy.
• Even I park better than this.

I think we set a new record here. (*updated*)

• Yesterday, 5 p.m I call an agent to inform her that a fax came through and there is a list of certain paperwork that needs to be sent to the lawyer. I go home. Today, 10:28 a.m, that agent calls me and SAYS to me "I received a fax there yesterday with a list that I need to send to the lawyer." Yeah, lady, I left that message for you yesterday on your voicemail. "So, I guess I'll have to go in and look at the list so I can get the papers in order..." She's not being the least bit humorous about this, she's not joking. Me: "Yeah, I guess you do..." I don't know what the hell else to say. Her: "okay, I'll be in later then."

Sometimes I wonder about these people. But wait it gets better:

• 10:30 a guy calls and says: "Hi, Alicia Somebody-or-other?" Me: No, this isn't Alicia- Him: (cutting me off)"Okay I'll call back later then." Hangs up before I can tell him there is NO Alicia here and, well, I still won't be Alicia when he calls back.

I should start recording these phonecalls and posting them here, you guys would love it.

• And of course I can't forget the asshole that I love oh-so-much. He sent a paper to the other office so our bossman could sign it, and now he comes to my desk asking me where the paper is. How the fuck would I know, do I work at the other office? "Well I need that paper in forty-five minutes." Not my problem. "Can you call the other office and see if they can drop it off in the next half hour?" So I call the other office, it's signed and ready to go but our boss isn't there and no one else can bring the paper. I tell him this. "well, why not?" "Because everyone there is busy. But you can go pick it up, it's signed." "Well, no I don't want to do that, why can't (bossman) come drop it off?" I'm losing my fucking mind here. "(bossman) is NOT. IN. THE. OFFICE. How would he drop it off if he doesn't have it with him?" He mumbles something about nothing ever getting done. "Well, I can't hold (bossman's) hand. If he's not in the office, then he's not in the office. The paper is signed, you know where the other office is..." I swear not ten minutes has gone by and he's already come to my desk five times to ask me to remind them to drop the paper off TODAY.

I hate him. He's leaving the office at the end of the month, and I couldn't be happier. And the thing that gets me the most is that this asshole will talk so much shit and try to yell at me, but as soon as the boss comes he's all smiles and has his tail between his fucking legs. He must get a kick out of yelling at me, but as you can see I don't let it happen. My boss doesn't care, he knows the stupid guy is a punk bitch.

OH MY GOD ITS NOT EVEN LUNCH YET! I'm sure there will be additions to this list.

***updated to add- Daddy surprised me by showing up to take me to lunch. He didn't even know I was having a bad day till he walked in. The relief I felt was...indescribable. (I know I spelled that wrong). Anyway, I took Daddy to that place with the kick-ass Chicken Caesar Wraps, and an hour away from the office really helped.
But of course- The asshole came to my desk at about 2:30 to ask me for that goddamned paper again. I just looked at him and I wanted to laugh out loud. I said "Well, (bossman) came to the office about five minutes before I went to lunch and he had the paper in his hand. Did you check your mailbox???" The idiot was so ready to talk shit to me again, but he went and checked his mailbox and lo and behold ! The paper was there!!!!!!! He left the office without another word. Stupid ass.

Okay I'm better now.

Last Night

• Last night I wanted to kick Little Man's ass. He didn't want to sleep. My sister wore his ass out during the day, she had brought him to the park and we both took him out to dinner and when he got home I stripped him and put him down and he didn't even stir. Then at 2:30, the magical hour, he gets up. Doesn't want to be in the crib anymore. Yes, we have started on that again. He had been sleeping in the crib all week without incident, I didn't want to mention it so I wouldn't jinx it. So whatever, I wanted to sleep not listen to him scream so Daddy brings him into the bed, and instead of just laying down he decides he has to sleep on top of Momma. Specifically on my head. So I'm all "Little Man, lay down." "Little man, go to sleep." "Little Man, get off Momma's head." for the next hour or so. Ugh. Then, Daddy starts sneezing non-stop. He kept sneezing for a good half hour before his intelligence kicked in and he went to get some Sudafed. (The same Sudafed he didn't want when I offered to get it for him. Retard!) Needless to say I wanted to break the alarm clock when it went off.
• Last night I kinda told my sister about this blog. I didn't give her the address yet, because I'm kinda iffy about someone I know reading it. It's not that I've got anything to hide, or am ashamed of anything I write here...I don't even know what it is. I told her about the CHBM and about how I've "met" some great people, and she's all like "hey, where can I sign up?" So my sister may be joining the blog-o-sphere and then she'll really be all in my shit. (I think I hooked her by telling her about the amazingly delicious cookies I received.) So I guess I will be giving my sister my blog addy and we'll see what happens. She may print it out and hold it against me forever. She is evil that way. (Have I not mentioned this is the sister that told me my mother found me in the garbage and kept me because she felt bad for me? But that nobody really liked me? And I have no real family? Have I not mentioned that? I will have to tell that story sometime, maybe later on today.)

Babies, babies, everywhere!

Well-wishes for this family. May they be able to grow healthy when they are separated. (beautiful girls, aren't they?)

Congrats TomKat. Even though, I still think her belly was fake and this is all some type of scheme.

Congrats to Brooke Shields, who doesn't have her own story in Yahoo!, but she also had her little girl yesterday. Ironically it is said she gave birth in the same place as Katie. Ha, jokes on you Tom, betcha didn't expect that one.

Oy. It's been a loooong day...

Five minutes ago a fax comes through, I call the agent it belongs to and this is what I said: "Hi, it's Diana I just wanted to let you know the inspection report for (insert address here) just came through the fax. The buyer has some requests."
Silence.
Silence.
Agent: So a fax came through?
My Blank Stare at nothing, since the IDIOT was not in the office to receive it.

Two minutes later he calls me back.
Agent: So the fax...did it say if the buyer had any requests?

Holy Mother of Whoever-it's time for me to go home.

A grand day at the Grand Prix

I was so happy to hear Daddy's voice on the phone yesterday before I left work. He is not one to call me fifteen times a day, he's busy at work, so we will maybe talk once during lunch or something. Anyway, he called and said "Hey, we should go to the Grand Prix today." I'm thinking Dude, it's Monday, and we don't get outta work till five and by the time we get the baby it'll be almost six. Then I would have to go home and change into jeans because there's no way I'm going in heels, then the baby will have to eat... but I said "Okay, that sounds fun. Let's go." He called me about an hour later to tell me he had gathered the troops, several friends of ours would be joining us for some Impulse Monday Fun. The baby was fed and I was in jeans and we headed to the Grand Prix with great expectations. Obviously, the boy didn't get on any of the cars, but he loved watching me and Daddy on them. We took turns staying with him on the sidelines and he would wave and cheer as we passed. We played several games in the arcade, putting Little Man on our laps to drive the race simulators and put him on the "real" motorcycle. He dropped coins into the "Everyone's a Winner" games and squealed when tickets came out. He waved at the cute little girls. He waved at the cute not-so-little girls. He was asleep before we left the parking lot.
After I read that news story yesterday, I needed that outing. And I read another scary one today, and it makes you think. All the "What if's" come flood your mind, and you just want to grab the kid and hug him till he pushes you away. Then when he pushes you away, you still want to hug him more. Life is scary, it's short. You just never know. I know I have some anger issues I need to work on, and I need more patience with my son, but I can only do it one day at a time, right? So yesterday, I didn't yell at my son. I didn't lose my temper at anyone. I just had fun with my family and some friends.
Taking it one day at a time, hoping to have many days to take...

And then he kissed me!

Cheeze Puff Face/Hands. Classic recipe for a great kiss. He ate some cheese puffs (or mashed them all over his face) and kept wanting to kiss me. I let him, why not? Gotta have fun now while he still WANTS to kiss me.

And no, his eyebrows still have not grown in.

Hope everyone had a great weekend...

of course someone has to be a great asshole and do this... I really, really, really hope, for the sake of that poor boy's mother, that the shooter can at least come forward and turn himself in. My heart is breaking for this family, they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. I'm sorry this had to happen to you. RIP, little David.
***Added- you know what, scratch that. They were NOT at the wrong place at the wrong time, they were just trying to enjoy their Easter. The assholes who were arguing like children were the ones who were at the wrong place at the wrong time.

Nita did this to me...

She sent it to me via e-mail, but I'm the retard that's going to post it here, because I feel that I don't really talk about ME here, (except when I'm pitching a fit over something.) So get to know me a little more- because the list of weird things just wasn't enough to scare you away...

Four jobs I have had in my life:

1. Waitress
2. Hotel housekeeper (yuck, and BLECH!)
3. Security person for a department store (that's a story!)
4. Administrator
   

Four movies I could watch over and over:

1. Dirty Dancing
2. Scarface
3. Carlito's Way
4. Italian Job

Four places I have lived:

1. Puerto Rico
2. New York
3. Connecticut
4. Rhode Island

Four TV shows I love to watch:

1. Sex and the City (yep, the reruns)
2. Friends (yep, the reruns)
3. Sesame Street (I'm forced to, but I still secretly love it.)
4. Pinks (a racing show Daddy and I are into where people race for pink slips. It's great.)

Four places I have been on vacation:

1. Puerto Rico
2. Puerto Rico
3. Puerto Rico
4. New Hampshire (camping, loved it!)

Four web sites I visit daily:

1. all the blogs I stalk
2. Yahoo! News
3. MLXchange (real estate crap)
4. Any site with games

Four of my favorite foods:

1. Lasagna
2. Pasteles (Supermom, you know I had to mention them!)
3. Raw veggies with Ranch dip
4. French Fries (ate them literally EVERY DAY while I was pregnant.)

Four places I would rather be right now:

1. Home, sleeping
2. At the park with Little Man
3. Getting my car fixed. (Please don't ask, I'll bite your head off.)
4. Anywhere but here! (work- it's gorgeous out! TGIF!!!!)

So now you know just a little more about me. I've drilled another hole in my wall, and let you peek in.

Happy Easter Ya'll

I would love to put this pic on my profile, but alas, I am a computer idiot and can't figure out why my profile pic has to come from a website (if Latteman has any suggestions...)...So I present you with a "picture" of me in a bunny suit.So Happy Easter. May you stuff yourselves with ham and other delicious food this weekend. I will add some stuff to this post as the day goes on. But, in the words of Tigger, TTFN!

***Edited at 2:54 p.m- five minutes before i'm due to leave the office...
HOLY MOTHER OF SOMEONE I TOTALLY FORGOT TO TAKE MY SON TO GET HIS EASTER BUNNY PICTURES TAKEN!!!! Now I have to figure out which day I want to spend three hours in a friggin' line waiting for a pic with the bunny...today? or tomorrow? This happened to me at Christmas and I didn't even go get his pic with Santa taken, what kind of a mother have I become!?!? He will grow to hate me for not having these important photos of him...

And can I also say I have yet to give/mail ONE of his Christmas photos that we had professionally taken and paid MONEY for? Yeah, they're still sitting in their envelope somewhere in my cluttered house...

Our New Niece

Here she is! All 6 lbs 13oz, 18 inches of her! She wouldn't move her hand away from her face long enough for us to take the picture, this was the closest we could get. She has a head full of dark hair, and when she makes faces she actually looks like my Little Man. As of yesterday my SIL's milk still won't come down, so she's been getting frustrated and the bottle is what she's taking. (After pumping four times yesterday my SIL got ONE ounce out. Collectively.) But she's a hungry baby, and I think she almost took four ounces yesterday at one feeding...gotta love her. I'm going to go see her this weekend, hopefully I can get her hands away from her face!

And something I wanted to share, last night my son was drinking juice from his sippy, and in trying to get him to say juice more (it's so cute "joosh") I asked him what he was drinking. He moved the cup a bit to the side and POINTED at the juice. I laughed so hard. He didn't want to stop drinking to tell me, I guess. So I took a picture. I asked for it...

Because I really want to share this with you....

The Pajama Mama made me do this. She really did. Now if I lose both of my readers because of my weirdness, I will stalk her and try to steal her readers. HA! So in response, I'm cooperating, and tagging Melissa because she loves it, and supermom, because I want to know if she has any weird habits. I don't know of anyone else, so again (like the other times) if you want to be tagged, then play along. Just let me know so I can read it and not be so ashamed of my weirdness. The line is "LIST SIX WEIRD THINGS ABOUT YOU".
Crap. Here goes.

1. when I get out the shower I always have to dry myself with the towel facing the same way. Like I have to use the towel with the tag up on top so I know I'm always using it the same way. (OCD?)
2. when I drink out of a paper cup, it has to be at the seam where the cup is glued to itself. I don't know why. (OCD?)
3. when I eat my food, everything has to be in an equal portion. So if I run out of meat before anything else, I'm done eating. The exception being small servings of veggies or something. Mostly it's with the main part of the meal, which in my hispanic household it's usually meat and rice. (OCD?)
4. When I'm angry I clean. Obsessively. My mother is the only person (until now) that knows this, and knows when me and Daddy have it out because the house is spotless. We haven't fought in a while (that just jinxed the hell out of us) so the house is kinda messy. Hey I have a toddler who throws things!
5. I got this one from my father, and didn't know it until recently when my mother told me. If you fold a napkin in half, and then in half again, and then again you will have a corner that is kinda sharp, but still soft enough for you to touch. I do this with all napkins, play with them. You will always see a rumpled napkin in my hand, and it's not just to wipe my son's face/hands. (OCD?) Daddy laughs about it, but he hands me fresh napkins whenever we're out now.
6. I can't sleep if Daddy's not home. Even if I know where he is and what he's doing I just can't sleep.

So that's enough of my weirdness. New readers, (and old) don't hold any of this against me. At least I'm not out in public with a pot on my head singing jingle bells in my nightie. (Hey, there's a sight, huh?) Let me know if you did this!

Writing Collabo Number Dos

"IF YOU HAD AN ENTIRE WEEKEND TO YOURSELF, WHAT WOULD YOU DO?"
An entire weekend?
Sleep!!!!!
I would catch up on all the sleep I haven't gotten in the past year and a half, because I really don't think I would do anything else. It's different with me, since I work 40 hours a week i don't get to spend much time with Daddy and Little Man. When I come home it's cooking time, and then before you know it, it's soon Little Man's bedtime and Daddy is dead tired from work (YAY!) so we all crash. Our weekends are just that, OUR weekends, where we do everything and anything together as a family. So if I had an entire weekend to myself, I would just sleep because if I did anything else I would miss them too much. I'm so pathetic. But that's my answer.
Check out the rest of the CHBM who wrote their answers for this collaboration...there's some good reading there.

On Withdrawal...

I came into the office yesterday and tried to log on to my computer so I can start my day (with actual work, I had lots to do...) and the internet would not connect.
NO INTERNET!!!!!! FOR THE WHOLE DAY!!!!! ON A MONDAY!!!!
So I couldn't do any work, I couldn't read my e-mail, I couldn't blog, I couldn't even read the news from around the world. My boss was livid, because the guy he hired to come in on Saturday to fix ONE computer ended up knocking our whole wireless system out. So the guy had to come in yesterday and spend the day with me and my boss doing what should have been checked on Saturday before he left. Let me tell you, no real estate office should be without internet because that would be the day that everyone and their mother wants to call about this house or that house...
So I spent the day yesterday reading the boring old local newspaper, watering the plants that I've left to die, and pretty much just hanging out. At least if I don't have anything to do any other day I look busy- but yesterday it was laughable. I was desperate for something to do. And of course it was unheard of that I go home early...
But my boss made sure the guy fixed my wireless, the bad news is that now all the other computers are going to have to get hard-wired because for some reason, they won't connect to the wireless...
So I'm back. And I don't have pics of my New Niece (that will be her name here, even though we were calling her No-No in the hospital because every time someone asked if she had a name you would hear "No, No" from everyone else in the room.) yet, because I have to upload them. And since I have some work to catch up on, they may not come till tomorrow...

***Asshole. Pleading not guilty. Asshole.

***I'm sorry, but who the hell gave 911 operators the right to determine which calls are fake? Just send the fucking cops or ambulance out! Then yell at the person who might have made a prank call. But that little boy who was doing what his mother taught him by calling 911? And watched his mother die? Because the bitch on the phone thought he was "playing on the phone"??? She could have been saved!!! What is wrong with you? Fucking people in this world, seriously. SERIOUSLY! FUCK!!!!!!!!

Some strange numerology and a welcome!!!!!!*UPDATED*

There is something strange in Daddy's family. All the grandkids have been born on the seventh of the month. All different months, but always the seventh day. The first was Princess Niece- December 7th. Then Little Daddy, June 7th. Little Man, November 7th. Today is April 7th and my SIL is in the hospital with contractions five minutes apart. All of us were due towards the end of each month, but gave birth early...she isn't due till the 18th. Seriously we find it a blessing of some sort. We call the kids [Their Grandmother's] angels...
So for my SIL (who was worried she would mess up the cycle) if you have that baby today, I'm seriously going to have to consult someone about this. What are the chances, really?


***UPDATE*** She has arrived! She doesn't have a name yet, but she was born at 1:30, weighing in at 6lbs 13oz. So welcome to our new niece, pictures will come Monday! I'm so excited!

I've been trying so hard...

to not watch the news about this PRICK. I don't want to know what is going on until the day they execute him. (which, YES, I do believe in the death penalty when it comes to assholes like this who show no fucking remorse for what happened. I don't believe in the death penalty for innocent people)
I remember that day so vividly, I didn't have class until 2 in the afternoon (freshman in college, what did you expect?) but I was up at eight. Who knows why. I was settling down to some do some serious morning vegging in front of the t.v when my channel flicking was interrupted. I thought I had fallen upon a movie- but why would someone make a movie about planes going into the Twin Towers? I put the volume up on the t.v, and I realized it wasn't a movie. I sat there in my living room, frozen, watching as people threw themselves out of windows to save themselves. I watched, paralyzed, as people ran to get away from the falling towers and the cloud that was spreading ominously. I began to cry, loudly. There was no one in the house, but I was calling for my mother. (real grown up huh?) Somehow I found the feeling in my hands long enough to dial my mother's work number, and she was crying when she answered. "Baby, I know...I know..." were her words. "The phones aren't working I can't get in touch with anyone." Half of my family lives in New York. My aunt is a seamstress that works a block away from the towers. What are we supposed to do? How can we get there? How can we know if they are okay? The announcements started- "This isn't an accident." "New York is in a state of 911" That's today's date, that's today's date!!!!! "...terrorists..." "...hijacked planes..." "Mom people are dying! Kid's parents have been killed! Look at them jumping out of windows!!!!!" I was hysterical. I wrapped myself in a blanket and cried as I watched the news all day. I still went to class for some reason, and I remember when I stepped outside there was this deafening silence. It was like everyone just stopped talking, stopped making noise. We sat in class watching the news, crying. There was nothing we could do from here, just wait. Waiting was the worst part. Waiting to hear if anyone in your family is dead. Waiting to hear how many have died. Waiting to see if it would happen again, somewhere else. I didn't eat for days. I was angry that people would do this, that they would ruin so many lives and futures. That they would leave children without parents and parents without children. Family from Puerto Rico was calling us, frantic because they wanted news. I think almost a month went by before we heard anything from any of our family members, one by one they would call and just tell us they were okay. My aunt the seamstress hadn't gone to work that day because she had a series of doctors appointments in another borough. Such a sigh of relief from our side, but the people who couldn't release that breath? The people who were still waiting? The people who would never hear their husbands/wives/childs/parents/sisters/brothers voice saying they were okay?
In the article it says that asshole said "No pain, no gain America." What the FUCK have we gained from this pain? More pain as our soldiers get killed? More pain as innocent lives, more people who don't even want this happening are getting killed? Iraqi families who aren't a aprt of this getting killed? He was smiling while tapes were being played of the 911 calls. He was smiling as people recounted their terror of that day. His defense lawyer is trying to say he is schizophrenic so they won't put him to death.
In the article, a little boy wants to be an astronaut so he can find his Daddy in heaven. It breaks my fucking heart to know that that little boy still has hopes of finding his Daddy, and we know what will happen. I hope he does see his Daddy in heaven, I hope we will see them all again.
I hope they stick that fucking heartless bastard in a building and run a plane into it.
It will never end, I know. It can only get worse. Everyone thinks they are right. The government is all fucked up.
I saw a bumper sticker on a car this morning in the parking lot that is Interstate 95- it read "No one died when Clinton lied." How true, how true. I want one for my car.

A new baby!

Justin Charles is here! 9 lbs 6oz- totally taking my Little Man by four pounds!!! Congrats Melissa!

a memory that just came to me...

I got my license when I was 18. I remember when I was taking my road-test the instructor was making me parallel park. Okay, easy, it was seven in the morning and there were no other cars parked. So he made me reverse in a straight line down the sidewalk. (?) When I put the car in reverse, he started flailing his arms in all different directions, I thought there was something wrong. "I don't want you to use your mirrors." He said. Oh, so by flailing his arms he is blocking my mirrors, oooookay. I did it. And (obviously) passed my exam. I was just thinking that to any passer-by we must have looked so strange, a young girl reversing a car down a block and a man looking like he was flagging down planes.
To this day, I swear that the driver's manual said to use your mirrors when you reverse. But that guy, I don't know if he just wanted a laugh...but he got one from me.

Did Spring change its mind??

It's fucking snowing. Snowing. It's April. And it's snowing. Who can I write a letter to about this?

Because pictures are fun

Little Man loves swings. Here we are at a park across the street from our friend's house. (I say "we" like I'm anywhere in the picture. HA!)

Sometimes I wonder how such a beautiful person came from me. His smile lights up my life, his laughter is contagious. His kisses make anything better. I am blessed to have such a beautiful boy in my life.

Two boo-boo's- one picture

I don't know how clearly you can see the cut on his chin, but I KNOW you can see the disaster the barber did on his eyebrow. Ugh. Last Wednesday my sister decided to take him to the barber shop for a line-up. No problem with me, his haircut will last longer that way. She came to my job to visit and told me not to get mad. Then I see him. Two cuts on his eyebrows (one on each), like kids are doing for "fashion". I wanted to scream. She told me that the barber was using regular clippers (AKA ADULT sized clippers) and when he was trying to shape the sides up off went a chunk of eyebrow. "Okay, so why didn't he try to avoid it from happening AGAIN?" I asked. She said he thought he had a better angle. I want him fired. My baby's eyebrows look like the teenage boys who think they look cute. I hate it. But it was an "accident" so what can I do? I have to wait for the eyebrows to grow back in, and hope my sister is smart enough not to take him back there.
His chin. Poor baby. I was picking him up from Grandma's on Sunday, and Little Man is getting a little heavy for me, so when I reached the bottom of the stairs I put him down. He turned his face for some reason and got scratched with the velcro on his diaper bag, causing him to bleed! I wanted to cry, my poor baby's face! I'm destroying it, first the eyebrows now his chin, people will think I'm a butcher.
He's still gorgeous, though.

Very busy today...

but I did want to say Good Luck to Melissa who is (was? It's the afternoon already???) being induced this morning! Best wishes for her and Spuds, hoping for a boring easy birth for them.

Woman to Woman Encouragement

Woman to Woman Encouragement

Someone will always be smarter. Their house will be bigger. They will drive a better car. Their children will do better in school. And their partners will fix more things around the house. So let it go and love you and your circumstances. Think about it. The prettiest woman in the world can have hell in her heart. And the most highly favored woman on your job may be unable to have children. The richest woman you know - she's got the car, the house, the clothes - might be heartbreakingly lonely. So, love you. Love who you are right now. Tell yourself, "I am too blessed to be stressed." Be blessed ladies and pass this on to encourage another woman. "To the world you might be one person, but to one person you just might be the world."

A friend of mine sent this to me via e-mail this morning, and I love it so much I had to put it here so more women can read it. I don't know if you can, but copy and paste it if you want, and send it to the women in your lives. They are wonderful words. Happy Friday everyone!

Wondering if I should be worried...***UPDATED***

Boss just called. When he says my name, it sounds like a father calling his daughter.
"Have you eaten?"
"No..."
"Well, good, we're on our way to the office, we're taking you to lunch."
Hangs up. I have no idea who "we" is, but is lunch with your boss a good thing? He's never offered to take me to lunch, just has brought stuff back for me...

Friday 3/31/06-Phew! I didn't have to worry... he was taking three possible new agents out to lunch, they were all female. So either, he wanted them to feel comfortable with an employee there, or he really wanted to look like a pimp at the restaurant. They talked about real estate, numbers for our office in comparison to their current offices, I sat there and smiled. (I don't talk real estate, I don't want to look stupid. I'm just learning all this now...) So that was it. And he was complimenting me on my "sharpness" to them, which they seemed to like. He told them "She's so good at getting things done." Well, what else are you paying me for? So we may finally be getting some females in my office, and they seem very nice. So that was it. No biggie. Next time he asks me to lunch I won't be so nervous. (I'm insecure, sorry.) Oh- and can I say that that place had THE BEST chicken caesar wrap EVER? I think I found my new lunch place...and it's not too expensive. (My boss has expensive taste, I will admit I was looking more at the price of the food than anything.)

7 songs

Supermom over at Snow White has tagged me again. (I heart Supermom) This time-it's seven songs I'm into right now. Girl, do you know you are making me reveal WAAAAAAY too much with that? Now everyone will know how much I love reggaeton...and Marvin Gaye...
Well, here goes-

1. Mayor Que Yo-by a bunch of people. (there is a new remix like every week.)
2. Let's Get It On-Marvin Gaye (I hear it everyday at work, and I have to stop working to sing along. Thank goodness I'm usually alone)
3. Elmo's Song-Elmo (because my son randomly calls out "lala" and wants to hear the song, so I don't have a choice but to be into it.)
4. Racata-Wisin & Yandel (more spanish reggae-I really like to dance, this music gets me going)
5. More Than a Woman-by Aaliyah. (I just love that song and I found it on my media player.)
6. Smooth- by Matchbox 20 (Rob Thomas' voice is sooooo sexy. And this song is a great collabo with Carlos Santana.)
7. Really anythng I can dance to or sing along with. I love music. I love old school, new school, classics...

I'm supposed to tag seven people, but I don't think seven people read this blog. So I'm passing the torch to anyone. (Melissa, Latteman, sweatpants mom, and any other random commenter if you'd like to participate, DO IT!)

What are the chances...?

I have three weddings to attend this year. One is my cousin's in July. The other two, one for an old friend of mine, and another for an agent here at my job ARE ON THE SAME DAY. The good news is that I only have to buy one dress for those two weddings, the bad news is I don't know how the hell I'm going to pull it off being at both weddings. One ceremony is at three the other at four. Easy, I can at least do that, but the receptions? Cripes! I have RSVP'd to both, I can't not go to one or the other, I've known my friend for some time now and she went away for college in Delaware so we haven't seen eachother in a few years. The agent at my job is one of the few people I actually like here...
If anyone has any suggestions, they will be welcome here. I need to figure this out. Again, not going to one is NOT an option...
Oh yeah, I should mention one of the receptions is just over the state line about a half hour away...
Oy vey........

Preparation

My mother signed Little Man up for the weekly reading session at the library near my house. These sessions are held on Wednesdays, so Little Man can go with my sister since she takes him Wednesdays. The session is for children ages 1-3, and it hopes to prepare the kids for the concept of school. (or pre-school in this age groups case.) So the only requirement the kids have is to bring a book-bag with a toy and their sippy/bottle.(I hope hope HOPE there are no three year olds with BOTTLES!) The volunteer reads to them for an hour and they go home. Sounds nice. I hate that I can't go with him, I would love to see if he sits through an hour of a stranger reading to him, when he's home he sits in my lap with a book and gets up after about ten minutes. Maybe that's why they're having the kids bring a toy...


Weird. They must have read this, I just received this in my e-mail. They usually send me stuff about the development of toddlers. They're pretty good, I been reading their stuff since I was three months pregnant, very useful info regarding your body and children.

A kiss from Little Man...

He's feeling so much better. No puking for two days. Last night he actually had food other than soup. (At the babysitter's he had fruit and boiled plaintains.) I gave him some plain mashed potatoes (no butter no salt just mushed up potatoes) and he took some corn off my plate. Poop report- he gave me some (not too) solid "nuggets" this morning. I think he's normal again. Still watching.

This picture was taken last night while I was still at the babysitter's, I was on the phone with my sister and I asked him if he wanted to talk to her and he started blowing her kisses. Then he took the phone from me and was talking to her- he said "Titi" very clearly to her and I could hear her screaming with happiness. Then he started telling her "car" and "juice" and some babble. And when she was saying bye he waved and blew more kisses.

Do you...?

I spoke to my mother a couple hours ago. Or rather she called me here at work to ask about Little Man. "He's alright mom." "Is he still throwing up?" "Not as far as I know mother." "Well, haven't you called to check on him?"
Now, Im going to stop it there, because we get into me offering to give her the babysitter's number if SHE would like to call... it's not pretty. (I'm a little stressed...)
Anyway- this morning when I dropped my Little Man off I had told the babysitter that she could call me at work at any time, and I would leave if he got sick again. She told me not to worry, that she would call me if anything happened. No phone call from her=everything is fine. So I didn't want to bombard her with hourly phone calls while she was busy caring for my child. I convinced myself that I would call once during "lunch" just to check in. (Of course, my mother called before that.)
So my question is- do you call your child's caregiver to check on your child? Granted, you all would stay with your children if they were sick and I'm the world's worst mother for coming to work today...
Still, when he's not feeling well, I call. Any other day, i don't. I trust that she will call me if she needed to tell me something. And the kid's always in one piece with all his fingers and toes when I pick him up everyday. No bruises, no cuts... But the point is...that I'm probably not making much sense. I worry. I don't want to interrupt my babysitter's flow with my son...

We just filmed a movie at my house (not for the squeamish)

It was the newest installment of The Exorcist. I should have called upon you internets to be extras, but I wouldn't have been able to pay you, so you would have smelled like puke for nothing.
Friday as I'm waiting for Daddy to get out of work I stop at my mother's house (who wasn't there-this is important) to feed Little Man. I was close to her house and he was getting fussy. She didn't cook that morning (as is the norm for her) so I gave him a jar of baby food. Gerber chicken and broccolli, also important, along with some cheese by his request. Twenty minutes later we are standing in front of the fridge, I'm pouring him a sippy of milk, he burps and out came nice green puke, all over him, all over the kitchen floor. This boy has never thrown up-outside of spitting up as a baby- I see he is gagging again, so I lean him forward as best I could so he could get it on the floor (gotta clean it anyway, right?) and he proceeds to puke up everything and anything he had in his belly all day. I'm not good with puke, but somehow I didn't lose it. No cell phone, Daddy has it with him, my mother turned off her house phone since she got her cell...WHO THE FUCK AM I GOING TO CALL??? I strip the boy and head for the tub. I'm freaking out on the inside (gotta stay cool on the outside so the boy doesn't freak, right?) my hands were shaking I don't know what to do...I don't know what to do and I'm mentally running through a list in my head of how to get him out of the tub, getting more clothes on him, cleaning the kitchen floor, and getting to Daddy's job so we can head for the hospital. I don't know what to do I don't know what to do... the boy is calmly playing in the tub, he doesn't even look like he realizes what happened. God, what is wrong? was it the food? is he still sick? I don't know what to do... WHY DON'T I HAVE THE FUCKING PHONE WITH ME??????? Somehow I get him dressed and he stays in the play pen while I scrub my mother's floor. I pack him up and head to Daddy's job, the boy falls asleep while I'm on the highway and I start to cry. I'm so bad at this, I can't even do this right...at least he's sleeping, but I need to get him re-hydrated, how long does it take for kids to dehydrate? why is this idiot in front of me doing 40 on the goddamn highway?? how long will we be in the ER? GET OUT OF MY WAY MY BABY IS SICK!!! I don't know what to do, I don't know what to do... Daddy has already punched out when I get to his job, he is so calm when I tell him what happened. I'm still trying to maintain my composure. Why are you so calm? Don't you care? A call to the doctor: "Does he have a fever?" "No." "Diarrhea?" "A little, but I was told it would be a side effect of the antibiotic for his ear infection." "Give him some pedialyte and see how the night goes." What? WHAT? You don't want me to bring him in? The boy sleeps all night. Pedialyte in the morning, while he is drinking it he pauses to puke on me and the bed. Oh my god there is something wrong with him why is he throwing up so much??? Another call to the doctor: "Still no fever?" "NO. He threw up the pedialyte." "Okay, don't give him anything for an hour, let his stomach settle then give him a teaspoon of pedialyte every five minutes." A teaspoon every five minutes? He's already asking for food, it's eight in the morning my boy is hungry! So a teaspoon it is. I'm still holding strong on the outside, but my hands are shaking like I have Parkinson's. The boy falls asleep after twenty minutes. When he wakes up, I say Fuck the Pedialyte every five minutes bullshit and make him some soup. He eats it fine, drinks water. I let out the breath I'd been holding since the night before. Daddy goes to work. I head to the Daddy's cousin's house to wash my sheets and all the towels the boy threw up on. (His mother is my son's babysitter.) So we are there, the boy is nibbling on unsalted Saltines. (Shouldn't they be called Unsaltines?) The babysitter says she'll keep the boy while I pick up Daddy from work. While I'm on the road she calls and says he threw up three times. She gave him ginger ale thinking it would settle his stomach. (I think it made it worse because of the sugar) I want to hit my head against the steering wheel. I want to snap my fingers and blink my eyes like the Genie and make it go away. I don't even bother calling the doctor, he was asleep by the time I got back from picking Daddy up. So back home we go, back to square one tomorrow.
Now it's Sunday, the boy is starving when he gets up. Refusing the water, refusing the pedialyte, I make him soup. He loves it. Watches Finding Nemo, watches Ice Age, goes to sleep. He is still wetting diapers, but if he poops I know it'll be over soon. When he wakes up , more soup for him, more water, and we head out to run errands. There is a towel covering him in the car seat just in case. The boy is farting some rotten egg farts, stinking up the car. He finally poops. He is getting tired of the soup and water, he throws the sippy at me every time I offer it, but eats the soup. In bed early, still no puke as of this morning. We'll see how the day goes. I felt totally helpless all weekend, why are there no classes for these situations? They hand out brochures on breastfeeding, labor and such things, but they don't prepare you for these moments. I feel like shit even being here at work, and he's at the babysitter's without me. I will feel even more like shit if he gets sick again, and I'm telling anyone who will listen, I'M NOT CALLING THE GODDAMN DOCTOR AGAIN. MY ASS IS WALKING RIGHT INTO THE OFFICE.

LMAO

• Silly Old Bear over at Hey, You! posted this. It's hilarious! His mother sent it to him, she gets lots of cool points for this one. He usually brings a smile to my face, he's great.
• Please, please, PLEASE make sure your bladder is empty when you watch this video, because if it's not, you WILL piss your pants. (Not that I did, I'm just saying...)

Holy Shit.

I just read this story on Cecily's blog, I'm still crying. It's just sad.

Why do I bother trying to help people?

I took my mother to the supermarket last night and as she went to get a few things, she asked me to get ham and cheese from the deli. Off she went in a scurry with my son in the carraige to load the cart in record time. (She knows I hate the market. I'm usually out in less than 20 minutes.) So I notice that the deli only had about two people standing there, I looked at the LED number thingie and it read 38. So I was about to grab a number but I noticed as I was pulling it out, the number on the paper said 59. Logic tells me they aren't using the numbers right now, since the market was dead. The lady asks if she can help me, no number called out. I place my order and this guy walks up to the number dispenser. "I don't think they're using numbers right now, " I say to him. He gives me the strangest look like how dare she speak to me yanks the number off the dispenser and walks away. Now I know he felt like an ass when he realized what number he had in his hand compared to the one on the LED screen, but I was just trying to help. Asswipe. So I got my ham and cheese and wished him luck as he waited for the LED screen to say "60".

Take this test

and see how you score! "what a woman says vs. what she really means"

Cloud of Doom, I should be able to write you off on my taxes!

Well, everything was fine. The lawyer called, I can officially pick my check up anytime today. So I took my well-deserved lunch hour that I never take and Daddy and I headed to the lawyer's office. (He called his job to tell them he would be a little late, they knew we were going to get some money!) No problems there, the check was in my hand before I could blink. So let's go to the bank! We are kinda broke right now, so I decided that I would have the bank give me a couple hundred so i could go grocery shopping for our empty cobweb-ridden cabinets. (They don't really have cobwebs, i did clean the house, it's an emphasis on how empty they are.)
So I get to the bank, and walk up to the teller...
dun dun dunnnn
I lost my fucking license.
I never use the thing, it's always in my little zippered pocket in my purse. (My wallet had gotten stolen months ago I have yet to buy a new one because, well we're broke and my son's diapers and milk are waaaaayyyy more important than a fucking wallet. But today, my license IS. NOT. THERE!!! So blah blah blah I basically would have to deposit the whole thing and wait three days for it to clear (since it's such a "big" check and my bank thinks I might have stolen it from somewhere.)((yeah, yeah, I know the bank policies, but do they understand that me and Daddy are hungry???))
So there's where the Cloud of Doom snuck in.
So now I'm waiting for my sister to see if she can cash it for me and I just deposit what I don't need. If not, it's going in the bank tomorrow, and I'll at least be able to cash my paycheck because my buddy at my bank knows me and will do that for me because he understands how hungry we are. Oh, and Daddy gets his first paycheck Friday. So maybe we won't go hungry again for a while. And hopefully I can still go car shopping this weekend, I think i found a car I REALLY REALLY like, but it's in Jersey City. Hmmm. A possible car trip for a car might be in order. And maybe I'll start writing posts that actually make a little bit of sense. Maybe.

Night-time blogging...

Okay so I came back to Daddy's cousin's house to do another load of laundry...and he had to take his girlfriend to the market so I'm here invading his computer. (Little Man is sleeping next to me, the boy was worn out.He's still not taking his usual second nap.) Tomorrow this post may not even be here, since the last time I blogged from another computer the stupid post disappeared...
Anyhoo.
I've got nothing.
I really just wanted to blog at night. Daddy and I are buying a corner desk for our computer at home so I can finally connect from home. Then maybe I can break my blogging habit at work and focus on looking at houses all day.
Well, off to see what everyone is up to. Good night all.

Sometimes I feel pretty good about this Mommy thing...

I haven't mentioned this because I'm still pretty pissed about it. We moved into the small apartment. Blech. So whatever, we have about sixteen mountains of laundry to do, and my washer and dryer have yet to be delivered, so Daddy's cousin said I can go over there to wash a couple of loads. I only took enough clothes to do two loads, but before I did that I dropped Little Man off at my mother's house. She hasn't had him over in a while, so I figure I would have her watch him while I took care of the laundry. He fell asleep about fifteen minutes before I picked him up, so I put his coat and hat on and brought him home without him as much as stirring. I laid him down (on my damn bed because i have to put his crib together) and took everything off (he already had pj's on) and still, no waking up. This morning i get up and start my morning, the kid is still sleeping. While I was dressing, he rolled over and then sat up, looked at me and Daddy, and waved while giving us the biggest smile... I loved it. I guess he thought he was still going to be at Grandma's, but the look in his eyes when he saw us...well, it made up for the head butt he gave me the other day that left me with a headache.

In the news today

This is some scary shit. I once participated in a study, but all they did was take a vile of blood. They paid me fifty bucks. But that story...whoa.

I didn't know people were still stupid enough to play this game. Why would you?

Thank goodness at least these kids are being saved from monsters.

The light is red for a reason

Lady in the Corolla: Thank your lucky stars and whatever God you pray to that the F150 has good brakes. Since you were in such a rush to get through the intersection, and ignored the yellow light turning red, you almost got smashed into the next block. Thank that same God that the guy in the F150 didn't get out of the truck just to make you look at the red light and describe its purpose to you, as I would have done. Smart move reversing back into the safe zone so that no other car would hit you. Smart move not trying to yell at the F150 guy for YOUR stupidity. Next time you'll probably stop on yellow, or at least slow the fuck down so you can see if cars are coming from somewhere.
I hate and love having huge floor to ceiling windows in my office.

okay, I don't know why but the text size won't go back down. Screw it. She needed to get yelled at.

Mental Explosion in 3....2....

Phone conversation I just had with the adminstrator at the other office. (Not the dumb bitch who never brings my paycheck, the other one.)

Her: Hey they sent me the wrong toner for the printer and I need one ASAP.
Me: Okay, so call WB Mason and order another one.
Her: But I don't know the number and I don't know what toner I need.
(Here is where I want to smash my head against my desk. Such a simple job! Their phone number is their name!!!!!! The toner has a number on it so you can order a new one!!!)
Me: You need to go to the back of the office, open up the printer and look at the numbers you see right on the toner cartridge. Write those numbers down, call 1-888-WB-MASON, and tell them that's the toner you need. Today. Right now.
Her: That's all I have to do?
Me: Yes. Here's the account number...blahblahblah...ask them if they can deliver it today.

This girl has been working in that office since about the time I was pregnant with my son, and not even thinking about working here, and she can't make an order from WB Mason??? (Whom I LOVE, because they are very good at making sure we get our shit the next day, no matter what a pain in the ass the Head Admin, is.) She can't even compare the prices of other office stores for certain things so we can get a better deal. Come on!!!!! I would have ordered the toner, but I'm not at the other office to see the toner number (she probably can't even find the number).

I just don't get it.

Updated five minutes later to add...the Head Admin. just came to this office because she. was. bored. But she can't bring her ass here on Thursdays to drop my paycheck off. Or pick up the phone and help the other admin order some fucking toner??? I should polish up my resume...

Let's go car shopping!!!

My morning started off shitty, (do you see what time it is I'm writing this and already it was shitty...) had an argument with Daddy because I needed the car today to run some errands and he doesn't get out of work until eight. So we had a screamfest and I told him to shove (my) car up his ass I'll walk to the babysitter's and pick up the baby. I hate that car, that's why I am not going to fight over it. We had traded our wagon for it, because the wagon was going to hell (transmission and other bullshit) and this car was crappy but it ran and it would get me to work. Why I hate a running car: it's a two door. Anyone with kids KNOWS how that goes. Especially with kids in car seats. The door handle on the driver's side is missing (GHETTO-how the hell does someone lose that? really...) so I have to basically break OUT of my car, using a screw-driver to open the door from the inside. It's needs to be inspected, so I'm a time-bomb waiting to be stopped by the cops.
Daddy calls me a half-hour after he drops me off at work. "Somebody must really love you" he says. "Why." I say coldly. I don't want to talk to him. "The lawyer just called. Your money is ready."
Now let me stop to say that I have never mentioned this for fear that the Cloud of Doom would take over my case and I would never get anything out of it. Daddy and I, when we were dating, were out for a drive one day. We were at a red light and when the light turned green-we went. And so did the guy in a truck coming from our left (who had a red light). He smashed into us, dragged the car for a few feet and then decided to leave the scene. He was caught by the police a short time later, turns out he was drunk. (It was like 3 in the afternoon). So he spent the night in jail, and we spent the next 9 months going to chiropracter appointments. Not a secret we were suing, my car was totaled, I had to be out of work for a while. Thing is, his insurance company refused to pay us saying we didn't have proof it was him. WRONG! I had many many witnesses. So fast forward 4 years to today, and my lawyer has our checks.
So now I'm going car shopping! And now I can get a car that I like, that has four doors, and a door handle, and I won't have to figure out how I'm getting home from work!!! And I don't have to call anybody for a ride! And now my Friday became so much fucking better I could scream because all the frustrations I've had clouding my head all month-YEAR!- will be taken care of. My debt (some of it anyway), necesities for my son... It's not even a big check, but it's going to help. And it will make me feel better about having to worry where I'm going to get the money to buy groceries for us, and get gas for the car(S!), and get medicine for my son...
Today is a good day. Cloud of Doom- Let me enjoy it please!!!!
I hope everyone is having a great day. I really do. And it's Friday, and I might not do freebies like her, I will still provide some time wasters! (After I search for cars for a few minutes...)
And you should stop by and get some freebies from her, she has some good shit...I will say I have already ordered a few things, still waiting for them to come in so I can send her a shout-out.

Okay, so Christmas has been over for MONTHS but...

I couldn't help but share this with you. One of my co-workers sent it to me and I thought it was hilarious!

I just started browsing that site, and I'm finding some funny stuff. I should be working...sorry if the letters are a little smudgy, I tried my best to get it to be legible.

He didn't cough ONCE in the doctor's office!!!!!

I was up pretty much the whole night listening to my son cough in his sleep. He didn't wake up, he would just cough. He sounded like an 80 year old with a 60 year old smoking habit. So off to the doctor this morning instead of work. His primary is on vacation but we got to see the female doctor that shares his office. Questions were asked and answered: How long has he been coughing? Two and a half days. Any fevers? Yes on Saturday and Sunday, he was given Motrin and watched and they went down within half an hour. Runny nose? Vomiting? Diarrhea? No, No, No. He is sticking his finger in his ear though, so I think maybe the ear infection hasn't gone away...
In comes the nurse with an oxygen thingie (check his oxygen levels) 100% YAY! But what about the cough? Checking heart rate, checks ears, checks throat. Cultures his ears and throat, my son is SCREAMING. (but still not coughing.) So we have another ear infection, this time just in one ear (last month it was a double) and as for the cough (what cough?) "just give him lots of water to thin out the phlegm and hopefully it will make its way out." Back in two weeks for another check on the ears. Isn't this season FUN???

Ghost Story Tuesday.

This blog does this weekly. I had (some time ago) said to her that I would participate, but put it on the back burner for reasons unknown. Probably because I'm too caught up in myself. Probably because I wanted so badly to forget the shit I went through in that house we lived in for so long. With Larry's death, I have begun to think about ghosts. I believe in them. I think some people get "stuck" here. I've always wondered what the reasons were...
Anyway, my family and I moved into this really nice two level house in the heart of the city and lived there for about ten years. Great house, lots of room, private yard, and ghosts. When we first moved in, we didn't hear anything. But our cat would go crazy, he would stare at the ceiling without blinking (he had never done that before) and he would hiss at the stairs. Sometimes he would be sound asleep and suddenly come bolting down the stairs and just hide behind one of us, tail shaking violently, ears pulled back. Then we started hearing/feeling footsteps. One of us (me, my mother or my sister) would be downstairs (home alone) and the ceiling would creak the way it would if someone were walking upstairs. We started noticing that when the creaking was going on, the cat was staring at the ceiling. Hmmm. Lights would turn on and off by themselves. We would hear knocking on the front door when there was no one there. A few times my mother would come into my room wondering what I wanted. "What are you talking about, Mom?" "You were just calling me..." "Um, no I wasn't..."
There was one incident where we had family over for a weekend, and my uncle swears someone hit him while he was taking a nap, but we had all been in the family room watching a movie.
And the ultimate, which was something that I just came to discover only happened to me. At night I would hear people whispering. I thought I was dreaming. I would open my eyes and there would be people, sometimes one person other times a group, standing in my room. At times they were looking right at me, other times they would be crouching in the corner trying to "hide" from me. There was one that actually took a throw blanket I had and tried to hide behind it, and when I woke up the next morning I saw the blanket unfolded and just thrown on the floor. Still thinking I was dreaming, I questioned myself. Was I really seeing this? Why was I seeing this? I don't remember if I tried talking to these "people", since we moved away form that house I buried these memories deep deeeeeep in my brain, hoping to never think of them again. I do remember once telling my mother "There was someone in my room last night," and I tried explaining it to her and she got this look in her eyes and just said "Pray before you go to sleep." Thanks Mom, but I don't think a prayer will keep them away. I tried moving my room around so that the bed was pushed up against the wall and I would sleep with my back to the rest of the room, but that didn't stop it.
I was recently sharing this with Daddy, and there were other incidents that came up between us that I will save for other ghost story Tuesdays, because that's just what I think they are.
So, Tree, here is my Ghost Story for today.
Now, the reason I wrote this is because I can't help but think that Larry is stuck now. And how the apartment across the hall from my mother will never be the same. Maybe the people who move there next will hear whispers and see people... I think I would freak the new people out if I just went up to them and asked them if they hear stuff so if there will be new tenants I'll leave them alone. But if they ask my mother anything, I can't promise silence.....
A question for the readers, (yeah, both of you!) Do you believe in ghosts?

RIP Larry

My mother lives in one of those "Garden Style Condominium Apartments" (that's what's on the sign out front). It's a really nice place, has a nice pool that nobody really uses, people aren't outside making all types of noise. She had a neighbor across the hall named Larry. He was a really nice guy, I talked to him a few times. (He moved in after I moved out so I didn't see him much.) He would help my mother with her groceries, he would take her garbage out. He and his girlfriend were always very friendly. My mother would sometimes cook a little extra and send food to them. When I went to my mother's house sometime last week, I think it was Thursday, she told me she hadn't seen Larry in a few days. She said she had heard rumors of someone passing away in the last few days,and we both said we hoped it wasn't Larry, he was so young. (mid to late thirties...) On Saturday my mother called me and said she had something to tell me. It was Larry, he was dead. Here is what happened:
Early last week about 1:30 in the afternoon Larry called the property management office (which is about a two or three minute walk from where his apartment is. He said these simple words "I don't feel well. Something is wrong." And he hung up. The property management got concerned, they sent someone to his apartment. No answer when they rang the buzzer. No answer when they knocked on the door. They forced the door open. And they found him. Dead. Self-inflicted gunshot wound.
My mother went shopping Saturday morning, and when she got home she noticed boxes of Larry's stuff out in the hall. "Larry, are you leaving me?" she called out. A man that wasn't Larry poked his head out into the hall. "You knew Larry?" he asked her. "Yeah, of course..." He introduced himself as Larry's brother and told her what happened. That's when she called me.
That is some scary shit, we knew this guy, he was so nice and friendly and I can't stop thinking about this. What could have been wrong? What could have been done? Did he even tell anyone the reason? We don't know of any note being left. I'm saddened that he couldn't find someone to help him. I've never known anyone that has passed away (save for my grandparents who all passed by the time I was five) and for this to happen...
I didn't know him, but we exchanged hello's. He knew I was my mother's daughter. He commented on how cute my son was. I appreciated all the things he and his girlfriend helped my mother with.
So, Larry, I'm sorry that you felt the way you did, though I don't know how that was. I'm sorry you felt that was the only way out. I do hope you are in a better place now. RIP Larry.

For your enjoyment- some time wasters!

• Funny joke- got it at this site. A man called home to his wife and said, "Honey I have been asked to go fishing up in Canada with my boss & several of his friends. We'll be gone for a week. This is a good opportunity for me to get that promotion I've been wanting, so could you please pack enough clothes for a week and set out my rod and fishing box? We're leaving from the office & I will swing by the house to pick my things up" "Oh! Please pack my new blue silk pajamas." The wife thinks this sounds a bit fishy but being the good wife she is, did exactly what her husband asked. The following weekend he came home a little tired but otherwise looking good. The wife welcomed him home and asked if he caught many fish? He said, "Yes! Lots of Salmon, some Bluegill, and a few Swordfish .But why didn't you pack my new blue silk pajamas like I asked you to do?"
  The wife replied, "I did. They're in your fishing box."
• Latteman, think you can make this cake for your wife? (I know you said she quit the soda...but...I'm sure she wouldn't mind. (It really is a cake...)

• This game is slightly entertaining...a time waster indeed...