Thursday morning= weather chaos!

9am today:

Our power went out last night about 10:45pm and it was a huge storm, or series of storms here in the Midwest. The day's temp had climbed to 91 degrees so even though it was almost midnight, it was HOT! Power out means we had no AC so it was hot and sticky. It was impossible to have the windows open because of the rain- it was actually blowing horizontally so sleep was a huge mess between the lightening, thunder, wind, rain and heat.

I finally fell asleep around 1 am and woke up early - still no power. I took a super-fast luke warm shower and got dressed. I was really early for me, around 6:45am. I called work to see if the school had power-we did- so I packed all my hair supplies thinking I would style it when I arrived- otherwise I was dressed and ready.

I took the dog outside for his morning constitution and there was a huge branch across the drive way and another one in the ally. I moved both of those and loaded my stuff in my car. Ugh- Electric garage door opener!! I had to use the manual pull and lift the door, which was heavy and took 4 tries.

And that's when I saw the gutter problem. And a huge tree in our front yard split down the middle. Uh-oh... Dad came out the door at that time and I pointed out the tree. He asked if I would stay home to help him so I called the boss and left a message about the damage. Dad and I tackled  trees first. Thankfully the split tree in the front yard wasn't. An enormous branch from a tree across the road was thrown into our tree giving it the illusion it was split! Yay!

While dad worked to clean up the rest of the debris, I called the roof guy because the stormed ripped up some of his new roof that just went on 2 weeks ago! A gutter was torn off. Furthermore, a corner chunk of the house is damaged where another loose piece of gutter is hanging. We were afraid to rip it off that it would pull part of the house off, leaving a hole in the master bathroom and closet, if we pulled it off- we think- so it's still hanging there.

Dad took pictures while I called the roof guy and the electric company. The roofer said he would get there today,  and there's not ETA of reconnection of power from the Energy Company for our neighborhood. And of course all our house phones are cordless so the house phone isn't working; neither is the coffeepot.

I finally left for work and my car made a "thump thump thump really fast" noise from the rear passenger side. I went directly to the garage and the body shop manager drove it around. Apparently I had tree debris caught up in the wheel well. So, the car seems to be fine...

I finally got to work, and walked in only 15 minutes late even though I was originally going to be an hour early. Until I went outside..

I did my hair in the library!

Dad has his cell phone and will keep me posted of insurance/ roof/ electricity/ more storm/ etc.

And I am very thankful that no one was hurt. There's so much weather related tragedy in our country of late that I do know how luck we are. I don't mean to sound ungrateful. It still was a sucky way to start the day!

1pm UPDATE:
Still no power.

Roofer arrived and is fixing it! He also removed the dangling gutter and didn't cause a huge hole!

Can't reach the insurance company because they are still without power.

Dad found gutter fixer guys who are coming tomorrow morning!

2:03pm UPDATE!
POWER!!!!!

Will try the insurance company again!




So, how is YOUR day?
Maggie

Random Stuff on a Tuesday

Got my hair trimmed because it's grown so quickly. My stylist was just chatting away with me and she ran the clippers over the back of my hair and suddenly stopped and realized we 'didn't do that last time' but it was a little late for that now. My hair is REALLY short now. Yikes! More Gennifer Goodwyn short than Katie Holmes short.

And speaking of Katie Homes, does anyone else think "it's about damn time" that she divorces Tom Cruise and gets away from his mind control whako-ness?

And speaking of clippers, my household is in an uproar looking for Daddy-O's hair clippers. Mac uses them to give himself a haircut last week and Daddy-O helped him. Mac said Daddy-O took the clippers back and Daddy-O thought he gave the clippers to Mac. We've turned the house upsidedown looking for those suckers in all the obvious places and some not.

Does anyone else just LOVE Subway?

Is anyone else going to watch the new show on CBS this fall called Sherlock?

Does anyone else just love hotel sex?

I'd love to learn how to use Pinterest. Still can't figure that sucker out.

I've been thinking it would be cool if I could operate a Mac Book laptop.

Daddy-O and I went to a Kroger Market Place which is a cool twist on the super store idea but BETTER. It has furniture and home stuff. We found a "painting" on canvas in the lobby and after I finally found a clerk and made her scan it, we found it was $30. This thing usually retails for $80, and it's about 4x5 feet and totally cool. I grabbed it and had them hold it at the cusstomer service desk; hey, with that discount it HAD to be bought!!!!

It seems the new trend in the area I live is to now NOT find out the gender of the baby. I know all these pregnant women, or women who've very recently had babies, and no one is finding out the boy or girl answer. And just a few years ago, everyone was finding out the gender as soon as it was possible. Interesting. I don't care either way, but I think trends are interesting.

I want to have a Bernese Mountain Dog instead of a baby. Naming it will be just as fun!

I don't care what anyone says; Charlie Sheen is just hot and still sexy.

Today was a super busy day at work. Since we have tomorrow until Monday off for the 4th holiday, and then I'm going to be at a conference from Monday thru Thursday and then we have our July Recess until the last day of July, I won't be back at school for a MONTH! Go me! however, this does mean I had about a million things to do today. I made a to-do list and crossed off every single item! And for the first time EVER, I have to say that every single library book was returned!!!!!!!! I didn't have to go to the kids' res halls or do locker searches. Kids brought them back. YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This weather sucks and I hate it. The heat is killing me. And it's only early July; it's going to be a very long, hot, miserable summer.

My phone is telling me I have very little storage data left. I thought I'd delete stuff and there's all this Sprint shit I can't get rid of but I never use it like the football and NASCAR app. Nor do I Facebook and I can't delete it either. It's taking up valuable space and it just pisses me off that because it's part of the "phone company's promo" stuff, I can't remove them.

Mags

I wish.......

I'm really sick of the 90 and 100 degree temps here....

Mags

Weird weather

Last weekend it was in the high 90s, almost 100 a few days, with unbearable humidity.

Last night, during the night, the temperature fell to a balmy 46 and today it never even made it past 65 degrees and it rained.

Expected temperature tonight: rain and 39.

You've got to be kidding. I have no idea how to dress for anything at this rate. And I can't go to work naked, right? Nobody wants to see that!

Mags

Random crap in my head on Friday

If it's 97 degrees for several days in a row here in May, how miserable is it going to be in July? I might have to move to the polar ice cap for a few months.

Does anyone here play draw something? If so, let me know and we can get a game going. But consider yourself warned that I suck really badly. If I give you a lot of word clues it's because my drawings need severe help; words are my back up plan.

A shot of peppermint sugar free syrup in my iced tea is very light, refreshing, and yummy!

I have 4 days off. Thank you God of all Things Day Off. I would like to ask for Tuesday off too, but I don't wish to appear greedy.

My next pedicure is going to be a bright, florescent orange with little white daisies with yellow centers airbushed on!

Mac decided to NOT take some test that would then help him join the Navy, who probably wouldn't want him anyway.

I love laundry that's been on the clothes line all day; one of the best scents ever.

I've found the best used clothing store ever. I spent $30 and got 3xs the stuff I get when I spend $75 at Lane Bryant! And it's a small business owner, locally owned and the owner likes me and saves me special stuff!

This weather sucks

Sunny, cloudy, snow, rain, thunderstorms complete with lightening, wind, 58 degrees, 21 degrees... this is all the weather I've experienced. Today. Since I got up this morning at 5:20am, being awakened by lightening and rolling thunder, it's been a weather roller coaster. And frankly, I am so sick of this.

I wish it would either get cold and stay that way, or stay warm. This up and down crap sucks. And I have no idea how to dress each day. One day I leave in trousers with a turtleneck and a jacket and by the afternoon I'm sweaty and can wear short sleeves. Or I leave in the morning, like today, in a tank with a matching cardigan, trousers, and heels and it's storming- NOT the snow sort- and 59 degrees- and I was wearing a raincoat. Then when I leave work it's spitting snow and about 29 degrees. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!

I throw my hands in the air and bellow a barbaric yowl!

It's this weather that causes people to get colds. And to be crabby.

And who can set an inside temperature? Heat high or low? 68 is good in the morning and we're freezing in the afternoon so have to turn it up to 72 (not at home, Daddy-O! it's still 60 in the house just because I'm pissy and angry with Mac) and by the time it gets warm, it's time to go home. My feet have been cold for 11 days.

And if it can thunderstorm and then snow in the same day... well, anyone who doesn't believe in global warming can kiss my ass!

And as I type this blog post, it's snowing and blowing. And all the rain is icy so the roads are slick. I think the only thing good about this is a possible snow day or a 2 hour delay tomorrow.

Really, that even pisses me off. I lived in the Wild West and we didn't have snow days. First, I could know my car would be cleared off, as well as my drive way because my students made sure that happened. The road crews started in as soon as the first flake flew. I could wear practical, warm clothes to work like jeans and boots and be comfortable all day long- no cold feet. We didn't have this "wait for the phone call" moment every morning, and there was no making up the days in June and bitching about the DOE and moving graduation day.

Okay so the weather is making me cranky. (Actually Mac being an asshole is making me cranky and I'm taking it out on the weather.) I live in the Midwest and winter is winter and it needs to act like it, damn it!

Weather, schmeather,
Maggie

And that's all the randomness that's fit to print

I should've done posts called "25 days of Christmas socks" since I have enough to wear a pair for 25 days.

I think the new Chocolate diamonds are ugly. There. I said it. I think they look brown, dirty and cheap rather than elegant. Nasty.

I'm obsessed with the TV show Criminal Minds. I can kill you in about 50 ways and never get caught. Other than the fact blood is icky. I wish Cold Case and Without a Trace reruns were on here.

How lazy am I that I bought a fudge making kit rather than all the separate ingredients? All the stuff came in one box, with a pan. It's supposed to make 1.5 pounds. I thought a kit to allow me to make that much fudge at once is a good thing.

There's a student, a young man, who works with me in the library in the mornings. I want to give him a little Christmas gift. Any ideas? We have so many regulations I'm at a loss. I might just email his case worker to see if he has any suggestions. Cologne?

I organized a cookie swap at work. Seven people other than me agreed so I'll come home on Thursday with 7 dozen different types of cookies. I think I'm going to make 'Snowball Surprises.' These are a mildly sweet dough cookie with a Hershey kiss inside. YUM!

Speaking of cookies, the first week of my Christmas break I'm going to bake- cut out cookies are first on the list. And I'm going to try cranberry bread. And maybe make some mini whoopie pies.

Speaking of Christmas break, I have some serious shopping left--- but that's for a different post!

I had nothing to do this whole weekend. No solid plans where I was expected to be anywhere. I didn't even get called to sub on Friday so I basically slept and watched TV for the last 2 days. I haven't the concentration or patience to read or craft so I just camped in front of the TV and watched a bunch of TV. I haven't even tried to focus on a movie.

It was cold today. It never got above 25 degrees. Since I lived in the Wild West, I could say that's really not a big deal but it felt cold to me. The house was warm and comfy but I just felt cold which seems silly.

Mac saw the commercial for wateraid.org and he associated it with bad water in Africa. And he's decided I'm going to get dysentery if I go to Africa, and die, unless of course I get kidnapped, raped and killed by the freedom fighters first. Ugh!

Maggie

Holy Cow- it's cold! Finally! And other news...

It didn't get above 61 degrees here today, and that was in the sun. There's a terrific breeze (maybe we can call it a wind?) blowing and it's just beautiful after all the we must be in hell HOT HEAT ICK we've had here in the Midwest. It's so cold that Daddy-O's hung around the house in long pants, socks, long sleeves and a hat on his bald head. ITSam wore jeans and a long sleeved t-shirt. I told them they were wusses and there would be 10 feet of snow outside and I was still wearing flip-flops, short sleeves and my capris. Man, I hate it when I shoot my mouth off. Once I finally lit in one spot long enough, and right in front of a window with the wind blowing on me, I was sort of wishing for socks and long sleeves. However, I am sticking to my resolve to wear flip-flops only...

Yes, those are flip-flop socks. Think mittens for your toes with the big toe playing the role of thumb.

In other news...

I heard from Mac today and the phone is officially stolen. No one has seen it, heard it, turned it in for lost, etc. It's gone, gone, gone. And all that stuff we hear about on tv about not being able to trace the "throw away" phones? Well, that's true, so if you want to commit a crime and need a phone, get a throw away! I wanted to see if there was any activity on the phone between when it was lost until now, but AT&T can't do it since it's the "disposable" go-phone. The other thing that sucks is that I can't get a replacement because of that so I have to buy him a whole new phone. And of course the college wouldn't do anything to help with this either. That just ticks me off. Mac, while a butthead in other ways sometimes, isn't at fault for the phone being stolen. I bought it on-line as a refurb, and might order him another the same way. I'm sitting here with a $50 re-fill card for it so I might as well. I hate crap like this. The good news is that whomever got the phone can't use Mac's number and minutes because the phone company killed the SIM card in it; however, the perpetrator could go to an AT&T store and just buy another SIM card and still use the phone. That so sucks.

This weekend Archiver's hosted ANOTHER free craft weekend- they SO rock! This time is was making 3-D flowers. Here are our efforts:


I went to Wally World to grocery shop and the shelves, and as Mother Hubbard would say, are bare. Since it's a holiday weekend so many vendors haven't been in to re-stock ,and pickins were slim on lots of things. It's a good thing that Daddy-O hates the Slimmwich bread rounds with all the grains, nuts, twigs, and oat flakes on top because I couldn't buy any of those; all they had were PLAIN- much to father's liking but too bad for anyone else- and one package of Plain, which I snagged! I also looked for either Club or Townhouse crackers, the original flavor. Not garlic, not low sodium, not light butter, not wheat, not pretzel, not Flipz, not herb, but PLAIN BUTTER ORIGINALS. None. I even broke my cardinal rule and asked an associate (Oh Lord help us, but I didn't kill anyone!) but to no avail. The associate who helped me said she thought there were some on a display somewhere and she looked and called someone else to help her look but couldn't find any. None. But near the door, I found the display, AND the last box of crackers!!!!!!! (I have to giggle that they "lost" a whole display... guess that's the way the cracker crumbles! *I can hear you all groan, you know!*)

And in the category of "I'm an idiot"... I put on a gray shirt this morning but didn't like how it fit so I grabbed one of Mac's old t-shirts, that's bright BRIGHT green! Then I went grocery shopping and when I came out and caught sight of a bright green shirt reflection on the car window, I literally turned around and looked behind me for Mac. Then I looked down and saw the green was me... I was really surprised and went "hey, I'm wearing a green shirt!" Oh. my. goodness! No, I am not blond.

I get a phone call from ITSam that goes something like this:
him: "Hypothetically speaking, how do you clean up hand-cream that was in a tube that might have been on the floor and then might have been stepped on and say, hypothetically, shot out all over the carpet in a big oozing puddle glob?"

me: "Oh gross. Did you step in it too, hypothetically speaking?"

him: "nope, but the hypothetical carpet smells good. I scooped it up with cardboard. Do you want me to put it in a jar or baggie or something to keep it?"

So, a tube of my Bath and Body Hand Cream- gardenia scent- was on his bedroom floor and is now ON THE FLOOR and he wants to know if he should keep it for me? Ummm, I think not. I also want to say he took a picture of the mess and I was going to post it here but this blog is rated PG-13 (an occasional R thrown in)- not X! Ick! You really don't want to see that...

Finally, I know it was a 4 day weekend for me but I am so not ready to go back to school tomorrow. And I know that means I only have a 3 day school week but I still don't wanna go. I am SO lazy!

And that's it from here.
TMI?
Maggie

Weird random thoughts for a Tuesday

In the movie Pretty Woman, most of the clothes that Julia Robert's character tries or or buys is back in style now. Is that good or bad? And I also noted how young Robert's voice is in that movie. A young sounding voice is an odd thing to say, but still, she sounds young.

The heat here is terrible. I live in the wrong place. I should live where it never, ever gets this hot. I was told I should live in Ireland. Well, I think I knew that! Someone from there pointed out that they don't have central air because it never gets this hot, that the sort of heat we have here would make it too hot to do anything, including sex. I think central air makes it possible to have sex in this sort of heat...

Many years ago I had a collection of Disney villain statues. A Sam I was living with many, many years ago bought them for me. They were breakable but I don't remember if they were porcelain or some resin or something. Anyway, when he and I broke up he took them back- the ass. I've always wanted another set. I had Captain Hook, Malificent, Cruella, Ursula, Cinderella's Evil Step-Mother, and The Evil Queen (in Snow White). I had these on a shelf in my office, when I was in social work. What was funny is that the kids I worked with always laughed because they said I was the furthest thing from a villain. The thing is, I can identify with the villains better than I can the Princesses. I'm weird.

Should I send meds to college with Mac? I got him Tylenol, hydrogen- peroxide, band aids, cotton balls... but should I give him some Day-Quil and Night-Quil in his stash so if he needs it if he gets sick?

I want to smack Mac most of the time. I love him and I'm a pacifist but I really feel like smacking him, most of the time. A friend of my father's said that the reason our kids are jerks before they go to college is because it's God's way of us letting them leave the nest without losing our minds. I really think she's right. And I really hope she knows what she's talking about! I'd take him to school today if I could.

Mags

Hotter than....

I was going to say "hotter than hell" but after this Midwest heat, I'm beginning to think Hell more than a tad cooler.

It's hot. Miserable hot. It's been high in the upper 90s (and I'll swear it was over 100 the last two afternoons) and the humidity it matching those temps, number for number. It feels impossible to be cool.

There are places in Northern Civilization that have opened "Cooling Centers" for people to go to who don't have air conditioning. They have healthy snacks and lots of ice water and an air conditioned place for people to stay for the day. They've been giving out fans and air conditioners. It's really miserable. Pets and people dying... as well as vegetation. Ick.

I've been teaching a 2 hour photography workshop from 7:30-9:30am every morning this week. It's geared toward the 8-12 year old set. Here's how hot it is: yesterday, after an hour in the shady grasses of the morning, all the workshop attendees (who are 8-11 years old) begged to go to anywhere air conditioned. Kids wanting out of the heat. Yeah, that's hot......

I don't think my hair ever dried yesterday, it was so hot.

It's so much easier in the winter than the summer; I can add clothes and blankets until I'm warm. In the summer, I can't get cool enough and take enough clothing off and still be comfortable AND decent!

There was a flash thundershower storm around 8am on Monday morning. It was so hot that as the rain hit the pavement, it steamed. It was like the earth became a boiling kettle.

I actually started my car with the air on and let it run for 5 minutes while I waited in the house for it to cool, just like running the heater in the winter...

Hotter than Hell for sure. No doubt.

And I love the new hair cut with my bare, naked neck... but the humidity makes the Hair... interesting. And in this heat it doesn't matter how much I straighten it or how much product I use, it's possess by the humidity ghost.

And to think next week, the weatherman had the nerve to say a heat wave was moving in and we could see several days of triple digits.

I'm melting.......................

Maggie

Glorious weather

OMG- it's so beautiful out today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's only supposed to be a high of 72 degrees all day today and there's a breeze blowing. It's just glorious. The sun is out and the clouds are puffy and white and dancing across the cerulean blue sky. It's just stunning!

I swear I think I'll take a book and a blanket and go to the park and pay under a tree and read for awhile before I have to go to work. Or sit out on the screened in porch. It's just amazing. It's like paradise.

Why should I be so excited over glorious weather? Well, for the past 2 weeks it's been unbearably hot here, in the mid 90s. The humidity has been super high as well, and then it's rained lots- sticky, muggy, humid, hot, wet- YUCK!

So, today is a glorious reprieve. I did sleep until about noon, however, and I have to go to work at 4pm, but it's just about darn near perfect weather to be outside. If I had cash and had not committed to working, this would be the perfect zoo day! If the weather holds out like this- as the forecast is predicting- I might take the afternoon off the day I get paid and just go to the zoo and hang with the animals!

Mags

Winter, spring... which of thee has forsaken me?

All this pre-spring weather is spoiling me. I'm jonsing for spring now, and it's still the middle of winter, still February and we have all of March to survive. We could, in reality, be hit with tons more snow. I feel like this is sort of a cruel trick of Mother Nature.

We went from having blizzard like conditions to sunny days that I thought would never end, with temperatures in the high 50s. It's supposed to be a little chiller today but still sunny and bright. Maybe in the high 40s.

The smell of the damp earth fills my nose and reminds me of daffodils and spring rain. I love when the earth has a wet, dampness to it and the warm sun shines and then the smell permeates everything. To me, that is the quintessential smell of spring.

I don't hate winter at all. It's been a nice winter, though I've occasionally be frustrated. I like spring, for the most part, but I am NOT a fan of summer. I think in the past I've dreaded spring only because summer follows. Here in the Midwest, it's so humid and hot. It's sticky and just.... hot. I don't like the heat. And when it does rain and I pray for a cooling reprieve, what usually happens is steam rolling off the pavement and the humidity goes up a few notches.

As I get older, my love affair with seasons change. Years ago I would say winter was my favorite season, hands down. I'm not so sure now. I like fall quite a bit. It's cool and brilliantly colored. I like spring because of the smells of the earth, the rejuvenation. I still love winter, but I'm not sure it holds the number one spot in my heart any more, though summer certainly does hold the lowly 4th place.

I love living in a place with seasons. I don't think I could live in the extreme south with no distinct seasons, though this winter would've been the exception, rather than the rule. I love the seasons and the changing and evolving.

Seasons here are certainly different than when I lived in the Wild West. I was a Plains girl so the summers were like the desert, little greenery and all brown and rarely did it rain. Winter was piles of snow and cold so cold it burned my lungs. If I blinked I would miss spring and fall. They practically didn't exist. Autumn had no color to speak of, primarily because we had no trees. One day it was hot and sweltering, the next day cold and blowing and the third there was a foot of snow. I'm not kidding. Spring was about the same. It would be freezing, or colder, then warm and muddy and then hot and desert like. The Midwest certainly kicks season butt because we get it all here.

So while I wax poetic about the spring, and I have certainly enjoyed the reprieve from the monstrosity of snowfall we've had this winter, I wish this little taste of spring hadn't been offered. Next week, when we get the predicted snow fall, I'll be pretty miserable. I suppose, a positive spin would be that now I have something to reflect upon and remember fondly-- my few winter days of 60 degrees, the warm earth, the sunshine that feels warm on skin, the light jackets rather than heavy woolens...

Thinking spring,
Maggie

Thursday's thoughts (aka random stuff in my head)

One of the things on my 40 before 40 list is take ballroom dancing lessons. We called to arrange the first lesson and the instructor's name is... Sam. It's fate. I also get a new pair of high heels for this adventure. I'm nervous. I hope I don't barf on Sam the Dance Man. Nor on ITSam...

I chaperoned a field trip today. It was on a bus with all boys. I must be long on patience and have a higher tolerance for their stupid boy antics than I care to admit. Other teachers don't feel that same way. Tomorrow when we meet to do the behavior report, I am going piss off the other faculty members because I don't think the kids should be in trouble for doing "kid" stuff.

I have my first foster parent class tomorrow night and I'm really excited. And nervous. And scared.

Many folks have recommended CDs and I've been listening. Mumford and Son, Lady Gaga and Cherry Poppin' Daddies. I'm diggin' it all.

I saw a play today, as part of the field trip, and it was THREE and a HALF hours long. My butt really hurts. And I'm a gold medalist in sitting and this was even too much for me. But the play was freakin' awesome.

Does anyone else have "Angry Birds" as an app? Everyone I know said I should get it, and ITSam is playing it as I type and is having a hoot. I don't get it....

My big plans for Sunday are to read all the blogs on my favorite lists because I've been slacking. I'm really sorry for not reading you guys. I still love you even though I'm lame.

I cannot believe I no school Monday. I have an entire day off. I am NOT going to work any job at all. Mac has school and ITSam has to work. I might try and bribe Daddy-O to leave so I can use the house for the day.

Speaking of apps, I would take recommendations of apps that are MUST HAVES. I don't have nearly enough apps. I'm lacking in the app department. And speaking of apps, I need to promise myself to learn one a day because I don't know much about the ones I do have. UGH!

Today was a spring teaser as far as the weather goes because it was 61 degrees outside. that's right. You read it right. 61 flippin' degrees. I was one happy lady! I love the smell of wet, warm earth.

Can anyone else tell I'm really struggling to find blog topics lately? I've been waiting on an answer to my "big news" before I say anything. Because it might be sad, pathetic NO news. Ideas are welcome as far as blog ideas go.

random queen,
Maggie

Random observations

ITSam and I were told about a house for rent in a neighboring little burg. It's a little town about 10 minutes from Civilization,15 minutes from Southern Civilization, and 5 minutes from Alcatraz. The house isn't available yet. We didn't know the address but I knew the name of the street, Sam said he thought the owner said it was yellow, and we both KNOW it has a 3 car garage and 4 bedrooms. We thought we would drive down that street to see if we could figure out which house it was. I mean, really, how many houses could be big enough to be 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, with a 3 car garage, that might be yellow? The answer is 9, to be exact. 9! There are 9 huge houses with three car garages--- and 6 of those are a "variation" of yellow. We'll know in a few days when it's going to be available.

I bought a cupcake, a gourmet one, at a specialty bakery. I was saving it for an after dinner, pre-bedtime snack. I told everyone to not eat it. When I went looking for it, Mac had eaten it, claiming he didn't "hear" me say to not. I wanted to kill him. Oh yes, over a cupcake, I know is rather stupid, but add this to all his bad attitude, "I-know-everything-because- I'm- a- senior," senior-itis and I really just wanted to smack him on a regular basis. Can't we just tape their mouths shut until graduation? I say "they" because I have hope that misery loves company and other parents of seniors feel this same way. Please don't let me be the only one...

I'm loading pictures in my phone of people so when they call me, their photo pops up. I find it strangely ironic that every single picture I have of each person, they are all wearing red shirts. First, how weird is that? Second, is that a sign? Third, do you have any idea what that does to the OCD side of my brain? And the people for whom I don't have pictures, with the whole red thing hanging over me now?

We have a small, locally owned coffeeshop and I will only go if a certain barista is working. Seriously, I call and if K isn't working, I don't get a latte. I drink regular old, black Folgers. Sad, isn't it? She makes my drink the best and the rest of the employees sort of suck at it so I refuse to go otherwise. She's taking a week off soon and I'm in a panic. I might have to get up 90 minutes early one day to drive to Southern Civilization to go to Starbucks. (Logically I should go on a day when we have a snow delay for the time but it's rather illogical because- duh- we have a snow day so I shouldn't be out that early... yeah, what a dichotomy!)

I woke up this morning to find that more snow has fallen. And I am not excited. At all. In fact, it makes me sort of tired to think of it.

It's a good thing I don't live in Alaska because then I would be able to have even more shoes that I do now- snowshoes to be exact. Like I need one more "style". I can't even find my warm snow boots, now though. Maybe I should go boot shopping?

It makes me ANGRY that people pay to have their driveways cleared or they work outside for hours with a snow blower clearing away so they can get out and then the stupid, rude city plows pile a bunch of snow at the opening of the driveway.

Speaking of snowplows and Alaska, the not quite "sex scene" in the movie Mystery, Alaska (one of the coolest movies ever) is hilarious and takes place in a snow plow.

Hey, I warned you it was all random...
Mags

Guess what I did yesterday?

This was supposed to a post about my first spin class that I took last night. But I didn't take a spin class last night because the weather canceled it. Is this a sign from the gods that I'm not supposed to exercise? Lose weight? Spin?

Instead, here is a pictorial view of my "snow day!"

Welcome to my snow day!

A perfect snow day breakfast!

Ice encrusted branches

A cold tree

An icy close-up

Almost deep enough to cover my shovel.

How much fell on the ground...

A nice clean sidewalk, or at least for a little while, before the next snow falls! (thank goodness for snow blowers and for ITSam who cleaned it all!)

Fed the birds some popcorn!

Fence glacier.

My bootprints in the snow.

A tasty snack!

Playing cards over coffee with ITSam

Of course, I was the victor!

More fun and games!

The best dinner!

Some entertainment!Finally, time for bed, after relaxing by the fire in my sock monkey jammies!

Hugs and snowy wet kissies,
Maggie

"N"oga

Last night was supposed to be my very first yoga class. Well, guess what?

Noga. Or no go. The weather canceled it. It was blowing, drifting, icing, and snowing is all. Bunch of wusses. The weather really is bringing just about everything to a stand still. So much for exercising and crossing things off the list. Wonder if my first spin class will happen tonight? I'm not holding my breath.

It's so bad that we actually have a snow day today. This is the second snow day Alcatraz has taken in five years. Other than sleep in, I'm not sure what to do with myself. See if ITSam wants to come over and play board games, watch movies and eat all the junk I bought, probably. (though Laughing Cow Cheese spead on Wheat Thins isn't horrible junk, right? However, if I follow it by cookie dough and bbq chips that might be bad....)

If you're watching the weather across the country I'm living right in the middle of the horrendous blizzard and ice storm. Banks, libraries, coffee shops--- all closed. Gas stations are out of gas, stores have no milk or bread. True story- since yoga was nixed I went to Wally World because we needed bread. We really needed bread- we had the heel left, and a stale hot dog bun. I bought bread and a bunch of other junk we didn't need. I thought I'd grab some eggs, and lo and behold--- no eggs. The shelves were full of milk and bread but NO eggs. There were, I should say, organic eggs that were $4.98 for a dozen and there were only 3 cartons of those. I bought none. No eggs. I thought that was pretty strange. How does a blizzard equate to eggs? Why does a large amount of snow drive a person to frantically purchase eggs?

After all the weather is over and done with, there'll be classes later I'm sure. So as for next week's yoga class, I'm thinking I better "be there or be square." Or be there and be a pretzel...

Mags

*********** editor's note: This morning we are now getting snow- not more ice- and we're under a level 2 emergency. I don't know what that means other than DON'T DRIVE but it doesn't sound good, does it? We're supposed to get 12-18 inches and we're probably near 8?

Weather infringed on my alone time

Yesterday I had to go to Northern Civilization for a meeting and was supposed to have my later afternoon and evening free. I planned on hitting my favorite bookstores, coffee shop, a music store, a bakery and produce market, and then getting some dinner at a local brew house.

Foiled plans since I live in the Midwest which is being hammered with a snow storm that's being labeled as "The Possible Worst Blizzard Since 1979." That just rolls off the tongue, doesn't it?

After my meeting I went to Starbucks. I made some phone calls to check out the weather around home. Then...

No bookstores.

No music store.

No dinner at the brew house.

I stopped at the bakery and the produce market. I bought no produce since they were out of blood oranges but I did get an awesome seafood salad and a garlic pasta salad. And a gourmet cupcake.

Then I came home. I was glad I left when I did even though not a flake was falling there in N. Civ nor at home. But I was about 20 minutes from home when the wind kicked out and the snow just poured out of the sky like soap flakes out of Peter Brady's laundry box.

What should've taken me 20 minutes took closed to about 40 minutes. I picked Mac up at school and was inside the building for less than 10 minutes and my footsteps were already obliterated.

If this actually keeps up all night like predicted, we're gonna have a huge mess in the morning. We already have a 1 hour delay at Alcatraz... I was told by my administration even we might have a snow day! That's practically an act of God in a place like that!

So much for alone time; I didn't want to hang out with Jack Frost and Mother Nature!

Maggie

Frightful Weather

Okay mother nature-- we get it already. You control the weather. We get it already! Stop with the weird weather. Either rain or snow but do one or the other, not both at the same ti,e! I?m really sick of a weather forecast that states "freezing drizzle."

When we left for school this morning there was about 2 inches on the ground that fell overnight. It snowed like mad all day alternating between freezing drizzle and snow. It was a slushy, wet, icy mess. I hate slush. I told the school secretary this morning we didn't have this much snow where I lived in the Wild West!

We've just been pounded this season with snow and then ice on top of that with rain on top and back to snow. It's been cloudy and overcast for days, weeks. I don't mind it all, really but I hate having Mac drive in this trashy weather. Thank goodness my insurance is paid up! I hate clearing off the car all the time, and frozen windshield wipers. And I just think what I really want is a dang snow day. Let's get to the heart of the matter- I want a snow day!

There's more wind, smow and ice coming our way again. And you know what? You never hear about us on the weather channel or having CNN correspondents coming to get footage and interview folks here-- because this our normal winter, I guess. Or no one cares about the Midwest. Wusses in the east coast make headlines every time the wind blows and we get three days of snow and freezing drizzle and no one says a word. Ugh!

I wish I had better snow boots. This is not me looking for an excuse to get new footwear either!!! I really need boots that are warm, water proof with good grippy bottoms and preferably that are stylish! Tall order. Maybe next year. Maybe I could appeal to Mother Nature's woman side and see how she feels about shoes?

I have no idea who ticked Mother Nature off but I wish they'd stop it already.

Maggie

New car? Yeah right. What was I thinking?

I've needed new tired on my car for a very LONG time. On Saturday mac and I were headed to a movie and on the highway we had a blow out. Mac and ITSam changed the tire and it was determined that I was getting new tires, come hell or high water.

So yesterday I got 4 brand new tires. I can't remember the last time I had new tires. Oh wait... that would be never. The few times I've had tire issues, they're been repaired or I've had a "slightly used" tire put on. After I got the 4 new ones yesterday, I proclaimed driving my car was like "driving a new car! It's such a smooth ride now!" Me and my big damn mouth.

Picture this, if you will. It's snowing. All. Day. Long. Steadily. It's not stopping nor slowing down. There;s about 4 inches on the ground now. The wind is slightly blowing. We have a snow mess out there. And it's about 28 degrees. Mac calls me after school to report that the car will not start. I'm trying to get him to describe the sound the car makes when he turns the key to determine if the battery is D*E*A*D or... something else. As he's telling me the car "almost" starts and then doesn't the principal comes to help Mac. Mac said he would call me back.

I have to sit in the front office of Alcatraz to await his return call because I have no cell service in the library. I wait and wait. Of course everyone wants to know what's happening and I tell them. Twenty minutes go by and I finally try to call mac again and get no answer.

Then the school office phone rings and... it's one of the Alcatraz secretaries. She left (with her husband) to get her girls from school; they go to the same school as Mac. She saw Mac was having car trouble and was told by all the adults who were helping him (2 teachers and the principal) that the car wouldn't start so she was bringing Mac to me at school. Then she and her husband offered to take us home- into town about 10 miles one way out of their way because they LIVE on the Alcatraz campus.

I was so thankful to them both. And to the folks who stood in the blizzard at mac's school. I was going to call our public transit system for rides but they insisted. MY principal and guidance counselor both offered to run us home, both gentlemen live 2 miles from Alcatraz so they would be going out of their ways as well. I'm thankful for wonderful people who helped us & who offered aid. I also had a fellow teacher friend say she would come get us in the morning if we have school, too.

The guys who were helping Mac said it could be anything from a frozn fule line, fuel filter, corroded battery wires, fuel injection issues to a problem with the starter or a combination. Sheesh. Great. None of that sounds very promising.

BUT what torques me off is that yesterday I blabbered my big, stupid mouth about my "new" wonderful car feeling and here I am, now, stranded. If it's not one thing, it's another.

Cars suck.

Maggie

The weather outside is frightful even if I don't have snow

I'm watching the weather channel and it's snowing in a good part of the United States right now. There are people who are having blizzards! And it's just November- gotta love that weird Mother Nature and Jack Frost annual love affair.

I used to live in the Wild West and I've been monitoring the weather in the town where I lived. And I cannot express enough how glad I am that I am NOT there right now. It's been between -7 and -23 for the last several days- those have been the highs. The wind is blowing in addition to the cold. And the snow! It's coming down like crazy. according to the weather channel, they have about 2 feet on the ground and are expecting about 14-20 inches. Again, I repeat, I am so very glad that I am not there in the middle of the cold, the snow and the wind.

I loved it when I was there. When I moved there I was a snow lover and a winter lover. I'm not sure what happened to me but I'm just no longer a fan. Oh, I like it being colder better than the sweltering hot summer. Most people who know me say I should live in Seattle because it has weather that would suite me; I don't know since I've never been there but it sounds good to me. Pardon me, I digress. Anyway...

I used to like winter. I would write long, eloquent posts about how much I adored winter and snow. Not so much. I hate the cold. The snow I don't mind so much but the biting cold, the harsh bitterness, the cold that seeps into my bones and won't let me get warm is what I hate. I still like the snow, I still like playing in it and driving in it doesn't bother me anymore since I've driven 2000 miles in a blizzard. But the cold that makes me feel old and won't let me get warm is what I hate. And last year was that sort of cold for weeks at a time and I couldn't get warm. It sort of turned my winter loving heart sour against the season.

All that being said. I hate the weather we're having more than blizzard and cold. Right now it's thunder storming. I live in the Midwest and it's lightening and thundering and raining right now. And it's about 65 degrees. It sucks. Oh, and did I mention the stupid humidity as well? I hate it. I want it to make like winter, get cold, and stay there. I wouldn't even mind some snow; however, if it was snowing here right now, with all the rain we've had in the last 25 hours WE'D have a blizzard!

Speaking of blizzards... well, I do like them. There is a part of me that would love an old fashioned snow storm. I like being snowed in and watching movies, reading a good book, maybe cooking something yummy. And as long as I have heat, electricity, and the Internet I would love a snow storm- I don't want much do I? But no, really, I like the magic of all the quiet that comes with the snowfall. I like knowing everyone is home and the world momentarily seems to stop and breathe. I like the respite from work, even just briefly. I'm still like a kid, waiting to see if I get a "snow day." Maybe that's why I like working in education- I still get Snow Days!

So while the rest of the country gets in the spirit of the holidays and enjoys the snow and some real winter, I'll be getting out my umbrellas and put my sweaters away.

Maggie

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