WOW.... quitting sucks!! We haven't actually quit yet but we are both smoking ultra lights and have cut it down to about 10 cigarettes a day each. Tom was a two and a half pack habit and I was a pack and a half, so 10 is really good for us. We are both that type of person who, if on a diet, denies themselves 2 hersey kisses, we end up eating the whole 16 oz bag. Cold turkey is not an option for us.

   We have spent about $150 this week on halloween decor. I think we are well up over $500 so far this year. Our display is going to be awesome. We are contructing a 8x8 "room" in which the kids will have to enter to get candy. Shawn and 3 of his friends will be waiting on the other side of the door for them. I bought pro quality vampire teeth and a prostetic piece which attaches to your neck to make it look like your throat has been ripped out. We are fighting over who will wear the teeth and who will wear the neck thing. I have about a gallon and a half of fake blood...I hope its enough!!

 

   I bought Tom a truck yesterday. We have been looking for a car for me, but we just haven't found one we can afford yet. So friday, Tom was driving by this truck and noticed the for sale sign. We looked at it yesterday and bought it on the spot. Its a 91 Ford Ranger with the cap. Tom only drives about 6 miles to work each day and the truck will come in handy for all of our home improvement projects. Not to mention, bringing wood home and such. I will still be looking for a car, but at least now we have 2 vehicles again. It would have been cold for him riding his bike to work everyday. Plus, the speed limit on the road he works on is 55 and thats being conservative. Its not the best road to ride on.

 

  So the plan for today is cleaning. I have had a 3 day weekend and have done nothing so far so I better get my rear in gear . 

Wow, I'm a slacker!! I haven't posted a thing in almost a month. Where to start.

   Tom and I are quitting smoking today. From everything I have read, you are suppose to pick a day and go from there. I did smoke one earlier, but I'm not going to get upset if one of us slides. It happens and you move past it. Besides, I'm the type of smoker who gets up in the middle of the night to smoke and I went for 12 hours straight without one. I just keep thinking of the car I need to buy and this is the best way to save money. Toms car died, so we registered my sons truck so Tom could use it to get back and forth from work. Well, apparently, when my son got in a minor accident last year in the snow, he totaled the truck. So we can't get the truck inspected. We were going to try and buy a brand new nissan, but that turned out to be not a good idea. So I had another car dealer run the credit yetserday and we got pre-approved. We are going today to look at used cars. I really wanted a Nissan, but at this point, beggars can't be choosers. 

So much to do, so little motivation to do it. Everyone is still asleep so I am using that for my excuse for getting nothing done. I did my shopping yesterday so thats out of the way at least. I have to clean and then we have plans to work on the bedroom again today. I need my son to do that though. Tom and I can't hold up the drywall and screw it into place by ourselves. We have to borrow muscle from the kid. We are also suppose to rip down walls in our 3 season room and put in some real windows. Winter is coming fast and this needs to get done by then. It was 45 degrees when I got up thursday morning.

   I come on here with all intents and purposes of filling in some interesting tidbits. I start to write and one of the dogs will come and lay his head down on my lap and stare at me with total adoration. I have no choice but to stop writing and rub the offending head. Then the other dog will come in and push the first dog out of the way so he can get some love too. That usually is the first step. Within minutes, I find myself rolling on the floor with the two giant furballs or playing a pick up game of tug of war. God forbid I pay more attention  to one over the other. They have to have equal Momma time or life will as they know it will end...in their eyes anyway.

  My daughter witnessed her friend getting jumped a few weeks back. She had to go to the police station and give a statement. The boys who beat the other boy are now harrassing her when she sees them out in public. Fortunately, I have been with her both times it has happened. I have been on the other side of the store when  they start with her . She gets scared and wants to leave the store, but I make her march right past the group of kids. She has to learn not to let them spook her. By parading right in front of them, she is showing them that she has no fear. So far, it seems to be working because none of the boys have said anything to her at school. Since I have been with her, they must also realize that I know what they look like and I will make problems for them. These kids try to intimidate others into silence, but this Momma isn't afraid to make a stink. I hate punks!!!

   2 Of my sons friends have gotten mohawks. One of them is really big, about 9 inches up straight from his head. A photographer showed up at school on the first day back and snapped a picture of them, which was put into the paper. Some of the people at work saw the picture and made some comments about the "freaks". I found myself defending the boys, telling people that now that they knew the cover so well, maybe they should read the book. One of the boys is high honors and both of them are just great kids. When my son got jumped, a bunch of his friends showed up at the hospital at 2 am to make sure he was ok. The mohawk boys were both there. I couldn't ask for better friends for my kid and it pissed me off that they would be labeled for what they look like. Maybe thats what they are after, but I don't like it. I was raised not to judge until I gave people a chance. Back home, a guy moved into the neighborhood. He had horrible scars all over him. His face was burned so badly that he barely had lips or eyelids. Everyone felt sorry for him and  they were all friendly and treated him so well..until we all found out he had gotten burnt trying to light his pregnant girlfriend on fire. that was proof to me that you can't know the whole story until you actually know the whole story. Assume nothing.

  I have a large, fuzzy head on my lap, so I better sign off before wrestlemania starts up again 

GRUB-OLOGY
• What is your salad dressing of choice?

Salsa

• What is your favorite fast food restaurant?

BK or KFC

• What is your favorite sit down restaurant?

T-Bones

• On average, what size tip do you leave at a restaurant?

at least 15%, sometimes more, unless the waitress calls me Hon, Babe or Darlin, then she gets nothing

• What food could you eat every day for two weeks and not get sick of?

YOGURT!! I have been eating it daily for years and I never get sick of it

• Name three foods you detest above all others.

Fish, pork, french fries

• What is your favorite dish to order in a Chinese restaurant?

I don't care for chinese food

• What are your pizza toppings of choice?

veggie

• What do you like to put on your toast?

Butter & cinnamon sugar

• What is your favorite type of gum?

anything wintergreen

BI-OLOGY

• What do you consider to be your best physical attribute?

My laugh

• Are you right handed or left handed?

Both

• Do you like your smile?

yes

• Have you ever had anything removed from your body?

gall bladder, teeth. some bone fragments and babies

• Would you like to?

Oh yes!

• Which of your five senses do you think is keenest?

Smell

• When was the last time you had a cavity?

no idea

• What is the heaviest item you lift regularly?

60 to 80 pound condensers at work

• Have you ever been knocked unconscious?

Yes

 

MISC-OLOGY

• If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die?

No. probably not.

• If you could change your first name, what would you change it to?

I dunno, I kinda like my name

• How do you express your artistic side?

Crafts, candles, home improvements

• What color do you think you look best in?

Red or blue

• How long do you think you could last in a medium security prison?

Pretty long, I'd try to read a lot.

• Have you ever swallowed a non-food item by mistake?

Yes.

• If we weren't bound by society's conventions, do you have a relative you would make a pass at?

no

• How often do you go to church?
Seldom

• Have you ever saved someone's life?
I don't think so
• Has someone ever saved yours? No

DARE-OLOGY

For this last section, if you would do it for less or more money, indicate how much.

• Would you walk naked for a half mile down a public street for $100,000?

Sure,
• Would you kiss a member of the same sex for $100?

Absolutley

• Would you have sex with a member of the same sex for $10,000?

Yes

• Would you allow one of your little fingers to be cut off for $200,000?
No, I like my fingers thank you. Plus you need your pinkies to show manners when drinking tea. LOL

• Would you never blog again for $50,000?

yes

• Would you pose naked in a magazine for $250,000?

sure, if people didn't like the way I look naked, they could flip the page

• Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1000?

Sure
• Would you, without fear of punishment, take a human life for $1,000,000,00?

I don't think I could take a human life at all

• Would you shave your head and get your entire body waxed?
I think I would..especially if my hair was long and they would donate it

• Would you give up watching television for a year for $25,000?

no problem. Someone would have to tape CSI and the Soprano's for me though

 

Well, I did it. I went to work, then left 4 hours later. I had to climb a ladder and got dizzy while up there. I figured it was time to go home and just sleep. I hate being sick. I get very whiny and needy when I don't feel well. I have some time now and I'm not so sleepy ( a 4 hour nap will do that for me). I thought I would come on and expand on my post from yetserday. Bob had woken up and came out here so I had to shut my post real quick. I just e-mailed him and told him I am full on sick and he might catch it too. He wrote back and said he didn't care, visiting was worth the price of a cold to him. I love when my friends come for a visit, but it makes me miss them even more when they leave. Like I would love it if Becky lived around here still. I miss having a no nonsense friendship with someone like her. She is so unlike every other female I know that she would be the one that I could hang out with everyday and not get bored with her stories or personality in general. I love the rest of my friends too, but they can annoy me with some of the views they have. Becky is her own person and I love that about her..even if she doesn't see it. Bob is like that too. I usually get bored when conversation turns to music and amps and the latest guitar equipment, but I love hanging out with him to much that I join right in and ask questions. And, like I said, he brings Tom out of his little world. Things are great with him after a visit from Bob. I think we both see each other in a the same way Bob see's us. I dunno, its weird how it happens. I drove his truck the other night . He doesn't let anyone drive his truck, but he said I was the only person he would trust enough to let them drive it. Then Tom see's me as trustworthy, or whatever. Its like we see eachother thru someone elses eyes, someone who thinks the world of us, and it rubs off.

  Little things make me happy. I wish I didn't have this nasty cold so I could just bask in the glow of the cool things in life.
 

I would like to be sleeping right now. I am beyond tired but my head and sinuses are so stuffy that the minute I lie down, I can't breathe. Our friend Bob is here right now. Him and my hubby are the two most important men in my life. I mean, my brothers and dad are important too, but I didn't choose them. Even if Tom and I aren't getting along, Bob shows up and everything is good for a while. We all talk about the serious, the stupid, the silly and whatever else pops up. We sat around and ate pizza. He went upstairs and hung out with my son for a bit, talking about guitars and of course, playing them too. Tom comes out of his sorry slump and its all comfortable.

I have stolen from Becky again. These are fun.

 

1. What curse word do you use the most?
I am the "F-Bomb" master!!

2. Do you own an iPod?
Nope but I'd like one!

3. Who on your MySpace "Top 8" do you talk to the most?
Tom and Shawn with Doug as a close second

4. What time is your alarm clock set for?
3:15 a.m

5. What color is your room?
my room is still insulation colored. Someday, I will get drywall up

6. Flip flops or sneakers?
neither. I have to wear sneakers at work and if I am out running errands, I'm in flipflops. Sneakers make it out to the car after work, then I'm barefooted, which is how I stay year round

7. Would you rather take the picture or be in the picture?

Take it every time.

8. What was the last movie you watched?
The Waterboy...again

9. Do any of your friends have children?
Yes, most do.

10. Has anyone ever called you lazy?
never, except by myself when I don't feel like doing anything.

11. Do you ever take medication to help you fall asleep faster?
nope, falling asleep isn't the problem. Staying asleep is

12. What CD is currently in your CD player?
Pantera-100 proof

13. Do you prefer regular or chocolate milk?
unadulterated

14. Has anyone told you a secret this week?
not really, although I was invited to a wedding I can't tell my drunk neighbors about

15. Have you ever given someone a hickey?
Of course.

16. Who was the last person to call you?
Tom

17. Do you think people talk about you behind your back?
Yeah, I'm sure there is more than one person who does. But they talk about everyone behind their backs. Whatever, if their lives are so boring they have to talk about me, God help em!

18. Did you watch cartoons as a child?
Yes, when I could get some TV time in between what everyone else wanted to watch

19. How many siblings do you have?
4 brothers and a sister

20. Are you shy around the opposite sex?
I'm not shy around anyone!

21. What movie do you know every line to?
Tommy Boy and Billy Madison

22. Do you own any band t-shirts?
Nope, but Tom has a ton

23. What is your favorite salad dressing?
I use salsa on salad

24. Do you read for fun?
All the Time!

25. Do you cry a lot?
My cry button is broken. People think I am cold because it seems like nothing touches me, but I just can't cry

26. Who was the last person to text message you?
Wendi IMed me, does that count?

27. Do you have a desktop computer or a laptop?
Desktop.

28. Are you currently wanting any piercings or tattoo?
Not at the moment. I would like another tattoo at some point, but I'm not jonesing

29. What is the weather like?
cool and bright

30. Would you ever date someone covered in tattoos?
sure, and I have

31. Is sex before marriage wrong?
LMAO!!!

32. When was the last time you slept on the floor?
a long time ago

33. How many hours of sleep do you need to function?
5, but 4 is ok for short term

34. Are you in love or lust?
Love

35. Are your days full and fast-paced?
at work and at home

36. Do you pay attention to calories on the back of packages?
hell no!!

37. How old will you be turning on your next birthday?
39

38. Are you picky about spelling and grammar?
I have been known to highlight typo's in books

39. Have you ever been to Six Flags?
Nope, thats where we were heading for our honeymoon, but we went to NYC instead

40. Do you get along better with the same or opposite sex?
I get along better with men. Most women are too girlie for me but I do have several close female friends (Becky)

41. Do you like cottage cheese?
Yes but only with a ton of fresh ground pepper on it

42. Do you sleep on your side, tummy, or back?
on my tummy with my left leg curled under me so I don't squish my boobs

43. Have you ever bid for something on eBay?
Nope

44. Do you enjoy giving hugs?
yes. I am a hugger

45. What is your favorite TV show?
CSI Vegas

46. Which celebrity, dead or alive, would you want to have lunch with?
I'm not really into celebrities

47. Last time you had butterflies in your stomach?
hmmm, I'd have to think about that. Maybe when the paramedics called to tell me my son had been jumped

48. What one thing do you wish you had?
Unlimited Cash, (very good Becky)

49. Favorite lyrics?
I have so many, its hard to choose. See my previous post about lyrics

 

I finally got to see my brother yesterday. I worked from 5 to 10 yesterday morning and got on the highway right from work. We hug out on his deck for a little while and just chatted and had coffee. He looks really good except for the fact that he has lost 25 pounds in the past 3 weeks. He made himself a lunch type thing. He can't eat a lot at one sitting so he divides up his meals into several smaller ones throughout the day. After he ate his wife thought he needed to rest. Her and I went blueberry picking so he could nap in peace. Although it was hotter than hell, we each ended up with about 7 pounds of berries. Plus it gave us a chance to talk without ears being around. I think she really needed to unload. My brother has been known to be a gigantic pain in the ass when he is sick or hurt. THE BIG BABY!!

  Anyway, we stopped for more coffee on the way home. I hung out for a while longer and then went to my parents house. I stopped at the store and bought my Dad some cookies from the bakery. He is always saying that he loves dessert and my Mom won't make him anything. She tells him he doesn't need it. Hell, if the guy wants a cookie, give him a cookie. They gave my an album of all the families formal potraits from the party. They came out so nice and now I finally have photos of everyone. I left there after an hour or so and got home to find that Toms and Justins cars had both broken down. Justins was down the street so a neighbor help Tom get the car back up here with his tractor...in the pouring rain. They were both drenched when they got back here. My neighbors are great here. They don't mind things like that. Small towns are boring, but the people are the best.

  

Ok so everything has finally settled down. The boy is doing well, my brother is home and will start visits with the oncologist this week. Becky and her kids left my house this morning. They got here on thursday and I really enjoyed this visit. I had to work on friday so they had to fend for themselves for that day. Dinners were interesting to say the least. Trying to feed 3 adults and 7 kids at one good sized, yet still too small table was kinda fun. Not to mention the fact that our lovely town well, which supplies our water, had become contaminated with ecoli earlier in the week. Boiling enough water to take care of 11 people, 2 dogs and 2 cats sounded like way more than I wanted to take on, so we made do with paper plates and bottled water. Of course, 18 bottles of water lasted the weekend, so I only had to boil water to wash dishes in.

  I think I may have somewhat impressed Becky with my ability to spend $200 on groceries in about 15 minutes. Yes, I hate shopping that much that I have memorized the stores and can whip thru them without a pause. I must admit that I did kinda have fun at the mall. I bought some evil babies for husband. You could check them out at www.kryptkiddies.com. I know most people would think they are awful, but we have an odd sense of humor and they are going to be perfect for halloween. I also splurged on some bath and body works stuff for myself. My big girlie indulgence for myself is to take a bath in my lovely old fashioned clawfoot tub. Believe it or not, the only reason I bought this house was for the tub and the original 15 panel french doors in my livingroom. I wanted something with character and I thought those two features would do it. Guess I was right because they are still my favorite parts of the house!!

 

    Back to the weekend. Seeing Becky and the kids was great. Lois and I had a wonderful talk on the way down to Portsmouth and conversation is always great with Becky. I love having her company and seeing the kids change every year or so is always a treat. When I met them, the middle child was the youngest and she was only an infant when we met. Now she is a 9 yr old who still puts a smile on my face. The youngest seems like he should still be a baby also, but he is 7 now. It just doesn't seem possible. I hope someday to get to visit her and see all the sites around her house.

OK, this was freakish. Becky checked her blog from my house, then forgot to sign out. I tried to post a new entry on my blog, but it went to Beckys instead. I will re-post here and she can delete mine from hers when she gets back.