Thursday, November 30, 2006

More Holiday Tribulations

Thurs 11/30 Blog Prompt: What if Christmas (or Chanakah, Kwanzaa, etc.) didn't require giving gifts? Would it still feel the same?

If we are speaking about receiving gifts for me, myself and I, yes it would still feel the same. I would be happy with the beautiful music, sparkling lights, happy faces and general feeling of joy.

But then again I just love giving gifts to the little ones. I love to see the shine in their eyes when they open their presents. For the really young it isn't the gift but the act of opening it (I think we are buying Indy a laundry basket this year, hehehe). To me Christmas is all about the children, explaining to them the meaning of the season and in giving gifts.

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Trips and Tribulations

This past week has been filled with anxiety and excitement, which has lead to a decline in my posting. I'm caught up with the prompts I believe.

Now let me lead you down memory lane starting last Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving.

Wednesday
The Princess was home from school, out sick, throwing up. Nice start to the holidays.

Nuke was due home the next day to celebrate the holiday and I wanted to get things cleaned up before he got here. Indy and I were in my bedroom picking up his toys, when he brought me a glass ice cube. I have them for decorative purposes, but I have no idea where he managed to find it from. I wasn't worried they have rounded corners and no sharp edges. Still I took it away from him and put it up high (I forgot about his 5 foot reach). I turned my back to throw a few things away when I hear him crying and turn around and blood is gushing out of the bottom of his foot.

(side note: it was the ice cube again, I can only figure that he got it down, stomped on it and it broke)

Panic sets in. I rush him to the bathroom to wash it out and it looks worse than I thought. It was about an 1" wide and 1/4" deep. And I can't stop the blood flowing. I realized the advantage of having a bluetooth earpiece with voice tags and call Pan. He doesn't understand what I am saying and thought I was chewing him out from coming home early the day before instead of today. Finally, what does get through is, Indy, Blood, Call Bombshell (I don't have her work number voice tagged yet). I grab a pair of shorts (hey they were handy) and wrap it tightly around his foot, call the Princess in to hold it while I get dressed and call the doctor's office, while talking with Bombshell on the other phone.

After wrapping it in gauze and ace bandages off to the emergency room we head. By the time we get there Indy has all but forgotten his foot and is running around, climbing on glass tables trying to look at the helicopter outside and putting on a great show for the receptionists. And he can't be seen until Bombshell shows up.

Note to self: Before leaving for Hawaii 1) Look for medical power of attornies (or call mom to read off the ones I gave her) and print them out for both kids. 2) write that housing letter for Bombshell. 3) put pictures she wants onto cd so she can have prints made. 4) clean out fridge and give food to Bombshell.

Oh, I digress. Anyway, they finally take him back and put him in a room. A real room with a door. A door that shuts. No curtains this time. But it also means I can't occasionally get a glimpse of him or hear him. This might have been a good thing. Bombshell said that she had to hold him down the entire time and each time someone came in, he would say in a loud pitiful voice "Help Me." Three stitches later and we all get to go home.

Thursday - Thanksgiving Day
We get up early to head over to my sister's house at the north, north, west, west side of Florida. Just think as far north and as far west as you can go in Florida and your there. Nuke made it there before we did so he got to spend quality time with mom, ddpup and bear. Lunch was delicious, smoked turkey and pork with green bean casserole, mashed potatoes and just tons of other stuff. I only ate a little as I knew we would be having dinner with Pan's family next.

A little after one, caravaning with Nuke and Bombshell we headed to the beach and to the Hilton for a dinner buffet with Pan's family. Okay, I'm going to complain. I've stayed at Hilton Hotels and have eaten there and have always been impressed. Not so on Thursday. The food was dry and they just didn't have a big variety for being a buffet. Nuf said.

Friday
Bombshell called to say that she was vomiting and would not be going to work that evening. After I got off work I picked the kids up though so she could have a couple of hours of rest. And I got to spend some time with Nuke before he leave at dawn the next day.

Saturday
Woke up sick. Not really sick, sick if you know what I mean. Like I had eaten something that had disagreed with me. Only thing is, it lasted for three days and I still didn't lose the 10 pounds I wanted.

Monday
Back to work. Back home just as fast. No staying at work and being paid for being in the little library. Gave up eating (still no lose of weight). Bombshell picks the kids up late; but Indy is still awake. His schedule is so screwed. She gets them home and while she is putting the Princess in bed, Indy finds the new bottle of toothpaste and promptly smears it all over himself, the carpet and in his mouth. Bomb calls to see what she needs to do. Another call to the Poison Control Center.

Tuesday
Back to work and managed to stay. Bombshell called to say that she had an appointment for the Princess at 3:20 but she was going to be able to take her. Leave work and stop at Whataburger (I was starving). Ordered a Whataburger with cheese to go. Get home, take a big bite out of it and it is topped with loads of jalepena. Gave up eating again. (still no weight lose). Bombshell calls to say that she had to go into work early. Everyone called in sick or just didn't show, would I take the Princess to the doctor.

She has chronic intestinal problems and will probably have to be on some kind of medication for the next 6 months to a year. That and we will have to go over what she can and cannot eat with her father and other grandparents. The doc has already advised that she will continue to have severe stomach cramps this week.

Now we are back to Wednesday and what does all this have to do with trips? Plenty. It means I am not ready at all for mine next Wednesday. No figuring out what to take, no packing, no lose of that extra 10 pounds so now I have to buy some new clothes; nothing. Oh well, maybe tomorrow.

Aged Tribulations

Wed 11/29 Blog Prompt: How old would you say you are, if you didn't actually know your age?

Interesting prompt today. Twenty-one? I don't think so. Actually when I see myself I see someone who is 50, which is how old I am. But most people who first meet me think I am much younger. (Must be that Indian blood I inherited from my mother; or it could be from my dad's side, he looked the same at 17 and 70, few less wrinkles a 17 possibly).

Then again, I have never been very good at guessing ages.

Teenage Mortifications and Tribulations

Tues 11/28 Blog Prompt: As suggested by Jennyrae yesterday - The book "Mortified" by Dave Nadelberg goes on sale tomorrow, see his web. Anyway it is a collection of readings from teen diaries. Bad poetry, crazy stories, angst etc. Thought it would be fun to do that here as a posting. Share an old entry or poem from our teenage diaries.

I never kept a diary during high school. Too busy I guess. But I do have one particularly embarrassing moment. One that Love2Scrap will be able to relate to.

I lived on Guam during most of my high school years and use to go swimming at the pool just about every day. I thought I was so hot in my green bikini and would strut around like I owned the world. But who at 16-17 doesn't think that, right?

All of that came dashing around my feet the day I dove off the high dive and came up. Out of the pool I came, strutting up to the deck for the a sunbath, soaking in the looks of admiration I was getting from all the young men there. That is until one of the young airmen, who also happened to be a friend, came up and explained that half of my bikini top was not where it was suppose to be. I looked down and sure enough one side had slid up over the top of my semi-ample breast. And as I had been walking it had been waving helllloooo to every one of those airmen.

Mortified? I wanted to lay right down and die, right there, right then. I guess I could have just slunk away never to appear at the pool again, but guess what? Guam is not that big. There is no place to hide. So I did the only thing I could think of. I stood up and fixed in front of everyone, with a glare that said, "Okay you have had your look, but don't ever think you will touch it."

I can laugh about it now, but back then it was horrible on two counts: one, it happened, and two, a guy told me about it.

Monday, November 27, 2006

Word of the Week - COMPEER (n)

Disclaimer: All words that I choose come from the 1968 edition of the Webster's New World Dictionary, 2nd college edition. It's close and also nearly 40 years old so we may come across some words that are no longer in general use or have completely changed definitions. But that is part of the fun.
compeer (n)
1. a person of the same rank or status; equal; peer
2. a companion; comrade
.
And what in the world can you do with this word? Well, you could write a sentence using it. You could look it up in another dictionary or reference book. (several dictionary searches available in my sidebar for your use.) Use it as a jump start for a short story. If applicable, find a picture of it. Whatever you do, post a link in my comments so I can check it out and put a link back to your post. And have fun.

Childhood Shows and Tribulations

Mon 11/27 Blog Prompt: What was your favorite childhood cartoon, comic, or TV show?

I'm definitely going to age myself with this one, lol, as when I was going up cartoons came on Wednesday night and were really for adults, you know, the Flintstones, Bugs Bunny, etc. Batman with Adam West came on Thursday nights and each episode ended with "To be continued next week at the same Bat time; on the same Bat channel."

But my absolute favorites had to be the weekends when I would watch the old Shirley Temple, Jungle Jim and Tarzan shows (yes they were old even when I was a child). Living vicariously as the little orphans that Shirley played or hacking my way through the jungle with Jungle Jim and Tarzan, both of whom were played by Johnny Weissmuller. Yes, those were great shows to watch as I was growing up.

The Tribulation of Cars

I am sure many of you have seen Disney's Cars recently released on dvd. I know I have, nearly 4 times a day. It is a cute movie with a lot of good morales in it, but...

And there is always a but, isn't there? The only races I have ever seen were stock car races; and one 500 in New Orleans, so I am not an expert on racing. What I want from all you guys and gals who actually know something about racing is to explain to me about the pace car.

Friday, November 24, 2006

Sales and Tribulations

Friday 11/24 Blog Prompt: Sorry I'm late today!!!Are you a shopper? Do you like crowds and sales, or shopping at off hours when the stores are empty? Or doing as much as possible over the computer? Happy Black Friday!

I hate shopping in crowds. I have a real crowd issue. Funny considering I really like giving gifts. So I would have to say I would prefer to pay more and shop when the stores are empty. And even on the computer, although Pan does that more than I do.

I am thankful that I have a home as well as plenty of food and clothes.

Thursday, November 23, 2006

Funny Thanksgiving Tribulations?

Thurs 11/23 Blog Prompt: Do you have any funny stories from past Thanksgiving or other holiday meals/gatherings? Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I'm off to pull the guts out of a cold, 20 pound turkey! Wheeee! In honor of the American holiday of Thanksgiving, every day this week, let's have a secondary prompt about thankfulness. What are you/your family thankful for? Add something to your blog each day, and then perhaps you can share them with your family on Thanksgiving.

I cannot remember one funny Thanksgiving dinner. We have had our share of fun, telling stories and laughing, but I can't think of one Charlie Chaplin moment.

Pan probably has some funny ones though. I remember him telling me about one dinner, although it may not have been Thanksgiving. His grandmother would spend hours washing and ironing the tablecloth; and should one drop be spilled on it you would incur the wrath of grandma.

At one dinner, Pan began watching his father intently. His dad would pick up a salt shaker then set it back down. Next came the pepper shaker... pick it up, set it down. Butter, condiments, nothing was left untouched.

After awhile it dawned on Pan what his father was doing. He wasn't just picking them up and setting them back down. He was setting them down over spilled food and drink, so grandma wouldn't notice.

I am thankful that I have three children who all grew into wonderful adults that I am extremely proud of.

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Holiday Tribulations

Wed 11/22 Blog Prompt: How does the thought of the approaching holidays make you feel? In honor of the American holiday of Thanksgiving, every day this week, let's have a secondary prompt about thankfulness. What are you/your family thankful for? Add something to your blog each day, and then perhaps you can share them with your family on Thanksgiving.

Harried. More so this year as we will be leaving for Hawaii in a week and a half. Most times I really enjoy the upcoming holiday seasons. It is time to spend with family and friends. But I can get a little depressed if money is somewhat tight during the season, as I love to buy for everyone. Just call me Ms. Claus, LOL.

I am thankful for a full and varied family who all gets along and really likes one another.

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Tribulations of a Classic Movie Leader





Following in Deathknyte's footsteps.

Traditional Tribulations

Tues 11/21 Blog Prompt: Do you have any unusual holiday traditions? And/or what traditions are you looking forward to this holiday season?

I don't know if it unusual, but it's a tradition. One that I remember from my childhood. The Christmas stocking. My parents always put oranges and peppermint sticks (such as King Leo's). First we would roll the orange between our hands to release the juices and then mom or dad would cut a hole in the top for us to slip the peppermint stick into to use as a straw.

I have carried that tradition into my own home. My kids grew up with stockings filled with apples, oranges, pears, walnuts, pecans and, of course, King Leo peppermint sticks. So while they were opening their gifts, they were munching on the fruit from their stockings and watching Miracle on 34th Street.

I recall overhearing them talking to some friends after Christmas one year. Everyone was talking about what they had gotten in their stockings. This was the first time my children realized that you could get toys in your stocking. Uh oh. I just knew I was in for it. Then they told their friends about the fruit and nuts they got. Suddenly they were the most popular kids on the block. Everyone was wishing their folks did that too.

Bombshell doesn't do it for her kids (I don't think), but then they come over here where I have stockings for the Princess and Indy filled with fruit. And I am not sure whether Scamp and Honey carry on the tradition. Guess I will have to ask them when I get to Hawaii in two weeks.

Monday, November 20, 2006

Word of the Week - QUADRIVIAL (adj)

Disclaimer: All words that I choose come from the 1968 edition of the Webster's New World Dictionary, 2nd college edition. It's close and also nearly 40 years old so we may come across some words that are no longer in general use or have completely changed definitions. But that is part of the fun.
quadrivial (adj)
1. having or being four roads meeting in a point.
2. of the quadrivium.
.
And what in the world can you do with this word? Well, you could write a sentence using it. You could look it up in another dictionary or reference book. (several dictionary searches available in my sidebar for your use.) Use it as a jump start for a short story. If applicable, find a picture of it. Whatever you do, post a link in my comments so I can check it out and put a link back to your post. And have fun.

A Star Wars Tribulation

While trying to locate the Jedi Padawan test that Michele at Letters from NYC I located this one.



Your Star Wars Name and Title



Your Star Wars Name: Karde Scell
Your Star Wars Title: Yedgua of Eoz






Jedi Knight
You scored 72 on the Force Sensitivity/Jedi Chart!
Other Jedi like you: Luke Skywalker, Mara Jade, Leia Organa Solo, Anakin Skywalker (before turn), Ki-Adi Mundi, Aayla Secura and Revan(after rescue)

You are a Jedi Knight, the symbol of what is good and just in the galaxy. You are in control of your feelings though you may rarely do something considered dark or think of yourself before others. Hardly any darkness makes it through you.

You are a very skilled fighter and have heightened mental and athletic abilities only other can dream of. You use your abilities not for yourself though but to help others, and while you have probably killed, it was either in defense of others or in defense of yourself. You prefer to negotiate or detain rather then kill as both give your soul much easier rest. You command the respect of a great many and as many Jedi were you are probably a high ranking officer in an army.

You have little left to accomplish as becoming a Master is a matter of completely giving yourself to the Force and being respected by other Jedi. Teach yourself new things and seek out training you have not had yet and you may very well become a Jedi Master. Be wary of the Sith, as they will seek to destroy and those around you.

____________
Thank you for taking my test, if you have any comments, complaints or anything you'd like to see changed/added, please contact me through here or my email (zabomb56@hotmail.com).

Charity Tribulations

Mon 11/20 Blog Prompt: Three things you'd donate to charity right now are...

1. Time, if I had any, especially the Marine Corps Toys for Tots.
2. Any and all of the toys that are currently gracing my living room, dining room and bedroom floor (better include kitchen floor as well), as long as they are in good shape. This may have to include Pan's halloween decorations which are still gracing the rooms.
3. Books, dvd, personal sundries for our service men and women.

Sunday, November 19, 2006

Being American is not a Tribulations

You Are 86% American

You're as American as red meat and shooting ranges.
Tough and independent, you think big.
You love everything about the US, wrong or right.
And anyone who criticizes your home better not do it in front of you!


Wantonly stolen idea from Basil.

Saturday, November 18, 2006

Movie Tribulations

Weekend Prompt brought to us by Glynis: Have we ever talked about favorite movies? Or movies that make you wish you had those two hours of your life back?

This is going to be a two way tie.

The 1939 version of Gunga Din with Cary Grant, Victor McLaglen, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., and Sam Jaffe. This also happens to be one of Bombshell's favorite movies as well. She use to crawl into bed with me when it would come on a 1 in the morning and just laugh and laugh and laugh.

Xanadu with Gene Kelly, Olivia Newton-John and Michael Beck. I don't know why it is my all time favorite other than it makes me feel good and reminds me of the movies of the 30's with the choreographed dances. Or just because it has Gene Kelly in it. (trivia for Mrs. Who - Michael Beck who plays Sonny Malone also played Abel Horn in the episode Spider in the Web on Babylon 5).

Friday, November 17, 2006

The Tribulations of Five Accomplishments

Friday 11/17 Blog Prompt: Tell us about five accomplishments from this past week. Big or small!

Five things I have accomplished this week, ummmmm......

1. Have managed to get through my second week of working from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m., then watching the grands from 3:30 p.m. until 1:30 a.m. without loosing my mind.
2. Started working with Indy on potty training.
3. Finished a page in my faithbook.
4. Talked with all three of my kids during the week.
5. Did a guest post on my sister's blog.

Nothing earthshaking; wish I could have talked myself into doing something in the kitchen though.

Thursday, November 16, 2006

Renaissance Tribulations

If you haven't been, you should take a look at the Ogre's site for his information and pictures of The Carolina Renaissance Festival, you might want to. He makes it sound so interesting, that even I may want to get my rear in gear and take a drive up.

But not to be outdone (okay, he is going to outdo me), I have a special picture to post myself from the fair.


Image Uploaded by ImageShack Toolbar


I received a special photo of Little John (aka NavyNuke) by mail the other day. Woo Hoo.

Future Tribulations

Thurs 11/16 Blog Prompt: If you had an opportunity to see your future, would you want to? Why or why not?

No. Absolutely not. That falls under the same category as changing the past. Seeing my future may inspire to do things differently, in which case the future I saw would no longer be a reality and I would have to contually be able to see the future just to see if it comes out okay.

I would never be able to just enjoy the moment. And that's what it is all about, isn't it?

Movies like the "Butterfly Effect" and the one SciFi put out several years ago, tend to mirror how I feel about knowing the future. Changing one little thing can have devastating ripple effects. Am I smart (or brave) enough to make those decisions? I think not.

Wednesday, November 15, 2006

Reading Tribulations

Wed 11/15 Blog Prompt: The book I'm reading right now/just read is teaching me...

The book I am reading right now is "Eragon" by Christopher Paolini. It was recommended by NavyNuke. And if you like "Harry Potter" you will probably like this one two. In fact, they have a movie coming out on December 15, I think.

Fast reading and entertaining, but now I have to buy the second book. As far as the second part of the prompt goes, I'm not sure I understand. But then it has been a long day.

Tuesday, November 14, 2006

A Handful of Tribulations

Our blog promp for today was to write about two memories that happened two years ago. I actually have mine written, but I'm not going to post it, not right now anyway.

But Love2Scrap posted part one of hers and I got such a laugh out of it, I had emailed her asking if she would like to trade her seven for one Indy for a week. She declined but it reminded me of last evening and thought I would share it with you.

Indy is a handful.

The other night he managed to bit the end off of one of those silicon capsules they put in with aspirin and I had to call the Poison control center. Okay, I didn't have to, but it was the right thing to do. The poor woman at the pcc was rolling with laughter before we hung up. (Made someone happy last night, just not me)

First she told me the silicon was not poisonous; but had a warning as it is a choking hazard. She adviced me to wash his mouth out and give him plenty to drink.

But while I was talking to her, he tried to wrap the phone cord around his neck and crawl up on a computer monitor. So in the midst of our conversation, she was hearing "Indy, you're going to choke yourself," "Indy don't do that," "Indy stop right now," "Indy get off the monitor." Remember that Bill Cosby act about Steven on the plane? Well I felt like Steven's mother last night.

As we were hanging up and with a chuckle in her voice she says "You have your hands full." No Kidding.

Happy Birthday Mom

Today is my mother's birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I hope that she is having a fine time in her yard. Hey, she's always in the yard puttering around. Although I just noticed that she is online.

I'll give you a call after work......

Housing Tribulations

Mon 11/13/06 Blog Prompt: Imagine you save a man's life and later find out he is the richest man in the world. He offers to either buy you a new house and land or fix the house and land you already have any way you want. Describe either your new house and land or what improvements you would make on the land and house you already own.

At this point I would probably just make alterations to the home we already have. Such as putting in cork flooring throughout the house; painting; replacing windows, etc. I would also make an upstairs so that we could knock out floors downstairs and expand the size of the kitchen and living room.

In the yard I would have a landscape service take care of the front yard; but I would either put down wood decking or flagstone over the entire backyard (have a tiny backyard), with a built in sandbox for the kids. A built in gas grill that was large enough to handle my four-burner griddle would be a must; as well as a hot tub.

Monday, November 13, 2006

Word of the Week - RAMET

Disclaimer: All words that I choose come from the 1968 edition of the Webster's New World Dictionary, 2nd college edition. It's close and also nearly 40 years old so we may come across some words that are no longer in general use or have completely changed definitions. But that is part of the fun.
ramet
[biol] any of the members of a clone
.
And what in the world can you do with this word? Well, you could write a sentence using it. You could look it up in another dictionary or reference book. (several dictionary searches available in my sidebar for your use.) Use it as a jump start for a short story. If applicable, find a picture of it. Whatever you do, post a link in my comments so I can check it out and put a link back to your post. And have fun.

Accent-dental Tribulations

What American accent do you have?
Your Result: The Inland North

You may think you speak "Standard English straight out of the dictionary" but when you step away from the Great Lakes you get asked annoying questions like "Are you from Wisconsin?" or "Are you from Chicago?" Chances are you call carbonated drinks "pop."

The Midland
The Northeast
Philadelphia
The South
The West
Boston
North Central
What American accent do you have?
Take More Quizzes


Shamelessly stolen from Quality Weenie.

Sunday, November 12, 2006

Teenage Tribulations

Weekend Blogging 11/11-11/12: How about your favourite memory from your teenage years? courtesy of Magdalene

Gosh there are so many of them. For most of my teenage years I was on Guam. The island is a teenager's paradise or at least it was in the early 70's. But one memory really stands out, sort of.

If you will recall in the early 70's we were still in the midst of the Vietnam conflict. At the time I was a member of the Protestant Youth Organization and the Catholic Youth Organization (that's the part that is fuzzy, I can't remember which orchestrated the visit). Anyway, with one of the organizations, I visited the military hospital where all the men who had been injured were shipped prior to going stateside.

I remember sitting by their beds reading, talking, singing to them and even helping them with writing letters home. It was a very profound experience which, I am sure, shaped my mindset of today.

These young men were so courageous, that even at 16-17, I felt honored to be in their presence. God bless them all.

Friday, November 10, 2006

Fabulous Tribulations

Friday 11/10 Blog Prompt: Yesterday we had the Thursday Thirteen, today let's have Fabulous Friday!! Tell us about something FABULOUS in your life right now!

They say hindsight is better than foresight; but in this case I am not sure that is really true. Nothing, and I mean nothing fabulous happened.

So I guess what I need to do is count my blessing and realize that having my family around; being able to talk with my friends and family on a daily basis now and being able to walk out and smell the fresh air is more than adequate to count the day as fabulous. And so it is.

Project Valour IT

Since so many were posting about this, I thought it might not matter if I did a post as well. WELL, not so, especially since Letters from NY needed some re-enforcement on which service to put her hard-earned money down on. I also decided some links might be in order, starting with Project Valour IT.

Other participants who have information on their blog sites:

VW Bug
ArmyWifeToddlerMom
Bobo Blogger
Sgt. Hook
Boudicca's Voice
That1Guy
From the Halls to the Shores
Quality Weenie
Tammi's World

I know I probably missed a few along the way, but this, along with what follows, should give you plenty to read to make your donation decision

So, Michele at Letters from NYC I give you these reasons for voting:

Air Force - my Dad
Image Uploaded by ImageShack Toolbar
Marines - my son, Scamp
Image Uploaded by ImageShack Toolbar
Navy - my son, Nuke
Image Uploaded by ImageShack Toolbar
Army - my cousin, Archeologist
Sorry, I couldn't find a picture.

But I personally think the above are four good reasons for investing.


Thursday, November 09, 2006

Thirteen Vacation Tribulations of a sort.

Thurs 11/9 Blog Prompt: There are a bunch of bloggers that participate in a meme called the Thursday Thirteen. Today, you're joining them! You can write about any subject, but you have to think up 13 things. Examples: 13 things about me; 13 things I like about living where I do; 13 things my children say that crack me up; 13 things to do this weekend.

Thirteen vacations I would like to take:
1. A cruise to Alaska to see the whales the ice floes and the crisp, clean horizon.
2. Cape Cod in fall. The beautiful leaves turning and falling, the smell of the impending winter; the crash of the water against the rocks.
3. Sweden. My great grandmother is from Sweden and I would love to see the environment in which she grew up.
4. Scotland and Ireland. It may be that we have ancestors from Scotland; but I know that Pan has them from Scotland and Ireland.
5. Australia. All of it.
6. Hong Kong. The Tiger Balm Gardens, the street vendors, the restaurants, the stores.
7. Germany. My grandfather was from Germany and I didn't get to see nearly enough of it last time I was there visiting Bug.
8. Las Vegas. The Hilton, the Star Trek Experience and Quark's Bar.
9. Atlanta. Dante's Down Under and the 57th Fighter Group restaurants.
10. San Diego. The Zoo. I want to see the zoo again.
11. Hawaii. Oh but wait, I am going there next month (hehehehe)
12. Orlando. Big River Brewery and Restaurant. Want to take the grands. That would be perfect.
13. New Orleans. If it is up and going again. Any of the restaurants in the French Quarter.

Wednesday, November 08, 2006

Music, Youth and Tribulations

Wed 11/8 Blog Prompt: MUSIC—What are your early memories of music? What kind did you/do you prefer? Have your tastes changed over the years?

Twasn't really music in the sense one thinks of bands and such, but one of my first memories is of some records ddpup and I use to have many years ago. They were more than sing-alongs, they were play alongs. She and I rode the seven seas with Christopher Columbus and discovered the new world; "one if by land; two if by sea," echoed through the house as we used the back of the armchairs and couch as horses helping Paul Revere deliver the news. And there were more. We knew all the songs by heart.

By the time I was entering my early teens the Beetles were making news. (Does this date me or what, lol). Look most I was enamoured with the rebellious haircuts and outfits; but soon outgrew them as time when on and Joe Cocker, Bread and Guess Who made the scene. Guess who will always have a special place in my heart due to the Abbott & Costello encounter between mom and my grandmother (paraphrased):

Grandmother: How are the girls?
Mom: Doing fine. Tink is at a concert tonight.
Grandmother: Who did she go see?
Mom: The Guess Who.
Grandmother: I don't know who, that's why I'm asking.

and so it goes. I got to see one of Kiki Dee's first public appearences as she opened for The Guess Who. Most outstanding concert though had to be the one put on by Black Oak Arkansas. Truly amazing.

Over the years though, I have mellowed and really prefer new age, meditation and celtic music to flow across my eardrums and sooth my tired mind. Although a quick lapse into Meatloaf and Pink Floyd never hurts.

Tuesday, November 07, 2006

Turning Tribulations

Tuesday Blog Prompt: So, tell us about a turning point in your life, however you define that phrase.

The most notable turning point in my life was when I decided I had enough of the ex. So much so that I changed the locks on the doors when he was working out of town, then called him and told him that where I lived was no longer his home. I filed for divorce the next day.

There is a lot to that relationship I have spent years trying to forget. Some, unfortunately, I brought into my life with Pan... distrust and jealously being the foremost. I have worked through a lot of it with his help, love and understanding. They still occasionally will rear their ugly heads, but Pan is most forgiving. He is my second turning point.

Monday, November 06, 2006

Word of the Week - RADDLE (vt)

Disclaimer: All words that I choose come from the 1968 edition of the Webster's New World Dictionary, 2nd college edition. It's close and also nearly 40 years old so we may come across some words that are no longer in general use or have completely changed definitions. But that is part of the fun.
raddle (vt)
a slender rod interwoven in a fence
.
And what in the world can you do with this word? Well, you could write a sentence using it. You could look it up in another dictionary or reference book. (several dictionary searches available in my sidebar for your use.) Use it as a jump start for a short story. If applicable, find a picture of it. Whatever you do, post a link in my comments so I can check it out and put a link back to your post. And have fun.

Manners & Tribulations

Monday Blog Prompt: What manners do you stress in your family and which do you let slide? (This applies to adults, too, not just children).

Interesting prompt, I must say, insomuch as to see how things are different from generation to generation.

I grew up where manners meant a lot. It was always "yes ma'am," "yes sir," "no ma'am," or "no sir," when you were talking with an adult. When calling them by name, it was always "Mr." or "Mrs." Although there were a few adults that were close enough that we would refer to them as "Aunt" or "Uncle." Elbows were kept off the table and you never talked with your mouth full. Dinner was almost always a family affair and would always be held at the table.

I still do the same things, although I have to admit, I do put my elbows on the table now. Not when I am eating, but talking, even if the other people are still in the throes of their dinner. Dinner is no longer necessarily eaten at the table; but oft times in front of the television (unless the grands are here, then it is back up to the table).

My children were instilled with the same values, but I could see some changes. I found that a lot of my friends preferred to have the children call them by their first name; and they had their children call me by my first name. There was still the "yes ma'am," "yes sir," "no ma'am," or "no sir." And if the adult was not a firm acquaitance then it became "Mr.," "Mrs.," or "Miss."

And now I am trying to impress those same manners upon the Grands. Maybe it will work. We will have to see.

Saturday, November 04, 2006

Mr. Clean's Recent Tribulations

Recently there has been a post going around about Mr. Clean Erasers. I have to admit that I jumped on the bandwagon myself and let people I know with small children know the blog address to look it up. Pan is more skeptical than I am and always (and I mean ALWAYS) researches this type of rumor.

What I failed to do myself was to look at the product mentioned in the article or tell actually read the article carefully. So in an effort to redeem myself:

First off, the child in question was using an "eraser" that had a blue abrasive side to it. Is it possible the child was using that side to rub his face? Maybe it is an abrasive burn.

Second, the child was apparently not being supervised with the questionable.

Thirdly, I did the same google search and what appeared was gossip and opinions. No hard facts.

If you want to do further research on the matter, I suggest that you check out Snopes and Urban Legends as starting points.

Communicating Tribulations

Weekend Blog Prompt (brought to us by carinc): Do you find it easier to "be yourself" when communicating online with people you've never met? And without being specific, do you belong to or visit many online communities, or just this one?

I think I am just myself no matter where or what I do. It is no easier for me to communication on-line than on the phone or face to face. I still have to get to know who I am talking to. Sometimes it is even harder on-line as I don't have that physical contact to advise me how the person on the other end is really feeling; you know, eye contact or a reflection in a voice. Then there is the "Am I going to insult the person I am commenting to?"

I do belong to a couple of communities but usually as an quiet observer as opposed to an all out spokesperson.

Friday, November 03, 2006

Meetings and Tribulations

Friday Blog Prompt: What qualities are you drawn to when meeting someone for the first time?

Their intelligence (although a lot of my best friends do not fall into the same intellligence category as Pan, lol); and the sparkle in their eye when they speak.

I want to be able to hold a conversation with whom I am meeting and the sparkle tells me they have a sense of humor, which is also a very important quality.

Thursday, November 02, 2006

Queenly Tribulations

Thursday Blog Prompt: What would you do if you were Queen for a day?

First I would sleep in. Then I would like to think I would take my cue from Jessica of "Dune" and head out to see what was required by my people. Sharing what I had.

In the evening I would sit under the stars with a good telescope looking at them all and marvel at how insignificant being a queen was. Then dinner and early to bed.

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Reliving Last Night's Halloween Tribulations

Since I pretty much put up a Halloween past post yesterday I am foregoing Meg's Blog Prompt today (but for those who follow along with the prompts; today's was: Halloween memories (from last night or years ago). I'm not sure how global Halloween is, so if this isn't a good prompt for you, tell us about some other holiday. Maybe one unique to your area! ) Instead, you will get to see pictures, pictures of last nights tribulations (okay they weren't tribulations; but we did go through nearly two cauldrons full of candy; be on the look out for it in the pictures).

First there is the tombstone set-up. Mind you these are actual concrete stones from back when Scamp worked for a concrete company. They had minor flaws and were going to be tossed so Scamp loaded them up and brought them home. Only problem is that we have to make sure we have a working dolly when moving them. They are HEAVY.

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I have always known that I have a night frame setting on my camera, just never had an opportunity to present itself for it's use. Last night was perfect so also be on the look out for the Blair Witch pictures, like the one below. This one was taken earlier in the evening so doesn't quite have the grainy appearance.

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Pan always waits until the last moment to decorate. He doesn't want anyone to know exactly how it is going to turn out. After getting alot done, he takes a break to admire his handywork. The Grim Reaper was Bug & Brains' Christmas present to Pan last year.

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Another part of the present included this skeleton trying to get out of his grave. The vulture looking for a spare bone or two is actually mine.

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A look into the entrance of the Lost Souls Tavern wherein resides the reminants of a mummy, a small mummy, a psychotic rat and Pan's pride and joy: the Jacob's Ladder. Note the size of the cauldron I was speaking of earlier.

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Grand Opening of the Lost Souls Tavern is now commencing.

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A night frame look at the Lost Souls Tavern while the fog machine is going. It is really hard to get the full effect with a camera, because without the flash it is totally black and with it or with the night frame it lights it up too much. When the fog machine would be going in full force you would only be able to the electric arc and all the glowing eyes. See the spider in the upper left hand corner. He was sound activated and kept dropping all night. Just not far enough. He was pretty cool.

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The Princess' 3 foot tarantula always makes a big hit each and every year. She still loves her spider and now so does her little brother Indy.

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Trick and Treating is nearly half over and there has been a small respite from the groups of kids making their way to the house.

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Every once and a while a really cool costume comes along and I just loved this one.

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A indication of what the entire night was like. They would come in droves of 15 to 30 kids at a time. One thing that irritated me though was when people would bring their pets with them. I don't have anything against pets; but it seems to me to be rather irresponsible to bring them along when they are going to be large crowds of people and you don't know who might be allergic or have a true phobia. Besides you don't ever know how a pet is going to react under certain circumstances. Just a thought on my part.

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The Princess and Indy finally made it over and the first thing Indy did was to help rearrange all the spiders and his snake. Yep, his snake. We had to bring it over from Bombshell's house without him knowing or he would have never loaned it to us.

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Is he trying to help or biting the nose off the snake? I would go for the later myself.

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The annual Halloween portrait of Indy, Bombshell and the Princess.

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Hope you all had a great Halloween too.