Monday, February 26, 2007

Anniversary, Cleaning and the Academy Awards

This is a biggie. I just celebrated my ONE YEAR anniversary of no smoking. Actually it was on the 18th of Feb. So another week has been added. I am so happy I don't smoke anymore. I do feel as if I have been a bit depressed but unaware of it. I have wanted to do nothing as far as cleaning or organizing. Yes, I am getting flylady daily and I delete them after I get too many.

I am beginning to se signs of Spring though. Cleaned a storage closet in the garage with the girls yesterday. That was all I wanted to do and it took the three of us an hour. Today, I cleaned out three junk drawers! I found a necklace I have been looking for, among other things. I have a long way to go. One cabinet and drawer at a time. It will take a long time, but it feels good.

I enjoyed the Academy Awards last night. I would have liked to see more Ellen though. She is so funny. I was happy Alan Arkin won. I love surprises. I get bored with shows where the expected happens. I was happy with the outcome of last night's show though. I am over the awards for now though. It is time to give it a rest finally!

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Kids and Cell Phones

When we got Katharine a phone four years ago, at the age of ten, it was still a big deal. I think only one of her other friends had one. Some of the mothers were probably thinking what a nightmare it was going to be until their daughters got one. I know first hand how some of the mothers felt. They thought their kid was too young, they would loose the phone or it would cost too much. But, since then things have become more commonplace. Every child we know has a phone now. There are family plans to add a person for a mere ten bucks. For the record, Katharine never lost her phone. Also for the record, not all kids want one. Zoe still didn't want one last year as a freshman. We pushed for her to have one when her schedule warranted phone calls for rides home. She still only turns it on when she calls me to come get her.

Yesterday, I was watching my video iPod while waiting for Katharine at her voice lesson. I sat in my warm car with the window down. I half watched and listened to three seven or eight year olds playing basketball, while watching a free download of the Top Designer. The boys reminded me of my childhood. Living on a cul-de-sac, where less cars traveled, making it somewhat safe. Carefree, teasing each other, just being boys. I was half expecting a shout from a sister or a mom telling one of them it was time to set the table, wash their hands or that dinner was ready. That never happened though. At least not the old fashioned way, with a nice belt from the diaphragm, or a screech from a put upon sister. It came in the form of one little boy getting a phone call. He told his friends he had to go home for dinner. He walked about sixty feet into his front door. Another boy was going home too and the remaining boy said dramatically, his life was over. He was joking, but he did tell mention that he was bored. I guess he just went in to his video games.

So, a seven year old has a cell phone. His mother calls him without looking out the window to actually see the boy. I don't suppose this is much different from when I am calling Katharine and she doesn't hear me. If I text her or call her cell though, I can get through. My how times have changed!

Saturday, February 10, 2007

Last on the Agenda

Want to get screwed? Be last on the agenda!

Last week there was a city council meeting that went on and on. David was not supposed to be up until the very last item on the agenda. He was representing a client.

Just to be honest, I would of course want his client to win. However, this really has nothing to do with that. This has to do with a very tired city council, who just wanted the meeting to be over so they could just go home!

I had listened to several items on the agenda. I do this from time to time, to find out what is going on in town or not. I listen because I need a good laugh. I listen because I love to see how the rich or powerful get their own set of brand new rules. I listen to see how the little guy can't get a five foot deck added to his house, yet a McMansion can be built into the side of a hill after it was said we were done allowing McMansion's in town. Often times the council listens to DRB (design review board) issues because they are in dispute. And in case you forgot, one of those in the DBR is Jan Brady.....Seriously, I mean Eve Plumb, a la Brady Bunch fame.

After listening to issues and both sides, the council would debate and come to a conclusion. This went on all night. By the time the last issue was addressed, the council listened to both sides again. What happened next, is what pisses me off. One of the members said, "Oh we have heard this issue before. I agree with DRB." Motion made and passes, without discussion. Meeting adjourned until next week. Somebody calls out from the audience and the mayor says, "You will have to bring that up next week, we have been her seven hours!" So, basically, if you want to be heard by the city council, don't let them put you last on the agenda to be heard at 11:30 PM.

I am not sure if the guy should have gotten the city council to review the issue, but it seems to me, that their minds were made up long before the issue came up. Probably while doing their homework. Why then, do they even have the item on the agenda? From what I heard during the arguments, one lady was not allowing her neighbor's work to be done due to the principal of the thing. He had a plan and now he wanted to add more. (In my book, that is what additions or improvements are for!) That turned out to be the bottom line. They listened to her, somebody who's house is basically a rental anyhow. They did say they were going to move back to town and inhabit that house though. All the while, the other person, doesn't get to do what he wanted to do, even though, his architect did everything to appease the woman and he had neighbors in favor of what he was going to do, saying it would not impact that woman's life at all. It came down to two things, the principle of the thing and the fact that the city council members were tired. This is not fair. They should have continued the item if they were to freaking tired. If they were going to deny it, they really should have said why, other than, they had heard it before and it was late. They missed a chance to show that compromise does work, even if they would have had to force it!

Saturday, February 03, 2007

Anniversary

Today is our 17th wedding anniversary. No gifts. Money back into the business, which is fine since I am still not over the craziness of shopping and spending at Christmas...Anyhow, a real marriage works like this....I am so tired from listening to the three girl sleepover til three AM...Would you mind going to Costco for me? That is where he is now. Frankly it is cheaper to send him for a few things we need, than sending me, who would find other things we would need. Isn't that sweet?

I am sure I mentioned how we met and married on a year ago post, so I won't go there. I am just happy to have had my husband in my life for the last 17 years and want to say, Happy Anniversary and I love you!

Blogger says it is scheduled outage time....Gotta run!

Friday, February 02, 2007

The Perfume is Very Irresistible

I just changed over to the new blogger thing and couldn't get back on after I posted and left a couple of comments yesterday. Not a good start eh?

Anyhow, running out to pick up one of the girls, so this will be brief.

The perfume I was wearing the other day and am currently enjoying very much is Givenchy's Very Irresistible. I actually had to go look at the bottle. I told somebody the other day it was De-Lovely. Lovely is from Sarah Jessica Parker and I like it very much. But it was the wrong name of course. I don't know where De-Lovely came from. I also thought this perfume was Liv Tyler's, but I think she is just the model...I dunno, but I do think it smells yummy....