Spam & Mullets: The Return of the BAM???

WickedCurves:

Hey Toes! 'Tis my spring break, woohoo. And I get to spend it in Syracuse.... Haha. Oh well. I am just so happy to do nothing but sleep, eat, watch TV, and read. How heavenly!

How have you been?

And yeah, where is everyone? I've been bad at posting lately because I've just been so busy....

And oh, hey, I will drop the check for the tickets in Monday's mail. I'm sorry I haven't had a chance to do that yet!

Yeah, but you've got March Madness coming up. I have Villanova and Temple, the two teams from Philly, to root for. Syracuse isn't so bad once all the snow melts. Have you had a chance to go to the Baseball Hall of Fame? It's not too far (ask Unca BB)

Don't worry about not sending the money yet. The tickets just came today, and the only check I have gotten was from a high school friend of mine who lives in Buena Park and is coming with us.

Apparently, there was a minor shaker in the area, this morning. I slept through it, and I imagine toes did, too. She's been a trifle obsessed with earthquakes, since we got here (first month or two, I got a daily report on how many hit our area--all too low on the scale to feel) so she might even be a bit disappointed if she didn't feel it, either. About a 4.4, as I understand it.

At least it wasn't ON my bday.

Hey, Grabs...glad to see you back. We missed you!

bigblaster:

Apparently, there was a minor shaker in the area, this morning. I slept through it, and I imagine toes did, too. She's been a trifle obsessed with earthquakes, since we got here (first month or two, I got a daily report on how many hit our area--all too low on the scale to feel) so she might even be a bit disappointed if she didn't feel it, either. About a 4.4, as I understand it.

At least it wasn't ON my bday.

I have to be obsessed with something, since I still don't have a job and baseball season hasn't started.

PhillieBlue:

Yeah, but you've got March Madness coming up. I have Villanova and Temple, the two teams from Philly, to root for. Syracuse isn't so bad once all the snow melts. Have you had a chance to go to the Baseball Hall of Fame? It's not too far (ask Unca BB)

Don't worry about not sending the money yet. The tickets just came today, and the only check I have gotten was from a high school friend of mine who lives in Buena Park and is coming with us.

I am not a fan of Syracuse the city at all. If it weren't for the university, I can't think of very little worth living here for. I don't want to be mean, but I really can't comprehend why anyone lives here if they aren't connected to the school. God, that sounds really mean, and I don't mean it in a snobby way, it's just interesting to me because as far as I've seen, there's not a whole lot here. And that's coming from someone who likes small towns and wants to settle down in one, so I can stay amused by very little, normally. But I very well could be missing something! Maybe I haven't explored enough. If it weren't for my friends, I'd be miserable. The winter looks to be about over (it's been sunny and in the 50s), which is nice. And I can say, it really wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Yes, we got 100+ inches of snow, but it just snowed a little bit each day, so it was nothing that ever messed with road conditions. Only two or three times did we get a big snow, and even then, the roads were clear within a day, so it never affected me, which is nice!

I did go to the Baseball Hall of Fame last summer, and I have to say it was incredibly underwhelming. I liked Cooperstown a lot, though. Maybe I'll get a chance to go back before I leave Syracuse in a couple months.

PhillieBlue:

Hey, Grabs...glad to see you back. We missed you!

Hey, back at you. Thanks. Ever have one of those months where everything gets you down? That is where I was for the past month or so. I thought I was over my black funks but not so much. Mary tried just about everything to get me over it and all it really took was a stinkin' chocolate bar. Go figure. A couple nights ago, I was sitting in my office, staring at the computer and Katja comes in and offers me half of her Almond Joy. Hell, if I knew it was that easy, I would've picked up one at the local 7-11.

Now comes my penance. Made it up to Mary by enjoying some of the things she likes. The two younger kids were easy, buy them the new God of War game, each, and they were all forgiving. Paula is still a work in progress. I made a comment, a couple weeks ago, that she was too frivolous with her money and her general attitude around here. It just seemed to me, that she could spend money like a drunken sailor and we would pay her bills or that she could be ambivalent about her work. Mary says I was acting like her dad and not her friend when I say things like that.

This is really difficult. I think of her as a daughter and sometimes I get way too protective and start acting the part. With Katja, it is easier. She seems to need a dad. It also helps that I can't stay angry with her. Paula is another animal. She tries to be more mature and assertive than her sister plus she has a vision for herself, but she is also more vulnerable when things go wrong. I don't want her pissed at me all of the time, but I also want her to quit acting like everyone is going to pick up the pieces when everything goes to Hell for her. This is gonna take some serious selling to be taken in the vein it was meant. I wish there was an easy paint by the numbers way for this to happen.

grabarkewitz:

Hey, back at you. Thanks. Ever have one of those months where everything gets you down? That is where I was for the past month or so. I thought I was over my black funks but not so much. Mary tried just about everything to get me over it and all it really took was a stinkin' chocolate bar. Go figure. A couple nights ago, I was sitting in my office, staring at the computer and Katja comes in and offers me half of her Almond Joy. Hell, if I knew it was that easy, I would've picked up one at the local 7-11.

Now comes my penance. Made it up to Mary by enjoying some of the things she likes. The two younger kids were easy, buy them the new God of War game, each, and they were all forgiving. Paula is still a work in progress. I made a comment, a couple weeks ago, that she was too frivolous with her money and her general attitude around here. It just seemed to me, that she could spend money like a drunken sailor and we would pay her bills or that she could be ambivalent about her work. Mary says I was acting like her dad and not her friend when I say things like that.

This is really difficult. I think of her as a daughter and sometimes I get way too protective and start acting the part. With Katja, it is easier. She seems to need a dad. It also helps that I can't stay angry with her. Paula is another animal. She tries to be more mature and assertive than her sister plus she has a vision for herself, but she is also more vulnerable when things go wrong. I don't want her pissed at me all of the time, but I also want her to quit acting like everyone is going to pick up the pieces when everything goes to Hell for her. This is gonna take some serious selling to be taken in the vein it was meant. I wish there was an easy paint by the numbers way for this to happen.

I missed you, too! Where's my god of war? haha ...

Do you actually play the games? When I'm not studying, I am enjoying the hell out of Mass Effect II. Awesome.

Another hot day in the 925 (upper 70's) - sorry Shmol, Mike and anyone else on the East Coast - Herself has requested golf, followed by dealing with the back yard. We got an 8:30 tee time, so not much time. Now, if I can get Herself motivated. Still lounging around in her jammies and she needs a good hour to get ready to go anywhere. Most of it spent drying her hair.

Had to wake up Paula, this morning. Her dog managed to unplug her alarm clock and it was nearly 4:30 when I realized that it was way too quiet. We reached an understanding last night. If I have a problem with her, I will take her aside and discuss it with her (not in front of the family) and she will try to take be more responsible.

Time for some breakfast and to make sure Herself has found the shower. Kind of ready to golf as I have a streak of one in a row where I have beaten Herself. Feeling fierce.

Well we finally got power restored here in Greenwich, CT and it IS gorgeous outside. Really don't feel like working at all.

PhillieBlue:

Grabs, does Paula pay rent for living with you? My parents handled it this way with one of my wayward brothers (I seemed to have a lot of them.) They charged him rent for living with them, but they put it all in a savings account and gave it to him in one lump sum when he moved to his own place. It gave him enough of a start that he couldn't manage to do on his own. I'm not sure that it made him any more responsible, but they tried.

Sitting down to watch some baseball until the Dodger game comes on at 1:05. I can't figure out where everyone is playing, since DirecTV is showing the Astros at Detroit, AND Detroit at the Astros. Given that it's not a split squad game, I'll try to decide who has the better feed.

Oh, and sorry to my East Coast friends and family, but it is gorgeous here, another day expected in the 80's. I went swimming in the complex pool yesterday. Whoever said that pools in California are heated didn't quite have it right. I appeared to be the only one who wasn't wearing a teensy bikini, and while I need a new bathing suit, I'm all for cover-up as much as possible. Time and age do some terrible things to the body

That was part of our discussion. She is going to toss us $275/mo for her room, food, utilities and laundry service. She wrote me a check for March which Mary and I dumped in an account we started for her when she first moved in with us. We have been kicking in money whenever we remember for her as a kind of trust account. If Mary or I find money in her clothes during laundry days, it goes in there also. We have the same thing for each of the kids. They don't know about it and that is why it works.

This morning just made me laugh because Paula promised to be more responsible and she has to be woke up to get to work. I think both Katja and Drake will razz her tonight. Speaking of Katja, she was offered the assistant manager position at the B&N in Concord. It means more hours and also more travel. She likes her 30-36 hour weeks, right now and knows that the manager in Antioch is bucking for the job in Walnut Creek, so she is thinking of toughing it out there. She thinks he will be there through the summer and she is planning on competing in the Brazilian Tan Off, next to our pool, this summer. For someone who's long range plan is usually dinner, this is big doings.

Trying to watch the game and Mary trying to hang some new drapes she purchased at Macy's (they had a sale, like we needed new drapes). I figure I best help before I have to replace a window and maybe a Brazilian. She has all of the agility of a three-toed sloth on moonshine. So much for being lazy.

I have a question.

Has anyone drank 5 hour energy? I work at UPS and waking up at 3 in the morning everyday to do a thankless job really takes a toll on my body. I wanted to get an energy boost of some sort, but wasn't sure of which one to take. Red Bull, Monster, and all those other name brand energy drinks scare the crap out of me because of the high amounts of sugar in it.

Speaking of UPS, I love how the Teamsters union gives me that much power of my superiors (management). Gotta love it!

PhillieBlue:

I spent the day looking for a particular pair of Dr. Scholl sandals, not the originals, but nice strappy ones that (unfortunately) only Walmart, which I really HATE, sells. I drove out to Porter Ranch, and made a stop at the Jo Ann's Fabrics. They didn't have 3 of the 5 patterns I wanted, which was really irritating. Then I went to Lowe's to get some window boxes that fit over the iron railing on our balconies. I picked out really nice ones, along with some really pretty flowers and hummingbird feeders that go into the planters. When I got home, I discovered the window boxes have no instructions as to how to install them, and when I called the customer "help" line, they couldn't find the window boxes in their system, either by description or model number, so they can't help me with installation. I put them up logically, and ended up with an extra piece, never a good thing! I got another number to call in the morning (darn the 3 hour time difference!) and hopefully, someone will be able to set me straight. T

The flowers are up and the hummingbird feeders are hanging up. I know they're around the complex, as I see and hear them every morning when I take the dog out. I hope they'll see the feeders and come up and visit.

Hi Linda. I have learned to hate Walmart, too. I used to love them but they are way too crowded and when you are looking for a certain thing, it is always out of stock or you have to get a rain check. Even though Chris likes to make fun of Target, I like shopping there. I love hummingbirds and put up feeders every spring. The only problem is that they draw bees and I am allergic. Not get stung and die allergic, but get stung and get sick.

Tried to hang new drapes, but had to beg Chris to do it. It stinks being short. Chris does okay at it, but they do not look right. I will ask Katja if she can rehang them. She is tall enough to do it better.

Then I spent the day sitting next to the pool. Wow, I am pale. Pool is still too cold to play in, but it is clean and ready for the summer. I am going to have to buy some bathing suits that fit. Either the top is too big or the bottoms are too small. I hate getting old. Chris picked up ribs for dinner tonight. Kinder's makes the best ribs and Chris drove all the way over to Concord to pick four batches of them. Looks like ribs for lunch on Saturday. Chris is begging for brandy chicken tomorrow. I have a recipe, but it never turns out right. I think I will take the easy way out and pick up a family pack at Raley's. Chris is right, it is so good.

That is what I need to do, some sewing. I have been putting together quilts and stuff like that, but I have not been to Jo Ann's in a long time. I think I will go down there tomorrow to look for some patterns for shorts. Every pair I have is either too long or nearly hot pants. The stuff I see at the stores are the same way. Might even find some patterns for tops.

Tonight was kind of nice. Nobody was angry or snotty and dinner was a lot of fun. Chris and Paula got things settled and she is happier now. She is even going to try to clean up her room. I wish Katja and Drake would do the same thing. Katja's room is really scary. She asked if she has to pay rent, too. I asked if she wanted to. She said no but it is not fair if Paula pays rent and she does not. She said she can afford $125 a month. I told Chris and he shook his head. He was hoping that Paula would not blab. He said something about being a slumlord. It was really funny. Wow, I am just going on like a nut. Time to go get some ice cream and read some more of my book. I am still reading the Twilight books. I wish I could read faster, but it takes me forever to read one book. Time to put away the laptop. Chris just jumped on the bed and bit my ankle. He is crazy.

Vin Scully was hospitalized tonight. Family reports he'll be okay.

I thought of Chick when I heard that Vinnie fell and got a shiver. I still get weepy that Chick is gone and how he left us, sometimes.

PhillieBlue:

Grabs, does Paula pay rent for living with you? My parents handled it this way with one of my wayward brothers (I seemed to have a lot of them.) They charged him rent for living with them, but they put it all in a savings account and gave it to him in one lump sum when he moved to his own place. It gave him enough of a start that he couldn't manage to do on his own. I'm not sure that it made him any more responsible, but they tried.

Sitting down to watch some baseball until the Dodger game comes on at 1:05. I can't figure out where everyone is playing, since DirecTV is showing the Astros at Detroit, AND Detroit at the Astros. Given that it's not a split squad game, I'll try to decide who has the better feed.

Oh, and sorry to my East Coast friends and family, but it is gorgeous here, another day expected in the 80's. I went swimming in the complex pool yesterday. Whoever said that pools in California are heated didn't quite have it right. I appeared to be the only one who wasn't wearing a teensy bikini, and while I need a new bathing suit, I'm all for cover-up as much as possible. Time and age do some terrible things to the body

Don't be sorry, it's gorgeous here, too!!! Yesterday it was 65 and sunny, and right now it's nearing 60 and looking to climb a bit higher than that. God, it's so lovely. My ideal temperature hovers around 65-70, so I'm feeling pretty happy right now!