Change is good.

I would have written this last night, but I feel if I had it wouldn't have made much sense. So, here we are. I think in the grand scheme of things, yesterday's events were not so bizarre . However, given that they happened strung together and to a handful of people puts them into the whatdidIdotodeservethisday ? category. For starters, I spent the wee hours of the morning relaying phone calls from my sister - stuck in an airport in Detroit - to my Aunt in Rotterdam. She was supposed to be heading for the Netherlands for a little " vaca ", alas Mother Nature has burped in Iceland again, making it difficult for planes to fly in that corner of the world. Her cell phone company would have had a lovely payday should she attempt the call herself, so she reached out to a family member that would, most likely, be awake - me. Don't get me wrong, though, I am more than happy to do my best to help out my family any way I can. So, by two in the morning I was exhausted enough...

This weekend we are going to be celebrating birthdays of my father and my son (60 and 6, respectively), by going to dinner and a movie. Iron Man 2, naturally. And the cake? Iron Man 2. Toys? Iron Man 2. T-shirts? Iron Man 2. My son is, and probably always will be, Batman's number 1 fan... well, after me, of course... which was great last year, because the Caped Crusader was EVERYWHERE. The year before that, my mother-in-law and I tore Roanoke apart looking for just one Batman item to put under the Christmas/Yule tree, and were lucky enough to find a 3 inch tall plastic action figure. He asked for a Dark Knight something-or-other for his birthday this year, alas I cannot him anywhere. I did manage to find a notebook with Batman and Aquaman on the cover... but we all know Aquaman rides the short bus. I guess this year belongs to Marvel. Next year will probably belong to DC again ... lets hope they go with someone cool like Captain America or the Green Lantern... (So... when are th...

Today was the day we commemorate the lovely ladies who are giving or have given care to any number of human beings spewed forth into this world by any variety of ways. Yes. Mother's Day... declared a national holiday way back when by President Wilson, I believe. Typically, one receives flowers on such an occasion. Perhaps even a card, and the ever popular ImadethisatschoolbecauseIloveyouandmyteachertoldusto gift from young ' uns . For those who can afford it, some mothers get jewelry, or a nice electronic device or even a new car. What is my favorite gift, you ask? I'll tell you. A clean house, an extra hour in bed and for someone to serve me a meal. Preferably breakfast. This year, however, my husband is working in Tennessee and I am here with the children by myself. They spoke of making eggs, bacon, toast, etc. for me - a grand breakfast for anyone - but, I had to lay down the law. "Please do not use any appliance that heats up without my supervision." ...

I must apologize for my short hiatus from writing, for those of you who care to read this blog (and I deeply appreciate the ones who do). But, since it's lawnmowingflowerbloomingbarbequesmoke season, my allergies have vehemently protested. So, for the last few days after torturing myself and the Dexter-dog with a ten minute walk, I take an allergy pill and go back to bed for a few hours. I don't really like the idea of taking medications that make me drowsy - especially if I'm here with the kids by myself. I have this deep-seated fear of the house catching on fire and not being able to function well enough to remove my loved ones from the inferno. Nevertheless, the kids are at school all day, and if I want to breathe for the rest of the day, I know what I must do. Chemically induced sleep is very odd for me. I actually got to sit on a white, sandy beach with Matthew McConaughey. (Don't worry, my loving husband, we just talked). I did not, however, wake up to the sounds ...

I'm doing my best to keep up with the promises I made to myself... one of which was to spend at least a half hour a day doing some kind of physical activity with the kids. Last night, since it was chilly and threatened to rain, we made use of the Wii, but even modern technology cannot replace a sunny evening in the fresh air - or so I thought. So, the kids and I took our soccer ball to a baseball field a few blocks away and played a soccer/baseball hybrid (and if anyone knows the proper name for it, please let me know). Basically - with 4 people - one person rolls the ball from the pitcher's mound to the kicker at home base... one person stands between first and second base and another between second and third. Once the kicker launches the ball into outer space he or she makes their way around the bases, while the two basemen catch said ball and try to tag the kicker. If the kicker is tagged, they are out. If they make it all the way around, they get a point. The person with th...

I was truly looking forward to tonight's dinner. A nice piece of baked salmon, with rice and peas ... As I have always done, I fixed plates for my children before mine - they eat first here. I think, perhaps, this behavior of mine might be learned somewhat from my parents, but part of me wants to believe it dates back to prehistoric times when the young and virile were given the best opportunities to ensure the continuation of the species. Jeez that salmon sure looked delicious... pink and tender, smelling slightly of olive oil, rosemary and dill ... the rice just slightly sticky and hot, allowing the butter to melt almost instantly.... Alas, it was not to be. My youngest son, almost six years of age, tripped on his way to the table, and the contents of his plate scattered across the dining room floor. Simultaneously he began to cry and the dog devoured that nice piece of fish.There's no way I'm going to let my son go hungry, so I gave him my plate (I made sure to put it ...

After a long day of driving through rural Tennessee, my husband took me to the very edge of Knoxville to a place called Turkey Creek ( http://www.turkeycreekknoxville.com/ ) for dinner. I was good ... I ate my salad (which was HUGE) and ended up taking more than half of my burger back to the hotel... and I'm proud of that fact. HOWEVER - whilst driving past the plethora of restaurants and shops we came across ---- Schakolad, the chocolate factory. ( http://schakolad.com/ )Yup. I made him park the car so we could go in.... in the pouring rain. Yup. Nothing was going to stop me. Except the moment I paused long enough to snap a picture with my cell phone to send to two dear friends (one of whom texted me back calling me a name no lady should repeat). *Sigh* I could smell the chocolate wafting through the door... I can still smell it slightly in my hair as I finish the last of six chocolate strawberries I purchased there. Epic failure on my part. But it was so damned good.