Chatty-Ruf!

We have fleas. That's right. Today, I venture out to buy flea collars for Molly, Shelby and me. They each get one for their necks. I get one for my neck, one for each wrist, one to belt around my waist, and one for each ankle. Since we arrived home from our trip, something has taken over my bedding. Every morning I wake up with more red welt-looking bites on me. Molly and Shelby have both been scratching like crazy (and not just their booty-scoot-boogie on the carpet!) This morning was the worst - I itch terribly!! And it's not pretty. When Ron gets home tomorrow night after 4 days in California, I'll look really attractive. I'll be all bumpy and probly covered with that cute pink-dried-on-liquid-de-itcher. What a hottie!

I actually researched remedies for fleas and for itching because I'm out of anything helpful in my medicine cabinet. They suggested flea dips, sprays, powders, incantations and voo-doo. And since I'm the size of a very large rottweiler, I figger they've got to have a flea dip that will work on me. And I bet I'll smell as good as I look. Don't worry, Ronnie, I'm all yours~!

Better get going . . . gotta get to Walmart and get myself an ID tag printed!

Shout Out to I-Falls!

I got an email today from a friend in International Falls, Minnesota. I can thank her for my apparent lingering accent. My BFF and I were talking last week about the accent I came home with, after living on the Minnesota/Canadian border for 3 1/2 months. Just two days ago, we were talking on the phone and without realizing it, I said ". . . .about . . . ." pronounced like "uh-boot." Only when Shelly says it, it's cute! I got to International Falls in March 2004. The temperature was in the single digits. Rainey Lake was frozen over and cars drove on it! It IS called "Icebox of the Nation." By the time I left in July, the lake was beautiful and Shelly and her tour guide husband, Brad, took Sean and me for a boat ride across it. (Don't worry, Lori, I didn't dive in.) Because of all the moisture in that area, everything is very green. It's absolutely beautiful there - winter and summer alike. I got a card/note from Shelly a few weeks ago and I was so excited! I felt positively hyper because I hadn't heard from her for a long time. She's had some health crises and I'm very thankful to report that she's doing well now. Shelly and I have both been married for a long time and our children are close in age, so we had lots in common to talk about during those long hours at work together. I'm lucky that I met Shelly - she made a very positive impression in my life.

When Ron and I saw Wicked! onstage in May, I fell in love with one of the songs. Well, all of them really, but one that really stands out, reminds me of the friends, like Shelly, who come into our lives and we're somehow changed, even if they are only around for a short time.

For Good

"I've heard it said
That people come into our lives for a reason
Bringing something we must learn
And we are led
To those who help us most to grow
If we let them
And we help them in return
Well, I don't know if I believe that's true
But I know I'm who I am today
Because I knew you:

Like a comet pulled from orbit
As it passes a sun
Like a stream that meets a boulder
Halfway through the wood
Who can say if I've been changed for the better?
But because I knew you
I have been changed for good

It well may be
That we will never meet again
In this lifetime
So let me say before we part
So much of me
Is made of what I learned from you
You'll be with me
Like a handprint on my heart
And now whatever way our stories end
I know you have re-written mine
By being my friend:
Like a ship blown from its mooring
By a wind off the sea
Like a seed dropped by a skybird
In a distant wood
Who can say if I've been changed for the better?
But because I knew you:
I have been changed for good"

Take Small Bites and Chew Slowly.

I'm mostly a Saturday morning housecleaner. Sure, I'll do laundry or straightening throughout the week, but the heavier cleaning is always on Saturday mornings. Since I was gone for several weeks, I have a LOT to clean tomorrow morning! I remember when the whole idea of "House Cleaning" was so overwhelming and I would do anything to avoid it. But since I hated living in a chaotic environment, I had to figure it out. Maybe I'm the only one in the whole world who feels overwhelmed with housekeeping or even any big project, or maybe I'm part of a very big club. Regardless, I feel compelled to share some of my hints to avoid overwhelm. I think this system will work for almost any large project.

During the week, I set the timer for 20 minutes. I just do overall straightening. I pickup anything that doesn't belong in a room, putting it in a laundry basket until the room is picked up. I move onto the next room until everything is put away. If I don't have a place to put every single thing I own, I either create a place or look very seriously at storing it (if I love it and feel sentimental about it) or giving it to someone who would appreciate and use it. When the timer goes off, either I'm so involved in what I'm doing, I can't imagine stopping right then or I know that I'm finished. In the bedrooms, I use small round laundry baskets that store just the amount of one load of laundry. I keep one for whites and one for darks. When that basket fills, I know that I can take it down (already sorted!) and run that load.

On Saturday mornings, I set the timer for 1 hour. I start in the kitchen and clean the counters, empty/load the dishwasher, clean the countertops, stovetop, microwave. After everything is wiped down, I straighten and organize the fridge. I sweep the kitchen floor, vacuum the rug and then mop. I then dust and do all the floors, to include the stairs. Usually about then I reset the timer and clean the bathrooms, which I do quickly in this order - mirrors/counter/sink/toilet/floor, take out trash. I don't clean the shower or bathtub every week and usually I try to get Ron or one of the boys to do it. :-)

One other hint I encourage is to use your children. When my kids were younger, I would have one follow me around so they could help. They should have their own responsibilities and when they're really young, they can do simple things like putting shoes away. I don't remember a time when my boys didn't have a spreadsheet of chores for every week. Course, when they were younger, the spreadsheets were cute and creative, but as they grew, the spreadsheets got more plain. Rewards work! Some people I've talked to believe that kids should learn responsibility without reward. But I don't live in that SUGAR-COATED CANDYLAND! I need rewards and I like to reward myself with quiet time, reading or making jewelry or cards or watching a movie. I do feel somewhat rewarded by just having a house that's neat and clean, too.

What I like best about my system so far is that I break everything down so much that I don't feel overwhelmed. But every system can be bettered. If you do something that works for you, please share!!

I Feel So Alone (sob!)

I'm not dead. Well, maybe I died a little inside. I left the house this morning without my lifeline, I mean, my cell phone. This never happens and I feel completely helpless. I'm working today, so I tried to notify all the vital ones who might try to call me today, but I still feel like I might miss something important.

As I was getting my coffee this morning, I saw a man wearing no shoes and a plastic bag over his shoulders, digging through trash cans. I wondered if maybe he forgot his cell phone too. OK, I'm not heartless. I felt bad for him and put into perspective my cell phone troubles. I'm thankful that I'm employed, have clothes and shoes and a car to take me from A to B and yes, I'm VERY thankful for my cell phone. My lifeline. My reason for living. My cell phone makes me a better person. Just like my sister is a better person because of TIVO.

Speaking of my utter devotion to my cell phone, yesterday I had a very real-life commercial moment occur. And not in a good way. I was talking to my mom on my cell phone about how grumpy my grandma has been for a long time now. I told her that last week when Jen and I were in Barnes & Noble, we found a book title called "Kill Grandma for Me." Jennifer said "I hope that's under the tree for me this Christmas!" My mom said nothing. I said "Mom, it was a joke. Really. Mom, we didn't mean it." Still nothing. APPARENTLY, we were cut off. And we're even with Cingular (the advertised least dropped calls network.) Whatever. Anyway, I called her back about a minute later and she laughed like there was no tomorrow. Whew! Doggone Cingular. (I still love my cell phone, though.)

Cinnamon rolls - YUM!

My in-laws (the soon-to-be-previous "Montana Jeri's") are moving to Colorado Springs this month! My MIL has promised to teach me to do ceramics, porcelain and to knit. I've promised to show up for dinner every single night at 5 pm. I've promised to let my children stay at her house when the weather is too awful for them to drive all the way home from town. I've promised to save all my washing & ironing for her. I'm thoughtful that way. Ron promises to golf occasionally with my FIL. They both promise to not always win. I promise to show up every once in awhile at their house with helmet head, after a motorcycle ride when I'm especially hungry for the best homemade cinnamon rolls EVER. In the meantime, I've been scouting town for the best place for them to live. Which brings me to my new nickname for Colorado Springs apartments - Skanksville, Colorado. I'm so disappointed by some of the places that look really nice from the outside, yet inside are old, worn and dreary. I think I've found one great place for them, though. And my choice has nothing to do with the rule that says "Yes, you can bring guests" to the pool, sauna, and tennis court.

All Titled Out

Well, this is weird. Usually I have to really work hard thinking up a blog topic. Today I have so many ideas, I don't know where to start! Here are a few I've been working on . . .

• "Want Fries with That Slimfast?"
  

• "How to Scoot Outta Prison"

• "Skanksville, Colorado" or "A Room with a View" - A minute by minute journal of apartment-hunting for my in-laws

• "Interesting Facts about my Trash"

• "Valium - A Love Story"

• "Divorce or Murder: The $64,000 Question"

• "How Ice Cream is Building My Strong Bones"
  

• "Fido for Prez - Why Dogs Should Rule Our Nation"

• "The Best Porn is Free Porn"

• "How Jack Webb Inspires Me"

Or maybe I'm just really lazy and don't want to write a whole blog. Have a great holiday!

• 
  

Wyoming's where it's at, Mom!!

Today my youngest son is driving to Wyoming. The fact THAT he's driving there is not as concerning as WHY he's driving there. Apparently, they have really great fireworks. This is what he's telling me. I don't like fireworks. I mean, I'm patriotic and all, but there are WAY too many things to lose with fireworks - eyebrows, skin, arms, legs, vision, facial features, life, money, friends, SONS. . . ya get the picture. I like fireworks in a controlled, professionally designed arena. Yet, even so, a man in our town who has done fireworks for the sports stadium for years, had a terrible accident, with a lot of damage done to his head and face. I grew up with sparklers and even twirled a few on my baton when I was a kid. I'm just not a really danger junkie these days. My biggest thrills come from watching the occasional scary movie - WITH THE LIGHTS OFF!! I don't run with scissors and I almost never do crack with cold medicine. I wear my seat belt ALWAYS and I stopped skydiving after my 2nd heart attack.

I recently drove through Wyoming TWICE and thought, "Wow, it's big, open and B-O-R-I-N-G. All you folks have is Harrison Ford and Little America. And now, some pretty awesome fireworks. Yeah." I thought Wyoming was what you drive THROUGH, not TO. My mantra today will be "Please be out of the dangerous ones . . . please be out of the dangerous ones. . . please be out of the dangerous ones. . ."

Drive safe, my little pyromaniac.