Busy, much?

So, I guess I officially suck at blogging.

But you know what? I don't really care. I still love it, and will blog when I can, but I guess I don't feel like I NEED to have an update every day, every week, or even every month. I can't force it, right?

***

I've been busy, too. Kinda keeping a few things under my hat for now, but I've been drawing again. Well, doodling, really. But the doodling morphed from small doodles (like the one at the left) to bigger ones, to stuff people might actually call "ART" on some occasions. This, in turn, has also morphed into some actual pen/ink/colored-pencil drawing. Again, I'm going to keep some of it to myself for now, but in the meantime, what I can tell you is that my ETSY store is open again! (There's a link on the right under the heading of "My Hobbies" - in case you're interested.)

The doodling (especially) and drawing has been fun and, more than I ever could have anticipated or imagined, has been amazingly soothing for me. So, though my thumb feels like someone has poured cement into the joints and the writing callus on my middle finger is slightly sore and definitely more pronounced, I'm creating something tangible again. Not just writing creepy micro-fiction, though I haven't let that go, either. Hey - you love what you love, right?

***

In other news:

• The month of March brought my kids each another year. Boy-child is now 14 and Girl-child is now 11. Please, pray for me. Mostly they're great kids, but every now and then I wonder, "It's wrong to kill my kids, isn't it?" Parenting is most DEFINITELY NOT for the faint of heart.
• I had dental issues. Well, one tooth in particular decided it didn't want or need to be in my mouth any more and tried to commit suicide. It was especially horrifying for me because I'm legitimately terrified of the dentist. I was quite proud of myself for handling the dental visit and subsequent oral surgery to remove the tooth without winding up in a padded room. I still have the dental implant process and eventual crown to look forward to (ha ha) but at least, at this point, I know I can handle it. I don't have to like something to be able to deal with it, do I?
• The Puppet Ministry I'm part of at our church is beginning to branch out. It is something else I truly love and, though the work isn't easy, it's fun. We now have a YouTube channel at H.I.S. Puppeteers, so check it out! Make sure to subscribe and ring the bell so you'll know when we upload a new video. Also, we've started taking the show on the road (Have puppets; will travel!) and so far, we have two shows in April on the same weekend, one in May, and an entire week booked at a Christian camp in Indiana in June! 

So, the humans at Chez Shell are fine, the felines are fat and happy and spoiled, and (as applicable) school and work are all going well. We are all truly looking forward to warmer weather so we can spend some time outside. The kids want to build a Bird Garden in the backyard, so we're collecting bird feeders and houses right now, and, once things smooth out weather-wise, I'll dig in with them and help because it sounds like such a neat idea and will be fun to do something like that with them.

I guess that's it!

TTFN
JMS

My pants are wet...and other nonsense

There once was a girl from Nantucket...

Okay, Connecticut.  Close enough, right?

***

Besides kids, coffee, and cats, do you know what my favorite thing is?  You don't?  Good, because neither do I.  Probably music.  Or food.  Yeah, food is always good.  But music is food for the soul, and that's equally as important.

***

The parking lot behind the building where I work is not large enough to accommodate everyone who works in the building.  Also, folks who work in other buildings park there, too, because they'd rather do that than park any further away.  What that means is, I have to park quite a ways from the building.  On most days, it's not an issue.  I don't mind walking.  But this morning, not only did I have a bunch of stuff to bring into the building for our annual holiday party, but it was pouring rain.  I was loaded down!  So now, my pants are wet.  My boots are wet.  My socks are wet because my boots apparently leak.  And, as an observation and a public safety message, it is difficult, not to mention un-fun (yes, it is a word), to try to juggle both an umbrella, and a box containing a carefully prepared red berry fruit salad, without fumbling anything.

***

Contrary to belief, I am not a horrible, nagging hag.  I do not live to annoy you.  Not everything which comes out of my mouth is intended to be snippy.  I apologize if my normal voice offends you, but sometimes it's hard to maintain this sweet personality everyone knows and loves.  (Say nothing further and I might allow you to keep your appendages.  "Fezzik, tear his arms off!")  Lots of folks have said how nice I am (which is wonderful and makes my heart soar) and my automatic, and honest, response is, "Well then I guess you don't know me very well!"

***

I've always wondered...

Why can't people shut doors, or turn off lights, or not pee on the toilet seat?

Why didn't God gift me with more musical talent?

Why am I not smarter?  Or, rather, why do things which seem so simple for some people confuse the heck outta me?

Why can't I convince my kids that clean rooms are a good thing?

***

Just some random ramblings on a rainy Tuesday.

TTFN
JMS

And since we're on the subject of snow...

It’s one of those times when, because it’s all around me – physically manifested on the ground, talked about on the news, the topic of most conversations around the old water cooler – it’s kind of hard to get it out of my head.  So, since Mother Nature is still on a snow kick, so, too, apparently, am I. 

My brother contacted me after my post the other day regarding throwing snowballs at memories and said that he remembered that particular incident and further stated (sorry bro…spillin’ your secrets here) that it was not the only time he’d engaged in that particular activity.  He further stated he was pretty certain it was the only time that he managed to convince me to engage in it, too.   I was right in remembering I was not the one to come up with the harebrained idea.

All of this – everything from the weather itself to remembering my brother’s goofball idea of fun – got me thinking about other winter activities I engaged in while I was young. 

• I used to walk outside (and still do, sometimes) barefooted…in the snow…just to see what it felt like.  It’s a quick, shocking cold, but not an altogether unpleasant one.  And the snow feels good.  It is kind of like very cold sand between your toes.  One observation is that flash-frozen toes actually warm up rather quickly.

• I remember the snow-blower my father used to clear our driveway, sidewalks and paths.  A big, loud, red, spinning, monster machine that ate up the snow and spit it out in a cyclonic fury leaving giant piles of snow in its wake.  My brother and I used to dig tunnels and forts in those piles and line them with black, plastic trash bags for insulation.  We’d be absolutely frozen, but we had a ball.  The best part was when we finally made two opposing tunnels connect.  It was like discovering a treasure. 

• I remember making orange snow slush (no, not yellow snow – getcher mind right) and eating it with a long-handled, stainless steel spoon.  We’d get plastic cups and fill them – packed tight – with freshly fallen snow.  It had to be fresh or it was of questionable edibility.  Then, we’d pour orange juice on top and marvel at how the concoction would stick to the stainless steel spoon. 

• I remember a back yard full of snow angels, footprints (child and dog), and thickly reinforced fort walls used for shelter during snowball fights. 

• I remember the entire neighborhood - all the local kids - gathering at the elementary school down the street for sledding.  Hours and hours of hauling our various sledding implements of choice up hill and whizzing down, again and again and again until no amount of hot chocolate, no fire too hot, no clothes or homes too warm could thaw our frozen, elated bodies. 

Snow now, as an adult, is so much different.  I wish I still could enjoy it with the innocence and enthusiasm of a child – of my children – but mostly it just annoys me now.  Oh, it’s beautiful to look at, don’t get me wrong, but all the things that it are affected by it (school/business/bank closings, bad roads, sketchy driving conditions, power outages, frozen pipes) that interfere with adult life have taken some of the magic out of a good snowfall.  I need to remember now, when my kids want me to play outside with them in the snow, that it’s not about me anymore.  Who cares if I no longer own any waterproof winter boots, snow-pants or gloves?  I’m from North; I’m made of stronger stuff than that.  Come on…gimme whatcha got.  (Wait, actually, don’t.  I’m kinda done.)

TTFN

JMS

Ice, ice baby

So, an ice storm blew through here yesterday and left about a quarter inch of ice on my car and about 2 inches of it on the road.  My car doors are frozen shut.  Thank goodness I have already communicated with my boss, because it doesn't look like I'm going anywhere any time soon.

We're lucky where we are, though; we didn't lose power.  Tananda, who lives just south of us, hasn't had power since about 10:30 last night. She says thanks to camping gear, at least there is coffee.  She even covered the cold cat with her Jack Daniels t-shirt.  Now that, my dear readers, is luv.

The big road in front of my house has been plowed, but it still looks treacherous.  I have a vague inclination that I will be working quite a bit extra this week to make up for time lost.  Hubby says there's really no sense in trying to chip away at the external ice on the car, but I dislike being away from work when I should be there and there is stuff to do, so I'm feeling very unsettled.

Kiddos are thrilled with the time off, though. They were both completely entranced by the falling sky icicles yesterday and boy-child kept commenting on how many inches he thought had accumulated.  (I think I may have a little weather man in the making...along with a master gardener, an architect, and an environmental scientist.)

Anyway, I suppose now that it's nearly 10:00 in the morning, I need to figure out some way of getting to the office because I know at least one other person is there, so therefore the roads in must be passable.  I shall leave you now and attempt to make myself presentable for what is ahead of me today.

Here's hoping, if you're local, that you're not suffering too much.  I think about all my friends and family up North who have not just a quarter inch of ice and a lot of yucky roads, but feet and feet of heavy snow, with the threat of more to come.  (sigh)  I dislike Winter.

TTFN
JMS

Snowmageddon 2015

Quick!  Run to the store!  There’s gonna be a snowflake!  Yeah, yeah…that’s probably a little harsh, but having grown up in the North, a couple of inches of snow didn't mean utter and complete panic.  Sigh.  That’s probably a little harsh, too.  I live in the South now, and they’re really not panicking, I suppose, but it’s a near thing.  As soon as someone even mentions the word snow (or it’s bigger, badder Evil Twin: Ice) there’s a run on the nearest grocery or convenience store for the basics: bread, milk, eggs and toilet paper.

I remember once, many moons ago, just after I had moved from North down to the Washington, DC area, we got nearly three feet of snow.  The Federal Government shut down.  I recall sitting in my street-view bedroom, looking down on the scene below, and watching people try to drive like it was an ordinary day.  I imagine they were quite puzzled when their normally well-behaved vehicles skidded sideways down the street.  Huh.  How about that?  But if the DC area was bad, it’s worse here.  (I’m sorry – I’m just making a blanket generalization.  Please don’t chastise me…yet.) 

As a kid, I (and the rest of my peers) lived for snow days.  But, being from North the Snow Day was the Stuff of Legend.  (It happened once.  People still talk about it.)  Now, as an adult with children, I look at snow days in a completely different way.

The Preemptive Strike

The Preemptive Strike occurs when the just the threat of inclement weather (take your pick from a myriad of options) is enough to close down whole school systems.  I understand that those in charge of making such decisions are merely doing so for the safety and security of the children who attend said systems.  As a parent, I appreciate knowing as far in advance as possible.  Truly, there’s not much worse than a phone call at 3 or 4 o’clock in the morning to let us know that school is cancelled for the day.  Actually, worse would be the call that happens just about the time your kids would normally get up for the day and therefore negating any possibility of them going back to bed for an hour or two allowing you a brief respite.  Anyway, I like the Preemptive Strike.  Mostly.  What I don’t like is when the decision makers call the game (if you will) and then absolutely nothing happens, weather wise.  That’s just annoying.

The Early Out

The Early Out occurs when kids are already at school, but the powers that be decide the impending weather situation is enough to warrant sending everyone home early.  Again, I understand that those in charge are making such decisions for the safety and security of the children and I am absolutely in favor of that.  But, a couple of years ago they let school out early and there was a mad rush to pick up kids, causing a worse problem with cars and traffic than the weather would have.  In response to that situation, most schools around here, when faced with an Early Out, stagger the releases of kids.  First this school, then that school.  First these grades, then those grades.  It seems to help and, though parents really have to pay attention to the times their children are being released, the staggered pick-ups seem to work.

But, regardless of the weather situation, kids are still up to their old tricks.  Mine do The Snow Dance, which involves hands waved in the air and little kicks and wiggles that is, quite simply, hysterical to witness.  They wear their pajamas inside out and backwards and flush ice cubes down the toilet.  They are glued to the weather channel or the weather on the local news in an amusing, innocent way.  Boy-child even loaded a weather app on his tablet (a tablet which, btw, he saved for and purchased himself) and has been our very own, personal Weather Man for the last two days.  And if, by some miracle, a snow day does occur (as it did this morning), they then believe that all their tricks and nonsense worked because – POOF! – no school.

Snow days, while somewhat miracle-like for the children, admittedly test the sanity of the parents.  It’s a stressor for those who have to take time off work to look after their kiddos.  Some parents may even lose business when snow days occur.  Some parents struggle to find stuff that’s interesting for their children to do all day.  That doesn’t mean that snow days don’t affect me, either; they totally do.  But Hubby gets the short end of the kid stick.  Hubby is the best Stay at home Dad in the whole wide universe.  I’m totally lucky in that regard, and so are my kiddos.

Anyway, here’s hoping your pantry is stocked, your family is home safe and sound, and you have lots of fun indoor activities to do.  Snowmageddon 2015 is upon us!.

TTFN

JMS

Broken Windows and Creative Wordsmithing

Things have not been so awesome the last couple of days.  Details omitted to protect the innocent.  And frankly, I really don’t want to talk about it anyway.

Remember that post I wrote a few days ago about just waiting on the sky to fall or the other shoe to drop?  That one.  Remember?  Well let’s elaborate on that, shall we?

Aside from just a lot of stress at home and (as usual) too much stuff going on, today I decided to go through a drive-thru for breakfast.  Something I very rarely do, but I was hungry today.  I’ve always had trouble with the manual crank on the driver’s window.  Yes, I said manual – there is no auto-anything on my car, except that it is, in fact, and automobile.  Anyway – Hubby has recently fixed said window and until this morning, things were working better than usual.  But trying to roll down the window at the drive-thru was nearly impossible.  I thought maybe the mechanism was just stiff from being so cold, but no.  Upon exiting the drive-thru with my food I pulled over to the side of the parking lot to arrange things – like I usually do – and tried to roll up the window.  I’d barely touched it when it went *POP* and then *SHUNK* and before I could blink the whole window was inside the door – un-roll-up-able.  (I made that word up.  Deal with it.)

So now, since I’ve wasted time by going through a drive-thru, I have no time to go home and switch vehicles.  I call Hubby, tell him the thing is broken, and continue on to work – with the window all the way open in 20-something degree weather.  It was FRIKKIN’ COLD!  It took me all morning to warm up and my little space heater was working overtime.  Not a good day for the thermostat in the office to hover at 68° for most of the morning.

It was warmer driving home.  Plus, I had the added benefit of having grabbed my large, black, hooded, zippy-uppy (hush, you Grammar Nazi!) sweatshirt from the office so I had that on under my jacket.

And now Hubby tells me that it will take a couple weeks for the part to come in.  I don’t remember what it’s called.  Some car part that just the mention of will set my eyes twitching and my teeth on edge.  Now, get me talking about coffee or cats or kids (too bad kids didn’t start with a “C” or that could have been a fine example of alliteration) and I’m totally good.

This should be a fun couple of weeks.  I would really appreciate the assurance that nothing else is going to happen?  You can do that, right?

TTFN

JMS

The Epitome of Grace & Bad Weather

So it's April, right? Exactly mid-way through April, actually. Oh - and I think something about Taxes, today, in particular? But the temperature is on its way to freezing and it cannot decide, at the moment, if it wants to snow or rain.

Plus, I fell - like the big klutz that I am - coming back into the building after having gone to my car for $ for the vending machine so I could get my bottle of water. (Gave up soda, thank you very much. Yes, I will accept applause and congratulations.) The fall was oh-so-graceful and I'm sure, should the security guys decide that they just have to review the tapes from today, they'll get a good laugh at my expense.

Whatever.

Except for the slightly throbbing knee and a greater wound to my pride, I shall survive.

Even this.

TTFN
JMS