Tools and Man

Chris has a slew of tools. He cannot pass up a Harbor Freight catalog without circling items he wants added to his wish list for Christmas. The other day while he was gathering his tools together to head over to Kats house to remedy her A/C issues. I noticed his airbrush kit and started to giggle because he has not used that once and he has had it for over a year now. I just can't understand the way men think about not having enough tools. Walking with him through Sears and other tools stores is like a candy store to this man. But it doesn't affect just Chris. My dad and Chris' dad are the same way. I guess it would be similar to a woman having a shoe compulsion but I am not like that. I will never understand it.

Not just dieting anymore…

I am looking to change my life style. Too many of us have are just too damn lazy… myself included. So.. I am going for a change of life overhaul. No more of the SAD (Standard American Diet) as my friend, Rob, explained to me. I want to lose weight and be healthy about it too. So if it takes me a year to take all the weight I want off so be it. At least by then my change will become habit and I will be able to maintain it for years afterwards.

I was recently told about Orovo. It's a company that sells all natural supplements for just about anything from acne to diet supplements. What is appealing about this company is that all the supplements you could want or need are sold at reasonable prices. I think I am going to check them out and try a few things.

What I really want to look into is the Whole and Raw foods option. I mean everything in moderation is healthier for you when it's not all mucked up with preservatives and needless fillers. My friend, Rob, who has been into this life change for over ten years gave me a recipe for chocolate Smoothies that I haven't tried yet but he swears is so good you don't even think it could with the ingredients in it. I will try if first and then I will post the recipe. Assuming I have his permission. Which I am sure won't be a problem. Chris is willing to try this change and I am sure our kids will take some time to get use to but in the long run we will all be healthier and happier for it.

Bloggers helping Bloggers

I have told you about my friend, Kat, which needs help financially until she recovers from her neck fusion. This could take months. She is on total restriction from her doctor. Christine informed me about the fund that donates the first $359.00 to a blogger in need and the rest they raise goes to the Susan G. Komen fund for breast cancer. The name of this event is the Boobie Thon. Please visit the Bloggers helping Bloggers area of the site and nominate Kat Cooper to be the recipient of this charity. The nominees must be submitted by Sunday, September 28^th. They will select the recipient on Tuesday, September 30^th.

I am asking all of you to spread the word and have as many people you know nominate her. This would help her a great deal.

They didn’t teach this when I was in high school…

Jeff is taking some strange classes. All his classes except for the electives are honor courses, including Astronomy and Economy. He chose astronomy because he wants to major in Aerospace engineering. I understand that. One of the many assignments he will be graded on will be getting together with his class on a weekend night and go east of the interstate and just star gaze through the teachers high powered telescope. I think that will be cool.

In his economy class they are actually learning how to read the stock market and each student was set up with his own stock account (fake of course) and they have to monitor their stocks and know when to buy and sell. They are also being taught online trading. It's just amazing what the kids are being taught these days.

Jeff wants to go to his homecoming dance in two weeks. He asked out a girl already and she accepted but her parents said no. Not even when I assured her father that Chris would be chaperoning them and we would be more than willing to host a dinner at our home so they can get to know Jeff and us. She is two years younger and she has never been out on a date much less a formal dance. And her parents are just not comfortable with her dating a 17 year old. It kind of makes me mad in a way because I know my son. But on the other hand I know how Chris will be when Katie starts dating. Vision a man sitting on the front porch with a shotgun cleaning it when the young man comes to take Katie out. Enough said.

Cats rule my house

I grew up in a household that always had pets, except for cats. My father is not a cat person at all but don't ask me why all cats gravitate towards my dad. They just do. Our two, Belle and Cuddles, adore my dad. They will not stop meowing until he at least acknowledges their presence. I always thought that I was most like my dad. I never had the urge to own a cat and I never could understand the people that preferred cats over dogs. When Jeff was about 4 or 5, I got him a small dog, Taffy and then two months later my sister asked me to take her kitten because the apartments she lived in did not allow pets. Jeff had named her Pumba. Gee, I wonder where he got that name. Pumba was the epitome of why I didn't like cats. She was mean and feisty and sneaky as hell. She never allowed Jeff to just hold her. Jeff constantly had scratches and bites all over him and Pumba would climb my legs while I stood there washing dishes because she knew that she could. I swore that I would never own another cat. Never say never!

I have to admit that I enjoy the two I have now. Cuddles is the adventurous one. She will investigate anything. She is very loving but only when she wants it. She is the dominant of the two. Belle on the other hand will let you hold her for hours and just purr up a storm. The one thing I get a kick out of is when they turn into Psycho cats chasing and flipping their toys with the catnip inside. I swear they this stuff makes them look like they are on crack. That's what Chris calls it, Crack for Cats. The way these two act around it you would think they would need drug rehab to get over the catnip. Also let's not forget alcohol rehab. The way Cuddles behaves when I have a beer is like a wino looking for his last drink. I can't take a sip of my beer without her tilting the can her way so she can have some. At night I have to spend at least 15 minutes playing with them before I can go to sleep otherwise they will jump all over me in the bed. And don't even bring ice cream or potato chips near them because you might as well just set it down and step away.

Mama, I can read!

I have mentioned before how my daughter, Katie, is struggling with her reading skills. Basically she was a non reader for her kindergarten and first grade years. She has a learning disability that inhibits her from retaining information and therefore she would forget letters and sounds. This made it extremely difficult for Katie when it comes to reading.

Last week I have noticed a positive change in her. She is showing more interest in reading and she is taking chances to sound out words that I would think she would just as soon not even to attempt at. Yesterday, Chris took Katie to the store with him and she started to notice signs and try to figure them out herself without help. With some prompting from her dad, Katie, started to read every sign she saw. She read exit signs and store names. I think the light bulb is finally shining strong for her and hopefully she will take off running with her new found skills.

She’s coming home!

I spoke with Kat yesterday. She called to let me know that they had moved to her to a private room and that she would be coming home today. Depending on what time they release her, myself or Jo will be picking her up. She's anxious and wants to come home. She was in a happy mood and we laughed quite a bit over the phone.

I know that I didn't post for a few days but the situation didn't change and I was a bit under the weather. I am sure Kat will have lots to say once she is home and in her comfy chair in front of her computer. If I could have planned ahead more for her I might have been able to give her access to a laptop computer to use while recovering but maybe it was all for the best. I know she is a little unnerved that they kept her "sleeping" for five days but she understands why.

I am sure once she is settled back at home and has gotten her strength back she will be surfing the net and posting like a mad woman. Knowing Kat it won't be long at allJ