Today I learned...

Sometimes no reply is better...

As many of you know have been trying the online dating thing for a few months. I have met a lot of different kinds of people - most of them nice enough even if not interested in striking up a friendship...

As you may also know, I have made an honest attempt to meet people on line by initiating contact with guys who seem to enjoy some of the same things I do or who have interesting profiles.

Most (99%) of the guys I initiate contact with do not even have the decency to reply after they read my email. So, I just recently started adding to my email that a reply either way would be appreciated...

After the reply I got today, I think I will omit that line...

Thanks, but I already have a DOG!!!

In fact, I may quit initiating conversations altogether, at least until I lose some weight, get a haircut, and can post a better picture...a dog????

Ok...thanks to maddawg98 for putting me in my place:(

Accomplishments...

This is a busy time of year for me...busier than usual this year.

What have I accomplished in the last few days?

• Applied for refinancing so I can get out of the ARM I did not realize I got into three years ago (thank you Countrywide)...
• Cleaned the house enough for Thanksgiving Dinner...
• Cleaned the house enough for a decent appraisal (I hope)...
• Fixed the garbage disposal all by myself (ok, with help from an on-line disposal doctor, but still - I am proud)...
• Helped my friend pack and move (ongoing all week - to be completed by Sunday)..
• Obtained a newer dishwasher (traded the one in my friend's condo for my original issue, falling apart POS) which I still need to get hooked up properly, but hey, it looks nice...
  
• Did several loads of laundry - mostly blankets, but laundry none the less...
• Worked on updating Player profiles for the web so the coach can use the info at recruiting nights throughout the year (to be completed by EOD Sunday, hopefully)...
• Avoided Bally's the past few days (I think moving boxes and furniture up and down stairs a few hours a day qualifies as a pretty good workout)...
• Get the house ready for the cable guy who will be here this week...
  
• Posted this, my 150th blog!!!
  

A christmas tradition...

Our family has had a few Christmas traditions that have come and gone over the years (yeah, we make new traditions whenever we get tired of the old ones).

We use to always have a live tree. That ended one year when the live tree I bought fell over for the third time...out the door it went and to K-mart I went - got the best looking fake tree I could find within my low price range...the kids were not happy with me, but we were not stepping on pine needles in the carpet in July, either:)

After a few years the cheap fake tree got to be looking less and less real - no matter how many lights or strings of garland I covered it with, so to the curb with it...now what?

Well, CareBear and I had been wanting to spend Christmas on a sunny beach somewhere, but I could not afford that any more than I could afford a live looking fake tree. So we came up with another brilliant idea...why not get a live-looking palm tree for our living room and decorate it with lights and snowflakes at Christmas. A new family tradition is born...and we can store the tree out in the open living room all year...awesome!!

That was a few years ago and the kids are starting to ask if I will ever get a traditional tree again...so maybe it is time we start a new tradition...I started browsing online for ideas ...hey, I shop for a lot of things online, why not trees?

And here is what I found...


So...here is where I need some help...I think I want Jose to build my tree, but I have not been saving the bottles. Who wants to join me in Margaritaville?...

Altogether now...One tequila, two tequila, floor...

A question from the turkey...

"Why on this day does everyone feel the need to roast a turkey and candy yams and bake apple crisp and knead bread dough and mash potatoes and clear the table and wash the dishes and fall into bed exhausted when they could just as easily sit back and enjoy a hamburger or a pork sandwich?"

Happy Thanksgiving!

May your stuffing be tasty
May your turkey plump,
May your potatoes and gravy
Have never a lump.
May your yams be delicious
And your pies take the prize,
And may your Thanksgiving dinner
Stay off your thighs!

Thought for the day...

There are some gentlemen out there...

I knew if I kept at it long enough, I would eventually meet a gentleman in the world of online dating...

Yeah, Bad American, I am talking about you...

You are sweet and kind and sensitive and a true gentleman...

I enjoy our chats, online and in person...

I like that you spend time with your kids...and try to do what is best for them...

I appreciate your honesty and caring about what I am looking for...

Though I may not enjoy talking politics and religion as much as you do....

Though I may not be as good a housekeeper as you need:)

I hope that we will stay friends for a long time...

Bad American, you are one of the good guys....

And I wish the best for you...

I hope that you find that someone special that you just know you cannot live without...

... because she completes you...

Thank you for restoring my hope that there are some true gentlemen and all-around good, honest guys out there....

You are the sweetest Bad American I have yet to meet:)

This Thanksgiving, I am thankful for your friendship...

...& Fundraising

The Boosters (aka...Athletic Department Supporters) sponsor a Reverse Raffle fundraiser every january. It is pretty expensive (dinner ticket plus everything you take a chance on after you get there) and more of a couple or group activity. So I usually do not put that event on my calendar.

but...

At the football awards dinner one of the dad's suggested that the group of us who sit together at the football games get a table and go have some off-season fun...

So here we go...maybe...depends if we can get enough people to fill a table that are willing to part with the dinner fee knowing they will blow another few bucks while they are there....hmmm...what do I get myself into?...but it will be fun...and I will take only so much cash with me...and I will leave my debit and credit cards home even if they are not maxed out- I promise...

No more fundraisers, please....I'll buy my kids uniforms and gear....

Volunteering...

I just cannot help myself...
The High School Athletic Department decided to try a different fundraiser this year - a Nautica Poker Festival at the PowerHouse in the Flats (or what is left of it).

Being the Rebel Mom I am, I have volunteered to be a Fee Collector/Shift Monitor on for a couple of 4-5 hour shifts...I have no clue what I am suppose to do...but I was assured that it would be easy and fun.

G-Man wants to know what the heck I am doing going down to the flats at night alone. I said I will not be alone, I am going with another Mom...that didn't help my cause much...but how do you know what its like in the flats anyway, G-man?

If any of you who stumble across this blog are interested in helping a good cause (IMBHO), we are looking for dealers for Thursday and Sunday shifts...I am assured that no experience is necessary. One of the football coaches has supposedly won awards for his dealing abilities and can teach anyone(except me)in a few minutes...

Hmmm...recently there has been an increase in the number of football players caught gambling in the student lounge...coincidence?

I refuse to deal...I am not going to take the chance of misdealing and having some angry card shark follow me when I am leaving the flats at night...

But I think I'll have the O-line coach escort me to my car just as a precaution...:)

Mom's Turkey Recipe

Thanksgiving is at my house this year....and I guess my mom did not like the turkey I made the last Thanksgiving at my house because she sent me this email this morning...

Here is a recipe perfect for people like you-who obviously cannot tell
when the turkey is thoroughly cooked, but not dried out.
(I do not know why you continue to trust those pop up thermometers.)
Baked Stuffed Turkey
10-12 lb Turkey
1 cup melted butter
2 cups stuffing
2 cups uncooked popcorn
Salt/pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Thoroughly clean your kitchen floor and sink area.
Brush turkey well with melted butter salt, and pepper.
Fill cavity with stuffing and popcorn. Place in baking pan withthe
neck end toward the back of the oven. Listen for the popping sounds.
When the turkey's ass blows the oven door open and the turkey flies across the room, it's done!!!

Thanks Mom.

Back to Work Monday...