Paradiso

The Dogs desperately need a groomer
They smell like last weeks Sea Bass
The Vacuum has no zoomer
The Old Mower won't cut grass
The washer isn't draining right
Dirty soapy water fills up our sinks
I'm really trying to keep my chin upright
But Now the cesspool's starting to stink!

The Bricks in the steps are Frickin' Breakin'
The Bricks in the chimney- ready to collapse
Yet the Bank accounts been plenty achin'
While the Utility Bills have all lapsed
But the hot tub keeps on heating
As we try to soak our worries away
And the family requires daily eating
as if everything is just A-Okay
They've grown sick of old surprise dinner Pie
dreaming of something hearty,familiar and meaty
Me? I'm dreaming of saving myself and am wishing to just fly
Indulging in a one way ticket to freakin' Shangri-La Tahiti




sundayscribblings

He rocks my world

Do you remember some of my stories about colorful Mr. Petals? Maybe you've read the post about how he COOLS his pants, Or The tale about how he spent one spring spray painting squirrel tails? Today he was up to another peculiar project. When I woke up I found him outside at the picnic table waxing his rocks. Wait.. let me explain this clearer. He took two rocks from our flower bed and he first cleaned them with clorax cleanup.. and when I appeared with my morning coffee and newspaper to join him under our gazebo for our usual outdoor morning coffee..... He was waxing these rocks with turtle wax. He had already been up for two hours.. He had already washed and waxed the cars, blew off the driveway and patio, And even planed down the swollen door to my salon. So here he was now... waxing rocks. I looked at him like I was scared that he was going crazy. You see, We've had 3 days off in a row so far! That much time makes me worry for Mr. Petals! I even teased him last week...ooooh 4 days off in a row coming up?? DO u think you can stand that? Do u have enough tranquilizers on hand?

Me? I LOVE it! I can sit and relax in the sun with a book or in the shade with a puzzle for .... forever! He, on the other hand... can lie in the sun for about 10.. no! make that 5 minutes and he pops up sweating and anxious and off to accomplish more tasks! So this morning, after much work, he took a break by doing something relaxing... after thinking...." why not use these rocks for paper weights for our newspapers"? He would NEVER just throw a rock on the table.. NO...my meticulous husband ALWAYS needs to take things to the next level!! Perfectionist Like you can't believe!! He has been known to really make things THE BEST they can be but he has also gone so far attempting perfection that he has inadvertently scrubbed the finish off our kitchen chairs, our floors and even our bathtub! Now, Whenever I see him heading INDOORS with his belt sander ... I run! To stop whatever it is he thinks he can make even better!! (that reminds me.. did u read about HOW CLEAN he got my sons fish bowl?? with bleach!! poor little fish!)
Don't get me wrong, as weird as this peculiar behavior of his is.. It is also a reason we laugh like crazzzy! I have become very fond of doing exaggerated imitations of him. his ways, his expressions, how he goes about things! I love making him crack up WHILE at the same time allowing him to see just how zany he is! Laughter is such an effective and affectionate alternative to criticism and BOY did I laugh this morning holding down my newspapers with my scrubbed shiny rocks.

Human

sunday scribblings prompt today is HUMAN or Humanity.... I've thought about it while basking in the beautiful sunshine today.
I thought of it while sipping my second cosmo. I've thought about it while soaking in my relaxing hot tub. While reading my book. (BOY has it been a wonderfully relaxing and simply perfect weekend!) Each and every time my mind leisurely wandered to thoughts of what being human meant to me... My thoughts were interrupted because each time I couldn't help but break into song... Bjorks song... Human Behavior... So instead of breaking this lazy hazy weekend mode that I am so enjoying and trying to get MY thoughts onto the page... I am going to just let HER words do the prompt for me! (turn up the volume!)

If you ever get close to a human
And human behavior

Be ready to get confused

There's definitely no logic

To human behavior

But yet so irresistible

There's no map

To human behavior

They're terribly moody

Then all of a sudden turn happy

But, oh, to get involved in the exchange

Of human emotions is ever so satisfying

There's no map

And a compass

Wouldn't help at all

Human behavior

Did u ever?

Did you ever stop and wonder WHO you are blogging for? Is it for you alone? Is it to hopefully leave a little bit of you behind as a legacy for your loved ones? Is it for strangers that may stumble upon your post and be enlightened, amused, displeased, offended? Is it to receive comments? I've been feeling this uneasy pressure about blogging lately. Especially when it comes to participating in the prompt sites that I so love. It seems to me that to use these prompt sites appropriately, you must not only publish a post using the prompt, but you MUST reciprocate and read and comment on Many of the other blogs that also participate in the prompt. Is it just me or did you ever feel this pressure and find it uncomfortably overwhelming in our already pressured busy lives?? I mean somedays, I am lucky if I have enough time to just read my emails and write a quick blog post. It is a luxury to have enough time to reply to emails, write a blog post and Then try to Read (really read, not just skim) the many blogs that I love PLUS try to read (really read, never skim) The others that have participated in a prompt site that I've visited. PA- LEASEEEE! But blogging to many bloggers seems to be very much about reciprocating. Don't we reciprocate enough in our everyday lives?
You made me soup when I was sick.. so now You get a sore throat... I run soup to your house.
I sent you a 'thinking of you card' cause you were having a bad day... I have ... a pain in my ass..
You send me a get well card. I invite you to a dinner.. You feel obligated to invite me back.. Those are the realities of life. Polite, appropriate, friendly. To spill all this decency over here to the blog world is just a little too much for this decent but overly extended blogger.
Thanks to a little help from a very special friend (this song playing is for YOU!) a special friend, who always manages to enlighten and give invaluable advice, I've come to the conclusion that I DID begin blogging for ME and (with the hopes that blogger wouldn't decide to take a walk but be around a while) so my kids could possibly someday look back on all I've felt like sharing. So even though I love getting comments and love being a Decent respectable girl... I've decided I am going to just 'do my thing' over here like a blogging slut. Write what ever I feel like writing. If you like it great, if not.. also okay. I will continue to read blogs that I enjoy to read and comment when I have the time. I will boldly participate in prompt sites Regardless of wether I have ample time to reciprocate. If I am known as the RuDE blogger, Well.. so be it. I will be enjoying a pressure-free pass time like I used to 3 years ago when I was a rookie and unaware of the proprieties involved in ....blabbing.

Little boys and their toys

When ever I think of toys.. my mind goes right to the toys of my children.

When I was pregnant for my first son, Mr. Petals drove me over to an adorable store in a tiny quaint town nearby us. It was simply called "the teddy bear shop". Inside this sweet store there were wall to wall stuffed bears, many were dressed in various flattering outfits. I remember how happy I felt to try to find the perfect crib mate for the little cub hibernating inside of me. I was drawn to one little brown bear with an humble expression, who reminded me of a bear from my childhood. He wore a simple long white cotton nightgown. I named him Emmit Bear and he was lovingly placed inside my babies crib awaiting his arrival. He was very loved for many years by my eldest son. When my second son was born, time and money were a bit tighter and a trip to the teddy bear store was an extravagance that never entered our minds! Instead on our babies first Christmas, we went to toys r us and we picked up a cute stuffed lamb for him that had a blanket sewn into one 'hand' and a pacifier sewn to the other. My middle son dragged that little white lamb everywhere he went. He couldn't fall asleep without rubbing the lambs pacifier. I can't count the number of times I threw that little guy in the washer AND had to sew that plastic nipple back on this ragged little lamb! other toys that stand out to me are my older boys ghostbuster and Ninja turtle toys and my youngest son's Thomas the tank engine trains.

An adorable toy memory that also comes to mind goes way back to my eldest sons toddlerhood. This little guy just LOVED tools! My husband was in the trades and our little guy mimicked him whenever he worked around the house. He had a play electric saw and drill. He had plastic hammers and wrenches. He would build towers of wooden blocks and use his pull string electric saw to knock it down! He knew the name of EVErY TOOL he saw and would sometimes shock ME by saying .. No mama that isn't a wrench it's a Pliers. My husband brought him home a real tool belt from the hardware store. My son never took off that little canvas tool belt! One night after a long day visiting friends, our little one was so overtired and began getting cranky and went into an unusually crazed crying fit that was so out of character for him. I vividly remember how panicky Mr. Petals and I felt, because we had never seen him like this and we weren't sure what to do! Well, Mr. Petals sat on the floor with our boy and rocked him and just quietly started naming TOOLS! In a few minutes our son was so soothed and fell asleep right there in his daddy's lap. It was one of those priceless father/son moments that moved me to tears.
We just got back from celebrating at a Mexican restaurant because That little tool loving baby turned 25 this week! I am so happy that he decided to use his brain and heart as his tools of choice and he is on his way to becoming a special ed. teacher! Thanks for listening to me travel down memory lane! After two delicious margaritas... I am a bit nostalgic and a big mush!

We are the world

Today is my eldest son's 25th birthday.
As I was busily preparing one of his favorite shrimp dinners and at the same time, making an 'organic' birthday cake, I heard the shocking news of Michael Jackson passing away. I was just as shocked at how much this news affected me as I was by his unexpected death. Like millions of people.. I loved his music. Like millions of people, I felt so sad to hear that he died at such a young age. But, maybe it is weird of me to talk about this.. but it also touched me as being unusual that HE would die on my son's birthday. Let me tell you why.. When my first baby was born in 1984, Michael Jackson was THE hottest pop star of that year. As I filled in my new little babies 'memory book', it asked questions like WHO is the most popular star of the day...
I remember so clearly filling in Michael Jackson's name, The name of his latest album-Thriller.
The names of hit songs from the album... (never imagining that my babies 25th b.d would be the day this performer passes)
One year later.. 1985...that same little baby LOVED Michael Jackson's video.. 'We are the world'
I had taped it and when ever my son was cranky I would replay it over and over for him and it helped to soothe him. He would often stand in his playpen and point to the vhs tape to let me know, he needed another dose of we are the world.
So do u see why I am left with chills and tears today? I think it is an eerie sign or something. (anyone have any idea what this crazy woman is feeling??)

Then of course there is poor Farrah passing away today as well.. Her birthday? FEB. 2nd the same as my middle sons! I don't know why all this has my head spinning, i guess I am just seeing signs of strangeness where there probably are none. Oh yeah... the other eerie thing.... Michael was 50... I am turning 50 this year.(although he is one year older) BUT also born in AUgust like me!! I grew up with him! I remember so clearly watching the jackson 5 on T.V. and knowing Michael was my age. I felt connected because of that. I am so sad for him. Regardless of all the accusations and suspicions and surgeries and criticism... The man was an amazingly talented artist. An incomparable legend of generations. I hope the media is kind and he is remembered for all his extraordinary accomplishments. rest in peace poor Mj.
(I cannot post the video (wish someone would help me with this!!) but you can click here to see it)
we are the world video