Oooo Wwwweee!

We done had some gumbo fo' dinne' tonite! (Yeah, my cajun is lame, sorry.)

However, I did make gumbo for dinner this evening. Crab, Shrimp and Sausage. If that doesn't make your bayou damp, nothin's gonna!

The finished product:





I also managed to finish a paper cutting I promised my mom for a church function. It took me this long to get the idea tacked down, and then everything had to be cut. I chose Daniel in the Lion's Den.

The blueprint (Yes, I drew it, but I used a rough sketch form, not finished.)


In the process of cutting it (with my tools at hand)


The finished product, though it isn't mounted as yet. I haven't decided what color to back it with.

WTF? Over...

Per a new post on Kurt's blog, I took a little gander at a list. A "Must Reads in Literature" list over on About.com.

Let's just say someone isn't as bright at they portray themselves to be, and likes to lord that imaginative brain power on lesser mortals. Those are the most pretentious, asinine must-read books I've seen in some time!

Seriously who the hell reads the 1485 issue of Le Morte D'Arthur ? Really, come off it! (I've read it, in the original and I much prefer the modern versions without the Middle ages spelling issues. Malory didn't create that story, he strung together several hundred years worth of oral tales and packaged it. He's being given credit where it isn't due.)

The only saving graces of that 'list' are Twain and Don Quixote, and even those two are stretching it a bit. In the breadth of human history, it would be near an impossible task to name only 10 books that are must read, but then to portray it as the best is beyond laughable.

Literature is highly subjective, much like humor. It is terribly bad form to try to tell people what they MUST READ, and then pick clunkers to make yourself seem smarter. Big words doesn't equate to big brain, boring literature doesn't equate to a knowledgeable source on literature either.

I also note that there is not ONE book that isn't in English (or an ancient form of it). Apparently 'learned' people can't be bothered to read literature in other languages, or English translations of great works of writing. I'm offended by this piss poor excuse for must-reads. It is a grave disservice to literature, and human creativity, to create such a wanton list of claptrap books.

I could just as easily make one, but it's books I enjoy, not books I think should be foisted upon the unsuspecting, or those who believe they aren't smart enough to pick their own reading material. Would it be sane to leave it at only 10? Not at all if someone is serious about literature.

I would like to challenge my readers, and lurkers, to comment upon this list, as well as my own that follows. What would you add, what would you subtract? You have the entire history of the written word, every nation on Earth, every tongue ever used. What are YOUR "must read" books? Why?? They why is so much more interesting to me than the what.

Feel free to span any time period, any nation, any subject. It would be helpful if the work were translated into English, but it's not required as English holds no control over creativity, the written word, or human imagination. Feel free to do more than 10, or less. Also, leave reasons if you're inclined to do so.


My own personal "must reads" - IE books I've read more than once and will happily read again for enjoyment.



De re coquinaria On the subject of Cooking attributed to Apicius.
A wonderful resource for cooking, as well as a fantastic history lesson of what the upper crust ate, along with a few more simple recipes. Always useful, always fascinating, always with a kernel of fun and amusement at both the ancients, and how very little we've really changed in over 1000 years. It also indicates how very little we'll change in the next 1000 years.

To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee.
A great work of fiction, which sadly tells the truth of southern life during Jim Crow. The only novel Ms. Lee has ever published, it is a coming of age story, and hopefully will remain a cautionary tale in just how badly we can treat our fellow men.

Where the Red Fern Grows Wilson Rawls.
If this book doesn't make you cry, I question your humanity. One of the books of my youth that even now sticks with me, and pulls the heartstrings.

Gilgamesh The Epic of Gilgamesh
Just fascinating literature. Beyond a miracle it survived intact, and in multiple forms. Worth the slogging if you like history. The tale itself is standard god-king fare, the stuff of legends but the legends are the great stories, the ones that survive in human fascination.

Beowulf
The bane of many a high school student, but a masterful collection of ancient oral tales. The rise, fall, and triumph of a hero is a common thread in human literature and Beowulf bests many in the attempt. You have to like high German/Old English to get through it, or get a modern English translation. Still, one of the greats of human imagination and creativity. It portrays an unceasing need for human heroes to have flaws and frailties, but to win in the end, even unto death.

The Dark Tower Series Stephen King
One of the greatest creations of all time. Roland is the deeply flawed, but deeply honorable hero that must save not just his world but all worlds, not just his time but all times. Joined by a cast of misfits who shed their flaws and show the true depths of devotion we're capable of. A masterful use of imagination. You can't do better than this set of 7 books.

Harry Potter 7 books total J. K. Rowling
A diving chain of children's literature that is just as fascinating, just as encompassing as adult literature. Good versus Evil, the triumphs and the tribulations. It helps show children are just as valuable, just as skilled, just as capable as their adult 'betters'. A fantastic set! I'm glad beyond measure to be able to share them with my kids and hubby as a great work of literature.

The Art of War Sun Tzu (aka Sun Wu, Chang Qing)
A definitive creation. A masterpiece of understanding human mentality and tactics. It can be used in more than just war and business. Upon reading you get a better sense of your own mindset and that of your enemy. If you can't get a better grasp upon yourself and your mental state, along with those of who you "battle", you're not understanding the text. I can fully understand why this is required reading for many military officers and schools around the world.

Pride and Prejudice Jane Austen
Wow, just wow. It strips 'civilization' to what it really is for most people - the 'haves' decide who's good enough to be them which equates to no one, while the 'have nots' have a nasty tendency to let their 'betters' tell them what to do. It goes a very long way to show why I have a tendency to distrust females and groups of them especially.

The Odyssey, The Iliad ascribed to Homer
While there is some serious argument in the scientific community if Homer ever existed, and if he even wrote the books or they were oral tales, the two are fantastic works. While ancient readers saw them at total truth of the Gods and Goddesses, the modern reader can get a deeper understanding of the ancient world by reading them. Fantasy and mystery meet myth and history. These two stand perfectly well alone but are two halves to the same coin, and do best when read back-to-back.

Poetry Sappho
Sadly, very little survives. Most destroyed by marauding Christians who couldn't tolerate a learned woman, a lesbian, or a pagan and she was all three so she had to go! The little that does survive, mainly in fragments, are some of the plainest but most heart-felt poems I've ever read. There is a truthfulness, a depth that isn't present in most poems, let alone poems dedicated to lovers. Worth looking for a translation.

Kama Sutra various translations, no known author or compiler
The art of love as translated out of Sanskrit. Part text book, part picture book, part how-to manual. You can get them with or without pictures, in shortened or full-length formats. Worth the read if you ever want to see the depth of knowledge of human sexuality long before Kinsey came along.

The Canterbury Tales Geoffrey Chaucer
A collection of literature from a fountain of creativity. You may look at the thickness and get turned off right away, and it would be a great loss. Such varied tales, such different characters. Make sure to approach the stories as what they are, the tales told by pilgrims to Canterbury cathedral. Sadly, Geoffrey didn't complete the tales before his death, so we shall always have to wonder at who won.



Those are just a few of the books I'd include. What would YOU add or take away?

Hehehe

I'm looking up balloon sites to see if I can find Halloween ideas - pumpkins, ghosts, and the like to shape balloons into. I ran across this however, and it is far more entertaining.

This might just test my ballooning skills. I'm sure it'd amuse kids and adults come Halloween too. Things to put IN balloons.

I like the "Trojan Horse" but I doubt it's family friendly. ;)

Now, I'm off to practice my pumpkin. Maybe I can find a pattern for Linus around here somewhere ...

Yea GEORGE!

Making a triumphant return to the CMA's, George has picked up the most nominations for this year's CMA show. So, to celebrate to king of Texas Country music, here's some GEORGE!!





George Strait, Texas Lyrics


There wouldn't be no Alamo
No Cowboys in the Super Bowl
No "Lonesome Dove", No "Yellow Rose"
If it wasn't for Texas.

I wouldn't be a Willie fan
Nobody would swim the Rio Grand
I wouldn't be an American
If it wasn't for Texas.

CHORUS
Fort Worth would never cross my mind
There'd be no Austin city limit sign
No Lone Star of any kind,
If it wasn't for Texas.

I'd never gone to Tennessee
to sing my songs and chase my dreams,
Only heaven knows just where I'd be
If it wasn't for Texas.

Fort Worth would never cross my mind
There'd be no Austin City limit sign
No Lone Star of any kind
If it wasn't for Texas.

It made me the man I am,
Thank God for my old stomping ground.
I wouldn't be standing right here right now
If it wasn't for Texas,
If it wasn't for Texas,
If it wasn't for Texas.









George Strait, Somewhere Down In Texas Lyrics

I been on the road now dang near all my life:
An' I do love to sing a song.
I can say I've worked hard, put in my time:
Now it's time to go home.
And catch up on my chores:
Watch the sunset from my porch.

I'll be somewhere down in Texas if you're lookin' for me,
Drinkin' in that great wide-open: soakin' up the summer breeze.
Kickin' back an' settled in with my family.
I'll be somewhere down in Texas if you're lookin' for me.

That's where I got started, where I was born an' bred:
It's the fire inside of me.
I couldn't have imagined this Texas highway led,
Far beyond my wildest dreams.
But I'll turn out the lights tonight,
An' say goodnight, but not goodbye.

I'll be somewhere down in Texas if you're lookin' for me,
Drinkin' in that great wide-open: soakin' up the summer breeze.
Kickin' back an' settled in with my family.
I'll be somewhere down in Texas if you're lookin' for me.

I made so many friends,
Hope we meet someday again:
Till then:

I'll be somewhere down in Texas if you're lookin' for me,
Drinkin' in that great wide-open: soakin' up the summer breeze.
Kickin' back an' settled in with my family.
I'll be somewhere down in Texas if you're lookin' for me.


Make us proud George.

Stupid Assumptions

Why do most people assume that a signing child is deaf?

Not even here at Aviano really, though most do have a tendency to ask if my youngest has hearing issues. (No, she has been diagnosed with Speech Apraxia - making it difficult for her to express herself and be understood, not hear or understand you). I'm actually continually impressed by the people here on base that CAN sign, or at least understand my youngest is signing to them. It's a great thing that so many can understand she's "talking" to them, even if they can't "talk" back to her. I'd much prefer someone asking me what she's signing than ignoring her. If you don't understand what she's saying (or her sisters, or her daddy, or myself), ask. I'll translate, and you'll improve your intelligence level in my opinion because you're seeking knowledge.

There's some stupid people in my step-father's family that swear my child must be deaf because I'm teaching her sign language. That, or that I'm harming her by not "MAKING" her speak. Hello? Who called in the peanut brigade for child rearing advice? Screw the fact that the child is bright as a whip, but can't get her words out properly.

Basically, Speech Apraxia is that the brain can make the word, the mouth can do the shapes, but they can't work together. It is a condition which will likely affect her for the rest of her life, though ASL (and other measures) will help give her the building blocks to work around it. She's not dumb - sheesh, she's scary she's that bright, but she can't speak as well as a 'normal' child and so uses sign to get her point across. Hell, she can write her own name, legibly, on official forms and she's not 4 yet! The name writing is NOT a new development, she could pull that off before school ended last year!

What is so difficult for some people to grasp about ASL? It has been shown, repeatedly, that children as young as 3 months can sign their wants and needs - long before they can speak. It has been proven in study after study that ASL (or signing in general) can vastly improve a child's ability to speak. Why do some people insist on being STUPID?!? For the record, I classify ignorance as not knowing any better, stupidity is knowing better and doing it in the face of that knowledge.

I'm from 5 generations (and counting) of teachers. You use the methods needed to reach a child (or adult). Doesn't matter if those methods are unorthodox, only that they get results. It is NOT harming my child in any way to learn ASL. In fact, it is HELPING her to learn ASL. She expresses herself beautifully, her spoken words have greatly improved, and she's able to speak to people who have difficulty understanding her spoken words, as well as those who are deaf or hard of hearing.

I guess I'm asking a question that has no answer - why must some people insist on being STUPID, just to be stupid!?! It is quite annoying, and I don't tolerate or humor stupid people. The kind of people I'm referring to have issues with my child learning ASL - and they've never met her and don't consider her part of their 'family' because they're not blood.

Note to those butts - I don't WANT you to meet my child, consider her 'family' or give me your damned opinions (via any other 'family' members) of my parenting skills. If I wanted your opinions, I'd consult your proctologist! Stick it back up your ever-lovin' dumbass, podunk backsides! Crawl back under your polako rock and shut the hell up!! Go on and steal drugs from the nursing home residents, swear your demented mama has Alzheimers because you're too lazy and STUPID to look up senile dementia, go fight some more cocks so the Feds can bust you, but pretend I fell off the freakin' face of the Earth and no longer concern yourself with my family or children. I left the hellhole you wallow in for a reason, and you're a good part of it! This is what inbreeding gets you! I hate having to have my mom defend me to a bunch of inbred hicks too stupid to attend a REAL college - hell, Aggies is smarter then this lot!

Jokes & Thoughts

Just a few goodies I thought I'd share.


Square Testicles

An elderly woman walked into the Bank of Canada one morning with a purse full of money. She wanted to open a savings account and insisted on talking to the president of the Bank because, she said, she had a lot of money. After many lengthy discussions (after all, the client is always right) an employee took the elderly woman to the president's office.

The president of the Bank asked her how much she wanted to deposit. She placed her purse on his desk and replied, "$165,000".

The president was curious and asked her how she had been able to save so much money. The elderly woman replied that she made bets. The president was surprised and asked, "What kind of bets?" The elderly woman replied, "Well, I bet you $25,000 that your testicles are square."

The president started to laugh and told the woman that it was impossible to win a bet like that. The woman never batted an eye. She just looked at the president and said, "Would you like to take my bet?" "Certainly", replied the president. "I bet you $25,000 that my testicles are not square."

"Done", the elderly woman answered. "But given the amount of money involved, if you don't mind I would like to come back at 10 o'clock tomorrow morning with my lawyer as a witness."

"No problem", said the president of the Bank confidently.

That night, the president became very nervous about the bet and spent a long time in front of the mirror examining his testicles, turning them this way and that, checking them over again and again until he was positive that no one could consider his testicles as square and reassuring himself that there was no way he could lose the bet.

The next morning at exactly 10 o'clock the elderly woman arrived at the president's office with her lawyer and acknowledged the $25,000 bet made the day before that the president's testicles were square. The president confirmed that the bet was the same as the one made the day before. Then the elderly woman asked him to drop his pants etc. so that she and her lawyer could see clearly. The president was happy to oblige. The elderly woman came closer so she could see better and asked the president if she could touch them.

"Of course", said the president. "Given the amount of money involved, you should be 100% sure."

The elderly woman did so with a little smile. Suddenly the president noticed that the lawyer was banging his head against the wall. He asked the elderly woman why he was doing that and she replied, "Oh, it's probably because I bet him $100,000 that around 10 o'clock in the morning I would be holding the balls of the President of the Bank of Canada!"



************************************************************************************

Sign of the times?

A little boy goes to his father and asks "Daddy, how was I born?"
The father answers: "Well son, I guess one day you will need to find out anyway! Your Mom and I first got together in a chat room on Yahoo. Then I set up a date via e-mail with your Mom and we met at a cyber-cafe. We sneaked into a secluded room, where your mother agreed to a download from my hard drive. As soon as I was ready to upload, we discovered that neither one of us had used a firewall, and since it was too late to hit the delete button, nine months later a little Pop-Up appeared that said:


Scroll down...You'll love this....














'You got Male!'"

*************************************************************************************



Time passes.
Life happens.
Distance separates.
Children grow up.
Jobs come and go.
Love waxes and wanes.
Men don't do what they're supposed to do.
Hearts break.
Parents die.
Colleagues forget favors.
Careers end.

BUT.........

Sisters are there, no matter how much time and how many miles are between you. A girl friend is never farther away than needing her can reach.

When you have to walk that lonesome valley and you have to walk it by yourself, the women in your life will be on the valley's rim, cheering you on, praying for you, pulling for you, intervening on your behalf, and waiting with open arms at the valley's end. Sometimes, they will even break the rules and walk beside you...Or come in and carry you out.

Girlfriends, daughters, granddaughters, daughters-in-law, sisters, sisters-in-law, Mothers, Grandmothers, aunties, nieces, cousins, and extended family, all bless our life!

The world wouldn't be the same without women, and neither would I.
When we began this adventure called womanhood, we had no idea of the incredible joys or sorrows that lay ahead. Nor did we know how much we would need each other.

Every day, we need each other still.

*************************************************************************************


"Before I Was A Mom"

Before I was a Mom I made and ate hot meals.
I had unstained clothing.
I had quiet conversations on the phone.

Before I was a Mom I slept as late as I wanted.
And never worried about how late I got into bed.
I brushed my hair and my teeth everyday.

Before I was Mom I cleaned my house each day.
I never tripped over toys or forgot words to lullabies.

Before I was a Mom I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom I had never been puked on, pooped on, spit on, peed on, or pinched by tiny fingers.
Before I was a Mom I had complete control of my mind, my thoughts, my body and all my feelings.
I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom I never held down a screaming child so that doctors could do tests or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put it down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body.
I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.
I didn't know that bond between a Mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important.

Before I was a Mom I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was OK.
I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache or the satisfaction of being a Mom.

I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much......
......before I was a Mom.


*************************************************************************************

A Parent's Prayer

Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray my sanity to keep.
For if some peace I do not find,
I'm pretty sure I'll lose my mind.

I pray I find a little quiet
Far from the daily family riot
May I lie back--not have to think
about what they're stuffing down the sink, or who they're with, or where they're at and what they're doing to the cat.

I pray for time all to myself
(did something just fall off a shelf?)
To cuddle in my nice, soft bed
(Oh no, another goldfish--dead!)

Some silent moments for goodness sake
(Did I just hear a window break?)
And that I need not cook or clean--
(well heck, I've got the right to dream)

Yes now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray my wits about me keep,
But as I look around I know--
I must have lost them long ago!


************************************************************************************



To All Mothers

Somebody said a mother is an unskilled laborer . .
Somebody never gave a squirmy infant a bath.

Somebody said it takes about six weeks to get back to normal after you've had a baby...
Somebody doesn't know that once you're a mother, "normal" is history.

Somebody said a mother's job consists of wiping noses and changing diapers
Somebody doesn't know that a child is much more than the shell he lives in.

Somebody said you learn how to be a mother by instinct . . .
Somebody never took a three-year-old shopping.

Somebody said being a mother is boring . . .
Somebody never rode in a car driven by a teenager with a permit.

Somebody said teachers, psychologists and pediatricians know more about children than
their mothers . . .
Somebody hasn't invested her heart in another human being.

Somebody said if you're a "good" mother, your child will "turn out" okay. .
Somebody thinks a child is like a bag of plaster of Paris that comes with directions, a mold and a guarantee.

Somebody said being a mother is what you do in your spare time . . .
Somebody doesn't know that when you're a mother, you're a mother all the time.

Somebody said "good" mothers never raise their voices . . .
Somebody never came out the back door just in time to see her child wind up and hit a golf ball through the neighbor's kitchen window.

Somebody said you don't need an education to be a mother. . .
Somebody never helped a fourth grader with his math.

Somebody said you can't love the fifth child as much as you love the first
Somebody doesn't have five children.

Somebody said a mother can find all the answers to her child-rearing questions in the books . . . Somebody never had a child stuff beans up his
nose.

Somebody said the hardest part of being a mother is labor and delivery . .
Somebody never watched her "baby" get on the school bus for the first day.

Somebody said a mother can do her job with her eyes closed and one hand tied behind her back . . Somebody never organized seven giggling Brownies to sell
cookies.

Somebody said a mother can stop worrying after her child gets married ...Somebody doesn't know that marriage adds a new son or daughter-in-law to a
mother's heartstrings.

Somebody said a mother's job is done when her last child leaves home . . .
Somebody never had grandchildren.

Somebody said being a mother is a side dish on the plate of life . . .
Somebody doesn't know what fills you up.

Somebody said your mother knows you love her, so you don't need to tell her...
Somebody isn't a mother.

*************************************************************************************


Okay, off to watch NCIS with hubby. Then to bed because I did the gym today and I'm beat!

Woo Hoo!

Alternate Title: Bizzare Picture Day!



Yea! We went to the Commissary last night and they had ...



I ate these as a kid and it can still make me smile when they're available. I don't really like cereal, but I'll buy these 2 just to have the sugar high from when I was a kid. No, mommy does not share her Boo-berry or Franken-berry cereal, but I did buy them a box of Count Chocula so I'm not totally mean.





Here is the KACHING item I had to replace in Rothenburg. A hand-made Christmas pyramid. A carousel one that I specifically liked because it's not like every other pyramid available. It cost about $185, which is about the same it cost in Deutsch Marks the first time around. Now all I have to do is buy some candles that actually fit it - mine are too tall, the flames lick the fan area.










And to round out the bizzare photos on today's post, I also got by the BX and AAFES actually had some 36D's. In the BIG bra area. They're scary! I told hubby if my ears ever get cold I can use them as earmuffs!



Oh, and Boyd beloved fellow TEXAN of mine, if you want to place an order for bigger boobs that's fine. However, my I request a fuller set next time? ;)

Busy Death House?

Yeah, in TEXAS we take capitol murder seriously. We'll put you to death for it. No matter what the whiny spoilt Le Monde has to say about it, or Sky News.

We don't put nice people on death row. I don't care if they were an alter boy when they were 10, they committed the worst of the worst to get that penalty. Everyone whines when it comes time for the killer to die, but NOBODY remembers the victims - you know, the innocent lives they extinguished to get the Death Penalty. Seems too many folks think "cruel and unusual" should only apply to the victims of blood-thirsty murderers, but that those murderers swear they're innocent so we should believe them. Sorry, doesn't work that way. I trust the ballistics, the DNA, the fingerprinting, the crime scene analysis not a lying sack of shit that rapes and murders at will, in the hope of claiming mental retardation to avoid punishment.

Oh, they're life is so bad. They can't get a book about baseball. Their 'inalienable rights' are being violated. You forfeited those rights to what you want to read, eat, and do when you killed someone. The sympathy train doesn't make a stop for murderers, rapists, pedophiles and the like. Lots of people had bad lives and don't go out and kill people, so what the f*ck makes the Death Row inmate so special? Why should they get a free pass?? Oh, I know, their victim is DEAD and so can't testify to the horrors they were submitted to just to please a sick, twisted human filth. I'm sorry, someone lied to them if they have the impression prison, especially Death Row, is a nice place where nice people go. It's got bars for a reason!

I support the Death Penalty. I'll ream any governor of TEXAS that dares to think they have the ability to remove the right of the people to pass sentence on a criminal. My only complaint lies in the fact we don't use it enough!

Perhaps it's time for France, Britain, Germany and the like to stick their ever-lovin' noses into their OWN shit and get it out of our's. Unless of course, France, Britain, Germany, et all are going to submit themselves to OUR laws. But, we all know those 'civilized' nations that let child rapists off with "time served" wouldn't dare do that! For all those whiny little Eurowennies and UN thugs - Get your OWN house in order before telling us how to clean our's.

For those in the Death House at Ellis Unit in Huntsville - die slowly, painfully, hearing the screams of pain and pleadings for mercy of your victims. Die knowing you won't be given mercy, just as you refused to give it to those innocents you inflicted terror upon. I'll shed no tears for you, don't debase yourself by asking for them. Go to your death like the 'man' you were when you did the deed. You may ask forgiveness of the citizens and of God but ask no mercy.

Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's. Render unto the Lord that which is the Lord's.

You're body is Caesar's, your soul the Lord's. Understand the difference.

Boobies?

Did someone put in an order for Rhianna to have bigger ones, or what? Seriously, my bras haven't been fitting well for the last several weeks. I remeasured today, and my size changed. I should now be in a 36D/E. I fall between the D and E(DD) sizing which is quite odd. I'm not pregnant (never doin' that one again, thanks) and I've lost weight so why would my boobs get larger??

Oh, I have such a horrible life. I have a roof over my head, food in my stomach and clothes to wear that I need to replace. ;)

So, now I have some online shopping to do and I need to check-in at AAFES for new bras. Probably my LEAST favorite shopping experience, and I hate shopping in general. But, apparently I need to buy some, so I will do so. Tsk.

For those who want to know how to measure for a bra, check Breast Forum FAQ. It's got several methods, and explains what the cup versus the size is.

I also went to the gym today. I cut out some of my lunges (just couldn't pull 'em all off) but I upped my hanging leg lifts so it all works out.

Halloween Goodies

Well, the hubby struck again! Yes, we ordered in all the rest of the goodies. Now when they arrive, I have to stuff bags and tie them with ribbons and make sure they're sorted properly in the process. (In addition to youngest's b-day, and costume making for the heathens.)

Oh, and we ordered oldest's cheerleading uniform - the REAL deal, from a lady who makes them for a living in TEXAS. Yes ya'll, we really do take our cheerleading as serious as our football!

Anyhoo, this is the complete list of halloween goodies we've ordered:


Jelly Bracelets

Jelly Rings

Metal Rings

Smiley Rings

Butterfly Hair Clips

Glow Sticks

Glow-in-the-dark Bugs

Tooth Saver Necklaces (for the under 3's)

Bouncy Balls

Glow-in-the-dark Bouncy Balls

Fortune Telling Fish

Spider Tops

Smiley Face Tops

Jumping Frogs

Jumping Spiders

Lizards and Snakes

Finger Puppets

Metal Mind Puzzles

Temporary Tattoos

Erasers

Pencil Toppers

Stickers

Trace-around Bookmarks


Anyone care to add any goodies? The bags I make up will have 2 or 3 of the items, not one of each! Plus, some will be taken out to fill in for birthday party favors as well. Hopefully the items will go over well, our kids are excited about them so I'm wagering that the Trunk-or-Treaters will be too.

Cheerleaders?

Anybody got a cheerleading uniform they want to part with? Dear lord, it'll work out cheaper to buy the damn thing pre-made than to buy the material to make it myself. I'd give my heathen my 2 uniforms but I have no idea where they are - almost 15 years since I wore them. Besides, I think they were a 6-8 and she's much too small for them.

Sheesh. I also now remember how damn expensive the things were. However, if it saves me going insane in the next month and some, and from trying to sew 3 costumes in that time with no real material/craft store to rely upon I'm willing to foot the bill.

What REALLY scares me is that in about 5 years we may be doing this for 'real'. I'm very afraid that my oldest doesn't have the intestinal fortitude to say "SCREW YOU" to someone who demands she lose weight, cut her hair a certain way, wear make-up like a whore, etc. I was mean enough to go rounds with my cheerleading 'coach' - a 300+lb boheimath less than 5'6" when she demanded my less than 140lb 6' tall personage lose weight. It scares me that my oldest might not have it in her to do it.

That, and I'm afraid they'll see me having been a cheerleader and think it's okay to be vapid little airheads that are nothing more than short skirt wearing sluts. It would break my heart for that to happen, and it scares the livin' shit out of me to consider my children put into that kind of situation.

Ahh, the odd thoughts parents have...

Theme Parks?

Anybody seen a theme park around here? Apparently hubby booked us in to Mirabilandia in September.

We've NEVER gone to a European theme park - not even Legoland man! Believe me, that's somewhere I'd love to go but we haven't made it yet.

Anyhoo, have any of my readers been there? Or to any Euro themepark? It was recommended by another parent in hubby's shop as a good place for kids (under 4's as well). They're running a deal right now for overnight family rooms and 2 days of park admission for cheap.

All I know so far is that it's in Ravenna, or at least the general area. About all I know about Ravenna is that is has gaudyish Christian mosaics. The mosaic art, so skillful in Roman Paganic times took a nose-dive as an art form when Christianity became it's muse. The colors became hidious and eye-jarring, the creations lifeless and simplified, the 'art' became nothing more than propganda in stone. As such, I've never had much desire to see Ravenna, but the park sounds interesting.

Hopefully the heathens will enjoy themselves, though we won't be telling them we're going - mommy hates the "can we go today" questions my children excel at. Then, hubby and I will be able to add a new park to our list of visited ones - Six Flags Arlington, Fiesta Texas, Astro/Water World, Waterpark USA (aka Splashtown), and he has several others to boot.

It sounds like it will be fun, but if anyone's visited it I'd be happy to hear of your trip.

Blogger Issue Resolved

For me anyways.

It seems that the reason I was getting the capture code before being allowed to post was spam. IE, someone tagged me as spam. Apparently you can put too many links in a post and that's a good indicator of a spam blogger. Seems someone didn't READ my blog and instead marked it, that or they did read it and threw a tantrum about it to Blogger and our Google overlords.

So, I clicked the little button on the bottom of the post screen, it had me type my e-mail address and I'm no longer a spam blogger. Like anyone would want Roman/Texan spam as a blog. Pfft!

Just in case anyone else gets the code on their blog post page, now you know what to do about it, and how to get rid of it. And to the poor Blogger employee (I sure hope you're not a volunteer) who had to read my blog as proof I'm a real person, I'm sorry. My humor is not for everyone. ;)

Festival of the Mania

Today is the Festival of the Mania, the departed souls of our ancestors.

Roman Festivals and Sacred Days, broken down by month and date.

Pegan Days, celebrating several paganic religions and their holy days, along with information about what makes the day important.

Altdivinities.com also has some helpful information.

In short, this is the day we remember our dear departed loved ones, our fore bearers, our family that have lived the lives the fates wove for them. Mania is also the goddess of the dead, mother to the Lares - protectors of the house, crossroads, and many other subspecialities. The Lares should figure in your activities, if only as the offspring of the goddess.

On this day you should expect visitations from your departed ones. Perhaps your thoughts will turn to them more often than usual, perhaps you will smell their old perfume or hear their voice. Maybe their favorite colors or flowers will meet your eyes - they're all in the circle of rememberance. Many ancients set an extra place for their loved ones at the table for meals with the family. Pomegranates are a perfect food for this occasion.



However you choose to honor those who preceeded you, take a little time to remember them and how they impacted your life. Even those gone long before you existed had a hand in shaping you. Honor and embrace it on this day.

A great TEXAN

Listening to Toby Keith on the way home from base today I played



and it got me thinking about ... One of the greatest TEXANs to honor the Republic. I don't often agree with him on politics, but you can't argue with the greatness of his writing and singing skills! One of my personal favs of his:




Of course, can't forget Toby and Willie together, either.




Got to love the original Texas "outlaw" of country music. Not many could drink as hard, smoke as hard, and write as well as he does. One of the greatest songs he's ever written, and I like his demo version as much as the more famous version.

Stuff

Halloween Goodies we've purchased so far (this is not the list of everything we'll be giving away, just what we've ordered thus far):

Butterfly Hair clips

Glow-in-the-dark Bouncing Balls

Glow Sticks

Bouncing Balls (rainbow colors)

Jelly Rings

Metal Rings

Fortune Telling Fish

Latex Tying balloons - I'm thinking for the under 3 crowd, making some basic balloon shapes as a goody, but I'm not positive. Much will depend on the crowd flow, and speed of it.


So far our kiddos seem impressed with what we've ordered. They've all expressed interest in the items, so hopefully they'll go over well come Trunk-or-Treat. I still need to order some stuff from Oriental Trading company. The items I've got in my shopping cart, that hubby has to prune, or alter as he sees fit include:

Jelly Bracelets

Spider Tops

Stickers

Erasers

Pencils

Bugs

Jumping Frogs or Spiders

Metal Mind Mazes

Spinning Tops


I also need to see about getting some Fun-kins. They're a foam pumpkin you can carve just like a real one. That way, when I subject hubby to psycotic levels of carving his handiwork will last until the next year. Unlike Commissary pumpkins that barely last 2 days!

Can you tell Halloween is hubby's FAVORITE holiday and he's like a giant kid?? Also, any added suggestions on goodies to give out? Other than any kind of bloody candy! I don't do candy if I can avoid it.


Boyd, you're not a dirty old man. That's my hubby's job and from what I understand, he enjoys it, even without the pay. ;)

Busy, busy bees

Well, there are stingers so maybe we're bees, maybe we're wasps. Nah, we don't have enough money or learning to be WASPs. ;)


Ordered in some, not all, of the goodies we'll be giving away for Halloween. No candy again this year - they get enough of that crap from other people. We're going the small toys and goodies route again. I think we'll break it down into boys, girls, under 3s and older kids. That seems to be what hubby has agreed to.


I haven't hit the gym, but school starts Monday and I have things to complete before then - like moving the youngest into her own room (she's taken to giggling and playing keeping the middle one up). The only issue with that is getting rid of our "toy room" - the toys will be split amongst the girls with each having certain control - oldest = costumes and dress up, middle = barbies, youngest = play food/house items. In addition to their own toys, that is. I'm about half through with sorting, then I need to move some stuff around. Hopefully be done by Thursday. I've given myself permission to skip this week to finish up the chores that need doing before we ramp back up again. It doesn't hurt that I managed to loose a lb on vacation without even trying.


My children seem hellbent on testing my sewing skills. My youngest will be a PIZZA (her fav. food and word) for Halloween, thus making mommy create a pattern. I have NEVER made a pattern in my life!

Middle one wants to be a ballerina, not too tough imo. The oldest a cheerleader. Too bad I don't know where my cheer leading outfits are - could just use those. But NO, mommy has to SEW the costume. At least I have a pattern for that one! Now I just have to have a heart attack when I order the material - $8.99 a yard and I need about 5 yards. Why? We MUST have kick-pleats, no easy skirts for mommy! That ups the material needed, but I should be able to do it pretty easily, it's a McCall's pattern and I've never messed one of them up.

The little one will get the lion's share of mommy's time and effort on a costume, the oldest comes next and the middle one, well, she gets the short end of the stick this time. Oh, well, I'll still manage to get them all done.


Signed up for the youngest's party date and location. Now I have a few more party plans to make for it, but I've got about a month so nothing should be too hectic. Catch me in a month and I may bite your head off, but hopefully it won't be too bad.


Men are fascinated by cleavage apparently. Even when the cleavage isn't that impressive, ie mine. Now, I bought a lovely shirt at AAFES while we were in Germany. It seems to have shrunk ever so slightly in the wash - along the boobage line. Still fits fine, just shows more than it did when I bought it. As I like the shirt, I can deal with the cleavage on display, even if it is a bit unusual for me. It seems the little bit that was on display was something men are keyed to, however. Hubby was not the only man to glance at my chest today, which is very unusual for me - I'm very conservative in my dress in general. Now, if I was sporting a nice firm, 38C or D I could get the thrill in seeing it, but it's just a normal, breastfed mommy, 36C so no big deal imo. Men seem to think differently.


I've managed to do laundry, and dishes, and cook for the last 2 days and still not unpack the truck. I wonder, will I HAVE to unpack it, or will my Lares do it for me? Probably not, they've been a bit fussy since Germany. Me thinks they're ticked they didn't get to go to Pompeii again - soon we will though.


Time for a bit of rest for the wicked, then up and at 'em again tomorrow!

Pics

Here are some more pics from our trip to Germany.


Eating at Mama West's in Ramstein village. To die for! Once you eat her southern food, you will NEVER miss it, given the chance. She used to be located in Landstuhl, just up from the Bahnhof, but moved to Ramstein some time ago. We apparently shocked them, or hubby did, by asking when they moved. Guy got a quizical look and said, "we moved over 4 years ago, man". When we told them we'd not been in since our first assignment, early 2000 is the last time we were in that I can remember, he said it was an honor that we have them on our list of "to do" things at Ramstein. No, seriously, the honor is our's - to get to eat there, to get the next-door-to-family atmosphere. Mama West's is one of the best, and the best we've found in Europe, hand's down. Never pass up the chance to eat there if you ever get it - you won't regret it!

Yes, you really can judge the quality of a southern food joint by what the drinks are served in. THIS is what good food comes in, they're stressing the food, and the drinks rather than the plates. Plus, it's very homestyle to have mason jars.


The girls' chicken nuggets. Pure chicken, no mechanically seperated, or squished up anything here.



My fried chicken with potatoes and greenbeans. Each bite was heaven!


Hubby's catfish with cabbage. This is the most tender, flakey, melt-in-your-mouth fish I've ever tried.


She's in a totally unasumming place. This is the sign from outside, just before closing time.


The Moselle on the way to Trier.


Various Porta Nigra shots: