Duh!

I just realized, it’s on comedy central, I wish I had cable. Will someone record it for me? Or whatever people do now-a-days…

To My Accuser

I am the Queen of Multitasking, not cheating, lying or stealing, the closest I get to lying is when we are playing “Bullshit” or bluffing in Poker. I resent the fact that you the cheater of all cheaters could possibly think that I could cheat in a simple game of Prattle Pursuit. I would also, like to point out that I had details of the story that you did not include. I would also say that in the past when I have heard this story my imagination brought me to a totally different picture of the truck. Yes it did take a while to contemplate the picture (over night), I have an excuse, it was a GS night and my mind had been sucked dry by thirteen 10 year old Zombies. I needed time to recover. Shanas comment also threw me off, you see sometime I forget that she also, like you, is full of BS, and is known to Prattle her way through a topics she knows nothing about.

I have been accused of cheating at Prattle Pursuit. There is no way of cheating without several phone calls to people who were around at the time the photos were taken, believe me I am not one for phone calls and technically there were no rules.

The reason the times seem off on the comment, is I have a way of reading blogs that you may not understand. I read blogs twice a day. Yes it is probably not a good use of time, and I may be over indulging but as always I will get board one day and quit. My morning session is done between lunch packing nagging, clothing inspections nagging, homework checks, taxi services, and our other morning routines.

When I wake up, I grab a cup of coffee, wake the kids and then go on line. I use Firefox as my web browser, you Internet Explore people should change. With Firefox’s tab feature I can open many different pages at once in one window. I have it organized, my computer is so organized Kate, its really too bad it isn’t so easy with the house. In my Bookmarks or Favorites (for you internet explore people), I have folders...one is marked Family blogs, this file got too big so now there is two. (I first go to my family, because they post at 2am or 5am or 6am.) I open everyone’s blog at once, in one window, in separate "Tabs". As the pages load, I scroll back and open any new comments, I was always taught to take care of old business first. Once again this is easy with the “open in separate tab” feature. As the first person comments page loads, I go to the next blog, open their comments and so on. As the pages load, I go do a second nagging session with the kids (to make sure they aren’t eating cake for breakfast).

When I get back, I read any new comments on the old posts first, and reply if necessary. This is usually done oldest post to newest. Usually, I am multi tasking and writing several comments at once, checking Email, and brushing little girls hair, this is the reason, father, that my comments are so close together. 8:39, 8:40, 8:42(old posts). I submit those comments at once.

After I have commented or re-commented I will then go to your new post. I open any comments about those new posts (I usually go and drop off kids as these pages load) before I read your post. As the comments load I go back and read the new posts, sometimes as I read your post I maybe writing a comment. Dad, again, this is why the times on my last comment is eight minutes later, 8:50, I submitted the other comments, and then went to kiss and hug my children goodbye, the ones that were walking to school. I was able to comment at that time because T had another Doctors appointment so I did have to drop her off at school. After send the other two off, I came back and opened your newest posts comment page as it loaded I read the post.

This is not the first time I have been accused of cheating. If fact more then once, both those allegations I absolutely do not understand.

I am informing you that my Pack, the Wolf Clan, will back me if any malicious actions partake from these allegations. We may be forced into playing Capture the Bra at the next clan gathering, or worse…

Let this pubic (I still get a chuckle) announcement be warning for all my accusers.

To the rest of you who are saying WTF? I hope I have provided the proper links to inform you of all the detail. I would appreciate any help in proving my innocents. Thank You!

Dooce

I know some of you may not read Dooce on a regular basis....but you have to check out this one. What is our world coming to?

Nickels

Did you know they are coming out with new nickels? Did you know we have a new Blogger? Did you know she really likes nickels? Did you know she is trying to make a ring out of a nickels but is doing it all wrong?

Raising Bargain Hunters

Spring shopping trip, and oh boy did we need a shopping trip, everyone is much happier now. Well maybe, not the man who works for it, but we really needed a girls day out. We had lunch and ice cream and a pretty laid back mom (for once). For my future reference, do not take everyone on that first shopping trip for a bra. As I was trying to fit one child, the rest of them were trying on bras…on their head, “look ma ear muffs”….”oh no wait” as she straps the DD under wire, form fitting cups that could fit two cantaloupes…around her butt…."its a butt warmer". Talk about booty.

Cantaloupes, now that reminds me of a story, of a young lad pretending to be a jet fighter, if only Uncle Bill had Dad’s bra collection instead of cantaloupe rinds from the garbage. On another note, I found my dark blue bra, the one I was assuming was stolen last Memorial Day weekend or was it 4^th of July, its all still a haze. Anyway I found it, behind the filing cabinet in my laundry room; it did not end up in some perverts bra collection or a pawn in some horrible family prank.

Anyway back to bra’s…I mean shopping. W found bargains the perfect Alaskan spring garb, t shirts and sweaters, all on sale, but the best bargain was a $36 skirt for 3 bucks!!! (Still not better then my $60 jeans for $7.98) The skirt was orange but hey if she’ll wear it. I also found some cool stuff, most of it I put back when T Decided she wanted it. My girls and I are reaching that time, that time that I can start wearing their cloths. T is in juniors now; I love her sweatshirt collection and now her new t-shirt collection. My middle girl child just moved into a women’s shoe size, so soon, my shoe collection will double. Rose with those big feet, she will be a tall one, so just a few more years and I can wear her pants. I can’t wait….hee-hee….I know, “the borrowing” goes both ways, so don’t burst my bubble.

YET THEY WON’T BLOG

Okay, so I have a few in-laws, you know who you are, out there that are leading very exciting lives, YET THEY WON’T BLOG! Why, I say?

I need a few answers about what the rumor mill is saying…

• info on the Iditarod Trail, and what it is like riding it on a snow machine. Pictures would be nice.
• info about being mentioned on the Rush Limbaugh show.
• info about being interviewed by a comedian.
• info about being interviewed, while on the Iditarod Trail.

Anything else I should know????HUH????

Torn Meniscus

T’s Meniscus is torn in two places and her MCL is sprained. A new orthopedic surgeon, will look at her knee on Monday. Typically they treat this with bracing on rare occasions, like when someone isn’t able to bear weight, they will do surgery. T is a special case so who knows what will happen. Tomorrow, she will go to get fitted for a new knee brace and we will see what happens on Monday. As we discussed the result of the MRI with Botox Doc, he slipped in there that her bone mass was not what it should be. If you did not know, your bones need exercise also. We get it in everyday life walking, jumping, running, the impact when we stomp helps strengthen our bones. T hasn’t been getting that….6 more weeks off her feet. ACKK!!!

Luckily, the wheelchair is being “grown” tomorrow, so at least if she is sitting, it is in a good position. Yes, we have to grow her wheelchair. Spring to us not only means getting bigger cloths, shoes, bras, and jackets but also bigger wheelchairs.

Baby’s First

My baby had her first MRI, today. It looks like she tore something in her knee. Her right knee (the one we have been fixing) is swollen, she is having some pain, and she cannot put any weight on it.

We took her cast off last Monday and started using her new leg brace. By Wednesday night it was swollen. Thinking the brace was too tight, causing the damage, we quite using the brace and started treating the swelling. Friday night it was no better, and all of the stretch we had gotten with the casting is gone. I am kicking myself for not getting her in to the doctor that Friday.

Today I called the Botox Doc, the swelling hasn’t gone down so it wasn’t the brace, how could she of hurt it when it was protected with the by the brace, her leg was perfect after we took off the cast so it has to be the Botox. By the time I got an appointment, I was thinking the Botox was festering in her leg.

Botox Doc sat on her foot and could move the bottom part of her leg away from the kneecap. He ordered no weight bearing, elevated leg, Advil, X-rays, and a MRI. We made a follow up appointment for Wednesday. He will take a look at results and if it is to bad he will get her in to see a ortho doc tomarrow. Two steps forward three steps back…

Oh yeah …today was the day she was supposed to be born.

Summer Home

This is my summer home, I am glad to see it is still standing; I can’t wait to get it clean out and get it ready live in again. Last summer we went down and stayed for the 4^th of July, when I pulled into camp after dark I was met by the host, brother bear, he told me that the bees had moved into my home. When I finally found a flashlight, I also found 100’s of dead bees; I can’t wait to find out what’s in there after a long winter.

Left to Right - My Camp, Fire Pit/Cemteral Camp, Big Brother Bears camp (behing the green truck), buffalo butt sister (under the blue tarp), Moose's Camp (not shown)

When we were kids, my father had just retired from the Navy and was in the process of relocating us to Homer. As the details of the housing arrangements were still being made, we spent the summer in the Steelhead Campground in Anchor Point. It was quit amusing, every two weeks the park rangers would come to chase us out; he would tell dad that we were only allowed to stay in our camp for two weeks. So every two weeks dad would hook up the trailer and move it to the next camp spot, two feet away. After two weeks he would move us right back again. I remember, once he went to move it and found someone had stolen the tow ball from his truck, I believe it was the park ranger, he was going to get us kicked out one way or another.

I met my first Homer friend on the river; we would hang out on the banks of the river and watch the fishermen clean their fish. After they would leave, we would collect the roe and the sperm sack and try to make our own fish. We had all sorts of specialized equipment like play pots and pans, spatulas, and an answering machine beeper (remember those?). When she wasn’t around, I was with my siblings catching salmon fry or making new camping inventions like wood bins.

One cloudy foggy day, the campground was empty, and everything was so quite. My younger brother and I were playing outside when my older brother came strutting (cause that’s what a cool freshman does) out of the camper. I instantly found something else to do, bug my hero. I found out he was on a mission, to find out if he cold walk to the mouth of the river. My younger brother and I instantly begged to come along. As he walked away quickly, he yells back for me to tell my parents. So what so I do, I start running to catch up and yell back to my young brother to go tell mom and dad.

We had a wonderful adventure, we found that we could not walk all the way to the mouth and ended up back on the beach road. But along the way we found Chocolate Lilies, beach grass, and several new swimming holes. I was so happy to be just hanging out with my brothers we talked and played, not one fight erupted.

When we finally made it back to camp, three or four hours later, we were in trouble. Mom and Dad figured I had gone with Mr. Cool, but they had not figured my Baby brother was with us. With the river so close, they feared the worst. Big brother blamed me I blamed baby brother….we were all stuck at camp after that; everyone but Miss (pretend to be) Goody Goody.

This was the same year I learned about Marijuana. One day, at breakfast dad was looking in the trash for some aluminum foil to recycle as a drip pan for the bacon, as he un-crumpled a good size piece; he found a green leafy substance. The two older kids were immediately called into the trailer and I and my younger brother were exiled, without breakfast. The interrogations began, as I listened as best I could, I could hear Marijuana, I heard drugs, I heard denials, and I heard someone blame the 5 year old baby brother. As it turned out it was baby brothers weed stash….of PUSHKY (cow parsnip that’s what big city folk call it).

Too Nice

I really am too nice. Yesterday, we went to sell cookies at Freddie’s today, when we got there, there was another troop setting up to sell. So I take my paperwork to customer service to tell them we were here, the customer service representative was already on the phone taking about GS so I sneak to the front of the line and tell her that we are also scheduled to be there and I have paperwork to prove it. She tells me since I have proof it I get the spot and that I need to kick the other scouts out and send then to the Northern Lights store where nobody was yet.

As I walk up to their cookie booth, it looked like they were packing up, as I ask if they needed help packing up, I thought they were already moving to Northern Lights. The Father volunteer practically jumped down my throat. “We were scheduled here since January” he tells me. I calmly reply, telling him my story, the council told me the troop who originally signed up to sell here canceled, and I scheduled this last Monday. I showed him my paper work and told him that since I have the paperwork; it was rightfully ours and asked him what he would like to do. “We scheduled in January” that’s all I got out of him. Then the leader came back, once again I explained the situation. After it was all said this, is what I got out of it, when they showed up and another troop was setting up, it was the troop that cancelled. They were quickly chased away.

I decided not to kick the second troop out, they were already unloaded and set up, my cookies were still in the car. Their Girls were younger and who could resist Brownies, also the Freddie’s at Northern Light is Closer to home, and I was pretty sure it would just be me Rose and T all day, so notifying other parents wasn’t an issue, I hope. So I took the honorable GS way, loaded T back into the car and left to go back across town.

We pull into the new store 20 minutes after our designated time; I unload T, causing her get amount of pain. Her knee is all swollen and bruised from the cast or the new brace I really do not know, but she is NOT on her feet and moving her leg is near impossible without pain. Anyway, I unload T and have Rose grab the box of stuff to “decorate” our table. First thing we see when we get there is a cookie booth. I head straight for Customer service. Come to find out, once again, I was the third troop to show up. As I left, all I could say is “I AM TAKING THIS TO COUNCIL.”

I didn’t want to sell cookies anyway, but this means yet another weekend of cookies, next week.

T, Rose, and I ended up going out to breakfast. We called JD at work to see if he and Byrd (his apprentice for the day) wanted to join, but they couldn’t. They were late getting to the job site, because our furnace isn’t working. What a mixed up day.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day…

...I wore my green.

I have anther family member with a blog up and somewhat running, she is still trying to get everything laid out. The other day she had a really rough day at work, you really have to read it. I am impressed with her writing and look forward to more.

Band Fesitval

Tonight’s, entertainment was T band festival. There were sixty 6^th grade students, from seven schools. The Clark Middle School Band was there and the Bartlett High School band/symphony (they had some fancy word for it). It was really interesting to see the levels of talent, to see the growth. T was so excited to play with other saxophones, they did a fine job. They even got a standing ovation. I was also very impressed with the ROTC’s opening flag ceremony, after they presented the colors, the High School kids played the national anthem, and as they dismissed the colors the Junior High kids played the Alaska’s anthem.

I think the flag ceremony was Byrd’s favorite part; she has participated in many flag ceremonies, but has never seen how precise it is supposed to be done. Speaking of flags....

Shana's Project (I would Link her but her site isn't working, and it is not the work of a Dinker - the middle red row is my work)

Byrd was also very excited to be sitting on the same bleacher row as Miss Alaska, at the concert. You see, for Dr. Seuss’s birthday, two weeks ago, the school had a “Read In” they invite important people to come in and read to the classes, Miss Alaska read to Byrd’s class. Side note- T was a guest guide; she got to show the readers around and make sure they stayed on schedule. - Anyway, Byrd came home that night bragging she that she met Miss Alaska, then she found out she was the granddaughter of Miss Homer…the whole school knows now. It reminds me of when I was young, the excitement, and the bragging rights (see I still am bragging) of being the daughter of Miss Homer. I remember sneaking in her room and trying on her tiara, or climbing in to the closet and wrapping my self in the fur coat she won, dreaming of being Miss Homer, myself.

PS - Dad-I would like mom's Miss Homer picture, I could scan it in from the Christmas novel but you must have it already digitalize.

Nothing

So, so, so, so, so, so, so …..Hum, hum, hum, hum, hum, …What to say ...something divine, enlightening, something that will wow you and keep you coming back for more………Awww... I got nothing….

PS- It was great to be able to read, it is about time you all post.

Week In The Life

Choir Concerts, Band Concerts, Night in the Pacific, Cookies, AWANNA Games, Poetry Club, Art Club, Girl Scouts, feild trips….the list is never ending, this is my social life. It seems as if my children have taken over my social life, any that I might have had. I have been hearing about adults taking cabin trips, sledding trips, vacations, and adult date nights, but when I hear about them it is usually to beg me to take over what ever project they have double booked.

It must be the age of my children, these people doing these things either have young kids that have no social life yet, or couples with older kids so they can just leave them to fend for themselves. I just find it all so curious how life changes and that everyone, although we have many things in common, are all at different stages in life. Yes, I am jealous, but not unhappy. The only real problem I have with it all is that there is really nothing to Blog about. Unless you want to hear…

Last, Thursday night we went to “The Night in Pacific" at the school, it was awesome, the girls sang in the choir, very moving. Rose and her class told a Hawaiian legend, using shadow puppets. They had several performers, the kids in enjoyed listening to the Didjeridu, you have to have great talent to use a hallow log as a Kazoo. Maybe, that artist and Brat-knee could have a Kazoo off? And after the concert, they had games, art projects, and a lot of hands on project for the families to do. Before the concert there was a potlatch dinner, guess who we sat by, Sean Krik (sp) and his girls.

Friday night, JD took the Rose and Byrd, to the AWANNA games. Their team took first place. JD said Byrd did not enjoy herself at all, until she received her metal and her leader told her she could be her helper for the rest of the year. Oh yeah, another Homeriod spotting, I don’t know if any of you remember Jesse Quinlin, well, JD met her nieces.

Cookie booth sales went great, all day Saturday. It went SO good that the parents want to do it again. I gave them information and told them to have fun. I still have two more to do this weekend…YUCK.

I went to a scrap booking party with Chelsea’s mom, on Sunday. Something I have NEVER wanted to do, scrap booking. It seems so time consuming and expensive….I came home wanting to buy some stuff. See what happens at these things.

Yesterday, I spent the day at Marlowe Manor, the old folks home, Rose and T, had a choir field trip. They once again were awesome, the old people loved them. After, we went to Carrs and they sang in the deli. The garbage men that were eating lunch there did not appreciate it, but by the time they ended a crowd had gathered. I think rose thought it was a comedy act, or maybe she really feels the music, which one, I am not sure, all I know is she is all hand and facial expressions. After finishing a song at “The Night in Pacific", she waved the applause in with her hands, as she mouthed "Thank you Thank you , I know, I am so good", I hope JD got it on tape.

T got her cast off and got a new leg brace. After a short break, we will start the left leg.

Today, I help Byrd prepare for the Girl Scout meeting she is leading tomarrow night. Eat Right Stay Healthy is our topic, I have prepared for this badge several times in the past, It really amazed me that Byrd has taken it in a whole different direction. She really is concentrating on vitamins and minerals, instead of the food pyramid. She has her lesson plan all made up, she called all the girls and had them bring something and she was quit disappointed when she found out I had already bought the rest of the materials. OOPS, I guess she wanted to shop also.

Well, even if you didn’t want to hear it, at least it is all written down so it will not be forgotten.

More Cookies Anyone?

Since every aspect of life right now( including my blog world), includes mass quaintly of sweetish style delights, that accompany several not so sweetish little lasses, as we try to pawn them (the sweetish delights, not the lasses) off on unsuspecting consumers that only ran to the grocery store for the diapers their young one so needed. Yes I am once again taking Cookies.

Girl Scout cookies started as homemade shortbread cookies. We now call them Trefoils and they are currently made by two manufactures; Little Brownie Bakers and ABC Bakers. Little Brownie Baker is our current supplier. Go check out their sites, there are some vast differences.

Another interesting fact is the Samoa’s have been on the market for 36 years and in Alaska the sales are equal if not greater, than the Thin Mints. I don’t remember them as a kid but I do remember when the Mints were two cookies with mint between them.

Cookies sales, can sometimes be a scary scene, there are many overzealous cookie mom’s out there. I know one leader that holds on to all the best sellers, until the last minute, then she will SELL them to other girl scout troops when the run out. By Selling them to other troops her troop gets the money and the credit. You could ask… why would a troop do that? In most instances, the other troops are forced to buy, if they are out of Samoa’s and Thin Mints most customers will turn away. You need the popular cookies to get rid of large stocks of non-sellers. There have been instances of fights between troops, because someone sold cookies outside of their Service Unit area, yet there are no rules of where you can sell, just that you may not sale them online.

Theft is also a problem, the number of uncollectible checks alone, is enormous. A few years ago I knew a leader that took off with $8,000 worth of product or money. I have also heard that one year a leader had a fire in her garage, burning $5000 of product and cash, sad story… until the next year when the same leader had someone break into her home, the crooks only happened steal the cookies. I just recently heard of a troop who sold $40 worth of cookies to a lady, she paid with a fake $100, and one year a case of cookies were stolen from a booth sale.

People don’t realize that the Girls buy their stock of cookies, if something is stolen, money is lost, cookie sales are down, or if one girl doesn’t turn in money, it could mean all of the troop’s profits. While 75% of the sales go to Girl Scouts in some way shape or form the troop receives just over 10%. The other 65% goes to GSUSA, the local council, the service unit, prizes, scholarships, and camp credits. The majority of Girl Scouts funding comes form cookie sales. Juliette Lowe was a smart lady; she found a way to fund a national organization on volunteers and child labor.

We (as in me) have conducted our own marketing analysis; we have found that we must target all consumers. With homosexual women ages 30 to 60, cookies seem to be purchased to help support their still ongoing saga of woman’s liberation. With single males 35-60 sales vary year to year, this demographic profile sales tend to be one of the toughest sales, these sales tend rely on whether a single gold band is placed on the sales chaperone hand. If a band is present sales tactics must harden. These figures also seem to fluctuate with the sex appeal level of the current sales chaperone. People on strict diets or weigh loss plans must also need coxing in to purchasing, as the adverting for reduced fat and 0g trans fat, have increased.

Our number one consumer, though, is older males ages 60 and over. Most often they purchase cookies against doctor’s orders - psychiatric study has shown it gives a sense of self, a boost, if you say, by defying authority and daring death. It I still unknown if they purchase it as the only chance they have to talk to pretty young ladies, or if it is truly an addiction. Since the rise of Viagra, sales, the sales of cookies to this demographic group have dropped dramatically. As we are currently studying this trend, we are still in debate on the cause. Most likely it is due to the fact that with their fixed income, money that once went to support local charities and religious tithe is not going towards recreational pharmaceuticals, such as Viagra.

To overcome some of our marketing issues we have resorted to asking people to buy cookies to donate to Kids Kitchen in the name of our long lost Brownie, Chelsea, and making up tall tales about T being attacked by a bear at GS camp resulting in a large wound, several broken bones, and the cast, we are now raising money to send her back to camp, as part of her emotional therapy.

Things I Find On My Camera Phone

Thinking Day, February 24, 2006

Head Case - This one is turning into a comic.

What a Punk!

Should I worry?