Morning.
Need caffeine. Not enough sleep.
Nava, would you like to arrange a Top Secret Assassination for SiL? I can send some Husbands over. The ninjas.
Upgraded ram… Oh, I get it.
Slow brain this morning, and caffeine is only marginally helpful.
Why, oh why I am I so freaking busy this month? January is supposed to be the lull before the storm - but this January I am plowed under. 2 nights a week out late at some superintendent’s advisory committee or another, bid packages to put together and then bid out, reorganization plans to futz with…
I need a nap.
See y’all later, after I get back from - guess…go on -guess…
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Another committee meeting. This would be the District Discipline Committee. I’m gonna have to apply some discipline to whatever clown keeps putting me on these stupid committees.
I’ll keep the offer in mind, thanks.
It’s almost a pity they won’t get physical. I could tape the catfight and put it up in youtube. Much more interesting than mere verbal daggers…
Does the Jungle Room come with Elvis–pre-Army Elvis? If not, I am not interested…
That is a truly appalling hotel. There is a hotel similiar to that in Champaign-Urbana; I think it’s called the Lincoln. It doesn’t have wallpaper; it has wall-clothe–an elaborate floral design in deep mauves, greens, purples and creams. There is stucco everywhere that isn’t er, clothed. The beds have half-testers, of the same print as the walls, so that your sense of balance is impaired. The carpet (wall to wall) is a different pattern from the walls–do NOT take hallucinogens when you stay there.
Tupug --I am so sorry for your loss, but so glad that your mom was there and that it was a peaceful end. I know you will miss him terribly. How are your kids now? Come back after the services and tell us --if you want to.
It’s COLD outside today. FYI: anyone who is sick of winter can send it this way. I figure that might raise the temp a smidge. I want snow and 20s–is it too much to ask of the Old Broad? Guess so.
Off to fill Rx and then PAINT. Oh, and the doc asked me if I was menopausal (I am 44), then said I was 45 --NO, I’m 44–and then also said that my right shoulder pain was bursitis. Instead of painting, I might go check out nursing homes…
Good Hump Day to all!
Nava - The Sims on Barbie, Tarantino … these are manageable. Divine, though, that’s frightening. I’m having Polyester flashbacks, now – with the Smell-O-Vision cards. Thanks.
Some of the rooms in that Madonna Inn are indeed painful. They may even make baby Jesus cryand will definitely cause retinal burn-in. That “what’s left” room should have been called the “Psychedelic TV Test Pattern Mardi-Gras Pride Parade at Willy Wonka’s in Munchkinland room.” No drugs required. Just stare into the curtains and try not to eat the bathroom tile. Eye bleach nothing – this needs a sand blaster.
Puggy - I’m sorry for your loss, but at least he passed in relative peace surrounded by those he loved. Frankly, you couldn’t ask for much more than that in the final moments. We should all be so fortunate.
Swampy - Congrats on the hires! It’s always good when things just kinda fall right into place. I’ve been spot-hired a few times in my life. From my side of the table it’s always great to know I impressed well enough to convince the interviewer that I’m really the one they’re looking for. From the employer’s side I’d wager it’s nice to know they’re finally done with the damn interviews. 
Good morning, I am up and caffenating. i am going to clean alittle, and then go to work. it’s nice and chilly, 30 degrees F today.
meli, I am sorry about your pup.
Good morning, all. I finally am feeling semi-human today and am actually getting some work done, so I suppose I should get back to it. That’s about all the excitement from here, anyway, other than cringing over the various Madonna Inn rooms. Or looking at kitties online. The kitties definitely help take away the pain of that What’s Left room!
Morning all. I am doing okay, just feel pretty tired out. Wanna hear/read something spooky? The dogs wanted out bad about a half hour ago so I opened the door and we all went into the back yard. I have several large old oak trees out there and they were full, FULL of robins. Hundreds of robins flitting and chirping through those trees. We rarely see robins here as we are kind of off the beaten path for the return trip up nawth. Maybe we’ll see a group of ten to twenty of them here and there briefly…but not hundreds. I don’t believe in signs but it was lovely to see them all and to take comfort that Dad is now “free as a bird.”
There’s a lot of stuff to take care of still. We had a bit of a scare with his cremation contract. The original company sold and the bonding company gave the wrong information to my sister about the company that now has to honor the contract. It got sorted out finally. We have decided that we aren’t going to do a formal service as there are no people who would attend except us children and it would be a needless expense. Instead we will have a funeral mass said at the catholic church he attended and a private family memorial at home. I will be keeping Dad’s ashes up until Mom goes and we can decide then what to do with them.
Mom is doing as well as can be expected but she is understandably scared about how she is going to make out. We will deal.
meli, I know how much it hurts to put down a beloved dog. It’s really hard to get through but you will. Hang in there.
jahdra…yuk! Just…yuk!
nava, I’m guessing mom doesn’t let on to SIL that she’s feeling used but only vents to you.
Thank you all again for caring.
Tupug
Puggy maybe your dad sent you a bunch of chirping pretty robins to cheer you up. I’m sure you couldn’t help but smile watchin’ em flit around and chirp. I like the ideas for his memorial. A mass said at church sounds like it’s something he’d like and you all get to have your on private memorial as a family. Glad everything worked out ok with the cremation contract. As morbid as it all sounds, I check up on things like that from time to time just to make sure everything’s jake with it all. Glad you’re holding up so well. Mom will need you more now. So, use us to vent, rant, rave or just grumble if you need to. We’ll lend you our ears (well, eyes really).
I’m a bad influence. Someone else is giving notice today and she told me I inspired her. 
Now I have a guy who needs 30 notarizations done. I’ll be busy here for a while.
Here’s a little pick me up pic for everybody:
“We are not domesticated, we are civilized.”
Awwww!
Am just now composing my course syllabus - for Comp 101 (I think someone asked upthread - sorry for the late response, I’ve been a bit scattered as of late). This is for a class I’m taking ('Teaching in the Community College"), not teaching (not yet, anyway). I’d rather compose a syllabus for “Intro to Literature” but our prof tells us that community colleges are more interested to see that we’re able to teach the bread-and-butter courses, as he puts it. I also have to write a teaching philosophy statement, which I wasn’t aware of until this morning - and my class is at 3pm today, so I’m in a bit of a rush (which is why I’m killing time in the MMP, of course).
I see Madame Maggie having her morning cuppa and biscuits. I trust you were prompt in preparing and serving it doggio.
{{{Pugs}}} I’m sorry for your loss. You and your family are in my thoughts.
My church did a cool volunteer thing last night. We went here and packaged food that gets sent to starving children around the world. The food is a formula that was designed by General Mills, Pillsbury, and Cargill that has all the nutrients a 5-yo needs for a day. Volunteers put dried chicken/vitamin powder, dehydrated veggies, soy protien, and rice into a bag and then seal it. The site I went to is open 12 hours a day 6 days a week and has volunteers scheduled for most of those times. (Our chuch couldn’t get a Saturday time until March.) They’ve sent out 5 million meals this year. It was really interesting. They’re going to be opening a new location in the Chicago area so if anyone from that region is interested in a good volunteer opportunity for a group or organization, I’d recommend looking in to it.
Wow, I started this post at about 10:00 (CST) this morning… guess I’d better hit submit before it gets any later.
taxi that’s a great thing that organization (and you) are doing. However, I am so going to hell cause the first thing that popped into my mind was… “Kiddie Chow!” I am so ashamed.
Swampy, save me a seat. My first thought was “what a great idea - Kiddie Chow.”
Thai House for dinner - my librarian friend is going out of town for the weekend so I will be cat sitting for her. The income from that, plus the payment for the drug study, means I will be in the running to get one of Connor’s game worn jerseys at the end of the season!
{{{{{{Pugs}}}}}}
I am so sorry to hear of your loss, but releived to hear that he went peacefully and with his wife by his side.
[blushing]Awww shucks[/blushing]
gt, I’ll find out tomorrow whether or not I am going to be on track for grad school starting next academic year. If not it will only be a delay of one semester (still very annoying but not unmanagable).
More bad news in the car department for me. I got a call from the shop around lunch today and they told me that the repair was going to be $500, significantly higher than what it was initially supposed to be since they found several leaks in my coolant system. A few minutes later I get another call from them and find out that it has gone up again as they found that my head gaskets are shot (whatever those are) and it will cost $1000 to fix, which is about the worth of the car (perhaps a bit more). So I tell them to forget it and now I need a new car.
Luckily my parents have an old car that they no longer use (actually they were getting ahold of people today to sell it, so the timing is good) that they are willing to lend me until I can find something new (well, used to be more acurate). sigh I am starting to see what people mean when they say it is hard to get ahead.
Congratulate me, people. I actually – get ready for it – went to the gym this afternoon and exercised! Mind you, it was doctor’s orders, to get my leg muscles as strong as possible before my surgery; I have permission to take extra pain meds, if need be, but by putting on a strong knee brace and not pushing myself on the elliptical (although I did a comfortable 30 minutes, which was a very pleasant surprise indeed – I guess I didn’t lose all the conditioning I had before my knee got so bad!), the knee actually didn’t hurt anything like as much as I feared it would. So I am very pleased. Now I need to do this at least three times a week till surgery, and then back again as soon as I’m allowed. I’d like to lose 40 pounds and, even more important, feel more energetic and healthier again. I hate hobbling around like an old woman. Even if the calendar is suggesting that I’m definitely working on becoming that very thing.
Yay Tigs! Gotta get those legs in shape for that bionic knee.
{{{{Puggy}}}} - I can only echo everyone else. It’s been 4 years since my dad died, and I still miss him a lot. I wish you and your family strength and peace.
Well, ScruffyDog seems to have made herself a place, although part of her place seems to have been Brandy’s place - specifically, the orange recliner where Brandy was wont to sleep… Last night Brandy bunked with us, so I’m guessing her former bed had dog cooties.
We had a laugh as we were going to sleep. We were in bed and had just turned off the TV, and the only light came from a light down the hall that is on a timer. All of a sudden, I saw a black fuzzy head bouncing up and down as she tried to get into our bed. Fortunately, it’s too high for her, so she gave up and went back to the living room. Shortly thereafter, Brandy was on FCD’s pillow, complaining.
And when I got home from work, there was no blood or pee or poo in the house, and both dogs were ready to go out, where they did their respective things. So ScruffyDog is house trained - yay! And she’s got an appointment with the vet on Friday. **FCD ** is going to ask for a groomer recommendation, since she’s sorely in need of de-matting by a pro. I’m too afraid of hurting her. Once she’s properly groomed, I can maintain it, but she’s a mess and I’m not willing to take it on just yet. Anyway, more pics when she’s beautified!
Congrats on the knee, MamaTigs!! My MIL got a new one - or was it 2? - and she’s just as thrilled as she can be. Plus you’ll get a cool scar out of the deal! YAY!