Thursday, October 29, 2009

Good news

'Round here, it seems good news is typically accompanied by bad news. At least lately anyway.

My husband's job schedule has changed almost daily, it seems, since he left on October 19 to go to work on the rig. I've seen him once since then, and was sick with a stomach virus and fever for the 18 or so hours he was at home. He was supposed to, like, for sure come home this Saturday, but I found out today that that isn't going to happen either.

I don't know when he'll be home.

It's hard, but I am managing. We've done the 2-weeks-on, 2-weeks-off thing before, and I think this time around will be easier. I told him today that I think our relationship is being tested. I refuse to be tempted with anger and frustration, to be mad at him for something he cannot control, or to be crippled with sadness. I've been down that road before, and it's only like taking one step forward and two steps back.

This time is going to be different. We are strong people. We have a strong relationship. It will get better. We will endure.

This, too, shall pass.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Tree, Round, Er, 347?

Because so many of you have been asking about my tree painting lately... I mean, in my head you've been asking about it... I've decided to post the final product.

Like any good artist (because I know exactly what that means!), I tweaked and tweaked and changed it up until I felt like it was juuuust right. For a grand effect, I will re-post the most recent before picture here:


And the after pic:

Dunh, dunh, dunh..... !


Let's face it, the tree without a trunk is just not that realistic.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

No more playing fetch in the house!

It's official. I have nothing else to talk about other than my dog. Actually, it's a pretty embarrassing story. You see, sometimes, as parents - because let's face it, I consider myself one - we allow our children to do things that under normal circumstances we wouldn't let them do. It's just, I had a long day and well, I'm tired and I want to put my feet up and rest awhile. Sorry, buddy.

So I give a dog a ball.


We usually only play with balls outside when we're playing fetch; otherwise, they turn into pieces of balls, if you get my drift. But sometimes, it's worth the peace and quiet. That is, until said puppy comes to you with those big, brown, puppy-dog eyes and spits the ball out onto your lap. Then, you just have to play with him.

(INSERT CLEVER LINE HERE ABOUT GOING OUTSIDE TO PLAY FETCH.)

So, you pick up the ball and throw it across the floor a few times. Then you get brave and begin throwing it down the hallway. And you're thinking, "Great; it's a win-win. Dog gets exercised and I don't even have to get out of my chair! I'm so awesome!" Until.


The sconce with the candle that was once hanging on the wall...

Is now broken into pieces and beyond repair on the floor.

And the poor, innocent little puppy who just wanted someone to play ball with?

I think the picture says it all.

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Not Me! Monday

Goofy things I've done - or shall I say haven't done - this week, starting with:

In an attempt to squirt ketchup from the bottle into the bowl directly in front of me where my uncooked dinner was being made, I did not tip the bottle to the side at the same time that I squeezed the bottle, causing ketchup to squirt out not only onto my shirt, but also right in between my toes. Because I am not lazy, I would never have allowed my dog to lick the ketchup off of my toes so that I did not have to risk getting my flip flops ketchupped while removing my feet to wipe them.

I did not attempt to mow our two-weeks-old-or-more grass at dusk, with the neighbors coming out of their houses wondering what kind of crazy person mows in the dark?! After finishing the front yard and starting on the back yard (it's by all means dark then), I most certainly did not quit during the first lap because I don't know how to put gas in the mower and it had died. On top of all that, when my husband returned home, he did not jokingly tell me that I can't mow worth a crap.

While paying bills, I did not write "9/30/02" on one of the checks only to realize 5 minutes later what I had written. Not only did I not absentmindedly write "02," but I also did not stare at the date and question why my "09" looked like an "02." I would never write a date seven years behind! I used to be a reporter, for crying out loud!

In a futile attempt to hang curtains, I most certainly did not drill... I mean, poke, more holes in the wall, all while not drilling the screws into the wall because it was too hard. After the futile attempt, in which I did not lose my temper, I also did not tear up for feeling so unempowered as to not be able to drill holes in the wall to hang curtains. Boy am I glad no one was home for that one.