The Milk Report

Oh the humanity....... "Oh look, you'll let me take your picture with props!" How humiliating..... However, I am pretty damn cute! She just better not try to dress me up. I still bite on occasion.

Life has been pretty busy for me since my last report. More and more birds at the feeder, people moving stuff out of the building, it's gotten a LOT quieter around here in the last week. Some fellow who looked like Santa stopped by yesterday. Mom didn't seem to like him much, and although I have been running up to greet everyone at the door I steered clear of him. She did sort of a shiver dance when he left and used her potty words again. What does Landlord mean?

I have had a lot of visitors, and I have behaved quite admirably. I only tried to bite Papa once while he was roughhousing with me, and I have been very civil to Samantha the dog. She stayed with us for a few days again, but Mama sent her home because she seemed to miss that big lug. Shhhhh, I miss him too. I kind of like the guy. Don't tell him, his head is swollen enough as it is. A few days ago all of the children came to play with eggs, which seems kind of odd to me. I was nice and let them all see how cute I am, and pet me. Then I went about my own business. I didn't even bite the Tater child when she kept poking at me in the bed. Mom was busy and forgot to keep an eye on that kid. I also don't think that I make the boy child sneeze! He is very sweet to me, but they don't let him pet me much. I can't figure out what his name is. Pablo? Fred? TAFKAP? Diablo? Hey you? *shrug*

Happy Easter Milk Fans!! Whatever that means. :)

Aunt Dorothy's Eggs

The best Easter on record happened when I was about eight years old. I guess that would mean it was B.D. (before David) He arrived just after my ninth birthday. Mom, Dad, Grandma Lenihan, Kate, Jerry, and I all piled into the Volare wagon at o'dark thirty on Good Friday morning. The trip was uneventful. I remember stopping in Spooner to eat breakfast, and then in Black River Falls for lunch. We always stopped in Black River falls at the Perkins. Kind of our family tradition I guess. My Mom was big on traditions, and I definitely got that gene!

We arrived sometime in the afternoon, and of course were pleasantly surprised at the change in temperature in Madison (Oregon) WI. Jackets were tossed aside, not to be worn again until we drove closer to home on Monday afternoon. We piled out of the family roadster, to hugs (Aunt Dorothy) and tormenting (Uncle Joe), and then dragged our luggage up the "stairs of death" to the spare room upstairs that we would use. Kate and I slept on the bed and Jerry on the floor. Mom and Dad had a room up there too, and Grandma slept downstairs. I never understood why people build houses with narrow steep stairs to the second floor. You can never just zoom down the stairs, and I would think moving any furniture up them would be awful!

So many memories are flooding back from our Madison trips that it's hard to stay on track. I'll try to keep the rest of the description to just this Easter. We headed out to play, and our cousins came over for dinner. I remember playing games outside well after dark. The next day Johnny, and Mary Lee came over to color Easter eggs with us. Aunt Dorothy had boiled them that morning. How to describe my Aunt..... Five feet tall (if even) with a foot tall beehive hairdo, beer drinker, and her laugh is something else. There is no way you could hear it and not join in. I can still hear her, "Oh Joe, leave those kids alone." Actually, my Aunt is still with us and is back living in the Madison area amongst some of her boys. My Uncle sadly passed away several years ago while they were living in Utah.

Anyway, the egg coloring went as egg colorings do. Everyone had a certain amount of eggs to color so there was no fighting, and all went well. Until the end that is, and thank God it did happen. Johnny knocked one of the eggs off of the table onto the floor, and it broke, and it was NOT cooked. Apparently my Aunt didn't have a clue how to boil that many eggs. My Mom took over, tossing them all back into boiling water. The egg color came off every one of the eggs, and we got to color them again!!

I remember frilly dresses with cute bonnets, and no snow suits! I also remember hunting for plastic eggs on Easter morning, with all the grown ups watching over us. Then a big family dinner later in the day to round out the festivities. Simpler times, with people who are dearly missed. Within a few years my cousins Johnny, Mary Lee, and a younger sibling, Dehlia were taken away from their parents and adopted by others. We never saw them again. At the same time my Aunt and Uncle moved to Utah, and I saw them probably ten times over the next 20 years. That Easter though, and the uncooked eggs, is a story we tell every year.

Times change, and traditions have to change with them. It was a hard thing for me to accept when the first of my Grandma's passed on. I had no idea then how much our family would change and grow. The old makes room for the new, and while it can be difficult and at time's even heartbreaking, in the end it's all good.

Happy Easter!

A Rainbow of Goovers

That would be Aunt Ti-Ti on the left and Aunt Jenny on the right. From left to right it goes like this: Tater, Nana, CeCe Butt, Fred~the artist formerly known as Pablo, and last but not least Baby Easter Pig Nose. Auntie Pig nose is taking the pic, so she is not represented. :) That's ok. You know what I look like. I did get a hair cut the other day though. I can't really feel the difference because my hair is so thick, but when I tried to put it in a long glorious pony tail.... it was just a stump and I almost cried.

We colored eggs yesterday at my house. The older the kids get the more fun it is, because they take their time now, and are starting to get a little more artistic. Next year maybe I'll buy one of the cooler kits. Ashlyn and I used to play with those when she was 9 or so. (that would be the aforementioned baby Easter pig nose) Yesterday she asked me if I remembered the Easter when we tried to blow out the egg. I did, and then after the coloring, we dragged out the old albums and finally in the very last one we found the pictures. We also found the pictures of our Easter tea party, complete with dresses and hats.

Many times I've blogged about Ash being the light of my life, so she knows that. Finally I was able to point to something (the tea party pictures) and say there is an example. Ashlyn that was a horrible day in my life, and there you were with your tea set anxious and ready to play, so we did, and for awhile I was able to escape to a happier place.

Thanks for coloring the eggs for me, Goovers! They'll taste yummy all deviled up for Easter tomorrow. Can't wait for the big Easter Egg hunt!

The Hughitt Hillbillies!

♫ Banjo Music♫ Come and listen to a story 'bout some fine country folk, who moved into town and this really is no joke. They lived in the middle of a bustling city block, but they gathered in the backyard to burn things and to talk. Five foot fires that is, with lots of beer!

I must preface this by again telling you that I am a good neighbor. I do not meddle where my nose does not belong, however, if you shove your business right under my nose, at the very least I'm going to blog about you. At the very most I'll call the cops. :) (and yes, one of them did resemble the man over there <----- )

The house next door is your average middle class home. If I took a picture of it and posted it here it would appear that all was normal, and perhaps with the new neighbors there, it is. Although I only ever see them in the garage, and the basement lights are on all night long, but only at night....... I know this because they shine in my bedroom window. Perhaps fodder for a future blog, perhaps we'll all just have a nice summer........ is that really so much to ask???

Also, I am a big believer in live and let live, to each his own, and all that jazz. Again, when you keep it out of my space! If you want 35 junk cars, 50 foot bonfires, and all night out door drinking parties, go for it. In the country where you are not bothering anyone!! I spent a fair amount of time last summer drinking around a bonfire........ in the country where we weren't an issue to anyone else. Junk cars? Well there weren't 35, and they weren't mine, but they were definitely represented. :)

The hillbillies and I are/were separated by about 10 feet and a (thank God) fence. Most warm summer nights, work nights mind you, not usually on a Friday or Saturday night, they would throw some logs on the fire and start drinking.

#1 I am allergic to smoke.

#2 I don't want all of MY clothes and my home to smell like smoke.

#3 Hi, I work for a living! Can you tone it down by midnight? 5am and still partying is not acceptable. You are ten feet from my freaking BED.

#4 It's hot out and I want to open my #$@#$% windows!

#5 I can still hear your drunk rambling/fighting through my closed windows.

This went on for four summers. While the police arrived and broke things up several times, I actually only called once. The day the adults had passed out somewhere and the teenagers were drunkenly throwing fireworks into the five foot bonfire ten feet from my head, at midnight on a Tuesday. That time there were MANY fines doled out, and the fires stopped for the rest of July/August.

Last summer when I had my half day Fridays (let us all pause a moment and mourn the fact that I can't do that this summer) there they were.......no fire, but drinking beer sitting in a circle on the back lawn. SERIOUSLY? Again, I can hear every word, and I don't want to! I started calling that group "The brain trust." Apparently they all met around noon for an hour or so to drink and discuss hillbilly stuff. Or they just heard I would be home and decided to torture me......

By the end of last summer I was at my wits end with the sleepless nights and nonsense. I couldn't do anything to get them evicted, they owned the house. So I started planning and looking for a new place to live. Mind you I also had all the craziness from the people above me added to the mix.

♫ Then one day I drove up to my pad, and a for sale sign was next door, so it really ain't so bad!


It didn't take long for the house to sell, it's a nice house, and the general neighborhood is good. I sat in my car the day I saw that sign and just about cried with joy! I know I was yelling YES! YES! YES! Sometimes when I put things out into the universe it does go my way! Well, we'll see............

Miss Joanie's Neighborhood

♫ Won't you please, won't you PLEASE? Please won't you be my neighbor????? ♫

So now the odd people upstairs have moved out. There is peace in the building once again. How long can that last? *sigh* Probably not very long. The chances of more nonsense moving in are pretty much 90% I would guess. We now have me, Kari and her kids, and the elderly lady who is still in the hospital. Pretty quiet, mostly sane, definitely nobody showing up on a Sat afternoon with a baseball bat to scream at any of the three apartments. No one showing up yelling and screaming about being sold an ebt card without the pin number, and certainly no one doing drugs in the garage. Alcohol, well of course, but that's adults, in moderation, in their own home. ;)

I have to say, before I get into the rest of the neighbors, that I am a good neighbor. I will give you sugar, or foil (Kari) if you ask for it. I will mind my own business, and respect your privacy. I rarely poke my nose out of my window to see who's doing what, although that has changed some with all the craziness going on. I find that my first floor windows, with shades wide open tend to deter the crazy on the front lawn stuff. I understand that kids, and people, are going to make a fair amount of noise, just from plain living, and that's all cool. I will not complain about you to the landlord until I'm just about to kill you. That's to keep myself out of jail, not to be a tattle tale! (ha, that rhymes)

So, after the rain came down the M&M's left. Ryan and Ashley moved in, and they were fine. I always know where the neighbors upstairs are at any given time. I can't hear tv, or voices, but for some reason even the lightest footstep echos. They actually had a baby during the time they lived here, and I could only hear her if she really got revved up! Ugh, now that I'm remembering, I probably heard the headboard the night she was conceived. lol THAT noise carries.

The spring was pretty peaceful, but then In late May the leased tenant across the hall moved out, and left one of his room mates in the apartment. I think his name was Tom. All hell broke out on Memorial day weekend, with all three of the other apartments calling the Landlord. He actually came home from the cities on Memorial day and read Tom the riot act in the front hall. Then we all had a "come to Jesus" meeting with him to tell him how things were going to be. It was better after that.....until he and his girlfriend got the dog...... Maddy was her name. Winter came, and they NEVER cleaned up after her, not once. You could imagine the mess come spring. The landlord did make them clean it up. She wasn't a nice dog either, I dreaded meeting her in the back hall.

When they moved out, and older woman moved in. She was here about 6 months, then an older gent, and then Vie. So that apartment has been pretty good. When Ryan and Ashley moved out a single gal moved in, and so for about 6 months it was all peace on Hughitt Avenue. Ha, not really. Have I mentioned the Hillbillies? Well ♫ Listen to a tale bout a man name Jed ♫ They were my next door, own the house, neighbors....... and they were almost the straw that got me to move out of here. To be continued...........

The Big Lie

Before "The Rain Came Down" the building inspector had come to visit us on Hughitt Avenue. Of course I was at work, I'm always at work, so he didn't get in here. Other than the crappy flooring, and the lack of ventilation in the bathroom, there wouldn't have been anything to cite anyway. Like I said, I have the best apartment of the four. The other apartments had MANY serious infractions, and we all received notices that if Fred didn't fix them the building would be condemned and out we would have to go.

So fast forward to about two weeks after "The Rain Came Down." I get home from work one gentle April evening and there is a camera crew sitting across the street filming our building. I peek out the window, and call Kari. She and the M&M's come downstairs and we all peer out the front door. What the heck? Hmm.... maybe they heard about the rain coming down, and the slowness of the fix up, and are including Fred in an expose' on Superior's slum lords??? Quite possible.

One of the M's called Fox News (the station out there) and asked why in the heck they were filming her home??? The answer? The Hawaiian Drug Lord who lived there is coming up for trial. Kari called me with this information. I innocently said "Drug Lord? What are they talking about?" Yeah. The big lie. Oh, the people before you haven't been here long, they are moving out because of domestic abuse. The guy beat her up pretty bad.

How about this: A drug lord from Hawaii, the head of some group here in little old Superior, lived in YOUR apartment. He snatched this girl, the girlfriend of one of his cronies who pissed him off, and held her against her will, doing God knows what to her.....in your apartment.

So I'm glad that I didn't actually move right in here. Who knows who was lurking around, and for what purpose. I feel like there should have been some bad "vibe" in here, but honestly this is the most comfy, cozy place, and it has always felt like home. I watched the news that night. He is one scary looking M...F.... So I guess there have been worse neighbors in this building than the ones I content with. Who, by the way, are supposed to be out today. Who also came by last night to ask if I could take the cat. I feel bad, but because of some stuff that just came up yesterday, I can't take her. My responsibilities are to Milkie, and my family, and that's going to be a full plate for a few weeks. Plus Sammo is coming today and I could not imagine a new cat in THAT mix.

The Day the Rain Came Down

Part of me wishes that I had pictures of this event, and part of me knows why I didn't take them. My life was in such a bad place, and this little gem about tossed me into the coo-coo nest.

So....... I moved into the apartment in October, and besides the divorce going through and some forays into Internet dating that never went beyond the first (shudder) date, my life was pretty dull and quiet. That all changed one late March/early April morning, and even trying to write about it years later I'm starting to get upset. That fateful day I woke up at 6:30 am to the sound of a heavy rain falling. "Hmmmm, that sounds kind of loud." My sleepy brain could tell something wasn't right, so I stumbled out of bed and into the kitchen, where it became louder. I flipped on the light, and there in front of me, right over the stove was water dripping from the ceiling. A lot was coming down, but just in that spot. However, as I stood there, mouth agape, it started to travel across the ceiling towards me. I threw some sweats on, and ran up the back stairs as fast as I could!

Lets see, crazy neighbors in the house at the time: Above me in that apartment were the "M&M's" two nice enough college girls who's names both began with M. Can't recall what they were, and couldn't then either, thus they became the M&M's. Across from them were (and still are) Kari and her two kids, down below them resided the college boys..... yeah. That was the trouble spot during those days. Typical college stuff.

Anyway, back to the story. I ran up to the M&M's apartment and start banging on the door. M number one opens it after a bit. I can hear water running full blast. She was like "What?" I frantically told her to tell M number 2 to get out of the shower, (cause I can hear water running) something was wrong and my kitchen was leaking. At this point Kari pokes her head out to remind us she has children sleeping. M number 1 says. "M number 2 isn't even here." That is when all three of us noticed the river of water coming across the kitchen floor. In the words of Kari "OMG we are Fu..ed!" She blew past me and shut the water off, but it was too late. The problem stemmed from a hole in the pipe under the kitchen sink and a ton of water had already leaked out.

*Shaking my head* SO too late. Kari and I ran back downstairs, and my kitchen was leaking in several places. I quickly shut off the lights because they were filling with water. Kari ran up to call Ron, the maintenance man, and I called the landlord, who of course did not answer, so I left some sort of panicked message. Then I sat on my couch staring, listening to the water. I think I was in shock. I knew I should do something, but I couldn't think what. Towels just weren't going to cut it. After a few minutes I started bringing things from the counters out to the dining room table. When that was done I called work and said "Not coming in at the moment, but when the flood subsides we'll talk." We had a big Pre-K thing at WITC, and I didn't want to leave Jodie with the kids and a sub. I did actually make it in around 11:30. The clean up crew with landlord in tow arrived somewhere around seven. Fred owns a building company, so he has crews to handle these things if need be. They proceeded to punch holes in my ceiling so it wouldn't fall in. Water poured out by the gallons. I went into the living room and just sat, stunned.

By this time the bathroom ceiling was also leaking, but most of the damage was in the kitchen. Within days it was gutted down to nothing, studs on four walls, ceiling, and floor. The smell of wet wood, plaster, everything.........yuck! Workmen in the house off and on for the next SIX weeks. I had to keep Misty and Pepper in the bedroom at all times at first, and then during the day when the workmen were here. I asked Steve to take them, but of course the Stewardess was back, so he couldn't/wouldn't. Thanks there buddy. Appreciated that one. The cupboards were not harmed, nor anything inside, so they were in the basement and all the dishes, including my china, were on the dining room table. The fridge and microwave were also in here. The stove was still in the kitchen, but not usable. At first it was kind of like camping, by the end I wanted to strangle someone. (namely Fred) I did get a $25 gift card to the Hammond for "being so patient and not complaining." Did I get a rent break? No way Jose. Jackass.

What I did get was a brand new kitchen. I hated the flooring, it was old, gross, and coming up in a LOT of places. I wouldn't even let the kids play on it after I washed it. I also got new flooring in the little hall and the bathroom. I should be the poster child for "be careful what you wish for." I have to be very careful what I put out there into the universe. "Dear God, I hate this kitchen." God gave me a new kitchen. He also gave me panic attacks ever time I wake up in the night and hear rain coming down! :) OH, I should mention that the only thing of mine (besides my sanity) that was destroyed was a hand mixer.

The Apartment

This is not a scheduled blog. So much for being organized. It has come to the forefront due to recent activities by "the people upstairs." There is no way I can write this all in one shot, it's a blog, not a novel for Pete's sake! So we'll do it in sections. Don't worry, I intend to cover all the crazies, and the story of how I arrived here in this place, and why I stay.

Once upon a time, uh...hmmm.... five years ago this coming July 5th, I arrived on the front steps of this apartment building. I actually thought I was going to look at the one a few doors down, but here is where I landed. I had called so many numbers from the paper, and then wrote down a few while driving through the neighborhood, that I was confused. My fairly recent marriage was also ending, and I couldn't get out of that house fast enough, so that didn't help my state of mind much.

I woke up that morning to a phone call from the Landlord, his name is Fred. After a short discussion on allowing the cats, we agreed to meet at 10. Vicki just happened to be in town and because I wasn't in a clear thinking place I called her quick to ask her to tag along. She has a good head on her shoulders. Don't tell her I said that..... So she and I drove on over, took one look, and wrote a check. The apartment wasn't quite as nice (or half as clean) as it is now, but the "Day the rain came down." is another part of the story. There also was a frantic father inside at the time who was packing up his daughters things, and some clean up going on. I was told it was a domestic abuse situation. That was probably the single biggest lie I have ever been told. We'll cover that in "Drug Lord's from Hawaii."

I returned home and my x and I started canceling the phone, setting up new numbers, etc. when he tells me he wants to work on things. Mind you, he had given me the divorce papers, initiated by HIM a few days prior. *sigh* I should have walked out the door, but being the person I am, I decided to try. However, I have gotten a bit smarter as the years have passed, and I did not give up the apartment. So during the rest of the summer I would come here sometimes and sit on the dining room floor, just staring at the empty walls, trying to envision myself living here. As things got rockier I started moving boxes here slowly, just a few at a time. Nothing of great import, but progress. Then one day in October I found out some interesting information and started packing in earnest. I didn't even say anything to him, just let him find me amongst the boxes. I gave him the evil eyes, and that was it. He apparently wasn't brave enough to ask what, or why. The first night I slept in my new home, well.... it ended up being my first wedding anniversary. It wasn't planned that way, that's just the way it fell. Good times.....

I love this apartment. It is home, and it has always felt that way to me. It's cozy and comfy and just the right size. It fits just me. It fits me and a cat. It fits me and two cats. It even fit me, Leon, a large dog, and two cats. Heck, it fits my whole family on a holiday without too much crush. Oh, lets not forget the goovers. It fits me and the goovers just fine. They seem to like it too.

I just ran outside and took this picture. I hope the neighbors think I'm taking it of them for nefarious purposes! My home is on the bottom, right hand side. Awesome for moving things in and out, not so great having people above you, for several reasons which will follow in the continuing story! Lets see, apart from being roomy, I have a living room, dining room, large walk in coat/storage closet, built in hutch/pantry, small bathroom-with an awesome bubble bath tub, large kitchen that could be "eat in" if you squished, and one large bedroom with a very big closet. There is a (creepy)basement with washer/dryer (very expensive so I still go to Kate's) available, and a storage unit that I can not use because it is too damn nasty. Part of the basement looks like a concentration camp, ask Kate, she's been down there. *shudder*

The concept of renting is just so wrong to me. I bought my own home (mobile) when I was 23, and then ended up selling it when we moved uptown prior to marriage fail number two. Giving someone else money that I could be putting into my own place has always rubbed me the wrong way. However, divorce is not a time to be making other major decisions, and I really wasn't sure which way life was going to take me. So I rented. Divorce put me way back into debt, so I stayed. I'm also STILL not sure which way life is going to take me, and I'm not quite ready to put down permanent roots yet, but I'm getting there. While I figure it all out I have an apartment that is very cozy and comfy to do it in.

However........ with apartments, come landlords, and neighbors.......... to be continued.............

The Milk Report

Hello folks! This is a picture of me, taken just a few minutes ago. Mom is always taking my picture, because I am "too cute for words." I didn't appreciate the "geez you are really a fat cat" comment made while she was choosing which adorable picture of me to post...... the word diet is being thrown around again. Can't she just accept me the way I am? I like being "fluffy"!

Anyway, enough about her. This is my favorite perch. The birds come right to me to eat out of their feeder! So far I've seen house finches, and this pesky squirrel that is trying to find a way up to the feeder. I heard that last year he was spotted hanging by his toes, upside down from the middle of the shepherds hook, trying to get into the feeder that way. Very ingenious, I hope to see it myself!

I'm kind of on probation at the moment. Sort of, in the doghouse, if you will. On Friday night "she" was laying on my bed talking to her sister on the phone. I really wanted some food. I jumped up on her, which I rarely do, and she ignored me. I snuggled next to her, got a few pats, and then nothing. Then I moved down to her feet, and I hear "Milkie is being so cute. She usually isn't this cuddly." I wasn't trying to be cute or cuddly, I wanted her attention and some MORE FOOD! So she started absentmindedly rubbing me with her feet, which to me means "go time". Apparently she forgot what cat she was dealing with.......so I bit her. I have been so good about "no teeth" but I just couldn't help myself.

P.S. That woman has a mouth like a trucker. :)

The Guatemalan Thunder

Better known as: TAFKAP (The artist formerly known as Pablo) or Paul, as he likes to be called, or Fred.....which is what I actually call him. Confused? So am I!

This picture was taken of us today at his ninth birthday party. I am all red faced because getting him on my lap took a lot of wrestling around and laughing. His Mom wanted him closer to my face, but "I don't trust her." kept him at a distance. Smart kid. When he was about three or four he would never willingly kiss anyone, so I would do the old "Ish, I don't want any yucky kisses from him." trick, and he'd fall for it every time, covering me with his yucky kisses. :) Today I kept saying "I'm not going to kiss you Pablo", but if he had moved closer.......

My brother Jerry, and his wife Jenny adopted Pablo from Guatemala when he was two. I mean Paul. I just can't seem to remember that. He arrived on Thanksgiving Day. After we had our dinner Steve, Kate, Tom and I drove up to the airport to join the Peterson family in greeting our new arrival. There were many balloons, and presents, and one little two year old sound asleep on his Papa. He did open his eyes after we snuggled him into the winter jacket I brought up for him. Big beautiful brown eyes. He still has those. He's not so little anymore.

Where does the time go? It seems like just yesterday he arrived and became a part of our family. He and Hannah loved knocking around together at family functions, and they still do....just with Tater and CeCe close behind now. Being the only boy must be tough at times. He only has girls on the other side too.

The first birthday we celebrated with Paul was his third. We bought him a trike and a helmet. This time around he got a basketball game for the pool. Sometimes on hot summer days I will go over and hop into the pool and play crazy Pablo games to cool off. He makes up the games/rules and tends to change them as we go along. We also play Mario cart together, and he beats me every time. We do a little jamming with Rock Band. He is awesome at the drums......I am not.

Diablo, I mean Pablo....Paul, whoever this kid is, didn't speak any English when he came here, but he caught on quick. We would sit with a picture book on his bedroom floor and go over the pictures. For some reason the apple pic, and him saying "apple" sticks in my mind. He was so proud of his own name, I'm glad his parents decided to keep it. Whenever he met anyone new he would point to himself and say PABLO! extremely loud. Apparently they don't have volume control in Guatemala....... something that hasn't changed!

Like the other kids, there are so many Pablo stories. I'll do my best to describe one of the cuter things he did: He would put up his arm with two fingers up like the peace sign, and then curl the fingers and go "ssss....sssss..." like a snake at you. This happened a lot the first few days he was home. Everyone would laugh and say "how cute." Honestly if you looked at him, it was some Guatemalan way of telling you off. Which I found hilarious! Also, at his baptism, when the Priest was trying to put holy oil on his forehead Pablo held up a little plastic Elmo doll and said ELMO at the top of his lungs. Now that in itself isn't too funny, but picture someone holding up a cross to ward off something evil. Now change that cross to the Elmo doll......and that's exactly what it looked like.

A few weeks ago Paul won all five of the Pine Wood Derby races that his troop held, and today he came in fourth at the city wide race! Great Job! He'll be starting baseball in a few weeks, and I'm excited to see that! We've done swimming, soccer, flag football, and t-ball, so I guess baseball is what comes next!

So happy 9th birthday to our only boy! The Guatemalan Thunder formerly known as Pablo. It doesn't matter what you call yourself, I love you anyway. ♥ P.S. I still don't want your icky kisses. ;)

Just Me

My writing has slowed some, but my mind continues to race with ideas to blog. So much so that I have had to start an actual list of topics on my desk!

Today though, in this particular moment, I just want to focus on me. What's that? Yes, I know "The Queen's Corner" is all about me, and my thoughts, but this one is just about what's going on with me in this moment.

I am proud of myself. It must be about three weeks ago now, but I had a few very rough days. If you took all the pain of the last six months and stuffed it into me all at once, that would cover the way I felt. It was horrible, but what it really boiled down to, was a part of me fighting to get free, and a part of me not wanting to let it go. The stronger part of me, the me who is "The Queen of the World", the me I love, was finally able to push past the pain and nonsense to break free and take the reins, tell the other me to sit down, shut up, and let it go, and I am so thankful.

Now I'm not saying that I have multiple personalities, (ha, that would be a hoot) or even a split personality. With me what you see is what you get. You will probably only ever see "The Queen of the World." Not many are allowed past to the vulnerable side. That part of me that feels all the hurts, but also can love and commit to someone, unconditionally, with everything she has. When I can balance the two together, I'm an unstoppable force. When the scales tip one way or the other, well, that's where the problems start. I guess the key to being me is balance. Ha, that must be because I'm a Libra!

So here's to me, "The Queen of the World." Have I ever told you how I came by the title? Well, my Aunt Mary, whom I love and miss, was called "Queenie" by her family. My family christened me with it early in life. I took it as a compliment, and I always will. One day, while I was critiquing a random movie that my x husband and I had just seen he looked at me with exasperation and said "Who do you think you are? The Queen of the World?" I looked at him, smiled and said. "You finally get it." That was not the response he was expecting. :) He just sighed and walked away, while I laughed my head off.

So let the healing begin........ finally!

Vote!

So, I said I would never skip the poles (I'm going to leave that error........ yes, I know NOW that it's polls. It took me two hours of thinking about it to figure out what was wrong with the spelling, yes it has been a LONG day.) again, and I didn't. That's one thing about me, when I say I'm going to do something, or for that matter, NOT do something, I stick to it. You might get me to change my mind about the not doing something, but never on the "I will do something" front. I am a woman of my word. I like that about me.

So that's done. Hopefully Kloppenburg will win a Wisconsin Supreme Court seat, and Mr. Walker will understand that the majority of this state is not amused by his behavior. Perhaps Justice Prosser will also get the message. The mayoral race? Well..... I didn't like it. I almost (hand to God) wrote myself in. I suppose Mickey Mouse would have done just as well. I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best. What more can you do, other than run yourself, and O.M.G. nobody (including me) wants me to do that! My right wing nuts pals will be shocked to learn that I leaned in their direction this time. I just can't personally stomach the other guy, or his vision. God above, I hope I was right. Otherwise I will enjoy the water slides....... uh, not. I can't afford them. :)

So I hope you voted today, if that applies to you. It's your right, and your obligation. Don't complain about the outcome if you didn't take the time to make your voice heard. Apparently if you bring your sticker to O'Neil's (bar) it's BOGO (buy one get one). Who knew there would be bonus prizes??? Ha! ADIOS!

Holy Rainboots Batman!

Robin!

I saw my first robin of "Spring" 2011! It was 34 degrees outside, with a slow misty rain steadily leaking from a grey sky, but there she was perched on the back fence at Kate's house. Kate was walking though the dining room and spotted her sitting there. The robin was probably wondering why she calls this place home, like some of us are this week. I'm happy though, it was supposed to be 2-4 inches of s.n.o.w. I'll take the rain thank you very much.

I also saw two seagulls flying through Kate and Tom's backyard this afternoon, so psycho Superior Spring must really be happening. Old man winter has to be on the way back north if the seagulls are out. I also heard a lot of chirping outside of my own house today, even though it was raining and cold. The birds are definitely returning to northern Wisconsin.

Kate and I spent some time today planning an Easter egg hunt for the kids. Even at the end of April that kind of event is a crap shoot in this neck of the woods. Here's hoping for our sake, and the poor robin's that the weather shapes up by then!

Rude Awakening

Good morning..... I may not have mentioned that I am really not a morning person, although I am enjoying a good cup of coffee, a big breakfast, and the sun that is streaming through my living room windows. Milkie wishes you a good morning too, she's been up since 5 or so, bothering me off and on. She is perched at the bird feeder at the moment, and she's probably been asking me to open the window blinds for the last few hours. I was asleep, or trying to be. Why can't she just lift the blinds with her head like a normal cat?? The other two always just creeped behind them.

At 8 am the phone rang. Now, no one in my life is calling me on a Sat morning at 8am. They all know that rule. So I am awake and out of bed like a shot. "What's wrong with who now?" Grab the phone...... and it's Abdul from India with a credit card offer for my EX HUSBAND. Seriously??? Saturday morning, FAIL. Not only am I wide awake, but now I'm mad at him. Which is not rational, but works for me. Like my mother used to say when I was in trouble at school and told her I didn't do it. "Well, then it's punishment for all of the things she didn't catch you doing." Yes, that's right. My Mommy didn't call the principal, call the teacher, raise the roof, etc. She knew her child.......

So, what to do with this early start? Blog of course. I wish I could channel some of this writing energy into one of the projects I have lying around here. This appears to be the only thing that appeals to me at the moment, but it's writing, so I like it. :) I think 10 am is an appropriate time to wake my neighbors with the vacuum. I would like to do it at 5am, cause payback is a bitch, but there are two other neighbors (who I like) to consider.

Ashlyn is at her first JV soccer game today! It's an away game or else I would attend since I'm up already. Hope that goes well for her. Should be a busy spring. We have JV soccer, Pablo is signed up for baseball, and the little ones are signed up for soccer at the Y. OH, and kudos to Pablo! Ugh, I mean Paul. He won all five races of his pinewood derby! Go TAFKAP!

Weekend!

Ahhhhh, the weekend. I made it! Today was an improvement, but I still need a couple of days to relax and recharge. I absolutely have to get some cleaning done. Here's hoping the Milkster doesn't pee on the floor this time when I vacuum. She's more comfortable here now, and I REALLY need to vacuum!

We had a nasty nature April fool this morning, in the form of two inches of wet gloppy snow. The kids loved it, they made wood chip snowmen on the playground. The snow was so sticky that it pulled up the wood chips while they were rolling the snowballs. It looked more like a large misshapen cheese ball to me, but they had fun, and that's the important part. Most of it has melted, and hopefully that's the last of it. (crossing fingers, eyes, toes, legs!)

If I can get the cleaning done I'll have to dig around in the garage for the Easter decorations. I haven't put out anything since Halloween really. A few things at Christmas, and I do mean very few. That isn't like me at all. I totally skipped FVDay and St. Pats. It's time for me to get back to the norm of being me. As "norm" as that can be. :) A little more acceptance in the air.