The Great Pumpkin......disaster.

This Halloween shall forever be known as " The Great Pumpkin Disaster of '13".

Every year we look forward to carving pumpkins.  We each get our own, because: (A) We have very different ideas about pumpkin carving in general. (B) Refer back to "A".  I like traditional pumpkin faces, and The Brown Eyed Man likes to go wild!  He's amazing, and I love to watch him do his thing, but I like to carve too, even if I'm not as artistic.  I also LOVE roasted pumpkin seeds, and this is the one night of the year I can gorge myself silly on them.

Last week The Man picked up our pumpkins, but we just didn't have time over the busy weekend to carve them.  We have a standing date night on Wednesdays to watch "Coven", so that turned out to be the perfect time.

His pumpkin was big, all bumpy and odd shaped.  I couldn't wait to see what he would create out of it!  Mine was big, plain, round, and pretty even.  A perfect ol triangle eyed, happy faced pumpkin if I ever saw one.  So we begin, and half way through I notice something.

Me: Did you ever notice that every single thing we do we approach from the exact opposite angle??

Him: (laughing) Yep.

Me: I cut open the pumpkin and gut it first, and you immediately grab a marker and start to draw.

Him: (Silence)

Me: I'm not saying either way is wrong, just that we always get to the end product in opposite ways.

Him: Yep.  My way is not wrong.

Me:  I didn't say it was, BUT how can you draw it first?  You're going to smear it, and get it all over you when you goop it out.  It's much better to goop it first.

Him: Did the words "You are wrong." come out of my mouth?

Me:  No, but that's what you were thinking.

Then it happened.

He turned the pumpkin around so I could see it, and it was shaping up to be something amazing.  I wish at some point I had taken a pick of that cool pumpkin.  The Brown Eyed Man stuck the knife in the top, cut her open, and then gagged.  It was totally rotten inside.  Just about the most disgusting thing I have ever seen.  There were already lil flies, right inside of the pumpkin!  Then the smell hit me, and I gagged. 

I told him to just toss it out the patio door, which he did.  Right smack onto the little table that sits between our Adirondack chairs, and busted it to bits............

Meanwhile, pumpkin seeds from my pumpkin were cooking, and the smell was at least covering up the smell of rotted pumpkin.  I offered my pumpkin up to his artistic abilities, but he declined.  So I continued on with my happy pumpkin, who turned out to be a bit of a hillbilly.  (BOO-boo Child is what I called it.) The Brown Eyed Man started offering suggestions, and I suggested he remove himself from the kitchen.  He had his chance. 

BOO- boo Child

So I finished up, got the candle, and we had our one lone pumpkin to light the room while we watched "Coven", and ate pumpkin seeds.  However, I burned the seeds.  In all my life I have never burned the seeds!  I was so peeved I could have thrown a full blown tantrum on the kitchen floor.

To top it off, I forgot the pumpkin when I came back to town today, so what will be my last Halloween on Hughitt Avenue will not be graced with a pumpkin on the steps.  Yep, I said my last.  Rent has gone up again, and I'm through giving that man my money.  That's about all I know right now.  I WILL be out by the end of the year.

Anyhoo......  I can't wait to see all the trick-or-treaters out tonight!  The biggest bowl I own is full of candy, and will hopefully be empty by 8pm.  Come on down! 

Happy Hannah

Happy Birthday Hannah Oh Well!  (straight from.... Albuquerque)  My baby, my Godchild, my sweet sweet girl.  Ten years old today, and I can hardly believe it!


You started out as a hurricane, and now have become a sweet breeze.  You used to run me ragged, now you just boggle my mind with endless questions!  Library days with you this summer were awesome, it was great to spend time sharing our love of books.  Watching you help Tater with her reading was amazing.  Maybe someday you'll be a teacher?  Whatever you do, I know that you will go far, with your smarts and your kindness.

I am looking forward to seeing you on Saturday at your party, and we will make plans for the Goover Birthday Sleepover!  We will have to work on crazy eights some more.  Maybe you've been practicing so that you are ready to beat me?  Little card shark. :) 

Happy, happy birthday lovey, you are such a special girl.   Looking forward to all the goover adventures we will have this year!  Oh, and you know how you are always asking for my stuff?  Do I have a surprise for you!!

Love you to the moon and back and around the block my little one!  O.k. maybe not so little anymore, but give your poor Aunt a break, and pretend??  ♥


Bacon

Bacon, in my humble opinion, is just about the best thing there is.  (My dog happens to agree!)  Growing up we had bacon and eggs every Sunday morning after church.  My Mom had a strange thing with routine, and we rarely deviated, and never for Sunday morning breakfast!  Everyone got one fried egg, a couple strips of bacon, a piece of buttered toast, and there was usually wine bread or a danish with cherry or lemon filling.  The only choice you had was grapefruit, or no grapefruit.  Sometimes, if you were lucky there would be cantaloupe.  Saturday mornings, were pancakes and sausage.

This could easily turn into a menu of what the Meys family ate every week, because it was that regimented, but that will have to wait for another day.  Today is all about bacon, glorious bacon!

Some years ago someone decided that bacon was very, very bad for you. (rat bastard)  At that time I said "Well, everyone has to die of something.  I choose bacon."

Yesterday we had bacon for breakfast.  It has kind of become our Sunday thing to have a late morning bacon and egg breakfast, and I for one (and the dog) hope that it continues.  This is partly due to the fact that I don't cook this particular breakfast, but mostly because I just love bacon!

Yesterday in a strange turn of quiet Sunday events there was a fire, that had tense moments, but ended alright.  Then shortly after that a plane flew over, with no engine running, and looked like it was heading toward a crash in the backyard trees.  Finally, a few hours later  I almost got creamed by a deer on the way home.  I still can't figure how I missed her.  She didn't miss the truck in the oncoming lane, and I was so close I heard the crunch. *shudder*

So death by fire, airplane crash, or car accident all crossed my path yesterday.  Thank goodness my guardian angel was paying attention.  I still, absolutely choose bacon!

Fierce

Fierce!  That is what forty-four is all about.

Letting go of the comfort zone, doing things that are difficult for me, making hard choices, letting go of past hurts, sending away my tiger. 

On Sunday night the Brown Eyed Man had some car trouble.  The short of it was that he wanted me to drive the big truck and tow his car (with him in it) to my garage.  Normally I would have nixed that plan.  Instead I just went along with it. 

Him: I have something to say and you're not going to like it.

Me: I rarely do, might as well spill it.

Him: I want to get the truck and tow the car to your garage.

Me: Yeah, sure.  I don't mind driving back out to the country.

Him: No, you don't get it.  I want YOU to drive the truck and tow me.

Me: Uhhhh.......???  Can I even reach the pedal?

Long, involved, two hours later, story short......... 

The car was safely tucked away in my garage, minus a flat tire that happened while towing.  I called "not my fault" and "you pay all fines" (there weren't any) before we started, but I drove that truck.  He may have had to toss me in because there aren't any hand holds to grab onto to climb in, but I drove that damn thing.  Side note, this all happened in the worst neighborhood in town. (of course)

My cousin Val thought it might be a marketable skill for me.  Ha.... I don't think so.  I am still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up, but tow truck driver is NOT on the list of possibilities!  Now race car driver.............  (Don't worry, I can't reach the gas pedal.)

Health Care

Whether you're a Democrat or Republican, and whatever you think about "Obama Care", look me in the eye and tell me, who has worked her ass off from the time she was seventeen, that I don't deserve affordable health care.  Maybe you don't know anyone who would be personally affected by the Affordable Care Act.  Well, now you do.  Am I thrilled that I "have" to do this?  Not really.  I'm not exactly sure how I will find the money, even at the discounted rate I will no doubt qualify for, but I will find it.

For the record, if you haven't seen me say it, or can't just tell, I am a Democrat.  My Republican friends will say that because I believe in fiscal responsibility I am really one of them, but every other view I hold would scream Democrat.  However, I am not, nor have I ever been, a fan of the President.  That's not what this is about. 

It's about me, and what has happened to me in my pursuit of the "American Dream."
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I wrote the above paragraphs this morning, after I was getting sick and tired of all the nonsense.  This evening, I am downright livid.  I spent part of my afternoon listening to some folks argue that Obama Care is the devil, and the Democrats his minions.  Every single one of them, EVERY ONE is on state funded insurance, not costing them a dime. (That isn't a guess, it's a fact.)  I was stuck in a position where I couldn't say anything.  ( You know how I love that.)  If I could have, I would have simply told them to shut up.  I will listen to your opinion when you are in my shoes.  How dare you?  Why are you more deserving of health insurance than I am??

Three years ago I was downsized out of a job (20 years in) that had full benefits.  The health insurance was crappy, but at least it was there in case of an emergency.  Being a child care teacher was a career, not just a job, so I tried to work for another center, but none of them here offer health.  Within a years time the cost of living went up so much that I could no longer even afford to stay in the field.  I went out and found a better paying job, but still, no insurance. 

I have never asked for a hand out, or a hand up (which is what it should be), though I have qualified.  I pay my own way, and am more than willing to pay a reasonable amount for health insurance.  Tell me I don't deserve that opportunity.

When people talk about the "working poor", they are talking about me.  Although I never consider myself "poor".  I have a roof over my head, food to eat, the bills are paid, and I am so wealthy in other areas of my life.  I just don't get a lot of extras, and that's o.k. People are always telling me about this program, or that program, and my response is the same.  That's for folks who need it.  People who have hungry kids.  Not me.  I get by, and if worse comes to worse I can eat at any table of a family or friend.  It wouldn't be the first time I've grabbed a pizza out of my sister's freezer because money for groceries was short.

If the time ever comes where I have to have a hand up, I will take it, but it would be after exhausting every other option.  I've always been of the opinion, "Help yourself, help others, and the Lord will provide." It has never failed me, and I feel blessed.  On several occasions I have given my last dime to help someone who had less, and somehow I always have enough.

It has been three years since I have had health insurance (knock on wood), and luckily I haven't needed it.  That could all change in an instant, and I would lose everything.  I relish the opportunity to pay my fair share.  Tell me I don't deserve it. 

I'm sure the plan has flaws, but how about working together to fix them?  How about doing your job?????  It would go over really well if we all went into work tomorrow and argued with our co-workers over how to do the job instead of doing it.  Many people are out of work tonight because Congress can't get their act together.  Perhaps if their paychecks depended on their performance, like the rest of us, we'd see a little more co-operation, and a lot less nonsense. 

I rarely get political, but there you go.  That's my story, and I'm proud that I stand on my own two little feet.  I thank God for my health, and the life that I have been able to build, no matter what gets thrown at me.  Go ahead.  Tell me I don't deserve it.