This morning when my cell phone rang, I ran through the house like a madwoman trying to reach it before the caller hung up. Why the haste? No one. I mean no one ever calls my cell phone when I am at home unless it is something important. Here I am thinking that something happened to a family member, etc. Nope. Just someone trying to fax me... again.
No sooner had I take a pic of my phone with the number displayed that they called again! "Hello?" "Beep, beep, uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh." Yeah, that is so not the sound that I want to hear at any time of the day, let alone at frequent intervals.
I did a search on the phone number and the only thing that came up was the location of the interchange. This time it is someone in the area of St. Louis, Missouri who is trying to send me some much needed document. My luck it is probably some auto fax spammer out there and the calls will continue.
Has anyone else been getting calls from 314-842-3855? I just saw another number on the received call list: 314-842-8348. This added to the previous number that kept calling me: 314-837-7321. I am up to three numbers trying to fax me. Wow. Lucky me I get to pay for the calls.
Now that I have listed the numbers, the next time that someone else is faxed by mistake, they might get this to come up in their search. It may not solve the problem, but at least they will know they are not alone.
Question: Anyone out there with T-Mobile know how to block a number?
When I want to find out information on a subject I invariably turn to the internet. Need a recipe? Look it up at All Recipes. Need to know how to spell a word or look up a word's meaning? Surf on over to Dictionary.com. No heavy tome lifting required. What time is the movie tonight? Pull up Fandango. How much wood can a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? Google it.
I research everything online from a product that I want to buy to what time the store downtown opens up. Time flies by as I get lost hopping from site to site. Slogging through articles, digging through link after link. Searching for the golden egg of information.
If I can't find the information online I ask some questions on a related forum or message board. Someone there may be able to help me to direct me to an answer, or provide it thelmselves. Even a post on my blog can turn up an answer I am seeking.
When those means do not pan out, I use the resources available to connect me with other means. I log onto the local library system and request a book or two on the subject. Search a website for contact information to write an email or letter for more information about a product, destination, company, etc.
My obsession with finding out the best deals, how to accomplish something, etc. is becoming well known with friends and family. It's gotten to the point that if they need information on something they ask me first. I try to tell them how easy it is to find information online, but they would rather go through the middle man a.k.a. me. Good thing I am addicted, right?
Recently I set up an outing for my daughter and her friends to see The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian at the movies. Le Artiste is at the age where she is old enough for outings, but not unchaperoned ones. At least, in my view. (That over-protective mother syndrome of mine.) Thus the group outing with me acting as chaperone and an open invite for any other parent to chaperone as well.
Being with the kids brought back memories of my own outings with friends and the silliness that reigned supreme. The energy, the youth, the running around like maniacs. It made me feel both young and old at the same time, if that makes any sense.
The girls all had a good time. Le Artiste is already planning the next movie going night. Something along the lines of the next Harry Potter installment or Twilight. And this time? She wants to invite boys. Apparently they got wind of the outing and were quite upset that it was a girls night out only. The question is... Am I ready for that? (gulp)
As a teenager I became enamored with the written word. I can't say that I immersed myself in the classics, fell into the deep pool of obscure thought or anything along the lines of scholarly learning. I read to entertain myself.
I devoured books. Any subject that caught my eye. Any novel that intrigued me with it's tease of a synopsis. I could not get enough. I would purchase second hand books weekly at a farmer's market. Borrow them from classmates. I even looked forward to the weekly grocery shopping trip (torture for some kids) because it was across the parking lot from my favorite book haven, the library.
To this day I am still an avid reader. For me to read a book in a day is not unusual. A few hours of free time (most often sacrificing a little sleep because I have to know how it ends) and the book is done. I have read up to three in one day. And that is not an exaggeration.
My reading does go through starts and fits. I will have weeks where I want to read endlessly and others where I don't crack open a book at all. But my love of books endures.
It is that love of books and reading that I want to instill in my children. The oldest is reading above her level (and has been for a few years) which astounds her teachers as she needs help in other areas of school work. Her tastes run towards YA Fantasy (dragons and the like) to YA Paranormal (Darren Shan is one of her favorites). The youngest is also acquiring a penchant for reading. She loves going to the library and gets a kick of choosing her own books. Once a week during the summer months we try to get to the library. This time I am hoping to continue the once a week outing for the fall and winter (weather permitting) as well.
While I will read whatever tickles my fancy, I am more drawn to the paranormal/fantasy section. I always have been. (Do you think le Artiste gets her preferences from me?) Back when there was only Lois Duncan and Anne McCaffrey for me to choose from at the library. Now there is so much more out there. Urban, Sci-Fi, Vampire, Ghost, Time Time Travel. I am addicted but good.
My biggest thing is trying not to purchase many new books (as I only read them once) and am trying to get them through the online reserve system at the library. My local lets me reserve books from them and the other libraries in their "district" and have them delivered to my branch for pick-up. Then I am only tempted to purchase the new releases that they do not currently have. Since I do read a lot, the older books available tend to be ones that I have already read. But I am hoping to discover new treasures and that the library gets in more new releases. Wish me luck!
I ever used to eat vegetables. Okay, that's a lie. Let's just say that I was very limited in my veggie intake. So much so that it's a wonder that it didn't stunt my growth. My basics were canned or fresh corn, canned green beans, bread and butter pickles, canned baby peas, mashed or fried potatoes and the occasional "salad" consisting of lettuce and carrots only. Yes, that's it.
It wasn't until after I gave birth to my oldest that I started eating a bigger variety of vegetables. It all started with onions and mushrooms and then the ball went rolling on from there. I will now eat broccoli (cooked, not raw), mushrooms, onions, asparagus (but only if it's in my stir fry), bell peppers, hot peppers, bok choy, cabbage, water chestnuts, cucumbers, celery, bean sprouts, all kinds of beans (no lima or wax ones though), squash, zucchini, and many more since my local Asian cuisine place tosses whatever they have on hand into my favorite dish... Hunan Chicken, and I can nver tell what some of the veggies are that are in there. But they taste good.
Chicken? But I thought this post was about turning vegetarian. Well, it's more about turning more veggie friendly than giving up my carnivore tendencies.
When I am out with the family or even at home I find myself craving more vegetables. I want salads. I am ordering veggie burgers off the menu instead of it's red meat cousin. I go back for seconds of vegetables instead of meat. I will order a side salad with my entree instead of french fries.
This has cause le Artiste much concern. She is the one who asked, "Mom, are you turning into a vegetarian?" Apparently a few of her friends have tried to go down this veggie only route but were thwarted by their love of steak and meat loaf respectively.
I assured her that I was not giving up on meat, but expanding my vegetable horizons. I then related to her that I was very anti-veggie like she is at her age. But that now they appeal to me, and I keep trying new things to see if I will like them. So far I have liked the vast majority. And that maybe someday she, too, will like more vegetables than she does now. She gave me a look like she very much doubted it, but now she no longer worries when I opt for a meatless meal.
A few years back when my grandfather had to have full time care, he gave his possessions away to the family. We all got to pick and choose what we wanted. A set of TV trays were among the hand-me-down heirlooms and from some reason I decided that they needed a place in my home.
Until recently they were just sitting around only used a few times a year when we had people over and needed a little extra table space. The other day I am sitting with my laptop, well, on my lap and a flash of much-delayed brilliance hits me. I could be using one of those TV trays and worry less about my lap getting too hot and making it more comfortable for typing.
I trudged down to the basement and picked out one of the trays. Now for some reason almost all of them are covered in that stick-on vinyl that you usually see used in cabinets. I am guessing that my grandparents thought it would make for easier clean-up. Since part of the vinyl was already coming off of the table I decided to remove the rest of it. (The photo above is about half-way through the removal process.)
Right now I am using the table naked. Err... That is that it's unfinished wood. I assure you that I am fully clothed while using my computer. Mac and I may spend a lot of time together, but we do not have that kind of relationship.
My eventual plan (when I get the time to do so and convince Hubby that I am not totally crazy) is to sand down the table and paint it. If I am really ambitious I could do the other three as well. I think it would be a neat touch, plus it would add some character and not look quite as tacky when it is sitting out in the living room. We have tons of house paint downstairs, so it's kind of a reuse/recycle project as well. I think we would only have to get some varnish and I may be able to borrow that from my folks.
Hmmm... All this future planning is getting my mind whirling as to designs, etc. Should I make it classic, a bit beat up and shabby or go for outrageous and colorful. Oh the possibilities!
Today after a long day at work I must not have been in my right frame of mind. I don't know what possessed me to suggest to the girls that we take a two mile plus hike. Goodness knows that any other time I've had a long day I have no more energy than that required to slump on the couch until it's time to drag myself to bed. Delayed spring fever maybe?
The girls had no idea what was in store for them. I just told them to get their shoes on and said "Let's go." Queries about our destination were answered with a vague "You'll see when we get there." kept them trudging along.
During the walk we kept ourselves entertained. Checking out the strange writing on the sidewalk, playing super spy behind the tall oak trees, finding a lost cell phone and calling the owner so that they might retrieve it from a local shop, checking out the birds as they watched us in return, admiring the different homes and their flowers in bloom. Just plain enjoying the evening as we walked merrily on our way.
Just as we were nearing our secret destination little legs were getting tired, children began to wonder if we would ever reach our destination. Quite confident in my choice of locales I smiled and said "Trust me, when we get there, it will all be worth it."
Our destination? The local ice cream shop, where the final product is processed just across the street and brought over on hand carts to the store. The girls were pleasantly surprised. Their eyes widened in awe from the variety of the selections to choose from. Important decisions were made. After all one does not choose indiscriminately after having walked all that way. Le Artiste... Cookies and Cream. Boo-boo... Vanilla with sprinkles of course! Me... A bottle of water that ended up being shared with both children.
As we were walking home, le Artiste turns to me and says, "Your right Mom. It was worth it."
Yes, sharing the walk together was definitely worth it.
Ahhh... The first dip, or shall I say wade of the season was made today. Does that mean summer is officially here? This little wading pool is a few years old, but the girls still use love to use it. Although the soon-to-be teenager le Artiste is beginning to make grumbling noises about how uncool it would be for others to see her in a kiddie pool.
I guess it is somewhat appropriate that this Memorial Day weekend the girls are getting good use out of something that was actually made in the USA (be it a few years ago). It seems to be getting harder and harder to find that label on anything. Not that I am eschewing the manufacturing capabilities of any other country, but it would be nice to see it more often.
