A Conversation about Today's Birthdays

Yesterday while standing outside my classroom door, a familiar student stopped by excited about what Friday would bring.
"Mrs. Cronin do you know what tomorrow is?" she asked, her voice squealing in excitement.
Now every teacher in America knows it's Dr. Seuss's birthday AND Read Across America Day, but to see this girl so excited about this was mind boggling.
Was she so excited that Friday would become a fun day full of reading and activities having to do with Dr. Seuss?
I didn't think so but imitating her giggling voice and her excessive movements,  I reply,
"Yes, it's Dr. Seuss's Birthday!"
"No silly, it's Justin Bieber's birthday and he's turning 18!"

Hum guess I'll wish both a Happy Birthday today and go study up on my pop culture.......

A Reminder That Spring Is Almost Here Thanks To A Coupon

I went to the  grocery store yesterday, armed with my box of coupons. I am a HUGE bargain hunter when it comes to buying the family food. Every dime counts when your food bill can also make a car payment and hubby is still unemployed. But I couldn't pass up this bargain:

 They only cost me ONE dollar thanks to a coupon I had receive from the store. It was for money off a dozen roses for Valentines' Day but it didn't expire until the end of the month. I kept the coupon, not thinking I would ever use it, but just couldn't throw it away. I am so glad I did. I found this bunch in the clearance section of the floral department. Marked down because yesterday was the last day of their shelf life. I think they'll be able to last a few more days:

 They are such a nice reminder that spring is just around the corner.

I only wish they smelled as good as the looked.

Random Thoughts Again

I know it's been a while since my last post and that my posts have been few and far between. Many things have been happening at mamma's house that I just can't talk about yet. Given time, I'll have a tale to tell. Wish I could share with you but for now I'll just have to entertain you with my ramblings.

I read today that the National Enquirer  published pictures of Whitney Houston while she was in her casket. I did find the pictures in poor taste but what I found even worst was the claim that they buried her wearing $500,000 dollars worth of jewelry. Call me thrifty, but that seems like a waste of some expensive jewels. When I was first married, I remember going to a funeral of a dear friend who was buried wearing her fur coat and many diamonds. She always said that she was going to prove that you can take it with you when you die but when I go, I don't want any of my fancy jewelry to go with me. Instead I would want my family to use it how they see fit. Either they can keep them and pass them on or sell them, their call because in the end, I'd be dead and won't be giving a damn about it. My sons like to tease me that when I die, many of my fond treasures will be on ebay. Again, that's ok with me because I'll be dead.

My dog has allergies. How do I know this? I paid the vet to do blood work on her and it came back that she is allergic to EVERYTHING under the sun including most grasses, weeds, trees, dirt, dust mites and even cats. We now have to give her allergy shots every four days. Don't laugh, the shots really help her and she isn't scratching and licking as much as she use to. We got her from a farm when she was a puppy. We saved her from going to an animal shelter. She's a great dog but right now she is an expensive dog to keep. We now call her the thousand dollar dog. I won't get rid of her though, I love her too much. Maybe I need to do a little 'fund raising' for her. Hum, how would you like to get to give her one of her shots? It only cost you the price of the it which is $40.00, ever 4 days. It's not hard to do, just pull up the skin on her shoulders and give it to her there. Though I've never given her any of her shots. There is a reason why I didn't become a nurse: I don't like blood, vomit, or shots.
I have a note from a former student that was left on my desk last week. In it, she tells me how much she loved and missed my class. It was a sweet note and reminded me why I do what I do each day. It's still on my desk so that I can see it. I will put it in my desk drawer later on along with the other notes from former students. Seems ironic that I've kept these notes throughout my career since I am the queen of no clutter. However, for me they are reminders that I have made a difference in someone's life. We all need these type notes every once in awhile.
Getting old is tough. I have to see a specialist this Friday for 'pelvic floor disorder.' Part of what I've had to do  to get ready for this appointment is keep track of how many times I go to the bathroom in a day for a week. Turns out that I go to the bathroom way more then I ever thought I did as in at the time of this post I'm up to 18 times today and there is still 2 hours left to this day. Guess I need to get off here and make it 19.........

Early Valentine's Day Shopping

This morning, I open the sales ads as I always do on a Sunday morning. I love sales ads. It's like going practice shopping without actually getting in the car, driving to the mall, and getting shoved around in the throngs of humanity. Besides, it also helps you not spend money on useless crap. My mother's mantra about shopping was to think about it over night. If in the morning it still seemed like a good deal, go and buy it. Hence my love of the sales ads. I look through them, see who has the best deals, then if by Friday I'm still thinking about it, I'll go and get it. This has really saved me a lot of money these past few years. Mainly because by Friday, what I want can be sold out.

 Oh well it's all wants instead of needs.

But I regress from my couch shopping. This morning, I was looking at the local mega superstore ad. Ah it's for Valentine's Day. 

 Now I agree that it's nice to get roses and jewelry for the holiday of love. But I think the next picture is more for him than for her.

 I've never understood the appeal of wearing thong underwear. But to prove that there are gifts for him this was on the next page.

 Nothing says I LOVE YOU more than  giving a motorized Nerf gun. However, If the Nerf gun isn't to your taste you could buy them the heart boxer shorts or Popeye tee-shirt. I could so rock the Snoopy shirt even if it's for men. 

I think I'll be getting hubby the same thing that I got him last year, nothing. It's only fair, that's what he got me.

I Knew I Should Have Ran Faster!

Damn, Val tagged me in her post.  Then she posted on my blog about it. 
Hum, guess she doesn't know that I don't play these games very well. Heck, I've received blog awards in the past and I never accept them because I just don't do these rule thingies well.
Sigh, she's right though, I've been gone from the blog world for a couple of weeks. Though I have commented on several of my favorite blogs so that counts doesn't it?
Oh well I can't complain too much because it does give me something to blog about.
So, hum, guess I need to post the rules:
 Rules:
~Post these rules. 
~You must post 11 random things about yourself. 
~Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post. 
~Create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer. 
~Go to their blog and tell them that you've tagged them. 
~No stuff in the tagging section about "you are tagged if you are reading this." Legitimately tag 11 people!! 

Val, I'm warning you know, I never play games by their rules. Some rules are meant to be broken.

OK I am suppose to tell 11 random things about myself.

Crap.

Random. 

Guess I can do this. My mind is totally random this time of night.

1) I can curl my tongue. I can also make  clicking sounds with it by bouncing the bottom of my tongue on the roof of my mouth. Comes in handy when I want to make cricket sounds.

2) I became a speech therapist by mistake. I was wanting to be an occupational therapist but thanks to a really bad high school guidance counselor I applied for the wrong thing. By the time I figured it out, I decided I liked it and gave it a try.

3) I hate Starbucks coffee. I love coffee but not theirs. It's too bitter for my taste.

4) If it lived in the water, I won't eat it. There is NO sea food that I like. None. I find it too gross.

5) I grew up in a family that believed that if you killed it, you eat it. I have eaten almost every creature there might be living in the woods including frog, turtle, squirrel, rabbit, deer, wild boar. Now as an adult, I can't.

6) Because of #5, I can skin small animals and tan their hides.

7) I have been to Paris. No, not Paris Kentucky, but Paris, France. Granted I was a poor college student and didn't speak a word of French and I spent the whole time drunk because wine was the cheapest thing to drink, but it was a wonderful trip and would do it again in a heartbeat. 

8) Speaking of travel, I have seen all of the USA east of the Mississippi River by it's waterways. My parents owned a HUGE boat and they would take us on trips viva the rivers, lakes and ocean. 

9) I've walked down Bourbon Street in New Orleans as a teenager and watched my younger brother get proposition by a 'professional lady'. My parents were too busy laughing about it to take offensive or do anything else about it. It's one of our favorite family stories!

10) I love to speed. Seriously, put me in the car and I have a hard time staying within the speed limit. I think that's why I love driving in Georgia and Alabama because you can do 80 and it's legal.

11)  I have grown my hair long enough to donate to Locks of Love three times. Each time I do it in memory of my mother who died of cancer.

Now for Val's questions:

1) What was the name of your favorite pet growing up? I don't remember their names but I had a pet squirrel and possum as a child. Those were great pets until the squirrel fell into a pan of bacon grease and while cleaning it we found out it had fleas. My mom then wouldn't let us keep ANY pets in the house.

2) Have you ever been arrested and why? Nope never been arrested. However I have been pulled over three times: once for expired plates, once for what the police officer called a 'cheesy stop' and once for speeding. I talked my way out of a ticket each time.

3) What was the name of your kindergarten teacher? I'm so old, they didn't have kindergarten when I went to school. However, I had NINE first grade teachers. The first one only lasted the first day of school. I remember her sitting at her desk with her head on it, crying.

4) If you only had an avocado, cream cheese and chocolate bar, what would you do with them? I would pretend that I was on the show 'Chopped' and make ONE dish out of the three.

5) How many cars have you owned in your lifetime? Too many to count! I'm famous for once I pay off a car, I buy a new one. I don't like driving a car that might break down mainly because that's what I drove for the first five years I could drive and vowed that if I had the money, it would never happen again. Nothing worse than being stranding on a highway with a broken down car....

6) Are you on a diet? Of course, isn't everyone?

7) Do you drink pop and if so, what kind is your favorite? I gave up pop (soda in some areas) several years ago. I rarely drink it now, too many empty calories, but if I do, I never drink the same thing.

8) What kind of cell phone do you own? if any? I own a pre-paid android. I love using the internet on it when I am in meetings!

9) What size shoe do you wear? Boat size, enough said.

10) Do you decorate for Valentine's Day? I decorate for EVERY holiday.

11) Do you have your summer vacation planned already? This summer is hubby's and mine thirtieth wedding anniversary. We are planning to take a big trip with the family to celebrate.


Now I am suppose to tag 11 people and ask them 11 questions. This is where I say I'm too tired of running and chasing Val to do this.
Told you I don't play by the rules........    

There's A Cat In The Freezer

Last night I was watching a new show on Animal Planet call American Stuffers. As I laid in bed, laughing at the premise of the show, my mind wander back to a good friend of mine who would have been perfect for this show if it had happen a good 10 years ago.
Let me tell you about Susan.
Both Susan and I lost dear pets around the same time one year. She came up to my house to share a drink and hear my story about how my dog died at the vets office. Mike claimed the body, took it to my family's farm, and dug a hole to bury Rusty in, making sure that it was deep enough so that other creatures couldn't make it a meal. A hard feat considering that the ground was frozen. I told her how I found comfort knowing that Rusty was buried next to Copper, another dear pet, and not in a land fill if I had left him at the vet.
"I know what you are saying, my cat died this week and I haven't buried her yet because the ground is too frozen to dig in." Susan informed me.
"I am so sorry Susan, I know you loved that cat!" I lied to her, mainly because the cat was kept in her basement where it hardly had any human contact. "What did you do with it?"
"It's in my freezer."
I choked on my drink, "You have it where?"
"In my freezer. I tried digging a hole in the back yard but the ground was too hard. I couldn't leave it in the house because it would start to decay and I didn't want to leave it outside because I know the raccoons would eat it and I couldn't let that happen. So I put it in the freezer."
I asked about why she didn't put it in the garage, but I don't remember why.
"It's in my freezer, safe and sound, in a Market day pizza box. I will bury her in the spring when the ground isn't frozen."
We continued our chat and the cat was forgotten until one day in the summer, my son came home from playing at Susan's house.
"Mom did you know Susan has a dead cat in her freezer?"
I corrected him, "She HAD a dead cat in her freezer, she should have buried it by now."
"No mom it's still in there. Kyle and I were hungry so we went to the freezer to get something and when I said let's make a pizza, Kyle told me it wasn't pizza but the cat! I had to look in the box and sure enough, there was a dead cat in the pizza box!"
I giggled, thinking this was so Susan who has a tendency to procrastinate when it comes to unpleasant tasks. I gave her a call to offer help in digging the hole and holding a 'funeral' for her pet.
"Oh Bonnie, I'm not going to bury her, I'm going to have her mounted!"
Susan continues to tell me how she saw in a magazine where this person had their pet mounted and she wanted that for her cat.
"I want her to look like she is sleeping and I'm going to put her on my hearth, curled up on a pillow. I think it will look so cute and she will always be with me."
The problem with Susan's plan was she couldn't find a taxidermist willing to do a pet.
Oh we had plenty of taxidermist in the area. I live in one of the 'kill em, stuff em, eat em' states of the south. But none of the many would do pets. She made several calls, talked to them in person. She would get leads about another taxidermist only to find a dead end. Finally after several years, she found one hours away.
Problem was the cost.
Susan saved and saved and every time she got enough money together to get it done, something happen and the money was used for the emergency: repairs on a car, the house, the dryer, things that happen in life especially when you have kids.
And all along the cat was in the freezer, in the pizza box.
Fast forward 5+ years. Susan and I are talking and the subject about the dead cat comes up. She tells me it's still in the freezer, she's still trying to get the money together to get it mounted. But now she tells how her son is embarrassed about it and doesn't want her or anyone talking about it any more. Now up until now, it was a joke among our shared friends, even doing a 'fund raiser' for the cat. Unfortunately we didn't raise a lot and drank our profits..... So I forgot about the cat.
Recently, Susan and I were again at my kitchen table, talking. I brought up the subject about the cat.
"Oh it's gone." she informed me.
"Gone?" I said in a shocked voice. This dead cat had been a part of our relationship for the past +10 years.
"Gone. I took it to my friend's farm and bury it."
I asked her what happen to having it mounted. Turns out that by keeping the cat in the freezer for so long it became freezer burned. When she went to take it to have it mounted, the taxidermist told her there was nothing he could do with because of the freezer burn.
We made a little toast in memory of her cat.
Her cat that spent more time in her freezer than in her basement.  
And this became one of my many Susan stories to tell.
So what about you, would you have your pet mounted once it dies?
   

Ramblings

It's that time again, time to clean out the old brain. As one they don't make a post but put them together and you get........
I've been watching a lot of daytime tv recently especially those shows on the history channel. I can't help but make a few connections, insights as such on the programs. Take for instance American Pickers. They go to some of the most cluttered places one would ever want to go to. They call it a life style but on any other show they would call it hording. They find things that they call rusty gold but the rest of us would call junk. I am always amazed at the price they are able to get for the stuff and how much it shows that it's worth. This always makes me think of my mother who would say that the monetary value of your stuff is only in what someone else is willing to pay for it.

Then there is Pawn Stars where there just happens to be great stuff coming in their door every day. Someone once told me that the producers search for the items to be shown on the show, contact the owners, and sends them or at least their items to Las Vegas to be on the show. Uhm, wonder what of interest I have that can be on the show......


Speaking of Las Vegas, my sons want to go there for hubby's and mine 30th wedding anniversary this June. We've talked about going on a cruise to celebrate with the whole family but when we check into the nicer cruise lines, it's all to places we don't want to go and can't afford. There are many places I really don't care to go to and Las Vegas is one of them. We have 'Las Vegas' style casinos and resorts not far from us and I've been to one a few times. It's fun when you go with family and friends but in the end I can think of other things I enjoy more to do. Though my brother in law was telling me about his son who is on a six month vacation aboard a schooner. He's only been on the boat for a month and he has hit every bad weather and/or catastrophe there can be short of sinking. Makes me rethink the whole cruise/vacation thing right now. Humm, but the thought of going to an all inclusive resort is sounding better and better..... maybe somewhere tropical.....

My niece and nephew are in the process of adopting a baby girl from Haiti. He's been there a couple of times doing missionary work and has been spirituality moved to go forward with this. They don't have the money to do this but they are doing  MAJOR fun raisers to get the funds. I am always amazed at people who are moved to do this and I have donated to their cause. May God bless them and I wish them luck.

 The New Year is just a day away and I am looking forward to it. I have my bunko group coming to my house right off the bat and I have many things I need to do for the preparations. It is wonderful to have a group of friends that you see at least once a month to share friendship with, a meal, and to chat,. The game is just incidental.  And oh am I ready for some good old girl time! Too many manly things happening around here including non stop football.  Guess I should get off here and get busy.........