Monday, May 27, 2013

Happy Memorial Day

It's Memorial Day 


the "unofficial" 
start to summer....  
althooooough 
this year it "officially" 
feels like 
we skipped over summer 
and ended up back in winter….
ala Vermont yesterday.
Walden, VT 5/26/13

Let's just hope this crappy weather 
isn't a hint of what is to come.  

New England's summer
 is short enough.
It's like we get a taste of summer...
an Emeril's Essence.  

The season first starts out on with a bang 
on Memorial Day.

Then it gets kicked up a notch 

on the Fourth of July.


BAM! BAM! ...and it's already Labor Day.

We have to live each summer day to the fullest, 
otherwise...
we’re standing at Customer Service...
looking for a refund. 
We have to find ways to pack everything into 
12 BANGING weeks.

So fire up that barbecue.  

Today you have a free pass 
to binge on 
burgers, buns,
beers, 
baked beans, 
and brownies. 
Woo hoo. 


Anywhooooooo......................



Last Memorial Day 
PaulA and I were having breakfast at IHOP.
While I was feasting on a short stack...
 I watched a young man 
say goodbye to his sweetie who worked there. 
(They were recently engaged and 
he was leaving for active duty.)
(I have a way of eavesdropping.)
Needless to say, my tears flooded my short stack 
as I watched their emotional goodbye.
  
I'm thinking of that young man today 
and hoping he's home this Memorial Day 
with his sweetie, family, and friends.

Memorial Day 
is about honoring the men and women 
who have served, protected, and given their lives 
for our country and our freedom. 

 Thank you, Thank you...
to all these courageous men and women.



35 days until the Fourth of July. 


Friday, May 24, 2013

Tattoo Who?

Guess who got a tattoo?

PaulA...nope
This Kat…nope
Barbie…hell yeah.






  
Barbie has gotten a little edgy over the years.  
I can totally understand why 
she would want to live 
 "outside the box."  

 I like the way Barbie has always stayed current with the times...
although at Barbie's mature age of 54,
I'm still waiting for Wrinkle Barbie.




Apparently there are some parents who are up in arms 
about the tats on Barbie…
(not to mention the t?ts on Barbie.)

Mattel addressed the "issue" saying that Tattoo Barbie 
was really designed for the adult Barbie collector.  
My sister is one of those adult Barbie collectors.  
(I wonder if Sistsersledge sneaks down to her storage room 
and plays with her collection?)

Anywhooooo……

The tats on the new Tattoo Barbie 
are not of the removable sticker variety 
found on the 2009 Tattoo Barbie.

These tats are permanent ink.  

I  hope Barbie didn't get 
"Ken" 
tattooed anywhere on her bod.  
With her on/off relationship with Ken, 
she could end up with
tattoo remorse…
you know, like Angeliena had with Billy Bob.

(It's one thing to wash a man out of your hair, 
but
quite another to wash him out from under your skin.)

Anywhooooo2

I've started wondering…(uh oh)
if I was a Barbie, 
what Barbie would I be?

Easy decision…
Blogger Barbie.  

I'd  sit at my pink laptop 
in my pink Mailbu Dreamhouse
and crank out blogs.  
At the end of a good blogger day,
 I'd get in my pink Glam convertible 
and drive around the hood.

Every day I'd be tickled pink.


Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Brianna, the College Graduate


I remember the day
when I thought the year 
2013
sounded so far off….so futuristic.
Brianna was 5  years old 
and it was her first day of Kindergarden. 

That day I figured out 
Brianna would graduate from
college in 2103.  
And I thought…whew…
at least that won't be happening any time soon.

But her graduation day came…


and went...
and I'm now thinking….woah…how is that possible?


Anywhooooo


Last Friday, 
as waves and waves of 
2013 Boston University grads 
entered the arena to receive their diplomas, 
I couldn't help but get caught up in a
rip tide of nostalgia and emotion.  
That's bound to happen during a mega milestone event…
especially when
 "Pomp and Circumstance"
 is being played.  
(I'm pretty sure  that song is played to make parents shed tears.)

As I looked for Bri 
in the red sea 
of red gowns and black caps...



I pictured our Sweet Wish, 
through her school years...
with her sunny disposition,
so independent, diligent, passionate, and hard-working...
and the tears came...

nostalgic tears, 
happy tears,
proud tears.
(Cry me a Charles River.) 

And later 
after jumping for joy

I saw Bri with those same tears.


As Brianna takes her next step
into her bright future...
bri with her dad

she will carry with her a wealth of 
lasting college experiences…
 a lasting education, 
lasting memories, 
and
lasting friendships.

We are so proud of you, Brianna.
(I think i just popped all my buttons.) xo

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

GRADuation SEAson


Graduation season is now upon us.

From preschool to grad school…
there is a sea of grads 
wearing caps and gowns and
 marching to "Pomp and Circumstance."


This year is special because 
Sweet Wishy 
will be graduating from Boston University on Friday. 

Hard to believe our baby girl is graduating…
especially when it feels like Bri 
just skipped off toward the bus stop 

for kindergarden.


Anywhooo…..

Graduation is when 
politicians, athletes, and entertainers 
are asked by universities and colleges 
to give speeches
and bestow 
 (cultured and fresh) pearls of wisdom, 
nuggets of knowledge, 
and lumps of life lessons.

This got me thinking.....
(oh noooooo)
If I was asked to give 
a graduation speech…haha
(now that is ridiculous)
what advice would I have for 
college graduates?

hmmm....
Don't worry be happy?
stolen from Bobby McFerrin.
Choose to be happy?
stolen from Chelsea.
Follow your passion?
my passion is eating ice cream.


I think my speech would sound more like this:

Hear Me, 
Hear Me, 
Hear Me,
Friends, Romans, and  College Graduates….
Your college days may be over 
but,
hereafter and unto you…
every day will continue to be a learning experience.
And you will be tested.  

Sometimes you'll  pass with flying colors
and pull an A+,

 but there will also be times when you'll Flag it and
fail miserably.

Keep on learning.

Remember…
flunking out is not an option.

Plus you might luck out and 
get partial credit or 
graded on a curve.
(love me some partial credit and curving.)

Oh, and also remember ….
wear sunscreen.
(okay, stolen.)

ps.  We will be looking for you Wishy in the 
Sea of Grads...
cheering for YOU.

Friday, May 10, 2013

Unannounced Interruption


You find yourselves in the area and think…
“Let’s stop by and say hello to the Winkerbeans.” 
You’re good friends, 
so they should be happy to see you…
unless, of course, 
they're in the middle of something…
and you're an  


Or maybe, you're a favorable interruption
from cleaning the garage.


I have noticed that folks in the North 
don't usually stop in on each other "unannounced."
 They call and give a warning. 
That gives folks time to stop what they're doing, 
or about to do. 
It gives them time to fix their hair 
or get out of bed…
’cause it is noon already and 
“Why is your lazy ass still in bed?”

I think things are a little different down South. 
A while ago we lived in Jacksonville, Florida 
and had a neighbor, Tom, 
who lived across the street.

 When we first met Tom, 
he told us that Jacksonville was the 
“coldest place he ever lived.”
And he mentioned that absolutely every.single.time.
we saw him.


The first time our Florida doorbell rang,
PaulA and I looked at each other (huh?)
 then peeked out the window
and saw
"Tom The Coldest Place I Ever Lived" 
standing there
 in his shorts and flip flops, with a beverage in hand. 
So we put on smiles, opened the door,
 and wondered, "What up?"

After a few minutes of conversation 
about the weather and nothing in particular….
we figured it out.
"Tom The Coldest Place I Ever Lived " 
was just stopping by. 
He didn’t want to borrow our weed wacker or complain. 
 He was just being friendly and saying "hello."
(Hmm...very interesting species.)

Anywhoooo…….

People in our neck of the woods 
aren't usually dropping in on each other "unannounced."
When the doorbell rings….
it is often….just like we thought…
"Jehovah Witnesses bearing 
pamphlets, bad suits, and briefcases.”

So if you show up at my door…"unannounced."
 It might take me a minute to get to the door. 
You see, I'm peeking at you through the window.

And if I arrive at YOUR door…"unannounced." 
It’s me…
Kat "The Coldest Place I’ve Ever Lived Is Syracuse"
just saying, "Hello."

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Unannounced Visitor



Whenever our front door bell rings
or we hear a knock at the door....
PaulA and I look at each other with a quizzical look.
duh? huh? 

"Who can it be now? Who can it be now?
Who can it be knocking at my door?"
(per chance, men at work?)

Usually when our doorbell rings…
we know who'll be standing there 
because they've already called ahead 
from their cell phone.

The other day our door bell rang…and we jumped. 
I exclaimed, 
"PaulA...Who can it be now?
Who can it be now?"

I slowly opened the front door to see the 
Fed Ex man standing there 
holding a large flat package 
who wryly said,
 "pizza delivery."

(dang, I appreciate a Fed Ex man with a sense of humor.)


Anywhoooo…..


The next day there was another knock at the door.

knock, knock 
The same Fed Ex man was back…
this time with a thinner envelope.
So I asked him, "Pizza delivery?"
He responded, 
"nope, just the check, ma'am."



(2 for 2…that Fed Ex guy is good.)



knock, knock.
who's there?
Fed Ex. 
Fed Ex who?
Are you fed EXtremely up yet…with bad jokes?

Monday, May 6, 2013

Song Wedgie


I have this quirk SLASH problem…
or should I say 
"quirky problem."

I always have a song playing in my head. 
every. waking. moment.

The Today Show recently did a segment about the "phenomenon"...
calling it an "ear worm."


To me it feels me more like a 
wedgie than a worm...
I call it a 
"song wedgie." 
(A wedgie at any end is irritating.)


I'm not sure why I'm a walking iTunes.
I would be much better off
 if  algorithms
instead of rhythms 
occupied my mind.
But alas…
that would be for-not.

Luckily, 
I don't always have the same song playing in my head. 
I'm only stuck on 
REPEAT 
until I've heard another song.


Anywhooo…..


This morning I was feeling ALL THAT
 singing OUTLOUD
the latest tune 
wedged in my head
"I'm sexy and I know it"
while 
toasting my English Muffin,
peanut buttering my English Muffin,
chewing my English Muffin.

I did take notice of the 
sideways glances I was getting
 from PaulA.

I would appreciate a little 
help
with changing the tune in my head.
Here's my iTunes password... 
CRAZYLIVESHERE

Help
Help me... 
Uhhhh OOhhh.....

a new song wedgie.

help me Rhonda, 
help, help me Rhonda...
help me Rhonda,
help, help me Rhonda.....

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit

To whom it MAY concern....
this MAY First...

Rabbit

Rabbit

Rabbit



Happy May 1st


and 

Happy Birthday to Sistersledge