a Link

Loved this, because, as I sit here before everyone wakes up and look forward to the day, I read this on Mother Reader, a blog I love to read. (Plus, she is from VA, gotta love her!)

Philosophical Sunday

I have this image thing. I have always been irritated with people who are constantly trying to portray a certain image because they are trying to be something they aren’t. Doing what ever the “in” thing is at the moment and trying to attain some standing in society through putting us all on. But this morning I started to think, don’t we all do that to some extent?

I majored in Sustainable Development and Agriculture in college; this was back when I wanted to save the world, nay, back when I still thought I could save the world. So this whole movement to whole foods and supporting your local agriculture is actually really exciting me, and getting my juices flowing. But there is a huge part of me (mainly that chip that resides on my shoulder) that doesn’t want to admit it.

It has become the “in” thing to do, and innately, I seem to run and hide from that kind of thing. Maybe it is the rebel that has always lived in me. I grew up not wanting to be just the same as everyone else, I wanted to be different. I did the whole black combat boot, “black phase” thing, (before there was a goth cool thing, trust me, I was not cool), then when I went to college and everyone was doing the yuppie thing, I did the flannel shirt and “naturific” thing, and even as a mom, I am always trying to buck the system, and not be considered “one of them”…(and to be honest, I am not really sure what that means, or that it would be a bad thing to begin with.)

I realized that sometimes we care more about out image than we do about the things that really matter. We are so caught up in portraying something with our image that the only way that we help people or do anything, is if it is going to further our “status” or the image that we are desperately trying to attain. But an image is just that. When you step away from that mirror, it no longer exists, and what you are left with is YOU. All the posturing and self importance in the world isn’t going to make that reflection a lasting thing, or change who the real person is behind that reflection.

So in my insistence not to do the “in” thing because I don’t want to be seen as just trying to fit in…what does that say about me? What am I trying to get to look back at me in the mirror?

I guess as I sprint toward my mid-life (and with my health, have probably well passed it and not realized it!) I am slowly starting to realize that my desire to not leave this earth until it is better for my having been here is my goal…and who the hell cares what someone else’s baggage and image attaining desires are? In the end, I have to turn away from that mirror, and I want to like who I am stuck with…not care whether someone else does or not.

I know, I know, I don't know WHAT was in my coffee this morning!

Beware

I thought I was going to pee when I watched this...But I will warn you, it is seriously foul language, so only watch it if it won't offend you...if it will offend you, don't watch the whole thing and then write to me and tell me how offensive it was...you have the power of the mouse...so you have been warned...but it really was funny...

Thanks to She's So Ghetto for the link

A Cute Little Story for a Friday Afternoon

This week has been an insane week. One of those weeks where you have a meeting every night of the week...which is kind of interesting since I don't even work in my career anymore...so what the heck? I am volunteering to have my life be a running around mess...this is definitely something that I have to think about...But I do smile when I think of this story so I am going to pass it along.

My father in law who, for the record, still visits the barber regularly to trim the sides of his hair and to make sure that there isn't any major fuzz action happening where it shouldn’t, was sitting in front of Caroline...being the sweetie pie that she is, she was rubbing the top of his head lovingly.

Suddenly, a shocked and astounded Caroline proclaimed loudly: “Papa! Your hair is growing back!”

I feel fairly confident telling this story because I am pretty sure that “papa” laughed harder than the rest of us. I would not however tell this story if it was my husband, who is just now figuring out that he is going bald. This is due to an unfortunate incident with a security camera at a Wendy’s.

(He was looking at the security camera TV, observing the bald spot on a man in front of him, when in a face draining moment, he realized that it was his own head he was observing in the camera.)

Now he is a little sensitive about the whole thing...so I am going to not go there...because I fear the retaliation, there are PLENTY of things that I don't particularly like to admit are happening to my body...and let me tell ya, it ain't all pretty that is FOR SURE!

Have a good weekend to all!

More Scenes from the Garden

I am looking forward to having veggies!

I am generally not a totally negative person, but I am terribly pessimistic when it comes to gardening in the spring. I first plant my seeds or seedlings, thinking that they are doomed to be eaten or otherwise killed by weather, global warming, neglect, aliens, or any other possible excuse I can find.

So when it comes to be late June, I am always elated every morning when I go to the garden to see if there is anything else coming up, and lo and behold, there are actual plants surviving in my midst!

It never fails, every year I start the season grumping and cussing, and by late June I am jumping for joy and taking endless pictures of my garden's progress, (and then boring all my friends, family, and fauna with showing them off).

I think at some point the Garden Gods are going to send blight down to my raised beds just to shut me up...so I had better start being more positive and saying my thanks when I put those new plants and seeds in the ground.

So here you go, my update on my garden progress, below you will find: a squash flower, beginning broccoli, my first green tomatoes, Potato flowers, and pea flowers (which I happen to think are just beautiful!)

Letter of Information

Dear Mr. Lowery,

I just thought I would inform you, that for the 100 millionth billionth thousandth time, you left clean Tupperware on the stove for someone else to put away…it got dirty before I realized it was piled there, as I spilled something…having to then, wash it again wasting our precious, albeit toxic, water supply in our well. Not only have you damaged the environment by wasting water, which has clearly been tormenting Marshall in her earth stewardship pursuits, but if I have to put away Tupperware that you have left on the counter one more time, I am going to put it away in a place that will not be very comfortable for your commute the next day….CAPISCE?

AND…for future reference, WENDY’S is not an alternative to real food all week just because I am working and have meetings every night…try to expand your repertoire of culinary skills….there are chicken breasts that take 10 minutes to thaw in hot water, I do it all the time, there are hot dogs and frozen hamburgers in the basement, (which I hear from the kids are one of your "Chef Jamie Specialties"), there are pork chops, there is pasta….those are easy enough, and perhaps, you may someday, even move on to vegetables….because I hear that salad is rather easy to throw together in a dish!!!!!!!!! All this would be a nice diversion from the Saturated Fat and Corn Syrup laden specialties of Wendy’s…


I love you very much…just thought I would give you a heads up that might make your life a little easier if not more enjoyable in the near future! (Not to mention prevent you from a date at the local ER with Dr. Buttocks and his forceps!)

Hope you are having a splendiferous day!
PIE


**Thus far he has declined to respond...I am assuming that the formal warning may have fallen on deaf ears...But in my defense, this was far more suitable way to address the situation at hand then the "screaming until my head popped off" way that I originally considered...

What Happens When You Have Two Older Sisters...

Sometimes you want to play a little dress up and then play with your remote control tractors...sometimes you want to be a lion...sometimes the best you can do is a cat suit with a fuzzy tail and a remote control with no batteries, and you just have to lean back and look cool about it...

Yeah I know, even Jamie called him "Heff" this morning...you should see him in his robe...it is a little frightening. But I have to say, Jamie has certainly loosened up a little with him being the third kid...He even allowed him to go out for ice cream in this getup...He didn't let him out of the car....but he went out for ice cream...baby steps...just baby steps.