Chili with Dave Ramsey

I am taking a financial class with my aunt once a week. She gets off work, we eat dinner at my house and then head to Willard. This week, Chili. My recipe is based on my pantry. This week I had more beans then meat. We had dinner. Chili with corn chips and sour cream. Then off to class we go. The class is a 60 minute DVD and then discussion and it is held in this very small meeting room off of the library. There is one long table, a TV, a sink and a restroom in the corner. You know what is coming next … beans, an hour later, small room with several people sitting next to you … I needed to fart. I am sitting very still while watching the DVD, butt cheeks squeezed together, praying no noises slip out before the movie is over so that I can go to the restroom. If I go now, they will stop the DVD and wait on me so I just sit, squeeze and wait. Finally, it is time for a break. I get up and go to the restroom. I have to pee. I have to fart. I think, turn on the water and flush the toilet so that no one can hear the fart. What if it is one of those loud long farts and it last longer than the flush? What if it stinks? It will all be built up in this very small bathroom and when I open the door it will push through and surround the table of people sitting just outside the restroom. I will be like Pigpen on Charlie Brown but instead of dirt hovering all around me, it will be the fart. I will be know as the chubby girl at Dave Ramsey that farted. Have you ever tried to pee and hold in a fart? I sit there a bit longer and then do what any lady would have done. I get up, squeeze my checks together again, wash my hands and go sit down with the others. I don’t say anything during the discussion because I have to concentrate on the squeezing and the stomach pains. When the discussion is over, I pack my things up very slowly so that everyone leaves before my aunt and I. Then we step outside and it happens. I relax and just let it out … it is not a fart, it is a toot. No noise. No smell. I suffered through and hour and a half of Dave Ramsey and heard nothing he said and all I had was a toot. A silent no smell toot. I get in the car and my aunt says, “no more chili before Dave, I had to fart the entire time.”

Garage Sales

We had a sale this weekend. I love to have Garage Sales and I love to shop at Garage Sales. I bargain with people over prices. But there is a point. It is funny to watch people who shop at garage sales and see how they bargain. There are three types of Garage Sale shoppers. The one who walks in and looks around and if they find something they want, they just buy it. They pay the price that the item is marked and they go on their way. Then there is the person who is looking for a real bargain. They walk around and look at everything, they pick up a few items and then decide which item they want to bargain on. It is usually the largest dollar item and they ask if you will take a dollar off that item. You do and everyone is happy. Then there is the most annoying shopper of all ... the one that either wants you to come down on everything or wants a lump sum price for everything that they have selected. Now, this is where it gets tricky because the purpose of the sale it to get rid of your stuff, but if I am going to "give it away" I would rather give it to the Goodwill or the Blind before giving it to a grouchy old lady that is hateful when you wont drop the price on everything in your Garage. I mean really. The item is a dime and you want to bargain with me. The lady who gripes when you wont sell a 700 page Food Network cookbook for 50 cents, the same price you are selling all of you paperback smut books. Garage Sales are a lot of work, are they worth it? I would say yes, for an 8 hour day of work, you walk away with $500. That is the cheapest entertainment and the best people watching you can get.

Meet Matt

Have you ever met that person who, no matter what they do or what people tell them, they continue to let people walk all over them. They let people take advantage of them and they don't even see it. I am being a good friend, they say. Well you may be being a friend but that person that is walking all over you is not even trying to being a friend. The last thing on their mind is YOU. You keep trying and giving, in hopes that one day they will surprise you and do something nice for you or at least say Thank you or offer you money to feed their kids when they leave them at your house for a week .... but that never happens. It is like living around negativity for 8 years. It just chips away at your soul. It is painful to watch someone treat your friends that way. When you can see how big their heart is and how special they are but then you have to watch people treat them like crap. They deserve so much more but they cant see it. You can only be there to listen when they are hurt or mad and treat them the best that you can to make up for any holes in their soul that might have been lost otherwise. Meet Matt .... doormat that is.

Glass vs Jug

I lived alone for a long time. The fewer dirty dishes the better. Now that I am married, is it still OK to drink straight from the milk jug? In trying to simplify my life, I have decided that it is perfectly fine to drink milk without dirtying up glass. I mean, then you just have to wash it. Yes, we have a dishwasher but that would free up a spot for something else. Something that you really need to use ... like a cereal bowl. I mean you are not going to pour fruity pebbles into the milk carton and then drink it .. a cereal bowl is necessary. And there are times when a glass is a must, like when you are having chili. You cant just sit the jug in the middle of the table and everyone just grab for it when they need a drink. Jug drinking is only used when you just need that one drink. To get you past a spoon full of peanut butter or to coat your belly before bed. After all it is just me and the hubby and we do exchange spit other ways ... so i guess it is no big deal that I drink from the milk jug. What if everyone drinks from the jug.? When you go to visit someone and they make chocolate cake for dessert and you want a glass of milk. Have they been drinking from the jug? Water with dinner and coffee with dessert .... when visiting others, pass on the milk.

Who is your hair dresser?

I went to get my hair done today. A new color and a new cut. I went to Hairy's. I have been there once before. It is always fun to go into a new place to have your hair cut. When you walk in, you immediately make note of everyone in there and what their hair looks like. Are they well groomed? I mean, who wants to go in and have their hair cut and colored by some girl who has a purple crew cut. Would it be better to get the lady who has the hair style from the 80's or the purple haired girl? What about the man who is all pierced up and bald? You get all excited about the idea of a change. Like the shorter brown hair is going to make your life a lot better or less stressful than the long blond hair. Either way, you are excited .... you get out of the car and walk into the salon. You look around, bald pierced guy, purple crew cut girl or lady from the 80's? You sit down and try to figure out who is going to get done first. OMG ... not the bald guy. I hope he takes his break before the next appointment. Should I get up and leave? Go somewhere else? The excitement that you felt on your way has now turned into anxiety. What do you do? You look around and look at what the clients they are now working on look like. The bald guy is cutting a little boys hair ... clippers. The 80's lady is doing a shampoo and set on a lady that looks like your grandma and the purple haired girls is still in the shampoo stage and water is splashing everywhere. You stand in preparing for a sprint out the door but before you get the door opened, it happens. Someone calls your name. You can feel the sweat building up. You turn around to see a skinny blond, well groomed, not a hair out of place girl about your age, holding a cape and waiting for you to sit down. Your body temperature drops a bit and you take a deep breath .... all is good again.

empty nesting it this week ...

I woke up this morning and it was .... quiet. No barking. No Handy Manny. No one crawling into bed with me ... just quiet. We had visitors this weekend. Drive thru zoo, Lamberts, Barn park with corn maze, pumpkins, hayride ... and now, just me, roxy and work. I guess it is time to get back to real life. Roxy is struggling too. She is wondering around the house looking for the girls. She has no one to bark at and more importantly, no one to feed her treats. It is odd. I am having so much trouble figuring out what to do. I have spent the last two weeks focusing on Jamie and what she needed and just worked my needs and wants (and work) around her that today ... i am having focus issues. maybe a nap would help. maybe i will take roxy for a short walk. maybe this halloween cupcake. it is amazing how much a couple of little girls can make your heart hurt when they leave.

Letting go of the grouch

Did you ever wake up one day and realized you had turned into a grouch? I remember several years back that I use to be more easy going, more fun and less grouchy. I guess when you are around negativity for long periods of time it just brings you down. How do you get yourself back up there? Hot air balloons, going to the zoo and rainbows use to make me smile ... now, when do you ever see me smile? I have had Jamie here for a week now and I find that every day I have a smile to give her. If we could all be so excited to see an elephant on the driveway in sidewalk chalk. What is it in life that makes us turn that corner to discontentment or sadness? When did I become too busy to sit outside for a few minutes and blow bubbles. I need to simplify. I need to get back to where I am excited to get started working so that I can get done and go out and play. I need to learn to love dancing in the rain, stomping in a puddle and singing "I've been working on the railroad" as loud as I can with the windows down. I have the perfect teacher for this .... Granddaughters. Today is the first day of a simple life where I can enjoy the simple things again.

Today is my Birthday ...

I went to my friend Hannah's house on Monday for her birthday dinner and we are planning to attend a big bash this weekend to celebrate her 11th birthday. With this birthday celebration on my mind and the hot air balloon I just saw fly over the house, I am reminded of my best birthday ever.



I love birthdays. I love to celebrate my birthday the entire month of July. It was my second birthday in Columbia. No one had mentioned anything about my birthday and I was getting a bit upset about the entire thing. There was no cake, no presents, no nothing. It was a Saturday Morning and I had been outside by the lake and heard the phone ring. I ran to answer it and it was my sister ... just calling to see what I was doing, but no Happy Birthday. Gary was busy around the house. No balloons. It was like I wasnt even there. Everyone had forgotten my birthday. Travis was hanging out, but still nothing. I am such a big baby ... I need presents and I need cake. About that time there was a knock on the door. I went to answer it and it was my Dad, my Mom, Jill, Amanda, Dean and Eric. Melissa and Stacy came later. My dad never traveled and he had come to my surprise party. They had driven for 3 hours to celebrate with me. Gary had planned the entire thing. We showed them around the Condo and the area, took the kids out on the lake, we swam, we (I) opened presents and WE ATE CAKE. We had two cakes because I am so hard to please that Gary had made what he thought was my favorite cake ... and then made a back up. My family didnt get to stay long but I was so touched that they had made the trip. I got three great gifts that year ... the party, the visitors and Gary surprised me again with a ride in a hot air balloon ride. That was the only time my Dad made it up to see me but it is a memory I will have forever.



Happy Birthday Hannah!

Internet Issues

hello all. i just wanted to check in. we made it home from the blues fest. i have a 3 year old staying with me for a couple of weeks and my internet is down. I will blog later today, please dont give up on me ...... thanks for reading. Let me know you are still out there ... have a great day.

Gone for the weekend ..

We are leaving town this afternoon. Columbia bound. Roots n Blues n BBQ festival. We will return on Sunday evening. Look for my next blog on Monday morning. Have a great weekend everyone.

At what point did it become ok ....

for teenagers for say the "F" word in front of two teams of soccer parents? At what point did it become ok to make our kids cry because they didnt win a soccer game. I spent the weekend watching the best midfielder in Springfield play soccer in St Louis. I am sure that Amanda gets all of her sports skills from her Aunt. She played three games. They tied two and won one. She played great. We sat on the bleachers and watched. We cheered. We encouraged. We supported. Even when the shot was a little high, went out of bounds or was stolen by the other team, we supported. On one side of the field sat the teams and the coaches. On the other side of the field sat the parents and the "coaches". When did it become OK to yell at your kids and tell them in front of a hundred other people everything they are doing wrong. When did we teach our kids that it is OK to be disrespectful to not only an adult but the referee of a game? This was a college showcase tournament and we came in third out of eight and we were excited about that. Our girls played well. They played three games. Two forty minute halves on each. It was warm. Instead of cheering them on, there were parents there, telling them how to play, where to run, when to shoot and yelled at them when they didn't. They were probably following the instructions of their real coaches. It is a game. I saw at least three different girls that after speaking with their mom or dad after the game, walked away in tears. It is a serious game. A competitive sport that could send our kids to college. But they are our children. Amanda, you played great this weekend and I was proud to support you in all three games and will see you again next time on the field. GO MAMBAS! GO NUMBER ONE!

Is it odd that my husband dates?

I went out of town over the weekend. My husband went out on a date on Saturday. Gary, his date and I didn't think this to be odd at all, however, when we spoke about it in public, others thought it odd. "Who are you bringing to the party?" "My friends, husband" .odd?. I told my Mom, Sister and Niece on our way to St Louis. "What is Gary doing this weekend?" they asked. "He is going out with Harley (a made up name for the friend)" They all got quiet and asked, "Isn't that odd?" I guess first we need to decide what the appropriate wording is. Gary had dinner with Harley. Gary went for drinks with Harley. Gary had a date with Harley. Gary went out with Harley. Which one of these is the correct statement? Amanda informed me that "dating" was when you just went somewhere with a person. We are dating. This means that you can go places with that person, but you can also "date" others at the same time. "Going out" means that you two are seeing only each other. This makes thing much clearer ... NOT. Gary cant be "going out" with me and "dating" Harley because that doesn't meet any of the guidelines. OMG .. next time I will just say he is having drinks with friends.

Thanks for waiting ... not so patiently

Hello all. I am sorry for the delay. I spent the weekend in St Louis with my Mom, Sister and Niece. Soccer. And I have not been feeling well this week. Please look for my real blog later this evening.