Here's To Life's Little Luxuries!

This long, super-cold winter has caused me to be more grateful to a few things that, in the past I may have ignored……so, here’s to all the little amenities that make living in the 21^st century so cozy.

Here’s to you, heated car seats! Thanks for keeping my tush nice and toasty through every journey. Whether I’m experiencing slight(?) road rage, waiting in the car-rider line at school, or singing my heart out to the Jonas Brothers with my daughter, you keep my buns warm throughout.

To you, drive-through service lanes! With the simple push of a button, vacuum tubes transport my bank transactions, car-payment, and prescription meds – and others I can purchase food, from burgers, to tacos, fish and pizza…..all while keeping toasty buns in my heated seats. Oh, and I love the nice ladies that always tell me to Have A Nice Day before I leave.

To you, garage door opener! Once again, another push-of-the-button, and you open to welcome me and my car out of the harsh cold or rain. We live in a small house, and friends will often say to, “turn your garage into a room!”….I think not! I will continue to clear out excess so we can fit in our home before losing the privilege of unloading groceries in a dry room!

And, of course, to you, Central Heating! Not only do you keep our family warm…..the cold winter has caused many to purchase you and / or many of your counterparts to need repair, (YAY!!) which keeps my husband in business....and will help us to pay the utilities to use you.

Wow! How can it get any better than this? I know there are times that we have to make that dash out into the elements…..but we do need an excuse every now and then to wear that cool new scarf, don’t we?

My Crow Needs Salt

I'm going to call it an evolution of myself.....instead of what it really is, eating my words.

We've all done it (at least I hope I'm not alone). Making matter-of-fact statements that you later have to recall. One of my most prominent one is definitely "My kids won't act like that!". Oh, yes......those words haunted me over and over, especially when my daughter, Sadie, was born. She was a beautiful baby...but that child had a siren-level scream that would cause factories to evacuate. For about two years, we had family and friends that - for some reason - were always "busy" when it came to doing things with us! (It's okay, friends, I understand.)

Another would be that "I would never go out in public dressed like that!". Yea, well, for those of you who run into me in Wal-Mart....you know the end of that story.

However, I could very well be approaching the one thing that I have fought for years......the grand martyr of them all....."I will NEVER drive a mini-van!!". Now, please, for those of you who drive one, I am definitely not insulting you. You probably went through the same thought-process. I always said it was like "waiving the white flag on ever being cool again". And then I test-drove one. My friends, I can't get it out of my head! The dual DVD players...2nd row captains chairs...doors that slid open with the push of a button...space between me and the kids w/o us all having to balance the backpacks, groceries, and toilet tissue on our heads! NOW I see what you other mini-van Moms are talking about!

It will be difficult letting go of my cute little Zephyr - but, this is "growth" as a Mom, right? I mean, it's not like I'll be forced to wear Mom-jeans......because "I will NEVER wear Mom-jeans".

Now, excuse me while I finish eating my crow.....


Also - I will soon be posting an update on my "Feng Shui" transformation.....bamboo is placed in the east side of my living room....so, I'm sure you will soon be seeing a rainbow ending at my house. :o)

Got Some Jing You Could Spare?

So - I make this crazy New Year's resolution to incorporate more "Feng Shui" into my home and life. Hey, I watch an ample amount of HGTV - so I hear the words all the time, and I figure I'm half-way there. But, I also took a HUGE step by purchasing the book "Fast Feng Shui" . Now, I have an investment, so I am truly committed.

Okay - I will admit that I am still on Step 1...but I am going to take you on this journey w/ me. Now, this is supposed to be life-altering - so, I am totally expecting to be retired on my own island in a year...it is, however "Fast Fung Shui".

One of the main points (um, of the introduction) is that your home (land, office....) must have a positive flow of "chi" throughout. The "chi" is like a river of energy throughout my home. I think my chi is stuck between a mound of a week's worth of laundry, Christmas presents that have yet to find a home, and bills from Christmas that I probably should be paying instead of typing this blog!

Supposedly, my front door entrance defines my career. So, what does the magazine holder overflowing w/ magazines that I keep meaning to read say?........... - okay, I am back now...had to go move that to my "relationships" corner. Maybe they will read the magazines.

Also, there is my "jing" which is the "substance that underlies all organic life" of which we only have a certain amount of when we are born and when it is gone, it's gone. I wish I could go back in time b/c I know that I wasted large portions of my jing on all those huge decisions, like what color to paint the kitchen, or all the crazy fund-raisers I have participated in, or grilling family members to find out who didn't replace the toilet paper roll.....so, I think I am now jingless.

Wish me luck as I shall trudge through trying to find my chi.......and the mate to this sock would be nice, too.

I Think I Am Channeling Poe

Anyone who may think of feathered friends as being boring pets could very well be surprised to know the truth. You may know of our family's colorful adventures w/ my son's chickens - from my surprising flogging to the trip to the vet w/ a rooster ending in a sad ceremonial laying to rest.

So, in keeping w/ our insane path, we have "upped" the notch on bird brains. My nephew, Rob, received a beautiful cockateil for Christmas. A majestic bird w/ a beautiful long tail. Since he & my in-laws were leaving for a trip the day after Christmas, I was happy to "bird sit" for the week. Christmas night, we arrive to pick up "Poco". I wait in the living room for them to pack him up - and soon hear my mother-in-law screaming, "You IDIOT!!! What is wrong with you???!!!! You IDIOT!!!" I run to the bedroom (afraid this anger is directed at my son) to find my father-in-law holding ONLY the long, majestic feathered tail that once belonged to Poco. Apparently, he though that would be a good way to catch him.....not so much. Now Poco reminded me of Don King with only his feathered mohawk standing up. Being a bird that can learn to speak, I know his first word will be "IDIOT!" (Possibly because I am constantly saying "IDIOT" around him to encourage the possibility).

The following day, Joey & Ty leave for a 2-day hunting trip, and Sadie for a sleepover - Now I'm in charge of Poco, the chickens, the quail, and the club-foot duck.

Sucking up my fear of being flogged, I water all the chickens and the duck. But, I make a crucial mistake w/ the quail by opening the top to lean down and fill their water jar........um, one of the quail flies up on my head! It seems to linger there...as afraid as I was...forever, wings flapping in my ear....the then up to the rafters it goes. I'm not spider-girl, but I do try to catch it. However, it flies again to where I can't even find it.

Not wanting to ruin Ty's hunting trip, I keep this information (and the barn) tightly sealed.

Upon his return, Ty takes the news well, and even decided to set the other quail free. (He incubated these from eggs.) What should have been a bitter-sweet moment of freedom for the quail ends abruptly as a chicken-hawk swoops down and eats 2 at that very moment! Oh, the grief....

Will our lives ever be free of fowl flubs? ............quote the raven, "Nevermore"........

NOTE: 2 days later, my flyaway quail appeared in one of the horse's stalls! She was taken to the field where the other two remaining were still living.