Chalk this up to the Good Karma file

With a noreaster breathing down our necks here in E. Nowhere, Doug and Isaac were a bit concerned about getting out of the airport here to get to see the outlaws in Arizona.

Me, personally, well, if you’ve been hanging around long enough, you know how I feel. I would have loved to say “screw off” to them and keep the guys here. I don’t spend enough time with either of them, and it’s because of the hellacious work schedule I keep. Just because I have two days off, doesn’t mean they’re really mine. Seriously. But I digress.

Anyhoo, the guys were supposed to fly out of here and head to Baltimore and then go to Phoenix.

Now, first off, does anyone see the faulty logic here? Going east first to go west? Yeah. Seriously. Taking a longer flight and all of that and a roundabout route. Nice.
Now, the thing about where we live is that it’s a geographically protected area. We learn that early on in grade school. We’re protected by two very large mountain ranges that any sort of storm has to pass before it hits us. So, there are storms where the surrounding areas get dumped on and we get absolutely nothing. Hence, my attitude of “I’ll believe the pileup when I see it.”

 

BUT, Baltimore…well, that’s a whole other story. If this storm hits us, they’re going to get SLAMMED. Ya know, being coastal and all…

 

So, does anyone see the faulty logic here again? Midwest has already gotten this storm. It’s CLEAR there!!
So, why were the guys not routed through Chicago?

Yeah. No clue.

So, last night, instead of a “Merry Christmas” call, Colostomy calls here and wants to talk to Doug about the plane flight. Nothing about our day, nothing about how Isaac enjoyed his gifts…none of that. Just his usual selfish banter of “How are you going to get to us.”

Frankly, again, I don’t care.

BUT, put this in the good karma file.

Doug was talking about going through Chicago, and if they could get from here to Chicago, they could get to Phoenix no problem.

(see the wheels turning in my head?)

So, I logged onto the Southwest site and found that there not only was a flight on Monday (the day they’re leaving) to Chicago and connecting to Phoenix, but there were (ready?) STILL AVAILABLE SEATS on the flight!!

So, I grabbed the phone and dialed Southwest. I tossed my cell phone to Doug and made him call Colostomy to make sure he would pay for a flight change, because I’m totally not footing the bill for any sort of visit to them.

There I sat, on hold, for 43 minutes and 28 seconds (my phone has a timer..) and spoke to the nicest Southwest agent. She took the reservation numbers and listened patiently as I explained what I would love her to do, if possible.

I got put on hold.

I hate hold. But I understand.

She then returned with the news that I had gotten them on the flights to Midway and then on to Phoenix. No upgrade charge, no penalty, no fees. Just a straight flight change.

It even gets the two of them into Phoenix a bit earlier!

Oh, and the Southwest person told me that I was the nicest, most polite customer she had dealt with that day…how can you not be nice on Christmas!? But I digress.

 

Do you even think I got a “thank you” out of those fools?

 

This is so going in my “good karma” file.

or as my old principal used to say-I’m doing this for the souls in purgatory.

because there’s no other reason to do this.

Yeah, I’m going to the circus. So what?

For eons, the debate around circuses has been hot and heavy. It’s not about the human acts, it’s about the animals. Around here, it’s even gotten so bad that PETA is putting on “educational protests” at local elementary schools at dismissal, using an elephant costume with a bandaged, bloody head. It’s even gotten to the point where local politicians have drafted resolutions/bills/whathave you so that in essence, the circus can’t come to town. Yes, they say it targets rodeos too, but for cripe’s sake, this is about the circus.

I’m all for not abusing animals or being cruel to them. It kills me to see any animal being abused at all. Both of my cats are rescue animals, and our darling Jasmine (who also answers to Furball..) was the target of abuse. She was tossed in a plastic bag to starve and freeze in a drainage ditch in SoCal in early March. It gets flippin’ cold there at night!

But what I can’t get behind is the fact that PETA and other animal rights activists go undercover, tape things and then edit the videos to make for a sensationalist, provocative video that lights up the internet. They take the absolute one bad apple type things and make them into “all people are awful” type videos.

Am I (as one blogger put it) “Perpetuating corporate greed at the expense of the animals”? I don’t think so. I feel like I’m enriching my child’s life. We know that circus elephants are NOT the elephants from the wild. We also know and discuss the realities of elephants, tigers and other things.

What slays me in all of this is that people who willingly and loudly boycott circuses often willingly and quickly take their children to zoos. They call the zoos “wonderful examples of the species.”

well, wait. Isn’t a captive animal a captive animal? Can’t you consider captivity abuse? Or, wait…are we using zoos to repopulate the species that are endangered and take care of those less fortunate animals who have been the victims of REAL abuse-such as the elephants San Diego rescued from a herd that was about to be culled!

Oh,a nd WAIT! What about aquariums?!  Are the touch tanks violating the rights of the starfish, rays and sharks and skates that live in them? Even when the rays and skates come and splash you for attention because they LIKE BEING TOUCHED?

The selective nature of the animal rights activists bothers me. Either you advocate for all or nothing. Don’t pick and choose your animals. And oh, don’t make a law that limits my personal freedom and the ability to use my mental capacities and outside resources to make an informed choice.

So, tomorrow, I’ll be at the circus. I’ll be watching my child laugh, smile and I’ll be in full on mommy mode taking photos.

Got a problem with that? So what.

I’ll do what I choose and you do what you choose, and we won’t judge each other? Ok?

Views from a birthday dinner

So, the ‘rents took us out for my birthday. Geez. I’m another year older…but I digress.

Everyone, take note. I did NOT demand to go to an Asian place. I selected this place:

where I had an Asian inspired dish…that I forgot to take a picture of. It was the Miso Salmon if anyone is interested. It’s an addiction. Well, at least the Miso part for me is.

My Mom and Isaac engaged in a battle of the sillies

and I engaged in the “eating of the birthday cheesecake”

It was quite the evening. And I’m still a year older, at least chronologically. Mentally…well, that’s a whole different story.

It’s just got to be hockey season because…

We not only had a pre-season River Rats game here…

With lots of fights, because now, we’ve got a NORTHWAY SERIES BACK!

Isaac got his face painted at the game and some silly gear courtesy of Nana…

and then we had opening night…

Can I begin this tale of hilarity by saying that I had a target on my chest? I was hanging down at the boards with Puddle (as she does) and Isaac, who seems to love all of the banging around of warm ups, and toward the end, a puck came flying over the boards. Normal occurance. Seriously normal. WELL, it came and hit me in the chest-bounced off me and went down on the ground. Isaac scrambled and got the puck…and I grabbed Puddle’s phone and put up the following status…

Just got hit in the hooters with a puck! must be hockey season!

Yep. it’s true. I did. Yes, it’s hilarious. I think I deserve one of those hot as all get out 3rd jerseys for my humiliation and pain. But I digress.

My little guy got a new hat…

and we watched a very young team really try and pull it out.

Isaac watched Mommy go slightly nutty yelling….

and exercise huge restraint in not throttling the old, grumpy geezer in front of them who thought children didn’t belong at a hockey game, and told a few parents so.

Then, we went down on the ice after the game for the Meet the Players session.

Isaac was beyond excited that we got to go onto the ice. He could NOT believe that we were actually walking on ice. He asked me a few times for ice skates. I told him he had to master the art of soccer cleats before he could even THINK of getting on skates.

Isaac got his hockey stick signed by the entire team, save for the coaches. They didn’t come out. I think the assistant coach was trying to find ways to tell them of the Curse of Meet the Players Night…but I digress.

Then, asked Isaac if I could do one thing. Take his picture in the goal…

We’ll be back for more games. I know it. I just know it.

I’ve finally corrupted my son to the dark side…Hockey is the appropriate sport…

How to…

Prevent Swine Flu.

courtesy of my Mom…

Announcements from the peanut gallery that make me twitch

Isaac is a one of a kind kid-to the point where it causes me to say the kid is just oddball. One of the things he does is announce what he wants to do or us to get him involved in. Prime example-

Before he went to Arizona to visit the outlaws with Doug, he announced that he wanted to play soccer.

Yeah. Ok. After the last trial of soccer, I wasn’t too sure. He was targeted by 2 kids and one actually threw a ball in his face. Literally. Hit him in the face with a ball. the instructor and parent did NOTHING. Yeah. I wasn’t sure. BUT, I’m not one to tell him he can’t do something.

So, I began hunting for places other than the one to play fall soccer at. I found one in a neighboring city, but even though that’s close to Mom and Dad’s house and where I work, I’d rather have Isaac play with kids in the neighborhood. Isn’t that half the reason you play sports? To get to know the kids around you and play with your friends?

So, I went and found a local soccer club that he could play on, but it turned out it was waaay too expensive-and was a TRAVEL CLUB. Not for first timers. I don’t understand what parent would put their 5 or 6 year old on a travel club that costs that much and is that much pressure with tryouts, ect. Not my idea of what beginning sports should be like, but I digress.

The expensive travel club emailed me back (because I emailed them about financial assistance-I really can’t afford $300.00 for my 5 year old to play soccer!) and suggested I look into the town rec league.

Hrm. Didn’t know the town had a rec league.
I got on line and looked it up, and made the phone call to the appropriate person, and asked about a million questions…and found out that we still had time to register! WOOHOO!

After PT the following day, I shot over to the town offices and got everything all locked and loaded. I got the email receipt and there was a note on the bottom that said:
“all players must wear shin guards. Cleats are reccomended but not required.”

I hadn’t thought of that.

How in the name of all things holy are we going to get ones that fit over AFO’s? How in the name of all things holy are we going to get cleats that aren’t too long and can take the bulk of a shin guard and sock and AFO?

Yeah, No clue here. So, I called the town person and played 20 questions about where to get the stuff. She reccomended Play it again Sports-deals in new and used equipment, because with the cleats, little kids wear them one season and then they need new ones because their feet grow! Why pay all of that money for cleats when you can get them in realllly good condition and on the cheap?

I’m with that.

I called Play it Again, and played 20 questions with them about cleats, AFOs and shin guards. I then went in after work and got the cleats and shin guards (with the AFO’s to make sure they fit…because for some reason, cleats run more narrow than any other shoe on the face of the planet.) and then promptly called the prosthetics office.

Why the prosthetics office? Easy. I wasn’t sure a) what kind of shin guards would work with AFOs and b) if there was a way to make them so they fit just perfectly and don’t impede the running he’s going to need to do.
After talking to the prosthetician who made Isaac’s AFOs, he had us make an appointment for today, and he’s going to modify the shin guards and check the cleats and the AFO’s. YAY!

What does he want for all of this?

Just a photo of the shrimper running the wrong way down the turf.

Ok. I can get behind that.

It’s so quiet in the house-or how I got my Mom to eat eel.

This week has been unremarkable in many ways here in Chez E. Nowhere. The guys have been in Arizona visiting the outlaws. As always, I’m not invited. I’m not sad about that at all. Nope. Not at all. So, my life has gone on as always, working and dong what I normally do.

Since cooking for one is kind of insane, my parents have had me over for dinner the majority of the time that the guys have been gone.

Last night, we went out for Asian food at this awesome Pan Asian place by one of the local malls. They serve pretty much all sorts of stuff, including a favorite of mine, sushi. Mom and Dad (ok, just Dad) didn’t really flinch when I ordered up sushi for us to share. Mom-well, she looked at me like I had 20 heads. That’s par for the course around here, so I took it in stride as always.

I ordered two rolls for everyone to share as they saw fit-a tropical roll (crab, cucumber and whitefish and shrimp on the outside topped with black roe, and a mango sauce…oh, yum!) and an eel roll.

With ordering those, and the miso soup that had just shown up, I was in Asiorican heaven.

The sushi shows up,and I offer the eel around. Dad takes some, declares it yummy. Mom sits there and stares at it…and me. Then she proceeds to roll her eyes at me as I’m just having this blissed out moment eating eel.

I offer Mom part of the tropical roll, and she refuses, because of the fish roe on top..even though it’s just a little pinch! It’s awesome, but she declines…then, I offered her the eel.

I got the “Mom look.”

I expected that.

I kept remiding her that the eel was COOKED and it was yummy and she should SO try it. Dad kept telling her the eel was yummy…and she should try it.

So, after me telling her to just dip it in her soy sauce and go for it, Mom picked up a piece of eel roll.

and proceded to commit sushi blasphemy. She started to DISMANTLE THE ROLL and cut it with a knife in an attempt to be dainty.

Yeah, sushi’s not about being dainty. It’s about the FLAVOR! You can’t dismantle a roll because if you do, you lose what makes the entire thing special. Each piece is bite sized and all of the flavors are carefully constructed! Yesh!

But Mom liked eel. Even though she may tell you otherwise…she liked the eel. She had 2 chunks.

So, wonder if the next time the boys are out of town I can get her to try sea urchin. One never knows.

Happy Father’s Day!

Dear Dadoo:

You are not the recipient of the majority of blog posts here that revolve around my family, but you are quite the instigator of a lot of the fun that happens. So, here is my official “dad” post…just for you.

And since it is widely known that I can’t do anything straight, and if I did, you’d think someone had died…

From the Home Office in SUNNY Seattle, Washington…

here are…

The top 10 reasons my Dad is the coolest!

10. He lets me take pictures like this:

9. Has mastered the art of rolling his eyes at me and telling me I’m insane.  That’s a good thing to master-I’m serious!

8. Daddy-Daughter Date night!

7. Knows that when a kid learns a foreign language, they only want to know the “good stuff” first, not basic vocab!

6. Knows everything about cooking-and is one heck of a chef!

5. Map coloring is now a sporting event, once every 4 years-kinda like the Olympics. Cackling is NOT optional. Neither are some good crayons.

4. Is the awesomest grandparent-breaks all the rules we used to have-and feeds Isaac eclairs in the living room.

3. He allows Yoda ornaments to be hung on his tree…after loudly stating that they were not allowed, ever.

2. Late night Lenten Domino’s Pizza!

1. He’s MY Dad! There should be no other explanation other than that needed!

so, Happy Father’s day to my darling Daddoo!

Love you!

A visit to the Teddy Bear Hospital

As I was sifting through fun things to do for the weekend, I stumbled upon Albany Med’s annual Teddy Bear Hospital day. I figured it looked cool, and the allure of the MediFlight helicopter was too much for us to pass up. So, we grabbed Cannuck, Isaac’s panda, and hopped in the car and headed down to Albany Med.

Of course, my vehicle obsessed boy ran right for the helicopter and sat inside…with permission of the medics of course!

 He asked a LOT of questions, but that was just fine with the medics, who patiently answered every last one of his “What’s that” and “What does that do?” questions.

Then , of course, we visited the fire truck. How can you NOT visit a fire truck with Isaac around!

 

Then, we finally made it inside…

and went straight to check in, where Isaac recieved his Teddy Bear Specialist ID card!

 

Notice my child’s photo. All of the other children were smiling nicely. Very nicely. My child has to make a face. Seriously. This is blackmail fodder for years to come!

So, after we got the ID badges, we moved on to the primary care division of the hospital, where Cannuck got his weight, blood pressure and reflexes checked…and got 3 shots.

Then, Cannuck got measured on a really cool giraffe growth chart

and then we went over and learned about 911, sunscreen and how to cover our coughs, with Jim, who really should think seriously about going into pediatrics!

We then went over and decided Cannuck got hurt…and needed a head cast! So, one of the medical students did that for us!

While the cast was drying we went and played OPERATION!

and then we went and saw x-rays of a famous green friend!

and we saw hand, foot and rib bones!

And then, after some face painting, it was time to check out with our awesome patient, who got a cast, surgery, shots and x-rays!

 

So, now, Isaac is a certified teddy bear specialist, and we had a great day!

Time to go to the REAL circus!

A few weeks ago, we heard that Ringling Brothers Circus was coming to the arena by the house. Originally, we didn’t think we’d be able to go, as we’re working on saving for what looks to be where Isaac will be for Kindergarten next year (that’s another post…and I figured I’d spare y’all a few days of kindergarten drama…).

Boy were we shocked when Mom decided it was high time Isaac should go to the circus!

So, we drove down to the arena and got our tickets and saw all of the trailers and RVs and things that go along with a circus set up. We also discovered that there was a preshow an hour before, where you got to go down on the circus floor and interact with the circus performers as well as see some animals, and do some neato circus things.  We even made the social worker at Isaac’s morning program jealous-she’s a circus nut and went every year as a kid, because she lived downstate, and was able to hit Coney Island!

Isaac was way too excited and had trouble waiting…

And after what seemed like an eon, we got in!

We went right down to the floor for the preshow, and the first thing Isaac did was play dress up!

and then we saw some jugglers…

We even got to get our very own clown noses!

and even watched some silly clowns do a “high wire act.”

Then, the show began…

There were Elephants-which were Isaac’s favorite! We saw jugglers, clowns and an amazing set of motorcycles in a globe of steel. 

we got cotton candy, which came with a Silly hat!

and laughed and laughed until we turned blue. 

it was one heck of a time had by all. We can’t wait until they come back into town next year!