Crates Full

Pray for me! I'm going to a book sale. A hoity-toity college prep school is holding their annual book sale today. I'm told it's quite the event. And that books are cheap. We've already run out of shelf space. And I'm ready to spend, spend, spend. Yipe! I'm in trouble!

Until I write again ...

Flea

Comfort Food

It occurred to me yesterday, as I was scarfing down the last bit of a late lunch, what one of those things was about which I wanted to blog. One of those inconsequential nothings which of COURSE I wasn't going to remember. And when I remembered, it was too late to photograph the process. Or anything.

One of my favorite comfort foods is ramen. Not just any ramen, but peanut butter ramen. And I was eating the last bite of a bowlful when I recalled thinking about posting about it last week. As I was eating the last bite of a bowlful. Mmm.

In the interest of my bloggy friends' well being, knowing that endless winter and a bottomless economy require the best of comfort foods, I was a good girl and made another bowl (and ate it - yesterday was just that kind of day) and photographed the process. You're welcome.

I'm aware that to some of you this will seem gross. Some people can't even stand the smell, much less the taste. To others it will be, as it is for me, a taste of comfort heaven. And a simpler dish you won't find.

First I break the ramens into little bits while they're still in the bowl, while holding it over the bowl (nothing more fun than vacuuming up little bits of ramen from a burst bag - woo):


Next I pour in some frozen vegetables. I'm a fan of the mixed variety, with the corn, peas and carrots, but I used the last of it in the first bowl. So with this one I'm using frozen corn and broccoli:


Now I pour on about half of the flavor packet:


Fill with filtered water (I don't use tap water for cooking or drinking), about a quarter inch from the top of the bowl:


Then microwave on high for five minutes:


Once it's out, I drain the liquid:


Then stir in a heaping teaspoon of creamy peanut butter:


As well as the rest of that spice packet:


And stir till the peanut butter is about melted in - it will still be clumpy and not really evenly distrubted:


Which is why soy sauce or teriyaki is essential at this point:


I prefer teriyaki. If you use soy, use the light, or less sodium. Regular soy sauce makes the dish REALLY salty. I shake it on liberally and stir, stir, stir:


Then eat!

Hope you have a great weekend! TGIF!

Until I write again ...

Flea

P.S. Gratuitous shot of Maybelline and her new do!

A Lot of Talk About Nothing

There have been a million things swirling around in my brain the last three weeks that I've wanted desparately to blog about. And now I can't think of a one. Dang it!

I can tell you that it's tornado and hail season, or nearly. Time to clean out the closet under the stairs.

It's also shedding season. My poor carpets. I'm trying to get the Babies outside for a thorough brushing at least twice a week.

It's nearly growing season and time to start the garden. The Bradford pears are about to burst into bloom, and the bulbs are beginning to come up!

It's also cold and flu season. My nose is still running, eight days after it started. I hate this.

So instead of all the things I wanted to talk about, I'll settle for a meme. Anyone out there mind? Then you can just click here. Thanks for playing.

I'm not quite sure this is a meme, but I was tagged for it on Facebook and it was fun. Play along if you'd like.

Rules! Life's nothing without rules, right? We at least need something to break ...

Here’s how it works: Google “[your first name] needs” and share the first 10 results. That's it: it is that simple. But be honest!

The Good Flea needs nothing. However, in the interest of being a good sport, she'll play along.

1. Dog Flea solutions from Little River pet shop
2. Flea needs a smoke, finds a road flare ... it gets better
3. What you need to know about fleas in cats
4. Brooklyn Flea wants more vendors
5. Flick the Flea: this flea needs to jump some pretty huge objects
6. Since spraying for fleas needs to be done every 3 months ...
7. ... we learned what needs to be done to get rid of fleas altogether
8. How much does a single flea need to bite to be satisfied?
9. A female flea needs to have a blood meal from ...
10. You will not need a prescription for most flea and tick remedies

The Good Flea does not care for this particular game. Too many people trying to off the Good Flea. Harumph.

Y'all have a great Thursday.

Until I write again ...

Flea

The Good Flea's Hair

Hey gang. As promised (wait - did I promise something? Did I take my meds today? Where am I?), there will be photos of the hair, wavy and straight. First, though, some housekeeping.

I'm still struggling with schedule - mine and my blog's. The two were one and the same before my hiatus. I'm now determined that they be separate. I went through horrible blog withdrawals the first week I was away and I do NOT want to go through that again. On so many levels. Fortunately, Michelle, at Scribbit, recently posted her blogging schedule. I'll be modifying and printing it out to use for myself.

I saw my objective third party today and spoke with her for an hour and a half. I like her. I think it's a good fit. We're going to unpack my life, see what's worth keeping, what needs to be tossed and determine what needs to be done with the rest. Ayup. Definitely a keeper.

Now! Pictures! Here's the Good Flea before:


The Good Flea before with straight hair:


The Good Flea after, with wavy bed-head:


(oh, and no makeup)

The Good Flea after, sporting the straight hair:

(still no makeup)

My main objective in getting the hair cut was simply to see what I would look like with short, stylish straight hair. Forty one years with thick, curly hair, full of body, and I just wanted to see myself like all the other girls with their cute do's. Is that so wrong? Maybe. But I'm really liking it. Muchly.

So I have to go. I'm a monitor at the intermediate school for the writing assessments taking place today. You all have a good one!

Until I write again ...

Flea

A Confession of Sorts

I have a Valentine's Day confession to make. Oh, it's a bad one. VERY bad. *hangs head in shame* It may take a bit of rambling before I can get to the confessing. It's that bad.

Remember that yummy toffee I was savoring for nearly a month? Covered in dark chocolate? Oh, how I miss that toffee. No, I haven't ordered any more. I need to, though. It was so good.

For Valentine's Day my Hunny brought home some very pretty things he'd found in a department store, things which were deeply discounted, but perfectly suited to me. And I so needed new nighties. These are lovely. He also surprised me with Godiva truffles, a standing favorite. Or they were. A box of 18.

Y'all, I've eaten several. And they just aren't very good. WTH?!? They're more like cheaper chocolate now. The toffee has ruined me for anything less. It's horrid. Where once I could enjoy the dark chocolate or cappuccino Godiva truffle, I now munch and shrug. They're not bad. Just no longer delectable. I miss the toffee. I must have the toffee. Next pay check I think I'll order more. Yes, it's that good. I can't believe I'm a slave to sugar and chocolate. Dark chocolate. And almonds. Can't forget the almonds.

I'm drooling now. Are you happy, toffee people? Geez. I'd better stop before the keyboard short circuits.

Until I write again ...

Flea

Funny Bone Monday

Welcome back to Funny Bone Monday! Today's, for lack of a better topic, is the humble flea. Let's see what the itchy little critters can do in the way of making us laugh?

Flea jokes 101

What is the most faithful insect?
A flea, once they find someone they like they stick to them!

What insect runs away from everything?
A flee!

What is the difference between a flea and a wolf?
One prowls on the hairy and the other howls on the prairie!

What to you call a Russian flea?
A Moscow-ito!

Two fleas where running across the top of a cereal packet?
"Why are we running so fast?" said one. Because it says "Tear along the dotted line"

What do you call a flea that lives in an idiots ear?
A space invader!

What do you get if you cross a rabbit and a flea?
Bugs Bunny!

How do you start an insect race?
One, two, flea - go!

How do you find where a flea has bitten you?
Start from scratch!

What is a flea's favorite book?
The itch-hikers guide to the galaxy!

These are all from AhaJokes!

And the flea video? Not as funny as I'd like, but interesting:



I'm off to blow my nose.

Until I write again ...

Flea

Hello There - It's Good to See You

So I was at my writer's group Saturday morning and mentioned that I hadn't posted for about three weeks. Everyone was surprised, but all had suggestions for stories of why I'd stopped. Eric wants me to tell you all that I was abducted by aliens. I didn't take too seriously Mark's idea that I tell you all I fell in a vat of melted crayon wax and have been recovering. Nice idea, though.

First, let me thank you all for your wonderfully supportive comments and emails. I'm sorry I've been so silent. I've had the computer almost completely off the last three weeks. The first week I went through some pretty serious blog withdrawals. After that I kinda liked the peace and quiet. And getting to know my family again. The kids seem to like having mom back. I know that the Hunny sure does.

So I'm at a crossroads. I don't want to stop blogging. But I like my real life. And part of me thinks I just burned out for a bit and needed a break. But I'm afraid of the addictive nature of the blog. So I'm here for now. I just may be sporadic about it. I'm currently working out a system for ti, because I love you, my bloggy friends, and want to continue visiting with you all.

About my search for self and life - still in the midst of that. A new blog friend recommended I talk to an objective third party. Initially I made an appointment to speak with someone, but he weirded me out. I'll be speaking with someone who sounds a lot more normal sometime this week. It's a good thing.

Funnybone Monday will resume this week. And I'll go from there. Thank you all so much for your support. I'll be visiting all of you in the next day or two. Really!

Oh, concerning the physical stuff? Y'all know about Maybelline's mono and pink eye. My Hunny threw out his back the following weekend and is just now recovered. Little Guy had strep this last week. And I have an icky cold. So does Oatmeal Head. It's just not a pretty winter in our household. On the other hand, Flash and Patches are up to date on shots and the vet says they're healthy. Yay!

Until I write again ...

Flea

P.S. I had my hair all chopped off this week. No photos yet, but I'm thinking I like it. :)

Oh Hold

Hey all. The test went well. It seems I have some kind of acid-reflux thing and didn't even know it. No coffee or chocolate. Stink. One polyp. He checked out the stomach and esophagus while he was at it, since I've done an awful lot of Excedrin and coffee over the years.

I think I'm going to take a blogging sabbatical for a bit. Don't know how long. You know I love you all. I don't know exactly what this means. The colon prep seems to be a metaphor for the rest of my life right now. There's a lot built up that needs to be flushed so the structure can be examined. I'll keep my blogroll and hunt y'all down when I'm back in play.

Until I write again ...

Flea

Respect the Blog

Shh! Be vewy, vewy quiet. I'm at the gastrointerologist's. I probably won't be back till tomorrow (here, anyway).

Till then, there's a post at Don Mills Diva I'd like you all to read, if you haven't already. She's speaking out against the unfair treatment of bloggers. I didn't know I wasn't being treated unfairly or unkindly until she said so, but now I know it's true.

Those of us who take our blogging seriously demand we be respected as bloggers. Not as journalists. As bloggers. I also demand a quart of chocolate ice cream. And a Whopper (I haven't eaten in two days - I'm very hungry). And a pony.

Seriously though? She has a very good point. I'm posting the button below in my sidebar in a show of blogging solidarity. I wonder if that woman from the Times needs my address? And my phone number. We need to talk about that pony.

Until I write again ...

Flea

Ugh

Can I just tell you all that come tomorrow morning they had better not find a reason for me to have another colonoscopy for another ten years. I'm just sayin' ...

Hey! I was over at Snooty's (I'm slowly catching up), and her first blogiversary post reminded me that I'm starting my second year this week! First, let me say that Maybelline is going to school tomorrow. Thank you for all of your lovely well wishes and prayers. She really is doing very well. Just was contagious.

So instead of running my very first post, like I did last year at this time, I'm running my second ever post. Reading over it was weird, since I was at the very tail end of nine years of home schooling the kids. Not sure what to do with that right now. Especially after a week and a half having Maybelline home and to myself.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy.

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Today is "one of those days" and it's not even noon. And I can't explain it. Friday is a reading day for my kids: Mae's reading Watership Down (she loved the idea of warrior bunnies), Oliver's reading Hope Was Here (chick lit, if you ask me -- it was the shortest book I offered. I'm making him read Louis L'Amour next. Not exactly on a school reading list, but a little more macho for my 12 year old boy), Nathaniel's trying to get away with reading Calvin and Hobbes. Soon to move on to Ralph S. Mouse. So the kids are quiet and good. Louie's going a little nuts upstairs, playing with Nathaniel's marbles (wait, that means Nathaniel left his marbles out), and the dogs have the good sense to leave Lou alone, for fear of having their noses scraped bare.

So why the melancholia, the jitters, the unsettled feeling? Maybe it's hearing from my Florida friends and hearing that their lives have gone on as normal -- without me? As it should be. Ok, I'm about to whine and throw a major pity party if I don't rein it in here. No pity parties allowed on this blog. That's one of the rules. As of right this second. I'm WAY too good at throwing pity parties and will not allow myself to give in to that temptation here.

Ever have one of those days? I think I'll just change my mindset and my actions right now and not have one of those days. So excuse me while I make some hot cocoa and dive into a good book of my own. Until I write again ...

Flea

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Mae didn't finish Watership Down.

Until I write again ...

Flea

My Daughter, She Has the Mono AND the Pink Eye

Many of you know that I'm usually MIA on weekends because of my job. Most of you probably haven't noticed that I haven't visited in several days. I may be another day or two, so keep not noticing.


The kids had three snow days last week, which turned out to be a good thing for Maybelline, since she was diagnosed Thursday with mono. She had three really good days of rest, right in the beginning of her illness. Her symptoms began with a headache, then congestion and wanting to blow chunks (who asked which term we preferred for vomit? Was it you, Tranny? I like "blow chunks. I won't use it sparingly). I picked her up early from school last Monday because she felt so bad.

Tuesday I called a nurse friend and asked how to treat Maybelline, since I was ice locked and there really was no getting out. Oh, and my kid had these golf balls in the back of her throat that looked like blistered tonsils (they're hard to make out in the photo below, and she'd just finished an espresso brownie and a frappuccino - sorry. They're just above her tongue, closing in on her uvula). Maybe Karen sent them from PA as a gift? So Maybelline gargled warm salt water every six hours, took ibuprofen after gargling, took NyQuil at night (I believe that a good night's sleep helps cure just about anything), used the humidifier every night and sucked on lozenges.



Results? She hasn't been overly ill. In fact, I only took her to the doctor on Thursday because of the gargantuous tonsils. One finger prick later and it was confirmed that she has mononucleosis. Nothing severe, but she won another day home from school and more rest (one week total). The doc said that it would take about three or four weeks to heal, stay away from team sports, don't let anyone eat to drink after her, and STOP KISSING THOSE BOYS. Ya.

It's viral, so no antibiotics. Simply treat the symptoms. Turns out she was doing everything just right. I have high hopes that she'll be back to normal in short order if she keeps taking it easy. Yay! That's the good news.

Saturday night, while I was at work, a new development arose. Pink eye. Y'all, I haven't seen pink eye in 30 years, since I had it as a kid. I remember thinking it was really kewl, waking in the morning with my eyes crusted shut, stumbling to the bathroom to wash them off so I could see. Maybelline's isn't that bad, but the bloodshot look does give the crazed killer impression (see photo at the top).

Turns out, via the lovely internets research, pink eye is often caused by a viral infection. Something like mono, maybe? The immune system is low and prone to it. So we've all begun a vitamin C routine. And there's a lovely soothing remedy which seems to make an immediate difference - again, thank you internets. Chamomile tea bags, moist and cool, laid on the eyes for ten minutes. Maybelline was startled at the drastic difference the first time she tried it. Redness was greatly reduced immediately and she was all smiles.

The really ugly side to pink eye is the amazing contagion that it is. None of us will look Maybelline square in the eye for fear of catching it. She carries the hand sanitizer with her all over the house, as well as the can of Lysol spray. She washed all of her bedding in hot water, as well as her towels, and Lysoled her bed and pillows. We don't know what else to do. My cousin suggested quarantining her and sliding her food under the door. I suggest that once you're done reading this post you Lysol your keyboard. And screen. It's that contagious.

Over all, the pink eye's about as bad as the mono, which is to say hardly noticeable. But it's still very contagious. And we're still very vigilant. She went back to the doc today and is now using antibiotic drops. Woo. And another throat culture, to rule out a staph infection (the tonsils are still swollen).

The photo you see at the top is her eye. Her evil, bloodshot eye. Reminds me of the time we had a corn snake and the kids had to feed him live white mice. The only way they could justify rapping a mouse on the head and feeding a live mammal to a snake was because the mouse had red eyes. It made it evil. Where do kids come up with this crap? The world may never know.

ANYWAY ... I'll have Maybelline home again today, and maybe I'll actually catch up on some sleep. So we'll visit tomorrow? And Thursday - ahhhh, Thursday. Snooty and I will be celebrating the joy which is a colonoscopy. It'll be a long week, folks. I just hope that yours goes better than mine.

Oo! Gratis snow shot Maybelline took on the way to the doc last Thursday!


Until I write again ...

Flea

Funny Bone Monday, Work

Happy Monday, everyone! While I'm sleeping off a weekend of work, I thought I'd hand off some work humor. Some of it may be valuable for those of you caught in an ugly economy, perhaps looking for employment. Just doing every little bit I can to help!

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Things Not To Say at a Job Interview

We've all been interviewed for jobs. And, we've all spent most of those interviews thinking about what not to do. Don't bite your nails. Don't fidget. Don't interrupt. Don't belch. If we did any of the don'ts, we knew we'd disqualify ourselves instantly. But some job applicants go light years beyond this. We surveyed top personnel executives of 100 major American corporations and asked for stories of unusual behavior by job applicants.

The lowlights:

• Said he was so well qualified [that] if he didn't get the job, it would prove that the company's management was incompetent.

• Stretched out on the floor to fill out the job application.

• Brought her large dog to the interview.

• Chewed bubble gum and constantly blew bubbles.

• Candidate kept giggling through serious interview.

• She wore a Walkman and said she could listen to the music and me at the same time.

• Balding candidate abruptly excused himself. Returned to office a few minutes later wearing a hairpiece.

• Asked to see interviewer's resume to see if the personnel executive was qualified to judge the candidate.

• Without saying a word, candidate stood up and walked out during the middle of the interview.

• Man wore jogging suit to interview for position as financial vice president.

• Interrupted to phone his therapist for advice on answering specific interview questions.

• Wouldn't get out of the chair until I would hire him. I had to call the police.

• When I asked him about his hobbies, he stood up and started tap dancing around my office.

• Had a little pinball game and challenged me to play with him.

• Bounced up and down on my carpet and told me I must be highly thought of by the company because I was given such a thick carpet.

• Took a brush out of my purse, brushed his hair and left.

• Pulled out a Polaroid camera and snapped a flash picture of me. Said he collected photos of everyone who interviewed him.

• Candidate asked me if I would put on a suit jacket to insure that the offer was formal.

• Said he wasn't interested because the position paid too much.

• While I was on a long-distance phone call, the applicant took out a copy of Penthouse, and looked through the photos only, stopping longest at the centerfold.

• During the interview, an alarm clock went off from the candidate's briefcase. He took it out, shut it off, apologized and said he had to leave for another interview.

• A telephone call came in for the job applicant. It was from his wife. His side of the conversation went like this: "Which company? When do I start? What's the salary?" I said, "I assume you're not interested in conducting the interview any further." He promptly responded, "I am as long as you'll pay me more." I didn't hire him, but later found out there was no other job offer. It was a scam to get a higher offer.

• An applicant came in wearing only one shoe. She explained that the other shoe was stolen off her foot in the bus.

• His attache [case] opened when he picked it up and the contents spilled, revealing ladies' undergarments and assorted makeup and perfume.

• He came to the interview with a moped and left it in the reception area. He didn't want it to get stolen, and stated that he would require indoor parking for the moped.

• He took off his right shoe and sock, opened a medicated foot powder and dusted it on the foot and in the shoe. While he was putting back the shoe and sock, he mentioned that he had to use the powder four times a day, and this was the time.

• Candidate said he really didn't want to get a job, but the unemployment office needed proof that he was looking for one.

• He whistled when the interviewer was talking.

• Asked who the lovely babe was, pointing to the picture on my desk. When I said it was my wife, he asked if she was home now and wanted my phone number. I called security.

• She threw up on my desk, and immediately started asking questions about the job, like nothing had happened.

• Pointing to a black case he carried into my office, he said that if he was not hired, the bomb would go off. Disbelieving, I began to state why he would never be hired and that I was going to call the police. He then reached down to the case, flipped a switch and ran. No one was injured, but I did need to get a new desk.

• Asked if I wanted some cocaine before starting the interview.

All from this site

Sayings That Should Be On Those Office Inspirational Posters:

• If you can stay calm, while all around you is chaos...then you probably haven't completely understood the seriousness of the situation.
• Doing a job RIGHT the first time gets the job done. Doing the job WRONG fourteen times gives you job security.
• Artificial Intelligence is no match for Natural Stupidity.
• A person who smiles in the face of adversity probably has a scapegoat.
• Plagiarism saves time.
• If at first you don't succeed, try management.
• TEAMWORK...means never having to take all the blame yourself.
• Rome did not create a great empire by having meetings, they did it by killing all those who opposed them.(I love this one best)
  
• Never underestimate the power of very stupid people in large groups.
• Go the extra mile. It makes your boss look like an incompetent slacker.
• A snooze button is a poor substitute for no alarm clock at all.
• When the going gets tough, the tough take a coffee break.
• INDECISION is the key to FLEXIBILITY.
• Succeed in spite of management.
• Aim Low, Reach Your Goals, Avoid Disappointment.

All found here

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Aaaaaand, since I seem to have gotten into the habit of it, a video!



Until I write again ...

Flea

Keep Believing

Some of you may have noticed the new Keep Believing button on the right. There's a story behind it.

A couple of days ago I got an email from LaskiGirl - I'm sure many of you received the same one - asking me to place this button on my blog. She told a heart wrenching tale. So I went to this blog and began reading the story of this couple. Shortly after their wedding, 12 years ago, the husband was diagnosed with a brain tumor. He's battled it off and on ever since. They now have two boys. The tumor has returned. And is winning. The tumor's appearance at his young age, just after his wedding, means that life insurance has been limited.

Click on the button, please. Read the story. Cry with them. Chip in if you can. I know times are tough all over. But leave a word of encouragement if nothing else. I know it will be greatly appreciated.

Until I write again ...

Flea