Memorial Day Sadness

So I went to my first Memorial Day parade since I was in little league or a girl scout whichever came last. I remember marching down Larkfield Road and being so happy-clueless about what I was marching about. Today watching the parade and the older men of Sloatsburg who are vets shoot off blanks from their ancient combat rifles-my husband held the ears of the baby and I cried.

So many people are dying in Iraq and Afghanistan and for what? So many people from such diverse age categories, financial, social and ethnicities. I want to cry for all of them. I thought of Darfur, the Middle East, the people of the former Yugoslavia. And I think all of these wars are fought for what? Religion? Human nature? Money? Oil? What is it that causes us to never evolve enough to stop killing each other? I do not understand it at all. I cried for all the parents today who have lost their children to war. I send them all my love and I pray that one day we will all stop the hatred and stop the violence.
Peace to all

Roberta

Rant and Roll

What to write about today? I have about 30 min. of free time. I should be outside gardening but the damn mayflies are eating me alive. When the hell do they go away. Bluesman took the kids out to pick up fuel for our party tomorrow and pizza for dinner. I am listening to one of my fav. cds: New Olreans Funk Everything on it is fabulous, I don't think there is one song I don't like all by various artists from NO. Anyway, I really am tired-so I don't know what to post. So I guess I will write about fun kid facts:
The other day my baby looked out the window and said "bluejay! look!" I was totally impressed by the fact that my 20 month old son knew the giant blue bird scarfing down seed was a bluejay.

Today my older son (3 1/2)lied to me....he came upstairs and said "Mommy I finished my lunch are you happy with me?" Of course I said yes, then the two brothers had a potty fest. The big boy on the grown up potty and the baby sitting on the little one. My older son must've inspired the baby because as soon as the baby heard the older one peeing he said "noise momma noise" grabbed his penis and peed away on the little potty. A big fuss was made, we went down to the kitchen and what did I find in the garbage? The older guys lunch. Man was I pissed and broken hearted. The first big lie, said to make me happy. Where am I screwing up? Anyway a "real" punishment was had, not a little lame time out on the steps, but a sit in your bedroom and think about what you did/guilt for making mommy so upset punishment. What happened in the end? "Mommy what does lying mean?" I don't think I got very far....all and all he is a great kid, so it just hurts so much when I have to be all upset with him. I can't stand yelling at him! Plus, my babies are growing up!

Fire Island Lighthouse

We went to the Fire Island Lighthouse today for my mom. She is moving from LI (where she lived her entire life) to New Olreans in 3 days. The move is huge for her so I figured I would take her back to Fire Island and we would visit the lighthouse which my older son refers to as "Bebahs lighthouse" (Bebah is my mother). It was an important trip because the ocean has always been an important part of my mothers life. She grew up on Long Beach LI and spent most of her summers at the beach. She also used to volunteer at the lighthouse on Fire Island. My son also really wanted to go back and visit and kept asking my mom when she was going to take her. It was a great day. Besides the traffic to and from LI it was really terrific. The sun was out, the sky was blue. Hellicopters and boats and even diggers were part of the trip. My kids enjoyed seeing the lighthouse and walking around it. Hearing the kids on a school trip yelling down at us from the top of the lighthouse "hello people down there" the baby turned and waved to them. We saw lots of birds on the walk including redwing black birds and yellow warblers. The water was cold and the baby freaked out about having sand on his hands and feet. He was also scared of the water. However my oder son had a blast and was running back and forth to the water, collecting shells and digging in the sand. Even the baby eventually got over his fear of the "noise mamma, noise" from the waves crashing and enjoyed a blue shark kite blowing in the breeze. It truly was a nice day with my mom and the kids before she leaves.

My mom had a terrific time-until we got home and had to deal with the medicare fiasco. They aren't paying her MD bills b.c. they screwed up her info. So now she won't go to the Dr. b.c. she is angry that medicare isn't paying her MD bills. It is horrible. So beware sucky government DMV healthcare system. If my mom gets sicker b.c. of your incompetent behavior we will SUE THE PANTS OFF YOU!!!

Other than that, a thousand blessings for a picture perfect day at the beach and all before memorial day weekend!

Bashing Leisure Moms

Ok I swore I would always stand by other mothers, not bash em etc. But I can't stand it anymore. I can't stand the mother's that won't hold the door open for me and my kids going into the daycare. These aren't the moms who are rushing off to work, they always hold the door open. These are the leisure moms with the huge rocks on their fingers driving ugly yellow hummers dropping their kids off at this overpriced "school" for half day or full day (Yeah, my kids finally got into the cheap YMCA in our neck of the woods so I can blow this crap out of the water soon at least by Sept. when they start...). Anyway back to the leisure moms with their perfect hair and pink or french manicured nails. So freakin' rude rush rush rush to your gym/aerobics class. But when you bump into another mom driving a mercedes stop and talk and schmooze, don't move out of the way for my car sit and hang out in the lot and bullshit while I try to get to work. Gddamn why do these women always have to be blonde and always skinny wearing work out clothing. UGH I CAN'T STAND THEM!!!!

Is this about class, jealousy or rudeness-ugh I cannot stand these women. I wish they would wake up and stop being so freakin' obnoxious. Just hold the door for me. You see I have two children, you see me every day or don't you? Maybe I am invisible to you? That could be-they could be like the cheerleaders in HS who thought everyone who wasn't one of them were invisible. Oh my gd ladies grow the fuck up and take your blinders off!

Life in This Crazy Household

I am not sure why I haven't written about this yet, perhaps it is because I know my mother sometimes reads my blog....My mom is moving out. Yep she has been living with us for about 4 months now. I knew it was only temporary, and I am really sad that she is leaving, but I also know it is for the best. Our home isn't big enough for her to have her own apt. Plus she has a circulation disorder and this winter was absolutely brutal for her. She is moving down south, to her own apt. in New Olreans to live near my younger sister and her two boys. (By the way NO is the home of the late Ernie K. Doe who sang the lovely song, "Mother-In-Law" which my husband loves to hum under his breath when things got a little nutty here....)

My mom being here has had its ups and downs. She has her "issues" and it is hard for her to sometimes deal with the way we do things here. But it has also been a lot of fun, especially for my boys. They love having her here. My mom has been picking them up from daycare early for me, watching them while they were sick all sorts of fabulous things that have helped us. Besides doing occasional cooking, lots of laundry and food shopping. So the question is, what am I going to do now that she is leaving? I survived the first four months of a new job only because my mother was here to help with the kids when they were sick. Now what will happend? Will we totally fall apart here? I hope not. I guess it will go back to the scramble it was before this beautiful reprieve in our lives.

So after next week, we shall see-what will life be like in this crazy household

Bye Bye Wolfie!

Say goodbye to Wolfowitz, who will be next? Not Bush, not Cheney Will it be AG Alberto Gonzales? (weird I never heard of China View before as a news agency, but when you do a google search on AG that is the first link to pop up.)


I can't wait to say goodbye Bush! I can't wait to say hello....to whomever the next president will be and please a little help here folks, lets make sure it is the person we vote for, not an impostor with a war agenda-we already screwed up with that one.

By the way, I sure wish one of my boyfriends had helped me get such a great job, with excellent pay. Can't say he doesn't know how to look out for his girlfriends.

Riza worked for the bank before Wolfowitz took over as president in June 2005. She was moved to the State Department to avoid a conflict of interest but stayed on the bank's payroll. Her salary went from close to $133,000 to $180,000. With subsequent raises, it eventually rose to $193,590. The panel concluded that the salary increase Riza received "at Mr. Wolfowitz's direction was in excess of the range" allowed under bank rules.

Over all he is a catch and may do well on Match up if his girlfriend didn't break up with him already. Oh I know - I am being mean and petty, so sorry...I figured at least I am being political. I guess that is why I stay away from bashing celebs. They have too much publicity as it is. The politicians are in need of some interest.

Happy Mother-Fuckin' Mothers Day!

Go eat a raspberry fucking scone or something. I'll be planting flowers and eating dark chocolate till I puke.

Bear Poop and Bird watching Spring Fun!

A couple of funny things happened this past week involving the bird feeder, bear poop and a red breasted grosbeak. Click here for sound.
First my eldest son was having a fit about something and I refused to give in. He went from the kitchen into the living room crying. One minute later there was silence. I was so happy I ate my dinner and almost didn't notice. The next thing I hear him yelling for my mom to "come quick". She walks into the living room and gets real excited, and yells for me to come in also. I am like "great it is probably another freaking cardinal, I will act excited...."My son loves seeing the male and female cardinals at the bird feeder. After awhile it gets tiresome. I mean I love the birds and all, but ok I can be a grump...Anyway, I get there and he is jumping up and down with excitement. "Mommy mommy a new bird, I think it is in your bird book!!!" I look up and sure enough it is a new bird. I go to the bird ID pages for red, black and white and what do we see? Not one but three red breasted grosbeaks, all males. The female showed up about 15 minutes later. At this point I am feeling like a jerk for even considering not looking at something a 3 1/2 year old is excited about. At the same time I am like beaming with pride. My kid is observant, and excited about watching for birds. I am so lucky. Who cares if he screams like a wild wombat when I don't let him get everything he wants, that is normal...I am thrilled he is the way he is!

Funny thing #2

So a bear was snooping around our house. Day one the neighbors saw him and took a picture of him by my car at 6 am. Day 2 our bird feeders were knocked to the ground, and puncture marks were found in one of them. Both feeders were opened and dumped out. Our feeders are squirrel proof on some sort of a baffle thing. I knew it wasn't a squirrel-could it have been a bear. Later in the week my husband and I took the kids down to the green. What was down there? No not a bear, but we almost stepped into some ginormous poop. I mean huge and it was riddled with seed, bird seed. I am guessing it was from the bear!

Sanity in the year 2007-does it really exist?

I don't really get to post much anymore. I am working too much. I am trying desperately to exercise also. I can't seem to do much of that. I am a health care professional, part of my job is to tell patients that it is really important to eat healthy and find time to exercise. I can't even do that, what the hell gives me the right to say this, when I can't even figure out how to get that agenda across to myself!?

The thing that kills me is that I work for an organization that is dedicated to helping the lives of women. You would think that as an organization they would really encourage a realistic working environment for their staff. I mean 15 min lunch breaks (my fault really I hate making patients wait the typical 2hr. wait...), but if I could get a proper lunch break (which they don't even pay for) I could maybe go to a gym....and be healthy and be able to give out good advice and own up to it myself. I found out from someone at work that if you work for Benjamin Moore Corp Headquarters-they actually buy the staff a lunch everyday. Isn't that nice?

Please don't tell me to work out later or earlier, it just won't happen in my household I have tried. I need a lunch/gym break. I need an nanny, a wife, and a secretary. I need a more sane life!I need a million dollars! I need to shut up and stop ranting like a crazy person and bend over like the good worker bee I am and just keep on workin'.

Blogger Beta Blows So Badly!

Man, I am so sick of fuckin' blogger-it blows! I really like wordpress better for posting and creating my site. Though they don't seem to have the flexibility that blogger offers in creating the look of a site.

However right now, I can't even add a page element properly b.c. the Blogger blows so badly! Sometimes add a page element shows up, sometimes it doesn't. Every once in awhile I go back and still can't move a page element up or down like I am supposed to be able to do.
"Add and Arrange Page Elements Click and drag to rearrange page elements on your blog."

It is so very frustrating. Blogging is getting frustrating. I don't want to give up my site, I really like it, I mean it is purple! What is a blogger to do?