Black Cloud

What is that cartoon where wherever the character goes, a black cloud follows, hovering above him?

It seems I've had a black cloud following me lately. We've had an uncanny amount of bad luck lately. Everything we own seems to have conspired against us. Where to begin...

Our pool liner has decided it's endured enough and has pulled away from the side of the pool in addition to springing some undetectable leaks. Replacing it will cost a couple grand or better. The van starts acting up requiring a new $350 part called a "multi-function switch". For that much money, you'd think it would have a cooler name. My hard drive dies, costing a little over 100 bucks to be replaced, not to mention tons of frustration. We go out of town for our 10 year anniversary to get away from it all. As soon as we cross the state line, the brakes start sounding like they're going thru a meat grinder. My husband is capable of changing the brake pads and rotars but we are a long way from home and he doesn't have his tools. Having someone else do it cost us twice as much - about $185. Once back at home, I flip the switch to the ceiling fan. Nothing happens. That will have to be fixed. I flip the switch to the garbage disposal. Nothing happens. The motor is bad so that will have to be replaced. I turn on the TV. The picture tube is going out. The lights on the van are doing something funky so that will have to be checked out. And to top it all off, our roof has to be replaced.

At some point, all of these things happening ceased to surprise me. Mostly, they've been met with disbelief. Is it possible for all this to happen at the same time? I keep waiting for someone to jump out and say "Surprise! You're on candid camera!"

We'd promised our daughter she could have a skating party for her 5th birthday. It's coming up in about a week and I've no idea how we are going to pay for it. All these expenses have thrown us for a major loop!

Anyway, I'm hoping for a good stiff breeze to blow this black cloud away. I've never experienced something so prolonged like this. But it can't last forever, right? Even the bad luck cartoon character eventually see's the sun.

Goodbye, Grasshopper

Last evening was the night of release for my 4 year old daughter's (at the moment) dearest pet, Grasshopper. It was a sad and momentous occasion. At least in the eyes of my daughter. It was a lesson for her in doing something you don't want to do for the betterment of someone else. Let me start at the beginning.

3 days ago, my daughter comes in the house proudly displaying in her bug container a rather large grasshopper. In case you've forgotten or didn't read my phobia blog, I am terrified of bugs. And grasshoppers, which can jump and land in your hair, definitely fall into the category of bugs. I've managed to pass on my fear to my daughter to some degree so I'm mildly surprised that she caught a bug in the first place. Not wanting to add to the fear of bugs in my daughter, and given that this bug is securely contained in a bona fide bug container, I calmly fake interest in her captive.

Then she states her intentions to keep it.

As a pet.

A bug pet.

Ok. Deep breath. Bug pet. In my house. Deep breath.

I check the security of the bug container and tell her she can keep it for a while to show her friends. Delight lights up her face and with a big grin she informs he his name is Grasshopper. Original.

The next day I tell her that she should release Grasshopper so he doesn't die. She looks at me like I've grown an extra head. "He won't die" she informs me. She carries Grasshopper with her everywhere. She introduces him to her friends, who I'm sure are envious and who's mothers, I am equally sure, are not.

Last evening, my husband backs me up to explain to my 4 year old that if not released, Grasshopper will surely die. My daughter does not want to let him go, but neither does she want him to die. Decision made, she walks out into the back yard and releases her pet. She comes back in with tears streaking down her face, mourning her loss. It's a difficult lesson. As the sun goes down we talk about how happy Grasshopper is right now to be free. My daughter thinks his family is probably happy to see him. I give her a big hug and we go inside.

Verify This

I must have missed something while my pc was on the blink. When I leave comments now, on many sites I have to type in a word verification. What's up with that. Was there a problem of spam comments or something? I don't even know if my comment thing does it or not. Do you request it or is it automatic or what? I don't get it.

New Neighbors

Well, we have new neighbors moving in across the street. I've briefly met the mom, though she was busy doing home improvements and wasn't inclined to talk at the time. The family has 2 children, a 7yr old and a 13yr old. I thought about taking them a welcoming gift but I don't know what to give. In the past I've taken a small pot of violets but they are out of season now so I couldn't get any. I don't really want to take any kind of food. Any idea's?

I'm hoping they will be good neighbors. We lost a couple of nice families over the last several years and it's really changed the dynamics of the neighborhood. The one family was replaced by the cat hating older woman who has never married and doesn't seem to care much for kids, or particularly a wide variety of people for that matter. The other family was replaced by a young couple but they keep to themselves and don't socialize or interact with the other neighbors. They are about to have a baby though and I'm hoping that will change things a bit. A friendly neighborhood can be a real blessing.

PC Problems

I hate it when computers don't work. I have temporary service but will lose it again soon. I hope to be completely back up and gliche free next week.

Thanks to my friend who is so graciously fixing my pc following the crash of my hard drive.

I hope to back to full time blogging next week. I've missed you all!!!

About The Man

I've decided that my husband is much like everyone else, with both good traits and bad. Since I've already addressed the bad, it's time to visit the good.

My husband is the ultimate of indulgent. In a good way that is. At least for me. I have two small children who definitely require supervision at all times. Yet I can go virtually anywhere, at virtually any time, for virtually any length of time, that I want. I am nearly completely unhindered when I want to go out. I can skip off with my girlfriend at a moments notice almost anytime. I can go for a weekend girls outing with my family without a word of complaint. I've gone on a week long trip with a friend out of state to visit another friend. Rarely does he bat an eye. What's more, he occasionally encourages me to do something I want, to go to dinner with a friend, to stay an extra day with my family. I'm well aware that this is a great privilege and very careful not to take advantage of it. Well, maybe not very careful, but careful anyway. Most times I'm home with my husband and kids but when the need or opportunity arises, I know he's Ok with it, if not encouraging. He's the man.

Course, sometimes he encourages me to go with a friend because he's dead scared that I'll want him to come instead. And let's just say a shopping excursion to the mall just ain't his thang.

My husband, he is not afraid. He is not afraid to go anywhere at any time. He can be bold as brass and up for anything. Not that I'm a wild thing or anything, but sometimes no restraint is a good thing to have around. He climbs up in a 3 story kids play gym with the kids without blinking an eye.

If you need a social butterfly for anything, my husband is king. The man does not know a stranger and if you so much as glance his way, you are now a friend. Even more than that, he does not catagorize people. He has an amazing ability to see all people on an even playing field. I know many of us attempt this, and many succeed to a great degree, but my husband? It doesn't even enter his mind. Been to prison? He doesn't care. It's all about who you are now. ALL about who you are now. Make six figures? He'll sit you right by his prison friend at the table never thinking you might not be friends. I LOVE that about him. He's the ultimate unsnob. Now don't get me wrong, he's not completely stupid about this. He knows not all people are on the up and up, moral, or good people to hang out with. The thing is, he has absolutely no concept of judging people according to their money or lack thereof. He has no concept of judging people based on their past, no matter how horrendous. He's one of a kind and I've learned a lot from him.

All said and done, my husband is a pretty good guy. He trusts me implicitly. He's never jealous of me being around other men. I know I can dance with someone, eat with someone, catch a ride with someone without him getting jealous or suspicious. We host college boys in the summer. I've gone out with them to a nightclub and come home in the wee hours. (well, I did once anyway). All he wanted to know was if we had a good time. He knows I would not betray him. I've heard people say "I know my husband loves me because he's so jealous of me being around other men". I'm the opposite. I know my husband loves me because he trusts me to be around other men. To me, love and trust go hand in hand. As the good book says, "Love is not jealous....". Admittedly, when I've danced with other men, he's been with me. But if I thought a man had serious designs on me, I wouldn't dance with him. My husband knows that. In fact, I'd avoid that person like the plague. It'd be stupid to wallow in temptation.

Not only does my husband trust me implicitly, but I trust him also. He's a trustworthy guy. He dances with other girls, hugs them, talks to them etc. I don't feel jealousy because well, I dunno, I just don't feel the need. These are all the activities of a friend. I don't think either of us would be willing to give up what we have. It's nice to have trust. And as I told my husband, why would I want to start all over with someone else when I just about have you trained? :<)