Monday, December 7, 2009

Dreary........


Hi ya'll,

I had these nice little dreams of sending my Christmas cards out with a cute little British stamp and post mark. Well, sometimes our little dreams are not in sync with the ugliness of reality, are they?


Nope, they're not. The truth is , it would have cost me "one pound fifty " for each freaking' card (that’s about 3 bucks or some shit) So what I wound up having to do was, get all my cards ready and then mail the whole package to my son ...so HE can stamp them and mail them from the US.



So, just think "oooh! How cool, I got a card from England AND Florida!"

If you don't get a card from me that means that you are one of the peeps who did NOT send me your snail mail address, in spite of my repeated pleas to do so.



Excuse me, but I'm feeling quite the bitch.


I am sick ...once again. Annnnd....we are probably re homing Monkey.


I am waiting for the rescue lady to call me back right now.Supposedly she has a retired couple with no kids, no pets, just dying for a Burmese kitty.



The entire thing feels like hell. I have been going through the pros and cons for weeks, as I see Monkey become skinnier and we are kept awake all night while she either growls and hisses at the other cats ,or ,we hear her screeching because they are outright attacking her.



We have done everything possible and everything the vet recommended. None of it has helped at all.


I just watched the boys wrestling on the couch this evening, they look like they are going to kill each other ,they pose and posture ...but I see that they lay on their backs with all 4 feet in the air. Meaning "go ahead, get me boy! I'm baring my guts to you , I totally trust you."


They whip their tails around and act so macho. But they never hurt each other. Moments later ,they can be lying on hubby's legs ,grooming each other like their own mamas.


Monkey NEVER has any trust to lie on her back. She has licked her own stomach bald from being such a nervous wreck.When these boys play with her, it's not a show. They actually really kick her and rip her hair out.She does not ever submit and act calm and casual ,and they will not either.



Well, I've been trying to write this post for days . It's now friday and I'm waiting for the cat rescue lady to get here pretty soon.



I have not gotten one Christmas present for my hubby yet. YIKES!



Our new table is broken. Some wire thing underneath it. The bad part, they can not just send someone out to fix it, they will come after new years and take it away and bring a new table. The good news is, this time THEY will put it together.



Our weather is no where near as bad as the good ole midwest. You poor cold people .



My spouse is on his way home from Finland right now and there, it IS cold. Monday, the lucky bastard gets to go to Spain. Yes ,I am jealous.




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My friend Kim sent me this . Great advice for all of us :)


Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio "To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most-requested column I've ever written. My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:


1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch..

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.


7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'

27. Always choose life..

28. Forgive everyone for everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Don't audit life.. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come....

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."


Have a great day peeps!



Sunday, December 6, 2009

My decor is divine.....errr...NOT!



Hi ya'll,


Our damn bed is too small. Every night is a hellish misery of waking up every hour, tossing, turning and flipping cats like pancakes.



Some commercial had me make the comment " I can actually fit on a crib mattress."


My spouse goes "Good, let's get you one and put it in the other bedroom."







Why oh WHY didn't we buy the biggest bed England has to offer?



For Sale or trade : Nearly new divan bed with 4 drawers. Supposedly queen sized.




************************************************************



Our couch.....too damn big. It takes up the entire living room.



For sale or trade : nearly new brown leather sofa with recliners on each end.




(not our actual couch the living room is too messy)


**********************************************************************

Yesterday was the day I have been impatiently waiting for. What day, you ask?

The day they finally delivered our table and chairs. Woot!

Little did I know that it would take hubby the rest of the day to assemble them . Nor did I know we would be left with two huge bags of broken Styrofoam and an entire bin of cut up cardboard boxes.


All day I had visions of getting the table all decorated in a Christmas-y fashion.






Such as this.








Imagine my scream of horror ,when before I had time to blink I see THIS!






Oh NO he didn't!












Save me!

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I woke up this morning thinking about some things I really miss from home.





My Gain. Oh I miss you so!

My laundry just doesn't smell fresh here :(

Isn't it bad enough that it has to be all dry and stiff?















My beloved Mexican food....

words can not convey how much I miss you.















My sunflower seeds.

I miss your salty goodness :(















Little coco nutty balls of wonder. I miss you too.



Note to self: Shut up. Don't think about those things.





Happy Sunday Peeps! Luv me

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

OMG! why do you look like THAT?

Ola ya'll,



I SOOOO have nuthin' .



The other day my spouse and I were in the car ,he was driving , I was hanging on to the door handle (like that would save my life) and I tired to act normal (like I wasn't on the verge of death at every second) I was trying to be all non challant,right, so I say "I'm having a hair crisis."




My husband turns away from the wheel and looks at me with rapt attention.... (yeah right) lol


NO, my husband scoffs and says "Don't you have one of those about every other month?"





Ummm scoff if he must...I never even finished my crisis story.


This hideous limescale ridden water was making my hair look just like THIS.


Orange hair....with dark roots, if that ain't a f'n hair crisis ...I don't know what IS!



(and BTW, if had her money , I would NEVER look like that!)




Ummm, NOOO , if he ever actually looked at me , he would know that I have one about every YEAR or so.



His motto is " Leave the shit alone !"



Hello!!!!

People that do look at me. Remember when I "left the shit alone" for about 2 years? It was brown and about 2 feet long?"

He never said diddly squat , is it good? is it hideous?
I never had a clue.



It was fine, as long as only strangers saw me. When my "loved ones " saw me .....they had darling things to say like "OMG! Why do you look like THAT?" "OMG! you look so much better as a blond." "I like you better with blond hair."



(That last was from my husband ,once when we first met ,and once in 2004 ,when I went to Sweden)
My sister should recognize HER comment. :)








Why can't I just be "good enough" , as the ugly thing that God meant me to be?









I'm back, in all my ugly glory baby!



Let's see if my dahlink notices when he gets home Friday.



(I have MORE to say about this....lol ....but I'll spare you, for NOW)


You're welcome. lol




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Apparently I've been a little too sarcastic lately because some people think I'm in an awful state.


Sorry guys. (I got that from my dad) But really, I'm fine. Well, as good as I can be .
I've gotten a routine ...sorta,
Hubby and I have gotten used to living in the same house again.

It actually takes me longer to do the chores in this cracker box than it does at home. (and I'm not bitching about THAT....that's my job)


So, yeah, I don't know anybody yet, but I 'm ok. Really. (Thank God for Effexor) lol


Even if we were at home...this IS the boring season.It's really just missing happy hours and lunches with my girlfriends.


If I get BAD ...everyone will know...Y'all know I can't keep my yap shut.


***************************************************************************

Several peeps have asked about Monkey.

Well, there's where we go downhill. :(

Her AND Cavuto have been on these pills , for a 2 week period. This was supposed to calm them BOTH down enough to get used to each other again.


That ain't happening. Monkey is still licking her stomach bald, growling and hissing at not just Cavuto, but O'reilly as well .She looks so skinny , I have to lock her in the bathroom to try and make sure she eats. I'm not sure she does even then.


The worst part is, my husband has spent a fortune to try and fix this situation...the vet, pills for TWO cats , the stupid air freshener pheromone thing.......

and he hasn't been here to see the lack of solutions.


I'm going to have to try and see if the lady can come over this weekend and "meet Monkey"
I can't let her( Monkey) go on like this.


The other day ,Cavuto attacked her and ripped a bunch of her hair out. (Again) It's not like he does it on purpose. She will sit there and growl and hiss at him for 5 minutes, (he has no idea why) and then he'll just fling himself at her ,kick her with his claws and her fur is flying EVERYWHERE ,so does O'Reilly. Her defensiveness makes THEM aggressive towards her.


Say a prayer ......



Luv me

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Cold ,bored and slowly going crazy...........

Someday when your kids are all grown and all your friends are grandmas (except you) and you find yourself in a foreign country and it's freezing and you have no where to go and you're too cold to go anyway ,this could happen to you.


You TOO could become a crazy cat lady.


Oh shaddup....it could happen.



So help a sistah out and vote for your favorite Christmas cat pic.































































































































































































































































































Yes, I'm very busy and important. :)


Happy Tuesday !


Luv me

Friday, November 27, 2009

Hey ,are those my TED hose?


Hi all,


Hope you had a great Thanksgiving!


I think I dirtied up every dish in the house and nearly died of exhaustion before dinner was done.


Everything turned out fabulous ! Well, except for those brown and serve rolls ,those things were so hard they would have torn our teeth out by the roots if we had eaten them.



I think we finally ate around 9 or 10 P.M. ,we were too pooped to even bother with the pie.

Hubby helped me clean the kitchen . Thank God!









Now who wants to come over for a shitload of leftovers?

I have never gotten the hang of cooking for 2.


(BTW, those are the only 2 pictures I took all day. I was too damn busy!)




Hubby is working from home today, you know what that means? Either I have to be silent while he's on conferance calls (like right now) and when he gets off the phone he'll have the Fox news blaring or some stale old western. UGH! Save me!



I think I need to find somewhere to go :)



I really have nuthin else ...so here's some comments to ya'lls comments.I'm too blind to type in that little box.


***************************************************************************

Soul said........


when you came to visit and i took leave for a week -- without the band of gypsys -- that was some good times tho-- YEE HAW! :)) ( i hope that memory doesn't get lost in the sea of senility.)



The trip she speaks of was a week long drunk fest. LOL we were young, single and cute. We danced half the night away, slept the day away and then started all over again. She was in the Navy and I actually got a vacation with NO kids. During that week we actually sang on stage , in a bar and won a tortilla toss. Good times. We put the fun in young lady hood.


Big hugs to you too sistah!


love you

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Wesley said...

Happy Thanksgiving Mom. Love you!

Love you too !!!! Talk to ya sometime this afternoon. Love yo mama

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Mary said...

A wonderful tribute of Thanksgiving. Your boys always seem so colse and that is a true blessing. I'm happy to know that hubby is home. I hated to think of you and the babies being alone today.

Thanks Mary! Hope you guys had a wonderful day .

How is Monkey doing?

She seems to be a little more relaxed. Cavuto is daring to sleep on the bed now, but not TOO close to her. lol


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audrod777 said...

Wow. That WAS cool! Maybe you can find a lovely bird to roast. HA! Ok, how about a really fat juicy one?
Im glad you get to spend it w/the hubby.
Ok, im sooo sorry. I will be back later. Im running out of juice.
Love ya!

Happy thanksgiving retta! We did get a big fat chicken. I didn’t see your picture over at Souls blog. Where is it? Congrats on the new job!
Love me


****************************************************************


Karen said...

Have a Wondeful Thanksgiving

Hope you did too Karen!


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Golden To Silver Val said...

I think of you more than you know. You're quite an amazing woman....all the way over there where everything is so unfamiliar. I would feel sooooo lost. I never was much of an adventurer.


Awww, thanks Charolette. I never was either,lol but it’s “just do it” or die of boredom:)

Big hugs! Big hugs back at ya! Loved your post too :)


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Tina... said...

u got grown babies? how old r u? i guessi was picturing u at maybe 29 years old.
if u r old, then that just makes ur blog all yhe more funny....love you.


Bwa ha ha! Wait a minute …..I’m not quite ready to break out the walker and the Depends. My oldest son is 29 . I am *choke,gag* 47. I don’t look a day over 60 though :)


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G5 said...

What a great Thanksgiving post and a super job at whamming together a feast. Good that hub was there to celebrate a great American tradition together.

Thanks G5!

2 of our kids and their kids are here - 10 of us - so roasted a turkey and deepfried the other one. 30 lbs of turkey and we only ate half of the fried one for Thanksgiving. We have a lot of turkey left -- gahhh!

I have never tried a deep fried turkey. What’s it like? Is the skin like KFC? If so, then YUM !


PS Krogers had the turkeys for 37 cents a lb if you bought $10 add'l so each bird cost $5.50 - such a deal. The PNut oil cost 27 bucks tho.

Our entire feast cost 27 pounds. Not sure how many bucks that is. 5.50 was a steal for a turkey!


*******************************************************************


Oh yeah .....those of you doing the black Friday thing......I want to hear all about what ya got!

I wish I was going !


Luv me

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving and a P.S.







Happy Thanksgiving Ya'll!






My hubby's trip to Spain was postponed so he will be home this evening. He went to London today .I was supposed to go along but after walking for miles and dealing with the frekin' wind for the last 2 days in a row ,I was just too pooped to go.



I'm going to walk to the grocery store and see what kind of Thanksgiving dinner I can manage to throw together.Wish me luck. LOL







Even though we are far from home I feel very fortunate and blessed every day. Since it's Thanksgiving ...pretend we're all sitting around a big ole table ....here are some of the things I am grateful for....





The first that comes to mind is that my husband and I are in the same country, living in the same house.

















and I am not bawling my head off because someone is in quarantine.

















I am grateful for my kids . Not only are they the funniest ,most awesome kids ever, they are also fine human beings.

















I am grateful that they are so close and love each other so much. I know they will always "be there" for each other.



















I am grateful for my new daughter in law, Beth.

I am so lucky that she is a girl to be very proud of .

(She has all the qualities that my son is lacking) lol




















She ads a much needed touch to our all male family :)

















I am grateful for my family , especially my sister.
Even though we fight sometimes and we don't get to see each other very often, I feel less alone in the world just knowing she is out there.













I am grateful for my homies! (this is only some of them) I am very lucky to have so many wonderful true friends.

We put the fun in oldladyhood!













I'm grateful to know all my young homies too.
(this is only one of them) You all know who you are.

They are the future and they are lovely ,smart ,funny and dedicated people.

Love you guys!

















We all know this one, lol.

I am grateful for my spoiled ass fur babies.

Talking to myself is so much better with an audience.














I am grateful that my husband has a good job and LOVES to work so that I don't have to.

I really suck at jobs :)

















I am grateful that we have everything we need.

We are very blessed and I give the thanks to God.



I hope that all of you are blessed today and every day and I hope that your hearts will always be able to see it.



*****************************************************************************
*****************************************************************************

That’s lovely……no that’s brilliant!



It's been a while since I posted any observations, so here's one that I've been pondering.

In the last 2 days I have probably spent 4 hours on city buses. As I sit there I hear people talking, either to each other or on cell phones. The ages of these people run the gamut from 8 year old school boys, teenage mothers, middle age workers, young housewives, to tottering geriatric ladies and gentlemen,


With that in mind, I have not heard ONE exclamatory word besides “lovely and /or brilliant" How can this be, given the diverse age range?


On any given day, just among the people I know I would be likely to hear “awesome! Score! Excellent! Crap the bed! Hot damn! yee haw! woo hoo! bad ass! Wonderful! Fantastic! Great! Sweet! Rad!....the list is endless.


So how can an entire population seem to have such a limited sense of individuality? ( for lack of a better word)



Expat readers? Am I wrong? Have you noticed the same thing?I find it very strange.



**********************************************************************


I better get to walking to the store , yeee haw! (NOT! )


Happy Thanksgiving Peeps!


Luv me



P.S.

Now I know why WE start cooking at the crack of dawn on Thanksgiving :)



It started raining at 2:00 , that was when I was nearly done with my primative chores, like hanging my laundry . Also right when I left to walk to the store. Sweet.



I managed to find the following menu :

A chicken (with no cankles left on it)
It's legs were tied together , so I had no idea if the thing had giblets in it or not. You should have seen me poking and prodding both ends to find out. Gah! No ,I did not find any.



4 raw sweet potatoes , which I had to improvise with,to make sweet potato casserole. (I have always used canned ) No marshmallows ,but oh well.



Enough canned green beans to make "southern cooked green beans"




Some version of stuffing mix ,to which I added chopped onion and celery. It was not the "cubes" that we are used to, more like crumbs.




I actually found some bake and serve rolls AND some jellied cranberry sauce. The cranberry sauce was in a jar by the mustard's ,NOT in a can. Good thing I scoured the whole store.




We will also be having mashed potatoes, gravy and I scored a bramley applie pie. No idea what that is ,but It looks good.




I am exhausted! Hubby is on the train home and I am ready to chillax! My Jammie's are calling my name.




Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!


peace out :)












































































































Monday, November 23, 2009

Is there a wind suit available? & a P.S.

Top o' the mornin' people,


Nothing screams "Happy Monday" like stepping in a nice pile of pine needle studded cat vomit.



We actually had quite a productive weekend.







My prince of a husband installed my Tapadapta. Woo hoo!! Now I can control my hideous lime scale coverage.










Saturday he dropped me off in Southampton.

It was pouring rain, the wind was awful yet I have never seen anything so packed in my life.

It was wall to wall people even in the main aisle of that mall. No way would I go in there.

I did go to all the thrift stores though, picked up a couple shirts and 3 books.




Yesterday we had an early dinner at this pub. Thtchfield Mill. We went there once last year when I was here. I love the atmosphere.


On Sundays they have what they call a "Sunday roast" in this case they had 4 roasts, turkey,pork, fish or a vegetarian one. It's a pretty big place .I don't think the smaller pubs have that many choices.


Hubby got the turkey and I got the pork . They also came with a Yorkshire pudding ,which was kind of like a pastry with no sugar . It would have been good if it had some gravy on it or something. It was just sitting there like a piece of dry bread.


We also had some roasted parsnips, which I have never tasted in my life. They were ok. Sort of like a water chestnut texture ,but looked like a small white carrot.


Sadly, both of us had dry meat. All in all , we had to agree that the food we cook at home is much yummier. The bad side of being an awesome cook. Dang it :)








We also braved the wind and rain yesterday to go find the boys this huge box to play in.













It contained this half price Christmas tree.


Hubby worked (on work) while I managed to put the thing together myself.


It took hours and hours....and of course all we have is cheap ugly plastic ornaments.....

and we didn't get enough garland so I had to skip that.













Not too shabby, considering.

Our first British Christmas tree.

I'm just happy to have one and that I got to put it up this early. Woot!

Now if only I'd get a phone call today saying" hey we're delivering your table and chairs!"







Today is cleaning and laundry day. Hubby is off to Warwick and the weather is still absolute crap. I'll have to walk to the store later and YES ,I am dreading it.


Have a great Monday!

Luv me



P.S.


I'm back from my lovely walk to the store. How effin windy was it?



Here, lets ask my BRAND NEW umbrella......

























Damn it.











Oh..P.S. 2 .....I've been getting the pills down the cats baut the stuff is supposed to take a few days to build up in their bodies. So no change at all so far.


Keep yer fingers crossed:)