The "Really? For Real" Edition of I Should Know Better

A few months ago, I won a silent auction for $100 gift certicate from a salon. I thought, "Great, I'll get a haircut and maybe a facial" with the certificate. No, no, no, Wrong! It was a $100 Haircut!! Yes, Really! I mean it's a nice haircut and all, but my first reaction was "Get the eff outta here". I am so, so glad I got this certificate for like $20 bucks. And of course I had to tip the guy.
When do the heck did I move to Beverly Hills?

Speaking of personal grooming, I have a situation with my eyebrow threading lady. I had an extra new compost bin that I gave to her last Fall. She was so appreciative, she emailed me and offered me a free eyebrow threading. Gee, that's nice. Except when I went to her last time to get my brows cleaned up, She Charged Me!!!! I was so annoyed that when I got home from my appointment I returned her email with a new one asking her how the compost bin was working! She replied all was fine and not a word about her offer. Should I mention this to her in person when I go back to her?!? Which I am not even sure I want to do even though she does a nice job on the brows. What do you all think, dear blog friends?

I just got an email from a friend inviting me to join her Canasta group. Holy crapola, am I really getting That OLD!? Gee, isn't it bad enough I have to go through PMS and perimenopause every month!?! Now, I am being faced with having to join a regular card game, it's downright frightening. Hey, ladies, call me for a hike or walk, or lunch, not Canasta or Mah Johng.

What's got you raising your eyebrows and thinking Really?

12 years of Perfect Moments

12 years ago today at approximately 10:52 am, (or was it 11:17 am?), my Dh and I met our youngest son, S., and welcomed him into this wonderful world.

I still remember the first three things I said when I saw our baby-

"It's a Boy!"
"He's so Beautiful!"
"He looks just like his brother!"

Twelve years later, he's still a boy, still beautiful, and still looks A Lot Like his older brother. (Hey, we like the one model, it's a winner.)

Thank you, son, for twelve years of perfect moments. I look forward to many more, including hearing you play the rock and blues songs at your piano recital today. I am proud of you in so many ways, especially your good hearted nature and always striving to do your best.

For more perfect moments, please visit Lori of Weebles Wobblog.

My New Couches for the Color Carnival and Orange Ya Glad

Please behold the colorful, lovely, and Yes, Orange Hued spectacle of my new couch, (loveseat too!), that took 5 months to be delivered. I finally had to go to the furniture store to pick out new fabrics after nagging them week after week and getting free delivery and mucho discounts. They were delivered last month in time for the holidays.

Thank you to Martha@Menagerie for The Color Carnival and Yaya for Orange Ya Glad, and to You, for providing me an opportunity to share them. (Also one of my pair of mid century modern teak bench/coffee tables from the original owners, my parents.)

Any new things in your home that are bringing you enjoyment?

Heart Your Heart, Pancreas too

I am getting all clinical over at The Motivation Station today where I discuss such topics as Body Mass Index and Total cholesterol and the risk of heart disease and diabetes in civilian language. Please stop by, your heart and pancreas will be glad you did, and so will I! Thank you!

Dear Lovelies Letters - Holiday Post Mortem

Dear Video Game Department Sales Guys,

Thank you so much for all your help during my shopping this holiday season. You must have seen my "deer in headlights" look when I was standing at the array of video games and accessories. I may not know video games but I know the right questions to ask, and I appreciate you telling me the "Must Haves" for games and gadgets. You made me look like a really smart Santa to our teen boys.
So a Shout Out in language you can understand- You Rock, Dude! I'm stoked and feelin it. Peace Out.

Signed, Square yet Savvy Shopper

Dear Cell Phone Carrier Customer Service,

Thank you so much for helping me pick out new phones for my sons and myself for the holidays. I wouldn't know a good texting phone if it bit me in the backside and I love the fact all this stuff is free, well, sort of.

Signed, My Life Away for Free Fones


Dear Online Shopping, Gift Card Kiosk, and Delivery Service Guys,

How Did I Ever Survive Holiday Shopping Without You?

Signed, So Not Into Shopping, Ever

The Not So Terrible Teens

People including my own Mom and Dad warned me about the "teen years". I certainly know mine were tough, tough, tough for me and my parents with my mother reminding me that she stopped my dad from kicking me out of the house when I was 14 y/o. Gee, thanks, Mom, I do appreciate it and I guess I didn't realize it at the time, I was thisclose to becoming a ward of the state or worse, homeless. I guess I had forgotten in the intervening 34 years since my hellish youth, what an eff up I was, and that my parents, especially my Dad, who I always held in the highest esteem, was really ready to throw in the towel. My mother reminded me of this over our recent Thanksgiving dinner when she marveled at how "together you are now when you were such a messed up kid." Lovely holiday dinner conversation, no?

My crappy choices as a teen gave me serious schooling and I paid attention. As my dear friend, Kris says, "We know what it walks like, talks like, and smells like, we're not in the dark like our parents who had no clue." Even though I can't change my past decisions and journey, including all the pain and tough lessons, I don't think I would if I could. I have been tempered by the fire, traveled the hard road of insight, making amends, and been introduced to the healing effects of change and empathy. I also realized that part of my mom's difficulty in reconciling the person I was then, with who I am Now, is her lack of ownership or taking responsibility in my teen hell. Even though I was still at my childhood home, I was on my own, which gave me the gift of self reliance and independence, but it certainly carried a very High Price.

Someone should have warned my parents about the teen years, and also told them, hey, you didn't have it that Bad- I never got arrested, held back in school, or WORSE.

It is always startling and hurtful when those like our family, maintain a current image of you focused on the past, instead of the present. I hope and will work to let my boys know, that I cherish them not only for who they are as children, but also the adults they are becoming. Even when we butt heads, I know, (the hard way of course!), this is part of the journey as they transition from boys into men.

Thank you for sharing in my thoughts, teen angst and all.

The quality of mercy is not strained

Pray for Haiti and her people, and if you feel inclined to donate, please read this excellent article about avoiding donation scams. During sad and desperate times, not only do we see the best in people, but unfortunately also the worst.

Sitting here in the comfort of my home, with every modern convenience in the earthquake country of Southern California, you can't help but think about that last week, a 6.5 earthquake hit Northern California with a dozen or so people displaced and No Injuries or Death and now, Haiti, with a 7.0, (6 times larger in intensity than a 6.5 per the Richter scale), tens of thousands of people are dead, including many missionaries and relief workers stationed there, possibly 10% of that country's population. Think about it, one out of every ten individuals, GONE, essentially in a single moment.

I feel a bond with Haiti having lived in South Florida for many years and where there is a large immigrant population of Haitians. I mourn for them and with them, and I will do what I can do to help.

The quality of mercy is not strained.
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven,
Upon the place beneath.
It is twice blessed.
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.