When I started blogging in 2004, someone posted this meme. I’ve answered the same questions for over ten years now, and I like to keep up the tradition.
1. What did you do in 2016 that you’d never done before?
Completed a Dungeon & Dragons 3.5 ed. campaign as the Dungeon Mistress
Sold a car (2000 Ford Taurus I inherited from my late Mother)
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions (NYR), and will you make more for next year?
I refer to NYRs as the Infinite Master To Do List, and yes, I made them. See the next blog entry for an accounting of what I’ve achieved in 2016, and what I hope to achieve in 2017.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No, unless you count fictional characters.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
After I did the 2015 YIR meme, my husband’s last grandparent died (my Mother-in-Law’s Mother) the day after Christmas, and Grandma Fleming was one of many in my husband’s family who made me feel welcomed and very loved.
Although he wasn’t close to me personally, I think anyone on the planet who heard his music was affected by David Bowie. My personal favorite song was “Changes” because a quote from that song was used at the beginning of my favorite 80s teen film The Breakfast Club.
In June, my dear friend Elle Janet Plato committed suicide. She told me the year prior that she was transsexual, and knowing Janet’s wicked sense of humor, I didn’t know whether or not she was teasing me. Nor did it matter to me what her birth gender was vs. what her true gender was. After her death, I found out she was born male (named Larry) physically and underwent surgery. I still miss her.
5. What states or countries did you visit?
Illinois to visit the zoo that was the Ikea (which I learned this year is pronounced “ee-kay-ah”) warehouse store on a Sunday. Thank the Gods they are opening a store in Wisconsin sometime in the future. This time we actually bought something: a hutch for the kitchen and an entertainment center for the master bedroom. We’ve even put the hutch together and are using it.
6. What would you like to have in 2017 that you lacked in 2016?
The list is growing longer:
-More money: either a better paying job or (preferably) a winning lottery ticket for a big jackpot
-a better governor and legislature, which hopefully will occur in 2018 now that the courts are saying no to gerrymandering because one can prove how bad it is
7. What dates from 2016 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
July 13, 2016: Celebrating 25 wonderful years of marriage to the World’s Greatest Husband.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
2106 was another year where my biggest achievements were surviving it and helping the World’s Greatest Husband survive, too.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Not having the Mithril Party I wanted for our silver anniversary.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
In February, I caught a cold from the husband, who caught it from our son. The depression and anxiety has been rampant in Castle Curley, mainly affecting King Brian, but I’ve had my bouts, too. Especially in early November IYKWIM.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
I bought several items to help organize our house, and anything that I actually put into use (such as the kitchen hutch) is a good thing.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Samantha Bee, Conan O’Brien, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, and James Corden for their responses to the Orlando nightclub shooting.
Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton for their “When they go low, we go high.” responses to The Donald.
13. Whose behavior made you:
Appalled? Paul Ryan, Speaker of the House, and unfortunately from Wisconsin (District 1), for his cowardly response to the Firearm Safety Legislation Sit-in and his part in the 2016 presidential campaign.
Depressed? Every single person who fired a gun and killed or injured people with it for whatever stupid reason
Appalled and Depressed? Everyone who voted for The Donald for president, or who voted for anyone but Hillary Clinton, because now we’re going to have two-four years of a lot of damage to undo after that moron and the other repugnican’ts get out of office.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Paying bills (medical, water bill for leaky toilet, furnace repair, etc.), buying needed items like a new microwave (when I broke the old one) and a dehumidifier for the basement, and items to organize our house.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Our Mithril (Silver) Anniversary. I was hoping for a big party, but we settled for a very nice steak dinner.
16. What song will always remind you of 2016?
“Bruises” by Train
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Sadder
b) thinner or fatter? Fatter
c) richer or poorer? Poorer, and thanks to the elections, not going to be making more money anytime soon.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Writing my novel series.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Losing the lottery; playing games on my tablets.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Eve: With Prince Mekhi and the World’s Greatest Husband, then with the World’s Greatest In-Laws (mine!);
Day: With the World’s Greatest Husband (mine!) and our critters; We may go see a movie, but if we do, it won’t be Rogue One.
26th/my late mother’s birthday: Once again my brother Tom is on the ball about asking our siblings to get together in the Dells. Fran wants to go somewhere other than Moosejaw, and I agree. I only ask that we go somewhere that serves alcohol because it’s an evening with my siblings and their families. KnowwhatImean? Interestingly enough, they picked Monk’s, which I’ve been to locally and know that they serve copious amounts of alcohol.
21. With whom did you spend the most time on the phone?
I guess I could include texts on this one, so that would be Mekhi’s Bio-/Mom #1 Lisa. Early in the year when I drove her to a medical procedure, I referred to myself as “the closest thing she’s ever had to a sister.”
22. Did you fall in love in 2016?
Been in love with the same guy since 1989, and every day I love him more. Many days I truly am surprised that he still puts up with me. He still thinks he got the better end of the marriage deal; I know that I did. Seriously, that is one of the “fiercest arguments” in our marriage. ;} (I usually win when we compare in-laws because I definitely got the better deal there!)
Because of his severe depression and anxiety this year, Brian wondered why I was still with him. I honestly and sincerely reminded him of his being there for me during my tough times (loss of my parents, loss of my job and/or a job from hell, etc.) Plus, I love him so much that being there for him actually isn’t that difficult; I’m not going anywhere, and I will do all I can to help him feel better.
When one of my sisters-in-law was going through a tough time, she offered my brother the option of a divorce, which told me that she didn’t know as much as she thought she did about my brother and our family. We have fun with the good times; and when the hard times hit, as they will do, we build our bunkers around our loved ones and do our best to be there to care for them. That’s just the way our family always has been.
The hard part is knowing I can’t take away his pain or make him laugh as he does for me. One night, I actually made Brian smile when I said that I wished he had a spot on him like the white spot on our black cat Gleep, that we call her “sweetness button.” I said, I would press his “smile button” to make him happy and, well, smile.
23. How many one-night stands?
Because I am monogamous in my marriage, I only have one night stands in my dreams and with the strangest people/fictional characters (such as one of the instructors at my son’s dojo, who in real life is waaaay too skinny (and way too young) for my tastes). See #35 for further details.
24. What are your favorite TV program(s)?
Still love The Big Bang Theory as my current favorite, with the (about as believable but just as fun as a Bond film) Scorpion a close second. Now addicted to virtually all Marvel Cinematic Universe and Arrowverse TV shows. The DVR and the Netflix queue overfloweth, especially with episodes of Doctor Who.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Paul Ryan is a good start as he represents almost everything that is reprehensible about the modern Repugnican’t party. Also, every single person who voted for The Donald, and every single person who didn’t vote, or protest voted, and allowed The Donald to become our president-elect.
I no longer hate The Donald because he has done what I wish I could do: put a harsh magnifying glass in a sunbeam and show just how despicable the GOP has become. Now it is frying away after selling its soul to the extremists. I just wish that its demise was established on election day 2016. Now we have to wait another two to four years for it die.
26. What was the best book you read this year?
Staked by Kevin Hearne. It’s the eighth novel in his Iron Druid Chronicles, and I can’t wait for the ninth and final novel, especially because the two Irish wolfhounds are expecting puppies!
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
The World’s Greatest husband keeps expanding my musical repertoire. This year it was the band Train and their album California 37, referring to the highway of the same name.
28. What did you want and get?
Can’t think of anything. 2016 was a bad year all around, and not just for the inhabitants of Castle Curley.
29. What did you want and not get?
More income; Bernie Sanders, or at least Hillary Clinton for president.
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
I have a hard time choosing between Deadpool and Captain America: Civil War. Both based on Marvel Comics, but only the second one is part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Deadpool is considered part of the X-Men film series. The former was freaking hilarious, but the latter was extremely good and unexpectedly surprising.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Brian was out-of-town with a group of friends from high school. I told him to go because my birthday wasn’t a hallmark one, and we could go out anytime. Plus, I planned on doing a crafts weekend at home. (I didn’t do any.) See my blog entry for the day. I turned 28 for the twentieth time.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Impeaching The Donald or The Wanker.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2016?
A colleague asked me if I had lost weight, to which I responded, “Nope, I just bought bigger clothes, but thank you for noticing.”
I also was measured again for a bra-fitting because I’ve gained so much weight. Now I’m a 44-46 DDD. Still need to buy more bras and other undergarments.
34. What kept you sane?
Brian asked me how I keep my spirits up, especially when I helped him deal with his depression and anxiety. I sent him “linkage” e-mails: stuff from I Can Haz Cheezburger and other like sites, to make him smile a little. I said to him, “This is why I’ve downloaded about half the Internet.” Plus, I’ve spent a lifetime dealing with these conditions way before my diagnoses and prognoses, so I have developed a lifetime of coping techniques.
Of course, our puppies and kitties help.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Still fancy Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker. Granted, he’s 36 years older than the first time I had a crush on him, but so am I. ;}
However, in August I had a dream that I was at a gaming convention, and as I was crisscrossing the various secret passage ways of the convention center and its hotels, I came across a skinny-dipping Jack Black. Before he climbed out of the pool, the landline rang and woke me up.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Voter rights, and electing Bernie Sanders and Russ Feingold. :(
37. Whom did you miss?
My late father (“Poppy”), my late Grandmother-in-Law Fleming, Elle Janet Plato (see #4).
38. Who was the best new person you met?
The only person I can think of is my son’s fifth-grade teacher, Ms. Wolter.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2016:
“I’m sure the universe is full of intelligent life. It’s just been too intelligent to come here.” – Arthur C. Clarke
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
These bruises make for better conversation
Loses the vibe that separates
It’s good to let you in again
You’re not alone in how you’ve been
Everybody loses, everybody loses, everybody loses
We all got bruises, We all got bruises, We all got bruises.
(See #16 above.)
-----
First Blog Titles Month by Month 2016:
January: Which Blog? I’ve Lost Count
February: What can I do today to achieve my goals?
March: Movies, Geekdom, and Race
April: The Fish is in the Tree…
May: Another Fine Mother’s Day
June: A Preacher Walks into a Grocery Store...
July: The Drunken Smiley Face in the Sky
August: Framily
September: Catching Up: Birthday 2016
October: Corn Maze – Football Nap
November: Meme
December: Lori’s Year In Review: 2016
Blessed Be,
-Lori
“Communication technologies are necessary, but not sufficient, for us humans to get along with each other.” – Arthur C. Clarke
Thursday, December 15, 2016
Wednesday, November 30, 2016
Another Meme from Facebook
This is fun! Tell us about your SENIOR year of high school! The longer ago it was, the more fun the answers will be!
The year was: 1986-87
1. Did you know your spouse then? No. He already was at UW-Platteville, where we met a year later.
2. Did you carpool? Yes, with Ananda Patterson. Ananda: remember going to that diner for breakfast in the mornings?
3. What kind of car did you have? I didn’t have a driver’s license because of my epilepsy, and my brother totaled the car I might have used.
4. It’s Friday night at the football game, where are you? BION, I was captain of the varsity football cheerleader squad. I wanted to play football, but the coach was a moron, and cheerleading was something of a consolation. I was the only cheerleader on the squad who knew that you don’t do the cheer “Sack that quarterback!” when our team was on offense, or “First and ten; do it again!” while on defense.
5. What kind of job did you have? Fast food and babysitting.
6. Were you a party animal? Not really.
7. Were you considered a jock? Definitely not, probably why the moron didn’t want me on the football team.
8. Were you in band, orchestra, or choir? Choir, but I never had any solos due to my hideous singing and the even worse choir director. Anybody from EHS remember Chuck Roast (slang name for the choir teacher who was fired at the end of my senior year)?
9. Were you a nerd? Definitely.
10. Did you get suspended or expelled? Nope
11. Can you sing the fight song? Yes, and (sigh) I even remember the choreography the cheerleaders had to do.
12. Where did you eat lunch? In the cafeteria, closed campus.
13. What was your full school’s name? Edgewood High School of the Sacred Heart (EHS), but it was misspelled Scared in my freshman yearbook.
14. What was your school mascot? Crusader
15. If you could go back and do it again would you? Not for all the money Disney spent to buy Lucasfilm.
16. Are you planning on going to your next high school reunion? Nope. I said my goodbyes to the class of ’87 at the “Alumni Dance” after the commencement ceremony because I was so happy to get out of the hell that was Catholic high school. I must not be the only one because no one volunteered to put together a 25th reunion, and so far it looks like no one is working on the 30th for next year.
17. Are you still in contact with people from high school? A few on Facebook. Although I do try to get together with Betsy Laessig-Stary (and her daughter Samm Stary, who now is a senior at EHS) every now and then. I also need to go see Casey Day perform, but he keeps performing in Verona, which is a ways from my home in Sun Prairie.
Pog ma thoin!
-Lori
“Do you not see how necessary a world of pains and troubles is to school an intelligence and make it a soul?” – John Keats
The year was: 1986-87
1. Did you know your spouse then? No. He already was at UW-Platteville, where we met a year later.
2. Did you carpool? Yes, with Ananda Patterson. Ananda: remember going to that diner for breakfast in the mornings?
3. What kind of car did you have? I didn’t have a driver’s license because of my epilepsy, and my brother totaled the car I might have used.
4. It’s Friday night at the football game, where are you? BION, I was captain of the varsity football cheerleader squad. I wanted to play football, but the coach was a moron, and cheerleading was something of a consolation. I was the only cheerleader on the squad who knew that you don’t do the cheer “Sack that quarterback!” when our team was on offense, or “First and ten; do it again!” while on defense.
5. What kind of job did you have? Fast food and babysitting.
6. Were you a party animal? Not really.
7. Were you considered a jock? Definitely not, probably why the moron didn’t want me on the football team.
8. Were you in band, orchestra, or choir? Choir, but I never had any solos due to my hideous singing and the even worse choir director. Anybody from EHS remember Chuck Roast (slang name for the choir teacher who was fired at the end of my senior year)?
9. Were you a nerd? Definitely.
10. Did you get suspended or expelled? Nope
11. Can you sing the fight song? Yes, and (sigh) I even remember the choreography the cheerleaders had to do.
12. Where did you eat lunch? In the cafeteria, closed campus.
13. What was your full school’s name? Edgewood High School of the Sacred Heart (EHS), but it was misspelled Scared in my freshman yearbook.
14. What was your school mascot? Crusader
15. If you could go back and do it again would you? Not for all the money Disney spent to buy Lucasfilm.
16. Are you planning on going to your next high school reunion? Nope. I said my goodbyes to the class of ’87 at the “Alumni Dance” after the commencement ceremony because I was so happy to get out of the hell that was Catholic high school. I must not be the only one because no one volunteered to put together a 25th reunion, and so far it looks like no one is working on the 30th for next year.
17. Are you still in contact with people from high school? A few on Facebook. Although I do try to get together with Betsy Laessig-Stary (and her daughter Samm Stary, who now is a senior at EHS) every now and then. I also need to go see Casey Day perform, but he keeps performing in Verona, which is a ways from my home in Sun Prairie.
Pog ma thoin!
-Lori
“Do you not see how necessary a world of pains and troubles is to school an intelligence and make it a soul?” – John Keats
Friday, November 25, 2016
Blessings
I could post about yet another nice Thanksgiving with the World’s Greatest Husband and critters, but I’ve done that in so many prior years. This morning, I want to talk about blessings that make the world a beautiful place, specifically, I want to mention stories I’ve read in the online news this morning.
Local youth group surprises servers with $1,300 holiday tip
In a nutshell: a youth church group in Janesville annually goes out to eat together the night before Thanksgiving. They collected over $1300 to tip the waitstaff, and when they presented the money to the two ladies, they discovered that one is getting married and the other is pregnant. The money was very well received.
How a haircut led to a new lease on life for Sun Prairie man
People can become very attached to their hairstylists because of the opportunity to talk during the haircut. One such conversation led a man to tell his beautician about his kidney dialysis. Remembering that they are the same blood type, the stylist offered one of her own. Once it was determined that she was a match, the surgery happened. Now in addition to haircuts, they also get together to play Yahtzee.
1998 bus fire leads burn nurse to career as burn surgeon
When a mentally ill man boarded a bus, poured gasoline on people, and set them on fire, the UW Hospital worked around the clock to save the lives of the burn victims. Two of the victims were a young engaged couple who almost didn’t make it because of the extensive burns. One nurse worked exceptionally hard to help them, and when they survived, they asked the nurse to be a bridesmaid in their wedding. Since then, the nurse decided she wanted to because a surgeon specializing in burn victims. Although it took her sixteen years, during which she also birthed two children, she has made that dream a reality.
Grandma’s last-minute guest showed up
An Arizona grandmother knew the best way to invite her grandchildren to Thanksgiving would be to text them. However, she accidentally texted a high school student who was a complete stranger. After they cleared up the issue, the youth asked if he still was invited to Thanksgiving. The woman said, “Of course you can. That’s what grandmas do...feed everyone!” The youth enjoyed a lovely Thanksgiving with the grandmother’s family before he attended a feast with his own.
Alliant Energy Center honors contracts after holiday expo cancels last minute
The Alliant Energy Center (AEC) is an exposition and convention space here in Madison that has hosted concerts, sporting events, the Dane County Junior Fair, and even Comicon. Recently the organizers of a holiday expo had to cancel the event due to bankruptcy, and they couldn’t refund the monies to the vendors who paid table fees. The AEC decided to honor the contracts and keep the expo on the books, which is planned for the weekend of December 10. If you’re in the Madison area, and you attend, I may see you there.
Pog ma thoin!
-Lori
“So shines a good deed in a weary world.” – Willy Wonka, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory written by Roald Dahl
Local youth group surprises servers with $1,300 holiday tip
In a nutshell: a youth church group in Janesville annually goes out to eat together the night before Thanksgiving. They collected over $1300 to tip the waitstaff, and when they presented the money to the two ladies, they discovered that one is getting married and the other is pregnant. The money was very well received.
How a haircut led to a new lease on life for Sun Prairie man
People can become very attached to their hairstylists because of the opportunity to talk during the haircut. One such conversation led a man to tell his beautician about his kidney dialysis. Remembering that they are the same blood type, the stylist offered one of her own. Once it was determined that she was a match, the surgery happened. Now in addition to haircuts, they also get together to play Yahtzee.
1998 bus fire leads burn nurse to career as burn surgeon
When a mentally ill man boarded a bus, poured gasoline on people, and set them on fire, the UW Hospital worked around the clock to save the lives of the burn victims. Two of the victims were a young engaged couple who almost didn’t make it because of the extensive burns. One nurse worked exceptionally hard to help them, and when they survived, they asked the nurse to be a bridesmaid in their wedding. Since then, the nurse decided she wanted to because a surgeon specializing in burn victims. Although it took her sixteen years, during which she also birthed two children, she has made that dream a reality.
Grandma’s last-minute guest showed up
An Arizona grandmother knew the best way to invite her grandchildren to Thanksgiving would be to text them. However, she accidentally texted a high school student who was a complete stranger. After they cleared up the issue, the youth asked if he still was invited to Thanksgiving. The woman said, “Of course you can. That’s what grandmas do...feed everyone!” The youth enjoyed a lovely Thanksgiving with the grandmother’s family before he attended a feast with his own.
Alliant Energy Center honors contracts after holiday expo cancels last minute
The Alliant Energy Center (AEC) is an exposition and convention space here in Madison that has hosted concerts, sporting events, the Dane County Junior Fair, and even Comicon. Recently the organizers of a holiday expo had to cancel the event due to bankruptcy, and they couldn’t refund the monies to the vendors who paid table fees. The AEC decided to honor the contracts and keep the expo on the books, which is planned for the weekend of December 10. If you’re in the Madison area, and you attend, I may see you there.
Pog ma thoin!
-Lori
“So shines a good deed in a weary world.” – Willy Wonka, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory written by Roald Dahl
Wednesday, November 16, 2016
Meme
When I was on LiveJournal, I loved doing the Q&A memes. This one was on Facebook, and I completed it last night with the help of Brian Curley, the World’s Greatest Husband.
Instructions: WITHOUT prompting, ask your spouse or kids these questions and write EXACTLY what they say. The outcome can be hilarious.
•What is something I always say? “Don’t let it ruin your day.” [Actually, “When in doubt, smile.”]
•What makes me happy? Star Wars stuff [actually, he, Mekhi O’Brien, and our critters make me happy.]
•What makes me sad? November (when my parents died in 2007) [seeing him sad makes me sad]
•How tall am I? 5’5” [correct]
•What’s my favorite thing to do? Laugh [read]
•What do I do when you’re not around? Sleep [housework]
•If I become famous, what will it be for? Writing [correct]
•What makes you proud of me? You never give up on stuff.
What is my favorite food? Chocolate [correct]
•What is my favorite restaurant? Prairie Diner (a greasy spoon here in Sun Prairie) [correct]
•Where is my favorite place to visit? M&M World (favorite place in Las Vegas) [actually, I prefer to visit his parents]
• If I could go anywhere, where would it be? Ireland [correct]
•Do you think you could live without me? No (it’s been a tough year for Brian)
•How do I annoy you? Unending optimism.
•What is my favorite movie? Star Wars [While I prefer The Empire Strikes Back, my favorite movie probably is Real Genius or something by John Hughes]
•Who is my celebrity crush? Clay Matthews III [true, but Mark Hamill is higher on the list]
•You get a phone call that I am in trouble, who am I with? Betsy Laessig-Stary [correct]
Pog ma thoin!
-Lori
“I can’t stand you all equally.” – Betsy, on her kids
Instructions: WITHOUT prompting, ask your spouse or kids these questions and write EXACTLY what they say. The outcome can be hilarious.
•What is something I always say? “Don’t let it ruin your day.” [Actually, “When in doubt, smile.”]
•What makes me happy? Star Wars stuff [actually, he, Mekhi O’Brien, and our critters make me happy.]
•What makes me sad? November (when my parents died in 2007) [seeing him sad makes me sad]
•How tall am I? 5’5” [correct]
•What’s my favorite thing to do? Laugh [read]
•What do I do when you’re not around? Sleep [housework]
•If I become famous, what will it be for? Writing [correct]
•What makes you proud of me? You never give up on stuff.
What is my favorite food? Chocolate [correct]
•What is my favorite restaurant? Prairie Diner (a greasy spoon here in Sun Prairie) [correct]
•Where is my favorite place to visit? M&M World (favorite place in Las Vegas) [actually, I prefer to visit his parents]
• If I could go anywhere, where would it be? Ireland [correct]
•Do you think you could live without me? No (it’s been a tough year for Brian)
•How do I annoy you? Unending optimism.
•What is my favorite movie? Star Wars [While I prefer The Empire Strikes Back, my favorite movie probably is Real Genius or something by John Hughes]
•Who is my celebrity crush? Clay Matthews III [true, but Mark Hamill is higher on the list]
•You get a phone call that I am in trouble, who am I with? Betsy Laessig-Stary [correct]
Pog ma thoin!
-Lori
“I can’t stand you all equally.” – Betsy, on her kids
Monday, October 31, 2016
Corn Maze – Football Nap
…a wonderful way to spend a Sunday
A colleague of mine at the DNR is a professional clown part-time (not the bad kind). His hair is never the same color two days in a row, and he creates the most amazing balloon sculptures ever. Last year, he gave me a couple of free passes to a local corn maze, which Brian, Mekhi and I loved going through. The theme of the 2015 maze was the Aesop Fable, “The Fox and the Grapes.” After we arrived home, I gave Mekhi my copy of Aesop’s Fables that were given to me at school when I was ten years old.
This year’s maze was called “Rainbows, Kittens, and Killer Baby Unicorns.” Brian wasn’t sure if his 51-year-old ankles would make it through, but I reminded him that the maze isn’t as big as it looks (I was right). I didn’t time us because that would not have been fun. Each of us took turns being the “navigator” with the map, and Mekhi was the best at finding the mailboxes that store the next piece of the map. We passed other groups traversing the maze, and one pair of young boys (also about ten each) were very good at following the map. One of them wore a Packer jersey, and when I was navigator, I kept suggesting that we “follow Jordy.” It worked.
I never did see my colleague, who was there in his clown persona, but I did see people wearing his balloon art, specifically a tiara and a flower bracelet.
Afterwards, we bought snacks (mine was a caramel apple sans nuts), and sat for a while. Mekhi didn’t seem too interested in doing some of the activities that we did last year, such as seeing the baby chicks and bunnies on the farm. I insisted upon going to the kitten house, which had a line. I was minorly disappointed that only three kittens were inside, but I did hold one of them. I asked Mekhi if anything was wrong, and he steadfastly said no. Brian was concerned that Mekhi didn’t want to be with us, but Mekhi felt he needed to be home with Mom #1 to help her clean house and prepare for home inspections (they live in Section Eight Housing).
So Brian and I took Mekhi to home #1. En route, Mekhi asked us to help him find the letter J because he was playing the Alphabet Game (albeit with much easier rules than listed in the link). We played it cooperatively until we reached Z and Mekhi’s home #1.
Brian and I decided to spend the afternoon watching the NFL RedZone and taking a nap with a lot of critters in our bed. Felt. Damn. Good.
Pog ma thoin!
-Lori
“Other Staff issues: For future reference – do not sneak up on Tosh wearing a clown mask, for a laugh. She does NOT find this amusing.” – Torchwood’s Captain’s Log entry 17
A colleague of mine at the DNR is a professional clown part-time (not the bad kind). His hair is never the same color two days in a row, and he creates the most amazing balloon sculptures ever. Last year, he gave me a couple of free passes to a local corn maze, which Brian, Mekhi and I loved going through. The theme of the 2015 maze was the Aesop Fable, “The Fox and the Grapes.” After we arrived home, I gave Mekhi my copy of Aesop’s Fables that were given to me at school when I was ten years old.
This year’s maze was called “Rainbows, Kittens, and Killer Baby Unicorns.” Brian wasn’t sure if his 51-year-old ankles would make it through, but I reminded him that the maze isn’t as big as it looks (I was right). I didn’t time us because that would not have been fun. Each of us took turns being the “navigator” with the map, and Mekhi was the best at finding the mailboxes that store the next piece of the map. We passed other groups traversing the maze, and one pair of young boys (also about ten each) were very good at following the map. One of them wore a Packer jersey, and when I was navigator, I kept suggesting that we “follow Jordy.” It worked.
I never did see my colleague, who was there in his clown persona, but I did see people wearing his balloon art, specifically a tiara and a flower bracelet.
Afterwards, we bought snacks (mine was a caramel apple sans nuts), and sat for a while. Mekhi didn’t seem too interested in doing some of the activities that we did last year, such as seeing the baby chicks and bunnies on the farm. I insisted upon going to the kitten house, which had a line. I was minorly disappointed that only three kittens were inside, but I did hold one of them. I asked Mekhi if anything was wrong, and he steadfastly said no. Brian was concerned that Mekhi didn’t want to be with us, but Mekhi felt he needed to be home with Mom #1 to help her clean house and prepare for home inspections (they live in Section Eight Housing).
So Brian and I took Mekhi to home #1. En route, Mekhi asked us to help him find the letter J because he was playing the Alphabet Game (albeit with much easier rules than listed in the link). We played it cooperatively until we reached Z and Mekhi’s home #1.
Brian and I decided to spend the afternoon watching the NFL RedZone and taking a nap with a lot of critters in our bed. Felt. Damn. Good.
Pog ma thoin!
-Lori
“Other Staff issues: For future reference – do not sneak up on Tosh wearing a clown mask, for a laugh. She does NOT find this amusing.” – Torchwood’s Captain’s Log entry 17
Friday, September 23, 2016
Catching Up: Birthday 2016
Okay, so despite my new year’s resolution to write more in my blog and journal, I’ve only written eighteen blog entries and no handwritten journal entries. Not only that, I haven’t even finished the report on my goals annual review 2016, which I started on August 1. I must improve.
So today, I am “Catching Up” on entries, starting with my birthday this year. Jack Black and I both turned twenty-eight for the twentieth time (I stopped counting at 28 because it was my Golden Birthday). Brian, the World’s Greatest Husband (WGH) was out of town that weekend because his group of friends from Wausau (where they all graduated high school) went camping that weekend. Brian was concerned about how I would feel without him, and I told him I would be okay. After all, I’m only in my late forties – not like it’s a hallmark birthday or anything. Besides, one member of the group just died young (cancer), so I felt Brian needed to be with his friends that weekend.
I didn’t realize how much I would miss my husband. I had a list of things to do (as usual), and Friday, August 26, started off well with me dealing with the person who came to do the furnace tune-up, as well as me assembling a small storage unit that we bought for the kitchen. Unfortunately that night I couldn’t sleep without the WGH in bed with me (and the dogs). I tried reading, watching TV, etc. Nothing worked. Saturday I was so exhausted that I stayed in bed dozing on and off. Mercifully, Brian kept texting me to tell me that he missed me too, and that he loves me.
Brian even texted me shortly after midnight on Sunday, August 28, proper, to wish me a happy birthday. That was very nice. I also received a couple dozen e-mails and Facebook messages, even one from my Father-in-Law. Awesome! I felt very, very loved.
Mekhi's bio-mom made me a special angel food cake (my favorite) that she dropped off that day - it said "momma" on it in those candy letters. We didn't eat the whole thing, so I took it to work along with the cinnamon rolls I made from my mother's recipe.
Neither I nor Brian bought me a gift, but this past weekend we went to visit my wonderful in-laws, and they gave me a belated birthday card (and an early card for Brian, whose birthday is later this month), with some money in it. This weekend, I’m going to add to my Munchkin collection.
Money has been even tighter than usual, so Brian and I waited until the next pay period to go out for my birthday: Samba Brazilian Grill, which was so worth the $100 tab, but they don’t do doggie bags (it’s a buffet).
Pog ma thoin!
-Lori
“Hug too much. Smile too much. And, when you can, love.” – Neil Gaiman
So today, I am “Catching Up” on entries, starting with my birthday this year. Jack Black and I both turned twenty-eight for the twentieth time (I stopped counting at 28 because it was my Golden Birthday). Brian, the World’s Greatest Husband (WGH) was out of town that weekend because his group of friends from Wausau (where they all graduated high school) went camping that weekend. Brian was concerned about how I would feel without him, and I told him I would be okay. After all, I’m only in my late forties – not like it’s a hallmark birthday or anything. Besides, one member of the group just died young (cancer), so I felt Brian needed to be with his friends that weekend.
I didn’t realize how much I would miss my husband. I had a list of things to do (as usual), and Friday, August 26, started off well with me dealing with the person who came to do the furnace tune-up, as well as me assembling a small storage unit that we bought for the kitchen. Unfortunately that night I couldn’t sleep without the WGH in bed with me (and the dogs). I tried reading, watching TV, etc. Nothing worked. Saturday I was so exhausted that I stayed in bed dozing on and off. Mercifully, Brian kept texting me to tell me that he missed me too, and that he loves me.
Brian even texted me shortly after midnight on Sunday, August 28, proper, to wish me a happy birthday. That was very nice. I also received a couple dozen e-mails and Facebook messages, even one from my Father-in-Law. Awesome! I felt very, very loved.
Mekhi's bio-mom made me a special angel food cake (my favorite) that she dropped off that day - it said "momma" on it in those candy letters. We didn't eat the whole thing, so I took it to work along with the cinnamon rolls I made from my mother's recipe.
Neither I nor Brian bought me a gift, but this past weekend we went to visit my wonderful in-laws, and they gave me a belated birthday card (and an early card for Brian, whose birthday is later this month), with some money in it. This weekend, I’m going to add to my Munchkin collection.
Money has been even tighter than usual, so Brian and I waited until the next pay period to go out for my birthday: Samba Brazilian Grill, which was so worth the $100 tab, but they don’t do doggie bags (it’s a buffet).
Pog ma thoin!
-Lori
“Hug too much. Smile too much. And, when you can, love.” – Neil Gaiman
Wednesday, August 31, 2016
Framily
Since Prince Mekhi joined the royal house of Castle Curley, his family has become our Framily. One of his sister’s also calls me “Mama #2”, and I’m the closest thing to a sister that Lisa, Mekhi’s bio-mom, has ever had. I took her for a medical procedure earlier in the year, and I was supposed to take her again in earlier this month for another outpatient surgery, but something came up in her blood work. We are listed as emergency contacts for her, and Lisa is designated as a Duchess of Castle Curley. She’s still working on the paperwork to grant us official guardian status of Mekhi should (Gods forbid) anything happen to her, or if (Gods forbid) we need to take him to the emergency room (ER) again.
My Son is Full of Sh!t (literally)
In my first blog entry this year, I briefly mentioned an emergency incident with Mekhi that made me freak (and you’d think someone trained in first aid and other emergency preparedness wouldn’t freak, but I did); now for the details.
Mekhi and I were headed to his karate class one cold January night when he started feeling abdominal pain so severe that he didn’t want to go to class. Of course, my first freakish thought was appendicitis, and I wanted to rush him to the ER; yet I couldn’t because I had no legal right to do so. I frantically called Lisa, then drove Mekhi to her home. They spent the majority of that evening in the local ER, but the doctor suggested waiting overnight to see if the pain diminished before subjecting (then nine-year-old) Mekhi to either an X-ray or surgery.
The next day Lisa texted us; they were back at the ER on the advice of Mekhi’s school nurse. Brian and I rushed to join them, then spent the afternoon waiting in typical ER fashion. Although Mekhi was grounded from electronics for bad behavior at school, we three parents agreed that restriction could be lifted when the nurse gave him a tablet to keep him entertained (and not worried) while waiting. Eventually we were told to take him to the pediatric ER at UW Hospital.
The place was under construction, but still functional. The doctors ordered an X-ray that came up inconclusive. Mekhi either could have appendicitis or constipation. Obviously the first course of treatment would be for the latter; an enema is far less invasive than surgery, although infinitely more embarrassing for a nine-year-old. Mercifully the nurse was cool (tattoos, piercings, and spiked and colored hair), professional, and very quick with this most embarrassing part. Then Mekhi had to run to the nearest bathroom, which was further away than usual due to the aforementioned construction.
Actually what was (and still is) more embarrassing for Mekhi is all the crap jokes that Lisa, Brian, and I told and have been telling since that night. He still turns bright red when we mention it, or when he gets constipated again and we have to “reboot his butt” with a laxative designed for children. Upon informing him that we’d be telling this story at his wedding, Mekhi declared, “That’s why I’m never getting married.”
Easter 2015
Last year for Easter, we tried going to my brother Fran’s house for his family’s egg-hunt, but we didn’t make it due to car trouble halfway there. However, earlier in the day, when I dropped my Easter basket full of candy, both Mekhi and Brian applauded my fumbling my dexterity check. (For the record: the Easter baskets are almost all candy and one toy; I really don't spoil Mekhi - much.)Mercifully later in the day when Brian tripped in a parking lot, Mekhi knew better than to applaud. I have a lovely picture of Brian and Mekhi working on our car together.
Quick Wit
On a similar road trip, I said to Mekhi, “Have I ever told you the story about how I quit smoking?”
My little prince replied, “No, Mom, and I don’t want to be here for the next five hours.”
Hm. Mekhi also was not interested in seeing the large scar from a surgery that was done on my back when I was younger than he was.
When we told Mekhi the saying about Wisconsin weather (If you don’t like it, just wait five minutes, and it’ll change.), he replied, “but in five more minutes it’ll change back.”
Other Treasured (and not so-) Moments in Parenthood
When Mekhi joined our family, he didn’t like to read. Brian had the best idea to encourage him to read: comic books. Since then while trying to talk with Mekhi, I frequently have received the look, “Can’t talk; reading.” Makes me smile.
Because Mekhi is African-American, I worry about his perception of police and their perception of him. Earlier in the year, he went outside to play with a toy gun that was missing the orange cap which identifies it as a toy.
Tonight, Mekhi goes for his red belt with black stripe in American Taekwondo. I must remember to bring tissues as Brian frequently has something in his eye during these events. So proud.
Pog ma thoin!
-Lori
“You just gotta love the children; reach your hands out to them, and they will hug you back.” -Lee Fair, father of nine foster children, on Queer Eye for the Straight Guy
My Son is Full of Sh!t (literally)
In my first blog entry this year, I briefly mentioned an emergency incident with Mekhi that made me freak (and you’d think someone trained in first aid and other emergency preparedness wouldn’t freak, but I did); now for the details.
Mekhi and I were headed to his karate class one cold January night when he started feeling abdominal pain so severe that he didn’t want to go to class. Of course, my first freakish thought was appendicitis, and I wanted to rush him to the ER; yet I couldn’t because I had no legal right to do so. I frantically called Lisa, then drove Mekhi to her home. They spent the majority of that evening in the local ER, but the doctor suggested waiting overnight to see if the pain diminished before subjecting (then nine-year-old) Mekhi to either an X-ray or surgery.
The next day Lisa texted us; they were back at the ER on the advice of Mekhi’s school nurse. Brian and I rushed to join them, then spent the afternoon waiting in typical ER fashion. Although Mekhi was grounded from electronics for bad behavior at school, we three parents agreed that restriction could be lifted when the nurse gave him a tablet to keep him entertained (and not worried) while waiting. Eventually we were told to take him to the pediatric ER at UW Hospital.
The place was under construction, but still functional. The doctors ordered an X-ray that came up inconclusive. Mekhi either could have appendicitis or constipation. Obviously the first course of treatment would be for the latter; an enema is far less invasive than surgery, although infinitely more embarrassing for a nine-year-old. Mercifully the nurse was cool (tattoos, piercings, and spiked and colored hair), professional, and very quick with this most embarrassing part. Then Mekhi had to run to the nearest bathroom, which was further away than usual due to the aforementioned construction.
Actually what was (and still is) more embarrassing for Mekhi is all the crap jokes that Lisa, Brian, and I told and have been telling since that night. He still turns bright red when we mention it, or when he gets constipated again and we have to “reboot his butt” with a laxative designed for children. Upon informing him that we’d be telling this story at his wedding, Mekhi declared, “That’s why I’m never getting married.”
Easter 2015
Last year for Easter, we tried going to my brother Fran’s house for his family’s egg-hunt, but we didn’t make it due to car trouble halfway there. However, earlier in the day, when I dropped my Easter basket full of candy, both Mekhi and Brian applauded my fumbling my dexterity check. (For the record: the Easter baskets are almost all candy and one toy; I really don't spoil Mekhi - much.)Mercifully later in the day when Brian tripped in a parking lot, Mekhi knew better than to applaud. I have a lovely picture of Brian and Mekhi working on our car together.
Quick Wit
On a similar road trip, I said to Mekhi, “Have I ever told you the story about how I quit smoking?”
My little prince replied, “No, Mom, and I don’t want to be here for the next five hours.”
Hm. Mekhi also was not interested in seeing the large scar from a surgery that was done on my back when I was younger than he was.
When we told Mekhi the saying about Wisconsin weather (If you don’t like it, just wait five minutes, and it’ll change.), he replied, “but in five more minutes it’ll change back.”
Other Treasured (and not so-) Moments in Parenthood
When Mekhi joined our family, he didn’t like to read. Brian had the best idea to encourage him to read: comic books. Since then while trying to talk with Mekhi, I frequently have received the look, “Can’t talk; reading.” Makes me smile.
Because Mekhi is African-American, I worry about his perception of police and their perception of him. Earlier in the year, he went outside to play with a toy gun that was missing the orange cap which identifies it as a toy.
Tonight, Mekhi goes for his red belt with black stripe in American Taekwondo. I must remember to bring tissues as Brian frequently has something in his eye during these events. So proud.
Pog ma thoin!
-Lori
“You just gotta love the children; reach your hands out to them, and they will hug you back.” -Lee Fair, father of nine foster children, on Queer Eye for the Straight Guy
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