Jammie Time

One never knows where the inspiration for a new blog will come from.  Someone commented on my facebook status this morning and Bam there it was.  I wasn't thinking along those lines but it made sense.  And voila, here it is.  The story of my unfortunate pajama viewing.  Here's the set up....
David tells me that a friend of ours will be stopping by to get the equipment that was being stored in our basement.  He said, "He will be by at 8.  I left the side door unlocked for him."  David then gives me a kiss good bye and heads off to work at the firehouse.  Jeff and I get up around 8 and make our way downstairs.  I think to myself should I change out of my pj's? Or maybe just throw a bra on?  I stay in my pj's until Jeff's morning nap.  At which time I will shower and get dressed.   I don't get dressed before then.  Well sometimes I will get dressed but I am not showered.  So, I have this decision to make.  I decide nah.  Even if I am awake when he gets here, I won't see him.  If I go by the time that David said he should have come and gone already.  I will be giving Jeff breakfast or be busy doing something else.  He's going to go to the side door anyway, he won't even be in the house.  I'm all set.
Now plenty of people have seen me in my pajamas.  Today's pair was actually a matching set, unlike my usual mismatched pants and t-shirt.  Like I said plenty of people have seen my pajamas.  I have one friend that if we have breakfast together(at my house) I don't change out of my pj's.  I am that comfortable with her.  I have another friend that comes over for coffee and I am dressed but not showered.  I am that comfortable with her.  Truth is I like being in my pajamas.  They are comfortable and I am really not that vain that I have to change out of them if someone is coming by.  When we were doing all the work on our house and the painter or plasterer was here I was in my pj's.  We weren't paying them to judge me on my appearance.  And I wasn't going to change my routine just because they were here.  Back then(pre-Jeff) I would stay in my pj's until I had to get ready for work.  So that was about 1 in the afternoon.  Lots of pj lounging time.  I didn't go out if I had to work.  Of course I didn't get up until 10:30ish so time wise it really wasn't an issue. 
Today Jeff and I were up, breakfast was done, and we were watching Ellen.  It's after 9 now so I figured I was in the clear.  Until I checked the basement and saw that the equipment was still there.  I still thought we were good because he would go to the side door.  Jeff and I could wave from a window.  So we wouldn't be rude but we wouldn't have to chat face to face either.  Sounds like a good plan right?  Would have been a great plan if he hadn't rung the doorbell and I had to see him.  Like I said the pj's themselves weren't bad.  It was more that the t-shirt was kind of stretched out and maybe kind of thin-ish.  There I am, now holding Jeff because I don't want him to go down the stairs after our visitor.  Checking my shirt every 5 seconds to make sure that Jeff hasn't twisted it to the point where a boob will pop out.  Ok, so we all know its doubtful that one would "pop out" but one could definitely have been exposed.  That's when I realize that you can see the outline of my nipples clear as day through the t-shirt.  Now, I am trying to hold Jeff in a way that my boobs won't be exposed but that he is covering the offending bumps in my t-shirt.  All while trying to act and look natural.  Needless to say I think I may have failed.  It's bad enough that my hair was greasy,  un-brushed and in a sloppy ponytail.  Add the weird stance I was in and the t-shirt issues and we have a plain old disaster.  It will be a wonder if he looks me in the eye or speaks to me again.  Of course I will make sure I am fully clothed for the next encounter.  The lesson to be learned here is that all of this could have been avoided if........he just went to the side door.  Til next time......

Alright Already

So, I promised all of you a blog entry yesterday.  Seems I have been struck with some writer's block.  But, I always do what I say.  So, here I am sitting here and having a virtual chat with you.
I did something new today.  That in of itself is a big deal for me.  Stepping out of my comfort zone is something I struggle with.  As I am sure many of you do as well.  In that regard I know I am not unique.  But anyway back to my new adventure.  I went to an acupuncturist today.  It was a pretty cool experience.  It didn't hurt like I was afraid that it might.  I mean let's get real here for a minute--they are sticking needles into your body.  It was so nice to hear, "Let me get some smaller gauge needles, your wrists are really small."  Heck I will take a compliment of any sort that has me and small in the same sentence.  I mean, who wouldn't.  So, it was a very relaxing experience.  The lady I went to was not a zealot trying to persuade me to buy this that or the other herbal concoction.  Or telling me that I needed a zillion treatments.  Or telling me that physicians are witch doctors.  What I liked about her is that she was trained in western medicine before she decided to explore the eastern philosophy.  So she is very balanced.  A lot of times you see people that work in alternative medicine to be die hards that only believe in their particular field.  This lady acknowledged the positives to both.  Most importantly I was instantly comfortable with her.  A lot of times that does not happen for me with new practitioners.  It's almost like going on a first date.  Will I say the right things, will they think I am crazy, will I think they are crazy?  Needless to say I booked another appointment and I am looking forward to it.  It might be the only 15 minutes I get of complete quiet next week.  Til next time....

Hot Hot Hot

Well, hello there.  It seems I have been a little lax in my blogging duties.  I decided when I started blogging every day that I would take weekends off.  I guess I inadvertently made those into long weekends.
So, I will say it because I know everyone is thinking it.  Boy is it hot outside today!  What cracks me up is that we complain about the cold.  Then we complain about the rain, insert chorus of Milli Vanilli Blame It On the Rain here.  But yet it happens every year.  We get that first hot day and BAM! The complaining about the heat commences.  And this line of complaining will surely stick around for a good 3 months.  You get the people that say,"It's not the heat.  It's the humidity I can't stand."  And in part that is true.  The humidity definitely makes it worse, but let's face it people, hot is hot.  90 degrees is still pretty darn hot.  Yes, I know it was only 80 or so today but when you jump from 50, that drastic change is pretty noticeable.  I, like many, was unprepared for the day.  My poor little guy was in long pants and a long sleeve t-shirt.  I was in jeans and a 3/4 length sleeve top. With flip flops though, because we all know that if your feet are cool your whole body will be cool. Can you hear the snort and yeah right that just flew out of my mouth.
So, the summer is coming.  The season we wait all winter for then hate when it's here.  I like the summer.  My birthday is in the summer.  When I was a kid I hated that my birthday was in the summer because I didn't get the school party.  The teacher would make you a birthday crown and your mom would send in cupcakes for the class and everyone would know it was your birthday.  I got the token crown all the other summer birthday kids got and that really didn't quite measure up.  If you know what I mean.  Now as an adult I see the error of my thinking.  It's great that I never had to go to school on my birthday.  When I worked outside the home and I categorize it as such because I still work full time.  I just don't get a paycheck for it.  Anyway, when I worked in the hospital or clinic I never worked on my birthday.  One place I worked at actually gave you your birthday off as a paid holiday.  I was let go from there when they downsized because I would never have left a place with perks like that!  It's like they could read my mind.  I like to have a birthday month.  Yes, you heard me right.  One day just isn't enough.  It's too hard to cram everything in to just one day.  I can't possibly see everyone I want to celebrate my birthday with all in one day. Hence birthday month.  Now getting everyone to buy into that philosophy is the trick.  Before Jeff David and I would go to NYC for the weekend.  That was always fun.  Not like we can't go with Jeff, but let's face it.  NYC in August is pretty miserable as it is, never mind with a toddler.  Plans and traditions change when you have kids.  That's ok because you make new ones.  Sometimes it's good to mix things up a bit.  Who cares that tradition steeped me is having palpitations while I type that sentence.  Sometimes you just gotta get comfortable with being uncomfortable.  I have been saying that for a while now and still not quite getting the hang of it.  Repetition should help.  Here's hoping anyway.  Cheers to new traditions and the joys of personal growth discomfort brings:).  Til next time...

Hmm, What Was That?

So, I had to run a quick errand to the UPS store the other day.  As I have told you before I like to shop and a lot of that shopping is done online.  What I may have neglected to tell you is that I am also a big returner.  Just because I fell in love with the image on my computer screen does not mean that I will love it when I try it on.  I told you before about why I shop online but in case you are new I will catch you up.  Selection online is way better than the stores especially if you need a petite length.  I need petite for height people, I am not trying to profess that I am Kate Moss.  I am vertically challenged and many of my favorite stores carry only a small number of the shorter lengths or don't have them at all.  Next I hate trying things on in stores.  Always have.  If you ever need a blow to your ego just go into those fluorescent lit dressing rooms.  Eeeeek!  I much prefer the lighting and comfort of my own bedroom.  So that's pretty much why I shop online.  Of course there is always the possibility of a return.  Because it didn't fit, because I don't actually need it or oops I already have one.  This is the girl who almost bought an item of her own clothing back at the consignment shop.  If I didn't check the tag to see that it was my number I probably would have.  It must have been nice or I wouldn't have bought it in the first place.  Crazy I know.
I like to shop at online stores that allow you to return in the actual store so I don't have to pay for return shipping.  I avoid that at all costs.  Gap used to have free return shipping but that is a faint memory.  Also, a gripe I have with them although I love them is you can't exchange an online item for a store item.  It has to be a separate transaction.  Which is frustrating when you only need a different size or color.  Minor inconvenience in the grand scheme of things.  But they are also super strict about their return policy dates.  So if I am hemming and hawing about an item I have to keep track of the date I bought it.  Once I was one day past the due date and they let me return the item but made a huge deal out of it.  I felt like saying that I had probably paid their salary for the last year so I'm sure they could let it slide this one time.  But, I was brought up better then that so I said nothing.  Even though the customer is always right!
So here I was at UPS returning a package to the Gap.  Oh yeah they get you sometimes with online only items that can be returned by mail only.  Bastards!  I had a prepaid label so all I wanted was to drop it off and get a receipt so I could track it.  If I am expecting another package I will just give it to the driver at my house.  Even more convenient.  But I haven't been shopping much so I wasn't expecting to see the brown truck anytime soon.  It's usually pleasant at the store.  They are friendly enough and if there isn't a line I am in and out in less than a minute.  That is not an exaggeration.  It was earlier this week when it was cold and rainy.  Oh wait, it's still like that! Anyway I was wearing my Sin City Firefighters sweatshirt.  David is as you know a Lynn firefighter.  And I am sure you know that Lynn is called the city of sin.  Everyone knows that stupid ditty or limerick or whatever you want to call it.  I ran in to drop off the package.  The guy who was serving me was very pleasant.  It was the other guy lounging on the counter that felt the need to chime in with, "Lynn Lynn city of sin" and completes the saying.  I have gotten way past tired of hearing it.  Everyone feels the need to say something about where I live.  So I plaster on a fully fake grin and say, "Yup that's right".  Hoping that will shut him up.  But noooooo, ignorant man keeps going.  It was either snap and unleash a can of whoop ass on him or walk away.  I am proud to say that I chose to walk away while shaking my head in disgust.  Of course I was shaking it enough to get my point across and the muttering didn't hurt either.  Unless you live here I say zip it.  Yeah there are bad parts to Lynn, probably more than good, but everywhere has bad parts.  We have some really nice parts too. Having where you live be the source of ridicule does get tiring.  But hey, I'm sure we won't live here forever.  

My Happy Place

I know many people have a happy place. And to most it is an imaginary place they go to when feeling stressed or some unpleasant emotion.  It has even been said in movies, "Find your happy place".  For me I have a real, tangible happy place.  Known to the general public as Trader Joe's, I call it TJ's.  Yeah, we're that kind of close.  I have conversations with people about it.  Had one just this morning with my friend Trish.  The pair of us talking about what we like to buy, what our kids like to eat from there, and any new products that we "have to try".  I exclaim with astonishment when people have never been.  They usually get a, "What!!! It's only like the best place on earth!"  And I really think that it is.  My husband on the other hand tends to disagree.  Whenever I give him something new to try he will say to me, "Where did this come from? Wait, let me guess, Trader Joe's".  And 9 times out of ten he is right.  Now it would be an exaggeration if I said that everything I bought from there was top notch.  There have been a few items that I wouldn't buy again and some items that I enjoy that David doesn't.  Well folks you can't win them all.  And since I do the shopping he eats what I give him.
There is just something so relaxing about being there.  The carts all glide well.  The aisles are not overcrowded.  If they are stocking shelves they will move out of your way, not expect you to maneuver around their blockade.  They are always more then willing to answer any question you have and check for any item you can't find.  Then if it is not in back they will check the computer to let you know when they will be getting it in the store.  I once ordered a case of chips for my brother.  I had brought a couple of bags of sweet potato chips to my parents at Christmas.  He liked them so much he joked that he would like to have some.  So I went to TJ's ordered a case then shipped it to him.  Boy was he surprised.  18 bags of sweet potato chips.  So good!  They are always friendly and a pleasure to be around.  All in all it is one heck of a great place to shop.  I wish ours had 2 buck chuck in it because I have heard that is a pretty good wine for $2.  Their prices are wonderful.  Which is just the added bonus.  I would shop there even if they were pricey.  Since I am there every week it's a good thing that they aren't.  Their store brand is better in some cases then name brands for the same product.  I just recently discovered that most breads have a preservative in it that is a form of formeldahyde.  No joke!  Their breads do not have it and they are cheaper then a loaf of Pepperidge Farm.  That's a classic win win to me if you ever saw one.  If you use their reusable bags they enter you into a drawing to get free groceries.  I haven't won yet, but I will someday.  I just know it.  I could go on and on about the perks of shopping there but you might be getting bored with it by now.  If you live near one and have not shopped there then shame on you and you don't know what you're missing.  If you don't have one near you, I am so sorry to hear that.  Maybe you should move.

Back In the Saddle

So, I take a day off from blogging and it feels like I have been gone a week.  I have the same "I gotta do this" feeling as I do when I take too long off from exercising.  Speaking of exercising I have transitioned to outdoor workouts.  Which is basically just another way for me to make excuses as to why I had been lax in the recent past.  Of course with our schizophrenic weather as of late being outside has provided to be a challenge.  This week will be terrible, rain and cool temps all week.  A double dose of despair for me.  I have been promising myself that I will do the new yoga dvd that I borrowed from a friend.  Key words there are been promising.  I have yet to do it.  But without being able to run outside I will have to suck it up and try the new dvd.  Tomorrow sounds like a great day for that.  So back to the "gotta do this" feeling, its not that I find blogging a chore.  Its just that I am tired today and all I can think about since putting Jeff down for his nap is lying on the couch.  Needless to say this will probably be a short blog.  Haha
For those of you wondering what I have been doing with my closet change over I will tell you this, it has not been a smooth transition this year.  The temperature has not been cooperating.  I unpacked all the spring/summer clothes and packed up all the fall/winter clothes.  I use the same rubbermaid bin which is why I have to first unpack it before I can repack it.  I moved the hanging clothes over and put all my fall winter/shoes away.  For some reason I have yet to commit to putting the spring/summer shoes in my closet.  They are just hanging out in their boxes in the spare room waiting to be moved.  For some reason I feel like I just can't do it yet.  Like if they are in my closet I should be wearing them.  If you had any doubt about the state of my mental well being that probably clued you in.  So, since it has been cool and wet and I refuse to go back into the spare room closet to get my warm shoes I have been wearing sneakers.  Not just sneakers silly, I have been pairing them with jeans and sweatshirts.  If I am feeling fancy I will wear a light cardigan and clogs with the jeans.  I keep my jeans out year round because you just never know when you will have a jeans day.  Of course I never wear them in the summer but it is helpful for when I am in fashion purgatory in the fall.  I really hate those times of year.  I can't help but feel frumpy, and I hate feeling frumpy.  Especially since I am a mom now.  Frumpy mom is the worst in my humble opinion.
Ok, I could go on and on but like I said I am in need of some rest and relaxation.  I am not one of those moms that just sits and watches their child play while I do something unimportant like check facebook. Ok sometimes I do but mostly I am interacting and playing with Jeff.  And it is exhausting being around a toddler all day.  Anyone who has spent sufficient time around one knows that to be true.  Anyway tomorrow I think I will talk about my happy place(meant to do that today but my thought process took me and therefore us in a different direction) and my new affinity for belts.  I'm only like 3 seasons behind.  Whatev.  Til next time :)

About Last Night

I will keep this on the shorter side.  Of course that is always my intention and sometimes these blogs read like The Iliad.  So, Splash in Boston is your typical nightclub.  On a street with no parking and no garages close by so circling the block about 100 times is in your future if you go there.  One benefit is they have valet parking.  For about the same price as a garage so that is a plus.  Of course finding the valet is yet another challenge.  I guess one should expect such things when going to a club in town.  But when you haven't been in 8 years you kind of forget about these nuisances.  I seriously don't know how people do this weekend after weekend.
I went with my attitude of confidence is sexy and picked an outfit that I felt good in.  I will spare you the blow by blow accounting of my clothes.  I will say that I think I looked good and that's all that matters.  Oh and it doesn't hurt that I got complimented too.  We all like validation whether we admit to it or not.  Once you walk into Splash you are submerged into low level lighting and loud music.  It almost felt like a cave it was so dark.  Then add the fluorescent pink strip light along the floor and walking soon becomes a challenge. There was this one strip near a door and there was no step there but the light made it seem like there was, so every time I walked over the threshold I lifted my leg as if to step up.  Yup, I looked pretty darn funny. 
You can forget about having any kind of conversation.  That is unless you don't mind yelling and having your face pressed up against the other person's ear.  That gets old pretty quick.  Needless to say since I can't not talk my throat is a little sore today, and my voice just a tad on the scratchy side.  It definitely made it easy not to have to talk to anyone I didn't know.  There was a lot of head nodding and smiling going on.  You can only shout for so long.
The best part of the night was when I fell.  Remember the strip light description from before?  Yeah, well it doesn't help when the light is under the stair and you are stepping down.  So on my return trip from the ladies room I fell flat on my face.  Dark room+high heels= MB on the floor.  I have a nicely swollen ankle and bruised and scraped  foot today.  But don't worry the shoes are fine!  I made sure to check them out right away.  Priorities! 
All in all it was what I expected but it was fun.  Got to hang around with some friends and be a part of a surprise birthday party.  That was the reason we were going but I couldn't write about that yesterday.  I wasn't going to take any chances that I would be the reason the surprise was ruined.  I doubt my blog is that far reaching but I wasn't taking any chances.  Now that it is done I think it is fair to say it will be many more moons before I am back in a club.  I am more of a socialize in a well lighted quieter space kind of girl.  I'll leave the clubs to the cast from Jersey Shore and their groupies.

Nobody Panic

Ok, I have to admit that is a bit of an exaggeration.  I seriously doubt any of you were in panic mode over what I was going to wear to tonight's festivities.  So, that leaves only me in need of a deep cleansing breath.  Now that we have that out of the way, and I feel so much better now thanks for asking, I can tell you that my outfit is picked out.  And by picked out I mean that I have narrowed it down to the pants and shoes and narrowed down the selection of tops.  Have no fear, I will not bore you with another tale of my "what do I wear woes".   But I will say this, it is a genuine part of my life and one that seems to be stuck on replay.  Got to get that fixed.  I am sure that tomorrow's episode will give you the details on my outfit as well as a play by play of the evening's events.
For those who have no clue what I am going on about I will fill you in.  Tonight David and I are going to Splash nightclub in Boston.  David's friend/business partner(sometimes the order of those reverses) is a dj and he is spinning the tunes tonight.  So we are going.  I have not been to a club in Boston in many moons, or to translate that--8 years.  Yes, the last time I was in a club in Boston was 8 years ago.  We did go to Peter's birthday party last year, but I don't think that counts as a club because it was in a private room off of a restaurant.  It was more upscale bar then club.  You put together the fact that I haven't been to a club in ages and have no idea what people are wearing these days together with my attire issues and we could have had a meltdown of nuclear proportions.  I asked my single 30 something year old cousin or advice and got pretty much what I thought would be her answer.  My only problem with that is that my vision of how I should look does not always correlate with how I actually look.  So thinking I could rock skinny jeans a tank and heels might look better in my head than on my body. 
As I was returning from my run with Jeff this afternoon I had a "thunk on the head" moment.  You know, when all of a sudden what you were grappling with just seems to make sense, as if someone thunked you in the head.  I realized that if I tried to be someone I am not then I would be uncomfortable.  Put feeling uncomfortable in a place that is making me uncomfortable and all I have to say is,"Houston we have a problem".  I knew that I had to dress in a way that made me feel good and looked good.  A good part of sexiness is confidence.  If I am confident in the way I look then I will exude sexiness.  And that is what I was going for.  See?  It just all seemed to make sense.  I am not looking to hook up with a random stranger or meet my match in life.  I am going with my husband to support his friend.  I don't need to look like everyone else in a variation of jeans and tank shirts.  I need to look like me.  Albeit a more sexy version then you see on a daily basis.  A low cut shirt and make up should do that trick.  Stay tuned for the next installment where I tell you about my night at Splash.  Should be interesting.

Same Old

Today was an uneventful day which can be nice.  Didn't have any real plans so that left the day wide open.  Sometimes not having something to do makes the day longer.  And today I could not wait for nap time so I could relax.  I got set up on my favorite spot on the couch and with remote in hand I was ready to watch some dvr'd shows.  One minute in to Criminal Minds the show stops playing.  I see that the dvr taped only one minute and eleven seconds of the show.  Now this really makes me mad.  One, because I want the machine to work the way it is supposed to.  Two, this is one of my favorite shows and CBS does not have it on demand.  So when technology fails me I have no back up to be able to watch it.  This happened to me once before and I was just as irate.  I checked hulu, I checked cbs.com and it was no where.  In the grand scheme of things missing an episode isn't the end of the world.  I am sure I will be able to find it on a repeat at some point in time.  At least it wasn't the season finale.  Then we would have had trouble.  Haha
Instead of watching my dvr'd shows I will partake in my guilty pleasure.  No, it isn't blogging to you, it's watching the biggest loser.  I don't dvr it because the ration of crap I get from David isn't worth it.  Luckily for me it is on demand and I get my fix that way.  I just think that the transformations these people go through is amazing!  Not only that they give you good exercise and nutrition tips that I can use in my own life.  Can being the operative word in that statement.  I do use some of them.  I have to keep in mind that I do not need to lose 100 pounds and although it isn't good for them , I can have cheese in my salad.  I mean some of thee people have lost more than I weigh.   That just boggles my mind.  I hope they have money for a new wardrobe.  They can't go around in biggest loser t shirts and workout pants for the rest of their lives.
So, today was a same old same old kind of day.  Stay tuned for tomorrow's blog where I discuss my angst over going to a nightclub for the first time in 8 years!  I mean what does a mom in her 30's wear to a club?  All the episodes of Jersey Shore I have watched haven't helped me one bit.  Haha, I don't really watch Jersey Shore.  That is until it is on demand.

Could Always Be Worse

Today has been one of those "cram everything in" days for me.  For the most part it is self imposed chaos. I am the puppet and master it seems.  I knew the weather wasn't going to be stellar today so I decided that I would hit the grocery store after lunch.  Jeff and I trek up to our local Market Basket.  Most days I avoid that place like the plague but every now and again I will get a twinge of remorse that Stop-n-Shop indeed is expensive and will shop there instead.  Most days mb(market basket) makes me insane.  I literally become a crazy person.  It's like some instant transformation once I step through the doors.  There are so many reasons why it makes me crazy I will spare you the litany of complaints.  As I said sns(stop-n-shop) is more expensive, on average .50 to 1.00 dollar more per item.  It adds up.  Some days I don't care about the difference, I know that my mental well being is worth any amount so I throw caution to the wind and go to sns.  I felt I was in a pretty good head space today and decided to brave mb.  I have to say in the grand scheme of things it was a pretty uneventful trip. 
I had decided at lunch today to throw an impromptu dinner party so in addition to my list I had a couple of extra things to pick up.  Another 2 pieces of fish, an extra box of rice, a bigger package of green beans.  No big deal at all.  I enjoy cooking dinner to people who appreciate it.  These folks coming over tonight are super appreciative, even better than that they like simple foods.  So I make simple meals.  It's no fuss for me, they got a home cooked meal, and I get the pleasure of their company.  It's a win win all around. High Five!
Today I actually found a decent parking space which is in itself no small miracle.  Managed to get the cart cover on and Jeff in the cart and off we went.  The store had most of what I needed.  I should have known that if the parking gods were smiling at me today that the the stocking gods were on break.  To have everything come together probably would send me into shock, and then be unable to shop.  These stores aren't stupid.  I swear their philosophy is to give you almost everything you need to make you keep coming back.  What they don't know is that I am more than happy to shop elsewhere and do quite frequently.  I have 3 different stores that I do my grocery shopping at because they all carry things that the others don't.  And of course these "rare" items have become my favorites so I must have them.  See?  Self imposed chaos.  I don't mind, if I did then I wouldn't do it.  The great thing about mb is the stories I come home with from there.  My stepson Robert says I can't go there without a story and he is right.  But mom it's not my fault.  (just had to throw that in there).  Today as I was packing up the car and getting ready to leave a guy comes out of the car next to me and says, "I love those things on your car".  He was in the same model car as me but about 6 years older than mine.  Those things on my car are the running boards.  They go up and down when the doors open and close.  "I got to get those on mine" he exclaims.  I explain that they came with the car and I didn't put them on.  "Wow, those are dope!".  With that statement I don't think I need to explain the manner in which this guy was dressed or the tricked out condition of his vehicle.  As I said, always a story.
We get home and I unpack the groceries, see that I have an hour before nap time, and notice that the sun has come out.  Perfect opportunity to take a walk to the post office.  I have a package that I have been meaning to send to England.  Once we start the walk and the gale force winds kick up I am questioning my decision to walk to the post office.  I am saying to myself that I could have driven there and back by now.  But Jeff seems to be enjoying himself.  I just have to keep an eye on him though.  The last walk we went on he pitched his hat out of the stroller.  Of course I didn't notice this until we were almost home.  Of course after his nap I went out and found it.  To leave it would be wasteful and I really like that hat.  I bought it for him last year at York Beach, Maine.  And that's where that damn memory of mine gets in the way.  Most people would just say oh well, we will get another one.  But noooo, not me.  I have to find that hat!
Ok, so now Jeff is napping.  I have laundry going and I have 2 hours to spruce up the house and prep for dinner.  But I need a snack because the yogurt I had for lunch isn't quite doing it for me. I can hear you all saying why didn't you eat lunch?  Because I wasn't hungry then, duh!  So I leave you now to enjoy a nice piece of fruit, don't want to spoil my dinner, and to watch a little tv before I have to switch the laundry over.
Til next time :)

Til There Was You

Today's feature is about chance encounters.  But first I have to ask if you believe in coincidences.  I, as I am sure you, have heard that there is no such things as coincidences.  But who made that statement?  Who determined that then made it a universal law that we all quote?  I mean who was the first person that said "There is no such things as coincidences" and the person who heard it said, "You are absolutely right!"  Then that person repeated it to the next person who repeated it to the next and so on and so on.  And will we ever know who really started it because we all know that once it went viral the last person to say it would have taken credit for it.  With something that big I am sure everyone would wanted to be the author of that statement.  Anyway I digress.  I think that there is a difference between chance encounters and coincidences.  Coincidences may seem odd or make you feel uneasy when they happen.  You know that creepy feeling you get when you can't explain something?  Which is probably why we are so quick to discredit them.  Chance encounters or meetings usually leave us puzzled but in a way that leaves us guessing about the purpose of it.
The "why did I meet that person", or the "how did that happen that we were both at the same place at the same time"?  This, for me anyway, leads me to believe in divine intervention.  That people are brought into our lives for reasons unknown to us.  I am sure we all have all had this happen to us.  You meet someone that you feel like you have known forever.  Or you meet someone and immediately have a connection and sense of ease with that just can't be explained because you are after all strangers.
This has happened a few times in my life.  My best friend Tiffany and I met this way.  We were assigned as roommates in college.  Out of all the freshman girls we were selected to live together.  Of course our relationship had its bumps along the way.  By bumps I mean that by the second month of school we changed roommates.  We could not live together.  But by the next year of school our friendship rekindled and we were inseparable.  In hindsight we were too similar that it was like being with yourself doubled.  Who the heck wants that?  It was a very needy unsettling time for me being away from home that I wasn't in the best mental state.  Add another girl fresh from home with her own feelings very similar to mine and you had the ingredients for disaster.  But like I said it all hashed out and here we are today still the best of friends.  I could have had anyone as a roommate in school and yet we were brought together and formed a friendship that has lasted 18 years.  I had no part in us meeting but we were meant to be in each others lives.  And that is why we still are today.  There is a plan for me bigger than me or what I can envision.
8 year ago today I met David.  Talk about divine intervention and chance encounters.  There are so many minute elements to the circumstances of our meeting, that if even one was different we never would have met.  Our lives were very different and seemingly going in opposite directions.  Then BAM, out of nowhere we were brought together.  And from that first meeting we knew that our lives would never be the same.  Neither of us knew if something or anything would come about from that meeting, but we knew that we had affected the other one.  Any cliche you want to pick would probably apply.  Within an hour of our introduction we were talking and joking with each other like we had known each other for years.  There was an instant connection and feeling of ease around him.  8 years later it still boggles my mind that we found each other.  To me it just proves that we are meant to be together.  Our relationship is not without its bumps either.  Loss of jobs, new jobs, selling a home, buying a new home, moving, old kids, new kids, the list could go on and on.  Truth is we were brought together but it was up to us to take care of that and make it work.  It is not often you are so blatantly given the chance to be happy that you need to look after it.  We certainly have had our trials and tribulations over the years.  As I always tell David, "It isn't always easy, but it's always worth it".  And that is the truth.  It is work to be married and care for another person.  But it isn't hard work if it comes from a place of love.  I was given a gift when David came into my life.  It is true that I celebrate days like today, the anniversary of our meeting.  It's important to me to celebrate us.  To be honest I like remembering how we met and I still get those butterflies in my belly when I think of it.  It seems like it was just yesterday.  May 10, 2003 was truly the first day of the rest of my life.

New Day New Way

Hey there fans and followers.  I have decided to start on a new track with my blog.  Seeing as how the title is seymour of my life I figured the way for you to do that would be to give you a daily dose so to speak.  Right now I wait until I get an idea that I figure will knock your socks off and be pretty darned funny before I sit down to tap it out on my keyboard.  There is nothing wrong with that philosophy except that it can hinder the pace at which I write.  What I figure is that I will try to give you a look into a typical day of mine.  Don't think that it will be a litany of "I did this, then I did that" and stop reading.  Fear not my friends it will be more like witty excerpts from a day in my life.  On this new track the blogs may not be as long as some of the previous ones have been, I mean I can't make stuff up just to fill space.  Of course I could but that would be defeating the purpose of my new venture.
Today's look into my day takes us on the assault my senses get while on my run with Jeff.  I typically like to run with headphones and music as stated before.  For some reason I feel like I cannot do this if I am pushing Jeff in his stroller.  My music is not that loud, I make sure that I can still hear the traffic around me, it would be dangerous both to my ears and possibly my life if it were to be too loud.  Even though Jeff is literally right in front of me at arms length, I mean I am pushing him in a stroller, I think if I am listening to my iPod that I won't hear him.  Ridiculous I know, but I figure it is growth on my part that I can even be out running and not have the music playing.  This is something that never would have occurred before.  This is the girl who would skip a run if her iPod wasn't charged.  I kid you not, some days any excuse will do.  So since there is no diversion for me I am acutely aware of my surroundings. 
Sometimes this is good and brightens the run, sometimes it is bad and makes me run faster to get away, and sometimes it is just down right puzzling.  I will give you a few examples from today's jaunt.  The assault can be on any of the senses but usually it is visual and olfactory.  Kind of hard to have your taste buds offended while out for a jog but stranger things have happened.  How do you know when you are wearing too much cologne?  When you are in a closed space, like a car, and people outside can smell you.  True story, happened to me just today.  I was the smeller not the wearer.  These two kids were in their car and as they drove by I could have sworn I was in the middle of perfumania at the mall.  Not what you want to have wafting in front of your nose when you are sucking wind and just trying to get home.  Then there was they smoking shirtless man sitting on his steps with his motorcycle parked on the sidewalk.  Double offense! Smoking as in cigarette, not as in hot.  So I have to wind around his bike while he sits there smoking with his pot belly hanging over his pants glaring at me.  You know he is just thinking she better not hit my bike with that thing.  My answer in my brain is maybe you shouldn't take up the whole sidewalk with your stupid motorcycle.  The sidewalk is after all a place for you to walk on the side of the street.  It is not a sidepark!  I'm in the right here, not you.  But I am in Lynn and I keep my mouth shut because you just never know.  Last but not least is the jokester who feels the need to comment as I pass by.  Today's installment of humor was provided by a kid who said, "Haha, your baby's winning".  Seriously if that is all you got I would prefer to pass by you in silence.  But silence is the last thing you get when out and about.  I don't mind the sounds of nature and life in general.  It's the uninvited noise that's gets ya every time.  We made it home and Jeff had his snack then went down for his nap.  I got a nice shower and now get to enjoy the lovely sound of silence.  In this case silence being the sound of the washing machine, my husband talking on the phone and the tv playing as I try to catch up on the shows on the dvr.  Maybe I should look up the definition of silence again.  Until next time :)

That Time of Year

It's that time of year again for me. The time of year that I dread. My "D Day" if you will. I need to switch my closets over from fall/winter to spring/summer. Now I don't mean to make this out to be a mammoth task, but it honestly feels like that. I really shouldn't complain because it used to be so much worse. I am fortunate enough to have the closet space that I can simply move the clothes from my room over to the closet in the spare room. I do need to empty out my dresser and put the clothes into the rubbermaid bin and put the clothes from the bin into the dresser. That is a nuisance. And at the same time I need to separate out the clothes that I want to consign and pack those away to bring to the shop in August. Not to mention the shoes. I have to move all of those over. And if you have read any of my previous blogs you will know what an undertaking that is.
I know I really should not complain about it but it is what is taxing me at the moment and therefore is what I am relaying to my readers. I know that I am lucky to have the space. Wen I was in Peabody I would have to take everything off the hangers, fold and put it into the rubbermaid bin. Then have to unfold everything and hang it up in the closet. This used to take me an afternoon. I am not kidding you. So just moving one set of hangers from one room to another is pretty mild compared to what I used to have to do. It boggles my mind the people that have all their clothes hanging in the closet year round. Either they do not have many clothes or they have a huge closet. One of my dreams is to have a walk in closet that I can keep everything in. Each season would have a side and I could just go between the two. Of course with all the corresponding shoes under the hanging clothes. My next house needs this, and if it doesn't have it I will have David make it for me. Or have David hire someone to do it. Either way the end result is what is important.
Now that I have lamented about my task at hand let me explain what makes it difficult. It's the damn weather! If it would just stay consistent in the temperature department then it would be easy. I could get the job done and move on. But nooooo, it has to be 70 one day then 50 the next. How am I supposed to commit to the switching of the closet when the weather is schizophrenic??? This is my purgatory time of year. I'm stuck in this weird world of what to wear today? I can't get dressed until I have heard the weather report for the day. And that is annoying.  Of course I can physically get dressed, but chances are I will be wearing the wrong thing.  I learned a long time ago not to ask David what the weather was like.  He does not have the same internal thermostat as I do( or as any normal human I am starting to think). And I am always cold if I follow his advice.  Although after being together for 8 years he has learned my internal thermostat and has gotten better about helping me with my clothing options.
Getting dressed is a chore at this time of year. I know you are probably all saying how can she be complaining? She clearly has enough to wear. And I do have an ample sufficiency of clothing, in that regard you are correct. But a major issue, other then the fluctuating temperature,  is that I want to wear my spring clothes. I am tired of the bulky sweaters and layers. Since I have started looking in the other closet I am seeing the clothes I loved from last year and I want to wear them.  So now I have the "I'm tired of my clothes" fighting with trying to be sensible and not catch pneumonia all while doing this weird dance of hot one day and cold the next. Now tell me you wouldn't be frustrated in the same situation.Or at least pretend for my sake.
So what happens is that I start the switch, the weather changes, and I have to go back to warmer clothes. So I am afraid to pack anything away, because as soon as I do it will get cold and I will be stuck. Trust me this has happened more times then I can count. Which is why I am leery of the final putting away of the clothes. The result is that I now have clothes everywhere for all different seasons. The spare room is just mayhem for a good month. Boots next to flip flops, turtleneck sweaters next to tank tops. Trying to maintain a semblance of order is the true challenge. This chaos makes me slightly crazy, ok ok slight;y crazier than usual. Only once we have a real turn of the temperature can I relax. And when everything gets put away and the room is clean again I breathe a sigh of relief and say to myself I am so happy that is done. The good news is that I don't have to do it again. Well, not until the fall anyway.

The Elephant In Me

Good sunny Sunday to all of you.  I have fallen off the blogging wagon as of late and am trying to hop back on.  The random thought that got my mental juices flowing today is the term "memory of an elephant".  It is sad but true that sometimes all it takes is a simple phrase to get me revved up and ready for action.  Sometimes it is the simpler the better.  This particular term as unflattering as it is has been used many many times in reference to me. After my initial shock that someone is comparing me to an elephant (because I immediately assume they are talking about my person), I realize what they are actually saying.  We have all been warned about assumptions. Insert church lady hmmmm here.  For those of you who don't know the church lady, Google Dana Carvy then come back and continue reading. 
Anyway back to the elephant.  Hi everyone. My name is Mary-Beth and I have a memory like an elephant.  Here is where you all respond Hi Mary-Beth.  This attribute of mine has both positive and negatives to it.  Pros and cons is another way to phrase it.  One would think having such a great memory is awesome.  Eh, not so much.  Not all the time anyway.  See, having this memory doesn't mean that it comes with a filter.  Now that would be an immense gift.  One that I would love to have and would probably make so many other people jealous.  Can you just hear the taunts?  I know something you don't know. Now visualize a hand wagging over your nose and we are immediately transported back to elementary school.
Having a great memory can be a good thing.  I remember dates and occasions.  I remember who ate what and if they liked it.  Yup, I am the girl that if you ask did I like that, I can say yes or no.  Helpful to have around one would think.  I remember useless things too, like my high school boyfriend's phone number.  Because that will sure come in handy.  Or song lyrics.  Unless I am going to be on a game show why do I need to fill up space in my brain with this?  I literally can hear a song and if the refrain is catchy enough I will be singing along with it before the song is over.  Even if its the first time I have heard it.  Give me a week and I can know all the lyrics.  That is because the radio stations saturate us with new songs until we are sick of them.  Who needs to pay for downloads?  Guaranteed if you pay for a song you will be sick of it in a few weeks due to the over playing on the radio.  I wonder why my brain gets filled up with all of this nonsense.  I also have been called the Cliff Claven of useless information.  Please tell me you know who Cliff Claven is--if you don't then all I can say is shame on you!
Then there's the storage space in my head of articles of clothing that have been worn on "special occasions". Like the pair of shoes I was wearing when I met David.  I haven't worn them in over 7 years but I keep them because of the sentimental value.  Now I bet you are saying that shoes don't take up a lot of room, and you are right.  But if you add up all the stuff I keep for "sentimental reasons" that equals a shit load of stuff.  I have gotten better about letting some things go.  But its work.  I am not lying.  Not because I intend to wear it again, but because I am transported back to the occasion.  And who doesn't want to relive happy memories?
This memory of mine makes it hard to give gifts.  Why you ask?  The answer is this--I remember what I was given by whom and for what.  I therefore think that everyone is the same.  So I put a ton of thought into gifts.  Guess what I get in return?  A lot of disappointment.  Turns out not everyone is like me.  I mean my own husband gives away things that I have given to him because he doesn't remember where he got it from.  I remember little tid bits of conversations of things people say they like or may want and when it comes time to give them a present, BAM there I am with the perfect gift!  Turns out a lot of people don't do that either.  So, again I get a hefty dose of disappointment.  It's ok, don't feel bad for me.  You learn to live with it.  What I haven't learned to live with is the wish that more people were like me.  In this regard anyway.
I guess the biggest negative to this whole inner elephant is the bad things that you remember.  All the names I have been called, all the mean things people have said, all the times that I have been let down.  This is when the filter would be super useful.  Who wants to remember painful times or sadness?  That answer is no one, but we don't get to choose what to remember.  I suppose we could try to forget, but then you still have to make a conscious thought to think about it.  And that defeats the purpose because we are still thinking about it!  They say we only use a portion of our brains.  When new information comes in some old information leaves.  Well I have plenty that can go.  I may remember what shoes I wore to my confirmation but send me to the grocery store without a list and I am guaranteed to forget half of what I need.  Only to remember it as I am driving home.  Like I am going to go back!  I just got Jeff back in the car!  There is no rhyme or reason to it.  Which is the biggest source of frustration.  I like things to make sense.  I like things to have meaning and a semblance of order.  But that is a topic for whole different blog.   Maybe the elephant in me needs to go back to school.  Yeah, that's it.  Time for a refresher course in memory.  Wouldn't that be nice.  Inservice the parts of us we would like to work better.  A little internal tune up.  I'll work on that.  Because we know I won't forget.