hula hoops and hampster wheels

So I took a vacation day today. I went down to Mankato last night to get Sissy.
On the way back -- we had several miles of orange cones. Dang road construction. We were behind a bus that kept it's turn signal on for 15 miles. So annoying. I'm also starting to think that road rage must be a genetic trait that my sister and I inherrited from our dad.

We arrived home, ordered pizza -- vegged out -- I fell asleep on the couch and then woke up at 2 to crawl off to bed. Very interesting eh?

This morning I woke up at 5. Yes, 5 on a vacation day. And then every hour on the hour thereafter until I gave up at 8. I got ready - took my car in for it's oil change that it gets every 45 days or so.

Came home -- blogged a bit, cause I'm super cool like that.
Ate some cold pizza --super yummerific.
Went to Mama Mia
came home -- blogging again...
and now I'm going out with mom and Sissy to Home Depot -- aka Builders Warehouse - not sure why my mom calls it that -- but she just does.

Another exciting friday night.

I'm sorry but nothing is better than butter. Dave argues that faux butter is better -- but I disagree, butter requires less of it to make things like a hot blueberry muffin or toast to taste yummirific. If I'm left to use a butter alternative -- I use more then am disappointed in the end when it doesn't have the buttery goodness.

Kinda makes me want to watch Kate and Leopold for the Farmer's Bounty commercial.

So it's movie season. This week alone I've been to three!

Step Brothers: Funny if gross things tickle your fancy. I did laugh a lot though, which is always good for those abdominals. The majority of the theatre was filled with 20 year old men, perfect if I was looking for a hunk of burning love for my sister -- but that was not the case -- it was for date night. It was funny though and I'm sure both Dave and my brother who saw it this week also, will be rattleing off quotes until it comes out just in time for Valentines day.

The Dark Knight: I loved it -- I just saw the Batman Begins last week and loved that one a little more, but this one gets the Kristen stamp of approval. Despite Ava's review, I thought that the joker stole the show and Heath Ledger's performance was top notch. I even had a mini nightmare about cutting my cheakers. My only complaint was regarding the IMAX theater which I saw it -- some parts were quite blurry. Hope they get around to fixing that.

Mama Mia: I went today with my sister to see the much anticipated Meryl Streep singing dancing fun show! I loved it, ABBA, Meryl Streep, Dancing and a wedding can't be better than that. I know, I know -- a musical -- but I love them. Dave will be happy that I saw it without him cause he wouldn't have made it through the first number.

Next week: The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 is coming out --and I can't wait!

I remember being little and watching national geographic tv shows with my dad. He was trying to take a saturday afternoon nap and knew that the only way I'd fall asleep is if he made me watch and listen about Elephants and Tigers.

I remember learning how to ride my bike -- I just got my training wheels off and he would jog behind me holding the metal loop of my pink banana seat bike and then how he let go -- and I was doing it by myself and then relized it -- I fell and scraped my knee.

I remember my dad calling me at work at 3:30 in the afternoon almost every day -- telling me what creatures were in the back yard -- or talking about the cake he just made. Then arriving home at 6 or so -- he wanted me to help him frost it and then eat it before dinner and give him my official thumbs up for approval.

I remember when I would be sad over a tramatic junior high or highschool relationship ending in turmoil and how he would offer to go over and talk to him and or beat him up.

I remember how in every year book he would write compliments of the chef. And I'm overwhelmed at see his handwriting on a scratch of paper.

I'm finding it harder now to remember his exact voice. But I can hear him from time to time crystal clear.

I remember fishing and working in the garden with him -- digging for worms, not afraid of leeches or nightcrawlers.

I remember once we left early in the morning to go fishing and we stopped somewhere to get breakfast and I wanted a California burger -- and the waitress said they weren't serving lunch but my dad asked her if they would be able to make french fries and serve them with pancakes.

I remeber learning how to mow the yard, and then him shaking his head when I finished and it looked like a drunken kangaroo was in charge of the yard.

Things I don't remember -- I don't remember the last time we hugged or said I love you- instead we spoke through the cats -- Riley Roo loves you dad -- Maxwell loves you Kristen.

Right now I'm living in this new world. Everything is now on a spectrum - before and after my dad died.

Funny things like a mounds bar can bring me to tears -- just because it was his favorite. Or today I had to take my car in to get an oil change -- this is something my Dad used to do for me since he knows I hate to wait around.

So I go to Slim's. I've never been there myself but my car is there almost every 45-50 days for it's oil change (yes, I drive that much -- sad isn't it?) But today I had to take it in myself -- last month my mom did this for me -- but she was busy today so voila -- I took a day off of work to hang out with my sister who is in town and my mom made me an appointment.

SO I get to Slim's park my car -- pull the seat back since no one but my sister could possibly sit in the drivers seat with it being pulled all the way forward.

I push it back -- and go inside. There is a older gentleman behind the counter -- his patches on shirt read: Slim's Motor Clinic on one side -- and Slim on the other. I go up to the counter -- say I am here for an oil change appointment and give my name. He's asks if I'm Randy's daughter and proceeds to tell me how sorry he is for my loss -- and that he knows it's hard and that he liked my dad and thought he was a real charachter. I hand over my keys and he says he'll get things started right away.

After sitting and waiting -- he pulls up the file in the computer and asks me what car it is -- I tell him and he wants to know which one -- he has two in his system -- I state the 06 - and that I traded the 04 in on a whim -- he's like that's right your dad said that. After my oil change he puts out his hand to shake -- I shake his hand and say nice to meet you. He said he missed my dad but it's nice to meet me and said how nice it was for him to take care of me by bringing my car in. I smile -- on the verge of tears as I leave.

I'm changing my name to Grace-- Dave calls me this on occaison -- when I do normal things and some how manage to hurt myself -- and inatimate objects around me.

I fall out of bed on a regular basis -- Dave's bed is higher than my bed and in the morning hours when I'm not quite with it yet -- my depth perception is off all of the time so I guess I can't always blame it on the morning grog -- but I fall out of bed.

I run into coffee tables -- I trip -- I drop things -I spill.

Coffee tables have turned me blue -- maybe I just can't walk straight. Maybe I got some clumsy gene from my parents -- but I make a fool out of myself trying to do normal everyday things.

I've slipped in the shower -- sprained an ankle doing it and hobble around on crutches getting into more trouble for my lack of equilibrium.

I have lots of sweaters and shirts that I bought for work and after one or two wearings they have a spot or a stain --

I some how manage to get chocolate on my khakki work pants almost everyday -- thank you Dockers for being so stain resistant!

The injuries have effected my life permanently -- I can no longer ski or ice skate due to poor ankles from spraining them on several occaisons -

Yesterday I droped a diet coke can on my big toe -- it hurts

I'm pretty much a disaster zone some or most of the time -- maybe I should consider wearing a hard hat at all times.

Nah, that would ruin the 1/7 good hair days I have in a week.

So in my quest to find a cure for hiccups -- I found some other old wives tales: Here is the A-Z list from: http://thelongestlistofthelongeststuffatthelongestdomainnameatlonglast.com

Acorns:
If you carry an acorn, you will have continued good luck and a long life. -- but I don't want a tree to grow in my pocket --

Bell:
It’s been said that the bells provide protection from demons as they are scared of the loud noise.
ding dong the witch is dead

Calves:
If the first baby calf born in the winter is white, it’s a sign that the winter will be very harsh.
my calves are lily white all year long... some people just don't tan!

Door:
It’s believed that leaving a house through any door other than the one that is used to enter the house is bad luck.
i'm thinking this was invented to keep teenagers from sneaking out! What about a fire? Well I guess the fire would be the bad luck?

Ears:
If your right ear itches, someone is saying something nice about you. If it’s the left, someone’s saying something bad about you.
I can't remember the last time my ears itched? Do chicken pox cancel this out -- well I suppose they created the vaccine so obviously -- what was I thinking!

Fingernails:
Cutting your nails on Friday or Sunday is bad luck. Fingernail clippings should be saved, burned, or buried to prevent bad luck. I've never burned my clippings -- they usually fly all over the place.

Good Friday:
The Friday before Easter is Good Friday. If someone dies on Good Friday, they will go directly to Heaven. Good to know -- but will the Easter bunny be notified in time?

Horseshoes:
Hanging a horseshoe above the door to any home will bring good luck to all who live there.
Western wear is always in fashion for home decor.

Itchy Nose:
It’s still said that if your nose itches, a fool is about to kiss you.
Kiss me baby.

Jogging:
You shouldn’t jog. It jumbles up your insides.
Agreed. Jogging should be outlawed.

Knitting:
Placing the needles in the balls of yarn will bring bad luck to anyone who used the item that yarn is used to make.
Good thing I crochet!

Leaves:
If you catch a falling leaf on the first day of fall, you will not get sick that whole winter.
Do I have to put it in my pocket with the acorn ---

Milk:
When boiling milk, it’s bad luck to let it run over the side of the pot.
Who boils milk?

Nose:
If your nose itches, you will soon get a visitor. Right nostril indicates a female visitor, left nostril indicates male visitor.
Scratch n Sniff

Onions:
If you make a wish over burning onions, it will come true.
Bunt onions for dinner -- who's hungry?

Pencil:
Use the same pencil for taking a test as was used for studying for the same test. The pencil will remember the answers.
I hate pencils -- does this still work with pens?
Robin:
Make a wish on the first robin you see in spring and it will come true – if you can finish making the wish before the robin flies away.
Thank god I don't have to put the robin in my pocket, it'd probably steal my acorn.

Scissors:
Dropping a pair of scissors means that your lover is seeing someone behind your back.
Well what if you are klutzy and without a lover?


Thirteen:
Thirteen is just an unlucky number in general.
ok.

Umbrella:
If an umbrella is dropped on the floor of a house, someone in that house is going to die shortly.
It's not the flag- -- I drop everything this concerns me.

Veil:
Bride’s wear veils due to the ancient belief that this will protect them from jealous evil spirits.
Well I'll remember that for my wedding day, It propbably keeps bees and mosquitoes away too!

Wood:
If speaking of good luck, knock on wood three times so evil spirits won’t take it away.
Knock three times on the ceiling if you want me, catchy tune.
X:
The lines on the palm of your right hand that show an “X” represent the number of children you will have.
Shit, by this I'm supposed to have 6 children...

Yawn:
Covering your mouth when you yawn will prevent your soul from leaving your body when you yawn.

I thought it was cause I had bad yawn breath?
Zzzzz:
Sorry, we fell asleep.

SO I get the hiccups from time to time -- and my cure is to take a sip any beverage through a straw -- plug my ears until the swallowed and then remove my fingers from ears -- and viola - no hiccups.


this website has some crazy alternatives:

http://www.musanim.com/mam/hiccup.htm

Put a spoon in a glass of water; drink the water with the handle of the spoon resting on your forehead.

Eat a dill pickle while you lie on your back with your mouth wide open; let your head hang over the edge of a couch or bed; breathe deeply and slowly.

Stand on a chair in a crowded room and say, “I have the hiccups!” loudly.

Massage right below your rib cage (on both sides).

Close the eyes, press the thumbs against the eyeballs with enough pressure to be mildly uncomfortable, hold that for thirty seconds at least (do not exceed 3 minutes, as blood flow to the retina could be compromised in a very select group with a longer than 3 minute exposure) then rapidly release. Some advocate holding your breath while doing this (which is reasonable since few can hold their breath longer than 3 minutes thus saving providing an automatic protection against unduly compromising the retinal blood flow.)


I wonder how many people have injured themselves with home remedies to cure the hiccups?

I have a friend let's call her -- Camille. Well Camille has a wonderful family - 3 kids, loving husband - a nice home. But something was missing for Camille and she cheated on her husband. Not just once -- not just with one man -- but with several men and on several occasions. In her guilt after realizing that she does indeed love her husband -- and doesn't want her marriage to be based on a lie -- she decided to tell him. She has realized that she has made this fatal flaw -- and the only way she could move past it was to tell him and face the reprecutions of her actions.

He decided to go on vacation -- alone. To think and contemplate this news. He returned yesterday from his brief hiatus and I'm not sure of the outcome. Although I want my friend to be happy and have her marriage succeed -- I don't condone her affairs. I can't -- maybe cause I'm so guilt ridden over every mistake I make -- and having an affair would be the easiest avoidable mistake there is -- maybe I believe too much in love --- granted I've never been married, never lived with a partner -- so maybe I don't know squat diddly nothing about this -- but I know that if you love someone -- you should want to work out whatever it is that might be missing - and going to greener pastures to look for the missing piece although an easy solution -- does not make it the right solution. Maybe I'm so upset over this because -- I can't imagine how anyone would be able to hurt the person you love this way-- you never get away from it -- you either have to admit to the infidelity or live with it - and both would be so difficult. Unless there is no love behind this and the marriage is a facade? I just don't know about that either -- I think they really love each other -- or once did -- but she mentioned that she got the 7 year itch.

I don't know if I can buy into that -- My parents were together for 30 years -- my grandparents together for 60, my great aunt and uncle -- 60+ I'm sure they all had difficult times but they seemed to work through them - and took their vows seriously -- til death do they part -- in sickness and in health -- in shitty times and not so shitty times. Why can't people just remember this?

Then I also try to see things from Phillip's point of view --how will he be able to trust her -- will he want an eye for an eye - and cheat on Camille? Will he hold this against her forever or will he be able to forgive her?

I know I would be able to forgive Dave if he cheated on me, but I don't think I'd be able to forget and it would take ages for me to reach the forgiveness point -- but I have infinite trust in him because I love him, and I'm sure he has the same trust in me. So why would someone even consider ruining this trust trying to fulfill and orgasmic need? I just don't get it --