Totally Random

1.  Today, it rained.  Really, really hard.  But, I was on a quest for pumpkin and I would not let thunder, lightning or torrents of water from above or rushing through a parking lot deter me.  And I am now the proud new owner of 6 large cans of pumpkin.  And a new pair of jeans.  Because the ones I had on when I went to get the pumpkin got so wet, I couldn't walk around the store without sloshing water everywhere.

2.  I have never lived in a place where people loved to stand on the street and yell about things as much as they do here.  During campaign season, huge gaggles of supporters of various campaigns would line the main roads waving and shouting their support to passersby.  Last week, folks were out in force thanking veterans. Today was my favorite.  Today, I got to drive through the "Save the Shark" roadside rally.  Hundreds (or maybe tens) of people were lining the road drawing awareness to the plight of the shark and their allegedly tasteful fins.  If I were the type of blogger to use this forum as a soap box, this is when I would tell you that CBS says 73 MILLION sharks are killed each year to meet the demand for shark fin soup and that is leading several species of sharks towards extinction.  But since I'm not that type of blogger, I will just move on and tell you that it's when I'm driving down the main drag and see people standing shoulder to shoulder with someone dressed up like a shark and holding up signs that say, "cut class, not fins" are the times I really love this place.

3.  Other times I love this place are the times when I go to The Kmart and on my way out witness a fight breaking out.  Adults getting into a screaming match, while even more adults surround them to witness the action. I'm just not used to seeing fights break out anywhere other than hockey arenas or other sporting venues.

4.  I have FINALLY (at least for the past week) gotten to a good place with keeping peace housekeeping. About 6 months ago, I tried to get on track by following the Fly Lady. All I got out of that was a really clean sink.  But something seems to have clicked with me, and hopefully will stick with me.  I realized that if I stay on top of things, I don't get overwhelmed and it's much easier to spend about an hour everyday doing dishes, tidying up rooms, doing a load or two of laundry and concentrating on cleaning one room than it is to spend multiple hours during the weekend trying to make up for everything I let slip during the week.  I know this is probably pretty elementary to many of you and possibly hive inducing for several of you.  But what a difference a straight house can have on a marriage... if nothing else it (hopefully) eliminates any visions of me sitting at home eating bon-bons from Don's brain.

5.  Isn't he cute?

He's cute about 99% of the time, whether he's using his own vocabulary (Bear Poo= Pooh (as in Winnie the) Bear, Mr. Wheats Cereal= Frosted Mini Wheats, bacoose= caboose, coyboy boots= cowboy boots), crying for five seconds and then stopping to tell me what he's crying about, "cry go playground (even if it's nine o'clock at night and monsooning this kid wants to go to the playground), just playing in his room or saying his nightly prayers, even when God blessing all of his trains takes precedence over blessing any living, breathing member of his family- he's a cute kid.  Except for when he turns into the Poo Poo Picasso (PPP), like he has TWICE this week!!  We've overcome this problem at night by duct taping him into his pajamas, so PPP usually strikes at naptime when we forget to dress him in five layers of clothes.  I am soooo over this stage.  And sick of cleaning up his crap.