Welcome Back Hurricane Season 2011

Is this my year? Is this my chance to get a couple of well-deserved days off because of weather? Is this when I get to 'rough it' with my hubby and daughter eating cold sandwiches, NO TV (!), playing board games by candlelight, and sleeping in because there is nothing else to do?

It has been many disappointing Hurricane Seasons since one has blown our way. I'm not looking for a Cat 3 or above. I'm not looking for damage other than a few branches down and a few puddles to splash through while walking the dog.

I just love storms. I love listening to the newscasters making up emergency situations and interviewing random people just to take up air time. I love to hear them say 'hunker down' 20 times in a 30 minute cycle. 

Now, seriously, doesn't this sound like more fun than a bored South Floridian should have? Bring it on!

I Have Always Wanted To Be A Princess... Until Now

I have always wanted to be princess just like millions of other little girls before me. As I grew into a woman, my princess desire still lingered. Even though my Prince Charming did not come with an official title and a crown, I still wanted to be a princess... until now.

All the non-stop coverage of Prince William making Kate an actual princess has made me change my mind.

First, the unending comparisions between Kate and her dearly departed would-have-been mother-in-law are bringing back into focus everything that poor Lady Di went through in her short life. I imagine her in heaven shouting down, 'Don't do it! Run, Kate, run'.

Second, one of the news outlets, desperate for a new angle on what is becoming a very long, drawn out examination of the upcoming wedding, ran a story on The Ten Things Kate Will Have to Give Up. Seriously? One of them was her own name - not her last name, which most brides willing ditch, but her entire name. No more Kate for her. How improper to call a princess by a nickname. Ummm, I may not be crazy about my name, but it's still MY name. And her new name only includes Will's name - Her Royal Highness The Princess of Prince William of Wales. I wonder if the royal family can unbend enough to refer to her as anything other than an object. Did Cinderella and Aurora lose their identities as well? GASP!

The final no-thank-you to being a princess came tonight with the coverage of Baba Wawa (any SNL fans out there?) on 20/20. A look back into several generations of royal marriages and Barbara Walters couldn't find a single happy one. Not one in some one hundred years of history. Wow, not such great odds there, Kate ole girl.

So this commoner has bid adieu to a desire to be anything other than a Disney princess; at least they have happy endings.

Looking For Something Free?

Free is good, right? Okay, so here's a link:        http://www.tyndale.com/00_home/contest.php

Go here and sign up for a freebie from Tyndale. Two choices. Neither one are my style of  reading but I have said that before, ended up reading it, and it became one of my favorite books (see my Book Reviews). So, anyway, go ahead and try to win one... it may be good.  Or, if you win and hate it, give it to someone who will appreciate it, but don't blame me... I'm just the messenger.

Good Luck

There's Nothing To Say

As I watch the news coverage of the horrible aftermath of the 5th largest earthquake ever recorded, I am struck silent. The only words that seem appropriate are "God be with them"

Who are you talking to?

I was in the grocery store today, innocently looking at apples when there was a mid-aisle cart collision.  I look up to see a lady holding a bag of organic somethings and saying 'why don't they tell you how many are in the package?' HUH? 

Apparently feeling me staring at her, she looks up and smiles. 'Sorry, I was talking to myself.  My daughter says I do it all the time.'  Okkkkkaaay.

Last week, I was waiting on a woman in my store.  She was at the cash register and seemingly talking to me.  I made all the right noises, 'great choice', 'your total is thirty-three oh eight', 'please sign on the bottom line' etc.  It wasn't until I was thanking her that I realized she had her bluetooth in her ear and had not been talking to me... at all.  She waved her hand at me as she left, still yakking away.  I looked at my next  guest with an open mouth. She just shook her head.

I remember a day when 1. people who appeared to talk to themselves in public where deemed 'crazy' - now it just means there is a bluetooth stuck in their ear.  2. it was impolite to talk to two people at the same time... i.e. on the phone and standing in front of you 3. phone conversations were private between 2 people, not 2 people and everyone within 10 feet of you.

Let me show you some pictures of me and my writing buddies. Now, THIS is the right way to talk to someone.

Back From the Dead

For everyone who has called, texted, e-mailed or otherwise tried to reach me this week, I have good news... I am back from the dead or as more commonly called, the FLU.

Yep, it got me.  Everyone around me had something i.e. strep throat, bronchitis, head cold, sinus issues, coughing, snotty nose, etc. I sailed past it all. I took my Vitamin C regularly. I drank my fresh fruit smoothies with a smile. I washed my hands religiously. I was the lone survivor of the holiday season with minimal downtime.  Then, on Christmas Eve, right on the cusp of victory, it found me.

I was flat of my back through Christmas Day until today. I moved from the bed to the couch, to the bed, to the couch and ... well, you get the idea.  It was AWFUL.  I suffered through three days of Pergatory waiting for Monday to come so that I could see my Doctor who could make it all better. Nope, he's on vacation.  His associates are taking care of things while he is away.  Yeah, next appointment is after the first of the year. Seriously?  Okay, Urgent Care here I come. Why would the word 'Urgent' be in the name of a place that held me and my insurance card hostage for FOUR hours?  Then, after robbing me of $50, the 'doctor' had the nerve to tell me that I was past the 3 day window for the Tamiflu to be effective in relieving my symptoms. Seriously? Hey, thanks for the cough drops.

The good news is that I am on the backside of five days of flu.  Supposedly, I am no longer infectious so I can go back to work.  Well, at least it's a new place besides my bed or the couch. Wait, a second... my phone's ringing. Sorry about that - it was my husband.  Guess who doesn't feel well? Sorry, honey.

Is It Over Yet?

IF you LOVE,LOVE,LOVE Christmas, don't ever work retail at this time of the year. I am sad to say I have seen the underbelly of the season - angry, petty, inconsiderate and rude consumers.

What happened to "Merry Christmas"?

I want to start a revolution. Let's go back to giving presents we can afford and not feeling resentful because of 'obligations'.  Let's have a moratorium on number of presents and amount of money spent.  Let's give merchants a break and spend a second of our precious 'shopping time' to say something nice.  Let's stop to pet a dog, smile at a child and allow someone to steal our prime parking space that we have driven around and around and around to find.Let's light the birthday candles on 12/25 and sing a grateful 'Happy Birthday to Him'.

I wish us all a 'Whoville' Christmas. (If you didn't catch that, watch the original animated 'The Grinch who stole Christmas' and get back to me)