January 31, 2005

Weekend Project...

Ok. Son's room is over the garage. It isn't COLD, but it is a few degrees cooler than the rest of the upstairs and his closet (no vent) is icy cold. So we decide, with all of our TimTheToolMan skills to fix the problem.

Hubby cuts a hole in the garage ceiling and immediately identify the problem. Our builder did not install the insulation correctly. It is in the right spot, with the vapor barrier towards the living space, but it is laying on the drywall of the garage ceiling instead of flush against the wooden floor above it. So the air circulating is against the floor of son's room and sucking the heat out.

We decide the proper solution is to cut a series of holes in the ceiling, push the insulation up to where it is supposed to be, and fill in the void beneath it w/blown insulation, to hold it up there. Good plan.

So, Saturday night, hubby goes to Lowes'. Puts the bundles of blown insulation into his cart. Reads sign posted that you rent the hopper to blow the insulation at the cusotmer service desk for $20 per day. Great.

Goes to customer service desk:
Hubby: I'd like to rent the hopper for blowing insulation.
Lady: we don't rent those
Hubby: ?
Hubby: there's a sign in the aisle?
Lady: it's wrong, we don't rent those...

Finally, the other guy at the desk says "yes we do" and sets him up...stupid idiot.

Ok - hubby goes out to garage to do the deed while I watch son. Comes in in a huff and grabs trash bags and slams door. ???

An hour later sticks head in the door and says could I please come out when son is asleep??? Sure...

Fast forward - son sound asleep.

I go out to garage...Yikes! There's insulation everywhere (and on my truck that hubby didn't move out of the garage first) and holes in the ceiling. Apparently, he's up on the ladder blowing insulation when the cavity fills up and by the time he gets down to turn the hopper off, it's blown back down and all over the place! Egads!

So I change into icky clothes and put on a face mask. He explains what we're doing.

Fill hopper full and get started.

Hopper so full the rotor can't turn and send the insulation out tubing.

Take some insulation out of hopper and put into garabage bag for later...make sure to drop plenty in the water on the garage floor (from driving truck in snow, parking it in garage, and the snow melting off).

Start hopper again. Do one floor cavity worht.

Notice no insulation coming out of tubing. Spend an hour locating glob in tubing and getting it out. Realize that is why tubing has lots of holes covered in duct tape.

The hopper and bales of insulation were made by the same company. You would think, therefore, that 1 bale would fit in the hopper. Not so much. The most efficient thing to to is put bale into garbage bag, cut it open. Close bag and mash until baled insulation is nice and fluffy, not block-like. Then put 1/2 of bag into hopper (also messy, once it's light and fluffy).

Did 1/2 the garage Saturday night and 1/2 Sunday night. Son's room is nice and warm now.

I have 3 loads of insulation coated clothes to wash. (after I beat them outside to get the majority of insulation OFF of them).

The joys of home ownership.

I don't think so...

If we are driving in traffic...

and if you weren't considerate enough to clean the snow off your roof/trunk/hood...

don't expect me to go out of my way to create a space for you when you wait til the last minute to need to get over to my lane to exit the highway.

I'm just sayin'.

I saw tons of ice flying off cars, bouncing off the car behind it and I'm not going to give anyone a chance to fling 55 mph ice at my windshield.

January 29, 2005

Exercise!

Cool!

2 sets situps and twists
2 sets pushups and dips
5 min walk on treadmill
23 min good run
2 min cool down

It's not much, but it's a start! I am so hitting the hot tub tonight!

January 27, 2005

I'm a big fan of reality...

I have a list of blogs I check every day. As I find more I like, I add to this list. One of the things I do when I get a new blog, after I've been reading it long enough to decide that I do think
a. this person is interesting
b. this person writes interestingly
c. i want to know more

is read through their archives. For some of the blogs I read, this timeline is important - it helps me understand how they got to the "status" they are at today. And I think it's fascinating to read a blog where the story is already written, I don't have to wait a day or two or more for an update! For example, I start w/Dec 1, 2003 and work forward thru time from there. Very often, I run across something mentioned in a recent post and I think, Ah ha, that's what they were talking about, now I understand. I learn so much more about the people by starting at the beginning...why did they start (which isn't obvious sometimes if you start reading them 2 years into their blog), what is important to them, events in their lives, what that picture or title of the blog means, etc.

Of course, once I get caught up, now I have to wait until they update again and go in search of more blogs for my list.

It's sort of like reality tv for my computer. I do the same thing w/reality TV. I record a whole season of something new (for me, it's Amazing Race right now) and I start watching late, but start w/episode 1 so I can move forward at my own pace and not have to wait a week for an update.

(so, if any of you see someone poking around in your archives, it's probably just me reading up)

One More Person...

If one more person doesn't let me OFF the damn elevator before they walk their stupid ass on, I'm going to beat them senseless over the head w/whatever I have on hand. Seriously.

Three times today people, three times! And it's only 2 p.m.! Good grief.

January 26, 2005

Kidding me?

Ok...scenario. I feel like crap and am trying desperately to hid this from my three year old. We decide to eat dinner out, at Friendly's.

It's going well - son is on Dad's side of the table so all I have to do is sit there and smile.

WARNING: anyone not wanting to read about toddler bodily functions should stop here, though it is funny.

Son farts. I don't know about you, but if you have children you might know what's coming.

Son: I pooped!

Husband checks pants, "well, there might be something..."
I decide to give hubby a break and take son to the bathroom, because after he heard Dad say that, he wanted the underwear CHANGED NOW (as he exclaimed loudly, in a full restaurant) and really, do I have a choice at that point other than to take him to the bathroom, even if I don't have a spare pair of undies for him??? Do I???

So I get him in there and see it's just a "wet fart", where he commonly thinks he's pooped, but not really. Still usually cause for a change in underwear.

So I stand him on the changing table and take off his shoes, pants, underwear and give him a good wiping. Then put his pants and shoes back on, no underwear.

Son: Mom, you forgot the underwear.
Me: mommy doesn't have anymore, just this once, we don't need it
Son: You've got to be kidding me?! You're kidding right?

Where does he get this stuff, he's THREE? :-)

Move Review: Jeepers Creepers

Many thanks to Michele because I saw the recommendation for this movie on her site.

Last night was movie night. As hubby is such a darling, knowing that I had the second worst day of my life, chose the 1 movie out of the 3 Netflix movies sitting on our counter that I had personally requested. Isn't he a dear? Truly. I know he's not a huge fan of horror movies, so I was touched. << c'mon, everybody say "awwww" >>

What a great movie! Sure, at many points I was saying "Girl, get your face out of that sewer pipe, and just run!" or "Boy, just run now, don't walk slowly through the 'house of pain'!"...but it was actually a good movie!

From reading the reviews, the sequel is not up to par, so we probably won't add it to our queue unless one of you pipe up w/a great review.

Quiz Of The Day

because I couldn't resist reading good things about ME on a day like today...



Wackiness: 20/100
Rationality: 34/100
Constructiveness: 40/100
Leadership: 30/100



You are a SEDF--Sober Emotional Destructive Follower. This makes you a Evil Genius.

You are extremely focused and difficult to distract from your tasks. With luck, you have learned to channel your energies into improving your intellect, rather than destroying the weak and unsuspecting.

Your friends may find you remote and a hard nut to crack. Few of your peers know you very well--even those you have known a long time--because you have expert control of the face you put forth to the world. You prefer to observe, calculate, discern and decide. Your decisions are final, and your desire to be right is impenetrable.

You are not to be messed with. You may explode.

Of the 80922 people who have taken this quiz since tracking began (8/17/2004), 14.2 % are this type.


quiz link: here

Thanks Acidman.

January 25, 2005

Mother may I have another?

Sucky, sucky day.

Worst.day.ever.

(Sorry Steve - in this one.case. they're justified.)

Got test results. Very.Bad. What I was afraid of. Count this as the second worst day of my entire life. Seriously.


Silver lining - cleared to resume working out starting Monday, if all goes well until then. Which means I can SKI when we got to Aspen/Snowmass in March. Unfortunately, I've NEVER been this out of shape my entire life, since before I started running Cross Country in high school. Wish me luck - I restart on Monday (starting out slowly though), so I'll be talking to the gym across the street tomorrow about their rates.

January 24, 2005

My morning, thus far...

Up @ 6 a.m. Am in need of some bloodwork. DR said if I get in early enough, they might get results today. Since I am not one for waiting, was there when the lab unlocked door at 7. Which is no small feat as that's awful damn early and the street for the lab had not been plowed. It snowed on Saturday, so now it's an ice skating rink!

So on way to work after blood draw, with coat on in car, heat going full blast and heated seats on HIGH, realize forgot to put on deodorant. nice. Mental note: buy deodorant at store in office building.

11 a.m. Remember that I'm not wearing deodorant. Being anxious about test results tends to make one sweaty.

Go down to little store - they have 2 kinds, unscented and a "fresh" scent endorsed by the NBA. Um, ok. Unscented for me.

Open it up and put it on (in the bathroom) - realize either it or I already smell. Oh well. I tried.

January 22, 2005

And it DID snow!


My Son, the cutie!


Just not as much as they said, but that's ok, we still had a blast!

January 21, 2005

Let it snow!

They're calling for 6-8" of snow tomorrow!!!! I cannot wait! I'm so glad I bought Son his ski clothes early!! Yay me - let's hope he needs them - he was having a blast in the 1 inch we got a couple days ago- he's going to be thrilled w/that much!!!

January 20, 2005

And it only got worse...

Ok - had to pick son up yesterday because hubby's car SUCKS in the snow and he couldn't get into my Mom's neighborhood.

Then it took 90 MINUTES to go from her house to the toll road (it's 4 miles, maybe). 90 FRICKEN MINUTES - because people here can't drive in a FUCKING inch of snow. And it wasn't even snowing by that time! I burned 5 gallons of gas sitting still for 90 MINUTES.

Of course, once we got home, it was just son and I hanging out and we had a blast, so in the end, it was OK.

January 19, 2005

Interesting ways to get here...

Search for:

  • hairstylist and taxes
  • yukon xl back glass window shatter problems
  • terri hatcher nipple slip ?????????????
  • satin panties for men ???????????????
  • sterling autobody
  • nicolette sheridan plus car shorts ????
  • nipples terri hatcher ????

    Really? how does google/yahoo do that?
  • Bad day gets worse...

  • lunch w/favorite person cancelled, due to blizzard-like conditions.
  • car currently being covered w/snow, since I could only find a spot on top of garage.
  • don't have snow scraper because I usually park IN the garage.
  • also wearing cute black backless pumps, due to planned lunch. Going to freeze tootsies off when going to car later in 5 inches of snow.
  • only have leather coat, not snow coat.

    Lovely.
  • Breathe in, breath out. Repeat.

    Ok - having a terrible morning. Spent lots of time already discussing situation in tears w/hubby. Sorry - can't post situation here, some lurkers know me in "real" life.

    Then, goto get Son out of bed, in my work clothes, and his diaper leaked, but I didn't find that out until I had picked him up. So I rush to change him and clean him off before he freezes to death, and forget to change MY workshirt. Lovely. Now I can smell like I fell on the inside.

    So what else does the day have in store for me???

    January 18, 2005

    stupid Verizon...

    Ok - I setup a family webspace on our Verizon space...

    I asked family members to send me stuff when they'd like a post or picture added to keep everyone updated about what's going on in their neck of the woods.

    Today I can't get in to post thru their Verizon crap...site is still up. On the My Web Space page, there's a link for "edit my website" and all it does is reload the page? WTF? And any idea how hard it is to actually find a tech support email address or phone number? It took forever!

    I sent the email this morning @ 8 a.m. and all I've gotten so far is the confirmation that they got my question.

    AND Snapfish or the post office (oddly, our mailman only brings the mail every other day or so for some reason) has lost my Disney pics, dammit. I'm not having a good day!

    nuthin'

    sorry, right now I got nuthin'.

    Son actually tried a new food last night and liked it enough to eat his whole bowl full! Damn, my life is exciting!

    January 17, 2005

    January 15, 2005

    On How To Be A Crappy Parent...

    I decided to take son for a little outing today to McDonald's. The one that's got a playground. He was quite excited! We get there, de-shoe and up he goes. Now, some 6 year old little heathen has planted himself at the top of the playground, at the entrance to the tubes and isn't letting anyone else thru. Not much I can do about it being on the ground. But I watched my son be perplexed at why this other little guy wouldn't move, even when asked nicely. Thank goodness he just found another tube, though secretly I was wishing he'd wail on the little punk, but that's just me and not something I actually encourage.

    So I continue to watch, to make sure that if that punk lays a finger on my son, he gets an earful from me. His mother thought (apparently) it was ok to bring 3 6-year olds and not watch them. So these three kids were being a pain to all the other little children actually trying to play on the playground. Grrr. I hate parents that don't watch their children, please, is it really too much to ask? And what if someone took your child? Most of these parents would have no clue for at least 20 minutes.

    Fastforward 10 minutes. A 2 1/2 year old looking child comes out of the tubes crying. Some kid "hit" him in the eye...I think it was more than a hit because his entire eye area already looked like he was getting a black eye. Apparently - the 6 year old did it ( I heard her say his age ).

    His mother gave him a medium-stern talking to and made him sit for 5 minutes...Ooooh, he's motivated to not do that again. Another child, told the injured child's dad it was more like a slap/punch right in the eye than being poked, which is what the injured child was saying.
    The mom apologized for her son. Note that she did not make her son apologize. Also note that playtime resumed after his little time out. She later bought him a happy meal.
    WTF is wrong w/these people?

    If my son was the aggressor (and it is possible, every now and then, but since I punish more appropriately, not very likely) his punishment would be more like
    1. apologize, face to face, while looking the crying child in the face
    2. no more playtime
    3. no McDonald's food. We'd be leaving the restaurant.

    and my son is 3, not SIX. A 6 year old is definitley old enough to behave better, and to know that we do not, for any reason at all, even if the other child hit first, hit a child that's younger than him.

    THEN, my son and I are enjoying our burgers, when I hear "you little TURD" screamed behind me. The very young mother (maybe 19?) is screaming it her very young toddler (maybe 2 at the oldest - note he was also previously playing on the playground, unsupervised). Apparently, he wasn't saying thank-you to someone that gave him something. Nice way to talk to (excuse me, scream at) your child.

    What is wrong with these people????

    January 13, 2005

    Still laughing...

    watch this!

    Courtesy of BlogDaddy.

    What my name means....

    Description of Your First Name of: VHMPrincess

    Although the name VHMPrincess creates the urge to be creative, independent, and self-sufficient, we point out that it causes a materialistic, somewhat self-opinionated approach that frustrates higher humanitarian qualities. This name, when combined with the last name, can frustrate happiness, contentment, and success, as well as cause health weaknesses in the reproductive organs, and tension or accidents to the head.

    The name VHMPrincess creates a very independent, practical, analytical nature with skillful business abilities. You desire freedom from restrictions and authority in order that you can pursue your own ambitions. This name gives you leadership qualities and you are seldom happy in positions where you must direction from others. Material and financial success are the focus of your interests, but sacrificing much for material ambition will result in a lack of harmony and balance in your personal life, particularly a lack of appreciation for social courtesies and things of a more inspirational nature.

    What does your name mean? Courtesy of Jamie.

    So much sadness...

    I found on the blogosphere today...Had me on the phone w/hubby bawling my eyes out...

    This boy has cancer and his mom is fighting hard...Courtesy of Wizbang.

    There's a lady who decided to leave her husband so that he could find someone that can bear him children.

    There's Sanorah who lost her mother and her unborn child on the same day, while her husband is in Iraq.

    And the stupid Indonesian government not wanting people to help their citizens.

    It is too much, really.

    January 12, 2005

    Attention Annoying Lady At The Dentist...

    If my purse is sitting on the stack of newspapers, please refrain from jerking them off the chair, which, of course, jerks my purse to the floor as well. Dumbass.

    That is all.

    Holy Moley Batman!

    That stuff's expensive!

    I stopped at Ski Chalet to look at snow clothes for son for our trip to CO to ski in March. I figured I'd get them now and he could wear them for playing in the snow, to get the most use out of them. And, given that his new winter coat is already too small (seriously!!!!), thought it was a good choice.

    Actually, kiddie Obermeyer isn't expensive....

    But I browsed over to the adult section becuase hubby and I both need all new duds as well...damn! On the clearance rack, anything that I might even consider being seen in (the stupid looking crap was cheap) was starting at like $300! To $500! On the non-sale rack, I fell in love w/a dark red jacket - $839! I literally had to recheck the price tag! And I found a pair of UGG boots for $150, which make the Timberlands look like a bargain!

    I didn't even dare look at what they charge for men's stuff!!!

    I think we'll wait until the end of February (when ski season on the east coast is over) before we shop for us!

    Jeesh!

    January 11, 2005

    Oooops!

    forgot to post today...I am very busy trying to

    a. find out what I need to do to become a Java Certified Programmer...

    b. enroll in the req'd prerequisites to then join the Master's Program at VA Tech (they have a Northern Va campus)...

    c. find out what I need to do to not have to take the statistics course (took it as undergrad) and get exempted from the java class as I am a java programmer!

    very exciting!
    Wish me luck...that java test is supposed to be a B*tch!

    January 10, 2005

    Yea baby!

    I'm worth $2,299,262.83! How much are you worth?

    Thanks to Acidman

    Monday Ponderings...

    Ok - remember I talked about the wonderful condiment tray at the drive-thru McDonalds? Where you could get as much ketchup as you want? Now I know why this is a bad idea...it is at the end of the drive thru lane, right before you exit the parking lot. When you pull up and they are (gasp!) out of ketchup, you're screwed, NO KETCUP FOR YOU!

    Also - if you have an anklet and want to wear pantyhose, shouldn't you remove the anklet? Or just put the hose on OVER the anklet? Also -if you're the same woman w/the anklet under her hose, and you are wearing sling-pumps, and your feet are so "puffy" that you are all hanging out of the front/toe part of the shoe, you might want to buy bigger and/or different shoes. Just a suggestion!

    Also - this area is covered w/three-letter-acronymn companies (like EDS, PRC, etc.) these are not meant be read as "words" - you should say all the letters, duh.

    January 08, 2005

    Congratulations!

    Some fellow bloggers have had babies! I just want to send my e-congrats their way!

    Congrats Julia (who had Charlie weeks ago, but just arrived home YESTERDAY!)!!!

    Congrats Tertia on the birth of Adam and Kate!!!!

    I haven't been readers of theirs for very long, but I quickly got sucked into their lives because they write so well and passionately about their babies/pregnancy issues (and other things as well!)!

    January 06, 2005

    Ah...Sveden!

    (no, I didn't mispell that on accident...)

    I've been to Sweden. It is as fabulous as it could possibly be...filled with beautiful guys and girls...really, they ALL look like models...it's scary. Fun to go out there because I'm a dark skinned, dark haired interesting looking person to them... :-)

    I sway from my topic...anyway, they are beautiful, they are very intelligent (I think the average Swede speaks 3 languages fluently). They are super nice.

    But apparently, their marketing skills need some help...

    see this: the FARTFULL

    found via Lileks...

    Give me a break...

    Via Say Anything...

    some dumbass is suing NBC's "Fear Factor" because he was grossed out during a segment...

    My favorite part of the post is this....
    In a brief telephone interview with Reuters, Aitken said, “I am not at liberty to discuss the complaint unless it is a paid-interview situation.”

    January 05, 2005

    Of course I am, but what are you?





    Your Dominant Intelligence is Logical-Mathematical Intelligence





    You are great at finding patterns and relationships between things.
    Always curious about how things work, you love to set up experiments.
    You need for the world to make sense - and are good at making sense of it.
    You have a head for numbers and math ... and you can solve almost any logic puzzle.

    You would make a great scientist, engineer, computer programmer, researcher, accountant, or mathematician.




    Well...duh. I AM a computer programmer! I always got A's in math. I always know there's a logical explaination for things, and can usually figure them out...

    via Acidman.

    Doh....

    Everyday when I leave work, I have to turn left out of our building's lot across 4 lanes of rush hour traffic. This is no small feat, esp. in the Northern VA horrendous traffic! After working here 2 1/2 months, I realized there is a exit at the back of the lot that takes me to an intersection w/a stoplight! Doh!

    Side note, hubby and I had a wonderful lunch today at the restuarant where we had our wedding reception, Maggiano's in Tyson's II. It was great - then did a little clothes shopping for him at Macy's since they're having a HUGE sale - one really nice designer shirt he bought was $6! S.I.X.! I'm going back Monday for ME!

    January 04, 2005

    Respect for my time...

    Ok...here's the background...

    My Mom is looking for a new entertainment center and sofa for her family/living room. She found 1 of each at Haverty's in Fairfax. She called me Saturday, from the store, with her salesperson to setup a time for me to come see it to give my opinion (why she needs my opinion is another story...)

    I tell her to tell the saleslady, LISA, that I will come in Tuesday at lunch. Lisa says she comes in at 1. I tell her that I will be there just a little before 1, and I'll just look around until she gets there. She says no, she'll be there at 12 if I will really be there. Great! Thank you!

    Fast forward to today, Tuesday, at 12 when I walk in the store.

    No LISA.
    I wait.

    Fast forward 40 MINUTES - no Lisa.

    Very nice. I cannot stand it when people have so little respect for other's people's time that they are even late, let alone don't show. Was she unable to call the store and say "Hey - I'm expecting a customer, if someone comes in looking for me tell them this ____________..."??? Is that asking too much? Apparently.

    So I thought the entertainment center was very nice. But the sofa? Lisa was supposed to show me which one my Mom liked. So my Mom isn't going to buy it because I haven't see it - so Lisa just cost herself $1100 in commission.

    And when I do take her shopping for sofas again, it won't be with LISA. To be considerate of Lisa's time, I got a credit application for my Mom so she can get their "no interest for a year" deal...my Mom's English writing skills are a bit slow, and I know it would be infinitely easier for me to do it than to send my Mom in and have Lisa do it - and if it wouldn't be wasting my Mom's time, I'd do it.

    Sad Day...

    Hokies lost to Auburn, 16 - 13. Glad I didn't stay up to watch the second half of the game. From what I read on espn.com, it was boring.

    January 03, 2005

    better today...

    so the headache was gone this morning and I thought I could bear working w/a sore throat so here I am! Also - cancelled the dentist appt for today, that's just gross, to go into dentist when sick. I wouldn't do that to the poor dental lady...

    Not much new - just hanging out - got all the decorations down, boxed and labeled except for the tree lights and the outdoor lights. That's all dependent on hubby...but that damn tree better go down tonight!!!!!!!!!!!

    January 02, 2005

    and so it begins...

    Today, I have a throat so sore, it hurts to speak more than 2 words at a time. Head hurts. No other symptoms at this time.

    That is all.

    January 01, 2005

    Happy New Year!

    Happy New Year Everyone! I hope you had (and survived) a wonderful New Year's Eve!

    Any resolutions out there? I never make any because I never keep them, but do you??

    48 Cents!


    48 cent gun!