Dinner Time Hijinks

Last night at dinner, Husband actually yelled at me - "GO AWAY!" I did deserve it though. I am just horrible at keeping a straight face when we're disciplining the boys...and they know it. TJ wasn't too fond of supper although Husband loved it. Anyhoo, Teej has this little habit of spreading his food across his whole plate to make it look like he's eaten a lot and doesn't have too much left (pretty smart for a 6 y/o); so he wanted to be excused last night from supper because he was full. The conversation proceeded something like this:

TJ: I'm full, can I be excused?
Husband: No, eat some more supper.
TJ: Mommy?
Husband: TJ, I said eat some more supper.
TJ: But...Mommy?
Husband: Mommy isn't here.
Husband: Don't like at me with those puppy-dog eyes, it doesn't work on me.
Me: Giggle
TJ: Mommy?
Me: Giggle
Husband to CJ: Finish your homework...no buts about it.
CJ: YOU SAID BUTT!!!!!
Me: Laughter as chaos ensues...
Husband to Me: GO AWAY!

Don't criticize until you've walked a mile in my shoes...or even a foot for that matter...it is very hard to keep control on the funny farm.

Here's a picture of TJ eating his ice cream cone...he finally did finish enough supper to qualify for dessert:



Doncha wish you were this flexible??? He always sits like this.

CJ was up a few times in the night with an earache, so this morning, he woke TJ up and they came down to my bed. I was somewhat awake, enjoying my morning coffee. CJ crawled in on side and TJ in the other...then TJ said, "Excuse me - cold here!" Sheesh! Demanding child. I tucked him in the best I could without spilling my coffee.

CJ just made me a bowl of popcorn...can you smell it? I wonder what else he has gotten into....

Good News and Bad News

Good News: CJ is only viral and doesn't need antibiotics.

Bad News: He's off home from school again today.

Good News: It's sunny out today.

Bad News: I don't have blinds on my office windows yet so the sun is bouncing off my van and blinding me.

Good News: I'm firing my house cleaning crew.

Bad News: They're here today irritating me because I haven't mailed off the letter yet.

Good News: I have a new housecleaner; she was here last Monday and is the sister of my neighbour. I saw her at the grocery store on Saturday and she brought up that her partner wasn't very thorough; Merry was shocked when NotMerry said they were finished. Merry is wanting to do houses on her own so I think I might be her first client!

Bad News: She will be charging $15.00 an hour. Oh WAIT! That isn't bad news because that's what I'm paying now.

Okay, the cleaners just left and now I'm feeling guilty. We had a nice conversation and I don't want to get anybody in trouble; at the same time at least I'm not the only person who feels I'm paying for a half-a@@ed job.

Drat!

Referrals are out according to the CCAA website but it is still only a partial month, covering only 10 days. While I'm very excited for those people who will soon meet the newest additions to their families, it is disheartening because I'm wondering if it will ever be our turn. If this trend keeps up, we won't be receiving our referral until late September/early October. Our LID (logged-in-date) is September 13th. I guess I will just have to pass my time shopping.

In other news, TJ lost a tooth today! He was telling me that he didn't want to eat lunch or supper because it was too wiggly, and I knew it was loose, I just didn't realize it was so loose. When we got home from church this morning, his mouth was all bloody from the tooth and he let me pull it out. Here he is:

Guess what he had for lunch!

CJ is feeling a bit perkier today, so hopefully he'll be going to school tomorrow. Spring break is in two weeks so maybe that will give everybody time to get healthy again.

Dreams

I had a very weird dream last night; nothing new for me so I thought I'd share it with you. I was at my Mom's house visiting, except it was the house that I grew up in. Odd because that house was torn down years ago. She was grumbling at me because I spend too much time with Husband. See, I told you it was a weird dream. Anyway, I was clearing off her table and counter and putting food away in the fridge - a few casseroles I had made (don't ask me why) and I was explaining to her that "after supper I'm busy with the boys, putting them to bed, and once they're in bed then I clean the kitchen and do dishes and make their lunches for the next day. Husband is busy doing office work until about 9:00 and that's the only time we spend together is from 9 pm until 10 pm, so I'm not really spending all that much time with him." As I'm justifying how much time I spend with Husband, I felt like a teen-ager who broke curfew or something. And then my Mom was grumbling that I should be spending more time with her...all the while I'm thinking why can't you just do your dishes after every meal and clean up after yourself?

Just some background information for you - I grew up in a home where we did the dishes when all the dishes were dirty and we needed clean ones. The counter was never tidy and the table was always piled with stuff. As a child I thought it was because our house was really, really old and I imagined everyone who lived in town in a nice subdivision had perfectly clean houses. I don't go over to my mom's house very often, so I don't know if she still has the same bad habits or not. Whenever company came over, everything was spic-n-span. Sad isn't it. I'm proud to say that I am a Flybaby and I work really hard at keeping a peaceful, tidy home.

Okay, back to dreams. On Thursday night I had a dream about my Dad. He has been dead for almost 6 years, and I've only been able to dream about him once. Makes me sad because I want to dream about him more often. So the dream about my Dad, I knew he was dead but he came back to tell me something important - literally - he came back in my dream to tell me something...except I was awakened by my kids before he could tell me what it was...I can't stop thinking about it.

So do my dreams have any philosophical meanings? Is my Mom going to get Alzheimers and I'm going to become her primary caregiver? Honestly, we get along but not well enough for that to happen.

Unsettling. Dreams are weird.

TGIF!

CJ almost stayed home from school today; he's just in between of being sick but not quite sick enough to stay home; I think he's getting an ear infection. I doped him up with Children's Advil so he should be good until 3:00 or so. Yes, I am nasty. I made him go to school for his own good...it takes him literally all day (at least it did last Saturday) to catch up on his school work from the day he missed...not because there's too much to do, but because he just hates doing it and puts up such a fuss. The joys of having a strong-willed child.

Today I'm taking down the teddy bear border in Thumbelina's room; it used to be CJ's room and he hated those teddy bears with a passion. It really was a cute border but I guess after 8 years he's allowed to outgrow the babyness of it. I'd like to paint Thumbelina's room soon just so that I can feel like I'm doing something instead of checking the CCAA website every day.

I was at Zeller's yesterday; I needed to get CJ a new winter coat and they were supposed to be 70% off; I never did find them. BUT, I did find an adorable little denim overall set with a red shirt for Thumbelina...it even had a red ladybug on it; way too cute. It was only $10 so it would have been a crime not to buy it.

Here is a picture of one of my favourite dresses I bought for her last year; check out the detail on the hem.


And yes, the clothes hanging to the left are all baby clothes. That's why I need to get her room painted and get all those clothes in her own closet; I'm running out of room. In my own defense, though, they are a variety of sizes, including sleepwear. So there.

White Flag Wednesday

I give up. I don't know what to do anymore. I am at a loss. CJ didn't come home from school yesterday with his glasses; I asked him where they were and he had a worried look on his face. I should have dropped everything then and there and made him go find them. This morning he said he didn't know where they were because he gave them to Ben to hold on to...outside...after school...and he doesn't know what he did with them when Ben gave them back to him. We just got him new glasses in October because he lost them outside at school. Not to mention that these glasses were replacement glasses for the ones he lost in June. And I'm supposed to be eye-patching this child to boot! I dread going back to the eye-doctor for his check-up ~ he's going to think I'm the worst mother there is.

We didn't have the greatest mornings to start with; it just gets so tiring when he flops on the floor in a tantrum. I can't do this anymore. This morning's tantrum was over him having to re-brush his teeth because there was gunk up at his gum-line. It's pizza day today at school and, being the mean mom that I am, sent him a sandwich instead along with a note that he's not allowed to have pizza today. I really wonder what his teacher must think of us. And then we want to throw an innocent baby in the mix of all this??? We have lost our marbles! There are days when I really think we must be daft to think that we could possibly handle another child. It frightens me. We keep telling ourselves that this child will be one without our genetics, so it's a win-win situation...but who are we kidding.

Husband told me last night that he and E! might be going to Europe to look at farrowing crates. I flipped out (for me it was a flip-out). E! wants to physically stand inside to make sure there is enough room for the sow and a person and these particular crates are only Europe; there are no barns in North America with this particular crate. I don't know if I'm being selfish or a baby, but I honestly don't think I can handle being alone with 3 boys during school for 5 days. Other moms do it but I just don't know how. It is such a struggle to get homework done and everything is a battle.

I think I'm going to eat myself into a chocolate-induced coma right now and maybe when I wake up from it the glasses will be found and things will look brighter.

Dislikes

I really, really, really dislike the way Kathie Lee Gifford sings. Don't like it at all. Not one little bit.

Conversation just overheard between new cleaning girl (who happens to be the sister of my neighbour - weird and now I'm self-conscious over my messy house - and old cleaning girl who is no good at all but is usually paired with one of the better cleaners:

New Girl: Is there an extra garbage bag so that I can empty the garbage in the bathroom? It's full.

Old Girl: No, that's okay.

Excuse me but it isn't okay! The cleaning crew is supposed to empty the garbages but they never do, and I don't want the new girl trained in the bad habits of the old girl. I'm going to draft a letter to the company and give them all my complaints with photos to make my points, let Husband read it over so that he can tell me I'm too harsh and bitter, then I'll revise my letter to sound somewhat nice and mail it off. Wish me luck!

Saturday Games

The boys and I played Scattergories all afternoon on Saturday; it's my most favouritest game ever and I finally found it on sale! I think AJ is starting to get the hang of it; the age on the box says 'Adult Game' but I let TJ play anyway. Boy, you start to feel pretty stupid when you get beat by a six-year-old! Children have such a grasp of the obvious that adults often overlook. The letter was E, category was Car Parts; all that came to my mind was steering wheel, muffler, carburator, so I went on to the other categories; Teej wrote on his sheet engine. Of course! AJ couldn't think of anything either (whew! I'm smarter than my 11 year-old but not my 6 year-old). Next letter was O, category was Articles of Clothing; after explaining what an article of clothing was, we started the round. I'm thinking orange socks but I scratched it out to use orange juice for something found in a refigerator (you're not allowed to use the same word twice). Couldn't think of anything, and neither could AJ. TJ came up with overalls; it helped that he was wearing them at the time. The funniest one was for the letter C and Things in the Sky; couldn't think of anything and AJ and I are both looking out the window; AJ put chickadee...TJ put clouds...yes, it's official, my children are way smarter than me. Than I. More smarter than I. Than me. Whatever.

Should Have Been a 'Wind Day'

The boys just left for school, I was too chicken to drive them in so Mr. Toad offered to take them in. Husband and E! are off to a meeting in Stratford hosted by a bunch of vets (big excitement on my part...is my sarcasm coming through okay?); E! flies back home to Alberta this evening so Husband is going to drop him off at the airport after the meeting and hopes to be home around 7:00 tonight. So back to the wind - HOLY COW! It is crazy windy! It is a constant blowing of about 50 kmph with gusts around 80 kmph; too dangerous to be sending kids out in it if you ask me.

Plus they've closed school at noon today. Why you ask? Let me tell you. There is a funeral this afternoon and the teachers wanted to go to it. So for half a dozen people to be able to go to this funeral, now there are about 25-30 people who can't. Doesn't seem very fair to me. I'm not about to take my boys to see a dead person, they are too young and immature emotionally to be able to deal with something like that. I think that the only children who should be at funerals are the grandchildren of the deceased. So because school is closed at noon and Husband is away I have to stay home. And what about the parents who work full time? Are they just supposed to drop everything and tick their bosses off and inconvenience their co-workers in the process? I understand why the teachers want to go, but it still doesn't seem right.

And since it's ridiculously windy and the boys are done at noon anyway, they should have just cancelled school for today. If you're going to inconvenience people and tick them off, do it properly!

Hypothetical Question

I was listening to Stevie Wonder on my drive home after dropping off the boys at school this morning; he was singing "I Just Called to Say I Love You" and it brought back a flood of memories from my teen years. Then I started thinking about how he was blind because he was a preemie. Preemies with underdeveloped lungs are given oxygen because they aren't able to breath on their own, such as my own TJ, and the oxygen causes the blood vessels in the eyes to grow too fast; if you aren't careful, then ROP (Retinopathy of Prematurity) occurs which is when the blood vessels detach the retina, resulting in blindness. TJ had laser surgery to correct that (cauterizing the blood vessels) and he's fine now, unlike Stevie Wonder because the laser surgery wasn't available back when he was a preemie. So then I got to wondering which would be worse - being blind or being deaf? I recently read a book (Blue Moon by Luanne Rice) and one of the characters had a partially deaf daughter...so...which of your 5 senses would you rather be without? If you had a choice, and lost one of your senses today, which one would it be? Let me refresh your memory because let's face it, it's been a long time since we've had health class - hearing, seeing, tasting, smelling, touch.

I think people who are hearing impaired get along very well independently. I have a friend who has a deaf sister who happens to be pregnant; she also has a 5-year-old. It would be very challenging being the mom of small children and not being able to hear...although it would be a blessing to not have to do the 3 am feedings...but then you wouldn't be able to hear music or children laughing.

Being blind would be not a choice I'd make. I have a brother-in-law who would be constantly making faces at me and I'd have to whack him with my walking stick. Not only that, but how would you know if you're having a bad hair day or if you have unsightly facial hair growing? People are too polite to say, "You've got a big honking hair growing out of that mole on the bottom of your chin." I shudder to think of it. And then I wouldn't be able to see things like this:

Sweet, aren't they.

If my sense of taste was gone, horror or horrors, my life would be over. No more chocolate! No more Joe Louis! No more potato chips! I wouldn't be able to enjoy grilled shrimp or filet mignon or jello cake! Although I'd probably never have to worry about my weight again because what would be the point of eating?

If my sense of smell was gone I think I could live with that one okay. There wouldn't be any problem cleaning up poopie diapers (I'm not really looking forward to that part of the adoption) or pukie kids, and although you'd never be able to smell a flower or a wonderful dinner, it would be a nice surprise for your taste buds. Kind of like a party in your mouth.

Having no sense of touch would be pretty horrific too, because you could seriously injure yourself and not know it. You'd never be able to enjoy a kiss or a hug, or feel the electricity run through your body when your sweetie holds your hand...that would be really awful. I really think this one tops all of them as being the worse sense to lose.

Okay, now that we've delved into my psychie a bit and you all know how whacko I am, tell me which sense you'd pick to lose if you had to lose one and you had a choice. My choice would be smell. In case you weren't paying attention two paragraphs ago when I made that clear.

Dentists

I just got back from the dentist not too long ago. I had to have a new filling; I'm now at that age where all my orignal fillings are starting to wear down and break and they are needing to be replaced. So my dentist asked me if I wanted silver or white for my filling. I don't think I've ever been asked that before and I didn't really have an answer for him other than to say, "Nobody really looks in your mouth anyway except for your dentist, so what does it matter?" He chose silver for me. My mouth is still frozen, although I am able to eat Joe Louis. Very important. Husband thought my smile was a bit lop-sided and made it a point to tell me so. He's a dear.

I stopped at Wal-Mart on my way home; not because I needed anything, but because the shopping highlight of our piddly little town is 'Zellers'. Woohoo. I have got to stay out of the baby section; I went there only to check out prices for cribs and highchairs, but then I saw this and bought it:

Isn't it darling?! And if for some unforeseen, bizarre reason Thumbelina is not able to wear it, I can always give it away as a shower gift, right? Yes, I'm very good at justifying my purchases!

Happy Valentine's Day!

See what my very sweet 8-year-old made for me:
Let me translate:
"Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
Nothing smells sweeter
More than you."

Yah, I know, spelling isn't his forte. But it's still very sweet, dontcha think?!

I was just playing the piano, getting ready for my voice student this afternoon, when TJ comes running (yes, he's home from school sick today) with a long box, "Mommy, Mommy, Joe just dropped this off from the flower store!" So it is a box of 14 long stemmed red roses...1 for each year we've been married...sigh...Thank you Husband ~ I love you!

Question for you ~ should I be offended that I received an anniversary card in the mail from my mom? We live in the same town. I see her usually once a week. I think what's bothering me is that in the past she's dropped it off in person (not that she gets us a card every year); I was talking to her earlier today (I need her to babysit while I have the voice lesson) and she didn't say anything about 'Happy Anniversary' or 'Happy Valentine's Day'. Granted, she probably didn't realize what day it was, so I'm just sitting here looking at the card thinking, "hmmmmmm". Maybe it's bothering me because for Christmas she gave me a gift card (which I loved) and a bunch of stuff from the dollar store, which made me feel like I wasn't worthy of a real present; that she was just getting me clutter and junk to make it look like a substantial gift...but she left the price tag on. I would have rather just had the gift card.

Maybe this is all bothering me because I'm tired. I just can't seem to shake the ever-present nautiousness of this flu; and I think I have a low-grade fever. Anyhoo, I'm also tired because at 4:30 this morning, Husband and I were awakened by a noise. We both thought it was part of our dream but it's odd that we would wake up at the same time. He went and investigated and everything seemed fine. I think we are just really that connected, that we would even share the same dream. Romantic, isn't it. But I couldn't get back to sleep after that because I kept imagining all sorts of other noises, like people walking around in the house, and things creaking upstairs; being the brave soul that I am, I prayed that the boys would fight-off of their would-be attacker as I hid under the covers. I knew there wasn't anything really, because the dog wasn't barking. And yes, my little Jack Russell does make me feel safe.

I hope your Valentine's Day is spent with someone you adore, and don't make your wife cook ~ take her out to dinner. Oh, and roses with baby's breath would be nice. And chocolate. Don't ever forget the chocolate.

Conversation I Just Had

Housecleaner: This mat is full of sand, really full of sand (as she finishes some-what shaking it outside).

Me: Oh, is it? (As I'm thinking to myself - then vacuum it! That's what you're paid to do!)


So, should I look into a different housecleaning service? I've been seriously considering it for the past little while.

Another One Bites the Dust

Husband was sick over the weekend. Boy oh boy was he sick! He literally did not get any sleep from 1:30 - 6:30 a.m. Sunday morning...and neither did I for that matter (poor me!) We are now entering our 3rd straight week of sickness in our household; I think this must be some kind of record! He did manage to keep a cup of coffee and a piece of toast down last night, so that's progress.

He was off to work early this morning; I told him just to call in sick but he wouldn't. He did call in reinforcements to help him with the pigs though, and he said he'd take it easy and just do paperwork this morning. E! is flying in today (E! is our new employee and is moving from Alberta on March 4th), it is his first day of work here. I told Husband that I could pick up E! from the airport and take him to their afternoon meeting. I could just sit and smile sweetly while E! did all the talking. Husband said that's the last thing he wanted was for E! to do all the talking - it's really easy to spend money when it isn't your own, isn't it! They are looking at farrowing crates this afternoon if that is any interest to you.

As for our Anniversary tomorrow, I didn't make reservations anywhere because everyone in our household has been sick, including me, and my stomach just hasn't felt quite normal for the last 2 weeks. I haven't decided if we'll have takeout or if I'll just make ham & scalloped potatoes (my favourite meal). As long as I get my roses...I'm so shallow, aren't I! I did buy Husband his favourite red licorice so we're all set.

WOW!

This is way too cool! Last July, I entered the 1st Annual Pheathered Phriends Photo Contest that the Chicken Farmers of Canada had, depicting life on the farm. I submitted 3 pictures (I'm not even sure which ones now) and never heard diddly-squat from them; I can't remember if they acknowledged that I sent in pictures or not...they might have. Anyway, today I picked up a parcel at the post office, trying to remember for the life of me what I bought on e-bay this time, and it was something from CFC. Turns out I won first place! Check out my $75 valued prize:


Happy Father's Day Husband!

I had to sign an authorization form stating that CFC can use my photo in various promotional initiatives as well as on their website. So since I sent in 3 pics, I really have no idea which one won. As soon as I find out, I'll post it or direct you to their website to have a peek.

Wow. I'm just really excited!

Sick Again

CJ is sick again; he was up at 3:30 this morning puking his guts out. He was only sick the one time, but it's kind of like a free pass to stay home from school if you're sick in the night, isn't it. He was sick last Friday as well; he probably could have gone to school but it's kind of my fault he didn't. Last Thursday, CJ really wanted to stay home from school (TJ stayed home on Tuesday & Wednesday and CJ didn't think it was very fair); but it was CJ's teacher's birthday on Thursday. We enticed him to go to school with promises of a party and cake and chips. He said to me, "If there's no party I'm not going tomorrow." Silly me said, "Okay!" Turns out his teacher was sick and didn't go to school, so there was no party for her until she came back on Friday. CJ came home on Thursday and said, "Mrs. K. was sick today so we didn't have a party and I'm not going to school tomorrow!" He really wasn't feeling well because he didn't eat any supper that night, so we didn't make him go. Part of me wonders if he just ate too many chicken wings last night for supper; he had about 20...they are his favourite.

Here's the recipe, I don't like spicy wings and the boys hate anything remotely spicy. The wings were mediocre because I couldn't find the recipe I was after and because they only marinated for about 2 hours instead of all day. The longer they marinate the more flavour they have. Anyhoo:

1/2 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup white sugar
1 1/3 Tbsp brown sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp Worcerstershire Sauce
1/4 - 1/2 cup orange juice

The marinade was smelling really good until I put the orange juice in; I used almost 1/2 cup and I think it diluted it too much.

In case you're curious as to the Superbowl turbulence commercial, click here and scroll down until you come to Ameriquest Mortgage Co: Turbulence. It was really quite funny as well.

I better go check on my little sickie; I think he's playing GameCube at the moment...

Superbowl Commercials

AB mentioned in the comments section about the 'streaking goat' commercial. I missed that one so I found it on the net and watched it...can't say it made me laugh out loud...a little chuckle, but not quite the side-splitting, thigh-slapping laughter I was hoping for. I did see the one about the two guys being chased by the bear, and that one was quite funny. Really quite funny. Did you see the airplane turbulence commercial - wasn't that a hoot! The stupidest one ever has to be the monster things that gave birth to a hummer ??? who even came up with that concept ???

I had a good time scrapbooking yesterday and did 3 pages in my Dad's album:




I'm really quite happy with how it is turning out. If only I could spend every day working on it...

We are having buffalo wings for supper tonight and I have to go hunt for my marinade recipe. Don't you hate when that happens? You finally find a fantastic recipe, you scribble it on a scrap of paper, move it from place to place because it's always in the way, and then when you actually need it it's gone.

Things are Slow

Not too much happening on the home front lately. The kids have all taken turns being sick; germs seem to be the only thing they willingly share. Hopefully now that the weather has turned a little colder, the germs will go back to their hibernations. Don't you wish you looked this cute when you are sick?!

Did you watch the Superbowl on Sunday? AJ was sick so we stayed home from church; I wasn't feeling the greatest, so Husband stayed home to take care of us all...I told AJ it was pretty convenient that he got sick on Superbowl Sunday! Eleven-year-olds don't quite get sarcastic humor. I only watched the game for the commercials, and I didn't see them all because I was doing laundry and making cards: Isn't it pretty!

Back to the commercials, my favourite one was the Sprint commercial where there are two guys in a locker room bragging about what their phones can do...I couldn't stop laughing! Even watching it on the internet the next day, it was still hilarious! Husband's favourite was the two doctors standing over a patient, one doctor kills a fly with the heart zapper things and then in walk the wife and little girl as the other doctor said, "Yep, that killed him." Husband liked the expression on the little girl's face as she let go of her balloon.

Today I'm off to go scrapbooking. I feel kind of bad because there is a lot of work that I'm ignoring and setting aside so that I can have a day to myself...but I know by the time I get there, all guilty feelings will have been pushed deeper and deeper and deeper inside of me until I don't even know they're there. I intend to have a good day!

Anniversaries

Tomorrow marks our one-year anniversary where we officially started our paper-chase by having our fingerprints done. That was kind-of neat; we were buzzed through the locked police doors, taken downstairs to the booking room and had all our fingerprints taken. We were soooooo naive back then. The police officer who booked us...I mean did our prints...was making conversation, more out of politeness I think, and asked when we would get our daughter. My reply was, "Hopefully a year from now". Ha! Double Ha! When we sent our file in to China, it was a 6 month wait for referrals. Our log-in date is 5 months ago, but now the wait has increased to 9 months. I need chocolate!

On the 14th is our 14th wedding anniversary but Husband has his week already booked with meetings. I am 'penciled' in sometime in the evening - penciled because he doesn't know what time he can take me to dinner. And I'm rolling my eyes. I think I'll pick a restaurant and make a 7:00 reservation; and eat chocolate to hold me over until that unreasonable dinner hour.

Yesterday was Ground Hog day, and according to Wiarton Willie (I almost typed Punxatony Phil - I think I've watched Groundhog Day one too many times) we will have an early spring. This is what our big, bad, Canadian winter looked like as of yesterday...

It's raining today so now everything is mud. We'll have to come up with new winter sports that involve mud instead of snow - mud shoeing, mudding, mudball, building mud-men...the boys would have a blast!

Aging

This afternoon a fellow stopped by and dropped off a pamphlet of a seminar on operating a sprayer; doesn't interest me but I suppose it would interest others or they wouldn't be holding a seminar about it. Anyhoo, I recognized this fellow and said, "Hey aren't you *Bim?" He said he was and I told him I where I used to work...20 years ago...doesn't seem that long ago, yet at the same time it seems like a lifetime ago. Bim said, "I thought you looked familiar." And we proceeded to have a conversation about the last 20 years. Before he left he said, "I forget your name." What?!?!!!? Bim asked me out I don't know how many times and he forgets my name?!?!!!? Old age maybe? He certainly doesn't have the same level cuteness I remember, and he certainly does look 20 years older than the last time I saw him, but he doesn't remember my name?!?!!!? I never ever did go out with him, not that he'd remember...

*Names have been changed to protect the forgetful