We are looking to buy a new car. We were kind of considering used, but the dealerships "encourage" you to buy new and the pressure was too much. As far as I was concerned, I was hoping to get another two or three years out of the vehicles we have because the thought of a car payment right now is daunting. Not just mentally overwhelming, but I'm wondering what kind of mathematical trickery am I going to have to pull out of my pocket to make this work. Hmmm..... so many ideas. I've played some serious Russian Roulette with my check book before, and managed to fire off a few rounds - ouch. It use to be a lot easier to do before the Internets screwed everything up what with Internet banking. Oh wait! I'm on the Internets now, aren't I. Don't let the whole plural thing fool you, there really is only one, right? Or is there another Internet that exists in another time and dimension? Just something to ponder.
But I digress. I'm trying to think what will need to be offered up to the Gods in order for us to swing this car payment? No more meat for dinner? Name brand cereals? Heat? Clothing? So many choices. I absolutely put my foot down with the kids - they still bring in a nice tax deduction. Just so we are all on the same page (assuming there is an "all" reading this), we are not buying a high end vehicle like a Mercedes, BMW, etc... not even close. It is a toss up between a Yaris and a Fit. Ooooh so many choices! Both ride like a card board (corrugated) box with wheels on it - smooth. I believe my son's skate board rides nicer and could possibly have more leg room. To be honest the Scion is now in the picture as well because we were told that they do not ship the Yaris's with cruise control & fog lights to the Northeast. Ok, why? No, really, I would like to know why? You go into a dealer and they give you that lovely glossy brochure that lists all the options and the different prices, some of which come in packages, and on that list it clearly states Fog lights & cruise control as an option and there was NO disclaimer stating "Offer is not good in Dutchess County, NY". It's times like this you just want to go absolutely postal in a dealership (my apologies to all those fine postal workers out there who still remain perfectly sane). I realize we are dealing with sales people and they are a special breed of person. I also realize they are trying to unload the cars they have in stock (out in the dealer parking lot) rather than have new vehicles shipped in. All because some pain in the arse customer won't do as their told. So here I am trying to think why they would tell us this? Isn't it all about making the customer happy? As in big smile...we'll shop here for ever and ever because y'all are great! Hugs and kisses all the way around. No, some schmuck doesn't want to clean the snow off all the cars that are still left in the lot during winter - we sometimes get snow here in the Northeast, unlike some states like, oh I don't know... California?
My husband and I are pretty much both of the opinion, it needs to be reliable and get us (him) from point A to point B which is an hour each way, every single day. I figure when money is less tight....... had to stop for a moment because I was laughing/crying, we can get a nicer vehicle (for me!). Maybe when I'm discovered from writing this blog and somebody out there wants to make a book about me & my blog and then Julia Roberts plays me in a movie about my blog.... You all are invited to my book signing by the way. There I go again with the "all". I have various versions of the back jacket photo they will use, floating around in my head. Where was I?
So, we are hoping we wrap this up by this weekend, because we are trading in our 2000 Honda Civic and I'm told it's better to drive the vehicle you are trading in as opposed to your husband behind the wheel and me and the kids pushing it into the lot, all the while ducking behind the trunk and making engine type noises to try and fool the salespeople into thinking that the car was running. I drove the Honda to work today and it chugged like a choo choo all the way. It's worse when I stop at lights, not sure why, but the thing vibrates but bad. I think I threw a disc out in my back. Also makes it kind of hard to drink coffee. I do believe I chipped a tooth taking a swig from my Starbucks Travel Mug. Thank GOD I wasn't applying make up at that time! It also doesn't show you in the best light to fellow drivers...hairs out of place (understatement), chipped tooth and your flailing around (because of the chugging) like you are possessed...Soooo attractive!
Friday, October 23, 2009
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Oldie but Goodie
Once again, I am recycling an old email while I gather new material for a fresh brand new blog coming soon to a blog near you....
This is an email to my sister Rita (she wanted me to change her name to protect her innocence). Ok, I'll humor her. She wanted me to ask my father a few questions for this book she picked up where you ask the "subject" a bunch of questions about themselves, about things they remember and because she lives in California or lets say Oregon for the sake of this blog, she wanted me to ask the questions during Thanksgiving Dinner. As for the leaf blower...someone wanted to buy my father a leaf blower for his birthday or some occasion where you give people stuff. Enjoy,,,
Dear Jeanette,
Thank you ever so much for giving me the really, really hard questions for Dad, he’ll be sobbing all over his turkey remembering first his happiest day and then the fact that it was so long ago and realize how old he’s getting, only to be bombarded with another question, what was your saddest? Now his turkey is drenched and completely inedible and the cranberry sauce is running into the mashed potatoes making it look like a bloody snowy battlefield. Bamm, we’re back in Korea…..no stopping now…. Here we might as well tied Dad up, bare foot, to the back of a car and dragged him down memory lane, leaving chunks of skin every ¼ mile or so….all for the sake of us having a lovely little book with his deepest most treasure memories so we could read it and laugh, sob or whatever. Absolutely no problem though, I’ll be sure to ask the questions.
Test date is 12/11 but can be postponed, if need be…..I’m going to try & avoid that, but it’s not looking very promising cause I’m just plain tired and work is sucking the life out of me and the holidays are coming and there is cat fur stuck to my kitchen floor so it looks like a shag carpet, but only in select spots. I’m up to my arse, no way past my arse, in laundry and the cat litter boxes are getting ready to just up and walk away. However, they are handy when you want to clear your sinuses out. Just walk up stairs and you slammed with this foul awful smell and you realize, WOW I can breathe again, then you realize, Holy Mother of GOD…I CAN BREATHE AGAIN AND I WISH I COULDN'T’T!!!!
As far as the leaf blower, good idea when you are just dealing with leaves, but he’s got the Acorns from Hell. You start blowing those around and it’s World War I all over again. I can see Gruter coming out to check out what the heck is hitting his house and scrambling to get back into the house when he realizes Bill is out of control with the leaf blower and can’t be stopped, not because he doesn’t want to, believe me he does, but the force of the air coming out of the thing is so strong it’s preventing him from standing and all the while he is still blowing leaves, with Acorns, like machine gun fire all over the neighborhood and Gruter screaming to get back into his house, because Doris locked him out. Bill is just waiting for the damn thing to run out of gas.
With that, I will end this rant. I do believe I have had way too much coffee.
Night,
Love always,
Mary
This is an email to my sister Rita (she wanted me to change her name to protect her innocence). Ok, I'll humor her. She wanted me to ask my father a few questions for this book she picked up where you ask the "subject" a bunch of questions about themselves, about things they remember and because she lives in California or lets say Oregon for the sake of this blog, she wanted me to ask the questions during Thanksgiving Dinner. As for the leaf blower...someone wanted to buy my father a leaf blower for his birthday or some occasion where you give people stuff. Enjoy,,,
Dear Jeanette,
Thank you ever so much for giving me the really, really hard questions for Dad, he’ll be sobbing all over his turkey remembering first his happiest day and then the fact that it was so long ago and realize how old he’s getting, only to be bombarded with another question, what was your saddest? Now his turkey is drenched and completely inedible and the cranberry sauce is running into the mashed potatoes making it look like a bloody snowy battlefield. Bamm, we’re back in Korea…..no stopping now…. Here we might as well tied Dad up, bare foot, to the back of a car and dragged him down memory lane, leaving chunks of skin every ¼ mile or so….all for the sake of us having a lovely little book with his deepest most treasure memories so we could read it and laugh, sob or whatever. Absolutely no problem though, I’ll be sure to ask the questions.
Test date is 12/11 but can be postponed, if need be…..I’m going to try & avoid that, but it’s not looking very promising cause I’m just plain tired and work is sucking the life out of me and the holidays are coming and there is cat fur stuck to my kitchen floor so it looks like a shag carpet, but only in select spots. I’m up to my arse, no way past my arse, in laundry and the cat litter boxes are getting ready to just up and walk away. However, they are handy when you want to clear your sinuses out. Just walk up stairs and you slammed with this foul awful smell and you realize, WOW I can breathe again, then you realize, Holy Mother of GOD…I CAN BREATHE AGAIN AND I WISH I COULDN'T’T!!!!
As far as the leaf blower, good idea when you are just dealing with leaves, but he’s got the Acorns from Hell. You start blowing those around and it’s World War I all over again. I can see Gruter coming out to check out what the heck is hitting his house and scrambling to get back into the house when he realizes Bill is out of control with the leaf blower and can’t be stopped, not because he doesn’t want to, believe me he does, but the force of the air coming out of the thing is so strong it’s preventing him from standing and all the while he is still blowing leaves, with Acorns, like machine gun fire all over the neighborhood and Gruter screaming to get back into his house, because Doris locked him out. Bill is just waiting for the damn thing to run out of gas.
With that, I will end this rant. I do believe I have had way too much coffee.
Night,
Love always,
Mary
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Love, Mary
This past weekend me and my family attended a walk for Nephcure at FDR park in Yorktown Heights, NY. The reason we attended the walk was because we had originally thought my Son had FSGS. That is a disease where there is scarring in the kidney's. I won't get into too much detail because the bottom line is he has been re-diagnosed with Dent's Disease. This too affects the kidneys but is a rare genetic disease. It would appear that I am a carrier. Great. Just one more thing my kid can tell the psychiatrist about when he's older. It really isn't my fault though - it comes from my mothers side of the family and I'm not sure if you can point a finger at any one person. Long story short, I believe it is a better diagnosis.
We did the walk anyway because it just didn't feel right bailing the cause just because we have a different diagnosis. I believe we had a moral obligation to stick with it. It's not like we took black magic marker...you know the kind, permanent with the real cool smell...and crossed out Nephcure and wrote Dents. That would have been in poor taste. Actually the thought crossed my mind, briefly. Besides, Dents Disease doesn't have an organization to call their own, at least that I know of. I could, if I had the time and energy, start my own, but there would only be like 3 members - hence the rare genetic disease thingy.
It was a beautiful fall day and the turnout for the walk was great. They had music, food, airbrush tattoo's for the kiddies (to prepare them for the real thing when they get older) and grown-ups if they felt the need. The biggest thrill was, Ronald McDonald was there. OMG!!!! that means Oh MY GOD for all you old timers. I couldn't believe it - pinch me will you? He managed to get his madeup mug into every photo and he was working that crowd like the true professional he is. His makeup was flawless and that bright, flaming red hair - pinch me again. My cousin, Bryan's son, managed to get Ronald or Donald as he called him, all ticked off. Not pretty for a clown, let me tell you. He decided to walk right up to that oh-so-talented entertainer and ask him what kinds of low sodium items will McDonalds be featuring on their menu this year. Ronald mumbled and moved on the the smaller kids who couldn't quite form sentences yet. Then in my families usual fashion... we tend to do things to embarrass ourselves, my daughter dressed up in this silly bear costume (i couldn't get my mind off of what kinds of germs are festering inside that costume) and laid down on the ground so Reily, my cousins son, could pretend like he shot the bear on a hunting expedition. He posed with a stick as his rifle and one foot firmly placed on the bears abdomin - thank GOD it wasn't a walk for Peta!!! We would have been stoned. Everyone was looking at us, wondering, I bet, why we couldn't show just a little decorum..... had we no shame?? Nope, none. None at all.
I was happy to be part of this walk and I was proud of the people that I walked with with. I didn't think it possible - but I loved my family even more. As strange as it might sound, I felt guilty. FSGS is horrible. Horrible for the people/children it affects, horrible for the parents who live with the worry everyday. I caught a brief glimpse of that worry and heartache for myself and it took it's toll on me for that period of time we thought our son had that disease. Now, I realize compared to others, it was just a blink of an eye. I am relieved, relieved to the point that I could exhale for the first time and now can't stop. I also feel great remorse that I get to feel relieved and others do not... My son will get treatment for his disease and I believe, I have to believe, the prognosis is very good for him. My son, with the smile as easy as a summer day, his beautiful blue laughing eyes, golden hair and incredible child like energy that causes him to jump out of bed and just live to play as children should - will do well, will live long and for this I am grateful. I look at him and just want to hold him, to hold on to this moment and remember what we almost went through and be so grateful - I need to be grateful every single day for the rest of my life. I need to look at him and know, nothing is so terrible as long as my children are well. My newly found gray hair will stay and my heart still aches when I let my mind go to that place where I remember what we went through, what it felt like, but it aches even more for those still living and agonizing over their diagnosis, the treatments, the mornings their child is unable to jump out of bed to swallow up the day - it will continue to ache.
To my family. Thank you for checking in, thanks for asking, thank you for the kind words, prayers and thoughts - they helped, they did as is evident by the new diagnosis. I am overwhelmed by the love that is my family.
Love Always,
Mary
We did the walk anyway because it just didn't feel right bailing the cause just because we have a different diagnosis. I believe we had a moral obligation to stick with it. It's not like we took black magic marker...you know the kind, permanent with the real cool smell...and crossed out Nephcure and wrote Dents. That would have been in poor taste. Actually the thought crossed my mind, briefly. Besides, Dents Disease doesn't have an organization to call their own, at least that I know of. I could, if I had the time and energy, start my own, but there would only be like 3 members - hence the rare genetic disease thingy.
It was a beautiful fall day and the turnout for the walk was great. They had music, food, airbrush tattoo's for the kiddies (to prepare them for the real thing when they get older) and grown-ups if they felt the need. The biggest thrill was, Ronald McDonald was there. OMG!!!! that means Oh MY GOD for all you old timers. I couldn't believe it - pinch me will you? He managed to get his madeup mug into every photo and he was working that crowd like the true professional he is. His makeup was flawless and that bright, flaming red hair - pinch me again. My cousin, Bryan's son, managed to get Ronald or Donald as he called him, all ticked off. Not pretty for a clown, let me tell you. He decided to walk right up to that oh-so-talented entertainer and ask him what kinds of low sodium items will McDonalds be featuring on their menu this year. Ronald mumbled and moved on the the smaller kids who couldn't quite form sentences yet. Then in my families usual fashion... we tend to do things to embarrass ourselves, my daughter dressed up in this silly bear costume (i couldn't get my mind off of what kinds of germs are festering inside that costume) and laid down on the ground so Reily, my cousins son, could pretend like he shot the bear on a hunting expedition. He posed with a stick as his rifle and one foot firmly placed on the bears abdomin - thank GOD it wasn't a walk for Peta!!! We would have been stoned. Everyone was looking at us, wondering, I bet, why we couldn't show just a little decorum..... had we no shame?? Nope, none. None at all.
I was happy to be part of this walk and I was proud of the people that I walked with with. I didn't think it possible - but I loved my family even more. As strange as it might sound, I felt guilty. FSGS is horrible. Horrible for the people/children it affects, horrible for the parents who live with the worry everyday. I caught a brief glimpse of that worry and heartache for myself and it took it's toll on me for that period of time we thought our son had that disease. Now, I realize compared to others, it was just a blink of an eye. I am relieved, relieved to the point that I could exhale for the first time and now can't stop. I also feel great remorse that I get to feel relieved and others do not... My son will get treatment for his disease and I believe, I have to believe, the prognosis is very good for him. My son, with the smile as easy as a summer day, his beautiful blue laughing eyes, golden hair and incredible child like energy that causes him to jump out of bed and just live to play as children should - will do well, will live long and for this I am grateful. I look at him and just want to hold him, to hold on to this moment and remember what we almost went through and be so grateful - I need to be grateful every single day for the rest of my life. I need to look at him and know, nothing is so terrible as long as my children are well. My newly found gray hair will stay and my heart still aches when I let my mind go to that place where I remember what we went through, what it felt like, but it aches even more for those still living and agonizing over their diagnosis, the treatments, the mornings their child is unable to jump out of bed to swallow up the day - it will continue to ache.
To my family. Thank you for checking in, thanks for asking, thank you for the kind words, prayers and thoughts - they helped, they did as is evident by the new diagnosis. I am overwhelmed by the love that is my family.
Love Always,
Mary
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Too Big for It's Britches
Last weekend, my husband and I had to attend my daughter's first open house at her high school. We thought it was important that we both attend given the fact that she is a freshman and we wanted to meet all her teachers up close and personal so they could see why she is the way she is (yes it's all our fault). Pat us on the back for a job well done, right?
We were a bit nervous, because we had been warned by many people that this High School is huge! Looking back, heelies would have been appropriate or a scooter. Apparently the School District, in it's infinite wisdom decided the school needed to be ENLARGED because of the ever expanding population here in rural Dutchess County, NY. No the locals aren't up to anything funny....it's people from counties south of us moving up for the better pricing, which really isn't all that great right now. The School District & the powers that be, kept having this same brilliant idea, year after year after year. Hey, I have an idea! Let's add an addition (round of applause) times five. I believe the suggestion that another High School should be built was mentioned at some point, but that could be just urban legend as the person that purportedly made the suggestion is no longer "around". They keep slapping on these additions so now we are at the point where this High School is beyond ginormous (not a real word). My daughter's freshman class consists of a mere 800 + kids. I don't know about you, but I get concerned when 10 or more teenagers start congregating - let alone 800 in just one class! We'll need to take a week off for the graduating ceremony....ugh.
Anywhoo, my husband and I went armed with this knowledge, and were scared to death. The first clue that this was a mess in the making was the "attendants" who were directing all the other scared-to-death parents into the parking lot. I do believe they were ex-marines. God forbid you even looked in a general direction of someplace you would not be allowed to go- they knew it...and waived their florescent light saber in the direction they would make you go whether you liked it or not. As we were walking toward the main entrance or "The Bubble" as some like to call it, there were dozens of parents outside chatting away on their cell phones. What on earth could be so important? We were about to be swallowed whole by this school - were they saying goodbye to loved ones? The ironic thing is, to me anyway, there was a giant "No Smoking" sign and my mind went where it often goes. There was a time, not too long ago, parents would be puffing away outside "The Bubble", not talking on cell phones cuz there weren't any. Hmmm....will there be a sign 10 years from now with a cell phone in a circle with a line through it - and what will replace that?
As we were trying to navigate our way to the classes my daughter takes and me marveling at the fact she made it home after the first day and search teams weren't needed to find her, my husband mumbled that they should really hand out GPS devices. He cracks me up. By the end of the night, I was exhausted and we were late to about 3 classes, and missed Gym because it was in Weight Room 1 and we could not for the life of us find Weight Room 1. We saw Weight room 2, 3 & 4 not to mention, Gym's 1, 2 & 3 as we were going by Cafeteria A & B, not to be confused with Cafeteria C & D......EEEEK!
We were a bit nervous, because we had been warned by many people that this High School is huge! Looking back, heelies would have been appropriate or a scooter. Apparently the School District, in it's infinite wisdom decided the school needed to be ENLARGED because of the ever expanding population here in rural Dutchess County, NY. No the locals aren't up to anything funny....it's people from counties south of us moving up for the better pricing, which really isn't all that great right now. The School District & the powers that be, kept having this same brilliant idea, year after year after year. Hey, I have an idea! Let's add an addition (round of applause) times five. I believe the suggestion that another High School should be built was mentioned at some point, but that could be just urban legend as the person that purportedly made the suggestion is no longer "around". They keep slapping on these additions so now we are at the point where this High School is beyond ginormous (not a real word). My daughter's freshman class consists of a mere 800 + kids. I don't know about you, but I get concerned when 10 or more teenagers start congregating - let alone 800 in just one class! We'll need to take a week off for the graduating ceremony....ugh.
Anywhoo, my husband and I went armed with this knowledge, and were scared to death. The first clue that this was a mess in the making was the "attendants" who were directing all the other scared-to-death parents into the parking lot. I do believe they were ex-marines. God forbid you even looked in a general direction of someplace you would not be allowed to go- they knew it...and waived their florescent light saber in the direction they would make you go whether you liked it or not. As we were walking toward the main entrance or "The Bubble" as some like to call it, there were dozens of parents outside chatting away on their cell phones. What on earth could be so important? We were about to be swallowed whole by this school - were they saying goodbye to loved ones? The ironic thing is, to me anyway, there was a giant "No Smoking" sign and my mind went where it often goes. There was a time, not too long ago, parents would be puffing away outside "The Bubble", not talking on cell phones cuz there weren't any. Hmmm....will there be a sign 10 years from now with a cell phone in a circle with a line through it - and what will replace that?
As we were trying to navigate our way to the classes my daughter takes and me marveling at the fact she made it home after the first day and search teams weren't needed to find her, my husband mumbled that they should really hand out GPS devices. He cracks me up. By the end of the night, I was exhausted and we were late to about 3 classes, and missed Gym because it was in Weight Room 1 and we could not for the life of us find Weight Room 1. We saw Weight room 2, 3 & 4 not to mention, Gym's 1, 2 & 3 as we were going by Cafeteria A & B, not to be confused with Cafeteria C & D......EEEEK!
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