Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Boredom=exercise

The past month or so has been a bit hectic around my house. My daughter moved back home and her girls are over a few nights a week. There was a bit of an adjustment period but I think we're on our way to things settling down to normal. We had about 2 years after my brother moved out where it was just the two of us, two cats & Sadie. Dinner got made once in awhile, there was a minimal amount of clutter and we sunk into a routine.
That's changed. We now have an additional dog (my daughter thinks she's getting her back when she moves out) and a dog that visits (when the soon to be ex son-in-law is out of town) and two 11 year old girls. We now have to worry about lunches, what to have for dinner, homework and little girl stuff. It's a little fun. More fun because I'm not totally responsible for them. I can stand back and watch their mother take charge. I thought I was strict as a mother?? You don't want to mess with Momma Shelle! She is on them.
I had to set some ground rules, but I'm still the Grandma. I'm still the one that gets to spoil them a little and have fun with them. I don't want to loose that by having them live with us. The good thing is they're well behaved and polite. As girls their age, then can be a little messy and unorganized. Going in their room reminds me of going into their mother's room years ago. I'll never forget when she wanted new carpeting and Barney went in and looked at her room and told her "When we can actually see what the carpet looks like, we'll think about it". We never knew what her carpet looked like until she moved out. But boy that girl had my bathroom and kitchen sparkling.
Last night was a rare occasion. I was the only one home. Of course the pets were all there, but it was quiet. This was the time I was supposed to catch up on things and do whatever I wanted. I can't believe I got bored. I made some dinner, did some laundry, cleaned up a few things and it was only 6pm. So it was then that I decided to get back on the wagon. I haven't had a regular routine for working out for a few weeks. Baseball season for Dylan is over and I was walking to his games a few times a week. Took the dogs for a walk a few times. It paid off for Sadie as she lost 7 lbs. I decided to pop open the Wii Fit Plus program I purchased last weekend and check it out. Not bad. It has a few added features and about 20 new exercises. I tried a few of them and then came across Kung Fu Rhythm. The first time through I was lost. What the mess am I supposed to be doing? Tried it again and caught on. Difference between first try (41 points) and second try(265 points). Then there was this Parade Marching aerobic game I tried and laughed through the first try. It's one of those things that are goofy and you hope no one walks in and sees you marching and waving your arms around. Those few things plus the regular routine I was doing have shown some benefits this morning. Maybe an 1 1/2 hours was a little to much. I guess if boredom puts me to getting off my butt and exercising I can't be upset. I shall try again to master the Kung Fu game (and march).

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Did You Know?

That there is a trailer park on Highway 100 just a few blocks north of Greenfield Avenue. I go this way every day and never really noticed it. I stopped at a small gas station this morning, that I've stopped at before and there it was. I'm guessing there to be at least 150 mobile homes in the small area.
I remember when I was younger I had a friend in my class that lived in a trailer park. I went to her "home" a few times and thought it was pretty cool. It was like camping. At that point I was to young to realize that it may not be all that it's cracked up to be. I can see a newly married couple hanging out in one while waiting to buy their first home, or maybe a single person, or perhaps a retired couple who spend part of a year there. What I can never imagine is Barney and I living in one. We'd have to have one hell of a rummage sale and really downsize our possessions to ever think of living in one. No basement, no garage, no attic. We'd have an issue. Then there is the added fact that you are right on top of each other, so it's worse then camping. They had an article in the paper a few weeks back about the historic trailer park on 27th street. How they're all like family and help each other out. That's a small one and it's been there forever. It's convenient that the historic bar is the center of the trailer park. The city wants to get rid of it to improve the quality and appearance of this area. It's going to take more than that. So they're going after the little people first rather than the business's in the area. I say "leave them alone".
Then there's the one on 6th & College next to the old Blue Canary tavern. I used to drop a girl I worked with off there. It was nasty. This place was like a ghetto. My friend's mother lived in this park for 2 weeks and got out. I know they've been warned to clean the place up several times. Come to think of it there are several trailer parks within a mile area. Further up on College Avenue you have a nicer park. These appear to be more like permanent homes. They have decks and sheds and it's all kept very neat. When I was a paper girl this was part of my route. I recall a lot of elderly people living there. People who had decided that they don't need all the crap that fills up an attic, garage or basement. There's no bar on the grounds of that one. Then you have the 27th & College one that is also pretty run down. Hmmm...there's a bar right there also.
On to other things. I am enjoying the 1/2 hour of peace and quiet I'm getting this morning. This is one of the joys of coming in early. Within the next 1/2 hour people will start rolling in. If it's anything like yesterday I may need to start handing out numbers. I may also need to hire a phone operator.

Friday, October 23, 2009

Come On Dere Hey!

Isn't that how all Wisconsinites talk? Not so. In listening to a talk radio show on my way in this morning, they had clips from the Regis & Kelly show. They were talking with an actor who was born and raised in Appleton. They asked him to speak Wisconsin. He's from Appleton! He breaks out in this language I've never heard unless I was in extreme northern Wisconsin and upper Michigan ( or was making fun of Fargo). They got on the subject of Milwaukee and noted that in this area we speak with the same accent. In fact they said "all of Wisconsin speaks this way". Made us out to be a state of goof balls.
I know we have the old Polish & German accents still floating around. (I still get a kick out of my childhood friends mother swearing in Polish). Maybe we're portrayed this way because we have such a mixture of nationalities in this state. Pretty soon we'll have our own language, but it won't be what was portrayed by this doofas on TV.

The football game we attended the other night in honor of our late friend Randy, was once again a reminder of what an impact he made on people. I've felt bad for almost a year now for never attending a game he coached. He'd ask all the time and would speak proudly of the team, but we never made one. We left the game at half time and caught the team walking back toward the field after their break. Somehow I could just picture Randy walking with them. The image was perfect and just gave me a little chill. Pretty sure he knew we were there. The almost emotional moment was broke when we had to lighten it up a little by painting the mental picture of him jogging along with the boys. I know exactly what he would have responded to us "What, you don't think I could jog from the school back out to the field? Come on, let's put 5 buck on it". And somehow he'd get out of it. You live on, my friend.

Monday, October 19, 2009

I Do Not Like You!

I'm a little confused as to why my ex-husband would feel the sudden need to speak to me at Dylan's game Saturday. I pulled in the lot right behind him and purposely parked two aisles away to avoid having to walk anywhere near him. (There's some history in this latest dislike of him and I though I made my thoughts pretty clear to him via a phone call when I was in Arizona).
Anyway, somehow I managed to make it to the Dylan fan clan way before him. My son questioned his where abouts and seeing as there is a bar on the same property as the field we all just naturally assumed that's where he parked his ass. Nice.

He showed up a few minutes after the 2nd quarter and felt the need to stand near me, not talking to me, but rather directing comments to my kids about me. Not nasty, just sickening. All that kept running through my head was the Green Eggs and Ham poem. I chuckled as I wished for Annette to be there adding to my crafty poetry. "I do not like you, you're a louse. I did not like you as a spouse". I cannot stand you anymore, I'd like to knock you to the floor.
Then he starts goofing around with the twins and wrestling with them. One of them gets knocked into me smack into the small of my back. Jolt down my legs, but I withstood screaming out loud and found joy in the time I smacked him so hard I split his lip open. (No, I'm not a violent person). Then my son stepped up. "Dad, what are you doing? Don't mess with her, it's pretty obvious she wants nothing to do with you". His reply "Yeah, she's still mad at me for screwing up our marriage". "HUH"....I pride myself in keeping my mouth shut. As I listened to my kids laugh and sarcastically assure him that's what the problem is I came up with one more line. " I wish you'd stumble from the bar, so I could hit you with my car." It needs work, but it kept me from making a scene. Yeah, real grown up ex I have. Not the time or place to hash out your indifference's. The thing he doesn't understand is...My kids are grown now. I don't have to pretend to like him anymore. That was hard enough to do when they were younger.

The game was good until the last 2 minutes when the other team scored and beat the Buc's by 1 point. Lot of rukus going on about the ref's missing the block in the back which would have wiped out the td. Playoffs are next. Hopefully it won't be as cold Saturday. (I like to tell myself foolish things sometimes).

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

I Can't Win

Plain and simple. I cannot win a football pool this year. Of the 10 people in our pool I am the only one who has yet to win. I'm close until a team scores in the last minute or so of the half. I'm not complaining because I feel confident that my day will come.

I did however hit my first Royal Flush on a poker machine. Yet my glory was short lived. I hit it on nickles as I was trying to regain some of my loss's. I felt a little excitement as this was the largest pot I hit in Laughlin in two days. I quickly cashed out and went to find my mother. The smile on my face was instantly gone when she showed me her own Royal Flush (the second one hit in two days) for 5 times the amount of mine. Oh well. Short lived glory.

The bad thing about coming back from vacation is going back to work. The good thing is my past two days at work have flown by. I'm off my normal QC job and working QC for a pretty important customer trial. Very busy, yet very interesting. It's a change of scenery and a change of pace. Keeps my mind off other things.

Mother-in-law had hip replacement surgery Monday and is doing well (so I thought). One of the siblings claims she whiny and a patient from hell. Maybe she changes when I get there to see her. I'm not sure this is going to solve all her problems, but it's a start. She finally decided to take the smart route and go into a Rehab center for two weeks. It was a divided family for a while on where she should go. Home was not an option. The rehab will get her more and better quality care than sitting at home.

I though I could make it through Halloween without turning the heat on but on it went when I got home Friday night. Granted 64 is good for now, but I was bummed to come home to 40 degree weather. I think I'm just about over it. The shocker was sitting through the girls cheer leading debut on Saturday afternoon and then Dylan's game Sunday morning. I was a bit chilled and am still feeling the effects. I don't think that what I thought were allergies while in Arizona were. I was trying to convince myself, but can't seem to be fooled.