Hurricane JJ

It's 4:30 in the morning. We've been awake for the past four hours. John and I have been incredulously watching JJ, who normally sleeps for a good 12 hours at night, run around like somebody laced his before-bed sippy cup of milk with sugar... and speed.

Deja Vu?

We're going to try this again.

We lowered the reserves this time.

Please notify the wealthy.

Wordless Wednesday

Attention Spammers:

I do not need my colon cleansed! Please... Stop sending me emails offering various products to perform this action. It's creeping me out.

Happy Birthday!

Today is my mother's birthday!

I hope you have an outstanding day, Mom. And as a special present, I'm not telling everyone how old you are... They wouldn't believe me anyway. ;)

We love you!

Just a couple of observations:

* The residents of Sesame Street must be extraordinarily fond of toast. Luis and Maria have had that fix-it shop for years, and I can't say I've ever seen them working on anything but toasters. I'm thinking they might have a little extra cash to throw around as well, 'cause I don't know how much it is to fix a toaster, but a new one is like, fifteen bucks.

* I'm guessing the tune to "Jingle Bells" isn't copyrighted. At the end of every mini-episode of "Elmo's World", Elmo sings a song (which is a stretch in itself - he just repeats one word) about whatever he was thinking about that day, and it is always to the tune of "Jingle Bells". I hope it doesn't ruin Christmas for me JJ.

My Little Runaway

I noticed the grill first. I saw it in my rearview mirror. There aren't a lot of cars like mine around here, so it stood out. The car passed me on the left. I felt like I was moving in slow motion. As it passed, I noticed the headrests for the back seat. The one on the passenger side was up higher than the one on the driver side. I instinctively glanced at my own back seat, and found that the same headrest was raised in my own car. I felt a sudden out-of-control panic, as I realized that I had left the headrest up after attaching JJ's car seat to the LATCH system.

And I lost touch with reality for a moment. I started to wonder if I was actually IN that other car. As I veered off of the highway, down my exit lane, headed for the reality of the errands I had to run, I felt like a part of me (my alter-ego, if you will - her name is Molly) continued on that highway, headed for destinations unknown.

Right before the other car vanished out of sight, I saw the flash of break lights. Enjoy the trip, Molly.

Ouch!

I mean really... How completely unfamiliar with yourself do you have to be to jam the fingers of your right hand into the side of your car, and then, about an hour later, slam the fingers of your left hand in the laundry room door?

I am 35 years old, and I still have no idea where air stops and I begin.

Wordless Wednesday

Offer:

First off, let me say that I am not one to lecture about vices. I have more than enough of my own - I once sustained second degree burns trying to deep fat fry a Twinkie at home. However, many of you know that I recently lost a good friend, due in part to a long history of smoking. I'm not going to pretend that there is a single person out there who doesn't already know that smoking is detrimental to your health, so I'll spare you the details. I am well aware of the fact that it wouldn't do any good anyway. After all, several of my friend's close relatives have resumed the habit - knowing full well that they are genetically predisposed to developing Cancer from it.

THAT IS A TESTAMENT TO HOW POWERFUL A HABIT SMOKING CAN BE.

So, if you are a happy smoker, and content with your habit, so be it. But... if you are a smoker, and wish not to be, you have a long, hard road ahead of you. And I know this may sound silly, but for some reason (Deb?), I really feel driven to post this:

I have a coupon to save $5 on Nicorette 100 ct. or larger. And, if you have a Rite-Aid near you, they have an additional $5 Single Check Rebate available on the 100-120 ct. packages this month. That's $10 to get you started. I know it's not much, but aside from my support, it's what I have to give right now.

I will be happy to send the coupon to the first person to email me (marlylynk at yahoo dot com). Your identity will definitely be kept confidential - unless of course, you would like me to post about your progress (talk about a kick in the pants!). I may not have many readers, but what I lack in quantity, I more than make up for in quality. I'm certain you would receive some heartfelt support.

There's a children's book in here somewhere...

While we were in New York (if you read the comments, you know we were in NY), springtime apparently descended upon us, as we found ourselves surrounded by a multitude of caterpillars. John's nephew Jack took a liking to one in particular and named him Carl. Carl was a special caterpillar, in that he could perform tricks on a stick. His most spectacular trick was holding on while Jack ran approximately 50 miles in the driveway/parking area holding the stick.

At one point in time, however, (much to no one but Jack's surprise) Carl disappeared. Jack was searching frantically for him, and I was just close enough to hear him quietly admonishing, "Carl, this is no time for playing games!"

Luckily, someone on the far side of the parking area was paying attention, and Carl (or another caterpillar bearing a striking resemblance to Carl) was found. And for the next few days, every caterpillar that wandered onto the parking area received a jubilant round of, "Hey! There's Carl!"

Until I found one in the garage. I called Jack over, and told him that I had found Carl. "Don't be ridiculous, Aunt Marly," he corrected me, "That's not Carl."

"It sure looks like Carl," I tried.

"Of course it does. That's Carl's dad, Jerry!"

"Of course."

We took a little vacay...

Very early last Friday morning (think 2:00 am), I discovered the Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge. It's not nearly as fantastical as I would have hoped. As a matter of fact, if it weren't for the green road sign, I would have missed it entirely. But then, I really wasn't looking for it... in Pennsylvania.

It was located just south of the Pennsylvania Turnpike - the most horrid excuse for a road I hope you never have to travel. Last year, upon paying my few dollars to enter this poorly maintained stretch of pavement, we asked the toll-taker if we could request that the money we gave her be used to improve the road surface. She said no (fabulous sense of humor on that one). And so, it came as no surprise that the road still sucks. I'm guessing that all of the money that they collect from the poor souls who have to travel that stretch of endless potholes and uneven surfaces ends up maintaining the call boxes found at each and every mile-marker. I bet they get a lot of use.

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

See me evolve!

In a recent comment, dear Kjae implied that I don't post enough pictures in my blog. I think she's right. Except for Gimme an "E"!, The end of an era..., and For Erin, this blog has consisted entirely of words. It's amazing that so many of you are still reading!

So, as a thank you to my loyal readers, I have decided to steal an idea to give my blog a little more visual interest. Tonight, you will find my first Wordless Wednesday post. I am going to put my own little spin on the idea however, in that my posts will be actually completely wordless. No explanation, no commentary, no credits, nothing. I will however respond to any questions or comments regarding the picture (or life itself) in the comments. Please don't feel that the wordless suggestion applies to you as well. ;)