My Single Mom Life

The answer is no.
It's too damn cold.
My dad and I took them downtown to get some Lisa's Pizza.

We picked up a whole pie and some of their fries, and brought it home to share with mom and dad.
While we waited for it to be cooked, the boys each got a slice to eat. They loved it. "Best pizza ever mom!"

My dad had driven us around the town a bit to see all the sites and stuff, it's changed so much. Sucky.
Anyway, I'm on dial up here at their house so it's kinda difficult to do much.
I'll check back in again when I can.
Later days.

Posted by Kat at 1:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

We have arrived safely, had a good, quick flight.
I got the special treatment at airport ecurity but I knew that was going to happen.
Got through just fine though.

It's freaking cold here man!!! BRRRRrrrrrrrr!!!! Ack!
The boys are having fun trying to play in the snow but it's so cold, they come running back in the house. hee hee

I might have some pics for y'all later on, need to upload them and stuff.
Ok, gonna go relax with my folks and try to stay warm.
Later days.

Posted by Kat at 7:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Getting Read.jpg
Originally uploaded by onecattykat.

Posted by Kat at 7:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We're all packed, ready to go.
We'll be leaving here around 1pm-ish today to drive the 4 hours to the airport.
We're staying at a hotel tonight near the airport because our flight leaves at 8:50am but we have to be at the airport at 6:30.
Having to drive from Sarasota to Orlando at like 2am would suck the bag.

I won't be on line again until probably Monday night. I'll posts that we made it ok. Maybe use my flicker during the trip.
I will have net and email access so you'll still be able to get in touch with me if you need to.

The temps up there for this week don't look too bad. 20's during the day, low teens at night.
What am I saying? That's fucking freezing!!!

Alrighty peeps, I'll miss y'all. I have a camera so I can post pics of snow and other weird stuff I come across.
Later days.

Posted by Kat at 11:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (9)

Fresh out of the shower, hair brushed but not done. No makeup. Ick. LOL

Go here for the weekly one, and click the button for the main page.

Posted by Kat at 11:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

"And by the time they took him, it was too late. To raise Peter and
Valentine in our faith. If you don't teach children when they're little, it's never really inside them. You have to hope they'll come to it later, on their own. It can't come from the parents, if you don't begin when they're little."
"Indoctrinating them."
"That's what parenting is," said Mrs. Wiggin. "Indoctrinating your
children in the social patterns that you want them to live by. The intellectuals have no qualms about using the schools to indoctrinate our children in their foolishness."*
[Orson Scott Card, Jan. 2001, "Shadow of the Hegemon")

*Emphasis mine.

*snort giggle snicker*

Posted by Kat at 9:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I'm always coming across new reads since being with PPP, and I figured I'd share them with all of you.

First we have My Thoughts, Ideas, and Ramblings who has made the jump from blogspot to her own domain and had, and still is, having some issues transplanting all her posts over. She'll get it eventually. It's a real pain that's why when I switched hosts, I didn't even bother. I had like 5 years of posts to move. No thanks...LOL

Next we have A day in the life of. She's a mom to a soldier in the army, a daughter, who is deployed to Iraq until October.
Best wishes she stays safe and comes home as soon as possible.
I support all our fine troops over there even if I don't support the whys of being there.

So go check them both out when you get a chance, they both have really nice blogs, good clean designs, and interesting posts.

Posted by Kat at 9:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Blogs with music that just loads when you open the page.
I encountered no less than 5 of these blogs last night and today.
What did I do when I realized that my browser was dragging due to auto-play music players?
I X'd them out.
I didn't read the blogs.
I didn't leave comments.
Auto start music players slow down browsers, even FireFox.
Sometimes, they even crash them.
So sorry I didn't read your blog and leave you a comment, my browser was hung up on your music player so I closed it out.

Posted by Kat at 4:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)

I have stress people, stress!
I really do understand that it's a really short visit and I wish it was longer so that everyone could have equal time, but it's just not possible.
I apologize that it's so short, one of these days we'll come up for 2 weeks, and everyone can have equal time with the boys.
It's very hard when you have 2 families who want to see them. You have no idea.
But complaining about it, makes Kat an unhappy girl. It makes me stress the fuck out.
I'm doing the best I can with the amount of time we have.
So please, chill out and be happy we are coming at all.
The cold weather is going to kill me, traveling is going to be hard. I know I'm going to be in pain because it hits 40 degrees here, and I'm doubling medication and using heating pads.
It's not gonna be easy for me to go everywhere, sleep in strange beds etc.
Chillax my families, we will spend as much time with everyone as we can. The boys are super excited and can't wait to see you. Please don't complain about the amount of time you get to see them. They just want to see you and hug you. They miss you, so don't make us feel bad ok? Thanks.

I got a message on myspace this morning from some guy named Joe.
I don't use myspace to find mating partners so stop trying.
It's really creepy.
So anyway, I get this message from Joe and I go check out his page.
um, dear lord, good god no Joe.
I sent him this message. I was already irritated, kind of stressed, so this is kinda mean but hey, I speak the truth.

Hello Joe,
I really hope you don't take this the wrong way, but
why oh why would you say this on your profile;

"Hello looking for friends And who knows And Some hot SEX would be good"

I understand the need to be honest, but there's such a thing as too much honesty Joe.
And to ask people if they like you?
Do we have a case of low self esteem Joe?
It's not an attractive quality.
And to advertise you're a pot smoker right off the bat, not super attractive either.
Some things should be for private discussions.
It's cool you want to legalize it and all, I'm all for that too, but it's not really a great intro into who you, Joe, really is.

My first impression of you just based on your page;
You are a very lonely 41 year old man with a drug problem and low self esteem hoping to get railed by a bunch of hot myspace sluts.
Good luck to you Joe.

______________
I need food. I have to pee too.

Posted by Kat at 11:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Grab the Scavenger Hunt code. Photo Theme. Join the blogroll. Visit participants.

My awesome cd player which plays all my mp3 cds I burn. I love having 4 hours of music on one cd. It would be sweet to have an ipod but until that day comes, this gets me by just fine.
Plus all my sterling silver rings (on my left hand). I love them.

Posted by Kat at 12:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (10)

First up we have J.E. at The Fire Pit. I love this design. Simple, yet elegant. I love love the colors.

And then Amy at Whatever I feel like.
Amy has the greatest sense of humor. It's dark, slightly snarky.
I like her design too, very simple and pretty.

Posted by Kat at 10:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Sis just stopped by and brought over the other suitcase we need. Sebastian and I are all packed, Mark is taking his sweet time.
I'm going to need to buy him some sweats when we are up there. He wore his jeans today to ride to the school to drop off his assignments for next week, it was 45 degrees this morning, and he called me on his way back to tell me he was freezing to death.
I laughed.
Yes, I was cold too, but if he thinks that's cold, just wait till we step out of the airport in NH.
Shell said it was like 10 degrees there this morning.
I'm so taking pictures of them when they step out, realize how cold it is, and their balls do a retreat up into their stomachs...LOL

Been talking to an old, old friend from high school on myspace. It has it's good points as well as bad.
She found me and couldn't believe it.
I'm going to attempt to make a couple of hours available to catch up with her.
I haven't seen Jenny since oh, 1990 I think? Long time.
It will be cool to catch up with her for a bit.
In a little bit here, I have to go to the store and get some batteries for my cd player and Sebastian's. I need music to fly with.

Ok, outta here for a bit.
Later days.

Posted by Kat at 3:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I love a good bargain and I love it even better when it has no limit.
If you shop at Target, you can go through Coupon Chief.com, and get 10% off with no limit.

Just go to the site linked above, and when you click on the Target 10% off, no minimum link, you will redirected to the Target site and you can buy as much or as little, big or small purchases, and the 10% will be automatically deducted when you checkout. That's awesome.
I have some things I've been wanting to pick up for some time. I need a new table lamp and some new sheets.
Also be on the look out for free shipping on select items.
You may be able to get your 10% off and free shipping.
W00t!

Coupon Chief has so many awesome deals to a ton of on line stores, I'm sure you'll b able to find a deal on something you need by shopping through their site.

This is a sponsored post.

Posted by Kat at 12:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I could have filed this under ex-bastard, but I decided to just make it general because I have so much to say, so many thoughts going through my head.

I asked my family and a few others who know I'm coming back this coming Monday for 1 week, to not say anything to the boys father.
They have no desire to see him.
They haven't received so much as an e-card wishing them a happy birthday in about 5 years.
They get no contact with him even if they initiate it. When he does respond, it's full of hate towards me and him saying in those emails that he doesn't believe it's one of them emailing him, he thinks it's me every single time.
The boys give up for awhile and then try again.
Mark has been sending him messages on myspace for awhile now, just general hi, how are you stuff, talking about how he's doing in school etc.
If he gets a reply back, it's nasty and the stuff I wrote above.

This morning Shell sent me an email asking if the boys even wanted to see him. I said no, they haven't even mentioned him other than to say if he shows up at great grams, they may punch him.
In her email was a link to his myspace which I have had for quite some time.
I look at it every now and then, he has pictures of all the boys half siblings on it. Ethan, Austin, Six, and Cameron.
For the longest time, there have been no pictures of Mark and Sebastian on it.
As of 3 weeks ago, there were none.
This morning there are 2 pictures. 1 of Mark from Georges' wedding almost 2 years ago, and 1 of Sebastian from about 3 years ago.
He got those pictures off of my photoblog which I haven't updated in forever.

The captions under Mark's pic says; "My son Mark Jr. I hope to see you again, I miss you!" and under Sebastian's; "My boy Sebastian, I hope you are well. I miss you!"

This bothers me more than I even know how to put into words.
For years, they have gotten nothing from him, no recognition, no calls, cards, presents, just nasty emails when they contact him.
Suddenly, he's decided he loves them?
Suddenly, he's decided to include them in his life?
These pictures just went up sometime within the last 3 weeks.
I'm starting to worry that someone told him we are coming back home and he's decided to play daddy of the decade and show up at Gram's house to pretend he loves them.

His last encounter with the boys was about 6 years ago, Mark was 8, and his words from his father cut him like a knife and still do to this day.
"I'm sorry I'm such a shitty father, my band is more important."

Part of me wants to protect them from any more harm he may do, I don't believe he's changed. I don't believe that he suddenly cares for them, or claims he's loved them all these years. If he had loved them, his words to them in emails should have reflected that don't you think?
Maybe those words instead of being all hateful and calling their mother (me) a bitch, should have been 'I'm proud of you son for doing so well in school, thanks for letting me know, thanks for letting me be part of your life. I love you'.
It's always hate filled emails or myspace messages. It's never, ever been love.

The other part of me wants him to show up so that his sons who are the same height as me, and built like football players, can stand face to face with the man who said those things to them so they can tell him exactly what they think of his new found love for them.
Part of me wants Sebastian to walk up to him and slap him across the face as hard as he did when Sebastian was 2, causing our entire family to be investigated by CPS, including his own sister and the boys aunt, Heather. He blamed it on his girlfriend at the time, then when they didn't believe that, he blamed his sister, then he blamed me.
He convinced little Mark to tell CPS Freddy Krueger did that.
Our lives were in CPS hell for weeks and to this day, he has never admitted it was him, just constantly shifting blame from one person to the next.

But I'm their mother, the one who has raised them, cared for them taught them, truly loved them, protected them. I want to protect them from any more hurt he could do.
If he shows up, I honestly don't know what I will do or say, but I know he angers me so much for hurting his children the way he has all these years, and I may yell and scream, and even throw in a punch myself.

I know, people can change, but he hasn't. I stay in contact with his sister, I know what he still does. I know he still uses people for money and places to live. He controls people still, throws tantrums when things don't go his way.
He's still a liar.
Just looking at his myspace page lets you know nothing has changed with him.
He was born on September 1st, 1971. That makes him 35. His page says he's 30.
Lies.

I fear that if he sees them, he will lie to them and tell them all the things any kid wants to hear, that they are loved, have always been loved, try to pull the wool over their eyes.
But they know the truth. They have his myspace saved to favorites on their computer. They read it, they know there has never been pictures of them on it, or mention of them on it, they know he lies about his age, they see the band is still #1 to him.

Sebastian doesn't ever even mention him, doesn't care about his father one way or the other. He's blank when it comes to "dad".
But Mark, Mark is angry, and filled with rage over his father.
He hates him.
I don't think any amount of ass kissing will fix the damage "daddy" has done to him.
To be ignored by him all of these years, is painful and biting. When I told Mark that if he wanted, we could contact dad while there, his reply was no.
He said if he sees him, he will hit him.
Anger and rage fills him up inside and I can't fix it.
I let him know that their pictures on now on his fathers page, and he laughed. Said; "Gee, how nice. I love you too dad", in a totally sarcastic way. He rolled his eyes and walked away.

If while at grams, he shows up, the boys have said they want to leave. They want me to get Heather to drive us back to Ninny and Pop Pops house. If she won't, to call Shell. They are home today so we can get the house ready, make sure all the pets have what they need, pack etc. We leave Sunday.
They have no desire to be anywhere near him and that is his fault.
I can't make them love him. I can't make them be polite to him. He has hurt them so badly, they don't want to know him regardless of him posting pics with text saying he loves and misses them.
It's way too little, way too late.

I did send him a polite message saying if he wanted more recent pics, to contact me. Those ones are so old. I doubt that he will and if he does, I am prepared for the same old lines, 'you fucking cunt, I hate you blah blah blah.'

I want this to be a happy trip for the boys, not one that makes them get angry like the last time we were home.
People always complain we don't come home enough. This is why. This is one of many reasons. Money and cold weather are the others.
I am their mother and it's my job to protect them from harm. If he sees them, I am afraid for them. I don't bring them back because of him. The last time, it took me 2 years to get Mark back to being a normal happy kid. He was so angry for all that time because he was hurting.
I can't let him be hurt again. He doesn't deserve it.

Posted by Kat at 11:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)

It's 45 degrees here this morning and I'm frozen. Brrr. Frozen.
Holy hell, that 20 and 10 degree shit is gonna kill me.
Ack!
I'm actually considering turning the heater on here this morning.
My fingers are absolutely frozen as I try to type this.
Totally my fault though.
Yesterday was one of those perfect weather days, so I opened up the kitchen window to let some fresh air in.
I left it open all night not realizing my house would be like the inside of a refrigerator this morning.
Brr. Ack.
And the boys came right back in after they went out, looking for their sweatshirts.
They were like oh my god mom it's so cold out.
Yeah it is son. Wait till Monday night. Hahahahah!

Posted by Kat at 8:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This weeks theme is recipes.

I am not a true southerner, but I still love fried chicken. In my attempt to still eat the things I love and not get fat(ter), this is the kind of friend chicken I make and the teens love this recipe.
It's called Southern style un-fried chicken. It's might tasty y'all.

1 broiler-fryer chicken (about 3-1/4 lb.), cut up
1/2 cup Kraft Light Ranch Reduced Fat Dressing
1 pkt. Shake N' bake Extra Crispy Seasoned Coating Mix

REMOVE skin from all chicken pieces except wings. Place chicken in resealable plastic bag. Pour dressing over chicken in bag. Seal bag, turning to coat all chicken pieces well. Refrigerate at least 30 min. to marinate.
PREHEAT oven to 400°F. Place contents of seasoning packet on plate. Remove chicken from bag, one piece at a time. Dip chicken in coating, turning to coat lightly. Arrange on baking sheet. Sprinkle any remaining coating from plate over chicken.
BAKE 40 to 45 min. or until cooked through (180°F).

Posted by Kat at 10:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

That is the description a grandmother gave the cops and ambulance about her now missing 14 year old granddaughter.

I was walking to 7-11 to get some quart sized freezer bags and got pulled over twice.
A cop, coming from the opposite direction, swerves over into my lane. I'm thinking time to go into the speech about I know there aren't any sidewalks officer, but where am I supposed to walk?
He asked me if I just ran away from home.
I'm all what?
How old are you?
36.
Oh, you're not her.
Who?
There's a missing 14 year old girl, she's hurt, have you seen her?
No, what is she wearing?
A blue shirt and pants.
Uh? hair color, pants color?
That's all I know.
Oh, uh, well if I see her, I'll call you.
Ok thanks.

I keep walking and up behind me, pulls an ambulance.
Miss? Miss? We need to talk to you.
Hi.
Did you just run away from your grandmothers house on Olympia street? Are you hurt?
I'm 36. I'm wearing a black shirt and black jeans and a flannel mens jacket. Do I fit the description of the 14 year old that is missing?
Oh, uh, yeah, we are just asking everybody.
I got pulled over by a cop a few minutes ago, he told me. I haven't seen her but if I do, I'll call. We really could use a better description of this girl. Doesn't the grandmother have any pictures of her?
No. All we know is she's bleeding and ran out of the house.

Wow.
So I'm walking back from 7-11 after spending way too much on quart sized freezer bags, and a firetruck is driving behind me really, really slow.
I turned around and they said, ok, not her and drove off.
What the hell?
There's a bleeding 14 year old girl wearing a blue shirt and pants, somewhere in Sarasota right now, but nobody knows what she looks like or where she may be headed, and nobody has any pictures of her.
That is entirely messed up.

Posted by Kat at 12:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

I woke up freaking out that it was Saturday and nothing was packed and the house wasn't clean.
It's Thursday right?
Ok.

I have actually been awake for hours and I couldn't even begin to tell you where the time went. I've been sitting here since I got up. I realized just now, it's 11am.
I lost 4 hours.
Interesting.
I really don't know how time flew by so fast. I don't even know what I was doing.
I do need to fold the laundry, start the house cleaning, go to the store, all kinds of stuff and here I am, losing time. Big chunks of time. I have a lot to do dammit. I can't be losing that much needed time to get everything done that I need to do before we leave.
Remind me to get a 10 day fish feeder too. Thanks.

Alrighty, stuff to do, later days.

Posted by Kat at 10:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I am getting sick of this.
Hopefully, the freezing cold air of Maine will wipe me out and I'll pass out every night at 8pm.
I am so wound up, I actually feel like going for a walk or cleaning the house but it's after midnight and the kids have to go to school in the morning.
This is really sucking.

Posted by Kat at 12:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Fuel my blog, which I've previously blogged about, is growing in leaps and bounds.
They now have over 400 blogs listed for free. That's right, free.
You "buy" a square for nothing, upload your pic, (avatar) add your url, and that's it.
Easy peasy baby!
But they are doing some cool new stuff, like a radio show where he will interview a blogger every week...live.
Coolness!
Press for him, press for your blog. Saweet!
Kevin has also been working with some major PR firms who will be bringing on board some pretty major websites.
He's not saying who yet, but it sounds big.
I love the idea of free advertising or your blogs. It's like search engine listings without all the work.
So if you haven't added your blog to fuelmyblog.com yet, why not? Get crackin'!

Posted by Kat at 4:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

1 quart ziploc bags.
I have to have those for the airport security.
Has anyone flown recently with the new liquids rule?
I need to know if I can take perfume with me.
I keep looking on the TSA site, and I guess I'm just not seeing it or something.
How has it been flying since the new security rules?
I know I have to take off my shoes, so I'm wearing my flip flops to fly in and packing my boots in my suitcase.
There is no way I can take them off and get them back on without a chair and 20 minutes to spare.
Flip flops it is!
When we get off the plane in New Hampshire and we wait for Shell to arrive, or if she's already there, everyone will just have to wait for me to put them on before I can go outside into the freezing coldness of New England.

We're starting to get antsy now. The boys have been counting down and are ready to just go now.
This whole trip is already starting to fill up with schedules, I honestly don't know how I'm going to do it all.
We have an actual count of 6 days to be there, 2 for traveling. That's not much time.
We have to fit in my parents, Gram and Heather, my brother and his kids are going to stop by 1 night, I'd like to be able to meet with Christine for at least lunch. I've known her for several years now through blogging, and it would be really nice to meet her in person.
Ack! Stress!
I know that Saturday the 3rd, is booked already. Shell and her hubby and son Michael, and the boys and I, are going snow tubing.
Ok, I'm not snow tubing. I'll be watching and taking pictures.
So here's what I'm thinking so far;
Monday arrive, stay with mom and dad till Wednesday, then go to Gram's for Wednesday night, visit with Heather at Gram's house all day Thursday, come back late Thursday afternoon.
Once back at mom and dad's, Mike can bring Helena and Mikey over to visit Thursday night or Friday night. Saturday, snow tubing.
See? Tight schedule.
I want to fit Christine in there somehow but I don't know how I'm going to do that.
Maybe Sunday for lunch somewhere?
And then we fly out Monday morning.
Sound like a plan?
There really isn't much time to do much else.

Posted by Kat at 3:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

This week's topic= "Who's your favorite role model and why?".

I'm going to be one of those cliche people.
My parents.
Lois and George didn't have a lot, they had what they needed, but most importantly, they had love to share.
They had their own son, Mike, but they still had room.
They took in foster kids like Frankie who stayed for awhile, and some others who got to go back home to their parents.
They took in Joey, and more foster kids.
Then they took in me.
They adopted both Joey and I.
But they still had room, still had love.
All the while I was growing up, the house was always full of children and pets.
You want a duck? Ok. We got a duck.
Frogs? Mice? Gerbils? Hamsters? Bunny rabbits? Cats? Dogs?
Ok.

Recently, I dealt with a woman who said my parents were poor and raised us badly.
They may not have had a lot of money, but they raised us in a house full of love and laughter.
They took great care to make sure we had everything we needed and tried hard to give us everything we wanted.
Dad would work 2 jobs to make holidays special, mom would make elaborate birthday cakes, and have parties with all of our friends over and invent crazy games that made everyone laugh and have fun.
Mom could feed a family of 8 on like $7.00. Amazing.

They are my role models because they taught us that love was more important than stuff.
Stuff is temporary happiness. Love is forever.

Posted by Kat at 8:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)

I've been showing the boys all kinds of cool movies from the 80's.
They have been totally loving it, but I need more to add to my queue.
They've seen all the back to the futures, Breakfast club, Sixteen Candles, Parenthood, and Christine.
I need more. they are loving them!
So tell me your fave 80's movies so I can add them to Netflix and they can watch them.

As for the $5.95, it was a total accident.
They showed me exactly what they were doing when it happened and they didn't even realize it was real money. In the game, you have money, you can buy stuff and they thought the button they pushed was for 595 gold coins or some crap. They didn't know it billed me.
I was able to get the charges reversed so it's all better now.

Posted by Kat at 10:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

The dog next door has been barking non-stop for about an hour, so I go into the kitchen where the side window is so I can see him from where he's tied up in the neighbors backyard.
I flip the kitchen curtain up and this is what I see.

No wonder he's been barking. LOL
Shahiro has been sitting in the window just staring at him, teasing him, for all that time. Hahaha! Stupid dog.

Posted by Kat at 11:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)

I have my debit cards set up to text me a daily balance report at 9am.
I know exactly how much was in there yesterday when we came home from the store.
The text alarm goes off, and it's $5.95 less than what it should be.
I log in to check my statement on line and see a subscription for $5.95. That's all it says.
I think somebody was on Runescape and bought something.
Their pc is the pc I bought them a membership to that game with, so it saved my info obviously.
But who said they could do that?
They were on that game all night until bedtime so I know that's where it came from.
Grrr.
Somebody gonna be feeling some pain when they get home.

Other than that, I'm doing laundry, digging out winter clothes to throw in the laundry, burning mp3 discs so that 3 hours will go quickly for me, and basically bored.
I gotta go start the roast too. ooops.

Posted by Kat at 10:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

We only have 1 week to get everything situated to go to Maine to visit the family, and there is so much to take care of.
I have to get the fish some of those week-long feeder tablets, and clean the tank.
Make sure sis has a key to the house so she can come feed the kitties after work.
Get out the suitcase and clean it off and out. I think I'm currently storing bed sheets in it.
Get another suitcase from sis for the boys to share.
Get all my paperwork and stuff ready for airport security.
That's going to be interesting.
I haven't flown yet with all of this hardware in, so I have no idea if I'm going to set off the metal detectors.
I have my card that says I might, I have my paperwork stating my disability so they don't put me in an exit row, and I'm going to print out a copy of my xrays so they can see exactly what is inside me if they don't feel like just taking my word for it.

I have to dig out all the warm clothes we have which isn't much. This is Florida. Winter here is only cold enough for sweatshirts.
I have a couple of sweaters, but I think all the boys have are sweatshirts.
Shell is trying to find some boots for the boys to wear, I have a pair so I'm all set with that.
They will need winter coats so she's working on that too.

So much to do. I'm not freaking out yet but I'm sure by the time Saturday rolls around, I'll be freaked out and running around like a chicken with my head cut off.

I have Mark's pre-excuse all set, he just needs to get it signed by all his teachers.
Sebastian's school called me back while we were out. Of course.
I didn't even leave the house until 2:30 and they called here at like 3:10pm.
Urgh. So now I have to try and do it again tomorrow.

Posted by Kat at 4:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I have a ton of important phone calls to make today so I will email everyone back later on, probably this evening.
I have to get the boys pre-excused for next week and other stuff, but that is really important.
I need them to be pre-excused and get it in writing that the school knows they will be absent.
A mother I know simply called the school to report her son would be absent for a week due to a family trip, and now she has to go to court. The school is denying the mother ever made the call and so now, it's truancy.
That's bullshit.
If I have to go up there to get it in writing, I will.
Gah.

Posted by Kat at 11:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

The boys are driving each other crazy, which in turn makes me crazy.
Fighting over what you ask?
Over the video game of course.
Why didn't you help me?
Tag me!
Why are you letting me die you jerk?!
I'm gonna kick your ass if you don't frag tag that guy and save me dammit!

I suppose it's not really arguing, more like really wound up over the video games graphic nature.
You have to kill aliens in it and apparently, one of them isn't doing a very good job.

It totally sucks having the game system in the living room sometimes, but I'm one of those parents who actually knows what game they are playing instead of handing them money to go buy one and then send them to a room with a closed door to play it.

Posted by Kat at 7:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Want the kids to pitch in and actually enjoy meatloaf?
Make it this way.

Take 1lb ground beef, (I use 1.5lbs because they are huge teenage boys)
1 package of Stove Top stuffing.
1 cup warm water.

In large mixing bowl, combine the beef, stuffing mix and water till well mixed.
The kids can do it, it's like playing in the mud, just make sure their hands are clean.

Get your muffin pans ready.
Yes, I said muffin pans.
Grease your pans (lightly) with Pam or whatever type you prefer.

After it's all mixed and your pans are ready, fill each muffin hole all the way up and over just slightly.
Take a teaspoon and make a small pocket or indent in the top of each one.
Add your toppings.
Toppings can be ketchup (mine), BBQ sauce, steak sauce, salsa etc. Whatever you and your family like.

Bake in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes. During the last 2-3 minutes of baking, you can add cheese to the tops if so desired.
Serve with your favorite sides and there ya go, a fun and family involved meal that suits everyones tastes.

Posted by Kat at 4:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Go here for the weekly one, and click the button for the main page.

Posted by Kat at 1:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

There's a lot of people talking about PR lately. PR is Google's page rank system and they just updated PR last week and the week before.
Some people's PR went up, others went down, and most people stayed the same.
A lot of people are just now figuring out what PR is and now they want to increase theirs. Mostly because for paying jobs, income for your blog, you need to have a good PR.
I've been blogging for almost 10 years, I've read up on it, studied my own stats, studied the stats of others, and watched what happens to blogs during PR updating.
Sometimes it ain't pretty.
So here is what I've personally witnessed and what I have done to increase my PR over the years and maintain it this year.

PR is the value of a website. The more incoming (most valuable) and outgoing links of importance a site has, the higher their PR is.
It's all about traffic. A really good site will have not only good content, but it will have the stats to match. Between stats and content, the site becomes important.

Your site needs to have good content to keep visitors coming back. We all have days, myself included, when all I did was make a damn sandwich or do my dishes, but for the most part, I am able to retain the visitors I get.
I don't always get a lot of comments, that's ok, because I know the people are still reading, still visiting.
I look at my reports once a week and know that on certain days, it drops, and certain days it goes up, but all in all, visitor retention is at 75%.
That's pretty damn good for a blog.

Javascripted blogrolls on your blogs sidebar do absolutely nothing for links for you other than make it easy for you to bloghop.
The site that carries and transmits your blogroll code, is getting those hits, not you. If you look at your stats, you'll see blogrolled hits, they start off with something like: http://blogrolling.com and the code to the other persons blogroll.
That code that brought them to your blog, is not a direct link from the higher ranked blog if it is higher ranked, it's a hit from blogrolling. To increase your PR, you need direct links, direct hits.

Try not to use coded carnival widgets etc. Those sites are getting your traffic hits!
Instead, post the carnival on your page, post your participants on your page. When other people want to post they've done theirs for the week, have them post it in your comments. Now, your site has all the links and their site will get direct links. No middle man stealing your hits. Those widget doohickies are awfully cool looking, but they are stealing your direct hits and links, which are important to your sites ranking.

My blogroll is on my site. In a fold away box so the bots can't even read it.
I surf from my google feed reader and open all the blog feeds in new tabs to read and leave comments on them.
By leaving comments on those blogs, I am directly linking my blog to theirs.

I link to other blogs in my posts and other blogs link me back.
Like last night for example.
Latte'girl wrote a post about me using a direct link to me.
I saw it in my stats, read the post, loved it and had to share and say thanks, that was awesome.
So I posted a quote from her post, linked to her blog, and then linked directly to her post about me.
That was one direct link for me, 2 direct links for her.
That's how you increase your incoming and outgoing links to help you increase your page rank.
Quality content with direct linking = another content rich post with direct linking back.

So anyway, there ya go. It's what I've noticed and figured out. I do what works and what doesn't.
But it truly boils down to content. Good content will get attention and links. It's a s simple as that.

Posted by Kat at 8:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Metal-head, rocker chick, party girl who didn't drink, verging on Goth who swears by black fashion, and with a mouth as foul as the garbage can down by the darkest harbour...

Lattégirl wrote up the best compliment I've ever gotten in my whole life.
You can go here to read the whole thing, but seriously, that made me have the biggest smile.

Thanks Girl, I'm still smiling.

Posted by Kat at 1:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The boys ended up not going with sis tonight. Her hubby ended up really sick and just needed to go to bed.
So I'm not alone after all. Yay!
I like my peace and quiet, I really do, but 1 hour after they've left the house, I feel all lonely and miss them.
Awwww.

I stole this M&M version of me from Jules.
You too can become an M&M here.

That's me and my headphones I always have on. My boots although I couldn't see a way to make them black like Jules did. Hrm. I could have just painted them while I was doing the print screen.
I couldn't figure out how to save it on the site, so I screen capped it and cropped it.
I should have painted the boots and gloves. Oh well.
I totally redid my M&M cuz I didn't really think it was a good one and I figured out how to change the boot and glove colors. So there. :p

Well it's official. We're going to Maine next Monday the 29th for 1 week. We'll be back home on the 5th.
Got a great deal on plane tix so we're off.
It's gonna be freezing cold up there man. I'm not looking forward to that, but it's been almost 6 years since we've been "home", it's time to go.
I will have net access so I'll be able to check in on emails and even blog from there.
Taking the camera and cord so I can even upload pics and stuff for you all to see the snow and stuffs.
I'll finally get to see all the drastic changes I've heard have happened in my small home town.
I'm not looking forward to that either.
It was a beautiful, laid back place to live and visit.
I hear they built like a ton of condos and other garbage.
My home town is not the type of town that needed that stuff. It had charm and that easy going thing working for itself.
I really feel that if they had just invested in cleaning up and fixing the downtown area, making new attractions for people to see, more tourists would have come.
Now they have all kinds of places for people to buy to live in, but nothing for them to do.

Listen to me, already bitching about it and I haven't even seen it.
I've heard enough about it to make me say this, I don't really need to wait and see if it all works out.

Ok, to maybe play Sims after I catch up on blogs and stuff.
Later days.

Posted by Kat at 8:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

My niece Susan came over to spend a few hours with us this afternoon while my sis works a bit. Skye stayed home with daddy, but Susan wanted to see us.
We've colored and eaten some pretzels, played with dolls, played outside and played some hoops as you can see.
Now we're having juice and watching the little mermaid.

Tonight, the boys are going back with sis to her house to babysit so sis and hubby can go out for the night.
I'll be all alone.
*sniffle*

Posted by Kat at 5:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

W00t! Day three of no sleeping correctly for me.
I didn't even get to nap today to try and make up for the lack of sleep last night. Every time I started to doze off, the phone rang, or a cat jumped on or off the couch to either lay with me or go investigating.

Cats are so funny when they do that. They hear the most minute sound and they go running to check it out.
The kitten especially. Shahiro has ears like a hawk has eyes.
The tiniest sound imaginable, she hears it and will run to whatever it was that made that sound.
She's been doing it all night. Running back and forth between rooms, looking at stuff, under beds, under my chair.
That part creeps me out. She will go under my office chair and be trying to 'catch' something.
Catch what?!
If it's any type of bug, she better catch it.
I don't provide her with a home, and food, and litter, for her to not do her job as the mighty hunter in this house.
Kali does her fair share of catching things. She likes lizards the most.
Nova doesn't do it all, and prefers to watch the other two cats chase, torture, and then mutilate whatever it was.
There is nothing grosser than waking up in the morning and finding a decapitated lizard head on the floor.
They eat the bodies, but apparently, the heads are too crunchy or something.
Eat it all dammit! I do not enjoy having to get tissue and scoop up lizard heads.
That's nasty.

I guess I'll try and sleep soon.
I don't have to be up early in the morning, but I know I will anyway. On nights like this, I know I'll be lucky if I sleep more than an hour or two.
Later days.

Oh yeah, I installed Nero again. The cd burner program that came with Ace is good, but it won't do mp3 discs which are my fave way to record music. Until I can get my hands on an ipod, I like a really full disc.
I love when I can burn 300 songs to a cd. It's hours of music to help me relax and attempt to sleep.
Tomorrow, I'll burn all the TOOL cds in mp3 format, to one single disc and then I can delete them from the pc.
I hate clutter on my puter. And he's new, so I want to keep him nice and clean.

One more thing, the boys and I may be going on vacation to Maine very, very soon. Not sure of the dates yet, I'll let you all know. I will have net access though so I can blog from there and check emails and stuff.
It's been a few years since our last trip home and the boys are dying to get back up there, and I know the grands will be happy to see them too.

Posted by Kat at 2:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Enter for your chance to die on film in an upcoming Rogue Pictures film.

Please read all the rules before entering. Only one entry per person will be accepted.

Beginning at 10:00 am (PST) on 1/5/07 and ending at 6:00 PM (PST) ON 2/28/07.

I so totally entered.

Posted by Kat at 11:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I had a migraine most of today that made me cranky and tired.
Nothing at all got rid of it, so I spent most of the day laying down on the couch with the cats watching soaps.
I dozed in and out and then people called me and woke me back up.

I don't know why some people still think I can fix the problems they are having. If you didn't listen to me the first 3 times I told you how to solve the problem, why should I bother telling you again how to fix the problem?
The answer to the problem is so simple and you know it is yet you refuse to do it. Why? I can't tell. It baffles me why you would keep that person around when you know they are the root cause of all the issues.
But whatever. Keep calling me, I'll keep telling you the same thing over and over until you actually do it.

One of my goals this year, which I don't think I blogged about, was to keep drama out of my life as much as possible. This means, you can come to me as much as you like, but it's not going to bring me back in the circle of games again.
I'm done playing. I quit the game ages ago.

I made Bruschetta chicken for dinner, the boys totally scarfed that up. They love that stuff. You should make it.

I think I'm gonna hop around the web for a bit, look at stuff, maybe post again later. I'm super tired though. I still have remnants of that migraine lingering.
Later days.

Posted by Kat at 8:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

One of the things a lot of people in the Southern-Fried Carnival talked about, was manners of people in the south.
Maybe other parts of the south people have manners, but they do not here, and it's not just the young people here who don't have any, it's the old people, the ones who should know better and actually demand respect.

Take for example the other day when the boys and I were walking to the grocery store.
We were on the sidewalk waking in a line, just the three of us. These two old ladies, ok older, mid to late 50's, maybe 60's, were behind us.
They sped up and were right on our heels huffing and puffing.
They were literally one pace behind Sebastian's steps.
They did not say excuse me so they could pass, oh no, they started to shove my son out of the way.
I grabbed him and pulled him out of their path, and they just kept going. No excuse me, no thank you for moving, no apology for shoving my son.
I yelled really loud after they had passed us but were just a few paces ahead of me; "Excuse you!"
They didn't flinch.

In the store, we are often shoved out of the way by grocery carts commandeered by oldies. They need that loaf of bread or gallon of milk. Now.

It always amazes me that people say manners are a thing of the past and it's the fault of young people today.
No it's not.
I have raised my sons to be polite, say please and thank you, hold doors open, let ladies go first, to say excuse me etc. It's the old people, the ones who know better, the ones who demand it, who have taken manners away.
They demand that people respect them and be polite to them.
You get what you put out.
If you're a disrespectful old codger with no manners, don't be shocked if people aren't being polite to you. You kind of deserve it.

My sons have held open doors for people, gotten them carts at the store, helped them get things off top shelves that their shortened old bodies can't reach, and not a one of them says thank you.
It baffles me.
Someone is being a genuinely nice human being and they can't even say thanks.
There's a reason the youth of today says screw you and gets on the bus before the old people, or doesn't say excuse me or thanks, it's because the people who demand that kind of respect and treatment, aren't giving it themselves.
They just think everyone owes them something simply because they are old.
I'm disabled myself, I have a right to sit in the front seats of the bus, use the motorized cart at the grocery store, park in the handicap spot. But I don't demand it. I don't think I'm entitled to be treated any differently than anyone else, but I do use my manners, I taught my sons manners, and it would be so nice if the old folks who demand it from us, could brush up on their manners themselves.

Posted by Kat at 9:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)

This weeks topic is, "What I love about living in the south."

I moved here to Florida from Maine 10 years ago this coming June.
Maine is a cold, frosty state, even in the summer.
The hottest I ever recall it getting was the year I was pregnant with Mark in 1991.
It stayed near 100 every single day that whole summer and here I was, gestating until August.
I was miserable that whole time.

But in 1997, the year I decided to move here, was a horrible winter.
Long freezing days, too much snow and ice on the ground to take 2 small toddlers anywhere. In order to just go to the grocery store, it required bundling up those 2 toddlers in layers upon layers of clothing, heavy socks, boots, mittens, snow suits.
I spent most of that winter trapped indoors, and I was also in a not very satisfying relationship.
When that relationship ended painfully in late May, I called my sister who had been living down here, and asked her if there was work. She said yes, and then we talked for hours about why I needed/wanted to move down here.

I needed a drastic change in my life. It had fallen apart at the seams. My relationship ended, my sons' father lived 8 blocks away and never saw them, didn't care too.
I packed up what we would need, their toys and clothes, favorite blankets and books, their collection of Disney movies, and my needed/wanted items.
I shipped all that stuff down here by UPS, and then had a yard sale to get rid of everything else so I had some money to start over with.
From phone call to move date, was less than 5 days.

Stepping off the plane was complete culture shock. The first 5 months, was culture shock. I was so out of place here. The kids just fit right in with their new daycare and friends, I had the hard time but I was determined to make it work.
I was determined to love it here.
And I do.
Almost 10 year later, I don't regret the move.
I love the weather even if paying FPL is like being robbed every single month.
It rains for 20 minutes and the sun comes back out. It doesn't snow. It doesn't get cold.
Some would argue with me that it does, but after living in Maine for 27 years, this is still t-shirt and shorts weather, even in the dead of "winter" and the weatherman tells us to bundle up because it's going to be a cold day out there.

I love the people here for the most part. The employees at my local Publix kick much butt, always smiling and happy to help.
I've ridden with the same cab company since I moved here and they all know our house and names by heart.

It took awhile for me to fit in here, but I do now, at least I think I do.
The boys have best friends they've known since we moved here, and they come spend the weekends with us.
We can go outside whenever we want without layering on clothes, we can play outdoors any day of the year.
I love living here in the south because it's mostly laid back and relaxed, kinda like Maine.
Just hotter.
That's ok with me.

Posted by Kat at 1:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (11)

Click for 800x600 bigger.

They are getting so big! I really don't get to see them enough at all. I see them maybe twice a month.
I miss my girls.

Skye is on the left, Susan is on the right. I love Susan's eyes. Big and expressive. She's talking up a storm these days, is fully potty trained now. I'm so proud of her.
Skye is coming along nicely too. She talks so much and is working on going potty. She knows when she has gone so that's the first step.
The weekend we babysat over Thanksgiving, it seemed like every 10 minutes, she was saying I got poop.
So damn funny.
They both love to sing and dance, and they love to play outside and run around.
I'm hoping I get to see them this weekend for a little bit. I keep feeling that they'll forget me if I don't see them more.
That's totally selfish I know, but I miss the babysitting them every day days when it was just me and them and I got to play all day long.
*sigh*

Edit* These are my nieces, not my daughters. They are the closest I get to having girls so I call them mine. :)

Posted by Kat at 9:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

I always have emails to answer. Stop sending me stuff!
Kidding. I love emails. I just get so behind answering them.
And ya know, this new medication isn't helping me any.
Ok, it is helping me pain wise, but it's seriously got me all messed up. It's gonna take a few days I guess to get adjusted to this.
I'm slurry. I just talked to my sister and she said I sound wasted.
I can hear myself slurring when I talk, I know it's probably making me do the drunken shuffle when I walk to.
I keep nodding off, like passing out.
I almost fell off the toilet this morning because I nodded off while peeing.
I was startled awake and was like whoa, go lay down chicka.
Within 20 minutes of taking my dosage, I get all slurry and stumbly.
Within 45 minutes, I'm nodding off.
Interesting.

Posted by Kat at 3:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

The other day I told you about getting Dr. Manny's book, The Checklist, in the mail.
Today on Rachel Ray, Dr. Manny will be a guest, so be sure to check that out if you're curious what the Checklist is all about. I can't find him listed as a guest on that show of hers, so maybe it's one of her cooking shows?
I am about 2 chapters in and it is a fascinating book. I'm learning so much.

Wanna see what I get to see and hear all day today?

I have absolutely no idea what exactly they are doing, but they were on the street all day yesterday too.
They've already walked across my lawn, checked out the teens basketball hoop which is by my front door, looked in my windows as they were looking at the hoop, they've thrown stuff all over my lawn. Not like tools of their trade either. Coffee cups from 7-11, wrappers from food.
If they keep trashing my lawn and getting too close to my personal belongings and looking in my windows, I'm gonna take pics of everything they are doing and call the city.
At least I think it's the city I should call. I have no idea. I don't see a single city logo on any vehicle.

Posted by Kat at 9:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

And that something is wrong for me to have to deal with two lying situations in such a few days.
I feel crazy myself!
I feel like, what the hell is going on here? Do I have target written on me this week?
So anyway, for my own sanity, and to show y'all I'm not fucking crazy here, here's the envelope from Mark's school. Please note the postmark. I'm not nuts y'all. I'm not a liar either. She did not mail it to me on the 11th.
I left the name of the bitch on the envelope. Yes, her name is Beth Sheets and if she ever hangs up on me again, I'll rip her damn head off.

Warning, this opens to 1024 wide.

Ok, I have a gazillion emails to get to, need to get rid of this migraine too.
Later days.

Posted by Kat at 8:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

My day has been kind of crappy.
Firstly, my neighbor owes me money and hasn't paid me yet she keeps asking me for things.
Not ok. Pay me what you owe me first and then we'll discuss any more loans.
I'd like my muffin and cake pans back too please.
Thanks.

As for the school.
I got a call this morning from the school counselor at Mark's school wondering why I haven't called her back to RSVP about a meeting she scheduled last week to discuss Mark's future.
This call was at about 10:30am.
I said what meeting. She then proceeded to tell me she mailed it out last week and that I obviously didn't care enough about my sons future to read the mail from the school.
What letter I asked.
She said she mailed me a letter on the 11th and she knows I received it and blah blah blah, started to get all huffy with me saying things like if I didn't want to be involved in my children's education, that I was doing them a huge disservice, and that Mark should have been doing so much better in school last year.
I said I know about last year, the school knows about last year, you all had a letter, every single teacher, and the principal, received a letter from me last January before I went in for surgery, explaining what was going to take place regarding my surgery. I even took full responsibility for them not excelling last year because of my surgery.
I just posted that last night telling all of you about their education and what happened.

She continued to berate me about it and kept asking if I was coming to the meeting. She didn't want to discuss anything with me, just wanted me to admit I got her letter and was blowing it off.
I kept telling her that I received no such letter and she kept insisting that I did, all the while her voice was steadily increasing in volume and tone.
Then she hung up on me.
I called her right back and told her off for hanging up on me and then told her to shove her meeting up her ass.

The mail came at 1pm today. Guess what was in it?
A letter from his school postmarked January 16th. Yesterday. The letter inside the envelope was written on the 11th, but the counselor never mailed it till yesterday.
Yeah, I blew off his education. Uh huh. Who was supposed to mail that letter out last week?
So I called her back and told her about that, and she got pissed off and called me a liar.
I have a damn good mind to go up to that school tomorrow with letter in hand, and shove it up her ass for calling me a liar.
What is it with people doing this kind of shit this week?
I called a different counselor and informed them of how I was treated on the phone and about the letter.
That counselor apologized, and is going to call me back to reschedule a meeting with her instead of queen psycho counselor.
I have no problem having meetings to talk about their future, but don't lay blame at my feet for not mailing stuff out on time.
Stupid people.

Then I laid on the couch and drifted in and out of consciousness thanks to the new pain meds.
Now I'm making oven fried chicken for diner and am probably just going to chill for the rest of the night.
Hopefully.

Posted by Kat at 5:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

I hate being bored, I have to stay busy or I will fall asleep.
The new meds doc gave me on Monday, yeah, they work. They also cause me to nod off when just sitting here bored.
I'm sure my body will get used to them, they are much stronger than the last ones, so I need to adjust to them before I can start doing things the pill bottle considers dangerous. Like operating a dangerous machine. I think the most dangerous machine in the house is the electric knife and I haven't used it in about 3 years or more.
When I did use it, I used it to cut through one of those giant 3 wick candles.

So, off to stay busy with dishes and laundry and planning tonights meal.
We had the best enchiladas ever, again last night. MMmmm so tasty. I'm thinking oven friend chicken tonight.

Posted by Kat at 8:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

This weeks topic = "How I will be a better parent in 07".

I have committed myself to being more active in their educations.
Most of 2006 was so hectic for me and them with school.
Starting in December of 2005, I was beginning to get ready for surgery. It seems that every day of the week from that December right through till February 8th, I was doing something to get ready for my surgery.
I wasn't home when they came home from school and when I would come home, I would be exhausted from having to donate my own blood, or from driving to appointments which took most of the day.
Then I had the surgery in February and spent from the 26th of that month, and the next several months, recuperating.
I was heavily medicated and they were taking care of me.

Between all of that stuff, school sort of took a backseat.
they were going and maintaining their grades. Not improving, simply maintaining.
By the time I came out of my heavy narcotic fog, school was over for the 2006 year.
I made a commitment to them and myself this year, the 2006-2007 school year, that school was going to be our family priority.
The first quarter was a bit rough, always is. They get 3 months off for summer vacation and then head back in with a ton of new classes and teachers. First quarter is always hard.
The second quarter grades just came home today, and they both made major improvements over first quarter.

We all have been working really hard so far in the new third quarter already to make sure that homework gets done, projects, classes are attended on time, notes are being taken. I make sure they have all the needed supplies for school.
Mark had a list of things he needed to start off his third quarter with when he went back to school on January third for his block scheduled classes. I made sure he got everything he needed.

I want them to be successful in school so they can be successful in careers.
We talk about college and career options all the time. They are setting goals for after high school, finally, after years of saying they didn't know what they wanted to do.
So that's how I'm going to be a better mom in '07. I am going to help them be better, and do better, in school so they can be better later in life.

Posted by Kat at 4:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

I went for my daily walk and saw this affixed to a telephone pole.
Click for bigger.

Posted by Kat at 12:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

I've come so very far from where I was in my pre-surgery days, it's hard to believe.
I was in agonizing pain in my entire back, hips, and left leg, 24/7. My quality of life had diminished so much, I stopped leaving the house.
I was discouraged with every single doctor I met because while they all said you need fixing, none of them would get to fixing.
Doc M changed all of that in just a few short minutes of meeting him. My life changed at that very moment. I had hope for freedom from my pain for the first time in 5 years.
I came home that day and cried out of frustration and out of relief.
I still cry because I am so grateful for what he did for me, I get overwhelmed.

Those first few weeks and months after surgery, were some of the most difficult times of my life. Not just for me, but for my sons.
I had been the caregiver, the cook, the washer, dryer, cleaner, provider, helper, all their lives. Suddenly, they were thrust in all those positions and did so well under amazing stress and fear.
It wasn't until after I was well into my recovery and doing everything on my own again, that they both admitted how terrified they were that whole time. They were scared that the surgery wasn't going to be successful and that I'd end up in a wheelchair, or have other problems that prevented me from being super mom again.
They never said a word while they helped me in and out of bed, cooked for all of us, did laundry and cleaned the house, all the while still attending school and keeping their grades at an even keel.

I can do almost everything I could do pre-surgery. I still have the worst time with my left sock and shoe. Sandals have become my best friends ever. That's one of the major bennies of living here in Florida, I don't have to layer on socks and boots. I can go in sandals all the time.
I still have weight restrictions and that's ok. I still have some small issues picking things up from the floor, but all in all, things are going great. I have some pain days here and there that put me in bed, but it really is nothing like the pre-surgery pain at all.
I know I talk about the pre-surgery pain a lot, and I wish I could explain it so that you would know how much better this is now, but I can't find the words to get it across to you, that there were many days pre-surgery, I considered ending my life because I couldn't take the pain anymore. I also often thought of hacking off my left leg.
I thought removing the leg right at the pelvis/hip joint, and letting all those pinched and squished nerves, free, that the pain would go away. I didn't even give one thought that I wouldn't have a leg anymore. I just wanted the pain to stop. I had a doctor tell me I might lose that leg because it was turning purple so often from lack of blood flow, why not just hack it off?
It made total sense in my head.

Today is so much better, and I know tomorrow will be even better.
I made a bunch of calls this morning to get all my deductible and copay stuff sorted out, figured out my part D copays by calling them as well, confirmed some crucial employment information and started to read a new book that came in the mail yesterday all on less than 1 hour of sleep.

I received a copy of Dr. Manny Alvarez' new book, The Checklist, to read and review if I chose. They actually said I could read it, give it away, whatever. I love people with a sense of humor.
Anyway, I started reading it last night, (it came yesterday while I was dealing with health issues. ironic) and I was like hey, it's in plan English, this 'clicks', makes sense.
I will read the whole thing and do a review as a way to say thanks for the book.*

I've really rambled long enough, it's what happens when I get less than an hour of sleep all night.
Oh well.
Later days.

*I love the perks of blogging. ;)

Posted by Kat at 9:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

you can't sleep?
I go through this far too often. I have at least 3 days a week where I have insomnia and I really am starting to believe it's all anger/stress related.
Like if I have a super bad stressed out day like I did today, then I can't sleep even though I'm completely exhausted.

Posted by Kat at 2:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I was blog of the day on Fuel My Blog. Thanks Kevin!

Stop by and say hello to Doris. She lives in new Zealand and does a bit of traveling, business, and cute baby posts. I love cute babies!

And for my Florida readers, please go sign this petition.
Ban Sex Offenders Who Are Parents From Coming To Florida Schools.
I completely agree with the petition starter.
I don't care if they are a parent, if they are a registered sex offender, they have absolutely no business inside, or near a school.

I need to go chill now.
Later days.

Posted by Kat at 6:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Let's do all the bad stuff ok?
Ok!

Snotty fucking medical office workers need to learn how to be honest with patients in front of their office managers.
That little weasel, lied to her office manager making me look like a liar.
Here's what happened.
On Friday at 3:30pm, Joann from the PMDs office, (Pain Management Docs) called me to remind me of my appointment today at 1pm.
This is precisely how that call went.
Me: Hello?
Joann: Hi, is this Kathleen Cooper?
Me: Yes.
Joann: Hi! This is Joann from PMDs office, I am calling to confirm your appointment on Monday January 15th at 1pm.
Me: Yup, thanks, I'll see you then.
Joann: Great, have a nice weekend!

Today, Joann tells me I have to pay a copay today because Medicare said so.
Me: Well I would be happy to pay that had I known about it, but I just paid all my bills and don't have that right now.
Joann: Well then PMD can't see you today.
Office manager: Ma'am, is there a problem I can help you with?
Me: I didn't know I had a copay today and Joan is telling me if I don't pay it, I can't be seen. I have waited a month for this appointment, just took the bus all the way here and now, I have to turn around and go home because I didn't know?
Joann: I did tell her when I called her Friday that she had a copay.
Me: No you didn't.
Joann: Yes I did.
Me: Really? What time did you call me?
Joann: I called you at 1pm on Friday, confirmed your appointment and told you your copay and deductible was going to be $119.00 and to make sure you brought that with you.
Me: Joann, you called me at 3:30pm and confirmed the appointment. You made no mention of a copay. If you had, I would have blown off the phone bill and water bill so I could pay it today and I would have paid those later.
Joann: I did tell you.
Me: No. You. Did. Not. Do not sit here and lie to cover your ass. You called after my kids came home from school Friday. They get out of school at 3pm. And Joann, you did not tell me I had to pay that.
Joann: Yes I did.
Me: For fucks sake Joann, I'm not an idiot. Stop lying and admit you made a mistake.
Office manager: Ma'am, she did tell you. Can you pay that or do we need to reschedule? We've turned away 7 other people for the same reason today.
Me: Are you people calling your patients liars to cover your butts right now? Your staff fucked up, she needs to admit that.
Office manager: Can you pay that?
Me: Can she admit that she lied about the time and the copay please?
Office manager: Do we need to reschedule?
Me: One fucking minute. Joann, you are a liar. *Step outside, make a call and get money.*
Me: Here ya go, here's the money. Now, can Joann admit she made a mistake?
Joann: I am not lying.
Me: You are pathetic.
Office manager: Please have a seat and fill these out.
*See PMD. While I am in the little room, I hear all the office staff at the desk asking what the yelling was about. Office manager tells them that I called Joann a liar about informing me of the copay. They all said and I quote; "Are we supposed to tell them they have a copay due before they are seen? We haven't been doing that when we call to confirm appointments." Office manager tells them to keep their voices down.

*sigh* I knew I wasn't crazy. Joann did not tell me, and hearing all the rest of them admit they haven't been telling people, confirms I am not the liar. That bitch lied to cover her ass.
All 7 of those other people had not been told and were turned away. They had no one to call for money help to pay their copays.

After I see PMD and he writes new script to try, I get copay/deductible shit in writing from office manager because Joann is a fuck up. Get new appointment for March and leave*

Then, I waited 45 minutes for the bus home. Stop at Walgreen's where they were obviously sucking much ass today too.
Other customers were yelling at them as I walked up.
I hand over my script, wait 30 minutes for it, and then go get Mark the 3 ring binder he needs for his new classes, and walk home.
Sebastian had come down to meet me at Walgreen's so I didn't have to walk home alone.

I am frigging pissed off still. They have not been informing patients of the new Medicare policy, and Medicare has not sent out patients the new rules for it obviously. 7 other people had the same problem I did today. All those people yelling at Walgreen's, were probably having the same copay issue as well. Knowing how Medicare works, I'll probably get that letter informing me of the new policy next month if I get it at all. The only thing I have ever gotten from them is the card. No letter explaining copays and deductibles or how much, nothing.
Our problems we faced today were not our fault. We are not liars or trying to get away with something, we don't know about the new policies for 2007 because Medicare hasn't sent them to us and doctors offices are not telling us when they call to confirm appointments.
I don't appreciate being treated that way by an office full of 18 month medical assistant college graduates who bob their heads back and forth at me while their big gold hoop earrings sway back and forth and waving their mile long fake nails at me.
They lied. They did not tell patients about it, but then have the nerve to call us the liars.
And yes, I did swear at them like that. They fucking deserved it.

Posted by Kat at 3:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

Pic #92.jpg
Originally uploaded by onecattykat.

Posted by Kat at 1:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I now need a shower and to get ready to go to the PMD.
I will do the link stuff and answer emails later in the day.
Busy day for e here.

Posted by Kat at 10:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

It's MLk day. Why did I think it was in February?
Dunno.

Been watching You're the one that I want, on NBC tonight. It's kinda interesting. I actually feel bad for the ones who are getting rejected, but man, some of them are so off key it hurts my ears.
There's that one blond guy auditioning for Danny who looks like Harry Connick Jr. Kinda hot.
And oh my god, what a bitch! The one chick who broke up with her boyfriend because he got in and she didn't.
Oh well, time for Desperate Housewives.

Later days.

Posted by Kat at 8:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

watching The Others again.
I mentioned it in another post the other day regarding M. Night. I had mistakenly identified him as the director thanks to Amazon grouping all that genre of movies together.
I usually spend my Sunday afternoons cuddled up with Kali on the couch watching movies so today I thought to myself, I haven't watched that one in ages, so why not?
Even though Kali slowly forced her furry body to take over the majority of the couch, I was nice and toasty warm under my blanket and her fur, watching it in the dark.
Volume on full blast so I could hear all those silent whispers.
It's an interesting movie, slow paced, dark, odd.
I especially love the little girl Ann. She's wonderfully creepy.

I need to go make diner now, spaghetti, then finish my shopping list for tomorrow, and go over my schedule.
Busy day for me.
I'll actually be leaving the house. Grocery shopping and then PMD (Pain management doc) in the afternoon.
I think the boys have it off too, need to check that.
Later days.

Oh yeah, when a blog carnival thingy changes the day of the week it's going to do it's thing, it would be fabulous if they sent out an email letting you know that. I mean, why did I sign up for the email list if it's not going to be used?

Posted by Kat at 6:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

^Click it.^
I have no belief in the father, the son, or the holy spirit. I am not afraid.

Posted by Kat at 10:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Ok, it's my first, but it's the second week.

Go here for the weekly one, and click the button for the main page.

Posted by Kat at 8:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (9)

I'm not much into hip hop and rap, I actually can't stand mainstream rap where it's all gang banging and glorifying drug using and selling, degrading women etc.
But here's an Iraqi war veteran who raps about Atheism and politics.
Damn good stuff Greydon Square.
Also check out his website.

No God Blog.

Posted by Kat at 12:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The first one I want to show you all, is one that isn't getting much talk. I hope that changes, it looks wicked interesting, and the opening theme is hot, addicting, dirty south hot.
Black Snake Moan.
Samuel L. Jackson, Christina Ricci. Go watch that trailer and read the synopsis. It looks wicked interesting.

300 looks kick ass. I want to go see this badly.

Harry Potter of course.

And lastly, The Astronaut Farmer. This looks like such a good family type movie.

If you feel like it, tell me what trailers or movies, I need to check out.

Posted by Kat at 9:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I took a shower.
In the last 2 hours, I started a load of laundry.
In the last 2 hours, I ate something.
In the last 2 hours, I made the boys stop playing video games.
In the last 2 hours, I yelled because they were fighting.
In the last 2 hours, Shahiro watched me take a shower and sat on the side of the tub.
In the last 2 hours, I decided what's for dinner.
In the last 2 hours, I broke a nail.
In the last 2 hours, that upset me a bit.
In the last 2 hours, I read all my emails but didn't reply to any.
In the last 2 hours, I took all my medications again.
In the last 2 hours, I wanted to play Sims but didn't because I was aggravated.
In the last 2 hours, I debated cutting my hair.
In the last 2 hours, I decided against that.

Posted by Kat at 3:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Mikey went home.
In the last hour, Kali gacked on the rug.
In the last hour, Mark awoke and went back to sleep.
In the last hour, Sebastian complained and his cat nuzzled up against him.
In the last hour, I laughed and shed a tear.
In the last hour, I listened to some favorite songs.
In the last hour, I debated doing the dishes.
In the last hour, I didn't do them.
In the last hour, I drank 1 can of diet Pepsi.
In the last hour, I did not eat any breakfast.
In the last hour, I watched some stupid kid show about a blue dragon that yodels.
In the last hour, I took all my medications.
In the last hour, I was still tired.
In the last hour, I wanted to go back to bed.

Posted by Kat at 11:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Grab the Scavenger Hunt code. Photo Theme. Join the blogroll. Visit participants.

Posted by Kat at 8:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Posted by Kat at 11:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Y'all need to go here and click my pic.
Annnnd go!

Posted by Kat at 9:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

The boys and I just got done watching Lady in the Water.
It was interesting.
Not one of M. Nights best movies in my opinion.
I really thought that The Sixth Sense was his best movie.**

Lady is interesting. It's kind of a charming movie in that fairy tale sort of way.
It's the story of an apartment building superintendent Cleveland Heep (Giamatti) who rescues what he thinks is a young woman from the pool he maintains. When he discovers that she is actually a character from a bedtime story who is trying to make the journey back to her home, he works with his tenants to protect his new friend from the creatures that are determined to keep her in our world.*

M. Night actually is in this whole movie a lot which kind of takes away the uniqueness of him only having cameos in his movies.

Anyway, we liked it. It passed a few hours. Not a movie I would buy, but enjoyable just the same.

*Credit to Amazon for the synopsis.

**Edited. I thought the others was his because when I amazoned his name, it came up in the list.

Posted by Kat at 5:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

There's a new blog carnival out there called Southern-Fried Carnival.

It's a carnival to celebrate all the things we love about living in the south.

This carnival will celebrate our wonderful southern bloggers. If you live Texas or eastward, Virginia or southward, I want to hear from you. If you were a southerner, and have since moved, you can still play. If you are a transplant who plans to stay, you are also welcome.

Posted by Kat at 12:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

1. Do you like the looks and content of your blog?
I do. I think my content is a complete representation of me at all times. Even the sponsored posts are completely me. I don't do any that would compromise myself, or my integrity.

2. Does your family know about your blog?
Yup. Mom and dad read me a few times a day.

3. Can you tell your friends about your blog?
Yes. Of course some of them have no idea what a blog is until they get here.

4. Do you just read the blogs of those who comment on your blog?
I really do try to read the blogs of everyone who stops by here. I always reply to comments and emails. It just takes me a bit sometimes to get back to everyone. I also read a lot of blogs of people who don't.

5. Did your blog positively affect your mind?
Yes. Sometimes there are negative things written on it, but negative things sometimes happen.

6. What does the number of visitors to your blog mean?
I'm far more interested in where they come from. The numbers don't really mean much, but I do enjoy seeing all the countries people are from.

7. Do you imagine what other bloggers look like?
Of course, curiosity is natural, but a lot of people post pics of themselves.

8. Do you think blogging has any real benefit?
Absolutely. There's such a variety of blogs out there and I'm sure they benefit the readers in some way. For me, it's my outlet, my place to communicate with others.

9. Do you think that the blogosphere is a stand alone community separated from the real world?
No. Blogs are so mainstream now. They are on every news website, reporters blog now! They are in newspaper columns, magazines, everywhere. We are everywhere.

10. Do some political blogs scare you? Do you avoid them?
Scare me? No. The extreme ones upset me but not scare me. I don't avoid them, but I certainly don't go seeking them out.

11. Do you think criticizing your blog is useful?
Constructive criticism is always welcomed, and I try to be constructive back with other bloggers.
But I think it's a complete waste of my time and theirs, for the negative nellies who are not trashing your blog, but you. Go get a hobby loser.

12. Have you ever thought what would happen to your blog in case you died?
Yes! I have in place an emergency blogging system (EBS). I have several friends with all the log in information, and my sister has it as well. If I die, it will get blogged...LOL

13. Which blogger has had the greatest impression on you?
I think every blogger I stay in constant contact with, has made an impression on me. I appreciate all of them.

14. Which blogger do you think is the most similar to you?
Kim. LOL!

15. Name a song you want to listen to.
I have a bunch of music I haven't listened to yet. Thanks for reminding me to burn those to disc.

Posted by Kat at 8:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I can't explain it, maybe it's the look on the bunny's face when he realizes he's been caught on hidden camera as he and his little bunny friends attack a man.

Whatcha think?

Bunny attack

Posted by Kat at 7:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

If I got a Pink Nintendo DS Lite, Sebastian would possibly love me more than he already does.
He's been wanting one since they hit the market and I just could never afford one.
He may not dig the pink, but he'd surely be digging it just the same.
I'd be the coolest, hippest mom ever!
Heck! It might even get him to clean his room and finish his dinner!

Posted by Kat at 5:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I was going through my stats this morning and I spotted this from the Orlando Sentinel. Orlando Sentinel Parenting blog.
I'm on a very short list of blogs they like.
Thank you. I'm honored.

Posted by Kat at 1:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

It's annual delurking time. That means, if you stop by here, you have to leave me a comment.
I went by every single blog on my roll last night and left comments when I couldn't sleep.
It's your turn.
Annnd, go!

Posted by Kat at 11:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (17)

I really did. I was going to get up with the boys of course, then sleep again only until 8am, then get up and start cleaning, take a shower and do all kinds of other stuff.
I had things to do man!
Then insomnia struck.
I was wide awake and unable to close my eyes until 5am.
The boys get up at 5:45.
Ugh.
So they left and I slept until 8:30.
That's not a lot of time to sleep at all.
I'm gonna be dragging butt all day and none of what I wanted to do is going to get done at all.
That kinda sucks.
I'm thinking it was the anticipation of all that I had to do, like I psyched myself up for everything, and so my body and mind were all hey, ho, let's go! (Ramones reference. I do not consider myself a ho thankyouverymuch)

But I am going to attempt to do at least half of what I had planned anyway. Things must get done!
I just wish I didn't feel like passing out now. *sigh*

Posted by Kat at 9:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I have wicked insomnia again so I figure I'll take this time to answer emails, (Kim) and do all the blog hopping I've missed the last few days.

In site/blogging/google news, something really weird is up with the google page rank system tonight.
Just a few short hours ago, blogs who had PR's of 7 are now 0's.
Interesting.
I'm not sure what it means, I hear the next PR update isn't until February, so maybe it's just down for the night on certain servers or something?
Who knows.
I'm not totally freaked out about it because I know if Tony Pierce's blog dropped from a PR7 to a 0 in just a few short hours, something is seriously wrong with the system. That man gets more hits and traffic than practically anybody else on the net.
Something is afoot.
Somebody call Scooby and the gang to try and figure it out. Those meddling kids will find the answer to just about anything.

ok, off to answer all my emails and blog surf. Wish I could sleep though. This is going to be a really rough day if I can't get a few Zzzzs in at some point.
Later days.

Posted by Kat at 2:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

This is probably going to sound really stupid to all the girly girls out there, but tonight, I heard of the foundation brush for the first time in my life.
I'm not a huge makeup wearer to begin with, a little foundation, some pressed powder, eye liner and lip gloss or lipstick.
I hate mascara, it and my contacts, just have never gotten along.

But back to the foundation brush.
I was like wtf is that?
All these girls ranting and raving about how much they love their MAC ones, and once they started using it, they have never gone back to their fingers or a sponge.
So off I go to investigate the foundation brush.
It makes sense I guess.
No wonder all those girls look flawless all the time.
So I'm gonna pick one up, not the one in the link because sorry, $25-$40 for a makeup brush is uh, not in my budget.
I'll find a cheap one and try it out.
I'll see if I've been missing out on a super dee duper makeup trick that other women have been hording all these years.
Damn scandalous womens. Can't trust 'em within inches I tell ya!

Posted by Kat at 12:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)

I am making an official statement regarding this issue.

My offer for a refund has been rescinded. My jewelry website clearly states, no refunds.
It does say lifetime repairs are free.
I attempted to do that with this woman.
I had mail issues which I have taken full responsibility for.
I made good on it and sent the pieces back priority mail with delivery confirmation inside my own home state.
The package was confirmed delivered one month ago.
It took the woman all that time to not contact me, but a friend of mine when she had ample ways to reach me.
I offered to refund her and told her to contact me yesterday.
I told her again today at 1:55pm to contact me ASAP and I would refund the money.
I know she has received those messages.
She has chosen to ignore me and post publicly that I am a shady business woman.

I believe I have treated all my customers fairly in the time that I have been doing business and kept good on my word to make repairs for free. I had one customer mail me the same two bracelets three times because they did not fit her daughters right and I finally got them right. I had not been at jewelry making very long when that happened and so I took that as a learning experience.
I have had repeat customers as well, so I know I am good at what I do.

I have been on medical leave from my business since about one month before surgery, and I am sill on medical leave as it is still not possible for me to sit and make the pieces as I would like to.
I agreed to repair her pieces during this time regardless of how I was feeling.
I believe she simply does not want this resolved.

I am posting this publicly because this affects me and my business.
I am not a shady business woman. I tried repeatedly to resolve this to the customers satisfaction and have been ignored.
There is nothing more I can do.
I am standing by my original policy of no refunds because I know in my heart that I have tried to resolve this to make everyone happy and it simply cannot be done.

When I get the go ahead from my surgeon to resume prolonged sitting activities, hopefully next month when I see him, I plan on getting back to making more jewelry.
I hope that this incident does not turn people away from my business.
I really have tried to make good even by going against my own policy on refunds, which has been in place since I started it.
I feel bad that the situation cannot be resolved, but I know that I tried.

Thank you.

Posted by Kat at 9:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

TV's 'Lily Munster' Yvonne De Carlo Dies At 84

(CBS) LOS ANGELES Yvonne De Carlo, the beautiful star who played Moses' wife in "The Ten Commandments" but achieved her greatest popularity on TV's slapstick comedy "The Munsters," has died. She was 84.

De Carlo died of natural causes Monday at the Motion Picture & Television facility in suburban Woodland Hills, longtime friend and television producer Kevin Burns said Wednesday.

De Carlo, whose shapely figure helped launch her career in B-movie desert adventures and Westerns, rose to more important roles in the 1950s. Later, she had a key role in a landmark Broadway musical, Stephen Sondheim's "Follies."

But for TV viewers, she will always be known as Lily Munster in the 1964-1966 horror movie spoof "The Munsters." In the mid-1960's the Canadian born actress co-starred with Fred Gwynne in the series that told the story of a decidedly unconventional family living at 1313 Mockingbird Lane.

To me, Lily was my first view of the "outside the norm" mother.
She raised her kids her way with that big oaf of a husband Herman, by her side.
Her kids were happy and well adjusted despite the obvious differences in their family and others.
She was classy and graceful.

Anyway, Yvonne, rest in peace cool mom. You made it ok for the rest of us to be who we are today even if you were just a tv character.

Posted by Kat at 8:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

and other household goods, so I snapped a pic of my duct taped mailbox on my way out.
I whited out our house numbers but yup, this is my box...LOL

Click for biggie for laughs.

I need to go eat my honey mustard chicken sandwich now because once again, I didn't eat all day.
Between not eating and stress from psycho people, it's no wonder my stomach is trashed today.

Posted by Kat at 4:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

So I log in to that forum I spoke of yesterday where a friend of mine received a message about the bracelet fiasco.
I see the woman with the fake name has visited my profile yet again.
I log in to the other forum that she is a member of, where I met her basically, and see this shit;

What do you do if you deal with an individual that has their own little business. They are it... no one else... and you feel you have been given the shaft more for personal reasons than business ones?

I am supposedly getting a refund for my time and trouble but I have a feeling it will get "lost in the mail" just like my merchandise did. I don't have a good relationship with this person.. well never did but we use to be at least civil and they do good work. I feel like I'm being lied to (they call me paranoid but wtf do they expect).

I don't want to trash this person... they do do good work... but I think others should be warned what could happen if they deal with them. How do I go about that w/o starting controversy and drama?

Well for starters, you could contact that person directly instead of going to a friend of theirs who knows absolutely nothing about the business at all.

This deals with me and my jewelry business. I mailed the bracelets out with delivery confirmation. The PO confirmed delivery. I have agreed to refund the price in full but you refused to contact me either on here, through email, or the other place that you sent my friend a message.

That was so wrong. You involved someone who knew nothing at all about my business, nothing at all about my business dealings with you.
It was in short, immature.
This issue has been ongoing for 2 months and you did not contact me in any way to tell me you did not receive them. I assumed you had because I had not heard from you for weeks. If you had contacted me, I could have told you the PO confirmed delivery and then started the refund process because you are unsatisfied.

Hotbox me your paypal email address and I will refund the price of all 3 bracelets right now.
What was it? $50-$60?
Tell me what you paid and I will refund ASAP.
I cannot do anything else other than refund the money. The PO confirmed the delivery.

Am I in the wrong here? I sent her a message telling her I would refund her, she still hasn't contacted me. What the fuck else am I supposed to do to satisfy her at this point?

Posted by Kat at 2:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

I couldn't fix my mailbox. I didn't have any nails or screws long enough, no new wood piece big enough, and the mailbox itself is quite fux0red.
I called the land man a few days ago, Sunday I believe, he said he'd be over to take care of it.
Well he hasn't been here.
This means that I have not gotten any mail since Friday's delivery.
Not that I get a ton of really important mail, but hey, I like my mail.
So I just went outside with my handy dandy roll of duct tape and duct taped that sucker back onto the post.
Yes I did.
I am not taking a pic of it unless people insist on seeing how much living in Florida has changed this Mainer into a complete redneck.
Trust me, I really did duct tape it to the post. Three times around, front end and back end.
Damn thuggers even knocked off my little red "I have mail for you mail man" flag.

They will be injured if I catch them in the act.

Posted by Kat at 12:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

It is a very brisk 49 degrees here this morning as I took my daily walk.
Bad idea.
The walk.
My bones are now creaking and achy, my muscles are tight as hell. Owie.
So I'm probably gonna be doing one of my off and on days. On the couch, off the computer.
I'll be back around later on once I warm up and feel better.
Later days.

P.S. Kim, I am working on a reply to your email. I have not ignored or forgotten it. It just takes me some time to get through some emails and reply to them. Sorry girl, I am working on it. Love ya!

Posted by Kat at 10:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

This is Sebastian in a picture that his teacher took for a project they had to do on what kinds of things they like. Basically, a this is who I am assignment.
The teacher had them stand against a pea soup green backdrop and she took their pictures.
He looks so guilty of something.

It's clickable for bigger if Mom wants to print it out.

Posted by Kat at 8:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

We're having frozen pizza tonight. Normally, I can eat this stuff. I actually enjoy the cardboard crust and fake cheese bits added.
But something is wrong tonight.
I feel weird, tired, like I'm gonna pass out.
It could be the extreme lack of caffeine the last few days finally catching up to me. Or it could be the water I've been drinking. I don't like water. I don't trust water.
I don't know but I think I need to lie down again.
I don't feel so well.

Posted by Kat at 5:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I got all ready to go out which to me, means taking a shower and making sure my legs are hairless. Which I can tell you, they were not.
I think I was in there a full thirty minutes. Shaving my legs with all this titanium is still amazingly difficult to do. It's obviously time to write to all the razor makers. Again.

Freaking people piss me off man.
I log in to the forum I mod a section for, and there's a PM (private message) from Jimmy. Jimmy is a great friend of mine, known him for over a year now, good guy.
He's relaying a PM sent to him by this woman whom I would just like out of my life once and for all.
Instead of messaging me, she sent it to him. I'm thinking because the name she sent it to him under was the same name I had known was hers (forum log in user name) since the day it appeared on the forums, and she kept denying it was her in an attempt to fuck with my head.
Lame right? I know!
Anyway, about two months ago now, she returned some bracelets to me to repair. I repaired and attempted to send them back but my neighbor, whom I am still having issues with, somehow got them in her mail box and thought they were gifts. She thanked me profusely even though I kept telling her; "no, I need those, the mail man fucked up here, they belong to someone else."
So, I got them all back and re-mailed them priority USPS with delivery confirmation.
I check the Post Office website, they are confirmed delivered.
Weeks go by, actually, it's been a friking month, she decides to PM Jimmy about a 'business matter' that I need to take care of.
From the fake user name she set up. PM Jimmy who knows nothing about my business matters. Instead of me. A full month after I re-mailed them, priority mail in FLORIDA no less.
Now, I'm all about making things right, I will refund the money for the bracelets to end this nutty stuff that's going on.
This woman knows my email address, she can use the PM function on that forum to send me a message, she can also use the hotbox feature on the forum she mods, to send me a message. But no, she chose to involve a friend of mine in a business matter he knows absolutely nothing about because Jimmy and I, do not freaking discuss my business matters!
She is the reason I stopped using that other forum. I wanted to be there to play and have fun like I used to, but this woman made it freaking miserable for me to be there sending me nasty hotboxes daily, stalking me on the other forums I am part of, using fake names, being a general pain in the ass.
I want her gone out of my life.
I have a policy with my jewelry biz, that I do not do refunds but will do lifetime repairs on any of my work. In this case, I'm willing to do a full refund on three bracelets. Shipping included. Good bye, adios, good fucking riddance!
I have been dealing with her being a major bitch to me for almost 2 years, and now she's involving my friends in things they now nothing about because she's a psycho.
Legally, I don't have to do diddly squat because I have proof they were delivered to her, but because I know she will never fucking shut up, I'm going to refund the money.
I want her gone and done.

Posted by Kat at 1:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Not going now.
No big deal. I have things to do here anyway that I have been putting off for ages.
Like cleaning the closet in the game room.
*shudder*
I'm afraid to look in there.
Ack!

Posted by Kat at 11:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

because when he came home, he did not have a fever, did not have a fever all night or this morning. He has a cold. Off you go to get an education young man! Here's some Kleenex and some cough drops, have a wonderful day son! *mwah*
And to think I used to be one of those super panicky moms who at the first sign of snot in the nose, would freak out and think my child had pneumonia or some other hideous disease that was going to infect us all and kill us.
You have a cold son, get thy ass to school.

I need to go take a shower and get myself dressed. Sis is going to come pick me up in about an hour to run to the mall.
The mall.
We have heard they have completely redone the place, new everything, new theater, new food court, new playground for kids etc, so off we shall go to see it.
Won't be a long visit, about an hour and a half, that's about as much mall as either of us can tolerate.
But see? All this redoing of places to make them ultra purty for people, and they kick the teens out. I heard they have restrictions on unaccompanied minors during business hours. I'll see if I can confirm that while I'm there.

Ok, I need to take a shower in a bit here so I can be ready to go.
Later days.

Posted by Kat at 10:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

I signed up with Blogvertise a few minutes ago based on the recommendations of some other bloggers I know.
It's much like the other paid blogging gig but from what I understand, they email you opps based on what your blog is like.
My site will go under review, they will check to see if I'm a good fit, and if approved, I have another way to make a few dollars and supplement my income.

Posted by Kat at 9:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Jules won the HP and PPP photo scavenger hunt and won $1,000!
I'm sure that money is going to come in very handy because she just got married. New life, new money to start it with.
Congratulations Jules you earned it girl!

Posted by Kat at 8:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I got myself all riled up over several things, which I won't get into because then I'll just get myself all riled up again.
Ha!
I have a gazillion emails to reply to, and I will promise.
I've just been rather busy as you see...LOL

I have to go do some laundry now that it's stopped raining, and dishes. I can't do laundry when it rains because of the stupid septic tank.
That still is the same way it's always been, not working right.

Ok, off to take care of things and answer emails and such.
I can't believe it's only 7:30. It feels so much later than that. Ugh.

Posted by Kat at 7:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Seriously people, what the hell is going on with the strange smells all over the place?
Mystery smells over Manhattan, and something in the air killed a bunch of birds in Texas.
And Arizona.

Someone on a forum I frequent, said occasionally the government likes to test various chemicals on us and then they tell us later, it was a gas leak, and just mercaptan. Kinda like what happened in Manhattan.
"Oh, it's just a small gas leak, that smell you smell is mercaptan. It's what gives gas a distinguishable odor. Nothing to worry about, you'll all be fine."
Unless of course you're those birds in Texas.

*calmly adjusts my tin foil hat and prepares to write up a list of non-perishable food items that could survive a nuke*

Posted by Kat at 4:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

I'm off to take a quick nap before the teens get home. I barely slept last night. I kept hearing noises and then the cats would go searching for the noises which caused me to go searching for the noises.
Stupid noises.
Stupid cats.
Freaking me out all night long interrupting my need for sleep.

Later days!

Posted by Kat at 1:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I am so sick of the kids getting sick because then I get sick and me being sick is just not fun at all.
You know what happens to your body when you sneeze or cough, it convulses a little bit.
This becomes painful when I do it.
All that titanium not budging an inch so I can sneeze properly but instead, pulls all the muscles around the titanium.
It hurts dammit.

Why am I saying all of this?
Because Sebastian is sick. Just got a call from the school. When he comes home today, I am advised to "keep him home tomorrow because he was sneezing and coughing all morning and had a slight fever."

Ok, he can stay home, but I need a mask and some gloves, because I am tired of getting sick. I'm really not enjoying that one little problem since the surgery. I mean, there are a few funky and interesting side effects of it, issues if you will, like being able to put on and tie my right shoe but not my left.
What the hell is up with that?
But the whole sneezing/coughing thing is painful.

Damn kids catching every stupid bug that goes around. Grr. Not fair! Not fair!

Posted by Kat at 11:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Check out Calexxia, she has some pretty cool posts and she's a metal head like me accept she's met and hangs out with a lot of them. I'm so totally jealous man. Oh, and if that blog is borked, you can find her mirror here.

Also check out Lisa. She's expecting a new baby! I totally <3 new babies! Ok, older babies are cool too but they don't have that new baby smell.

Osman has a linguistic blog and discuss all the various languages that are out there and has started a weekly feature discussing a different language each week.

I just saw that one of my favorite bloggers who took about two years off of blogging is back. W00t! Hello metal-mom!

And next we have Chris who just moved into a new house and with a bunch of gift cards he got, he bought a new fridge. I'd be totally loving a new fridge...LOL He's also a camp director. I liked some of my camp directors when I was a kid. Some. Not all. There was that mean one. Ack!

Next we have Stuart who writes about a wide variety of topics and has a tech blog as well. Stuart also has a girlfriend who lives on the other side of the world and discusses the drawbacks of that type of situation. Check him out.

Posted by Kat at 9:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I sat up playing Sims and then watched movies, did dishes and other cleaning, and now my back is twitching.
Stupid.
I had the whole house to myself, all quiet, and instead of getting much needed rest, I over did things and am paying for it.
Sometimes, I obviously don't think things through far enough.

Oh, did I tell you that sometime Friday night, our mailbox was the victim of the stupid little thuggers in the hood?
Yes, sadly it was knocked from it's post by a baseball bat or other such object.
Now I have to find a new piece of wood, get some long nails and screws, and stand inches away from traffic, to repair it.
It's most probably in retaliation for the events of Thursday afternoon when Sebastian and I were walking home from the store.
A group of them were riding their obviously stolen kids bicycles (these are teens, older than Mark, one was a girl, looked to be about 17, and many bikes have been reported stolen in the last few months. And very funny how all their bikes were spray painted black) in the middle of the road blocking traffic, refusing to move.
We were at our driveway when this occurred, so I asked them to move pointing to the line of traffic behind them.
The girl shot me a nasty look and called me a bitch.
I returned the compliment.
So I'm almost sure my mailbox took the brunt of the dumb girl's frustration.

Sarasota is a beautiful city and they keep doing things to make it more beautiful, but in doing so, they have taken away the skate parks, the teen clubs, they shoo them out of the malls, the arcades are gone.
There is nothing for teenagers to do but ride around on stolen bikes and cause problems.
The city needs to realize that all those pretty things are going to be destroyed by bored thug teens if they don't give them back some place to hang out and be kids at.

Yes, I know, the kids have the choice, free will, to not be thugs, but when the city systematically took all of their fun safe places to hang out at, what did they really think the outcome was going to be?
Did they think the kids would just stay home and not want to hang out places anymore?
The very places they took away from them to turn into an expensive, exclusive shops, or another adult club, are they very places these kids are defacing.
They spent money when they went to those places. These kids have money, and spent it on soda and food, cds, skateboards etc. Now they have no where to go so they are causing trouble.
They are bored. Give them back just one place and the problems will slow down.

That's my opinion anyway. I remember being a bored teen being shooed out of places and going to find something to do and 9 times out of 10, it was causing trouble.

Ok, I need to go stretch, maybe sleep. Who knows.
Later days.

Posted by Kat at 11:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

The boys are gone to my sisters house to babysit the girls so sis and hubby can take care of some things house related.
They won't be home until around 8pm.
What in the world am I going to do with all this peace and quiet and free time?
I could lock the doors and play video games naked.
W00t!

Posted by Kat at 10:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Check out Fuel My Blog.
It's a free way to get your blog or site noticed.
You 'buy' a square absolutely free, upload your icon and *bam*, your free advertising spot on the web.
Better grab a square fast, they are not going to make the site any larger and your block stays up for 5 years. That's absolutely free linkage for 5 years.
Move on it darlings!

Posted by Kat at 7:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

I have been sitting here almost all day now reading blogs and forums and such.
The boys have been playing video games and bickering of course. *sigh*
I need to get in the shower and eat something.
Yup, I did it again. I have gone the entire day forgetting to eat.
That's so bad for me.

Ok, off to eat and shower and play some Sims. I promise I will have a new story up soon. Things have been a bit crazy for Belle. She's a bit of a tramp. Who knew Sims on free will play would act like total whores? LOL

Posted by Kat at 3:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Grab the Scavenger Hunt code. Photo Theme. Join the blogroll. Visit participants.

I got so many questions about what this is.
This is my back after spinal fusion surgery last February. I was fused from T-3 (shoulder blades) to S-1 (tail-bone)
I was in the hospital for 18 days and have a 12 inch anterior scar, and a 24 inch posterior scar.

Posted by Kat at 12:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

I was tagged today by Julie for the My Favorite Movie List.
This is a great meme because I love movies and am constantly watching something.
The top 5 is hard to nail down, but these are mine. Most definitely.

The Boondock Saints (Unrated Special Edition)
Donnie Darko - The Director's Cut
Pulp Fiction (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
Fight Club
A Clockwork Orange

For this I'm going to tag, Christine and J.E. and Latte' girl.

Posted by Kat at 8:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

and wanted to know if he could go over to Mikey's house. I said yes, of course! I figured perfect, I can load up the Sims for Sebastian to play, then clean the house.
Just as I'm getting into my house cleaning groove, Mark calls and says they are on their way over here.
They show up and I'm still cleaning so I put them to work doing things and moving the beast of a coffee table so I can vacuum under it, cleaning up the coffee table, (that is their junk so it's fair) and other such odds and ends before I let them play video games.

But now the house is clean, all floors vacuumed and swept and mopped, dusting and bathroom, dishes done, I can rest again.
I'm on the boys pc so Sebastian can play, he loves that game. If given a choice between game consoles or Sims, he goes for Sims 99% of the time.
He does good at it too. I remember when he first started playing it, the houses would have mismatched paint and no toilets or refrigerators and he'd wonder why his Sim people were starving or peeing all over the place.
Now he builds elaborate mansions with coordinating everything and his families thrive.
I couldn't take care of a toddler in that game because it was a hellion, throwing tantrums and crawling all over and almost falling down the stairs.
But Sebastian managed to raise it from a baby to a toddler, and now it's a child of about 10 years old. It's good in school and does chores around the house.
Interesting.
I think it says something about Sebastian, although I don't know what.
I was tempted to lock my brat of a Sim toddler in a room with no doors or windows, and let it die. It was that frustrating for me to deal with.
Of course, that would have made my Sim family ultra sad and miserable, so I did what any good game player would do.
I deleted that whole family and started over.
Ha!

Ok, enough rambling for now, off to play on various sites.
Later days.

Posted by Kat at 4:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

today is Friday. Yippeee! Last day of school! W00t!
Hello? It's not like you had a long hard week of testing and stuff. You had three days of school this week. Three.
I think what has his goat is that this quarter, one of his required classes is weight lifting.
He has to do either weight lifting or an actual sport like football or basketball or something to get a PE credit. He chose weights because he hates sports. Hates them.
He will not watch any sports on tv unless I am watching something, and even then he complains the whole time about how stupid professional sports are.

"Mom. It's stupid. They get paid millions of dollars to play with a ball. Millions. It's sick how much athletes in this country get paid and I know people like sports but holy geebus mom, that's an insane amount of money to play a game."
I agree with him. It is an insane amount of money to play with a ball or puck.

For the last two days, and today I imagine, Mark will come home and tell me how much his calves hurt, and his shoulders, and various other parts of his body. He'll tell me how much he hates weight lifting and I'll tell him how good it is for him.
I'll say all the same encouraging words I have been saying; "This is good for you. You'll get rid of some of the weight you always complain about. You'll start seeing muscle in places you didn't know there was muscle. You'll get out of the shower one morning and look at your new body and instead of saying how much you hate weight lifting, you'll probably say, 'damn I look good'. This is good for you and I will not help you get out of it." (parents can excuse students from sports if we choose)

He sighs and mopes and then goes off to do his homework.
I totally would have preferred weight lifting in school compared to the lame stuff they made us girls do. They had us doing gymnastics and all the boys got to do the weight room. I would have loved that.
Not that I wanted to be a grotesque body builder, but to have some muscles popping would have been sweet.
I can hardly wait to hear todays complaints.
"oh my calves, my callllves". Tee hee.

Later days.

Posted by Kat at 10:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I read about Google analytics on another blog the other day and he wrote that it was a very impressive tool for tracking visitors and stats.
I added the code on the first and have been checking it nightly to see how it stacks up against other tracking software.
It's awesome!
I'm very impressed with how detailed the tracking reports are, right down to exactly hw many referrals from other sites I'm getting and how long each visitor stays on my site, what they are reading, exactly what they click on, and what pages they leave on.
It's very nice, easy to read, shows where I can make improvements for certain sections of my site.

If you're looking for a better way to track your stats in greater detail, try it out.
I'm gonna go play with it some more and see what else it tells me.
Very cool.

Posted by Kat at 8:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

My back has been flaring up for a good majority of the day, with general stiffness. Sebastian and I went for a walk to Publix to grab some dinner because I just don't feel like exerting myself to make dinner, and now that we are back home, my back is twitching like a dying animal.
It's quite painful I tell ya.
We picked up some fried chicken and some Hawaiian rolls. Love those. So sweet and squishy little balls of bready goodness.

Other than that, things are going pretty good today. I have a bunch of emails to answer, please don't think I'm not responding, I will. It is just taking a bit of time to get back to all of you who read the private entries and offered support.
I truly appreciate all the kind words.
I know I turned really nasty on that last one but it was called for in my opinion.
It still angers me so much that because I am not blood with my sister, that I am looked at as not being her sister.
We grew up together. She was adopted at 3 years of age, and I was adopted at like 6 months or something.
We shared bedrooms and toys, went to the same schools and churches, same summer camps, we had the same last name.
We have been there for each other whenever we have needed one another, and help with taking care of each others kids.
Blood doesn't really mean anything to me because my family who took us in, wanted us, loved us and cared for us.
Family is what you make and love, not always what you were born into.
Our parents loved us and raised us well. We may not have always had the best of everything, but we had what we needed and that is far more important than "stuff."
No one criticizes my parents and family, no one.

I really may not have much in this world, no huge material possessions, no mass amount of money in the bank, but I have more than that. I have a great family that loves me, and I raise my kids to be respectful and honest.
If I had a ton of money, I would share it with my family who has always given to people in need even when they didn't have much themselves.
Money doesn't make you a good person, having stuff doesn't make you a good person. Being decent, loving and compassionate, kind and generous, makes you a good person.
I am happy with who I am and have no regrets about my life at all. I am not ashamed of anything I have ever done in my life.
I can hold my head high and sleep at night knowing I didn't purposely set out to hurt the very people I claim to love.

Ooops, I didn't mean to go on like that, it just came out.
Later days.

Posted by Kat at 4:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Hahah! I have been using my snoozester credits to wake the boys up for the last two days.
Mark got the call this morning from the drill sergeant and yelled to me; "Mom! Some guy is on the phone and he's screaming at me to get up! What the hell?! Mom! Some guy is yelling at me and won't stop!"

Hahahahahhahahahaahahahah! It's a recorded voice and message, he could have hung up at anytime.
I was laughing so hard I couldn't tell him to just hang up.
Very funny. Man, kids are soo easy to trick especially at 5:45 in the morning.

Posted by Kat at 10:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Pete now has a column blogging for the local paper where he lives and his first post is a good one.
It's about people parking in the handicap spots and how it affects the truly handicap and the ignorance of the non-handicap when it comes to these special and often times crucial parking spots.

Check out his column when you get a chance.

Posted by Kat at 2:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Have you ever sent a really angry email to someone and you hope that when they get it, they respond so you can bitch them out some more?
I did last night and I'm waiting to see if the nasty, vile, thing emails me back.
It's in a private post if you care to read it.
I could kill her.

Posted by Kat at 1:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

The rules are simple, I am sending out 5 questions to Kim. That person then must post on their blog, the 5 questions plus, Kat sent these to me ( with a link to my site, http://mysinglemomlife.com/blog) and I'm sending them to blank, (with a link to their site)
Then that person must post on their blog the 5 questions plus that they got them from the person I sent them to and who they will be sending them to. Easy enough?

1. What was your given birth name? (no last names to protect identity)
2. What was your favorite childhood toy?
3. Who was your best friend in grade school?
4. Who gave you your first kiss ever?
5. Who did you have a crush on in high school?

This little game is not only a fun little filler post, but it also is a link love post. You should get a few hits from people who are visiting to see who you got it from and who you are sending it to.

Posted by Kat at 11:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

You are an awesome sister, a super mom, a great wife, and a wicked cool aunt.
Don't ever let anyone tell you differently.
Don't take any of those mean words to heart. They are said by jealous people who don't truly know you.
If they did, they would be in awe of all that you do, your ability to do more with your time than the average person, the creativeness that is inside you, the love and understanding you give, the time you share, the care you provide, and the amazing spirit to keep on going when others would have thrown up their hands and quit.

I love you, the boys love you, and all your friends and family who know you, love you and understand you.
You are a great person, and my life would be so much less without you in it.

Posted by Kat at 11:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

They go back to school! Yay! Doing the super duper happy dance of joy!
The teens go back to school tomorrow! They go back to school tomorrow! They go back to school tomorrow! They go back to school tomorrow! They go back to school tomorrow! They go back to school tomorrow!

W00t! Oh yeah, woo hoo! Yippeee!!!

Posted by Kat at 8:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

She sold her house and moved into a really nice three story townhouse.
She chopped off her long black hair too. People had started to recognize her as the lady who held the maid hostage till she died.

She set up the basement of her new place as a party room where all her friends could hang out.
Strobe and disco lights, video games, big screen tv and kickin'
stereo.

After getting her house all fixed up, she decided to get dressed and head on out to the night club and have some fun.
She met Don and hit it off awesome and even listened to him complain about his bitch of a girlfriend, Nina.

They totally hit it off. Don was in love at first sight!

She gave him her number and took his and then called it a night.

The next day, one of her neighbors, Darren came over to hang out. They quickly liked each other, fast friends you could say.

The more they talked though, the more they realized they were in love with each other. These two move fast man.

Oh yeah, it's love.

They decided to go outside to relax and chat a bit more in the hot tub and talk about things they both wanted in life. They both really want to have kids someday.

They got a little busy in the hot tub.

Afterwards, they hugged and kissed goodbye for the night, it was very late.
Belle is totally digging on Darren, and Don is a good guy, but he has a crazy ex who tried to kick Belle's ass in the club just for talking to him. He seems a bit desperate to get with Belle, and even had flowers delivered to her house while Darren was over. The flower delivery guy saw Belle and Darren in the hot tub, set the flowers down and left as fast as he could.

Will Belle and Darren stay together? Is Don going to be a problem in their relationship?

Stay tuned to Sims of our lives.

Posted by Kat at 5:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

My host went down for most of today because a circuit in Boston broke down.
First time in the almost 4 years I have been with ICDsoft.com, that they have had any issues.
They were constantly posting updates on the main site for their clients, about every two hours so we knew exactly what was going on.

I love them! Even if it made my site unaccessible most of the day, they worked hard to restore service by partnering with other providers for upstream access so they could get us back online as soon as possible.

But now that I'm back up, I have to run out to take care of something. Figures...LOL

Later days.

Posted by Kat at 3:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

There was no ice luge for shots, no live band because some of the guys forgot their instruments, but, there was loud music, porn on the wall, fireworks, a fire extinguisher that got slightly over used, a few fights almost happened but people broke them up, (that guy totally deserved to get his ass beat. dammit.) flip cup, (drinking game) and lots of general weirdness.

Here's just a few shots from last night. All are click-able for bigger.
There is a work warning and pron warning on some of these. You have been warned.

Douchebag who should have gotten his ass kicked, running away from explosives.

A few of the party people. We are a very diverse crowd.

Julie and Tracy watching the pirates porn movie and critiquing it.

Tina and Brian.

Pterodactyl porn on the huge flat screen monitor.

Fire extinguisher good.

Box full of fireworks + gasoline = big time kaboom!

More party peoples.

Bottle rockets in the zipper. Mark burnt his shirt to shit.

Blowing shit up.

Pirates porn projected on the wall. There was also the now famous Dustin "Screech" Diamond dirty sanchez video Ewwwgie.

Some fool jumped off the roof.

He jumped and landed on the beer pong/flip cup table.

There's a ton more pics but most of them are of people doing very bad things and blowing more shit up.
It was a very good time last night. Weeeeeee!

Posted by Kat at 2:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)