It's almost over. Christmas is almost here. Only a few more minutes. I'm such the Grinch. The only part about Xmas that I enjoy is spending time with family. Did that yesterday. Doin it a little tomorrow too. Then it'll be all over.

Got all next week off from hell job #1. I can't remember the last time I worked the week between Xmas and New Year. Been a long time ago. Have to work at job 2 tho. That sucks as usual. What am I gonna do with all my spare time next week? hmmmmm.....I probably should scan a bunch of pictures. Been going to do that for the past 2 years. Shoulda had it done by now.

K, well gotta go watch A Christmas Story for the 15th time.

Tootles

9 more days till Christmas. Geesh. This has been a very long month and it's only half over. I heavily dislike December. It's freakin cold out. Sun rarely shines. When it does you rarely see it cause its it's like Alaska here and only daylight 30 minutes a day. Christmas sucks anymore. It's too commercialized. Too much pressure to buy the perfect gift. The competition to get a better gift than last year. What is it that the biggest gifts this year are $600 video game units and $3000 tv's. Reality is that a $20 gift card from WalMart is a pretty good deal to most people. I'm not a real good gift picker outer. Not alot of thought is put into it. Spur of the moment is me. Came real close to losing the hairball cat. He's been pretty sick the past few weeks. The weekend of Thanksgiving sucked pretty much. He's just now starting to feel better. Feeding him baby food can get expensive. He's been to the vet more the past 3 weeks than he has the first 15 years of his life. Poor little fella.
Well, that's pretty much it for now.
Tootles

Ok, here's a pic of my new windows. I didn't have a "before" picture so deal with just having the "after" pic.

My front door is currently red. I want to paint it but not dark brown. That would match the neighbors door. I don't want to copy. I'm unique...

Tootles

I officially have new windows in my house now. The 3 bedroom windows got put in today. It sure was nice to be able to open the windows this afternoon without using the little steel rod thingy to push open the window from the inside. It was 70 degrees out today. Had to air out the place. It was even better not having to go outside and push the damn windows shut too!!! The outside trim for those will be done on Monday. Also on Monday, I'll be getting new glass for my doors in the living room. IF they didn't mess up again and measure wrong! My house should be snug as a bug this winter. Hopefully the power bills won't be bad so I can pay the windows off sooner.
I went to the grocery store a couple hours ago. The store is less than a mile away and it takes no more than 5 minutes to get to from my house. When I left the house I had a coat on and was hot as hell in it. I drove the mile to the store and by the time I got there the temp had fallen 20 degrees, the wind was blowing like hell and it was pouring rain. DAMN. good thing i wasn't on the bike!

My 3 weeks are up. Time to update the 'ol blog. What's been goin on in my world?
Well, Froze my ass off last night at the Illinois game. In 2 months we will be walking around in shorts and sweatshirts when it's 50 degrees out. But in mid October, 50 degrees is freakin cold! Oh yea, 3rd week in a row the game is decided by a last second field goal. 2nd week in a row we lost. But to be optimistic, last years team wouldn't have even made any game of it. Simply would have been blown out.
Tonight I get to eat steak. YUM! Steak..... A perfectly grilled ribeye, ain't nuttin better....Friday was my big bro's birthday so it's Ma/Pa take him out night tonight. The only thing better than a good steak, is a good steak paid for by someone else.
Next up, the windows in my house. They ARE getting replaced. Hopefully within the next couple weeks. Got the $ for 'em. Sent in a deposit for the living room glass. Things are gonna happen.
Nuttin different at work #1. Sucks. At job #2 I lost my co-worker. He got a little lippy with the boss and quit/got fired. Not sure the "official" determination was. Anyway, I don't have to listen to him yap all the time. I can work at my own pace now and not be rushed. His replacement comes in 3 hours later and he can't speak english. Those are very good things. I'm totally by myself now. Yea.
Ok, time to clean the cat shitter. It's stinky.
Tootles

UPDATE....Had to put a picture of Steve on here from tonight's dinner. Ride 'em cowboy!!

what the heck?! I'm kinda watching CSI (original Las Vegas version) and there is some weird stuff goin on. I really hope it's taping in the bedroom for later viewing. I can honestly say I've never seen on tv, a depiction of removing and inserting a tampon before. Many times people peeing but never the tampon thing. And it's on free regular tv. Good for CBS! Now it's ER time. Last year ended pretty dramatically. When did Carrie lose the cane anyway? Guess I should watch more. And she doesn't even have a limp anymore.

Window quotes are coming in. BIG ranges! Holy cow! Boo Boo is guarding them right now. Not gonna touch 'em till she gets down.

Better go. ER's gettin good.

tootles

This week I'm getting quotes on how much new windows will be for my humble abode. I'm afraid to find out some of them. I'm also getting quotes on how much to replace the glass in the windows/door in the living room. Those 3 will probably be double what the cost of my 3 regular windows will be. UGH. I'm really geting tired of having to use a steel rod to open my bedroom windows and in reverse, having to go outside and pushing them shut to close them. The gears are shot in the crank out's. Lovely. My boss is suppose to be gone tomorrow and Wednesday so I hope some of these people come over those 2 days. That way I can sneak away and no one has to know. I hate being a peon.

I got to spend a little time with my neice and great neices on Saturday. That was fun! Victoria and Julia are cheerleaders for a youth football team. Libby is the cheerleader sponsor person. They are all sooo freakin cute! Emma and Zoe crawled all over me during the game. I must be some kind of jungle gym or something. I drove all the way to bumb fuck egypt (Metamora) to watch them cheer. That's a long ass haul at 7 am on a Saturday monring. These games start at 9. Whatever happened to kids watching cartoons on Saturdays?

I remember calling Shauna Metz up on Friday nights to discuss what cartoons we were going to watch the next day. Bugs Bunny and Roadrunner were my personal fravs. I love the one where Bugs does some Barber of Seville thing on Elmer Fudd's head while shaving him....I guess that was the music. Heck, I still don't know.

Ok, gonna go. Time for Weeds.

Tootles

Finally got this blasted iPod working. Lord have mercy! I need a 10 year old around here to show me how to download this stuff! When I ordered this thing I thought to myself, "self, 500 songs is alot of music. You probably don't even HAVE 500 songs. That should be plenty big enough." Honey, if I could rethink that all over again I would kick myself in the azz. 500 songs aint shit! Word of advice if your lookin to buy a Nano. Decide which one you want, then double the size of it. That should be plenty big. Oh, and of course a month after I finally get mine, Apple comes out with bigger, better and with more colors Nano. For Pete's sake, can I not catch a break here! Now I want a 8 gig pink one!!! Oh, wait. 8 gig's only come in black. SHIT.

And another thing. Work still sucks and my mom thinks our family is disfunctional.......We are an American family, NOT the Cleavers......We are not disfunctional....

I have to go to bed now. Shadow is crawling all over me and making it difficult to type. Shoulda had her back claws ripped out!!! OUCHIE!

tootles

Ok, here goes. Another confession.....

I just purchased my very first Ipod. Yes, not only am I a semi-routine blogger, but I'm now an MP3 player user....I got an amazing deal on the Apple website for a refurbished Nano. So, in a week or so I'm gonna be a Nano mama....Woo Hoo!
But that isn't my confession......My confession is this......
wait....

wait....

deep breath....

exhale.....

ok..........sorry Mom and Dad but I used the credit card you don't know I have to purchase this product.

Oh god....NO I DON'T FEEL BETTER. I feel soooo guilty. I'm sure that guilt will go away in 5 business days from purchase date tho.....

On to more pressing news.
Yea, like you believe that! Like I have pressing news to tell.

My good friend Julie is having man decision issues. Not about just one guy, but, gasp, 5 of them! She is kinda dating 5 guys at the same time. Good lord. Decisions, decisions, decisions.

Only 1 more day till a 3 day weekend. I can't wait. I just have to get thru that 1 day. I get to play Executive Assistant to the President of FNG tomorrow. I really hope the big guy isn't there all day. He makes me nervous. And he makes me eat sushi. Not that I mind a free lunch, i'd just like to be able to eat that free lunch. I normally stop at McDonalds for a Happy Meal on the way to pick up sushi. UGH...

Well better go. It's way past the bed time.

Tootles

I took the windshield off my bike this morning. Don't know why. Never thought of it actually till yesterday. Other than alot more wind getting up behind the shades, I like it better without the hunk of plastic in front of me. It only weighs less than a pound but I swear, that bike is lighter and handles better now. Went for a little ride tonight and I had forgot how much fun it was to pick dead bugs off the front of your tshirt, off your shins, and off your face when ya got home. Yea baby! I felt like Jim Carrey in the movie "Me, Myself & Irene" when he picked all the bugs out of his teeth...Great fun!
I've been a total slug this weekend. I mowed the yard Friday night, did a load of laundry yesterday morning and cleaned up cat puke last night. Other than that i've either been on the bike or on the couch. LAZY was the thing this weekend.
I'm so excited that the new season of Weeds starts tomorrow night! If ya'll don't have Showtime to watch this show, get it. So quirky and funny. Not weird like Twin Peaks but weird in it's own way. I laugh my azz off. Only 25 more hours!!!!
Ok, gotta go cover the bike cause it might rain tomorrow. Have a little desert and go to bed.
Tootles...

Damn. I'm almost over due on the one every 3 weeks posting thingy.
Not much goin on since vacation. Same ol same ol, work work work. My life is sooooo exciting isn't it! Like everybody else I've been sweating my ass off lately. As I get older I just can't take the heat. UGH..I have no idea how I ever stayed in those corn fields detassling when i was young. It had to be over 100 degrees some of those days. Youth. In the past couple weeks I think I've only put 30 miles on my car. I knew there was a reason for purchasing that motorpickle last year! Tonight I'm going to a cookout. WOO HOO! No sitting at home on THIS Saturday night! Maybe i'll have more to talk about tomorrow...
tootles

I did a really really expensive load of laundry on Sunday night. I'd like to say it was crack head move #1 for this week. My last load of laundry Sunday night I decided to throw in the clothes I wore on Sunday. No big deal. I do it most every Sunday night. Except with this load I forgot to check the pockets a second time and in doing that, I washed my cell phone. 5 minutes into the washer filling with water I even thought were my phone was. It was late so I just assumed that since it wasn't on my body, it was plugged in the charger. I was WRONG. Not only did I wash the phone, I even threw it in the dryer for about 10 minutes before I decided to check out what the thudding noise was in the dryer. That's when I found it. Yea, great. It didn't work at all. I layed it out on the table for about 24 hours and last night I turned it on. YEA!!! It worked!! I couldn't believe it! The picutre stuff wasn't pretty but I could read stuff in the display window. It got late and I decided to write down all my phone numbers this morning. That was a mistake. I turned it on this morning and got nothing in the display window. I could make calls out and receive calls but that was all. So, I had to buy a new phone. Couldn't get a free one cause I had just updated my plan in October. Since I hadn't got the insurance on that phone, I had to pay full retail price for it. SHIT! So that load of carwash towels, a pair of jean shorts and a tshirt cost me $237. I did buy the insurance on the new phone.
So, If I haven't already asked ya, email me your phone numbers!

Here's a picture of little 'ol me in San Francisco. It was cold and windy as hell that day but I still got a sunburn on my face...

Interesting how 25 years can mature people. I attended my 25 year class reunion last night. It was a blast! At first I wasn't really sure i wanted to go at all. Then Julie and Lynn said they were thinking about going. GOOD! I'll have somebody to talk to! Interesting because some of the people I talked to last night I can't EVER remember carrying on a conversation with in the whole 12 years we were in school together. That's a good thing. It was a fair turnout. About a quarter of our class came. Some came from as far away as Colorado, Florida and Tennessee. BUT, most of those still living in town, didn't come. Why is that? There was alot of covered up gray hair (well, from those of us who HAD hair). A fair amount of wrinkes and added/lost weight. I only didn't recognise 1 person. Damn this woman had gotten tall! When did that happen? We have our share of professionals, engineers, police officers, day care providers, general office people and even a liquor drinkin, cigarette smokin, Methodist minister. YEA, she's a freakin hoot!!!! The night started out iffy but the last hour we were there we just sat around in a circle and reminised about our youth. I was such an angel growing up! Our evening ended at 1am but I think we could have EASILY stayed there in that circle another hour or two. I have a list of everybody's whereabouts (for those we could find anyway) and that important thing that wasn't even thought about 25 years ago, the email address. I might have to drop some people a line one of these days. Heck, somebody might even Google me and read this blog. Who knows!

Thanks GCHS Class of 1981, I had a great time last night!!

Been 3 weeks again. Time to update the 'ol blog. And AGAIN, I'm playin receptionist. I hate this having to play nice to people shit. It's just not me! Couldn't ride the bike in today. It's a know fact that motorcycle riding is a leading contributor to bad hair days. And, since I have to be presentable today, no bike. I can live with it I guess. Might rain anyway. My car gas tank is empty tho. Payday isn't till next Friday. Not a good situation. I spent all my $ on vacation. But that's a good thing.

Vacation was great! Very hard to come back to work. We did all the touristy things. Fishermans Warf, Cable Cars, Alcatraz, homeless people. I can't believe how many homeless people begging. And they all seem to have their own little spot where they "live"too. Things are pretty expensive out there. A 1 bedroom house is like $600,000. The federal minimum wage is something like what, $5.50? Out there it's like $11.50. Not that San Francisco isn't in our country or anything. No wonder there are so many homeless people. Food was pricey but souviners were dirt cheap. I'm glad we didn't rent a car because those people don't know how to drive! We got in there about 5:00ish in the evening so going from the airport to our hotel we got in some sticky traffic. The stinkin motorcycles were flying by between the cars at like 60 miles per hour! I guess it's legal for them to do that too! What a STUPID law!!! Yea, there is a helmet law but go ahead, weave in and out of stalled traffic. The helmet will save your life....HA! It would only take that 1 person that opens their car door to pour out warm pop, at just the right time, to send that motorcyclist flying over 2 or 3 cars.

Already been thinkin bout next years vacation. I've decided to not take one every 6 years. It would probably be best if i take one every year now. So, next year I'm thinking Yosemite or the Denver area. Some place totally opposite of flat, hot, sticky central Illinois. Done Florida, Arizona and the north woods of Wisconsin. Texas is hot and sticky too. Out east, not so sure. If gas is cheap maybe that Hall of Fame tour I would love to take. That probably ain't gonna happen. Cheap gas! We'll never see gas under $1.99 ever again.

Well I should probably hit the road. Internet Nazis are looming.

Tootles

I guess I've got a pattern goin now. Only update every 3 weeks. Well, this being the 3rd week I guess I need to do something. So here goes...
I'm being corporate receptionist again today. Yea, me, the people person answering the switchboard...great. Piss me off and I'll disconnect you. Hell no, I can't transfer you to Canada! I have no idea how to use the Nextel phone. Oh well, those people can call back tomorrow. The internet Nazis are at this company so i'm really not even suppose to be on here but phuck it. I can't do anything else up here except play games and seach stuff on the internet.
So what's been goin on with me? Like I just mentioned, Flex sucks. School got out a week ago so we have begun the summer clean the school crap. My boss there says it's gonna be organized and easy this summer. I laugh out loud. One good thing is there is no summer school this year. We won't have to work around anything or anybody for the first 5 weeks. Still a crappy job but it helps pay some bills. Hopefully only 3 more years of that. My boss came by my house the other night to take my picture "using" my new carpet shampooer. They want 2 put it in the company newsletter. Yea, that's gonna be a great picture. I still haven't actually used the carpet shampooer yet. Maybe this weekend. I'm waiting for a rainy weekend so i won't feel guilty not going outside. Might rain on Sunday.
The cats are fine and dandy. Boo is a little ass hole. Shadow is a lover, not a fighter and Rocky just wants to eat, sleep and have the top of his head rubbed. I had to take Shadow and Boo 2 the vet a couple weeks ago so I could get their prescription food prescription renewed. Shadow was wiggly like she always is. She had little ear infection too. Boo, well Boo has warnings printed all across her little card at the vet. They have to wear big azz leather gloves and some kind of leather apron when they hold her down. She is mighty pissed off at the vet. Infact this visit, they could only throw a towel over her and try to listen to her heart beat thru the towel. That was hard cause she growled the whole time and they couldn't hear anything but pissed off growls. She has "issues".
I'm going on vacation 2 weeks from today!!! Good God I can't wait! Goin to California. Ma is all worried that a earthquake will happen when I'm out there. If it does then it will be even more memorable then. I'm not worried bout it.
Gotta go. I'm sure i'm being watched on how long i've been connected here.
Tootles

I know I know. It's been a bit since I posted anything. So what. I've been burned out lately. Haven't wanted to work, clean up the house, clean up the car or bike or anything. I've had a nasty, kick my butt cold the past couple days. Started hittin me around noon on Friday and by 5 Friday night, i was dead to the world. I came home from work early and layed on the couch. I had to take a couple cats to the vet yesterday and I don't remember driving to St Joe or driving home. Came home and layed on the couch till I went to bed last night. I feel a little better today. Good enough to get my fat ass off the couch anyway.

I need a vacation. Good thing I have one planned in a month. Too bad I don't have any money to spend on that vacation. That freakin sucks. Got in my car today and the damn check engine light came on. That's really all I need. Tuesday I got a $800 bill for the drainage crap that is gonna happen in my front yard this summer. That's just peachy. Yea, I don't have to pork out the whole $800 right now, only $80 this year, but the balance gets 6.5% added to it each year till it's paid off. Lovely. If I go the whole 15 years, I'll end up paying an additional $400 in the long run in interest...

Can ya tell I'm in a fantastic mood. Oh, 1 good thing. I FINALLY found a pair of tennis shoes that actually don't kill my feet. YOO HOO!! OK, time to take a shot of NyQuil and hit the sack.
tootles

Yea, well I'm playing Flex-N-Gate Corporate Receptionist today. Yea. Great. Love it.
I would rather work as a piss collector at Pit Run Park again, then be up here. I am NOT a people person! I can't stand answering the phone or dealing with people wondering in the front door looking for a freakin job. I need to be the person looking for a better job!
So it's been a bit since I last posted somethin. Not much has changed. Haven't had a tornado in a week or two. Last weekend was sooo nice. I didn't even clean the stinkin house. I felt guilty being inside. This weekend looks like the complete opposite. I'll get alot of cleanin done. A couple weeks ago I celebrated my 5 year anniversary at my part time job. Yea, whatever. Anyway, as a thank you they gave me some catalog to shop thru. I could pick any 1 item in there I wanted for free. Stuff is SUPPOSE TO be worth $350. It had stuff like a telescope, Trek mountain bike, JVC home theatre, jewelry, TV's, gas grill. Lotsa stuff that is discontinued it looked like. Anyway, of all the stuff in there I chose to geta free carpet shampooer. I didn't need another tv or home theatre. The jewelry was too small. I already havea telescope and would never use a mountain bike. I figured with white carpet and 3 cats that puke alot, I needed a carpet shampooer. I get laughed at alot but I don't care. I ordered it last weekend. Wonder when it's gonna get here. I could sure use it this weekend! So I celebrated 5 hard years with the cleanin company and this coming Monday I will be at this FNG hell hole for 17 years. Ya know what I get as a thank you for puttin time in here? Nuttin. Nada. Not a damn thing. I was suppose to get a 15 year plaque last year (yea, we're a year behind) but it didn't happen. Now they have done away with all that shit altogether. I love being appreciated here. Makes ya want to get up everyday and come to work. Moving on....
I get to go to a Cub game in a couple weeks. I'm looking forward to that. Get out of town for a day or 2. YIPEE! I'm not even a Cub fan. I'm goin with my buddy Lynn and a few of her friends. I asked her if I had to wear a Cub hat to be able to go. Luckily I don't. WHEW! I'll drink some beer and maybe put one on. Who knows.
Ok, well I gotta go for now. Maybe next time it won't be so long between posts.
Tootles

I know I live in Illinois and I should be "used" to tornado's, but, geesh, enough is enough. For the past 6 weeks we have been hit every other Sunday by tornado's. Yesterday being the 3rd, every other Sunday, tornado day. I got do drive thru this one. Yea, that was fun. My dad was trying to tell me how to drive. My mom all worried and all in the back seat. My hands had to be pried off the steering wheel. Yea, a most interesting drive from Kankakee it was.

Since it rained on Easter Sunday we get to expect rain for the next 7 Sundays now. It's early but next Sunday looks pretty damn good. WOO HOO! I'll put some more weed killer on my grass. I think i pretty much have the thistle killed, now I'm on dandelion patrol. I also should look into fixing the gate on my fence. It's hanging on by 1 hinge. So redneck...

I'm goin to bed now.

Tootles

pro·cras·ti·nate
Pronunciation: pr&-'kras-t&-"nAt, prO-
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): -nat·ed; -nat·ing
Etymology: Latin procrastinatus, past participle of procrastinare, from pro- forward + crastinus of tomorrow, from cras tomorrowtransitive senses : to put off intentionally and habituallyintransitive senses : to put off intentionally the doing of something that should be done

Thank you Miriam-Webster

Saturday morning. I'm still sleepy. Laundry is building. Litter box is stinky. I don't feel like doin anything this morning. I haven't cleaned my house in a month...GASP! It truly needs it. I just don't feel like doing it. I can't even decide what kind of music to load on the cd player. It's gonna be one of those days I can just tell right now. The sun is suppose to come out today. That's a good thing. But it's only suppose to be like 50 and windy. Ahhhhh....Illinois in the spring.

I got an email earlier in the week from a high school classmate. My 25th class reunion is scheduled for this summer. There were 81 (83 if you include 2 dropouts from the class of 79 that came back) in the GCHS Class of 1981. Scholastically I was probably #65 out of the 81. I was there only because I didn't know any better. That's just what you did. Ya went to school. Study, what the heck is that? OH..something I needed to do from time to time to remain eligible for tennis/volleyball/basketball. I still have a few very close friends from high school. Just wish I could do it all over again with the wisdom that I have now. Most people beleive that I think. When I got that email I was all worried about losing weight and all that shit people think they need to do to impress classmates at reunions. BUT, after about 4 hours of dieting I decided to screw that. I'm not gonna be the only fat one there. At least I still have all my hair.

The can of Plege is staring at me.....

So this reunion is 4 days after I get back from vacation. Yes, I said the "V" word. VACATION. I am taking one this summer. It's only been 6 years since I have. I don't include my drive to Arizona for work. Because that's all I did, drive. 6 days of it. drive... So this vacation I'm going to California. Never been to California. Been within 3 miles of it when I drove to Nevada/Arizona. Going to San Francisco to do Alcatraz and the redwoods. We'll see what else comes up. I haven't told my parents yet. I'll wait another month or so I think. It'll just give Verona more to worry about.

Boo Boo just took a big dump in the litter box. That smell is tickling my other sense....

I believe I'm in a Terri Clark mood. Think I'll load the cd player up with a couple of those. I need some countrification. I'ts 5 till 10 and I still haven't seen the sun that was promised today. If Mr. Roberts was still alive I'd kick his ass.

My dryer is buzzing. Load 1 is done. Since it is almost 10, maybe I should do something. I can actually be done in 2 hours if I want to. Just don't want to..... The sun isn't out. No inspiration coming from outside.

Ok, geesh. Shadow is pawing at me, dryer is buzzing, litter box is stinking, Pledge is staring. I better go.

Tootles

oh yea....Aunt Margaret is taking the family to the Beef House tomorrow!!!!!! YIPEE!!!!!
STEAK!!!!!!!!

I don't like tornado's much. Never have. Ma & Pa would never let me watch the Wizard of Oz because of the tornado at the beginning. I can remember going up to where my dad worked during tornado warnings. This place was all brick with a really cool cellar thingy. Come to think of it, our house is all brick too. Why did we have to drive all the way across town then? Hmm...have to ask the parental units that some time. Anyways, when we went up to the telephone office I remember being terrified. All the times we went up there tho, I can only remember going into the cellar thing only once. Hmmmm....again...... So, my house now has no basement. The crawlspace access is in a closet. Not real handy if ya wanna take shelter in a hurry. Sunday nights storm took me by surprise. I knew bad stuff was coming. I was looking right at the radar when the tornado sirens went off in C-U. The radar had absolutely NOTHING in CU. Everything was in Decatur. Didn't even have a green rain blip over us. I was trying to put the new cat carrier together in a hurry so I could get over to a basement at a friends house. My scanner was on and I hear a Champaign cop say he heard a "freight train" sound over by the Assembly Hall. DAMN. I think I made the 1 mile trip in about 45 seconds. The cats were definately not happy. Neither was Kath. I hate tornado's. I looked around yesterday. No damage at all at my house. Good. On my way to work yesterday I went by a house behind me and they lost a tree in the front yard, BUT, the Christmas lights were still on the house. That's so redneck. Last year we had a bad storm and I was listening to the scanner. A tornado was sighted "at the Urbana WalMart". So they set the sirens off. GEESH, the damn tornado was already out of town. What's the siren gonna do? The people east of town can't hear it. I didn't even leave the house then. Thing was way past me. I hate tornado's.

So it's today now. I'm playing Executive Assistant to the President today. No pay raise. Not even a pat on the back. I do get a free lunch tho. Today is sushi from Miko. YUCK! The one time I get free grub and it's raw fish day. ICK. Maybe I can find something cooked there. Like a hamburger or a ham sandwich. Doubt it. So, I got nuttin much to do when I'm at this job. All my stuff is at my desk. Can't do much of it up here. The big fella hasn't even got here yet. If he doesn't show up i'm gonna be pissed. I know he is suppose to leave at like 1 today so i'm only up here for part of the day. UGH.... Ok, well i'm gonna go now. Our IS department is probably keeping tabs on how long i'm on the internet.
Tootles.

YUCK!!!!!!! There are times like these that it totally HATE homeownership... On my way to get the garbage to the curb at 5:35am this morning, I noticed a dead bunny in my yard. OH GOOD GOD, NOT ME! Dead animos and Kath don't mix. So, I go back in the house and got a garbage bag and the snow shovel. I hate this shit. Go back outside and an angel appeared. My neighbor Dennis was just going to work also. We said our morning greetings and he asked why I was carrying a snow shovel. SO, I mentioned the dead bunny. He told me to have a nice day! DENNIS! Thought maybe I could sweet talk him into scoopin up the critter. Guess he wasn't in a sweet talkin mood this morning. The bunny had been dead for a bit cause I couldn't get it scooped in the shovel. What to do next. Oh please, don't make me have to touch it. SIGH...I had to turn the garbage bag inside out and pick it up by it's cute little paw. Damn thing was stiff as a board except for the innerds and skin that hadn't been eaten yet. I got to make a second attempt of getting the rest. This is NOT my day. I'm gettin the ebbie jeebies just thinkin about it. HACK! The dead bunny is now in the garbage can waiting to be picked up today sometime. Rest in peace little Bugs..

So who's NCAA brackets are over before the Final Four even starts?? MINE for one. I heard on the radio tonight that of the 3+ million people who set up their brackts on the ESPN web site, only 4 TOTAL picked the correct Final Four teams. Money says all 4 of those people are either George Mason grads or they are some soccer mom that picked those teams because they thought the uniforms were pretty. Our brackets at work were won by a co-workers wife. Lucky.
Ok, gotta go.

Happy Birthday to my blog! Yesterday was it's 1st birthday. No, i'm not going to sing to my computer either. I don't sing to anything. Thanks Dad for that tone deaf gene. Big changes in my life in the last year but i've already covered those. Lately, not much has been goin on. Procrastinating going over my taxes again. Still haven't sent those in. It'll get done. Sometime. Sometime soon I guessing. Got no choice! Been helping Connie work on her house. That's a never ending job. Today the Newcomb clan is going to try and install a 9' garage door in a 8'3" opening with a ramp that makes the garage floor 7" higher than the driveway. Yea, this should be interesting. The old dude that built this house has done some pretty interesting rigging of things. It doesn't look like redneck construction, but basically it is. My kids have Spring fever like everybody else. Trying to sneek out all the time. Gotta watch Rocky. He's sneeky but when he does get out he meows alot celebrating his success. Gives away his sneekieness. I got about 4 things that I need to do around the house this summer. 2 things I feel I really need and 2 I just plain need (want). Can't decide if I wanna spend money I don't have to do any or all of them. The things I really need is a new frig and to replace my fence. Things i want is a new stove and a deck/patio. The patio is doable. It's the cheapest. I can just fix the bad places of the fence but it would be very noticeable. New wood against 25 year old weathered wood. ICK. Maybe I'll do the outside stuff this year and the inside stuff next year. Hmmm.....
Ok, now for the gripe of he week. WHAT THE HECK IS UP WITH MY COWBOYS?? First they release a mediokur bad boy/good receiver, Keyshawn Johnson. Then they sign the worlds biggest pain in the ass bad boy Terrell Owens. This ass seriously dissed my boys a few years back. We fans don't forget that disrespect. I'll forever be a Cowboy fan but I won't be a fan of T.O.'s. Then just this week they released the best offensive lineman in the league, Larry Allen. I understand it was a money issue but if they wouldn't have signed ass hole TO then they would have the money to keep Allen. AND they were in dire need of a good kicker. So, do they go after Super Bowl hero Adam Venatari? NO..they get another big mouth ass in Mike Vanderasshole. Vander... (however it's spelled) is a 87% field goal kicker but he missed 2 VERY important kicks this year. 1 was so far right it wasn't even in the stadium. Jerry Jones is rising on my shit list.
Ok, well better go start my Saturday.
Tootles

I'll admit. I am contributing to the 4.whatever BILLION in lost productivity during March Madness. I porked over $5 and turned in my brackets bright and early yesterday morning. Went with pure gut feeling. Picked a 12/5 upset (2 in fact), had a couple sentimental picks and the rest went with the highest seed. When I got to work this morning I was leading with only 1 miss. Damn Oklahoma... BOTH my 12/5 upsets won. Thank you Texas A&M and Montana. Then todays games started. Good lord. I think I may have got 1 right today. Wisconsin decided not to make the trip to the tournament. Iowa gave up at about the 10 minute mark of the 2nd half and right now, Kansas is getting beat by Bradley. Actually that's too bad...sniff sniff...'ol Billy boy gets knocked out early again...maybe he should change his toupe. This one is bringing bad luck. I missed 7 of the 16 games today. That pretty much screws me for the rest of the tournament. My final 4 are the #1 seeds with UConn winning it. Some guy at Flex actually paid money and put down that Illinois will win it all. That was a waste of $5. I'm not so sure they will win tomorrow. Hope so tho....OH..it's final. Kansas lost. Boo hoo. Think i'll go to bed now on that note. I'll sleep better now.
Tootles
GO ILLINI!!

If I tried really hard I could probably scrape up enough money to buy an ark. I'll check the paper tomorrow for one. Will it ever stop raining? And this is only the 2nd day in a row that it has rained. Not used to it. I think tomorrow is suppose to be the only day in the next week that it isn't gonna rain. How big is an ark anyway? Will it fit in a double car driveway? hmmmmm.....

11:50AM, Thursday, March 2, 2006....
THE BIKE IS OUT AND ON THE ROAD!!!!



and damn is it cold......

Welcome back to your blog Kathy.
Gee, thanks. Glad to be back.
Haven't had the gumption to post anything lately. Same ol blah blah blah. I'm getting serious cabin fever. Insurance for the bike kicks in again on Wednesday. Can't wait! Get out o da house. Go for a ride. I don't care if it's cold out or not. Can always dress for it.

It might be the end of February but there have been Easter Bunny sightings already. Conor is gonna be so embarassed when he grows up and looks at pictures his grandmother has taken of him. I'm so glad there are NO embarassing pictures of me from when I was a kid. Now since I've grown up (well, to some extent) there are a few out there. Unfortunately for me, Tyger has a 2 of them. Lord help me. What was I thinking?

It's windy as heck today. I have every leaf in the neighborhood stuck up against the fence in my back yard. I found a deposit slip from somebody that does business at the U of I Credit Union. If I was a thief I could have EASILY wiped out the $3862 they had left in their savings account. But I'm an honest tax paying citizen so I shredded it and did my good deed. Damn it...could have built one heck of a deck AND replaced my fence with that money too.....Course I wouldn't be able to enjoy it much sittin in the Champaing County jail just down the street. I could almost look at my deck & fence, just not touch it....

Yea, been planning what i'm planning at the ol house this summer. Do I do the deck or just a simple patio? hmmmm....Patio would be about a grand cheaper. I don't have anything elaborate planned. Probably just pavers with a decorative landscape stone along the edge. That's alot of work tho no matter what i do.....and I'm a bit out on manual labor!

Ok, so I'm trying to find a kicker radion station on AOL. You can listen to all kinds of music plus they pick up the satellite XM stations too. So, i've decided to listen to the Dead Rock Stars station this afternoon. I'm in one of those moods i guess. Faith and Tim was an option too since I was listening to the country station out of Chicago US99 a bit ago and tried to win Tim and Faith concert tix. I think that would be an awesome show. I have a wide variety of musical tastes...country to hair band metal. Not the industrial metal crap where they actually scream lyrics. That's nasty. I'm not much into alternative stuff tho. Just a little too "alternative" for Kath. I wonder if i can rig up speakers from my computer to the rest of the house? I'm sure it can be done, I just need to find the techno geek to do it...I probably need to upgrade my receiver or something.

She's a super freak, super freak.....yea, a little dead Rick James makes me move a little. Haven't heard that song for a long time. This one either...Curtis Mayfield, Freddie's Dead. I was listenin to WLS at the GC swimming pool the last time this song graced my ears. Is Stairway to Heaven one of the longest songs on earth or what? I know it's a classic but I just don't like it. It never ends...Not a Led Zepplin fan.

Well I'm gonna go watch the Illini game. UGH...Gotta win one! GO ILLINI!

Tootles

It's gonna be a really fun time at the ol homestead this summer. Just got back from a "neighborhood" meeting across the street. The houses just north and to the east of me flood really bad when it rains alot so the city is putting in new drainage tile, etc. Yea, I get to pay for that. Not as bad as I was expecting tho. That's a good thing. They are assessing it more for people who need it the most. I just happen to be living on the road the tile is scheduled to go down. So, in a couple months i'm gonna get my front yard dug up. Yea. Shoulda waited on that new mailbox i guess. Hope they don't kill the only tree on my property. I'll have to either leave the ac on all summer or dust every day. Cats are gonna freek.
Been kinda down lately. Need a bit o cheering up. Thinking i was gonna get a little back on my income tax, I went ahead and booked a vacation for the summer. Non-refundable trip i may add. Tentatively did my taxes last night using TurboTax, SHIT...I gotta PAY again. I thought you got tax breaks when you buy a house? I can't remember the last time I actually got money back from my taxes. Honestly I bet its been 20 years. Never have i got money back from the state. fuckers... Guess the deck and fence are gonna have to wait till next year.
I'd like to some day break even. Hell with getting ahead. that ain't gonna happen. Yea, breaking even would be a positive. I'm goin to bed now.
tootles

It's Saturday noonish. Lazy day. I should be doing SOO many things. Screw it. It's hibernation time. In Living Color marathon on today. I haven't seen this show in 15 years! Fire Marshall Bill, Homey The Clown and Men On Film are my favs. I have changed the litter in the litter box. That was totally grosse. Even for me. I stopped by the new WalMart last night. I think they took the new Champaign WalMart and dropped it a mile from my house. Everything is the same. Even the floor is slick as hell. WalMart is taking over the country. Why do they need 3 Superstores in a town of 100,000 people? And they are building another one 15 mies away in Rantoul? Anyway, picked up some "comfort food" at the new Wally World. Cookie dough, cake mix, chips. I did get some juice to keep me healthy. Feelin a bit of a cold comin on. Needed da juice. Ok, gonna take a shower now. Homey is on this episode so i need to get goin.
Tootles

I'm shooting for March 18th. That is the date the bike is getting out of storage. I think it'll stop snowing by then. Hope so anyway. I don't mind the bike being out in the rain but not the snow. Don't know why. They are the same thing.
Ok, what's goin on with me lately? Work is stressfull. Layoff time of year. Seniority means nothing at the ol Flexer. GM is shutting down a bunch of plants and Ford just announced they are shutting down 12 plants. Yea, we supply both. The gas prices being so high, the sales of SUV's is way down. Yea, that's all we do, make shit for SUV's.
OH MY GOD! James Augustine just made 2 free throws IN A ROW!
Illini currently beating Minnesota.
I have asked to be moved out of the school on job #2. My boss isn't too happy about it. Sorry. I'm not gonna spend another summer strippin and scrubbin that school again. Don't know where I'll end up. May have to take a cut in hours. That will hurt. The WalMart down the street is opening on Friday. Maybe i'll go out there and apply. Probably have to work weekends there tho.
Ut Oh...Illini behind right now.
Weird to me....Illinois has a player on the team that is redshirting this year. He is from Champaign. His mother was one of my basketball coaches at Parkland. She didn't have any kids then. Damn.
I'm going to bed now and watch the game.
Tootles

Aint he just the cutest Bears fan there ever was?!

Right now it's halftime and the Bears are getting beat. Too bad. Conor has a few years to decide if he wants to be a fan of a real team. Perhaps the Dallas Cowboys will be chosen. Let's hope!!!

I cleaned the house this morning. Spotless...almost....that is until I get home and sit down to this 'puter. Boo Boo gets in the litter box and kicks about 2 cups of litter out onto the carpet. This is a new thing for her. I'm convinced she does it just cause it pisses me off. Aren't all kids suppose to do things just to piss ma/pa off?

Spent the afternoon in GC giving Harold a computer lesson. He's coming around. He can attach pictures to emails now. WOO HOO!!

Not much been goin on in this chicks world...other than cleaning up kicked out cat litter. Thinking about vacation. Can't decide if i want to take a long week plus vacation and blow all my $ or take a weekender and save $ for maybe a new refrigerator........damn....decisions.

Better go get the sweeper monster and clean up the litter.....

tootles

So all of you who know me, and for those who don't, take a guess. Who do I look like? The person on the left or the person on the right? This is my parents wedding picture. Taken at some restaurant in Lyons, Illinois on April 10, 1951. My mom has a REALLY big head in this picture don't you think? And really big shoulders too.....hmmm...don't remember anybody saying anything about her ever playing football....Mom's big azz shoulders kinda take away from Dad's big azz ears....Ironic that he can't hear shit anymore these days...Selective Dad hearing.
Anyways.....These 2 lovely people, born in 1925, got email today!!! WOO HOO!!!They still don't know how to do anything on their computer except to play solitaire, but they have email now. Did u feel the earth shake?!

Happy 2006 all. I think it's 2006 anyway. The Times Square ball looked like it had 2004 on it last night tho. It confused me. So I'm home now. Not much sleep last night so I'm totally spent today after my 3 hour drive home. No traffic on the way home too. YAY! Got a good view of the Chicago skyline. Ok, enough of that, on with the 2005 year in review for little ol Kath...
January - Well I'm gonna say this happened in January even tho it happened on December 30th of 2004.....I got my first tattoo. Thought about what I wanted and where it was gonna be for YEARS. I knew it was gonna be something to do with my sister Lynne and I didn't want it someplace on my bod that would "expand and contract". My fear was I get something I totally love but it would be on an area of my body that would look like somebody stretched it like Silly Putty if I gained weight. And, vise versa. I settled for between my shoulder blades. Safe place. So that is where my Lynne guardian angle is.
February - Even bigger event than getting my first tattoo....I bought my very first house! SIGH! 'nough said
March - The Illini went on a wild run to the Final Four. Like everyone else in Shampoo-Banana, I was glued to the tv everytime they were on. I do have to admit tho. Those 2 hours during the game were the BEST times to shop in this town. NO CROWDS!! The streets were deserted. Weird as hell.
April - I moved into my house! Got another tattoo too. Same scenerio as first tat...where to put it that the Silly Putty situation would not apply....ankle...So that is where my Chinese character for "family/home" is....And yes, I made absolutely sure that is what the symbol meant!
May - Hmmm...what happened in May?.......nothin...
June - Hmmm....anything exciting in June?....uh, no
July - I bought a motorpickle. A used 1989 Kawasaki Vulcan. I love it!! Is it March yet so I can get it out of the shed???
August - Went to a Melissa Ferrick concert here in town then came home just in time to have a car straddle the median in front of my house and take out a light pole. Sounded like a bomb when off just as I was getting to sleep. Called 911. Watched the 3 girls leave the scene of the accident. Real exciting.
September - Hmmm......go to October
October - Became a Great Aunt again. Conor was born on my neice Libby's birthday on the 24th. Maybe ma/pa will remember a birthday date on their own now.
November - Had a birthday. Damn thing comes around same time every stinkin year. Damn it!
December - The holidays suck. I was in a bad mood. Had to escape to Chicago to get over it.
Now it's January again. Ya never think about it when your in your 20's but as I look back on the 43 years ya'll have been lucky enough to have me around, every year goes by faster than the previous year. I feel like my life is going too fast and I can't take it all in. It's probably cause I work too much and can't jump off this merry go round and take a peek. I feel like I have wasted the past 5 years by working my life away. I suppose I have. Maybe 2006 will bring me love and total happiness.....I'm looking forward to it but not expecting it.
Let 2006 begin....