Competing

I never realized how competitive I am. But, alas, I am. Monkeyboy is extremely competitive. We play poker sometimes on family night. He is very good. Sometimes he bluffs and gets this very silly grin on his face. (His father has him practicing poker faces, and sometimes it works.) But then when we all decide that he has bluffed for the last time, we always get caught. Especially Bean. She will call and call his bet.....and he will win. She can lose and just shrug her shoulders and leave. He has this incredible look as he pulls in his winnings. Did I tell you he is seven? BUT...when he doesn't win...look out. When the Steelers don't win......oh, my. And the Pens. Now, I never thought about it, but I play poker a lot. And let me tell you, when I lose, I want to ask what kind of car they drive so I can key it. I want to call all sorts of names. I want to beat them to a pulp. Bean has been selected to test for advanced Algebra. She tries out for parts in the theater. She is very good, by the way. Played the nasty orphan in Annie. I don't think she wants to beat someone to a pulp if she doesn't get a part or doesn't make some advanced thing at schoold. I wonder where Monkeyboy gets his competitive spirit? Hmmmm. GO PENS.

It's a hockey night in Pittsburgh

I am not much of a sports person. I supervise a hockey player at work. I have a hockey fanatic living two blocks from me. He is seven. I knew nothing about a power play. He explained it to me. He watches the sports channel rather than cartoons before he goes to school in the morning as he eats his breakfast. He screams, yells, jumps up and down. He is seven. It's nice to have such passion. Everyone should be passionate about something. And it helps me learn about hockey.

View from the bathroom

Woke up this morning and went to take a shower. I opened the window and noticed that the Magnolia tree had lost most of it's petals. Have I mentioned that I love spring? The last time I remember the tree looking as beautiful as it did this spring was when we had Mippy's baby shower for Beaner. And I love to see the petals on the ground. So, of course, I get out the camera. Now, this might prove to be a bit tricky. I have to lift the window and the screen. As I lift the screen, Ava jumps on the tub and looks as though she might look out the window, which she is prone to doing. I am attempting to focus the camera and get the lighting right when.........you guessed it, Ava jumps to the window ledge and balances precariously on the ledge. Do I drop the camera or grab the cat? Neither.....I held the camera for dear life.....this woould be the same TYPE of camera I fell into the hot tub with.......and grab for the cat. Have I told you how quick she can be and how loudly she can howl? Woke me up, let me tell you. Here is the picture and Ava is giving me very mean looks.

Home Improvements

Of course, the time to do inside home improvements is winter. But I hibernate in winter, snoozing away the dark time, waiting for the light. So, now it is time to look at things in the home and think......omg, this looks truly awful! So, we (this year, I) decide to takle the spare bedroom. This is so when brother and sister-in-law come to visit, I won't have to hear about the lumpy bed or lack of light in the room by which to read. There is, in this room, a chair that was my grandmothers. It has been "done over" a number of times, and this time, I admit, I picked a very odd color. So that became the challange, to find coordinating colors to go with the very odd colored chair. "Popsicle Melon" became the color of choice. Beaner came over to help with the painting. A wonderful child she is, truly helped! The most wonderful part is the eye she has for visualizing things. Finger on chin, lips pursed, looking about....she picked up the perfect flower arrangement and plopped it down in the perfect spot. Told me where to place furniture to maximize space. She amazes me....someone said she takes after her mother. Cleaning up, admiring the room, backing out into the hallway to tip over the can of paint onto the carpet in the hallway. Slow motion, watching the paint spilling out, trying to get to it as quickly as I can. The house STILL smells of carpet cleaner............BUT...........the room looks great! Now to find curtains and bedspread!

New Beginning

I have been thinking about blogging, so here I go! I have no idea of what I am doing, but what is new about that? Spring is here, and I am happy about that, flowers, trees in bloom. Green. I am in the mood for change, so let's begin at the beginning!