Monday, October 26, 2009

Random Tuesday Thoughts-Mourning, Pharmaceuticals, Stranger are Strange, National Geographic Keeps on Giving, Doubleyew, and Grab Ass

So last week was a total mess. Swine flu kicked our ass. My favorite cat died.

What better to follow up the mayhem, but with a Random Tuesday Thoughts post.

On Mourning:  I sincerely, from my cat-broke heart, thank every one who left me kind and supportive comments and emails regarding the death of my cat Shmobie.

There is still a hole in me and in my house.  There is an empty spot in the vortex of our little shack that his body should occupy.  His place on the couch is noticeably vacant.  And Harley, the "grande dame" has taken over our bed and abandoned her cushion in the living room.  The shift of power has already occurred.  The imbalance is palpable and will askew be for a long time.  It does not feel right.

About Pharmaceuticals:   
Cherry flavored Codine cough syrup rules.
Antibiotics still work.
And Tamiflu works...for now. Just wait till that bastard swine flu virus mutates and becomes fully resistant...

After the family got through the swine flu, I finally came down with a 101 fever on Friday.  I went to the "Doc in the Box" clinic and the Dr said not only did I have flu, but bronchitis as well.  Funny how taking care of all the other sick people makes Moms forget there is wheezing in their chests.

My teeth hurt so much when I was sick I had a nightmare that they, MY TEETH, were bursting into fluffy white popcorn.  F-ing POPCORN was exploding from my mouth.  Yeah.  That's how much pressure was in those teeth...

Riddle: How many (numerically) is W?  Because Ella is frequently asking me, "Mom can I have doubleyew?"
Answer: This is easy, but the answer is at the bottom of this post.

Strange People are Everywhere: 
Imagine the parking lot of our local Nor. Cal grocery store. Ella and I were making our way across the asphalt weaving through the parked cars, when a gap with empty parking spots opened up in front of us. Ella was wearing her new yellow dragonfly patterned apron and holding my hand tightly, as she normally does. We walked freely forward and I hear a voice say, "I'll trade my car for your daughter."

In front of us was a older man sitting in new looking red Toyota Celica.

I was not quite sure I heard him right, so I looked up and said, "Excuse me? We're you talking to us?"

"Yeah, I'll trade my car for your kid," He repeated without pause.

"Huh........? No thanks," I said as stared strangely at man, while I kept us moving away from the car and into the store. I was baffled. I could not believe somebody would say this. Was this a creepy old man, a old man making a joke, or some strange complement about Ella in an apron?

Regardless, if somebody ever asks me to trade my kid for their car, I am taking their license plate number and calling 911, as if the Golden Gate Bridge is falling.  I'm going to start firing and ask questions later. Both my husband and MIL were freaked out by the whole thing.  Are you?

Next topic:
We get National Geographic (NG). It's great. I love to read it and look at the pictures.

And, no. This is not a cliche story about naked primitives.

Ella was looking at the NG too one day last week and was very interested in one photo in particular.  It showed a color photograph of a girl with a cleft lip in an advertisement soliciting donations for this cause.

Ella stared at the picture and studied it for about five minutes before asking me, "Why is this baby girl sad, Mom."

I explained, "Ella, that girl is not sad, she has a cleft lip. She was born like that. She needs stitches to fix her lip."

"Mom. I think she is sad, Mom." Ella responded with a cautious certainty.

"That baby is not sad. Really, Ella. She is going to be just fine. The doctors will sew her up and she will be all better," I explained with equal care.

Ella continued to look at that picture for another five minutes before abandoning it.  She picked up the magazine several more times in the day to inspect the baby again.

I let her be the judge of this picture.  Ella did not cry or get scared or show distress in any way. Would you have let your 2.5 year old have this education?

Something Else:
My husband says that there is a significant difference between "grabbing ass" and "patting ass."  I am of the opinion that they are both equally offensive.   My husband thinks I should not be "angry" when he pats my rear, because "grabbing" is so much more "invasive."  To me the unsolicited groping of a woman's rear end is universally unacceptable.  I am still maintaining that my opinion has more merit since my ass is the one being patted.  

Good Home Cooking:
I made a pot of mixed beans with bacon, including mire poix, and spices.  Savory, yummy, healthy...

My adorable, five year old son, Wyatt says upon looking at the bowl, "Mom, I'm not eating that sewage water."  Then he falls to the floor looking squeamish. 

"OH COME ON!!" I rally back, "Ella at a bowl for lunch already."

"No Mom, that's raw sewage."

Then it was too late.  I did one of those closed mouth laughs that you try to suppress but it comes out like a "Phlll" sort of like a fart, but not quite.

Then we laughed for five minutes.

He still had to eat the "bacon and bean sewage" for dinner. 

ANSWER to the Riddle: W = 3 to my daughter as she holds up her little hand and makes a "w" with three fingers she says, "Can I have doubleyew candy corn..."   Now how can a parent predict how a kid's mind processes information with switching numbers for letters like this????

That's random for you.

See The Un Mom for more random...

26 comments:

Leigh said...

YAY! It sounds like you're feeling more like your self again. So glad for that! This post was great...will go to sleep thinking good thoughts now!

Vanessa said...

Hey Julia! Thanks so much for stopping by my blog.

I had the same dream about my teeth when I was down with strep several months back.. its was awful! I woke up as if the dream was real and ran to the mirror to make sure they were all still in place!! Just thinking about the dream gives me the willies.

I would be horrified if someone said that about my child!! The world is sooooo screwy these days taking things literal is the safest thing to do especially when your child is involved.

My hubby tends to not only agree with your hubby about the ass grab/pat but he says both are perfectly okay. This is what he had to say "If we are still grabbing/patting your rear. It means we are still very interested" LOL! I agree with you of course (that it is offensive either way). I would be terrified if I had children and he did that in front of them!

Eeek this comment is long! Sorry about that ha ha.

xashee's corner said...

i had to scroll down a bit and get a little caught up. i LOVE your pumpkin carving thing, even my DH enjoyed carving one.
i am so sorry for the loss of your four legged friend. we have 5 animals (2cats, 3dogs) and one of our dogs is getting bad with age. to me, they are like my babies and it's hard to say goodbye. but i like to believe that we will be reunited with all our pets one day.
i sure hope everyone feels better soon, from the flu, too. it's no fun when EVERYONE is sick.
big HUGS! Have a WARM & cozy evening!! :)

Anonymous said...

W, how cute!


Yes I am completely creeped out by the car dude.

Schmobie. :( :( :(

Your teeth hurt??

Sewage, lol!!

jane augenstein said...

Wow, what a post! You must be feeling much better! The horrid flu hasn't gotten me or my husband, he had a cold this weekend, not bad but kept him in the house sitting watching TV....he almost NEVER does that!
OMG the old man thing, creepy!!! Creeps are everywhere, awful man!
Men and butts....it's a man thing!
Again, so sorry about your beautiful kitty, I too know that pain. Try to remember all the joy he brought, it helps lessen the pain a bit.
hugs to you and yours...
Jane

Melodie said...

Oh I am so sorry about Shmobie.
I am glad you are all on the mend!It is a nightmare to have a houseful of sick people!
OK,that old man was seriously creepy!In this day and age you don't do that.When I was a kid I remember old people joking and saying things like "I'd trade you a sack of taters for that youngin".But the whole I'll give you a car,this creep sounded serious!(insert shudder and heeby jeebies!)
I think the NG thing shows compassion.Plus you helped her understand the picture.
Hope you keep feeling better and stronger each day!

Raven said...

Has everybody been hit with illness? We've been sick, as are a few other bloggers I know, not to mention half my kids' friend's.

I hope you are all feeling much better.

That car/kid trade guy was really creepy. I would have been totally creeped out.

I wouldn't worry to much about the NG thing. Kids will see that there's suffering in the world some time or another. We can't shield them from everything. I think you handled it very well.

LOL on the sewage for dinner. That's hilarious!

Have a great Tuesday!

Raven

Sara said...

I'm still snickering about the sewage! He's a thinker! And the doubleyew is classic. James and I had this conversation last night. Why does the A get to come first? And what is the difference between numbers and letters? :S Sounds like things are looking better healthwise at your house. Take care of yourself.

Doris Sturm said...

WOW! That was a loaded post...my head's still spinning (ha, he, ha)...I think I'll never get that teeth popping like popcorn out of my mind as long as I live since I am sort of fanatic and phobic about my teeth, i.e. not wanting them to fall out and having to wear dentures one day? I often dream about them just crumbling out, but poppiong like popcorn - that is harsh!
Just gave my mind some more material for utterly strange and scary nightmares ;-)
That guy WAS creepy - I would have made a wide circle around him too...scary thing is that he might actually find someone who will make that trade...hey, one just never knows about all the weirdness in this world.

I sure hope you're all well on your road to recovery. At least now that you've had this darn Swine flu, you're immune to it, while I can still look forward to maybe getting it one day...

Thanks for your entertaining blog! Have a great day, Julia!

Oh, by the way, I'm having a Trick or Treat Halloween Giveaway from the 29th to the 31st...try to enter if you remember! bye for now!

Olde Dame Penniwig said...

You're crazy, dearie. You used up something like 12 exciting topics in ONE POST.

As to the man in the parking lot. Yes, call the cops. Immediately. Do not mess with him yourself unless you are armed. Do not go armed unless you are ready to shoot to kill. The karma tells you that man was acting nuts, it was not like some oldster saying something like "I'd trade 40 acres and my best hog fer a grandkid" or something. Guy was BAD.

Rear-patting. What I wouldn't give, dearie, to have even the mildest of interest shown to any body part.

Smart remeark re: cooking. I'd have come down on Wyatt like a TON OF BRICKS for that sewage remark. Yes, I'm an old meanie who raised up a son who won't eat anything I cook.

As to Ella, and you know I can't stand kids, is that she is simply adorable. She's really smart, Julia. I mean, REALLY.

Olde Dame Penniwig said...

P.S. you did good with the cleft-lip picture. You showed Ella it was nothing to be scared of, nothing to reject, just a child with something a doctor could make work right later.

Toni said...

I'm so sorry to read about our kitty. I remember that feeling and it is awful. My condolences.

Ummmmmm, that guy sounds really really creepy, yes. I would have run into the store.

Oh and my three year old think the flowers on your blog smell good. ;)

Happy Tuesday!

I am Harriet said...

So sorry about your kitty.

Have a great RTT!
http://iamharriet.blogspot.com/2009/10/woman-scares-off-burglar-by-acting-like.html

brokenteepee said...

That old man needs to be incarcerated or some sick person will take him up on that offer. And someone eventually will. There are too many people who just don't care about children...case in point, said old man.

Raw sewage. heh heh I am sure it was very tasty.

I HATE when my hubby grabs my ass. He feeds me this line about the weddings vows saying "to have and to hold." Never marry a lawyer....

Liz Mays said...

That dude was a perv. I seriously can't believe he said that. Did you take his plate number down?

I would have let Ella process that picture just like you did. I think that was fine.

Still thinkin' of you and your loss.

Raven said...

How could I have forgotten to say 'my condolences on your loss?' I am so sorry to hear about your cat. It's so hard to lose a pet.

Stacy Uncorked said...

Awwww, so sorry about the loss of your cat. It does take a long time before that hole is filled. ((HUGZ!))

Oh man - that guy offering his car in exchange for Ella? Creeeepy!

Perfect letting Ella judge the picture on her own.

Happy RTT! :)

Grand Pooba said...

Hahaha! Ella is so cute! A doubleyew candy corn, I would have never figured that one out.

Geez woman, stop with all this sickness! I hope your weeks ahead get better for you and your cute family!

Captain Dumbass said...

Why is it we always catch hell for grabbing/patting the ass? Isn't it better than if we totally ignored your ass? (or other parts)

And popcorn teeth? Might want to ease up on the codeine.

The Mind of a Mom said...

Welcome back, good to see you and to know that you and the kids are feeling better!

Anonymous said...

I am glad you all are feeling better, and hope you continue to do well.
So sorry about Shmobie.
That creepy man needed a good thrashing.
Yes, kids say the darnest and funniest things. My 3 year old grandson spend a long time picking the grass out of the lasagna I made. It was spinach.

Ella is so sweet. Yes it is important they understand real life and figure things out how their little and expanding brains allow them to.

No comment on ass patting.Except.. It just gets better the older you get!
Have a great day.
Pam

Rick (Ratty) said...

The car guy is definitely creepy, even if he was making a bad joke. I would have put a nice knot on his head for that one unless he began talking fast to get out of it. I've done things like that before.

I never thought of W as 3. That's a good one. And my mom has made raw sewage just like yours. I didn't want to eat it either, but it tasted okay.

Lesley Speller said...

Oh, hun! I hope you're all better soon! It is crazy how Mommy's can ignore their own sickenss when their babies are sick isn't it!

As for the trading of your daughter for a car... At first glance, your story does seem TOTALLY CREEPY!!!!! I think I'd go with your first reaction. If you were creeped out at the time it probably wasn't just someone trying to be funny, and I definitely might have called 911!

Maybe W is 3 because if you hold up three fingers it kinda looks like a W?

I have no idea where they get these things! But aren't they cute!

The Silver Age Sara said...

Julia, I'm just catching up on my blog reading and I'm so sorry to hear about Shmobie. And now you're sick too. You've been through such a rough patch.
I can't imagine the perverts lurking out there and I hope that whoever it was, he lands in jail in the near future.

Vixen said...

I send you 'doubleyew' hugs.

Creepy old man? Yes. Running? Good option. I mean the cars are cool and all, but worth an apron? I don't think so. Oh wait, he wanted the kid, right? (hope your sense of humor is still intact beneath the wheezing and such).

Still thinking of you, today and always.

Sharkbytes said...

Hey- I like this idea. My life can still be pretty random some days even without horses and chickens and kids. Good to have you smiling again, even if you are coughing too.

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