Public Service Announcement!

Okay, it's official...I'm tired of this blog.  I'm not, however, necessarily tired of blogging, so, for those who might still read this, in the next few days (probably more like a week, knowing me), weird things may go on here and with stuff associated with this blog.  In fact, since I tend to start out with flourishes and wind up fucked, I can see how I might actually wind up accidentally deleting stuff on this blog, or possibly the whole blog, with some things I'm going to try to do.  If I manage to do such a thing and you don't want to take that opportunity to just be rid of me (which would make me very sad, but I'd live), I'll post updated info over on  oopsie daisy...i said that?.  If I get very lucky, I'm about to make a very deliberate change that hopefully will work and make it fun again.  ;-)

Happy New Year and I hope it's going to treat us all well! After all, come December 21, we may die.
*nods*

It's November 1st!

Today is a memorable day in my own history.  11 years ago and 2 hours from now is when I first found out my now ex-husband was a drug addict.  Although we were separated and he was living at our office/house, we were talking about trying to stay together and had had a lovely night taking Jake and his friends trick or treating.  He said he had to get back to the office to work, I left Jake at my mom's and went home to sleep.  For the record, I, too, had dressed up for Halloween and was so tired that I went to sleep with part of my costume still on.  I was a gothic fairy, lolol. At around 2am, I was awakened by a deputy at my door, who proceeded to turn my world more upside down than I ever thought possible. I still wore glitter, a fake tattoo on my forehead and left the house wearing no shoes...just sparkly socks. In hindsight and with the help of a couple of wonderful and caring deputies who knew I was clueless and were very good to me, it was the night I really woke my ass up and regained control over my own life.  It's a tough but very good anniversary.  :-)

So, enough of that stuff, let's talk Christmas! I'm a bargain hunter and love finding odd, unusual gifts for people I love.  I also love a good deal in general...who doesn't?  So,  from now until Christmas or shortly thereafter, I'm going to post any deals I find interesting and hope they help someone else.  Now, a few things you should know:

1. I use no affiliate links so feel free to click and know I get nothing out of this.  I'm just doing it for fun and to maybe be a bit helpful.

2. Most of the things I find will come from the Slickdeals.net Hot Deals forum. I love Slickdeals and recommend you go check it all out...lots of good stuff to be found on the Hot Deals forum, though.  Feel free to ignore me and just bookmark it, then check it yourself a couple of times a day.  :-)

3.  Always be sure to check ebates.com for rebates on things you buy.  There are some other rebate sites, but I really like ebates.com best.  If you shop online a lot, you'd be surprised at how these rebates can add up!  Also, don't buy without looking for a coupon code.  My favorite spot is currentcodes.com but you can always google, for example, "whitehouseblackmarket.com coupon codes" and try other sites.  If I know of any coupons in what I post, I'll include them.

4.  Good deals often end quickly, so don't be shocked if it's gone.  Also, stores will sometimes oversell this close to Christmas and you'll get the dreaded cancellation notice a few days later.  It's not my fault, so don't bitch at me!


So, let's go.
Here's a cool clock...looks like it runs on water. Also says it's good for people with lazy eye, which is what "amblyopic" means. Who knew? Not sure how all this works, but it could be a good, cheap gift for the person who has everything or, alternately, a teacher. Or someone with a lazy eye.  I have a friend with that and I never know which eye I'm supposed to look at when I talk to her.  Anyway, here's a link to the post...it could be fun or it could be some Asian person's way of laughing at us Westerners.  It's a crapshoot.  Oddly, I want this. Here's a link to the entire post so you can decide and do as it says.  Water Powered Hydroenergy Clock

Need a portable hard drive for yourself or a gift?  Here's a killer deal.  Seagate® FreeAgent® GoFlex™ 1TB Ultra-Portable Hard Drive Trust me, I shopped hard for these just a couple of months ago and it's good.  Again, I've added the link for the entire thread on the deal...read through it for info you may need first, before ordering. Looks like someone may have posted a deal for another one, too.  This one reminds me, sometimes you have to actually buy a coupon on eBay to get a good deal.  I've done this many times...it's well worth $1 or so to save $25.  Just watch feedback for reputable places.

Does anyone still use checks?  Great deal here.  I only use checks to pay my lawn service and the local handyman, but I'm nearly out so I did this and got the ones with dragonflies.  It works fine!  
2 Boxes of Checks Wallet Duplicates for only $5.05!!

And lastly, here's some Pottery Barn Santa stuff that looks like it might be a good deal if you do this kind of thing.

G'night!  And yay, Christmas is coming! 

A letter to Janey.

A little background here:  When Gina died, a very sweet daughter of a dear friend wanted to cheer me up, so she made me some things.  Her mama, however, is baaaad about mailing things on time (not that I share that trait *averts eyes*), and I just got it yesterday.  I'm going to keep a few details private just to keep the girlie safe, but anyone who knows me well is going to know who this precious kid belongs to. If you don't know me that well, just enjoy the utter sweetness of this gift and know that someone out there is raising a good, kind girl.

Dear Janey,
I got your mail yesterday and thank you so much! It sure took your mom long enough to mail it, didn't it?  ;-)  I was thinking about Gina yesterday and missing her, so your gifts came at such a good time and made me very happy!  I loved your letter and am glad you liked your Hello Kitty stuff and your dancing flower. I have one in my window, too, see?  Every time I saw mine, I thought about y'all and that you'd like them, too. Glad I was right!

 The picture you drew was excellent!  It actually looks a lot like Gina did.  :-)

Your letter just made my day!  You write very well, by the way...lol, about as good as Jake and he's 20!

But I have to tell you, I LOVE my magnet best.  

A kitty in a heart with angel wings...how perfect is that to remember Gina by? It's just beautiful!

I took a picture of my fridge to show you I have many magnets and stuff all over it, but decided yours needs to be right out in front.  Your letter is under your picture so I won't lose it.  :-)

I just can't thank you enough to doing something so nice for me and hope you don't mind that I've shared it with everyone here so they can see, too. I also hope you don't mind that I snagged a picture of you to add on so everyone can see the sweet girl who did such a thoughtful thing. I hope I get to meet you in person some day and give you a big hug!

Isn't she beautiful?

XOXO,
Lisa

Raising Jake.

Some background you should know...I've caught hell from my family for how I've raised Jake since he was born.  From not vaccinating (he is now, so spare me the silly emails), to unschooling and then homeschooling, to teaching him to not base his choice of who he loves on a set of genitalia, but rather on a person who treats him like he's the best thing ever and who makes him laugh, feel special and feel safe and who inspires him to feel the same....yeah, I've caught a lot of flack. But, the fact is, I knew early on he was different.  No, not brighter or "gifted", I've never been one of *those moms because every kid is bright or gifted in their own way...no, I've just chosen to embrace his oddities instead of trying to pretend they don't exist.  He's 20 now, and I'd not change a bit of that. I won't ever have a kid with some big title or retirement plan, but I've got a kid who knows he's free to dream as long as he works hard to make those dreams real and you know what?  I'm happy with that.

Tonight, this morning, whatever you want to call it, at this very moment, Jake is at the Vampire Ball, performing his original music.  He's been swarmed by fans (lol, albeit it probably less than 100), had many photos taken and is signing autographs.  He's living his dream, even in small form. Would I love him to go to college or do something to further his education someday?  Of course I would, but not now.  Not at the sacrifice of what he's having tonight.  There's time for that later but this?  Won't wait. How many of us can really, honestly, say we've lived the dream we had at his age?  I can't. My parents insisted I be more practical and I gave up my dreams but swore to myself I'd never do that to my kids.  "They" say we always want better for our kids than we had and I do...I want him to have nights like tonight and am so very, very proud of him that he's worked hard enough to have even this much.

Someday, when he's older and has more responsibilities in life, I hope he can look back on tonight and feel good about himself.  I hope he can not have resentment toward me or what he feels he could have been, had he just had the support. I hope the rest of our family can someday, somehow, realize that for *him, I'm doing the right thing in not forcing college or (God help me, *never) the military on him.  I want him more for Jake; I want him to have no regrets. I want him to live his dream.

Lol, he looks scary tonight, hmmm?  This is not the kid in blue velour pajama pants I usually have running around the house drinking apple cider vinegar in apple juice because he's read it's healthy, playing with the cats and watching Dancing With The Stars with me (he's rooting for David Arquette)...looks can certainly be deceiving, can't they?  Yet, it is the same person. I hope people read this, see him, and realize that.

I'm so, so proud of him right now.  Always.  And I have no regrets about how I've raised him, even if it's hasn't been "normal" and even if he's not what's considered to be "normal".  More power to us both for flipping off "normal" and being *real.  And mostly, let's just hope he keeps an eye on his drinks tonight.  Argh!

** Edited this morning to add:  Welllllp, he learned a harsh lesson about following dreams last night.  After all that, the venue had scheduling issues and several performers, Jake being one, didn't get to perform.  He's so upset and I am for him, but it's still a good lesson. He might even appreciate what he *did get to experience in, oh, 20 years.  ;-) **

Random thoughts and a deal on razor blades.

Let's tackle the razor blade thing first...Jake needed new razor blades today, sort of urgently, since I'd bought the wrong ones the other day and he was leaving today (more on that in a bit).  Within a mile radius, we have a Publix, Winn-Dixie, CVS, Family Dollar and Walgreen's. He wanted Schick Quattro Titanium blades and Walgreen's had the regular Quattro blades on sale for $8.99 but the Titaniums were $13.99.  For four.  Yes, *four.  Razor blades are one of those things that make my asshole pucker up when I have to buy 'em, but hey, he's going to be gone a long time and I decided to suck it up. At the register, however, even the Titaniums rang up at $8.99.  Yay!  But to make matters even better, this purchase got me a printed coupon for $5 off my next purchase of more than $5.  So, basically, I can go spend $5.10 and only pay 10 cents.  Or, alternately, I got $13.99 blades for $3.99 and will pay for something I'd buy on sale there anyway.  Probably nail polish.  Anyway, with the purchase of *any Schick Quattro product, men's or ladies', and even the disposable razors, you'll get the $5 coupon for a future purchase of anything.  This is a deal worth sharing.  :-)

So, yeah, it's 3am and about 2 hours ago, Jake left out with a friend to spend an undetermined mount of time in Ft. Lauderdale.  He will be back long before Thanksgiving, but that's all either of us know right now.  I will miss him fiercely but am glad he's getting to experience a new area and see if it's a place he might be better off living in.  Don't get me wrong, I love my kid and hate the idea of him moving, but this area offers nothing for him now. Just nothing. He has to move away to have a future and at least Ft. Lauderdale isn't that far away.. But here I am...kidless, alone, feeling sort of giggly at the freedom of it all.  I"m such a piss-poor empty-nester.  Oh, and his friend?  Is cute.  And a little...um...prancy.  Hmmmm.  :-D

So here I sit, it's past 3am and I'm having a glass of wine, bleaching my shower grout and trying to keep Tucker the cat from breaking in and licking the bleach. Does anyone else have a cat that loves bleach?  Obviously, I'm going to be leading a wild life while Jake is gone, lol. I think tomorrow (fine, *today, whatthehellever) I'm going to make myself a honey-do list and share it.  Maybe I'll even keep myself honest with pictures.

For now, I'm going to try sleeping in my bed.  It's been over a month since I've slept in it.  My back objects to being flat, I have issues with being on the far end of the house and so I tend to sleep in my recliner and Jake takes my bed since it's a full size and no one is in it.  Still, in celebration of being freeeeeee and alone, I'm going to sleep there.  I put fresh sheets and a fresh coverlet on, have a lavender tart melting and am going to try it without a TV, since my TV in there died. Wish me luck.

Goodnight to everyone.

(PS:  I'm not bothering to proofread this so ignore any typos)

Passive-Aggressive Scrabble.

Miss Arse and I play Scrabble on Facebook and she usually beats my ass, too.  When we have an argument or she's in a foul mood about something, she starts new games even though we have several going and plays mean.  I just opened up a new game and apparently she has something on her mind...
 

 
Click it to make it bigger.
I love how she wishes me luck...that's my clue it's about to get ugly on the Scrabble board.  By the way, check out my letters.  Can you guess what word I played back?  :-D

It's the old lady's birthday!

Nope, not mine or Miss Arse's.  ;-)  It's Ginger's birthday! Now, I'm not ordinarily one to celebrate cat birthdays (much), but when a cat turns 19 it seems to me it ought to be acknowledged and Miss Ginger is 19 today!  Coincidentally, had I remained married to Jake's dad, we'd have been married 20 years ago today.  But let's stick with happy things and celebrate the sweet old, bony furbag that is Miss Ginger.  She's absolutely the most agreeable, kind, accepting and tolerant cat that ever lived and is happiest in a lap, having her belly rubbed. Or eating.

She does not like it when you wake her up, though, lol.  See, Ginger's deaf now and a year or so ago was diagnosed with Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome. That's just a fancy name to say she's sort of senile now...kitty Alzheimer's. It doesn't really bother any of us, least of all her, and provides for some amusing times. She will eat imaginary things off the floor (yes, they are imaginary, I'm sure!) and just chomp and chomp, then swallow and look very pleased with herself.  She's stopped grooming so I have to brush and wash her up daily.  She's become fiercely attached to some objects over the last few years and she will randomly kitten call and we have to get one of them to her quickly or she'll get so upset she gets sick. One is her feather duster, which she's actually loved for many years.

We named him Dusty. I don't want to talk anymore about that.  :-P

Lately, though, she seems to find the most comfort in my remote when she's all discombobulated.  She will seriously snuggle it and relaxes like a baby with a pacifier...so sweet.  The remote doesn't have a name, by the way.  Perhaps her oddest, and only aggravating quirk she's acquired with her senility is that she's completely forgotten she's supposed to pee in her litterbox...

...instead, she pees in a towel lined, galvanized bucket in my bedroom closet.  Trust me, I'm not thrilled with this at *all, but what can you do?  It was that or have her peeing on whatever struck her fancy at the time.  At least I know where the pee is now, you know?  She generates much laundry, so it's a good thing I love her. By the way, those shoes?  Jake's.  *nods*   Back to sweet Gingie, 'cause it's her birthday, the CDS also causes her to do random and daring things she's never, ever done before.

Like this. This game lasted until she lost her footing one day and broke a fang tooth inside the bowl.  I really hope this kind of stuff never happens to Miss Arse.  Or me.

So, happy birthday to our silly old Poogie.  We're so glad we've had her for 19 years and hope we get to see one more together, at least.  And just because I've shared some fairly unlady-like, unattractive pictures of her...

...here's proof that even an old lady can still be beautiful.  :-)