Yes, Ma'am.

{Nicky}

I daresay I was a polite child growing up. I had manners, and would (mostly) implement them at the correct times when dealing with elders.

It has occurred to me recently that I may now be an elder.

At stores/movie theaters/restaurants...all I'm hearing lately from these...younger clerks/ticket takers/servers, etc. is "Yes, Ma'am, it was on sale" or "No Ma'am, we don't do a military discount on matinees" or "Thank you for dining with us, Ma'am", etc.

And each time I hear it, I do a double take...who am I with that could possibly be referred to as Ma'am??

And the realization that it's ME they're referring to prompts an onslaught of internal thoughts that go something like this:

Dear God, I need to wear more make-up.
Man, I thought I was having a "young" hair day today!
Okay, JUST BECAUSE I asked for the discount to save money doesn't mean I'm OLD!
Okay then...thanks...DEAR (along with an internal mime of me patting youngster on head.)
Hmmm....I should probably not wear my I-Don't-Care-Today-Clothes out in public.

Maybe I am Ma'am worthy now, as much as I hate to admit it. I am, after all, almost 32! And yet, that's not old! In fact, 40, 50, 60...none of those seem 'old' to me! But to a 17 year-old, 32 is unfathomable light years away. It's high school graduation, college, marriage light years away. It's moving halfway across the country, husband always gone light years away. It's children-wanting, having, and losing- light years away. And I'm there. In the middle of, on my way to the other side of, those light years.

So yes, I guess I am Ma'am worthy. And I'm going to be okay with it. This Ma'am cut out coupons today, washed her Ma'am floor in her very own Ma'am house, and can't wait to catch the next matinee with her Ma'am husband, to save them both some money.

Thank you for your help, Dear. (pat pat) And you have a good day in school tomorrow!

Beginning Again

"Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future." -J.F. Kennedy

As President Obama takes office today, may our country stand behind him, united, as we look towards a future with change.

Passing the Days

{Nicky}

In an attempt to pass time more quickly, I've been flexing my creative muscles. I have made a little pillow for Grace, and a blanket for a friend's son, and today, I made this to hang in Gracie's room:


It was sad when my computer crashed the first time, and I hadn't saved it at all. A lesson I continue to fall prey to, even after years of computer work! Gar. Anyway, the redo turned out pretty well, I think, and I have the perfect frame for it!

Our lawyer is attempting to get information on the status of picking her up, but as it is Martin Luther King day in many places, the observances fall on Monday for some gov't. places, and today for others. So we're still in a holding pattern, until he can get a hold of someone for more info.

Fun!

Take the Quiz here!

Sorry

{Nicky}

There seems to be absolutely nothing going on here. I'm just in this constant State of Waiting. Waiting to hear about Gracie, waiting for Scott to come home...it's exhausting.

It's cold here. But not as cold as up there.

I'm uninspired.

Sorry, y'all.

New Pics

{Nicky}

Holiday photos are now on Flickr...FINALLY. Click "Photographing Giffords" to check them out.

Things I Hate

{Nicky}

1. Knowing I should move the glass peanut jar off the edge of the pantry shelf, but not doing it.

2. Spending day jostling for said jar as it almost falls each time the door opens.

3. Not catching said jar that final time, and watching it fall to the floor.

4. Jumping back as jar shatters, throwing peanuts and glass shards across the floor.

5. Hand picking up the largest shards.

6. Vacuuming up peanuts and smaller shards

7. Stepping on one of the shards. (no blood, thank goodness)

8. Throwing dog's blanket in the wash in case it got any shards.

9. Re-vacuum whole floor in case of errant shards.

10. Revisiting the thought that this all could have been avoided if only...

Adventures in Smoke Detectors-Part II

{Nicky}

One big thing I have to thank my parents for is their goofy evening/night schedules. Because they stay up so late (by the time they get home from work and spend some time together), our dogs have learned to sleep in LATE the next morning! A benefit that I know am enjoying, as the dogs are back w/ me.

So imagine, if you will, my dismay yesterday morning, to wake up to Dixie "woof"ing at a chirping noise that sounds suspiciously like a smoke detector. After trying to ignore it this for a few minutes, at Dixie's insistance, I dragged myself out of bed to see what the problem was.

This particular smoke alarm is located near the ceiling right outside our bedroom door, and has both electrical connections and a battery back up. So as Dixie, confused, is scolding the lower half of the wall in general for the undetermined source of chirping, I drag a step stool over, and I remove the battery, figuring that will cure the issue.

CHIRP.
WOOF WOOF WOOF!

No such luck. So I get off the stool, run down to get a new battery (CHIRP.-WOOF WOOF WOOF GROWL!) and run back up, pop it in, and pull the footstool away, get ready to go back to bed.

CHIRP.
GROWL WOOF WOOF!

Da**it. Pull footstool back, actually UNHOOK detector from wall, and think optimistically, "that will take care of it!" I sit and start at the detector with baited breath...Dixie's still covering her position with the wall.

CHIRP.
WOOF WOOF GROWL WOOF GROWL!
DA**IT!

So I pull out the battery, and figure smugly I have taken care of it for sure now, as there is now NO battery, and no electrical connection, so therefore--

CHIRP.
WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF!
SON OF A B-
CHIRP.

In total frustration, I yank open the linen closet door, pull apart the nearest pile of towels, and thrust it deep between them.

And there it will remain, until my electrically inclined husband comes home to fix this mess. Dixie and I go back to bed. (Jack yawns in his cage, and lays back down.)

Crisis solved.

(and yes, Moms, we have another detector still working downstairs, so we will be appropriately warned of fire hazards!)

2009

{Nicky}

Well, we are indeed back in VA. No snow on the ground, and warm enough to skip a jacket, if you're simply running in and out of stores.

Our Christmas back up in MN was so great. Everyone we got to see, the generosity of our families, the white Christmas...it all added up to one wonderful trip! I'll try to get pictures posted ASAP.

Every vacation must come to an end, however, and today, Saturday, Scott's back at work, and I've tasked myself with un-decorating our home (which Scott graciously offered to do for me, if I were to go to work for him!). I guess that now, our next big thing coming up is our permission from the legal end of things to go and pick up Grace in TX. After that...Scott's deployment will be too soon arriving.

2008 was a year with many ups and downs...we're hoping 2009 yields a lot more "ups"!

*******
Okay, the dogs are home. And so often I am reminded that Dixie is no longer a puppy...and that Jackson very much is! Current example? Dixie's laying by my feet while I type, and Jack's upstairs parading around -based on the noise he is creating- much like an elephant would!

It's good to have them home.

:-)