My Hero

So - while perusing the web today - I came across a discussion/contest that asked the question: Who is your role model/hero? I've never really given it much thought - I didn't grow up with any ONE person in my life that made me who I am today - what I'm trying to say is - I was blessed to have MANY MORE than one. My mom and dad - who sacrificed and gave a LOT to me and my brothers and sister. We may have WANTED for more but we never NEEDED more. My grandparents on my moms side - my other grandparents had passed before I was born. My older brothers and sister and their wives and husband - all helped mold and shape me to be the person I am today.


But there is one person in my family who I truly admire and am so lucky to still have her around. My Great Aunt Ruth. Aunt Ruth just turned 96 this past August and, I guess, she's always been someone I just thought was "cool."


A couple of years back we were at a family wedding and I didn't feel much like dancing, I was in a depressed mood at the time and feeling sorry for my(fat)self. My cousin Janet, Aunt Ruth's daughter, told me the story of how Aunt Ruth met her husband. Now, keep in mind, Ruth is about 5 feet tall and was slim/slender her whole life - just an iddy biddy thing. She was polished and ALWAYS put together - WELL. Never without makeup/lipstick and a fresh manicure. She was the Jackie O in our family.



Well, Aunt Ruth met my Uncle and her Mr. Right one night while dancing - on a table! (and I'm pretty sure it was a prohibition party at that too - but I could be making that up.) She didn't let her inhibitions get the best of her, like I was, and she met a wonderful man. (Who went on to become a DOCTOR) Unfortunately, Uncle Bill died at an early age, from cancer. But that didn't hold my Aunt back. Although she never remarried, she did and still does, live life to the fullest. She has traveled all over the world, by herself and with groups. Up until this summer - when she was 95 - she had her own apartment. It was in a retirement community, but she was self-sufficient.


Then, she hit a rough spell, she fell and broke her ankle and she also developed emphysema. While in the hospital she had some close calls and we thought we were going to lose her and she made the decision (still, on her own) to not be resuscitated if it came to that. Thankfully, it didn't come to that. I believe it's because she had her 96th birthday coming up. Aunt Ruth demanded (in the sweetest way a 95 year old woman can) that a party be thrown for her because she WOULD be there. And this past August, she was!


I recently visited her at the nursing home where she is recuperating. When I got there, she was waiting for me, she wanted to me to take her outside for a "walk." She's in a wheelchair because of her broken ankle and I think this is just killing her. She was wearing a brand new outfit that she got for her birthday, hair and make up done and recently had a manicure. As we strolled though the halls she introduced me to everyone and they all knew that I was coming that day for a visit. She is very proud of her family and let me tell you, I felt like a ROCK STAR because everyone knew my name and was excited to finally meet Ruth's Great Niece!! (I plan on going back weekly to boost my self confidence)


I brought her a new Ohio State Buckeyes T-shirt to wear while she watched the football games this fall. Aunt Ruth is a HUGE OSU fan and this present just made her day. She is looking forward to Christmas and is diligently exercising her ankle so she can walk without crutches when she goes to my cousins house on Christmas day. I don't know how much longer I'll have my Aunt Ruth around, but I suspect it will be at least after Christmas, since she has made this her goal.


She is truly a hero and inspiration to me.

Awwww....

Ok so we all know that I am single and would really, really like to finds me a man (and then immediately find EVERYTHING WRONG with him - kidding - sort of, my therapist and I are working on this one.) Like I was saying, I want a mans and if I did get as far as marrying him I'd even take his name (this would be weird since I've had mine for so long now, but I really think I'd take his name)

Did y'all hear me? I'd take his name UNLESS it was this last name that I just came across doing resume searches. "Hiscock" This person is a female. Awww... honey, if you're not married - GET MARRIED, if you ARE married - why oh why did you take his last name???

What - was yours worse?

Like, Hertwat?

Little old ladies . . .

Even though my day started off not so great, it ended with a HUGE smile.

Ok - so I ran to the the grocery store tonight to pick up dinner and a few other things (you know the drill, you go in for butter, and come out with eggs, 10 packs of frozen veggies b/c they were 10 for $10?) See this blog (round 3) to see how that's going to end up.

Anyway - I'm checking out and as I'm bagging my things (yes I use the self check out - because the 14 year old they have working the register? Yeah, I like my bread ON TOP of the groceries and soap/chemical products? Yeah, I like them bagged SEPARATELY - I'm weird like that, I know.) So, I'm bagging my things and I see this this kid (probably about 20-22) walking by with his jeans pulled down half way around his ass. I know I'm getting old(er) but I will never, ever get this look. Ok, I got it when Marky Mark did it in the "Good Vibrations" video - but he wore cute Calvins and it was ONLY the waist band of the Calvins that showed - not half of his ASS!! Although - hindsight - might not have been that bad.

Ok - back to my point - I'm sorry, my brain is still in vacay mode. So, as he walks by - half ass showing and all - I must have given a dirty look or a look of disgust (really he didn't even have cute underwear on - I mean if I HAVE to SEE IT - it better be cute or designer - and it was neither.) So there I am, dirty look giver, and this sweet little old lady (I swear she had to be 80) comes up to me and says: "I bet he thinks he's all that and a bag of chips. I just hate the way they wear their jeans like that."

Honestly, I thought she was going to yell at me for giving the dirty look - like maybe this kid was her grandson or something - based on how my day started - it really wasn't that far of a stretch.

But wait! There's more!

That's not ALL she said.


This is sooooooooooooo funny - you better not take a drink or anything . . . .


Seriously - I'm warning you - this is HILARIOUS . . .





She then says, "they (the kids) wear them that low, like they're hanging off their wieners!!"


People - this was the SWEETEST little old lady and she said WIENERS!!! I thought I was going to die! I am not making this up!


I think I just caught a glimpse of myself at 80 years old.


Rock on grandma, rock on . . . .

Curb your Dog . . .

Ok - so I just got back from taking my Delightful Daisy for a morning walk (something I wish I could do everyday - but alas, I don't have that much vacation time.) So, you can imagine, since I'm using up a precious vacay day today, that I am thoroughly enjoying my walk with my dog and don't want it to be spoiled by anything or any ONE. Well, that was not the case this morning. I had just hung up with Dave and had told him that Houdini (aka Daisy) had gotten loose on Saturday and in the 15 minutes (or less) that she was gone - it looked like she may have gotten into a fight or something - as she was missing a tiny patch of hair around her collar.

I really don't think she got in a fight - the patch is quite small - about the size of the tip of my pinky - but non-the-less, hair/fur is missing - so I wonder . .

So, Dave tells/yells at me that one day "that dog" is going to mess with the wrong animal or person and will get itself hurt or killed even. (he's doing this to get me going). I have a fenced yard, I keep her chained when she's out front, she's got her license and pretty much EVERYONE in the 'hood knows she's my dog. I know the consequences and try - my very best - to keep her contained. This is why she ended up with me in the first place - she was a rescue that kept getting loose and running away - and ended up in the pound. What can I say? She's like me - she's got a free spirit - that's why I love her so much!!

I tell Dave that IF that happens and she is hurt or God forbid, killed then THAT was her fate.


It will also be my fate to live out the rest of my days in JAIL because I will have KILLED or at least MAIMED the person/animal who hurts my precious POOCH. (ok - that's a joke - sort of.)

I have a point to this story- I promise - and here it is: about 10 minutes after I hang up with Dave I pass a house where someone is backing out and going, I presume, to work. They get about 6 or so houses down the street and then they SLAMMMMMMM on their brakes and BACK UP THE ENTIRE WAY - past their house and stop in front of ME and DAISY. Ok, so I'm a little freaked out and apprehensive right now. This (psychotic) lady then rolls down the passenger window and says to me - "I see your walking your dog but you don't have any bags with you" (the pooper scooper kind). I give her a nasty look and say, "yes I do they're in my pocket." (which they were.) Instead of saying, ok, I'm sorry or I'm glad you're responsible for your dog or ANYTHING along those lines - she CONTINUES to yell saying "well, SOMEONE lets their dog poop in my yard and I don't appreciate it."

Listen you old bat - I just got done telling you that I HAVE BAGS WITH ME - I AM A RESPONSIBLE DOG OWNER! Don't effing continue to yell at me, be on your miserable way.
THIS was the response I WANTED to say to her. What I said was "well it's not my dog." - Wooooooo - I bet I scared her.

I SHOULD have asked her if she drives around the entire neighborhood yelling at all dog walkers about the poop in her yard. I SHOULD have told her that she should be THANKFUL that she doesn't live in the neighborhood with the SHORT BUS and have Logan roaming the streets - ha ha!!

So much for a nice walk. . .

Spin Cycle

So I want to be a part of the Spin Cycle too - I guess that's one wish eh? I posted a blog on WISHES before - but here are more wishes that I wish would come true:

I wish that every time I ate chocolate - it had a counter reaction - like it actually made my ass look 5 lbs smaller!! Let me tell you, I'd have a NICE A$$!!!

I wish that I was ACTUALLY as cool as I think I am!

I wish it was 5 o'clock already!!! Sheesh - is time just tick tock taking forever today???

I wish I knew the POWER ball numbers for tonight . . .

I wish I had NATURALLY blonde hair -but, thank GOD I have a GREAT hairdresser!!

I wish you all a very good weekend!

What if . . .

Ever have a "What if" moment? Could just be a coincidence or a whatever moment - but usually, "what if" moments are life changing (or I guess, could be). Got this idea for a blog from a contest on Ask Alice

Here's mine . . .

One of my biggest "What if" moments happened about 6 years ago when I went to Maui, HI with my now BFF (then, friend from work) for her wedding over Memorial Day. I wasn't in the wedding but I shared a condo with the maid of honor and best man. We were the only singletons there. It was a very "Real World" meeting at the airport - because we honestly didn't know each other (really) until we all met at the airport as our flights arrived. (The Best Man was from Chicago, Maid of Honor from Michigan and I am from Ohio.) We had really only emailed each other - as one was in charge of the rental, another in charge of the condo, etc. That was about it.

Side note: The three of us got along GREAT and had the best vacation ever. Six years later and every Memorial Day weekend I get out my pictures and just smile remembering the best 9 days in my life.

Anyway - the first night there, after dinner – Best Man and I sat out on the beach with a makeshift cooler (trash can from the room with ice) and a case of Corona's and just talked and talked and drank, and drank. Maid of Honor was invited to join us – but declined because she was tired and full from dinner.

Before we knew it, and after hearing many funny and personal stories, taking silly pictures of each other and the MANY sand crabs (one who we named - Big Brutus), it was 5am and the sun was rising. In our drunken state - we tried (unsuccessfully) to actually SEE the sun rise - but we couldn't find it. Yes, the BIG ORANGE/YELLOW CIRCLE in the SKY? - We, (dru-unks) couldn't find it. (I am NOT lying)
Nothing happened that night - romantically - except that we became great friends and the next week was the literally the BEST WEEK EVER. (for all 3 of us too) Over the course of the next 7 days we were as thick as thieves and never left each others side.

On our last night in Maui (the Maid of Honor had left for home the night before) Best Man and I had dinner and a little too much to drink - which would usually mean that something ROMANTIC actually DID happen right? Wrong! Way too much alcohol and we just both fell asleep. I had to leave the next day and wouldn't see him again until the reception back home for the newlyweds.

When we met up at the reception, in the newlywed’s hometown in Michigan, it was as if we never missed a beat, we were reminiscing about the trip – checking out my tattoo. Oh yeah, I always wanted a tattoo – he had a couple and said he’d go with me – so I have a tattoo to remind me of that trip. At the end of the night Best Man drove me back to my hotel and at a red light I leaned over and planted a big kiss on him and told him that I’d been dying to do that since Maui. He said “me too!” Unfortunately, I was sharing a room with the Maid of Honor and others from the wedding so we would again have to wait to be with each other.

The next morning we had to be up early at the newlywed’s house to watch them open gifts - ugggh!! All I wanted to do was consummate my new relationship with Best Man – not watch someone else open gifts!! But like a really cheesy romantic comedy – this was not in the works for us. You see, the day went on and on, and on and on – and eventually we had to go our separate ways, he back to Chicago and me back to Ohio because (like an IDIOT) I rode to Michigan with the newlyweds and had to leave when they did.

We tried to keep in touch via email and phone calls, but you know how that goes. Throw in the fact that Best Man was interviewing and eventually landed a new job, time was sparse. It just never came to fruition. Except, one night 9 months later, he came to visit the newlyweds unexpectedly. At this time, however, I was kind of dating someone else. While Best Man was at the newlyweds house, my BFF’s new Husband told Best Man about this someone else and this sealed the fate of any relationship between me and Best Man.

It’s been a little of six years now, newlyweds are still married and have 2 children (one even named after me!) and the Maid of Honor is also married with children. Best Man and me?

STILL SINGLE.
NEITHER OF US DATING ANYONE.

Do I think What If? All the time . . . .


What are your "What if" moments?

Is this REALLY news to anyone??

Taken from Yahoo! News:

NEW YORK - Clay Aiken appears on the cover of the latest People magazine holding his infant son, Parker Foster Aiken, with the headline: "Yes, I'm Gay."

I mean, come on, did anyone REALLY NOT think he was gay??

Must be a slow news day . . .

Kinda like my blog writing lately . . . .