Something New, #102

Even though I bring a change of clothes and take a spit bath after my noon walks, I still get pretty sweaty. Especially right at the bra-line.

Even when I was pregnant with my second, I still failed the pencil test. Even so, I am getting pretty damp there after my walks, so it occurred to me this morning to put some anti-persperant on the offending area.

After my walk, the sports bra didn't seem as damp, but I'm not sure if it's due to the use of the Soft 'n Dri, or that it was about 10 degrees cooler today.

Anyway,it doesn't hurt to try in the name of freshness.

Something New, #101

I'm probably reaching again, but I'm going to count this as Something New.

I took both girls to the mall, and no one had a melt down.

Usually, I'm the one that has the melt down, because I'm usually focused on getting one certain item at the mall, and am stressed enough about being there in the first place.

Today, we got in, made our purchases, got out and without whining!

Talk about shopping victoriously.

Something New, #100

The Big One and I are walking in the Susan Komen Race for the Cure on Sunday, and I started a website for donations.

Our goal is only $50, since I put it up just a few days for the event, but we're halfway there, thanks to my old friend, Chipmunk Cheeks.

We did it together last year, and despite the 90 degree heat at 8:00 AM, she did great and did not whine once.

My mother had breast cancer in 1983 when she was only 45. A friend of mine is on her 5 year recovery, and she's 5 years younger than me. I'm not being morbid, but I've always had the view it was not if I get breast cancer, it's when. I've already got my treatment planned.

So if you read this, slip us a fiver or two. I know the pink ribbons are annoying, but it is something that touches all of us.

Something New, #99

Super Bad

I was rude to a stranger in public.

Actually, I don't know if that's what really happened.

A couple of months ago, I was walking TND, The Big One, The Little One, and their best friends, The Big One II and The Little One II. We were in front of TCGIBS42Y's house and this male beagle came running down the street, off the leash, teeth bared, and lit into The Little One II. I yelled at all the girls to run across the street, to get away, then the beagle lit into TND. I had to pull him off her with both hands and he took off at an amazing run up the hill. The Little One II was crying at this point, and I had to get her and the rest of the girls and TND all calmed down before we could go home. I got everyone moving again, but was shaking.

When we got to the top of the hill, a woman in a car pulled up and asked if we had seen a beagle. We all shouted "YES!" and pointed in the direction the dog had gone.

So last night, both girls and I were walking up to McDonald's to get ice cream, and the woman was walking the beagle. Obviously, she found her dog.

The beagle started after TND and she took off after him. Unfortunately, I was still holding the leash and went with her. The woman then began screaming at me to get my dog back, and to KICK her. I yelled, "This dog attacked her, and she's not going to forget that!"

I did get TND away, but the beagle was still yapping and pulling his owner as we went down the hill.

Stupid beagle.

I still feel that my dog was not in the wrong, since the beagle was the instigator. After all, all TND was doing was protecting her babies.

Good Girl.

Something New, #98

Hosta la Vista, Baby
In my unending quest to landscape my yard with free plants, I posted a WANTED message on Freecycle for the first time. I asked if anyone had any perennials they'd like to give away. A woman who lived near my office responded almost immediately, that she had hostas, purple coneflowers, and something else I can't remember, but looks like day lilies.

So the girls and I headed over and she let us dig ourselves silly. I had enough hostas to fill the wayback of the Mom Mobile and enough of the other two to fill my empty passenger seat.

It was about ninety in the shade, but I managed to get everything in the ground. It's my ultimate goal to have the entire front yard rid of grass, since I've aerated and reseeded every fall for the last five years, and still have mostly bald patches. I'm going for the Rainforest Floor look at this point.

BTW, the honeysuckle I nicked from the park didn't die. It started some new growth. Who knows, maybe next year I'll have some blooms.

Also, the Queen Anne's Lace I took from the vacant lot seemed to take, but my CFL told me the thistle was illegal. "ILLEGAL?! I'm not going to smoke it or anything!" Apparently, it's an invasive weed.

I really am a rebel.

Something New, #97

My BFF since 1975 was in town, so I had to do the host thing and show her the sights of KC. Since it was wicked hot, I figured we'd do something indoors, so I took her and the girls to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.

This technically wasn't Something New, but I have to provide a backstory.

When The Little One was about 16 months and The Big One was about six, I took them both to the museum. The Little One was barely walking, and was confined to the stroller, and The Big One is so complacent, she would walk, holding onto the stroller.

Things started to go wrong for us from the beginning.

When we got there, I discovered the museum was under major renovations, and I had to maneuver the stroller and the girls through a maze of corridors, just to get to the elevator. After we finally found the elevator and made our way to the check in desk, the attendant made me put the Cowboy Woody doll The Little One was clutching in her paw, in the basket in the stroller. To this day, I have no idea why. Not a fan of Cowboy Woody, I suppose.

We had to go back through the maze of hallways to get to the elevator that took us to the galleries.

I majored in art, and took enough art history to probably have earned a minor in that, so I'm no hayseed when it comes to museums. I was pushing The Little One through the galleries and explaining the pieces to The Big One.

After visiting a couple of galleries, I noticed that the museum attendants were particularly attentive. In fact, they were so attentive, they were in my personal space. It was extremely annoying and insulting.

I understand that the museum has irreplaceable objects in it, but seriously, had the attendants watched my kids and I interact before they got in my face, they would have seen we were respectful.

I got so frustrated and annoyed and angry, that by the time we got to the last galleries, I would stand in the doorway, and just point to the exhibits, and ask my daughter questions.

I was so steamed when I left, I swore I'd never go back, and I even wrote the museum a letter telling them so and why.

I'm still waiting for a response.

But last year, the museum opened a new wing, and it was really hot(the outside temperature, not the new wing), so I gave it another shot.

Plus, because we parked in the street, it was free.

We all enjoyed the museum, but I did notice the attendants were still hovering. Old habits die hard.

So I guess this Something New is that I saw the new wing, and ate my words.

Something New, #96

Book 'Em Danno, Part Deux

In my lame effort to live on the edge, I trespassed. I'm sure I've trespassed unintentionally before, but this time, I did it on PURPOSE.

I have kept up with walking at my lunch hour (I can do 2 1/2 miles in a half hour now, thank you very much) and decided to change my regular route. There is a "gated community" built around a golf course about a half mile from where I work, and the gate was open, so I went in. There was a "Private Property - No Trespassing" sign at the entrance, but being such a rebel, I ignored it.

I even took it a step farther, and dared to walk on the cart paths.

I figured, "I'm a taxpayer in this county, I helped pay for these streets and fancy streetlights, I have every right to walk here."

I'm so bad.