Category: Junk Drawer

Facing the crazy and smiling.

~ Lenore Diane ~ 1 Comment

I haven’t yet determined how the fact that my child loves wearing socks with sandals plays into my post. Still, I share with you a picture of my child, proudly donning his Superman costume, complete with socks and sandals. For the record, this child wanted to wear different colored socks. Though I let him don mismatch socks on most days, I stepped in and requested he wear two red socks for Halloween.

Again, I haven’t figured out how the above information ties in with my writing for the day, but I think it has to do with craziness. Charlie is silly crazy. And, as I have indicated in a post (or 10), I am crazy crazy. Well, I haven’t been diagnosed as crazy crazy, but I am certain my family and friends would back me up on this: “Some things don’t need to be diagnosed to be true.”

The past four weeks have been challenging for me. In addition to my daytime paid gig, my overnight paid gig and my unpaid gig of being a mom and wife, I’ve been battling a persistent cough. Being busy is one thing when you are feeling 100%, but when you are feeling less than 50% – it’s hard to keep up with the demand.

This past Friday I let myself stay in bed all day. My boss gave me a pass, my husband gave me a pass and my kids gave me a pass. By Saturday, my husband convinced me it was high time (overdue, actually) to see a doctor; and by Saturday night, I had a prescription for an antibiotic in my hand. And this antibiotic – Zpack, as the doctor called it – was going to give me my life back. Then the proverbial straw broke the proverbial camel’s back.

Yesterday, I had to go to the dentist to get two so-called ‘small’ cavities filled. Ugh! I was already in a constant state of exhaustion, due to staying up all night two nights a week with the expectation of being fully functional the following day and night. And now? Now I was exhausted AND in pain. (I was also having a hard time eating and drinking due to a numb lower jaw and tongue.) I was on the verge of calling it quits on my overnight paid gig, because it seemed harder for me to bounce back from the blips of life. The trip to the dentist left me feeling as though a truck had run over me – again – and again – and again. Not surprisingly, I went to be early last night.

Cue sunrise…. Good morning! Wow. What a difference a day, four doses of antibiotics and an ibuprofen makes. I feel like a brand new person! Seriously. I have been dragging for the past four weeks. Running at no where near 100%, I watched myself let so many things fall to the wayside. My life was full of crazy, and I was too tired to do anything about it.

This morning, as I got the boys ready for school, I heard myself whistling. Whistling! And, I noticed the pep in my step had returned. Though the list of things to tackle is not shorter and the expectations of two paid gigs, parenthood and marriage still exist, the difference is – I am looking into the crazy and smiling. I have my energy back. I am motivated to accomplish things that need accomplishing, and I have the energy to accomplish things. The doctor said it would take time for the drugs to make a difference, and well – Hellooo difference! Great to see you!

Have I tied my son’s ‘crazy’ dressing style into my post? Perhaps not. Still, he’s happy with his crazy self, and I am – once again – happy with my crazy self.

I thought we were close

~ Lenore Diane ~ 2 Comments

I’m trying to put it to the side. Honest. And by ‘it’, I mean Facebook chatter. I mean, seriously, how many of you are growing increasingly tired of reading about Facebook woes? Put your hands down, please. It was a rhetorical question.

A friend of mine sent me a YouTube video from Prairie Home Companion. I really enjoy Prairie Home Companion, and I find Garrison Keillor funny and entertaining. The video (really just audio) was from a Prairie Home Companion episode in early October. And Garrison’s song? “Unfriended”.

As one might assume from the title of the song, “Unfriended” is about being unfriended on Facebook. His lyrics are quite comical. And I feel confident enough to safely assume many people have literally felt what he describes. The line I liked best was “You posted a comment, I thought we were close.”

I find it funny that Garrison, a 68yr old man (I checked Wikipedia, so it must be true) is writing and singing about Facebook. And, I love the fact that the folks in the audience laugh at his lyrics. It is comical. Quite comical. Yet, a part of me is curious about the people in the audience. How many of those folks are active Facebook users? How many of those folks have gotten excited when they received a comment from some obscure ‘friend’? How many of those folks were disheartened when they noticed a ‘friend’ was suddenly gone?

As silly as Facebook is – we still manage to get sucked into it. Oh, I know, you are the exception. You just access it every now and again, you don’t really pay attention to all the status updates, etc. Yes, I know. Clearly, I’m not speaking to you. But for the others, including myself, we’re sucked into it.

I have two friends – real life friends that I can see, feel and converse with using my real vocal chords – and they have yet to step into the world of Facebook. Good for them. To reach out to these two gals, I actually have to pick up a phone, get in a car or send them a note. Get this. These gals aren’t even on Twitter! I know. Shocking, eh? The humanity.

In truth, I know just as many folks who don’t use Facebook and Twitter as I know that use Facebook and Twitter. There are several people out there who are still Facebook free. And sometimes – sometimes I wish I was free from Facebook. Then again, my boys are really cute and well – I think everyone wants to see just how cute they are – right? Am I right?! Plus, Stacey commented on my last status update. I think she and I are close, and I’m sure we’ll meet face to face soon.

Today’s Flighty Friday

~ Lenore Diane ~ Leave a comment

:: A Bounty of Bottles
“This is our 7th bottle.” The Mom says, as I arrive at my overnight gig.

The parents of my nighttime responsibility are in the process of testing bottles for daycare. Mom goes back to work soon, and they want to make sure Baby is doing well with her bottle. As it stands now, Baby gets more ‘boob’ than anything else. But, with Mom heading to work, Baby will have to settle for a plastic boob. My first child was mainly a boob drinker, but when a bottle was used – he wasn’t picky. My second child? He wanted a boob and nothing else, and he was not open to discussion.

The 7th bottle? Craziness. Yet, the different styles and types of bottles are endless. Add to the mix the countless types of nipples for said bottles, and well – one can easily become overwhelmed with the choices. So, I should not be surprised that Mom and Dad are trying several different bottles to find the one that is ‘just right’. And a note to parents, Dr. Browns bottles work well, but honestly – with all the parts and pieces … spare yourself, your ‘to do’ list is long enough already.

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A perfect bottle is the quest.
Until it’s found, no one will rest.

So many choices, each a different type.
What is practical and what is hype?

Next comes the nipple, another choice to make.
There are six different types for goodness sake!

Overly complicated? You think? Maybe?
Then again, nothing is too good for baby.

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:: What’s in your Dryer?
Top 10 Items Found in Our Dryer
10. Rocks
9. Pens
8. Coins
7. More rocks
6. Plastic Army guy
5. Always Thin Maxi Pad (still neat (though swollen) in wrapper)
4. Kleenex
3. Pampers diaper (did not fare as well as the maxi pad)
2. More Kleenex
1. Raisins (the raisin box is still MIA)

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It eats socks,
and spits out rocks.

It handles pads with care,
leaving diapers worse for wear.

Regardless of the setting, whether normal or fluff,
it is truly dependable, and it is truly tough.

Though it can create static cling,
the dryer is a wonderful thing.

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:: Distracted
Today I am spending the day in bed. My husband has taken today and Monday as a vacation days, so he can watch our youngest, since our daycare provider also took those days as vacation days. Anyway, I’ve been battling a cold for the past three weeks, and I am finally forcing myself to do nothing. Well, do nothing except write. (Thank you to my kind husband and my kind boss for allowing me this down time.)

I am struggling to finish this post, in part because my head is clogged to the point that I am having a hard time hearing real voices, as well as my inner voices. In addition, I am struggling to finish this post, because I am distracted by what is going in the lives of those around me. I prefer my Friday posts be funny and lighthearted, yet life doesn’t always cooperate. Forrest Gump was right. Life is like a box of chocolates; you don’t know what you are going to get. Furthermore, while you are enjoying your caramel chew, someone else is stuck with the vanilla cream. Eeew.

My friend’s Mom continues her cancer battle, as her radiation treatments resumed earlier this week. And my friend feels her Mom’s last visit to their house was the last time she’d be able to make the trip. Rob’s cousin was told by his oncologist to start looking for hospice care, because he (the doctor) did not have any other treatments to offer him and his battle with cancer: renal, liver, lymph and spine. (Though Rob’s cousin is not giving up, and he is currently seeking treatment elsewhere.) Another friend of mine is in the process of getting her daughter tested for a chromosomal disorder, which would mean a lifetime of health challenges. And yesterday, out of the blue, my son asked me, “When are you going to die, Mommy? Will I still be a kid and have to watch Charlie?” He was afraid he would have to watch Charlie on his own (at the age of 5), and he didn’t think he could do it.

Haiti, still trying to recover from the earthquake, is getting hit by a hurricane. Indonesia is battling the after effects of an earthquake, tsunami and volcano. Mosque bombing in Pakistan. Plane crash in Cuba. The depressing news surrounds us. And, because I am forcing myself to stop today, the sad news is harder to ignore.

Thank God for the complications in finding the perfect baby bottle, and thank God for the miscellaneous items that find their way into the dryer. We need those ‘crazy’ moments as comic relief (though, one may not be laughing as s/he pick up each and every tiny piece of Kleenex scattered through the laundry). And my cold? Please. My cold will go away. And, my cold is not even a blip on the radar of life. Plus, I have a 4yr old coming in my room hourly, asking me if I need anything.

My life is good. And, while I enjoy my bed rest, I will keep those around me in my thoughts and prayers. And, I will do what I can to provide a little bit of sunshine and hope to those around me. After all, everyone is battling something. Hopefully, you’ll find a better chocolate soon.

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The roller coaster of life,
Filled with joys and strife.

We’re all aboard this crazy train.
And, we all need help in staying sane.

So, keep the chocolate at your side.
You’ll need it for this bumpy ride.

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Take care of yourself, and be kind to others.