Friday, July 26, 2013

It's hard to grow up. But, I guess not as hard as having a raccoon dog in your backyard rather than just a plain raccoon?

Hello.  Remember me?  Ms. Day In The Life?

Normally I operate this blog and write about my mildly funny and mostly dysfunctional life.

Lately I've just been feeling nostalgic as summer slips quickly through my fingers.

So, this is going to be a post about nothin'.  (And thank you, auto correct, but I meant to say nothin.')

1.  I have not been busy posting, but I have been busy reading all of my favorite blogs.  I read this one today and it made me cry like a big 'ole baby.  It's almost as if the writer had been hanging out in my house this summer (in a totally non-creepy way).  And really I rarely cry so either I am pre-menopostal, or it's a really good post (I suspect the latter).

2.  This awesome lady who used to live in my neighborhood before she up and moved across the globe, has been back in our neighborhood for the whole month of July.  I like my blog, but not as much as I like having coffee, and dishing it up with her.  She's like the mac-n-cheese of friends (and I hope when she reads this she will know what a huge compliment that is) and it's been splendid having her here.

3.  Being with my four kids all summer day and night has..............not been without its challenges.  The fighting, teasing, arguing, and screaming has taken on new heights and most of the time I feel like this: 

Sometimes I'm the ref.  Sometimes I'm the boxer.

4.  My very good friend, and frequent blog visitor has moved to a different neighborhood.  Insert any one of a gazillion sad emoticons or possibly a cat crying because her best cat friend has moved.....and the cat is roller skating carrying a birthday cake........but, I digress. 

I knew this move was coming for a long time, but I'm not good at change (let's face it, I'm still trying to get rid of my 80's haircut and make-up).  The reality of her being gone faster than George and Weezie Jefferson (albeit just about 15 miles away, and I do own a car, and there is a Starbucks on the way - four or five in fact) is starting to sink in.  It does help tremendously that so far, like Joe Walsh, fame and fortune haven't changed her.  And she has already graciously let us crash her obnoxiously fabulous home and beautiful pool.  Mrs. JustAHausWeyef, this one is for you:


5.  Lastly, there is no time like summer in Texas to make you second guess not investing in cable television.  There.  is.  nothing.  on.

So, night before last we sat down as a family and watched Nova on PBS.  Well, I am *kinda* lying.  We sat down to watch America's Got "Some" Talent as a family, but this family friendly show had some lewd sex jokes on it, so we flipped channels and that's how we got to Nova on PBS.

And, I found out about raccoon dogs.

Not familiar with them either?  Well, don't worry.  Here's a photo for you:

photo credit:  www.factzoo.com.  If you just yelped, "CHEESUS!" and backed away from the screen, don't worry you are not alone.  Oh, and it's mildly disturbing that it kinda looks like they put this rac-dog on a fluffy bed to take this photo??? 

 
I might be feeling like time is spinning out of control what with losing my baby boy and one of my bestest friends, but at least I don't have raccoon dogs digging up my garbage?! 

So, thanks, PBS!  With quality programming like you, I can take the heat and I don't even miss cable!

10 comments:

Shannon said...

So here is my list:
1. Am I homemade Mac and cheese with the breadcrumbs on top, or just Kraft box dinner? The answer will determine if I am flattered or insulted. Dave just pointed out that there is a third choice of velveta Mac and cheese which is somewhere in between, sorta kinda.
2. I was going to send you that are article becuase it made me tear up a bit too, especially because I have done the teen boy once already and this sweet spot is all too brief. And this is my favorite age for boys. They are like big gangly puppy dogs right now, so adorable in a dirty smelly sort of way.
3. Tha dog that always bites me killed a coon last night in the back yard, so maybe L is good for something besides terrorizing me. And now I am wondering if it is really was a coon or a coon dog......ewwwww....creeped out. That thing is like the chubacabra of the coon world.
4. Zo asked if he could choose a show to download to watch for famlily night (I reluctantly agreed expecting him to choose something like Big Bang Thoery because he is 13) his choice? Nova. Like every episode ever. So I am sure that sooner or later I will be watching the raccoon dog episode and thinking of you while dying of heat stroke in Oman.
5. Your boy totally cracks me me up, he came over and saw that Dave cut down all those horrible red tipped photinias. He stopped, gasped, and said "Whoa do the owners know you did that, are they going to be ok with that?" Then when my boys (and me) all stared at him like he said something really weird you could totally see the light bulb go on. "Wait you ARE renting this place, right......or did you buy it?". I assured him we bought, remember you are going to cut the lawn for me.....right??? And that the owner (me) was complexly thrilled with red tip removal. That look on his face was priceless.

WeezaFish said...

Aw Monica, sorry about the mover-awayers. And WTF is that thing?! A racoon Dog? Did you make that up? Why HAVE they got it on their crisp white cotton sheets? I need to go lie down I think :)

Monica said...

@Shannon - your list made me crack up. you are like any one of food network's mac-n-cheese that have like everything homemade and nine different kinds of cheese (most of which I don't know). I hate kraft. It makes me a bit sad to know that this summer is the last summer m. will be just like This. I know next summer will be totally different. the nova episode is REALLY good. it's about Siberian tigers. zo will LOVE IT. there is just one sighting of a rac-dog (so, of course, I had to terrorize myself). m. SWEARS he saw a rac-dog in the greenbelt last night (of course), so it's quite possibly the dog killed one. although, since it's part dog wouldn't he just befriend it? m. told us his version of the red tip photinias and I laughed.

Monica said...

@weeza - it's hard to grow up. :o( but, I must sometimes. no, I DID NOT make that up. that is some for realz. AAAAAAAAAAAAND they might be in your parts of the world (I can't really remember - I know they like the cold?). they are not in our parts, so I am basically safe. ;o)

Megly Mc said...

It's sort of wrong that I want one, isn't it? The thing is that it's sort of violently awesome.

I would be super excited about sending my own kids back to school, next week, but it means I go back to...and I get somebody else's...and I'm not allowed to beat their kids. *sigh*

Monica said...

@megly mc - it's very wrong for you to want one of those furry, evit critters. they are pure madness. I am on the fence about sending them back. on the one side - I really want them to be OUTTA MY HAIR. on the other (slightly more maternal side) I am feeling sentimental about them growing older blah, blah, blah. when I was teaching I didn't have kids...so, there was never a conflict - I never wanted school to start again. ;o)

jamiew said...

OMG
I'm vahclempt (even spell check is confused by that one).
And I think I want a raccoon dog instead the actual raccoon.

jamiew said...

OMG
I'm vahclempt (even spell check is confused by that one).
And I think I want a raccoon dog instead the actual raccoon.

jamiew said...

in an attempt to not repeat myself, i'm commenting from my laptop (finally confiscated from kid) & not my iPad (which is too lame to see video and is over efficient at sending comments).
so now i'm even more verklempt (actual spelling, yes it is a real word) as the eagles always send me to that special place of worry-free childhood memories, and i love you for that! & i love that don henly looks so pissed at joe walsh when he's drumming & not singing.

Monica said...

@jamiew - that joe walsh video brings back my youth (well, kind of - I mean it's only a youtube video, so it won't really raise my sagging boobs, or get rid of my sciatica). I can assure you that you DO NOT want a rac-dog. not only would they have opposable thumbs, but they would probably look at you with sad eyes while their tongue hangs out and you would want to feed them right from your hand. that would NO DOUBT equal death.