"You Make My Dreams Come True"

High School graduations in Southern California are not something I have ever looked forward to. They are usually crowded, hot, boring and long. They seem to last forever.

I could not escape the Oak Park High School graduation this year of my oldest child. That would not have been right.

This one though, bias aside, was remarkable. And here's why:

The new principle rocks and it shows the minute he hits the stage. He is very bright, open minded, has kids in our schools and he has a lovely accent. Somehow, even his spewing of all the school and student statistics was engaging. Our guests were actually listening with rapt interest. (Admittedly the school stats are fairly astonishing, but still.)
The student speeches were entertaining and some moving. At one point I think almost the entire audience had a teary eye.
The view from the stands of the football field is like a postcard.
AND...
The Flash Mob was completely unexpected and beyond words. I have chills just thinking about. There was not one parent there that will ever listen to "You Make My Dreams Come True", by Hall and Oates without replaying that scene over in their mind. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zflhizEI-0o

BUT the thing that made it most remarkable, was what my brother said to me after the ceremony. His children are older and he has been through three graduations.

He said, "I knew that you really researched Oak Park before you moved way out here. I knew the schools must be good, the area must be safe...But WOW, now I really understand why you live in this off-the-beaten-path paradise. This was the most amazing graduation I have ever attended."

Yes, parents, we knew the same school stats. We knew the crime rates. We knew that someone would always have an eye on our kids (cause everybody knows everyBODY in Oak Park). We all moved out here for the kids. But after that spectacular event and hearing it from an outsider,
I KNOW WE DID THE RIGHT THING!!!

Ahhhhh.... one down one to go.

Summer of FUN --- Part ONE

I had a major birthday recently (40) and I got many fun outings. A lovely Country Club lunch, a few cocktails, and a few birthday dinners. Forty's not looking so bad.

I have also been with Camp Chris a lot lately. And that is super fun for me. There is something unmatchable about spending time with your sib who is only 14 months younger. It think it gets it's magic from growing up together, being so close in age and mostly really liking each other. I really really dig my sibs..again thank you Mom.

Camp Chris came up and took me out to dinner the Monday before my b'day. That was followed by Easter weekend and then he was in my hood for work early the following week and spent two days hangin with me. We had a rip roaring ball. Dinner and drinks at a new place where he did the sign and a some fun shopping. The next day, we decided that I should continue the celebration and have a birthday week. No, birthday month. Nahhh.... a summer of fun. Perfect. I have no intention of stopping the fun anytime before September. REALLY.

The day after started with some greasy but gluten free breakfast then we decided to go look at some vacant homes. I think he should buy property so that is what we did. The cool thing about CC is that no matter what we are doing, he is fully engaged. That is such a wonderful quality. It always feels like he wants to be there. He better want to be with me or I will beat him up.

So in between the viewing and in line with the birthday month, we decided to have a (again) not so healthy meal. The deli was yum. Then we decide to see another vacant home.

We get there and we look around. Only inside though cause the back doors (a million doors) were all locked and there were no keys for them. No biggie we saw the yard from the windows. Somewhere about the second or perhaps master bedroom my stomach starts to go whacko. Too much fun I guess.

We are nearly done, so again no biggie we will dash back to my house. As I am about to lock the front door CC says "Wait I am gonna go use the bathroom."

"Ok no biggie." I was relieved cause I was gonna go too.

He uses the first floor potty and by this point my tummy is gonna explode. I run upstairs and go into the hall bath. CRAP no toilet paper. Tummy is super angry. Run to the master bath. Phew there is paper. But the door does not provide enough privacy. Grab the roll and run to the hall bath. Shut and lock the door, put up the toilet seat and see yellow water. Then it hits me...

The water is OFF. Which means no flushing. CRAP CRAP CRAP....

Run downstairs and yell to CC through the door. He yells back..

"Oh S---!" yep

He tries to flush.. NOPE.

In the meantime, I am in pain and jumping around.

He came out and said the was gonna go see if he could find something to fix the situation. I am not very handy and I have no idea what he is thinking. I can only think about my tummy situation at this point.

CC heads off into the garage. In an effort to forget about my situation, I start looking around the house again. CC is taking way too long. So I open the door to the garage and he is not there. I call to him, no answer. Where did he go??

Too preoccupied to ponder.

Walk around the house some more. Then I get a text from CC...
"I am stuck in the garage..(smiley face)."
Ok, I go to let him in. Open the door, he is not there. Call to him again, no answer. What the Helga????
I am pretty sure he is in the backyard, but I can't get there. I look through the windows but I don't see him.
Then I hear him calling me. I don't know where it is coming from until he screams... "I AM IN THE GARAGE!"
I swear to God I go to the garage again and he is NOT there. SO I go back in. Hear him again. He says "the garage!!"
I go back, he is not there. I am not leaving this time. I stand in the open doorway and shout to him. He comes plowing through the exterior garage door. He is holding a gallon of something blue. Windshield wiper fluid...?? Again, not handy...Don't know..don't care.

He goes to the bathroom, closes the door, makes a racket, comes out and says, "Let's get outta here!"...
Yes please cause I am about to die.

We leave, I lock the door. I put the key back in the lockbox and am about to floor it to the car. I stop dead in my tracks. CC looks at me funny.

The lockbox is electronic and it shows the agents info that unlocks the door....
YEP, they are gonna know it is me. This house is listed by the two biggest agents in my area and they are not very nice. CRAP!!

I swear... I decided that the second my tummy was better I would call the agents. This is a customary courtesy. I am courteous ALWAYS!!
Ring ring. Blah blah..I am me and I showed your blah blah listing and "Yes the house is nice, but the toilet was used and not flushed. You should get the water back on and take care of that."
So nice of me.

What it is true???

Whatever...

We had an awesome time with the Sis Extraordinaire in beautiful FLA.

Boys did the fish fish and more fishing thing. Adorable could spend the rest of his eternity doing nothing else. The Hub, bless his heart, does it for the Adorable. Hub's blessed heart's not really in it.

Bio, Sis Ex, the Fredster (black lab) and I just hung hung hung out. Me, a little more then them. Thou, Fredster..well a little belly action there. (He can't read)

We had the best time and my skin issue is nearly gone. I think that Sis and Mom's diagnosis of de-stress and get sun and saltwater (thanks Mom) cured me. It is not a for sure though, cause I am also on Gluten free and a crap load of vitamins....well not that many, but weird ones. Like Milk Thistle and Corcumin..since you asked.

Anyway, don't really care what did it. I am feeling so much less like a Leper that my life is really improving. Also, I think Spring time helps. Maybe I have that SAD thing...Seasonal Affect Disorder. (hate the word disorder and is it affect/effect??)

Whatever..... I will get to the bottom of it some day. I am JUST happy to know that it is not the M-WORD. So pheewww on those who have had the unbelievable audacity to suggest such perverseness to me.

Coming home from the Eastern Time zone is always good, cause you have no trouble waking up early. And I like early, when no one is up. Peaceful.

Since we had thirteen thousand delays we got home two days before our bags. Whatever. No biggie. I got to go to work wearing something just a notch above pj's and have a valid excuse. It was comfy. But the next day, I had a real appointment that required professional attire so thankfully the bags were here.....Wait, I don't think I even wore anything from the suitcase. Whatever.

With the body clock not yet reset, I was up super early. Made lunches did the kid thing and decided I could get work-ready before driving them, go directly to my office and get some work done pre-appointment. I was loving this...

Get the kids off and am driving to work...Icky traffic in my Mayberry town at this time of day...but Whatever....I am early and I am de-stressed....ahhhh relax. Stop and Go traffic...Whatever...relax.. I still will get an hour of work in before my meeting...ahhh.

Then evidently there was some accident or some other stupid hold up and it took about 15 minutes to get to the next light. No problem still will have 45 minutes. Another 10 to get to the next light. No problem, I can at least go through my mail when I get in.

At this stop light I look down at my feet and see that I am wearing two different shoes!!!! Yea I really am that stupid. I was trying to decide which pair I liked better and since the fam couldn't decide unanimously I decided to walk around and think about it.

I forgot I was thinking about it I guess..... Race home, get the missing shoes..both, cause I am still undecided and now that I am flustered this is NO time to be making critical decisions like that. Race race race...ARG!!! Ya know those kids better learn how to make decisions for me before ....I don't even know. The only thing I DO know is that this was their fault!!!!

Whatever........ I think the skin condition is starting to come back...