Snow is the Devil.

I hate it. I'm so over this crap, its unreal. The next person that says "But its beautiful!" is gettin' a beat down! I'm tired of the cold. The slushy snail's pace to work and back. The whole thing. I just don't see anything beautiful about it. I am SO looking forward to Spring. It cannot come fast enough! Do you have any idea how hard it is to get a chihuahua to pee out there in that stuff? And now, with the cats in the crawlspace issue, I'm scared to death that one will freeze to death down there, thaw later, and stink to high heaven! Gross.

Moving is Craziness.

Well, it took all day, but we got our stuff moved over to the money-pit cat-pee-flea house. Our movers were awesome. They were fast and they didn't scratch one piece of furniture or ding one wall! So Big Daddy tipped them nicely.

Yesterday was the big move. It was windy as all get out, but luckily, not cold!

Anyone who knows me, knows I'm a bit obsessive compulsive, so having my stuff everywhere is rather unnerving! Yes, that's a Xanadu poster against the wall. I love that movie. This will be the dining area eventually.

The living room color I chose is funky,but it looks fantastic with our formal living room furniture. Big problem, though, we don't have much, but what we've got is HUGE! I had no idea. When we started looking for a house, we both said we didn't need much house, and we certainly didn't want to live above our means. And Jim needed a big detached garage. Those are hard to find unless you look at older homes. On the down side of that, the bedrooms in older homes are dinky.

The nasty, outdated kitchen has a sliding door off the hallway - it was super gross, so like any good artist, I decided to make it a piece of art! When we gut the kitchen, we may pull this off and anchor it on a wall. I dunno.

Jim has caught 6 cats in 3 days with the cat trap (that thing really works. Are they THAT stupid?!), and today, the cable guy came, had to go into the crawlspace, and whudaya know? He managed to run the main suspect out of there! Woohoo! Hopefully, we can now be on our way to a normal, flea-free home! We thought we had the problem licked, but as soon as we brought our chihuahua over, they pounced on him like the fresh meat he was. Poor baby. I feel really guilty. He had a sweet, quiet, flee-less life before yesterday. But with the "host" gone now, maybe we can have some peace soon.

Last night, we realized "the host" was still under the house. I laid awake all night, listening to it trying to get the grate off of one of the access spots. Today we got him! I'm feeling like the dirty kid with head lice. eeewww. Nobody wants to be that kid.

Stress Is a Heartless Bitch. And so am I.

I did something really stupid at work today. I was alone & un-monitored. Not a good combo.

I went through a fairly good sized bag of peanut M&M's.

But you know, between the daddy issues, the home remodel, the move, the cats, the fleas......IT WAS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE I HAD A CHOCOLATE MELTDOWN!

Now I just feel worse than before. With some fat piggy on top. I've never really thought of myself as a nervous eater, but I sure was today!

On the lighter (okay, just as dark) side, this evening I took some time out to watch Rock of Love II. I can't help it. Blame it on my hair band days.

Tonight the LA Derby Dolls took on Bret's slutty contestants for some roller derby action. Bret called it "Stroller Derby" - they were trying to protect "Baby Bret" (a plastic doll) from the Derby Dolls, but they anillated that baby. And it was awesome.

One of them actually ripped an arm off and held it up like a trophy. Right On! Those girls were wicked and I LOVED IT! I'm going straight to hell, but that was funny stuff, man.

Moving Day is MONDAY!

Well, the Garrisons' garrison is now 98% inhabitable, and thats good enough for me. We've got everything updated inside, except for the kitchen, which remains an outdated, nasty command central for now......gonna have to save up some $$ and let someone else tackle that one, I think. I hope Jimbo likes sandwiches and cereal. That may be what gets consumed for a while.

So Monday is the big, final push to get moved. Jim has decided to cough up the cash to have the "big stuff" moved by "someone a bit more qualified" - translation - somebody with a big truck thats not quite as lazy!

By Monday night, we should be in our new digs, hopefully sans fleas! (that cat trap got set this morning, complete with a sweet little can of 9-Lives!) Photos of the big day to come!

Cat's in the Crawlspace.

Wait. Was that a song? Nah, that was a Cradle.


We have uncovered a suspect in the Great Flea Caper.

Somehow, we've got a cat (probably more than one) getting into the crawlspace of our moneypit. THATS what is causing the flea problem to get seriously outta control. Our pest control guy was out today, got down in the crawlspace and found "something moving around". As he blasted the area with boric acid, the thing moving around freaked out and disappeared. (Then I watched it dart across the back yard.)

So! We've only got one option here, really....We plunk down a $40 cash deposit to the animal shelter for a "cat trap" and a few bucks for some cat food (bait), and then when we're sure we've caught them all, get all possible crawlspace entries sealed off.

This cat problem goes way deeper than fleas. There are cats everywhere. Big kitties, baby kitties.....its a full on infestation!

Makes me mad as hell.

By the way, if anyone needs a good pest cotrol company, I highly suggest Heartland Pest Control. Those guys are super awesome, and VERY helpful. Love 'em!

I'd Rather...

Try to get rid of this one!

This one might be easier to get rid of for good! And he wouldn't eat your chihuahua. (well, I'd like to think he wouldn't.)

I'm in flea hell. In the money pit. Just when I think I've got 'em beat, here comes more! I have been online, done all the research, bought all kinds of stuff......we had an exterminator out THREE TIMES to spray. I've dumped Borax everywhere, you name it, I've done it.

And I'm scared to death to start moving stuff over there, namely, MY DOG!

I'm in total meltdown mode, and not sure what to do. What do I try next?!

Daddy Issues and the Veterans Administration

Some of this post might be the same old Robyn drama for a few readers. And I apologize.
With that said, let me tell ya' who I am some days.

I'm the daughter of a man that skipped out on a wife and 3 children nearly 30 years ago, and disappeared into thin air. I was 8 the last time I saw him.

Back in July, the LA County Coroner's Office out in California found him, dead in a ratty motel room. He'd been there for 2 weeks before they found him......you can pretty much guess either his "rent" had come due, or well, you know.....July in California? Couldn't have been good, if you know what I mean.

This was him back in the 70's.

Back in the day, he was a bit of a celebrity. Out in western Kansas (and at one time Oklahoma) he was a very well known TV and radio personality. We couldn't go anywhere without folks wanting a piece of his time.
Its really sad. He could have really been somebody.


Unfortunately, as we would soon discover, he was also a very sick man. Manic depression and bipolar disorder would eventually take over his life, making it impossible for him to tell the truth of any kind, hold a job, and ultimately, maintain a normal family life. I'm assuming the latter is why he left. He was a haunted man, knowing full well he'd never be able to care for his family, and probably felt he would be a burden. Come to find out (after some digging around), over the years, he'd been in and out of VA hospitals (he served in the Army, mostly in Korea), unable to live a normal life. He told people he'd never married, never had any children, had no family to speak of. And he spoke with a British accent. (?!?!)

The night my brother called me to tell me that the coroner's office had tracked him down, and that our father was dead, initially, I was mad as hell. In the back of my mind, I'd always hoped he'd show up on my doorstep, probably needing something, but if he had, I might get the chance to ask where he'd been, why he left.....there were so many unanswered questions. Now that will never happen. I'll never hear it from the horse's mouth. Sometimes I feel like something I lost a long time ago is finally found, but I still can't have it, and I never will.

So now that my brother and I have coughed up enough cash to get him cremated, (after a LOT of grief from our mother, who says "why should you even care what happens to him, he never cared about you kids") we are not getting ANY help from the VA, while we try to find out his rank at the time of his discharge from the military. He was very proud of his military background, and we want to have it listed on his headstone. We don't need his entire military record, so we really don't want to have to fill out all the paperwork, mail it off, wait 6 months........uuugh. F@*#!!!

I'm so disappointed in our government. You'd think, in this day and age, a VA employee could got to their computer, punch in a social security number and boom! There's your info......are they still keeping everything in FILE CABINETS for Heaven's sake?!?! My husband is an Army Vet, and we get so frustrated whenever he needs something from them - it takes nearly a year to get it!

As I look below at my Freshman Dance photo, it makes me so sad to think about all the things he missed over the years. Birthdays, first cars, proms, graduations, grandchildren.....so many things.

A Picture From Back in the Day.

In the spirit of the Olan Mills blogging that's been going on, I feel compelled to post my Freshman Dance picture. Because its awesome.

Allow me to point out the totally bitchin' items you DON'T see. I had this super cool short on one side long on the other haircut (my parents hated it, but I thought it was very edgy) and the bottom of my TEA LENGTH dress was bubbled. (C'mon, 80's rejects, you know what I'm talking about!)
This was my very first formal dance, and the very first time I wore a strapless bra, and that bad boy itched all night!

The boy that took me wore a bow tie and cumber bun to match my dress. He wasn't my boyfriend, but that absolutely did NOT prevent me from making out with him at the end of the evening.

I rock.

Wallpaper, Revisited. And CARPET!!

Ah, the wallpaper in the home remodel is no longer an issue, thanks to these two little gifts from heaven. We picked up this bottle of gooey stuff and the paper scraper at Wal-Mart, and it was money well spent! That blasted paper came right off! You'd never know it was there!

The carpet got installed this morning, and it goes PERFECT with the paint colors that Rebekah & I picked out.

Its really coming along, and we're getting close to being done with the things we need to do to be able to get moved in at the end of January. Its been exhausting, but all the hard work is starting to pay off.

My Favorite Trainwreck

. . . Amy Winehouse, went sparkling white. I cannot fathom why, and its so unsettling, I may have to go to her official website and send her some e-hate.

I prefer my messes dark-headed. She needs to go "Back To Black" (pardon the pun).

I must confess, I AM digging the handkerchief, though.

I hope that tabloid rag she's got in her hand doesn't have her in the headlines this week.

You know, SHE KINDA LOOKS LIKE WuShock! (see below) - I'm just sayin'.

Saturday Night, Sold Out.

I'm a Shox fan. I love the basketball, both Men's & Women's, love the baseball, the softball, even the volleyball.
I never actually attended WSU, but I became quite the junkie a few years ago when Daryl Smith was coaching the girl's basketball team. I loved going to the games just to see how long it would take him to get kicked out for going 5 kinds of plaid on the refs. He became a good friend of mine when he and his girls started hosting clinics for our Special Olympics athletes. They worshiped him! It was crazy. Many of us that coached Special Olympics at the time would go to the games wearing black and gold shirts that read "Daryl's Disciples". We were hard core.

At any rate, Jane Albright, the coach that replaced him after an unfair (and in my mind ridiculous) firing from the A.D. Jim Schaus, is not a gal I can really get on board with. No sir, I don't like her.

ANYHOO . . . tonight's men's game against Creighton is sold out, so Jimbo and myself are watching from the sofa. And they just lost by 3. I'm not too sure about the men's new coach, either . . . I miss Turgeon.

GO SHOX!!

Bear Paw Update & My Big Booty

Just my luck! According to my tracking order thru UPS, my package is in some po-dunk spot in Illinois. Coincidentally, I turned on my TV this morning, and right there on Good Morning America was a reporter, standing waste deep in water, smack dab in the middle of the po-dunk town my boots are stuck in. Mother Nature is conspiring against me with a pesky flood.

Oh, for the love!

On the brighter side, today I was out shopping for jeans with my daughter, Rebekah. Not my favorite thing, trying on jeans, its usually a depressing experience that sends me straight for an ice cream and french fries binge when its over. Today I managed to cram my big booty into a size 10 and they fit! Yeehaw.

Bear Paws on the UPS Truck

I have been checking my doorstep for days.
After a long search for the perfect pair of comfy boots for this winter's (so far) brutal elements, I had to resort to shopping Overstock.com. I've never ordered from them before, but it was my LAST resort, as it seems every cool chick in town bought up the city's supply of comfy boots.

I found them! I did a little search on Overstock, and Sweet Judas, there they were! Like a beautiful chocolate brown suede dream. The brand? Bear Paw. From the customer comments I read, they're amazingly comfortable and cozy warm......mmmmmmm.

Behold - the Bear Paw.....


Yep, there they were........so the question is, where are they now?!

UPS tracking number says they're "In Transit" - which translate to "Not on My Feet!" Those are tough words to swallow for a girl who's big on instant gratification and has been on the boot hunt for the better part of a month. Momma wants her boots, UPS dude, bring 'em!

I HATE WALLPAPER!

I've come to the conclusion that wallpaper just might be paper straight from the devil's diary. I hate that stuff.
The house we bought has some in the dining area - border and some other freaky stuff that just doesn't want to come off the wall.


If you or someone you love is thinking of trying wallpaper, I beg of you . . . just say no!

I picked out a really funky color for the hallway and formal living area. I don't think my husband cares much for it, but I dig it! I think it will look super cool with our dark brown living room furniture. Finally, the bedrooms are done and ready for carpet.

We found newspapers from 1971 in a top part of one of the closets the other day. The Wichita Eagle as a matter of fact! Its funny - there's an Old Charter ad - I remember several years ago when alcohol and tobacco companies had to stop advertising, so its really neat to see this Old Charter ad. There was also a classified section - THAT sure hasn't changed much!

This photo is a bit off - the papers have actually yellowed, but aside from that are in perfect shape. I'm thinking of framing some of them. They're pretty cool.

Well, Ghosthunters just started - NEW EPISODE FINALLY!! I must go!

The Garrisons' Garrison is Coming Together!

Well. The home remodel is coming along, but I may be losing my mind in the process. 3 rooms down . . . now on to the hallway and living room!

Carpet is coming Monday for the bedrooms!

A Very Special Gift

This evening I received a late Christmas gift. Late, but very special!

I should back up a little. . . Back before the Holidays, my mother-in-law had asked everyone what they wanted for Christmas. Jokingly, I said that I was desperate for a little sewing kit - just something that this poor, non-domesticated girl could use to put buttons back on when they fall off! (I'm the gal that got kicked out of home economics class in junior high for jacking up all the sewing machines, and asked not to come back. Totally true.)

I completely forgot that I told her that I could use a few needles and some thread.

Tonight she gave me her mother's sewing box. The whole thing.


I was completely stunned. I never new my husband's grandmother. She passed away while we were dating, but Alzheimer's and dementia had taken her mind long ago, preventing any chance of really getting to know her. I would go with him to her nursing home once a month to visit. Each visit was very emotional and upsetting for her family, and I always felt guilty for being there, watching their hearts break all over again, month after month.

Even though I never had the opportunity to develop a relationship with her, I know how loved she was by her family, and I know how important it is to have this family heirloom entrusted to me.

It got Riley's seal of approval! Now I only hope my dear sweet mother-in-law doesn't find out that I am completely useless with a needle and thread in my hand.

Date Night!

Its Friday night! It used to mean Date Night for my husband and myself back in the day, but lately, not so much. We've been working a lot. Mostly HE'S been working a lot. We've tried to stick to the date night thing as much as possible. I think its important. When we don't stick to it, Fridays get lame and we get in a rut. Besides.....WRITERS' STRIKE!.....can't get anything good on TV.

So tonight we're back on track for date night! We're talking dinner & a movie, and I'm pretty stoked about it.
We're dead set on National Treasure this evening. Now what to have for dinner.....

The Full Court Press Is Officially On!

Tonight was the first full practice of the Special Olympics Basketball & Cheerleading Season for the team I coach for, The Wichita Independents.

When this time of year rolls around, we have roughly 140 althletes on the roster - which means we've got about 8 teams of different skill levels, 2 cheerleading squads, and a whole lotta excitement!

There is nothing more adorable than a Special Olympics cheerleader. Anyone who thinks a mentally disabled person can't learn, should watch these athletes, week after week, memorize cheers, both words and moves. Its amazing.

(Tabitha is going out for cheerleading this year!)

We'll go to the State Tournament in March. Here's the whole gang from last year's trip.

I am absolutely addicted to these guys. They make you crazy during practices. Sometimes they shoot at the wrong basket. Sometimes its like herding wild chickens up and down the court. But when it comes down to it, its all about being a part of something, and really, don't we all wanna be a part of something?

(Here's Charity & Matt - they've been with the team since they were little kids. )

Every State Event ends with a big dance! NOBODY misses the dance. You haven't gotten down with your bad self till you 've gotten down at a Special Olympics dance. There's no inhibitions. Got 2 left feet? Doesn't matter! Its a blast, for sure!

Well, looks like MY dance card is full every Thursday until March. And THAT is superfantastic.

Wednesday Night Spookiness

Ah, Wednesday nights. I rush home every week and settle in for some Ghost Hunters on SciFi. I love that show.

I'm a junkie for the paranormal. On Wednesday nights though, I often find myself alone with Riley the Super Chihuahua, so of course, freaked-outed-ness inevitably ensues.

There's something about the idea that there just might be a plane of existence other than this one that I find fascinating. Its not that I dig the "boo-rattly," but we're all so amazingly different, and there are so many levels of personality to each of us, surely bits of us linger here and there.

And my guys, Jay & Grant, the originators of The Atlantic Paranormal Society (pictured above, left & right), are SUPER CUTIES. They do their best to debunk a lot of stuff, but I am addicted to those darn electronic voice phenomenas. Creepy stuff, man.

So tonight, its me, Riley, some Chinese Take-out, and Ghost Hunters. And if the husband is lucky, we might let him watch with us. Spooky.

2 Blogs in One Day!

Yep, blogging twice in one day. I stopped by the ol' project tonight where Jimbo has been doing some closet painting.

Heavens!! Will this poor house EVER be inhabitable?

Apparently, closet painting is not an easy task.

Its really starting to come together though, and I am really looking forward to getting moved at the end of January.

New Year's Day, Back With the Dead, But NOT an Empty Barrel!

So its January 1st, and yet another day with the dead. But just like Christmas Day, its okay, because it beats the alternative. My family freaks me out and they don't get me. They like to argue and treat me badly, so this is good.....nice and quiet. Just the way I like it.

Speaking of which, I was lounging a bit this morning, sipping some joe with Riley the Super Chihuahua, and watching some mindless re-runs of America's Next Top Model (there was really nothing else on) when I heard a photographer say something that really made me think.

"An empty barrel makes the most noise"........this was in reference to one of the contestants that was a constant whiner, complainer and overall sh** starter.

I said to myself, wow. Now THATS prophetic. January 1st, 2008, and here is a little pearl of wisdom dropped on me out of nowhere. Right then and there I decided I am NOT going to be an empty barrel this year. I have no reason to be. I am a very FULL barrel! Life is good, I've got a job with co-workers that I really like, a super fantastic daughter, a great husband, just bought a home of our own.....its all good so I need to just be quiet!

Who knew you could get personal therapy out of Next Top Model?!