I love the '00's - NOT

I just watched "I love the 70's" on VH1 today. I can't believe it but I miss the 70's. I remember my Malibu Beach Barbie fondly. I had 2 K-Tel records which made a pre-teen extra cool. I longed for those shoes with the skates built in. What I remember most of all is my parents. My mom with her Dorothy Hamill bob and extra big sunglasses playing bridge and making tacos by hand. (She actually fried up the tortilla shells for us) My dad in his plaid shorts and huge sideburns mowing the lawn every Saturday and just trying to catch a score of a game on the t.v. in between. The supermarket was filled with Tang, sugar cereals and hamburger Helper and nobody cared.

Do I love the 00's? Will I look back fondly on all of the events now that we are 8 years into it? I do not own an IPod. I do not have a have Smart car. I have not gone green, well maybe lime green. We have failed to buy a new HDTV. I do have extra big sunglasses and play Euchre. Those two things just make me feel like I am copying times past.

I also cry every time I fill up my gas tank. I cringe when I have to buy milk. I hate plastic water bottles now because they cause cancer. Well, come to think of it, everything in the 00's cause cancer. My clothes are all made by little children in sweatshops in countries I can't find on the map. We pay twice as many bills as my parents because we have two phones, Internet service and cable.

Maybe the 00's are called the 00's because they are adding up to nothing. I am trying to stay upbeat. I know my kids will be able to get a few semesters of college in. We however cannot pass the car onto them because it will be obsolete by then. I know that I am buying local produce even though it costs twice as much. Do you think the people at VH-1 are already starting to write "I love the 00's" or will they change the format to "Can't wait for the 00's to end."?

Helpless but full of hope

I am sad. I am mad. I am upset. I am angry. I am helpless. I just found out a friend has cancer. It is early yet so nobody knows what is happening. It is early yet so nobody knows what to do. Do you run out & buy a card? Do you run out and bake a dinner for the family? Do you run out and scream at the world?

This is not a close friend but this is a person I consider a friend. We go out as part of a group together occasionally. When I first started my job she was always a person who greeted me with a smile. I have taught her son. I chose my son's nursery school based on her and her family. So what do I do now? This is one of many times that I have a friend who was not best friend go through a crisis. I do not know the rules. I sit back & feel helpless. I call closer friends of those friends and offer my help.

I hate this. I want to let her know she is in my thoughts but I do not want to intrude. Last time this happened I sent the person a funny card. The other time I chipped in a gift certificate to a spa. I hopefully can something like that for her too. I know there is strength in prayer so I will send as many to her as I can. I never read about this problem in any advice column. I wonder what others do when they run into this issue. How do you help when you are close but not close enough?

I hope this is caught soon enough. I hope all will be well. I hope she gets enough strength & support from her loved ones. I hope I can send her positive thoughts & prayers to get through this. So maybe if I let everybody in blogland know then they will send their thoughts & prayers too...

Shopping with a 12 year old a.k.a."Mums" the word.

I have learned after my 12,000 shopping trips with my daughter to keep my mouth shut. Yesterday, we went on the hunt for a new bikini. She already has 3 or 4 but none are right for her upcoming pool party. I have protested at home but she wants a 2 certain pieces she does have. I am a frugal mom. She has been babysitting. We are going to split the price

My daughter is a good shopper. She does her pre-shopping online then we go to the mall to get the things she wants. I do not hate the mall. In fact, I love the mall. I just do not have the patience to shop with someone else. I am also a quick chooser. If I cannot walk in & see it in 2 seconds then I am done and gone. My daughter loves to grab racks of clothes to try on. I sit off to the side waiting for her to come out. If I make a suggestion or a comment then I may ruin the whole process. She may grab whole new racks of clothes. It is the golden rule that if mom likes it then it is not cool. My new favorite clothing stores are now the ones where I see lots of chairs for me.

The pre-shopping works sometimes. Yesterday it did not. I thought we would be in and out. That particular store did not have the bottoms she wanted out of the 5 selections. I know you want to know why we did not order online or call ahead. First, she needed it in 2 days. Second, the store had temporarily moved to redecorate and nobody was answering the phone. We moved on to another store.

My daughter has grown and in her pre-teen mind did not want to move up a size in bikinis. In the second store I found my corner and she went in with her 15 choices. Each top did not fit right. I humbly suggesting getting the next size up. This was deemed as unacceptable with a little stomp to accompany it. That was a rookie mistake. I opened my mouth to give her an opinion. My daughter has a great look which mixes up a what do I know signal with how dare you open your mouth. I have lost my fashion sense but I have still have the upper hand because I still hold the fashion "cents". I wait patiently in my chair.

We go to the third store. The third store is a little more upscale with tinier clothes especially the bikinis. I cross my fingers and remember to keep my mouth shut. I know it is here in tiny bikini-land that she will find the one she loves. I look for the fox hole to jump in when I say no.
It is a miracle! She does not like one of the $100 teeny-weeny bikinis. She does however like 2 pairs of shorts and 2 tank tops. These do total $100.

The fourth store has nothing, nada, zip. I even make the mistake of holding up what I thought was the style she wants. Oh no, did I not see that tiny, globby thing on the left part of the bikini that just ruins it. Where are my bi-focals? Where is my muzzle? I see over in the corner a large department store with semi-reasonable prices. I know she has never been there. I know they will have racks of suits. Do I dare?

I hate department store and rarely take her to one. It is too much work to go through the endless racks of clothes. One bonus is they do have chairs in the dressing room. I make the suggestion and she accepts. We go in. Immediately, she finds 4 suits that match her style. We grab 6 others just in case. She tries them on. The first 4 do not do look good. I am sitting and I am calm. I have said little. We are agreeing. The next 6 do not look good. I am sitting and now I am praying. I am sent out for a different size bottom. I also suggest getting maybe getting a different size top too. It is accepted. A Christmas miracle in June. I'll take it.

As I am going for the 2 items, I also grab 3 other suits that may work. I open the dressing room door quickly and throw them in. My hand comes back out intact. She tries them on! Guess what, 1 of my choices works. I say nothing and remained seated. I look around for another mom to celebrate with but I am alone. The best news of all is they are having a sale too.

She comes out. She is not willing to commit and we put the bikini on hold at the cash register. We need to go to 2 more stores. I smile and nod. She does not see the tear trickling down my left cheek nor the limp I now have. I think we have circled the mall 3 times. The next store has no good bikinis but it has great flip-flops. We buy them and we leave. The next store is the first store and we are going back to double check. In this store, we now find a dress for an up-coming party. Cha-ching. I now have tears going down both cheeks and an empty wallet.

As we exit this store, I cannot think of another place or another style bikini. I want to be done. I do not want to go into another dark cave reeking of cheap cologne resembling a hip place without chairs. She turns to me and say that she is ready to buy the one on hold. I regain my strength I even do a little jig but I say nothing. If I say I love the suit I might lose the deal.

I sprint to the store. There is no in line. Am I heaven? Did I die on the way? I say nothing. We buy the suit. We leave the mall. The sun is still out. It is still the same day. I have survived even though I spent 3x more than I thought I would. We drive down the street and she is rifling through her bags. Then I hear the dreaded "Mom, where is my Gap bag?". I silently turn the car around and head back to mall.

Bodenite, bodenphile

O.k., o.k. I have a serious hang-up. There are very few things in life that I love. One major thing I have is a serious crush on Boden: www.bodenusa.com. It started a few years ago when the catalog came in my mail. I opened it up & saw on every page clothing I could, I would & I did buy. I do not know what caught my eye first. Was it the simplicity of the clothes? The newness of the catalog? The cool models on every page who told names & small bits of info about themselves.

I also dream of working for them. I dream they call me out of the blue & say they noticed I am their number one purchaser with an eye for style. Could I come work for them? Oh yes, I would say. Let's discuss it over a cup of tea & a scone!

I also dream the owner of the company. Johnnie Boden spots me in the airport in one of his smashing yet casually chic outfits. He instantly falls in luv. He asks me to come to England to be with him. O.k. JK, I know he is married. But wouldn't it be great to be married to him & open up my closet or just walk into the office. I would have my pick of clothes.

I am drawn to their clothes and the lifestyle on the pages (beaches & outdoors everywhere yet many weekend in the city pics). I am around 30-40 & do not want to look 20 nor do I want to look 50. Where, oh, where does my age shop? I first ordered a simple, long, pink tweed jacket with fringe a few years ago. It was perfect for those dress up times when I did not need to be in a formal length gown (ha) but needed to look chic & cool. Mind you this is a a catalog from Great Britain not Paris. (where a French teacher should shop) I wore that jacket with jeans. I wore with a simple black skirt. I had a great little scarf that I tied around my neck with it. Oh, I was the Boden in Paris girl.

Their skirts are brilliant, just brilliant. (I do have to throw some British slang in here.) My first skirt was a brown velvet with large appliques that I bought 4-5 years ago! The compliments I still get today give me chills. Women will stop me & ask where I bought such a great skirt. I tell them it is vintage Boden now. Their summer skirts are just as cool! I have bought 1 a year starting with a smart red & cream designed skirt and ending last year with a pink, blue & cream print skirt that I match with a blue & cream striped top. I am so classy mixing prints.

I cannot end this blog without bringing up the children's clothes. For a few years my daughter too received a great summer dress that she could wear anywhere. Alas, she has outgrown Boden. I have passed the addiction to my sister and her 1 1/2 year old. Her daughter now sports the Boden line. My son wore his flannel, comfy pants to death. He refused to give them up even with the holes everywhere.

Sadly, I am on a budget now. I cannot make as many purchases from Johnnie & his crew. I look for their sales & have bought 1-2 key pieces this year! Johnnie, I will not forget you. I get your emails & your letters a.k.a. catalogs. I will remain faithful. I will never leave you totally. If you ever get to Michigan you have to look me up. If I ever get over the pond, I will stop by and discuss upcoming fashions. maybe you'll like my ideas and ask me to stay. I am a little older but would make a great intern. I can fetch the tea from Starbuck's- they know me there too! (that is another blog)

Summertime & the livin' is

I love the beginning of summer. I have a list. (It is only in my mind. It is summer & I should taking it easy. O.k., it will now be on this blog too) I know what I want to do & when i want to do it. This list will be great and I have so much time to do it.

This summer for our family will be a cool summer. It will not be because of the temperature but because my kids are older. Everyone is working on the art of sleeping in. That is first on list, going slowly.

We are going to use as little gas as possible. We will be biking, biking, biking. This should work in my favor. I will should be able to burn off a few more calories.

We will be having ice cream for dinner. My kids love ice cream. When we get it though there is usually a cap on what they can get. For this dinner, they can get whatever they want. Of course, we'll bike there.

I am super-excited about going strawberry picking. In my older age, I am reverting to better times & memories. I remember berry picking with my mom. I do not remember what she did with all of those berries. For me, I am hoping to have frozen berries for the winter.

We will be playing tennis, watching tennis & practicing for football. We are a sports-oriented family. I just got new shoes for tennis & I can't wait to try them out. My oldest is on the club tennis team which is always fun to watch. My youngest is playing football in the fall which starts in July!

We will be grilling out. We have a new pattern at our house. My youngest is old enough to help me cook. He turns on the grill & helps cook the meat. As we are sitting around eating dinner, he then wants to play Taboo. It seems to be becoming a tradition.

Finding a new game & Scrabble. It seems every summer we get hooked on a new board game. The kids find it first either at the club or from a friend's house. We buy one ourselves and play it endlessly. We also play Scrabble on Sundays after dinner with grandpa. It is funny but nobody ever plans these games. They just always end up happening.

Reading, reading, reading. I never have enough time to read during the year. I try to make up for it over the summer. The kids have always signed up for the reading program at our local library. Sadly, I think this year both are too old. I will try one more time with my youngest. I think we have to come up with our own program.

Looking at this list, it looks so simple. There is nothing complicated & nothing rushed. So maybe it is not a list. I do not have to check these items off. I know they will get done on their own time.

Scrabulous a.k.a. Clique the button to win

I admit it. I am addicted to Scrabulous on Facebook. It is perfect for me. I can play Scrabble whenever I want & I am connected. For those of you who do not know Scrabulous is simply an online community of people looking to play Scrabble against each other. Yes, I am part word nerd. I have always loved words & spelling. Since they do not have an adult spelling bee, I must use Scrabble/Scrabulous as an outlet for my insane word addiction. But it has also added an interesting twist in my social life too. Scrabulous is just like junior high, I can pitch & ditch my friends as needed.

I first realized my new power of cliquing this morning as I was looking to join a Scrabulous game. You have an option to join a "table" or game just like the cafeteria in junior high. I was perusing my choices and noticed that I was more interested in the pictures of the people who wanted to play than their ratings. I had many choices yet I still looked for my peeps. Where are the moms in their black t-shirts with shoulder length-layered hair flanked by their 2-3 children and a dog? I have a hard time picking people who choose to be artsy in their pics. It takes too much courage to bare my inner soul to the whole Facebook communty like that. I skim over the people who are giving lewd looks or trying be sexy. This is about words not body parts. (o.k. I have used body part words just to get a few points in the actual game)

I want to be with the people just like me. I need the moms or the dads. I do not want to hang with the bizarre, crazy, fanatical or outlandish. I feel like I am holding my lunch tray in the school cafeteria skimming the crowd for my kind. I am still cliquing at the age of 30sh! Is this insecurity? I am only playing a game that may last a few hours or a few days. Chances are I will never see their photo or Scrabble with them ever again. I still can't do it. I still can't press the button & accept the world. I still click the buttons to find my clique.

It is just a game.