Isn't It Romantic?

This morning, on my way to work, I experienced romance.  No worries folks, I'm not stepping out on Mr. D.  Rather, my favorite talk radio program was discussing romance and what that term actually meant.  And it sparked some musings from yours truly.  Having a childfree existence does present us with more opportunities than most to be romantic, at least in the traditional sense.  Mr. D loves to cook a nice meal, I love to open some wine or champagne, and we often turn up the Frank Sinatra tunes....you get the idea.  If someone asked you what romance was, wouldn't your first thought be sweet, mushy stuff like buying fresh flowers, soft lights and music, a sunset, a picnic, etc? 

One of my favorite Sex & the City episodes is when Carrie is being "wooed" by Alexander (the Russian) and it completely freaks her out.  He wrote her a song, recited poetry . . . and she found it "icky".  (And truthfully, so did I.  That dude was weird.)  One of the radio-show callers from this morning also lamented that her former boyfriend went over the top with his romantic gestures.  He would rent out an entire restaurant, carriages rides in Central Park, etc.  She said they never just "hung out".  Comparatively, her favorite romantic gesture was when her husband hired someone to clean her house & carpets and iron everything in her closet, because she hates ironing.  Responding to this caller, the host, I feel, summed up the essence of what romance is -  understanding your partner's needs is the most romantic thing you can do.  In other words, they get you. 

Although I may not always consciously realize it, I find it romantic when Mr. D goes by the store on the way home to get something for dinner (so I won't have to)....or when he leaves me alone for 20 minutes when I get home to give me time to decompress.  It's romantic when I'm struggling to get out of bed some mornings and he gets up, feeds the dogs and walks them alone.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that the traditional romance fare - candles, roses and champagne - aren't lovely.  They sure as hell are.  Next week, while we are on vacation at the beach, I definitely plan on having those wine and sunset moments.  But take time to appreciate the small things that your partner does for you (i.e., doing laundry without being asked, watching a movie with you that they don't particularly care for, saying you look nice/handsome without being asked.)  You might be surprised how romantic they really are.

Day 53 - "Here Comes the Sun"

Things have frankly been a little uninteresting at the house.  There has been minor electrical & plumbing being done, and they finally are working on my new laundry room.   They installed solatubes in both the master bedroom and laundry room yesterday, and they are awesome.  Lovely ambient sunlight filtering in from the ceiling.  It's like God will be looking down saying, "Don't forget to pre-treat that red wine stain!"

This morning was also our first (& hopefully only) almost-catastrophe.  They started installing the new siding (Hardie board - cool stuff) and, in moving the electrical meter, blew a transformer and cut power to the entire block.  Entergy said the worker moving the meter is lucky not to have been killed.  Mr. D was home and knows CPR but that would not have been a great start to the day.  Scary!  But power is back on and we're back on track.

We have also made decisions and ordered new ceiling fans and track light fixtures for the dressing area and closet.  The original ones we looked at were over $800 a piece....er, no.  Found a kit similar that was a fraction of that.  Good thing because outdoor-rated ceiling fans are not cheap folks.  So we're not really saving money at this point, more like redistributing it. (Sigh). 

The nit picky things are starting to add up.  Still haven't decided on hardware, sconces, stain color for wood floor, stain color for cabinetry....one day at at time, one day at a time. 

Self-righteous...Oh yea, I'm going there.

Now, I am a very "live and let live" sort of person.  Seriously, you will have to look hard to find someone more laid back than me (mostly because I'm too lazy to care).  But I have a serious ax to grind with a certain mother and her parenting skills.  I'm talking to you, Krista Stodden, you stupid cow.  You know her - the mother who basically sold her 16-year-old bimbo, botoxed daughter into marriage with a middle-aged actor.  And that's a stretch to call him middle-aged.  Hell, he's almost eligible for AARP benefits! Of course, the daughter looks 35, but since the tabloids insist she's 16, we're going with that.

Yes, I know this story is slightly old news but the more this woman keeps talking to the tabloids, justifying the situation, the more my blood boils.  And today, I've had enough.  Look, I don't have kids and try very hard not to impose my judgment on those that do.  But this isn't questioning whether it's wise for my friend to let their child have a piece of hot dog (which they could possibly choke on by the way - See? No judgment here).  This is a mother, selling her daughter out like a freaking whore!  Marriage, smarriage, doesn't change that fact.  (And does the media have to keep showing pictures of the "happy" couple kissing - I just threw up in my mouth a little.)

Well, now the motive is clear.  Mommie dearest is moving next door to the couple so she can be a mommie-business manager for her daughter's budding entertainment career. (Yea, I have an idea what kind of movies she be good in.)  And she actually cited Dina Lohan as a role model!  I can only conclude...bitch is clinically insane.  Has she seen the cracked-out pictures of Lilo lately?  Can we say "rode hard and put up wet?"  Ugh.
So, yes, Krista, I am calling you out on being this year's worst parent.  Dina should send you an edible arrangement for making her look good for a change. 

I thought parents were supposed to protect their children.  And as much as I argued to the contrary with my own mother many years ago, a 16-year-old is an immature child.  Yet, I never had the desire to leave home and shack up with an old man....can we say daddy issues? 

I think I shall go home a raise a glass to my mother who, when I was sixteen, got in the car to look for me in her nightgown if I was out past curfew.  Thanks, Mom!  Embarrasment fades, but poor self-esteem and self-worth can last forever.  Shame on you, Krista, shame on you.

Red, Red Wine

In my last post, I spoke of a busy week.  Well, the other part of that concerns the fact that my best friend, "Red", and her two children (our godchildren), "Pinky" (age 5) and "Jack-Jack" (age 2), moved to my town last Tuesday from Australia!  I met them at the airport at 8 am (after Sweet Baby Girl had to go out at 4:45 a.m for apparently no good reason....grrr). They were tired but glad to be here and now the fun begins. She and I have been friends for 15 plus years. Red and Mr. D were friends at Ole Miss back in the day and we became pals when she came to stay with us in New Orleans for 10 days during Mardi Gras.  It was either become best friends or reenact the Uma Thurman/Vivica Fox scene from "Kill Bill Vol 1."  (Although I have taken taekwondo since then so I think I might could win now.)

Her husband in working overseas in the middle east so living there currently is not an option.  So she decided to come to Mississippi and enjoy our laid-back ways and cheap cost of living.  Plus...well, we're here!  In the past week, she has enrolled Pinky at a private school for kindergarten, found a house and is attempting to close the deal on it, buy school supplies, sign kids up for swim lessons....damn, I'M tired.   Now I know why she goes to bed at 8 pm.

Welcome my friend!  Once the kids are settled, I foresee an evening of bevos and a watching of "Shag" in our future!