Goodbye Old Friend

When I was 16 years old I brought home a puppy. My mom was not thrilled with the idea and told me to find him a new home while she and my dad went to the mall for dinner. I found him a home while they were out, but my Dad worked his magic on my mom and I got to go retrieve him back from the friend who said they would take him and keep him. I named him Otis, but he was never called that. His real name was Puppy.

You see, Puppy, was half Jack Russell terrier and half Poodle. He was a mixture of hyperactivity and intelligence. He would drive you completely insane with his energy level, but was smart enough to know exactly what he was doing. He would growl when you said the word "bath", he would look out the window if you said "squirrel", he loved tennis balls like they were some form of dog class A narcotics, and he could run like a gazelle. He was an awesome dog.

When I left home, it was decided that he was too used to being in my mother's house and that he should just stay with her. I don't think the military life would have suited him at all. He would still be my dog, but my mom would have custody. I always loved coming back to my parents house, sitting down on the sofa and having to restrain my Puppy from licking me to death because he was so excited to see me.

This past year he was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. It was kept in check with medicines and he continued for the most part to be his happy, bouncy, sometimes crotchety old self. I saw him over the summer and had made a few more memories with him.

Yesterday my mother called and said that Puppy was not doing well and was going to be taken to the vet. She didn't have much hope that he would recover and had a feeling that she would probably have to put him to sleep in order to prevent him from suffering. The vet however suggested a change to his medicines and said he was resting comfortably and that she could pick him back up around 5:30pm. About 15 minutes before she was due to pick him up from the vet's office, his little heart gave out on him.

I am sad of course, but I know that he did not suffer. He lived 14 wonderful years. He had a great home. He had a family that loved him. He was one lucky dog.

Rest well you little hellion. We're going to miss you.

Dear So and So...On The Fly

Dear 7:15 AM,

So we meet again old enemy.... you know my feelings about you. I hate how you taunt me with the ringing of my alarm and the way my eyes won't quite open properly at that time. Can't you just let me sleep just a bit longer?

Groggy, Kat

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Dear School,

Could we start the day at a more reasonable hour. Let's say 10 AM? That way I don't have to get out of bed until 9am. That sounds a lot more sensible. Kids get more sleep. Parents get more sleep. It sounds like a win win situation to me.

Just Sayin', Kat

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Dear Children of Mine,

"Time to get up" isn't a suggestion.

I Really Mean It, Mom

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Dear Rain,

Hold off until after tomorrow say 4ish. I need to mow the lawn... yet again.

I'm Begging You A Little Here, Kat

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Dear Grass,

Could you quit growing now? I know all this rain has fueled your growth to ridiculous levels, but have some mercy! I am only one person.

Pleading With You, Kat

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Dear Readers,

I hope you have a lovely weekend full of fun. Don't forget to link up if you have letters of your own.

Love, Kat

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Mommy Neurosis

It's not very often that my neurotic mommy side completely takes hold and I have a complete panic attack about things. However, this morning it did. Today, KiKi was on the bus for the very first time. My baby is getting on the bus! Of course when I realized all this I had a complete melt down. Is the bus driver just going to throw her on the playground and hope that she makes it to her class? Will she remember to line up with her class? Will she forget her things on the playground? Will she cry? Will she wonder where I am? Gah!!!!

So of course I did what any logical parent who is having a massive crisis of convictions does, I called my best friend who's child is also on the bus and made her ask her daughter to look out for my daughter. Then I made LaLa promise that she wouldn't abandon her sister on the playground and look out for her. Then I talked to KiKi and explained that I wouldn't be there and that she was a big girl and that she needed to find her teacher on the playground.

I am still sitting here panicking a bit. I am sure she will be fine. I am still panicking though. She's gonna be OK, right?

Lost chair from Daisuke Motogi

An exhibit at Cheongju international craft here http://eng.okcj.org/home/main.do

The Lost chair is a great idea. It shape and feel reminds of the B&B Italia tufty range which I've blogged on here twice ( I do love it that much)

Anyway the designer Daisuke Motogi born in 1981 whom started Daisuke Motogi Architecture in 2010 and has some stunning ideas already on the site.

I love the way you can add books flowers, whatever you want in to the chair.

For more great inspiration check out other works from Daisuke here  

What I Plan On Doing The First Day of School

My kids start school tomorrow. They need to go to school. They want to go to school. I am tremendously excited for them and for me. I am already planning for my first day of freedom in 6 weeks their first day of school.

8:45- Take kids to school

9:15- Arrive home

9:16- Check email and Facebook

9:16:05-Send tweet about my kids being at school.

9:30- Watch a movie. Probably tweet while watching the movie.

11:30- Contemplate lunch.

11:35- Make lunch and eat without interruption.

12:00- Consider a nap

12:05- Take nap.

2:00- Wake up. Watch more TV.

3:00- Remember that I have to get the kids from school.

3:15- Go get kids.

Basically, I am doing all the things that I couldn't do while they were on their summer break. I don't normally have a day like this, but I think I will make an exception for tomorrow. An entire day of laziness without having to hear this:

Did I mention that they totally want to go back to school? Happy days!

What The Hell Is Wrong With The Mummyblogging Community Lately??

*This post is a bit sweary. If you don't like it, sorry.

I have seen so much discourse on Facebook and Twitter lately between mummybloggers in the UK. Epic proportions of sniping, bitching, going behind backs, and outright mean spirited remarks have been happening. It is happening between well established bloggers and newbie bloggers a like. I can feel an under current of meanness now that I have never before felt in this community. People playing fast and loose with the hurtful words. Enough of the bullshit. Be nice to each other. We're all bloggers. We're all mums. All this infighting? It gets us nowhere. In fact, when it happens out in public forums such as Twitter, it can has serious consequences for your online reputation. I know this is not a utopia and not everyone is going to get along, but for goodness sake send an email and not a tweet.

I have seen the effects of personal attacks on bloggers in the past. It isn't nice. There have been some bloggers who have stopped blogging because they have been basically run out of town by a lynch mob. Some bloggers who are attacked keep blogging, but sometimes they are afraid to state their real feelings; afraid of being attacked once again. Your blog, your voice. Where is the fun of blogging if you can't even express yourself? Other bloggers have in the past turned off comments because they didn't want their comments sections to be hijacked by nasty comments. Some can let it roll off their back like water on a duck. Just keep in mind, there are real people behind your computer screen. Feelings get hurt.

For goodness sake help each other out. No blogger has all the answers. If we did we would all be making money from PR companies and brands hand over fist. OK, well maybe Dooce over in the US had all the answers; she seems to be doing alright with this lark. If you have a question ask it? I am personally saying, that if you have a question, email me. I will do my best to answer it. If I can't answer it*, I will ask someone who I think could answer your question. If someone asks you a question, try to help out. I know quite a few bloggers who help out quite a lot and I think that is awesome. Be a nice person. Remember there is enough room in the blogging community for everyone. Also, try not to take direct comments (just direct, not mean) comments too personally. Sometimes the computer does not inflect the tone of the author.

Just a little bit of advise from little old me. Of course, you have the right to disagree with me, but that is your prerogative.

*I am really bad at stats and SEO for the record, but Nickie over at Typecast is really good at it.

Silent Sunday

Dear So and So...Just A Few Things

Dear LaLa and KiKi,

You may as well sit down, this is gonna be a long one. I know that you guys see me as some sort of domestic slave, but I'm not. I am also not a short order cook. When I wake up in the morning I would like at least five minutes to get myself together before you start hounding me about things. I mean really, I just need a cup of coffee before you start coming at me like baby birds with your mouthes open. It would also be a big help if you didn't want me to make complicated things in the morning for breakfast. In other words I really don't want to have to turn on the stove (hob). I mean I will, but I won't be happy about it. I will also probably gripe really loudly if I do have to turn it on.

The other part of this letter is about the state of this house. I know you are on your school holidays and I know you just want to play play play but my house is not a trash heap, climbing frame, race track or clothes bin. So here is how we are going to sort this out. You can quit changing clothes every five minutes and throwing the clean clothes that you only wore for 5 minutes on the floor; put them back up. Stop climbing all over my furniture and racing around the house (who knew having two doors through the living room would make this house into a perfect circle to run in). For the love of peet please start putting your trash into the bin! There are multiple bins all over the house. You are never more than 15 feet from a bin. Use them. Please.

I know if you follow these very simple guidelines that we can enjoy the rest of the summer holidays. We can do this. We only have to make it until Wednesday, then you can get back into the routine of the school year. Of course that also means you will have to get up earlier, but I guess we can only tackle so many issues at once.

Love, Mom

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Dear KiKi,

Yes, I saved a letter especially for you! You remember how last year you mastered wiping your own bottom, well guess what? Just because you are on holiday from school doesn't mean that you get to take a holiday from wiping your own bottom. Sort it out.

Love, Mom

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Dear American Lady in the Supermarket,

I couldn't help but over hear and your friend discussing school choices as we were standing in line waiting for our sandwiches to be made; you were talking very loudly after all. I know you have the right to your opinion and I respect your choice to have your child in the DoD (American schools on the base) instead of what I have chosen for my children by having them in the British schools. That is fair enough. When you however call *my* child's school "stuffy and old fashioned" (your source of knowledge in this being your child was in the school for all of 2 weeks), I do get my hackles raised. Maybe what you really meant is that they have good discipline and enforce rules? I am only saying that because your child was running around the supermarket like a crazy person and was acting like he had never heard the word "no" in his life. Maybe you should look at your son's behavior before you start bad mouthing a really good school. Just sayin'.

That Woman Tutting Behind You, Kat

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Dear Readers,

If you have your own letters please add them onto the linky! Have a safe weekend.

Love ya, Kat

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Sorting Through Memories

I went sorting through memories,

stacked in a box.

They weren't my memories,

but they meant so much.

People I didn't know,

some that I did.

All important in that moment,

but forgotten for a bit.

The memories were a bit dusty,

and a few stuck together.

I did try to sort them,

if they made sense to me or not.

They aren't my memories after all,

but they do mean a lot.

Even if they have been stuck in that box.

An Apology to my Mother

I want to take this opportunity to apologize to my mom for all the awful music that I made her listen to when I was a kid. I am sorry for the car rides where I made you blast New Kids on the Block and Debbie Gibson. I am sorry about blaring my Tiffany tape in my room. I am sorry that I listened to the Dirty Dancing tape until I knew the words to every single song. Actually, I am not really sorry about that. It was a really good soundtrack.

I am apologizing for all of this because LaLa has in the last year discovered her own teenie bopper idols that she is now worshiping. Justin Beiber, JLS and Taylor Swift are the artists that make up this fresh hell that I am drowning in. Their crooning about teen aged love and catchy songs about getting on the dance floor make me want to hurl LaLa's CD player across the room.

Of course I won't. I will just grin and bear it. I will tell her to turn it down or go play it in her own room with the door shut. I will pretend that I am enjoying it in the car. I will take it all with good humor. I will also apologize to my mom for being a pain in my mom's rear end.

A Little Help Here

As most of you know, I pretty much "wing it" when it comes to parenting. Yes, I seek the advise of my mother and grandmother. I bounce ideas off my friends. For the most part it has worked out pretty well for me. I have two fairly well behaved kids. Generally. Most of the time. At least out in public.

My biggest parenting "issue" right now is at bedtime with KiKi. She has always been a mama's girl. She wants me to be by her side all the damn time a good bit of the time. When she is upset she will just say "I want you" which doesn't exactly mean she wants me to pick her up or cuddle her, she just wants me to physically touch her. I could be just holding hands with her or putting my hand on her knee while she sits next to her, but she craves *my* physical touch. Now, onto my problem, I would really like to not be in the room with KiKi when she goes to bed. I know, I know, I know, I should have broken this habit already, but we have already established the fact that I am winging it at this whole parenting thing. Right now, I usually lay in bed with her until she goes to sleep. She has a double bed so it isn't exactly uncomfortable, but there are things that I would rather be doing like watching primetime TV getting a start on the next days housework.

So, Internet people, how do you suggest I get myself out of my 5 year olds room at night. When I leave she usually follows me. When I tell her that she needs to stay in bed, she doesn't. I also have to contend with the whimpering and the "I want you," which melts me every single time. Help!

Silent Sunday

Just My House?

Trying to make a decision on what to have for dinner at my house stinks.

Me- "The kids say they don't know what they want for dinner. In fact KiKi said "Just bring me anything" and La said "I dunno". So I am going to the commissary, what do YOU want for dinner?"

The Man- "I dunno. I don't like to make decisions like that."

Me- "So basically, you just want food to magically appear in front of you?"

The Man- "Pretty much."

Does this only happen at my house?

Dear So and So...Is It The End of Summer Holidays Yet?

Dear LaLa,

I hope you learned your lesson. I mean really, it was a rookie mistake. You should have gone and destroyed the things you were going to tear apart before you said "If you make me angry you know I am going to destroy things, right?". Threats don't work in this house missy. Threats work even less when your dad is sitting right next to me. I hope you enjoyed your afternoon sat in your bedroom contemplating the wrongness of your actions.

That'll Learn Ya, Mom

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Dear KiKi,

I love you, you know that right? Don't think I haven't noticed that you might be the laziest child in the world though. Clean your room isn't code for "pretend you are really tired, start sucking your fingers and laying about", It means clean your room. I will even give you step by step instructions, but I will not clean it for you. I am saying this for your own good. If you comply it will make your life easier, promise.

Love, Mom

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Dear Summer Holidays,

You have been a mixed bag so far. Sun was delivered in spades. Unexpected events, done. Illness/injury, covered. Good times, had by all. Rain in the UK, as expected. Can we just get the kids back in school without anything REALLY bad happening please?

With a Cherry on Top, Kat

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Dear Hurricane Irene,

Thanks for sparing Charleston. Please don't take it out on Cape Hateras too badly. Actually, I feel really odd that I said that it would hit North Carolina in general so if you could turn out to sea that would cleanse my guilt.

KThxBai, Kat

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Dear Hubby,

I know you want to blog and if you start blogging I will promote it. I promise.

Love, Kat

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Dear Spiders That Live At The Back Door of My House,

Not cool. Not cool at all. You know my feelings on spiders. Could you please quit hanging out outside my door and be gone? Take pity on me, please!!!

Yeah Thank, Kat

----------------------------

Dear Readers,

If you are sick of the summer holidays give me a whoop whoop! *cough* Now, that I got that out, if you have letters, don't forget to link up. Have a safe bank holiday weekend.

Love, Kat

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FEAST IN THE EAST V.

Flyers by Tad Michalak.

We're dusting off our guitars, shining up our keyboards, and playing a show. This is a good one too! You should come. Not only do you get a smorgasboard of good music, you also get to check out projections and eat food with your ticket (pressed sandwiches and salad)! Fun fact: this venue is about 3 minutes from where we practice. Let's have fun on the East Side together.



Curious minds might also want to check out an article The Grid recently did about the series.

-------Info from the Facebook Event-------

FEAST IN THE EAST is a monthly east end music, food & installation series.



At Dickens Street Theatre

35 Dickens St. (Dundas & Carlaw)

Toronto, ON

Friday, September 9 at 9:00pm

$7

Featuring:

THE GUEST BEDROOM (http://theguestbedroom.bandcamp.com/) A bit prog, a bit post-punk, a bit dark, a bit dance-y. Toronto avant rock quartet has been making music since 2004 (whoa it's almost 2012!). Rumbling synth lines, jump and bounce against angular guitar jabs, sharp notes quiver out from behind thick synth concoctions. Singer Sandi Falconer's voice soars over the blaring, driving drum beats & synth hums that fill your ears like an empty church. A fun chaos grown out of a frantic pace. Check this!



YOUNG MOTHER (http://youngmother.bandcamp.com/) Jesse Laderoute's every changing krautrock ensemble Solidifies it's line up & becomes a band! A serious undiscovered gem in Toronto's ever evolving music nebulous. Mini synth & guitar drones lead into to ominous beats & guitar whispers that shake and creep. With an almost hopeful pop sensibility buried under the deep compositions, Jesse's voice reaches out of the eerie environment he's constructed. Guitar wizardry and electronic bleeps & bloops grow under layers of rhythmic synth & drum patterns locking you in. Like a dream you can't escape, stuck in the nether world just below the surface. Krautrock lives!



DANIEL FRANCIS DOYLE (http://danielfrancisdoyle.com/) One man band from Austin, TX plays it all guitar, drums, bass, and puts it together in a loop station math equation. Live drums along with looped everything, DFD powers through spazz rock compositions. His voice buzzes over noodle-y guitar guitar work. Pop hums juxtapose with speed punk drums & guitar thrashing. This guy rules big. He will also be joined by a band for some of his set!



JOHN MILNER YOU'RE SO BOSS (http://jmysb.tumblr.com/) Everyone's favourite weirdo-punk keeps it real. Spazz punk for the modern scumbag. Lightning fast speed, thrashed guitar cords, screeched out bleeps & bloops gloop out of circuit bent toys & electronics. Danielle's vocals yelps & spasms rupture in a choatic volcano of pure hecticity. Former east end coffee jobber becomes current east end resident & cool guy. Cred!



Projections & Environs by Cameron Lee!



FREE pressed sandwich & salad with advance ticket from Circus Books & Music, The Film Buff and Soundscapes.



All Ages.

When I Went To Savannah I Didn't Get a T-shirt, but I Did Wind Up Getting a Tetanus Shot

So about once a year I take a pilgrimage down to Savannah or my buddy Jess shleps her rear end up to Charleston for our one night of awesomeness. This night usually involves multiple bars, friends, beer, more friends, more beer, and usually ends up with someone singing karaoke. There was no karaoke this year, but we did have a blast.

This year I went down to Savannah. Jess and KK (and their cats) were my most amazing hosts (though of course I missed having Bobby* in the house too) and provided me with the "magic couch" to rest my weary head on after our night out.

We started the night by heading to the local mexican restaurant and munching down on some fantastico food. All the while being entertained by a drunk flamboyantly gay man** and his girlfriend? Friend? Partner in crime? Who proceeded to dirty dance and grind upon each other like it was nobody's business in a CROWDED restaurant. They ended up getting kicked out and our waiter came over obviously slightly embarrassed and explained "Too much tequila". We of course were just embarrassed for them because good LORD, who does that?

After that we headed to the local sports bar where we called the troops (all the friends that I mentioned earlier) and decided what the game plan was for Jess's friend Ben's birthday. We had a beer and then went back to Jess and KK's place to get ready for the real night to begin.

(At this point I am going to take a bit of a sidebar from the story... Jess and KK have their own taxi driver. They don't call the company and wait for a driver to show up; they call one of the owners of the company and he comes to drive them downtown. Now, this seems like the most awesome set up ever right? Well it is, other than the fact that the cab driver is dumber than dirt and talks ALL. THE. TIME. I mean talks more than I talk and that is a lot. He means well and you can tell he is a nice guy, but....)(and now you will all look down on me for speaking the truth, but it's ok.)

We ended up going to Wild Wings (a chicken wings place/great bar) for a while, then heading across the street to Pour Larry's. I liked Pour Larry's, but the lines were horrible to get a drink. I ended up making friends with a guy at the bar and then switching seats with him in order to get served. Then his friend asked me to show him my boobs, which pretty much ended up with me shutting him down by saying I was married. (Man, that shuts them up every time***.) It didn't really matter much, because we were soon off to Bar/Bar where these pictures were taken.

Jess

Matt Damon**** (I can't remember his real name), Jess and Whitney

Matt Damon (I mean I really can't remember his name), Jess, Larkin and Me

Jess and Mandy

KK (I remember her name) and Me

Everything was going right as planned until I went to the loo. I got stuck in the cubicle. I mean I really really got stuck. I pushed and pushed and pushed on the lock until it finally gave. When it did finally give it gave me a cut on my finger that was pretty nasty. Of course I didn't want to make a big deal of it, but it really hurt. I went to the bartender (Christine, another friend of Jess') and asked for a bandage, but they didn't have any, so I sucked it up. One can't ruin the party because of a little cut.

We ended up getting home (thanks to our on call talkative cab driver) about 1am and we crashed out around 2am.

The next morning I drove back to Charleston and showed my mom my battle wound. We went back and forth and then I decided to be safe I should probably go get a tetanus shot. I don't care who you are but getting your finger cut by metal in a bar is never a good thing. Of course it was totally worth it though.

*I don't know how I didn't end up with a single picture of Bobby in my camera.

** Who Jess and KK recognized as being a guy who was once in every single one of their pictures on a night out...

*** Actually, I think that was the first time I have been obviously hit on in a bar since I got married.

**** I feel really bad that I can't remember Matt Damon's real name.

Let's Get This Straight

My mom relayed this little gem of a conversation that she heard between LaLa and KiKi to me.

Apparently, KiKi, wasn't listening to what her sister was saying and this was obviously making LaLa really upset. This is fairly typical around here. Of course, then LaLa went to set KiKi straight about how to world works.

"KiKi, I am the boss of you since I am older, Mom is the boss of me, and Dad is the boss of Mom...sometimes....when he is home."

Let's get this straight, kid. Nobody is the boss of me. Usually.

Silent Sunday

Dear So and So....Back In England

Dear Body Clock,

I feel like we have already had this conversation a few weeks ago, but here goes again. I am in England not the USA. It would be really nice if you would let me go to bed before 3am so that I didn't sleep til 11am. Today I had to force myself out of bed at 9am, thankfully the sun is shining so it made it a bit easier to be awake. So, please, please, please get with the program. Otherwise, in a few weeks when school starts and I have to get up at the butt crack of dawn I will not be a happy bunny.

Can We Work Something Out?, Kat

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Dear Children of Mine,

I know it is the summer holidays but bedtime is still 8pm. I know I am mean and horrible, but do you remember how hard it was the first day of school last year? I do. Momma isn't playing that little game again this year. Live and learn.

Love, Mom

----------------------

Dear Weight Watchers,

I was NOT good on holiday. I'm just sayin and all. Don't get all "holy moly, you gained how much?" on me. It was tasty and I do not regret a single bite. Ok, maybe I regret a few of them.

Love The Slightly Pudgier, Kat

----------------------

Dear Subway,

How can you be out of meatballs? Isn't that like one of you main sandwiches? Do you know my husband ended up eating ham and cheese sandwiches for both lunch and dinner because of this little oversight? He was not impressed. Neither was I.

Regretting My Love of Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki, Kat

--------------------

Dear Readers,

I hope you didn't miss Dear So and So too much. It has been a crazy few weeks and it slipped my brain a few times. I hope you have some lovely letters for me to read. Don't forget to link up if you have letters.

Love, Kat

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Transitioning

When a military spouse comes back from a deployment or TDY (temporary duty) there is always a bit of time that it takes for the family to transition back to normal. Mind you "normal" could not be the "normal" that you had before the absence at all. You have to find a new normal each and every time the spouse comes home. It can almost be like the end of the "honeymoon" period of a marriage. There will be irritations, little fights about small things, bickering, and sometimes hurt feelings, but there is always the under current of love and adoration because you have missed your partner for so long.

For me this is always a bit of a rough period because I am used to calling the shots when The Man is away. I like the independence I have when he is away. I like having the remote control at all times. I like being able to go here and there with no regard to his opinion. Not that he cares where I go, I just like to be able to go without informing him where I am going. I like not having to leave a note so he doesn't worry. I like to take my own sweet time when it comes to cleaning the house. I don't let it get to absolutely disgusting levels of uncleanliness, but it definitely gets to the level of "lived in" before I feel the urge to clean. The hubby likes to come home to a tidy house, so there is that when he is home. I am used to doing all the disciplining, comforting, and parenting when he is not around and sometimes I feel like my toes are being stepped on when he steps in. It doesn't matter how much I moan about how I feel like I am a single parent and I just want a bit of help when he is gone; this always happens. We have vastly different parenting styles.

This transition has been especially odd though, I haven't felt like my toes are being stepped on at all. We seem to be doing a lot of giving and taking when it comes to this whole parenting thing. We only have one car right now, so he's gonna know where I am going anyway. OK, well the cleaning thing is still a bit of a sticking point, but I just get on with it and he helps out as much as he can (He washed the walls yesterday, for real). I just can't help but sit here and wonder what is so different about this transition in comparison to the others. Is it because the children are older? It is because we are older? Is it because we have done this so many times now? Is it because of the hurried nature of our reunion? Is it because of the impending surgery? Is is because we were ONLY separated for two months? I can't put my finger on it. I just know that I am glad he is home.

When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going...And Take An Impromptu Trip Through Europe Pt 2

What is a girls supposed to do when marooned in Germany? Get on Facebook of course. Judge me for my social media addiction later. Facebook just may have saved my tail this time. When I finally got to my hotel room, the first thing I did was unpack my laptop and hook up to the internet. First, I wanted to let everyone know where I was. The Man was in transit from Korea to the UK, so I figured the first place he would look would be Facebook when he got home. He knows my habits entirely too well.

My status update said "I'm in Germany" Which gotalotof comments and I explained that I only had the room for the night. I immediately had an outpouring of help. People started researching commercial flights for me and sending memessages.

I then tongue firmly in cheek updated my status to "Anyone want to pick me up at Ramstein and drive me home?" I didn't think that actually had a snowballs chance in hell of working. I then got an instant message from my best friend here saying "You remember my friend, R, I bet he would do it" Jaw hit the floor. Not because I didn't think he wouldn't really do it, but because he might actually. I then reached out to R andhe to my disbelief got himself organized, bought a chunnel ticket and headed to Germany from the UK. The whole process of talking to him and him leaving took about two hours. In my hasty negotiations I may have told him I would drive some...completely forgetting that his van is a manual and I only drive manual poorly at best.

I went to sleep after talking to The Man who had arrived home and gave him a brief rundown of the situation. I barely slept a wink all night, mostly due to nerves (because I was sure that I was being punked and that R wouldn't really show up the next morning) and also because KiKi decided that 2 am was the perfect time to be completely awake and having a conversation with me.

At 8am my alarm went off and I got thekids out of bed and started getting them dressed for the day. I was still freaking out because I was sure that R was going to not show up. At 8:20 I got a text message from R saying that he would be to the base inan hour and I started breathing again. I didn't need to hold my breath anymore. The other shoe didn't drop.

R showed up at the main hotel just as I checked out; I loaded my things and children into his van and we hit the road. About an hour into the drive R asked me to take over driving. I brought up my driving issue but seeing as how R had driven all night to pick me up, frankly me only barely being able to drive a manual transmission actually seemed like the safer of the two options. He shifted as I did the clutch and gas and then I cruised along the autobahn at a respectable 85 mph (NO SPEED LIMITS BABY!!) (getting passed by Audi's and BMWs like I was standing still) for the next two hours until we reached Belgium. R was snoring away as I with glee announced "We're in BELGIUM!!" Which was of course met by KiKi with "I've got to pee!"

I coasted and then stalled the van out at the first rest stop I could find.

Belgian Rest Stop Cows

R, resumed driving when we left the rest stop and we continued through Belgium and ended up taking a detour though the center of Brussels.

Brussels, Belgium

Then we headed into France to Calais to take The Chunnel back to the UK.

Heading Down to The Chunnel Trains

Overall it took me 9 hours to make it back home. I had the help of some wonderful friends. I found an angel disguised as a tough New York Italian in R. I saw a "DiaperNinja"...

I also got to cross a few things off my bucket list.

1. Drive on the Autobahn

2. Go to Brussels

3. Go through The Chunnel

I really would like to thank all of those who helped me get back home to my husband before his surgery. I could have never done it alone and I will never EVER under estimate the power of prayer and social networking again.

When The Going Get's Tough, The Tough Get Going...And Take An Impromptu Trip Through Europe Pt.1

The kids and I landed in Germany at 3pm local time on Friday. I had maybe two hours of sleep on the plane and we had been traveling since roughly 4:30pm east coast time on Thursday. I was tired. My body clock was completely confused and I just wanted a bed. After we made our way though customs and German immigration, I gathered the girls and we headed to the base hotel across the street from the passenger terminal.



As the girls stood next to me I asked the man at reception, Otto, for a room.



"We have no rooms, we are completely booked. You can maybe check in the reservations room to see if they can find you something on one of the other bases close by," he explained to me in a thick German accent.



I felt tears threatening to well up in my eyes, blinked them back, and said "You have got to be kidding me..."



"No, ma'am, I am not kidding"



Those Germans and their sense of humor...



I wandered to the reservations room, dragging my gigantic suitcase behind me and asked the pretty blond girl sitting at the first desk about any room availability elsewhere. They had nothing as well. She suggested that I check back in an hour.



I went back into the lobby, sat with the children and tried my best not to cry. Here I was in Germany, with two children, a suitcase that probably weighed 70 lbs and no plan. The next plane to the UK was not going to be leaving until Monday and I couldn't even find a hotel room for one night. I sat with the children and tried to keep my spirits up. Surely, things would work out. Surely, I wouldn't have to sleep on the lobby or passenger terminal floor. I kept compulsively checking my watch and enviously looking at the people who had obviously had the luxury of planning receive their keys and head to their rooms.



An hour passed and I checked the reception desk. Still no rooms. I headed to the reservation room. At the point I must have looked pitiful. I bypassed the pretty blond girl and headed over to the middle aged woman sitting on the opposite side of the room.



"I need a room for the night for me and my two children and frankly I don't care if it is a broom closet; I just need to sleep." I don't know if it was because I looked the a haggled mess or if it was because something magically "freed up" or what, but we ended up in a 3 bedroom/2 bathroom suite with a kitchenette, dining room, and living room for the night. Only for that night though. We would be put out on our ear the next morning.



After a short ride across base with our German taxi cab driver, we arrived at our building. I lugged my 70lb suitcase up 6 sets of stairs to the 3rd floor. There of course was no lift. Oh well, just another bump in the road. Par for the course, really. I was just happy to have a room. Now, I just needed a plan....

SIlent Sunday

Travel Update- We Have a Flight....Maybe

I am trying for a flight tomorrow. Hopefully, I will get on it. Ya never know with Space A travel. I could show up there and be told that the flight is full or canceled or I could get right on it. If I do get on it I will be heading to Germany and then figuring out my next move from there. It could be a RyanAir flight or another Space A military flight. It's all really up in the air.



I spoke to my husband this morning and he still doesn't know when he is leaving Korea for the UK. He says that he is feeling alright unless he is on his feet too long; then the hernia starts to burn. He should be having his surgery about a week after he gets to the UK. His doctors in Korea have already been in touch with the doctors in the UK. I am just hoping all the information is relayed efficiently.



I am off to bed now, with a queasy feeling in my stomach. I really hope I get this flight tomorrow. I would hate to have done all that packing for no reason.



Update- I got an email from my husband. He is leaving Korea and will probably be home before me. I have all my friends in the UK on alert and ready to help him out. My flight has been pushed back by an hour. This could change. Again. I just have to keep calling and checking flight times today and crossing my fingers that if they plane does leave today that I will be on it.

Houston, We Have A Ginormous Problem

You guys do realize that I can't do anything the easy way and something always goes wrong, right? There is never any sort of smooth and easy sailing in the world of Kat. We always have to do something the hard way, and since it was so easy for me to catch the Space A flight to the USA, Murphy's Law decided to kick me in the butt HARD at the end of my holiday.



I got an email from my husband this morning that he was returning to the UK early because he has a hernia and needs surgery. Yay he's coming home! Wait, I am in the USA!!! CRAP. So, I called him and found out the details, which are there are no details yet. He doesn't even know when he is flying home yet, but he knows it will be really soon. So basically I need to get home as soon as possible.



I am working on getting a flight out of Charleston to Germany, because they don't fly into the UK very often from here. I am just afraid that I am going to get stuck in Germany. I have started looking into Ryanair flights and Easy Jet flights just in case the Space A flights from Germany don't pan out. I have a really good support system in the UK just in case he beats me home. I am just trying to trouble shoot and put out the fires as they spring up. I am also trying to get all the laundry done, souvenirs packed and children entertained; whilst simultaneously repeatedly checking the Air Force Base flight schedule and trying not to freak the freak out. Right now though, I really just want to run screaming down the street pulling my hair out.



I knew this holiday was going entirely too smoothly, well other than that pesky tetanus shot...



That was totally worth it though.

A Little More Than Halfway Through...

I have been on holiday here in the states for exactly two weeks now. I have run from here to there seeing my friends and family. I have gone to the beach twice and the pool a few times and since it is a 100 degrees in the shade here in Charleston, I have decided that that is just not acceptable. I am on vacation dangit!

So here is my vow. I vow to spend as much time as humanly possible at the beach or in a pool. It is the only way to go when the air outside is so thick that it is like breathing concrete. I will wear as much sunscreen as humanly possible and rock my shades.



Oh, yes, we're gonna do this vacation right. If you need to find me, I will be somewhere in my bathing suit.

Things to Do While On Your Summer Holiday

Visit Family.


Play with bubble gun.


Meet your new cousin.


Visit a tourist attraction.



Walk across a gap in the mountain on a rope bridge and in the process give your mother a heart attack.


Enjoy the view.


See a waterfall.


Learn to swim!!

Silent Sunday

Dear So and So...Off To Tennessee

Dear Drivers Of Charleston,

I know we are in the south of the USA, and life is a little slower around here, ya'll, but OMGoodness can we at least go the speed limit. My 30 min drive from the beach to my parents house took me almost an hour due to you lot. Going 5 MPH under the speed limit is permitted during rush hour traffic and lunch traffic. Going 10 MPH under the speed limit will get your rear end run over (in my mom's snazzy Toyota Prius)(YES, A PRIUS WAS TRYING TO GO FASTER THAN YOU!!!) Get a move on for the love of all that is good in this world.

It's The One On The Right, That Lady Behind You Giving You the WTH Arm Movements
---------------------

Dear Granny,

I am so so so sad that you had to put Henry, your beloved dog of 12 years, to sleep yesterday. He was so much a part of this family and I will miss him terribly, but not nearly as much as you and PaPa will. I know that he is in a better place, but my heart still hurts thinking about him not being at your house.

Love you Forever, Kat
-------------------

Dear City of Chattanooga,

Brace yourself, KiKi and LaLa are going to land in your vicinity tomorrow around noon. Brace yourselves.

Fair Warning, Kat
-------------------

Dear Whichever Kid Rides to Chattanooga with Your Grandfather,

Let's keep the complaints to a minimum, watch your movie, and try to limit bathroom breaks. You do know that he will push it to the last available second before he stops to pee and you have about 2.5 seconds to pee before he leaves, right?

Well Trained, Mom
-------------------

Dear Readers,

If you have letters, don't forget to link up!! I can't wait to read them all when I get to my grandparents house in Chattanooga. It will give me something to do, since apparently most of my family there will be out of town while I am there *sulks*. I hope you all have a good weekend. Remember, don't do anything I wouldn't do.

Love, Kat
-------------------

Flying With Children- Things To Bring

My children have been taking flights with me since they were babies. My oldest daughters first flight happened when she was three months old (she is now seven years old). She was a champ on the flight. I was amazed at how well she did. She still is a great flier, but it takes a lot of prep work to make things go smoothly with even the best of child travelers.

Here is a list of things you need for flying with children.

1. Gum or a bottle/breast (for babies) to help stablize air pressure when the plane takes off and lands. When my daughter was really little I made sure I was feeding her on the way up and on the way down. The swallowing and sucking helped ward off any uncomfortable pressure in her ears during the assent and decent in the plane. A pacifier/dummy can also help with this, but some kids don't take them. Gum can be used for older children, but make sure it stays in their mouth unless they want a homemade haircut when they get to the ground.

2. Blanket and pillow. A good majority of the time, the hum of the airplane's engines will make my kids sleepy. So it is always good to have a soft place for them to put their head. Also, airplanes tend to be cold so a blanket is nice. Sometimes airlines provide blankets and pillows, sometimes for free, sometimes for a charge.

3. A portable DVD player/iPad. I have always found that the kids are never EVER interested in the kids movies that the airlines provide. Either they have already seen it or it is too old for them (geared towards teens and not children). If you don't have your own device and can't afford one, go beg a friend to borrow theirs. It will save your life.

4. Some sort of way to color. I used to bring crayons and coloring books for my kids so that my kids could draw and color while they were traveling. Now, I have my iPad and an app for that. Crayons work just fine, but they tend to get dropped under the seats and then you have to hunt them down. They work, but can be a pain sometimes.

5. A cuddly toy. Having a familiar face from home helps to calm nerves. Just make sure to remember the cuddly friend when disembarking the plane.

6. Headphones that fit your child's ears. The airlines headphones are meant for adult heads and don't exactly fit little ones. Once my eldest child spent an 8 hour flight with her hands over her ears holding her headphones to her head so that she could listen to music and watch movies on the plane.

7. Books. It is a good way to get an older child to sit still. Give them a book and ask them to read to you.

8. Nintendo DS/Leapster/handheld gaming system- Once again, if you do not have one and can't afford one, go beg one off a friend. They are a life saver. When all else fails, kids will usually sit still to play their video games.

9. Extra snacks. My kids NEVER eat the food that is served on the planes. The dinners don't even try to look appitizing to kids, so my kids generally only eat the dinner roll. I make sure I always carry a few packages of snacks that I know that they will eat. Don't bring fresh fruit or veg though unless you want to get a fine when going through customs when flying internationally.

10. Bring your sense of humor. Don't be in a hurry. Try to have fun. Relax if you can. It is going to be a long day, but it doesn't have to be stressful. Remember a few hours of planning beforehand can save you a lot of grief on the day.

Do you have any other suggestions for things to bring on the plane to make traveling with children any easier?

Military Space A Travel w/ Kids

Unfortunately the military doesn't pay extremely well, even when you live overseas. So, flying home to the states is very rarely within our budget. However, the military thankfully does not leave us to fend for ourselves when it comes to transcontinental travel. They offer what they call Space A travel on military cargo planes for service members and their families. It is really very handy, but extremely unpredictable.

The first obstacle is that you have to have command sponsorship when traveling, which means going through the appropriate channels to get a letter saying "yes, they can travel on the plane". It isn't really a big deal, but something different then you would have to deal with when flying a commercial jet. Then the second problem is that you don't know when a plane is leaving until 3 days before it leaves. On top of that you don't know if you will actually get on the plane due to the fact that you don't know how many seats will be released on the flight and how many other people will show up for the flight. Then on top of that all the passengers are ranked based on priority to get onto the flight. It is a rigmarole, but it is FREE.

Last Sunday I found out that a plane was leaving for Tampa, Florida on Tuesday of that week. So, of course, even though school wasn't exactly dismissed for the summer holidays, I decided to try to take the flight. Executive decision. I mean really, what do kids usually do the last week of school? Report cards are already finished.

We showed up Tuesday morning at 6:30 and by 7AM we found out that we had indeed made the flight. I can't believe our luck! I have known people to show up three or four times before actually making it onto a Space A flight.

We got driven in a bus across the flight line (tarmac) to the KC-130 that would be taking us to Tampa. This was a tanker aircraft that refuels other planes mid-air. Our seats were jump seats situated on the side of the plane, made of nylon canvas with a nylon cargo like net for the back. They were actually a TON more comfortable than standard plane seats because we could stretch our legs out in front of us. Kind of like having a hammock to sit in for the entire flight.

Since the plane was mostly empty there was a large gap in the middle of the plane. The children on the flight were allowed to sit down on the floor and play with their toys or stretch out to take a nap. Some of the kids actually pulled out washable markers and were drawing pictures on the floor of the plane and then washing it off with baby wipes. There was also a lady who had a yoga mat and a sleeping bag who slept on the floor for the entire flight. The only downfall to the whole situation was that my feet were freezing cold due to the altitude of the flight and the heater at the top of the plane only reaches so far. A minor complaint really. Remember, this was a FREE flight.

The crew of the plane was amazing with the children as well. They took every single child on the flight (and some of the parents) up into the cockpit of the plane to look out the windows and then down to the place were they lay down in the back of the plane to look out of the window where they refuel fighter jets. My kids thought this was the coolest thing ever. Mind you, these were airmen who were returning from being deployed for 60 days who took time out of their day to show the children on the flight some of the cool things about the plane. These guys were amazing.

I have to say, as long as my family is allowed to use Space A travel, we may never make another commercial flight again. It was so much more relaxed and comfortable. I didn't feel restricted on the plane. My kids were made to feel special and not like they were a burden on the flight. Well done USAF, you know how to treat your passengers.

Dear So and So...Jet Lagged

Dear Readers,

I would like to take this opportunity to warn you that half of these letters may not make sense because I am so jet lagged that my brain isn't functioning at full capacity. I literally just waited a minute before starting the second sentence because that is how long it took my brain to catch up.

Apologies, Kat
--------------------

Dear USAF flight crew from England to USA,

Thanks for being amazingly awesome and accommodating on our flight over here. I can't believe how much nicer it was to fly on a military plane instead of a commercial plane during a transatlantic flight. You have no idea how invaluable you service was to my family. I can't wait until I have the time to write a proper post about the experience.

You Guys Are Amazing, Kat
-------------------

Dear Jet Lag,

You stink. I have spent all day in a complete fog and my brain literally HURTS. I can barely form a thought, my patience is short and my attention span is non existent. It made for some really interesting driving of my mom's new car to say the least. Please be gone tomorrow. I can't handle this for a third day. Wait...will it be 3 days? Crap my days are blending together.

Yeah Just Go Away, Kat (the lady in the fog)
--------------------

Dear Mom,

Don't worry I won't wreck your new car. Well, not intentionally.

Love, Kat
--------------------

Dear People of Wal-Mart,

During my pilgrimage to your mecca of consumerism heaven I couldn't help but notice a good few of you need a bath. A good scrubbing. Maybe with steel wool. Mind you I wasn't looking my best (see letter to jet lag), but at least *I* had an excuse. What was yours?

Regards, Kat

PS- Clothes that actually fit your body and cover up a bit of skin would be the next step after the bath.
---------------------

Dear Readers (again),

If you have a letter don't forget to link up! Can't wait to see them.

Love, Kat
---------------------

John Lewis Christmas in July

Vintage and Tech is where it is going to be this Christmas according to John Lewis. At their Christmas and July event a week ago I had the opportunity to preview some of the new items that are going to be available in the stores at Christmastime. Let me say, you will not be disappointed. There were gadgets and gidgets a plenty...

Look at this cool cordless phone by ePure!!

Some of my favorite items to look at though were the toys of course. This is what I am mostly going to be buying at Christmas and it was nice to see what was going to be new to the market. My kids are really into technology and Lego and I was not disappointed by what I saw at the event. There were a lot of toys by Vtech that are going to be offered at John Lewis this season. One of the toys I was the most excited about was the InnoPad by VTech. It looks kinda like my iPad, which my kids are always fighting over, and since it is by VTech I know it is educational. I have always had a good experience with VTech toys because of their durability and I would be much less nervous with my kids playing with their own tablet computer than playing with mine.

This is definitely going on the Santa list!

Another two items that are going directly onto the Santa list are the Lego Sort and Store and the Lego USB Drive. Both of these items are incredible! When you tip your Legos into the Sort and Store it sorts them into small, medium and large bricks. How incredibly cool is that? It will definitely make large Lego projects a lot easier. USB Drive is for the kid (and geek) in all of us adults. It is shaped like a Lego man and his little legs come off to reveal a USB plug that will go right into the side of your computer so that you can store and share files. Genius!






I may have squealed a bit when I saw these.

Now I just can't wait until September when these items will be hitting the John Lewis shelves so that I can snap them up before the Christmas rush. If you can't find them at your own local John Lewis, don't forget to check their online store where all the items will be available.

Silent Sunday

Silent Sunday

Dear So and So...Summer Time!

Dear English Weather,

On Wed night LaLa had a baseball game and it was so cold that my toes turned blue. Yes, I may have been an idiot for wearing flip flops, but it is the middle of JULY. Frankly, I should be allowed to wear flip flops in JULY and not have my toes turn blue. Can we work on this please? Actually, I don't really care I will be leaving soon for warmer weather.

Wondering Where July Weather Went, Kat
-------------------------

Dear Google +,

I has only been a week and I am addicted. Well played, Google, well played.

Repeatedly Checking For Updates, Kat
-------------------------

Dear People Who Put Me In Circles On G+,

If I don't know straight off who you are you go in my "Don't know who the hell they are" circle. That circle doesn't get many of my updates unless I make them public. If you think you know me better than that, you should send me an email or something telling me who you are. Just sayin'

Slightly Confused, Kat
------------------------

Dear John Lewis,

Your event yesterday was lovely and I really enjoyed myself. Can't wait to do a proper post about it!

Love, Kat
------------------------

Dear House Elves,

You're fired.

Also, The Harry Potter series is over, so you are out of another job. Good luck in this economy.

Regards, Kat
--------------------------

Dear Readers,

If you have your own letters, don't forget to link up! Have a lovely weekend and stay safe.

Love, Kat
-------------------------

WHAT'S UP.

Hello dudes. What have we been up to lately? Well, we're currently recording a couple new songs: Magical Thinking & Fine Lines! We've enjoyed Tim's whiskey cocktails in the control room while recording vocals. We've tuned our guitars and used delay. Jim's worn all available hats: musician, engineer, and mixoligist. Any kind, rich strangers want to put out a 7inch?!

We've also got a new practice space on the East side. No more Drake platinum records to taunt our lack of commerical success - just concrete walls, forest murals, and spooky doll lamps! The lamp holds the power, and sometimes she gives some of her power to us.

And lastly, not one to wuss out on trying new things, Tim recently tackled the McGangBang. Rating: 6/10. Though a bit cumbersome, he said: "it tasted pretty good." The next McMashup will be the Quarter Flounder, brainchild of Rob Castle. Review to come...

Silent Sunday