Remind me !!

So-ho-ho many things swimming around that I just need to dump out but it will require a LOT of time and a LOT of thinking - neither of which I have or am capable of at this second. The Honey-Do list includes:

* How compulsive overeating and being fat is selfish
* How the Wonder Woman birthday part was (I can't find my friggin camera that holds all the groovy pictures!)
* The Ticket & sports in general

Just a quick update:
My Little One started crawling on Sunday!! Look out electrical plugs!

Pursuing buying my first home (screaming in my head like they do in the horror movies)

OH and HAPPY HALLOWEEN:


PIMP.myYearbook.com - No. 1 Pimp Site

Fashion

As much as I absolutely LOVE Texas (YEE HAW), every Fall and every Spring, I'm in a wardrobe dilemma.

Monday, the temperature was something like 75 degrees.
Tuesday, it was 93.
Wednesday it was 80-something.
Today it's going to be 62.

How is a girl supposed to dress??

I'm sure my friends who read this that know me are chuckling because I'm not much of a wardrobe princess, and it's not often that I abide by social norms -- ESPECIALLY in fashion! (Trust me. If I had the money to afford fashion, I'd be quite fashionable; but I a broke sista.) So I tend to buy and wear neutrals and classics: gray sweater, black pants, white shirt and lots of different kinds of black shoes......

I pulled out a black skirt that fits just above the knee and put on a maroon short sleeve shirt with it. Looking in the mirror deciding if I was just too fat to wear this outfit or not, I had a rush of a thought of terror: it's fall -- I can't wear open-toed shoes with this!

So I fished out a pair of hose. Black, sheer hose. Pulled the slack down to tuck in my shoes. Tried on my closed-toe wedges. Okay, I look like a dork. I look like a freak who doesn't know fashion (and I KNOW fashion dammit!). "Maybe the strappy shoes will look okay." I put the strappy shoes on....slack hanging out the side of my shoes.

Ummmm....no. Ever seen that show "What Not to Wear"? Yeah -- I was that girl.

Sh**.

I don't have the right kind of black shoes to go with this damn skirt for this time of year!!!

I end up stripping down to the skivvies and starting over. Walked out of the house in my work-issued shirt with company logo and a nice pair of navy slacks. NO I didn't wear BLACK shoes with this outfit -- or open toed shoes; instead I elected to wear the navy version similar to these.

I think I'll be opposed to fashion instead of opposed to Texas. Yee haw!

Seven

The rare, wild animal in the pictures attached was captured in her natural environment. However, don’t let her cute, calm affect fool you! She is indeed a wild beast who grunts and growls and screams and screeches at all hours of the day. Luckily she is only at the stage of propping herself up on all 4s and rocking like crazy, but has not yet developed the instinct to crawl out of her habitat. She attempts to feed herself vegetables and fruits. The occasional slop of rice cereal and oatmeal get put in her feeding pan, too. We have not found anything she does not like.

Get Your Own! | View Slideshow

She loves her voice -- loves to hear the sound of it and all that it can do. She loves her big sister who is released at certain times of day. She is fond of grabbing hair if you get too close to her, but she is capable of wide-open slobbery mouth kisses all over your face. At first this slobber was thought to be a defense mechanism, but after much experimenting, it has been determined that the behavior actually is an expression of love.



Since little is known about the development of this kind of beast, she will continue to be monitored and observed. Future reports will be distributed to you, the media.

An Update, A Joke and A Lesson Learned

Well the ripple effect has settled down.

After several friends & family laughed at my pharmacy breakout, they urged me to contact CVS and complain. So I did. I went online and submitted my complaint. A short while later, I received this response:

Dear Mrs. LeBon:

Thank you for contacting us regarding your experience at the Dallas, TX
CVS/pharmacy.

We appreciate the time that you have taken to express your thoughts on
our company. At CVS, customer input plays an important role in
influencing how we run our business. Therefore, I have advised the
District Manager of your comments. She will be reviewing
them with her staff at their next meeting.

Again, Ms. LeBon, we appreciate the fact that you have taken the time
to inform us of your concerns and have given us the opportunity to
address them. CVS has a commitment to service. Each customer is
valued, and we thank you for bringing this to our attention.


Sincerely,


CVS Customer Relations

Well ain't that nice?

The next day, I have a voicemail from the district manager. We trade a couple of calls and finally hook up. She offers nothing more than an apology and expresses her embarrassment about the situation. She assured me that conversations have occurred with the employees that were involved. She went on to tell me how when she first got the email that she was sure someone was playing a joke on her. She sounded as if she didn't believe me at times. While I appreciate their quick attentiveness, I didn't feel like the situation really had been resolved. Not that I could really get anything out of it -- what was I going to get? Free Extra Bucks? Nahh.... At least I did some civic duty.

Fast forward a couple of days....

My Eldest heard of my experience of CVS. It obviously set into her psyche. My father in law picks up My Eldest from school. They leave school without the Wonder Woman tin lunchbox she takes almost every day. They realize there's no lunchbox so they head back to school and venture unescorted into the classroom. Lights are out. School is empty. Quiet. My Eldest sees her lunchbox, grabs it, and orders, "c'mon, Pop. Let's get outta here. They're gonna lock this place up in an hour!"

Luckily they didn't get locked in church! Glad she learns from others....

Six

My Eldest turned six yesterday.




She got to see "If You Give A Pig A Party" at a local children's theater. Husband's aunt took her. My Eldest had a grand time! She got the whole cast to autograph her book (which she already owned). Then it was a trip to McDonald's - the best place in the WORLD according to Eldes

Eldest kept asking "when's my party?" I had to keep reminding her that it is going to be in a couple more weeks. She was bummed but I think she'll understand come party day (Wonder Woman theme -- her choice!).

A friend of hers bought her a costume for her birthday. The costume is Wonder Woman and it fits GREAT! Eldest looks like the princess amazon warrior superheroine that is WW, however, there's one itty bitty problem. The stars that are on the skirt part....well...see...they uh....melted to the plastic the costume came in so Mommy is prowling all Targets to get a replacement. No luck so far, but because I live is Super Large City, I'm sure we'll find one.

She also has received several other cool gifts: Disney Princess Lacing Cards (for a puppet show); Dora the Explorer Personal CD Player; and a bitchen National Geographic Microscope. She wants to splice berries from the bush outside & view them in the scope. Glad she's excited. I pray she enjoys science.

With all that update, I have to say it's so bittersweet having her grow up. I struggled worse last year when she turned five. It was very hard on me. In the last year, so much has changed for her and she's really grown into such a lovely young child. A new sister, a new school, a new set of friends, some trips, swim lessons, ballet lessons, drama camp, etc. She's so well rounded already. Gotta keep up with her!! Wish me luck!

Whoosh!

P.S. Party pics coming by end of the month!! Can't wait!

My Own Private....

....Idaho?
Noooooooo.

.....Hell?
Not exactly.

.....CVS?
dingdingding! You win the grand prize of an overnighter locked inside the store!

It was about 9:45 p.m. last night. I arrive at the corner drugstore to pick up some toiletries. I wander around the store looking at universal remotes, pumice scrub for my biscuit feet, infant Tylenol, children's vitamins. I peruse the magazines and "Higher Love" by Steve Winwood & Chaka Khan comes on the overhead. It's a fave, so I am subvocalizing as I drool over Janet Jackson in EBONY magazine. Then I think, "Is My Little One ready for meats?" So I stroll over to the baby food aisle and start reading labels and analyzing 1's, 2's and 3's.

I throw a couple of jars of baby food in with my toiletries and go to check out. As I approach the checkout counter toward the front of the store, the carts are blocking the entrance. No one is around.

All the lights are still on.

The music is still playing. "Saiiiiiilinnnnng takes me away to where I'm going..."

I am totally alone.

It is 10:10 p.m. and everyone is gone but me.

No sweeping.

No re-stocking shelves.

No counting the drawers.

No announcement of "we'll be closing in five minutes. Please gather your items and proceed to the check out counter".

Just me and a whole store all to myself. Even a pharmacy!

I stood there with the hugest smile in disbelief. I have been locked in CVS! Everyone is gone except me!! How could they not see me?! Didn't they notice a car still parked in the parking lot?!

This only happens in the movies! This can't be happening to me! So I strut to the elusive manager's door that is not-so-hidden behind the giant wall of knock-off perfumes. I rap sternly on the door. No answer.

"Well, I have to be close to the money. I have to be somewhere that is close to a sensor that would set off an alarm," I strategize. So I walk towards the carts. Still a radio playing. Hmmm. I walk again to the manger's "office" and there it goes. The in-store alarm is activated. I'll be saved!!

Look out the windows. Traffic going by in it's normal pattern. I call Husband. No answer, but I leave a message. I am giggling at the fact that being stuck in CVS all night can't be all that bad. There's ice cream, foot spa stuff, soda, chips, apple pies, stomach medicine, XANAX, reading material, a bathroom, toothbrushes.

I decide to call a friend of mine who lives in the neighborhood. I wasn't quite sure WHY I was calling her because after all, what could she do? Come and stare at me from the outside? And laugh? I mean, really....

About 10:30, the security company arrived. So did a fire truck. 9-1-1 was called twice on my behalf. I was flattered, but embarrassed. But why should *I* be embarrassed? After all *they* are the ones who didn't secure their store! I mean, really....

My loving friend (who says she needed this wild night out on the town) arrived and we communicate via cell phone looking at each other through the glass. I had to giggle because I could've heard her voice and read her lips just as easily as we were talking on the phone. Why was I even on the phone?? I mean, really.....

I'm waiting for the security guard to call the store manager. They hook up and the store manager lives about an hour away. So a shift supervisor is called to come rescue me from the clutches of "as seen on TV" goods.

Said shift supervisor actually had the nerve to say, "I seen your car in the parking lot and said to myself, 'I hope there ain't no customer still in there'." (I hope I punctuated that correctly!)

So....in the end, the security guard laughingly affirmed that this sort of thing happens quite often (scary). I got in my friend's car who took me to another store to buy my stuff. Then I returned to my own private....home.

SnaggletEEth

So, Anthony and Greg Wiggle were tenderly pulled from the clutches of My Eldest's gums on Monday. Anthony in the morning; Greg in the evening.

"Huh?" you say.

My Eldest has named all of her loose teeth. When the first one was loose, she called it Loosey-Goosey which she then associated with, "Hey! That's like Lucy from Peanuts!". So, loose tooth #1 was dubbed Lucy. My Eldest proceeded to name each subsequent tooth in her mouth after each Peanuts character (even the little red-haired girl and Pig Pen were represented). Snoopy fell out 2nd. Those were way back in January.

The top middle teeth have been loose since January also. Only in the last few weeks have they become really wiggly. "Keep wiggling those teeth! They'll fall out before long." Suddenly another association, "Hey! That's like The Wiggles! Anthony and Greg are my favorites. Let's name them Anthony and Greg, Mommy". Thusly, two of the four Wiggles long descent from My Eldest's fleshy pink gums have been vacated and were carefully tucked under the Clifford pillow for a visit from the Tooth Fairy.

Before I start this TMI paragraph of my blog, it's important that you understand that we are a slightly medically-knowledgeable family. My Eldest has a interest in how bodily things work. With that being said, here goes: My sister-in-law and parents-in-law were watching My Eldest and My Little One )while My Husband and I enjoyed the Cowboys home-opening win against the Redskins live at Texas Stadium - the rare date. Mom says to My Eldest, "you should try to pull out that tooth before you go to bed tonight so you won't risk swallowing it. If you swallow it, you won't have anything to give to the Tooth Fairy and she won't come to see you." My Eldest, who *always* has the answer or the alternative, replies, "Well, when make a BM I won't flush the toilet. That way the Tooth Fairy can just pull it out of the potty."

Good thinking.

Now back to Monday morning. My Eldest was eating a small bagel with cream cheese for breakfast. I'm in the back of the house getting ready for work. I hear a shrill of excitement and boards of pergo squeaking as she quickly runs back and screams, "Mommy! Look at my TOOTH!!" Anthony is hanging on for dear life, and My Eldest has the one of the wildest snaggle teeth I've ever seen. "Pull it on out, sugar!" I encourage her as chills race through my body. She pulls and pulls. Nothing yet.

"Do you want me to video tape you pulling your tooth out?" I ask.
"Yeah." She seriously answers as she concentrates on the Anthony Wiggle Snaggletooth.

I leave to find the camera. She follows, hand in mouth still.

Camera's rolling. She starts telling some story about something completely unrelated to Anthony Snaggletooth. I boss her, "Get on with gettin' on! My batteries are about to die!"

She closes her eyes. Wiggles and pulls. She opens her eyes and without much ado, she just shows it to the camera. "I did it!" Now the excitement sets in.

And the blood flows.

"I did it, Grandma!" she runs over to her grandmother who is holding My Little One. I'm feeling tears well up. "Go show Daddy!"

More excitement. We are all running around the house like wild banshees celebrating the loss of Anthony Wiggle Snaggletooth.

The day passes. It's about 5:30 p.m. and I am preparing to leave the office. My phone rings and it's My Eldest!

"Geth what happened, Mommy?! I losth my other tooth!" My Eldest reports with restrained joy. Her toothless way of speaking is noticeable.

"OH MY GOODNESS! *TWO* teeth in *ONE* day?! That's so crazy, honey! Oh, I can't wait to see you!!" I hurry and scooch out to my car as quickly as possible. But, before I hang up and dart out the door, My Eldest (who knows I blog) exclaims: "Mommy. You HAVE to write about this!"

So, here it is.

My work here is done.

SnaggletEEth

Black is Beautiful

I have been told that I was stereotyping in my previous blog about wanting to be a black woman. I assure you that I am not intending any disrespect!

Why does stereotyping have a negative connotation? Why can't it be considered a tribute?

This question was going to be my original lead-in to this new Black is Back entry, however, I gave a "preview" to my (beautiful black) friend and she unexpectedly answered what I originally intended as a rhetorical question. She said, "..because some of it's not true." Good point. So I have a new opening:

Tribute to Beautiful Black Women

I *still* wish I was a black woman. They have the greatest skin. Why? Good pigmentation -- it hides their age exquisitely! Usually you can't tell how old a black woman is until she's 100 years old!! I LOVE THAT! Here I am applying magic potions and chanting mantras to hide my delicate 35-ness. It's no wonder that when a black woman sees another black woman -- whether she knows her or not -- tells her how good she looks. I am fascinated at how the black community seem to know each other and relate to one another as if they knew each other their whole lives. "Girrrrrl, yo' hair looks so good!"

And their HAIR - how I love the HAIR. Even My Eldest is fascinated with braids & weaves. At church a couple of times, there have been young girls who are wearing their hair in about 5 twisted braids (I think I heard this referred to as "platted up" -- apologies if I have that incorrect), wrapped in big ole bubble gumball rubber bands and a tiny plasic barrette at the end of each braid. My Eldest reaches out to tocuh the braid all the while smiling as big as life. She wants her hair like that, too. While she recognizes that black hair is different that white hair, she (literally) embraces it and incorporates into her love of people in general.

Last thing for tonight -- random with no logical segway, but nonetheless is a nice way to punctuate this blog entry: Ashy. The other day, I had dry skin. I then recalled a memory when I spent time with a friend (who is black) and he said, "I'm a little ashy". I didn't get it. "Ashy?!" I contorted quizzically. "Yeah - you know, dry skin". The image of dry skin on a black person flashed through my mind and I thought "what a great way to describe that". So I chuckled at that memory as I applied lotion to my own dry legs thinking, "I'm ashy, too".

Pursed lips, gritted teeth and a pout

I have not blogged in a while. I am very inconvenienced at home, so that is why I have not blogged in a while. The computer that I use to write and publish my blog is currently without internet access. We have this laptop I am using to blog right now. I really do not like it. I do not like it because it rests on what is supposed to be a dining room table, in my kitchen - the makeshift office. The chairs at this table are a hundred years old -uncomfortable - and they hurt my ass. I am pissed because I can not get my better half to friggin fix the internet on MY computer. Therefore I am inconvenienced. Therefore I have not blogged.

The end.