Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Hōdee Zahaas: Healthcare rant

Hōdee Zahaas: Healthcare rant

Tuesday, January 10, 2006

Scale

I bought a scale only to find that I have not GAINED any weight; it just MOVED to my butt.

Snoog Logic

Roxy has a tail

Tangerine has a tail

Dragons have tails

Roxy and Tangerine are dragons

Monday, January 09, 2006

Mean Mom

I'm a mean mother. I'm serious.

My children's chore list is as follows:

Put the clean dishes away
Vacuum when asked
set the table before dinner
clear the table after dinner
Put the clean clothes away
Keep their rooms clean
Clean the bathrooms once a week
Scoop the cat box every day
Walk the dog once a day

My son, for the most part, has no problem with his portion of the chores. My daughter on the other hand...not happy with what has been delegated to her.

I wonder if she would rather have MY list of chores?

Probably not a good idea...the checkbook is already screwed up enough as it is.

30 days

I am no good at sticking to self guided goals. My energy, my attention, my drive is inspired by short bursts of energy, not longevity.

I'm still trying to kick my Coke habit. It's hard though...that red and white bottle is so enticing.

I heard once that it takes 30 days to form a new habit. As I wobble through my beginners pilates workout, I wonder if they meant 30 consecutive days, or can they be stretched out over a year.

The Guilt of it All

When I was a single mom, working full time out of the home, I felt guilty.

Guilty because my job kept me away from them. Guilty because when I was home, I was tired. Guilty because I couldn't do or be there as much for them as I know I should have.

Now that I am a stay at home mom I don't experience as much guilt regarding my children, though sometimes I wonder if I am really good at being a stay at home mom. But a new guilt has come in to take the old guilts place...

Guilty because my husband has to financially support 5 people on his own. Guilty because I spent the last 4 years in college to earn a degree that I am essentially not using. Guilty because I feel I am being sedentary rather than active.

I'm not sure why I feel guilty. Taking care of our home is plenty of work, definitely not easy.


Random Thought: I am a little afraid of buying a house, only to find out that it is haunted. That would suck.

Sunday, January 08, 2006

Networks

There is something indefineably, and undeniably powerful feeling in having ones own network. Even if you did decide to give it a goofy name.

Reminder to Self

Never make "extra bean" chili if you intend to remain locked into a seated position for more than 4 hours. Eventually, air build up will find the quickest escape route and try to utilize said route as much as possible.

Maintaining diligence in preventing said unauthorized escapes while in the presence of company leads to painful cramping.

That is all.

Friday, January 06, 2006

Cheeky Geocaching

In order to retrieve my good mood in regards to the long winter ahead, I decided that I would take the kids out to do some geocaching in our area. I found a park that had two caches, as well as clues to a few other caches in a park nearby. So I printed out the coordinates, and then we clambered into the van and took off.

The first cache wasn't as easy as I had thought...and about 10 minutes after our arrival at the park, my fingers were numb and the Snoog was whimpering about being cold. It was at this time I realized that no one had had a potty break before leaving the house...and the park restrooms were closed for the winter. I knew I was working on borrowed time.

I brought the camera in hopes to get one good shot to document our little adventure, but the GPS decided that its batteries were low, so I had to make an executive decision. Camera or GPS. Without the GPS there was really little point in us being out there freezing our patooties off, so the camera took one for the team

We fervently looked for our prize, which was a micro cache, and happened to be a clue to finding a cache in another park...different coordinates. We logged the information, and then made our way back to the van. After warming up a bit, we decided to see if we could find the second cache in this park. I admit....I cheated. I drove around until I came fairly close to the coordinates in which the cache was hidden.

But with a three year old who may have to go pee at any second...I was all about doing what I could to make it fast and simple. Thankfully it worked. I ended up finding a parking spot about 100 yards from where the cache was hidden.

As my son fished the tupperware container out of the base of a hollow tree, the Snoog suddenly knocked her knees together and exclaimed that she had to GOOOO PEEEEE PEEEE MA MA!!!

Here we are, out in the middle of a wooded area at a popular park in our home town...no potty in sight. The trees and bramble stretched out before me indicating there would be no way I could make it to the nearest restaurant in time. I did what I had to. I sat her over the edge of an old stump. The poor child got initiated in the out door potty experience in 28 degree weather. Suffice it to say her top cheeks and her bottom cheeks were the same color within a matter of seconds.

After we put the container back in the tree, with our pieces of treasure added, I decided that we should hold off on the other park...and headed straight for the cafe for some hot cocoa. The Snoog had been a trooper throughout the whole experience, not crying once, and in fact informing me that she likes treasure hunting. Even if her cheeks do get a little pink.

I'm sure that when she is 15 she will appreciate that I didn't have a working camera on hand.

January

You are cold. grey. bleak.

You sprawl out before me in an endless string of unrealized moments. Like a pregnant gray cat waiting to be scratched, waiting to scratch back.

You look old, haggard. But you are actually very young. The illusion is so deceiving that I forget that I celebrated your arrival just a few days ago.

The upcoming months loom before me, a blank slate of uncertainty. I have to face them. Live them. But how?

But the couch and my pajamas look so much more friendly.

Perhaps I'll wait until May emerges. May is a playful kitten; and I'll be ready by then.