Kindergarten, church, and new friends

Today was my read-aloud-to-a-really-squirmy-kindergarten-class day. I mentioned last spring that I started covering for a person who for whatever reason couldn't do it anymore. It's only twice a month so I said yes when I was asked to do it again. The person in charge of coordinating the whole thing told me they always have a hard time finding people who are willing to read to the younger classes. I sort of expect kids to act squirmy so it's not a big deal for me to read for 20 minutes if it helps out the always thankful looking teacher and librarian. They call me Miss Angel, which I've told you guys, makes me blush. There's usually some one's shoes to retie, a lot of hands raised to use the bathroom, giggling, poking, pinching, and every once in while someone will yell back at one of the voices I'm using for the book characters.(Yes, I told you guys, I do the voices. They like it and it keeps their attention! I had to do mean pirate voices this time.) Today there was a lot of shushing but not on my part. Two boys had to be separated because they are BFF and get into trouble whenever they sit together. By the middle of the second book I noticed them inching towards each other and giggling. I know I'm supposed discourage them when they don't listen to the librarian, but I can't help it. They make me laugh. One girl in blond pigtails asked to use the bathroom. Suddenly the whole class had to use the bathroom. The librarian said no so I had to say no too. I felt a little bad about that. By the end of my last book one of my kids interrupted to ask me if I knew how to make puke noises. I said,"Of course." I did refuse to make fart noises.(I mean I have to draw the line somewhere.)This caused a huge ruckus of giggling and the librarian told them all we had to hurry up so that they would have time to check out their own books before their teacher came back. I really should be more strict with my kids because I can tell the librarian thinks we're too rambunctious but I like them that way. I want them to enjoy their time with me. I love reading and when I was kid I loved having books read to me. I hope that my being there, making it fun and not so structured for them will somehow teach them that books can be just as entertaining as video games and silly cartoons.


I got to be in a parade at my church. Well it wasn't really a parade, it was more of a procession. There were about 70 of us and we each had to to hold a sign of a particular ministry we were representing as we walked down the aisle to music for 2 different services. My sign was "weekend renewal." I'm glad no one asked me about it because I wouldn't have known a thing to say since I didn't know anything nor have I ever participated in the "weekend renewal" . Up until five minutes before I was assigned that particular sign I didn't even know we had a "weekend renewal". I only said yes I would do it because a new friend of mine was holding a sign too and we wanted to be in the parade together. And yes I did enjoy the attention. I tried to hold it "Price is Right" style. I'm expecting any day now to be told how my involvement was so impressive that thousands of people signed up for "weekend renewal" and that it was the largest fundraising in history. Yup.

Speaking of my new friend, don't you just love meeting a kindred spirit? I met a really funny woman who totally gets my silliness. I knew we would be friends when I saw her at my book club with her leg propped up on another chair because she had an ankle brace on. Over the ankle brace were some really cute high heels. She knows what's up. That is totally something I would do and you guys know how I feel about shoes. I said to myself, my kind of woman, we are totally going to be BFF.

Thirsty Thursday

-Peanut is still having some health problems. We've spent a lot of money on his medicines and check ups and re-checks. Feel free to chime in, anyone, on guessing how much or how little I care about the damn money spent/to be spent. He'll be ok. That's all I want. I would spend my last dime to make sure of it as long as he's not suffering. And I would even sell my shoes, if need be dammit.


-It's been another strange week. I actually heard someone defend an oil company when I complained about how much more gas costs on my side of the intra coastal bridge than on the other side . I wasn't weirded out though because I heard this very person defend Wal-mart when I complained I was never buying anything there again after the toaster oven I got there fell apart. My reaction is, as always,"Um. Ok." It's useless to debate with someone who would actually defend any of those two companies anyway. Actually it might just be that I complain way too much for this person's tolerance level. That would be a more fitting reason. To me at least. So I prefer to think that because it's easier.


-Red tide is the tool of the devil, I know it. I haven't been to my beach or ridden my bike or went for a decent walk for fear of falling into a coughing fit or a nose bleed in too long....oh sigh sigh sigh. I only feel sorry for myself for 5 seconds, I'm sure California would be willing to trade places right now. Still though, red tide is an evil plague on my happiness right now. Peanut doesn't like it either.

-Yesterday I found myself saying,"Find a penny pick it up, it will bring you lots of luck," out loud. But then I didn't win the lottery. So it doesn't work.


-Today is Thirsty Thursday. On Thirsty Thursdays, my favorite milkshake is half price. Today is the first Thirsty Thursday in probably 4 months that I didn't get a milkshake. Not because I'm sick of the milkshake, quite the contrary. I would like nothing more than to have one 3 times a day for the rest of my time on this Earth. Since I haven't been able to work out, no milkshakes are my self-imposed punishments. This is kind of silly since Mr.Pea and I have been eating tons of barbecue take out like there's no damn tomorrow lately and yesterday I pigged out on Mexican food for lunch. Still though, there has to be some limits.

I have to talk/bitch about clothes for just a second

But it's only because today I'm going shopping for a few warm things. Ok, I hate winter clothing, this is no secret. When I put on long sleeves and long pants, I feel like I'm in prison, I'm sure I've said this before but it's worth repeating. And I'm short so certain things can make me completely disappear. But like I said, I'm going to make the most of it. Usually I just wear old raggedy jeans and an old raggedy teeshirt with an old raggedy jacket and call it a day. I want to look respectable this year. And maybe appropriate. Those are two words I hate but I don't want to look raggedy this winter. That's probably why I'm always so damn depressed during that season and I refuse to feel like a bag lady anymore just cuz it's cold outside. I did manage to find a few things I love and I'm looking for some good shoes(I'm sure I'm not the only girl out there who has love for a good pair of shoes). However, I have just one major complaint. If I see one more of those 'word or phrase' outfits, I'm going to strangle myself. You know what I'm talking about right? Those "Juicy" on the butt pants? Those "Team Pink(or whoever)" shirts. Those "I'm hot" or, "I'm flirty", or "Can you afford this?", or "I met your boyfriend on myspace", crap these clothing companies keep trying to force on us. If you happen to like the stuff, don't be mad at me ok. It probably means that you're way cooler than I am, cool enough to get it. I just hate them. I feel like if you have to tell someone what you are by wearing it, you're probably not. Why would I need to tell anyone I was "flirty" on my shirt or on my behind? Ok I do have a shirt that says,"Aloha" on it, but it doesn't announce that I'm "Lookin' for a Sugardaddy" on the front and "I see you checking this out" on the back. Is there something I'm missing? I feel like a old grouchy lady when I say it but maybe I'm just an old grouchy lady then.



*I know I haven't been visiting much but I'll catch up when I get home today.

Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day Everyone!



I've been looking for some 'babe' pictures of my mom in gogo boots taken before I was born somewhere in my picture box. I'm dying to post them if I can find them.

My shoes

There are two words that can put me into frenzy mode. Shoe sale.

This isn't a unique story. I'm almost loathe to talk about this to you, fellow bloggers, because you guys write about so many thought provoking and important subjects. I'm not the only woman in the world who loves her shoes, anyway. It's absolutely impossible for me to go shopping with a friend or sister and come home empty handed if any store I visit is selling shoes. Shoes are like crack to me. I have high heels, low heels, sandals, peep toes, wedges, all that good stuff. For every pair I own, I can tell you exactly how much, where, when, and what I was wearing when I purchased them-this is very silly but dammit don't I deserve a little joy? I always cringe a little when I hear someone say they have something cute and never wore, what a waste! I can find any excuse to put on a cute pair of shoes. Caught the flu? Wear those kitten heels to check the mail, you feel like utter crap, but the feet look cute. Feel depressed? Don't pop a Prozac, paint your toe nails blue and put on those peep toes. Gained some weight? Put on those black strappy platforms, black is slimming and anyway no matter what that hell forsaken number on the scale is, shoes always fit! The dog is sick? Drive him to his vet in your cutest nude wedge sandals--they contain the secret to healing. Got another f-ing doctor appointment? Wear these coffee colored wedges because, although the scary biopsy will hurt like hell, the design on the heel will look really sweet under that horrible lighting! I even specifically wore my pink heels the day I knew they were going to tell me I had thyroid cancer because, dammit I'll not be told I have the scary c-word disease in my ratty old brown flip flops! Hey, it's not the remedy for everyone, but it works for me. I have a couple pairs of shoes that could sell on Ebay for enough to feed a a family of ten boys for a few months. This is strange because I have a huge disdain for ridiculously expensive logo-handbags and the like(this is a topic I could bitch about for years). Would you be surprised to know that my favorite shoes are actually old daisy flip-flops I bought in the kids' section at Walmart for $4.99 a few years ago? I walked all over sexy South Beach Miami, survived two nasty hurricane seasons, visited two theme parks, walk Peanut everyday in those flip flops. My second favorite pair I bought in San Jose, California and my heart broke last month because the strap is broken again. I can't repair them because they've been repaired so many times and are just so old( I bought them during the dot-com boom, they're that old). But I refuse to throw them away because I like being able to say that I broke them dancing with my husband.

My shoe collection is outnumbered by my mother's. This is all her fault because this all started when I played dress up in her closet. I learned how to walk in high heels by 3rd grade. She says we're not, but I've asked her if we might be related to Imelda Marcos......

Yesterday I added two more pairs to my stash. Both wedges. I can stop any time I want, I don't have a problem! It was just this one more time and I don't feel guilty about a thing. But they were both less than $25.oo marked down from $70.00 and have you any idea how hard it is to find my size???? It would have been a sin to leave them behind, ownerless. I'm doing a public service, really.


Would it make you feel less dismissive of me if I told you I used to be an environmental/animal rescue activist and fundraiser? No? How about if I told you I donated an obscene amount to animal shelters and nature preserves in the past 12 years? I once saved a baby blue jay and woodpecker.....I'm more than just my shoe habit! I read, I paint, I create beautiful pottery dammit. I care about world events! Or should I just stamp "silly girlie shoe maniac, not to be taken seriously" on my forehead and get it over with? ok fine