Musings

In past blogs, I believe I've shared that I can be opinionated, sarcastic, brutally honest, hard working and on very rare occasions, sweet. Now my Mum would tell you that I am PIEW, which stands for "Perfect In Every Way", we heard this all the years we were growing up and still  do to this day. I know, my Mum has been in denial for about 50 years. I would die for my boys but I'm not hoodwinked into telling people they are PIEW, pfft, I know better. They are my rays of sunshine, my sole reasons for living, but perfect? BAHAHAHAHAH, yeah, not happening. I will conceded they are quite close to being perfect to me though. Both are considerate, sarcastic, funny, brilliantly smart and thanks to me, good looking. hee hee, although I do think my Dad used to take credit for their looks. I give both my parents credit for my looks, I didn't make myself. :)

As I was saying. My boys are 4 1/2 years apart and for a long time, they were complete torture to raise. In the standpoint that they would argue incessantly, and anyone with kids knows what I mean. "He's touching me", "He's looking at me", "He took my toy/game/food". OMG. But now, Skyler is 20 and Spencer is 15. In the last few years, Skyler has really become a young adult who gets the whiny crap doesn't fly in the real world. He used to love to tattle on Spencer or talk down to him, but now he really is becoming that big brother that I always hoped he would be. He tries to impart his high school advice and naturally, Spencer's reply is usually "yeah, I'm not doing that" when Skyler tries to guide him into a smart move.

 Like Skyler, in middle school Spencer played an instrument and then went into the Theatre club in high school. This was no easy feat for Spencer though. Skyler likes to tell us all that he was the youngest in the family to have a job, since he was 3 when he landed the Scottish Rite/Children's Hospital promotion. Straight out of the acting gate and he gets TV and Radio spots. I took him in for modeling because he was the cutest little kid ever, blond hair with dark blue eyes. I mean he was model material but due to his outgoing personality, which he didn't get from me, oh by the way, she wanted to use him for Acting and the next 7 years that's what he did. He did commercials for overseas and  local TV. Then of course, he decided he wanted to quit that, so he "retired" at 10.

 But now Spencer has entered the Acting ring and is also quite good. I never would have seen that coming when he was a toddler. Dude wouldn't leave my side until he was school aged. Spencer was 10 1/2 pounds at birth, and my happy arse was still carrying him up until he was 4. I did have some killer arm tone though, so there's a plus. Now my little "sack of taters" is 15 and I have to surf the net for size 14 shoes, seriously? I'm afraid he's not done growing, Skyler hit 6'2 at 16, and Spencer is already pushing 6'3, soooo. The up side? I don't have to carry him anymore and they are now my bouncers, my twin towers, when we go out. It's actually very nice and again, I'm thankful every day they are my beloveds.

Childhood Holiday Memories

When I was a wee child we always went to the North Palm Beach Country Club for our 4th of July festivities. During the day Mum would take me and her other child, to the pool while Dad played a few rounds of golf. Then we would go home, shower, get dressed and come back up for the fireworks display. It was always amazing,  epic even. I remember sitting on the golf course, our little fam of four, chatting with our friends and running around while we waited on the program to begin. Such happy times. The golf course was so wide and so long where they shot off the fireworks,  that you literally felt like it was raining down on you when they would shoot off. I don't remember music playing but still, it was so much fun and entertaining to watch and listen to.

For Christmas I remember a few times going to Lantana for the giant tree festival, but I believe that was in high school and I went with friends. I'm sure if I tried to take my kids to that they would tell me how lame it was or even worse, how lame I was, as if.

But you know, times were simpler then. Atari had come out but lord, you didn't spend all day playing Pong or you would go crazy. I could only sit there for a short while and listen to that "ping" so many times before I said "OK, I'm done!" But that could be my self diagnosed ADD too, who knows. I can't sit and play video games now, and trying to watch my sons, even something that constantly moves, bores me to tears. I had this one boyfriend who would play those army games with his roommate and after 5 minutes I was saying "alrighty then, I'm going to bed, see you later." Both my sons play video games but the eldest can sit in his "man cave" and play all night long. He has always been a nocturnal child. I remember when I was carrying him and I'd get ready for bed and then BAM, he decides it's time to kick and roll while Mummy tried to sleep. He can stay up all night and then go to bed at 6 am and sleep until 3pm. And I'm saying that in present day, not past. His Dad spoils him like no body's business. I often say that Skyler could pull a Columbine and my ex would blame the school. Skyler has never been in trouble with his Dad, whereas Spencer could do something so minimal and be banned to the dungeon for life. Fact. My baby daddy can deny all he likes, but even Skyler will tell you "I can get away with anything, I am the Messiah." And he is being dead serious. He doesn't say it to be cocky, he's just stating the truth. We all know this and Spencer knows I pretty much let him do whatever he wants, so it sort of balances out. If his Dad gets on him too hard I will intervene but baby daddy isn't much into punishing either of them anyway. His Dad was a little on the over punishing side so Steven is the polar opposite. Of course, he would tell you that I was making this up, but ask anyone who knows all of us and you will come to find out, I'm right, as usual I might add. Hee hee.

Neighborly love...ugh

I have lived in my house for 13 years now and of the 3 neighbors I speak with, I was the first here. When my other people moved in we all made nice, introduced ourselves etc. The family directly across from me, has two girls, so when my boys were younger the four of them would hang out. The freak to the left and across from me, is my issue. Now, Clem is a nice enough guy, never married and I found out is now retired for the last few years. Side note, if this guy had 3 girls locked in his house ala Cleveland, I would not be surprised. I don't know what his house looks like on the inside and I pray I never find out. Over the years Mr Clem, as I refer to him, is the neighbor where if you are out watering your plants, or painting your house or generally just freaking busy doing yard work, his happy arse will pop over and chit chat. Clearly, he cannot tell I'm busy. Grrrr and the Mrs. Rogers in me makes me stop what I'm doing and chat. And that pisses me off. I'm outside for a reason, not to catch up on the latest gossip or be interrogated like the Gestapo.


A few months ago, I went out for the first mow of the year, always a happy day for me as I really enjoy mowing. Great exercise and I feel such a sense of accomplishment when I am done. I am barely 3 rows in and here comes Mr Clem, oh joy. He starts off complaining about the neighbors barking dog, which I do concede is annoying as fuck. I cannot even hang outside on my deck bc she is barking the whole time and ruins even a beer buzz. After he is done with that issue, he moves along to asking me why I haven't been around. I look at him like he has 4 heads bc I am home every night after work so I'm perplexed as to what the hell he is speaking of. And I ask, "um, what? I'm here every night." He then says "Oh, I haven't seen you home and I thought you were spending the nights with your friend." (first of all, yes this is creepy that he watches over me, but after 13 years, eh, whatever, I'm used to it). Now at this point I have no clue what "friend" he is referring to and I stupidly ask, "What friend? Shelly?' and he says "No, the blond guy who drives the silver boxy car." Thankfully, I'm wearing my sunglasses so he can't see my eyes when I say "I don't know who you are referring to, none of my friends look like that." "Yes, you know the tall skinny guy." I keep my calm and say "Um, huh, yeah I don't remember anyone like that" for the record I know exactly whom he is talking about but I choose to ignore it. He then proceeds to move onto my sons. "I haven't seen the kids around either, if you need work done around the house, you know I will help". Now I'm pissed bc my boys are here every Tuesday/Wednesday for dinner and "Mum" time, so this A-hole has no clue what he is saying and I don't need him spying on me.  I get away from him and then here comes the other guy Brent, who lives directly across from me with the two girls. He asks "Was Clem complaining about me?" Jesus, really people?  I reply "No, we were talking about the dog etc", "OK good, bc I have chickens and I didn't know if he was talking about them." Christ, help a sista out down here, would you?

My deal is this, you do your thing, I'll do mine. I mind my business, please mind yours.