More servicesWindows Live
HomeHotmailSpacesOneCare
 
MSN
Sign in
 
 
Spaces home  For Better or Worse!PhotosProfileFriendsBlog Tools Explore the Spaces community

Blog

    • View next 20 entriesView last 20 entries
    June 20

    Stinky pants


    You know that smell your clothes get when you've left them in the washing machine for too long?  Yeah that smell.  Well, I'm currently wearing that smell.  Funny thing.  I couldn't smell it this morning when I got dressed.  But, now that am I sitting here, well...that smell, it's me!  Good thing is, I tried a pilates class last night, so today I'm not moving around that much.  Mostly just sitting at my desk.  All by my smelly self!

    More later,
    SNJ

    PS Oh and it's a little humid today, too.  Mmmmmm - take a whiff!

    PPS   Why do stinky scents last so much longer than good scents?  Don't get a headache thinking about that one.  But if you know the scientific reason as to why, just let me know. 

    PPPS  I know SOMEONE is trying to teach me a lesson for thinking how awful the guy in line, in front of me, at Hellmart smelled last night.  So much for the lesson though.  I still think he smelled way worse than my jeans do.  And he was showing crack!  Ewwwwwww!

    June 17

    Well.........

     

    I need a vacation from "life"!

     

    (Not a permanent one either, God, just a temporary one)

    More later,
    SNJ

    June 13

    Just so you know.......


    When you are icing a cake for a baby shower, no matter how tempting that glob of shortening and powdered sugar looks - do not scoop it into your mouth.  Because.....then you will scoop another....and another....and another.  Oh, and have to lick that glob off the side of your hand! And of course, then you will need to balance all of that sugar with a "few" potato chips.  And by a few, I mean the kind that "nobody can eat just one".  Are you following me here?  After three nights of icing said baby shower cake - and this neverending need for sugar, followed by salt - your middle will start to protrude over the front of your britches.  Oh hell, you'll have a gut that rests nicely on your thighs as you sit at your computer, typing this blog.  And you'll question yourself - "Why the hell did I eat all of that crap"  followed by "I'm so fat"......

    After all of this, you might even get paid the whopper of all paydays!  And as you are imagining all of the things you could use that money for (besides therapy, or Jenny Craig) your husband will call and say the excavation passed and he can proceed with his shop, or as I call it - the overpriced clubhouse for the overgrown 40-year old kid!  But you will hear how happy he is and realize how unkind you are to want to steal his happiness.  So, you will get up and go into the bathroom, you know to compose your whiney, pitiful butt - look at yourself in the mirror - and discover you are one fat bitch! 

    Just so you know......

    Don't eat the icing and never get married.  You can thank me later. 

    More later,
    SNJ

    June 09

    Wii are so out of shape!


    Or, I should say "I'm so out of shape!"  and completely annoyed with the fact that I am - out of shape!  Hmph! I consider considered myself to be in pretty decent shape.  Sort of a little cushy in the middle region, but still.....  I mean I do my elliptical for an hour - most days.  Except for lately.  Baseball season.  Not much time.  So.....Wally and The Beav finally decided they had to have a Wii.  Which made me ecstatic, because I secretly wanted a Wii too!  I just didn't want to pay for one.  Beaver and Wally decided to split the cost.  The morons that made this game, sell it with only one controller though.  Brilliant money hoarding entrepreneurs those people at Nintendo are. Who plays Wii all by themselves? If you do, well that's just sad. So anyway, I agreed to pay for the second controller.  That way they had to let me play too!  Brilliant of me, don't you think?

    Friday afternoon we made our purchase.  Wally, Beaver and I.  Beaver hooked the whole thing up.  Got it ready.  I waited, controller in hand.  Not wanting to seem too overzealous.  But I just couldn't wait to play!!!  And play we did!  For hours.  And hours.  And hours.  You are looking at the new light-weight middle-weight boxing champion of the Cleaver household!  I KO'd (knocked out, for those of you who aren't up on the boxing lingo) every person in my house - all of them!!!!  TWICE!  Because they thought it was beginners luck. Wahooooooooo!  I'm now known as "Da-Bomba Momma"!  They're all a bunch of whiners though.  "You're too close, Mom"  "Move back, you're blocking the sensor" "Wah, wah, wah"  I will admit, in my fists-of-fury, wildwoman punching I did get a little too close a couple of times and almost punched the TV screen.  I had the little wrist thingys on that are supposed to keep you from hurling the controller through the screen though.  So......after whoopin' up on the family they decide they want to try bowling. I'm an "ok" bowler.  But I have funky stance, or walk, or wind up.  Whatever you call it.  My legs look all bent out of shape - kinda twisted like a pretzel in a half curtsy, as I'm releasing the ball.  It's very goofy looking and I was really thankful that now I can enjoy bowling in the privacy of my own home without a bowling alley full of people gawking, snickering & pointing at me.

    Saturday morning I woke up a little, hmmmm, sore should I say?  Only that doesn't quite describe it.  Every freakin muscle - and even muscles I didn't know I had, hurt.  Like a motha'!  My arms felt like a dead weight.  They only hurt when I lift my arm to, well eat or drink something.  A pain shoots down the side of my back that makes me want to scream.  It's made it extremely difficult to cover the pain with alcohol intoxication. Since I can't lift the glass to my mouth without wincing. My inner thighs - oh they only hurt whenever I get up or sit down.  And my butt?  I have no idea what I did, but my right cheek is so danged sore.  I feel like a 90 year old.  And I'm sure I looked like one Saturday afternoon as I was trying to hoist my derriere on to the potty.  My legs were all shaking, I was trying to hold on to the wall and gently ease myself onto the seat.  It was pure hell.  After I finally plopped down and did my business I had no strength left to push myself back up - so.......I just sat there.  For quite awhile.  I felt like a fool.  And then the theme for "Rocky" started playing in my head and I could here Mickey, in his gravely trainer voice, telling me I had to get up.  And so I got up and it was so flippin' painful that a tear trickled down my cheek.  Damned Wii! They should have a warning label on the box - "Not for rapidly approaching middle-aged women who think they're in shape"  I mean really!  

    They're already taunting me.  Those little he-devils of mine.  Laughing at their mother in her moments of pain.  No worry though.  These muscles will heal.  I will be back!  (Insert Rocky theme music here.)

    More later,
    SNJ

    June 06

    Finally

     

    At 10:00 am this morning, the clouds parted, the sun shone through and the birds sang -

    I finally closed the $314,000 buyer that about drove me over the edge!!!

    The only thing better would be if the commission was just for me.   But sadly it is not.  It goes for Ward's shop.  All.of.it.    I'm not bitter or jealous.  Really.  It's for my husband.  So, I'm glad.  Don't I sound glad?  This shop is going to make him happy.  And if he's happy - I'm happy.  Right?  Of course. 

    So, I'm taking this afternoon off.  I'm going to take Beaver to Sonic and have an iced caramel latte!  I'm such a lucky woman!

    Have a great weekend.
    SNJ

    June 03

    Mother Nature needs to get her act together


    I think Mother Nature must be going through menopause.  She's having hot flashes, or something.  It's ridiculous.  After living in this land of enchantment for 19 years, I've become accustomed to triple digit temps in the summer.  IN THE SUMMER, Mother Nature.  As in, after June 21st.  But no, you have to go straight from 60 degrees to 100 and frickin' 8 degrees.  WTH?  And then add a little wind to the mix!  HOT wind.  I now know what hell must feel like.  I was showing property the other day in this crap.  Got to one house and the key was being difficult.  After struggling for what seemed like forever with it - the door finally opened.  But, after all that time I could feel the sweat starting to drip.  And I can't sweat like normal people.  Nooooo.   By the time I got back to the office I had two half-moons of sweat under the twins!  Quite attractive.  Really.  Brown shirt.  Dark brown spots under each droopy breast.  I'm so sexy sometimes I just can't stand myself!  So, Mother Nature, cut me some slack, will ya'?  Cool it until the official start of summer.  Thankyouverymuch!

    More later,
    SNJ

    May 28

    4 things


    I've been tagged by Kat.  But, being the "ohsobusy" person that I am, I can't do the whole thing.  Right now.  So, I'm going to cheat and just post 4 things that are bothering me  worrying me causing me to move closer to the edge.....

    1.  Today is the last day of school.  As of tomorrow, I'm the owner (yes, owner - I've bought and paid for them several times) of a freshman and a *gulp* senior.  How the heck this happened, when I just dropped their little tails off at kindergarten last week, I have no idea.  Too much wine, I guess.

    2.  My air conditioner has stopped working.  And we"re in for triple-digit temps. AND Ward just put in the order for his shop. Which required 25% down.  Which is money that could have come in handy to replace the a/c.  Which I'm sure they're going to say we need to do.  What are the chances it will just be a $125 repair?  Not a snowball's chance.....

    3.  I paid $95 for a haircut last night.  I almost had a stroke when she told me how much I owed.  And I'm not even sure if I like the cut.  Which is my fault.  Not hers.  Because I never like the cut.  EVER.  If I hadn't broken my camera, I could post some pictures.  And you could tell me "it's not so bad." But...I broker my camera and still haven't sent it in to be repaired.  It's a flatter, blonder, longer in the front, shorter in the back cut.  I found out about the a/c after I paid for my haircut......closer to the edge.  Getting closer and closer.
    ("broker my camera" - goodness sakes, now I can't even speak English!)

    4. I have 942 items in my inbox.  I need to go through them and see what I need to take care of, but......I'm swamped.  And those inbox items are multiplying by the day.  I quickly glance at the emails as they come in.  Make a mental note to get back to it "later".  I have so many mental notes that my brain is clogged. I have 23 "postponed" to-do items that keep popping up.  And 4 reminders - that I wrote in such a hurry, I can't make out what the heck they mean.  "Car, Mr. J tomorrow"  I don't know which Mr. J I was referring to.  What was happening tomorrow?  Was he buying or selling a car?  I have no flippin' idea.  I'm sure it will all come back to me when I'm served with the lawsuit for not taking care of Mr. J.  But right now.....well I'm just trying to keep from going over the edge.

    More later,
    SNJ

    May 22

    Beaver Tales


    The Eighth Grade Social is tonight.  I'm not really sure what a "social' is - or how it differs from a "dance", and well, with Beaver being Beaver, he couldn't really explain what it was.  I was able to grasp little bits from him.  "Only eighth graders are allowed to go" and "I can't wear jeans."  Ok, fine.  Beaver doesn't own any dress pants.  He has jeans and basketball shorts.  That's it.  And baseball pants, but I don't think those would work as dress pants.  Being in two-lane hicktown, we don't have a lot to choose from.  So....online-a-shopping we went.  Ordered a pair of khaki pants from AE.  28/30's.  (We're done with the size 10's and 12's - now we have to match waist & length.  It was much easier when age matched their pant size) They came in and lo and behold they fit!  Big smile here, because we usually have to send things back.  And, well, I'm not that great at sending things back.  Don't tell anyone, but I still have the last pair of jeans that didn't fit in the trunk of my car.  Just waiting.  Oh, and Wally's football receiving gloves are in the back seat of my car, too.  I know, I'm never getting the "Mother of the Year" award. But, at least they've made it to the car.  I'll mail them.  Someday. 

    Anyway, back to "the social" and more importantly the attire.  Have the pants.  Now we need a shirt.  Why didn't we order a shirt at the same time we ordered the pants? Because we like to make things difficult. If I ordered the pants and the shirt and everything fit, what the heck would I have to blog about?  Hmmm? Besides, shirts are easier to find in two-lane hicktown.  Except for...well we're dealing with Beaver.  He and "Snake" (his friend, who has a normal name.  But they call him Snake.  Don't ask me why.) have decided they want to wear pinstriped shirts.  'Cuz they're cool - and flippin' expensive.   (I know you all are quite impressed that I haven't cussed one time. So far.  Hang on though.  It's coming.) So......guess where I spent my lunch hour Tuesday?  Scouring two-lane hicktown for a pinstriped shirt.  I found three.  Bought all three, figuring I'll return whichever two he doesn't like. Which one does he pick?  The black with blue pinstripe shirt.  Which, I might add, makes this child look so handsome with his blue eyes!  The only problem is the shirt he's picked doesn't match the khaki pants.  I know, khaki goes with everything. But really, this shirt is dark and it looks better with black pants.  Wally has a pair of black pants, but they're too big for Beaver.  So......guess where I spent my lunch hour Wednesday?  Hmmm?  Yup looking for pants for Beaver.  Found a pair, but they were 29/30's.  Figured with a belt they would be fine. Are you asking if they fit?  Or are you shaking your head and saying, "When will she learn?".  Guess where I'm spending this lunch hour?  Anyway......

    Last night, after I picked Beaver up from practice, he tells me he has to be at Snake's house at 6 tonight.  They're all riding over to the "social" in his aunts Expedition.  I casually ask who all's going. It's him and Snake and Snake's date.  (Date?  This is eighth grade.  Anyway) "Oh and a couple of other people"  Again, I casually ask - halfway knowing the answer - "So, who are you going with?" Expecting my blue-eyed little boy to shrug and say no one. BUT no! He's going with a girl!!!  Well I'll be damned.  Beaver is growing up and some little hussy girl is already trying to get her claws in him. So of course my next question is, "Can I take pictures?"  Rolling his eyes he says, "Drop me off a block away from Snake's house."   Yeah that's gonna happen.  So.....maybe I'll have pictures tomorrow.  He'll be the boy in the picture with the totally disgusted look on his face.  But trust me, when he's in good mood - and smiling - he really is a cute little boy young man!

    And I'm not that old.  I do remember 8th grade "dances".  Rusty Franklin.  Oh geez.  Did I "love" that boy!  I was so disappointed when he danced with another girl.  I remember sliding across the floor in stocking feet with my friends and squeeling.  Why did we do that?  Because we were nerdy little eighth graders that wanted the boys to notice us, of course!  And the dances all ended with "Babe" from Styx. 

    "Babe, I'm leaving.  I must be on my way.  The time is something, something, something................."

    Gosh, it seems just like yesterday.  Ok, it was 25 years ago.  Is 25 years really that long ago?  Shit, I'm so freakin' old.  Maybe I better "chaperone" this little social.  I'm sure Beaver would love that!

    More later,
    SNJ

    May 21

    Patience exhausted

     

    I have no patience left.  My mind and body are completely exhausted and drained.  I have nothing left to give.  The light at the end of the tunnel has just been extinguished.  This last month has been filled with so many ups and downs and twists and turns that I needed something to look forward to.  Something for just ME.  As silly as it sounds, I was actually looking forward to nothing more than a haircut tonight.  This time it would actually turn out.  People would ask me "Who does your hair" and in a good way, not "Let me find out so I can keep from making the same mistake you did."  I've put off this haircut/color for months.  Tightwad that I am, just kept saying next month.  Not enough money this month.  Finally, after fighting with this half Farah-Fawcett-Wings on top of Shirley-Temple-Curls rat's nest look that I've been sporting, I decided "it's time".  I've had to divorce my last hairstylist.  It wasn't a pretty divorce, but after the last appointment she missed, I had no choice.  She was always having to reschedule.  Kid puking.  Have to pick up drunk ex-husband from police station, etc.  So I found another hairstylist.  She does my friend's hair and I like the way it looked.  I tried making an appointment with her before the motorcycle rally but she was booked up.  So.....I've waited my turn and tonight was supposed to be the night.  This morning I get a text

    "Due to the funeral, I have to reschedule you to 5:15 on Friday." 


    I turned to my co-worker and said, "You're not going to believe this!"  And I relayed the text to her.  She looks at me and flippantly (yes it was in a flippant voice,  not an ounce of understanding in her voice)  says, "Well that's just the day after tomorrow."  After I picked my head up off of the floor, and put it back on my shoulders, I told her, through clenched teeth, "Idon'twanttowaituntilFriday!" 

    As they were about to haul me off in the a white coat - I mean really, who gets this upset over a little missed haircut appointment? -  Ward calls.  He's headed home.  His back is really hurting.  Really.  (He pulled it last night while dragging the field after the ballgame) He doesn't think it's just a pulled muscle.  Of course it's not.  He's Ward Cleaver.  It can't possibly be just a pulled muscle - that hurts like hell.  It's probably his meningitis flaring up again. 

    Patience.  I have none left.

    More later,
    SNJ

    May 20

    I'm trying...


    I'm trying to get back here.  But work and family are keeping me from what really counts....which is blogging.  Right?  That is what counts.  Right? Blogging. Yeah....anyway.  I'm trying to get back here. My "to-do" list keeps growing.  I actually have three lists running at the moment - "Need to-do" "In the middle of doing" (this one is really long with the constant interruptions I get) and "No way it's ever gonna get done"  This, too, is a long list. 

    The $314,000 deal is still plugging along.  Maybe it will close after all.  And we may just get appointed with the insurance company that we're courting right now.  So...and then maybe, just maybe, I'll get the raise I asked for.

    Ward's shop is on the "to-do" list along with how to fund it.  Why is there never enough money?  Why? 

    Went to the motorcycle rally this weekend.  You'd have been really proud of me - no hangovers and I did not sing.  AND, all of my clothes stayed on!  Woohoo me!   Ok, the last one, I'm just kidding.  I've never taken my clothes off at a rally.  BUT, I have had a hangover and also sang - or is it "have sung" - anyway and I can't sing to save my life.  Ward drove over a nail - so 150 bucks later we now are the proud owners of a new whitewall tire.  Woohoo me!  Again, I didn't overdo it.  Nothing blogworthy happened. 

    I go tomorrow to a new hairstylist.  I need something new.  Fresh.  Livened up.  I don't have time to search for a hairstyle.  So...I'm gonna wing it and walk in there and tell her to do her thing.  Let her do whatever she thinks will work for this mop of mine.  I know.  I know.  Walking into a brand new hairstylist and telling her to just do whatever she wants will equal trouble!!  But, I wouldn't be so not June Cleaver if I didn't do this. So....

    More later,
    SNJ

    May 12

    Go away and leave me alone........


    Work is hampering my sunny disposition.  I've only been here two hours and my forehead is already all wrinkled up and my jaw is sore from clenching it.  Still haven't heard from the insurance company to see if they will appoint us.  I understand that I am not the only agent they have to deal with.  And the deal I'm trying to work with them is not the only piece of business they have....But, I thought I made it pretty clear that time was of the essence.  If this wouldn't fly, I needed them to let me know. Something. Anything.  Preferably before the end of the world happens........

    The $314,000 deal is about to send me over the cliff.  After the buyers finally got a hold of their pride, and decided to accept the "verbal" counter, we've had to wait for the sellers to appear.  They live in England and were traveling back to the states to see their son graduate from college.  They finally made it home this weekend.  In the meantime, the buyers have had time to think......never a good thing. She calls me on Saturday and is going back and forth.  I don't think this one is going to happen. 

    My boss is back from vacation.  Wants to know the status on the appointment with the insurance company.  I told him, "nothing yet.".  Still waiting.  He looks at me and says, "We'll call them today."  Yes, I know that.  But thank you for telling me that.  Because I guess when he saw my wrinkled up forehead and clenched jaw he figured I'd lost any part of a brain that I had left.

    The little old guy that I have insured for years had to go to the retirement home.  He's in the first stages of Alzheimer's.  Breaks my heart.  He asked if I would come by and do a market analysis on his house.  Which I'm working on.  And now the family is getting involved.  Once again - never a good thing.  Too many opinions.  Something I don't really care to get in the middle of.

    $314,000 buyer calls this morning and saw another house for sale on the golf course this weekend.  Before she signs the counteroffer, she wants me to find out about it.  I think the vein in my head is about to explode. 

    Oh, and a baseball game tonight and booster club meeting.  I hope I get a hold of my attitude before either of those.  I don't want to finally go off the edge and have to slap some out of control parent.

    More later,
    SNJ

    PS  It's my phone week.  Again......need I say more?  Screw it.  This attitude just ain't gettin' any better.

    May 06

    Time to put my big girl pants on......

    I promised I would be by to catch up with all of you, this week, and so far, that hasn't happened.  I'm not gonna say the "b" word, but I've been dealing with a full plate.  And it just seems to keep getting fuller.  I had my annual review last week.  Went pretty well.  Could have gone better.  I got a raise, although I asked for a bigger one.  My boss listened to my reasons and said he would see what he could do.  In the meantime, he wanted me to take on more work.  Hmmm.....ok.  I was trying to make the point that I already carry a full load - although I feel like I'm paid for 3/4 of a load.  So....
     
    Then I've been dealing with two deals in real estate.  The first, the buyer was scheduled to close, only to find out from the lender - 2 days before closing - that the roof would have to be replaced before closing.  The lender had previously told us we could close and hold the repair money in escrow until the roof was completed.  So....seller wasn't happy, buyer wasn't happy and neither was I.  It is the last time I will use this particular lender.  Everything had to be postponed and a huge favor had to be called into the roofer to get the job moved up.  The second couple drove me to drink.......more!  I have shown them a home that is listed at $339,000.  I have been back to this house, with them, no less than 496 1/2 times - before they've even made an offer.  I understand.  $339,000 is a chunk of change and takes careful consideration.  But how many times exactly to we need to measure the living room?  Hmmm?  I promise if it was 14 x 16 the last time we were here, it's gonna be the same size this time.  Really.  Anyway....."Can we go back?" they keep asking.  And in my best real estate voice I say, slightly high pitched, "Of course we can." I did a market analysis for them and told them the house was worth $315,000.  They stroll into my office last Monday (4/28) to make their offer.  How much, you ask?  $275,000.  No, I didn't punch them.  I wrote it up and then convinced them, that since I was their agent, they could tell me what their top dollar was and I couldn't tell the seller.  I owe them strict confidentiality.  And I keep that with all of my clients.  Even the ones I want to choke sometimes! Their top dollar?  $295,000.  Jiminy Christmas people!  I get them to at least increase their offer to $285,000.  I present it to the listing broker - totally red-faced and apologizing.  When the seller was presented with the offer, he wanted to tell them to go f......   anyway, he was a little peeved, to say the least.  The listing broker got him to at least counter back at his bottom dollar.  Do you see the work us "overpaid real estate agents" do to get people who want to buy and people who want to sell to work together??  He comes back at $314,000.  Them?  They come back at $295,000.  I take that to the sellers agent - again apologizing.  She comes back and tells me her seller isn't budging 1 cent off of his last counteroffer.  And I don't blame him.  But I can't make my buyer realized that. And really, the value is in their eyes.  They're the buyer.  I can tell you what it's market worth is.  I can't tell you what value you see in it.  That has to come from you.  So.....maybe this isn't the house for you.  Let's move on.   They think he doesn't want to play the game?  What game?  There's no real estate game people.  Really.  There isn't.  The seller lists their house at a price.  You look at the house.  Hopefully you employ a competent agent that can make sure you don't overpay for the house.  Then you make your offer based on what you feel.  If you can't come to a meeting of the minds - move on.
     
    In the other meantime, we (as in me - because my boss wants me to step up to the plate) are looking at writing an insurance policy for a huge construction company (Really Big Concrete). Their premium is about $650,000 a year.  This translates into about $65,000 more in income for our agency if we write it.  (It also translates into my boss being able to pay me what I asked for if we can write it) We are a small insurance agency.  We're an independant agency.  So, we're not an Allstate, or a State Farm.  Instead, we write for several companies.  But they have to appoint us to be able to write for them.  Being a small agency, it's hard to get large insurance companies to appoint us to write for them. Insurance companies typically want you to place a large volume of business with them within the first year of being appointed with them.  Have I lost you yet?  Well, grab another glass of wine.  Pretty soon this will be as clear as mud.  Hang with me here.  Because I'm going to tie this whole blog entry into a not-so-neat package - and then maybe you will be able to see why I haven't been by to play catch up with you all.....This construction company (Really Big Concrete) we are going to write the coverage for, is being bought out by a construction company (Superhumungous Concrete) that we currently insure.  And have insured since 1958.  The construction company (Really Big Concrete) that is being bought out, it insured through a carrier (Giant Mountain Insurance company) that we have wanted to become appointed with for years. The buyout is occurring on 6/1.  We have to have the new insurance in place by that date.  So....I'm working like a madwoman to get the applications completed to get a quote through one of our carriers for this $650,000 account.  BIG, BIG account to us.  Did I stress how big it is?
     
    Monday comes.  The roof is complete for the first buyer I told you about.  We were scheduled to close on Tuesday at 2:30.  The seller had also repaired the fence that had blown down in the last windstorm.  Woo-hoo.  Happy dance.  Yippee! The game-playing buyers came by my office and wanted to make a counteroffer of $305,000.  What part of $314,000 is his bottom dollar did they not understand?  I smiled, sweetly, biting my tongue in half, and said I would present their counter to the sellers agent - knowing full well that there wasn't a snowballs chance in hell that this would fly.  I am still working on the applications for the construction company. We don't have an appointment with the company that writes them, and it would take more than a month to get appointed with them.  So....we have another insurance agency, in a bigger city, that does have an appointment with this company and we can send the piece of business to them and then split the commission.  It's not $65,000, but 1/2 is better than nothing. 
     
    Go home Monday night exhausted.  Really.  I'm nervous about this construction account.  I've never written anything of this size.in.my.life!  Want to make sure I cover all of the bases. 
     
    Tuesday (today) I go to work.  Tell my buyer to go by the house, before closing and make sure the fence repair was done to her satisfaction.  Resume working on the applications for the construction company.  Kicking this thing around in my head about how I wish we were appointed with this carrier (Big Mountain Insurance company) so we could keep the whole commission.  I get a call from selling broker on the other deal I've been beating my head against the wall about and she says her seller is still firm on the $314,000.  Imagine that!  Call the buyers and relay the news.  They say fine, they want to move on.  They want to look at another house that's priced $350,000.  ??????!!!!!! Effen, sonofa, effen, effen geezzz !!!!?????? Mind you, they've since told me they want to stay around $300,000.  Well then people, we need to be looking at houses that are priced up to $310,000.  Not houses that are priced $50,000 over what you're willing to pay!  Right? Makes sense, right?  But they still think there's a game out there to be played.  Well, I don't feel like playing anymore. I tell them I'll "call them back"  - later, much later...... Supposed to close at 2:30 on the other deal.  Buyer calls at 2:10 and the gate that is supposedly fix, wouldn't open and fell when she pushed on it!  Ask her how much it would take to compensate her for the gate.  She doesn't know, but she will get back with me.  She calls me 10 minutes later and says the neighbor said this house has a history of mold problems and the plumbing backs up!  WTF???  WTH???  Shit!  We're supposed to close in ten minutes.  This ain't gonna fly.  I said the seller's property disclosure statement does not say anything about this.  Let me get with the selling agent.  What do you want to do?  She's headed to the title company to close.  But she wants to be able to come back on the seller if any of this is true.  I'm stuck.  Really.  I can't let her close, until we find out what's going on.  Because once this thing closes, it's hers.  If it does have plumbing problems, or mold - she's gonna sue me.  And really, I don't want to be sued.  I meet her at the title company and have her sign her papers and tell the closing agent not to record the deed until I tell her to.  This deal may not go through.  Take the buyer back to my office and find out the "neighbor" was the former tenant of this house.  He tried to buy the house and couldn't qualify.  He and the seller hate each others guts.  But, I still can't dismiss what he said as just a disgruntled tenant.  If I get drug into court a year from now, I have to be able to explain all of this - and I'm not sure how to do that.  So.....we have the seller - put in writing - what happened with the tenant and state that what the tenant said wasn't true.  As I'm typing up this disclosure form, the buyers that want to play games call me.  They want to accept the $314,000.  And want to talk - for awhile.  I have a timeframe that I have to get this disclosure signed by or this buyer is going to have to pay more interest to close her loan tomorrow. 
     
    Fun, fun, fun.  Then I think of an idea.  Because I don't have enough on my plate and I'm a nutcase, basically.  What if I go to this big insurance company (Giant Mountain Insurance)- that we are dying to write for - and explain to them that we have a construction company (Superhumungous Concrete) that we've written insurance for - for all of these years.  This company is purchasing a company that Giant Mountain Insurance company currently writes coverage for.  Since we have a strong relationship with Superhumungous Concrete that is buying the company I'm working on the applications for, they will purchase their insurance through whomever we recommend.  Now if Giant Mountain Insurance company appoints us, we could recommend that the buyer of the company keep their coverage with Giant Mountain Insurance company.  And everyone wins.  GMIC keeps the $650,000 account.  We get our full commission and we have more business we could place with them.  Also, since the construction company that is buying the other company will have common ownership, we will have to combine the worker's compensation accounts.  So, I could commit to writing at least an additional $300,000 with them.  Make sense?  It does in my head - at least.  And when I passed  it on to my boss, who is on vacation, it made sense to him as well.  And that is what he was talking about when he said I needed to step up to the plate.  So....tomorrow - I have to finish dealing with the real estate deal that went south today and convince a major insurance company to appoint us - oh yeah, and I need them to appoint us in less than 30 days.......So, I'm sick at my stomach.  It's late.  But I can't sleep. 
     
    Really, now I'm going to go by and play catch up with all of you.  Then when I screw everything up tomorrow, I'll have something to blame it on!  My blogging addiction and all of you! 
     
    I feel better.  How 'bout you?
    Say a prayer.  Please.  Say two.
    To be continued......(to steal from Kat)                    (Geez Kat, I wish you were here.  I could use your business sense woman!)
    SNJ
     
    May 02

    Where was I?

    Ok, where did I leave off?  Ummm, oh yeah, desserts, prom, dealing with mothers and a pornographic looking cake for a 12 year old.........see what you've been missing?  Where to start first?

    Well, I'd better start with prom, or Motherhen will kill me.  She's been hounding me for photos.  And well, like I said, I've been busy.  The morning of prom, started out with all us "mothers" getting together to decorate the place for the dinner.  I don't need to hash it all out here, but some mothers do not work and play well together.  No one got in a fist fight.  So, I'd say all-in-all, it went pretty well.  After the decorating, I went home to drink massive quantities of wine since I couldn't punch Mrs. Ihavetobeincharge finish the desserts.  I made the dessert twice.  Once on a trial run:

    Prom 003 Prom 002

    Pretty huh?  Unfortunately, it wasn't very pallete pleasing (nice way of saying it tasted like shit.)  So, I reworked the filling and made it again.

    Prom 005 Prom 006

    This one was the way-too sweet chocolate cake.  Just didn't cut it.  So.....I came up with these as the final product:

    Prom 014 Prom 015

    The chocolate shell was a little difficult to unmold, but it turned out pretty neat.  I should have dusted the white chocolate mousse with a little cocoa powder, but......anyway.  I replace the originally planned macadamia chocolate torte with this luscious chocolate raspberry cake.  The tart raspberries balanced the sweet-sweet chocolate.  I pureed some raspberries and tried to dress up the plate like the real chefs do.  Unfortunately, since I'm not a chef, it just kinda puddled. 

    Prom 017 Prom 019

    Prom 016I realize this one looks a little messy.  But, Wally doesn't like chocolate, so since he promised not to have prom night sex, I made something that he likes.  Relax, I'm kid-ding! Of course Wally loves chocolate.  Ok, ok.  He doesn't like chocolate.  And he didn't promise not to have prom night sex.    We didn't even talk about not "doing it".  I know, I suck as a mother.  But, I think we've established that already.  He's a good kid.  I was a good kid.  So, I'm going to assume that no hanky-panky went on, ok? 

     

    So, desserts were all made.  Tux was picked out, paid for and arrived on time.  Corsage was ordered.  The kids got all gussied up and started to arrive.  Look at the little buggars.  Aren't they just gorgeous? 

    IMG008

    These girls were gorgeous!!  Gorgeous, I tell you!  Wally's girlfriend is the second, from the left, in the pink.  What a beauty, eh?  But my favorite dress?  The third girl from the right.  I mean if you saw pictures of me from 20 years ago, you would swear that was me.  Ok, I wish I looked like that 20 years ago.  I mean I loved this dress!  And that hair and get a look at those brea....anyway.

     

    IMG019 IMG023 IMG007

    IMG014

     IMG013 Enough obsessing about this poor girl.  I think she got tired of me following her around and staring at her.  I know she's whispering, "Why does Wally's mom keep staring at me?" She was just so danged cute! And the poofy dress and poofy hair, well it just brought back all kinds of nostalgia for this 80's girl........

    The boys were pretty handsome too!

    IMG017 l_d63759197d4846bd770afb45196b8e9d

    Wally is the one on the right.  Aren't they so cool in their shades??

     

     

     

     

    IMG013 IMG018 IMG009

    I thought Wally and his girlfriend looked great!  I know I'm biased, but really, is it just me?  Or is he just too damned handsome!  And her?  Look at that beautiful smile!  And he's  manly enough to wear pink, for his girlfriend, of course!

     

    IMG020

    IMG016 IMG018 IMG015

    And then these kids made a toast - to their parents.  Thanking them for putting this all together for them!!  **Sniff**Sniff**, I love these kids!

     

     

     

    IMG020 IMG021
    While the kids stuffed their faces and toasted their parents, us mothers - the ones that play nice together - dished up dessert for the boat ride.  (Guess which mother I am?)

    And here's the boat ride:

    l_8c2ebbd81114f68cf062af034fa2f507  And they all lived happily ever after and this mother slept for 18 hours straight.  Just kidding.  I had a cake to finish.  My nephews birthday party was the next day.  I had baked the cake, carved it into what I thought was a guitar shape and crumb coated it.  I came home all hopped up on prom-highness and saw this..........

     

     

     

     

     

    Prom 027 

    This does not resemble a guitar, now does it?  I almost cried.  How the heck was I going to transform this cake that looked, well a little like a pecker pornographic into a guitar? 

     

    Prom 048

     

     

     

     

    Well, I decided to drink more wine sleep on it and work on it after church - and a lot of praying.  How exactly do you pray to God and ask him to help you transform that into a guitar? 

    I think HE can read my mind and I am totally embarrassed, if he can.  Beaver helped me too.  He's a wanna be rocker.  And guitar hero has finally paid off.  He had lots of ideas (and no, I didn't tell him what I thought it looked like!). 

    Ta-da!!!!

    Prom 049 Prom 052
    Prom 054

    So the twelve year old was happy.  And now, we all lived happily ever after!  I'll be by sometime this week to visit everyone's blog and play catch up. 

    More later,
    SNJ

    April 22

    Yeah, I'm so busy, whatever.......

    I really, really am this time.  I'm not faking it or whining, just for the sake of whining.  I'm really, really busy and stressing!  On the slate for this week:

    2 baseball games - I actually like baseball this year.  I haven't had to keep score and I get to actually watch Beaver play.  He's out of his batting slump and has made several outs in center field!  He pitched last night.  They put him on the mound when we were down.  They didn't score anymore runs on us and we actually came back!  BUT - the game starts at 6:30 and last night it didn't end until 9. By the time I got home and had supper re-warmed, it didn't leave much time to work on the desserts for this week.

    2 desserts to make for prom - Did a test run this weekend.  I am so glad I did.  Because I wasn't happy with either of them. The whipped chocolate cream in a chocolate shell, with tuxedo strawberries was pretty, but tasted like shit.  Sorry, but there's no other way to describe it.  So, I'm reworking the filling with a white chocolate mousse.  The second was a  chocolate hazelnut torte that was so danged sweet, even a glass of milk didn't help. So....I'm trying another type of chocolate cake with fresh raspberries.  I have to test run the revised recipes again - before Saturday.

    1 guitar cake for nephew's birthday - While I'm trying to get stuff ready for prom, my niece leaves me a message that she needs a really big favor.  Could I make the cake for my nephews birthday?  Sure, when?  For this weekend.  The weekend of prom.  When I'm trying to get stuff ready and finalize desserts.  I'll get it done though. I may be decorating it at the ballfield, but I'll get it done!

    Order corsage for Wally's date - "And not that wrist thingy you wore, Mom!"  I suppose she doesn't want to borrow my prom dress with the poofy sleeves and hoop skirt either, hmph!  (gah I loved that dress......shiny satin, pink w/lace gloves, big hooped skirt - it just screamed "80's child")

    Prom on Saturday - This is where the deep breaths come in.  Stressing over the desserts.  Cuz they're wanting "wow" after the cake I made for Snowball. These 17 & 18 years olds have placed so much pressure on me!  I don't know if I can do "wow".  They just want "something chocolate".  I'm up to my elbows in chocolate and heavy cream.  And of course the tux.  It hasn't arrived yet.  Hopefully it will fit and match her dress.  It has to match, you know! 

    So in between playing Betty Crocker and baseball mom, I'm also trying to be the best aunt for my nephew and not screw up the order for the corsage.  It's been over 20 years since I went to prom and apparently things have changed - a little!  20 years???  Great, now I'm stressed and old.  No wonder why I overslept this morning!  I was planted face down in my pillow at 6:30!  Still had the pillow marks across my cheeks when I pulled into the driveway at work!   Can you say "Lov-e-ly"?  And somehow I managed to get a mouthful of shampoo this morning in my "shower rush".  Mmmmmm - that's a taste that lingers.

    So I don't have time to play with y'all this week.  But photos and lots 'o stories next week!  Oh, and the dance performance?  I can't even begin to describe it.  I am in total awe of my son!  The girls were beautiful dancers, but the boys?  They stole the show!!!

    More later,

    Chocolate-covered June

    April 18

    Smiles everyone, smiles!


    Ok so, Wally has a big dance thingamajig on Saturday.  I'm not a "dance mom" so....I'm not up on all of the latest terms.  Well, I guess, really I am a "dance mom", I'm just not one of those moms.  You know, the type that their kid came dancing out of their womb.  This is Wally's first year.  And I feel like I'm a little behind the curve on how all of this works.  They have first rehearsal, and second rehearsal and then THE final dress rehearsal, etc......followed by not one, but two performances.  The first one is tonight and then on on Saturday. Then there's the rehearsal dinner, oh and don't forget the flowers, you are going to get him flowers, right?  Ummm, no.  But I'll probably give him a really big hug and gush about how well he did.  Just enough to embarrass him a little, you know.

    I remembered to buy a tape for the camcorder and was all set to record the performance on Saturday.  I was very proud of myself for remembering to actually buy a tape and not be all "last-minute" scrambling around trying to find a tape, wondering which tape I can record over, like I usually am.  I was prepared!! And get this, I even charged the battery.  FULLY!!!  

    And just as I was about to think that I really had a chance at being "the" dance mom, it was made pretty clear there ain't a chance that that's gonna happen.  One of the moms asked me if I was going to the dress rehearsal.  Wally had already made it perfectly clear that "none of the boys' moms go".  (Apparently they're grouped - boy dance moms and girl dance moms)  So, I told her no that I would be going to the Saturday performance.  (I was also forwarned that the Saturday one was better than the Friday one.  And it was the one to go to) I thought this mother would be pleased that I knew which performance to attend.  But no, her face got this all confused look on it.  "But when are you going to videotape him?"  she asked me.  "On Saturday."  That's when her head about spun off her shoulders.  Her whole voice changed. 

    "There's no cameras or photography allowed at the performances!"

    Well, ok then.  Calm down, sister.  I'll tape him at the rehearsal.  I was going to go ahead and tape him at the rehearsal and Wally found out. He said one of the teachers makes a DVD that's edited and looks really good.  And then....he sells them to the parents.  Wowza!  Good idea. Because, quite frankly, my videotaping skills are a little shaky.  Problem solved.  Or, so I thought.  I was talking to another mother.  She asked me if I was going to tape the rehearsal.  I told her I was buying the DVD.  And I got a look from her.  What now?  She said, "Well that's fine.  I guess. The DVD is nice. BUT..."  Oh geez, don't say but.  "But, they film the whole dance troop.  So, you're not guaranteed a close-up of your son."  Well what the hell kinda mother would I be if I didn't have a close-up.  So I tromped my butt up there last night and videotaped him.  Even took my tri-pod so it wouldn't look like I was riding a rollercoaster as I taped him.  And in true so-not-June fashion, I taped all of the breaks in the show and not the show!!!  Can you believe it?  I was hitting pause and thinking I was recording.  And hitting record when I thought I was pausing. I figured this out about half way through the thing!!! I'm surely not going to be in the dance mom club now.

    Thank goodness the girl he is dancing with has a mom with her shit together.  She took still photos and emailed them to me.  Doesn't he look so excited?  Smile, son.........  Your momma is!! (they look so good dancing.  He's the one on the bottom,sitting down.  His dance partner is sitting next to him and his girlfriend is the one over his left shoulder.  Cute, huh?

      Kenz  JoshF3
    More later,
    SNJ

    April 17

    Just wondering.....


    I saw one of those blinking, 15mph lights on my way back from lunch today.  You know the kind they put in front of the schools so you'll slow down?  Only this one was in front of a senior center.  As in the place Grandma & Grandpa go to play shuffleboard, bingo and eat lunch.  I can understand the flashing lights in front of a school.  I mean those little buggars can run out into traffic at any moment! But.....older people?  Is there a rash of 90 year old men darting out into traffic?  Seriously? Is Grandma goin' all willy-nilly and playing chicken these days?  I'm just wondering....

    More later,
    SNJ