Not in my bed!

I have a love-hate relationship with bugs.

To be honest, it's more like tolerate-hate.



I have come to terms that bugs will get into the house, no matter what you do to prevent that. Especially when you have kids who run in and out of the house all damn day! Flies and moths will be let in. For a while we had stink bugs. Thankfully not too many and thankfully the hose on my Dyson has a pretty good reach! Even spiders I have learned to accept. As long as the husband is home and can kill them for me!

What I don't like are the bugs that try to get personal. And by personal I mean the ones who think they can hitch hike their way in our house.


The other night I had stepped outside. I have a habit of leaving the back porch light on. We all know how light attracts bugs. Thankfully there are a few spiderwebs in the corners of the porch. This is the one and only place I like spiders - outside, eating bugs that have the potential t enter the house.

When I was ready to come back in and head to bed. I made sure the lights (in- and outside) were off and the back door securely closed and locked. I kicked my flip flops off under my computer chair, grabbed my phone, and headed upstairs. I set my pillows how I like them and smoothed out my blanket. I pulled the tie out of my forever ponytail and sat down to find something on tv to fall asleep to.

As I was sitting there, I felt something on my neck. I assumed it was my hair falling against my neck because it was now free of the forever ponytail. I shook my head ever so slightly hoping to speed up the process on my hair falling onto my neck. The crawling sensation was still there.

Thinking my head shake was a failed attempt, I reached my fingers up to my neck to run through my hair. Instead of my hair falling onto my shoulders, a bug fell onto my lap.

June bug
Very annoying and very stupid bugs!

Ew, ew, and just ew! Bugs are not on my very short list of one 6-foot tall blond men who can touch me in my own bed.

Thank goodness my son left his flip flops by the bed. Heaven forbid I have to smoosh something with my own shoe!

The trip where I left my mark

School trips. We all go on them. I know I certainly did!

I could share about my many adventures through France and Italy. I did give a sneak peak here after all. Even though that trip may turn out to be a once in a lifetime adventure, there is one school trip that will forever stand out in my mind.

Washington D.C.


Midway through high school, my Computer Arts teacher put together a little trip for his 50 or so students. Looking back I have no idea how our trip to D.C. related to the class, but I won't complain. It was one of the first trips the husband (then boyfriend) and I took together.


We visited all of the popular tourist attraction.

Outside and inside the Capitol Building

We rubbed our fingers over the names on the Vietnam Wall, desperately wishing someone had thought to bring paper.


We toured the Holocaust Museum. Tears fell from our eyes as we walked the bridge over hundreds of tiny shoes. All from children who were taken too soon. We read stories and letters of love that was not permitted to bloom. Our tears echoed as they hit the cold, grey floor.


We drove our tour bus through Arlington National Cemetery.

A silent prayer was said for John F. Kennedy and we stood at attention before the Unknown soldier. The sky was filled with gray. Sadness was all around.

Not all of our time in our country's capitol was spent in mourning.

Every time I go through a metal detector, my memories of the White House come flooding back. My friend set them off numerous times. We assumed it was her earrings. After all, she had more metal than skin in her ears. Turns out it the under wire in her bra!

As we circled the Smithsonian, but never went in, we watched gray squirrels dart to and fro. If we bent down ever so slowly, one would run and eat crumbs from our hands.

Our very last day we stopped at the zoo. A zoo always makes me feel like a child, no matter what city I'm in. I vaguely remember there were Pandas, which we didn't have at our zoo back home. I also remember losing my lunch by those Pandas. And probably by a few other exhibits as well. I thought it was the rain from Arlington that made me sick. After all, didn't our mothers say you'll get sick if you go out in the rain?

Even though that trip was one I would never forget, I was as happy as a sick person could be to get back on the bus and go home. Most of the students slept in the big comfy seats on the ride back north. My friends and I sat in the back, rehashing our trip. Except for one who was hiding in the bathroom. I can only imagine what he was doing in there. I'm not sure I'll ever know because I made him get out. The last words I heard said to me from that trip were "Hey, you just puked on my shoe!".


My family and I have plans to return to D.C. in August. The husband and I are quite anxious to return. We know our kids will always remember it. Let's just hope no one gets their shoes puked on!





I would like to point out that our teacher rocked then and he rocks now. Have you ever heard of the country band, The Stickers? My former teacher is their drummer!

Farfrompuken

Thank goodness for that! If that over there to the left wasn't true, than it would mean I didn't have a good time. Believe me, I did!





Tuesday night was my third annual trip to see Jimmy Buffett. We had a hell of a time over the past few weeks leading up to that night. In fact, last week I wasn't even sure if I still wanted to go.




The original plan was for the husband and I to go with my mom and her boyfriend. Two weeks ago the husband finally asked if my sister-from-another-mister would like to go instead. Too little too late - she couldn't get out of work. It would end up being the three of us going to the show with the hopes that we could sell the fourth ticket. I wasn't exactly thrilled. My mom is happy with her man, which makes me happy. But sometimes I don't always like him. I wasn't sure how this night would go. I am so glad I didn't do anything rash at the last minute, because we had an awesome time!

We arrived at the concert venue three hours early. The truck was barely in park when I started wondering what the liquor stash looked like. For once I didn't have to drive so I was more than happy to milk every minute of the tailgating experience!

Me and my mom
I swear it wasn't intentional
to cut the boyfriend out!

After much good food and too many some good drinks, we made our way in. After getting a good ole pat down, our tickets were scanned and I made a beeline for the port-a-potties. Sometimes a girl has to do what a girl has to do in order to avoid a 30 minute wait for an actual toilet!

When I made my way back over to my mom and her boyfriend, he presented us with t-shirts and a lovely green margarita in this rockin' cup...

smart girls never refuse a free drink!

that's my big, blue 4 quart container behind
to show you how tall that sucker is!

We worked our way up the hill, through a sea of people, to find the perfect spot for our blanket. At that point, it was more like the only spot! There was dancing and singing by everyone. I am so glad I decided to go!

We were even treated to a pretty flashy light show. Courtesy of Mother Nature. Keep in mind I said we went UP the hill to find our spot. Mother Nature is usually a bitch to me, but she was nice enough to contain her wrath until the end of the show. As soon as the last song ended, the wind picked up and what were flashes of lightening were now streaks spanning the entire sky.

As we trucked it back to the truck, all uphill, we could hear Jimmy performing his encore. Part of me wishes we would have stayed just a few more minutes. The rest of me likes to be dry and not struck by lightening.

We have already talked about going for a fourth time next year. I will make sure to plan early so my sister-from-another-mister is guaranteed to join us. Although the way her and I get when we drink, we better make sure a designated driver is in our plans again! I might also want to add Tylenol to the plans. My pounding head woke me up entirely too early the morning after the concert.