Losing My Mind

This morning I was thinking today was the 17th of October. Come to find out, it is actually the 19th! Where those two days went, I couldn't tell you. Time just speeds by for the most part, and I am left standing there saying,"What just happened?" One clear sign that I am losing it happened just yesterday, when this occurred -



I planned on spending some time relaxing and scrapbooking, only to find out that I had just made the same page that I had already made sometime in the past. Ugg The moment was ruined, and even worse, I will be reminded of my forgetfulness every time I turn to those pages. I could just get rid of one of them, but I couldn't bring myself to throw away my hard work. (Not to mention, every piece of scrapbook paper costs at least $0.59.)

I kept plenty busy this last weekend. (Not that much of it will be remembered by next weekend.) So I better write some of it here, so I don't completely forget.

Friday, I babysat my niece Ezzie. Here she is being amused by Mike's shoes -



She is also growing up way too fast. I can remember, not long ago, she didn't even know how to throw a tantrum. She's quickly becoming a pro.

Mike and I went to a corn maze on Saturday. It was the first one we had ever been to together, and I have to say, it was pretty fun. It wasn't really that hard to find our way out, but maybe the sounds of chainsaws and screams nearby gave us a little extra motivation.

I also recently vacuumed the house, and when I went to empty out the dirt I was confronted by this -



I should have warned you that that picture is not for the faint of heart. It is a picture of my vacuum filter, and it still makes me ill every time I look at it. That is all dust and fur. YUM! Needless to say, I spent some time washing that thing.

So there is my weekend in miniature form. Now, what time is it? I think I just lost a few hours.

1 Child = 1 Chicken

There has been a lot of debate where I live as to whether restrictions should be put on pit bulls. These restrictions would include: having insurance on the pit bull, always having the dog on a leash, being subject to random searches of your home, and having a certain fence height to keep the dog enclosed. The random searches one was thrown out because it violates 4th amendment rights. But if you ask me, the whole thing should be thrown out. To me, discriminating against a certain kind of dog is the same as discriminating against a certain kind of person. If you are going to make laws about pit bulls, do it for all dogs or don't do it all. In my opinion, all dogs have the ability to be aggressive. It just depends how they are raised, whether or not they become aggressive. Even if it doesn't have to do with how they are raised, that doesn't mean it is only pit bulls that become dangerous. I think if this law passes, it will just discourage people from adopting pit bulls, and then all those pit bulls will wind up dead. Is that what people want?

One person wrote her opinion in the local newspaper. That person said she was grateful for leash laws because she had a (admittedly irrational) fear of dogs. I don't necessarily have a problem with leash laws. But if someone has a fear, does that mean we have to make laws to keep that person from being afraid? If someone is afraid of cats, do we have to put limits on where cats can roam? I see cats wandering around without a leash or collar all the time. What if they are dangerous? The person who wrote to the paper actually suggested that people should replace their dogs with cats or chickens. As a dog owner I find that insulting. My dog is like a member of my family, and could never be replaced. That is like saying you should replace your children with chickens. Maybe society needs to lighten up on making laws, and realize that life comes with all kinds of risks that everyone cannot always be protected from.

The Spirit Is Still There

Last weekend, Mike and I went to a pumpkin patch with my younger brother, Michael, his wife, Kristin, and their daughter, Esme. Here is a picture of Mike and I with Esme. Try to ignore how dorky we look.



I haven't been to a pumpkin patch since my elementary days, but I have to say it was pretty enjoyable. There is just something about getting out in the fresh air on a farm. You feel more connected to the land. More connected to life.

We rode a "hayride" to get to the pumpkin patch, which was really more like bales of hay on a trailer being pulled by a tractor. No horse or wagon or piles of loose hay. For once in my life I would like to go on an actual hayride, the way they were originally. No motorized vehicles. I guess the spirit is still there. The hayride has just been modernized like everything else. Who is to say if the old way or the new way is better?

Squishy Balls

A few weeks ago, when Mike and I went to the last farmer's market of the year, we got these -

BALLS!



To you un-fun people out there these may seem stupid. But to Mike and I they brought days of pure enjoyment. We found them at a stand that was run by a sweet Asian lady who didn't speak English very well. I didn't understand half of what she was saying, but she showed us these little balls and we fell in love. Only one dollar for a tiny bag that fit in the palm of my hand. But here is the amazing part. When you put them in water, they grow, within a few hours, into squishy, slimy, bouncy, balls! Their intended purpose has something to do with nourishing plants, however, I couldn't get much information from the instructions which were badly translated from Chinese. So Mike and I just spent days running our hands through them and squishing them between our fingers. We have high hopes of someday filling an entire bathtub with them, but we have no idea how to find the mysterious Asian lady again. The only similar thing we have found was a toy kit that cost $24. Say again? Maybe I just dreamed the Asian lady with the $1 balls........

What Is More Natural Than Water?

I don't like when people use the excuse that something is "natural" to justify its use. You know, things like marijuana, or any medication or treatment that uses plants or herbs. Haven't these people ever herd of POISONOUS PLANTS? Plants can kill. Just because it is NATURAL, doesn't mean it is SAFE. Tornadoes, volcanoes, hungry bears, and black widows are all "natural", yet all of those things can be deadly. Those things may be more obviously deadly than a plant, but that is no excuse for ignorance. Most people seem to think that the more "natural" a medication is, the safer it is to use. But the truth is, even some vitamins can be deadly if taken incorrectly. Heck, water can kill you if you drink too much at one time. What is more natural than water? So the next time you think something can't hurt you because it is natural, just remember........YOU'RE BEING STUPID!

Parties Of Old

My birthday is coming up this month and it is hard to believe I have been on this planet almost 29 years. That may seem really young still to many people, but when I think of how many people die young, it makes me grateful to be alive. The one thing I don't like about getting older is the way birthdays become less of a big deal. I'm not the type of person who likes all the attention on me, but it's nice to have one day out of the year where you feel extra special and you get excited for any surprises that might happen.

When I was a kid, my birthday was almost like Christmas to me. Not because I got tons of amazing presents, but because the planning and anticipation of a party were almost as great as the actual day. It helped that my birthday is near Halloween, so I always had an automatic party theme. I'm not sure if my love of Halloween came from having my birthday around that time or the other way around. But, my birthday parties always included things like bobbing for apples, pumpkin decorating, and a cake that usually looked like a jack-o-lantern. I always made my own cake, which people think is weird, but I love baking and decorating, so it was all part of the fun for me. So maybe my excitement for my birthday all came down to my love of decorating, cooking, and planning. Come to think of it, I did those things even for my brother's birthdays.

As I get older, the kinds of parties I liked to plan don't really fly anymore. Decorations, games, and treat bags are more for kid's parties. Adults just go to the bar or out to dinner (which is great also, don't get me wrong). I just sometimes miss the kid parties. All the more reason for me to get some kids of my own.

Halloween Splendor

On October 1st I promptly put up my Halloween decorations because I find that one month is the perfect amount of time to have them up. Any longer than that and they start to lose their appeal. Here is a picture of just a few of the things I have collected over the years.



Can you tell I have a thing for pumpkins? I figured I would put pictures on my blog since Mike and I rarely have house guests, and all this Halloween splendor would never be seen by the world. I try to stay away from decorations that look too cheap or tacky, but I suppose not everyone would agree with my taste anyway. For example I love these bats and little skeleton garland -



I made the bats, so they are cheap for sure, but I love sitting on the couch and gazing up and feeling like I am in a bat cave. It just gives the living room a whole different feel. The tiny skeletons are plastic, which I try to stay away from, but I have a weakness for miniature things. Almost anything is cute in miniature form. Besides, the skeleton garland reminds me of something from a witch doctor's office, so it helps create the feeling that you are somewhere creepy. Maybe "creepy" is not for you, but it is for me. At least for one month.

I like to think that if I had an unlimited budget I could create an amazing Halloween room. Until that happens I will revel in my knick knacks.