It's My Party

.... and I'll laugh if I want to! Yep, they say I'm another year older today, but I don't feel a bit older than yesterday. So, there's an antiwhine right there.

I'm feeling particularly grateful for my family, friends, those goofy cats; for silly things and lovely things, even the everyday variety; for good news, and kindnesses; for dreams and goals; for all the times we struggle with something and come out the other side, more or less intact and wiser than before.

This community and you all mean a lot to me. You brighten my every week with humor and kindness, shared experiences, and thoughtfulness. Passing the cake!

No whines at the moment, except the bark plus pook the senior cat left for me. But on the AW side, she left it all in the tub.

How's by you?

Just When You Least Expect It, Prizes!

Pixies worldwide are partying this week in honor of Jenevieve's PASSPASSPASSPASSPASS! We are so happy for you and we know you are the best brand-new vet anywhere.

Thanks for all the good wishes for Snuggly Girl's birthday. She won't be officially double digits until late July, but the party of her dreams requires school friends, and boy what a party it was. And, best of all, it is done. Except for the thank-you notes. Tune in next week for those whines . . .

Stylish Whine Award to kathy a., for a trio of haiku, with my favorite being this AW/W combo:

new dresses. cute, and
this time they actually
fit! unlike the bras.

Previously Unimagined Dental Adventures Award to Days for 4 remakes of the crown.

Foot Stompin' Antiwhine Award to Sue for escaping with her son for a fun concert.

Not Me Award to Sarah who didn't feel the quake.

Triple Protection Award for Amy, who is quite, quite, quite sure she isn't pregnant. Just really really sick. Hoping you feel better by now, Amy.

Take This Job and … Take It Award to KLee, who is unhappily re-assigned, but at least still has a job. With a side of "Fireplace, that's a lot of unpleasantness" for all the rest of the whines.

Elevated Risk of Mullet Award to Esperanza for "clearly, I need to go to bed. I am typing 'jeepers.'" Runner up to Emily for "I am pleased to report that, despite the remnants of poison ivy, I am no longer living with the seven dwarfs (itchy, grumpy, sleepy, crabby, b*tchy, dopey). " (Wait, that's six. I guess Emily forgot "pixie.")

Gentle cluesticks this week for overly-optimistic co-workers, with more assertive pokes for family members who change plans at the last minute and make back-handed compliments, people who say thoughtless things to the parents of premies, and thought-she-was-a friends. A solid whack for each of Jeni's parents who seem less excited than the pixies about Jeni's graduation.

Any minute now kathy a. is going to open up the new thread. Thanks for your patience, everyone.

Doin' the Birthday!

Doin' The Birthday
To the tune of
Doin' The Pigeon

Doin' the B-B-Birthday
Doin' the B-B-Birthday
Settin' it all up her way
For the kind of par-tay
That sweeeeeeeeps her away

Doin' the B-B-Birthday
Doin' the B-B-Birthday
People may whine
But I don't mind
They'll never understand just how much running around I'm doing

Ahem. That last line may not scan properly.

Location: rented
RSVPs: all but two after a bit of reminding
Cupcakes: just ordered
Freezer available at location?: message left
Loot bag items: purchased (and SG says maybe she and her BFF will stuff them tomorrow afternoon)


At this point the main open question is "What major beef will My Love come up with when he gets back to this continent Friday night?" We have a tradition where I plan the party because he's too busy and then at the last minute he micromanages. But at least I'm expecting it, right?

Keep me company while I continue to avoid that report that was due three weeks ago, pixies. I need your distraction.

I'm Dreaming of a Large Cluestick....

Wednesday Whining, your internet source for whines of all stripes -- from Bridezilla to Poison Ivy, we've got it all!

One unspoken whine -- we're 8 weeks along with this, no fireplacing end in sight -- is the BP disaster. There are acres of commentary out there in the intertubes, but I'll hazard the guess that the WW community pretty much agrees on the "you broke it, you bought it" principle. Your humble host therefore recognizes the Cluesticker in Chief for an excellent piece of work, persuading the perps to put aside an awesome $20 Billion as a down payment on damages owed to individuals harmed. Not a cap on the damages; not fines or criminal penalties, which will come later; not cleanup costs -- this is to help those harmed. Wow.

On to the awards! Emily wins the Style Award for her advice to Jeni, on the occasion of oral exams:

For oral exams do not despair,
Just imagine your tormentors in their underwear!

Many crossed fingers and much chocolate to Jenevieve, finishing her last finals!

Madeliene wins Old Skool, for her W/AW combo:

W: Raaaaaaain on our camp-fun day.
AW: Fewer mosquitoes, and the rain cleared in time for afternoon fun.

Emily also wins the Elevated Risk of Mullet Award for her, um, positive spin on my hot-flash-fueled rant.

Tummy Bug Begone Award to Esperanza. Oy. But yay for Sweet Baboo, and her encouraging report from the developmental pediatrician!

Bridezilla Award to Sue, for dealing with the special snowflake who probably picked her colors and the party favors months ago, but only got around to those tiny details such as when, where, and who will perform the ceremony at the last minute. And is surprised to learn that Sue has some other things to do, besides waiting for random brides-to-be to wander in and order up a ceremony. Runner up to Esperanza, who says:

Sue, chalk one more up to the "rather do a funeral than a wedding" list. Ugh. I'm sure *I* wasn't like that.

Preteen Award to Madeleine, who recognizes the warning signs.

Oh, Camp, Don't Do This Award to Sarah, whose daughter's camp just announced something that pushed the anxiety button. That button they are trying not to push.

Intrepid Bipeds Against Cancer Awards to Liz, who did miles and miles in a Relay for Life and also did something to her foot, and to Amy, who is in training for a run.

Perils of Modern Technology Award to Amy, whose phone died a bad death, complete with all the info she had stored there. ACK! I hope someone can help you recover the data. And also her car died, raising the dilemma of whether to fork out for the expensive fix, or what. You just never want to hear a mechanic utter the words "head gasket." Trust me.

Poison Ivy Award to Emily. We itch in sympathy.

A collective sigh of relief for JenR's SIL's niece, who is doing well enough to be out of ICU and actively complaining about the hospital food!

Thanks for playing! Join us next week, when the delightful Madeliene will host!

To sleep, perchance to dream....

Last night, I only woke up 5 or 6 times, which was a definite improvement over the couple of nights before. Yes, the dog wanting in at 2:00 a.m., the cats experiencing Feline Madness at 3:00 a.m., those were part of it. But the main problem is that I jinxed myself by telling the doctor that those hot flashes are ever so much more tolerable now compared to last year. That'll teach me!

AW: portable fan, all night long.

Perhaps because of sleep deprivation, I thought yesterday was Fathers' Day, and presented the package daughter sent from Japan. Whoopsie! But he was dying to open it anyway, so it worked out.

So, what's new with you?

Awards!

This week's ceremony is brought to you by the letter P, for Procrastination.

"Anon for this" wins the Theme Award for her inaugural whine about, you guessed it, procrastination. Valuable "I Did It!" stickers to all the other Pixies who accomplished procrastination this week. I think that's everyone, so that's it for this week's ceremony.



Just kidding! Liz wins the Style Award for whining about Blogger getting up her nose, in verse! (Or, as Neighbor Lady put it, Liz whines style.)

This Too Will Pass Award to Esperanza, for her whines of potty-training. I particularly like "why is bathroom tile so hard?" Esperanza also wins for the tummy bug enhancement to the potty training process.

Elevated Risk of Mullet Award to Sue, for her whines of [1] wondering if anyone would notice if she just procrastinated everything until her holiday in August ; and [2] happy people in the morning, and the consequent yearning for whiskey in the coffee. ~snort~

Old Skool Award to Esperanza, for her ponytail whine, which she rightfully points out is 100% free of bodily fluids.

Worthy Addition to the Lexicon Award to Days, whose annual physical gave her the chance to really exercise her "anxiety muscles."

Oy, the Doctor Visits Awards to Sarah and Neighbor Lady and anyone similarly afflicted, in their loving quests to find out what's going wrong for their kids. We're behind you. Sarah, so glad the ped neuro ruled out some scary possibilities. xoxo

Stuff It Up Your Nose Award to the hideous crone from the management ghetto at hubby's work, who decided a wedding was the perfect time to lecture A Different Anonymous about moms who take their kids to the doctor for "every little thing." If there is an HR department, hubs might consider a complaint. This person is probably in a position to know who uses the insurance that is a benefit of his job, and it is hard to see this as anything but an effort to intimidate.

Revenge of the Chaperones Award to Emily, whose daughter made it through the prom (presumably dressed acceptably after these weeks of fretting) and the after-party, and a good time was had by all. Except the chaperones, who must have been delerious when they decided it would be reassuring to those unfortunate parents back home to receive a 3:00 a.m. phone call from the darlings. Yikes. No good calls come at 3:00 a.m.

Pass the Benadryl Awards to Amy (swollen eye), Sarah (maybe the headaches are allergies?), Emily (itchy rash), Days (sleep deprivation), and anyone else in need.

Perils of Travel Award to Madeleine, who (oh, the inhumanity!) only had internet access in the hotel room via a very short cable.

Pomp and Circumstances Award to Jenevieve, who is finishing her last finals (yes, you can!) and will soon graduate from vet school!!!!!! YAY! Happy dancing! Confetti! Cake and champagne! We could not be prouder or more excited for you, Jeni!

Hugs to JenR, for the impossible circumstance that happened at bedtime. And all that has gone before. Love, hugs, good thoughts, and prayers, also, to JenR's SIL's niece and family, after a devastating accident.

Days will serve as chair of the Cluestick Posse this week, and all are invited to saddle up to deliver messages to the deserving. The list of deserving includes, but is not limited to: Blogger; people who think 3:00 a.m. phone calls are a good idea; everyone responsible for end-of-school-year discombobulation; hotel people who think, in this day and age, that wires are the way to deliver the internet goods; lame parents; bad management people; bad insurance people; and all the other meanies of the universe.

Thanks for playing! See you next week!

All Aboard the Whine Train!

Toot Toot! Welcome Aboard, Pixies!

Last week's Style Edition was a lot of fun. Thanks, Liz and everyone who played! Your entries for Style, Old Skool, and Mullet are welcome this week, too, should you wish to indulge.

In anti-whines, my son's birthday was this weekend! He and his lovely girlfriend joined us for a nice Thai dinner last night, and they just hung out all evening. Acting on a tip, we got him an illustrated history of baseball -- this for the kid who really didn't care that much for little league -- and he spent a long time beaming and leafing through it. His actual birthday, he was at the game.

Bitty whine: my favorite clogs have developed a challenging odor problem. I think it may be terminal.

W/AW/W: Angst in the larger family. Think it is ratcheting down. Had to be loving but stern with efforts to ratchet it back up. Isn't this kind of thing exhausting?

What's it like at your station, Pixies?

Awards! Hosted by Sokka, the Haiku-bender

Plentiful Haikus
Flow through Wednesday sweeping
Unhappiness out

Esperanza wins the Most Stylish Single Parent Award

Emily wins the Every Load Has A Silver Clothes Line Award with her paean to Summer chores.

A Nonnie Mouse wins the Weird Al Award for her song to a Greedy Trustee.

Sue wins the And The Pixies Say, "AMEN" Award for her re-telling of Genesis.

Days wins the Couplet Award

Amy, I know of what you whine. And your Haiku apology is a thing of beauty.

I love Days' Ode to A Cluestick and Kathy A.'s Pixie Sunshine

And kudos to the rest of you all dealing with moving, mosquitos, potty training, waiting for news, possible illness, too short dresses (try Nordies?), anxious children, obnoxious alarm clocks, familiar strangers at reunions, plumbing issues, busted and/or misbehaving and/or appropriated computers, and songs you. just. cannot. get. out. of. your. head.

Thank you for your commiseration on my ice-cream-lessness.

Tune in next week when our host will be.......announced!

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