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Monday, February 28, 2011

[Redacted] Whining

At 9:45 pm last night, the phone rang. It was [relative], asking Mr. E and I for [extremely burdensome favor]. [Extremely burdensome favor] involves extra child(ren) in our household for an undetermined amount of time. It is due to [extremely complicated and only tangentially related legal issue]. Extra child #1 is 10, female, [a relative], and has [comparatively minor problems]. Extra child #2 is 10, male, unrelated, and likely has, due to no fault of his own [major, possibly dangerous issues].

Sigh. This was supposedly only a "you are one of several possibilities that we are exploring" phone call. I said yes to child #1 and absolutely not to child #2. My compassion for child #2 is limited when he poses a possible danger to my own baboos.

[Possible] arrival of child #1 would be next week sometime, just before the Baboos and I are scheduled to go to completely different relatives' house. We are leaving our house because the kitchen is getting a minor overhaul, and we would be without kitchen services for about a week and half. Yeah. Fun timing.

So, pixies, what are your whines? Redact them if necessary--it's kind of fun. Like Mad Libs. (she tries to convince herself).

I hope to be able to post an update saying this was much ado about nothing. That is often the case with [late-night phone calling relative].

Friday, February 25, 2011

Mishigas Edition



This week's awards are brought to you by all the craziness in the universe. Hat tip to our own Liz, translating from yiddish, which has some claims on kvetching, but the language of the whine-o-sphere continues to evolve.

Case in point is this week's winner of the coveted Elevated Risk of Mullet Award, Amy, weighing in with this gem: "On the one hand, I have a clean tub now. On the other, it was because Tater pooked in the bath." Experienced Pixie linguists will know the distinction between pook and bark, and be clutching their bleach bottles in solidarity. (At least metaphorically; that stuff wrecks clothes, and dog knows, we do not need the stress of shopping right now.)

Esperanza sweeps the field with her submission for the Old Skool Award, a multi-part tale of laundry left in the wrong place, which ended up not passing the "definitely clean" test, and therefore became yet another load. Even if in retrospect, it might have been clean. Have we not all been there?

Busy Busy Award to JenR, reporting when she "only" had 3 more meetings AND a toddler birthday party. Makes us tired, just thinking of that!

Marital Questions Awards to those unnamed Pixies who questioned whether somebody might be replaced with somebody with different skills, and then decided it wasn't worth it.

There is stiff competition in the Anti-Whine category. Trophies to: Esperanza, whose Mini-Baboo giggles like crazy on the swings! Liz, who had a PJ snow day with her son! Neighbor Lady, who was having a great vacation week with board games! Sue, whose niece is back from duty in Afghanistan!

The Comfort Food of the Week Award goes to Neighbor Lady, whose fresh-baked bread has us all drooling. Yum!

Big Things Count Award to Sue, for being there when a family she has known her entire life is suffering loss.

Hugs to all, and hope everybody's feeling better! And I will send along the virtual thin mints when my order comes in tomorrow. See you next week, when the fabulous Esperanza will host!

Monday, February 21, 2011

Look at the time...

... it's a new week already! This year is just zipping along.

Back today from a wonderful conference! Great sessions, fired me up, and I got to see a gerbillion colleagues and friends. This is my annual fix; don't see my people much, working at the home office.

And also, great dinner with my fabulous aunt! Pixies, she had tales of cyber-dating at age 72, and nailing losers via her own investigation. My aunt rocks! but I have to admit it is a little weird to hear some things. We were on more familiar ground updating about relatives, etc.

Little whine: sheesh, do I have a lot of work to do this year. Nothing like hearing from your smartest friends about all these great ideas.

W: rain. AW: rainbows!

What's new in your world?

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Awards from the House of Germs

A Heart-shaped Boston Crème Donut to every Pixie! Happy (belated) Valentines.

It was a long week around here before the stomach bug hit and it has only gotten longer since, so these are going to be short and insufficient awards.

Pixie love to Anontoday, as s/he sets and enforces the boundaries of hir home.

kathy a. gets the Old Skool Award for her “affliction of a personal nature caused by antibiotics. “

The Creepy Creepazoid Award to the boss’s boss’s boss who sent his secretary to hand pink roses out to the women...and ONLY the women...in liz’s office.

Neighbor Lady gets the Traveling Star for her “lovely visit with mother in law this weekend in a place that was warm enough for no coat.”

Esperanza gets the Carpe Momentum Award for her anti-whine/whine combo:
AW: the Baboos played together, happily, for over an hour last night.
W: today, not so much.

Sarah at ratatat has our sympathy for her recurring whine: “VDay is my son's birthday. I can't strike the right personal balance between celebrating his birthday and celebrating Valentine's Day, a day which I halfheartedly celebrate, at best.” Happy birthday, son!

Another Old Skool Award to JenR, who “spent the whole day thinking it was Thursday. Now I have an 'extra' day to deal with tomorrow.”

Sue gets the Bats in the Belfry Award for her close encounter of the shadowy kind:
“W: I was reading in the bedroom just now, and I could have *sworn* I saw something black flying by me in my peripheral vision. I went running out of the room, shut the door behind me, and told hubby that there was a bat in his bathroom (the ensuite is his).
Double Whine: No bat. Except the ones in my belfry.”

kathy a will be our hostess next week. See you all then!

Sunday, February 13, 2011

My Whiny Valentine...

Happy Valentine's Day, pixies.

W: For us single women living alone with the furry pet of our choice, this can be an awkward holiday. People want to tell me about their romantic plans and recoil when I tell them I will spend the evening at a committee meeting where the big treat will be my nomination as (W!W!W!) the corresponding secretary.

AW: Cheap chocolate, on the 15th.

W: Committee meetings. Robert's Rules of Order.

AW: Refreshments! And this month's meeting is near my house.

How is your week going? Any good holiday stories or refreshment stories to share?

Friday, February 11, 2011

Fuzzy Headed Awards Ceremony

I'm on the upswing, I think, but evidence (some seriously dorked-up laundry this afternoon) shows that my brain is still being crowded by way too much snot. So here are the awards; I hope they make sense. (Thank you for the helpful nominations)

The Week of Risque Award to Liz, for not only posing naked for the famous jo(e)'s blog (really, nice photo, Liz), but also introducing the phrase ni**le hair to WW (I'm a little worried about googlers--if I'm being too cautious, just let me know and I'll fix it). All this excitement, despite strep throat, and Aunt Flo--we are impressed.

The Week of Bravery Award to Sarah @ Ratatat for the tremble-inducing "only 7 or 8 boys" invited to her son's birthday party this week. (Happy birthday, dear Sarah's son, be nice to your mommy).

The Week of Too Many Medical Procedures to kathy a., who has been poked, prodded, and otherwise manipulated, all in the name of preventative care. Fingers are crossed for uneventful results, kathy a.

The Jesus Would Be Barking About Border Crossings Like That Award to Sue, whose (heavenly, wonderful, relaxing) introverted vacation plans flummoxed the agent. Jesus would also be barking about mornings and all morning-related whines, I'm convinced, Sue.

Old Skool Award, by popular demand to a deserving Sarah @ Ratatat, for the battery-requiring mouse. Who knew? Mice should change their own batteries, I say.

Elevated Risk of Mullet Award. Sigh, this was difficult this week. Liz was pretty deserving, but the award goes to...kathy a., who made me giggle with this gem: "don't want to stretch the lip stitches, so I clamp those sends of my lips together and do this chuckle/snort thing, which I'm sure is very attractive and has caused only minor swelling" Sorry to be so mean as to laugh at your disfigurement, but that was a darn funny image.

Get Well Soon to JenR, Liz, Neighbor Boy, and stair-tumbling amy.

Antiwhine of the Week to amy's tot, for her unprecedented weight gain and introduction to the new pediatrician. May this be the beginning of things looking up!

Tune in next week, when redzils will host another whining extravaganza.

Monday, February 7, 2011

A Whine Re-run

A whine post in which I try to think of some new whines:

* The Baboos have runny noses. Wait, you've heard that before.
* Mr. E is working way too many hours. Oh, that one too.
* I try to let Mr. E get some sleep and the tag-teaming Baboos have bad nights. That one too, huh?
* My inner introvert is overwhelmed, leading to bad sleeping on my part. Whew, this is harder than I thought.
* The church-owned house is blessing and curse, all on the same day. I've told you that already too?

What's happening new with you, pixies? Around here, it's the same ol' same ol'.

Oh, Pixies, what a week!

A Mutual Whine Award to Liz: I missed our hypothetical lunch too, and think work should stop being so darn worklike, when it interferes with Pixie Socializing.

esperanza gets the Words of Wisdom Award, for her house guest summary: “Nice to have them here, nice to have them go.”

Sarah gets The Lexicon Award for her fabulous new typo, “the bureacrazy. “ Thanks for recognizing its serendipitious perfection and sharing it with us, rather than hitting backspace.

I am jealous of kathy a and her mystery book manuscript, Sue’s spa days, and the snow that y’all are getting south of here (everybody is south of here, unless they live above the Arctic Circle).

Liz, we hope The Coffee Machine At The End of the Universe starts producing something drinkable soon. Have you tried negotiating with it like the sentient being Douglas Adams would tell you it is?

Beware the cold germs and cold weather! Beware leaky roofs and endless snow!

Hooray for adorable winter hats getting a chance to come out in the south, new snow blowers, birthday cake, and picnic dinners. Hooray for the Menopause Fairy making a much anticipated house call!

amy’s recognition that “Women's fancy pants have too many fasteners. Last night, I nearly peed my pants because my black dress pants have four (4!) fasteners to open*, and when you are standing in the bathroom doing the pee-pee dance, your ability to focus and get those fasteners open quickly? Not so much.
*To open my dress pants, I must unbutton a button, unclip a clip, unzip a zipper, and unbutton another button (on the inside)”
makes her this week’s lucky Elevated Risk of Mullet recipient, and my soul sister. I mean, really? Are my slacks four times more likely to fall down than jeans? I am not convinced.

May this next week be filled with watertight roofs, cupcakes, and sunshine for us all.