Double Digits

Passing the cake!  Today I've achieved an age that I once thought impossible.  Am considering getting that AARP card (those people have been hounding me for years already, but I'm old enough now for some of those senior discounts).  How did that happen?

The Old Skool Award goes to Liz, whose handy packrat tendencies allowed her to rebut someone's accusation, but alas, her stapler disappeared in the paper mountain.

JenR earned the Style Award, for this poetic submission:  "Posting from a phone ... So short and error prone..."  Sending many hugs and good wishes for the baby's surgery.

Best Anti-Whine Award goes to Sue, for a clean bill of health and the miraculous near-disappearance of the headache monster!

The All-Powerful Queen of the Thermostat Award goes to Esperanza, whose hubby has been out of town.   

Liz wins the Dance Party Award, for this amazing video.  Thanks!

Esperanza wins the What Makes Her Tick Award, for discovering that when Sweet gets overloaded, quiet time in her room is not a punishment.  Still an effective remedy, and all the better because it's more of a carrot than a stick.  And Bonus!  Sweet did great with her OT eval!

Cluesticks to those people who are not buying JenR's condo, the jerk driver who almost caused an accident but for Esperanza's intervention, the dude who accused Liz of misquoting, and all the other annoying people and circumstances that afflict us.

Hooray and ponies!!!! for renewed friendships, same-age kids,  time off work, summer activities, lists and the people who love them, a good night's sleep, and old friends.  (HA!  Now I can be your "old" friend!)


P.S. -- Using advanced techniques (begging my daughter to tell her father), I got exactly what I wanted for my birthday.  You'd better sit down, because it is awfully romantic.  That's right -- a vacuum that weighs less than 300 lbs. and doesn't sound like a dying jet engine! 

Luck, Luck, Luck

Focusing on the Anti-Whines this week!

Work trip out of town this weekend was a bit unsettled and we embarked expecting the worst, but everything fell into place and went smoothly, and I got to go home early with a bag full of mission accomplished.  How often does that happen?

Got to have dinner with my favorite aunt-in-law.  She's been ill, but they diagnosed finally and now she is better!  And we had good restaurant karma -- 1.5 hour waits (!!!) at all the restaurants in this area she took me to, but we scored end seats at the bar within minutes, ate well, and had a good catching up in a reasonably quiet corner.

Did not need the Software To Resolve Family Angst after all, due to the previously undiscovered Miracle of Re-Booting.  The clerk said software is not returnable.  Got to return it anyway; she gave up when I quietly pointed out it was in original packaging and started reading the receipt for that particular fine print.  She issued a stern warning for the future, to preserve her integrity.  :)

What is happening up your way?

Still With the Technical Difficulties Awards Show

No, not my technical difficulties this time. Hugs and sympathy to kathy a. on the occasion of her computer woes. Additional hugs to her fix-it men who were unable to fulfill their self-imposed duties. And a Style Award also, for somehow making the whine-able into anti-whines.

At Least There's Progress Awards to hard-working kathy a and the Big Thing, and Sarah at ratatat for the completion of "stage 1,046."

The She Needs Her Own Network Award to liz, for her fantastic and thorough news coverage. Rules for this new network will include ample vacation time, of course.

Elevated Risk of Mullet goes to Amy. Though she did not write this gem, she did point us in its direction. It's worth repeating the giggle

Kudos to Sue's hubby, who helps protect Sue's sabbatical time (aka, I'm not doing even your funeral time).

Hugs to Sarah at ratatat, for floating unbloggable crap and being a grown-up. Blech, but good in the long run.

Onward, pixies, to next week, when....someone....will be sure to step up and host.

Technical Difficulties Whining

Gasp! Our internet went out yesterday, and I was away from the interwebs for 24 hours! Eek! How to post a whine?

AW: Hubby fixed it
W: I couldn't
Further W: It took a while, a frustrating while

There's more whines at the esperanza household, involving: ever-nuttier brother-in-law, too much scheduling, not enough scheduling, too many phone calls and more. But I'll spare you the details.

What's happening out there, pixies?

Early Summer Edition

Passing the hypoallergenic sunscreen, the mild yet effective pain meds, gardening mojo, a selection of delicious snacks, and beverages with little festive umbrellas.


Sue wins the Urban Farmer Award for her budding patio herb garden!  We look forward to garnishing future virtual Pixie platters with the bounty.

The Good Day, Sunshine Award goes to Esperanza and the Baboos, who had a great time at the beach, and all escaped without the traditional sunburn.  Woot woot woot!

The No Future As A Drug Addict Award  goes to Sarah, who got the really good stuff before the root canal, and was still kinda woozy-like the next day.  Sarah also wins the Dental Spittoon of Glory Trophy, for enduring an unhappy dental visit, a root canal, and the news that Round 2 of the root canal is scheduled for next week. Dental whines are always winners in my book.

Esperanza wins that summertime favorite, the When Does School Start Again? Award, for trying to get some kind of routine going that includes downtime.  Meanwhile, she wins the Mermaid Award for swim lessons with the Baboos, which is totally awesome, makes Sweet giggle a lot, and should wear everybody out enough for quieter times later.

The Product of the Week is Adult Gummie Vitamins, which we never heard of but are strongly endorsed by trusted Pixies, and maybe that would get me to take vitamins. 

Hugs, sappy movies, and chocolate to those with sorrows.  Cludsticks to those causing unbloggable whines, and to the snakes.  Let's all go forth and do good, Pixies.  See ya next time.

June Bugs

It's a glorious day outside -- sunny, not too hot yet.  I'm chained to my fireplacing desk again.  Still.

The Giant Project is lurching forward.  It's at about that point in the process where I start dreaming about it, and wake up at 5:30 to go work on something.  Where I can cross 4 things off the list in a burst of accomplishment, YAY! -- but the list is still a mile long.

The top layer of papers on the desk is a little wrinkly.  Daughter was watering outside yesterday, and I guess she didn't realize my office window was open.  Oh, well; just a sprinkle.  With all the feline office assistance, I know better than to keep anything really important sitting around in the open.

The AW, of course, is that daughter's trying to be more helpful.  She even grocery-shopped yesterday!  We went to the movies on Saturday, at this great local art-deco theater with tables, comfy chairs, and decent food that they serve in the theater when it is ready.  Popcorn is served in metal bowls.  Rescued me from the fireplacing desk!


My beloved seems to be having a good time on his habitat-for-humanity type overseas trip.  He just sent a photo of a large friendly dog he met.  Beloved is a dog magnet in the same way I am a cat magnet.  We raised our kids bi-special (is that a word?).  Anyway, send him halfway around the world, and he will take photos of dogs. 

Featured annoyance of the week:  robocallers who are overly concerned about my mortgage, utility bills, car warranty, or credit cards.

What's bugging or not bugging you?

Awards on a Friday

Sarah at ratatat wins the Playdough Violin for the constant, teeth clenching annoyingnesses. Pixie sympathy to you (yoga should be zen!), and cluesticks to those who cross you, Sarah.

The Miracle of Life Award is presented to kathy a, celebrating the anniversary of her oldest’s birth! Her story of “trying to finish up one last case before maternity leave, [while] the judge kept calling all the private lawyers so as not to waste their time [and I was] timing contractions” was hysterical. Retrospective Pixie Blessings for her friend – “who was also heavily pregnant at the time – waddl[ing] on up to the bench and [saying], ‘your honor, if you do not call kathy's case, you are going to witness the miracle of life right here in your courtroom.’"

Pixie celebrations for Sue, who doesn’t have a headache. May it last forever!

Bon Voyage to kathy a’s Beloved, who is doing great things “out of radar for your major flight tracking” and Daughter, who is braving unfamiliar roads as she considers a new career.

Esperanza wins Old Skool this week, for the Logic Model Problem of accessing early intervention services. May your driving hither and yon be swift.

The Cluestick Posse is saddling up to visit noisy gum chewers, and those seeking karmic retribution via a nasty version of the telephone game and hearsay and gossip and hurtfulness. 

See you all next week, when To Be Announced will be hosting!

Moving Whines and Anti-whines

Hi Pixies!

I hope you are enjoying summertime delights. Up here in the frozen north, I was delighted it cracked 60 degrees F yesterday - just about time to run through the sprinkler!

I've moved to a new place (AW), but it wasn't quite finished... (W). It's been an adventure - our very own liz gave me the brilliant idea to "think of it as indoor camping." So far, it seems like a very nice campsite!

How are things in your world?