Wednesday Whining: I have a friend who has everything, including terminal cancer, so I made him chocolates edition

Those of you for whom I have addresses will be getting chocolates, too. If you'd like to ensure the receipt of chocolate please send me your address  (liz (at) millerhousehold (dot) com)

I don't know how I'm gonna get through tomorrow's talk at my friend's progressive group. He and his wife are two of the biggest reasons I came so close to winning last year. Their belief in me made me go beyond the messaging campaign that was all I thought I had the resources for.

Other than that, things are swell here. My family is healthy. Christmas and Hanukkah are coming.

What is up with you folks?

Awards! At least you don't have a Lego up your nose edition

Esperanza gets the Wisdom of the Ages Award for "If he's looking at your shoes instead of your face, he's not the one." Quoted for truth, friends. Quoted for truth.

Sarah gets the Back on the Horse Award for going on a date! And liking the movie! The company wasn't a winner, but enjoying parts of going out again after trauma is a really Good Thing.

Kathy A. gets the My Beloved Cleaned Out the Garage in Time for My Son to Fill it With Not One But Two Inoperable Cars Award. I don't know if there's a can big enough for that.

Kathy A. also wins the Style Award for her formatting woes. It ain't poetry, but anytime you have to deal with Word's formatting hell, is a time you need a style award.

Sue gets kudos for letting us know of a good series!

Neighbor Lady brought the dark chocolate with sea salt this week, so she gets the drool-covered keyboard.

Hugs to everybody who is having a hard time with the national news this week. Watch the Olympics, it sure makes me feel better.

No prizes this week. No time. Sorry

Thank you for coming! Sorry I was a poor hostess! Feel free to give awards yourselves in the comments!

Awards! I shouldn't have worn my flannel-lined jeans to the parade edition

Started out as a good idea, but was soon soaked in leg sweat. Ewww. However, our float ROCKED and our crew was both much larger and more enthusiastic than the incumbant's. I ran around doing my DQ schtick and MM smiled and waved.


On to the awards!
Jenevieve gets a special award all her own for dispensing long-distance veterinary advice as needed. Vednesday Vet? YOU ROCK.

Esperanza wins a case of DEET for her Sweet Baboo's adventures in Mosquito Land.

Madeleine wins the Kanye West Award for having to listen to a "mushy pop love song on eternal repeat"

Elizabeth wins the How Do You Spell Relief? L-I-V-E-R-T-R-A-N-S-P-L-A-N-T Award. We're so glad that your mom is recovering!

The Cluestick Posse is being sent out to Purple_Kangaroo's daughter's therapist who has had a massive case of Epic Fail. Also, P_K's dog was sick and is now on the mend, see Jenevieve's award, above. Also her church and her family are totally inspiring.

Sending love and supportive thoughts to Sue's sister.

Sending earplugs to the many of you who host band practice. You are better spouses and parents than I am.

Sending resounding cheers to KLee for her aunt's recovery! YAY!

Best Anti-whine Award goes to Esperanza:

"Antiwhine from me today: Went outside to find sprinkler that was not working, water gushing across driveway. Antiwhine? Yes. Because Sweet Baboo said, "ater! ater! and tromped through it leaving sweet little footprints across the driveway." Two things she couldn't do six weeks ago. I am so thankful for her recent progress. And her birthday is tomorrow!"

Sending a case of Elmer's Glue-All to DebAngel (who brings the bodily fluids this week) to fasten her butt to the couch. Listen up, still gestating baby! YOU STAY RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE FOR ANOTHER TWELVE WEEKS! You hear? And Deb, no more bodily fluids until 38 weeks, okay?

Amy, buy the food and don't feel guilty.

P_K's NLASS gets the Elevated Risk of Mullet this week for mishearing "This is (Name), (Baby Name)'s dad". Wow.

Hugs for those with financial, familial, professional, and other woes. KLee, hugs for your co-worker. Margalit, thinking of your family.

That's it. See you all next week! And Oh! BTW! We had more postings this week than any since the first week we went up here (h/t Kathy A.)! Mwah!!!

Awards - FIRED UP edition

This is where I was yesterday.




Pretty cool, no?

Kathy A. gets the Get 'Er Done Award for organizing and completing a loving quilt in less than a week. We are all thinking of your friend and your step-father and you in this hard time. And sending out a pickle posse for a hard-hearted Hannah (or Herbert) who said, "no, i think i'll pass." What a douche-bag.

KLee gets the time-honored Trouble With Telephones and Teen-agers award for her daughter's texting WHILE BEING YELLED AT FOR TEXTING! I work for a phone company and even I say, hide the fireplacing thing in the back of the cleaning cupboard. She'll never look there. Bright side? Not "sexting", yes?

Madeleine gets Elevated Risk of Mullet for "Wow, the suckitude is starting early this week." and for "KLee, I'm guessing that the lack of sleep from being up texting at 2 am is not helping her stress levels much. Maybe she'll be more reasonable when she's caught up on her beauty sleep? Or in 10 years, which ever comes first."

Esperanza wins Whine of Substance this week for being told not to lift her not-yet-walking Sweet Baboo for fear of "straining". Sending step-stools and stool softeners.

Sue wins Style for her two-word whine: "Barfeh Kitteh"

Sarah at Ratatat wins the Yes! That! Award for "My whine is that I'm feeling whiny."

Amy wins the "And we shall call it... the WHEEL..." award (ht to Elizabeth) for her marvelous invention.

Hugs and love to all you with kid whines, tooth whines, toe whines, money whines, bra whines (go up a bra band and down a cup or up a cup and down a bra band! And go to a good bra store), and too-far-away-from-loved-ones whines.

Night all!

Awards!!! Tour de Gelato Edition

I'm sorry this is so tardy, folks. I've had a feverish kid wallpapered to me.

First and foremost, happy birthday Sue! May your fiftieth year be a sweet one. And may I congratulate you on your bravery in getting another tattoo to commemorate the occasion? And, while I'm at it, here is your gold medal for the funeral triathalon (ht Kathy A)

Sarah at Ratatat wins the Style award for "my allergies are draining the life out of me. And like a bad horror movie, I am afraid it is coming from inside the house."

Kathy A. wins the office-space frontierswoman (ht amy) award for "i'm losing the battle of desk territory with senior cat. a couple days ago, i was gaining ground when i discovered she doesn't like post-its stuck to her. but she has conquered that obstruction to her divine right to sit on my work. also, my office floor looks like the aftermath of a confetti convention."

Sue wins Elevated Risk of Mullet for "Our yoga instructor is expecting also and she keeps leaving us in impossible poses for a VERY long time while she delicately exits to do Teh Puke."

Esperanza wins the Old Skool award for her baboo's whine "An Old Skool whine on behalf of the Baboo: I inherited my da-da's butt. It is flat. These cute capris are sliding off my butt and taking my diaper with them." My coffee met my keyboard, I must admit.
Madeleine gets a Mystery of the Week award for her Case of the Vanishing Dufflebag. I'm guessing it went home with someone else.

Elizabeth wins the No Vacations From Presentations award. Seven within three weeks! Yipes!

Name Under Development wins the I Was Promised Moving Fairies award. I do hope that they arrive quickly.

The Cluestick Posse is being sent out to whale on amy's mom. I'm just gonna say that I saw red when I saw what she wrote to amy, and when I see red, the cluestick comes out swinging. Amy, MM also had an accident (or three) while watching PTwBitBBH. And can I recommend spinach noodles with pesto sauce mixed with Gerber creamed spinach for Tater's gustatory enjoyment?

Madeleine wins the Remembering What It's All About award, for the squashage.

KLee slid in under the wire to win the Bringing The Bodily Fluids award. I'm so sorry about your migraines, I truly hope you feel better, and that these particular priceless memories will fade.

Sue, I think a Finding Nemo sermon would be fun to listen to. Perhaps this year, you can use Up instead?

And that's all I have today, folks. Tune in next week when your host will be Kathy A!

The ice cream edition!

This Wednesday Whining is brought to you from the southern coast, by a redzils who grew up much, much further north. The humidity is 50%, the temperatures are in the high 80s, and I feel like an icecream cone - I am melting.....

My anti-whine? Even though I wasn't signed up in advance, Miranda is letting me host my Very! First! Wednesday! Whine! Thanks, Miranda!

What are your whines, pixies? Any good anti-whines to cancel them out?

Anticipatory ice cream all around!

The first award

Since Phantom won't give herself an award, I will:

The BB-inspired "Lonely for Dat" award goes to Phantom Scribbler herself, for showing us all how to make a thoughtful and gracious transition from something we know we loved to something we hope we still will. This award comes with an actual, real-world bonus of free Thursday mornings and quiet Wednesday inboxes.

Yasher koach, friend.

--S.

(Edited: Ha! I even put the graphic on. Just like home if it weren't so big and pixillated. Suggestions on tweaking?) [Edited: Happier with that? --Scriv] (edited: kudos to S. for posting the graphic, and scriv for advanced tweaking skills! -- kathy a.)(Edited: whaddaya know? This group blog thing might work! --s.)