Pages

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Festive Spring Whining

Opening early this week due to the holidays, which frequently offer bonus whines. Easter is tomorrow; I'm not sure if son and his lovely girlfriend will be coming over. If not, my beloved and I have an awful lot of ham...

Perhaps the baskets will entice them. Is there an age at which moms are supposed to stop with the baskets? Do I still have to dye eggs? 'Cause even though everyone likes seeing dyed eggs, nobody eats them. Maybe just a few...

Bring your whines and antiwhines, big and small alike!

~~~~~~~~~~
ETA: eggs! I tried doing something creative with tape and only 2 kinds of food coloring. Maybe I could use some practice on the technique....


44 comments:

KLee said...

My whine for this week is that Spring Break is almost over. I have to go back to work on Monday, and I just don't wanna!

Plus, we're heading to my mother's tomorrow for Easter, and I do not want to hear her bitching about how Obama has completely wrecked the US. We CANNOT talk politics.

purple_kangaroo said...

DH did get in safely, just forgot to let me know. He e-mailed this morning.

kathy a. said...

I'm all in favor of no-politics zones at the festivities.

PK, glad he got there!

kathy a. said...

All I can say about the eggs is, there are no mess-ups in art. And, we'll be having some egg salad these next few days.

Madeleine said...

I love your eggs, kathy a.! Very op-art.

And they should make some lovely egg salad.

emily said...

Lovely eggs, kathy a!

whines: stinkbugs. 'nuff said.

high-falutin' toilet paper holders (look like a "C" clamped to the wall and the toilet paper just rests on the bottom part of the "C")that don't actually hold the toilet paper, resulting in my pulling the roll off the holder, almost every time. (at my BIL'S house where they just redid the bathroom--lovely to look at but, and maybe this is just me, I like to be able to access the toilet paper one-handed.)

esperanza said...

Emily, that tp holder whine is a definite contender for Old Skool. And I wholeheartedly agree.

Pixies, I have another whine about how busy Mr E is. Or maybe it's a whine about me. Or maybe it's a whine about how I think I'm ready to go back to work a little bit. Or, I don't know. All I know is that I'm getting tired of taking care of babies, cleaning house, and cooking all day long. I think I need some friends. I mean, friends that aren't just in the computer, friends that could hold Mini while I shop for some shirts, for instance, friends that could go with us to the zoo (b/c Mr E now has TWO funerals this week, when we had planned to go). You know, pixie friends, only ones that live close to me. Sigh. Feeling whiny and underappreciated, I guess. And he's decided that Mini doesn't like him. Whatever.

I love the eggs, kathy a.!

esperanza said...

Oh, and I'm a little late with this, but my grandmother (you know, take this with a grain of salt--you know how grandmothers are) used to let us dye raw eggs, as many as we wanted. To my knowledge, we never broke one. She used them to cook with and didn't have to eat egg salad for the next month and a half.

Anonymous said...

My whine is that I keep trying to post whines and comments and they keep disappearing into the ether!

Just wanted to say I think the eggs are way cool!

--Neighbor Lady
:)

Sarah at ratatat said...

Emily for Old Skool. I end up throwing off the tp on a friend's holder every time and they claim it never happens to them or their children. How??

KathyA - the eggs are lovely.

Esperanza - major commiseration. I wish I was closer, the lonely with the babies woes gets me.

Anti-whine: the extended family Easter party was overflowing with babies. Luscious adorable babies. I am so glad I am done with worrying about making babies. Now I just get the cooing. And my "baby" is middle of the pack age-wise. It looks like she will end up with 2 girl second cousins to play with.

Whine: Feeling lazy. Not going to get to be lazy.

Liz Miller said...

I love the eggs!

Our eggs came out beautifully, though only one color each. The blue one was the best.

I am TOTALLY dittoing that those c-shaped tp holders should be banned.

My mom always had us dye egg SHELLS after carefully making a hole on each end and blowing the innards out (and then we would make cakes). I think I need to reinstate that.

MM will be having brightly-colored hard-boiled eggs for snack at school all this week instead of an apple.

AW: My boys are back. I can't even begin to tell you how happy that makes me.

kathy a. said...

toilet paper whines! classic!

oh, esperanza. a worthy set of whines, indeed.

yay for sarah and liz's antiwhines!

amy said...

One of my walking friends started an email thread to talk about a fund-raising event we're just beginning to plan. A woman we've invited to be involved asked earlier today when the event is. I replied, "The Sunday after Mother's Day." She just wrote back to ask, "What is the *date*? I don't know when Mother's Day is."

The kicker? We all have small children about the same age. Also? I'm pretty sure it would have taken her less time to google it than to write that response.

I guess my antiwhine is that I managed to act like a grown up long enough to resist posting a link to lmgtfy.com. I guess?

Miranda said...

Amy, ooh, I admire your maturity greatly.

Kathy A, I love the eggs. We didn't do eggs this year on account of teh medical dramaz and the fact that Younger Son is allergic to the ingredients in the egg dyes.

AW: you all taught me I could dye the egg SHELLS and then the dye ingredients won't matter one bit. That sounds much cheaper and easier than wooden eggs which was my next plan.

Esperanza, if I lived closer, I would totally play with Mini and Baboo anytime you needed it. I miss when mine were littles and I still remember the feelings of loneliness that came from watching littles all day and having a spouse work crazy hours. And, in my case, travel frequently.

Sarah and Liz, great anti-whines!!

I took today off of work to help my family get organized for the rest of spring break. It was a good thing. I'm very nearly done with all the things that were put off the last two weeks between Projects of DOOOOM and Teh Medical Dramaz. I am nearly ready to resume 12 hour days.

W: There is no way consecutive 12 hour days doesn't suck.

AW: Anytime I leave after, say, 10 hours feels like an easy day and I am 47 kinds of grateful for it.

AW: Spouse's gall bladder is out and he is doing much better.

W: He still has a variety of chronic GI issues that need to be addressed. Scary things are NOT off the table.

W: We have to make some pretty big lifestyle changes between this and the very tight finances.

W: I don't exactly trust Spouse to do this without some kind of reinforcement.

W: Having a fifth kid is not what I envisioned for this time in my life.

AW: The actual kids 4 have been amazing about adapting to changes.

AW: It is no longer Easter and I no longer have to worry about drop in relatives and last minute cooking.

kathy a. said...

OMfireplacingG, Miranda -- your slow days make me feel faint....

Elizabeth said...

One year I blew the insides out of the eggs and used them to make matzoh meal pancakes. This year we just went to the neighborhood egg hunt and N is enjoying playing with the plastic eggs.

esperanza said...

W: Why am I still so sleepy after 8 solid hours of sleep?

AW: Did you see that? EIGHT solid hours of sleep. Go, Mini, go!!!!

JenR said...

Miranda -
My grandma used to dye eggs by doing the hard-boiling with various colored foods - so for red, boil the eggs with beets. For brown, I believe she used onion peelings (that sounds weird though, doesn't it? I might be wrong). I bet blueberries would make a pretty purple. Carrots for yellow. Now that I think of it, it sounds expensive. But allergy-free, unless you're allergic to eggs :-)

JenR said...

OK - I checked and the onion peel does work. Here's an article (http://kids-holiday-activities.suite101.com/article.cfm/color_easter_eggs_red_with_natural_ingredients).

kathy a. said...

I'm blown away [heh!] by the variety of egg ideas! Those vegetably colors sound like real winners, JenR.

kathy a. said...

AW: the docs, 5 of them, decided the weird thing on my sister's rib is a healing fracture, not metastatic cancer. so she didn't have surgery friday; did have some needle biopsies for just in case, and the rush result came back clean.

W: she did not bother to report the good news until late last night. no idea how it happened, when, why, nada.

Days said...

I can't help the repeat whine: I am so very tired. With all four children in the room, there was a dearth of sleep for Mommy.


Glad to hear that the medical limbo has been (mostly) alleviated.

Sarah at ratatat said...

Kathy - phew. Now that your sister is not facing doom, I'd be a bit ticked that she took so long to share the good news. But I'm often petty :)

Miranda - hugs and support. It sounds like it is going to be a trying time. Hope you get some rest and shorter days.

If you blow out your Easter eggs and then carefully dye them pretty colors (they crack much more often) you can hang them with fishing line on a spring branch and have an Easter tree. My grandmother did this for years (you can even keep the eggs year to year, but what fun is that?) And no, Easter trees don't make any more sense than easter bunnies, but who cares.

Sarah at ratatat said...

And Amy lmgtfy.com is awesome. I bow before you. Learn something nifty every day.

Glad you took the high road in person, but shared the snark with us.

Anonymous said...

Hi Pixies.

I am still here...

Still sad...

Still eating in a way that maximizes sugar cravings and minimizes satiety...

Work is . . . complicated.

I am lonesome.

And it all feels very heavy right now.

Pixies, how do you meet Your People? I have lived here for almost a year, and I spend lots of time with people, but they aren't My People, so I am both overwhelmingly busy and lonesome. Any ideas?

JenR said...

(((redzils))) I wish I had an answer for you.

JenR said...

two nights in a row now - 2:30 am:
MAMA! (then whining) - my mama my mama my mama (repeat even after mama is standing there. Mama picks up monkey) DADDY! my daddy my daddy my daddy (Daddy is sleeping. Daddy give up and come in.) NO! MY MAMA! (note, mama still is holding monkey) DADDY up! (Daddy takes monkey) wah! Mama up! (repeat ... soon becomes clear that mama and daddy are somehow supposed to hold him at the same time).

Repeat similar impossible to please demands such as mama/daddy both rocking him and laying on his bed and laying on his floor and holding him standing up all at the same time. Even harder, laying on our bed and laying on his bed in a completely different room at the same time. This goes on for at least an hour or two. I am exhausted.

He doesn't seem scared, so I don't think it's nightmares (also 2 is too young for nightmares, right? I hope). He doesn't seem like he's in pain, though it's impossible to get him to tell me that. I'm lost on this one.

Liz Miller said...

Two is not too young for nightmares. Try putting him to bed a bit earlier? Blackout curtains? Did you start up the A/C and the noise is waking him?

esperanza said...

Oh JenR, we too have the impossibly contradictory demands (and the incessant mamamamamamamama), only not at night. That's no good.

And ((redzils)). I hear ya.

Sue said...

I'll catch up on the whines more closely later, but for now, definite Old Skool for any whine involving toilet paper.

Kathy a. - beautiful eggs!!!

esperanza - two funerals the week after Easter is just wrong. Bleh. That plus sleep deprivation, double bleh.

Whine: The Call Back. I'm not surprised, but still, it's unsettling. My waffle-iron mammogram week before last was a routine check. The nurse told me not to be too upset should I get a call back for a repeat. She said "It happens all the time. All it means is that the radiologist wants another angle for a better look."

Another nurse (not the same one) called this morning sounding very business-like. Here's what she said: "You need to come in tomorrow (Thursday) at 10:30 for a repeat series of mammograms and 11:00 for a breast ultrasound." There was no question of whether this time worked for me or not. These were the marching orders, period. So I said, "Ok" and that was that.

Extra whine: I know it's a common practice to call patients back, and I'm not supposed to freak out, but on the day of the original mammogram, I told hubby that if I have to go back, it will be for the left breast. When he asked me how I knew that, I said, "I just know - that one always feels different from the other one." Sure enough, tomorrow is Left Breast Day for me. Ugh.

Extra Extra Whine: After my squooshing and ultrasound, I have an appointment with family doc about Teh Headache Beast. All in the same day! Ick. Ick. Ick.

I'm just hoping that the breast screening thing doesn't distract me from my need to wear my cape and use all of my super powers later in the day with family doc.

Anti-whine: I'm off next week to use up a week of study time. Yay!

Extra Anti-whine: Then I work for a week and then.....drum roll....off to visit friends in Dallas!!!!! Yaaaaaaaay!!!!!!

Sue said...

(((((Redzils))))

Sue said...

ARGH!!!!!

Whine: Long whine disappearing into NL's world of intarweb ether. Grrr..

One more time, this time with feeling....

Whine: The Call Back. I had a phone call just after 8:00 this morning from a nurse at the breast screening center. She said: "You have an appointment tomorrow (Thursday) at 10:30 for repeat mammogram and 11:00 for ultrasound."

Um..."Ok, I'll be there."

The first time around (a few weeks ago) the nurse reminded me that call backs are not unusual and generally mean that the radiologist wants a different angle or something was inconclusive.

Whine: Left breast. Same one I had to go back twice for last time - about two years ago.

Whine: I told hubby when I got home from the original one "If they call me back it will be about the left breast. It just always feels different." Sure enough - tomorrow is Left Breast Day.

Whine: Later in the day is my appointment with family doc re: Teh Headache Beast. The last thing I need to do for that appointment is lose focus. I have exactly 4 minutes maximum in which to convince family doc that YES - I still hurt after five years.

Whine: Damn. Where's that cape and those super-powers when I need them?????

((((redzils)))) I hear you. I had a long discussion with my husband the other night about how lonely I feel. I have so few friends who are not part of my congregation (which adds an entirely bizarre twist to the term "friendship") that sometimes I feel so profoundly lonely. I can't download everything onto him, so a lot of my "stuff" - especially since finishing therapy - gets stuck with me, filling my psyche with sad goo. ~sigh~

Anonymous said...

(Sue)--I hate the sad goo! Hugs

JenR--our son had "night terrors" a lot at that age--a little different from nightmares. Night terrors, as best I understand, come from a hitch in transitioning through the sleep cycle. He was never fully conscious or "with it", but still was able to talk and seem to have a conversation--even sometimes could get out of bed--just made no sense at all. Maybe that's what's going on? BTW, they got better as he got older, and also were worse when he was overtired....

Hugs to the pixies....

Redzils---finding Your People can take a LONG time, especially in a new place.....hang in there....If there are hobbies you love, or a religion you claim, those may be places to start?
I find I am finding more all the time, albeit slowly, as my interests change, etc etc.

:) Neighbor Lady

esperanza said...

Sue, not the medical limbo. Ugh.

On another topic: is there any kind of shopping worse than swimsuit shopping?

Sue said...

esperanza - swimsuit shopping *shudders* - definitely whine-worthy.

kathy a. said...

swimsuit shopping is even worse than bra shopping.

((( sue ))) sending hopeful vibes, and a reminder that most things turn out to be nothing big. xoxo also, a cape and some doorstops for the later doc visit.

Days said...

I'm not sure whether bra or bathing suit shopping is worse; they both make me want to bury my face in a DQ sundae.

((Sue))

((redzils))

W: As a favour to my Dad, I spent the morning ferrying my 24 year old brother and his girlfriend around for some appointments on last-minute notice, with two of my kids in tow, in the pouring rain.
They complained about my kids' presence, my driving, my refusal to stop at the liquor store, the wait at their appointments, the lunch spot I picked since my kids needed to eat... the list goes on. Not a word of thanks out of their mouths.
And my brother wonders why I give my time to him so begrudgingly.

I woke up with a headache and all the jaw-clenching of the morning has made it that much worse.

AW: The school has made good on their promise to find a spot for son this term and he starts on Monday. Structure is such a good thing.

Days said...

Bonus whine: It was the first time my brother had met my son.

kathy a. said...

oh, days. teh family angst and dysfunction, it sucks big-time. passing the virtual DQ and or harder stuff, as needed.

Sarah at ratatat said...

Oh Redzils, that's just so sad. I don't quite know how you find Your People. Time, I hope.

JenR - I hope you get some sleep. Poor you and him and your husband.

Sue - I hope all of the doctor visiting went as well as could be hoped. And that the family doc has more solutions for your headaches.

Days -yay on the school front. And boo on brothers. I know they aren't all bad, but they have a special power to make things bad.

amy said...

Days for Mullet, with: "I'm not sure whether bra or bathing suit shopping is worse; they both make me want to bury my face in a DQ sundae."

My whine is small in comparison this week: a friend of mine has asked me and a mutual friend to write the obituary for her grandmother. Her dad asked her to do it, but she's so overwhelmed with grieving (partly because Grandma's not passed yet, though it's imminent) that she can't handle it. She gave us a ton of info, and I managed to put together a partial draft, but I feel sad and worried that it won't be good enough. I want it to be good for our friend, who really needs us right now.

Hugs to redzils. I'm profoundly lonely too. I wish I had a good idea for us, but I'm out. :'(

Sue said...

I agree - Days for mullet. And pass the DQ sundae btw...

So far, the repeat mamm and the ultrasound are both done. The waffle iron has some interesting accessories. Who knew? The tech started pulling out various and sundry bo*b-squashing devices and I thought "Yup, that one's going to hurt."

It did. Ouchie.

I asked the ultrasound tech if she could see anything unusual (she took about 50 still shots - thank you Mr. DeMille, I've had my close ups now). She said she wasn't allowed to tell me anything. So - I wait.

And eat ice-cream....

Days - sorry about the family stuff. Ick.

Liz Miller said...

HUGS to you.

This has to be quick since I have much work to do:

AW: went home for lunch (spicy ginger peanut chicken. mmmmmm)

W: Got some sauce on my white shirt.

AW: I was at home! I changed my shirt zip zap.

Madeleine said...

amy, that is a sad and serious responsibility, and it sounds like you are handling it well. Your friend or her dad will probably make changes, but having your text to start with will make it much easier, even if they end up changing every sentence. So don't worry about perfection -- that's a very good thing you are doing.