Before you know it, you're the crazy cat lady in the scary house

It's Snowing

November 29, 2004 ... 3:26 p.m.

Ernie: “Where the hell does NBC get off showing It’s A Wonderful Life in NOVEMBER???”

I was flipping through the channels the other night and landed on Top Gun during the bar scene ... you know, the bar scene ...

Maverick: “...She's lost that loving feeling.”
Goose: “She's lost ... no she hasn't.”
Maverick: “Yes she has.”
Goose: “She has not lost that lovin' ...”
Maverick: “Goose, she's lost it.”
Goose: “I hate it when she does that...”

And then Tom Cruise does his horrible Bill Medley impersonation.

Anyway, I remembered a really dreary day in December back when I was a junior in high school. I think we had had nearly three full weeks of gray, sun-less, rainy weather and the entire school seemed depressed and just trudged from one classroom to another. My History class had just gotten out and my friend, Dan, and I were exiting the room. We were just about to get our mope on when Dan suddenly. and loudly, sang “You never close your eyes anymore when I kiss your lips ...” I joined in, several classmates joined in and, in a matter of seconds, we had 1,000+ kids (first AND second floors!), freshmen to seniors, singing “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ , complete with “dum da dum da dum da dum dum dum”. You know the part I mean.

Teachers were going into the halls, some were singing along and some were just watching us like we were freaks.

Good times, good times.

Mom, Bootsie and I took Grandma out shopping last Wednesday. Aw ... my grandma is so cute. She is! She’s like a wee little turtle. Leave me alone -- I adore my grandparents. Anyway, we went out to Coral Ridge Mall and I was bitterly disappointed as they no longer have a Discovery Kids Store. Grandma wanted to get a new coat.

Because she only had 3 others.

We first went in to Younkers, where she immediately found a periwinkle moleskin coat that she bought. Mom secretly bought her some scarves that match to give her on Christmas. My sister had Grandma try on this gorgeous powder blue cashmere sweater and then bought it for a Christmas present. Now, most people would know Bootsie had done that. Remember how oblivious I am? I get that directly from my Grandma.

I bought a long sleeved striped top, an argyle sweater vest (cream, navy, orange and lime) and a ľ sleeved lime green collared shirt. They’re all Tommy. And, yes, I love orange and lime green. And, yes, I look smashing in them.

I cannot remember what prompted ... oh, yes I do. As we were leaving the store, Mom pointed out a cowl necked sweater to me. I love cowl necks and, really, anything “retro” or “vintage” or, as my sister says, if you look at a piece of clothing and the lyric “Look at me, I’m Sandra Dee” pops into your head. Mine.

So, she pointed one sweater out and, suddenly it was as if a curtain had been lifted. Retro everywhere! I bought a cream colored sweater with a small silver ring in the collar and I bought a cream and black sweater with black waistband, wrists, bow and folded cowl neck. I also got that one in pink.

I know that’s not a good description, but it’s the best I can do.

And then we went to ... um ... some other store and they were playing Christmas tunes. I then proceeded to embarrass my sister by singing along with Eartha Kitt’s “Santa Baby”. Loudly. After that, I sang along to ELVIS’ “Santa Bring My Baby Back To Me” AND “Blue Christmas”. Loudly. And I danced.

We ate at Country Buffet or something like that and, while their ‘buffet’ left much to be desired, their musical selection did not. Ah, I love me some oldies. But I managed to further embarrass my sister when a few of her coworkers stopped by our table to talk to her. I was half listening to them and half wondering what I would watch that night as “Lost” wasn’t on because Bachelor Byron made his choice. I guess. Did he? I don’t watch that show because, please, if a guy needs to work his way through 30 women in a month before he “decides” on me? He is stupid and I do not want him. Also, give me a flower? My ass! I am not going to grovel for the attention of a man. I already have a finicky damn cat, thank you very much. And they’re going to kill off a main character on “Lost” by season’s end and please please please be Kate. Hate her.

Anyway, I wasn’t really paying attention and the speakers started playing “Groovy Kind Of Love”. One of the coworkers said “Who is this? Phil Collins sings this!”

Phil Collins.

I said “It’s Wayne Fontana. And the Mindbenders.” And my sister was horrified because, really, why should a 27-year-old know that?

Seriously. Can you name two of their songs off the top of your head?

“Groovy Kind Of Love”
“Game Of Love”

I’m sick, just sick.

We had Thanksgiving at my uncle’s cabin. Okay, I admit it -- I love my family. They’re insane and irritating as hell and a good quarter of them are life-sucking hypochondriacs, but I love them.

There were 18 of us. We ran out of rolls, stuffing, potatoes, gravy, corn and turkey. But we had 4 pumpkin pies, 2 apple pies, 1 Mud pie, pumpkin bars, cherry bars, lemon bars and pumpkin cheese cake. We may not have real food, but we’ll be damned if we’ll even get low on dessert. Abbi and Michaela were adorable as always. JD was a brat as usual. At one point, he tried to open the front door. I told him “no” three times as neither parent was, you know, parenting. I turned to give Abbi a book and he got outside before I could grab him. Instead of scolding her son, Ivy to me to task for not stopping him.

First? NOT my kid.
Second? Teach your kid to mind.

And then she gave me A Look and sneered that “when [I] have kids ... I forgot, this is [me] I’m talking about ... maybe if your sister has kids ...”

Gah. Just ... gah.

I went to my back doctor to see if I needed more surgery on my back. I do not (yet). Apparently, though, my pain is being caused by arthritis and bone spurs in/on two vertebrae. For the next six weeks, I have to take an anti-inflammatory twice a day and ice my hip/back 4 times a day for 20 minutes each time. If nothing changes for the better, he’ll try an epidural.

Great. Ivy’ll love that. An epidural without the kid.

And if that doesn’t work, we’ll have to talk about going in and surgically cleaning the arthritis out.

My life just gets better and better.

Currently Reading: Six Questions of Socrates by Christopher Phillips

Listening To: oldies
...put your glad rags on and join me, hon...

Have a happy day!

7 ... 8