Monday, October 27, 2008

The Great Sour Cream Collection

I got brave today and decided to clean out the fridge. I seem to have some sort of issue with sour cream. I pulled out 7 containers of sour cream. They ranged from nearly empty to never opened and dated back to August. I threw the lot of them away, but really, what was I thinking? That every time I go to the grocery store, I must buy sour cream? It's not like I use it every day.

There is a reason I take crazy pills, you know.

Friday, October 24, 2008

Bases Covered

We stopped at our local CVS this evening for wine (for me) and beer (for Martin). In the booze aisle, in hanging displays, they had hangover pills, breath mints, and decks of cards. Martin pointed them out to me and I said, "Wow, only other thing they need is some condoms."

A few steps away, in front of another wine display, was a rack of condoms.

Friday, October 17, 2008

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Happy Birthday, Mary

Today would have been my Mom's 82nd birthday. She was born in 1926 and died in 1999.
When I was teasing my mom, or trying to piss her off, I'd call her Mary or Bloody Mary. My Mom was teeny tiny and feisty. She had that bright red hair you know. She used to tell me when in her younger days, construction workers or cops or guys in general would yell, "Hey Red, what color is your hair?" she would yell back, "Green, you color blind son of a bitch!" You have to understand, she was 97 pounds soaking wet with heels on and a big purse at that point. She used to call me Lisa B to piss me off or tease me. And yeah, it does creep me the hell out that Patsy Ramsey used to call JonBenet JonnieB.

Her favorite cocktail was a gin & tonic, so tonight Mary, I raise my glass and remember you.

I miss her, every single day. I miss the goofy things we used to laugh over, trading books, our fights over my hair. (According to my mother, I had approximately two good hair days in my life.) I miss our movie dates and going shopping because she was a bit of a control freak with personal belongings and how the house looked and man, one ratty towel in my bathroom and the bathroom was getting new towels, shower curtain, etc. She used to take me to Meijer's for this because she told me I didn't take good enough care of my linens to deserve nicer ones. I thought the Meijer's towels were just fine. I miss her gasps when I was driving. These gasps could range from her finding a stick of gum in her purse to seeing a girl wearing a tacky outfit or too short skirt to a UPS truck almost creaming me.

Mostly, I miss getting to see Mary watch her grandchildren grow up. She loved Dexter so much. She would have been over the moon with Mia. I miss her seeing my friends all grown up with children. She always welcomed my friends and liked them.

Mary did a good job with me. I know it must have been hard, her own mother died when she was a young teen. Mary had some really tough years and it could have hardened her or she could have chosen a path of destruction. Instead she decided that the only person she could depend on was herself and she was going to make what she wanted happen.

She got a couple breaks because she worked her ass off to make her goals attainable and sometimes, there are good people in the world who reward that sort of thing. Mary always told me, "If you have a strong back and can work hard, no matter what, you can survive." My dad, alternatively, told me I should learn to play golf and cards, so I wasn't lonely when I got old.
Mary made me strong without being bitter and taught me the right way to dress and set a table and be a good hostess and how important it is to have an education and job skills.

Happy 82nd anniversary of my Mom's Natal Day.
I miss you and I love you, Mary and I know you loved me so much.

Note: Recylcled from the old blog, but no less heartfelt.

Monday, October 6, 2008

Cacophony

How did I come up with the name for this blog?

I wanted something that would not be so easy to google and find me. I also wanted a title that meant something. Toad Hollow is my favorite vintner and I love the labels. In fact, Martin and I liked the Amplexus champagne label so much, we used it, with Toad Hollow's permission, for our wedding invitations.

Cacophony is their Zinfandel wine. I haven't had it in quite a while, but I remember it as magnificent.

I'm also outspoken and can create a cacophony if given a chance.

So, there you go!