I hate Valentine's Day! I want to be one of those people that hate it for the commercialization of it. For the way retailers and advertising execs make us feel like we MUST express our love for someone on this particular day. I want to hate it for all the right reasons. But, guess what? I dont'. I hate it becuase I don't get anything. I am the exact consumer this "holiday" is made for. I love presents. I love notes and handmade cards. I LOVE chocolate. I love flowers. Guess what? I'd LOVE anythign that came my way today. But did it? Nope. Nada. Nothing. The girls said they would save some of their treats from school for me. Did they offer to share the box of mystery chocolate I got for them? Heck no.
Some fun facts about Saint Valentine(s). I put the caveat that these are from my memory, as well as the internet, so take them with a grain of salt.
Saint Valentine is not only the patron saint of lovers, but he is the patron saint of epilepsy and beekeepers. Maybe BEE my Valentine isn't that far off?
There are at least five Saint Valentines in Roman Catholic history. Therefore, you can celebrate it on different days. November 3, January 7, July 25 to name a few. But if you did, you couldn't get the delicious chalk hearts by Brachs that I adore so much.
Another reason I hate this "holiday" is because in 2nd grade I received a Sesame Street Valentine from a bully in my class. It had Oscar the Grouch on it and it said "Have a Grouchy Valentine's Day" and the bully said... out loud as she handed it to me... and I mean it too!!. Swell. Thanks, you brat.
I guess the moral of this little rant is -- Get someone a stinking flower, or a homemade card, or some mystery chocolate. Just do it. Most of us, whether you'll admit it or not, want stuff!
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Working from home, a blessing and a curse
Today I was thinking about what a joy it is to work from home. No long commute in the cold weather, I'm able to be home -- well, all the time. The best part of my day is when the kids get going off to the bus. I see the big yellow bus pull up, and they get inside, and I know they are not my problem for 8 hours!
Then, there are sick days. My kids are normally pretty healthy, except for Lauren's broken ankle, and Kennedi's pneumonia, and Madelyn's... ok, so my kids are normally in school! Yesterday Madelyn was coughing so hard that I couldn't stand to listen. So, I knew that it wouldnt' be good to send her. This morning, same thing. The same with Kennedi. I thought to myself that I wouldn't want someone else sending the same germs to school for my kids to contract. So they're home.
Speaking of contracting... the other disgusting little bug, quite literally, going around the school is SCABIES. Oh yes, I said Scabies. Little mites that burrow into your skin and cause itching and rash. Yeah, they itch, they are bugs burrowing into your skin!! That makes me itch just thinking of it!
Speaking of itching, I had lice once. Yes, I did. I came home from my first time at camp... and a week later we discovered that I brought home friends. Lots of them. I had long hair, and they were everywhere. At that time, my grandparents were staying with us. I gave that beautiful gift of life, or rather, living things, to my grandfather. He wasn't impressed. Neither was my mother who had to fumigate the house, and me! The next summer when I returned home from camp, my mother was waiting in the yard with a hose and a box of RID. Seriously. I never made it into the house. She deloused me in the yard, and took all of my clothes to the laundromat and scalded any little hitchhikers to death. We never did get lice again... and I am hoping we don't get them with this generation! All of my girls have long, thick hair. If we get lice, they're going to get shaved heads. I'm not even kidding. So if you see a picture of three girls sporting bald caps, you'll know what we brought home.
Back to home... I love the peace and quiet of a day alone. Except for the cat. And the dog. And the goats. But, hey, at least they can't give me pneumonia, influenza, scabies or lice!
Chalk up another good day at the Johnson Funny Farm; it's not quiet, and I'm not alone, but we don't have anything we can't deal with. Wait, did I just see a rash on my hands?!?
Then, there are sick days. My kids are normally pretty healthy, except for Lauren's broken ankle, and Kennedi's pneumonia, and Madelyn's... ok, so my kids are normally in school! Yesterday Madelyn was coughing so hard that I couldn't stand to listen. So, I knew that it wouldnt' be good to send her. This morning, same thing. The same with Kennedi. I thought to myself that I wouldn't want someone else sending the same germs to school for my kids to contract. So they're home.
Speaking of contracting... the other disgusting little bug, quite literally, going around the school is SCABIES. Oh yes, I said Scabies. Little mites that burrow into your skin and cause itching and rash. Yeah, they itch, they are bugs burrowing into your skin!! That makes me itch just thinking of it!
Speaking of itching, I had lice once. Yes, I did. I came home from my first time at camp... and a week later we discovered that I brought home friends. Lots of them. I had long hair, and they were everywhere. At that time, my grandparents were staying with us. I gave that beautiful gift of life, or rather, living things, to my grandfather. He wasn't impressed. Neither was my mother who had to fumigate the house, and me! The next summer when I returned home from camp, my mother was waiting in the yard with a hose and a box of RID. Seriously. I never made it into the house. She deloused me in the yard, and took all of my clothes to the laundromat and scalded any little hitchhikers to death. We never did get lice again... and I am hoping we don't get them with this generation! All of my girls have long, thick hair. If we get lice, they're going to get shaved heads. I'm not even kidding. So if you see a picture of three girls sporting bald caps, you'll know what we brought home.
Back to home... I love the peace and quiet of a day alone. Except for the cat. And the dog. And the goats. But, hey, at least they can't give me pneumonia, influenza, scabies or lice!
Chalk up another good day at the Johnson Funny Farm; it's not quiet, and I'm not alone, but we don't have anything we can't deal with. Wait, did I just see a rash on my hands?!?
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