• 22:28 @elizadushku totally. We play Battleship at our house a LOT!!!! #

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• 17:21 @fourwall can't wait to see it. Do we have a premiere date yet? Do we have to wait until summer? #

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• 22:11 @LisaWhelchel oh dear...excuse me while I go get a walker. I just got REALLY old. #
• 22:59 Wow...just saw the end of the #AMA's. There's nothing subtle about #Adam Lambert is there? Gotta love it! #
• 23:26 @cabin77 When I said "love it," I didn't mean the smut, I just meant Adam...his style and his total over-the-topness. He's just so ADAM! #
• 00:08 @RachelFineMusic I think @cabin77 would love it! #

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• 13:16 rainy days are meant for curling up with a hot mug, a warm fuzzy cat & a good book. I love rainy days. #

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Last weekend, we went to Missouri to celebrate my grandmother's 80th birthday. It was a great trip, only marred by the fact that my hubby couldn't get off work and join us. So the boys and I piled into Mom and Dad's van, and the five of us headed off to Springfield Thursday afternoon.

It was wonderful to see family and to celebrate with Gramma Fran. The outpouring of love shown by the cards and attendance at Saturday's party was terrific. But the highlight of the weekend for me (and for my gramma) was Jamie.

Jamie is my cousin. When she was very young, her parents (my mom's brother was her dad) divorced, and she was eventually adopted by her step-father and raised in Montana. My uncle only saw her a time or two after the adoption, and my grandmother had seen her once when she was in elementary school. My parents took her and her son to lunch when they were in Vegas a few years back. She and I have reconnected on Facebook and by phone in the last year. But none of the rest of us had seen her since she was a toddler - more than 30 years.

Jamie and her son came to Springfield for Gramma Fran's birthday. She was understandably nervous, meeting "family" she didn't know, and we were nervous, too. We understood that in her mind, we weren't family...we were her birth dad's family. Would she like us? Would we come on too strongly? Would we be like oil and water? Everyone involved was excited, but the underlying concerns were there.

I met her at the airport Friday morning, and within minutes, it was like we had been family/friends forever. My boys and her son took to each other like wildfire, and within a couple of hours they were referring to each other as "Cuz." Calvin and her son (let's call him Rye) are two peas in a pod...God help us. They played together all weekend, and had such a great time.

But it wasn't just the boys who were alike. Jamie and I are enough alike that we could be sisters. We got the definitive answer to the age-old argument of nature v. nurture. There were times that it was downright creepy how alike we are - like the two (almost three) times we showed up dressed alike. We parent in very similar ways, we think alike, we are both teachers. We even favor, somewhat.

I had prayed that the weekend would go smoothly and that we would truly feel like family. We were so blessed to have that prayer answered affirmatively.

I can honestly say that I got a taste this weekend of what it would have been like to grow up with a cousin who was close to me in age. I can also tell you that it's a good thing we didn't grow up together - we would have gotten into SERIOUS trouble with each other. I mean S.E.R.I.O.U.S.

Hey, we still might.

• 12:30 @cabin77 oh ouch...mine is getting dicey again today. Feel better. #
• 22:24 Uh oh...time for some cardiac NDNs...come on, Big Purple...let's get some D on... #
• 22:39 @GarageWW B I T E M E #
• 22:44 It just occurred to me that Jason Earls from "Hannah Montana" should play Nathan Fillion's son in something. #

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• 09:52 funeral for a 2 yr old today...hug your babies a little tighter & say "I love you." Pray for this family...heartbreaking. #

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Not slacking, just was without internet access for several days, then came home to funeral preparations for a church family. Will blog later.

gina

• 23:16 @cabin77 OMGosh...what was for dinner? #

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• 17:53 Just left the zoo with 3 little boys in tow...was quite certain the zookeeper would keep them. No such luck. ;-) #

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• 09:13 @MattMtvguy and here I thought if the case isn't solved tonight on CSI, then it becomes a Cold Case. ;-) #

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• 09:24 @RoushTVGuideMag Sue Sylvester: You think this is hard? Try being waterboarded. That's hard! #
• 19:14 Opie was just talking about racing cars at the "IndianApples 500." teehee! #

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As you all know if you've been reading here this week, I've been waiting on my Kindle to arrive.   I've been SOOO excited and anxious.  It was supposed to be here Monday (I paid for overnight shipping), but it never arrived.  Tuesday morning I got up and checked my order on Amazon, and when I tracked the package I noticed that it had not been updated since Saturday.  So I called UPS with my tracking number.  They couldn't find it and impatiently told me to call Amazon and have them call UPS.    NOT what I wanted to be told.

So I called Amazon.  Actually I had Amazon call me using their online help form.  The phone rang immediately after I hit "enter," and I was quickly and pleasantly routed to a Kindle specialist named Adrian.  Adrian is a gentleman with a lovely Irish lilt - being from Cork and all - and he listened to my concerns and began the process of helping me.  He refunded the overnight shipping since I hadn't received the package, and we decided to wait until after 12 to see if the tracking status would update with better information.  We then chatted for several minutes about dialects and accents and our shared love of travel.  All in all, a nice customer service experience - base hit for Amazon.

Later Tuesday, I called back when no change had occurred and was promptly patched through to Steve.  Steve looked at my file, listened to my concern that my package would not arrive in time to be usable for my trip, and after some discussion, we came to the realization that if the package could not be traced internally by Amazon and UPS, the earliest they could ship a replacement out would be Wednesday morning (based on their protocols).  I was slightly frustrated by this news, but Steve was so earnest and accommodating that I agreed to give him a few hours to poke around and see what he could find out.  He also gave me a store credit for my trouble.  Amazon customer service dept. - double hit.

I talked to Alan later that night, and he told me that Steve was still working on it.  (Yes, I'm a bit impatient about this.)  No problem, I said bravely.  I'll wait.  Base hit for Amazon.

When I awoke this morning without hearing from Amazon, I immediately went to my account page and began to track my package.  Somehow, Steve managed to get around the waiting period, and he overnight shipped a Kindle to me last night.  It's on the Beaumont truck, awaiting its delivery into my hot little hands as we speak.  I called again just to confirm that I was reading it correctly, and Robert (another CSR) confirmed it for me with friendliness and humor.  HOME RUN!!!!!

I am SO very impressed with Amazon and their Customer Service Department.  With different attitudes, this situation could have gone from a slight inconvenience to an "I'm never shopping here again, and I'm telling all my friends what jerks you are" type of thing.  Thanks to cool heads, great training, and personable employees, Amazon has guaranteed my loyalty and my publicity as a company that goes out of its way to help its customers and make them feel appreciated.

Amazon, you and your Customer Service Department hit a grand slam with me this week, and I'll tell everyone I can.  Thanks for recognizing that a company is only as good as its customers are happy.

• 09:09 @GarageWW Thinking about you guys... #
• 13:45 Richie's an immortal! #oldschoolspoileralerts #
• 17:33 OMG. Little man was just singing to himself ... Beyonce's "Single Ladies." *sigh* #
• 17:34 @cabin77 Are you here with me? If so, I'll start blending now. #
• 17:35 @justgina02 you can do it! It's the best time in the world to get to know yourself. #

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In the last year I've delved into the wonderful world of audiobooks. It's an odd thing for me because I really don't like being read to. Part of the joy of books is "hearing" the characters in my own mind, with my own inflections imposed on the story. And sometimes I don't really like to have authors read their own books unless they have a sense of vocal differentiation among characters. To have all the characters sound exactly alike drives me nuts.

That being said, there are a few authors to date whom I love to hear read their work.  Mary Pope Osborne, author of the Magic Tree House series, does a wonderful job of bringing her characters to life.  My children LOVE listening to the adventures that Jack and Annie take through the books they find in the tree house.   Neil Gaiman is another that is entertaining.   I started with a collection of children's stories, including "The Wolves in the Walls," which my kids love.  Now I'm listening to Neverwhere.  It could just be his British accent, but I enjoy listening to him.

I listened to Denis Leary's newest book, Why We Suck, on the last trip to Missouri.  I laughed so hard that I thought I was going to have to pull off the road a couple of times.  In a case like this, where the author writes like he speaks, it is SO very worth it to listen to them read their work.  I often felt as though we were having a conversation instead of just being passively read to.  By the way, Why We Suck is an incredibly irreverent, completely politically incorrect contemplation of what is wrong with America today.  He is uproariously funny, and he goes so far over the line sometimes that suddenly when he tosses in a razor-sharp, spot-on observation it's like a punch to the gut.  Great read, expect to be offended, expect to laugh, expect to periodically agree.  Two thumbs up.

I have Craig Ferguson's book on my iPod for this trip.  Can't wait to hear it in his voice.  LOVE Craig.

My Kindle still isn't here....I'm aggravated, but I will say this:  Amazon has terrific customer service.  UPS - not so much.

Day 11 - done.  Really early!

Confession: I am terribly sarcastic / sardonic / dry / ironic with my children.

More so, probably, than I should be. That being said, my children are incredibly secure in their knowledge that they are loved and cherished. However, I love to watch people's faces when I respond to some of the nonsense that my sons spout out.

My favorite response - one that gets used with GREAT frequency and equal opportunity - goes something like this:

Petulant Child: "Momma, why does (other child) get to do / have / go / be something, and I don't?"
Me: "Because I like him better."
*crickets*

Watching people react to that simple exchange is a hoot. What most people don't realize (or hear) is the discussion that follows:

Me: "Do I really like him better?"
PC: "No ma'am."
Me: "Then why did I say that?"
PC: (with a great sigh and, possibly, slight eye rolling) "Because that's what my question meant."
Me: "Okay...just making sure you remembered."

We've had this discussion frequently in our house, so all I have to do is throw out the punch line. but other people are seriously funny to watch. Shock. Horror. Disgust. I've seen them all. But my favorite reaction is when they get that look on their face that says, boy, your kids' therapy bills are gonna be through the roof.

Hey, if I can make them feel superior about their parenting skills, I'm glad to help.  ;-)

Day 10 - done.

I sat down a few minutes ago to blog about something that I keep wanting to say.  Then the phone rang.  Now I can't remember.

*sigh*

Must.  Get.  Coffee. 

• 10:26 @GarageWW twitpic.com/ovvpu - where be there? Where ya headed? #
• 16:03 @cabin77 Horrible, isn't it? *sigh* #
• 22:24 watching #Castle ... one of my favorite shows on tv. LOVE it! #
• 23:18 #Castle #Castle #Castle #Castle #Castle #Castle #Castle #Castle #Castle #Castle #Castle #Castle #Castle #Castle #Castle #Castle #Castle #
• 23:31 Twitter Haiku. ABC's #Castle / My new guiltiest pleasure / Ev'ry Monday night. #

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 My Kindle didn't come today.  I'm seriously bummed.  I paid extra for the shipping and everything.  I'm trying to be grown-up and patient, but dadgummit, I want my new toy!!!!  *stamping my feet*

Today, my creative side is just dry.  I don't have anything to say.  I'm sitting here on the couch, looking at two of the cats and the dog sleeping in various states of repose.  Chloe, the dog, is apparently in the middle of a field of dream bunnies because she is chasing them like crazy, twitching and making little noises.  Pete the cat is curled up in a shrimp-like pose on one of the boys' gaming chairs.  Sophie is on top of my love seat, sleeping in "monorail cat" mode.  Both boys are down, and Maggie is in Calvin's room in her usual spot at the end of his bed.

I'm looking around my living room, and there is SO much to be done before we leave on Thursday.  *sigh*  Tomorrow I'll hit it hard and wash/dry/fold/pack while I'm doing the regular housework.

Boring.  Boring.  Boring.

Day 9 - done.

 So, I missed yesterday...Sunday's are tough.  Here's my make-up blog.

A Castle Haiku

ABC's "Castle"
My new guiltiest pleasure
Ev'ry Monday night



Stinks, I know, but

Day 8 - Done.