Dear So and So....I Forgot

Dear Readers,

Yes, I am a total slacker and forgot about Dear So and So...I blame the turkey. If you have a Dear So and So.... please feel free to link up. I promise next week I won't be a rudypoo candyass and will remember.

*smooches* Kat

RTT- My Mind Works In Mysterious Ways

Tuesday! Yay! That means I made it through Monday, which in itself is a victory. Now we are know the master of random is Keely, so click on the purple button and head on over to her place to read some more random (after you read mine dangit!!)

So I have been watching this show on TV here, Heir Hunters. Basically, when someone dies their estate goes into probate and these guys, the heir hunters, go in search living heirs. I am addicted. Seriously addicted. Addicted to the point that now I want to be an heir hunter.

Remember back in the day, before Internet, when your parents were being lazy (or didn't know the answer to your question) and told you to "go look it up". Do you remember what a pain in the butt that was? You were a lucky one if you had a set of reference books in your house, if not you had to traipse down to the local library. Then if you were lucky enough to actually FIND the answer, you had more questions and then you had to look up what the answers to them too. Now we have wikipedia. I love wikipedia, but I think I am still going to torture my kids when they get older and teach them how to look things up the old fashion way.

I finally got the wardrobe in my bedroom put together!! Now it won't look like my closet exploded in my bedroom! Well as soon as I have time to get all those clothes hung up.

I have started doing laundry with a trash bag next to me. When I am folding clothes I fill that bag with clothes to be donated to charity. Purge, purge, purge. My kids have enough clothes to clothe a 3rd world nation. I am not exaggerating.

Thanks for all the wonderful comments yesterday about Thanksgiving. I am starting to really look forward to it. Today I went through my cookbooks and pulled out all my holiday recipes.

Macaroni and Cheese can never have too much cheese.

My house might not be completely unpacked but it is starting to feel like home. Well, except I still can't find anything. Such is the life of a military wife...if you know exactly where the tape was at your old house, but you have no idea where the tape is at your new house...*sigh*

Alrighty then, I think I am about randomed out. Now you can go click on the purple button. Now. Go.

A Year and Thanksgiving

I have lived in England a year now. I know, hard to believe. While I still feel like a fish out of water sometimes (ok..a lot of the time), I have gotten to the point where it is starting to feel a bit like home. I have a normal routine. I have priceless friends. I know the rules of the road. I have my bearings.

Then Thanksgiving rolls around. How do you describe a holiday that has no significance to friends who have no frame of reference? I mean really, it is a holiday that can sound quite silly to those who have not grown up with it.

"It is a celebration of...ummm...a bountiful harvest. The old wives tale is that the Pilgrims and Indians celebrated the first Thanksgiving together, but that is really silly because the Pilgrims and Indians pretty much hated each other. So...anyhoo, we get together as a family, cook a huge turkey, make green bean casserole, and other side dishes...eat until we are about to explode and then watch football...no not THAT football. Oh and pie, there is lots of pie."

This year I was dead set against cooking a Thanksgiving dinner. It is a lot of work and there are only four of us here to enjoy it. That, from my frame of reference, is no way to spend Thanksgiving. Really, the food is only a small portion of the Thanksgiving equation. Thanksgiving is really about being with family and friends. Spending time with people you love (even the ones who annoy you to no end) and reconnecting is then main reason for Thanksgiving. Then I had a change of heart. I am not doing Thanksgiving for me. I am doing it for my kids, so they have a frame of reference. It is part of our culture. They need to build Thanksgiving memories just as I did. Sure, their Thanksgiving might be a little smaller on the years that we can't visit the rest of our family, but it is still a time for us to reconnect with each other, invite over friends (even those who don't understand it), and have a day where we can say "Thanks. Thanks for giving us each other."

Dear So and So...Road Rage...It Happens

Dear Person Biking on the B1112,

I do realize that in the UK bike riders are prohibited from biking on the footpaths (if there are footpaths), but your decision to ride down a busy road, at rush hour, and at dusk was truly a stupid decision. While I mean you no harm, don't be surprised if I am slowly creeping behind you and trying to hold in cuss words while you inch along and I try to find an opening to get around you. Oh and stopping on a bridge to fix the leg on your trousers, inexcusable.

Frustrated With Kids in the Backseat, Kat

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Dear Dude on Motorcycle,

It is pretty bad when this is the conversation I have with my 3 year old when driving behind you..

Me-*frustrated and directed at you Mr. MotorcycleMan* Oh My GOODNESS! Could you possibly go any slower in the roundabout??? GAH!

KiKi (to me)- JUST GO!!!

Me- I can't!

KiKi(to MotorcycleMan)- GOOOOOO!

Yes, your driving was even annoying the 3 year old. Now, I know driving a motorcycle is dangerous, but you know what is also dangerous? Going waaaay below the speed limit and making really slow turns on a motorcycle. Move it or lose it buddy!

Drive it Like You Mean It!!, Kat

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Dear Liz,

You stink! No, really, you smell bad. I think a bath is in order.

Love, Human Mama Kat

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Dear Readers,

How are you liking the new comment thing a ma bob? I think I like it. Anyhoo, if you are participating in Dear So and So... please leave a link with Mr. Linky so we can all find you.

Toodles, Kat

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What Ever Happened To Common Sense Parenting?

Since recently reading a Dear So and So letter by my friend NFAH; I can't help but wonder what ever happened to parental common sense?

To give you the basics of what happened she was at The Royal Academy of Arts in London with a friend of hers to view an exhibit by one of her favorite artists Anish Kapoor. Unfortunately her experience was ruined by the presences of imbecilic parents who brought their young children along. From what I can gather, the children were running amongst the sculptures, being loud and one of the parents had the audacity to give one of the children a snack right there at the exhibit (ya know, where priceless pieces of art were on display).

In this day and age of hyper-parenting, parenting has become less about the child and more of a competition between parents. Over-scheduling children and taking them to places they will not enjoy, much less remember, has become increasingly prevalent. Children are no longer found just enjoying themselves at a playground, instead they are being dragged from one "enriching" activity to another.

A three year old at an art exhibit? Is that really enriching? Really? Will they ever remember it? Nope, probably not. Now, I am all for enrichment, but age appropriate enrichment. Taking a child to a dinosaur exhibit at the local natural history/science museum or going to see Sesame Street Live, is much more pleasurable to a child than going to a place or event intended for adults. Nice dinners at expensive restaurants should be for adults, I don't care how "well behaved" your child is. Spills, unintentional loud talking, and squeals tend to come out of children during meal times, even in fancy restaurants. Kids don't care about the ambiance*.

Sometimes I think the kids aren't even really part of the equation. I think parents just feel that they aught to be able to do something "fun" for once. Is it really fun though when you have to remember to bring along a stroller, diaper bag, snacks, and the sippy cup? Don't forget you have to remind junior to mind their manners every three seconds. Is that really fun? No, it isn't fun. It isn't relaxing. It is a chore. Plus you are disturbing those around you who chose to leave their kids at home, or those who don't have children. Is that fair to them? They paid the price of admission as well. Maybe they would like to enjoy their afternoon or evening out as well. If parents want to do something "fun", a babysitter should be hired for the event. Or maybe sometimes parents of small children just need to get their heads out of the butts, take one for the team, and just stay home.

*Believe me when someone pays over 100 £/$ for a meal for two, they DO care about the ambiance and they weren't counting on your little "angel" being there.

He's Lucky He's Cute

I just spent 15 minutes trying to recapture POW Sam Kitty. His last jail break occurred right as I was taking LaLa out to the bus, in the middle of a wind storm. The wind naturally terrifying the prisoner cat means that he took cover under my deck; the gigantic deck on the back of my house. For 15 minutes I had to coax, plead, threaten, coo, and cuss at Sam Kitty before he would come close enough for me to scruff him on the back of his neck and drag him out. Little bastard.

Testing New Comment System and an Observation

I am trying a new comment system. This should allow me to better respond to comment and heck, maybe I will even get all the comments to come to my email inbox like they are supposed to! Let me know if it is working for you.

Oh and a little observation-

Humor to a 5 year old- Why did the cow cross the road? To get to the moooooo-vies.

Humor to a 3 year old- Why did the horsie cross the road? To get to the horsie movies!!!! *intense laughter*

RTT-A Look at The New House

What? Like you don't keep Band-Aids next to your cooking utensils...

Oh yeah and it is Tuesday, so go click on the fancy dancy shiny purple button to get to Keely's place for a little random!

Ok, so I have gotten a few requests for a look at the new digs. The only problems with this is the fact that my house looks like someone took a soda can of my old house and shook it up then opened it up on the inside of my new house...yeah it is a bit of a mess. But THEN I figure...these people know I just moved so, maybe they will not be so judgmental. I guess we'll see eh?

This is the front of my house. Now, notice the bags of trash on the outside...yeah we have to take those to the dump, they are from the old house, since we had to remove ALL trash from the premises.

Looking out from my front yard across the road. I can't make much commentary other than *sigh*, it is so relaxing out here. Oh, and it was colder than a witches tit in a brass bra outside when I was taking these pictures so you better appreciate them!

The kitchen...yes, that is a vacuum in my kitchen. Yes, I have carpet in the kitchen. OK that is the ONE thing that sucks about this house. That and you see that dish drainer next to the sink. That is because I am the dishwasher. That stinks too.

The living room. It is so big that The Man insists we need a big screen TV and a stripper pole for it. Men and their silly dreams...there is no way we're getting a big screen TV....or a stripper pole...

Bathroom...big. Shower stall is across from the toilet.

And the backyard...*sigh*

So that is the house...minus the bedrooms and utility room. You guys really didn't need to see those right? Good, cause my bedroom looks like my closet threw up on it right now. Enough fun for right now, I need to see a man about a shelf for the rest of my pantry items because I don't have enough cabinets in the kitchen.

Dear So and So...Titles Are Soooo Two Weeks Ago

Dear New Owners of the Old House,

Enjoy that cursed piece of crap. Good riddance!

HaHa, Kat

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Dear Victims of the MW2 Virus (Modern Warfare 2),

I hear this virus is just like H1n1...only with more dying, explosives and cussing. Oh and I hear lack of sleep is another side effect. The treatment is to put down the gaming console controller for an ENTIRE 8 hours. Good luck, and Godspeed.

*Shakes Head in Disbelief* Kat

PS- Up 36 hours to play a game?? REALLY?

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Dear New House,

I love you! I love you! I love you! Don't do me wrong like the last place. Ok? Thanks!

Love, Kat

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Dear Bus Driver,

I don't care if I have to get up 30 minutes earlier to get LaLa on the bus on time. You have made my mornings so much easier! I would kiss you if it wasn't entirely inappropriate.

Awesome! Kat

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Dear Letting Agent,

Yes, I was totally insulting you passive aggressively when I said "The quicker we get this done, the sooner I can quit dealing with you." I may have covered it up and pretended that isn't exactly what I meant, but it was. You are completely useless. You screwed up my bank account, you have poor math skills and generally suck. Thank goodness from now on I can deal directly with my landlord and not YOU!

Adios A-Hole, Kat

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Dear Readers,

If you would like to participate in Dear So and So.... please leave your link with Mr. Linky so I can come read all your lovely letters! Thanks! You guys are wonderful!

*Big Gigantic Bear Hugs* Kat

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...And Then I Fell Over From Exhaustion

So did I tell you this move consisted of me, The Man, a whiny 3 year old and a truck?? Yep, that was the entire moving crew. Also, if you were following my tweets on Wednesday you would have seen that the new owners of the old house were also building a fence at the house while we were moving. Let me tell you how awesome that was! It was so awesome that they were in our way, cluttering the driveway with their work van, saws, jackhammer, wood, bodies, and suck-a-tude. Oh they kindly left some panels out of the fence so we could move the couch. So helpful of them...Bitter? Me? Nooooo.

Now, we all know I have this thing about spiders. The thing being I bloody hate the bastards. So, when we left the removal of things in the garage until 6pm (dark here) (and a stroke of brilliance on our part) (like I needed more blogging material) we should have known that the creepy crawly icky icky poo poo HUGE spiders would be out en mass! Did I mention that The Man is more afraid of spiders than I am? The process consisted of spinning a box around and out of the garage, screaming, squashing a spider and then doing the "get it off me" dance....for the better part of an hour. The best part is when I would gasp and he would yell "Where is it?" and start bobbing and weaving to make sure it didn't get on his head. Sometimes I would gasp just for fun and then say, "Oh, nevermind it's just a shadow." (I am giggling now as I write that)(cause I am evil). It was pure comedy gold.

What wasn't pure comedy gold was the muscles that I didn't know I had aching for days. Moving heavy furniture is not for girls. The 9000 pound chest of drawers we have was pure murder on my back. Don't even get me started on the couch that didn't want to fit through the kitchen door into the living room. The door had to come off the hinges for that one. Oh and the letting agents, well you know how useless they are.

BUT, the joke is on all of them. This is the view I have out my kitchen window!

How I Moved House in 4 Days and Lived to Tell About It

...or If Anyone Ever Tells You They Enjoy Moving House They Are A Dirty Filthy Liar! (you can tell them I said that too). So I am alive right now, in the new house, internetless, tv less, and it pretty much looks like a bomb went off. BUT I have some funny stories to tell you, cause duh, like I could do anything without making a total fiasco out of it.... Right now, however, I am at the base library and only have 117 minutes remaining on my aloted time (THEY RATION IT?!?!?) Tomorrow I SHOULD have my broadband back up (pray for me). Until then I am relying on my blackberry. You should follow my twitter updates (3bedroom).

Oh. and The Man, pretty much almost took out "the twins" with our entertainment center. I am sorry guys, if you can manage to nail yourself in the nuts with a piece of furniture, believe me, I am gonna drop my end of the piece of furniture and fall into a fit of giggles. It is just how it is.

Take Care! I will try to post again soon. *Air Kisses*

Straight From IM

Talking to Captain Dumbass:

ok, so my new house

I don't know if I have enough furniture

a trip to IKEA may be in order

...like that's a bad thing...

.... they have childcare

I might never return

I couldn't make this stuff up

RTT-My Excuse is Jet Lag

Last time I flew to England I had a bunch of guest posters lined up to distract you from the fact that I couldn't post due to jet lag; this time not so much. So I will distract you with some random..Thank Keely and hit the purple button.

My eyeballs hurt so I think they might fall out of my head. Hypochondriac? Me? Nooo.

POW Sam Kitty has been acting really really friendly to me since I got home. Either he missed me or he is planning something. We'll see.

Apparently Jet Lag doesn't affect kids.

I have the keys to the new house. Actually I have boxes packed into the Jeep to take over there now, I just figured I should post something first. Blogging addiction? Noooo.

More distraction...

Oh and there was this lady sitting behind me on the plane who talked the whole entire 7 hour flight. I don't think she even took a breath. THE. ENTIRE. TIME. I know all about her failed relationships and slimy ex husband. OMG lady shut your pie hole and try to sleep like the rest of us!!!