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*