Thanks for all of the great comments from yesterday’s post! I usually reply to my comments (if there is an email address attached), but my day yesterday was consumed with napping and other important marital affairs.  So, besides not replying to comments, I also didn’t get to everyone I normally go visit – HNT participant or not.  That’s what the weekend is for, right?

So, I think I’m going to just do a snippet of things on my mind or going on. It’s late (or REALLY early) – and I’m awake because I’ve had too much caffeine and I had a nap…..it’s the nap that is killing me to be honest.

I have discovered this week in particular that I’m becoming a night owl.  I think it’s the unemployment really – coupled with the fact I can’t run right now which would make me at least physically tired. I went from continual problem solving and dealing with a to-do list that wouldn’t shrink for 8-12 hours, 5 days a week to nothing. What I have discovered I miss most (beside the steady paycheck) is the intellectual adult interaction and mental stimulation.  I’m spending too much time alone and too little time with adults.  Poor Garbanzo gets attacked when he gets home from work – and then after sex, I start talking.  I just need that interaction to get my mind tired.  It’s almost as bad as when I was on maternity leave – but I think worse.

Also helping my night owl status, a couple of late night visitors….might write more about those later…but I haven’t decided yet. Yes, that’s a tease – as well as me mentally putting it on my to-do list.

I have a new reader/lurker that is going to scare the crap out of me now when I look at my web analytics.  Remember when I mentioned the fear of my family finding my blog.  He lives where they do. Until now, I haven’t had any readers from that area.  I know I’ll have a panic attack each time I see the name come up – until I actually realize it’s him.  And, for the record, Oingo Boingo is still not good. I don’t care how much you agree with Garbanzo.  Sorry, had to toss that out there to him.

Speaking of families, I’ll be going to Central Oregon twice in November now.  My little brother decided to marry the girlfriend who cheated on him earlier this year.  The date for the reception is scheduled for the weekend before Thanksgiving. They are going to be married by the justice of the peace.  Yeah, everyone is doing back flips with excitement over this one.  I’m of the mind that it’s his life to fuck up. Sometimes the lessons have to be lived to be learned. Maybe it’ll be fine. Only time will tell. Until then, I hope there is alcohol at this thing. Listening to my parents bitch that they didn’t have a church wedding and my other brother bitch that he’s marrying that woman is going to take its toll.

And, my mom proved once again why she shouldn’t go into any line of work requiring cover stories and stealth. She called me tonight to see “where we were going to stay when we came down for the reception because we’re more than welcome to stay with them.”  I looked at Garbanzo and just started laughing when I got that voice mail. Why? Because she wasn’t calling to ask this, she was calling to see how pissed I was at the fact they forgot about the half marathon on Sunday.  She made some lame ass excuse on my Facebook account, and I didn’t acknowledge it. 

And there will be a new and exciting twist thrown into things with my family – especially my parents.  Turns out Garbanzo’s parents are done with the whole living abroad thing. They are buying a house outside of Portland. They close on it in early December. They are moving back right before Christmas.  As strange as it sounds even to me to say this, I am actually happy my mother-in-law is coming back.  She misses the girls tremendously. And, she does some great things with them – things that have made great memories for them. My father-in-law will entertain and anger me per usual, I’m sure, but that is to be expected.  If he didn’t, then I would be worried.  How will this impact my parents?  My in-laws have already started making plans to take the girls for weekends and such.  My parents are going to hear this and react to it.  And, it should be fun to watch.

Garbanzo goes to outdoor school Sunday for the week.  Sigh. 

And, in other sad news, Derek moves to Seattle in week, if I am not mistaken. This is going to be really sad for us.  He is a part of the family. Not having him around to add that color that only a gay Latina could add will be sad.  He has taught the girls some fun things – like about cha-cha heels and flat ironing hair.  Seriously though, they look at him as their big brother – a big brother who like a girl when his younger siblings chase him with puppets. And, he treats them like sisters – taking them on neat adventures, buying them ice cream, challenging them to Boogie Super Star on the Wii.  They are going to miss him.  I am going to miss him terribly myself.  He has been a good friend who makes me laugh and is just all around a good guy who steps up and helps as I need it without even needing to be asked. But, even though I’m sad, I’m extremely happy for him.  I mean, he’s moving to Seattle to move in with his boyfriend. They need to be together – and should be. They are very good together – so I know they will be much happier.

But before he leaves, we get to see him as Charro for Halloween.  He’s been working hard on his costume, and it will look fabulous!  Maybe I should finish the girls’ costumes before Saturday…hmmm…I’ll add it to the list of things to do on Saturday.  Currently it includes DJ testing for her brown belt in taekwondo, Indigo playing soccer, Garbanzo podcasting with his friend, Garbanzo packing for outdoor school, and, oh yeah, Halloween.  I am looking forward to trick-or-treating with our friends again this year.  Most of their neighbors give out alcohol to the parents out with their kids.  So, you see a lot of adults walking around with insulated coffee mugs. Inside is not coffee. They get refills as they hit certain houses.  Definitely makes the cold rainy night a bit more tolerable. 

Lastly because I was going to point people to this person, I have found where I’ll be buying my greeting cards from now on.  FlyTrap on Etsy. Their tagline is “Tastefully Inappropriate Greeting Cards and Gifts”. Cards like:

And

& inside

Or

Yeah, this shop will be getting an order from me.

Have a great Friday and weekend!