bunny responsibilities

(warning:  the links in this post may --ok they DO-- have bad language and passive agressive tendancies.  These are not my own, but I thought you might like to know.  The post itself if cursing free)

My female offspring recently purchased a bunny.  She negotiated the deal with someone on Craigslist and managed to get a discount.  I'm very proud of how well she handled it all.  


Getting her to take care of said bunny is something different.  It's always her brother's turn to  change the cage (OK, it's only been 1 day) (in all fairness, she did change it yesterday, but today already they've agreed to share the bunny and now it's his turn.  I decided to give her this task for the next month to teach her some responsibility. 


Additionally, last night this bunny was quite nice and cuddly.  Today he is demon rabbit.  Open the cage and he...growls at you.  (did you even know that bunny's made noise?)  He literally growls, then jumps at you and tries to scratch you with his paws, comes over and bites you, then runs back into his cage!  He's not even that big!


I sat down tonight and let the bunny come to me.  He growled again when I tried to pet him/her (who knows) and then ran back into his cage, but he came out frequently to frighten me (not attacking, but now I was expecting it).  I also explained to said offspring that the bunny is a little traumatized because he was taken from his home sharing a run with a chicken (yes, you read that right, a live chicken though, not a metal one), drove in a car with new people and then deposited into a home that to a bunny, just smells like PREDATOR!  (we have 2 cats, who live primarily outside or in said offspring's room.)  Give the poor bun a chance to adjust!


By the way... names currently under consideration:
cupcake (this is mine, the offspring are so not going for it)
frosting (also mine, the offspring just looked at me funny)
breakfast (I looked at them funny)
lunch (another odd look from Mom)
snowbunny (you guessed it, bunny is white)


There were many other names bandied about, but for some reason these stuck.

my own private torture

So, being a Mom of two, there are certain things that come with the territory.  The joy that comes with a smile or an "I love you, Mom."  The conflicting feelings I have because my daughter loves her Daddy so much, we aren't even on the same "list" (he has a list all to himself!).  The pride when your child does something well and on their own; knowing you've taught them well.


And then there is the torture.
The torture of offspring fighting with each even after you've told them to stop -- and stop again.
The torture of never having a moment alone again until after the kids have left for college.  (Seriously, not even the bathroom.  Maybe I have boundary issues.  Maybe my offspring have boundary issues?!)


Then there is a special torture of having only 1 verse of a Justin Bieber song stuck in your head, but not even a verse, just part of a chorus, and you don't really know the words, so you can't even really sing it with the idea that one could satisfy the desire to hear the song.

However, this was made worse yesterday when I realized the song was finally gone...only to be replaced by something equally as bad.  However, this one I knew the words to.  The theme song to the tv show "H20" (Australian kid/tween show abourt mermaids).  It's soooooo corny that I don't find it charming.  The song might have made it, but it went past cute and over the line of acceptable on my corny-meter. 


Today, the two are fighting for dominance.


Maybe I should start humming "Small World" from Disneyland? 

Fun Office Pics

I thought you might enjoy some funs pics I found at the office.

What office would be complete without a red stapler?

OK, I know it's not a sign, but it is an essential. 

We had a printer die.  As in, unrepairable die.  This sign appeared.

After months of the printer sitting there, dead, the following sign appeared.

I think perhaps we have some Monty Python fans (or dead parrot fans)

Here's one from the women's bathroom.

 

Here's a great pic from someone's desk

 

This might have been from accounting...

Probably from around month end (or year end!)

This should probably be in everyone's office!

And I think we'll finish with some serious patriotism!

Do you have any cool office pictures to share?

I WANT

I go through periods where I JUST WANT!

Right now... I want a new house to live in.  (When I say new, I don't mean brand new...gosh, I don't even know what I'd do with a brand new house!  I've only lived in roughly used homes!  Besides, I think we kind of feel like we don't "deserve" a brand new house because we don't really clean enough to do it justice.  Maybe I want need a maid too!)

OK, back to the house.  I want a house!  I currently live in a 3 bedroom condo with a very full garage (that was always supposed to be my craft room, but that so didn't happen).  I never really wanted to live where we do.  I mean, it was a major step up from where we were (2 bedroom apartment, no garage, no washer/dryer)... so really... I'm in a better place.  But we NEED a 4 bedroom (we really do), but a bit more space (and maybe some cabinetry that isn't peeling and falling apart?) would be so super!

Not actual photo.  I'm not that mean.

However, we also need to pay off debt.  Debt from life, not from living large.  (OK, there may have been a small amount of manic spending in there, but it is a small percentage.  "Don't judge me!")  Like many people we've have some issues.  Like having to replace the engine in a car I lent to a friend who kept driving when the car started making strange noises.  (She did stop when the car was beyond reparairable because well... it was making REALLY loud noises by then and she kind of had to.  And before you ask... yes, there is blond mixed in there somewhere.)

Then, there is the cat my husband doesn't like (and I love) who was attacked by not one, but two coyotes early one morning.  The hubster saved said kitty by fighting the mean ol coyotes off with a hose then was calling for the cat to come to him when I finally woke up.  The cat won't come to me when I call and I love him... he was so not coming to my hubster after being mauled by large animals with death on their breath.  (He totally lived by the way, not even a scar!  9 lives down to 6 I'd say.  1-being rescued in the first place, 2&3- 1 for each coyote).  Emergency vets and overnight stays... not cheap.

There's plenty more reasons why we have debt, but I will oh so kindly spare you additional details.  Back to what I WANT.

You know when you kind of know you can't have or do something, but you haven't emotionally reconciled yourself to it just yet?  Well, I will continue to mull over said issue (moving to an actual house) trying to problem solve and come up with a way to do it.

Maybe if... I use my bonus from work (which Uncle Sam will take half of, so it may not even be enough.)

Maybe if... I negotiate with the landlord to let us pay a deposit over the first few months (because if you haven't moved recently, it requires cold hard cash baby!)  We won't actually receive our deposit (if we actually get anything back) until a month after we've moved.  Can't count on that cash.  We'd need first month rent (OK that could be a wash) and deposit money, and in our case, cat/pet deposit money.  (I mean hey, we just spend several thousand dollars to fix a kitty, he's coming with!)

Maybe if... I find an incredible deal in the neighborhood I want because I've just timed this all so well and God decided it's time for us to move.

Oh wait.
God.
That's right... I shouldn't be problem solving and maybe if'ing...I should be praying.

Not quite a 2x4, more like a dowell.

Is this where God wants us?
Are we supposed to move?  (and I can so totally hear me saying... "Yes, Yes God!  We are supposed to move!  Give us a great new place we can praise you for!)

Sigh... I guess this is where patience and obedience comes in.  Perhaps... (just perhaps) I should spend more time praying and seeking God's will than scouring the internet for a free site listing what is available in Irvine.  I SO do not trust the sites they want me to pay for  the address.  I know that as soon as I do that, the properties I'm interested in will suddenly be "leased."  I mean, what landlord who wants to list his home for lease and keep it full limits his lease listings to pay only sites?  I don't think so.

Women's Bathrooms -- not the new Men's Bathroom

OK ladies...
Could someone please explain to me why some of you think I want to sit in your pee? 

I mean really.  I work at a big, corporate company.  A large percentage of people have a college degree.  All of them passed "are you a psycho" personality tests to even be hired on.  Still, some of these women still pee on toilet seats or don't flush after themselves.  We literally have signs up in the bathroom reminding such women to flush.

This is not Europe.  We have those great little seat liners that for the few moments you are sitting down really do a pretty good job of keeping you away from the germs.  In fact, I bet the bathrooms in our office are cleaner than the home ones we use because it's cleaned daily.  (No, I do not clean my bathroom daily other than to rinse out the toothpaste in the sink.)

I just don't understand this.  Did I miss the revolution where women decided we too need to stand while we pee?  Are we competing for ickiest bathroom with the men now (trust me women, we'll never win that one.  Have you been inside a public men's room?)?

Please, if this is you... STOP IT ALREADY!

Fighting with the hubster (put the knife down woman)

I must confess I love a good fight.  I do not mind confrontation and thoroughly enjoy winning them when the opportunity arises.  I actually got money back from the Irvine Company when we moved out of one of their apartments.  If you don't live in Orange County (or even Southern California) this will have little meaning to you; so to offer context... it's up there with arguing to get money back from the IRS because you disagree with their findings.  (Actually, I'm quite proud of that particular altercation and am delighted when given the opportunity to recount it.  But that's not why we are here today.)

For the first, oh, say, 10 years of my marriage, I gave my husband to "The Irvine Company Treatment" in the fight department.  I think it would be fair to say I kind of ground him into dust.  Not that I won every argument - though my pride so wants that to be true because then, I'm, you know, justified.  I remember the exact moment I realized I was ruining our relationship with this behavior.  Sparing you the voluminous details I'm capable of, my husbter turned to me and said, "When we fight, it doesn't matter what I say, it doesn't even matter if I'm right.  I know in the end you have to be right or it will never stop."

2x4 in action.

That was a whack upside the head.  God used that one small statement in the midst of a fight and I've tried very hard to change from that moment on.  I don't think my husband has any idea how hard I try to change because I know some of my dreck leaks out.  Seriously, there are days where I shouldn't be in the kitchen because there are weapons of mass destruction in there that in the heat of battle, I may be tempted to use.

Fast forward to my best friend moving away.  Insert period of appropriate mourning.  OK, we can talk about it again...

She and her husband were having a discussion about getting a new bed.  His comment to her was they would get a new bed when she lost weight.  Now, before you go all nuclear about this (like I did) listen to her response.  She laughed!  She knew it wasn't true so why should it bother her. 

Could it really be THAT easy?  Not letting what's not true bother me?

So I tried that on for a while.  Tested it out.  You know what?  IT'S POWERFUL!  It's FREEDOM!  It's revolutionary!  It actually kind of changed my life.

But I forgot all that last night.
My husband and I had what ended up being conflicting plans last night.
I intended to bring the offspring with me to a movie and he intended (as he intends each Thursday) to have quiet time.  Being a 9 on the Myers Briggs Introvert scale, he requires such things at regular intervals to function at a basic level.  When we got home... no offspring.

No note.
No cell phones (both are currently lost -- so not replacing those).
My offspring really are not old enough for this kind of behavior. 

So I called around looking for them without success until I'm ready to walk out the door to my movie & other friends (those other people being the reason I couldn't just cancel my plans, which I so would have done).  My husband was NOT HAPPY!  We had a few words because now I'm feeling bad about his unhappiness.  I am now unhappy with him for "making" me feel bad for not cancelling my plans.  He just wants his down time.  I just want to see friends.  Really, neither of us want something bad. 

I'm late, so I leave. 

But I'm not done.

I call him and try to talk it out.  I get his go to response, "I have nothing to say.  We will have to agree to disagree."

Except that I have an emotional response to this and it is icky and I want him to take that away so I can enjoy my evening.  I want him to make me feel better and tell me, "it's OK, go enjoy your evening."  We go back and forth.  He keeps saying the "agree to disagree" thing and I'm having visions on sharp instruments but am determined not to devolve into a screaming banshee (though I do a really good screaming banshee, just so you know).  Ultimately, nothing is resolved.

I sit in my car and cry until I can pull myself together then I walk in to see my friends.
I don't share that I just fought with the hubster.
We talk and I try to enjoy myself, but I wonder if the guilt I feel for taking the evening away from the hubster is showing.

Walking up to the movie theater, I get a flash of brilliance.  Called home and offered to have the hubster drop the offspring off to see the movie with me.  He shockingly says NO!
The movie was really good and I cried through most of it which left me emotionally exhausted.  Went home to the usual offspring waiting for me, where have you been all night, now let's smother Mom greeting and we all go to bed.

Fast forward to this morning.
The hubster comes in and gives me a big hug.


And now the ick is gone and I'm ready to tackle another Friday.
(but I really shouldn't have eaten that half a donut.  ICK)

Different Perspective

So, it's been a while, I want to blog, I love blogs, I love the whole idea of it...but time is not always my friend.  No home computer for many moons...I'm back at it... let's go!

So, re-reading my last few posts and being in a different frame of mind (a bit anyway)...
The first thing that came to mind was "what would my husband think upon reading this?"
I think he would say "ditto" a lot.  He is probably feeling much the same way.  That is a very interesting perspective shift.

I think part of making relationships work is being able to see things from the other person's side.