Funny....

just because I adore the Muppets:




And:



And:



And a Classic:



And finally...a little holiday spirit:

Happy Turkey Day

to one and all...enjoy your bird (or pig if that's your thing) and all the trappings. May it settle well, may you enjoy the company you'll be keeping and may this year's harvest be pale in light of next year's (we can hope, right?)!!

A History Lesson...

mixed with an ancestory lesson...for the screamers.

Tonight we were reading a free book we found in the mail (I requested it, it wasn't some random box stuffing) about Thanksgiving and the history of it and such. I flipped through it a few days ago, giggling at how I was going to present it to the screamers...segway to tonight. Picture us all snuggled down in the big bed, blankets securely tucked around the screamers and Mommy sitting between with a paperback....

M (Mommy) "Tonight we're going to read a little about Thanksgiving."

OS (oldest screamer) "Why?"

M "Because that's the book I picked up. Now sit down and listen."

I read a bit, details on why the Pilgrims head over and such. Then the coming over, then the landing and tada the intro to Native Americans.

OS "Is that Pappaw's grandpa?" pointing at a rather unflattering rendering of a man supposed to be Squanto.

M "No, but let me give you another lesson...Mommy's ancestors, people from a long time ago that are part of our family, were like these people" I point to the delicately drawn white woman wrapped in a shawl shivering against the cold "Daddy's ancestors were both these people (again the white woman) and these people (Squanto)."

OS "So we are Natip Amernicans"

M "Yes and no. Not fully."

OS sits back and chews on that for a little while before he interrupts a bit on the Three Sisters (beans, squash and pumpkins for the uninitated). "Momma, where are all the Natip Amernicans?"

Ah, I've been waiting for this one...I really have.

M "You know that green vine we see when we're going to KY...the kudzu?"

OS "Yeah?"

M "Well, the white people were like that vine. They weren't from here, they were transplants. But they grew like that vine. They spread out all willy nilly and just took over everything. They pushed the Natives out or crushed them, just like that vine. The Natives were told that they had to leave and live on a little bit of land...they couldn't stay where their people had always been, couldn't hunt there or plant gardens."

OS sits quietly for a moment before looking up and saying "That wasn't very nice, was it Momma?"

Sigh..."No baby, they weren't."

I think, just maybe, I might be raising a kid that is a deep thinker...lol. Wonder how he would react to the Trail of Tears story (sadistic ain't I?) after all...those were/are his people too. I'm saving the plight of the Irish for later.

Random Update...(and a rant)

Let us begin with the rant, shall we...because I can.

Dear University of Phoenix (more specifically my Academic Advisor and Financial Advisor),

WHY THE HELL ARE YOU SCREWING WITH ME!?! You screw up the "paperwork" but as usual it is the little guy that suffers. I want my f'ing Pell Grant and I want it last week. Just so you know, I'll be on the phone with you AGAIN in the morning and every morning until I have the $$ in my account. It should have been there two weeks ago, then again this week...now you are saying December...UNACCEPTABLE. Don't F**K with me...DON'T.

Now that is out of my system...

I have discovered that I really, really dislike doing dishes (could be that's why the Spouse did them). I miss the Spouse, I miss his doing the dishes...sigh. The screamers miss him too of course, especially when Mommy goes all Drill Sgt on their rears (the tone, look and volume work really well for a reason). But hey, I gets results...no toys in the floor as a look around right now. Such good little dirtbags...I mean privates...I mean screamers, yeah, screamers.

The Spouse seems to be enjoying his time in OK for the moment...he's all excited about the intense PT program more than anything else. Whatever floats your boat babe. Since he is a 'student' and not a 'trainee' he gets to chitchat on his pre-paid cell during his free time. But then again, I think that is an AIT thing anyway...not sure. I know it wasn't when he went through the 1st time, but hey things have changed and they got to be all nicey nice now (did you know that BCT enlistees carry around stress cards so the Drills can keep tabs on them...stress cards for crying out loud).

At any rate, we are getting by...biding our time 'til that 1st check comes in and hoping nothing gets cut off (electric, phone, etc) 'til then since University of Phoenix is a bunch of dumb a**es (see above rant).

As to the few that have emailed me about my thoughts on Hood...you've heard back from me. Have nothing to add here except all of the fallen, the wounded and their families are most definitely in my thoughts and prayers.