Hodge Podge

Today's blog is going to be in list form; because I like lists. They help keep me organized and on task; and there's that huge sense of satisfaction when you're able to cross something off your list once you've done it. Sometimes I add things to a list that I've already completed just so I can cross them off. And in honor of today's list I give you Santa Claus is Coming to Town written by J. Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie. Yes, I do know it's April. But this song is now stuck in my head so I'm going to get it stuck in your head too.

You better watch out
you better not cry
better not pout
I'm tellin' you why
Santa Claus is coming to town
he's making a list
and checking it twice
gonna find out who's naught and nice

1. Today is garbage day. Tuesday has been garbage day for me for the past four and a half years. I did not put out my garbage last night when I got home from work because it was pouring. This was a change in my routine and thus I forgot to put it out this morning before I left for work (because in my head it was already out and I was really really tired; still am). Of course I didn't remember that I forgot to put it out until I drove up to my driveway after work and wondered A) who stole my garbage can and then when I realized that was crazy talk B) why the trash collectors had taken it (and my recycle bin); I'd just paid my bill after all. Needless to say the garbage and the recycling were safe and sound in my garage right where I left them yesterday evening. I am not the sharpest tool in the shed today.

2. I found a gray hair today; I promptly yanked it out. I have always said I would grow old gracefully, not dye my hair or try to cover up my age. The gray today made me wonder if I'll be able to stick to my guns on my resolve to age gracefully. I did not like it. At all. We shall see.

3. I would be willing to bet that before Maggie was rescued from the streets of Memphis, TN she was in a pack of hunting dogs. She, however, must have been the Ferdinand the bull of her pack and thus a failure in the eyes of her owner. How can you know this you might ask? Well, tonight after work I saw her sniffing in the back yard; 30 ft to her left was a rabbit (which I might add was nearly as large as she). Instead of chasing her prey (or even noticing it for that matter) Maggie continued to sniff around and then decided to poop. The rabbit as you might have guessed hopped away completely unnoticed by Maggie. I love my girl with all my heart, but if I were a hunter and she were in my hunting pack I might have been tempted to just let her loose too. She's a lover not a fighter; unless that is you get between her and her dinner...

4. Today is Ms. Ex's birthday; it's also the birthday of one of my writer friends, my cousin and FMHW's oldest daughter. I was reminded of today's significance when I got home from work and had a message from a car dealer where Ms. Ex bought a Jeep three (?) years ago. They "wanted to be one of the first to wish her a Happy Birthday." They called and left a message last year as well. I will be calling them this time to ask them to remove my phone number from whatever database they have it in; I will also be giving them her cell phone number. For next year you know. Why doesn't my car dealer call me on my birthday? How come I don't rate like she does?

5. I think there was a number five when I started this list. But the aging process has started and I'm finding more and more lately if I don't write it down or do it exactly when I've just thought of it, I will forget to do it.

6. Maybe my number five was going to be the fact that I don't have to go back to the vet with Maggie or the boys for six months. I have been to the vet in one way, shape or form at least once a week since the beginning of October. This is such a relief. I'm not sure what I'll do with my free time.

7. Am I crazy? Here's the situation: The Talker e-mailed me late late late on Thursday night. I did not respond on Friday or during the weekend. On Monday VERY early in the morning she e-mails me again to see if I'd gotten the first e-mail. Now, I was going to e-mail her while I was at work on Monday, but her second e-mail pissed me off and made me not want to. So, I e-mailed her last night saying I'd been busy and was trying to limit my online time on the weekends since I spend all week plugged in. I also said that this week wasn't great to get together but next week should be good. In response I get a message (again VERY early in the morning) that it seems like it's going to be hard to schedule a time to get together again since I'm not a phone person and am limiting my online time. Really? That's going to make it hard? What's making it fucking hard is she's not even suggesting days or times that would be good. If I say next week should be good don't you think someone would look at their calendar and then suggest times that week that would work for them??? I mean if I'd gotten the message I wrote her I would have said "Tuesday and Wednesday would work for me. Maybe Thursday as well. Let me know what works best for you and I'll see you then." Especially since I know her schedule is pretty much wide open. So, now I'm really frustrated and am sort of regretting even saying I had a good time last week. Because it was just kind eh for me, but a better eh than the other dates have been so I thought I'd give her another shot. Argh! Women are so frustrating!

8. I am very hungry and I have to pee. I'd say that's a clue for me to stop blogging and start eating.

9. Apparently I go through blogging spurts. I am on a spurt recently. Wonder how long it will last?