Since the countdown is on . . .

I want/need to paint my toenails a fun, fun color for my trip. Instead of making the decision on my own, I'm going to let everbody else decide. You can pick more than one color . If you do, explain the order of the colors in your comments.


[Poll #591628]

Weekend Happenings

First, I had to call the cops around midnight last night because there was a group of at least 20 college students standing in the middle of my street having an extremely LOUD argument. I thought that the apartment complex across the street was having a party. The parties don't bother me, but they usually don't sound like they are in my living room. I figured there was a new group of students who have moved in. The Nosy Nelly in me looked out the window when I heard someone say "are you ok?" at which point I went to the door with the phone and asked if they needed someone to call the police. Someone said yes and that some guy had mugged one of the guys in the group. Cell phones anyone? So I called, then I heard someone scream and someone else was yelling "OMG There he is! Catch him" A couple of the guys take off down the street and drag back this other kid. They were just holding onto him but I could hear one of the guys saying "look, all I want is the passport. I don't have any money, but I NEED the passport". Then someone said that the police had been called, he punched one of the girls holding his arm and took off in the other direction. The entire group took off after him. I heard the sirens a few minutes later. I don't know what happened after that, I wasn't crazy enough to follow.

After the Irish kids cancelled coming to the States in November, they are now going to be here the same time that RTL and I go to Australia. I love them, but the wishy-washy bothers me. We won't get into the psycho-babble that it's one of those things about myself that bothers me when other people do the same thing. For years they have been working on the dream of owning a coffee/art cafe and now things seem to be progressing into reality. Before the end of the year Elphene's should be up and running in Ennis (County Clare, Ireland). Very exciting, but boo hoo for me because now they won't be here in November.

And now for a funny story.
A friend of mine coaches his son's soccer team. He was telling me about a dork moment that he had with one of the fathers. Let's understand that Tom is synonymous with normal. He is the dad from the Dick and Jane books, he is Ward Cleaver in person. One of the father's came up to Tom and said something along the lines of "I'm so and so's dad, you're a good coach, etc" Tom described the other father as tattooed, tight jeans wearing, with cool hair - complete opposite of Tom. Then the other dad said to Tom "Great game" and put out his fisted hand to do what I would like to term the Tough Guy handshake. You know, the one where they give each other kudos, and knock fists together while saying things like "dude" or "man". Tom, being normal put out his hand for a handshake. Awkward moment ensued while tattooed dad realized that Tom is not hip on the Tough Guy handshake. That's not all! Tom's wife ran into tatooed dad's wife at the toddler park. Tom's wife comes back and tells him that he really is a dork because tatooed dad is none other than the lead singer of Metallica.

I'm a bit surprised that James Hetfield lives in the Bay area. I'm more surprised that he's a soccer dad though. Now I want to go to a soccer game.

Will it stop already?

We weren't home on Friday when Patty called. She left a message.
The question du jour - Where are we going to meet at LAX?
The common sense answer would be - At the gate where we leave LAX.

RTL tried to call her mom on Saturday before she left for Mexico. She didn't answer any of the phones, so talking to the mother was left to me. No, I did not try to call her yesterday afternoon or anytime today. I do some crazy stuff, but I'm not that crazy. Patty called while I was eating dinner tonight. There wasn't much of a hello because she is FREAKING OUT. It is understandable that she doesn't want to sit in the gate area from 3:30 to 11:30. Well, 3:30 to 6:30 by herself, but shouldn't she be old enough to entertain herself?

She's terrified of having to change terminals. She doesn't want to have to re-check her bags. Can she leave the gate area after she's gone through security? She wants to be able to go through the shops. Can she go ahead and check her bags when she gets there? Does she have to go straight through security after she checks in? Oh the headache. My job is to go to the LAX website and check to make sure that there are shops on the other side of security and to tell her whether she is going to have to change terminals or not. I am too nice. And I have to call her tomorrow. Imagine the happy look on my face. Even better visual, in one of the Addams Family movies, Wednesday goes to camp and they tell her to smile for a picture. Yep, that's the happy look I'm wearing right about now.

Think happy thoughts, think happy thoughts. Ignore the crazy woman mother.