The Adventures of Being Me

Hope you had a Happy Halloween. Monday my baby niece slept over. I picked her up at daycare and took her home to grab her stuff. She announced she was four now. No, her birthday is next month. She was bursting with excitement seeing the kitties. Got ready for the party in the apartment manager's office. My black cat costume was too tight so I put on Little Red Riding Hood. I didn't want to try on my flapper costume out of fear that it didn't fit either. It took a few guesses for my niece to figure out what I was. Alright, I asked Am I Little Red Riding Hood? and she guessed it. Niece is Cinderella. About 15 people were there, half in costumes. Most parents with costumed kids didn't wear costumes themselves. The winner of the kid costume contest was Minnie Mouse with her hair in pigtails sticking up like ears. The adult costume winner was Cleopatra. The winner of the coloring contest was the girl who completely colored the picture in 20 different colors. Later I heard th...

I turn on the TV and ongoing coverage of an explosion in NE Des Moines of a Barton Solvents with dangerous flammable chemicals with 50 gallon drums exploding and several area fire departments taking a defensive position. News crews are forced back so the fire hose water looks like white lines. They are busy warning not to travel into NE side or they will be turned around. Police are directing people off the Interstates. Neighbors are not allow to take pets out because they are worried about the toxic fumes that could be spreading. They are tracking the smoke now in Ankeny to the north of Des Moines. Apparently it has been burning for 2 hours. Though on a positive note, all company employees are accounted for and there is only one minor injury. Post later. Bye!

I struggled to get up today (it doesn't help I get up late on my days off) so the cats only got 20 minutes outside. Well as you can imagine they didn't want to come back in. I whistled and called, carried Precious inside, but couldn't find Frodo. He wasn't anywhere where I left him. I did hear a distant meow so I know he heard me, but he won't come. I leave Precious meowing in the window and I was suppose to be at work 5 minutes ago. Get to work 15 minutes late and complain I hate my cats. They were also not cooperative this week on my days off either. Especially when the hedge trimmers with noisy chainsaws started trimming next to my door and I had to wait for them to move on to get Precious back inside. Get home much much later, and can't find Frodo. I whisper my calls checking out the usual hiding spots. No response, not even a meow. Though Precious is going nutso in the window. Fears of a run over Frodo, animal control using those sticks with loops to captur...

I went to see Camelot. Bought another ticket, started my laundry at my sister's house, and borrowed a dollar from my darling sister to pay for parking. Niece was disappointed I left, but she is coming next week so that made her a little happier. Sat in the 2nd row on the right side of the stage, the other ticket was front row right smack in the center. But side is good to cause you can see backstage. I was so close I couldn't see their shoes, just ankles on up (lights on the stage blocked the view). But I did see their make-up. Usually when I go to plays I'm so far back their faces are blobs. Lou Diamond Phillips was handsome as ever in a goatee. I had a good time. Went back to sister's and finished laundry. Chatted with my sister and planning the overnight visit next week. I brought over The Little Mermaid for my niece to watch. She refused to watch it cause it was too scary. Little Mermaid scary? Oh well, she 's four. Well after I get home, I'm playing with P...

I got a ticket to see Camelot at the theater yesterday online. I spent over half hour examining my dress up clothes cause I have a dozen shirts and skirts that look good on hangers, but none go together. Then on top of that half my clothes are faded and look hideous next to something nice. One of my guys called me while putting on eyeliner so I let the phone ring. I picked the dress I can't figure out the color of (it looks different colors in different lightings). I put strappy heels and hope the place is not air conditioned. Run out the door since I didn't plan on spending 30 minutes picking something to wear. Grab a jacket that doesn't go with the dress or heels, but then again none of my coats go with dresses. I get to the parking garage and realize I don't have enough money. Forgot the checkbook I intended to bring in this event happening since I was running out the door. I only write checks for credit cards and birthdays, I use my credit card for practically every...

Saturday night after work I went over to the guy at work's apartment just to hang out. White walls w/out any adornment, but otherwise nice place. We watched the the Queen Elizabeth II movie centering around Princess Diana's death. I thought they made the Queen out to be a big joke and Prince Charles as a big wuss. Then they had the royals go hunting after the news of Diana's death. Does shooting animals to death while mourning the loss of somebody make sense to you? I hope that part was made up. I didn't care for it. His cat hid from me (must be Frodo's twin) every time I saw it. He asked "What are you thinking right now?" I replied, "I'm thinking I have to pee." We flipped around channels and he massaged my neck claiming it was very tense. If you sat in a stool for 9 hours your neck would be tense too. My neck is always tense. He kissed me goodnight. I slept on his black leather sofa. Next morning, I tossed around waking up and he asked if I...

This week's events start Tuesday. I found out in our apartment newsletter they are having a Halloween party with prizes for best kids and best adult costume on the very night I will have my niece overnight. I told my sister to pack her costume, though with a warning that "other" kids will be present if my niece could handle that (she is very shy around strangers). They are also having a Trick or Treat night and pictures to place on your door so kids know which apartments to knock on. I don't know if I should do that with Precious desperate escape attempts every time the door opens, Frodo hides at knocks on the door. Maybe place a big bowl of candy in the hallway. Then Wednesday I had my date with guy from work, our 2nd. We had pizza and saw the new Queen Elizabeth movie. Then came back to my place to play with cats and fact check people and events in the movie. I have a biography of Queen Elizabeth and some stuff wasn't in the book. Online encyclopedia said some o...

I had a beautiful week, then today and yesterday it gets cold. Today I had to chase down the cats to get them inside. I didn't wish to leave them outside when it is this cold since they probably would hunt down a warmer spot to wait for me, like up a car engine. Go to work to discover new speakers up on the ceiling. Oh goody, now the music will surely much louder than before and hope I can still hear my customers. Then Mom calls to announce my great-aunt (Dad's aunt) died of pneumonia and asks me to email my brother and sister so she didn't have to call long distance. I volunteered to call them on my cell phone and left messages on their answering machines, two less calls for her to make. I thought it is a little insensitive to email a death in the family. I called my manager and got Saturday off to attend the visitation. We weren't that close so I figured I'd skip the lunch, funeral, and gravesite blessing on Sunday. Next after dinner, my allergies go haywires and ...

I saw on Inside Edition how a manager of a McDonald's stripped searched an employee in her office while talking on the phone to a suppose police officer for 3 hours, even giving this employee a comforting hug while she was wrapped up in a towel. The employee was assaulted when this police officer came to arrest her. McDonald's denied any wrongdoing on the manager's part and blamed the fake cop completely. The employee was awarded lots of money for her humilation and assault planning to use this money to go to law school. The whole thing was caught on security cameras, except the assault part by the hoaxer. All I have to say is: Hello?, does McDonald's train their managers to be stupid. We are forbidden to give any personal information about employees or customers over the phone, especially schedules and phone numbers. All we can say is that a person is here or not here, or rented their car or returned their car. Plus, cops don't ask private citizens to do their job...

Yesterday a friend at work comments as I read my new Vanity Fair magazine that soon I will be buying Bridal Magazines and planning my dream wedding. Oh, you haven't heard my boyfriend called it quits?, I asked. Nope. Then today I get another friend at work telling me a gal at another car rental could use my assistance. What assistance could I possibly provide?, I asked. She is getting married. Oh, you haven't heard we broke up. Naturally he has tons of advice to give me on how to get a man. Problem is, I don't want a man I want a boyfriend, preferably one that doesn't lie his face off to keep the peace. His advice is to never say you hate the food at the restaurant he picks and just have a glass of water or salad if I obsolutely hate it. Then he says to just get out there. Whatever. I think he needs to find his own girlfriend and quit worrying what I'm doing. Now I got people asking how my date went last week with a guy at work and soon after asking when I'm get...

I had a date with a guy at work tonight. The first date after the break up with my boyfriend. I got ready putting on make-up, nail polish, an empire style knit dress, tights, and 3 inch heeled boots. We planned a dinner and movie date. He comes and announces that his friend from another time zone came to town last night and called him right before he left to pick me up, so do I mind going to an unfamiliar place and visit with his friends there. No problem. My date's wardrobe reminded me of the photos of my Dad taken in the 1950's-60's when he had hair. Blue/white plaid shirt with white t-shirt underneath, blue jeans, black shoes and white socks. My guy has his hair and it is graying, yet short and hair gelled upwards (unlike Dad in the 50's and 60's). This place he takes me to is an outdoor diner where a bunch of guys park their antique cars and drink beer twice a week. I had a Coke. After standing in 3 inch heels for several minutes, I had to sit down. I forgot to ...

It had rained this morning so everything was wet when we had walk outside. Kitties wandered around and came back inside the stairwell. I tossed balls and mice to encourage exercise (cats do need excitement) until they quit chasing them. Then they wandered outside again and saw them go into the wooded area by the garages. Called them for 5 minutes before going inside, opened a can of cat food from the balcony to persuade them in, and started my dinner in the microwave. Then an angel poked a cloud with a large pin and rain gushed out harder than my bathroom shower. I knew that would make the cats come so I rushed out and called them in. Frodo slipping on the pavement runs to the other door and I run over to let him inside. Called for Precious. No Precious. Go to the other door after getting Frodo into the apartment and here comes Precious. The poor pussy had to swim and wade into the raging river accummulating in the parking lot. Got him in the apartment and tried to dry them with a towe...

A few days ago I took my cats out as usual, knew right where they were when the hour walk was up, and they ran off while I kept trying to call them back inside for half an hour. I had to get to work so they get locked outside. That will teach them to come when called. Come home with a couple sacks of groceries with my DVD player and work bag, talking to myself the difficulty of squeezing these bags between the seat and the steering wheel. I see Precious walk by and then Frodo comes over. They race inside and dive into the canned cat food I give as a treat for coming inside, then lap up the water dish. At least I didn't have to do cat chores (litterbox, food bowl, water dish) since they were outside all day. The next day it was a bit windy and Frodo stayed in the stairwell while Precious stayed by the back steps. Neighbor girl tells me my cats were outside yesterday. Yes, I know, they wouldn't come back in. Then she said something with her limited child volcabulary like they tri...