Seriously? Seriously.

Lilli, J-Mad, and I were coming in from the patio and I innocently said to Lilli - "Let's go upstairs and watch television". She stopped, got this glazed-over look in her eyes and said "what's TELEVISION?" ......I didn't think anything about it. I just figured she was being a typical, goofy almost-5 year old. Until. I said "you know, TV". As we were walking up the stairs she said "Ohhhhh, I see, television is Spanish for TV, right?"

Seriously? Seriously.

Romance - who needs it ?

I was sitting in my living room, at my computer, reading one of the many blogs that I read on a daily basis. This one is a new one - recommended by a friend - and I can't get enough. So, I'm reading it and the blogger is spinning the tale of how she met her husband. Per chance, MY husband happened in and stood behind me, rubbing my neck and shoulders as he often does, and nosies in on what it is that has me so intrigued on the screen. I could tell he was reading a few lines and then he said "what are you reading? a cheesey, second-rate romance novel?". I explained to him that it was someone's story and it was great and awesome and made my toes curl. He responded "well, it's still a cheesey, second-rate romance novel".

I told him, yes - maybe it was, but at least it was SOME romance. I went on to inform him that this was something lacking in our marriage - romance. He grunted and rolled his eyes, and proceeded to pull up his shirt and push out his Ethiopianesque stomach and rub it in an exaggeratedly sensual way.....he was romancing me. THIS, my friends, was my romance.

We exchanged a couple of laughs and he exited left to go to the little boy's room. As he was leaving he said "yeah, we really DON'T have romance". He knew. We lack it. We always have and it hasn't been something that really has caused a problem for us. He doesn't need it and I knew full well what I was getting into when I married him. So, in a sense, I had decided I didn't need it either.

He was gone for a few minutes then returned to me and took me by the hand and asked me if I wanted to go sit on the patio. He held my hand and led me like a child through the dining room, through the kitchen, when I asked ....."Is this you trying to romance me?" Yes, it was. I also noticed that his hand was quite damp (no doubt from washing his hands after his bathroom excursion). "Yes, it's my idea of romance. And btw, I peed on my hand - I hope you don't mind".

Today, in my house, humor trumped romance. Today.

Lazy, Rainy Saturday

It's a lazy day in the household today. It's a rainy Georgia Saturday - and boy, do we need the rain. All have heard of the drought we faced last year that is still in dangerous levels. So, the rain is welcomed, praised, and also a great excuse to do absolutely nothing. It's funny how rainy days play on us - it's almost like they suck the energy out of you AND gently whisper "it's ok - be a sloth today, I give ye permission".

Generally, on the weekends, we are scurrying around trying to do all the things that the work week simply won't allow. The mounds of laundry that seem to deviously multiply while we're at work, sweeping and mopping, dusting - just the day-to-day chores that become week-to-week tasks. The husb and I always try to make one another accountable. The one who is really into accomplishing all the mundane projects will look at the one who is not so keen on the idea with that look: the one that evokes enough guilt that it makes you want to start taking curtains down and washing windows. There is no time for loafing here - and one of us is always up for playing the role of house master where we whip the other one into a cleaning frenzy simply by raising an eyebrow to that pillow your snuggling on the couch.

But NOT on rainy days. Nobody gulits anyone. Nobody is running around with the bucket full of cleaning supplies, sprinting up and down the stairs with a swiffer in one hand and a magic eraser in the other. No siree. On rainy days, we drink coffee leisurely, scoot around the house looking out one door, then the other - making sure that the blessed aqua that is falling from the sky isn't about to leave and make us be responsible people. We even lay in bed and watch tv - while eating popcorn - with our pjs on !! It's wonderful, pure bliss. And let me tell you - being in Georgia, in the midst of one of the worst droughts in history, can you imagine how many of these days we've had lately?? Right.

So, today, on this wonderful rainy Saturday in Atlanta - we are hereby decreeing this a day of rest. I'm gonna run, hop, skip, and JUMP! into my bed with remote in hand and start flipping through the channels all the while praying that this isn't a passing shower.

Banging My Head

I don't know what to do. See - I have a 19 year old son and for some reason (gasp) I can't seem to get through to him. It's almost like he has an invisible helmet on and when I start speaking the lil shields come down and prevent him from hearing a word that comes outta my mouth. Because he lives in a different state from me, I don't get the benefit of seeing that glazed over look in his eyes, but I promise you, I can still somehow see it through my computer screen. It's like some kind of transmission flies through the air from Kentucky to Georgia and spits itself right outta my laptop "DO I LOOK LIKE I CARE, MOM?"

He's a good kid. He has a good heart. But, boy, does he have a hard head. I've talked. I've yelled. I've cried. I've prayed. All to no avail. He thinks he knows it all and when I think back to when I was 19, I think I thought that too. I was wrong too. Of course, I had a 2 year old at that time (him) and I didn't know my ass from a hole in the ground. He doesn't have that excuse. He's carefree, young, single, responsibility-free and STILL he will not take advantage of everything he has in front of him. So what do I do? My hands are tied and my heart is heavy.

My parents always told me that someday I'd understand what it's like to have a kid that refuses to listen or take your advice. I guess I paved the way to the state I'm in via karma. Damn my 19 year old self. I'm not gonna forgive that girl too easily for what she's putting me through right now!

So for now, I'm going to continue banging my head - and remembering a time when that term meant something altogether different.