Stressed out

After attending a wonderful party for neighbor Bryan on Saturday night, we returned home and slumbered away.  The crawfish pie was to die for, BTW.  Marlina woke the next morning with a pain in her chest. The left side of her chest.  You know, where that one muscle that pumps blood throughout her body is located?  I looked for the aspirin, but of course, we were out.  I high tailed it to Target to get some.  By the time I got back, she said that she was having pain in her left arm as well.  That's it, I yelled, and loaded the kids and wife into the car and streamed straight for the emergency room.

The kids, not really freaking out, but kinda freaking out, asked if Mom was ok.  I said that I didn't know, but that was why we went to the hospital.  After we got her signed in and settled in, I loaded the kids up and headed to drop them off at my parents.  It took me 2 hours round trip because of they had the freaking freeway shut down. Anyways, I got back and Marlina was sleeping. 

I got the chance to talk to the doctors who informed me that they think she was just stressed out, that it doesn't appear that she had a heart attack but that they wanted to observe her a bit more.  She slept for most of the day, and I got the chance to finish my book, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.  Sitting there in the hospital reading about ole Huck and Tom Sawyer's adventures sure had me planning some capers with the nurses and doctors.  But alas, I didn't do it and she got released about 7:00.

The moral of all of this is that when your body is telling you to take some time off to properly process everything, you need to listen.  Dealing with the death of her father the weekend prior, on top of that, dealing with family politics, and on top of that trying to go to work and dealing with kids' schedules, she didn't take the time out to listen to her body.  She barely slept all week and it finally wore her down.  Who knows what would've happened if she would of pushed through this pain?  I don't regret taking her to the hospital.  I just wish I could take away her pain.

Vincent

On Saturday night, Marlina received a call that none of us ever want to get.  Her father had passed away.

She immediately dropped everything and went to the hospital.  When she got there, she was told the very limited details and was left to process everything.  She returned home around midnight, and got about three hours of sleep.  Upon waking up, we both felt like we were still in a fog.  We told the kids and, of course, they cried.  This also happened to be Super Bowl Sunday, and the kids were ready to go to the party.  Needless to say, we stayed home, as we were not in the partying mood. (What an exciting game, BTW).

I will never forget going to Vincent's house the first time.  He was a very creative man with a unique personality.  He made figurines out of things he found on the beach.  He was a professional beach comber.

I am sure I will write more about him in the future. 

He will be missed.

Katie gets slimed!!!

On Sunday, we took the kids to the NFL Experience, which is in town for the Superbowl.  It was pretty sweet.  There was lots to look at and do, including kicking field goals, throwing touchdown passes, designing your own helmet and uniform.  They also had a Nickelodeon booth set up where you could throw footballs into SpongeBob's mouth, look the Teenage Turtle's lockers, etc.  Well, they also had a slime booth set up.  When Nick first became a channel when I was a kid, there was a show called You Can't Do That on Television, where, if you said the taboo word, you would get green slime dumped on your head.  Well, as a kid, we all imagined what that would be like.  On Sunday, my 6 year old daughter got to find out.  Well, with clothes protection on at least.  Here it is in slow motion.

Besides the sliming, Luke got to see the inside of one his favorite players' locker.

Katie got to take a photo with some cheerleaders.

We even got to see the Lombardi trophy.

As someone who was very skeptical that I was going to get nickel and dimed, I was pleasantly surprised.  We did pay $25 per kid, plus $35 per adult to get in, but once we got in, we didn't have to pay for any other item other than refreshments.  Katie even dragged me onto the obstacle course where I lost, barely.  We got there at 10:00 and didn't leave until almost 4:00.  It was fun.

Chili!!!

Here on the island, neighbor Craig hosts an annual birthday bash for his wife.  He hires a band and invites all the neighbors, and has a chili cookoff.  All those interested bring a crockpot of chili and hope for the best. It is not formal, and the judges are just people here and they change every year.

The first year I heard about this, I thought I would go and check it out.  I didn't know Craig but that didn't stop me from checking it out.  I was impressed enough that I told Marlina that next year, I would enter a pot.

Next year, I decided to batch up some and see what happens.  Only problem, Luke had a basketball game right during the judging.  I brought over a crock anyways.  I saw neighbor Priscilla and told her my secret number and to let me know if I win.  I didn't have high hopes, but I did have some hope.  Right about half time of the game, I get a text.  2nd place!  Not bad for a first timer.  Or a multi timer.

This year, I am having fun putting together the chili. 

Mixing the spices and this is the result.....

The party starts in about an hour.  The kids and I are gonna head over and see what happens.  Either which way, I have some Jerry Jeff Walker and the Flatlanders playing, drinking a Shiner Bock, enjoying the cool 55 degree weather.  I don't have high hopes, but there is hope.

The Front Seat...

My son is now 9 years old and a whopping 62 pounds.  I don't know what the state law says about riding in the front seat of a vehicle, but I do know that his mother wants him to ride in the back at all times.  Well, normally I comply with her wishes and during drop off and pick up at various functions, our conversation goes something like:
"How was school today?"
"Ok."
"Learn anything new?"
"No"
"How was math?"
"Fine"
"What did you do?"
"I don't remember"


This past week, picking him up after basketball practice, I let him sit in the front seat of the truck.  He proceeded to tell me about his day without being prompted, then he explained where he wanted to live and how he was going to pay for it, and what kind of car he was going to have when he got older.  I don't know if it was solely because he was in the front seat with me and we could converse without looking in the mirror, but it was nice to hold a conversation with him, without him being on the ipad or telling me he doesn't remember.  Maybe he was just in the mood to talk, but I think he will be riding the front seat a little more often from now on.

Sam.....

Well, our family lost a member today.  Samantha Cat has now gone to a better place.

After being sick for a day or two, I began to see the signs, but it hadn't quite dawned on Marlina.  We discussed this and decided to send her to the vet, but at the same time, trying to prep the kids for the worst news.  This morning it was diagnosed that she had complete liver failure and wasn't processing anything.  It was just a matter of time.  We choose to do the humane thing.  That doesn't make it any easier on the family.

She was a good cat who never liked to be held, but was always ready with a purr.  She would scratch you and claw you and piss on your sheets, but she would jump up on my lap anytime. 

She will be missed.

RIP Sam.

Twas the week before Chrismas....

Saw this today and couldn't help but feel this is spot on...



















Well, Marlina had her annual "I don't think we have enough gifts for the kids" moment last night.  That means today I get to have my annual, "Fuck it, just buy more stuff" moment.  I usually go out and spend another $200-$300 today and royally manage to screw up our budget.  Or, in reality, my budget that I only kept in my head and didn't share with her but I still manage to get pissed when she goes over the amount that I didn't tell her about.

Anyways, Merry Christmas everybody!!  As much as I bitch about the money part, these are some of the best days of the year because it causes me to think of others more than myself.  I enjoy shopping part of the Christmas season.  I think I give good gifts.  I could be way off base; it is possible.  But I think I give pretty good presents. 

Three more days to go.......