a little something

Here's a view from my in-law's back porch one early morning last week. No editing done. The colors were incredible! It was a gorgeous sunrise with a clean brisk feeling. Canada has at least one thing going for them. (Hee hee :)

So, to get on with the randomness, I have a few scattered thoughts for you to fill the void of recent postlessness....

I picked up some independent PR work again, and I've been reminded how so many people think their job is the most important thing in this world - like next to starving children in Africa and the well being of my boys - when in fact, who really cares? I mean, yes, all of these jobs create the thriving (or not so thriving) economy that we live off of. But isn't it funny how important the business world feels they are? Come on people, get a life. :)

This week at the grocery store I splurged and bought orange juice. Oh, how I love its cold deliciousness. OJ has been a rare luxury in our house for some time.

At times I think I eat a plate full of brownies or cookies (or a bag full of Ryder's Halloween candy) just so I can enjoy a tall, cold glass of milk. I love ice-cold milk.

What purpose do wind chimes really serve? Yes, maybe in a gentle breeze as you're basking in the summer air with a good book in hand and the kids playing in the yard, they may sound a tiny bit pleasant. But gentle breezes don't exist here in Washington. So I see no reason for them. And just for the record, if my neighbor's annoying little hanging metal sticks go missing anytime soon, it wasn't me. I promise.

I think the techies over at Office Depot create malicious viruses that infect our computers so you have to take what's become your pathetic excuse for a laptop to them for desperate help. And then they make you pay an arm and a leg and do nothing to solve the problem. I'm sure they just sit together in the back room laughing as they watch you (or me) leave. It's just a theory I have. Little do they know, I have a special set of skills that can wreak havoc on their reputation. And I'm not afraid to use them.

(Do you sense the tense feelings? I just keep telling myself, "things could be worse, things could be worse, things could be worse" - and somehow the wasted money, still broken computer and wind chimes in the background aren't so frustrating anymore. For a few minutes, anyway.)

We all had swine flu (well, we think it was swine flu) and were out of commission for nearly two weeks. Then we took a week vacation to Canada where everyone else had the swine flu. It was a cold Canada. Why didn't we go somewhere warm, like Hawaii? Oh ya, we don't have any money. That's why. Oh, and family is in Canada, too. And we do love our family.

I can't wait for Christmas. And I don't want just four weeks to celebrate this year. I'm sorry folks, but my lights are going up soon. Maybe even next week. And the music has already started. You can't say a thing that'll stop me, so don't even try.

Did you know there's a conspiracy against me? There is a man I used to know as my husband who is planning (along with his scheming mother and four sisters) to abduct me and my precious boys and take us across the border to live in windy, cold Alberta. Forever. Please tell me what I can do to stop the madness. I have roughly three years to foil their plan. Help!

If you want a Christmas card from us this year (not just an email... a physical card actually sent via USPS), send a quick note to jennyleefairbanks (at) gmail (dot) com with your mailing address. If you didn't get one two years ago or you've moved within that time, I don't have your address. So send it. Now. Please.

Thank you.

And to close our night, here's a little something from Ryder:

The night before Todd's parents arrived for their visit a few weeks back, Todd caught a frog in our garage. He left it in a jar on the table for Ryder to find the next morning.

Ryder, as he was examining his new best friend: "Hey mom, my frog is respectable. Did you know that? That means he's scared."

Turning to his friend and getting eye-to-eye: "Frog, it's okay. I'm going to take good care of you until Nana and Papa come."

Later I found Ryder lining up all of his lizards around the frog's jar. I told him that the lizards might scare the little frog, because some lizards eat frogs (not even sure if that's really true...). Ryder got really scared, and immediately chucked all of the lizards across the room. His speedy response was hilarious.

The end.