Friday Feast

Appetizer
Who is the easiest person for you to talk to?

My best friend Roni...she knows and understands me like nobody else. She loves me for who I am and would never do anything to hurt me.

Soup
If you could live in any ancient city during the height of the quality of its society and culture, which one would you choose?

Rome, only because its beautiful and I loved the clothes they wore.

Salad
What is the most exciting event you’ve ever witnessed?

Hmmmmm, well, giving birth was pretty exciting...I dont know if I witnessed it as much as I experienced it.

Main Course
If you were a celebrity, what would you do for a publicity stunt?

I dont think I would do anything to draw attention to myself. Look at Lindsey Lohan, Paris Hilton, and Nicole Richie......enough said.

Dessert
What do you consider the ideal age to have a first child?

Between 25 and 30. Although, I was a mother of 2 by 25:)

TT #26

13 ways to determine if you're older than dirt. What do you remember?

1. Blackjack chewing gum

2. Wax Coke-shaped bottles with colored sugar water

3. Candy cigarettes

4. Soda pop machines that dispensed glass bottles

5. Coffee shops or diners with tableside juke boxes

6. Home milk delivery in glass bottles with cardboard stoppers

7. Party lines (I use to have so much fun on those)

8. Hi-fi's

9. Blue flashbulb

10.S&H Green Stamps

11.45 RPM records

12.Metal ice trays with lever

13. Howdy Doody

Wordless Wednesday

The Cleaning Poem

I asked the Lord to tell me
Why my house is such a mess.
He asked if I'd been 'computering',
And I had to answer 'yes.'

He told me to get off my fanny
And tidy up the house.
And so I started cleaning up...
The smudges off my mouse.

I wiped and shined the topside.
That really did the trick...
I was just admiring my work..
I didn't mean to 'click.'

But click, I did, and oops I found
A real absorbing site
That I got SO way into.
I was into it all night. Sigh

Nothing's changed except my mouse
It's very, very shiny.
I guess my house will stay a mess...
While I sit here on my hiney.

Its a contest!!!

It's Baaaack! Yes, that's right, Tea Time Ramblings is doing a knitted dishcloth give-a-way once again. Her last winner was Shelly from This Eclectic Life. This give-a-way will consist of 5 knitted dishcloths in various colours and patterns.


The contest will be open until September 7, 2007 at 12:00 PM Central Standar Time. A random draw will be made from all entries.


To Enter: Leave a comment at Tea Time Ramblings, then post about the contest on your blog. She will pop by your blog to check out your post and enter you automatically! How easy is that?

Where have all the single people gone??

People that are single these days sometimes find themselves asking, "Where have all the single people gone?" You go to restaurants, to movies, to amusement parks and it seems that everyone is coupled up. Sometimes its a relief, especially if you are just getting out of a bad relationship, but sometimes it's a very lonely feeling. I did some research of the top places to live in the US that have the highest single population and here is what I found:

1. San Francisco
2. New York
3. Los Angeles
4. Atlanta fourth
5. Chicago fifth
6. Washington
7. San Diego
8. Seattle
9. Fort-Worth Texas
10.Philadelphia.

Denver, meanwhile, the top-ranked city from 2004 to 2006, has dropped to 16th place. A few new cities have been added, they are Jacksonville, Fla., Memphis and Baltimore. With the holiday season quick approaching, maybe its time to think about relocation or checking out the single sites in those areas. Ive done the holidays both with and without someone in my life and I would have to say, sharing special moments with someone special would have to be my choice. There are several options to chose from but sitting at home feeling sorry for yourself isnt one of them. Its not easy, but nothing worth while in life is. Look at what your community has to offer. Surf the internet for single's sites. I've done alot of internet dating and I would have to say, Ive had more good dates than bad. You meet so many different types of people. You have to be careful and dont invite them to your house on the first date. Use common sense and dont give out your house telephone number as there is a way to do a reverse look up and anyone can get your home address (unless you're unlisted). If the guy is a freak, the last thing you want is him showing up on your door step. Cell phone's are much safer. When you look at the alternative though, what do you have to lose??? Mr. Right wont come knocking on your door. You're going to have to do a little work and put yourself out there.

Raising teenagers can be hard, especially if you’re a single parent.

It's no question that raising teenagers is a challenge no matter how many parents are living in the home. Especially the ages between 12 and 16, which are marked by mood swings, defiant attitudes and attempts to push limits set by parents. During this time, teens try their hardest to gain adult independence, which is a normal part of growing up. So, this is the time to help them learn lessons and find their way to adulthood, despite the fact that it sometimes makes us feel like we are raising aliens from another planet. My oldest son took me to hell and back. As a single parent, I cried many times trying to figure out what I did wrong and why my child was doing the things he did. Their father lives in Tennessee and has only been in their live via telephone for the past 8 years. Although, he wasn’t dependable when he was here to begin with so I felt very alone. If it weren’t for the help of my sister and mother, I probably would have had a mental break down. I read a lot of books and articles that got me through the tough times. Here are a few suggestions that some of the experts say may help you get through the power struggles and turmoil that we all face as parents of teenagers.

Create Realistic and Enforceable Boundaries
The earlier this is done the better. Let your teen know that some boundaries you will negotiate and some you wont. Curfews, schoolwork, appropriate behavior, are some typical boundaries to set. Also, you can let your child come up with ideas so that they will be more apt to comply.
Dress Codes and Hairstyles
This is a good place for negotiating. The job of the teen is to shock their parents more than her parents shocked their parents! Most of the time, their desire to wear extreme clothing or hairstyles is directly correlated to the parent's vulnerability to the shock value. If you are horrified that your son wants to wear pants 4 sizes too big and then use a belt to hold the baggie jeans off their hips, just compromise and go with 2 sizes too big. I know that sounds silly but teenagers are so stubborn, they don’t care how ridiculous we think they look, it’s all about the style and what their friends think. If your daughter wants to dye her hair purple, don't freak out. Encourage her to buy non-permanent dye and allow her to do it for a weekend. Compromise a little and don't let your shock show — the motivation for the extreme will probably wane.
Non-Negotiable Health Issues
When it comes to alcohol, drugs, smoking and other obvious health risks, there should be no negotiation, and your child needs to know this. They say you should let them know they are responsible for their own behavior and should take themselves out of situations that could lead to trouble…lol…I have to laugh at this concept though. It’s really good in theory but I had a teen that did all three and had continuous problems with the law. That was my life for 2 years. Its amazing how good teenagers get at lying. Put the rules out there and follow thru when they are broken. You can get real tired of dealing with this day after day but its better than having no rules at all. Some parents give up…at one point, I can see why, but you can’t give up. As soon as they think you have, they will walk all over you and you might as well forget ever gaining that control back. You may need help if you have a troubled teen. Doing it as a single parent is more than challenging, its life altering.
Create an Inviting Environment
Make your home a safe haven for not only your own child, but for your child's friends as well. This means being approachable and available, even if the teens don't have much to say. Teenagers love to laugh, and they love to tease — learn to laugh at yourself and with them. My kids and I always cut up with each other. They are two of the funniest people I know.
Show Respect for the Other Parent
Even though you may have different rules, respect the other parent's opinion and explain to your teen that you are each entitled to make different rules for your separate homes. This has worked really well for other single parents that are friends of mine but I never had to deal with this. My ex was out of state so everything fell on me.

The bottom line is, don’t give up. I never thought Id survive with my oldest but I did and now he is in the Navy and I am very proud of him. Who’d of thought? At one point, rehab or prison were the only places I thought he would end up. In the end, he apologized for putting me thru what he did and thanked me for being such a good mother. Now, I just need to follow my own advise with my youngest, who will be 16 in October. So far, this appears to be going much easier then the first time around. They are two different kids, thank God, and my youngest witnessed everything the oldest put me thru so I’m hoping he will think twice any time he is faced with a difficult situation.

Beep Beep Bon Appetite'

30 Minute Shepherd's Pie

2 pounds potatoes, such as russet, peeled and cubed

2 tablespoons sour cream or softened cream cheese

1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup cream, for a lighter version substitute vegetable or chicken broth
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
1 3/4 pounds ground beef or ground lamb
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup beef stock or broth
2 teaspoons Worcestershire, eyeball it
1/2 cup frozen peas, a couple of handfuls
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Boil potatoes in salted water until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain potatoes and pour them into a bowl. Combine sour cream, egg yolk and cream. Add the cream mixture into potatoes and mash until potatoes are almost smooth.
While potatoes boil, preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add oil to hot pan with beef or lamb. Season meat with salt and pepper. Brown and crumble meat for 3 or 4 minutes. If you are using lamb and the pan is fatty, spoon away some of the drippings. Add chopped carrot and onion to the meat. Cook veggies with meat 5 minutes, stirring frequently. In a second small skillet over medium heat cook butter and flour together 2 minutes. Whisk in broth and Worcestershire sauce. Thicken gravy 1 minute. Add gravy to meat and vegetables. Stir in peas.
Preheat broiler to high. Fill a small rectangular casserole with meat and vegetable mixture. Spoon potatoes over meat evenly. Top potatoes with paprika and broil 6 to 8 inches from the heat until potatoes are evenly browned. Top casserole dish with chopped parsley and serve.

Friday Feast

Appetizer
Say there’s a book written about your life. Who would you want to narrate the audio version?

Sam Elliott of course...he has a sexy voice.

Soup
Take the letters from your favorite kind of nut and write a sentence. (Example: Perhaps every avenue needs understanding today.)

Caring and sharing heed endless wonders...

Salad
If you could go back in time and spend one week in another decade, which decade would you choose?

The 70's were very cool...I was young but Id like to be groovy again at this age.

Main Course
Name a song that brings back memories for you.

There are so many songs that bring back memories, its hard to chose one. I think "We've only just begun" but the Carpenters is the one that comes to mind first.

Dessert
Do you prefer to wash your hands in cold water or warm water?

I work in a hospital.....warm and warmer...You have to KILL those germs!

Traffic…no wonder there is road rage.

I don’t know how many of you live in Southern California, but I am here to tell you, the traffic sucks! They recently added a new lane to the freeway I take home, which everyone thought was “GREAT”, then they took another lane away. The longer I sit in traffic, the more I think about the things that need to be done, and the angrier I get. I have seen congress pass bills that are suppose to help our traffic nightmare yet nothing appears to be getting better. I wonder how much of our life is wasted sitting in a car, inhaling the exhaust fumes from someone else’s tail pipe?? I'm a single parent and I'm a Mom. The list of things that need to be done is never ending, yet daily, I find myself wasting time waiting…always waiting. I remember 10 years ago when traffic was only something that happened in Los Angeles, now, it's everywhere. You know, the people that really irritate me the most are the cell phone talkers. 9 times out of 10, when I'm driving behind an idiot in the fast lane doing 55, they are on the cell phone. I spent 45 minutes going about 15 miles yesterday thanks to traffic. Where is all of our money going to improve the roads?? I looked onto the California website to see what is being done and here is what I found:

BALLOT TITLE & SUMMARY
HIGHWAY SAFETY, TRAFFIC REDUCTION,
AIR QUALITY, AND PORT SECURITY BOND ACT OF 2006.

• Makes safety improvements and repairs to state highways; upgrades freeways to reduce congestion; repairs local streets and roads; upgrades highways along major transportation corridors.

• Improves seismic safety of local bridges.

• Expands public transit.

• Helps complete the state’s network of car pool lanes.

• Reduces air pollution.

• Improves anti-terrorism security at shipping ports.

• Provides for a bond issue not to exceed nineteen billion nine hundred twenty-five million dollars ($19,925,000,000).

• Appropriates money from the General Fund to pay off bonds.


OK...So, when are we going to notice a change?? I realize this was only devised last year but they have been making our lives miserable for at least 5 years trying to fix what we have. I thought propositions were suppose to expedite the process. There are more people living here now that there was before and it’s not going to get better. I have multiple errands to run on any given day and where do I find myself?? Sitting in traffic!! I cant wait until I can move out of California…this place is WAY too overrated!! The pic below was taken today on my way home from work.

TT #25

13 signs that your teenager may need help.

1. You find visine in their pocket on more than one occasion.
2. Lighters come out of no where and end up in the dryer after doing laundry.
3. The screen on their window is busted from sneaking out and the rose bush outside their window is trimmed down to nothing.
4. When they come home, there is always a wad of gum in their mouth to try and cover up the smell along with a strong dose of cologne.
5. They refuse to look you in the eye.
6. They lie about anything and everything (some teenagers get pretty good at this).
7. Your child is tardy from school on a regular basis, even missing days of school. (You won't find out about it until the school calls the next day).
8. They are hanging out with new kids and they dont want you to meet them.
9. They start getting in fights in and out of school. Their fuse becomes really short with everyone.
10.Getting in trouble with the law.
11.They become disrespectful to you, family, friends, and teachers.
12.Their personality changes.They become someone you know longer know.
13.Your younger child starts acting funny, avoiding any and all questions about their sibling.

If I left any out....feel free to enlighten me and future parents of teenagers. And on a happier note, the child that put me thru this is now in the military and doing wonderful. There is always hope just be aware and know your child. Did I mention he was a straight "A" student too??

Wordless Wednesday