Shopping With Ben 10

There are days I curse being South African.   Even though I live in what is often referred to as the most beautiful city in the world, Cape Town, there are still those days I wish I lived in the UK or States, where there's just more STUFF available. 

This wish rang repeatedly in my head as Jaco and I traipsed from shop to shop to find the kids their Christmas gifts.  My son is a huge Ben10 fan, but would you believe that here in sunny  RSA the only Ben10 stuff available is the cheaper Chinese toys - the 'immitations' should I say, and everything else is so overpriced, it would cost me a weeks' pay to buy the set.  And of course, there's only one or two of the action figures available, the rest is predictably 'out of stock' and has been for some months prior to Christmas.  WHATEVER.

And then we stumbled across some Ben10 goodies we hadn't seen before.  We didn't buy it, not at THAT asking price.   I'll say no more.   A picture speaks a 1000 words after all!

Santa Got a Buddy

Mom gets the tree up - yes, I know, it's a very LITTLE tree, but this is its last year with us...bear with me...the ligths are twinkling on and around the LITTLE tree.  Santa is in his place infront of it all.   He used to be able to sing and dance and even walk, but after two seasons with my son, he did little more than wobble, so now he just stands there.  
But CLEARLY Jacques thought there was something missing and gave Santa a buddy to keep him company.
And I just had to share...

Cheese & Jam

I had an appointment with my gynae yesterday.  The 35 week mark.   All is well and happy in Womb County with the new little man. 

As for me, well, all my little preggy nigglies - came down to just that:  preggie nigglies.  What to do?  Well, in short, live with it.

Two interesting things that I learnt though....

For the 'lazy leg' feeling - when you just dont' know what to do with your legs - take Vitamin B.   Apparently this is what helps reduce that annoying and destracting malady.

Secondly,

For low blood pressure - first of all - sitting for long periods of time cause your legs to cut off sufficient circulation of blood flow to your heart.   Standing for long periods of time also causes more blood to circulate lower and again the heart gets less.   For both, it is recommended you get into a position whereby your head is lower than your heart and wait for the horrible low blood pressure feeling to pass.   How you're going to get into that position is anyone's guess, though after experimenting yesterday, I discovered that if  you go down on your hands and knees and rest your head on the ground, your head is pretty much lower than your heart.  The fact that your rear is sticking up in the air is irrelevant!

And finally, while many people believe the best thing for a sudden drop in blood pressure is to grab a chocolate and boost those sugar levels, I was told yesterday that it's a very short term solution and actually can make one feel worse when the sugar wears off again.  A better suggestion  is therefore a cheese and jam sandwich.  Why.  Because not only are you boosting sugar levels, you're also increasing protein and calcium, both which help to make you feel better sooner and for longer.

I would have been selfish not to share.

Commander Potato & His Chick

Part of being an efficient and capable mom is learning to roll with the punches, go with the flow, expect the unexpected.  And there's plenty of the unexpected. 
So when you stick your hand in the pocket of potatoes at 08:00 am on a Sunday expecting to feel the round, slightly rough feel of a potato and instead feel something that is simultaneously hard and fluffy, do you have any choice but to shriek like a banship, whip your hand out the bag like it's been bitten and jump two feet away from the pocket of potatoes, staring at it in stunned horror and trying desperately to make sense of what just happened.

Two seconds later when you've gathered your wits and the courage to peep inside the bag, you feel like a complete twit when you see the following:-

Who?  How?  Your guess is as good as mine!

Catwalk Kids

Last week was the school concert.   This year, instead of the traditional Christmas concert, there was a fashion show. 

I've only been priviledged to sit in the audience, heart in throat, once before, when Jacques took part in the Christmas play at his old creche when he was three.

Now, I sat in the front row next to the catwalk, as nervous and excited as can be, waiting for both my kids to make their entrance. 

We'd been told that the babies would merely walk - escorted by the teachers - down the catwalk.  The older classes had themes.

We dressed my daughter in a gorgeous pink party dress with as few accessories as possible - she's beautiful enough without them.

My son was later in the evening and we had no idea what to expect, as he had been tight-lipped the whole month while practicing and rehearsals went on.  We just knew he had to wear 'funky' clothes.  And he asked for his shades just before the show.

Anyway.  A hush fell, the music started and first out, hesitantly and wide-eyed, came my beautiful baby girl.   There is no words to describe the feeling that came over me when I saw her and heard the collective 'Ahhh' in the audience.   When she saw all the people she kind of stopped and then continued walking, taking it all in, and silly Mommy sat with tears streaming - and I'm not the crying kind - so proud to know that the beautiful vision on stage was MY daughter.

Later the evening my son made his grand appearance - if not speedily and extremely shyly, hiding behind his shades.  He came on stage on a little foot scooter, parked it, did the catwalk modelling and a bit of a shimmy dance.   I was proud that he was brave enough to do it.  

The second night Cillisa was ready and paraded the catwalk as if it was just for her.  She stood infront of us - sitting again in the front row - and danced, and then cried when led off the stage. 

Jacques refused to make an appearance the second night, and we assured him that it was ok, because Mommy doesn't do stages either, and neither, in fact, does Dad.

We are still waiting for the professional pictures that were taken, but in the meantime, I'd like to share two that I do have. 

Beach Babe

For ONCE the weather was decent on Saturday.  Usually it's perfect weather during the week when I am stuck in a windowless 'cublicle' on the 8th floor of a stuffy building and then come weekend and my chance to venture into the outdoors, and the wind is galing and it's cool.
I did not hesitate to take advantage of the good weather this time around, and Julie and myself took off with my two kids and headed for the beach.  
It was Cillisa's first real trip to the beach (the previous one not counting, because she was sleeping!).
I am still blown away at her response to this great outdoors.   I remember Jacques crying as his feet hit the sand, not enjoying it at all - though now at the age of 5, of course, it's all changed.
Still, here I watched my 15 month old take off across the sand, her tiny barefeet barely leaving a footprint behind her.   She stopped periodically to pick up something off the sand, even bringing me a small mussel, still in it's shell.   
And then she discovered the water.  I thought she'd be hesitant to go in, it being cold and all.  Wrong again.
She went in on her hands and knees, shrieking and laughing when the water splashed over her, and once, when I couldn't grab her up in time, the water splashed up into her face and over her head.  She thought it was funny!  
It was such a joy to watch her having so much fun.  
And then, there was the surfer / body boarder standing on the sand that she walked past, looked up at and beamed a smile upon.  He looked down at her, returned the smile, and then looked around at me, and grinned again, looking a little puzzled at his own reaction to this tiny creature at his feet!   
And again I marvelled at how little girls, no matter how small, can twist a man around her finger with a dazzling smile.  
I think this is where some women go wrong.  They grow up, become guarded.   Their actions are calculated or at least considered.  Gone are the spontaneous wide smiles, and unselfconscious enjoyment of life. 
I learn alot from my daughter every day.  And I wonder what became of me and how to get some of that...
'innocence' back.

Boobs & Baby Powder

Well, it's been long since I've written.  It's what happens when your baby spends nearly 2 weeks out of a month in the hospital.  Yup, it's been one of THOSE months.
Luckily I can say that Cillisa is now fully recovered.  She had a bronchial infection of some kind and was only out of hospital for just over a week before falling ill again. Hopefully this time she is fully recovered and can go along her happy healthy way.
Much as I'd like to natter on and on about my beautiful daughter and gorgeous son, THIS post is all about BOOBS again. 
I'll keep it short though!
It's something I discovered and want to share with other women out there who might not have discovered this boobelicious trick.
As most of us will know, pregnant tummy and bigger-than-normal boobs do not go well together.  Not much worse than feeling the underside of your boob touching your stomach, especially at night when you've done with bathing and don't plan on putting on a bra.
I take Baby Powder, pour some into my hands, and rub it in under my boobs and over the top of my tummy.  Instant cure.  I also happen to always apply powder under my arms at night, I don't believe in deodorants after bathing. 
Anyway, it sounds strange, but it's immediate relief.  
And that's what I'm sharing today.   Have a boobelicious day!

Things That Go Bump

Childparenting

Well, my son seems to have entered a new stage; he is afraid.  Of everything.   And me, being a concerned parent, have been racking my brains for a way to deal with this, and eventually Googled it.  Thank goodness for Google - I'd be lost without it!

Anyway, I am not sure if his father being away from home for a week is what started it off, or him having started a new creche the week before that.   Maybe a combination of both.  It started off small - he slept in the bed next to me while his dad was away, but he wanted me to come to bed the same time as he went.  Then he wanted me to go with him to the toilet and stand outside the door.  Then he didn't want to go into his room on his own.  And eventually he was literally walking around behind me, just about holding onto my clothes.   Now, even with his father back home, he won't go to the toilet on his own even while  the sun is still shining.

By now I was VERY concerned.

Some research on Google highlighted the fact that this appears to be normal - though in boys it can even start at the age of 9.  In girls it was more common around the six year mark.

It's crucial to approach this in the right way though.   Stressed over and over in the articles I read was the fact that this fear is very real to the child, and should not be brushed off by the parent.   Things like nightlights, staying with the child until he or she is asleep, etc was suggested.   Therapy was highly recommended in the more extreme cases, as well as parent child councelling. 

Now I don't know about you, and I feel almost guilty for admitting this outloud, but I don't have the financial resources at this point, or the ability to take time off work to take my son to councelling.

What I am trying to do is to understand him better and have conversations with him to try to draw out his fears.   I also try to send him off to bed with 'happy' thoughts in his head about the little mice that go food hunting in the dark, and the dogs that are on guard and the cat that is out playing with the neighbours cats while we humans are sleeping.  This seems to be working well.   

I found a wonderful website that I am going to share with you, where you can read up about your child's age and what is generally the developmental stages within this age, as well as suggestions on discipline, etc.  I found it infinitely useful and also put my mind at ease about some issues that I found were just plain normal for his age.

And so we learn, step by step.  The hardest job on Earth - and there's no Instruction Manual!

30 Stepping Stones

I turned 30 on the 16th of October.   A very significant day that I've been mentally preparing for since I turned 29.   A time of personal reflection, of weighing up what I've achieved compared to what I planned to achieve.  I thought about what dreams and ambitions I could still realistically pursue and which would forever remain just dreams.  Also, which of my original goals had changed and perhaps even fallen away to make way for new ones.

Mentally, it's been a busy year for me.  A year where I silently learnt alot about myself, about what's important, what's not, what I am willing to tolerate and how far I will go to achieve personal happiness.

It was also a year in which I dealt with two very tragic losses, one being the loss of my Mother.   It's a long road, the road to recovery after a tragic loss, and at times I doubted I could pull out of it and ever be happy again.  It's as if the stigma of death attached itself to you and just holds on and you live in a dark and damp place, seeing  the sun, but never feeling it, and eventually the choice is there to continue on like that, or pull yourself out of the deathly grip and take back life.  It sounds alot easier on paper, but it's a long and painfull journey that I don't think ever really ends.  It's something to be worked on each and every day. 

Anyway, enough about my sentiments on turning 30, though be assured there are more coming.

For now though, I'm still getting over the shock!

Meet The Princess

And now it's time to introduce my daughter, Her Royal Highness, Cillisa.  Isn't she beautiful?  Age:  14 months today.  Born 19 August 2008.  Favourite Hobby:  Being cute.  Favourite Food:  Anything.     

As much as I love my son, and as wonderful as it was to have a boy as a first born, don't let anyone ever convince you that a daughter isn't every bit as much of a gift.  We've had such fun with her.  Girls are just special.  So different to boys and so...girlish! 

I think we women are born with the inbuilt ability to wrap men around our fingers with a flutter of an eyelash or a sweet smile. 

I think I've forgotten those tricks though, but watching her, I'm slowly remembering, and then jealously realising that I will never be as good as she is.  She's a natural.  The wide innocent smile, the upturned adoring look when she sees her father, the little outstretched hands - the cute faces she pulls when she's in trouble with Daddy, which is aimed at melting his heart, and works every time!

More than this, I believe Cillisa is touched by Angels.  She was conceived within a month of loosing one of my closest friends in the world.  In the month following this, carrying her was a comfort to me.  During my last month of pregnancy I lost my Mother and Cillisa arrived a few weeks later on my Mother's birthday.  Something they will forever share.   Amazingly, Cillisa broke free of the dominant colouring of my husband's family as well has my own, with the dark hair and dark eyes, and inherited my mother's blonde hair and vivacious personality.  She truly is a gift from Heaven, and her smile lights the path of life for me.

Why Blog

Hello Everyone!

I've been a bit quiet lately - been caught up with work and kids - I'm sure you all know the feeling of just having NO time spare, and if by chance you do - NO energy to do anything with it.

Anyway, I've been doing a bit of research on blogs and so forth, and there's no shortage of tips and information out there of how to make one's blog successful.  But at the end of the day it comes down to content.  

A bit disturbing to me was one specific tip:  Keep your content pertaining to your Blog.  i.e. if you've got a blog about aeroplanes, don't write about cars....

So that got me stressing about my own blog and if writing about my dislike of Michael Schumacher and my like of Enrique Iglesias was potentially harmful to my Blog. After all it’s got nothing to do with kids or being a mom.

Yet – it does. Because it’s me. And I’m a mom. And a wife. And a person. And other mom’s out there will know how hard it is to just be you, when you’re trying to be mommy and wife. ‘You’ comes last. And so if the only place I get to be ‘me’ and express thoughts and feelings pertaining only to ME, is in this Blog then so be it.   I have a personality and opinions outside of just those of a mother and wife.

Why did I start this Blog? Three reasons: Passion for writing, passion for my children, a longing to make people laugh.....

Passion for writing:- Yes, I love to write. My dream is to publish a novel – I’ve even written a few part of the way – but never get the time to finish it. Because I cannot dedicate myself to it. I love writing poetry, I love writing letters. I don’t get the time. To my mind, starting the Blog gave me freedom to write as and when I wanted to – without ‘losing the plot’, or falling behind.

Passion for my children:- well, what mother doesn’t have? And what mother doesn’t warm to her favourite subject; her kids – given half the chance and half an ear. Here, on my Blog, I can boast, praise, and complain to my heart’s content. I can ask questions and hope someone answers, I can share ideas and tips and hope it helps someone. And all this I can do in my favourite way: writing.

Longing to make people laugh:- Oh yes, I love seeing people’s smiles and knowing I put it there. So I might not get to see your smiles when you read my Blog, but I’ll know that if you’re reading it, and following it, that somewhere, at some stage, I will prompt a smile from you.

Truth be told, it doesn’t stop there – I heard about Heather Armstrong and how she eventually made a living from her Blog and was able to stay at home with her children and make it her life. Wouldn’t this be the perfect dream? For me, who has a passion for writing, and for my children, if I could combine the two on this Blog successfully, it would be a dream come true.

So it doesn’t help to write only what is ‘correct’ according to the experts on Blogging out there. I have to stay true to myself too. If it itches – scratch it. If it interests – write about it.

Finally, in closing, I am new to Blogging. So tips and pointers will always be welcome at any time. I tried to write on broad subjects and give you, the reader, a sense of who I am and what I am like before just launching into my life as a working mother. From now though, I am going to be more focussed on content; motherhood, pregnancy, careers, etc.

Beware, I am not averse to taking on anyone that needs it – because as far as I am concerned, here in South Africa there is way too little regard for working mothers, and even pregnant workers. I am joining the fight with guns blazing. I need wingmen – I invite you to join me!

xxEbony

This Weeks Top of the Celebrity Hit List

And this weeks' honor goes to my all time favourite, worldwide worshipped, self worshipper...(drum roll)....Michael Schumacher.

I just KNOW my popularity just plunged!  I felt the ground move beneath my typist's chair.


The world supports a winner.  Its a simple as that.  It's like that old saying,

"Smile and the world smiles with you, fart and you stand alone".

So it is with winners.  

First off the bat, let me say that yes, Schumi is a 7 time F1 World Champion, yes, he holds the record for 5 consecutive titles, 91 race victories, 7 consecutive wins, 154 x top 3 podium finishes, 19 consecutive podium finishes, 190 point finishes, 68 pole positions, 115 front row starts, 76 fastest laps, 1,369 championship oints, 13 wins per season (72%), 10 fastest laps in a season, 17 podium finishes in a season, etc, etc, etc.

Still, I can't help but wonder why this obviously talented driver felt the need to constantly press the boundries of what is acceptable and not acceptable within the FIA standards.   Together with Ferrari, Schumi was involved in more scandals than any other driver in Formula 1 history. 

And yes, they call him "Regenkönig" (Rain King) and "Regenmeister" (Rain Master).  Also referred to as the Red Baron in Germany.   And I agree, he deserves it.  There never has been a driver to drive in the rain like Schumi did. 

BUT STILL...the way he conducted his career, the lows he and his team stooped to at times, the lack of sportsmanship and integrity of some of his actions, never put him at the top of my list.   Of course, I am somewhat biased considering I was a Jacques Villeneuve fan back in 1997 and well....we know how THAT ended.  Of course, I am going to TELL you how that ended incase you don't know. 

Now that I've made mention of all Schumi's titles and acheivements (however briefly), I now feel free to go into detail about all the unethical and devious tricks Schumi has gotten up to during his career - IN DETAIL.   If you dont' like it, remember my last Celebrity Hit List post and 'Fuckhoff' now while you still have the chance - you're not being paid to read this post. 

Schumacher won his first Championship in 1994 - coincidentally the same year Senna died.   Personally I don't think he stood a fighting chance with 'The Fastest Man Alive' still on the track.  Still, with Senna out of the way, the track was open for Schumi - well, exept for Damon Hill.  With Hill only one point behind Schumi going into the final race of the season, it was either man's Championship.   Accidentally, of course, when Schumi left the track and then veered back on straight into Hill who was pulling ahead, both men were out of the race, and Schumi took his first Championship by one point.  There was alot of controversy regards this, but it was later declared a 'racing accident'. 

1997 we see more of this behaviour repeated when Schumi led the Championship by one point again, against Jacques Villeneuve this time.  He was leading the race when his car developed a coolant leak.   As Villeneuve made to pass Schumacher,  our Red Baron tried to take him out - there's no soft soaping it, and ended up taking himself out while Villeneuve went on to score 4 points and win the Championship.  Schumacher then went on to become the first and only F1 driver thus far to be disqualified from a Championship. 

In 1998 our Schumi became a bit paranoid and twice accused fellow drivers of trying to KILL him.

First was Damon Hill who he accused of weaving dangerously as they fought for position.  He later said, "If you want to kill me, find some other way", a statement that did not go down too well amongst fellow drivers.

Later in 1998, he accused David Coulthard of trying to kill him when Coulthard slowed down infront of him in the rain due to bad visibility.  

Who could forget the 2002 Austrian Grandprix, where Barrichello, who had dominated the entire weekend, had to pull over for Schumi to pass in the last half of the final lap of the race, outraging fans world wide.   These type of team orders undermined the sport and damanged it's credibility.  Later team orders that inteferred with the race result were completely banned.

I can go on to mention Michael Schumacher blocking the track with his car to force a restart, passing a car under caution, winning a race in the pit lane, blocking the pit lane, etc, etc.  the list goes on and on.  

What a driver.  What a chancer.  But oh, WHAT a driver.  

I admit, here, publically for the first time that I was probably more crushed than most when it was announced that Schumi was retiring.    I did so love to hate Michael Schumacher The Air Puncher.  

Bailamos

Damn, someone pass me a tissue, I just drooled on my keypad.  Yes, it's THAT bad.  Growing up, I was not one for 'idol worship'.  Sure I had some posters on my wall of Kelly Slater.  Indeed I fell inlove with 'Jack' from Titanic, played by Leonardo Dicaprio.   Hmmm, I've always, always liked Tom Cruise - though recently he's gotten too old for me!  And when I was VERY young, I thougth Alec Baldwin was HOT.  

But nothing compares to my adoration of one Enrique Iglesias.   It's probably a good thing that he didn't prefer acting as a career, my DVD player would have burned out by now and I'd be divorced.  As it is, I have almost convinced my husband that he really does in some way resemble something in Enrique.  I changed the subject before I had to be more specific though!

Seriously, what woman can resist those smouldering eyes?  

I'd like to say it's all about the music for me, but seriously, I like Nickleback and Prime Circle too, but I wouldn't be inspired to post them on my blog and Google shirtless pics of the band members.

In October 2007 I attended a concert.  My hubby bought the ticket for me for my birthday and Julie agreed to go with.  Poor girl.  She sat alongside me from 08:00 the morning until 21:00 the evening just to be sure we were RIGHT INFRONT of the Golden Circle.  I wanted an unimpeded view of my favourite 'idol'.  The fact that thousands of screaming, panting, horny bitches jostled, pushed and shoved did not deter us and we clung valiantly to the railing separating us from the stage.   I did not, for one single moment, consider myself on the same level as these poor deprived females.  I was there for the music.   And to see Enrique upclose - purely from an entertainment perspective.   I'd paid for it.  But I did not, I repeat, NOT, behave that way, or fantasize about him in any inappropriate way or in any place or position that included duvets, pillows, silk, etc.   I am after all a married woman.

The fact that he writes most of his own music adds to my admiration of this talented man.  I believe he is deep and soulful and so totally and completely Spanish.  Yum.  I can honestly say that never before have I seen a male artist perform with as much energy and enthusiasm and he does at his concerts.

His music has, for many years, been the alphabet of my life - a song for every ocassion.   When I am happy, sad, thoughtful, energetic, alone...there's a song for it all.   I love listening to the Spanish songs too, because there is nothing to destract me from the pure emotion Enrique puts into his music.  

Despite all this, he is a man, and someone, somewhere is putting up with his shit on a daily basis.   To all accounts and purposes, it's Anna, the beautiful, golden tennis star / model. 

So yes, okay, I'm an 'idol worshipper' even at my age!  But I am not a horny panting bitch and I do not have pictures of him as  my screen saver, desktop or on the back of the toilet door.   I do have his CD in the car, and in the house, and, I believe, the best topless picture of him ever taken, hidden deep within my box of treasures.  I should share it sometime.

In the meantime, make do with what is shared on Google for all those horny bitches out there to pant upon - me excluded, as I am merely admiring a work of art and a talented artist - purely from an entertainment point of view.  Seriously.

Now, where's that DAMN tissue????!!!

Friendly Insight

Well, my best girl buddy just sent me an email - she's obviously been Googling for an answer as to how she fell pregnant.  (Dont' ask, the depths of her mind are safer unexplored!).  She's 17 weeks today (Happy 17

Weeks, Julie!) and her son's name is Dylan.  First baby...can you imagine how excited she is!

Anyway, her extensive Google research dug up the following and I thought it interesting enough to share:

When Can You Get Pregnant?

Because sperm can survive for as long as 5 days, you could potentially fall pregnant from intercourse during the 5 days before you ovulate, as well as for 24 hours after.

  

My Son

Well, the real reason for starting this blog was to talk about my children, being a full time working mom, the impact it has on the life of my family and to research and publish my findings on the subject to hopefully make life easier for others out there that might be in a similar position as I am. 

Anyway, so it's now time to start introducing my little family.  First up is my son, Jacques.  Age 5. 

Birthday 31/08/2004.   Hobbies:  PLAYSTATION.   Favourite Cartoon:  Ben10.  Favourite Food:  Nothing.  Chicken and Fries if he must choose.   Sweets:  Anytime.  Normality on a Scale of 1 - 10, 10 being normal:   8.  

I have to say my son is gorgeous.  He has eyes and eyelashes any girl would dream of having.   He is a good kid, a bad eater, a nagger, but extremely intelligent and at present the funniest person I know.

So a few mornings back while rushing to get things done, I was having a good old bitch about the deplorable state of my wardrobe and my lack of pants.   When I failed to get a response from my husband, Jacques decided to settle matter.  "Mommy, why don't you buy some jeans?"  he asks me.   Grumpily I replied that I do not have money for jeans right now.   To which he responded, "Well then why dont' you ask Ouma for monies?"   This brought a smile to my lips, but I told him that Ouma also doesn't have alot of money and can't just buy, buy, buy all the time.  Thinking the subject was closed, I carried on packing in the lunch.  I shouldn't have underestimated Jacques, he is his mother's child.  He got the last word.  With a tone that said it was the end of the conversation he said, "Well then you will just have to wait for Father Christmas then!"  and he left the room.

LOL!!  If only!

It seems 5 is a clever age to be.   The change is almost over night, and they start saying things and reasoning things for themselves that you didn't realise they could do before. 

Last night I decided to spend some time just chatting to Jacques.  I lay next to him in his bed and he asked me to tell a story.   As usual, my usually imaginitive mind deserted me, and so I decided to tell him some stories about his mother's antics when she was 'small' like him.    He listened with a smile and often chipped into ask questions, the main one being "Why?", which is the most common question kids seem to ask, from around 2.5 years until probably somewhere around 95. 

Then he asked if his Daddy was also around, so I explained that Jaco and I didn't know eachother when I was little and only met when we were big.   He wanted to know where and why and so I explained that I met his Daddy at Stockcars and I saw him and I liked him and we became boyfriend and girlfriend.  The more I said, the further he sank under the blankets, a huge smile on his face.  And then I said "And then I KISSED him!" and he shrieked, laughed, covered his head with the blanket and then exclaimed, "Oh GROSS!", to which I burst out laughing.  It was such a spontaneous and unreserved response, and the huge grin on his face showed his enjoyment of the story.  The fact that at five he thinks boys and girls kissing is GROSS, caught me momentarily off guard - but then again, the kids grow up so fast these days!

It really was a brilliant moment for me and even now, as I sit at work getting this post in quickly (yes, mom@work!), I smile at the memory!

Remember THIS???

On Top of Spaghetti

On top of spaghetti,

All covered with cheese,

I lost my poor meatball,

When somebody sneezed.

It rolled off the table,

And on to the floor,

And then my poor meatball,

Rolled out of the door.

.

The mush was as tasty

As tasty could be,

And then the next summer,

It grew into a tree.

The tree was all covered,

All covered with moss,

And on it grew meatballs,

And tomato sauce.

So if you eat spaghetti,

All covered with cheese,

Hold on to your meatball,

Whenever you sneeze.

 It rolled in the garden,

And under a bush,

And then my poor meatball,

Was nothing but mush

Interesting Fact

Studies have shown that hair grows slower when you are stressed.  
(I guess that's why mine falls out so much!)

Top Of This Week's Celebrity HitList

THE HOFF - David Hasseloff

Back in the 1980's when Night Rider was still a hit, David Hasseloff was cool - to my 9 - 10 year old mind.  Young and good looking, he drove an awesome car and could carry it off.  BACK THEN.
Few people may know that Hasseloff started his career staring in a soapie - The Young And The Restless from 1975 - 1982. 
David Hasseloff describes acting in Knight Rider as "a little more difficult than if you had a regularly well-written script" - because -  " I had to talk to a car."  Fuck me Charlie.  Talking to a car is challenging??? 

David goes on to say that Night Rider was much 'bigger' than Baywatch ever was.  Because it was about "saving lives not taking lives".    So...uh...did they let people drown on Baywatch?   Which brings me to an interesting quote I found from him while browsing the Internet:
"I wanted to play around with the format, really tear it to pieces and shake it up. For example, if Mitch saves someone from drowning, and that person then goes out and releases a virus that kills a million people. Imagine the moral implications of that."

Well, I guess that answers THAT question!  Let's first think deeply on the 'moral implications' of saving the individual....
Hasseloff was too busy keeping his toes dry anyway to really get into the water...shots of him running in slow motion down the beach with the wind touseling his curls was much more important than getting wet and saving lives.  Way to non-glamerous for our Hoff. 
So he did do well, reviving it's first season flop and running another 8 seasons that were hugely sucessful.  So I gotta give him credit there.  The fact that he ensured himself a good role with Alexander Paul as co-star, and himself as Leuitenant and later promoted to Captain is obviously the job perks.  Mr King of the Castle.

Suck in that belly, smooth on that baby oil!

Speaking of Kings, David Hasseloff proclaimed himself 'King of the Internet' in a tongue-in-cheek advertisement commercial for Pipex on 2 August 2006.   How's that for blowing your own horn? 

I found some interesting pictures of a drunken David Hasseloff eating a burger while being video taped by his daughter.  This later resulted in him temporarily losing custody of his daughters.   I decided not to display these.  Everyone's entitled to consume a bit much a some stage of their life, but when you're a high profile celebrity, it becomes world news....

Regardless of love or hate, David Hasseloff has been a busy man in the public eye from 1975 to this day.

I admit to a grudging respect of this man as I read of his contributions to charity, and his energy and enthusiasm for his work, the passion with which he followed his dreams. 

Still the memory of him running in slow motion down the beach, floating device in hand, still causes an unpleasant sensation in my stomach.  To my mind, Kelly Slater, staring as Jimmy Slade, was soooo much more 'munch-alicious' back then!!!!

So to my 'top of the Celebrity Hitlist' celeb of the week, I have only one thing left to say, and this extends to anyone who doesn't like my opinion:-

Patrick Swayze

His dark good looks charmed me even as a young girl, when I watched Dirty Dancing for the first time.  How was I to know I'd watch it countless times in the years thereafter, that I'd have my own copy of the DVD, that I would take up Latin Dancing, having been inspired at the age of 9 by the savvy moves and passionate romance.

How strange to still be inspired to this day, because the steps of the dance have imprinted themselves on my heart. 

Sad that the man to do it all is now gone, and he was still so young.  

This post is just to say - *Gone but not forgotten*.   

Sex on the Beach??

We've all wondered things.   Now I'm wondering where do all these questions go?   Here are some questions I wonder:


1.  Sex on the beach.  Heard much on the subject but never tried it.  Is it true that sand...gets   in..well...everywhere??  So how does one prevent this happening while still having your outdoor romp? 

2.  What do firemen do when there are no fires?

3.  Do men look at eachother's penises when they go pee together?   I've heard there's an unspoken code of ethics surrounding this phenomena, but I'm still in the dark...

4.  WHAT is so fascinating to men about anal sex?   More than half the men I know or have known have expressed an interest to try it or enjoy doing it (with their female partners, I am not referring to gay couples).