| Monday, April 30, 2007 |
| Mommy Blog Monday: "Child Labor" |
 Today was an interesting work day as today is the Nanny's birthday and she had the day off. That meant I had to take Squirt along with me for two big jobs that I have on Monday's.
I set aside an extra hour and left early, fully expecting to take a bit longer at work - but instead I ended up finished and home earlier. It seems this little four year old wanted to help her Mommy work and did quite a good job trying, if I say so myself.
From taking a customer's dog for a walk outside and picking up his chew toys to dusting the bottom shelves, chairs and folding hand towels at the beauty salon that I clean. She was thrilled to work today and I'm still sitting here in shock and amazed.
However, now that we're home and the cable company is due to arrive at any moment - am I having any help cleaning our house?
Nope.
She's out in the backyard with the feather duster cleaning her playhouse instead.Labels: Mommy Blog Monday |
Stumble It!
.......posted by Margaret @ 3:51 PM   |
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| Sunday, April 29, 2007 |
| Sign, sign, everywhere a sign. |
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| Stumble It!
.......posted by Margaret @ 5:00 PM |
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| Friday, April 27, 2007 |
| Yoga Kitty |
No, he isn't broken. He wasn't hit by a car either. Our kitty Sass is just demonstrating what the Subway Diet can do to you. Meals rich with meats and dairy cheeses make a contented and happy cat. As Garfield loves his lasagna - Sass here loves his sub sammiches. Heavy on the mayo, please!
Just the other evening, I found him chillin' out in the sunshine on our front lawn. Just kickin' back, legs outstretched as he absorbed the wonders of nature around him. Sass is a Maine Coon Cat and is without a tail. This enables him to sit human style and to recline in his favorite chair for hours on end. |
| Stumble It!
.......posted by Margaret @ 11:55 AM |
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| Thursday, April 26, 2007 |
| Womanly Wiles |
 My husband needs a little help with his Statistics' homework and would really appreciate if y'all can take a minute and do a quick little survey here.
Sorry, I can't tell you what he would like to prove or disprove with the survey. For in doing so I'd blow the entire homework assignment. All I can say is not to take the questions personally, just go with your gut and ask questions later.
For trust me, these are some very thought provoking questions. Thanks, and I promise to squeeze the results out of him when he's finished. -S |
| Stumble It!
.......posted by Margaret @ 7:14 PM |
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| Tuesday, April 24, 2007 |
| The Perfect Houseplant |
 I found this really cool plant called the Amazing Dinosaur Plant. Supposedly it pre-dates the dinosaurs, survived through their destruction, made it through the ice age and continues to thrive to this day in the 21st century.
What's truly amazing about this plant is that it can dry up and hibernate for as long as 50 years at a time. During this time it will curl up and travel around with the wind like a tumbleweed in search of water. Once it finds moisture it can fully rejuvenate in one day. This death and resurrection process is then repeated for hundreds of years.
Finally a plant that you can forget to water, watch it die, and not care at all. It's the perfect house plant! |
| Stumble It!
.......posted by Margaret @ 8:56 PM |
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| Monday, April 23, 2007 |
| Mommy Blog Monday: "Spankings" |
 My Mother hardly ever spanked me. Dad frequently beat the shit of of me. The discipline I received was either too hot or too cold - yet neither effective. See, there are three stages that a kid goes through when being disciplined. With the first few whacks a kid gets upset and angry.
Then there is the second stage. When a kid realizes they pissed their parents off and may say things like "I'm sorry. I'll never do it again. I promise. Please stop." My advice to parents who choose to spank would be to stop at this stage. Stop and talk with your child about what he/she had done and reach an understanding on an appropriate punishment. Whether that be time out, grounding or an extra chore.
Be wary of and tread not forward into the third stage. Believe it or not, a kid gets upset and very angry when a spanking goes too far. I won't mention what can go through a kids mind but trust me, they won't respect you. Not now nor 30 years later - as in my case today.
After the beatings I was forced to endure, I really put a lot of thought into how I would go about punishing our daughter. Up until recently a simple reprimand or time out would work very well. She is usually such a good little girl and has always listened and minded me. However, now she's testing us.
Yep, our little princess now has a little attitude. She's pushing, testing limits and sometimes really towing the line. The talking back, disrespect and blatantly refusing to listen to limits or requests is getting way out of control. I can't help but think, if I don't nip this now - what in the world am I going to go through when she's a teenager. Yikes.
It kills me to do it, but I know that I have to. Gosh, who would have imagined that "This is going to hurt me more than it hurts you" was actually a true statement. I used to think to myself, "Yeah, right. This is my heiny that is hurting." But it has to be done, because I love Squirt. I can't have her running off the front deck. Running out in the street. Not listening to rules that keep her safe.
It is because I love her and never because of anger. It is with tears of a Mother's love that I now write her name on the little wooden paddle that has long lost it's rubber band and ball. Hanging it up, out of reach but always in sight. Always reminding me to use it mercifully to correct - never to break - the spirit of a little one.Labels: Mommy Blog Monday |
| Stumble It!
.......posted by Margaret @ 10:05 PM |
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| Saturday, April 21, 2007 |
| 5 Reasons Why I Blog |
Do you think you have issues? Shit, I'm just sitting here minding me own business, moping and getting all existential. Wondering how I'm here. Wondering why I have been trekking this arid desert chasing a mirage of wet dreams. Wondering what I'm supposed to do that was so important for me even to have purpose in the first place. Only to wonder if I had any email when this happened!
Yes, I've been tagged. Dr. Chip would like to know "5 Reasons Why I Blog". The poor guy has no idea what sort of Pandora's box he may be unlocking.
1) For starters this blog was intended to ask a certain someone, "What's your problem?" with an attitude of "Do you have issues?" Seems she had issues with someone else who had issues with her, then somehow issues started pouring into a long standing discussion group that gave all the members issues, including me. Ironically, the name of the discussion group was "Discordant Collywobbles." (Inharmonious Bellyachers)
2) At some point I almost wanted to get narcissistic and rename the blog, "So you think you have issues?" For some reason I tend to meet up with the craziest of the crazies. Things tend to happen to me that do not normally happen to other people. If I did write autobiography y'all would think it was fiction. It would read like Winston Groom's "Famous Gump" with a hint of Mark Twain's "Huck Finn" and flavored with Henry David Thoreau's "Civil Disobedience."
3) However, it wasn't me that mattered for every once in awhile I get a comment or email asking me for advice on certain issues. For some issues I've been through them in some form or another. There are some issues I have no clue over but for the majority, I can offer common sense and shine a little light on the bright side of the coin. With that, I just sat back and let the blog do it's thing.
4) Sometimes I tackle political issues. Dish out a little fast food from the God Box encouragement. Help you figure out what to make for dinner when you only have a $5 food stamp. Do a Meme such as this or share some fun family photos or a joke.
5) Overall, besides the wonderful experience of meeting some genuine true blue peeps out here in Blogoland, I do enjoy blogging. So many have inspired me by their blog posts and thoughts. Many have had me thinking or redirecting me away from a previous prejudicial notion. Some left me in shock and many get me to laughing.
I Blog, therefore I am.
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| Stumble It!
.......posted by Margaret @ 9:57 PM |
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| Friday, April 20, 2007 |
| Margie Unplugged: "Where art thou?" |
There's no need to worry, everything is alright and blooming in Margieland. If I were to have any complaints, it would be that I'm so exhausted by the day's end. Sometimes, I even wake up exhausted. If it wasn't for the percolating coffee pot awakening my senses, I'd never wake up in time.
I may have mentioned here before that I have an adopted family here in Savannah. An elderly couple that I used to clean house for until they gave me a promotion of sorts. I drive them to appointments, run errands, pick up laundry, prescriptions and other odds and ends.
Well, they recently offered me another grand promotion.
After having a Home Health Organizer come by to discuss options, such as services offered to seniors who wish to live independently in their own home - they found there was so much more left to be desired. They have the option of hiring an expensive at home caretaker service, but would rather employ me to do these things full time. For they know me well, trust me and can depend on me.
Plus I believe, they love my cooking.
However, this presents a few problems. The first of which, these are things that I would love to do for free. I feel kind of guilty being paid for them. After all, who wouldn't take care of a beloved family member or friend at this time in their lives?
Second problem, I am a full time Mom first or at least have planned to be. I have issues with daycare facilities and a huge distrust of strangers watching over and teaching my daughter. We had planned on homeschooling for a few years until we could afford a decent private education. Squirt does have a wonderful part-time Nanny three days a week for 4 hours a day - but she isn't available full time.
I have taken Squirt with me on a few occasions, but if you know or remember the behaviors of a four year old - for long periods of time she'd climb the walls with boredom. Heck, I even get bored there. No computer, no cable TV and no sunshine.
Third problem, I have done this before. The ultimate result in the end is beautiful. There is nothing more comforting to anyone than to feel secure, loved and cared for in those last years, months, days, hours and very last minute of your life.
However, this ultimate end is very, very difficult for the caretaker. That is probably why home health services are always turning over employee's and never letting any employee watch over a client for any long period of time. To avoid any emotional attachment.
I'm already emotionally attached.
Here is where I am.Labels: Margie Unplugged |
| Stumble It!
.......posted by Margaret @ 11:24 AM |
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| Saturday, April 14, 2007 |
| Stealing from Dr. John |
 I'm not a bad person, really. Especially to steal anything from a wonderful guy like Dr. John.
However, today I'm going to steal one of his memes today that he stole from two other people. I promise to give back in an "Unplugged Post" sometime this weekend to fill all y'all in on what has been keeping me so busy.
List 5 things you would do if Martha Stewart moved next door.
1) Laugh, because that may mean that her stocks fell low enough to file bankruptcy and live in a trailer park. 2) Get even more gaudy with my lawn deco. I may even venture into K-Mart to buy a set of plastic pink flamingos. Make wind chimes from recycled cans of root beer. A fence by collecting all of the Kroger Shopping Buggies laying around in the park and perhaps a set of porcelain commode flower planters bursting with Geraniums.
3) Take the time to file my gaudy lawn deco ideas with the US Copywrite and Trademark office. You know, just in case she decides to steal my Intellectual Property concepts and make millions off of them.
4) Toss Kudzu seeds in her gardens when she isn't looking. 5) Upgrade my home security system and get a big dog. You never can be too safe or too sure with an Ex-con living next door to you. |
| Stumble It!
.......posted by Margaret @ 12:02 PM |
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| Wednesday, April 11, 2007 |
| Little Miss Muffet |
Mommy bought me this pretty Bug Collector Kit after becoming increasingly upset over me bringing bugs into the house and setting them free. It is quite a nifty little contraption if I say so myself. It comes complete with a pair of tweezers, net, magnifying glass and a vented see-through container.
Yesterday, while busy on a backyard expedition collecting fuzzy caterpillars, butterflies and lizards - Mommy comes to the back door to announce that a package had come in the mail for me.
Hey! How does Grandma and PopPop know my secret? That being, that little Princesses sometimes like to explore and catch bugs.
Now there is only one little itty bitty problem. Mommy set this rule you see, that I can't keep any bugs bigger than a quarter. First of all, they would be too big for my little collector kit right here. Secondly, any insects bigger than this cause Mommy to jump on the counter-tops and scream for Daddy to kill them.
So being elated and very happy, I just had to sit.
Sit I did, and looked into my Kit -
Only to throw a terrible fit.
Seems all that hard work and all that hard play,
the majority, mind you - of my entire day,
Was fruitless for somehow my bugs got away!
But as I sulked on my tuffet,
Little Miss Muffet -
sat beside me as if to say:
"Don't worry my Dear.
You have nothing to fear.
For I'm too big to be frightened away ."
"Let's Play!"
(Thank you Grandma and Pop Pop!) |
| Stumble It!
.......posted by Margaret @ 4:51 PM |
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| Tuesday, April 10, 2007 |
| Argument for School Uniforms |
 Imagine landing a set of front and center tickets to an NCAA Basketball Game. Only to find out that all the players boycotted uniforms and arrived wearing their own style of street clothes. No team insignia or number. No team colors. No clear means of differentiating one player from another on the opposing team.
Then to turn toward your Buddy sitting next to you and ask, "Hey! Who scored that hoop?"
"You know. What's his face. That short and stocky white guy. There! Wearing that Pink Panther T-shirt and those flamer MC Hammer pants."
You begin to realize that just last week you knew this player by name, by the team that he played for, by his talents and by the organizational sport that he represented. Today you are overloaded with assumptions of this player's physical appearance, race, TV/Music preferences and quite possibly his sexual orientation.
We might as well toss the Basketball out the window for the focus is no longer on the game.
For parents who argue against Public School uniforms due to the lack of creative expression and individuality, I have some questions. Do you really want the stereotyping of your child by school officials to continue? For teacher's to assume that just because your child is of a certain race that he/she must have a discipline problem?
Should your son's intelligence and study habits constantly be in question by his obvious love of video games judging by the T-shirts he loves to wear?
How does it feel to be judged as an inattentive parent by the way your daughter chooses to dress?
These sort of stereotypical assumptions should be removed from a classroom learning environment. Our children should be recognized by their name, talents, abilities and their needs. Public School uniforms do serve to get the most out of our public educational systems by returning the focus onto our children. Serving to identify them as individual students who are in the classroom to learn. |
| Stumble It!
.......posted by Margaret @ 9:19 AM |
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| Monday, April 09, 2007 |
| Mommy Blog Monday: "I Am A Promise" |
 Parenting a little girl certainly isn't easy sometimes. Just when I think I have it all figured out the unexpected happens. For instance while attending church services yesterday morning an elderly couple remarked on Squirts pretty Easter Dress. Usually, she remains reserved, shy and even utters a blushing "Thank You" in response. But not yesterday.
Nope. Squirt was bound and determined that the prettiest item in her wardrobe were the new pair of Disney Princesses Underpanties that we just purchased two days before. Up and over her head went the gorgeous chiffon dress as she flashed the entire congregation to show off "The Little Mermaid" and sea shell print cotton drawers.
Our embarrassment didn't last very long for her actions influenced the other children to lift up their dresses and check themselves. Shrieks of giggles and excitement erupted all up and down the Sunday School hallway.
"I have Strawberry Shortcakes on!" shouted one little girl as her younger sister, not to be outdone was sure to show off her Barbie Panties. Even the boys were itching to get in on the game but were having a hard time of it, being zipped and buttoned up in their Easter suits and slacks.
That didn't stop Little Joey. For he reached down into his slacks and grabbed a handful of his drawers. Succeeding in giving himself an atomic wedgie in the process only to share, "See! Spongebob! Just like my Dad!" Embarrassing Joe Sr. as he quickly rushed his son into the men's bathroom for a little re-adjustment.
Thankfully the kids settled down as they were shuffled into the sanctuary a half hour later to share with us their Easter Sunday School Program that they've been practicing for weeks to perform. Squirt did fantastic as she belted out -
" I am a promise,
I am a possibility!
I am a promise,
With a capital P,
I am a great big bundle of-
Potentiality!
And I am learning-
to hear God's voice
And I am trying
To make the right choices
I'm a promise to be-
Anything God wants me to be!"
It's funny how Squirt can make me so embarrassed that I want to crawl under a rock and hide one moment, then make me cry with tears of pride the next.Labels: Mommy Blog Monday |
| Stumble It!
.......posted by Margaret @ 4:50 PM |
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| Wednesday, April 04, 2007 |
| Justin & Christian |
 Far away in the tropical waters of the Caribbean, two prawns
were swimming around in the sea - one called Justin & the
other called Christian.
The prawns were constantly being harassed & threatened by
sharks that inhabited the area. Finally one day Justin said to
Christian, "I'm fed up with being a prawn, I wish I was a shark,
then I wouldn't have any worries about being eaten."
A large mysterious Cod appeared & said, "Your wish is granted"
& lo & behold, Justin turned into a shark.
Horrified, Christian immediately swam away, afraid of being
eaten by his old mate.
Time passed (as it invariably does) & Justin found life as a shark
boring & lonely. All his old mates simply swam away whenever
he came close to them. Justin didn't realize that his new menacing
appearance was the cause of his sad plight.
While swimming alone one day he saw the mysterious cod again
& he thought perhaps the mysterious fish could change him back
into a prawn. He approached the cod & begged to be changed
back, & lo & behold, he found himself turned back into a prawn.
With tears of joy in his tiny little eyes Justin swam back to his
friends & bought them all a cocktail.
Looking around the gathering at the reef he realized he couldn't see
his old pal. "Where's Christian?" he asked.
"He's at home, still distraught that his best friend changed sides to the
enemy & became a shark",came the reply.
Eager to put things right again & end the mutual pain & torture, he
set off to Christian's abode.
As he opened the coral gate memories came flooding back. He
banged on the door & shouted, "It's me, Justin, your old friend,
come out & see me again."
Christian replied,"No way man, you'll eat me. You're now a shark,
the enemy, & I'll not be tricked into being your dinner."
Justin cried back "No, I'm not. That was the old me. I've changed....
I've found Cod. I'm a Prawn again Christian." |
| Stumble It!
.......posted by Margaret @ 2:37 PM |
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| Monday, April 02, 2007 |
| Easter Bunny Munchies |
No need to leave Milk and Cookies out this weekend for the Easter Bunny. A nice tossed salad will do just fine!
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| Stumble It!
.......posted by Margaret @ 8:16 PM |
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