Monday, February 14, 2011

Whats That Smell?

What an unbelievable day. Its a wonder I havent had an aneurysm yet. It just gets better and better.

Woke up this morning and didnt feel like getting up. I hit the alarm one too many times and was 15 minutes behind scedule. Yes, in this house, we keep a tight schedule. Its a strict routine for Cami to follow. If this routine gets broken, she gets all out of whack. Its almost like she gets ready for school in her sleep. Actually, I think she really does. Its not like everything is timed down to the minute. I give about a 15 minute leeway to get things done before we have to walk out the door. Also included in this time schedule is that fact that my alarm clock is 15 minutes fast and the clock in my car is too. Which means I will always arrive on time. You know, in case there is traffic or I get up late.

Anywho, things were going pretty smoothly this morning despite the little set back. Cami didnt want to get out of bed though. But I told her that if she didnt get up within the next few minutes, I would call her teacher and tell her that she couldnt participate in the party today. That got her up really fast. Thats the benefit of being friends with the teacher.

Everything was fine til it was time to take the dog out for her morning business. I opened my front door and WHOA... Mind you that it opens to a hall and the main front door is about 20 feet away. But what assulted my nasal passages was enough to kill a horse. The smell was aweful. Even Mindy wanted to go back inside. Thats when I realized what it was. Skunk.

Skunk? Its the middle of winter. The coldest part of the year. Why am I smelling a skunk? Especially inside. No one else has a dog in my building so I know nothing was sprayed. It wasnt strong enough that it was inside but it was definately close by. I went to the front door and looked around. I didnt see anything so I let Mindy out fast, she peed and came back in. She didnt want to smell it either.

After that was settled, Cami and I gathered our coats and away we went. Of course, the closer I got to the parking lot, the stronger the smell. Thats when I realized that there was indeed a skunk. Dead in the middle of the main road. Of course my car was parked about 4 spots in. Definately a fresh kill. Im awake. Trust me.

We get in the car and I left the lot. I didnt bother to turn the heater on because you know what would have happened then. I wasnt about to smell that all the way to the city. That is also when I realized that I didnt need to turn the heat on anyway. It was quite warm out. Not that it was about 20F yet, but that is warm compared to what it has been lately. So I left the heat off and went about my way. I was making good time too.

Of course the roads were clear til I got to the Hill. Then the roads were the same crappy way as they were the week before. High snowbanks, cars parked everywhere, no sidewalks, kids wandering in the middle of the road. Same crap, different day. You have to weave in and out of the cars and empty parking spots because its pretty much down to one lane traffic. Normally, thes streets are wide enough for two lane traffic with a car parked on the curb. Its a disaster. But then again, thats what happens when no one cares to move their cars for the plows.

I finally made it around to the front of her school and dropped her off. But only after having to give her money for lunch and what ever she has charged. She claimed to have a charge bill. So I handed her $5 and she went on in. Now the real fun begins.

I have to either go back out the way I came and do some rounding out for one way streets, or I could take my chances on the narrow streets going the other way. I took my chances and got caught behind a bus. Of course the bus couldnt get through so I had to back out and take the other route. This is getting so stupid.

I finally make it to the street I need to be on and I pulled into McDonalds for coffee. I get to the drive thru order thing and a voice tells me that they are closed for the morning due to renovations. What? On a Monday morning? Are you nuts? So I pulled back out and decided to go back down a block to the DD. Of course the corner that it is on is a one way street. So I have to go all the way back down to the main road and swing around that way. I get to the drive thru order thing and slid on some ice. I passed the order thing by about 5 feet and had to yell back to the person. I couldnt understand what they were saying so I just pulled up to the window anyways.

Oh, I also forgot to tell you that while I was on the way to McDs, there was a car in front of me spewing something nasty from their exhaust. Im glad I didnt have the heater on or it would have been worse.

So anyways, I get my two large coffees and away I went. I work across from the McDs so that was a hassle getting back through there. I had to cut back through the parking lot or take my chances at the light and go in front of the other school where I know there will be buses blocking the road. I finally make it to school on time and get inside where I could take a breath.

There is one more problem though. I am a coffee junkie. I admit it. Normally I only get the one large coffee. Some mornings I get two. But there is a difference. At McDs, I get the regular large and also a medium carmel mocha. McDs coffee isnt as strong as DD. Its more mellow and less bitter too. This is why I drink it. Stupid me didnt think about what I had ordered at DD. I got two large regular coffees. At about 10am, I was about halfway finished with the second one and I was all jittery and shaky. Not a good thing. As Im sitting here right now at 11pm, Im still feeling that affect. You can bet that I wont be getting any coffee tomorrow. Im thinking its a juice and milk morning.

Oh, and who thought of getting the kiddies all sugared up with a holiday party and then sending them home? I dont mind it for my class but my kid was all sorts of wired all evening.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Winter Blues

Time flies by when you are having fun. Yes, it has been a long time since I updated this space. Life has been a little interesting. Winter is not kind. Im still getting settled into the new place. I know it has been a few months but there was a lot going on.

Im not sure that I mentioned this but Cami got her ears pierced. She did very well for the past couple of months with it but then one of them got infected. We arent sure how it happened. It was weird. I mentioned to her that her ears looked good and they were ready for new earrings. Then the next day, it was a balloon. I tried to get it all cleaned with the antiseptic but it didnt work. The next day it was so bad that you couldnt even see her earring. We checked on it and it came right out the back of her ear. Then all the puss came with it. It was aweful. So I put in a wire earring that clipped in the back so it would be easier to move while we drained it. The next day, we went to the doctor and she was put on some antibiotics. That was about two weeks ago and its looking fine now. Maybe in a week or two, I will get her some new earrings.

Mother Nature has not been kind to us lately. We have had all sorts of weird weather. The snow just keeps coming. The snowbanks are taller than I am and the roads are extremely narrow. Not so much here where I live now but where I used to live, they are nearly unpassable. In some areas, even one car cannot go down the street. And of course, there are a lot of one way streets that make traveling a nightmare. The route I have to take in the morning will cause me to have a stroke before winter is over.

We have also experienced varying temps. Some days its below zero and then we will get a nice day that starts to melt the ice and snow. This of course doesnt last long and what melted is now frozen again. Then we had some thindersnow the other night. I thought I was hearing things. It sounded like the plows were going through and then I saw the flashes of light. I looked out the window and sure enough, it was thunder and lightning and snowing. I checked the news the next day and there were some reports on it. I wasnt the only one.

Yesterday I was at the mall with my father, sister and Cami when we noticed that it was bright and sunny out. And snowing. I really wish Mother Nature would make up her mind. Im getting really tired of this.

Work has been getting better. Things are lightening up a bit. I was also informed that there will be some mass lay offs in June. They have stated quite clearly that it will be a last hire/first fire deal. I know I am not the last on the list but Im still a bit nervous. I need this job. If not, then I will have to take on a part time job or a full time job at night. Im not wanting this option. I have this job because of the hours and days off. I work right along with my daughters schedule. I cant afford a sitter. Im hoping that I wont be on the cut list this year. Fingers crossed.

Ten weeks left til the camp season starts. Im getting itchy to get Spring on its way. Even the stores are putting out the Easter stuff and the patio stuff. Its a good sign. I was watching the Groundhog Day thing and he said that we would have an early Spring. Of course he didnt see his shadow because it was 10 below and snowing. Do we really have to rely on a rat to tell us whats happening? Im thinking poor Phil was telling his handlers to put him back in the hole for a few more weeks. I know I wouldnt want to be woken up in a blizzard so that people could watch me look around for a shadow.

I just found out the other day that the mayor here has decide to resign and take on the Canal position under Cuomo. This should be interesting considering how botched up this city is. This was once a wonderful city that has gone straight to hell and back a few times. He seems to think that the home owners dont notice the fact that there is more crime here than in all of NYC. I shit you none. Check any website that shows the comparisons. They all say the same thing. Dont move here or you will be paying the highest taxes and will face robberies and shootings from the gangs that have taken over. Its the main reason I moved out.

Also he wont call in a state of emergency for the city to clean up the snow. This means that cars are parked everywhere and the plows cant get through. Its a war zone out there. Everyone complains and there is no place to put it. He needs to call it in so that cars have to be moved or be towed. That way the plows can clean the streets and the dump trucks can haul it away. I think the best option is for them to dump it in the canal. Then the soon to be ex mayor can clean that up too. Loser.

All in all, winter has been crappy and its not over yet. More snow tomorrow. Im not looking forward to this.

Happy Valentines Day.