My Baby Is 18!

My baby turned 18 last weekend. I thought that it would totally freak me out but I was surprised that it didn't. I think the saving grace was that he is very mature for his age and he looks more like 23 than 18. I'm blessed that we have such a great relationship but I struggle with the fine line between being the mom and being the cool mom. I try so hard to be supportive but I also know that I have to be truthful and pragmatic. I know that my honesty will shape him as the adult he is but how does one tell the truth without crushing feelings. Yet, it's a very fine line...

When A House is a Home

I bought my house in May of 2008. I had asked my husband for a divorce that January and was still sharing a house with him in an awkward and uncomfortable way. I knew I needed to start over, by starting divorce proceedings and getting on with my own life and my own place to live. I needed a place that was small enough to manage on my own and homey and welcoming for my son. On a beautiful Sunday afternoon I stepped into an open house that changed my life!

My little house sits in Land Park, one of the most magical neighborhoods in Sacramento. Built in 1937, it has two bedrooms and one bath, and is a whooping 980 square feet. Hardwood floors transverse the floors, like most homes in this area. It is on a dead end street that keeps the traffic to a minimum and neighborhood cats safe, and the little kids even safer.

The inside of the house is quaint and unassuming. The living room is a perfect size, with a fireplace at its center and plenty of room for friends to gather. I brought the living room and dining room furniture with me when I moved, so a quick coat of paint and those rooms were ready to go.

The bedrooms are not very big but the new IKEA furniture fit perfectly, both in size and their aesthetic. Unfortunately the hardwood floors are covered by wall to wall carpet, but some day that will change. My room faces the front of the house, with a view of the street and neighbors. The bright colors of the paint and bedding make the room sunny and cheerful, and I have some of my own photography on the walls. My son’s room is near the back of the house and is decorated in grey, black and red, perfect colors for a teenage boy. He enjoyed picking out his own furniture, which helped with the transition when we moved in.

The bathroom is tiny, but then again, is easy to clean! The best feature is that it has the original floor tile.

The kitchen is my favorite place to hang out. The galley style layout, with the laundry room at the end is small, which makes me take full advantage of the storage and counter space I have. There is no dishwasher and I doubt I will ever get one because I can’t afford to lose any cabinet real estate! The windows over the kitchen sink open out to the backyard and are often open to welcome the breeze and fresh air.

The small backyard is framed by my detached garage on one side and my neighbors on the other. The stucco sides are painted and vibrant colour that brightens up the small space. When the weather is nice, I have the table and chairs set up so we can enjoy al fresco dining as much as possible. Both the front and back yards are easy to maintain (with a gardener!) and some maintenance weed pulling.

From the moment I walked into that open house almost four years ago, to now, my little house has been a loving home for me and my son. It was the starting point for me to move forward in my new life and continues to keep us safe and sound and it welcomes my friends and family for meals, conversation and fun. I love my little house!

What If...

...you said "I object" while standing at the altar?

...you tried out for the drill team instead of the basketball team?

...you finished college instead of falling in love?

...have a crush on a person that doesn't know you are alive?

...what if you love your son more than anything?

Stinky Business

I've been giving a lot of thought to the bathrooms at my workplace and proper restroom etiquette. Before you get all creeped out, let me explain...



I work in an office with 12 employees that work at our location all the time and 8 employees that work at other locations and come in about 1-2 times per month.



We have 2 unisex bathrooms (although there are no men located in our office and 2 men that come in occasionally). Each bathroomn is a large room with the commode, and sink and lots of room for a wheelchair.



While I have a strict rule about doing "stinky business" (i.e. going "#2") at work, unfortunately not everyone shares my philosophy. I would have to be VERY will to even consider it and even then I would probably drive home instead!



So here is my dilemma. How does one go about suggesting that one bathroom be designated as the "stinky business" room. I mean think about it. If everyone who had "#2" business to do went into the designated bathrooom then the rest of us could use the "#1" bathroom and not have to smell the after effects of other peoples culinary choices or the cloying smell of the Febreeze air freshener.


Considering that we have all women in the office most of the time, I am shocked at how often the stinky business even happens. I've always lived with the notion that men were the only ones who had no problem doing their BM business in public! Boy was I naive! One coworker (a female) reported at lunch one day that the removal of her gallbladder leads to extended times in the bathroom after she eats. I'm sorry TMI (and I don't mean Three Mile Island!). Sure enough, about an hour after lunch she is hunkered down in the bathroom for over 15 minutes while her lunch makes a hasty exit from her body. Oh yeah, and there goes half a can of Febreeze!



So how does one broach the subject of a "pee pee" and "poo poo" bathroom? A simple concept but not so easy to execute. Suggestions??

Life Without My Boy

So, my boy is gone for 5 weeks this summer on a life changing trip to Eastern Europe and Israel. I was fine the first week he was gone but now I'm seriously missing him. He tried to call me again today but I think his phone died. I will text him again in the morning to call me again before bed. The 10 hour time difference has been interesting and has been challenging my math skills!



I spoke with him last Friday and he sounded so happy! They are not getting much sleep at night but are making up for it on their bus rides from place to place. He has already seen some amazing places, especially Aushwitz which was such such an awesome experience. I can't wait to talk to him again tomorrow (hopefully!!).

Sunny and Warm

Today was a beautiful day. Temps in the mid 80s with just the right amount of breeze. I see the whole week looking like this. Welcome back Spring!

Easter Eggs

Time to catch up on my posts. I love dying Easter eggs. I'm not all into the religious implications of the holiday (okay I have a Jewish son, duh!) but I love findings new ways to dye the eggs. Let's hear it for Ms. Martha!

Here are pics of this years efforts:

Sell By Date

Today is April 16th. I popped into my local grocery store this morning and picked up some ice cream for a work potluck. While I was there I grabbed a store brand "homemade" soup from the deli department. Who can pass up baked potato soup? Yummy!!





I ate if for lunch and finished it for dinner. While I was rinsing out the plastic container before I put it in the recycle bin, I noticed the "sell by" date on the bottom of the plastic container. Sell by was 04/07/10.

Was I going to be sick with some bacteria riddled soup? Would I be spending the night hugging the porcelain throne, puking and retching? NOT. I've have a rock hard constitution and highly doubt that I will get sick. The soup tasted fine and I'm sure it was fine.

So I called the grocery store where I bought the soup. The gal that answered the phone was freaking out about the whole situation and was happy to forward my call to the deli manager. I spoke with Chris who was very apologetic and mortified and ready to refund by money. I told him that I was not in it for the money but rather what quality controls they have in place. I told him that maybe other people (you children, old people) might have less tolerance for the outdated soup. He was wonderful and asked me to stop by and say hi next time I was in the store. GREAT way to handle it!!

So what does the "sell date" really mean? The soup was fine and I enjoyed eating it!