13 May 2008, back to the mindless ramblings of an often sauced nearly 40something

Or nearly 40, its the new 40!

Ok this was the post that I meant to post yesterday when my brain became all muddled by squealing tires and cop cars.....

So many of you already know it really ISN'T my 40th bday. No this isn't some serious form of denial...my birthday really is STILL one month away. But my little sister managed to get herself knocked up and due right around then, and as fun as it is to watch an at term woman attempt to get on and off the couch and to waddle around, we figured it would be better for the baby Daddy not to be wrecked on the off chance that she goes into labor on the 19th. (which would be my choice because I'd never forget her birthday ;-)

Since we are throwing a joint party the evite has pictures of both John and I and yet it was sent to a number of people who are friends with only one side of the family equation. I was tempted to say that John is my long lost twin brother...but since he knocked up Joan that sounds a bit creepy.

I need to stop chatting here and run get ready for a day of meetings, which is being kicked off by a run to Psycho Susie's with Pastor Susan. It IS her 40th birthday today, and while I only have an hour it seemed fitting to take her out for a tiki drink and a basket of tater tots...... I should also email the church office and forewarn them of my plans in case she is supposed to be doing anything responsible this afternoon.

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12 May 2008, or..this is why i feel like throwing up

Sorry to everyone who we didn't call yesterday for Mother's Day....things were a bit exciting around here and we are all still processing what happened.

Yesterday afternoon while Tim, Annie and Miranda worked in the yard for me for Mother's Day things got crazy as the driver from the stories below raced south on the sidewalk in front of our house being chased by, well my best guess was 10 police cars from Mpls, Plymouth, Richfield, State troopers and Hennepin county sherriff.

We heard the sirens coming from the wrong way on Park, Tim looked up and saw the white SUV barreling down our sidewalk, between our retaining wall and the tree. He and our neighbor Patty hollered for the girls to get into the house. I came out to the porch and saw cars headed north on Park scatter to get out of the way as they drove towards police heading south and blocking off the street.......as the stories tell, the stolen car was forced to crash by the police.

Our friends Sue and Dave's daughter Sarah had been sitting on the boulevard picking dandelions shortly before the cars raced through. Another neighbor was helping his toddler daughter get on her bike to practicing riding like they do each day. The stories in the paper don't really do justice to the potential risk that the chase put people in. One car driving the wrong way on the street of is one thing, one car tearing along the length of our sidewalk and 10 cop cars along side in pursuit going the wrong way down Park at incredibly high speeds? It was like something out of a Bruce Willis movie. Everyone I talked to had a story about a near miss as they raced through city streets....our neighbor Patty and Annie were both shaken to the point of tears.

When I approach a Mpls police officer to ask why the SUV was being chased (and before I knew the scope of the chase beyond what I had seen) he was defensive immediately saying the chase was instigated in Plymouth, by Plymouth police and Mpls had no jurisdiction to stop the chase. The Mpls police could only aid in it or simply let it run its course....they chose to participate, and he was quick to say the guy had multiple felony warrants out for his arrest. But of course this was not known while they raced through the city, only after he was arrested.

The video on Kare 11 shows a bit of the front our our lawn, as well as Patty's and Stan's. Thankfully we are all fine, and Annie bounced back quickly and gathered evidence to take to school and was interviewed by the Strib.

http://www.startribune.com/local/west/18849469.html

http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=510544

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8 May 2008, Jill

Well, I resorted to the dreaded clothes shopping today. No sense in putting it off since the party is only one week away....and it was that or take down and clean light fixtures. So Missy and I met at the Galleria and went off to J. Jill.....I was intentionally NOT looking for party garb to wear...I wanted a new top to wear with jeans and maybe a pair of sandals. Too often in the past I have purchased an outfit for one occasion and put it in the closet, never to be worn again, because it isn't really me. Me is jeans and Dansko shoes and turtlenecks (in the winter, tshirts in the sumer). Aren't I exciting?

anyway, all this to say, that I apparently have always had a distaste for J Jill, even though I couldn't put my finger on why exactly. Their clothes are fine ....but, it seems, well, like the place 40 year old women shop. And, hey, that is not me (not yet!)....but in a went, and after taking an arm load of things to try on (after convincing the clerk that *I* wanted to try on things, not just Missy, who could be the JJill spokesperson) I was proven right. It sucked. And a slow soul sucking depression started.

I didn't diet in advance of said birthday..... this is my 40 yr old body. I do BodyPump a couple times a week so I don't feel like a wuss. I enjoy walking, and I have a fairly substantial beer belly. I"m 4'11" tall and wear a 34DD bra....this body will never be skinny no matter how hard I struggle to drop weight (end lengthy justification of slobbish self here to not send readers screaming, says my internal editor.)

The point of all this is to say after J.Jill we went into a fancy pants boutique at said fancy pants mall and I thanked my lucky stars that I am not taking part in any silly endeavor to spend only $20 (see Cheap Chick ) on any one thing or to give up shopping completely. I found not one, but two shirts that I loved. They were suitably similar (and spendy enough) that I refrained from buying both. But the one I settled on is a bit of a deviation from my normal style.....well I'll use the word style loosely.....I have a great rack....most shirts I purchase draw attention to my chest....in hopes that no one will notice the short stubby body, the lack of make up or the ponytail.....I care enough that I don't want people to think I'm dumpy, but not enough to actively work at not looking dumpy.

So now I'm home and I'm a bit nervous.....should I have gone for the shirt with the plunging neckline (and saved $8 in the process?) Should I embrace the shirt I bought because I loved it at the store? Should I have another drink and admire it ?? I am happy that I didn't end up buing at JJill....because you know...I'm not quite 40 yet.

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6 May 2008

Yes Marti, I was in fact carded tonight at Liquor Lyle's.....apparently when you go to a bar where the avergae age is less than 24 they tend to card you. Thankfully the burly bouncer didn't laugh when he saw my age.

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3 May 2008, and whining

stop complaining, the lot of you....of course there will be wine, and Pimm's and whatever concoction John makes, (drink at your own risk.) In ADDITION to the 16 gal keg of Stella.....

And cake by Diane, which is always worth noting.

Angie, I can't imagine what you would be doing to be sweating, esp considering the weather we've had lately round these parts.....but know that if you get out of hand we might make you sleep in the backyard. It has happened before.

Today while at the liquor store I was asked not once but twice whether or not I needed help with that case of beer. Do I look like such a wilting little flower that I can't sling 24 bottles of beer to the cash register and then out to my car? This has never happened to me before but today....twice.....I said the day I can't carry my own beer will be a v sad day indeed.

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2 May 2008

one of the party details that is still being ironed out is....what other than beer do we serve. While it is hard for me to fathom, I suppose not everyone will drink beer, so I'm picking up a case of wine and John and I are coming up with two signature drinks to serve. Without missing a beat I knew mine would be a Pimm's Cup because , well, it is my drink.....at least when there is no beer to be found ;-)

but in looking up the "official Pimm's Cup" recipe I have found that there are many variations and without even tasting it I think my new fave is this:

The Ritz Paris No.1 Royale Cup

In a highball glass over ice, pour:

* 1 part Pimm's No.1
* Top off with champagne or sparkling white wine.
* Garnish with Mint leaves, strawberries, raspberries, red currants, green and black grapes, and slices of pear.
o The drink is served garnished with red Rose petals or a whole Iris when ordered by a lady, a Ritz Hotel signature.

I need a drink that has a rose petal for a garnish....or better yet a whole Iris......subtle but yet tacky. really, its a gift....

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2 May 2008

or as the case may be....double the FREAK in me......I think I have done really well honoring my commitment to throw no parties for a year. But now that that year is ending I seem to find myself with TWO ongoing evites to manage......some people are lucky enough to be invited to both events. I think I'm going to start calling them to find otu why the hell they keep checking the evite but not rsvping.....do they really think something better is going to come along??

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28 April 2008

I opened an email from mom last night that simply said, "guess who is getting married". Even for most of my die-hard readers the photo will mean nothing, but that is my Uncle Dennis. My dads younger brother, the one who lives across the road from the farm.

The thing that is so amazing and that had the phone lines buzzing last night was not simply that he is getting married, but that he is FINALLY marrying the woman he has been dating for something around 25 YEARS.......A quick look through my iphoto collection failed to turn up a picture of both Dennis and Ruth (although I know there are som, they have attended family festivities together, well, for my whole adult life)

Tim and Dan often remarked about what a great relationship they had and how jealous they were of Dennis, living the single guy life in his own house with his own toys (boat, jet ski, house on the lake, motorcycle, snowmobile, various tractors) and a girl friend who stayed most weekends (but not all).......but for some reason (which we will try to get out of them once we tap the keg this summer) he is giving that all up for marital bliss.....and I couldn't be happier.

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25 April 2008, wtf??

another wildly successful evening of bowling.

I have resolved though that I AM going to learn how to bowl before next year....it is getting downright embarrassing because my age keeps going UP and I keep not improving my score to match it. Although I did in fact bowl over a 39 last night. but barely.

thanks to everyone who came out to cheer us on, everyone who donned a tiara and bowled and esp everyone who donated money to PCR!

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22 April 2008

This morning I had taken the girls to school, Miranda to the orthodontist, Miranda back to school, and dug through the school basement in searching for missing maps and forms for the rummage sale (no small feat, I must say). I unearthed them and was home by 9:05 am....and I seriously need a nap.

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