A Jumbly

June 23, 2008 - 5 Responses

Not to bum everybody out– but recently there has been a rash of molestations and attempted abductions in our little neck of the woods. In our “safe” little neighborhood.  Two young girls up the street from us were victims last week.  My husband and I look at eachother and shake our heads, clucking sadly to ourselves, “what the heck is going on?”

As you’ve probably noticed– if you’ve even ventured back here in the last month or two– which I highly doubt– and that ok, really, I haven’t been writing much lately. The truth is, I haven’t had much to say. I’ve been enjoying my son, the sun, and lots and lots of berries. We are encroaching on the exciting endeavor of attempting to sell our home. My best friend, a sister really, has decided to move her family to the other end of the state. My heart aches that she won’t be around the corner anymore– and yet a breeze of gratitude– their home is perfect for us. What a perfect way to feel close to her even when she’s miles away.  L– if it happens– I promise to take care of your little garden just as you would.

The Onion is a pistol. What brain on this kid! I love to wake up first thing and have a “chat” with him. I’m amazed every day with the incredible capacity of his “little” mind. Such a quirky little skunk. Imagine him, squatted over his trike, examining the underbelly- the little grease monkey-, muttering softly to himself, “oh shit.” Thanks to Grandma and her scooter, Onion can talk shop with the best of them.

The halls of the school are quiet, save for the few tutoring students who come to my office a few times a week. It’s strange to be in a school during the summer. As a child, I always wondered what it was like after all the students had cleaned out their lockers and left for the wading pools and the backyard slip in slides of summer… fact is, not much. The office stands empty, and as a money saving tactic the district has turned the thermostat up. No icy cool office for me!

The Lady Madonna project is going well… I have succumbed to purchasing a few non-essentials, but overall things are starting to really shape up on the financial front. If you haven’t read “Total Money Makeover”, by Dave Ramsey, I highly suggest it. I just re-read it last night and noticed a note I had made in the cover on the day I bought it last August. It hasn’t even been a year– but the changes in our financial peace have been overwhelming. I remember how terrified I was the day I scribbled the note in that book last August. Tonight, I’ll sleep like a baby– due to a little hard work, a budget, and a plan.

No snappy ending to this jumbly little post. I wish anyone who happens to read, a peaceful night’s sleep and a bowl of blueberries with half and half.

 

Lady Madonna Part I

April 30, 2008 - 7 Responses

Hello Blog-o-sphere.

Been a while.

How’s yer family? Good, good.

I’ll cut right to the chase.

Okay, here’s the deal.  I’ve decided I’m sick to death and tired of the grind. I recently watched a commericail on tv for Chase Credit cards which urged you to text them and they would, get this…email you your balance and tell you how much you should spend.  Seriously? All the while the background music is swelling…{I want it all, I want it now}. I turned to husband… “wow. That commercial just gave me a stomach ache and we don’t even use credit cards.” It made me frustrated. It made me mad.

I’m doing something about it.  I’ve decided to devote the next six months of my life to a little project I’ll call… “Lady Madonna”.  I’m going to “manage to make ends meet”. But I’m going to do it without shopping. For luxuries. For wants. For crap.

I’m going to share my triumphs, struggles, ideas, with any one who is wont to read them. But mostly it’ll be just for me. To keep me sane and on the straight and narrow.

The goal? I’m so happy you asked.

Right now it’s a few fold… 1) feel more grateful for what I already have. 2) remove myself from the overindulge, overbuy, overspend, use-way-more-than-my-fair-share spiral of this society. 3) to drive my husband crazy  3) to set an example for my son.

I start fresh tomorrow, May 1st. I’m looking forward to it.

Because I’m the Mom.

March 31, 2008 - 10 Responses

Here’s what I can do because I’m the mom and you’re the kid, see?

 I can stay up late at night (9 pm!) and watch CSI Miami because I’m the mo..snore.

I can have Cap’n Crunch peanut butter cereal for breakfast. And you have to have a waffle (puh-affle) with jam and you don’t get one single bite of mine. Not a single bite. Except just one bite? But that’s it. But it’s so so good? And you really want another bite? Fine. Fine.  You know what? Just have the rest.

I can hug daddy all by myself. In front of you. Oh, yes I can! Because he’s my daddy! I can even *gasp* kiss him in front of you. Because I was here first. Nah, nah, na… 

*family hug*

I can say “vac-uum” and you have to say “nah-nah”.  And I can say “v-v-v-vacuum!” and you say “na-na-na-nah nah!” But then yesterday? You said “vac-uum”.

And I cried.

But I’m the mom so I can do that, see?

No Foolin’: A HoF’ oSho

March 13, 2008 - 4 Responses

Okay Super Friends! It’s time for us to don our capes and spandex and save the world!

Braden and Lotus need our help- follow the link for intstructions. May the force be with you.

lotus-hofosho-banner-bw-1-1.jpg

(I can’t think of any friend more deserving).

The MTV Lifestyle

March 13, 2008 - 4 Responses

Next week is Spring Break Baby! and where will I be?

Cancun? Or-lan-do? Cocoa Beach livin’ the MTV lifestyle?

Um… no.

*

*

I’ll be cleaning my basement. Drunk. With these guys.

Suds gone wild.

Mmmm

March 7, 2008 - 5 Responses

Husband (while watching a commercial re: text messaging): I would rather vomit then text message someone.

Me: Hmm.

Husband: Have you ever text messaged someone?

Me: Mmm hmm.

Husband: Why would you ever do that anyway?

Me: Maybe you don’t want to actually talk. Or your in a place where you don’t want to talk. Or you can’t talk.

Husband: You mean like if your mouth was full?

Me: Mmm hmm.

We truly do embrace technology in the Hyde household.

Haiku Friday-dedicated to “The Road”

February 22, 2008 - 11 Responses

haiku.jpg

the world is barren

two travelers on the road

hope springs from despair

I just finished the Pulitzer Prize winning novel, The Road, by Cormac McCarthy. If you haven’t read it, I would recommend that you do. It’s an incredibly sad and hopeful tale of a father and son, setting out across a decimated America. Incredible juxtaposition of how intense stress can bring out the best and worst in humanity.

I loved it. Just as I was about ready to commit suicide (it is incredibly dark) - the end was incredibly hopeful validating.

Enjoy!

That name again is Mr. Plow

February 18, 2008 - 8 Responses

Here’s a riddle for ya-

Question: 

What happens when you work really hard to almost pay off your car, and you live in Iowa, and it’s really snowy, and you park on the street because you have a really steep driveway and you can’t get the car up it, and across the street is a parking lot, and in that parking lot is a snow plow?

Answer:

Your car gets backed into by a snow plow.

Haiku - Love Edition

February 15, 2008 - 12 Responses

haiku.jpg

Happy Valentine’s 

to you, all my super bloggie friends

hope your day was…hot?

On a rail

February 11, 2008 - 9 Responses

Apparently ‘Hydes Like Us’ is an at-risk blog.

At-risk-of-becoming-an-haiku-friday-only-blog. And not that there’s anything wrong with that, per se, except that’s not the kind of blog I set out to author? And also, that’s not quite why I started blogging in the first place?

 I’ve been in this place, where I feel my creativity just zapped away from me. Maybe it was because I hadn’t had a haircut in almost six months, or because I had let my eyebrows grow together like two wooly caterpillars attempting to kiss.  Or perhaps it was lethargy from effectively eating almost a 1/2 a coconut cake on my own.  At night. While watching Biggest Loser Couples.  Yes, Virginia- there is irony.

Anyway, I guess my “official stance” is that I just needed a break. A little breather for my brain. I have no idea how you women come up with exciting, interesting and beautiful blog posts day in and day out. I salute you. I am not you. I am l.a.zzzy. Oh yeah. That’s right.

**

Have you ever had a really self-destructive thought, and been like “yeah! I’m going to do it. I know it’s not good but I’m just going to do it anyway. But I’m not going to tell anybody. I’m just going to do it.” ?

Like me– I got to thinking, “I just want to get really thin. Like rail thin. I’ve never been rail thin before. I think it might look good on me.”

As if that were even a possibility. It’s like I know that there is no way I would ever be rail thin unless (godforbid) I was sick or something (although, I highly doubt even then) but it doesn’t stop me from having this thought. And what’s even sicker? I watch television and look at the fashion magazines and really believe that these young women are way too skinny and I know that if I had a daughter, or a niece I would be all, fight the anorexia machine!, and yet here I am looking in the mirror this morning and vowing to become rail thin.

And wondering if that’s possible while maintaining a diet high in Starbuck’s white mochas and black bean burritos with gauc.