The Adventures of Mom

Saw the second to the last episode of Dr. Who last night on the SciFi Channel. Yes, I realise I sound like a geek admitting this, but I have heard that even the Queen of England is addicted to the British science fiction television show.  It is the longest running scifi show in history- started in the sixties. I have been watching the Timelord’s adventures since I was barely a teenager- when Tom Baker had the role. of the Doctor.  They all seemed corny back then, a time traveller engaging with strange aliens, even stranger planets, and always saving mankind from the most villainous of alien enemies. Now, after receiving pictures of other planets, galaxies and beyond in my emails - all legit, and last night one of the moon walking astronauts said there were aliens among us- (on the News!)- Doctor Who episodes do not seem so far fetched. The world, as we know it is facing it’s own doomsday, according to a Mayan Calendar (uh, Dec 21st 2012) and Nostradamas, and we all seem to be in search of the One that will save us.. (It is NOT Barack Obama, folks!) just like in that science fiction series. Dang, where is the Doctor when you need him? Getting back to last night’s show- it was a treat for any Who fan, bringing in a blast from the past-a cast of old traveling companions, Sarah Jane, Rose Tyler, Martha Jones and Capt, Jack Harkness (and his Torchwood spin off staff). Wow. Next week is the last episode of the series. Haven’t a clue whether they will shoot another season in Britain (Cardiff, I believe) or not. I had fallen into becoming an avid fan of  theTorchwood  spin off series right before they took it off the air- sigh. Can’t stand most shows on the television-, but am on the edge of my seat for the series finale of Dr. Who next week…hey, he’s a traveler, just like me, but with a blue box and older companions (I have youngsters in tow now). What is there not to like? I await the finale with baited breath…

The guests have since departed. We rushed back to the old house to celebrate my mother in law’s birthday and pick up our papers to sell the old house. Now I’m back- think the coffee has since seeped out of my system, and it is time to set to laundry and packing up the house once again. Are looking for a new rental (wish me luck!)

Must admit I did manage to keep my parents (and niece) busy here during their stay, and even the rainy day led us to an outing at the Children’s Museum (hey, I have a pass!) in Downtown Lakeland, a lunch at Crisper’s and a tour of the historic homes around Lake Hollingsworth. The rain let up momentarily and we made a dash up the boardwalk at Peterson Park by the YMCA, but were drenched by the next downpour on our way back to the car. Another day led us to Cypress Gardens- where we hid in the Butterfly exhibit during the day’s storm- it soon passed quickly and we managed a tour of the botanical gardens (bring mossie spray!), a swim in the water park, including a few times around the lazy river- ahhh, and roller coasters with the kids. My 6 year old dared to go on the Starliner with my niece and I- bumpy-bump, my four year old loved the Hurricane and the blue and orange  Florida gator-colored coaster by the Starliner. BBQ sandwiches for lunch and a good day was had by all. Another day we just stayed home and went swimming- did I say I would miss this pool? All the kids are fantastic swimmers/divers/and water treaders because of it.  Well, back to the packing!

Toys lay scattered across rooms, laundry waits in heaps- dirty and clean, while the washing machine works on overdrive and my parents are due to arrive here in two hours. We came back late last night after taking my step daughter back home and spending the weekend at the old house to meet with Realtors. This all after having said step daughter here for a week of swimming & play- whew- I’m sweating just writing this and am beginning to feel like a hotel- washing sheets and making beds for the next set of guests. Though, I suppose in the hotel business, the maids have it a bit easier as the rooms are devoid of toys and any belongings left behind can be discarded. I’m on double duty this morning, as my requests for “please clean your rooms” were translated into: toss everything into the closet or stuff it under the bed and throw a wet towel over it!

It will all come together in the end, n’est-ce pas? (I hope- Insh’allah, ti na kanoume, and all those other sayings made up to make us feel better and pass the worries onto God) Now new worries surface as my daughter downs the last of the milk with her bowl of Fruit Loops- what the heck am I going to feed them? My step daughter, bless her heart, would eat everything I made and enjoyed the sandwich picnics in Munn Park, downtown Lakeland, and didnot even seem to notice that I fed everyone grilled cheese before we went out just to save a bit of money. Kids are easy, adults are a bit harder, as I can’t picture my dad squatting down on a blanket for afternoon lunch- and five hours at the Kids Museum just may not be so amusing to them as a 10 year old and two young’uns.

As I down my third coffee to set myself into overdrive, plan menus, days, and finish the cleaning and laundry, I rush off with a quick Happy Bastille Day to the French and francophiles, who will undoubtedly be enjoying the fireworks tonight, as I saw them so many years ago in the South of France- Nice, from the window of Hotel D’Orsee by the railway station- my friend La and I downing tiny bottle of beers all night- celebrating our return and survival  (freedom)from 5 unexpected days in Morocco.

Happy Bastille Day!

Just as I was reminiscing on the colonists throwing tea into Boston Harbour (no, I am sure it wasn’t PGTips!), Independence Day is upon the United States- or should I say the 4th of July or God and Country Day- For heavens sake, people, stop renaming these things! Independence Day happened when the Colonists declared their Independance from King George (England), and said heck, we can do it ourselves- taxation without representation is just not fair- hey, wait a minute, is that not what we are suffering from right now?

Okay, enough ranting, today is a day to celebrate history and put our current woes on the back burner. It’s the day for ribs and burgers, playing Frisbee with the kids and volleyball with old friends and new, and a night filled with exhilarating fireworks to make us remember what a glorious nation our forefathers created by climbing out of the abyss of oppression and joining together as One Nation Under God….

Happy Independence Day!

The  presidential elections are coming up fast and I knew it was time for a rant. Michael Savitch I am not, but I definitely have some strong opinions on this issue. Who will you vote for- Shell or Exxon? It doesn’t really matter whether Obama or McCain wins, as the real rulers of our dear country are the oil companies. They have managed to fix us good- we are being squeezed dry and they are laughing at us. Yes,  at $4.00 a gallon for gas, the entire way of life is changing to bow down to the oil companies, not only are we all paying more for groceries and services, but companies are cutting employees back to 4 day work days (to save on gas). I also read that universities in some places are cutting back to 4 days also to save their students, as they can’t afford to travel to school! People are working to pay for gas to go to work (something is definitely wrong here!) Moms have dropped out of moms groups because they are saving their gas for work, even Disney World is suffering in attendance (bet they did not see that one coming!) along with other theme parks, summer camps, hotels, tourist towns- should I go on? Anything that costs money as people are saving their money for gas and the uber expensive groceries- Walmart stores have an increase in shoppers, as that’s where items are cheaper- which in the end result, sends our hard earned dollars to CHINA!

But back to the oil companies…alternative fuels/vehicles have been developed in the past, but the oil companies have squashed them. Wow, guys, they had this takeover of America planned for years- and guess what, they are  now recording record breaking profits- at our expense!And this is only the beginning, if we let it continue. Our future president, whomever it will be, will become just what Bush is today, a puppet in a puppet government (we used to sneer at, or pity other countries in such a situation). They have no real power. The puppet-masters, the oil companies, are bringing America to their knees. Last time something like this happened, did we not chuck their tea into Boston Harbor? Not that I’m suggesting dumping the gas, but development and usage of different fuel sources would be the answer (we did switch from tea to coffee way back when. It took a while to get used to the taste of coffee, but heck, was it not worth it?) The time has come to overthrow the puppet-masters, cut their strings and take our country back to a democracy. Scissors anyone?