"Black cat or white cat: If it can catch mice, it's a good cat.”

When witches go riding, and black cats are seen, the moon laughs and whispers, ‘tis near Halloween. ~Author Unknown I am not particularly fond of Halloween, but not for the usual reason. I am a huge fan of black cats. I have two myself; one named Mystery and the other Frosty (oxymoron, get it? It's funny.). So Halloween brings fear in my household for my poor kitty cats. Because some ignorant, supersticious people of the world (some) still fear black cats. Both of my beautiful, furry pleasantries are rescue babies and both from around Halloween. Mystery was frozen, literally...just because she was black, and it was Halloween. She has zero feeling in her rear extremities, you could cut off her feet and she wouldn't flinch. Frosty was born around Halloween time, and thrown out because he was black. Come on people, prejudice against a cat? Really? So anyway....I keep my cats inside and under a close eye around this time of year. I do partake in the disease that is fall though. I am slowly getting into the decorating side of things and orange everything. Pumpkin flavored eye drops seem to be the only thing that hasn't hit the shelves yet. It's fun, fall in general is a fun time of year. The kids really enjoy it. With festivals, crafts, pumpkins, decorations and amazing food, it makes an everlasting happy memory for most children and adults. (Unless you're a black cat) So the origin of the fear of black cats....(I kind of took a side note about fall, my bad) Back in Europe, in the Mid Century, cats were not really kept as pets, but rather pest control. Those that kept them as pets were considered witches, and we all know how people feel about witches. So, for the most part, they all were basically barn cats, and served their purpose well. If you google artwork and paintings from the 1350 time frame, you can see how people viewed life and how they were driven(by fear no less) by dark, evil and demonic ideas. Because of this, black cats were seen as evil. Why? Because they're black, and black is associated with evil. So the obvious idea to conjure up is, duh, black cats are evil. Solution? Kill them! Kill them all! Not just the black ones, but all of them, because they could birth black ones. Shortly following the mass exorcism of....well....cats apparently, Europe saw a huge population increase in rats. So much so that it also brought diseases. You may have heard of "The Black Plague"? Yeah about that, you see, with no more pest control (cats), the rats (which populate at about ummm....up to five litters a year and can have up to about 14 babies per litter) never reached a top out. The plague is thought to be spread by rat fleas found on BLACK rats and killing anywhere from 75 to 200 million people at it's peak. This is a ridiculously large number of people killed by....ignorance (personal opinion). The people automatically feared the black cat after such horrific circumstances, seeing as they killed them all, the cats are cursing them from the grave. Never seeing the corrilation between the giant burn pile of cat carcases and the influx in rat population. So thousands of years later, stories have spread, grown, twisted (kind of like the game of telephone you play as a child) and ended up still that black cats are bad luck, evil and you will certainly die if one crosses your path. Can we lay this myth to rest yet? Rats...and rat fleas....that's what's evil, talk about a possible evil and deadly animal. Run, run for your life. Happy Halloween to all!

Cave men are hot.

There was a glitch yesterday in technology in my household. It caused quite a ruckus and could have ended badly. Sometimes I want to go back to days before cell phones and texting, it was so easy to get lost and have some peace. In todays technological world, peace is a word that has almost went by the wayside in it's meaning. It's kind of like the old word gay. Now don't get your panties in a wad, I literally mean the original form of the word meaning "happy". Now a days if someone was to say "that little boy was so gay" clearly our minds would all go in a different direction, than that of what it actually means. Sort of like peace is quickly becoming. People, especially the younger generation, have lost all contact and understanding of a truly peaceful life, or even just a peaceful evening (let's start small). I'm apparently included in this statement, because yesterday had my world turned upside down. I was having a frustrating morning and wasn't feeling well to boot, and decided to text my husband my frustration. In doing so my phone decided it didn't want to send the text I had actually typed in it's entirity but rather pull up a really old text (that I had sent to my husband months ago) and add the last two lines from my new text to it. Of course he didn't remember getting the other text, we've slept since then. And he didn't even get the text I actually sent him, so the conversation was completely out of control. He still thinks I was texting someone else and meant to send it to them. Clearly we have some trust issues to work through, but we're fine. Some normal growing pains in a new marriage. However, this argument would have never occured had their been no "smartphones" or technical glitches. I was ready to throw it out the window. I want peace again. I want zero distractions and no possible avenue for accusations. I want to be able to take a nap and not worry about my phone going off and waking me up. I want to be able to go for a drive and not have to stress over if I have service or not. My family is very bad about wanting to know your every move. And that's fine, we're close, we all love each other very much. It's not a nosey thing, but a "I want to be a part of your life, be there for you, help you, know you" thing, so I'm not complaining.....just stating a fact. When I get a text or a call from my mother, I better text back immediately. Do it! Don't hesitate! Because if I don't then my husband gets a call, or texts, or both, "where is she?, Is she ok?" It's even possible that a cop show up on my doorstep for a well check. I admit....it's annoying at times, but she means well. There are times though, especially here recently when I just want to shut my phone off and go about my life. Technology is not necessarily a good thing, it's not a necessary evil either, it's just not necessary. We are talking about a very new convenience, texting has been within the last 10 years or so. Mobile phones within the last 25 maybe. And in the grand scheme of things with humanity being around for "how many years now?", this is a very new commodity. I think we will survive if something happens and technology goes to the wayside (oh how sweet the sound), or at least I and mine will. Maybe that should be our new goal as a family, to weed out technological distractions. We already are without cable and internet (I type this at work, shhhh), maybe we should eliminate smartphones next.....hmmmmmm

The American Dream can kiss my.....rear end. (Do kids read this?)

I'm going to be 30 years old in four months. I realize that is not old, but I remember a time when 30 seemed ancient to me. My husband being fifteen years older than myself, cannot wait for me to turn 30 so I will be a decade closer to him....or so it would seem lol. I wonder sometimes how my daughter feels and thinks when it comes to my age. I try to be so well put together and under control for my entire family, especially her. I wonder if sometimes I'm only fooling myself though and she can see right through my mask. Don't get me wrong, it's not like I'm putting on a total act about my life and I secretly want to be living in Paris painting. I am exactly where I want to be, who I want to be with and doing (for the most part) what I want to be doing. It's just 30 maybe getting to me more than I realize. Thirty years of nothing really to show except divorce, bankruptcy, broken hearts and a beautiful blue eyed little girl that had to endure all of the above with me. I don't believe in the American Dream like our forefathers have so sweetly expected of us. Two cars in a garage, two kids tucked in their beds, in their cute little rooms, a beautiful husband that kisses you goodbye in the mornings, at the front door, on his way to work (yes this is a run-on sentence....you will learn I don't care). You stay home, cook, bake, decorate and shop, take a yearly vacation to the beach and go to ball games on Friday night. Quite frankly, that makes me want to vomit. My life is a little more chaotic than that, and I prefer it that way. It fits us. I don't know what secret tool measures success, but I feel as if ultimate survival and refrain from total insanity seems pretty successful. Especially when we're facing government shut downs, debt ceilings, religious wars, recession, soaring gas prices, need I go on....I'll admit I don't know, nor do I care much about that BS, I care about whether the ones I love will survive it (I'm a little bit of a prepper, not extreme, but enough). To me, I feel as if I have been fairly successful in my 30 years. I have a roof over my head, food in my fridge and on the table, clothes on my back and enough money in my pocket to occasionally go blow it on junk at the antique store. Yet, there is this looming spirit of failure over me recently. I watched my daughter walk up the stairs into school this morning, I remember when I walked up the same stairs, am I capable of doing more for her? For my husband? For his kids? I feel no different than I did when I was 17 and freedom seemed like a tangible object. I still have the same desires and dreams, just much more self control and responsibility. I was in deep thought as I was watching her go in, then she reached around and fixed an apparent wedgie, turned around to me, smiled, waved and blew me a kiss. Guess what....I am going to be 30 years old, and I'm still here. That's pretty awesome :). Success! (applause, applause, taking a bow)

Hello my name is

I like wine and food. I like to read long novels and do crafts. I love to spend money on things I find interesting. But, mostly I enjoy long walks on the beach with fruity pink umbrella drinks. Who am I kidding? I work full-time with a household total of four kids (only one that claims me as blood mother), a Yankee husband, three dogs, two cats, a bearded dragon....oh and no door on our bedroom. I live south of the Mason Dixon line, and think it's the prettiest part of the country. I don't believe in the "American Dream", but rather survival of everyday life. I do love wine (mainly because of it's effects). I do thoroughly enjoy food (but struggle daily with not wanting to weigh 200 pounds). I like to pretend I have time to read and buy books, but then sell them with a perfect, unused binding in a year or so and talk about how much I enjoyed it. I have craft supplies out the wazoo and yet I don't think I've ever finished a project. I do love to spend money on things I find interesting, that is true. Therefore I have a house full of unneccessary vintage junk, that's only purpose is to collect dust. I hate the beach (sand gets in "don't mention" places). I'm creating a blog just so I can voice my frustration about everyday, mundane, routine activities and maybe serve as friend to fellow borderline insane mothers (just remember, insanity is not allowed my dear). Hello my name is Ashley