Galoshes needed

I don't like to wear shoes. In fact, I rarely ever do. But tonight, I could have used some. I went outside to check some stuff out and halfway down the stairs, I wished that I had put something on my feet! It snowed today for a long time. I grew up in the south where the most disturbing weather patterns were thunderstorms, tornadoes, and hurricanes - not snow. Now, having been moved further north, apparently it snows here every now and then.

I did NOT stay outside very long.

The problem with Harvey

What if my name was Harvey? Harvey is a cool name, I think. The name Harvey implies that you are whimsical, yet contemplative. It implies that you know how to have a good time, but that you know when to be serious, too. Harvey is the type of name that tells people that you are personable with a sense of humor, but that you can be trusted. Harvey can listen to you for hours without being burdened. Harvey knows how to do card tricks and he can pull quarters out from behind peoples ears. He also likes to work crossword puzzles. My nickname would be Harv. That's what people would call out whenever I walked into a room: "Hey, Harv!"

Problem is, I might forget that Harvey is my name since it really isn't my name, and when people called out, "Hey, Harv," I might not pay attention.

Harvey. Cool name. (I like Larry, too, though . . . )

Is nothing sacred? In a house this big with as many people who live in it, there ought to be rules. Rules that are strict enough to ensure that people's possessions and privacy are respected. The kids tear things up all the time, my roommate's girlfriend unplugs my computer everyday, the dogs pee on the floor, and my roommate has apparently forgotten what house cleaning is all about.

I was hanging out around noon today enjoying the peace and quiet. I had planned to do a little reading, but it was so quiet in the house, I closed my eyes instead to nap a little. Sure enough, my roommate comes home for lunch and told me to get out of his chair. Earlier this week, I was hanging out watching Animal Planet. I got up to go use the restroom, and when I returned, the short kid with glasses had changed the channel on the TV that I had been watching to Sponge Bob.

I mean, it's like I live with a bunch of selfish slobs who don't think about anyone but themselves. Just the other day I got locked out of the house again. I had gone out to run errands in the neighborhood, and apparently nobody even noticed that I was gone, because when I came back the doors were locked and the cars were gone.

Sometimes it seems like my living conditions are unbearable. And to think of all the things that I do for this family! Well, not tomorrow, folks! Tomorrow people will be lucky if they see me at all! (Unless I need to eat . . . but I'm not talking to anyone)!

Too many meetings

My roommate is never home anymore. All he does is work. Meetings all day long, meetings that last into the night - meetings, meetings, meetings. This means that I'm left at home alone with all the kids and the girlfriend. The girlfriend gets pretty testy when left to deal with everything by herself at night. I usually just find the quietest room in the house and take a nap until my roommate comes home. That woman ought to take a page out of my book and chill out, but no. She insists on being a busy body and fretting. Life is too short to fret. I say she should just take a nap and be glad she doesn't have to sit in meetings all night long. The tall kid could take care of stuff until the roommate returned. What's wrong with that?

Hide the nuts! Here comes Hillary!

I don't understand politics at all. There is a presidential election coming up, and from what I can gather, there are three people who are in the running: Hillary Clinton, Barak Obama, and John McCain. Some people really keep up with the candidates and know what they all stand for. Some people are Democrats and some people are Republicans. Some vote along party lines; some vote according to the positions of the candidates. Not me, though. I'm shallow, and I readily admit it. I go by appearances only. McCain looks mean. He probably cuts people off in traffic and then laughs about it. Obama looks like a contemplative professor who likes to smoke a pipe. He probably has a bunch of cardigan sweaters. Hillary? It looks like she's been bulking up for hockey season. She resembles a bloated chipmunk. Unfortunately, I fear that none of my observations are very helpful to the common person trying to decide upon whom to cast a vote. What about that guy Huckabee? I wonder if he ever cooked chipmunk in his popcorn popper in college? That would be a good story, don't you think?

Lizards hide from snow

The weather today was awesome! It was probably around 70 degrees outside, sunny, and a little breezy. I love weather like that. I spent a lot of time outdoors today. The days are getting longer, too. Pretty soon, daylight savings will kick in and the days will be even longer. The kids love this weather, too. They like to ride their scooters around the driveway. The little boy with blond hair is into baseball. The girl indulges him some. She plays with him for awhile, but then she gets bored and changes the rules of the game. The little blond haired boy will cry and holler about the unfairness of it all. Yesterday, the big kid came home and whacked the little blond haired boy with a stick. The big kid claimed it was an accident, but it wasn't. I saw the whole thing. Kids. But enough about them . . .

This is the end of winter and the beginning of spring. There is an anticipation in the air that is contagious. We've been cooped up all winter long inside the house beside the fireplace. My roommate refuses to raise the thermostat above 70 degrees, so the change in the weather outside is a welcome change. Listening to the dopey weather guy on the news tonight was disheartening, though. He says that the weather is about to change again in the morning. No more sun, rain moving in, severe weather is possible, and there will be snow later on in the week. I wish the weather would make up it's mind already.

I'm ready for lizards to come out again. I love trying to catch those things! But lizards don't like cold weather.

I'll keep the couch warm

Tomorrow is Sunday and I suppose the family will go to church. I won't go, however. I'll just stay home and enjoy the peace and quiet of the house. I know why my family goes to church. They go for fellowship and the chance to worship God. But guess what else will happen while they are there? People will gossip. People will spread rumors. People will say hurtful things about folks they are supposed to be in communion with. God will be shoved aside and the people's selfish agendas will take precedence. The organ will be too loud, the Lenten hymns will not be recognized by anyone in the pews, and the preacher will grandstand. Sunday school attendance will be low and the people who showed up for Sunday school will try to figure out why no one comes to church anymore. (I bet they'll blame my roommate . . . )! The coffee will be bad and the grade school kids will eat all the cookies before the adults can make it to the Fellowship Hall. Organized religion can be such a bugger-boo sometimes. I guess I'm being pessimistic - perhaps even shallow . . . but -

I'll work on that, but in the meantime, I'm sleeping in tomorrow.