My family is just weird.

Sometime Thanksgiving morning, I received an email from one of my brothers.  One brother lives on the east coast and the other lives on the west so I wasn't seeing either of them for the holiday so an email wouldn't be unexpected.  But this one was.  After a short statement about a real estate issue he went on to say:

btw...it would appear that I have had a heart attack. Cath tomorrow to access damage...will advise. 

Well, okay then!

After a flurry of emails on my part, I finally spoke to him today.  He's good, the heart attack was actually probably a few months ago, but some symptoms showed up that sent him to the ER yesterday.  He has had more tests and is working out a treatment plan with a cardiologist and his primary care physician.  Does not look like surgery will be indicated, which is good news.  He says he is listening to his doctors - I just hope he's better at taking care of himself than he is at informing people!

But then - that's my family!

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What the . . . ?

You know how you know when something in your house just isn't right? I came home from work yesterday and 2 of the 3 doors to the outside were unlocked. That's weird. My son is a rule-follower. He leaves the house he locks the house. Period. And he wasn't home. So fine, he must have been in a hurry, but I was still shaking my head.

Once in the house I noticed a can of Diet Pepsi on the kitchen counter. A full, unopened can. My BF arrived about the same time I did so I asked if he had left the pop there. No, he hadn't. And it wasn't really cold either. Again, weird. But - whatever.

I went to my bedroom to change my clothes and happened to notice as I walked past a bookcase in the hallway, that a blanket that my daughter had so thoughtfully folded and tossed onto one of the lower shelves last time she was home, was no longer there. What the .. ? I glanced into her room and the blanket had been tossed in there, onto the floor in a little bundle. I started to think I was losing what little of my mind I have left. I mean, who notices little things like a moved blanket and a can of pop on the kitchen counter? It's not like there aren't a million other things on that counter.

Later in the evening I saw something on the carpet. I looked closer and realized it looked like one of the cats had puked and someone had cleaned it up. Not well, but none-the-less. Now, I know my son. He will only clean up cat puke if he steps in it (sometimes not even then) and never if it is not in his immediate path. He may see it in another part of a room - but if there is no chance he will be stepping over it - he keeps his blinders on. So who the heck cleaned that up?

Andy came home shortly after that and I started asking him questions so they would stop rattling around in my brain. Yes, he did lock the doors when he left. No, he didn't leave any pop on the counter. I would ask him a question and walk away. A couple minutes later I would go to the back of the house and ask him something else "hey, did you clean up cat puke today?" No, he didn't do that either. He was starting to look at me in a really strange way and I was saying to him "it's just so strange. I mean, I know no one broke into our house. People don't come into a stranger's house and clean up cat puke ... " and I walked away again scratching my head.

Finally when I approached him one more time with the question "oh, would there be any reason you would move Dani's blanket from the bookcase .. " "SHE DID IT!" he blurted. I was startled. "What?" Blink. "Who?" "Dani. She was here! Don't tell her I told you!" Oh. My. God.

Turns out my daughter had given her boyfriend tickets to see Blue Man Group for his birthday. It was kind of a last minute thing but they drove the 4 and a half, 5 hours up here, and stopped at the house before heading downtown. It was only after they got to the house that Dani realized they wouldn't be able to wait for me to get home from work to see me before the show, and when it was over they needed to leave right away to drive the 4 to 5 hours back. So my daughter in her infinite wisdom decided it would be better if I didn't know they had been here at all. I wouldn't need to know she had been in town and hadn't visited her mom.

Silly girl.

I called her today and said "Did you really think I wouldn't notice the doors all unlocked, the pop on the counter, the cat puke cleaned up and the blanket tossed into your room?" She knew I wasn't mad and she totally saved herself with "Well if it makes any difference I felt really bad being at the house when you weren't there and I missed you." Aww-w-w ...

And I felt totally better knowing that I didn't have a weird intruder who cleaned up cat puke and moved blankets, AND - I wasn't imagining things either. Whew! Dodged another dementia bullet.

I've got that going for me. And that's important.

Let's play!

OH what a case of blogger’s guilt I have! Apparently I can only obsess about one thing at a time and this week and last it’s been Weight Watcher’s points and counting them. But I have been tagged a few times and I really need to catch up.

I was actually tagged first by Lady Banana, and then by Jewellery Craft with the same linky tag, “Links around the world.” It’s about helping people build the readership on their blogs and getting a boost on your own at the same time! Pretty cool if you ask me. I am combining Lady Banana’s and Jewellery Craft’s links, and adding mine at the end.

The instructions:

1. Place your link at the end of the list. If you have more than 1 blog, feel free to add them all here!

2. After placing your blog’s address, you must tag 5 or more bloggers that are not yet on the list, this is to keep the ball rolling. (Please remember to let the bloggers know they've been tagged!)

The Strategist Notebook ~ Link Addiction ~ Ardour of the Heart ~ When Life Becomes a Book ~ The Malaysian Life ~ Yogatta.com ~ What goes under the sun ~ Roshidan’s Cyber Station ~ Sasha says ~ Arts of Physics ~ And the legend lives ~ My View, My Life ~ A Simple Life ~ Juliana RW ~ Mom Knows Everything ~ Beth & Cory’s Mom ~ A Mind Forever Voyaging~ enjoying the ride ~ Jennifer’s thoughts ~ Mom of 3 Girls ~ Amanda ~ Don’t Make Me Get The Flying Monkeys ~ ExPat Mom ~ Just Jessie ~ Wilson Six ~Krisitn ~ Nuttier Than You ~ Shonnte ~ Summer’s Nook ~ Laura Williams Musings ~ Sher ~ Shanda ~ Seven QTPies ~ Mel ~ Skittles ~ Lady Banana ~ Momhood Moments ~ Business Mars ~ A Simple life ~ moms….. check nyo ~ Mommy’s Little Corner ~ Pampered ~ HappyHeart ~ Make Every Day Your Lucky Day ~ Thumbelina Creations ~ Ivonnardona's Creations ~ Jewellery Craft ~ A Bead a Day

Now I need to tag 5 more people to keep the list of links going. I am going to tag:

Watercolor Works and More

A Spiritual Dog Blog

Blogging with Dyslexia

Useless Ramblings

Hidden Mahala

The next tag I got was for a “7 weird things” meme. I was tagged by a lady whose blog I just found recently, her name is Sue Zipkin at Blogging with Dyslexia. I stumbled across her blog and was pleased as punch (yes I said that) because she designed the dinnerware I use and I was thrilled to be able to tell her how much I love it!

I must admit I have done a 7 weird things meme before, and with my link to 100 things about me up at the top, this one is tough for me. But – here goes!

1) I produced 2 children who had an extra tooth growing in the roof of their mouths. It is called a mesiodens and we theorize it had something to do with the copious amounts of premium ice cream I ate while pregnant.

2) After my parents divorced I was basically a latchkey kid – except I never had a key to the house. We never locked it. Ever.

3) I have 2 African water frogs that will not die. Supposedly they belong to my kids but since I feed them and clean the filter and their tank, I have earned the right to call them mine. They are over 10 years old now and I swear they will still be here when I am gone.

4) I hate grocery shopping to the point that I’m almost phobic. Hence my recent $356.00 trip to the store. I don’t go very often.

5) I have wide feet with impossibly short toes. My first boyfriend always told me they were cute, so I have always liked them. (except for the fact that I can’t buy shoes for them!!)

6) My 2 favorite pieces of furniture in my living room were garbage picked. Not by me, but none the less.

7) I’ve mentioned before that I go to sleep to forensic shows on TV every night. But what I didn’t say is that my daughter thinks it’s totally disturbing and loves to tell her friends; “my Mom sleeps to murder!” Uh, that’s not exactly it, but when she puts it like that is sure sounds weird!

I hope those weren’t too lame but I really had a hard time coming up with them! You wouldn’t think it would be that hard seeing as I’m not quite normal a lot of the time.

Now for the tagging!

Jewellery Craft

Lady Banana

Catcalls

Candid Yammering

Drew’s Brave New World

As usual, let the people know you have tagged them ~ and then they tag 5 people … and so it goes. Also – since I rarely follow the rules, I totally understand when other people ignore them too!

7 weird things

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Reading the road less traveled this evening, Jen did a meme and kindly did not tag anyone. I have trouble doing those things if tagged, I must fold under pressure. This meme appealed to me though, so I decided to do it. 7 weird things about me, and I just know these are things people will find so interesting! Or maybe not.

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I am very good at tripping and falling, I have broken one ankle and sprained the other, twice. Usually I just hurt my pride.

I like to be alone. There was a time I was made to feel badly about that but now I think of it more as being secure enough in myself that I don’t need to surround myself with other people all of the time. Sometimes is plenty. And that person that wanted me to feel bad? Totally insecure.

I love the jewelry I make but I rarely wear it myself. I wear a ring, a necklace, and a bracelet every day, each from my BF. Other than that – I do wear earrings I make, but not much else.

When I was pregnant with my daughter the hair stopped growing on my legs, and I could not taste garlic. I would put so much garlic in spaghetti sauce it was literally hot to other people and I still couldn’t taste it. Or was it my son?

I hate the telephone. HATE it. I answer for my BF and my family. Usually. Other than that – I barely even check my messages.

I go to sleep every night to forensic programs on TV. And if there aren’t any on – I put a tape in of shows that I have recorded for that very purpose. I find them interesting to listen to as I fall asleep, and Bill Kurtis’s voice especially soothing.

I cannot stand cloth on teeth. It’s worse than fingernails on a chalkboard. If I accidentally feel cloth or tissue on my teeth somehow - I literally shudder, cringe, and get a chill. Get goosebumps. If I think about it – I do the same. I just did it. And it will happen every time I read this so I won't read it again.

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Like Jen, I won't tag anybody. But if you feel like doing this, leave me a link so I can see if you're more weird than I am! Here's hoping!!

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