Head and Shoulder Pads above you!

So... I read so many blogs where the writer is trying to solve the problems of the world. Well, I just want to solve my own problems in my own "special" way. Once someone said(I think it was Oprah to tell you the truth)that if you want to take ten pounds off your look, add a set of shoulder pads. So I did the math and wore two sets. Problem solved. But that was in the eighties and now the shoulder pad thing is way more than a habit. See, in my thinking, a well placed set of squared off shoulderpads might have the illusion of angle versus roundness. I bought in for sure. You may say who am I kidding?
Even though my "New MIllenium" type offspring chose to shame me into getting rid of the loved accessory, I hang on even after phrases like'"Mom the Eighties called, they want their shoulder pads back!" I confess that I had a shoulder pad crisis just week or so ago. Having returned from the Utah and Vegas Road Trip of '07 and pulling out the laundry where of course I had worn the over used and slightly shabby shoulder pads, I noticed just one in the mix. Just one. One does not a pair make. Uh Oh.... One shoulder pad is not the look you go for. Now imagine me going not just one day, but a Sunday no less and a couple(it's blurry how many) days without the all important addition. There are so many looks that just "need" the shoulder pads. So it all but eliminated half of my wardrobe. So I take my bad self down to the local Joanns Fabrics store, on another errand of course, and purchase a pair, brand new and all stiff and a little fake looking to be quite honest. But I know that they have to be broken in so here goes. Two days I use them, sort of depressed that they are not the "real" ones and then what do you know, the other "lost" shoulder pad just appeared on the stack of laundry. Hmmmm... sabatoge you might deduce or dare I say fate? All is right with the world again and now I can go for the two set option again if I choose and I can almost hear you saying, "Hey you look nice in that outfit...are those shoulder pads?"

Just whistle while you work!

I love "working" around the house with Parker. Actually we work independently toward the same goal but usually our paths only cross in a "family" project when needed. One example is the day we painted the Family Room. On the Fourth of July, these two almost empty nesters decided to use the day wisely and having purchased the paint etc. we started in. My job was to remove the switchplates and outlet plates and clean the baseboards and tape all the lower edges. As Parker brought in the ladders and the tarps and the supplies the sound of his whistling made me smile. You see, this is what he does, he whistles while he works from the start of the project to the end. He is in his own little project focus world and the whistling starts. It was more than interesting that the first piece he chose was "Strangers in the Night". That was the "set up the project" song. As the day and the paint rolled on there were a few songs that pleased and surprized me. Here's a short list of some of the titles just for your enjoyment: "Here, There and Everywhere" - Beatles, "All That Jazz" - Chicago, "If I only had a brain" - The Wizard of Oz, "It Had To Be You" - Harry Connick Jr. and several hours worth of Parker's favorite hits. I'm sure there are several I can't remember, it's just such a pleasant part of "working with" Parker and you know that he is wearing out when the songs stop. It's fun because he doesn't claim to know the words or even the tunes, but the tunes are right on and I remember the words. So in a way it keeps us both going for him to whistle as he does. Kind of cool I think. Maybe we are a good team after all. And you should see the Family Room. Wow!

I hope this photo works because it was intense to get it on here. I am a little techo challenged as you might know and it's great to know that after a 45 min technical difficulty delay on Meg's flight and then an unexpected landing in Denver because of a passenger Diabetic seizure that a person could actually get to see your daughter in Times Square to document that she is actually in New York City. Enjoy