The Ugly Truth

The Ugly Truth is that woman are crazy. Yes I did just go there. Now hear me out. I'm not saying that all women are crazy all the time. But even us most 'got it together' women have our crazy moments. Why is that? Maybe its hormons.... actions that are easily blamed on that time of the month. Yes this is a crock of shit and to us women this is a get out of jail free card that most men are willing to accept. Therefore we use it shamelessly....... you know I'm right.

Now I like to consider myself pretty level headed..... cool, calm, collected. Overall pretty easy going. This is not to say that I haven't had my share of crazy moments. Not that I can think of any right now off the top of my head but I'm sure Vivi will quickly post a comment happy to name more than a few times that she can recall.

Anyway moving on ------> So Marine didn't get to come home this weekend. Yes it sucks. Yes it was a little disappointing. But that's part of it. I knew that from the get go. So I suck it up, put my big girl panties on (after folding up the cute piece of lingerie I had been hoping to wear and putting it back in the dresser for a later date) and I deal with it.

Tonight Vixen and I rented a movie (The Ugly Truth), ordered Mexican take out and curled up on the couch for a cozy night in. Yes, I could have went out but honestly I really just wanted to sit at home and relax.

Marine on the other hand called and said he was going off base with his roommate and another friend to meet up with his other roommate, the roommates girlfriend and some of her friends. They were planning on going out to eat and then to a local bar.

I told him to have fun. Simple as that. We talk about five more minutes and then I let him go so I can eat my diner and that he can get ready to go meet his buddies.

A few moments later I get a text - Marine: "Wow every time we go out Wifey picks a fight with roommate." ---- one of his roommates is married. Mind you she lives in California and he is stationed on the east coast. Yes I know this must be extremely hard!

This gets me to thinking about relationships and distance. Marine is 500 miles away (well give or take). I don't expect him to just sit at the barracks all weekend. I mean how boring would that be? I want him to go out with his friends and have fun. He has worked hard all week, I know he was also disappointed about not getting to come home, and I think he deserves to go out and have fun.

The bottom line, I guess, is that I trust him.

I know that if I wanted to go out with my friends he would be supportive.

So why is it that the Wifey always (always) gets mad when they go out? I mean I know there is always two sides to every story.... but roommate usually stays in the room on the weekends and rarely goes out. Does she not want him to have a life outside of her?

Then I wonder will I ever get to that point? Will I develop a case of - "I can go out and have fun but you cannot go out and have fun with anyone but me" - syndrome. Lord I hope not!! The day you get to that point is the day you need to pack your bags and move on cause obviously you got issues. Ok maybe I shouldn't say that....... Throwing up of hands, Oh well!

Abby Richter, [gushing about Colin] "He's such a great guy."

Mike, [sarcastically] "Oh yeah, he's dreamy."

Abby Richter, "And he ticks numbers 1 to 10 on my list."

Mike, "Although, weren't points 1 to 9 pretty much about him being gay?"

~ The Ugly Truth ~

Long Week

Anyone who says that keeping up a blog is easy is full of crap! This week I have started approximately 4 blog posts but then not had the time to complete them and rather than post a half ass post I let it sit there lifelessly as a draft just waiting for when I have the time to finish them and hit the magic button...... publish.

This week marked the three year anniversary of the death of my dad. After three years you would think it would get easier. But it doesn't and part of me doubts it ever will. I guess that's part of being a daddy's girl. Mom and I went out for diner and each ordered a beer and cheers'ed for Dad. We miss him but know that he is in a better place and watching over us. Something that is easy to say and think but doesn't stop the tears from flowing once I am alone in the car on the way home.

Another important day this week was Veteran's day. As a proud Marine girlfriend, an Army sister, an Air force Granddaughter, and countless enlisted friends (past and present) I had many people to thank. Before dating Marine I knew that people in the military made sacrifices but there are some you forget to think about. Missed holiday's, birthdays spent out in the middle of nowhere...... some many things that we take for granted in every day life that they miss out on so that the rest of us can enjoy them. But the Veteran's are not the only one's who make sacrifices, so do their families - their wives, children, etc. All of whom make sacrifices so their loved can serve his (or her) country. If you did not tell a Veteran thank you - please do so.

On Veteran's day I received this link that I would like to share ~ What is a Veteran it is truly touching.

And Friday the 13th...... Marine was supposed to get to come home this weekend. We had all kinds of fun things planned. But his ride home fell thru. Disappointing...... yes. I won't lie. But I tell myself it could always be worse. And it really could.

So what to do this weekend? Ah..... what to do? After having a sinus headache for the better part of the day tonight I decided to rent Bride Wars, and curl up with a Dr. Pepper and Turtles. Sometimes a nice quite night at home is just what the doctor ordered.

This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave.

~ Elmer Davis ~

Daddy's Girl

Today marks three years since my dad passed away. It's hard to believe its been that long, when the pain still feels so fresh.

Today take the time to call your dad (or you mom) and just tell them that you love them.

After my dad passed away I wrote alot. It was my way of releasing all the grief I was experiencing but yet not having to burden anyone else. I was able to write about feelings and thoughts I was experiencing that I would have never been able to speak aloud. It was my way of dealing. A sort of free therapy. I have never shared those writings but from time to time I go back a reread them. Remembering the way I felt at that moment and the obstacles that I had yet to overcome. It helps me realize that even though I am still hurting and that I still miss him terribly, I am doing better.

I will always be a daddy's girl and I will always miss him. But I know that he is with me each and every day.

Dad
By Judy Burnette.

[ Poem Found At ~ In Loving Memory ]

Dad...so many images come to mind
whenever I speak your name;
It seems without you in my life
things have never been the same.

What happened to those lazy days
when I was just a child;
When my life was consumed in you
in your love, and in your smile.

What happened to all those times
when I always looked to you;
No matter what happened in my life
you could make my gray skies blue.

Dad, some days I hear your voice
and turn to see your face;
Yet in my turning...it seems
the sound has been erased.

Dad, who will I turn to for answers
when life does not make sense;
Who will be there to hold me close
when the pieces just don't fit.

Oh, Dad, if I could turn back time
and once more hear your voice;
I'd tell you that out of all the dads
you would still be my choice.

Please always know I love you
and no one can take your place;
Years may come and go
but your memory will never be erased.

Today, Jesus, as You are listening
in your home above;
Would you go and find my dad
and give him all my love.

Halloween Confessions

What is about alcohol that makes conversations get more interesting? Saturday night was the annual Halloween party. It was mixture of old and new friends. Overall it may have been one of the best parties I've ever thrown - in that there was no drama, everyone got along, and there really wasn't that much mess to clean up the next day!

Several of Marine's close friends were in attendance, all of which I knew but none of them really that well I guess. Near the end of the night one friend in particular came up to me.....

Marine Friend, "You know I usually hate Marine's girlfriends..... come to think of it I don't think I've ever liked a single one...." he pauses, "But I like you."

I laugh as I breath a sigh of relief, "thanks, that's good to know!"

Marine Friend, "Yep I already told Marine that your the one."

What is it with everyone saying that???? It's perhaps one thing for the girls friends to say things like that.... but guys really? I never knew they even thought that way I guess. This now makes Marine's third close friend that has said something of this extent to me.

Not knowing what to say I take a sip of my mixed drink and am luckily saved by Friend's wife as she comes in and starts up another conversation.

Anyway back to the party. Vixen's theme for us this year was Wizard Of Oz. Now I am not a big Oz fan but oh well. I had a Dorthy costume I planned to wear but my small chest was just not enough to fill it out so last minute Vixen and I switched. She was Dorthy, I was Glenda the Good Witch, Marine was the Scarecrow, and Hollywood was the Bad Witch. We probably had between 30 and 40 people show up and everyone was dressed up so I consider the party a success.

That night as Marine and I got ready for bed we talked about his friends comments. Maybe it was the alcohol or lack of sleep but as we lay there in the dark he confides that he has already told his mom he thinks I'm the 'one'. The idea of this excites me and terrifies me all at the same time.

And perhaps I should add here that Saturday at the horse show Hollywood's mom told my mom what all my friends think of Marine and I. She then adds that she thinks we will be married in two years and have kids within three years. Yes she tells my mom this.

I tell her that she is going to give my mom a panic attack to which my mom laughs and replies, "No she's not!" ~~~ The conversation is interrupted as I have to go set up the barrels for the next class.

Marine is wonderful! And I could really see us having a future together and......... as scary as it is for me to type the words...... I do believe he is the one. But after failed relationships I still can't help worry. It's part of my nature to worry I believe.

The Weekend Is Almost Here

It's a beautiful day, the sun is shining and best of all it's FRIDAY!!! Yay!!! And even better yet Marine is on his way home for the weekend! Double yay :) Hope everyone has a great weekend!!!

Rude Awakening

I am in a dead sleep, and I may or may not have been drooling slightly.... but that's beside the point. I am in a deep sleep when all of a sudden I am jarred awake by a loud noise. I try to focus as I blink my sleepy eyes. My heart is racing in the pitch dark room. I realize the noise is coming from my bathroom. A loud racket of scrapping and banging. I lay there frozen in panic when it dawns on me. ITS A MOUSE!!!

This would make this the fourth mouse to be precise! VB disposed of the third one about a two weeks ago when I was gone for the weekend to my mom's. Vixen had purchased a slew of sticky pad traps which at the time seemed like a good idea to her because she was afraid she would set a regular trap off on her finger.

As I hear the beating around in my bathroom I decide these sticky traps may not have been such a good idea....... I mean what am I going to do now.

I flip on my lamp. I think we all know that I am a wuss when its comes to mice by now. I call Vixen. Its 2:20 a.m. she answers groggily, "What?"

"We have a mouse we have a mouse! Itsstuckinthestickytrapweleftinmybathroom!!!!! Send VB down!!!"

"Put a trash can over it," her voice muffled.

"What?"

"I don't want to wake him up, he's got to get up in a few hours."

"Ok," I relent and hang up.

The mouse has once again returned to banging around. I can't bring myself to go in. So what do I do? Like the coward that I am I (never leaving the safety of my bed) stretch my leg out and push the bathroom door closed. Then I gather a pillow and quilt and head upstairs for the couch.

I have mentioned before but I will reiterate..... I DESPISE basement dwelling!! And this being the 4th mouse is pretty much the final straw! My room is clean... I make sure to keep no food or anything like that in my room because I don't want to attract these little pests yet they always seem to turn up in my room and not upstairs. UGH!!!

I toss and turn on the couch waiting for my heartbeat to return to normal. At about six this morning VB is about to head out the door for work. Sleepily I follow him down to the basement so he can remove of the mouse. He opened the door and I climb on the bed as I point to the closed bathroom door, "It's in there."

He walks part way then stops..... "Isn't that the trap?" I follow his gaze and the sticky pad is poking half way out the door and half is still in the bathroom. He opens the door. No mouse. Demolished sticky pad? Yes. But no mouse. He searches my bathroom while I peak under my bed and my trunk. I have very little furniture and no real place for a mouse to hide. VB opens my closet and looks under my bookcase. No mouse.

Great just great.

Today I am going to get real mouse traps and poison! This is getting ridicules not to mention gross!

Definitely one of those nights I had wished Marine was here. He would have taken care of it and the mouse would have been gone. Maybe I just need to get brave though.

Robin, "So what was it, a cockroach or a mouse?"
Lily, "It was a cockamouse!"
Robin, "What?"
Lily, "It's some sort of mutant combination of the two. It's as if a cockroach and a mouse, you know..."
Barney, "Did the horizontal, ten-legged, interspecies cha-cha?"
Robin, "So it was a cocka-potato-mouse?"
Marshall, "Don't make this sound ridiculous. It's a cockamouse."

~ How I Met Your Mother ~

The Friends Approval

Last night Vixen, VB and I were attending a Halloween party at a friends house in the neighboring town. Marine is still on his training trip. His best friend texts me usually bout once a week since Marine has been gone just to see how he's doing, etc. The friend tells me he is also going to the party so I tell him he is more than welcome to ride with us. He accepts.

I have hung out with the friend on multiple occasions with Marine but I still don't know him that well and seeing that he is Marine's best friend I hope for his approval...... cause really lets face it if the best friend doesn't like you than your pretty much doomed. That goes for guys and girls alike.

The night went good. I played a new game I had never played before ~ Cornhole. Very fun! Vixen and I wore our costumes from last year, waiting to reveal this years costumes at our party next weekend. Why are we having a Halloween party the weekend after Halloween? 1. Marine will be back and be able to come and 2. on Halloween was the football game referred to as the largest cocktail party in the south - we had many friends going out of town to the game so made more sense to push the party back to the next weekend.

Overall a fun Halloween and I think it went good. I think I have the friends approval. But then again maybe I already had it and just didn't realize it.

Your not in until you get the nod of the friends

~ Failure to Launch ~

The Original Four

In high school I had many friends, but only three people that I considered my best friends. They were all different and the funny part was that they weren't even really friends with each other, but they all had one thing in common...... me.

High School has been and will always be a popularity contest. Sad but true. I myself was on the outer rim of popularity. I was part of the popular crowd but just enough to be accepted by them and invited to all the cool and fun events. I say I was on the outer rim because to those not in the popular crowd I was still seen as a good person and not considered a snob as most the others were. Bottom line: I was nice to everyone.

Vixen on the other hand belonged to the inner realm of the popular crowd. She was one of the "it" girls. You know the type - every guy wants to date them and every girl secretly wishes to be them. It was unlikely that Vixen and I would become best friends the summer after our sophomore year, and even more unlikely that we would remain best friends thru the rest of high school. Being best friends with Vixen did up my value to the rest of the group but likewise her new found friendship with me ~ the eternal goody-goody ~ probably decreased her value.

Giggles on the other hand..... well Giggles was much the same way she is now; ditzy, giggly, and full of life. I would say she was somewhere in the middle of the popularity circle, not really belonging to one particular click but migrating between them. Not real sure how we became friends. It's like she appeared one day and the rest was history.

Now Conscious on the other hand was on the outer most rim of the popular crowd. And the main reason she remained part of the crowd was that she had grown up with all of them and they had no choice but to accept her. Acceptance isn't always free though. Conscious is one of the nicest people you will ever meet but she was a Valedictorian..... meaning she was pretty much a dork! Now all the popular crowd wanted her help when it came to school work but behind her back would mock her the way mean (dumb) kids do.

Yes these were my three best friends. Somewhere along the line I was able to bring them together to become friends as well. After High School we went our separate ways and to different colleges but every weekend we would come together and it was if things would never change.

Now years later things have changed. We are all at different stages in our lives. Conscious is married and always busy, Giggles is engaged, and me and Vixen............. well................ ok maybe not so much has changed! lol

Over the years we have added to our group of friends. But we are the original four I guess you could say.

I am reminded of this because this week we went to diner to celebrate Conscious's birthday. And once again it was just the four of us. For a moment it was if we were 17 again and carefree as we laughed over Ihop pancakes and a round of Dr. Peppers.

Wordless Wednesday ~ Fall Colors

It's All About The Dress

Saturday Vixen, Babbles and I loaded up in the 4runner and headed for the mall. Our wallets were pretty close to empty but we looked forward to window shopping and drooling over things we know we can't afford. Plus we were on a mission; to find me a dress for the Marine Ball.

We enter the mall and head for the first department store. Its early in the day and we are all in high spirits. While I look for a ball dress Vixen and Babbles seem on a quest to find the worse dress the store had to offer. This didn't last long as Vixen was distracted by a pretty party dress. She quickly finds her size and then chooses another party dress for me determined that we must take a few minutes to play dress up. Babbles laughs and declines to get involved. But Vixen and I out vote her and she quickly chooses a gaudy hooker dress and follows us to the dressing room.... with some protest of course.

{Babbles is in the purple ~ I am in the black (and why yes those are cowboy boots with the dress) lol ~ And Vixen is in the white and black. They were twirly dresses so Vixen and I had to twirl --- hope this at least makes you laugh. }

After our moments of fun we once again started acting our age. I tried on the two possible ball dresses, both of which received big thumbs down from the girls.

All of us are hungry so we head to the food court for some awful Japanese food. Really we knew better. The lights of Subway beckoned to me but I stayed in line for teriyaki chicken and fried rice. Which as most mall food is, was a big disappointment.

After lunch we search a few bridal shops looking at bridesmaids dresses hoping to find "the one". No such luck. We continue on. We enter Macy's and start flipping thru the racks.

All the dresses are:

A) To sparkly/flashy [ I do not consider myself a flashy person and really don't like to stand out ]

B) The wrong color [ I have to match Marine's Dress Blues...... that limits my color options to navy, red, and black ]

C) Not formal enough [ ie to short, show to much skin, etc ]

D) To promish [ yes there is such a thing ]

E) To old lady looking

After some searching I have two dresses in hand. Vixen is standing in the coat section drooling over a white Jessica Simpson coat.

Just in case, I decide to head up the escalator and search the second floor.... just to make sure there are no more dresses. Vixen's eyes do not leave the coat as she says she will meet us upstairs shortly. Somewhere between the coats and the escalator I lose Babbles. Holding my dresses I spin in a circle looking for her. She's tall surely I could spot her. Oh hell...... By my lonesome I head up the escalator. I wander around and happen to stumble upon a small dress section labeled Petite. And there it is. The Dress.

Excitedly I look around. No Vixen. No Babbles. I pull out the Blackberry and speed dial. No answer. I call again. I get Babbles she is heading my way. I show her the dress and she helps me to find my size. I grab a 6P seeing as at the last store the 4's were a little tight.

"Just in case," Babbles says as she grabs the only 4p hanging on the rack.

My phone rings. It's Vixen. She is lost in purses, "Head towards the shoes," I say which may have very well meant 'walk towards the light!' lol

They follow me to the dressing room. I try on the dress. Babbles and Vixen are both silent...... for a split second.... which is a miracle in itself. Then at once they both start rambling.....

Vixen with a sharp in take of breath: "If I ever get married that is your bridesmaid dress."

Babbles: "Oh that would make a beautiful bridesmaids dress!....... Step back so I can take a picture."

I flatten myself to the dressing room wall.

Babbles: "Back further....." I open the stall door and step out.

I hear a gasp as a woman from the other end of the dressing room exclaims, "Oh honey! You look stunning."

As I turn to tell her thank you I can hear Babbles and Vixen, their voices never ceasing.

Vixen: "It's beautiful."

Babbles: "Yes very much our age."

Vixen: "He's going to want to propose to you when he sees you in that dress."

Babbles: "OH MY GOD he is so going to propose to you!!"

Vixen: "What if he did propose? What would you say?"

Babbles: "She would say yes of course."

Vixen: "You can't move out and get married!! You at least have to wait till he gets out of the Marines."

Babbles: "That dress is just fabulous."

Mind you I can not get a word in edge wise and in less than a minute they have me engaged and Vixen worrying about me moving out. Meanwhile the lady at the other end of the dressing room is still exclaiming how great the dress looks on me and is now calling to her friend to come see me!

I thank the lady again and she moves along and I step back in the dressing room. Vixen and Babbles are seated on the bench and are still going 90 to nothing..... now they are on the topic that if nothing else the dress with definitely get me laid. Yes, they are great friends.

"He is not going to propose," I tell them.

"He might when he sees you in that dress," Babbles says as she unzips me.

"This is moving way to fast. I'm not ready," Vixen stammers.

Babbles: "Come on Vixen we all know he's the one."

"You guys! Hello!!" I turn and they both finally grow silent. "He is not going to propose," I look at Babbles and then to Vixen, "I'm not moving out." They both just grin at me not hearing a word I say as they ignore me and then continue with their banter. I sigh and hand over the dress for Vixen to put back on the hanger (the 4p i might add!! Yes the 6 was to big ~ working out is paying off).

"Should I try on the other two?" I ask.

"Heck might as well...... Just to see." Babbles replies.

Before I even have the next one on and zipped they are both already telling me they don't like it. I hand it to Babbles and take the third one which is also met with disapproval.

Vixen points out that the 4p is missing the little hook above the zipper. She knows the dress is more than I wanted to spend and in order to afford it I will pick up a few extra nights at Sports Bar (mainly so I don't feel guilty spending the extra money). So she brings the 6P with us to the nice lady behind the sales counter and in return for the missing piece I receive 15 percent off.

************

Below are pictures Vixen took with her IPhone. They really do not do the dress justice! I almost don't want to even post them...... EEK!! There is much more detail to the dress then the picture shows....... As you can see its black and fitted at the top and then flares out slightly at the knees. At the top there is also black tulle that comes up just a hint to accent.

As Babbles said it looks my age - not like I'm trying to be a teenage reliving my prom glory years.

"Dress shabbily and they remember the dress; dress impeccably and they remember the woman."

~ Coco Chanel ~