Let's Clean

Mental preparation when approaching a major at-home project should include, prayers, holy water, a Shaman, Voodoo Priestess, a priest who has done an exorcism or 20 and, of course, your final Last Will and Testament.  Now boys and girls we are ready to clean teenager's room(s).  In this case, I'm cleaning my teenage twin boys' room. 

Mental preparation gives you the inner strength to accomplish this daunting task.  Mental preparation was given a try the day these boys came into the world, but they came so quickly and in such a hap-hazard way, that I pretty much went along for the ride.  Low and behold, 13 years later they are giving my husband and I more joy than living in Disney World (I get sick of crowds easily and push and shove to get them out of my way). 

I digress, I am writing on the topic of teenage boys rooms and why they need to be cleaned.  Teenage boys, for the most part, feel they are not totally responsible for the condition of their bedrooms.  We give them chores and responsibilities to keep their personal living space as livable as possible. Notice I didn't write, neat and orderly. That's just not possible, unless I gave birth to two, count them TWO, Type-A personalities.  I'm here to tell you that didn't happen.

I digress again.  The boys' room is not big. We do reside in a 110 year old house that has lovely architectural features, but is small with three bedrooms and one bathroom.  Their bedroom has every stuffed animal they have ever received over the years times two. These animals are everywhere and seem to make it their mark on the world to be in charge of the bedroom. They live everywhere.  Under the bunk beds, in the closet, smashed down on the side of the beds.  After watching 'Toy Story 3', human emotions that exult children's stuffed animals to the highest degree experienced the love that is now reserved for the dog.  They have been passed over and now don't get played with. But the moment I remove these animals from their room; there will be an emptiness and darkness that will make my sons revert back to being four year-olds.  How can I win this one?  I'm going in with a shovel for sure, multiple trash bags, disinfectant and all that were mentioned at the beginning of this story.  Not sure if I should start with the holy water or not.  The plastic Blessed Mother receptacle from the shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, mixed with Our Lady of Knock, should be the concentrated double punch needed to get things moving.  Calm the air, disengage the evil forces trying to rise up and defeat my purpose.  I will have Order!!!!  Plain and simple. This is meant to be. I know I'm stalling by writing about it, but the more I write, the greater the resolve to succeed.

So away I go.  My son, Kyle, is home sick today so maybe he can drag his sickly self to my rescue should I need back up or be dragged out and given mouth-to-mouth (here the call will go out for 911 and someone else to give me the kiss of life, cause that's too gross).  Okay everyone, see you on the other side.

In Focus

Reading glasses are being held up by my nose and ears.  I am a proud owner of reading glasses.  From now on, this next stage of my life I will forever be relying on reading glasses.  CVS Pharmacy, $9.99. Pretty, lightweight, eye captivating.  I'm thrilled about this.  I am 47 years old (almost 48) and I finally admit to the fact that I need glasses.  Need, cherish, desire, cuddle, coddle, always know where they are and slightly panic when they aren't where I put them.  The only thing that could be better than reading glasses would be, um, pick carefully Bridget, umm, okay, getting a tummy tuck is an absolute close second.  Or, oh, I know, not ever having to color my hair again. That would be awesome. 

I am relieved to be embacing glasses.  Who says girls without glasses don't get passes?  Exactly.  Well, I'll only have these glasses on when I am reading or at the computer. I remember when my parents both got drugstore glasses.  There was a drawer full I think until my Dad had to get a proper pair. Same for Mom.  She had big "Jackie O" glasses and sunglasses (I've kept her sunglasses just to have).  The sunglasses were worn from April till October during the years we lived in Wildwood Crest.  She had a great irish tan, every freckle connected to another, well until you hit the eyes.  She looked like an owl.  I could have put her on the roof to keep the birds away like they do now with the fake ones you see at the shore.  Reddish-brown and then stark white.  With pretty blue eyes poking through it all.  Now my Dad had a voracious  appetite for reading. Every book that made its way into our house would eventually lay open on the kitchen table while he was cooking or on the bedside table and floor. Initially, the number of pairs of glasses he had were just a couple, and then as I informed you earlier, a drawer full.  Then it came down to the upstairs/downstairs pairs.

My children have now stated that I am old.  Old looking.  So old that if my hair was short, I would look exactly like my mother.    Now they knew mom when she was the cranky, silly Grammy.  They laugh at me, at the way I now look.  This is it from now on.  Glasses are part of my everyday wear.  The practicality of wearing reading glasses far outweighs what anyone in my family could utter.  I feel less encumbered.  The decision was put on the back burner for too long and I now can't believe how free I feel.  This could come to a screeching halt if I lose them.  In that case, I'm heading back to CVS to buy two or may a drawer full of glasses for the future.  I do lose everything from time to time. 

Are We Getting Our Money's Worth?

I was in CVS yesterday and one of the specials was Thomas' English Muffins. Buy two for the price of one.  I scooped it up thinking it was a great deal.  Then when I was making breakfast for the family, and they all wanted an english muffin, I noticed when cutting the muffin, how small they had become.  I definitely knew they were smaller when I was burning my fingers to get the suckers out of the toaster. I'm ticked off. Again, a manufacturer has to make their product smaller because they are effected by the cost of fuel and other ingredients.  I get that, everyone is effected.  Unfortunately, this makes its way down to us, the consumers.  Do we have time to bitch and complain about this epidemic?  Hell yes!  Breyers Ice Cream, as I remember was maybe a 1/2 gallon container years ago, now the one in my freezer reads 1.5 QUART.  $6.00 for a quarter of ice cream.  Skippy Peanut Butter is another that is on the downward slide. 

Manufacturers downsizing packaging by as much as 20% but still charging the same price.  How do you feel about that true statement?  There are many articles that I Googled and I am struck by the overall fact that we don't have to stand for this.  Facebook can be the answer here.  If you've had it with the less for more approach these companies are taking then let them hear it.  I will no longer purhase Thomas' English Muffins, one reason being, I can make them myself when I want them.  There are many ice cream machines out there why not make my own?  They are doing me any favors anymore.  I've had it. 

These companies are so big and buffered by what the everyday consumer is up against. Or at least that's how I feel.  Give me a product, that is good for my family, price competitvely and I will be a loyal consumer to your product.