Author: sassysheisme

I seek to live, breathe & work creatively. Late bloomer. I survived breast cancer and so much more. I will meet each challenge w/determination, badassery & sass!
Posted in Harry Potter
Posted on by sassysheisme

STOP? WHAT DOES SHE MEAN…STOP?!

It’s 11 p.m. Jene’ asks, “So where are you in the story?” I tell her I’ve just started Chapter 32 (page 729 of 870) and she advises me to stop. Her reasoning is that well, I’m entering the “quick-paced” thrill-packed ending and if I continue reading even a few more pages, I’ll be sucked in and won’t get to sleep until after 1 a.m. and then I won’t be really able to sleep after that, because I’ll be all worked up at the end… so…

I will finish Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix tomorrow evening. (SIGH)

Posted in Harry Potter
Posted on by sassysheisme

HARRY IS MINE…

(No Spoilers…other than those already mentioned in the newspaper)

Jene’ finished Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix at 5:30 a.m. Sunday morning. I told you she wouldn’t sleep until she was finished. After she woke up, she handed Harry over to me and I started reading…some time around 1:00 p.m. At midnight I made myself stop, and I only got to page 459.

Today, I arrived at the Post Office (Rich Hill Station) at 4:55 p.m. to rescue my copy of Harry Potter. There were about twenty people in line ahead of me. I knew this would take a while. I have a great respect for the Postal System, but this particular post office is full of grumpy women (The Grump Sisters) who obviously do not enjoy their jobs (except for the little woman on the end who always seems to have a smile on her face and a kind word to say) and they make sure none of the customers enjoy their visit to the post office. I never go to this post office because of these people and because the stamp machines take your money and you can never get a refund to save your life. I will go out of my way to go to another post office.

Side note: I always feel a little sorry for the Grump Sisters until they are rude to me. I feel sorry for anyone that hates their jobs that much that it makes them miserable, and I know they probably couldn’t get hired anywhere else with their attitudes, but for goodness’ sake, find something you like to do that will make you happy! (but I digress…)

After twenty minutes in line, it was my turn. I kept thinking, “God, please let me get the little woman on the end,” but I got the Big Sister Grump. Since it was already 5:15 and there were still about eight people behind me, she practically ripped the package ticket out of my hand. She rolled her eyes when she saw it was from Amazon.com. She came back and handed me my package and I was FREE! I left, went back out into the 100 degree heat (110 heat index) and drove home through idiot hour (I mean rush hour). Though I live a mile from the post office, this was nearly deadly, as someone in the turn lane decided he needed to be in my lane instead (no signal, either).

And now (deep breath) I have some reading to do…

Posted in Harry Potter
Posted on by sassysheisme

HYSTERICAL OVER HARRY

Happy Birthday, Jene’!

Jene’ paced (giddily skipped… is more like it) to the front door five times this morning to check if her copy of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix had been delivered. At 1:24 p.m. (CDT), however, she was still waiting. I was sitting at my computer when I heard her shout from her room. She shouted much like a six year old who runs to the Christmas tree and sees his first bike wrapped with a ribbon exuberantly shouts. “I hear a truck! I hear a truck!” she squealed. She ran downstairs and threw open the door and met Mr. FedEx with open arms. Mr. FedEx explained that he had delivered 200 copies already and had about 20 left on his schedule for the day. Jene’ thanked him and skipped back into the house. She giggled excitedly and ripped open the package and held the book up in triumph. Harry Potter is in the house.

My copy of the fifth installment of J. K. Rowling’s boy wizard series supposedly arrived at 1:39 p.m., according to my tracking number (I chose USPS because I pre-ordered the book several weeks ago to save money). We had just left for Jene’s birthday lunch at the Panda Garden. The orange notice left with the rest of the mail stated that my copy of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is now being held hostage at the post office until 6:00 a.m. Monday. This means that I will not be able to get the book until after work (if I hurry and get there before 5) or until Tuesday, when I’m not working. UGH.

Jene’ started reading about an hour ago and is on page 119 out of approx. 870. If I know Jene’, she will sleep very little tonight and probably finish the book before church tomorrow. This could be a bonus, because I could read a little tomorrow afternoon…

Ah, the joys of reading!

Posted in kids
Posted on by sassysheisme

BEACH BLANKET BINGO AND OTHER EVENTS

Jene’ and I just returned from an overnight adventure (courtesy of Jene’s employers) in Galveston. We left last night after I got off work and we fought traffic for an hour and a half and we finally arrived at Moody Gardens. (Go to http://www.moodygardens.org) We had a lovely dinner, highlighted by the squeals and activities of Jene’s employers’ children… three girls, one who will turn 4 in August, and twins who will turn 2 three days after their sister. Follow that?

We woke up this morning to sunny skies. Jene’ mercifully brought up a bagel and cream cheese for me while I fumbled around to get ready. I know… how difficult can it be to get into a one piece bathing suit? Well, I made it into the suit and we joined the family at “Palm Beach” a pool area with sand brought in from Florida (if you’ve been to Galveston, you know how ugly and dirty the sand seems/is). Three pools (one that’s four feet deep and has a “mushroom” shower in the middle, one with a waterfall and one with an octopus slide) are surrounded by blue umbrellas and two beach chairs each. We arrived on the scene at 11 a.m.

We had been there about fifteen minutes when it rained softly for about five. Then the sun came back out. After an hour of visiting each pool, including the “mushroom” and no, I did not go down the octopus slide, sand castle construction began. One of the twins decided it would be fun to eat sand, while the other tried to decide if she wanted to get “dirty” with the sand or not. The almost four year old lived in the water for the most part (Her swimming lessons have equipped her quite well), except when she’d try to build a sandcastle and the sand-eating twin would stomp on it. A few minutes later, it was decided it was time for lunch, and we headed for the beach showers.

We were all dressed (except for mother and almost four year old) when it began to rain. At first, it was a soft rain like before. Then, the mother and almost four year old come out of the dressing area and the monsoon is unleashed. We are on a covered patio area and are not getting wet. After ten minutes when it really starts to come down, we are joined by the other beach faithful. We all study the sky, wondering when it will let up and how long do we wait? The twins, at this point, have inhaled two small containers of Honey Nut Cheerios and assorted Teddy Grahams and are both signing and gently screaming for more. Finally, I get in front of the double stroller with the tarp and Jene’ and the mother hold the other end of the tarp over dad (the double stroller driver) and the stroller while the almost four year old hangs on to the stroller handle. We wait until it lets up a bit and make a break for the restaurant door. We make it, and we’re still dry. 🙂

After lunch, with food everywhere (three tired children… it gets wild, but fun), we leave and eventually decide to call it a day. We leave for Houston and her employers are behind us somewhere and we fight lovely Houston traffic to get home. It starts raining again as we about six miles from our house, and continues for an hour or so. For some reason… I am tired and randomly blogging… so I will go…

P. S. I am happy to report that I did not get a sunburn. SPF 45 rocks!

Posted in sports
Posted on by sassysheisme

CONGRATULATIONS, SAN ANTONIO!!

A Texas team won the NBA championship! Other than the Pacers winning, this is the second best thing. 🙂

Houston will host the 2004 Super Bowl. Jene’ says I’m delusional because I think the Colts will actually get it together this year. Hey, I’m loyal. I was loyal to the Colts during the late 80’s and 90’s and through the Eric Dickerson disappointment. I remember all the years of Monday morning’s anthem, “God help our Colts.” I think if they actually get the defense in gear, they could have a shot. Of course, I’m also loyal to the Houston Texans unless they are playing the Indianapolis Colts.

Congratulations, David Robinson, one of the NBA’s few class acts. He will be missed. I totally loved him praising God for the victory!

I’m going to Galveston tomorrow night for a short break, so I have to get a few things together tonight. I promise, longer, thoughtful blogs will be forthcoming in the weeks to come. 🙂

Good night!

Posted in sports
Posted on by sassysheisme

MONSOONS AND HOOPS

I am so glad that my next door neighbor can’t hear me scream when I’m watching basketball games. My roommate, on the other hand, is worse than I am, but more often than not, she chooses not to watch the game for fear she might permanently damage her vocal cords or a vessel in her brain might explode. She can usually tell the status of the game by what or how loudly I am shouting. The game is over… I will probably calm down enough to go to sleep in a couple of hours.

Now, onto rain… we finally got some more in the form of the usual Houston monsoon. Though we get several inches per hour, it usually rains less than one hour and for that we are grateful, lest we get 38 inches in less than 24 hours and relive Tropical Storm Allison all over again…but I digress. At least I lived on the third floor and my car was parked on the second floor of the parking garage…

At least the satellite didn’t go out during the game. Priorities…

Posted in random
Posted on by sassysheisme

THE FRIDAY (almost Saturday) FIVE…

1. What is your favorite song on the radio this month?

(“Stay Gone” – by Jimmy Wayne)

2. Plain or flavored cream cheese?

(Plain, double whipped)

3. NBA Finals: San Antonio or New Jersey?

(San Antonio!! For you non-sporting folk… well, nevermind)

4. Hugh Jackman or George Clooney?

(Hugh… in any hue)

5. Favorite flavor of Goldfish crackers?

(parmesan)

Posted in transportation
Posted on by sassysheisme

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

Okay, I’m curious… have any of you named a car? I’ve had three cars in 18 years. I named my first car, a 1979 tan chevette, Clovis (it was a chocolate milk commerical that included a chocolate cow named Clovis…I was 16…what can I say?). My second car… was a 1988 red Chevy Cavalier that I named Cephas. Cephas is Greek for Peter/which means Rock. I was in my I just graduated from a Christian college and I know a bunch of cool Greek biblical words and I’m so cool phase. I also chose it because my German name in German class was Petra (Petra means Rock, literally and it’s also a Petra album… and if you don’t know who I’m talking about you are either too young to read this blog or you have never listened to Christian music. Either way, welcome). My third car, my current, formerly berry, now dusky fawn car, is named Ruthie from a Tony Evans sermon that talked about, “God knows where Boaz lives..” (If Boaz is new to you, read the book of Ruth in the Bible. It is a story of God’s faithfulness in desperate times).

So, I have Clovis, Cephas, and Ruthie. Anybody else ever name their car? If so, what did you name yours?