I'm back and I'm 40

So I took a little brake last week from the blog world to prepare for my epic 40th Birthday.

I really had no problem with turning 40.

Mostly because there really wasn't anything I could do about it.

I don't see the point in stressing over birthdays. 

Thursday was the official day but saturday was my party.

I wasn't supposed to know about it but I did.

It was a lot of fun.

My friends from work bought me these awesome zombie shoes.

And my sister made me this incredible The Walking Dead themed cake.

Chris had an acoustic guitar player there and he was really very good.

and he also had a tarot card reader who was okay. 

Fun but not very good he was actually a little creepy.

So I turned 40 and I am ok.

I am not sad or depressed or worried.

I am happy to be 40.

This week I thought I would dedicate my posts to growing up and growing old.

Stop by and give your feedback on the subject.

Have a great day.

Goodbye Perry

I am sad to report that Perry has passed away.
You have known him as a frequent character featured with Charlotte in some of my posts but he was so much more.

A few weeks ago we brought him to the vet because he was not eating and he had peed his bed.

I know that sounds silly but it was very unusual so it drew our attention.

He also seemed to lose control of his bowls going to the bathroom in the house which he never did.

Christopher and I took him to the vet and they sent him home with an antibiotic and some special dog food.

But he never got better.

In fact he got worse.

His stomach bloated.

He wasn't very interested in playing.

He slept a lot......well a lot more.

We took him back to the vet to insist they do x-rays or something.

It was determined that he had cancer in his liver.

The vet recommended we take him to see another Vet to confirm the diagnosis.

The new Vet gave us the same news only worse because he said that Perry was in a lot of pain.

That the tumors were not operable.

he could stop the bleeding but not the cancer.

Telling Christopher that his dog died was one of the hardest things I have had to do.
This dog was his best friend.
His constant companion.
His protector.
His partner in crime.

If my phone or camera was left unattended I was guaranteed to find a thousand photos like the one above under photos or saved to the memory card. 

I have had many dogs in my life.

I have never seen a dog and a boy love each other like Christopher and Perry.

I will miss the giggles when they were doing something they shouldn't.
I will miss the comfort of knowing that my son had someone to keep his from being lonely after Amber left for college.
I will miss the laughter that was heard throughout the house whenever Perry did something funny....which was often he was a really funny dog.

It's quiet in our house right now.
Everyone is sad.
And yes eventually we will get another dog.
But I say this with sincere honesty there will never be another dog that can take the place of Perry.

So goodbye boy.
Thank you for bringing so much joy to my sons heart.
For his happiness during your time with us I will be forever grateful.

10th Birthday, Car sick and Flyers WIN

This Saturday was Christopher's 10th Birthday.

He decided that because he is 10 now and you know too old for traditional parties.

He would just have some buddies from his class over for a sleepover/all night video game party.

We also got tickets for game three of the Stanley Cup Playoffs between 

the awesome Flyers and the classless Penguins.

on Sunday April 15th.

Because the Phillies also had a game and because we knew it was going to be madness in the city we decided to leave for the game by 12pm even though the game start time was 3pm.

So it was my mission to try and make sure these five ten year old boys would go to bed by 12 am.

I failed.

So Sunday morning when they were up by 7am I knew it was going to be a day from hell.

five hours of sleep may work for 10 year olds but not this almost 40 year old.

After we chased the kids home I downed some aspirin for my splitting head ache and off we went to head into Philly for the game.

I asked Chris if he wanted to use out GPS in case of traffic....because the GPS will redirect you.

But he said no

after we were on the road he decided that yes maybe he would like to use the GPS.

Now you need to know that I get car sick.

Especially if I try to read something or look at a screen like my iPad or iPhone.

I used to get sick really bad as a kid.

It didn't matter whether I sat up front or in the back.

I got sick.

It doesn't happen that often now.

Sometimes I feel a little queazy but I never actually vomit.

Until Sunday that is.

 I started inputting the information for the stadium and I felt myself getting sick to my stomach.

And as soon as we hit the highway I puked.

In my handbag because that was all I had.

I was lucky to be able to dump the contents before puking.

So there I was dramatically vomiting.

Crying for my Mom

And Chris is trying to drive and poor Christopher is worried that his Mom is dying.....because I am pretty sure I said "I am dying" in mid vomit.

And then Chris misses the turn into the parking lot.

And we end up back on the highway again.

And another bought of drama puking.

When we finally made it to the stadium parking lot.....we still had plenty of time.

It was only around 1ish and the game didn't start until 3.

I was still puking as we parked and so Chris and Christopher got out of the car.

After waiting a bit I told them to go ahead without me.

I would die alone in the car.

Thats probably exactly what I said and because Chris doesn't care about me  knows me 

he took Christopher and off they went to the fun and festivities.

He left me the car keys with the car airconditioning running. 

It was 80 degrees outside.

I climbed into the back seat and ate some pretzels and drank some water hoping to settle my stomach.

Chris called to check on me and then suggested I step out of the car.

Sit on the curb he said

You will feel better he said

Get some air he said

It smells like puke in the car he said

So I listened 

I got out and sat on the little curb behind the car.

And I threw up.

Some nice tailgaters laughed and pointed and asked me if I needed another beer because obviously they though I was drunk.

I got back in the car.

Meanwhile all this time I was trying to call my lifeline aka my sister Judy

and that bitch wasn't answering her phone!

I called my brother Michael because I was thinking I might need someone to come and get me because it was becoming obvious that I was dying.

He said of course he would come and get me but that I should probably suck it up because its the playoffs.

I told him I would try.

Finally I called my brother Mark and found out Judy was with him and asked him to tell her to call me.

She also pretty much told me to suck it up so thats what I did.

I got out of the car and slowly made my way up to the stadium.

It was hot as hell

which didn't help!

I paused a minute before walking to the doors to assess the puke situation.

Then I made my way in.

The smell of food very nearly sent me running back out of the door but I pushed on thinking maybe the grumbling in my stomach was hunger.

I stopped at a vendor and bough Popcorn and a Sprite.

I wanted Ginger Ale but there was none to be had.

Why Popcorn?

I have no idea

It seemed like the best choice

I gagged at the thought of a hot dog or any fried food so......

I sat in the mezzanine and ate my popcorn and drank my soda.

When enough time passed that it seemed like I was going to be ok I made my way inside.

The seats were amazing.

The first period was amazing.

Maybe a little too exciting as I ran to the bathroom before the end of the period to puke again.

I was okay after that.

Some pretty little hockey girls brought Christopher a special birthday gift bag and then his name was up on the score board.

It truly was the most exciting game I have ever been too or watched.

I love hockey and I have been watching the Flyers for as long as I can remember and this game was just incredible.

There were a ton of fights and every goal was hard earned and awesome.

Final score 

Flyers 8

Penguins 4

Here is what I know for sure.....

Crosby is a classless baby 

and Crosby sucks

and Crosby needs to get his teeth knocked out

Let's go Flyers!!!!!

Happy Belated Siblings Day

Did you know that April 10th was Siblings Day?

I didn't but I just heard someone say it on the radio and then I saw it on the internet

.....so it must be true.

From the Siblings Day Foundation website

iblings Day is a day where brothers and sisters reflect upon each other; enjoy time together or a phone call; in some cases, a day of truce and more understanding; or for others a day of love and appreciation.

In honor of Siblings Day I would like to reflect (belatedly) on my siblings with a thank you for things they have done... TO me


William - I would like to thank you for using your magical powers to make my warts disappear before I started first grade. I don't care what anyone says it was not the painful acid treatments I had at the doctors office it was the magic you performed by drawing a picture of the wart. Spitting on the picture and then burning the picture in an ashtray. I also want to thank you for hiding me from Mom when I did something I wasn's supposed to do. For reading IT aloud to Peter and I and basically scaring the shit out of us. For betting me at the age of 13 that I would not chop all of my hair off and then paying up when I actually did. For these things I thank you!


Kevin - Thank you for wanting to be my Godfather and for agreeing to be Amber's and not because you look like you could be in the movie The Godfather. Thank you for making me an aunt and the ripe old age of four. For taking Peter and I up the mountains and then getting mad when we were mean to little Kevin. Thank you for making me clotheslines poles because Chris wouldn't and for making sure Amber always has a supply of the maple syrup she loves. 




Jim - Thank you for the self esteem boosting nickname "Lurch" when I was a tall gangly, gawky preteen. Thank you for coming to all of my field hockey games and video taping them for prosperity. For taking me to Flyers games and not being embarrassed when I drooled all over the glass at Peter Zezel. Thank you.


Michael - Thank you for obviously answering my call for donuts and bringing them promptly to me. For not filing charges against me for the bell jingling incident. For letting me play hockey with you and your friends even though I was a girl and eleven years younger. Thank you for the dinner and horror movie nights and for taking me to my first zombie movie. And for the fact that we can scream and yell at each other one minute and then act like nothing happened the next. Thanks.


Debbie - I want to thank you for being a wonderful older sister. For buying me the Communion Dress I wanted. For taking me to get measured for my first bra. Thank you for letting me and my friends hang out in your apartment and for not getting mad when I hid all of your creepy clown items....I mean my God why did you have those?? Thank you for trusting me to watch your first born son and not getting too upset when you realized that he liked me better than you. For being the sweetest and least confrontational of us all I say Thank you.


Judy - Thank you for dropping me on my head...on the concrete pavement. For holding a pillow on my face and then singing the song "Don't cry out loud" because you know why should I cry when you were just playing around. For calling me on my bullshit during those tough teen years, the terrible twenties, the crazy thirties and soon to be forties. For your endless monetary donations which I will never pay back. For being my best friend thanks.


Theresa - Thank you for being my security blanket. For not killing me when I made you come in early because I was ready to go to bed when all you wanted to do was be with your friends. Thank you for buying me one of the dolls that were so special they were kept in a glass case behind the counter. For letting me live with you and Debbie in your apartment until Dad found out and made me come home. For saving Amber's life those couple of times when I was going to kill her and I called you and said come to my house or I am going to kill her and you came and brought Mom and didn't laugh when I was sitting in my closet crying because it was either do that or kill Amber.....Amber should probably thank you for that as well. For taking me to the hospital when I had all of those heart attacks that were really panic attacks. Thanks.


Anne - Thank you for taking me to see Purple Rain when you knew Dad said I wasn't allowed to see it and it ended up being the greatest movie ever and I love it still to this day. For letting me and Katina smoke cigarettes all summer when you being a responsible baby sitter. For letting me and Kathleen O'Brien visit you when you lived in North Carolina. For not laughing too hard at Kathleen and I when we were visiting and assumed you lived on a military base and thought we needed military id to buy soda at a local store. Thank you for our staying up all night rituals in the summer. For flirting with the lifeguard so I could stay for the adult swim time at the public pool.  For making me think I was cool. Thanks.


Mark - Thanks for not killing me when I would throw myself on the floor or punch myself and tell Dad you did it. For not killing me for crying to Mom when you were splashing me when I was already wet. For not laughing too hard when I cut my hair really short and then our neighbor kept thinking I was you. Thank you for coming to get me when Dad died and holding my hand the entire way to the hospital. Thank you.


Peter - Thank you for being the greatest little brother ever. For not telling on me and Kathleen and Karen when we almost killed you playing Olympics. Thank you for being exactly the right amount of annoying a little brother should be. For being my rainy day best friend and my sunny day enemy. For not getting offended when I pretended I didn't know you in the halls in high school. Thank you for giving Monica a hickey so everyone could laugh when I asked her in health class who she got the hickey from. Thank you for always acting like you are my older brother instead of my little brother because thats not  ALL annoying. For always answering the phone when I call and talking about all of our other siblings because they may be WAYYYYYY older than us be we know a hell of a lot more than them. Thanks


Little Kevin - you aren't really my sibling but you have always been more of a little brother than nephew so I will include you in this......Thank you for embarrassing me by calling me Aunt Jenn in the school yard because having a first grader call you Aunt Jenn when you are only in forth grade is so awesome. Thank you for being a giant tattletale and telling on Peter and I every time we did anything remotely fun. Like throwing mud at you or singing "Sugar ah honey honey" or running away from you because we didn't feel like letting you tag along. Thank you for wearing peach colored sweaters in school pictures because they were great to laugh at then and now. Thank you for being a crybaby and getting all upset when I tease you on facebook. Thanks.


So Happy belated siblings day.
Hug your sibling today and be glad you have their help in surviving in this crazy life.

Television is running/ruining my life

My name is Jennifer and I am addicted to television.

I have been an addict for many years now.

I blame Buffy the Vampire Slayer because that was the show that first got its claws into me.

I would never dream of missing a show.

It wouldn't matter what else was going on.

A sick child.

A party.

A vacation.

I would park myself infront of the television and watch.

 Completely ignoring everyone and everything around me.

Other shows began to attach themselves.

Felicity

Gilmore Girls

Supernatural

Alias

and oh God......LOST......how I miss you

As the years have passed I have built up such an addiction that I hoard shows on my DVR.

Because of this I had to get my own DVR because Chris and Christopher kept recording things and clogging up my valuable space.

The nerve of those two!

On my DVR sits every episode of

The Walking Dead

The Killing

American Horror

Glee

I save these shows so I can go back and watch episodes again.....and again.....and again.

Here is pretty much my week

Sunday 

8 pm Once Upon A Time

9pm watch The Killing record Desperate Housewives

10 pm go to bed record GCB

Monday

7pm watch Desperate Housewives from Sunday

8 pm watch How I Met Your Mother record Bones

9 pm record House watch Game of Thrones from sunday night 

10 pm go to bed record Smash

Tuesday

7 pm watch GCB from Sunday

8 pm  Glee 

8:30 pm record Cougar Town

9 pm watch New Girl 

10 pm go to bed.....I need my beauty sleep I am going to be 40 in a few weeks

Wednesday

7 pm watch House from Monday

8 pm watch Being Human on demand from Monday

9 pm Modern Family record Ghost Hunters

10 pm watch Revenge 

Thursday 

7 pm watch Ghost Hunters

8 pm watch Missing

9 pm watch Grey's Anatomy record The Office

Friday

watch anything I recorded but didn't watch yet

9 pm Supernatural

So what do you think? Am I addicted? Should I seek help? Is there a support group?

Hunger Games Movie Review

I went with my book club to see The Hunger Games movie.

I thought I would share with you my thoughts on it.........There will be spoilers so if you haven't seen the movie please hop over to Stacey's blog or something and come back after you go see the movie.

I will assume that everyone has read the book.

I believe the screenwriter, director and producer of the film assumed the same.

If you have not read the book then I think you will be confused and a little disappointed. 

I would like to start off by saying whoever was in charge of casting did a wonderful job. 

I did not have a problem with any of their choices and thought each actor was well suited for the role they played.

Here are my problems with the film.

I hated the in your face camera work.

I don't like it.

It makes me dizzy.

Jennifer Lawrence has beautiful poreless skin.......lucky her because if she didn't we would know. Thats how close the camera was to her face.

I heard some complaints that you did not get the full effect that district 12 is very poor.

I disagree. I think seeing the man sucking the marrow from the plate of meatless bone was enough to tell me that they were poor. I consider myself to be pretty observant and I don't need you to spell it out for me. 

And no the fact that Katniss was not grossly thin did not bother me.

What did bother me were her perfectly waxed eyebrows.

I think the makeup artist or whoever is in charge of that could have added some fact bushy eyebrows.

In the book the go into detail about the grooming of her leg hair and eyebrows because hello obviously if you can't afford food you can't afford a razor.

I needed more train scenes.

On the train (in the book) we began to see the feelings and budding connection between Katniss and Peeta so when he declared his love in his interview we were not surprised.

They did not do this in the movie so when he says it your kind of like......huh???

I can only imagine if you did not read the book what you were thinking. 

At least I had the knowledge about their backstory.

I did not like the way that the Mockingjay pin was introduced.

In the book it was given to her by the Mayor's Daughter whom she had a sort of awkward we are from a different social class friendship with.

We also learned more about the rebel meaning of the Mockingjay and why the pin would be looked at negatively by The Capital.

In the movie she randomly buys it and gives it to her sister who then gives it back before Katniss leaves for the games.

I did not like the fact that the left out the Avox. If you did not read the book then you do not know what that is and that is a shame because their story is interesting.

I did not like the fact that you did not see the budding affection between Katniss and her prep team.

If they make movies for the other books this will be a problem.

I don't think they spent enough time on what was happening inside the game. 

They showed too much of the people controlling the game and you never got a feel for fear, pain and torture of the games.

In the book she is very close to dehydration.

They dry out all of the water in order to move the remaining tributes to where they want them to be.

You don't get any of that survival feel from the movie.

You don't understand how important it is that she knows how to trap and hunt.

Some of the other tributes who do not have this skill are starving.

In fact that reminds me that I was disappointed that they did not go into the detail of how and why she was so good at hunting in the first place.

I was also bothered they should could not sing very well.

In the book her voice, like her father's, is so beautiful that even the birds stop singing.

Am I being nit-picky?? 

Sorry

I was upset with the ending as they did not touch on the fact that Peeta's leg is completely replaced with a new high tech leg.

The fact that they use this special super awesome medicine that literally removes any scar or cut or wound on the winning tribute was completely left out.

Lastly when they arrive back home.....because you have not been given the impression that anything is going on between Gale and Katniss you don't really understand the look on her face when she sees him or the look on Peeta's face when he sees her looking at him.

Which brings up Gale.

I know that in the first book we really don't learn about him much but the movie ignores him completely.....except for those awful quick shots of him during the Katniss/Peeta kissing scenes.

Awkward.........

Here is what I liked.

The acting

Seneca Crane's beard

Seeing the technology used for the games....although maybe shown a bit too much.

All of the scenes about Rue. Loved her in the book. Loved her in the movie.

Well folks that is about all I have to say about that.

If you like the series I say go and see it.

But be prepared as with any book to movie scenario to be a little disappointed.