Insomnimusing: Allons-y!

I went to see Manchester United in Chicago with my bf. Fair week was the usual hectic nightmare, but with extra pages. Went to a friend's wedding with the girls. Saw the new Harry Potter movie with bf. Not in 3D though. Went to the state fair with my mother and the kids. Started in the aquarium hobby and developed an obsession already. First batch of fry (baby fishies) now 2 1/2 days old. Constantly frustrated with work. Working on building a special section this week while coworker is on vacation, so extra pages on top of extra pages = looooooong days. The girls are dogsitting at the moment. Watched the Community Shield online and cheered the 3-2 win by my boys. Waiting for the EPL season to begin.

I got to spend most of my week sitting in a courtroom. At least it wasn't me, anyway. I had to work the Sunday night desk at the office, so I got Monday off. But starting Tuesday, I was assigned to cover a trial - I was to be there from start to finish. We don't get good criminal trials around here very often. Nearly every one is settled for a reduced charge. This one, though, the prosecutor wasn't letting go. And it was a doozy. Attempted murder, three counts of kidnapping and felonious assault. On Day 1 (Tuesday) I arrived in the court room at the scheduled start time of 9 a.m. only to find that jury selection was under way. Yep, apparently they do that at the last possible moment. One of the people from our IT department was there as a prospective juror. She dropped a bombshell to get out of it. Said our company was changing hands at midnight and she'd be spending all night all week switching servers, etc. and would be too exhausted to pay attention. Well, that's...

My congratulations go out to the Junk Loving Girl at My Junk Loving Journey , who won my first ever blog contest! I've contacted her by email and will be sending her prize out as soon as I hear back from her. I want to thank those who entered and hope to do this again soon!

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of FRESCHETTA® for SocialSpark . All opinions are 100% mine. I'd been thinking of doing a giveaway on my blog for quite a while now, and the good folks at Freschetta have given me the perfect opportunity. They gave me a chance to try their FRESCHETTA® By the Slice  pizza and tell you all about, so you can have a chance to win a coupon to try it for yourself, as well as a six-piece locking round storage container set. The pizza: The By the Slice pizza is a single-slice serving of Freschetta pizza available in BBQ Recipe Chicken, Vegetable Medley, Chicken, Spinach & Mushroom and Six Cheese Medley flavors. It's microwavable with a crisping tray included - so it's an easy lunch for the office - but it can also be prepared in the oven. The box promises a perfect slice of pizza in six minutes. The verdict: I prepared my Six Cheese Medley FRESCHETTA By the Slice pizza in the office micro...

My first blog contest will be coming soon! I've wanted to do one for a long time, and now that life is back on track, the perfect opportunity has presented itself at the perfect time. Watch this space for the contest, which should be posted within a few hours. Enter and tell me what you think! Experienced blog contest people, let me know your suggestions for what I can do better next time. I hope to get into more of these contests, both sponsored and on my own! Any ideas?

As of yesterday, the clamp that had been placed on my tongue has officially been released! Now let me fill you in on all that happened. My ex-husband and I haven't the most cordial of relationships. For the past nine years, since I left him, he's constantly begged for me to come back to him. Let me tell you right now, there's no chance whatsoever that will EVER happen. He was physically and mentally abusive throughout our relationship, as well as constantly lying and completely neglectful of his family. Since we've been apart, he's contributed NOTHING to help take care of his daughters and continues to be completely useless - while still asking me to come back and swearing he's changed. Well, about 4 1/2 months ago, I started seeing someone. It was the first relationship of any kind that I'd had since my previously long-distance relationship that ended in May 2008. Apparently, the asshole ex-husband found this one more threatening. A couple of weeks after I...

It looks like my long forced silence will finally soon be coming to an end. I had a talk with my lawyer today, and if things turn out, I'll be settling rather than fighting any more. I've grown tired of this, and I'm ready for it to be over, even if justice is far from served in the process. When I can finally say all that I need to say, I think I might have to serialize it. After all, four months is a pretty long time, and quite a bit has happened. If anyone's still around, it might keep you interested for a little while. Not much interesting has happened to me since the days of P and the dark period after that end. Happy tales might be a welcome change, no?

I've just looked out on the lawn and seen that it is covered in snow. A week ago it was covered in much deeper snow, and piles of the stuff made filthy mountains everywhere you looked. Then last Sunday night, a thunderstorm rolled in. It rained buckets for more than four hours with spectacular thunder and lightning. When I woke up, all the snow was gone, but everything was underwater. It wasn't so bad around my house, but I knew I'd better take an alternate route to work. My usual scenic drive along the river was sure to be flooded. I wasn't wrong about that. This is my usual route to work. I took the afternoon off Wednesday and decided to check it out. Shortly after I arrived at work, we got word on the scanner of a guy trapped on top of his car in the flood waters. I stopped by that site in the afternoon as well. His car was still there. It stayed there for a couple of days before they were able to pull it out.

That blessed time of year has arrived again - tax time. Ok, I know a lot of people aren't so thrilled about tax time, but for me, it means a refund check that gives me some real breathing room for a few months. It also enables me to make those purchases of big-ticket items that I've been needing or know I will be needing soon. This year, it will also enable me to put back some cash in advance for the upcoming Manchester United North American tour - so yes, I will get to see my boys live in action again. For the past couple of years, I haven't had the breathing room I would have liked. Year before last, my whole tax refund check went toward paying my student loan, which had been in default so it was automatically taken. Last year, about 2/3 of my refund went to paying off the rest of it. At least that's now gone forever. Yeah, must say I'm really cherishing that education considering the crap living it's afforded me so far... This year, I'm looking at buying ...

It's been a long week, and I've had little sleep - partly due to insomnia and partly due to my inability to drag myself away from what program I happen to be watching at the time. For the past week, it's been Stargate: Atlantis. Yes, I know. The shows aren't going anywhere when I'm watching online, but still, I stay up and watch rather than turn it off and go back to it later. Stupid, I know. I was hoping for a bit of a catch-up on my sleep last night, but naturally, the kids decided not to cooperate this morning. Normally, they'll get up on a Sunday morning and go downstairs, have a bite to eat and watch a DVD quietly while the morning passes away. This morning, they decided to sit in their room (right next to mine) and squirt each other with water from a spray bottle while screaming and giggling. Well, the best-laid plans, eh? Still my own fault. I should sleep when I get the chance at night. Maybe next week.

After a few months down, I finally returned to a fully functioning internet connection again recently. I have to say, it has been comparative bliss. I was about to say that it's contributing to a loss in productivity on my part, but upon thinking about it, I realize that it's probably not. I spent as much time sitting behind my computer when I was having to connect via ultra-slow mobile connection as I am with my much faster home connection. Before, however, much of my time online was spent sitting idly staring at a gauge telling me that my video was buffering.....slowly. A half-hour TV show I watched on my mobile tether usually took about an hour or more to watch - and that's keeping in mind that a half-hour show is actually only about 21 minutes. Now, I can actually start up a show and watch it straight through without having to stop and let it buffer even once! So I should be watching my shows and getting off the computer more quickly, right? Wrong. I just watch more stu...

Ok, ok. First week out and I've already missed my "one post a week" deal. But really, do you WANT to just be BORED? Of course not! Well, all that's happened that's within the stuff I *can* talk about is that I've had a crappy cold that's kept me from some of the stuff I *can't* talk about..... Oh, and I lost a glove. I did make a really kick-ass French onion soup too. Want the recipe? French Onion Soup Thinly slice three large sweet yellow onions. Place in a large, heavy pot with 6 tablespoons of butter. Slow saute over medium-low heat until lightly golden brown (this involves letting them sweat then reduce then begin to caramelize, so it takes around 45 minutes or so). Stir frequently. When the onions are ready, stir in about two tablespoons of flour until well mixed. Add about 3/4 cup of a nice, sweet red wine. Stir again. Stir in two 32-ounce boxes of beef broth, about 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce and about 1 tablespoon of beef flavor Bette...

It seems this situation which is keeping me from posting all the things I'd like to post is going to be dragging on for much longer than I'd hoped (my Twitter friends, fortunately, are able to be aware of it, thanks to the protected tweets option, but this is far too public for me to mention here). There are certainly still some things that I CAN talk about, however, and I'd be remiss if I failed to do so. Let's throw this one out there: How about I make a resolution to post at least once a week this year REGARDLESS of anything? I'll give it a shot. Here's the first one..... My nonsmoking effort has been a rousing success. I've been using the Blu e-cig since about a week before Thanksgiving, and since I started, I haven't had a single cigarette. Beyond that, I haven't even wanted one. Considering the relative hell that's been occurring in one area of my life, that's a bit of a shocker. (One of those things I can't talk about right now.) S...

I have so very many things to tell, and I'm still waiting for the time when I can tell them. Unfortunately, on this public venue which is known to some certain persons, I'll have to wait for a little while longer until something has been settled in my life. I think I'll then need several posts to do the catching up. So sorry for the long absence.

So here's a pisser: My Sunday started off as it ordinarily does, morning hanging out at home while the kids play, then take Book home to his dad's then out to lunch with the girls. It was a good lunch. Munch was a little sulky, but overall, it wasn't bad. Then the check comes. I reach over and pick up my coat for my purse underneath - only.... IT'S NOT THERE. I give Gin the keys to the car to go get it. She comes back empty-handed. It's not there either. For the first time EVER, I've not only walked out of my house without my purse, but I didn't notice when we got out of the car, I didn't notice when we sat down to lunch, and I didn't notice the whole time we were eating. I caught the waitress and told her, "I left walked out of my house without my purse. Look, I'll leave the kids up front and run home and get it." Add in several highly embarrassed statements there as well. She said, "That's fine. They can stay right there (at ...

My quitting-smoking campaign is still going strong. I'm nearing two weeks without a normal cigarette and don't miss them at all. The transition to the e-cigs has been the easiest thing in the world! And considering I started at the mid-level nicotine, I think I'll be stepping down fairly easily from that as well. Thanksgiving was interesting with them. EVERYONE in my family smokes, but my mom was kind enough to send them to a table in the garage to light up. (When I walked in the house, I told her that I could smell it already. She said, "No problem, everyone can smoke in the garage when the get here.") Very considerate of her, I thought, especially since she and my stepdad smoke too, and it IS their house. So I sat at the table and vaped on my Blu cig, and everyone had to stop and ask about it. How was it? How much did it cost? How's it working for you? Etc. I repeated the pitch so many times, I thought I should be on the payroll for Blu! Everything else is g...

*This is NOT a paid post! This is totally ME and MY EXPERIENCE!* Saturday morning, my Blu e-cigs arrived. At noon, I smoked the last cigarette in my pack. I haven't had another one since, and I never imagined it could be so easy. Honestly, I quit smoking for real once before. I stopped for almost a year. Then I went through the "bad time," and I was feeling so miserable, I started again - not because I felt the need for a cigarette but because I felt the need to do myself some measure of harm. (It should be noted, I used to refer to smoking as "a slow, socially acceptable form of suicide." It's since - obviously - become far less socially acceptable.) Anyway, for quite a while now, I've been wanting to quit again, but I just didn't seem to have the nerve. I used the nicotine patches last time - and a whole lot of sugarless chewing gum. It really wasn't all THAT hard, but I was very happy at the time, and lately, I don't feel like I have quite...

As I sit and look at this giant bowl of candy comprising leftovers from the candy I bought to give out for trick or treat (only two kids showed up at my door) and candy my kids didn't like and thus gave to me (that includes all of their Reese's cups and Snickers bars. Score!), I realize that Halloween is the beginning of fat season. Next comes Thanksgiving, which includes a day (or two in this modern world of split families) of overeating from morning to night on turkey, ham, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, three kinds of pies, cheese balls and crackers, noodles, baked beans, cheesecake ... and anything else the family happens to put on the table. After that is the whole Christmas season. That's assorted candies and chocolates, hors d' oeuvres galore, drinks made with cream and rum, and probably another big dinner. Then there's New Year's Eve, and about 120,000 empty calories' worth of drinking. Moving on to February, we wrap up the fat season with Valentin...

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of iNetVideo . All opinions are 100% mine. I went downstairs for a cold glass of water. I don't really like the taste of our water from the tap, but I've got a great water filter pitcher that makes it taste fantastic. Oh, there's nothing wrong with our tap water. I've seen the water analysis reports, and it's perfectly safe. A lot of people aren't so lucky. Have you heard of Charity Water ? It is a favorite charity of Will and Jada Smith, and it provides wells for safe drinking water for areas of the world in need. How big is the problem? Well, 4,500 people die EVERY DAY from water-related illnesses. Is that big enough for you? iNetVideo.com is getting involved to help Charity: Water by donating $1 for every purchase of selected items on their website. Just look for the items marked with a water drop , and $1 from your purchase will go to a great cause. You can also donate directly to iNetVideo's campaign . On...

My daughter Gin (age 12) and I spent about an hour tonight just sitting and talking about the time her eye got injured and what it means for her future. It started when she sat down to tell me about a silly game they'd played in gym class today, which involved bumping a volleyball to a player, who then had to hit it and then run around the bases while the other players passed it, then one player had to throw the ball into the basketball hoop to get the runner out. Gin said she was designated to shoot into the basketball hoop, and out of 15 tries, she didn't make it once. I told her, "That's no surprise. You can't shoot into a basketball hoop if you have no depth perception." I might have told the story of her injury before, but I'll tell it again anyway. She was five years old, and it was the summer after kindergarten, shortly before her sixth birthday. She'd just gotten a new kitten early for her birthday that week. Unbeknownst to me, she'd gone ...