>I am not making this up.

>Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. Common sense, like common courtesy, isn’t always common. Some folks seem to need basic safety sense written out for them in the form of basic warnings. “Do not use this hairdryer in the bathtub or shower.” “Professional driver; do not attempt.” And there’s the classic line, “I am a professional. Do not try this at home.” The organization Sick of Lawsuits has asked Parent Blogging Network to collect some of the most ridiculous warning labels in existence.

Last spring my daughter spent a long, cold night waiting for a good place in line at the grand opening of the local Love Sac store. She got (are you ready for this?) an 87% discount. She was kind enough to get a few things for the family with her discount, so we picked up the classic square PillowSac and its Rocker. This is the warning tag on The Rocker.

Warning:
Improper use of this product may result in injury or death.
Do not jump on The Rocker projecting oneself through open space that is inherently dangerous and may cause injury or death.
Do not allow your children to play unattended on The Rocker — better yet,
do not allow your children to play unattended at all.
Do not put any part of your body, including your entire body, underneath
The Rocker, especially when The Rocker is rocking. May result in injury or
death.
Do not eat The Rocker or anything included with The Rocker, including, but
not limited to, nuts, b0lts, tags, cardboard, packaging, plastic bags, plastic
pieces, styrofoam, unpopped popcorn kernels, etc. Attempting to eat these
things may result in injury, death, or at the very least, discomfort while
passing these items through your digestive system from entry to exit.
Do not stand on The Rocker as this may result in injury or death.
Keep The Rocker away from heaters, burning cigarettes, or any open flame. May result in injury, death, or destruction.

(Hmmm. It doesn’t say anything about rabbits….)

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>There’s no place like Homecoming

>It had a rough start, but as the newspaper said, a “fabulous finish.” Amigo wasn’t even sure we could get into the game because he had lost his wallet with his school i.d. card inside. We went anyway, knowing that his homeroom teacher was doing crowd control. If worst came to worst, I knew that my district i.d. would gain admission for two, and then one other could buy a ticket. We were in luck; the ticket-takers at the gate knew Amigo and let him in. Phew!
The student section of this homecoming crowd, as Husband put it, was a “seething mass of adolescent hormones,” so we sat in the adult section near a friend and co-worker of mine who is an ex-cheerleader and is married to one of the football coaches.
This made for some humorous moments. As the night went on and the weather grew cooler, and the concession stand ran out of hot cocoa and cider, we considered going home early. But Amigo would have none of it. “I’m fine, I’m warm enough, so I want to stay to the end! And there are fireworks afterwards, too!” Since it was his homecoming, we opted to stay. But as the end of the game approached and the two teams kept tying the score, Husband turned to Coach’s Wife and asked, “Do high school games have overtime?” To her nod he responded “Darn!”
With a fourth quarter in which the two teams combined for 44 points and 309 yards, we didn’t really have a chance to relax or feel the cold. In the final 19 seconds, the home team scored their final touchdown and completed a two point conversion to win by one, yes one, golden point.
This win puts the team in the regional playoffs.
If Amigo wants to go to any playoff games, I think I’ll bring my own hot cocoa.

An updated version of this post can be found on Mid-Century Modern Moms.

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>Is it procrastination if I’m getting other work done?

>I should be correcting the chapter 1 tests and analyzing the chapter 2 pretests and planning my next Social Studies unit.

Instead, I…

  • fed rabbit and refilled her pellet container
  • sorted laundry
  • washed four loads of laundry
  • hung one load to dry
  • put another load in the dryer
  • started a loaf of bread in the breadmaker
  • unloaded the dishwasher and put the clean dishes away
  • reloaded the dishwasher with dirty dishes
  • brought the kitchen waste (including coffee grounds and filter) to the compost
  • turned the compost (mmm, the compost is such a luscious deep brown…)
  • served lunch to myself and Amigo
  • made beds
  • got the winter outerwear from storage
  • put the winter gloves, hats, and mittens on the deck to air out (to get rid of the basement storage odor)

And still on my list:

  • bake cookies
  • clean rabbit litter box
  • finish laundry (dry, fold, put away)
  • give Amigo a ride to the homecoming dance
  • do the grocery shopping
  • pick up Amigo from the homecoming dance
  • make supper (probably grilled cheese on homemade bread, see above)

Maybe today is housework day, and tomorrow will be schoolwork. That’s not true procrastination and avoidance, is it?

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>Smells like — School Spirit?

>Where will you find Pajama Day, Duct Tape Day, Prince/Princess Day, Crazy Outfit Day, and Spirit Day all in one week? Add a bonfire with an effigy of the upcoming football opponent, a big game complete with marching band show, and a Saturday night dance, and you guessed it.
Amigo’s school is in the middle of Homecoming Week. He really enjoys the festivities. He skipped dressing up for pajama day, but today he’s decked out in one of his dad’s t-shirts proclaiming “I can fix anything: Where’s the duct tape?” He’ll borrow another t-shirt for Crazy Outfit Day on Thursday. It says “Stop Animal Testing!” and has a picture of the sweetest looking rabbit sitting in a desk taking a standardized test. For Prince/Princess Day, he’s getting creative. He’s going to wear a Milwaukee Brewers shirt. (Prince Fielder, first baseman, home run king, okay?)
The school plays theme music during passing time between classes. Yesterday they played “Bananas in pajamas.” Tomorrow I predict Disney Princess tunes. Today? Well, I don’t know, what would you play for Duct Tape Day? Something that would stick with you, no doubt. (snicker)
Happy Homecoming to all. Amigo sure loves it.

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>The rivalry continues

>What’s harder than driving on the expressway around Chicago during rush hour and road construction? Driving a news truck with “Green Bay” emblazoned on it in huge letters, through Chicago, in the week before the Packers play the Bears.

Yes, husband was on a work-related trip last week that required he drive the news truck through Chicago on his way to his destination. The reactions, let’s just say, were many and varied. The most creative had to be the toll booth worker who asked if he was a spy.

Now that he’s home (and safely, I might add), we can watch tonight’s game in peace and — well, you know that in our house, it won’t be quiet.

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>Road Trip!!

>Parent Bloggers Network asked folks to think about vacations, past and future. I don’t get out much, but I must say our family enjoys road trips. So…should I chronicle the business trip when Amigo rode along with his dad in a brand new live truck for the television station? Recent trips to Chicago to see Wicked and later to cheer on the White Sox? The stop on the way there at the Converse outlet store? (Breathe, daughter, breathe) How about the journeys of Flat Stanley?

One of the fun parts of traveling with older teens is (gasp) sharing the driving. I’m a morning person, and La Petite is a night owl. On a long trip, my coffee and I will get us going, and she’ll get us to the destination courtesy of her Mt. Dew. In a big city or an unfamiliar area, one can drive while the other navigates.

Amigo really enjoys the radio on long trips. He will tune in a local station and enjoy the accents. He has it in his head that we need to take a trip to Canton, Ohio, and Cooperstown, New York to visit their respective halls of fame. I could be talked into it…well, it’s a strong possible maybe.

If part of the adventure is finding a place to stay, I could look into Pickpackgo.com, a place that helps find quality lodgings in a variety of locales. And maybe, just maybe, we’ll be singing “On the road again” or “Movin’ right along” as we hit the highway.

Pick the Place, Pack Your Bags, and Let’s Go!

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>Do Nice Bloggers finish last?

>

I hope not. I’m a little late in responding, but I must send my thanks to Mom-nos and to Sheila from 4 My Memories. Both of them named me a Nice Blogger.

It’s not that I don’t vent now and then (I know I do), but I’m glad I’ve resisted the temptation to whine and complain too often. I’ve also resisted (oh, it’s been tough at times) venting in a nasty way about real people.

So — Thanks so much to both of you!

And in the same category, I’d like to nominate these wonderful bloggers.

Shannon from Believer in Balance
Mary from MomWrites
Michelle from Scribbit
Susan from Farmgirl
…and I know there are more Nice Bloggers out there.

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>Funday Sunday

>Oh, so the Brewers lost. Well, I “won” the ticket lottery (along with many, many other fans, I’m sure), but I still need to go online and hope I can get through the crush to buy tickets. That is, if there is still a game. I have a plan, though. I have a plan.
Meanwhile, Husband works the pre-game and post-game show today, so you won’t see him on the sidelines. Amigo and I will hang out and rest and relax and cheer on the green and gold. La Petite bought brats to cook at her apartment. She’s in the spirit.

Let’s all hope for blue skies and good football weather!

Post-Game Update: Yeah, way to go Favre!!! Tied the record for touchdown passes! Hey, Donald Driver, how many receptions was that?! Wow!! All right!! Yay!! Hey, Internet, you heard me cheering, didn’t you?!!

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