The Bullet List of 08/2012

You read that right.



Skull Orchards. :)



That came from my Grandpa Jim. Granted, he won't speak to me now because of my "chosen lifestyle", but he's still had some gems, and I do have fond memories of the old bastard. Yep. Sure do.



The women on my mom's side, as far back as I can remember and even before that, have always loved cemeteries. Drive down a little highway and see one? Either turn in really fast or find a spot to turn around in and go…

In those moments when you want to run, flee, hide, or otherwise escape your life for an hour, a day or a month, where do you want to go?



The closest spot to me is called Elsah. It's in Illinois and this little town (if you can call it that, it's *so* tiny) is a beautiful one. (Edit: it's a "Village" :)) Gorgeous trees, cute houses, a cemetery to die for... Maybe I need to make a post on cemeteries so you can understand that particular one.  I'm not going to steal these images,…

Remember that story about the kiddo?



Being Green with a Vengeance, that is.



I submitted it to someone trying to get a publishing company up and running and they are using it for their first book!!! They also asked me for another one.…

Seriously, I don't have it in me.



But if you read through the beginning, you'll be rewarded with a slightly amusing story about little bit! 

 

Had a great few days with both of the kiddos. Saying goodbye to Erik today was so, so difficult. I'm doing ok right now, I think. After the last few weeks of dreading that moment, I'm finally able to relax a little bit. I cried some, but mostly I've been calm. Is it true calm? Hmmm... can't tell yet. I guess we'll…

I hope everyone is doing well and having a nice summer (or winter, depending on which hemisphere you call home).



Mine has been stressful and hectic. Not horrible, just incredibly challenging.



My oldest is moving with his dad and step-mom to California soon. This coming Tuesday is the last time I'll see him for a long while. My emotions are day to day at this point and I know the coming weeks will be rough, but I will get through. I have great support from family and…

My best mother figure is actually my ex-step-dad's wife, if that makes any sense. She's there for me, whether I want her to be or not. :) So is my ex-stepdad. So is my step-sister... my family is complicated. Sue me. LOL

What is your mom like? Mine is absolutely loving. Sometimes. Maybe. :-p

She loves me a ton. She loves her grandchildren... but she thinks her husband should have the last say in everything. Like when I call and see if she wants one of the kids for a night. She…

I respect freedom of speech and religion. I know he has a right to his beliefs and a right to speak on them, just like the Westboro Baptist Church. What I mean is that they cannot be told not to speak, since it's *or should be* one of the foundations of the country that everyone needs to respect.

However, I find his sermon deplorable and insulting. I find the fact that his congregation is saying "Amen" to be an affront to the Bible, Jesus, God, and the overall feeling of acceptance…

You know the one's I'm talking about? The old ones with Wile E. Coyote being smashed by boulders and blown up by dynamite? The one where Yosemite Sam is running after Bugs Bunny in Roman times and getting mauled by lions?

http://blissjunction.blogspot.com/2012/05/so-who-loves-looney-toons.html

At least, I'm trying to look at it that way.



We're moving to Nika's mom's house for a while. We've had a rough time with her back issues and my lack of employment and, frankly speaking, it's smart to do it.



She's lived away from her mom's since she was a teen, and I've been away from my mom's since I was a teen (minus 6 weeks in my early twenties which was hell). This is not easy on either of us. I know that.



I'm having a hell of a time handling it though.…

So, I'm somewhat active on http://www.bloggymoms.com/. When I first signed up, I started a topic asking if anyone else was a non-custodial parent. I have views, but not even one response. Not good, not "me too", not bad. NOTHING. That's interesting to me.

Read more at Dysfunction Junction

I was awake well after midnight, and my love brought in flowers (super brightly colored, which I love), and Bliss Chocolates (my middle name and tasted amazing). Erik got me a webcam so I can Skype with him when he moves to California, and a book of French recipes he helped create in his French class, and a really sweet card.



Nathaniel made me a picture frame of sorts.. clay painted and fired, with his picture on one side and "I love my mom because she helps me color" on the other…

Well, I figure since I've started this blog, you should know some things about me. Though I am an open book (and please feel free to ask me anything), I have trouble coming up with information on my own. Therefore, here is this silly questionnaire. 

1. What time did you go to bed last night and were you alone? Actually, I went to bed at about 8:30 or 9:00 this morning. My sleep schedule is really backwards.

2. If you could be given ANY gift what would it be? World peace? Ummm…

I've been working at freelance writing for a while now. I've had one long term contract for a tiny amount of money, but it's been important to get my credibility built up.



I just finished my first big project from a different employer. I got it by bidding on it about a week ago.



Now, I have another contract that was just awarded, and I feel awesome. I can write!



I don't know how many of you understand the amazing feeling I have right now, but I've always…

• My 15 year old and 5 year old playing together and laughing hysterically
• Listening to my 5 year old upstairs playing with his Star Wars Legos and making blaster sounds. "pew pewpew!"
• Another Star Wars Lego thing - They have parades and the 5 year old sings the Imperial March.
• Autumn and Spring
• The Botanical Gardens. Especially the scent garden where you can lean down and smell everything, or rub the leaves with your fingers and come away with…

My oldest son is going to be 15! Fifteen. Craziness.



I was a scared 19 year old kid when I brought him home from the hospital. I had no idea what I was doing at all.



When I walked into the house and got settled in with him, he was sleeping and I remember looking at him and thinking, "What now?". Was I supposed to do anything but sit there and stare at the infant who'd somehow materialized in front of me? LOL



Anywho, I digress. I posted a sweet note on his…

I'm what you call a "late in life lesbian". I have been in relationships with men, for the most part, all of my life. Up until a few years ago I had no idea just how wrong that was for me.



I've known since I was a little girl that I was attracted to females. It was just a fact. I lived in a small town, my family had (and has) strong Southern Baptist and Methodist beliefs. We moved to a small city when I was in elementary school, and to the St. Louis area between my 7th and 8th…

My biological clock has been going a lot over the past year. I'll be 35 in December.



I miss having a baby. Kind of. I don't miss the 3am feedings... LOL but I kind of do.

What do you think?



I miss being pregnant. Pregnancy was absolutely crazy. All day sickness, in fact. But gods, I miss being pregnant and having that little one with the sweet baby smell. Even the dirty diapers. Even the crying. I miss it. I can't help it.…

When I was a teenager, I used to hike constantly. Most of the time, I would take the 45 minute trek to Shaw Nature Reserve. It was my haven, my safe place away from home. I would hike for hours at a time, logging my longest hike as 10 miles in one day.



It is still around, and still has everything a hiker could…