Ahoy!

Which Pirates of the Caribbean character are you?

I love love love Johnny Depp. I don't know why - he never made an impression on me when he was on tv (yes, way back when I was in high school he was on a tv show...yes, I'm old). But the Pirates of the Caribbean movie? Rawr. And we didn't see it at the movie theatre - we bought it (after someone I worked with mentioned how good it was). So yes, I can't wait until the sequel, in July.

Does everyone do that? Have a list of people that you could have an affair with, no strings attached, no marital repurcussions? Or are we just weird like that?

D and I had a talk last night, and it was ok. Not that anything got resolved, but at least we're talking. We both have a tendency to retreat into ourselves and not talk to each other, which is probably not a good thing. I know I do stuff he doesn't like, he does stuff I don't like, and somehow we've got to take some time from our crazy busy lives for each other and ourselves. I can do the time for each other, that's easy. The hardest part for me? Time for myself. And it all ties into the working mom guilt, which I suffer from enormously. It all spirals together too - I'm away from C while I work and commute, so I shouldn't take any time for me when we could be together. But that's not good either. And I shouldn't spend the time I am with C worrying about what's not getting done around the house. See? Spirals.

Anyway. How did I get from Pirates to this navel-gazing? Sheesh. Back to work. Now with chocolate!!

Forrest Gump

Wow. I received something in the inter-office mail today that just totally blew me away. Someone from another one of our offices sent me a box of chocolate. And not just any chocolate - a 1 pound box of Godiva chocolate!! To thank me for being helpful.

It was completely unexpected. I mean, I was just doing my job. I didn't think I did anything out of the ordinary; in fact, I really thought I was being a slacker. I guess I am too hard on myself sometimes.

And yay! Chocolate!

Egg Hunt

Easter was a week ago. Today, being so rainy one might consider starting to build an ark, was spent inside watching too much tv and playing Polly Pockets (I think my brain is now mush). In one of my trips around the room, I happened to look in the various Easter baskets still lying around and noticed an egg that didn't appear plastic.

Yes, that's right. A real, dyed Easter egg, complete with cracks, in one of the Easter baskets. I probably should have called a haz mat team, but being mom, just picked it up and threw it out.

Spring Fever

How come I can't get paid to stay home and play with C and shop? That would be my perfect job.

I have absolutely no motivation this week. None. I can't even come up with a witty blog post. I have laundry still in the dryer from Monday night (let's not think about how wrinkly everything will be, shall we?), the lawn needs raking and/or mowing, there should be some serious spring cleaning going on inside the house too...

I left work earlyish yesterday (I got there earlyish too!) so got home a few moments before C and D did. C was getting out of her booster seat when she said she wanted to go to the "99s" for dinner. And being good slackers, off we went!

I think if I ever win Powerball or some huge lottery, after I pay all the bills off for my family, I'm hiring a chef. If someone else would cook, and clean up? How awesome would that be?! We'd always eat healthy, homecooked meals. That and a personal trainer. Then I could accomplish my next career goal - Trophy Wife.

But I guess until that happens, I get to play the insurance game. And that brings us back to the no motivation point of the program. Zzzzz....

Chocoholics Anon

Hopefully everyone has enjoyed their Passover/Easter celebrations. Here at casa insurancemom, we are suffering from too much chocolate. Not only did the Easter Bunny leave a HUGE basket for C (mostly toys, but some candy - c'mon, it IS Easter), the bunny also left a basket at Grampa's, and Uncle Steven's, plus all the in-laws gave C chocolate...

C had had enough by about 6 PM yesterday. She announced to anyone and everyone that she wanted to go home - NOW. Unfortunately, leaving my in-laws is not a short process. You have to take leftovers home, and are asked repeatedly if you want something. Luckily they don't feel the need to ask me multiple times if I want something. However D is not so lucky (probably because they're his family) - he gets asked again and again if he wants something. Adding to the fun is the fact that MIL is deaf, so he has to yell "NO" for her to hear, which makes her think he's mad at her (and causes tears after we leave (D had to run back in for something we forgot)).

C fell asleep on the way home (after continually asking "what starts with (insert letter here)" "ok, that'll work")...so we just put her in bed, anticipating that at some point we'd have to strip her bed in the middle of the night, since she hadn't been to the bathroom in a while. She got herself up around 9, went potty and changed into a nightgown!

And who decided that white chocolate was chocolate? Chocolate should be brown. It's more natural that way.

Rocky Mountain High

So I spent the better part of the week in Denver, Colorado on business. I'd been to Denver before, the last time about six years ago. This visit was to audit an agent that I had done business with before, when I worked in the city, so it was a pretty easy trip. Only a couple new people to meet, so the work/pleasure mix was pretty even.

I flew out on Monday, and I'm not sure if it's because it's the week before Easter or what, but the plane was full. My biggest nightmare come true. It really wasn't too bad until the very last leg home yesterday (from Minneapolis to Hartford) when the guy sitting in the middle wanted to put the armrest down. Bad idea dude. He finally caught on.

Denver is such a cool city. Maybe because it's unlike anything out here in New England. You fly in and it's flat - flat flat, with the mountains rising in the distance. The mountains are still snow covered too. It was a nice contrast - 80 degree weather (and yes, I packed like I would still be in New England so for more like 50 degree weather) and sunny. The city itself is a nice mix of nationally known retail stores (there's a Starbucks on every other corner) and really funky little shops and restuarants. When I described it to D on the phone, I said it was like SoHo, "but with less dirt and attitude".

I went out for a couple glasses of wine on Tuesday night and why yes, I am a cheap drunk. Between the altitude and lack of opportunity to drink, I no longer have any tolerance. And bad news for D, I found a bookstore. I love to read. And this wasn't a run of the mill, nationally known bookstore - it was a funky, independently owned bookstore in an old, converted factory. NIRVANA. Of course I had to spend some money there.

Wednesday was wrapping up the audit, which didn't take long at all and left me most of the day free to explore the city. And I did. There was a party to celebrate the anniversary of the agency I was visiting, conveniently located in the hotel where I was staying. So more wine! The party started around 3, and lasted until about 7. Then Lost was on (and mountain time tv is just weird - Lost was on at 8 Denver time) so I ordered room service.

Last night was a blur - with the time change, and traveling, I fell asleep early, and actually got to sleep in until 8:15 this morning! C woke up and climbed in bed with me, chattering about a mermaid show at daddy's work and he needed to put a pool on stage so there could be 14 mermaids in the show. Why, I have no idea.

And now I'm back in the same rut. D is working, C is asleep, and as soon as I pay some bills (damn bi-monthly pay periods!) I will probably crawl into bed too.

Sleep

Dooce had a post a couple days back about how she got her daughter to start sleeping through the night, which generated a ton of comments and degenerated into a Feber v something else sleep training debacle. It was interesting reading the comments because it appeared that most of the people commenting had children who were in the process of learning to sleep through the night or had just started sleeping through the night.

Why did I find it entertaining? Because my friends, I don't care when or how your kid starts sleeping through the night. They will.... but eventually they will turn 4 and realize that hey! mom and dad are staying up and I am going to bed? WTF is up with that? and then, the fun begins.

"Good night sweetie!" and you think you're home free, ok to go downstairs and clean up from dinner, pay bills, pack lunches, start laundry (feel free to insert whatever chore you start/finish after the kiddo's in bed)...until....."mom? I needa tell you something"....."Yes honey?"...crickets chirping..."ummmmm...." and you can practically see the gears spinning in her head as she frantically tries to come up with something to tell you that necessitated her getting out of bed and stealthily creeping downstairs. "I hurt my finger!" or "I want all my covers on me".....

So you play this game for about a half hour until she finally falls asleep.

And guess what? Short of boarding her door shut - you can't stop her from getting out of her big girl bed and coming downstairs. Until the weekend, when between swimming lessons and running around outside she's so tired she falls asleep the minute her head hits the pillow.

I like weekends.

Personal Travel

I left before C woke up this morning, so when D logs into AOL IM at work I jump right on and ask how she was. Apparently, this morning, she went upstairs to pick out her clothes for the day. And told D he couldn't look. So after awhile, he decides this is taking too long and goes upstairs to check out the situation.

When he got upstairs, she had all her clothes laid out (including some swimsuits) and told him she was packing for vacation. He asked where she was going on vacation, and she informed him she was going on the Disney ship.

I think we've created a monster!

Business Travel

So I might have mentioned I have to travel occasionally in the course of my employment. The trips are overnight, but for the most part, usually to the island of Long. Next week, however, I will be flying to Denver for a 3 night trip.

Now, flying doesn't bother me (unless I think about how my brothers work at an engine making company here in CT and then ohmigod they're idiots and what if J didn't screw something in right and what if S just reviewed the process and...!) Anyway. I try not to look for the eagle logo on the engines. Let's leave it at that.

I've been to Denver a couple times before, and it's a really cool city. I like how the landscape is so different from what I'm used to - instead of rolling hills and trees and curvy roads, it's FLAT. With the Rocky Mountains that stick right up into the sky, and the roads are straight.

What's bothering me this time is that I didn't think anyone would be flying to Denver out of Hartford, and picked flight times that weren't too early, not too late...which is my undoing. Because I happened to think to myself, I hope we're not packed in the plane like sardines (since I am pretty fluffy). I checked the travel website - the flight I'm on isn't even offered as an option anymore. SOLD OUT.

SO, I hereby apologize in advance to the person who will be sitting next to me on the plane. And, it's only for a couple hours. Anyone can put up with anything for a couple hours, right?