Take your cat, and leave my sweater..

I try to be a charitable person.

Of course, like most people, I enjoy charity that is fun and easy. 

Baking cookies, sending packages.

 All the festive stuff.

Stuff that makes me feel good.

There are two..no make that three...ok, wait..four kinds of people I have a hard time showing charity to.

1. overly confident, "I'm just going to be me" people

2. ungrateful people

3. the elderly (but only in the thrift store)

4. Canadians

I would love to address all of these groups at length, but I will limit myself to number 1.

I am transitioning at work to another department and there is a girl who is replacing me.

I told her that I would move all of my stuff to my new office which is in the building next door, but we are both at my old office for the whole week, as I am training her in the position. 

So, I come into the office today, and she has CHANGED EVERYTHING and already moved into my desk. 

I'm not saying she did anything wrong, it was just kind of weird to me.

I feel like I am extra cautious and I try not to step on any one's toes or offend anyone, and people who are just like "whatever" are so strange to me.

I wonder the things that go through their mind.  

Lori Ann
***post edit***
I left off smug people.

 Smug people drive me crazy!

For though they may be parted

Satan really has my number.

Most of the week, I am tired and want nothing more than to veg.

But on Sunday, the day of rest, I am inspired and have endless energy.

Anyway, here is what I did with my ill spent Sabbath..

Since my evil little pumpkins can't be here with me, I carved their names 
(quite expertly, might I add)
 into my pumpkin!

I painted my hobby lobby tray cherry red
 (also quite expertly!)
 and drank hot chocolate and read trashy novels!

I finished Erin's package!!

 It's sealed up and read y to send AT LONG LAST!

There was also alot of cleaning, etc but I didn't take any pictures of that.

 I didn't want anyone to feel like an inferior housekeeper :)

Now I am off to make popcorn, pour an icy cold glass of cranberry and ginger ale, and watch Disney's Halloween Treat online!!

Happy Fall everyone!!

Lori Ann

I had the best days with you

I have graciously decided to halt my all day Saturday cleaning project to update this blog.

It wasn't easy, but there is little I wouldn't sacrifice for my dear readers.

I title this:

My trip home now that I have a usb cord, thank you Radio Shack! 

Here we go...

The are pictures of Jack-Jack's candlelit 8th birthday party.

 Danielle did an AMAZING job with the party and with the food, we had:

homemade croissants

Ribs (cooked by the master- our dad)

veggie tray

Jack's famous baked beans

As always, a little bubbly

A strange vanilla cake, shaped like a pumpkin, with motorcycles crashing into it
(made by our mom at Jack-Jacks' request)

These are some of the things I loved about being home!

Top left: the view from the church, after Jack-Jack's baptism

Top right: my sisters cat- Willow aka Snarfus (this one is for you, Eri!)

Bottom left: the Washington Inn- been around since the 1700's! In Sellersville, PA

Bottom right: Driving the back way from my sisters to my parents. PA is SO beautiful

And the most important thing I saw when I went home...

 These babies. 

I'm counting down the days until Thanksgiving!!

Lori Ann


***post edit***
the aforementioned cat was not, in fact, Willow, but Thomas.

 Below you will see the infamous Willow!

I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round and round..

Working in an office is strange, at times. 

Actually, most of the time it is strange.

I realized that, due to the jobs my parents have
 (my mom's a nurse and my dad builds swimming pools

) I am the first person in my family who has a career that requires them to be in an office most of the day.

Office politics are real, home dog. 

People are stabbing other people in the back, there is a serious circle of office gossip and speculation, and SO MUCH MORE.

I recently decided to go back to my old job
(same company, different department).

 I was shocked at how people reacted.

 I got questions like:

"Was this your choice?"

"Did they push you out of here?"

"what is happening? "
 (said in a panicked voice)

Even weirder than the questions I got, was the call I got my from clinical supervisor telling me that it was time to tell people I was transferring departments.

 He then said

"Make sure you tell them it was your choice, not that you were moved around by the puppet masters"

It was that moment, when I felt like I had stepped out of my life and into some kind of espionage movie. 

Just another perk of the Spinster Life, I guess. 

If it makes you marrieds, and stay at home moms feel better, I grant you full permission to start up some 'office politics' in your marriages/families. 

You're welcome.

Lori Ann

Just going to stand there and watch me burn...

My blog title references the fact that I am most likely going to burn in H E double hockey sticks for this post. 

Get ready for crazy, judgemental Lori in full force. 

This is what happened to me today..

 I was in the family dollar, buying coke and other treats.

The girl in front of me in line has just one item, a six pack of nice bottled water.

You know, the smart water type, that is in the fancy bottles.

 I don't buy that for two reasons:

1. I'm not a huge water drinker and

2. I don't want to pay $1.47 per bottle.

So, I overhear that she is paying with her EBT (food stamp) card. 

You guys, I tried SO HARD to shut judgemental Lori down.

 I said "maybe its her one treat to herself" or "maybe its for formula for her baby".

Then I told myself "its none of your business, and its not your place to judge".

I was SO proud of how I was letting go of my knee jerk prejudices and automatic thoughts.

 I made my purchase and headed out the parking lot. 

She was just pulling away as I got out the door. 

You guys, she had 42 inch SPINNING rims.  

Between medicare, FICA, state and federal income taxes, I pay almost $800 per month.  

Is it wrong for me to ask people to pay for their own fancy water, instead of using their money for spinning rims??

Lori Ann

All You Need is Love

This weekend I went home for the Big 3.

No..not Stalin, Churchill, and Roosevelt.

But close. 

My birthday.

Jack's 8th birthday.

Jack's baptism.

It was nice to be home and I loved seeing everyone.

However, on Sunday, I was having a bad day.

 I decided to go home early.

I wanted to stop by my sisters house and say goodbye to her and the kids before leaving. 

As I walked up the steps, I saw a little hand reaching up to open the front door. 

I heard Elly say

"Aunt Lurlee, where have you been? We have been waiting for you!"

I decided to stay for a minute and sat down on the couch and talked to my sister, who, ironically, is MY therapist.
 (both my sisters are)

 (wait, is that ironic? I don't really have a good grasp on irony)

When she got up for a minute, my James came running over to me.

Seeing me looking sad, he grabbed my hand and said

 "Look, Aunt Lolee- we've got Harry Potter clue! You like Harry Potter! Let's play the game!"

It almost made me cry.

My muffin babies were watching out for me. 

 When they invited me to play "rock, paper, scissors' I decided I should probably stay.

I spent the day singing songs in the screened in porch, watching the Sausue dance, naming cabbage patch kids, eating pizza with Uncle David, stealing orange creamsicles, and kicking Danielle and Jack's trash at Settlers. 

To the Monroes
(especially the 'fearsome foursome'- JJEK)

You are my wonderwall.

I love you so much.

See you at Thanksgiving!!

Love,

Aunt Lori 

Run and tell that..

Let me say this.

I do not mean this post to be offensive in any way.

 I am not trying to make fun of or mock anyone at all.

Someone introduced me to these videos today, and I can't stop laughing.

It sounds weird, but the story starts with a woman who was the victim of an attempted sexual assault. (Not funny at all, right?)

Her brother went on the local news with his thoughts, and then someone on youtube made a video about it.

 The first video is the actual news coverage, and the second is the youtube video.

Please don't hate me.

 It was just one of those days and I needed something to make me smile.

Lori Ann