mhryvnak.net

• Waking up late.
• Opening Gabby’s door this morning to find she stripped naked and then peed on her floor.
• Rich not bothering to take out the dog or the yard waste this morning before he left.
• Having to unload 2 boxes of shit from desk out of my jeep at 7am this morning.
• The South Main Street traffic fuckage due to the fire over the weekend.
• Nearly getting into an accident because no one knows the difference between the turning lanes from the straight lanes on South Washington Street.
• Realizing my tank was on E before even getting out of Wilkes-Barre, then spending 40 dollars to fill it.
• Driving in and realizing I’m going to have to pack more shit when I get to my desk.  (7 years of personal FX)
• Finally sitting down at my desk at 9:15am.

Thank god I was able to stop for a coffee at least.  Now screw you guys, I’m going to the gym.

Well I found another piece of gum on my side porch this morning.  I am fuming.  My side porch is situated so that it sits back from the street and facing my neighbors huge wrap around porch.  The gum could only have come from their porch, because it gets no foot traffic from the street.  I highly doubt someone walking by would see my porch and would walk up to it for the sole purpose of spitting out their gum.

The little hellion brats from next door think its acceptable to spit gum and candy and shit on my porch, sidewalks and etc.  Also, the one kid over there that is now in High School smokes, and throws his cigarette butts near my garbage.  I swear to fucking god I am going to have an anuerysm if I have to pick up one more piece of gum or cigarette butt. 

We’ve already talked to the parents a few years ago about the gum problem.  The mother was supposed to talk to the brats about that.  I’m thinking that instead of telling them not to spit gum on our side, she probably told them to keep doing it.  If anything the gum has INCREASED since we mentioned it to her.  What a bitch twat.  Anyway, I don’t think the parents are aware that the High School kid smokes.  Maybe someone should ring the fucking alarm about that one.  Maybe I’ll save up all of the cigarette butts I collect and send them via USPS and write a note that says YOUR SON SMOKES.  Fucking scumbag neighbors.  I hate them one and all.

They are just pissed because we finally fenced in the yard this year.  WELL TOO FUCKING BAD.  Maybe if you weren’t section 8 renters, you wouldn’t have this problem.  PS – you can see the fence pictures in the pictures section of  my Myspace page. 

So here’s what I did – I picked up the piece of gum, and launched it back over onto their side.  I will continue to do this until the madness stops.

I’m going to the hockey game with Russell later.  YAY for getting out of the house for a few hours!  Anyone else going?  Maybe I’ll see you there? 

Where I want to be:  In Scranton at the Office Convention

Where I actually am:  Work, for the next 8 hours, with nothing to do because our last day is next Wednesday.

Yeah.  This will be another fun and productive day.  I can tell already.

A few weeks ago I ripped out all of my summer flowers that were dying off and replaced them with fall flowers — mainly mums.  As I was digging out the roots and planting the new flowers I came across some weird stuff burried in my potted flowers. 

• 1 rotten plum
• 1 peach pit
• Half a dozen or so cigarette butts (Why would a squirrel think these are food???)
• A corner of a stale, green partially eaten bagel (EW!)

I really didn’t think anything of it at the time until a few days later there was a huge pile of dirt on my porch.  Then I seen it….a frigging squirrel.  That little bastard has been digging in my potted plants and burrying shit for winter.  Grrrr.  I am like Mr. Fucking Wilson from Dennis the Mennis (Think:  GET OFF MY LAWN YA DAMN KIDS!) when it comes to my landscaping/flowers/garden.  I want it to look perfect and this animal is a thorn in my side.  I pretty much found all of his burried treasures and disposed of them and I thought I had the problem licked.  Wrong.  There was a huge pile of dirt on my porch this morning and I didn’t have the time or patience to sweep it up. 

Does anyone have any HUMANE suggestions how to keep this squirrel from destroying my landscaping?  I was thinking poison fruit, but I don’t want PETA after me.  (Btw – my cousin has a bumper sticker that says PETA “people eating tasty animals”.  that still cracks me up when I think about it) 

Its supposed to rain again tomorrow into Saturday.  The local weathermen say it won’t flood, however…they have not seen the condition of the storm drains in South Wilkes-Barre so I beg to differ. 

Its Thursday, one more day until Friday!  Clean your damn storm drains and give me some decent tips to erradicate this pest with a bushy tail.

I went to the gyno on Monday and apparently now a breast examination done by the doc is part of the yearly check up.  Yeah, I have a female doc, so this made me feel just a tad bit awkward.  Anyway.  The doctor noticed my stomach was sticking out funny and (NO I’M NOT PREGNANT) apparently I have a hernia where my belly button is, which is causing it not to go down properly as it used to.  A hernia.  WTF? 

The doctor said not to worry about it and also eventually that my colon may try to pop through my stomach.  But definately and most importantly do not worry about it.  Um what?  Call me crazy, but that seems a little contradictory to me.  I’ve been researching the shit out of this online.  Clearly I’m going to need to go to my normal family doctor because I have many questions that need to be answered.  Like here’s a good one:  CAN I LIFT HEAVY STUFF?  My son weighs 24 lbs, and daughter weighs 30 something.  Also, I usually have to take out the trash every Tuesday morning, because for some odd reason (even though our Garbage day never has changed since we moved in) my husband never remembers to put it out the night before. 

Also, I have to go for more bloodwork to get my anemia and thyroid checked.  That should be fun because I love bloodwork about as much as watching Dancing with the Stars or watching grass grow.  Actually bloodwork may win that one by a landslide.  I am extremely anemic.  BTW – Anemia means when you are iron defficient – not to be confused with bullemic (which is what my dumbass thought it meant initially).  Anyway, when I was admitted to the hospital to be induced with Owen and they did the standard blood work.  They run a variety of tests to check your blood levels.  I am not sure of the name of the exact test – maybe for iron levels — but the level is supposed to be at 14 for a normal healthy person.  Mine was 7, which is half of what it should be.  I was extremely iron deficient, and needed to get 3 bags of blood.  One I got during the C Section, the next two came in the following days.  I really didn’t feel any different before vs. after the transfusions, but the nurses said my face actually got color back into it.  I also had to get my blood taken like 2 times everyday.  When I was discharged from the hospital my arms were so black and blue people probably thought I was a heroin junkie.  It actually took 2 weeks for the bruising to go away. 

Anyway, I’m going to wrap this up because I have a job interview tomorrow at [company name removed] that I have to mentally prepare for.  Wish me luck.

Since everyone is already aware, because I keep saying it over and over and over like a broken record – I’m losing my job.  Did you know that?  I’m losing my job in 8 days.  I’ll be filing for unemployment in 8 days.  Etc, etc, etc…..

Anyway.

I’ve been filling out all of these jobs apps, going on interviews, and updating my resume.  Back in 1999-2000 (3 months) I worked at a place called Liberty Business Information — LBI for short.  The place was located on Mundy Street near the mall.  I’m not sure of the exact address , but lets just say its on the corner of Highland Park Blvd and Mundy Street.  LBI moved out several years ago, and guess what has moved in….Gentlemans GClub 10.  As in, the BYOB (because we live in Pennsylvania) strip club.  So now, when I’m filling out my job apps I have to put this address as my previous employer, because I don’t know where LBI moved to. 

“Really, Mr. Potential Future Employer, I’m not or was ever a stripper or topless dancer.”

Prior to the Strip Club and LBI, there was also a Chinese Buffet there.  I remember being to the buffet before I worked there.  I think it was called Jolly King Buffet.  When I worked at LBI; my seat used to be somewhere within the kitchen area of the restaurant.  They used to kill cats where I sat.  j/k  Its crazy to think that I worked at LBI before Highland Park Blvd or any of the other retail development/hell up that way existed.  Now there’s a story for the grandkids.  Hey kiddies, check out my Arena Yes bumper sticker and pin. 

Ugh.  I’m showing my age now. 

I’m sick and light headed so I guess I’m gonna go lay down.  And I have to go out to the gyno later.  So that will be a bonus treat in additon to the 85 pounds of snot inside my sinus cavities.

[Edit:  10/28/07]:

There is a BBC America Kitchen Nightmare Marathon this afternoon, so you know that’s where I’m going to be all afternoon.  Sitting with my ass parked in front of the TV watching a pissed off Brit that curses worse than I could ever hope to. 

I am feeling like I’m coming down with a cold or something.  My head is all stuffy and I’m tired.  I probably picked up something from one of the disease carriers that live in my house (aka my children). 

It only 12 on Sunday and I’ve already baked cookies and fudge.  It was place and bake stuff, so don’t go thinking I’m all domesticated or anything.  I also loaded the dishwasher and I’m going to clean the bathroom shortly.  I want to make a pasta salad and regular veggie salad too before the weekend is over.  Again – taking help from a pasta salad mix and bagged lettuce.  Not domesticated.

I really need to start bringing stuff home from my desk at work.  I’ve been putting it off because I’m lazy and part of me wants to think that I’m really not getting laid off in another week and a half – that it was all just a dream.  I know better than that, but it all seems so surreal.  Last week I spent most of my week tossing old papers out.  You wouldn’t believe the stuff I was hanging on to.  If Bryan is happening to read this – yeah I found emails that you sent to me from orientation printed out (circa april 2000).  I tossed those.  Its amazing that the last 7 years of my life – my career – can fit into a trash can.  I’m throwing my career away.  I keep hearing that when one door closes another one opens.  I’m not seeing this other magical door opening anything for me.  Just a lot of rejection.  Eh.  I’m really trying to stay positive through this whole ordeal.  Its *their* loss, not mine….right?

Anyway.  Its Sunday.  Time to go watch football. 

Have a productive Sunday afternoon all!

Oh and by the way – The Murray Complex is/was on fire.  Yeah, not the one on Penn Ave, the one in North Wilkes-Barre sorta near the hospital.  I did a double take when I seen that this morning.

Ok folks.  This is freaking HUGE! 

That’s right you read it here first.  For years and years there have only been tiny bags of Middleswarth Sour Cream and Onion chips to buy.  I was just to Gerrity’s this morning and found out that now you can get them in the big 16 oz resealable bag.  OMG, yes!

Rejoice!

http://www.pasnacks.com/middleswarthchips16ozsourcream.htm

Feel free to spread the word because these are seriously the best chips in the universe.

My son has had more medical issues than anyone can shake a stick at since he’s been born. 

Last November — when he was only 3 months old, daycare called me at home and sent me into a whirl wind panic because “Owen was having trouble breathing and was turning blue”.  Well holy fucking shit.  I never got from Lee Park Ave to South Washington Street faster in my entire life.  Ever since he was born he has had issues with “labored” breathing.  He sounded as if he had a perma cold.  I took him for chest xrays and they found nothing.  Anyway — I ended up in the ER with him that night while they ran about 85 different tests on him.  He has asthma and eczema.  He’s got an inhaler and is on elidel.  I had to give him regular breathing treatments, butter him up like a thanksgiving turkey with cream and also give him an oral steroid.

Fast foward a few months to February.  Owen has green — almost booger/phlegm consistency coming out of his nose?  NOPE.  Its coming out of his ears.  I have never ever seen something this color come out of someone’s ear.  Call the doctor.  Owen has an ear infection and a small hole opened in his ear drum allowing the fluid behind his drum to drain.  SICKKKK.  So now Anti biotics, ear drops, inhaler, cream.  The problem is.  The ear infection never went away.  It would either switch ears or go away for a few days, but once the anti-biotic was done, it would return.  Once you take amoxicilian or another type of anti-biotic, you cannot take the same one again becuase your body can build up a resistance.  So at one point we had 3 different variations of amoxicilian in my fridge.  2 different types of ear drops.  What else.  Oh like 3 different inhalers, and the eczema cream. 

Btw — The 3 different inhalers are for different reasons – we have the albuterol for normal breathing issues which can be taken every 3-4 hours.  The flowvent which is the inhaled steroid – once daily.  Also proventil which can be used every 2 or so hours if he is really bad.

Finally, in desperation I talked to a co-worker who suggested I take Owen to an ENT doc.  She took her daughter there, who was having similar issues with her ears and got the ear tubes in and it cleared everything up.  It was like the angels were singing the hallelujah chorus.  I called the ENT doc in Kingston and setup an appt.  He then gives me yet another set of ear drops, suctions out all of the crap from his ears and asks to see him back in a week because he couldn’t even see his drums with all of the crap in there.  In one week, I take him back and he said putting in the ear tubes would be totally my decision.  I say PUT THEM IN.  I missed so much time at work this winter….SO MUCH.  Luckily my boss has 2 kids and is understanding.  I don’t know what I would have done without her.  We get the surgery and everything cleared up with his ears!!!  Thank GOD.  We only had one minor issue a few months ago, but it cleared up after putting in some drops.  ***knock on wood***

Then I noticed his “man parts” — one was bigger than the other, if you know what I mean.  So guess where we went — right back to the doctor.  He has a hydrocele, which means when his “man parts” descended, the opening never closed completely and fluid drains down into there….I ended up having to take him to a specialist in Hershey to have it checked.  If that doesn’t go away by the time he’s 2 he will have to have corrective surgery for THAT.

Anyway, now I have to go get ready to go to the doctor with him AGAIN because his eczema is infected on his leg.  I was reading a bit about it online last night and I guess it gets infected with staph and gets pussy and yuck yuck ew ew.  Our appt is for 10.  It seems like once something clears up, something else flairs up.  We cannot catch a break.  Yet, through all of his issues, he’s the happiest kid I know.  I don’t get it. 

Just get a load of this smile:

[1:15pm Edit]: Owen has been diagnosed with “cellulitis”.  A quick check of Wikipedia says that “Cellulitis is an inflammation of the connective tissue underlying the skin, that can be caused by a bacterial infection. Cellulitis can be caused by normal skin flora or by exogenous bacteria, and often occurs where the skin has previously been broken: cracks in the skin, cuts, blisters, burns, insect bites, surgical wounds, or sites of intravenous catheter insertion.” 

Terrific. So now we are on two more antibiotics – a steroid cream and an oral ammoxicilian type thing.

I hate the Cross Valley with a passion, so I’ve been experimenting with taking the Plymouth/Larksville Mountain as an alternate route into Dallas.  I haven’t really decided if one is better or faster than the other, because they both are about the same. 

The Cross Valley sucks because of the amount of assholes that drive it daily.  Hey you!  You don’t need to drive 45 miles per hour in the passing lane if you aren’t passing anyone.  Yeah you.  I’m talking to you!  35 mph through the rock cut is a joke.  Does anyone actually go this speed?  And lights.  There are about 10 lights between Trucksville and Dallas.  You cannot make it through all of them without hitting at least 5-7 red ones.  Oh and I love the surprise bridge inspections during rush hour and lunch hour.  They are fantastic.  But then again, maybe I should stop taking 2 hours to go to Wilkes-Barre on my lunch break. 

The backway to Dallas through the Plymouth Mountain rocks.  During the summer only.  I would not recommend driving it during a snowstorm because its a big windy steep hill.  There are no lights for the entire road.  Once you get on it, there are 4 stop signs, then a stop sign and 2 lights in dallas.  Its zippy.  The problem is, after dropping off Gabby and Owen downtown, I have to backtrack all the way to Hanover Township to get over to Plymouth, I guess I could cross the Market Street bridge or Pierce Street and take Route 11, but would that be any quicker?  Nope.  Probably not.  If you get stuck behind a slow driver, you are pretty much stuck behind them for the entire route, because there aren’t any passing zones.  Since my jeep rolls on hills, if I get behind a large construction vehicle I’m screwed (it has happened before).  The quadruple way intersection between Reseviour Road/Huntsville Road/Sutton Road sucks.  It is very difficult to see pulling out there. 

I guess I just hate having to drive so far to get here.  Working in W-Barre was so convenient — 5 minutes.  I could go for 2 weeks without filling my tank.  Coming to Dallas its like fill the tank once a week if not more (again — not going to Wilkes-Barre on lunch would probably help).

Hey — its raining out.  You know what that means?!  It will be monsooning later when I pick up the kids.  Everytime it is downpouring I am either picking up the kids or dropping them off at daycare.  If you ever look outside and see it pouring hard, just think to yourself — somehow, somewhere, Michelle is picking up her kids from daycare.  Remember the flood in June/November?  Remember the hurricane in Mtn Top last year?  Yep.  I was picking up my kids during the worst of these times.  Mother nature hates me.

Maybe I should go back to school and become a meteorologist like I wanted to back in elementary school.