Way To Go Guys!!!

MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP, N.J. --

A standoff at a New Jersey bank is over after police learned a "person" seen inside was actually a full-size cardboard figure.

Officers went to the PNC Bank in Montgomery Township on Thursday night after an alarm went off. They saw what they thought was at least one person through the windows of the bank, which had its blinds drawn.

The area was sealed off and three nearby apartment buildings were evacuated as a precaution. Meanwhile, authorities used bullhorns and made telephone calls in a bid to make contact with whoever might be in the bank.

After repeatedly failing to get a response, a SWAT team entered the building and discovered the cardboard figure.

It was not immediately clear what set off the bank alarm.

I'm so glad that didn't happen around here....

Best Wishes to All

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving. I hope you have full bellies, homes filled with people you love, and love filling your hearts. Enjoy your day!

Things Heard Around The Smith Household

1) "If you have an open heart, doesn't that mean you're bleeding?" "Ya, that's kind of a bitch isn't it?"

2) "Mom, is it legal to have a flame thrower in California?" ( [The answer is NO!!!] And it's not legal either.)

3) "You're a dirty rat. Hey guys, time to clean this cage."

4) "Quit sniping at the door and get ready for bed!"

5) "Stop shooting your brother!"

6) "Mom, can we jump the car?" "No, it's a minivan, they don't jump that well."

This is just a brief snippet of the commentary that fills up our days. Hope you enjoy!

Teaching An Attitude of Gratitude...

...Is a tough job.

About a week ago Snake, Moose, and I went to a toy store because Moose had a gift card from his birthday he wanted to spend. When we got there, there were two Marines standing outside with a big box between them and a local news reporter being filmed.

The boys asked what why the Marines were there, so I explained the Toys For Tots program to them. I asked Moose if he wanted to get a small toy for some child. At first he said "no", but I told him that there were other kids out there whose only Christmas present was going to be from another person who got a toy and put in the Toys For Tots box.

I reminded Moose and Snake how good they have it. We may be in an apartment and not a house, but they have a roof over their heads. They may have come in from running around hungry or wandered into the kitchen saying they were "starving", but there has always been food for them to eat. They may have been chilly; they've always had a warm jacket to put on and decent shoes on their feet. And they have more toys than they can play with.

Moose picked out a Lightning McQueen Hot Wheels type car. He said that it would be a good toy for another little boy.

Snake and I went back to the toy store later that week. He wanted to get the Nerf gun Smith wrote about here. I reminded him he had to pick something out for the Toys For Tots box, and he just said, "I know, Mom".

He'd already told me about the Lego kit he wanted to get. It came with a person and a car. Not big, but acceptable. Snake rambled into the store and got his coveted Nerf gun. Then he wandered over to the Lego section. I showed him something along the lines of what we'd talked about.

Snake looked at me and said he didn't want to get "that". I opened up my mouth to remind him what he'd agreed on, and he stopped me right in mid-breath.

He reached for a kit that had a person, a boat, and a car. This kit cost $5.00 more than the first kit he wanted to get. Snake said, "I'm bigger, and I have more money. I can get something bigger for a bigger kid, like me". I was blown away.

I am so proud of how willing the boys were to get a toy for someone they will probably never meet or know what the child thought of the toy. We talked about it and the boys are going to do this every year from now on.

Things are financially tight for everyone, us included. But, all things included, we have it pretty good. If I can teach what generosity means and how to be generous when times are lean, what will the boys do when they have more?

....But It's November

Two nights ago we had the sliding glass door open around 8pm. And what should drift in though it? No, not dope smoke, we haven't had that happen since this episode.

No, we had the chirping of crickets coming in!!!!! It's November. I'm ready for the cold and rain, cooking soups and stews and baking things. It's not supposed to be 80F degrees!!!!

And Then The Alarm Went Off

This morning I woke up Snake and Moose for school, and they decided to lie in bed for another 10 minutes. When I next went in and turned on the light, and opened the blinds. Snake said he was waiting for Moose to get up and use the bathroom before he got into the shower. My response?

"WOOP WOOP! Do you hear that? That's my BS alarm going off. Now get up!!"

Yup, it was a regular morning around the Smith home.

So You Think You Know Me?

Contrary to what people might think of me from what's been posted on hubby's blog I'm not a "Liberal". Nor am I "elitist", just educated.

Do I believe we need to help out people whose lives were wrecked and want/need help to get out of a jam? Hell, yes. I've been there, with a three month old and a husband I just kicked out the door for heroin addiction and being unwilling to kick it and stop selling my belongings off to feed his addiction. (Thank goodness I was nursing and didn't have to buy formula!)

Do I think that going to college makes me or anyone else "Elite"? Hell, no. I think it shows interest in a bigger picture. Do I believe what the US television news tells me? Nope, I read newspapers. I also get info from the internet, and the BBC news. Yes, I do. (And if someone special is reading, too effin' bad.) They don't have the same view of events that happen here, and it's interesting to get a different perspective on issues.

You think that because I'm a member of the,(let's spell this correctly, kiddies), DemocratIC party, I'm against gun ownership or the second Amendment to our Constitution? Guess what? I sold guns until the county put me out of business. I'd love to see the laws that are already in place enforced instead of knee-jerk, let's-do-something-now laws passed.

Or maybe I think immigrants should be able to walk across our borders and get free medical care and schooling? Nope. (Sorry, Mom, you should stop reading now.) The woman who broke her legs falling on our side of the wall and got the copter ride to the hospital? Scoop her up and dump her back on the other side. "No licencia, no problema" car dealership? Strip their business license and put them under an audit that will make their unborn grandchildren sweat.

Then again...there is another side. Taking jobs away from Americans? Oh, ya, I see people lined up to pick veggies here in California all day long. Yup, they're being passed over for immigrants for sure. And policies like NAFTA, that looked good on paper and were put in place that drove corn prices down to the point that Mexican farmers can't feed their families, so they struggle to come here. Let's just kick them back to where they came from and let them starve, while our farmers struggle to get crops in to feed us. You betcha, sounds great doesn't it.

There's no simple solution. But I'm tired of simplistic ideas. And people who can't see things from another point of view.

You think you know me now?

What Did You Call Me?

My goddamn rock solid ghetto shiznit name is Ass Machine Lobos.
What's yours?
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.......?

Yes, We Can

And despite nasty, underhanded trickery, we did!

Quit Yelling At Me

Is anyone else as tired of Billy Mayes yelling at them as I am? Shut up already, you greasy f*ck.
Grrrrrr.

Not a happy morning.