Poem for my Baby Boy

I'm not a professional, but I wrote this for my new puppy...

I cannot see my mommy, nor my toys askew,

I cannot see my sisters, or this wonderful view.

I cannot see my friend Ada, nor can I see light,

I cannot see no matter how hard I try, even with all my might.

But I can sense my loving home, and I can sense it’ll last,

I can sense these people need me, unlike my dark, dark past.

They know my eyes might not ever see, but never will we part,

For I may not recognize their face, but I see them with my heart.

My Baby Boy <3

UPDATE: Since this, my baby boy (now Conan officially, but unofficially called: Boner and Bones), saw an eye doctor specialist, was determined to have corneal ulcers that were healing and predicted to have some eyesight, but maybe not 100%. A few months later he had a little scar in one eye that is still there to this day but I'm pretty sure his vision is next to perfect. Which matches the rest of him: next to perfect, perhaps even the definition of perfect in my book...which is the only book that matters to us.

The-One-Left-Behind's Deployment Survival Guide

Well, sadly, my husband is deployed. While my husband is deployed it makes me apprechiate all the things he does when he is home. It gets me thinking about the things I have that would make deployments EVEN HARDER if I didn't have them. So, I have complied a list and have called it....

The-One-Left-Behind's Deployment Survival Guide

My blue plastic $1 back scratcher from the Columbus Farmer's Market.  So, it doesn't have to be blue...or plastic, but investing in a back scratcher is top priority in my book. With husband (or wife in some cases) being gone, I refuse to scratch up against the corner of a wall or grab random inanimate objects to scratch my back with...not to mention the disgusted stares I get when I place that object back where I found it, like nothing weird just happened.

My amazing assemblage of animals. If it weren't for the amazing support of the dogs (Eva-5, beagle and Jersey-2, Beagle/Boston mix), and the rats (Bianca and Smootch), I would probably be crying every night. To add to my obsession with animals, I am fostering four additional male rats (Schmitty, Asiago, Hoodrat, and Hector--also pronounced HECTAAAA) and an orphaned male kitten (Mac AKA Macaroni or Meatball). Not only do my animals keep me distracted, but they keep love in my heart and time off my hands! They are a lot of work and my days go by fast :-)

My roommates, aka my best friends. Ok, so drinking away my sorrows is only pathetic if I'm doing it alone...right? Regardless, having my roommates around gives me a reason to put a bra and pants on in the morning, which is always a good thing--especially since we have lots of windows in the house. 

My Job. I know, I know, who wants to work?! But my job is a necessary aspect of being alone on deployments. Working gives me a sense of being needed and takes up a lot of my time that would have otherwise been spent crossing off days on a multitude of calendars. 

So lets review:

Back scratcher + pets (roommates/job) = a fast deployment

Some other things you may want to keep handy are:

1. A clean bathtub and bath salts. Not really my cup of tea, but I hear some people like it.
2. A new cookbook, preferably not one that's labeled "Cooking for One"...too depressing.
3. A gym membership or work out routine. Endorphins are nature's drug.
4. Facebook/AIM/Skype. Plus a computer on your deployed member's end.
5. Books! Reading passes the time and is enjoyable.
6. A bottle of Rum. Hey, we are entitled to at least one day of surrendering to the bottle.

Any other suggestions or comments would fun! What do you NEED to have when your special someone is deployed?

Raw Juicing

So, I've been juicing. 


No, I'm not trying to win any sort of world's most muscular woman contest, thus pumping myself up with steroids. Nor, am I divulging myself in any of Lil Wayne's "juice" cocktails.


I'm talking about my diet the last week. Everyday I have a superfood juice mix (either store bought--organic, of course--or from my new juicer). In addition I try to eat as much raw foods as possible--i.e: raw almond butter, raw nuts, salads with a little organic dressing, juices, etc.


Some products I have been using, and love are below.

I usually take those four products and mix it into a cocktail. Usually in the morning along with a bagel when I take my plethora of vitamins. Some things I LOVE on my bagel are:

I can't even begin to tell you how much I love that blackberry jelly. It is beyond amazing. And the ingredients in the almond better are as follows: organic raw almonds. Yep, that's it. Simplicity will blow your mind with the natural deliciousness of raw almonds. I think I'm going to make my own in my food processor next time to save some money (even though it's not that expensive). 

Speaking of money, organic raw eating isn't cheap. It's quite expensive. With that said, I want to add that I feel amazing! It's only been a week and the way I feel--I would have spent twice as much money. 

To make things interesting, do a search at your favorite bookstore on food healing. They're books about healing different ailments with food such as: cancer, diabetes, tumors, fertility problems, anxiety, depression, addiction, and the list goes on and on. I recommend anyone with issues such as those to consider trying to heal it with food--you have nothing to loose. 

On a side note, I have lost about 10 pounds and I have not been calorie counting. I've just been focusing on good, natural, pesticide-free, nutrient rich foods.

So I challenge everyone to partake in a diet such as mine and see how it goes. Only for a week. If you don't like it, no biggie. Just keep an open mind.

Insomnia...

I've been awake since 3am. My dogs decided they didn't like each other and started to fight...normally they love being sisters (see below).

Anyway, I can't sleep now and they are snoozing their little butts off---in MY bed. They are lucky I love them so much. 


Maybe I can't sleep after watching a show a few days ago called "Food Matters". It's a terrifying show that basically enlightens you to the fact that you are overrun with toxins that are encased in a mucous membrane in fat cells. This is in order for the body to not start an inflammatory reaction on those toxins, so it encases it, forever forgetting it's there...making you fat, lazy, and prone to cancers. It also shits on SOME long term modern medicines, saying they only treat problems, not fix them. Makes sense if you ask me. 


So, my reasonable reaction to this is to buy a $120 juicer and vow to eat more organic and less meats/dairy. I imagine you will see me on here complaining that I can't live without Chinese food a day longer because it doesn't work in the juicer--sigh. 

I suppose trying to fix my diet is long overdue since I am a self proclaimed 50/60 pounds overweight---or shall I say obese. My husband would tell you otherwise, but I know better.


I stopped smoking November 2010, which was my step 1 of 3 to enjoy a better lifestyle and not feel trapped in my natural Michelin Man suit anymore. Step 2 of 3 surfaced as running. I love running. My ankles do not. We will return to this at a later date, most likely. Step 3 of 3 was to change my diet, which never showed it's face into my plan. Better late then never they say---don't they?

Happy Fireworks Day?

Happy 4th of July!

While everyone is giddy from sweets shaped like little American Flags and unbuttoning their pants from one too many hot dogs, we should all stop and think about our Independence. Its not something permanent, you know. There are men and woman protecting it as we speak (well, read). Put down your blow torch and sparklers and wipe the "three day weekend" smile off your face for goodness sake! I'm kidding. Enjoy your day. I would like to thank my handsome husband for his service today, wherever you may be (probably thousands of feet in the air). I think about you all the time--I miss you.

It's a rat thing...

When I say the word "rat", what do you think? I'm hoping your not still cringing and decide to read on...


Some interesting facts:

• Rats are the second smartest of all rodents. The squirrel is the first.
• Rats are more then capable of learning their names, learning tricks, showing love and affection and playing.
• The only difference between dumbo rats and fancy rats is ear placement.
• Rats rarely bite, and usually when they do bite its the handler's fault (ex. scaring them, threatening them in some way---mothers, cornering, not properly socializing, etc).
• Rats make perfect pets for children, even better then the ever popular hamster (hamsters, FYI...BITE and are frankly quite unintelligent, but very cute).
• Rats are very social and should never be kept as singles. Couples, Trios, etc. make for a healthier longer living rat.
• Most people are extremely surprised at the bond they have with their rats (new rat owners)

I currently have two rats, and four foster rats. 

Above is Bianca AKA Bianca Beatrice. She is an albino Fancy Rat. Her loves are bananas, yogurt (especially Chobani Greek yogurt) , worms, and riding on shoulders. Her dislikes are running on the wheel, green peppers, and going to get the mail with her mom (she peed on me once out of fright and we have never ventured out to get the mail together again). She used to be a bully to her little sister, but now they groom each other and get along great.

**Please excuse my double chin!**

 Above is Smootch. She is a Dumbo Hooded Rat. I got her about 3 weeks after Bianca (Don't worry, before that Bianca was out of her cage for hours at a time). She got her name because she is a big kisser (yes, I said kisser). Rats often give kisses to their owners to show affection. If your really lucky, they may nibble and lick you. This is how they groom and being groomed by a rat is the ultimate--the holy grail--of being loved by them. Smootch's loves are running on the wheel, tomatoes, bananas, worms and playing tug-o-war. Her only dislike I can think of at the moment is sitting still. She is pretty easy to please.

Those girls are what I call my permanents. They aren't going anywhere. I will discuss my four fosters (brothers) at a later time.

Rat Question of the day:

Q: Why should you never feed your rat carbonated beverages?

A: Rats lack the ability to vomit, and therefore burp. Giving your rat carbonated beverages will likely be their last thing they consume....

Yada-Yada

I'm new to blogging.

I'm assuming this may become a place of random thoughts, the occasional vent-sesh, and a lot about my life.

Not sure what the point of blogging is yet, maybe a glorified place for a facebook-like status update, a narcissistic way to talk about your life thinking others give a shit?

Who knows.

Anyway, I hope to find out since blogging seems worldly popular.

I want to get in on the blogging fun I suppose---A way to pass the time while hubby is on another "vacation" to the beautiful land of sand. I'm probably not going to be very good at this, and will be pretty boring I'm assuming.

But what the hell, I'll give it a go.

My Life