So my birthday is starting . . . .

My birthday month actually. October that is. My birthday is on October 23; but I decided to start early. October is just around the corner, aka tomorrow, so I'm going to start celebrating! And I'll be spending a week at Disney, celebrating my birthday. Happy Birthday to me!

Oh, and don't forget to say "rabbit, rabbit" as the first thing you say when you wake up. It brings you good luck if you do it on the first of the month.

RABBIT, RABBIT

Once again, the Catholic Church protects its own.

Well, it's that time of year again when the Catholic "management" decides to provide paid retirement to its employees. Yes, the Chicago diocese ousted 11 priests yesterday, but provided an amazing severance package - they cannot say mass; but they get all of their benefits, including pay, retirement, etc.

You know, as much as I love my job, if my boss today said "Bean (well, he wouldn't say Bean, he would say my name b/c I am a professional; but you get my drift), you can stop working today, but I would still pay you and provide you with your benefits", guess what I would be doing? Saying "see ya, wouldn't want to be ya!", jump in my car and drive away as fast as I could before he changed his mind.

That is what the church is doing.

So congrats to the 11 priests for their early retirement. And Chicago Diocese - thanks for thinking of the victims like you always do. That was sarcasm in case you didn't realize.

Fall is Here!

My favorite time of year is the fall. I want to do all of the fall festivals, drink cider and eat apple pies and attend each and every halloween event I can. This past weekend, Mr. Bean and I attended the Eagle Mills Fall Festival - it is such a beautiful place and had great food - I love festival food. This weekend, my friend Sonja will be in town and we hope to attend the Altamont Fall Festival and go to MM Haunted Hayride in Ballston Spa - Mr. Bean and I have been at least 5 or 6 times - it's great fun!

Gotta Love the Fall!

I don't want to be scared anymore.

So, on Saturday, I had to have a procedure done. It was supposed to be an in-and-out procedure, taking 3 minutes tops. Well, as my doctor said, I was the one in a thousand where this wasn't the case and it not only took 45 minutes, it was the most painful and scary 45 minutes of my life. I thank god that Mr. Bean was there because I don't think I would have made it without him; but I feel bad that he must have horrible images in his head from it.

So me, who never worries about anything, is now not only worried; but downright scared. And I don't like feeling that way because it is not my personality. I'm trying to get over it, but I have the added problem at being mad at myself for feeling scared and worried so I just don't say much. And I know it's bothering Mr. Bean because he is not used to seeing me this way.

So, hopefully my feelings of this fear and worry will pass.

Potty Mouth

What a dork. You're the President - JUST GO!

Bush You Suck!!!!!

Well, I watched the season premiere of the sitcom "Bush Pretends" last night at 9 p.m. Just a few questions:

1. How many tax dollars did it cost to (a) clean up that area of New Orleans; (b) light up the church; (c) have security for Bush; and (d) make sure no one "unworthy" was there just to have this stupid press conference. Yes, I know the "White House" took care of everything - that means tax dollars, not just free money in the sky.

2. Why would you be giving out information to the poor homeless out there for internet sites and telephone numbers for them to call for help. First, more than likely, because they are homeless, they don't have a television to be watching you give out this information. Second, as they don't have a television, they more than likely don't have a computer to gain access to the internet to use the web addresses you gave.

3. Are you so rich that you don't realize what $5,000 will buy in this day and age? Yes, it's nice to give that money, but then to tell them to use it for education, day care and starting businesses? That money will be gone in two seconds. $5,000 will buy either a couple of months of daycare OR a couple of months of education but that's about it.

4. If you're going to give out $5,000, don't you think they would be more interested in buying food, clothes or dealing with housing? Education is not on the top of their list these days.

But Planning is Half the Fun!

So in the ten years we've been together, Mr. Bean and I have a continuing disagreement. You see, although we are both HUGE fans of vacations and traveling and do it as often as we can, we are on opposite ends of the spectrum as to how to get ready for the trip.

For me, I'm the planner of all planners, I start planning the next vacation as soon as I step in my home from the last one. I ALWAYS have to have a vacation to plan or I'm one unhappy Bean. This includes finding the best deal on lodging, transportation, etc. and planning out all days. For example, I have a trip in EXACTLY 30 days and I already have a schedule of what we're doing each day and made reservations at each of the restaurants where we're eating dinner. This schedule, along with ALL of the reservation numbers for hotels, dinner reservations and the tours we're taking have all been typed out on my schedule. This schedule has basically been prepared since March at the latest. Sometimes I add things, but I have it good to go. I have also travelled to Europe where I have notebooks of all of our information as well as detailed schedules, including directions, of the walking tours I make myself. Mr. Bean always laughs at me for doing this but we always have an amazing time and he admits my planning makes the trip easy and the way to see everything.

Mr. Bean on the other hand, prepares by stating "It's too early to think about the trip" until we have about two hours before we're going to the airport and then he asks, "Oh, do I have to pack". This is also the same man that likes to punish me by stating almost every second as soon as we're at our vacation destination by stating "Our vacation is almost over."

Now, especially this year, I need this vacation. I haven't really had a day off for pleasure since January. We usually go to the Adirondacks each summer for our relaxing trip (which I do not plan at all) but it was cancelled. So I REALLY organized and prepared for this trip. I CAN'T WAIT!

And as soon as we get back, I'll be planning our trip to France in the Spring - Paris, Loire Valley and Mont St. Michel, here we come!

I'll Write a Post When I'm Ready!

Mr. Bean tries to get me to write a post everyday. God forbid if I miss one. Well, sometimes, my genius doesn't come through and I have to wait until I think of something amazing. Today is NOT one of those days. So, I'll write when I want to write - so there!

We're Comin' Jefferson, We're Comin'!

So I'm in a happy/sad mood right now. Very happy and excited because we are going to see my sweet baby Jefferson this weekend. I'll see her for the first time in a couple of months in about 8 hours. I can't wait to hug and kiss her, have her lay on me and play with her lil' ears which feel like velvet.

I'm sad though because I'm already thinking of Sunday, when we'll have to leave her. Yuk.

"This one goes out to the Ones I love . . . "

Well, just got back from a weekend at home - met the new nephew and saw my sweetheart niece. It was a fun time and makes me realize how much I miss my hometown and really wished I lived there. But it also made me realize that although I sometimes slip and call it "home" - it really isn't. My home is with my hubby Mr. Bean and my furbabies, and I was really glad to get back to my home. My home with my immediate family is comfortable. Not that my home with my parents isn't, it's just not my home any longer. And that's a good thing - especially since my niece has taken over my old bedroom! :)

On another note, I want to say a word about my hubby, Mr. Bean's fish, Burgoyne. Unfortunately, after a long hard struggle these past couple of days, she passed away this morning. It truly broke my heart; and although she had only been with us for 6 weeks, she seemed like family. Burgoyne was a compromise between my hubby and I because he wanted a huge aquarium and I wanted no fish at all. In fact, my name for Burgoyne was "DAF", short for "Dumb ass fish". I did love the little son of a gun and I will miss her. Here's to you Burgoyne - I hope there is a goldfish pond in heaven just waiting for you.

"War of the Worlds" Comes to Life

Well, this past weekend, I went to see "War of the Worlds" with Mr. Bean. And, yes, you have to suspend belief to watch it, but I enjoyed it very much. But what freaked me out the most, was not the scenes of the aliens, even when they were sucking blood out of humans and spewing it all over the place. What scared the heck out of me was the scene where Tom Cruise and his family were driving in the SUV to the ferry with the mob of people. It freaked me out because I would hope and pray people wouldn't be like that to each other and would try to help each other in times of diversity. I told Mr. Bean, to see people act so horribly to each other really scared me the most.

Now, flash forward three - four days and look what we have. "War of the Worlds" coming to life. People fighting people for cars, people stealing UPS trucks to be able to drive away from the danger. People shooting at those who are trying to help and rescue them. Someone shooting his sister for a bag of ice. People holed up with no signs of help. Hospitals not getting any help and trying to help patients with no electricity, food or water.

Why aren't people trying to help each other? We're supposed to be a smart country - but people aren't acting very smart. And they are acting down right scary. I want to see those things in a movie. Not real life.

My thoughts and prayers to those down south that are truly having problems. Good luck to you. But please try to treat each other with kindness and civility - it's the only way you're going to survive.