Doppy Docks and Flip Flops

"Doppy docks" is a phrase that I can only assume one of my sweet little old neighbors made up... because it is the first thing I have Googled and NOT found. But that is what she calls it when you don't have any shoes on. Fiona doesn't wear shoes, so my neighbor always grabs her feet and says, "your going doppy docks with mommy."

I don't often roll doppy docks, yet I do love a good flip flop and wear them in many circumstances. Today marked the death of my favorite pair of flip flops the strap completely busted in two. I seriously have had them for almost 10 years. They were cheap-O Old Navy ones but for some reason they had been worn to my exact foot shape and had a soft brown strap that never irritated the space between my toes and I loved them.

It has been a sad week for my wardrobe.

The crotch of two pairs of black workout pants completely wore out. It was destined to happen because when I run my thighs rub together and almost literally burn a hole in my pants. ( sorry for the use of the word crotch... I am not a fan of saying it but it is the best way to describe that area of a pair of pants. If someone knows an alternate word I would love to know it)

And I spilled bleach all over a long sleeved T-shirt and it has discolored splotches all over.

I also realized this week that going to school part time, working part time, being married to a man who is in school full time, works part time, on top of having a six month old... is a lot more difficult than I imagined it would be.

Fiona helps me to not feel so overwhelmed however... which seems crazy because she needs the most from me each day. Yet no matter how stressed out I am there is just something about her sweet little toothless grin that makes everything seem like not such a big deal. And so when I feel like pulling my hair out because I have a mountain of homework and Chuck is not home and Fiona wants to play... I just let her pull my hair out for me.

Hows that for stress relief?

Somehow today she managed to pull my pony tail to the complete top of my head

Look-ee See

I constantly take little clips of Fiona but don't always post them. Here are two from a few weeks ago I thought I'd share.

( I do have take 1 - 4 but they were all unsuccessful attempts)

Lesson Learned

If you should ever find yourself walking to Ace Hardware to pick up some Windex and you see a man with a camera and one with a microphone you might want to think twice about saying hello. But I just can't help but be friendly to people... CURSE my niceness, this is also the reason I get roped into a lot of mall surveys and end up spending 20 minutes talking to the animal rights people (Hey I served and LDS mission, I have sympathy for people who have to talk to strangers)

So Mr. Microphone asked if I wanted to talk to him about the Economy for Kare 11 news. I was like, "Um, yea I don't really think I have a lot to talk about on the subject." But he said, "Oh we are just looking for regular people." I thought... hey I'm regular.

So turns out there was a report today that is saying the recession is over and ended quite awhile ago.... You don't have to be any sort of economic genius to smell that load of crap....

But seriously after I answered this guys questions I was like there is no way they are going to put me on the news... I bet other people had much more exciting things to say. But right around 5:00 pm I started hearing from people that they saw me on TV. LOL and now I am in a video on the front page of the website. So for your viewing pleasure here is Tacy Call with the scoop on the economy.

Ps... after I talked to this guy I was like, I said I know lots of people who are unemployed... but who do I actually know. Chuck tackled me after he watched it calling me a liar and saying he wanted names. LOL... So I don't know lots of people who are unemployed. But I did talk to two guys on the phone the other day for work who said they were looking for jobs and Chuck knows three people at church, so I am not a total liar.

On the Defensive

I don't know if anyone remembers the incident we had with a certain pot-smoker in our apartment that Chuck gave the business to. Well he moved out and in the process accused Chuck and I of being dishonest and untrustworthy to our employer....

I confronted him about it and he replied, "I have to advocate for my best interests and I didn't feel that you had my best interests in mind."

Which is an interesting comment that has me a little miffed. Perhaps it was the smoke that has clouded his judgement... I thought I did have his interests in mind. I mean, I cleaned up after his messes in the hallways, put a smiley face on his move out report, didn't call the police and evict him when he was doing illegal drugs in his apartment, and I tried to save him over $300.00... I also open the door for him and always smiled and said hello.

How did he get the impression that we were sneaky snakes? And why do I care what this kid thinks about us? (Chuck most certainly does not care... whatsoever)

Our employer said the comment was "in one ear and out the other." As he complimented Chuck and I on our integrity. And he also noted, "It seems we have an angry little pot smoker on our hands."

So it boils down to this, Dude tried to defame our character to our employer because we would not let him spark doobies in the apartment.

In another sense though I felt like I could relate to him... I mean I live a lot of my life on the defensive. I have dealt with a lot of businesses and organizations that have not been looking out for my best interests. I wonder how many hours of my life I have spent on the telephone trying to fix bills, bank statements, loans, stuff for school (the U of M is currently on my list of organizations that drive me bonkers that is another post entirely). How many times have you been swindled, bamboozled are just plain lied to... had someone try to sell you something you told them you don't need? Had to call a company and wait on line for ever to try and get it fixed only to be treated rudely? Been sent on a wild goose chase where people tell you "your problem" should be handled by someone else... only to get there and be passed along.

Not only that I can't go running at night, I have to always lock my doors and guard my purse in public settings (especially the grocery store where the check out ladies tell me... Don't Leave your purse in the cart!)

Kind of sad... Oh what a world... what a world we live in. I don't want to be on the defensive all the time...

But do I have a choice?