Holiday Weekend

Just a random tid bit here.
I was watching this morning Bret Michaels talking to Regis about their medications.
Bret says I'm taking, yada yada and yada and Regis what are you taking?
Somehow that was comforting to me that Bret Michaels is old too.
Yea we all know he's bald under that bandana but you can be bald at 25.
Anyhoo....

We are going to the lake for a very long holiday weekend.
We are leaving Wednesday night and I will work from there.
We have company arriving on Friday.(4)
You know how much I love company at the lake after last year don't you?

Amanda is Rick's daughter.  She lives in Ohio.
She will be arriving with her boyfriend on Friday.
We don't usually get to meet her boyfriends and from what we hear most aren't worth meeting.
But she wants us to meet this one and that made us think, "This may be THE ONE"
Should be interesting.
She will also be celebrating her 30th birthday over the weekend so there will be some fun with that I am sure.  Yes, Rick was a mere baby when he had her.
(seriously)

We will be doing a lot of this tanning and working real hard as is being done below.

And this - look at these  fools tethered together no less.  

Apparently without a GPS these 2 would get lost.

I will not be doing ANY of this below- Oh No not me.

I don't take no stinkin' rum naps.

And most definitely none of this, your drink spills too easily

Enjoy your holiday weekend everybody.

I'm taking a break.

Mustaches and Beards are not funny.

Here is something I have to say about this menopause shit.
And yes that is how it should be phrased, Menopause Shit.
Capital letters and all.

Shortly after 40 I no longer had arms long enough to read.
While reading a recipe I realized if the book was across the room I could tell the difference between 6 eggs or 8.

As I was reading the newspaper I cursed the Washington Post for using much smaller font these days. I couldn’t understand if this was a cost saving measure to save the newspaper or was Rick correct and I needed to think about seeing an eye doctor?

I had to get the dreaded “reading glasses” a.k.a bifocals. 

Then on a work related trip I was using that magnifying mirror in the hotel to put on my make up and noticed things I wasn’t seeing before.
Oh dear Lord this was not pretty.
Why wasn’t anyone saying anything to me? Did my husband ever even look at me?

Upon my return from said trip I bought one of those magnifying mirrors.
10x - I wasn't going to be missing a damn thing.

I could now see to put on makeup and not end up looking like a tranny.
I could see those eyebrows to pluck in between waxing visits.
But then menopause began to rear it’s ugly head a bit more.
I began noticing hair. Oh no not on my head. No a hair on my chinny chin chin.

As I was moisturizing one evening, I looked in that magnifying mirror to look at my eyes as I put on my eye cream. I gasped, apparently loudly, because Rick asked if I was okay.
No, I am not okay!
I see a very dark long hair dangling there beneath my chin towards my throat.
C’mon where the hell did this come from? A stealth hair!
Did it just come out of that follicle full grown and long?
I know for sure I didn't see it yesterday.
It wasn’t there this morning when I put on my makeup, how could I have missed this baby?
It seems impossible.  

I was now reliving my day. Who did I come in contact with?
Did the butcher see that hair?
Was the check out girl at the drugstore laughing hysterically as I left her counter?
Were small children pointing at me and asking Mommy why that lady has a hair on her chin? And for the love of all things why the hell didn’t Rick see this thing?
It was so long I could put hair beads on it.
They could see this from the damn shuttle orbiting the earth.

I plucked that thing so fast and began the daily ritual of looking in that mirror very carefully for unwanted stray hairs. This is now what the menopausal shit phase has come to.
I do not understand how it wasn’t there on Tuesday night when I went to bed and moisturized and did my check. But this morning it was LONG and there.
So how does that happen?  Not there – There and Long.

And if that all isn’t bad enough the sneaky little shit is a mover.
Never in the same place, oh no that would make it all too easy for the bifocaled miserable old crone to find it and remove it promptly. Chin, neck, the dreaded above the lip area.

In my Italian family we have a joke which I have heard over the years from others and I would laugh and laugh…thinking of course of a Grandma or an Aunt.
To me it was very funny but what did I know I was young and living in a glorious world of no unwanted hair.
“Why do Italian men grow mustaches?
"To look like their mothers!”

Now that joke is no longer funny to me.

Hallelujah....

Indulge me please....one of my favorite songs.
Go to around 1:05 to get to him singing

Leonard Cohen should be proud...Lee did a very good version.

Monday Morning Rain

It's gray and rainy. 
I love rain and gray rainy days. 
Oh, not 9 months of constant gray and/or rain like when I lived in Seattle.
That is way too much gray for me.
Funny though it didn't bug me until my 2nd year there.
Then it was like - Enough all ready!

Perfect is like this week - 2 to 3 days of rain and then gone for a few more weeks.
Nothing better than a rainy Monday.
If I were not working it would be a great day to curl up with a book.

Athough walking Izzy today while she was just sniffing the world S-L-O-W-L-Y was a bit much, even with the umbrella. 

It rained most of the weekend as well.

So a lot of the outside work at the lake didn't happen.

But enough did to make it another advil and asthma spray weekend.

When we weren't working outside we did this in the evening. Notice the black spot on the lower left side of the puzzle in the orangy area.  That piece got dropped on the floor under the table where the dog was snoozing.  But apparently she woke up to find this puzzle piece near her and began to chew it. So it no longer fits and the end piece is missing or I should say it's in her tummy.

This was a fun puzzle. 

Addicting as all puzzles are for me.  

Not like the one Rick brought home that was all blue that drove me to drink. 

Yea, that was my excuse. 

Had a few gin martini's while working on this one on Saturday night until The Hangover came on HBO.  We both liked the movie a lot more than we thought we would. 

I thought Zach Galifianakis character Alan was a hoot. Did you like it?

Happy Monday Everyone.

I'll leave you with this.....

Blogger Friends

My husband calls this my “blog world”

I speak about my blogger friends as though I was having lunch with them he says.
Well I kind of do.
On my lunch break I am reading blogs so you can assume I am having lunch with my blogger friends then right?

He has asked me about this one or that.
What are they like, where do they live, what do they write about.
I show him the stages of someone new home or kitchen renovation.
I show him pictures of adorable kids.
I have told him sad stories and happy stories.
I have shared with him some funnies and thought provoking posts.

He was being very curious George this past week.
Then he asked me a good question after I described someone.
He asked, “Margaret if you just met this person say at work or a party do you think you would be friends?”
My knee jerk reaction was "Of course they would be my friends, why wouldn’t they?"

But I admit that really got my wheels turning all this week.He just said to me, "Think about it."
And that is all I’ve done is think about it.

But you know as the days went on I kept thinking about it and I had to admit that I may not be friends with some of the wonderful people that I really connect with via their blogs.
And that would be my loss.  My Big Loss.

We tend to judge people by how they look. We tend to see how they are dressed and immediately judge them. (I say We here but I am talking about me too at times)
You may think she is so different from me and you may not approach them yet in the blogger world you see the real them not their clothes, their homes, their career.
In the blogger world it may not matter that they are Birckenstock people and you prefer Christian Louboutin. Hey someone could actually enjoy wearing socks with sandals and others find that a crime that should be punished!

Because in the blogger world you really get an essence of who people are without the outside making you prejudge.
I mean haven’t you read someone for awhile, maybe when you read me, and you’ve enjoyed them and then it takes an ugly turn for you and it begins to be things you are just so not comfortable with? So you slowly move away from their blog. Doesn’t mean anything bad, it just means it’s not for you. But isn’t it better that we realize that the person isn’t our cup of tea instead of an assumption by what they look like, wear or their social status?

I have always tried to not do all I have just mentioned but I admit I do fail at it at times.
I remember when I first met my husband who I thought he was by how he looked and who he really is so vastly different. (thank goodness)

There are some blogger friends I would love to meet and just give a big ole hug to.
There are some I would just love to sit and chat with because I find them so interesting.
There are some I wish to do both.
Then there are some blogger friends that are 180 degrees from my views but I really really like them and I admit that I may have walked away if it hadn’t been “my blog world”
How sad for me. And that has been really bothering me.

So I guess I am growing from this and I am thankful.
Can I tell you how much I hate it when my husband does this to me?  No one likes to admit anything ugly about themselves.
But I am glad he did. Just another damn thing I have to work on here in life.

Have you ever thought about it? 
Would you be friends with your blogger friends if you met them and never read them first?

So thanks for stopping by and reading me.
Thanks for all the times you comment and come into my world.

Now enough serious shit I'm off to the lake house to drink gin martini's and relax.

Medical Update….not that you asked and other assorted topics.

Well they finally think they know what the hell is going on with me. Finally.
It’s only taken a dozen doctors and 15 years of my life while getting more and more sick.
And it is way too long , involved and boring to get into here. I won’t do that to you all.

Even knowing that this next 12 months or so will be difficult, painful and trying I am excited. Dying is not a great thought and truth be told when my organs were failing it was pretty damn scary. Honestly coming close to leaving this earth was/is scary but I admit that I am shallow and the parts that bothered me most were the vanity issues. The weight gain primarily, the hair and skin changes secondary….hence the short hair.

Yesterday my wonderful doctor told me that once this is “reversed or fixed” I should be back to my “old” self.  I'm hoping it can be reversed, we will see I suppose.
That means a lot of things but it most importantly means that I will have my original body back….I pray for that. 
And just so ya’ll know….I will then be walking around naked all the time!
Since I have had to carry around this extra weight that I had no control or hand in gaining I plan to be naked 24/7 winter, spring, summer and fall.
Thankfully my husband’s eyesight over the last 15 years has also deteriorated so that will definitely come in handy don’tcha think?

So enough of all that medical crap – old people talking about their aches and pains…nothing worse!

Going to the lake tonight. Another weekend of work, work, work.
That should be it for this year except small things.
Money slowed down all the work and updates this year and there is a part of me that is rather glad. That means we can go and just enjoy.
Sit on floating chairs and sip a cool beverage.
Here’s my step mom doing just that when she visited last year.

She was scared getting into the chair and we all had some good chuckles as she tried desperately to get in and not get wet.  She's a bit scared of water you see.
Her son in law Rick and her grandson Jordan both were holding her and the chair to keep it from floating away from the stairs.  She slipped and turned and someone touched her butt by accident which made her yell, “OH MY GOD” so loudly and my husband said, “Hey it's traumatizing me too you know!”
And then everyone burst into laughter and she got her butt in the chair.  Thankfully she could just float up to the stairs by the side of the floating dock and get herself out.

Here is her grandson and my adorbable nephew who is graduating in a few weeks.
He is looking deep in thought here.  Probably traumitized because it was really him that bumped Grandma's butt and his Uncle Rick covered for him. 

 I can't believe my little Jo-Jo is about to go off to college - in California no less.

Oh look at what a cutie he is below. I could just hug him to pieces! 

   

Terrible Tuesday

It's Tuesday and I am so not in the mood for work today....or anything for that matter.

I saw this e-card today and it made me laugh. 
I felt it represented me very well.
Sort of like when my husband first met me and wanted to go camping. 
I thought that was a hotel without room service, he meant a tent with no toilets near by.
I should have had this card at that time to send him.

Mondays Crazy Thoughts….

Do Monday’s ever become a day you look forward to?
When I am retired will I love Mondays?
If so I have something to look forward to that’s for sure.
Although the way things are going I may not ever get to retire.

I watched SNL this weekend for the first time in years.
I used to love it but it has sort of lost its luster for me.
I no longer think it’s all that smart and funny.
A skit here or there but overall it’s not all that great to me.
I checked it out because Betty White was hosting. Who doesn’t love Betty White?
For the most part I felt that they gave her the same thing to do over and over again – the old woman doing risqué lines. She is much better than just a one trick pony.
They didn’t do her justice, at least I didn’t think.
However I loved the NPR skit with her muffin. I thought this was a damn hoot!!
I loved the one just like it with Alec Baldwin and his Christmas “Schweaty” Balls

Speaking of Tammie’s boyfriend Alec Baldwin – Rick & I watched the movie It’s Complicated this weekend. We both loved it.
An adult movie. Nothing blew up. No one wore a cape or had talons for fingers.
No one was pasty pale and bites people. No one was blue.
Imagine that. Adults, real dialogue, and humor. Aah, the good ole days.
I thought Alec made this movie. He was a hoot. No one else could have pulled off that character so well.  His facial expressions were priceless.  Just a look he would give Meryl of the pain he was felling was terrific. Why doesn’t he make more movies?

Rick and I were talking over a bottle of wine about us getting old and how this relates to our lives now. How we have changed from the way we were when we first met.  Oh not the obvious things but the constant traveling and going out and running around that we both always were doing.
Then late last night we watched a new Sinbad comedy special and he talked about a lot of the same things that we had been talking about. Guess Sinbad is getting old too.

Rick really made me laugh with these 2 new theories of his.
The first one really is the truth! Damn if this isn’t exactly how it is as you age…..
“When I was young and I was going to a party I would worry if anyone would like me. Now I go to a party and wonder if I’ll like anyone.”

This one is mostly him and part of something he heard somewhere so it’s his spin on the whole thing. I love it…..
"In my 20’s I wanted to do everything, in my 30’s I wanted to do most things, in my 40’s I wanted to do some things and in my 50’s I don’t want to do a damn thing."

Sadly that is pretty much the truth some days.
Especially Mondays.

My Friday Thoughts

When my husband and I first moved here 10 years ago it got crazy right away.
I was not home much the 1st two years due to work. 
I worked from home or I was in NYC.
I was in NYC on September 10th 2001. 
I was standing on a street corner that afternoon about to cross the street when my cell phone rang. It was my doctors office.  I was having some issues. Okay a yeast infection that nothing over the counter could cure. 

The doctors office called to say they had a cancellation and that since I had asked to be notified if any opening arrived they were calling to tell me I could come in tomorrow Sept 11th at 8:30a. 
Did I want this appointment?
Yes I told them I'd take it. 

I was originally to stay overnight and had 2 appointments the next day with clients. 
Instead I now called Amtrak and changed my reservations.  As I sat in the back of the taxi taking me to my hotel I called my clients that I was to meet on 9/11 and told them I had to reschedule.  I then called Rick and told him I was coming home early. 
He was not traveling that particular week so he was thrilled I'd be home too.

The following morning was gorgeous and what we at our home call a Peggy Day. Blue skies, cool morning, lower humidity and just glorious. 
As I pulled into my parking spot the news interrupted the radio show I was listening to saying that a small commuter plane had crashed into the towers. (that's what they thought apparently at the time)
I immediately called Rick and said, That was not an accident.  The weather is perfect.
I was scared and he asked why.  I said I didn't know but something wasn't right. This was no accident I kept saying.
We talked for a few more seconds and I had to run into the doctors office. 
I walked in and signed in and asked, "did you just hear...." and before I could say anything they began talking about it.

There was a woman on her cell phone and a very large pregnant woman in the waiting room. The woman on the cell phone loudly screamed, "OH MY GOD THE PENTAGON HAS BEEN BOMBED." 
Which immediately had the pregnant woman scream that her husband and her brother work there.  It was utter chaos immediately. The doctor brought the wailing pregnant woman to the back. The woman on the cell phone screamed her phone went dead.  She and I were ushered into rooms and we sat there hearing all this stuff going on outside.  People running etc.  I grabbed my cell but it didn't work. I tried to leave but they wouldn't let any of us go.  I was now very scared.  I did get my exam which I recall none of and I could hear the pregnant woman crying in such a primitive way that it is forever embedded in me.  I will never ever forget that sound. 

I do not remember leaving there.  I remember seeing all the cars - the mass exodus out of DC to the burbs where the Pentagon and I were.  We were being directed on which road we could drive. I saw low flying helicopters and men in flak jackets and guns and I have never been more frightened in my life. I remember thinking this was a scene from a movie and not a comedy.  I was crying and I didn't know why.  My cell did not work.  Everything on the radio was confusing and each story was different.  It took me 2 hrs to get home. It is a 30 minute drive normally.  I wanted to speak to Rick so badly.  I just wanted to be home.

I walked into the house and he jumped up from the ottoman where he had been rocking back and forth while glued to the television. We hugged each other.  He told me he was not letting me go back to NYC. I told him I was never so thankful for a yeast infection which made us laugh. But seriously I was able to be home with Rick and not in lower Manhattan as I would have been. Now home, I, like the other few million of Americans I was now glued to the television.  Our land lines didn't work and our cells didn't work for a couple of days. 

The next few weeks here were horrible.  Neighbors who died or their family members were hurt or killed at the Pentagon or in NYC. 
We knew that we were blessed to not have any of our immediate family in this type of situation, but all around us were people dealing with this in their lives.

People that I was never allowed to know what they did for a living were no longer coming home and would never be at another block party with us. 
I remember saying to Rick that maybe living in the bullseye isn't so great, remember we had just moved here less than a year earlier. He laughed and said, "Is anywhere in America safe anymore?"  I didn't like that he was probably right.

And just as those tragic events calmed down we had an anthrax scare and we didn't get mail for awhile.  I didn't mind that so much because really my mail is mostly bills so I wasn't bummed.  But again another event that was pretty scary and I kept thinking, why did we move here?  Are our careers really that important?

Then just as our mail was back there was a sniper driving around killing people. 
Everyone was afraid to leave their home. 
People got killed while mowing their lawn, sitting on the bus stop bench and pumping their gas with a bullet to the head.  Doing everyday things and that was what made this more scary to me. The sniper didn't discriminate was shooting men, women, white, Asian, black and Hispanic. 
Every damn day people were being killed and we others were paralyzed inside our homes.
I remember Rick saying he had to get gas for his car because he had to go to the airport in a day or so.  I begged him not to go. 
Finally I said, "Okay but I'm going with you" 
He said, "Honestly what can you do if you are with me?" 
 "I'm going and if something happens I want to be with you." 
He shook his head but knew I wasn't staying home and he couldn't stop me.
 
We went to our gas station and he put the nozzle in the tank and then he jumped back in the front seat and we both laid down in the car. Honestly, I type this now and see how crazy that sounds but it was what everyone around here was experiencing. 
Then Rick had to get out to put the nozzle back into the gas station holder or whatever the hell that thing is called.  At that moment I sat up and he and I saw at the same time the man in front of us. 
He had pulled in and we watched him put on a motorcycle helmet before getting out of his truck. I guess he figured he wouldn't die if he wore his motorcycle helmet. Or it could stop a bullet. I don't know if it could but it struck me as a good idea and funny at the same time.
Once his helmet was on he got out, put the gas nozzle in the tank then jumped back into the cab of his truck and laid down. We looked at one another and chuckled and then realized that this was so ridiculous - this damn sniper has us all nuts and doing crazy things.

When the sniper was caught we all exhaled.  But I kept waiting for the next thing.  Thankfully there was none....well except another 4 yrs of W and the Iraqi war. 

Two For You on Thursday

Okay Kids I just couldn't wait until tomorrow for this. 
I can't get it out of my head.

Sadly I understand this more than Beyonce's version.
A tune for all of the ladies over 40.

Bread Anonymous

You know those food pyramids and food groups you learned about in school?
Well I have my own food groups….not quite the same but they have served me well.

• Tanqueray Gin
• Good Red Wine (oh who am I kidding I will drink cheap red wine too)
• Ice Cream
• Chocolate.
• Mediterranean Olives (you know w/ all the goodies with ‘em)

My Food Groups have shrunk considerably now that I have to eat Gluten free.
If I was on a desert island I could live there forever if I had Mediterranean olives, crusty Italian bread, wine and of course a piece of good chocolate daily.

Ah, how I miss bread. I miss it so much I could cry…and actually I have.
Please don’t tell me that I can have gluten free bread…..I know, I’ve had it.
Not quite the same and if I must have bread I can eat it but honestly it’s not a great thing.

I had a dinner last year with 2 sets of neighbors and they have asked to do this again.
I told them I’d think about it and I did for 5 minutes.
I really didn’t want to do it again to be honest.
It was a lot of work but mostly because I can’t eat any of it.
Then I spent a week trying to figure out how I’d say no to them.

It all started last year because they were outside on their patio one Sunday afternoon.
I had doors and windows open and they could smell my sauce on the stove.
They asked what I was cooking that smelled so great.
I told them I was simmering (spaghetti) sauce.
They said they had never had homemade sauce or pasta. (really? not even out?)
They asked if they could come to dinner sometime, they’d bring all the wines.
Yes they said plural, wines. C'mon ya gotta love that.

I said okay way too quickly and I must admit I should have thought about it more.
We set a date and I got crackin’ on the work that had to be done.
I then asked the neighbors on the other side of us to join us all as well.
We might as well make this a party. 6 is just as easy as 4.
I made a damn feast of different dishes and I couldn’t eat a friggin’ thing.

Because I made everything I took the easy way out for dessert.
So when the last invited neighbors asked to bring something I told them desert.
They bought tiramisu. Everyone said it was yummy. (not gluten free so I don’t know)

I did make some gluten free pasta for me on the side so I could at least have that.
But it wasn’t the buffet of lasagna or the gnocchi in a creamy sage butter sauce, and it wasn’t the stuff shells that I so love.

But all of that was easy to omit for me for some reason but NOT THE BREAD.
Oh my God the crusty Italian bread, for dipping it in the sauce on your plate, to dip into the olive oil with herbs and cheese, spreading sweet roasted garlic on the bread like butter, having a bread stick dipped into tapenade. OH MY GOD the bread.

I enjoyed the company, the wine and my insalata caprese (caprese salad w/tomatoes that Rick and I grew no less). I enjoyed watching everyone enjoy the meal, the oohs, the aahs and the moaning.
That was nice. But not as nice as being able to have the bread!

So for this year when they asked I suggested instead we all go to Ciro’s.
They do offer some things that I can eat so I will be fine there.
It is a really great Italian restaurant.
I suggested that everyone come over to our place for dessert and more wine or cappuccinos whatever. Knowing my neighbors it won’t be coffee it will be more wine or some cocktails.
Everyone was very nice about it.  Whew!
I can make the dessert and I can handle everyone eating that without me.
It’s just not easy to not have the bread.

I wish they had a 12 step program for this. Bread Anonymous.
Maybe I should start a chapter here in my city.
We can serve Gin Martini’s.

Cinco de Mayo

Today is Margarita Day!  Any excuse really will do. 

This is the day that my husband thanks Mexico for his girlfriend Salma.

 I am more inclined to thank Mexcio for this below -
 

Some Cinco de Mayo random tid bits and my request for your help.

• Doesn't it feel like Oprah is phoning it in anymore with her interviews? I watched her so called interview with Reille the skank who is sleeping with former presidential candidate John Edwards.  Oprah gave her a pass on this one.  And this "chirpy" had obviously been briefed on O's key words because she used them constantly to the point of nausea. "Authentic Self, Authentic Life, Living my Truth." to name a few.  Honestly it was making me sick. If you watched it did you find that Oprah gave her a pass on the truth and answering these questions?
•  I have been receiving all these emails to advertise on my blog and to give away things on my blog and to try things and tell you all.  I have asked them all to please stop sending me these messages but they don't stop.  I do not want all the litter/cluttered look on my blog.  But most of all I don't want to pretend I am writing a post and it's really an advertisement for you all to try their product.  I see those cluttered pages and I don't care for them and usually turn away.  I understand why one would want to do this but it is just not my thing.  So to the people who keep sending me emails - STOP IT!  They have now been added as spam/junk mail. If this has happened to you how did you get them to stop bothering you?
• I am afraid of cats.  I have mentioned this before here. They creep me out beyond belief.  I can't go to a persons home who has a cat.  I can't look at a photo of a cat.  I will run if one is anywhere within sight range.  I have twisted ankles to get away from them. If they are on the TV or in a movie I turn my head and hubby will tap me that "it's over" It is such a major inconvenience.  A lot of my friends have cats and unless I know it is behind double doors in a basement and has no way out then I may go into their home. But I am never comfortable nor am I calm while there.  I am always looking and I will always be by a door.  I need to know there is a quick retreat for me. Cats in our development must be on a leash just like a dog.  But this cranky bat behind me refuses. She was turned in by her neighbor and now they are at odds.  But here we are a year later and the cat is out and about terrorizing gardens, yards and me. I am torn do I turn her in?  Or is this just my issue?  I probably wouldn't turn her in if I wasn't so frightened of cats. But because I had to take Izzy and run like I was Forest Gump in the opposite direction yesterday I was pissed that this damn cat was sitting at the dog park. Hubby says we should because the rules are the rules.  I say he wouldn't give a shit if it didn't bother me so.  I couldn't sleep last night because I saw it.  I am telling you this just sucks. Yes, I've been to a hypnotist and that only made things worse for me.  If someone could knock this out of me and make me forget my fear as well I would be so thankful.  Any thoughts?  Any one ever get over a real fear?  Not a oh I don't like cats either - not even close to the fear I have.  I know it's ridiculous and it cripples so much of my life.  Any ideas?  I wish I had a normal fear like heights or snakes or something.
• But I sure do love dogs.....no fear here.

Hallelujah!....And A Suitcase Update

I had more than 2 hrs of sleep thanks to Dame Nuisance.  YIPEE
She gave me a suggestion for sleeping and it worked. 
Now my issue will be for it to work AGAIN. 
That is always an issue for me.  Something will work 1 time and then not work so well the 2nd time. But right now I am feeling quite rested and it's exhilarating.

Mr. Straight Up No Chaser actually put his suitcase where it belonged without me saying a single thing.  I did not have to hurt him.  But now he expects it to be on the news apparently for doing what he should have done anyway.
It went like this.....
He had put it away but I didn't notice it at first. When I came out of the shower I went to my dresser to retrieve some clothing and I noticed I did not have to step over it or move it. 
I was thrilled. I was not going to say anything.  Just ignore it. It didn't deserve anything but a thank you perhaps but at the same time I should not have to thank him for doing what he should do.  Normally everything in me would want to say thank you to him but I just decided that I should just ignore it. It should be treated as normal behavior.  Not exceptional behavior.  No one gets a thanks when they change a light bulb but yet men seem to think they do deserve a dance, a thank you and a damn parade.

He came into the room and said, "Notice anything?"

"You're sweating profusly."

"Well yea I just came inside and it's 90 & 90% humidity. But what else?"

"You want a damn parade don't you?" I said laughing.

"A dance will do Margaret, a happy dance that your man put his suitcase away"

"If I give you a happy dance will I get one every time I do your laundry, fold it and put it away?  How about when I make dinner, load the dishwasher, rack the lawn, wash the floors, vacuum, dust, make the bed, plant flowers, etc? Will you do a happy dance each time I do something?"

"C'mon you're ruining this."

So I dropped my towel and did a happy dance that made him howl with laughter.
Ah, but just you wait until after dinner tonight - he is going to be bustin' a move and naked!