My childhood was a house of lies

Is that you Harvey??!!

My first pet was a parakeet named Harvey. He was a cute little green bird and I loved having a pet. We had him for a few years and then one day he was gone. I was very upset so my mother told me that Harvey had to go back to the pet store because he missed all his bird friends. Of course I then demanded that we go to the pet store to see Harvey. My mother brought me to the pet store down the street and she pointed to a parakeet in a cage and said, "See, there he is. Harvey is fine." Satisfied, we went home. 

I would continue to visit Harvey for a while until I forgot about it. Years later we were back in the pet store and I started thinking about Harvey. It was then that I realized that Harvey did not make it back to the pet store, but in fact died. My mother had lied to me! When I asked her why she lied she said, "Well, you were a very dramatic child and if I told you he actually died you would have cried for days". She does have a good point, I definitely would have done that.

Somewhere in Dreamland

I'm not sure why I thought of this old cartoon this morning but I suddenly had the urge to watch it. I remember having it on VHS as a child and I watched it all the time. I couldn't remember the name of the cartoon but I found it by googling "cartoon where poor children lick windows". Apparently that was enough though because I found it on the first try.

When I watched the cartoon this morning it all started coming back to me and I was reminded why I loved this cartoon as a child. The Dreamland sequence is great. Ice cream and popcorn fields, Syrup River, I'm getting hungry typing this. The ending is really sweet and still puts a smile on my face. I'm telling you it ends well because it's a pretty depressing cartoon in the beginning. I feel like there are a few mommy bloggers who should watch this to be reminded of what struggle really is.

Somewhere in Dreamland was part of the Color Classics series produced by Fleischer Studios for Paramount Pictures from 1934 to 1941 to compete with Walt Disney's Silly Symphony.

So did anyone else watch depression era cartoons as a child or am I the only weird one?

I hope Phillip is afraid of highlighters

In elementary school I was teased for having hairy arms. This one boy Phillip would tease me all the time calling me a monkey. One day I just lost it and raised my highlighter like some kind of dagger and said "if you make fun of my arms one more time I'm going to write all over your face". He laughed and whispered "monkey" so I grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and wrote all over his face. After that incident my mother finally let me Nair my arms. I only did it for a couple months before I couldn't be bothered to keep up with it. As I grew older my arm hair lightened and now I don't even think twice about it.

I hope Phillip is afraid of highlighters.

I have a horrible super power

I have a super power but it's a horrible one.

I attract bees.

I do not attract bees in a nice Snow White way. They're not flying up to me and offering me honey and sitting peacefully on my outstretched hand, no they are out to get me.

When I was a kid almost every time I ran through a sprinkler I'd get stung. One time I stepped on a bee and then when my mom had me sit down on a bench so she could look at the sting I sat on a bee. I mean come on! How does that even happen?

Another time I took a sip of my drink through a straw and felt something weird in my mouth. I spit out a bee. I'm still not over this incident.

I was swimming underwater in a pool and the second I came up for a breath a bee stung me.

It was winter and I was sitting on my mom's bed and a bee came out of nowhere and stung me. Where did you come from? It's winter!

I went to open a window in my closet (my closet had a window when I was a kid) and I put my hand down on a bee. This happened more than once with many different windows.

The worst was when my shack got attacked by wasps at my overnight camp. A wasp flew up my shorts and kept stinging me. I ripped my clothes off and ran but it was dark so I fell and then I threw up from the adrenaline/being stung so many times.

I can usually tell when I'm going to be stung. Like right before it happens I just get this feeling and I know but I can't stop it.

I would wish death on all the bees but we kind of need them around and I do like honey.

Ok so I just googled to find out how bees die after they sting you and basically they rip their abdomen open. You guys I'm not worth ripping yourself open for!

Also I can't stop staring at this picture. Why!!!!!

Highball lounge and a View-Master

I had plans to go to Maine this weekend but I had to stay in Boston to be nearby for my family. All I'll say is cancer sucks.

Derek and I went out for dinner at Beantown Pub and then met up with some friends for drinks. We ended up at the Highball Lounge which I believe is fairly new. The drinks were good and there were games to play. I haven't played Jenga in years. We had a good time and it was nice to take my mind of things. My back has been tense for days probably due to stress.

I couldn't remember what that name of the toy is that I'm holding in the last picture. Apparently it's called a View-Master. I remember having one as a kid with Howard the Duck slides. That was a very weird movie. I really want a View-Master again.

Snake rattle n roll

The snakes tried to escape. Bosco was not having it. Seriously though that cat is like a hawk and he can spot a bug or mouse from a mile away. I then started throwing them towards the cats and they both went nuts playing with them.

Hogwarts?!! I love this building so much. I pass it on my way to work everyday. There are gargoyles (but no Harry Potter). I've been walking to work if the weather is good. It takes me about 45-50 minutes but exercise is good for ya.

I was covering the front desk Friday and saw Lilly's awesome paperweights. I want her desk bling.

New hat from Target. I lost my favorite black hat last winter and I couldn't find a good replacement. I was pretty annoyed, everyone was crying at the hat funeral and there was no hat to bury. It was not as bad as when my favorite dress got ruined by bleach but pretty close. I spotted this hat at target and although it's not cold enough yet I couldn't pass it up. I'm ready winter, bring on your icy cold wrath.

Bosco does not know how large he is. He will squish into any box. The best was the shoe box that actually burst apart while he was in it. He was so confused as to what happened. I'm like "dude you're fat!" He hasn't given up though. He will fit in that box damn it!

Halloween party is tonight! Can't wait to reveal Derek's costume to you.

If you're curious about the title of this blog post it's only from one of the best video games of all time!! My brother and I were obsessed and it was a two player so we didn't have to fight over it.

Always a book worm.

I miss the library in my home town. I know that library like the back of my hand. I had my favorite quiet corners where I'd read or study. I never left with just one book (I still am a book worm). When I was old enough my mother allowed me to walk to the library by myself. When I got my license the first place I drove to was the library. No joy riding for me. I wanted to read.

The library is still there. I need to visit sometime and see how much its changed.

Photo is a painting by Delphin Enjolars "Young Woman Reading by a Window". 

I look a little less fancy while reading.