Saturday, August 29, 2009

What Few People Know About Me

Hey Susie-- here is one for you to participate in.. http://thequeenofseaford.blogspot.com/2009/08/what-can-i-tell-you.html

This is from my very long time, dear friend Janet, who hit me up to blog about seven items people may not know about me. Hmmm.

1: I broke my leg skiiing on February 13th, which was also a Friday. I was in high school and decided the new powder from a storm the night before was too tempting and skipped school. Bad break, five places, my binding didn't release, my ski planted and I rotated around it, so a spiral break. I was in a cast from my toes to my upper thigh for six months.

2: I'm a very good swimmer, and used to be a lifeguard, but I don't go in the ocean. Too scary (cue the theme music from Jaws). I love everything about the beach though.

3: (Anyone squeamish about childbirth can skip this, but I'll totally think you're a wuss) I love babies but was not meant for having them. My first baby wasn't so bad, failure to progress (how insulting, incidentally) and a c-section. Baby number two, yikes. Because I remember how uncomfortable the c-section recovery was, I did not want to repeat that if I didn't have to. My ob-gyn didn't think there was any reason for me not to try to have baby #2 vbac (vaginal birth after c-section), plus my sister in law had just successfully done what I had hoped to accomplish (her first one c-section, following one vbac) and I talked to her about it. I went to classes on it, did my homework, had the thumbs up from my doctor. Because I felt a bit cheated out of the whole childbirth experience the first time around, I went totally hard core for #2. I wanted nothing, no pain meds, no epidural, I wouldn't take an aspirin if they had offered it. I labored for 22 hours with her, and didn't take a thing (nor did I make a peep), I was totally rocking that labor. I got to ten centimeters, pushing, they're monitoring her, she's fine. I remember them asking me if I wanted to see what color hair she had, and I was like are you kidding me? I start to fade. Emergency c-section...like right NOW. They get me on the table and she's so far down from pushing they try to push her back UP. They open me up and struggle like hell to get her out, and I know something is wrong because no one is talking, and they're calling for more doctors in medical jargon like STAT. No one told me what was going on, and the anesthesiologist puts the mask on me and I'm out. I woke up with my husband sitting in a chair next to me telling me he thought he lost me. At the same time they gave me general anesthesia, they hurried him out of the room so he was in the dark, too, as to what was going on. My uterus ripped, and an artery tore, either from pulling the baby out or nicked via a scalpel, and I almost bled out. I had seven units of blood transfused (God bless every one who donates blood). I was 29, and they almost gave me a hysterectomy, but made the decision to repair it because I was so young, and told me my baby days were done. The next day, they discover my uretor is torn from my bladder, so they open me back up and reimplant my uretor, and surgically implant a catheter in my bikini line that leads to a bag for my urine while my bladder heals. So I got home after a week in the hospital, much of it on morphine, to a three year old and a new born baby, carrying a bag of my own pee. Lovely. And I spent Christmas in the hospital (she was born December 20th).


4: Actually probably everyone who knows me knows this because I'm so excited about it: I play the ukulele. I started about six weeks ago.

5: I'm a terrible liar.

6: Five people in my life call me Susie. I'm Susan or Sue to everyone else.

7: When I'm out and about and my kids (who are now 23 and 19) are not with me, and I well know this, I will still turn every single time I hear a child yell "Mom!"

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Spite Party

That's right, a spite party. Have you ever gone to some function or event, not because you WANT to but because someone really leaves you with no choice? I did last weekend. One of the people I work with is on our local library board, she's basically in charge of it. A function was being organized several months back; a novelist has just published her newest book and it takes place in our historic community. Said novelist was having a book signing at the local library, open to the public, and later on there was a lakeside cocktail party for invited guests, the guest of honor being the author. The organizer of all this, also my co worker, told us a while back she needed this particular day off, but did not share why. I am a real estate broker, as are all of my co workers. Who do a large percentage of our business in this historic community. I'm also a writer, and would you not think that the organizer of the event might not think to ask us if we were interested in supporting these events? Or might like to go? No, she did not. It pissed me off - and I rarely get pissed off - not only for myself, but for the other couple of brokers in my office as well. I thought it was pretty thoughtless of the organizer.

So, I have a contact or three up my sleeve, I made a call and was told by the gentleman of the estate where the cocktail party was being held, "Of course we'd love to have you! I was wondering why I didn't see you ladies on her guest list." (He was merely, and graciously, providing the place for the cocktail party) So I called my other, also ignored in this matter co-workers, and said I don't care what you are doing Saturday evening, we're going to the party. It's the point. So no mention of the events of last weekend were discussed, neither by the organizer, or by us.

And we just went, mingled, had a glass of champagne and some hors d'oeuvres, talked to people we knew and met a few we didn't, chatted a bit with the author, and oh yes, were completely gracious and friendly with the organizer, who of course was stunned by our presence. Like I said, sometimes people leave you little choice.

And sometimes being a hammer in a velvet glove is quite satisfying.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

And in case the love song doesn't take....pats my beautiful black Jag...







lovesongs

Perhaps one of my favorite contemporary love songs (there are so many classics that I'm in love with, sap that I am). Full of longing, hope, promise and sweetness. Enjoy.


Sunday, August 2, 2009

Every Woman Should


This is for all my girls, and more specifically the young ladies in my life: My daughter Caitie, who is like watching a piece of my heart walk (and drive and laugh and bounce) around, and whom I simply adore and could not possibly love any more, and in no particular order: Felicia, Elizabeth, Kelly, Lynsey, Rachel, Becca, Carly, Kelly, Beth and Genny, and although they are not ready for this advice yet, my much adored neices, Laura and Kailey Ann. Listen to your Mama, girls.

Every Woman Should:


be able to make scrambled eggs or a grilled cheese sandwich at 3 am.

know how to drive a standard. shifting and clutching are hot. Vroom vroom.

have their own toolbox. with fishing line. i cannot get enough uses for fishing line.

not be afraid to get their hands dirty.

be able to go into a car dealership, test drive, negotiate, and pay for your own car. by yourself. at least once.

be able to be presentable in twenty minutes, and a knock out in an hour. Ok, maybe an hour and a half.

own a string of pearls. if they were your great grandmother's or your mom's, all the better.

and diamond stud earrings.

and black high heels.

and some pretty underthings.

and sweatpants and sneakers.

not lie about your age. it's insulting to you.

not care if you have to dash out in public and are not wearing make up.

have perfect manners and know when to use them.

and when not to.

be able to uncork a bottle of wine in less than 30 seconds.

have your heart broken.

break someone's heart.

master the art of flirting. this should be practiced on babies, trash collectors, old men and old women. be an equal opportunity flirt. babies are great to flirt with. 

have children if you want

and don't if you don't want to.

be able to say no. and mean it.

be able to say yes with no guilt.

do nice things for yourself.

and others.

be kind. be genuine and nice. it will get you much further in life. being a bitch doesn't get you anywhere but lonely.

but don't be a pushover.

don't manipulate. it's diminishing to you. you're smarter than that.

be a girl's girl. girlfriends will always have your back.

be careful who your girlfriends are.

be able to laugh uproariously-

and smile like an angel.

try different things that interest you.

explore.

don't do anything for (or with) a guy you're in a relationship with that your instincts tell you not to.

fall head over heels, madly in love. do everything to enjoy it when it happens.

believe in yourself.

value yourself. if you don't, no one else will.

Sermon over.

Sister Susan


Dogs And Cats Not Allowed On Velvet Sofa. Screw The Dogs.

I'd Like A Chocolate/Vanilla Swirl In A Cup Please

Making a Persian Black and White Truffle Sauce