How ice keeps my family alive

Things have been pretty hectic around here.  Which is kinda odd, because nothing is truly different; kids go to school, hubby to work, blah, blah...but I find the days fly by and before I know it, I'm drooling in my pjs, asleep wherever I happened to sit down.

Which is fine if I'm at home, but not-so-fine when I'm at work.  So far I've only been able to convince my male coworkers that circles, perfect circles around the eyes are fashion statements, and not from the imprint of my microscope + glasses.  

Anyway, all the day-to-day things usually throw me under the cranky bus by about dinnertime.   It can get u-g-l-y.   So there are a couple of things I do to ensure that everyone remembers me as their wonder-Mom and not some shrieking harpy. 

Because it's not a good sign when the four-year-old comes up to you and says, "Mommy, tomorrow, in the morning, will you be happy?"

1)  I put my headphones on, and turn up the volume, while I'm cooking.  It goes a long way toward altering my mood.  Poof, all the piddly battles are on mute, so should I turn around, it's like a family of mimes.   (Mimes who occasionally shed blood.)  And there's nothing like shaking your groove thang as you stir up some spaghetti sauce.  (I'm working on not spilling all over myself.)

2)  Nugget ice.  Those little squarish nuggets of ice, like you get at Sonic.   Did you know that Sonic sells that ice in bags for you to take home?  When there's room in my freezer, there is a bag of that ice in there.  And it's mine.  I don't share it. 

We found out that a gas station nearby has that ice in one of the fountain drink machines.  I love that ice so, I am not ashamed to resort to all kinds of feminine persuasion to get it.   (Just the other day, Mr W was going out to run an errand, and I whispered something that included "superlatively,"  "dirty", and "later" in the sentence.  And he came home bearing icy goodness.)

It might seem odd that such a simple thing as ice would keep me from going bananas, but let me just explain.

I talk the big drinking talk, about how my days can sometimes drive me to drink.  It's true, somedays, when I happen to walk by the liquor aisle, I'm eyeing all the things that interest me.  However, I rarely do it; and good lord, I still have an unopened bottle of tequila that's been sitting on my counter for more than a year. 

(I realize that that is just wrong.  So, so wrong.)

A little nuggetty ice, and maybe some tea or a soda, and I'm all set.   Ahhh.  Yes, kids, you may skip your homework and play video games.  

It seems to me that I saw a drinking question somewhere today...oh, yeah, it was in the Saturday Six.

Saturday Six--Episode ??

(Patrick has a typo, and I'm too lazy to go back and figure it out)

1. How do you feel about a National ID card to replace individual state driver's licenses?

Geez, to hear my husband tell it, people have enough trouble keeping track of their regular driver's licenses....I just don't see the point in it.      

2. Where's the most embarrassing place you've ever fallen asleep?

Hmm.  I used to fall asleep in lectures back in college all the time.  Oh, yes, I was the one whose notes trailed down the page in an indecipherable scrawl.  

Work-- well, I'm not the only one who's nodded off there. 

I'm shameless, I guess, because I can't think of one, and I know I fall asleep everywhere.   Yikes.

3. How long does it take you, when looking at someone for the first time, to determine whether or not you are really attracted to the person?

Now, here I think I am embarrassed.   I find lots of people attractive, in an appreciating-the-finer-points-of-attractiveness way.   However, I have to say that only a couple of people have given me that real visceral reaction where you just know that oh, yeah, it'd happen; and it was within seconds that I knew it.  I'm married to one of them.  The thought of the others is making me blush and fidget right now.  Must. Clear. Mind.

4. Take the quiz: What kind of drunk are you?

It says I'm a Wild Drunk.

You can get enough drink. Seriously, you'll just go puke and start pounding them back again!

Not true.  I never ever drink till I puke.  Good genes?  Bad genes?  When I drink, I do get a little wild, but I love everybody.  So I'd say Wild, Friendly, Drunk.  Bolder.  lol 

5. When is the last time you were really drunk?

At my work's Christmas party last year.  My God, I was LIT.

6. What caused the condition: Alcohol or something else?

Alcohol.   Too much wine and bad food, and I was moments away from karoake-ing like a superstar.