<p>In fact, let's make it a double feature--skateboard movie followed by opening night party featuring slugg jr.'s rock and/or folk band! Bring it on!</p>
<p>I'll plug in the popcorn machine & heat up the butter. </p>
<p>Afer reading the Sci American article suggesting that obesity is the result of a virus...:p I'm raring to go...I'll have pie with that whipped cream please ...and as it's almost 5 pm here I'll have the Happy Hour Special, Buffalo chicken wings and a pitcher of the suds...never drink on an empty stomach...;)</p>
<p>Are we talking morbid obesity or garden variety extra 15 lbs?</p>
<p>sbmom-
[quote]
The schlepping is definitely the worst part of any ski/snowboard adventure.
[/quote]
Schlepping is bad, but I don't think its the worst part. My DH agreed to try snowboarding with younger s (we are avid skiiers) when he (younger s) got dragged along on the college search. H and younger s. hit the slopes at Jimney Peak when older s. and I looked at Williams and again at Dartmouth. My H had the BIGGEST !@#$%%^ black-and-blue mark on his a$$ that I have EVER seen! He could hardly sit down. By the second day he said he cringed when he knew he was about to fall. Yet the fool went out for that third day at the Dartmouth Skiway. That black and blue mark had to have been 6" in diameter (no exaggeration) and it lasted FOREVER!! Older s. tried snowboarding the first day (the day we all hit the slopes together). He promptly returned to skis.</p>
<p>Well, it has been awhile since I hung out in the Alley. It's nice to be back. I thought I would be here after the applications got put in the mail but then I got caught up with Doddsson in all the outside scholarship applications. We got a couple in the mail this week so I am taking a break. I'll have a Sea Breeze. I had one the other night for the first time and I think I'm hooked.</p>
<p>:::confetti:::: Congrats to the doddsfamily on the latest college acceptance to Earlham! Wowzers! </p>
<p>(((Suddz, HERE BOY, COME!)))) A big, hairy Wookie-like dog underneath a booth shifts from BHappymom's left bunny-slippered foot to her right...and groans as if to say, "Wuff, pass me some more popcorn." </p>
<p>Suddz, the resident Saint Bernard of Sinner's Alley will accompany Alu and the Aluboys to the mountains in case they end up head first in a snow bank and need to be rescued. Alu, I hear that Saint Bernards don't really carry little barrels of brandy under their collars to help rescue idiots...uh, snowboarders. So, you'll have to B.Y.O.B. ;) And, bring plenty of Pepperidge Farm Big Chocolate Chunk cookies! :)</p>
<p>Got it. Will do slugg. Planning also to bring cabernet. And pasta. And memories of AluSon as a baby, so beautiful at that age that women would stop me on the street to talk to him, cashiers at Whole Foods would tell me he was their favorite baby in the world, baby playcare workers would tell me he "had his attachment behaviors down..." This is a true story. And then of course to be faced by the reality of the new big nose and new pimples and new attitude. Sigh. He really is a doll. But they don't become toddlers ever again. Oh. The wisp of blondish hair that was.</p>
<p>Anyway. </p>
<p>Sorry. Don't you hate maudlin drunks? Especially when it's Pink Lemonade Snapple that did the deed:).</p>
<p>Alu, </p>
<p>Yep pimples, yep nose, yep attitude-- but you forgot the voice, that new basso profundo voice! So weird!! I am behind a nice neat Jack Daniels, but I am reding you loud and clear.</p>
<p>Bring lots of microwave popcorn and Spinal Tap, Da Ali G Show (available on DVD), Monty Python, SNL....</p>
<p>PS, saw on other thread another "seperated at birth" stat: we both dated future degenerates! The list goes on!</p>
<p>SB</p>
<p>Sluggbugg, you must be psychic ;), my old dog (a wolfhound) did look startling like a Wookie, "Suddz" must be his Ka or is it Ba? :)...</p>
<p>Alum & SBmom, all this talk of boys with noses that have left their faces behind,deep voices and pimples, makes me want to weep...loud honking sound into hanky...</p>
<p>Standing outside in the Alley now with my flying-monkey fur piece wrapped around my neck, in my gray bunny slippers, playing "ding dong the witch is dead" on my accordian. A small empty can of Heinz beans sits at my feet as I try to collect enough money to buy another small glass of Absinthe....</p>
<p>BHappy - What has brought you to this sorry state? The sorrow over lost boyhood? Do not despair. I hear that with any luck our mutated sons meet a partner and have children and little pumpkins are ours again....</p>
<p>SB - Yes! The basso profundo. How does the chubby-cheeked toddler with the blond fluff of hair, who calls himself Bapu in an adorable mangling of his given name, wind up with such a deep voice it is almost below the register audible to me?</p>
<p>You see, I get how the toddler daughter with smooth skin and short red hair and some chub turns into the teen daughter with a few pimples and long red hair and no visible chub. I just don't get how it is that our little boys disappear so completely.</p>
<p>Got one morphing as we speak. S is just turned 13. Past squeaky voice to full growl. Alread three inches taller than me. Sadly has the nose and pimple thing going. And of course there is the surliness.</p>
<p>Waiter, I'll have a shot of vodka; make it a double...</p>
<p>
[Quote]
You see, I get how the toddler daughter with smooth skin and short red hair and some chub turns into the teen daughter with a few pimples and long red hair and no visible chub
[/Quote]
</p>
<p>I see you know my younger daughter. The parents' speech I gave at her Bat Mitzvah opened with: "What's the difference between a redhead and a terrorist?" The answer: "Sometimes you can negotiate with a terrorist". Even the rabbi laughed.</p>
<p>Alum, when you talk about your son, I think we are long-lost sisters! So let's share some champagne, in anticipation of grandchildren! I miss my babies in a way that I'll never get over until I have those grandchildren. I miss the way they snuggled into my neck, and how hard it was to comb their curly hair after a bath. I finally had to get s2's hair cut after one too many compliments on our "beautiful baby girl." And now he has the attitude (a little), the voice and the pimples. Once in a while, he needs a snuggle hug, and that's when I know he's still in there somewhere. (By the way, I found a great website for pimple care -- acne.org. We've also had success with Proactiv.)</p>
<p>LOL audiophile. </p>
<p>m&s, If I had a shot of vodka for every time my son was surly, I would be bombed out of my mind 24/7. But yes, every once in a while, a hug comes my way... The other day I noticed that he'd put a note I wrote him (something really dashed off, on the back of a grocery receipt I think it was) under his desk blotter! SWEET! </p>
<p>BTW everyone weepy should visit my "Best Music Video" thread. You won't be sorry.</p>
<p>Lol, Audio. :) </p>
<p>Whoever is behind the bar, set me up with a double shot of Ancient Ancient Age (10 Year), and then, just park the bottle in front of me. Anybody care to join me for the end-of-the-week Evilneighbor Blues? Suddz will lead us in the first round of mournful howling. Altogether now, ::::::OOOOOoooooooo! Ow-ow-owoooowww!::::::::</p>
<p>I would really like it if my Oldneighbors, who were like grandparents to my kids, would please move back from Napa where they went to live in a posh wine country 50-and-over community. They're probably drinking wine right this very minute and watching the dark magenta sunset. Chances are slim to none that they'll want to move back just in time for the 22-house development that is going in just across the creek. It appears that the goal of the Evilneighbors is to keep pouring concrete until the development starts two years from now...Slide that bottle down this a-way. </p>
<p>I miss Oldneighbors. They were quintessential New Yorkers, no BS, to-the-point, funny, educated, street smart, and honest. They always had cookies for the kids, and they did not try to park on our @#!!% property. I loved that about them. Here's to good neighbors, and for those of you who have them, count your blessings. :)</p>
<p>And, on the subject of boyz...If SluggS can morph back into the decent kid we thought we had raised before he turned into a 16-year-old cave troll (a horrible beast from The Lord of the Rings), take it from me...there is hope. A year ago, he wanted to drop out of high school, among other things. I won't mention the other things because I break out in hives and start hyperventilating if the memories start to surface. :D </p>
<p>He's holding down a stellar first semester Senior Year GPA of 2.0 (unweighted with 3 AP's). :) He's passing the classes he needs to graduate, and when you've been at the bottom of the "F" barrel, there's only one way to go, and that's up! Keep the faith. ;)</p>
<p>Slugg, here's big glass of Chateau Margaux (1928), it will make you forget everything, just dab a bit on the hives and I'm sure they'll disappear ;).</p>
<p>We have had good luck on the neighbor front. ArrogantNeighbors on the right moved out, into one of the lofts they were developing downtown, and were replaced by NeverAroundAndDontDriveSoLessCompetitionForOnStreetParkingNeighbor. A college department chair, I view this as a considerable upgrade.</p>
<p>BlueCollarLoudWhiteTrashNeighbors on the left were replaced by two brothers: TwentySomethingCommunityActivistNeighbors. Also an upgrade, although my HS senior get a spooky dreamy eyed look when she sees one of them...</p>
<p>13 year old S' blessing is that he is still very affectionate and free with the hugs. We'll see how long it lasts.</p>
<p>Amusing discovery: While using son's old computer, trying to ichat with D, I stumbled into his "away messages." There are a whole bunch but here are some of my favorites:</p>
<p>-studying for the mitzvah
-oreo time
-this moment brought to you by Sylvan Learning Centers
-finishing stupid godforsaken homework
-playing catch with my lil bro
-what (name) and Michael Phelps have... they are both Olympic swimmers, except (name)
-sulking</p>
<p>:) ^^^ Hahaha, SBmom!</p>