Bfth's Boring Blog

I'm a bad mom.  It's true.  At least that's the way I feel right now.  If I look at things/the situation in an objective light (or at least as objective as this completely irrational, emotional woman can be), I am NOT a bad mom, I'm just human.  As a result of being human I've sent my son mixed messages.  My husband pointed this out; and he's right.  (It isn't easy to say he's right and admit my failings, but there you have it.) Here's the story:  being the slightly obsessive mom that I am (I'm working on it, I swear!), I checked out the portal to hell last night. (For your reference:  http://bfthsboringblog.blogspot.com/2015/10/somwad-portal-to-hell.html).  The marking period ends this week and my son has borderline grades in a couple of subjects.  AND he has quizzes in a couple of subjects this week.  So how he does can either push him up a bit or drag him down. What stood out was a drop in math (the bane of his existence; ok, the bane

I think I've officially become a grumpy old woman.  (Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau have NOTHING on me.) This first bitter blast of snow has turned me into what was once known as a "crotchety old lady."  I can't help myself.  I bitch and complain.  As a norm, I try NOT to complain.  I usually TRY to see the bright side, but when it comes to cold and snow I just can't see it.  I've got that ugly frowny face down pat. I know I said, and I intended, to take it easy this past weekend. The blizzard came and there was nothing I could do about it.  So I stayed safe inside and I intended to do many things; very few of which happened.  (Although I did find time to make a nice roast for dinner and the house did smell terrific while it was cooking.)  Even being "trapped" inside, I found that I had more "little chores" than I had anticipated and my happy, cheery self started to fade away. Relatively early on Sunday morning I made my way outsid

Most of the north east is expecting a blizzard this weekend.  (Further South it's already started; up here in the Metro NY area we're just waiting for tomorrow morning.) My family usually does our weekly grocery shopping on Friday evenings or Saturday mornings, so I thought I'd be "smart" and avoid the crowds (and anticipated snow mess) and go last night.  Avoiding the crowds I didn't do...I don't think I've ever seen the grocery parking lot so packed (and it's a BIG lot).  The store was crammed and the checkout lines were so long they went down the aisles. (I have to give the store credit though; they  had EVERY single checkout line open.  As crazy as it was there was no slacking on their part.  Kudos to Shoprite.)  We made it out alive (with our milk; bread was not needed, so someone else could grab our allotted loaf.)  And now we are just waiting for the inevitable. I'm not a big fan of snow (or of winter), but it is a fact of life in th

It's been a year since I've started my "Pulitzer Project"  (http://bfthsboringblog.blogspot.com/2015/01/pulitizer-project.html) give or take a day or so.  I'm currently in the midst of my 26th book (The Stories of John Cheever) and when I finish it I will be into the 1980s.  For as many books as I've read, there are plenty that I have not.  For such a task, I asked my husband to find me electronic versions of the prize winning novels and there were plenty that he was unable to get.  So I'm making due with what he did manage to obtain and I've read each one (ok, in some cases I've skimmed, but more on that later) in chronological order. My impressions thus far?  Just because a book has won a major award doesn't mean it's good or memorable!   I have been surprised by what I have loved and what I have hated.  Much of what I've read thus far I have found to be "meh."  (It's no wonder that many of the winning authors I had

Ok, so there is no law (at least that I know of).  I just WISH there was.  They should not go up before Thanksgiving and should be down before Martin Luther King's Birthday is observed. I'll be even more flexible here.  You can put them up before Thanksgiving; if you don't turn them on (or if they are inflatable, blow them up.)  I understand that sometimes you have to make hay while the sun shines.  If it's going to be bitter cold the day after Thanksgiving and it's in the 60s the weekend before; do what you've got to do.   I love Christmas decorations; I truly do.  I drive around town with my family to check them out prior to the holidays.  But the holidays are over.  It's true.  We've passed the 12th day of Christmas.  Joseph has packed up his family, paid his manger bill and headed for Egypt leaving a very pissed off Herod and a mess of dead children. (Check out Matthew 2:16; it’s not a nice tale.)  It's time to take 'em down.  Reall

Everyone everywhere is talking about it (or at least they were until David Bowie passed away).  So, even though I not a die-hard fan (but I am a fan), I might as well add my two cents... Warning! Warning! Danger Will Robinson (dated science fiction TV show reference for those of you who are too young):  Spoiler Alert Ahead!!! Nutshell review:  Loved it.  Loved it so much that I managed to stay in my seat and not use the restroom once.  (Although I really needed to by the last 30 or so minutes.)  I had two cups of coffee earlier that morning (we went to the first showing of the day) and I consumed (with help) a bucket of popcorn so the fact that I sat through the whole movie without leaving my seat speaks volumes.   I'll be honest one of the reasons I really enjoyed the movie is that I saw it with "my guys" at a local theater which is small in size and not unlike the movie theater where I first saw Star Wars.  (Back in the dark ages.)  We saw it over the winte

Our town has an excellent school system; there is no doubt in my mind on this topic.  My son has and continues to have excellent, caring teachers.  But yesterday afternoon he came home with a backpack that weighed close to 20 pounds (I'm NOT kidding) and had homework in all 5 subjects.  From the time he got home (3:20 or so) till the time I got home, a little over two hours later, he was at the kitchen table working.  And I'm not calculating the extra time he needed to study for today's Social Studies test, trumpet practice and his regular required evening reading (which has to be logged).  For a 10 year old/fifth grader, I think two hours is too much! Having said that, I'm happy that the above experience was the exception and not the norm.  I've heard and read horror stories from other parents about homework nightmares.  Thankfully, for the most part, my son does not have an unreasonable amount of homework to do.  Also, since the weekly homework schedule is fo

Let me start out by saying, that I HATE being late.  It's the way I was brought up.  I am obsessed with being on time and usually end up early.  Even when I "try" to be late, it doesn't work.  I'm not saying that this is a good thing or a bad thing; it's just a thing.   As a result, my son is the same way.  He hates to be late.  And until yesterday, I don't think he was ever late for anything. Being late for school is usually not something a mom would be proud of, but I am.  Of course it's  not the being late that I'm really proud of, but how he handled it.  He proved himself to be a responsible young man and that's something as a parent I have been striving for.   But let me start at the beginning... Wednesdays and every other Friday are the ONLY days that my son goes to school at the "regular" time.  Since he needs to be at school between 7:30 and 7:40 on Mondays and Thursdays for band and Tuesdays and every other F

It's been pretty mild this winter and I'm certainly not complaining about that.  The past two days were pretty bitter as far as temperatures go, which is enough to bring out the whiny brat in me.  On the bright side (as far as I see it), at least we haven’t had any snow.  I know for some people that's a downside, but for me you can have some snow for Christmas so that everything looks pretty and then after that I'm over it.  Who wants to shovel?  Who wants to start the snow blower?  (And there's always the question of how early can I start the darned thing?  I'm up at 4:30 every morning.  I know it would be way too rude to start it up then, but what is an acceptable time?  And even more important, what is an acceptable time on the weekend when I don't have to be out the door by 7:30?) Even without snow, winter is just a big pain in the butt in my book.  I hate the cold.  I love snuggling under my many blankets and fleece sheets, but unfortunately, I can

You're never too old to learn.  As I inch my way towards the half century mark (can't believe I'm admitting that), I've learned quite a few things over this holiday "season"   No matter what the retail stores may tell you, the holiday season doesn't start until after you've had your main meal on Thanksgiving and ends on Epiphany.  (That's January 6 this year...and the year is now 2016...that is if I've managed to work this scheduling thing right.)  You can keep on celebrating up till then.  (Even if the shops have already pulled out the Valentine's Day goodies BEFORE Christmas has arrived.  This is the ultimate truth...I was in a store the week of Christmas and while the Christmas goodies were still out, Valentine's Day candy was stacking up right next to it.  In the world of Bfth, Valentine's goodies should not hit the shelves until after Epiphany.) You really DO need to have C