Ok I will admit it. I have a crush on someone.

He's tall. He's young. He's handsome.

And he's going to win Wimbeldon this year.

His name is Andy Roddick.

¶ 9:12 AM //

so send me your Citronella.

The large amount of rain we have received this year is great for preventing forest fires but it has produced the biggest and largest quantity of mosquitos I have ever seen. Living just off of the Flathead River isn't making it any easier.

Every morning we have a mosquito bite count. So far I am the winner. There must be something very appealing to mosquitos about fair skinned women. My legs now look like I have the chicken pox. We've done everything we can. We keep the windows and doors to the house closed at all times. The kids put on bug spray every morning and we have dabbed the bites with calamine lotion and anti-itch gel. Long sleeves and pants seem to help as well but who wants to wear those in the summer!

I've purchased citronella candles, citronella plants and tiki torches. Smoke screens seem to help so we have set various non-smelling smoke bombs that we light about five minutes before we want to sit outside in the evenings.

I'm willing to place a bet that the first case of West Nile virus this year is going to be in either Flathead or Lake county.

¶ 3:07 PM //

I read somewhere that everyone has a uniform. A uniform in the sense that a certain set of clothes are worn often. Hillary Clinton has the black pantsuits. Steven Tyler has his leather pants. Michael Jackson has his psuedo military style.

My uniform this summer would have to be a pair of denim shorts, a black tank top and a white Nike baseball hat.

What's yours?

¶ 9:41 AM //

So it's the week before the 4th of July and since we are a holiday-happy household, we are putting up our 4th of July decorations today.

Yes, I said 4th of July decorations. It's nothing much - a flag, some bunting on the front porch and a moving screen on the garage door that shows a waving flag.

Tomorrow the hunt is on for fireworks. When you live close to an Indian reservation, you can get really good ones. When the sheriff lives in your subdivision, you can't use them. So every year we look for "kid-friendly" fireworks. Black snakes, sparklers, noise poppers, etc. Last year we had one that shot out parachute guys - pretty cool.

There are many firework celebrations around the valley this time of year. Watching fireworks over the lake is always fun. There are also some "slebs" in the valley that put on their own spectacular fireworks displays.

The best fireworks show I ever saw was in Columbus, Montana. It was a few years ago and it was put on by a private party. He no longer does it so I'm glad we got to take in at least one show.

I love the 4th of July. The parades, the bbq's, the patriotism. It seems like summer has finally arrived.

¶ 9:08 AM //

One of my biggest pet peeves is bad drivers. I don't mean drivers who just aren't paying attention, I mean the ones that don't give a shit:

The ones who want to change lanes and don't check their blind spot.
The ones who don't care (or know) how to handle a 4-way stop.
The ones who speed in school zones.
The ones who drag race in a subdivision.
The ones who don't signal.
The ones who throw lit cigarettes out their windows.
The ones who let small children ride in the open bed of trucks on a highway.
The ones who don't put small children in car seats.
The ones who ride motorcyles and don't wear helmets.
The ones who hit you and don't have insurance.
The ones who tailgate you and swerve back and forth as if they are only trying to make a point.
The ones who ride motorcycles and don't wear helmets.

I know it is probably worse in other places...

¶ 9:53 AM //

We met our new neighbors last night. It started with the usual chit chat about how long we've lived in the neighborhood, what we do for a living, how much we like it here, etc. And then they asked us where we were from.

For my husband, that answer is easy. He was born and raised in one Montana town. He left for college and post graduate school but most of his friends are guys he used to play with in grade school.

I, on the other hand, have lived most of my life in Montana but I went to nine schools in twelve years. I don't really have a "hometown" so my answer is usually that I was born in Billings but have lived all over the state. Most of my friends are people I've worked with.

My handy dandy site meter tells me where my "blog tourists" are from. Yesterday it was New York, Cali, Canada, Louisiana, Texas, Utah, Florida, Alabama, Boston, Conneticut, Chicago, England, Paris, Egypt and of course - Montana.

And this makes me wonder about where people are born and how they get where they are now. So for the next few days, leave a comment (annonymous is fine) with the name of two cities. Where you were born and where you are now. Could be some interesting journeys here...

I'll go first. Billings, Montana to the Flathead Valley, Montana.

¶ 9:07 AM //

My second oldest friend (and by that I mean longest friendship) is in town and spending a few days with me this week. We met about 12 years ago when we were both working for the same company. She left to do her work in the medical field but by a strange coincidence, our husbands followed the same career path and we ended up as neighbors. Then we moved, then they moved, then we both moved to the same city, then they moved, then we moved.

Now we are both stay at home moms of three and looking forward to sitting out in the sun today drinking Diet Cokes while we watch all the kids run thru the sprinkler.

¶ 9:42 AM //

Took in the flick Mr. and Mrs. Smith over the weekend and I have to say that going into it, I was prepared not to like Brad and Angelina together. But by the end of the movie, I was saying "Jennifer who?"

Great flick. Catch it if you can.

¶ 1:23 PM //

Less than three months until the season opener and I'm already excited to see the Griz in action. While I'm afraid that this coming season won't be as exciting as last season (the last three games are all away games - no home crowd momentum building into the playoffs) it's still fun to be a football fan. This entry originally posted December 12th of last year.

That couldn't have been me at the Griz game on Saturday:

waving to the camera on ESPN2.

standing in my seat screaming for 4 1/2 hours (a great stress reliever).

telling the opposing team's cheerleaders to get out of our end zone.

hiding in the bathroom stall pouring Malibu rum into my Diet Coke.

yelling obscenities to the opposing team's players that were taunting the crowd.

giving No. 2 on the opposing team the finger.

high fiving and hugging several people I didn't know.

jumping over the guardrail onto the field when the Griz won.

holding the broken goal post for just a moment.

No way...couldn't have been...

¶ 9:15 AM //

This entry originally posted August 4th of last year.

This actually happened to me once. I was walking with a sports celebrity (Mr. Football) and a man came up to us and asked Mr. Football that question. I was taken aback but Mr. Football told me that happens all the time.

I got to thinking about that today and I think I have a solution for the often asked autograph question. Celebrities should carry a set of business cards around that say "I had a personal encounter with Tom Hanks"; "I shared a laugh with Jim Carrey"; "I did Ben Affleck" (just kidding Ben). The celebrities could have their autograph printed on the other side and then it would take them about a second to simply pass out the card and be on their way.

I think all autographs are is a vindication to the fan that they have proof of contact with a famous person. I personally have never asked anyone famous for their autograph. I never would. I think it is rude and a waste of their time. If I encounter someone, I simply smile and say hello or if we meet I simply shake their hand and say "it's very nice to meet you".

Some celebrities like it. They like the connection with their fans and they like the attention. Who am I to judge? To each his own but maybe I should market that business card idea...:)

¶ 11:01 AM //

Even though nothing ever came of this, it was still a great moment for me. This entry originally posted July 14, 2004.

I almost peed my pants! After an afternoon of swimming with the kids at the city pool and slip sliding with the neighbors, I checked my cell phone about 5:15pm and saw that I had a voice mail. So I'm standing on the front porch, in my swimsuit and this is what I hear:

"This is the Assisant to Mr. Partner at A Top Agency. We would like to send you something in regard to your script idea. Could you please call me back at 555-555-5555."

At first there was shock. What the f**k? Then I listened to the message again. Is this for real? Then I listened to it AGAIN, this time writing down the names and phone number. Running to the computer, I searched Mr. Partner's name, the agency and the phone number. Yep, they were all legit.

Then the excitement sets in. Holy shit! Someone is really taking me seriously. Not only do they actually LIKE an idea of mine, they actually CALLED me personally. Then the adrenaline hits. What do I do? Call back right away and look anxious? Play it cool and wait an hour? Or what if I wait and don't catch them? What if I do catch them and sound like an idiot?

So I write down on my notepad - PLAY IT COOL, CALM AND COLLECTED. I wait a half hour to calm my nerves, beg my husband to settle the kids and then go into the bathroom (the only place where there is no noise) and call them back in my best "work voice".

(The "work voice" is a phrase that my daughter came up with whenever she heard me on the phone with a client. My family and friends think it's an alter ego thing. It's sort of a sultry Kathleen Turnerish voice that I'm sure would land me all sorts of voice over work if I knew how to pursue it.)

Expecting to get a voice mail, I write down the message I want to leave. Instead, I get Mr. Assistant, live in and person. Shocked again (does Hollywood really answer calls?) I say "This is Ms. Writer calling" and he says "yes, can you hold please". As if I am going to say "No - too busy here in the bathroom!". I say "sure". Then there is about 30 seconds of me wondering if "sure" sounded too casual. Should I have said "yes" instead? Then the other 30 seconds is me wondering who is on the other line with Mr. Assistant. Is it Steven? Tom? The other Tom? Brad? Quentin?

Then Mr. Assistant comes back on the line and tells me how much THEY liked my idea and thought it would make a really FUNNY film. A smile creeps over my face and I feel the arms of Hollywood lifting me up until the word HOWEVER creeps into the conversation.

HOWEVER, since they can't acquire unsolicited material, they are going to send me a letter in the mail to which I may then respond and submit my script thru my agent or producer. HUNH?

Mr. Assistant says "Do you understand?" To which I reply "Of course" without trying to sound like Shrek talking to Donkey. He asks for my address - which is ironic because it is on the same letter as my phone number - and then says he will get it out right away.

It's a Catch 22. So they won't look at my material until I have an agent but I don't have an agent because no one has looked at my material. Until now.

I consider myself to be one of the lucky few. This is a day I will cherish forever. I think of how many people submit queries and never hear anything back and realize that I got a call from the assitant to a PARTNER at a TOP agency on only the second query I EVER sent.

It's just a little step but for one of the "little people", it's like a ride on the escalator when everyone else is taking the stairs.

And so now..as I wait for "the letter', the search is on for an agent.

¶ 9:00 AM //

Reruns part one: According to my site meter, for some reason the phrase "lesbians who dip" brings a lot of "tourists" to my blog and this entry in particular which originally posted in August of last year.

I'm not talking about lesbians, sandwiches or swimming naked. I'm talking smokeless chewing tobacco. The stuff you see in the mouths of cowboys and major league baseball players.

In high school it was pretty common to see guys with a "wad" on the side of their mouth, a broken-in circle on the butt of their Levi's, walking around with a pop can that you KNOW didn't have anything other than brown spit in it. I knew girl who told her boyfriend she wouldn't kiss him with a mouth like that so he took it out, kissed her and then put it back in. In English class you could always open up a dictionary and find dry old tobacco in it from someone who came to class with something other than his tongue between his teeth and lips.

I even remember as a kid being able to buy beef jerkey cans that came with "snuff" in it. You could put a big ole wad of jerkey in your mouth, a can in your back pocket and look "cool".

But yes, women do it too. A friend of mine was soooo proud of herself for quitting while she was pregnant. She went back on after she was done nursing. And her husband lets her get away with it because yes, he "chews" as well. She's not homely either - she's gorgeous. (She also just spent $700 to have her teeth whitened.) And she's not the only woman I've ever known to indulge in that sort of addiction.

Instead of the gum, there should be some sort of nicotine "chew" that comes in a can. Someone once told me that the "thwump thwump" motion of packing the can before you take a dip is just as addicting as the tobacco itself.

¶ 9:02 AM //

I'm out with an injury that while it doesn't keep me from being able to type, it makes going up the stairs to the computer very difficult.

So the rest of this week will be things I have blogged about in the past. Enjoy!

¶ 1:04 PM //

It started like this:

24 months ago we were told our son had severe mental and physical developmental problems.
20 months ago he was placed in a special education preschool program.
18 months ago we were told he had a rare neurological disease.
17 months ago we were told that they were wrong and he had Autism.
14 months ago we were told that he had the developmental age of a 2 year old.
12 months ago we were told that he would have to repeat the special education program.
9 months ago he started a therapeutic horseback program.
6 months ago he no longer needed physical and occupational therapy.
5 months ago we were told he did not have Autism.
4 months ago he was able to transfer into a mainstream kindergarten classroom (as a tryout).
2 months ago he was going to have to repeat kindergarten next year.
1 month ago he was able to cut back on his horseback therapy sessions.

Last week he met the woman who will be his first grade teacher next year.

My son is a graduate in more ways than one...

¶ 7:44 AM //

The subdivision in which I live just so happens to sit on farmland once owned and homesteaded by my great-grandfather. We were not aware of this at the time we purchased the home. We knew we were close to the property but didn't realize we were "buying back" a part of it.

The subdivision is now being expanded and construction is very close to the old farmhouse, barns and bunkhouse. I don't know what is going to happen to the buildings so I spent one morning last weekend taking photos of everything I could. I figure it is a way to preserve some of the past.

This is my favorite photo. I'm framing it and giving it to my dad (who used to spend many days on the farm) for Father's Day.

¶ 7:47 AM //

When I was a kid, my dad's friend would visit and tell us his name was Evil Knievel. Of course we never believed him...

Now the opposite is happening at our house. We have a guest staying with us who happens to look just like this guy and even has the same name as this guy but he's not this guy.

But do our kids believe that he is NOT this guy? Of course not.

So I told him to give it up and have a little fun with it. What's the harm in putting on a yellow shirt, signing some autographs, taking a few pictures and waving to the neighborhood kids?

Now if I can just convince him to come up with an Austrailian accent...

¶ 8:40 AM //

If you have HBO, don't miss this show. The best thing about it is Jeremy Piven in his role as Ari, the Hollywood agent. He's so crass, so lyrical and you just know he is ad libbing the best parts!

I'm hoping for a Cusack cameo this season...

¶ 3:00 PM //

Every summer I try to pick an author that I've never read before and read as many of their books as I can. I always have a backup in case I don't enjoy the author. This summer I won't need a backup. I'm going to be reading books by Karen Kingsbury.

I'm sure the local library said "WTF!" this morning when they saw that I put a hold on eight of her books. But she is a true find and I'm very excited to start my first book.

If you have read her and have any suggestions - please comment!

¶ 9:00 AM //

It's been raining here for days and it doesn't appear that it will stop for at least a few more. Not that I am complaining, we need desperately need the moisture.

There is also a moose on the loose in our neighborhood. We haven't seen him yet but he has been spotted three times in the last two days. The police report says the game warden is tracking him but as of now he is not bothering anyone so they are leaving him alone. My dogs must have a sixth sense about it though because they don't want to go outside. Not that I blame them, I've seen a moose in the wild before and they can definately be intimidating.

And speaking of a sixth sense, I just finished Crossing Over by the psychic medium John Edward. I have seen his show on tv before and find him fascinating. I don't know if I would ever attend one of his seminars though - it might freak me out.

So between the rain and the moose, we will be spending a lot of time indoors this weekend.

¶ 2:14 PM //

Movie meme passed on to me from my good friend Africanuck:

Total number of films I own: 150+ in DVD's and probably about 75 in VHS.

The last film I bought: Right before our road trip (which was 11 1/2 hours from the coast to our house) I stopped at the local pawn shop and bought the kids 10 VHS movies for $15. I can't remember them all but I know the list included Independance Day, Snow Day, Spacecamp, the Flintstones, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Movie, Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Muppets in Space.

Five favorite films:

1. Bull Durham. I've been both a baseball fan and player my whole life and this film came out when I was a statistician for the boys baseball team in high school. I loved the characters of Annie and Crash but my favorite scene is when the baseball players are on the mound during the game and they are talking about everything BUT the baseball game.

2. The Man From Snowy River. Saw this when I was eleven and it has had a huge impact on my life. The soundtrack has been in my car ever since I could drive and I even named my daughter after the song that plays during the breaking of the colt scene. If there is such a thing as a "comfort movie" then this is it for me.

3. The Big Chill. Growing up I could never understand how hard it was for these people to stay friends after college. Now I know why. (Trivia note - This is another Kevin Costner movie. He played the dead friend Alex.)

4. American Pie. My hubby and I share the same sense of humor. This film is a perfect example of that sort of insanity.

5. Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn's last movie together. The tears in her eyes towards the end are real. He died 17 days after filming was finished.

Honorable mention: On Golden Pond, Murphy's Romance, Baby Boom, Coal Miner's Daughter, The Majestic, Top Gun, Chicago, 61*, Love Actually, Dogma, Steel Magnolias, Good Will Hunting, Cold Mountain, A River Runs Through It, Goodfellas.

First person to comment has to keep this meme going!

¶ 9:10 AM //

Where oh where have my favorite bloggers gone? I was sad to see Craig's "closed up shop" sign today. He is just another of a handfull of bloggers that have gone with their lives.

I miss Rance and his wild A-list Hollywood rants.

I miss Sir Rancelot's chatter about his famous neighbors.

I miss the stylishness and advice of Tall Poppy Diaries.

I miss KJ's bluntness at For F**k's Sake.

I worry about the blonde at Beach House Rules.

And I miss Tad's inside scoop on the daily life of a Hollywood screenwriter.

But I will leave their links on this site in the hopes that one day they find they have too much free time on their hands and return to blogging. If only for an entry or two...

¶ 1:20 PM //