When the hunters become the hunted.....

I told you how I have become a fan of the TV show Ghost Hunters. What I didn’t realize was that 'fan' was a major understatement. I am, in fact, apparently, an insanely obsessed stalker….

The TAPS guys were in Dayton last week investigating claims of the paranormal at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. Growing up here, you hear all these stories about long-dead pilots who refuse to leave their planes, particularly the WWII planes on exhibit at the museum. Paranormal investigation groups have tried for years to get in there, but have all been turned away because Wright Pat is pretty darn important in terms of military bases. So it’s really exciting that Ghost Hunters was personally invited there by an employee, and actually got Pentagon clearance to do it! Really, I can’t even describe how huge that is.

My coworkers and I were really bummed to learn that they were going to be doing a Meet and Greet at the base one night… only those with base clearance were able to attend. But then our court runner came back from a run and mentioned that he saw their van parked outside a hotel just two blocks from our office! So in a momentary lapse of sanity, I allowed my friends to talk me into walking over there on our lunch hour on the outside chance that we might spot them.

Friends, it is freezing outside. 10 degrees, wind blowing snow in your face, freezing. And you all know how much I LOVE the cold. Only a possible sighting of this man could have caused me to willingingly freeze my ass off like that:

So there we were, a bunch of thirtysomething, professional women, going to stake out a celebrity’s hotel like a group of thirteen year olds hoping for a glance at Hannah Montana. We braved the fierce winter winds to walk the two mile-long blocks, laughing at our own ridiculousness as we made our way to the hotel. We had a plan to eat lunch at the hotel restaurant, so we didn’t look conspicuously like the stalkers we were. We got there and the van was no where in sight, but the hotel has its own parking garage, so it was possible it was parked inside.

Well, the entire hotel was deserted, including the restaurant. The only people there were hotel employees, and they didn’t look like the sort who could be talked into divulging the whereabouts of our hunky ghostbusters. Then we glanced at the restaurant menu and decided a $12 salad wasn’t worth it, since the van was gone and we didn’t even know if they were there. Damn. Froze my eyelashes for nothing!

Then, as fate would have it, as I was in my car on my way home from work, I turned the corner by the hotel and there was the van!! If only I had had my camera with me. Luckily, I only live a few minutes from downtown. So I raced home, grabbed my daughter and my camera, and headed back.

On the way, I outlined our covert operation to my daughter. If the van was there, she would lean out the window as we passed and take a picture. Then we would have dinner at the hotel restaurant, and maybe, just maybe, we’d see them. Surely we had a better chance at dinner than we did at lunch!

We reached the hotel and I’m going like 5 mph in rush hour traffic while Noelle snapped pictures out the window, both of us laughing hysterically…..not the least bit conspicuous. I pulled into the hotel parking garage and was immediately stopped by a valet. What?? Dayton has valet parking?? I had not anticipated this.

The guy asked if were checking in, and I, being quick on my feet, said no, we were just visiting a friend. “Okay,” he said, “what’s their room number?” Ummmmm. "I don't know the room number. “Okay,” he said, “what’s their last name?” At this point, Noelle is poking me and whispering through gritted teeth “Forget it, Mom! Let’s just go!” No way, Jose. Those guys were in there, and I wasn’t leaving without a photo of them!

So, my friend’s name? I couldn’t say the TAPS names, that would be too obvious, it would blow the whole operation. “Ray” I lied, and watched nervously as the valet wrote it down. “Okay,” he said, “it will be charged to the room when they checkout.” !!!! Oh crap. "Now just give me your keys." Noelle is flipping out next to me, saying this is a bad idea. “Be quiet!” I whispered angrily. I handed over the keys and got out of the car. I walked calmly into the hotel, dragging Noelle behind me.

Once again, the hotel was deserted, including the restaurant. The only people there were the same employees who had seen me 6 hours earlier, who were now eyeing me suspiciously. Especially since I was fervently trying to calm my child, who was now beside herself that I had just handed my keys over to a complete stranger, and charged valet parking to non-entity!

If she hadn’t been with me, I would have plopped myself on a bench with a magazine for the rest of the night waiting for the Ghost Hunters to show their faces. Eventually they would have to come to the lobby! But it was dawning on me that my daughter just doesn't have the stomach for the lying and sneaking around required of covert operations. (Which, in hindsight, makes me very proud.) I had no choice but to accept defeat.

We walked back to the garage, where I apologized to the valet and said my friend had not checked in yet, got my car back, and drove home wondering WHAT IN THE HELL had just come over me. Noelle wondered the same thing, as she promptly called every one of her friends the minute we got home and said, “you won’t believe what my mom just did!”

Well, we did get a picture of the van at least, which has made me the envy of my coworkers. Yes it’s dark and grainy, as stakeout photos usually are…..

Happy New Year! (Better late than never...)

Hello friends! Sorry about going MIA for so long. You know it's been a while when you literally have to rack your brain for 2 hours to remember your Blogger password!! Geesh. It has been a very busy month. I promise to get caught up with all of you ASAP.

First though, I have to show off these pics of my adorable niece and nephews! We were so excited to have my sister Anna and her family here the weekend between Christmas and New Years. It’s been a few years since they were here and I hadn’t even seen baby Jonathan yet. Let me tell you, he is just absolutely precious, and I am not biased at all! Here he is with his mama:

Four year old David is sooo much fun, and a brilliant artist. He sat at my dining room table and drew all kinds of wonderful pictures for me.

And my niece Sydney....... I blinked my eyes and she’s TWELVE! She is so grown up and mature. I love her to pieces. She and Noelle had a great time together. I tried taking pictures of them doing Dance Dance Revolution, but they were too darned fast, lol!



















Anna, you have your hands full with this beautiful brood. I don’t know how you do it, girl. I regret that I didn’t get any pics of my brother-in-law Jesse. I sure wish these guys lived closer. Oklahoma is just too far!!!

I hope all of you are having a great 2008 so far.

This cracked me up

Motherhood can be embarrassing

Soooo, I called my daughter from work this afternoon, to remind her she needed to take a shower pronto because she had an appointment to get her hair cut later in the evening. I almost never make personal calls from the switchboard, because with 12 incoming lines to keep track of, it's pretty much impossible. But the shower thing was important. So I called her and told her to get in the shower. She started arguing with me:

"But she's going to wash my hair when I get there!"

"Well, she's not going to wash your body, so get on it!"

"But..."

Yea, you mothers know how it goes...

In the middle of this conversation my switchboard went crazy. So I put N on hold to answer the other lines, put them on hold and went back to pick her up. "Listen, my lines are ringing off the hook, so stop arguing with me and get in the shower!"

Then I heard a man's voice say "Ummmm, this is Mr. So and So...."

Holy cowsnot, Batman!! I have never been so embarressed on the job in my life. I wanted to crawl under my desk and die. Luckily, the guy laughed and said "I have 3 daughters, I understand." But I still wanted to die. Needless to say, this is why I never make personal calls.

Thanksgiving

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends at my sister PJ's house in Indianapolis. So much food and frivolity! Oh, and football! I only wish my sister Anna and her family could have been there. One of these days, Anna, we will all be together for the holidays!

I hope you all had a blessed Thanksgiving.

Me and my girl.

My nephew Tyler making the rolls. They were delicious, Ty!

My sister PJ and her son Kyle

Ah, sibling love: Rachel, Kyle, Tyler

PJ worked hard all day to prepare a wonderful meal for us. Thanks, PJ!

So sweet

Family friend Buddy and my brother-in-law, David

Step away from the pickles!

Kyle and his sweetheart, Trisha

Family friend Sheryl and her daughter Shawna

Let's eat!

Yet Another Addiction

It all began last Tuesday night. I play on a live trivia team at my local neighborhood bar on Tuesdays. Last week we had this question: “What country would you first come to heading directly east from Rhode Island?” The answer: Portugal. I guessed France. Bah!

So it was obvious I needed to brush up on my remedial geography! That’s when I found this nifty online game. Very educational. Very humiliating. Very addicting! Have fun.

Halloween Party '07

Sixteen teenagers, one mother. One very tired mother, lol. We had our annual Halloween party last night. A great time was had by all. The house is still standing, which is a good thing! I must be insane, but I really do enjoy having my house filled with the laughter of these kids. We don’t have much, but we do have laughter. It makes me so happy to see my daughter surrounded by friends. All the social problems she had a few years ago are a distant memory. It’s really an amazing thing to watch these kids growing up right before my eyes! ! I’ve known half of them since kindergarten. Now they are almost adults. Man, I feel old. Parents of all the kids pictured gave permission for the world to see them.