I’m a homeschooling mother of two daughters, ages 9 and 6. But I’m not a born-again Christian, nor am I a pagan, nor a vegan who grinds her own wheat. I drink coffee, and lots of it. I put white refined sugar in my coffee, and I’m not afraid to admit it.
I’m into positive parenting, classical homeschooling, writing poetry, vanilla lattes, satire, sarcasm, good books and House reruns. Also, I curse like a freekin’ sailor. But not around my kids. Just around you. Let’s analyze that, shall we?
I’m happily married to a satellite engineer who moonlights as a heavy metal bass player.
I was raised by crazy people, but then I got some therapy in college, so I’m okay now. Mostly.
I started this blog in February of 2007 because we’d just moved back across the country somewhat unexpectedly to be close to our ailing and crazy family members. Not long after we’d moved back, we remembered why we’d moved to Colorado in the first place. Because our families are so damn crazy. But we were sort of stuck in Pennsylvania and RegularDad’s job turned out to be a really good career move, so we decided to try to stick it out instead of heading west again.
That first winter back, we lived in a tiny little rented farmhouse with well water that smelled like sulfur and no dishwasher and giant spiders in the creepy basement and some animal that lived in the attic ceiling and would scrabble up and down the walls and freak me utterly out (always when RegularDad had to work the night shift, of course) and the weather was so cold that all the windows froze over and we couldn’t even see out them at all. So, there I was, stuck in that little house with a 3-year-old and a 6-year-old and a car with expired tags and out-of-state plates so I couldn’t really even GO anywhere. I found myself in desperate need of some sort of outlet, or I’d end up smoking again.
So, I started this blog. And I managed to stay off the cigarettes. Which is good. Smoking is expensive. Blogging is free. I’m saving a goddam fortune here. Also, when I blog, people don’t give me nasty looks and tell me I smell like a dirty ashtray. So, I’ve got that going for me. Which is nice.
These days, I’m still blogging for my health and my sanity. I know I sound crazy in here sometimes. In fact, I’m often giggling like a madwoman while I type. But believe me… most of the crazy just comes out here. It’s like a slow leak to relieve the pressure so that when I’m out and about town and within the homeschooling community I act almost normal.
Almost.
I could go on and on about why I do this, but House is almost on, and I’m kinda hungry.
Thanks for reading.
just added your blog to my surfer page I like your attitude
Cheers
iain
Hi Iain,
I just realized I never responded to your comment. Just wanted to say hello, and thanks for reading, and that I enjoy your blog very much. I’m not quite ready to comment at your blog, but I do like to read your stuff.
– RM
Hi RM
thanks for the kind words and, as we say Downunder, about commenting at my blog “No worries”. But feel free to drop me an email if there is something that you want to say about any of my posts(my email link is on my blog).
Oh, I just LOVED this! Thanks for such a great laugh. I’m definitely adding you to my Bloglines roundup. I’m a homeschool mom who is a Christian – but not a Protestant nor a Fundy. But, I do get lots of silly questions from my Protestant friends.
I’ve been trying for more than 20 years to convince dh move away from family…so I think you’re crazy for moving back home.
Satellite engineer – hmmm, my hubby is one of those too – more in the software end – internet over the satellite. And he used to play bass in a few bands.
Hey debd,
You’re welcome.
As for proximity of the family, consider this: when you live far away from the family, ALL of your vacations will involve going to see the family, because you’ll feel obligated. Now that we live closer, we can vacation pretty much wherever we want, and all alone. Just us. It’s nice.
Also, I used to have to have my mother visit and LIVE IN MY HOUSE for at least 5 days straight. Can anyone say NIGHTMARE? Now, I have her over for dinner maybe once a month. Or less. And then…she LEAVES! After only a couple of hours. It’s nicer that way.
So you see, there are some benefits to living closer. Anyway, welcome to my blog. Come visit whenever you like.
- RM
A new picture! A new picture! Love it!
Yep. Isn’t it nice not to have to look at my nostril anymore?
I think I love you. Commonalities: recently moved thousands of miles across country. Fun! Not! Coffee– God made this for me. I am not a vegan who grinds her own wheat, although I do bat around a crunch card with some of my friends. We keep losing it for sins such as me using Splenda in my gallons of coffee.
RYC: The link to the study is in the piece, so you can do whatever you want!
A link to me would be flattering, but unnecessary. I am really REALLY
pleased with that piece, aren’t you? Good news!
L,
I think I love you too. From the moment I saw your blog title, I just knew. In fact, the very first thing I thought when I saw your blog title was: “Man, TELL me about it.” (For those of you who are wondering, L’s blog title is: “Osgiliath Is Overrun.”)
I look forward to many coffee-filled moments perusing your blog.
Hey stumbled across your blog from MomIsTeaching. Lovin reading it! It’s so refreshing to find others out there for a meeting of the um… minds.
Looking forward to keeping up with your postings.
~Heather
The Redneck Princess
Hi Heather!
Glad to see you here. Love your nickname, too!
I think I want to be you when I grow up.
Thanks, Ladybug. I want to be me when I grow up too.
Hi Regular Mom,
I was visiting Blog Nosh reading a piece by a friend and happened to notice your post because of the homeschooling label. I could not help but smile as I read because I could so relate to all the questions and pressures and excess contact/activities you are facing as a homeschool mother.
My adventure as a homeschool mom started in the early 1980’s when it was something that hardly anyone had heard of. In fact, for the first 4 years I didn’t have to worry about group activities because there WERE no groups to join! ha It has been a full ten years now since my last child graduated (yes….I taught them from kindergarten through 12th grade) and I am still glad….and so are they…..that we homeschooled. All three of my kids earned a full 2-year scholastic scholarship to our local community college and each of them shines in their chosen field. Don’t ever let anyone try to tell you that homeschooled children are missing out on education. And certainly not on socialization! Most homeschoolers are able to interact with any age group, whether a lot younger, the same age, or a lot older than they are.
I hope these will be great years of bonding for you and your children. They just grow up so very fast!
Only one other thing…..I guess you could say that I am one of those ‘born-again fundamentalist’ people you mentioned. Could not tell if you have issues with Christians in general or if it was just a passing comment. Whatever, I’m glad that it’s not just the ‘crazy fundamentalists’ anymore that are homeschooling!
A Homeschool Mom Emeritis…..Marilyn
Marilyn, I bow down before your greatness. Seriously. I am constantly in awe of people who homeschooled prior to this current “explosion” of the homeschooling movement. There is so much support these days, compared to earlier years.
And I’m always glad to hear of people who homeschooled K-12 and say that it worked great and their kids are doing great. It keeps me going.
As for the fundamentalist part, the answer is twofold:
1. No, I don’t take offense to born again christians in general. I’ve found that there are various levels of fundamentalist. And I’m friends with a good number of fundys — the kind that will actually be friends with me, that is. There are, of course, a great many fundys who hate more than they love. It’s sad, but true. I take offense to them, because honestly? I can’t imagine God would approve of that for them. For anyone. To hate more than you love. To define yourself in terms of the wrongness of others. To blatantly assume to know the mind of God, to know the opinion of God, and to pass judgement upon others for that assumption. These are the things I take offense at.
And 2: I put that in my “about” blurb also because I like to poke fun at the fact that most people assume (wrongly) that all homeschoolers are crazy fundamentalists. I poke fun at this because it’s what I, myself, used to think about homeschoolers before I actually researched it on my own and found out how wrong I was.
I hope this answers your questions. And many thanks for reading and coming to visit.
- RM
Wow, your in-laws are so much like my own dear departed in-laws, it’s amazing.
I’ve read you for a long time. I probably found you through Doc, but it’s been so long, I don’t remember.
We don’t have a lot in common (except the part about Law-and-Order reruns), but I always enjoy what you have to say.
I just wanted to get out of the “lurk” mode and say hello.
Donna,
Thanks for coming out of lurking. And thanks for reading.