Curse of the Oleander

Who plants an oleander because it would "just be so pretty here"? Definitely not a native Arizonan! We know better....they are poisonous, allergenic masses of ugly! It has about all the glory of gravel - you can walk all over it, probably drive all over it, and it doesn't seem to mind.

We have three huge ones in our front yard that came with the house - I have hated those things since we moved in. We finally bit the bullet and paid a landscaper to remove them for us, but the darn things are so stubborn that they just about pulled his truck bumper off as he was attempting to pull them out with a chain.

Vegetation killer, gasoline (can't burn them though because the smoke is toxic), maybe a shotgun??? Regrettably, I think the only thing that will get rid of these awful speciman of a plant will be hours and hours and hours upon more hours of digging (by my husband, of course)!

Best Invention Ever

...well at least one of the best inventions ever: the BLEACH PEN!!!

Case in point: the yucky white handles of white appliances...if anyone has white-on-white, you probably know what I am talking about...and all I have to say is thank goodness my special little secret weapon...the Clorox Bleach Pen!

The Wonderful World of Disney

Even the most well thought out plans have unknown variables. Case in point...the Treiber's first trip to Disneyland!

We started with a solid foundation: a great rate on airfare...two really nice two-room suites at the Doubletree...a comfy rental car...five days: 2 for travel, 3 for fun...a great deal on all of our 3-day Disney tickets for only $500...and 2 very excited little ones!

We ended up with all of the above plus an added bonus: 5 days of 100+ degree temps in Anaheim...in addition to the extreme heat, add high-humidity and you have a super-grouchy mom, cranky kids, a hot granny, and a grumpy dad! On top of the heat-induced bitterness, add a little princess want-a-be who now wants absolutely nothing to do with her friends Cinderella, Snow White, and Belle and you have a slightly unpleasant Treiber experience at the "Happiest Place on Earth."





However, the little man was a real trooper and went all out in his first amusement park experience: Thunder Canyon Railroad, Space Mountain, the Tower of Terror, and the Grizzly River Run...Hubby and I are still not sure what he actually thought...but he said he had fun. The only one we really know he was absolutely thrilled about was the river ride...he thoroughly enjoyed Mama and Daddy getting absolutely soaked!





The wonderful world of Disney...not so wonderful this weekend, but maybe next time!