hopeful writer | says yes often | planner, doer, and finisher | filling my life with wit and humor | wobbly speller | lover of new technology | mom to a terrific millennial | always wondering, What Next!
1/27/2023 (update). My teen is now 26. We are business partners and run Camp Run A Pup together. In 2021 we bought a camp lodge. Good stories? I have a few. I’m back. I’ve missed you all! Especially since Facebook assassinated me. It is a doozy of a story, and I plan to share it very soon.
I’m Katybeth. Welcome to My Odd Family.
Names, characters, places, and incidents written about in My Odd Family are real and are not a product of my imagination. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely purposeful. However, in the immortal words of my grandmother, the truth should never get in the way of a good story. I hope to share a lot of good stories.
Odds and Ends about Me:
I was born in Roswell, New Mexico. I escaped.
I’m an only child, raising an only child.
I am owned by a 17-year-old Jack Russell (Rascal) and a 4-year-old Vizsla (Nash).
I love to eat leftover cake in the bathtub.
My beverage of choice is Coke in little bottles. Starbucks would be a close runner-up.
I’m a professional pet spoiler (PPS) and CEO of Camp Run-A-Pup. Cole is CFO. Cole counts our money. I pick up poop.
I am passionate about Waldorf education. We enrolled Cole in a parent/child class when he was 18 months old and never looked back. He had the same teacher for eight years of grade school, attended the Waldorf High School, and graduated in June of 2014.
If I built a house, it would not include a kitchen. I love computers, gadgets, cameras, and take-out menus.
I saw Hulk Hogan naked when he wrestled live for KPLR-TV in St. Louis. Years later, I had my picture taken with him. He was wearing clothes.
Along with Winnie the Pooh, my spelling is wobbly, and I believe “Nobody can be uncheered with a balloon.”
I am always and forever about the story. I will share our stories, and I hope you will share your stories!
Odd Loves Company! We will leave the light on for you.
I was in the delivery room when this child was born or I might not believe she is one of us! She still sounds sane most of the time
DA (Dear Aunt) , have you not forgotten, I am not the sane one, I am the NICE one!!
I am actually thrilled that I married into this family. I love all of you very much. I am going to be visiting Aunt Jill next week. Judi
We love you more. . .
♥
Truly, I don’t think I am even a member of this odd family. I truly believe I was either adopted or snatched when I was a tiny kid.
This blog is for people who think THEIR family is strange. Hang in with us and after several months, your family will look very normal! Now Judi is truly the oddest, marrying into this family and still saying she’s thrilled!
Anyway, hang on, your in for a very wild and odd ride.
Marcie
DM (Dear Mom),
We took a vote–you belong.
ox DD (Dear Daughter)
And I’m delighted!
Me too!
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Wow. I always wanted to BE from Roswell, NM or move there so I could talk about aliens without sounding weird; or at least blame my weirdness on the water there. My Canon and camera bag are attached to me at the hip, but I do like to sew and cook, mostly things like camping gear bags and carbohydrates or seared meat since I am a ravenous carnivore. I think kids should cry when they lose and dance when they win. Whoever came up with this idea that having fun couldn’t include failing grew up on some other planet or an alternative dimension! I found your blog through a link on Triiiibes.com. I’m sorry about your husband Joe dying, but happy that you had the time you did with him. I’ve never had even one day of that kind of bliss so to me being loved like that at all is a gift. Better to have loved and lost than never loved at all? A hard truth, but a truth. Love your writing!
Thank you Becky. I am glad you found us! Sounds like we might have a lot in common. But Becky…really Roswell? You did not miss much!
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Hi Katybeth:
I am loving your blog…wondering if it’s okay to add you to my Blogroll? Thanks!
Wendy
Sure and I will add you to mine and we will blog happily ever after together…or something along those lines!
Nice to meet you Wendy.
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LOVE! And yes, though I knew most of that, I didn’t realize that Erma Bombeck is one of your inspirations — but I might have made that connection on my own if I’d thought to! imo you’ve accomplished that goal! and btw, have always really enjoyed Erma (and you!)
Also loved ‘I don’t parent for an audience’ — that one’s going to be a guide for me today. . .;)
Thanks for being a part of My Odd Family, Isabel! You fit is so nicely 😀 !
♥
I love reading your blog. Keep on keepin the light on! xo
The light will always be on for you and a bag of Cheetos at the ready!
♥
You mentioned 2 more dogs. What kind of dogs are they? Never heard you mention them before. Just curious. So you are a dog lover for real. I guess if I was going to leave my pets with someone, it would be with someone that is proving she loves dogs. 8)
I love you blog!!! It’s hilarious and reminds me of my family too 🙂 I got here through Sendie-Lou, isn’t she a wonder…and isn’t that so amazing. So very glad you do blog, please don’t ever stop!
Holy smoke, I hadn’t seen this before. Pretty sure I would have remembered nekkid wrasslar and cake in the tub.
I’m so sorry about your husband. My heart goes out to you. There is something about you that is special i get from reading your blog…you are a strong woman with a great sense of humor and wisdom. I admire that. God bless you!
Hello Katybeth!
Wow! I am so glad you stopped by and said hello on my blog, which prompted me to find out more about you and Wow! What a cornucopia of incredible “Odds and Ends” right here! I resonate with so many things about you (other than being pet spoiler as I don’t have any pets anymore but when we had our calico cat Teeder, yes, I too was a spoiler!)
Your story about Joe, moved me to tears as I can only imagine how it must have been… I too have one child – a miracle boy after losing 3 pregnancies. Looking at your photo with Cole just makes me smile… it’s so full of LOVE and mutual admiration…
No we don’t blow up Twinkies around here but my son certainly thinks I’m a “cool Mom”, as we do so many things together…
What a gift to know you Katybeth! I look forward to your “El Morno” posts… will follow you on FB if I am not following you yet…
Thank you for sharing from your heart… Much appreciated!
Blessings,
Emma
Thank you so much for the comment you left on my blog. It was helpful to hear from someone else who has lost a loved one – although I can’t imagine losing my husband. It seems like my grief multiplied by a million, not that losses can really be compared. Some days I think I’m all better, and then I stumble on a trigger and I see I’m still grieving. Day by day I guess.
KatyBeth, I have dropped into your blog before, but just read the “about”. I love your wit! I too have a “Rascal”. His fave chew toy is deer antlers. I even tripped on your site! Crazy! Rascal usually gets his from my Daddy, the family hunter! A friend just said her vet told her not to give her pup antlers, but rawhides are okay? what the heck? maybe she should find a new vet! Keep writing! Glad Diane S turned me onto your blog 🙂
I am astonished in Idaho. Yep, utterly astonished to discover KatyBeth, Cole, and your resident furpersons. KatyBeth, your Odd website here has given me a renewed confidence and determination to express my own “Oddness” in Idaho. I assure you, this is simply not done. Nevermind the fact that I am an official ‘old lady’ living way outside of Boise in what I call, my to the consternation of my neighbors, “TraLaLaTrailerLand”. Technically, our little corner of Oddness out here is an original Chinese settlement from the late 1800’s. And then..and then..the 1960’s happened, and thankfully a splendid family migrated from Great Britain and set up what is known as a “Caravan Park”. In other words, we’re a buncha Hippie/Gypsy/did-‘the training’ camp and we each own a small patch of land and refuse to be a part of the city. The truth is, my husband, Joe (oh sweet KatyBeth, now I talk to your Joe too! I tell him of the cool things you and Cole are doing, but mostly how you two make a difference in my day.) Difference? In an old lady Hippie/Gypsy kinda day? O.K., It’s like this. Cole! You came home with clean laundry!! Awesome! So what kinda difference could that make in my day? umm….for starters I finally began to commence to fix to begin to put a load of laundry in that goofy washing machine. Ya know, I was wondering if the thing still worked. Something about living in Idaho – four seasons and all – somewhere between winter and summer there’s all those clean summer clothes ya put away last winter so’s ya got tons of clean shorts and t’s to wear. Then there’s that pile of warm woolies that can wait for another day, the heck with it.
So, between your Odd column, Cole coming home with clean laundry from his trip, then last week KatyBeth mentioning that little “Aphorism” book we all got so long ago. Well, I just plain got down to business. Yikes! Why are all our winter clothes covered in dog and cat fur, how come the socks marched to the wash machine all by themselves “take me, take me…”.
Yes, you’ve created a monster in Idaho. Relax, I’m a monster of the Ancient History type. Cole, you could likely take me for “show and tell” to any class. Make up anything, doesn’t matter, at one time or another it probably happened.
This is the one and only column like this I have ever posted anything on. At all. Well, one of our rescue cats, “SpUd” doesn have his own advice column on “KumpiLove.com”. He tries to stay with nutrional and behavioral issues, although now and then SpUd goes on a rant. I’m rather shocked at his “Dear SpUd” advice column, mostly I’m shocked he has the very nerve to enter this green room where the computer hides. That place I rarely visit unless it’s about checking hiking trails, ultrarunning events, and of course keeping in touch with Robin Symon’s films. I know it’s not cool to plug someone here, but I suspect you two are aware of her documentaries, if not I have a feeling you would love them. (O.K., it’s like this, reach under your chair, pick up with piece of paper and the pencil there, read the piece of paper. Please check “yes” or “no” where a response is requested. Please do that now. Thank You. Now hand in your paper, and the pencil, to the center aisles where assistants are waiting to collect them. Is there anyone who has now done that? Thank you to everyone for completing that. Now we’ll move on….
(Sound familiar?) No, that wasn’t done for any of Robyn’s films, or the internet video-on-demand interviews that are available. In any event, if you aren’t familiar with the work, I’m confindent you will not only enjoy them but perhaps be yelling at your screen – “Hey! That’s us!” Just type in her name in any general search, find her website, and I gotta feeling it’ll be like comin’ home again.
Yes, there’s even some of the old “I used to be different now I’m the same..” footage.
KatyBeth, my husband, Joe, also works in a ‘risky business’. He’s a substance abuse counselor out at the state prison. He’s known as “cruel but fair”. um….the guys are great with that after he lays out what is basically our format from The Training and the programs that followed. In other words, the guys suddenly find themselves at the mercy 12 hours a day of someone who will only accept 100% participation in an atmosphere in which not only can the truth be told, but understand they are responsible for creating the same atmosphere within their families and communities when they are no longer incarcerated. Okay, true, he has a captive audience. And so Joe is ruthless. And one of the first thing he does is show them Robyn Symon’s film “Transformation”. By the way, Robyn loves that he does this, and it’s with full permission of the parties involved in the film.
Ya never know just what will work, where or when. But as you and I and Cole well know, “At all times, under all curcimstances, we have within us the power to transform the quality of our lives.” And you have transformed mine! Good grief, all that winter laundry, ugghhh, I’ll let you know when I get to the rugs from the mud room. aaaAAARRRGGGH!
Hugs, purrs & Woofs,
Freida’Jean
Not sure how I missed so many of your comments from so long ago but they just seemed to appear. Did you think I was horrible rude for not responding. If so please accept my “I’m so very sorry.” repeated at least 10 times. Thank you all for reading Odd. Please feel free to comment on any post, any time and I will respond (as best I can) to every comment…because my friends and readers….ODD LOVES COMPANY!
“I love to eat leftover cake in the bathtub.” Great idea! And to think, I’ve been reading in the tube all these years. Cole is a lucky young man. 🙂
Thanks for stopping by! Cake in the bathtub is so good. Reading is nice too! Thank you, my kid is a treasure.
I’ve never tried cake in the bathtub. I love baths and I love cake. Not sure why it never occurred to me. Kindda sorry that it did now as I am trying to lose lots of pounds that I’ve put on during the last 10 or 20 years or so. . .
I also love computers, gadgets, cameras, and take-out menus—but again, trying not to think about food.
Cake in the bathtub is the best. What about WW cheesecake for a special treat?
Nice to meet you. So glad you stopped by!
Just found your blog through mnprairieroots and thought I’d check it out! You made me smile, so I’ll stay awhile!
Well that makes me smile! Thank you and nice to meet you!