As of today we are a family without cable television. Yup, I said it. We no longer have cable tv. I am a little scared of this coming week and how I am going to do. Watching tv has been a sort of hobby of mine for years. I love tv. Its a way for me to literally shut off my mind and relax.

So why did we get rid of it then you ask? Well, J.E.B. is not a tv watcher at all. Sometimes I can convince him to watch a tv show with me, but only sometimes and that tv show will generally be Man Vs. Wild or Dirty Jobs. And lately, I've been watching Netflix through our Wii much more than the actual cable. So we figured, why pay for cable and internet each month when we are really only using the internet?

It was my decision since I am the resident tv-watcher of Team Bolen and it was a hard one for me to make. In the end my curiosity at how I would do without cable overpowered my desire to have it. So I called to cancel it.

Or I should actually say, I tried to cancel it. When I called Time Warner I was first put on the line with a nice woman who accepted my reason for cancelling as logical (we don't use it and don't want to pay for something we aren't using) however, she was new or something and didn't know how to cancel part of an account so she transferred me to someone else. Ok. No problem.

Now, this second person, was not helpful at all. He repeatedly tried to get me to change my mind by asking me in a different way if I was sure I didn't want just a few cable channels (You don't watch Discovery or the History Channel? What if you want to see what's on the news?, etc). After three different questions and three replies of No, just cancel it, I got pissed off. He tried to offer me another plan for cheaper but again, I said no. (Really, how many other ways can I say No? And even though he had a Hispanic accent, No in Spanish is still No in English). He then told me not to get mad at him and when I still said no for a fourth time, he actually asked if I didn't want to check with my husband first? Really? "Check with my husband first?" What am I ten years old and have to ask permission of Dad? Or are we living in some other century/country I'm not aware of where women aren't allowed to make decisions in their homes?

Needless to say, I was more than pissed off and I hung up on him. Poor J.E.B. answered the phone at work to an irate wife who in her irritated excitement rattled off the whole situation in a matter of seconds to him. I do recall him telling me to calm down, but I was too angry/hyper to do so initially. Finally I said that he had to call to cancel since I obviously was not qualified to do so.  Yeah, I may have overreacted a bit.

Anyway, he called, got a nice lady on the phone who was surprised at his story of the jerk I had on the phone and the cable was cancelled by the end of his pleasant conversation.

Oh well. Its over now.

No cable.

Wow.

No cable.

Now what?

Our little spitfire redheaded Victoria turned one year old on 7 June. It was a very fun but strange day for me as I was constantly remembering the day she was born and the week thereafter when she was hooked up "to the Matrix" in the NICU as J.E.B. liked to call it. I have found it humorous that so many sayings about children that you grew up hearing are 1) very, very true and 2) have a deeper, more personal meaning once you have your own kids. So cliche I know!

Well, V turned one year old and she certainly enjoyed herself. We didn't do a huge party (it was just the three of us that night) since we were together in Colorado last month with the Bolen side of the family and celebrated it there and then in one week V and I will be heading to Gettysburg, PA to my parents' house to have the Angelovich reunion.

I did make her a carrot cake and cream cheese frosting though. My, did she like the frosting. I wish I had thought to have the camera ready to snap her picture when I let her lick the spatula. Her tiny mouth opened and very delicately tasted the frosting then a HUGE smile appeared on her face and she opened her mouth to its fullest extent in demand for more. She enjoyed it so much in fact that when I took the spatula away to put it in the sink, she pitched a royal fit. Complete with flinging arms and plopping down at my feet in anger while she wailed her frustration and obscenities at me. But she forgave me a few moments later when I cut her a piece of cake with frosting on it.

This is the Wish-O-Saurus J.E.B. found in Okinawa on his last trip out there. It has spots for up to 10 candles.

Enjoying the carrot cake and cream cheese frosting.

REALLY enjoying the vanilla ice cream!

The gifts were more of an enjoyment for her parents while the birthday girl enjoyed the wrapping paper more than anything. Typical.  It took her a few days and some of Mom's help but she finally figured out how to walk with the corn popper toy. She also got some blocks which so far, again, Mom and Dad are enjoying more than she is!

J.E.B. gave her what I consider her best gift. He made her a height stick as one of his woodworking projects. He carved out the letter V at the top and etched out 1/2 inch increments for 6 feet. We're both pretty excited to keep adding her height to it as she gets older.

Here is a picture taken on 9 June 2010, two days after her birth. She was so small and it was so scary seeing her hooked up to all those wires. Luckily our little girl is doing great and is full of energy and personality!