Some days it feels like I’m getting “pitched” by PR people in droves. Five emails in a day, all addressed to… “Ms. Stephanie Wetzel, Blogger, The Red Clay Diaries.” My favorites say something in their opening paragraph to “personalize” the pitch. Of course, it’s hard to feel like they know me when their opening is, [...]

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Hello from La Petit Puppe’, the daycare for the discerning puppy owner! As you may remember, we have a new puppy. After three weeks in her new home, Tess has done her best to leave her mark on everything inside. Wow. I haven’t had a puppy since Callie was little in 1996. Over the years, [...]

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The other night Charlie and I were watching Design Star on the HGTV. Which we normally view between The Ultimate Fighter and What Not to Wear. Except during football season. (Our viewing choices, they are schizophrenic.) At the end of this episode of Design Star, the network aired a commercial for a new show. At [...]

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One day. One whole day’s worth. That’s how much freedom I got to experience with the start of school. Well, technically, it was a day and a half. But that doesn’t matter; what’s important is that I’m an idiot. The details of my descent into dementia aren’t really relevant. Okay, one detail is totally relevant. [...]

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That’s riiiiiight! They’re gooooiiiiiiing BACK! In the early morning, before even the sun had risen, my alarm rang. After sleeping in all summer, I’d forgotten what it was like to wake up before dawn. And yet… I BOUNDED out of bed. I cheerfully awakened my children. I happily fed them breakfast and helped them pack [...]

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Today I’m sitting in my bed, but not because I’m sick. Actually I’m hiding. Listening to Snow Patrol and trying to write. From down the hall and through my locked door, I can hear what I’m hiding from. After exhausting every option for manipulating Mom into entertaining them, my kids have finally decided to go [...]

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On Twitter last week, my lovely friend Sarah laughed at my use of the word “stabby” to describe my mood at the time. (Stabby: A word that I can’t take credit for but am totally willing to be considered creative for using.) Anyway, I was feeling stabby about traffic in the Atlanta metro area, which [...]

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HOW long has it been since my last post? It feels like my summer has been kidnapped. Which is why I found this site so entertaining: The Ransom Note Generator. Simply type in the text of your ransom note, and it’s magically converted into your generic everyday disgruntled loner magazine letter script. Take a look [...]

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HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA. (Sorry. I don’t know what came over me.) SNORT! HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAAAA. (Sorry. It’s just that…um… EASY? … what was I THINKING?) What’s really funny is that I started out writing a post about how this summer HAS been easy…-er. More easy. Easy-ish. Seriously, it HAS been different from past years, when having all three kids [...]

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So I saw this picture on Twitter yesterday and wanted to share with you. And now I can’t decide… Does it require a parental advisory? Or an NSFW*? (*Not suitable for work) Help me out here… What do you think? Ernestine just had to show off the amazing results from her recent butt-lift. (caption credit: [...]

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