MartyrMom

Our Judicial System At Work

2011-07-05T21:45:00.000-04:00

I don't really care if anyone agrees with me or not.

I have not had much faith in our judicial system for a long time. I've always thought that you are NEVER innocent until proven guilty.......you are guilty until you prove your innocence.

The media takes over and they put people out to dry before the trial even begins. They create hysteria. The general public sometime appear to be small sheep ready to be led . People develop biases and begin to chant "Hang Her High". I swear it was like a witch hunt with Nancy Grace at the head of the pack.

Believe me when I say that I'm sure Casey had something to do with her child's death...but possibly so did her parents or that meter guy?? I don't know...........all I do know is that there were too many questions that were not answered.

There was a reasonable doubt............which makes it impossible to convict someone.

I'm not much on fighting about all this.........I just know what I believe. I see all the post on face book wishing her death and damnation. I wonder if those people could be trusted to be on any jury.........

My faith in our system was given a bit of a boost by not convicting her. She may be guilty as hell.....so might OJ or Michael Jackson......I don't know. I only know what the facts said..........and the facts created reasonable doubt.

The mistake I think that the prosecution made was to have all the possible charges lumped into one case. I'm not sure if they could have seperated them.

She was found NOT guilty of any serious charges. Thursday the judge will pass down sentencing.
She was found guilty on four counts of providing false information to law enforcement, which are misdemeanors. It's possible she could be released from prison later this week.

Josie

2011-07-03T10:03:00.000-04:00

She and I shared so many times I don't even know where to begin but I will tell you before her illness she was my best friend. I didn't meet her as a young woman. She was not my childhood friend. We met on the tennis courts.

Our friendship just evolved like so many friendships do. We hung out a few times. I thought she was out of my socio-economic group but she was a down to earth person. I don't know if Gina is attending her service but I remember when she told Josie, "you could drive my car." Gina was a young girl just starting off... not much money...two kids ....really struggling. Josie on the other hand.......well, lets just say she wasn't hurting for too much.

We joined a team later on and that was the beginning of the Royals.

Captain, Me, Bill Gullickson, Lori and Josie

Back in the day we had lots and lots of parties and more than a few had to have some sort of theme. No event was too small. A party was always needed.

Josie and I became fast friends when our sons began to "misbehave". We swapped war stories and played tennis like there was no tomorrow.

As our children grew so did our friendship. Our friendship was made of more than just our mutual love for tennis and our children.

We shared a love for travel and adventure. We became travel buddies for the short trips that I could take. She was always ready to 'hit the road'. If I said "Josie, let's go." She would be ready in a flash. Our farthest trip was Germany. We spent a week there with friends. Some of our shorter trips included a week in West Virginia skiing, a week in San Francisco, a quick "save the children" trip to NC to pick up my grand girls, a week long visit from her and her hubby to our beach cottage and a few long weekend "girls only" trips for tennis.

We shared a love for the books and history. . We could concoct the some pretty good stories ourselves....together we were a pretty good team!

We loved to joke around. There were times that we would be laughing so hard we'd really be rolling on the floor nearly (and yes a few times actually) peeing our pants. The silliest things could sometimes set us off and just looking at each other would send us into giggles again.

I remember the time she came to the courts with a nose ring in her nose. I was mortified. I wondered how I was going to keep her as my friend. She knew how I hated them. She continued the farce until we went out to lunch. At that time she was going to remove it so I would not be bothered. I started to yell "don't take it out" as the thought of watching her take it out was already making my stomach queasy..........then viola........it was a magnetic nose ring. I could have killed her..........we laughed and laughed and then I set the senerio for the party that was happening that night. I got on the phone like any good Royal and started the grapevine gossip.........."OH MY GOD.....Josie got her nose pierced" I told everyone. The stage was set.......everyone tried to pretend they didn't notice cause I told them how proud of it Josie was. In the end Josie brought the attention to herself and started telling them how upset I was at lunch and how much she loved it. As she proceeded to ask people what they thought and they began to hem and haw, she came clean. Their expressions (as well as mine I suppose) were priceless. She had a good time with that practical joke.

We both loved to talk on the phone and would spend hour after hour talking about everything from raising children to the what really caused the Civil War. There were many afternoons that our husbands would come home and find us on the phone.

She felt giving back to the community was an obligation not a choice. She spent much time on her charities.

We would have hard core discussions about controversial subjects and our disagreements never led us out of friendship. She had a strong sense of right and wrong. She was a stickler for etiquette. I think she must have had a Ms. Manners guide by her bedside.

I didn't visit her when she went to the nursing home the way I felt a friend should and if I had been the friend that was ill, I'm sure Josie would have visited me a lot more. I really couldn't bare to watch her deteriorate. I'm sure if she had had the least bit of her faculties in the end she would have forgiven me that.

We discussed what we wanted in life as well as in death and although I can't be there for her family at this time I know she would forgive me that too. What she wouldn't have forgiven me for would have been to not acknowledged that she really existed. She would have wanted me to let everyone know that she was a part of my world....that she made me smile.............that she made a difference in my life.

I loved her like my sister and I've missed her for a long time now.
Her physical body is now gone but our memories will live on forever.


Christmas party at the Mango Tree. Josie center stage

The man of the hour

Always happy and full of fun.

Halloween at the Valentines

Wedding

I think we were singing "Crazy" by Patsy Cline


My 50th...sharing Josie's drink!

See that cheap ass pin? She gave that to me. I still have it. There's a story behind that too.


San Fran our last trip together.

RIP Josie....I love you

Trying to Prove Who I Am

2011-06-30T08:28:00.000-04:00

Well it's almost time for me to renew my driving license. Because of 9-11 I have to REALLY jump through hoops to get it renewed.

I think it is discrimination against women. The question asks, "have you ever gone by another name?" I've been married 2 times and of course I have my maiden name. I have to have my certified marriage certificate to prove that my name now is what it is. I have to prove that I got a divorce. I have to have my certified birth certificate and a social security card and two pieces of mail addressed to me showing my address.

I've never gotten my marriage certificate so I pull up the application on line.......I decide that I'm going to "Virtually" order it since ordering it from the court takes a lot more time and effort.They only accept money orders and I have to send a self addressed stamped envelope (basically I'm lazy).

I get to the payment part and all is well. After I pay, I'm told I have to fax in a copy of an affidavit notarizing that I am who I say I am........WHAT????....geesh.....

I go to print out the affidavit to prove who I am and whose name is on it?? The Engineers!?!?!
They are now asking for him to prove who he is and that we are married. um.....Ok !?!?!

GRRRRR .........

In the mean time, we have to send off to renew our passports so we can go to the Galapagos. I got my passport in 2000. They requested a birth certificate. I can't remember that they asked for anything else. For the renewal they ask for nothing except my original passport and a new picture.

Why can't I just show my passport to the license bureau? The government trusts who I am but my state doesn't ??

Go figure??

Triple D and Stuff

2011-06-19T02:36:00.000-04:00

Sigh.........it's happening again. I often wonder if she will stop before she kills herself.

She was doing ok after her arrest. We decided to bail her out. I'm of a firm mind set that drug addicts do not belong in prison. I'm not sure where they belong but prison is not the place.

I thought pretty much she was using again 2 weeks ago. I always get this feeling of impending doom.....call it gut instinct. We've been testing her regularly and randomly. We did not get any positive results. I asked The Engineer if he knew of any drugs that wouldn't test out and he couldn't think of anything.

So last night I found her stash. A bunch of syringes and spoon with Roxy residue and low and behold.......a few pawn shop receipts.

We may be out 22K if she doesn't show up for court. I may try to get her bondsman to revoke her bail........don't know yet what this future will hold.

On a positive note.......I've been knitting my brains out. Here are just a few of my completed projects

Cabled Knit Cap

Cabled Scarf

Raglan Sleeve Sweater (I look like a wooly mammoth in it!)

Felted Slouch Bag

I find that this activity is stress relieving. Too bad I couldn't knit me a river.....it would flow for miles and miles. I don't want to add up the cost of my endeavors but I'm sure I've not spent as much as a therapist would cost.

I had arthroscopic (good thing for spell check. I thought you spelled that surgery with an "O") surgery on my knee back in May and am almost good as new. I'm back out on the tennis courts with a bit of swelling and stiffness but soon.........it'll be all good.

I'm leaving next week to go home to take care of mom. She had a total knee replacement last Tuesday. So far she is not home because she is running a fever but hopefully she will get to go home soon. I don't want to stay there if she is still hospitalized. The nurses are saying she may have to go to a rehab facility if she doesn't get her strength back quicker. I don't get it. Of course her strength is bad...she has just spent 3 days total bed rest and they are feeding her a healthy dose of morphine........what do they expect???

The Engineer and I are planning a trip to the Galapagos Islands in November. This, I can't wait for!!! The Anahi is the boat we plan to take. It's and 8 day cruise and then we will spend a few days in Ecuador.

Anahi

Embassy Scarf (Knit Scene, Summer 2011)

I'm knitting this wrap to take with me since it will be a bit chilly. I'm using a cotton and bamboo yarn that feels really yummy!!

Out of here for now.

Tax Season

2011-03-24T14:13:00.000-04:00

As tax season is nears the "MAD RUSH" to complete a return, I have a second to come on here and say hello.

Life is going ok with a few minor glitches....but hey...if it weren't for bad times how would I recognize the good?? Hum......

I think about writing every day and just don't have the the time or inclination to do it...........but soon.

I await the end......................

Black Mamba

2011-02-15T22:37:00.000-05:00

Featuring the Unknown Musician. His first recorded composition.

http://soundcloud.com/scherzi/black-mamba

Sunday Smiles

2011-01-30T09:31:00.000-05:00

1.How Do You Catch a Unique Rabbit?

Unique Up On It.

2. How Do You Catch a Tame Rabbit?

Tame Way..

3. How Do Crazy People Go Through The Forest ?

They Take The Psychopath.

4. What do you call a Botanist that's been fired?

Deflowered.

5. What Do Eskimos Get From Sitting On The Ice too Long?

Polaroids.

6. How do you make antifreeze?

Steal her blanket.

7. What is Atheism ?

A non-prophet organization.

8. What Do You Get When You Cross a Snowman With a Vampire?

Frostbite.

9. What Lies At The Bottom Of The Ocean And Twitches?

A Nervous Wreck.

10. Why Don't Blind People Like To Sky Dive?

Because It Scares their Dog.

***

Support bacteria. They're the only culture some people have.

If you're feeling down and wondering why you might have been placed on this earth , remember.......YOU were the sperm who made it; there's gotta be a reason!!

NONNA

2011-01-22T09:35:00.000-05:00

Anne died when she was 11 years old. She had leukemia. She was the last of the children the Engineer's mom would have. There were 4 boys and 1 girl. Anne was brilliant as Nonna is still known to say. She was wise beyond her years as I've always known dying children to be.

I've been with the Engineer for almost 32 years. We've been married for 28. His mother has always been a source of support, humor, and wisdom. She has been where my mom could never be.......there for me.

Some of her words of wisdom are as follows:

When the Criminal was sentenced to 5 years in a federal prison, he was 20. Triple D and the Unknown Musician were 8 and 5. I became depressed. I told the Doc that although I wouldn't kill myself, I wouldn't move if someone came across the yellow line. The Doc deemed me suicidal and gave me medications to help. When I called Nonna and told her what was going on she parted with these words of wisdom........."WHAT?? You want to die?? If that happens, the Engineer will just marry some slut and she'll raise your kids??? Do you want that to happen??"

I don't think the meds would have worked any better......

Another time I remember is when the Engineer and I were having (well I guess I was just having) marital problems. I would call Nonna all the time. I couldn't talk to my mom. All I got from her was, "Why can't you be thankful? He works and supports you really good. What more do you want???" So I would vent to Nonna. Nonna's favorite saying for any problem I was having was "he learned from the Master" ( his dad). Grumpy Gramps could/can be arrogant in his knowledge of things and feels that there are many who know much less than he. This mostly means Nonna. He never believes that she might have some sort of ability to read and decipher what she's read. He will say stuff like, "where did you read that at? National Inquirer?"

Back in her younger days Nonna would have created quite a scene. Sometime she still does but, hey, at 84 she has mellowed a bit.

Anyway........

At one point my complaints were more along the lines of loneliness because the Engineer traveled so much. The kids were small and I couldn't go out to play tennis too much. I would call and whine about not having any adult companionship and when the Engineer was home.......well, what can I say, he is an Engineer.

Finally she says to me, "Lucy, what you have is a case of the housewife blues. Now there are many ways I can think of that can help you get over this. One way would be to go back to school. You could take a class or two in the mornings." I thought this over for a bit and I told her I thought that it was a really good idea. In the next breath she said slyly, "or you could just have an affair. It doesn't cost very much and that would definitely get you over your blues!"

I had been near tears when the conversation started......after that........AWWW, LAWDY!!! There were tears but they were from laughing so hard. Later I told the Engineer what his mom had said. It didn't "straighten" him out...after all, he learned from the Master.

Over the years she has always been there to give me her advise and offer comfort. She loves my kids for who they are not who she thinks they should be. It's truly an unconditional love.

The Engineer didn't want me to call his mom and tell her about Triple D. He was afraid she would worry too much. He was gone this week and I called anyway. I had no one to talk to and I surely wasn't going there with my unsympathetic mother.

In between my sobs of sorrow she cooed and consoled and offered all she had. In the end she gave me this bit of wisdom that stopped my tears.

She said, "Lucy, there is always hope. Triple D, even the Criminal, may come around and eventually do something good. There is always hope of this. Do you know why Lucy? They are alive."


Standing: PIT, LL, Me. Seated: Triple D, Nonna, Baby

Nonna still has close relationships with her ex-daughter's in laws and I know if anything were to every happened to the Engineer and I, I would still have a friend in Nonna.

"O" is My Favorite Letter

2011-01-17T21:35:00.000-05:00

You are an opiate;

so very obvious.

I am obsequious.
I am an obstacle.

We are obsessed.

This was prompted by Missed Periods post. There are more "O" words that I like.

Orgasm cums to mind! ha! I made a joke!!

Origami....Opal...Original......probably a lot more but you tell me.....

Samurai Warriors

2011-01-17T07:35:00.029-05:00

Playing checkers in the park with the old guys, has never been ascompetitive as playing Mahjong in a field of lilies with the Samurai!

I did it! I did it!! 137 characters!!!

Susan over at "Stony River" hosts Microfiction Monday. The idea is to use Susan's picture she posts then compose a story up to and including characters, punctuation marks, etc adding up to 140.

The Saga Continues

2011-01-16T07:27:00.000-05:00

No matter how bad things are, I still love Triple D. That's the strange thing about having a kid. You want to hate them but you just can't. Your heart breaks and you cry until you're dry but no matter how hard you try....you just can't hate them. Yes Robert, my grief is so heavy I feel I can hardly breath sometimes.

I tried to hate the Criminal. I spent many years kicking myself....questioning ..........I know it's not my fault my children have fallen into bad behaviors. I raised them to be better than this. We aren't "white trash." We don't live in "crime town." We are not in the low socioeconomic group. I'm not, nor is the Engineer.....an abusive parent, a drunk, a drug addict, or mentally ill. (well not that we know of anyway! sigh......my try at humor!)
sorry Missed Periods...how in the hell do you punctuate a sentence like that??....and thanks for your support too!

Why all this has happened I can't say.

In my previous post I mentioned that the police were unwilling to help and I'd find out if they were just lazy or what. In the state of Florida you have to evict a person from your home. If you tell that person to leave and they have lived in your home for a period of time (like a kid or a friend), you have to evict them. The police can't search their room because everyone, even our grown children, are given a right to privacy. So Kelly, even though it's not as drawn out as a real tenant, you have to go through legal proceedings. Yeah the state of Florida has some strange laws. The cops aren't lazy.

So here we go with what went on......

Wednesday, January 12th, continued

When I first get to the court house, I check out the law library and get an eviction notice to put on Triple D's door.
I spent the better part of today in the court house getting the Marchman Act set up. I also request a restraining order in case the Marchman Act doesn't go through. As it goes, you have to have documentation stating your case. After I finished my blog , I spent a few hours writing a 2 pages summary of what has happened in the past year.

I'm relieved that I have done something to help Triple D but distressed that the restraining order, if approved, may get her in jail. I'm confused over what I want to happen.

I want her to go back to detox. I don't want her to come home. I'm willing to set her up in a half way house for a month but she has to be clean in order to go there. I don't want her in jail........cause I hate that thought.

As it turns out, I may not have any choice. What happens next is just crazy......

A police officer who is the investigating officer on a robbery that Triple D "witnessed" on Sunday night wants to stop by and ask her a few question. I tell Detective Smith that she is not here. She starts asking me about the car that Triple D drives...."do you drive the car too or is it just her?"......"how often do you drive it?"......"would you say you and Triple D share the car?"....

Triple D wrecked the car on Sunday night too but the story I got from that was she hit a parked car. My first thought is SHIT....she was the get away person........NOOOOOOOOO

The cops come over for a third time in a row. Det. Smith is very pleasant and when I ask her questions about the car she just says she wants to look inside of it. She has to determine that I use the car too, otherwise, she has to get Triple D's permission to search it.

We sit and talk for a while and as it is turning out.......Triple D may have helped set up this robbery. There was a girl who had her purse stolen from her home buy a guy who had a gun...........not looking good is it??

Anyway.......they search the car and take a few things. In the process of looking they find a spoon under the carpet in the trunk that clearly indicates Triple D's drug use. They can't use that against her because ... I could have put it in the car?!?! Ok well......um............whatever.......

They tell me they have caught one person and they are looking for another one. I take that to mean that there are 2 robbers.

After the cops leave, I call Triple D's boyfriend, Mighty Man-Man. He asks if Triple D would do such a thing.......sigh........

Drug addicts are like vampires......vultures.......they steal from those who "have" so they can get their supply replenished. When I ask the cops if drugs are involved the answer is "YES." The girl who was robbed was someone with a supply.....she also had a bit of money. I've known that this stuff happens amongst the drug crowd but they never call the cops. They just chalk it up to stupidity of not knowing who they are dealing with.......so this gal didn't care. Can you imagine?? "HELP!! I've been robbed!!! Someone just held a gun to my head and stole my purse and all my pills!!!" um........yeah..........whatever...... not that it makes it right but in my opinion they all get what they deserve. This is why I had no problem allowing the cop to search the car.

Thursday, January 13th

I wait for the most part of today for the judge to make his ruling. Finally the Marchman Act is approved as well as the restraining order.

The Detective last night told me when Triple D came home she would question her and then set the Marchman Act in motion.

I go down to the court house to pick up the papers and just as I pull into the parking lot Triple D calls me from a pay phone. I tell her that she needs to call the Detective. I hang up and call the cop with the pay phone number that my phone showed.

I find out that the person in custody is her "friend" who was also a "witness." She has been charged
with, home invasion with a deadly weapon and conspiracy to commit robbery...........geesh........... I'm a bit scared but if Triple D has had anything to do with this crime.....she needs to go to jail.

Friday, January 14th

Mighty Man-Man calls first thing this morning and tells me he has talked to Triple D on facebook. He has told her she needs to come in and talk to the detective.

Triple D calls me and I tell her her "friend" has been arrested. She is screaming at me that I've incriminated her. I tell her calmly that if she didn't have anything to do with the crime then she will be ok. She says she didn't . I tell her that if she hadn't lied so much, I would be able to believe her. I would know that she didn't do anything.

I tell her that the cops think she is a part of it. I tell her that they've taken 'stuff' from the car that may prove that the robber was in her car. I tell her that if she knew this person was going to rob this girl that she will probably be in trouble too.

Triple D tells me that she should probably have a lawyer. I tell her that she probably should. She asks who am I going to hire. I laugh.........she starts to cry and asks if that is why the Criminal is in jail. I laugh again and say the Criminal is in jail cause he committed a crime. I tell her to ask for a public defender. They have to have a lawyer present if she asks.

She says she will think about all this..............in the mean time Mighty Man-Man is calling and upset and wanting to go find her.

Short story long? Mighty Man-Man finds her, brings her in, she gets arrested.

Soooooooo
Gorilla Bananas
I didn't need the Marchman Act after all.

GG and Monkey Man,
Hopefully this IS the rock bottom. It can't get much lower.

Thanks Blondie for your wishes of strength. I have a feeling. I'm gonna need it.

I hate that it's come to this but I guess it was bound to happen.

Triple D Adventure

2011-01-12T10:04:00.000-05:00

Monday January 10
The snot nosed, punk cop with the bug-eyed glasses falls in love with the brown eyed sweet talking drug addict.

He talked to her first. She told her tale of woe. She said all she wanted to do was use the car to go pawn her culinary knife set. She spoke of the mother who accused her of drug use daily; of how her life was a piece of shit because her mother was always on her case. She swore she had no drugs and told him she thought that her mother had lost her mind. She even offered for the cop to look into her purse for the imaginary drugs her mother thought she had. I saw from a distance how he leaned towards her and looked in her purse and knew she had him "hooked" on her charms. Her demeanor was so calm; reserved; quiet spoken.

I yelled something to the effect "Tell him what you did," and he asked me if I needed assistance with a stern voice. I said no and he instantly walked over to me. In his bug glasses I could see my reflection. It was a face of a distraught woman, one who had been threatened; one who had been stolen from; one who was at her wits end trying to figure out how to get out of this hell. He asked me what the problem was. I began my tale of woe.

I told him she was using drugs and had been in and out of rehab for a year now. He said, "sorry ma'am I didn't find any drugs on her." I told him she stole my credit card and had just come back from probation saying she had used. He said the probation officer had not violated her and I told him I already knew because I had called him too. I told him she was trying to take the car. He said she could (even though her name is NO where on the title) because she has had use of the car in the past. I told him I wanted her out of the house. He told me file an eviction notice. I told him she had a small child. He said call the Department of Children and Families. I told him she threatened to hit me. He said she didn't. I said.........am I suppose to wait until she actually hits me or does some harm before you'll do anything?

This is when he turns ugly. He leaned towards me too but I can see the furrow above his bug eyes. He says "DON'T. YOU. BE. LITTLE. ME." I look at him like he's insane and all I can say is "huh?" He tears into to me then and tells me how he saw that I was rolling my eyes at him when he was talking to Triple D and how I looked at him with disdain each time he told me what the law said. I told him he was wrong and if I did roll my eyes it was out of frustration. I told him I would never belittle anyone (especially a cop, I'm not crazy...for real). That's when he said I should be more aware of how I look at people. I start to cry. (I REALLY hate when that happens).

He walks away from me without saying another word. He stops to talk to Triple D before he leaves. I suppose he told her not to take the car because she goes in the house.

Later, when dinner is almost ready, I hear a light pounding in her room. We sit down to dinner. When she comes to the table, I realize the pounding was probably her crushing a pill since she is glassy-eyed and smiling.

Tuesday January 11

I talk to Baby's dad and tell him he has to keep Baby until I get Triple D out of the house. The situation is too volatile and I really don't think any child should have to see what is going on.

It appears that she has called a detox center and is waiting for a bed so pretty much I wait too.

As the day progresses, she gets up and wonders around. I hear her calling people trying to find money. I go on the net to see if I can find the judge that has her case. I am thinking that if I call and plead, he may expedite a violation. I can't find it anywhere.

Evening is nearing and Triple D asks if I'm going to buy her cigarettes. I ask if she is kidding me. She says no and I tell her she has to earn a pack. I'm not buying a carton........no way Jose`.

She jerks the phone away from me and says she understands why The Criminal destroyed the house. Of course that was my fault too because I'm such a "cunt bitch."

I hear her screaming at, I'm guessing , her dad. Probably asking him to buy her cigarettes. The Engineer buys NO cigarettes, anytime, anywhere. She throws the phone at me and storms into her room, slamming the door.

I hear a loud crash and grab the phone, fingers ready for 911. I yell Triple D's name and I continue to hear crashing sounds. I dial the number.

She comes out of her room. I step back and she shoots me the bird as she walks out the front door.

I'm talking to dispatch and she is trying to get into the car. The Engineer disabled the car the night before. I tell dispatch, "Oooo this is really gonna piss her off, I hope someone is gonna be here soon." She comes back into the house and trashes a few more things in her room. She tells me I'm next. She fake charges at me and I jump back. She laughs and leaves again. The whole while I'm on the phone with dispatch.

We live on a dead end surrounded by water so there is only one way off our street. I watch her go around the corner and am assured that the police are just on the next street and will probably pick her up and talk to her first.

The Engineer's car is the first car that comes down the road after this. Guess who's in the car? Yeap....Triple D. She gets out of the car and calls me a few names and leaves again. The Engineer looks clueless so I fill him in on what has happened.

Finally the cops get here. We go through the whole song and dance all over again but he is much nicer and can figure out all my eye rolling and sighing is from frustration.

I ask him if dogs can sniff out Oxy? He tells me "yes" and he has his dog in the car. I ask him to search her room and he says he can't do that. I say it's my house and he says it's her room. DAMN?!?! Nothing about this makes any sense what so ever. I tell the cop Triple D has told me she has a place to go until detox calls. (We've been through this before too. How can detox call her? she has no phone?? yeah right) I ask if this means we don't have to let her back into the house. He says "no" we have to let her in if she comes back. Ahhh, well, hell...........FML......

Wednesday January, 12

As I write this story, I'm hoping I don't see Triple D today at all. She usually will stay gone for a few days and come home all beat up from partying. I don't have any reason to believe that it will be different this time.

I found the name to the judge. I'm calling him this A.M. I'm headed to the court house at 9 to see about a Marchman Act being done. The cops are useless without an order. I don't know if it is the state of Florida or if the cops don't want to waste their time. Who knows.......I'm about to find out.

Planet Da-roo

2011-01-09T23:49:00.000-05:00

He was an alien from Da-roo

Who loved women in blue.

Killing with his crush

They become mush

Then he adds them to his evening stew.

close but no cigar 143

Susan over at "Stony River" hosts Microfiction Monday. The idea is to use Susan's picture she posts then compose a story up to and including characters, punctuation marks, etc adding up to 140.

Cotton Fever

2011-01-08T09:52:00.000-05:00

I swear to God, if I learn anymore about drug use....I might as well use.......

Ever heard of cotton fever?

Triple D has been at it again. This time it's shooting up. I've read shooting up Oxy, is like shooting up heroin. I found out about this right before Christmas. I start writing up contracts, taking away cell phones, hiding car keys, snooping at e-mail (which I have heard could possibly lead to prison), calling drug dealers and leaving warnings of possible arrest for them, and just plain acting like a chicken with my head cut off.

After trying to get her to leave and not having any proof that she had drugs, I'm told that I must present an eviction notice to get her off my property.

Her second counselor has quit and suggested she attend an out patient program instead Club Rehab. Time and time again, I've been told she needs to grow up. And time and time again, I tell myself "yes, she does." I say it so often, I think, I'm beginning to believe it??

So we set up the appointment to go to BOAT. I hope no one I ever know needs these services but if you do... I'm the gal to ask! She takes off the night before, after promising she is ready to quit again. She returns home right after her scheduled appointment.......imagine that?

I tell her if she is not serious about quitting she will be leaving a lot sooner than the contracted time because I'm ready to make her life miserable. She is without a way to contact her dealers, but somehow they know what and when she needs to get a "fix."

She goes to the initial meeting at BOAT and is asked to come back the next night for a group meeting. She's been told that she is to have no unsupervised contact with Alexa and if I want I can call the Department of Children and Families. They are already involved because of the older grand girls.......so ........

Before the group meeting Triple D has started to act suspicious. We are in the car. I tell her I KNOW she is shooting up and if she can't get rid of her needles then I'm going to assume she is not serious about this and I'll call the cops and let them search the house. She says she doesn't have any paraphernalia but as it turns out...after a few minutes, she takes her needle out from hiding and throws it out the car window. I keep driving but my sense of ??? I don't know why I turned around . I didn't want dirty needles laying around my neighborhood for some kid to find? I didn't want her going back and picking it up? I wanted to dispose of it properly??? I don't know but I did go back and get the needle and I cut it up and put it in my needle bin. (I have to take a shot, that's why I have a needle bin). She runs to her bed room crying.

A bit later I'm trying to get dinner ready, cause LL is coming back from her 2 week trip to LA, and I hear Triple D calling me in a frantic voice. I walk into her room and she is shaking so much I think she is about to have a seizure. I ask her if she's got something bad and should I call 911. She says she didn't take anything. I tell her I know she is not going through withdrawals that quickly, so I walk out of the room.

I hear her calling me again and I walk in and she is shaking and sweating and can hardly talk. I tell her I'm going to call 911 but she tells me she has done a cotton wash and she thinks she has cotton fever. Now, I'm thinking, I'll just run to the computer and look it up. I look up cotton wash and am unable to find anything on that. I walk back into the room and she says she is going to throw up but she can't get out of bed. I tell her I don't know what she has done but if the shaking doesn't stop, I'm calling the ambulance. (this is all taking place in the time it is taking you to read it....)

Here let me find a FUCKING vein for you!

She starts to scream at me that she has cotton fever and it's about a bacteria that cotton has in it and it gets into your body when you shoot up. So...........I go to the computer and look up cotton fever. It's not very serious but evidently it is common amongst those who shoot up. After reading the out come of what will happen. I feel like walking in her room and saying GOOD! GOOD! YOU IDIOT!!! I HOPE YOU STAY SICK FOR THE WHOLE 24 HOURS!! I restrained myself.

This is what happened in a nut shell. When you shoot up Oxy/Roxy or anything else, I guess, you have to filter the liquid through the cotton ball to get whatever "stuff" is in it , out. She thought she could take water and shoot it through the used cotton ball and possibly get a bit of the drug left and get a small high. Approximately 30 minutes after she shot up, the effects of cotton fever came on. Evidently there is some sort of bacteria that is in cotton that can cause the symptoms she had.

She has been clean now a week. I can only hope it continues.

FYI

2011-01-04T11:27:00.001-05:00

Not quite Tax Day but I like that both parties are involved .....As tax time is nearing, I probably won't be coming on my blog that often. I'm hoping to just keep up with the other blogs I watch.

Get your shoe boxes ready folks!!

Nothing but problems on the fore front for filing season this year. To start things off right the IRS has announced that anyone using Schedule A, claiming education credits for students, or teachers claiming the $250 educator expense should wait until the end of February to file.This is due to the late changes in the forms.....

Quoted from the IRS

Taxpayers claiming itemized deductions on Schedule A. Itemized deductions include mortgage interest, charitable deductions, medical and dental expenses as well as state and local taxes. In addition, itemized deductions include the state and local general sales tax deduction extended in the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010 enacted Dec. 17, which primarily benefits people living in areas without state and local income taxes and is claimed on Schedule A, Line 5. Because of late Congressional action to enact tax law changes, anyone who itemizes and files a Schedule A will need to wait to file until mid- to late February.
Taxpayers claiming the Higher Education Tuition and Fees Deduction. This deduction for parents and students — covering up to $4,000 of tuition and fees paid to a post-secondary institution — is claimed on Form 8917. However, the IRS emphasized that there will be no delays for millions of parents and students who claim other education credits, including the American Opportunity Tax Credit and Lifetime Learning Credit.
Taxpayers claiming the Educator Expense Deduction. This deduction is for kindergarten through grade 12 educators with out-of-pocket classroom expenses of up to $250. The educator expense deduction is claimed on Form 1040, Line 23, and Form 1040A, Line 16.

A BIG problem for me is that my tax program didn't convert over all the information for last year's returns......like.... carry over losses and depreciation. GGGRRRRRRR The company that has the program hasn't updated the alternative minimum tax form (6251) either. Better known as AMT....not ATM cause you sure as hell don't get money back from this ..........you pay outta the ass. If you should be so lucky to make over 113K, you might get to fill out this form.

It makes little sense that the IRS has to approve part II of this form every year or that they wait until the last minute to reinstate expiring tax breaks. The above said form makes little sense in my opinion. I've been doing taxes for about 25 years now and I've never figured it out. I'm pretty sure anyone doing taxes doesn't understand it either. Not even the CPA's of the world. But who ever said IRS forms made any sense. Even Albert Einstein said,“The hardest thing in the world to understand is the income tax.”

The IRS has also lowered the amount that we will pay in Social Security taxes. A neat little gadget I found can help you see what your withholding from earnings will be. You'll be seeing an increase in your pay check this year. The IRS says this reduction will not affect anyone's Social Security earnings. I suppose in the end those of us who max out the SS taxes will still wind up paying the total amount. I just don't understand how you can be running out of $$ for Social Security and then lower what is collected. Again a government puzzle to try and figure out. Sigh................ As Arthur Godfrey so eloquently put it, "I am proud to be paying taxes in the United States. The only thing is – I could be just as proud for half the money.”

A place called 1040 Central has a lot of information for those "do-it-yourself-ers." Did you know IRS offers FREE e-filing? Yes, yes they do!! Beware though.......I've only used TurboTax for this free service. Somewhere in the middle of doing your taxes, the program will ask if you want to "maximize" your deductions. If you say yes then it bumps you over to the next level and will charge you for the tax return. You have to start all over in order not to pay.

The one good thing that has happened this year....the IRS has implemented an act that will require all those preparing taxes to be tested and registered. As of January 1, 2011, anyone being paid to prepare a tax return MUST be registered and have a PTIN . I'm not sure what the penalty will be if you're not registered but you should know your tax professional. The testing requirement gives us until 2013 to complete but the test will be out by mid year and I plan to take it ASAP.

I'm not a CPA and really, I have no credentials. I just have my experience and my word that I am up to date on all tax laws. My continuing education equals up to approximately 50 hours every year. People always ask me if I'm a CPA when I say "no", they want to know what I am? I'm sure the IRS will give a cute little title like??? Registered Tax Professional ?? I'm not very inventive maybe the IRS is better?? Either way it is a good thing! There will be accountability for all and required continuing education. This will make it easier for the tax payer to find a reliable tax professional.

A little known fact....CPA's hire regular ole tax people (like me) to prepare taxes each year. Technically the CPA office is responsible for that preparation. The CPA reviews the tax return and will probably be the one who signs it also. Mostly I say this because of the prices people pay to have their taxes done. Know your tax professional.

Last buy not least.......do not ever expect the IRS to send you an e-mail. Don't open it or reply to it. Should you receive an e-mail, KNOW that it is a scam. You can forward this e-mail to the IRS to help them stop the phishing.

I've always said reading the tax law is like reading the Bible........everyone has their own interpretation. Don't believe me? Call the IRS 3 times with the same question and see if the answers all match.......it's NOT really that bad....I'm just saying............

Dab-a-dib-a-dab-da........ that's all folks!

“Income tax has made more liars out of the American people than golf.” — Will Rogers, humorist

De Big Weiner

2011-01-02T23:46:00.000-05:00

Si Senor, dis star stands fer Texaco! Come in fer yer lubejob,

din you weel get a big weiner! Oh, ha! I men, be a big weinerof dis fine Star!

Susan over at "Stony River" hosts Microfiction Monday. The idea is to use Susan's picture she posts then compose a story up to and including characters, punctuation marks, etc adding up to 140.

Hopefully I'll be forgiven as a beginner. I went over. 144 characters.

You Slut, You Whore, You Prostitue??

2010-12-18T09:59:00.000-05:00

I may not be much on grammar but I do love the English language. I love the play on words that some people use and I love finding the meaning to words. Bob studied Latin in high school and since then, I've also been interested in the origin of a word. To find a new word and actually be able to use it daily, makes my heart sing.

The words.... slut, whore, and prostitute... has always given me cause to go back to the dictionary and rethink their use . My girlfriends and I have had many conversations on them.

According to dictionary.com the meaning of these words are as follows:

SLUT :

1. a dirty, slovenly woman.

2. an immoral or dissolute woman; prostitute.

WHORE:

1. a woman who engages in promiscuous sexual intercourse, usually for money; prostitute; harlot; strumpet.

Prostitute:

1. a woman who engages in sexual intercourse for money; whore; harlot.

2. a person who willingly uses his or her talent or ability in a base and unworthy way, usually for money.

I can remember when I first met The Engineer, my mom said to me, "you'll never make a good prostitue.". I looked at her in a puzzled, but not surprised, fashion and asked her why not. She said, "because you give it away." Well, we all know what "it" is and I was never sure that was true, but......

Probably a year into our relationship, a friend of mine was moving to Germany and couldn't take her 2nd car. It was a 65 Mercedes. It was old and beat up. She only wanted $300 for it. The Engineer bought it for me. So when my mom asked why he had done that I casually said "back pay!". She gasped.... hey! What do mom's know anyhow??? I know, I know.....300 dollars is a small amount for a year's worth of sex. What can I say....I'm cheap!! Right?

On to the meaning of the 3 words..............

In my humble opinion the real meaning should read:

Slut:

one who will have sex with anything.

Whore:

one who has sex for pleasure and may sometimes get paid.

Prostitute:

what we all are in one way or other (definition 2)

There are other words I could throw in here like, you hussy, you strumpet. Why you, you harlot, you tramp....

But none of them sounds so good as YOU BITCH! YOU SLUT! YOU WHORE!! Ever been to the Howl at the Moon Saloon? You'll hear this chant when they sing different songs. When we went to the one in Miami, I won a bumper sticker (for MY bumper) for doing a line dance to New York, New York!!

oops off topic............

You can call me a whore if you wish. I won't be offended!

2010-12-16T19:54:00.001-05:00

Merry Christmas Ya'll

Starring: The Engineer (singer) Baby (drums) LemonLady(guitar player with tongue) Princess in Training (guitar) Triple D (guitar)

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Meditation

2010-12-08T11:55:00.000-05:00

The internet is out at my house. Triple D is making me CRAZY

Serenity Prayer..........

For today I will:

Go to Barnes &Noble

get on the net

and

Order a Venti

Double Expresso Mocha Frappuccino

Secrets

2010-12-03T10:02:00.001-05:00

ChaMy life is pretty much an open book. I don't have too many problems "airing the dirty laundry."

I've often wondered about people holding secrets. I can remember when Clyde was diagnosed with rapid cycling bipolar disorder; the doctor asked me if there was anyone in the family that had experienced depression. I told them that my older son was always depressed. The psychologist asked if there was alcoholism in the family. I said "yes sireee, yes indeedy." He asked if anyone had a thyroid problem. I told him not that I knew of . As it turns out, when most people having bipolar disorder track the family history they find a common ground with these 3 things.

I remember calling mom later that day and asking her questions about the family. I asked if there had been any depression or mental illnesses in the family. She said no one was ever diagnosed but then she relayed all sorts of information about my dad's side of the family. For instance, my Uncle Jerry had been admitted to a Psych Unit after dangling his, now ex wife, out the 3rd floor window of their apartment. Then the story was told of my Uncle Vannie who spent time in Chattahoochee State Mental Hospital after going into DTs. She didn't relay any information about her family.

I didn't even ask about my dad's family and drinking. We all knew that my dad's mom and dad were alcoholic and so were all 3 of his brothers. My dad and his sister were the only 2 in the family who were able to drink sensibly. I knew my mom had had a drinking problem in her younger years.My sister and I had our fair share of drinking episodes too. (Little did I know that my brother and my oldest son would soon have their own drinking problems) When I asked about my mom's side of the family, she just said that her dad had drank in his early years.

I questioned her about thyroid problems and no one had any problems as far as she knew (later both my sister and mom were diagnosed with hypothyroidism, completing the "3")

The Engineer's mom and I would have all sorts of discussions about depression and alcohol use. The Engineer's paternal great grandfather had committed suicide. There was no "alcohol abuse" noted in his family. There were no mental illnesses beside what the great grandfather may have had.

Several years later my mom's brother committed suicide. I asked my mom if she had any idea that he was depressed. She told me about his attempts at suicide and his alcoholism in prior years. He had been in a sever state of depression since his wife had died (at this time I don't remember how long she had been dead before his tragic death).

I asked her why she never told me when I first asked and she said, "I didn't want to air the family's dirty laundry." She didn't mind airing dad's but she wasn't going to tell her family's secrets.

So now we are in the present day and I have no problems telling anyone anything about my family.My philosophy is: the more who know the more likely you'll be informed if they see something. Example: If I ~~pretend there is no problem~~ keep the secret of Triple D's drug abuse, then my friend who saw Triple D coming out of crack town might not want to be the first person to tell me they saw her.They know I know and tell me immediately if they see her.

My older grand girls have been raised to ~~keep secrets~~ not air the family dirt by their mom and their mom's side of the family. What I'm finding out at this time would make your straight hair kink up like your pubes.

I think it comes down to a matter of trust for the girls. Can they trust me with the information they are giving me? What am I going to do with the information when I find out?

If you cover your eyes do things not exist? If you cover your ears is there really no scream?

Are family secrets kept because of embarrassment or are they kept because of fear?

Just Because I'm Paranoid Doesn't Mean They Aren't After Me

2010-12-03T08:44:00.001-05:00

"They" think they will make me crazy and I'll forget what really happened.

<p>&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;I dont' think it's drug inc&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;</p>

NO SIR-EEE...... I will not forget.

We've never locked our doors. The only time there has ever been a break in or things stolen was whenever "Clyde" lived here or in the area. When he came home in 2003 things happened again.
The neighbors had their car broken into and things were stolen. Our truck gotten broken into and an old tennis racket and some home made CDs were stolen. Clyde wasn't even at home the night it happened but my first thought was "he's keeping his hand in it." (we never found the robber)

So ........

Strange things are happening again. Triple D has been good (I think?). I've got the older grand girls and they are good (I think?). Of course, there is the Engineer (he's gone a lot?) and Baby (she's too young?). Oh yeah, and me (I didn't do it? Did I?)

Case of the Missing Credit Card

This morning I get to the check out at the grocery and go to use the card and it's missing. I gave it to Triple D to put gas in her car on Sunday night. It was returned promptly and I checked my account on-line to make sure there was only one charge. I call Triple D and ask her if she still has it. She says she thought she gave it back to me. I tell her it's not in my wallet and she says she doesn't know. I head home. In my mind, I retrace my steps trying to remember what happened. I remember I gave the card to Triple D to put gas in her car on Sunday night. She sent a text to me and told me she put it on the counter. Sometime after 12:30 a.m. Monday, I get up and check the counter. It is there. I take the card and for what ever reason put it into an envelope that the Engineer has left on the counter. Monday morning around 7:30 a.m. I take the card out of the envelope and insert $20, then seal the envelope. I put the envelope and , I thought, my card in my purse. Something isn't right??

I get home and check the on-line account and it still says the same thing. No pending charges, No new charges. I ask Triple D again. She says she gave it to me. I tell her again I don't have it. She says it might be in her car. I say where?" Then she says or it might be right there in the top dresser drawer. I open it and say "just laying on top?" She says, "Maybe under some stuff." After shuffling papers, I find it buried under a tray.

I give her a puzzled look and ask why she took it. She says she didn't take it. She says she guesses she never gave it back. I shake my head and leave the room. When I get into the kitchen, I realize that what she said didn't make any sense, since I had just done the "retrace in my head." I go back into her room and ask her why she took my card. She covers her head and says, "I don't know." The suspicion hackles come up immediately and I start watching her like a hawk.

Tonight I came home from tennis and asked again why she took my card. Her excuse was she was afraid that I wasn't going to give her anymore money for gas. I asked her if she took it out of my purse. She smiled sweetly and said, "no mom, you left it on the counter. " I probably did leave the card on the counter but I think she is just trying to keep "her hands in it." Damn kids......

Case Closed

I was distressed over this and talked about it with a counselor friend of mine. According to the counselor, Triple D will have these fleeting moments because her brain is still not back to "normal." "Picking up" the card was not right but she stopped short of using it for other purposes. Her drug abuse caused her to lose her moral values and then the stealing and lying became a habit. I don't really get it but , I suppose, I'll take the counselor's word on it.......

Creative Juices? NOT!

2010-12-01T09:34:00.001-05:00

I wish I were more creative. I've sat at my computer for more hours than I wanted and I've read what others have posted and I can't think of a thing to write about.

I thought maybe I'd write about the ridiculous dress codes that middle school has and how sometimes certain things are allowed because of body shape and size and not the length or lack of covering. I can't because it's too aggravating.

I thought I'd write about the time I went to Germany with my long time friend, Ethel.
I can't. I miss her too much to reminisce.

I thought about writing about the TSA. It's already been done and frankly Scarlet I don't give a damn.

I thought about doing Mama Kat's Workshop this week but nothing on this list inspired me (because I have no creative juices). Here's what it is this week.

1.) Have you ever had a fight with a long time best friend and nevermade up? Do you think about her from time to time and think aboutcontacting her? What would you say? What if it didn't work out? What ifit did? I never fought with a friend that I didn't apologize immediately

2.) The perfect fall photo...share a picture that defines fall for you in your neck of the woods. I need to call Kelly or Dumdad . I don't do photos.... at least, not good ones. OH! Plus I live in Florida and there is NO fall.........blah.............

3.) CONTROVERSY! Are the new security measures performed by the TSA really that bad? Take a stance! See above paragraph about not giving a damn.

4.) What inspires you to write? Problems? If there are none at the moment.......well........there are none at the moment.

5.) "If you could relive any moment in your life, what moment would you choose? Write about it." That is also above about Ethel and if I knew what I know today, I'd have done more traveling with her. Shit! Now I'm depressed.

I see posts about all sorts of things that are funny and I can't think of a single thing to write about that that would make someone laugh.

I could have written about the drudgery of household chores.....sweep....mop....dust....Boring!

I could have written an essay about what I'm having for dinner.....put chicken in the oven...VOILÀ ..Baked Chicken......Boring!

I could have written about how awesome I played tennis last night....sigh....I won......too bragg-y.

I could have written about how wonderful it is to have a husband out of town every other week......NOT!

I could write about what the IRS agent says to me this morning when I go to work....If I go to work...hum....maybe later.

My Never Ending Story

2010-11-29T15:45:00.001-05:00

The Engineer is out of town, once again. He was gone for 2 weeks and home for the Thanksgiving Holidays.

When he comes home, he can't figure out why no one is relying on him to take care of things.

The household runs with or without him. It is a finely tuned ship.

The laundry gets done. The trash gets down to the road. The dishes get in the dishwasher. The house gets locked up at night. Pick up and drop offs are all arranged before hand. Times are coordinated with synchronized watches.

This weeks calendar in short form:

-School for the Grand girls starting at 7:30 a.m. each morning and finishing up at 5 p.m in the evening.
-The older grand girls sit down to do homework at 8:00 p.m. sharp.
-Tennis for me Monday morning at 8 a.m. and 7 p.m.
-Doctors at 9 a.m. for Princess in Training on Tuesday
-Tennis for me at 7 p.m.
-Wednesday Doctor of Triple D at 9 a.m. and Lemon Lady at 3 p.m.
-Work for me on Wednesday somewhere in between doctors' appointments.
-Probation for Triple D on Wednesday in the afternoon.
-Thursday Tennis for me at 8 a.m.
-Friday meal planning then shopping for it all. Bills are paid this day too.
-Saturday is the fun day.......house keeping has been put off for more days than not. Laundry, cleaning, yard work (if The Engineer is home...I don't do yard work)
-Sunday is Tennis for the Engineer and I at 9 a.m.
-Football is watched with great gusto!

Somewhere in between all these activities, I find the time to delegate chores for a nominal fee (allowance),cook, love, and get on the computer to whine about it all. Secretly my life is full! I HATE empty nests.

This is my purpose in life. I am happiest when my plate is OVER full. I leave no scraps.

Am I bragging that I can do this all again? Maybe just a bit...

Am I wanting someone to look at me and say WOW!! Probably......

Isn't this what being co-dependent is all about?? ME???

I may not be the best at raising kids but I'm getting my fair share of chances to get it right!

Touch

2010-11-28T22:36:00.000-05:00

Beksinski

One touch is all it took

To take me back in time.

The time when our bodies were

Young,

Strong,

Impassioned,

Insatiable .

Memories of Thanksgiving Past

2010-11-25T10:04:00.001-05:00

pi
I don't remember any Holiday dinners at anyone's house except ours. I'm sure there were but none were as memorable.

My mom was never a very good cook. When she cooked any meat it had to be well done. Not the well done that falls off the bone but the well done that is so dry you needed some sort of gravy, applesauce, or mashed potatoes to dip it in so you could get it down your throat. The vegetables were what fell apart. There was no texture to them. They were mostly mush usually filled with bacon grease. I had always wished my dad would do all the cooking. He did the breakfast meals but never dinner unless it was on the grill.

UH...before I get too distracted ........this is what I remember of our "traditional" Thanksgiving dinner.

Our dining room table seemed to me to fit the whole world around it. I guess in a sense this was my whole world. My granddad was always at the head of the table. Even when my other grandparents were there, they deferred to him. Grandma sat to his left and my Aunt Addie (my mom's sister) sat to his right. The rest of the seating, as far as I remember, was random. I don't remember ever sitting at the "kids table". They got stuck in the kitchen far away from all the excitement.

Pistachio salad....looks like puke to me

The dinner consisted of : Turkey dry as dirt, dressing, pistachio salad (which we all hated), Chocolate Pie (because dad demanded it), Lemon Pie (because mom couldn't live without it), the rest were just random vegetables. Our table was boisterous and loud. My granddad slopping his food in his mouth like a hog dying of starvation. My grandmother's continuous hisses of "Richard! Stop!". My mother's incessant jabbering of who has pissed her off and who is going to send the cheapest Christmas presents this year and the constant yelling from dining room to kitchen at the kids to "stop playing and finish eating."

unusual? I found an article the crying chair.

The most vivid memory that I have, though, is of my Aunt Addie. She sat in what we have forever labeled "the crying chair." None of us could ever figure out what would set her off, we just knew it was always going to happen. It would start with a sniffle and a tear, soon becoming racking sobs with her embarrassed giggles in between.

It became a great fascination of mine. I would try to figure out when and why it would happen. I never could. I was also terrified of that chair. In my family you could be pissed, loud, and/or obnoxious but crying was not allowed. Today, I realize that Aunt Addie was the emotional one in the family.

myself with my extended family

When I met The Engineer, I found a very different way of celebrating a Holiday. Smiles, conversation and good cheer! There was no yelling, cursing, or cut downs. There was no crying, dry turkey, or pistachio salad.

Gigi (the Engineer's mom) would create ambrosia. To have lasagna or a rib roast for dinner was the norm in this Italian family. The vegetables were crisp and seasoned with herbs and a bit of butter. There were no turkeys. There was no kids table. If the whole family was in town, we would head over to the beach cottage, food packed in cars, where a table could accommodate the 4 siblings, their wives and all the kids.

The family sat around the table each year and reminisced about Holiday's past. There was always some story about The Engineer or one of his brothers There was plenty of wine and after dinner drinks to go round but there were no crazy drunks. (Drinking wasn't allowed at our home because of the obnoxious drunks in our family).

Today, our traditional dinner is a blend of both our families,I suppose. We sometimes have the destroyers (crazy obnoxious 'substant abusers') and we sometimes have the reminiscing family stories. We have the yelling and the smiles. We have the traditionally dry turkey and the Italian Lasagna. I strive for ambrosia but sometimes don't succeed. No one complains too much...........

We left behind the kids table, the pistachio salad and most importantly "the crying chair."

Happy Birthday To Me!!

2010-11-23T07:40:00.000-05:00

My Mom

2010-11-21T11:59:00.002-05:00

This is going to be a ~~bitch session~~ tribute to my mom. Her birthday is coming soon. Actually her birthday is coming on the same day as mine.

I talk to my mom at least once a week. She lives in North Carolina with dad. My sis lives "in town" and my brother lives a few hours away. I'm always amazed when they bitch about how mom bothers them. I'm always the first to tell them they should be thankful that she is so close. I remind them that they can have holidays and visits anytime they choose.

So anyway......Mom is a smart ass and doesn't even realize it. She doesn't think before commenting on most anything.

I'd like to blame it on her almost being 72 but she's acted like this all her life. My sister once asked if I thought she acted this way because of the tumor they removed from her brain.....she was blank for a long time. My dad actually asked for her doctor to continue the anti-seizure meds. because it made her so mellow.

My mom claims to be a Christian. The years growing up at home made me loath the faith. If I asked a question about religion, I'd be called a heathen. I remember once asking why we were not allowed to marry a black person.....She proceeds with....if god had meant for us to cohabitate he would not have destroyed the work on the Tower of Babel. My granddad was Jewish (by faith when he was young.) My dad's dad claimed to be a Spaniard and my dad's mom was Cherokee (how much more can a couple look dark without being??) Go figure...god changed their color too? I guess I am a Heathen?? Whatever......

Mostly anything you don't agree with makes you suspect in mom's eyes. She will argue anyone down on any subject. An example........my sis has medium length hair. Mom says "oh you've never had your hair that short before". My sis has always kept her hair in the Dorothy Hamil style. She has just recently started to grow it out. My mom argued for 20 minutes with my sis on the subject of her hair length. I don't know why sis continued to argue.This is the BIG difference in myself and my siblings. I don't argue with her. I usually say, "WHAT. EVER. MOM." and change the subject.

When my aunt died she told her brother "well, if she'd taken better care of herself, this would have never happened."

The on going thing she does is to play my bro and sis against each other. She will tell my brother that my sister said something about him and then she will tell my sister what he said in answer to that.There have been times when they would have nothing to do with each other...and it was all because of dear ole mom. I don't know if she gets pleasure in this sort of thing or if she truly has no idea that she is causing hell and havoc.

My dad doesn't say much. He sleeps a lot. He works a lot. He tries to stay out of her way for the most part. My baggage was not only anger at mom but at dad too. He didn't argue, he didn't stand up for himself or his kids. He kept his mouth shut for the sake of peace.

I could go on and on since I've dealt with her for almost 54 years.....but I won't. I'll get down to the reason for my rant.

I was talking to her the other night. I asked if she had heard from my niece, my brother's child. She said she had talked to my brother and he asked her not to say anything negative to his kid (she is pregnant). She said, "oh why would I ever do that?" Then she told me what she said to my niece...... " I can only hope that you will be a better parent than someone else that I know." I kind of freaked out for a moment. No one has ever been good enough for my brother according to mom. I am NOT believing she had just cut my niece's mom down to her face.

I say, "mom that was negative."
She says, "why??"
I say, "you just cut her mom down."
She says, "no I didn't."

I say, "what???"

She says, "I was talking about Triple D."

OH!MY! FUCKING! GOD!

I'm pissed. I tell my mom that she is not a very nice person and that I hope she has not relayed Triple D's problems to my niece. She says she told my niece who she was talking about. I tell my mom that she has no clue what kind of mom Triple D is. Then she drops the kicker.

"Well I do know how Triple D is because you always tell me."

She's got me there, I guess. That will teach me to vent to my mom. I should have remembered that she uses your weaknesses against you.

My vow:

to never tell her anything but positive things about Triple D and to be more understanding when my siblings get pissed.

So Happy ~~Fucking~~ Birthday Mom!!

Turkey Tournament 2010

2010-11-17T23:13:00.001-05:00

We played 76 games all in one day. We lost in the finals of the 4th Flight. We lost all but one match and that is how we got into the finals.

We started playing at 8:30 that morning and finished at 5:00 that evening. It was a long day and I loved every minute of it.

The tournament always has a lot of really good players in it. Even in my younger years, I've only ever won in the 3rd Flight. Once or twice we were in the 2nd Flight but got knocked out. So I think after not playing tennis for so long, we were lucky to have been in the last Flight Finals.

There is usually a good amount of food being served to keep our strength up and for those that can play and drink........there is BEER!!

The Engineer was wondering what I had gotten him into. He was only home for the weekend. Not only did we play Saturday but I had scheduled a match for Sunday too.

I'm sure he was happy to go back to DC so he could take a rest!

Me taking a break. You see I'm only drinking water!
Afterward there is always a beer or two consumed to celebrate the end of a glorious tennis day!

The Finalist of the 4th Flight. That's me, the Engineer and our opponents who kicked our asses.

The Champions of the Tournament won the Turkeys.
They finished just after 6 pm.

10 Reasons For Not Posting This Week

2010-11-13T07:27:00.001-05:00

10. Too many females on the rag at my house. (I now have custody of Lemon Lady and PIT ,
15&12 respectively. Funny how the cycle of menstruation works.)

9. Too many doctors appointments. The girls had to go in. LL had a possible hand fracture and
PIT needed a physical.

8. Depression? Results of Doctor's appointments..... LL has to go to the Orthopedic.
PIT is on Birth Control???

7. Too much tennis scheduled. I will have played more than 6 times after today.

6. Too many trips to the grocery for Chocolate Cherry Ice Cream.

5. Cooking for 7 again is time consuming.

4. Too much time wasted in helping PIT find her "lost" homework assignments.

3. More time spent supervising the make up of said homework.

2. Too much time fretting over Triple D cause I can't find 25 dollars that I just took out of the
bank. (Maybe it was PIT?)

Top reason for not posting................

1. No computer time with 2 teenagers in the house.

Hopefully I'll be back this coming week! I'm OK....just settling in with everyone.

My Granddad

2010-11-08T14:29:00.001-05:00

Funny how someone else can post something and that will bring a memory to mind.
Kelly did just this with his hilarious story on what happens when you eat a few burritos! His farts reminded me of my Granddad. He's been gone for over a decade but every now and then, someone says something or talks about something that brings his face so clearly back to me.

He wasn't a handsome man. He was grossly overweight (6'4" 320lbs) and had a booming, gravely voice caused from too many cigarettes. He had a great sense of humor and warm brown eyes that danced with merriment on more than a few occasions.

His favorite saying was "pull my finger". It didn't matter who was at the house, he would rip the biggest, loudest fart that anyone could imagine. When the Engineer and I first met, this was one of my granddad's greeting. He didn't care.

He'd scare the great grands with his false teeth and tickle them until they were so wound up that my grandmother would scream "RICHARD!! STOP!!" Did he stop? Oh hell no...he'd just keep on until they got bored or their mothers would round them up and away from him.

He'd tell ghost stories, then take us to the grave yard behind the house to check it out. He'd take all the neighborhood kids. Didn't matter who they belonged to, if they wanted to go with us, they went. He'd let out a yelp, every single time we went, that would have us kids all running like the wind back to the house......scared shitless!

He worked hard and owned his own construction business. He was prejudice and didn't mind saying what was on his mind. Most of his workers were black and Granddad being from the deep south called them what I never will.

I'm sure it was the times that kept his workers from revolting. I do know that he helped his workers. He was generous. He'd give the shirt off his back saying that it would all come back to him 2 fold. When he died, they came around and told stories. One gentleman told us, with tears in his eyes, what Granddad had done for him and his family. Evidently, Granddad had purchased his house when he was about to lose it and personally financed it for him. In his will he gave the house to the gentleman - free and clear.

He loved to tell stories. One of his favorites was about when he was on the police force. It goes something like this.....

He was on duty and the sign outside a restaurant said it was serving his favorite soup. When he entered there was a partition separating the booths from the waitresses in the back. A waitress greeted him by hollering over to him...."Hello, I'll be right there." He hollered back "I just want soup and coffee." She came around the partition and to Granddad's surprise, so he said, she was topless. As she bent down to place the soup and coffee on the table, one titty slid into the soup the other into his coffee. He gives this great big grin...so pleased with the story that he has just told a impressionable teenage girl.

Sometimes you could only stare, opened mouth in disbelief and I hear Grandma screaming...."RICHARD!! STOP!!"

He ~~liked~~ loved titties. Yes, folks, he was a titty man! There was no doubt about his love for them. I don't know how many times my grandmother would walk by and we'd catch him tweaking her a bit. Sometimes we wouldn't see but hear the slap she always gave him each time he tweaked.
It was no wonder she was a 36 extra long!

He use to tell us stories of his mother having a papoose and he'd ride in the back and how she'd throw her titty over her shoulder so he could have a drink. There was always some talk about one being vanilla and one being chocolate. I never questioned this impossibility...I just stared at Mammy in awe.

When I had my young boys and they became aware......he'd tell them about the next door neighbor. She was a big busted woman, an elderly woman.....He'd make his brown eyes as big as possible and say, "Now you'd better watch out for Mrs. Palmer. She loves to hug little boys and she'll put you between her titties. Just be careful, you might get stuck in there." and then he'd grab them before they took off out the door and whisper, "one is chocolate and the other is vanilla."

We'd go over to visit and Mrs. Palmer could never figure out (until much later when I told her what Granddad had done) why the boys were a little shy with her. They were very careful not to get too close!!

The best of Granddad's titty sayings is the one I can never forget..........

"A lady is a woman who can take her left titty and throw it over her right shoulder and squirt buttermilk down the crack of her ass"

I'm ever so thankful I'll NEVER be a lady!

Lucy and the LOL Award............

2010-11-07T09:35:00.001-05:00

So Kelly sends me this message that he has given me an award. I go check out his site and sure enough, there I am!! Winner of the LOL Award!! He then goes on to say that I have to post 5 of my own to receive this award and to read the ones he has posted as winners.

I did and this is how it went............

Went to visit Gotta Be P.C. A Little Easter Cheer just about killed me with laughter. I'm begging him to post more!

Went back to Kelly's site and looked up It's a Lollipop she had already posted her award. I'm pretty sure she didn't do like Kelly said unless she is a fast reader or something??( I guess not everyone has the same problems I do?) She had her list already up and of course I had to check out a few of them.

My first stop was Yeah Good Times and then
Not Worth Mentioning He must be famous or something since he has so many followers? But you gotta read his Sheep story. If I were that creative.........AWWW Lawdy!! I'd be famous too!!

Copyboy from Not Worth Mentioning had not posted his award but that didn't stop me from taking a look at the blogs he follows. Since he was so funny I figured he'd probably follow a few that were funny too. There were several worth reading but before I forget and get lost again I need to say my thanks and get on with the show.................

Days later......................

The Award to Laugh Out Loud

Oh Kelly! I am so proud!!

An Award that shows I give someone pleasure,

And I didn't even have to take my clothes off!!

Hey!! No one ever said I was a poet!
Thanks Kelly (he actually makes me LOL and I wish I could give the award back to him but I don't think that's allowed)

As the rule goes I have to pass this on to 5 who make me LOL. They should do the same. I know it sounds like a chain letter. Right?...blech....... but I did this so that others might enjoy the pleasure that I've gotten out of reading their blogs! Do with it what you will!

and the winners are............

1. Missed Periods she teaches grammar to the kids at school and to me too. She turns grammar into something that makes me LOL and Oooo and Ahhh all at the same time. (Can someone tell me why they put old farts in to teach English??? I'm saving that for another post.) I wish she had been my teacher. I wouldn't have to use............when I didn't know what else to put. PS she IS NOT an old fart by any means!

2.Guyana Gyal she is so blessed with wit! I love the way she tells a story and you can hear her voice speak in her writing. The reason she gets this prestigious LOL Award is because she likes to tease with her words. Check it out.

3. Fish Finger Butty I don't know why the name but she is a pretty funny gal. A psych nurse has got to have a bit of humor to make it through the day! Maybe this LOL Award will be put on her list of Acknowledgments when she finishes that comedy for BBC!

4. Robert the Skeptic makes me LOL every time I read a post. He takes something that is serious and can turn it into a hilarious story.

5. J for is Guilt Squared She says she is Brit-ish because she has traveled so much. She now writes from Istanbul. I haven't read many of her posts yet but each time I do I find something that makes me LOL. Now I've got to go find out who E is???

The United States Air Force Thunderbirds

2010-11-06T09:29:00.000-04:00

This is why I love my Engineer so...

He made this video from clips that he took while watching the USAF Thunderbirds.

Putting this video to the song "Can't You Hear Me Knocking" by the Rolling Stones

made it even better!

Enjoy!!

My Pants are Too Tight

2010-11-03T11:13:00.001-04:00

Triple D has gotten her license back and as she continues to take back over her role as a parent, here is what transpires this morning:

TD (in a sing song-y voice): Time to get ready for school!

Baby (sounding fretful and whining just a bit): Those pants don't fit me.

TD (her voice still smiling): Yes they do, you just wore them last week!

Baby (whinier): NOOO! I'm growing. They are too small now.

TD (sounding a bit edgy and impatient): Come on now Baby, we have to get ready for school.

Baby (whinier still and getting louder): NO
                                                                         O
                                                                 O
                                                                                     O
                                                                                        I can't wear them. I'm bigger now.

TD (whiny voice): Ba-be
                                           e
                                       e
                                         come on, they do fit. Stop fighting me
                                                                                                      e
                                                                                                      e
                                                                                                          e.....

All the while I have my back turned. I'm trying not to get in to the mix
Baby starts to scream. I take a peek and her pants are on. TD is struggling to put on Baby's sandals. It's okay, we live in Florida. It's still in the mid 80's here!

Baby (screaming): NOOOOO!!! MY FEET ARE COLD!!!!! NOOOOOO!!! I DO NOT WANT TO WEAR THEM!!!

TD (stern voice): Now look Baby, your feet are NOT cold and you have to put them on so we can go to school.

I'm guessing the fight is over when I hear:

TD ( very calmly): Why don't you do me a favor and go to your room for 5 mintues.

Baby (screams even louder): NOOOOO!! GRANDMA!! NOOOO!! GRAND-MA
                                                                                                                                       A
                                                                                                                                            A
                                                                                                                                                 A!!
                                                         I guess she's hoping I'll save her?

In between Baby's screams TD is screaming back
GO IN YOUR ROOM!!!GO IN YOUR ROOM NOW!!!

I can't stand it any more so I say between clenched teeth....."TD!!Pick Baby up and put her in her room if you want her in time out.

TD does just that. Baby is screaming for my sympathy all the way there.

While Baby is in her room, Triple D and I have a conversation. It goes something like this....

Me: This is why I don't want to be a mom anymore. I can't fight the fight anymore. I don't want to fight the fight........been there done that .............I would have gotten her a different out fit and been done with it.

TD: I will not allow Baby to walk all over me. I will not go back and forth to get outfits just to see if this one or that one pleases her.

Me agreeing whole heartily: No you shouldn't let Baby get her way all the time. Why the huge argument over what pants she wears? Is it about the pants and what Baby wanted to wear or is it about you being the mom?

TD : It's not because I said so, It's because Baby wants to fight about it . These days Baby wants to fight me about everything. It really has nothing to do with the pants.

Me: Try not to make life with a 3 year old a power struggle. Make sure you choose your battles. Sometimes its better to let things slide in the name of peace.

TD: I WILL pick my battles but I WILL NOT allow a 3 year old to tell me what is best for her.

Me: That's ok. I'm glad you are able to fight the fight. This is why I need you to be the mom. I don't have the energy to fight these morning battles.

what I don't say is this......TD has to do this her way. I've done my fair share of raising children! I WILL NOT interfere. I WILL let her figure it out. Baby is HER child not mine. There is no manual on how to raise the perfect child. As long as TD is doing what she does with love and reason...what can I say? It's actually kind of GREAT to just be a grandma! whoo hoo!!

After 5 minutes Triple D walks in to Baby's room and this is the conversation I hear........

TD (in her sing song-y voice): Baby, the size clothes you wear are 3T. The pants you have on are 3T. They're the right size for you. I know you're growing but right now these pants fit.

Baby (sniffling and a bit whiny): Mommy, they are too tight. See?

TD (still sing song-y): No Baby, your pants fit just right. Look, I'll show you. You see mommy's pants? See how these shorts smooch my tummy? See how they are too tight here? Mommy's pants are too small for her. Mommy needs to get some bigger pants. Mommy's pants don't fit. See??

Baby (smiling voice): Oh, yes! Mommy, you need bigger pants. My pants are not too little. Mommy are you growing?

TD (audible sigh): No Baby, Mommy's not growing anymore.

Baby(in her little munchkin voice): Well mommy, you need bigger pants.

TD (sighing): Yes I know, Baby, but we won't tell anyone. OK??

Smiling at this conversation, I think how nice she handled this in the end.......without my help!

Imagine that?

The Pony I Found This Tuesday

2010-11-02T09:35:00.000-04:00

1. I'm thankful for my husband's green thumb. My roses are beautiful this time of year.

2. I'm thankful for my artistic abilities. I LOVE sidewalk chalk.

3. I'm very thankful for Sleeping Children

4. This is Mr. Osprey. He sits on our weather vein. He talks to me when I whistle at him.
I'm thankful for our abundance of wildlife.

5. I'm thankful for the joy that a 3 year old can find in a box.

Lemon Lady's Home Coming Night

2010-10-31T16:04:00.004-04:00

There are not many regrets that I have growing up, nor are there many things that I wish I had done that I didn't as a teen. I try to remember if I was as happy go lucky as these pictures appear.

Lemon Lady (as she likes to be called) is ready to celebrate 2010 Home Coming.

As a kid, I thought I was pretty happy. It's only when I grew up that I knew that we didn't have a lot of money, that both my parents had to work in order to put food on the table and that the clothes on our backs were the equivalent of Wal-Mart specials. Yet........I wasn't unhappy with the way things were.

I know that we've tried to do things for our kids that, at least my parents, weren't able to do for us.We didn't go over board(in my opinion). We didn't buy them a car without some sort of payback.......like keeping above average grades and having a part time job or participating in High School after school activities. We had a budget for clothing. If they absolutely needed those $100 pants then there was nothing else left for other things. Funny how kids become good frugal shoppers when they have to use their own money to add to the clothing budget.

I dont' know where I was going with this but I think I'm feeling a bit nostalgic. I would never want to go back to the teenage years. Life was too tumultuous, too full of teenage drama, too full of hormones.......

naw........I like where I'm at now............

Lemon Lady's life has not been a bed of roses. Her father in prison and her mom....well her mom is a different story that I probably won't go into later.

She seems happy for the most part. She is smart and makes good grades, pretty and doesn't flaunt it, articulate and can express herself like an adult, and gregarious with many friends. She plays the flute in the marching band......she loves to sing......and she has those damn gorgeous dimples (not a braggy grandma or nothing like that!)

We implemented this rule last year.. In order to keep us from feeling like the only reason they come around is to get money or other stuff.......they must visit at least 2 times before asking for anything. Lemon Lady doesn't have a problem with this. She visits often and very rarely asks for things....Princess in Training (who has a life in case your interested), on the other hand, seems to think the world is owed to her on a silver platter. She is only 12 going on 25.

We, as grandparents, try to make things a bit easier. We try to pamper them without over doing it.

All I know is I don't want any ingrate (thanks MacDougal Baby for the GOOD word!) grandchildren hanging around.

Happy Halloween

2010-10-30T19:18:00.000-04:00

Halloween Glitter Graphics

MartyrMom Destroys Life

2010-10-29T21:51:00.000-04:00

So Triple D and I are out at Chili's tonight. She gets on a roll about how I kept her from making friends by moving her to the best school in the county. I started the napkin with Ways my Mom Destroyed My Life....I said go for it sweetie, our dinner is late anyway.........she proceeded to write:

As everyone knows a napkin has 8 sides........she used only half... I guess that makes me half good.....after I copied these, I promptly took the napkin to the toilet with me and wiped my big fat ass with it..........

Obsessions

2010-10-29T10:28:00.000-04:00

Ok my niece is always sending her bro something to look at. This kid is all over YouTube. It seems he has become really popular and has even been interviewed by radio stations as well as one TV station.

It amazes me how YouTube can make some famous. This kid I can't stop watching. He has a whole lot more to watch but this is the one I chose.

It's official. I've become a blog junkie.
I don't know how to stop.
I wake up in the middle of the night wondering if GG has answered my question about Poh-Pohs.
I worry about Knockback's construction to her home and if Ernie the tomato squeezer will destroy HER sleep.
I dream of the pictures that Kelly may post and ponder where he's been.
I have to have alarms to remind me of appointments because I'm following Miss Footloose all over the world.
I fantasize when the next post from Mr. Gorilla will be posted.
I eat my chocolate cherry ice cream into the wee hours of the night as I go through Missed Periods grammar lessons.
I spend hours searching the internet for Jerry's missing article even though I don't even know where to begin.
I obsess about Robert possibly bringing over a Russian bride and what Nance will do to him if he does.

AAAWWWW LAWDY...I can't name them all but.............

My breath quickens as I scroll through the comments of each of my blogs and click and read...click and read....follow and stalk..........follow and stalk.

You are an obsession, I cannot sleep
I am a possession unopened at your feet
There is no balance, no equality
Be still I will not accept defeat

I will have you, yes I will have you
I will find a way and I will have you
Like a butterfly, a wild butterfly
I will collect you and capture you

Tuesday's Pony about to be Found

2010-10-26T08:18:00.003-04:00

I saw this bumper sticker today and for some reason it made me happy....can't say thankful because...well, here is what it said :                      Person's name
                                                 7/7/1956-10/8/2008
                                                   Mission Accomplished

This person wasn't very old but how wonderful it must be to have accomplished what you were put here to do.....or better yet to feel that you've accomplished your purpose in your life time.

1. As the matriarch, I'm thankful for my family. Do you see why I'm a Martyr...wouldn't you be if your family looked like this???
Meet the rest of my family at Small World

2. Thankful my family doesn't have to go to food banks to find their next meal. PAY IT FORWARD - GIVE BACK - HELP THOSE IN NEED if you can!
I don't know why we always wait for the holidays to help but better now than never.....

3. I'll be thankful when November 2nd is over and done with. I'm tired of blathering politicians. He said , she said is so old to me. Why does anyone vote when all that is ever said is how bad the opponent is ???

4. I'm up to playing tennis 4 times per week now. I'll be thankful when some of this fat just melts off me .......uh.....excuse me?? could you pass the chocolate cherry ice cream???

5. I'm very thankful my daughter is another week clean....in spite of my son. I love Mikey but I'm double thankful he went back to his 7th Day Adventist Commune.

My World

2010-10-25T13:59:00.000-04:00

I follow Miss Footloose she is an ExPat and travels EVERYWHERE!! I just love her stories and pictures of all the places she's been. Her latest post about Ecuador asked :

"Where would you like to live if you had a choice? What’s your paradise? What sort of lifestyle appeals to you?"

I want to travel so badly........

I've done some traveling in the US of A, a couple of places in Canada, Germany, and a few Islands from a cruise ship. Although I'm glad that I've been able to do that, I want more....lots more.

I'm happy to live where I'm at right now and have no desire to have a home anywhere else except maybe a small cabin in the Smokies of Tennessee. I can see myself as a Snowbird. I really want to be a snowbird. Go to the mountains in the summer then come back to Florida in the late fall.

So here are the places I've been:

San Francisco/San Jose/ Los Gatos CA (lived there for almost 2 years)
Seattle WA
Canada (Victoria/Vancouver)
Germany
NC (all over...raised there)
Chesapeake/Norfolk/ Va. Beach.. VA(born and visited the grands in summer)
Gatlinburg Tenn (vacation)
Snowshoe WV (skiing)
Hazard KY (run away at 15.......why I went there is a long story)
Washington DC
Atlanta Ga (Olympics 1996)
St. Thomas/St Martin/St Kitt (cruise)

The places I want to go......

Assisi Italy (I hear it's a bit touristy but I use to do needlework and that was one of the techniques I really liked. The front looks just like the back. For anyone who has ever done needlework, you know how hard this is.......

I don't want to go there for a day. I want to stay for a few weeks...really learn the culture and history of the place.

Barcelona Spain....I want to hear an authentic Flamenco Show.
I want to take a cooking class to taste the tastes of Spain.
I want to go to the top of the Tibidabo church and see the city.

I want to take bellydance classes in Istanbul Turkey.

I'll take the royal blue one Please! I also need to lose about 40lbs.

The programme includes-6 nights accomodation at hotel Kafkas in a double room
including open buffet breakfast
-Professional english speaking guiding all week
-Topkapi palace,Grand bazaar,Spice market tours
-2 nights dinner out with bellydancing show and live gypsy
musician restaurants
-All airport transfers
-Entrance fee for Topkapi palace(except harem)
-All meals mentioned in the itinerary
(B :breakfast,L :lunch ,D : dinner)
-6 hours bellydance classes with Kumsal

Although I have a great many other places I'd like to visit, my list at this time would not be complete without :

The Red light District in Amsterdam

smoke a little weed and visit the Sexmuseum

for the history...........of course!

Most Bizarre

2010-10-25T00:03:00.002-04:00

I do wonder if the chimp was actually using the frog as a way to get off or if the frog got stuck and the chimp was just trying to pull it off.

Apes are supposedly the closest to humans so I would suspect that they might want sex for pleasure only. I don't know.

Maybe Mr. Gorilla Banans would like to answer those questions???
I don't go looking around on Youtube for such stuff but some of my friends are weird....Just saying........

Tuesday's Pony Possibly Lost in the Shit

2010-10-19T13:52:00.007-04:00

I'm trying...really I am. I knew when I started this Tuesdays Pony that sometimes it might be hard. I thought that I'd try to write something each day and that would keep the positiveness on top of my mental thoughts......but.....I haven't written ever day. I've not thought about what is good daily......I've guess.....I've just taken it all for granted.

My son Mikey (Mikey will drink anything) is here for the week. Yesterday he arrived at around noon and by 2 he was slurring his words and asking stupid drunk questions like.......how do you spell my name? I didn't know if he was drinking or drugging since he's been known to do both (will someone PLEASE tell me how my gene pool became a cesspool? or is that the other way around? I have a cesspool for a gene pool?) Anyway, he spent all day yesterday drinking himself into oblivion.

This morning Triple D and I are discussing what happened yesterday and I'm telling her that he is NOT going to mess with my serenity. (I think I have some sage left) I'm telling her .... if he drinks today, I'm going to ask him to leave tomorrow. I tell her ....I don't know if he was only drinking but that I suspected he might have done some pills too. I ask her what she thinks and she proceeds to tell me she searched his car and only found Vodka.

I'm like.... WHAT??? What the hell??? So guess what my next question to Triple D was? Why did YOU search his car......her answer?? I wanted his drugs if he had any. She says she saw him "nodding" and thought he might have some in his car.

All I could think of was........vultures........vampires......leeches......something blood sucking or cannibalistic.

I swear..........they are going to be the death of me........

Now get this.....My daughter got her license suspended because she failed to pay her ticket for not having her license with her. She paid the ticket and now......she has to show that she got her license or they will suspend it again??? WTF?? I don't get it. Ok...if you show your license within the amount of time given you don't have to pay anything....if you show it late, you pay $33......if you ~~accidentally, on purpose forget to pay it because your using all you money doing drugs~~ pay it really late, you pay $137. So, technically you have to show your license no matter what.......why are they increasing the fees for being really late? Somehow it just doesn't make sense.

I do taxes for a living. October 15th was the last day to do your taxes if you filed an extension. I have this older lady that shows up on the 15th and she wants to finish her tax return. I have a mock return started that we sent to the IRS but no real numbers. So she says, 'what do you need first?'

I say "lets start with what you made in wages.

She says,"oooo do I need that ?"

I look at her with a smile but I'm thinking is she kidding me????

I say, "well, can I see your income from interest"

She says, "Gosh, darlin', I didn't think to bring that".

I say "hummmm......what about your retirement documents?"

She says, "Uh, well, I know how many miles we drove back and forth the to doctor."

I say, "I don't know what difference that is going to make since I have no income to deduct it from. Do you want to go back home and get your stuff and we'll make an appointment for next week?"

.......yeah well.......we set the appointment for today.

I'd like to do the appointment a bit earlier in the day so I ask the secretary (who also happens to be Julia my friend)   to see if she can change the time yesterday. She calls and the taxpayer says, "Wednesday will be much better for me."

Julia calls me while she has Ms. Taxpayer on the phone.

I can't do Wednesday.......

Julia goes back to Ms. T/P and I'm hearing Julia's sympathetic ohs and ahs coming over the phone. Julia comes back to me and says, Ms. T/P says she can't do it on Tuesday because she has lost all of her stuff and she needs to get copies from everyone.

I tell Julia to tell her to call when she gets all her stuff and then we'll make another appointment.
Nothing like a 3 way, is there?Sometime later that day Ms. T/P calls and says she has to get her taxes done before Friday because she is going on a cruise. Julia calls to relay this message......I say.........Gosh, how am I going to do her taxes if she doesn't have her stuff....I hear Julia sigh and she says "I know that is what I told her"..........I can feel Julia shaking her head.....LAWDY! LAWDY!......my head hurts.

OOOOOOMMMMMMMM.....................OOOOOOMMMMM

1. I'm thankful that Triple D didn't find any drugs.
2. I'm thankful that Mikey is sober today.
3. I'm thankful they are all taking naps or gone so I can finish this without any more bitching.
4.I'm thankful Ms. T/P couldn't find stuff, cause I really didn't want to work this week anyway.
5. I'm REALLY thankful for chocolate pie, snickers, and chocolate cherry ice cream.......all in that order...

next week I'll do better

Miraculous Births

2010-10-15T08:00:00.000-04:00

At 7pm, 21 years ago, an interesting and wondrous thing occurred. My son, Bob, the unknown muscian., was born. He completed the birth of 3 children all born on the same day, in the same family, within 7 hours of each other.

The story begins something like this:

I had been trying to get pregnant since April of 1988 since I did NOT want another child to be born in the heat of our summer which lasts from May-October. I had already had 2 kids born in mid-September and there was no way I wanted to go through that again.....anyway....It must have been age creeping up on me cause I sure as hell didn't have a problem getting pregro before.......

My sister had miscarried and she was told not to get pregnant for at least 6 months. I knew she was going to try as soon as possible because she had gotten married specifically to pro-create (she's the goodie two shoes in the family). She had miscarried in late November so she was going to have to wait until May before she could start trying.

Meanwhile, my brother (the baby) was getting ready to turn 21 the end of December and was spending all his spare time partying and doing what all 20 year old guys do........drinking, chasing women, doing the dirty deed when he got a chance.....oh wait...all guys do that no matter the age.....right??

The brother got to have his party at my parent's house with no supervision. Party like there is no tomorrow and guess what?? Along came a little girl, just 17 (I think), and my Bro did the dirty deed.....probably more than once that night. He had recently been discharged from the Navy and they had told him he was sterile (that was his story anyway)???? WHAT???NOT.!!!!.....first phone call in.....

OH MY GAWD!!! My Baby Brother is gonna be a D-A-D-D-Y and he's not married!!! My mom is all worried about what the church ladies are gonna think and is fearfully telling Bro that it probably ISN'T his baby......fornicator ............Little Girl finds out she is due the end of September. He did make an honest woman out of her and there would be no denying who the daddy is.....

We were contemplating rather we should stop trying or continue............A few weeks later I'm feeling bad cause I've just found out I'm prego and I know my sister is gonna be so sad. She really is feeling bad and kind of pissed that our Bother went and got a girl ~~knocked-up~~ pregnant outside of marriage. The Fornicator....... I'm pregnant and due mid- October.

Next thing you know.....Sis has not taken the Doc's advise and she is now pregnant too.....due end of October.

Sis, Me, Sis-in-law July 1989

We all went along for 9 months all getting bigger and bigger....as pregnant women tend to do.

Both my sis and sis-in-law were going to the same doctor, lived in the same town and had my parents there with them. They chose ultra sounds, doctor visits, and hospital stays.

I lived here in Florida and chose to fore go the ultra sound, doctor, and hospital. I had a mid wife and I would be delivering at the birthing center over looking the river (those were real popular in the 80's and I had had my daughter there).

They found out the sex of their kids........I wanted to be surprised......

The end of September came and went for my Sis-in-law and the Doc decided to induce labor if she had not had the baby by mid October. My Sis and I were still being told our due dates were the same....mine, Mid October...hers the end of October.

The 14th of October rolls around and the Doc tells Sis-in-law it's time and she is more than ready to get the show on the road. She goes into the hospital that night. The plans are to start labor on the 15th in the AM.

My Sis is at a wedding and she starts to feel cramps. She tells hubby that they should go check it out. The Doc says she is in labor but not really dilating but he wants her to stay for a while. She starts into hard labor and they give her Demerol which brings her labor to a screeching halt and she sleeps through the night.

At 5am October 15th I wake with that nagging feeling.......I wait until 8am before I go over to the birthing center to bother anyone.

My Sis wakes up in labor just as the Doc is deciding to put my Sis-in-law on a Pitocin drip (this drug starts labor). I suppose it is around 9am when I call to find out how everyone is and to tell them that I'm in labor too.

My mom is overly excited and doesn't know which room to go to. My Sis has her hubby and my Sis-in-law has my brother....my mom doesn't know who needs or wants her more........My Sis-in-law wins since she is so young and scared and in pain from the drip.

My mom gets a call from the Doc saying Sis is almost ready to deliver and my mom runs to that area of delivery. My Sis delivers a baby girl at 12 noon , or there abouts......7lbs6oz

July 1990

My Sis-in-law continues to stuggle and they think they may have to do a C-section. Finally their baby boy is born at around 6 pm......7lbs6oz

I'm hugging the wall and cussing who ever happens to be near me when I hear that my Sis-in-law has given birth.....I really could care less at this point.

My baby boy was born at 7pm......8lbs10oz......

Mom listed all the births in her local paper. She was somewhat of a celebrity after that......
Everyone thought SHE was special.........

Here are all the children in todays time

My Sis's daughter will graduate from NCSU with a degree in Agriculture in December. I'm not sure what her plans are but I know she loves animals. She has her last 4H show at the State Fair this weekend.

My brother's boy is in the United States Air Force, Somewhere USA. He works in Security.
I hope the war gets over soon. We all hope he doesn't get sent into the war.

My son Bob is a student at FSU majoring in Music Composition. He plays the classical guitar, piano, and sax. He doesn't want to preform and he doesn't want to teach...........

Hopefully, he won't become a career student.

By the way.....I was born on my mom's Birthday. It must run in the family!

Remembering birthdays in our family is easy!!

The Art of Master Bates

2010-10-13T00:06:00.000-04:00

Reasons for purchasing Showtime

Weeds

Dexter

This is one of my favorite Clips. After having clogged pipes from tube socks, Uncle Andy is asked to give Shane a lesson in the fine art of masturbation. The next episode......Mom wonder why Shane is 'eating' so many bananas...........this show is worth every dime you'd have to pay to see it. Netflix has all 5 seasons on Instant Play.

Thankful Tuesday's Pony

2010-10-12T07:14:00.002-04:00

I really hate going to the lab that is covered by our insurance. There is no way of knowing if Nurse Ratchet will be there or not.

put some glasses on this "nurse" and it's her

This woman will not listen to a thing I say. I've only been getting my blood drawn for what?? the last 40 years?? I try to tell her which vein is the best and I can actually feel it myself. What does she do? She goes so far as to say "Oooo, this arm has a good vein." (which happens to be the opposite arm that I've told her to use. She never gets blood the first time around). "Ooooo" she says "that vein rolled on me." or

"Oooo, that little bugger just collapsed!"
Well I guess so you idiot.........you just reamed around in my vein enough to puncture it.........geesh. Don't you just hate that reaming motion? For God's sake just take the fucking needle out of my arm and start over.....geesh. I mean she gets ZERO blood......ZERO ...not even a drip when she withdraws the needle.

One time she even said I needed a butterfly needle (the ones used to start IV's) because my veins were so small. I'm sure my veins see her coming and like a frightened penis shrink to an almost invisible size.

The most I will let any one try to get blood is 3 times then I ask for some one else.I've asked for someone else 2 times now.......and guess what? They get my blood on the first stick. Imagine that?

So my five things that I'm thankful for this week are:

1. She got the right vein on the 2nd stick. She actually missed it totally the first time, then told me to relax my arm and stop stiff arming it . She actually says that I'm trying to help her and that I need to stop.......hell if I were helping her I'd grab the needle out of her hand and draw my own damn blood. oops sorry this is My Thankful Day............

2. My CRP is back to normal which means that I should be out of pain. I'm not really but someone told me that when you get addicted to pain medication your body tells you you're still in pain? I'll have to check on that with the Doc. I'm thankful that the meds are working.

3. Hubby out of town this week. I'm VERY thankful for that. We need a break from each other. You know too much togetherness is never good for a marriage.

4. Thankful for the weekend and 3 hour naps. Damn I must be getting old. But I'm still thankful that I can take that nap.

5. Sunsets in my back yard.

While the Engineer's Away

2010-10-11T12:54:00.000-04:00

Lucy gets to play!!

The Unknown Musican contributes

2010-10-11T08:35:00.003-04:00

I don't think the boy will mind that I 'steal' a bit of his creativity. The title as far as I can find is Latin and means

My Sigh (update....my son says it means my heart beat......or what keeps me alive)

Suspirius Meus

Love

is the feeling, knowing

She loves when I hold her

is the feeling, knowing

She will never leave me

is the feeling, knowing

She loves me too

unconditionally

She loves

when my fingers move fast

when my fingers move slow

when my fingers caress her neck

She never

gets jealous,

talks too much,

or gets lonely.

if only my Guitar could make me dinner too.

My Peculiar Adulation

2010-10-06T10:57:00.000-04:00

I know some people may find this odd but I DO have a strange and strong admiration for nipples. It doesn't matter whose body they are on; if they are stiff............

I want them. Or do I?

When I say I want something it usually means that I'd like to have whatever it is that I'm wanting. Isn't that the way with most people? Well, when I say I want a stiff nipple.....I don't want to own it......I don't want to do much more to them than gawk and drool.

Why do nipples make me drool?

I don't know....drooling may not be the right word either. I don't have that large of a vocabulary but I do try to find the right words to describe what I want to say. I do feel a bit of salivation coming to the front of my mouth but it's more than that. I want to take my teeth??....and just gently??? no...

I feel my teeth start to chatter?

Well, chatter is definitely not the right word here. When I think of chatter I think of cold and although it might be coldness that makes the nipple harden, that is not the performance my teeth are doing. They are gently tapping together but should I get that little nipple in between them I might have to hold back the feeling of a full fledged bite. Probably gnash is a better word but I think that is stronger than what I might feel.

Then the verb-age starts............

WOOOOO look at those nipples!!! (said a bit quieter) woooooo!!! In a minute they are going to slice (I say with teeth clenched) right through that shirt!!!! Oh My God those are really fat nipples!!! I could just bite them off!!!! OOOOOO look at my teeth, I can't keep them still!!!!! LOOOOOKKKKK they must be 4 inches long!!!! OOOOO MY GAWD!!! I can't stop looking squirming in my seat!!!!!

then i smoke a cigarette........just kidding!

I don't fear that I have lesbian tendencies but most of my women friends become a little concerned when I start with the verb-age. I explain to them that the Kinsey Reports are always being misquoted and that men have nipples too......

I've never been told my high beams are on and my turkeys are NEVER done. I don't have to contemplate putting scotch tape over mine and I've never had to be careful of wearing a thin bra or shirt.

I know I can buy some but don't these look a bit wall eyed (having large, staring eyes, as some fishes)?

Tuesday's Pony

2010-10-05T14:38:00.000-04:00

Don't Worry happens to be one of my favorite songs and at times my favorite mantra.

My gratefulness is as follows:

1. Celebrating 28 years of marriage to the Engineer. My first husband was and still is a lazy, controlling, bastard of a male chauvinist pig. That wasn't too harsh was it? We married at an early age and although, it was a tumultuous marriage, I have to say it was never boring. When I was in search of my next love, I looked for someone totally opposite.....hard working, loyal, laid back, with a sense that women shared life side by side with men. Though all has not been bliss and The Engineer can be a bit arrogant at times ( I like Italians what can I say?), I can't think of anyone else that I might like to share my life with right now. So........I'll keep him for a while!

2. Travel points that get you free stays at the Holiday Inn.........we spent the weekend in Sanibel Island (click on the Holiday Inn for a live camera) for our anniversary. It was beautiful there.
We did a lot of bicycling. The bike paths led everywhere. We went from on tip of the Island to other.

3. The Sno Hut in our town. Shaved ice with flavors of almost anything you can think of. My favorite is Black Cherry stuffed with ice cream .....YUMMY!!

4. A/C is on the fritz........REALLY happy for the cooler temps and low humidity right now!

5. Halloween is just around the corner. My favorite holiday. This is what I dressed up like a couple of years ago. Cave Momma......and no I do not have black hair. The Engineer was out of town that year and he didn't even recognize me!!

Every little thing is gonna be alright!!

Today's Pony Found

2010-09-28T09:00:00.006-04:00

The Engineer is out of town yet again. We did have a very nice week in DC. Triple D is still home and doing well. She celebrated her birthday without any drama.

1. I'm thankful for my ability to make good homemade cookies and the sweet smell it gives the house. There were 14 dozen made this weekend. My neighbors daughter goes to school in the same area as Bob (the unknown musician). She came home this weekend and I sent her back with 6 dozen for her and her roomies and 4 dozen for Bob. He said they were delicious. I've done something right! Chocolate Chip Cookies, Reese's Chocolate Cookies and Soft Brickle Cookies! Yummy

2. Last week my partner played with someone else. At first I was upset that I was sitting out again this week. They played for 3 grueling hours (12:30-3:40). I'm glad that it was them and not me out there in the heat. They won in a 3rd set! pictures to come

3. I'm thankful for the TV show "My Name Is Earl". Season 1 episode 2 "Quit Smoking". That was the episode that convinced me to stop smoking. It will be 5 years the end of October. This is the picture where they had the patch stuck all over them. No matter all the black lung commercials or the pleading of my family to quit or the wheezing......It took Earl to show me the LIGHT!

4. My injections are finally working. I'm almost pain free. That is a wonderful feeling! I have RA and have finally (fingers crossed) found the correct medication.

5. My smudging worked with getting out all the negative energies in the house. Some may say it's all in my mind but that's okay! I had to do it twice to get it right but now.... I feel at peace and less stressed.

All is right with the world!!!

Another Day Wasted

2010-09-27T11:15:00.000-04:00

My goal for this a.m. was to write about Alexandria Virginia and the guy who plays the glasses since I ~~got off on the Lucy tangent~~ wrote about the Soul Readings. But Lucy kind of took over and this is what I got .......

It appears I have such a boring life compared to the others that I read. I did find the coolest blog this morning The Japing Ape . It was the most entertaining blog. I did have to look up the meaning of Japing (Say or do something in jest or mockery)

I'm assuming (and hoping that I'm not making an ass out of u and me) that Gorilla Bananas is a man so I have to say .....by far......he is the funniest writer that I've come across so far.

It appears he finds the most bizarre stories and adds to them. If you get a chance and really want a BIG laugh....read his blog.

I hope Mr. Gorilla doesn't mind that I took the liberties to promote his blog.....if he sees this and DOES mind he'll just have to let me know.

I took a peak at who he watches and he only has one person. The Cake is a Lie. She had a really weird post about attachments for the WII.......Mothers watch your children........toys for the wii . Is this plagiarism???

Later I found a blog called KB KnockBack . It was pretty funny too.

Alas, I've wiled away the morning hours reading everyone's blog and not doing a thing for mine.....DAMN Lucy's hide...sigh.......

Trip to Inner Peace

2010-09-26T10:46:00.000-04:00

I went to Washington DC last week. I spent most of my time in Old Town Alexandria. It has a quaint little down town area. I suppose it is tourist-y but still a great place for walking around and checking out the sights. A lot of unique shopping there too. I visited all sorts of historic sites but the only place that stands out for me was Sacred Circle.

I went to this place called Sacred Circle http://www.sacredcirclebooks.com/ . As they advertise "we have everything from astrology to zen." I saw this place while I was eating lunch and thought, I need to check this place out.

I've always been fascinated by the metaphysical. I find all sorts of things that interest me in this store but I only have a certain amount of money that I am willing to spend (which isn't much ha ha). I find books on dreams, crystals, incense, and something called a Shaman Smudge. I take a look at the back of the smudge packet and it gives me an list of the herbs that are tied together. They include White sage, Yerba Santa and Mountain sage.

Smudging is a practice used by the Native Americans to remove negative energies and replace them with healing and positive energies. I decide to buy this package as it only costs $6.50. Triple D is coming home on Sunday and I want the house to be as pure and as positive as possible. I think this is a good start.

While there, I saw that the psychic was in. It's pretty pricey ($65/half hour). I decide I have to ask for a reading. My justification on spending the money .... I must have been brought here for a reason. All things lined up to make this trip possible and then here was this store and this psychic ready and available..........

He was a soul reader. I had never heard of this before but I had a good feeling about this tattooed, pierced guy wearing a scarf draped around his neck. He told me he was going to read my soul and asked me to put my hands on his. He closed his eyes and swayed a bit back and forth. My first thought was he was feeling my inner pain.

When he opened his eyes he had this sweet smile on his face and he said "you're a healer". That made me laugh and I told him so far I'd not been able to make anyone better. He didn't read my future or tell me what would happen when Triple D got home but he told me that if I filled my heart with love and serenity that it would flow over and everyone would benefit from it. He told me that I shouldn't worry about Baby. He said she was an old soul and that she would find her way.

I left there with my smudging tools, a package of incense and a lightened heart.

When you realize how perfect everything is, you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky. Buddha

The Pony I Found This Tuesday 9/21/2010

2010-09-21T19:10:00.000-04:00

I often wonder where Lucy' mind will take me. This is it for today:

I've started to bring gratification and thankfulness into my life. I'm usually a pretty positive person and typically know that life is good. I've taken up meditation in the short from.

I meditate for a short while before I press the number of my Daily Affirmations from 1-150 . This is mine for today.

I honor all paths, religions, and belief systems,
even if I do not subscribe to them myself.

I realize that as many people in the world there are,
that is the number of paths to God there are.

I'm not much on religion but I do have my own sort of "higher power". It's funny how all of life falls into place.

After reading my affirmation again, I was just checking out a website I was interested in and found this article along with a prayer.

Health and Gratitude by David Salisbury .

I thought it was appropriate for the beginning of my weekly thankfulness.

This week:

1. Triple D is home. I am thankful she is alive and clean for today.

2.The temperature is 86F today with a pleasant ENE breeze. Is Autumn in the air? I really do LOVE the weather here but I will be truly grateful when the weather cools a bit more.

3. Even though the dining in Washington DC was not cheap, I was thrilled when The Engineer told me to go ahead and get those $30 Maryland style crab cakes! There is nothing better in this world than a Maryland style crab cake. Oh yes! I have dreams!!

4. Humor is the best medicine and I get a real kick out of puns.My favorite one for the moment is:
Mahatma Gandhi, as you know, walked barefoot most of the time, which produced an impressive set of calluses on his feet. He also ate very little, which made him rather frail and, with his odd diet, he suffered from bad breath. This made him (this is so bad, it's good…..) a super calloused fragile mystic hexed by halitosis.

5. Grateful for Sponge Bob Square Pants. It keeps Baby entertained while I write this blog!

The Pony I Found This Tuesday

2010-09-14T09:51:00.000-04:00

I've always wondered how someone could commit suicide. How could they not be able to find at least one thing, no matter how minute, to make them happy enough to continue on with life.

I could never commit suicide no matter how depressed; no matter how disillusioned. There are just too many things to live for.

I'm usually the person who sees the cup as half full; the one who knows... there is a pony behind all the shit. I look for the good in people and usually find a reason for a person's bad behavior or ill attitude. I'm the person who refuses to throw away my cracked, but still intact, rose colored glasses. I find the silver lining in that dark cloud.............but every now and again........I find myself getting negative.....feeling sad........being just plain ol' pissed off at the world.

I've decided to deem Tuesdays my day to reflect on what I have to be thankful for. I think this will keep me in a positive mood for the remainder of the week and as the week winds down, it will give me something to think about before the next Tuesday.

I don't want this to become a long, boring, or drawn out post so I think 5 things a week are good.

Here goes:

1. Even though my husband travels a lot, I'm glad that he has a job in this crappy economy. (bonus pony... He also gets frequent flier miles which makes it possible for me to travel to DC for free this week!)

2. Even though I'm experiencing a bit of empty nest syndrome, my water bill is half what it was last month.
(does that make life worth living or what?!?!?!)

3. Even though I've lost my last 2 tennis matches, I'm thankful that these ol' bones can still get out on the court and run (not everyone agrees with my definition of run) around.

4. Even though that ~~asshole~~ sad unfortunate soul cut me off in traffic this morning, I can thankfully wish the bird of paradise (it really is a bird, ya know?) shit on his head and not worry about the harmfulness of my wishes.

5. Even though these past few weeks have been shitty, I'm really really glad I can afford ice cream! Any kind will do but my favorites are the kinds with cherries, chocolate, or both (eg. Cherry Garcia by Ben & Jerry)

whew!! that was harder than I thought it would be

Things that keep me Happy

2010-08-21T10:30:00.000-04:00

1. This gets me up in the morning. I roll over in bed and this is the first thing I see. The artist is Judith Baily.
http://www.yellowhousegallery.com/artist_detail.aspx?Artist=12
It is done in pastels. I wish I could have afforded the original. The signed print will do!

2. Finding some good music
This video makes me smile
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0RQnGhxZzg&feature=related

Home I like this song too. I think I may invest in them!

3. Watching Baby makes me crazy but keeps me from going totally insane!

4. Playing tennis keeps the blues away!
Plus you can put a face on that little yellow ball and smack the hell out of it and not go to jail !!!! OH YEAH BABY...Make My Day!!!!
Triple D's face is on it a lot......

Drugging Diva Daughter .....Triple D

2010-08-18T00:23:00.000-04:00

The Drugging Diva Daughter (formerly known as The Queen) is back in rehab. Rehab is a racket in my humble opinion.

For instance....Triple D spent 30 days in rehab and then went to a half way house. Not all sober houses are the same BTW especially price wise. We paid $450 to get her in and told her that we would pay for a month's living but that was all. We left before she signed the contract. In this contract there was a clause that stated "if you use drugs, you will be asked to leave the house. You may come back when you can test negative and pay another $450". The second week into it she used. They booted her out and refused to let her back in until she had the money.......we said no way and she came home.

I know she signed the contract and she did do the drug. I have 2 problems though... A- there was no mention of $$ on the website. There was no mention of having to pay extra in the house rules or the client contract. Read them yourself........... http://www.dignityhouse.net/house.html
B- the rehab place didn't disclose the second fee or they didn't know about it......either way we would have lost $450 had Triple D refused to sign the paper at that time.

Who pays the fees? The hopeful family...the optimistic family..... everyone knows the GOD DAMN drug addict doesn't have any money.......they don't have a car.........they don't have a job.........they may even be under court order to be there........ GRRRRRR

There are 3 sober houses owned by these people......a total of 27 women can be housed.....they charge 185 per week. Plus the "one time" fee of 450. The turn over is ???? making 450 come along????

Psychology Today says http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/201007/the-new-quitter
"The dirty little secret about addictions is that relapsing is the rule, not the exception." The rehab center has the drugging population brainwashed into believing that relapse, if not spoken out loud, had less of a chance of happening. That if you worry about it .......it will happen.

So tell me if relapse is the rule and NOT the exception.................

Who's fucking making the money here?????

The rehab center suggested the place. Now I'm not saying that there is something stinking in the cellar.......but............another strange occurrence happened. This had to do with Triple D's indecision on where to go in the first place.

Her first stint in rehab started with detox. Rehab center 1 found her a bed in a detox place and after that she was supposed go back to Rehab 1. Well.......she meets this girl and the girl tells her about this other rehab......being the co-dependent person that I am.......I call this Rehab 2. OOOO they are soooo happy to take Triple D and they tell me they will make all the arrangements. I never get a return phone call from Rehab 2 so I call detox. I'm told that there is .....um..... an ethical ??? um........well, hell, Rehab 1 already has dibs on Triple D and Rehab 2 backed off when they found out........now you tell me........what is the word I'm looking for???

Anyway..........

I've been wondering lately where things went wrong in Triple D's life. Here at the house she lay around day after day in her room, curtains closed, cell phone near by. I wondered if she was suffering from depression or just not finding any joy from life being sober.

I guess it's not too fun to be sober all the time.

The counselors say that the drug high brings Triple D's serotonin up by 10 times the normal level. For instance, if I feel a 5 when I see something wonderful or do something fun, the druggie feels a 10 plus. I ask ....why would anyone stop drugs if they knew they would only feel a 5 forevermore???

Frustration abounds.......

Student Life

2010-08-16T11:31:00.000-04:00

We went to visit Bob this weekend. He has been accepted into the school of music at FSU. I have to laugh at the difference in what was advertised for his apartment and what he actually got. It's a nice enough place and good enough for a young man just starting off.

Everything in the advertisement
showed such bright coloring. The place was dark, dark, dark.....but Bob likes dark. He says now he doesn't need a sleeping mask.

Maybe it's because girls live in the advertised apartment?

It is cooled like a hotel room. See that fan at the front of the
bike? That is a hole in the wall that leads to the bedroom. It
circulates the cool air by sucking it in through that fan. Strange system.
I suppose now I understand why the electricity might skyrocket to over $$300
a month.

That microwave beside the stove....we bought for $39.
That was the smallest one we could find. That counter
is about 2 foot wide. The spaciousness of the advertisement is amazing.

I don't think I could have stepped back far enough to get the shot of the kitchen that the advertising photographer got.

Maybe it is just my inability to take a good photograph that really makes the difference.

The other housing on the street are for sororities. Now that is a plus for any young man!!
Rather Bob likes the apartment or the location is all that really matters.......and as far as he's concerned.....He is living in heaven.

Next purchase on the list............ a ladder.

The Dirt Nazi

2010-07-27T21:20:00.000-04:00

I swear......if the next door neighbor doesn't go away soon.........

I know most people have a neighbor like this........old and crotchety, with nothing better to do than make your life hell. She makes my family so much more important than I want us to be.I think she stands by her door just waiting for us to do something that she can complain about.

Last week the neighbor on our right bought some dirt to fill in the holes between his seawall and the yard. He had asked hubby if he wanted any dirt because there would be plenty left over. He said whatever was left could go to the yard guy.

Hubby decides to get a few wheelbarrows full just to have something to do (since he is always so bored).

The next thing you know The Dirt Nazi comes running out of her house asking if we were granted permission to take the dirt. Hubby says sure he was given permission. The ~~bitch~~ Dirt Nazi starts telling hubby that the yard guy is suppose to have the dirt. She rambles on and on that the dirt isn't for just anyone. Well.....that pissed hubby off sooooo he proceeded to take even more than we really needed.

Yet he didn't put a dent in the pile.
There was plenty left to go around.

I wonder what she would have done if I had taken the water hose to it and let it all go down the sewer drain???

Hopefully when I get old, (old is someone 15 years older than you are.... hum.....) I will have more to do in life than bitch at the neighbors.

Lucy's Mind at Work

2010-07-20T15:38:00.005-04:00

My first thought was to write about Baby who is my 3 year old granddaughter. I've raised 4 kids and for the moment I'm raising her. I feel much like WC Fields when he said???....hum......what did he say???

so this is how it happens..........

Lucy's Mind at Work

I google famous quotes about children.

First I see Groucho Marx and I think maybe I got the wrong guy but the only thing about kids that he has is...."I've got the brain of a four year old. I'll bet he was glad to be rid of it." I think that is lame......I'd love to have the brain of a 4 year old.....even a 4 year old can stay on task longer than I can.

Then I see on the sidebar... if I like Groucho check out George Carlin. I LOVE George Carlin!!! The quote that catches my attention is ....."One tequila, two tequila, three tequila, floor." That reminds me that I'm not drinking. This in turn reminds me of Al-Anon and what a lady said in there........ "If you have one foot in the future and the other in the past, then your peeing all over today". I begin to wonder if that was her actual quote or if someone else said it first. I go back to the quote section and begin a search.

I find this quote by Albert Einstein, "The distinction between the past, present and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion". What ever the hell that means? When I click that quote, it takes me to his quote of "Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results". I think that is kind of funny since today in tennis I kept trying to hit this same drop shot over and over and it was NOT working..... did I change my plan?? NOOO....I guess I play insane tennis. But for real, they say that quote in Al-Anon a lot......strange huh?

This, in turn, makes me think about Baby's mom who is busy rehabbing. She is in a half way house now.......I want her rehabilitated........I DO NOT want to raise Baby forever.

I wonder what the success rate for recover is?

I start searching for the rates of success. It's confusing to find these statistics since each rehab center rates success differently. Some just rate the success based on those who complete the 30/60/90 day program. The days depend on the place. TQ was in a center that goes for 30 days. She has succeeded as far as that rehab is concerned. She stayed clean while she was there. She attended the required meetings. She saw a counselor weekly. She stayed open minded and followed all suggestions. She took her medicine as required. The 1/2 way house that she is in now seems to be a good place.....but.........Oh wait.........this was not where I was going with this blog.

I was looking for WC Fields quote about kids........I love my grand girls but I REALLY would like to be grandma just for a day.

Finally! I find WC Fields but one quote says " I love kids....fried" the other says "I love kids......cooked properly".

That is not the quote I'm looking for since they are so much better battered ...with a little assault and pepper.......ahem......a little joke there.

Later I will look to see if I made that up or if it was done by someone famous...........right now....I'm tired