September 11th, Times Seven

Meg and I have been riveted to the History Channel tonight, watching footage of the 9/11 tragedy.  It is like reliving the whole event.  It still makes us cry...  My students were in Kdg. and 1st grade when it happened.  They don't remember much more than their parents' reaction to it, which was to come and pick up their children but being met with a lockdown situation. 

I showed my grandchildren a flag at half-staff today and told them why it was that way.  Had talked to Robin about it before and she remembered.  Apparently it was mentioned at school and she understood.  I told my students today that they would be able to tell their grandchildren someday that they were alive during the worst tragedy in our nation's history.  I equated it with President Kennedy's assassination.  I've been alive for both...

Meg had a hair appointment this evening, so I decided to take the children for haircuts when I picked them up from Grandma Judy's...then take them to Chick-fil-A for supper.  That part went pretty smoothly.  Everything fell apart after that.  I will spare the details except to say that I totally lost my cool with my grandson.  The child has anger issues.  (Apparently so does Grandma!)  When he threw one of his soccer shoes across the room and knocked a glass chimney off an oil lamp, and hit me with a toy monkey, I gave in to anger and spanking.  (He was deliberate with the monkey thing--a brand new toy that I had just bought for him at the haircut venue.)  I told him three-four times that if he hit me with it, it was gone.  He finally connected.  BINGO!  Truth be known, he and I were BOTH out of control.  I am not very proud of my part of the whole deal.  I'm the adult...but he sure does know what buttons to push!  Everything ended okay, but I'm still shocked at my behavior...and his.  (Update:  Ryan just woke up, crying.  His bed is wet.  Big surprise!  The dear child is still sick.  Hard to remember when he is throwing tantrums...)

I have a friendly neighborhood baby 'possum living in my back yard.  I want him to relocate!  He has scared me two nights in a row on the patio.  I would say that he's cute, but I hate the things.  He will grow to be a BIG 'possum someday.  There is no food, little guy.  Move on!

All I want out of life right nowis a little sleep.  So why am I still up???  Nightie-night.