Toads for Thanksgiving

Ryan has a double ear infection. On meds...again. It hasn't slowed him down!

Yesterday, I spent much of the day preparing a Thanksgiving feast for when everyone got home from work/school/doctor, etc. I didn't feel well at all, but fixed turkey, dressing, smashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, relishes, and pumpkin pie, plus chips and dip. (Not all of that was from scratch, by the way!) Meg brought home corn meal muffins. I had prettied up the table, using good china and stemware and fall placemats that Meg made a few years ago...and little pumpkin-shaped napkin holders that Meg made when she was Robin's age...just to make the occasion festive. Even lit a candle! Whoop-de-doo! Meg had recorded "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" on the TiVo to occupy the children during the time between pick-up and her return. What were we thinking??? Were we expecting a Leave It to Beaver household??

First of all, the children came back from Grandma Judy's dirty. I carried Ryan to the car because his new shoes were covered in mud. Robin had mud on her pants. Ryan had written all over both hands with a black marker (washable, thank heavens). I tried to get them cleaned up a bit before Meg got home... They didn't want to watch Charlie Brown. They preferred to play (roughly) in Robin's room until I kicked them out of there...then the only thing they wanted to see on TV was Sponge Bob Squarepants. When Meg got home...before I even got the food up off the stove...they were in the kitchen, messing up the place settings, drinking their lemonade out of their little stemware glasses, and trying to blow out the candle (largely spitting all over the table in the process). Then we sat down to eat.

The kids didn't like the gravy or potatoes, didn't want any green beans, didn't touch the olives or pickles that Robin used to love, and picked at the turkey. Ryan ate a little dressing; Robin didn't want any. Robin, who was wiping her mouth with her hands, then her hands on her clothing, was admonished to use her napkin. With a grin on her face, she tried to use the placemat. Ryan started playing with his stemware glass until it was taken away from him. Robin wanted more lemonade but would only point and make baby noises, rather than ask in words. Ryan fidgeted with his napkin holder until he finally managed to break it. In short, they were toads! I think Meg was appalled, but she appreciated our feast. Everyone had pumpkin pie, then they were ingloriously packed up in the minivan to meet up with Kendra for a Thanksgiving in Muncie today. SIGH <---(relief!)

Both Meg and I hit the sack early. I'll be leaving for my sister's in Illinois today. Meg will have the house and the leftovers to herself for a couple of days. Hope she can stand the quiet!

What's up with the robins? Yet another flock in the neighborhood. I can hear some outside even now. Better hurry southward, little guys. Winter is on its way!

Happy Thanksgiving to all my friends. I am thankful for you!

Bad Tylenol!

When I went to pick up the grandchildren today, Ryan was totally listless and sick. He complained of a headache and an earache. I walked him to the car, hand-in-hand. Poor little guy! His mother made a doctor's appointment for him for tomorrow. In the meantime, though I didn't register a fever for him on the thermometer, I gave him some Tylenol. Bad idea! By the time his mother came home for supper, he was feeling well and wound up! (We decided that next time I should omit the Tylenol!) *Meg had a parent conference for Robin at 6:30, so I watched the kids. They are still watching cartoons, with popcorn. Sorry! I offered them games but they didn't want to do that! *Asterisks at paragraph breaks again. . *I am off tomorrow. Life is good! I will be preparing Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow for my family. We have much to be thankful for--especially considering the state of the economy. Those that have any qualms about my situation can kiss my proverbial foot! Meg and I have closed ranks and have done the best we can do under the circumstances. We have spent a bunch on the house, and things aren't great yet, but at least we aren't at risk of losing anything. My daughter and grandchildren have a place to live and food to eat. Grandma has a reason to exist. We go on. Do I regret anything? Nope! *Thanks to all who continue to support us when things seem inordinately weird. I need you all!

Still Sickies

Robin didn't go to school today, but she is better. I did go to school today, but I'm not up to snuff yet. Meg came home with an upset stomach. Ryan will be next, I suppose...

Life with a little boy in the house:
GRANDMA: Ryan, do you see that orange stuff on the floor next to the toilet?
RYAN: Yeah.
GRANDMA: That's urine. Do you know what urine is?
RYAN: No.
GRANDMA: Urine is pee-pee. When you pee-pee in the potty, you don't hit the bowl. You
need to be more careful to make sure it all goes in the bowl and not all over the
seat or the floor.
RYAN: Okay... (Then yelled from his room.) BUT THEY MAKE THOSE TOILETS TOO
SMALL!
GRANDMA: (Mumbling to herself.) I think they all say that...

Kids at school were better today than last week. I suppose they will be whacko tomorrow since it is the last day before Thanksgiving break. I hope not. I would just like to enjoy them! Hope I feel better, too. It would make the holiday so much better...

Sickness Here

I've been "puny" the last two days, making getting anything done almost out of the question. Meg and the children...and even I...did a little raking, but the job's not done. Robin started throwing up today, thankfully spread out through the day, and she seemed relatively well between bouts...although pale. Also, thankfully, she is grown up enough to make it to the proper receptacle. There is a God!

I will go to school tomorrow. I'm going to live, I think...but it will be slow going for a day or two before digestion gets back to normal. So close to Thanksgiving! Yuck!

Weekend

With the children here for the weekend, we have tried to make good use of the time. Friday, we had "movie night," complete with popcorn and lemonade. That went well. Yesterday, we took a run to Sam's Club for some things we needed. We always have Sam's pizza when we're there. The kids love it, believe it or not.

Meg had the kids sit down and go through toy catalogs to pick out what they wanted from Santa. Robin wrote a letter to Santa with her list. Ryan just circled things in the catalog--sometimes whole pages! We had some "quiet time" (mostly for Grandma's sake), then launched into putting up our Christmas tree.

Normall, the tree goes up AFTER Thanksgiving, but since the kids will be gone Thanksgiving weekend, and we will all be in Florida for Christmas, we put it up early this year. Ry got so wound up that he ended up in bed without a movie after that chore was done.

Somewhere in the middle of the day, Robin pulled her loose front tooth. Toothless! I don't think I ever had the guts to pull my own teeth (and wouldn't let anyone else do it, either), so she is the champ! She looks cute and talks funny. Pictures will follow...

Today, the plan is to rake leaves--largely because the temps will be a little warmer than yesterday--but this is our only real chance to get it done. Hope everyone is up to the challenge.

I've been out of sorts the past 24 hours with an intestinal challenge. Not fun! At least I wasn't at school at the time it hit! Two more days of teaching before Thanksgiving. I will be preparing a mini-feast for us for Wednesday and will head to my sister's in Illinois for the holiday. Then it is an uphill slide to Christmas!

It's Friiiiidaaaaay!

Well...the bloom is off the rose with the 8th grade, as of now. All year long, I've been bragging on this year's kids...how they have been better behaved than last year's crew, in spite of admonitions from the 7th grade teachers that the group was, overall, not good. I'm not bragging anymore! Since Wednesday, I have had to write up six kids for misbehavior that was more than just classroom highjinx. And it isn't even February yet! (February is the worst month for student behavior.) I rarely send kids to the office, so they have to be pushing the limits in order to get in trouble with me. There are two days left of school before Thanksgiving break. Hope the four days off will inspire the kids to get their acts together when they get back. Otherwise, it's going to be a loooong rest of the year!

Had a strange thing happen today. One of my team members was absent, so she had a sub. During our study period, I went to her room to call out one of her kids to work with one in my room, just to be nice. (Usually, my student goes to her room to work with her student.) I stuck my head in the door and asked for the student, saying that I didn't want to send my student to her room with the "poor sub in charge". Well! The sub immediately thought I was criticizing her as a poor sub, when I was really just trying to be sympathetic...as in "poor you". She jumped on me in front of the students. "Excuse me? I take offense to that! This is game day!" I didn't have a clue who she was...and apparently she didn't know who I was, either. I was shocked. I stammered that I hadn 't meant to be offensive, then turned around and let the door slam behind me. At the end of the day, she came to me to apologize for her instant assumption that I was accusing her of being a bad sub. It ended okay, but she needs to learn that those kinds of things should NOT occur in front of students! As it turns out, she is the mother of one of my favorite former students! I felt bad about the whole deal...

Meg was home sick today. She has the intestinal heeby-jeebies that I have somewhat shared. Robin is coughing. Ryan has a nasty nose. Still, we have endeavored to have a good evening. When I picked the kids up from the other Grandma, I took them to McD's for dinner and play. They were good. At home, we had clean-up time, then "movie night". Meg has a bunch of kid shows recorded on the TiVo. The kids get in their jammies and lie down to watch movies, with popcorn and drinks. They love it! (They are enjoying the last of them now.)

We will be trying (all four of us) to get the leaves raked this weekend. Lots to do. Always lots to do!

Next Day Mop-Up

I hit the interstate at the usual time this morning and soon ran into a traffic slowdown. We began to crawl. I could see red flashing lights just ahead, but not much. I worried that I might be late for school, but OF COURSE my cell phone was dead. Fortunately, the traffic continued to move and I was on the accident site fairly quickly. Must have just happened because there was only one emergency vehicle there. What was it? A semi was jackknifed into the median--a deep ravine--with his HUGE trailer coming up out of the ravine and halfway into the passing lane. Once past that, the going was fine. I got to work on time...but figured if the accident had happened any earlier and more equipment was there, the roadway (maybe four lanes in both directions) would have been closed while they tried to drag him out of the median. Hope the driver was okay. He certainly had a bumpy ride for a second or two there... *The next thing that occurred was that the very first student who showed up for Success Period (before-school help) in my room looked like someone had hit him in the eye. Looked like pinkeye to me, so I walked him to the nurse. He got a quick ticket home. Pinkeye is highly contagious. *In short order, I began to look at the notes that yesterday's substitute left for me. I was not pleased! Apparently a number of students in one of my classes caused problems sufficient for her to send four of them to the office--something she has never had to do before. Three of them were girls! At the beginning of every school year, I promise my students that if they misbehave for a sub, they get after school detentions, no questions asked. Had to spend part of my day writing that up on the district software and filling out the appropriate forms. Time consuming, but necessary. *This evening went fairly smoothly. My grandchildren--particularly Robin--really like to play outside. On her brother's birthday last week, she did her homework after school so we could go out to dinner, but she burst into tears when she got done and I announced that it was time to go meet Mommy. "I wanted to play." I gave them ten minutes before we absolutely had to leave. That satisfied her. Yesterday and today, I let them play outside when we got home while I made supper. They played together, and they played well. Meg and I think Ryan is really making an effort to behave. He got to stay up later than usual tonight because he had "been good"...and we told him so. Twice tonight, he reminded me that old behavior (like wetting the bed) was over because "I'm five now." Please, God...let it be true!! *There are asterisks in my blog because, once again, the cursor disappears if I hit in order to create paragraphs. Either the blog is malfunctioning, or I'm doing something wrong. Oh, well!

Mental Health Day

I took today off, just to get some things done and rest some. I worked along in the house virtually all day but was flogging myself because things weren't getting done to my standard. Had to keep reminding myself that it was okay...that anything I did was progress, and that the day off wasn't supposed to be stressful. Sheesh! I think I am freaking out because next week is Thanksgiving...and then the Christmas season hits, and the trip to Florida. As prepared as I think I am, I keep feeling that I should be doing more. I keep trying, but I can't save the world!!

A Pretty Nice Party for a Special Little Guy

I didn't get Ryan's closet done last night before I went to bed, so I tackled that today...thinking that it has gone on long enough. There were some other things I needed to be doing, but enough is enough! Ran out of paint in the middle of the project so ran out for more...THEN had to try to get the shelves put back in. They didn't want to go. Apparently a single coat of paint on the walls made them too snug. Finally pounded them in. It'll be a long time before I attempt that again! I also installed the curtain rod and curtain over the door opening and declared the project done. (Actually, there are a couple of cosmetic things I still need to do, but they can wait.)

As the day wearing on, I got myself presentable and went shopping. We had allowed Ryan to open his presents on his real birthday, so there was nothing from us to open for his family party today...and he didn't really have anything from me. In short order, I was able to get a couple of things that I thought he'd like. This will sound funny, but he wanted some "cool" pajamas. I found a pair of Batman jammies with a light in the bat that lights up when moved...with a cape. Way cool! Also got a couple of other pairs of Sponge Bob pajamas, some slippers, and a Leapster 2. The Leapster is an electronic "game" of sorts, with lots of (expensive) learning cartridges. He got ONE of those. (More to add from Santa later.) Raced home, put them in bags, and headed for Chuck E. Cheese with Meg.

Robin's birthday is in August. There is never a problem finding a venue for her family party.
Twice, we have had her parties in a gazebo at Hummel Park, etc. Ryan's birthday, however, is trickier due to the time of year. He had wanted a party at Chuck E. Cheese. Meg kind of nixed the idea at first, but things are still chaotic enough here at home that she made the leap yesterday. (We had already planned to go there...just not do the official "party" routine.) As it turned out, it was a good idea!

The children had been in Muncie with Daddy and Kendra this weekend, so their arrival at Chuck E. Cheese's was a big deal. Ryan came in happy and stayed that way. The Heffelman grandparents arrived with Ryan's requested carrot cake. Chuck E. made an appearance. The children (Ryan, Robin, and Wednesday--their future step-sister) played games and bought junk with their tickets...and so it went. Except for a couple of testy moments on the way home and when we got back, all went pretty well!

Funny moments for me--Ryan got into his Batman jammies almost as soon as he got home. He loved 'em! When he saw the chain with the basketball bauble hanging down from his ceiling fan, he screamed...and came out to thank me for fixing it for him. He played with his Hot Wheels track while Robin played with his Leapster...then she played with the track while he did the Leapster. And then it was time for bed...ours and theirs. He got a little wild at times, but I think--all in all--that the little dude had a very nice birthday!

I wish tomorrow weren't Monday. I need a vacation!

Saturday!

Got up this morning to a cool house. Looked like the thermostat was turned down to 70...and that's about what the temp said. No biggie. I'll just turn the thermostat up a couple of degrees. Did that....and nothing happened! The pilot light was off. I'm not sure why that occurs.
Got it lit again, and warmth ensued! The house really needs a new furnace.

I have spent the day puttering. Have done some laundry. Have done some cleaning. Have run some errands. AND...am hoping to have Ryan's closet FINALLY done before I hit the sack tonight.

Ryan's room has a small ceiling fan. The globe that goes over the light broke several years ago. I just never replaced it, although I've been looking for a new one on my various ventures out. Wal-Mart didn't have any...so when I was in Avon today, I stopped at Lowe's. I just KNEW they'd have globes...but nooooo! One of the assistants there told me that they used to carry them, but no more. They are "reducing stock," which means, according to him, that when things are sold out, they aren't replaced. I don't like the sounds of that. I understand that financial times are tough for all businesses, but there has to be someplace that carries things that we need without resorting to the Internet. I ended up buying an overhead light fixture just for the globe. ($6.) So I paid probably twice as much as I should have for the globe, but at least I didn't have to wait for a delivery or drive any farther to find one. I also bought some extra chain and a basketball bauble so Ryan can turn on the light in there himself. He'll like that.

The closet project entails painting the inside of the closet and installing a curtain over the opening. I had the closet door removed awhile ago. It opened on the wrong side so that it interfered with the bedroom door. All of the bedroom closet doors really need to be replaced. They are heavy wooden bi-fold doors that don't half work...but that's another project entirely. For now, Ryan will have a clean and functional closet with only a curtain to hide the insides. (There was a hole in the closet ceiling where coax and antenna cables came down. Even after the radios were removed, a single TV antenna wire still hung out of the hole. It worried Ryan. I'm betting that he was afraid something would come out of that hole. It is now covered and painted. I hope he likes that!)

Still tons to do before I feel good about the weekend. The weather has turned cold. At least it's not raining right now. I witnessed what I would call a "flock" of robins in the neighborhood this afternoon. I'm taking that as a "pit stop" on their way south, but they'd better hurry! They are a couple of months late on their journey!

Meg and I made a motel reservation for the trip back from the December Florida trip tonight. I guess that means we are really going to go! I have been doing some minor planning and preparing. Guess I need to step up the process! Time's a-wastin'!

Gosh...

I haven't posted since Monday? I'm slipping up!

Okay...Tuesday, Meg took Ryan to his pediatrician for a 5-year check-up and to talk to the doc about behavior. The little guy ended up getting five shots!! His Grandma Judy spoiled him for the rest of the day, so all was well. He got a lot of attention.

Wednesday was just a day. Robin has had a string of "I forgots" about bringing assignments home. She was fearful about going to school because she/they had been told that they'd have to sit on the "curve" and do the work they didn't get done during recess. Character that she is, she said, "Maybe I won't have to sit on the curve. Isn't it supposed to rain tomorrow?" Smart kid! Ry, of course, came down with a cold just a day after being at the doctor's office...

Thursday was Ryan's birthday. We took him to Olive Garden for dinner. (He loves it!) Meg and I overate, regrettably, and came home just ready to bust. Ryan, of course, was geared up for more presents. (He got ONE to open at the restaurant since he is having a family party on Sunday...but we caved in.) In short order, it was time for bed. Meg and I just crashed after we got the kiddos to bed...still too full to be productive. This has got to stop!!

My bro-in-law had a heart catheterization yesterday to determine condition of arteries. They found one 90% blocked so put in a stent, which required an overnight stay in the horsepiddle. He is home and resting. The big issue is that, after a cath, one is required not to move for a number of hours. Roger has a bad back, so being flat and immobile almost killed him. I'm just grateful that it wasn't worse. So far, no complications other than fatigue. Please pray that it stays that way!

Technology is a wonderful thing, when it works. I gave an open book test yesterday...with Scantron. The Scantron deal provides an answer sheet for kids to fill in the "bubbles" of their chosen answers, in pencil...then all I have to do is run a key through the machine...then the answer sheets...for an immediate score. Sounds easy, right? Well...for the SECOND time, I had an error on my key...which meant that I had to go over all of the answer sheets by hand and make corrections...then make corrections in my grade book...then get on the district software to make those corrections. I did get it all done before I left for the day, but I hate when that stuff happens!

This evening, I picked up the kids and took them to Meg's workplace so we could find a place to eat...and she could leave for Muncie from there. She has a class assignment that is due tonight at midnight, so wanted to leave earlier than usual. It was raining and dark. If I were a good mommy, I would have offered to take the children like I did the last time she had an assignment due...but I don't see all that well at night, and rain on the windshield and pavement complicates things. Sorry, Meg!

The birthday party on Sunday will be at Chuck E. Cheese. God help us all!

So It Goes...

I am old, and I keep on wondering when I will get a break in life. It just doesn't seem to happen! I'm not normally a whiner--okay, so I am a little bit--but all I want out of my existence is contentment. I tried to get to that tonight, but my daugher was distraught about other things..and I'm not totally sure what. She was inconsolable...so I got no satisfaction.

Meg wants to be a perfect Mom. There ain't no such thing. When her children express emotions that she isn't ready for, there is hell to pay. We just need to stay constant. The rest will happen, in time.

Are you listening to me? Ain't I the absolute expert??
Nightie. I'm done for the day.

So Much for My Nap!

When I last posted, I was looking forward to an afternoon nap at the end of the day yesterday (Friday). Since the kids were gone, my plan was to go to Papa Murphy's for pizza, then come home and snooze for a bit. I really needed the snooze. I have fought fatigue in the evenings all week.

Did the Papa Murphy's thing. Got back on US 40 headed west, moving into the left turn lane at Dan Jones Road, in traffic, when a car came out of Hardee's, across all three lanes, turning east on 40. I didn't see her because of traffic on my right. Obviously, she didn't see me, either. (Traffic on 40 at that hour is sufficiently heavy that making a left turn onto it when there is no light can be tricky...as she found out. She was making a run for it because she thought she had a break.) I slammed on my brakes, but there was no missing her. We crunched. I hit her driver's side door at about the hinges with my driver's side bumper. We weren't hurt. I was actually kind of amazed that the damage wasn't more than it was... That side of my bumper is punched in, putting a wrinkle in the fender, and the headlight is broken, but still works. The other driver is a Hardee's employee who kept saying, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

It took the motorcycle cop almost ten minutes to get there. Unheard of for Plainfield, that has more police per capita than any other community I've ever lived in! In any case, I shook as I called the police on the cell phone. Was still shaky when I got home a bit later--too shaky to get my nap. Wine to the rescue! I got into my nightgown after dinner and laid down on my bed to watch TV for a bit. Meg told me I'd conk out, since I was horizontal...and I figured I would...but the time was--what? 7:30? 8:00? She closed up the house and went to bed when the spirit moved her. I, of course, was awake at 12:15 with heartburn. Got up, took a Tums, and forced myself to stay in bed the rest of the night...but I only dozed. Was up at 5:30 this morning for the day. Have been cleaning and doing laundry--kind of. I am so used to having huge piles of laundry that what I have done today seems like clothing is missing. That's what happens when one gets caught up!

In any case, all is well here...and life goes on.

Details!

Megan complained several mornings ago that the smoke alarm had been chirping in the night. Funny...it didn't chirp in the daytime at all, so I failed to get the battery replaced. Well, this morning, as I was about to walk out the door for school, it decided to chirp. I got the stepstool out and took down the alarm, took the battery out, and laid it on the kitchen table. THAT would remind me to get a new battery...which I did. It seems like such a little thing, but I do feel better when the tiny details get attended to. They do add up! I actually need to get a second alarm to put outside my bedroom door...but that puts it in the kitchen, which is always risky due to steam and cooking smoke, etc. We'll see! Since I am on the other end of the house from the first one, we have to have another...no matter what.

Had to correct a whole class's Scantron sheets for a test today. The machine usually checks them, but I made a mistake on the key. I hate when that happens! Fortunately, the mistake was in everyone's favor, so grades improved considerably. Believe it or not, next Friday is the midterm already. End of the semester is December 19th. The time sure flies!

This year was the first one since I've lived in Indiana that we went with Daylight Savings Time...but in the Eastern Time Zone. As energized as I was on Sunday, looking at the clock every couple of hours thinking that it should be later than it was, I have been dragging my tail feathers every evening this week. I'm convinced it's because my body hasn't adjusted yet. My bod says it is 10:30 when the clock says only 9:30. Guess it will be a couple of weeks before I get can get with the program...

After school today, I went to the grocery store, then picked up the children. Took them to Cookie Cutters for a haircut, then to Chick-fil-A (which has a play place) to eat and wait for Meg to meet us. The kids were largely good. When we left, Meg took the kids to meet Kendra (their step-mommy to be). The kids are in Muncie tonight but will go to the Chicago area with her tomorrow to visit a friend for the weekend. (The kids know the friend and her children.) Yes, Meg took the children out of school for the event...which is a no-no, and a decision not taken lightly...but 'tis easier to do it at their ages than later. Which means, in essence, that I can get my much-needed afternoon nap tomorrow after school in order to be fresh to do housework in the evening. Yay!

It sure is quiet in the house tonight...heh heh. Time for the boudoir!

Lord, Save Me From Little Boys!

After school, I went to the other grandparents' to pick up the children. Typically, I am not met well. Either Robin or Ryan, or both, aren't happy that I am there "already," so I end up having to cajole and joke them along to get them both in the car to go home and fix supper. It isn't fun.

Today, they were outside playing in the leaves again. (Robin was raking and Ryan was in the shed, up to no good.) When he came out, he had a scowl on his face and a little shovel in his hands that he began waving around, as he often does when he has ANYTHING that could be interpreted as a weapon. Grandma Judy reached over and took it away from him, then started for the minibarn to put it away...when he hauled off and hit her hard on the bottom. I came unglued! I grabbed his hands, got in his face, and yelled, "Don't you EVER hit your grandmother! You tell her you are sorry!" He was not at all contrite...continued to have the thundercloud on his face. So I ordered the apology again. He said he already said it. I said, "Grandma and I didn't hear it. Say it again!"--which, of course, he refused to do.

I decided to march him to the car immediately. He decided to throw himself to the ground and not walk. I decided to carry him to the car. He decided to make it difficult. Halfway there, he decided he would walk...until we got to the car, then went limp again. Ugh!! Got him in the car and buckled up. Took a piece of candy away from him that he had left in the car. "You don't get a reward for bad behavior!" And so it went... He settled down by the time we got home...sort of. I got started on supper while the children played outside for a bit. I kept hearing a strange noise, so I looked out the door and saw Ryan jumping up and down ON THE ROOF OF MY CAR!

And then there is the small issue of not being able to hit the inside of the commode when going like a "big boy"...

This after dealing with 8th graders all day. One of my young darlings got out of his seat while I was reading to the class...walked all around the room with his eyes closed...then sat back down again. Another started making mouth noises in the middle of class, just to get my attention. (When I told him to stop, he did...but he was grinning.) And so it goes.

I'm dead tired tonight, so am signing off to hit the sack. I just hope it doesn't hit back!

Obama Wins!

I was going to bed, but the politics of the evening caught me.
Barack Obama is the new President of the United States! I am so excited, I am in tears!
Please, dear God, don' t let the idiots of the world decide to assassinate him.
All we are asking, is "give [him] a chance".

The naysayers of the world now have a new purpose.
God Bless the USA!

It's All Over But the Shouting

Election Day, 2008. I voted. (So did everyone else in the US, it seems!) I have no idea how the election will turn out. I know how I WANT it to turn out. We'll see. Will I stay up to watch the returns? Not on your life! I've been so weary this evening that I'm moving on fumes now...

When I went to pick up the grandchildren this afternoon, after voting, they were outside "helping" Grandma and Grandpa Heffelman remove leaves via tarp to the front yard. They have such a blast playing in the leaves, I couldn't really get them to leave. (No pun intended.) The fun continued after we got to my house. Leaves to rake here, too...although not as many yet. I am blessed with outdoor grandchildren! I don't look forward to winter months when we are all cooped up. Like them, I am an outdoor person, myself...

I am toying with the idea of retiring at the end of this school year. I don't know how I can do it, financially, but it is an attractive idea. All it would really do is uncomplicate my life. I won't have the funds to travel far or live in luxury, but I will have the time to keep house and enjoy my daughter and grandchildren for as long as God lets me. I'd also like to finish one--JUST ONE--scrapbook before I croak. I've been working on one for years!

We are gearing up for Ryan's birthday in the middle of the month. I am thinking we'll just have it here. God help me! I can have the rest of the house ready, if I take a day or two off...but I can't have the kitchen floor replaced or my room organized by then. We'll just do it and beg forgiveness for the way the kitchen floor looks, and close the door to my bedroom!

I know there are tons more things I wanted to write in my blathering blog tonight, but I'm done in. May the best man win the election. History will decide who the best man is!

What Gorgeous Days!

These last three days have been absolutely wonderful, weatherwise. Warm in the daytime, with sun and colorful leaves. What a treat!

I have worked very hard this weekend at getting things done. Made lots of discoveries.
Discovery #1: Never work in a dirty house wearing black. It's a lint magnet!
Discovery #2: I am somewhat compulsive about laundry. I want it all done at once. I don't feel satisfied if a single stitch of anything is left in the hamper, including the clothes we are wearing!
Discovery #3: The weekends aren't long enoough. Every time I clean out a new space, the rest of the house goes to crap. Most of the junk ends up in my bedroom. That is the last place that ever gets cleaned.
Discovery #4: I have no clue where we will put a twin-size bed in Ryan's room. The room is tiny. He needs a loft bed, but I'm not sure how that will work, either. He's in a toddler bed now, but that's not going to last much longer.

Meg went to a baby shower for her best friend Tiffany today. Tiff is Meg's age but has a "partitioned uterus" so is considered high risk. She will have a C-section in early December. They have already named the little dude based on ultrasound pictures. Cole Hanford. Not bad!

Back to work here. Meg has already left to meet Nathan for a kid trade. Need to keep on pluggin'!