Job Update

Even though I have been "offered" a job at a school, employment is still pending. I have two more interviews tomorrow. Keep me in your prayers. One is pretty far away, but it is more of what I want to do, running an office.





R is going to literally rip out the side of our house tonight while I'm at Bible study. I have to take dessert. There is a major leak on the side by our kitchen. This will make the plumbing bill lower. I was actually shocked today when I signed the proposal; it was lower than I expected. BUT he had to fix K15's bathtub. I felt that, compared to the leak bill, the tub bill was too high. It took the guy all of ten minutes to fix the tub.

We now have A/C on both sides of the house!

I have not had good cell phone coverage since the storm. It is so frustrating!!!!! I would have thought our coverage would be better by now.

Above are some more current photos of David Larible. I hope he comes back to Houston soon!!!! Hmmm. I need to get my David Larible doll out of the closet again. And go back on youtube to cheer me up.

Glad it is getting cool!

Lots of news today.
1. We have power! Still no a/c on one side of the house.
2. I got a job! (pending references and FBI fingerprinting)

Next time there is a storm, I am NOT going to buy soup! No one wanted it because it was too hot! I have lots of soup left, and we can start eating it now because it is finally getting cool!

I was offered a job yesterday at a small, private Montessori school in Spring, Texas. If everything goes through, I will be starting an elementary school for them. My hours will be 8:30 to 4:30. 3:30 - 4:30 will be my planning time, so the director says that if it is slow I can leave early.

Today is my mom's birthday! Happy 70th!!!!!

I have to go grocery shopping today, my least favorite thing. I am going to start slowly; no since in buying things we don't need right away. I don't know how many of partially used salad dressings I threw away.

I slammed the back door this morning, and three of the four braces fell from the ceiling. We still have a large hole in our sitting area. Now we have a leak outside the kitchen, and our water is a dark brown when we try to get water in the kitchen. Hope it is storm-related. It would make sense since that is approximately where the tree hit. Probably a small piece of galvanized pipe needs to be replaced.

A and R, I hope you have power now! Guess I will find out today!
R, I have been trying to reach you, but keep getting a fax machine, and I know how you don't like to use your cell phone! You have been so sweet calling everyday and letting K15 come over!
You know what I just figured out? I have about five friends whose names start with R! Oh, well, you know who you are.

I slept upstairs last night for the first time in a week or so. It wasn't too bad. When I woke up it was 73! Welcome Fall! It is my favorite time of the year!

POWERless

It's funny how these days instead of asking if you have electricity, people ask you if you have POWER. No, we still do not have power. I have learned some things during our power outage:
1. It takes me three days to drink one bottle of water.
2. It is not necessary to shine a flashlight in someone's face to speak to them.
3. When you turn the shower on, it is not necessary to stand there and water for the water to heat up. IT WON'T!
4. When you are in the dark, be careful where you sit. I sat on a tube of hydrocortizone cream and busted it big time!
5. Cell phones make excellent flashlights.

My friends R and K call me everyday to ask if I have power. Tomorrow the girls and I are going to my parents' house to wash clothes, and we have a lot! The girls will also do schoolwork over there and, hopefully, get ahead for the weekend.

My grandmother came through her surgery fine. She has to leave the stint in for 6 weeks. She sounded great this morning.

L, I'm going to stay away from you! You Swiffer people's faces!

Gotta go!

Tuesday Update

Update: Yesterday, the electric company took two of our trees off the power lines. They left the trees there; said we had to get rid of them ourselves. There is still a wire on the ground. Our next door neighbors still have a tree down on the lines behind their house.

We turned the generator on last night, and, wow, we have cable! We didn't even have cable one week before the storm!

Tonight we are going back to J and K's for dinner and then Bible study.

K18 and I are at L's again today; I wish she had a cot! I am soooo tired!

K15 is doing a presentation on a Renaissance painting about now. She was so nervous when I dropped her off.

I am so tired of going out in public and seeing signs that are misspelled or have grammatical errors. I was having a margarita the other night and looked up at the huge sign above the restaurant door saying, "Muchas Gracias!" I can't write it here, but to be correct, there should be an upside down exclamation point in front of "Muchas" and an accent mark over the first "a" in "gracias." Drove me so crazy, I had to change seats so I didn't have to look at it. Along 2920, there used to be a sign that said, "Trees for sell." Drove me nuts. Okay, so now I will probably get e-mails from you guys correcting my spelling and grammatical errors on my blog. Those don't count. Ha ha! Especially today because L will not stop talking while I am typing.

Monday Monday

Good news! We borrowed a generator! We slept with fans last night!
I am starting to panic about a job. Going to give my resume to a friend tonight that might know of an opening near the hospital.
I'm at L's store right now, listening to her discuss Christian bands with a customer. Think I will go home soon and clean out the frig. Yuck! The food is gone, but there is still a bad odor. We might splurge tonight and watch a DVD on the big screen TV. I heard some bad things about the Emmys last night, but I wasn't able to watch it until the end.
Everyone is stressed right now. Things will not seem normal until we have electricity, can vacuum the carpet, and my Sonic opens back up.
Some more good news! I have lost 22 pounds! I am hoping to go down another dress size soon! My goal is to get back down to my normal weight by swimsuit season. "Normal" for me is still overweight, just not hideous! LOL Just so that I can invite friends over to swim and not beg everyone to turn around while I dive in! Ha ha!

Sunday

Well, we are still around. Still haven't seen an electric truck. There are rumors in the neighborhood that it will be three to four more weeks without power. We are looking into getting a generator, especially for the refrigerator.

Right now, we are at K and J's house for a healthy, hot meal and to use their internet. K15 is printing out her paper. We had mesquite grilled chicken, caesar salad, brocolli, and roasted potatoes. Yummy! We had some great cookies for dessert!

R and the girls are going to church picnic and baptism today -- free food! I am going to hang out with a friend for the afternoon/evening. I hope she doesn't want to go to the mall! Went there yesterday, and it was packed!

Well, I will check in again tomorrow. Thanks for all your calls and e-mails. We are really okay.

Hurricane Ike

Thanks so much for the ladies on TM who prayed for us. We are fine. Still without power. The roofing company came yesterday and removed the two trees from our roof and patched the hole. Still haven't seen an insurance rep or an electric truck on our end of the subdivision.

I now equate the north side of a hurricane to labor. I was lying on the couch, and I could hear the wind coming around the back of the house and towards the front. Just as it came around the front, I would hold my breath and say, "Please, God, let this be the last one!" Ha ha! My brother rode out the storm and said that the south side of the storm was much worse, a constant whirling wind for four hours. Everytime he went outside with his camera, it would take another couple of people to close the door with him.

We are now boycotting a local news reporter. He put my brother's friend in grave danger for three days. The station finally let A go home after he complained. The news reporter has six kids -- yeah, you know who you are -- and was willing to risk his life and A's to get sensational footage. I'm sorry, but that is just STUPID! And a female reporter from the station will also be ignored from now on. I have lost total respect for you, lady.

We are staying at my brother's house in Houston but not for much longer. I am ready to go home. The house is starting to smell from the wet insulation and wood in the attic. I'm going to attack the whole house with Febreeze. I am hoping the carpet will be okay. It only got wet from the splashing of water in the tubs and when transferring the water.

What I will remember: using the pool to bathe, flush toilets, wash dishes, and wash towels (don't worry, these will all be re-washed) ; throwing out a frig full of food (ugh!); flicking on the lightswitch by habit; watching the hummingbirds after the storm; no cell phone coverage; hunkering down with my family in the den; thanking God that we are safe. It is just a house and fence. I will miss my favorite bird bath, though.

My friend T and her family got hit very hard in Magnolia. Please pray for them. Don't think we will be having piano lessons over there for awhile.

I want to thank K for letting us shower at her place. Sorry I didn't make it to the movie night last night. I want to thank R & R for bringing us ice and checking on us. I want to thank all of the friends who called to see if we were okay or needed anything, some of whom used their precious cell phone battery to do so. I especially want to thank B & N for letting us invade your home. The internet access has also been a godsend so I can search for a job and we can communicate with our friends and family.

I will post pictures when I have my internet back. Until then, take care!

Friday

Happy Birthday, J!!!!
Also, happy birthday to my sister-in-law, N!!!!!

We are, as they say, "hunkered down." Well, actually, R and the girls just went for a walk. About an hour ago, three blocks from our house, some people were cutting down a tree, and it hit a boy. Ambulance came and got him; the boy died. He was ten years old. There was a Houston Chronicle photographer there. R & the girls just came back from there. Very sad.

Our lantern broke, and Lowes doesn't have any more. :o( So we whipped out some more candles. I am making a pot of chili tonight, and I suppose we will watch movies again while we still have electricity.

The news reporter just said that 40% of the Galveston population stayed. What are people thinking? We will probably get blocked in for awhile. About a mile and a half down the road, there is a dip in the road by the creek. That will probably flood over. That is our only way out. Sometimes our lake overflows, but they have been working on the drainage this summer, so we will see.

As I read your blogs today, it seems so funny that y'all are talking about school, work, etc. LOL All of our stores closed a couple of hours ago. Also, want to tell Marmy -- good going on the car contest! I wish you would have won! You were a good sport about it. For those of you who don't know Marmy, she called in a radio station and was the correct caller. They gave out 93 keys, one of which fit a new car. The 25th person to try won the car.

The eye is predicted to go down I-45, which means we won't be on the dirty side of the storm. Yea! Everyone stay safe!

Stupid Hurricane Quote:

"You know, Tim, that's one of the things that will be debated." –New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, after being asked by NBC's Tim Russert why he didn't use buses to evacuate residents in accordance with the city's evacuation plan.

Another Stupid Hurricane Quote I Just Heard:

"They are not going to close the Galveston causeway. If your car is swaying, don't get on the causeway."

Take a Hike, Ike

We are about 75 miles from Galveston, so we will stay here. Chick Fil A hasn't decided to close yet. Don't know if we will let K18 drive to work tomorrow.

My brother is in League City, staying in a nearby bunker. He does not have a reporter with him. Guess he will shoot press conferences from the storm center there. His wife is going to her sister's to stay.

The girls' Biology class was cancelled today, and K15's theater class was cancelled tonight. K18 did go to her compass class, and both girls met their math teacher at the library for a lesson.

I am going to take advantage of our electricity tonight and stay up and watch movies. Trying to get a friend to come over and watch movies and eat snacks! LOL My cell phone has been acting goofy today. The reporter on Channel 13 said that his family evacuated to the Tomball area and that their cell phones weren't working very well.

Everyone please pray that the tree leaning towards our pool doesn't come down in the storm. That is really our only worry about this storm, I think. Tomorrow we will put the trampoline upside down and move all the deck and pool furniture inside. Only once have we not been able to get out of our neighborhood. We are not going to board up the windows this time. Church has been cancelled for Sunday because our worship center tends to flood.

Suddenly I have a craving for ice cream, and I don't even like ice cream! Guess it's time for a trip to Sonic!

Stay safe, everyone!

Correction!

I have been corrected and slapped in the face with a wet noodle. L & L poured 60 BAGS of concrete, not 60 lbs. In total, they poured 2400 lbs. of concrete! Good work, ladies!

It Was a God Thing

Last night God really helped me!
1:55 a.m. this morning: I am in the middle of a terrible, horrible nightmare, in a deep sleep. I hear my phone vibrate two times. (My phone vibrating NEVER wakes me up!) I have two text messages from a friend who is replying to a text I had sent about 10 hrs. before! How did she know to text, not once, but twice, at that particular time? Had to be God. I texted her back and said, "You woke me up from a nightmare! Thank you!" She asked me what it was about and then told me to pinch myself and go back to sleep. I tried to pinch my leg above the knee but couldn't get any skin! Woohoo! Well, that was one good thing.

2:30 a.m. K15 turns on the light. I am assuming someone is sick. She informs me that she is coming in to sleep with me because a roach dropped from her ceiling into her bed. She lies down but keeps the light on. I say, "Why is the light still on?" She informs me that she has one more chapter to read in her book. I am too tired to argue with her.

2:45 a.m. K15 turns off the light.

That was my night.

Wordless Wednesday

Stupid Sign Day

UGH!

This afternoon has been lousy. Please pray for my attitude. I can't say much because someone may be lurking here, but can say that it involves school. We have a decision to make in the next two weeks or so, maybe sooner. It is fixable, but, ugh, I just was not expecting this! Just was hoping that this year would go smoothly. I may need transportation for K15 to get to Word in Season at TBC on Tuesdays at 12:30. I will pay for gas and a fee, too, if you are coming out of your way.

Just want to say to L and L who are busy pouring about 60 lbs of concrete right now -- YOU GO, GIRLS! Too bad the guys at Lowe's didn't follow you home. I cannot imagine doing something like that! I am worthless when it comes to manual labor ha ha. Remember, you promised I can come over when the gazebo is up! L, thanks for letting me whine today. I guess I'm going to have to start calling y'all L1 and L2!! Thanks for telling me about R's car accident. I will have to get her something to cheer her up. I'll come by the store and drop it off. She is really sweet, and I'm sorry she went through that yesterday. Hope she has wheels again soon! I was home Friday without wheels and I hated it.

If anyone wants to join us, L and I are boycotting the Sonic on 2920 by Target! LOL!

Off to teach Spanish!

Sunday

Well, the Steelers are winning 28-3. Time for me to turn it off. I was mainly watching today to see if I could spot my brother in the end zone. Football is losing its appeal. And I don't feel all that well.

My grandmother is going to have to have surgery again. I wish I could go to Florida and help, but there is no way. Her surgery is the 23rd, so Mom and Dad will be gone during their anniversary and Mom's birthday again. My uncle will be going back to Vietnam about that time to see his wife, so prayer for him would be appreciated. He usually comes back sick.

If we can get this Spanish done today, I'm going to see about going to a movie or something. I just want to get out of the house. I have been on the WTM board all morning, but I am tired of reading arguments about Palin's supposed banned book list, P.E. credits, and cleavage. It's just plain boring on there today. And people are being mean to one another.

If you haven't already, take a look at the video below. Kind of cheesy, but I love the footage of Challenger as a baby.

Much thanks to the B's who donated seven jars to the girls for a Biology experiment! I KNEW you would have them!

Well, I think the DVD player is fixed, so we are going to finish watching Fiddler. Hope everyone has a restful Sunday.

I didn't know Jar Jar died. :o(
Sith Apprentice (2005)

The Emperor: Jar-Jar...

JarJar Binks: Me-sa fired?

The Emperor: No. You-sa fried. [the Emperor shoots electricity out of his hand and vaporizes Jar-Jar]

Challenger

It really is awe inspiring. Should any of you> happen to go to the Great Smoky Mountians, you will pass through the town of Pigeon> Forge ( if you go down route 81) Tennessee. In that town is a place called Dollywood owned and operated by, surprise surprise, Dolly Parton. There she has a huge enclosed area for non realeasable eagles. You can view them and their huge nests. She is prominent among rescuers of Bald eagles and she has a license to do so. The rest of the park is nice too. This is an awesome music video...featuring a special free-flying Bald Eagle named 'Challenger' (in honor of the lost space shuttle crew. K15 was named after one of their crew) cared for by the non-profit American Eagle Foundation (AEF). He's a 'human socialized' bird accidentally raised by the people who rescued him - after being blown from a wild Louisiana nest in a storm as a baby in the late 1980s. Declared 'non-releasable' by federal and state wildlife authorities, he was trained by the AEF to perform educational free-flight demonstrations at high profile public events. He's the first Bald Eagle in U.S. history that learned to free-fly into stadiums, arenas and ballrooms during the singing of the Star Spangled Banner.The celebrity eagle has appeared at numerous major sporting events...like the World Series, Pro-Bowl, All-Star game, BCS National Championship, Fiesta Bowl and Men's Final Four, etc. Challenger has also flown before 4 U.S. Presidents! His life story is told in a children's storybook titled 'Challenger, America's> Favorite Eagle.'

Dusti Update

A couple of hundreds of dollars later, Dusti is fine. Vet said she wasn't bleeding at all; it was some sort of dye. She was very puzzled - new blanket? No. new toy? No. did she get into something in the yard? No. Finally, K15 called and said that Dusti had eaten a lipstick! Yea! Mystery solved. Good thing the carpets haven't been cleaned yet. I would be really upset! What cost us so much was she was due for her shots and tests and they will not test an animal unless they've had an exam, of course, so we had to pay for an exam, nail clipping, shots, and tests.

K15 quit her Saturday shift today so K18 will take her place (reluctantly, I'm sure).

I'm sitting here eating blue corn chips and guacamole dip and waiting for my lasagna to be done. I am STARVING! R will be going over to E's house to install a window unit. K18 is at a church workday, so I guess K15 and I get the lasagna and garlic bread all to ourselves!

Here are menu plans for the week in no particular order: lasagna, grilled hamburgers, pancakes tilapia, baked chicken, spaghetti, chili, barbeque. We already had five of the entree ingredients at home SOOOOO.....

Did well at the grocery store today again - $105, including a People magazine and four $5 DVDs. I got West Side Story, Fiddler on the Roof, and Legally Blonde 1 & 2. I really want to watch Akeela and the Bee tonight, but we have to do Spanish, and K15 has major research to do on Florence, Italy in the Renaissance time period. Luckily, she only has to have an outline by Tuesday. Well, I am going to go watch a movie with K15 while dinner is cooking and heating up my house. I hate using the oven when it is so hot but I have run out of creative ideas that don't involve the oven. I can't wait for "crockpot weather!" And let me just say for the record, "I absolutely LOVE mashed potatoes! I have figured out lately that it is one of my comfort foods." I have started making them once a week, and we used to never have them. I will put my Glorified Mashed Potatoes recipe on here someday. You HAVE to try them! R was coming over for dinner tonight and to get the washer/dryer, but she has to clean the church for E since she has to be home helping with the air conditioner.

I would like to go to a movie or something tomorrow, but the girls have to study. Maybe someone will go with me????

Have a nice night.

TGIF

TGIF! I'm sitting here watching Little House on the Prairie and waiting for R to get home from work. Dusti's front paws are bleeding. We let her nails get too long because we are no longer taking her to grooming. She has blood on her face too. :o( The van is in the shop, but it is ready, so he is going to take me to get the van and then I will take her to the vet. I just hope they have time to clip her nails.

K15 slept until 1:30 today. She has been so congested and run down lately. I'm glad she has a day to sleep. K18's day is Saturday.

I love Little House, but the old women are always (aka Mrs. Whipple) portrayed as stupid. Usually the show ends happily but not today. I love happy endings. Some of my favorite chick flicks are Blue Lagoon, 27 Dresses, 50 First Dates, Ever After (I always watch this when I'm sick), Kate and Leopold, French Kiss, You've Got Mail, Sleepless in Seattle, Return to Me, Serendiptiy, Trouble with Angels (not a chick flick but I cry EVERY time), Pride & Prejudice (the six-hour A & E version). I also LOVE Medicine Man, Pillow Talk, That Touch of Mink, and so many more.

Now I'm watching another episode. There is a tornado, and Pa tells everyone to get into the sod house. I have never heard mention of the sod house in the series before, but the girls and I saw it in 2001. It was basically caved in. The sod house was very close
to the "little house." An amazing sight when we went to the Ingalls' homestead was the slough. I remember in one of her books, Laura recalls when baby Carrie was lost in the slough. Let me tell you, it would be very difficult to find a small tot in there. It was tall and thick.

We received a bill from a vendor that we were not expecting. Have to look up the records. Please pray that it has already been paid. Also, received a huge electric bill. Have to go see Mr. Klein about that and see if he is running electricity. Sure appears that way. Guess we should have paid the huge disconnect fee. A job would be good about now. I have an interview next Friday.

Anti-Wordless Wednesday

This is going to be my new T-shirt.

For all of you Wordless Wednesday fanatics, you know me, I am never "wordless." You know what I don't understand? Why, when I'm washing my hair, I have to completely rinse the shampoo off my hands before I rinse the shampoo out of my hair. Pretty stupid, huh?

The subject today is roaches. I was reminded today how once when I was in high school I was outside the front door and was told there was a roach by me. I opened the front door "hard." Parents had the security chain on the door. I ripped the chain and the door frame completely off!

This whole roach paranoia started when I was a young girl. Me and a friend were up in a fig tree in my backyard. We had children's scissors, cutting patterns in leaves, like you do paper snowflakes. I dropped my scissors. I didn't know that what I had dropped the scissors on was the top of a compost pile. I jumped down onto the compost pile, leaving my friend in the tree. Hundreds, and I mean HUNDREDS of brown, flying, tree roaches rose up out of the compost pile, all over me and scurrying frantically up the tree. I ran into the grass, and all I could think of was the old fire slogan, "Stop, drop, and roll." So I rolled in the grass, crunching some of the roaches.

About ten years ago, I was working in my office downstairs. There was a roach sitting on my computer tower. It flew TOWARDS me. This was at three o'clock in the morning. I ran into another room, screaming, and it continued to fly towards me. I found out later that, yes, there are some types of roaches that are labeled "aggressive."

I could talk all day about roaches, I have so many unpleasant encounters with them. We know a family who raises hissing cockroaches; I can't even imagine.

I am running L's store today. So far no catastrophes, although I owe her $12 for selling three key chains at the wrong price. :o( One customer cracked me up. He wanted me to order The Picture Bible. I wrote down "Picture Bible." He kept saying, "THE. Put THE in front of it." Then he ordered something else and I left the "THE" off again. That's the way we look up books. And he said again very loudly, "Put THE in front of that. " I would like to see the differences between Picture Book and The Picture Book by the same author. Ha ha. He made sure I took the extra "L" out of his name, too.

From A Bug's Life:
Flik: Here, pretend - pretend that that's a seed.

Dot: It's a rock.

Flik: Oh, I know it's a rock, I know. But let's just pretend for a minute that it's a seed, alright? We'll just use our imaginations. Now, now do you see our tree? Everything that made that giant tree is already contained inside this tiny little seed. All it needs is some time, a little bit of sunshine and rain, and voilá!

Dot: This rock will be a tree?

Flik: Seed to tree. You've gotta work with me, here. Alright? Okay. Now, y-you might not feel like you can do much now, but that's just because, well, you're not a tree yet. You just have to give yourself some time. You're still a seed.

Dot: But it's a rock.

Flik: [shouting] I know it's a rock! Don't you think I know a rock when I see a rock? I've spent a lot of time around rocks!

Dot: You're weird, but I like you.

Hi Everyone

Well, hello everyone. I have had several people ask where I am. Hmmm, why don't you comment on my blog? LOL I am guilty of that, as well. What's new around here? We closed the store on July 31st. There were a few tears, but not many. Since then I have not done much to be proud of. Resting a lot more than I should. I need to go back and have my thyroid checked - I'm a few weeks overdue. I really think if we could get that regulated I would have more energy. I have reorganized the school room. Each girl has their own shelf that houses their current school books, and there are many! Went through the supply shelf and chunked old pens, etc. Am currently separating personal books to sell on the internet. We have stacks of boxes and tubs in our "activity room" that came from the store. We have several boxes and rolling bins full of software that we have no idea where we are going to store. I never thought I would say this but "we are out of room." LOL I also brought some kitchen items home from my grandmothers that I don't want to part with but have little space for, even in a large kitchen. We found a bag of about 15 tiny stuffed bears that no one claims. Who left them at our house and why? I understand leaving beach towels and glasses here, but a bag of bears????

The girls have school Tuesdays and Thursdays and Monday a.m. from 9-10. K15 is working at the tea room Mon, Wed. and Sat. Her boss is very strict but fair. K14 is having a bit of trouble with the strict part. K18 works at Chick Fil A Mondays and Fridays and at the tea room on Wednesdays. I like having her home at night now.

We had a very nice time at the H's yesterday. Their new home is lovely. The girls were the first to swim in their new pool! It was especially great to see J there and hold her beautiful babies that she is trying to adopt. I am so impressed with her maternal skills at such a young age. How she gets them in and out of the car is still a mystery to me. I had enough trouble when mine were three years apart! Hers are three months apart! J is not going to London this week! Bible study starts back up next week but we are now called a "Life Group." Huh? We will be studying Luke this fall.

I am still job hunting. Got several rejection e-mails today but we are okay for now.

We have been hanging out by the fireplace lately watching a tiny screen because our cable is out in our den AGAIN! AND our phone voice mail stopped working AGAIN! I am so tired of Comcast! I don't call because we are not home long enough for the repairman to come.

This weekend we will probably go out to storage and measure and take more pictures as it seems all that info has been erased. Then I guess it's back to Craigslist for us. Would love to downsize the storage room soon!

Kim, I just want to say that you are missed at Teaching Mom! Where are you? I am sorry that I did not get back to you about the IEW. Your email got buried, and by the time I found it (last week) I assumed you had gotten it somewhere else. I am SURE, knowing you, that you have started it by now. I just pray that you did not pay full price for it. I would feel really bad about that. B-mail me, and I'll give you my phone number in case something like that happens again. I think we exchanged phone numbers before a storm once, but maybe you don't have mine anymore. I miss seeing you at the store. Maybe we could do lunch? I read your family blog quite often, as your personal one has not been updated in awhile. PRAISE GOD!

We did really well at the grocery store on Saturday even though I didn't bring a list. Just a little over $100 and that included a People magazine. Did have to go back today for cereal and juice. We have been eating much better since the store has closed (Mom, you would be proud.) You know I don't fry anything! We haven't been to a restaurant as a family in weeks. Maybe we will do that Friday night before NHSC parent meeting.

Want to wish my friend E a happy birthday. I won't announce your age here, but let's just say that you will always been waaaay older than me!

I will try to write more often. Minkydo, hope you're still reading. Thanks for all of your supportive advice at TM! I will update there as soon as I have more info.

Hey, I just figured out that if I add an image, my double space works. Ha ha!

Goodnite, all.

OCD Thoughts

Lately, my OCD has been in full-swing. However, I am blessed. When I think back to two years ago, I have come so far. I had more rituals than I thought I had, but most of them are gone. I still have a problem with handrails, but I forced myself to use them when I went upstairs to my dr. last week. Uncomfortable to be sure, but, hey, nothing drastic happened. I still have a problem with people that I love going up in airplanes. I believe that this is due to the fact that 1) I am petrified of being on one myself, and 2) I have had dreams (three times) about an airplane accident, and then the next morning when I turned on the news there had actually been one. One was the plane in NY that Pamela Lynch from Justice for All was on, and I believed that I somehow contributed to her death by not saying something to the authorities ahead of time. Dumb, I know. You will never convince me that that crash was not terrorist related. How am I going to do when K18 gets on a plane in two weeks to Honduras? I am going to have to go somewhere and do something to get my mind off of it - kind of like when we put Lucky to sleep. One thing I HATE about Cognitive Behaviour Therapy -- and I hope my counselor is reading this -- is that you are supposed to allow the thoughts to wash over you, not try to keep them away. So, technically, I am supposed to think about K18 being on the plane, thousands of feet above the earth and allow the negative thoughts to come. This is the scary part. If I do it, it usually works, but it is the DOING it that is sometimes impossible. I want to skydive just once in my life, but the thought of actually DOING it -- going up in a plane and jumping -- is petrifying to me. Someone WILL HAVE TO push me out the door, there is no denying that.

Back to handrails -- I noticed this last summer when we were at the Riverwalk. You probably think it is about germs. No. It is about balance. If I can grab onto handrails from both sides, like on an escalator, I am fine. But give me a wide stairwell where I cannot reach both sides, or people coming down the other side, blocking my reach like in San Antonio, I cannot use one handrail. I will topple and look stupid.

Same with horizontal cracks and color/pattern changes on the ground. I don't step over them because I'm afraid something bad is going to happen. I do it because it sends me off balance if I step on them. I feel like an idiot in the grocery store trying to avoid them, but at least I don't fall down. LOL Actually, this ritual is the reverse of a ritual. E and I were at the college going in to play raquetball (I LOVE that game!), and she mentioned to me, "Why do you step on every crack?" I hadn't noticed it before. So this went on for a few months and started to get on my nerves and I told my counselor. We did CBT a few times, and all of the sudden, now I am avoiding them instead of stepping on them! Rugs, shadows, anything like that, I cannot step on the edge. Tile doesn't bother me (thank God because it's all over our store!), but if there is a stain on the tile or any color change, streak mark, etc., I avoid it like the plague. I have tried standing on the edge of the counselor's rug, but I feel stupid just standing there. It was either that or go out into the parking lot and "practice."

When I drink a drink, I usually have to leave about 1/8th of it in the cup. I have to really psyche myself up to drink something all the way down. Now, a margarita, that's a different story. But soda, milk, juice, can't finish it all.

There have been a few new rituals that have "snuck in" this week, but I managed to ward them off. Hehe. CBT works for me the majority of the time, so I am truly blessed.

I am really enjoying all your blogs I am reading -- I can really relate. All I can tell you is that the more stress you have in your life, the more your OCD will affect your life. You just have to expect that it comes with the territory and not think that you are the cause of the increase in intensity. This, too, shall pass. I try to remember how far I've come in two years. It truly could be worse.

A Day of Lasts

Well, today is the day, the last day that the store will be open for business, and we have TOO MUCH left, especially fixtures!!! What are we going to do with them? I just keep praying that someone will walk in the door next week and offer to take them all off our hands!

So far I have turned the open sign over for the last time and put the money in the cash register for the last time.

I am very sad but will be so glad to get this week over with! R is busy dismaantling things. He took all the inside signs down yesterday. Next week will be moving and removing decals from the windows. The sign company is going to come take the sign down, too.

Long Time No See

It has been very busy around here. Have decided to close for good this Saturday, two days from now. Ready to get it over with.
Went to three movies in a week - Batman once, Mama Mia twice. My OCD is pretty bad right now; movies help me relieve stress, especially movies that I know the dialogue to.
Tonight we are going to swing by and pick up Chinese (mine is House Special Fried Rice with no peas. They also always take the carrots out.) and go home to watch the movies that came in the mail today -- especially College Road Trip with Donny Osmond!
E and I are going to take R out tomorrow night for her birthday. Going out for margaritas, and then the three of us are going to break into "Hand Painted By" so that E and I can paint a figurine for R of her choosing. We will have the place totally to ourselves for the night! I will probably bring some DVDs to watch while we paint.
While K18 is in Honduras, K15 and I are going to New Braunfels for a few days. We will each take a friend, so there will be four of us. I am hoping to get a place at the resort, but it's probably too last minute. That's okay because the train gets on my nerves anyway. However, I love having the swimming pool sized hot tub at night. I could stay in there forever. This time we are skipping the tubing the river part (Both girls got quite an education the last time). Will definitely do that bakery thing one morning. May go into Gruene for the afternoon or into San Marcos on Wednesday. If I can get a place at the resort, will probably do spaghetti, salad, and garlic bread one night; hamburgers on the grill the next. Or I may just bring my George Foreman grill and grill some chicken breasts. Lunches will be easy: sandwiches, chips, leftovers. Breakfast will be bakery one morning, probably cereal two mornings because I don't want to have to deal with leftover eggs.
Well, my computer has disconnected itself AGAIN from the server. I have done everything Tony has told me to do (I have watched him do it twice), and, still, it won't connect for me! Ran out of fax cartridge today. I said, "forget it," I am not spending $25 for two more days of junk faxes! I will just go to Kleins when I need a copy. Both credit card machines stopped working today, so we were about to change our "No Checks" sign to "No Credit Cards." But we fixec the machines, and all is well.
Well, I have been eating so many Keebler Fudge Stripes tha now I'm not hungry for Chinese food.

Happy Birthday, K18!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday to my dear, sweet first-born, K18 who turns -- well -- 18 today at 5:05 p.m.! Bless her heart, she has to work tonight on her birthday. She received a lovely bouquet of flowers today, and she and her dad went out looking for car stereos. Going to the Melting Pot Tuesday night; taking two of her friends.

K15 was at drama camp all week and performed in a West Side Story showcase last night. She did great! My mom, dad, grandma, E and P were there, too! Afterwards we went to Rancho Grande for a couple of hours. Service was the pits. They never did bring K18 anything to drink. They did, however, sing a birthday song to her in Spanish and put whipped cream on her face, with a cherry for the nose.

As for me, I will be glad when this whole thing is over. I can already tell that we are going to have a lot of fixtures left over if we don't hurry up and sell them. A lady did come in today who wants to open a store in Conroe; she may be interested in some of the fixtures. She, like many other CLUELESS people, couldn't understand why we were closing and why I strongly suggested that she re-think her "vision." This, after she was already aware that the other homeschool store in Conroe barely made it two years and that our nearest competition is experiencing low sales. Oh, well, to be young again and dream the dream. I wish the best for her; I really do. Like R told her, "Give it a shot. You'll never know until you try." (Or go into debt first --- my thought.)

I am very blessed in the fact that I have lots of skills that will help me get a job. Not just any job. I want one that really pays me for what I am worth. I will not be happy with the bare minimum. I have education and legal experience, owning and running a business. There are only two things that I don't want to do - teach children and anything to do with finances. I am leaning towards adult education/training; but, hey, if you want me to answer 6-9 telephone lines and type up your memos, I'm all for it. Just don't ask me to add up any numbers or tutor your children. Numbers make me nervous and I am burnt out on teaching K-12.

Here are the girls' schedules for the fall so far:

K18 - Biology, Word in Season (United States History/English Lit. & Writing class), finish Algebra and move on to next math, Government - fall; Economics - spring, Health

K14 soon to be 15 - Biology, Word in Season (Renaissance and Reformation +), Spanish 1, Algebra, piano, possibly theater.

We are re-thinking clogging and piano right now, depending on schedules. K14 may get a job next year at a local tea room; K18 is still waiting to hear from Target, but I think they would have called by now.

It is 4:30, and, man, am I tempted to close early! Got a new phone this week and am still trying to figure some things out. My ringtone at the moment is Darth Vader's Imperial March from Empire Strikes Back. Hmmm. Tonight might be a good Star Wars night since our cable is still out.

Time to Hit the Books

A Spanish-speaking man came into the store today looking for the library (the library used to be in our building). I was trying to give him directions, and could not for the life of me remember how to say "traffic light" in Spanish. I can see the word in my head and will automatically remember it tonight, I'm sure, but it's too late. I felt like an idiot. I am looking forward to pouring through my new Spanish-English dictionary and my two new advance Spanish grammar books soon. Have to finish Lonesome Dove first!


I am feeling better today. R was finally able to talk to Mr. Klein today; he has just been busy. He is not angry. He was telling R how the easiest thing would be for someone to purchase the store. Well, we did have a very serious looker last week, but it fell through when they saw the numbers.

Thanks to my brother, B, we will be going to Moody Gardens in Galveston tomorrow, a first for our family. WE NEVER GO ANYWHERE!!!!!!!!!!! I am also planning a trip to New Braunfels in August, probably when K18 is in Honduras. I need some R & R!

Boy Blames Himself for 9/11

A ten-year-old boy with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) thought the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the twin towers of the World Trade Centre in New York were his fault, according to a new report.
Leading psychologists said the boy thought the September 11 attacks in 2001 happened because he did not step on a particular white mark on the road that day.
Experts from University College London believe it is the first time a patient has blamed themselves for a major terrorist attack.
In a report published in the journal Neurocase experts said the boy, who suffers from OCD and Tourette's syndrome, was wracked with guilty after the attack.
Mary Robinson, a psychologist at UCL, said his condition meant he was forced "to step correctly on a particular white mark on the road" every day.
But on "September 11, the day of the atrocities, he forgot to do this and therefore thought the World Trade Centre attack was his personal fault."
The report said: "The case highlights the need to support young people in this world of terrorism and the mass media immediate coverage of events."
According to psychologist Dr Robinson, the boy had been "extremely pleasant and likeable" in the run up to the attacks, with good school grades despite being affected by the two conditions.
In a report on the case, she said: "His parents reported that he had become much worse, that he was fed up, annoyed and tortured by his tics.
"One prominent symptom was that he normally had to step correctly on a particular white mark on the road.
"On September 11, the day of the atrocities, he forgot to do this and therefore thought the World Trade Centre attack was his personal fault.'
The boy was treated with drugs to calm his OCD and was also informed that he had actually skipped his normal ritual of stepping on the same white mark after the attacks occurred, so could not be to blame.
Dr Robinson said media coverage of conflicts could cause similar phenomena.
"We have not even touched on the coverage of Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel or Gaza, where there are almost daily atrocities," she said. "This would be far too great a task."
OCD is a condition where sufferers repeat certain behaviours, such as washing their hands or avoiding cracks in the pavement, over and over again.Ex-England captain David Beckham is reported to be a sufferer.
Tourette's, meanwhile, causes involuntary tics and outbursts of swearing.
Nearly 3,000 people were killed when terrorists flew two jets into the twin towers of the World Trade Centre in New York in 2001.

Hungry Please Help

Monday I went deep into Houston on my way to the counselor. I was sitting at an intersection, and it was taking forever for the light to change. I was in the left-hand turn lane. While I waited, I noticed a man sitting in the grass, holding up a sign that said, "Hungry. Please Help."

That light just would not change. I kept trying not to look at him. I never give panhandlers money, never. I have given them food, but not money. The more I tried not to look at him, the more I looked at him. I knew that OCD was setting in. There is no possible way I could have driven off without giving him something and not obsessing for weeks afterward. I had all this time to give him something, but it was not until the light changed to green that I motioned over to him to come to my window, and I gave him a dollar bill. Whew! Payoff! I felt so relieved! Obsession loop broken!

It's Starting

Okay. It's finally starting to hit me. The store is closing.
It was upsetting to see one of my gondolas walk out the door today. But then, wait, it didn't fit in their Suburban, so they brought it back! LOL

Today I sold four bookshelves, two gondola endcaps and 18 chalkboards to two women (sisters) who are opening a homeschool bookstore in Kingwood. They are going to come back July 15th to buy stock from me. Now I just need to contact some teacher supply stores to see if they need anything.

They shut down my website to the public today and are putting it up for sale.

I can't believe it's really happening, all our blood, sweat and tears. Oh, well, it will all work out.

Illness

Why do wonderful people get so sick? I called one of my high school teachers yesterday to get some job-seeking advice. He has Parkinson's. The phone call started out with his wife telling me he was not doing too well. She has always been honest with me about his disease out of his hearing. She put him on the phone. I could tell a huge difference in his voice since the last time I had called. At first, he did not seem to know exactly who I was. I could hear his wife in the background prodding him along. Then it just kind of clicked. He obviously knew who I was, but everytime he tried to address me by name, he apparently went blank. He never did say my name. He said that he had been unwell for four days, but would be better by tomorrow. His intellect was firmly intact, though. He was concerned about the store and in agreement with me that Rosetta Stone Level 3 was too easy for me. He said that he had complete faith in me that I could get my Spanish back quickly. He said, "It's in your brain. You just need to get it out." Hmmmmmm. Sounds like Parkinson's or Alzheimers to me. When I asked him questions, he kept saying, "Let me think. Let me think." Finally, he said he would think things over and call me back. Have not heard from him and do not expect to. I am going to try to see him in August. He could not believe that the girls had grown so much.

Then today I was directed to a very sad blog, a mom of several children who is dying of cancer and is on hospice. She was going to try one more round of chemo, but has finally decided to stop and rest. This blog is a heads up and very inspiring but very depressing. Her husband writes for her when she is too weak. Here is her link if you want it: http://www.punkrockmommy.org/blog/

So, see, the store closing is nothing to be depressed about. A lot of the customers are sad and in shock. One guy told me today he wished we could keep it open, but five minutes later was going on and on about how his wife purchased a lot of her materials on Amazon this year. I have requested that the website be taken down, but so far it is still working.

Going out for drinks with R tonight. We have a lot to talk about. She and I are both job hunting. LOL Tomorrow taking the girls to see Get Smart.

Dr. put me on thyroid medicine. Is supposed to help. Bloodwork in six weeks. K17 has bloodwork in two weeks for the same thing. We are both on Armour.

Thursday's Thoughts

This week I have been working in the kiosk. I left my laptop there since the weekend because:
1) It is cooler in the kiosk.
2) I feel a need to be around the customers and employees more for the next month.
3) There are people I do not want to slip out without me telling them a final goodbye.

There is a magetic sculpture display to my right on the counter. It is driving me crazy because the word "solar" is misspelled in "solar system" on the box. One of my customers turned the box around today so that I would not have to dwell on it. Ha ha!

Mr. Klein has still not contacted us since I wrote him the letter on Saturday, which has us a bit concerned.

Here is our plan for the moment.
My friend L wants to purchase the following from us:

A counter
A computer with all the trimmings, display pole, scanner, etc.
A carousel
A pencil display
A Christian poster and miscellaneous turning rack with merchandise
All our Christian book stock
Our Girl Scout inventory and displays
Our Alpha Omega stock
Office supplies and mailers. Think I will keep the mailers.
Hooks and miscellaneous items.

My friend K wants to purchase at least four bookshelves

A customer wants to purchase some display racks for conferences.

My friend R wants to purchase a computer.

My friend M is going to come take pictures of fixtures next week to put on Ebay and Craigslist.

A woman on Teaching Mom who lives in San Antonio wants to purchase my Bob Jones stock.

June 24th we will have our anual Customer Appreciation Day Sale at 15% off.
We will continue to sell at 15% off through June.
Starting July 1st we will increase the discount.
On or around July 15th (on a Sunday/Monday) employees will come in and help sort consigment and conatact consignees. They will have two weeks to pick up items.
July 31st, the store will close and only sell fixtures.

There are some things we are just going to have to "throw" away:
All of our inside signs.
Our outdoor signs.
Our vehicle magnetic signs.
Catalogs of every kind
General junk from warehouse
Papers, pamphlets, flyers, business cards, etc.

My grandmother may be moving the same weekend, so we will be extremely busy.

We are going to put the Love 2 Learn refrigerator in our garage so that I can go get a Costco card.

My Girl Scout rep was shocked today when I told her the news, as are many customers. She said she thought our store was doing so well. I said, "No, I told you the Girl Scout section was doing well."

Starting on thyroid meds today, so, hopefully, I will have more energy to put into the closing.

Still haven't put together my resume. Am dreading that. I stayed awake the other night for two hours trying to remember the name of one of the court reporters I used to work for. Finally remembered! Today I could not remember one of the schools I worked for one year in the third ward. Had to go online to jog my memory. Man, it's hell being old!

K14 is singing onstage at church all week for VBS and having a wonderful time!
K17 is driving around town like there is no tomorrow. She applied at Target today. Please pray that she gets the job!

Love 2 Learn

For those of you who haven't heard yet, we are closing the store July 31st. There is a lot to do. I found myself doing something today that I thought I would NEVER do: I referred 40 families to one of my major competitors, one which probably helped put me out of business. But you know what? I felt okay about it. They will be getting what they want and I will no longer have to compete with RR, so what's the difference?

I have thoughts go around and around in my mind, like what am I going to do with the telephoine system? What do I have to do to get my website turned off properly so that I don't have to continue paying fees? Where am I going to store nine years' worth of files? What am I going to do with my sign -- have a bonfire? But it will all work out in the end. I want to go out of town to relax one weekend when it is all over with. Hint to my friend J who has great perks with her job.

K17 hit two major milestones last week -- she got her driver's license and she bought a car! Right now she and K14 are at a lake party. It is so nice not having to drive them everywhere (see post below).

You know what one of my pet peeves is? Texting someone with a question and getting no reply for hours, especially when you both have been texting each other for 30 minutes. I have been waiting for an answer to my question for over 4 hours. That is too long for someone to have been in a movie.

So now comes the fun part: looking for a job. I have found some interesting positions available, but most of them are in Houston. The gas money will really hurt. Maybe I should invest in a motorcycle???? Probably not. I would not want to arrive at work windblown and with bugs in my teeth.

Tomorrow we are going to Mom and Dad's for Father's Day. Brian is cooking bbq ribs. Maybe we'll play some games.

Hope you all have a pleasant weekend.

Cardboard Testimonies

When you watch this video, be sure to have your volume on. It is awesome!!!!

Yesterday

I went to bed last night around 6:00. I was so exhausted from driving all day. Here was where I went:
Left home at 7:30 in the morning to drive K17 to Magnolia for 8:00 to 10:00 class. Stopped at Sonic for drinks on the way. Sat in teacher's driveway for an hour, doing nothing. 9:00 a.m. - drive down the road to library and did searches on the computer. 9:55 - back in car, drive to pick K17 up from class. 10:15 leave teacher's house and drive home to pick up K14. Thankfully, she was ready!

10:20 - drove to Sonic (I think) then to store. Picked up the girls' three friends from the store around 10:40. Drove into Houston (about a 25 minute drive) to drop five teenagers off at a church for Bible study. Noticed I'm almost out of gas (Hmmm. I put $25 worth in it the day before). Forgot my lunch. Stopped at Taco Bell for a tostada with sour cream (minus the salmonella-causing tomatoes). Stopped at HEB for $25 gas. Card wouldn't work because it is bent, so took longer. Went to work to check on website and eat my tostada. It is now almost noon.

12:30 - leave work to go back into Houston to church to pick up the five teenage girls. It starts pouring rain so badly that people are pulling over to the side of the freeway because it is difficult to see. This puts me behind schedule because K14 is supposed to be at babysitting by 1:00.

1:00 - arrive at church. The girls are in a wild mood, loud, snapping flash pictures which is bouncing off the inside of the windows. Luckily, the rain has stopped. Drop K14 off at her babysitting job - she is 20 minutes late. :o(

1:35 - arrive at our store to drop one girlfriend off. Her mother works for us. Her dad will pick her up there.

I now have K17 and two others in van. Drive to CVS to run an errand, then get them to our church by 2:00 for VBS meeting.

Drive back to store, but can't work because there are several things going on around the store that need to be taken care of.

2:40 - leave to go pick up K17 at church. Her meeting is still going on. It is after 3:00 and I have to be in Houston by 3:30 to meet R at DPS to get K17's driver's license. Leave church at 3:10 and go to orthodontist's office to drop off late payment (first payment - I am not starting out too well.) Get to DPS in Houston around 3:40.

Leave and am on my way to pick up K14 from babysitting job.
Drive to our store to check on computer that had the virus and take care of a few things.
4:20 - K14 and I go to Kleins (not in car, thank goodness) to pick up some personal items.
Drive to Sonic and then home.

That was my day. I am SO glad K17 got her license yesterday and is getting her car today!!!!

The New AT & T

Open Trunk

OCD has been playing tricks again with my mind. This week there was a car in front of me at a stoplight. The trunk had come open. My first thought was, "Good thing there's not a dead body in there!" And for the rest of the week I have been obsessing about there being a dead body in the trunk and I didn't do anything about it."

Cashier

Yesterday I was in the checkout at Kleins and while the cashier was waiting for my credit card to run, she took off her shoe and showed me her toes. "Look," she said. "I have one toe that crosses over the other and it is rubbing against that toe, and it's sore." Ewwww. I don't like looking at people's toes, especially when they have been stuck, sweating in a shoe all day. She said, "I bought one of those Dr. Scholl toe separators, but I don't know where the damned thing went." I was just thinking, "Lady, for goodness sake! Put your shoe back on! I don't want to look at your toes!"

Dd14 is dying her hair today, either brown or red; she hasn't decided yet.

The store has been extremely slow this week, probably because people are waiting to come to the used book sale on Tuesday. That's usually the way it goes.

Boy with Toy Car

Yesterday there was a kindergarten-aged boy named Nicholas in the store. He found a NOISY car in the play area and pushed it all over the store, making a horrible screeching noise. The mom said nothing about it. After about 20 minutes, I went up to him and told him to put the car back into the play area. He said, "No." His mom didn't say a thing to him. Then D went over to him and told him that he needed to give it to her because she could not hear on the phone. He wouldn't give it to D, and the mom did nothing. Finally, D just grabbed it from him and put it in the kiosk! Ha ha! Why didn't I think of that? All four of us that were here cheered when he left.

Latest bizarre requests: shoestrings and Super Glue

Only thirty more minutes and I get to go home! We are having chili dogs for dinner.

K14 went camping last night and did not go to sleep at all. K17 has been at graduation today and will be at a graduation celebration tonight.

Have a good weekend!

Fainting Goats

Have you ever seen the fainting goats?

What's With Manicures?

What is it with getting your nails done? Five to six years ago none of my friends had manicures on a regular basis. Nail salons have popped up everywhere, even inside of Walmarts. My friend, R, is the one who started me on acrylics (mine are my real nails). She said that I needed to something special for myself once in awhile. I have pedicures very rarely, maybe twice a year. They really help the calluses and help me walk better, I think. Wish I could have those done instead of the fingernails. Now, even young girls are accustomed to routinely having their nails "done." I paid for my girls to have it done one time around Christmas a few years ago. Now if they want to have it done, they will have to pay for it. I think it's a frivolous expense, but I keep hearing my friend in my head saying, "Do something special for yourself once in awhile."

Been busy this week

The store has been pretty busy this week!! Woohoo! Am hoping this is a sign of things to come! K17 and K14 performed at the Relay for Life for cancer survivors Friday night. They had the most God-awful singer performing the national anthem. The kids were standing behind her backstage and their faces were hilarious. I never knew there was a second verse. She said it was written after 9-11. Afterwards, we went to eat at Hartz's Chicken Buffet. The food can only be described in one word - GROSS. Everyone did admit to liking the mashed potatoes, though. Yesterday, the girls performed again at an adult day care center. As always, they did an excellent job! Mom and Dad came to the store today (so did my friend R) to discuss getting K17 some transportation within the next few months! Another great blessing! Although, once she gets the wheels, we may never see her again!

Right-Handed Customers

It has always been said that the majority of us are right-handed. When we went to Disney World, I was advised to walk to the right when entering the gates, because most right-handers will automatically walk to the left. This is true in our store, as well. The majority of the customers who enter walk towards the left of the store, thereby missing our fabulous literature section and clearance table. Too bad that I can't herd them through a maze like HEB does.

Karate Baby

This baby is hysterical!

Back to "Reverse Skate"

I go to L's store at least three times a week, and usually Burt is there, and they are working on their book. It makes me remember why I started this blog in the first place - to introduce you to the novel I was writing entitled "Reverse Skate." I was told by an author not to put it on this blog, however, because it would then be considered "published."

I haven't worked on the book for over a year and a half. After being at L's, I think the writing bug may have hit me again. I just don't know how to get started. There is so much that needs to be expounded upon; it's overwhelming. This is embarrassing, but I don't even remember all of the characters' names. So I guess I need to reread it for the nth time; it will all be new to me! LOL

The girls have gone to a Where's Waldo event at the mall, so R and I are going out to dinner. I can't decide between Italian or Mexican. Italian is a drive into Houston but so worth it. Mexican is just around the corner and offers jumbo margaritas.

A few days ago, my daughter told me that there was a bug on my head. Now I scratch my head and check my hair for lice every 30 minutes or so. SHEESH!

Have I made you itch yet?

Eavesdropping

There is a customer who is waiting for her child to get out of class. She plopped herself in the classroom attached to my office and is making personal, very personal phone calls. Wonder if she knows I'm listening. Don't think so because she keeps saying, "Please don't tell... please don't tell.." Hmmmm. Well, it is entertaining while I am waiting for the fax to redial for the fifth time. So far I know the date of her next appointment to the nail salon, her problems with AT&T, all about getting ready for prom, the inside gossip in her Girl Scout troop (she does not like one of the moms). I can't help but overhear because I am at my desk "working."

Was hanging out at L's store today with her and Burt. Burt is an ex-FBI investigator. He and L are writing a book, which I cannot wait to read! Anyway, this young man came in and said that his friend (a female) was divorced with children and was in a new relationship, and he wanted to get her a book to help her spiritually because she was having some issues with dating/remarrying again. When he left, Burt said, "That young man is the other man, the one she's having a new relationship with." I said, "How do you know that?" He said, "I just know." And I believe him. From all of his time on the force, he probably senses those things.

R and I are going out to dinner tonight with some friends. The girls are going to hang out at church while we're gone and eat dollar dinners.

Dancing Again

Goodbye, Adam! I am SO glad to see you go! Sorry, but your dancing was the pits and I didn't find you funny at all!

Blah Tuesday

I am at the library waiting for K17 to get out of her first Compass class. I have felt really rotten the past few days, no energy at all, dizziness, just plain blah. I was supposed to go out with friends last night to Olive Garden but cancelled. There's nothing there I can eat anyway. Wednesday night we are going out with friends to a mexican restaurant. I am going to HAVE to slip off of my diet for that one! There is no way I'm going to be able to sit and watch others eat chips and salsa!

Well, last night on Dancing, I think Adam did the worst. What was with the unicycle? Marissa needs to be the next to go.

k.d. lang - Hallelujah

OMG! Is that k.d. lang below in a dress? Yes, it is. I've seen her perform barefoot before but NEVER in a dress! Listen to her rendition of Leonard Cohen's song "Hallelujah." Pure magic. No one can sing like k.d. lang. She got a standing ovation. She could not look at the audience; she was so humbled. I am going to have to go pull out my old Tony Bennett and k.d. lang CD. I am asking for her new CD Watershed for Mother's Day. People are really getting on to her about her weight, comparing her to the later years bloated Elvis. She is a vegetarian. Does kind of make you wonderhow she could be overweight in this video.

Edited to say: Saw a recent interview with k.d. today and she has slimmed down to her normal size!

National Anthem

It was the opening weekend of football season, 1979. We were visiting team. The home team's band did not show up. It was their job as home team to play the National Anthem. Since we weren't home team for another two weeks, our band director hadn't taught us the Star Spangled Banner yet. Those of us who had it memorized from previous seasons were few and far between. Without any warning, the announcer came over the loud speaker and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, please rise while the Scarborough High School marching band plays the national anthem. The band director was in shock. Guess what we played? Disco Inferno from Saturday Night Fever.

I am soooo peeved at our new CPA!

he was no help at all when we went in to "protest" our tax return. turns out, he didn't do our taxes at all; he had an asst do them. we thought we were hiring him; we didn't even know he had an asst. it's his name on the sign. and if we wouldn't have said anything, he wouldn't have said anything, and we would have paid the $2,000, which we would have had to borrow. He said he will file an extension and that we need to hire someone with an accounting degree to figure out what's wrong with our Profit and Loss statement. Duh - doesn't he have an accounting degree? it says on his sign that he also provides accounting services. in the past, our cpa (who retired) would just get our information off of our QuickBooks CD. We gave this guy the CD this year, but he kept requesting us to print things out for him that were on the CD. Also, dh wasn't impressed because the CPA never offered a handshake when we entered or left. Dh finally extended his hand. on the plus side, he said we don't have to pay his fee until he actually files.

Color-Coded Chopping Boards for OCD Chefs

This is a very smart concept for cutting boards. The plastic base resembles a folder file that contains four cutting boards of different colors each one representing a specific food group. The green board is to be used for vegetables, the blue one for fish, the red for meat and the white for cooked food. In a manner of speaking, four boards into one. Pretty clever.

Thought This Was Cute From Crib Chick

Connubial Conversations: Tormenting the OCD Sufferer

Crib Chick (after considering the possibility for a long time, while looking at her toothbrush, and finally deciding to just ask the question): "You don't ever...accidentally use my toothbrush...do you?"

Mr. Crib Chick (rinsing and spitting): "Nope!" (Crib Chick sighs a little with relief) "Every time I use it...it's on purpose."

Mouse

You know it's 2008 when you Google search the image of a mouse (animal) and the only results are computer mouses.

We had a mouse in the classroom this week, living in the piano and pooping on the tables. I wanted to do a humane trap, but I was outvoted by everyone else. R set two traps, one on each side of the piano, and was caught during the night.

Tonight is our out to eat night. Probably going to Panera for chicken caesar salads or to Paul's Pizza. I love Paul's Pizza's spinach and mushroom salad. Their whole wheat pepperoni pizza and spinach crust pizza are my favorite.

Mr. Klein is out of ground turkey this week, so I guess I'm going to either have to use ground beef or go to Walmart for just that. Last night we had ground beef in the chili - the first time I can ever remember eating ground beef at home since we've been married.

Dancing

Hasta la vista, Gutt! I like your movies, but you are no dancer!