Moved to a Different Office

We had an entire switch-around of areas here at work. I moved over with Customer Service, who also moved to a different area of the building. I'm more central now, but I think I was already in the ideal spot. I was right across from the lunchroom, where the coffee is. Also about seven feet away was the men's room! That was awesome because also the lunchroom was the proverbial "water cooler" and I could hear all kinds of stuff! Now all I have is some lady from the legal department broadcasting information about the new dental and vision insurance to everybody in this corner of the building!!! I have music CD's and earbuds...

The kids and I are going to see Uncle Red after work (my mother's brother). He's going to look at Judy and see if he can get her tuned up. Mike and I put in that new carburetor, which was a manual-choke instead of an automatic. It came set however it came set, and I adjusted it lightly but it needs to be adjusted by somebody who knows what they are doing, and that's definitely Uncle Red. He's worked on cars his whole life--every family has somebody like that. Theresia's family has William. Between the two of them, I bet they could fix any car!

Wednesday I think they are having a pitch-in here at work. It's the day before payday, so I don't think I'll participate. I'm going over to Theresia's mother's house for Thanksgiving. I'm to bring Brussels sprouts per Theresia's request. I made them for her, and she REALLY liked them, so did her girls after she fixed them at her house. My kids hate Brussels sprouts. I don't get it either because Logan used to just wolf them down... I think his little impressionable self heard big sister complain about eating them. *sigh* I've warned her about that before... I make them with butter, garlic, orange zest, and parmesan cheese. My friend Brad, who's worked as a server most of his natural born life, and also has had some kitchen and chef training, taught me how to make them. I want to fix my mother's fresh apple cake as well, but I don't know if I can, or will have the time.

My Surgeon Dr. Gaar, Chuck, Weekend

My surgeon Dr. Gaar is leaving his practice to go full time at the VA hospital. While a noble endeavor, it leaves me in a predicament! He's been fantastic, really...and I don't want to change doctors! I'll try to get Allen if I can, but I really liked Dr. Gaar.

My good friend and lawyer Chuck was in town teaching this weekend. I didn't get to spend a WHOLE lot of time with him, but it was nice to see him, and it help him out financially not to have to spend what little he makes teaching on hotel and food.

This weekend I had the kids. Lexie went on a hike with Girlscouts, so Logan and I hung out. We got some gloves for them both at the store where everything is a dollar, and a few books at the Goodwill. I always like to get them a couple books when I can. Anything I can do to encourage them to read... We had a picnic lunch of bologna & cheese on crackers with skim milk to drink, then we went to the library where we read that awesome book "The Enormous Potato"!!!

We went over to Theresia's Sunday and they played with Rachael. We took Bailey (Theresia's dog) to Feeders Pet supply and gave her a bath. That was kinda cool because I'd never done it. Then we went back to her house for supper. I made a huge pot of my mother's vegetable soup. Actually I got the recipe from my sister and it didn't have measurements on the ingredients. By the time I got everything looking how it should, I had two huge kettles full of veg soup! Chuck and I, ate it Friday night while the kids were out to dinner and a movie with their Pawpaw and Granny Dana. I didn't make the kids have the vegetable soup Saturday because I called Theresia already knowing I had way too much and she said I could come over Sunday and her family would help us eat it. Everybody liked it quite a bit. I'm going to make another pot before the end of winter. Theresia and I, her oldest daughter and her boyfriend (and part-time Lexie, Logan and Rachael) watched Star Wars Episode I...well, most of it. Theresia's never seen I, II, or III. I am dying to get IV, V, and VI on DVD. One day I will.

The Enormous Potato

Logan and I spent some time at the library today while we were waiting
for Lexie to come back from her brownies hike. We read this book
called "The Enormous Potato" by Aubrey Davis. I want to try to get it
because it was so cute!!!

Prayer Box

This is the prayer box that my girlfriend Theresia got me. Its a little carved silver tube with a lid attached to a silver chain. You write prayers on paper and put them in the tube. It hangs near your heart. Theresia is so kind and wonderful...

Sunday, Corpse Bride!

X was kind enough to bring the kids over to me on Sunday.  She's always been really good about that since my car has been running not-so-well.  I give her money for gas to make it fair.  Also, through the week on Mondays and Tuesdays she brings them close to my work.  That's REALLY nice because I get to spend more time with them.  Well, she brought them over, and we went to lunch with Theresia.  It was Cracker Barrel, which was a 40 minute wait, but we had a good time rocking in the chairs out front, playing checkers, and also playing with the toys in the gift shop area.  After lunch, we split up and the kids and I went back to the apartment while Theresia got some stuff done.  Later, we met up with her and Rachael at the Village 8 to see Corpse Bride!  It was soooo cute and such a sweet movie.  I was worried that it might be too scary for Logan, but he really liked it.  And he slept fine with no nightmares or anything.  I mean, the "scariness" level was about like "The Emperor's New Groove", or "A Bug's Life".  It was really good.  My favorite part was the singing skeleton.  He only had one eye, and when he tilted his head the right way, it would roll from one socket to the other!

After that, we said good night to Theresia and Rachael, and we went to Wal-Mart.  Lexie has told me every time she comes over that her mother says she needs to bring home her training bras *sigh*.  I'm not happy  or comfortable about the WHOLE ISSUE of training bras at 7 years old, but...after some fits and grumping, I deferred to her mother about it earlier this year.  So, seeing as we could not find but one, and she was saying that she can't find ANY of them at her place, I decided to take her to get a couple more.  Man, that totally sucked.  I got her two, and I hope they work.  They were the same size as the one she had on, but...  Also I had to get some athletic socks.  Mine have all come up missing.  And I THOUGHT I was DONE spending money on clothes the other DAY!  By the time we got done, I knew I had to get them something to eat because it was late and I wouldn't have time to cook.  We got KFC, and ate at the restaurant, but took most of it home.  By the time we got home, it was wash-up-and-get-ready-for-bed time.

Betting on the Ponies, Cafe 360, The Predators!

Saturday we went to the track. Work gave me free tickets, so we went with Theresia's brother William, William's girlfriend Andrea, and then her friend from out of town. I'm horrible with names, so I will probably edit this later!!!!

The "friend from out of town" won like almost $60 on one race!!! I probably broke even. All in all I think everyone had a good time, and it was a really wonderful day. The weather was perfect, and the track was good.

After the track, we split up. Theresia and I went looking for some place "different" to eat. We ended up at "Cafe 360" on Bardstown Road. It was really pretty good. Later that night, we went to Stevie Ray's Blues Bar because The Predators were playing. The Predators are REALLY good. The only problem was that we got there late, and there was "standing room only". Also, since we didn't have a table, I had to go to the bar to get drinks. Each time it took longer and longer. Theresia was getting tired of standing by herself, and I was getting frustrated about waiting for so long... We left before the 3rd set. I hate to do that, but it was wearing on both of us.

My girlfriend, the cook... ;o)

My girlfriend, Theresia, said she was going to fix supper for me on Friday night.  You know what she did?  She brought over steaks for me to grill... She tells me she can cook, and I believe it.  I also believe that she'll do almost ANYTHING to get out of cooking.  That's ok with me though, I like to cook.  I think many times the food tastes better when you have the satisfaction of knowing you were the reason it turned  into a good meal.  And it's even better when other people like it.  I don't cook for myself.  I just either heat something up, or throw something together.  I don't usually care anymore, because I eat so little...

We were going to go see the Big Rock Show, but after the meal, we were both tired, so we just vegged out in front of the TV.  I had gotten a horror flick called "Dog Soldiers", which turned out to be pretty good!

Weight Loss & Work's Scale

Work has a scale!!!  They said it weighs heavy by four pounds, but even so...if it was accurate at all (and I think it could be because they use it for freight) then I've lost over 130 lbs!  I'll be under 300 lbs by Christmas at this rate!!!  And that mean's I'll reach my own personal goal by March if I stay at this rate!!!  If the scale is off by a lot it doesn't really matter.  I know I'm well on the way to losing all the weight I'm supposed to within the year that you're supposed to lose it...

Sizing & Stuff

Also, last night, I had to do some shopping for "mandatory unmentionables".  The cool thing is that I went to Wal-Mart instead of a big and tall shop!!!  Also, I found a t-shirt that I bought.  It's a retro-looking black Star Wars shirt.  It has a big Darth Vader masked head and beneath that are two crossed red light sabers!!!  It was like $11 marked down to $9, then $5.  When she rang it up, it came up as $3!!!!  It was 3XL, which I haven't worn in many, many moons!!!  Same with the other clothing!!!  Knit shirts fit me in 3XL, but non-knit (button up) I think I'll still need 4XL for a little while. 

Yesterday at work I ate some sugar-free candies and wound up on the john for like thirty minutes!  I'm never doing THAT again!  I felt like I was dying of dumpstergut.  I had to get two front tires on my car at lunch.  They were eating through, and you could see lots of steel belt showing.  They weren't too bad, but it tells me that something (else!) is wrong with the car. *sigh*  My friend Lynn came in her to work today and put in her application and had an interview.  I really hope she gets the job.  Its a Customer Service Rep and she'd be perfect for it.  I signed up for insurance yesterday.  Its just about going to cripple me financially...or at least it'll feel like it, but I have to get it.  We all need it.

My friend Patrick wants me to help him move some stuff (i.e. drive the truck) back to DC on Thanksgiving weekend.  He'll be in his car, and he wants me to drive the truck.  I'm thinking about asking Theresia to come if she's available--to keep me company on that long drive.  It'll probably take all day on a Saturday...

I'm eating small amounts of sugary stuff now...and going sippy-sip on carbonated beverages.  As long as I take it easy (REALLY EASY) and don't overdo it, everything seems fine and dandy in the gastric-bypass-world.  Next week it will have been five months.  I don't go see the surgeon until early next month.  I wonder how much weight I've lost??  I know I was coming up the steps to my 3rd floor flat last night and my pants were slipping.  That usually means I need to cut another hole in my belt.

Fourskins at PHT

Theresia and i went to Phoenix Hill Tavern for a little bit last night. The band playing was from Evansville called Fourskins. They were a lot better than i expected. They did some Rage Against the Machine, STP, and Ted Nugent. Aerosmith too!

AAMCO Customer Service National

AAMCO's corporate office just called me.  They asked me the stupid questions they ask everyone else about how their situation was handled and if I was satisfied.  Then, they had the audacity to ask me, "Would you recommend AAMCO to other people."  I told the lady "Look, I'm not trying to be rude, I just want to make sure you fully understand...not only would I NOT recommend AAMCO, but I'd recommend people go elsewhere."  I was able to keep my calm....somehow.

I need a glass of wine.  Good thing Theresia's coming over to share some with me tonight.  I was in a meeting at work that went over long and I didn't get out until almost 6pm.  Ugh...

Apologies & Crazy Room mate

Well, Judy has held up almost a week now. How many of you think I
shouls call up the AAMCO on Preston Highway and apologize for my
crappy comment??? When I picked Judy up I told the guy "I guess I'll
see you in about a week..." The guy asked me what I meant, and I told
him "You guys have had this car off and on for over forty days. I'm
ALWAYS back in with the car inside a week!!" Drop me a comment if you
want and let me know if you think I should call them back and say I'm
sorry...

My room mate has went completely nuts again. I don't want to go into
any details, but this woman is unbalanced, and I just have to isolate
myself from her as much as possible, which is fairly easy because she
works 2nd shift. The only times it's a problem is on Mondays and
Tuesdays. Those are her days of the week that she is off work. I
moved in here mainly because I needed a place where I could have the
kids live with me and we could be a family...I could fix meals, read
bedtime stories, watch Nickelodeon, brush teeth, give baths, and
launder clothes...all the normal stuff. But I also moved in because
I'd known her for a while and she desperately wanted to stay in this
apartment even though she lost her room mate. She needed somebody to
help with rent. I get myself into more trouble sometimes...

I just found out what I'm getting my girlfriend for Christmas...soft,
red, fluffy mittens...

Weekend & Turtle

Had a good weekend. For some reason Judy has held together for more than four days! I REALLY need to get the carburetor lined out asap before she burns through my wallet. Fri night i put the kids to bed then watched In The Mouth of Madness with Theresia. Then Sat Lexie had Girl Scouts - it was an art fair - so Logan and I went to Toys R Us to play. After that we went to see my friend Diane. Her grandsons were over and she has dogs and cats, so Logan had lots of fun. Sunday i had to put some time in on Sunday at my 2nd job--webmaster for a local freight company. The kids went in with me an drew on the whiteboard.

After work, we were going to get some lunch at we saw a box turtle in the middle of the road. I could see that it was only a matter of time before he was gonna get smashed, so we stopped and picked him up. I put him in a cardboard box. After lunch at Taco Bell, we brought him out some scraps of lettuce and tomato, then we went to the park with my wonderful girlfriend Theresia and her little girl Rachael. We released the turtle out where it most likely would not get smashed by a car. The kids had a great time playing together on the playground. We went to supper together at Fazoli's. The kids were all worn out from playing and we went home to get baths and go to bed

Weekend shaping up...manual choke.

Tomorrow morning, Lexie has a trip with her Brownie Scouts Troop. They are going to an art festival from 8am until 2pm. I have been trying to think of something fun to do with Logan so that he doesn’t feel left out. There will be plenty of opportunities for them to learn the lesson “life isn’t always fair”, so I try to make things fair whenever possible. Judy is running pretty good, but idles a little high. I think I need to put in that manual choke lever. The only trick will be drilling through the firewall of the car to get it inside where I can mount the push/pull knob. That reminds me…I have to go take back the OLD carburetor to Auto Zone so I can get my core fee back. I can use part of that to get the manual choke!!! I’ll do that at lunch today.

My Brother Don

I got a call last night from my niece Debbie, about my half-brother Don. Also, my brother Mike just called me this morning. Our brother Don is dying. Don was a child from my father's previous marriage. He's only in his late sixties or early seventies.

One time in the summer I stayed with him. He did pig roasts for the F.O.P. (he used to be on the police force) The preparation was an all-night ordeal, staying in his RV with the roaster outside cooking all through the night. The time we did this--I must have been 13 or 14...someone asked him who I was, and he said, "This is my brother Kelly." The guy says "Well there's quite an age difference between you two." I'll always remember what Don said. He said "He's actually my half-brother, but there's no halves or wholes between us."

Don is morbidly obese. He has been forever since I can remember him. He's had problem after problem until last year his kidneys failed and he had to be on dialysis. He's been in a nursing home the past year, and not doing well physically. I should have gone up to see him, but it's always been financially or transportationally impossible.

Driving on Eggshells...

I have been driving the car enough now that I don’t grit my teeth and my blood pressure doesn’t shoot up when I shift down into first gear. The carburetor needs adjusted, but I can work on that. I think I need to get a manual choke cable and install it. I’m hoping that at some point Theresia’s brother William might be able to help me with it. He’s extremely knowledgeable about cars, and has a great many tools to work on them.

Knocking on wood....HARD

Well, I got Judy back yesterday, and she’s doing well. The tell-tale sign that the car is going to get stuck again is that when downshifting into first gear when you come to a stop, you will feel and hear this loud noise like metal hitting against metal. The whole car will shudder. It’s not done this so far.