Robin

My coworker Robin has been unhappy at work for a long time. She was not getting along with our manager Jennifer, and especially Jodie, the lady who Jennifer made supervisor. Robin was looking for another job and I guess she found one because 1/2/07 is her last day with us. I will miss her and she has been a really good pal. We went out to lunch yesterday at Steak and Shake. I'm happy for her that she has found something new where she will not have to worry day to day about if she is going to have a job or not. I am frustrated and a little angry about the circumstances that have led up to this. Mistakes in judgement were made on both sides of the fence, but we all know between a manager and a subordinate who will eventually win, whether they were right or not. I think a heck of a lot of Jennifer, she has always treated me personally with fairness and respect. I just don't think she treats everyone with that same fairness and respect.

When she made Jodie supervisor, I think that has been her only big mistake. There were employees who no longer work at the company who were very immature. They would play on the internet and read a lot--basically goofing off and chatting all the time. She saw this as "them" and grouped Robin and a few others into that group as well. She did this based on age. I see that Robin was different and even though she liked to chat a little and joke around with her coworkers, she always got her job done first and put the actual work before anything else. I have the same philosophy to work hard when there is work, but when it slacks off, to have enough fun with your coworkers to make it an enjoyable place to be. Jodie comes from a different era of workplace. She is over sixty years old, and she wants to supervise people with an iron glove. These days there are tons of places to go entry level in a customer service position and people will just not put up with that. They will move on. I feel like it's killing our department and I think a couple weeks ago, Jennifer finally saw what was going on and tried to put a stop to it. It was just too late for Robin. Everyone will be sad she is gone.

Hanging out with Steve and Liz

The kids and I went to see our friends Steve and Elizabeth last night. We had wanted to see them before Christmas but didn't make it over. At the end of the night we were playing Scene-It. I was so stressed because the kids wanted to keep playing but their mom was sending me messages asking if we were on the way and that it was almost 9pm. I told her that I would have them back around 9pm so I was worried she might get pissed off at me. Last time I got them back late, I was only late three minutes and she went totally off. So I put on my brights and drove fast all the way back and pulled in her mother's driveway right at 9 on the dot. It was 9:01 when I got the kids out of the car and up to the door and I thought I was in for it, but she didn't yell or send me nasty messages or emails. Just lucky this time I guess.

Abstract art by Lexie

Here's the first peice of art Lexie did with the paints that Aunt Patti got the kids and the easel that I got for them for Christmas. I really like it and I have it hanging on the wall in my bedroom.

Patrick

This is Patrick. After the party it was just me and him so we went to Bullfrog Garden for supper. Then back to the apartment where we played music on our laptops and traded MP3's until midnight and both our batteries were dead. That was real cool.

Alex's birthday party

Lexie and Logan went to Alex's birthday party last night. Alex is my best friend Patrick's son. They both had a good time and Shellie and I got along good and talked a bit about the kids Christmas.

Fun for kids

I have come to the conclusion that whoever came up with the concept of Chuck E. Cheese had the dual purpose in mind of making it as much fun for kids as it is a sheer hell for adults.

New flask

My awesome girlfriend got me this personalized hip flask for Christmas. Its stainless steel with leather. A LOT nicer than my last one!

Homer eats my feet

This is one of the presents the kids got me for Christmas. They are Homer Simpson house shoes.

Blogging from the boat

Ok, I know the title is misleading, but I'm at the playground boat at the Oxmoor mall and the kids are playing so I thought I would see if there are any wireless connections. Lo and behold, there is one! So I was thinking why not send a blog post. The kids have been cooped up most of the week because the weather has totally sucked. I've taken them here once already this week. The indoor pool is closed this week because they are re-tiling it. I am so pissed about that I can't see straight. The answer I always get from the apartment manager is "You seem to be very unhappy here. Would you like to be out of your lease???" I'm going to complain to the president or manager of Medford Co. who owns The Park At Hurstborne. I don't know what else to do. *grumble*

Lion head boy

Logan made this lion mask for himself today. I thought it was so cute! He is really creative. I would love to give him art lessons or get him into an arts program at school. Yeah, and something like football too... *grin*

Shadow

Because she is so dark and hyper, it is REALLY difficult to get a good non-blurry shot of Shadow. We only give the girls treats now when we hold them so they will get the idea that we are friends and will not hurt them.

Ginger

The kids have been doing really good with the gerbils. Here's a picture of Ginger in a rare moment of being still. Their favorite treats so far are raisins, sunflower seeds, and dog biscuits.

Baking, baking, baking

My God! I have handled so much flour this past week, I think it may come out of my arse if I fart (when I fart). Well, that theory is shortly blown (no pun this time) but anyway I am about ready to die and it's 1000 degrees in my apartment.

I have made cookies of the sugar, chocolate chip, and double chocolate chip variety. Some mixing required, but basically no sweat boxed variety. Hey man, I used up so much effort on the other stuff I just couldn't do these from scratch. Besides, if you bake them right, they are nice and soft and tasty. The other things were: traditional shortbread cookies made from scratch, and English cream scones--they go with the home-made apple-butter. The apple butter is also from scratch. I may make some more later the easier way by buying plain apple sauce, but this batch was made from apples the kids and I picked a while back and have been storing in the entire bottom drawer of the refridgerator. They come from a little orchard here in louisville. The kids helped as much as they could without risking burns and such, but I did the lions-share. They helped a lot more than I thought they would...

Anyway, it has been fun and tedious, and work, and rewarding...

Christmas with Pawpaw and Dana

We went and had our Christmas with Pawpaw and Dana yesterday. The kids really liked seeing them and had lots of fun. They did really good getting the kids things that I think they will play with a lot.

I was planning on going over about 6pm or so and they staying for about an hour. Joe was not feeling well, and he and Dana have this thing about company staying for more than 15 minutes and they want people to leave while you still want them to stay. Planning on this, I called Steve and Liz the day before and said we would be over no later than 7:30pm or so. You can imagine how stressful it was to look at my watch and it was 9pm! I was freaking not only because I was afraid we had overstayed our welcome with Pawpaw and Dana, but that we had blown off Steve and Liz. To boot, I have no cellular service with T-mobile out at Joe and Dana's--its a dead zone for me. So I tried to call Steve as we were leaving but that's a work week night for them and I guess they'd went to bed. They probably got sick of waiting! I know I would have.

My dragon, apple butter

Logan made this dragon for me when he stayed the night with his Pawpaw and Granny Dana. Oh, and the apple butter the kids and I made and canned is popping. That means I did it right and the jars are sealing.

Apple butter

The apple butter the kids and i are making is almost ready for canning. I gave the kids a taste on a slice of toast and they really loved it! The recipe says to let it cook on low for a while uncovered to let it thicken. Then we'll can into jars.

How to save Money at Christmas

My sister sent me this picture in e-mail. I'm going to use it when the kids get a little older if they get all selfish and nasty and "gimme-gimme-gimme". Ok, well I don't think I'll ever have to worry about that. Logan went shopping with his Grandma and got jewelry for his mom. Later when he got home with me he thought about the jewelry he already got for her at the Chrismas Botique at school and he started crying. I told him not to worry because all girls love jewelry so much that they can never really have enough. He was helping me wrap presents the other night and I was also teaching him that neatness only counts for wives and girlfriends. Everybody else doesn't need extra-special pretty and neat wrapping with bows and ribbons. Just a little paper and a tag with their name. *grins*

Re: My Elfamorphosis

Click the link below for a Holiday greeting from me!
http://www.elfyourself.com/?us erid=6588ebcd2fb9f3bffbbdfccG06121416
 
--
Cheers,

Kelly Nall

"Modesty is often underrated..." Ok, am I the only person who finds that hilarious?
www.the1weasel.com

Logan's letter to Santa Claus

Dear Santa
For Christmas I want a play sord wut ever one you can find. I want a scooter and helmit and I want chcin lib[chicken limbo game]. I want some more chrak[track] and cars and I want those shoos that my mommy took picchers of here at dadys.

Lexie's Letter to Santa Claus

Dear Santa

I think I'v been good. A you and oter inportint people never gite
tankyous so im saing tankyou.

this is what I want for Christmas.

1. Scoter
2. Stuft amimales
3. barbbies
3. barbi clos
4. Jump rope
5. Spede stac
6. balziball [basketball]
7. madels [models?]
8. kamru [camera?]
9. pante [panty? paint?]
10. good books
11. water toys

Tankyou Love Lexie

Logan's letter to Santa Claus

Dear Santa

For Christmas I want a play sord wut ever one you can find. I want a
scooter and helmit and I want chcin lib[chicken limbo game]. I want
some more chrak[track] and cars and I want those shoos that my mommy
took picchers of here at dadys.

Two baby girl gerbils

I sent an e-mail to Janice (the gerbil breeder) and asked her if i'm
getting two boys or two girls because I forgot. She said "You're
getting two sweet adorable girls."

No Santa Claus?

I got this in an e-mail from my wonderful girlfriend. I want this to be
the way my kids understand about Santa Claus when it's the time in their
life that they have doubts about if Santa is real.

NO Santa Claus?

I remember my first Christmas adventure with Grandma. I was just a kid.
I remember tearing across town on my bike to visit her on the day my big
sister dropped the bomb: "There
is no Santa Claus," she jeered. "Even dummies know that!" My Grandma was
not the gushy kind, never had been. I fled to her that day because I
knew she would be straight with me. I knew Grandma always told the
truth, and I knew that the truth always went down a whole lot easier
when swallowed with one of her "world-famous" cinnamon buns. I knew they
were world-famous, because Grandma said so. It had to be true.

Grandma was home, and the buns were still warm. Between bites, I told
her everything. She was ready for me. "No Santa Claus?" She
snorted...."Ridiculous! Don't believe it. That rumor has been going
around for years, and it makes me mad, plain mad!! Now, put on your
coat, and let's go." "Go? Go where, Grandma?" I asked. I hadn't even
finished my second world- famous cinnamon bun.

"Where" turned out to be Kerby's General Store, the one store in town
that had a little bit of just about everything. As we walked through its
doors, Grandma handed me ten dollars.

That was a bundle in those days. "Take this money," she said, "and buy
something for someone who needs it. I'll wait for you in the car. "Then
she turned and walked out of
Kerby's.

I was only eight years old. I'd often gone shopping with my mother, but
never had I shopped for anything all by myself. The store seemed big
and crowded, full of people scrambling
to finish their Christmas shopping. For a few moments I just stood
there, confused, clutching that ten-dollar bill, wondering what to buy,
and who on earth to buy it for. I thought of everybody I knew: my
family, my friends, my neighbors, the kids at school, and the people who
went to my church.

I was just about thought out, when I suddenly thought of Bobby Decker.
He was a kid with bad breath and messy hair, and he sat right behind me
in Mrs. Pollock's grade-two class.

Bobby Decker didn't have a coat. I knew that because he never went out
to recess during the winter. His mother always wrote a note, telling the
teacher that he had a cough, but all we kids knew that Bobby Decker
didn't have a cough; he didn't have a good coat. I fingered the
ten-dollar bill with growing excitement. I would buy Bobby Decker a
coat!

I settled on a red corduroy one that had a hood to it. It looked real
warm, and he would like that.

"Is this a Christmas present for someone?" the lady behind the counter
asked kindly, as I laid my ten dollars down.

"Yes, ma'am," I replied shyly. "It's for Bobby." The nice lady smiled at
me, as I told her about how Bobby really needed a good winter coat. I
didn't get any change, but she put the coat in a bag, smiled again, and
wished me a Merry Christmas.

That evening, Grandma helped me wrap the coat (a little tag fell out of
the coat, and Grandma tucked it in her Bible) in Christmas paper and
ribbons and wrote, "To Bobby, From Santa Claus" on it. Grandma said that
Santa always insisted on secrecy. Then she drove me over to Bobby
Decker's house, explaining as we went that I was now and forever
officially, one of Santa's helpers.

Grandma parked down the street from Bobby's house, and she and I crept
noiselessly and hid in the bushes by his front walk.

Then Grandma gave me a nudge. "All right, Santa Claus," she whispered,
"get going." I took a deep breath, dashed for his front door, threw the
present down on his step, pounded his door and flew back to the safety
of the bushes and Grandma.

Together we waited breathlessly in the darkness for the front door to
open. Finally it did, and there stood Bobby. Fifty years haven't dimmed
the thrill of those moments spent shivering, beside my Grandma, in Bobby
Decker's bushes. That night, I realized that those awful rumors
about Santa Claus were just what Grandma said they were: ridiculous.
Santa was alive and well, and we were on his team.

I still have the Bible, with the coat tag tucked inside: $19.95.

May you always have LOVE to share, HEALTH to spare and FRIENDS that
care....

And may you always believe in the magic of Santa Claus!

Baby in a cup

Here's one of the babies taking a ride in the food dish.

Mom

You can see the mom. She has the same coloration as a siamese cat.

Cute, and not a mouse OR rat!

There was a sign on the cage that said not to hurt their feelings by calling them rats.

A Gerbil in hand

Not the best picture, but you can see how tiny they are.

Gerbil babies

We are getting one black and one tan Gerbil.

Weekend of Shopping...not completely successful.

Friday night after work, I just kinda hung out with my girlfriend.
Saturday she and I slept in, then got up and watched Pulse. It was
really cool! After that, we went to look for a Christmas tree for
Jeff. Jeff is her daughter's boyfriend and he just moved in to an
apartment in my complex. At around noon, we went to Simpsonville to
the Shelby County flea market. It's about 10 minutes away from
Louisville and it's open every weekend 9-5 on Saturday and Sunday.
Well the reason I went is because that's where the breeder is at for
the gerbils I'm getting for the kids for Christmas. We were there
until 4:30 and I paid for the gerbils. I'm going to pick them up on
the 23rd. I will try and post a couple pictures from my phone, but
blogger seems to be crapping out on me.

After we got done we did some more shopping. I got the stuff I need
to make apple butter and shortbread cookies. That night we came home
beat, ate a frozen pizza and watched Pirates of the Caribbean—Dead
Man's Chest. Or at least we tried. We fell asleep and had to finish
it Sunday morning. We were both tired from all the walking. Theresia
left to go get her stuff done, and I went out to finish my shopping.
I had to get just a couple more things "from Santa" for the kids. I
wanted to spend about $30 each. I decided to try and get Lexie a pair
of skates, and Logan a scooter. Well, the only skates I could find
were inline, and Shellie said not to get them that they wouldn't be
the same as quad skates. The kids took skating lessons (just four of
them) and learned how to skate, so I thought it would be cool if they
could do that at home. Well, I could find a scooter for Logan, but it
was kinda for a littler kid and he is a big boy.

I got just a couple things for my girlfriend and her little girl
Rachael. I'm not spending much on anybody but the kids. We're making
shortbread cookies and apple butter for most everyone else. Sunday I
kept looking for skates everywhere. Not even the sporting goods
stores have quad skates—only roller blades. I'm irritated… I did
find an option for Logan. It's a "scooter board" that looks like it
would hold up really good. It's the kind that is a skate board on the
bottom, and has the scooter-like stick on the top. I was thinking 4
wheels might be much better than 2 for balance. I found out that I
can get a pair of skates for Lexie at a skating rink, but they will
cost between $60 and $110. Now I am thinking I will get her a skate
board. I think I can get her a beginner board for $30 or less. By
next year they could both be skateboarders. Anything physical I can
get them in to, I am all for it. I'd love to see them skating on
ramps and all that crazy stuff. Well, aside from the broken bones…
We don't need any of that. I had a skate board when I was a kid but I
never did any of the trick stuff. If you're just rolling along, they
seem pretty safe. I will very soon have to get pads and helmets.
Like after-Christmas sale soon. I hope we get a bonus here at work!
The last thing I did was get the fruit for their stockings. I got an
assortment, plus a few little toys. The weird thing I found was a
plastic four-pack of graples. They are apples, but they taste like
grapes. I HAD to eat one and sure enough—they tasted like grapes.

Today, if the kids can get them done, I am going to send the kids
"letters to Santa" off in the mail. A couple days later, I will put
their letters FROM Santa in the mail. I hope they like reading them.

Getting some respect at work

Check this out. This is typical of the lack of respect I get from these (sometimes loveable) idiots I work with. If you're familiar with Outlook, you can see that this person (Mary in this case) has one-thousand and seventy-five unread emails from me. Man, these people are not right. I went to lunch today at Rubbies with my friend Charlie and my boss Jennifer. I got fried fish and it was like 2-4 huge peices of fish. Way more than I could eat for one meal.

Our Christmas Card

Here's the picture we are going to send with our Christmas cards this year.

Snow & Pizza Party, Lexie Shops

We got some snow today! Also there was inventory at work today andthey had pizza left over so us poor office workers got some too!

Lexie really had a good time buying presents for me, her mother, andLogan yesterday at the Price Elementary Winter Wonderland Botique.Logan shops at it today. I told him to put my present away, and Iwould help him wrap sister's present, and then they could wrap mineand mommy's together. Lexie wrapped all hers by herself and did agood job. I tricked her into telling me one of the presents--its apen! That's really good because year before last she got me one fromthe same sort of program at North Haven, and one of my idiot friendsbroke it. It was cool--it even said DAD on it.

I got the Christmas cards addressed. Now we just have to sign them. Also we're going to put in Christmas photos like we did last year. Shellie was nice enough to take our picture in front of the tree. Theresia took our pictures at the Kentucky Horse Park thing we went to but they all came out too dark or blurry. She must not be good at taking pictures because I noticed the ones I took of her and Rachael were perfect. No big deal. As long as I get them and we get the cards sent out this weekend it will be all fine. I plan on doing that Friday after I get paid!!! I'm also going to go see the lady about the gerbils for the kids and pay for them. I have a busy weekend.

Twitches

I went to take back movies yesterday and Blockbuster made me pay forthe Twitches movie that we lost. I got an empty box only. I took ithome and gave it to the kids and told them what happened and that weneed to take better care of the movies we rent. It was $18 that Itruly did not have. It was also $18 that take away from other things
like Christmas...

My new monitor for work is HUGE.

Its a flat screen and its the biggest one in the office

Gerbil Habitat

The Gerbil habitat i ordered for the kids came today. I can't wait for them to see everything in a couple weeks. I'm going to take them the 3rd week of this month and get the Gerbils. I know they will love them. This is the top for a 10 gallon tank.

Scratches

Last week i was coming back from dropping the kids off at school and i hit a tree that was blown down from high winds the night before. The road was 2 lanes, but a cop car was right beside me so i could not get over! I don't know if theyre permanent.

Kentucky Horse Park Christmas Festival

The Nall's at Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington

The Davis' at Kentucky Horse Park!

The Tool-Time Kids

This is all three of the knotheads at Home Depot making Treasure Boxes!

Lexie and Logan Building Treasure Boxes

This was at Home Depot today!!!!!!

Backwash

Lexie and Logan were sharing a bottle of water and she just sternly told him " And don't put your mouth over the whole bottle, cuz nobody wants to drink backwash! Right daddy?" I was dying laughing!

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Lost Movies

I can't believe it. I've lost two rental movies. The kids got ready to watch The Black Stallion, and noticed there was no movie in the case. When I turned it in, I told them and they were just like "ok". Then I turned in several other movies, and they called the next day and said that Twitches-Teen Witches was not in the case when I turned it in. Now I am 100% positive I saw that one! I can't figure out what's happening.

Logan's Pants

Last night I hemmed two pair of pants I just bought for Logan. One of them got hemmed wrong with the cut portion turned outside instead of inside. I got up this morning, took that hem out, and turned it over. He put them on and wore them today...and I see they are almost too short. I spent $30 on two pair of pants and now they are short. I am so aggrivated.

Lexie and Logan at School

This is when I came in after work and picked Lexie and Logan up from the YMCA program. They always like to stop and get a drink before we head home.

Long Weekend Sunday

Sunday was fun. I relaxed that morning and finished my book. It's the third in the Brian Lumley "Necroscope" series. I'd read it before long ago, and it had been time to re-read some of those old books I've loved in the past. I get them as used at the bookstores for cheap and I will keep them until the kids get old enough to read them. I hope they will like them as much as I do. Finished that, and Theresia made us coffee. Then I went out to Autozone. She needed bulbs for her driver-side front turn signals. Also, my lower fog lamp was out so I got that. I replaced them all, including her headlights (she'd already bought those and I put them in first). So I did that, and she made lunch-the best salmon patties I've ever had! She also made broccoli. You know, she keeps saying "I can't cook..." but it's all a smoke-screen because she HATES to cook. I just know it because everything she ever fixed for me has been tasty. She also made chocolate pudding the night before!!! I KNOW SHE CAN COOK AND SHE'S NOT FOOLING ME!!!

After that, Jeff came over and got Kendall. I was finishing laundry (well she finished it and I sorted it), and then she was up on this chair putting a new smoke/CO filter in and was having trouble with it so I did it. Then she said "next weekend or sometime I want you to help me put in this new light. I told her to turn off the switch and I just got out my screwdriver and took the old one out and put the new one in. It's much easier having somebody who will hand you stuff, be patient with you, and freak out when you act like you're getting shocked. It made me feel good to get those lights changed and help her out a little around the house. I am DYING to get over there with my cordless drill and put a new toilet paper roll holder in. Man that is bugging me!

Well, we left after that and went over to my place. Watched a little more TV, then she had to go get Rachael. I was alone, so I put some laundry away and just bummed around. I remembered I had to go to the store, but it was 6:30 and I didn't think I'd have time. I needed to go to get Lexie and Logan socks-I'd thrown away about three pairs that had holes in the heels. Also since I'd bought pants that needed hemmed, I needed thread in colors to match. I picked up the kids and we went to Michaels, then Wal-Mart. Then we went home and got ready for bed. End of weekend.

Long Weekend Saturday

Ok. We woke up and watched some more TV, ate some of the never-ending leftovers. Theresia left to go get some things done before she had to watch her granddaughter Kendall. I was lounging some, and getting laundry packed together. I came over and mowed her lawn while she started my laundry. We had broiled salmon and salad for supper, watched TV, played with Kendall, and did laundry. We saw "Slipstream", "Dead Meat" and something else I don't remember--nothing outstanding. You know if it was, I would blog it. Dead Meat was interesting and kept your attention for a b-grade horror. It was better than a lot of them I've rented recently. I stayed late, still not done with laundry, and woke up and Theresia had almost finished it.

Long Weekend Friday

Friday the kids went out to play outside, and I stayed in, cleaning house, getting laundry together, and doing the huge pile of dishes from the day before. Then we HAD to get them some clothes. I went to Goodwill and found several shirts for Lexie, and two pair of pants. For Logan I found one pair of pants. They hate every second of clothes shopping and it was miserable for me knowing they would be going with their mom soon and I would not see them for the rest of the
night, plus all of Saturday, and most all of Sunday. I was very bummed that we were not having fun, and I was already missing them.

We went to the mall at St. Matthews and J.C. Penny's. I found (on sale) a pair of pants for Logan and two shirts. Shellie meets us there, and I try to find a pair of pants for Lexie quickly, but
everything she tries on is either too big or too small. I give up, they are miserable anyway, and they leave while I go to pay. I saw them outside leaving as I was coming out--I almost cried. I felt so d@mn bad on the way home that I stopped at two pet stores. I got each of them a little critter keeper. I'm going to get them gerbils for Christmas. I found out it has to be mice or gerbils. Guinea pigs are too big, and hamsters are solitary and will bully and fight if put
together. I've known people who had ferrets, and I don't want my apartment to smell like that--so it's definitely gerbils.

Theresia was spending the day with Rachael, so I just moped around the apartment. I eventually watched a movie. It must have sucked because I don't remember what I watched. Friday night, Theresia came over and we went out for supper. She is so sweet--she didn't expect me to pay (sometimes I do and sometimes she does). We both have Christmas
coming up so we went dutch. We went to Bullfrog Garden in Spanish Cove shopping center. I walked in (the second time I've been in the building) and was kind of put off. The place is a bar people. Just a bar. It's not a restaurant. The booths and tables are an afterthought and you expect the food will be grill-bar-deep-fried appetizers and burgers/sandwiches. I went once before and turned around because I really wanted a restaurant. Well we were tired and
so I sat. The waitress--also the bartender--came and brought our menus which were one two-sided laminated sheet. Well, this didn't seem like it was going to be good at all, but I was resigned to find something despite the ashtray on every table, and the loud talking/sports on TV, the halter-top waitress her special greeting of "Whaddaya wanna drink?" I was just about ready to bolt. We had brought our books, and I just told myself it's not about the food or
the service but just relaxing and reading a few pages and enjoying the company of my girlfriend.

I examined the menu and it really didn't look too bad. The steaks were too expensive for a bar, but everything else looked a little pricey but ok. I got something cheap--a hot brown, and also onion rings to share with Theresia. It came with a side of soup. Theresia got smothered chicken and a side salad. Well the food got there, and--WOW! The soup was chicken pot pie soup and it was killer! Likewise, T's salad--which was a hell of a salad (it had a lot of optional veggies, not just tomatoes: banana peppers, carrots, green onion, green pepper, mushrooms) and it was fresher than entrée salads I've seen at EXPENSIVE restaurants! Next was the hot brown and onion rings. The onion rings were greasy--to be expected, and crunchy. They were good onion rings. The hot brown was ok, but the only problem I had was the gravy was so thick it was more like mashed potatoes in consistency. But the flavor was very good. Theresia's smothered chicken was nothing to sneeze at. We both realized that after eating turkey and then leftovers, we'd both gotten poultry AGAIN--AND I EVEN GOT TURKEY!!! We were not disappointed though. It was very good and we'll be back.

We went back home, watched some TV, then went to bed.

Long Weekend Thursday

Here's the quick and dirty on my Thanksgiving extendo-weekend. Wednesday, the kids were off school. I had to arrange daycare for them at $20 per kid. Originally when the divorce was final, I had thought that since I got custody of the kids, I could count on Shellie wanting to spend as much time with them as possible, so I *cringe* assumed that she would keep them all day and do something with them if they were off school, and it was her regular day (i.e. Tuesday or Wednesday). Man, am I a dumb@ss for assuming THAT. Her basic answer was "No, I need my sleep." So...

They went to Thomas Jefferson Middle School again, with the YMCA before/after school program. The rate was $20 per child. Brutal, but I had no choice. Well, they had fun anyway, and at least they didn't sit inside in front of a TV all day, so I don't feel too bad about that.
Every time I call when they are with their mother and ask "What are you doing?" (cheerfully) They always reply "Watching TV..." That was Wednesday.

Thursday I got up at 4am and put the turkey on. I was spazzing out about it because it still seemed frozen when I stuck my hand in to get the package of guts and the neck. But it was only just some left-over ice from inside and all the meat was ok. You could tell by pressing on
it and feeling that it was loose and thawed. Just to make sure, I put it in cold water for an hour. All Thursday from 5am until 1pm I was cooking and finishing up cleaning. The kids were a great help tidying up. They really saved me...except for their ROOM!

I didn't get the giblet gravy done, so I added garlic to the potatoes and called them garlic smashed potatoes. I used an oven bag on the turkey and it didn't look browned so I took off the bag and put it under the broiler for a little too long and burned it. Just surface...all the meat was fine and tasted really good. Everybody said so. My $5 electric knife I bought four months ago at Goodwill was awesome for the bread and of course the turkey too! I made sour dough and country white breads using the bread maker. I think mom would have been proud of me. The casserole, the stuffing, bread, corn spoon bread, turkey--all of it was really ok. Nobody left hungry. After everyone left, I was exhausted. Patti helped me put stuff away except the turkey (because it was in the roaster pan). I just left the turkey out for a little bit and rested. I was really exhausted. We ate left-over's for supper. After that, I de-boned the turkey. The fridge was so full you could not see the lights in the top.

Logan's Turkey

Logan made this turkey in art class. I'm going to hang it up in my cubicle at work!

Lexie's Kangaroo

Lexie made this kangaroo in art class.

Shizue and the cool stamps

Theresia stopped in at work to see me yesterday and brought me a present! She was at the post office and said when she saw this sheet of stamps she just HAD to get it for me. These are the coolest stamps I have ever seen and she is so thoughtful for getting them for me!!!

(Logan is the one holding the stamps)

Don's Funeral

My brother Don passed away last week. I went to the viewing this past Sunday. My brother Mike and I rode up together for it. Monday was the actual funeral. My sister Patti and brother Mike stayed for that but I didn't have anybody to watch the kids over night and get them to school the next day so I couldn't go. They both told me how nice the funeral was. Don was on the police department for 15 years and in the military before that. They did the whole works with the 21 gun salute. Plus all the police officers saluted, they gave his kids the flags, and Mike said the dispatcher called over the police radio "Last call for officer [and then his badge number]"

Logan's 12 week Report Card

Logan did AWESOME! He got all Outstandings, and some Satisfactorys! I am so proud of him!!!

Lexie's 12 week Report Card

Lexie got all Satisfactory marks, except for one Needs Improvement. She says she "lost" a couple papers of class work (in class assignments). She said she'll be more careful next time.

Insomnia and Bad Dream

I woke up at about 3am this morning and couldn't get back to sleep, so I popped in a movie called "The Sentinel". It was not bad. About 5am I went back to sleep, but before I could drift off, the door opened and Lexie came in to snuggle with me. She tossed and turned for about 15 minutes then asked if she could get up and watch cartoons. What could I say? The same thing happened to me a couple hours earlier, so I understood. I said "Yeah, just don't wake up little brother." I suspect she was excited about no school today and going on her field trip.

I had this really bad dream early this morning after that. I dreamed that mom had just passed away, and that Mike, Patti, Bonnie and I were with Jack and everyone was so sad and upset. I woke up sobbing into my pillow and it was a few minutes before I woke totally up and realized it
was just a dream. This has only happened to me like twice before. Its worse than a nightmare because nightmares are so unreal It just makes me realize how much I miss my mom.

Habitrail

This is what I want to get the kids for Christmas if I have the money. I had a gerbil when I was a kid. My 4th grade teacher had a couple as "class pets" and they had babies. Then at the end of the year, some students got to take one home. I didn't get a lot of choice on pets when I was a kid, so mom got me a Habitrail cage to keep it in and let me have it. I had Zach for a couple years in one of the original Habitrail cages. What I would like to do is get Lexie and Logan their own hamster or gerbil, then each their own cage and some connector tubing so the little rodents could visit each other. What do you think?

Bad Dreams

I woke up at about 3am this morning and couldn't get back to sleep, so I popped in a movie called "The Sentinel". It was not bad. About 5am I went back to sleep, but before I could drift off, the door opened and Lexie came in to snuggle with me. She tossed and turned for about 15 minutes then asked if she could get up and watch cartoons. What could I say? The same thing happened to me a couple hours earlier, so I understood. I said "Yeah, just don't wake up little brother." I suspect she was excited about no school today and going on her field trip.

I had this really bad dream early this morning after that. I dreamed that mom had just passed away, and that Mike, Patti, Bonnie and I were with Jack and everyone was so sad and upset. I woke up sobbing into my pillow and it was a few minutes before I woke totally up and realized it was just a dream. This has only happened to me like twice before. Its worse than a nightmare because nightmares are so unreal It just makes me realize how much I miss my mom.

"Sorry..."

Sunday morning due to a communication problem between Shellie and I, she got the kids. So I had them saturday only until about 6pm, then Sunday at about 8pm. This coming weekend she will have them too. It's like I didn't even get any time with them. Oh well, I still get them the majority of the time. I guess she can have a little extra visitation if she wants it. I just miss them when they're not around. I catch up on housework, watch TV, and goof around on the computer.

The thing that really killed me was this: she sent me a message last night saying "..may be a few minutes late. Sorry". She says sorry, but doesn't mean it. She said she was trying to be nice "for the kids" which made me even angrier. I let her have Lexie so she could go to Kings Island. I let her MOTHER have Logan on the same day, when I REALLY wanted to do something just he and I. I let her have them for trick or treating later than usual, even though it was a school night. I ask her to trade days...told her months ahead about the weekend I would need. So she gives me the kids last Sunday. I need her to watch them Saturday night, but she says she has something going on with a friend. She has ALWAYS put friends before the kids. She always put friend before me too, which I could care less about. So then when I ask her to take them Saturday night instead of Sunday, she gets up and nails herself to a cross throwing a huge little princess fit because she's not getting her way. THEN she has the NERVE to THREATEN me and the kids. She THINKS she is just threatening ME but it's the kids too! She gets them from school on Tuesday and Wednesday and I know when she say "she will have to re-think some things" that is what she is talking about. Hell, the kids and I don't NEED her for anything else, so that's all it could be.

Well, since the kids still aren't getting any child support from her, then money is tight enough that she might really be able to hurt us this way. They are already going on too few clothes and not getting school pictures this year. I DID take them camping, but they have so much fun doing that and I'm still pretty sure that they watch a lot of TV and sit in the house a lot over there, so I feel the need to get them outside whenever possible. So aside from a few things like camping (rarely done) we are strapped down. I shop at all the discount grocery stores (Aldi's, Valu-Market, and Sav-A-Lot), I get clothes from thrift stores when I can, I have put off going to dentist and doctor for myself--three appointments I cancelled (and also I need to get Lexie in to see the doctor about a wart on her foot), I am pushing back an oil change in my car, we have not been out to eat--not even McDonald's--in months. Anything I need that isn't groceries comes from Dollar Tree (where everything's $1.00) or I do without.

I think the kids deserve better than this and it makes me mad. So when she comes off and says "Sorry..." well, I'm not proud of it, but I told her she could shove "sorry". It's EASY to say "sorry" when you're the one who is winning and you are making the other people kiss your ass. It's EASY to say "sorry" when you don't have to worry about a place to live, food to eat, and a car to drive. It's EASY to say "sorry" when there's no meaning behind it, and you don't care who gets hurt. I am beyond personal hurt from her. She can still make me angry. I just hate it when the kids have to suffer because of her immaturity.

Committment Ceremony

Saturday night, I went to a commitment ceremony at the Intermezzo Café outside Actor’s Theater downtown. It was a very tasteful and elegant event. A couple my girlfriend knows (and really I know them too now because we've been together so long that our friends know us as a couple) were committing their lives to each other. It really was a nice ceremony. There were drinks and appetizers served by waiters and waitresses walking around, plus and open bar, then the ceremony and afterwards dinner. After dinner there was dancing back in the room that the ceremony was held in--it had been converted to include a dance floor. We stayed until after midnight then went and picked up the kids.

Screwed again

So check this out. This is what ALWAYS happens to me. I asked a month ago if Shellie would want to watch the kids because I have something going on this weekend. She said yes, that she would trade me days. Either I didn't tell her which day and she assumed it was Sunday, or I mistakenly told her Sunday and it was saturday-- anyway that's not the point. So last weekend, I got the kids early on Sunday at 7am. She ASKED me if I wanted to get the Saturday night or early Sunday, and so I told her Saturday night. Then my plans changed and I ASKED her if I could get them Sunday morning. She said OK, but it would have to be at 7am. I told her that's ok, because we wanted to go to church anyway.

Now this weekend rolls around and she said "What time do you want me to get the kids sunday morning?" and I asked her then could it be Saturday night. You know, I was thinking I would get at least the amount of flexibility that I give out. No way. She says I have plans Saturday night. She is helping a friend make a video tape for school. So I get a little upset. "I tell her since she can't take the day I need, and it's my regular weekend, don't worry about it." Also I'm thinking I will want to see them Sunday since I will have to be finding a sitter and not get to spend time with them Saturday night. She freaks out and says she has plans now for Sunday night with them. She's calling me, leaving nasty messages on my phone (I don't answer because I'm at work). She sends hateful text messages... She even threatens me. She says "I got some things to think about too, because we've agreed to some things and if you're not going to hold up your end of the bargain, then I don't guess I need to uphold my end of the bargain on a few things." She says it was not a threat, but I know it is. So, like always, I gave in to her. Now she is saying because I made her mad, she will punish me by never changing our schedule again.

The problem is it states clearly in the Indiana Parenting Time Guidelines that I HAVE to give her first choice when I'm going to get a sitter. I told her that if she is going to waive that right, then I want it in writing because I am NOT going to break the law. When I get that, at least I can get a sitter without going to her first. She always acts like she's doing the ultimate favor and making the world's greatest sacrifice when she switches or trades with me. I'm sick of it. It's like making a deal with Satan for your soul every time--and she twists the deal around to her favor and takes things by the letter rather than the spirit, and does whatever she can to punish me, make things difficult for me, and hurt me. She doesn't care that it hurts the kids. And if by some chance things don't work out good enough in her favor? Then she's been nailed to a cross and you're the big *ssh*le! You should hear her voice on the message. You can here the tone--it's like a kid throwing a fit to get what they want. I'm going to try and find a way to post it as a wav file... She's been spoiled all her life and gotten everything she wanted from parents, friends, family, and me. She knows nothing else.

My relatives up North

Despite the circumstances, it was nice to see my loved ones up North. Don is someone that if not for the life circumstance of distances I would have chosen to grow up next door to. He is a really wonderful person, and so was his wife Ferrel. She reminded me a lot of how my mother was and her personality. His son Donnie moved to Texas long ago and I have not had any contact with him since I was very young. Debbie and Diana have stayed in Marion and that area so I have seen them more frequently. There were still only several occasions when I came to visit--once or twice when I was at Ball State in Muncie, and for some family reunions in (I believe) 2002 and 2003. The reunions were at Buster's house. He's Don's brother and also my half brother. His real name was Phil, same as our dad, but I don't think he's a Jr. Mike and Buster remind me a lot of each other about how they act and talk. The pastor was a self-proclaimed "good ol' boy" and though I don't mind that, it's not what I'm used to. They sang Amazing Grace which along with "The Old Wooden Cross" is something that always tears me up because I always think of Mom and her funeral.

The kids were just about perfect. They were quiet, and brought me tissues when I was crying and hugged onto me. They really are wonderful kids. They did really well on the way up except for when we got to the funeral home and had to get right back in the car to go to Fort Wayne. Logan started crying and I had to explain what they were doing and why and he was ok with it then. Not happy, but that's completely understandable. He was just frustrated because he understood that we were "there" and he didn't get to get out and stop riding around in the car. He was tired of being cooped up. He's an angel for 5 years old. Lexie was pretty good. They also did really well in church that morning. They almost always do. I need to do something special with them for all the good behavior yesterday.

My brother Don

This is my brother Don. The kids and I rode up to Marion with my sister Patti for Ferrel's viewing. We got a little lost on the way up and ended up getting there a little after 5pm. They had Ferrel in the Herse at that time. We were confused because the viewing was supposed to last until 6pm, but they told us since Don was still in the hospital in Fort Wayne they were going to take her to the chapel inside the hopsital to give Don the chance to say goodbye and have some closure. He had just had surgery to remove most of his left leg a couple days before, and was on heavy pain medication. He did wake up enough to say hello to everyone, to tell her he loved her and say goodbye. You could see the comprehension in his eyes, despite the pain medication he was on. Ferrel was a wonderful sweet woman, full of life and kindness. Also meanness and vinegar at times, but it was a good thing to be around.

Plasma

Because money is tight, the kids need clothes and holidays are coming, I thought I would try donating plasma. There were a bunch of thugs in the waiting room, it took 4 hrs, and then they basically vein-raped me and told me i have to wait 8 weeks.

An American Haunting

Thesesia and I watched this movie tonight and it was one of the better thriller-horror movies I have seen recently. I would say that I should have seen it in the theater. Definately worth watching this Halloween season. Sutherland is worth watching.

Excel 2003 Level 2 Intermediate Training

I had this two-day training course for Microsoft Excel 2003. It was not the basic level, but the 2nd intermediate level, and I think a lot of that was even pretty basic stuff. Some people were having a really hard time keeping up with even the very easy sections like Creating and Applying Templates, Creating and Modifying Charts and Working with Graphic Objects, but I found it very easy (mostly I was beyond this). They were not offering Level 3 at this time though, and my boss Jennifer decided we'd better take this and not wait for Level 3 which will not be offered until next year.

Ferrel

This is my half-brother Don and his wife Ferrel. My brother Mike just called me last night to tell me that Ferrel passed away yesterday from a heart-attack. The visitation is Sunday from 1-6pm and the funeral is 1pm Monday. My budget is so tight right now I don't know if I can make it to Marion Indiana but I really wish I could be there for Don.

Dire Straits

I listened to Dire Straits on the way to work this morning, among other things.

"Dr. Parkinson declared, "I'm not surprised to see you here. You've got smoker's cough from smoking, brewer's croup from drinking beer. I don't know how you've come to get that Bette Davis wheeze, but worst of all young man, you've got industrial disease!"

New haircut

Today I decided to give myself a new haircut. I was looking for something easy, plus I wanted to do this for a halloween costume. Also, I'm trying to save money on expensive shampoos and conditioners. Ok really it was a grooming accident this morn...

Halloween Party

Theresia and her sister Elizabeth invited me and the kids over to Elizabeth's house for a halloween party last night. They served supper, which was lasagne and steak. They played games, bobbed for apples and we had a great time. I helped decorate with the fake cobwebs (I am good at that). We broke up into teams and they gave out prizes. The one that I thought was really fun was where they handed out rolls of paper towels to each team and we had to "mummify" someone. Our team decided to mummify Theresia's brother Peter. I like Peter, he seems like a really good guy and I like how he is with his kids. Theresia's brother Michael was down from Indy. His little boy was Robin (from Batman and Robin) and I swear he looked like he just stepped out of a comic book! His little girl was Pipi Longstockings and her mom had put this wire around her head and braided her hair through it. She had temporary red in her hair and little makeup freckles. I was surprised that a kid her age (like 4 or 5) watched Pipi Longstockings enough to want to be that for Halloween! Michael is a real great guy too. He told us a couple jokes (just us guys) and they were really funny. Generally speaking, I like Theresia's family. They are a good bunch of people.

POS dryer

Well, I decided to try and save some time again by going to the apartment's laundry room. I am never coming back here again! The washers are always setting with wet clothes in them. Half the damn dryers set with dry clothes. The other half either don't spin or don't heat! Of course, you still have to put your money into the bloody thing to find out! Now I'm tired, feet hurt, and its 6pm. Just time to put the clothes up, fix supper, and go to bed. I wanted to go visit either my sister Patti, or Joe and Dana, but I guess we're not doing THAT! *grumble*

Bardstown Boofest

Here's Rachael the cowgirl, Logan the ghoul, and Lexie the Charmed girl. We went to Bardstown Bound Boofest last night. They had lots of fun, and today we're going to a Halloween party from 4-8.

Happy early Halloween

I'll post pictures of the kids asap. Got this at wal-mart a couple years ago.

Costume

I decided to try to make the shirt portion of my costume. I have never really sewed anything before... It was a challenge just getting the crap cut out. I found material at Wal-Mart for $0.99 a yard and I needed like 5 yards so if I totally screw it up, I don't have to feel too bad about it. I mean part of me says "how hard can it be?" and the other part looks at the stuff I've cut out and thinks "man, what the hell have you gotten yourself into!" Unless I did something completely wrong, I did manage to use the amount of cloth and get all the required pieces cut out, and have a little left over. I cut a bit of leeway around the pattern because I was afraid of cutting into it. This may screw up the sizing, but hopefully will only make it a little bigger and not do something like totally screw it up when it comes to putting it all together. My sister Bonnie said that she would help me by getting the same pattern and following along, but I haven't heard back from her on email and I've sent about three.

Brushoff

My girlfriend just gave me the brush-off on the phone. She does it all the time. Hmmph. Some people just kick you to the curb when they have something else like work to do.... Ok, I'm just being silly, but we had a talk last night and she informs me that when she always seemed like she was jealous, she never was and that she was just playing around. I should have never been so flattered. Oh well, I knew it was too good to be true. After all, what woman in her right mind could get jealous over me? That woman does not exist.

The geek in me

I know this is going to totally out me to everyone (both of you) who read this, but I am running a fantasy role-playing game on the internet. Its an old game system that a friend in jr high introduced me to. There is a pretty good cult following on the net for this game. It is simple to learn and fun to play. The game is called In The Labyrinth (The Fantasy Trip) and the rules consist of only three books. Today's games (like the whole Dungeons and Dragons conglomerate) have 50 lbs of books, dice, figures, and every supplimental add-on piece of revenue-building product you can think of. This game was designed by Steve Jackson and (most agree) was his experiment that formed into the later G.U.R.P.S. system (which was very successful). Anyway, this is the game that got me started into the role-playing thing. I was in theater in school also...some of us just never grow out of some form of make-believe I guess.

Well, I just got three new players for my game. That makes a total of eleven. This is played by e-mail and requires everyone to "post" one message every day. Well, I have a couple of folks who are not posting at all, nor responding to any of my e-mails, so I'm going to have to cut them at the end of this "chapter" so I can get rid of the dead wood. Hopefully the three new people will take up that slack.

Costume for Work/Money/This Weekend

I am going to have to forgoe the costume for work. I don't think anybody will complain too much unless i'm the only person in the department who doesn't dress up. The budget is so tight right now that I don't have much leeway. It's like I went and got books for us at the Louisville Free Public Library book sale this past weekend, and now I feel bad about feeling bad about it. I hate this. I wanted to do stuff with the kids this weekend but I never seem to have enough in the budget to do things. I should be content. I got to take them camping last weekend, but I just want to do the whole autumn thing--trick or treating up and down Bardstown road on Friday night, Bernheim Forest Colorfest on Saturday... Maybe it will rain so they won't be disappointed. The other thing I want to do is keep them up late Friday and Saturday night watching "monster movies"--Abbott and Costello meet the Mummy and Abbott and Costello meet Frankenstein's Monster. I think it will be fun... It does make me wonder about the child support that S is supposed to be paying. I have not seen anything yet, but I'm not going to ask her about it and I'm certainly not going to ask the court. I don't want anybody to get into trouble over it. It's not a lot, but some weeks like this I know it would really help. *sigh*

Kimmy and William

This is a picture of the kids cousin Kimmy. She sent me an e-mail wishing me a happy birthday and to tell me she got married on July 14th and moved to New York with her new husband William who is in the Army.

I hope they treat each other always with love and respect, and always try to put the other's needs and wants first.

I am going to ask her for her address so that the kids can write letters to her. They need to write more and I want to give them reasons to write.

Chrysler Sebring Convertibles

I have come to the conclusion that 99% of the Sebrings are convertibles. Does anybody know why the hell this is?

Lexie's Printing

Here’s some of Lexie’s school work. Look at the vocab page and tell me if you can read it. I had her re-do answers #9 through #11 on her math this day because you could not read them after she got done erasing and re-writing them! It was bad. I will post again in about a month and we’ll see if it looks better.

I'm blogging from Heine Bros.

Right now I'm listening to "Whole Lotta Love" by Led Zepplin and drinking this coffee and blogging from Heine Brothers. I think free wi-fi is cool. It's now 5pm, and I didn't get all my housecleaning done, but I'm over here early to get another cup of this coffee. I have to meet Shellie with the kids at 630 or thereabouts so this works out good because its close. I talked to them last night on the phone and they said they had a good time trick-or-treating at the zoo. I knew they would because they always love that, and S and I feel that it's safer than door-to-door trick or treating.

Weekend with T/Booksale/Coffee

Friday night we debated on going out and doing something, but opted for the more economical "stay home and watch movies". We watched "Witchboard" an old 80's horror movie with Tawny Kitaen. Then we watched "X-men: The Last Stand". Shizue brought over pasta and we had that for supper. She didn't care for my awesome baked beans. She also brought this bread--an odd desert bread of some sort. It was like a bread version of fruitcake, but was not heavy or overly rich. Lighter dessert--it was good. We went to bed fairly early, then got up early on Saturday like about 4am and watched two more movies. "Devour" was what I thought was a vampire movie, but it was a satanic-horror flick. We both agreed that it was good, just not fantastic. Then there was this movie that we had both seen thee preview for and wanted to watch. It was called "Transamerica". I won't say I really liked it-liked it, but it was a good movie. Just not really my type. It was a drama about this guy who is weeks from his gender- switch surgery when he finds out he has a son. After soaking up the couch for a while, we went to the Louisville Free Public Library booksale. I got a couple books, then about 25 lbs of books for the kids. They always need more to read and at 2/$1 you can not pass that up. My books were $3 hardback and $1 paperback. I got this book called "Cosm" by Gregory Benford. It's heavy-sci sci-fi. Just exactly what I was in the mood for. Now, it's odd that I found this book as I had thought about reading if for years. The really odd thing is...I remember about 7-10 years ago going to a movie and seeing a PREVIEW for a movie called Microcosm. It is based on this book, but never got made. Net research tells me that FOX has optioned the rights to make the movie but I can find nothing else. After the book sale, and with both of us book-in-hand, we went for coffee at Carmichael's/ Heine Bros coffee shop on Bardstown Rd. It was really nice day and we had really good coffee outside. It is much better priced vs. Starbucks. I always though that Starbucks raped your wallet, but now I am almost certain. After that we walked down to T's favorite shop, Edenside Gallery and looked around at different places. Then headed back to the car. On the way back we went thrift shopping at a couple Goodwills, but didn't buy anything. The thing I need most is clothes for the kids and I have learned to NEVER buy them unless they are trying them on first. Today is housework day. T cut out this morning to do some of her housework, and now, being almost 3:30 in the afternoon, I'm gonna finish putting clothes away and head over for another cup of that coffee and wait with my book to get the kids.

My Chucks

I got these quite a while back on clearance sale at Shoe Carnival. I love my Chucks. They just scream Rock & Roll to me. I got 4 pairs of shoes since i lost weight. Also Adidas, Crocs, and boots. Plus one pair of brown dress shoes for work. I am set!

My Jealous Girlfriend

When I got to work today, this girl I work with (her name is Carrie) asked me to take her to Wal-Mart and KFC at lunch. We have two girls who are quitting, and today is their last day. Carrie volunteered to get a cake and the food for our pitch-in, but then her car broke down. I said I would help out. So we just got done picking up the stuff and we were headed back when my girlfriend called. She said "What are you doing, and where are you at???" I told her that I had to go out and get the stuff for the party and I was just coming out of KFC. She said "Alone?" I told her no that Carrie was with me and she totally went off. I mean she went off so much and yelled that I was not sure if she was joking or not!! It was kinda scary, but also I think she does it sort of complimentary--like there would be someone in the world besides her that would find me attractive. Regardless, she is familiar with Carrie, so she said "Give the phone to Carrie!" and then yelled at her "You keep your hands off my boyfriend!" but then she kept Carrie on the phone the whole rest of the way back to work. Like she was playing it off as a joke, but making sure by keeping her on the phone that nothing was going to happen. I have never cheated on any woman that I have been in a relationship with. I'm not about to relax my morals now at the age of 38 and 51 weeks old.

Ok, this is in the same vein...I just got a card from her--here at work. Why didn't she send it home? That's so everyone (all the girls I work with) will see it and ask about it. She's staking her claim again. Flattering me, but still sometimes I think she's nuts. Not necessarily in a bad way. The only thing that bothers me is the underlying lack of trust. I will show it to all the girls though. Even though it's a little personal, they will think it is so sweet. I do too, of course.

Butterick - B4574 - MEN'S COSTUME - 4574

This is the pattern I bought today online. It comes in my size, and they are going to have a halloween costume party at work and I (still damnit) can't find a costume to fit me. Tried one on today and it fit, but was tight where it shouldn't be on someone with my ample physique. check it out if you want....Butterick - B4574 - MEN'S COSTUME - 4574

Baked Beans

I'm cooking baked beans over night in the crock pot. We have a pot luck tomorrow to celebrate two gals who are leaving Louisville Ladder. They are both glad to get out of there, discontent and b*tching all the time since our boss promoted this older woman who used to be their co-worker (and happens to have very little company seniority)to be their supervisor. I think it was a mistake to make her a supervisor, but I really like my boss and I will support her decisions. Anyway, I put in the baked beans, added onion, black strap molasses, and a little Crown Royal. That ought to be good. I wonder if I should cook them with the lid off because right now they are too soupy.

Parent/Teacher Conference with Ms. Caswell/Pants

We had our parent/teacher conference with Ms. Caswell, Lexie's 3rd grade teacher. She says that she's moved Lex to the front row of the class. She says that Lex is very well behaved, participates well, gets along perfectly with the other kids, and shows that she is putting forth a lot of effort in class. The only thing now that remains as a slight negative is her printing and writing. It has gotten so much better that Ms. Caswell is sure there will be no real problem in the future. She still writes too big, but is much more legible now. She said Lexie will naturally evolve to better handwriting if we keep making her do it over when its too messy. My worries are all put to rest.

Now if I could just find her and Logan more pants for winter. She went to school today in shorts and a polo shirt and the two of them were shivering when the bus came (it got to them late today--they said they have a new driver). I am working on compiling a list of consignment, thrift, and discount stores, but these two are so hard to fit. Cooler weather is here RIGHT NOW and Lex only has two pair of pants she can wear to school. Logan only has 3. I know I can just have them wearing the same pants every day of the week, but that really goes against my grain. Not to mention that I need to get them some non-school cooler weather clothes... If anybody has any information on where to find clothes discounted or otherwise cheap, please let me know. I have not seen anything from the child support office yet and I was kind of wanting that to use for clothing because we run a pretty close budget. I guess I could have told them "no" about camping, but when that's the only vacation they're getting this year, I hated to do that.

Foul Mood

I don't know what the hell was wrong with me tonight. I got home and was ready to get my laundry done when all of a sudden I started feeling weak and shaky. I know it probably has something to do with my blood sugar, the gastric bypass or whatever. It is when I eat something, or when I don't eat for a while. No real pattern. But then I started feeling bad because I had all this laundry to do and I was feeling like I might not be able to do it because I just felt weak. This made me really mad. My girlfriend was over dropping off my laundry detergent and I was being very cross. I could hardly stand myself, so I told her she just needed to scoot and that I wasn't fit company. Usually she stands by me and is supportive and understanding. Not this time. She bolted. This bothered me even more. Plus I had just bought a new laundry basket and destroyed it when I picked it up. Ok, I really didn't destroy it, the handle broke, but at the time I was feeling like everything was going to sh*t and nothing was working out right. I feel a little better now, but I still miss Theresia.

My Hands

Ms. Pass gave me this that Logan made. She waited to hand it to me during conference because she didn't want it messed up. It is definately keepsake material.