Quite the History

What a weekend. Good, bad, and great all rolled into one. I could make the story the so long and full of details but we'd be here until next weekend, so here are the memorable highlights:

1. I RSVP'd to a party in NJ a long time ago, I wasn't really looking forward to it. C and I in the car for four hours just to go to a BBQ and then turn around and go home, all while I was still sick


2. At the last minute S decided to go with us, he had other reasons; he made a deal with this guy in Red Bank, NJ to buy roughly 5000 baseball cards. The cards needed to be sorted, so S stayed up all night organizing. He never came to bed.


3. We left really early for NJ so we could meet the guy - only to have him cancel three hours into our trip. So S was really disappointed and we were in the area way earlier than we needed to be.


4. My parents were in the area so we called them and met up at Sandy Hook, Fort Hancock. An old base where my dad lived for a few years as a kid. It was awesome. He lived in a darn mansion and the place was so cool. Definitely made the trip worth it. We toured a mortar compound, went in to a museum house that looked like the one my dad lived in and took a little driving tour of all the places my parents use to go and where they got married. It was really a great experience. My father was asked by one of the tour guides to interview for their website and he was really excited about it. I can't wait to see it. For now you can check out the website at: http://www.nps.gov/gate/planyourvisit/thingstodosandyhook.htm it is so cool.


5. The BBQ was short and sweet. We were an hour and a half late but that was a good thing. We ate we visited and then we claimed a big ride back and left. Perfection.

So that was the trip. In other news I set up an Ebay store. Which is doing great. Anyone interest can check it out at http://stores.shop.ebay.com/Dicounted-Sole-Searching__W0QQ_armrsZ1 I am still working on the graphics. But hey - I got nothing but time :P)

Confessions of a Shopoholic

I love to shop.

I love to shop.

I love to shop.

I love to shop by MYSELF!

As you may have guessed I went shopping. I bought the largest amount ever for resale. It was fantastic. Lucky, Gap, LL Bean, and more for less than 150.00. Lucky jeans, NEW, the kicker - they are in my size and now I don't want to sell them. The closest I come to a name brand clothing is Walmart Levi's. LOL, well that and shoes - but it isn't like I get those at full price.

Call Janet, Ms Jackson if You're Nasty

Yes, I had a wardrobe malfunction. I didn't expose the girls to anyone... today, anyway. I did however spend the greater part of the morning with my fly down. Also, I took C to the bus stop this morning and slipped on a pair of socks and sneaks. When I got ready for work I kicked off the sneakers and put on a pair of heels (really cute Jessica Simpson's) but, I left my black socks on. I noticed during lunch as I was balancing my shoe on the end of my toe while waiting for my boss to actually swallow his food. Note to self, don't go to Moby Dick with G Money. (On the way in he told me he took his mother in law there and she vomited soon after eating, Great APPETIZER there!)

Seriously, Shut the F UP

Are you F'ing kidding me?!?!? Apparently my pathetic luck with the CW and OTH is continuing to send me on a downward spiral. Actually I was already on the spiral just unaware of it. I am so ticked and not just at companies I have no real attachment or loyalty to. Oh where to begin...

1. I need my own cell phone.
2. I need my own GPS & the Indians to move out!
3. I need my own camera
4. I want my own money
5. I want my own DVR
6. I want a new elbow
7. I want this darn cold to go away!

#1, my cell: Scott brings it on all his trips. He travels a lot. Last week he was suppose to go to New York. I drove him back and forth to the airport five different times while he tried to catch a flight that kept getting delayed and eventually canceled. The last trip turned out to be VERY expensive and scary.

S called around 6:40 to say his flight and his trip were canceled and to come get him. So I get C and Maggie rounded up. C was in Jammies already and Maggie just looked so sad that we were leaving the house, again. So I load in the troops and off we go. We got to the airport at 6:48 and drove around the pick up location six or seven times. By this time it is past seven, it was dark and I was thinking, well maybe at the last minute the flight took off. But I have no phone to call S and find out the scoop.

I decide to park in hourly parking and go inside the airport. Parking is four dollars and I knew that USAF would pay us back for that. As I am parking I see a sign that says NO PETS. Then it says that violators will be ticketed and could face possible jail time if pets are left in the cars. But by this time is is almost 7:30 and I am frantic trying to find S. So I tell C we just have to hurry up. I park in between to HUGE SUV's and hope no one can really see my smaller station wagon. Then I realize the kid has no shoes and is wearing only boxers and a thin T shirt. Luckily I he had left his ugly crocks in the back and I had a sweat shirt for him, but still it was cold and he was way under dressed. I felt like a terrible mother.

We run into the airport and search for a working pay phone. It took a few minutes. Finally we find one and of course I have no change. But you can use your debit card. But the phone doesn't really work. I tried a few times and then finally got a operator to help me. But I get voicemail. By this time I am convinced that the plane took off. So C and I run to the car and see a flashing light on top of a work truck stopped one vehicle away from ours. It is airport security. The guy was waiting for us! He sort of waved his hand to me while I was getting C in the car. Then another airport goer started asking this guy where the exit was, so I just took the opportunity and zipped out of there. I know the guy was going to say something to me, or worse give me the ticket.

Next we go around the airport a few more times and finally at almost eight we see S. He was P.O.ed to say the least. He was so exasperated by the airport and the workers there that he looked like a deflated balloon. I really felt so bad for him that I just did even complain about running around like a crazy women for the last hour and twenty minutes. He explained that right after he called me he realized he might need some sort of travel form from the airline to explain the mess because otherwise he might have an issue trying to get work to cover all the charges for the hotel, and his personal costs for the day. When he attempted this someone was helping him, said they'd be back and never returned. He had to ask two or three more people and it just took forever.

So we get home and I check the computer to see the payphone charge. I print out the charge or 5.00 and the parking fee of 4.00 and ask him to please try to put that money on his travel voucher. He did this the next day and was surprised they said yes so easily. Someone in the finance office even did all the paperwork for him just to be sure. It was great.

Fast forward to today. I check our bank account. The five dollar payphone charge dropped off and was replace by this:

Oct 5, 2009 IOS TEL TO 5083402595 800-2262606 TX DEBIT CARD PURCHASE ($35.95)

I called that 800 number to complain, thinking that was accidental charged for the seven or so times I tried the call before talking to the operator. I was so wrong and was told I had the opportunity to ask the operator the rate. The call was three minutes in duration. I argued as politely as I could and just said I had no idea I'd be billed over $10.00 PER MINUTE! I was told that wasn't the case it is just that the calls are expensive and the rate is only a dollar a minute but with CC fees and tax the charge is high. The man, Todd who was on the other end was actually nice, but obviously he works for a rapist. Eventually he offered me a partial credit of $17 and change. So minus the five the Air Force offered to pay, it still cost us $12.00 and a splitting head ache. I need my own phone.

#2, my GPS & neighbors. If I had my own and we didn't have Indian neighbors I wouldn't have gotten yelled at by the cop and cried.

The Indians, they have ten cars. To be fair, one is a twenty passenger bus and nine are other assorted cars, SUVs, and work trucks. Their driveway holds the bus, a blue tarp covering an entire house worth of furniture and two cars. The rest of the cars get parked in the street. Two of them in front of our house, two at our neighbors and a few sort of jammed in at the end of their driveway sort of in the middle of the street.

On Saturday we had a party for C. So Friday night S scoped out one of the street spaces directly in front of our house so that our guest could use our driveway. I parked in the grass.

Saturday morning we needed to take Maggie over to Doggie day camp. I asked S to bring her. We ended up having this huge fight over it. Here are the highlights:

• He didn't want to take his car because the neighbors would seize his parking spot
• He holds the GPS, it wasn't charged
• He didn't remember where Pet Smart was
• I yelled directions to him at least three times, I yell, he just stops listening (don't blame him)
• He takes my car, but my car doesn't have a lighter / charger so he cannot use the GPS
• If I had my own GPS it would be charged
• I finally say and not in a nice way, that I could have been to Pet Smart and back by now and get in the car and leave
• We say we are sorry when I get home

But the story doesn't end there. Oh no. Herndon was having a parade that day and the side street we live off of was blocked to through traffic. It wasn't a problem leaving but coming home was a whole other ball game. I circled our block but there were barriers everywhere.

I went back to the one barrier that had a guard / volunteer and turned left onto the street and stopped to chat with him and see what to do. But instead this Cop gets off his motorcycle and starts yelling at me. Asking me if I can read, saying "can't you read the sign it says no left turn!?" "can't you tell this street is blocked off?" "Can you read, what to do need to say so bad that you can disobey traffic signs?" and the tirade continued for at least a minute which felt like an eternity. I just started to cry and cry hard. Through my sobs I just look at the volunteer and say "I live here, the signs says no through traffic, but I live here." Then the cop gets back on his motorcycle and peels off back towards where I need to go. The volunteer looks at me and asks what street I live on. I tell him and ask if there is a different way to go that I do not know, and he says, "no this is fine. If he gives you any trouble just tell him I said it was okay." then he lets me through.

I go one block up the street and the cop won't let me pass. He is yelling something to me and gets off his bike. Then he moves the barrier and gets back on. We go one more block and he does the same thing. This time I just go around him, still crying and sobbing and by this time I really need a box of Kleenex.

So if the Indians didn't have twenty people living in one house and own ten cars (I don't really know how many people live there, but the ten cars is no exaggeration) and I had my own GPS that was charged S would have taken Maggie and I would have been happily cleaning up the house while he was away. However it didn't work out that way instead I came home all upset and S thankfully was cleaning. Which was really nice. Hug, hug, kiss, kiss we make up and try to forget about the asshole cop. Who by the way, was wrong, the sign didn't say no left turn it said No through traffic, but I wasn't through traffic. Asshole.

#3, a camera. S travels a lot. He takes the camera with him. I cannot sell anything on Ebay or CL without a picture! It drives me crazy. This man is in school full time. He uses the computer day and night and I have free time when he is AWAY! Hello, McFLY!!!! you've been to Denver a billion times I think you captured the beauty a while back.

#4, my own money: I just want my own. I am so tired of scraping and saving just to transfer money from one account to another just to pay bills and cover stupid things like pay phone calls. I need my own money. I feel lost and drowning in a sea of debt and cannot really focus on the big picture of it all. IVF killed our savings and maxed our CC. I don't really know what to do, but I don't want to explain why I chose to go buy a two dollar cup of coffee. Not that S cares or even pays attention. I just feel like I have to have an answer because it is my responsibility to take care of the money.

#5, my own DVR: Everything works great in the off season. However come premiere season life sucks. The DVR can only do two non permanent things at once. We can record one show and watch another or we can record two shows and watch one that is already on the DVR. If you have a recording for more than two shows at the same time the DVR chooses the one last two you put in or the ones you set a priority for. S and I have shows at the same time and my show didn't get recorded this week. I want my own.

#6. my elbow: Yeah it sucks.

#7, my cold: So does my cold.

It is 9:02 PM

Do you know where Peyton and Lucas are?

I keep waiting for the series to say they went to visit Lucas' mom or something with the new baby. How on earth can you have a BABY or allude to it anyway in the finale of season 6 and then pretend like they don't exist in season 7? Did I miss something. OTH is a show about the Peyton Lucas love story is it not? And who are all these new lame characters? Put my favorites back.

I didn't get a memo on this change, nor do I approve.

CW, go F yourself.

The Best Laid Plans

Trying to plan a 6 year old Birthday Party? Don't. Make a cake, hang up dollar store balloons and buy ear plugs. Everyone will have a great time, and you will be able to save some sort of sanity for next years shin dig. LOL. My plans didn't happen. S was able to get the boys all in a line at one point to play T Ball but even that was a stretch. They were happiest running all over the backyard yelling about transforming into that or morphing into that.

I have a great letter to write to certain parents, but I shall hold my tongue for today. For One Tree Hill starts in two minutes. :P)

Saturday Morning

It is party day. At this point I am looking forward to it. In the end we had 12 RSVPs, so 13 kids including C. They'll be here between One and One-thirty and then we are partying hard until three. Why between one and one-thirty?? Hmm, well that is a strange one. I got this email from a parent I don't know saying she'll drop her kids early. She didn't really ask or say why. And apparently she isn't staying? I suppose Herndon is a whole new ball game. People actually let their kids out of their sight for a few minutes? Oh well, really I don't mind. The boys coming early are some of C's best friends.

Another parent called and said her daughter has health problems but she "isn't one of those parents who keeps their kids locked up at home because they are allergic to everything under the sun." The girl is allergic to peanuts, pets, milk, eggs, and a whole list of other things. Then the mom says, "so I'll drop her off and pick her up at 3:30ish". I thinking "whoa, wait a sec 3:30ish? what does that mean?" What if this girl has an allergic reaction to something? It was strange. Are these parents just walking all over me, or is this just the way it is here?

ANYWAY,
The party plan.

1:30 - 1:45 kids arrive and color pirate pictures
1:45-2:05 Walk the plank game
2:05-2:20 Pirate toss game
2:20-2:40 pirate, pirate, captain aka - duck duck goose
2:40-3:00 CAKE
3:00-3:15 play with pirate toys
3:15-3:30 Reading the book Pirate Pete

So, well see how the actual schedule goes. I am hoping to play a few games outside, but the weather doesn't look too promising. Sadly I have to mow the back yard. But other than that I just need to pick up our mess from yesterday and bring in the extra chairs from the shed. Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy.

An Open Letter to Bryer's Ice Cream

I went to bed last night at 7. I was just exhausted. I woke up around 9 and vaguely remember downing some Tylenol and having a half of a Diet Coke. I must have woken up ten times again after that. I was actually relieved when C came in a 6:30. All night I just had wicked nightmares. Can't say I really remember any of them I just know they all had to do with death.

This "illness" I assume was completely brought on by emotional stress. Sob, sob. Yesterday I had a really bad headache. It was massive and I knew I needed more then Tylenol to even take an edge off. Then I realized I couldn't take anything harder because it had been more than 30 days since my last period. Of course I know I am not pregnant. It isn't possible. Still, I have strict instructions from the doctor to not take the medicine unless I know I am not. So I pee on a stick and even though I know there won't be two lines, I am still heartbroken when there isn't. Part of me wishes I just suffered through the headache. Pity, pity, blah, blah, I took two Vicodin and ate ice cream.

And now my open letter to Bryer's:

Dear Bryer's Ice Cream,

You do wonders with chocolate. As an emotional crutch you are top notch.

I'll take ten pounds over crying any day,

I thank you, and my ass thanks you.

Sincerely,

I love Ice Cream.

Pirates Ahoy!

God only knows what I was thinking. S and I promised C a real birthday party this year. So, when the invite came months ago for my uncle's 50th on the same weekend we knew we'd either have to celebrate C's early or late. In the end we chose late - i.e. this weekend. So on Monday before school I filled out 21 pirate themed invites and stuck them in his back pack. We've gotten a few RSVP's (all girls) so far and it looks like we will probably have about ten kids there. So that is all well and good ... but then last night C gets a phone call from little Johnny (I forget the boy's real name already) and little Johnny says he can't go to the party because he is going to a baseball game. I had the phone on speaker for him, but then he rounded the corner and I couldn't hear the rest. When C gets off the phone I asked him the details and he says:

Well, Johnny called to say sorry he missed my party last weekend because he had a ball game to go to. I told him that was alright because my cousins were there and we did a lot of dancing.

J stinking C, I could have gotten away with no party! But instead I create Pirate Games, go to the store and buy Pirate themed crap and invite 21 kids and their siblings to our house. I ask you dear readers: What the hell is wrong with me?

Don't answer that.

Puttin' on the Ritz

I just choked on a Ritz cracker. It got lodged at the top of my abnormally large pallet and prevented my tongue from moving. I couldn't even cough. I started to panic and then saw a pen on the table. I used it to dislodged the cracker. My lips are no longer blue. I am an idiot.

Also - S just called he passed his test. Obviously my worry was misplaced, I should have been concerned on how I was going to attempt suicide by Ritz at two in the afternoon.

Hey No Fair!

Life isn't all that fair. I know - great words of wisdom there.

S is taking a PT test today and he was a wreck last night worrying that he wouldn't pass. In 10 years he has never failed, yet this year ... well it is a different story. He added a few pounds going to school and not running around chasing C after work. Still he'd be fine but then about two months ago (I think) his high tech knee brace broke. He has been working with Tricare to get a replacement but the process is SLOW. Without the brace he isn't suppose to run. S is a very good runner. He is can go months without eating right and not working out and still run a 5K with a good time. But without the brace he just can't give it his all and hasn't been to the gym as much as normal. Last week he got out of the test but then this week he was told he had to take it. And since he still doesn't know when the new brace will be in he couldn't argue. So he took it this morning at 6:00. And I have no idea how he did. I have called his desk three times and left one message. Worrying for nothing I hope.

In other not fair news. G money, aka the putts, emailed me last week and said there would be a delay in my employment start date. I replied saying that was fine, but now I haven't heard from him. I am going to call him this afternoon and see what is going on. This is weird...

Some Things Never Change

Which isn't a bad thing. For example: Family vacations. Dad is so darn stubborn - everyone gripes and complians and yet we all manage to have a blast.

• The family visit went off without any major incidents. But… a quick rundown of the visits faults before moving on to the cheerier side:
• My father broke an outdoor folding chair. I warned him multiple times that the chair was going to break. (we’d already broken three in the last two months) He insisted on sitting in it anyway. One day he reached back and distributed his weight across the chair differently and it cracked. When he tried to get up, he cracked the other side and sort of got mashed into the folding of the different arms and legs.
• My parents and grandparent made plans for me. I missed a birthday party because of it. I was slightly annoyed, but at the same time glad to be out of another kid party. Such a double edge there. Still I feel bad for A and her little 4 year old. When you say you’ll be there – it is nice to actually show up. Sorry guys!
• My mother had the worst gray and dyed orange fro I’d ever seen her sport. In fact it was so bad that my aunt S actually offered to dye it for her
• This happened towards the end of the vacation.
• I got stung by a bee. It hurt – a LOT.
• I barely got to use my computer, I had to beat off my parents with a stick, they are both so addicted to Mafia Wars of F/B. It is crazy.
• I gained an extra chin while they were here.
  
  The Cheerier side:
• My sister made the trip after debating to nix it due to financial and emotional type stresses. (we basically guilt tripped her into it and offered to pay)
• My aunt from Oregon got to come up and see us for a few days too.
• My parents were not as cheap as they normally are. In fact my mother for the first time ever didn’t get up to “use” the ladies room, even once, when the check came.
• We had a lot of fun touring Georgetown, Harpers Ferry, and the casino (multiple times.)
• We ate like kings and queens. (hence the new chin)
• On the 26th we went to my uncle’s 50th Birthday Party. It was a blast.My sis and I made complete asses of ourselves singing “Day Dream Believer” and “Can’t Buy Me Love” during a rousing edition of family Karaoke. We scored in the 30ies I believe. My uncle sung some old country love song and got a 92. But we weren’t the worst. I believe the group that sang “Super Freak” took that crown.
• We got to see tons of family there. So cousins I haven’t seen in 10 years were there, one with a boy the same age as C so the kids were happy.
• I saw another cousin who I hadn’t seen since I was a child and it turns out him and his newer wife live only 25 minutes from here. They even offered to take C for a weekend while we go on VK sometime. Heck I might just take them up on that one. His wife NL only works minutes from our house. We might get together for lunch one day. She was wicked nice.
• We danced a ton at the party. My sister took a really funny picture of me doing the YMCA, mid A. It is hysterical and just might have to be my new profile picture. Although my mother kindly reminded me that the Internet remembers forever. Thanks MOM!
• The hot tub at the hotel was awesome.
• All in all it was a great week.

Sooooo Sleepy

The 'rents are visiting. We're having a great time. Life is generally good and there are no major complaints ... yet. (ha, ha)

Although I am so tired. I cannot figure out what is going on. On Saturday we went to the best ball game ever. I was really into the game and yelling the whole time. I sort of feel bad for the couple trying to make out in front of me ... I was really LOUD. Needless to say my throat is wicked sore and my voice has been cracking for a few days. But that is no complaint, the ball game was awesome and I loved every second of it.

So other than a sore throat I shouldn't have anything else going on; so the tired issue is bugging me. I am getting plenty of sleep.

Oh well - back to entertaining.

TTFN

What???

I decided that I would go to work tonight, which meant C and I just had to go shopping :O) So we went to one of my favorite junk stores. As we were walking around I found a few things I could resell but really traffic was so horrid that we only had like 45 minutes until the place closed. So anyway, we were power shopping. In the furniture section we saw C's old toy box. We donated a ton of crap when we moved. This one had a crack in it and to prove it was our old one still had a blue moving sticker on it and an USAF sticker still on it. We bought the toy box in California, and moved it a few times. We paid less the five bucks and for it and the last three years it has been in a shed collecting vermin. Literally. This place had it marked for 20.00. No wonder I only found a few things. Highway robbery. That thing is only like 35.00 new at Toy's R Us.

Anyway, as mentioned before my Internet sales are going well and I am now wondering why I ever stopped this business in the first place. It is fun. But I suppose you cannot make any substantial or consistent money at it. Oh well, as some readers may or may not know I was offered the job with the putts and accepted. It is only ten hours a week and after the first month or so I can work from home. So I am pretty happy about that. I start in two weeks. Which, is one reason S wants me to get a car. Funny - but we have the money all squared away from the bank, yet neither of us actually want to spend it. LOL - maybe I need to sell a few more odds and ends first.

Ambition

One of my friends recently told me that when she was younger she had no ambition and now the problem is that she has too much. I started thinking about ambition. Maybe it is time to decide what I want to be when I grow up. Here is a list of occupations and ideas I had growing up

1. I once told a teacher in grade three that I wanted to be a gypsy.


2. I seriously wanted to be an astronaut and a rock star on the weekends.


3. In grade five I announced that I wanted to be a pilot.


4. In grade six I pondered being a rock star again. Until I was told I could join the library group during chorus hour. Apparently my vocal talent was missed during my rendition of Mama Paquita.


5. In high school I thought about working with kids then I realized the pay sucks and really I didn't always like other people's children.


6. Now I am thinking that rock star weekends and gypsy weren't bad ideas after all :O)

My ambition now, well - I still don't have much. I am happy with the way things are. Although I was thinking that I am really having fun selling stuff lately. I would love to own a thrift store one day. That would be a really neat job. Plus, I'd get the best deals :O)

Sell Baby Sell

Just a quick note. I am making a killing today! I sold all my 3T jeans to one lady and now just got a call from another who is picking up a costume and an email from a guy picking up stuff tonight. I am enfuego my friends.

Just My Day

Yesterday we went to a picnic at C's school. It was set up really cute with back yard style games for the kids and a pizza fund raiser for the PTA. It was pretty fun. To our surprise C brought over all his new friends and introduced them to us. Seems like he has a nice little group of "best buds", as he calls them.

After the picnic we went back to the house to hang out. It was sort of nice, we all ended up in our room piled on the bed watching Sponge Bob. Even the pup was behaving, for a while anyway. It seemed like we could all fall asleep at 7:30. C didn't last much longer and I had to get up and get ready for my aerobics class.

I went to the gym around 8:05 and walked into a room of about twenty women. For a while everyone was just standing there. So I began to talk. Two ladies I talked to were really nice and we talked about vacations and our pets. If anyone ever sees me "work" a party of people I don't know, they'd know that when I want to start a conversation with someone I don't know, I always ask "how do you know the host?" or "have you been here before?" and then move on to "Do you have any pets?" and "What vacations have you or are you taking this year?". They are sure fire convo starters. Although I asked one lady if she'd done Zumba before and she just answered "Yes" and then zipped her lips. And another one seemed sort of shy, just nodding her head no and sort of listening in on my conversation with the two women I was talking about Vegas with. I will have to try to stand near here next week to see if she will open up a little. If you have someone to talk to the class has the potential to be a lot of fun. However it wasn't as much fun as it could of been last night. As much talking as I did ... well that was all I did. The instructor didn't show up and at 8:30 the class was canceled. So I came home and ran a few miles, not something I really wanted to do, but I figured I as strapped into an uncomfortable sports bra so I might as well put it to use. Hopefully next week the class is actually a go.

No More Monkeys

Something Funny:

Over the weekend S and I were in our room, at night, in the dark ... and C was sleeping. We weren't. :O)

Well, C sort of woke up and was standing in our doorway, so S just told him quietly to potty and go back to bed. Then we picked up where we left off. The child was so sleepy and out of it neither of us thought he'd carry that scar.

So the next morning C tells me he is upset. I ask why and he says "the other night when I got out of bed you were eating ice cream" and I say "yeah, I didn't have a snack that day and you and daddy had had ice cream earlier" then C says "well, then last night when I got up you guys were jumping on the bed without me."

I tried to hold back my laughter and started tearing up. He then said something about me feeling bad because I didn't wait for him to jump on the bed and he forgives me.

Monday, Monday

I could go for a nap. Unfortunately for me, I'm not much of a nap person. I would need to be seriously deprived of sleep in order to have any slumber. When I worked full time and C was going through his 5 AM Pop Tart phase - I could nap. But alas, today I shall suffer. LOL.

We did a lot this weekend, a ball game, apple / blackberry picking, impromptu car shopping, eating out with friends, my Zumba experience, and just having a generally good time. It was nice.

When we were out with friends S told them he had to buy me a car soon. I was really surprised at that. Then on the way home we stopped at a dealership and looked around. We found a pretty good deal on a used Volvo and a used Subaru. We checked out the prices on the Internet when we got home and found that they were priced low. We might go back later this week. S is checking out his works version of craigslist first, to see if we could get something cheaper. I don't need anything great, just something I can drive and goes from A to B a few days a week. I actually cannot drive our SUV, it is too big for me. I cannot park it at all. I even hit a car in a parking lot a few weeks ago. No damage, just a bruised ego.

The parking issue might be due to my eyes. I noticed when we were at the ball game that I couldn't read the score board all that well. It didn't prohibit me from having a good time though. The weather was absolutely perfect. C played in the kid area the entire time and didn't even want to come home. It was really fun.

On Sunday we went out to Purciville (the sticks) to go apple picking. We met up with some friends there and just picked and picked. I got a quart of blackberries, but I swear I ate three quarts before I ever got to the check out farm stand. They were so huge and so good, especially the ones in the sun - they were warm, juicy, and bursting with yumminess.

In other news to complain about: I am reading this new book, a James Patterson murder deal. I only seem to read Patterson when I have nothing else. I like him, but a lot of times after I finish the book I just think about all the crap I could cut out and shave off 200 pages or so. This one, Double Cross is better than usual although the scenic descriptions are driving me crazy. They don't flow easily with the story. The setting is in DC and Patterson makes a point of describing each detail of the killers movements marked by exact DC metro area locals. I think if I didn't know the area well it wouldn't phase me, but really I know FedEx Field is in Landover, I know there is a score board, I know 16th Street in SE isn't a good neighborhood, and I know that SW is the projects - I use to live there. I get it. (granted I got to live inside an armed gate community, but I still got my ghetto on - on occasion :P) - yeah I'm a bad ass) Oh well, I'm about 1/3 of the way into it - I am sure there is room for improvement.

Last week I read a VC Andrews book. Don't ask me why I always go back to that trash. Maybe because it is an easy read, maybe because I really liked that crap when I was a teen? Who knows? Anyway a few weeks ago C and I were at the library and I came across this book, Melody by VC Andrews (well, the writers that represent the Andrews name anyway) So I choose the book because it looks interesting and ... and this is a big and ... it isn't part of a series. Almost all VC Andrews books are, actually I don't know any that aren't. I personally don't love series. I can't put them down once I start. I want to read all of them. I was roped into the whole Twilight deal earlier this year - I met my series quota. But I digress, so I read Melody. It was pretty good. Although as in nearly all Andrew's books there is this weird vibe of incest or sexual abuse. So last week I go over to the library and get a new workout video and happen see on the shelf a book with the picture of Melody on the cover, but it isn't Melody. And in my head start yelling "Darn it - the book is in a series!" Needless to say I check out book number two. So now I am waiting for the library to have book three on hold for me and am stuck filling my time with an inelegant novel.

I know you care.

I'm Challanged

Dear Readers,

It may not surprise you that I am at times a flake. Signing up for Zumba was proof of such character. I wish I had pictures of myself. When people turned left I went right, when everyone screamed I clapped, and when they clapped I just clapped off the best. When the instructor said turn, I forgot and then had a hundred people jutting out their bodies in my direction. Twice my shorts fell below my waist to my thighs. I lost four pounds in two hours and was so thankful that I wore these spandex-ie sort of shorts under my regular ones. (I was a little worried about chaffing and I know, so classy) By the end of it, my hair was soaked, my limbs were almost number, and my perma grin was plastered so far back I was showing my molars. But the saving grace was once again, the doubled up shorts! I was one of the only ones with out a butt crack sweat line down the back side of their apparel. So yeah I rocked it.

In case anyone was wondering, here is what the community center had to say about this class:

Zumba Master Class
A two hour Zumba dance class
full of hot salsa, meringue,
cumbia and much more. sWear comfortable
clothing and be prepared
to dance till you drop. Water and
light refreshments provided.
Pre-register by Sept 10 for a
discount.
1, 2 hour session Pre-reg $10/At door $15
September 12
2245.999 Sa 12:30-2:30pm

Notice the word MASTER in the description. Yeah, I totally missed that part! So while waiting for the class to begin I noticed a girl who had awesome shoes. So I had to tell her and we got to talking. Then she started doing all this warm up stuff and I was just sort of standing there thinking, what is she doing? Oh man do I wish I had joined her because now I keep thinking: yikes, I also signed up for regular Zumba classes, hopefully my legs will have healed from all the jumping around by then.... they are soooooooo sore. :O)

Sincerely,

I can't wait to do this again on Tuesday, because as you all know, I enjoy making an ass of myself.

It's a Dance Party

I signed up for Zumba and it stats today. I have my reservations, what was I thinking? I am not this out going, I don't know anyone there?

For the last three weeks I have been renting dance/ workout videos at the library in an attempt to obtain some sort of rhythm and preparedness for this class. You should have seen me doing the salsa one, it was a riot. I actually fell twice. C was hysterical at that one. This week I borrowed a belly dancing one, that one was actually boring. The guru, who crept me out with her REALLY dirty feet, broke down all these steps to do these really slow movement. When they we slow, I swear a snail could do them. When she sped them up, I couldn't keep up. During the harder moves I just ended up doing some aerobics steps to pass the time. My plan didn't work, I am no more athletically inclined than I was three weeks ago.

An Open Letter to The 3rd Grader

Dear Punk,

It was great to see you at the bus stop this morning. You seem like a very sweet and conniving little girl. I do not appreciate you telling me what to do and when to do it. You are 8, I am obviously not 8. So please go back under the rock you crawled out of.

It is true as you said, I have a dog. However you are in no way allowed to tell me I cannot bring my dog to the bus stop. My son, C, is the only child who crosses to our side of the street in the afternoon. You, your brother, and other assorted deviants stay on the side the bus drops you off on. Thus I can bring our family pet with us and stay across the street from the stop. If you don't like it, stay on your side of the street, where you belong. After all I wouldn't want you to get hit by a car while crossing to tell me you don't think it is "appropriate to have a dog because it scare people."

If you aren't nice you will grow into a bitter and ugly girl no one will like.

Have a great day at school.

Sincerely,
You are a pain in the ass, no wonder your mother doesn't come to the bus stop with you.

Dummy

My dog is a dummy. I just got done cleaning up the kitchen. Last night I made spicy, really spicy Sloppy Joe's. (they were amazing) Anyway, I made them in the crock pot and forgot to clean that up. It still had the spoon in it. So today I put the pot to soak and open the dishwasher to shove the spoon in. Maggie runs into the kitchen anytime she hears the dishwasher door. She loves to lick the dirty dishes. I see her coming and tell her, "no, no Maggie, HOT" She licks the spoon anyway. I rinsed it but it was wooden so I knew it would hold onto some to the heat. Well she yelps, backs away and then starts barking at the dishwasher. My dog, the dummy.

But she also is pretty smart sometimes. Yesterday I walked her to the bus stop to wait for C to get home. The bus pulled up and I said "there's C" and she just started getting so excited. Then this morning when it was time to bring C to the bus stop she went and sat right next to the cabinet her leash was in. She wanted to go too. - So cute. But to her dismay I didn't take her, one of the parents complained yesterday that it really isn't allowed because someone might be allergic to dogs. I didn't see that in the rules anywhere. So, maybe I won't bring her in the morning because everyone just stands around waiting but in the afternoon there are no kids running around just a few grown-ups, and I am sure by the end of the week I'll be the only on there.

Speaking of the bus stop. There are a bunch of boys there wearing turban like things. Not like the big white ones I've seen before, these are black and really tight against their skin and there is this big knot on the top where there hair is twisted into it. On kids sister has Henna all over her hands. I don't know what religion or anything that is, but I sure am curious, I have never seen it before. The kids mother was at the bus stop yesterday morning, but not today. I should have asked, but I didn't want to sound like a rube. I tried to look it up on the Internet but got no where fast, turban head, and Indian religions didn't bring up what I thought it would. Dummy - right? LOL

Tuesday, Tuesday

S got home yesterday. I don't think I ever missed him so much. Boy, did he have stories for me. Some really funny and some centered around his parents which weren't funny at all. Over all he had a great time and that is really good, I am happy for him. Not to worry my dear fans, we got a chance to talk a lot about what is going on with me and in our lives right now. So, things are good.

He is kind of funny though, he doesn't read this blog. Isn't that strange? It is saved to the favorites, my friends and family read it. I don't hide my feelings (obviously) and just type what I feel in the moment, so it is all right there. I would be so darn nosey with that. LOL. But he just said, it's my business. For a guy, my husband is actually pretty complex. But I digress, the point is, I missed him, he had a great time, and we had a good night reconnecting and having fun with our son.

Something Funny, we had Pizza Hut for lunch yesterday. Then S said, at dinner, that C could pick out what we were going to eat because today would be his first day of school. So I said I would cook anything he wanted. C thought about it for a minute and said "well, all I really want is pizza." LOL - so S went out and got us a pizza. Twice in one day.

That would be why I am getting off this computer and going for a LONG run. Ahhhh the first day of school. I am almost giddy. Who am I kidding ... almost - HA.

When You Have to Choose

About six weeks ago I had a conversation with a friend that is haunting me. It has been since the day she said it. She said she "chose God." She gave birth to a beautiful little girl, M, who died at 38 weeks before ever taking a breath. Doctors called it a structural defect, but basically M did a few somersaults that resulted in a very tight knot of her umbilical cord. My friend chose God. She chose to grieve, love, learn, share, and grown in Christ. She chose to take the hard road and not blame anyone.

I am not her. I didn't choose, I just sort of said, well Jesus, thanks but no thanks. And until last night hadn't prayed a prayer in his name other than recited words in church and ones people have requested for get wells, and the likes. So last night, It was nearing midnight and I wanted to go to sleep, but I was really thirsty and the dog had to go outside. So I grabbed a diet coke and went out on the deck. Maggie disappeared into the night chewing sticks and chasing her own tail. I was left with a starry night and my own thoughts. So I prayed my first real prayer since the miscarriage. I was really crying and sobbing and hardly getting the thoughts out when I just blurted out loud that I was broken and I didn't know what to do. I remember thinking "obviously I cannot challenge you, asking you for some sign I am going to misinterpret anyway, I just need some guidance, I'm so broken." Then I finished my Diet Coke called the dog over and went to bed. As I fell asleep I was still just thinking how broken I was and how I didn't choose I just let go.

Today, at church, our new church, the priest gave a half hour homily on people being broken and having to choose the holy spirit. I didn't hear anything else, not C making noises, no pages rustling, no A/C vents, no noises of any kind. I didn't see anything else, no movements, no people, no nothing. All I saw and heard for thirty minutes was this priest talking directly to me. In a church full of at least a thousand I was the only parishioner. It was all for me.

When we left I shook the priests hand and thank you. It was really all I could do. He used so many phrases and examples that I had prayed upon the night before. I have never had a such a direct experience. I'm choosing him. I am still not okay, but I choose him.

2 Things

Two things have made me feel better in the last ten minutes. One was an email from a friend about a mutual friend of our husbands, and I totally agreed with the subject matter, although not my point. My point: in my response I mentioned playing Rock Band naked. The images I have running through my head are hysterical. Don't ask - just go with it.

The second is my sisters new blog / writing website on Wordpress. She posted a new story, well new to us anyway. She is so talented, this she knows of course. But if you like to read you should check it out, and then of course tell everyone you know about her, especially super important editor and publisher friends. http://melissaconstantine.wordpress.com/ I just noticed that a copy of Smashing is posted. That is the one, the one to make it, I just know it.

What the Hell is Wrong NOW?

I watched the Sex in the City movie tonight. I curled up with a Diet Coke, a blanket and the pup.

Charlotte got pregnant after she adopted and "stopped trying".

I wish I drank.

Sunday it's Church & That's IT

I swear, I make life so complicated sometimes. Neither S nor I have any concept of how long things actually take. I tend to be a little better sometimes, but certainly not when it comes to events like, games, flying, or parties. Anyway, today My plan was:

9:00 go to three yard sales in my neighborhood
10:00 look at car for sale in Woodbridge
10:45 go to yard sales ending up back in DC for 12:30
12:35 get pizza
1:00 meet friends at their hotel w/ pizza - they leave for their new assignment in Nebraska tomorrow.
3:00 head home, maybe stop at the store for some marshmallows (there is more to that story later)

Around nine I am rounding up C and getting my pocketbook in order when the phone rings. It is the guy in Woodbridge (40 ish miles away), he sold his car last night. I was a little annoyed, since in a way he had sold it to me - but honestly, it doesn't matter. If I got there and really couldn't stand the car, I wouldn't have bought it and the guy would be out a sale. So, anyway C and I head out anyway and go to the yard sales and then head out towards Bolling AFB and Andrews AFB (they are only about ten miles apart). Man did I get good sales! I finally got a nice dining room table and chairs and only paid 50.00. The family who I bought it from were so nice. The guy helped me take it apart and fit it in my car, which was no easy task considering at the last yard sale I bought a bike! Eventually we fit it in and I headed to Bolling to get pizza. I swear things just take so long, we did make it to my friends at 1:00 but imagine if I had actually gone to look at that car, I would have been so late.

We are always so busy. LOL - even when we are suppose to be just relaxing and visiting with friends. Anyway, on my travels I also got a fire pit and surprised C with marshmallows - we are going to roast them tonight. Should be really fun.

Tomorrow we are just going to rest. Although I might make C ride bikes to church with me. Got to get the bike rides in while S is away. Whose parents don't teach their children to ride bikes? Yeah, that would be my in laws.

TTFN -

The First Grade

I remember my first day of first grade. I was really excited and planned what to wear for a week before hand. I practiced all sorts of things to prepare and was sure I was going to be the teacher's favorite. One of the reasons I was so excited is because a week before school started my mother took me to meet the teacher. Her name was Mrs. Julius, you know like the orange Julius drinks that use to be in all the malls. Anyway, her husband was a dentist and she said that he would be visiting the class. This thought really pleased me because I knew I didn't have any cavities. Mrs Julius also told me she loved my romper.

For those two young to remember or to old to care, a romper was a one piece jump suit sort of outfit that was popular in the late seventies and early eighties. My "romper" was made of terry cloth and was a soft turquoise color and I had red jelly sandals, which have oddly made a come back in recent years in the preteen/ tween group. I was sure I needed to wear another thing the same color so the teacher would remember me. For the occasion my mother bought be a long sleeve dress shirt with a scalloped edged color that was a lighter version of my romper color, on one of its sides it said Cabbage Patch Kids. I wore this shirt for two years straight until it fell off in protest.

So, back to the first day of class, I wore the new shirt. It was only like 100 degrees that day, but I didn't care. Mrs Julius noticed and said "Jamie, I am glad to see you again, I like your shirt." I was in heaven. From there on I don't remember too much about grade one, other than the dentist day, mixing up Lion and Liar during reading groups, winning the super bowl challenge of guessing the score - I won pudding - everyone else got fruit, getting in trouble for talking too much and then lying to get out of it (now that is a good story), and playing endlessly on the playground. I loved the big old trees. Under them there were hollowed out nooks where the roots were and you could curl up in them, endless hours of house, Fraggles, Wuzzles, Little People, and Carebears were played there. I am not sure this was the year we saw Haley's comet or not, that may have been second grade. Either way I had Mrs. J for both grades.

The big lie went something like this:

"Jamie and So and So, it is time to quiet down and concentrate."

one minute passes

"Jamie stop talking."

one minute passes

"Jamie STOP TALKING"

one minute passes ... Mrs J comes to my desk and asks what is so important. I just casually smile and say "I'm sorry, I can't see the board."

The next thing I know Mrs. J is sending a note home telling my parents it is time to get an eye exam. Like two days later I had glasses, and I didn't even think I needed them! LOL, certainly I did - but that isn't' even close to what I was talking about. I was talking about, get this, Michael Jackson.

It was book day. That one day a month when the book orders come in and everyone gets a book from scholastic or where ever the school gets them from. Anyway, I had talked my mom into getting me the biography of Michael, pre Pepsi Injury. And I was telling my friend all about the book as I read it instead of doing what ever work I was suppose to be doing. Ahhh nostalgia.

So today I took C to his first teacher meeting in his new school. The teacher Mrs. T seems very nice, although there wasn't much meeting time - It was more of an open house set up. But C and I plodded around the classroom doing a make shift scavenger hunt and checking out where his seat was. From memory it was a lot different that when I was in school. The kids sit at tables, not desks. C is almost too big to sit at the table, good thing he is skinny but for height I know he is in the 95th percentile this year (he had his physical on Tuesday), but still he most likely won't be the tallest kid in there. His knees sort of hit the table when he tried to sit down. But he said he fit fine once he scooted the chair in. My son looked like a giant. LOL. But he is really excited and for a while I shared his excitement.

On the way home he asked for a haircut, ice cream, and how many days until he gets to go back. I am a pretty proud parent at the moment. Good Luck C.

Busy, Busy

I got an email from G money, also known as the putts. His initials are GM so it's either G Money or Speed Racer as a nickname, Putts just seems wrong if I accept his job offer. What to do, what to do? There is this whole pro / con list forming in my head. Just my luck it is even. I'll have to chew on this idea for a while.

In other news, Ebay is making a killing lately. Last month I only shopped three times and listed accordingly and made 162.00 profit, and that is after all the Ebay, paypal, and other seller fees. Plus some items I saved to list later, so the cost for them has already been subtracted. I have spread sheets all mapped out to calculate it all. Then there is craigslist, which I am no longer a fan of. My appreciation for it was certainly short lived, but still I did good. A friend gave me a bunch of ideas on how to list to avoid schemers and the likes, so I might try a few items that are too big to mail. Speaking of which - mail is expensive! I sold one pair of jeans for eight bucks, paid three and lost like seventeen cents on the deal after mailing and fees. Oh well, now I have the spreadsheet and know a much better price point for this month. I really do love shopping :P)

Well, better go, I actually have one left over item on Craigslist - listed before crazy guy, that is selling today - the lady should be here soon. Good bye old dog crate that we only used for three weeks! Hello 25.00 in cash :P)

I'm Okay

I took two Tylenol PM's around nine and two more around eleven. At midnight I went to bed and slept like the dead until 7:30. The pain is gone, but I am worried it is going to come back. I put a call into the doctor and will have to leave it at that for now.

Also, my jeans smell and I need to change them. I wore them two days in a row, so I suppose that is the problem. I only have one pair that really fit, the others are too loose, and one is too small. The fall is hitting earlier than expected here. Sigh. Blah, blah, blah.

Either Way, It Will Be A Long Night

Alright, it is official: I cannot be around certain pregnant people or babies. Tonight we went to a 1st birthday party for A, a real cutie. There was a pregnant lady there, she was actually at the Melting Pot two weeks ago too, and I wasn't too fond of her then either, and she was complaining that she hopes "this one is a boy, they are so much easier, and I really want new baby stuff." She has two girls. Normal conversation for some, but not for me. I can't take it. S didn't pick up on it and I didn't tell him. He thought she was nice in her defense she probably is.

Also, I may need to go to the ER. I am not sure. I am trying to keep myself busy and just not think about it. But I am having really bad pains in my upper abdomen and upper back. Horrible pain. I am not really that big of a menstrual cramp type of person, if I have cramps it is just my lower sides and I can pop some Tylenol or Midol and forget about any real issues if need be. But this is killer, I am getting twinges and sever sharp pains. Because of the whole IVF/ Miscarriage deal I am at risk for a whole bunch of extra fun issues including twisted ovaries and Fallopian tube blockages among other things. Plus I never went in and had a sonogram after the miscarriage. So now I am paranoid, and since this is my first real period after the ordeal I am a mess. Its not fair. Other people can endure this crap knowing it is how their body works so they can have children. So what, I just get to pretend?

To Dave or Not To Dave?

I have a love hate relationship with a financial guru I watch on TV, Dave Ramsey. He is a Christian, no nonsense, almost arrogant guy who makes no bones about being right - I love that part. Then there is the part I hate, I feel like there is no way we could obtain his wealth or restraint. His basic mantra is, if you don't have the cash you cannot have it, and if do not have the cash saved for emergencies and retirement you can't afford it either. No car payments, no credit cards, no mortgages, and certainly no IOU's of any kind. A few years ago I was certain he was right, then I stopped using credit cards, and started paying off balances. But I made a lot of money then, now not so much. Then with medical expenses we drove up the credit card debt and I am freaking out over it. So I am back on his bandwagon.

Today after a really nice morning and lunch with C I started balancing the budget. Something I have been avoiding like the plague since I began the moving process. I transferred the BOA account to USAA previously, as you may have read and today paid off our AMX card. That card we only use at Costco, we decided to keep that one because the balance you can have is low and perfect for plane tickets in a family emergency. Then there is Discover, yikes. That one is a mess, we moved on that one, and that is the one we use when we just don't know how much money is in the checking account. Oops. So I put a hold on that one. We can't use it, I think it is going to take about six months to pay off then we are going to cancel it. Once that is done we can work on the big IVF / USAA one.

Meanwhile, I bumped up our savings allotments and set the utilities on auto pay programs so that we owe the same every month no matter what. Electric is high, but everything else seems reasonable to me. Plus with the new house we actually make money, even after the utilities. The extra money pays for cable and one student loan bill each month. Plus this month S was TDY an made a little extra, so we bought C school clothes, went to Busch Gardens (free for military), and managed to leave money in the savings account in August. (that's a first) So I am pretty hopeful about the whole money thing now. Seems like we are on the right track.

An Open Letter to Feminine Products

Dear Always,

Yesterday I purchased a mega sized package of pads. As you can imagine, when someone goes to the store and only buys one item, it is because they need to use it right away. This is why I hardly ever go to the store just to buy toilet paper, pads, or medicated creams. I know the cashier is thinking, well she's on her period, or man she must really need to take a sh**, or man what type of rash does she have? But as payday is today and not yesterday I could not hide my purchase among other items I didn't really need.

So, I get home, got to the bathroom and, well, use the product. Later in the day I return the bathroom and notice it smells like cleaning solution. I find this kind of weird because I haven't cleaned the bathroom since Thursday. Then I realize it is the pad! So I reach over to my shelves to read the packaging and see that these are "newly scented".

I am writing you today to inform you of smells, that women might find pleasant while enduring this gift of femininity. Cleaning solution isn't' one of them. I would like baby powder, vanilla, or even cucumber melon - but Mr. Clean? Kind of ironic ey? Please, no more weird scents. It is disturbing.

Sincerely,
Crampy.

Seller Beware!

So, I have been dabling in the Ebay rhelm of bidding, selling, and just plain watching the sales of items I'd love to have but cannot afford. One is a rug, I bought this rug at a thrift store for 25.00. I new it was expensive by the way it felt, but wasn't sure. So the other day I looked at the lable on the back more carefully, and it said LING, Pottery Barn. I was a little excited because I figured now that I know what it is I could get a matching one for the dining room. Oh, so wrong. The rug is listed on ebay for around 450.00 plus shipping! Also I found one on Craigslist that is small but the cheapest I saw was 200.00. Crazy. But enough about me, well not really.

This week I am selling a good amount of Ebay for some really insanely high prices. Some jeans are going for like 17.00 for two pairs. That is really good. Also, I placed an extra bed on craigslist. I got this email from a guy saying he would send a check and have someone come pick up the bed. Then he emails and says he is sending me more $ if I will forward the remaining to a moving company. I said no, then he emails and says he I should do this based on trust because he already sent the check. (which isn't true because he also said he was working on a tracking nuymber - uhh he'd already have it?!?!) I said, I'll see what I can do, and if I cannot help I'd send the check back. You've got to see this email exchange - it is crazy. Needless to say I think my Craigslist days might be numbered. Too many crazies out there.

When I get the funds I will let you know and see if I can help. If not I will return your check

Jamie > Date: Thu, 27 Aug 2009 14:44:28 -0700> From: adamzahr@ymail.com> Subject: PLS DO THIS FOR ME BASED ON TRUST : Ikea Queen size bed / white. CHEAP *** 200.00 - $200 (Herndon, Va)> To: scottandjamie@hotmail.com> >

Im very sorry for not getting soonet back to but i emailed you that the check as already been issued and my mailed to you first thing yesterday and i will email you the tracking # asap but what will you do to assist me when you recieve the check? cos it was issued with your information and the shipping funds as been included, besides i still have alot of other items to pickup along with the one i wanted to buy from you. So i will want you to deposit the check into your bank account and deduct $200 for your item and dont forget to deduct the extra $100 i have promised you for your running around and send the rest of the money to the shipping company billing representative via money gram or western union and you will email me the transfer details for confirmation. hope to read from you asap.... have a wonderful day....> > ---

On Thu, 8/27/09, jamie wagner wrote:> > > From: jamie wagner > > Subject: RE: Ikea Queen size bed / white. CHEAP *** 200.00 - $200 (Herndon, Va)> > To: adamzahr@ymail.com, "jamie wagner" > {> > margin:0px;padding:0px;}> > #yiv298570281 {> > font-size:10pt;font-family:Verdana">scottandjamie@hotmail.com>> > Date: Thursday, August 27, 2009, 8:18 PM> > > > > > > > #yiv298570281 .hmmessage P> > {> > margin:0px;padding:0px;}> > #yiv298570281 {> > font-size:10pt;font-family:Verdana

Hi, I am sorry, I just read this email more carefully> > and do not feel comforatble with the arrangements. I> > cannot wire anyone money. This is a straight sale with> > no strings attached. If you want the item I will> > be happy to sell it to you by cahiers check, money> > order or cash. Please let me know as soon as possible if you> > will still be purchasing the item.Currenlty the listing is> > still active. Once payment is recieved I will> > erase the listing. > > > > > > > > Jamie> > > > >

Date: Thu, 27 Aug 2009 10:20:29 -0700> > > From: adamzahr@ymail.com> > > Subject: RE: Ikea Queen size bed / white. CHEAP ***> > 200.00 - $200 (Herndon, Va)> > > To: scottandjamie@hotmail.com> > > > > >

Hello I will like to tell you that i have a problem with my GMAIL ACCOUNT now i will not be able to communicate withGmail nOW, But from now i will be contact you here with this> > email am using to email you here and the payment will deliver to you tomorrow morning in which i will get back to you with the tracking number of the payment Thanks for the information once again, all i want you to do for me now is to remove the item from sales list and consider it sold to me, coz I'm going to start working on your payment and get back to you with the ups tracking number of the payment so that you can also know when to expect the payment,and I'm going to> > include the shipping> > > company fund that will be coming for the pick up of your item and some> > > other items i bought in your area along with your payment.so you are to deduct your payment for the item and extra $50 for your running around and get the remaining money wired to my shipping company so as to come for the pick up as soon as they receive the money.So please let me read from you soonest if you can take care of this..hope to read from you soon Thanks


Re: Ikea Queen size bed / white. CHEAP *** 200.00 - $200 (Herndon, Va)‏
From:
adam zahr (adamzahr15@gmail.com)
Sent:
Wed 8/26/09 3:21 AM
To: jamie wagner (scottandjamie@hotmail.com)

Hello I really appreciate your response to my email.I want you toc onsider it sold, pls do withdraw the advert from craigslist to avoid disturbance from another buyer.I want you to know that i will be paying via bank certified check .I will like you to provide me with the following.information to facilitate the mailing of the check to you . 1.....Full name to write on the check2.....Full Physical address to post the check3.....City, State and Zip Code4.....Home & Cell Phone to contact you *** Note that the payment will be shipped to your address via UPS NEXTDAY SERVICE and I will like you to know that you will not be responsible for shipping i will have my mover come over as soon as you have cashed the check** Thanks i can trust you on this so we can move forward from here.Regards

In the initial email he says nothing about paying a shipper or wiring money. His spelling was bad, but I just figured he wasn't from around here. I didn't start saving my responses until I got suspicious. To the original email above I responded - this is a little strange, are you local? Then I gave him my name and address. So I was thinking when he said to keep extra money and forward some on, if I deposit this so called check into my account and his bank returns his checks, my account info will be stamped on the back. This has identity fraud all over it. Only me, right?

An Open Letter to the Putts

Today, I had an interview. The guys was sort of a putts, a smart putts, but a putts all the same.

Dear Puttsy,

Thank you for meeting with me today. You seem very kind, and easily pushed over - I like that in a potential employer. I also loved hearing about your children, your wife, the salaries of the rest of your employees, and all the general topics you covered while suffering from diarrhea of the mouth. Although your practices are anything but PC or HR friendly I still found your insight and goals for your company with in reach if you hire me.

As we covered in the interview, I am over qualified to the nines, am willing to take a drastic pay cut for my field, and will gladly make my own hours. Your company seems to be offering me a wonderful, mother friendly position. However your puttsy behavior is a slight red flag. You may not be aware that through out the interview you were asking me when I could help, when I could come in, can I work at your home with your wife, can I work from my own home, and asking me if I minded cutting checks. (secretly when you asked me that I was thinking if I worked at home I could cut a lot more then checks) As you continued to tell me what hours you needed me most and when you'd like to see me move from HR rep to full time HR/Sales (so not going to happen) you faltered and I could see that you were in fact, a putts, perhaps a larger one than I originally thought.

You are one who has no clue how to run the actual business paper trail end, who has been winging the process through a good accountant and is afraid to yell Uncle. I could so picture you yelling "Uncle, I quit" when I asked you how you tracked things like EEOC. I totally knew you didn't know what that meant. Then when I asked you if you provided background checks, you so lied. Dude, if you are working in a secure environment and the contracting company requires the check you so need to apply for DCJS. You didn't even know what that meant. I was seriously about to burst a gut laughing, but I didn't - I have great reserve. To add to this fit of giggles I was fighting, I actually shed a tear trying to avoid the snort noise that was building in my throat when I asked you if you applied for 8a yet. I was surprised you knew what that was, but man, that is like area number one. If you want the big contracts, get the big tags. Your wife owns 60% so you are a WOB, 8A, and MOB. You have three huge labels government contracts require - you'd be a shoe in. Wait, maybe I should do your sales, after I apply for your ratings. I'd clean up on commissions.

The bottom line is this, you are running your company into the red because you have insisted on doing all the inside tasks such as payroll, insurance, and paperwork in general yourself. Now that your company has grown, you are upside down in terms of hours because a software engineer is sitting home at night rounding time for payroll when he could be developing websites and software making two hundred bucks an hour. So, you need me - you need someone better than what you are willing pay for.

I also wanted to take a moment to let you know that I enjoyed reviewing your website today. Your home page has multiple spelling errors and grammar mishaps that need to be corrected. You so need someone whose first language is English.

Last thing - I saw you checking out my ass. I find this quite funny since, just a few days ago I was complaining about fixing the rack and having it attach to the back. (maybe you had to be there)

Sincerely,
I'd so work for a putts.

An Open Letter to Bank of America

An Open Letter to Bank of America:

Dear Credit Card,

As you are aware I, JW, have been a card holder since 2005. In the past I have used this credit card for school purchases, tuition, and fees. Most recently I used the credit line to pay for medical expenses. As you could imagine this created a very high balance, 13,900.00 total. Each month we paid twice a month, managing to pay 800.00 per month. Between the months of July 15 and August 15 I paid only 343.00 which was the minimum payment, due to an impending move. On August 1st I scheduled a payment and called to change my address. The change of address took three days to "verify" and caused my payment to be in limbo one extra day. This created a default! You created a default! You are so stupid. Now instead of an average interest rate of 13.5% I have been informed that my interest will be 27.5%.

I could not believe my 27.5% notice. When I received it this week I reviewed my account and my little notes, and noticed, that this is not my mistake. So, I call. I get nothing but a pep talk saying if I pay my bill on time for six months you can adjust my rate. This is unacceptable.
I have transferred your crappy service and my balance to USAA, at 11% interest. They were delighted to help and promised me an auto pay system that will not default if I change my address. Today, I called to cancel my BOA account. I am going Dave Ramsey on your ass. Fuck you.

Sincerely,
Thanks for screwing me.

Run Forest Run

Yesterday I started to feel better after lunch. Of all things I ate McDonald's. There is a slight back story: By 10:00 I was a more of a wreck then I was when I was throwing up. Coop and I had just got back from the Verizon store (we needed a new cell phone) and S was just getting out of bed and needed to get working on his paper for school, so I talked C into watching cartoons with me. I was in and out of consciousness on the couch. Around 12:30-1:00 ish S wakes me up by yelling, "Hey did you erase the memory card, where are my pictures?" He doesn't even look - we always keep them in the same set of sub folders in the computer. He gets so annoyed if I use this stuff. He says he doesn't, but he does. He gets all defensive and rude. For crying out loud, I labeled the pictures Colorado 8/09. Granted I was sick and just woke up on the wrong side of the couch, but man was I annoyed. So I help him find the pictures. Then I realize the time and ask if he fed C. Nope. So I go in the kitchen planning on making sandwiches, but the sight of food makes me physically ill again, and my stomach started to convulse. So I just slap on a fake smile and tell C to get his shoes on, I can take him out. S gets all mad and starts stomping around saying C has left overs from the restaurant the night before and he can eat that. So we get in a little bit of a screaming match. Which really is my fault, I was sick and tired, and really crabby. But then I started to get really mad that S had no compassion to that. S said to me "well, what do you want from me?" and I yelled back "MORE" and left it at that. C finished his left overs and then we went to return some movies - the return box was at McDonald's. Once I had food in my stomach that I didn't have to cook or prepare, I felt worlds better.

Later the boys went to a ball game and I got time along in my own house. It was really nice. I was able to list a bunch of stuff on Ebay, Craigslist, and Stub hub. Then I realized I actually ate half an order of chicken nuggets and fries (I shared with C) so I decided to run on the treadmill for a spell. It felt great. I ran for like 25 minutes with out stopping, I didn't have to stop to let the dog in or out, didn't have to stop to hear C whining about something or other, didn't have to stop to separate the dog and kid, or stop to get anyone a snack, show them how to use a remote, or change a video game in the Xbox. It was great. I just wish I started earlier, I could of kept going, but it was 9:00 and I knew the boys would be home in a few. Sure enough I stopped and with in a few minutes heard the front door. I wonder if this will be what it is like when C goes to school. Might I actually be able to spend time on me guilt free? OOOOOHHHH so excited.

Redskins Football & a Hamburger = Sick

Oh Gross. I woke up this morning at 5:30 so sick. Puking sick, which woke C up. I had to take a shower after - super gross. I still have a horrid taste in my mouth and feel like I have been hit by a truck. The story of the sickness:

I went to a football game with a friend last night, BRJ. It was pouring through half the game, although that was part of the fun. We had great seats that she obtained through a friend that had season tickets she was unable to use. The tickets came with a parking pass (We parked right up front for free!) They also came with pregame wrist bands that got us into a BBQ buffet. That would be what did me in. The hamburger. One lousy - and I do mean lousy hamburger. That and the coffee I had on the way home to keep me awake. Gross.

It was really neat to go to a game with her. We were goofy and silly and had a great time. BRJ had some friends that were also there - we met up with them for a few minutes during half time, it is always interesting to meet other people's, people. They invited us to a bar after. I hate bars - so that wasn't happening. But, the bar they invited us to was five minutes from BRJ's house. They said if she wanted to go they would drive her home. For a minute I was wishing she would go with them and save me the extra hour on the road driving her home and then turning around to get me home. Then I realized these people were already drunk, and prayed she'd decline, which she did. To my surprise when we stepped away from her other friends she even made a comment about them having a lot to drink.

You'd think I drank, but nope not a drop of beer. Actually, I don't even like it these days. Well, in years to be honest. I get sick from even one beer. Plus I always get heartburn and think Diet Coke tastes better. So no reason to drink. But I do have another heaving reason to visit the bathroom.

EEEEWWWW.

Melt This.

Tonight's events were fun but strange.

• First, I was the only one who was single for the night, at a restaurant set up for couples.
• Second, I was paired with a couple to share a fondue pot, the wife was pregnant - so I figured, let the pregnant lady pick the accoutrement's - which worked out just fine, to my surprise.
• Third, her husband was sort of a dick.
• Fourth our waitress dropped 380.00 worth of food on the floor before she was able to get it to our table.
• Fifth, I though she was going to cry and felt really bad for her. Sixth, the others started to complain. I did not. It was A's Birthday, she picked the place and I didn't want her to feel responsible to what turned out to be really crappy service.
• Seventh, I drank I think seven diet cokes, all of which I had to ask for, some of them more than once.
• Eighth, we were there for over four hours.
• Ninth, we all paid 8.00 for valet parking. Our cars were parked directly in front of the restaurant??? How is that Valet? The guy didn't even move some people's cars from where they pulled up.
• Tenth, The food was really good, and my friend looked so pretty in her new dress. I didn't look half bad either :O) Although I did want to undo the button on my skirt before I got into the car - LOL.
• Eleventh, the butter garlic sauce for the lobster tasted like the smell of the bathroom air freshener. EEWWWWEEE.
• Twelfth, I tripped on a tear in the carpet on the way to the lobster garlic butter sauce bathroom. My heel caught the edge of the carpet and pulled this huge string out. I am pretty sure the tear was there before hand , not so sure if anyone saw me or not. I swear follow me around with a video camera - eventually you'll get a video on America's Funniest Video's.
• Thirteenth, everyone was talking about ultrasounds and giving birth - I made a trip back to the bathroom - water proof mascara people - it is the way to go.
• Fourteenth, On the way out we all took pictures, that was sort of fun and silly. Two people were walking by and I said, "oh strangers, oh strangers can you please help us?" They just kept walking. Another girl, M and I were giggling over that. Then the boys got the valet guy - who didn't really valet anything to take the pictures. I am pretty sure my eyes were closed in all shots. On the last one I was trying not to blink, and then my eyes started to water while I waited and just as the flash started, I had to blink away the burn. Luckily A's husband is a master photo shop artist. I think I'll ask him to give me JLo's body and whiten up my teeth while he's at it. Ha, ha.
• And fifteenth, I totally got lost on the way home. Downtown NW DC gets me every time. S took the GPS and the cell phone to Denver. I had a few choice words for him as I was doing a slight pee pee dance in the front seat (see 7 diets cokes in #7) with my skirt unzipped (see "unbuttoning in # 10) and my seat belt sort of positioned away from my bladder as I drove home. You'd think after living in DC for 3.5 years I'd know my way around. HA.

In the end, strange but fun overall. It was nice to get all dolled up and go out, even is S couldn't make it. The babysitter was awesome, and for the first time in a long time I didn't worry if I was out too late or if some other parent was getting sick of my kid running around like a raving lunatic pretending he was some general or private from Call of Duty. In fact the babysitter was thrilled that I allow video games and was asked C right away if he wanted to join forces and fight the German's. To my surprise C replied with "in World War One or Two?" What? I didn't even know he knew about any real wars - I guess video games are good for something after all.

Super Mom

Alright, alright - enough whining. I'm better. I'm am still ticked at S, but really it's nothing new. He flips anytime I mention Las Vegas. God knows why, I go with my sister, and I've only been two times. Whatever, if I want to go, I'm going. He goes everywhere. This week he is in Denver for crying out load. Yes, it is for work, but in September he is planning a trip to Massachusetts to see his friends over a holiday weekend - so screw it. What is wrong with saving up and going on a little get away for three days? It doesn't even have to be Vegas, that is just where M and I wanted to go last time. I am not going to feel guilty about wanting to have some non-family-friendly fun.

With that in mind I signed up for Zumba classes starting the middle of September. Go me. I always see my friend BRJ posting to FB that she just go back from Zumba, and it looks like fun. It is an aerobic dance work out deal. I also signed C up for gymnastics. Out off all to pick from that is what he really wanted to do. S might be mortified when he finds that out. HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA - I feel no sympathy for cavemen.

Life is good once again. Also - going to the Melting Pot tonight. Nope - can't afford it, or the 8.00 an hour babysitter. I had two pay periods worth of notice, it didn't help. Still, should be fun. I am taking some money from the savings account. HA, I should say my pathetic account. I put the 800.00 from the washer in there. I spent like 260 on show tickets for Christmas eve, 265 on Zumba, gymnastics, and a few other individual classes at the local community center, and I bought a new dress, granted that was only 17, so I'm feeling pretty good.

So, this babysitter. I found her on Craigslist. I posted an ad last week. Another lady replied and said she charged 15.00 an hour! When I said I could offer 50.00 and a great meal for five hours of babysitting she wrote back "Sorry Ms Wagner, I don't do 10.00/hr". WTF? I had to change my ad to read, I pay 6.00 an hour, teens welcome with parents consent. I found a teen, but she's on VK, then a college girl emailed me and said she charges 8, if I can't find a teenager she'd love to help me out. I talked to her on the phone and she seemed really nice. Hope everything goes okay.

Currently I am waiting for the timer on the brownies to go off. Not sure how I am going to make it through the night without eating one! They smell so good. I have really been trying to loose a few more pounds. I am hovering around 180, which for me is friggin' great, but still not good for the old rear view. I swear I use to have these huge knockers, I get those paired down thanks to a crappy surgeon, to normal size and then start gaining weight in my ass. So, not fair. I was 175 at Easter, ish. But as soon as I started eating normal again, a few pounds crept back. Errr. Maybe I better run another mile on the tread mil?

I got C registered for school today. It was such a relief. I tell ya, yesterday I was about to loose my cool in front of the school administrator. I went to register C and they told me I needed an appointment. The appointment calender was empty for that day, Wednesday, so I said, how about now, or in a hour or two? The women said, I need 24 hour notice. Really bitch? Oh well, today she was nice. Registration took all of 12 minutes. 12 minutes, and for that she needed 24 hour notice. Who cares - he is registered. I had to make up a fake report card for him, how funny, and brought in his last physical from Nov. The fake report card was funny. I just down loaded a template from online and filled in the blanks. I didn't even bother to explain that he was home schooled this time around, so not worth the trouble. They took the report card at first glance and asked C who his teacher was. He sort of looked at me and then just hid behind the chair - we are going through a fake, very FAKE, pretend you are shy phase. Then the lady just moved on, and I didn't correct or adjust any info for her.

Next it was off to Target to by the school supply list. 25.00 later I am still missing notebooks, a binder, and ten YES TEN glue sticks. Silly.

Personal Struggles

I've got issues. Nothing new right? Well, this time around things are different. I am having a problem voicing my opinion and expressing my discontent to the right people. In the past I have been able to say what I need to say, discuss the issue, and move on. But over the last three years I have either grown out of that trait or lost it by accident. I am not sure which. Lately, I just keep my mouth shut. I don't want any confrontations, I just want the uncomfortable crap to go away. Ultimately that just causes things to build up and when I want to talk again I am harboring negativity. Here are the latest cop out topics:

• A trip to the Melting Pot
• S's feelings about by previous solo vacations, only two - but he gets made anytime the topic gets brought up
• S's past attitude towards me working full time - the support is pretty minimal
• A Red Sox Game which leads to the above two topics
• The W's and everything concerning them - I haven't even talked to them since they left - and don't care to
• IVF, we just keep putting it off
• Money, I am a little worried about it, but if I bring it up then he gets more worried - it isn't a factual conversation it ends up being an emotional one
• Sex, see letters to Mother Nature

What is a girl to do? Eventually I am going to tip over from all the extra weight on my shoulders especially the husband issues. I don't like unresolved emotions. I have been telling people I have been really wrapped up in the new house and getting settled, but the truth is I haven't unpacked a box in days and have just been avoiding any type of new time commitment. Not that I haven't had commitments, we've been busy to some extent, but at night all I am doing is watch TV - no ambitions to return emails, talk with S, or even move. I don't know - it could be boredom, it could be depression, it could be just plain old exhaustion. Or it could be that I am just pissed off at my husband and have been avoiding confrontation so long that I don't feel I have the right to rant and rave. I've got issues, and like I said before - nothing new.

And Where Do I Think Money Grows?

Apparently on tress. Although you'd think it came from the faucet because I have been spending it like water.

1. Christmas show tickets
2. Hired a babysitter for Thursday at 8.00/hr
3. RSVP'd to a birthday dinner at the Melting Pot for Thursday - boo-kooo- bucks
4. Bought crap
5. Bought more crap
6. Agreed to drive back to BAFB tomorrow to see friends and Thursday for the BDay dinner.

I might be crazy. Just saying...

Watch - the car will break down.

An Open Letter To Husbands

Dearest Husbands,

We love you. You're idiots.

Sincerely,

Devoted

Holly Heat Batman

It was friggin hot today. As I sat in the first row on the first base side of a ball game - awesome seats! - I nearly fried. In fact it was so hot the park was actually giving away free water and ice. I made it to the seventh inning. Our team was winning, the Frederick Keys, so I was able to talk S into leaving. That in itself is a win - I have sat through two and a half hour rain delays with this man, and he still wouldn't leave a game early - lol. Anyway - we had fun. Summer Sunday's at their best.

I've got a lot to yap about, but lately I just don't have the concentration. The new house has sort of drained me. I owe three people email replies, still want to send out change of address notes, need to go to C's new school, reformat the computer, figure out our new budget, and a whole list of other things. Plus, I have like five open letters to complain in - that I still haven't done. Well not happening tonight. S has asked me to help him find stuff out about Pike's Peak. There is a whole story to go with that. Oh well - S is out of town all week - maybe I'll catch up.

The Practices of the Tooth Fairy

A friend of mine told the cutest story ever about her son leaving a note with a lost tooth asking the tooth fairy for a laptop, one for him and one for his brother. It was just so darn sweet. Here was my reply:

So Cute :P)

C has three loose teeth at once. He asked me yesterday if the tooth fairy gets a discount on a "double or triple teeth loss". I said no, and he was so relieved, he just smiled and said "so it isn't two for one, or buy one get one half off?" I said no again and started to laugh. Then he very seriously told me not to laugh because when I am old "like 35 or something" and loose all my teeth at once for "faker ones" I won't want to give her a sale either. I was laughing so hard I was crying. BTW I'm 32, only 3 years of healthy teeth left according to C.

An Open Letter to Anne Marie A

... I wonder if she'll Google her name? I better take the last name out of the title.

Dearest Anne Marie,

It has been years since I have seen you. Remember the last time you followed me in your car beeping and honking until I had pulled over. I was leaving for North Dakota in a few days? I met you daughter she was a toddler - before that the last time I had seen you was at her / your baby shower, and before that high school. You confuse me. Seems you have a good life now, two kids, a job that keeps you busy, and I assume you still have both your parents. The husband seems to be out of the picture. So now what are we, email buddies? I don't think so.

As you will remember, you tend to stretch the truth to unrecognizable proportions. I will not be returning your last email, claiming that your beloved son has CP and is on the Autism spectrum. Those are real issues that need real attention, no joking or "stretching" matters. Because of our past encounters I am inclined to think that the back ground you provided on your son, J, might be blown out of proportion and I do not want to be involved. I have friends that have children with real issues who need so much support and external motivation, they would trade anything for "normal." I feel it would be a betrayal to them to befriend someone who may be lying about their real diagnosis and everyday struggles.

My advise to you, if you would like to connect with old "friends" keep it light - hey how are ya? Life is good, I have two wonderful kids, my parents are well, I'm living in .... - that kind of stuff. Because of your past as Pinocchio you need to develop trust first. I am careful who I am friends with, for this I owe to you - as backwards as that may sound.

I also would like to thank you for setting S and I up on a blind date in 1994. For this you may take credit as a one time match maker.

Best regards to a long healthy life for you and your family,
Sincerely,
I can't handle fake

PS. If you have changed to great proportions and I am completely wrong, I welcome the opportunity to see, marriage, divorce, employment, and medical reports for you and your family.

Renting Bliss

I love this house. Today I worked on Ebay listings all day. I haven't done Ebay in years, but had so many boy clothes and I didn't want to just give more bags and bags away. C and I played a few game in between listings, had a snack on the deck together, and watched Escape to Witch Mountain, and then I looked around and noticed the house was a wreck. I cleaned it up in less than 20 minutes. We were able to get rid of enough junk that now everything has a place and even if it isn't in its exact location things still look picked up. I love it.

Kim your right - I do have more space than I thought. Quite enjoyable.

Jame -Just wait until to you get to a state that doesn't let you home school or makes it really hard, I bet you will miss it terribly! I wish I had your resolve and conviction - to some degree anyway, although I really am looking forward to public school for C, that is with an extreme amount of guilt!

Ready, Set, Action

I'm unpacked. Well, sort of. S and I were able to get the living room, den, kitchen, our room, C's room, and the computer room in workable order. There are about twenty boxes of left over items and next seasons clothes for C in the laundry room and a few misc boxes in the computer room waiting for a shelf. That is what I'd consider my chore list. S's is the guest room. That is where we put his baseball cards - and they take up the entire room. In fact you can't really get in the door. But at least the parts of the house that we can see are unpacked and decorated. It feels nice.

For the first time ever I have a real living room, no TV. This is high class you see... I love it. The dining room is connected, not unlike Minot with the kitchen on the left. In fact the basic floor plan is quite similar. Walk in front door, no hallway, the living room is left and the kitchen is straight. The dining room is to the left of the kitchen making an L shape into the living room. The difference is off the flat wall that was in Minot on the left in the living room there is a double set of doors going into the computer room. Then instead of a stair case running up the right side of the wall creating a hallway of sorts in the entry the stairs go up and down to the right, strait. Then there is the upstairs - bedrooms and the downstairs - den. It is just so cute. Small but cute.

Things with the school seem like they are going to work out. After talking with the home school education lady it was determined that C doesn't need to be assessed and all I need to do is go to the school. Next week S is TDY to Denver, so I'll have a car all week - guess that is when I will take care of it. School - full day - can you believe it?!?!?!? I am so excited. I know, I know, bad mama.

I'm Alive ... & Half Dead

Gee it feels like it has been forever since I updated my loyal listeners. (Ego stroking at its best)



So first, PAULA ... NOOOOOOO, oh how I enjoyed your pain killer induced stupors and you non relevant banter. You will be missed.



Second. I am scared from the W visit. Deep wounds people, deep. I just can't get over it. I am fixated on the audacity and pure selfishness of both my in laws. The other day I found out some more things that happened and I was totally mortified that now others are witness to what I deal with. The story in short. My neighbor was lost and 45 minutes from home. She called my house in a panic asking for help. D answered the phone. (I was in the shower) He refused her telling her "I'm really not dressed for that" when T asked him to go into her house and read a piece of paper on her counter. The house was unlocked and he has met her plenty of times. He was wearing shorts and a T shirt. Then I get out of the shower and D says something to the fact that T called and wanted to know if C and I were interested in some tickets. So I didn't even call her right back. I got a cup of coffee, started to read a magazine and relax when T called almost crying. I was able to help her and just thought that D messed up the message. Anyway last week T and I took the kids to the ballet and it was at the same place she was going to the week before when she got lost. That came up and I told her how D messed up the message and I could have called her ten minutes earlier, and I felt bad. Then T told me the back story. Mortification.

I just can't seem to shake them. The house is a wreck and I can't help but point the finger in their direction. I mean if we were able to move stuff while they were here, it would have been organized. Like finger pointing helps. Errr. There is so much to do, so much that I have attempted this post three or four times. Maybe I will get to finish it today. I need a vacation.

In other news: S and I have plans to see 3 Doors Down next weekend. We were planning a big day of it. C is going to sleep over a friends. We got a hotel room with a pool and made plans to go to a favorite restaurant before hand. Then yesterday we get this email from Ticketmaster saying that the venue has change. Instead of being in Waldorf MD it is going to be at National Harbor. National Harbor is a whopping 3 miles from our old house and we don't really care for it. We'll have to pay for parking. We used comp points to help pay for a great hotel in Waldorf, all the hotels at National Harbor are booked. Cooper is staying on Bolling that night with friends. The base is only 45 minutes from our new home, so it doesn't really make sense to have him stay over, we might as well just pick him up. We aren't thrilled, but don't know if we really want to cancel. We have been offered a refund, but don't know what we'll do.

One more note of complaint: I am having a really hard time getting C enrolled in school. At first his new school was just like "oh, no problem, homeschooling is great" then they told me to call back in a week and they would get the ball rolling. However when I called back to get him registered then realized he was home schooled "out of district" which changed the whole ball game. Now he needs to be assessed by a professional, has to have a new physical, and dental appointment, and the lady whom is the point of contact hasn't called me back. There is only three weeks to go. I am nervous. Anyway - after calling Tricare three different days I was able to get him a physical appointment for Sept 1 - nothing like the last minute.