Back From the Beach...

Sorry for the long radio silence...
I've been at the beach... soaking up the sun (a little too much sun), having fun with that man and those children (some of them)... It wasn't our regular trip to the Outer Banks, but my close second choice. Also, it wasn't just our family, but a scout trip - but since some of the scout families are like family...
Things I learned at the beach:
1. I can go nearly 5 whole days without Internet, my iPhone, and laptop. A good lesson for me. I feel pretty danged free and without worry that my phone or laptop would get broken or sand/water damaged. In fact, my crappy temporary cell ended up locked in the truck the entire time we were there because I did not care.
2. The ocean and cell phones do not mix. Ask K3. He forgot to take his cell out of his pocket and is in the process of ordering a new one.
3. Spray sunscreen sucks. I am sun burnt. So is that man. He has stripes on his back and I have burn in weird places...
4. Horse Flies are the devil.
5. Porta Johns suck. (I knew this from last year)
6. My future daughter-in-law is a trooper. 5 months pregnant and her first time sleeping in a tent for more than a night. It was her first "real" camping trip and she did wonderfully and without K1. We had a blast!
7. That man with a fishing pole at the beach equals a real smile. (I already knew this, but it was good to see) And I have not seen one of those smiles in quite a while.
8. Also, even though I already knew that man is awesome... He willingly dealt with the chaos of picking up my iPhone on the way home.
9. Sometimes you have to make 65 million trips to the closest pharmacy because they have the best tea in the world on sale.
10. Laughter really is the best medicine.
It was a good trip. But I am glad to be home. I missed home. I am not looking forward to Monday morning though...
Behave!

Still Freaking Out...

So...
I woke up yesterday morning after a very sleepless night and prepared myself to go to my local cell store. I arrived... what I thought was only 20 minutes early... and since I'd confiscated that man's cell, discussed plans for the evening with my mom. When the hour hit, I got out and went to the door... only to realize I'd misread the hours and had another hour to wait... Not happening, so I went home. (only a few miles away)
Obviously, I went back. Too early again, but I was waiting at the door when they unlocked. The tech was completely sympathetic to my crisis, but all he could do was confirm my phone was very dead. He gave me some advice and said... "Welcome to the Hell of iphone ownership."
He wasn't lying.
When I got home, I called the number to make an appointment at the Apple store. The woman who answered did not listen to me and tried to tell me I had to pay either $200. or $69.95 to get a replacement. I said no. My phone is under warranty. I haven't had it that long. I finally told her to just make me an appointment at the Apple store and to stop talking. She apologized and made the appointment.
So, I drive nearly an hour away - leaving early in case I got lost - and finally arrived at this geek girl's dream. I love the Apple store. I would live there. They were very nice and helpful to everyone around me. People left smiling. Then it was my turn. The tech was awesome and nice and did everything he could, but, honestly, it was not enough. I left in tears, without a replacement phone and feeling like I had no options. Oh, it's on order and will arrive in 5 to 7 days... Yeah. Really? That sucks hard. I even offered to accept a lesser phone, but they had none of those in stock either. (I didn't have to pay anything.) I don't understand why I can't exchange it at my cell providers store and walk out with a working phone.
I walked to the store for my cell company and explained my situation. I love my cell phone provider. The guy was helpful and nice and hooked me up with a cheapy toy phone for a few bucks.
This "temporary" phone sucks butt. It doesn't even have voice mail. I don't like it. At all. But at least I have a phone and can text...
The thing is, I am still very much in love with my iPhone. I feel as if I am missing an arm or leg. I'm nervous and shaky... I know that doesn't bode well for my dependence on the thing and maybe being forced to be without it will turn out to be a good thing. (But I doubt it)
I know. I know. I'll survive. Maybe.
Behave!

I Am Freaking Out...

My iPhone is dead.
I know you know how much I love my iPhone!
It will not turn on - no matter what I do. I have tried every single fix. Visited every website and even watched a You Tube video where the phone in question was smashed to bits. (That's really not going to help me considering my phone should still be under warranty).
I don't know what happened. We were on our way to pick up K3 and it just died. It's been on the charger for more than 2 hours with nothing...
Ahhhh!!! We will see what my trip to the cell store brings tomorrow....
Behave!

Feel Good Friday

Oh, week... why do you have to always kick me where it hurts?
There is good though... there is always at least "some" good...
1. Sleeping in tomorrow... Always good.
2. The beach is coming soon....
3. Gas points... because... they are awesome and money saving...
4. The critique partner having the book and having some very awesome concerns... (I know that's kind of backwards, but she ALWAYS knows....) The spectacular thing is that her concerns coincide with my concerns...
5. Wedding meeting coming up! For K1 and it will be an awesome wedding even though we have very little time to plan!
6. My new grandchild coming after 2013 begins...
7. One year from today K2 will be legally wed to her soulmate! How awesome is that??
8. The beach! I am unsure and a little nervous, but it's the beach!!
9. Getting stuff done... accomplishment is always good...
10. Sleeping in tomorrow... I am so very tired....
Behave!!!

What a Day...

Here's a list of things I will not do tomorrow:
1. Sleep in. :(
2. Wear "real" shoes. (flip flops only - until the boss tells me to stop it)
3. Revise, edit, or write. Which, this time, is good because it means my manuscript has gone to one of my trusty critique partners for a final read through. Yippee!
4. Put my hair up. Because I still don't have hair. It's getting longer, but I will probably cut it one more time before I let it grow again. It's ridiculous looking at the moment and the man won't give me the temporary mohawk I want! I'm still working on him.
5. Did I mention not sleeping in? Dang it!
6. Kick a toad.
7. Lick chickens.
8. Be home or in bed at a decent time.
9. Be able to finish the Firefly marathon I started tonight. (I am working on getting K4 hooked! And it's working!)
10. Buy a horse.
Well...There's your random list for Wednesday...
Behave!

Of Ice and Men...

Or of Ice and Kids.....
This sign is hanging in my freezer. It's a reminder to check, empty, and fill the ice cube trays. Our old fridge had an automatic ice maker and still couldn't keep up with the demand around here. I buy bag after bag of ice, but there is never any in the cold box.
I'm not sure the sign will help, but it's worth a shot - especially since the ice bin is behind the sign. I'll have to switch it up in a few days because they'll get used to seeing it and the words will no longer mean anything to them.
***
It's been an insane weekend so far. Late nights, little sleep, and constant running. I did manage to sprint into the grocery store for some essentials yesterday in between taking my niece home and getting to a birthday party, but didn't have time to do the regular shopping. I have a few glorious hours of no obligations this morning... And I am writing.
I probably should get to it.
Behave!

Feel Good Friday...

The "No, it's not really Saturday, even though it is, but I'm still awake so it's Friday" edition... 12:47am - I just finished catching up on everything I HAD to do tonight (and there was no writing! Wah!) and I should be in bed, but the shot of caffeine I had has not left me yet, so now you're stuck with me...
Okay... Here's the list:
1. Baseball game tonight! And That Man's company picnic. Bleh food, barely talked to anyone from That Man's office because we were so spread out (remember - I used to work there, too), but a good time. We took our niece and K4 since K3 had to work. S had a blast and even got caught commenting on the cuteness of one of the players. (Her face was RED! And... He was cute!) The game was kind of boring until the 7th inning. The only thing that kept me amused was K4 and S and their antics.
 2. The Fireworks after the game. They were crazy amazing! Didn't go off too high - I guess because of the humidity ?? - and they were right over our heads. (we had cardboard pieces falling on us) Very cool.
3. Living through the work week.
4. Writing group meeting tomorrow! (In like...8 hours because I have to do a board meeting first... Oy! But breakfast is involved, so that's good!)
5. The rest of the crazy weekend! Birthday parties, Eagle Scout Ceremony (always cool), umm...I think farmer's market, grocery shopping, and laundry are part of the weekend, but I don't know when...
6. K5 and her absolute adorableness.
 Short list this week...
 Behave!

I Could Have Sworn...

I posted earlier this week... Or maybe I was swearing and that's why I didn't? I don't know, but Holy Crap! It's Thursday already! And it's August! Lots going on around here, but not much worth sharing. Just the usual chaos with an extra portion or two thrown in for kicks and giggles Except... K5 is the most hysterical, cutest kid ever! We watched her for a few hours last night and not only did she make everyone eat "pink" ice cream because that's her favorite, she wore us out. In a good way, of course. She's the bestest! and... Looking forward to the weekend, even though it's crazy busy! Feel Good Friday will be late, but it'll show up eventually! Behave!

Feel Good Friday

What a truly sucky week!! I'm afraid there's not much good on the list for this week, but I'll give it a shot...
1. K4 coming home from camp. She had a great time! She talks nonstop about all of the things she did and was hysterical to watch during the closing ceremonies. I missed that kid!!
2. Friday. Thank God.
3. Getting hit on when I went to pick up lunch today. It was flattering, amusing, and amazing considering my hair is still boy short. The bonus is the guy wasn't unattractive.
4. Making revision progress - pretty decent progress, considering.
5. Sleeping in tomorrow...
That's all I've got... Like I said... Sucky week. I miss my kitty boy and K4 was devastated when she got home...Blarg!!
Behave!!

Good Night, Sweet Kitty

Today we said goodbye to our kittyboy, Kramer. :( He was 15. We got him almost exactly 15 years ago as a kitten, with his sister (who tragically passed away about 7 years ago). He was a good cat - good enough that I could overlook the bathroom issues he developed recently.


We knew he didn't have long. He'd stopped eating and had been moving slowly for a while. Occasionally, he'd play with something and make us forget how old he was. His favorite thing was to take over the dog's bed (as seen in the first picture). He would always get on the back of the couch behind me and hang out with me when I write. When I'd get up, he'd steal my spot and put his paw on my computer.


Those that aren't home had said their goodbye's, because we knew it wouldn't be long. Though I didn't expect to come home tonight and find K3 on the basement floor, curled around the cat, sobbing. That broke my heart more than I can say. K3 doesn't remember this house without Kramer. He wasn't even 1 when Kramer came to live with us. He and Kramer were buddies.
Good Night, Sweet Kitty. We will miss you more than you'll ever know.
Behave!

Things I Miss...

1. My baby girl. She is at camp this week. It's only Tuesday and I feel like she's been gone forever. I think / hope she's having a grand time. 2. Sleeping in... 3. Summer vacation with the minions... 4. Hanging out with the friends / family. 5. Writing time. 6. Sleeping in. Yes, a repeat, but I am sooo tired. 7. Summer science experiments. 8. Summer relaxation. (Sense a theme here?) 9. The beach!! 10. The bff's. Soon! That is all... It's only Tuesday. Today feels like Monday, but the week *is* slowly ticking away. I hate to wish the days gone, but... Behave!

Feel Good Friday - The Saturday Edition

Here's the list:
1. That man and that boy finally home after a long week of Scout summer camp. I missed them. A lot.
2. That man's face. And his hug. And thankfully, he will be sleeping beside me once again. 
3. K4 being so excited to go to camp tomorrow.
4. Our "Hello, Goodbye" dinner tonight. The boys are just home. K4 is leaving for camp tomorrow. Good food is planned. And adult beverages.
5. Sleeping in this morning. After a long week of not much sleep, it was very needed. Then... a nap. Nice!
6. Living through the work week.
7. Making writing progress. Not as much as I'd hoped, but still good.
8. Wedding planning x2.
9. Getting stuff done.
10. Beach plans.
That is all for now...
Behave!

I Need Some Sleep...

Yes, it's after 11pm. I am going to bed as soon as I catch up with myself... I think it's been a week, or more, since I've managed to get to bed before 1 or 2 am. (and during the week, I have to get up at 5:55am)(Yes, I slept in Saturday and Sunday, but when you go to bed at 3 and wake up at 9...well, that's not really sleeping in. It's just sleeping more than usual.) Anyways... Things have gone crazy around here. The oldest and his bride-to-be have decided to tie the knot. Okay, yes, they're engaged, but the original wedding date was changed to "undetermined". With the January arrival of my new grandchild,(didn't tell you that one, did I?) they've decided to push the date up - to 7.5 weeks from now. My future daughter-in-law's mother is ill and I am standing in for her in many ways. Mainly, helping to plan the wedding. The wedding planning is easy. This kind of thing is right up my alley. I love it, but we're doing this on a very skimpy budget so it's challenging. We had our first planning meeting tonight (which is why I'm not in bed yet)and there is a long list. I have to get myself and my family organized to manage it all. My first priority is to get the project I'm working on finished and returned. That's a must and cannot be pushed aside. I'm making fantastic progress. I love this story, but it needs some work. I can't and won't set it aside because this is mine and what I need / have to do is important, too. I might have to get a t-shirt made that says that. Of course, I'd have to wear it every single day... I see a long stretch of 1 or 2 am bedtimes in my future... Behave!

Feel Good Friday - The Saturday Edition

It's been that kind of a week! Here's the list: 1. Sleeping in this morning. 2. Waking up to the smell of coffee. Okay, so the coffee smell woke me up, but still... 3. Hanging out with that man I live with. 4. Watching Dr. Who reruns. 5. Camp preparations. 6. My house being somewhat clean. 7. The cat seeming to be feeling better. (He's old and has been hanging out in K4's closet - not really eating and barely coming out.) 8. Making it through the work week. It was chaos. 9. The kids getting all of the laundry caught up. 10. The excitement over camp in this house. That is all for now. Behave!

Jeffrey...

We had a little Blue Jay... Well, kind of.
Last night two little Jay's blew out of our big tree. One was trying to fly and ended up stuck between the woodpile and the fence. I tried to help him by encouraging him to step up on a stick so I could put him someplace safer. That went well, except the momma bird went crazy and I thought I was going to get my eyes pecked out. (Kid you not. As soon as he was safe, I ran.)When I went out later, the two little birds were hopping around the neighbor's yard. They were very cute and the momma and daddy were close. Today when I got home, one of the little Jay's was hanging with K2 on the patio. It looked like something was wrong with his mouth, and he was so weak and scared. We managed to get some water into him via the rodent tube water thingy. He took to that very well and the kids were hopeful he'd be okay. He continued to hang out on the edge of the picnic table. The kids named him Jeffrey.
B and I knew something was wrong and we tried to prepare the kids for his eventual demise, (This was not our first bird rescue. They never end well.) but they were confident he was going to live and be their yard pet. Then...something bad happened. K4 scared him on accident (forgetting he was clinging to the leg of the picnic table) and he squawked and flew into K3's foot. And died. Chaos erupted. K4 cried, yelled that she'd killed Jeffrey, and ran to her room. K2 tried to coax Jeffrey back to life. K3 offered suggestions. We really thought Jeffrey had fainted or something. But... No.
Jeffrey was very truly dead.
I seriously don't think K4 accidentally startling him had anything to do with his death. He was very weak and, like I said above, something was wrong with his tongue. I don't think he broke his neck flying into K3 either. Obviously, he was a sick bird. He was beautiful and it was sad (and so weird). K4 is still feels responsible despite how many times and ways we've explained she's not. :(

Rest in Peace, Jeffrey. You were a beautiful baby.
The other thing is... the kids name everything Jeffrey. And everything they name Jeffrey dies (mainly plants - like K2's bonsai tree - and bugs). So the new rule in the house is that Jeffrey is a death name and no living thing shall ever be named Jeffrey again.
Behave!

Summer Survival Journal: Year Four - Entry Two

We're not even halfway through the hot season... 

The constant hunger of the natives is wearing me down. The shells and beads I must trade to fill their stomachs breaks my meager supply. They must have sustenance though, so what am I to do? I return to camp after a long day of earning the required shells and beads only to find the baskets and cold box empty of supplies. Their cries of hunger break me and I have no other choice but to drag my weary self to the market to make sure they are provided for. 

The natives are whiney and bored and constantly haunt me. There are no private spaces in our camp, or even when I am away from camp. They are always connected to me in some way. I have constant company in the checking of electronic devices, cooking, talking on the phone, walking, writing... Most of the time I do not mind, because I miss the natives as much as they miss me, but there are days...

Days I dream of running to other camps and hiding out for a moon or so. I could do so, but chances are, I will not. These natives have touched my soul. I am powerless to resist them. I have obtained the ability to escape for a few hours on occasion and have done so. The time does wonders for my soul and gives me the energy to deal with the chaos when I return to camp. 

I already know I will survive this season. In many ways, it is easier than past seasons, though I long to be at camp full time again and not have to deal with this kind of sweating for shells and beads, arranging native companions, and being so drained every second of every day. Someday. Hopefully before they are ready to leave our camp... 

Look for my signal flare. If you see it, fire up the margaritas...I will be most appreciative...

Behave!

Feel Good Friday - The Post-Mini Vacation Edition

So...our little vacation was wonderful. Four nights sleeping by the creek... (freezing at night, believe it or not), fishing, relaxing... it was very nice!
Here's the good stuff...
1. Meeting my sisters Spanish foreign exchange student. She is super nice and super sweet. The kids all get along fantastically!
2. Hanging with that man! We actually got a few hours of alone time!
4. Sleeping in.
5. Camp coffee!
6. Kayaking on the creek.
7. Hanging out with the crew.
8. Kid time.
9. Hanging out with friends by the pool after we got home.
10. Friday now!
That Thursday and Friday back into the real world sucked pretty hard core! I did get to see Magic Mike! Which was hysterical and great and awesome to be with the bff's - even thought I was lame and had to come home earlier than I would have liked!! (We won't talk about how I had to be at the day job way past normal on Thursday and barely made it to meet up with the girls in time! We also won't talk about how crazy next week is going to be at the day job!)
It's the weekend! (And "Roller Derby" is in my head! Awesome!)
Behave!

Saturday - Mini Vacation Day 1

Ahhh....the first day of "vacation". Hey, it's the best we can do this year, so I'm making the most of it.
First up - sleeping in. Oh my, that was very nice. Then... a trip to the mega store for birthday swag for K5. I could say more about that trip, but... there's a website for that. K5 is the best. She cracks me up - especially when she's feeding me frosting from the wrong side of the fork. We had a really nice time and she is just so stinking cute! I love that kid! Home from the birthday party to make potato salad, then off to friends for an evening of laughter, eating, kids in the pool, fire building, s'more making, more laughter, and sparklers. And we got to see fireworks.
Tomorrow...well...not 100% sure about what's going on yet, but it's like another Saturday for us and I love that. 
Behave!

Feel Good Friday

Wow! I suck!
A whole week?? Wtf is up with that?
I don't know, except it was a long week.... ???

Anyways...here's the list...
1. No Day Job until Thursday!! How awesome is that?? Hello, mini vacation!!!
2. K5 is 2 today!! Wow! She is such a great kid!! I am old!
3. Sleeping in tomorrow!
4. K5's birthday party tomorrow!
5. The lightning and thunder going on outside right now... Did I ever mention we only have air conditioning in select rooms and it's freaking hot outside!?
6. Making progress on the bedroom cleaning...
7. Plans to hang with friends tomorrow night.
8. Having no solid mini vacation plans... Awesome!
9. Knowing I will be able to write during this mini vacation!
10. No day job until Thursday!

Behave!

Feel Good Friday

I'm a slacker. I'm sorry...
It's been a long, hot week...Let's hit the good stuff...
1. Friday. Thank you.
2. Living through our town's annual street fair yesterday. I was even off work. I walked about 7 miles. I have a sunburn.
3. Writing time. Though, not much.
4. Alone time with that man I live with. Nice.
5. Not having hair to deal with in this heat.
6. Hanging with the family on Sunday.
7. Picking up my kid from camp tomorrow. I miss that boy.
8. Adult beverages.
9. Air conditioning.
10. The man had to run a boot for the Troop yesterday. Right beside the Army booth. Lot's of eye candy there... I really didn't mind covering for him when he took a break...
That is all for now. Thank you weekend. Now if we could have about ten degrees less on the thermometer?
Behave!