Zooooom

I'm here for the moment so I'm jotting a line or two. I went to the endodontist this morning to have them check out the root canal they did last year and all is well. Then I went to Mom's to take her to a doctor's appointment. We got there to find out that her insurance wouldn't cover the visit until Oct. 1. If we had thought real hard we would have know that, but she was so paranoid to get an appointment she didn't think. And the receptionist had been trying to call Mom all morning to let her know about this so she wouldn't make a trip down there, but Mom gave her the wrong phone number. The receptionist even called Mom's other doctor and got her phone number from them and it was a different wrong number. Sometimes I worry about her because I don't know what she can do and what she won't do. Made an appointment for Monday after my teeth cleaning appointment. Anyway...After that I took her to the grocery store, took her and the groceries home, and ran to McDonalds and picked up salads for lunch. I then took her books back to the library and took a few minutes to pick out a few for Mayhem #2. She thinks reading material is a necessity like air. Finally came home and started laundry since Mr. Mayhem asked for some this morning.

Yesterday, we made our third trip to the pediatrician about Mayhem #2's hand/wrist and tomorrow afternoon we go see an orthopedist. I'm not sure what to wish for. I just need some answers. The hand/wrist still hurts and tingles, and you'd think after two weeks it would be a whole lot better than it is.

Also tomorrow, the band is doing a fund raiser. Actually, all we had to do for it was sign people up to a taste test. Mayhem #2 and I do our tasting around noon. I hope they feed us enough for lunch.

"Friends"

I must not be a very good one because I don’t have any. Not any that know how to use the phone to ask me to lunch or include me in whatever they’re doing. Oh, and I know they do things with other people because I hear them talking and laughing about it at church.

This happened for the first time about 8 years ago. I had a friend I did stuff with several times a week. Even if it was just hanging out at her house or she helped me with my sewing. Then her oldest child graduated and she got a job to help pay for college. I’d call to visit and she would never return my calls. I finally quit calling. She moved from the friend category to the acquaintance category.

If there is any calling and getting together that gets done, I have to initiate it. Last Sunday, a friend and I tentatively planned a lunch date for Friday. She said she’d call me to firm it up. I kept waiting. I kept my schedule open. I finally called her Thursday afternoon. She and her other friend had planned to do something for the youth group on Friday night so she would want to leave work early so she wouldn’t have time for me to pick her up and go have lunch with me. ("Oh, by the way, did you know about this event and would Mayhem #2 want to come?" "Well no I didn’t know and Mayhem #2 has football games every Friday night. Like I’ve told you before.") She said, "I’m glad you called because I wouldn’t have and then I would’ve felt guilty…."

I invited another friend to a scrapbook get together I’m having tomorrow. On her invitation I wrote something like "This is just another excuse for you to come visit me." I’ve been to visit her and she lives about 45 minutes from here. We’ve sent e-mails back and forth and talked about getting together. I’ve even tried to schedule another trip out to her house, but it didn’t fit into her schedule. That was cool. The e-mail that I got last night said something like, "I laughed at your note and if you’ve tried to get me to visit before I’m unaware of it."

Maybe this is petty jealousy on my part. I don’t know. I just know it hurts.

"House"wife

What a misnomer. When am I ever at the house? I'm so frustrated. I want/need to do stuff at home, but I'm never there long enough to get it done. I'm having a scrapbooking event at my house next week. I need to clean at least the part of the house we'll be using. I started rearranging and cleaning (big time) Mayhem #2's room, but I'm not anywhere near done. I have to do laundry so Mr. Mayhem has clothes for work. (Remember the tea incident?) I haven't even been home long enough to cook dinner much, which means fast food, which is bad for the diet and the wallet.

Today, I have to go to the high school around nine to take Mayhem #2's biology project to her for class. It's an edible animal cell made out of a big chocolate chip cookie, frosting, and gobs of different candy. Did I mention that I had to take Mayhem #2 and partner to the grocery store Sat. to get all the stuff? I'll have to go back up to the school this afternoon to take her her character shoes and stretch pants for rehearsal. Today Mr. Mayhem will be able to bring her home, but not the rest of the week. (He did get his "Dragon Tail" going this morning and got her to school.) The post office is on the agenda. I think my mom wants me to take her to her doctor to sign a form. (I'm not sure that's going to happen today.)

Tomorrow, I have to take a friend to the doctor. I'd tell her no, but there's no one else to help her. That'll take at least a couple of hours. Wednesday evening is church, but I have to leave early because I have to pick up something for Mayhem #2 to eat in the car on the way after I pick her up from rehearsal. Thursday I usually take my mom to the grocery store. That takes at least a couple of hours. And this doesn't include all the trips hither, thither, and yon to get whatever miscellaneous stuff (like my groceries) that come along as the week goes by. Then on Friday, there's another away football game. Last week the game was an hour and a half away. This week, I'm not sure where Venus is.

Did I mention I think my car needs gas?

Last weekend

I guess I better tell you a little about last weekend before this weekend gets here. I arrived in Belton to pick up Mayhem #1 around noon so I could take her to lunch. She still had a 1:00 class, but I thought eating out would be fun. I took a whole gaggle of girls to Sonic for some "real food." It’s very sad to think that Sonic is real food.

We were about half way home when I got a phone call from Mayhem #2 saying that the friend I had asked to take her home had never shown up so she was getting a ride with someone else. We got home in time for hugs for the sisters and for me to fix Mayhem #2’s hair in a bun. This was the first game in her uniform so her fanny-length hair had to be put up. I was a little nervous about her overheating with the bibbers and coat, but the pit didn’t have to play so everything was fine.

Mayhem #1 sat with Mr. Mayhem and I for about 2 minutes and then she had to start looking for people she knew. About 6 minutes before half time, I went to water the band. Mayhem #1 helped and then with 4 minutes to go the big lights go out. These are the new lights that blew the transformer two weeks ago. (I blamed it on the other school’s band because they were standing under the transformer that had blown and I just said they must have tripped on the extension cord.) Everybody went nuts and the band included. The director told them not to play their instruments so that we could hear any instructions. The band, being the band, proceeded to sing their entire repertoire of songs. They were singing their different parts. It was pretty funny and kept them, and the folks around them, entertained until the lights came up.

During the second half, Mayhem #1 hung out with one of her friends who had also come back for homecoming. They were over with the band dancing and having a good time. She said it was more fun to be "with" the band than "in" the band. No responsibilities…no cares.

And the most astonishing thing was…We Won!!! In Overtime!!!!

Saturday, I got Mayhem #1 up early so we could get to the optometrist early so we wouldn’t be there all day. Mayhem #2 was already up watching her cartoons. After we got the new glasses, we ran a few errands then went home for lunch. Mayhem #2 had an oboe lesson that morning. After lunch, we got dressed up and went to the church to have our picture made. While the girls worked on homework, Mr. Mayhem & I went to Target to pick up some things Mayhem #2 needed to take back with her. Like "real food"…mac & cheese, ramen soup, ravioli, etc. She had to have a new desk lamp because hers had a halogen bulb and those aren’t allowed. They’re bathroom also has no counter space so we bought a standing shelf to go above the toilet. Mr. Mayhem put it together Sunday before he took her back to school. She was going to have to put in one bar after she got it in place. I think it all worked out ok.

Everyone loved seeing Mayhem #1 at church. The senior adult SS class she use to play piano for decided they were going to let Mr. Mayhem & I know that she needed a car so she could home more often to visit them. One of them informed Mr. Mayhem of that before church started! She has found a church in the next little town over that she’s going to join under watchcare. She’s also doing a sign language ministry on Wed. night that’s on campus because she can’t always get a ride to church then.

When she headed back on Sunday afternoon, there were hugs, but no tears. Mayhem #2 seems to be handling this better now. It’s like when they were little and we left them in the nursery for the first time. Once they knew we were going to come back for them, they were fine. (I did forget one once, but I didn’t get completely out of the building before I remembered.)

Homecoming

It's homecoming week so I spent several hours yesterday afternoon making Mayhem #2 a lion, since that's the school mascot. No one "asked her to homecoming", but she's ok with that. (Remember, boys are gross.) Of course since there is no school dance and she can't wear a flower to the game because she's in band, it's sort of a non-event. So, just like I did for Mayhem #1, I took a stuffed lion and made a collar with all the ribbons and other homecoming stuff (including teeny tiny cow bells) for her to carry around tomorrow. All I have left to do is spray on the glitter. (She is my Bling child.)

This evening is the parade and burning of the letters. Mayhem #2 told me she was going to skip the parade and come home and do homework and practice her oboe and piano. (Shock!!) We've stood in her first grade teacher's yard for that parade since Mayhem #2 was in first grade. The band is required to be at the burning of the letters, even though the pit isn't going to play. I guess it's a solidarity thing. I think I've gotten her a ride home from this with a friend. I've talked to the dad, but I better check with the mom. (You know how that goes.)

Because... Mr. Mayhem and I have dance class tonight. We're going to learn some new steps for the salsa and bachata, and also start on the cha cha and rumba. Last week, the instructor referenced the movie Dirty Dancing and Mr. Mayhem admitted he hadn't seen it. (I thought I had, but I was thinking of another dance movie.) So over the weekend, we rented that movie and, on the recommendation of Mayhem #1, Strictly Ballroom. I think we should get extra credit for that.

I also have to find Mayhem #2 a ride home from school tomorrow since I'll be going to pick up Mayhem #1. Both of them are so excited!!! Mr. Mayhem and I are kind of tickled too. If Mayhem #1 doesn't have to work late, we may be home in time for dinner. Mayhem #2 will be in her band uniform for the first time, so she gets lots of extra Gatorade and water. She keeps telling me that they don't even have music for half time so I don't know if they have to drag their instruments out on the field or not. I'll let you know how it all goes.

No chuzzle for me

I know Mr. Mayhem has been telling you about his Chuzzle marathons. I can't Chuzzle or play any other computer games right now. I helped my Mom with her walker a few weeks ago. I needed to change the little rubber caps on the bottom. I used a pair of vise-grips, because that's all she had, to twist, turn, and finally pull the caps off...or at least what was left of them. Mom had worn them off completely down to the bare metal.

Ever since then, my wrists and hands hurt constantly. It really gets bad when I use the computer mouse. It feels like someone stuck a hot knife down my wrist. You don't think about your wrists until they hurt. You use them for everything. No matter what I do I can feel the strain on them. The typing isn't as bad as using the mouse because I can hold my wrists straight while I type. Needless to say, Mr. Mayhem is just devastated to have to use "my turn" on the computer.

"Four more days"

Mayhem #2 made this comment to me yesterday and it took me awhile to figure out what she meant. She's counting down the days until I go pick up Mayhem #1 and bring her home. Mayhem #1 has to come home this weekend because we are having our picture made at church for a directory. She's also setting an interview with a bookstore for a job around Christmas.

I think she should prepare to have a little leech on her for the weekend.

Half time was good

Friday night Mayhem #2 got to play her mallets in her first football game. I got some great pictures of her and her friends "dancing" in the stands. The pit doesn't have to play in the stands because they haven't figured out how to get the marimbas and xylophones up the steps. (Don't give them any ideas.)

The pit has to haul their instruments onto the sidelines. I look down from the stands and Mayhem #2 is pushing her marimba for all she's worth and I notice she also has a flute. Now last time I checked, she couldn't play flute especially while playing marimba. The flute belonged to one of the drum majors who had a solo in the opening.

She played her little heart out. I ran around taking pictures. Funny, but Mr. Mayhem didn't watch the marching kids, just the pit. When they started coming off the field, I went to set up the drinks for the band. All of a sudden, one of Mayhem #2 fellow pit players shows up telling us she needs water for Mayhem #2. I'm on my way.

I find her in someone's folding chair at the end of the field with a ton of people around her. About the time I get there, the first fireman gets there. She's as red as can be and having trouble breathing. One of the football trainers brings her a cold towel with ammonia on it. (She told me it's the good ammonia not the bad ammonia.) All of a sudden we have about 8 firemen around her with big duffelbags with all this equipment. One of they're radios goes off and announces a grass fire so half of them leave. I asked a friend to go get Mr. Mayhem out of the stands.

They check her blood pressure, pulse rate, and oxygen level. They keep asking me if she has asthma and I tell them no. Apparently she has overheated and hyper ventilated. They blow oxygen in her face and tell her to drink lots of water and not get excited. We walk her back to the stands, but she's still struggling. She said her feet felt numb, so we took her home. By the time we get home she's freezing. Someone later told me that was shock. We got some Gatorade in her and put her to bed. She was ok the next day, but very sore. I had asked her earlier if she had fallen and she said no. I asked one of her buddies and he said she had fallen and blacked out. She doesn't remember that. Needless to say, we're pushing the Gatorade and water until it cools down around here. This is homecoming week so there are alot more outside activities. I'll have to keep an eye on her.

Mr. Mayhem said she just wanted to flirt with all the cute firemen.

"Daaad!"

Game called

On account of stupidity.

Football games don't get cancelled much in Texas. Actually, ours wasn't cancelled. It was postponed and relocated.

I took Mayhem #2 to the high school at six for band inspection. When I came past the stadium, I noticed what looked like smoke. Then I thought, "No. It must be some kind of a mister to keep the players cool." That idea went out the window when I realized it was coming from one of three transformers up one a pole by the stadium.

They just finished putting in these massive new lights at the stadium last week. (We could've used that money on say...lockers that WORK at the high school or say teachers that can actually teach AP classes. Guess not.) Anyway... I guess they hadn't checked the system so when they flipped on the lights and the scoreboard the transformer blew. Unfortunately, our drum majors were standing under it when it blew and got covered in yuck. Fortunately, they weren't in their uniforms, oh and no one was hurt.

Mr. Mayhem and I show up at seven to find out the game had been postponed for Saturday night and moved to Glenrose. I hate playing at Glenrose. The refs have a designated winner...Glenrose. Plus it takes at least an hour to get there. The band didn't go to the game because half the band couldn't be there because of work schedules or prior commitments, and one of the band directors couldn't go either.

So, we get to save our sweat till this Friday night.

Not very bright

If I had been bright, I would have taken a nap this afternoon instead of continuing to clean Mayhem #1's room. (I'll tell you about that later.)

I have to leave in about 20 minutes to head to the high school for Mayhem #2's first pep rally. Mom has to take pictures, right? It's what I do. I should have napped to save up some energy for the first football game which is tonight. (I know Mr. Mayhem told you about this at his place.) Of course, he doesn't doing anything during the game except watch the game. Before half-time, another mom and I hand out the "Holy Water". We make sure the kids all get a drink before they hit the field. We also do this for every competition, so that's why it's the "Holy Water." After the show until after the 3rd quarter kick-off, we get the kids' cokes ready. We're cheap. We fill cups with ice and pour from 2 liter bottles. If they want more they have to buy their own. At away games we take cans and bottles of water. Sometimes I even get sucked into working in the concession stand since it's run by the band boosters. Talk about hot. That's the worst place north of you know where.

Like I said...I should have taken a nap.

Drama Mama strikes again

On Monday, Mayhem #2 tried out for a part in the school musical. This year they are doing Beauty and the Beast. It's a big deal because it's in honor of the 50th (I think.) musical the high school has produced. Even the band's marching show is in honor of the musical. The three songs for the movements are "Maria", "On the street where you live", and "The bottle dance."

Anyway, Mayhem #2 wanted to be "Babbette", the feather duster. She didn't make the call back list, but neither did the other girl who had tried out for that part. She found out yesterday that she didn't make the part, but only made the chorus. She's disappointed, but she's still gung ho. Who knows? Someone could have an accident? Her friend, who happens to be the theater teacher's daughter, did make the call back list, but not for the part she tried out for. She tried out for the Wardrobe, but got called back for Babbette. Thankfully she didn't tell Mayhem #2 this until after the cast list was posted. They are both in the chorus. Why is it that in the theater world there is a great deal of nepotism? The worst place I've seen it happen is in church. (SHOCK!!!) Choir directors are the worst at casting their own kids in the main roles, whether they're any good or put forth any effort or not.

A new chapter

The deed is done. Mayhem #1 has been delivered to college. We left early Saturday morning after Mr. Mayhem had loaded all her worldly possessions in the two cars. (Ok. It’s not really all her worldly possessions. That bedroom is still crammed full of stuff.) She seemed pretty excited.

We got to the school and checked in and found out that she was in the basement of her dorm. She was so excited! That put her in very close proximity to the piano! When we got to the room the roommate and her family was already there. There were awkward introductions all around, but everything was good. We were surprised the girls had a handicapped room. That meant their bathroom was bigger with a shower the length of one wall and no counter to put stuff on and only one towel rod. I’m going to mail her the over-the-door rack that’s in her room.
Mr. Mayhem pulled the first car up to the back of the dorm and all these eager college students started unloading. When he told them which room they were excited. Instead of having to climb flights of stairs, they only had to go down about half a dozen steps to get to the basement. Mr. Mayhem got the second car and repeated the process. The big bag I had put Mayhem #1’s shoes in broke open and dumped all her shoes down the steps. I felt sorry for the guy that had been carrying them, but he was a trooper and went back and rounded them all up for us.

Though still excited, Mayhem #1 was overwhelmed. All her stuff in that little room just seemed like way too much. She and Mr. Mayhem took her computer to have it checked out with the IT people and Mayhem #2 and I started unpacking. She wasn’t extremely helpful until she crawled under the bed to pull out some boxes that had been stashed there. Then she stayed there so she was at least out of the way. Mr. Mayhem and Mayhem #1 came back and hooked up the computer. We cleared the bed so we could make it up. Her roommate was running around buying books and such while her older sister helped with the unpacking.

Mayhem #1 is getting stressed and a little less excited. We go to lunch at the cafeteria and look at some of the many papers she has been given. We check out the schedule and see that they are kicking the family out in about three hours. After lunch, we head to the business office to take care of finishing the registration process. She picked up her id and got it loaded with her meal plan. Mayhem #1 was getting quieter by the minute. She didn’t seem to like that I was pushing her to the front to ask the questions and handle her business.

I went to the Parent Seminar while Mr. Mayhem went to finish helping with the computer stuff. It was basically the same question and answer time they had had at the weekend we had visited in the fall. I was all together until the guy prayed at the end about the changes in everyone’s lives. I thought to myself, "Don’t do this. God and I are handling things ok so far. Don’t get me started."

I went back to the dorm to find everyone so we could go to the reception at the president’s home. On the walk over there, Mayhem #2 said, "I guess I missed my chance to tape her to the door?" "Yeah," I said. We took some group pictures in front of the president’s house and a picture of Mayhem #1 and her roommate. We joked around with them and said that since the president’s house was so close to the dorm, they should drop by every once in a while and see what’s for dinner. The roommate got in the spirit of silliness and said, "My roommate and I had a fight, and she’s locked me out. Can I spend the night here?"

One the walk back to the dorm, Mayhem #1’s lip was trembling and the tears were on the edge. Actually, we were all trying not to cry. There were hugs and joking and tears. The hall director and resident assistants were there in the lobby. The RA’s saw Mayhem #1 crying and they were trying not to cry. The hall director gave her a hug and we left. We got around the corner of the building and Mr. Mayhem called her and said, "I miss you already."

Mayhem #2 kept saying it wasn’t fair that Mayhem #1 was gone. She cried half the way home until she fell asleep. We got home and she went to Mayhem #1’s room and said it looked empty. When she got ready for bed, she went back to stand in her sister’s room. I kept being silly and finally got her in bed. Mr. Mayhem and I decided that she wasn’t ready to face people at church who would talk about Mayhem #1 being gone so we stayed home. When we got up, we found her on her sister’s bed reading. We kept telling her that Mayhem #1 didn’t die. She’ll be back…in three weeks even.

Mayhem #1 called a couple of times Saturday night. Once just to talk about what she had been up to. The other time it was about 10:30 and we are all in bed. I answer the phone and she says, "Mom, where’s my toothbrush?" I hope she’s found it or bought one by now.

Almost time

In about 25 hours we leave to take Mayhem #1 to college. If she ever finishes packing. I think putting most of her life into boxes is a bit overwhelming for her. Mr. Mayhem looked at the growing pile in the living room last night and said, "It looks like someone's moving out." I said, "Yeah. You want to cry?" "Not now," he said.

I never got her scrapbook finished, but I'm going to send what's done with her and keep working on the pages to add. I put together some pictures for some frames she got as gifts. The family pictures are pretty funny. My mom use to take a ton of pictures and sometimes it was embarrassing, but I'm glad I have them. I'm trying to pass on all the stories that go with our crazy family pictures.

I think the plan is to go out to dinner tonight and then come home and load the trunks of the cars. The rest we will put in the backseats in the morning. Then off we go into "A Whole New World."

Stupid cold

How in the world do you get a cold in the summer? Actually, I got it from Mayhem #1. Thanks Sweetie. I keep telling the family it's really West Nile Virus. Around here West Nile gets more news coverage than the war. It's so stupid. I think that's my word for the day.

Anyway, I need to get better fast because Mr. Mayhem and I were going dancing again tonight. If we don't go tonight it will be a long time before we can go because next week we take Mayhem #1 to school and the next week high school football starts. As the parents of a band member we have to be there. We are looking into taking more lessons if it will fit into our schedule.

The girls and I have some errands to run today. We have to deliver some soup to a friend who had surgery yesterday, take my mom to pick up her prescriptions, walk Mayhem #2 through the high school so she can find her classes on Monday, take Mayhem #1 to the bank, and do a little shopping. We're looking for a Tinkerbell shirt and maybe a purse for Mayhem #2. The only reason I think she's into Tinkerbell is because everything with Tinkerbell comes with either glitter or or rhinestones. She's my bling child. Doesn't everyone have one?

Humphrey, Max, and the prom

Since I mentioned Humphrey in my last post, I guess I better explain. His story starts with the fact that we have a very old sprinkler system. It has copper pipes. I mean…it’s old. We live on a hill that is made up of about 18 inches of soil and then a bunch of rocks. Another 18 inches of soil (maybe) and then a bunch of rocks…ad infinitum. So the hill shifts, the dirt settles, and the sprinkler system doesn’t cover the whole yard anymore. It leaves brown patches. I’m sure this could be fixed somehow, but as you may recall, Mr. Mayhem isn’t the handy sort. He keeps it running for the most part, and then he tells Mayhem #2 to go water the brown patches by hand. It’s hot however. And she doesn’t really like to do something when she’s told to do it. (If I said, "Put on you swim suit and run around in the sprinklers." She’s there in a heart beat.) Anyway…the brown patches weren’t getting enough water so I decided to get a little sprinkler to set out. I just wanted a little donut looking sprinkler like the neighbor has so I could move it from brown patch to brown patch. Off to Wal-Mart we went. We looked in the gardening center and found one that was sort of like the neighbors’, but still a little fancier than I wanted. Suddenly Mayhem #2 spots a little resin figure that’s a sprinkler. It’s a hippo sitting up with a hose connector on the side of his bottom and a sprinkling device in the middle of his snout. I just wanted a little simple donut sprinkler!!!! His name was Humphrey before we got to the check out.

While all of this was going on, Mr. Mayhem and Mayhem #1 were in MO visiting Grandma and Grandpa. They finally got back and said, "We brought you something. His name is Max." They handed me the little Playmate cooler, which is half-full of dirt. After that shock, and on closer inspection, I discovered that Max was a turtle about 3 inches in diameter. Mr. Mayhem found him crossing the road one morning. He was going to name him Yertle after Dr. Seuss’s "Yertle the Turtle", but since he was so small he named him Max after the little turtle in the story who was on the bottom of the stack of turtles and didn’t like it so he made the whole stack fall down. (Now you need to go find the book and learn the rest of the story.) We decided he was too small to put in the pen with Harry and Euripides, not because they’d hurt him, but because we wouldn’t be able to find him. The grass hasn’t been mowed in the turtle pen. The St. Augustine in there has gone to seed. It’s the best grass in the whole yard. Anyway….Max now resides in our old recycle bin. It’s about 24 by 16 inches and he has a little flower pot bottom for his pond, a rock to climb on or under, an old saucer for his food dish, and all that dirt out of the cooler. The funny thing…I think he’s a girl like the other two.

I took Mr. Mayhem to the prom last Friday night. It was our graduation dance for our "Dancing for the Rhythmically Challenged" class. The dance was held at a dance studio. It’s not the tap and ballet like my girls took when they were little. They teach social dancing. We no sooner sat down at our table when our dance instructor took me out on the floor to dance a waltz. Ahem…That was not one of the dances we learned in class! Once we got going it wasn’t so bad. When I got back to the table, Mr. Mayhem was gone. HE BOLTED ALREADY?! Then one of the lady instructors brought him back. We had both learned to waltz. Woo hoo! We’ve been dancin’! We were the first ones there from our class but the others started trickling in. We had to do a waterfall dance. It’s a mixer thing. The guys make a line and the girls make a line and whoever you wind up facing you dance with down the floor. The first guy I danced with was another instructor. We had been watching him across the floor and he had some moves. We had to do a waltz, and wouldn’t you know, I just learned how to do that! I found out right quick that no two guys waltz the same way. Our merengue is our best dance and we did that several times. We were cheered by the class for our smooth moves in our swing dance. Our instructor took me out and taught me the West coast swing, and Mr. Mayhem was taught the rumba. The fox-trot is our downfall. Those dances where you have to go around the whole floor are tough. We two-stepped once and did pretty good, and another time I thought he had cut my toe off. Tonight we are having our free private lesson to see if we can fix that fox-trot so that it’s not such an aardvark stomp. The studio has these dances every Friday night and I’d like to try to go again before high school football season starts. We may even try to take some more lessons. Hey, it’s a built in date. And don’t let Mr. Mayhem try to tell you otherwise…He’s been having fun!

Excuses

Here are my excuses for not posting in a month of Sundays or more.

Mayhem #1 graduated. Her speech was a rousing success. Everyone said it was the best speech they had ever heard. The main idea was "Life is not like a movie. No rewind. No scene selection. The blooper reel is part of the movie. Just keep going." She had lots of movie quotes and references, and she made her art teacher cry when she thanked her in "whale."

The day after graduation we climbed in my little car and headed for San Marcos for state solo and ensemble competition. That was about a five hour trip. She made a one on her piano solo which was the icing on the cake she really wanted. Her ensemble also made a one, but that was incidental.

The next week the girls and I climbed in my little car and headed for UMHB in Belton to register Mayhem #1 for college. That was about at two hour trip. She's got 16 hours. Her art classes are TTH and other stuff is MWF. She got the dorm she wanted and has talked with her roommate a couple of times. She's loved shopping for college stuff because she gets to pick what she likes. It helps when you're using a bunch of gift cards and not your own money!

The next week Mayhem #2 climbed on the church bus, and Mayhem #1 and I climbed in my little car and headed for Glorieta, NM for church camp. That was about an eleven hour trip. We stopped in Amarillo for the night since we only had one driver for the bus and we didn't want him to get too tired. Camp was good. Our kids were young in terms of age and spirituality. I'll tell you more about it later. Mayhem #1 and I counted over 30 license plates from different states, one from Quebec, and at least 23 dead armadillos on the side of the road. We would like to let you know that there are no armadillos west of Amarillo, or they're smart enough to stay off the road.

The next week we all climbed in my little car and headed for Pasadena, TX to pack and move my mom to Fort Worth. That was about a five and a half hour trip. That was a very hot and interesting experience, but it's done. We still have alot of unpacking to do for her. The apartments are just for senior citizens and we hope that eventually she will get more mobile and social and stop living like a hermit.

The next week (which is this week), Mr. Mayhem and Mayhem #1 climbed in MY little car and headed for Mountain Grove, MO to visit Grandma and Grandpa. That's a ten hour trip. Mayhem #1 wanted to go because she didn't know if her school schedule would allow her to go for a visit when the rest of the family went. Mayhem #2 just wanted to be a home body. I couldn't go because of my mom. Today Mayhem #2 and I are taking a day off from unpacking to go to the zoo. We're going early because it's suppose to be 100 degrees again today. She likes hanging out with just one parent at a time. We are so blessed that our kids like us.

Well, that's about it. I'm sorry if those excuses seem a little flimsy to you, but that's my story and I'm sticking too it. I need to go move Humphrey so I'll see you later. I'll have to tell you his story later.

2 fer

One and a half days of school left. Will I make it?

Mayhem #2 had her awards assembly last night. Or as the principal called it "8th grade graduation." To start off, the ac in the auditorium wasn't working. Add several hundred people and you have the makings of a riot. Every 8th grader got a "diploma", and the principal asked people to hold their applause until the end. That lasted until the third name was called. She even had to ask for the "side conversations" to stop so everyone could hear the names. Why can't people be a little respectful?

Mayhem #2 was recognized as a charter member of the junior thespian troop. They announced her band award even though that had been given out last week at the concert. And they announced her science fair successes. She and a bunch of others got awards for keeping at least a 90 average this year, but she didn't get a citizenship award. Go figure? Always in dress code, never written up, never had detention...Was there an evil side to my child I didn't know about?

Then they started handing out "spirit awards." They never explained what that meant, but they started listing the classes that Mayhem #2 was in. I was getting a little miffed. "If these are academic awards, why isn't my baby getting any?" Then came the "pride" awards. Once again, no explanation. The longer the list got, the more upset I got. Some of these kids were getting more that one award in the same classes as Mayhem #2. Mr. Mayhem thought he was going to have to restrain me. Finally there was a list of the Pre AP classes, and technology, and band and they finally called Mayhem #2. She also received the highest GPA for the girls. Mr. Mayhem gave her a hug as she went to collect her award, and he went to take her picture. That got an extra round of applause. The boy and girl with the highest GPA were named Mr. and Miss IMMS. (Say that real fast and see what you get.) We didn't expect that since it's usually a popularity contest.

So we got two valedictorians for the price of one. Sorry if I'm bragging too much, but I'm very proud of my girls. To celebrate...We went to Dairy Queen for ice cream! Believe me, we needed to cool off.

Graduation answers

Since I'm in the throes of graduation madness I thought I'd answer the Thursday Three.

1. Memorable speech?

I don't really remember the speeches, but I thought it was neat that two sisters had to give the speech in back-to-back years. There will be four years between mine. So Mayhem #2 says.

2. How many graduations?

I've had three if you count the graduation ceremony we had from elementary school. I've been to gobs of them. (How many zeros are in a gob?) We taught high school youth for a while. Plus we've gone the last three years because Mayhem #1 was in the band and had to be there to play Pomp and Circumstance.

3. Worked a retail job so that in August I could clear my bank account out to pay for that first semester of college.

Bonus: Best gift?

I was called Tigger at work so my fellow employees bought me a set of Tigger sheets.


My favorite graduation to attend was when Mr. Mayhem graduated from college. We got married at 1:30 that day and graduation was at 6:30. He had a big "Just Married" sign on the back of his gown.

Oh, I thought I'd let you know that there words to Pomp and Circumstance. At least there are around my house. Here goes:

My reindeer flies sideways.
Your reindeer flies upside down.
My reindeer flies sideways.
Your reindeer is dead.
(Bomp Bomp Bomp)

Busy? part 2

After getting her nails done, Mayhem #1 and I went home for some lunch. Then we were off to get her hair done. She had found some pictures on line and decided to combine two of them for the look she wanted. It was half up and half down and curly. It took an hour and a half, and she was very pleased with the results. Complete with little purple do dads added to the curls.

As she was dressing and putting on make-up, Boy calls. You have to understand that neither one of these kids knows anything about going on a date, especially a formal one. Pictures were suppose to start at the prom at 6:00. I suggested he pick her up at 5:00 and we could do the flower thing, go to the botanical gardens, take our pictures, and make the five minute trip downtown. We invited his parents to come make pictures too. He decided Friday that 5:00 was cutting it too close, so we agreed on 4:30. The phone call came at about 4:05. Maybe 4:30 was too early? They decided on 4:45.

Boy arrives in his little red Toyota. There had been talk of him borrowing a relative's Hummer, but that didn't happen. That was ok with me. The nice clean red Toyota was much easier to climb into than a Hummer. His folks were very nice and glad we had invited them. Once we got the corsage turned right, he put it on her wrist. I put his boutineer on him, because I never got around to showing Mayhem #1 how to do it, and his mom said it had been 30 years since she had done that. A couple of pictures there, and then off to the botanical gardens. We had to work our way around about three wedding parties, but we got some nice shots. After worrying whether or not it was going to be "Raining on Prom Night", it turned out to be a beautiful cloudless day. The kids kept complaining about the bright sunshine and the heat. At one point, Boy said he swallowed a gnat that flew in his mouth. Priceless. Then, hugs and handshakes and they were off.

Here's the postscript. They had a good time at prom. There was one minor mishap at the parking garage, but that was easily resolved. They didn't go anywhere afterwards. There had been talk of a group going to IHOP, but Mayhem #1 thought that was weird. Boy walked her in and we all talked for a minute or two then he went home. Mayhem #1 and I visited a little while she got ready for bed. I think it all was a good experience. She hopes her hair is still nice enough to leave up for church. I guess I better print some of the pictures so she can show them around at church.

Nine days of school left. Two weeks til graduation. I hope I make it.

Busy? Not me!

Tonight is an interesting night. I'm home alone because Mr. Mayhem has gone to a friend's birthday party, Mayhem #2 has gone to Six Flags with the band,(Normally I would have gone too, but this next phrase came first.) and Mayhem #1 is at the prom. I've been working on prom stuff all week. We've had to buy undergarments, a purse, jewelry, hair do-dads, and flowers. I went to the botanical gardens to see where would be a good place to make pictures. I made a second trip to the botanical gardens to check out the conservatory since rain might be in the forecast. Today I picked up the flowers, which I had to wait on because they hadn't been able to get the flowers I wanted. So instead of calling me like, oh, yesterday, they waited til I was there to pick them up to ask if these other flowers would be ok. Do I have much of a choice at this point? They looked fine.

We made it to the appointment for her nails just a little late, and then waited. This was an odd experience. The folks who worked in the shop were Asian. They didn't really talk to us too much, but they talked to each other across the room in a foreign language. I wasn't overly impressed with the manicure either. They made two of her fingers bleed because they nicked her when they were working on the cuticles. The paint job wasn't great either, but Mayhem #1 was happy so I kept my mouth shut.

I'll continue this in the morning. I have to go flocking.

Hittin' the road

It's early around here because Mayhem #1 and I have to be at the high school by 7:00 to leave for San Antonio on the band trip. We're driving down, touring the Alamo, going to the competition location, changing into concert attire(The kids are. I'm just a roadie.), competing, going to the hotel, changing for dinner, going to the Spaghetti Warehouse for dinner, and strolling down the river walk. Tomorrow we eat breakfast, check out of the hotel, go to Fiesta Texas, load up, drive back, and be home by about midnight. Are we having fun yet?

My calendar for May only has about 5 days with nothing scheduled on it. It was 6, but we got a letter that said Mayhem #1 was going to be recognized at the school board meeting as valedictorian. I guess that makes it official, though this is the only confirmation that we've gotten so far.

Please pray for Mayhem #1. She has 5 AP tests in the next two weeks. She says if she can get through this, it's all downhill from there. Pray I get the graduation announcements out. Pray I don't burst a blood vessel. AAAAAAUUUUGGGHHH!!!! Like I said,...Are we having fun yet?

New Pets

To cheer myself up, I got some new pets. Well, not really, but they do have a way of cheering you up. Once again they're not your run-of-the-mill pets. I couldn't get anything "normal" to go with the turtles and fishes. I don't have to feed these guys, but I do have to take them for a walk regularly. I am now the proud owner of eight plastic yard flamingoes!

The Project Graduation group from the high school placed thirteen flamingoes in my yard last week as a fundraiser. They had decorated theirs with pink, black, and green feather boas or tufts on their head and tail. One even had bumble bees glued on its back. I thought they were a hoot. I got to keep them for 48 hours and name the person they went to next. All that was worth a donation. They had placed them in a little "flock". I strung them out in a line before they came to pick them up.

Well, I've decided that our church youth group needs to do this for camp funds. We have a little less than two months before camp and we've raised about half the money needed to go. We're going to Glorietta, New Mexico this year for Centrifuge camp. The director didn't seem too hip on the flamingo idea, but everyone else did. I don't know if I'll decorate mine. I'm afraid the feathers will get messed up if it rains. The girls and I will be the "flamingo bandits" and make the deliveries and pick ups after dark so as to remain anonymous. The church members will also be given the option of purchasing "flock insurance" if they don't want these beauties in their yard. I think I need to go get eight more so I can have two flocks going at one time.

Depressed again

Hi guys. I tried to blog last week, but my computer froze in the middle. I was already depressed for the day so I took that as a sign that I shouldn't try again. Early last week, I was all gung ho to take on the recurring windmill of dress code enforcement and lack of discipline at the secondary campuses. I had sent an e-mail to the superintendent to that effect and he blew me off and sent my e-mail to the principals. The middle school principal has never contacted me, but the high school principal jumped me in the hall on my volunteer day. She didn't say it, but she inferred, "How dare you have a problem with my school and how I do things." All you have to do is stand in the hall to see what's wrong. I mentioned the skimpy shirts, baggy pants, and chains hanging on the pants that could be used as weapons. I did forget to mention the multiple piercings in multiple locations. I went out later that day and got prices from different stores of khaki pants and polo-type shirts so I could talk to the school board about it. In the afternoon, I heard on the radio that Dallas ISD had passed a new uniform policy. However, it said that 85% of the students would qualify for free uniforms, so the district would have to buy them! Why do I have to raise all these children? I already pay for the free lunch that most of the kids throw away and then they pull out $5 and buy junk. Then when I picked up Mayhem #2, she said that she had a sub in one of her classes. Since the district can't keep subs (I think that's because of the lack of discipline.), the other teachers have to cover classes during their off period. This sub was a regular teacher, and all she did was watch music videos on the computer. She even asked if any of the kids had gum because she wanted some. She said she wouldn't "rat" on them for having it even though that's a no no.

Now do you see why I was depressed? Why bother? Why try? No one else cares. I'm a little afraid to say much more because I fear it will be taken out on my kids. I can't mess up Mayhem #1's senior year. I can't risk them finding a way to take honors away from her. As it is, she has to fight for everything she gets. We just signed her up for 5 AP tests, and spent a ton of money at Barnes & Noble on study guides. She needs a score of 3 on four of the tests to earn the distinguished achievement graduation honor. Last year she took three tests and didn't score a 3 on any of them. She only had one teacher actually prepare her for the tests last year, and she made a 2 on that stats test. This year, only her calculus teacher is preparing her for the test. The rest she is having to do on her own. And the principal is trying to force the kids to take the tests if they are in the AP classes, but most of them don't feel like they are prepared to take the tests.

I think I'm depressed again. I'll go do some laundry and dishes (woo hoo) and try to come back later with something a little more cheerful. Maybe a little about Mr. Mayhem's new job.

Still alive

I know. It's been awhile. Sometimes I just don't feel like blogging, and sometimes I can't think of anything cute, funny, or important to say. (Rememeber who my husband is. He's always so witty.) Actually, I usually come up with ideas to blog about when I'm driving from one errand to another. Unfortunately, the power cord on the computer isn't that long. Plus, I'm not sure I can type and drive at the same time. Anyway, here's a little of my most recent adventure. (If you can call it that.)

Last week was the girls' spring break. So, we ladies, headed for MO to visit Grandma and Grandpa. (Mr. Mayhem couldn't go since he had to give his resignation. Three and a half days to go.) The nice thing about this trip was Mayhem #1 could help me drive. I get tired driving. I let her drive from Oklahoma City to Joplin going. No problem. I had to make sure she didn't change roads in Tulsa, but she did great. On the way home, I let her take over between the MO border and Tulsa. It was the same road in reverse order. No sweat...I thought.

I'm working a puzzle in a puzzle book when she asks, "Are we on the right road?" I looked up and said, "Yeah." You have to understand that most of OK looks the same. If you've seen one field with cows, you've seen them all. I noticed a sign for the upcoming toll booth so I got out the $3.50 we normally pay. When we pulled in to the toll booth, there was not attendant and we needed to pay $.75 in change. Definitely not the right road. I didn't panic or yell. I calmly asked if she had taken an exit. She said, "Two lanes went that way and two went straight. Since I was in this lane, I went straight." Ahhh. "Don't you think you should have asked if you weren't sure?"

All the road signs said we were still going west so I wasn't too concerned. I asked Mayhem #2 to hand me the atlas that was under her feet and started looking for the towns I kept seeing listed on the signs. Mr. Mayhem had mentioned a new turnpike that went around Tulsa so I had a sneaking suspicion that she had gotten on that instead of staying on the usual road. We had to stop three times to pay the toll, which I thought was stupid. It was faster and cheaper to go through Tulsa. We finally made it back to the usual road, and we made it home ok after that.

Not much happened at Grandma and Grandpa's house. Just the usual visiting and catching up on our soaps. (It's the only time we see them.) We had a couple of good "Grandpa breakfasts" as the kids call them. Complete with the homemade hash browns that Mayhem #1 likes so well. Took Grandpa grocery shopping one day and to the post office the other. Played a little Uno and watched the Beverly Hillbillies (Possum Day episode). It snowed off and on one day. Nothing stuck, but we kept joking that they may have to send out the pug dog to dig us out.

Now we're back at this crazy pace. Mayhem #2 has been cast in a one-act version of A Midsummer's Night Dream. It's a modern version and kind of weird. Her band traveled to a competition today and Mayhem #1 has one on Thursday. I couldn't go today because I had to help out a friend, and I probably won't go Thursday because my sister-in-law and I are going to look for an apartment for my mom. I did tell the girls that I would be there for the main competitions that come up in a couple of weeks. I think Mayhem #1 also has a jazz band competition in a couple of weeks.

Now you see why I say I'm "makin' the world go round."

Dress update

I know that Mr. Mayhem alluded to the prom dress shopping that Mayhem #1 and I did last weekend, and I need to give you the details. We went to two malls and two bridal shops. It was good to hang out with her. Another t-shirt that we liked at the "Buddha shirt stand" said, "I didn't say you did it. I said I was going to blame you." Isn't that the mentality of a lot of people these days?

Anyway. The dress is leaf green with spaghetti straps. At the top of the bodice there are pink and purple embroidered flowers with beads in the center. The skirt has the same flowers and leaves in a flowing line that follows the edge of the over skirt. The back is a little longer than the front, but not much. Maybe Mr. Mayhem can help me provide a picture. The straps are a little too long, but I think we can take care of that. Now she's worried about finding shoes the right color. I told her you dye them. She was also concerned about the guy not being able to find a tux that matched. I told her it isn't suppose to match, it's suppose to complement the dress. I told her black went with everything. I know she's really thinking about the tie, or vest, or cummerbund.

Today I have a million places to go. I need money from the bank, the library books are due, Mr. Mayhem asked me to fax something for him so I can do that at the middle school, I told Mayhem #1 I'd stop at the counselor's office and pick up some scholarship applications for her, I’m meeting a friend for lunch (it's Me Day and lunch is about all I'll have time for), there is a yearbook unveiling assembly at the high school (Mayhem #1 is on staff.), I have to take Mayhem #1 shopping for a black shirt for the jazz band competition tomorrow, and finally pick up Mayhem # 2 from her band sectional at 5:00.

A little side note: Yesterday Mayhem #1 brought home her yearbook staff shirt and she was so mad about it. The shirt is black and says Yearbook Staff on the front, except it really says, "Year Book Staff". She's ranting and raving, "How could they do this? Why didn't they run it by me? I'm the copy editor! I'm going to get a white paint pen and fix my shirt and write copy editor on it!" She was just a little indignant.

Tomorrow, I'm off with Mayhem #2 to another science fair project competition. It's at Texas Women's University which is about an hour from here. It's going to take pretty much all day. Mr. Mayhem is going with Mayhem #1 to her jazz band competition in the morning and then taking her to the art competition in the afternoon. We had to divide to be able to conquer all this stuff on one day. I think Monday night is another divide and conquer time.

Need a score card?

We made it through the weekend without Mr. Mayhem, but it’s taken me this long to tell you about it. On Friday the school had a memorial service for the teacher who committed suicide. I went to be there for Mayhem #1 in case she needed me. She was doing pretty good. The service was simple and every time we were asked to pray, I had to smile at all the sniffling that was going on. I felt ok because I knew I could cry, but I didn’t feel like it. I guess that sounds kind of weird. Mayhem #1 and I made it through tearless until the band director stepped up with his trumpet and played Taps. I knew it was coming because I had seen him walk in with the horn. She told me she didn't want to go to the funeral the next day, and I was ok with that.

After that, we stopped by the band hall and picked up her horn so she would have it for solo and ensemble competition on Saturday. Then we got Mayhem #2 from the middle school and ran home long enough to drop off all their stuff. Mayhem #2’s birthday was back in October, but she never got a party because my mom was with us then. She wanted to take some friends to see Phantom of the Opera so I suggested that we take everyone out to dinner and the movie and make that her party. She thought that was cool.

We ran around picking up teenage girls until the back seat of my Accord was overloaded and Mayhem #1 and I were tucked in the front seat with the seats pulled forward. Off we went to TGIFridays for appetizers and desserts. I walked in and said we had six for the non-smoking, giggly section, where we won’t bother anyone. Mayhem #1 and I decided the waiter wasn’t as good looking as the last one we had there, but he was cute. He kept scaring Mayhem #2 every time he refilled her drink because she was too busy giggling with the other girls to be aware of what was going on.

Next, we crammed them back in the back seat, and we were off to the movie. One of the girls’ mom met us there. (I think she was too scared to come to dinner with all that silly nonsense, but she said she had to work late.) I saw that the theater had student tickets with ids (two bucks cheaper) so I asked the girls if they had their school ids. The unanimous answer was no. I decided to ask anyway. I said, "Obviously I have 5 students, but they don’t have their id." The girl behind the counter said, "I’ll take your word for it." That struck me as funny. Couldn’t she look up and see they were students? The movie was great again and the girls were just raving about it. The other mom took two of the girls home so there was no more car cramming or complaining about bony bottoms.

Once we got home, there was a message on the machine from the mom of one of the boys in Mayhem #1’s brass ensemble. He wanted to go to the teacher’s funeral the next day and asked if we could go to the competition early to see if the ensemble’s performing time could be moved from the afternoon to the morning. Mayhem #1 said yes, but she didn’t like having to miss some of her extra sleep time. We loaded her horn and keyboard and headed out about 9am Saturday morning. She took her keyboard so she could practice with the saxophone player she was accompanying.

The ensemble found a place to practice and the performed pretty quickly. They all thought it was pretty bad because the tuba player couldn’t play his part. Surprisingly they made a 1 and they will take it to state on Memorial Day. Next, Mayhem #1 had to accompany the saxophone player and that went well. She had about an hour and a half before her solo time so I went to Sonic and bought lunch. It was better than the snack bar food. She practiced while I was gone, ate lunch, marked her music(You have to number the measures for the judges.),went to go play and came right back. The judge was at lunch and running late. I hate to hurry up and wait. During the four hours we have been here, I’ve been sitting in a high school cafeteria and that is the "warm up area". That means that about 50 kids or more are all playing their different instruments and different songs at the same time. I’ve done this before so I’ve gotten smart. I have my earplugs in and a book to read. Everyone laughs at the earplugs, but they cut down on the headache.

Mayhem #1 went off again to play her solo. I’m sitting there praying she does well. Piano is her first love and it means so much to her to do well at it. She comes back with a fist pumping, "YEAH!" Now we just have to wait another hour or so for the score. (Drum roll please.) It’s a 1! And since she had it memorized, she takes it to state. It was a very good day.

I think, however, the best news came yesterday. She came out of school with this grin on her face and a spring in her step. I sort of had an idea what it might be about and I was right. One of her friends asked her to prom! I know it’s three months away, but we are so like going dress shopping this weekend! I’m not sure Mr. Mayhem knows that yet. Does now. And there was much rejoicing at our house!

Please pray

This week has just been awful for Mayhem #1. She wasn't able to work her last two days because of her asthma, and she felt guilty about that. She is doing better now. Wednesday she found out that one of the teachers at the high school had died. She didn't have him last year, but she had him the two previous years. The kids all loved him. He had taught most of the juniors and seniors and I think he may have had some of the sophomores this year. Then they found out yesterday that he had committed suicide. He was a Vietnam vet and they said he was struggling with some memories. The kids are all in shock. One of the teachers, a friend of mine, got to Mayhem #1 and had her call me. I stayed with her for a while at school and then she decided to come home. She was concerned about messing up her exemption status for her finals. I think she made the right choice because it would have been impossible to stay composed at school. Every time she thought she had it together, someone would hug her or something and she'd lose it again. There is a service this afternoon at 3:00 in the gym. On top of all this, her solo and ensemble competition is tomorrow. And Mr. Mayhem left to see his dad this morning, so please pray for me that I can deal with all of this.

Jerks

Why is it that Mayhem #1's second boss turns out to be a jerk like her first boss? They didn't do exactly the same thing to her, but the term still applies. Remember, Mayhem #1 resigned last week, but agreed to work through this Tuesday to get through the Valentine rush. She worked last Friday. She was told that it was her turn to clean the bathroom. She hasn't done it the whole time she's been there because the chemical fumes are bad for her asthma. She has told them that. It has been ok so far. It wasn't ok Friday. Mayhem #1 said the boss was in a bad mood. I also know that Mayhem #1 was still feeling guilty for quitting. So, she cleaned the bathroom. (Remember I took her to the doctor on Monday because her asthma was causing her trouble.) She had to take her rescue inhaler several times before she got home and it didn't get any better. She took it easy Saturday afternoon after she spent the morning taking the ACT, and trying to breathe. She didn't get better, so instead of going to church Sunday morning, she and I went to the doctor's office. They put her on prednisone and told her to take it easy. I told her with all her steroids she was going to start talking like Awnold. We made sure we got a note for work saying she couldn't work that afternoon.

After lunch, I went to the store to show the boss the note and explain that Mayhem #1 may not be able to be there Monday either. As I waited to talk to the assistant manager, because I didn't see the manager, she walks out from the back room with her baby in her arms. I politely showed her the note and explained about the bathroom cleaning and the asthma attack. Mr. Mayhem told me not to jump all over the manager about the bathroom incident so I didn't.

The boss barely looked at the note and told me that Mayhem #1 is responsible to find her own replacement. She said, "It's not my policy. It's corporate policy and I told her when I hired her that that was the way it was." She sat the baby on the floor and gave me some names and numbers for Mayhem #1 to call. This is an hour and a half before she's suppose to be at work! I fumed all the way home. Mayhem #1 did find a replacement. (What were they going to do if she didn't? Fire her?)

I asked Mayhem #1 to find her employee handbook for me. In the section on attendance it says, "You will be asked to find a replacement if you are unable to work an assigned shift, except for absences due to personal illness." Well, she wasn't being sick for her sister! I think it was a personal illness. Now she doesn't want to finish her two days she said she'd work. I told her we'd see how she' feeling after school since that is more important than work. I did say that if she was feeling ok she should complete her commitment. If she's not working tonight, I may just take the handbook up and show the boss how wrong she is and say we're done.

I hate jerks. Especially when they mess with my kids.

Test? Test? Is this thing on?

Is anybody there? I thought I'd check since I realized that I've been doing this silliness for one year today. I'm still not sure that I'm doing it right. I'm not as prolific as Mr. Possum and not as deep as some of you other folks. And I don't always understand LittleA's comments, but I don't always understand him in real life either. I've met some really nice folks, and some of you nice folks are pretty crazy. And that's ok too. Thanks for stopping by.

I'll ramble about something else now.

Mayhem #1 turned in her resignation last night. Instead of confronting her boss about the overloaded schedule, she just said she had too many activities coming up. This is the truth and she's a little concerned about her grades. When I picked her up, she said, "Can I cry now?" She works three more days. She's helping get past the very busy Valentine season. I told her we could come visit everyone anytime. I also suggested that she could reapply there when she was ready to look for a job this summer. I think she's looking forward to having some breathing room. And some sleeping time. Priorities!

Yesterday while I was driving from one place to the other (I do that alot.), I was listening to Paul Harvey. Between page 2 and page 3, he was doing a commercial for the Vermont Teddy Bear Company. He was talking about ordering one for your sweetheart, sending it to her at work and all her co-workers would know what a wonderful guy you are (Like that's any of their business.) He gave the phone number and said call now, "A bear counselor is waiting to talk to you."
Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Bear counselor? Like, is it too stressful to be a teddy bear? Do they need someone to unburden themselves too? Too much hugging has made them neurotic? Does the Love Bear wish he hadn't had the "Love" tattoo put on? What?

Why doesn't your mom work?

Mayhem #1 had to field that question from her boss yesterday. Her boss is probably 10 or 12 years younger than me with an eight month old baby. Mayhem #1 told her, "Mom and dad decided that when they had kids, mom would stay home and take care of them."
Then she asked, "How can they do it?"
"My dad's an accountant." (I'm not sure exactly how that fits into the equation.) "We don't have a lot of stuff." At this point the boss probably stopped listening.

I was proud of Mayhem #1's answer. As I've told them, I didn't bring kids into this world to let other people raise them. I'm not going to get on my soap box about whether or not moms should work, but it made me feel good that she understood why I'm "just a mom." Sometimes it is kind of hard to find some self-worth when you're just a mom, but the you have to remind yourself that what you're doing is right. My girls think I'm COOL! What other endorsement do I need?

Mayhem #1 is going to have to talk to her boss about her schedule. It's tearing her up, but she may have to quit. They have her scheduled for 15 hours next week. And they have her scheduled to work on Saturday which she told them in advance she had to have off for solo and ensemble competition. The boss isn't living up to her end of the bargain. They said they would be flexible with her school schedule, and Mayhem #1 gives them plenty of notice of when she can't work. I told her that she has the rest of her life to work for a living, but you're only a high school senior once. There are too many once-in-a-lifetime things that are happening now for her to be stressed over a job. Yes, I know we wanted her to get the job, but her main job right now is school. And, yes, she'll have to get another job, but maybe in the summer. It has been a good experience for her. We'll just wait and see what happens.

What will happen today

Well, I'm sitting here waiting to get a call from Mayhem #1 to go get her from school. It seems that Mayhem #2 shared her crud from last week with her sister. It was bad enough last week, but Mayhem #1 has asthma and was having trouble breathing this morning. She took her inhaler and it causes her to shake and she hates it. I told her breathing was more important.

If she comes home, I don't know if I'll get the Me Day I wanted. There is an exhibit at the art museum I want to see and, of course, I've waited to the last minute and this is the last weekend it will be in town. Today is my only chance to see it. Oh well. I'll just play it by ear.

Last night, they handed out the award for the science fair. Mayhem #2 was thrilled to win her division. She finally has a trophy. She said, "I never knew you could get a trophy for being a nerd." I called her "Nerdly". She was so proud. Now she gets to take the project to the regional level. The teacher said there would have to be some changes made for that, but hopefully nothing major. Tomorrow she goes to solo and ensemble competition with her oboe. I hope that goes just as well.

Not right now

I know Mr. Mayhem told you about our possible foreign exchange student yesterday. We found out today that she turned us down. Her current sponsor thought she might be scared of all the changes. (It can't be Mr. Mayhem. She hasn't met him yet.) I talked to the teacher who told me about the situation and she can't see why the girl would say no since she keeps asking the teacher if she has heard of another sponsor for her. Oh well. My girls will be thoroughly disappointed. I'm disappointed and my spare room won't get cleaned out.

Now for the Thursday Three:

1) Do you have any phobias, and if so, what are they?

I don't like the dark...especially outside. There are too many creepy things out there. I don't like sleeping with the windows open because it lets all the dark in. (See #2 for the rest of the story.) When I was a teen-ager, and home alone, I had to have music or the TV on because I didn't want to here any weird noises. Maybe paranoid not phobia is a better word.

2) If you do have one (or several) has it (or have they) ever been so intrusive in your life that it (or they) caused you embarrassment?

Several summers ago the ac went out. We were forced to sleep with the windows open. I remember dreaming that there was someone looking in the window over the rose bushes. In my dream I immediately screamed at the top of my lungs. Mr. Mayhem told me that really I started soft and kept getting louder. He said he had two choices: 1) Wake me up or 2) Cover my mouth. He opted for #2.


3) Eagles or Patriots?

If those are my choices, I'll pick the Patriots. I don't like Philadelphia, plus they're a division rival.

So I don't get in trouble

I got scolded last night for not blogging yesterday since Mayhem #2 is well and back in school. It's not like I sit around and watch soap operas and eat bon bons all day. I do have a life. I washed the dishes, grocery shopped, fixed dinner, made phone calls and ran errands for other members of the family. Oh, did I mention carting the kids around where ever they need to go, prodding them to do their homework, praying that the science fair project gets finished before the deadline tomorrow? Huh...I guess I don't have a life. I'm just caught up in all these other people's lives.

Whatever you do, don't let your children grow up to be teen agers. The emotional aspect of living with them will kill you. Mayhem #1 seems to be all stressed out about stuff and starts crying at school. She's worried about a date for prom. Does she ask someone, since no one will ever ask her (her words) or does she wait to see if someone asks her. She wishes someone would ask her out period. Some of her friends at school who are boys, who she might be interested in, always come to her about their girl problems, but they never seem to notice that she's a girl. I try to tell her I didn't have very many dates in high school. Mostly I had a couple of lousy boyfriends, and she doesn't want to do that. I encourage her. I cry with her. I hurt for her. This is also the child who doesn't like change. I think that even though she's excited about college, she's a little worried too. Her passive aggressive tendecy keeps showing up when I remind her to fill out those scholarship applications or study for her ACT test. (Sometimes I want to kick her father.)

Mayhem #2 definitely feels better because she's back to being argumentative and crabby. I keep trying tell her that the way she says things sounds like she's yelling. I get very upset when I ask a question and she gives me that "In you face" answer. Sometimes I don't even get the whole question out before she' upset and yelling at me. I can't win. If I remind her about something it's, "I KNOW MOM!" If I don't remind her and it doesn't get done, it's my fault. She's also at that age when the hormones go on wild roller coaster rides. Somebody let me off. PLEASE!

Here lately I feel like everyone is in crabby, lousy, depressed mood. I wish things would even out. I have a very hard time trying to cheer everyone up or calm them down if they're mad about something.

I've come to the conclusion that life is hard.

The last days of Pomp-ee-eye

I haven't been able to stop by much this week because Mayhem #2 has been sick. The only reason I've been able to jot something down the last two days is she stayed in her bed all night. I've been finding her wrapped up in a blanket on the couch every morning. She complained about being cold so we finally sent the extra blanket to bed with her.

Yesterday I had to take her back to the doctor. The horse pills he gave her Monday weren't making her throat any better and she was nauseous alot. Someone at church was nice enough to ask me if it could be mono. Great. I didn't even want to think about that. While we were waiting, as is the requirement when you go see the doctor, she was watching Toy Story in her two coats and the above mentioned blanket wrapped around her legs. I was looking at a magazine and came across an advertisement for a movie that would be coming out soon. I showed it to her and said, "Dad and I have been there."
"Pom-pay 2?" she said.
"Uh, no ," I said. " That's the way you spell Pompeii with two i's on the end."
"I just thought it was the Roman number 2," she said.
"Don't you remember when you were in The Music Man and the mayor use to always say Pomp-ee-eye? He said it that way because it was spelled that way!"
"Oh," she said.

When we got back to the examining room and gave the list of complaints to the nurse she asked Mayhem #2 to take off her jacket so the doctor could listen to her breathe.
"Which one?" I said.
"How many does she have on?"
"Two."
"Both."
"Ok. We'll just wrap up in the blanket til the doctor shows up."

We got all situated and I asked Mayhem #2 how she was feeling.
"Cold. I was warm till she made me take my coats off. And I have no circulation in my legs."

This last malady happens when your child gets so big that he/she has alot of leg to hang off the side of the examining table. Our table has a wooden ledge around the side that holds the little mattress on. When you sit on it, the mattress goes down, the legs go up slightly, and the wooden ledge cuts off the circulation right above the knee. I finally turned her sideways and propped her against the wall.

The blood test was normal and the mono test was negative, but she could still have it if we tested her too early. He didn't think so though. He thinks she has a flu-like bug on top of the ear infection. The ears were the only thing that had slightly improved since Monday.

I guess I better go wake her up and see how she's feeling. I'm afraid she's going to mess up my Me Day. That's the way Mom's world goes.

Sing with me now!

Happy Birthday to you.
Happy Birthday to you.
Happy Birthday dear Mr. Mayhem(aka Little A).
Happy Birthday to you!

I happen to know he wants glorp for his birthday. I think blue glorp would be good.

What shall I do today?

It's Friday so it's Me Day. It will be a bit shorter than usual because the kids get out of school early. Our little school district has a police force of two. One is usually at the high school and one at the middle school. On Tuesday the officer at the middle school had a massive heart attack and died. His service is today at the high school auditorium, so those two schools are getting out early. Mayhem #2 is pretty shook up about it. The officer's granddaughter is in one of her classes and both of the girl's parents have died in the last few years. Mayhem #2 is very sensitive to others. She's told me that she can't stand to go to the service, but I'll ask her one more time this afternoon.

Mayhem #1 got an exciting letter from her college. Because of her ACT scores, they are awarding her 10 hours of credit. Cool! That's almost a semester. She's taking the test again though because the scholarship she was shooting at wants one more point on her score.

I'm so excited! For the first time ever I'm going to answer the Thursday Three!

1. The Household Chore I Like (I'm paraphrasing.)

I love yard work. I like to mow the grass, but Mr. Mayhem is going to have to get me a new self-propelled mower so I can do it. Our front yard is a very steep hill and our old mower doesn't self propel anymore. Laundry's not too bad.

2. The Household Chore I Don't Like

I don't like doing the dishes or cleaning the bathrooms. I think I hate them because they're never ending. The dishes are an every day thing. Yuck! The bathrooms could be too with the slobs I live with. I had a friend tell me she took up sewing because it was the only thing that she could do and her family wouldn't destroy in 30 seconds. Boy do I understand that. Why is it that four people live here and make messes, but only one of them cleans up?

3. The Household Chore That's Been Put Off

Painting the rest of the house. I've painted the girls' rooms and my bedroom and bathroom (Ok Mr. Mayhem did most of our room because of my hernia. He doesn't like to paint.) The walls in the rest of the house are off white. I hate off white. Of course we've only lived here 10 years so maybe I can get around to it on a Me Day.

The Music of the Night

In honor of MLK day, the girls and I went to the movies to see Phantom of the Opera. Ok, maybe there's not a direct connection but, "He was oppressing her." Mayhem #1 loves to play the music on the piano and it got a thumbs up from her piano teacher. There was more singing than I expected. I know that sounds silly, but I didn't expect it to be just like the play, just on film. It was very good. The special effects at the opening were awesome. Mayhem #2 came home and stole Mayhem#1's Phantom piano book and started playing it on her oboe. She wants the DVD. She wants the CD. Dad called her obsessive, compulsive.

Mayhem #1 decided to do a movie review for the school on-line paper. She got on a few web sites to get some more info and found out that the phantom guy is really pretty hot. The other guy was hotter in the film. It's amazing what a different perspective you get on a movie when you see it with two teen-age girls.

I'm not concerned about them looking at these guys. They freak out if Dad has his shirt off. I have to admit I liked the Dukes of Hazzard(had a poster on my ceiling in the college dorm) and Magnum P.I. (and he had his shirt off alot.). Mayhem #1 has a CD by Superchick and we've been listening to it lately. Two of the songs are "Barlow Girls" and "Princes and Frogs." I highly recommend them for teen-age girls. This is a Christian group, but these songs don't talk alot about God, but they have the perspective down.

Uh oh. School's out. Gotta run.

Me Day

Today is my first "Me Day." I've decided to set aside a day (hopefully every week) for me. A day when I can do what I want...whether it's repotting plants, working on a scrapbook, doing some rubber stamping, having lunch with a friend. Today I'm having lunch with a friend. We're going to Razzoo's for cajun. I haven't decided if I'm going to be bad or stick with something on my diet. I promised her we wouldn't talk work. She's an at-home mom like me, but she's on the school board. I promise. No griping.

I've already messed up my day by having to go to the grocery store. The youth are baking cakes, brownies, cookies, etc. for a bake sale so I bought some sprinkles. And I have to go to the post office and mail the Christmas letter, finally. I like doing this because everyone tells me how entertaining the letter is. I'd hate to disappoint them.

Both of the girls have to stay after school for different activities so I have a little more time before I have to fix dinner. It's easy though, just a pot of chili. I may stop by Lowe's or Home Depot and check out the pots and potting soil. I have one plant that has seriously outgrown its pot. It's starting to crack.

As for "Mr. ScruffyMan," last night I sang part of a Jungle Book song to him. "Don't pick the prickly pear by the paw. When you pick the pear, try to use the claw." Don't use lips either. This thing better start laying down pretty soon or he needs longer lips.

Being a Mom

Have you ever thought about being a mom? (Ok guys, maybe you haven't, but you have one and might be married to one. Work with me here.) This thought came to me when I was doing the laundry the other day, and I also thought about Mayhem #1 going off to college. She's done the laundry before, but does she REALLY know how to do the laundry? I don't think so. I thought about when she reached first grade and we bought her a lunch box. A few days before school, I realized to my horror she had no idea how to open her thermos. We had a few practice sessions and things were ok.

As moms, we can't assume the kids know how to do things. Sometimes it's easy to forget to teach them something because I've been doing it so long it's second nature. In a way I feel like I've been a mom since I was twelve. My mom worked two jobs seven days a week. I made sure my older brother got out of bed in the morning, which usually meant I took him a Coke while he was still in bed. I fixed lunches and dinners. A few months ago when I was out of town, my girls were having major league stess over making their lunches for school. Anyway, my point is that I've done house work and cooking for what seems like all my life. I have to remind myself that they haven't. The last few years they have been so busy with school stuff that I haven't really made them do much around the house. Sometimes it's "Easier to do it myself" if I want a job done right or sometime this year.

We moms need to remember that our goal is to work ourselves out of a job. Our kids need to be able to go out in the world and take care of themselves. I'll always be their mom, but I shouldn't always have to think for them and tell them what to do.

This is a little introspective, but I won't be surprised if this kind of thinking happens a bit more between now and next fall.

He made me!

Now that my mom has gone home and the kids are back in school, Mr. Mayhem said I should blog. Blog what I have no idea.

I just finished writing the Christmas letter. If Mr. Mayhem will run my labels tonight I'll work on getting them in the mail this weekend. Last year the letter was on time, but most of my friends aren't surprised when it's late. I'll just save those Christmas cards I bought till next year.

Mayhem #1 has been complaining about a pain in her left side the past few days. I've been perplexed because if it had been on her right I could say it was her appendix. The doctor talked to us and then started poking at her. She doesn't like that. Especially when it hurts. He noticed some bumps we thought were bug bites because she had been to a friend's house that has dogs. Fleas maybe? Nope. She has shingles. Nothing to do but wait. This is weird enough. At least it wasn't her spleen or something.

I took my car to the shop on Wednesday to get the air conditioner fixed. I know that sounds silly in the middle of winter, but without the ac I have no window defroster. That makes for interesting driving on rainy, muggy days like Monday. I struck up a conversation with the friendly guy at the parts counter. For awhile I was in there too regularly with Mr. Mayhem's car. Anyway, our conversation wandered around to how blind we both are. I told him I hate going to a new restaurant because I can't read the menu in the low light "ambiance." I don't want ambiance, I want to see what I'm eating! Mr. Mayhem helped my out by bringing home a larger computer monitor. The kids are like, "That's huge!" What can I say? I'm blind and I need to do something about it....one of these days.

On with the show...This is it!

Here goes the whirlwind of Christmas performances/concerts. Tonight is the opening of the middle school's production of "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe." Mayhem #2 is Susan. We had to borrow her props. The theatre folks found a beat up trumpet to be her horn and a tiny bow with suction cup arrows for her bow and arrows. Mayhem #2 was not amused. We got an animal horn, looks like a powder horn, and a 3 foot bow with five arrows and quiver. I told her she couldn't really shoot the bow because the arrows are target arrows and someone would wind up with a hole in them. There are a few people she would like to shoot.

Tomorrow is the lighting of the community Christmas tree and Mayhem #1 and the band are playing at that. They usually wear their marching uniforms and Santa hats. The band director said no gloves because it wouldn't be cold. Mayhem #1 was not amused. It's always cold.

Saturday is another play performance. (They skipped Friday because of the tree lighting.) And next week is the high school band concert and the week after that is the middle school concert. Every year the high school band plays the song "Sleigh Ride" and somehow they make it snow on the band director. Mayhem #1 and another girl are in charge of the snow this year. They have no clue. There is no catwalk above the stage and they can't really attach anything to the the light rigging except maybe a box with a pull cord. I hope they figure out something.

There has been a blizzard in my house and there are snowmen everywhere. I started collecting them a few years ago. The tree is up, but naked. Mr. Mayhem is in charge of the lights. As soon as he gets that done (in all his spare time) the girls and I will finish the job. The Christmas letter has not been started and I bought my first present today. For a planner like me, this is a very bad start.

Allow me to reintroduce myself...again

This was my title last Sunday when I tried this. I got about two paragraphs of whining in before the computer froze. I guess this means, "Quit your whinin'."

Oh, wait a minute. My coffee cup's empty. I need more chocolate coffee.

Okay, I'm back.

I guess the big news this week is marching season is over. The only other time they'll have to wear the uniform is for the community Christmas tree lighting where we stand around in the cold, listen to the elementary choirs sing, which you can't hear even with microphones, listen to the band play (yeah band!), and wait for Santa to show up on a fire truck. Anyway...
The band kids are glad marching is over, except for the three guys who also play on the football team. By losing Friday night they blew their playoff chances. The band marched it's show one last time at half time, but we were missing about 20 kids, not to mention the band director. That may not sound like many, but when you only march 85 that's a big chunk. Mr. Mayhem didn't mention to you when he told you about the band competition that two of the boys were throwing up their toenails the morning we were suppose to compete. So, between the "band flu" and the cross country meet, there were a few holes.

Mayhem #1 is so glad it's over. For now the stress level drops. She can actually go to calculus tutorials in the morning, since the band doesn't have to be there at 7:15 anymore, instead of trying to get them in around her work schedule. Speaking of work, she went to work in her pajamas yesterday! Complete with Eeyore slippers. She works at a card shop and they were having an open house in honor of the new movie "The Polar Express." Mayhem #2 and I stopped by to see everyone in their pj's. After we left everyone commented to Mayhem #1 that she didn't look anything like her little sister. She said, "She doesn't look anything like me. I look like the rest of the family." Mayhem #2 is a red head. The rest of us are brunettes.

As far as everything else goes, I don't feel like whinin' this morning. I'm tired of living in limbo. I want my life back, and until my Mom decides to have one I'm stuck. Some days I just can't handle it. You know it's bad when going on a band trip with 85 high school kids is considered a vacation. Oh yeah I wasn't going to whine.

Uh-oh...My coffee cup's empty again. Gotta go.

Hi guys

Thanks for all your prayers. Keep them coming because nothing has changed, except my frustration level is getting pretty high. Tomorrow I'm going to try to get Mom to a doctor to try to get the stomach issues under control.

Friday night I had the priviledge of driving to Venus. How is that possible you ask? Well Venus is a little don't- blink- or- you'll- miss -it town. The kind where the elementary, middle school and high school are all within a stone's throw of each other. And that includes the football stadium and baseball field. The people I was driving with gave these directions, "Get off the freeway at McDonalds and go for awhile then turn right at Whataburger."

The game was pretty uninspiring until the second half. We finally won one with a score of 49-7. Our principal asked me to take a picture of the scoreboard so we could give it to the new head coach as a trophy of his first win. Something told me to take it quick or they'd turn the scoreboard off. Sure enough. I had the camera trained on the board as it counted down the last seconds. I snapped the picture and turned around to my friends, and they told me the score was wiped out.

On the way home, we had to stop at said Whataburger because one of the ladies riding with me is pregnant. Potty stop! The rest of the way home we discussed old TV shows we used to watch: The Virginian, The Rifleman, Big Valley, Dukes of Hazard, Hardy Boys, A-Team, Perry Mason, Matlock, Partridge Family, Battlestar Galactica, Knight Rider. The consensus was that we wished that some station would play reruns of Magnum, P.I. If you didn't notice, most of these shows had cute guys in them. This conversation started when I told them about the Capt. Jack Sparrow and Will Turner posters I bought my girls. Teenage girls never change.

Next week the high school has a by week, but the band has their pre-UIL marching competition on Saturday. Pray. We need it. Plus report cards come out on Thursday. No pass. No play. I told them they better keep those alternates.

Might be awhile

My blogging time may be cut even shorter. If Mom's blood labs come back normal this morning my brother will bring her to my house. I need to figure out how to be a drill sergeant because I want to help her get stronger and eat better. There is no excuse for her to be malnourished except she won't take the time to fix herself something healthy to eat. Pray for us because this will probably get ugly. It's really up to what Mom is willing to do.

This is also Mayhem #1's senior homecoming week. She'll be on the band float for the parade. Last year she got to be on it even though she was a junior, but the trailer was so small she almost got bounced off the end right in front of a fire truck. Every day this week they get to dress up weird. Like pj day, nerd day, twin day, etc. I'll probably have to help her figure that out, although she may not wear her pj's because she says she'll fall asleep.

Next Monday Mayhem #2 tries out for a part for the school play which is "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe." She wasn't impressed with the play adaptation of the book, but she still wants a part. She's going to be on one of the middle school floats in the homecoming parade this week.

Give me strength. I can't keep up.

Here and gone again

Well, I'm home for the moment, but on the road again tomorrow to check on Mom. She's still in the hospital and they're running a bunch of tests today. They can't seem to figure out why she still has a fever, where or what the blood infection is or why she is still nauseous when she gets up.

It's taken two days but the laundry is about finished. By Thursday of last week, Mr. Mayhem said that if I didn't come home soon I'd have to spend some time on the phone with him walking him through the laundry routine. Mayhem #2 was extremely clingy when I got home Sunday afternoon. Every time I turned around she was two inches from me. Then again so was Mr. Mayhem. Mayhem #1 had to tell me how hard it was to take care of getting her sister where she needed to be and get herself to school and work. I told her to think of this as practice for next year at college. I think they all realized how much I do for them. Mostly I get tired of thinking for them.

My brother couldn't figure out why I sounded so tired when I called and updated him every night on Mom's condition. Let's see...I got up at 4:30 to be at the hospital early so I wouldn't miss the doctor. I talked with the doctor, even if I had to follow him down the hall. I helped Mom with eating and whatever and I usually didn't get lunch before 3:00. I'd be back at the hospital by 5:00 to help her with dinner, and I would leave between 8:30 and 8:45 to go find some dinner. I usually got to bed a little after 10:00. Repeat for several days. After my brother spent Sunday with her by himself he was pretty exhausted.

I have to commend the nurses. They are fabulous. The doctors on the other hand leave much to be desired. I still can't get over how many people insinuated that Mom's fall was my fault because she lives alone...the doctors, the case manager, the social worker, etc. They see her as an invalid. Four weeks ago she drove herself 250 miles to my house for my niece's wedding. Last week she drove herself to the doctor. With my mother, hard headed is an understatement.

Thank you for your prayers. I think the whole family needs them.

Do I have to tell my wife?

Ok. I’ll try this again. Everything froze on me just a minute ago. It’s a good thing I wasn’t very far along yet.

Mr. Mayhem worked all last weekend to get some pressing projects done for some meetings that he was going to have yesterday. I, being the understanding wife that I am, didn’t complain. I wasn’t thrilled, but neither was he so why make him miserable. He went to the office early and went to retrieve his files from his computer, but half of them were gone. Apparently the server at the new office had a squabble with the server at the old office and they were both very confused. They had to take the new server back to the old server and see if they could patch things up. My bet is that the old server is feeling jealous because he never gets to go anywhere. (Ok… so maybe there’s a more technical explanation, but I am the computer illiterate of the family.) Anyway…. The really sad thing is that his files would have been fine if someone hadn’t accessed them on Monday. He told his boss that the worse thing about this was that he (Mr. Mayhem) was going to have to come home and tell me that he spent two days away from the family for nothing. He prefaced telling me with, "I took this news better than you're going too." What a comforting start. You have to remember that this is the man that came home one day and said, "I quit my job." My apprehension was high. Now he's frantically trying to fix everything. I don't think he'll have to work all this weekend, but probably one day or the other.

No excuse

I looked at my site meter just now and saw how many of you still come by even though I'm a delinquent blogger. The kids went back to school yesterday so my most recent excuse is gone.

Mr. Mayhem took Mayhem #1 to school and I went with Mayhem #2. Two weeks ago we spent hours at school getting registered and picking up her schedule. So we walk in the door and the first thing we have to do is stand in line to get a new schedule. "New" must be a relative term because nothing on her schedule changed. I dropped her at the courtyard, with much complaining, and went to my duty station....the copy room. On the way down the hall I was informed there was no paper. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't it hard to make copies without paper? I scrounged around and came up with 6 reems of green paper and one teacher gave me some white so I could do the history teacher's maps. (The kids were going to have to color them and green paper makes most colors look icky.) I spent 2 hours running copies while I kept the paper hidden and only pulled out a little at a time. I have to say that I do feel this is my right. When I filled out my volunteer info form, I completed the "job wanted" blank with Copy Queen. This is the last year the middle school can abuse me.

I picked up Mayhem #1 and was immediately informed that she wasn't going to learn anything in AP English. AP calculus only had 9 students, but they talked too much. There were way more kids than desks in Economics, the Yearbook teacher kept saying that some of the kids would have to go because there were too many, and the assembly where the band was suppose to march into the auditorium didn't work right either. French 3 was good. Art was good. Lunch was good, though overcrowded. The real problem with her schedule, besides a few bad teachers, is that all of her classes except English is only offered once. To get her art class in we were forced to drop honors physics, and move English. Then she still had one empty class and there were only 3 choices she could take. That's how she wound up with yearbook. I told her to hang on until things settled down a bit.

After dropping Mayhem #1 at the house to get ready for work, I went to pick up Mayhem #2. The parking and the pick up system at the middle school is atrocious. It takes forever. As soon as she gets in the car, I hear about how her locker is way down on the other end of the building and upstairs. She only has one class upstairs and it's nowhere near her locker. Her schedule has her running from on end of the building to the other. A locker somewhere in the middle would be nice. I'm going to let her work this out. The homeroom teacher that handed out the lockers she was given has requested that some of them be relocated. Mayhem #2 is very worried about being late to first period because it and the current locker are on opposite ends of the building. They are not allowed to carrry backpacks and lunch boxes to class, especially this class since it is the technology lab. Once again, hang on until things settle down. She practiced her oboe last night and I was informed that her reeds were shot. Funny, but they were fine for the few times she practiced over the summer. I guess I better go call the oboe teacher and see if she has any reeds made. Then I'll have to drive to Arlington (30 minutes) to get them. And pay a fortune...

I know. Hang on until things settle down.......but when?