Randomness of Life

I was sitting on the front porch, working on homework, and I heard a really loud helicopter.  I looked up, because it sounded really close, and what I observed took up most of the sky ahead of me!  It was the Goodyear blimp!  It was circling some area hospitals to thank health care workers!  By the time I got my phone out and ready, I had to kind of chase it down the street to snap a photo.  I still only got half of its body, but you can see by this 13-story apartment building how low it was!

Before I started school two years ago, I had a short (well, longer than short) list of things I wanted to accomplish.  I accomplished most of the tasks, except for painting the living room.  I went as far as selecting paint, but it's been stored in my basement ever since.  Yesterday, I decided that this is the week.  Since it's been two years, I'm sort of regretting the color choice, but I'm still going with it.  This afternoon, I took everything off the walls and moved out all the furniture.  The two small couches and the piano are in the center of the room.  Big Sis washed down the walls for me and I filled all the holes.  Tomorrow morning, I will be all ready to go and can start painting early!

Hopefully my painting job wraps up in a couple days, because I'm having my very first patio get-together on Thursday evening!  At the end of fall, we put in a pretty large patio on the back of our house.  It's something we wanted to do for years, but couldn't afford.  Hubby decided on stamped concrete, and I must admit, it looks so much better than I ever thought it would.  We were also able to afford some low-end patio furniture.  Right in the midst of the quarantine, we added landscaping.  It couldn't have come at a better time!  I have spent so much time out there and have really enjoyed that space!  Since I didn't really get to say goodbye to my teacher friends, I decided to have them all over for a patio night.  We can sit around and chat outside while maintaining social distance.  I'm so excited to see real people again; I can't wait! 

I'm trying to work on my negativity.  It seems like every time I open my mouth, I notice complaining coming out.  I've been much more critical lately.  I don't know if it's my old age or the additional stress I'm carrying, but I'm actually getting sick and tired of myself.  I miss my former sweet and cheerful disposition.  I'm making a real attempt to be more positive, but it's so incredibly hard.  Ugh.

I'm in week 7 of 8 in my geography class, and it's gone swimmingly well!  I've only been docked one point thus far, and the course hasn't been all that bad.  Unfortunately, it causes me to immerse myself in current events, which I try to avoid, but it's almost over.  In another week, I begin my very last college class!

An Open Letter to Dog Owners

OK, we're changing gears for a quick second.  There's something that I'd like to say to some of the dog owners in my neighborhood, but I'm much too chicken.  I understand that your dog is your baby and that you love it like a member of the family.  However, your dog is loud.  I love my children very much, yet I don't leave them tied up to a post in the front yard for hours on end, as they scream (bark) incessantly to be released.

Here's a quick tip:  if your dog is barking and barking and barking, he probably wants to come inside or be untied.  I'm not a dog owner and I know that.  If you're not smart enough to realize that, perhaps you shouldn't have a pet.

As I sat on my couch early this morning, enjoying the cool morning breeze, I had to listen to a loud, barking dog for about 15 minutes constant.  The dog was not on my street, it was faint enough to know that it was at least a block away.  I cannot image how loud it would have been to a direct next-door neighbor.  I'm certain the owner knew it was barking.  From the sound, it was a very large dog. 

The day my 4-year-old niece died, I pulled my daughter out of school and we came home.  (I worked at her middle school that year).  We sat on the porch and reminisced about the happy moments we had with her during her short life.  The rottweiler across the street stood got loose and ran over to where we were sitting.  Thankfully, the owner noticed and came to get him.  We were crying, but she didn't seem to notice.  She tied him up, where he sat and barked at us over and over and over.  On that beautiful May afternoon, we had to move inside because of her dog.

On a September day, a day which I consider the worst day of my life, that same dog nearly caused me to do something rash.  Due to circumstances I will not share on this blog, I was a distraught human being who was collapsed on floor in my hallway, sobbing.  That dog barked and barked and barked.  It had to have lasted at least 45 minutes.  I was in such a fragile state, I nearly lost my mind.   

Same dog, another time- the barking had been going on for several hours.  The neighbor beside me couldn't take any more and he called the police.  I watched in a cowardly fashion through my upstairs blinds.  The officer walked up to the house, past the barking dog, and had a short conversation with the owner.  She moved him inside afterward.  Following that incident, there was a huge ordeal on Facebook.  She blew up with tons of profanity and great offense.  She was furious that she had been reported for a barking dog.  Her defense was that dogs bark....that's what they do.  She and her husband were both irate and got all their Facebook friends stirred up as well.  I didn't understand how, as a neighbor, we are expected to endure the constant barking, but she can't be expected to have the decency to keep her dog quiet.  The poor animal had a chain that was probably 6-10 feet long and had worn a dirt circle in the yard in his limited walking space. 

I'm not an animal lover, and I won't pretend to be, but my understanding of pet ownership is for companionship.  If you want to include your pet as part of the family, that is fine.  What I don't understand is why you would allow that loved family member to endure obvious misery as it is chained up outside (disturbing the entire neighborhood in the process) as you sit inside watching television, ignoring its needs. 

So here's my plea for today:  if you notice your dogs outside barking, please bring them in or find out what their needs are.  I understand that dogs bark; they're supposed to.  When the barking doesn't let up, something is wrong, and that need should be met.

Thank you for your time.  Rant over. 

Stressin'

I'm exhausted.  It's all I talk about.  It consumes every conversation and nearly every thought.

People are sending me texts about disturbing things that are happening in both the police and demonstrative communities.  I'm sure they think they're doing me a great service, but I'm shielding myself from news outlets for a reason. 

Apparently, Amazon has allowed the sale of anti-police shirts that condone hate.  I will not repeat the slogan on my blog because I don't want to give credit to this horrible atrocity.  Basically, it lumps all officers into one group and labels them murderers.  I just don't understand.  I thought that was the purpose of the entire movement- to stop prejudice, stereotypes, and labeling.  How can someone condemn one kind of hate and condone another?  Fortunately, the listing that sold the shirts has been removed, but similar shirts are sold elsewhere. 

As I stated before, I have removed all news media from my world, so forgive me that I have no concrete facts or actual data regarding the recent events in Atlanta.  From what I hear, the victim was running away from the officer and was shot in the back.  For that reason, the officer was criticized and charged.  I cannot judge or defend his actions, due to my lack of information, however, I will offer one thought to ponder.  Cops have had very specific training, and they have milliseconds, combined with a great rush of adrenaline, to implement that training.  When someone points a weapon directly at a cop, his initial reaction is to fire.  If that taser would have struck the officer and left him incapacitated, the shooter could have easily helped himself to the officer's firearm.  The officer did not have minutes to consider the current state of affairs, nor was he able to question his initial reaction to determine if it was the best course of action.  His response was immediate, and his first line of defense (his taser) was missing.  Hubby said his training officer taught him that, when confronted with a life-threatening situation, it's better to be judged by twelve than carried by six.  Although, never in the past have officers been fired on the spot and charged with murder.  Up to this point, a leave of absence has been standard while investigations were taking place.

The closest my husband has ever come to shooting someone is when he was faced with a disgruntled man who was not in his right mind.  The man reached into his waistband, pulled out something dark, and aimed it at my husband.  Hubby said he felt his finger twitch and he nearly fired.  As it turned out, the object was a cell phone.  The other man almost got shot for making a really stupid choice.  If my husband had hesitated for a fraction of a second too long, and if it had actually been a gun, I would now be a widow.  Too many decisions have to be made too quickly.

As I stated in an earlier post, I do not defend the actions of Derek Chauvin in any way.  I'm so angry that my husband is being lumped into the same boat as this terrible excuse for a police officer and a human being.  Consider the worst possible version of a worker in your own profession, whether that person is a rapist, pedophile, child abuser, or murderer.  Now imagine how terrible it would be if you had to endure the wrath of that individual's crimes.  That's what our good officers are facing every day.  I can't imagine how anything shy of countless years can undo the damage that is being done right now.  May God have mercy on our society. 

Intention, Not Attention

Is it still considered a good deed when you broadcast it to others?

That's one of my pet peeves- when people film themselves doing good deeds, then they plaster it all over social media so they can get credit.  Are you doing it to benefit others or for yourself?  I love the quote, "Good deeds should be done with intention not for attention."

Allow me a moment to brag on myself.  I apologize in advance.  I'm justifying my actions based on my anonymity; I don't know any of you.  I'm not publishing this account on Facebook or anywhere I actually have an identity.  So does that make it any better?  Maybe not, but whatever.

I was supposed to pick up my daughter after an event, but I was running a few minutes late.  A friend decided to drop her off at home for me.  As I was returning home alone, I saw two ladies beginning to cross my street on the main road.  The older of the two was carrying an infant car seat.  I remember how heavy those are, so I paused on the main road to allow her to cross the side street.  I felt terrible that she was trying to carry that heavy seat; she appeared to be in her 50s.  I turned onto the side street and rolled down my window.  I asked where they were headed and if they needed a ride.  They named a pediatrician that was located in the exact opposite direction.  When I told them they were walking the wrong way, they were despondent.  I offered to drive them there, and they accepted.

Never in my life have I picked up strangers in the car, but I could not allow these two women to continue on their journey with that car seat.  It would have been close to a half-mile walk.  As it turns out, the baby arrived two months early and they didn't have the stroller yet for the car seat.  This was his first appointment.  They had taken the bus from a nearby town, and had turned the wrong way when they got off.  They were extremely grateful for the ride; grandma said she would have been lying in someone's front yard if I had not picked them up.

After I dropped them off, guilt overcame me once again.  How did I expect them to get back to the bus stop?  When I got home, I called the pediatrician office and provided my phone number.  I told the receptionist to have the ladies call me after the appointment and I would pick them up.  Thankfully, they had told me the first name of the baby.

That's how life should be- people helping people.  It wasn't hard.  I had no agenda that day.  I was relaxing on the porch, reading a book.  I've been blessed and it was nice to bless someone else in return.  Oh, there was one thing I forgot to mention.  They were black.  My husband is a white cop.  See, we don't all hate one another- the media spews that image.  We got along just fine and we didn't even have to take a Facebook selfie to document it.

The Silent Police Wife

I'll admit- one of the main reasons I returned to my blog after such a long time away is because I need a platform to manage all these emotions and a release of my new anxieties.  I've always been a very focused, calm, relaxed person in the past, but I'm starting to experience the other side for the first time in my life.

You see, I'm the silent wife of a police officer.

I can't watch the news.  I can't get on social media.  I just can't.  My stomach turns and does flip-flops; I sob and mourn for the other women in my position whose husbands have been taken from them because of these violent and despicable times in which we are living.

I'll start right off the bat by saying that racism is wrong.  The movement that law enforcement and racism go hand in hand is ridiculous.  Both my husband and I are supportive of the human race, no matter what nationality or ethnicity a person is, or what color of skin they have.  Now that I have clarified that, please consider the rest of my thoughts.

People who are judging all police officers by the horrendous actions of one (or a few) are committing the same acts as racists.  Judging an entire group of people by a stereotype is wrong.  Derek Chauvin was a creep and does not deserve to represent the entire police force of the United States.  In that same manner, a black criminal should not be the representative for the entire African-American race.  Fair enough?

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/04/opinion/
the-argument-protest-riot-violence.html

Two months ago, everyone loved the police.  My husband was called upon several times daily to lead parades through neighborhoods to celebrate kids' birthdays during the quarantine.  Everybody loved that.  In 2001, cops were the heroes of the country.  Talk about solidarity- people bought police officers meals and would give them the shirts off their backs.  Today, people are writing racial slurs on police cruisers as they bust out all the windows.  How did all of this change in such a short time?

In my opinion, most of the people who are against the police are people who have been in trouble with the law.  I have no statistics for that; it's my opinion.  A young adult who grew up close to my family has stated his disdain for law enforcement very openly.  He is a disrespectful punk who breaks into buildings to take extreme photography and to skateboard.  He gets mouthy with security when confronted about trespassing.  I'm not surprised he doesn't support the police.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/mar/30/
devonte-hart-police-information-portland

A lot of the opposition says that police are only out to catch people doing wrong.  That couldn't be further from the truth.  I have done countless ride-alongs with my husband, and I see what a day in his shoes looks like.  He does a welfare check on an elderly woman whose out-of-state daughter hasn't been able to contact her in a week.  If he finds her dead, he has to tell that daughter.  He has to persuade a mentally challenged adult that her group home is a safe place and she needs to return with her case worker.  The promise of a 5th Avenue candy bar and a Mountain Dew (that he purchases himself at the gas station) is what convinces her to go back.  My husband comforts a terrified mother who was crouched on the floor of her home because a bullet just sailed through her teenage daughter's bedroom window.  Her ex-boyfriend is in a street gang and they were making a point.  On a bitterly cold winter day, my husband noticed "David" crouched in the dugout of the ball field.  He didn't kick out the homeless man or berate him.  He opened up his trunk, pulled out a bag and took it to the man.  It had some non-perishable food, a hat, and other basic supplies.  I asked why he didn't offer the man more help, but he informed me that David refuses public assistance.  He chooses his life on the street, but will accept occasional supplies.

All of those stories are true.  I witnessed them.  And half of them involved African Americans.  Was my husband less willing to help the black people?  Absolutely not.  They're all his people, the citizens of his town. 

My hope for this country is that all hate will be eliminated- hate against people based on their skin color (red, yellow, black, or white) and hate against people because of their profession.  What good can come from hate?  We are on the verge of a civil war, and we are going to split this great nation in half if the hate doesn't stop.  Before you act, before you speak, stop and think if it will do good or stir up more anger and strife.  We need to decrease the tension and attempt to restore faith in the human race.

Stop the violence.  Stop the hate.

4 years

I can't believe it's been nearly 4 years since I've blogged on this platform.  An awful lot has changed.  I entered my 40s.  Two sons have graduated high school and are pursuing engineering degrees.  That "Baby Girl" of mine is entering her second year of middle school, and her "Big Sis" will be starting her third year of high school!

My last post talked about returning to work after an 18-year hiatus.  Well, that kind of worked out.  I got hired into the district by Thanksgiving of that year and found out I had a niche for students with emotional disturbance and behavior disorders.  I've held two different jobs in that capacity, and have since realized my desire to move to the next level.  I enrolled in an online college, and I'm now one class away from my special education degree!  I will be licensed K-12 as a mild to moderate intervention specialist.  Working full time and taking classes full time, while still caring for my family and household has been a tremendous undertaking.

That cruise I last wrote about represented a major transition point in our lives.  It happened on our first day of vacation.  Before we set sail, Hubby received a call from his job.  Upon his return back to work, his pay would be significantly reduced- by 28%, to be specific.  It put a tremendous damper on the entire trip.  The reason is that his employers were angry with him for pursuing the police academy.  His full intention was to remain dedicated to his primary job, only working police side jobs on the weekend.  It was actually none of their business what he did outside work hours.  They told him he wasn't being a team player because he took on a second job.  When he returned the first day, a coworker asked, "What are you doing here?"  Hubby simply stated that he was back from vacation.  The friend informed Hubby that they assumed he would quit, so they already replaced him.  That was a shot to the gut.  After talking to our attorney, Hubby decided not to return.  He worked 28 hours a week as a part-time officer for quite some time while I made peanuts.  It was an extremely trying time for us, especially financially.

Fast-forward a bit...the Chief asked Hubby if he would ever be interested in becoming a full-time officer.  Hubby confirmed that it was his dream, but he was past the age cutoff.  The Chief replied, "Hmmm...let's see what we can do about that."  After many months, a lot of paperwork, and petitioning of the right people, the Chief was able to get the city ordinance changed to allow citizens up to age 45 to take the civil service exam!  Hubby did well, and was hired full time a few months after that!  It was a blessing from God!

I doubt any of the people who read my blog back in the day are still around, but if you are, I wanted to give an update about my life.  It keeps moving along, keeps changing, and keeps progressing.  Sometimes you wish you could hit the pause button, other times you'd like to rewind or fast-forward.  None of that is possible, however, and we must each embrace the moment in which we are living.

Here's to today.  Cheers!

August is like the Sunday of Summer

It's been a great summer, and far too long since I've updated!  It makes me sad to notice that it's getting darker earlier and that the kids' school stuff has claimed residency all over my dining room.  It's hard to believe that summer is nearly over.  It seemed to last an eternity when I was a kid!

It's still in the 90s here and far too humid to be outside.  The upstairs of my house is too warm to make sleeping comfortable, but we're thankful for the ceiling fan!  I think the area where I live has some of the most extreme weather in the country.  Thankfully, we didn't break 100 degrees this year, even though we typically do.  Winters drop down below zero by 20-25 degrees.  I'm trying to enjoy the heat while it lasts!

Steak, Lobster, Escargot, & Ice Cream!

Even though it wasn't in our budget, we found a way to take the kids on a family vacation this year!  We technically hadn't been on a real vacation in 3 years.  (I do not count driving to New Orleans for a wedding a vacation!)  I knew the only way we could go was to go on a cruise.  Trying to feed and entertain this family for a week, after paying for flights and hotel accommodations, was definitely something we couldn't afford.

We chose a 5-day cruise on Royal Caribbean out of Miami.  We stopped at Grand Cayman Island and Key West.  I'd never been to either port before and really enjoyed both!  The ship was a little disappointing as far as things to do, but I still had a great time.  Big Sis was caught right between the little kids and the teens.  I wish there had been more for her.  She's a trouper though.  Baby Girl had a blast in the little kids club!  The boys didn't do much aside from eating.  They were disappointed there wasn't basketball or putt-putt golf.  The teen club fell a little short too.  You get what you pay for and the smallest boat in the fleet was all we could afford.  I read several books and had lots of fun!

She was voted
Queen of the Night!

Right before we left for the trip, I quit Hubby's side job.  We had talked about quitting part of it because it was getting unreasonable.  We had been cleaning an apartment job for 3 years and never got an increase of wages.  One of the owners did nothing but complain about our work, which was very degrading to us.  He kept demanding more and more out of us and was never happy.  For what we were getting paid, it was ludicrous.  We cleaned the laundry rooms and parking lot areas once a week.  It took the Hubby and I and both girls 1 to 1 1/2 hours to finish the job well.  Afterward, we always went to our favorite pizza joint.  What we got paid was $3 short of even paying for our dinner.  Yeah, not worth it.

Anyhow, when Hubby got home, I nervously proclaimed, "I quit your job."  He asked, "Which one?"  (He knew we were only talking about cleaning and mowing the apartments.)  "All of them," I answered.  He wasn't too happy.  He was hung up on the money and didn't see how we could afford to quit.  It turned out to be the best decision ever.  He ended up being so relaxed on vacation and mentioned time after time that it was perfect timing.  Whew!!!

We got home on a Sunday and he started his part-time job with the police department on Tuesday!  His training officer is an army vet who we suspect to be part robot!  He's amazing and a perfect fit for Hubby!  He loves this job so much and is finally living out his dream!!!  He's realized, even though pay is very minimal as a part-time officer, that he's making very close to the same as the jobs I just quit, doing something he loves!!  I am so thankful, I can't even put it into words!  And you should see him in his full uniform!  He's quite dashing!!!

THEN- since there weren't enough changes in our lives yet.  I went out and got me one of them there jobs!  I signed up to be on the sub list as a teacher's aide at our home school district.  The woman who interviewed me laughed and said that I had quite an impressive resume'.  Most people applying for this job don't have teaching degrees.  I explained that this is exactly what I want right now.  I haven't worked outside the home in almost 18 years.  To go back full time could possibly kill me.  I still have all those responsibilities, kids, and side jobs at home to manage.  Most teacher aide positions here are 4-5 hours a day.  I think that's great.  The pay is absolutely insulting (minimum wage) but it's more than I'm making now!  I would enjoy staying on as a sub for a while, but they let me know that I would likely get hired right away.  She said she may call as early as the first day of school and will probably call most days.  Yikes...makes me kind of nervous!  I'm a little rusty...

So, school starts in 4 days.  I need to get my act together in case I have to go to work!!!

What I'm Reading

At what point does this constitute as an obsession?  I've read 21 books so far this year.  I've never been that kind of a reader.  I know there are people who have a goal of 100 books in a year.  I'm not that person.  I actually feel guilty about reading because it's a hobby that takes the place of something more important that I should be doing!  One thing that helps with my guilt is that I only read after I've finished my daily Bible reading.  So, if you count the 66 books of the Bible, I may be pretty close to that 100 mark by the end of the year!

A lot of the books I've read lately aren't great and I realize that's because I'm buying the Kindle deals on Amazon.  Most of those deals offer a cheap price on the first book in a series, hoping you'll buy the remaining books.  Sadly, it's not usually worth reading the sequels.

I've contemplated signing back up for Amazon Prime so that I can take advantage of the free Kindle books.  Has anyone ever done that who can offer advice?  I would like to know if it's worth it or if the selection is very minimal.  As of now, I'm spending more money than I would like to because I'm reading some of these books in only 3 days.  I might as well have the free shipping to go along with it!

Here's what I've been reading:

• Party Girl by Rachel Hollis

This book was just OK.  It's almost like the author finished watching The Devil Wears Prada, thought to herself "Hmm....I liked that," and then decided to write a book with the same theme.  It's about a party planner and it has the same components of Prada.  The boss is highly sought after, condescending, and trendy.  The main character is just too good to be true.  I purchased this book because it was a good deal and because there are two others that follow it.  I did enjoy reading it, but not enough to read the next two.  There wasn't enough depth.  There was harsh language and mild sexual content (for my wholesome readers).  

• Maid for Love by Marie Force

This one was not worth reading.  It had the depth of what I imagine a Playboy article would have.  It dwelt much more on the size of the woman's jugs and the endowment of the man's genitalia than a good story line.  I would have guessed the author to have been in high school because of the writing quality.  She mentions the woman's "caramel eyes" and "flowery scent" way too many times to count.  I'm guessing her English teacher never taught her to use a variety of adjectives.  There are very graphic sex scenes that I had to skip over and the story isn't believable at all.  Save your time and skip this one.  

• The Secret Sister by Brenda Novak

This book was better than the last two.  It's about a woman who returns to her home town following a divorce and loss of a child.  Her brother is going through a rough period with drug addiction and she feels the need to move home to help him out.  I know that sounds like the book has an overwhelming sad theme, but it's not a complete tearjerker.  The brother and sister are close, despite their dysfunction, but neither is close with their overbearing, rich mother.  As they are sorting through things, they find evidence that suggests they used to have an older sister.  I don't want to give away any more than that.  There is some explicit material and language.  (Why do all of these books include a man teaching a woman how to have better sex?  She always thoroughly enjoys it and thanks him for it.  Gag.)  Anyway, this book is worth reading, if you find a good deal on it.  

• The Marryin' Kind by Nancy J. Parra

OK, finally a book that I really enjoyed!  This is part of a series, but it doesn't end in a cliffhanger.  You don't have to read the next book to find out what happens.  It's just about the same characters.  I can't say I picked up on the actual time period of this book.  The women wear hoop skirts and pump water into the house, but there seem to be very modern things discussed.  Anyway, it's about an independent woman who has no desire to marry.  She wants to stay single and live alone, much to the dismay of her father and sisters.  Similar to Pride & Prejudice, the younger sister is a flirt who can't understand someone's desire to not marry.  The older brother comes up with an elaborate plan to help his sister achieve everything she wants in life.  This book is very light, yet entertaining.  There's plenty going on and you can't wait to see what's going to happen next.  The best part is that it's very clean with no language or explicit material.  I enjoyed it so much that I bought the next two.

• The Bettin' Kind by Nancy J. Parra

This is the second book of the series and is about the younger sister.  I thought the first was better, but that's probably because I read it first.  I did finish this one in two days though.  It was very similar to the first book, which might be why I didn't enjoy it quite as much.  I decided not to read the third right away.  The book was still very enjoyable, clean, and romantic.  The heroine from the first book is mentioned, but isn't a key character.  I would still recommend reading them in order or you'll get a few spoilers.  There is even a little action in this one and I had a hard time putting it down.

• The Songbird and the Soldier by Wendy Lou Jones

I immediately fell in love with this book.  It's about a man in the service who begins exchanging letters with someone he met briefly while at home.  The author shares the letters with you and they're quite enjoyable to read.  Then chapters go by where nothing happens.  Seriously, it's like describing my daily life.  She goes to the grocery store.  They have tea.  She walks through the park.  They have a picnic.  She cooks dinner.  My eyes kept drooping and this book became a quick cure for insomnia.  It gets a little better, and things start happening, but it never really picks up again.   There are several dramatic events in the last third of the book.  But frankly, by that point, I didn't care about the characters any more.  I just wanted to finish.  The writing was dull and lifeless.  When I picked up my very next book, the words jumped out at me like sugar to someone on a diet.  It had some language, but otherwise was pretty clean.  I'd say skip this one.


...and I'm still going.

The Randomness of Life

I'm having such difficulty dealing with the news and current issues of today.  I don't want to log onto social media or turn on the television.  I don't want to know the details of the horrific events of the last few days; I'd rather be ignorant.  Does that mean I don't care?  No, it means I care too much.  If I think about it too much, it consumes me.  I have to continue living my life.  Getting overwhelmed with grief won't help make anything better.

~>*<~

This was in our local paper!

Son #1 is getting involved with a summer job program.  Our church secretary (my cousin) told me about it.  This agency will pay #1 to work at the church over the summer!  The church gets to use his services for free, but will provide some mentoring and help him establish work skills.  He already has great work skills and he's involved in the church anyway.  He has a key to get in (as he unlocks the doors before services), so she said he can pretty much go up and work whenever he wants.  It's so flexible and he'll get a dollar more an hour than he's making at his current job!  He'll keep the other job too; he only works Monday and Saturday evenings.  He needs something to occupy him this summer....I'm afraid he's going to wear out the pads of his thumbs on that stupid iPad.

~>*<~

I, on the other hand, have plenty to do to keep myself busy.  My basement, people, is simply disgusting.  It's overwhelming and there are hours worth of work awaiting me.  Anyone want to come help me?

It's time to start getting this house organized and into shape.  I'm doing a great job of keeping it "drop in ready" at most times.  If anyone knocks on my door, I'm comfortable inviting them in.  However, the nooks and crannies, like the basement, garage, and closets are hideous.  I can't take it any more.

Years ago, when I only had the two boys, my family bought a very large parcel of land.  Our dream was to construct a development where everyone could build homes together.  Yeah, it didn't work.  My uncle spent over a decade trying to get permits and sewers and water lines.  He finally kind of gave up.  But he decided to put his home up for sale anyway.  It's a very unique, historical house, so it's not like some ordinary Joe would happen by to purchase it.  Built in the early 1900s, it was part of a farm.  The caretaker lived in the front part of the house.  It has 4 bedrooms and 2 kitchens.  The back half of the house was renovated by my grandfather.  My mom and uncle lived there from birth.  It has 4 bedrooms also and a fabulous great room.  Because of this, they're asking a pretty penny.  A few corporations have looked through it, as well as a couple multi-generational families.  It's been on the market off and on for 7 years now.  Nothing.  This week, the metropolitan housing company in our area contacted my uncle to see if all of the family members on the street would be interested in talking numbers.  SO- even though we've never listed our house, it may finally be looked at.  It's nerve-wracking and very exciting at the same time.  So that's why I need to get busy in my basement.  Seriously....looking for eager volunteers!!!  :D

~>*<~

I adore the expression on
her face! 

Maybe it's finally our "Season."  Hubby was involved in a class action suit against his company that was filed a dozen years ago.  He's a named plaintiff on the suit, which means he's given testimonies and whatnot.  Back then, they said if it all pans out, we could be awarded with well over six figures.  We've patiently anticipated the settlement of this lawsuit for over a decade.  It settled.  Sadly, it didn't even come close to what Hubby hoped for.  Me, I would have been thrilled with a $20 gift card to Outback.  He really hoped we could pay off the house.  Um, nope.  The actual amount isn't set in stone because they're having difficulty locating all 300+ people who are affected.  No matter what happens, we'll get some money, which is fantastic!  Hopefully it won't take another decade though!

~>*<~

Oh, it is suddenly pouring rain here!  With lightning!  We really need that.  It finally got hot here today; I broke down and turned on the A/C.  I like it so much better with a natural breeze blowing through the house.  The humidity did me in though.  We tried to swim at my cousin's Monday, but it was just too cool.  

~>*<~

Does anyone else think my ice cream cone looks like the poop emoji?

~>*<~

I hope things are going well in the lives of all my readers!  I love it when y'all post comments or occasionally email me.  I enjoy hearing from you!  I'll leave you with one random thought.  What's one food from your childhood you'd just love to have again?  Maybe a meal your mom used to make or something from a restaurant that went out of business?  I'd have to say the chicken nachos, chips, and salsa from Chi-Chi's.  I really miss that place...it was our date night go-to place.  :(

What's Happening--

I am truly enjoying the summer!  I work so hard throughout the spring that, when summer comes, I take relaxation to a whole new level!  I've been reading, walking, cooking, and enjoying life.  I could really get used to this lifestyle.

~*~

Hubby and I celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary!  I don't feel old enough to have been married that long.  We enjoyed a short cruise that was heavenly!  We ate, fell asleep in the sun, played mini golf, read books, and tried out the water slide.  I was so sad to see it end.  Another lifestyle I could get used to...

~*~

Son #2 is on the left.

I am so relieved that school is out.  I am very tired of pestering the kids to work hard and keep their grades up.  Big Sis did fantastic her last quarter.  Son #1's grades were disappointing and Son #2 dropped the ball in the last week of school.  He's carried a 4.0 since 7th grade and finally lost it.  His Destination Imagination team traveled to Knoxville, TN for Globals the last full week of school and he missed too much class.  He had to write his final paper in the car.  This one paper counted for his English, Science, and History grades.  I don't really get the reasoning behind that.  Well, he bombed the paper.  Each section was worth 20 points.  He got 20/20 on Science, 15/20 on History, and 5/20 in English for doing his citations wrong.  Because of that, he got a poor grade in all three subjects.  I don't quite see the fairness in that.  He should have gotten a poor grade in English only.  Because of this, he lost his 4.0.  I'm pretty ticked about it.  His older brother never had any assignments that were cross-curricular like that.  I just don't get it.  And Baby Girl graduated 1st grade on a high note.  She's picked up in her reading and math and I'm quite pleased with her progress.

~*~

Hubby's police career is moving slowly, but he finally got his uniforms this week.  He looks quite dashing!  OK, the hat is a little dorky, but he's not required to wear it.  He has to "qualify" with his weapon and then he can begin.  He's more than anxious to start because he's totally fed up with his current job.

For example, Son #1 had to go to traffic court tonight.  (Speeding on the highway....I about killed him!)  I had to take him alone because Hubby couldn't get off in time.  They won't accommodate him in any way.  Other drivers were off well before 5:00 that he could have switched with, but they will not give him any slack.  He works every Saturday and has gotten home after 7:30 this week.  He doesn't get paid enough to not have a life because of work.  Fortunately, he has a new career ahead of him.  Hopefully full-time employment at the PD will come soon!

~*~

The tooth fairy has been
visiting lately!

Every other Saturday, I am alternating between teaching a couponing class and a cooking class.  I really enjoy it....when people show up.  It's quite frustrating to have 25 people sign up for a class and only 1 shows up.  If you don't want to attend, don't sign up.

~*~

We unexpectedly came into $1000!  It was such a shock and surprise, we don't know what to do with it yet.  There are so many things we could use it for, but we're contemplating investing it for a rainy day.  Hmmm.....

~*~

The boys had physicals this week.  Son #1 is 5'10 1/2" and 139 lbs.!  Son #2 is 5'7 1/2" and 110 lbs.  Boy, are they going to look just like their dad!!!  I feel like a midget around here.

~*~

That's about all that's going on and I'm so happy about it!  Golf starts soon and Son #1 is going to join his brother on the team this year.  He's entering his Senior year (yikes!) and taking way too strenuous of a schedule.  I honestly don't think he can pull it off.  

I feel like I've aged a lot since I started this blog.  Instead of a home with four kids, I have two little girls and three grown men living here.  It's weird.