Change: It's Time for a New Direction

Well, Blogger has done it and joined the Google world. I'm thinking I'll shimmy on over to WordPress but, haven't quite decided yet which direction I'll go. I'll do a bit of reflecting to see what's to come. The important thing is; I'm making changes. Great, big, huge changes that will effect me for the rest of my life.

First off, it's time to leave my job. I've devoted over a decade of my life to one company. I have seen it in it's infancy and now, as it becomes a powerhouse in the educational world. Somethings have been wonderful, while others have made me want to run screaming into the hills. All in all, I have grown and learned a lot about who I am and what's important to me.

Secondly, my household is finally feeling the most stable it's been in a long time, but my stress has kept me from truly enjoying it. If I'm ever going to find my bliss, I need to immerse myself in the goodness that is present now. How do I do this? By letting go of negative elements that are harboring in my life. I release those things publicly now. No longer will you hold me back from being the best me I can be.

Finally, I have to release fear. My anxiety is holding me hostage and I'm completely fed up. It's time for me to take back my freedom. It may take some deliberation, but patience is a virtue. I will take my time and work my way through it, so that I can have my freedom again.

I keep saying, "I'm back," but these old habits and tired ways prevent me from really being here to write like I want to. I have ideas to share and opinions to express, not just verbally, but through the pen (or keypad, as it were). If anyone is listening isn't really a concern; however, I do love my blogger family and appreciate the amazing insight that's available here.

A person of service who hasn't been of service the way she truly wants to.

It's my season; my time. Change is now.

Spring Pics!

As promised, from my post a few days ago:

A 300 Pound Man on My Back

Well, not really, but it sure feels that way. The Motrin and I are going to be good friends today. I am certainly reaping what I sowed; pounds and pounds of salt will always make TOM completely unbearable! Why do I cave into those cravings? I've been inhaling salt for two weeks and look at where it's gotten me? Laying in bed wishing I knew where the heating pad was. It's typical of me but I certainly know better. Last month, I managed to exert some self-control and boy did it make a difference. I gotta remember to do better next month. Oh, the agony! Boys don't know how good they've got it.

In other news, my daughter announced to me and the neighbor yesterday that she doesn't like to read. My heart sank. I loved reading (still do, when there's time) and I told her how it kind of hurt my feelings. Well, my extra-super-sensitive kid didn't want to hurt mommy's feelings, so she went to her room in tears. Oh, geeze. So, I explained that books are wonderful and creative. They allow us to use our imagination. She said that she only meant she doesn't like to read hard books. I told her that most things are a bit difficult, at first. Then, you learn how to do them and it's no problem. I reminded her about her Dick and Jane books.

She said, "But those are easy, mom."

"Yes, but they weren't always. There was a time when you couldn't read a single word in one of those books. Remember Kindergarten? Now, you could read those in under a couple of minutes. You're reading chapter books, for heaven's sake!"

She smiled. I hope she understood. She said she didn't mean to hurt my feelings and I told her that sometimes, mommy's get they're feelings hurt; however, I was more concerned about her enjoying to read than my feelings. I really want her to enjoy reading and get the most of out it. I guess I would feel worse if she weren't a very good reader. The fact is, she does a pretty bang-up job (nearly at a fourth-grade level). I plan to do a lot of it with her over the Christmas break. I hope I can change her mind.

Indy has become a clean house's nightmare! This little girl gets into so much stuff, I can barely keep up with her! When the babe was a toddler, she was content to play with her toys in pretty much one place. Oh, she'd spread out a bit but was mainly happy to stay put in one room. Indy will drag stuff everywhere. She also loves shoes, so sometimes we'll find her sister's shoes, my shoes, her daddy's shoes or her own, scattered about the house. This kid loves oven mitts, too. (oven mitts?!) I have to wash them every week. On top of that, she climbs onto everything and we've seen her take more than one fall where our hearts have stopped for a second. We clean and tidy, but it's really no use. We push chairs and stools in for safety and she pulls them out again. I guess I'll have a danger-ridden, pig-sty for a little while.

Are There Fairies? Pixies? Mythical Creatures?

This is the question The Spiderwick Chronicles answers in it's four-book series. My eldest and I have been reading these for the past few weeks and were delighted to discover that a movie has been made! It is due to release in theaters February of 2008. In the meantime, I think the babe will probably peruse these books over and over again until the movie is released. She seems utterly enchanted...even more so than with the Harry Potter series.

So, the question above; do you believe in things unseen...perhaps even magical things? I'm not sure I even know the answer to the second part. The first part is a resounding yes. I believe in faith, hope and love...those are things I know exist but I cannot see them. Only their results. I am also Christian, so I believe in a higher power that I cannot see. Mythical creatures and such? Who knows. I don't rule anything out because I think the world has yet to be truly discovered. We know a lot, but we're still learning. It's always crazy to me when my hubby or I read about some animal discovered that they thought was made extinct thousands of years ago. Who's to say they won't someday discover something that no scientist could have ever predicted?

There must be many of us who are either intrigued by the world of myth or believe it may actually exist. Our culture is bursting with it and it seems to be making its way into our mainstream. I can't tell you how many fairy/pixie/dwarf tattoos I've seen in the last few years. Fairies litter the department stores in clothing and jewelry. There was many a fairy to be seen this Halloween, too. Even Tinkerbell has made a resurgence...and her role wasn't even that big in Peter Pan.

Finally, I'm more excited by the fact that my daughter finally sees the wonderment of books. Oh, she's always enjoyed reading but, yesterday I saw her too eager to finish where we'd left off. Most times, she's more interested in finishing up the movie she started. Perhaps her imagination has "turned on" with books and she's seeing the scenes and images in her mind. I hope that's what has happened. I'd much rather have her bury her nose in a book where she's being creative then attempt to blind herself in front of the television, where the creating is done for her.

Here's a look at our weather forecast from one of our local television stations. Friday and Saturday look like mild winter days to me, rather than fall days. I think my plans for the weekend are to stay in, eat soup, drink cocoa and read with my daughters. I'll probably also end up caulking the basement baseboards with hubby (if he ever decides he's going to stop being mad and talk to me again).

My tummy is still in turmoil and I'm beginning to think it wasn't the batter but perhaps some clam chowder I ate over the weekend. Or perhaps, it was the two items together. Who knows! All I know is that I was up at 2:00 am, hanging out on the throne again. The bathroom and I are in the midst of a torrid affair that I wish would die, die, die.

Read any good books lately? My reading, as of late, looks a bit like this:

A Weekend from Heaven (only two days left!)

The lummox was gone for more days than anticipated. I was certainly not complaining and, as a result of his absence, I had one of the best weeks and weekends I've had in a long time. The babe will still off and about in the wilderness, having fun on ATVs and swimming in the lake while I was cleaning my house and taking Indy on our own little adventures.

Saturday, I slept in until 6:30 (late for me) then cleaned up (straightening an organizing several CDs and DVDs in the entertainment center, cleaning the glass coffee and end tables, dusting, vacuuming the living area- including the steps, changing the litter, organizing my room and bathroom) and had everything complete by 8:00am. I then got myself and the baby ready, then off to breakfast at McDonald's, where she watched Toon Disney and ate biscuits, eggs and hash browns. Then, to the park. She swung on the swings, slid down the slide and took a little walk to see the duckies. It was really a great time to go, not only because it hadn't gotten scorching hot yet, but also because there were ducks and geese everywhere! They were eating and grooming themselves and those obnoxious sea gulls were no where in sight. I guess they only show up after the lunch crowd arrives.

After our visit to the park, I stopped at Home Depot to attack a very small home improvement project at my home. The sink in our bathroom's faucet-head had been in pieces for months. It was only a matter of replacing it, but something always happened where we'd forget about it while we were at the store. I picked up the replacement, took it home and beautified my bathroom sink in only a few seconds. Hubby was so proud when he saw it. I also picked up a movie while I was out...May. It was an interesting, creepy movie that I would never have known about, if it weren't for my movie connection guy here at work. We talk movies all the time and we're both fans of the horror genre. The characterization was done really well, even if the plot was thin in spots. Sometimes, that's enough for me...as was the case with this flick. I watched it while snarfing down a cheeseburger and fries...my last for a while. My motivation is comin' on back. Once "he's" gone, I'll be in full swing again.

Indy went down for a nap at 11:00am and didn't wake up until three hours later. Hubby was home, had showered and nearly dressed when she awakened. We drove to Salt Lake to see a movie with friends and Indy did much better with Shrek the Third than with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. She basically munched on popcorn the entire time. I guess that's the trick for her. After the movie, we went to the store, then to eat dinner, then home for a night of relaxation and pleasant company. The house was ours and we loved it!

Sunday morning, hubby tells me that he's taken the day off and we go to church together. Many of the members asked about the Babe and where she was (I told you my children and I are joined at the hip). It was sweet because they all genuinely seemed to miss her. After church, we stopped at Lowe's and looked at patio furniture. Lots on sale, but nothing we wanted. On the road again, we stopped at Golden Corral and had breakfast...$12.00 and some change. That will never happen again until we're retired! It was surprisingly good and I ate entirely too much (that's gotta stop) then, after a couple of stops, we were picking up the babe and heading home. She had been crying...missing us, the poor thing. We got home and we all took a three hour nap. Crazy! After the nap, we shopped for dinner, came home and cooked then watched Spiderman 3 (courtesy of my movie friend and his "hook up"). It was great, but I still like part two the best.

Hubby and brother-dear got into last night, with more confirmation that he needs to go home. He's been telling my sister-in-law and his mother all sorts of things about us. Hubby was going to call them and attempt to set the record straight, but he also said that, "My family is going to be them and there's nothing I can do to change them." It could be that they don't believe him at all and their idea that I'm holding him hostage somehow will continue to reign in their minds. Hubby says that his main responsibility is to his immediate family (us) and that he can't keep trying to make them see the light anymore. He did mention, however, that he'll bring up his other brother who started out in much the same way, and then ended up burning down an apartment complex (another story I'll share someday). They believed him until the day he finally admitted to it (even though the rest of us were sure it was him).

Today, I forgot my lunch and took it as a sign that I need to drink lots of water today and fast until dinner. I'm really ready to get back to the workouts and the total regime...my clothes are saying more to me than anything else. Besides, I gotta be hot for my reunion, right? Here's to new beginnings, getting started, motivation and positive energy.

Girl's Weekend Away and Other Incidentals

The weekend away was nice, but not without some serious irritations. I'm a stickler for details and I really appreciate a well organized plan; however, I can "go with the flow" when the time calls for it. This was not one of those times.

We (the invitees) were sent instructions on where to meet(a grocery store parking lot) and at what time (10:00am) on Saturday. The plan would be to caravan to the designated location and then enjoy a day of surf (lake surf) and sun. Well, yours truly was at the designated place fifteen minutes before meeting time. I wanted to be sure I didn't get left. So, I waited...and waited...and waited. I wasn't sure who the hell to look for, much less what end of the parking lot I should have been on. I decided to call the organizers (their numbers were on the card, thankfully...would have been nice if they had called). Voicemail. I left a message with my name, number, car make and model as well as a bodily description. Nothing. At 10:45, I was hightly irritated and done waiting so I was leaving the lot when I got a call. She was already at the lake, but told me where to meet and I promptly turned the car around. The people to meet were in the store shopping and would be out soon to caravan to the lake. The lady who called finished talking to me and called them to tell them I was waiting.

By 11:15, they had finally made it out of the store (what the hell?!) and apologized for missing me and the organization not being so great (you think?). We piled into our cars, then headed for the entrance to the freeway and up the canyon. Unfortunately, I got trapped behind a Cruiser and couldn't change lanes because of a truck on my right and a blazer on my left. I couldn't see the purple Hyundai anymore. By the time I got around, they were gone. Um, do we not know how to caravan?

Highly irritated, I called the organizer back and asked her how to get to the location. I had pretty much had it with the whole "caravan" idea and my need for a girl's day was quickly dwindling. Up the canyon and around the bend till I reached a lodge parking lot (oh, the park required a $9 entry fee for each car. Thanks for letting me know!). Waiting in the lot, I seriously considered turning around again and heading home. The guest of honor arrived with another guest to "pick me up" and take me into the park. My comment to her?

"I must really love you."

The day was hot, but cooled quickly on the lake. We were all on floats tied to a cooler anchored to the bottom. My Jack (Jack Daniels) and coke was just what I needed to take the edge off. My pissy mood dissipated with every sip of my cocktail. I soon engaged in conversation with the other girls (none of whom I knew) and learned that my friend had a mirage of acquaintances. They were generally pleasant, some more rowdy (and drunk off their asses) than others. Later, we sat beach chairs around and ate our lunch. I decided that some of the girls would never be people I would pick as friends, while others were a lot like me. I wondered about my own friend's choices...if these were friends from the past that she just couldn't let go or did she still have a lot in common with them?

The remainder of my time was fairly pleasant, but by 5:00pm, I was ready to go home. Hubby had made arrangements for me to stay over(the second half of the plan; to caravan to her family's cabin), but I declined. Something told me that it probably wouldn't be very fun for me. The drive home was uneventful, but I was happy to see hubby (and my finished deck. Woohoo!) All that's left to do is stain that puppy, weather treat it and buy some deck furniture.

*Turns out the second-half of the plan was a total fiasco! Let's just say, a DUI was involved. Glad I went home.*

My brother-in-law is making me nuts! It was about this time two years ago that I was ready for him to go, too. He's just lying about everything and it's making me crazy! I had some Godiva (expensive) chocolates in my special (lingerie) drawer that hubby and I nibble on slowly through the year. It was a Christmas gift and I decided to break some out last night after Margaritas. Ugh! Every damn bar is gone. There were four left and I was just too put out. It wasn't even about the chocolate so much as that it was a total violation of mine and hubby's privacy (adult toys have been moved around, too. guess I'll be doing some sterilization soon). He was adamant that it wasn't him. Then who the hell was it? My girls have no idea it's in there and they're not smart enough to hide the evidence (wrappers). So trying not to sound too accusing, I insinuated that if he was bringing anyone into our house that they should not be in our room. I also reaffirmed that this stuff hadn't happened until he got there. I'm am so through with him!

Hubby's helping a friend sod his yard tonight and I don't want to deal with the big, fifteen year-old lummox. I think it might be a skating night...and I'll leave his ass at home.

On Permahold

For those who do not exist in cubie-world, permahold is a term many of us use when we're on the phone for, what seems like, an unending amount of time. When this happens, we're usually listening to really bad Muzak or spending the time on hold talking to those around us (or updating our blogs).

My home projects are currently on permahold. For the past few nights, hubby has wanted to cuddle or rest (no complaints from me) but this deck situation will really need to change quick and in a hurry. The poor dog isn't too keen on going through the garage to "do his business." He'd much rather run out of the back door, then quickly come back in. With no steps out back, he'd plummet to near death if he attempted this now.

Hubby's friend comes back Saturday to help him complete the project, but that was under the condition that the flooring be completed. It's not done, yet and I don't think the "friend" wants to spend an entire day at our house again. I know I wouldn't.

Even with 200 pounds on his hefty frame, my brother-in-law is useless for this project; he simply just isn't in good enough shape (despite the basketball and football). The current task requires that he pull the boards as flush against the adjacent boards as possible (one at a time, of course), but he tires out entirely too quickly. If he didn't, hubby would have had this completed a few days ago. He's been waiting on me and, believe it or not, I've been available. By the time I get home, though, his song has changed:

"We'll just wait until tomorrow," or "It's too hot," or "We'll just rest tonight."

So, today, hubby is picking up the remaining wood for the railing and tonight (last chance) we'll get the flooring done. Tomorrow, I'll be journeying to a friend's wedding shower at a lake somewhere up one of our many canyons. I'm happy to be going to see her, but I feel like I'm ditching out on hubby a bit. The idea is that I start trying to do things on my own sometimes. It just so happens to coincide with a big home project. The saving grace for me is that I'll only be gone for the day, not the entire evening which would cut into help/bonding time.

GC asked about my hair, which has grown out a bit with lots of dark roots. I was planning on going a bit brighter in the blondes but have had a hell of a time finding the color I want in this cultural wasteland that is where I live. I called around and the places that carry the kind I want don't have the color I want. I think I will break down (today) and just order it online. It's nice that we have that option, to be sure. Back in the day, the store could order it for you and charge you a fee just for going to the trouble. Eliminate the middle man...that's the way to go. The color to the left is what I'm thinking...champagne blonde (Right now, I'm supposedly light golden blonde...but I think it's a myth).

Oh! A coworker of mine bought an iPhone. He says, "Yeah, it's $600, but it's not just a phone; it's a lifestyle." I don't think I'll ever have that lifestyle...not sure if I want it. But, the phone is really cool.

Life Continues and Gets Better (Really, it Does)

Wow, it's been a while. Just looking at the last posting date, you would have thought I'd dropped of the planet, but alas. I'm still here.

Brother-in-Law Blues
So, where to begin...my brother-in-law is living with us (I think I mentioned that before). He's a big lummox of a kid...five feet eleven inches tall and about two hundred ten pounds. He's fifteen and towers over his big brother (but hubby dear can take him down with one swift move). They wrestle constantly and banter back and forth about the craziest stuff. You'd have to wonder if hubby was really twenty years older than his baby brother.

Sometimes, this "play" can cause troubles because baby brother will not take big brother seriously. As such, we've caught him in a troth full of lies. They're small, but lies nonetheless. For example, hubby bought several "power" drinks (you know the kind...full of ginseng and caffeine). Anyway, there were about five or six in our refrigerator. So, hubby goes to grab one a couple of days later and there are only two left. He knows that I'm particular about "power" drinks and the ones he usually buys are so strong that they make me sick. Our kids would have no desire to drink those things. They are happy with their apple juice. Hubby approaches his brother:

"Hey, man. Did you drink those power drinks?"

"Uh, nah."

"So, where did they go?

"I don't know, man. I didn't drink them."

So, what...did they just evaporate from the refrigerator? Or, maybe somebody beamed them up to another planet. Hmm. Isn't it just easier to say, "Yeah, I drank them." Come on, dude. Now you look like an idiot.

Example 2: Hubby and I were messing around on my laptop looking at classifieds. I went up to the location bar to type in a different website and up pops some very questionable links in the memory (f*u*kmebuddy sites, livesex, web cam dreams, etc...). Hubby and I look at each other. I calmly go to the control panel and set up a password for the computer and the screen-saver. Yesterday, before baby brother leaves to spend time at his sister's house, he asks about using the computer to check a MySpace page. Hubby tells him that he's lost the computer privilege, based on the information we found on my laptop:

"You don't know what kind of viruses you're letting in, going to those sites!"

"I only went to a MySpace page."

"So, how did those other sites show up?"

"I don't know, man. I was only on MySpace."

(For the record, MySpace was not a link that showed up in memory within the location bar)

Brother dear was not happy to be scolded about the computer, but he's certainly not going to corrupt himself while he's in my house. His mother would flip if she knew what he was doing. I just got her to like me...I don't need that crap on my conscious. And, I doubt that hubby is really eager for him to come and move in with us next year after this. Can't really trust a liar, can you?

Home Improvements

The grouting is nearly finished (I think I said that the last time), but really, it is. I'll be doing the remainder of it on my own today (around three or four rows of tile). Why? Well, here's the latest; Sunday morning at 7:00am, a friend of hubby's drove from very far away to begin work on our new deck. Yes! Another project begins before the old one ends. (I sometimes feel like our family is staring in an episode of, This Old House). It was amazing what they accomplished! By 5:00pm, most of the framework was done and the flooring wood for half the deck (a fourteen-footer, by the way) was nearly all laid.

Hubby will be working on the remainder for the next few days. Once it's complete, we will stain it together. I can't believe it! I may actually get to enjoy a deck of my very own, before the summer ends. I had no idea they would get so much done...nor did I realize they were working to have it complete before the end of the summer. I just assumed we'd be walking around on a half done deck for several months.

I'm learning how to participate in these activities and am actually beginning to enjoy them. Seeing the fruits of your labor in your home is quite rewarding. I guess it's one thing to hear it, then to actually experience it for yourself? Novel.

Kiddlings

The babe is going strong with gymnastics and seems to enjoy it immensely. If I could only get her to focus and stop playing the class clown, I'd be really happy. She's also enjoying summer camp and last week, journeyed to the great Salt Lake. Her interpretation of the trip:

"Mom, we went to the great Salt Lake today!"

"Really? What did you see?"

"We saw buffalo and a deer...Oh! And we saw a barn owl and it had a heart-shaped face, but it was asleep. It was so cute!"

They also go to various parks around the city, twice per week. On Wednesdays, they go to the movie theater to see a movie (with other camp kids). So far, she's already seen every movie they've gone to, either with her dad or because we've rented it for her. There's something to be said about viewing movies in a theater, though. She loves Wednesdays. Fridays, they play in the water and with our latest temps hitting over 100, it's a good thing they can cool-off this way. She loves Fridays, too.

Married Life

Hubby and I are still going to our counseling sessions. We didn't go last week because of the holiday, but we managed to make it through the week without killing each other. Early Friday morning (around 2:00am) hubby calls to tell me he's had a blow-out with his tire on the interstate. He's managed to pull off and park at a gas station and would I come pick him up. This is where it's good that there's another older person in the house because I would have had to pack up the kids, otherwise. Luckily, I only had to tell brother-dear that I had to pick up his brother and would he please keep an ear out for the kids, just in case.

So, off I went...fifteen miles south of where we live. I blared the music and rolled the windows all the way down because, this girl was tired! I picked him up and we journeyed home, hand-in-hand. It was sweet and pitiful both at the same time. In the morning, Hubby called around to price-out tow trucks. The cheapest one said he'd call his guy and have him call us in an hour. Two hours later, I was trying to get hubby to call someone else. The gas station attendant had given hubby the okay to park his car until noon the next day. It was now 10:30 with no word from the tow guy. So, hubby begrudgingly called another company that was more expensive and worked out the details for the pick-up.

After me pressuring him to do so, he exclaimed that I wasn't really trying to help him. Where the hell did that come from? Anyway, I went outside after that comment to try and collect my thoughts. He soon followed me to say that he was sorry and that he was just stressed out from the events. Turns out, our insurance company would reimburse up to $50 dollars back from what he would spend on the tow. Then, we we got the car towed to Sam's Club, they put on a brand-new tire for free! To add icing to the cake, when hubby called in to cancel his overtime for the evening from work, they just decided to cancel the whole weekend. I had my hubby for three days! Everything happens for a reason.

The weekend was really not that eventful, but wonderful nonetheless. It's the first time in months that we've had so much time together. We ate a lot, drank a lot, and played a lot. Then, the hard work on Sunday but, who cares; it was time together.

More counseling tomorrow. I think we're really both trying hard and that's what's making the difference. If only one of us was trying or neither of us, the marriage would surely be in the toilet by now. We're trying to keep a clear perspective, which is sometimes very difficult but we are working extra hard to have at least an hour together each day. Oh! A pleasant side effect? Even better sex. Didn't really think it could get better. (wink, wink)

A Happy Birthday to You

Hubby and I spent part of the weekend at a somewhat posh resort in Park City in honor of his birthday. The one bedroom condominium reserved for us (and from what I understand, they're all different and privately owned) had a large living space complete with stereo, 32" t.v, comfortable furnishings including a large couch and recliner, a quaint coffee table and fireplace. The dining area was small, but would seat four people quite comforably. The kitchen had all the comforts of a kitchen with newer appliances, but was arms width wide and I wondered how someone who lived in one of these establishments could handle running into everything all the time. The bedroom was huge, housing a queen size bed and a twin with plenty of space for both. There was also a roll away bed in the bedroom closet and a nice, large bathroom.

The decor wasn't what I would expect of a mountain-side retreat. Paint colors were bright oranges, tans, reds and earth greens either as accents or full room colors. The paintings were a mix of art deco and Italian rustic. I'm not sure what the owner was going for but, it seemed to work. I just wished he'd/she'd thought about updating the furnishings in the bedroom. They were definitely circa 1978 (or therabouts). Overall, our room was nice and the price even better. We went to dinner at a really nice brewery where, despite being the main attraction (I don't guess they get too many African-American couples) one of the hostesses gave hubby and me the eye all during dinner. Didn't you know Utah is the swinging capital of the world? Crazy! After dinner, we drove around a bit before retiring back to the condo for drinks and conversation. The next day, we checked out and headed down the mountain to attend our first session in marriage counseling (didn't see that one coming, did you?)

After the first session, it was decided that we should join the couples group counseling, which we will try and set up for the middle of July. So, what do we do until July? Try and communicate as best we can without driving each other mad. I think a lot of prayer and hope will need to be included in these next few weeks as well and I hope those aspects are not one-sided.

In other news, the babe has started summer camp and is enjoying herself immensely. She was not too thrilled when dad came to pick her up, yesterday, insisting that he was "too early" and could he "come back later." Kids. We were preparing my brother-in-law for the workforce, but hubby keeps running into the age barrier (he's fifteen) whenever inquiring about teenagers and summer work. It may be that he'll spend his summer at the neighborhood park, unfortunately. It's too bad. I know he was hoping to work, save up money and take it back home with him for the school year. His brother is currently working for the summer getting paid $20 an hour.

The basement projects are back on schedule. We'll probably paint this afternoon and prep the floor for grouting. I'm okay with the painting, it's just the schedule that I'm not happy about. We have to do all of this when the kids are asleep because the babe can't and shouldn't watch her sister alone for hours at a time. The brother-in-law is still a bit of a stranger to the baby and she's not completely comfortable with him, yet. She's fine playing with him at a distant. So, that leaves all the basement work (at least the parts I can help with) for 8:00pm and after. Our goal is to have the office painted, the trim painted for all the rooms and the floor grouted by the end of the week. We'll see...

Cough, Hack, Cough, Cough

Woe is me! I'm still sick and can't seem to shake whatever this is. Finally, finally the weather is above freezing and is actually feeling a bit like spring, and I really can't enjoy it. It just sucks being sick! My youngest still has a runny nose too, but surprisingly my oldest (Miss Ill herself) is doing just peachy. I guess she's built up an immunity after battling everything under the sun as an infant.

I took the day off on Monday and tried to rest under a pharmacy of drugs. The pink eye appears to have cleared up at least and my sore throat is gone, but I still hack and hack through the night. Last night (or this morning, I should say), I woke up shortly after my hubby left for work (around one something) and couldn't go back to sleep. Finally, at around two, I picked up a book and started to read. Damned if I couldn't put the book down. It's absolutely wonderful! A birthday present from a coworker, The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd (a southern writer, no less). The dialogue, the imagery and the humor are just wonderful. She also discusses a lot of social issues. I really had no idea what the book was about before I picked it up this morning. I didn't even read the back cover!

Now, for the first time in a long time, I'm reading two books at once. I used to manage up to 7 novels at a time, when I was working on my Masters. I still don't know how I kept that up without getting all of the characters confused. I really miss that time of my life, now that I'm older. I really just miss being in school. I hope that I'll be able to go back again.

The other book I'm reading is Blue Shoes and Happiness by Alexander McCall Smith. It is one of several books from the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency series he's writing. (This was one of my late birthday presents from my hubby.) It's truly an enchanting series and somewhat extraordinary...not because of the writing per se, but more so because of the author: a Scotsman writing about the life and times of African women in Botswana. The voice he uses is amazing to me in that he's definitely a man's man, but he captures these women and their strength so beautifully. Reading his bio, I imagine that the women who surrounded him as a child must have made a lasting impression.

I've been working with the Babe on her spelling this week double-duty, simply because the approach we've been taking hasn't been working. Each night, I've been having her write them, rather than verbally spell them back to me. We've also spent a lot of time on her letters and understanding her phonics a bit better. I hope it makes a difference. She's also done well with her reading, but the phonics thing has her a bit stumped. I hope this new strategy works.