life is about to improve?

Well, congrats to Ryan on finishing his dissertation!! I believe that life is about to improve for all of us. :) I get to work less overtime, once we catch up, and Ryan gets to have a real, normal life. I am sooo excited, but surely not as excited as Ryan.

On another note.....today on the airplane, there was a lady that was sooo huge.....she could barely fit in the aisle. She went to the restroom, but didn't lock the door. Some poor, unsuspecting man opened the door on her. (Though I am not sure how he got the door open.) I heard him gasp, and apologize. I am sure he is going to need some therapy. I was going to give him Ryan's number..... :)

dissertation jitters

Well, Ryan is defending his dissertation this morning. I hate that there is so much riding on this one meeting!! He was a little anxious last night, and I am feeling it this morning. I keep looking at my watch, and time is going by so slowly. Good Luck, Ryan!! We LOVE you!!!

she's a maniac, maniac

Well, I just did my timesheet and the last two weeks I only worked 125 hours, as compared to the 147 the previous two weeks. Whew!! The only bummer is that I didn't get to spend any of the last check on fun stuff, so maybe this next one...... well, who am I kidding? Oh well, I am very grateful that I have the overtime should the need arise.......

she works hard for the money......

I was working really early in the morning and decided I needed a drink about an hour into my shift. I pull into the convenience store and go straight to the cooler and then straight to the checkout. As I am walking out, I hear someone yell, "Yeah, that's right, get back to work." I turn, thinking it is someone I know giving me a hard time. It wasn't, and he sucked air through his teeth and tilted his head back, glaring at me. As I walk out, he is yelling at me to go "busting crime" blah blah........ so.................

I pull across the street, and notice the gentleman leaving. His car has no front plate, which is against the law, so I pull him over. He isn't wearing a seatbelt, and has no proof of having insurance. I warn him for the plate, and give him a citation for the seat belt and insurance problem. After he signs it, I ask him, "am I working hard enough for you now, sir?" Of course, he says, "F*** you, you f*** c****!!" and peels out and drives off.

I swear, there are some people you just can't please!!

crazy lady

At work, there is this lady that calls us about three times a night and for the most stupid things. Here are some examples of why she is calling 911:

"There are juveniles outside filling up my window wells with water."
"My neighbor just gave my dog a Klondike bar, trying to kill it."
"The neighbor's kids just filled my furnace up with dirt and now it won't work."
"My neighbor was just in my house, he went out this window right here (pointing) but I have no idea how he locked it back up."
At 4:00 AM, "would you please send someone over here to make them turn off all the lights? Someone is shining lights in my face and I can't get to sleep. They shouldn't be allowed to do that."

This lady works in the mental health profession. I asked her if I was one of her clients, what she would say to me if I came in and reported these things to her daily. I finally snapped and told her she was halucinating. Of course, tonight when she called she asked for them to send someone out, except for the lady that told her she was psycho. I NEVER used the word psycho, but I was thinking it a lot!! That is FINE with me, I don't have to deal with her again!!

psycho at walmart

So, I go to the Walmart Pharmacy to pick up my son's prescription. I get there, and there is a long line. There is a lady standing in front of the line. Her roots are grey for about 4 inches, then the rest is dyed red. She is wearing strange clothing, and she smells funny. Nonetheless, we are standing there waiting in line when she suddenly turns around and starts screaming at those of us in line behind her, "Can you all just back up? I am trying to talk to her about my prescriptions."

Of course, I turn to the lady behind me and say, "SO, all out of prozac, are they?" We had to laugh, but it was a very uncomfortable moment.

grandma got run over by a deer?

Well, today was the opening season of deer hunting. Half of our department was off of work to go hunting. A lady hit a deer, and it was still alive and trying to get up and run away. I had to shoot it. It was a four point (8 point by Eastern standards.) I had to take a picture. My coworkers are going to be mad. I got a huge buck on opening day!! If my camera were better, you could see the photo....but it sucks and the photo turned out too dark. :(

ignorant drivers

To all of the ignorant drivers out there, beware.

I am sick of being behind you in the fast lane while you meander around sightseeing....

I am sick of you pulling out in front of me....

I am tired of you not letting people in when they have their blinkers on......

And, lastly, I cannot believe the way you talk to me when I pull you over for a traffic violation. I obviously have a good reason for pulling you over, or else I wouldn't do it. If you fail the attitude test, YOU WILL GET A TICKET.

There, you have been forewarned.

mean people suck!!

There is a sweet lady that work at my favorite makeup counter. If you are feeling down, just go and see her and you will feel wonderful when you leave. She is always smiling, always makes you feel like the most important person in the world, and always compliments you in a way that makes you feel so wonderful.

Her husband passed away a few years ago. I know that she just finished paying for his funeral, as she mentioned it one day. Just prior to her husband's passing, he had bought a truck in her name...then suddenly passed away. The truck was repossessed, and taken to auction.

According to some scum-sucking attorney, they got $10,000 at an auction for an alleged $50,000 truck. He bought the loan from the Ford Motor Company, and then went after her for the money. Without warning, he garnished her wages, and drained her bank accounts.

She had checks out that hadn't cleared, that are now bouncing. She puts away $25 a check to pay her property taxes, and they took that, too. Her property taxes are due next month, and she has no money to pay them with. I am so angry at this greedy attorney, I could scream.

If I had the money, I would give it to her in a heartbeat. I happen to be at an all-time poor, and am in no position to help. However, I am going to try to find a way to help her!!

home sweet home

What a great trip to see my family, but it is taking me several days to recover. :)

While I was there, Chase broke his arm during football practice and nobody could find my husband. AHHHHH. I think that I paced a hole in the floor. He is OK, so it was fine.

I really miss my family, I wish that we lived closer. ...... maybe some day?

on the road again...

Well, I am sitting in Atlanta airport, my least favorite in the world!! I am on my way home. While I was gone, Chase broke his arm and Ryan wasn't able to be reached for a while, so that was exciting. I have to say that though I am exhausted from getting the tables and chairs set up, cooking, picking up things, washing laundry and dishes (sounds like I never left home) I am so grateful to have gone and spent some time with my family.

My poor aunt is not in good health. She and my uncle have been like second parents to me. I consider their house home more than any other besides my own. I miss them terribly. I think that I will drive out there for a while next summer. It was so great to see everyone and as my father commented, "well, we all got together, and someone didn't have to die to do it this time." It's sad, we usually all get together only when someone passes away and we have to attend a funeral.

Thanks to all those who made it possible for me to go and see my family.

another vacation alone

I get to go and see my family in Florida this week. Though I am excited, I really wish that I could take Ryan and my kids with me. It's a bummer to go fun places that I want to share with my family, and I cannot afford to get them there. On the other hand, it is worse for Ryan, who has to stay home with the kids by himself.

I finally finished cutting out the silicone caulking. I will put my room back together tomorrow and get it cleaned up for Ryan while I am gone. I have to get to the grocery store and fix the fireplace switch before I leave so they don't freeze while I am gone. I wish they could come....

major painting blunder

So, on my last few days off, I painted 3 rooms in the house. I had three days off, and decided to paint my bedroom. I listen to this coworker of mine, and he tells me that he just finished painting his entire house. He rants and raves about how putting caulking around the edges makes this perfect line and seals the tape, so I decide to try it. He tells me to use silicone caulking. I get some and put it on.

I spend two days prepping and painting the bedroom. It looks great. I go to pull the caulking off, and it is stuck. He had warned me to goop it up in the corners really well so I have something to grab on to when I remove it, so I do. It is so stuck, you can't paint it, I can't sand it off, pull it off, nothing. I call another coworker and ask him about how to get it off, and he tells me the only way is either a solvent that will eat the paint and drywall, or I have to cut it off.

So here I am, cutting it off with a utility knife. It's killing my arms! At least I just put it on the crown moulding and chair rail, and not the baseboard, too. What a pain in the butt!! I am not a happy camper for the extra work. I called the one who told me to use it. He offered to come and help me, and buy me more paint. I told him to forget it, maybe my arm muscles will grow from cutting over my head? I just want to finish it before I head back East to visit my family.

life ends with momentary lapse of responsibility

Well, I went with Ryan and Kaila to Wal-Mart Saturday night, and it's the last time I saw my planner. Not that I blame myself, because I DO!! However, when one is experiencing sensory overload.... it is difficult to stay on task. I had it at the checkout counter. Then, Ryan was griping that it wasn't fun, wished he hadn't come, etc. Kaila is bugging me to drive home, ...etc. I thought to grab my planner out of the cart when either Ryan or Kaila said, "we already got it," and shoved the cart out of my way. They didn't mean my planner, they meant that they got everything else.
I have spent the day calling the social security administration (because everyone's social security numbers were in there) and they told me that I had to call the credit reporting agency. I did, and they won't take one for a minor unless I mail in all this stuff. What a hassle!!
Not only that, but I had written down what bills were due this week, my work schedule that I have no clue about, dentist appointments that I cannot recall, all my addresses, all my accounts and passwords (which I stayed up until 1:00 AM changing,) and countless other bits of information that cannot be replaced.
Worst of all, my grandmother had written me a letter. She has arthiritis, and doesn't hand write many things. It was just after her visit with us last July, and I wanted to put it in my scrapbook. I am devastated about that one. She said how much she enjoyed her visit, how great the kids are, and how much she loves us all. I pray it will turn up somewhere, but I am sure it is long gone.
Well, I have to go to work soon,....I think....so I had better get ready. Although I am not sure where it is out there, I hope my planner knows that I miss it very much!!

investing?

Does anyone have any opinions or good information to read on investing? I anticipate paying off our debts soon, and we are interested in investing for retirement purposes, and a savings account for emergencies. I don't know much about it, just what I have read online. Does anyone have any advice, or know of any good literature on the subject?

evil emerges with sleep deprivation

Well, my evil side reared its ugly head today. I worked for 19.5 hours last night, then came home extremely sleep deprived. I was super-grouchy! I wanted to go to bed, but I had to patch our wall as I am painting tomorrow. Ryan is upset that I am even painting tomorrow, but I wanted to patch the wall, and I hate the bottom color, so I want to get it painted so there wasn't a hole in the wall.

Anyway, I hoped to have my room taped and ready to start in the morning. It isn't, and I asked Ryan to help me as I want to try caulking it with silicone to prevent my tape from tearing off the paint as happened in the bathroom I just painted. I just needed help on the area next to the ceiling as I have to hold a big cauling gun up over my head, and our room is rather large. He wasn't thrilled about it, and told me I would be mad if he didn't.

I just painted three rooms my last days off, and not once did I ever act mad except when I was trying to paint by the internet connectiond and Ryan was too close to the wall so I couldn't get close enough to paint it. I love the way it looks. It's amazing how much a little paint will change the atmosphere of a room. I can't wait to have my room painted. But, I will try to get some sleep in the process, I was crabby today. :) I called and ordered the paint, and Ryan picked it up for me. Thanks Ryan!! :)

geyser

Well, something new today...we had a geyser in our front yard. There is a pvc pipe that sticks up out of the ground and runs from our irrigation water. Somebody broke it, but Chase and his friend that were out playing by it SWEAR that it was just like that when they went outside.

To make matters worse, we didn't have a key to shut off the water valve, and we couldn't find it anyway. Our neighbors came over and loaned us a key and showed us where it was. Luckily, because it was starting to leak down into the window well. Now I get to pay to fix that. Does it ever end? I know it doesn't, but I am grateful because it could have been worse!!

it's always something

Well, I actually got a few days off, and decided to paint my front room as I didn't like the paint in it and it is the first room you see when you walk into the house. I was moving the desk when the bottom collapsed and broke. Instead of being able to order the bed I really want, I now have to buy a new desk. It is always something coming up that requires my last dime. What a bummer. At least it is a tax deduction as Ryan works from home and that makes it a business expense.
It will take four weeks to get it in, so in the meantime our computer is sitting on two card tables. We have an ancient monitor, and we will replace that on Friday when the one we want goes on sale at Costco. It's a flat screen and will allow the computer to fit onto the new desk. Ryan also went out and got a fax machine after he had to spend $20 sending one fax to a Doctor he works with. And, he had to get a digital voice recorder. Now if he just gets his first check, it will pay for all of that.

I had extra money saved up, and the some kid will get sick and the doctor bill will eat it all up, or the car breaks, or the toilet leaks and ruins my newly refinished hardwood floors, school fees were ridiculous, etc. It's always something. On a positive note, I am grateful that I can work overtime to accommodate the shortfallings in our budget!! I will paint our bedroom on my next few days off, wish me luck!!

day off and furniture woes

I would just like to say, for the record, that I need a day off!! I am trying to earn extra money to pay for school expenses and we need a new dresser for our room.....so I ordered two with the intention of getting the matching bed and nightstands later.

I searched for almost 3 months for furniture. I found a new chain called IM Home, and they have been great. But, I ordered what I wanted, and the armoire wouldn't fit up the stairs. I am sick of having random pieces of furniture, and they are all cheap and falling apart....so I wanted something durable. I am going to pay a guy to remove part of the bannister so we can get the armoire upstairs. I was going to just return the furniture and get different stuff, but I don't like the other stuff as well. I am depressed about the furniture, and not having a day off. :(

school fees are ridiculous!!!

School is quickly approaching, and I am feeling the downfall of so many school age children. School clothes and shoes were around $2,000, and two kids don't have school shoes, yet. Then, I got letters from the schools with the kids' student fees on them. I about had a heart attack!! The teenagers in high school had fees around $300 each, and the junior high kid was just under $200. What in the heck am I paying taxes for? We are one of the higher tax paying states, with next to the lowest national scores, and I have to pay even more.

Worse yet, it was itemized. I have to pay three different computer fees. Add that together with three kids with three different computer fees, and I have pretty much paid for my own computer!! Makes me sick!! I also have to pay to have my kids use textbooks, to use a locker, to park in the parking lot that my taxes have already paid for, etc. I am starting Christmas shopping as soon as I can, so I don't have to sell a kidney to get my kids each one gift!! :)