Ups & Downs Today

I almost didn't write this post, but then I remembered that it is all about me and that includes the people I love! Well I made that call and my fears were confirmed...my man is in the hole. :( I don't know why...and knowing what I know about prison I can't judge until I know the facts. I know that probably doesn't sound natural to people, but with MDOC there are 4 sides to the story: his, the other person, MDOC and then you have to apply logic to the story... So I shall reserve my judgment for now, but I'm still sad, mad & hurt. :(

Tomorrow I take my uncle to his follow up appointment with the hematologist oncologist...wish us luck! I'm really nervous about the appointment tomorrow and us getting bad news...

In case you are under a rock today...Chrysler filed Chapter 11 today. We shall see what becomes of this. It makes me nervous as well. Apparently I'm just a nervous nelly today! LOL

But hey, my back is feeling better. It hurt a little this morning but has since went away. So that is good news. So it has been an up and down day today...but I'm glad I know what I know now. I think I'd rather know versus not knowing.

I'll update things when I can....

Oh BTW, I was having such a crazy afternoon that when I got ready to rush off to the post office to drop my paragraph off demanding details from my man I realized that I had my shirt on inside out. Opps! I have decided that with my stress level these few weeks that I will be treating myself to a massage at the end of next week...I know I deserve it! ;)

Deadline for Chrysler

Well today is the government imposed deadline for Chrysler. Will they have time to make their deal with Fait or will they be filing for BK? I wish them all the luck of the world, especially the hourly workers who are uber-stressed out over this whole thing. My prayers are with you my Big-3 brothers and sistas! Even though this may not directly affect me, it indirectly affects us all, so I hope that the best thing that is suppose to happen will happen. Good luck Chrysler and if it is Chapter 11 that you find yourself in...please don't call me, because I suck at Chapter 11! (See prior post on BK final.)

**Dani, how do you do that neat little link thing when you put "here" and it takes you to the other posting?

Contact with both former-sister-in-laws today...

So I woke up this morning with a pain in my back, sort of. It is more like my lower right quadrant on the backside. It is kind of constant with spurts of sharp pains. I'm hoping that this is tied to mother nature, stress and over-all feeling icky and nothing more serious. I always get a little nervous with pain in this area because of the cyst I'm carrying around there! I don't know what it feels like when a cyst bursts; however, I assume it would be painful so I am crossing my fingers that it is nothing except stress and "that time". I swear I'm falling apart in my old age!

So I talked to my guy's sister-in-law and it appears that no one has heard from him since the last time I spoke to him on the 20th! She is going to verify with her mother-in-law and report back to me. I'm sure if I don't hear from her there has been no contact, because I love my former sister-in-law, but she loves to stir the pot especially with me and my guy. She would have immediately called me if she had confirmed contact between the two of them!

Another call came in that went through the family drama dealing with my other ex-sister-in-law. Apparently the foster mother or the DHS people asked her about birth information about my two nephews...their weights, lengths and times of birth. She couldn't provide that information. For people who haven't had kids they would probably think "so?!" but once you have kids you know such information. I don't know why or how, but you do! I will admit that I couldn't recall the exact length of the munchkin but I was damn close (said 20&1/2, but it was 20&3/4), but I sure as hell remembered the time and the weight exactly (11:28pm & 9lbs1oz)! I just don't get how she couldn't remember the time and the weight? God help those two little boys...I think their foster parents are the best option right now. So very very sad...

Oh yeah...I went to get my mail while the munchkin was at soccer practice and I decided to treat myself to the newest addition in our town, Cold Stone Creamery, which moved in and is sharing Tim Hortons. Well, what a mistake!! Not only was it expensive and not as great as I hoped for, but how am I suppose to drive home with a cup of fancy ice cream without a lid and doesn't fit in a cup holder? Maybe I was expecting too much with an expectation of a lid and maybe a bag too...WTF? I won't be going back...

Your Limo Awaits Sir...

Honey, it was a real stretch limo for the munchkin and crew...  ;)

He had a blast.  Here are some pics of the limo.

Next time the munchkin would like to be in a tux he said...

We will have to wait and see.  I love you munchkin!  ;)  Congrats on the limo ride!!

The inside...

It is a Hummer, Baby!  

Hooah!!

In they go...

And they are in...

And they are off...

BK over and done...

Well, I took my BK final. It totally sucked! :( It was 3 questions, which took me 4 bluebooks. And I have decided that the worst kind of BK out there is Chapter 11 and I really don't know anything about it. Oh well...at least it is over with! :) One down...two to go!

Thanks for the well wishes!!

PS. Ceiling Fan

I forgot to mention what I came across when I was switching my bedroom ceiling fan from winter to summer this past weekend...needless to say, it wasn't pretty.

Ironic that one of the texts I received this morning was from my cleaning lady asking if she was going to be cleaning this week. Since I'm home for finals she won't be, but I thought it crazy that she texted me after my post last night! Of course she isn't even close to filing BK. :( Ugh...

On a separate note...I went today to see my munchkin off in his limo ride! He was so excited. I took like 25 pictures! Some will be posted soon. Of course it was a hummer limo so the munchkin was super excited because it was an Army limo! Hooah! I probably could already have the pictures back by now, but since there were 4 kids in the group and one of the little girls didn't have anyone there to take pictures I am having 6 sets made so I can give a set to each kid for their scrapbooks. I didn't want the other little girl to feel like she is being singled out.

On a downer note...I still haven't heard from my man. :( I'm hoping he gets my letters soon and calls or writes. I hate lack of communication...ugh

Alright...BK final in 4 hours and 19 minutes! Wish me luck!!! YIKES!!

The blue dot, a red bra and the plastic bag

Whatever would these things have in common? Well, they are signs that my cleaning lady is getting worse and worse...

Let me go back to the beginning so you don't think I'm a complete spoiled brat! LOL When I decided to go back to school I knew I would need help at home with my munchkin and the house, so I originally asked/offered the job to my mom. She would clean my house once a week, plus get the munchkin on the bus for $50/wk. Then she feel in my shower and broke her shoulder. Since I wasn't in school for the summer, it was okay and the house was no problem. By the time school came around again she was okay enough to start cleaning again. But then she was scheduled for surgery that January and actually in December stopped cleaning. I knew my neighbor was cleaning some other houses and they were really in need of some financial assistance, so I offered her the job and she took it!

I think I thought things would be great, because she was always going on about how often she cleaned and how particular she was with her cleaning. She was even nice enough to clean my house on Christmas Eve that year because she needed the money and I was having the family over for Christmas dinner. So our relationship went from being just friends and neighbors to being employee/employer.

Well, things seemed great in the beginning but quickly went down hill. After maybe six months or longer I came to realize that she wasn't moving anything and dusting around things. If my son's playroom was out of order at all she would refuse to vacuum in there. Then I figured out that she was cleaning my entire house with one rag. I'm not sure about you, but with a 3 bedroom, 2 bath, and an almost 1,200 square foot home when I would clean I used more than one rag. Then my aunt pointed out to me that she was the one having to wipe off the TV screen weekly because no one else was doing it.

So I came to the decision that I was going to have to let her go soon...this came a realization in December, especially when a co-worker gave me the name and number of an alternate person to clean my house. She said she is really good and cheap too. I never got to make that call in December because my current lady's, who is no longer my neighbor but is still a friend, daughter came over to give me a picture of her baby and told me that her mom had been really, really down lately. I told her I was aware that her mom had been depressed lately and she confirmed that she feared that her mom was suicidal. I found this scary because a couple times my friend had called and said there were a couple times she thought of calling me because she was at her wit's end and had thought about ending it all.

I knew after having this information confirmed and with the economic downturn that I couldn't make that call to my friend telling her I no longer needed her services. :( I just didn't want that on my hands if she decided to do anything, especially since she wouldn't take any of my advice or suggestions and go and talk to a professional. So I decided to take her down to every 2 weeks instead of every week and she told me they were using my $50 every other week to file bankruptcy because they were so far behind financially. So I thought maybe once I confirmed she filed her BK I would move her down to once a month during the summer since I could clean once I'm done with school and then call the new lady and see how she was and maybe in the fall alternate them and eventually let my original lady go.

Then I discovered something today and I have changed my eventual plan... Two times I've tested my cleaning lady. Not intentionally, but when I would see something I would leave it there to see if and when it would get taken care of. One time I noticed that my blue shampoo had splashed a small little dab up on the side wall of my shower. It wasn't noticeable if you just looked at the shower, but if you were cleaning the tub and the shower you would definitely see it. 6 weeks later I took care of it myself. A few weeks ago I noticed something on the floor at the edge of my bed...my red bra. It was between my bed and the foot board under one of my decorative pillows that don't always make it up on my bed during the week. Well, I picked it up this weekend while I was doing laundry so I could wash it. Needless to say...the pillow and the bra were never picked up from the floor. I find it really ironic since she never has to make my bed but I did expect she had been dusting and using pledge on my oak bed...well, I hoped she was but I kind of thought some time ago that she hadn't been using pledge on any of my wood since we used it some time ago and placed a dusting rag on top of the canister, which has never moved since.

Then I found the final thing that kind of sealed the fate of my cleaning lady dilemma. As I was putting paper products away this weekend after shopping something feel on the floor in my bathroom closet where I keep all of my cleaning supplies and paper products. It was the bag that went over the end of my mop, which I purchased months and months ago when my other mop broke, along with the zip-tie that fastened the bag to the mop. Apparently when my cleaning lady unwrapped the mop she didn't feel compelled to throw out the plastic bag and instead left it balled up on one of my shelves in my bathroom closet...

So after the blue dot, a red bra and the plastic bag I know what I will need to do this summer while I'm off school...I'm hoping that their BK has been filed so I will feel less bad.

Vodka Sauce

I had it for the first time tonight.  I'm sure it is much tastier if it is homemade and not from a jar, but I must say the jar was pretty delicious!  I made veal parmesan for dinner and used vodka sauce instead of marinara sauce and it was good.  Now I want to make chicken the same way...yummy!

Munchkin enjoyed Thomas the Train, but has decided that he will be too old come next year to go and see Thomas even though he had fun today.  :)  He is so cute!  The rain held off for them so all were happy!

As for my list of things to do...still need to do them.

Sleeping In & Loving It!

Wow...I slept till 11:30am this morning.  I am so happy!  And I slept sound.  I didn't wake up once last night.  There is good and bad to that statement; good that I slept the whole night through and bad because I know I didn't drink nearly enough of anything yesterday because I never woke up to pee!  But I definitely feel better today, so I think I needed that.  Still congested, but not nearly as bad as what I have been.  Of course going through 2.5 boxes of tissues this week has helped with some of the congestion.  

It was nice to be able to sleep until I woke up this morning and part of me wanted to crawl right back in bed when I did wake up and see it was 11:30am, but I have tons to do so I forced myself up and out.  

Here are just some of the things I need to do today:

1. Pick up the house
2. Finish putting the groceries away (I didn't finish at 10pm last night when I got home and since the groceries filled the backseat and the backend of my car I have a ton of them yet to put away!)
3. Do laundry (& since I can only do it during the day now~my light switch is not working and I have to call the fix-it guy again this week to come and take care of that problem~I need to get a jump on it!)
4. Go through my papers and bills and stuff like that for the week.
5. Get organized for finals
6. & most importantly, get studying for finals!!

I'm sure more items will be added to the list as the day goes on!  

Let's hope for sunshine all day today because the munchkin and the aunt have tickets to go and see Thomas the Train at 1:30pm and it is all outside!  Last year it was rainy and cold for them.  :(  But I'm hoping the predicted scattered showers hold off until tonight!  

Every year they do this and of course every year the available weekends for this little junket falls during finals and by the time I'm done taking finals he will probably be too old for Thomas the Train.  :(  Oh well...one of the millions of sacrifices we have had to make since I've went back to school but since I'm so far in debt in student loans and over half way done I'll keep plugging along!  

I hope everyone is enjoying their warm and sunny weekend!  ;)

Up 2

I ended my long week with dinner with one of my greatest friends last night. I enjoyed every single minute of it! :) It was so good to see my friend and to be able to sit and talk like old times! Gosh I miss seeing her all the time and certainly wished she lived closer these days! Thanks for a wonderful dinner my friend! ;) Miss ya loads! Love to you!!

Well, I have to report the bad with the good and this week it was bad, but I suspected it would be bad. I gained 2lbs this week. :( But I knew it was going to be bad. Of course I hoped it wouldn't be so bad, but it was. This is a great way to slap one back in to reality! Back on the WW bandwagon this week. Of course being exam week #1 it will be difficult. Good thing I bought a crap load of fruits, veggies and bottles of water tonight while shopping! ;) I'll need all the help I can get y'all!

I was suppose to use today for studying for my BK exam, but I didn't. I just didn't feel good enough to study, so I did errands, wrote a letter to my guy, took a short little nap~~I couldn't sleep well because it was really hot in my house~~, watched some TV and grocery shopped at Sam's Club and Meijers. By the time I got home, which was around 10pm, I think I was running a fever, I was achy and you know when you kind of feel like your head is ringing...I had that feeling too. So I'm off to bed with a shot of Nyquil and no need to set an alarm in the morning. Hopefully I can sleep in in the morning...the only thing that I wouldn't mind waking me up is a call from my guy, but I just have a sneaking suspicion that won't happen until early/mid week next week. :(

As for the hot house...when my thermometer read almost 90 today in my little tin box I opted to start my air. I know...crazy, isn't it?! It is only April, but when you don't feel good and you live in a tin box, which heats up quickly, you don't have much of a choice. Being miserable isn't an option when you don't feel well and are feeling stressed!! As for outside...it was beautiful today! I hope everyone else was able to enjoy the beautiful Saturday!

My Last Night of Classes in Year #3...

Well, well, well...the semester is finally over with one small exception...FINALS!!!! Yikes! But hey...I finished classes, so that is a step in the positive direction. Now I just need to make it through my last day at work tomorrow and then it is crunch time. You spend 15 weeks preparing for this and as soon as they are here you completely become unprepared...wish me luck!

Our class had our end of the semester gathering. It was a lot of fun. Of course I felt like crap, but I still managed to push through for almost 3 hours. I was very happy to get home though. Of course it was the standard "core" group that came, which is the same people who almost always go. Regardless, we had fun! Thanks to my LSBFF for helping me plan tonight! Hope you had fun too!

Well, I haven't heard from my man since Monday right before class....I find this so aggravating and he knows it. We haven't had one of these in quite some time. Of course my mind goes to the first automatic thing for prison...his behind is in the hole. Ugh... Of course the last we spoke he was having issues with his store. He was suppose to get it on Friday and then after some investigation he was suppose to get it Monday and when I spoke to him last he still hadn't gotten his store supplies. Maybe he is pouting, maybe he is upset and deciding to deal with it on his own, maybe he remembers I'm getting ready for exams. Who knows, but hopefully he calls soon. Nothing is worse then when you can't call the person and ask, "How are things?" :(

My last bit of my hog-pog post tonight is I haven't done so well on my week with my WWs, points, or water. :( I'm quite sure I will have gained when I weigh myself Saturday morning. So I'm preparing myself for this realization and just hope the next two weeks won't be too bad, but knowing I will be home studying for exams...doesn't equal strong will-power! Wish me luck...

My goodness...I'm needing a lot of luck from y'all! LOL

Got More

Well I went back and laid back down a little after 8am.  Of course less than 30 mins later my phone rang and it was my son's school.  :(  He of course, while playing outside, fell and landed in a puddle so his pants were wet and they wanted me to have someone bring him dry pants.  I know I should have immediately gotten out of the bed and taken my munchkin some dry pants, but I felt just horrible so I let the secretary assume I was at work almost an hour away.  I didn't lie...she asked, "You work in *the city*, right?"  I told her "Right."  I then said my aunt had patients this morning and could not do it she then wanted to know if my aunt was a doctor.  I told her no.  I told her no one was available until afternoon and she told me to call first because they may be dry by then.  Of course they were when I finally woke up at 12:15pm and called to check on his pants.  

It took me almost 2 hours to get up, showered and out the door to the doctor's where he did give me a 2nd dose of antibiotics, a nose spray for allergies and my standard daily asthma inhaler.  Fun, fun, fun...  

My tired butt says it will likely be another early night...I need to feel better PRONTO!  I have a lot of ist to do!!

Need More

There are so many things I need more of...time, money, patience, hands and right now...drugs!  Not your illegal fun kind, or so they say, but more antibiotics.  Apparently one dose of antibiotics weren't enough.  :(  I finished my antibiotics on Saturday the 18th and on Monday the 20th I thought my allergies went wild.  Well, 2 days later...I'm thinking this is more than allergies going on.  I'm back to where I was 2 weeks ago today.  :(  Okay, not as bad, but I'm not letting it get to that point.  

I called in this morning and will be making a mad dash to the doctor's office today to get a 2nd dose of antibiotics, because I can't be this miserable when my first final exam is 6 days away.  YIKES!!!  

Last night I even skipped going grocery shopping, came straight home from work, ate dinner, and was in the bed an hour and a half later.  And thanks to Nyquil I was out like a light at 7:30pm.  Of course I was up at 10pm to go to the bathroom, and again at 3am and then the alarm went off at 5am.  For an hour I hit snooze hoping that an additional 9mins each time would make me well enough to go in to work today, but it didn't work.  Finally by 6am I made that dreaded decision and called in.  Then of course I had to check my work calendar and make sure there was only one emergency and sent an email about that to make sure it is taken care of first thing this morning.  

Now I'm waiting for mom to get here so she can get the munchkin off to school (I am so thankful that he has been saved from this crazy infection that both my aunt and I have been unable to shake for almost a month now...) while I go back to bed.  No sense in staying up since neither of my doctors are open till 10am.  

I am sick and tired of being sick and tired.  Hell, if I didn't know better I would say I was back to smoking because when I smoked I was sick and very susceptible to illness all of the time.  But I swear...I'm not smoking!!  The only time I do enjoy a cigarette is when I go up to see my man and since we all know that was like 3 months ago...I'm quite sure it isn't related.  Is it?!  I hope not, because 10 hours in a car one-way, alone, is a long time to drive without either falling asleep or having a smoke!  Nah....I'm thinking a weekend of smoking once every 3 months isn't making me feel like shit now! 

I hope everyone else is feeling okay, but with the record number of hackers (not the computer kind) and co-patients I always run in to...I'm thinking a lot of folks have this crappy upper respiratory thing and like me, are having one hell of a time to get rid of it.  :(  

Photo of The Beaver Family...

It didn't turn out great, but this is what I ended up with after scanning it and uploading it. I'm sure you can get the idea...

The Beaver Family

So tonight was my final AIL~P class. We watched a movie "Pow-Wow Highway" and did some sharing afterwards. The class wrapped up with Prof. P giving each of us a gift as a "give-away" which is a part of the Native American Culture. She gave us each a Hershey's bar because the "warrior" in the movie offered up a Hershey's bar to the spirits. She also gave us each a postcard, which she picked up during a convention in Denver several weeks ago. When she came to each of us she went through the postcards left and picked one out for each one of us. She dedicated each one and wrote "Thank you for a wonderful term! Best wishes, Prof. P"

My postcard is of The Beaver Family. The description reads: Sampson, Frances Louise and Leah Beaver, a Blackfoot family, lived in a poplar grove along the Saskatchewan River in the Canadian Rockies. The photographer visited the family frequently; they became great friends. Note the family's attire, a combination of traditional and trade closing. Photographed in 1907 by Mary T.S. Schaffer. I will attempt to scan and post the picture on the postcard so you can see The Beaver Family. But no promises...

Okay...now for the ironic part. Growing up, my grandfather (Papa) would always tell me that we had Blackfoot in us, but I never shared that with anyone at school, especially Prof. P. It is a little strange that she picked this postcard! I couldn't say anything to Prof. P tonight because she was already emotional over our last class. I will have to share this information with her in my next email to her.

Thank you Prof. P!! Love to ya!

76 to 48 in 24

Wow...what a change 24 hours makes!  Yesterday it was close to 80 at this time, sunny and full of energy.  Plus I was in between pampering appointments.  Today it isn't even 50 yet, it is cloudy, dreary and full of laziness.  

I didn't go to bed until after 3am last night because I was just enjoying the breeze coming through my kitchen windows plus I was editing my blog and changing the look of "j'lynn's world". What do you think of it?  I'm kind of in love with it right now and just want to sit and stare at it.  I went from like all black (with accusations of me in morning recently made! LOL) to a lighter more upbeat look.  Is it strange to just want to stare at your new "masterpiece"?

I woke up just before 8am and knew 5 hours was not nearly enough sleep, so I went back to sleep until 11:30am.  I made myself get up against my better wishes.  I've picked up the house, started laundry and am now ready for a nap~because it is a lazy sleepy day...  But I loved going to bed with my window open last night.  Of course I had a crazy dream but that could have been induced by that shot of Nyquil I had before I laid down!  Man, it is taking forever to get rid of this congestion from this last battle.  Of course it probably didn't help that I tried to fight it off for a long, long time before I gave up.  

Like the New Look?

So I took a nap this evening and then when I got up, after eating dinner I decided I wanted a new look to my blog so I freshened it up and edited some of my labels.  Sometimes I get carried away with my labels.  Of course I think I'm the only person who looks at it, but I cleaned it up a bit!  I actually just finished my editing process and then I look at Dani's comments from earlier tonight asking if I changed my blog and if I was in mourning....  Hmmmm....this was like 2 hours before I did my editing and actually if the "time stamp" is correct the comment came in while I was napping.  

Dani, what did my blog look like that made you think I changed it and wonder if I was in mourning?  Does my blog look to you what it looks like to me?  What was it before and what is it now that you are seeing?  I need some feedback sista!  

So y'all...what do you think of the edits?

Days of Pampering

I love days like this and the fact that it is 76 degrees outside makes it even sweeter!  

I ended up going to bed kind of early last night.  Well, around 10pm, which for me is early.  I went to sleep quickly because I felt exhausted.  I woke up at 2:00am and was wide awake!  The thoughts in my head were limitless....I thought of work stuff, school stuff, home stuff, guy stuff, girl stuff, crazy stuff, friend stuff, etc.  Finally sometime around 3:30am I fell back asleep and woke up again at 5:00am.  I actually considered staying up at 5:00am and wondered why I would wake up, again, feeling almost wide awake at 5am when I can't even wake up like that Monday through Friday when I have to go to work and an alarm clock assists me.  I was frustrated so I went back to bed.  I did finally fall asleep again, but only for my 7am alarm to wake me up.  Of course, then I was sleepy and didn't want to wake up.  I decided I wouldn't wash my hair this morning so I could sleep later.  

Finally at 8:20am I finally got out of bed and hoped in the shower.  I didn't want to even then, but I knew I needed to.  Less than an hour later I was out the door!  I had to meet with someone at 9:30am and then off to Samuel's so I could get my hair done!  A little trim and a blow dry later, out the door I went!  I picked up my aunt and the munchkin and back to the meat market we went.  See, I had these coupons for free hamburger if you spent $20 there.  I don't know why I thought I could go down, spend $40 and use two coupons and things would work out.  I can't seem to go to the meat market and not spend a ton of money.  So $100 and two free coupons later, we have more meat to pack in to the freezer (which has only limited space as it is).  Then on to our favorite new Mexican restaurant in the same city and state the meat market is located!  It is a bright yellow restaurant named Cinco de Mayo!  And let me report, they have delicious chips & salsa too!  ;)

I dropped the munchkin & my aunt back at her house and then went on to my second salon of the day, Blu Water for my waxing and my monthly facial.  I love going and seeing my girl for my monthly facial.  I originally started the facial treatments with weekly facials for 6 weeks.  I actually kind of wish I was still getting weekly facials because it is ridiculously relaxing.  Well, until she puts the stuff on that stings a bit, but the whole process is very relaxing.  After my hour there, I head home and am now ready for a nap!  

I sit here with my windows open, a beautiful breeze coming through and are weighing my options here....nap v. homework...whatever shall I do?!  

PS.  I lost another 1.2lbs!  That is a total of 8.2lbs in 3 weeks!  Woo-hoo!!

Every St. Patrick's Day~~A Month Late

Apparently I was really busy a month ago, because I did intend to post this little ditty then, but it didn't happen, so on the 1 month anniversary of St. Patrick's Day I figured I would "catch" it!

Every St. Patrick's Day I think of my dear from Dani for a multitude of reasons...because she is Irish, because our last day working together was on St. Patrick's Day (oh so many years ago), and mostly because of her going away party at our Mexican Restaurant in Greektown on St. Patrick's Day!!! Not only did we have green drinks and some of us shed a tear or two, but we also were almost witnesses in a Wild West Gun Battle D-Style. I will never forget that night even in to my 80's...

What a blast was had but what was even more scary than the guy opening the backend of his mini-van to show an alleged arsenal of weapons right outside the giant windows of the restaurant and the two of us scrambling to get closer to see what the commotion was until someone referenced the arsenal of weapons was the fact that on Monday I had to come to work without one of my BFFs! :(

Eventually I too left that job, but quickly came back (I don't like the world outside of my work bubble!) and regardless~~everyday I've missed my "gang" of BFFs because one by one they have all left and I remain here. But I won't forget a going away party like D's....so Dani, every St. Patrick's Day I remember you!

Hugs to you my friend!

****Yes, this would have made more sense and meant more on the actual date, but we can't always get what we want! LOL

Quicky...

No...not what you were thinking (unfortunately!), so get your minds out of the gutter people!

I'm typing up my Crim Sent notes and on line 5 in to my notes from Monday I wrote "(mansault)"...now, I know I'm tired this week (I think due to sickness carryover and allergies, which are super bad for all right now!) but I have no clue~~did I mean "manslaughter" or "assault"? Is there a felony called "mansault"?

Where the heck is my brain? This is why I'm suppose to type these up the next day...i.e. Tuesday, not Thursday!

Alright, peeps...carry on until my next quicky update!

Exploding Popcorn

So as you all know I'm fighting my battle of the bulge and one of the things that I use to help me through my day is my bag of 94% fat free buttered popcorn. Well, I had a coupon for Orville's brand over my normal PopSecret brand, so I used it. I finished my box of PopSecret last week and brought in my bag of Orville's for this week. Of course when I bought the box I thought it was regular size bags, but it wasn't. So I was already not happy with the fact that I had those stupid mini-bags instead. :(

Yesterday, I take my mini-bag in to the kitchen at work, put it in the microwave and start it. As 30 seconds goes by I think to myself that it is strange noises I'm hearing standing by the microwave. At 45 seconds I thought, "Gosh...it sounds like the kernals are hitting the door, but that is just crazy!" At 60 seconds I thought, "Okay, I'm not crazy!" I opened the door to see that my popcorn bag exploded!! There was a hole blown right in the middle of the "this side up" bag and kernals and popcorn were blowing all around the microwave, popping! WTF?!

I had came to realize that all of the Orville popcorn bags I see popped in this microwave come out singed or burnt, but of course it had to be my mini-bag, which exploded. None of the PopSecret bags come out singed, burnt or bombed... After wipping the microwave out, throwing away my much needed exploded remenants of popcorn, I called Orville's assistant. Needless to say a coupon for a "free" product is enroute. The assistant asked if that made things somewhat better. I told her no and that I would give the coupon to someone else because I was sticking to my PopSecret brand at work! What a crazy afternoon...exploding popcorn, WTF?!

Sidetracked Take Two

Well, my man just called and he is sick. :( He sounded horrible, but wanted to explain why he hadn't called yesterday. I felt really bad for him. I know how horrible the colds/infections/sicknesses are right now since I'm still hacking from my illness from the last 3 weeks now. He even parted with $5 yesterday to go and see the nurse for a decongestent and some asprin. That is how I know for sure he is really sick (outside of the proof in my ear), because he is not one that believes in paying $5 to see a prison nurse to get asprin. Honey, I hope you feel much better, really soon!

Of course I was so sidetracked with his illness I totally forgot to tell him about the letter I received from his BF! Dang it!! I hate it when I do that! I swear...I need pen and paper with me 24/7 so I can write lists. I would add to my already going lists of things to do and things to buy. I would add a list for things to say, things to remember, things to forget... You get the idea! I swear that commericial with Alec Baldwin about your brains being turned to mush...I have that disease already! I used to be able to remember loads of information...now, I think I can remember two numbers for two minutes and then I'm done! Ugh....

BTW, any tea-party-goers in the crowd? I support a flat-tax, but I didn't feel the need to dress up like our fore-fathers and (maybe) dump tea in the harbor. I honestly don't know what they were doing, but more power to the people! ;)

Well, since this is the second time I've typed this entry I'll post it now. Nothing worse than when you type up an entry and then go to post it and it is lost due to an error. Nice.....

Tax Day is Here!!!

As some of you know, I love tax time! But that is because I allow the government to use my money, make interest off from it and then get a honkin' check at the end! I find that I do better with this, because I can do big things like buy a new car or buy living room furniture or pay off debts. Obviously since I am getting money back I've already filed my taxes, actually this year was the latest I've ever filed taxes!! I filed them in mid-March! But I know the people who file today are likely those that are having to write a check to Uncle Sam! :(

I still haven't seen or heard about my city income taxes, but that is not a shock...by the time I get that return I will have forgot it was coming!

This year was also a first...I made a mistake on my state income taxes! Last year I forgot to sign my city income taxes when I filed them. I hope this doesn't mean that next year I'll have problems with my federal taxes! That just scares me too much to even imagine!

Well, if you are busy doing your taxes today, I feel your pain! And remember...it only happens once a year!

AIL~P

I am happy to report that I have completed this class for this semester and submitted my final assignment this evening. I think I did well in this class, especially since it is pass/fail and there is no final! :D All I have to do is show up next Monday and watch a movie, Pow-Wow Highway. I think I can handle that!

1 down...3 classes to-go!

Inquiry: Prof. P's 40th B-day is May 8th. Do you think it is okay to send her a b-day card? There are intentions of keeping in touch and going to Tribal Court during the summer, but I don't want to cross that "line". What do you think?

178????

I'm sure you wonder what that number represents.  Well, it represents the number of ounces of water I should be drinking a day!  A day!  I struggle to get 64ozs in daily how am I suppose to get almost 3x's that much in?  WTF?!?  Someone said, "increase it a little each day till you get up to 178ozs and then get used to that."  And I asked, "where do I carry the cath bag that I will need since I'll need to pee every 10 mins?"  They didn't have a response to that!  I'll keep my requirement of 64ozs and try to get a little extra in on the days that I can!  But if you see me running it isn't for my health, it is for the closest bathroom.  And if I float by, grab a leg to anchor me and remind me that 64ozs a day is okay!  Of course today I've gotten 80ozs in and in the time it took me to blog this I've pee'd 3 times!  (just kidding!)

So my man was suppose to call me today, this morning actually, but he didn't.  Sometimes that happens for various reasons and the longer I deal with MDOC the more I understand that this is out of his hands most of the time.  Of course, I had a desire to talk to him today for a few reasons, but such as life.  Then I come home and there is a letter from a Federal Prison and one of the guys he was in county with.  I have nicknamed this guy as my man's wannabe BF!  Everytime he writes a letter and sends it he includes pictures of himself.  The first letter there were like a ton of pictures...they were all the same pictures, but still strange.  But that time they were black and white.  This time the picture was in color, but the same picture.  How weird is this?  So I can't wait to tell my man that his BF has struck again!  hehe  

Of course this is not the same kind of BF that my guy walked in on a few weeks back.  I can't recall if I posted this or not, but needless to say..."gay for the stay" is alive and well where my guy is lodged and he bore witness to this at 2:30am one night during an attempted restroom run.  He said he won't be doing that again.  Needless to say, my man will not be drinking 178ozs of water a day!

Happy Easter

I hope everyone had a wonderful and Happy Easter! The munchkin and I had a nice day. He played outside a few times and buried a treasure chest for the pirates to find in the future. Isn't he cute? ;) The Easter Bunny was too good to him! 4 baskets, some overflow on the table, 23 hidden eggs and a left over grocery bag that hasn't made its appearance yet later...and Easter was ready to start.

Our Easter Dinner was dino nuggets, potato bake, cream-style corn and a lamb cake. Wasn't the traditional feast that we are used to and it didn't seem right. But it is obvious that my family is suffering from a meltdown as the only people that attended my brother's holiday dinner was my mom, dad and one aunt. No one else did. My mother called me for 1 min. 30 secs. today...oh well, her loss, not mine! And as my guy said on the phone today...we will have family dinners soon enough! Only one more Easter before he is free (hopefully!)....that is nothing in the grand scheme of things!

I'll be glad when I'm done with school, because then life will go back to normal. I will have each and every holiday at my home...everyone will be invited and whoever shows up will be here and most importantly, "my" family will be here and that will be enough for me!

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter and was able to celebrate it with your loved ones!

What a Saturday It Has Been!!

As you can tell, I'm trying to catch up on several areas of my life! Well, it probably would have went much smoother if the auntie worked for a better place. :( I kind of thought I had at least until 8 or 9 until the munchkin came home tonight for Easter. Well, I was sadly mistaken! Thanks to my aunt's crazy job (which she equally is unhappy with too) she called during the 5pm hour as I was finishing up my AIL~P homework and staring my Crim Sentencing homework. Well, so much for my plan to get that all done and get my Crim Pro done too before the munchkin comes home. :( Oh well...no one's fault except her work's fault! Blah work!

Well, anywho...I've finished AIL~P and Crim Sent. I'm ready to delve in to my Crim Pro, hoping the munchkin falls asleep soon in his playroom so the Easter Bunny will come and go! So I'm hoping to be done with the majority of Crim Pro by mid afternoon tomorrow so I will feel like this weekend has been a true success! Not bad for it being 2 weeks before the end of the semester, huh?! Hehe

Also, as I'm sure you can tell, I'm catching up on some of my posts here today. ;) Trying to keep you all informed on the happenings around town!

Some Pictures from the Pow-Wow...Enjoy...

Here is a drum that performed. They were to our right.

They were very good! Actually, all of the drums were very good!

The only person I know in the picture is the guy in the bottom

left hand corner holding the microphone to the drum to

hear them better by allowing their singing and drum to be reproduced

through the sound system set up!

He is Prof. P's son and he is a doll!!

Illegal...but a doll!

Watch out ladies when he becomes older, he is going to be a Native American Heartbreaker!

Here is one of the drums that performed. They were the drum from

NC! They were right in front of where we sat each time!

They were great!

Here are two competitors! A gentlemen who was very in to the Pow-Wow

and a little girl who was the cutest thing ever!!

During the inter-tribal her daddy had her out on the arena floor dancing with her doll!

This was another drum. Equally good. They were to our left.

I wish we had bought our program when we first got there. Because I can't remember who is who! But they all did a great job.

Sorry...not all of these pics are great. :( My camera was taking

very dark at times throughout this day and would

become grainy if you zoomed in. I am not happy with

my camera. :(

Here is a picture of one of the drums performing at the Pow-Wow!

This is a picture right before Grand Entry began! All of the

bright green shirts are security.

These are all pictures of Grand Entry!!

It is just spectacular!!

This is from Grand Entry! That is the start of the Pow-Wow!

It is just beautiful!

Here is a dancer in her regalia. She is a jingle dancer.

Here is a picture of where we got our drinks at the Pow-Wow.

It also shows two of the dancers in their regalia.

The young lady on the right is a jingle dancer

The little boy on the left likely participated in the Tots Exhibition

maybe as a grass dancer. I'm not positive.

A dancer in her regalia. She is a jingle dancer.

I hope you enjoyed the pics as much as we did. They aren't great, but I wanted to share them with you all! This posting pics to a blog is hard! They are not in the order I wanted. I'll do better next time! Dani, you should have told me how hard this was! LOL

Quick update this Saturday afternoon....

My day did not start out how I wanted but I guess that is what happens when you take NyQuil at 1am and go to bed with the hopes of getting out the door by 7am!  Did not happen....

But I have accomplished the following items on my to-do list:  I made my 9:30am thing, then went on to the post office and picked up my monthly role of stamps!  Then I made my way to Meijers and as I stood in line thinking I only need 3 things from Wal-Marts and I was already half way across the store in the check out line I decided to book to the other side of Meijers, get those 3 things, cross Wal-Marts off my list of things to do and check out.  $200 later...I left there and made my way to the bank.  Then on to the Chinese Food Drive-Thru (yum!) since I hadn't had anything except 32 ozs of water and it was now after 12:00pm!  I came home, unpacked the groceries and other household items, ate my Chinese Food and decided to update you all with the following good news:

I lost another 3lbs this week!  Woo-hoo!!  Now that is a total of 7lbs and I'm officially 2lbs less than when I started this little blog/diary thing!  I'm uber proud of myself.  I was hoping to have lost more this week, but I did have a few slip-ups because of being sick and also due to Good Friday's festivities at Red Lobster last night!  I guess I should have weighed myself before dinner last night!  LOL  Oh well...that just gives me more to lose this week!  I'm actually really kind of excited.  :)

My man and I were talking this week about my next trip up to see him.  I was hoping to do it the 2nd weekend in May at the end of my exams, but since I have to register the munchkin for soccer that Saturday I can't make it.  :(  He told me he didn't think I'd be coming up to see him until June or July.  And now I'm okay with that for the fact that that gives me 3-4 months to lose more weight.  I would like to lose a total of 33lbs by the end of June.  I know it doesn't sound like much, but it is a start!  ;)  

Alright, on to reading for AIL~P!  Hugs to you all this sunny Saturday!!

BTW, Update on Family Drama...

Outside of the family drama I'm creating I was called by my super secret spy today who advised that my ex-s-i-l's pre-lim is scheduled in front of a District Court Judge on April 20th for 2 counts of Child Abuse in the 3rd Degree...

In separate news...my uncle is worrying me with his health problems. He went and saw a Oncology Hemotologist(?) today. She is running more tests, he is still off from work, and I'm worried that there is going to be bad news discovered soon....so keep him in your prayers. He has had a bad couple of years ever since his wife was scheduled to be deployed, while she was deployed and since she has returned home. His 50's aren't treating him so great... :(

Lastly, my brother called me this week to inquiry about repos. I'm not sure how my schooling has prepared me to become the resident family expert on repos. Especially since I haven't had another repo'd (knock on wood! knock, knock!). I told him that I thought they could do what they said they were going to do, but that he was best to call the place where they bought the mini-van and see if they knew anything more. I did try to assure him the fact that he told them to come get the mother-trucker was not helping his cause and didn't alleviate his woman from making the $495/mo payments.... But what do I know! (eye-rolling here!)

Fridays...

Alright...this is going to be another hog-pog of a Friday post! I originally was going to do a post entitled "Fish Tacos, Friday the 13th, and a Shoulder Kiss". Well, I'm going to combine that with today's "Good Friday" post!

Back on March 13, which was another Friday the 13th, I agreed to meet the most recent former co-worker from my office for lunch. Of course, this person isn't the most normal kind of guy. And not all of it is his fault. He does have a mild CHI (closed head injury). I understand this concept and try my hardest to write off some of his antics. Of course, I know he is even more Catholic than I am (which isn't hard, trust me!), so I figure when he asks me to lunch on a Friday during Lent that he will not pick my chips & salsa Mexican restaurant...well, I was wrong and he did. Of course all I could think of was, "Do they have fish tacos?"

Now, I don't know about you, but fish tacos sound like one of the most horrible things ever! I don't even know where the idea comes from. I don't know if they really do exist. I just vaguely recall hearing someone say the phrase "fish tacos" and it has stuck in my head ever since. I consult with Dani and we conclude that they probably have cheese and onion enchiladas, so I should be safe (outside of the craziness that my fellow lunch eater will bring to the table...literally!). I arrive at the restaurant approximately 10 mins late, which I know should be okay because former co-worker is unable to be on time. And me of all people, I'm okay with that. So as I usually try and do, I bring a book from school to read while I wait. When I get to this place I'm actually surprised at how many people are there for lunch on a Friday during Lent. Maybe I will be better than safe with my food options.

Finally former co-worker shows up, at least 20-25 mins late. I then later determine that he is working that day across the street from the restaurant at a health-care insurance company's internal credit union. I find this intriguing since when I hoped on our city's version of a subway system at exactly 12:30pm (the time we were suppose to meet) and receive a text that he is on his way... Hmmmmm...did he get on our city's version of a subway system for old times sake and ride it around one loop?! Oh well...we order and I remind him that it is Friday and Lent and he seems shocked by this turn of events. Equally puzzling, but I move on. We chat, we eat (I don't look at him while we eat, because he isn't the 'best eater'.) and then he announces to our waiter that he needs to place a to-go order. The waiter, who due to my frequent stops in there acknowledges that he knows me, takes the order and leaves. My former co-worker becomes obsessed about this to go order. Hmmm...is this your real meal so you want to make sure it is perfect? When I inquiry who he is picking up the meal for to make idle conversation I'm advised, "No one you would know." Duh..... You think?!

The to-go order comes out and the waiter leaves that along with our bills. As we pay our bills the former co-worker opens up the to-go meal and is upset because he specifically requested a "very large side of shredded cheese" and it is missing. He starts turning frantically in his chair and begins to look for our waiter. So I tell him the waiter is over at a table on the other side of the restaurant, putting together silverware, he is the only male at the table and is with approximately 3 or 4 other wait people. So my lunch companion gets up, walks thru the main dining room and stands behind a pole to attempt to get our waiter's attention. I find this odd...not only did you not walk by the waiter, make any motion to the waiter, you actually kind of walked the long way around him and then stood behind him and with a pole between the two of you. I don't see this getting his cheese....but what do I know. Then he walks towards the kitchen, stops, stares at the table of wait-staff, turns around and stands back behind the pole again. Finally one of the waitresses asks our waiter if the guy standing behind the pole belongs to his table! I'm sitting at our table chuckling to myself because this just seemed like a crazy way to get some more cheese...

Finally, the cheese has been secured, he comes back to the table goes on about how he can now afford to tip and how he is a big spender now. So I ask if that means he is picking up my lunch. If you ever want to see a cheap man sweat ask him if he is buying you lunch. They start sweating, stuttering, etc. Finally I had to tell him I was only kidding and remind him that I had already paid my bill...he was glad I had because he said he was trying to tell me nicely that he wasn't buying me lunch. LMAO!

Upon exiting the restaurant he starts walking and talking to the right and I stop and wait for him to realize I'm not with him. When he does he turns around and I tell him I'm going to the left. He comes at me for a hug...if you knew this person you can close your eyes, picture him in a black peacoat coming at you with arms all up in the air for a hug. It isn't the best site to see coming at you with no place to escape! So he hugs me, tells me how great it is to see me again and before he releases the hug I see that his face is down at my shoulder, like face down and then I hear it...a big smacking kiss sound. You know, the "muah" sound! He kissed my shoulder? Through my winter coat? Regardless...he kissed my shoulder? I told Captain in a separate email...I wasn't sure if I found it hilarious or a bit disturbing...

I'm thinking I need to be intimately involved with someone to kiss their shoulder and even if I'm liking this person from afar and dream of kissing this person's shoulder and figure it is safe to kiss this person's shoulder through a winter coat because they will never feel it and I'm the only one that will know about it...I'm thinking I wouldn't make the kissy noise! I'm still not entirely clear what happened that Friday the 13th between the Fish Tacos that ended with A Shoulder Kiss...

Well, back to today...April 10th! It is Good Friday. I finally made it through my last Friday of Lent without eating meat. I only have 53 mins left right now to make it all the way to the end and I think I can do it! It was a pretty uneventful Good Friday for me. It was opening day for our home baseball team! Who kicked ass today! Go Tigers!!!! I only worked 4 hours today and busted my ass at work today since I was off ill yesterday and really hadn't done much work all week. Monday will be my last catch up day for slacking and being sick this week. I'm okay with that, because unless something crazy happens (which is always a possibility there!) I can complete my catch-up before noon! I'm actually doing pretty good on my homework/reading this week and weekend so far. I have 3 chapters to read for AIL~P and then I need to finalize my case summaries and post those on-line. In Crim Sentencing I need to read the coursepack materials for this week and do a couple hypos. In Crim Pro I have 33 pages to read for this week and I want to work on 2 sets of questions Prof. W. provided weeks ago! I would like to work on tightening my notes up to become outlines for Crim Sentencing and Crim Pro. I have to type Wednesday's notes from Crim Pro too! Then comes BK! UGH...I am approximately 13 weeks behind in that class....I'm planning on devoting the remainder of my time this weekend and this coming week to BK. That is how I caught up on Crim Pro this past week, so we will see how that goes! Of course the munchkin will come home tomorrow night because of it being Easter Sunday and the Easter Bunny needing to visit before Sunday morning. So I'm losing an entire day of studying, but maybe I'll be able to work on my outlines while he is here...who knows. I'm trying to take it as it comes!

Alright...off to read some more AIL~P and go to bed since I have an early day tomorrow. The goal: get up at 6am, leave the house by 7am, do my shopping @ Wal-Marts & Meijers with a pit-stop to the Post Office all before I have to meet someone at 9:30am! Think it can be done? Because then after that the plan is, come home, put groceries away, take a nap, do some homework! Wish me luck!

I hope you had a wonderful Good Friday too!

Time flies even when you aren't having fun...

What a week...  It all came together last night when I went to Urgent Care.  I couldn't take the pounding in my head any more.  Dx:  upper respiratory infection.  According to the doctor, it is running rampant right now because of the crazy weather here!  One day 65, the next day snow and the thrid day 57.  No wonder I'm sick.  Even though some people think I'm sick all the time, I really haven't been sick like this since January.  I thought that was pretty good, but for some I guess that doesn't live up to their standards.  I think sometimes when our lives are so fast and full that it seems like January was just yesterday...  I remember telling Captain that April would be here before she knew it and it is!  So time does fly even if we aren't having fun too!  

Happy Passover today!  Take care everyone!  I heard it was beautiful outside today...I spent the day recouping and am feeling a ton better than yesterday.

UNC v. MSU...

Well, as the clock sits at 3.7 seconds left, we all know the fate of the NCAA Men's Basketball National Championship game.  It is sad for either team to lose.  I have to admit I have been a UNC fan since the early 1990's when I was in high school and I saw Eric Montross play in the 1993 championship game against Michigan!  Ever since then, I've had a thing for UNC.  So I'm not heartbroken that they won tonight.  Of course I wouldn't have minded if MSU won either.  Either way I was okay with the winners!  And regardless...both teams should be uber proud of themselves!  Way to go!  

I developed one set of Pow-Wow pictures tonight after Urgent Care refused me with their locked door.  :(  This way the munchkin can take them for his sharing day tomorrow, along with the program and wearing his Pow-Wow T-Shirt!  :)  Of course I am not happy with the pictures I took.  I swear...ever since December my camera has gotten worse and worse with its picture taking capabilities.  :(  But I'll post what I can...just they won't be the best or even okay.  I still have to take pics of the new car and post those!  :)

Alright...I'm exhausted.  On to another Tuesday!  Take care everyone!!!   

Our First Pow-Wow! Wow, It Was Great!!!!!

The weekend has been filled with activity, sleep and sickness. :( Friday was my off-site at work, which was okay. You know...the usual! The downside was the fact that I can't eat meat on Fridays (see early post about Fridays during Lent!) so I choked down some whitefish that they had there. It was okay, but definitely not the best. The best at things like this are the chicken dishes...so I tried to fill up on walnut-glazed-carrots, which were delicious, but you don't want to be "that person" at the work function with her plate heaping with carrots! ;)

After leaving the off-site, I went on to school to read for a bit before I met up with friends to go to the annual auction. So I arrived at school about 2:30pm. The auction started at 6:30pm... That was a long 4 hours. Finally about 7pm we made our way to the auction. It was my first time at an auction...my suggestion is to skip the silent auction, because that is just boring and a time waster. If you are going to an auction, just go to the live one...now that is fun. But I'm sure it is more fun if you have money though or if you have been drinking during the silent auction (which I stayed away from for various reasons...). I had a good time, but I probably won't be returning to any auctions in the near future. Who wants to sit there and watch other people have a better time than you and watch others spending money you don't have! Maybe when I'm an alum and have money! ;)

Of course during the live auction I came down with a little tickle in my throat. I kept hoping that it was because I hadn't drank or ate anything since noon, so I tried pushing it out of my mind. Well, when I got home after 11pm (after going to grab some dinner and bring that home because I was starving) I could no longer deny my tickle wasn't from lack of fluid. I took a shot of NyQuil and fell in to bed around 1am. Saturday morning I had lots to do and woke up not feeling the best. I ran some errands and then picked up the munchkin and my aunt so we could go to a Pow-Wow! (Yes, a real one!)

Now that was fun!!! :) And I will be going back to that in the near future! We made it up there in time to see the grand entry, which is where all of the drums play and the dancers enter the arena behind the elders and the flag carriers. If there had been more comfortable chairs, one less munchkin and some one bringing drinks around I could have stayed in my seat from noon till it closed at 10pm! It was so interesting!! I just loved it. I was able to meet up with Prof. P! I think she thought it was great that I brought my munchkin there! :) And the cutest thing was when he started dancing like the dancers did when they walked around the arena! Here you see this Irish looking child dancing like a Native American! I was so amazed by him...he picked up those steps quickly and I can't say much because listening to those Drums...my feet wanted to do the same little dance step! And the dancers regalia....OMG....how beautiful! And to see these itty-bitty-little ones dressed in their regalia doing the dances too...it made my heart go all warm inside! And as for the older, adult, males....well, lets just say it wasn't just my heart that went all warm inside! Damn!!!! ;) Don't worry...my man knows my affinity for dark men... ;)

We had the opportunity to experience some wonderful Indian food as well. We did a little of almost everything...we had an Indian taco, an Indian pizza, Indian Fry-Bread, Indian drinks (made fresh with fruit~~fresh squeezed strawberry drinks, lemonade, and ice tea), and a blanket dog! We just shared with one another. We walked around and looked at all of the exhibits! We bought tee-shirts (our first Pow-Wow T-Shirts!!) and I bought a hair holder and the munchkin suckered me in to purchasing him a bow and arrows (with eraser tips!) too! We spent a little over 5 hours there and since I pirated some antibiotics from my aunt's friend, I could feel it wearing off when we finally decided to leave around 5pm. We drove home and I dropped the munchkin and the aunt off at her home and I came straight home.

I started reading Crim Pro because my goal is to catch up on that this weekend! I laid down on the bed to read some and feel asleep sometime after 6:30pm. I woke up once at 8:30pm and couldn't keep my eyes open. I rolled over and didn't wake up again until after 2:00am. I got up, took my 2nd antibiotic, took some Motrin for my killer headache, and a shot of NyQuil and took my inhaler too since this "illness" has settled in my upper chest. I then went back to bed and slept until after 10am this morning! You would think I felt wonderful, right? Wrong!! I still feel pretty crappy and heck, I've even taken a nap since then today and not done much else, but I still feel pretty miserable. I'm 100% sure had I not started the antibiotic yesterday and gotten as much rest as I have that I would be feeling way worse. So I'm just taking things slow and doing the best I can and hoping that I get better and not worse.

Alright...off to read more Crim Pro, especially since the munchkin will be coming home in about an hour.... Another week behind the 8 ball! Ugh....

BTW, Happy Palm Sunday everyone!

PS: I've lost 4 lbs since going back to WWs on my own...I was very happy to discover that Saturday morning! :D Woo-hoo...not bad especially since I didn't have the best week last week!

A Moment...

Apparently I am having a "moment". I am irritable, pissy, tired and just plain blah... Like little things are setting me off. I'm not blowing my lid or anything like that, but little things are just getting to me! I wish I knew why....is it the weather? ...is it stress? ...is it just me? ...is it school? ...is it family and all that drama? ...is it my guy? ...is it my munchkin? ...is it work? If I could put my finger on it, I would try and address it and get over it. It isn't just the typical "funk" of feeling down or so it doesn't feel that way to me...but maybe it is. I told one of my BFFs today that I was having a "moment" and she said she too was in a funk and we would be "funky" together! ;) How sweet of her... :) Thank you BFF!

Of course the bottom feel out after I came home tonight... I knew this was happening, but I guess I hadn't confirmed it in my head, but I did tonight...

I don't really get along with my family...primarily my mother, my father, my brother and his wives and multiple children. We have some pretty serious issues. Issues that will likely never go away and sometimes if I was honest with myself, if I didn't need my mother to help with my munchkin because of school I probably wouldn't speak to her. Outside of our few words in the morning during the week, we don't talk as it is now. I only speak to my father on special occasions such as holidays and birthdays. Since 12/24/07 I've had 4 conversations with my brother and that all took place in September 2008. I haven't spoken to his 1st wife since 1/24/09 and I haven't spoken to his current wife since 12/24/07...and I've only ever spoken to her 2 times since they began dating in 2/07. I haven't seen my 2 oldest nephews since Christmas 2008 and they have been in foster care (again) for almost 2 months now! I've seen the next one once and that was on 12/24/07 and I've never "met" the youngest nephew. He was there on 12/24/07 and was 3 days old...but I did not see him.

...now let me continue with tonight... Easter is at my brother's. I have been invited through my aunt, but I will not be going. So it appears Easter will be me and the munchkin hunting for the eggs the Easter Bunny hides that morning. :) I will fix us Easter dinner and life will go on. I know I'm probably being childish and that is okay if you think so (and feel free to tell me!), but I can't do it. I can't go to his house and "play" nice after the treatment my son and I have received from them, especially as two of his children sit in foster care and he plays dad & hubby of the year with his "new" family.

Maybe it is because I've been the other child and my son could be the other child...should I have been "left" at foster care while my mother enjoyed her new family? Should I drop off my son to DHS should I get involved with someone other than his father while I have a new family?!

Alright...my moment feels a little better for now...now I'm off to bed! Good night and thanks for listening to some of my issues....

April Fools

Well, today is the day. Some of us love it, some of us hate it, some of us could care less! It has been a long time since someone has played an April Fools Joke on me, outside of my munchkin~of course! I think that comes with getting older and more mature...I think! And on top of it being April Fools Day it is also Hump Day! Each time I look at the calendar it gets better and better! LOL

I've had one hell of a busy week so far. Sunday I worked on some homework, but didn't get nearly enough done. Monday was a prison tour for class. It was actually pretty interesting. More so than what I thought. I told my man about it and how it smelled in there and he said it smells like "ass"! LOL I think he may be right. The other areas we smelled I think was associated with whatever was prepared that day for dinner, which smelled like it might taste like ass. It was definitely not the freshest place to be and if you are sensitive to smells...you don't want to go to prison! Of course there are a whole host of other reasons why you don't want to go, but add this to your list...it smells like ass! The best experience I thought from the whole tour was a guy in segregation telling us if we wanted to see real segregation to go to Level V, because "this here segregation (Level II) is nothing more than a country-club!" Combine that with the dancing man and his $5Million dollar civil suit and the man who did not want us looking in his cell (as he stood in his window the entire time we were in there)...that is where they should bring people for entertainment! It was the best! LOL

After the prison trip was on to class with a sick Prof. W! Why oh why do people attempt to do their job when they are so sick? For instance, my aunt has bronchitius from one of her co-workers who prides herself on never missing time from work! Well, that is all fine and dandy, but you live alone and aren't around other people. My aunt is my babysitter, so if she goes down with some funky illness, I have to find replacements, not to mention the fact that now me and my munchkin are exposed! UGH...people like that piss me off! So I beg of all professors...please do not come to lecture us when you are on death's door, especially when we are only 4 weeks from starting exams! :( But I do hope Prof. W & my aunt & her co-worker all feel better very soon and more importantly, I hope we don't get it!!

Tuesday I called in! I just couldn't take it anymore! I did a little reading, but I seriously sleep too! My man called me about quarter to 9am, which woke me up. I got up and then laid back down about 10:30am and slept till after 1pm. I got up and went back to bed at 3:30pm and slept until almost 6pm. I stayed up, we ordered pizza and then off to bed I went again at 11:30pm, but I read Crim Pro for another hour and then went to sleep again. I think I have sleep-itis! EEK!!! Of course I came in to my office to be greated by 11 new files! WTF?!

So I'm working my fanny off today and paying for taking that day yesterday! Whatev! I will have a later/future posting about squeeky bladders being an excuse for a lube job! Leave it to my work's restroom to bring about another post....and yes, we are all adults here! LOL

Enjoy the rest of your hump-day and beware of the April Fools Jokes!!!

PS: Happy Anniversary Dani!!