It's no surprise that the autopsy performed today on Michael Jackson is 'inconclusive'. It's always about the toxicology reports, isn't it? I'm confident that a drug interaction is to blame. Sad. Very sad.
And Farrah - the interviews I've seen of her in her 'early' years of acting really do show such a smart, fun, beautiful woman. What a lady.
And when a friend and I were talking at work about those two deaths, and she said 'that's the three'.....['cuz you know how people say deaths of famous people usually happen in threes], I had to be reminded that Ed McMahon had died earlier this week....
So that's the three.
You can't watch TV today without a Michael Jackson event being on.....and I guess that's understandable. He's like Elvis - an icon. And he died tragically and unexpectedly, like Elvis.
I hope the toxicology report makes it clear what happened.
I hope they all three rest in peace.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Bugs
I have new respect for farmers. I have a deeply 'in awe' respect for the farmers across the world who grow and produce fruit and veggies for consumption. I will never again look at produce perfectly presented in a store the same way ever again. I also now have a complete and total respect for the increased price for 'organic' foods. 'Cuz let me tell you, it is frickin' hard to get veggies to 'picking stage' that are not ruined by bugs.
Something is attacking the peppers. At first glance, the bugs look a lot like lady bugs. In fact, two days this week, when I saw one on the pepper leaves, I thought 'oh, that's so great - they know there are aphids around so they are helping me out'. It wasn't until one of the bell peppers started looking seriously 'bruised' that I looked a little closer and realized that 'ladybug-like' creature actually had 'pinchers' on it's mouth and was apparently slowly messing with my peppers! Little 'dents' in the flesh quickly became caverns that turn an ugly black/brown. If these peppers were for sale, I'd be doomed - but thankfully, they are just for 'personal consumption'. They look terrible but they will still be edible - at least after cutting away the black/brown spots.
The tomatoes are unaffected by this 'bug' so I'm now referring to the confusing, sneaky creature as 'the pepper bug'. I have no idea what it actually is....
It takes a lot of work to get all that beautifully 'perfect' produce into the store. And even more work to grow that produce 'organically' without pesticides. So far, I'm using 'plant soap' but sadly, it is not working. Stronger things may be required. I fear we will return from Mexico and have nothing left!
I will never visit a produce section in the grocery again without feeling a sense of 'wow'. It is really hard to 'farm' and have things turn out well enough to sell the products of your labor....
Something is attacking the peppers. At first glance, the bugs look a lot like lady bugs. In fact, two days this week, when I saw one on the pepper leaves, I thought 'oh, that's so great - they know there are aphids around so they are helping me out'. It wasn't until one of the bell peppers started looking seriously 'bruised' that I looked a little closer and realized that 'ladybug-like' creature actually had 'pinchers' on it's mouth and was apparently slowly messing with my peppers! Little 'dents' in the flesh quickly became caverns that turn an ugly black/brown. If these peppers were for sale, I'd be doomed - but thankfully, they are just for 'personal consumption'. They look terrible but they will still be edible - at least after cutting away the black/brown spots.
The tomatoes are unaffected by this 'bug' so I'm now referring to the confusing, sneaky creature as 'the pepper bug'. I have no idea what it actually is....
It takes a lot of work to get all that beautifully 'perfect' produce into the store. And even more work to grow that produce 'organically' without pesticides. So far, I'm using 'plant soap' but sadly, it is not working. Stronger things may be required. I fear we will return from Mexico and have nothing left!
I will never visit a produce section in the grocery again without feeling a sense of 'wow'. It is really hard to 'farm' and have things turn out well enough to sell the products of your labor....
Showers
You haven't lived until you've seen your 18 year old 'man child' in a pink shower cap. The staples have to stay dry for 4 days. They come out in 7. He's planning to take them out himself...I'm looking for the stapler remover. I won't be in the room if/when he does that.
Off to another day in the trenches.....have a great day!
Off to another day in the trenches.....have a great day!
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
The Prez
I did something just now that I've never done. Never imagined doing. Never thought I'd do - primarily because I've never really felt there was anyone in the office really 'listening' to the 'common' people. But I have hope - and I think action is in order. So I wrote a letter to our President. And I printed the envelope and put stamps on it and will mail it tomorrow.
What prompted me to action? The unfair practices of a major financial institution.
The first time they affected us, I felt disappointed but understood. The second time they affected us, I felt pissed but figured 'oh well. No loss'. But this last - and THIRD - adverse action against us is too much...just over the top too much. And I made efforts today to deal with the issue on the phone and quickly realized they don't care.
Before I tell you the details, I want to really stress this: there are no issues for us that we can't endure. Financial things are not usually things we have to worry about - and I know (and I think I've been really clear about confirming in this blog) how blessed we are. We don't have 'financial' worries - certainly nothing in compared to our neighbors who moved out this weekend for good. Or our friend who is about to lose her home. Or other acquaintances, friends, neighbors who have lost jobs, will lose homes, etc. This is a very stress-full time in our country's history - and I regularly remind myself how blessed we are. So I'll tell you the details and I don't want you to over-react. Or to judge. I'm not complaining. But it's too much....this last thing is my 'final straw' and 'I'm mad as hell and won't take it anymore'.
First, Chase froze our equity line. They didn't lower our credit limit to zero - because had they done that, our credit score would have been hugely impacted. They just made the 'available' amount of credit zero. Oh well. Our home value has declined (who's hasn't?) and we realized that the 'open' amount we had on that line was not 'real' anymore. So we weren't surprised when they froze it. We were disappointed since that was one of our 'available source of funds' for college expenses. Big monkey wrench in the plan. But oh well.
Next, we received notice that they closed one of our credit cards. We had no balance on the card - and in fact had probably only used it once since we've had it - it just wasn't a card we used often. But coincidentally, I had put the card in my wallet and planned to use it - call it a 6th sense that I thought I should use it. And wouldn't you know - just when we were planning to use it - most likely for B.'s college expenses as a way to have one account for those expenses since that would help us track them - Chase sent notice that they were closing the account for inactivity. I called. Nothing they could do. I could reapply - but since the website (which I check frequently because the cards we use are primarily all Chase) still shows that account as 'open', I'm sure my reapplying would result in an immediate decline for 'already have an account'. So whatever. Again, I let it go....
But this LAST thing has put me over the edge. I've shared on this blog that we don't roll debt. We use credit cards and pay in full - and that is true. We have done that faithfully for a really long time - because there was a time in our early married years - when we did not do that. So we had some 'revolving' debt. And when I left my banking job, we consolidated all our 'debt' onto one card - and it was a Chase card. They offered us 'our best customers' a fixed 3.99% rate on a loan that was 'fixed' for the life of the loan. Such a deal! So we consolidated all our debt. And we have stuck with the plan since then: no new debt. Period. We have faithfully paid that card down month after month after month. It's been awhile. It was a lot of debt. Now it's just a 'little' debt (relatively speaking) and we are closer than I ever imagined to paying it off.
But, we have increased expenses these days. College expenses, an extra car to insure. Soon, an extra licensed teen driver to insure. Commute expenses for B. to pay to get him to and from school. And I have never, EVER missed a payment or ever been late - but I have been paying the 'minimum' payment now and then...and the minimum isn't just $10 or $20 - it's hundreds of dollars - but I haven't been doubling or tripling the payment like I used to. Some months, I still can. But some months - when we've had car repairs, or unexpected household repairs - or birthdays, graduations, etc. - I pay minimum.
I received notice this week that Chase is increasing the minimum payment on that account from 2% to 5%. For us, that's hundreds MORE dollars outgoing each month. It's not a bad thing, really. It will 'force' me to continue doing what I've been doing - which is pay it down as quickly as possible. But I will HAVE TO make that huge payment - 150% more per month outgoing than the hundreds we've been paying. And that's hard to take. NOT because we can't do it - we can. I've already 'run the numbers' and there is absolutely no issue with this 'increased' outflow. We will weather it. We will be fine. But it just royally pisses me off that this bank - this MONSTER of a bank - has now taken THREE adverse actions against us - US with a credit score in the high 800's for crying out loud - in the past six months. I'm done. I'm fed up...
I called Chase and they have no option for me. In fact, they offered no alternative - though I've found a website where I see postings that indicate some customers are being offered to keep the 2% minimum payment but have the interest rate increase to 12%....sort of defeats the purpose. When I called, the person said 'we're helping you to pay this down as quickly as possible'. To which I replied 'why do you want me to do that since you make money for every month we have this loan with your bank'. And then, she became downright HOSTILE and said 'we loaned you OUR money and now we want OUR money back as quickly as possible - and the minimum payment increase makes that happen. It's our money and we want it back'.
Wow....that pretty much sums it up.
Only thing is, I'm pretty sure they received TARP assistance...which means THEY HAVE SOME OF MY/OUR MONEY and when will I get that back?
So I wrote letters today - to the FTC. Next to the Office of the Comptroller of Currency. To www.consumeraffairs.com. And finally, a letter to President Obama. I don't think he will ever read it - but someone in the White House will...and this is just so wrong.
We are making arrangements to pay this off as soon as possible. We have assets and we can pay it off tomorrow if we decide to sell other assets to raise cash (and boy, do I know how lucky that makes us). And while our United Mileage card - the main card we use each month that we absolutely pay off monthly without fail - the same card that so far has gotten us to Hawaii once and now Cancun - is a Chase card, I think we're going to quietly dissolve our relationship with Chase. Charge once in a while to keep the credit line open (because closing all the accounts would lower our score by easily 100+ points - since they keep our utilization rate low since we don't carry balances on most). But for the most part, use AmEx or Discover. I'm done with Chase.
And when the economy turns around (which it will) and Chase starts marketing the heck out of us again (which they will), I will laugh and laugh and say 'no thanks'. No Chase product will be in my wallet anymore. Nope, not a one. And considering how many affinity cards they have - Amazon, Disney, United Mileage, etc. - they have a lot more to lose than I do. We have plenty of other offers all the time to open accounts. We never do - but that might not be true anymore.
All of these Chase accounts were accounts we had with another bank that Chase bought. And I felt from day one of 'Chase' being our credit card company that they weren't who I wanted to do business with...and they just proved what I've long believed: they don't care one bit about their customers. Not one bit.
And now it's time to take my (still) headachy self to bed....work tomorrow. Yes, I must.....
What prompted me to action? The unfair practices of a major financial institution.
The first time they affected us, I felt disappointed but understood. The second time they affected us, I felt pissed but figured 'oh well. No loss'. But this last - and THIRD - adverse action against us is too much...just over the top too much. And I made efforts today to deal with the issue on the phone and quickly realized they don't care.
Before I tell you the details, I want to really stress this: there are no issues for us that we can't endure. Financial things are not usually things we have to worry about - and I know (and I think I've been really clear about confirming in this blog) how blessed we are. We don't have 'financial' worries - certainly nothing in compared to our neighbors who moved out this weekend for good. Or our friend who is about to lose her home. Or other acquaintances, friends, neighbors who have lost jobs, will lose homes, etc. This is a very stress-full time in our country's history - and I regularly remind myself how blessed we are. So I'll tell you the details and I don't want you to over-react. Or to judge. I'm not complaining. But it's too much....this last thing is my 'final straw' and 'I'm mad as hell and won't take it anymore'.
First, Chase froze our equity line. They didn't lower our credit limit to zero - because had they done that, our credit score would have been hugely impacted. They just made the 'available' amount of credit zero. Oh well. Our home value has declined (who's hasn't?) and we realized that the 'open' amount we had on that line was not 'real' anymore. So we weren't surprised when they froze it. We were disappointed since that was one of our 'available source of funds' for college expenses. Big monkey wrench in the plan. But oh well.
Next, we received notice that they closed one of our credit cards. We had no balance on the card - and in fact had probably only used it once since we've had it - it just wasn't a card we used often. But coincidentally, I had put the card in my wallet and planned to use it - call it a 6th sense that I thought I should use it. And wouldn't you know - just when we were planning to use it - most likely for B.'s college expenses as a way to have one account for those expenses since that would help us track them - Chase sent notice that they were closing the account for inactivity. I called. Nothing they could do. I could reapply - but since the website (which I check frequently because the cards we use are primarily all Chase) still shows that account as 'open', I'm sure my reapplying would result in an immediate decline for 'already have an account'. So whatever. Again, I let it go....
But this LAST thing has put me over the edge. I've shared on this blog that we don't roll debt. We use credit cards and pay in full - and that is true. We have done that faithfully for a really long time - because there was a time in our early married years - when we did not do that. So we had some 'revolving' debt. And when I left my banking job, we consolidated all our 'debt' onto one card - and it was a Chase card. They offered us 'our best customers' a fixed 3.99% rate on a loan that was 'fixed' for the life of the loan. Such a deal! So we consolidated all our debt. And we have stuck with the plan since then: no new debt. Period. We have faithfully paid that card down month after month after month. It's been awhile. It was a lot of debt. Now it's just a 'little' debt (relatively speaking) and we are closer than I ever imagined to paying it off.
But, we have increased expenses these days. College expenses, an extra car to insure. Soon, an extra licensed teen driver to insure. Commute expenses for B. to pay to get him to and from school. And I have never, EVER missed a payment or ever been late - but I have been paying the 'minimum' payment now and then...and the minimum isn't just $10 or $20 - it's hundreds of dollars - but I haven't been doubling or tripling the payment like I used to. Some months, I still can. But some months - when we've had car repairs, or unexpected household repairs - or birthdays, graduations, etc. - I pay minimum.
I received notice this week that Chase is increasing the minimum payment on that account from 2% to 5%. For us, that's hundreds MORE dollars outgoing each month. It's not a bad thing, really. It will 'force' me to continue doing what I've been doing - which is pay it down as quickly as possible. But I will HAVE TO make that huge payment - 150% more per month outgoing than the hundreds we've been paying. And that's hard to take. NOT because we can't do it - we can. I've already 'run the numbers' and there is absolutely no issue with this 'increased' outflow. We will weather it. We will be fine. But it just royally pisses me off that this bank - this MONSTER of a bank - has now taken THREE adverse actions against us - US with a credit score in the high 800's for crying out loud - in the past six months. I'm done. I'm fed up...
I called Chase and they have no option for me. In fact, they offered no alternative - though I've found a website where I see postings that indicate some customers are being offered to keep the 2% minimum payment but have the interest rate increase to 12%....sort of defeats the purpose. When I called, the person said 'we're helping you to pay this down as quickly as possible'. To which I replied 'why do you want me to do that since you make money for every month we have this loan with your bank'. And then, she became downright HOSTILE and said 'we loaned you OUR money and now we want OUR money back as quickly as possible - and the minimum payment increase makes that happen. It's our money and we want it back'.
Wow....that pretty much sums it up.
Only thing is, I'm pretty sure they received TARP assistance...which means THEY HAVE SOME OF MY/OUR MONEY and when will I get that back?
So I wrote letters today - to the FTC. Next to the Office of the Comptroller of Currency. To www.consumeraffairs.com. And finally, a letter to President Obama. I don't think he will ever read it - but someone in the White House will...and this is just so wrong.
We are making arrangements to pay this off as soon as possible. We have assets and we can pay it off tomorrow if we decide to sell other assets to raise cash (and boy, do I know how lucky that makes us). And while our United Mileage card - the main card we use each month that we absolutely pay off monthly without fail - the same card that so far has gotten us to Hawaii once and now Cancun - is a Chase card, I think we're going to quietly dissolve our relationship with Chase. Charge once in a while to keep the credit line open (because closing all the accounts would lower our score by easily 100+ points - since they keep our utilization rate low since we don't carry balances on most). But for the most part, use AmEx or Discover. I'm done with Chase.
And when the economy turns around (which it will) and Chase starts marketing the heck out of us again (which they will), I will laugh and laugh and say 'no thanks'. No Chase product will be in my wallet anymore. Nope, not a one. And considering how many affinity cards they have - Amazon, Disney, United Mileage, etc. - they have a lot more to lose than I do. We have plenty of other offers all the time to open accounts. We never do - but that might not be true anymore.
All of these Chase accounts were accounts we had with another bank that Chase bought. And I felt from day one of 'Chase' being our credit card company that they weren't who I wanted to do business with...and they just proved what I've long believed: they don't care one bit about their customers. Not one bit.
And now it's time to take my (still) headachy self to bed....work tomorrow. Yes, I must.....
Headache
I gave in to the headache that has plagued me for three days. Woke up at 2AM this morning with my head pounding. Got a drink of water. Went back to sleep bed and tossed and turned until around 5. At that point, I shut off my alarm and decided to sleep in. Woke up at 6:30 and decided to just stay home. A sick day is a 'luxury' in my job but I'm taking one...work can keep one day. It will keep.
Came downstairs and found a note from J. : 'Call me. Love H.' (H. being for hubby in this case). He was already on the road into SF because they are doing a team 'work day' at the marine rescue center.
He informed me that B. had to go to the emergency room last night. He helped a customer to their car with groceries. The hydraulic 'lift' on the 'hatch' of their Jeep wasn't working so the customer was holding the hatch up - and somehow, it slipped and the latch hook hit B. on the head. A trip to the emergency room and two staples in his head...he's home and fine. J. had to go to the emergency room to take him back to work to pick up his car. I haven't seen him yet today but J. assured me he's fine.
Never a dull moment around here. Thankfully, I called J. before I saw the ER paperwork on the kitchen counter.
I'm going to go get dressed - no need to but don't feel 'right' staying in my PJs all day (as lovely as that sounds). Plan to head back to a horizontal position soon and sleep some more. Two Excedrin are helping the headache. I have absolutely no compunction to be productive today but will try - can at least try to clean out a desk drawer or two.
Came downstairs and found a note from J. : 'Call me. Love H.' (H. being for hubby in this case). He was already on the road into SF because they are doing a team 'work day' at the marine rescue center.
He informed me that B. had to go to the emergency room last night. He helped a customer to their car with groceries. The hydraulic 'lift' on the 'hatch' of their Jeep wasn't working so the customer was holding the hatch up - and somehow, it slipped and the latch hook hit B. on the head. A trip to the emergency room and two staples in his head...he's home and fine. J. had to go to the emergency room to take him back to work to pick up his car. I haven't seen him yet today but J. assured me he's fine.
Never a dull moment around here. Thankfully, I called J. before I saw the ER paperwork on the kitchen counter.
I'm going to go get dressed - no need to but don't feel 'right' staying in my PJs all day (as lovely as that sounds). Plan to head back to a horizontal position soon and sleep some more. Two Excedrin are helping the headache. I have absolutely no compunction to be productive today but will try - can at least try to clean out a desk drawer or two.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Fast Food
It's just me and H. tonight - B. is at work and J. is still at 'work'.
H. and I are both moving in 'slow motion' this evening. He is so tired, he can barely stay awake. I arrived home after letting him know I was on my way to pick him up to take him for a haircut. He fell asleep between my call and when I pulled into the driveway - and after 4 minutes of honking the horn and waiting for him to appear, I finally called him - and sure enough, he'd fallen asleep. He isn't feeling well....he says his stomach is 'queasy' and he just feels really, really tired. So I'm urging him to get upstairs and get to bed.
I will follow shortly. I've been 'out of sorts' all day - just not feeling 'good'. Could be just 'stuff' on my mind...could be just tired. My stomach is also a bit 'off' today - so perhaps we've got a mild something. In any event, I will head up to bed shortly - haven't heard from J. at all today (except a couple emails where we laughed about the S.C. governor hiking naked on the Appalachian trail). I don't know when J. will be home but he probably hasn't left the city left (it's just after 8) which means it will be 10ish. No way will I make it until then.
After the haircut, we planned to go to Baja Fresh - but instead, stayed in the shopping center we were in (instead of crossing the street to the center across the street) and went for drive thru, which was Mickey D's (McDonald's). It was good. Bad for us but good.
I don't know about you, but I'm relieved to see that TLC has put Jon & Kate Plus 8 on hiatus until August. Smart thing to do. People are pretty tired of the subject and ready to move on - so it's a good thing to take the cameras off the situation for awhile. It may really be ending the show - and I think that's actually the best thing to do at this point - just let the series stop. It ended badly, as anyone who's watched the show for any length of time (or at all, really) could figure out fairly quickly into the first viewed episode. It's just never been a good, healthy, happy family. So I think 'fading to black' would be the best option. It's only going to get uglier...and that's not something to have on film for your kids to see for the rest of their lives...not like they won't be able to still 'view' all this stuff someday - YouTube is forever and EVERYTHING is on YouTube these days. So those kids will always be able to 'watch' the disintegration of their family....why force cameras on them in the next months as it all (hopefully) gets sorted.
Had a meeting with my new boss today - went well. Really like him and think he's going to be fantastic and just what the district needs. Can't wait for him to be there everyday....starting on the 6th.
I'm wiped out and heading to bed. Hopefully, J. will call shortly to confirm he's on his way home and so I can let him know I'll be in bed before he gets home.
More tomorrow....
H. and I are both moving in 'slow motion' this evening. He is so tired, he can barely stay awake. I arrived home after letting him know I was on my way to pick him up to take him for a haircut. He fell asleep between my call and when I pulled into the driveway - and after 4 minutes of honking the horn and waiting for him to appear, I finally called him - and sure enough, he'd fallen asleep. He isn't feeling well....he says his stomach is 'queasy' and he just feels really, really tired. So I'm urging him to get upstairs and get to bed.
I will follow shortly. I've been 'out of sorts' all day - just not feeling 'good'. Could be just 'stuff' on my mind...could be just tired. My stomach is also a bit 'off' today - so perhaps we've got a mild something. In any event, I will head up to bed shortly - haven't heard from J. at all today (except a couple emails where we laughed about the S.C. governor hiking naked on the Appalachian trail). I don't know when J. will be home but he probably hasn't left the city left (it's just after 8) which means it will be 10ish. No way will I make it until then.
After the haircut, we planned to go to Baja Fresh - but instead, stayed in the shopping center we were in (instead of crossing the street to the center across the street) and went for drive thru, which was Mickey D's (McDonald's). It was good. Bad for us but good.
I don't know about you, but I'm relieved to see that TLC has put Jon & Kate Plus 8 on hiatus until August. Smart thing to do. People are pretty tired of the subject and ready to move on - so it's a good thing to take the cameras off the situation for awhile. It may really be ending the show - and I think that's actually the best thing to do at this point - just let the series stop. It ended badly, as anyone who's watched the show for any length of time (or at all, really) could figure out fairly quickly into the first viewed episode. It's just never been a good, healthy, happy family. So I think 'fading to black' would be the best option. It's only going to get uglier...and that's not something to have on film for your kids to see for the rest of their lives...not like they won't be able to still 'view' all this stuff someday - YouTube is forever and EVERYTHING is on YouTube these days. So those kids will always be able to 'watch' the disintegration of their family....why force cameras on them in the next months as it all (hopefully) gets sorted.
Had a meeting with my new boss today - went well. Really like him and think he's going to be fantastic and just what the district needs. Can't wait for him to be there everyday....starting on the 6th.
I'm wiped out and heading to bed. Hopefully, J. will call shortly to confirm he's on his way home and so I can let him know I'll be in bed before he gets home.
More tomorrow....
Ortho
J. usually works at home on Tuesdays but he worked at home yesterday since he has a 'business dinner' this evening in San Fran that he couldn't miss. That's no big change - and yet, it is. The cleaning crew comes today - and J. is the supreme 'tidying up for the cleaning crew' master...he did most of it yesterday, thank goodness.
We set most 'appointments' for the kids that still require schlepping (guess that should be 'kid' since only one requires schlepping and not for long!) on Tuesdays or Fridays since those are J.'s typical 'working at home' days. Lest you think he's taking advantage of his employer by schlepping kids on those days I say this: not hardly. The guy logs in at 6:30 am every morning and works until close to 7 most nights so it's hard to say they're not getting their money's worth.
So, H. has an orthodontist appointment this morning and that means I have to schlep him. Oh, you wonder why we don't ask B. to do it? You don't know B., do you? The path of least resistance is the current mantra around here and we LIVE by that mantra....so no, we did not and will not ask B. to schlep. B. actually had plans this morning and though they've fallen through, it's still not worth the wrath which would ensue. I know. We're being to 'easy' on him. But really, we're just being easiest on ourselves. It's not the wisest course of action in parental authority but it retains some semblance of harmony...and with the current levels of angst in this house (on all sides), it's for the best.
I was going to go in to work and then swing by here and pick H. up just after 8...but decided against that for some reason around 5:30 this morning. I've been piddling around the house, further tidying. Worked a bit outside but it's warming quickly and arriving at work all sweaty is not a good thing so I'm back to 'desk' stuff.
Will take H. and then cruise through the drive-thru SB for my morning teas. Drop him off in the driveway and head to my office. Big meeting this afternoon with our new superintendent. It will go fine...I hope.
J. will be home late so I will likely resort to frozen pizzas or 'fast food' for dinner this evening. I shouldn't....but I probably will.n
I hear H. readying himself for a departure in 5-10 minutes so I'd best sign off for now. No fun if I read him the riot act about 'get ready so we're not late' and then hold him up myself! Bad Majah. Bad.
We set most 'appointments' for the kids that still require schlepping (guess that should be 'kid' since only one requires schlepping and not for long!) on Tuesdays or Fridays since those are J.'s typical 'working at home' days. Lest you think he's taking advantage of his employer by schlepping kids on those days I say this: not hardly. The guy logs in at 6:30 am every morning and works until close to 7 most nights so it's hard to say they're not getting their money's worth.
So, H. has an orthodontist appointment this morning and that means I have to schlep him. Oh, you wonder why we don't ask B. to do it? You don't know B., do you? The path of least resistance is the current mantra around here and we LIVE by that mantra....so no, we did not and will not ask B. to schlep. B. actually had plans this morning and though they've fallen through, it's still not worth the wrath which would ensue. I know. We're being to 'easy' on him. But really, we're just being easiest on ourselves. It's not the wisest course of action in parental authority but it retains some semblance of harmony...and with the current levels of angst in this house (on all sides), it's for the best.
I was going to go in to work and then swing by here and pick H. up just after 8...but decided against that for some reason around 5:30 this morning. I've been piddling around the house, further tidying. Worked a bit outside but it's warming quickly and arriving at work all sweaty is not a good thing so I'm back to 'desk' stuff.
Will take H. and then cruise through the drive-thru SB for my morning teas. Drop him off in the driveway and head to my office. Big meeting this afternoon with our new superintendent. It will go fine...I hope.
J. will be home late so I will likely resort to frozen pizzas or 'fast food' for dinner this evening. I shouldn't....but I probably will.n
I hear H. readying himself for a departure in 5-10 minutes so I'd best sign off for now. No fun if I read him the riot act about 'get ready so we're not late' and then hold him up myself! Bad Majah. Bad.
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Tales of Helpers
Our cleaning lady D. is here today - she wears earbuds and chats on the phone while she works. She is the third cleaning 'person(s)...
