Thanksgiving

The kids and I went to Mom and Dads house to eat a beautiful Turkey dinner. My brother, his wife and two kids came down as well. They live in NC but came down for the weekend. They are staying at her moms house in CapeCoral though. It was really nice. I left with only the Baby though because both the boys friends stopped by to chat on their way home from Marco. So Scout went with Timmy and Feret went with Tyler.
On friday night I did not even bother to go and pick them up cause I was busy cleaning the house and stuff. But Saturday I went over there to see if they wanted to go see their Nana. They did so I dropped them off and went back over to Tylers to help Kathy paint and just hang out. I had to get the boys by 2pm so Kathy invited us back for a Bar-B-Q. It was really good. Scout came home with me and Baby and we vegged all day Sunday. Wouldn't you know it when I finally did get out of the house thats when Kathy was dropping Feret off. I missed her and had to run all the way back to the Gate to pick him up.
Tonight is Boy Scouts so I gotta run. TTFN

A poem for Rachel, my good friend

Remembering days long ago
When we were young and free
Time was moving oh so slow
When each other we would see

Now a-days it just seems
The months go flying by
One would think that this deems
Old friends to say goodbye

But I have this small gut feeling
That I could pick up the phone any day
And dial your number with meaning
Just to see what you have to say

And on the other end
You will chat with me, your news
So this is why I’ve decided to send
A dorky poem for you to muse

I often tell my kids our stories
From when we were young and bold
This helps eliminate my worries
That they think I am too old!

Sometimes they will surprise me
When we are goofing ‘round
They’ll say “Hey mommy
Look!” and wave their hand around

The giggle comes quick, not slow
To the hand I do stay true
Now not too many people know
What they are trying to do

Anyone who asks
Gets the whole story right up front
From then on they have the task
To make me laugh and grunt

I wish I had more friends like you
I’m sure you would agree
But then I think I’d laugh a slew
And surely have to pee!

Ok this poem is getting gross
As I’m sure your aware
So here’s to you Rachel, a toast
I think I’m done here

Camping

Well we all went camping this weekend. Scout went on a canoe trip to the Peace River with his troop and Feret and I went to Camp Flying Eagle in Bradenton for a Cub/Parent overnighter.
Friday night I dropped of Scout at the church and then I packed the car for our trip. We met up with the other family at 7:30am on Saturday and we were on our way. When we arrived we set up our tent and had a go around. We are our bag lunch then headed off to the opening cerimonies. The theme of the event was pirates. They had all sorts of games and a treasure hunt. About 10 min after the games started the siren went off and we found out that there was a scout missing. Turns out he was with another adult and some other kids but he never told his mom. Back to the games we went. Feret made a raingutter regatta boat, a Bandanna, a parrot out of beads, a pirates belt, some leather stampings. We had a great time. He was feeling a little sick with a headache but we pulled through. We ate dinner then had some free time and he made a marshmallow shooter. Then we went to the campfire. There were lots of fun skits done by the boys. After the show we all went back to camp and built our own campfire. We roasted marshmallows and tryed to keep the boys from hurting themselves.
Sunday we ate breakfast then packed up and went to the closing cerimonies. Feret won a prize from the raffle. We started for home. I ended up dropping Feret off at Tylers and I called to see if Scout was back at the church yet. Turns out he was just pulling in so I went and picked him up and then went home to unpack.
Scout made it through the weekend without tipping the boat. And he may have saved a life out there as well. The Asst. Scoutmaster has an insulin pump and it had fallen out. As soon as he saw it Scout told him and he was very thankful. He even made a big deal about it at the meeting last night. Next week they are going to learn what to do if he ever passes out or something like that happens to anyone else they know.
All in all it was a great weekend.

ear infection(s)

Ok, so this past week has gone by pretty fast.
On Monday I noticed that Baby was getting some green stuff around his eyes. Scout had a meeting and I helped plan for the cubbie's Pack meeting.
Tuesday was a thing at the school for forth graders.
Wednesday was a free day
Thursday we had our Pack meeting. Real disappointment due to the fact that only three cubs showed up. We made x-mas cards to hand out at the Pack meeting next month at the retirement home. We got about 55 done so that was good.
Tonight I have to help Scout pack and drop him off for his canoe/camp trip. I also have to pack for Feret and I to go to a Cub/Parent overnighter this weekend. Yay camping! I still have to visit wal-mart and make a delivery of popcorn tonight.
Next week is Thanksgiving. I have not even thought about it yet. I think we will be going to mom and dads.
I have not heard one word from Rick in almost two weeks! But that also means I have not gotten any money from him either. The last time I seen him he slapped me again so I'm releived that I don't even have to hang up on him either.
Ok, TTFN

That crazy gerbil!

Friday night I took Scout and Baby to the fair again to see Feret. He was there with Tyler and his mom. She has to do "love hours" for the school that puts on the fair. She was running a game called record breakers. You threw a base ball at records and you had to break three with only three balls. It was faily easy to break the records, but you had to hit them first. She ended up having about five winners that night.
Saturday I cleaned house and then my Dad came by and asked if I could help move some stuff from one storage unit to another. I said ok and away we went. Scout and Baby came along. We picked up a box truck and went to the storage, then we went to his house and dropped off all the x-mas stuff and loaded the truck with other boxes. Then Scout and Baby stayed at the house with my mom and Dad and I went to the new bigger storage. We got done at about 8:30pm. Mom had dinner ready for us and we called it a night.
Sunday I finished with my house cleaning and rearrainged some furniture to accomidate the table that I got out of Dads storage unit. My brother had given it to me when I still lived with mom and I kinda forgot about it. I have not had a kitchen table in the new apartment until now so I had to make room. In the afternoon I went to pick up Feret and then to the grocery store for some milk and stuff. The boys rode bikes and I changed the gerbils bedding. Here's where the crazy gerbil comes in. I found a 10 gallon tank in the shed at mom and dads house and asked it I could use it for a while to separate the boys from the girls. So I got out the two girls and put them in the new tank and I also put the mom and five babies in the cage but kept them in the smaller cage. So the two girls really only have about 1/3 of the 10 gallon tank and the boys have a whole 10 gallon tank to themselves. Well the new tank has a lid on it for a light and filter to use for a fish tank. There is a hole about 1/2" wide and 2" long where the filter is. He boys saw that the little girl that has gotten out in the past was not in the tank. We started looking around and finnally found her behind the microwave. We patched up the hole with some cardboard and tape. Later when I was turning out the lights to go to sleep I checked in on the little guys. To my surprise the little girl was gone again. I checked all the counters and behind the microwave. No luck. So I told Hot Wheels (our kitty) to keep an eye out for her and went to bed. This morning I half hoped that my eyes where playing tricks on me but sure enough she was not in the tank. I got ready for work and while I was smoking my cig I was looking for her. Kitty was listening to something under the stove so I pulled the pan drawer out and lo and behold there she was. I scooped her up and put her back in the tank. Then I taped the cardbord down and came to work. What I think is the real dilema is is that she is the only one that gets out! Why does she want to get out? Don't get me wrong I don't sit at home holding these things or let them crawl up on my shoulder or anything. Although we did name them but that was a game more or less with kids. I do make sure that Scout and Feret take care of the animals. Scout brought the gerbils home (although it was only two at that time) and Hot Wheels is Ferets cat. We have had him for four years now and he was 6 weeks old when we got him. He is very good about feeding him but I am stuck changing the litter box and the bedding. The fish that we got from the fair have slowly died off and there are only three left out of nine. I have never been good with fish. I think we will change the name of the escaping gerbil to Run.

Holy crap?! It's Friday again...

I havn't posted for a week! What's wrong with me these days? No school for the kiddies today it's Veterns day. I had two scouts show up at the meeting on Tuesday. They made clay pots. It was nice and quiet except for Baby of course. I have to find some way to entertain him for that hour! I need to do laundry this weekend. Last Saturday I stood in line for four hours to get disaster food stamps. Some Hatian guy tried to cut in front of me and I booted him out. I'm supposed to get $506 mailed to me on a card thing this week but I havn't seen it yet. It was worth the four hours! I have nothing in my fridge except ice and ketchup. Smoothies anyone? The gerbils are growing bigger everyday. I took the kids and a friend to the fair in Golden Gate last night. Ran into some more of their friends and got eight goldfish in the meantime. I also won a stuffed pig that we ended up giving to Carlos' mom for her cuban birthday celebration. When I dropped him off I was invited inside and they had a beautiful "shrine" set up in the living room. Huge canopy with shells and blue and gold and silver cloth. A enourmous amout of fruit, of which they gave me a bag full. Carrie, his mom tells me that she has to leave it up for one week for good luck. I have never seen anything like it! There was also candles and flowers all laid out so nice. Their family was there too but I could not talk to them cause we couldn't understand each other but they were full of life. They talk so loud and use lots of hand motions! Such great people. I wish I had more freinds to share this stuff with. I think I am starting to really stress out and it's taking a toll on me. I need to loose some weight but I don't have any motivation. No sign of meeting anyone in the near future and my friend Beth seems to meet everyone. She has a couple of guys on the line at all times. She used to be bigger than me and she had the gastric bypass and now she gets hit on by everyone. Kinda pisses me off cause I was the one that wanted it first. Oh well poor me poor me! I'm not crying myself to sleep yet so I guess its not that bad! Yak at ya'll later!

It's Friday!

What a fucking week! Or two weeks at that! Scout missed the bus yesterday and I had an episode with the kids mother that hit him on Wednesday morning. I was going to take him to school today and I stopped to inform the mom that I was pissed that it was such an inconvienience for me to do that when she informs me that the reason that her son hit him was that he was playing with fire. I was sooo pissed off that I smacked Scout and then he got out of the car. I went to work feeling horrible and wondering what was going to happen next. I had been telling him for about the last month not to play with fire. Even offered him $2.00 a day but he has not earned it yet he is constantly picking up lighters. I want to ground him for the rest of the weekend but I know that wont happen.
We are going to see an Everblades hockey game tonight. It's Scout night. Should be fun. Feret's friend Tyler and his mom are going along with another one of my scouts.
Saturday we are supposed to go to Timmy's b-day party and Sunday we are having Baby's b-day party.
I hope things get a little better...

Not again!!!?

The gerbils have multiplied again!! On Monday morning we saw them. There are five new babies. So that brings our count to eleven! Mom, dad, four babies (one brown one like dad, two tan ones with red eyes, and a light tan and white) and five new babies. I bought a new cage last week for them. A 10 gallon glass tank. The little brown gerbil was getting out and we finally figured out how. He's a good jumper! So I had to buy a screen lid for the tank. We took the new babies and the mom out and put them in the old smaller cage. I really need to figure out a way to separate the males and females. I guess I can make some sort of divider in the tank but I still need to try to determine the sex of these little guys. When the little brown one was getting out do you think our cat Hot Wheels was able to round him up? Not a chance. Once he was under the washer/dryer, once under the stove and we finally caught him in the boys room. Kitty was watching for him but was unable to catch him. Good thing We don't live in NYC or kitty would be in big trouble. My mom was joking with me that I really have a mouse problem, not pet gerbils! lol : )
In other news, Scout had lost his whole binder for school somewhere and he refused to go to school without it cause he said he would be in detention all day for not having his stuff. On Wednesday I went home to grab some lunch and there he was watching t.v. I brought him to school and asked to talk to the guidence counceler. Mr. Curley was a great help. He got Scout a new planner and he also took the info on the kid that punched Scout that morning at the bus stop. He told Scout that he should have no problems with the teachers and to come back on Thursday for a fresh start. I brought Scout to work with me since I was already running late. I made him put oil in the car and go to the corner store for sodas and lunch.

Where O where did Tallyho go?

I think I'm back. I can tell I was not missed much but none the less... For those of you that don't know here's the update. There was this Hurricane that came through called Wilma. My family and I went to my brothers house on Sunday night. He lives further inland than I do. So there was me, Scout, Feret, Baby, my mom, my dad, my grandma, my brother, his wife, their son, her mom, her moms step mom, one cat and three dogs. It was interesting. There was almost a fight about the dogs. My brother asked that the dogs stay outside and my parents listened but when my sister-in-laws mom and grandma came they had the dogs in the house. My mom was pissed cause her dog is special too.
Anyway, mom made it clear that she was not happy as usual. I went to sleep around 12 o'clock and when I woke up at 6:30am there was no power. I stumbled out to the living room to find everyone hovering over a radio and the wind howling outside. The rest of the day is sort of a blur. I only remember that around 2pm we were thinking about heading home but we had to wait for my brother and dad to chop up a tree that was blocking the driveway.
On the way home we stopped by Ferets friend Tylers house. They had a tree on the car, on on the roof in the back and one over the fence on some power lines. Then we went to Scouts freind Timmys house. They lost their fence but they were ok. We made our way home and luckily had no damage. We unpacked the car then drove to mom and dads house. There was so much damage in their neighborhood that I almost cried. When we turned the corner to pull into their driveway I was so releived. only a slight damage to the carport and a gutter.
Anyway, we were without power for 7 days. I still do not have any food in the fridge. Power at work was not restored until yesterday (tuesday). I had to bring the baby with me to work all last week. My sitter had no power either.
Baby had his first b-day. no power to have a party and the only cake I could find were holloween cupcakes. I got food water and ice from the Army guys that came into town. The boys had no school for the whole week. We had to cancel the Pack meeting for Cub Scouts on Thursday. Which was unfortinate because we had scheduled McGruff the Robotic Police Dog as a guest speaker.
I think we are pretty much back to normal as of today. There are still homes with no power and tons of tree debris on the sides of every road. Its going to be a long clean up. We are planning Babys b-day party for this weekend, maybe Sunday. I think it would have been much worse if it was hot outside but we had this strange cold front that has lasted all week.
Well thats it for now...Ta Ta for now...