Letters from a sister/daughter

I'm not sure why but it seems that #2 has snapped. I was downstairs last night watching The Amazing Race when she comes down with a letter she had written to her father. I cried when I read it. I told her to do with it what she wants but to know that she will likely never receive a reply or reaction. I know that first hand. Ignore and avoid is husband's credo.

In looking for the letter file today, I came across another letter #2 had written to her sister. I don't know what, if anything, she ever did with this letter. Until today, I had no idea that it even existed.

Letter to Dad -

Dad,

I know you really don’t care about how you live your life but there are three other people living with you. There is so much stuff that needs to be done around here that it’s not even funny. This isn’t a “daddy do list”, it’s just a letter I thought I should write you.

I don’t mind a bug or two but they are getting out of hand now! Bombing the house is not going to fix the problem either. There just going to come back after a few weeks, what needs to be done to control them is fixing the side of the house and blocking the bird holes. Fixing the side of the house will keep bugs out and keep the heat in the house.

The RV is a waste of money that we do not have. If we had the money for it then yeah it would be great but we don’t. If you sold it now we would have enough money to fix everything that needs to be done to the house and the cars and you could probably even get a new car for your self. Your parents only gave that thing to you so they wouldn’t feel guilty about how they treated you. They’re not going to give you any of there millions of dollars for keeping it kept up and in your position; they don’t care what you do with it. No one cares about that RV but you! Not your cave friends no one, there’s no reason to show it off to everyone because its not that great, all it is is a piece of money eating trash.

It is so hard to respect someone who doesn’t care about his own family. Its one thing to put your self at risk but when you put your family at risk of losing there home or there health is lower then low. You don’t love us; you only love your self and your stuff. You make me and (#3) feel like you never wanted us in the first place. If you did care about anyone but your self you wouldn’t have let this house go to crap and you wouldn’t spend so much of the money on the cave-in, the RV, drugs or whatever. I don’t respect you and I never will if you keep doing what your doing.

Just because you work at a plant doesn’t mean that’s your only job. You have a job as a father and husband to. You don’t make enough money where you work to just be able to lie around on your free time. You need to get at least one day of over time every week so your house can be fixed and your family can get things they need and go to the doctors. It wont be that much trouble for to do that and plus you wont have to be around us as much!

There is so much more I could bring up but I know you probably haven’t even read this whole letter so I’m not going to even bother.

Your daughter,

(#2)

Letter to sister -

One of those things is disrespect my mom!

(#3) is just so rude to Mom it makes me want to punch her! My mom does so much for us and try’s to do what she can to give us what we want and my sister doesn’t see all the good she does for us.

Yes mom gripes about everything but your just suppose to agree with her and shut up! Not tell her that you don’t care and tell her to shut up! And when she bitches at you for nothing you don’t scream at her and slam the doors! Just sit there and shut the fuck up!

When Mom is nice enough to make food for the family eat it! I don’t care if you a everything in the fridge or not! Don’t go telling her that you don’t want what she cooked and eat something else that’s just rude! Even if it tastes bad eat it and say its yummy!

Mom disserves to be treated better then she does by her family, seems like I’m the only one in the fucking house that cares about her feelings and what she has to deal with.

It makes me so angry to see how (#3) and Dad treat her, like she is nothing and is just there to get in the way.

(#3) she gave birth to your stupid sorry ass you shouldn’t treat her like she doesn’t do anything for you, cause she does everything for you to make you happy!

And Dad you’re just an asshole, die.

Love,
(#2)

Shit, more shit, and even more shit

One more day and the Thanksgiving weekend will be officially over. Sounds good to me. Oh, we ate good - everything turned out perfectly - but it's just been a weird few days. Mostly because husband has been home on a longer than usual weekend break.

#2 worked on Friday from 5 to 10pm. #3 worked Fri, Sat, and is due to work again tomorrow. More of the split shift shit! I'm getting really tired of spending every single Sat and Sun doing nothing but taking her to one place for 2 hours, picking her up, and taking her to another place for 2 hours only to bring her home for an hour and then taking her back for a 4 hour shift ending at 10pm. That's my whole damn day!!!!!! Plus, now that #2 is in the job mix....I have no life - less than before if you can believe it - and my weekends SUCK!

One bright note, though - at least I CAN drive.

Why do I bring that up, you ask? Well, STFBN caught me when I logged into my chat the other night and instead of ignoring me, like she usually does, she actually pinged me. In that moment, without her saying anything but "is that you?", I knew there was something going on with HER that she wanted to talk about. It took me a good minute - a real minute - to answer her b/c I didn't want her asking me for any favors! She didn't but she would. Keep reading.

It seems that unlike every other married woman, she never changed her SS card to reflect her married name. She's on her 3rd marriage or is it her 4th...I can't remember...and her SS card is still in her maiden name. What a dumbass.

Wellllll....Homeland Security is doing this awesome new thing - targeting women to see if their SS name matches their driver's license name. Ain't it grand? All these damn undocumented workers lined up on every fucking street corner and no one ever bothers them but YOU, a natural born citizen, married, working a job, paying your taxes, and buying your own home, YOU are targeted! What prize do you get? Well, you get your license suspended, a $200 reinstatement fee, and the hassle of getting it all straightened out and of course the best prize of all...lost time from work b/c you can't fucking drive!!!!!

This country has gone to shit and it's totally just pissing me off. I don't really care about STFBN - she should have taken care of that a LONG time ago - but I do care about who's being targeted and the fact that no notices are being sent out that would allow a person to fix the situation before having their license suspended and incurring a damn fee. Who the hell has an extra $200 just laying around that they don't need? Nobody I know!

Here's one woman's story about her experiences when she was arrested AFTER she thought she had squared things with SS and DMV.

Here's another example of this bullshit.

This opinion expresses my feelings on this much better than I ever could. Give it a read.

If I keep finding stories like these, I'll have to make a new post dedicated to this subject!

Ok, rant over. Back to STFBN...it also turns out her husband's daughter is pregnant. She's 23, unemployed, living at home, and the father is a loser but she's keeping the baby, will continue to live at home, and not getting married because she can do it on her own. Um, doing it on your own means working, paying bills, and providing your own food and shelter. What a loser.

Found out all this about 5 days ago. Haven't heard anything from her since. Until today. While I was either taking or picking up #3 from work, either she or her husband called and needed a favor. Told you that was coming, didn't I? They had put their car in the shop for scheduled maintenance (before they found out about the driver's license thing) and since STFBN can't drive - they needed someone to go with them to drive it home. I'm so glad I wasn't home. I'm out of the doing-favors-for-people-who-shit-on-me business.

Got another grand day of driving around scheduled for tomorrow so I'm closing up this post and grabbing myself a beer.

Thanksgiving

I'm thankful for......

being alive
having 3 beautiful and healthy daughters
a husband who isn't abusive and has a job
a car that works
food, clothing, shelter, and creature comforts for my family (not just those in my house but ALL my family)
2 parents who are still alive
good friends
money to pay bills
cable, the internet, beer, and tobacco
the fact that I live in THE greatest country on Earth
my health (totally NOT the same as being alive)

I hope that you, whoever you are that passes this way, have as much to be thankful for this year.

Happy Thanksgiving

A day in the life ...........

Left home at 10:30 am to take #3 to work at coffee shop location A for 2 hours. Came back home.

Left again at 12:00 to take #2 to Target to fill out an application. Sat in parking lot until 1pm and then drove across the street to p/u #3 from work. Drove back to Target to p/u #2 who had just come out of the store. Drove through the parking lot to PetsMart for turtle food for the red-eared slider #2 had acquired from her science teacher. Drove home.

We all pile out of the car when we get home; #2 and I go potty in readiness to leave again. #3 is staying home.

We go to Food Depot so that #2 can fill out another application. I pick up beer and sandwich fixin's while she's doing that and talking to the manager. We go home.

#3 and I leave again at 4:30 (I got a 2 hour break to eat lunch and sit with my heating pad) for another 2 hour stint at location B of the coffee shop. I drive to the post office and drop in my Net Flix copy of The Sentinel (awesome movie btw). I then proceed on to the gas station for the cheapest carton of Doral's in town and then I go home.

I build a fire in the fireplace and settle in for some down time. #3 has a ride home - they're going to the movies after work - so I don't have to go anywhere else for the day!

Husband gets home @ 8pm. I ask him which of the leftovers he wants - lasagna, tacos, smoked sausage and sauerkraut, or I could make him a sub sandwich. He wants tacos. We tell him about #2 getting a phone call from PacSun telling her to start work this coming Tues and work from 7pm to 9pm. He says, "Cool" then he gets on the computer while I make his food.

He never bothered to say anything else to me or ask me about my day so I went downstairs to watch tv. He did, however, manage to yell down the stairs "Thanks for the food!".

I come back upstairs at 10:00pm. Have 5 minutes of convo with husband about some new fireplace matches we bought. He then gives me a peck and says that he's going to bed.

#3 came home from the movie with just a "Howdy, peeps." then proceeds upstairs to her room.

#2 took the dog and headed up to bed as well.

I got on the computer to check my mail and my groups and to see if anyone voted for my 100 words story - no - and updated my blog.

That's my day.

My week in review

I don't even know what to say except that I've almost made it through another week. Two more days to go - to make it official.

Nothing particularly good happened. Nothing particularly bad happened. Same o', same o' as the saying goes.

1/ #2 & #3 turned 17 on Wednesday. The same day that it rained so hard and so much that I felt like I lived on an island! I don't know if that means anything...just saying.

2/ #1 got an estimate to fix her 'dented front bumper' and found that there was more damage than meets the eye. $3200 dollars worth to be exact. Plus, she finally found a parking space to rent but the idiot woman renting the space wants 'to be fair to everyone' so she wants to share the space between 2 people. Unfortunately, #1 works odd hours and has rotating days off - totally not 'share' doable. She offered the woman DOUBLE what she asked and she still insists that 'it wouldn't be fair to others looking for a space'. OMG! What a God-complex this woman has! Does she honestly think that her purpose in life is to solve the parking issues of everyone in town? Holy crap what a bunch of crap!!!!!!

3/ Speaking of #1, her closing on the house across the street is due to take place sometime during the 1st week of December. My plan is to go back home with her after the closing for a week of sun, beach, sea food, and relaxation. Let's see, just for shits and grins, what will be in my bank account after 2 birthdays, car insurance that's due on the 1st, bills, food, and various bullshit maintenance needs for the RV........................*chirping crickets*...............................um, that would be er...nothing. However, I WILL get that ticket for my trip to Hawaii whether or not there's anything left over for Christmas. Christmas is such a bitch here anyway that I just totally don't even fucking care! BUT it would be nice that if, for once, I could do something *I* wanted to do without the guilt of the world being heaped upon my hunched over shoulders. What a fucking curse I've got!

There's more but it's late and my brain is dead. Will try to finish up some time over the weekend.

My Veteran's Day

First I would like to thank all the past and present members of all branches of the military for their service to this great country of ours. Your sacrifice, and that of your families, is greatly appreciated!

#3 marched in our local parade with the JROTC. They did a great job and despite the cold and the wind, pretty well managed to stay in step. They also did a very robust cadence. She earned her first parade ribbon. I nearly cried with pride.

We met some very nice people and managed to snag a few Frisbees that were tossed out. A VERY nice gentleman give me the Air Force mini football that he grabbed after I told him that I was in the Air Force and hadn't managed to get one for myself. Thank you, Mr. Scorpio. I don't know his name but he had a very fun convo with #2 about them both being Scorpios and left-handed.

After we got home I made spaghetti and meatballs and managed to burn the bottom of every single piece of garlic bread. It was late, we were hungry, and it was good!

Just another day in paradise

The day started out good. I woke up for one thing - that's always a plus. I then made and drank my coffee, read all the favorite blogs, and played a game of dominoes. Talked to P on the phone - twice. We laughed so hard the first time she called that she totally forgot to tell me what it was she'd called for in the first place!

#2 calls and says that she's staying over for help with Spanish and to please pick her up at 4pm.

#3 got home and I told her that we'd need to leave about 4:40 to get to her 5:00 interview. She's got an in as hostess at a local Italian restaurant.

So far, so good.

I get to the school right at 4pm - park and read my junk mail and ads that I grabbed from the mailbox on the way out.

4:15 no sign of #2. I need to put gas in my car b/f taking #3 to her interview. I'm totally running on fumes but figured to do that on the way back home.

4:30 still no sign of her. Did she get a last minute ride home? What the crap am I supposed to do now? Do I keep waiting and leave #3 hanging?

I have to get gas, go pick up #3, and get to the Italian place in half an hour!

I figure she'd gotten a ride so I left. Of course she calls home 2 seconds after I leave the school wanting to know where I was. #3 says that she said she would just walk home so we left. Got the gas and got there right at 5pm.

I'm settling in for the wait when a minute later, #3 comes back out the restaurant door and gets in the car. 'scuse me? "Um, yeah. The manager didn't come in today and they didn't bother to call me and tell me! I have to do this all over again tomorrow!"

Needless to say, I'm not a happy camper at this point so I drive a bit 'forcefully' all the way home. Didn't see any cops.

We rode by where #2 would cut through from the school and there was no sign of her. I go ahead and take #3 home (#2's not home) and decide to go back to the school in case she's still there by some chance. Nope. I go drive up the cut through road - no sign of her. I sit for a minute in the driveway of one of their friends who lives at the end of the road in case she's in there. Nope. I come home. She's there and had been for about 10 minutes!

Holy shit what a fucking nightmare!

I settle down, make a big pot of mac n cheese and reheat yesterday's fried chicken. Watch Seinfeld with #2 while we eat and then head downstairs to my room and my heating pad. I watch Survivor and a wonderful episode of CSI. I'm having a beer and relaxing and the day's bullshit is far behind me. I'm coooool, man.

Then...........BLAM! #3 comes down and says, "Mom, would you have a talk with Dad about the way he treats my friends?" Oh crap, what the hell did he say/do now?

D, the guy friend that #3 gets a ride to and from school, was over here and they were watching videos on the computer and talking and having a good time. Husband comes up to him and says, "Um, yeah, are you the asshole who made my daughter late for school the other day? Well, if it happens again, I'm cutting off your balls and puttin' 'em in a Dixie Cup!"

What husband doesn't know, because he doesn't talk to anyone or listen to anyone or is in anyway involved with anyone in this house, is that there was an accident that morning and that 1/2 the school enrollment was late!!!! We weren't the only parents who got a call from the school that day saying our child wasn't there. If the kids aren't counted as present during 1st period roll call, they're marked absent even if they show up 10 minutes later. I could have told him that if he had been interested enough to ask!

Also, what's with the breaking all 'bad dad' on the poor boy? It's not like he's ever stood up for any of us before. He just made himself look stupid because everyone knows that he just sits around ignoring everyone or jerking off while doing RV maintenance. D has been to this house MANY times and yet husband couldn't tell you his name if his life depended on it! He couldn't tell you the name of anyone who comes to this house to visit with the girls.

What a sad, stupid, little man.

Hands off me grog, you scallywag!

The other night I was running low on beer but remembered that there were 3 left in the RV fridge. So, I took my hiney out there to retrieve them! Imagine my surprise when I peered into the fridge and saw that those 3 beers had multiplied into an entire case! Wow! I didn't know they had breeding capabilities!!! Very, very cool.

I know I've mentioned before about husband's unfathomable penchant for holing away beer that he doesn't drink. That's right - he doesn't drink beer at home unless we have people over; never when we're alone. It's a true head-scratcher and one that I don't have any intention of quizzing him about. However, I do think it has something to do with me viewing relaxing with a beer as an opportunity to talk and he's not having any of THAT!

So, anyway.... While doing my shopping at Publix yesterday, I, of course, noticed that the beer area was sans beer and was now filled with bottled water. WTF????? Did Publix sell alcohol to the under aged? Did they relocate it to another part of the store that I somehow missed stumbling upon? Did they clearance out all their product due to their expiration dates? That last one is the stuff of dreams isn't it!

No biggie, I thought, there's a case in the RV! Whew. Crisis averted.

Having consumed the 1 beer that was in the house, I asked #2 to do me the favor of braving the RV steps and putting 6 beers into a grocery bag for me to transfer to the fridge in the garage. Yes, there's fridge in the garage but it's no good for HIDING beer, you know. Beer found in THAT fridge pretty much comes with a sign that says 'DRINK ME!' Hence the reason husband did NOT put his beer booty in there.

OK, back to it - upon hearing the garage door open, I hear husband literally run across the upstairs floor, run down the front steps, and run around the corner to the garage. Say what? At that point #2 is just now coming out of the RV with the bag o'beer and he says to me - and I'm totally NOT even shitting you! - 'Are you drinking MY beer?'

What the crap is WITH this asshole???????????????

The politcs of fried chicken

I wasn't really going to bother to say anything about last night's election results - my stomach gets queasy just thinking about them - but then something very surreal happened at the grocery store today.

Wanting fried chicken and not wanting to fry it myself, I went to Publix today instead of Kroger. Kroger's deli really has substandard fare in my opinion. So, I cruised by the deli and asked when the next batch of fresh was due out - about 15 mins I was told. Great, I'll take an 8 piece; be back in 15 or so.

Did my shopping in a leisurely fashion, found what I wanted, and rounded back by the deli. The fellow that I spoke to earlier spotted me and smiled and motioned that it was on its way! While standing there, another lady came up to stand next to me. We had a conversation about it being 'chicken Wednesday' since there were at least 2 other women standing there as well. No one had yet to ask what she wanted b/c they were all busy filling pre-orders, like mine.

Then this big woman of African decent comes up, cuts in front of us both, gets the attention of the little fellow helping me, and proceeds to put in her order for a certain amount of a particular flavor of chicken wings.

Well, at this point the lady I was having the conversation with leans in and whispers in my ear, "I guess we'd be considered racists and wrong if we said anything, wouldn't we?" To which I responded by putting my index finger over my mouth, nodded, and motioned to let her know that the rude fat-ass was standing directly behind me and totally in my space.

It's not that I didn't agree or that I wasn't screaming on the inside to say something to the bitch but I sure as hell didn't want to start a kerfuffle with the chicken hand-off only seconds away!

Then, the whispering lady leans in again. This time she says, "And now the House and the Senate are FILLED with Democrats!" I knew what she was getting at but I didn't want my stomach roiling with the thought so I just told her to have a good day and I got myself and my chicken the hell out of there.

I sure hope that poor frustrated old lady didn't get into a smack-down before she got HER chicken.

My day off

Husband and I did our duty as citizens today and voted. As far as I can tell, my vote did count b/c my picks for Gov, Lt. Gov, and Rep from my district all won. There were several amendments/referendums that I've yet to hear about.

The weather was off and on rainy, the line was quick moving, and the Diebold showed the correct selections when I reviewed my vote. So it was a pretty typical election day.

The girls were out of school today so we all went to the polls together and then to eat Mexican food. After that we went to Home Depot for smoke detector batteries (a week late but better than the past 3 yrs! Thank goodness the C0 detector in the RV was announcing a low battery or the ones in the house would have never gotten new batteries this year either!) and light bulbs - those globey type bulbs that go in fancy lighting fixtures. Oooo, I also managed to snag myself a new ironing board pad and cover combo on clearance for under $6! Score!!!

Came home and I put a fire in the fireplace and watched the election results, NCIS, and the Unit.

I enjoyed today.

Tomorrow, back to the business of dealing with bullshit.

It's good to take a day off here and there.

Kids and how they enrich your life

Kid # 1 - Hit a parked car and left the scene - hypothetically! On top of that, she's continually getting parking tickets. $35 a pop. Then her car was towed after the 3rd offence of parking next to a fire hydrant. $130 tow fee plus the $35 ticket. Her roommate is taken back and forth to work by her boyfriend and rarely uses her own car but she parks in the only space for the apartment because her name is on the lease. I know it sounds odd that each apartment is only assigned one space but when parking is at a premium, that's all you get. So, #1, who doesn't get off work until 11pm, has to drive around and find any available spot and go for it. She's so stressed out right now that she has a pinched nerve that's rendered her right arm and hand numb. I'm trying to find her a paid spot on Craigslist but nothing so far.

Kid #2 - This is the child that I rarely have problems with. I totally LOVE her for that! Yet, she's not perfect. Bummer. I get up at 7am on Saturday to take #3 to work. She wasn't up. I used the intercom on the phone to page her. No answer. Hmmm....I'll make coffee and try again. A few minutes later, I page her again. #3 answers the page from #2's room - seems they had inadvertently exchanged phones. But why hadn't #2 answered the phone with the appropriate snotty attitude since it had been ringing off the freakin' hook? Well, because she wasn't IN her room! Hell, she wasn't even home! I even looked in the RV - she could have gotten a wild hair and spent the night out there with the dog. Well, she could have! She didn't. So, where the fuck was she????? I don't have time to panic b/c I have to get #3 to work at 8 so I call husband on the chance that he had taken her to a friend's house on his way to work. Of course he doesn't answer the phone so I leave a message. I get home at 8:30 - #2 is home. On the computer. Acting all calm. I say "Where the hell have you been?" "In my room", she says. I call BULLSHIT at which point she admits to leaving at 3am (five minutes after I had gone to bed) and walked to a friend's house to hang out and that she had just now gotten home. Oh, yeah, I'm lovin' life right now. NOT!

Kid #3 - I got a recorded message today from the school informing me that "Your child was not in school today." Oh, that's just fucking great! She's been getting a ride to school this year from a friend. A guy friend. Kill me now! When asked if she had gone to school she gets all nasally disjointed - like I had no right to even ask about such things. She then proceeds to tell me that her ride needed to get gas this morning and that they got there half-way through 1st period. Considering that the classes are 90 mins long, that's 45 minutes late! Combine that with the fact that she leaves the house an hour before school starts and it takes a whole 10 minutes to get there from here. Um, sumpin ain't jiving. Guess I'll call the school on Wednesday to find out. Election day tomorrow - no school. Can you buy a gun on election day? I'll have to find out.

All I can say right now is - oh, how my parents must have hated me!

Tree Update # 2

I had a friend say to me the other day, "Don't tell me the tree is still in the driveway!" and, unfortunately, I had to say that yes, yes it was. Having been placed there to 'air out' on October 1st, that makes 37 days as of today.

On a good note, though, it has been moved from its original position to one closer to the house. So, progress is being made! Um....3 feet at a time.

At this rate, I don't see it making it inside the house before Christmas decorating time.

And another rain is on its way.

The Day of Justice

This is the day for Saddam’s lovers to weep and I expect their shock and grieve to be huge. They had always thought their master was immortal so let them live in their disappointment while we live for our future.

This is a day not only for Iraqis but a historic day for the whole region; today new basis for dealing between rulers and peoples are found.

No one is above the law anymore.

I was particularly pleased by the way Judge Raouf Rasheed handled the session; he was reading the court’s decision and at the same time chastising members of the current government for their misbehavior and threatened to throw them in custody regardless of their ranks!

We are living a new era where there’s much hope despite the difficulties…our sacrifices have a noble cause, that is to build a new model that obviously terrifies other tyrants.

I believe it wasn’t Saddam alone who was shaking and shouting in hysteria when the verdict was read; I can see hysteria takes over all of Saddam’s followers and apologists.

Today we had turned a page that was full of pain and ugly crimes that were committed by the same criminals who were shaking in the hands of Iraq’s new justice.

Now, compare that headline and text to that of AP -

Saddam Verdict Unleashes Violence Fears

(AP) - In a world sharply divided on Iraq since the U.S.-led war began in 2003, Saddam Hussein's death sentence unleashed fears of fresh violence, European condemnation of capital punishment and new questions about the fairness of the tribunal that ordered him to hang.

Underscoring the fault lines that split the international community and widened the divide between Muslims and Christians, Islamic leaders warned that Sunday's verdict could inflame those who revile the United States - undermining U.S. policy in the volatile Middle East and inspiring terrorists.

Critics accused President Bush of deliberately arranging the timing of the sentence, handed down two days before pivotal midterm elections in which Democrats are fighting to regain control of Congress.

To paraphrase Conan the Barbarian -
Crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of the AP!

Read a roundup of today's verdict on Pajamas Media.

"I'll take 'You're Fucked!' for $500, Alex"

Let's take a fictional scenario and see how YOU would handle it - remember, this is hypothetical - not a real situation - nope, totally made up!

Let's say that your oldest child has grown up and moved half-way across the globe. You, in the mean time, are dealing with your other children, a husband, and a nearly depleted bank account. Basically, you're a regular person doing regular things and life is ... um ... regular.

Then one morning, you get a call from your grown-up, doing his/her own thing first born, prodigal child. The call starts off with the words that make every parent break out in a cold sweat and choke back the puke, "Now, Mom, before I tell you what happened, I just want you to know that I'm ok!"

At that moment, you know things are pretty much shit and someone is up shit creek without a paddle and they want YOU to bring them one! Lucky you, huh?

Then the story goes something like this........

"Well, I went out last night and had a few drinks with my friends. I wasn't drunk or anything and I was perfectly fine to drive. I don't know how it happened but I think I was fiddling with the radio and I drove off the shoulder of the road. I overcompensated trying to get back on the road but it was slippery because it had been raining. So, I lost control - only a little bit - and I overcompensated AGAIN! The thing is, when it happened the second time, I t-boned this car that was parked alongside the road in some one's front yard. There was a guy behind me who stopped to ask if I was ok - I said 'Yeah. I'm fine.' - so he drove on. At this point I'm freaking out and I panicked! I didn't know what to do so I left and went home. What should I do?"

After you've thanked God that the child is not within strangling distance and that you don't own any firearms short enough to stick into your mouth but you do in fact curse because it's far too early in the morning for a beer, what do you do?

Go ahead. Let's hear it. I'm all ears. Lay it on me.

October Porker of the Month - Rep. David Price

Washington, D.C. Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) today named Rep. David Price (D-N.C.) Porker of the Month for requesting a $750,000 federal earmark that helped pay for electronic arrival-time signs now being deployed at several bus stops in his district in Chapel Hill.


The satellite tracking system, unveiled in late September, also lets riders check bus arrival times on their computers and cell phones, saving them the trouble of relying on printed schedules like millions of other commuters around the country.

The project’s total cost is estimated to be about $950,000; with 14 bus stops, that’s roughly $67,857 per sign. The same company that is installing the Chapel Hill system won a contract with Alameda-Contra Costa Transit in California that included 100 signs for $1,031,079, or $10,310.79 per sign.

More info here.

Halloween

Finally getting around to posting about our Halloween! Sorry, husband has been off the last 2 days so no blogging until late in the evening and by then I've had too much to drink to type.

Ok, I got the good stuff and lots of it! $1.97 per bag at the Kroger. Woohoo!

Snickers
100,000 Dollar Bars
Kit Kat
Twix
Plain and Peanut M&Ms
White chocolate Reese's Cups

Husband proclaims that HE doesn't like chocolate - that HE prefers gummy and sour stuff. Next thing I know I'm picking up 100,000 Dollar Bar wrappers and 3 different bags are opened! Ok, I opened the peanut M&Ms but HE, the unliker of chocolate, opens the other 2.

Our yearly tradition is to go to one of our favorite markets and let the girls pick out their own pumpkin and an extra one for me. This year the market has closed up shop and the girls are nowhere to be found on shopping day so husband and I pick out 2 at the Kroger. I decided not to get one this year.

#3 is home 1st and makes her pick. #2 is happy with the one she has. So far...so good.

All weekend and Monday, nobody touches the pumpkins! WTF?

Tuesday - All Hallows Eve - I pull out the decorations from the garage (thanks for NOT doing that on your 2 days off, husband!), clear off the kitchen table, and cover it with paper. I assemble all the carving supplies - templates, reamer-outer scrapie thingy, tools, and candles.

#2 & #3 come home and I tell them to bring in their pumpkins, everything's ready.

#3 leaves. To help her friend work-out. Um? Whatever. And SHE's the one who wanted to know if we were picking out pumpkins this year AND the first to lay claim to the ones I bought. Go figure.

Anyway......#2 and I carve them. Mine is pretty traditional, #2's is well ... interpretive free-form?










#2 went with a friend, both dressed as pirates, #3 and her friends only hit houses of friends cause they didn't bother to dress for the occasion.

The weather was perfect. We had more trick-or-treaters than we've had in the past 3 years, and I nearly ran out of candy.

I declare THIS Halloween a success!

Um...read? What's that?

I would consider buying this for husband for Christmas if I thought he would actually read it and take it to heart. Unfortuntely, if it's something that benefits me, the kids, or the family as a whole - he's not going to be interested.

Now, if it was a book about a cave/cavers/bats/rope/knots/how to grow your own weed.....he'd be ALL OVER IT!

Go figure.....

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