Happy Halloween

It would appear that, would you believe, all of my kids but one will be trick or treating tonight. The one that's left out, well, he'd be going too, if he weren't in Iraq.

However, we do have a stand in for him. Yep, as a group, we're all going to take the little ones trick or treating. Including the littlest one, who is celebrating his very first Halloween. I can't wait to see how he's dressed.

Me, I'm going as a pimp. That way I can justify taking a portion of their spoils.

Cutting The Apron Strings

It's something every mother has to do. It's a tough time in the mother son relationship, really, but it must be done. No momma's boys allowed. That's why they call it tweens..they want to be big and tough, but they want all that stuff momma provides too. It's good to hug them and kiss their boo boos and stuff..sympathy stuff, but also, they have to be taught to achieve what they want. If they keep acting like babies, they still get treated like babies, and they start to resent that after awhile.

My littlest dude is 10 years old right now and his big symptom right now is ..disorganization. Lordy, and the meltdowns these children can have. I guess it's just funny to me after so many, but drama, drama, drama.

Yesterday, he got a note saying that he hadn't turned some classwork in. Great..."I'm not PLAYING" he says in that really high pitched whine ONLY ten year old boys can achieve.

This is the age you start BEGGING for their voices to change. Trust me.

So, then they think they are stupid because they did the work, but don't get credit for it, eh? This is something you gotta nip right in the bud..the organization stuff. That is the key to it all. You cannot get anything accomplished with any kind of efficiency if you do not know where your tools are to accomplish the job.

I swear to God, I went to work at this place with the senior chief and we were there for FIVE hours and I swear we spent the first three searching for the tools to do a job. Then it was lunch time, and the owner of the company said come and eat lunch so we did. Then we spent the last hour actually doing the job. Not cool.

So, then he lost his wallet, and he broke his cross that his grandmother gave him. Probably in a fit of anger, not my problem. Or they use it for something that it's not intended to be used for like as a pry tool, or a screwdriver. It was metal.

So, he was just having a bad day, all around and was going to just have to cry it out, I guess. I chewed his ass and told him that he could feel any damn way he wanted ...in his room...but the rest of us were not going to be miserable. Period. I also gave him the whole speech on ..if you want to be treated like a big boy, then you have to suck it up and simply ASK for help. That fit pitching stuff is for BABIES, eh? And then I sent him to his room, because he simply wasn't getting it then.

Half an hour later or so, I go upstairs to get my car keys and hear this wailing, and crying and carrying on...apparently, we weren't done with the fit yet, but as he's down in the north forty, not bothering a soul, I decided to just let it be.

Then I went and picked one of the older ones up from work, and when I got home, he was chilled. Later, he got all worked up again, at bedtime..thinking I guess...and so when I tucked him in, I said...

"Dude. You need a personal assistant."

Him...head snap around and "What?"

I said, "you need a personal assistant."

Him: "What do they do?"

Me: "They help you keep track of your schedule, remind you of what you're supposed to be doing when, and help you stay organized and focused."

Him: (eyes big) "OH..you're RIGHT..I DO need one of those. I never THOUGHT of that. I just thought I was stupid."

Me: "Well, son, you don't have one of those, but Mom is qualified to do the job, if you're willing to make due with me."

Him: (grin) "Ok..I get it, Mom. You're not mad at me, you're just trying to help me."

Finally. This has been a process, believe me. Cooperation...making them understand that the chores benefit them in some way..that it all makes sense...is half the battle. "Because I said so" never ever works. Making them understand and want to do it for themselves...that is the long term fix. Why? No power struggle. When you power struggle with a kid..nobody ever wins. You gotta beat them AT THEIR OWN RULES. My god, that is why I don't understand child abuse...give me a break..you are an adult..YOU are smarter..outwit them.

And so the process begins of cutting the apron strings. He shows interest in the kitchen, and watches Emeril, believe it or not, and made some kick ass baked beans not too long ago. And I do mean kick ass. He added spices ...and it was good by many standards. The 4 jalapenos..(that was enough he said) surprised me. Yes, Ratatouille is one of his favorite movies. Rats in a kitchen..ick. But the message was there.

I want my boys to be as self sufficient as you would want girls to be in this day and age. They know how to do their own laundry, they know how to feed themselves and plan a budget, live within their means, all of that jazz. My girl will know how to change her own oil and do that stuff, too. She's funny, too. She will not ride in the Iroc unless the tops are off. She'd rather ride in the truck. Ha!

It's hard to cut the apron strings with your youngest. It sucks, but then the next generation of little ones is coming around and they aren't going to be NEARLY as much work. Don't have to do the apron cutting thing. Getting older isn't such a bitch after all, on some levels.

Honor

The only thing that separates us from animals is honor. This post defines it. I'd like to add some depth to the subject, as well.


Four Values
Honor: is the evaluation of a person's trustworthiness. Can you keep an important secret to yourself?

Integrity: must be constantly proven over time. It is the basing of one's actions on principles and their honor.

Trust: is a moral value. It is someone in whom we can place our trust and rest assured that the trust will not be betrayed.

Loyalty is a combination of the above.

Betrayal is some Bad Bad Juju.

I'm just saying.

Now, if you don't DISPLAY any kind of honor, how do you expect people to treat you honorably? I'd like to add something here to the honor part. Would you mess with a friend's wife? Or husband? Some secrets...are not meant to be kept. To keep them makes you dishonorable. All like to know when there is a predator in their midst.

Some predators, as we all know, come wearing sheeps clothing. And predators are not honorable people. Thiefs are not honorable people either, and thievery comes in many forms. I don't mean to cling to my religion and guns and all but honor is worth defending. Why? Because a place without honor is not a safe place for women. And I tend to take that kind of...you know, personally. The only thing that separates us from animals is honor.

Safe Haven Laws

Safe Haven Laws..where a mother can drop off a child at a hospital or fire station, and not be prosecuted for it, simply put.

Sounds good when you're thinking about that 16 yr old teenager who has no hope of being able to afford or raise a baby, but who couldn't bring herself to abort instead. Or the one who thinks they can, tries, and finds out real quick that they can't.

But, what is happening is something altogether different. There was a father not too long ago that dropped off 6 kids. Wow. Ok? Come on, now.

And then there's the recent case of the Georgia woman who drove all the way to Nebraska in order to drop her 12 year old off. He had behavior problems. And, so she gave him away. Now he's coming back and now you think he won't have behavior problems? Crap, there was just 10 more years of work added there. That growing up and being emotionally healthy enough to make it on his own. You know..probably, but at what cost?

Why did he have behavior problems at such a young age? Where was she the other 12 years of his life? Listen, I know behavior problems, what they mean and what you have to do about them. And, yeah, honey it's a lot of hard work. Plain old hard work.

And, yes there is help out there. Help in the school system..help everywhere. I have kids that have had learning disabilities and every single one of them is a contributor to society. Did we have our challenges raising them? You bet. Most of it was undoing some crap like that though.

So, what ...do they just dump them on the sidewalk and drive off? She who said she exhausted every effort..did she ever just show up in an ER? Did she ever call a hotline? Did she ever take the kid to a doctor?

Or did she make excuses for his behavior, fail to find out what is driving the behavior..he is only 12, for crying out loud..they will tell you if you ask. Did she ever set a goal for him? An achievable goal?

People get all hung up on ages and it's all about life experience. If you don't make them take responsibility to the next level, then they won't. They also have to WANT it. It's all about the reward. You want to sleep in an extra half an hour? Clean your room and make sure your stuff is organized the next day so you don't have to spend that half an hour searching for your stuff. Kids are all about...themselves...so make it all about them.

But give them away? Please. That is utter and complete bullshit.

Gimme

Is that not the single most thing that a kid can say to you that just pisses you off? I mean, any reasonable adult gets pissed off when a kid says that.

Or do they? That does seem to be the theme of the liberal stance...gimme. Gimme money, gimme food, gimme shelter, gimme, gimme, gimme.

When's the last time you were ever just ..given something? What did you do with it? Do you still have it? The last thing that was given to us, believe it or not, was a blazer. It has 148,000 miles on it and it's still running like a champ, engine wise. It gets the job done. No heat, eh, so. I don't have to go to the grocery store until after the sun comes up anyway and it's only 10 minutes away. Besides, having lived for 2 years in Newfoundland, cold has a whole different meaning for me, anyway.

Seriously, though, all kids have to learn that..well, hopefully, if you're any kind of parent you don't allow yourself to be treated that way by a child. Gimme is not acceptable. You want it, you work for it and I will help you ...but gimme. Hell no.

This applies to the rest of the population as well. If I won't do it for my kids because I want them to have pride in themselves and all of that, what in the hell makes it so we have to do it for a bunch of people who have been on welfare for generations and generations?

And, geez, were these people never, ever taught to say THANK YOU? Have we heard one damn thank you come out of N.O. or have we heard still..just a bunch of bitching? And not only that, but the gimme turns into flat out theft when told no. Just like children pitching a fit. This American is sick of it.

Sigh.

Ok, all the recent kids that have shown up....I'm wondering if my eldest isn't engineering that somehow. I know he isn't, he doesn't think that way, but so many of these kids are ones that he demanded...in a way, that we love, but didn't have the knowledge to help.

There are many that didn't make the cut, so it's not like he does this with everybody, but he does with a few. But, those few, have all chosen this week to show up.

In the meantime, there's this chick...he can't tell me he loves her, well,I do ask at wierd times...but hey, I've ALWAYS been able to say unequivocably that I love the senior chief, even under duress. (childbirth anyone?) However, after a rough time, he will say that he loves her in front of me. Of course, I always ping him on why oh why is he bailing her out of this latest rough time? He MUST love her if he's willing to do that.

But what I see is that he does love her but he isn't IN love with her. However, he is attached and in over his head with her problems and feels like no matter whether she is "the one" or not, she is worth our time as parents to raise her right and help her achieve her potential. He is turning her over to our expertise, in a way, which is...what he does. He loves people and they have deeper problems than he is prepared to handle and he turns them over to us. And, there's been quite a few that have been worth it, really.

So, that puts me in a quandary as a parent. We started doing things this way for a simple reason...we wanted to know where their heads were...and the only way you can know where their heads are is to know where their friends' heads are. The only way you can know that is to have them over and then they just start telling you. And then, there is the burden of knowledge..and so it goes.

Eighteen to nineteen is a critical age for kids. They are still brainwashed by their parents, but all of them are a little rebellious at this age...they are MEN and WOMEN, by god, and they do not want smoke blown up their ass. This is the age of reason, of truth. And in those ways, me and the senior chief are very qualified. He's made me a good LPO over the years, but he is the senior chief. He's supervised MANY a nineteen year old, and so did I. We KNOW how to mold that age group...think about it. We know how much you can achieve with this age group...how impressionable they are and how the truth resonates with them. Very few, there are a few, but they are few, choose to do the wrong thing with the truth.

So, bottom line, no matter whether she and my son make it or not, I got me a daughter. First thing she's gonna have to learn is my cell phone number. Second thing she has to learn is she's not "Sassy" with me. I need a stepdaughter so I don't completely screw my own daughter up.

In other news, got a wierd phone call from someone looking for my mother saying her phone was disconnected....so far, not in any obituaries, so don't know what's going on there. Whether I like her or not, I would do the right thing. You don't have to LIKE those that you are related to, have a daily relationship, but the gift of life is you know, the gift of life, so if something is going on there that I can help with, I will. The love is there. Love and like are two different things.

So, peeps, I got me a new daughter...sigh. I think she's worthy though, really. I'll let ya know, anyway. (heh, heh)

Kids

Another kid post, yes, but they are funny people. I have one in junior college. He's taking all his core classes there, being 10 min. away from the house and all and then he's going to move to a four year college. He wants to be a math teacher.

He's taking a heavy course load too, and did have a job at the beginning, but I wasn't up for driving 30 miles a day at 5am. I love my kids and all but that was too much. It wouldn't have been SO bad except that was the time of day that the one cop down and around there got bored, I think, and every single morning, that dude would be on my ass for 10 miles, just tailgating, jumping up to the line, trying to get me to do something. I'm sure he was nice and all but I wasn't in the mood to play at 5:30 am by this time.

So, now he spends all his free time at the college, pretty much. I guess they have a pretty good student center and everything. He's carrying an A average. He says he is paying for his education, so he's going to get his money's worth and that means he has his professors look over his papers before he hands them in. He says it's their JOB to make sure he learns, he's going to do his part. He cracks me the hell up, he does.

This one is straight as an arrow, too. No smoking, no drinking, no wacky tobaccy, no nothing. He exercises ALL the time, when he isn't hitting the books hard. And he's in church every Wednesday and Sunday. That's just how he is. Will NOT comb his hair. He hasn't combed his hair since he read the first Harry Potter book. He's the one that got us all into them. Good lord if the boy winds up needing glasses, I just know he's going to pick the round ones.

He was a tough one his ownself when he was younger. Hanging from the chandelier, bear note every other day in kindergarten, nap needing, fit pitching little kid, let me tell ya. He was diagnosed with ADHD when he was 4 and it was obvious when he was about 18 months old. I held on as long as I could but we medicated him for awhile. I always made my kids very involved with their treatment plan and we always worked on what skills they would need in order to function without medications. It took a few years, but the oldest was in high school and the others stopped in middle school. I didn't even go there with the youngest two.

I'm thinking it worked. Hell, they all learn to stop jumping on the couch one way or another. And running in the house, although that one takes a lot longer. That's why you give them a lot of chores. They have all this excess energy and by the time they're done mowing the grass, they are too tired to jump on the furniture or run through the house. When those guys were younger, and still, as much time outside that you can spend is just good. The senior chief built a birdhouse with the daughter this summer. Basketball hoops are a necessity as well as horseshoes. We picked up a volleyball net this year, but it was a little late in the season, but it'll be ready for next year. Sidewalk chalk is excellent for ALL ages.

You know, I decided to stay home because I didn't want to miss any of the morning conversations and I have never regretted it.

A Whole New Generation..Wow.

I was sitting in my garage the other day, as I often am when I'm outside. The alternate operating base, if you will. It has a manly feel to it and it's a pretty good thinking place. It's the senior chief's base of operations, though, but I spend time there when I can.

Anyway, in the middle of my musings, I noticed a car pull up. Company? Yay! Who should it be but one of the original kids from waaaay back. He's changed his name and had a hell of a trip since the last time I saw him but he turned out good. He brought his three year old stepson with him and that kid was a hoot. I had a good time with him. My little dude was happy to have someone to be a big kid with, too. He made popcorn and put a cool movie on and listening to that little 3 year old just laugh with pure gusto and say..."Wait, watch this...watch this..." and you know he'd seen that particular movie a thousand and two times because he knew all the words...but he laughed like it was the FIRST time he ever saw it. That's what I like about kids.

It's wierd, but when they want a little loving and a little safe haven they ALWAYS come back here.

I haven't seen this particular one since he was about 17. He took off like he was going to conquer the world and I see that quite the opposite happened, but all the lessons he learned, he put to good use, as well. That little boy was evidence of that, that and I met his woman. They always bring home the ones they love, too...how funny. And their own children.

We got to catch up and visit a little while and at some point, he was like all...You're so COOL now, how come you weren't cool back then? Dude. Do you WANT me to remind you of what a pain in the ass pissant you were when you were younger? He didn't.

This one is wierd too and never far from my mind even though he's 26 now. I drive past the house where he grew up every single day. He and my eldest were tight back in the day, and apparently, still are. My eldest makes friends for life. I am so proud of him right now I could burst. That kid truly deserves to be called a man, now. Really. Sometimes the older ones take a while, but this one is now full of a fire and an enthusiasm and a confidence I've been waiting on him to get. Working with the senior chief has been good for him.

I don't know...I don't have any expectations for any of my kids. Be all that you can be and find your dream and follow it. To me, it was like seeing how they would turn out and guiding them to make the right choices so that they could be the best of what they could be. That meant being ALL up in their business and keeping myself informed. It means keeping your cool, too. They look to you as the ultimate authority as long as you are alive. So, if you are freaking out, they are SURELY freaking out. It's what you volunteer for when you're a parent. However, it's good to let them know it's ok to feel freaked out....we all do that...just don't actually freak.

I deal with a lot of troubled kids and this one was no exception. He said...But this house is not like ..other.. houses. It was ok to just ..be.. here. You and the senior chief are just rock solid, he said. Yeah, we are that..but what makes it be that way is a simple philosophy.

Do not judge. And the Good Samaritan rule. They both go hand in hand. People react to this world, however they react. They have passions and dreams and all of that. We don't expect anybody to be anybody but who they are. If you've ever tried to do something and not honor a basic part of your personality..change for someone..you know it doesn't work.

With kids, it's important because they don't know who they are yet and you've got to give them the freedom to find out. This is why you introduce them to a bunch of different activities. Maybe they won't like football, but they do like soccer, maybe they don't care for sports at all and would rather play an intstrument. Maybe they'd rather study and go to the mall. Whatever.

And if they really really want to do something..they'll be willing to work for it. And believe me every single kid that's come through this house has hauled trash out, hauled groceries in and helped do the dishes.

It's always good to see the original crowd though. Makes me feel halfway decent. One of the originals is over once a week still. And one of the second wave.

The senior chief blames me for all the kids being around but when I met him he was fixing bikes in the garage. Any kid that had a bicycle..all their dads were too busy.

I like kids. I like them all ages and sizes. Always will, I suppose. And we're starting on another generation, as well. The littlest people are old enough to have people over but when they are younger..10 and 12 and whatnot, they are still too uncivilized to be in the house. We have a football field sized front yard that was made just for playing in. I wish I would have been able to ship mine off to an island when they were that age. Man, kids can break some stuff..without EVEN trying. OOPS! Because they are always RUNNING in the house. I don't even try and stop that anymore.

Carpets and kids do NOT go together, either. Because they are always RUNNING in the house. Doesn't matter if they are carrying a plate of food..they have got to get from point A to point B..right now.

Kids are cool. It's fun to just sit back and watch them. You learn a lot.

Fifty Ways To Cop A Feel

Sundays around here are pretty laid back. While not religious people, we have children that are and everybody understands the need to take a day off.

The extent of the day off that me and the senior chief do is pick a project or chore that we can do together and we spend Sundays ..well working side by side. Hey, during the week, work takes us in different directions. Sundays, belong to us.

Now, understand something very basic about the senior chief, that is true of many men...he's a horndog, pure and simple. I love this about him.! I do!

But that man, I swear, knows fifty ways or more to cop a feel. And, he likes to sneak some combo shots in there too. That's the best part about being married, in my opinion. I mean, I can think of lots and lots of reasons why I love being married to the senior chief. That is one of many. Let me tell ya, I haven't felt too pretty lately. But, the senior chief, he always makes me feel like the prettiest girl at the party. Always.

And, there's a REASON I like to cook so much. The senior chief is EXTRA affectionate in the kitchen and I like it. It's so much fun cooking with him..just another reason I love being married. Who knew it could be so much fun?

I'm making roasted chicken with butter beans, and garlic mashed potatoes for supper tonight. I put an olive oil plus spices on the outside of the chicken skin and they're going to cook real slow.

I usually make him an appetizer to snack on while I'm doing all the chopping and whatnot and we'll stand there and shoot the shit, watch the race, play a game of pool...listen to the kids latest exploits...

Yeah, there's hard times and all that, but these are the times you live for, and if you have a man who knows fifty ways to cop a feel, you are a lucky woman, indeed.

A Story

Pull up a chair and let me tell you a story about..a stereotypical..dimwit. As an aside, I have decided it's not so good to know your audience personally, it changes your writing a little.

Screw it, this is a story about a stereotypical democrat, honestly.

This particular individual decided he wanted to start a business. But he didn't know how. He found someone who did know how and they formed a partnership. Now don't y'all start rolling your eyes just yet. This is a good story. What I am about to tell you will hopefully shed some kind of insight into the psyche of these individuals. Or maybe not. Anyway, it's still a good story.

Now, things were great. However, the dimwit kept saying things like "The COMPANY is going to pay for this or that..but we still have to maintain the same level of PERSONAL income." Sounds great, right? Sure, you want to keep everything completely separate..including your vehicles and whatnot.

"The Company" was supposed to pay for this trip and that trip as well. Fine. Good goal as a new business starting out, really.

Then, this same individual goes to a customer, makes a mistake, and gets flash burn. Ok, shit happens..new rule. Even though he had no business messing with what he was messing with, still, electrical safety calls for two people.

So, they hire a young 24 yr old kid who's willing to help build a business. "The Company" is making a profit off of the kid's work, as well, to the tune of every dollar "The Company" pays the kid, the company gets a dollar. Pretty sweet, huh? Yeah, win, win, win.

They've got several good customers. One that gives them enough work to cover payroll, one that gives them enough work to cover the cost of doing business like insurance and merchant fees and whatnot, and another who is just pure gravy. That's good for a start-up, really.

So, the dimwit proceeds to piss off the very customer making payroll..to the point where he is not welcome on their property anymore, and then doesn't understand why "the company" can't pay for this and that.

The dimwit is convinced that the kid is soaking up profits. The dimwit is also worried that the woman in charge of the money is going to pms and decide to screw them all and run off with the money. Or so he says every single day..for about 8 months or so.

He is constantly trying to fire the 24 yr old kid, all the while still talking about how the company is going to pay for this and that. The company paid for his vacation and his truck to be fixed. When it was time for the company to pay for the same things with the partner, there was no money because business had taken a slow turn as it always does at the same time every year. Understand that as a partner, he got paid even though they didn't have work for the kid to do, and he didn't get paid. With a newborn, no less.

After that, he became "the company" all alone, because once the best customer was pissed, the others went to work to woo them back, and since they have a long standing relationship with their customer base, it wasn't that hard. That money no longer belonged to 'the company' though, it belonged to the people who worked for it. And so mote it be.

Now the dimwit also doesn't do paperwork. Does not own an accounting program, does not own any of the accepted office programs, and will not do anything but hand in handwritten on a piece of paper invoices to the customers and wonder where the money is. Does the dimwit know that there are whole DEPARTMENTS devoted to payables and receivables and that there is a whole way you do it in order to get paid? Apparently not.

The helper showed up for work, on time, with a good attitude every single day. The customers love him so much that they are trying to hire him away.

So, when it all broke down, the partner separated himself from the dimwit. It's been separated since August, but the dimwit hasn't figured it out. So, he finally came to some conclusion, something about money being stolen to pay the young kid, who again, made a dollar for dollar profit for 'the company'..anyway, and cleaned out the bank account. Which was all his money anyway, all his responsibility anyway, and all his problem.

The partner told the dimwit that the real truth of the matter was that the dimwit couldn't handle the fact that their young helper was making more than him working than he was OFF OF HIM sitting on his ass and his helper wasn't paying another dime for the dimwit. He followed that up with.."and all your bitching and moaning about a woman in charge and look who turned out to be the cunt."

The partner doesn't usually talk that way, however, the occasion definitely called for it.

And so the dimwit is wondering how he's going to pay his bills and keep his house and the partner gave the helper a raise.

P.S. The actual partnership was a verbal agreement..it was a sole proprietorship with an employee, is how it was done on paper. The real partnership existed between the husband and wife, with the wife as the owner. Which makes it funny as hell, really, because for this whole time dude buddy's been bitching about how he isn't going to have a woman in charge of his money, blahdiblah..and that's exactly how it was the whole time. And SHE is the one who doesn't know how to do business.

Shoot, business 101 is do not piss off your best customer and it ain't money in the bank until it's money in the bank.

Bitch In Heat

The senior chief says y'all need a bucket of water nearby and the whole weekend would have gone differently.

Yeah, that's why I love me some senior chief. He's the only one who will put up with me. But hey, he did get home in time to watch the race.

He was laughing at me this morning when I woke up with a stomachache. He said.."NOW do you know what happened this weekend?" Yep!

You all DO realize that the senior chief is the one who made me this way? I've said it before...he does spoil me rotton. He is the man who is my match. I know that is fairly evident. He calls me his secret weapon..haha! That's because the other three weeks a month, I'm a different person entirely. What he's wishing is that he had turned me loose on the ex-business partner. Ha, not even a challenge.

Actually, being drunk mellowed me out a bit. Not nearly enough, but a bit. The senior chief will confirm that I have made grown men cry...sober. On a job, mind you, and they hotwired a welder into a breaker box at a plant. Not good. Dude knew by the time I got done with him.

Mostly, I can keep the bitch on a leash. Sometimes...eh, she gets away from me a little.

Inquiring Minds...

Heh heh...I love me some inquiring minds. What happened to the senior chief ...the burning question. I know, he came out of the box hot and got y'all all wound up and all that..and then nothing. Like a year of silence. Promises, promises...

Time is the answer..or lack thereof. The man has been putting in some very long physical days. Too many people want a piece of him, he barely has time left in the day to do me properly..hehe...and damn, it's not like I'm not high maintenance or anything. It's been a very wierd year. We have had ..not counting this weekend... 42 hours off. Seriously.

Another question I recieved had to do with pools. Probably I gave a complete answer, but I don't have an actual number figure. Anyway, pool ownership is cool. I let mine go to hell for a lot of reasons...and I have no reason to regret it because it was put in the wrong place.

So, rule number one...the water level has got to be below the level of the foundation of your house, lest you have a flood. The biggest initial expense is the digging of the hole. Now, whether you want a liner or concrete is going to factor into initial cost too, but I would go with concrete. It's more expensive, but it lasts longer. Just make sure your hole is dug correctly. This is imperative. Ok, then there is the initial fill of water. After that, you go into maintenance mode and chemicals can run some dollars but they aren't expensive. Your local pool shop, is your friend. You can take a sample of water in there and they will tell you what to add. Getting the chemicals right is a bitch and it changes daily...with how many people swim in it, or how much it rains, or not...And then there's the pump station and whatnot and I don't know very much about that, except you gotta change the sand every so often.

Now, all THAT being said...I miss my pool. It's worth it all. It's worth the time that you spend vacuuming it, and testing it ...worth every single minute.

Someone else asked me if I was hiring or looking to hire. Yes and no. Not to hire, yet, but I am ALWAYS on the lookout for good talent. I think we're leaning more towards developing alliances with other small businesses though and keeping stuff in the family. Always ready to talk to people though...

As I remember them, I will post more...

Feeling Good

When I feel bad, music is the cure, many times. Here's one that I listen to frequently when I want to alter my mood. Enjoy!

Ever Have A Bad Day?

Ever have a really bad day that when it was over, you just kept making worse? Yeah. Me too.

No excuses really. I know when I'm an ass. I know when it's time for me to leave too.

Seriously, though. Friday, a really bad day. Let me walk you through my Friday and I guess if I would have said more then I wouldn't have to be writing this now. I got up, everything was all hunky dory. I made my plan..ladi, da. I checked the bank accounts and everything was hunky dory..except for one small thing. Our business partner had taken all the money out of the business account. No big deal,really, a hundred bucks, but betrayal is betrayal, eh? That didn't even phase me, we knew that was coming. A failed experiment, one could say, but hey, you can't learn if you don't try and life lessons cost more than anything in the world. I go to call the senior chief, though, and oh, my phone has been turned off. Now, I see how many of us have cell phones, and keys and stuff get rearranged, hats get left places, but the cell phones...never lost, so y'all understand what that does to a gal, eh? THEN I have to call them and bitch to get our phone numbers released, and all the while I am freaking out thinking the school might be trying to get a hold of me...and whatever, whatever, right? Yeah, get that all taken care of and all the bank stuff taken care of before jetting up there to Helen. I was so glad to hear Zonker's voice...a friendly voice...he actually caught me right in the middle of it all...and I was ashamed and didn't want to say anything then. I feel like such an idiot in a way...but whatever...

Then, we get up there, and I guess I tried too hard to show my appreciation, is what it boils down to. I know, we all have trust issues...but that's just my way. I think next time, I'll have my shit together and get a cabin so I can putter away in the kitchen when I feel the urge. It's wierd, but I do feel lost without a kitchen...I can't explain it, I just have to honor it, really.

There was a vibe in the air, too, that I didn't get until now, really. Now I get it, but I'll get back to that in a minute.

Right when we got all settled down, those of you who are there might recall that I received a phone call and wandered off for a while. Or, you may not have...

Anyway, I did...and it was from my niece informing me that her father died. Yeah, that kind of sucked. Should have probably went to bed then.

I don't know what happened with the next door neighbor gal...y'all can tell me later.

And the vibe I was feeling that I didn't put my finger on until yesterday or so...Acidman. I understand OOOH so much more now. I miss him too. I didn't know him nearly as well as you guys, but I did have a conversation or two with him and I did read him every day. I wish I could have met him in person. We were just beginning a friendship when he went. I liked him. He left a big gaping hole here in blog world and it sucks still.

It was before every trip to Texas that we wound up having conversations. The last trip, he asked what part.."I LIKE that place." The first thing I did when I got home was log on my computer and check his blog, and then sit down to describe East Texas for him, while it was raw. I was gonna ask him to help me clean it up...but then I read the news.

Here's one for Rob.




Anyway, sorry I was a jerk.

Blogtoberfest 2008

It was fun. A more beautiful group of people I've never met, really. I'd like to give a big shout out to Zonker for the invite. I think he might be a brother from another mother.

A prettier weekend couldn't have been chosen for it. The leaves are just starting to change..has one of these ever been done in full fall foliage time? Just wondering.

It was hot and beautiful and the location is like a world apart. I went up into Helen proper once and the crowds were in abundance.

Thank you to Richard for making the arrangements and for being such a wonderful host.

As always, it was good to see Michelle, GOC, Dax Montana (they call me Dax Montana) (sung to the tune of Mellow Yellow), RSM, SWG and Mrs. SWG, V-Man (Sheep pimp of the nation),and Key. I think we talked to a couple of people on the phone, too.

Good people, good beer, good food. What more can one ask?

Rainy Days

Hallelujah! We did need some rain here. My schedule had all kinds of stuff in it for me to do today and you have no idea the joy when I found I could clear my schedule and just chill. I had to go out and about yesterday and let me tell ya, driving that Z28 in the rain just isn't all that much fun.

Well, it's fun, if there isn't a ton of traffic around. Lately my schedule has had me out and about right during rush hour in my little town. And the senior chief, who drives clear across Atlanta every day ASSURES me that the most dangerous part of the trip is our little town. I love our little town though, I really do.

However, there has been so much growth, so fast, that they can't keep up with the roads. The roads around here, the originals, are taking a beating. There are certain areas on my route that are just little lakes at the bottom of the hill..not good when you have rear wheel drive. Especially from a stop. Just sayin'.

Seriously, though, I have a lazy side and a rainy day is a perfect day to just sit back and enjoy life..slow down a bit. Doesn't take much to convince me. While I was out and about yesterday, I picked up enough supplies to do just that. Including wine..ha!ha!

I made my famous chicken and dumplings yesterday afternoon. That is another thing I like to do in the winter...cook. Comfort food is my thing. Every meal is a comfort meal around here. Anyway, not a scrap of food left. They ate 12 damn pounds of chicken legs one day and polished off enough ribs to feed a small army the next. Boys don't quit growing for a very long time. The other night I made chicken chili with cornbread and there was not a scrap left of that, either. And these kids are not fat or chubby at all. Us gals are a little chunky, but the men surely aren't. I do have plenty of vegetables with it all, too. Squash is a favorite around here and any kind of bean.

See how my ADD mind works? ha! ha!

I'm just glad I don't have to go anywhere. It's nice to set the mind free every now and then, see what directions it takes on it's own without the constraints of duty and the need for structure. I like my stuff to be structured for the most part..that way when you get a chance like this...it isn't wasted with guilt.

I think I just put brownies on the menu. Isn't that a cool thing to come home to when it's cold and rainy outside? Warm brownies.

Catch y'all later.

Yeah...

Yes, this post means that we are not at the race this time. I am absolutely bummed about it, but we're making the best of things by bringing Talladega to the backyard. We have the ability to do that. Got the jumbotron to watch things on, and the food is exquisite, and there's HOT showers. It's not quite the same, but it will do in a pinch.

Blogtoberfest is still up in the air. I wish it wasn't so, but it is. Sometimes, shit just happens and you got to roll with it. Doesn't mean you have to like it...

But, I have had a chance to think about some blog posts I want to write. That's always good. I've had a bit of writer's block of late...and it appears to be unblocking, so that's a good thing. Hopefully we'll be able to get up to Helen...but the truth of things is, is that when you are building a business and you have work, you take it. Especially in this day and age. Manufacturing just took a huge hit in the economy...it's that old pesky supply and demand deal...and hopefully, since they haven't fully recovered from Sept. 11, 2001 ...they will still need us to fix stuff because they are surely in a position that they cannot buy new right now.

Now, I'm off to do a cell project for what feels like the thirteenth time. Y'all have a good one.

Hunker Down

I guess now is the time. It's going to get worse before it gets better.

Here's some practical advice for the short of money. Heard it from Dave Ramsey on a show, believe it or not. Dump the car payments, get something good and used that you can pay for. Focus all of your income on the basic needs. Food, shelter, clothing, gas for the car. Credit card companies can whine all they want. You can't get blood out of a turnip. Cut the cards up and pay what you can ..after you take care of basic needs.

Hopefully, you aren't in a position that this advice is necessary. However, I actually do know people who are. Thankfully, I am not one of them. We've been living on what we make for a long time now, honestly. This financial stuff isn't even phasing me. I mean, no I'm not just out there spending money like it's water, but I'm not ..worried... about anything either. Which is just where I want to be.

Oh and another thing...I know food is expensive, but if you do spend the extra money on the good fresh food, then you won't be spending so much money at the doctor's. Just sayin'. It all costs.

Hope all those I love out there make it through this madness. Remember, change is inevitable. Don't worry so much ..take a moment and look around at your loved ones and remember what is truly important.