Some Years...

Are better than others. Last year, not so good on a lot of levels. This year, honestly..barely better but better nonetheless. That would be the average. Some days were wildly better than last year. Like, celebrating Army boy coming home vs. leaving.

No deaths for a couple of years, so that makes it good. When you stop and think about death...and how hard it hurts to lose loved ones, it gives you a whole new appreciation for your elders who count funerals amongst their social activities. That has to suck.

Me and the younger two went to the movies today. Next week, I think we will hit the aquarium or something. One day, we might just get up and take off and see where we wind up. I'm feeling restless lately. My kids are nearly all grown now. I want to enjoy these last moments while I still can. We saw "Night At The Museum Smithsonian" It was excellent and I recommend it. Usually I'm not a Ben Stiller fan, but this is cool. It was as good as the first and entirely independent as a sequel. You can see it even if you haven't seen the first one.

I finally found my first writing "project". I estimate that it will take between 4 and 5 years to write, but I am hoping it will be worth it. I've been studying the things I like about my favorite authors and there are a few things they have in common. When I have the first page just like I'd like it, I'll give a preview.

I miss blogging a little. It's a living memoir I suppose. If there had been blogs when my four oldest were younger, it would read much like Boudicca's, really. But things change, they get older and blog fodder gets harder, really.

Little kid problems are funny to read about as are little kid antics. Big kid antics, not so funny. Well, they are to me, to be quite honest. I don't think it's doomsday if they get in trouble, still. I don't take it like I'm a failure or any of all that either. I remember what it was like to be that age, and I remember ...I just do.. I didn't do stupid shit to piss my parents off. I was just a bit of a dumbass. I know mine are a certain amount of dumbass too. That is what is so damn funny to me. They will recognize that they were dumbasses when it's time to...and I'll laugh then, too.

But, hey..shit happens. I actually do have a couple of bloggy ideas...I hope to get back into the discipline. See, it's not discipline or work, when I have the freedom to do it during my inner established time. Not so easy when nobody else knows. They see you here typing and think you are doing nothing. Especially if there's a sinkful of dirty dishes and no damn lunch. (grin)

So, blah blah blah....as usual. I'm thanking the few that have hung with me over the years. I'm sorry I'm just not in to that political stuff. I'm just not. I cannot be that angry for the next four years. It would be bad. The only other choice I have is to get all the way into it and I'm not a stand back and bitch kind of gal. I'd be out there trying to do it my way and all that. And, with my lack of education, I'd get stomped on. Whether I was right or not. And that right there is exactly what is wrong with our political system.

And I'll just leave it there for this post.

A Whole New Generation

Well, people, every time I get a whiff of what empty nest might feel like, the feeling goes away. The next group of kids comes around and then, my house is full once again.

The latest group is in the twelve year range. I like this age too. They are funny as hell at this age. They have these "notions" about things and it really is the end of the age of innocence almost.

So, ever since school let out yesterday, I've had a bunch of kids in the house and overnight. Hey, the younger two got their rooms clean, so hell yeah, on that aspect. Sure they deserve a reward for doing some hard work.

It works for me too, really, because when they are playing with their friends, and I know what they are up to, I can focus on other things and get some things accomplished.

This particular group is pretty good, although at this age, you have to lay the law on down and let them know who's boss. They think they can pull the wool over your eyes, which is funny in and of itself.

Let me tell ya the one they tried last night. First of all, I told my folks that they weren't having anyone over to spend the night until their rooms were clean. You know, hospitality stuff. I don't mind if they are here, but dayum, you gotta teach these young ones early how to do stuff. Wish I'd have been taught ...but hey, whatever.

Anyway, I said this last weekend. There was not much work done on the room until yesterday when little buddy shows up and says that there has been a death in his family and if he can't stay here, then he's going to have to go to Florida. I gave him points for creativity. Then, when I pressed him for his phone number and this and that, he mentioned that if I did happen to get into a conversation with his mother, don't mention the death in the family because it might upset her....only instead of saying that, he did this whole claw thing with his hands. He tried to make her out to be some kind of tough momma. Which really made me laugh too because just based on his description, I think I'd like to know her.

I let them get away with it. I know, I'm a bit of a sucker. Just when they got all relaxed and thinking they got away with something, I did let them know that they only got away with it because I was feeling generous. They were duly shamed. But, they also know that from now on my word is law.

During the week and next weekend, there will be no people here. Next weekend is the mine and the senior chief's anniversary, and it does not include the local neighborhood.

The senior chief is a really good sport about all these extra kids hanging around all the time, too. He really is. He's also really good about me feeding the whole neighborhood, too. Hey, when you feed them, they'll do chores for you. That's what I see. Hell, there's been quite a few chores done this weekend. I'm good with that, too.

It gets messy fast when you have a jillion people around all the time. There is a happy balance between lived in and dirty. Most people are pretty comfortable here. I try to keep it clean enough so they don't feel uncomfortable, but not so clean that they are uncomfortable. Make sense?

So begins another chapter of life. I intend to enjoy every second of my kids and their friends while I can. They are the last until grandkids start showing up and I'm hoping for a little travel time in between.

Last Day Of School

Yay!!!! I still feel like a little kid on the last day of school. No more having to nag them to get up and do this and that. This year, everything is in place to flow seamlessly.

One of my kids has a job as a camp counselor over at the local nature center. He's been having a blast! He gets to do snake handling today.

The younger ones are both in middle school now. Wow. My littlest guy has already made friends with the big football player. Heh. He's such a little midget right now. I ought to start making those pencil marks on the walls, eh? In three years, he's going to be taller than me and then it will be official. I will be the shortest one in the family.

And it's wierd because it's all like, as soon as they are as big as me they feel like they're SOMEBODY.

We have plans this year. They are finally old enough to really keep up without getting all whiny at the end of the day. Or in the middle of the afternoon. That was one of those phases I was glad to see go.

I have moments where I miss them when they were little, and then I remember how I never slept, never ate, always was on the go, and diapers and spit up. Ugh. Do not miss those days. And then there were the shopping cart days where they were just miserable by the end of the trip because those danged old seats are not comfortable and it hurts the back of their little legs. Then they want to walk beside you or ride on the front of the cart and then they want everything they see so even if you have a list, you still wind up getting more than you came for. You know who is the worst about sneaking stuff into the cart? The Senior Chief. Swear to you, he actually will sneak stuff into the cart. It makes me laugh. He doesn't have to..but it's fun for him and me, too, I guess...to discover what he's sneaked into the cart. The only thing I've ever taken out of the cart were some pistachios during the pistachio salmonella scare.

And, if you've read this post this far, then it is a perfect demonstration of how the ADD mind works. Taking a subject about the last day of school and turning it into musings about grocery shopping. Hey, it's a gift.

Hands Across The World

I really like meeting people from other countries. It's fun because of the differences and similarities, really.

Thankfully, with the advent of the internet, it's a lot easier to believe that it's a small world, after all.

So, I've been playing this dumb game lately. It's one of the many war games out there. In order to even have half a chance of winning at anything or progressing in the game, the first thing that has to happen is you have to find 500 people to be on your team. This sounds a little daunting at first, but you'd be surprised at just how quick you can find that many people and more.

It goes to reason that in a game with no rules, everyone is going to play their own way. As well, being a war game, people are going to find a way to war.

What kills me is when you do something radical to collect a bounty...like lose the fight several times, the reaction this invokes. Why do you do that, the girl from Croatia asks. 85 Billion is a lot of dough, I reply. She thought I was nuts. She sorta began to understand why we are such a formidable people though.

I mean, after all the fighting and whatnot, we're just sitting there talking about kids and food like we were right next door. Except we were so far apart we were in different DAYS.

How amazing is that to talk to someone today but it's yesterday for them. Or is it yesterday for you and tomorrow for them? Either way, it's good to know that on so many levels, people are basically the same.

To My Jobless Friends...

If you are out of a job...send me a resume. I don't promise that I can help you, but I just may know someone that can. I know a fair few people... If I don't know someone in your field of expertise, or can't help think of things outside the box, we will say so. Just sayin'

Avenged....

We have not surrendered. Just because some politicians are going to spin it that way, believe me, we won. It was a clear cut victory once the numbers are published. It bothers me a lot that someone got elected by promising to do what was already done. He's going to take credit for the hard work of the guy before him. It seems very wrong, on a lot of levels.

However you want to spin it politically, those lost on the U.S.S Stark will be forever remembered and certainly, their lives were avenged by the death of Saddam Hussein.

We won this one. It's time for the next one, unfortunately. We shall avenge our own. Even if it takes 20 years.

Mother's Day

Mother's Day....I am so honored in so many ways, I cannot even begin to expound upon the gifts. I am bruised all over from pinching myself truth be told. How I got so blessed, I'll never know. Or why. I probably should stop questioning and just accept....

How to put into words the gifts I have been given, the people...there isn't a way....

The song goes, of my youth...You take the good, you take the bad, you take 'em both, and there you have...The Facts Of Life.

Such a simple song, a good series, but such a true concept.

For this moment and this day, God and my sweet family, have blessed me with a day of no worries. Not one. About anything.

Not. One. Single. Thing.

And, that my friends, is the best gift of all, although tangible gifts have been aplenty..the important thing is...NO worries.

I wish/bless each and every one of my best girlfriends that gift.

May your Mother's Day be blessed.