It's Tuesday...

...and I repainted my toenails.   That's really all I have to share today, they were pink, now they're blue.  I don't paint my finger nails because they would chip off and get ruined too quick, so it's just a waste of time.  However my toes, now those I can keep nice for MUCH longer.  So here's your color for today.  On the edge of Wednesday...

Do you remember the drive-in?

Did you ever go to to the drive-in when you were a kid?  Do you remember how much fun it was?  My dad and step-mom used to take us kids, the five of us would pile into the station wagon in our pajamas.  My step-mom would make a big 'ole paper grocery bag full of popcorn, and she'd make fudge, they'd buy some Nehi or Towne Club pops on the way, we'd take blankets and pillows.  We'd get there early, one of the drive-ins we went to had a playground up front by the screen, The Starlite theater.  The M-78 drive-in just had a grassy area in front of the screen, so we'd play frisbee or catch til the movie started.  You'd grab the speaker off the pole and hang it on the window, put on some skeeter spray and enjoy the movie munching away on junk food bliss.  Stay up really late, and watch a movie outside.  It was so much fun!   Too bad most of the drive-ins are now closed.  Though there is still a few in Michigan.  We've been to The Capri Drive-in in Coldwater and taken the kids a few times, it's a great time and so nostalgic for us parents.  Load up the van w/ kids and junk food.  They don't have the speakers you hang on your windows anymore, you just tune your car radio to the right station and listen that way.  It's still fun!  This weekend the double feature is Cars 2 and The Green Lantern...thinking about making the trip if the cards fall right.   On the edge of going to a movie!

Mulberry mess!

I HATE Mulberry trees!  They are such a complete NUISANCE! They grow faster than you can cut them down, did you know they are related to Bamboo?  They can grow up to 6 inches A DAY!  They make an AMAZING amount of mess.   We have two purple Mulberry trees(that we DID NOT plant, thanks birds) and one White Mulberry, that we also did not plant.   The white one is just down right gross.  The berries never turn purple just a sickly looking white color, then they fall to the ground and look like big fat grubs lying there. Like this:

I don't think the birds even like them, because we seem to have a TON of these lying all over the patio and neither the birds nor squirrels will eat them.

You can see that to the left in the picture I've already SNOW shoveled some of them off, and the best part of all those nasty berries is, guess what it smells like when they start to ferment.  Yup! Like we have a distillery in our backyard.  DISGUSTING!  This is just the white tree.

I confess I did not take pics of the purple Mulberries because most people know what they look like.  That is the normal berry color.   The stinkin' BIRDS eat them and then crap great gobs of purple bird shit all over everything, you can't leave anything outside and if you do you have to wash it daily.   I hate birds as much as I hate mulberries, not only do they crap all over everything, but they have this annoying habit of singing at 3:00am when I'm trying to sleep.  On the edge of tree-o-cide....(I don't think that's a word, I just made it up bird-o-cide is next)

Because I feel like it.

I don't have anything really entertaining or funny today say, I just feel like I should blog something today.  It is Thursday...the last day before Friday.  Summer school is full so my son cannot attend.  This means he has to earn 10 credits this next school year when they normally only earn 9.  That ought to be fun.  I can't even get him to pass his classes to earn 9 let alone 10.   Still frustrated, and sad, and angry, but it's not doing me any good so why bother.   I want to chew him out, I was to drag him around by his ear, I want to pummel him for a while, but it won't do any good either.  I think I'll wait a few days and talk rationally w/ him about it when I can speak about it without welling up w/ angry, frustrated tears.  He thinks he knows it all, of course, I was a teen once, I thought that too.  I was just sure that my Mother was stupid and I knew everything.  Well guess what?  I was wrong, and so is he, though it will probably take him 10 years to realize it.  It took me at least that long, plus 2 kids and a failed marriage to 'get it'.   To understand that people older than me really did know more about life.
On the edge of nothing...

angry, disappointed, disheartened, disgusted...

Why?   Kids.

My oldest son's grades just came in the mail.  He failed two classes...AGAIN!  He did this least year, had to do summer school.  So this year I told him, "you fail anything, NO band camp!"  It's not because he's stupid, or slow, or needs help.  It's because he's lazy and thinks he knows it all and can do no homework, turn nothing in, pass the exam and pass the class.  Well guess what?  That didn't work.   He failed DRAWING for Christ's sake!!!  Who the hell fails drawing?!  I think you have to try really hard to fail drawing.  He turned in exactly one assignment the for the whole class.  He also failed Algebra II  not because he doesn't know what to do or needs help, the kid eats math for lunch.  He failed because he didn't turn in ANYTHING at all!

  I've tried everything, punishment, positive reinforcement, etc... I don't know what else to do.  I've taken everything away that's privilege.  It does no good.  I've gotten daily emails from his teachers as to what's due. I've nagged and hounded and double checked stuff.   I'm just done.  The kid obviously wants to be in control of the only thing he can control so he fails.  On purpose.  This kid is gonna graduate come hell or high water!  I don't care what it takes.  I'm pissed off, upset, sad, disappointed,  disheartened, disgusted...etc.  I'm so sad that he doesn't get to go to band camp for his senior year.   I hope it wakes him up, but I'm not sure it will help anything as he won't be attending band camp next summer anyway.  Grr...why did I have kids, I should have just gotten a couple of puppies.  On the edge of child abuse...(haven't I been there before?)

The pool is full!

The pool is full!  The kids are so happy, it wasn't exactly a warm and beautiful spring here, that added to the busy schedule we live in, we just got it up.  Saturday morning we pulled it out and started filling.  By Saturday night it was nearly full but I wanted to go to bed so I shut it off.   Filled it the rest of the way Sunday morning, and unfortunately I noticed a hole.  CRAP! It was also at the bottom of the pool.  We had plans as it was Father's day so off we went to my Dad's.  We spent a few hours there, and then we picked up the boys on the way home.  I REALLY didn't want to go in search of a patch kit, but I did.  Looked at Meijer...looked at Target and gave up.  Bought some Duck tape at Target and figured it would work til Monday.  So Cole offered to get in the pool and put the tape on.  INSTANT stop to the leak, AND it held all night and into Monday morning.  I went and got the patch kit at the pool place.  I happened to mention that it was currently being held by Duck tape and the guy laughed.  He said, " it's amazing what that stuff will do".  Yep!  So Cole pulled off the Duck tape and put on the patch and VOILA!  No more leak.  Today was FREAKIN hot, so I'm glad they were able to swim.
On the edge of a nice refreshing summer...

Here and gone...

Image via Wikipedia

Payday...oh boy.

I have nightmares about payday.   I have them because my husband is paid on commission...100% commission. So, we never know what the amount will be until it hits the bank.  So the night before that happens I usually have bad dreams that it won't be enough to pay the bills, because it has happened several times.  Last night I had a dream that he got paid $8.00 and of course I was in anguish as to what to do to come up w/ enough money to keep us all fed and the lights on.  It was more than $8.00 thank God, but not enough to pay everything completely, it'll do for now, it has to.

  I do work, but it's a part time job, the pay is good, the hours are phenomenal for a family w/ four busy kids, but it sure wouldn't support us.  Just a nice added bit for padding.  I love it, it's a great job, w/ great coworkers but it would be nice if it was a little more.  At least it's something, in a state where jobs are scarce I'm thankful I found something.

Always teetering on the edge of poverty...

The last day of school...bittersweet.

  FINALLY the last day of school for this school year.  It seems like it's been a LONG time coming.  The kids are tired of school, I'm tired of school, and we are ALL ready to sleep in.  I'm excited for them as I remember the last day being so fun and a tad bittersweet.  On one hand I would get to hang out w/ my friends that lived by me all summer long and have all kinds of adventures.  On the other...I wouldn't see some of my friends who lived farther away til school started back up.  Also there was always a small sense of trepidation about the impending new school year...though that was quickly forgotten in all the summer fun.
  I hope they have a great last day, though as a Mom it's still bittersweet.  I'm used to having a few kid free hours to myself before I go to work each day.  Now they will be home everyday which some days it great and some days drives me up the wall!  Like any Mom I suppose.  Summer is fleeting and it will be over before ya know it so hopefully it will be fun for them.  I'm hoping to possibly do a few fun things this summer but it all depends on how the funds flow so we shall see.  Happy Summer!
On the edge of sleeping in...

My baton twirler

My daughter started baton lessons in the early spring of 2010, she did one competition in July that year and took first in her solo class.  She's been going like gangbusters ever since.  This past Sunday we had another one, her coach had added to her solo and w/ the hectic week she didn't get too many chances to practice but she did great, didn't forget anything AND only dropped twice.  She ended up getting first in her open solo class out of 4 girls, and then taking 3rd overall out of 7 girls in her championship classes.  I'm so proud of her, she worked hard for this one, and did a great job.  Pic is of all the solo girls in our team that attended this event.  My daughter is the smallest one in the front.

POTS?

Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome.

This may actually describe the 'heart' problems that I've had for years.   I had an appointment w/ the cardiologist today and while she was clear that this MAY NOT be what it is, she gave me some literature describing it and the symptoms of it.  I'll be damned if it doesn't just about describe me to a "T".  I have to go back for more testing in July and LUCKY ME I get to wear a heart monitor for 21 days...yeehaw...but it would be nice to actually get some answers.  I've been dealing w/ this for YEARS...since Cole, my fourteen year old son, was 2 months old.  I can't tell you how awful it feels to be 37 years old and feel like you could die from heart problems that no one can figure out.  According to all the tests and docs I've seen in the last fourteen years there is nothing wrong w/ my heart....well according to the literature...that's correct, however it does affect the heart.  I feel like I've been efficiently swept under the rug for years, and no one gives a shit what's ACTUALLY wrong w/ me, just that I'm not gonna die on their watch.  It may be that I don't actually have POTS, but at least for once I feel that this particular cardiologist actually has an interest in finding out what IS going on.  Thank God for that.  On the edge of answers?

Rested?

Sometimes(well....ok..MOST the time) my husband is a pain in the rearend.  This last week would be no different.  A little background first.  He gets 3 weeks of vacation a year.   AMAZING! you say?  Yea, it would be if he actually got paid for it.   See he works on 100% commission.  SO, if he takes a vacation day, he simply doesn't get paid, yeah I know right?!  SUCKS!  So why on earth wouldn't his company give more vacation days each year?  What do they care they're not paying anyone for not working.  Let me be clear, he sells TV advertising...so in essence he's always making money, however it sure doesn't feel like it sometimes.

Anyway, his year is based on his start date w/ the company, which is in June.  So he has to use his vacation anytime from June to June...whatever the date was.  This year, he had one week left and was out of time, so he took his vacation last week to use it up.  Now IF it were me...and I had vacation time coming that I didn't get paid for...I figure WHO CARES if I lose it, it's not going to matter one way or the other.  We are always scraping by so why on earth would you take a week that you don't get paid for, when we are already behind?  I was a teensy bit LIVID at the prospect anyway.  Obviously that didn't stop him, so I figure at least it saves me day care for the week.  He had no actual going away from home plans so I figured...he'll at least get something done.   WRONG!

I don't even know what he did do all day besides pick up the kids.  He made...no I take that back..he cleaned the chicken for one nights meal, and popped frozen burritos in the oven for another...helped fold a couple loads of laundry after I washed/dried and brought them upstairs in a basket and started to fold them myself.  Washed a load of clothes on the wrong temp setting and dried clothes that shouldn't be dried.  Brooke was sick Thurs.and Fri. but not so sick that he needed to baby her, she had a fever and turns out an ear infection but it wasn't horrible, w/ pain meds she was pretty good  Bitched about the boys not mowing the lawn, while he was sitting home doing nothing, and they had school.  Not that I don't think they should mow, but if he's sitting around doing nothing while we are all at school/work...then why the hell can't he do it?  They left for their dad's on Weds. night so they weren't even home after that.  He painted the backboard for the Bball hoop.  Picked up the camping stuff from our friend's house. MAYBE just a very few other things that I'm not recalling, but it wasn't much.  He did manage to find time to go to a few garage sales of course.

Saturday we had open houses to go to, but I had to work til 2 so I was thinking at least when I got home they'd be ready to go.  Nope.  When I got home he was sleeping in the lazy boy and the kids were watching TV.

Now I waited all week, not doing my usual cleaning schedule, just picked up a few things here and there, hoping he'd do SOMETHING.  Nope.  So yesterday, Sunday, after working all week AND Saturday, I cleaned the house, picked up the dog poop, mowed the yard, did the laundry and got groceries.  The back yard had to be mowed twice because it was so long.  Oh wait...he did fold the blankets in the living room and vacuum I better not leave that out, but only AFTER I started cleaning.  WTH?!  His excuse when we argued about it was..."excuse me for wanting to take time from my job so I can get rested and do my job better when I go back to work!"  Seriously??!!  I've never met a more rested person in my life, he can sleep anywhere at the drop of a hat.  If he sits still for more than 5 minutes he's snoring.  I'd like to know when I get a rest...probably when I'm dead.  On the edge of spousal abuse...

Not my laundry!

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

So yesterday my husband was looking for his black shorts.  I told him they were still dirty as I didn't have enough dark clothes to do a whole load when I got to them.  That was a few days ago, so I was pretty sure there were enough dark clothes now.  So I told him to just find some more dark clothes and wash them, because he has the day off and I have to work.  I thought to myself as I walked out the door to go to work, "hmm...probably should have told him NOT my laundry!"  See I have this basket of dark clothes in the basement that includes my work dress pants, that whole basket is cold water only, and half of it can't be dried in the dryer. I got busy at work and never remembered to call and and tell him not to wash those.  We had to meet up to watch my youngest sons baseball game last night because it's on the side of town where I work.  I didn't end up going home,  he just brought the kids and we met there to watch it.  I noticed he was wearing the black shorts that he was looking for and wondered...  When I finally got home after the game, I saw ONE of my pairs of work pants drying over the chair.  I go check the dryer and sure enough the rest of my clothes are in there....GRRRR!!  It's my own damn fault I guess but that doesn't make it any less frustrating.   If anything shrunk I'm gonna be even more pissed.  WHY didn't I tell him NOT to do those?!  On the edge of ruined clothes...

Why do I watch movies when I should be sleeping?

Cover of The Joneses

UGH!  I'm SOOO tired!  I should have gone to bed BUT I didn't.   I was flipping through the channels and came upon a movie just starting called, "The Joneses"  LORDY it wasn't even a good movie!   It was just good enough to watch if you're flipping through channels and there's nothing else on.  I just got sucked in and stayed awake and watched it.  THEN another movie came on, "Zack and Miri Make a Porno" it was even WORSE than the first...but I watched half of that before I finally went to bed at 1:00am to get up at 6:30am.  WHY do I do this to myself, now I'm sitting here trying to keep my eyes open, I need toothpicks like Tom and Jerry used to use.  *YAWN*  on the edge of a nap...