Slacking off...because I can.

I'm slacking off this week, I've not posted anything great or funny..I'm pissed off mostly, and letting it simmer down for a bit.

Monday Sucked of course because I lost my job, that a really enjoyed...most the time.

Tuesday was just really busy, pom/baton practice, baseball practice, and a band concert all on the same night, Lord help me.

Wednesday I actually had nothing to do after school, but had to run down to see my Aunt about 100 miles roundtrip..hence eating up most the gas I bought for 3.72 a gallon the day before.  However the visit was enlightening and helpful overall.  I'm glad I went.

Thursday, my youngest son had a doctors appt for a well child/sports physical, and I asked about some bloodwork.  Well that of course takes for-FREAKIN-ever.  I hate going to the doctors office because it takes months for them to get me/us in and then once you get there it's a GUARANTEED 2 hours every single time.  I need to find a new family doc, but I just don't want to deal w/ the hassle.  He(my son) had asked me if he was going to have to get shots, and I told him "I honestly don't know" I really didn't, it's been ya know...since he was 5 since he's been in for a physical (he's 10) so I had no idea.  Turns out he does need boosters, so he was REALLY Not happy about that, and of course that adds another 30 minutes to the visit.  He did well, got his two out of four shots(they said the others could wait til fall).

  Then we have to head to the lab for a blood draw, because "we no longer do that in the office.."  Obviously!  Why in the world would anyone tax your overworked staff more, they already can't get you in and out in a reasonable time frame.  The the poor boy is asking me about blood draws, does it hurt, is it worse than the shots??  I said no, because to me, it really isn't worse.  I told him that sometimes it doesn't hurt at all...I never should have said that.  So he's worried but resolved himself to the fact that it "can't be that bad".  So we get there and they get us right in.  I told the nurse(or whatever she is) that he faints at the sight of blood, consider yourself forewarned.  She pulls out the baby sized butterfly needle, I tell him to look the other way.  He looks away, she sticks him and he hollers "OOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWCH!  That HURTS!  "  I don't know if she hit a nerve or what, but the poor kid obviously isn't faking.  Then I felt bad because I told him it wasn't gonna be that bad.  Then he starts to go downhill, he's right on the edge of passing out, white as a sheet, hands are cold, he's seeing colorful spots.  Great.  He didn't pass out, but it was close, poor little guy.  Got him a cup of juice, some cool cloths and let the fan blow on him for a few minutes and he was better.  I asked him if he wanted to go back to school, or go home.  He said school, so off we went.  He was fine by the time we got there and ready to go, what a trooper!

Friday, had to take the dog to get her shot, and new license.  What a cluster.  Our county does these vaccination clinics and they are usually pretty quick, but apparently they didn't have enough volunteers for this one, because I was 10th in line and I was there for an hour.  I'm EXTREMELY thankful that they do these as it sure makes owning a dog more affordable.

  Maybe I need to volunteer next year to help it go faster.  Meanwhile people are in line w/ their dogs on leashes, which is great.  Only...here's the thing, the Joe Schmoe average dog owner doesn't seem to be smart enough to leave some damn room between the dog in front of them and the dog behind them.  Also the majority of them have NEVER taught their dog to walk on a leash, so they are being dragged all over hell and back, half of them have more dog than they can handle or it outweighs them, so it's really like a lesson in WHAT NOT TO DO as a dog owner. Of course 80% of them are pit bulls..which is not a problem in itself, if the owners knew what the hell they were doing.  Last year there was a dog fight in line, this year...not while I was there thank God. After my hour in pergatory (feel sorry for the lone vet, usually there are two or more) I got to go home and do the rest of my running around.
Enjoyed a LOVELY fire last night it was a beautiful evening, the kids played outside, we had s'mores, just perfect.  At least it was a great end to a shitty week.

Monday sucked.

Thank God!

So I go to work on Monday, nothing special, it's Monday.  I work from 12 to 4 so the day goes along uneventfully.  About 3:30 my Supervisor walks in, says "Hey, the Big C(my overall boss) wants to see you in his office."  So I jokingly hummed the death march and headed that direction.  I should have been suspicious when my supervisor didn't laugh.  She and I have a great working relationship, and we are chummy.  Walk into Big C's office and he also has the regional manager there.  Exchange pleasantries..."have a seat"  me: ok.  

Then the big "talk" happens. "well as you know our company's been taken over by National and in this merger there are lots of things going on.  You've done a PHENOMENAL job in your position and we thank you for all your hard work(Oh shit! this isn't good), unfortunately your position has been deemed unnecessary.  You can of course leave right away if you so choose and you will be paid til the end of today(at this point there's only 15 mins left of my day).  Also there's an offer of a severance package if you choose to sign the agreement, of three weeks pay."  (FUCK!)  So I was caught of guard, no...that would be an understatement, I was just drop kicked off a cliff.  WHAT. THE. HELL?  

OK we all knew about the merger, we all knew that these things were going to happen, but our boss, the Big C, had PROMISED us that we would get at least 2 weeks notice.  Uh huh...RIGHT!  You'd be proud though, I didn't cry, I didn't scream...I asked a few questions, and walked out of his office with my chin up.  I made it all the way to my office before I bawled, and my supervisor bawled w/ me.  She knew but wasn't allowed to tell me until the big C did.  She said she begged him not to do it, to give me at least a few days, but he wouldn't do it.  Knowing her, I'm sure she really did.  It took me the rest of my time to pack up my stuff so I could leave.  

Now I'm the proud owner of 3 weeks paid vacation, and a spot in the unemployment line.  Also four kids, a dog, a  horse, various bills, and a terminally ill husband on disability.   To say I'm stressed might be putting it a big lightly.  Just a tad.

I was already taking a class to get a better job, but I was hoping I'd at least have the other job until the test for the new position.  Looks like that got shit on. So off I go a'job huntin' to hopefully tide us over til the test for the new one.  My supervisor did write me a kick-ass recommendation so at least I have that.  ON the upside, it's Wednesday and I haven't killed anyone yet, so looks like I'll survive.

I'm probably an ass...

My daughter had Baton practice last night, for her team and I make her practice her solo afterwards too.  She is the "class clown" of her team, which irritates the hell out of me.  I love my daughter, of course, she's my baby girl, the youngest of four w/ three older brothers.  I don't know why she's this way, being the only girl not only in our house, but the only granddaughter out of 6 to boot, she's just a *TAD* spoiled.  She's the kid that would have pissed me off if I was a kid on her team, the one who's always wasting time.  I talk to her about it a LOT.  She's doing better, but still throws in stuff if she knows I'm paying attention and the coach isn't.

I'm always telling her, "you have to set a good example, you have to show the younger girls how to behave, LISTEN when the coach is talking to you, sit STILL!"  Etc.  Like I said, she's doing better, the coach has given her more responsibility which seems to help.

Anyway.

She is good, she could be GREAT at baton, she could walk on the floor and take first every time.  BUT! she's lackadaisical about it.  Last night she was practicing her solo and she was dropping stupid stuff, REALLY easy passes, tosses, stuff I can do, and I never did baton at all, just watched her.  She's been doing baton for 3 years now and nearly every week has a half hour private lesson, I don't want to see her drop this easy stuff when she practices.  It IRRITATES me!  It's all because she's not paying attention, not focusing on what she's doing, busy looking around the gym to see what the other team is doing.  She catches the harder stuff because she HAS to pay attention or it will hit her in the head.  

So last night I called her over to talk to her, after she was getting an attitude because I kept correcting her on the way she was doing something.  I told her(remember she's 8), "I'm getting really tired of seeing you drop the easy stuff, and I'm REALLY NOT going to tolerate an attitude. After I've paid for private lessons for 3 years, AND teams, and costumes, and driving all over MI and OH to go to competitions, AND entry fees, I sit here and watch you drop a pass that ANY girl on your team could do, and probably learned the first day.  You can LOSE The attitude and get out there and practice right!  If you want to practice all mamby pamby and act like a doofus, then I'd be happy to not pay entry fees for solo and you can just do teams like everyone else.  Don't you want to take 1st place?!" 

To which she stated/asked w/ attitude:"I thought it was all about having fun?"

Damn IT! She nailed me, I do say that to her a lot, "I don't care how you place just have fun".  SHIT!

So I come back w/ "It is about having fun, but isn't it fun to win, and progress than to just stay the same? You say you love doing baton but I have to nag(force) you to practice, and nag you to do it right, and frankly I'm not getting my money's worth, this is NOT what I'm paying for.  Maybe we need to quit baton if this is how it's going to be, because I'm tired.  I DON'T care how you place if you did your best, but are you really doing your best?"

Now her tune changed,"No Mom...I want to do it"

Me, " then you better straighten up and fly right!" (Damn I didn't think I'd ever say those words, Mother!)

Maybe I'm a class A jerk for getting that tough on an 8 yr old, but it's because I see some of the behaviors of the older girls who think they are entitled to competitions and all that goes w/ it, and act like it.  I don't want her to turn into one of them.  Also I don't want to spend all this time, energy and money if she's only lukewarm about competing. That's fine, anytime she wants to quit solos and just do teams, GREAT! I can do that.  Hell if she wants to quit teams, I have to admit I'd miss the great folks I've met and wouldn't see very often, but ok.  She's told me that she wants to twirl for a college when she grows up(her coach's daughter is the feature twirler for Western's band, that's where she gets the idea), ok great, but she(coach's daughter) didn't get there by being half-assed about it!  If you're gonna do it, lets do it.  Not half-ass it and decide that watching some rerun on Disney channel for the millionth time is more important than practicing. Grrrr! Kids!

Confessions of an 8 yr old

I was driving my daughter to practice the other day and she was jabbering on about something as usual. One thing I notice about girls over boys is they just have a need to be making SOME type of sound ALL THE TIME.  Anyway...she started talking about boys.

DD: "None of the boys like me...I mean like LIKE me"

Me: "It's ok, you're in 3rd grade, boys are GROSS! anyway, they have COOTIES!"

DD: "Well I have a boyfriend...he used to be my EX-boyfriend but then we got back together, so now we're dating."

Me: "What does 'dating' mean these days, what do you do when you're "dating"?"

DD:  "We play together at recess, play games, pretend stuff, and swing on the swings together.  Swinging together is TOTALLY romantic."

Me: "Hmmm...swinging huh?"

DD: "Yep, Swinging."

Me: "Ok...sounds interesting, try not to get cooties!"

DD: "OH Mom! Really nobody gets cooties these days, that must have been something you old people got...now all kids get is Lice."

Me: "YIKES!!  No Lice either, I'd rather have cooties!"

DD giggles and moves on to another subject. Car conversations are always informative.


Upon further investigation(or rather the image results when I searched for "Cooties" on google images) it seems that Cooties and Lice are the same thing...so I don't want anything to do w/ either one! YUCK!

80's Party! Things that make ya go Hmmmm...

Last night we attended an 80's Bunco party w/ The Crew(our particular group of friends).  What a great time!

Here's some pics, almost everyone got dressed up.  I ran out of time to shop for an outfit, so mine was pretty lame, but the other girls jumped into the spirit. "Like Totally!"

The Garage Crew

Complete w/ obnoxious blue eye shadow, and frosty pink lipgloss.  No I wasn't stoned, it's just really hard to take a pic of yourself.  This is the best of like 5 pics.

The Breakfast Club Look :D

Madonna and Kid Rock LOL

The Dudes!

Just hanging out

Girls just wanna have FUN!

Rockin'

Things that make ya go Hmmmmmm...  

1. It's hard to "peg" your jeans when your old and fat, it also makes my fat little legs look more like sausages then they already do.

2. My hair was shorter in the 80's so easier to make it stand at attention and stay there, oh and you CAN still buy Aqua Net.

3. I probably should have wore heals w/ my jeans, but after working all day, I just couldn't do it. Complete fail on my obviously 2012 Nike's.

4. I really need to listen to 80's music more often, so many great songs that I'd forgotten about...Pandora here I come.

5. Who would've thought back then, that we would be listening to our favorite songs from a pocket sized device that could hold 1000's of songs!(Ipod touch).  We thought "Boom Boxes" were the SHIT back then, 8 "D" sized batteries and a pocket full of tapes :D

6. Who would have thought you could shop "online" and go to the store almost any time of day. Most stores weren't open 24 hours, nor were they open on Sundays.  By the time I got out of work yesterday I'd have had to FLY to get to the store on time to get my Aqua Net fix!(I actually used Aussie, and it works just as well).

7. "Like Totally", "Gag me w/ a SPOON", "Righteous!" "Bitchin!" nobody says that anymore :D

8. One of the girls brought a 110 camera!  Holy cow! Of course we were all clicking away w/ our digitals that hold 100's to 1000's of pics and we can delete the ones we don't like instead of having to drop off the film and hope for the best, but be disappointed when we got them back.

Ultimate Blog Party 2012

Hey Bloggers!  Join in the fun!

Head on over to 5minutesformom.com and find out what it's all about and then share your linky and blog away.

If you've hit my blog by browsing through, I'm a married Mom of four.  I work, I drive my kids all over the place(when they're not driving me crazy), and try to have fun doing it.  I say what a mean, I don't sugar coat stuff, and I like to swear sometimes.  That's me in a nutshell peruse my recent blog posts for a better picture.

"Never worked a day in her life.."

Today I was perusing Google News, and came across this story: Ann Romney Defends her SAHM status

And to quote the controversial subject:
"Hillary Rosen, a Democratic strategist, started the exchange during an interview on CNN yesterday in which she said of Mitt Romney: “Guess what, his wife has actually never worked a day in her life.” Rosen said: “She’s never dealt with the kinds of economic issues that a majority of women in this country are facing.”"

That blonde kid is creepy, guess that's why their trying to hide him in the back.

Now, there's all kinds of backlash against this Hillary Rosen woman, but I have to say.  I kind of agree w/ her.  I have been both a SAHM and a working Mom so I feel I can have an opinion on both fronts.  Yes being a SAHM is hard, it's hard for middle class folks who are barely living on their husband's single income.  I haven't done any research on the Romney's because mostly I just don't give a shit, but I have a REALLY HARD time believing she ever had to decide between paying bills, the rent, or buying groceries.  That's what this Hillary person is getting at, at least that's my interpretation of her above quote.

    She may be the best SAHM there ever was, but if she's never had to work and pay daycare and help support the family then she can't relate to that, she can't speak to that.  Unless you've lived it, you have no idea.   So what if she has 5 boys?  I have 3 boys and a daughter...does her having 5 kids make her better, did she work harder than I(or any other Mom w/ more or less kids)did?  Did she ever have to bounce a check to pay for a prescription?  Did she ever have to use a Check N Go to pay the rent til the next paycheck came in?  I don't know, maybe they have...but I doubt it.   I'm just saying, that in a way I completely agree w/ Hillary Rosen and I think she should stand behind what she said and not back down and beg for forgiveness w/ her tail between her legs!  I bet you there's not one congressmen/woman that knows what it's really like for 90% of Americans, how we live day to day.   I know I'll get hateful comments for this one, so fire away.

I got nothin'

It's Wednesday.  I got nothin'.

Stayed up too late, got up too late (YIKES!), kids were almost late for school, needed coffee...luckily I had a free one from Speedway.  Have no ambition to get anything done today after two hectic days, I just don't give a shit!  There's really no end in sight of hectic days but today I ain't doin' nothin'.  Which is ultimately a lie, because I still have stuff to do, that will get done, but I don't have to like it!

Public school is like fighting with the government!

Grrrr!

Awww...what?  You pissed off Momma Bear?

  I have four kids, they are all in different grades and different schools according to their grade.   My oldest son is a Senior this year, so...logically...he'll be graduating.  Or not.  He better be!  My sons all seem to suffer from the same illness, "REALLY smart, pleasure to have in class, doesn't turn in his work...passes tests".  I hate hearing these words from teachers.  I have tried everything on the planet, punishment, rewards, begging...nothing I do has worked.  Now my oldest son is in the last Trimester(Yes you read that right, our idiotic school district switched from Semesters to Trimesters, thinking it would save money, or be easier on the kids, or end world hunger or some shit...Guess what?  It didn't, now they are switching back next year because too many kids are failing. WTG!) of his Senior year he's realizing that this could be a problem.  He's limped his way through school, only getting a good enough grade to pass, or not in some cases.  He's done summer school, and online catch-up courses so I thought he was good.   At the beginning of this year, I was under the impression that he only had 1 credit to make up.  Then I found out he was in AP Calculus.  WHY?!  Why on Earth would his counselor let him take that class?  Why when they know the kid doesn't turn in homework..would that be acceptable?  I thought you had to get some kind of approval to take an honors class?  Apparently I was wrong.  He's now failed it for first and second trimester.  After the first trimester I asked the counselor to get him out of the class, didn't happen.  Now after second trimester I'm not asking, I'm telling.  I'm still getting the run around..."well Mrs. B...we have to have a committee meeting, and then a parent meeting and a meeting w/ the principal..." Yada yada yada.  I DON'T CARE JUST MAKE IT HAPPEN!  I don't understand why it takes more than one brain to make this a reality.  

Also my middle son is having an issue w/ his geometry teacher.  Same song different school.  I met with them today.  They try to placate me, "Well Mrs. B we can have his seat moved in the class, would that be OK?"  NO I want him OUT of the class, the teacher is singling him out and picking on him, how is that acceptable?  Why is changing his seat going to fix that?  What. The. Hell!  If it was your kid would it be acceptable?  Then I get "well you know it's four weeks into the trimester...why do you want him switched now?"  Well it took you IDIOTS TWO WEEKS to send me his report card, I had no idea he failed geometry til then, then it took you a week to get back w/ me on the situation and then it was spring break, so that's why!!!  I'm so fucking sick of this damn school district I'm ready to pull all four of my kids out and do online charter school w/ them. I feel like I'm drowning in piles of bureaucratic red tape and there's no end in sight.   I gave them a choice, either get him OUT of the class, or give me the papers to transfer him somewhere else...then they start back peddling. "Oh...well...Mrs. B, we'll look into this and see what we can do, we'll work on it today and get back with you".  That's better, of course I still have yet to hear from them today, it better happen.

Oh By the way, they just changed the policy on graduation this year (OF COURSE@!) if you don't have ALL your credits by graduation, you can't walk w/ your class and participate in the ceremony.  Now they are telling me that he's 1.5 credits short and this IF he passes EVERYTHING for this trimester.  So somehow he's got to make up those credits in the meantime AND pass everything else.   So disgusted I could scream, at all involved!  I have screamed at my kids, but I don't know what good it will do, hopefully he finally gets the desire to participate in graduation because I've got nothing left for incentive or discipline or anything, I'm spent.  

Your daughter is a poor sport!

Not mine, but I would LOVE to say this to one of the team Moms. Except it would probably end in the first fist fight at a Baton competition, or Moms getting shot or some such mess.  It's not Soccer or little league baseball, but nothing is safe anymore!

  My daughter had a competition this weekend.   It was Pom Pom and Baton teams and solo events.  The teams are on Saturdays and the solo events are on Sundays.  You can read my rundown of events here. We travel w/ a team of girls that are all under the tutelage of one coach(and her daughter sometimes).  So on Sundays we hang out w/ the rest of the Moms, and girls that twirl for our organization. The girls try to watch each other's solos and cheer them on if they are not performing at the same time(in different parts of the gym).

I was waiting in line w/ my daughter for her division to start and watching one of our other team girls do her solo.   She was doing great and only had one drop that I saw, and seemed to finish nicely.  At the end of their solos our girls turn away from the judge and march back 8 steps, and then turn back to the judge and finish w/ a wave or some sort of ending.  This particular girl STOMPED away from the judge w/ a REALLY NASTY look on her face, turned did her finishing movement, and finished STOMPING into the stands, crying and then yelling at her mother when she asked her what happened.  This is not new, I've seen this girl (and a couple others) throw their baton, Stomp their feet, get nasty w/ everyone around them...etc.  When THEY feel they've not done well in their solo.

 I WISH I could've had my camera ready to take a picture of her face.  Next time I will.  Better yet, I WISH the judge could have seen her face as she was marching away.  This sets a bad example to all the younger girls(and mine) who are just starting out.  I would NEVER allow my daughter to act this way.  There is no way that is acceptable.  How she(the girl) ever got started acting this way and not getting a serious talking to..I don't know.  I know the coach didn't see her cause she was busy judging, I know she would have said something.  I just don't understand why her parents allow this.  I tell my daughter, do your best, enjoy it and have fun, because what's the sense of doing it if it's not fun.

I swear my ass is broken.

Just about positive, luckily it has lots of extra padding...though that doesn't seem to help.

My daughter had a competition this weekend, and it was a two day one.  Tri-State competition for MI, OH, and   ??  I don't know what the other is, or maybe it's just the Midwest? Anyway...it means a LOT of sitting on bleachers.  It was in Ohio, and we are from MI...it's a 2 hour drive for us so we (Me, my DD, my friend Stacey and her daughter) decided to stay overnight in a hotel, so as not to drive that far two days in a row.

The first day of competition is teams.  Well at Tri-State, the teams can compete in Open, and Championship classes, both or just one.  A lot of the teams opt for both, so that means they do their routine twice.  Same music, same outfits, same everything...twice.  UGH! Shoot me now!  I'd forgotten how much I hate Tri-States, but let me assure you, by the end of the day I was fully aware.  It wouldn't be so bad if all the teams were great and fun to watch, but their not.

  There are two or three great teams..and a WHOLE lot of really crappy teams that make you want to scratch your eyes out and run screaming from the building.  What I don't understand is, these crappy teams are usually full of really heavy girls, not like a bit chunky but like REALLY overweight, no question on whether or not they fit into the obese category.  HOW do they even get the idea in their heads to try dance/pom/baton team competition?  Have they never seen the other teams compete?  Do they not know that all of them wear form fitting outfits for ease of movement?  Have they ever taken a dance class in their life?  They obviously don't know how a good "illusion" is supposed to look because most of them are so stiff they can't lift their fat little legs high enough to do one the right way.  DANG!  I'm not saying they shouldn't find sports that they can do, heck I'm not even saying that heavy girls can't do it, because there are some of them that are really good, just saying please..PLEASE have some idea of what you're doing before you jump into the arena and make us all watch your horrible performance, twice.

Then there's the music...usually the teams try to use modern, hip/hop type music that the teens like, as most the performers are in that age range.  I swear if I even hear the beginning of Lady Gaga's "Born this way" or "Edge of Glory" today I'm going to scream.  Seems like everyone of the teams chose one of the two for their song this year.  Last year it was Katy Perry's "Firework".  Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy some Lady Gaga...in fact I even liked both those songs until I heard them over and over Saturday.

Back to the first day.  We arrived at 9:30 and competition was supposed to start at 9:00am, it didn't because they had trouble w/ the P.A. system.  GREAT!  We didn't need to be there til 10:00 but as it turns out, we really didn't need to be there til about 1:30!  So it was a WHOLE lot of hurry up and wait.  I just seemed to drag on and on and ON.  Finally my daughter's baton team performed, the did GREAT! and took first in their division!!  Woohoo Great job girls...that's what makes the waiting worth it.

Lining up to perform

Good luck from the coaches daughter

Then it was time for the solo girls to do their "box" competition, that took forever...my daughter got 5th.  Which, after watching all 6 girls march, I thought wasn't where she should have placed, but I'm not the judge, so what do I know.  I thought the girl who got 6 should have placed higher as well.  DD didn't care, she was happy to get her little ribbon/medal and that's all that matters.  

Salute

Finally their Pom team got to go, they did great again, and took first for their division on that one as well.  I didn't take any pics of that one, as I already have a ton...but I'll toss one in from another competition.

practicing before their turn.

Then we had to stick around for team awards.  So we got there at 9:30 am, and left at 7:30 pm, 10 glorious hours of sitting in bleachers.  I know I  know...I should probably take one of those stadium seats, but you have NO IDEA all the shit that I have to carry in already, adding ONE MORE thing is just too much.  So I complain, and ache.  The girls were just really excited to get to the hotel so they could swim.  By the time we checked in, ate dinner, and they were in their suits it was 8:30 and the pool closed at 10:00 so off we went to sit in some more hard chairs for an hour and a half.   I enjoy going, I do, but I'm getting too old to sit in bleachers that long I swear my ass is broken.  

We finally head for bed when the pool closes.  I thought it seemed cold in our room when we got there, but we were in such a hurry that I didn't really deal w/ it, turned the heat on and left the room.  When we got back it was still cold, so I turned the heat to high and set it to 85 degrees...Nothing.  OK who cares too tired to deal w/ it, threw on the covers and went to sleep.  Middle of the night...I'm sweating.. it's SO hot, too tired to care, awake enough to know it's too hot, not awake enough to fathom why.  Kicked off the covers go back to sleep.  Finally about 5:30 I gotta pee, so as I'm contemplating getting up, I realize. "HOLY SHIT! it's gotta be 100 degrees in here!  The freakin' heat must've finally come on!"  So I get up just turn it completely off.  Thought about opening the window, but didn't.  Went to the bathroom, head back to bed.  Then I heard a "click" and I swear that I thought the stinkin' heat was going to come on again...nothing...then the fridge started running.  Whew!  If that heat would have come on again I would have opened the window and the door!  Sheesh!

Second day, not as long, got there at 10:00, done at 2:30, not so bad.  My daughter got a second in her solo, and an "Excellent" rating on her routine.  Excellent is the highest you can get, and they just don't hand them out that often, so I'm pretty happy w/ that.  

I hope someday she understands how much work it is to attend these competitions, and I hope she has great memories of the fun she had, the friends she made, the great experiences, to last a lifetime. And,  I hope my ass stops aching soon.