3 am we set off for Richmond. The first hour of the trip was pretty bad.  It started sleeting and snowing about an hour or so before we left and the highway was VERY slick.  I was very tense the whole way up 81, which was heavily traveled for 3 am.  The trucks on 81 drive like nuts too.  I think they are all young, new, inexperienced CDL drivers because we have an accident, usually, at least once a day within a 100 mile radius of Roanoke.  The truckers drive like they are in sportscars! 

Once we got onto 64, which leads right into Richmond, it was smooth sailing, without a drop of weather.  It's amazing what a difference a few miles can make.  We were able to makeup time and we arrived exactally as planned.   

I have not yet slept - I woke up at noon Thursday and worked all Thursday evening, headed to Richmond and back to Roanoke for work this evening.  I rented a motel room so that I wouldn't have to worry or bother others about getting back and forth to work all weekend.  Needless to say I'm feeling slightly on the tired side...   but luckily I don't seem to require as much sleep as most.  I'll be leaving here and heading to my hotel in about a half hour  and am now at work for about another half hour - after that I'll be snoozing!  So, until tomorrow.....

Sami’s birthday came and went.  She is 14 now.  A half-year away from getting her working permit and only two years away from driving.  We have been practicing the "driving thing" in the cemetery. 

She's getting a pretty good handle on it, although is a little lead footed, or....  perhaps I am overly paranoid.  I was a speed demon as a teen and I'm surprised I made it through those years alive, not to mention without one single speeding ticket.  When I'm not in control of that wheel though, I hate speed. I am probablly one of the worst backseat drivers you will ever meet, although I do bite my tongue 75% of the time.  With Sam though, I don't, I constantly want her to go about 15 mph and want her to hold that foot on the break so she can be prepared.  Ok, yes, I am the paranoid one.... I'll admit, paranoia will destroy ya...

Samantha's birthday celebration this year was another milestone.  She had another sleepover – only this time we held it at a local Comfort Inn & Suites.  I had 75% discount coupon off of two rooms (which actually equalled 150.00 off and only a 35.00 charge) due to a bad experience at another Comfort Inn last year, so I took advantage of that and what a wonderful idea it turned out to be!  We had adjourning rooms, one room for 8 girls and one for little ole me.  It was the perfect set-up, giving them some privacy, yet close enough so I could keep an eye (or an ear) on the group of teens.  They didn’t do too badly, believe it or not, only one "talking-to" from hotel employees.  Running in the halls.... after my warning fell on deaf ears. There was an indoor pool where the kids swam, an exercise room and just the excitement of being at a hotel kept the kiddo’s hopping.  I thought of some fun games, which weren't too childish, yet kept them busy.  One was simply throwing a metal object into the pool and the first to come up with it got a $1.00.  I thought nothing of giving out the dollar to each winner, but they sure did!  The value of a dollar at that age.... huh?  Because they were 14 (most) they were able to swim without adult supervision and I headed upstairs to brainstorm ideas for a charades game, which we ended up playing most of the night, from about eleven until 1 a.m.. As usual, they only slept about an hour, but I got some unexpected sleep and we did have until 11 a.m. to check out and no clean up!  I’d do it again in a millisecond. No more sleepovers at home.  Even if I have to pay full price, it is well worth the money. 

Christmas is on the horizon and plans are coming at me quickly.  I am just not in the spirit, basically because of money.  I’ve decided that this year I am sending Sami on the Amtrak to my Mom’s for her 10 day vacation. This will be my first year not with her, but I don’t feel too badly about it because, like I said, I’m not really in the spirit anyway.  It’s time for her to visit Nana, Grampa and her Aunties again and Christmas is only once a year. It's such a big event in our family and I don't want her to have to miss the excitement of the Christmas traditions she has grown to love and that I cherish, living in a very large family.  I’d go myself, and I’m sure I’d enjoy myself once I got there, but I just can’t afford it this year.  I could afford the trip itself, for it’s not too expensive for Amtrak, or I could even drive, it’s mostly that I can’t afford all the gifts entailed in the visit. 

Work is steady and I’ve actually been getting a little bit of overtime each week, due to vacations of other employee’s this month.  I also had gotten a 2^nd job taking care of an older woman on by days off.  HAD, being past tense.  I went in last Monday, to supposebly train and learn the woman's regular morning schedule.  I was actually left alone, after about 15 minutes of explanation. I was left to give out meds (which I'm not even sure I'm supposed to do and was not comfortable doing, told to give her insulin shots (which I have never done and ended up asking her husband to do it), left to help her stay continant (which was no big deal) and basically keep her company.  I showed her my cross-stitch and told her about my life.  I mentioned that I liked to read and that I thought it would be a great ritual to read a good book together, a chapter per visit. She couldn't see well enough to watch TV or read herself anymore and I really thought she would enjoy this... and I had just happened upon the "Perfect" book for her, at Becky's. The book, Saving Grace, takes place in her generation and is quite touching.  We enjoyed the chapter, it seemed... but about 6 hours after I left that day she apparently fell into a dementia of some sort, with emotional problems.  My first immediate thought was that I brought the emotional issues on by reading the book to her.  I wondered if maybe the reminiscing was just a bit too much?  But.... and thank heavens.... me being there that day was just a coincidence. They are calling it "venticular dementia" which does appear suddenly. She is in the hospital now, but her granddaughter says that she probably will need long-term care now, so the new job is out.

Just taking things one day at a time..... still.

Lyrics in a song are like poetry to me and if it wasn't for the lyrics, I honestly don't think I'd listen to music at all. The music does nothing for me, the lyrics mean the world!  It's poetry in motion and what I love about lyrics is it just "fits" - regardless of what the song is really saying or who you really are - there's always a way to relate!

When I was a young teen (ok, maybe even 11 or 12), I loved the song Changes by David Bowie. I would visit my Dad on the weekends and because it was popular at the time, it would be played on the radio quite often.  When that song came on the radio (usually while we were driving in Dad's truck), he would turn it up.  I don't think he turned it up for his benefit. I think it was because he knew I loved that song. I'm sure he thinks of me, even now or maybe especially now, when he hears that song and I'm sure just hearing it makes him happy!  I remember just seeing the happiness in his eyes when he would make me happy.  I remember, even when I was older, how that song would bring him back to that time - and it was only that song too.  I guess... he probablly liked the song a little too because he probablly could relate.  

That song fits me well, always has, or at least since I left home, because my life always seems to be in a constant state of change.  My Dad’s was too.  I wonder if that wandering trait is hereditary.... but probablly more likely is a learned behavior from watching him.  Or…. perhaps change for me has something to do with my own lessons - just like I'm sure money does.  I seem to crave change - it feels good - and not because I'm unhappy before the change... just because.... 

I am an Aries and I'll admit in my younger years, I was very very impulsive – but I hear that’s a trait of my astrological sign.  Change seems harder the older I get, the decisions more debated, they seem to take more thought. I still live by what my mother taught me though - everything happens for a reason - not based on religion but based on karma, life lessons and the universe. 

What am I supposed to be learning in this life?  Perhaps I’m really just a gypsy at heart or even better yet, was a gypsy in another life.  Ya think?  And... what am I leading up to, you may ask?  (this is getting slightly deeper than I thought it might)

I moved again. Surprize surprize.  I think my family has been shellshocked enough by my 42 moves that they don't even think twice about it anymore, but to look at it from the outside, my moves probablly look quite insane to some.  

We moved across town to a little house - small, but smart (decision). A VERY little house, compared to the big farmhouse I just left and that I loved so very much at this same time last year  But.... it's the new house I can afford and on my own if need be and I think I'm "thinking" wiser in my old age.  I decided I would not renew my lease.  Not even mentioning the rent, it was 700.00 a month to heat the home and was way more than I could handle... I kid you not, it was 700 a month to heat!   

So this is where we are "at" now:

I have managed to squeeze a 5 bedroom farmhouse into a two bedroom, four room house, with a little help from a storage unit, and I'm happy with it!  There are so many very nice rentals available, but my goal was to NOT have to move Samantha to a different school, yet again.  She is excelling at this school, is very popular and is very involved. She is in Chorus, Journalism, Cheerleading and some sort of a babysitting club.  I couldn’t take her life away from her, as much as I love change, my thoughts revolved more around her than my own.  Wow ~ ch ch ch ch changes!

Only, now picture it without the dirt bike and twice as steep.  It's fun to drive, but also slightly scary.  There are no guard rails with a 90 degree drop off on one side, the dirt on the edge of the road looks like it could cave away at any second, it's only wide enough for one car so if you bump (not literally, knock on wood) into someone coming up or down opposite you, you'll have to make some pretty imaginative maneuvers and the wild life is very abundant.  Which brings me to this afternoon.  Guess what I saw crossing the road and heading up a valley about half way down the mountain?  A BEAR.  A true to god wild black bear!!!  The worst part was that there was no one with me to see it.  I wouldn't have believed my eyes if he hadn't crossed the road about 20' in front of me.  I could have reached out and touched it!  He crossed and then labored up the valley on my left, as I drove by, using his hands to climb.  My first sighting!  Sure, I have heard we have them up in these Blue Ridge Mountains, but until you witness it, you really don't think twice about it.  He was truly AWESOME~! 

This past week has been a busy one!  Summertime, Summertime, Sum, sum, summertime!  Yesterday was Sami's last day at school for the year and it has been hustle and bustle to get this and that done.  Last week she had two big end of year projects due, so that took most of my evenings after work. 

The first project was for her Spanish class.  We made Churro's, which are a good cross between fried dough and a cinnamon stick.  They normally look like this: 

But..... we ended up calling her creation Churro Chunks because they came out more like balls than sticks.  The first few were nicely shaped but due to my big idea to shortcut - they weren't really shaped correctly, although they did still taste good!  What was my shortcut idea you ask?  Oh boy was I brilliant!  Not.  You are supposed to squeeze the dough into frying oil through a cake decorator tube... you know, one of those empty ones that you fill with frosting to decorate your cake?  Well the store didn't have any of those old fashioned things, instead they had already packaged frosting squeezies (what are they called anyway?) and my brilliant idea was to cut the bottom off, scoop out the frosting and use the tube.  Unfortunately, stuffing that tube wasn't the easiest of things, so after the first three or four Churro's they turned into Chunks!  She got a 90 for her grade, after losing 5 points for losing her grading sheet, so I guess everyone was pretty impressed.  We had dipping chocolate to go with it, so I'm sure that helped! 

The other project was timeline of Sami's life to day, which was a lot of fun... except for the fact that Sami wrote the timeline and we later picked out the pictures and she should have done it the other way around.  This way, however, was much more challenging.  Did you ever try to find pictures of an exact place in time?  Don't.  We ended up having to use a few pictures that we weren't even sure actually fit the correct timing, but we were close.  Next time she will pick out the pictures first and then write her descriptions!  It was fun looking back on the "olden days" though and how young we all were!  Time, as usual, blows my mind.

Yesterday Becky and the crew of all crews showed up for a visit.  We visited a bit and ended up driving around on back dirt roads and finding new ways of going places... her little boy never did get to steal that horse though, thanks to Samantha's multi-managing! 

This week Kevin's shift changed, so so did mine, as we commute together.  Luckily my job is very flexible and I can pretty much work whatever hours I want, as long as the next days work is done by midnight.  So, I've just switched to working 2 pm to 10 pm on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights, this being my first night.  I loved this morning... It was so nice having the morning to leisurely awake, get lunches and dinners ready, shower, dress and even a little light pickup housework, so my house isn't too bad when I get home!  Very nice indeed.... very nice to not wake up, rush to get ready and rush some more to get out the door.  I'm thinking I'm going to like these hours.

Sami is trying to arrange a trip for us to Bush Gardens, sometime between now and before she leaves for Massachusetts on the train on the 20th of June.  I have to do some checking to see what that will entail and if we will be able to swing it with our work schedules and all.  We also have to deliver the cookies we sold when they come in.  Or.... more like, I might have to deliver them myself, if she is in Mass. for a month!  Becky's daughter is having a birthday party this weekend so Sam is spending Friday night at their house and by the time Saturday night rolls around and I get off my 12 pm to 7 pm shift, and visit with that crew for awhile, the weekend will be over.  It might work out best if Sami and I (and a friend of hers too) goes to Bush Gardens on Tuesday and spends the night so that we can drive her to the train station in Richmond Wednesday morning.  Yeah, that would be the way to do it, if I do it at all.  Both Bush Gardens and Richmond are a few hours from here and in the same "general" direction.  I'll keep you posted.  

Another exciting week from the life of me.... ho hum!

Well that's not all I got, but this Christmas story makes for the perfect entry, as you will read on.

How went everyone's holidays?  I have trouble thinking it's 2007 already!

I am still at Mom’s in Mass.  We leave tomorrow and overall it was a great vacation.  

On the way flight in Sami and I had a layover and we managed to miss our connecting flight.  I was there 7 minutes early but the airline studess claimed she had already locked up the plane, which I didn’t think was very kosher, considering I was early.  Luckily she got us on the next flight, one hour later, with no extra cost.  After much bitching on my behalf.  I still find myself wondering if that was truly procedure or complete laziness on her.

Regardless, when I get on the plane tomorrow I will be at the gate 1/2 hour before boarding.

We had two suitcases full of gifts, not to mention our clothes suitcase and I was more than concerned that because my luggage which would now beat me to my destination that they might disappear.  As I walked up to the gated luggage and there they stood.  Three bright red bags and a huge black one.  Good bags, I was very proud of them for not waundering off.   Now....  how much can I fit in the empty bags to get all the presents home.  what can I fit in these now empty bags to get gifts home?  I will have to fed-ex some more, I believe.  

We arrived Wednesday the 20th and between then and Christmas I basically spent some cherished moments with my sisters.  We watched some movies, did more shopping, and went out for a beer or two.  Both sisters are going through some relationship changes and I was a sound board for one sis with her frustrations of the relationship and I met the other boyfriend for the first time.  I think it's good for them to be able to talk to someone that is kind of on the outside and is not around the situation 24/7.  It’s funny to see either of them with different people.   

As usual each vacation has a Clearly Chrissie Moment and I just must explain.  Christmas is just a few days away and shit happened.  I've never mentioned it befoe but when I had my seizure I knocked out my two front teeth.  I got a really nice flipper, which is slightly less than a bridge.  About 2 months into using my flipper it broke.  I debated 500.00 more dollars?? or make the broken teeth work??  The latter was the choice and I started gluing them in between the two other teeth.  (no I am not kidding)  It worked fine except when the glue got loose they would occasionally slip out. and I couldn’t sleep or eat with them in.  At least I wasn’t toothless which I consider very nasty. It was kind of thin in certain areas and I knew it was a matter of time.

So now I was going to have to attend Christmas missing my two front teeth.  How pretty is that?  

So here's my Clearly Chrissie Moment,  day two, of our vacation!   I got into Mom's car and out the teeth flew....  I looked everywhere.  I Literally tore the car apart to no avail.  (My Mom has a nice clean car now).   I went to bed that night succeeding to the fact & knowing I’d have to make some decisions in the morning, some pretty expensive ones, but I was too tired to worry anymore and what else could I do?  The next morning Beth, Mom, Sam and Oz also looked everwhere.  There was no sign of my two front teeth.  Vanished in thin air - I swear....

I know this is really sounding funny, and I am laughing as I
type, so don't feel bad if you are laughing too.  It’s all after the fact now and quite comical looking back.  

My special Christmas story for this year is that my aunt Tricia saved the day!  She called after she read my post to tell me that her
dentist is excellent and that she would call over to him to
see if he could do anything. She called him and called me back to
say I had an appt. at 4:30! It was the Friday night before Christmas
and she got me an appt.!!    Floored I was, let me tell you! I went over and he
took impressions and said he would stay late (Friday night
before Christmas) to get them made for me and they will be
ready tomorrow at 4:30!!!  I had them by 4:30 the next day and Christmas was a joy!

Can you guys believe this? I still am amazed, shocked, thrilled.  

Sending love and special thanks to my aunt Tricia!

My teeth look gorgeous - better than before.  When getting them installed I was informed by the caring dentist that he worked on the until 9:30 pm on the night before Christmas.

Miracle?  Or Angel?  Which do you think?

More on vacation tidbits to follow.

HAPPY 2007!


 

      

just kidding..... 

but Sami owns an IPOD - so she got what she wanted for her birthday.  Can you believe this thing will hold about 7,500 songs! 

We had a terrific...  TERRIFIC... time this weekend.  We drove the 2 hour trip at about 6 pm and arrived at about 8 pm.  Wendy's for dinner on the way in and simple relaxation Friday night at the hotel.  The girls, of course, did lots of hall walking and giggling all over the hotel.  

Saturday morning we got up at 10:00 and went down for the "continental" breakfast.  They had a hot breakfast bar which you could upgrade to for 3.99 and because I can't resist gravy biscuits, we upgraded immediately.  After a nice breakfast Kevin and I relaxed in the room while the girls did some more exploring, and swimming, playing pool etc. 

Our horseback ride was scheduled for 2pm and we arrived right on time.  I can't even begin to tell you how cool this horseback riding trip was.  We went through the woods, fields, streams - all over this horse farm and the surrounding land.  Kevin rode Willy - a large black horse, Sami rode Midnight - a small black horse, Amber rode Nugget - a Palomino and I rode Walks-a-lot - a white horse.  Each horse had a personality of its own.  It's not easy to ride.  I thought we'd get right up there and ride away but there is learning involved in how to sit, hold the reins, turn the horse etc.  It was the most gorgeous day out too!  We couldn't have asked for better weather.

I did manage to hurt my hand somehow.  It is sprained.  I'm not quite sure how I did it but it really started hurting about 1/2 way through the trail ride.  I think I might have sprained or pulled a muscle when I pulled myself up on the horse - but it didn't stop me from enjoying.  I grinned and bared it.   

Saturday night we were pretty tired so we decided to order Pizza in.  Kevin and I made a quick trip to Walmart because he had last minute shopping to do for Samantha and I wanted to get a small cake.  When we got back presents galore were opened (and thank you to all you Massachusetts folks who sent gifts - Sami was thrilled with every last thing she got).  I hadn't mentioned it because I was unsure if Sami looked at my blog - but I got her a Video IPOD.  It hasn't left her hands since she opened it.

Sunday morning us three girls felt like we wanted to go riding again - so what the heck - I called over there and we got an appointment for 10am.  Don, the proprietor, gave the girls an hour riding lesson for free and then we had another hour trail ride.  This ride was even better than the first because we all did rode a little better and were more comfortable.  We did alot of trotting which we hadn't done much of on Saturday and went down a river about waist deep on the horses.  I didn't do as well myself, because of my hand, but the girls looked like pro's by this point.  Don trains moviestars to ride in moves and they filmed Cold Mountain, Sweet Home Alabama & a few other movies right there were we rode.  Sami's horse, Midnight, was one of the stars of Sweet Home Alabama! 

So now that Sam has her IPOD - guess what she wants now?  You guessed it.....  A Horse!

How are you spending your weekend? 

I went to Bingo last night - didn't win anything - but I really enjoy going.  Many members of my family love gambling and I definately get it naturally.  I needed only three numbers to complete my "coverall" and win 750.00 last night, waiting with anticipation for that next number to be called out and praying I wouldn't hear someone yell out BINGO.  They did.  Maybe next time it'll be my turn. 

Samantha spent last night at her friends down in Roanoke, which worked out nicely for me because I was able to drop her off and head  straight to the Bingo game, which is also in Roanoke.  Bingo ended at 10:45 - leaving me enough time to stop and get the requested 12 pack for Kevin & I.  Kevin rents a room in Roanoke during the weekdays because he works from 4 pm to 2 am Mon-Fri and it's easier than him having to commute up and down the mountain at that hour - it's close to an hour each direction.  He lives with us on the weekends and goes back down to Roanoke when I go to work Monday morning.  So anyway - about the beer.  As I strolled down the cement hallway toward his motel room, carrying way more than I should have been, something slipped.  Smash - goes the beer to the cement, drenching me in stinky, splashy, splattering beer.  I was making quite the entrance.  Poor Kevin ended up with only a 6 pack.  

I had a few hours to wait until he got home from work and there was a punk band playing at the motel.  I decided to check them and the interesting people out.  I love to people watch and there's nothing like a punk crowd when it comes to people watching.  Who would have thought???... but this cheap motel bar had a $5.00 cover charge, hardly the type of place you would expect a cover charge, trust me on that.  I had the cash, sure, but if you know me, you know I had to talk my way around the cover charge.  I guess because I'm cute, or maybe he just was tired of listening to me, the doorman let me in for free!  I wouldn't even have gone in if I had to pay...  I went in, drank two Corona's and enjoyed the people, even if the music was a little distrubing.  Lastly, I came home to Blog.  I Blogged until 2 am or so.  

(Blog is a funny word, if you think about it.  Really think about the sound of it.... )

(I want this shirt!)

After visiting with Kevin for a few hours, eating  Burger King at 3:30 am (good for a few xtra pounds) - I finally caught a few Z's.  My Friday night in a nutshell.   

Does anyone know why "they" call it "Z's"?  Where did that come from?

Oh... and what do you think of the new look?

Got back last night from a long trip to Kentucky.  I had never been and it was really a nice drive.  Lots of new scenery to see & I got quite a bit of my cross-stitch done on the way.  6 hours up & 6 hours back.  We took Becky's daughter to spend a week with a good friend of hers (she is taking a greyhound back home next week).

We ate breakfast @ the all you can eat breakfast buffet @ Shoney's.  The funny thing about the below picture is that we were actually in Belle WV,  but if you look at the sign on the front it says Shoneys of Quincy.  Maybe it was Quincy County?  I didn't even notice this when I took the picture!  Quincy MA is a place I grew up close to as a kid. 

We went over lots of these:

Going over places like this:

The hightlight had to be my Ice Coffee's!  It was about 96 degree's the whole way and Becky does not use her AC because it cuts the gas mileage by about 2/3's what it normally gets.  (Can't say I blame her)  So it was very very HOT.  I spent most of the way back looking for Dunkin Donuts signs, or Starbucks.  I can't drink any other coffee because at any other place coffee tastes like water to me, I've been spoiled living in Mass. with a Dunkins on every corner.  We found two Starbucks in the 700 mile trip and I was thrilled!  There was only one Dunkins and it came a little after I had already stopped at Starbucks.  Starbucks was fine with me and it fit the need - which is all that counts! 

I'm glad I made the trip.  Becky & I got some good talking time in, without the kiddo's (except for the one sleeping the whole way home in the backseat) and the views were spectacular!  I've gone up and down the east coast so many times.  It was nice to see something different for a change!

We went to the drive-in last night - something I haven't done for many years!  Samantha was swimming in Kevin's pool yesterday evening, when we decided to go.  I called her girlfriend Amber, on the sly, to see if she wanted to come with us - of course she did!  Imagine Sam's surprise when she got out of the pool & we told her to get her PJ's on and get ready.....   she looked at me like I was a freak - I was telling her to get ready for bed at 7pm?  Can you even imagine?  When I told her we were going to the drive-in she immediately complied, with a big smile on her face!  

Do you remember the fun of packing the car to the hilt with blankets and snacks to head off for a drive-in movie?

The girls made a "bed" of blankets in front of the car, on the grass and Kev & I tilted the seats back and relaxed!  You, Me & Dupree was a movie I have been wanting to see.  The previews looked really funny.  It stars Hate Hudson, who I love, Owen Micheals & Matt Dillon.  I expected it to be funnier than it was and I was a little disappointed with the movie.  But all-in-all it was a fun, inexpensive night!  I'd do it again in a heartbeat!