Toby had Samantha's cell phone for supper Thursday night.....

my tennis shoes for supper last night.....

Today I am wearing socks to work.....

I am so super busy at work.  The amount of work I have, literally, could keep me here at work around the clock this weekend.  If, I didn’t have to sleep, that is.  I will be here at least until midnight tonight and will have to be back at noon to pull another 12 hours on both Saturday and Sunday.  Because Fall has arrived, we’ve put a 50% discount on all the online advertisements (which is what I create when I’m not working my obituaries) and people are just eating it up.  My work load has about doubled from this weekend to last.  So, if your looking for me, you know where I’ll be all weekend!  I will have my own "weekend" to look forward to though, Monday and Tuesday, which are my days off and will be spent continuing to try to get the new home completed.  I’m almost there…. 

I sure do need money right now and the more hours I can get at work the better!  When November rolls around each year, I find myself gasping for air, financially, and this year seems to be the worst yet.  November 26, 2007 is Samantha’s birthday (and Beckles’) and I have always treated her birthday as extra special, which is quite costly. This year I am really in a rough spot and don’t know what I am going to do about her birthday (and Christmas quickly coming right behind…).  My new budget for the new home, and because I am now paying for everything myself, leaves me nothing play with. I am completely at a loss as to what I am going to do.  I have always lived paycheck to paycheck, but I also always had a small amount to play with, $50 or $75, a grocery list I could shorten if need be or at least something I could borrow from Peter to pay Paul – but this year it just isn’t happening.  I can’t stand the worry.  I know that worrry does no good, but it’s not something I’ve yet learned to control ~ my worry about finances seems to be constant.  I will be so releaved when the New Year arrives.  It sucks because the whole situation kind of puts a damper on the holiday season!  

Things with Toby are rough too.  He has so much energy and because he’s not running free and getting that energy out, he’s super excitable when he’s in the house.  The house is so little and cramped as it is, could you even imagine dealing with an (over) 100 ld. German Shepherd, who is not even a year old yet.  He needs some way to get that energy out.  I feel so bad for him, yet I’m afraid now to let him run at all....  If I thought we could get away with it, I've already thought to let him out late at night, while everyones asleep, but I’m not sure we’d get away with it and although I usually live how I want vs. how others (government) tells me to, I'm not feeling comfortable with it and I've learned to follow that instinct.  I’m not sure who called animal control and I'd rather not find out.  I'd also rather not have a "fine" (why is a "fine" called a fine?  It's not really fine) or have Toby jailed, at this point. What little free time I will have this weekend will be spent on the parkway or at a river where he can run to get some of that pent up energy out. Something enjoyable and peaceful for me and Sam too... I just hope it’s not too cold this weekend……   

All I want is peace of mind.

This is Toby, our German Shepherd.  Cute, isn't he?  He is georgous and very big ~ we love him very much!

So, I woke up this morning to a hard knock on my new front door. Low and behold, there stood a policeman.  I wasn't thrilled at this sight, to say the least and I still had sleep in my eyes and on my mind.  Can you even imagine being awoke by police at 9 a.m.?  Me either.

The police happened to end up being the Animal Control officer (thank god) and boy was I not happy that he had come knocking at 9 a.m. on a Saturday morning, not to mention that I was slightly angry he was on my doorstep at all.  He also happened to be an arrogant ass on a power trip, making my morning experience just oh so much better.  His first question was whether I owned a German Shepherd? Followed by "are you aware that there is a lease law in Montgomery County?" - "Yes I am but my dog got off his chain, sorry" (slight fib here)

He then proceded to ask me for my ID, which I refused to give him because why the hell does he need my ID? He’s at MY door.  I'm not driving and he's invading my space, big time.  (I really only refused because I actually don’t physically have an ID right now.  I lost my pocketbook a few months ago and am still procrastinating to get a copy, but still).  He said someone had called because my dog was not on a leash and that if he catches him free then he’ll “write me up”.

 

Yes, Toby was off the lease, however if there's anything I don't believe in, it's keeping a dog chained up. It’s not fair and I’d rather just not own a dog.  Toby is the sweetest dog ever, who, I admit, does have quite a bark to him, but for the few weeks that we have been at the new house he has never even left my yard.  He would just lay in my front yard and wasn’t hurting a soul.  He has run free since he was a puppy and he is not going to be a happy camper on a chain. 

This, ladies and gentleman, is a perfect example of why I love the country and why I hate living in a “neighborhood” with nosy ass neighbors who have nothing better to do than bother other peoples lives.  I’m kicking myself in the ass for not finding a place where Toby could run and now I’ve got to come up with other options ~ I don't plan on compromising my beliefs for long. 

I loved being surrounded fields and no people!  I’m on the lookout now and because I'm re-settled, I have the time to wait for the perfect, ideal situation.  Priorites are that it's in Sami’s school district, is affordable for myself and where Toby can run!  It might take me a year, but I’ll find it!

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!

Sometimes I have trouble trying to decide what I want to write about.  I hate for my blog to always be "just the mundane doings of my life".  I want to have interesting stuff out here too. 

This post was originally going to be a 13 Thursday but I only got to eight before I got tired of working and decided to head home - so here' my 8 Thursday! 

The Goings on in my neck of the woods! 

1.  Local bank robbery

A bank was robbed Wednesday afternoon by a well-dressed man with a note.  This happened on Electric Road, right near Cave Springs, one of the "better" parts of Roanoke.  The man who wore dark pants, a white dress shirt and a floral tie.  He gave the teller a note and demanded money, which he apparently got away with.  He fled with an undisclosed amount of cash.  So far, no arrests.......  

2.  Another baby was found Friday after being left in the car for hours and dies of heat stroke in Blacksburg.  Another forgetful mother????  Good god, I can't believe this happened again!  How?  I just don't get it.  How can you be so absolutely stupid, as well as ignore all the reports of previous cases! 

3.  School is in trouble for putting rat poison above the tiles in a local school.  How weird and why are there rats in a school to begin with.  Time to get a new school.  Ya think?

4.  Dave Matthews and John Mayer put on a concert at VA Tech last week.  I hadn't heard a word about it and am wondering where the heck I have been?  You can read about it above, but my aunts post about the event is slightly more interesting!

5.  I have never been to a VA Tech football game.  The band and fans apparently sing a little diddy called "Stick it in" and some people think it is offensive.  So... now it's banned.  Another thing banned because someones offended!  About 3500 people have joined a facebook group to salvage the song and it's tradition, which apparently is to sign when Tech's offense gets near the goal line.

6.  I would hate to be this guy....  A sheriff in Henry County is going to prison for 8 months for money laundering.  I would imagine he will have to be in protective custody.  Read all the articles about this sticky situation, including a witness dying and an investigation into foul play.

7.  I did the obituary for a man that was killed in a motorcycle accident last weekend.  I didn't know at the time the details of his death, except that he was young and from Falls Church and had just relocated to C-burg.  Sad.  Anyway, today I see that a Floyd man has been charged with his hit and run.  I do not know him but probablly know others that do.... 

8.  Why the "F" are they still sending kids into Iraq?

Oh and I just noticed today is the 13th - giving my 13 13 an extra 13!

My aunt Tricia recently wrote on our *Love-Link about her brother & sister-in-law who have created a new blog, dedicated to their teen daugther who recently passed away.  It's a very touching site -  Living in my space.    

I couldn't imagine losing a child.  This would have to be the most gut wrenching, heart breaking thing in the world.  I couldn't bear it.... I don't know how anyone can, yet it happens all the time. 

I write obituaries for a living.  Life stories float over my desk; they come in and go back out, like the tide.  Each submission has it's own "special something" written with meaning by the grieving family.  What may seem trivial to me, as I type, can be something tremendously meaningful for the family.  I try to remember that always and as I was reminded recently by a close friend.  I put myself back in that space I was in when I lost my uncles and grandfather, thinking of recent loses and remembering the pain. 

Death is something I just can't fathom, yet each day brings so many.  I almost can't bear to type the young ones.  The older folks don't quite affect me like the young people do.... and it is stunning everytime to me, even not knowing the person.  

My wish to you all..... May you always remember their smile, presence, warmth, laughter wonder and love! 

Well, again it's been awhile since I posted.  I'm just going to stop commenting on how I've been slacking and what you get out of me, then you get.  So be it that lately I don't seem to be a regular "poster".  I try, but I go through phases where I don't feel like writing, or am too busy, etc.

It's been a busy summer but it's slowly rolling to an end.  I've been working hard, Sami's back to school and fall will be quickly approaching.  I am actually looking forward to it.  Spring & Fall are my favorite seasons and I get a little thrill as they approach.

Sami and I did get a chance to go to Bush Gardens, which was a lot of fun and then a week later we found out that Kevin lost his job, so I'm glad we went while we could.  There hasn't been too much really going on, otherwise.  Just the normal work, home at night to clean & sleep and back to work again the next day.  My days off have been spent mostly doing housework with a few visits with Becky for fun.  Yesterday Kevin and I took Toby to Thunderstruck for a swim.  Becky and her crew showed up and then I picked Sami and Lindsey up from cheerleading and we all had a nice swim.

I just wanted to say hello to you all and let you know I haven't, yet, slipped off the face of the earth.  But.... "you never can tell, with bee's!"

Hey hey.  It's Sunday night and I'm trying to kill a little more time so I can get in my 40 hours this week.  School shopping is going to be very very tight this year and I can't have anything less than 40 hours, leaving me here at 9:22 p.m. on Sunday night!  I'm really not all that dedicated (ok, maybe I am), I just have the luxury of having a job where my hours are as flexible as I want them to be.  I HAVE to be here from 2 pm to 7 pm on Saturday and Sunday to do the obituaries and if I want full-time hours then I can choose to serve them before two or after seven - depending on the goings on of my weekend.  If I have time to make up from my weekdays (Wens - Fri) then I end up pulling a 10 or 12 hour shift on one of my weekend days.  

I really love my job, but the pay isn't terrific.  But.... I'd rather enjoy what I'm doing so I deal with it as best I can.  I work for the city newspaper, in classifieds.  I create the online website for real estate, based on the real estate newpaper print ads.  Check it out if you want.  There is alot of research involved because most of the time the "print ads" don't include all the information that our website requires and I also have to hunt for photo's of the listings. It's enjoyable work and creative, to a point.  On weekends, as mentioned above, I also do the obits.  The work kind of fluctuates, depending on the real estate market and I'm not sure exactally how, but I'm thinking my hours will probablly slow down some in the winter, as I'm sure the market does.  I can do other classified ads though, so hopefully they will put me on those to fill my time.  (hope hope)  

School's coming upon us quickly (two and a half weeks) and I'm trying to figure out my finances for our required upcoming school shopping.  I had promised Samantha I would take her to Bush Gardens too, before school starts, but I'm beginning to think that is going to have to wait (not that I've told her that yet though.... ouch).  School starts in two weeks and I'm completely at a loss as to how to get all my obligations met this month.....  Living from paycheck to paycheck is no fun!

1.  This TT is dedicated to Bella, Samantha's male (yes I know Bella is a female name) Cockatiel, who escaped Tuesday afternoon.  And is free to fly....

2.  What happened to him, you ask?  Well, he flew right out the door and I was able to watch him circle the house a few times and then he disappeared.  Gone for good, I guess, even though I have been out looking for him in the trees a few times since.  RIP again.

3.  Why is it we are losing (and sometimes gaining) animals at such a rapid pace?

4.  Just the day before the birds disappearance, Samantha and I had spent about an hour cleaning out Bella's cage!  We washed it down and all the pieces he had to play with and hanging all around him.  It looked SO good and clean!  At least it was like that for his last night.... Now the cage hanging in the window looks very foreboding. 

5.  And in other news....  I won 50.00 at the bingo I mentioned in my last post.  But... it should have been 100.00.  I called out Bingo just a few split seconds before he called the next number (and he actually looked at me when I yelled) but his words were already out of his mouth and another person won on the next number!  I had to share.  I was bummed and happy all at the same time! 

6.  I spent Monday night over at Becky's, playing Phase 10.  It's kind of becoming our game night occasionally, as I have Monday & Tuesday off and she has Tuesday off.  Phase 10 is one of my all time favorite card games that my sister Beth turned me onto.  You should try it!

7.  We had a good time... laughs and a few beers (or wine coolers in Becky's case).  I went to bed earlier than everyone else, as usual.  I can only drink a few beers anymore, before I get hungry and the minute I get eat something, sleep soon follows.  What a lightweight I am in my old age! 

8.  Next time I go to Becky's for game night I am bringing Samantha's portable boombox (although I think they have one and I'm wondering why we don't use that?) because her computer sucks for sound.  You can't even hear it if your at the computer, let alone across the room, talking and joking with everyone.  Or.... perhaps I'll bring our very happening computer speaker set-up that Kevin has now hooked into our livingroom surround sound system and is way overkill to have downstairs with the regular stereo.

9.  Tuesday morning I lazed around and read in Becky's bed for an hour or two, while she blogged and the kid's played Phase 10 again.  I was going to go out on her hammock, but I couldn't get up the energy to actually move.  We eventually got ourselves moving to go for a swim.

10.  I got my book at the library last Friday and finished it this afternoon!  That's pretty quick for me..... maybe even a record.  I have been getting VERY into reading lately and I've always been a reader.  Even moreso than TV, which is unfathomable.  TV and I have been pretty synonomous. 

11.  I am reading the Rain series by V.C. Andrews.  It's a four series set.  Rain, Lightning Strikes, Eye of the Storm and The End of the Rainbow.  Just now, while looking up the name of the fourth book, I realized a fifth in this series came out this spring!!!  Cool.  I hope I can find it.  It's called Gathering Clouds!

12.   Tuesday afternoon we went to "Thunderstruck", a local swimming hole, and cooled off.  It was a nice swim, although a little muddy.  The kids had a blast daring eachother to jump from the rocks, no injuries, thank goodness!   Next week Becky and I might take the kids to RJ Reynolds Ranch - Not the cigarette company, I don't think...... (or is it?)  It's supposed to be a place that has pools to swim and such.  I have never been there and we want to go before they go back to school and that will be in just a few weeks.  Ok now I'm curious....  What is it really called?  I don't know why I think it's RJ Reynolds!

13. Does eveyone else have such a hard time coming up with #13?  1 - 12 comes naturally but there's something about 13..... 

I came into work this evening and the security guard says "Did you see the bear?"  I'm like.... "what are you talking about?"  Apparently I missed him by this much  I......................I   

The bear traveled through downtown Roanoke, past my work and then onto Kevin's work, which is actually where the video below was taken, in Kevin's work parking lot.  Here's the video:    BEAR runs loose in Roanoke  Check out the video!  To think I went from the scene, right over to my work, reversing the bears trek and missed the whole thing!

What's up with the bear's lately?

Well I skipped a week again.... sorry.  I was quickly told that I was doing so well keeping up with my blogging and I was slacking again...  How true!  So I need a little kick in the ass, occasionally, to post.  At least I have one fan! 

Since I last posted, I got my cheapo cell phone and when I called back to get different ones (better ones), as I was told I could, I was told, essentially, that I was lied to.  The only way to do what the rep had told me was to cancel my whole account and return the cheapo phones and re-do the whole process, which I'm not doing because it took so long even to get the cheapo phone account established!  The other option would be to pay full price for the phones I want (which would be about 700.00 for three) and then they would credit me with the online discounts once the got the cheapo's back.  I'm not touching that option with a 10' pole because I know darn well it won't work out the way it's supposed to and I'll end up in the hole for phones that are supposed to be free!  I might call and talk with a manager about the whole thing.... that is if I can stand to be on hold, listening to elevator music, for about an hour before I finally get a rep on the phone; talk with the rep and ask for a supervisor and then forget what the heck I wanted to say because they've got me all confused again!  Not hardly worth it.  You think?

Samantha came back the week before last.  She has been bored now, being home.  We live in the country and there is not much to do. Boston is so hustle and bustle and she always had something to do there, every day.  A complete 360 coming home to the peaceful setting we live in.  I was so happy to see her and she was really ready to come home.  My parents brought us a nice gift when they drove Sami home, their trampoline.  Their home owners insurance said they couldn't have it anymore (huh?) so they hid all the pieces in the back of the pick-up truck while they made the trip down with Samantha and surprized her when they got to our house! A pleasant surprize.  The first weekend, of course, one of Kevin's buddies threw a sparkler at Samantha and Ashley, who were hanging out on the trampoline (and they actually spent the night on the trampoline, with blankets and pillows and the dog) and the sparkler burnt a small hole in our new trampoline.  Needless to say, I was not pleased in the least and now we have to find a patch of some sort.  I checked in Walmart but they didn't have anything and suggested a sporting goods store.

My sister sent me a really nice picture of all my Mom's grandkid's, so I thought I'd share.  They were actually waiting to go in and get their picture done professionally when they took this one.  I haven't got the professional one yet, but I'm sure it'll be special!  I can definately see me coming out in Samantha lately.  When she was younger she looked more like her Dad.

I have tomorrow and Tuesday off and I'm going to Bingo tonight after work, Becky's tomorrow night to play scrabble and then Tuesday we will be swimming with the kids at Thunderstruck, so it'll be a good few days off and I might actually have something to write about!

And now some funnies to keep you smiling!

Something tells me this kid won't end up at the top of his class.

Don't show it off if you can't wear it correctly.

Yeah, this is safe.

Spray-painting the side of your house does not increase its perceived value.

She felt like she never quite fit in amongst the goth crowd.

I have been waiting for my new cell phones since June 22nd, when I decided to switch providers!  I called my old provider and informed them of my switch and ordered my new ones.  

But.... Never got the new ones!  I'm very annoyed with my new provider and haven't even gotten the phones yet.  Good start huh?  

They were supposed to ship the phone 1 - 3 business days after I placed the order.  When they hadn't arrived within the 1st week,  I called them and was told "your order had gotten "caught" in between two software systems and that it would have to be manually entered" "but not to worry, I'll do this manual work right now and the phones should be arriving in yet another 1 - 3 business days". 

Another week, no phone.  The story I got this time was that they were out of one of the three phones I ordered (no one bothered to call to tell me this) and that I needed to pick another.  I had ordered two pink phones for me and Sam and black one for Kevin.  Just to get the phones in my possesion I told them to just go ahead and send three pink ones, knowing that Kevin would pitch a fit over a pink phone, but pink is better than nonel.  The pink phones were in stock, afterall.  "Ok... they will ship within 1 - 3 business days". 

4 days later, still no phone.  Surprize, Surprize! 

Yesterday I called and now I'm getting  "all three phones are now out of stock"!!!!  Arggggh!  In addition, I still got no email or return call explanation when they discovered as much.  

Instead of standing in the rain at the payphone, as I was, I choose to call today from work.  I think, (think being the key word) that I've actually got it taken care of this time, but of course won't know for sure for another 1 - 3 business days! 

The bummer though, is that all they had in stock were the cheapest of cheap phones... No camera, nothing. What the hell is the matter with these peoples inventory?  I told the woman I needed the phones and at this point I didn't care what the damn thing looked like.  Just send something, Please! She claims that I can watch the website or call in and check on other availablities over my first 30 days.  As long as it's within these 30 days I can swap the phones out for one that I do want, when and if they ever have stock on the selected phone.  Or....  if I want to pay then I can purchase a good phone, of course!  So to end my tale, they are sending the cheapo and at least I'll have something to use.  How frustrating!!!!  If there is nothing available by the 30th day, I plan on cancelling the whole deal and again going elsewhere!  I'll keep you posted, dear friends.

1.  Wow...  it seems like everytime I get the itch to write a blog post it is a Thursday.  I just doesn't feel right to post on a Thursday, unless I do a 13. 

2.  Happy "belated" 4th of July, today being the 5th!  Having the 4th fall on Wednesday felt odd and was kind of a bummer.  it's really hard to get back into the swing of things.  I work Wednesdays through Sundays, so it wasn't as bad for me and I had a nice little mini vacation, but I feel for the people that had to work two days and then go back again for another two days.  Today is like another Monday for most and I observed a bunch of mentally work challenged people!

3.  I spent yesterday in my pond with a cooler of beer and sunshine.  Kevin brought his jeep down so we would have some music.  It was a nice relaxing, do nothing day.  I am still water logged!

4.  I fell asleep by 8 p.m., missing the fireworks that I nagged at Kevin to buy.  I truly am a lightweight these days!

5.  We have a dog named fish!  No not really, but my dog is a swimmer!  He loves the water!  He swims everywhere....  across the pond and then swims the whole perimeter.  Its quite amazing and kind of comical to watch.  I've never had a dog that enjoyed the water.  

6.  Samantha had told me that Toby had swam across the pond, but I didn't realize the extent with which he likes to swim.  He goes over his head, without a worry.  I now can see where the term "Doggie Paddle" came from. 

7.  I spent most of yesterday morning cleaning up my record albums.  They were out of their jackets and very unorganized.  My mother gave me all her albums from the 60's & 70's when I left home.  Low and behold, I'm looking at a Cat Stevens album and pull out this piece of cardboard from inside the jacket.  It has a note on it from one of my Mom's old boyfriends, telling how he was at a party with Cat Stevens and he went out on the balcony and smoked a joint with him.  At the end he signed it "Hope you and Chrissie are well...   Oh and by the way, here's an autographed photo for you."  Sure enough, in this cardboard is Cat's picture, signed "to Kathy from Cat" in black pen.  It's really cool and what a find!

 8.  Big Brother starts tonight.  I love having a DVR and can't wait to watch it!  I am a big fan of all things "reality"

9.   My bird has a bad habit.  We've always left the door open so he could come and go as he pleases.  His new thing is that he wants to land on my shoulder or my head anytime he see's me.  It was cute at first, but is now getting a little annoying, constantly having to duck away from the bird.  He'll land on me but when I bring him back to the cage, he knows I'm going to shut him in, so he flies away!  Funny how smart animals are!

10.  I will have my new cell phone next Tuesday, in case your wondering.

11.  Samantha is getting a little homesick.  She is having a great time but says she misses being home too.  She will be home on the 18th.  My mother and grandmother will also be visiting that week.  They are driving her home and coming to visit us and my aunt Colleen.

12.  Remember my bear story from last week?  My girlfriend Becky had the same experience a week later!  Is bear population increasing?

13.  Why can I never think of 13?  It never fails.

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~! 

Happy Saturday.  I am at work and killing time.  Because I'm so good at what I do I have flown through my work this week and managed to lose myself about 3 hours of pay.  I need 40 hours or I end up hurting, so I'm finding myself Killing Time....

Samantha made the trip safe and sound.  She is safely at Nana's now and lving every minute of it.  Sam got to work at the Venetian (a restaurant near my Mom's house) as a busgirl for two days.  Her first time ever working and according to Nana she is "a little worker", a very good trait indeed!  Had she taken after her Dad she wouldn't be a worker at all..... LOL!  Anyway she managed to make herself a few bucks, which will come in handy when she goes up to Maine for 10 days with her close friends family.  Now I won't have to send her as much (yeah right, think again).

My two sisters and a cousin dance and this evening was their show.  I hate to miss family events... the only part of living away from home that I truly dislike.  So this recital they are in is a really good show, not your average kiddie recital.  They are in what I would call a "dance troop" and are very very good.  So good in fact that they've danced at Celtics games during half time a few times.  Samantha got to go to that and she is a dance lover herself so she'll probablly come home wanting to take lessons again.  Sam has a knack for dancing.  She dances like she has had lessons all her life when she really only took a few years of classes.  She must get that from my sister Molly, who has been dancing since she was knee high to a grasshopper and straight through college.  I danced as a young girl too and remember many a dance recital at the big John Hancock building in Boston.  I wish I had never stopped.

I haven't been doing much with my freedom as of yet.  I have had to work and haven't done anything differently.  Kevin has gone camping so tonight I have the house to myself, which I love.  Toby, our dog, who is very lonely with Sami gone, will be able to come in tonight.  Kevin doesn't let the dog in and doesn't believe in dogs inside the house, a big issue between us, but tonight he'll be happy!  Toby is such a good dog and smart as a whip, as most Sheperds are! 

I suppose I'll hit the road and head home now.  Have some happy days, till we meet again.   

 1.    I put my thirteen year old daughter, Samantha, on an Amtrak train yesterday.  She is going to visit her Nana and company for a month.  Did I mention that she is thirteen?

 2.    I woke up in the middle of the night and it took a minute to dawn on me why I didn’t see a sleeping Samantha.

 3.    When I woke this morning I was also a little unbalanced.  I feel like there is something that I need to be doing???? but in all reality there isn’t. 

 4.    It feels very strange to not be committed to anything... What can I do with my time?

 5.    This is Samantha’s 3^rd year taking the Amtrak up to Boston. 

It’s a 10 hour trip.

 6.    We travel to Richmond to get her to the train, which is a 3.5 hour trip as well.  I love this picture of the Richmond tracks.

 7.    The first year she went I was very nervous, but each year gets easier.

 8. Amtrak has a wonderful “unaccompanied children” policy.  The child is interviewed to be sure they are mentally fit to travel alone, they have to wear a special bracelet, sit in a special area near the conductor, must travel during daylight hours, can not take a train that requires a lay over or a train switch and the person picking the child up must present valid I.D. before they release her.

Ray a drop of golden sun......  I live in Deer Haven, let me tell you.

Since I hit the deer a few months ago, I am deer shy.  They never bothered me, previous to actually hitting one.  Sure, they were all over the place then too and I had a few near misses, but they never really caused me too much alarm.  Now they do.  Okay... not so much that it disturbs me enough to keep me off the roads they frequent, but I am much more aware of them now. 

I'm working nights now, 2 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. and I have three or four different ways I can get home, depending on my mood.  I can go up the Blue Ridge Parkway, a gradual incline, 45 mph and usually not a sole on the road; I can go up Bent Mountain, a trip through lots of red lights and traffic, to reach the paved mountain and then a quick, steep trip up; I can go up interstate 81, interstate driving at 65+ and probablly the fastest of the choices; or I can do 81 for about 10 miles and get off the highway to go straight up a dirt mountain road, the steepest road I've ever seen, with a drop off that would startle even a bird, but taking me just about to my doorstep.  I usually don't go the same way back to back, so as to keep it interesting, and last night I picked the Blue Ridge Parkway.

On the Blue Ridge Parkway, 11 p.m., I literally had to slow to a crawl 22 times for deer on the side of the road.  I am not kidding, I counted them!!!! You might be thinking no way, but look what I found after checking the statistics around here:

Deer live in just about every area of the County. Although it is not possible to know exactly how many deer live within the County's boundaries, population studies are conducted on an ongoing basis. These studies indicate that as many as 400 deer per square mile can be found in rural parts of the County and that as many as 100 deer per square mile can be found within the County's urban sections.

So that explains it.... we truly are in Deer Haven!

1.  My aunt Colleen, drives around shooting pictures of the number 13.  There is a tract of land between my house and Sami's school that has a big "Tract 13" sign.  I drove by many times thinking I should photograph it for one of my 13's but when my aunt picked Samantha up at school and took her home, she saw it too, and stole it before I could use it.....  You can read about it here.  

2.  The 13th page of my book starts like this: She shrugged and looked out the window and said "Phil was drinking."   and the 13th chapter of my book starts like this:  Simone Angeline's eyes were ringed with red on the other side of the chain and fresh tears welled in her sockets.  Oh and If you haven're read a Dennis Lehane book, you need to.... they are great!

3. There are traditionally thirteen steps leading up to a gallows.  However it's an urban myth that there are thirteen turns in a hangman's noose(there are most commonly eight turns.)

4. Thirteen is the Atomic number of aluminum.

5. Some theories of relativity state that there are 13 dimensions.

6.  The Thirteenth moon of Jupiter is called Elara.

7.  The Universe is thought to be 13.7 billion years old.

8.  The number 13 on a Hell's Angels biker patch or tattoo refers to the thirteenth letter of the alphabet, M, which signified their link with a motorcycle club (13th letter is M), not marajuana as many suspect.

9.  13 is considered so unlucky that the stalls at some racetracks don't have a 13, buildings often skip the 13th floor and go from 12 to 14 and in Scotland, there is no such thing as Terminal 13 in any of their airports.

10.  In Tarot decks the 13th card of the Major Arcana is Death.

11. According to Egytian Lore, 13 is the number of steps between life and death.

12. The Great Seal of the United States has:

• 13 levels of the truncated pyramid,
• 13 letters in "E Pluribus Unum", which appears in the banner running through the eagle's beak on the right side of the bill's reverse.
• 13 letters in the phrase "Annuit Coeptis", which appears over the pyramid on the left side of the bill's reverse.
• 13 stars above the Eagle,
• 13 leaves on the olive branch,
• 13 olives on the olive branch,
• 13 arrows held by the Eagle, and
• 13 bars on the shield.

13.  Friday the 13th!

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 actually it's Wednesday for most, but it's my Monday.  Wednesday's are my Monday's and Sunday's are my Friday's.  Today I woke up feeling a little sick on my stomach and now that I'm at work, I'm feeling better but am also feeling very emotional for some reason.  Maybe it is hormones, maybe not, but it is very strong and I'm not much liking it.  I already teared up a few times reading emails and blog entries that normally wouldn't phase me in such a way.  I hope to get into a better mindset soon, I have work to do, afterall. 

We had a good memorial weekend.  I worked Saturday and Sunday and then Monday Sami and I went out to sell her cookie dough.  It's the first fund raiser for her cheerleading and we actually get 40% of the proceeds to go directly to Sam's uniform, which is 200.00!  I drove her from house to house, as houses around here are very spread out and she sold 250.00 worth, meaning we already have 100.00 off her uniform!  Excellent, if I do say so myself.

I made my first big boo-boo at work.  I did an obituary for a little old black lady... except, I pasted a picture of an older white gentleman onto her obit.  I feel really bad!  It was a simple keystroke error, the man's picture was saved under 10246372 and hers was saved under 10246377, so I apparently keyed a 2 when it should have been a 7.  I couldn't tell it was wrong by the name either, because we do proof at the end of each day, because it was a black persons name and didn't really indicate either a woman or man.  But... this really a huge mistake if you think about how the family must have felt.  They had the obit running for 3 days (about 600.00) so we gave them the whole thing for free and corrected it for the 2nd and 3rd days.  I didn't get into any trouble at work though, thank heavens, because it's happened to everyone at one point or other, or so I hear.  Still... I feel horrible!