monday

felt decidely unwell as the work day progressed, came home to feed the dogs and go to bed, kevin woke me up to go grocery shopping, all was well until we went to washington street, nothing tasted good, I ended up going to the bathroom and outside, made it about halfway thru hyvee, the warmth of the truck with the windows up felt good! came home, back to bed. today? so far, so good, but I am still in my jammies and haven't been out in the real world yet....

shopping with Shaniqua

slept in, picked up the girls at Vivian's, brought them here to get ready...had a meltdown trying to find where I'd "put up my credit cards", after about an hour of tearing the house apart, Kevin asked me if I'd bought something new with a hidey hole and I knew exactly where they were! then I laid them down on the bed and lost them again for a few minutes....then I forgot to reset the odometer after I filled the car in Princeton, I noticed in Cameron and figured what's the point NOW....then took the wrong turn into St Joe (the one to the college) so had to turn on the GPS, then I realized I knew where I was at anyway....first we did the new stores on the edge of town....TJMaxx, Old Navy, Target. took some pictures on the bridge, the girls weren't hungry since they had chicken strips at Casey's and they basically live on air, so didn't eat at any of the restraunts there. on to East Hills mall, the last time we went there were in the middle of remodeling. Wasn't quite as fancy as I thought it would be, nice and open and clean, but very boring. I thought Rue21 was her fave store...no, that is still Hollister, which they didn't have. She bought a pair of jeans at TJMaxx, I got KJ some tshirts, some towels, and a couple of picture frames for me and a table for Kate's room. that is one amazing store!!!
she got a pair of Sperry's at OFf Broadway Shoes, a pair of jeans at Maurices, a bra somewhere, and 4 cami tops to layer at Deb's. she tried on clothes at the Buckle. she went to every clothing store in East Hills. lots of cheetah prints, lace, cut outs, sequins and glitter. nothing she wanted. they had went to Gordmans and Plato's Closet and JCPenney on Friday. she really wants to go to Hollister. they decided they were hungry and went to the food court, which only had 3 options. She is just too used to Independence Center, which I now realize is where we should've gone. Live and learn and then buy Luvs. I have one more weekend off before school starts, so if nothing goes wrong, we will be KC bound. they decided they were hungry about Cameron, where Vivian swore she had eaten at Chili's before, right by Sams Club. (this is in St Joe!) so they got on the GPS looking for somewhere to eat and decided on Little Blessings, which was downtown. and when we got there, it was closed. GPS strikes again! but there was a Bears Aloha Grill banner hung over the other sign...cool. nope, door was locked. so they decided to eat at Toot Toots. where Katie ate a scoop of mashed potatoes and a scoop of mac & cheese, Vivian ate half a steak and a bit of ice cream, and they were stuffed. then to Walmart where they wandered around taking pictures and I got KJ some pj pants and towels for college. then home for Katie to pack a bag and back to Vivian's. KJ spent his day hanging out with Josh, Calvin, & Val in Trenton.

the bomb threat

Katie & Vivian went shopping in KC.....she texted that the cops were at Walmart and she was on the news....googling told me that 2 metro WMs were evacuated due to phone bomb threats...set 9p.m. news to record. she could've died...while her mother could've been sleeping on the couch. koren & cody went to KS for a family reunion. josh & kj are watching wrestling. wrestling is in KC tonite.

12 hours in hell

got to stay till 8p.m. last nite for heat....after a pep talk from my boss where I gave up my thursday morning off, will rush home in time for band trip. next tuesday will be just me and kj....and I have eye dr appt. which I will now have to cancel or reschedule or something. I can definitely understand why the guy at 4 jumped ship. all the smart rats are paddling about the boat now. kevin decided I shouldn't drive with the new pain pills, so rode in with kj, who also had to come back to get me, since his father started out with a spa day of message, chiropractor, and hair cut, then spent the day in the hayfield. so, I came home at 8:30 p.m. to make supper. kj had fed the dogs. had flashbacks to the day of my first birth control shot, I went to the clinic in my scrubs, straight from work, with 2 kids in tow. this is life.

the root canals...

lived thru them. did make enough noise at one point that kevin heard me in the lobby. (I got another shot!) their office is much more high tech than what I am used to....goggles, a tv....Kevin took out a 401k loan, he paid the dentist....$1400 since I had maxxed out my insurance, we had to pay it all. went to Hyvee to pick up my pain Rx, they couldn't find it and told us to come back. so we went to Best Buy & bought a new computer tower and printer. then to Michael's to look for camping charms for GS. then back to Hyvee to wait another hour or so. there were many irate customers. I know if circumstance ever finds me in KC needing pain meds again, I'll have it called into Walgreens. ate appetizers at Chili's before the appt, and supper at Texas Roadhouse. I have discovered that they offer baked potatoes and soup for their dentally impaired customers. The world is a wonderful place. Vivian spent the nite with katie last nite. kj took them to Phelps to help her paint her room, then they went to a softball game, then he took katie to bardwell's. where she developed a stomach ache & kevin & I picked her up about 10:30p.m. Josh, Corey, & Danny were here when we got home, KJ had bought Pizza Hut trailer for supper. another hot day. which means I will be staying late tomorrow. yay me.....

oh, yeah....

Missions trip left 5 AM Saturday...katie didn't go. she got home about midnite Friday after I picked her up and had to got Walmart for GS stuff for camping....Vivian couldn't go, so she stayed home to hang with Vivian. she pushes herself so hard, trying to do a lot of living in a few months of summer. I am exhausted.....she did say church camp was the best week of her life although there were a few rough spots.

if you ever google....

Friday nite picked katie up from camp (actually from kyla's house in bethany). saturday was Camp Animal Planet. she needed a ride to Cainsville to a friends. I was up most of the nite with the GS, she needed picked up at Cainsville Sun. afternoon, I came home and went to bed, then Bubba took her to Snappy's to pick up Vivian to spend the nite.
I have the root canal appt. in St Joe today. glad to get that over with. stayed up late last nite watching "Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies". kinda cool.
mom gave me a bunch more Aunt Minerva stuff....haven't started on it yet. Speaking of Aunt Minerva, my heart stopped the other day when I was waiting for my Rx at Hy-Vee and saw a little old white headed woman bent over a shopping cart going like Hell on wheels.....

family nite

after a day of work and a mandatory 'this is a condition of your employment' meeting, KJ & I went to mom and dads to visit Lisa, Max, & Logan. late nite call from Katie, she says all is well but doesn't sound happy. then a later nite text wanting to come home. I gave her a pep talk. she'll be home today somehow, someway, I have to stay late for heat, KJ had plans to go to the movies, he is not thrilled to be the designated Katie picker-upper.
mom gave me another box of genealogy stuff to wade thru when I have time and energy. have done nothing as of yet to get ready for TOMORROWS girl scout camp....other than the tent the boys pitched weeks ago....

life is quiet with Katie gone at church camp...

woke up sick tuesday morning, evidently not eating enough with pain pills and antibiotic. had kj drive me to work, pueked walking risers and walking my barns. did some sitting on the floor. ended up bawling in front of my grown son because I hurt so bad and didn't take time to eat lunch and take my pill. had to stay till 7:30 for heat, then came home and made supper with kevin and watched the new dance moms. he has been enjoying the soft core Bigfoot movie I taped on HBO. I have seen bits & pieces. no more pueking, have evidently got the Rx/food ratio right now. and I do feel much much better. still whiny & weepy, but that is an every day thing. stopped at store on way home today, changed our sheets! and swept/mopped/swiffered floors. made plans to go to moms tomorrow nite to see Lisa & boys after our mandatory 'this is a condition of your employment' meeting. going to leave the tent where the boys put it....that will be the site of our GS camp. need to repaint the sign. and buy hotdogs, buns, chips, s'mores stuff, pop, bottled water, and ice. got the letter in the mail for band booster swim trip. if katie goes on missions, she'll miss it. need to plan the GS swim day, too. summer is drawing to a close, and all the hot days staying at work are eating up my leisure hours. feelin' like I might even clean the turtle tank! I have gotten behind on my household chores while feeling like shit...have more new patches to sew on my quilt...another SyFy movie to watch...
kevin went back to dr, they drew blood, more antibiotics, and a cough syrup to help him sleep.
I have been busy reminding my loved ones to turn off lights when they leave the room so I can someday afford to quit my job. they think I am kidding...

i love my dentist and pain pills!

took a break at work to call Dr Cox & beg for an appt., got in on kj's cleaning, he has no cavaties. I go to ST Joe next week to have 1 definite, 2 probable abcesses fixed. but I have pain pills and antibiotics. life is good. kevin went to chiropractor. we ate at Washington Street.
came home to lounge about. Frontline on indoor critters. laundry folded and put away.
today is day 1 of Katie's first ever venture to church camp. have rec'd several texts. we know she is still alive.
Lisa & boys are supposed to be at mom and dad's this week.
kevin is contemplating seeing if Katie can hang out at Koren's our anniversary weekend so we can go to a hotel alone. while this idea is tantalizing, it is also kind of scary. we do date nites, but have never in 28 years done an overnite date nite, unless you count sleeping in a chair bedside after the other one had a late surgery in the city & you were too tired to go home and then come back after them the next morning. it seems almost scandelous! (but fun!) we could sleep naked....no kids....no dogs....do we dare?
I told kj he should review dental records before he fell in love...and his dad would probably agree. we have invested a fortune in my mouth. and apparently, it will never end....
watched the new Newsroom, now we are caught up. my Bigfoot soft core porn HBO movie is on the list...and my Abe Lincoln Zombie dvd is here....so many decisions! and so much trouble staying awake when I sit quietly for a few minutes! have a backlog of new books to read, finally finished the woman as jack the ripper one. having to have my reading glasses to read is a pain, I have to find them, settle in with them, find the book....and I have had this headache for over a week. will most likely stay late tomorrow @ work for heat, so will try to remember to pack my glasses and a new book.....

stung by wasp on the deck

took me totally unaware....just out bungling around & it stung my hand. I came in for wasp spray, took me a minute to find the nest because I was looking up....and it was down. in katie's old Little Tykes shopping cart. haven't been stung for years. so today....my lip and nose are swollen up....reaction to wasp sting or the steroid shot or some new development?
when I got home from work yesterday, felt optomistically good. the longer I sat, the more tired I was. she had to go to Blythedale. we couldn't find the house. they met us in town. on the way home, I decided it would be a good idea to take a new batch of pictures at Oaklawn & Zoar cemeteries. got really tired, my eyes hurt really bad, about called KJ to come save me. long story short, didn't get dog food on way home. sooooooo.....had to stay late at work tonite, then go buy dog food, katie church camp snacks, and get her some cash.
I didn't find uncle Willis Axsom's stone...did Aunt Mary & I find it all those years ago when we went? I can't remember, but I don't think so. a lot of stones there are toppled and unreadable.
kj fed dogs for me, I finally got the bills finished and ordered checks on line. kate is zonked. her dad picked her up from her all nite swimming and camping adventure. I am ready to sink into the couch and fold some laundry. also need to clean some floors, but let's get real. not gonna happen.

I'm alright....

nobody worry 'bout me.....made it to dr today, we discussed Bell's Palsey and stroke, she thinks my facial numbness is due to sinus swelling pressing on a nerve. got a super duper steroid shot. if I dont' get better, back to dr. if I get worse, straight to ER and the possibility of finding out what a MRI costs....I was kind of scared...I was thinking TIA. what with my weight, and B/P, and stress level.....weighted 215 today, BP 140/74.

okey dokey

maybe finding kj's old pain pills wasn't such a good idea....my top lip is stiff and swollen and won't move. googling possible side effects.....this is one. sign of allergic reaction. then it mentions not to take if you've had side effects from codene....I am probably not dying, but am worried. and feeling a bit stupid for adding in more problems....

hydrocodone bitartrate & APAP 7.5 mg/500mg

going to be a fun day....will try to get dr appt this am, or one for tomorrow....maybe she can figure out what is wrong with me? 2 people leaving early today leaves me @ work alone....life is good.

nothing fucks up your Friday...

like realizing it's only Wednesday....
KJ took Katie to orthodonist and got pulled over on way home for flipping off local law enforcement. he got a warning. Katie was wearing her seatbelt...
Kevin took the nite off, Drs. orders. border line pnuemonia. mouth hurts, head hurts, ears hurt.

tonight....we are young....lets set the world on fire....we can burn brighter than the sun...

Monday nite was Date Night....Applebees (the fried green tomato and turkey club was good!), saw Ted, did some Walmart shopping for something for my toothache/earache that isn't so bad today but still smarts....and then ice cream at DQ. I love Peanut Buster Parfaits. I remember when we were little kids Aunt Mary took us to DQ to try Peanut Buster Parfaits when they were new. she decided they were too salty and took them away from us and took them back to the counter and demanded a refund. I still eat one every chance I get! it was a nice ride home in the a/c. the heat has broke, still summer time, but not like sticking your head into a hot oven.
Monday was katie's first day of Einstein camp. Bubba bought them pizza hut trailer for supper. we got home about midnite.
Tuesday once again discovered I am getting a bit long in the tooth to stay out half the nite then get up and go to work early....especially when I had to get up at 4:30a.m. to go to work. katie blew off Einstein camp today. her dad was pissed. she is now grounded. (?) we have already paid for church camp...whatever. he's in charge when I am gone. came home to take a nap on the couch, then made meatloaf and kevin peeled potatoes for supper. gonna cottage fry them, I think. having to cut my food into tiny pieces to eat, yet I trudge on. can't decide if it is an ear infection, or something wrong with my new bridge, or some other horrible broken/infected/diseased/rotten tooth problem. tried to call dentist yesterday, it was busy. like I could get off work anyway....
the plan was to watch the new 21 Jumpstreet dvd but for some reason, the baseball All Star game is on....I fell asleep watching something about Sturgis Bike Week with Kevin....looked interesting. but I'm pretty sure my wide ass couldn't ride a bike that far and back....although the leather vest with no shirt would be fun and we all know I can do the bleached bleached bleached blonde look....

only had to stay till 6:30 last nite for heat. it was thundering, still random thunder today. no rain. today I slept in, Katie didn't feel good enough to go to church, so I have not left the yard all day. watched the Aracnaquake syfy movie, which was fun, made lunch, took a nap...have a headache, my teeth hurt, summer allergies....this is my life.

Thank you for purchasing a Rock City Birdhouse. It is truly a piece of AMericana that has been etched into Southern culture for over 50 years. The history of the Rock City birdhouse is linked inexorably with that of the See Rock City Barn. As America began to embrace the automobile and took to the roads, so too did Rock City with the message to visit its enchanted gardens. Beginning in the 1930's, Rock City began a most unusual advertising campaign that culminated in over 900 barns across America being painted with the slogan SEE ROCK CITY. The Rock City barn was soon born and soon was a common sight along the highways and byways of America. The Rock City Birdhouse became a natural extension of the barns and continued to spread the message SEE ROCK CITY, only in miniature form. The birdhouse kit you hold in your hands is an authentic piece of this most unusual and truly American institutution. Our wish is that this birdhouse gives you many years of service and urges you to come and SEE ROCK CITY.

— with Kevin Dailey at Cracker Barrel, Franklin, Tennessee.

my wonderful husband built this for me!
we didn't make it to Rock City, but I love advertising on old barns! and maybe someday I will make it back down there and actually see the enchanted gardens of Rock City.

illegal immigrants

they want my job, they can have it. had to stay for heat tonite...till 7:15p.m. had to start work at 5:30a.m. can you say sucky? have to take one of the days of jenn's weekend since her dr gave her a 40 hr workweek restriction....so much for the supposed double comp days...if you can't even get your own weekend off, not much hope of any other days off. the only reason I see KJ anymore is that he works half days in my barn. it is ridiculous. this is just a job, not a lifestyle.

let freedom ring!

I realize today is a holiday, but since I don't get holidays off, I don't get all excited about them. Katie is doing fireworks at Vivians. Kevin worked for holiday pay. Kj got to see a not-so-charming side of his mommy at work today. and speaking of work, Jennifer got a 40 hour week restriction from her dr. how sad is a job that you have to get a 40 hr restriction for? + it is her weekend to work. and now she won't have to, unless he cuts her a deal for days off next week. she can no longer stay for heat. guess tomorrow will be my day again. double comp hours my ass.
kj was such a sweetie, he bought me pepsi on the way home since our little grocery store closed early (did you know today is evidently some sort of holiday?)
got my to-do-list for today done: filled out info form for summer school, did the GS troop financial report (on plain paper since my printer for some reason is not working), sewed the rip in katie's zebra body pillow AND even threw in a bonus item....bills. kj did the outside chores. we watched some South Park together. he went to the park to shoot hoops for a few minutes. this is the first 4th of July in years where Katie hasn't been expected to dance at Princeton's festivities. thinking I'll look up letter boxing and geo caching and see if it is workable for our GS camp. maybe I can come up with something....
maybe I'll fix some holes in the wall (Kevin found the goop). or sew the newest patches on my quilt. more will be arriving. gotta love amazon.com! probably will just sit in front of the tv and drink pepsi. or read the genealogy notes from lisa. will have to pick katie up at some point and time. she says vivian and phelps are coming home with her.

a long day

the office temp got to 101. stayed at barn till 8. kate & vivian left before I got home, josh & corey were here. kevin took me out to supper at Crossroads, then handed me a Mikes Hard when we got home.

katie & vivian go campin'

they conned kj, corey, & josh into setting up their tent....I found a jar to catch fireflies in...and after watching me tear the house and garage apart to find extension cords for the girls to charge their phones with, then adding in strands of xmas lights...kevin told me there was a plug in on the pole right by their tent...

Bigfoot on syfy

caught the end of this movie...former child stars of The Partridge Family and The Brady Bunch chasing a King Kong sized Bigfoot in South Dakota....can't wait for it to come on again! this was the last showing, a smart search didn't turn up any others....(sigh) and it's not on amazon.com yet...does syfy sell their own movies? hmmmmm.....

Queen Anne's Lace

adding to my summer-to-do-list:

1. drying Queen Anne's Lace to try to make a picture like a past Mercer superintendants wife did

2. making Queen Anne's Lace jelly

3. taking pictures of Mercer square for my cousin Jerry


QUEEN ANNE'S LACE JELLY OR FLOWER
JELLY










Jar full of flower heads
Boiling water
Juice of 1 lemon
Certo or Sure Jell
3 c. sugar


For violet, lilac, rose petal, Queen Anne's Lace, milkweed, clover, elderberry, dandelion, carnation, peony or any edible sweet smelling flower: make an infusion by pouring boiling water over jar full of flower heads. (On roses or peonies cut off white parts on petals.) Let stand at least 5 hours or overnight. Strain and for every 2 1/2 cups of infusion add juice of lemon and 1 package of Sure Jell or Certo. Bring to boil, add 3 cups sugar and boil hard 1 minute. Place piece of flower in jar for identification (you may opt not to do this). Pour in jelly and seal. If you use honey instead of sugar, add 1 1/2 cups honey at the end because honey loses its nutritional value when boiled.
This jelly is nice to serve with English muffins at tea or breakfast. It's fun to collect the blossoms on a pleasant summer walk

sunday

alept in, put more stuff in dance shadow box, took grape lights out of box and placed out on porch, swept/swiffered/mopped, cleaned bathroom...going to pick up katie 1-or- 2ish-at-an-as-of-yet-undisclosed-location-in-the-Bethany-area....