December 12, 2015

I really wish I could stop waking up around 4:30 as it really sucks getting tired around 8 in the evening.  Ethan’s game was to start at 8, so I knew I needed to leave by 7:45 and before I knew it, it was 7:24, so that knocked my yoga plans right put the door.  It was under 32 degrees last night – frost all over the deck.  I love this weather.  

The game began. Within minutes the score was ten  to one, their team.  It was a brutal game.  In fact, I’m quite sure many of the opposing team were actually college freshman for Michigan State’s basketball team.  The score ended up, opponentrs ahead 64-22.  The loss meant a noon consolation game, so I hustled off to my former neighbor’s where I had lived when I was married.  This house was built by this couple, Sam and Shelley and it is one of the nicest homes I have ever been in.  They had added to the home since I had last seen it, added to the deck, to the pool they had built themselves.  I was astounded.   We talked a bit, caught up on news, then they gave me a lot of firewood.  Soon, I will be going to help them split wood so I can get more.  

Headed off to pay off credit card bills from the Europe trip, then I headed back to game two.  I didn’t see my daughter anywhere (L was supposed to bring her to the game) and he told me she hadn’t wanted to come, that she had said she’s texted me and I said I would get her after the game.  Now, I’m not going to complain, but there are many reasons why this piece of news was the straw the broke the camel’s back.  I stomped outside, quite huffy-like, because I wanted to “get some air” (as I told him), then texted Maggie that NO,  she had not asked me to pick her up, etc.   After a moment or two, I returned to my seat and noticed L was no longer there. I sat and watched the game.  Game two was…not  any better.  The slaughter was as severe, only the team wasn’t as brutal.  The best thing, however, was watching Ethan laughing and having a wonderful time with his teammates across from me.  Eventually I noticed a man who looked like L sitting next to some high school girls.  It was about 5 minutes after this that I realized one of the high school girls was wearing the boots Maggie had purchased with me a few weeks ago.  That high school girl was my daughter.  Immediately, I texted L an apology and did the same for Maggie.  

After the game, Boy headed off to spend the night with his friend and the girl and I headed home to unload the wood.  She hadn’t been to the house since we returned from Switzerland and hadn’t seen it unpacked.  The pups were so happy to see their girl again.  We took care of a few things and then off to go get a Christmas tree. No decorating yet as Christkindl will decorate it on the 24^th with me and both kids, since Mags is 12 now.  I was sad Ethan wasn’t with us, but…those kids are growing up.  Soon it’ll be just me getting the tree and all the rest, so…I was happy my girl was with me.  It was time, then, for Maggie to help me get some clothes for Hipsmas.  I have no “nice” clothes  and wanted her input.  I am still not a “girl”…my shows are boots or high tops or Merrells and all my dresses are pre-grad school size.  While Mags said I looked beautiful in the 2 dresses I tried on, I call hogwash on that one.  I’ve watched football for much of my early life and now exactly what a linebacker would look like in a dress – and that was me.  I’ll make another effort tomorrow, but for now, no way.

Off for dinner where Mags selected the music after being subjected to my “Toy Dolls” selection. She chose Mackelmore , initially, but then went with NWA.  My skinny little white girl daughter loves NWA, which is kinda rad. I listened to them when I was a teen, though not as young, but rap was brand new at that point where I have introduced my kids to just about everything.  Then home to start the fire where it only took me about an hour to get it going (face smash).  I have no idea about wood stoves and am grateful Bridget wrote how to prime it.  I’ll try that soon.  I need to get an ax to chop the kindling smaller and get more newspaper.  We sat down and watched Elf together, though I really wanted to watch an old Burt Reynold’s movie (we say a bit of ‘Shamus’ while we were eating and it brought back happy-feely memories), but that’ll be for tomorrow when Ethan is here.  

Pictures: Court-side seats!!!; First thing I saw this morning; Mags hugging our tree.

September 12, 2015

Today my day began and ended with spiders and I love that.  Mags discovered Violet had molted and was wearing her new fur  and tonight I noticed a spider working hard at wrapping another spider up.  Rebirth and Death, how very symbolic.  I do love symbols.

We all enjoyed a leisurely late morning, but once I discovered how late it was, Ethan and I got going to head to the automotive paint shop with Lizzie Mae.  We are checking out how to strip her down and prep her.  Drew from  German Auto Werks suggested I go here as they taught him everything about painting (he said) but I must appear inept or something because they told me it really needed someone who knew what they were doing and they gave me some numbers.  Ah, well.  Mags and I soon headed down the hill to pick up Chenoa so we could shop for dance dresses.  The smoke was so thick in points that visibility was less than a mile.  The fire was staying around 64,000 acres, but see, I knew it had to be doing some damage; the smoke….it was terrible.

We met at Starbucks in Folsom, then the girls and I headed to the Palladio.  They got out  and begun the search for garments as I stayed in and continued the search for parking.  The  parking structure was my solution.  Mags found a dress right off, Chenoa found one in H&M.    Accomplished!!  Now Maggie was dying to go to Claire’s.  Ugh.  I'm not a Claire's fan.   Things became tricky when the girls went to Pinkberry’s and I , with my roving eye noticed something:  Jake’s Desserts.  Now what kind of a joke is this?  I went in to look, and left.  I went in again…and left once more.  The next time I returned,  it was with $2.50 I had borrowed from my daughter.  I can’t believe she made me do that.  THEN she made me EAT IT.  This hell live in.  I will state that when they went into the chocolate place, I only tested the sample after I finished my Halls…I did not buy anything.  How could I?  Jake would not approve (his name was nowhere – I checked).  We headed up the hill to pick up Ethan and then met Deb back in EDH.  What a lovely time it had been – even though it involved shopping.

The kids and I headed to Sky Sushi to meet with Brian, Lindsay and our little ballerina Sophia.  It had been quite some time since we had enjoyed sushi together and soon I will be heading back to the gym, so you know what that means.  We had a terrific time and even Ethan seemed brighter – cheerier.  Now, I’ve had a lifetime of SSRIs and know there is no effect this quickly, but I believe, I hope it is that Ethan finally feels a little relief from this Dark Depression he has had, there there is a A Way Out.  We shall see.  We talked for a while and then headed home.  There was a single car collision into the one tree on the center divide of the freeway.  Speed, every time.  Just like Jonathon.  I don’t think anyone died, but it can happen that quickly.  Per my usual, I pointed this out to the kids (I had also given Chenoa her Driving Tips and Life Lessons during our car ride using on driving in the right land, the left lane is for passing, focus, and don’t speed.

  

After sushi, the kids and I prepared to play cards, but I needed to get an inhaler for me and seltzer water for the kids and I .   I ended up with some decent medicine which should help and 2 cases of seltzer: kids and I were gonna party.  We had a few fun games of “Joker.”  First I should the kids the Kanye/Freddie Mercury video.  They love Freddie and Queen and think Kanye is a jackass - proof that I have raised them well.  Then we got down to some ABBA.  Mags tired quickly – she is very excited about the upcoming Best week Of Her Life.  Ethan and I kept playing, even though I was exhausted, this kid was laughing and having such fun and I would much rather hang out with him than <no offense> go into my room to write my 5aD.  

Pictures: Ethan and Sophia having fun; This smoke killed my pet owl; Violets old fur coat; Mags and I washed the car for the first time since January (there's a DROUGHT!) and Mother Hips came off; Joker <3