(no subject)

The Daughter and S.O. stopped smoking yesterday. Good thing it was Sunday because he was worthless. Spent the whole day either in bed or sleeping in his chair. About the only useful thing he did was to water the big plant. i'm not sure he even read a book. i'm not complaining about him, i just didn't realize trying to quit would effect a person that way.

Master seems to think someone has hacked my computer. i don't know if that means this computer too, or only the one in Kuwait. When we were talking yesterday He kept getting strange messages. Nothing bad, just a bunch of letters and symbols that make no sense. And, they didn't show up in my history and were sent at times when i sent nothing. Weird, eh?

This morning Son is coming down to take me to Mother's. First, we will have to go back to the airport to return the car. And he has to be back in Waverly to pick up his spousal unit by 4:00. i know Daughter was hoping they would have some time for a visit. And he said there would be, but not much. He hopes to be here before 11:00. It's at least 40 minutes to the airport, and from there 2 1/2 hrs. to Mother's. Then another 40 min. to Waverly. He is going to have a long driving day. i hope to bring Mother down here for a day to visit. She hasn't seen the kid's new place. i know Daughter would like to show it off.

Yesterday Daughter and i took a drive. We took the camera and we took some pictures. Most of them are boring, of corn and beans and clouds and trees. The yearning i get in the land of terminal beige to see green is sometimes overpowering. i have decided i will get these developed and make a collage entitled 'Green.' i will hang it in my office so i can look at it whenever i get down. And, i'll be able to give students some idea of what another part of the world looks like.

i also talked with Woowoo yesterday. Seems the Colo munch group is having a bootblack party/munch the twoth of August. She is wondering if i can be down there for it. i haven't decided if i want to drive or fly. Really i want to drive, but i don't want to pay to rent a car. Tomorrow i will check into tickets. i wonder if i could take a train? She said she has her ring. Now they just have to set a date. i keep hinting but i'm pretty sure it won't happen in August. Drat.

i love the sprint telephone commercials.

(no subject)

Mother and i went shopping yesterday. First to the pet store, then the dress store, then lunch. On the way home i tried to make a doctor's appointment, but the earliest i could get in was in October. And that isn't going to work. Also called the ophthalmologist about an apointment. That was also nearly a fiasco, but i'm willing to see any one so i set that for July 30.

At the pet store i met up with the son of one of Daugher's ex-relationships. i'm so happy to see it appears son is cut from a whole 'nuther bolt of cloth than dad. He doesn't even want to haev anything to do with dad anymore and all i can say is more power to him. He is married now, has two children, and seems to have a work ethic that is entirely foreign to his father. He's he'd a the same job for nearly two years. His step sister is on the road to hell and i fully expect her to end up in juvie before she hits 16, probably pregnant the second time before then too. She is living with her dad, the state took her away from her bio mother because of OUIs so i don't hold out much hope for her. The poor thing only needs love and attention, but living with her father is not going to get her the right kind of either. i'm so glad Daughter is not a part of that mess anymore.

Ellen stopped by last night after work. We are going to go out for dinner about 5 then meet up with Connie about 6:30. Don't know if Mother will come with us to Connie, but i suppose that will be alright. Ellen said John is getting a checking account of his own, and she doesn't like that idea much. She hopes it doesn't indicate anything future plans. i don't see it, but John has always been quiet, so i really don't know. My belief is they are finally in a place where she can save most of her money and this is his way of telling her that. i say she should buy a boat. Then see how he feels about separate checking accounts.

i tried to see the kids yesterday, but when i called there was no answer. Daughter-in-law has today off also, so we may try that one again today.

i miss Master. i've been reading the goings on on the list. Seems people allow themselves to get all het up by someone they don't even know. Doesn't make sense to me. Just because one person says it's so, and uses pseudoscientific terms, and presents ideas in a way that is quite eloquent, doesn't make it so. i have never understood the need to explain or try to convince another of something that is so far down on the scale of priorities in life as to lose one's temper. i can understand how one would feel condescended to by the way another writes, but sheesh, if that's what rows someone's boat what does it matter? it's always good for a laugh a few days later, no matter what the outcome of the discussion. Apparently some people need to feel right to feel validated. Too bad when two some peoples get on the same topic. Sister's husband tried to get into that one with me once. He was wrong, i told him he was wrong, this was one area in which i had more experience than he, but he wasn't going to accept my word. Ok by me, it was not a life threatening sort of thing and he is entitled to his opinion. Someday he will meet up with someone else who knows he is wrong. Maybe that person will have enough clout with him to make him see the error of his thinking. Then again, maybe not. Who cares?

i've been trying to find a ticket to South Carolina. Ellen says John has done their last ones to Albany over the net. i tried last night and couldn't find anything suitable. She said airlines are no longer subsidizing travel agents so tickets have an added handling fee. BAh! i really really want to drive, but am having trouble justifying to myself the cost of driving versus the cost of flying, and Woowoo said she would pick me up at the airport. i guess i'll go struggle with the ticket thing again. Maybe i can take a train.

the beginning of week two

Son came down to pick me up yesterday. He brought the kiddlettes down with him so he didn't have to pay for a day at day care. Got to Daughter's house just about 11. We had some pizza and loaded up the trunk with my bags and got on the road again before 12:30. He had to be back to pick up his wife at work by 4. He brought Mother's car, it would have been a bit crowded in his truck. We had a nice trip back. Andy isn't on his meds for the summer. i don't know if it's a cost cutting measure or not. He loses focus very easily and is much more restless now, but not out of the scope of being able to be dealt with. Bizzy knows she can get him in trouble and does it all the time. But they are just kids.

Sister and her unit came up last night for a short visit. He is going to Pennsylvania on Friday for the weekend. She has Friday off and Monday, but has to work the weekend. i don't know what we will do, but i'm pretty sure Mother will want to do something. i have to take her to the counselor on Thursday and then she has another appointment one day next week. No problem. i feel i have to take over most of the chores while i'm here because Sister has had the burden all year. Mother said they have been very good to her, and i'm happy for that. i do believe that if Sister and hers weren't 'older' this situation would have caused problems for them, being just newly married and all. But they seem to be handling it all quite well. Now it's my turn so they can have a breather.

i have to call Connie today. i need to hear her voice. i love it when Ellen and she and i can be together but Ellen tends to hog the conversation so Connie and i don't get much chance to talk. Unless of course it's at the lake and we have gotten Ellen soused and sent her to bed. Of course that means that Connie and i are also in that condition, but boy o man do we have some good conversations. Being away from friends like these two is just another hard part of living so far away from home. The three of us have gone through a lot together and i still haven't forgiven Barb for dying. And we still talk about her and with her when the rest of us get together.

Mother has a nice little house. She has way more stuff than she needs to fill it. Makes negotiating the rooms a bit hazardous. The fireplace is a real draw. And she has a dishwasher and a self-cleaning oven. Mighty high on my list of priorities. Nice carpet throughout the place. The stairway is a bit narrow, but i guess that will make it easier for her or me to bounce against if we lose our step or our knees go out. Nice yard, son is the gardener, and a nice little back deck. Big enough for a porch glider and a couple of chairs. Nice quiet neighborhood, and just a couple of blocks from Sister. Mother can walk down to her house but hasn't been able to make it back up the hill home. Sister has a bike now so she and hers can ride up here, but they haven't managed that yet. The uphill part is a bit tough for her. Not used to it, i guess. But they do manage to ride home.

It's nice she has a bike. Right near here is a beautiful nature trail and bike path. Maybe she'll let me borrow the bike and ride for exercise. Maybe we can even ride together, but i doubt it, because his bike will be way to tall for me. Time will tell