I get a phone call this morning…..

I have been trying to give T some room….she wants to be able to go to the park with her friends, walk/roll to school, go to the movies…well just to be independent. My problem with this… is it safe? Is it normal for a girl like T to do these things alone?

There are two hills on the way to school the first one goes DOWN and connects with another very busy road. T has been practicing this hill for a while now, and she can cruise it on her own….usually I am running behind yelling to slow down and to watch the ditch and to….okay I just nag her. She loves it (the hill not the nagging)…for once she can go faster then all of the other kids. You should see her face…the rush is something she has never felt.

I probably should mention that T has been using the wheelchair since school started. Her last botox treatment didn't last as long as it should have.

Emotionally, letting T roll to school alone is a very hard thing for me, I cannot seem to let go, but T has been working hard learning how to navigate hills and maneuver her wheelchair safely. I need to give her a chance, she is in 6^th grade and I feel that she needs to be able handle this stuff, without me running behind nagging.

This morning she took off to school in her wheelchair with all of the kids, her sisters were there and her friend Cody. I stayed home so I could have 15 extra minutes to do chores.

I got the phone call from David (Cody’s step dad), the phone call scared me…. I thought T had rolled into the road and was hit by a car…

I rushed out of the house to go get her and was there in 5 seconds flat… When I got there were five cars pulled over and a crowd, you would have thought that there was a fatal accident…. I really am surprised the APD, fire dept, and ambulance were not there. I am thankful that David was there because the other adults (Moms headed to schools to drop kids off and school employee’s headed to work) were totally overreacting.… but all was okay, she just a little muddy. She only ditched it. It was just a little roll over; the air bags didn’t go off, no flats, and no major damage to her or her ride.

After I dismissed the crowd, I loaded T and the chair into the truck. When I finally got into the truck, she was in tears, NOT because she was hurt, but because...

1.) the adults did not let her take care of it.

2.) the adults (other then David) were not listening to her. They wanted to call the school and everybody but me. T just wanted to upright her chair and move on. The kids could have helped her do this.

3.) the cool kids saw all of this chaos.

4.) Rumors will go around the school.

5.) Her aides will hear about it and she will never be left alone again.

With most kids, age leads to independence with T she has to work for it. She could have handled this situation on her own. She really was not that muddy and really did not need to come home. I brought her home so she could calm down and she was back at school in no time.

While at home, we talked about how to handle this and how to prevent it from happening again. We decide it wasn’t her first crash….once when she was a baby took her wheels down the “stairs from hell” at grandma‘s….and it won’t be her last crash. This means that not rolling/walking to school is not an option. We decided that I would have to chaperone her from on, not to keep her from crashing, but to keep the “Good Samaritans” away.

Thank you for your help…but sometimes it is best to ask questions first and then LISTEN to the answers. Even if they are children!!!

I'll show you mine.....

Tabitha has shared her polar bears with Marty. He has been hunting for one, without luck, for a while …I wish him luck but I can't bear to see him eaten. So I will also share my polar bear..... this one plays nice.
















(Once again i do not know who to credit but i can tell you where i got it if you want to sue them)

K's World

K wanted me to print her picture, so that she could mail it to her family....I promised I would post it.

Invisible...

If you could be invisible for the day, where would you go and what would you do?

David Letterman

Maggie, the elephant at the Anchorage Zoo, was just mentioned on David Letterman. David was sharing with the world how Maggie needs to excerise and how wonderful it was that Christy Alley could part with her treadmill.

My Friday

Since I have cut down on smoking, I decided to take Barley for a run this morning. Ah well, more like I let Barley run me. We did really well matching pace and he even slowed when I felt the need. Every once in awhile I had to stop and plant my feet just to make sure he did not take off with me. We only had one real issue, we had good pace going and all of the sudden he decided to stop and smell the Yarrow!!! He stopped I kept going. I had the lovely feeling of being the one on the other end of the leash. Good thing it wasn't around my neck.

(Barley is the big dog)


Barley and I found this on our run....It is hard to tell by the picture but it is a garbage can full of empty vanilla extract bottles and the packaging they came in. The can was full and although I did not search through it I did not see any other trash around.
Here is the million dollar questions ....
1.) Who would buy or steal that much vanilla extract? It has to be a few hundred dollars worth. 2.) Who would bother to sit where everyone can see to drink it and then proceed to throw it away? If I had that kind of problem, I think I would be hiding in the woods 10 feet away and why bother using a trash can.
3) Why not just go for the VODKA...It would easier to hide in your pants when stealing it or cheaper to buy. Vanilla isn't cheap and have you ever tried to shove a case of Vanilla Extract in you pants????

I also went to Wal-Mart with my sister….

I can no’t take her anywhere!!! She is always picking up guys!!!

Oh yeah, I won tickets to a comedy show tonight....we probably won't go though.....SHANA WOULD RATHER PLAY BINGO (Boy she is old, did I mention that she is a GRANDMA, twice) and John would rather stay home.

Another Friday night on the home front.

Overheard at the park....

…Three boys …One magnifying glass… one daddy long leg…

“DO YOU SMELL THAT? Hey smell it!!!!"

The smell of burning bugs.... i will never understand boys

Quiet Weekend

I think saw Uncle Woody this morning, I swear it had to of been him. When our eyes met, he paused and took a second glance. This person was of shorter stature and had full beard. Most of his hair had gone gray but he obviously had been a red head. Jake’s forehead and Val’s stress lines were also very pronounced.

It has been so long since we have seen him it could have been anyone. Maybe I should have tracked him down to say “hi”, but he was on the other side of the fence at U-haul….And I was sitting in the parking lot at Club Oasis. Being Sunday, the situation seemed somewhat hard to explain so; I ignored my urge to run after him. What would grandma think?

So on another thought ~ never, never, never-ever, just jump out of the truck in a bar parking lot, especially on a Saturday or Sunday morning. Where do drunken people go to purge the poison? The parking lot…but being my lucky day, I saw IT before I stepped out of the truck. Poor sucker lost their smokes along with the $40 worth of cocktail drinks.

K went camping in “Seward” for the weekend with a friend. She was so excited to go, this time it was going to be in this huge motor home with electricity, toilet, shower and even heat. Not the way we do things….for us it is… I get the camper, the kids get the tents, and J fishes. We do it the “clan way” no power, no water, no heat, and no poop house. If it is not broken or stolen, it cannot enter the “HOLE IN THE WALL”.

So anyway… I said “Seward” because K never left town. They spent the weekend at her friend’s house because it was raining in Seward. She did not get her stay in the motor home, but was not at all disappointed. They built blanket forts in the living room and roasted marshmallows in their fireplace. They spent their days running all over town shopping.

With that said, the rest of us had a very quiet weekend. Saturday T, D, and I hung at the mall, while J slept in the truck. When we got home I took a long nap, this is great way to pass time when you are trying not to smoke. We then went to dinner and dropped T off at a friend’s house for a sleepover. Today I helped decorated for a wedding (that is my excuse for being at Club O at 10am on a Sunday morn), I think it looked all right when we were done. Someone there asked me “where’d you learn to decorate”….I had to give the McLay’s credit for that one.

Whoof Arted

STUPID, STUPID, STUPID

Oh man, I am so illiterate …..And no one commented about it…..thank you for not making me feel stupid…..

“Oh I have been wanted to share this with the pubic for so many years…”

What the heck is that???? I am so laughing at myself….it should have read…..

“Oh, I have wanted to share this with the public for so many years…..”

I think I better reset word….so that it does not correct me when I am typing….and I think I will have my editor fired.

Oh yeah …..

Welcome new bloggers …..Don’t forget to send V your hawt chick panties….see she is the queen of blog and you must pay your taxes. The rest of you try to find the newbie’s!!!!!

And it is down to 9 smokes….not quitting, just never going to buy them again.

I am still laughing PUBIC!!!!!!!

It is 12pm September 15, 2005, I have 14 smokes left

Reason’s to quit

1. the health of those I love

2. the influence I may be having on others

3. my bones

4. my health

5. CANCER

6. the smell

7. the cost/taxes

8. socially unacceptable

Here are my triggers….

1. Waking up

2. Coffee

3. Food

4. Working at the computer

5. Driving

6. Trauma/ Drama/ Stress

7. Other Smokers

8. Alcohol

9. Exercise

10. Sex

11. anyone telling me to quit

12. The thought of quitting

And now all I can think of is having a cigarette…...

Oh I have been wanted to share this with the pubic for so many years…

Handicap Parking ~ I am all for it, if you are legal that’s great, don't abuse it.

First, I hear complaints that there are too many handicap parking spots….well it only seems that way. There are countless times that I could not find parking. I have had to carry T to the door or she was so exhausted that she couldn’t walk once we got in the store or people trying to run us over because we are slow walking across the parking lot. In fact it seems as if the problem is getting worse as she gets older.

AND THE LOADING ZONE….you know that huge spot that is between the handicap parking. That is not a parking spot!!!!! It is there because people with disabilities sometimes have equipment and they need the extra room. You park there I can not be responsible for ding and scratches to your car. I once got cussed out and almost ran over for asking an illegal parker to move so that T would not scratch her car. It scared my little ones…..and I feel bad for hers. We called the police.

Okay with that said here is my real bitch….it is the people legal to park there. Every day I go to pick T up, she is the only child in the elementary school with a physical handicap. 600 students and I swear 500 of them get picked up by their adults. 600 students and there are only 35 to 40 parking spots. 600 students and every one of them have very active parents and grandparents in the school; on a special occasion there are at least 1800 people in and out of that building. With 600 students there are 30 or more teachers, 2 of them are disabled. There are 3 handicap parking spots …..3!!!! Do the math.

Okay so we plan ahead sometimes we walk or show up early….that’s alright. But when I go and pick up my child (reminder I am saving the district thousands of dollars doing this) and I can’t find a parking spot…or I can’t load at the fire lane (cause it takes to long)….I have to show up 15 minutes early to get a handicap parking spot….or wait 20 minutes to get a spot. The reason why…..

grandparents who pick up their children. Okay one year it was the lesbian couple that always made out. Try explaining that to your kindergartener. They must have all the time in the world, they show up to the school 15 to 20 minutes early to pick up physically able children. Where do they park?...Handicap parking. Sure they are legal but they never get out of their car. I know these children they are not only physical able to walk but also mentally able to find the car they need to.

I have discussed with the school about adding a student Handicap Parking Spot; but that is discrimination. I would talk to the abusers but I really don’t want to get ran over or cussed at in the school parking lot. I have asked the principal to talk to them, but they are legally parked there. Once the school even had the cops out to ticket the abusers, but they were legal. The school did finally help; we now have the special permission to park in the handicap loading zone. No thank you!!! So now I pick my kids up 15 minutes late everyday to avoid the stress.

My point is if you are legal to park in Handicap Parking you should only use it when you have to get out of the car to go inside. Stepping out of the car to open the door for you child does not count.

Maybe its time to write to Ann Landers or Miss Manners…….

Dad’s Party and the red wagon…

The wagon wasn’t the only gift he got, us children pitched in and bought him a new lawn ornament, yes un-imaginative, but what to you get a guy that has everything. It was a wood carving of a moose. Anyway the moose ran off during the clean up, we later figured out that he has been traveling the states, visiting family with my aunt, but that’s another story. Anyway after the disappearing of the moose dad locked his wagon up. He was going to make sure he got the first ride.

A few weekends later, Memorial weekend 2005, the clans gathered for the first time at “The Hole In The Wall” (that is another story), everyone was there, the bears, buffalo’s, moose, wolves, skunks, ravens (just clan-ed this year), and the purple monkeys (the squatters or guests). Traditionally we stay at in state campgrounds, this year the PIT was ready for us. It is a PIT, a sand pit on my parents land, it is dusty when the sun is out and a mud puddle when raining. We are turning it into our private campground, I said we were weird. Last year we dug an outhouse only to find, this year, the hole filled with sand from the spring run off, this meant every year our shit will wash down into our living space. This year we dug ditches to keep from flooding, and argued about where to put the new shit house. Anyway, as all children, we got bored of working all the time and had to find an outlet…..

Dad was at the house writing a fishing report, Mom stopped by the camp for dinner, it was perfect timing. We had to find the keys to the Video store (where dad had locked the wagon up) we couldn’t let mom know because she would tell on us. I shouldn’t say this but mom leaves her keys in the car, so we stole her keys, hopefully she wouldn’t need them in the near future. We jumped into the truck and took off. Well dad wasn’t home writing his fishing report, like we had thought, he was headed into AP, we followed right behind him through town, and pulled into the video store, he turn into the hardware store right across the street.

We new the upstairs was locked from the inside and the only other way in is through an eight inch gap behind a display case, so guess who had to go in, me!!! First I had to convince the lady working (remember I am NOT from AP) that I was the owners daughter and that I need to get something from upstairs. Living in a small town people do whatever they can to help out, she let me proceed. I squeezed through the small gap and made my way up stairs, before searching for the wagon I stopped by the old movie storage room and grabbed a porn (dad pulled all the porn off the shelves when he bought the place couldn’t be part of corrupting AP seeing how it is such a wholesome town), but I knew it would come in handy later…. For a prank ya know. Anyway I closed my eyes and grabbed a porn. I then found the wagon and headed straight for the stairs. Well the wagon wouldn’t fit through the gap so I had to get assistance from the poor lady at the counter. Well, luckily before I headed down the stairs I stopped hid the movie it in my jacket, I couldn’t let the world know I was stealing porn.

We finally got the wagon out, but dad was still across the street, I knew mom would need her keys soon but if I left the whole thing was blown. I had no choice, with the movie under my jacket and a wagon under my arm I dodged to the truck. I wasn’t seen. Ever try to shove a wagon into the back of a 3 door Chevy, well it wasn’t easy. We made it back to camp safely. Mom still was at the fire, which meant she hadn’t missed her keys and we had the wagon!!! It was still shiny and new so pretty.

I will let the pictures tell the rest……..

For the first run was with me the Alpha Wolf, the cow buffalo, and Papa Bear. We decided to go down the cliff. It didn't go so well....but we didn't break the wagon.

The second time the boys went down the road that leads to the PIT. In the navigators seat is Papa Bear, then Wolf Man, and in the rear Big Butt Buffalo. They decided to put the big guy in back for speed. Papa Bear the guy in front is practaly blind the two dopes in back were actually sober. The trip was acually successful. After a few more times down the hill dad caught us and yes he got a turn.

(Photo Taken by Anna)

The movie was not harmed in anyway, it turned out to be a guy on guy movie and it was R-rated (???R-rate???)…. and it ended up being the booby prize for the weekend. It was wrapped with a few condoms and a Viagra. I am sure it made its way back to the storage room where old porn goes to die.

Boob Job

New word on the street is that I got a boob job!!!! YEAH HAW!!! When will they be delivered? When we went to Homer I saw my mom for like 5 minutes, she seemed to be very surprised to see me and even seemed kind of weird. I asked my sister later to see what see knew about it. Well, I just found out that she was starring at my boobs trying to figure out when I got my boob job. Like I wouldn’t tell her? Shoot I’d ask her advice; I know she’s done the research. I can’t believe she didn’t just ask, I mean I have no problems telling her when the water in hers is low.

Reunion

Another old friend sent me a letter (even hand written), I have been sending her Christmas cards every year, and never hear back from her (well hardly ever). I finally got to see what her boys look like; just as handsome as her brothers are (whew I liked themJ). I can call her an old friend (she’s not really old but older then me!!) cause we have known each other for ever 22 years if I a counting right. She moved to Virginia a long time ago and it sounds like she doing well. Boy I miss those immature ways/days we had; she sounds all grown up now. I wish she would have sent a picture of her and her hubby.L I wonder if she remembers the Tweezers.

There is another friend I have been looking for…I also send him cards every year and last Christmas was the first time I didn’t hear back from him. Last I heard he was in Chicago. I keep looking on line for him but I think he is lost. Jason where’d you go?

Just when I thought school supplies were all done, my oldest now wants to play the sax. That is cool but the school does not have instruments, which means I now I have to go sax shopping. I went online last night and priced them, my first car wasn’t worth that much. I didn’t realized just how much they cost. I am so sorry I kept switching instruments in school; my parents must have spent a small fortune on first the clarinet, then the flute, and finally the tenor sax; and I only played for 2 years in JR high. The high school’s band was either before school or first period. Who want to listen to that at 8 am? So anyway does anyone know where I can get a good alto sax CHEAP!!!!!!!!

I think I might try to take up the flute again; it was a lot of fun. Of course, after I get T’s sax.

The girls are looking forward to their first Friday at school; they say they will appreciate the weekend more now. I still need a job!!

The Little Red Wagon

I overheard a conversation this weekend at J 60^th birthday party, only briefly, all I heard (or where my mind went) was the potty mouth language that goes along with the story, so I have to explain and tell the whole story.

My father turned 60 this year, also. We had a party with a different theme. My father is a prankster, he lies, cheats, and steals; but it is all in play. We invited family and friends to share stories, or pranks that he has played, or times when they actually pulled one over on him. This was great fun, I had written to his family in Colorado, and got even more stories. I will probably share those someday because some of them have to do with the adults that we grew up with, old teachers, business owners, and community leaders; just fun stuff nothing to outrageous. Here’s the story my Aunt shared, bringing me to this blog ….

It all started about 55 or 56 years ago, in Montrose Colorado, it was a different time. There wasn’t so much waste, children only got the necessities and presents were only given on birthdays and Christmas. I am sure they struggled just to put food on the table. It was Christmas and my father was a young boy 4 or 5, he received a Red Rider Wagon for Christmas. It must have been a good year for them, he had 4 older siblings, I believe he was the youngest at the time, I am sure the red wagon really stretched their budget.

This crew is/was a rowdy one; I am surprised my grandmother lived through it all. Between the boys hanging each other when playing cowboys and Indians, or dipping the youngest sister into the outhouse, or egging the “Law” to chase them down. They loved being boys…anyway, back to the red wagon….

It was Christmas my father (4 or 5 Years old) had just gotten this bright red wagon; it was even a Red Rider. Could you imagine a young boy getting such a great present, the excitement must have been tremendous. Well, after the morning celebration, it was time to go for a ride. Well a fight immediately broke out on who was going to test drive it. Uncle Don, Uncle Tad, and Uncle Larry (the three oldest boys) decided they should take it for the first ride, yah know, to make sure it was safe. Well I’m sure my father had different idea, it was his present and he wasn’t going to let them make the maiden voyage. I am so sure Dad was dancing around whining (I had to get that from someone) that he should ride first. Most of us would say that he should of gotten the first ride, but my grandfather being the kind man that he was, looked at him and said “Quit being a TISSY TISSY TIGHTASS!!” and he let the older boys go for the first ride.

Montrose is a farming area, lots of rolling hills and drainage ditches, my grandparents lived at the top of one of rolling hills. The three older boys climbed into the wagon at the top of the hill, I imagine dad was still whining but not letting grandpa hear. Well they went faster and faster down that hill, no one gave it a second thought that although wagons have steering they do NOT have brakes. They shoved off, also not thinking about the drainage ditch at the bottom. Needless to say they caught air…..no broken bones but that red wagon never saw another ride.

Along with Aunt Pat’s story she gave him this…….

(Anna'a photo)

I think I will share the rest of the story another day. Yes there is more…….

HMMMMM.. Figure that

First day of school everyone is up at 5:30 ..... today, it's 7:18 and only one is awake.

Guest Writer

Lacey’s thoughts….

Mom left me with the wiener dogs and kids, the girl kind, they hug and love and smother me. One bounces high and low. Luckily my Aunt let me blog!! What a great escape, I wish mom would let me blog, but she a computer hog. And they have a really great cat I can chase. But that doesn’t change the fact that she left me with these wiener dogs, especially after such a long weekend away from home. But the weekend was fun I chased three cats, met new dog friends, and saw old fiends also. Hold on I have to check if mom’s home……. Nope. Anyway aunty wants a turn!!

Me now…

I also and a great weekend It was nice to see everyone, even though it was so little time. I hope everyone had a good time. We will see about coming down for the holidays, but that really depends on weather and gas prices.

It was the first day of school and I was not needed…the two younger ones walked to school, so I didn’t get to tuck then into their new classrooms. And my big ol’ 6^th grader refused to be seen with me. I spent the day wandering the house. They all brought home homework…the fun has begun.

New Blogger

I have a new person....She a gas to be around. I promised a would add her link so here it is.... http://gotxpression.blogspot.com/ ... Her site is just getting started so keep checking it out.

Small Glass Swans Do Not Fly

Well...my productive day.....had a few bumps. We were supposed to out of the house by 11am. It was a beautiful sunny day. I had a schedule, it was written out with where I needed to go and what I needed to do, it was all timed out. It was perfect; the girls even planned who would sit in the front seat between each errand; which meant there would be no fighting. I was going to get it all done...returning school cloths that just didn't fit, getting some copies made, Costco run, PT, Girl Scout office, Wal-Mart...It was all laid out...then the unexpected.

I was just trying to print out one more application, I could drop it off after the Costco, the girls were supposed to be getting lunch....then WHAM.....

K was dancing on the kitchen counters...I guess that’s how she figures out what she wants to eat...or maybe she was doing a food dance hoping something would fall out of the sky...whatever it was it was probably due to the ¼ cup of sugar I found in the bottom of her honeycombs bowl (from breakfast)…..

Well anyway she was DANCING on the counter; she must have had some arm motion going because she knocked the smallest most fragile glass vase off from above cupboard. It went EVERYWHERE….the dinning room, living room, all over the counters, Kitchen floor, and silverware drawer, sink…. I am thankful that someone finally remembered to put the lid back on the peanut butter jar. I spent an hour or more cleaning up glass.

By the time the girls ate lunch we were 2 hours off schedule, T was late for the Physical Terrorist, again, and I didn’t get all the errands done. So hi ho hi ho it’s back to Costco I go!! oh yeah and more school shopping!!

9 am

I can't function at 9 am how will I ever get back into school schedule.... No posts from my friends, they must have a life.

Had another job interview...it went great...I think? The job is all the over on Huffman though....which means before and after school care. IT SUCKS!!!! The job sounds great but I think I need to send out another batch of resumes.

Just heard from an old friend, well she's not old., and she just left Alaska in June ....so ....I guess I can't call her an old friend.....but I miss her and her family. Back to school BBQ is tonight and we always eat with them. Now I have to find someone new. Hope all is well back east!!! I am trying to get her to blog...but she's shy.

I missed Blog day....Makes me sad :(

I need to get on with the day....Last minute school shopping, GS errands, Costco trip... Oh yeah and a Physical Terrorist appointment....poor T.

Have a good one :)