Christmas feva!!

I have finally finished my Christmas shopping!!! Now for the wrapping, as I did last year I conned Lori into doing it for me at a price. My Mom and I knocked out the last of the stocking stuffers and PGs gift. That guy is hard to find something for; he still hasn’t really used the ones I gave last year.
So I didn’t really decorate my house, a smallish tree on a table to put a hint of holiday cheer in. Of course Gs and Mom looks like the Griswalds . Isn’t that going to be a treat to take down, not only once but twice?
I’m letting the office close down early this year, Tuesday will be the last day this week, Monday and Tuesday next week as well. It’s not that I am in the holiday spirit but eager to get out of the office for a while.
Beth has been coming around letting us see how Elijah has grown in the last few months. He talks now, more so he screeches things, I guess it’s a way to get attention with the big people. I pray that when Kyle comes home he doesn’t do the same or Camen, the little guys we will let slide since they are little and Jacks, well Jacks has no excuse.
This year Lori seriously was looking for her “boy friend” a present. His name is Ethan, which will be one point off to Jacks when he meets him. Oh yes, he’s been invited to the dinner we are having on Wednesday night. I plan on doing the big brother grill just to make the night pass.
Mom is doing so much better with the walking these days, she plans on doing 15 minutes every morning on her treadmill, of course she does her usual weekend shopping and just about every Monday we hit a mall. Today we walked and shopped from one end to the other and she wasn’t winded or needed to stop. It’s not like we raced up and down the strip but it’s a massive improvement. One I hope that continues.
I’ve been so lax in the last few weeks in writing and posting my thoughts, blaming a lot on the holidays and being busy. Maybe so…. Maybe by next week I can see what my problem is.

Thank you Thanksgiving

So Lori is out of her “Prison” of sorts now, she really didn’t think that she would have to stay in her room without any outside contact the whole time. The holidays were a bit of a mess for the whole family. First my Mom is breaking out in some sort of rash on her arms and legs. She believes is her heart medicine she’s been taking. Whatever it is, she wakes in the middle of the night with scratching fits causing her to not sleep so well.
My PG lost a brother a few days before Thanksgiving, in fact so close that the funeral was the day before. After my PG had his stroke a few years back he tends to be more emotional. Not bad, every guy should show his feelings; he is more affectionate and talkative to everyone. Although, he does have a bad habit of repeating jokes over and over and does a few things backwards. Our dilemma with him was telling him how soon his brothers demise would really be, not that he didn’t know he was sick just not the extent. Well that was soon exposed when another brother blurted it out in the bluntest of manners. My PG took it well.
Thanksgiving was to say the least filling. The first time in a while that Jacks stayed more than a day, in fact my G and Mom really wanted him to hang out a few more days. We ate of course most the afternoon and discussed who would be getting what item for the little guys in the family. This year Lori was included in the discussion since she found out about the “Christmas Secret”. She felt like a big girl but continued to sit under Jacks the whole time.
The twins Gabe and Riley are big slobber monsters and coo and goo to every ones pleasure. Rolling about on the floor, while Camen looks over them, their big sister is very protective, Jacks had been dying to hold the two rascals and finally got the chance, the whole time getting a glare from her.
We did the usual going out on Thursday night and eating at a restaurant so that my G and Mom and whatever aunts were about could relax and have someone wait on them. Friday was spent of course with the ladies doing their black Friday shopping. PG and Jacks roamed in later to help bring in boxes and packages. Jacks wasn’t up to part with the Flu or a cold or whatever which later was to be pneumonia. Saturday we had breakfast and relaxed a bit, later on Jacks packed up to go home an idea my Mom wasn’t happy with.

Another Monday Bites the dust

So walking was good on Monday NOTWe didn’t walk much really is was my workout day not my Moms. She wanted some wall paper hung on one wall to “liven” up a portion of the family room. I don’t mind really, she cooked a great lunch for me while I worked. She stood and watched and offered to hand me the tools I needed when they were needed. Four hours later and glued up hands the job was completed and I sat down to eat. After she and I did walk in the mall for a little while just to get her some walking time in as well. By that time I was worn out.The green house is booming, people are coming in by bus loads to purchase the mums and fall plants that are out. Fall is a time to decorate as well not only in spring.Bee is sort of sad because this is going to be the last week of the café for a few months. She loves talking to the customers and has a few regulars that come in she will miss. Its just too cool for an out door café in the winter months. She wanted her cousin to help and ended up getting her little sister instead during the busy hours to lend a hand. So I guess she will have to relocate to another job for the winter months.Luke and his mob are doing well the boys are drooling on schedule and burping in tune. Kyle is liking the idea now about them, he just figured out that they outnumber the cootiefied girls in the house. Camen still pretends they are dolls and wants to dress them in her doll dresses. She wants to be Tinker Bell for Halloween this year. I think that would be really cute for her.I have not really caught Jacks to talk to him much, he is preoccupied with his job once again. He plans on getting his position back from the time before. I say right on! This time he is going after that guy and his job.Lori is in big trouble once again and I didn’t even have to tell on her. She was cold busted straight out in the weather. Mom told her not to go to the pier on her own and she plopped her big feet out there the very next day. My aunt was out that way and called my Mom asking why Lori was out with a big gaggle of girls on the pier during school hours. Mom flipped, drove straight there embarrassed the fool out of her in front of her older friends and now she wont be going anywhere for the next four weeks. Its school then home and bed that whole time. No TV, no radio, no friends, no phones, no internet, just her and Mom and homework. I pity her, but she will learn to at least wait a day or two. Better yet, learn all the families cars so she can duck and cover.

Closing up tight

Today we are getting a few items packed away before winter sets in, not that we have such winters here. Fall has hit upon us hard and heavy at least the rainy portion of it. I don’t mind rain so much anymore, it used to make me so angry with it holding me back on jobs. Lots of times now I trudge right on with it making due with other jobs to be completed. I guess trying to organize your working habits help.
A while back I had a business class and that was part of the assignment; we had to make a mock business and do “work arounds” on different problems that may arise. I of course used my landscaping business as my example, it helped me out tremendously and I got a few tips along the way.
Cari and I have been having some adventures as of late, her daughters are wanting to do a pumpkin carving at the greenhouse. I said yes of course because I cant but help to love those two little kiddos. The youngest one always races up to give me a hug and tell me the latest school gossip. I wish she attended the same school as Lori so I could get the dish on her. How I wish I could come in and say something to Lori about her school activities just to blow her mind.
Lori is doing really well in her classes, the last semester she couldn’t say that was it was reported she was a bit chatty in her classes and seemed to be easily distracted. A couple weekends of no phone, no computer and not leaving the house, the matter was cleared up.
Mom is a walking fool these days, she gets up early in the morning and walks just 15 minutes on her treadmill and then what ever she needs the rest of the day.

Rings & Tangled webs..

The wedding went off without a hitch and they are off in honey moon land enjoying the island breezes in Hawaii and being happy in love. Just like its supposed to be, I guess.
I never did understand why they waited to have the wedding on a Monday night until it was explained to me. Apparently that’s the night they met during a football party, which is kind of cool. Meeting your true love during a festive event. If I already hadn’t, I wouldn’t mind meeting mine like that, during a game or a meal or golfing.
Cady looked beautiful in her dress as she marched down the row beaming. The after dinner party they changed and were ready to hop around the dance floor a bit. They both were giggles and snickering and whispers to each other -- I was jealous. I like to see that in couples, the hand holding and smiles that make your face hurt and the pure joy in their hearts, whispering whatever to each other and then laughing.
It proves to me there is true love out there.
It also makes me think of the game players, mainly because one of the game players was invited to the wedding as well. Women that tell you one thing and do another behind your back. That sets me off in a minute and I want to lash out with every four letter word I can at them and knock the dude in the head and tell them to wake up and smell the cheater.
My old Ex used to be very demanding of me, in what I wear, who I talked to, even wanted to dictate the classes I chose. At first, I thought of it as “Aww, she loves to take care of me” then I woke up and figured it out. In reality she was doing the cheating and sneaking around behind my back, doing whatever she wanted and she was afraid that I might be doing the same, so she kept tabs on me.
It took me a little over 2 years to figure that one out, she was caught one time and I let it slide, didn’t say much just nodded my head and rolled it off my back. “I promise it was nothing sweetie, honey, dearest.” “He was the one making all the moves on me!! I had nothing to do with it” - like an idiot I defended her. She was up my ass for two weeks catering to my every move, eventually the niceties diminished and she was back to her bitchy crabby self again.
Then strike two arrived and she was cold busted, this time the guy came to me and a couple of my friends. Once again I didn’t say a word, but this time I picked up my toys and walked away. I wanted to have nothing to do with her. I stewed for a couple of weeks, she called and knocked on my door and followed me around for the longest time. I was pissed off at the world and didn’t want to have anything to do with anyone, I blogged daily. Then that day came and I blew a gasket and told her how I felt.
It hurt me to say those mean words to her, but then again it was like a huge weight had been removed from my chest. I told her exactly how she was acting and how she treated me and how others felt about her. Looking back, mistakes on my part were made as well. I should have told her straight off the bat when she acted a fool around me. I do that now……I also should have told her when I felt she was lying to me….I do that now also. If someone acts like a selfish prig - its pointed out. I expect the same in return.
I guess it takes some kind of growing up when you are in a relationship. Some give and take of course, and patience of a saint. A lot of trust is needed but most of all respect. If you don’t give a damn how your actions are going to come back and hurt the one you are in love with then you need to end it and move on. Its going to save you and the other person a lot of pain later on down the road, or maybe in reality they don’t give a damn anymore and pick up there toys and move on themselves.

Weddings!!

-sings like a giddy school girl- Wedding, Wedding Weddingg!! I forgot about the wedding. With all the other crazy antics going on my life I totally forgot about my first cousins wedding this Monday night. Weird night to have a wedding but she is in the service and wont be home until this weekend. Danny has been in Japan doing I guess Japanese duties, really he is in sales and they boot him around the world all the time. Nice job!
Cady is about to be released from service (or may have been already) so they planned the minute she is out they would do their vows and get it over with. Right on! They are both much older that I am and have their lives on track and set to go. That doesn’t mean everything will always be rosy for the two of them. No head games or fickleness between the two, which I admire. He wants to go all out, she wants to be modest. He wants to show the whole world who he is getting married to she wants a simple ceremony. I’m with him on that market, give her anything and everything she wants, hand her the world-then and tomorrow.
Its in our make up of who we are. (Ok now, I’m getting deep but I’ve been sitting on a lawnmower for four hours)
When you are born you are dependant on your parents right? To bring you up, show you manners, an education, well, its not the law but a good game plan on their part. You grow and learn and develop something or someone that is you. Your make up, something that defines you in life, every little of Life’s encounters help you in that development. The bully down the street, the guys on the ball team, the tree house you make with you dad, the pillow fights you have with your brothers. The funerals, weddings, birthdays, skate parties, the list goes on and on. Everything, Everything!! in your surroundings are your makeup, your being what you do with them is your choice.
High school the steaks are a little higher, an easy wrong move and your whole life has changed. Now Life’s lessons are a bit tougher, choices are harder. You can be the punk or jerk or asshole, a pushover or a geek or a jock. At times I think I hit everyone of them, but they “made” me the guy I am today. Do we want to do drugs or drink or go out every night and party, maybe be with all the girls and blow them off, maybe we want to be that baseball star or God forbid, crack a book open.
College hits us and of course Life is right there knocking it up a notch or two just to make that ride a little more bumpy. What are you going to be? Will you study? Will you drop out? Bills and more bills and responsibilities are swirling around you now like a psychedelic cyclone while you walk on a tight rope hoping not to fall off. If you are the parent you hold your breath and watch them fly.
Relationships hit a new high, they are deeper more meaningful less of a cute fling but hard cold feelings that can make you feel like you need to throw up, or stand in the rain and shout to the world in joy. They also can be pretty freaking scary, “Its in the plan man” who wants to hook up and not feel anything? Boring.
The job world, hopefully you picked the one you always wanted. Now when I was little I didn’t sit back and say “yeah, when I grow up I want to be a lawn boy” especially after an afternoon of weeding in my grandparents garden. It just happens.
Then that one person “the one” comes along, you don’t see it, you don’t expect it, “bam” right in you lap per se. Ah the euphoria and joy and newness of it all!! You wake up in the morning and it’s the first you think of, at night you slide into bed and they are the last. You cant have enough of them and when they are away there is such an emptiness in your whole being. You miss the giggles and laugher and ---- the arguments. We all got to have them, its in our make up but more so in that we find a way to learn and love. This is one thing my PG would always say to me “Mark, love always, always love, no matter how angry or bitter you are over the fight. Think about the love you have for that one person, because really the anger you have, is the fear of losing that love”. I’ve listened and I believe in my grandpa….because “Its in my makeup”.

Happless Birthdays

It looks like September is the month for birthdays around here. Every one is having one, that’s one thing we all have in common, birthdays and death.
Enough of that, each one of you “birthdayers” know you had birthday this month have a jolly one will you?
I’m here to talk about the café which is rocking the place out. Bee and I have been extra busy with a new set of sandwiches and cookies, the cookies are my favorite to test out. She can make some home made goodness. I think soon my belt will need some loosening up. How ever the cooler weather is setting in and soon we will shut down till spring returns. I'm thinking right after Halloween will be the prime time to let it go.
Mom and I are having nice walk sessions each Monday, we get to chat it up on current life events. I get to spread gossip about my brothers and hear good stuff on the rest of the family. It makes the day go by pretty fast. I see a bit of glow in her cheeks now which makes me more at ease.
My Pops, ever the asshole, is up to his no good rants per usual, gleaming at the fact that Jacks was moved down to a temp position. Its all good because Jacks is busting his hump to be right back where he started and this time on a permanent basis. Besides my Pops pride was knocked down a notch or two when he lost a big account. He ran around the house grumbling for a week.
Lori is undecided what she wants to do on Halloween. I say go to a nice party and come home, forget the boys; she’s beyond the candy stage now. Besides it might mess up her girlish figure. (joke).
Luke is coming home this weekend with the new crew. I’m excited to see how much the two rascals have grown in the last few months, Julie doesn’t want to get them out until after the cold weather is gone so this will be our last visit unless we pop in to see them. I don’t mind doing that either the trip up is easy.
I think we all need a little fresh company, something new in our lives that makes us all smile. Those two little guys might be the ticket, too bad they have to share a birthday.

Walking, its good for you

Since the visit with the heart doctor with my Mom, in which I think I was more nervous than she. It was suggested she get into a walking routine. I think after the giddiness of leaving his office and him saying “We don’t have to crack open your chest just yet” was emoted to her she was light as a feather and eager to do what ever to make her heart healthy. She did mention she had pains every once in a while after a long walk or walking too quickly or the cold. I think if we boost up her walking before the harsh stuff comes in it might help.
Mind you, my Mom isn’t over weight, in fact she is considered under weight due to the medications she takes for her blood cancer. She isn’t old, hardly over the age of 40. Stress, well if you think about the jerk she is married to that would be the only stress she has in her life. She doesn’t have to work, she spends most her time doing volunteer work. She doesn’t smoke and rarely have I seen a drink in her hand, she mainly nurses a glass of wine during parties. She used to be in key health, dancing and singing and being the life of the party, cancer takes that away from you. Not to mention 4 kids.
So our plan of action is to do a long walk session on Mondays, its usually a good free day for me. My job in the walking is to carry packages, due to the fact we are mall walking. Open doors, drop off and pick up at the front door of the Malls and tag along with her and G. Of course also helping in the chores of whatever they purchase i.e they bought a new bakers rack for the back deck to set plants on. My job of course it to put it together as they mangle the plants.
Last Monday she walked over 3 hours, a nice slow natural pace. We ate a decent lunch of a salad and sweet teas grabbed groceries and thought of what to do on next Mondays outing.
Lori is having a fit as to why we don’t do this on a Saturday so she can join in, which she can because on those days my G and Mom still do their rounds to the different malls, just minus me. A guy has to have his alone time you know.
I’m waiting until Thursday for my next post since its going to be about birthdays and what not.

Doctors and fun

Today my Mom had a check up with her heart doctor for the first time since her last episode a few weeks ago. I was worried about it, more so since she asked me to tag along and listen in for her, this job is usually reserved fro my G or an aunt. Somehow I became the lucky one to be volunteered to sit in. Needless to say the last few nights I haven’t been able to rest well and its been running in the back of my mind.
I guess the fact of not really knowing what to expect, would they make her run on a treadmill or take blood or hook her up to different machines? All those thoughts ran through my head over and over.
It ended up we did an EKG a blood pressure check and a list of her medications, a run down of how she felt. The doc checked her heart beat and talked to her a bit and changed her meds around. No big deal! Since she’s not really had any pains lately he was please to hear it and let her go until March.
She practically skipped out of the office, it was like a new lease on life for her.
She called on her cell to give the 411 to my G and PG, her brothers and sisters and Luke. Luke was happy to hear the news and planned on making a run down to see us with the whole crew in the next couple of weeks.
She wanted to go to the mall, the Doc wanted her to walk more. For gosh sakes she is always mall walking but he wants her to do more. I volunteered to help her on Mondays, with walking, so for now on she and I plan on having a walking date every Monday afternoon.
I called Jacks to let him know everything was ok, he’s been worried about it, missing out on sleep and having head aches. Typical of him, anything worries him he gets quiet and wont sleep and on come the head aches.
I slipped in a text message to Lori and she gave me a quick “Yay, I love you” before her phone could be confiscated in class.
Now, since the rains seem not to want to stop I might just go a relax a while and catch up on some sleep.

Escapes

We all have them, mine is in my blog, for some with food, or TV or running, or for some in virtual worlds. We all get lost in them in one way or another. Lately I’ve found myself lost in mine. With the state of the economy, people losing jobs or being laid off for what ever lame reason. You can’t pay for your bills like you used to or keep up that house payment it puts stress on a lot of us. Some glide right on through and some are really struggling.
Its easy to think about “me” how “I” feel, how this is going to affect “me” and we forget about “others” or “him” or “her“. Be it the latest in gossip or the new hateful word slung their way. how it apparently just rolls off the tongue with ease and with no care. Its amazing to me to think some people can be so heartless and careless of others feelings. Even if its for someone you never really met. When someone slaps you with a heartless gesture do you ever wonder if they actually feel that way or is it peer pressure forcing them to say it? I wonder, I wonder about a lot of things.
Sunday I saw my Mom cry again, she doesn’t cry that much and she didn’t then. Only a sad face and a few tears, which she quickly wiped away. “he looks so bad” She has a tender heart and a giving frame of mind. She doesn’t show much in emotions, big on hugs and kisses and says “I love you” every chance she has. Avoids confrontations when she can, even if it’s with my stupid ass hole of a Pops. The epitome of unconditional love. She cried because she saw the hurt in my great uncles face Sunday at the funeral of his wife. He of course was high on Valium, “I’m high as a Georgia Pine”. I had to laugh, she teared up but I pulled my best Jacks impression and made her giggle
Of course this isn’t where I’m going on this its just a ramble for me. I sat last night thinking about her and others, sort of my way of worrying. You ever think of the kids in St Judes Hospital? Or anyone in the hospital trying to recover from some disease. The pain and agony they go through daily, hourly by the minute. The tubes and needles and sickness of everyday life, just to get by to make it another day. I’m not talking about hunger, or being alone, I’m talking about people here in the US suffering daily.
It bothered me to think about it, and we whine about petty grievances and arguments, what so and so has and you don’t. It just at that moment in time seemed so small and insignificant to me. I don't know where I'm going on this and it may appear to be a mush of words flowing out endlessly. Maybe I should be so happy to be able to jump up and post about others complaints.

Another goodbye

I have this great aunt that passed away early Friday morning, she was a hoot to be around so maybe that’s were the word “Great” aunt came from?
Anyway she’d been sick a long while from her kidneys not wanting to cooperate making her swell up three times her normal size. The lady was nearly eighty years old and wouldn’t take guff from any one-- even the nurses. I believe that might have been her down fall in the end because the nurses would try to get her to do her therapy and she would refuse.
In her younger years she would keep myself and Luke some afternoons just to give my mom a break whilst the taught school and prepaid homework assignments. Luke and I knew exactly what to do to push that her buttons. Once she gave us Kool Aid to drink with our lunch meal, Luke would say “Ahh, this is some great wine!” and of course I would chime in with “Yes, I love it, it‘s much better than the beer you gave us!” she would her us and get all riled up, “That is Kool Aid and nothing more!” I never could understand why she would lose it over us pretending.
In the food store we would follow her around up and down the rows of food puffing on our gum cigars or chalky cigarettes. Later on we advanced to the Big Chew chewing gum and drove her batty.
She had 3 kids that were older than us, so they wouldn’t really play with the two little guys much so we had to entertain ourselves.
Later on in her life she started turning for the worse, becoming more grumpy and opinionated that would drive people away from her. She became one of those nit picky people that would nail you on anything she could find. It would make holidays and family reunions interesting, especially if you had a cousin that had gained some weight, crazy hair color, child out of wedlock or odd clothing. Be assured she would have some comment on it. Her kids were shown no mercy.
However picky she might have been she was very sweet if you called her out about her mood. My G would break her with a “Calm it down” and she would chill out.
Sunday they laid her to rest, it was funny though, the rain and winds were blasting that morning and I dread getting out in it for the burial but as we walked out the chapel the sun was shining and everything was drying off. Its as if God was cleaning the patch of earth they were about to put her in.

Rain, rain…

That’s all its done for the last day is rain…….that’s fine I needed a break from the world of sweat and dirt. Its now nothing but humidity and mud.
I have been extra busy the last 2 weeks closing out the country club and making new ideas for the next one. The City is also dong some changes here and there that’s kept us semi busy so that we have to split the teams up to keep both running properly.
Mom is doing well, she is having her weak moments but that doesn’t keep her from going shopping. That woman is a trouper, like the “heart attack” she was scared as the rest of us but she kept on. Making sure everyone in the house was taken care of and every thing was organized.
G has changed her cooking ways now, she uses less spices and salts and adds the fake butter to her foods. PG doesn’t seem to matter to him, “That man will eat anything” is what my G says and she’s right. Sunday dinners are still great and I cant wait to have them.
Lori is all into school and the boys, she’s hinting about wanting a laptop “to help her in her classes”. Right… Mom says if her first semester grades are good they could go shopping for one. I heard her the other day tell her friend “Oh my God, I said hi to him!” and they all giggled.
Luke and his growing crew are doing great, he says its hard to get a schedule for them, each on wants to do something at a different time. He told me he cant wait to get back to the office and work properly. I bet that’s why he wants to go…..
Jacks is doing fine, minus the H1N1 scare they have going around, a daughter of a lady in the office was tested positive with the flu, in fact 33% of her school. Which wouldn’t be so bad but the girl was diagnosed with it on Tuesday and the mom came to work that whole week. So they closed the office down until they see what the deal is. Jacks is happy because he has an extra long week for the labor day weekend.

Surfs up!

It appears that Bill will not be coming anywhere near the costal US, good news for once. The rip current warnings are out but of course that doesn’t detain anyone from getting out in them. I can remember countless times of having to watch Jacks as he ripped up the waves prior to a storm he had to be out there.

This weather only slows my progress down in work, it’s been hot and muggy per usual with the occasional storms blowing up. That’s fine I guess.

Lori all about school still, loves the classes’ she’s in and the boys in her classes. In fact, she’s talking about having a pool party not this weekend but the next. “Just a get to know you party” is what she told Mom. She promised to do all the work and preparations because Mom is still on the weak side. I offered my services as a monitor and Mom could hang out at Gs.

Diane had her little boy; I don’t think I mentioned she was pregnant because she asked me not to. However was allowed to say something about the birth after. I was miffed at her the whole time because she wouldn’t find out what the sex was. I don’t see how people can wait to find out. I want to know! She wanted little girl since she has a boy. Well she had another boy………see if she had told me what it was then she would have had a girl, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it. Mom and young un is doing well.

Mom update, she’s doing slightly better, in fact she walked the mall like a champ and hardly was out of breath. That’s good news to me even better news for the malls. G is please with her progress.

Talked to Luke checking up on his crew these few days, the twins are still growing and drooling. Camen insists they are her baby dolls to dress and play with, just like Lori used to do her. Kyle is not impressed with them yet. “They are my little brudders and I get to play with them later” Good man. Luke says they planning on a Mickey Mouse Cruise next year. Camen said “I don’t know about getting on that big boat”. She astonishes me with the things she says.

I guess since Mom is doing well and Lori is going to have her party the next weekend Trace and I should take our bike ride this weekend. Wayne and Chris of course are all fired up to go. Today we plan on planning our route.

A Tuesday

Well the last week was blasting by for me, work, work and more work and then some more. Tropical storms are starting up early again this year to hold us back on our progress. We are keeping an eye out on Bill. I’m keeping an eye on the gas prices to go up because of them.
Lori has started school and of course its all boys all the time. She told me the other day while we were in the hospital waiting on Mom she text a guy in her class, oh my God she’s already texting guys! She’s wanting to start some cheer thing in school and was asked if she would like to join. Its weird she no longer hangs out with the group of girls from the last few years. When I was in school I stuck with the same guys through out the whole time, I guess girls are different.
Mom is doing better and thanks for the well wishes e-mails for her. She still of course has her good and bad days, I walked in Sunday at Gs to find her on the couch all propped back with a blood pressure cup on her arm. At first it gave me a shock to see her like that, after she said she was improving. Her blood pressure was running 88/50 which was making her weak. G was cooking some home made mashed potatoes and potato soup so I nabbed a small plate of the potatoes and forced her to eat them. In about 15 minutes her pressure was 106/55 a slight improvement which made me feel a little bit better.
G was cooking a huge dinner minus salt and hardly any butter, now we are from the south -- who does that!?! We just seasoned it to taste ourselves I didn’t mind really I just like to pick on her, but Paula Dean might get upset with her if she found out.
PG and I had a few projects to knock out around the barn. I kept an eye out on the radio controlled helicopters he put in the little office he has in there. I was in the mood for some cow chasing.
I’ve been contemplating about going back to school instead of working on my country club projects. My Mom told me that stopping school was a bad idea and of course I didn’t listen. “Just get it over with Mark if that’s what you want to do” and my bull headedness insisted on quitting to keep up with work.
A life, Live and learn.

I'm waiting on baby news today.......

Drama Mama

I haven’t had a drama blog in a while; this one isn’t so much a drama but a scare that started way back on Friday. I had the pleasure of working on a project by myself it was a fountain where I managed to get myself good and grimy. Not really paying attention to my phone calls coming in, as a matter of fact the phone had died on me.
I managed to scum myself up when my aunt came flying about the corner looking frazzled and mad at me “First, why don’t you answer your phone?” I had no answer for her “second you need to go to the emergency room your mom has had a heart attack” Ok nice slap in the face.
I grabbed what tools I could and ran to the truck and to the hospital trauma room. My G and PG where already there hovering over her, moms look on her face was one of worry and happiness I was there to pull them off of her a while. They had every imaginable cable hooked up to her.
If you know my mom’s history of medical problems then you know she has or had colon and breast cancer. Friday was her day for an endoscope and where they jab the tube down your throat and check you out. She’s been anemic for a while and they were looking for some internal bleeding. They found nothing…while she was laying flat her acid reflux decided to erupt and gave her massive pains. Which gave an alarm to the doc that she might be having a heart attack, ok this Doc is starting to annoy me even as I type this.
They rushed her over to the trauma room did an EKG and discovered that she had fluids on her lungs which could be covering damage from a heart attack. I started to sweat but mom insisted it was only the reflux and lack of food she had in her stomach because of the procedure that morning.
After over 8 hours of sitting in that room they decided to move her into another room for the night so they could do some tests on her the next morning. A good hour into me hanging out with her I would casually walk out and call Jacks to let him know what was going on then give a call to Luke. Of course Jacks flipped out and insisted to coming home that very second. I said wait till they do the catheter on her in the morning and we get the results of that, he wouldn’t hear of it
The next morning I get a phone call of “I’m at the airport help a brother out” I wanted to choke him. By the time we had returned to the hospital she had gone to take her test. If there was any flooring in the room Jacks walked it off, pacing back and forth. I wanted a staple gun but I let him be. Lori sat quietly reading one of her Twilight books and watching her brother pace.
An hour later the Doc strolls in says she did NOT have a heart attack but she did have three very small blockages and constricted veins that needed attending to. Moms had issues with breathing during long distances and in cold weather. So if they can correct it then they are going to have to eventually do a bypass.
They settled her in her room and she was shocked to see Mr. Long Tall and Skinny walking in. “where is my baby fat?” Jacks had no reply and G just shook her finger at him and said “I told you”. I did have to defend him and say he is gaining a lot of his weight back. He kept her entertained with funny stories and projects he’s been working on. Somehow he can make her giggle and forget everything which I’m grateful. All in all it was a very terrifying few days for us all; I don’t take shock very well. Luke came to show some pics of the new babies.
The doc came in later to let us know Mom would be coming home on Sunday and she would need to talk to her regular physician sometime this week to work out a strategy for her new set of pills. Jacks and I stopped off at Gs for a huge dinner and a breath and somehow me a nap.
All the family was there, even the ass hole, who for some odd reason kept his mouth shut the whole time. I do have to say I’m proud for that.
Soon as we get details on the regular doc and their decision I will post it. BTW Jess, Jacks does snore!

Good Monday

Yesterday was extra nice, light work since it was a little rainy some shopping and then a long chat with Amy.
We rattled and babbled on for most the afternoon. She caught me up on all the family fun she was about to have and the trip she was making. I’m missing out on taking a trip so maybe this weekend we can plan a good long trip ourselves on the bikes.
We are working out the plans for another country club again. Which will be nice for some fall work, I really need some fall work. Really I don’t want much I have to get back into school again, another year and a half to finish up my degree. Gosh I’m slow.
Lori is home, full of snickers and phone calls; she sends e-mails to her new found friends from camp this year. For some odd reason she’s overly excited to go back to school again. I can’t ever remember being excited about going to school. Jacks they lucky devil was always home schooled so he never had the thrill of purchasing school supplies and clothes, although it’s a misnomer that he studied in his PJs.
Luke and his clan of kiddos are doing wonderful. He is still working the majority of the time from home, a luxury of doing all his IT work from home. The twins are spewing their cereals and milk just as they are supposed to. The older kids are enjoying the rest of their summer. In a few weeks they will be moving into their new home. I guess they will be needed a moving crew to come over to help out.

Rushing about

The last few weeks have been nothing short of chaotic with everything coming to a close on the projects at hand. The country club is on its final round up and I have secured two more to revitalize as well. But they want those done in the off season, which is fine with me
I’ve been to the café every day this week to try and in a sandwich and huge glass of sweet tea but as soon as I sit down the phone rings and I’m off like a dirty shirt. That’s ok, I’m not complaining much but my pants are getting a bit baggy.
Lori and Mom are coming home in a couple of weeks; I sort of miss Lori punching about trying to get into some trouble. She is getting ready for the sixth grade, gone are the days of the Bratz notebooks, she’s on to the Jonas brothers stuff. However she’s still a huge webkinz fan but will only admit it to a very few people.
Luke is still the part time stay at home dad with the whole crew. He said the twins are growing like weeds and so are their lungs. Kyle has no interest in his little brothers yet, “they can’t do anything”. Camen thinks they are dolls and wants to put them in her baby carriage so Julie has to keep an eye out on that one for a while.
Mom and Pops must have had a pleasant stay at the gulf, when she calls she sounds so chipper. I like that, maybe that’s the deal they need to be away from us. I know life is much easier when he isn’t around growling at people then turning around and saying sorry.
Jacks has had some interesting turns on his job and school is of course blowing along for him. I just wish he could settle down and relax a bit now, he deserves it.
I hope to go back the “retired” ladies house this week, as soon as she decides what she would like done. I like to talk to interesting people and find out what’s going on inside their heads.

Letting go...

As I said, I wanted to think about the lady I’m currently helping out in her yard and garden area. Apparently this woman has been working all of her life at the same job. “Forty eight and retired” is all she really said to me when we first met. She was sitting at the table smiling kind of softly like she was looking back at the nearly the last five decades of her life, she had only been retired a week.
From the sounds of it, she didn’t want to leave but it was forced upon her. “I was called in the office and asked to sign my computer off before I left”. She didn’t want to go into the details of the meeting; she just said it was all a huge shock to her system. Like someone came up from behind and hit her in the back with a board to knock the breath out of her. I told her good riddance on the job they lost an important cog in their net work. Again she smiled at me and looked down; she kept telling me “I don’t know what to do next, where to go”. The thought of that made me pity her even more.
To get up every week day for all those years, walk in do your work and walk out and accomplish what ever mundane tasks were required before the next day of work makes me think about my own life. After the lawn business and the café, where to next? Do I settle down and hope that maybe a son or daughter of mine would like to carry it on? Or grab a partner and just “retire” myself letting them handle everything.
Oh I know I have a long wait for all that, but to talk to her and listen to her stories. I see it all goes by so very quickly, in a flash your life can change without notice. When you are young death never creeps into your mind, in fact you feel invincible. Death is for the old or sickly. I’ve seen it far too well and know far too well that isn’t the case.
She rattled on about not trusting people in the work place; everyone smiles and is jolly – to your face. Then it’s all squabbles and cat fights to see who can get ahead. She told me she tried her best to keep to herself on all non office matters. It’s not that she was a snob or a prude but she’d see the inner workings of the other office people, she knew what they were capable of.
I look at her and see a woman that dedicated her life to her position. She never married; in fact she said the guy she was engaged to was caught cheating so she delved more in to her work to forget. She made some good friends along the way, made a lot of memories.
I guess life is funny like that, one minute you are working and another person is walking that same direction with the board in their hand to give you a shake or a rattle. Some people are evil and devious and can only be happy shaking that board and swinging it at others. All you can do is sit back and hope the board swings the other way.

A little bit longer

Well we are going to have to hold off on the web page. I’ve been terribly busy the last 2 weeks it’s unreal. The café is rocking along with foods and smells like you wouldn’t believe. Walking in I get the instant hungries and still have to wait in line.
We are also about to knock out the country club and working on another project with another club, see, I said we were busy. Right now I’m lucky to get in a good 6 hours sleep with all the projects going on. Most of them are going to with the City projects. I get up work and then eat dinner and go right to bed. Gah, I'm boring!
We have the twins in now; they came last Sunday/Saturday. Julie and Luke checked into the hospital on Saturday afternoon and around 5 am on Sunday the little rascals were born. The naming of them was still a battle to the end; last I heard it was Gab and Riley – both boys. Luke didn’t care for either name so they did a bargain and lost Gabe and went with Levi instead, nothing like having a nephew named after a jean. They are cute round little chubs with curly blonde hair, nothing like their older siblings locks; I swear I couldn’t find Caymen when she was born for all the hair on her head.
My G and PG came a few days earlier to take care of the older runts while Julie was away. Jacks and I had the fun of coming in the last minute to see the two newest additions. Aunt Lori and Mom were already there jumping up and down to hold them.
I spend most the day there and then raced home, Lori and Mom and Pops drove back to the gulf and Jacks left to go home. Only to be hit with a storm that knocked his power/internet/phone out, talk about living in the Stone Age. I pitied him when we talked on Tuesday; he spent the night in a hot condo sweating to death hoping someone could fix his problems quickly. (Last account I heard from him he had power and internet) He said no one even noticed he was gone.
I met an older lady on Monday helping her in the garden and yard. She’s interesting to talk to a bit sad; I can’t wait to get what her story is all about.
Maybe in the next few weeks we can jazz up the new web site.

New stuff

we are moving but dont worry the link will come!

Getting ready for the weekend.

This last weekend was fun; I spent most of it on the beach. Friday I chatted with Jacks girlfriend the majority of the day and then ran home to cut my grass and what not while the sun wasn’t beaming on my head.
After all that fun I ran to grab a quick shower, so not offend anyone for the rest of the night. We had planned on a cookout and crab boil. Those kinds of parties will keep me forever. Trace played his guitar and I ate what more could you ask for?
Saturday was spent at the beach, its weird the weekend before the 4th and everybody and their mama was out. I hope that same mob is out this weekend.
Jacks is coming home, leaving early Thursday night or Friday morning to hang out and shoot fireworks and eat with me. PG has been anxious to see him and in fact that’s all he’s talked about is seeing Jacks. I wonder what plans he’s made for him. I need him to help on the Jacuzzi some time in the near future. He’s happy so we are happy, besides he said something about a mini-mester class on top of his summer courses he wanted to get into.
Lori won’t be home she’s still in camp and will be returning the weekend after, only to run back out in a church group retreat for another week. Mom has gone to the gulf to be with Pops, which means no drama on the home front! I don’t get her running after him and plan on a good long blog about this sometime in the near future.
I have already bought a truck load of fireworks and food and liquid refreshments for the Friday night and Saturday celebrations.
I don’t plan on working too hard this week, it’s a skeleton crew here, a lot wanted off for the whole week or parts of it. I said “yes” to everyone’s request so that leaves me to man all the stations.

Hotter than the sun

Today could be about as hot as the sun, working outside. I feel for those that work on rooftops and roads; laying that asphalt has to be one of the hottest jobs around. The city has been doing a lot of paving at night or after five pm here.
I’ve been out some today and thought melting in my clothes was an option. Maybe later on this afternoon the summer showers will pop up and make everything nice and muggy. That’s always a pleasure having mud or grass stuck to your neck. When I do go home at night I grab the hose pipe and rinse off before going in the house. So I don’t scum up the place upon entering.
We are thinking the cuties (twins) will be here soon enough, well not soon enough for me. I want to pinch their cheeks and have them make pouty faces.
Jacks is in baby mode as well, he bought over 150 bucks worth of baby items in the last two days, of course he has a baby shower in his office to prepare for as well. He said the lady at the register looked at him like he was crazy when he walked up with onesies and bibs and caps and lotions and wipes and socks and few other assortments of baby items. His buggy was nearly full, he smiled at her and said “Kids, they need so much!” I told him he successfully made her think you have brats now.
I guess that’s where this blog is leading today, what people think or how they think. Jess and I had an in-depth conversation about how some people are nutcases and how to interact with them. I suggested my PGs method of “If you want to get rid of a stray, don’t feed it.” Sounds pretty natural to me, some people are so unhappy with their lives they have to have some drama floating about them. As if it gives them meaning in life.
Luke used to date this one girl that would start a fight mid week with him just to make things spicy and then “makeup” with him on the weekend. I asked him how he could deal with it and he would say “Oh Wednesdays and Thursdays were hell but wow I loved the weekends!” I guess so.
But why, what makes a person “Happy” in seeing someone having to deal with your turmoil?

*side note* Rest well Farrah, you will be missed. Cancer is a bitch.

?

What makes you “burnt out”? I never can get that in my head, you are moving along in Life’s path and it hits you -- the burn outs. Is it that we are like every other average American that we over indulge ourselves and want to throw in the towel?
I feel that we are in a gluttonous state of being as it is; then get ourselves neck deep into either debt or a project or anything else and feel that our only excuse is we are burnt out. That’s just an easy way of quitting; a solid excuse like many of the phobias that prevents you from accomplishing a task.
Maybe its boredom and we can’t make it interesting to us anymore. Or laziness or just totally frustrated; that the best way is to walk away. It could be a good case of being overwhelmed or just don’t give a damn about anything or anyone else but ourselves.
I’ve seen it used on relationships when it gets too deep and you don’t know how to cope. The constant fights and battles over and every day existence just becomes too much. Here is where it’s easy to say “we need a break from each other”
It happens at work, letting your job pile up work on you or giving into the demands of your tyrant boss or coworkers and you wont stick up for yourself. This line works: “I just need some time off to regroup”.
I do it too, many times I want to get up and walk away, especially when something or someone pisses me off or disappoints me constantly. I’ve let work sit and pile up when I know just getting it done and over with would make me a happier person.
Is this a sign of weakness that we want to walk away and collect our thoughts? Maybe not if it’s done in the proper manner, just don’t throw a hissy fit and storm out but explain yourself to the parties’ involved
Some do it as a cry for help, “if I give up and announce that I am, maybe someone will acknowledge me”.
Where’s this all coming from? I’m not sure maybe the 3 hour phone conversation I had yesterday or maybe just me thinking too much. Did I have the right answers, that I'm not so sure --- I needed a break.

Short but interesting…..

This week seems to have flown by for me; I’ve had so much work going on in different directions. I love it!
The country club project is coming right along; in fact I’m scouting out another one to try. There are a few around here in need of repair and if it keeps us rolling then we are eager to give it a go. The city has been doing some road widening here and there and of course we have to come right behind them and pretty it up.
Lori is having a great time at camp; she’s fallen in love with one of the camp counselors. “Oh Mark he has the biggest brown eyes” oh great. I asked her if she learned anything or made more friends but all she wanted to do was talk about him. I swear she gets overheated about guys at 10 I’m worried when she hits her teens.
Mom is packing up for an extended trip to see Pops in the gulf. Well, as long as it keeps him down there then all is well with the world. That means I can spend some time at the house and when I want tromp on out to the beach for some relaxation I can.
Jacks says he will be issued some free time soon since Jess will be going on a trip with her parents for a couple of weeks, I say perfect! He can come here and help me out on a few odd jobs and chill out as well. Trace and Michelle have been dying to have him over to show their culinary skills and movie showing talents as of late. I say he needs a good long break – long as in more than one night; he has some “pushies” in his life as well.
Luke and Julie are on the cusp of having the babies, the doctors said near the first of July if not then, its going to be induced. Their new house is rolling along but won’t be completed until mid September if they are lucky. They shouldn’t have built a huge ass compound of a house, but of course they didn’t expect two kids on this round either.
My G called early this morning hinting about the new Jacuzzi for Mom. I guess while Mom is away and I’m at the house I could put that in, also if Jacks were here he can help! She gave me the story about how she had a hard time walking in the mall the other day and having the AC on in the house hurts her knees.
The weekend is here! No!! I'm not going on a Miley Cyrus hunt this weekend but Kelly Preston... humm.

Pushies

I really don’t care for pushy people, I was born and raised in the south; we aren’t really the pushy type. All laid back and easy going, don’t get me wrong that doesn’t mean we are lazy, just not intrusive to other people’s lives.
This week I had someone come into my “life” that was more so the take over type. That to me is annoying, everything is going smoothly here. I don’t need anyone else’s involvement in my direction.
The “I will be coming over to help you on this” or the “Get ready for me to do...” Nah, not for me, if I want you to come over and help, you will get the green light. If I asked for help; there again, you would get the green light – from me.
Telling me that this is how it is going to be really pisses me off.
A cousin has been going to school a while longer and a few years older than I just graduated from college earning his degree in horticulture and some plant sciences. Great, bully for you – start your own business.
So this dinkus now feels that they can just barge into my “play house” and take over, I say no way and in so many words this is how I talk this morning went:
First off I’m not looking into a partner, I had one before that didn’t work out too well. In fact, I don’t know exactly what that guy is doing now.
Second, don’t assume that “since we are family” that it’s ok to move in on my projects and take over. I’ve worked hard where I am now and have a sorted plan on where I want to go. I like how they way it is thank you very much.
Then I get the whine of “you don’t want to help family out” and “you don’t care about me” spiel. Ok there’s where my comment of “oh grow up and get a real life” came in; using a pity ploy or a guilt trip doesn’t work on me, I will just ignore the remarks and continue on with what I am doing, do it enough and the rudeness will begin to spew out and it will get ugly.
I really don’t understand people that assume you want them to take over your life. It blows my mind in so many ways.
Now this person will probably pout at me for months and not talk to me like some 8 year old not getting their way. So be it.

Small check in

This week has been monster busy for me. We have been working round the clock, so to speak, at the country club. The tennis courts have different colors in them, the paths to and from are lined with new greenery and handicapped enabled. The biggest area we had was not only the pool but the commons area where everyone sat, to have snacks and lunch. New plant boxes and concrete treatments a million new plants and watering system through out the whole spot. In maybe three more weeks or less it should be completed. I hope to use this as an example to other country clubs maybe on a larger scale.
I did manage to squeeze in talk time with Amy and my brothers. Amy is trying her best to get a week off from one of her many jobs. I love her but I say it won’t happen; she will cave when someone calls in because their child got a bee sting or tummy ache.
Luke was all about being excited on the new house; they have the exterior walls up now Kyle calls them bones. He’s been ripping and romping around the new build “Helping” the guys with nails and small tools. I may send him a tool belt and hard hat. They had a slight scare/excitement this week with Julie and the babies when she thought she may have gone into labor. It was nothing more than a few pains and over with.
Lori is loving camp right now; she is all about singing and crafts and loves the idea that boys are allowed to be doing projects with them. I told her to write me often so I can giggle at what is going on over there – really to keep an eye out.
Jacks was home the majority of the day yesterday, he had an exam and of course blew that right out of the water. He said the night before he had about an hour sleep so he chose not to come into work and rest his head a bit. If I had an IQ running around in the 180s I don’t think my head would need resting. “Ring, ring Jacks – PARS is calling”.
Tonight I plan on going out with the guys and shooting some pool and a few jabs at darts. I guess my Friday night plans don’t change much? Never the less it’s too muggy out at night to stand on the pier.
Saturday will be a long game of golf and some of my own yard work. It’s a shame that I have to do my own yard. I wonder if people that clean others house clean their own, or those that baby sit kids want kids of their own.

Where are they?

Everyone in the office is talking about going and seeing movie this weekend. Sounds like some fun to me, but I want to know why or where all the drive in theaters have gone?
I can remember being 7 or 8 Mom telling us to go get our PJs on after dinner and me thinking “Crap what I did I do?” I just knew Jacks pulled something and got us into trouble.
They wanted to go see a drive in movie, what freaking fun that was to be in the truck piled up with pillows and blankets and our Pops making mini runs to the concession stand.
Where did they go? Where they that unprofitable?
Right now they have “Bands in the Park” where Jacks lives they have “Movie on the Mountain” that sounds interesting to me. Drive up on top of a mountain and they play old movies on some huge wall. The bands in the park stop as soon as the sun goes down, and they aren’t those hard rock band its all easy listening (Yes, I like to chill to a little easy listening music). That way I can talk and enjoy the tunes too.
Lori doesn’t know what she’s missing out on. She’s spoiled with the upper level theaters where you go sit in heavily padded rocking chairs and order your food and have it brought to you. What fun is that? Where are the mosquito bites? The snooping into other peoples cars? The play ground under the screen?!!
Oh well, I guess the upper level moving showings aren’t that bad…. Now to pick the movie.

Another Monday

This weekend was extra nice; I didn’t work on one single office project, only some hot weather fun, mostly on the beach.
Lori is packed and gone for summer camp and will be out of everyone’s hair for the next three weeks. I’m sure Mom is going to miss her but I think she plans on going to the Gulf to see Pops for a few days and she said something about checking in on Jacks.
Luke and I talked a little today, his house is finally getting the frame work up, and it will soon look like a house. He said Kyle really didn’t get the whole “moving” and wants to make sure his toys are coming along; also he mentioned it might be a good idea to have a roof since it rains.
PG and I ate like two little piggies all Sunday and then worked on a fence row the rest of the day. A couple of weeks ago he had his yearly physical and the Doctor noticed a erratic rhythm to in his heartbeat so for a few days they hooked him up to a monitor and watched him. I haven’t heard the results yet from that test but I like to make sure he doesn’t strain himself much while working.
That night he and I flew the remote control helicopters he bought last summer. That’s a really nice stress breaker, unless you hit the barn or G.
I came home to my cell phone with over 10 phone calls missed by Amy and a few other people. There was nothing urgent going on, so no worries there. I really tire of listening to messages on that thing. It’s the same lines over and over again.
Today the office is dead, two of the girls are on vacation for a few days and one is out sick with her kid. So that leaves Cari and I to do whatever we please and we darn well have.
Jacks wanted me to look at some numbers for him, just for the fun of it I made charts as well. Never ask me to do something when I’m bored, I go way overboard doing it. He is proud of his little business and is always trying to think of something new.
Let's see what trouble I can get into this week.

Breaks

My little sister has flipped her wig this year, she’s getting ready for summer camp with high hopes of finding true love I’m sure.
She is happy to be out with the other girls in her class, ready romp in the woods, sing songs, burn marshmallows, and swim. Funny I always imagined girls and summer camp as doing each others hair or nails and talking or stalking the boys.
The guys always wanted to go outside and see who could skip rocks the farthest, water fights and climbing trees, when I was at camp at that age girls where still kind of silly to me.
Today its going to have a good chance of rain here so no real outside work for me, just shuffling papers a bit and catching up with the ladies and their gossip. Maybe I will take them out to lunch, that always gets them going. Trace and Michelle want me to come over for dinner and a movie; I swear they act like they are in their 50s or 60s. It’s really ok, I sort of like it.
Tomorrow however, the weather is going to be great, a round of golf and then some sleep time on the beach would be in order. I like to get in a few weekends of sitting on the sand, people watching and chatting it up before taking on weekend jobs. My favorite is to be dozing under the umbrella and cool shadow cross my body, to peek out to see someone standing there ready to yap.
Chris and Wayne want to get the Jet skis out and blast up and down the coastline, which is fine with me. They said there was a bike show some where close we might squeeze that in as well.

The apple doesn’t fall far

I talked to Luke today, catching up on everything and we of course yapped about old times. He still likes to laugh at me on all the old stupid pranks he pulled but doesn’t seem to want to laugh much when we talk about the ones I pulled on him.
He said this weekend was gorgeous, they hung out in the new house lot for a while looking and planning. The foundation is poured and they have started on the framing. Its all down hill from now for them, once they get that roof up it seems to fly along. Besides when it rains after that they can still work.
He was telling me about the kids, how they are growing like two little weeds. In fact he said Kyle is like his uncle Mark in the playing with things he shouldn’t. Luke caught him trying to take off his training wheels to his bike. He had one off already so he just sat back and watched him struggle with the other for a while. About and hour later it was removed as well. Luke told him since he took them off he would have to put them back on if he couldn’t ride it. He just looked at him and smiled.
The after first 30 or so minutes he mastered catching himself before he hit the ground. Then he got the bright idea of getting next to the steps of the house sitting on his bike and pushing off, after about 10 or so attempts on that he pretty much was up and peddling. Unless he had to turn, he would then T-bone the front tire and drop like a rock.
Camen the whole time would occasionally stop to watch her older brother and giggle when he would land flat. She liked pushing her peddle car and getting in and out thank you very much.
I can remember when Luke was five he did the same thing, we both were playing with our bikes and he started taking off his training wheels to be like the older boys, naturally I had to follow suit. I thought he was insane to do this but of course I couldn’t be outdone by him. We had a time trying to get on them, our Pops would help but we insisted on doing it ourselves. The sun was about to go down when we got the bright idea of putting our bikes near the curb and jumping on. Countless times we rammed into each other because we had no control.
After a skinned knee and hand a few jags of crying Kyle finally mastered his bike riding. Luke beamed with pride that his son accomplished this without him having to help. He picked up the spare wheel parts and tossed them in the trash. They sat on the deck a while and celebrated with milk and cookies. Not bad for a four year old.

Memorials, memories and hangovers

This weekend could have been longer and if it were I might not be alive today, ok, that’s an over statement but if there was to be some running about to do then I did it.
Friday night Trace and Michelle had a small cook out, a precursor to what they wanted to do on Monday. A small group of 8 it wasn’t too crazy in fact, I think I ate myself to death more than anything.
Saturday I worked in the morning on some paperwork, we have three big jobs coming in for the country club. Summer is about to roll in we really need to get these done but fast. Amy and I talked a while, then she had to go to work in one of her fifty two jobs she has. I left and romped over to the country club for a short game of golf and a peek at our progress. It didn’t look half bad and the pool is set to go now, new tiles around the deck a scrubbed and clean inside pool with sparkling clear water, new plants all about the area and some mini huts for massages and rub downs in the upper deck levels. I was pleased.
Saturday night was an outing with the guys in the small bar we like to call home, greasy fried foods and cold beers and the best darts in the south. This weekend they sported a new band, they weren’t half bad.
Sunday I was invited to go deep sea fishing for the day, drank more than fished. We did the round table of bullshit - the card game and talked of what we wanted in the future. I just wanted to make it on the boat ride without falling off or being jabbed with one of those damn giant hooks, my aspirations aren’t too high.
Monday we lay out on the beach trying to dry out from all the food and beer and bullshit. Slept most the afternoon watching people parade past with a few surfers giving it a go. Occasionally someone would stop and have a chat with us, some of the older people there sunning thought we were there to cause trouble, we had about 15 all milling about being our stupid and loud selves. Just before sunset I rode my bike buzzing down the highway, it felt great except when an unlucky bug flew into me.
Right now I sit at my desk just thinking of the work that needs to be done, the fun I had, all the while Cari is propped up on Diane’s cubical wall chatting about the weekend.

Still catching up

So last weekend was “our” Mothers Day event, early Friday morning I was packing for the weekend to Atlanta when my cell rang. I just knew it was my G but nope it was Amy wishing me a safe trip and all that other mushy stuff. A good five minutes into our call the phone beeped in which was my G this time, I held off flipping over to answer it. Two minutes later the phone was beeping again so I had to let Amy go because it annoys the hell out of me to hear the beeps.
Nothing to speak of on the drive up, G napped, PG napped, Lori napped, and Mom napped – how I wanted to!
When we arrived Julie was in the driveway grabbing the last of her grocery list items so I jumped out to help, Luke was just bouncing out the door to help as well. Julie looked very well to be carrying two tykes; however she also looked like she would go into labor any second.
Two seconds later Kyle and Camen came running out to meet us. Jacks was already there with his big goofy smile, Kyle resumed his place right under him. They were about to do some coloring on the sidewalk and hunt for bugs to put on the girls.
No stress, no drama just us hanging about talking and enjoying the day, we later went down town to eat at a restaurant so no one had to cook or clean. Saturday was breakfast out and some shopping, Jacks packed his bag and was off and running home before we knew it. Kyle didn’t like that much so it was my job to entertain him. Luke and Kyle and I walked the new yard lot and grabbed some soil samples and measurements for the landscaping. Julie gave me ideas of what she wanted and Luke chimed in with a few of his.
We three boys decided that this year for Mom we would get her an updated Jacuzzi to sit in. Sometimes her bones ache and joints are in pain, besides my G was excited to hear that as well because she’s been having trouble with her knees.
Sunday was church services and lunch out, and then we needed to pack up and trek on home once again. It was nice to have family time with no drama or arguments just easy talks and visiting.
The drive home was about the same as the drive up, everyone napped and I was wishing to.
Later on Sunday I get a phone call from PG saying not to worry but G has fallen down the steps in the garage and may have broken her ankle, we later found out she pulled ligaments and needed to stay off it for the next couple of days. That’s good news at least.
Monday rolls in and Jack calls me to ask if it’s bad if his ear bleeds just a tiny bit after poking a Q tip in too far. What a ding bat, I told him yeah to get it checked and he said that’s what Jess said too, he was on his way to have that looked at.
Right now I’m peeking about trying to find the right Jacuzzi for Mom to have and I guess G as well, since she will be plopped in there with her. This is how weekends should be, with family relaxing doing things together and making memories.

Have you ever just want to say…

“Jump straight up my ass” to someone? Today would be the day for me, in this mornings meeting with the picky country club lady. I came with an open mind, I slept well the night before, after having dinner with Trace and Michelle and a movie. However, if I see Wolverine one more time I might howl, spare me that movie now, and torture me with anything --- the Hanna Montana movie please!
Back to the lady – she was over forty minutes early, how do I know this? One of the waitresses told me as I walked in 10 minutes early myself. She promptly scolded me for being late, in which defense mode clicked in and asked her to check her appointment book to see our blocked set time… I won that battle.
We chose, I should say SHE chose a table away from traffic and large enough for me to lay out plans and explain in detail our ideas. Before I began my spiel with her, making it perfectly clear all of this was already agreed upon and if there was something she didn’t like she would have to talk to the rest of the committee about the changes. I think that statement blew in one ear and out the other.
Starting light, we sorted through the plants and the arrangements of them. I could have said every plant indigenous to the southern Georgia coastal area and possibly every plant in her yard she wouldn’t have approved of them. Holding my breath I let her give me her suggestions and wrote them down, she actually wanted me to mark up my plans to show the new changes. I did, but still stated that she would have to direct this all to the rest of the counsel not that I would change them until their approval.
We moved on to some more of the deeper end issues like the pool area and tennis court and landing point for the golf areas. Wanting loose gravel near the pool and tennis courts was a given “No No”, but making her understand the reasoning’s why was near impossible. After the third time of me explaining the pool guy would literally hunt me down and shoot after having to clean the filter every day because Jr. thinks its fun to watch the pebbles go “ploop” in the pool She mumbled that children shouldn’t be allowed in the club in the first place.
Materials used was another hill to climb with her, when I do estimates for projects I go out myself and find the cost of each item and include that in my final price, just as anyone else would do. She didn’t like the stores I was purchasing from…..there again trying to keep an open mind I let her give me suggestions.
After what seemed to be a week of her rambling on of “In my day” one liners we decided to take the meeting outside “so that I may take some notes for my changes” I bit my lip and followed her out of doors. She pointed and prodded to areas that were not even discussed, like the parking lot, the actual golf course, we were just trying to make the general public recreational areas more up to date and useable.
I’m not sure if she was dozing during the past meetings before or was in a semi comatose fog during them because none of this was ever discussed, not that I wouldn’t like to add them in. I was tired of her telling me “You’re doing it wrong” over and over.
After the fourth time of me telling her she would have to talk to the rest of the committee she might have been getting the point when we happened upon one of the other members. I exhaled long and hard when they explained why only certain areas were to be upgraded; it seemed to have stuck in her head that time.
After nearly four hours of her picking and prodding our plans and insisting we use hers, I was about to throw her into the pool, which just so happens to be empty. The chairman walked upon us, I guess getting ready to have his lunch, when he noticed the flustered look on my face. He decided to save me and invite the picky lady to dine with him and saving her a fate of seeing the bottom of the pool. She wanted me to give all my notes to him in which I eagerly did and said if you make any “improvements” to please give me a call and clue me in.
I walked out the same way I entered and the waitress that warned me smiled and said she was glad to see I was still alive. As I exited the grounds and entered the highway I blasted my radio and cussed so loud I’m sure people in South Carolina could hear me……..

Mother’s Day

I guess the card makers needed days like this, Mothers and Fathers and Grandparents days. They are well and good in their own devices, personally setting aside one day of the year to acknowledge all their hard work for a life time doesn’t cut it for me. Maybe it doesn’t hurt to do a small pat on the back every once in a while, but you don’t need a card to do that.
My Mom is a wonderful person, she’s caring and giving and smart, and she raised four rowdy kids and still has her sanity. Taught us the best she knew how to care and respect for others, she married to what you would think a decent man. (I go no farther on this subject).
Many times I’ve chimed on about how she raised four brats and taught school or nursed and was able to keep the family together. Hell, I have a hard enough time getting up in the mornings and making breakfast and she does all this plus some.
Last Mothers Day Lori and I did a few odds and ends for her, this year Lori and Mom spent the day at a spa doing girl things. Lori came to church sporting new fingernail polish and toe nails and what ever else they do. She giggled about the mud masks she and Mom wore how the lady rubbed their feet with stinky oils. If anything my Mom enjoyed spending some girl time with her little baby. I didn’t really do anything for her yet, that comes later.
Next weekend we plan on visiting Luke and Julie and the two brats. Mom really wanted to visit Julie for a while now and see how she’s getting along. Besides, they need a little help moving some items out of their old house. He also wanted me to take measurements for the lot and soil samples since he is hiring me to landscape for them.
Jacks is going to run over to see her as well, which will make Mom and Lori happy, the last time they saw each other wasn’t on the best of terms. He is going to look at Luke’s new house plans and do a few modifications for them. He and I spoke a while this morning, he was all out of sorts and blames it on a being Monday. After 10 minutes of me pestering him, he spilled his guts to me and I can see why he is in this mood. I suggested a nice long break from the problems at hand and sorting them out, instead of flipping out on everyone. Then tell them all to go straight to hell.
Today for me will be interesting; I plan on having the picky lady from the country club give me some ideas of what she envisions from us.

My weekend

So the last minute on Friday we get a call in to check out some new timbers and treatments that are being used for areas in the Country Club, ROAD TRIP!
Chris, Wayne and I quickly grabbed small bags and packed up the truck to check out the new stuff. Not only to do that but just to get out of town for a while.
I like to travel and see new places, I can be a home body if needed but just getting out a while and breathing new air is relaxing to me.
We made it in by midnight Friday and settled down for the next days exhibits. That morning we woke up, crammed as much food into us as possible and walked what seemed a million miles. Home Shows or Home Fairs can be boring if you let them, that’s how I met Shailana in Nashville a few years back, a total nutcase that one is.
That evening we found a cool bar to eat and drink a while in, nothing much really going on. Chris did try and hit on every waitress that walked within a 5 foot radius of us. Wayne and I had a wager on how many times he would be shot down.
Sunday was about the same, and then late that afternoon was the trip home. When I noticed a billboard about Mothers Day, great…..
I’m trying my best to get it organized since our Mom hasn’t had the best year so far with our idiot of a Pops, Jacks moving off and Luke being extra busy not able to come down as often. Lori keeps her semi preoccupied wither little dramas and she and G don’t miss a shopping day.
If I can get the 15th will be it, Jacks can spend the night at Luke’s with his crew. Then Mom, Lori and I can drive up and spend the weekend.

Pandemics

So today I walk into work and everyone is in lather over the Swine Flu and the girl missing from Myrtle Beach.
What makes us all get into an uproar over things like this? One lady here loaded each desk up with rubbing alcohol and hand wipes. The seventeen year old girl missing is a tragedy but in the news report (and we can’t always believe that) said she was prone to leaving or running away. Poor girl needs to get her some help.
The Swine Flu is another interesting story, Cari the office germ freak, decided to wash everything down with Clorox. I about passed out from the smell and there’s not been any cases reported here yet. She actually had a book out of Reader Digest “Back to Basics” like she was going to go camp out on her husbands parents farm and live off the land. When and if the day does come she will be a train wreck.
I talked to Luke last night in Atlanta and they have a few cases reported there, their kids are not school age, Kyle is in a Mommy’s Day out like thing so he’s on vacation from that, because just like his daddy, if there is a cold to be caught Kyle will get it.
Jacks said there were two unconfirmed cases where he is and a few more reported this morning. They closed down the schools and daycares there, but not his college classes. He’s too rowdy to catch anything but he did mention his heads been hurting the last few days and throat is sore.
Lori is worried that it will come this weekend, since she wants to go see the movie again she was cold busted on before. I don’t get the closing schools and then the little runts are running around the malls and on the beaches together anyway. If they do close she may end up in class until Memorial weekend.
What blows my mind the sheer panic some are going through, stock piling gas and foods, tightening up houses? Some of the younger kids are all up in arms and the problem hasn’t even hit close to here yet.
Whatever the out come will be……no matter how hard you wash your hands.

Whirlwinds

Last week was a super busy for me off and on; the weather is clearing up so I can work outside once more. Thursday was the first time in 3 months I’ve really had a nice sweat going from pulling up some stumps out of a lot.
The café did very well on Saturday so we may need that extra help now for Bee. I thought maybe sneaking in to get a sandwich would be a breeze but I had to wait. Not that I am complaining, so I walked around the green house thinking of other items that might go well. Earlier that morning I played a long round of golf with the guys and noticed I really need to hit the driving range.
When I was younger, my PG and I would go to the range and out past it was a train track In my entertainment my PG would whack the balls out there so I could hear the “thunk” as it clipped the train. The owner of the range finally came out and asked my PG to stop that he hated going out there to find the balls. One of my first jobs was to drive the truck that picked up balls in a driving range, my friends would come out to try and hit me.
The country club has no complaints as of yet, but of course, I’ve not seen the complaint lady.
I talked to Jacks for a few minutes on Sunday as I did an evil trick on someone (Can’t say just what—she reads this blog too) he is doing fine keeping extra busy, I think a little too busy if you ask me. His work is kicking him in the ass, not that he can’t keep up with it. But the worry of idiots in his office being jerks -- some of these people have kids older than him but they still want to act as if they are teenagers with the gossip. He wouldn’t go much into detail with me other than one guy is a total dweeb.
Lori was a perfect angel this weekend and only spent the night at Gs, getting ready to pick strawberries. Our grand’s have a huge patch and everyone loves to come out and pick them. I don’t mind eating them, just not having to get out there and pick them – I do enough “gardening” on my work week. At least the café will have some nice fresh strawberries for their treats.

*I found two pennies*

Being A Sneak

It was nice these last two days, nothing major happened. I stopped into the café on Saturday to have a bite to eat, check inventory and pester Bee. After all that fun, hopping over to the country club to make sure some progress is being made there. Maybe it’s just me, but to let the members see that I check up and show interest helps a bit. Now if the rain would just let up.
That night a few of us decided to go see a movie, we wanted to go on Friday but drinking plans got in the way. So we are all marching in to see a movie and whose little blonde head do I see in line? My little sister, who was supposed to be spending the night with some other girls, I couldn’t believe my eyes, buying my ticket I kept one eye on her to see which movie she sauntered into. It was that 17 Again movie of course, she naturally, just like her older brother, made a pit stop at the concession stand. She placed her order in and before she could finish I asked her if she wanted extra butter on that popcorn.
If anyone could have measured her for a high jump record at that moment I’m sure she would have broke it. The look of shock on her face was priceless, “You owe me” is all I said and walked away with a smirk on my face. I stopped and turned around to see her jaw wide open and I gave her the two fingers to my eyes and pointed them in her direction gesture and pranced into my movie.
Sunday comes along and I wouldn’t miss church for anything in the world this weekend. Somehow I knew Lori would be there as well. Before church I had to stop in Wal-Mart and pick up a few items, one being donuts and a few odds and ends for myself. I was going to have my dinner cooked and house cleaned that night……I talked to Jacks early that day as well, he said that Amy might be calling me which was fine, so I had a chat with her while I shopped, she enjoys hearing me do the self check out and how it never works for me.
Church was interesting, Lori sneaked in beside me, glancing up at me every once in a while with a pleading face. After the services I told her how she could keep my mouth shut. Since she would be going to Gs after, she could come over to my house and find a mini list of chores to do and what I wanted for dinner. She grumbled at me but after my suggestion of letting Mom in on her where abouts on Saturday night she agreed.
After I came home to make an inspection of her job, she did well enough for me and we both sat down and had pizza together (She just had to call it in). I explained to her that its fun and exciting to do things like that and not get caught but there are always bad side effects that can happen and accidents. If she wanted to go see a movie or be somewhere to let me at least know and I could help her out if possible. Otherwise, next time she was busted I would have to tell Mom who would put down the wrath of God on her and she knows it.

Sleepies

The other day Luke and I were talking about his kids, Kyle is running up on 3 now I think, oh my God I’m a terrible uncle. Whatever, Luke and I always get a crack out of talking about when we were growing up together.
He was telling me how Kyle is all against having the naps during the day and Julie has an all out battle with him and Camen then. I can remember naps and how I loved them, Luke was always napping ten or fifteen minutes before time. Because we were always racing around the house wearing ourselves down not to mention my Mom. Jacks hated it, you could never get him to drop and Lori would go only if you rocked her to sleep.
I remember one time Mom was about to kill us three, she would clean something up in the house and sure enough one of us would be right behind her messing it up. Our Pops would come home from lunch and right after he left it would be the time for our dreaded daily deed. Jacks couldn’t have been any more than two, Luke was out of that stage and I was getting pretty close. That day, Pops leaves to go back to work; Mom turns to us with a big smile on her face and claps her hands “Yay! Its nap time!!” At first I clapped in excitement, because she was excited but then realized what it was for and wasn’t too happy about it. Off we rolled to our rooms, we were duped all I could say was “Nooo!” but I’d clapped about it so I had to go. Mom was pretty proud that she found a new “fun” way to get us to hit the sack for a while and give her some peace and quiet.
The next day the plan was the same for her -- big smile, bending down and “Yay!!” I looked her dead pan in the face; I was on to her game and she knew the jig was up. I was proud of myself because I had caught on. Maybe just maybe, I would be excluded from the game from now on. But behind me I hear “Its nap time!” and clapping….. It was Jacks with his big cheesy smile and blonde curly headed locks bouncing up and down… what a goober!

Wigglin room

So this older lady at the country club is really getting under my skin, with all her picking and prodding about with the work. Something has to be up with her…. Maybe she’s lonely or one of those type A personalities or a full on loon. Maybe she knows about how I like to make everyone happy with my work and she’s going to be the one challenge for me. It’s bugging me that I can’t seem to make her happy. I guess it’s the old adage” the squeaky wheel gets the grease” maybe it’s just the challenge to make her crack a smile with our work. ….Maybe I’m just a paranoid geek?
Talked to Luke a little while just making sure Julie is feeling well, she’s been on my mind for the last few days. I know that moving out of their old house into an apartment and building a new house, taking care of two little monkeys under the age of three. On top of that being pregnant with twins has to be harsh on a body. He said she’s fine, and the runts are as well. Luke says he might have to move out of state a month or so setting up a new project, oh boy. -- One worry off my mind.
Caught Jacks in transit to a class, usually I let him call me but I was in an extra chatty mood and crossed my fingers to talk to him. He’s swimming along in school of course, like it’s a day camp for him. Work is more stressful for him with some jerk worried that Jacks may take his job, all I got to say to the dude, is to get your game up Jacks is on your ass. He said that he and Jess are just fine thank you very much. --- No worries there.
Lori is on a man hunt, and this whole time I thought she would love the Jonas Brothers or that Jesse McCartney dude, you know the ones at are unattainable. How do I know this? She called me asking if I could drop her off at the long side of the beach. She’s about 100 yards from the beach, why would she want to go way over there? New boys of course! We will see if she gets a ride from me. -- One more worry for me there.

*Susan Boyle touched my heart, search her*

Still working

The country club project is still moving right along, the directors romped about the areas we were working in this weekend and seemed to approve of our accomplishments. Except for one, this lady that has to be as old as Methuselah, nit picks at every over turned stone. “Why is this plant going to be here, coloring concrete is going to get on our feet” the complaints go on and on. I see there will be a lot of redoing work with this one; the other directors suggested that smiling and continuing the direction we are going in would be fine.
Mom and I had another long discussion about Pops this weekend, she does but she doesn’t want to let go. If it were me, he would have been history a long time ago, but it’s not me. I’m not so patient or forgiving and after a while the drama gets too much for me and I’m eager to walk away. Maybe the whole issue with Beth a while back still burns me; I don’t tend to put up with it anymore. I don’t have to put up with silly and petty drama and childishness and can live perfectly fine as it is.
Visited Trace and Michelle this weekend, they are talking kids, Trace a daddy? That almost as bad as Jacks being one, the world will spin backwards. They are all giddy and smiles still, their apartment is cute but cramped and way too small for them and another one the way. So they are waiting for a little while longer until Trace can get settled in his job and Michelle is in hers and they can buy or rent a house.
We did the cookout deal at their apartment Saturday night, Trace warned me that Michelle was in the “hook up” mode, I told her very quickly that my life was in perfect order, she scowled at me. “But I have the perfect person for you to meet!” Why do they always say that? Then she asked me when Jacks might be coming home that he would like to meet her, I jumped on that one fast. I told her that Jacks is very happy in his relationship with Jessica and not only would she claw my eyes out she would go for Jacks too.
I still have a year of school to finish up and my job is keeping me so busy right now that looking at another person is out of the subject, not to mention Amy. In this economy you have to have a good education and stable job to survive, money issues is half the reason why people break up. I want to be established and settled in my life, get out all the wild hairs, maybe be a bit more mature in my thoughts.

*I found sixteen cents*

A giggle..I think

Not only does my Mom call me for a Honey Do list, she calls me about the latest gossip or a cool recipe that even I couldn’t mess up, but she calls me with giggles.
So Lori is all about being a grown up these days, she’s a woman in her own eyes. Even though she only hit the double digits this year.
First it was the little bra, I remember the day she decided she wanted one and just so happens I was with them as they shopped. I eased myself out to the nearest book store to hide while they took measurements and what not, I can’t imagine what they use to measure you for a bra and really don’t want to know.
A few months later the grumpies started with her, I couldn’t tease her or make her laugh without Lori biting my head off. That’s another reason why I’m grateful that Luke and Jacks were both boys, I would die or be killed being the middle kid of two girls. After that eventful day came about, she announce she was a woman and no one should mess with her, and yes Jess, technically she is but she is still my little baby sister until I say she’s not.
This week she decided that shaving under her arms would be cool; Mom says she has little peach fuzz there and nothing more. She told Lori it would be best to hold off on the shaving as long as she could but of course Little Miss Grown Up wouldn’t wait.
Mom bought her a safety razor like deal, I'm sure with some cutsie name. I suggested one of those that yanks the hair out by the roots, she wouldn’t be so hip to shave then. Anyway, she takes her bath and emerges out with a scowl on her face per Mom. “Mom, did you give me a fake razor?” Mom said she held back her giggles and asked her to show her the one she used, Lori didn’t remove the protective covering. Oh well, we all have to learn sometimes, I remember my first shaving experience, I looked like someone came after me with a hack saw, after that I ran to the electric razor and never looked back.
When I look at Lori I still see that chunky cheeked, blonde, curly haired kid running in circles making up songs to annoy us. When she would scream at the top of her lungs if a bug crawled in the house or someone (Jacks) played a trick on her. The summer that I had the joy of taking care of her while Mom was sick, I was able to rock her to sleep and read stories to her at night. Her little bubble head cracking my door open on Saturdays mornings wanting her “panny cakes” asking with a finger jabbed in her mouth. Teaching her how to surf and ride her bike and kick sand at bad boys if they were mean to her.
Now she’s taller, much taller and slim, long gone are those pinch able cheeks and the wild curly hair is flowing down her back. She makes her mind up on things and gives her opinion now more freely. If she’s hungry, she makes her own Pancakes….. I feel there will be no more of “color of the day dresses” and “monkey bar battles”. She has artwork of boy bands in her room instead of the Barbie collection.
My little sister, she’s a punk but I love her all the same.

Phase one

We started on the ground breaking of some of the area of the country club; I’ve been making plans and thinking out just where to put the plants. I’ve been calculating concrete measurements and brick detailing, if the ground will dry some we plan on doing some digging. Which by the looks of the weather it’s not going to happen very soon, we can do many work a rounds to keep up the schedule.
Chris is just itching to get into the pool area, so I’ve had him painting out the general idea of the new planters and paths. Actually is a bit early for him to ogle the bathing suits, the warm temps really haven’t been there for us.
Tomorrow I plan on sitting down with a few of the directors and see if they like the direction we are going, sometimes its easier to visualize it on the ground instead of on paper.
Spoke to my mom a while the other night, in fact, I just told her to let me hang up and I would drive over for a visit. It was the first time I’ve been to the house since the birthday fiasco. It really doesn’t look good for her and Pops these days. (Why would I put this here?) I document everything that goes on, no holds barred. Besides how is this going to come back and bite me in the ass? I didn’t do anything; no murder involved however at times there could have been on my part. I see how she feels; it’s not easy to walk away from a 27+ year investment, you want to try and make it work. Hell, I can’t drop anything from a 3 month investment. Its evident that all the counseling and talking to the preacher, other family members isn’t working out for them, the same routine starts over in a few weeks of failed promises.
In my mind and heart I was half expecting him to grow up a little and expand his feelings. That’s just not going to be him; he can’t fathom a work around when it affects others. It’s his way or the highway and you can’t do that in a relationship. Just a little give and take and understanding, that accidents can and do happen and we will all make a slip in the road.
I don’t wish for the worst but when you see that it’s not going to work, sometimes in parting as friends is best. We will see how it goes in the next few months; I’m keeping tabs on my work progress and family progress in a big way.

*I found a dime on the street*

I’m baaack!

I haven’t been able to babble on here the last few days due to the stomach virus from hell and a bout of bad weather here keeping us extra busy with the City folks.
I’ve fully recovered from the virus and the City projects are just about cleaned up. I wanted to touch upon the funeral of last week and why the cryptic message of the Stuckeys comment, it was an adventure to say the least.
Tuesday as I trudged out early that morning to meet Jacks in Atlanta I noticed my stomach was “talking” to me extra loud, I just finished a nice stack of pancakes and gulped down a massive amount of milk. When I was about half way there the chills hit me and a head ache, a few miles down the road I started to sweat. I knew this couldn’t be good but pressed onward.
By the time I arrived in Atlanta I was full on sick, waiting on Jacks I leaned my seat back and tried to rest some, we still had another 3 hour drive to get to the funeral home.
When Jacks pulled up his mouth dropped “Dude, you are so pale!” I grunted at him that he would be the driver and plan on making many stops along the way. We made it to the funeral home in time; I decided to stay back away from everyone else and linger in the background, hoping not to infect others.
The funeral was a full on Military with a side of the Masonic, so we had the loud twenty one gun salute the roaming bag pipe player and what ever rituals that Masons do. In other words it was a long, sad mother of a funeral. I swear during the folding of the flag I had to run out and make myself feel better and the old guys were still folding the flag when I came back in.
Our drive back right after the funeral was no less eventful, pulling over every hour or so. Jacks made it no better when he decided to stop at Burger King and ordering two Whoppers with cheese a large fry and onion rings no less. All I could think was “Please God take me now” when that smell wafted over to me. I can’t fault him -- he had to eat; the day had been just as terrible for him minus the virus.
When we traveled as young-uns, we always stopped at the Stuckeys truck stops, they had great little gadgets to play with – my Mom hated the place because of the had rubber snakes they sold. We always looked for the signs on the highways. When it was just Luke and I, she would see them long before us, Mom would always manage to have something for us to look at in the opposite direction, so we wouldn’t spot the sign. When Jacks (old eagle eye) came along and could read the signs she was out of luck, he would spot them miles away.
We arrived in Atlanta at the prime time of 5:10; if you ever drove in that traffic during “rush” hour then you know how I felt. We made it to Julie and Luke’s house where they insisted I stay the night at least until I could sit up properly to drive home. Jacks refused to stay in the virus fog and drove home.
The next day I was some what better and by afternoon faked that I could make it, something about being sick and being at your own home makes it a little easier. That whole day I slept, only getting up every once in a while to make myself feel better. By Friday I could tolerate the world again.
This weekend I took it easy, worked a little bit and relaxed a lot. I called Jacks today to make sure he was feeling fine; he was, as he munched down a bacon sandwich. I swear that guy has a cast iron stomach.