I sure hope Johnnycakes broke the news to Kym that they found a nice house in Boaz to rent today and get the keys tomorrow. He said he was going to go home to write a paper due tomorrow for the class he and the Princess share but....! They have to go to put down their deposit on the electric and water tomorrow so they will be turned on because they want to get moved in over the weekend.

From what I am told, it's (I think) a 2 br./1ba. house with carport and an enclosed porch or patio area. I forget if it has a fenced yard but there is a private pond just beyond it that the owner will let Johnnycakes fish in. Nice neighbors, I guess. I sure hope the yard is fenced in for the baby. It will make life a lot easier on the Princess because I can just see Chewlee heading for the pond. She's very bold and baby dumb. By her age, my kids all knew how to swim but that's a real necessity in Florida where pools abound everywhere plus all those damn canals. My kids started to learn when they were about a year old. They were never afraid of the water. It was only my youngest son that didn't learn to swim because we left Florida for a couple years when he wasn't even a year old and so he was about five before he learned. I always felt bad about that, too.

The Beast started on the bathroom today. Oh, it was quite a chore (but everything is and nothing is simple with him). He started out checking the trim to see if it needed to be painted first. He discovered (what a shock!) dog hair all over it so he started cleaning THAT up and found the inevitable yellow gunk around the toilet and splashed on the wastebasket. He tried (laughingly) to say he had NO idea that we girls could splash like that (and he sure didn't get far with that attempt at blame) but he had to clean it up. I loved it. He thought it was DISGUSTING. I told him...yes, it is. Do you think that *I* enjoy cleaning it? Hmmm?? Hmmm??

He armed himself with soap, bleach, gloves and rags saying, "This is NOT going to be a pretty sight!" We didn't laugh but gave each other (the Princess and I) that look that says, *Good...he needs to see what it's like*.
After that was done, I helped him put up that blue tape to protect the door trim, the vanity edges, the mirror and around the tub enclosure. He then spent some more time taking down the lights over the vanity and the wall plates. He finally couldn't stall any more and started in on the actual painting.

The way men paint can make you nuts so I stopped watching him a long time ago. My cousin-in-law in Florida and I totally painted our whole house in Sunrise in one day. We did the ceilings and the walls in a 3 bedroom, 2 bath house. We started early in the morning and were done by supper time. Granted, we didn't have kids bothering us (they were in school) or husbands (they were working) but we worked hard and fast and got it done so we could get moved in. She was motivated because we were staying with them at the time (they had three kids, we had four) so it was a bit on the crowded side. I wanted to get into our new (used) home as fast as I could, too. I have NEVER so much as seen the Beast do ONE room in ONE day. Not even in TWO days. Something always seems to go wrong.

Today is no exception. He had all kinds of excuses for it but....he actually ended up with three long runs in the paint from his roller. It has a cover over it so *he couldn't see how much paint he put on it* was one excuse. Now the paint must dry completely so he can sand down the runs tomorrow and then repaint the areas. And still the bathroom will need another coat. This is NOT a big bathroom. It has a double size vanity but single sink. A toilet. A bathtub and enough room to get in and out. That's it. There's enough room between the vanity and the tub for a nice rug so you get the idea. Now WHY should that take (I'll bet it turns out this way) three days to paint???? And then he will have to put it all back together. That means the shelves back up on the walls and all the other stuff back in place.

After the Beast spent about 15 minutes looking through the junk drawer and yelling at me, *you have NO idea what is in this drawer, do you?* I told him I sure did because every single week, I have to empty it, fix the so-called no skid liner and put things back. He said he had put the paint chip in the drawer for the bathroom and I said if he did, it should be there. I told him to check his jacket and make sure and he called me a nasty name. At which point, the Princess slips the chip card that had *bath* written on one of the three colors and whispers to me that it was in her bathroom. So I, being the smart-ass I can be, say *Hey, is this the one you mean?* and I act like I found it in the drawer he was pulling apart....he looks, abashed and sees his handwriting saying *bath* on it. Then he says, *I thought these were contrasting colors but they aren't. When I looked at it, I noticed that the color he had selected looked a lot lighter than the color the first coat seems to be. I walked into the bathroom and held it against the paint and told him that it was either the wrong color he was given or it sure didn't look the same. And it didn't! It IS darker. It would have been prettier in the lighter shade.

After discussing it, we think that it might be the fact that the color it is going over is a beige and that is making the difference. I think that is why they say you should put kilz as a first coat when painting. It saves a lot of headaches, for one, and ensures a true color for another. But the color we can live with. It's not bad, just not what was planned on. We will definitely reselect a different blue than planned for the bedroom, as well as a different contrast color. *sigh* Nothing goes as planned, didn't I say so?

While a lot of this stuff was going on with the Beast, the Princess and I devoted ourselves to the wash and cleaning up of bedrooms. She worked on her stuff and I did mine. I am retiring the down comforter until next winter (after i do the dryer dry cleaning of it with Dryel) and then spray it with Febreze to make double sure it does not smell strange after being sealed up and stored. I am also going to store the flannel sheet sets and heavier blankets. Those are headed for the attic after the Princess moves out and I can have the Beast drag down all the summer stuff I just put away two months ago. The winter stuff will not sit around this year.

I'm looking forward to getting my computer room cleared out so I can clean my rug (again) and I just know that this will be the next room the Beast attacks for painting. He MAY do the bedroom first but that requires him finally making his desk that he has planned out so it's ready to be put up as soon as that wall is finished. So he might actually tackle that room last. We will have to wait and see.

The Princess will be taking her bedroom set out of here this weekend as well as the table and four chairs. I will have to clean up the regular high chair for Chewlee to use in the house. It's been on the deck since it's weather-proof but it gets dirty from the dust and stuff. I'll clean it up this weekend so I can use it next week when she's dropped off every day. The poor baby is going to have to get used to sleeping on a regular bed (she will use the guest bed once her crib is moved) because she just HATES the port-a-crib and I won't even bother with it. The Princess and I will have to go through the toys to decide which ones I will keep here for the baby to play with but the majority will go with her, I am sure. Ahhhhhh, it will be nice to have limited messiness here once more.

I'm making up a list of basic stuff the kids will have to buy for stocking up their kitchen. I'll give the Princess my extra spices and some other stuff plus the list. She wanted me to come with her to help her pick out what she needs but I told her that should be something she and Johnnycakes do together. I will be giving her a couple of my Wal-Mart bags that are NOT plastic that I bought. I actually have more than I need so I can pack stuff up for her in a couple and she can keep them. That includes toilet paper and paper towels...and I even have napkins for them...LOL

Well, time for bed. I need the rest. I woke up from a nightmare last night (this morning) and got up to do the post I did earlier. I was really pissed off (from the dreams which were mostly real events I relived). It actually scared me a little because I thought to myself, *Is this how your life passes in front of your eyes before you die?*. That made me wake up because I was NOT ready for that shit. No, no, no, no, no!!!!!

Love you all. We didn't get tornadoes and didn't even get any of the bad thunderstorms other areas did further north and south of us. All-in-all, not as bad as it could have been. Hope you have a great day tomorrow and laugh a little. It really IS good for the soul.

I swear I have been a good person most of my life. I have tried to treat people fairly. To be nice to everyone. To help those in need. To NOT kill my children even though I was sorely tempted. To NOT kill my husband for many, many reasons. So, I ask you, Lord....just WHAT IN THE HELL HAVE I DONE TO BE CONSTANTLY TESTED AND PUNISHED THIS WAY????

I am referring, of course, to the Beast and his never-ending projects. I SWEAR TO YOU...it IS because he is afraid of running out of them and having no good reason to live. He made a statement to the Princess and Johnnycakes the other evening that I really think had a bit of truth in it, for many reasons. He said, *Bratsis was really HOT looking when she was young. I should have married for love.* The kids hooted and hollered and just HAD to tell me so when I heard, I took two fingers, kissed them while looking straight at him and then patted my ass with them before going into my computer room. But, when I thought about it, it really WOULD have explained a lot of things that happened to me during our life together. I won't dwell on them because I just don't want to share some things. My family will have a clue as to what I am referring to but it's well behind us now. I think it might be another reason the Beast is afraid to die. He has no clue as to what the hell is going to happen to him. The Beast CLAIMS he doesn't believe in God but I know he's lying. If he didn't, it wouldn't be an issue with him whether he was a good person or a bad one. It's those kind of questions that made me realize that he's not quite the person he tries to pretend to be. He is afraid to die because he would NOT BE IN CONTROL of what happened to him afterwards (if there IS an afterward, afterlife or even a future life). HIS ruminations, not mine.

My family can tell you that I have always been a decent person. I sure hope so anyway. How I was saddled with so many punishments (the biggest of which was the Beast), I have no clue. I would just love some peace in my life for whatever years I have left to me (and I hope there are many, many more in my future). This constant crap with the Beast may drive me to an early grave. I won't even begin to tell you what he was outlining to me just this morning (well, yesterday since this is almost tomorrow...or some such thing...LOL). I will say this.....it involves painting, shelving (yes more of it), the deck, more painting, some pressure cleaning....oh, I am too damn sick of it all to go on. The worst of it is, as he gets more and more into all of this, his temper gets shorter and shorter and I am sooooooo very tired of THAT, too. He is constantly snapping at me, the Princess and even poor little Chewlee who just loves her *Papaw*. I could club him over the head just for THAT alone.

So I ask you, Lord....please, please deliver me from this. If it involves the Beast....just TAKE HIM! I would be so very grateful. Thank you. Amen.

And with that, a good day for everyone and love you all.

And yet another project started but finished. The Beast finally agreed with me about the fan light he had installed in the living room. It needed to match the one in the dining area. So that meant taking down the one in both the living room and our bedroom. The living room one he had installed yesterday was then put into OUR bedroom. Taking it down was a real pain in the ass. You have to be so careful not to rest it on it's fins and the lights underneath are not exactly made to sit evenly. With my help, he finally got that done but it DID require his strengthening the electrical outlet in the ceiling. The old fan light was very lightweight and the darn electrician had it held in place with ONE NAIL. The Beast got out his drill and some nice screws and got it secured to the 2x4 in the attic.

Then he had to put together the new light he bought that was exactly like the one over the dining table. This one he had to cut the extension pipe down several inches due to the height of the ceiling and the fact that guests might walk underneath it. We didn't want them to have to duck.....LOL. It had to be put up in stages and required my help. Makes me wonder how he got the one in the dining area up without my help even once. I was glad Chewlee was sleeping at the time. So we worked on the three different stages (the fins being one of them and next to last). When he needed help with the lighting portion, Johnnycakes had shown up and I delegated that to HIM. He really got the easy part and didn't have to listen to the Beast swearing at the whole fixture like it was alive and responsible for his not having it done easily. What can I say? It's now done and looks wonderful. I just love the fixture because the fins on it look like they are either feathers or feathered edge leaves. They are a dark brown wood with deep grooves in them. The fixture itself is a dark, antique brushed brass color. Very classy looking. And, yes, they were expensive but I think it was worth it.

Chewlee woke up shortly after her mother left for school. She was barely awake so the changing of the diaper was easily accomplished. She was in a happy, loving mood and spent some time just giving me loving (hugs and kisses) and then wanted me to read to her. I read two of her favorite books to her and we went over all the pictures while she pointed to and said the name of things she knew. Those that were too long for her to pronounce just yet, I still had to say them for her. It fascinates me how she will look at my mouth while I say the words. Sometimes she puts her little hand on the side of my mouth to *feel* how I am saying the words.

She has learned how to whistle...sort of. It passes for one because it surprised even the Beast when she ran up to him and did it. He laughed and told her to *do it again* so he knew she was doing it on purpose. She was tickled pink over THAT attention. She had to give her doggie some hugs and a couple kisses which he endured and then took off for the bedroom and jumped up on the bed. He knows Chewlee is NOT allowed on it because she starts to jump (what little kid doesn't love to do that) but there is too much around it that I am afraid she will fall and hit herself on. Some edges are sharp and she seems so fragile. I just don't want her to be hurt on MY watch, if you know what I mean.

She played with her baby dolls, giving them a lot of loving, too. I turned around once and she had both of her two favorite teddy bears and was sitting in the chair holding them close and kissing their heads. When she put them down, she then started playing quietly with some of her musical toys (which I endure because she will have them all playing at one time and the music clashes...LOL).

Her mother came home for lunch between her morning and afternoon classes so Chewlee ate lunch with mommy and then started winding down a bit. She got her blankey and her bottle and laid her head in her mother's lap. We knew she was ready for her nap so mommy put her to bed before she left to go back to school. She only has the one class in the afternoon on Tuesday so she was home before Chewlee even stirred from her nap. I had been helping out the Beast and he had two parts of the fan light finished and installed when Johnnycakes showed up. That's when I told him...*Oh, good...a guy! YOU can help him out with the rest of this. I did for the hard parts* and went to my computer room to relax.

The Princess had a couple hours before she had to be at work so the two of them went off to inspect another house for rent. I guess it didn't have central air or heat but they were willing to take a look at it. It was just *okay* and there was no enthusiasm so I figured they really didn't like it but were going to keep their options open. They did, however, find one they liked tonight that they looked at after the baby went to bed. Now it is a waiting game for them but they would really like to have that house. I guess it's on an acre of land and is in an area that is not heavily occupied. It has that *country* feeling that they both love. It's just a 3br/1ba but it's raised ranch style. The garage is located at the back of the house and mostly below ground level from the front. It's built into and on a hill. It sounded really interesting and apparently has undergone extensive work to make it easy to care for (laminate floors and tile in the kitchen and bathrooms, for example).

I have been up since 5:30 am. The loud thunder and ligtning that was going through our area woke me up. When the Princess got up to get ready for school, she looked outside and saw it was hailing! The hail was about the size of gumballs (the old penny ones) and I cringed as they hit the glass top table on the deck but it did no damage, thankfully. They were all gone within a short time since the weather was up above freezing. It was just interesting to see them laying all over the yard, the deck, the street....everywhere. And then they were gone.

Have a great day everyone. Love you lots.