I told you we have over 30 fruit trees, right?  Yep.  Three or four different kinds of apples plus a crab apple for fertilization, five different cherry trees (but a couple have more than one tree of that type), three pear trees, three plum trees, two nectarines, perhaps 10 peach trees and god only knows what else!  I stood counting them from the deck one day and then counted the ones here in the back and out front that couldn't be seen from there.  He's removed one or two that died off early on but has replaced them so I have no idea what they might be.  I am assuming he got whatever it was that died but I could be wrong.  I do know that everything seems to have bloomed this year so that's a good thing. 

The weather has been too cool for the Beast to go reinspect Skyline (the first hunting reserve he visited) now that he has the ATV but things are warming up again so there's still hope for the next day or two. 

His aunt, AM, called today as the movers were packing up her house in Port Charlotte since the sale closed this afternoon.  The Beast said he was going up there once they are settled because she has a set of dishes for me.  They were offered to me a while back and I told her I would love them (with all the accessories to go with it).  I figure they will go on my bamboo etagere since it's a set I would use for having company, more than likely for Thanksgiving because it's more autumn colors on it.  It's actually a mushroom pattern and you probably have seen it some time over the years.

Well, time to get this posted.  Love you all and I hope you have nice weather and a great day.  If not, smile anyway and confuse the hell out of those around you. 

Before I say anything about what MY day was like, I want to say a thing or two that I really feel about The Boy.  If anyone reading this is a fan of Bratfink's and The Weirds, you know who I mean.

As you know, The Boy is having to cope right now with The Mother who has just undergone chemo for cancer throughout her body.  She has several more treatments in the months ahead.  It's not her first experience with chemo but this time the problem is much more complex.  She's also that much older (and, if truth be told, more whiney and demanding of The Boy) and is doing this in a desperate attempt to stay alive even though she had said she would NOT take chemo if cancer came back.   But, that part of her story is too long to tell her and it's not MY story to tell.

The Boy is not only dealing with his mother's comfort but also with a stepfather with both Alzheimer's and a nasty personality at his best (which is long past!)  The stepfather wears Depends most of the time....key word is MOST.  He's truly bad and should have been in a nursing home long ago to my way of thinking but The Mother just couldn't bring herself to do that.  Why?  No one has a clue because they hadn't even been living together for some time.  But, she moved back in with him because he kept falling down and wasn't able to get himself up.  She took the Stepfather's car keys away from him because he was a menace to himself and people on the road.  He also got lost all the time. 

When The Mother's doctor did a full-body scan on her and discovered how riddled with cancer her body was, The Boy took off work.  There's some kind of special form he had the doctor fill out so he was covered for two weeks while his mother underwent chemo and in order to try to set up something for the care of both old people.

The Boy, bless his heart, has had to put up with constant problems with the Stepfather, who pees all over himself and the furniture.  The Boy says the house just REEKS.  He came home to find the man running around with his bottom bare because he had shit his pants and removed them and was running around like that.  The problem is, the man could have decided to let the dogs out and been exposed to his neighbors and passersby in that condition and he wouldn't have known or cared.  The man's internal clock is skewed so the Boy is afraid to go to sleep for fear of such a thing happening.  He doesn't want to chase the dogs down in the dark.

The Mother is never the best person as far as when she has REALLY been ill.  She's demanding at the best of times and I can't recall when that might have been.  But the poor Boy.  He loves his mother and he only sees the best in people.  He has no guile in him and just wants to see her comfortable.  He wants to make sure she takes her meds on time and in the proper amount.  He has been checking her urine and even her feces to make sure everything is okay in that department (at The Mother's insistence, mind you).  He has been running hither, thither and yon since this all started to get a hospital bed, clear the dining room to put The Mother's hospital bed into at her home (so she didn't have stairs to worry about), he's been making sure they both eat and running around to pick up their food of choice since they seem to only want fast food these days.  It's like he has had to give up everything he wants to do...even just being with his cats or sleeping in his own bed.

At least Bratfink can take care of things on THEIR home front.  She makes sure the cats get fed, watered, scritched or beaten feeds herself (of course) and tries not to add to his woes.  The few times he manages to get away for a bit and visit his own home and *family* or even sleep in his own bed, albeit very late at night when he stumbles into it, she's there for him to just listen or comfort. 

Tonight, The Mother was feeling horribly nauseous and ended up vomiting all over the bed and bedding.  The Boy helped clean her up, gathered up the sheets and blankets to wash them and remade the bed for her.  He has been such a wonderful caregiver and tries hard not to get impatient with his mother because he feels he's going to lose her soon enough.  He WANTS her to get better.  He's more than willing to do all kinds of things that most men wouldn't do for their own wives, let alone their mothers.  He SAYS he's prepared for her dying but, as those of us who have actually lost our mothers know, you are NEVER prepared to lose a mother you love.

Somehow, I don't think The Boy is going to be going back to work for as long as he can hold off from working.  That won't be long but The Mother doesn't like the visiting nurse (who is probably all professional and no-nonsense) and will complain often and loudly no matter WHO, other than The Boy, takes care of her.  That's the way she is....and she will probably offer to pay his bills if he will take care of her.  That's her way.  She wants what she wants.  The Boy doesn't see this as something unusual.  He doesn't even think of it as a burden to him except he likes his job, regardless of what other people might think.  But, knowing the Boy and his tender heart, he would do it in a heartbeat.

At least The Mother has finally decided that The Stepfather must go to a nursing home.  That will be another chore The Boy will have thrust on him after he and The Mother take care of a few things that MUST BE DONE first.  He will probably enlist the help of the pastor that The Mother likes and I'm sure the visiting nurse may have some suggestions.  He will need to go to a nursing home that specializes in Alzheimer's patients since they do require special care in more than one way.  The doors to the nursing home are specially designed to keep them IN the home so they can't wander off.

So tonight, when Bratfink and I were talking on an IM back-and-forth, I thought to myself that there has to be a special place in Heaven for The Boy AND in God's heart.  Even if he DOES complain at times or gets short-tempered, he still takes a deep breath and does what must be done because HE LOVES HIS MOTHER.   He loves her to the point that he will go without proper sleep or food until he's almost too tired to think.  Then he will take a break at his own home and throw himself on his own bed for an hour or two and REST in comfort for as long as he can.  Bratfink will fend off calls from The Mother IF she can but The Boy usually will awaken to a phone ringing and expect it to be The Mother With Another Serious Problem Of Some Sort!

Tonight it was blood in her urine but a call to the nurse and he was told not to worry about that because it was more than likely The Mother's hemorrhoids leaking into the urine since she is also on blood thinners.

So, say a prayer or two for The Boy if you think about it.  I know I do every day.  My heart bleeds for him because, as bad as things are now, he will greatly miss his Mother when she dies.  It may not be soon or it may shock us all and come very soon.  But pray for him to have strength to do what he must do over the next few days, weeks and months ahead.

With that said, I'm only going to say this much about the Beast and his *condition*.  He's better; he's eating; he's been kind of better than I thought he would be (mostly because he spent so much time sleeping...:laughing).  I feel lucky that he's not putting ME through anything even CLOSE to what the poor Boy is going through.  Or, poor Bratfink who feels so bad for The Boy and wants nothing more than to comfort him and lend him strength but believes he allows himself to be taken advantage of much more than he should.  It's led to some *disagreements* and those make her unhappy and I'm sure it does him, too.

Today is an IBS day for me.  Not a bad one but it ticks me off that I have any problems with it at all.  I was told by the doctor that it just might go away if I go without symptoms for a couple months.  I can't seem to make it through a whole month, let alone a couple of them.  IBS is short for Irritable Bowel Syndrome.  It's a real pain in the butt (that's literally :laughing) and makes for pain in the bowels that can be really dreadful.  I found some OTC medication for it that really helps (thanks Bratsis2!).  My sister read something about it in her local paper's doctors advice column and forwarded it to me.  I gave it a try since it works for either way that you are affected (loose or bound up).  I found it to be a wonderful help and it did get me off the pain medication, which I think contributes to some of the problem as much as it helps.

The OTC medication is by Digestive Advantage and you buy the type for IBS.  If you have problems with that, by all means, it can't hurt you to give it a try.  Just remember that it may not work as well for you as it has for me but I really hated having to take a really nasty stool *softener* or else something for diarrhea. 

I also woke up with a swollen left foot.  Not both.  Just one.  I think it has something to do with how I am sleeping.  I've never heard of anyone having one foot slightly swollen unless they have injured it.  I actually could have injured it with all the stuff I have been doing lately.  I seem to injure myself easily these last few years.  I know by looking at the loose skin on my thighs that my days of youth are long gone.  I also have that paunch that comes with getting older.

We spend so much time learning things and, by the time we could really be talented and productive, our bodies betray us.  *Sigh*  It's so sad.  I appreciate the saying *Youth is wasted on the young* more now than when I heard it years ago (when *I* was young).  At least, I understand it now when it's too late to change a darn thing.  Compared to some people my age, I am more active but I am less active than others that I know.  I have chronic back pain from a bad injury I did to my back about four years ago.  I now have a bulge in between two of my thoracic disks in my back and a bone that I cracked in my lower back.  Although it's healed, it gives me hell because it puts pressure on my spinal column.  It's a real bitch to get old.

Yet, you have to have a sense of humor about it.  Otherwise, it would become depressing and life is too short for that.  Especially at MY age...LOL.  With my IBS, I have found that I have what people call *Granny farts*.  Those are sooooooo embarrassing.  If it happens out in public, you have to just put on an innocent face and then look around puzzled like you are trying to find the culprit.  Works for me! 

And, when you go to lift something with a bit of weight to it, WATCH OUT!  Each and every time, you will emit an awful sound.  It always makes me laugh now that I know it's going to happen.  Because the dog is always following me around when I get busy, it's startled the hell out of him because that's usually where he has his nose.  And still, he hasn't learned. 

Sex has become something you vaguely remember because it's just too much trouble and uncomfortable.  Getting older is all about comfort now.  Comfortable clothes, comfortable shoes, etc., etc.  Camping out?  In a tent??  Are you out of your mind???  Find me a nice motel. I WILL go on a hike but I'll meet up with you after a nice breakfast in a nice restaurant.  Or, if we are talking motor home, well....I might consider it except it still entails *keeping house* so-to-speak.  But at least you can retreat to comfort when the mosquitoes come out to eat.  See where I am going?

I do get a little strange with some of the things I like.  Give me a warm rain and I LOVE to take a walk in it and feel it on my face.  I even did that with Chewlee once and she loved stomping in the little puddles.  Remember liking to do that as a kid?  I love to watch some of the old cartoons on occasion because it takes me down memory lane and gives me a laugh or two.  I love Godzilla movies.  Partly because they are so bad but I remember how I even enjoyed them as a kid.  At the time, they were so different that you could forgive them for their bad costumes and *special effects*.  The plots were different.  And just when did Godzilla change from being the destroyer of Japan to being it's guardian?  I don't remember but he went from being scary to being looked forward to having him show up just in the nick of time to save Japan or some portion of it.

And when they started introducing other monsters that ended up inhabiting *Monster Island*, wow!  That was even better.  Mothra, Gamera, Kai, and a half dozen others.  Not all were good ones; some were adversaries that Godzilla or one of the benefactors of Japan had to fight.  Some were teaching the Japanese and other people of the world about the bad effects of pollution of various types.  But, as a kid, they were just fun and good for developing imagination.

I love Science Fiction movies of all types.  Bratfink and I used to watch the SyFy channel every Saturday just to make comments to each other via IM's about how bad or good the various movies being featured that day were.  The Beast thinks we are nuts but now, with my DVD's here, I am passing along my love of that genre to Chewlee.  She may not understand it all but she cheers for Godzilla and knows which monsters are bad ones.  That's part of the fun of being older. 

I am also more patient now than I was when I was young.  I handle things much differently than, say, the Princess.  She is overworked, overtired and sometimes reacts badly to Chewlee's fussing and little tantrums.  She spanks and I never did (even when I was young and when SHE was young...but she probably doesn't remember that).  I DO know that I am naturally patient and I don't have to count to 10 like I did when I was young.  It wasn't a natural calm like I can enjoy now.  But then, I am out of the work force and not dealing with four kids. 

He went nuts when the Beast made him stay inside and he pulled the ATV off the trailer.  I think the dog thought he was going to take a ride on it without him.  He hit every window to try getting a good look at where the Beast was going and, when the Beast pulled it into the garage, he ran through the house from the guest bedroom window to the garage door.  He stood there and just whined like his heart was broken.  I've only heard that sound from him a time or two.

The Beast, however, was just going to check the charge on the battery and a few other things.  He didn't want Baron underfoot.  Baron started running through the house and into my room, whining and putting his head on MY lap in an effort to get me to open the door and let him out.  When the Beast pulled the truck out of the driveway (so I could go pick up Chewlee), the poor thing went just crazy with his whining and crying.  I laughed because there was just no way to tell him that his *daddy* wasn't going anywhere.

A bit later, the Beast finally took pity on Baron and let him outside.  He then got on his scooter for their daily run and the dog actually bit the Beast (not hard) on his leg when he wasn't fast enough getting the scooter off it's kickstand.    The Beast had the most shocked look on his face and then started laughing himself.  When they got back, the two of them went for a ride to Lowe's (twice because the Beast hadn't checked far enough on things he needed to change out the tongue on the trailer).  After that, Baron calmed right down.

He did start something new about a week ago.  When Baron thinks it's time for the Beast to go to bed, he goes into the bedroom, turns around, makes this little bark and then stamps his feet.  It's hilarious to watch and, know what?  It works.    That's when the Beast will say his goodnight to me and head off to bed.  But, if the Beast is watching a basketball game, Baron just heads off to bed without the Beast.  He knows the difference in when he CAN boss the Beast around.

Oh, and Chewlee.... we were worried that she might be afraid of him?  No such thing.  But...she did get a lot fiercer in her command for him to get *back* when she was trying to get in the door and he was trying to greet her.  He not only got back....he REALLY got back.  It cracked me up because it must have been at least 15 feet before he stopped and sat down to wait for her to get to him.  He tried to lick her face but she was having none of that and just pushed his nose away and said *NO*!  But he was happy she did pat his rear end.  After that, when we came out to get something or other, he was laying down quietly and didn't get up at all.

It's going to be interesting to see how he's going to react to the Beast leaving either tomorrow or Sunday to inspect some of the other places he's found on the map sent to him by the wildlife people.  So far, he's liked them all.  He was actually afraid they would be much more difficult terrains.  But he can't take Baron with him on those and I'm not sure how he's going to react this time.  He's going to hate that ATV when it's loaded on the trailer.  He will KNOW it means he's being left behind.  The only exception might be if the Beast takes it with him when he visits his brother next time.  However, it won't be comfortable with him taking the dog in the truck because Baron is so big and won't be able to lay down comfortably.  I have a feeling he will be considering putting a trailer hitch on the car.

I checked out my strawberries today and they are full of little fruits.  I was so excited when I saw that.  These plants look like they are going to do well for me.  I'm not sure about the tomato plant but it does have two little ones on it and a few more flowers.  It just hasn't grown much but I'm not sure how much this particular type should grow.  It's a bush tomato I remember it saying on that little info stick they put in the plants.  I should have paid more attention to the info on how big it gets before I put it into the hanging basket type upsy-downsy knockoff.

Oh, and my hanging the clothes outside went well but....I had to put them into the dryer for 15 minutes to soften them up because we had no breeze.  The Beast said it was still cheaper than running it for an hour because that's how long it would have taken with all the blue jeans that were in the load.  I won't do my linens unless there's a nice breeze, however.  I love them being dried outside but I don't want to have to put them into the dryer if I can help it.

I say that *tongue-in-cheek* because he's really walking a thin line here still.  Today he got up at oh-god-thirty and hit the road to explore two more areas about an hour away from us.  Skyline is about another half hour further north from where he was.  He really liked the area and figures it's probably perfect.  Has lots of streams running through both of them and several ponds that he saw.  He claims he didn't rush through either place but, when he went to come home, he was shocked to find out it was just a little after 11am.

When he walked in the house about 12:15pm, I was shocked.  I really hadn't expected him home until 2 or 3pm.  I was also hoping that he might hear a couple of rifle shots (or perhaps have some irritated hunter shoot him...LOL) that might discourage him but, at this point, I think that's futile.

I took the baby shopping with me at Walmart again today.  I went to pick up salad fixings and a few other things.  I also got suckered into buying Chewlee another Barbie doll.  I DID try to talk her into a different doll which she liked and wanted.  But, when I told her she could only have ONE of them, she chose Barbie. *Sigh* 

I really don't think she's old enough for Barbie but the Princess says she takes them into the bathtub with her to play with.  Her favorite dolls are two baby dolls but they can't go into the tub with her.  One of them is a soft doll with a hard plastic face (you know the type I mean) and the other talks and has electronics involved.  She is so cute how she plays with them.  She rocks them to sleep and puts them under the covers on the guest bed when she's here.  She even shuts the door so they can sleep peacefully.  ROFLMAO!  It's just too cute to watch.

Baron finally did the unthinkable for the very first time.  He jumped up and knocked her down.  She went face forward onto the driveway and the Princess thought she hit her mouth.  She grabbed her to check and see if her mouth was bleeding (and was worried sick about her teeth) but she had slightly turned her head and has a nasty bump on the right side of her forehead.  It turned black and blue in nothing flat even though the Princess and I  both tried to keep ice on it.  She wanted no part of that.  I had even wrapped it in a towel that was slightly wet but I think it was the pressure even though I tried hard not to press down on it.

Now the Princess is worried that Chewlee will be afraid of the dog but I think she's just mad at him.  She gets that way at times even when he hasn't done a thing to her really.  If he gets near her food to sniff at it, she will get really mad at him for it.  She's even smacked him a time or two on his hind end when he sniffs her bottom.    She will yell and tell him *NO!*  Not that it sinks in to him because sniffing is what they do.

I went out and inspected some of the fruit trees the Beast claimed he *thinned* and found several that need more thinning.  I know it just breaks his heart but when I just added a little weight to some of the branches, I knew they wouldn't hold up to what he had on them.  What he did was thin out where there were two close together.  You want to do that but you also have to think of the weight of the various fruit, too.  The ones that need some serious thinning are the plums.  We have one more nice day that we're promised and that's tomorrow.  I guess I will go out there and try to get that done.  The cherries should be fine and the apples look fine, too.  We only have a couple pears so that's another bunch that don't need much but rain....not a lot of it, just a bit. 

The nectarine just finally lost it's blossoms so I will give it a week and then take a look at how that looks.  Also the sweet peach (that's what it's called).  The only flowers left are on my dogwoods.  I love looking out my window at them.  We have one white one and one pink one.  The pink one hasn't grown much but it amazes me at how many flowers it has every year.  The white one didn't have as many as I remember it having last year but it's hard to really tell since its grown quite a bit.  It might be the same amount but seems less because the blossoms aren't all bunched together.

We have a few regular hummingbirds visiting the feeders.  They took a look at the new one and weren't stopping for a drink for quite a while.  But I saw a couple using it today and that made me happy.  I might have to swap places with one of the other plants on the crooks since I keep running into it when the umbrella is up.  The Beast thinks that's funny but I sure don't like the way it feels.  Especially when it's full.  I might move the tomato plant over there.  The think is, it's the feeder that has perches for them to use when they feed and I figured I might even get a chance (in time) to get a picture of one of them on it.  If I change places with the tomato plant, you can't really see that, let alone get a picture of it with a hummingbird on it unless you are down in the yard.  The chances of that are slim to none.

I'm just exhausted for some reason today.  Of course, it might actually be because of the shopping with the baby...LOL.  She always has a million questions about what everything is that she points at.  Plus I got her a Sponge Bob Golden story book so she was showing it to everyone and holding it up like the teacher at school does.  She was pointing out to them some of the characters and she had everyone laughing.  It was THAT cute!  Today it was the book that she didn't want to give to the cashier but the cashier brought the scan gun out into the aisle and Chewlee let her scan it.  You would think she was afraid it was going to be taken away from her or something.

Okay, I'm going to call it a day now and get this posted.  Love you all and I hope your day is a good one.  Smile often and try to laugh a few times at least.  It's good for your health and your soul. 

Today was the closest to a normal day we've had in a long time.    The Beast got outside on his John Deere and cut the front lawn and the lot next door.  He even got out the weed-whacker and started on those areas that needed it.  He's not done by a long shot but at least it all looks better now.  I think this is the first time he's cut the lawns and the air hasn't been thick with the smell of onions.  I sometimes dig up the green onions that are in the front landscaped areas close to the house.  I swear....that is what was grown on this property before it became home sites.

He also started out the thinning of the plums AND some of the peaches.  That broke my heart because it was the Alberta peaches he had to thin in spots.  There were just too many small peachettes on them.  They would have crowded each other out or, worse, would have broken the limbs they were on.  The plums still need more thinning but we have plenty of time to do that.  He does some then I go out and do more. 

I hung out some clothes today.  I just wish it had been a bit breezier out.  I was suddenly remembering why women had to do so much ironing.  I think I am going to be forced to be a lot more selective about what I hang outside.  Some things just NEED a dryer because I WILL NOT IRON!!!  I gave that up once they came out with permanent press.  I even threw out some permanent press items if they were not *really* permanent press.  For years, I didn't even own an iron, let alone an ironing board.  But, once I took up sewing again, I needed one.  So I have an iron and a table top ironing board now. 

Tomorrow, the Beast is going out to Skyline (taking his ATV with him) so he can check it out thoroughly.  I asked him if he wanted me to pack him a lunch but he said no.  He will probably just hit McDonald's or Arby's.  I'll still have Baron here but he pretty much lays around feeling sorry for himself when he can't go with the Beast.  With all the turkey hunters out, he's afraid Baron might get shot. 

I got a frantic email from one of my cousins today.  It's the cousin who's son is getting married next month (and I am flying down to Florida for it).  He called me the other day but my phone was charging and I didn't hear it ringing until it was too late.  I let it finish charging and then just totally forgot that I needed to call him back.  Color me embarrassed here.  I emailed him back to assure him that we were alive and well and that I would call him tomorrow.  Sometimes we just like to chat about nothing but I have a feeling they are feeling the pressure even though it's their SON getting married and not their daughter.  Having had to put together a wedding once several years back (while the Beast was recuperating from his strokes), I don't envy the parents.  This one was a hastily put together one for my oldest.  She wanted a Renaissance-style wedding and her matron of honor had to fly down from South Carolina to stand up for her.  We put it together in two weeks but it was a nightmare getting all the dresses for the bridesmaids, etc.  Some we rented (thankfully) but others liked the dresses and bought theirs. 

The Princess thinks planning for a wedding that won't take place for over a year is a nightmare?  She has no idea.    It will get worse as the time draws nearer.  I hope we can put together something nice for her.  Something a bit more elaborate than we had time to do for the oldest daughter.  One day we will need to sit down with the kids and actually discuss what they were planning.  I know the Beast told the Princess we would try to help them buy a house once they are married.  I just think they are hoping we can help finance the wedding.  I would love to see her walk down the aisle with the Beast and see Chewlee as the flower girl.  I think the Princess has the girl that was her best friend planning on being her matron of honor (she's married now).

I'm going to have to replant one of my rose bushes tomorrow because, for some reason, it's started sinking.  It looks like the dirt is actually going under the barn (it's raised up and there is a space underneath).  We had no idea that the level was lower than the area I have the rose bush planted right now.  I'm still going to keep it in the same general area but a little further away from the barn.  I thought the Beast had it too close anyway.  Once it takes hold and starts really growing, it will need the room until it's big enough for me to trim.

The baby was in a whining mood today.  I checked the daily progress report (they put down EVERYTHING, including bowel movements and what they ate for lunch) and found out she only napped for a half hour.  Figures.  But I gave her a sucker and she sat quietly in my lap while we watched Harry Potter and then Sponge Bob for a bit until her mother decided it was time to go home.  She had gone riding the ATV around the neighborhood with the Beast for a while.  They stopped and talked to a couple of the neighbors.  The talk of the area is Earl and Betty's house.  They tried to sell it but we found out why they couldn't.  They are suing the contractor because he used Chinese drywall and it was making them ill.  They had no idea what it was, at first, but their doctor finally figured it out and they got online to check on how to find out certain things that would indicate it was from China. 

Well, they got the surprise of their life because darn near everything that could be wrong, was wrong.  Plus, due to an earlier problem with the lot not being level and getting so much water that pooled and made it a mud lot from all the rain, it even developed that black mold.  Now they have to actually gut the house, replace any wood that's now *infected* and replace everything that was attached to the wall.....like the cabinets.  However, they don't think they will have to replace those since a couple of them were removed and show no mold....so far.

Personally, once that mold shows up, I would worry about everything that had any insulation involved...like the fridge, stove, water heater, etc.  This is going to be a nightmare.  I think the builder should just pay them what the house cost them plus the cost of the land and any legal fees acquired thus far.  It will probably be cheaper.  Then he should demolish the house and start over.  He would have the cement from the garage floor plus all the piping, etc. from the septic tank in place.  He would just have to make sure he didn't use Chinese drywall. 

I had great hopes for today being a quiet one.  For the most part, it was.  It started out with the Beast mowing the yard in back of the house with the intention of waiting until early evening to work on the rest of the property.  At least that was what he said he was going to do once it cooled down.  Well, the John Deere sat at the deck steps and is still there.  Why?  Because of the *trailer*.

His newest thing is the idea that he needs a trailer for the ATV because it would be too dangerous for him to load and unload it into the back of the truck by himself.  He's got the tracks he can set up to get it into the back but...he has to drive it up.  If one slipped, well, it could be a disaster.  Worse, they are rated at 750 lbs.  The ATV weighs 750 lbs.  Add the 170 lbs. that the Beast weighs and that is another danger.  When he brought it up to me, I said, *And just how much is this trailer going to cost us???*  He told me that Lowe's had some and he thought it would be about $1,000.

Cha ching!  Cha ching!  This hunting hobby he wants to take up is almost as expensive as his cameras.  And trust me, that ran us a small fortune because it was only the BEST for the Beast.  He takes wonderful pictures but hardly anyone ever sees them.  We have stacks of framed pictures he's taken and I have to rotate them here since this house doesn't have the same ambiance and a natural area to display them all.  Our Margate house had a long hallway that was a natural for that.  It had pictures of our kids and grandkids spread up and down it on both sides.

My family hasn't seen much of the pictures he's taken unless they visited us.  Right now, my niece has pictures of some of the waterfalls and so does the Princess.  Other than the pictures I posted on this blog, Chewlee hasn't even met the relatives so they have no idea what a little doll she is except through those.  See why this *hunting* thing seems so crazy to me?  All this money invested and a man that has never so much as shot a squirrel and I am supposed to be happy because he is going to *put meat on the table*.  **picture me banging my head against a wall*.

He went to Lowe's and got a trailer.  It's actually perfect because it has a metal grate that drops down that is just perfect for him to ride it up onto the trailer.  He can load and unload it by himself.  Now he is excited and talking about possibly trying some turkey hunting.  That means he will have to buy the rest of his hunting duds first so I expect he will be doing that on Thursday when he takes his ATV to the first hunting area he went to....the Skyline one.  There's a gun shop in Huntsville that carries hunting clothes so he will probably stop and get the pants, shirt and hat that he needs.  He's going to get the hat that has a drop section at the back that covers his neck.  Not for the turkeys but because it will protect his neck from the sun.  *Sigh*  Like I care at this point.  I am almost at wits end here.

If you read Bratfink, you know the turmoil she's going through with The Mother, The Boy and all that entails now that she's got to have six weeks of chemo.  The problem with the incontinent and nasty stepfather is coming to a head.  It wouldn't be so bad except he's also suffering from Alzheimer's and falls a lot.  He can't get up by himself so he really needs 24 hour care.  The Boy is going to be bald before things settle down, I'm sure.  Say a prayer for Bratfink and The Boy.  Heck, say a prayer for The Mother, too, while you are at it.  She makes things miserable for The Boy at the best of times.  *Sigh* 

The Beast woke up, bright and early, and got dressed because he was anxious to be *off*.  Where was he going?  Guess.  You got it....out to look at more ATV's that people are offering for sale.  Once he gets an idea into his mind, he can't let go.  He's like a dog, worrying a bone until he's got it where he wants it.

The Beast and the Princess spent most of today between here, Birmingham and then up to Decatur and back home.  They went to Bass Pro Shop in Birmingham and then went to look at a few ATV's.  I gather that they stopped and looked at some brand new ones (some in the price range of $13K ) and one that a man was selling used for $3K.  He didn't buy anything (color me shocked here) but they are going to Chattanooga on Tuesday to look at some new ones at the Honda dealer there.  Those (new) are more reasonably priced and have the features the Beast thinks he might need.

I told the Beast today that he obviously would never have made it in Pioneer Days.  If he needs THIS MUCH HELP NOW, he couldn't have gotten a deer home back in those days.  He and his family would have starved.  Trust me on this much, *I* would have learned if I had to and learned to overcome the obstacles even if it DID mean dragging the damn thing home or to my horse...whatever. 

I'm beginning to understand why the Beast is getting so paranoid.  He's listening to a hell of a lot of very strange talk shows and even news reports.  All of them are really gloom-and-doom shows that SEEM to make sense when that's all you are listening to every day.  It's really scary.  I mean scary to listen to them and scary that the Beast is swallowing all this hook, line and sinker.  Oh, he claims not to be but then he will say...*...but just in case...!*

So, while they (Beast and Princess both) were gone, I had Chewlee.  She was in a good mood but antsy and active.  She has more of a run of the house when the Beast is gone.  Usually it's because Baron is gone, too, but today he got left behind because the Beast took the truck (in case they bought something and had to bring it home).  It only seats two so the Princess had that seat.  What's weird is that I think if we had a station wagon or a van, he probably would have taken the dog with, too.   Chewlee usually stays in my computer room with her toys (and me....her BIG toy!) so that Baron can't get excited and end up knocking her down.  Today, Baron was depressed at the Beast leaving him behind and he just laid all over the place.  I even tried to feed him but he sniffed at it and went and laid down in the middle of the floor.

We ended up having both TV's on.  I had the DVD choice of the hour on in my computer room while Chewlee's favorite shows were on the other one.  She ran from one room to another to divide her time between them.  I let her because I know it's not something she can do anywhere else.  We watched two different Harry Potter's and she was sitting in my lap for the parts she enjoys watching (the exciting ones where Harry is either in trouble or fighting something) and the rest of the time she was watching either Sponge Bob or Chum Chum.  Dora wasn't on today.

She ate in the high chair in front of the TV (fish sticks, mac and cheese and some chocolate pudding...which she didn't like.    What kid doesn't like chocolate pudding???) then we both ate some popsicles.  Of course, it couldn't be the ones on a stick...no, she wanted those tube thingys and, unfortunately, I have them in my freezer.  She can spot them in half a second if the freezer is opened.  Doesn't even matter what shelf it's on, she finds them.    I suppose I should be glad she likes those best because she can actually have several and it's less than a regular popsicle both in volume and sugar content.  I cut them in half and she wraps a dishrag around hers because it's cold on her little hands.  She's  learning to push the icy part up in the tube but she sometimes has to come to me for help on that.  It's usually when she loosens her grip and it falls down to the bottom.

She discovered my wedge heel shoes in my closet so she was clomping around in them and felt so grown up.  I told you I had tied a ribbon in her hair yesterday?  Well, the Princess told me she wanted to wear it to bed (and it came down around her neck during the night of course) so she had to re-do it this morning.  Chewlee kept moving the bow part from the top of her head to the side and back again, depending on the *look* she wanted when she checked herself in the big mirror I have in here.  She eventually loosened it and I had to re-do it two or three times during the day.

She spent her day up and down from my lap.  Other times she was pulling me around the house, hiding from *monsters* and laughing the whole time.  It didn't warm up until late this afternoon so we did all this inside the house.  I debated going outside late in the afternoon to read while she ran around the yard but I knew she would never let me sit still if I tried that.  So, I turned on the fans and she started slowing down.  She rocked her baby doll to sleep then put her down in the guest room bed, under the covers and closed the door.  She came to me, saying, *Shhhh..the baby is sleeping* in a quiet voice.  She then was sitting down on the couch (not the rocker ...which is her favorite place since it's right in front of the TV) and started kind of leaning over on the throw pillow there.  I thought she might actually fall asleep but she didn't.  She had almost fallen asleep over her lunch.  But, her stubborn streak kicked in and she was up when the Beast and the Princess finally got home.

I could have choked the Princess and the Beast.  She started talking about what a beautiful ATV he bought but it was a special order.  When I asked about price, she said it was originally $13K but the Beast had talked them down $4K so it wasn't that bad.  I got so pissed, I went into my computer room and slammed the door.  She then peeked into my room and said, *I was only kidding, Gram...he didn't buy anything.*  See why I wanted to choke her???

The Beast tried to show me some nice ATV and motorcycle trails near Anniston in a poor attempt to cheer me up.  I told him, *Don't even TRY to make me feel like your spending money on something like that will be some great thing.  NOTHING will make me feel like it's anything but another waste of money.*  He already knows I'm pissed about all the money he's spent on the guns and ammunition.

When Chewlee and the Princess left to go home, I was pooped!  I did manage to get a load of wash done but I never DID get my linens changed on my bed.  I'll have to do that tomorrow because I honestly don't have the energy for it right now.  I fell asleep in my recliner for about an hour and it wasn't enough.  I'll be going to bed early tonight just because my back feels broken.  I need to throw another load of clothes in the washer so that all I have to do is dry them.  Tomorrow I am going to hang my linens out on my clothesline since I will have to do those and I might as well take advantage of this great weather we have going for us right now.  We have at least a week of it if nothing changes (but I'm sure it will).