Although Chewlee actually got home yesterday, I didn't get to see her until after her mother, the Princess, had picked her up from preschool and they had their dinner.  The Princess complained that Chewlee didn't eat her dinner like she was supposed to but, if she knew she was coming here afterward, that's probably why.

When she got here, she ran straight to me and told me she was so happy to be home.  It made me laugh.  She told me she missed me and complained that Mommy had picked her up from school.  She wanted to give Baron some dog bone treats because she missed him and I had to give her and Papa a popsicle.  She told me she went with her other *papa* but she was glad to be home.  She had to show me her new pink shoes her mommy bought her and show me how it matched the flower on her shirt. 

She asked me to turn on one of *her* programs, and I did (of course...LOL).  We watched Backyardigans, then Blues Clues and then Wonder Pets came on.   I guess it was recycling day because all of them were about recycling.  But, what was cute was hearing her singing along with the Wonder Pets.  She knows all the songs on most of her programs.  She will also yell out the answers to the questions they ask and then get so tickled that she gets it right.

The Princess and Johnnycakes came over to borrow the truck and the trailer to move her fridge and some other appliances from the apartment to the house so I kept Chewlee while they did that.  When the Princess returned the truck and trailer, Chewlee gave me a big hug before she left with her mother.  She had tried to snag my bag of Cheetos to take home so she went out, crying, when her mother yelled at her and told her *NO!*....all because she didn't eat the way she thought she should.  Mean mommy...but, in truth, I wasn't going to let Chewlee take them home anyway.  Those are *our* treat for when she is here with me after school.  She knows better but she always has to try. 

So, tomorrow I go back to my schedule of picking her up after school and enjoying her company for an hour or two every day.  Also back to having her here all day on Saturday.  I enjoyed this past week but we all know that a kid gets to your heart and you miss them when you are used to having them around all the time.   I'm glad she's home.

Today the Beast told me he's probably going to go to Ft. Lauderdale for some consulting work with one of our old clients.  He's going there while they do some testing of a new product for the equipment.  I heard him discussing it with the client so it wasn't a surprise.  When I asked him when he was going, he said he hadn't set a date yet and wouldn't until he talked to her again.  He said it would probably be a couple weeks since it was going to take him a week to get ready.  That puzzled me but I asked him why it would take him a week.  He said because it would take him that long to figure out what tools he would have to bring with him and then find them all.    He said packing his clothes is the easy part.  True.  I could pack those up for him in less than a half hour....not that I'm anxious or anything. 

He says he will probably be gone, at the least, a week.   Oh sure...I've heard that before.  But, when he explained what he was going to be doing, I think he actually will HAVE to stay that long to ensure the product is doing the job it's supposed to do.  If he didn't, it would cost the client a lot of unnecessary money for their five buildings.  So, I will restrain myself from appearing too eager. 

The Beast started working on the shelves for my spice jars.  He took his time because he was trying to avoid some of the problems he's run into with other projects.  But, guess what?  Even though he took his time, did all the right sanding and inspected it every step of the way, he still managed to screw up.  So, even the best laid plans.....LOL.  Now he's got a lot of sanding to do to try to get rid of some of the unexpected runs of stain plus he didn't read all the instructions on one of the things he applied (of course not...he's a man, right?) so he's got to really sand everything down well this time.  I told him not to worry about it now.  He can always get to it after he gets back when he's looking for something less stressful.  He laughed at that because this particular client has a difficult personality at times and she CAN stress him out at times.

When this current hot spell finally passes, the Beast also wants to apply the last dose of the spray he needs to before the trees go into dormancy.  That's a days job all by itself with all the damn fruit trees we have.  He checked them out and they are almost ready with about 50% of their leaves gone now.  Just a couple more cool/cold days and they'll be ready for it.  I think that's really what he's thinking he needs to be here to do before he heads down to Ft Lauderdale. 

Checked the forecast and the weather is going to be cooling down, slowly but surely, this next week.  We actually managed to get through this last bout of hot weather without turning on the air conditioning even once.  But, with the fans on and lights off all day plus we closed the blinds on the side of the house where the sun was shining in, the house stayed very bearable all day long and then cooled off rapidly at night so it was comfortable to sleep.

I know that everyone probably goes through some of the same problems but it doesn't help to know that it's normal.  I've been having a really tough time falling asleep lately.  Like last night.  I was up until 3:30am Central time and went to bed so tired that I should have fallen asleep at the drop of a hat.  But, NOOOOOOO!  I laid there, quietly, trying to relax and let my mind go blank so that I could fall into a nice slumber.

Then it started.  First, the dog started FARTING!  I kid you not.  It wouldn't have been so bad but he was actually at the foot of the bed with his butt end towards me.  It was awful because I was almost asleep when he started it.  I actually saw him raise his stump of a tail when the second one filled the room.  It even woke the Beast up and I heard him say, groggily, *What the hell...????*  I had my face filled with pillow so I didn't answer him because I was afraid I was going to vomit if I took another unfiltered breathe....LOL

I should have kicked the dog off the bed but I was really too tired to wake him or drag him off the bed.  He's a 110 lb. doberman and it's not easy to wake him when he's sound asleep.  It's not like the dog does it on purpose but I knew the Beast had given the dog something he shouldn't have.  The dog LOVES fried stuff, even vegetables.  The Beast will sometimes give him the remains of stir-fry I make and I ALWAYS yell at the Beast for that.  The soy sauce and/or teriyaki sauce is not good for the dog.  Too much salt.  I had made some deep fried chicken breasts that were breaded and floured.  I always drain them on paper towels but that breading holds the grease unless you pop them in the oven for a while and let it bake for a bit.  There were a couple left over and, when I looked this morning, they were gone.  I KNOW the Beast fed them to the dog. 

Since I had made a fresh batch of honey mustard sauce for dipping, I was planning on reheating one in the microwave for my lunch (the Beast is not a leftover kind of guy) because the sauce was so good but did he care?  Hell, he never even considered it.  He spoils the dog rotten and feels like Baron NEEDS those kind of *treats* every day.  When the Beast makes hamburgers on the grill, he always makes one for the dog, too.  A good sized one.  After all, the dog is a bit bigger than most dobermans. 

We buy him (the dog) some natural dog food that is pricey as hell plus we make chicken that we add to it most times.  We also cook up a selection of veggies for him with the meat and add rice to aid digestions.  It's not like the dog is deprived or doesn't have a variety of food available.  There's also a self-feeder that has a high grade natural ingredient dry dog food in it.  Something else that's expensive.  It drives me nuts when someone feeds a dog people food all the time.  Now the dog actually looks for *his* share and the damn Beast feels like he's depriving the dog if we don't give him OUR food, too.  Sheesh!

I just know that it's on days when the dog DOES get a good size meal of OUR food that he has gas problems.  He doesn't need the salt and spices we use on our food.  The Beast feels if WE can eat it, of course the dog can, too.  The only thing the Beast won't give the dog is onions since they are poisonous to dogs and he knows that.  It does no good for me to yell at the Beast because he thinks that we don't have to feel bad about *wasted* food if the dog eats it.  I shudder to think what the dog's food would be like if I wasn't around most of the time to keep the dog from being fed it entirely.

What drives me totally nutso at times is how the Beast will go out and spend $70 or more on dog food at the local pet store for Baron and think nothing of it.  Within a week, that's gone because the Beast feeds the dog a couple meals every day....and they are generous ones with what we add (fresh cooked veggies, chicken, etc.).  But he will have a heart attack when I spend $100 on food for us and act like *I* am just a spendthrift.  It's not like I do that daily.  If I grocery shop like normal people do and buy for us for a week, I MIGHT spend as much as $140-$160.  I'm usually also buying some *stock up* items and the meat will last longer than a week for the two of us.  I get pissed off when he starts complaining and remind him that he's spend a small fortune on stuff like his ATV, the new scooter and a shit load of guns and ammunition.  If you could see some of the etc. stuff for hunting he's been buying (and trying to hide from me but I find it), you would not believe it.  This I HAVE to see when he gets ready for *the hunt*. 

But the dog's farts are not the only thing keeping me from falling asleep.  It's also the Beast's snoring.  Now if he's asleep on his side and STAYS there, I can usually manage to eventually fall asleep but alas!  It is not to be.  I bought some ear plugs for those nights but found them missing off my night stand.  I'm not sure if the Beast saw them, forgot they were mine and threw them away or if the dog ate them.  He eats some of the strangest things at times. 

I end up in a fog the next day because I am lucky to catch an hour or two of actual sleep.  Then I end up falling asleep for a couple hours, here and there, in my recliner.  I will have the TV on and no problem with falling asleep but I don't think it's quality sleep, if you know what I mean.  It becomes a round robin of me being up until all kinds of ungodly hours at night, go to bed but find myself still up a few hours later.  I swear, I go unconscious because I am so damn tired rather than fall asleep normally.  It's why this blog is late tonight for the people who look for it after midnight when it usually posts.  Sorry about that folks!

It was a busy day for me because I was working on my wash.  I had linens to fold plus blankets and household rags.  We go through a ton of them every week and I try to wash them separate from our regular clothes since a few of them really stink with the way the Beast uses them.  I buy those big packs of hemmed terry *rags* from Lowes and we go through a couple dozen of those every year.  When they get too *icky* looking and don't even clean up with hot, soapy water any more, I throw them out.  The Beast uses them for everything from blowing his nose in them to using them for wiping off stain on his wood projects.  Those I usually throw out after he's done with them because he WILL use them more than once, thankfully. 

At first, he would actually try to add them to regular wash.  I had a fit over that because he never considers the fact that he's got stuff on them that does NOT wash out.  It might soften but it also will stain anything else washed with those damn things.  And will he reuse them if they DO get washed?  Hell, no!  He will take a nice, fresh white one out of my drawer that I keep for them in the kitchen.  I have a huge pile of *his* rags, nicely folded out in the garage.  But, he won't reuse them.  I think it's another male genetic defect.  It's like he thinks he's going to contaminate new stain with old if he reuses a rag, even one that's clean but stained from past projects.  Shit, he won't even use them when he's cleaning up oil from his hands after he changes oil in the car and truck.  He's got to have nice, clean and UNstained ones that I keep for cleaning in the kitchen and other rooms.  Grrrrr!!!!! 

I almost fainted today to find out that Xanga said almost 300 people had read my blog just in the last 24 hours.  When I checked, I found out that someone from Eqypt was actually going through my archives from the newest to the beginning of this year.  Whoever it was, thank you for stopping by.  It gave me my thrill for the day....LOL!  Oh, there were a few other newcomers but that's the first time I can recall someone wanting to go back because (I assume) they find it interesting or amusing.  Or, perhaps, it made them feel like their life is not so dull after all. 

Today was a wash day.  Not the kind I enjoy but necessary.  Stuff like sheets, blankets, bedspreads, comforters....you know what I mean.  Takes a long time for little reward because there's only so much you can do at one time.  Especially since the bedspread/comforter I have for my queen size bed is actually a king size one.  I wanted one that went to the floor so that's what I ordered.  It ALMOST goes to the floor.  It's just an inch or two on both sides that doesn't make it.  Works out okay, however, since it allows most of the dog hair to flow UNDER the bed.

The Beast was complaining that the bedspread smelled bad.  At first, he thought it was the dog but the smell was not *doggy*.  When I peeled it off, complaining since I had just taken it out of the closet, I realized from the smell that I must have folded it up before it was completely dry.  It smelled a bit like spoiled milk and mildew.  I inspected it and didn't find any mildew but I decided to wash it again and hang it outside on the line to dry.  More fun.  You don't realize how big a king size spread is until you are trying to hang it on an umbrella line.  I should have been smart about it and just gotten a small ladder and thrown it over the top.  It would have dried faster, that's for sure.  Just not sure how the corners would have affected it with the weight.

The last of the things I had to wash was a white fleece blanket that Baron seemed to love.  We used it on the colder nights and that's one severe way to find out how dirty your black dog is.  Like the damn hairs aren't enough.  Sheesh!  We've been keeping him off the bed but he waits until we are both sound asleep then sneaks up on the bed.  He's gotten really good at that because he hasn't woken either one of us but we wake up with him between us like a partition.  A hairy black partition with legs straight out and us pushed to either side of the bed.

I used some of that Clorox2 that fights stains on it.  I really love that stuff.  It got some grease out of a blouse of mine with little effort.  I'm such a slob that way at times, or else I get splattered by it while cooking.  So finding something that works is really nice.  I still have one more bedspread I need to get done that I remembered while writing this.  It's the white eyelet one that our Sheepie loves.  The Beast has managed to put some brown crap on the one bottom edge of it with putting his gun stuff there constantly.  I'll have to wash it, try to get that off it (I promised it to Sheepie when I replace the spread...which should be soon) and then put a different spread on it for winter.  I have a nice patchwork quilt I usually put on it for when Chewlee takes her naps or sleeps over.  That's probably the one I'll use this time.

I had hoped that Bratfink would tell me more about the trials and tribulations of the Boy during his yard sale today but she's saving it for her blog, I guess.  She did tell me that he survived it.  Since today was probably the busiest day, that's a great achievement for him.  Of course, no one is talking about the other ones he's going to have to do before winter sets in to get rid of the other *stuff* the Mother had accumulated over the years.

Well, another busy day for me tomorrow.  I need to clean up the floors after I dustmop them.  I thought vacuuming was a pain but the dustmop is even worse.  Especially with having to shake it out.  If it was that easy, it would be okay.  But I still end up pulling clumps of dog hairs out of the strings.  AND, I really have to sweep it all first since the dog and the Beast drag in so much other stuff like grass cuttings, dried leaves and god only knows what else.  But, I do love the way the floors look after I damp mop them and get all the dribbled liquid spots off it from Baron dripping water from his bowl (you'd think he had the jowls of a bloodhound ) and the Beast's coffee and/or hot chocolate.  Men are such slobs and heaven knows, they don't wipe up after themselves, do they?  I'm including the MALE dog in this household, too.  He is also a slob.  You should see his kibble spread all over the place.  I'm not sure a self-feeder was a good idea.  He sometimes drags his paw in there and gets dry dog food all over the damn place.  What's bad is when I am in my bare feet, barely awake and I step on one or two of those things.  You wouldn't know I could swear like that. 

I have certain commercials that I never get tired of watching.  The newest Geico ad with the Gecko where he and his boss are obviously finishing a meal and the gecko talks about receiving an email from the office.  The boss looks at the cell phone next to him (gecko) and kind of stumbles around before asking him, *Is that your cell phone?*  When the gecko says yes, he's at a loss and finally asks him how he carries it.  The waitress comes with the check and, as the boss reaches for his wallet, the gecko stops him and says, *No, no...I'll get this!* and, lo-and-behold, there's now a full--size wallet next to the gecko while he's rooting for his credit card.  The look on the boss's face is enough to make me laugh every time I see it.  He's just totally at a loss. 

Another one is the Prudential ad with Flo...you know the gal who looks like a reformed Gothic with the bright red lipstick?  It's the one with the Merry-go-round featured in it and the two grown men that want to know if they can ride.  When they take off (at the end of the commercial), she's yelling out, *No running....oh dear!*  I don't know why but that one makes me laugh, too.  I also love the one where the spokesperson says, *...was Abe Lincoln honest?*...and it cuts away to *Abe* and his wife, Mary Todd comes in to ask him if her dress makes her backside look big.  I'm sure you've seen that one....he hems and haws and finally says, *Well, maybe just a little...* and she goes off in a huff.  It makes me laugh because how in the world could you even ask such a thing in the dresses they wore then???  I suspect EVERYONE'S backside looked big back then. 

I've found more and more of the commercials are using humor and I like that.  But then, I always loved humor.  When I was a copywriter for an advertising firm in Fort Lauderdale, I used a lot of humor in the commercials I wrote for many of the clients.  I just thought that humor made the message more memorable.  It worked for the clients and it works for me, too.  I LIKE companies that use humor and would probably buy their products over others if I was looking for that product.  I would at least check them out. 

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I heard a quote on a program the other day that really caught my attention.  This was it:  Experience is a brutal teacher, but you learn.....My God but you learn!  *C.S. Lewis    It made me pause and I could really relate to that statement.  Some lessons are hard ones and I think we all have those at least a time or two in our lives.  It's when you sincerely say to yourself, *If only I had known......*  You can fill in the rest.  Those are true life lessons and ones we don't usually let ourselves get drawn into again.....ever! 

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I've found myself disgusted with television lately.  The programs are either the same damn reruns over and over again or just ones that don't interest me at all.  It's actually got me looking forward to the new season and seeing if any of the new programs catch my interest.  I have also gotten hooked on programs that started last season and can't wait for the new shows to start.  I'm just glad I only have a few weeks to go.  I've learned to wait....and watch my favorite DVD's with an occasional new one thrown in, here and there. 

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I find I am really missing my Chewlee.  I hope she misses me, too, but I know her paternal grandfather is probably spoiling her rotten so I doubt it.  But I know I will be glad when she is home again and I know, once she is back, she will be happy to see us all, too.

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Did I mention that our Toyota Corolla is part of a recall?  It's some engine component where the soldering was of low quality, I gather.  If it cracks, it can cause some serious problems like the car stopping suddenly while driving it, for example.  If we drove on a freeway every day, that would scare the hell out of me but the Beast is taking it to the Toyota dealer on Monday.  It should only take 40-45 minutes to replace.  If we start having any of the problems they say COULD happen, we always have the truck we can use until it's repaired.

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I'm finding it more difficult to make up my bed these days because of my back injury a couple years back.  If I can manage it without having to sit down or lay down for a few minutes at a time, I end up having to lay back in my recliner for at least an hour unless I take a pain pill.  Because I don't like being dependent on them, I lay back until my back stops spasming and I can get up without it screaming at me.  I think when the Beast kicks the bucket, I am going to hire a woman to come in once a week to just do stuff like that for me.  It's the least I can do for myself, don't you think?  I wouldn't even address the idea with him now because he really doesn't care about the state of MY well-being.  He thinks I should just *tough it out* when that's what we women do most of our lives when we have kids.  We take a deep breath and then tackle the shopping, the laundry (and, at one time, the ironing), taking the kids here and there, getting up for our jobs (and then coming home to our *other* full-time job).    He can be a real asshole at times.  As bad as my back is, I manage to get the regular things done....just at MY pace and usually one thing at a time per day.  Other than making my bed and dinner usually.  I fugure he can get his own breakfast and even his own lunch.  Too many times I offer to make him something but he's not hungry when I am.  Dinner I can usually time for both of us to be hungry.  It at least gives me some *retirement benefits* after all my years of working TWO jobs. 

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Okay, time to get this ready to send down the tubes for you for later.  Love you all and I hope you had a great Friday (or whatever day it was in your part of the country since some of my readers are from all over the globe).  It was hot and a bit humid today although I have no idea where the humidity came from since it's been forever since we had any rain.  We have at least another four or five days of warm weather and then it's going to be a full-blown fall period with cool weather.  I'm really surprised that our little period of cool weather has already started the maples leaves changing color.  Shouldn't take long before we have those marvelous looking mountainside vistas here.  The Beast will probably drag his camera along on his scouting trips for the best hunting areas for him so he can take some *significant* images to work on.

Have a wonderful weekend.  See you tomorrow. 

The Princess stopped by today to fill out some papers from the insurance company.  Back at the beginning of the year, I believe it was, she was hit by a Jaguar while she was in a fast food drive-in.  He backed right into her.  Well, guess what?  He turned out to be uninsured!    As cheap as insurance is in this state, why would someone that can afford a Jag go uninsured???  Well, perhaps he had lost his job, with this economy the way it is but who knows?  Anyway, the insurance company needed some additional information for a lawsuit I guess.  It wasn't all that expensive to repair, thankfully....just in case he was/is unemployed. 

She had Bailey with her.  That's the little Malamute pup she bought a few weeks ago.  I think she's close to 4 months old now and she's still a tiny thing.  Especially when you put her next to Baron, our Doberman.  He's 30 inches at the shoulder and weighs 110 pounds.  I doubt she weighs 15.  Baron gets so excited when she comes over.  I really think he thinks she's a toy.  The only thing I can say is she manages to hold her own except when Baron accidentally steps on her.  She has found a nice hiding place under the deck stairs that Baron can't get to but he's patient.  He lays down and keeps an eye on her.  What he really wants is for her to run around the yard and play but I have a feeling he would grab her up in his jaws and carry her around like a trophy.  But that's only if he got really excited.  He does know she's alive because she keeps eating his dry dog food until the Princess remembers it's a self-feeder and picks it up out of her reach.

I got a bit worried when it was 5:30pm and the Princess was still here because I was thinking she should be picking up Chewlee from school unless someone else was, like Johnnycakes.  But, it turns out that her paternal grandfather was here visiting.  She didn't go to school today and the three of them went out shopping.  He spent a small fortune on clothes for Chewlee at OshGosh outlet store in Boaz.  I love that place.  It has some of the cutest things and, I swear, I don't remember seeing any of the things there at any regular stores, I can almost believe it's MADE for the outlet store.  When I asked her about who was picking up Chewlee, she told me about the shopping and it seems the paternal grandfather took Chewlee home with him for the next few days.  The Princess will drive down there to the Florida Panhandle to pick her up and bring her home.  Which is funny since the Princess wanted to spend some time at the beach this weekend and what better opportunity to spend at least a couple hours? 

Then they hit Walmart for some things and I don't know where else.  Plus, he says he's going to buy her (Chewlee) the bike she is in love with for Christmas.  At least we know what HIS gift will be and it's making me lean more towards the kid size recliner as I think about it.  Isn't it amazing how we can plan on these kind of things just to hope to see a look of surprise and pleasure on their face when they see their gift from us?  At least, that's what we hope for! 

I spend a lot on Chewlee's Garanimal clothes and buy her something about every other time I go to Walmart.  I looke for every new style they bring out and try to buy her at least one outfit, sometimes I get two.  That way it's a small drain and barely noticeable to the budget and I end up buying her a lot of stuff over the course of a year.  I prefer to do it that way because we've seen too many sudden growth spurts of Chewlee since they have lived here.

My day did not include the cleaning of the rug today.   I ended up having to take pain pills for my back.  I'm kind of glad because I HAD planned on changing the sheets over to flannel and putting the down comforter on the bed but.....we are going to have four to five days of warm weather and that would have made us both miserable.  Although the weather will be cooler at night, it won't really be cool enough to support that kind of warmth for sleeping.  So my back pain spared me doing some unnecessary work. 

It ended up being a pizza night here because the Princess stuck around talking to the Beast about this and that and they watched the two dogs playing (?) out in the back yard.  At least Baron got some exercise and so did Bailey (running away from Baron).  I have to say this about her, she has a sweet disposition.  She's housebroken Johnnycakes told us and goes to the door, barks to be let out and comes right back when she's done.  She's also afraid of cars so she stays away from the road, which is a good thing out here in the country because the cars come barreling down the road like there's no speed limit at times.

The Princess accused me of not liking Baron tonight and I told her I didn't dislike him.  I am just not bosom buddies with him like the Beast is.  I would like for him to be treated just a bit more like a dog than a kid.  It annoys me at times that the dog is so spoiled.  I believe he should be fed the foods we feed him but there are times I would prefer to kennel him rather than drag him along with us on trips.  I just don't feel he's our KID.  He's our DOG and should learn that he can't always be with us.  It's going to be difficult when the Beast dies for Baron because *I* am not going to be doing some of the things that the Beast does.  But I do laugh at some of Baron's antics and his little foibles and there are times he can be endearing.  He knew when I was sad at the news of an aunt's death and came and put his head gently in my lap and just stayed there until he felt I was feeling better.  How can you not like a dog like that?

Well, time to wrap this up.  I love you all and wish you a wonderful day.  I hope your weather is great or, at the very least, not bad.  Be happy.  Smile a lot; visit with friends or family; tell those you love that you do often.  Life is short. 

We had some hellacious winds the other day.  Not high steady winds but those ones that come and go and swirl around at high speeds.  You know the kind I mean.  I think it knocked our Dish Satellite out of sync with the satellite(s) it's supposed to pick up.

I'm used to losing my television programs when we are having bad weather but today our weather was wonderful.  So it was for the last couple of days.  Barely any clouds in the sky even.  But, our programs keep being interrupted because the satellite connection is lost.  Today was the worst of all.  Now that the wind has settled down to almost nothing, it seems better but I know that it will be the same shit tomorrow.  I asked the Beast if he wanted to call Dish and tell them the problem we are having but he just looked at me and shrugged.  So, I figure it's up to him.  I can always throw a DVD in and watch it.  He can't.  Eventually, he will ask me to call (probably when he thinks about trying to watch his football games on Sunday) because he has no patience at all with the crap you have to go through before you reach a real person.  He makes things difficult for himself because of that.  That's why *I* do it.

I really can't imagine blowing up at such trivial stuff.  Why raise your blood pressure over it?  Especially him with his history of strokes.  The doctor told him when he (the Beast) asked how likely it was that he might have another stroke, *Wherever you go, there you are!*  He knew about the Beast's temper and impatience just from how he was in the hospital.  But, the doctor really didn't expect him to live more than 5 years TOPS!  That's what he told me.  I guess they were wrong...we are going on year 9 now. 

The Beast went outside and looked at the satellite dish.  I knew what he was thinking since we now can reach the roof with the extension ladder.  I told him, *Don't you DARE mess with it.  You don't have the least bit of knowledge about it and you could make it worse!*  He claims he was just going to watch and see if it was shaking at all.  Yeah....rightttttttttttttttttt!

So, today I finally got the liquid rug cleaner so I can clean up the rug in the computer room.  I vacuumed it really good today and will do it again before I whip out the rug cleaner.  It cleans it up really nice.  Most of the mess is spills of coffee or the baby's juice.  It will look like new when I am done and I won't have to worry about Chewlee laying on the floor and getting dirty.  As little as I let Baron in, it will also be spitting out wads of dog hair.  It's amazing how even the Dyson (and it's the model made especially for pet hair) can't get EVERYTHING.  That's why I vacuum more than once.

We ate the Italian beef sandwiches tonight after I made some green pepper to add to my sandwich.  The Beast doesn't like them but I do.  I'll give some to the Princess if she comes over for some to take home.    She likes them, too.

Our high today was 70 but it was just 43 when the Beast woke up around 8:30.  We didn't have to turn on the fireplace, surprisingly.  It was chilly as hell but okay when I put on my warm robe.  When I have my computer on, the TV, the overhead lights and my desk light, it's amazing how quickly my room here warms up.  I stayed in it as much as possible after making my bed and left it just for things like coffee and getting dinner ready.  I'm such a wuss about being cold.  **Color me embarrassed here**  By dinner time, the house was comfortable since the Beast put all the lights on.  During the REAL winter weather, he will change the fans settings so they are actually moving the air up towards the ceiling and blowing the hot air downward.  I think that's how it works.

Today is the first day of my *vacation* from picking up Chewlee.  I'm wondering how much I will miss picking her up and hearing her excited *Gramma!* when I come into her classroom.  I really love that kid and I think I will miss her as much as I will like not having to worry about the time so I pick her up like normal.  I'll let you know how it goes.  Especially since she always occupies some of the space here on my blog.  She comes up with some of the darndest things. 

The Beast and I both were kind of energized by the cool...heck, COLD ... weather this morning.  He got ambitious and started cutting some of the wood for my shelves for the spice jars.  I got up and put the ingredients for Italian Beef into my slo-cooker.  Later on, what do I find but HE has started a pot of black beans for black bean soup.  I had to email the Princess and tell her to grab a container and she could have some.  She loves it with white rice.

I'll have to send home some of the Italian beef with her tomorrow, too.  Hopefully she can come by for it early in the day....well, as early as she can manage to really feel like going out.  There is no way to make just a little bit of Italian beef.  Although the Beast does eat that more than once in a week, we just don't use up leftovers like we should.  Even if I freeze some, I forget what I have in there and it gets freezer burn no matter how well it's packed.  Then it becomes garbage.  It's really a shame.  I guess I should have the Beast think about a compost heap and do a little research on the kind of things we can put in it.  I doubt all the foodstuff is acceptable but I'm a bit ignorant about that.  All I can think of is stuff like leaves, lettuce, potato peels and things along that line.  I read that somewhere a long time ago.  At least then we could be doing some kind of useful recycling.  Maybe I could stop cringing every time I have to throw away things that I was used to recycling in Florida but they don't do here locally.

Did I tell you our rain barrel is full?  The Beast has been happy about that but I had to remind him that it's not fit to drink, just to use for other things.  Water gets stagnant so he's thinking about putting an aerator in it but I just rolled my eyes over that.  I told him things hadn't gotten desperate by any means so what's the point.  But I'll bet he picks one up to have handy...JUST IN CASE. 

Johnnycakes stopped by to drop off the Beast's dolly that the kids borrowed to move a refrigerator and stayed for almost a half hour just chatting.  Mostly they talked about hunting.  The Beast is trying to focus and remember which hunting areas require what things to be done when you show up.  For some places, you can just print out your license and just need to have it on you.  For others, you have to check in with a ranger before you go into the area.  Different places, different rules apply.  The Beast finally figured out he's going to have to print out the rules for each place he goes to hunt.

Poor Johnnycakes was saying he's been averaging 65 hours a week and working 7 days.  Last Sunday, he was paid double time.  If he works this Sunday, and he says it looks like he will, he will be paid triple time.  I wonder when he's going to sit down and figure out that the more hours he works, the bigger the bite gets in taxes and there is a point of diminishing returns at play.  Good thing he's young and healthy is all I have to say.  But it does leave the Princess on her own, except for Chewlee on Sunday.  Plus, if he's getting home late from work every day, there's not much time to spend together before they both fall, exhausted, into bed.  No fun for Chewlee, either.  We all know that when we are tired and cranky, we tend to yell more at our kids for dumb things.

The Beast started preparing the house for winter weather since it's been getting cooler and cooler at night and not warming up much during the day lately.  He closed the vents under the house for the crawl space and purged the lines for the fireplace.  He figures he might just have to use it one of these mornings.....and soon.  It barely got over 60 degrees for our high today and will be down in the 40's tonight.  I told the Beast if this continues, I'm pulling out the flannel sheets and the down comforter.  At least the day was sunny and bright.

Love you all and I wish you a great day.  Smile a lot, laugh a lot and make sure you hug those you love. 

Every once in a while, usually following lending someone something of his, the Beast goes on a rant about lending things to people.  What we have found is that they don't seem to care about getting it back to us on a timely basis.  Because they haven't invested in whatever it is they borrowed, they really don't care about it and sometimes don't even return it in the same condition they got it in.

For example:  the Beast lent his pressure cleaner out to someone once.  He keeps it clean, makes sure to run clean water through it before he winds up the hoses and also keeps the cord wound up and fastened.  How did he get it back?  A mess.  The hoses weren't even wound up.  Neither was the cord.  He fumed over that one because he found out later that the hose hadn't been cleared either.

Another example:  It seems like our dolly is especially prone to not being returned in a timely basis.  The Beast bought it because he uses it a lot.  Not for moving heavy items, which seems to be the main reason people borrow it, but for moving items that are heavy for HIM around here.  Even to tote the bags of the redwood chips we use in-between the plants to protect their roots over the winter as well as for decorative reasons. 

It's like, because it's not theirs, they just don't give a shit about getting it back to us.  Sometimes the Beast has to ASK for it back and, even then, there's always a reason for them to delay it's return.  That pisses him off big time and *I* have to hear him cuss and swear over it.  I've said he shouldn't let anyone borrow his things then but he just throws me this look that says *Riiiiiightttttttt*.  I know how hard that would be, especially depending on who it is that is borrowing it. 

I've stopped worrying about getting back containers that I send home with people.  I try to keep those inexpensive disposable containers around for that purpose now but it's after losing some more expensive ones that you buy to keep for your own use.  Gone but not forgotten.  I learned a lot about not sweating the petty shit over the years.  It comes from being raised in a big family (7 kids) first and foremost.  You could go nuts.  I sure wouldn't want to be OCD in a big family. 

My biggest pet peeve has to do with people saying they are going to do something for me that don't.  They make excuses and get ticked off if I remind them.  So, I remind them once (if it's something important to me) and then just keep that in mind for the next time they want me to do something for them.  I'm known for being an easy touch for many things.  Like I'm a pushover for Chewlee....LOL.  But, even *I* have my limits.  Yes, even *I* can get pissed over being taken advantage of by even my own kids.  I know they will regret many things once I am gone but that will be too late then.  My feelings won't be able to be soothed or made to feel better.  They won't be able to tell me they love me or that they're sorry. 

To me, it's more actions that show love.  It's not saying it so much as those little things that count.  Like calling me on occasion just to talk and find out how I am.  It's doing what you say and when you say you will.  It's not making me feel like I don't count except when *they* need me for something.  I think you get the picture. 

You know how MY day started out from my blog for Saturday morning.  The Beast's day went a bit differently.  He got up and looked like *I* felt.    He just sat at the table, sipping his coffee and smoking his first cigarette of the day.  He didn't look like he wanted to talk and I was still a bit burned at him over his *claws* and keeping me awake.

When I had asked him the day before what time he was planning on going to the gun range with KV, he told me he would probably go pick him up around 9am.  Well, he didn't even get out of bed until almost 9am so I knew THAT wasn't going to happen.  I figured *let him wake up in his own way*, refilled my coffee and went back to reading the news since I had posted for the day when I first got up.

It was closer to 11am or perhaps a little later when Tara dropped KV off at the house.  The two of them did some talking about various things and the Beast showed him the laws pertaining to kids his age with firearms.  There's no license required nor any special training he has to go through.  I guess they figure that the fathers here will see to it that their sons receive the instructions they need and the practice before they would take them along on any hunt.

So KV and the Beast poured themselves coffee into travel mugs and off they went.  I was shocked because they were gone much, much longer than I thought.  They didn't get home until around 4:30pm.  The Beast said that KV did decently but wasn't a marksman by any means.  He (KV) LOVED shooting the rifle and went through a lot of ammunition.  He definitely had fun plus he did learn about loading it and some of the other things he needs to know.  He knows where the safety is on the rifle, since that is the one he will be using and the Beast told him about some of the other safety things you need to adhere to when treking through the forest during hunting season.

Tara came to pick him up about a half hour after they got home, visited for a bit and then headed home.  I'm glad he enjoyed himself plus I am so glad that the Beast didn't forget his promise.  I know they WILL go hunting together, even if it's just during turkey season.

The Beast was whining the other day that no one warns you that just getting ready for hunting is so expensive.  He was at Marvin's or one of those places that has hunting gear and discovered the special soap you are supposed to use to wash all your clothes that you will wear for the hunt.  You are then supposed to store them in a plastic bag that will seal and you don't put them on until you are heading into the forest.  You CANNOT smoke during all the time you are hunting, whether in a special folding blind (which looks like a tent for kids to me....LOL), a tree blind or just a trekker.  The Beast at least knows what deer droppings look like thanks to Bratfink (but that's a story all in it's own.....and I think it should be HER story if she ever tells it).  In fact, somewhere in her archives, I believe she has mentioned it.  But, if he actually finds a deer trail and does his thing, I will be amazed.  I told him what good is washing all his clothes in the special soap and even using a spray that will probably make him smell like deer piss or some such thing when he is planning on taking along his ATV.  Does he really think the deer won't suspect something is up? 

Chewlee and I had the house to ourselves all that time and we had a good time.  We watched Sponge Bob and then Madagascar (the first one).  After that, she chose a dinosaur DVD....Walking With The Dinosaurs.  I think she actually picked it because *I* like it and she knows that. 

Since Baron can't go to the gun range with the Beast, he was just moping around and Chewlee felt bad for him.  She kept trying to think of special treats for him and even went and sat by him, patting him on the head and saying, *It's okay, Baron.  I love you* and then she would wrap her arms around his neck , lay her head on his and then kiss him on his cheek. 

Baron had no clue what was going on but he lay there and took it from her because she has been around him as long as he (and she) can remember.  She still considers him *HER* doggie although she gets really upset when he's hyper at seeing her and can't stand still.

While we were watching the DVD's of her choice, we both had a popsicle (she had several) and I finally told her she had enough.  When she asked me again for a popsicle and I told her *NO*, she stopped dead, put both her hands on her hips and said, *Gramma, you are SUPPOSED to say YES!  Now say YES.*  We then did a back and forth *Say YES*  *NO*  *Say YES*  *NO*...etc.  I finally told her that I wasn't going to change my mind.  She then said, *Are you sure?*  When I said, *Yes* she clapped her hands and said, *You said YES, Gramma.  Get me a popsicle!*  I just shook my head in wonder at how clever she thought she was.  But she didn't get a popsicle. 

She had been dropped off early this morning and it was cold so she kept her shoes and socks on until the house warmed up a couple hours later.  When she decided it was almost warm enough, she took off her shoes and ran around with her socks on her feet.  Later, she abandoned those, too.  When we were watching *Walking With The Dinosaurs*, she was sitting in my lap, laying back against my chest and she asked how long before mommy was going to be here to pick her up.  When I told her she had about another hour, she leaned forward with a heavy sigh and told me, *I think I better get my shoes and socks on, don't you?*

After those were finally on her feet, she wanted some chocolate milk.  She had spotted the Hershey's chocolate syrup on the fridge door and she knew what that was!  So, since she had been so good, I made her a glass of it.  Correction.....she said she wanted it in her sippy cup so she could sit in my lap.  Since she was being so lovable, I gave it to her and we went back and sat down to watch the DVD.  When they were showing the underwater part of this particular DVD about the various *ages*, she told me, *Those are NOT dinosaurs!*  Cracked me up because she was right but I told her they were showing other animals and mean fishes that lived at the same time as the dinosaurs.  She even pointed out some of the pterodactyls and related air mammals and told me that those were NOT birds.  She was fascinated at their teeth, however and told me they had *monster* teeth.  She DID want to know why there were no people when there were dinosaurs.  I told her that she would learn all about that when she went to the *big kids school*, which is what she calls the high school.  I wasn't about to start trying to explain to her that it didn't look like people came along until waaaaaay after the dinosaurs died.

She was ready for mommy when she got here and she yelled out *goodbye* to Papa before she headed out the door.  I sent the Princess home with some of the stew I made so she wouldn't have to make dinner.  It seemed to cheer her up since she really looked tired.  I guess it was *going around*....LOL.