TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

I know pretty much everyone has heard of *The Mother's Curse*.  For anyone that is unsure, it goes like this:  *When you get married and have kids, I hope you have one JUST LIKE YOU!*   

An online friend of mine is all upset because her daughter is going into the military after she gets out of school this year.  She is going into the air force because it will pay for her nursing school and that is what she wants.  Actually, she said her daughter wants to become an RN, then go for another degree that is heading her towards being an MD.  We all told her she should encourage that because the air force won't be sending her into any war zones while she is training.  Plus, it sounds like she gave it a lot of thought and did some research.  She will also look really cool in the uniform.    It seems a lot of kids are doing that these days.  Going into the military, I mean.  I think it's because the economy sucks but that doesn't mean it's a bad idea.  Some are really patriotic and feel they should do their part to keep our country free.  The shame is that they might face serious injury or worse. 

We have a storm heading our way so I should get this posted for you all.  No news from my son yet about his wife but that may be because he is either visiting with her or,if she is home, taking care of her while she is recovering.  I am still saying a prayer for good news.  Love you all. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

Today was wash, hang up and fold day for me and the Princess started on hers later in the evening.  Only two loads so not bad.  I figure out how long it's been between wash days by the amount of underwear the Beast has in it.  Not that it matters since the Beast has enough of his tidy whitey's to last him a month.  Ditto with his socks and undershirts.   But I am starting this later than I prefer  because I wanted to get everything folded.  I still have things to put away but no rush.  I can do it in the morning.

Chewlee misplaced her little stuffed kitty and I can't believe how upset over that she got.  It's really cute and I guess she likes that it's easy for her to cuddle with in bed.  It's some kind of comfort to her.  She was found playing after being put to bed so her mother turned off the closet light.  OMG!  How she sobbed while saying, *I'm afraid of the dark, Mommy.  Please!  Turn on the light.  I'll be good.  I'm afraid of the dark!!!!!!!*   I really have no idea why she is so afraid of the dark or even when it started.  It used to be enough that I would leave the door open just a little so the lights from the living room were visible.  If she could open her eyes and see that, she was fine.  Even the Princess has no idea.

We did our hair today.  Meaning we worshiped at the throne of Lady Clairol.  I had my totally natural hair because I hadn't done it for almost four months.  Salt and pepper looks very different on a dishwater blonde than on someone with dark hair.  It made my hair look like it was sprinkled with silver.  I prefer my champagne beige, thank you very much.  The Princess did hers to get rid of some of the sun bleaching and for the conditioning.  Yes, it actually CAN condition your hair and not destroy it like they used to many years ago.  Today's colorings have much more going for them.  Lots of conditioners and much less harsh chemicals.  My hair feels so much silkier now that you wouldn't believe it unless you had felt it yourself both before and after.

The Beast spent time moving things out of the garage and the barn and into the cottage/shed.  I'm going to have to walk out there tomorrow and see just where he's putting them that won't interfere with the installation of the insulation and paneling.  Or else find out what his plans are for the area.  Oh well.

The Princess went to the Athens Campus of U of A to make sure she would be able to transfer there after this semester.  She also had to make sure that her required classes had room for her.  She will and they do.  She also met with her counselor there.  She says she's all set now.  What's bad about it all is that it's a little over an hour's drive away.  It's just sad that the Huntsville Campus, which is closer, is primarily an Engineering campus.  For her to go there, she would have to take some engineering required classes before she could be accepted there and that's just dumb since they are not needed for her math teaching degree.  She just hates her biology required classes but this semester is the last one she has to take.  It's the only thing that has made her happy about biology at all.

I found out my grandson, the Marine, is able to *talk* via his Android.   I saw him signed in on YIM and sent him a note asking if someone was there or had he forgotten to shut it down.  It was later when I found his answer on my computer and I had to ask what the hell an Android was....was it a program or what?  Turns out it's a kind of phone/tablet combo since it includes internet.  I thought *cool*. 

Do me a favor, will you?  Say a little prayer for my daughter-in-law, Raven, who is undergoing surgery today (of the female kind).  Until it's over and the item removed is checked out, we won't know if it's cancer or not but her family history isn't great on that score.  My son, Marcus Aurelius, is already a wreck.  It might be a good thing that his brother is there in Nashville close-by for some support.   We are hoping for a benign and a speedy recovery for her.  Thanks greatly for anything you can do.  We believe in the power of prayer and so does Raven.

Love you all.  Have a great (if rainy) day.  I see that is in store for most of us on Wednesday.  If you don't get it then, you WILL on Thursday.     Be good.  Be careful and be kind to strangers.  They are only friends you haven't met yet. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

When the Princess brought Chewlee home after school, Chewlee came into my computer room.  Her head was down, her shoulders slumped and she kind of crawled slowly into my recliner.  She laid her head on the arm of the recliner and said in a very weak voice, *I'm sick, Grandma.*  I turned to her and said, *Oh?  Really?  Did mommy have to come get you early?  What's wrong?*

She said, still in a weak voice, *I don't have a fever but my tummy hurts.  I frew up!*  I asked her if mommy had taken her to see her doctor and she told me that mommy said she only goes to the doctor if she has a fever.  Which kind of explained why she told me she didn't have a fever.  She then said, also in a weak voice, *Can I have some juice, Grandma.  In a sippy cup?*

I know why she was specific about the cup.  Her mother figures she's too old for one and doesn't want me to give them to her any more.   But....when I went out to the kitchen to get her said juice, I asked the Princess if she had to get Chewlee early from school.  She looked at me and said, *Well, I was at the school a little early but I waited for her school to get out.  I figure that isn't what you mean by early.*  So, I told her what had just taken place in my computer room and she got up and went over to discuss this with Chewlee.  Suddenly, Chewlee sounded just like she normally does when she's not yelling or screeching over something.  Her voice was strong and she tried to convince her mother that her *tummy hurt* so she needed some juice to make it feel better.

I laughed at how dramatic she had been and Chewlee got mad that I was *making fun of her*.  She threw her head back, clutched her little stuffed kitty in her arm and marched off, nose in the air, claiming she was mad at me and she wasn't talking to me any more.  I pretended to cry and she ran back in, rubbed my arm and said to me, *I didn't mean it, Grandma.  I love you.* and then she hugged my neck.  I grabbed her and tickled her and told her I loved her, too.  Then she bounced out of my room to go outside for a while.

It's funny to hear her describe things, even stories she has seen on TV or from her books.  She gets so excited at times, or will drop her voice to describe *spooky things*.   And she's also animated while she is doing all this.  Between looks on her face and her body language, it's really fun to watch and listen to her.  I watch her playing with her stuffed animals, and even some caterpillars one day.  In fact, I had to fight her to get her to take the caterpillars back outside because they were her *friends* and she thought I was being mean to them.  Her mother intervened on that one, thankfully.  She CAN be mean but Chewlee did take them outside.  She just left them protected inside one of her toys (don't worry, it had plenty of areas they could and DID leave through).  She talks to them and will act like they are talking back to her.  She will put them down for naps and, sometimes, they get a *time out* for various reasons.  Kids have such active imaginations.  **Grin**

She's getting a bit better about going to bed on a semi-schedule.  We've left it a bit loose because *shit happens* at times.  Tonight she went to bed without a problem after her bath.  That lasted until her mother left the room without putting on her *night light*.  I was just glad it wasn't MY night to get her to sleep.   

I guess other areas of the county got some rain today but not around here.  It looked like it might around dinner time but nothing happened.  The weatherman says the front has moved on for tonight but we will have another possible one tomorrow.  Chances are only 25% so I won't hold my breath.  I don't want a downpour.  Just a nice, steady rain that comes and then goes within ..say...an hour.  Sounds perfect! 

Love you all.  Have a great day.  Remember to say *I love you* to everyone you do.  Life is shorter than you think. 

The Beast splurged and got steaks for us and that's what we ate for dinner tonight.

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

Shock! Surprise!  Chewlee actually let her mother cut her hair today.  The Princess asked her, casually, if she wanted her hair cut and Chewlee told her yes.  Of course, when her mother got the scissors and brush in hand, Chewlee turned to her and said, *Just a little bit!* and she showed about a quarter of an inch with her fingers.  That made the Princess and I laugh.

I had brushed Chewlee's hair after she put on her *outside* clothes so it was perfect timing.  All the Princess wanted to do was to even out the bottom anyway but it's so much easier when Chewlee is cooperative....about anything you ask her to do.  She stood still and her mother trimmed the bottom of her hair so it now lays nicely.  It should curl nicely, too.  The longest piece that was cut was about an inch and a half but the rest of it was probably no more than a half inch.  Not much at all.  Afterward, Chewlee ran to the mirror to look at it.  Her comment to me was *It doesn't look like Rapunzel's yet.*  ROLMAO!!!!

Chewlee discovered that the Beast had found and purchased some more salami for her and she was overjoyed when she found it.  She did, however, get a spanking from her mother tonight.  She went to the bathroom, shut the door and decided she needed both lotion and makeup on.  She had to climb on the sink to get the lotion down from the shelf where I relocated it the last time she got into it.  No one would care about her using the lotion except she will keep putting more and more on her hands, her face and her legs.  Yes, she watches the Princess and I and knows we use it on these areas.

The last time she had used it that caused me to relocate it, she had even put it on her feet (over used it on them truthfully) and when she stepped onto the wood floors, she went sliding across the floor about 10 feet before she fell on her butt.  I wouldn't have noticed even then but....she doesn't rub the lotion in well so she had some *spots* of lotion all over the place.  Oh, and the smear the lotion left on the floor was very obvious.    Her sliding across the floor was actually funny because of the look on her face and how her arms were flailing all over trying to regain her balance.  She wasn't hurt except for her dignity but she stayed on my lap and in my arms for about an hour afterward.  Some of life's lessons are tough ones for kids.

I normally spend Sundays doing my wash and changing linens but put it off until tomorrow because my feet were so sensitive today until late this afternoon.  By then, I was tired from just trying to keep up with Chewlee and fighting the pain whenever I had to get to my feet.  That really wears you down and I hate to take my pain pills if I don't have to.  I would rather save them for really bad days or a bad night.  Usually, if I take the pills in the morning and wait for them to *kick in*, I can go without any more for the rest of the day.  That's the ideal situation.  Today, it took TWO doses to cut through the sensitivity and make walking bearable.  I hated it because it really has seemed like my feet are healing.....but I am still having a couple bad days each week.  I suppose I should count my blessings because it used to be the other way around.

The Beast has revised his plans on his schedule for the cottage/shed since the weather is going to remain fairly nice during the day tomorrow and Tuesday.  Tuesday evening they say we may get some rain so he spent today doing some little finishing up on the sub-flooring.  He wants to seal it tomorrow so it will surely be dry before we get rain. Truthfully, I have no idea how big a revision that was since I had no clue what it was before.  **Sigh** That's HIS area and HIS decisions so why should I keep track?  I have my own areas to worry about.  I don't need HIS, too.

Have a great week everyone.  Love ya lots.  Keep safe and stay healthy.                          

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

Today was an all day thing with Chewlee so our non-stop eating machine was mine, all mine, from around 9:30am until 9pm.  But, to my surprise, she actually was pretty good about not eating constantly.  Or so I thought.

I discovered that she had brought her step stool into the kitchen so she could help herself to various things that she knew she wouldn't be allowed to have if she asked for it.  When I discovered the empty Dora and Spongebob fruit candies (she had even gotten the scissors out of the drawer and cut the tops off the foil packages by herself) and the empty Capri fruit punch packets, I hit the roof.  She also just about cleaned out the green grapes that the Beast had just bought.  **Sigh**  I discovered all this when I went out into the kitchen and found all the *empties* just kind of thrown around hither and yon.  That's a big problem with her.  She only knows how to be sneaky just so far.....then she falls on her face because she doesn't throw away the evidence neatly.  And she wonders how I find out even though I yelled and made her clean ALL of it up.  I walked around checking out all the places she could have been while she was scarfing all this down to make sure she picked up each and every piece.  Then I put the rest of her *treats* up high so she can't reach it even with her step stool.  She then went several hours without getting ANYTHING because I knew damn well she wasn't hungry.

At lunchtime, when the Beast came in, I decided to make him a grilled cheese sandwich.  It's one of the things he likes.  I usually make soup to go with it but he passed on that.  What he DID want was a grilled HAM and cheese.  He wanted to (and did) cut the rest of the ham off the bone and save it for soup but he cut a nice piece for his sandwich.  I decided that Chewlee would be hungry and guess what she was going to eat?  I didn't add the ham because I know she's not crazy about it and I DID ask her if she wanted it.  She just looked at me and said, *Well, it's not really one of my favorites....*  I ignored that and made her sandwich.  I cut it into four triangles since I thought she would be tickled by that.  I also gave her some potato chips and a glass of juice. She had already had two glasses of chocolate milk and she told me she would have her regular milk *later*.  I made her eat at the kitchen table until she ate at least half of it.  I told her I would save the sandwich for her for a while since I knew she was really anxious to watch a couple of her programs on my TV.  I also told her she got nothing more to eat until dinner (and I kept to that promise, too).

She came out and got one of the triangles and sat and ate it while sitting in her Dora chair next to me.  When she finished that, she went and got the last one and ate it.  When she finished, I gave her a ^5 and she smiled one of her big smiles because she knew she had done something good.  I was just so tired of her eating only hot dogs or chicken noodle soup or several pieces of salami for her meals.  Eating food from a restaurant or fast food place boils down to chicken fingers which she really uses more to eat Ranch dressing than eating for a meal.

We had BLT's for dinner but Chewlee wasn't interested in a sandwich.  She ate her toast (separately) and several slices of bacon.  She didn't want any tomato or lettuce but she told me she really, really wanted some fruit.  She got a handful of grapes and a banana plus a glass of milk.  She ate helf of her toast and then she decided she was going to share the other two halves with Baron.  Baron will eat anything she feeds him so I have to kind of keep a close eye on her about THAT.  I'm afraid she will give him chocolate even though she's been told it can kill him.  She's been yelled at for letting him lick her fingers when they have chocolate on them AND for giving him M&M's another time.  She has been good about it since then but with kids, you just never know.

In reality, if you give her a choice of junk stuff (like cookies) or fruit, she will take fruit every time.  She loves oranges and apples if I cut them up.  She would have me peel a whole bag if I let her.  Oh, and don't try to keep a strawberry or blueberry around with her.  She will eat every single one if you don't watch out! 

She didn't give me a hard time about going to bed.  She grabbed her stuffed kitty and checked to make sure her blankie was on her bed then crawled in.  Her mother got home a short time later and she was still awake so the Princess went in and spent a little time talking to her and giving her kisses and hugs.  Later, I looked in and Chewlee was fast asleep. 

The Beast and the Princess have both gone to bed so I guess I should have posted this a lot earlier.  Sorry about that.  Hope your weekend is going well and you are relaxing and enjoying it.  If not, KNOCK IT OFF AND RELAX!!!! 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

Shock and surprise!  After taking a quick bath, the Brother got dressed and decided he was going home.  He had said he was going to go after the floor was done and they got it done today.  Work will slow down now anyway because the sub-flooring now had to be sealed and that will take a day or so to dry.  Then comes the insulation on the walls and ceiling.  I knew he wasn't gung-ho about that part so I'm not surprised he would head home.  Besides, I know he had to be uncomfortable on that love seat since he really didn't want to sleep with his brother.  LOL...can't blame him.  It doesn't thrill ME either. 

One cute thing though.  Once Baron got over his disappointment that the Brother didn't have his dogs with him, he attached himself to him as if he knew the Brother would miss his dogs.  I woke up one morning and found Baron had squeezed himself like a snake at and over the Brothers legs and the two of them were sound asleep!  You would have had to see it to believe it on that small couch. 

The Brother did, however, say that he would return to help with putting up the paneling and help with making the wall that will separate the area the Princess will occupy from the rest of the storage area and help hang the door.  That won't be for at least another week or so and I may just get a twin size blow up mattress for the brother to sleep on when he returns.   That will give him his own *space* and it will be easy to put out of the way during the day.

Chewlee spent most of the day outside today but not on her bike.  She just won't do it unless there is someone that can run next to her to make sure she won't fall.  All it had to have taken was one good spill and she would be fearful about that for a long time.  She picked some flowers for her mother but, unfortunately, she chose the Morning Glories so they closed up even though she put them in water.  We will be planting some of the flower seeds for next spring once the colder weather returns.  I am hoping I can find some bulbs available such as daffodils and tulips to plant.  I just have to wait a bit longer to put those in the ground for winter but I can keep them in the fridge to get ready for planting since that's the right temperature for them.

Chewlee cracks me up with her bath.  If you walk away while the water is filling and she's in the tub, she shuts the water off when it's only about 2-3 inches deep.  I usually have to fill it up more when I see it.  I thought that perhaps her mother only let her use that much water but I found out that's not true.   Even her mother was shocked at how little water was in the tub.

When I went to brush Chewlee's hair with all it's tangles, the Princess came in and handed me a spray that is like a creme rinse except you leave it in the hair.  What a difference it made!  Not only does it make her hair smell nice but it tames it and helps untangle the knots in her hair.  Chewlee held onto the bottle and handed it to me when I hit a big snarl.  It finally was nice and straight and tangle-free.  It'll curl as it dries but at least now there are no snarls or knots.

Fern Gully was how we ended her night.  Then a kiss and hug and she and the Princess were off to bed.  I will sleep on my own bed tonight and that will feel great after four nights in the recliner.  As comfortable as it is, it's really best for naps, I think.

Time to close this for now. Love you all.  Have a great weekend. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

Today the guys got the rest of the wood they need to finish the subflooring and carried it over to the cottage/shed.  I had no idea that the Beast was going to put insulation between the floor in it and the sub-flooring he was installing.  It's added four inches (or should I say it's taken away four inches) which explains why he was worried about the door.  He's also going to seal the sub-flooring, which will really help out as far as insulation goes.  Then came the hard part.....the planning.

It was around 2:30pm that I found them sitting quietly, drinking coffee and smoking cigarettes.  When I asked if they were all done (knowing full well they weren't), they told me they were *planning* and that it was the hardest part. Turns out they were only half-kidding. They were trying to figure out just when to address the insulation in the ceiling and the best way to do it because having your arms up over your head for any length of time is a bitch.  Well, they rested for a bit and then were out in the garage cutting some wood in preparation for tomorrow's work and to finish up what was started today.   So the beast goes on.....

Chewlee's school is closed tomorrow so that means Chewlee won't have to be woken up so early.  The Princess has to go into school for an hour or so to finish up something or other and then she works for a couple hours.  Chewlee is happy because she will get to ride her bike since the weather here has been so nice. She won't go far because she doesn't like to be out of sight of someone watching her.  I'll be on the porch stairs so she and Baron will be trekking up the street a ways and back.  She got all worried about her helmet but I showed her it was on her handlebars and she wiped her forehead and said, *Phew!  I was worried that mommy packed it.*  It was just too funny to see and not laugh.

I really am convinced my feet are healing. I was on my feet a lot longer today.  It's about time!  I have to cut this short because I am having some serious problems with my keyboard and need to pull it apart to see why.  Love you all and you have a great Friday.  Have one for me!                      

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

The Beast installed a couple of outlets in the cottage/shed today and has it ready for lighting in two areas so far.  He says he and the Brother will become carpenters tomorrow so I guess the subflooring is going to be installed starting then.

The Brother has taken to sleeping on the love seat instead of the bed with his brother.  I don't know if it's the competition with the snoring or how the Beast keeps changing position all night long.  But it explains why I keep waking up to his (the Brother's) loud snoring.  The love seat can't be more than 10-12 feet away.  **Sigh** 

Tonight Chewlee behaved herself so she got to stay up until 9pm.  She put up an argument and tried to tell me that she LOVED to watch my shows.   I had told her that it was time for MY shows when it was her bedtime so she figured that she could con me into letting her stay up.  Then she told me that she wanted to stay up until her mommy came home. I told her that her mommy would be mad if she came home from working hard and Chewlee was not in bed, sleeping.

I gave her a half hour and went in to check on her and what do I find?  The closet light on, both doors open wide and she's reading one of her books!    When I told her I would shut all the lights off and close the door if she didn't go to sleep, she just looked at me, innocently, and told me she was reading and she needed more light.  I had to take the book and put it up.

I think my feet are actually healing.  It's not that there isn't any pain, it's the fact that the pain is more bearable and the toe seems to be the major area of real discomfort.  I still don' t seem to have much energy or endurance but it IS better. Now I can get more done, I hope.

Did I mention that I found out I have TWO granddaughters graduating this year?  Marcus Aurelius's daughter, Aimee and Sheepie are both going to be Class of 2012. You have no idea how proud that makes me feel.  I'm also proud of their parents who kept them motivated and on track. Congratulations parents! 

Sheepie isn't really motivated to go on to college or even a trade school.  At least not yet but we shall see how that goes.  Aimee is going on and will be attending the local college for now.  She was mainly interested in anime but I don't know if that still applies.  I shall find out.

Love you all.  Enjoy your Indian summer if that applies.

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

Today the Beast concentrated on getting the fence done, complete with putting the gate back up.  The one section of fencing had to be completely redone but the nail gun made that easy.  In fact, it took longer to line up each board than it did to nail it in place.  The gate needed some re-doing and re-nailing in places but it is up and swings easy.  Everything locks into place and that means no more strange animals in the back yard.  Although I think the Beast might have enjoyed seeing a deer stray in to munch on what's left of the garden.  He wouldn't have cared about it not being deer season.  Heck, it was on OUR property.    It would probably have been the only way he ever got a deer. 

I don't know what else they got done to be honest because I pretty much spent the day dozing off and on.  I slept in my recliner, which normally isn't a problem but....OMFG...you should hear the Brother SNORE.    I have never, ever heard such loud snoring in my life.  I swear the pictures were rattling on the walls.  I turned on the TV with the door shut in here and I could still hear him.  When he finally turned on his side, I think that was when I finally got a chance to fall asleep.  That had to be around 4 am or so.  At 6:30am, Chewlee bopped into the room and gave me a kiss to wake me after she got dressed for school.  When she left to eat her breakfast, I turned on my side and went back to sleep.  I didn't come fully awake until around 1pm or so and I didn't feel rested at all.

I grabbed some hot coffee and a donut so I could take my pills and then decided a nap was due.  At least when I woke up from that, I felt much better for some reason.  The Princess made dinner (bless her heart) :baked lemon garlic chicken, buttered shells with onion and corn.  Chewlee loved the chicken and got upset that someone left a piece of chicken.  The Princess told her that she could eat it but Chewlee said *No thank you. I am full.*

When it came time for her to go to bed (she goes somewhere between 8-9, depending on her behavior), the Beast, the Princess and the Brother were playing Hearts or Back Alley Bridge so I put Chewlee to bed.  It's a regular ritual of making sure she has her little stuffed kitty, teddy bear and her blankey.  Then she has to be read a story.  She knows all her stories by heart so she gets excited and starts telling you the story before you even get to that page.  Too funny.  For HER bedtime, she tells YOU a story. 

She has some funny little quirks about her.  If she has to leave or go to bed, you MUST turn off her program.  I'm not sure if she thinks she's *saving* it or if she just doesn't want you to watch her programs without her.  We also have to put the light on in the closet for her until she is asleep.  I told the Princess we need to get her a good night light so we can avoid all that but I think she wants it on to make sure the *monster in the closet* doesn't come back.  She knows we *sprayed* monster removal spray but she also knows they MIGHT just come back.  Like flies do even after you spray.  She will tell you that, too.  **Sigh**  Sometimes it's not a great thing to have a bright child.   Especially one that also believes in monsters and ghosts.

Love you all.  More news tomorrow about the progress on the cottage.  Have a great day and please take care of yourselves. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

All my plans for the day came to nothing because of two things.  First, Chewlee's school had an *outing* at the Pumpkin Patch which was specially put together for little kids.  They got to pick out two little pumpkings and then they got to paint one of them.  It had to have been fun even though it was cool out and windy.  The kids got to go home after lunch so that meant Chewlee was here during a time when I hadn't planned on her being here.  The Princess joined the event after her class so she and Chewlee came home.  The Princess was ready for a nap but Chewlee wasn't really.  Although the Princess tried to keep Chewlee in the room with her, kids know....and she made her escape.  At least she DID watch the Beast's TV and stay out from underfoot most of the time.

Then, to our total surprise, the Brother shows up!  He got here about a half hour or so after the Princess and Chewlee did.  After greeting him, I gave up the ghost pretty much and said *screw it*.  It's take it or leave it time.  I hadn't finished my laundry but I'll do that tomorrow when there is no trip involved for Chewlee and she will be in school all day.  The guys will be outside, busy so they won't be underfoot and I should be able to finish up what needs doing.  At least, I hope so.

Chewlee enjoyed the company, especially of her mother.  When she would come in to ask me for something, I sent her back out to her mother because she can be sneaky that way and try to get me to agree to give her something that her mother has already told her no about.  I told her she can't get away with that with me because I had too many kids.  She got this puzzled look on her face and said, *What kids?*  I just looked at her and said, *Never mind.* 

So you at least know that things got hectic around here with the Beast checking out the things they will be using tomorrow, making sure they had all the supplies they need so there's not a constant running back and forth to the store that stops the work, making dinner (thank you, Princess), I had a shower to take, there was getting Chewlee to bed with all the extra noises going on so that wasn't easy and the Princess was getting angry with her because she had homework to get done and was getting texts and phone calls, too....normal in some households but not here.

So, the *boys* are in bed now, finally and so are the girls.  I find myself tired and just about ready to call it an early night myself.  I'm sleeping in my recliner as per our discussion a few nights back but that will be just fine with me.  I would disturb the Brother otherwise since I always seem to manage having to get up at least once during the night for an hour or so before I can head back to bed.  Except for last night.  Figures, right?  Oh well.

Love you all.  Have a great day.  I'll be busy one way or another.