TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

Chewlee did NOT get a smiley face today.  The note from the teacher said that two different teachers had to bring Chewlee to her room because she was acting up in the hallway and then the bathroom.  Chewlee said the teachers got her in trouble.  All she was doing was singing and a little jumping.  **This is where I raised my eyebrow at her and she swore it was true!*  But I digress over where this tale is going….

Chewlee took a ride to the restaurant where her mother works with the Beast.  He had a taste for their steak and cheese sandwich.  While she was there, her mother gave her an iced tea to go.  Chewlee loves iced tea and loves to get them from her mother (it has a straw…LOL).  However, she didn’t drink much of it on the ride home.  It was more a prize to her.  But, when she came in to show it to me once they got home, she stopped dead suddenly and vomited on my rug.  Since it showed that her breakfast cereal was undigested (this was at 5pm), I knew she really wasn’t well.  I cleaned her and the rug up and got her to the bathroom in time for when she vomited again.  She started to cry for her mommy but I grabbed her up and rocked her (which was all she wanted….comfort).  Don’t we all? 

She then lay down on my recliner and told me she was hungry but she didn’t want to throw up so she asked me what she should eat.  I tested how her stomach felt by suggesting an orange but she turned it down cold because of her *tummy*.  So I made her some chicken soup and gave her crackers.  I told her the crackers and soup would be very good for her tummy so she ate two crackers and drank about two or three tablespoons of soup.  Then she *had* to lay down again.  She fell sound asleep so I guess her tummy felt better.  She was very pale.  I felt her head and neck and they were warmer than they should have been.  I think she might have a mild case of the flu.  At least, I hope that’s all it is. 

She did get up twice more to run to the bathroom to throw up but that was before the crackers and soup.  She also managed to drink her iced tea (which was more like water with a touch of tea in it by that time).  I tried a bit of the tea, mainly because I intended to water it down if necessary but the way they pack ice in those cups, it wasn’t needed.  I just wanted to make sure she stayed hydrated.  It’s only recently that she actually began to drink just water.  I think it’s because her mother drinks more of it since going to the gym.

I fed the fish in the big tank today and the google-eyed goldfish in it was a bit surprised, I think.  It followed me and my hand as I went for the food (which is next to the tank where he can see it).  He then followed my hand as I reached into it and raised my hand to the top of the tank.  When I spread the food across the top, it went nuts.  The other fish, I swear, fled for their lives to stay out of it’s way.  Once it calmed down, they started after some of the food for themselves.  This goldfish is truly funny and has it’s own personality.  I never thought of a fish as having one but they sure do.  This one will watch (and follow) whoever walks past the tank.  If you stop, it stares at you and slowly will follow you as you walk away.  He knows there is a world outside it’s tank.  He’s funny if we put a new fish in the tank.  He will chase it around for a while until they are both tired and the smaller one hides.  I hate to say it’s a bit of a bully but if the scale fits….. 

We are getting another cold front here tonight and it means more snow…but not much of it.  It won’t stick due to the ground being warmer.  However, more snow is expected on Friday night and on Saturday (maybe a half inch, they claim).  For us in this area, that’s a lot of snow this late in the year.  If it sticks on the roads, there will be accidents.  I swear, they don’t know how to drive on snow here.  It’s incredible.

Love you all.  Hope your week went well.  Stay warm and dry.    Hope you don’t catch anything.

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

I swear, I know why some older people cover their mirrors.  Mirrors are depressing.  Total strangers look out at you.  It’s certainly not anyone *I* recognize.  *I* am NOT that wrinkled, greying OLD person.  I am young.  I have energy and things I want to do, places I want to go.  I am NOT getting near the time I must leave this life and explore what comes next.  I don’t want to write a Will or think about what things I have that are dear to me that should go to this one or that. 

I don’t want the Beast trying to convince me that I am too old to drive myself up to Chicago even though I had planned to stop here and there to visit with my kids and my sister that live on the way to where I am going.  Understand this….it is NOT because I am old that I am breaking up my trip.  No, no, no….it’s because I want to spend some time with those I love.

So I DID have to have surgery on my legs because my circulation was kind of blocked but that can happen to anyone.  It is NOT because I have really gotten old.  A cane?  WHAT????  Canes are for old people.  Not me, thank you very much.  How could you even suggest it.  Oh well, my great-granddaughter can play horsey with it. 

Yes, I said my GREAT-granddaughter.  Hey, I was a young grandmother and also a very young great-grandmother.  That’s what happens when you marry young and have your kids young.  Do I wish I had waited?  Waited for what?  I am still young…at heart. 

I remember years ago seeing an old man and woman, they must have been in their 90′s, walking slowly down the street, hand-in-hand.  Someone said something derogatory about them being so old….something like they shouldn’t been seen on the street.  They thought it was disgusting.  I got angry and said, *You know, in their hearts, they are still young.  It’s their bodies that have betrayed them.*  I also added the thought that one day THEY would be old and would not believe their life had just flown by so quickly.  Now, HERE I AM…and I never, never asked to get old.  Not once.  How in the hell did this happen?

The Beast and I will be celebrating our 49th anniversary in August.  That alone is a shock to me.  I really thought I would have killed him and be out of prison by now.  Instead, we’re still married…..dammit!  I could have been FREE!!!    He is not big on any kind of holiday, birthday or anniversary so a dinner out MIGHT be the only recognition HE gives to it.  I suppose I should be grateful.  If you don’t think about just how damn long a time that is, you can deny being old to yourself.

I never wanted nor expected some of the problems I face.  Bowel problems.  Arthritis.  Back problems.  Eye problems.  The Beast has it worse because every three months, he has to go to a urologist and have a cable shoved up his Johnson so they can check for more cancer.  It seems to recur every six months.  He’s had four or five surgeries so far and a nurse friend of mine says that cancer is very virulent.  It does not go away.  The only *cure* is to remove the bladder and that will never happen with the Beast.  He won’t willingly have to strap a bag on his body because he can’t control his bladder any more.  Hey, it wouldn’t be there!   He will continue his trek even though he bleeds for a couple days afterward.  Same with the surgery only there’s more pain.  This last surgery he had, his prostate was removed.  What was left of it.  He’d already had part of it removed due to cancer there, too. 

How does he feel?   He can’t believe he has gotten so old.  He had two strokes almost 12 years ago.  One was major and left him paralyzed on his left side for almost a year.  He worked hard to be able to walk again and regain the use of his arm and hand.  His leg still hasn’t fully recovered.  Probably because his stroke was a brain stem stroke.  Yep, poked a hole in that sucker about the size of a pencil.  I’m pretty sure you could poke a pencil through it up to the part of his brain that was damaged.  He has short term memory problems.  The doctors all said he should have either died or been a vegetable with the stroke he had.  But NOOOOOOOO!  He survives and has even lived longer than the five years the doctors figured would be all he had.  I have the worst luck.

My kids have all laid down the law to me.  I MUST outlive the SOB.  I won’t go into all the reasons why but…they want to see me happy for whatever time I have left.  Me?  I want to be able to sell off the guns he bought AND the ammunition.  That’s after my kids take their pick of what they want.  We have both regular rifles and a couple black powder ones.  We even have a family heirloom gun from the civil war that the Beast made a special mount for that is hanging in our bedroom.  Me?  I just want a gun and a license to carry a concealed weapon for when I travel.  If I had a wish that could come true, I would love to become a Federal Marshall so I could carry in every state and not worry about violating any laws.  I always have to check the laws of the states I drive through to see how I can carry my gun. 

Some states I can carry it inside the car, unloaded, with the ammunition in the trunk.  In fact, that works in most states so … when in doubt, that’s how I will carry mine.  But, when I am alone (or have one of my kids with me), I will sometimes have it in our hotel/motel room under my pillow if the clientele is *iffy*.  Since we have Baron with us when the Beast and I travel, we don’t have to worry about that.  Most people are afraid of dobermans and Baron is very protective of us.  He doesn’t even rest well if there are people outdoors at night.  He stays very alert and gives an incredible growl if anyone should stop outside our door.  Good boy!

I do have plans when the Beast goes to face his maker.  I won’t say what except it DOES involve travel.  Like Chewlee said to me this morning when she told me she had two dreams about ME….*I can’t tell you my dreams, Grandma, or they won’t come true.*  I don’t know who told her that but I told her it was okay then if she didn’t want to tell me.  When I asked if they were good dreams, she said yes.  That’s kind of how I feel about revealing MY plans.  It DOES involve the kids and I all having one adventure together that will be a good memory for everyone after I am gone.  And that’s all I am going to say.

I was up kinda late last night and who comes into my computer room to ask me when I am coming to bed because she *is lonely*?  I was waiting for something in particular and had another 15 minutes or so to wait so she lay down in my recliner and fell asleep.  When I was done, I turned off my computer, the TV and woke Chewlee up a little so I could carry her into the bedroom.  I turned off my light as we left and got comfy under the covers.  She snuggled up to me and put her arm across my neck.  She was asleep before I was but the next thing I remember was the Beast throwing the light on and waking me up.  I kissed Chewlee awake and she came into the computer room to watch cartoons.  When I told her that the Beast had bought donuts, she was out of the room like a shot to grab one.  She gets breakfast at school but I figured she just might be hungry.  She more than likely ate breakfast when she got there since she gets to eat with her friends and I am sure she was still hungry.  She just spent some time waking up before she got dressed.  She was ready and out the door when the bus got here.

Today was back to her own home.  The Princess picks her up after gymnastics.  Chewlee was concerned because she said she *didn’t know what they were going to do.*  I took it that she meant an activity or some place they might go.  I told her to just let it be a surprise.  I also told her that there would be nothing wrong with just going home and spending time with her mother.  She then got dressed so she could go out in the living room to watch her cartoons on the *big* TV.

It’s time to get this posted.  Love you all and I hope your week has gone well so far.  Stay warm and dry.  Drive carefully.  The life you save may be your own. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

Now I am certain he has lost his mind.  We got two packages today from UPS.  One was another humidifier, the other an air cleaner…this one with something that kills germs.  THEN…then he goes out and buys another big one that has a UV light in it.  That is also to kill germs.  We now have a total climate controlled house!  We have shit in every damn room in the house.  He’s hoping it keeps down the pet dander (it says it will so that will help Chance out…that’s Tara’s little one who is either allergic or sensitive) since Baron follows him everywhere AND sleeps in the same room the majority of the time. 

Chewlee is fascinated but the humidifier in the master bedroom started putting out a whole lot of vapor when the Beast was fooling with it at first and she started choking and acting like it was smoke from a cigarette.  She was waving her hand in front of her face and trying to escape through the two of us and Baron to get away from it.  I laughed and told her it was water vapor, not smoke but she said, *I don’t care.  You know that makes me choke!* 

She likes it in my computer room, which I must admit smells much cleaner now.  Even my nap blanket no longer smells like smoke.  I must admit that they work better than expected.  I just don’t turn on the vaporizer in my room (I don’t rate a humidifier but it’s okay with me).  I like the fact that I can still adjust the amount of humidity it spews out but most of the time (due to the humidity in the rest of the house), I don’t need it on at all.

Chewlee has a good start to another week with two smileys.  While we were playing one of her *games*, she was the teacher singing Chewlee’s praises and telling me (I was Chewlee and Glenn’s mother) that Glenn was just awful.  He had broken every rule in the book and she was going to have to refer him to the Principal who might paddle him if he didn’t straighten out.  BUT….from the way she talked, she had it in her mind to get another full week of smiley faces.

She told me that she and her class had been in another teacher’s room for some computer learning.  She knew how to use a computer and that apparently brought her some praise from the teacher when Chewlee showed the teacher that she DID know the basics and she was given the job of helping some of the other students.  But one boy wouldn’t listen and got taken off the computer he was on because he WOULDN’T stop what he was doing and listen to the teacher.  She also said that he got angry and hit another person.  It made me wonder if it was her although she told me it wasn’t.

For the first time, she ate a sandwich (bologna) with a little bit of mayonnaise and didn’t even notice it except she ate the whole thing without taking it apart.  I gave her some cut strawberries as a reward and, later, a pickle.  She loves those dill pickles!  She’s pretty much eaten all of the spears in a large jar of them.  I think she could probably eat them until she got sick but I limit how many she gets in a day.  Today she only got one.  She was *into* fruit today and had an orange and an apple. 

Before she took her bath, she was playing her NickJr games and had some tortilla chips and salsa.  After her bath, I made her a cup of hot chocolate before bedtime.  Not a whole lot of chocolate, I admit, but I wasn’t really sure if she would actually drink the warm milk.  She says her mother gives her warm milk before bed.  I’ll have to remember to ask the Princess about that and just how warm she makes it. 

Well, that’s my exciting day.  How was yours?  I hope you stayed warm and dry.  It wasn’t raining this morning when we were waiting for the bus but Chewlee wanted to wait outside for it (with ME, of course).  She grabbed a towel since she could see the stairs were wet but she hadn’t counted on the wind.  It was incredibly windy outside and that made the air feel so much colder than it was due to the humidity.  She didn’t last five minutes and was back inside watching cartoons and left me at the door to await the bus.  It was only a few minutes later when the bus got there and out she ran…well, almost.  She ran down the stairs but took her time getting to the bus.  I stayed and waved like I always do (the bus driver always waves back at me, which I think is funny since so does Chewlee).  But, hey, it might brighten up his day so what the hell!

I had the Beast set his alarm to make sure I got up.  I needed it this morning because I was sound asleep.  He’s decided he’s going to wake me tomorrow morning, too.  Fine!  Works for me.  He SHOULD get up since he agreed to this overnight for two days in a row without even telling me about it until it was upon us.  I don’t really care so don’t think I’m really complaining.  I said I would do whatever was needed with the baby (at the time) until the Princess finished college and I meant it.  I think if this stops, I will be very lonely for her.  She is the apple of my eye right now because she is the first kid, other than her mother, that I have been able to spend real quality time with.  When she was younger, she drove the Beast nuts but I was the one taking care of her all the time.  He seldom even had to worry about feeding her, let alone changing a diaper.    But, once she got older, she started making him laugh at her antics and how grownup she was trying to be all the time.  He laughed when she was only 3 and was carrying around her little step stool trying to ride Baron.  He was too tall for her to just throw a leg over and ride.

Love you all.  Have a great hump day.  Go out and celebrate. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

I forgot to mention the Beast’s latest obsession.  The humidifierS.  I added the big S because we now have several in this house.  My computer room has inherited the smaller one.  The Beast took a ride up to Huntsvillle because he couldn’t find a satisfactory one online for the WHOLE house.  However, tonight it resides inside the master bedroom.  It’s attractive.  Like a tall cube, wood-tone and very quiet while it’s operating.  It brought the humidity up to around 45%, which was comfortable unless you fell asleep when you would feel a bit cold and end up covering up.  But I can live with that if I don’t wake up with my mouth and tongue sticking together.

Meantime, he’s ordered another air purifier for the Master bedroom.  He’s moved our other small one into the guest room.  We are going to end up with the freshest, best humidified air in the state when he gets done.  But I have this ache in the pit of my stomach because I’m still not sure he’s done.  Only time and his *throat and wheeze* will tell.  I know he’s trying to make me feel badly about my smoking but that is not the way he will ever get me to quit.  In my own time and my own way when *I* want to quit.

Love you all. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

Today the Beast couldn’t think of anything he really felt like eating and asked me for suggestions.  Since I didn’t feel like cooking, I suggested we try some of the new sandwiches at Arby’s.  I figured if he wasn’t into trying something new, he’s always loved the regular Arby’s sandwiches.  I suggested the new Reuben or the new French Dips.  He ended up getting us each a Reuben and he also bought a French Dip that we ate later this evening.  The bad thing about the Reuben is that they didn’t include any Horsey Sauce and/or mustard.  But I had some Deli mustard here that has horseradish in it and it was good.  But they missed a trick there with the employees not even asking if anything was wanted.  Oh well!

The French dip was absolutely delish!  It tasted wonderful and the au jus was perfect!  Yum!  That’s a definite reorder another day for me.  It was thinly sliced beef on a perfect roll.  I could have eaten more just because it was so tasty.  It needed nothing more than it had.  Of course, I would have loved it to be on a crusty roll but I have learned not to expect that here in the South.

Chewlee got a smiley face today.  She was happy.  She got her cartoons and her snacks, too (pickle, strawberries….although not together…LOL).  She frustrated me at one point tonight and I said something about her having to stop treating everything like it was a joke because I didn’t like it.  She started to cry and said, *You don’t like ME?  I like YOU!*.  I told her that wasn’t was I said and she ran over to give me a hug to show she liked me.  She was also afraid that I was going to tell her mother to find someone else to watch her and she said to me, *YOU are the only one that my mother likes to watch me.  She is used to driving here to pick me up and she won’t be able to find me if she has to go somewhere else…*  That cracked me up but I managed to hold it back until I told her that she wasn’t in any danger there because Grandma was the cheapest babysitter her mother would EVER find.  Chewlee cocked her head and had this puzzled look on her face and said, *What’s cheapest mean?*  I told her that it meant her mother didn’t pay me a lot of money to take care of her.  That’s when she gave me a hug and said, *You take good care of me, Grandma.  I’ll ask mommy to pay you more.* 

I really do love that kid.  The things that come out of her mouth are priceless at times.  She went to bed fairly easily tonight.  I decided a trip to the store tomorrow is called for to buy a new bedtime story book for her to read.  I’m very tired of Olivia and her ducks.  Besides that, she needs a new challenge.  It’s become almost too easy for her.

It’s raining outside and I guess that’s what’s going to be coming down for the next several hours.  More wet ground…or should I say *wetter* ground.  At least it’s not snow like they are having out west.  I feel so sorry for them.  This spring could be really miserable for them when all that snow melts off into the rivers and streams.

We have our new Internet system installed and are giving it a tryout.  So far, I am underwhelmed at the speed of downloading but…we can have the tech come out and fine tune it in a few days if it doesn’t get better.  I have a shitload of Microsoft downloads I discovered I need to do but will wait to do it until later tonight.  (Don’t ask!)  That will be a real test for my way of thinking.

Love you all.  Have a great week and be safe, warm and dry. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

I posted late due to a power failure….of sorts.  It seems someone turned OFF the power strip that had the plug for my phone charger.  My internet currently comes from my phone *hot spot* and if it’s not plugged into an active charger, it eats up the charge on the phone in a couple hours.  Why do I suspect it was the Beast?  He was fooling around while putting in the air filter for my room.  It had been out of commission due to a dirty filter.  He couldn’t find a new one for it although he bought it at Lowe’s.  Today, while looking for a charcoal filter for another air filter, he finally found one.  He was ecstatic and bought it, came home and installed it and then found a spot for it on top of my bookcase.  Then he had to plug it in.  He was trying to get it plugged into one of my power strips but I finally fished out an extension cord that was where it had originally been plugged in.  He had forgotten about it because it wasn’t out in the open. 

But, since he is always so careless when it comes to MY stuff in here, that is why I suspect him.  It’s like the third or fourth time my phone got drained due to the power cord not being plugged in for one reason or another.  Once was definitely MY fault.  I had unplugged it from the charger due to receiving a phone call from my girlfriend in Chicago.  She and I go all the way back to high school and I hadn’t talked to her in over six months.  That was unusual for us and we had a lot to catch up on.  We are starting to lose other friends from our circle now and it’s both sad and scary.  One friend we lost wasn’t really a surprise because she had gotten mixed up with drugs.  She was hooked on crack and totally in denial about it.  I had no idea you could actually overdose on that stuff but she did.  Her daughter notified another of our circle of friends when her mother was found dead.  One of our closest friends came home from work, laid down to take a nap and her son found her dead a couple hours later when he came home.  She died of natural causes at the age of 62.  Like I said, scary stuff.

We even had one of our circle murdered.  She was married to a violent abuser and she never told any of us.  That one was also a surprise but at least the asshole is in prison now and will probably die there if there is any real justice.  My son, Marcus Aurelius, has lost three friends now and he is very much younger than I am (of course!) and that bothers him a lot due to his age.  I don’t blame him.  At my age, I am supposed to be worried about dying.  I am not supposed to be watching and worrying about losing a son or daughter before *I* die.  I feel so badly for the parents of his friends.  I didn’t really know them at all but I DID know their kids that died.  Very, very sad.

Chewlee was a real Princess this morning after she dressed for church.  The Beast said she was incredibly good today with no fidgeting or talking loudly or singing during the sermon (she has a favorite song from the church songbook that she’s almost memorized).  He said she sat calmly and peacefully until it was over and didn’t do any running around afterward like many of the kids do.  But, she was going to Birdie’s afterward to play with her kids for a couple hours.  Birdie said Chewlee hated taking off her dress and things to put on her play clothes but knew she couldn’t play in her good clothes. 

The Beast says he was mugged by little girl scouts and forced to buy four boxes of cookies today.    Yeah, sure.  He bought two boxes of the mint ones and two of one of the sandwich ones.  I forget their name at the moment and am NOT going to go look.  The point is NOW is the time to buy your girl scout cookies.  Don’t procrastinate because when they are gone, they are gone.  Get them now if you love them like we do.

I watched the Oscars….got almost to the end before I zonked out so I have to wait to find out who won the awards we all wait for…best movie, best actor and actress.  **Sigh**  Makes me feel like a little kid at the movies.  You know, falling asleep just before the movie ends.  Oh well.  But I woke up when it ended in time to find out my internet was kaput!  We’re getting the satellite internet that is supposed to be 5gbs tomorrow.  It’s supposed to be much faster than what I’m getting with my *hot spot*.  I’ll let you know if it is in my blog tomorrow.

Love you all.  Have a truly wonderful week.  Stay warm and drive carefully if you must drive. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

Today the Beast learned a tough lesson.  When taking a little girl who is almost 6 shopping for a new dress, you do NOT take her to a store called *The Child’s World*.  There were just rows and rows and racks and racks of dresses.  Chewlee clapped her hands together with a joyful *Wow!* and off she went!  She refused to let the Beast help her try any of the ones she liked on so a nice saleswoman went in with her to help.  Chewlee had a ball.  The Beast…not so much but he got a few laughs out of her enthusiasm.

In the end, Chewlee managed to pick out the one she liked the best.  It’s a cute dress with a built-in slip and crinoline under the skirt.  It has a kind of bib front on it and a grosgrain ribbon belt.  The belt is held in place with an organdy rose.  Chewlee then selected a pink headband with a taffeta rose on the side.  She also picked herself out a pretty clear bead necklace (the stretchy kind) with a matching bracelet.  With her new patent leather shoes (a gift from Birdie) and ruffle trimmed socks, she is going to think she is a true princess. 

She’s spending the night here so she can get dressed in all her new stuff and the Beast won’t have to make an extra stop on his way to church in the morning.  That means the Princess can also sleep in without worry.  I got to see her today and she’s still heavily bandaged up and limping like nobody’s business.  Her boss at the restaurant called her *unreliable* because she sprained her ankle.  What the hell???  It’s not like she did it on purpose OR like she did it just to piss her off.  She’s always been reliable but it ticked off the Princess and she’s going to be looking for a new job she thinks.  Personally, after knowing that her boss made her serve on Thursday with that ankle, I think it’s probably a good idea.  Nothing like straining an already injured ankle and thinking that will help in the healing process.  **Color me pissed here**

Chewlee gave me a bit of a problem when putting her to bed.  She read her story (only one big mistake because she hurries) but then snuck out of bed to sit on the love seat where she knew the Beast wouldn’t notice her for a while.  I spotted her, however, and told her if she did that again, the door to the bedroom would be shut.  She hates when I do that so it should keep her in bed this time.  If not, I’m a woman of my word.

I’ll be crawling into bed with her later since the Beast sets his alarm to make sure he gets to church (always when he’s told others that he will be there and he told that to Birdie when she stopped by).  Birdie won’t be coming by to pick up Chewlee so he’s got to get his butt out of bed. 

The Princess told us that Chewlee has managed to take every single jacket she owns to school and not bring a single one home.  She said she had written notes to the teacher and I informed her that she had to go to the school to pick out all the jackets (there are seven or eight of them now).  A note to the teacher only suffices the following day.  Now they are all in Lost and Found in the office.  Only she can go and pick them up.  She wasn’t happy about it but I think she understands why she must.

Love you all.  Gonna get this posted and hope everyone is safe and warm tonight.  Have a peaceful Sunday.  Stay warm and dry. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

Mustachio got a phone call today from Buttmunch.  Hearing her told him more than an email could about her frame of mind.  It’s good.  She likes the shelter she’s at because she says the people really care.  I gather that Ron didn’t just punch her body and face but once he had her down, he even stomped her.  Goofy Buttmunch thought that because she had survived the physical abuse of Sheepie’s dad, she could take anything Ron might dish out.  My question is this…..did this thought come BEFORE she married him?  Does she have some kind of death wish or does she just think she deserves the abuse?  I know she will be getting counseling at the shelter to help ensure she doesn’t go back to the relationship and, hopefully, that she will stop thinking negative thoughts about herself (that she deserves this treatment).  I’m still praying for her every day.  She needs all the help she can get.

The Princess was put on cashier duty today, now that her boss knows she isn’t faking being hurt.  Poor Chewlee was playing on my computer and Johnnycakes showed up to pick her up.  He knew it wasn’t going to be a happy thing for her since he was taking her from her computer games but she actually was happy to see him.  She didn’t know he was off work today.  She couldn’t find one of her socks so she just shoved her foot in her boot and said, *I can go without it!* and out the door she ran after I reminded her to take her backpack.

It was funny earlier because the Beast opened up some pineapple tidbits and started putting them in dishes for him and Chewlee.  Chewlee LOVES pineapple and got excited.  She ran and got herself a fork and was coming to get her bowl when the Beast dumped a big chunk of vanilla ice cream in it.  Chewlee started to wail over that.  I knew why she was upset so I grabbed another bowl, grabbed the ice cream with my fingers and removed it from her bowl and placed it in mine.  She was crying, *You ruined it!  Why did you do that?* and she ran (with her bowl) into my room and shut the door.  The Beast had this shocked look on his face and I said to him, *She doesn’t like anything on her pineapple.  She likes her ice cream separate.*  He just got this sheepish look and said, *She is one strange kid at times.*  I laughed because it’s true.  He called her out to him and I told her to go back and get her bowl because he was going to give her more pineapple.  That made her happy but she told the Beast, *I have never had ice cream with pineapple.  I don’t think I would like that.*  I offered to let her taste mine to see if she liked it but she told me not today. 

Chewlee opened the door of my room and wrinkled up her nose and said, *What IS that smell?*  I told her that the Beast was using his vaporizer again with Vaporub in it (the stuff his vaporizer recommends) because he was having trouble breathing.  She looked at me and said, very seriously, *It stinks!* 

Poor Bratfink isn’t feeling well.  It seems whatever had Sheldon down has now come down with Bratfink.  Say a little prayer for her that she gets over it quickly.  We don’t want to have her as ill as she was last year when she almost died.

Love you all.  Gonna get this posted and try to get to bed early tonight.  Take care and stay warm. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

Buttmunch has been heard from finally.  Or should I say again?  She sent out an email to Mustachio and I assume she also sent it to Marcus Aurelius and even Sheepie IF she remembered all their email addresses.  She doesn’t have her own computer where she is and that’s where everyone’s is recorded.  That’s in storage in Louisville.  And she’s like the rest of us….put it on your phone or computer and it’s erased from your mind.    Anyway, here’s what it said:

**Have landed in Mt.  Vernon, Ky.  Staying in a home for abused women.  It’s run by a Christian group.  I like it here-it’s secluded and pretty quiet when the kids aren’t around.  LOL.  I’ll be looking for a job next week-probably stay here for awhile-at least till spring.   I’ll write later and give you my address**

Mustachio put out a false trail to Ron through his (Ron’s) sister by saying that Buttmunch had returned to Louisville and was with him.  That way it would ensure that Ron might come back to Louisville in search of Buttmunch.  Mustachio is leaving on a 9-day training tour in another city.  If he goes to Mustachio’s apartment, he’ll find no one there.  If he tries breaking in (thinking that Buttmunch might just be hiding inside and not answering the door), the people that will be looking after Mustachio’s apartment were told to call the police.  The idiot might just find himself with his ass in jail AGAIN!

I’m glad she likes the area and will hopefully be trying to get her life together.  I’m praying she finds a job that she likes.  Who knows?  It WILL be good for her.

Chewlee apparently went on a tear in school this (Thursday) morning.  By noon, all her behavior cards were pulled.  That meant she was eligible for a paddling (after they called the Princess and explained what that meant).  So…she got paddled because she just wasn’t listening to what she was told.  I mean she REALLY didn’t listen.  One thing she didn’t listen to was taking an eraser and chewing it.  They are the type that you buy when your pencil eraser is used up before the pencil.  I don’t know why but she just loves to chew on them.  And, of course, there was the usual up and away from her seat when she should have been sitting down and NOT disturbing the other students.  I read the letter and I KNOW that teachers here are underpaid for all the crap they have to endure.

I was very upset with Chewlee over it and I told her why.  She started trying to say she just *couldn’t* listen and I brought up that she had actually gone TWO whole weeks with a smiley face so we knew that wasn’t true.  I told her she made a choice…her own….when she didn’t listen.  That made her think but you just never know what’s going on in their heads.  Chewlee can be really mischievious when it’s uncalled for.  She also thinks it’s funny to start saying her *tens* and halfway through to start saying the wrong numbers.  She will do that at times when Dora is counting on TV or the Umi Zoomi kids are counting by 10′s.  It’s annoying to listen to her doing it and thinking it’s cute.

BUT…after her paddling (which Chewlee informed me didn’t really hurt), she had a much better day.  She LISTENED.  She was in a good mood when she got here but wasn’t happy with the fact that she didn’t get to watch cartoons or play her games on NickJr.  We were going to have some strawberries but that would have been a treat so we didn’t even mention it.  She was happy to get dressed to go to Bible study at church with the Beast.  She was going to be able to sit with the Child Whisperer, Birdie.  The Beast is still amazed at how well behaved Chewlee is when she’s around Birdie.  Tonight Birdie gave Chewlee some shoes with small heels that actually fit her.  They are dress shoes and we are keeping them here for her to wear when she goes to church.  Birdie also gave her a pair of socks that have ruffled cuffs.  Chewlee was just loving trotting around here with them on.  She thinks they are what a Princess would wear so that’s what she should have.  She CAN be funny at times.  She got in trouble with the Beast because she left her jacket at school today.  She is under strict orders that she MUST bring it with her even if she doesn’t want to wear it.  She’s lost a couple jackets doing that and she’s running out of jackets now.

I took the opportunity to take a Power Nap when the two of them left for church.  I really needed it.  I didn’t sleep well last night and have no idea why.  I was tired but it’s almost like I’ve become a vampire or something.  I need it to be light out before I really sleep soundly and then it’s only for about four or five hours…..the first time.  I wake up, take my pills and have something to eat and then it’s back to sleep for another few hours.  I don’t do that all the time but I sure would like to know what I do that makes it happen to me from time-to-time.

It’s pouring outside.  We are finally getting the storm front promised by the weatherman.  I won’t complain because people all over the country have been hit by a really awful snowstorm.  Some areas really needed it because that melt will help to supply the rivers, dams and streams with much needed water.  But it’s no fun for them NOW, especially if they really need to be out in it.  They are calling the storm *Q*, which brings to mind the character *Q* from the original Star Trek series.  Remember Q?  He was a real pain in the ass to the crew with his popping up and causing the most dreadful things to happen to them.  Yeah, like this storm is doing so I guess it’s appropriate.

There are people in different areas that have gotten ice along with the snow which makes for dangerous driving.  Some states have called an emergency so people are getting *snow days* off just like their kids.  Some areas have lost power due to the weight of the snow and ice bringing down electrical lines.  Some businesses just called their employees and told them to stay home.  It’s going to be economically dreadful in many, many states.  I just hope that the people stay safe and warm.  I hope the heroic crews that are trying to restore power to people currently without it can get their work done safely and quickly.  I don’t want to see them getting badly frost bitten while trying to get things back to normal.

Love you all.  I hope your Friday is a pleasant one and you stay warm and cozy.  We will deal with our rain.  We have a hundred or so waterfalls that love this stuff.    Lord, I love the diversity of this area and some of the beautiful waterfalls here that I’ve had the chance to see.  I hope to see more of them this summer.  My walking stick is ready. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

Just found out from Mustachio that Ron is out of jail now (according to Ron’s sister) and looking for Buttmunch.  He won’t find the battered women’s shelter, thankfully but…..  Mustachio told the sister to tell him that she’s back living with him.  Ron told the sister that Mustachio is NOT her brother but one of her lovers.  Jerk!  Mustachio figures if Ron believes him, he will head back up North (#1) OR he will just go on the the Amish settlement (#2).  Either way, it will get him away from Buttmunch and let her get her life together finally. 

If not, Mustachio is getting ready to leave for a 10 day training school in another state.  He’s going to have a neighbor and the manager keep an eye on his apartment and call the police if Ron shows up.  He might be dumb enough to think Buttmunch isn’t answering the door when he (Mustachio) is at work and try to break in.

That is all for now.  Love you all.