TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

Today (the 9th) is the Princess's birthday.  She was kind of *ho-hum* about it since it just meant she was another year older but we all like to celebrate birthdays, regardless.  Chewlee was all excited about it for some reason but kept saying it was a secret.  I'm guessing that Johnnycakes must be going to have some kind of late party for her since it's Friday.  She works until closing tonight but, hey, they are young.  I just wish I had some kind of liquor to join in the festival, so-to-speak.  Three of my five grandchildren (and now, one of my great-grandchildren) have birthdays in August!  Interesting, don't you think?

It's been raining across most of our country the past couple of days.  I feel so bad for those suffering from massive flooding and flash floods.  We've had flash floods here but the TVA has managed to keep the water levels down, thankfully.  It's mostly out west that it's caused so many problems and a few deaths, I understand.  Say a prayer or two for all those people.  They will need it.

Chewlee is fascinated with the construction going on across the street.  She would love to really get up close to it but Dennis told her not to go anywhere near the new construction because it was dangerous.  He must have scared her but that's a good thing because I really don't want her near the big piles of sand and rock OR the barn being built for the RV.  They are finally starting on the base of the house which is really what has Chewlee all excited.  She's been dying to see what that is going to look like.  She took her little chair out to the end of the driveway and sat down to watch them.  I told her it's not going to be like the houses they build in one day on Peppa Pig!  It's going to take a lot longer to build the house.  That disappointed her.  I wondered how she would have felt about our house in Florida that took almost a whole year to build.  Heck, the foundation had to sit and dry for over 30 days.  Nothing could be built on top of that until it had *ripened*.  It took a long time for everything to get done but it was a wonderful house when it was done.  **Sigh**  I really loved that house and I miss it.

Chewlee finally gave up watching only because it started to drizzle on her.  I told her I would sit outside with her today and watch for a while.  I don't know what she thinks she's going to see but.....!  Her mother got off work early today and they both went to the gym to work out....LOL 

The Beast and I are going to buy me a new computer chair.  I found one online that looks like it will be just fine and, of course, it costs over $300.  It just claws at my gut to spend that much but the Beast buys himself only the best so I am determined to get what I want and not bargain shop like I usually do.  After we pick up the chair tomorrow, then I have to start looking for a new desk.  I want to find one that I can easily move with either rollers under it or some kind of pads under the legs that will allow easy moving.  I want drawers in my desk, too.  If I can get those, I'll be happy.

Love you all.  Be good.  Have a wonderful Friday and a fantastic (and dry!) weekend. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

Since I was feeling much better today and was up at a normal time, so to speak, it was time to go outside and check out the veggies.  Lots of tomatoes, of course, and all ready to be picked.  Ditto green peppers, jalapenos, two cukes and some strawberries.  Chewlee will be happy to take care of that part.  It started to rain shortly after I took stock of what was going on so the *harvesting* will have to wait until tomorrow.  I hope to do it early and maybe I can get some salsa made up.

We didn't get Chewlee today and I just wish the Princess had let me know because then the Beast and I could have made the trip down to Gadsden to check out the Aldi's there and see if they had ever finished stocking it and if it was *making it* down there.  Aldi's are very popular most every place that I know they are located and it would be nice to see them start spreading here in Alabama.

I was shocked and pleased to find out that Publix is coming to our area.  I heard through a reliable source that Publix has applied for a permit on our main drag but in Guntersville.  That's a hell of a lot closer than Huntsville and means we can shop there whenever we want to.  I wouldn't do ALL my shopping there but they have some items that we can find nowhere else.  I welcome the addition to our area.

It was too hot and then too wet to do much so we pretty much vegetated.  I washed and folded some clothes then put them away.  Just cross your fingers for me so I can get some salsa made.

Love you all.  More tomorrow and I hope you had a great hump day. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

Although I slept a lot longer than I should have, it was a good sleep.  No fever or sweating.  My throat feels better, too.  The pain is not gone entirely but I can swallow without wincing. 

I had one embarrassing moment today.  Know how, after many years of familiarity, you sometimes run into the bathroom to pee without entirely closing the door (or you leave it wide open)?  Well, I did that when I woke up and sat there wondering why the TV screen showed a woman but the voice was a man.  Imagine my shock and surprise when I walked out of the bathroom (yes, I flushed but I used Germ-X on my hands) and who is sitting there, facing towards me but Dennis.  I majorly fixed my clothes as naturally as possible, said good morning to him and went IMMEDIATELY back into my computer room.  All I could think of was....*he heard me pee*.  We've been friends for many years but NOT THAT KIND OF GOOD FRIENDS!!!!

Chewlee was kind of funny today with her insistence that she knew *everything about bugs, birds, lizards and monkeys because she read everything about all of them.  If *I* wanted to know anything, just ask her!*  I think it's the sound of her voice as she tells me this that cracks me up.  It sounds so sure and superior and you know she really doesn't have a clue!

The Beast STILL hasn't taken Baron in to the vet yet.  I swear, he is in major denial that it could be something serious since he read on the internet that it could be a fatty tumor.  I admit Baron is a candidate since the Beast spoils that dog with food.  Oh, not people food but I think he definitely *overfeeds* him.  He weighs about 20 lbs more than he should so you figure that one out.

It was nasty gray outside today and looked like it was going to rain at any moment (but didn't!).  It drizzled a bit this morning and the construction guys working on Dennis's *barn* hit the road and didn't even try to cover the pressboard they had put up that was actually just used to hold the various beams upright.  However, if that stuff gets wet.....it's useless.  Guess what?  We have flash flood warnings which means there is going to be rain tonight (and the pressboard will be all gooey).

I sure as hell hope that someone, somewhere is having nice weather.  At least we aren't into the triple digit weather.  Love you all.  Have a great day.  See you back here, I hope. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

I guess I can't ignore or just try to ride out whatever it is that has me in it's hold.  I'm going to have to get in to see my doctor.  I need to see him anyway for my A1C test and to renew my medications.  I also have a few things I need to discuss with him.

I was very sick last night and most of today.  The Beast thought I was just being a sluggard or else stayed up until dawn.  He heard me a few times (probably either when I got up for water or the bathroom since that's all I did) and glanced at the clock and thought I hadn't even been to bed yet.  Jerk!

I was running a temperature of 100 and 101 at one point.  Why it keeps going up and down, I have no idea.  Right now it's at 99 and I am not uncomfortable but do NOT feel well.  I only ate a Cup of Noodles (they call it *Cup o' soup but...)
for something in my stomach.  I couldn't even face a piece of toast.

Chewlee was smart and watched her cartoons on *Papa's* TV and she also played her games on his computer.  I'm glad since I'm not sure what the hell it is that I might have and whether or not it's something she could catch.  She DID do something cute for me.  I have this one game site that pays you extra coins every few hours and she actually got on my computer and watched for the *Collect* sign to pop up.  She then clicked on it for me.  She did that twice for me and I was both elated and happy that she had done that.  It also showed me how closely she watches what I do!

She got to have her play date with Birdie's kids today...well, this evening.  She was very happy about that but Birdie didn't feed her anything like she normally does even though she picked up Chewlee at what WAS their normal dinner time.  I just wish she had told us that they had eaten out earlier and I could have fed Chewlee BEFORE she left instead of having to feed her when she got home.  But Chewlee also loves the cup of noodles so that's what she said she wanted.  I really should buy a case of those to keep here.  They're great when you don't feel well OR if you really aren't that hungry.

As usual, I was again sweating like a pig but had some acrylic blend pajamas on so when I was soaked, I put on a light cotton blend.  Those got soaked, too, so I ended up with a dorm shirt for the third change this afternoon.  I seem to do the sweating when I am sleeping and only sweat on my head when I am awake.  I look like I just got out from under the shower for HOURS and you can see sweat dropping from the ends of the hairs around my neck.  Chewlee, of course, thinks that's funny and doesn't understand why I am doing that.  But it has made her seem to want to compete with me on who is the sweatiest. 

It's pouring out so the humidity will be up tomorrow but, right now, it's allowing a cool breeze into my computer room and that is very welcome.  I hope you are enjoying whatever weather you are having and have had a good start to the new week.  Love you all. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

The Beast has been promising me a dinner at (of all places!) Red Lobster for a couple years now.  I have wanted a live Maine lobster meal for a couple years now.  He promised me a meal there for our anniversaries the past three years (when the lobsters ARE available!) but it just never happened.  This year it finally did.  That's where we went for a late dinner today.

He ordered the Fisherman's Platter which is clam strips, shrimp, fish and scallops.  They were all delicious....I tasted each of them.  I, of course, ordered a live Maine lobster (boiled) and pigged out on the tail and claws.  I also have to say that they have a wonderful (and not overly large) salad.  Very tasty and I noticed the lettuces were hand-torn and not chopped.  They had a couple varieties of lettuce, small chopped tomato pieces and a nice ring of onion.  There was NO interior of the tomatoes in the salad (only the muscle of the tomato was chopped up and added).  The croutons were also very crisp and tasty.  Even the Beast enjoyed it...so much so that he had a hard time stopping to make sure he didn't fill up on it OR the cheddar biscuits they are known for.  All-in-all, we thoroughly enjoyed our dinner.  At least he DID take me out for dinner for our anniversary this year.  Better late than never. 

Chewlee had stayed overnight so that she could go to church with the Beast today without him having to stop over at her house to find out everyone had overslept.  She was tired, however, and took my blanket from my plane trip with her, rolled up and secured with a large rubber band.  The Beast said she laid it on his lap and slept through the whole sermon!  She didn't even want to wake up to play with the kids while he visited.  She went to the car and laid down in the back seat.  She woke up by the time they got home and went over to play with Sam for a half hour or so then came back to the house to eat and watch her cartoons.

Johnnycakes came to pick her up around 6pm.  She ran into the house to tell me her mother wasn't there but her daddy came to get her.  She then ran to find her flip flops, came back into my computer room to tell me she loved me and give me a hug then ran out, leaving Johnnycakes in the dust. 

Of course, she hates going two days not seeing her mother (she's a mama's girl fer shure!) so she was eager to get home so she would be there when her mother got home.  I think that is so cute of her to feel that way.

Now I feel stuffed and sleepy.  The Beast went to bed early (9:30pm) because he said he was sleepy coming home so he took Baron out for a last pee, fed him since he had forgotten to do that before we left and they both went to bed at the same time.  (I just remembered I hadn't taken my pills so I stopped here to take them).  I am going to take a little nap now, I think.  My bladder or other engine parts will wake me up in a couple hours, I know. 

Love you all.  Hope you are enjoying better weather than Northern Florida and have a decent work week.  Be good.  Drive carefully. 

A Serbian Proverb:  Be humble for you are made of earth.  Be noble for you are made of stars.

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

It's not bad enough that I am married 49 years now and had one GREAT-grand already but now I have a SON that is a grandfather!  Yes!  The baby was born on August 2, 2013, weighing 6lbs.6oz. and is very healthy.  His name?  Atticus James Alan.....(no last name here,tyvm).  Read *To Kill A Mockingbird* to discover why his first name is Atticus.  My granddaughter loved that book. 

It didn't seem weird to me when the Princess had her daughter (Chewlee) because we had adopted her and I feel like she IS my daughter since we raised her most of her life.  I never thought of her mother (the Golden Child) as being a grandmother since we disowned her long ago and the Princess told her that she would NEVER be a part of HER daughter's life.  There was a lot of hurt that formed that message.  But Chewlee is mostly a happy child.  The only thing that makes her unhappy is that her mother hasn't given her a brother or sister (although she prefers a sister...LOL).

She tells her that she will see once she finishes college next year and she and Johnnycakes get married.  Chewlee, of course, has no patience and tells me that her life will be OVER if she doesn't get a brother or sister.  She SO loves drama.

So I spoke with my son (via IM) and congratulated him.  He thinks he has a new best friend and is making plans to teach his grandson such things as fishing, shooting, chess, nunchucks, etc.  Then he had the thought that the child might become an athlete and just surprise the hell out of him.  It will also create a curveball since Marcus was never an athlete.  He was wired into computers way back when they were brand new and you had to know the *language* to even use one.  Although it's different now, he is STILL wired into computers and makes his living on them.  He's kind of a software genius.  Trust me on that.  He's amazing.

His brother, Mustachio is more into the hardware side of computers but they both are making a living from computers which the Beast swore would never happen.  At least he apologized for that, finally.  As a matter of fact, it amazed him.  He never thought computers would last. 

Well, we have been warned to expect a storm so I need to get this posted before I lose my internet connection.  Love you all and have a wonderful Sunday.  Be good. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

I have no idea what had me in it's grip last night but I had the most awful time.  My throat hurt me almost as badly as when I had tonsillitis.  I DO have fragments of tonsils (and I've had them removed....twice!).  When my doctor revealed to me that I had them and suggested removing them, I told him that if they were that determined to be in my throat, they could stay there!  I thought that I might have actually been having a tonsillitis attack but things got worse.

I started sweating like a pig.  I also wondered about that statement.  Do pigs actually sweat copiously?  I soaked a huge section of the quilt I was laying against and had to change my pajamas, too.  I was running a temperature and ended up crawling into the guest bed so I wouldn't disturb the Beast with my coughing (yes, that started and made my throat even sorer than it was).

When I woke up in the morning, I was still very hot and groggy.  My pillow was soaked and so was the area that I had been sleeping in.  I haven't sweated like that since I went through menopause!  BUT....as the day wore on, it all got better!  Amazing!  I was afraid I was in for a couple days of feeling like hell but I feel very normal (for me) now.  Whatever it was, I guess I sweat it out.  The coughing stopped in late afternoon and my temperature is normal.   Oh, and my throat is still sore but that's reduced from how it felt last night.  It only hurts when I swallow. 

I made my matzoh ball soup today and it has to be the absolute worse tasting stuff I ever made.  I followed the directions since it was a brand I wasn't familiar with and I was a bit surprised at how much oil was to be added to the matzoh.  Wrong, wrong,wrong.  I should have tasted it.  Thrown in just one matzoh ball and let it cook before adding more.  I could have salvaged the soup and made more matzoh MY way.  I'll have to apologize to Dennis and Di tomorrow.  It's not a soup worthy of sharing, dammit.  But I still felt like hell when I made it and I was afraid I might end up sharing whatever it was that I was suffering from.

It was shortly after the Beast brought over the soup that I actually began to feel like I might live.  But it was another few hours before I ate any of the soup.  It also explains why Chewlee didn't finish eating her matzoh which she really loves.  She had helped me form the balls to drop in the soup.  She just loves being able to help AND have such an easy task.  I think that's half the reason she loves matzoh ball soup. 

The Beast got up early so he had plenty of time to wake up before picking up Tara and the kids to take to the airport.  So our steaks (you will have to go back about five days or so to get that joke) are partially paid for...and I am just kidding.  We would have done it for Tara without the steaks (which were wonderful, btw). 

The Beast is now more worried about the big bump under Baron's skin.  When you feel it with Baron standing, it's about the size of a child's fist.  And I am basing that on a kid of about six or seven.  It's substantial.  It could just be a fatty tumor (and Baron is a candidate for that...he's overweight by about 20 lbs.).  The Beast is now going to take him to the vets.  Phew!  I was getting really worried about the Beast being in such denial.  He was going to wait and see.  See what?  Did he think it was just going to disappear?  Sheesh!

We had a unique thing happen here this evening.  We were surrounded by storms.  I mean you could go outside and, besides it being very windy, we were not getting any rain but there were storm clouds in every direction.  You could see lightning in the clouds but no thunder was heard at all from them so they were very far away from us.  You wouldn't have believed it watching it.  You constantly waited for thunder to be heard but.....nothing.  Very strange.  We have satellite TV and internet and it DID interfere with that from time to time.  Like I said, very strange.

Well, love you all.  Hope you are having good weather for the weekend.  We supposedly are going to have good weather, but hot, tomorrow and then a 40% chance of rain on Sunday.  Tonight we are dropping down to 61 so I opened my window in my computer room to let the cooler air in.  I love the heat but not for sleeping and I hate air conditioning!  If the weather is cooler than you even have your AC set to pump in, why not open the house and save the energy?  Oh well.  Be good, have some fun and hope to see you here tomorrow. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

YES.....today I have been married 49 years to the Beast.    Color me green, tyvm.  He remembered to say Happy Anniversary this morning, which shocked me.  I really thought it was yesterday but it had to be that I was up after midnight and saw the date.  Oh well.  We did NOTHING.  I mean that.  That makes four years in a row that he promised to take me out to dinner and didn't.

I'm a bit concerned about Bratfink.  She hasn't been online in several days now and the last thing that we heard was that her knee was back to normal.  BUT...she told me her hip was bothering her and I know how much that hurts.    I sent her an email but I don't want to call Sheldon because he pays for his phone by the minute.  I'm just hoping it's JUST her hip.

We found a large lump on Baron's side and I told the Beast he has to get the dog into the vet right away.  Those growths scare me.  It popped up suddenly.  We shall see.

Tomorrow the Beast is taking Tara to the airport for her trip up to Ohio.  I hope she enjoys herself.  She could use a nice couple of days off.

Our friend Dennis is going into the hospital tomorrow to have a stent put into one of his kidneys.  I'm going to make some matzoh ball soup for them around noon.  Chewlee will have a ball helping me make some for them and for us, too.  I can't believe they have never made any.   I know they lived in New York (up around Buffalo)so I KNOW they have to have eaten some.  Of course, not like mine. 

We had more  rain (humidity 100%) but the temperature right now is just 72.  I opened up my window for tonight and moved my fan over to the desk to bring in the cooler air.  Hope you are having some cooler weather.    MY granddaughter is supposed to have labor induced tomorrow because her doctor says the baby is not growing.  Otherwise he seems healthy.  Cross your fingers for her, please.

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

Today was Mustachio's only day off after six straight days of working 15-16 hours.  He had to deal with several issues.  #1-he had a gal coming over for the first time to clean his apartment and wash his clothes.  #2-he had to be at the dentist's office at 9:30am for the final fitting on his plate.  #3-renting a truck and emptying Buttmunch's storage unit to transport over 125 miles away to one she had rented that was cheaper.  He also hired a guy to help him load (and unload) the truck.

All the truck stuff cost him just shy of $500 which Buttmunch had no money to contribute and no intention to either.  This was all supposed to be done the week before but Mustachio cancelled because he was just exhausted and couldn't face it all.  THAT ended up costing him $200 because he had to wire it to Buttmunch to get her back to wherever she called home since she had expected a ride from him and had not mentioned that before he cancelled.

So, today the big move takes place.  He picks up the guy to help him out after renting the truck and heads down to the address Buttmunch had given him.  He had bought a GPS so he wouldn't get lost (another expense but one he felt he needed for his car anyway).  He travels all the way down there expecting to be rid of Buttmunch's things and what does he find?  Buttmunch and her boyfriend, drunk.  PLUS...she didn't have a storage unit rented.  What she really wanted was a ride back to Louisville.  That's it.  It didn't require the expenses that Mustachio had paid out.  If she had been honest with him (and told him she had a place to stay), he could have wired her money for a bus or driven down in his car (which would have cost less than what the truck cost him in gas alone).  He was LIVID!!!!!

Now think about it.  She didn't give a shit about what it was going to cost him.  He makes good money and that's all she thought about.  He could afford it.  That was just her attitude.  Not that he is paying for all this dental work OR that he wants to save money for a house next year OR that he just bought a car.  No, she really had no care about any of that and couldn't be honest with him that all she needed was a ride. 

What she doesn't realize is that I contributed to all that stuff, too.  It was money hard won for me but I gave it to Mustachio because *I* cared that he was putting out all this money and she had no intention of ever repaying it.  She was acting like she deserved it.  Like she was his wife or some such thing and he HAD to pay for all this stuff.

He's had enough now and she will never again get a dime out of him nor will he ever try to help her out.  It's what she deserves and what she asked for.  She also just dropped all the help the people in the shelter were doing for her.  Now her fate is in her own hands.  I hope she's happy.  She can only blame herself although I am sure she will try to turn it back on Mustachio being the bad guy.  Not if *I* have anything to do with that!   Even this blog should help.  At least, I sure hope so.

Love you all.  It's been storming here and I had to wait for it to pass before I got my internet back and it would stay on.  That's the bad part about having satellite internet.  When it pours, you are out of luck!