After several days of only finding *Xanga 2 Is Coming* when I tried to do my blog, they FINALLY got it up and running. Guess what? I don’t like it. It’s missing a lot of different things like the color ink options, for example. So, unless they change that, it means very plain blogs indeed.

So let me tell you what has been going on here the last few days. Since my memory is shot (especially when I am tired), you will forgive me if I bring up things over the NEXT few days (as I remember them).

First of all, the Beast is NOT dead. He still says he feels like crap but he’s determined to get a few things done around here before he has to mow Dennis’s lawns and ours. So what does he pick to do? My computer room. **Banging head on wall** You have NO idea what that meant. I had to pack up my dvd’s and cd’s into a bin. I have several large ones so that seems like it shouldn’t be a problem, right? Well, first thing he does is grab up and start putting stuff into several that I had earmarked for other things…like all his books, booklets and god only knows what all was included in it. I saw the *owners manual* for the Yaris and I thought that was HUGE, considering the size of the vehicle. But then I picked up the *Owners Information Kit* for the Prius. :stunned: You damn near need a backpack to carry it from one place to another…or a strong back! I am NOT kidding.

Anyway, when I finally retrieved them and convinced the Beast the bins were NOT for garbage, I filled up four of them with the dvd’s, cd’s, the stuff that filled the bookcase and MY stuff I had in here. We are going to have to empty the closet at some time and that is another big chore. My yarns, my paints and ceramics, the paintbrushes and trims, our file cabinet, our little fridge, my dining table leafs…well, just check out YOUR storage areas and you will see what I mean.

After we moved some of the things out of here, we moved my desk, computer, the empty bookcase and my craft table to the middle of the room…oh, and my recliner. We covered them all with a few drop cloths and then got busy. I mean, my desk hadn’t been moved in several years, neither had the bookcase. You would not have believed the cobwebs! I cleaned those while the Beast got the walls wiped down with soap and water. He wanted to remove the smoke film before he applied Kilz to the ceiling and the corners of the room.

He bought one of the small Wagner paint sprayers to use and we were shocked at how great it was. No mist at all. Very nice paint sprayer, let me tell you. It was fast and neat. No real reason to put all the covers over everything. It’s not necessary as long as they aren’t against the walls themselves.

So he *killed* the ceiling and corners, then put in the semi-gloss paint and sprayed over the Kilz when it dried (it dries fast). He stopped after that was done and will finish up tomorrow. We have to go pick out the carpeting for this room either tomorrow some time or on Thursday and find out what day it can be installed so we can move out all the furniture (makes it cheaper for installation). This house is so small compared to all our others that moving this furniture out into the living room and wherever else we can put it and still be able to navigate is not going to be easy. :laughing:

We’ve always thought this room was a 10×12 ft. and found out it’s actually a 12×12 ft. room. :shocked: The closet is 3×10 ft. which is why we could get so much stuff in it plus have the wire shelf the length of it that we stored things on and still hung clothes in it, too. Amazing!

That’s also where the three special batteries the Beast has for our sloar are located but that’s on the floor. He will have to move those out of the closet, too, when the new carpeting is installed. Not that we are carpeting the closet again (the Beast is going to put down those linoleum tiles or whatever they are called these days. I just don’t pay attention to how they rename every damn thing it seems. He’ll just put a piece of stripping between the two different materials when he’s done if the rug guys don’t have something.

Well, that’s all I can write about now. I’m exhausted because I haven’t been sleeping well the past couple of days. Either I am waking up every hour to pee or I can’t get comfortable. With the Beast being sick and restless in bed, that’s been another problem.

Love you all and I am so glad to be back! I missed you all. If Xanga doesn’t rectify some of the problems that I see, I may be moving my Blog to Blogspot. Stay tuned for more information. :winky:

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

It’s not bad enough that I have my own health to worry about but now I’ve also got the Beast’s to worry over.  I mean more than usual since he’s been under the weather now for more than two weeks.  Worse, it’s nothing specific but a lot of little things.  His eyes are bothering him, his stomach and just an overall weakness and sick feeling every afternoon that lasts into the night.  I’m worried that this might be something more serious than an illness we just haven’t detected but perhaps that *end of the road* thing that happens to some people.  It’s got me VERY worried.  I keep trying to get him into the doctor but that *man thing* kicks in and I think he’s worried he might end up in the hospital for a lot of tests he won’t enjoy and might not live through.  So all I can do is worry about it.

Chewlee didn’t spend long here after school since they weren’t going to be going to church tonight.  But she was here long enough to enjoy some salsa and chips and a glass of milk.  I went out after her mother picked her up to look at some desks at Staples but I was underwhelmed by what they had on display.  I liked a couple they had online but the salesperson told me that I could always order one of the ones online and they would ship it to the store for us to pick up and that was free.  That may be what we decide to do since the Beast has decided (if he feels better, that is) to start work on this room of mine next week.  He’s giving himself a few days to recover, if he can.

We had another argument over whether or not we would recarpet this room or not.  He saw some tile, not ceramic, that he thought would be nice (even though *I* haven’t seen it yet for approval) and he knows I want carpet due to the neuropathy in my feet from the diabetes.  He wants to buy a large size floor rug to put over it and I just had a fit about that.  We can have the room recarpeted cheaper than tile and a floor rug to keep my feet from getting chilled.  Even with slippers my feet get cold walking in the house even when we HAD a large carpet in the living room.  I looked at him and said, *Do you even remember why we got rid of the floor rug in the living room?*  He tried to say that was different but I told him the wood floors are thicker than the type of tile he wants to put down in here and I still got chilled feet with it.  Then I exploded and said to him, *Go ahead and do whatever the hell you want.  You will anyway because you don’t give a shit about what *I* want.*  He just left the room after that.  Whether it was to avoid more arguing or he recognized the truth in what I was saying, I don’t know.  But if he DOES do the tile thing, it will be a cold day in hell before I speak to him again.  Trust me on that.

And that was my day.  How was yours?  I hope it was better than mine.    Love you all.  Be good.  It’s Friday so have a great day.  Have a drink for me, won’t you? 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

I admit it….I am (getting) bad about doing my blog on days when nothing spectacular or particularly interesting happens.  Today was kind of that sort of day.  The only interesting (funny) thing that happened today was a conversation Chewlee had with the Beast when he asked her if she wanted him to make her a waffle.  It went kind of like this: 

(Beast) *Chewlee, would you like me to make you a waffle?  They’re good!*

(Chewlee) *No thank you, Papa.  I only like the ones that grandma makes….the ones from the freezer.  You know, the hard ones.*

Even I had to laugh at that.  The Beast chuckled all the way to the waffle iron and put it away.  I was glad she had said the ones from the freezer because he knew what THOSE were.  Can I help it that she likes toaster waffles?  It’s what her mother raised her on but I must tell you that I am not fond of the waffles the Beast makes either.  They are more like Belgian waffles only they don’t have the body of the Belgian waffles.  They are too *fluffy* and I like mine a bit more crisp.  If you put syrup on his, the waffles absorb it and get even softer and kind of mushy.  Of course, my special diabetic syrup (no sweetener) is a little on the *light* side but I found it to be true even with the Beast’s syrup which is thicker.

The Beast went to bed early tonight which makes me think he’s got something planned for tomorrow and it means he must get up and about early.  I think he might be going to mow Dennis’s lots (or at least part of it) and he must do that before the morning heats up.  It’s going to take him at least two days to mow them if he works on them in the morning for a couple hours and then the evening when it starts to cool down.  He had mentioned that Dennis was going to have a fit when he saw how all the stones in his lawn that are a direct fault of the driveway people. 

I saw it happening and finally, one of the supervisors saw the gal that was doing it and came over to correct what she was doing but the damage has been done.  I told the Beast that he would have to be careful when he did those areas and he might just drive them into the dirt each time he mowed.  He looked at me like I was nuts and I said to him, *We aren’t talking about big rocks; they are just gravel rocks.  The biggest danger will be the blades on your tractor mowers (meaning his and Dennis’s) kicking them up and hitting something….or someone.*  His comment?  *Exactly!*  I told him to go over there the next time they showed up to work on the driveway and tell them about seeing the gal dumping the gravel and sand mix into the grassy area and what they could do about it since Dennis will be really upset over it.  Let them find a fix!

The Princess came early to pick up Chewlee which Chewlee was so-so about but I told her that she doesn’t get to spend a lot of time with her mommy and this gives her time that she doesn’t have to share with her daddy (Johnnycakes, I mean).  I told her she would be here later on Thursday because she goes to church with the Beast and she grinned at that because it also means she will get to see Birdie who still remains her favorite  person.

Well, love you all.  Hope you are well and happy.  Be good.  It’s a short time until the weekend once again. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

The Beast got up bright and early and got Baron to the vets by 8am.  He was hoping to get it all over with early so as to have Baron home quickly.  He also didn’t want Baron upset very much over it all since he would have to have a general anesthetic. 

However, even though we had emptied his water bowl and taken up both his regular bowl and his dry food dispenser, the vet said they erred to the side of caution by not taking the word of the pet owners that the dog (or cat) had not eaten or had anything to drink overnight or before being brought in.  So they hold the animal for six hours in a run outside.

The Beast came home and had plans to go up there later before the surgery to give aid and comfort to Baron, figuring he would need it by then.  When he got there, he found out the plans had been cancelled.  This was partly due to a very heavy patient load with several emergencies AND the fact that the vet found another tumor.  That made three.  So she wanted to take a biopsy instead to see what she would have to deal with.  She said that normally she didn’t see fatty tumors pop up as quickly as on Baron, especially since there had been no changes or accidents in his routine.  So she took a biopsy and the Beast brought him home.  The biopsy results won’t be back for about a week and, once she gets the results back, she will then set up his surgery appointment.

Baron was incredibly happy to be home….and very, very hungry.  The Beast happily put together his food and filled his water bowl back down for him.  He ate and then plopped down in front of the door as per usual.  I swear he had a grin on his face.  He then settled down with his head on his  paws and fell asleep.  But, when he heard the Beast go into his bedroom for his nap, he jumped up and joined him in the bedroom.  Also as usual.    When he first got home, he ran through the house and came into my computer room and greeted me.  He laid his head on my lap so I could scratch and pet him then went out to his spot by the front door afterward.

Chewlee looked for any sign of his surgery when she got here and was blase’ about it being cancelled.  She was still very tender with him, regardless.  Speaking of her, she had a good day at school and got a smiley face.  I took her out for ice cream as a kind of reward for her being so good in school and (although I said nothing) for being so sweet with Baron.  I also grabbed some bubble gum which she will get one of whenever she gets a smiley face.  She and I sat outside for a while and, when Ian wanted her to come over to play with him, I let her go over and explain to him as only a kid can to another kid, why she couldn’t.  When I asked her what she had told him, she just shrugged and said that it was because her grandpa was cranky. 

After she had taken her bath and gotten dressed, she played Nick Jr. games on the Beast’s computer until her mother picked her up.  Me?  I took a much needed nap but it meant I woke up later than I had planned.  I talked with Bratfink until she went to bed, early for her since she really isn’t feeling well and hates the antibiotics she is on right now.  I know how she feels since they affect me much the same.  I played bingo online and lost track of time (Sorry!)

Love you all.  Keep cool and dry.  Drive carefully.  Remember, the life you save may be your own. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

The Beast was sick all day today.  So sick that his face was incredibly pale and he was running a fever.  Twice I had to talk him out of driving, I was THAT worried.  I ran up to the little gas/grocery store near the house for milk and bread so I wouldn’t be gone long even though that cost dearly for what I got (milk, bread and some gum for me and for Chewlee).  Those type of places are always expensive.  I spent $13. for two packs of gum (big packs tho’), a gallon of milk and a large loaf of sandwich bread.  Yikes!  But I wasn’t gone longer than 10 minutes so that made sure the Beast wouldn’t try leaving.

He went to bed around 9pm because he wants to be able to be the one that takes Baron to the vets tomorrow morning.  That’s when Baron is scheduled for surgery to remove those two tumors we found a few weeks back.  Actually, we found one and the vet found the second one.  We think they are just fatty tumors but you never know.  We’ll find out.  If the Beast is still sick tomorrow, I will be the one transporting Baron to his appointment and the Beast (and Baron) will just hate that.

Chewlee wasn’t great in school but it was just for talking at inappropriate times.  Chewlee said to me that it was her friends fault because they kept hitting her shoulder to ask her questions.  I told her she had to learn to ignore them OR put her hand up and tell the teacher they were doing that because it was always HER that got caught talking so SHE got in trouble.  She said she didn’t want to get her friends in trouble but I told her that they didn’t seem to mind getting HER in trouble.  She stopped to think about that and then said she would try ignoring them first.

Her mother had class until five but it was an online (live) class so she came to pick her up after she was done with that.  I went over her spelling words with her without her seeing them first just to see where she needed help for her test on Friday.  She has 10 words and only had a hard time with one of them.  The others she spelled with just thinking about them for a little bit.  I was very proud of her for that and told her so.  She took it with her usual aplomb and just grinned.

The driveway contractor showed up today to work and worked all day on it.  It’s kind of a special driveway and also long.  It has to be heavy duty due to it being used by the RV which is very heavy…around 10 tons or so.  He won’t be here for payment until it’s completed and inspected along the way.  I think it has three or four different inspections that have to be made since the plans for it are on file.  Dennis will be glad to know he’s been here.  He was concerned when he was here the night before they left for Houston.  When he calls later on this week, the Beast will be glad to tell him that it’s progressing.

Hot again today (of course).  Took my car, small as it is, a long time to cool down when I ran out to the store.  And that was just putting down both front windows!  I didn’t want to put the AC on for the short run I was making.  My car gets parked out in the driveway because we have the other car, the motor scooter, our bike and Chewlee’s bike parked in the garage.  LOL!  But there’s also the generator, lots of cabinets, the Beast’s table saw and lots of other stuff taking up space in there, too. 

Love you all.  Hope your week started off well and gets better, too. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

Have you ever seen a battle of wills go on?  I have.  The Beast and Chewlee have been going through it for two straight days now.  He says she can’t do something and she goes ahead and does exactly what she was told she couldn’t.  Today she got three spankings, a week’s grounding where she cannot even go outside and Chewlee wanted to know if the Beast was going to tell her mother.  When he said he was, she shrugged her shoulders and said, *Oh well.  Maybe she’ll be happy I didn’t lie!*  That was so unexpected that I had to duck into my room, shut the door and laugh my ass off!

After the various punishments because she was just so damn bad about doing all the things she had been told she couldn’t, she was actually very calm and sweet.  I swear she needed it.  She didn’t cry as much as you would have expected, at least not as much as *I* expected.  It was like she was determined to push him and see how far she could go.  It was like she was braindead.  For example, she was told she could go outside but she could NOT go to Ian’s or anywhere else but on OUR property.  She walked right out the door, down the stairs and over to Ian’s immediately.  When the Beast went outside to check on her about five minutes later, she was at Ian’s house.  That was actually the final straw of the day.  When the Beast told me, my jaw dropped.  He had set limits when shewas ignoring them.  She was punished and then he would relent, albeit slightly, and allow her to do something with a built-in limit.  She would just ignore the limitation and do what she damn well knew she shouldn’t.  By day’s end, she had actually relaxed to the point that you felt she was happy.

Yet, she is going to go through this punishment even during the three days that her mother has off because her mother was told what went on.  We did forget to tell her mother that she did NOT lie at all about anything…even when asked the question, *Did you understand that you were not supposed to ……..?*  She said, *I remember you said that….* so there was NO lying.

I have to get this posted and take my medications plus some cough medicine the doctor prescribed because it feels like the Beast and I both have chest colds.  At least it relieves my throat from the rough feeling after a round of coughing.  I stopped for several hours but it’s started up again.

Love you all.  Have a great week but please be careful whatever your weather.  

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

Chewlee just doesn’t seem to know how to listen at times.  Or she only hears part of what is said.  I’m not sure because I wasn’t there.  We had decided to get some KFC for dinner so the Beast went over to the neighbors house to pick up Chewlee and take her with him.  However, as he tells it, he let her stay and play but he told her in no uncertain terms that she was NOT to leave their house until he came to get her.  Did she listen?  Of course not.  When he went to get her, she was at a different house playing and NOT with the kids from the house where she had been.  The Beast was furious.  Not only did she have to come home but she couldn’t leave the yard except to go next door to Ian’s.  I have to tell you, his allowing her that much surprised me.

Actually, I was surprised at how well she took that.  So it told me that she knew she would get in trouble but had decided it was worth it or some such thing.  She DID play with Ian and his visiting cousin for an hour or so and then she snagged a cat that she had seen a few times in our backyard that she INSISTED was Lovey.  She was a sweet cat but, even if it was, she obviously had a new home…..and she no longer liked dogs.   

I don’t think Baron thought it was Lovey because all he wanted to do was chase her around.  We’ve seen him do it a time or two.  However, trying to tell this to Chewlee is impossible.  She had one idea in her head and that was all she had room for.  I let her think what she wanted because I knew the cat would be able to find it’s way home.  Her attempts at keeping it on the deck didn’t give thought to the openings from the stair railings.  Kids!  She thought closing the gate at the bottom of the steps would keep the cat there. 

We actually had the worst KFC chicken we have ever had.  It was so dry and tasteless that I know that particular owner (or his employees for whatever reason), had left those pieces under the light too long.  I LOVE KFC so I was really upset.  Oh, AND…..if there was a tablespoon of gravy on the mashed potatoes, I would be surprised.  I don’t think they gave a damn that the gravy is part of the yummy taste of those …. a BIG part.  One forkful and the gravy was gone.  We won’ t be going back to that store, trust me.

I’ve had an upset tummy most of the day.  I thought it was because I was hungry but my breakfast was good and filling.  I’ve been praying all day that it’s not another bout of IBS but it doesn’t seem to be that, thank goodness.  Then I found out that something I ate obviously didn’t agree with my gut.  I have been a walking fart bomb all afternoon and evening.  Either that or I’ve been gassed!   I can’t stand up or sit down with out Chewlee asking, *Grandma!  Did you just fart???*  I take a step (pass gas), take another (pass gas)….sheesh!  I was glad I didn’t have to go out anywhere or have any company today.  It would have been too embarrassing.

It was hot, as expected, but we drank a lot of water besides our usual coffee or juice if we were outside for any length of time.  More heat tomorrow and no rain in sight…but we really don’t need any right now except to cool down the air but that never lasts anyway.  Love you all and I hope you enjoyed your Saturday (or Sunday for our Aussie readers).  Have a wonderful day tomorrow, whichever one it is for you. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

Chewlee ended up the week with four good days out of four but….she had been really bad at church on Thursday night.  She talked and jiggled around and disturbed all the people around them.  So today she didn’t get to visit with anyone but Ian, the little boy next door.  Even that was a concession on the part of the Beast but she listened and only asked three or four times if she could go here or there before she finally stopped asking.  She stayed within the parameters that had been set for her, even how far she could ride her bike (another concession).

She took her bath, washed her hair and got dressed in clean clothes just in time for her mother to pick her up.  She will be spending the night at our house tomorrow because that’s easier for her and the Beast for going to church on Sunday.  It’s been a while since she stayed overnight so she thought that was cool.  I need to remember to have the Princess bring over some pajamas for her since I don’t have any more here at the house.

It was a calm day around here considering the Beast didn’t have any projects to keep him busy.  Dennis and Diane were gone when I woke up around 5:30am so they left earlier than planned originally.  The Beast remembered to get their mail when he got ours (point for him since his memory sucks) and he checked out how much the grass had grown because we’ve gotten rain.  That seems to speed up the growth but he can go a few more days before worrying about that.  He checked to make sure that Dennis hadn’t forgotten to leave the keys for both his mower and the big doors on the barn.  When the aluminum siding is delivered, it has to go in the barn until the company  that is putting it on gets here to do that.  Dennis left the number for that contractor here so the Beast can call them when it comes.

The contractor that was supposed to show up to finish up the work on the driveway didn’t show up today (of course…..he knows Dennis is headed for Houston so he can relax a bit before facing that project).  When he needs the money, he’ll show up….LOL.

It was really hot today.  It got up to 90 and it’s supposed to get hotter each day until around Thursday I read on Weather.com AND on my Weatherbug weekly forecast.  Figures since the Beast will need to mow both our property and Dennis’s before then so it won’t become a huge deal.  If it gets too long, you spend a lot of time spraying the underblades because the grass clumps up underneath when the grass is too long.

I sat outside once the sun was behind the house and the front was shaded.  It didn’t feel all that bad then because there was a nice breeze.  Even Baron headed for the water when the Beast took him down to the river and that’s a first for him since he damn near drowned a couple years ago when he stepped off the bank into a deep dropoff and fast moving section of the river near a waterfall.  Scared the hell out of all of us.  Luckily the Beast was able to grab his collar and pull him out.  He only weighed around 75 lbs then.  He only went into the water to his underside but then he sat down in it.  The Beast said he had to laugh because it was so unexpected and Baron had this stupid grin on his face.  I guess he was hot.

Baron’s surgery to remove the two tumors is for this upcoming Tuesday.  It will be outpatient, which is a relief to us.  I can’t think of anything worse than Baron being put in one of those cages they use for recovering surgical patients at the vets.  He wouldn’t be able to stand up (mostly to prevent problems with the surgical areas since they use this stuff that’s like superglue to bond the sides of the skin together.  The Beast will be a good nurse for his buddy, though, I’m sure.  I’m actually interested to watch that.

Baron has been eating like a pig for over two weeks now.  I’ll be glad when those steroids are out of his system and his appetite is back to normal.  You would think we starved him except for his weight.  He IS a little chunky but I told the Beast I can see where he’s actually lost some weight.  He lost about 10 lbs the Beast told me when the vet weighed him the other day.  She’ll weigh him again before she does the surgery.  I had hoped she would do a local but she says they can’t since they really aren’t sure what the tumors are or if there’s connective tissue involved.  I was glad the Beast thought to ask.  He normally doesn’t ask the kind of things we women would.  I wonder if that’s a man thing or not?

Love you all.  I’m late getting this posted and I apologize for that but I took a late nap and my brain was fuzzy there for a bit.  Have a fantastic weekend.  We are barbequing tomorrow (Saturday) just because I want to do some hot dogs and get some char going.  I like my hotdogs well done.  Be good.  Stay safe. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

I checked Chewlee’s behavior page when I woke up from my nap about 15 minutes after Chewlee got here.  When I looked for her, I discovered that the Beast had allowed her to go over to Sam’s house.  I told him to either call or go get her because she shouldn’t get ANY privileges when she gets a frowning face.  She’s back to talking a lot when she should be listening or doing work.  There were a couple things she did that made the teacher have her write *I will listen to the teacher* about 100 times it looked to be.  Maybe less, not sure.  The Princess has to sign it and return it to school in Chewlee’s folder.

I told the Beast that he has to check her folder to see what her behavior in school was like because she will NOT get to go anywhere or even ride her bike if she doesn’t behave.  She HAS to learn what proper behavior in school should be and learn to adjust to that.  It’s not another place to play.

I told her that she should be ashamed of herself that she’s 6 years old and behaving like a baby in school.  She gets upset with me about that but I told her I judge her by her behavior and so does everyone else.  If she can’t listen and shut up, then she’s not grown up like she says she is.

I still haven’t talked to my son since he got his teeth so he’s obviously still killing cows.    That man was so tired of eating soft things and drinking liquids!  I can’t say I blame him.  That gets old quickly.  I’ll hear from him in a day or two, I’m sure.  He will, eventually, get his fill of being able to really eat food that appeals.

I think I am just about ready to tackle the job that painting this room is going to require.  I have only one or two more things I must take care of before I can even think of that.  It mostly involves finding places for things in here that shouldn’t be but I have to take care of other things before I can do what I have to do.

Dennis and Di are all packed up and ready to leave for Houston in the morning.  They will leave around 6am more than likely.  It’s a 3 day trip for them because Dennis only drives around 250 miles or so and then they stop for the night.  Between his coach (RV) and the car they are pulling behind them, that’s a LOT of RV to drive for any length of time.  He left some checks here with us made out to various contractors and one for the water department when that bill arrives.  He promised to stay in touch with us and let us know what’s going on with him.  I made him promise to be careful and not take stupid chances.  He said he wouldn’t…..with a laugh.  Say a little prayer for him, please.  He really is a hell of a nice guy and there aren’t a whole lot like him in the world.

Love you all.  Hope your week hasn’t been too bad.  Tomorrow is Friday so there’s the weekend to look forward to for us all.  Be good.  Stay safe.  I would miss you. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

Today Mustachio got his teeth and I am sure that he hit the steakhouse after work and had them kill a cow just for him.  He was so tired of soft food and a liquid diet combo that he had been sentenced to for the past five weeks while his dentist worked on the teeth that were being replaced and held in place by an implant.  The big problem was his overbite.  I am sure that I will hear from him tomorrow since he’s probably still eating that cow tonight. 

The Princess picked up Chewlee almost as soon as the bus dropped her off but….she asked me if she took Chewlee home, got her bathed and fed, could she bring her back here for about two hours?  When I asked her why, she told me that she had bought herself a gun on Tuesday then went and applied for her concealed weapon permit.  The woman there told her it would probably take 10 days or so but she was notified today that she had been approved.  A friend of hers that is a local cop took her to the cops range and taught her the proper way to hold the gun, how to find her leading eye, how to adjust the sight on her Glock and a few other things she needed to know since she had never fired a gun in her life before today.  The Glock she bought is one that most of the cops use (she had done research on it before buying her gun).  She laughed and said her shots ranged from about a circle of three feet to where she was firing a tight circle of perhaps two inches.  She was very proud of herself and so was her friend.  I know cops that couldn’t do that tight a circle no matter how hard they tried!  LOL

He was supposed to show her how to disassemble her gun to clean it and put it back together but there wasn’t enough time tonight and her Glock didn’t include one part that was required to clean it.  It had one part but not the other that her friend said she needed.  Since she didn’t show me the actual gun and accessories, I have no clue what she was missing as far as her cleaning kit goes.

I had no idea what kind of laws governed guns as far as our state went but I found out I can go out with a gun strapped to my hip or under my arm if I so choose.  How’s that for a surprise?  But….to have one, even sitting on my dash, in my car requires a concealed weapons permit because a car is considered concealing.  The only state in the whole 50 states where you cannot own a gun is the state of Illinois.  It might be that it is only a handgun you cannot own, I haven’t finished reading the information on it but….I think there will be lawsuits over it eventually regarding civil liberties.  But time will tell.

The Princess cut a couple slices of the Beast’s meatloaf when she found out we had some here for her lunch tomorrow.  She said she’d have to hide it or Johnnycakes would eat it.  Well, she hid it all right.  She forgot to take it home.  She called me and asked me to put it in the fridge and she would swing by tomorrow to pick it up.  Now, I like cold meat loaf sandwiches (with ketchup) but I have no clue how the Princess likes hers, if she makes sandwiches from the slices or not.  I just never paid attention but I don’t think she thought about how *I* like my leftover meat loaf either.  When I thought about it, I thought that I’ll bet that same thing applies to a great many of us.  Think about it.

I’ve started to worry a bit about Baron’s surgery next week.  I’m hoping they will be using local anesthesia unless they run into a problem since you just never know how an animal will react to that.  Even the Princess said tonight that she couldn’t imagine the Beast without Baron or vice versa.  No kidding.  Neither can I.

It was a nice day but it poured rain and caused a power outage in our area.  Chewlee loved that because she gets to hold her own flashlight until the Beast and I get our stuff plugged into the solar power system.  Just as I was ready to plug in MY power strip, the power came back on.  It did NOT make Chewlee happy at all.

We had some strawberries, about a dozen, that needed to be eaten today because tomorrow, I doubt they would be edible.  They were THAT ripe.  I sugared them up and Chewlee volunteered to eat them all.  I let her.  She said she loved her *dessert*.  Before that, she had eaten four pickles (small ones, just slightly bigger than gherkins) plus some raviolis she had brought from home.  And we mustn’t forget her milk.  This kid drinks a LOT of milk.  I meant to tell the Princess to bring me some mudslide or else some vodka tomorrow or Friday but forgot it because Chewlee gets so hyper when her mother is here and we’re trying to talk and do other things.  It’s been weeks since I had a real drink of any sort and I like to be able to put my feet up and relax with a drink after Chewlee is gone and the Beast is asleep.  Sheer heaven!

Love you all.  Hope you have a great few days until the weekend.  Be good.  Have fun.