Gavin started Kindergarten this year.  He is five, turns six in February. If you read my blog you already know I was concerned about the length of the time he is required to ride the school bus here. Gavin rides with only Kindergartners to school, but with K-5 after . I was worried.  Gavin is a small guy and older boys can be hard on him.  He's also a follower.  Of all the personality quirks my little man has, this is the one I find hardest to acc...

Weird rambling ahead.... Seven days without water or power illuminated a certain understanding, a certain illusion, a certain misconception I held about history and the way I ordered it in my fictional thinking. These seeds of illusion were planted during a period in my life when I read fiction framed in late nineteenth century England.  I liked the idea of the English ton, the ball gowns, the jewels, the soirées, the scandal.  I liked my heroines rich, smart, (when...

MAJOR BOO HOOing AHEAD...... Last Sunday we experienced hurricane force winds, THANKS IKE...and haven't had power since.  We are on well water which means we have NO WATER either. So, no water, no electric, no phone.  I can get online occasionally at school because the server is up and down.  So here's hoping this makes it. Everything in the refrigerator is ruined, and we are using old scummy pond water to flush the toilets.  I don't know which s...

Today is Gavin's 1st day of Kindergarten!!! He is so excited and up at 0645, mouth going a mile-a-minute about how much he couldn't WAIT! He is wearing his favorite T-Rex t-shirt and camouflage shorts and superhero backpack.  It's supposed to hit lower 90's here today, so it will be hot since our schools have no air conditioning. Our kindergartens do something called "Staggered Start."  Gavin's class has 30 kids.  Ten of them went yesterday, ten today, ten tom...

My youngest is so funny. He loves Star Wars.  I mean LOVES it. Today I bought him the 3rd movie.  The one where Anikan turns to the daaark side. Gavin was getting really excited, sitting on his knees on the couch and saying..."DON'T DO IT!" At one point while watching Anikan struggle with his dark side, he looked at me with all the wide eyed seriousness a five year old can muster and said, "MOM!  That guys in OUR world.  He's real.&...

One to go..... This morning I sent Hunter off to the first day of 7th grade. Maybe it's the fact our summer was so full of death and dying.  Or maybe it's the fact I ran out of new and fun activities a week ago.  Or maybe it's the fact I could not catch a single minute alone in my own house.  Or maybe, Hunter's crappy attitude last week ending with a total meltdown yesterday, well maybe it's all that and then some. Whatever. I was so happy to s...

I don't watch much television.  In fact, the channel played most in my house is Cartoon Network.  I could write an essay on Ben Ten and his alien watch thing, or on Courage the Cowardly Dog, but as for real adult programming, uh, not so much. So last time I was at the movie theater I saw an ad for a show called "Saving Grace" starring the fabulous and talented Holly Hunter.  I thought, "Hmmm, that looks good.  Maybe I'll watch it." Last night I did. Holly...

MAJOR PARENTING WHINE/VENT..... After reading Tex's latest article, Minivan Confessions , I admit to being somewhat relieved.  Why?  I'm not alone!  And because every year at this time my kids seem to get cranky.  Not just a here and there crankiness, but an honest to goodness "what will it be today?" foulness. My twelve year old doesn't want to do anything but play on his computer.  Part of it is laziness.  I love him, but am not blind to his tendency t...

My cousin just called. At about 6pm tonight, death finally called. My Uncle Mike died of acute renal failure. I went and spent the night with him Saturday.  It was the last time I saw him. I'll miss him, and maybe some day I will write a blog about him.  As per usual I'm good, fine, great.  Things take about 2-3 days to sink in this thick head.  heh. The funeral will be later this week. Hubby's rotator cuff surgery went ok today...ki...

Went to see Hellboy 2 today. If you are unfamiliar with the series I won't go into detail.  You can read about it here.  Check it out. No, the reason for my THIRD, read it T-H-I-R-D article in one day is simply Luke Goss. Luke Goss plays Prince Nuada, an elf prince who seeks the destruction of mankind. He's a kick-ass-take-names kinda elf, and frankly, there is no way a regular ol son of Satan shoulda whipped him. He plays a better elf, and MOVES better than...

I officially applied for a Masters program at Wright State University yesterday.  Turned in the application, the essay, paid the fee.  Once my three letters of recommendation arrive and the transcript from my B.A. the committee will go over my package and accept or reject my application to start this fall. Man I just love being judged by people who don't know me. Heh. The thought of being back in college both turns my stomach and excites me.  I'm much more conserva...

All men wait on death.   If this seems a little off...consider it lack of sleep, hit and miss hospital food, and too much caffeine.   Thursday I went to see my uncle.  Friday I went back to stay.  He's in the hospital with the M.R.S.A. staph infection, C-Diff infection in his colon, and total renal failure.  His kidneys stopped working 10 days ago.  The creatin levels are climbing, as of yesterday they were at 6.9.(0.5-1.5 being normal.) He r...

I'm only half joking. We went to the flea market yesterday.  It's technically not a "great" flea market.  It is one of the 'all year round' ones, with stalls inside long barn looking buildings with over priced, used, and mostly dirty crap. In summer they let people come in and sell stuff in the parking lot for a fee. Usually, over priced, used, and mostly dirty crap. The reason we chose this one as opposed to say, the Goodwill store (which i...

I think we might be finished with the yard.  110 tons of dirt, 2 tons of rock, and more grass seed than I ever hope to see again and maybe (fingers crossed) I think we are done. We contemplated a french drain at the bottom of a hill which drains a lot of water onto the property, but d ecided on a dry creek bed instead.  It's not the best looking one on the planet, mostly because its fairly straight.  We brought in large rocks scattered randomly along the sides, mid size...