No more sleeping late for us! It's back to school time!
If I didn't know any better, I'd think that the child spent her time in aftercare sweeping chimneys. Its not showing so well from the pics from my iphone, but her white shirt and socks are actually grey from the dirt. Her headband, which is not showing in the pictures, was "juicy" from sweat. She came running up to hug me, and made my skirt all dirty from transferred dirt. Then, to top it all off, she had a new cut on her knee.
Guess a good day was had by all!
Well, turns out my crazy father was right...for now. Gas man came out, re-lit the pilot light, and connected up the exhaust flue. It could go out again tomorrow, or 2 years from now. Who knows.
As with everything in that house, their water heater is not standard so the guy didn't have one that would fit on his truck. Their's is shorter. If the tech had had it, I could have convinced my dad to change it out. Once the thing was working, he had no interest in getting a new one. Great for him, not so much for me. The water heater going out in the future is just one more thing I'll have to continue to monitor and worry about.
My life would have been so much easier if he'd just replace the damn thing. Anyway, enough of their problems. On to something else...
Here's T in her Princess Jasmine outfit. While it fits her better than it did a year ago, its still about 4 inches too big in the waist...as you can tell from the pictures and her panties peeking out. She had a fab time this evening in her costume. Even did her homework in her costume.
T, so far, really enjoys the homework. Homework, however, is a bit of a misnomer. It consists of coloring, and tracing letters and numbers on pre-printed pages. She's not graded on it at all. Its just to get her used to coming home with it and taking it back. Whatever. We did the whole week's work in one night, and will return it all on Friday.
So while trolling Target today (I didn't need a thing but dot did, yet somehow I spent 100 bucks), I found the best invention ever. Dot had gone off to take T to the bathroom, so I was wandering the kitchen section...something I rarely do. I was actually searching for the "As Seen On TV" section for that neato brownie pan. You know, the one that puts crunchy edges on all of the brownies with the bottom that comes out like a cheesecake pan. Anyway, I was woefully unsuccessful in finding my intended prize. My target just doesn't carry it. Yet. I live in hope. However, I spyed something even better....this bit of engineering wonder!
Its a collapsable collander!
What genious invented this?
Its made out of that new rubber-type material that's flexible, yet so durable you can bake in it...I've seen pans made out of this stuff.
Since its collapsable, it comes with these nifty legs that fold up.
Finally, I can throw out my old metal one, that was all rusted and beat up and probably 25 years old. I think I had it in college. Every time I used it, or more accurately, every time I'd see Dot use it, I'd shudder. Surely we'd all come down with a case of lock jaw from all the rust. What was worse, it took up all the space in my teeny tiny kitchen.
Anyway, biggest bonus was that as I went to pay, there was no price or bar code on the thing. Often when that happens they'll just ask you if you remember the price. I always tell the truth if I remember. Problem was, I didn't see a price for the thing on the endcap, which meant if I wanted it, I would automatically enter the game of "Target Roullette". Just how much would it be? I was fully prepared to say that I'd pay 9.99 for the thing, if they wanted to just enter than. However, the manager came over, all harried and harrassed looking, and said, "Fair price: 7.99".
SCORE!
What made it all better, was that unbeknownst to me, as we were walking out of the store, Dot said she had seen them before, and thought that the true price was 19.99.
This whole idiotic transaction absolutely Made. My. Day!
We woke up bright and early, and headed over to my parent's house again for a few reasons. The biggest was that I needed to finish helping my dad gather information on that probate case he's involved in. I'm happy to say mission accomplished. Now we just need to supplement the info with his memories...a bit harder of a task.
Anyway, since Dot was flying home from Tx today, it was me and T. I knew that if I had any chance whatsoever of getting anything done at my parents' house, I'd have to distract T with TV or movies. Problem is, there was no TV downstairs where I was on the computer.
So, off to Target we went, and I bought a new TV for grandparents day. Totally selfish gift, as they rarely spend any time downstairs...despite the fact that I set it up as a home office for my dad. In reality, I use it quite a bit. Anyway, my excuse was a gift for grandparent's day.
I also sneakily suspected that my dad would not want me spending money on them, and would give me a check for the cost. As usual when dealing with them, I lied through my teeth regarding the total cost, since I also purchased a new antenna, a warranty they suckered me into, and a cable. My crazy dad thinks everything should cost what it did in 1960, so its just easier on me if I undervalue everything. Anyway, I'll now take the TV money that he gave me, and buy them something else I think they need, for which he'll reimburse me, and the cycle will continue. Seems that's the only way I get anything done over there, as they won't do it themselves.
As I suspected, my dad really didn't remember our conversation from last night re the water heater. Therefore, I took the opportunity to just announce that I was having the serviceman come out. If "its just the pilot light", as my dad contends...the man will fix it, properly flue the exhaust, and bill us by the hour. However if there is something wrong with the thing that's bigger, like I suspect, since the damn light has never gone out in over 30 years, then I'll have them install a new one. He can either be billed monthly via their program, or pay the whole thing. I really don't care. So, it will be very interesting what will happen on Monday. Of course, I'll have to take more time off work to pull this off, but we do what we have to, right? I refuse to allow my mother to have to take cold showers any longer. So, that's progress in my book.
Meanwhile, Dot made it in, and took T off mid afternoon, to allow me to finish. She'll be here tomorrow as well, but flies back to Tx on Monday. T reports that she had a fab time at the grandparents house. She was very busy all day playing with all the office supplies while watching DVDs. Also, she was able to give my parents the cards she made at school, in anticipation of this event. Frankly, we were all surprised that there even is a grandparents' day. Neither my parents, nor me had ever heard of it. Despite that, they LOVED the cards.
Hi all,
Took the day off work today, to deal with issues with my parents. I'm helping my dad with some probate issues that he's involved in. Still not done.
As I'm there, my crazy father mentions that there are no matches in the house that work. He's been trying to find some to relight the pilot light on the gas water heater.
WHAT????
I had been meaning to call someone to come out an look at it for a while now, as its over 30 years old and not properly vented. Now, its even more important. Turns out we won't get anyone out this weekend. $250.00 per hour on the weekend. Highway robbery. Their regular rates are $165.00 per hour. Holy moly. I should have grown up to be a gas tech vs. a government lawyer.
Anyway, I have someone set to come out on monday to install a new water heater. Why put money in a 30 yr old appliance, right? Plus, the gas company has a program that they switch it out for no out of pocket expenses. they'll just bill you 9.99 for the next 60 months. That's basically the cost of the new unit plus installation, spread over 60 months with no interest. Sounds pretty good to me.
Nope. Dad wants to "check into it". Translation: do nothing for weeks. Meanwhile, my mom is taking cold showers.
They can be so frustrating, at times, that I could scream.
My modem arrived today, I connected it up, and am now back in business. Whew. I was actually getting a big jittery by not being able to check my daily blogs. Thank god for the iphone, as annoying as it was posting from it. It kept me from going nuts. So what all has been happening since we last chatted?
*On Sunday, we went over to my friend Sally's house. She is my oldest friend. Met her when we moved into my parents house in 1968...when I was but 3.5 yrs old. Yikes. Sally has 2 kids now who are older (11 and 9). T loved playing with her daughter. They also had a pool which T totally enjoyed, but was tortured by...
What do I mean by this? Anyone who as spent any amount of time with my T, knows she has 2 speeds. Running and still. Not much in between. Unfortunately, the pool deck around the pool was particularly slippery. T went flying like 5 times. I was worried she'd slip, hit her head, and go into the pool. Oy, the stress. I must have said a million times "Walk, don't run". Pure torture for my child.
*Monday, the holiday was fairly quiet. Dot had to fly off to Texas in the late morning, so T and I were on our own. Had a fab time shopping and hanging out together.
*I pick T up from school yesterday, and little Daniel asks me, "Why does Taylor always hit me?". WHAT???? T claims to have hit him b/c he hit her first. He looked down and grinned when she would say this, so it may be true. However, I know my girl and the fact that she likes to hit. All the little kids wanted to know what I was going to do. I announced T was in trouble...No TV tonight. An audible gasp swept through the room with that, and 3 little boys' eyes got round as saucers. It was the cutest thing.
*T did well last night until I told her to go to bed. She chose to sleep in my room. I made the mistake of wanting to watch a little more TV, rather than going to bed with her. I went in about an hour later only to find that she had ruined all of my tubes of lipstick. Used them to color all over the mirror of my vanity mirror, similar to what she did to her own mirrored closet door a few months ago with the chapstick. It was also all over her face and hands. She's in so much trouble I can't tell you. Granted, the sticks were old and needed to be tossed anyway, but that's not the point. Now there are a few bright fushia handprints in my tub that aren't coming out. She has no TV for the next few nights and is now banned from my room. We'll see how well that works out.
*Today was "Grandparents Day" at her school. I didn't mention it to my parents, as it would have been impossible to get them there in the early morning what with rush hour and the like. The kids showed off how they now know how to pray...all 3 of the big ones: Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be. They then sang 4 songs that had hand gestures with them. Too cute for words.
*Tomorrow in deference of 9/11, they get to dress down. They can all wear blue jeans, sneakers, and a red, white, or blue tshirt. Can't wait. I'll be taking off to deal with issues of my parents that I've been putting off for a while. Need to just get it out of the way, and I can't do it with T around.
*T came home from school so dirty, she has a dirt necklace around her neck. Wow.
That's it for now. Cant think of anything else at the moment.
Had to buy a new modem as the warranty on mine expired August 12. Figures. So, I'll be unplugged until either Friday or Monday. Bummer
t is busy doing homework. Wish I could post a picture of that. Damn
that's it for now. Posting from this iPhone is difficult, sp please overlook any typos.
My modem blew this weekend. No Internet til further notice. Posted this from my iPhone.
Hope everyone had a great weekend.
Today was fun friday at school. That means, that all the kids in the class get to bring a toy to school to share with all the other kids. Plus, if you pay $3.50, they can have a happy meal for lunch.
NOBODY loves happy meals more than my kid. Unfortunately, guess who had not a dime to her name this morning? I had so been meaning to go to the ATM the night before, but forgot. There was no time to go this morning. There never is.
Luckily, I remembered that T has money. Whenever she has a purse, my dad is always giving her money to put in it. The other week, Dot was looking in T's purse, and discovered the kid had like 24 bucks. Apparently my crazy father had given her some ones, and may or may not have realized that there was a 20 in there with them.
I pocketed the 20 a few weeks ago, and the other 4 came in real handy this morning. So, I owe my 4 yr old some $$. Who would have thought?
Meanwhile, I discovered today that on most first fridays, when school gets out early....brace yourselves....
THERE IS AFTERCARE!!!!!!!!! YIPPPPPPEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Had I know that little kernal of info, today would, in fact, have been a mommy day, as I got off work early.
Damn!
Yep, that's what we're on these days in this house. With all the fun we had last sunday, turns out that one of the kids has been diagnosed with Strep throat. Highly contagious. He's one of the boys in the pic playing with T. Figures. Marie's son Nickolas, another attendee, has come down with a cold and a fever. Last night, T was coughing and woke up asking for a kleenex and claiming, "Its running in my nose, mama. I need a kleenex"
Crap.
So far, I think we're OK, but only time will tell.
