I really need to be more assertive. I told a friend she couldn't stay here because my cat bit and guess what? She got bit by my cat!!! I said don't talk too loud or surprise her so she walks around the corner, right by the cat, and shouts. The cat bit. I am very sorry.

My Bad Cat

I have so many things I could blog about right now but I am going to tell you about Paris. She is my cute, little, two-year old, scaredy cat. She is afraid of everything and bites people Today, Stephen was here before he headed back to South Dakota to school. He had been home for a week and we had seen him for a total of about an hour. He just stopped by to say so long and see you later. Anyway, he has been with his mother all week long. She even invited herself to his girlfriend's father's birthday party so no one could be with him without her. She had a fund raiser for the radio station and so Stephen had gone to that with her, it was lunch:, and then come over here. She hurried and left the fundraiser early so she could come over here and tell him goodbye. I opened the door for her to come in and she crowded by me and rushed in the house. Paris was sitting on Stephen's lap but when she rushed in, Paris jumped down and went to her spot under the chair. Ree sat down in the chair, never even speaking to Neal or me, and started in on when was Steve leaving. Then Paris bit her. So bad that it bled. WEll, Ree has horrible legs and now I am so nervous about how it will heal. I feel terrible. I told her not to come back here because Paris always bites her. She needs to give me a chance to put Paris in the bedroom. Well, wish us luck. I really, really, hope she doesn't have to go to the Dr. AND no, I am not getting rid of the cat!

Parents! Learn to Tell Your Child "NO"

Today, once again, I infuriated a parent. Well, I am sorry but I am not too happy either. We had our Veteran's Day program. The kids were to wear clothing that was red, white and blue. One of my kids showed up in a tuxedo. It was too big and it had long tails. I told him to hang the jacket up because it wasn't for the program. After the program he was crying. His mother came running up to him. She talked to hime and then turned around and gave me a look that could kill and stomped by me. She did not speak. I asked the kid what was wrong and he said that he wanted to wear his jacket. I told him that his jacket was not appropriate for our program. That the program was not about him but about the Veteran's. I told him that he was not supposed to be noticed and that we don't wear tuxedos to our program. He quit crying and asked me if I was mad. I told him I wasn't mad but I was disgusted that he was crying. I suppose. . . . I will hear about this. Most people would tell the kid "no" at home. I told him he was the baby at home but he wasn't at school and he would act like the other kids. Why? Why? Why? do some parents do everything they can to make their kids weird. This kid is smart and has a good sense of humor. He is smart and cute but he is constantly doing something to get attention. His parents think it is funny and cute. I just want him to be "normal." He pouted all day. I don't know what tomorrow will bring.

Ok. I Know This is Petty

I am an officer in an organization that is intended to be for professionals. However, you can't keep people from joining so some of the members aren't professionals. (And no, I am not being snotty in saying this.) People of either good upbringing or with some training, think differently than people with poor upbringing, previous drug use (or maybe current drug use, I don't know), or just plain losers. One of our members is a great member in many ways but today I am so angry with her I just want to call her and tell her off. But, I know I shouldn't and so far I haven't. For this meeting, the other leader and I went to Wal-Mart to purchase decorations and door prizes. Being Halloween time there are lots of cute decorations. We had $30 of the organization's money but we got carried away and I had to put in $50 of my own money. I was not worried about that as I planned on bringing the decorations back home and using them for my own private use. Thus, I should pay for them. So we decorated and made it look really festive. We had one table with a black tablecloth with those eyes on it and then two tables with yellow tablecloths. I had gotten some gummy eyes that matched the eyes in the tablecloth so we stuck them on the plain tablecloth so it tied it all together. We thought it looked really cute. Then we put Autumn Mix candy, caramels, candy corn taffy, and Halloween pencils down the middle and it looked very festive. After our meeting I was talking with the guests we had invited and noticed one of the members taking the eyes off of the tablecloth and sticking them on a paper plate. (which I had also bought with my own money). I thought, "How nice, she is helping us pick up. She doesn't usually do that." I continued on with talking to the presentor and then cleaning up and didn't give it another thought. When we were ready to go I looked for the eyes and they were nowhere to be found. Later another member said she saw this particular member take the eyeballs, all the pencils, all the candy that was on the table and all the left overs from the presentors. Those weren't her things!!! We told people they could have a pencil, not 7 or 8 pencils. Do you take the decorations when you leave? Of course not! Why on Earth would she think she could take the decorations? I really wanted the eyes for school to put on our door. This is the first year we have had a door. They wouldn't block the door so people can still see in, but would be fun. I think they were $2 but it is just the idea that she STOLE them right in front of me. Then she came and told me how bad she is having it right now. She is fighting the city because they want to condemn some of her property. I know there a lots bigger problems than this but I never can get over the audacity of people. I could go on and on but have probably said too much and come across as a greedy so and so. That is not the case. If she would have asked and had somewhere to use them, I probably would have said she could have them but to just sneak them away, makes me furious and makes me feel used and unappreciated. Even if she thought the council bought them, they were not hers to take. I may call her tomorrow and ask for my eyes. . . . . "Even as you have done to the least of these, you had done unto me." I know that scripture well, and probably won't but I don't know if Jesus would want Halloween eyes?

First Day of School

It was the second day of school and I am so tired even the bridge of my nose hurts. I think I will have a great class. They seem pretty cute and nice. A little sleepy yet but eventually I hope they perk up.

I am happy to be 50.

Okay, I will repeat that many times. I am happy to be 50. I guess I must have sounded dejected or something in an earlier post. I am fine. I am happy. I just need to work on being happy with what I have. Which I know, is more that millions of people in the world. As Jim used to tell me continually, "You are better off not having what you want, than having what you don't want." I really, really want a big beautiful house. Ok, I would take a small beautiful house of my own. Obviously, that isn't going to happen on my salary. But... I had the opportunity to have supper with a long lost friend who did have a big, beautiful house. Six thousand square feet with a two story window overlooking Pikes Peak. The house he and his wife had dreamed of their whole married life of 24 years. Less than one year in the house their marriage dissolved. He told me to remember that all that stuff is just stuff and isn't what is important. He said he'd take a small rental house if it would have kept his marriage and family together. So. I guess be careful what you wish for. Anyway, I am a happy person. I have someone who loves me right here with me and many people who love me all over the countryside. I love and trust God and know that He has a plan for my life. He has saved my life too many times for me not to believe there is a purpose for me being here. I am happy to be 50, I am happy to be 50, I am happy to be 50.

My Family

I have the best family in the world. My immediate family is the best as well as my extended family. How do I know? Because I have many friends and see many families and rarely see a family like mine. My mom has been in declining health for the past six or seven years. My sisters take better care of her than anyone can imagine. People are always saying how great it is that we do what we do for her but isn't that what everyone does? Jerryl, Joye, and Janny have definitely earned some jewels because they give up a part of their own lives to be with Mom. We don't think of it as giving up though because we get to spend that time with Mom, who by the way is fine mentally. She is smart and funny and knows what is going on in the world and has definite opinions. My father died when I was 6 years old. Many people have asked why didn't my mom remarry. The answer is, she gave all she had to us. She was very busy. We always had what we needed and now I am realizing we also had more than most people. We were loved. We had a huge extended family. My mom had 13 aunts and uncles that treated us like we were the best things ever. We were treated like grandchildren by them, which was good because I was 11 years old when my last grandparent passed away. Of course they are all gone now but the love they instilled in us still lives on. Then I had my own aunts and uncles. Most of them lived far away and we didn't see them too much. My Uncle Clair, however, was more like a brother than an uncle. After my dad died, he still came and spent weekends with us and played with us, scolded us, teased us, and loved us. We saw the others at family reunions. Everyone made a huge effort to come to those so we could spend time together. It was never enough time but it did bring us close together and it got us to know our cousins. I feel very sorry for the cousins that don't come because they are missing out on a family group that is so supporting and loving.
We just spent a day or so with my family as Uncle Maurice died and we got together to remember his life and celebrate his love for all of us. His kids and grandkids were all there. I hope that even as our aunts and uncles leave this world that the cousins will continue to get together and love each other. As I spent some time visiting with my cousins, I just thought about how I wish we could get together more. All of them are such nice people. They are easy to talk to and just are who they are. I think the evidence that this is not just me is in the fact that the in-laws are included just as much as the blood relatives. When my cousin's widow's husband said he was really working hard on learning who everyone in her family is, it struck me that yes, we are her family and now he is a part of that too. I am so lucky that my grandparents put the love for God and the love for family into our parents and I love seeing that go on down the line.