Saturday Night and I ain't got nobody ...

... and I'm not complaining a bit.

Married Son and DIL went to the Michigan Renn Fest today with Exie Poo and his new wife. They came home around dinner-time and after DIL went ballistic on Single Son for eating her brownies (last month - let go of it already, geesh) and a fourth of a cake today she locked herself in their room with Married Son's laptop, a bag of Oreo cookies, a bottle of pop and enough ciggies I know I won't see her until tomorrow!! Married Son followed her upstairs only so he could get some much needed sleep, and Grandson is at her parents house for the entire weekend.

Single Son is at work for a double shift.

It's peacefully quiet here. And I'm enjoying every second of it.

I talked to my Mom tonight. I had left a message yesterday that she can now call the house phone since I have a working phone once again. Her first question was if I stole it. Geesh!! I'm broke all the time, but I'm not stupid (not to mention I DO have a conscience, and it would torment me to take something that didn't belong to me) ... but I couldn't resist having a little fun with Mom about it. "Of course, I did Mom. You have no idea how easy it is to walk out of certain stores with entire shopping carts full of stuff. I also stole a toaster, space heater, carton of smokes, a dozen or so DVDs, and a mop." ... "You had me until you said mop. You steal a MOP? Something to clean with? Hahahahaha, you're funny".

She's not going to let me forget how much I hated mopping her floor, I see!! Yes, it's true! I can't stand mopping her floor (move the heavy dining room table and chairs, move the bakers rack, move the decorative crap she's got laying on the floor) ... but that beats having to get down on hands and arthritic knees to scrub the old fashioned way!

Once I finally admitted that DIL gave me the phone as a real early birthday gift - and even bought a mop - that we had a good belly laugh over the whole thing.

Good to hear Mom laugh. It's been a while, with her being so sick this last year.

She mentions that after her therapy session yesterday (which is right down the street) she drove by the house. She never stops, just drives by. Said she's really proud of the fact it's clean and the lawn mowed. I told her I'd been after Married Son all summer to keep the yard clean if he wants to stay here. And after last summer's whole ordeal with the yard looking like a dump (and the stress and fighting that caused), it was actually easier than I thought to Rule the Roost with an Iron Fist.

Of course, I didn't tell her how much I enjoy the role as the Mother-in-law from Hades.

And I wasn't too thrilled to not tell her the exact truth when she asked about Alien and Butterball. But ... we have to keep her as de-stressed as we can, so I bit my lip and told her "they're well. I'm betting Butterball walks before Christmas the way he's standing up now. Almost a whole minute before he wobbled and fell down on Monday when I babysat". Mom laughed, "maybe he can teach your father to stand without wobbling for a minute or so".

De-stressed? Is that even a word? How about unstressed, or stress free? Geesh, and to think at one point in time I was actually an English minor.

Not a whole lot else going on today. Yay!!

I never did pull out my three-ring binder and work on my FlyLady Control Journal today. I'm thinking I need to save that for a day when DIL is around to see me working on it. Never let a good opportunity go to waste, I say.

I did manage to build up enough of a balance on my swag bucks account that I cashed them in for two five dollar gift certificates to amazon.com. Yay!! I'm going book shopping. I'm not sure what I'll get yet, as it's only ten bucks - or I may just have to start saving up more swag bucks for more amazon.com certificates.

Ohhhhh, ohhhhhh ... amazon.com has FlyLady music CDs. Yes, FlyLady does music ... corny music to get you bopping to the beat of some silly song she's written to motivate you to clean clean clean ... "I Got The Dust Bunny Blues" ... "Oh Say Can You See ... Out Of Those Filthy Windows" ... and her all time greatest hit ... "50 Ways To Leave Your Clutter" ...

Okay, I admit I made those titles up, but they'd make great FlyLady songs. Really.

Can you see DILs reaction to the FlyLadys Greatest Hits CD?
Well phooey, I went to youtube.com to see if I could find a FlyLady music video, no such luck. Consider yourself spared!

What a wild and crazy life I lead!!

Friday Evening ...

... I know, two blogs in one day. What gives? LOL!!

The day turned out pretty quiet for a while. Grandson in school, DIL at work and then on errands after work.

I had to laugh at Grandson when he got home from school. He and DIL were talking about the weekend and that he'd be spending the weekend with his Papi and Mamaw again. "Mom, I know. I have the next two days off to relax." He made it sound like he's already grown and planning his much needed weekend. Just too funny.

So ... DIL went shopping (today was her payday). She did the typical grocery shopping, then off to the discount store to get a new mop and some other goodies she wanted. She totally surprised me with a new cordless phone!!

See ...

 

Pretty, isn't it?

She handed it to me saying "Happy Birthday, Mom" ... now before ya'll go wishing me a Happy Birthday ... my birthday isn't until December!! But I was flattered all the same that she remembered my phone predicament when she saw this in the store. And that she parted willingly with the ten bucks for it at the Family Dollar store ... I feel special.

It was so nice to be able to bury the old cordless phone whose readout had long ago died. I can actually SEE the numbers I am dialing now. How sweet of DIL!! And now I know I shan't miss any possible calls for employment.

Or ... was that her motive? Get a phone for the dear ol' MIL so she can get a job and then we get her out of the house for forty hours every week (more or less). Hmmmmmmm ...

I'm hearing my Gigi's (grandmother) voice in my head ... "Now Cisa, never look a gift horse in the mouth".

Oh oh oh ... and get this!! DIL actually let Grandson go outside and play with the neighbor kids today!! They had a blast. Even Married Son (age 27) went out and ran around with the kiddies for a while, playing tag and chasing them all around! They had fun until Grandson ran into the street without looking, at which time DIL ran from inside the house (she had been watching him from the window the entire time), screaming like a mad-woman and grounded him! Okay, running into the street isn't cool, even on a street like ours that sees very little traffic. But to ground him for the rest of the night? How about explaining WHY we don't do that, and let him get back to playing. Hell, even let the other kids know "we don't let him play in the street, can you play in our front yards so he doesn't go in the street".

I think we need to cut the umbilical cord here. She really does smother him. How is he going to learn if she doesn't allow him to do a damned thing? Really!

Tomorrow they have some sort of plan. I'm not sure what it is, but I do know they won't be around for most of the weekend. Grandson will be at his Papi's house ... it seems to be a new tradition, the boy gets the weekends off.

My plans aren't many. I have some more cleaning I want to do in my sanctuary. I'm not sure what I'll do after that. But I'm sure it won't go down in history as anything exciting. Maybe work a little more on my FlyLady Control Journal (chore lists). We'll see ...

Oh, speaking of chores! I was on facebook checking out updates from friends. DIL and I have this mutual friend who was saying ... and thanks to cut and paste, I quote ...
LB: Not that I'm complaining or anything, but I think I need a night out soon. My social life has been lacking lately.
Her comments were:
LA: Mine too! My tail feathers need to be shaken! Lmao
and from DIL ...
DIL: Shit, you aint sayin anything I dont already feel! Work, kid in school, housework. It never stops!! :( But I wont be able to do much for a few weeks.

HOUSEWORK? HER?? Since when? Oh ya ... one day of housework this week (three hours tops) and she's suddenly claims it never stops??

Too funny!

Maybe my talking about FlyLady all the time is finally catching on. And she did use a FlyLady catch phrase today while I was waiting for Married Son to help me install the new phone (yes, it takes two to plug the wires in, one to feed from the bottom of the desk, one to retrieve and pull said wires) ...

Do it now! Don't wait! Get things done  ... which just happens to have been the FlyLady slogan for the year 2008.

Friday already?

My, my where does the week go?

Been busy here.

Monday Alien stopped by unannounced and asked if I could babysit so she could go to classes. She claims her phone doesn't work to dial out because the screen is broken, so that's why she didn't call first. I told her this one time, yes, but from now on no more last minute or unannounced bologna. She goes to class but she claims she wasn't feeling well and her teacher sent her home. I'm doubting that for some reason (could be because I've caught her lying to me before). So, she calls (hmmm, NOW her phone works) says she's on her way back here to get Butterball. Only she doesn't show up for another hour and a half. Gives me some B.S. line about something or other (can't recall now, but it was pure bull). I gave her an ear-full when she got here about responsibility, being a parent, making the right choices for her and her babies, how the Loser will jeopardize her custody of the children, how he's a loser and not welcome near my home ever again - that because of his abuse he'll never ever have my respect again.

Wednesday I was supposed to babysit Butterball again so she could go to class. She never showed up. Never called. Never nothing. I figure Loser is behind that "that nosey control freak mother of yours will never see us again". I've heard it before. Control freak. Yup, that's me alright. I keep my nose in her business to pressure him. I know how abusers isolate their victims.

Oops, I skipped Tuesday. Quiet day. DIL got home from work around 3 PM. Went right to cleaning the house. Who are you and what did you do with my DIL? I like this new chick. She vacuumed, dusted, cleaned the bathroom, helped me move some stuff around, took trash out, did dishes. We cooked our first family meal of the week - pigs in a blanket. We all contributed to the menu, my biscuit mix, her hot dogs, my fruit, her veggies. Just too bad that shortly after dinner the Nice Chick left and DIL returned. Loud, bitchy and just unpleasant as usual.

Wednesday also found us having our second (and LAST) family dinner. Pot roast, potatoes, carrots slow cooked all day long. The house smelled wonderful!! Homemade biscuits, too. I provided everything for this family dinner. Grandson had been a brat all day after he got home from school. Whinier than usual, and just wouldn't take no for an answer. He wanted a biscuit. Now ... I don't cook for him. He's too picky. I've tried to get him to eat a small bite of things (to where he's hit the fork away screaming "I said NO") - so my policy is, it's all or nothing (either eat some of everything I cook, or get nothing). I'm not catering to a spoiled little boy who says he wants a certain food to only spit it out after one taste. No way. No how. Ain't gonna happen. So ... anyway ... DIL gives him TWO biscuits anyway because it's a family dinner and he likes biscuits - but she excuses him from trying anything else. And of course, after mashing the last biscuit to death, he throws it away. I looked at him and told him he's wasteful. DIL just has to get her "He's only 5" comment in. WTH does he's only five have to do with this? But then, it's her favorite excuse for everything he does - or doesn't do.

Thursday wasn't bad for the most part. I made brats and sauerkraut. Stunk the house up pretty bad, but I did that on purpose. mybad. Chased my stressors out for a few hours, so it worked real well. They got home, they'd been arguing about her not doing something she should have done (as usual), DIL said something rather vicious, Married Son replies in kind. I decided this would be my perfect chance, so I told Son "she's only 28, Son". Stopped their fight mid-way through it, she stormed upstairs. Married Son had a hard time keeping his hysterical laughter from surfacing. I got the quiet I needed the rest of the night.

On the brighter side ... my kitchen sink shines (flylady reference, LOL), and I've been a crazy-lady with getting apps filled out online. The latest are for shift managers at a few gas stations, a grocery store, toy store (too bad that's only seasonal work - and have I lost my mind to want to work in a toy store over the holidays or am I that disparate for a job?) ... and a few other places, too. Keep your fingers crossed. I need something. Quick.

I'm running out of ideas on where I could hide some bodies.

Rainy Saturday ...

... and I'm loving it!! Sorry to all you weekday workers who live for the weekends!! Grandson is at his Papa's house, DIL is sleeping until she has to go to work, my Sons are occupied with activities befitting of the nerds they are (one playing computer games, the other blasting Star Wars from his tv set).

Me, I woke up in what we call a Maxine mood. Grumpy, sarcastic and pretty much just leave me alone!! I've been like this all day now.

I've been uploading Maxine cartoons for a while now, hehe, go check 'em out. I love Maxine!!

And why am I in a Maxine mood? Got me! I had a weird dream last night about grumpy old men and women, one that got me thinking when I woke up this morning ...

Grumpy Old Men and Women ... yup, I seem to be getting grumpier as I get older. Could just be my circumstances, but grumpy pretty much sums me up any more. But it got me to thinking that while some people really do deserve all the grumpiness I throw their way, yet I really need to be more tolerant of the Grumpy Old Men and Women I run across, especially in the grocery store that I try so hard to avoid during daylight hours. They probably have good reason for being grumpy ... circumstances that made them grumpy, or just don't feel they want to be bothered with strangers (read this as trust ... a good policy, I fear, in this day and age), or they just don't have anyone to talk to at all.

Did I ever relay the story of the grumpy little ol' lady using the store's electric wheelchair with the shopping basket? I had intended to run into the store for only a few items. I first ran into Little Ol' Lady (who I'd estimate to be in at least her 90s) three aisles into the store. She had asked some young man (20ish) to help her get something off the top shelf. He was sooo rude, the damned punk. Told her that he wasn't her blankety-blank care-giver and she should just get off her old lazy arse and get it herself. OMG!! I was floored!! I ended up not only getting the item down for her, but offered my assistance with the rest of her somewhat lengthy shopping list. So much for a two minute grocery store trip! But I felt so bad for her, not because of her age, or infirmities, but for the way that jackass came off on her. We had the chance to talk, too. Nice lady, but she sure played the grump thing up she admitted to me. She wouldn't really give any examples, but did offer that one day, My Creator Willing, I would understand and embrace my grumpiness.

She even offered to buy my ten dollars worth of purchases ... which I refused!! I helped her to the Elderly Services shuttle bus, unloaded her groceries, and wished my new friend a good day. I really did walk a little taller the rest of the day. What a special encounter that was!!

And I'm definitely gonna wear my Grumpy Old Lady (okay, not so old yet) badge with pride. I earned it dammit.

Maybe it'll help me with the whole Wrecking Crew thing ... either to gain control once again or chase 'em away once and for all. Hehehe ... but I just gotta be careful to keep my grumpiness at home ... it sure wouldn't be productive in a work environment.

Dear Santa ...

Santa, I realize that school has barely started, but I wanted to get this note off to you as soon as possible.

For Christmas this year I really really really would like the following ...

Silence ... three less occupants in the house that create deafening levels of noise would be a good start - so to get that silence I'm thinking a nice two bedroom apartment or house across town. We don't need to worry about the one occupant I seldom see and rarely hear.

My Space back ... and I don't mean that social networking place. I mean my space - my bathroom cabinets, my kitchen cabinets, my refrigerator, table tops, floor space ... my living space. All of it.

FlyLady and S.H.E (Sidetracked Home Executives) books and accessories. If I have my silence and my space back I'll need plenty of guidance with organizing my home. These wonderful ladies are a great start to taking the CHAOS out of my life.

 ... which leads me to ...

My sanity ... I know, this is stretching it a bit. You're not a miracle worker, but you're the best hope I have for having a healthy dose of sanity again.

And last but not least, Dear Santa, I need a Life ... yes, a life ... a job ... a purpose other than to supervise the present Wrecking Crew that invade my every space.

Thank you, Santa,

Yours Forever,

Still Believing at 50

Wednesday

So, Grandson started kindergarten yesterday. Full day kindergarten even. Gramma's loving it. Even better DIL has been given days at work so she can be home when Grandson gets home from school. Not sure how long that'll last (before they give her closing shift again), but for now, I'm sure enjoying my quiet days!!

It's late evening when it gets loud around here. And LOUD is right! Seems DIL is no day person and comes home bitchin' up a storm - about anything and everything.

Married Son asked her last night if she had an indoor voice. Needless to say, the volume got louder after that.

Grandson loves school. He loves that he has kids his age to talk to, something that he doesn't have at home. Well, he does, but DIL refuses to let him play with the kids in the neighborhood. Don't know why, but it's sad when a kid isn't allowed to go play with others his own age. She expects him to go upstairs to play - but that's also his sleep space AND where she sends him when he's grounded. Can't blame the kid for not wanting to go to his room to play, it's not the place I'd want to hang out, either.

Add that I'm presently babysitting Butterball. Yup, Alien is back in school. Today's her first class. from 4:30 to 8:30. Some medical class, not sure what. It's only for a few hours a week, I think I can handle it. However, the next time she brings a diaper bag over that does not contain formula or his bottle, I will hurt her! Ya, there's baby food galore in it, but NO bottles. WTF? And I'm sure not watching Butterball when that Loser has classes (I hear he's gone back to class, too). I refuse to do a freaking thing that benefits him.

Call me a witch.

And I'm just hoping I don't live to regret my offer to help her out so she can go back to school.

*****

I'm still without a cell phone. It sucks, I hate it. And that the house phone died a slow and painful death (cordless, the display died of old age) I can't communicate with the outside world. Makes job hunting interesting (thank heavens for e-mail). Since my Mom doesn't do e-mail it's been a week of non-communication. She finally got smart and called one of the boys cell phones to ask if I'd been arrested or in the hospital. Our last communication was the day I went over to clean. She was afraid I'd had an allergic reaction to the mop, or had gone ballistic on someone for whatever reason (which is more likely to happen with the wrecking crew here).

So ... Mom wasn't happy that she couldn't get a hold of me ... she needed someone to talk to real bad. Seems last Friday she was finally diagnosed with what's wrong. She has lupus. Thankfully in this day and age it's not a death sentence, but she really needs to learn to take better care of herself and to not stress. We're helping by sparing her the details in our lives that stress her, but we've been doing that for a long while now. And I guess that means that I'll be over to their condo a lot more to help her around the house.

I'm really sensing that I'll be moving in with them before long. Whatcha wanna bet?

From wrecking crew (who would have to vacate the house if I'm not there) to the Senior Home. Hmmmm, sounds like it'd be a step or ten closer to an empty nest, eh? Well, at least the folks don't make huge messes, outside of Daddy dropping food when he eats, LOL.

Saturday

Once again, it's been a few days since my last blog. So much for trying to blog more, eh? Oh well ... at least it's not months between entries, right?

Been a lot going on, some stressful. Who am I kidding? Most stressful. So much for avoiding stress ... and since I'm not finding much humor - well, not as much blogging.

I really am trying to find the silver lining in everything. But I'm finding some clouds are just crappy through and through. Especially where the Wrecking Crew is involved.

Speaking of the Wrecking Crew ... DIL just isn't comprehending how things work when you live in someone else's home. From throwing out things that don't belong to her to trying to take over how this house is run. Not that I do things a certain way, or am OCD at all, I just don't like someone coming in and trying to take control. There's no excuse for it.

She's on my final nerve, needless to say.

My new tagline has become "Screw Calgon ... Delta take me away". She thinks it's funny ... remember she's not the brightest crayon in the box and doesn't seem to understand she's the reason for screwing Calgon.

On the Alien front ... she calls me late the other night (after midnight) asking if I can babysit, she's having pain and wants to go to the hospital. Sure ... I'll watch Butterball,but she's got to bring him over. She gets here and of course, the Loser is in the passenger seat. He can't drive (lost his license) but will go with her to the E.R. Fine ... whatever. Butterball was fussy, so I gave him a bottle, changed him, and within half an hour he was asleep. Yay me! DIL took Butterball to sleep in their room. Alien called later saying she's being released, that the pain was from constipation (oy), and they're on the way to get Butterball. Loser tries to be all nice to me. I told him don't bother, he's off my Christmas Card list for what he did to Alien and I just won't waste those valuable seconds of my life on him.

Then there's been the stress of my brother coming over. We're not close by any stretch. And after his comment to me last weekend, well, I didn't rush outside to say hi to him when he got here this morning to finish the tree removal that my Mom is paying him $500 to do. So ... I had asked him something about a past holiday event (that he had hosted), and his response was that he didn't remember but oh yeah, by the way, once our folks are gone he doesn't anticipate he'll ever be inviting me to his house again (he said something like 'you'll be dead to me, too') - that the only reason he even talks to me is because of the fact I'm our parents daughter (not sister, but parents daughter). Even though we aren't close, that comment hurt.

Christmas this year is going to be interesting. But I'll let it slide (after the hurt goes away), because I'm good like that. 

So much for not finding silver linings in those clouds, eh? I've done nothing but a bitch blog so far ... and I feel the negative energy really taking it's toll on me right now.

Funny how this crap effects ones health. Time to go look for something FUN ... or SILLY ... to lift my mood.

Oh ... here's a funny ... Single Son one day said the word "pimp" around Grandson. Grandson asked what a pimp was. Single Son told him a pimp is a tow truck driver - the truck is called a hooker (because cars are hooked to it, LOL). So ... Married Son is talking to Single Son today and it comes up that Married Son is looking for tow truck driving jobs. Grandson pipes up with "My daddy is going to be a pimp". I almost fell off the chair from laughing!

And ... on that I'm off to do a little Farmville, Frontierville, Swagbucks ... AND I need to find some tofu recipes ... yes, tofu. My friend Chicken introduced me to the stuff and now I'm hooked on it ... but I need to find new recipes!!