TGIF

I had hoped to write a blog the other day, but that didn't happen. Way too much homework to keep me from doing so.

I really need to change my background. I love this background, but sadly summer is over. Time to think about fall. Yay fall!! I'm so ready for the cooler temps anyway!!

School is going good. Monday was the first day of my jewelry making class. Gonna be a fun class! We have three projects to make. It could be anything, so long as it meets the instructor's approval. I had some stones I wanted to set in a ring, no such luck. Stone setting doesn't happen until advanced jewelry class. Poop!!! I won't be taking it since it's not a requirement for my degree (or maybe I will after I get the degree ... who knows).

So ... I'm all into the lecture by the art teacher. The gal next to me isn't and is rather distracting to those of us who want to be in class. She's there for the same reason most of us are ... to fill the art credit. Only ... most of us want to be there!! She kept saying she should have taken Piano lessons instead. I agree!! We had to cut a piece of brass into some shape ... I chose a heart ... she chose something abstract. Next thing I know she's bleeding on MY brass plate when she sawed right through her freaking finger!! I ended up having to patch her up (so much practice with my sons I'm pretty good in a bloody situation). That'll teach her to listen during the safety lecture!!

I still haven't decided what my three projects are going to be. One has to be a chain of some sort, I haven't even really decided on which type of chain I'm going to do, the other two projects we're pretty much free to choose between rings, bracelets, charms, brooches, earrings ... whatever our little hearts desire (so long as it doesn't require stone setting). I better decide and quick, teacher wants designs on his desk by the beginning of class on Monday.

Other than school we're back to "not much going on around here". Who has time for excitement, chaos, confusion or Gremlin visits with a full course load?

Hope ya'll are doing well ... have a great weekend!

Thursday Thoughts ...

Ya, I know ... a blog a week now. I'm on a roll! LOL.

School is going good.

Tuesday was accounting. It's pretty much a repeat from the accounting class I took last semester. That's okay ... the last teacher wasn't that good .. maybe now I'll get more of an understanding of the lingo and techniques involved. Things that I didn't learn last time around. It's a different class, though, so I'm expecting to learn more. And this teacher has a great way of explaining things. A few of those lightbulbs already went off  "OH ... so that's what that last teacher was trying to teach". I get it now.

Parking on Tuesday was nuts. I got there about an hour early because I knew there'd be problems with parking. Well ... three of the six parking lots were already full and closed off by the campus cops. The closest parking I could find was all the way across the campus. Ten minutes it took me to walk to the room. And wouldn't you know, the classroom was just a stone's throw from the parking lot I SHOULD have been able to park in. LOL.

Wednesday I had Principles of Supervision (or whatever it's called). I left way early, once again anticipating parking problems. I even stopped for dinner to eat in my car while I killed time waiting. I didn't need to rush!! I got front row parking on my non-home campus. I hate that parking lot, though. It's not designed for convenience. You have to walk uphill about a quarter of a mile (and not that well lit at night I should mention) through a really pretty park-like area. So ... I get to the top of the hill, sit a bit and recover my breath ... and of course smoke a ciggie before heading to "F" building for class. I get to the room only to see that we've been moved over to "A" building ... on the opposite end of the campus!! I figure out how to get to "A" building ... find the class room, look out the window to see there's a parking lot that's practically empty. Great. I know where I park next week!! At least the half mile walk was downhill to the car after class ... well for the most part. This campus makes me nervous ... the lack of good lighting and I read a few blurbs in the local paper about women being attacked (robbed at gun point, too) coming out of night classes. I tried to get another student to walk with me, but he was in some gawd-awful hurry to get to his car for some reason. Gee, thanks buddy ... I'll remember that should he ever need anything from me (like a pencil or scantron).

Supervision is an okay class. It's bad when the teacher admits right off the bat he's absent-minded. He assigns homework, but doesn't collect it. Instead you line up before class, flash your homework at him .. he marks it down - and thus doesn't need to take attendance either. I have to admit, though, he gets us into some lively discussions on supervision ... or more precisely being a supervisor or manager. Could prove to be more than an okay class. LOL.

Tomorrow is science class. That homework is killing me. It's a dimensional analysis exercise. I asked Single Son if he could help me ... he's not familiar with it. So I'm on my own. I *think* I have it, but I'm not sure. Tomorrow will tell when we correct homework in class. I'm thinking I'm going to need a little bit of tutoring this week to understand it to where I'm at least partially comfy with it.

Then it's off for a few days. A few days to do all this homework in my other classses. And farm ... and clean ... and ... who knows what else I'll end up doing.

Next Monday will be my first Jewelry class. Talk about geeked!! I can't wait!!

As usual I've been keeping up with ya'll when I can through email updates.

Gonna scoot. One more story problem to figure out with this dimensional analysis stuff ... hope it doesn't take the rest of the night ...

Hugs!!

Wednesday ...

Wow, it's been two weeks since my last blog entry?

As usual I've been keeping up with ya'll through email updates. Just haven't signed on to multiply to respond. Mybad. Hopefully with school starting in two days I'll be better with the blogging.

Who knows? Anything is possible.

We were back to the nothing's going on around here stage for a while. It was nice while it lasted. This week seems to be pretty crazy ... but that's typical for me ... a few weeks of quiet and then BAM! we get crazy around here for a few days.

Just the normal crazy. Getting ready for school to start on Friday. My first class is an early morning class. Heaven help me!! I am so not a morning person. I hope the gal I blogged about meeting in the bookstore line has extra coffee - or at least an understanding of night people forced to take morning classes. LOL.

News on the Alien ... I told you in my last blog entry that she's having a boy. She's picked a name, and thankfully it is NOT after the sperm donor. And best of all, it doesn't even start with the same letter ... "J". I got stuck in a J rut with my sons, and Grandson and that idiot that knocked her up share the same J name ... we so don't need any more J's running around! This little one will be a Z. The first Z in our family!

Alien WILL stay in school. Thankfully she's decided to NOT drop out after all. Bad enough the choices she's made lately, but dropping out would have been another bad choice. I was even at the school yesterday to have them sign a paper (for Friend of the Court saying she's staying in school) ... only as of yesterday before noon she had not registered for classes. I was devastated, thinking that she had decided to drop out after all. I even broke down in front of her principal, Mrs L, a real nice lady about all the bad choices Alien's been making lately. About two hours after my visit to her school Alien calls me ... "Mrs. L said you were in today. What's up?" Well it opened a door for a much needed conversation. And ... best of all, she had gone into Mrs L's office to register for classes. Yay!! She seems to have a few brain cells left after all! She'll continue to go to school after the baby is born late November, early December. She has a built in babysitter, that idiot who knocked her up ... he can't work (felony history that assures no one will hire him) ... he may as well do something positive for a change. Let's just pray he doesn't f* this up!

Not a whole lot else going on. I was hoping to get back up to Port Huron this weekend. Just a matter of finding the time. I may still try, who knows.

Hope all are well ... that life is being kind to you.

Ten Thoughts Tuesday!!

Yes, call CNN! I'm making a blog entry!!

Ten thoughts ... or my best attempt at it. I'm way out of practice here!!

1) It's way too hot for me!! The humidity is killing me here! Ya'll can have your dreams of retiring and wintering in Florida ... me ... I'm gonna summer in the Arctic!

2) Talked to my mom today. She's aware of the whole situation with the Alien, and she's going out of her way to keep in contact with O' Pregnant One. I guess Mom talked to Alien yesterday and found out she's having a boy. Dear Lord ... don't let her name the baby after that moron!!

3) Got my college classes. I'm going easy this term with only four classes. I'll take five next semester, This term I'm taking: Accounting Procedures, Principles of Supervision, Foundamentals of Natural and Life Science and my favorite ... Jewelry Class. Gotta love those general ed requirements!! Hehe. Best of all I'm only on two campuses this term (gee, that's so typical isn't it?). Problem is one of the campuses is the furthest away from my home campus (and home). It'll take me an hour or more to drive the fifteen miles - down one of the busiest traffic corridors in the area.

4) Bought my books for my home campus classes today. I saw the cutest little stuffed squirrel just calling out to "buy me, buy me - you know you want to". I ignored him!! I didn't buy him. Geesh ... you have no idea how hard that was to pass up the "little" guy (who stands about eight inches tall). And now I'm wishing I had!! He was only $25 ... and would be a good driving companion while I'm driving to classes!! He even matches the interior color of my car ... gray! Oh well ... if he's there the next time I'm at the bookstore, maybe ... just maybe I'll adopt him!

Gotta love that smile!!

5) While in line to pay for my books, I got to talking to the gal behind me. Turns out she's in the same science class I'm in - and for the same reason. I'm wondering if she'll be my PITA. You know how I seem to attract one per semester. And since I didn't collect a major PITA the last two semesters, I'm figuring out I'm way overdue!

6) I really need to get a new digital converter box. Ya, already. I've had the one in my bedroom about a year, if that! It's overheating ... and takes forever to "catch" a signal when I first turn it on. I'm really disappointed in the quality of this one. It sucks! LOL ... they sure don't make things like they used to!

7) Have I mentioned I hate summer? The humidity around here is way too high. And I'm not the only one feeling this way, I'm sure.

8) And as is typical of past Ten Thoughts Tuesdays ... I'm running out of thoughts!

So I guess I stop here.

Hope ya'll are well.

 

Thursday Thoughts ...

Wow, again ... it's been a while. There hadn't been a lot going on lately ... and then there's this week, LOL .. .

After a long delay and many times having to refile ... I finally have my Pell Grant acceptance in hand! Yay!! I was beginning to worry I'd not qualify in time for classes to start on September 3. Whew!!

But now I'm going to have to take only night and weekend courses. I'm *hoping* to be hired for a day job starting after Labor Day. Won't give too many details about that just yet ... I'm so not wanting to jinx this!!

And of course, I'm still doing Elsie's Attic. Mostly catalog sales at this point ... I'll keep you posted on that, too.

Kids are doing good.

Single Son swore he saw something dripping from under my car last week. He took it to a friend of his, a mechanic friend. Comes home to tell me "well, Mom. I have good news and bad news. The good news is there is no leak. The bad news is you're missing the avatron on the passenger side." "What the hell is an avatron?" "It's part of the suspension system, Mom. It stabilizes you when you're banking right when you land." "WTF are you talking about ... when I land" ... Seems his friend is an airplane mechanic. This was son's attempt at practical joking. Grrrrrrrr.

I wonder if I'd get in trouble for smacking the hell out of a cop? He says I would. The Police Chief says the "Mom rule" applies ... there's no assault on an officer IF you gave birth to him (or her).

Married Son, DIL and Grandson are doing well. Grandson as usual is a hoot. He and I were playing a game on facebook today, called Yoville. DIL was calling for him from down in the kitchen. "Don't you hear your mommy calling you, honey" I asked. "No, I don't hear her. I can't hear her when I'm playing games, Gramma". Too funny!!! Oh ... and my Yoville friends ... Grandson went around to all my friends apartments and kissed each and every one of you!! It wasn't me, really!!

Haven't heard from Alien. Not since her last call a few weeks back when she wanted something. Gee, that's the only time she calls - is when she needs or wants something. Well ... we got into it again ... why I won't accept that loser, or allow him in my home ... and I told her why. For the millionth time I told her. So again she told me that if I can't accept him and welcome him with open arms, she won't be around.

I just pray she gets smart and soon. Riiiight, we're talking about an Alien here. Getting smart and soon just isn't gonna happen. This is gonna take time for her to see that this 17 time loser is no good for her or that baby. Please pray with me that she and my new grandchild don't get hurt in the process.

So ... that's it in a nutshell.

Maybe once school starts (and if I get that mystery job I briefly mentioned) my blog entries will be a little more regular. At least that's what I'm hoping!!

Hope you're doing well!

Tuesday Thoughts ...

There's no way I'm committing to ten thoughts today!!

Barky dog is back. And louder than ever. The neighbors got the dogs back from the pound sometime early yesterday. As paybacks they left the *&@%ed dog out all night last night. And of course, it barked! Not sure which of the other neighbors was successful in getting that moron to put the dog inside, but at 3 AM or so all was (finally) quiet.

Yesterday morning, too, Married Son's vehicle was broken into. Looks like they jimmied the lock. They got his GPS and iPod ... they didn't see his digital camera hiding in the door pocket ... and they didn't have time to rip off his stereo system. Hopefully this has taught him a lesson to keep valuables hidden or remove them from the vehicle entirely.

It's a lesson I learned a decade ago when one of the neighborhood kids was caught helping himself to the contents of my vehicle. Of course, I also thought I could leave my car unlocked and not have to worry. I got my stuff back ... and learned a few things that day!

I won't get into the numerous break-ins or the things that have come up missing from the yard or shed ... or the sounds of gunfire close-by late at night. Although one of the break-ins was actually a funny story (in hind-sight that is). Maybe one day I'll blog about it.

I'm really beginning to hate this neighborhood! I'd move in a heart-beat if I could. This part of town has gone to hell in a hand basket in the 15 years I've lived here. I just need to finish my degree ... make more money ... and get that empty nest before I move out. Ya, you know I'm working on that!

Ah well. What do you do? Besides try to make your home a fortress that can't be penetrated. Lock your doors even when you're home ... and double and triple check that you've locked the cars and shed ... and left nothing laying around outside.

Neighbor Wars ... Part 2

So ... I'm sitting playing on Farm Town (a facebook addiction!) and I get a text from Married Son ... "are the cops gone yet?" Ummmm, cops?? Boy was I buried in my Farm Town game, I didn't know the cops where here!!

Seems that Barky Dog was a problem for Married Son. He was in our front yard and saw Barky running loose (a big no-no in this township). He knocked on the neighbor's door to inform them their dogs were running lose and got no answer. Turning around to try to corral the dogs (Barky is a pit bull, not sure the breed of the other, quiet dog) ... so ... he turns around and tries to get the dog when Barky tries to attack him!!

The neighbor on the other side happened to see everything and offered to help collect the dogs and tie them up until the cops could get here. Dogs taken away ... cops left note on the idiot neighbors door telling them where their dogs are (at the pound by now). Married Son didn't stick around to meet the cops though. He had work to do and couldn't wait around.

Thankfully when Married Son first saw the dogs running lose he "barked" orders to DIL to stay in the truck and keep Grandson with her! I hate to think what could have happened.

Now ... I have nothing against pit bulls. One of my bestest friends has one, he's nothing but a big teddy bear. BUT ... neighbor's pit bull is not one of those animals that was trained properly. He's not a dog I really like having next door ...

I just wonder how long they'll keep the dogs in the pound. I'm sure they'll bail the damned things out as soon as they can. At least tonight I'll get a good night's sleep with Barky being gone.