Good grief!!

It's been a couple of weeks already since my last blog. I know ... I keep saying I'm gonna blog more, yet ... well, we see how that works!

Lots of drama going on. Have I mentioned I HATE drama?

My little quote up top sure is true ... some days all I want to be is a missing person.

It's been a lot of days that I've wanted to go missing.

Today isn't one of them. I'm enjoying a quiet day at home. Finally.

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Let's start with Alien -sorry Pengy, I know you deleted her from your fb just to get away from it. You may want to skip down to the next topic.

So, Alien ... she's really regretting having married the Knight in Rusty Armor. Then the next day she's putting on fb how wonderful he is. Then she deletes him, saying it's over ... and so on and so forth. The past few days it's been that she's kicked him out of the house, that it's really over this time. Ya, we'll see ... I'm sure next week he'll be back in the house, all lovey dovey and crap.

If I were her (and I'm staying out of it, all this stuff is gleaned from facebook) ... I'd tell him so long. Fare well ... it's been real.

I did talk to her on the phone, she's telling me that they were in counseling as late as last week. He told the counselor that "I'll support a kid if it's mine, but not if they're not". WTH happened to he'd step up and be the father these boys deserve? Oh ... they got married ... he lied about stepping up.

Probably for the best that she kicked him out. I'm tired of bitching at him ... he's got a bad habit of terrorizing Butterball. When the kid is being tickled (roughly at that), twirled in the air (by his arms) or batted around and he cries out "No, STOP" then dammit ... STOP. Don't laugh thinking it's cute that he's terrified!! And I've called him on it more times than I care to count. It's child abuse if you ask me. And I'm not nice when I tell him. That boy does not have the words to tell the Knight off, but I SURE DO!

She needs to get away from him ... for her sake and that of the boys. And I've made myself perfectly clear on this subject!

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OKAY PENGUIN GIRL, DONE WITH THAT TOPIC. PICK UP READING HERE if you dare!!

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Next gripe ... care to guess who it's directed at? If you said the Wrecking Crew, you'd be right!

Married Son came home for three days. He'd been on the road for almost a month (lucky him). We did manage to get some alone time, but not much. I took advantage of the time to speak my mind about DIL and how I called it right that once he was on the road, she'd pull a disappearing act and forget all about her responsibilities here. He has the audacity to tell me that he doesn't need the stress, that I need to be an adult and deal with it. EXCUSE ME? You leave, but they don't. As long as they're under MY roof, then it's his concern as they are HIS family. I did not marry her, he did! I will stop my complaining ONLY when they've moved out of MY house into their own.

I had to laugh ... we were all in their room, watching some netflix movie while Married Son was home ... I mentioned that Single Son and I were looking into getting basic cable tv. She says "Oh, good. Make sure he gets HBO so I can watch it". Hello? I said BASIC cable ... and who is paying for this anyway? Unbeknownst to me, Single Son happened to have been coming up the stairs and heard it! Later that evening he comes to me with access information for our new netflix account. Said that we'll get cable tv only after the Wrecking Crew is gone! "Why make her more comfortable then we need to?"

Smart lad.

Yet later, I had heard a slamming of a door, sounded to me like the clothes dryer. Going downstairs to investigate, I find one highly irate Single Son (who normally is calm, cool and collected). He's livid that he's once again stuck doing her laundry as she's left for gawd knows where just after she starts a load of laundry - no consideration for anyone! So, he's slamming the doors to the machines. I told him to drop their laundry ON THE FLOOR ... no matter if it's wet or dry ... and leave it. She'll learn eventually that "the management is not responsible for unattended laundry".

I won't get into the three new posters in Grandson's room - all tacked up. We've had that don't use tacks lecture before. Many times before.

... or the curling iron left out, the laundry in the bathroom, the hair in the drain ...

All after three days of being back home when Married Son was here!

I've been checking out sites such as rent.com, and apartment.com and emailing "recommend this apartment to a friend" to Married Son.

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In other news, lol ...

Um, there is no other news.

Life plugs on. I'm still job hunting, with no luck. It's frustrating. I'll keep applying, eventually someone's gotta be interested!

Keeping busy with Star Trek stuff, too. Glad to have something besides frontierville and netflix (and our Star Trek digital library) ... to keep me occupied.

Laying in bed last night I had a thought ... you know you're a Trekkie when you hear "Cardassian" and don't think about the Kardashian sisters!! Or that you even know wth I'm talking about!!!! Or worse, you know how to spell Cardassian but have to google Kardashian for the correct spelling. Sad, eh, what goes through my mind?

On that, I'll end this ... before I start boring ya'll with Star Trek stuff!

Star Trek Picnic

What a great day it turned out to be!! The weather, while hot and humid, wasn't as bad as previous days. Besides, there was a nice cool breeze at the camp ground!! The half hour downpour later in the evening, after we'd all eaten, was welcomed, too!!

So, Mr. Mouth wasn't so bad. Loud, talked constantly for the hour drive from his place to the picnic, but he was civil. No rude or bigoted comments. And, he even thanked me and said he appreciated my going out of my way as soon as he was in the car. He even helped unpack the car, including moving the heavy cooler!! It'll make it harder to say no to him in the future, but the added two plus hours on the road isn't worth it!

Because we had so many visitors from other chapters we decided to keep our monthly meeting short and get right on to the fun! We set a new record, fourteen minutes for the meeting!! Of course, we did table old business, most new business, and department reports until next month's meeting, and didn't allow the conversation to wander off topic (as it usually does).

So, I know Helen Jo is dying to see the cake ... here it is! The bakery did a fantastic job, didn't they?

Complete with a miniature USS Enterprise! Gotta love it!

That cake topper was just too cool to keep for myself, so on the bottom of one of the cake plates I wrote "You Win!" ... and whoever got that plate would, obviously, win the cake topper. Since I knew the first plate wasn't the winner, I did take the first piece that was sliced! That way, no way would or could I have won. I was helping the gal who offered to cut the cake by handing her plates along with a fork for the next person in the cake line. LOL ... dummy me, I accidentally dropped one plate (onto the table thankfully) and son of a gun if it wasn't the "winning" plate! Next in line happened to have been Single Son. Grrrrrr. No way I was going to let him win, so I handed that plate to the guy behind him. Drats, now I knew who the winner was (took some of the fun out of it for me, LOL). He's one of the founding members, and a long time friend of the family. And since his four year old son was also there, it worked out well. Daddy gave Little Guy the prize.

Yes, that's a military haircut Daddy is sporting. He's a twelve year soldier, home on leave.
We're so proud of him!

Next we have the youngest Cadet. She's not yet 9 months old, and already a seasoned pro at Star Trek functions!! Check out her onesie!!

Notice she's NOT a "red shirt", thankfully!
However, notice her Daddy is! Oh NO!!

Next we have our fearless leader, the Commander of StarFleet (a.k.a. The Canadian) waving his light saber. No one dared to tell him that it was really a fire poker.

Love those shorts!!

When he wasn't waving his light saber around, you could find him protecting the Federation with his Phaser. Again, no one had the heart to tell him that it was really a super-soaker water gun!!

Here he's chasing Little Guy's Mommy!

And never, ever laugh when someone makes a snide comment about your Leader ...

You may find relief from the heat with the resulting shower, but your camera won't like it!

And as with any Star Fleet function, there was a lot of food to be had. I was stuffed on burnt to perfection hot dogs, jello salad, three different types of macaroni (or pasta) salads, and more kinds of chips than I could count!

Oh, and I only brought home two cases of pop (remember Son bought fourteen cases). Between what we all drank, and my open call for "take some of this pop home with you", that's all that was left!!

At about 9 pm I decided it was time to call it a day. I still had two hours on the road before I would pull into my own driveway. If I'd gone straight from my house to the campsite it would have only been a forty minute ride, but nooooooo ... that's not how it worked thanks to Mr. Mouth! Oh, and Single Son for volunteering dear ol' mom for the job!

Again, the ride home wasn't that bad. Mr Mouth was loud and talkative, but at least he didn't touch those taboo topics.

I pulled in my driveway at 11 pm, after my day starting at 5 am ... tired, and hot but in a good mood. Okay, a headache from the sun and being in a small enclosed space for the last hour with the loudest person I've ever known ... but it really was a good day!

After a good night's sleep, I spent a good part of this evening looking at the costs of tents and camping supplies. Each year more and more of our members choose to camp at the park for the entire weekend. I'm feeling left out! So is Single Son as he's the one that brought up purchasing equipment instead of renting a cabin in the future.

Catsup

I mean ... catch up. It's this heat, frying my brain. Really.

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So ... Cap never called. Yay!

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Kitty Purry has been adopted into a home with another small kitten. She'll have a playmate ... and the lady who adopted her will have her hands full with two small kittens and a toddler or two.

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DIL is home. Boo!

It's funny, Single Son noticed that when the Wrecking Crew was gone we only had ONE kitchen sized trash bag to take to the curb on pick-up day. Now that the Wrecking Crew is back it'll be back to four full sized (55 gal) can to drag to the curb weekly. Well, I won't be dragging them down to the curb! It's been obvious to me for years who generates the most garbage 'round here.

Single Son also noticed that a package of toilet paper lasts ten times longer in their absence. That dishes don't pile up in the sink, that the bathroom trash can doesn't overflow, that hair doesn't clog the drain, that shoes don't wander into the middle of the floor, that we actually have a kitchen table even.

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I babysat Aliens two boys yesterday while she went to court to try to collect child support from that deadbeat. Riiight, good luck with that. But that's not the topic here. The boys are. JJ is six months old now, loves his little walker. I put him in it and he zipped across my kitchen and dining area floor. It was obvious he was sleepy (cranky!) so I took him out of it to give him a bottle. No sooner had I got the bottle in his mouth and Butterball climbs into the walker! He's way too big, but that didn't stop him from trying to zip across the floor, too. It was a hoot! That boy cracks me up.

Since it was way too hot in the dining area, I decided we'd hang out in DILs room, since she's got the window a/c unit there. Popped a video into the player and in less than five minutes they were both asleep!! I was about to lay down but Alien and her Hubby returned from the courthouse. Drats! So much for an air conditioned nap for Gramma.

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The big Star Trek picnic is this weekend. Lots yet to do. And like I don't have enough to do, I got suckered in (thanks to Single Son) to drive an hour in the opposite direction to pick up a member who needs a ride. Dammit! This should be interesting to say the least. I'm not overly fond of this person, but Single Son did ask me nicely(and Son is paying for the gas). I'm just hoping he keeps his mouth shut or I may have to push him out of the car on I75! I have a feeling this will be the last time I offer to assist this person at all. He's got definite opinions, and feels the need to voice them. He's good at pissing people off with his narrow mindedness. It's gotten him in trouble plenty of times. And if he thinks I'm NOT smoking while he's in my car, getting a free ride to the picnic he'll get a lesson on compromise (you want a free ride, you're gonna have to put up with it, dammit).

Okay, I know! I have said I'm considerate of non-smokers. And I usually am. But this week while trying to get directions from this person I've been asked about my driving abilities (am I a safe, legal driver ... no ... the last three passengers of my car have died of sudden massive heart attacks from the shock of sitting in my vehicle. Jerk) ... if I have adequate insurance (insurance? What's that? Geesh ... a cop drives my freaking car, what do you think?) ... and has questioned my time schedule numerous times. What happened to graciously taking what's offered you and being happy with it? So now he's just gonna have to tolerate MY smoking.

Oh, did I mention this person has NO volume control? Either that or it's stuck on HIGH.

And all the while I'll have to watch my driving (be extremely alert) so the half sheet of bakery cake that will be in my back seat does not go sliding, slipping or flying. It's got an extra hour of travel time.

You're gonna love seeing pictures of that cake! It's a Star Trek cake (what else?), complete with a little USS Enterprise cake topper. I'm going to mark the bottom of one of the cake plates and the lucky winner takes home the cake topper.

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Speaking of picnic. Never, I repeat N.E.V.E.R take Single Son with you when you shop for a function. We're expecting about 35 people ... he bought plates, utensils, cups, etc for well over a hundred people. That's fine, we can use the extras for future activities. What I'm having problems with are the fourteen cases of pop (soda) that I have to transport along with that cake!

Concert In The Park

Oh what fun we had!! I needed this!! Badly!!

The group was called "Toppermost", they're a Beatles Tribute band based locally. They were pretty durned good, and I wouldn't mind seeing them again.

I went with Alien, the boys and her husband. He was fairly well behaved. I only had to remind him once or twice that he needed to use his "out in public manners". Poor Alien, she really has three sons to raise. Two she gave birth to, the last she married.

But, you know the saying "a husband is the only child that doesn't grow up and move away".

Enjoy the slideshow. I'm calling it an early night. Lunch with the girls from college tomorrow. I need to be up early to get Single Son to work so I can have the use of my car. You know how that goes (I blog enough about it, LOL).

Concert In The Park

Hess Hathaway Park, July 14, 2011. The group is a Beatles Tribute group called "Toppermost". Pretty good band! Great time!!

Last call

Well, it's over. Done. Finished. I've had it ...

The last conversation we had was a few days ago. It's taken me this long to blog about it 'cause I was just so angry at his words. I needed to calm down.

He met Single Son at the fireworks. Seemed that the conversation went well, Single Son was personable and friendly as usual. Later, on the phone, I find out that Cap thought he was an arrogant arsehole. I asked Cap why he thought that, "his chest was all puffed out, his eyes wandered all around while we talked, and he just seemed better than anyone around." Hello? Asshole! He was ON DUTY, of course his chest looked puffed out - he was wearing a bullet proof vest. Moron. And as far as looking around, again he was on duty and had to keep an eye on the crowds, that is his JOB! And better than anyone else? You put on a police uniform to protect the public and see how if you don't have the right attitude it can get you killed.

But that's not the part that really pissed me off.

I was talking to him on the house phone. My cell phone rang. It was Alien. I told him I had to go, that she was on the phone. "Why would you want to hang up with me to talk to that slut". Excuse me? Who's the arrogant asshole now? I hung up on him. Haven't talked to him since!

Who the *##!$ does he think he is? Judge MY daughter ... judge anyone for that matter. Okay she's young and has made a few mistakes, but to call her that! The nerve!!

He did leave a half dozen messages on my yahoo messenger later that night, the last being ... "so you want to play hide/seekwell it takes 2 to play that game" (is it me or does that just sound angry?)

My response ... "I'm not playing hide and seek, or any other game. But the more I get to know you the more I realize that, while I'm sure you're probably a nice guy, you and I don't have a future together. I wish you well and hope you find what it is you're looking for."

I thought that was a nice way to tell him goodbye. Nope. Jerk hasn't gotten the message that it's over ... or ... he understands but won't let this go so easily. He's called twice since. But I'm not answering when I see it's him. He's left messages "Hi. This is Cap. Would you like to go out to dinner tonight. Call back" The other message was about the concert in the park. What isn't he understanding here?

Next time he calls, I pick it up. I am prepared to get rude with him to make sure he understands. Don't call. Don't email. Don't contact. Remove my contact information from your devices, remove ME from your memory.

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More blog later. Alien, the boys, her hubby and I are going to a concert in the park shortly (different park, different city!) ... there's a Beatles Tribute band that Alien and I absolutely LOVE that is performing tonight ... "SHOUT" is their name!! I'm geeked. Can't wait!

The Incredible Vanishing Wrecking Crew

Yes, you read that right. Vanishing. As in I haven't seen the Wrecking Crew but for a few minutes since they got back from North Carolina.

And I'm complaining? YES!

The five or ten minutes I did see DIL on Friday evening we talked about a few things. The first being to return the charge cards that Single Son had loaned to her for the trip (before she decided to go on a shopping spree - he didn't get the cards back until yesterday!!) ... and the second being that on Monday (today!) we tackle her crap that's littered all over my living room!

Then there's all the toys that Grandson abandoned on my kitchen table. I really can't be angry with him, look what he's got for a roll model. I try to get him to clean up and he's not bad about it (threatening to pack away the lay-about toys as I'm holding a cardboard box helps sooooo much) ... but with his mother not having any "clean up" rules, it makes my job twice as hard.

I won't even get into that she borrowed Exie-poo's wife's car for the trip. Instructions were it was only to be driven to North Carolina and back. Then returned to them. Well, they were out of town (their mistake) and DIL took total advantage of that by using her step-MILs car for the entire weekend. Not my problem, but it reinforces the fact that DIL takes advantage of every kindness offered her. She'll never possess my car keys!! Oh, and she didn't pay for a drop of gas, Single Son did!! He gave her his Mobil Speedpass (gasoline charge card, for my overseas friends) AND another charge card.

Oh, ya ... she was a total no show today. According to her facebook status she's got a "killer headache" ... but obviously not bad enough to keep her from sitting in front of her computer all day long. Or doing art projects with Grandson.

I bet you're wondering, well if she's home, why is she a "no show" ... she and Grandson have pretty much moved back into her parents home. Only, their crap is here. Daddy won't let her bring more than a suitcase worth of stuff over to his house. So, I get to deal with it.

They have a storage unit. They've had it for the entire time they've lived here. Why the *@&$ aren't they using it? Why has this crap been cluttering up MY home all this time? And why didn't I know about the storage unit until just a few days ago?

So ... I told DIL that it's all got to go to storage. Makes sense right?

Only ... her priorities are soooo screwed up. I'm sure she's thinking "Hey, he's on the road, I won't stay at his mother's house. I'll camp out at my folks house and forget about everything that I need to do at MILs house".

I've left messages for her that it's to be out by the weekend (no response), and that her next day off she's to report for cleaning duty or I will deal with it. And she's not going to like the way I deal with it.

Kitty Purry is still here, too. DILs solution was to lock her in their bedroom. She didn't check the food or water bowls before she left. Lucky for Kitty I'm a kind-hearted person and free her of her prison during the day, feed her, and give her the loving she needs.

But she's kinda off the hook for Kitty Purry for now. But that's only because I'm trying to get a hold of Brother Deere. So is Mom ... Brother Deere is very hard to get a hold of!! See if he wants to adopt her. Mom seems to think he will, he's been pet-less for over a year now. It's time for him to "commit" again.

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Aren't you glad that 2/3 of the Wrecking Crew is back?