You're Not The Boss of Me Now.......

Never ask what else can go wrong.....because LOTS can go wrong...in a very short period of time.
This week has been crazy for me. We still had work going on in 3 rooms of the house due to the water leak, thankfully we have the best contractor EVER! Then I had to do even more school supply shopping- yes- after the $100 I'd already spent. More highlighters- more erasers -more specific pencils- more paper -more jump drives....Geesh! More more more .... one teacher requested a bag of candy???? I refuse to by candy- won't do it, can't make me!
Add to this, Riley's flip flops (addidas not cheapos) broke - you can't "fix" flip flops, my cell phone broke- the keypad is failing- Scott's car is still not fixed - and the worst thing our 10 yr old yellow lab Maddie is pooping out on us.

A little background on Maddie. Despite using flea and tick preventive, Maddie got Lyme's Diseases 3 years ago. She went into cardiac failure, then into kidney failure. We (our Vet) tried for 3 weeks, everything we could to get her well, what she needed to live was a kidney transplant.

My vet finally said "Take her home and let her die with your family in peace and where she is comfortable and loved". So we brought her home. She was skin and bones 44 pounds , down from 80. She couldn't stand, eat, ect... so we put her on the sofa in the basement and watched her lie there for days. All the while I gave her water with a syringe, and a paste with calories in it. Amazingly, the day before we decided to let the vet help her along to doggie heaven - she perked up. And improved  S L O W L Y  over the next few months.
That was 3 years ago, and up until now, she has been like a 3 yr old dog! Her kidney values say she should be dead, our vet has her at #1 on his list of dogs that should be dead that aren't. The past few days she has been weak, vomiting her dog food, listless, losing weight, just all around looks like crud. The classic signs that the kidneys are getting worse.
Here she is as a puppy, then when she was sick, skeletal actually, next she is on my loveseat - which she should not be, and then in the snow this winter.

Riley went to bed the night before school started crying... which made me cry. Denton, who loves Maddie too, asked about her as soon as she got up that morning and as soon as she got home from school. I'm torn on whether to treat her symptoms more aggressively by taking her to the vet or managing her at home. There's really nothing the vet can do but prolong her with fluids. And she is still drinking water and eating a little shaved turkey. I think she's been a miracle so far and I'll let her gracefully live for as long as she can, by doing it herself. When she's ready to let go, I'll let her, with dignity. And then I will fall apart - love love love that dog

Next I will whine about being Scott's personal shuttle to work and home for the past 2 weeks. His car's AC went out weeks ago and to save a little money he took it to a place run by Serbian brothers (I will not tell you the name because I fear they will come after my family if I complain about them too much) they were recommended by one of Scott's residents whom I need to have a conversation with I believe...

The place is shady to say the least and after "fixing" the AC now the steering pump and a bunch of other junk is now wrong??? I dare ask "will the car ever be right again?" It's an old Audi A6 that Scott LOVES! But repairing the well loved car is EXPENSIVE! I complain alot about this car. At this point  I just want Scott to get the car home so we can take it someplace else - but every time we call, the car is "in pieces" holy car parts Batman, this is not looking good....

So, I take him to work and I pick him up.... did I mention my truck gets like 14 mpg on a good day and not in traffic? Also, the UVa students think they are all bulletproof and I magically will not hit them even though they dart into the street like squirrels....

The cell phone. I have had this phone for 1.5 yrs - it's a palm centro and I really like it. But it doesn't like my lifestyle. I shove it in my pocket when I ride, I shove it in my pocket when I run, it bounces around in the golf cart as well. There are no real protective cases for it that are conducive to being outside and banging into things. Plus my kids text on it all the flipping time. I use it for web browsing, email, ect... I am a master at hip dialing people! If you get a call from me, well, listen up, you may hear me signing (in which case I'd hang up it's not worth the pain) or talking to myself or the horse or Oliver (you may hear swearing or it could be entertaining).

So today I get my new phone- a Blackberry - I'm sceered of the learning curve but I'm willing to try it out. Denton is BESIDE herself for some reason? I just learned all the dang buttons on the palm!


MY last words here are that maybe all this happened  in order for me not to freak out so bad about my kids going back to school. I had such a wonderful Summer with them this year. Denton playing golf and Riley with the horse. Things were busy but they flowed nicely.

Denton has become a young woman, who is a huge hormonal pain in the butt at times , but also sweet and caring. And I like where we are as mom and daughter right now. So I'll relish it and hope it lasts or gets even better. I just can not believe my little Peapie is in 9th grade. I have 4 years left with her here.

Riley looks to little to go to 6th grade. My friend Pascale saw her daughter & Riley walking this morning to school and said they look so grown up yet still so little. Riley came home yesterday beaming and saying how much she loved middle school. She's my rule follower and she sat down and did everything that each teacher asked. She organized her whole school schedule last night.

This being said, it was so weird not having them home til 4:30 pm. I'm use to Riley being home around 2:30 or so. But middle and high school starts late in our county and gets out late as well.
By 2 pm I was bored and folding laundry did not seem appealing... I think I need to get a life ....

At least today I will get to spend an inordinate amount of time trying to figure out how to answer in coming calls on my new cell phone - right?

WHAT - Summer is over- where the heck have I been?

Holy cats! Where did the Summer go? I think I put 5000 miles on my truck since June. Denton to and from golf, and different golf courses, Riley to the barn (on days cool enough and even on not cool enough days). We spent time with family, friends, rode horses, went camping, boating, floating and relaxed on occasion.

I find myself writing this today (and quickly, I have to pick Denton up from - the golf course again) because I can't believe my girls are growing up so dang fast. Seriously, time flies doesn't even begin to cover how my life is blowing by. I want it to stop and NOW! I'm sitting here all teary thinking about my first born baby going to high school. Or maybe I'm thinking of how awful I was in high school? Either way it's a gut turning sensation that makes me take a large gulp of bourbon, or at least I would, but I can't because I have to drive to get Denton. Maybe after?

And then Riley starts Middle School. My little monkey in 6th grade? No freakin way! I should homeschool that kid... that way she'd just be here with me all day. We could ride horses, do a little Algebra, some reading... no worries.

I really need to face this, I think next Wednesday I'll likely sit and cry after they leave. I do it every year. Maybe this year I'll go for a nice long run in my new monkey shoes or the Vibram FiveFinger shoes as they are properly named. Or maybe I'll get a friend to horseback ride with me? I will have access to the horse now that Riley can only go AFTER school. There, see, a ray of light in my dreary outlook.

When we did Denton's orientation last night I was a little freaked out (I don't do well in places where there are LOTS of people just milling around and running into you) This high school is HUGE! Over 1800 kids. We found and met her classrooms and teachers - all nice and we came home to celebrate Scott's 45th year of being on earth .... and he still asks where his socks are, where the peanut butter might be and do we have any towels that are clean. hehe! Riley Denton & I made an ice cream cake this year. It wasnt too "perty" but it sure was yummy!

In the midst of all this running around, golf, shopping for clothes for school, school supplies, birthday stuff - we had a water leak in the basement which came from the kitchen. It was caused by the renovation we had 3 yrs ago- the granite bar was installed and somehow one little piece of wood that supports the end , had a screw put through it right in the middle of a water pipe...

The good news is our contractor came back to fix it (he subcontracted the granite so it wasn't him that did this) and he's been back and forth patching up many holes in my drywall. More on this whole freaking ordeal later people.

Well, I'm off to pick up Denton and Scott from the golf course - Scott's stupid car is STILL not right - I'd say more on this later too but the words I'd choose may permanently scar those with tender and not so tender ears...

Double Double ... Toil and Trouble....

Well, it has been many weeks since my last blog : I feel like a Catholic confessing my sins. Seriously, I have just been too busy and too sad to write.

Anyone that writes knows you have to be in a frame of mind to make it work, right? No? Well, maybe I'm just weird.

Here's my recap, we went to Clayton NY to spend the week on a 36 foot yacht (my inlaws boat) I get seasick pretty easy so this was not looking fun to me. Thankfully, I was a little queasy for 10 hrs or so and then POOF it was gone. Well, it was either gone or I stayed fairly well lit with Firefly Vodka and Corona light. Either way I did not puke. Bonus for all aboard because apparently those potties on board are for looks and peeing only - no vomit or "other stuff"...

The boat was a great adventure for us. I've never stayed on a boat like that - 1 whole week. I do not however like that potty deal on the boat. It's like an airplane or something...

we went over to my sister and brother in laws cottage, met my niece Chloe for the first time, hung around with friends we hadn't seen in a very long time and all the kids got along like they have known each other forever. My father in law is quite the boat captain. He got us in and out of  Kingston Canada, several dockings in high winds and rough water. He also cruised us around for hours just enjoying being out on the water.

We had a truly wonderful time! My pics will be on FB soon, I'll provide a link when I get them loaded. I took over 600 pics and I need to "weed" them out. We did too much stuff to mention but the pics are pretty good at telling the story I think - soon- I swear!

We got home on a Sunday night and by Tuesday my world was wrecked. My best friend ever Lee's mother died. I probably spent as much time with her family over the years as I have with mine. I packed up and went to SC on Wednesday afternoon. After saying goodbye to Edna on Thursday (and toasting Edna all day in the pool house with the cool people) I drove to Hot Springs Va on Friday. Scott had a conference at The Homestead and I try hard not to miss that place. Plus, Riley and Denton would have been "on the loose" if I'd stayed in Camden. Not a good scene.

So now I am back to Cville. Trying to wash clothes and put everything back where it belongs. My punks start school on the 25th. Denton still is being driven from golf course A to golf course B every day for this and that.
I guess I'm thankful for the hot weather making it difficult to ride the horse.

Since being home I calculated how many miles I'd driven in a 14 day period. It was well over 2000.... add being tired and very sad (I cried all the way to SC and part of the way to VA - depending on the song on the radio) I just need a break. To make my week even better I had made an appt for the awful dog to be spayed. She is 18 months now and wild as a new spring hare. She jumped OVER the vets exam table- impressive.

So, at 7:30 am on Tuesday I put awful dog in the car and drive to vet office, unload dog and see that she started her fall heat - GOOD LORD! I drive back home with awful dog and promptly put her in her crate. The next 3 weeks shall be joyful monitoring this animal. In the crate, out of the crate to pee and eat  than right back in. She can't even run with me! (she shall not be spreading her girly lust throughout the neighborhood) We have an appointment on Aug 31.

In between all this travel stuff Denton tried out for the high school golf team. She did not make it. Which is fine actually, she was asked to practice with them just not compete. Can you say free greens fees!!!! A freshman rarely makes that team but she wanted to try and just have the experience. I'm quite proud of her, I was more nervous than she was. There is only one other girl on the team BTW. All guys and one girl.... just so all you mommies out there know - golf is a SAFE sport. It is not, however, a cheap sport. It's more expensive than the horse stuff. I assure you. Bucket of balls for driving range $6, greens fees $29 and they should play 9 holes 4-5 days a week... plus clubs, tees, glove, balls, on and on.....and that's at the "cheap" place!


Riley has decided to baby sit these days. She wants to make fliers, ect... and take a baby sitting course. The basic one is $55 the advanced one is $155. I'm thinking we'll start with the cheapo! She had her first official job today and made $30 for 3 hours ... I may start babysitting... wait, maybe not. That would likely lead to jail time...

That being said I am ready freddy for school to START! Usually I'm not but it has been HOT as 3 hells this summer (I love that saying thanks Lee) and I'm tired of driving 2 people all over Charlottesville in different directions every flippin day. So bring on Aug 25th! Riley walks to middle school, Denton rides the bus!

I am now going to make dinner (early isn't it!!!) well,  you see,  I have this diabolical plan to meet my friend Mary Ann for booze and food and I can only do this if the punks are fed and the money maker is not on KP duty :-) I am SO smart, I know.

Karen