WEEKLY UPDATE

Again, I will begin with the 'BRAT'. He does bring a lot of activity into our lives. It is like having a toddler around. He has SO much energy and is into everything. This morning, while watching the Sunday Show, Mike decided to grab a bowl of Cheerio's. I couldn't believe that Ying-Yang wanted some too! I thought that it was the milk that he wanted, but he pulled 3-4 out of Mike's bowl and chewed them up. Does anyone out there know if a cat should or should not eat Cheerio's. They are good for people, but what about cats????? I don't think that Ying-Yang thinks he is a cat! He's a 'BRAT'!

So next topic is Valentine's Day! Hope everyone had a nice day, weather wise and sweetheart wise. I did. Got a few gifts and low and behold, roses, was one of them. It appears that Ying-Yang was jealous about that. Everywhere I put them, he was right on them. He liked the smell and the taste! This, I know is not good for him, so we won't do flowers again. He chewed a lot of the petals off,
while we were asleep. He hasn't appeared to be sick in any way shape or form, but maybe that is why he needed the Cheerios this morning. To get the crappy taste of roses out of his mouth, or to push them thru his system. He is such a handful!!!

So, I got to go get my hair done, for Valentine's Day and when I got there, I told them that I wanted a loose body curl and under NO circumstances did I want to look like a poodle! Please use the largest rod you have. Well, once you are in the chair, you are at their mercy. Low and behold, I look like a poodle! (Take notice - NO picture for this one!) Yes, it is that bad! Don't even want to go to work tomorrow. Mike is at the grocery store looking for Shampoo and Conditioner to smooth the frizz and make the curls look like a spiral or something! It is terrible!!! Maybe I will have to get a short hair cut to fix it, but will try the shampoo for now. Maybe in a week or so, it will relax. That was a lot of money for nothing. Oh well, live and learn.

Michael picked me out a red ruby ring, in the shape of a heart with small diamonds (CZ) on either side. Stores carry rings in size 7 and I am a 5 1/2 so it had to be sent out to be sized. It was very pretty and I can't wait to show you guys. It is 10 K gold and the stones are man made, so it was cheaper than a real ruby. It is still pretty and won't turn my finger green, so I am happy.

We went to Applebee's at 4 pm which was the perfect time to go. No one was going out yet and there were very few people there. I had Fish and Chips and he had Shrimp. We hadn't been out to eat in a VERY long time and we used to do that at least once a week. Things are different now. I was in heaven, that he thought of these simple things to do. Dinner came to $35 and again, we felt good about that price! Then we went to WalMart to do our weekly shopping and that is where we got the flowers. $15 Not bad for a dozen! And can you believe that Valentine's Day landed on a Saturday this year!!! (Wink, wink, wink) Needless to say, we had a romantic evening, complete with the hot oil massage on the bear rug in front of the fireplace and I didn't have to get up at 4:30 am to go to work this morning!!! Life is good!

Now, to bring everyone up to date on the boys:

Jimmy is doing OK. Yesterday was nice, so he went for a bike ride to a friend's and spent the night. I was happy that he got to get out of the house, without his parent's. Gotta be hard on him too. He is 23 and living with Mom and Dad and following the rules. He has not found a job yet, but spring is coming! There was ONLY one job for Freeport in the Times Record on the Friday edition! It had been filled! Mike and I had a discussion over dinner about he AND Jimmy, going to get their GED together, so that by the time Spring and Summer gets here, they will both be ready to find jobs. Everyone asks for a GED these days and all the shoe shops are a thing of the past, so I think that this is a GREAT idea. They can help each other through it and get 'er done!!!

John, is still a GREAT Daddy and still cooking at Gritty's! His hours have been cut down from 40 + to 20-25 a week. That is hurting his budget and stressing him out a bit. He has a room-mate, Brandon, whom we have all known since the boys were small. Brandon works at Gritty's also. John needs to work on getting his license and then he won't be stuck in the Freeport area in the winter for work. His goal is to get a license and then work at the ski resorts in the winter as a cook. Plus he loves to snowboard!! Perfect. First step is the license. He tried to work things out with Katie and I guess that failed. I am sad, but they can't stay together, if it isn't going to work out, for me or anyone else. Katie does make a point to stay in touch with us and her and John come with Trent on holidays, so that is nice. Not most girls will do that!!!

Well, now on to Wendell! I do love him dearly, but he is continuing to make poor decisions as his priorities are not where I think they should be. What do I know? He called me on Thursday, while I was driving home from my Rockland trip. He told me that he had proposed to Heather and that they were getting married this summer. Then he told me that he was moving on Friday the 20th and that Heather is pregnant and due in Sept-Oct (they figure). She hasn't been to the doctor's yet. I paused for a few seconds trying to absorb ALL this and then I chuckled. He said "What, Mom?" I said, after the wedding, are you gonna hitch-hike down the highway with you in your tux and Heather in her dress and cans rattling out from behind the train? He said, 'don't be so negative'. So I didn't go any further with how I was feeling. I can't speak my mind with him anymore, because I have learned, when I do, I lose all contact with him. It seems like the more I say, the further away he gets. We haven't seen him since right after Christmas last year! He is still my son and I do love him. 'Nough about that!

This picture was taken on Thanksgiving Day and this is the first time that we had met Heather! Oh Well; you raise your children and have to let them make their own mistakes, even if it is over and over again.

So, on to other topics. Jackie and Rhonda have had their hands full lately.

Rhonda had backed off from doing Randy, because he is just too large of a man and it is ruining her body to do everything that is required to take care of a quadriplegic. She got another client, right at Cooks Corner and things were good. Then this lady went into the hospital and died on pneumonia (or something) and suddenly, Rhonda has no job! She is now back helping Randy in Freeport until she can find something else. Rhonda still has severe Scoliosis and she has a back issue all the time. Rhonda's middle son, Jay just got married and is out to sea on a submarine. His wife is living in the area, so they can keep touch with him together!

Jackie has had her own issues with work. In this economy, the first expense to go is the cleaning lady. Even the business' that she works for are cutting that out of their budget. As of March 1st, Planned Parenthood, will terminate her due to the State Budget cuts.

This is Melody, Jackie's oldest daughter. She is now pregnant and due in August! Jackie's first grandchild!!! How exciting! This picture was taken BEFORE she knew she was pregnant. Last summer, I think.

To the right is a picture of Nancy-Jean, taken at the same time that Mel's was. Nancy is in MidCoast Hospital with a ruptured disk in her back. She is on a Morphine pump and is having surgery, tomorrow morning! She isn't in the best of health, so the sisters are worried about her. Hopefully, everything will turn out fine!

So, I need some advise from the people in the family that travel for their jobs (Pam and Brian). I am going on a week long training and seminar in Portsmouth NH and we have to stay the whole time. Any tips on what to take and what not to forget and such. I'm a newbie at this. We have been making day trips, but not for a week or longer. Just don't want to forget things that I use everyday and take crap I won't need. I think it will be interesting, hopefully not boring! This will be a new one for Mike and I. We have never been apart, except while he was in surgery on his hand and I came home to take care of Austen. That was the only time, I can think of. I'm a big girl, I'll make it. Don't know about him, though. Ha ha ha LOL

I write little sayings and quotes on my schedule's and duty sheets, so my people are inspired during the day. Like; 'Alone, we can do so little - Together we can accomplish SO much more.' OR 'Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence.' Lombardi I am in need of some new material to help motivate and keep my people positive. Suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Well, I have bored you all long enough and probably won't write again for awhile. May good weather, good health and good times, get you all through this long long winter. Bye-Bye!