And so September ends...

September ended today and it was almost like it roared out like March's lion. Late in the day some thunder and sprinkles, but no real rain.

Our biggest news from this week is that we are now part of the Empire Carpets empire in the form of new flooring for our kitchen-dining room-front entry. It is a beautiful fake hardwood that matches our kitchen cabinets. Oh, if only the rest of our house looked at good. We even got a Empire Carpet guy bobblehead.

Bob has been home and working around here, but has now disappeared into the abyss that is Council Bluffs, Nebraska...the site that they make him go to, never have what they are supposed to, and never let him come home from. (All those ending preps are for literary style) Good luck, Bob. Keep making that overtime!

School trudges along. Student are over being nice for the first of the year and moved on into let's see how far we can go. Not far...

Rachel is still working a lot. She is thrilled with her newer vehicle.

Drew is still flying. (That's in an airplane folks.) He seems to enjoy this major and if he can force himself to get through Economics he'll be fine. He needs to go to work more often!

Haven't spoken with Ryan and Michael this week. Toni, Bob's mom is now home from the hospital.

Veronica is well. We went to a fitness fun night on Friday. Yeah, I was there. I even participated in a race involving corn cobs. Running not so much. She continues to have really funny phone manners. Today we answered separate phones at the same time. She talked away to Bob and then told him, "Please hold." I told her I was on the other phone and she could hang up now, but she told me, "That's okay Grandma, I want to hear what say to each other."

Cash is still big. He can get around in his walker now. He is also drooling and teething like a mad man. He really like tiny sugar free tootsie pops. His favorite word is, "Goo" and his favorite person is still...NOT me. One night this week he cried every time he looked at me. Of course when Bob walked in the room, Cash smiled.

Today, Veronica, Cash, and I went to see Aunt Bebby (my sister Bev), to Wal-Mart, and to the lake to feed the geese. It was fun. However, the air conditioner in the Minivan of Love is broken. I refused to get it fixed because it cost too much and I might just sell the thing in the spring. This is a really hot fall.

Later Rachel, the kids, and Drew all came for dinner. We try to do that every Sunday night. Sometimes I think it is the only time Drew eats. Veronica tries so hard to have dinner communication. V.- "So, Drew how is the flying?" When Drew was lamenting that a number of his friends graduated last year, she told him, "It's okay Drew, I'm your friend."

I must go now. Sometimes my hair needs a little chemical touch-up. If I don't go rinse I could end up with purple or pink hair. Oh wait, I've already done that!

If you see Rach, ask her what sign of her own aging she found recently.

September 22 Smooth Sailing

Good weather to you all! We have been having beautiful weather this week. I hate to go to work.

Bob has been home this week, but has been going to the city to help his parents. His mom fell and really smashed her face. It looked horrible. Fortunately nothing was broken, but she is still in the hospital while they work with her on some balance things. Bob and Herman put up some additional railings throughout their house. We are going up to visit today.

I am still teaching. I am thinking it is going to be a long year. Kids are really sweet, but they have a way to go to be mature enough for 8th grade. Hope that happens soon. Finally got the bills paid for the remodeling (checks sent, still paying on debt) and that was nice to be done with. Now, round two.

We spoke to Mike and Ryan last Sunday and they both are doing well. We also received some paperwork about Ryan's classes and it seems to be good. However, they put him in a class about choir instead of an actual choir and we are checking to see if that could change at semester.

Rachel has been working away and trying to earn money. She is very busy.

Rachel reports from the doctor that Cash weighs above 16 pounds, is 26" plus. Not bad for a four month old. He is already scooting around and has figured out how to get around in his walker. He can't control where he is going, but he is going. He has found his tongue. One thing he still is not very good at is controlling his hands to grab things. His hands are just so big that they go their own way, but he is getting better at it. He loves to eat apple sauce, but as we learned carrots are not his thing. Boy, that boy has a temper!

Veronica is just loving first grade. We played school this week and she was the teacher. She is incredibly skilled in mimicking her teacher. I learned a lot about her class. I don't know who Tamika and Thomas are, but they need to behave. She also assured me the although the bad kids need to sit next to the teacher, she is just there because the teacher ran out of room. Veronica saw the pattern and asked.

Drew is also very busy at school. Hardly has time for his old folks here. He started night flights in his flying classes.

Tonight we are having a family dinner and decorating for fall. Veronica and I are planning a weinie roast for next week. We have a fire pit thing. I call it a chalupa, but I am wrong.

Now off for a stop at I-Hop. Have you tried the stuffed French toast? To die for and no calories.

Let me have the dream!

Fair Weather Indeed!

Week of September 10 - 16.

Big, busy week. I taught the heck out of things this week. Bob was out of town again. I was alone and it ain't all bad!

It was fair weekend. Veronica was in the Wee Queen contest, didn't win, but had a good time. I announced at the grandstand and it was rough at times due to technical difficulties. Cash got third in the baby show out of three babies, but he was just happy to chew on his trophy. Veronica was in the parade with soccer team. Friday, we took the grandkids to the fair and had a great time. Bob and I may be getting older and fatter, because one of the most exciting parts for us was the food. Sad, huh?

We bought Bob a bicycle. He now has the "Red Rocket" to match my own, "Blue Thunder." We are a pair. Quite a vision as you can imagine!

Here are few shots of the fair, not the bikes!

Happy Birthday to my sister-in-law Debbie, my former mother-in-law Jane, and to Dad wherever you are!

9-11-07

We begin with a moment of respect for those who died on 9-11.

9-11 was also the last day I remember anything before my "Near Death Illness." Seeing the first airplane hit the tower was literally the last thing I remember until the end of November.

It has been six years. And I am still alive. I still have balance and short term memory difficulties and I still don't do exceptionally well with stairs, but all in all pretty good for where I started. Of course I have managed to get my stunning pre-illness figure back.

I have more free time with all of the children out of the house and that has taken some getting used to. I don't have to do laundry all day on Sunday. In fact, I have to scramble to make full loads. I can cook or not cook. This is not an exaggeration...the carry-out boys and men at the grocery store have been concerned that I am not buying enough groceries. They are offering to carry out nearly empty sacks just so we can get our visits in. I also have more free time. I rode my bike, Blue Thunder, this evening.

This week Bob is gone on a trip. He is supposed to be back Thursday.

This coming weekend is also Fair weekend. We had the baby show and wee queen judging last weekend. We know that Cash is going to win something, because there were only three babies in the contest. Even if Veronica doesn't, she had a great time visiting with her friends at the tea.

I am the grandstand announcer for a couple of contests. Last year the board I was standing on was iffy and I kept waiting to fall through during the show. Hoping for solid ground this year!

Rachel is Rachel.

Drew is rolling on at college. He had the flu, but is better now.

Ryan and Michael have started school.

Cat and fish aren't dead. Neither are these huge jumping spiders that are trying to sneak in the house. You would be amazed to see how high I jump!

Really sad news for one of my students. Her cousins were found murdered by their father. They had been missing for three years. We are doing the Lindbergh Baby Kidnapping story in class. I feel bad, because it close to the same story.

Finally, one of the things they don't tell you in teaching school is that you will feel compelled to teach life lessons to all. One of my students made the mistake of smoking in my yard this morning. Apparently he didn't believe me when I said I would come outside wearing my nightgown and robe to yell.

He believes me now!

Have great days.

Huge Break!

Many things have changed since I last wrote. The house has been remodeled. Mike has visited. Ryan decided to live in CT. Drew moved to his own apartment in Warrensburg. Rach is assistant manager at Sonic. Veronica is a first grader. Cash is HUGE. Unfortunately, so am I. This is my 22nd year as a teacher. Bob is ....Bob.

Here are some of the pictures of our summer.

This is Veronica and Cash today. I got good genes!

July 22 Renovations Continue

We have ended another week and we are all still moving around. Barely, it seems. With renovations, a pre-dawn trip to the airport, a trip to the doctor, daily baby sitting of a collicky two month old, and making a complete meal for my recently deceased superintendent's family, it has been completely stressful.

Bob has been on "vacation". I have been working him really hard with all of the renovations. He told me that he is taking a week off next year and going somewhere alone. He needs to. He probably is going to back to work this week.

Even though we have hired professionals, we have been going through the house doing numerous things as we have a HUGE dumpster available. Every room is a disaster. I tore up all the flower beds as we are getting new concrete.

A word about the builders. I am really pleased with their efforts. Siding is on. We are getting a new covered back porch and patio and a new front sidewalk. Paint is being done. I had a small melt-down at Lowes, but I got my way and only had use my personality get my way. No fists, curse words, or shoving involved.

Rach is working through the management training. Seems to like it.

Veronica is good. She is staying some with her dad this week. Cash is sweet but seems unhappy. He is colicky and frankly I am too old for that. He has been to the doctor. Hopefully, things will be better. He starts his new babysitter this week.

Drew has continued to finish up his flight class. He is looking for an apartment in Warrensburg. Somewhat his idea...somewhat my idea.

I have been to the doctor and am as well as I can be. I have been doing too much and have been failing a little in various ways. Going to work on that a little.

Have a great week!

July 15

More time has passed with many, many, many activities.

Bob finally returned from Nebraska and began his "vacation". We have been so busy I don't believe the resting part of vacation has come into play.

Nothing big for the 4th. It rained and we were duds.

The 5th, 6th, and 7th was the trip to St. Louis for me, Rach, Veronica, and Cash. We went to the Science Center, Zoo, and City Museum. Veronica enjoyed many things including petting sharks. Cash was well-behaved for the most part. Actually getting into the hotel proved to be quite a challenge for all of us. Babies and Rachel do NOT travel light. Still, a good time was had.

Bob hid at home. Then we were a little surprised that Dave, Dolores, (Bob's former in-laws) and Mike came from CT on Saturday evening rather than Sunday, but only because we hadn't done much cleaning. We are still in the middle of remodeling and didn't have a working kitchen. We had a nice visit and Dave and Dolores took off for Texas in their really nice camper.

As to remodeling...I think they will be finishing up some things this week. We are getting siding and new paint outside and things are looking really good.

Mike has been visiting. He and Ryan have been having a good time together. They have played many video games. Last Monday they went up to see Herman and Toni. They have been to the pool and Bob took them to the movies. They both leave Tuesday, the 17th for CT.

Ryan has gotten his Driver's Permit! Be afraid, be very afraid.

Today, the 15th Bob, me, Ryan, Mike, Drew, Veronica, and Cash went to see Toni and Herman. Ellen came with Cameron and Logan. Toni just returned from the hospital for some testing. I think they have finally found something that will help with the pain in her back.

Rachel is now a manager at Sonic and doing on-line classes. She has given up sleeping and Cash continues to love her the BEST. He loves Poppie Bob a lot too.

Veronica is still full of energy. She saw a magician this week and has been trying to figure out how to make Cash disappear. She promises to bring him back. She is just thrilled because Herman and Toni gave her their swing set for her house.

I went to my writing group. The good news is that they like my first two lines. The bad news is that they didn't like the third. Darn!

This past Friday was some sad news for our school district. Our superintendent passed away. It was quite shocking as he appeared to be in good health and was only 50. His wife works in my building and I will be thinking of her.

As always, a busy week ahead. Hopefully, I will get some things done.

The cat still hates us. Now I have an ugly fish named Jack. He likes me...when I feed him.