Bowling for truckers

Jellyhead's recent post made me reflect on my own life. I think that I am basically a happy person. Like everyone else I have a bad mood once in a while, I get sad too, sometimes. I think you have to fight bad moods and keep the little conversation in your head positive. Some people are miserable all the time. You've seen them, they are everywhere, in the line at the grocery store, or yelling at some poor waitress in a restaurant. What must be the conversation in their heads? Are they saying "F&%# YOU" to the whole world? What makes them not care about how they are perceived? Maybe they are just being honest about their feelings. Several months ago, a local television weatherman committed suicide. We only knew the part of him that we saw on air, but friends say that he was a friendly guy who always seemed happy. You hardly never hear of someone described as a "miserable bastard" committing suicide. Maybe these cranky types have the right idea. It is the happy people who are keeping their sad thoughts buried until, in some cases, they explode. Today in the news, there is a report about someone who dropped a bowing ball on speeding semi truck. The truck driver survived, he is not mad but instead feels sorry to the person who was angry enough to do this to him. Human behavior fascinates me.

Life is good

Yesterday I went to lunch with my best friend. We have not seen each other in several months, but having known each other for twenty plus years, we can always pick up right where we left off. We have the same sense of humor and whenever I am with her, I wonder why we don't spend more time together. I retired early, still having kids at home, so I am busier than I expected to be at this time of my life. I am thankful that my health has been good lately and that I can get out and exercise "a little". My excuse is that it is "so hot" outside. Sometimes I go to the mall to get my walking in for the day. I just refuse to worry about my chores anymore. My house sometimes looks like a bomb hit it. Once in a while I do some "speed cleaning", but for the most part I try to keep the bathrooms & kitchen clean and let the rest go. Of course I always keep up with the laundry - still fascinated with my new "high efficiency" washer & dryer! Refresh your attitude - take some time for yourself this weekend -have lunch with your best friend - it worked for me!

Changes

Well, the boys are getting ready to go back to school on August 20th. In Florida we go back earlier than the rest of the country, but we are trying to fix that. In previous years school started the first week in August instead of September like the rest of America. Parents, irritated to sometimes have to cut their family vacation short, have protested and tried to get the date pushed forward. So far, we have only gotten it two weeks closer. Preston graduates this year, and Matthew is the year behind him, so it probably will not affect my boys. What a difference a year makes in the life of a kid. Last year both boys were at band camp. This year our band director was "re-assigned" (to put it nicely) and the new director is not the greatest teacher. Both boys decided not to participate in marching band. So many kids have quit that there may not even be a marching band this year. They will both still have music classes during school. I should be glad not the have to pull the trailer to competitions and be at football games every Friday night, but as many of you know, I am not big on any kind of change. Raising teenagers involves a constant state of change. Preston has been driving for a year now, and Matt gets his license on August 31st. They both have part-time jobs. They would rather be off with their friends than home with their moms. We used to have dinner ever night, but now it is almost impossible to get us all together. Lately, I don't even cook dinner, opting to go out or just open up a can of soup! For the last couple of years my job has been defined as "stay at home mom". I know the boys will be home for a few more years, but I am sad to see it starting to come to the end. It seems that our time together has been so short!

"STEPHANIE IS A HORE"

. . .is what it said on the bathroom wall in large letters. First thing this morning I was in the grocery store and I saw this scrawled on the wall. I hate to go to the bathroom when I am out but sometimes nature calls! It is bad enough that this person (maybe it was "Stephanie") was vandalizing the wall, but she must have skipped school to do it, or at least missed English class.

My dog Ransome continues to be a pain in my ass by tearing off his bandage. It is difficult to keep a bandage on the side of his face; just when it begins to heal he scratches it and tears it open again. Yes, I have tried an elizabethan collar, but he gets "stuck" and won't move; he will stand in the corner and not move or eat or drink with it on. I feel sorry for him. Today he got the bandage off twice. I couldn't find it the first time, and I figured he must have lost it somewhere in the yard. The second time he pulled the fresh bandage off I caught him EATING IT! (now I know where the first one went- how disgusting!) My next step, if I can't get this wound to heal, is to take him to the vet and have them put him in a head cast!!! (just kidding)

It is raining all the time here. I got caught in the rain the other morning when I was out on my bike. Oh, by the way, if you see someone you know riding their bike (or horse) beside the roadway - please DON'T honk at them!