Thronateeska Day Camp started today. I went over to make sure she was okay. J has been having health probs, and she is still iffy. When I got there, MC was not happy. No one was helping. So I jumped in and got J and the moms moving. Wheelie Bugs were a success. They left for pool and sports shortly after 1pm. I was alone more or less until they got back after 4pm. A brief ending flag, and it was done. I helped her get the guys gone, then we all left. I got home after six. I’m tired.

I went back today and felt unwanted. Things are going okay, so she wants to run it herself.

“Will you need me after 1pm today?” (Nope.) So I started working on tomorrow. I quizzed the others, and commented, w/in earshot, that it looked like I’d be back tomorrow after all. MC assured me she had others coming and they’d be fine.

Before I left, I mentioned that my AC didn’t work. “That’d be the first thing fixed on my car.” “R wanted me to, but I told him I had DC all week.”

I’m off the rest of the week.

Mitzi died on Monday, another victim of the minimum 55 speed-limit on our road. R found her. She was really getting old, and Griz is totally weaned from her, and she went quickly I’m sure, so I’m okay with it. I find it hard to get too torn up over my dogs deaths anymore. I’ve been through it too often.

I’m prep’ing for Saturday since I’ve got a training session coming up. I’ve alerted everyone. I only had one response. LS said they had a rain gutter regatta. I told her to come afterwards if she felt up to it.

Mama is so happy. Email: “Saw Dr Dunn today and I will be having cochlear implant in July, They will call me with a date later. Keep me in your prayers.” She has wanted this for so long. Her hearing is worse than her mama’s ever was. But it’s so expensive, and insurance wouldn’t pay until both ears were under 40%. One has been at 90% for the longest.

I still don’t have a range officer for my day camp. R is doing BB and Archery training at 2pm. Hopefully that will get me someone since AS bailed on me.

I’ve got air conditioning again. It cost over $700 but with this summer heat, R would not let me put it off any longer. At least I’ll be comfortable going to camp. And M is going with me. I’m letting him do his schedule. I told him just to think of his guys as new just joined Boy Scouts. He liked that idea.

Meanwhile, I’ve got about two dozen boys coming to my day camp. T-shirts will be close. I’ve got three helpers who pledged to come all five days. Plus me, M, and MC. I hope I have enough.

My car is broke. I left home in time to get to camp on time, with the air condition going at full blast and my speedo in the low 70’s. On Doe Run/Jewel Crowe it started beeping and telling me to turn off the air. I did. Then it said it was running hot. Then it said to stop the car now. I did immediately. I let it rest and tried again. I got a few miles and it happened again. I called R and AB to let them know, and then inched down the road to a safer place.

We got to camp around 2pm. I had one person; he had three. I did a quick training and had her help me label t-shirts. Afterwards, I worked some more on my daily programs. They’re still not perfect, but at least my people will have a vague idea of what to do. R helped me load den buckets for Monday, and then we returned to my abandoned car.

We asked Mama if I could borrow her car, or the bug if A doesn’t mind. She loaned me her car. “I don’t mind. I’ve got a light week anyway.” Good mama.

Today was rough. We got there at 8 a.m. to people already waiting. I unlocked the door and it never stopped from that point on. MC had a migraine, so she arrived after 8:30. They were already ransacking my labeled t-shirts, taking labeled shirts and removing the labels! When she came in, I gave her that as her first job. RA came in when the crowd was thick. He asked where the boys were supposed to go after sign-up. I said, “Eagle.” He got some reluctant Boy Scouts to take them until we could start. “Thank you.” It was genuine.

MC and DB almost came to blows yesterday. He had volunteered a woman to do Sports, but apparently didn’t inform her. When we changed from football to softball, she thought she didn’t have to work. MC was livid. Before it was over, DB threatened to leave and shut down my camp. That’s when he lost me. Like I told R that night, if I’ve got to choose, I’ll choose her. She can do his job; he cannot do hers.

Today went better. I sent home invites for a Family Luau. I asked Eric first, and he was all for it.

Now I’m upset. RA brought L this morning; he had left early yesterday and didn’t get an invite, so I gave RA some. He said he would let me know. Later, the bastard sent MJ to inform me that they had not budgeted for my luau and were not going to pay for it. Meanwhile, I’ve got RSVP’s flowing in by the dozens. Oh, well, that’s not their problem. Seems I didn’t say, “AB, I want to have a luau,” so I don’t get one. I brought it on myself. And we cannot touch the stuff in the dining hall.

I was so upset, I was shaking. But she wasn’t finished. At the end of camp, all DC stuff is t/b boxed up and kept separate from the AC and BFW stuff. She brought handbooks with “Day Camp” written on them. They must stay. Like we are hauling home their junk and hording it.

I was stunned. I couldn’t think. Thankfully, my team came to my aid. P100 is sponsoring the luau and EG is “locating” supplies. Everything w/b fine.

At 4:30, I was done. EG saw me cry for the first time in ten years.

I heard the click.

Thursday I was a zombie. I did my work with no emotion. Everyone avoided me and I avoided them. They could see it in my eyes. They had broken my spirit and I was done.

All because AB didn’t do his job, didn’t know what is going on, put everything off until the last minute. All because they believed his lies w/o question.

The luau went great. The kids and parents have no idea anything happened. “I want to especially thank P100. I made a promise (my voice shook) I was afraid I wasn’t going to be able to keep.”

After the luau, I started furiously packing and getting everything ready to go. We were told that MJ w/b bringing large clear containers for us to pack the DC stuff in. I grabbed the 12 orange HD buckets that R bought and used them anyway. “We can easily repack the stuff if she gets here in time.” I certainly wasn’t going to wait on her. She finally arrived—with an excuse and no buckets, of course. Nothing’s changed. She approved the orange buckets. Like I care. “I cannot get in trouble with them any more.” I told MC my decision.

I told TC my decision. It took her breath away. She assured me that if I changed my mind, it w/b okay with her. R, meanwhile, is thrilled. “It was a good run.” He would never say he wanted me to quit, but I knew he did. Even though he’d get there and have a blast.

But now it’s back to my day job. I’ve got ATCs to catch up on. And Mama’s birthday is tomorrow. We visited the other day and A reminded us. And the baby-baby. He didn’t want to hear about my problems Friday. So he didn’t.

Our mamas’ birthdays are today. I went online and ordered my mama something. I am still letting him take care of his mama. I told him I cannot be sorta in her life. It is all or nothing. So right now it is nothing.

I am essentially w/o wheels this week. If I wanted to, I could go max 15-20 miles at a time. But this week I’m happily staying home.

I’m putting off my killer letter to RA for a few days. I do not want to be rash. These things must be handled delicately…or it’ll spoil the magic.

Mama sent the news: N & AM are expecting. She originally planned to wait a little longer. Grandma’s house will have a baby in it again. How cool. I know she is thrilled. Grandma always loved (loves) babies.

I called IRS and resent our tax return. This time it took.

I finally put Cleopatra ATC in the mail. It was two weeks late but turned out pretty. I mod-podged the pic from my encyclopedia and surrounded it in pearls. I had emailed her on the 9th, but she forgot and checked with me the other day, then remembered my email.

My FB page if full of “thank you” notes. Not from RA or MJ, of course, and certainly not from AB. But then, I guess, they don’t know—or even suspect, now do they….

R is researching cars online. He cannot stand to be a one-car family. I guess that is good, in a way. We’ve always had two vehicles. One vehicle…would mean we're really poor.

I got Tree ATC in the mail. It was due the 10thso that’s not too bad. I used my leaf punch and small circle punch and made an orange tree. It was really cute.

I reread the Proverbs 31 swap and realized it was not an ATC swap. It’s a Christian Gift swap. So I made an envelope of goodies and sent it off today…which finally gets me caught up.

I’ve got Dr. R in the morning. I put off Dr. M since my car cannot make the trip. So R is taking tomorrow off to taxi me around in his truck. And then we are going car shopping.

I’ve decided not to beg, hat in hand, for the DC reimbursement—since he threatened that he was going to “scrutinize” every expense. Scrutinize this!

We coupled right after my shower. He was already dressed when I invited him. "So I've got to take my clothes back off?" he asked, taking his clothes back off. "Well, I figured it was just a dry run. And I know how fast you can undress when you're headed for bed."

We plan to buy a new car today. Sweet Ride is broken and fixing it w/b way more than it's worth. I want another Caddi, of course, but we will not find a deal like that again. 2003 Caddi >10k. In this economy I've got to be sensible.

Dr. R says I'm okay. I asked him about gyno's. When I said I really liked Dr. M he suggested I do the Americus thing once a year. "Does he still have privileges at our hospital?” “Why?” “In case something happens to me I don't want have to go all the way over there." "Oh, don't you worry about that. Nothing is going to happen to you, but if it does, I'll take care of you. I’ll get someone to see about you. Don't you worry." I was so surprised, I almost teared up. He always makes me do that.

Barker died today. Dr. K said he probably wouldn’t make it; he was pissed that we let him get so bad. I was glad to have a doctor who cared. We almost went to the local guy, but he was closed. I called Dr. K. He was about to close but agreed to wait.

It’s got me thinking. CiCi never showed, there were only two pups in the litter, and his litter-mate died at two days old. I'm guessing that they were premmies. The flea infestation was too much for his little body.

So we are down to three.

We took the tribe out for Fathers’ Day to Outback. R had a $50 gift certificate, so we got it for half price. I’d forgotten how good those Bloomin’ Onions were.

Speaking of fathers, K is preggers. I’m not surprised; I saw this one coming. She is 15.5 and due in September. She told her mom immediately; her mom just told us. And it’s a girl. The 17 y/o dad is supposedly going to join the Army. At least she may get child support. Her mama didn’t.

We bought the 2003 Caddi, BTW. Like there was any doubt about it.

I’ve been reading The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom. T read it for a Pace, but IDK if M ever did.

The Nazis were efficient in a cruel sense of the word. Though I have a feeling they did nothing worse than that done by the Church or State during other days and times. The only difference is: some of their victims lived to tell about it and have it recorded; enough records survived to document some of the atrocities; massacres on this scale were hard to hide. Because of twentieth century technology, we don't have to imagine.

I put June Sender’s Choice ATC in the mail today. For it I used a pic of puppies in a barn, which I glued to a textured back and framed with straw. It was simple and cute.

Wow. According to the site, I’ve done over 25 swaps since I joined in February. I’ve been given 40 fives, 30 stars, and 1 heart. If more things had this reward set-up, the world would be a happier place. I’ll have to ponder that thought while I work on my next ATC. For this one, the challenge is to use sharpies only. Nice….

OMG! Michael Jackson died today. Farrah Fawcett also died, but she has been losing her battle with cancer for a while now, so hers was really no huge surprise. But his came out of the blue. And by mid-afternoon, CBS announced a special called “The Life and Death of Michael Jackson” for tonight. It is starting already.

I didn’t start paying attention to MJ until the 80’s. Before that he was too “Motown” for my taste. But in the 80’s he got handsome. And sexy. It wasn’t until later that he got weird. Tragic, really. All he wanted was love.

I’ve started job-hunting. First, I thought about where I would like to work and went to the school system’s site. After telling my life history, there ended up being no positions available. Oh, well. It let me print out my application, so that made it worth it. Next, I checked out the hospital site, but they had nothing either. Then, I went to the W site and filled out their app. Finally, I went to the DOL site, set up an account, filled out that app, and looked for positions. I applied for a receptionist position in Albany. We’ll see….

I’ve been clearing out the front room like I promised, so Wednesday R moved his huge desk back in there. He had to. The baby-baby attacks his stuff every time he comes over. He likes imitating his dad at the keyboard. We put the treadmill and a smaller desk against that wall, and to my surprise W loved it. He went straight for the treadmill. We never turned it on, but that didn’t matter. Having all that room put him into an incredibly playful mood. He ran from one end to the other. Just like his daddy use to do.

Today is Fathers’ Day. I called the kids yesterday and told them we would go to them and take everyone out for lunch. We needed to bomb the house anyway before the fleas finish toting me off. We ended up at Ryan’s.

I put Only Sharpies ATC in the mail. I couldn’t decide how I wanted to do it, so I just took a sheet of recycled cardstock and practiced drawing. I ended up with the lady’s state flag, some funny bugs, and a hummingbird. I was proud of the hummingbird. I took pictures of them to post on Flickr.

Yesterday was our anniversary.  It didn’t really feel like it, though.  What is an anniversary suppose to feel like?

 

Yesterday did feel like Fathers’ Day.  I got to watch my son act like a real daddy to his son.  He is patient and loving, nurturing and protective.  I’m really proud of him.  His son is a lucky boy. 

And R is a better grandfather than he was a father.  He gets it now.  He totes this kid around constantly, plays with him for hours at a time.  If he had done that w/T, they would have been closer growing up.

I got an email yesterday from DOL.  My initial app was approved.  Yay!  It said to send my resume and cover letter as soon as possible.  So I put them in the mail today.  How exciting.

 

On a lesser note, I got a visitation today.  They are pissed at R.  Seems they came by back in April and he ran them off.  So he has stolen my free-will.  Meaning my free-will to obey them without question. 

 

Most of his beliefs haven’t changed.  I accidentally discovered that he does not believe in the rapture.  As ** would say, “I don’t care.”