Valentine's Day and Lent

This makes the second year in a row that The Senior Chief has participated in Valentine's Day. It's kind of weird to me, really, after all those years of him absolutely refusing to participate. I'm not sure what caused the change of heart, either.

I can't say that beyond the first few years, it was something that really bothered me. I knew he had his reasons. He usually got me something I wanted and just didn't know it. Ha! Ha!

Last year, the first year he participated, we were still staying with is mom in search of our new house. He took care of me and the kids....and completely forgot his Mom and sister. Yep, that was a bit of a debacle, though he didn't realize it.

This year, I made him go over there after work and do something for them. He made up his own mind what to do, but I told him to NOT leave them out this year. I think he did good...he got a red velvet cake, chocolate covered strawberries and these cookies and decorated the cake with the cookies and strawberries, and got them each a card.

I mean, if you're not going to participate, that's one thing, but to only take care of half of the women in your life, now that's another thing altogether. Can't be doing shit half assed.

Ironically, this is the second Lent we've ever participated in, as well.

Just let me say, for the record, that married women are not allowed to give up sex for Lent. Just saying.

Lent is another of those Christian things that just irritates the piss out of me. Personally, I'd just rather go live in the desert for 40 days.

This year we have given up cigarettes for Lent, and right now all I can think about is March 30th. After a couple of more days, I'll probably start having visions of my own. Ha!

In the meantime, it's been rainy and gray outside, so I've been baking. I love cooking in the winter.

Have a happy day!

So, here I am. Just chilling for the most part. That picture is of my littlest cat's ear. Can you believe that shit? Yes, there are two holes in her head. Freaked us the hell out.

That's pretty much what I've been up to these days. Instead of the crazy kid lady, I guess I'm the crazy cat lady.

We spent 3 hours the other night trying to get the other one down from a tree. Well, my youngest son spent the first hour chasing him when he got out of the house. I told him to just leave him alone, he'd come in when he got hungry.

An hour later or so, I went out to check on him, and he was hanging on the branch of a tree ...freaked out and not wanting to come down. Finally we put the ladder up and he came down that.

I knew he'd come down the ladder, he loves the ladder.

He did it again the next night, and my daughter threw rocks at him to get him down. She's a funny gal.

Getting back to the injury...

What caused it, according to the vet, was that she went into heat and the other one bit her. When he bit her, it got infected and then the two holes formed.

To say I was freaked out a bit is an understatement. I was less freaked out, however, than the youngest son.

But, after seeing him all burned up, freaked out is relative at this point in time.

Man, oh, man, the things I do for my kids.

Scared, My Ass

So, a while ago, I got this new laptop, which I love dearly.

There are rules that should be followed when it comes to computers, number one being no food and drink near the computer.

I rarely follow this rule.

And it's a rule for a reason. If you eat and drink near your computer...it's not IF...it's WHEN...you spill something on it, you will be screwed.

Soda does things to computers that is nearly unspeakable.

And, after having killed the last one, you'd think I would have learned.

Nope.

So, one morning, I am barely awake, and pouring my first Dr. Pepper.

I have turned my computer on, and I'm reading something online.

I pick my Dr. Pepper can back up to finish pouring the rest of it into the glass, when I notice, I'm pouring it right on the keyboard.

Oh lord, I suck.

Oh yeah, sticky keys and all.

Well, I figured if all I had to deal with was sticky keys, I could live with that and sighed a sigh of relief.

Well, the other day I turned it on and went to type something and noticed that one of my keys didn't work.

Well, hell.

I didn't really want to mention it to The Senior Chief because I really didn't feel like taking the shit he was going to give me.

So, I ordered a new keyboard online. Which was amazingly cheap. I didn't know what I was going to do if it was horrible.

So, this morning, I replaced the keyboard on my laptop and everything is working just peachy!

Woo hoo! I'm not real sure if I rock, or if I suck, though. Probably rock. A lot of folks can break shit, but being able to fix what you break is skill.

Although, this particular job wasn't all that hard.

Scared of fixing shit, my ass!

Trip to the Vet

On Friday, I had to take one of my kittens to the vet. He had some weird thing going on with his eyes, and it freaked me out a bit.

First of all, who knew they had a third eyelid? That is rhetorical. I sure didn't. Anyhow, that was what was going on.

A while ago, I read that when you bring your cat to the vet, it is good if you have your cat in a carrier. There might be dogs, and as we all know, dogs don't like cats and vice versa.

Dogs have a tendency to win, too. Especially those ones that really don't like cats.

I was glad that I followed that advice when I got there, as there was a lady in a pickup truck with a big ol' German Shepherd in the back parked right next to the front door.

I take my cat in, and fill out all the paperwork and out comes a guy with an extension cord. I thought he was working on the door.

As it turns out, he wasn't. He was the vet and he had a shaver to run out there to the truck.

Then, I notice a lady sitting on the bench just sobbing her heart out. I thought the dog got hit by a car.

Again, I was wrong. The dog was old and had arthritis. It was so bad, the dog could no longer walk and turned on its owners it was in such pain.

The vet had to put it to sleep right there in the back of the pickup truck.

That was horrible, let me tell ya. Never, ever do I want to have to witness something like that again. Next thing you know, I'm sitting there crying right along with the owners and the vet and the nurse.

Also, I guess I had just missed my sister in law, who had her cat in right before. She was telling me about the dog in the back of the truck, only she didn't know the end of the story. Ugh. Those poor people have been on my mind all weekend long.

Still don't know what's wrong with my cat, but apparently it's not life threatening. I am supposed to gather a stool sample and carry it in there for them to analyze, but figuring out which is his is turning out to be a bit problematic right now.

I got another kitten a couple of weeks ago for my son. He wanted a dog, but I got drunk and told him the truth about taking care of dogs and talked him into a kitten. Wish I'd have figured out to do that sooner. So, I went to the shelter and got another sweety.

Hell, I didn't know the first cat was lonely until I brought her home. The first day was a bit rough as he wasn't sure what she was and got all upset. I mean, hissing and growling upset.

After a couple of days, though, they are best buds. They are so cute when they curl up and take a nap together.

First Day Of School

I actually hate the first day of school. I miss my kids like crazy. In a month or so, I'll be in a routine.

This year it's all weird because I can't do the ritual I've had for the last 15 years.

Used to be I'd order in chinese food and play video games all day. Haha! Now, there's no chinese food place for at least 30 miles. Sigh.

So, now it's time to come up with a new routine, I guess.

We just got a new McDonald's in town but I'm not real inclined to go there. The whole point was ordering in. Oh, and the beer.

I'm keeping that part of the tradition. One beer. You bet your ass that one beer is like 10 percent alcohol.

I guess now the damn tradition is going to be housework. I hate housework so bad. People just need to start picking up after themselves.

Actually, they do. All the housework I really have to do today is clean my own damn room and bathroom. There's a few dishes, but only 4 bowls. I guess I could go and mow the grass when it's drier.

I need to learn to pick up after myself, for the love of all holy.

I'm actually the only real slob of the whole group. How does that work, anyway? Hell, it's a full time job just for me to clean up the messes I make.

I suppose if I had a job I'd be home to make less messes. But damn, I can make a mess in a hurry. All my time off would be spent cleaning up after my ownself.

There are some times that I do better than other times. Usually, I can force myself into a routine, and then keep things nice. Until something happens.

And something is ALWAYS happening.

I got diagnosed with OCD once. I didn't buy it. I've known a BUNCH of people that have OCD and I'm nothing like them.

I wish that cleaning relieved stress for me like it does other people. It's actually the exact opposite...sort of. It does make me feel better...until it is messy again, which is usually in a few hours at the inside. That is the part that drives me absolutely crazy.

If I clean something, I want it to stay that way, dammit.

I mean seriously.

Y'all know what I mean. You get your kitchen spanky clean, and then a few hours later have to go and cook supper. Then, it's not spanky clean anymore.

The crazy thing, is apparently, I cannot stand a clean kitchen. Once I get it clean, I have to almost immediately cook something.

If it's seven o'clock in the morning, then I immediately have to cook dessert for the evening meal. It's just how it is. Hell, even I don't get it.

I actually wish my first day of school routine involved the beach in some way. Hurricanes and all.

But, alas, it is what I make it, and right now, I guess I'm going to make it mus and housecleaning.

Oh and maybe a little political discourse later.

Long Night

We had a wicked wind blow through here yesterday evening right about suppertime. This picture is of the garage with my baby sitting in it. Yes that is a 2X4 sitting inside of it. Thank God the window was down.

We used to have a carport...it got spread over a country mile.

Got to know a few of our neighbors yesterday evening as well. Thought I was going to have to have a cookout the power was out so long, but my sister in law came over and we loaded up a cooler for her to fill Mom's freezer with. Whew!

The ranch hands that live next door to us were playing domino's in their barn when the roof came off of it. Those guys were a little scared. It took the barn down to about 4 feet.

Amazingly nobody got hurt that I know of. There were baby cow igloos all over the place. They have about 10 acres of baby cow houses and upset baby cows everywhere. There was a lot of shooting going on until the wee hours of the morning. We were hoping that it wasn't them having to put injured animals down. The ones we saw were good, just upset.

My baby kitten has been an unhappy camper all night long.

I think I'm a bit of an unhappy camper too. Grateful that it wasn't worse than it was, though. And a little shell shocked.

It is bizarre when one second things are cool and the next, buildings are flying around everywhere.

Somebody could have told me about the wind in Texas. I guess you get used to it, but damn.

Kids

As well all know, I have six of them. Well, four of them are grown men now, but you know what I mean.

My kids are good looking too. I know, all mommas say that, but seriously, I do have some good looking kids.

They are all photogenic, as well. They sure as hell don't get it from me. Good lord, I look just like I look in all the pictures taken of me.

The youngest one is a beautiful child. Even as a teenager entering high school this year, his face remains like a cherub.

What puzzles the hell out of me is why these kids of mine persist in engaging in behaviors that will mess up their beautiful faces.

I mean, seriously. You raise them, keep them safe, healthy and happy into adulthood and what is the thanks you get?

Believe me, when the youngest blew himself up, vain as it seems, he was a little worried that his face was going to be permanently messed up. We all were. The good Lord blessed us there, that is for sure.

Recently, GI-Joe came to visit.

A few days ago, he was skateboarding on a long-board....and face planted, breaking his left cheekbone. On Friday he gets to have surgery to put a metal plate in his face in order to secure said cheekbone in the proper position.

"What the hell?", this momma says.

I feel like I should go and be with him while he gets his FACE cut open for the love of all holy. However, he says that isn't necessary, of course.

I wonder if I just showed up, if he'd be mad.

I really do wish that these guys would quit messing up their faces.