Juel's Journal

Electronic Toys That Play By Themselves

A Barbie Stove that talks, in the playhouse out in the yard, turned on and just talks up a storm. But only at night. Mom said the batteries are going dead, and that's why it's doing that.

Only at night.

Bonnie finally got fed up with it and went to take the batteries out. The switch on back of the stove was turned "off".
Maybe it really was just the batteries going dead... only at night.

Mallory's kicking monkey.. you have to pinch a button on one of the legs, and it begins making monkey noises, and the legs kick from left to right. Mallory kept trying to get it to work and I watched as she shook and beat the monkey against the couch, but the thing was stubbornly silent until Sarah showed Mallory how to pinch the button.

The thing has gone off all morning.. lying there, alone, no one to play with it - Mallory's gone for the day with her mom.. I suppose the batteries are going dead in that too.

Joleybeans little car, the one that has the buttons on top that make the engine rev, and the tires squeal, and the music blare, well.. the batteries on that one must be going dead too because that thing reved and squealed and played music all damned night. How long, exactly does a battery take to die.. cuz he's still playing with it today, and it's still reving and making all kinds of noises, just fine. The dying batteries don't even seem to be just a little weak.

Last but not least, we have the McDonalds toy cash register/scanner, that makes what sounds like real register beeps and chings. Yep, the batteries on that bad boy are dying too. They are. They have to be. It's been chinging off and on without the babys anywhere near it for the past week.

I can go into an abandoned building at 3 in the morning. I can go ghost hunting in a cemetery on a jet black night, and get out of the car alone. I can handle most creepy things, and just be a tad ascared. These flippin' toys though, that go off by themselves like this, give me by far, the creepiest feeling on earth!

A Terrible Troubling Dream

I dreamed that Stan and I were living in a 5 or 6 story apartment building. We were taking care of Joel. None of the other kids, just Joel. Bonnie didn't live with us there, I don't know where she was.

Someone knocked at the door and Stan answered it. Standing on the other side was a man with the clothes and presence of Richard Gere, but with the bone structure in his face that of a goat... his ears long and drew back like a big rat's ears. He was a walking talking demon.

Stan jumped back from the door and ran off into another room of the apartment, saying "This one is for you to handle!"

I stood there holding Joel and looked at this demon and asked him what he wanted. He nodded to Joel, and said, "My son."

I stepped back and told him no, that he couldn't have Joel.

He told me that he was Joel's father, and that I was to hand Joel to him.

Again, I refused and started to run with Joel away from this thing.

I ran spang into him. He'd somehow gotten behind me.

I turned and ran the other way, but again, somehow he was right there in front of me. I couldn't get away from him.

I just held tightly to Joel and told the demon no, that he couldn't have him. The demon didn't try to wrench Joel from my arms, so I figured that in order for him to get Joel, I'd have to consent and give the baby to him, and I wasn't about to do that.

The demon got tired and left the apartment, but as I looked down, out the window, and still holding Joel, I could see the demon out there in the dark, leaning against a lamp post. Just looking up, right at me, waiting.

I was so scared.

Stan came in and told me that in order for Joel to be safe, we would have to Federal Express him someplace else. I figured if that was the only way.. we may as well do it. So we put Joel in this special 'baby' mailing Federal Express box... one with a hole in the top front, just big enough for Joel's lil face to peek out from.. and we headed to the Fed Ex building to send him off.

When we got there, a woman was suddenly with us. She could see that I was worrying.. I was holding the box, talking softly to Joel, telling him that he was going to be safe.. and she pointed to a big semi that was parked in the Fed Ex lot, and she said that Joel would be riding in that truck.. and that while they said it would take 7 days for the baby to be delivered at its destination, it would actually only take 3 days.

She went on to tell me that the truck driver would put the baby up on the front seat with him, and feed him through the opening in the box, so Joel wouldn't be hungry, but that the drivers were on a tight schedule, so he wouldn't have time to change Joel's diaper more than once per 24 hours. She said that Joel might be a little uncomfortable with that, but that it was better to have Joel safe and uncomfortable, than with that demon.

I nodded, agreeing, but told her that it just seemed so wrong to have to send Joel away..that I just wished there was a way to keep him with me.

She said, oh but there is.. there is a way.

I asked her how.. how could I keep him with me and keep him safe...to which she told me that If Stan and I adopted him, the demon would lose ownership, and Joel would be safe.

I looked at Stan and asked him if we couldn't just go ahead and do that instead of sending Joel off Federal Express, and Stan said sure we can..

Relieved I told the woman to please get the adoption proceedings started and to hurry.

Then I woke up.

Now was that odd, or what?

Mikyla's Mommy Wants to go to Kevin

Mikyla has told me several times. The problem is.. daddy's name is Roy. So who the hell is Kevin and why does mommy want to go to him?

This thought ran through my mind every time Mik said it, but I never asked Sarah. I figured I'd find out who Kevin is one of these days.

I found out today.

We went to a graveyard..and Mikyla saw a grave with a photo of a young woman about her mother's age on it.

She asked me if that woman was dead. I said, yes.. yes that one has gone to heaven.

Later tonight she was telling Bonnie what we did today.. and I over heard her saying..

"...and we saw a lady in the cemetery who went to Kevin..."

aha..now I know who Kevin is!

So.. as I was saying.. mind wandering..again..

Bonnie laughed like a hyena when Mikyla fell in the yard yesterday. It was so funny to her. Mik had taken off running, momentum twisted her sideways and she lost her balance and fell down. Embarrassed to be laughed at she came running to me and told on Bonnie.. "I don't like being laughed at"..

Bonnie, hearing her, said, aw, mikyla "I'm not laughing at you, I'm laughing with you." To which, Mikyla replied.. "I WASN'T LAUGHIN'!"

Mikyla was later however, when Bonnie came runing down the stairs into the den, and tripped over my purse.. Ever so ungracefully she came flying through the air and landed spaghetti noodle style over the arm of the couch with a great big Thud and an even bigger OOMPH!

Oh I love it when what goes around comes around.

Yay, Mikyla!

*laughs*

We're not laughin at you, Bonnie, we're laughing With you!

As My Mind Wanders...

Don't try to understand, just...go with it.

Those folks in the Middle East are big on "beheading". I think on that and my mind can't comprehend how anyone could take off someone's head. Just.. cut it off. Who could do that? Beheading. Beheaded...

Bejeweled, Bedecked, those words mean to put on jewelry, or to decorate.. so.. why does behead mean take off someone's head instead of putting a head on...? The English language sure is screwed up about some things.

Defrocked...to take away. Do you think somewhere along the line in history, it used to be called deheading? Someone couldn't hear and just misunderstood.. passed on what they thought they heard instead.. yeah, deheading sounds right. Johnny was in the Middle East and got deheaded. That sounds righter.

Okay, I know righter isn't a word...but you know what I mean.

Don't you hate know-it-alls? Egads, I'm an ignorant woman about a lot of things, but when someone puts on these "I know everything" airs, mercy it grates on my nerves. I just wanna pinch 'em little! I do too, just pinch them so little it gives 'em a blood blister! No one knows everything, hell if they did,
well.. they'd be God!

"You should".. "If I were you, I'd..." BLAH on you, I say! If I want your advice, I'll ask! No, I wouldn't. I'd go ask someone who doesn't know everything, because they'd be more apt to put some thought in their answer, instead of trying to impress me with their big fat great know-all-ed-ness! So go shit in your all knowing hat!

*takes a deep breath and smiles then exhales slowly*

I'm not done letting my mind wander...I'll.. be right back. Someone wants me to read their cards.

*walks off still smirking at knowitalls*

Lisa's Baby!!!!!

She found him under a cabbage leaf! No. Really!!

She's named him "Lucky", cuz she almost weed-whacked him!

Happy Birthday Sarah!

July 18..

She's leaving for Myrtle Beach tonight with the girls, so I'm going to miss seeing her for her birthday. I sneaked and put her card and money in their bag with their swim suits. I've never missed seeing her on her birthday yet, that's gonna suck! But.. I'd take Myrtle Beach over Birthday's anyday!

I think they'll have fun.. the girls are going to howl at the moon if they get to missing me, and I'll howl too when I miss them.. so I think we should be able to hear each other if we listen really, really carefully.

I bought them each a little Disney princess doll tonight and boy did their eyes shine when I gave them to them. Mikyla gasped and said, "Oh Mammy, I didn't forget Princess Jasmin, I didn't forget Princess Jasmin, I swear!" *laughs* I think maybe she did and seeing the doll again reminded her that she forgot to nag me for it today! Mallory loved hers too, but then both girls are always thrilled with anything you get them.

Bonnie and I went to Ryan's tonight for dinner.. that was nice. Afterwards we watched a movie she'd bought, "Once Upon A Time In Mexico".. she's a huge Banderas (sp?) fan and loved "Desperado".. so she couldn't help but get this one to see. It was pretty good.

Well, it's late, it's been a long day, I think I'll head out and get some sleep, OJ said I would be babysitting for her on weekends, but last we talked she said she wasn't starting her job until this coming monday.. so as far as I know.. so far, all I'll have this weekend to watch is Joleybean. That'll make the house reasonably quiet. I'm gonna miss those kids.

G'nite World!

This Truck Has Balls!!

Tolja.

He was in front of us on our way back from Corbin. Isn't that dandy? LOL

Do Not Feed Me Blackberry Preserves on Toast...

...For it looks like caviar and I surely will puke!

Weezy Jefferson Passed Away Yesterday

:(

I can't like Gatorade anymore...

Since they've started running those commercials .. "is it in you?".. the atheletes are sweating ever what color Gatorade they've been drinking.. I just can't bring myself to drink it anymore. I.. just can't get over the notion it's nothing but athelete sweat.

Studies show...

...that people who have cancer, AND diabetes AND heart trouble are more likely to die faster than folks with just heart trouble alone? I bet it took them a long time to figure that one out..

A Sign For My Gate In The Front Yard:

Beware the Children.

Funny Rabbits and Other Stuff that Cracks Me Up.

Mallory's Funny Rabbit is gone. So is Mikyla's. They think someone stole them. Truth is.. we set them free. Free. Run. Run wild and free my sweet limp necked funny rabbits! (No, the limp neck isn't funny, what's funny is that they're not bunny rabbits but 'funny' rabbits.)

Mom melted in Vero Beach. Did I remember to say that? No. Really. We didn't have hats, or umbrellas. Just ..we were only going for a few minutes.. so no need, right? Oh was there a very big need. I walked for a few feet picking up shells.. and.. my eyes started burning. I didn't know why they were burning, but they were. I went back to the mat mom was sitting on and sat down and started to wipe my eyes when she said.."My eyes are burning".. I .. looked over and .. there were these huge .. big ...gigantic..sweat balls rolling off of her forehead, off of her brows, spang into her eyes.. rolling off of her nose, off of her earlobes, and I watched fascinated, she was melting right before my very eyes! I said .. "Mom! You're MELTING! We better get you home!" And home we went, just in time I think because by the time we got there, half of her head was gone!

I have this face that won't let me lie. I can't. I can't lie. My face tells on me. I can speak the words.. "Oh! That's the best elderberry jelly I've ever eaten in my life!"..and my voice sounds so sincere.. but my face tells the truth.. "that taste's like shit, why would you ask me to taste that?" If I'm in a good mood, my face shows it, if I'm in a rotten mood, the same thing. Once.. around Christmas time.. I was irritated, semi-broke, in a rush, ready to scream, trying to find affordable (cheap) gifts for my family - in a crowded store full of folks doing the same thing...when I walked (stormed?) closer to the woman who was walking towards me. She jumped as her eyes met mine and she said.. "Woah!", moving quickly out of my way. Her face was telling the truth too.. "Oh Hell," it said.. "This woman looks MEAN! I better get the hell out of her way!".. When I saw her reaction, I couldn't help it, I busted a gut laughing.
Yes.
There's a point to this.
This morning, Stan was standing in the den, looking out of the window. He called to me in the living room and said, "Here comes little Juel."
I got up and went to the door to see what he meant and when I saw the expression on Mikyla's face, I couldn't help it, I just CRACKED UP! She looked like a thunder cloud rolling in. *laughs* I could see in an instant she wasn't a very happy camper! She was miffed at her mommy for something, and while she wasn't saying anything, her face sure wasn't about to lie!

Little Juel struck again last night too, when we were watching A&E. Mikyla was on Sarah's lap, I was on the Sofa with Mal. A commercial came on, advertising a forensics show, the view, a dead woman sprawing on the floor..
Mikyla pipes up.. "LOOK MOM!!" and pointed to the dead woman all excited and ready to watch the television. Sarah rolled her eyes and said, "Uh-huh, a cadaver, how nice." Ok, call me sick, but that cracked me up. Little Juel. I kinda like that. :)

Sometimes the World Doesn't Make Sense.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5333221/

It makes them feel safe. Unbelievable. They should try a Magnum. It's less confining. I just don't understand. But then I've not walked a mile in their shoes.

The babies are sleeping finally.. Joel is still up, but Mikyla and Mallory are snoring. Lord those two can fight. They wanted to spend the night again and we let them, but told them that the first one who instigates a fight has to go home. Did they fight? Yes. Did I send them home? No. I threatened it but didn't actually do it. I know I should. They're not learning by empty threats. I will tho, I will! I WILL! *coughs* Someday. Tomorrow. I swear, I will tomorrow!

Today has been such a hard day. My heart is breaking for Sarah and there's nothing I can do. I can see that she's hurting, I can see that she's not well, I can see that there's worry in her eyes, I can tell that she's got something so heavy on her mind that it's practically bowing her back. I knew there was all weekend, and tonight it was just worse. She went to the doc and had one problem worked on, so that's okay now.. one thing at a time and she's going to be fine. I just wish she could be okay RIGHT NOW!

Bonnie is working every day, every hour she can get. I'm proud of her. She's certainly turning her life around and when I hear others brag on her, it makes me feel good too. Joel is keeping her butt in line! :)

Olivia called yesterday and told me that she's going to be starting a new job and she's going to be working night shifts on weekends. I'm going to be babysitting for her youngins too. Joel will love the extra company, as will Mikyla and Mallory. Acey and Breanna are good kids, so it's all good. I really need a van now, in the worst way. I don't want a van. I just need one. And if things keep up like this, I'm gonna need a bus! Wonder what the ol' Partridge Family ever did with theirs.. I bet they don't even need it anymore.

I told the three girls to get their babymaking over before Mikyla turns 5, that after she turns 5, I'm not going to babysit anymore new babies. I'm going to be too old to have the patience for it. I think they've stopped. Mik turned 4 in April and so far so good. No new ultra sounds. They're running out of time.. LOL.. my biological clock is rushing them!

I know Sarah and Roy want a boy, but they only have 9 months in which to pull it off if they want me for their babysitter for him. I'm serious. Once Mik's in school, I'll finish watching the little ones who are here at that time, but no new little ones. I think I'll even post a sign up at the front door saying so!

My Yahoo horror-scope for today:
You may find that you need to share or pool resources with others. This collaboration will be for the best so go with it, even though the benefit may not be obvious. Make sure you keep a eye peeled for subtext: No matter how enticing and wonderful everything looks, the underbelly may not actually be so rosy. Your emotions are high and a bit scattered; you may not be able to get a hold on how you are feeling. Wait it out; the turbulence will fade!

Sarah's for today:
Seize the day and connect with someone emotionally. Issues that have been buried may arise, but all will turn out for the best. You may experience something unusual that could turn into a habit. Your mind dwells on the exotic and foreign. Dreams of faraway places -- beaches, mountains, woodland retreats -- will inspire you. Allow yourself some time to relax and plan for the future. If you have been thinking about a holiday, now is the time to call the travel agent.

*laughs* We should have called that travel agent!

Ah hell, life is strange.

Mallory was biting Mikyla.. biting her.. in the back seat of the car, and I chastised... no, I growled, MAL STOP THAT! She told me in her sweet innocent voice. "I wasn't biting her, Mammy, I was tickling her with my teeth."

Kerry picked Edwards. Fair enough. I liked Edwards more than Kerry anyway. And as I always say.. "A bad Democrat is better than the best Republican." For the workin' man, anyway. But.. we all know, opinions are like assholes, everyone has one. Goooooo Dems! Egads, get us out of the mess we're in.

I'm going to have to stop doing my ghost hunts for a while, I won't have time. I'll be babysitting 7 days a week now and for all these youngins, there's not gonna be time to look for matching socks, much less hunting for ghosts. I really enjoyed that too. I'll have to content myself with drives through the cemeteries again, getting shots of tombstones. I can take 3 of the babies with me for that.
And on the plus side, I get all those sugars and hugs and "mammy I love you"s.

So I still come out the winner :)

There'll be time for ghosts later. Kids don't stay little forever. But I think ghosts stay ghosts for quite a while.

I'm so thirsty tonight. I can't get enough to drink. It was nice and warm (HOT) here today.. but this evening brought more of those beautiful thunderstorms that I love.. with matching lightening and black clouds, howling wind. Only... it's done that every day since spring began. I never tire of those storms, but if they don't let up a tad, our gardens aren't going to be anything but mush again this year.

We went with Fleshia and Joe to Warfield cemetery Saturday evening. It was pretty cool. The "running" ghost didn't dart at the backs of our knees, but I think it started to. Fleshia and I got to the old part of the graveyard, and the thing semi-circled us. We both heard it.. but.. I really believe she startled it.. because she didn't run, instead, she spoke to it. She asked it to come closer and to try to communicate with her. She said she could hear it and feel it, and it stopped running, and got very silent. A while later, Joe and I heard what we thought was a baby crying over by the tombstone of twin babies. A while after that, Joe heard the "running" ghost do a semi-circle around him, and he too spoke to it instead of taking off for the car, and again, it stopped and got silent.

I didn't get any pics of anything, no orbs, nothing, but at one point, I was standing about a foot from a headstone, and Fleshia was standing just behind and to the side of me a couple of feet. I was looking out over the fence, and saw a white flash go off beside of me, near the tombstone. I thought Fleshia had snapped a picture, but she said, "Woah, did you see that?!" I asked her what she was talkin about.. she said, "that white light that shot up out of that grave!" I told her I saw it, but thought it was flash from her camera, but she said that she hadn't taken a pic, that she'd just been standing there watching Joe.

So, yes, I saw the white light, but I have no clue what on earth it was. How cool is that? I wish one of us had gotten a pic of it. I don't know if she got any orbs up there or not, I've not yet heard from her.

She did notice, as all of us did who have gone up there before, that the grass doesn't feel right. It's crunchy, yet spongy. It's.. just not right. We walked out side of the fence, around the ground there, and it did feel right. It's just the ground inside - the cemetery itself - that feels wrong. That's one spooky place. They said they want to do a full investigation up there, and mercy I'd love to be able to go when they do.

Afterwards, we had to go pick up Joel from Lisa's house.

The next night.. July 4, we went to Lisa's for a cook out and I took a bunch of pics there too, inside, in the dark. I got at least a half dozen orbs in and around her house. The things in there were VERY active.. Kristy saw a shadow figure of a man in the living room walk towards Nick's bedroom, and she thought he was a real person. She said she thought Lisa was hiding a boyfriend in there. She was pretty fascinated to find out that Lisa's place is haunted and she got to see one of the spirits. Earlier, Lisa had seen a little blonde girl on her knees looking into the bags of fireworks that she had on the kitchen floor for Nick. Periphically, she thought it was Mikyla.. tho Mik's hair is brown. The child was about the same size as Mik. But.. Sarah was there with Mallory, they were outside..and I had Mik here at home with me. Lisa said she watched the girl get up and run towards the living room and just fade.. she said that she thought she'd fugued and that it was Mik, and she had to go check to be sure that we'd not gotten there yet. Mom went in to go to the bathroom too that evening, and something in there sighed at her. *laughs* Needless to say, she came out of there and FAST.

Lisa's house has always been like that. Always. It's close to the Cumberland River.. the basement is made of limestone. It's always wet down there - she has a pump she has to run periodically so the basement isn't sitting knee deep in water. The night of the fireworks, Nick was setting off some fireworks that whistled this really high pitched whistle, and I think all those things combined just made the spirits more active than they are otherwise. Too, the moon was so bright.. full I think.. if it wasn't, it was close to being full.

The orb pic I got in her bedroom is AWESOME, it's so bright, white and you can see that it's moving. I got 2 of something in her living room as well, white somethings, that look like they're moving. Well, it's just one, but it's in two shots on my camera.. but then in the next shot, it's gone.

I have truly babbled enough. It's 1 and time for me to get some sleep. I should have long before now...and I meant to, I really did, and I tried, but I couldn't sleep. Maybe now I'll be able to.

G'nite world.