Juel's Journal

Damn!

The past few days have flown so fast I don't know where to start on this entry. Mikyla got her ears pierced yesterday while she was in town getting her allergy shots. She looks so grown up, I just can't get over it! She was wearing one of her little skirt sets that Lisa had gotten her for school, purple and black pleats on the skirt, with a white short sleeve oxford type shirt, I just stared in disbelief at her. She looked adorable. :) She's still awake as I'm typing this, she's watching Secret Garden again, and Mallory and Joel are sleeping.

Why do I have Joel, you ask? Because I went to Mom's to pick up Mikyla and Mallory, and on the way home I stopped by Bonnie's to get a movie she's wanting me to watch (Final Destination 2) and Joel wouldn't let me leave without him. He started crying after me, because I did try to leave him home, so I couldn't bear it, had to bring him.

He stayed last night too, for much the same reason. Bonnie was here visiting, and when she started to go home, he ran up to me, and told Bonnie NO, and then he waved and said "bye" to her. *laughs* She was going to make him go anyway, so he ran to Dippy, hid his head in Dip's chest and he won, he got to stay. But he wouldn't go to sleep. He finally drifted off to sleep about 6:15 this morning. He slept maybe 2 hours then was up for the day. By this evening, he was grouchy as an old grizzley bear!

Earlier this evening, Bonnie and Kelly came and got me and took me up to a cemetery called Davis Cemetery, in Stinkin' Creek.

It was a long ride, but I really enjoyed myself. At one point in the road, there's a great big rock covering overhead, a sort of natural bridge. I thought that was neat. It's all covered with graffitti, but still in all, it was something I'd never seen before.



When we got back, Stan was out back on the hill and lo and behold the cutest brown dog was at his heels, tail wagging, he made a new friend.

Stan said he just showed up, so I don't know if one of the neighbors got him today, or if the dog's a stray/drop off. He looks like he's about 8 months old, and he's completely fascinated with Midnight (the calico) and Sirius Black

(Both cats have been renamed by the kids at least 10 times since we've had them. They'll have a different name most likely the next time I write about them)



The dog kept tormenting them, chasing them, and finally the cats started to fight back. The dog lost his confidence then, and backed off, but by then, the cats learned that they were boss, and they surrounded and then ambushed the pup. That was pretty fun to watch! Joel just loved it, he cackled like mad!

Earlier this afternoon, the girls conned me and Sarah into going swimming with them, but I swear, for all the heat we've had the past few days, that water was like ice today. The wind was just blowing gently, but still, enough to make it feel even colder, so Sarah and I got out. We're getting old.

I got 3 of the 16 or so books I ordered from Amazon last week, "The Women of Eden", and "American Eden" - both part of a series by Marilyn Harris. I read them years and years ago, but I didn't know there were so many in the series. Now I can start over again and read them all in sequence. Petals on the Wind came too, but I want to wait and get the rest of that whole series too and then read them all again as well. Maybe they'll get here soon.

Sarah's talking about going back to school again. R.N. We'll see where she takes it this time. Eventually maybe that youngin will actually do it. She tried talking Bonnie into going today, but Bonnie had too many excuses not to, so I don't think that's gonna happen. Still, it would be nice.

I got the den straightened up yesterday, the laundry caught up, the dishes done again, the kitchen nice, really nice, I'm proud of it! But then something happened, I'm not sure what.. but somehow, I think every dish I own is dirty again, there's another mountain of clothes in the bathroom to wash.. where they came from, I'm truly not sure, they just.. appear, like magic. It's downright unsettling. So now tomorrow, I have to start all over again and try to get it picked back up. Now, the yard needs mowed again too.

Summertime is sure a lot easier with the kids, because they can play outside, but.. there's so many frickin' hours in the day, so much to do, that I'm beginning to look forward to October and Daylight Saving's Time.

Time, slow down, so I can too!!

Sarah called while ago to ask me when I wanted to make my bet on Maegan's arrival, I chose August 7 at 3 in the afternoon. I added the numbers of my birthday, and then the numbers of Mallory's birthday, then those numbers to come up with the number 7. On one hand it seems like she's never going to get here, and on the other, it seems like these 9 months have just flown. Her actual due date is the 31st. That's tomorrow, isn't it?

Stan's brother, Danny, made it to Kuwait this week. From his mails he's safe enough, and seems to be adjusting to the climate just fine. We're going to send him a digital camera and hopefully he'll send us some pictures of where he's at. I wonder what graveyards look like over there? He says he's going to try to find us some Sadam money. How cool is that? I wonder if it would be politically incorrect or just downright rude to ask him to see if he could find and send me one or two of those infamous gold toilet flusher handles, or sink faucets. *coughs*

Oh and for memory's sake, Mallory is swimming like a mermaid as of a couple of days ago, no nose holding, no life jacket, just diving under and swimming like a pro.

Mom and Dad are doing fine. They're lovin that pool over there, and a little birdy told me that Dad's even been getting into the pool. I loved hearing that, I never dreamed he would. I figured he'd be afraid he'd have a hard time breathing with the water pressing on his lungs. Thank God that's not the case, because I think the exercise will do him good.

Well, that's all the catching up I can think of for now. I'm going to turn in and get some sleep. After I get Mik some more water. And Cheese-Its. And tuck her in. And turn on the little lamp. And the hall light. And check the locks on the doors, and change the movie in the dvd player. And...

G'nite, World!

No New Baby Yet.

This is a crock! Sarah, you're taking too long! Get on with it, already! We're ready for new baby burps!!

Too Much Sun for The Bean

Joel gave me a scare this evening.. he wasn't his usual into everything, jovial self. He climbed up beside me on the porch swing and he lay his head on my lap. I went in and got him a pillow, and he twisted around and lay so still, and I sang to him, and in a few minutes his eyes just fluttered, and he fell to sleep. This youngin doesn't sleep like that.. even when he's exhausted he fights it tooth and toenail. I got to looking at his arms and legs and his face more closely.. and what I'd thought was a sunburn was actually some sort of rash. It was all over him. Earlier, what I thought had been a burn was just on his face and arms, and now it was going down his little legs. Lisa and Nick pulled up and Joel heard their car.. he sat up on his elbows, said "Nick." And I leaned to pick him up and he was burning up with a fever. I couldn't find my thermometer, but I know that fever was about 102 if not higher. Lisa agreed and we got him into the bathtub and cooled him down. We got Bonnie home to take him to the emergency room, that rash didn't look like anything I'd ever seen on a kid before. It was like..raised red swirls, and beneath it, a white line, that looked like it was trying to play connect the dots with the raised red welts. I'd given him some benedryl, and tylenol before Bonnie got here, and by the time she got him to see a doctor, the rash was gone. He did, however, have a bug bite of some sort on his behind, so the doc gave him some antibiotics. He did say that Joel had been exposed to a little too much sun yesterday, which he felt had caused the rash. I'm glad it wasn't anything serious. It scares me to death when one of these kids get sick. He was doing fine afterwards. He ate his french fwys. He played. He whispered to Bonnie just like I taught him to do,(insert delicious laughter here) "I see dead people." Thank God. The runt's ok!

Mom's Pool

It's longer than my house! What-a-pool!!! The kids love it. *laughs* Poor Mom!

Criss Angel

This is one amazing magician. If you can, give him a look-see on A&E, Wednesdays at 10. Just Wow!!

The Wish Apples!

We all woke up, sat around the kitchen table, and wondered if our wishes from last night came true. Mine, I think, wasn't specific enough. So we still have no new little baby. Mikyla's.. well.. she's still just as little as she was last night.. and the family visited a lot today, so Stan got his wish, and when Mallory remembered asking for the dogwood tree to have apples, she ran to the door to see.. only.. she couldn't see any apples through that frosted door window.

But when she opened the door, WOW! The moon granted her wish! The dogwood tree had apples hanging in it, sure as the world!

Mallory took off to pick her apples!

As she was running to the tree, she looked up to the sky and said, "Thanks, Moon, these sure are some PRETTY apples!!!"

*laughs* That was fun! But now.. you should hear their plans for the next magical wish moon. Mallory is already fretting about what color car she wants to wish for.

The Magical Wish Moon

The moon was completely full tonight, and just beautiful. So bright... and I wanted to sit on the porch and just look at it. However, a storm earlier hit a transformer closeby and all of our streetlights are out. They're still out.. have been all evening. This meant the kids didn't want to stay out there.. the dark is spooky to them. Since the moon wasn't yet full in the sky, it was pretty dang eerie out there.

I told them though, girls, this is the magical wish moon tonight.. when it's full like this, we get to make a wish on it. This got their attention and they weren't so interested in going back inside now. They sat there with me, watching the occasional lightning, waiting for the moon to get high enough to make our wishes.

Finally it was time.

Stan wished that the kids would always come visit us.

I wished for Sarah to have the baby safely and for them to be okay.

Mikyla wished to stay little forever.

And Mallory.. Food lovin' Mallory wished for our dogwood tree to be full of apples tomorrow.

*laughs*

So...

While I go with them tomorrow for Mikyla's allergy shots.. Stan's going to go to the produce stand and get a couple of bags of apples, and tie them from their stems into the limbs of the dogwood tree, so Mallory's wish can come true.

When we get back, her little eyes are gonna shine like that moon did tonight. How cool is that?

Bonnie's Vacation...

It starts on August 12 and goes thru to the 21st, I think she said. Kelly's wanting to go to Michigan, but Bonnie doesn't want to. She said he has it all planned out, right down to the car rental. Sounds to me like she's going to go, like it or not.

I think he's wanting to move them up there, but Bon said she just didn't want to go. I, myself, hope she doesn't. I just hate the thoughts of Joel in daycare, and Bonnie doesn't know anyone up there to leave him with while she works.

Whatever they do, though, I'm sure it'll all work out just fine.

Maaaaaaaaaaaaammy!

I'm tired. I feel tired all the way to my bones.

I have Mikyla and Mallory tonight, and I swear, from 9 until just a few minutes ago, I think they called for me, (Mammy!!) at least 300 times. Not wanting anything. Just... I guess they felt like saying "Mammy".

I told Mik if she didn't want anything to please stop saying it.

*laughs*

She gave me the oddest look and then started calling me "Mamsy" and "Mammio".

Mallory.. just keeps saying it too. Even now. "Mammy?"

"Yes, Mallory?"

"Nuffin, I don't want nuffin, I just wanted to say Mammy."

"Okay, Mallory."

Do you think maybe they're just trying to put me in the funny farm?

Sarah's 25th Birthday

Today was Sarah's 25th Birthday. Mom had a birthday dinner/cake, for her at her place. Dinner was delicious, spaghetti, salad, texas garlic bread, corn on the cob, cake, ice cream and all the cola we could drink.

Thanks, Mom!

I forgot my camera though, so I didn't get any pictures. Oh well, maybe I'll be able to remember things like that next year. Anyway, Happy 25th Birthday, Sarah!

Waiting, Again

Sarah was in labor again Saturday night/early Sunday morning. She came knocking here at about 1, and I went to the door to see Mikyla's lil face pressed into the glass. She was crying her little heart out, scared to death for Sarah.

I let them in, calmed Mik down, telling her it's a good thing, not something to make her afraid...she was as pale as a ghost, and Malllory's eyes were big as eatin' plates. A part of me wanted to glare at Sarah for scaring the girls. lol.
Sarah and Roy headed for the hospital, and I got the girls dressed, then we headed there too. Sarah was sure this was it, so since she was sure, so was I.

We got there, they admitted her, and we went on to the waiting room. And we waited. For hours. They finally released her at 7 Sunday morning. We were all exhausted... I sure wish this was over. I think next time she comes and tells me that it's time, I'm gonna just have her go on and call me when the baby's head is crowning!

What a Weekend!

Saturday, I was having cucumber sandwiches at the country club.

It was Brenda's husband James' 60th birthday and she had his party there. It was retty neat. I enjoyed seeing everyone again. Shelly looks so much like Brenda I couldn't get over it. It was the first time I'd seen Bobby in five years.
I'm going to post a few pics here, but the rest I'll save and post on the family site one of these days.

Pretty Babies

Sarah Eating Crow

Ok, this isn't Sarah. It's Zack. He's eating a popcycle. *grins*

Not bad eh Sarah? Considering how much you made fun of me for this net!

This was bound to happen!

After getting her allergy shots yesterday, Mom took Mikyla to Walmart to get some toys to make up for the suffering of two shots. Mikyla picked out make up and she practiced on Joel. He didn't like it A BIT !

Password Protected

Ok, it's working and now I think it's ok again to post pics of the kids. I saved all the other entries, their birthdays, Christmasses, Easter, but I can't figure how to get them back on here. I'll fool with that part later, but for now I feel safe about putting their photos here again.

A Truly Filthy Bastard

I read the news tonight.

I was sickened when I read this:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050713/ap_on_re_us/idaho_
missing_children;_ylt=ApfDHHr3pNSccbeRd6OCmWus0NUE;_ylu=
X3oDMTA3MjBwMWtkBHNlYwM3MTg-

This article, written By NICHOLAS K. GERANIOS, Associated Press Writer
Tue Jul 12,11:14 PM ET, titled, "Idaho Suspect Allegedly Staked Out Home".
In the article, it says,
"Joseph Edward Duncan III had spotted 8-year-old Shasta Groene playing in a bathing suit with her 9-year-old brother, Dylan, the documents say"

I don't know if I've broken a copyright rule or not here, but I credited the author, and the source, I just ...hell, this case has really done something to me.

Duncan (allegedly) did the things he did because he saw this little girl playing in a swim suit.

The article too goes on to say that he watched them for 2 or 3 days, using night vision goggles to case the house, peeking in their windows so he could do what he did. Kill their mother, her boyfriend, and their brother. He didn't know these people. This was random. He saw this child, and the nightmare for her began and will be with her for the rest of her life.

Joseph Edward Duncan III had spotted 8-year-old Shasta Groene playing in a bathing suit

Long ago, I used to have a website dedicated to Mikyla. I think I posted every photo I ever took of her there, from the time she was born. I distinctly recall one photo of her at maybe 8 months old, only wearing a diaper. To me it was a beautiful, innocent baby photo. However an acquaintance at that time saw it and went on about how some sick perverts might look at that photo and make it something ugly in their minds.

I remember how angry and afronted I was.. to me, the acquaintance who had made that comment made me sick at my stomach for even suggesting such a thing. I deleted the photo, just to be safe, and became more careful about what I posted.

Then tonight I read the news.

Joseph Edward Duncan III had spotted 8-year-old Shasta Groene playing in a bathing suit

In light of this, I've gone through my journal, and deleted all posts that had the kid's photos on them. I don't know if I'll ever post another picture of the kids, the things they so love to do - I enjoyed that so much, but as of tonight, to me, it's just not worth it. Just this week I posted some photos of the girls enjoying the swimming pool. Innocent, sweet summer pictures. They were wearing their swim suits.

One completely sick, twisted, filthy bastard has managed to destroy so many lives. Because he saw a child he wanted to hurt playing in her yard, wearing her swimsuit.

I went to this man's blog, read it, and read some comments other people left there on his last post. Just reading those had me sitting here furious, just wishing so much that I could reach through this monitor and gouge out some of their eyes. The disrespect some of them held for that child...for her family... I don't know if they're teenagers, or grown men and women, but I don't care how old they are. Some of those posts were, in my opinion, left by people who are every bit as sick and dangerous as Mr. Duncan.

I don't know about you, but I'm tired of this. It seems like every day I hear about another child being abducted and molested, abducted and used, abducted and maimed, abducted and slaughtered, and I'm sick to death of it.

We make these bastards register, but as in the Groene killings and abduction, what the hell good does that do? What the hell good did it do that family, and the children, and Shasta? Absofrickinlutely none.

When is someone going to stand up and say, That's enough folks. We're done.

How many times do these bastards have to repeat the offense, getting worse as they go, before legislators realize.. "Oh, hey, they don't get well.. they don't become rehabilitated...we need to keep these guys off the streets period. ONE STRIKE AND THEY'RE OUT!" How many Shasta's and Dylan's, and Jessica's and Duncan's and Couey's, is it going to take before something is done about this?

Joseph Edward Duncan III had spotted 8-year-old Shasta Groene playing in a bathing suit

God bless you, Shasta. My heart goes out to you and your family. Little girls should be able to wear their swim suits without having to be afriad of something like this.

I don't know what else to say. I'm sorry.

Naptime.

This weather has made me so sleepy. Bonnie's off, so I don't have to babysit Joel today, and Sarah picked up Mikyla earlier. I don't have a child in this house at the moment, and the rain is a fine drizzle, the sky is pouting, and my eyelids are drooping. It's naptime!

The Nextel Nightmare

While I was in Florida last summer, I dropped my cell phone (Cingular service which I loved) into the ocean. Since I only had 1 more month on my contract with Cingular, and was going to have to buy a new phone anyway - the salt water destroyed mine.. I decided to go with Nextel. My whole family had them and they just seemed so neat.

I paid for the phone, signed a 2 year contract and I was "in"!

I really didn't have too much of a problem with it, my mothly bill was just what it was supposed to be, there were a few local places where there was no service, but Cingular was that way to, so I figured it was ok. Bonnie had Joel and would get out in her car and I worried it would quit on her and Sarah was pregnant and her car did break down on her a few times, so I got them "in" too. 3 Nextels on my bill. Still, to me, knowing they could get in touch with me or my folks, or my sister if they had a problem would be worth the money.

My January statement was fine, My February statement was fine, but then in March, Nextel put this Telenav charge on there.. 10 bucks a month on each phone for a phone map that none of us was interested in. I called them to tell them that I didn't want that, and they assured me they'd take it off. Too, I had insured my own phone, but had told them I didn't want insurance on the girl's phones, if something happened to them, the girls could replace them themselves. They also started charging all 3 phones for internet service, which we didn't use and didn't need, so I asked them to take that back off. They assured me they would. They added long distance direct charges to Bonnie's Nextel, and I called them on that. She didn't know anyone to direct connect out of our calling area. Oh yes, they said, they'd take that off too.

The thing was, the lady said.. they could only go back 2 months to remove their extra charges. Okay, fine, just make sure they're off. The bill came for April, again the extra charges were on my bill. Again I called. Oh yes, we'll be sure to take those off, the changes will be reflected on your next statement. The credit will be 119.00.

Got the May statement, the charges were still there, and only 49.00 was credited. So I wrote a letter of complaint and put into the bill, taking off the extra charges myself. I told them, hey, you're not going to fix this but for 2 months back, so if I pay this in full again, that's a month's worth of extra charges that you people aren't going to reimburse me for.

My June statement was for more than a car payment. I called again and asked to speak with a supervisor. The guy I talked to said he could do the same thing a supervisor could do (yes, I got his name) and he began to run down my bill. He said that the Telenav had been removed from 2 phones, for 20 bucks and some change, I think it was.. BUT that the insurance had been removed from 3 phones, at almost 6 bucks each, so that made up the difference. I balked, no, I paid for the telenav thing for 2 months on 3 phones, and I want my money back. He laughed, I swear to God, he laughed out loud and said that I got all the credit that I had coming to me, and that if I wanted to bicker with him that my bill would go even higher.

I hung up, stewed over this for a time, and then talked to Lisa. She said her bill too had gone sky high and since her contract was up she was having hers disconnected. Mom and Dad too thought it had gotten rediculous and they had theirs turned off too.

I talked to the girls and we decided to call and disconnect ours too. So, last week, I called them. It took 3 hours to finally get a representative on the phone. I told her I wanted to have my service shut off.. she replied, ok, but you're under contract, for us to turn them off will cost you 200 bucks per phone. I told her, yes, I realize that, but I still want them disconnected. She said ok, took down my information and then told me that they would be turned off on July 9. Then she asked me to hold while she got a confirmation number for me. I waited, and she hung up. No confirmation number..and she didn't return my call.

When you call Nextel, the first thing they want is your Nextel number, then they ask for you to call them from a landline, not Nextel, so that service isn't interrupted. (I did call from a landline) They then ask for the landline number so that they can call back if service is cut off. (That right there should tell folks a ton about Nextel service) So the woman had my number. She just didn't call back. She's not about to disconnect me. My guess is that they want another car payment for another month...for so long as possible.

It's July 11. The Nextel's are still on, and the lady still hasn't called back with a confirmation number. I'm not wasting 3 more hours to try to reach them to complain again. I'm just not gonna pay this invoice. I bet they call me when they realize it's not being paid. Don't you?

The Rain and Katie-Dids Are At It Again

I'm hearing it's supposed to rain now for five straight days. I suppose that means flooding for much of this area. I hope Sarah doesn't get caught behind flood water and go into labor. Wouldn't that be the pits?

Bonnie and I were on the patio last night, just talking - and the Katie-Dids started buzzing away up in the trees in the woods behind the house. That's the first sign for me that summer is almost over. Mid July and summer almost over.

Mikyla will be starting school in a few weeks. That just seems unbelievable. She spent the night last night, and had her make up, she said that she had to use it because then the boys would think she's beautiful. She wanted to put it on me too, told me the boys would think I'm beautiful too, but I told her I didn't want them to, so she decided that everyone would think I'm a star if I had on some make up, so she made me all beautiful and starry. I'm gonna miss her when she starts school.

Joel was getting into everything last night. By midnight they were still here and he was still going strong, so I scooped him up and told him it was time to quiet down. I held him tightly in the swing, trying to get him to go to sleep. The way I had him in my arms, he had no balance so couldn't push himself away. He mumbled, "I want down" I said, "No, Joel, you close your eyes and rest your bones now, you're wearing Mammy out." He sat there quietly for a few minutes then took a deep breath and yelled out in the loudest, strongest voice, "HELP!"

I couldn't help it, that cracked me up. I didn't even know he knew the word 'help', much less when to use it. That kid's a cracker jack.

Mom, Dad, Lisa and Nick took the boat out yesterday. Nick caught a rainbow trout, that's pretty cool. I hope the seats were comfortable. I'm glad the weather held out for them because it was cloudy and looked like it was gonna start storming all day. I worried about that, and they didn't have the Nextels with them to check on them. Flubber wouldn't let them take her Nextel. Some folks just don't seem to want to look out for anyone but themselves. So it goes.
I'd have given them mine.

My aunt called yesterday, just to say hi and let me know what's going on up that way. We got to talking about my grand-dad, he's 82 and pretty much a wild man these days. I think he's getting too bad now to be able to be alone much longer, and God knows he's too mean to move into any of our houses with us, so it's not gonna be too much longer when a decision has to be made to move him into a nursing home.

Typically, I don't believe in those things, but in some circumstances, they're a necessity. For him, thank God there are such places. He's beginning to terrorize the other residents in his apartment building, just basic bullying and mean mouthing them. A few, he's drawn his cane on, and I don't think people there are going to put up with that kind of behavior for very long.

How sad. How very sad to be so miserable and mean that you just feel like being a tyrant all the time. How sad to be so hateful that no one wants you around. How very sad to know that he's so sullen and mean that he just can't seem to find any joy in anything. I have all these kids here, I can't begin to imagine what hell he'd make life for us if he came here. Nor can I imagine anyone else moving him in with them, for that same nightmarish treatment in their homes.

I hope his kids realize that when the time comes, they have no choice, and understand that it's for his own good, and all the rest of ours. No guilt, no blame, just a necessary solution to a terribly sad situation. God please don't let me become ill natured and violent in my twilight years like that.

Meli!

I love Tracie Jym! She's PRECIOUS! I can't leave a comment, it just won't work, I don't know what I'm doing wrong! Her name is spelled so differently, I love it! Congratulations!

Nikki

My cousin Nikki and I have been emailing back and forth for a couple of weeks, exchanging pics of the babies, just keeping in touch with how we are and what's new, it's been GREAT hearing about everyone up north, the latest news is that Christopher and his wife had their baby yesterday. A boy!

Congratulations!!

Descrimination of Sex Offenders

http://fifthnail.blogspot.com/

This guy was found with the missing girl from Idaho, in Denny's. The link to his blog was on MSNBC.com, so naturally I had to go look.

A lot of his blog entries were going on about how people fear, hate and descriminate against sex offenders, and how we're taught the wrong statistics on them by the media. How caring he is, he's so sensitive that it hurt him when his mouse died.

PUUUUUKE!

I can't get over his bitterness at the public being wary of them. I guess he felt we ought to put him in charge of 'Day Cares across America'. Good Grief.

The media's to blame for public concern? I wonder if good old fashioned horse sense ever occured to this goofball.

I'm wary of Arsonists, Rapists, Serial Killers and Shark Infested water too.

Just good grief.

Me...My...Number One...Oh-My-Me-My!

Doesn't that shit get old?

Shit...Shat...SHEW!!

I like to have the yard looking nice, the porch, the house...anytime I know mom's coming over. She's this big stickler for 'tidy'.. when I say she even cleans her light bulbs, I'm not kidding. Since the place has been over-run with kids, my yard and house just hasn't been "Mom Worthy" in... *coughsyearscoughs* ...a long time.

I've been working hard to get the yard pretty, the porch is looking nice, I have lattice up now, and it's freshly painted and just really cute.. the yard is mowed, we cleaned up all those little 3 inch pieces of 2x4 that Stan was saving for God knows what.. I even washed the kid's slide.

I called Mom over for coffee.. got the coffee brewing, then sat beside the lighted Apple scented candle lamp that I have on the pretty little table beside the glider, and waited for her and Dad to show up. They did about an hour later.

Soon, this smell wafted up to us and Mom said she smelled something dead. About that time, Lisa and Nick pulled up and as Lisa walked up the walk, Joel got out of the little wading pool and ran to give her a great big hug. She gagged and held out her shirt.

He'd messed all over himself. Yuck! It looked like a great big smooshed Tootsie Roll, rest notches and all! It was EVERYwhere - on the pool, on the walk, on Lisa's shirt, on Joel's legs, Y...U...C...K!!

I got it cleaned up, had to empty the lil pool, clean it out, bleach it, refill it.. gave Lisa a clean shirt - dang - where there's kids, there's poop! Joel was such a mess I just hosed him off, heck, I didn't know what else to do! His bare butt hanging midair, waterhose spraying it off... what a situation! God-a-mighty!

Poop-a-la-everywhere!

Didja ever just have one of those moments when you just wish if it had to happen, you wish it had happened an hour earlier, or a couple of hours later? Mom sat on the porch laughing like she'd lost her everlovin' mind.. Dad just kept grunting.. ugh.. UGH.. Joel yelping like a puppy, Nick and Lisa cracking up like nothing on earth was more comical. Stan just standing there like a bump on a log.. and me holding Joel out, butt over my left elbow, water hose in my right hand, trying to get it off and be cooth about it.. sheesh!

This wasn't the first poopy time today either. No. Earlier today Mom stopped by to pick up Mikyla. We stepped out onto the front porch and what was smeared all over the glider that I'd just painted white, only yesterday?

Poop.

I could only figure that one of the kittens had climbed up there and just.. pooped.

Ah hell, all I can say is, where Mom goes, shit happens!