Meanwhile in Missouri...

I'm a heel. Today is our good friend, Don Peterson's birthday.
...and I forgot.
He happened to mention that today was his birthday while we were at a restaraunt having lunch. I felt so bad. Perhaps I will make it up next year. Even though Donnie should have known; seeing how those two have been close friends and business partners for 25 years. They're men...that explains everything.
I spent the morning at the hotel and then I went to the doctor with Donnie this afternoon. He goes to an ear, nose, and throat doctor on Thursday to see about having surgery to cure his sleep apnea. Hopefully that will work out.
Bridgette is recovering from the drama of 'being let go' from her job yesterday. She told her boss she would be spending a significant amount of time in Texas this summer and wouldn't be able to work at DQ once the school year ended. They terminated her immediately and it sure did hurt her feelings. Mine too.
I'm actually relieved she's not working...we won't be tied down every single weekend. I just don't like the way it came about. Bridgette acquired a lot of life experience in a short time.
She also got a haircut yesterday...it looks terriffic. I'll post pictures when she gets home.
Right now Jamie is here cleaning house...it looks and smells like heaven. I truly believe she is a gift from God and I appreciate the help.
That's it for now, folks.

Sage will be thrilled to know I took her advice and had the mole removed from the tip of my ear. These pictures do not do the gross factor justice, but I had only my cell phone and no real camera with me.
The doctor cut that puppy off and then put in six stitches to close the gap.
Thankfully, I have an abundance of hair in which to hide my wound until it heals. I just had to share all the gory details with you, kids!
Pretty gross, huh?

My eye is just about cleared up. See...

We woke up this morning to snow. If this is the worst of it, I think my plants will be fine.
Speaking of plants....
I had the crew save every single fluorescent light fixture from the hotel and set them aside for me. I'm sure they think I'm crazy for wanting them, even though it was Donnie's brilliant idea. There's a couple of different sizes of fixtures...some were from the bathroom vanities and others from hallways, etc. They are in great shape, just outdated for the look we're trying to achieve. I plan on putting some of the lights in my basement store room, with grow light bulbs to start and grow plants. I'm taking a batch of fixtures to my dad when we go down for Easter, so maybe he can rig up some shelving and use the lights for his tomato plants. At the very least they would make great shop lights.
It's called 'Redneck Recycling', but whatever it's called...I'm excited about my plans.
As for today...
Bridgette works from 10:30 am to 5pm. I plan on tidying up the house and perhaps going to Lowe's...and getting ready for another week. Donnie and Greg will probably go to the city and shop for turkey hunting stuff at Cabelas.
We had a good time yesterday, so today will be a laid back Sunday.

It is raining heavily this morning. The snow is not suppose to fall until late tonight. We seem to have the same strange weather pattern as West Texas.
Bridgette and I went to Aldi's to get groceries. It's one of those discount grocery stores where you bag your own groceries and use a quarter to unlock a groc. cart. I don't like going there because it's usually packed with Ozark hillbillies and it's difficult to maneuver the aisles, but the food is cheap and the fruits and vegetables are terrific. For some strange reason, I thought it would be a good idea to go early and while it was raining. Perhaps it would be less crowded. I guess every other hillbilly had the same thought.
We returned home frazzled and drenched...but with enough groceries to make it worthwhile.
Bridgette goes to work at 11am. Mizzou plays at 3pm and we are having company over to watch the game and barbecue. Fun, fun.
Reagan has a couple of basketball games today, and I look forward to hearing from her on how it went.
Plus...I really need to call and talk to Ma.
Enjoy your Saturday!

I spoke with Reese on the phone a bit ago. He is such a joy. Reagan is at a friend's house and Sage is not at home, so Reese is enjoying being the only child for awhile.

Good day at work today. My eye is looking...well...different. It has a yellow tint to it now. I think it will be fine in a couple of days.
Bridgette is hanging out with friends.
Donnie is wheeling and dealing on the phone.
I haven't talked to the kids yet today.
All is well.

Today was extremely productive, and to top it all off...my Donnie took me to dinner this evening. Great meal...a couple of glasses of wine...the man I love sitting across the table...pretty nice way to wind down from a long day.When we returned home afterwards, Bridgette had cleaned the kitchen.
Boy, am I blessed!
I just read an email from my friend, Barbara, back in Texas. I sure miss her.

Today, as well as yesterday, I will be spending all day with a hotel operations director, as well as Matt and Mike W., who are from the management company. Not to mention the crew...plus eating out at the nicest places in town. Don is doing a petro-mat job, so I'm "it" as far as making decisions and tie-ing up loose ends. It's important that I be on top of my game.
I knew I was vain...but I didn't realize just how vain I really am.
Of course I'm all dressed up, when yesterday afternoon, Mike told me I had a 'really red eye'. I went in the bathroom and looked, and it wasn't the 'pink eye' look, but a broken blood vessel. That scary kind of 'bloody eye'. I wanted to freak, but it wasn't too bad...I've seen worse. I figure it occurred when I sneezed a couple hours earlier. Anyone who knows me is familiar with the force of my sneezing.
I was a little self conscious about it say the least.
Then...
I woke up this morning and OH MY GOSH!!! The entire white part of my right eye is bloody looking.
I look like some scary creature from a horror movie. And I can't do anything about it. The Internet said the condition is harmless, but it could take up to ten to fourteen days to clear up.
I really, really want to stay home with my head under the covers.
But, no such luck.

With the inspiration from Gramps and BB...I do give special thought to doing something nice for someone every single day. Sometimes, it's something pretty substantial and other days it's not much...but we're still trying. It seems the kids are better at it than us adults.
Yesterday, Bridgette cooked supper and had it ready for us since Don and I were returning late from a long day of meetings. Not just any supper, but chicken fried steak and gravy, mashed potatoes, biscuits, and corn.
Cheyenne organized my closet....by color...and both girls cleaned the house. I gave Cheyenne some money when we went shopping in exchange for doing some housecleaning. She really went the extra mile.
The only nice thing I did yesterday was buy a friend a coke.
I'm really going to have to do better...

That's what I say anytime something miraculous happens.
In this case...the miracle is that I hired a cleaning lady this morning. She starts next week...so...not only are the crops saved...but so is my marriage and our family life. There's 4400 sq. feet of floor space...either tile or hardwood...and I just haven't been able to keep up with it. I hope I've found my new 'Rosa', although this one is a lot more expensive.

There was no school for Sullivan yesterday, so I took Bridgette and Cheyenne shopping in St. Louis. Bridgette had two paychecks burning a hole in her pocket, and since she works weekends this was the first opportunity she had to go shopping. I was pretty worn out from going to the city four times last week, but since Bridgette didn't get to go any of the times the kids were here, I felt I owed it to her. I was only able to hit three levels of this multi-level mall before I called mercy and spent the rest of the time in the food court reading a book. Although I did make it to the furniture department in JCPenney and find a comfortable chair to sit in while talking on the phone to my dad. The girls on the other hand could shop forever. We spent several hours there and Bridgette picked up some really cute things....even a few dresses. By the time we headed home, traffic was beginning to pick up...even coming to a standstill at one point. Luckily, we managed to avoid rush hour. All in all....it was a good day.
Cheyenne and Bridgette at the mall.

...cha-cha-cha...

Absolutely the worst airport experience to date.
We set foot inside the East Terminal an hour and a half prior to the plane's scheduled departure. Lambert Airport was the most crowded I have ever seen it. It took us an hour to get the bags checked and get through security. Somewhere in between putting his things in the tub and retrieving them, Reese lost his watch. By this time I'm getting pretty stressed and I was griping at Reese. We didn't find the watch, but we made it to our gate without further incident. It's thirty minutes until their flight leaves and people are already lined up and getting ready to board. I missed the boat...and nearly the plane...by thinking this was the flight to Dallas that left prior to the kids' 11:30 flight. So Reagan and I leave all the stuff with Reese and we go down the way to get something to drink. On our way back, we see Reese sprinting toward us carrying my purse and his and Reagan's carry on bags. He was completely panic stricken. That was their flight. The kids had "A" boarding passes, but we got there just in time for them to board after the first set of "B" passengers. Our hugs and goodbye's were rushed, but that didn't keep me from bawling any less. I felt so bad for the kids, especially Reese, because he tried to tell me. He is my hero.I know the kids are resilient...I just hated that they were rushed and harried.
In a normal airport scenario, it's gut-wrenching watching them leave...this was just awful. I cried most of the way home. I enjoyed every single moment they were here and I hated to see them go.
And to reinforce my failure as a parent...Bridgette had to take a cab to work today.
Yes...a taxi.
She was scheduled to be at work at 11:30 here in Sullivan...the same time Reese and Reagan's flight was scheduled to leave St. Louis.
The guys are at the farm and everyone I know was either out-of-pocket, at church, or unavailable. As a last resort, I called a cab to pick Bridgette up at the house and drop her off at DQ. I was worried about her the entire time. I told her to text me when she was in the cab, but she forgot. I was a nervous wreck by the time I got a hold of her.
I will spend the rest of the day being sad, feeling like the worst parent in the world, and missing my kids terribly.
Perhaps tomorrow will be better.

Downtown Washington, MissouriThe back of our house

Bridgette had a dairy judging contest in Linn today and had to be at school at 6:15am. Don left for the farm around mid-morning. That left me, Reese, and Reagan most of the day to go on an excursion.
First of all, we went to St. James so the kids could see the hotel. They met the project manager, Matt, and he gave us a tour and showed us some different things the crew had completed. The kids were extremely polite, so as usual I was very proud of them. We talked about different jobs the kids could do in the summer. Reagan wants to be a cashier at the gift shop, but we think she's the perfect height to clean toilets. And Reese would like to do the landscaping or be the pool boy, but he's more suited to carry luggage for old people. We're having fun with the ideas anyway.
Next, we went antiquing. We had a blast. Reagan was like me and could spend hours looking at every little thing. Reese on the other hand, soon grew impatient. At the other end of the building I would here the sounds of an old typewriter...or someone strumming a guitar..and immediately I knew who it was.
Yep...it was Reese.
But other than that...he was great.
We did end up making a couple of purchases. Reese bought a rock...iron ore...is what I think he said it was. Reagan bought a purse with a clasp and a cookbook. I spent a great deal of time looking through the old books and vintage linens, but didn't purchase anything. I look forward to doing this again with those two...they're good little rummage-ers.
We ended the adventure by stopping at Dairy Queen for a bite to eat. I don't know why Reese and Reagan always want to go there, but they do. I've had about all of DQ I can stand.
I also spoke with my mom a couple of times, as well as Courtney, who called to thank me for her birthday gift. Courtney will be fifteen on Sunday.
Now that I'm home...I don't want to do any of the things I need to be doing. I did return a few phone calls, plus I made an appointment next week for a walk-thru with a potential house keeper. Hallelujah for that!
Also...I was quite humbled today...
I received the best thank you note I've ever received in my life...from my cousin, Shawn, who wrote to thank me for the housewarming gift.
It was so thoughtful and inspirational that it gave me the desire to go out and save the world.
I haven't had that feeling in quite awhile.

Sage made it back to Lubbock safe and sound. Luckily, she was able to get an earlier flight out of Dallas, so she didn't have that dreaded two hour layover.
Reagan and I fared pretty well, too. Reese decided to stay home. Going to the city yesterday was enough for him.
We're all kind of laying low this evening. The kids and I cooked a 'Watson Supper' as Bridgette called it...hamburger patties, mashed potatoes, macaroni & cheese, gravy & bread, and fruit salad. It hit the spot, too.
Bridgette gave Skeeter a much needed bath, as he was beginning to smell like a dog. Everyone is finally situated.
It's been a long day and I think we will all sleep well tonight.

I will be taking Sage to the airport later this morning so she can fly back home. I am very disappointed that she won't be staying through Sunday, but I do understand that she has a life of her own back in Texas. Still...I'm sad that it's becoming more difficult to spend any length of time with the kids.
Initially I did not want to purchase a house in Lubbock, as it didn't make much sense at the time. But I am now reconsidering...it seems as though when the kids get older they are not as inclined to travel to Missouri to visit. A home in Lubbock would give us some common ground. Something to definitely think about.
On another note...
I received a nice letter from Rotha, as well as the sweetest email from Cindy. It's always nice to know you are loved.

We forced Reagan to try on a bonnet. Too cute!

I did not realize Jon was such an avid follower of this blog until he mentioned it last night. I'm amazed at some people's interest in the happenings of our daily lives, which often seem so mundane and of no relevance to anyone but me. However, it's always nice to have an additional fan.

We made it to St. Louis to see the arch today. Don is still at hotel school, so once again I was left to my own devices as well as to my own driving capabilities. Reese did a terrific job of navigating and we had no trouble whatsoever getting to the Gateway Arch. Now the way back was a different story. Downtown is so confusing. We ended up crossing the bridge which meant we were in Illinois. Reese was pretty stoked about that...he can add Illinois to the list of states he's been to...but I wasn't so excited. Reese did a great job of getting me back on track though. Not far past the bridge we found a place to turn around and get back on the correct interstate. Don told me later that we turned around in one of the worst parts of town there is. The neighborhoods where shootings occur on a regular basis. He said if that ever happens again to drive twenty minutes past the bridge before stopping. Nice. Ignorance is bliss. Anyway...we had a great time at the arch...the kids were so much fun...and we got some good pictures.
Reese and Reagan at the Mississippi River.

I wanted to cook a special meal for the family for supper last night. After giving it some thought, I decided to cook beef tenderloin. Expensive...yes...but so is taking eight people out to eat at a restaurant...and this would be even better.
Reese, Reagan, and I had several errands to run. We went to Hood's (an overstock home improvement store) to get additional tile for the farmhouse. These are 20x20 tiles and we needed 15 boxes...heavy stuff. Since this is a low overhead place, Reese and this one employee named Bridget, had to load these boxes on to a cart..wheel it out to the pick-up...and then unload. I was wearing a skirt...and Reagan is little...so all we could do were things like...count the boxes, open the doors, etc., pretty convenient, huh?
Reese was a stud, let me tell you.
We then went to the grocery store, where I had to specifically ask the butcher for a beef tenderloin. Reagan is really taking all of this in.
Fast forward to supper.
We're all sitting around the table eating, and Reagan says," Mom, aren't you going to tell Don how much the meat cost?"
We all just get really quiet and Reagan has a little smirk on her face.
"I bet Don has a good idea how much it costs," I said.
Don says,"probably between $6.99 and $15.00 a pound."
"And it weighed 5 pounds and cost-ed $60.00!" exclaims Reagan so smugly.
Don't you just love little girls? From the ages of 2 thru 11 they are just like little tape recorders.

The world today is something else...with all of the divorces and split families...it is a mess. In our attempt to cope, Jon and I have done our best to not only get along, but to also be open and honest with the kids. With this freedom to say what they think...the kids tend to engage in some interesting and hilarious conversations.
Yesterday we were talking about the kids having a new sibling and we got on the subject of "my brother from another mother" and "my sister from another mister".
Sage said that we sound like a "gangsta" family for sure.
This all took place while we were in the drive-thru line at the pharmacy. I was laughing so hard that when we got up to the window I could barely function.

Yesterday was pretty low key. I dropped Bridgette off at school then came back home and had cereal with Reagan. Reese and Sage slept late.
Reagan, Sage, and I went and had our nails done around eleven. Sage got a full set and a pedicure. Reagan just had her fingernails shaped and painted. I had to specifically tell them she did not want them to mess with her cuticles. She's so funny.
Afterwards, we picked Reese up and went and ate at CrackerBarrell. There Sage picked out the cutest card for Courtney, and Reagan bought some webkinz and coordinating paraphernalia.
After dropping the girls off at the house, I took Reese to Movie Gallery to rent some PS3 games. When we get back home, we find that the controllers to the ps3 are missing. Don and Nick are on their way home from Boonville, so I call and ask them if they knew where they were. Of course they did not, so we continue looking throughout the house. Then Don calls back and says that he got it out of Nick that the controllers are at one of his buddy's house...and that guy was at work. Talk about one pissed off Momma!
I gave Nick a few hours to come up with them...and when they never materialized, I went and bought two new ones. The new ones belong to me and are kept in my room when not in use.
I can sure get cranky when it comes to my kids.
The kids and I also played ping pong. We laughed and laughed.
Sage was getting pretty bored and decided that she wanted to fly home a couple days early in order to get ready for her busy upcoming week. A couple of her friends came over to spend the night and I think that helped...although I thought those girls would never go to sleep. Reagan had them so entertained it was almost impossible. That kid is funny.
This morning, Sage went to school with her friends...hesitantly, I might add. Reese and Reagan are still sleeping....Don left at 6:30am to attend hotel training...so I've had a few minutes of silence.
That was enough for me...time to wake the children!

Yesterday evening, Sage went shopping with some friends; and Bridgette went to the movies and then spent the night with Cheyenne. Reese, Reagan, and I just chilled for a little while. When Sage returned from shopping, several of her friends came over and watched TV with us. They were good sports....sat in the living room with carry out from Dairy Queen and watched 48 Hours Mystery...my Saturday night staple. I enjoyed having all the kids here, especially their conversations and laughter. Skeeter is in heaven.
We were all tired from the long day. Reagan slept with me. She's a great snuggler.
This morning, I picked Bridgette up and we went and tanned. While I still look like a white girl...Bridgette looks like a Mexican. She tans so well. Since there aren't any mexicans here...Bridgette is the closets thing to one we've seen in months!
After we baked, we stopped and picked up donuts for breakfast. Sage is still asleep; Bridgette's taking a bath; Reagan is coloring; and Reese is on his computer. Reese is already tired of me mothering him. I've been doctoring his face, and I gave him some antibiotics that Bridgette took for acne. He's just so darn handsome...there's no need in suffering with acne in this day and age when it is so easy to correct. I'm contemplating taking him to the dermatologist this week. Reese is being a gentleman and thus far has been very tolerant of me.
Later today, we're going to Meramec Park. We're also going to dress up and take pictures. Reagan informed me that I'm not touching her hair. We'll see...

I had no problems at the airport, even though there was a sea of people. The kids said both of their flights were packed full, with kids sitting in their parents' laps because the airline oversold tickets. Spring break in full swing...
I was really excited about seeing the kids...things were going well...I was reading a book while waiting...no big deal.
Then I saw the kids walking toward me and I started bawling like a baby...the ugly kind of bawling. I swear...the crybaby stuff came out of nowhere...I didn't even see it coming. The kids were sweet, and Sage was like, "Great...Mom's crying".
The drive from the city was uneventful, although the kids say that's the longest part of the whole trip.
We made it home and unloaded their bags. Bridgette called from work and asked if we were coming to see her, so we loaded back up and headed to Dairy Queen.
When we walked in, Bridgette was behind the counter. She took one look at the kids, and she started bawling. She came out front...they had a group hug...and Bridgette kept crying.
Sage talked about how Bridgette is just like me cuz we're both crybabies.
Crybaby or not...it sure is nice to have all my babies under one roof.

The kids' plane leaves Lubbock at 8:30am. They have a two hour layover in Dallas, which sucks for them...and they arrive in St. Louis at 1:30 pm. I am so excited, I hardly slept last night!

Before Don and I married, I could not get a dry cleaners in Lubbock, Texas, to touch my mother's wedding dress. It had been almost forty years since my mother had worn it at her wedding, plus it was made by my great-grandmother...hence its tremendous sentimental value. Over the years it had discolored, so I did the best I could on cleaning and pressing it myself. I was pleasantly surprised when I found a cleaners here that would preserve it. They were able to clean and press it, as well as fix everything...including the torn hem and missing beads.
The heirloom dress is now put away and ready for a next generation bride.

I just got off the phone with Reese....my babies are coming tomorrow...my babies are coming tomorrow!!!! I'm so excited!
Reagan's books arrived yesterday. I wish I would've talked to Reese and Sage and ordered them some books, but it didn't work out that way. We can buy some when they get here.
It seems as though we're having similar weather here as they are in west Texas. Many of my outside plants are coming out. I planted 60 bulbs in the fall as well as some shrubbery and evergreens. They all look great, as do my pansies. With this wacky weather, I'm afraid we'll have a hard freeze that will be the demise of my plants. Maybe not.
Don is out of town until Tuesday, so I'm on my own. I hate driving to the airport...fighting the traffic...and parking. It's really a zoo. I hate it so much that I came really close to getting a limo to take me to pick up the kids. I even talked to the livery company and surprisingly the rates are really reasonable. The problem with that though...is besides being a little too over the top....the kids and I would want to get a limo every single time they fly. And that becomes ridiculous. So...I guess I will suck it up and drive. It was a nice thought while it lasted though.

Last night I watched men's college basketball...namely the game between Mizzou and Texas Tech. Missouri prevailed, but I would've been happy either way.

I got up in the wee hours of the morning to (wee-wee...haha) go to the bathroom. In my effort to keep from waking anyone, I did not turn on any lights. On my way back to bed, my infamous lack of coordination hit as I stumbled around and whacked my knee on the corner of the foot board of the bed. My attempts at not disturbing anyone were in vain, as I am sure even the neighbors heard the lovely curse words I shouted out. And my husband awoke as I sit there bawling. By now, he's used to my clumsiness and didn't sit upright in bed all freaked out like he used to. He just mumbles something about if I'm ok and then is back to sleep.
I'm sporting a nice sized bruise this morning, as well as thoughts of ...if I'm this accident prone now...old age will really suck.

On this day, fifteen years ago...Brad left us.
A tragedy that forever changed me and everyone else who loved him.
I struggled with his death every day for eleven years...consumed with guilt and a profound sense of sadness and loss.
Within these last few years though, I've come to accept things as they are.
I choose to honor Brad's life and appreciate all that he's given me...especially Sage and Bridgette. Those girls embody everything that was good in him,
and he would be so very proud.

Brad,
We love you.

• I went to the eye doctor with Donnie this morning...no permanent nerve damage or anything. His eyesight is pretty bad, but we're going to have it rechecked in a month or two to see if the stabilization of his blood sugar causes some improvement in his vision. It's an adventure going anywhere with that man. Don was so funny he had both me and the doctor doubled over laughing.
• I must be getting old because it doesn't take much to get me excited. I found some great bargains on the old meat (manager's specials for quick sale) at the grocery store. Based on my excitement level...you would've thought I won the lottery. Anyway...I have a freezer full of meat to feed the kids.
• Speaking of the kids....I was scheduled to attend a hotel training school in St. Louis March 17-19, which meant I would miss out on three days with the kids. However, yesterday Don told me he would go in my stead because he didn't want to forever pay for me going. And when he says pay....it has nothing to do with money...he knows I would be upset about it for years. Don's a smart man and I'm thrilled to be able to spend the entire nine days with my kids. Can't wait!!!!

I just returned from the tanning salon. Bridgette goes later this afternoon. It's been several years since I last tanned and this will be Bridgette's first time ever. She wanted to tan because she's young and that's just what you do. I'm tanning because it does wonders for the appearance of cellulite. I warned her about how easy it is to burn the first time, especially your butt cheeks and boobs. We'll see how she fares.

Skeeter went to the vet this morning for his last set of shots. He now weighs 4.6 pounds. Skeet is four months old and the vet said as a rule of thumb they are half grown at this age. He said most full grown dachshunds are about 12 pounds with the bigger ones being around 18 pounds. He thinks Skeet will be a lot smaller.
Skeet got to see a couple of dogs this morning....big dogs. He started trembling uncontrollably and his heart rate was still through the roof when the vet checked him out. He attributed it to nerves. While we were in the waiting room with the other dogs, Skeeter laid on my shoulder and stuck his head up underneath my hair. I think he thought if he couldn't see the dogs then they couldn't see him either. So cute.

I know, I know...I'm just like the other "little dog people" that I used to make fun of.

I picked Bridgette up from work at 5pm. A little later we're driving down the highway and she says, "Oh my gosh...I think I forgot to clock off at work."
I wanted to laugh out loud, but instead I told her to call work and tell her manager that she forgot to clock out...not clock off.
It was cute though and I couldn't help but grin.

My House Cleaning FaceKind of 'duh' isn't it.
I'll be cleaning house all day. I still don't have a housekeeper, which means I'm it. Well, not exactly. Nick hired a girlfriend of a friend to clean up after him every week. I still have to clean downstairs, but it's not near as bad as it used to be.
Since Bridgette has a real job, I no longer expect her to help me with anything besides her room.
Which sucks because Bridgette is a great cleaner.
Good music is a must...it helps me get in the mood...except I keep forgetting that I'm the only one hearing the music and I start singing out loud. Not a good thing.
Anyway, it's a dirty job but somebody's got to do it....and it ain't always pretty.
Donnie is cleaning the garage (Hallelujah)...
Bridgette is at DQ, and the boys are off doing their own thing...so at least there's no one here to mess it up behind me.

Yesterday, Don and I had a stressful work day, so we needed a reprieve from the world. Bridgette spent the night at Cheyenne's, so late in the afternoon Don, Max, Skeeter, and I went fishing. Actually Skeeter and I just went along for the ride, although I did help Don tie his fishing hooks since his eyesight has deteriorated due to his health issues. He flat cannot see the fishing line even with glasses on. He goes to the eye doctor on Tuesday and I pray that the nerve damage is minimal. Skeeter did well on a leash and I spent most of my time talking with people who would stop and ask about the dog. I heard comments like, "catfish bait" and "you know if you keep putting that dog in the washer and dryer he's going to shrink like that". People were really nice, but I was there to just relax and quickly grew tired of the attention. Skeet was a trooper though. I have never heard him bark...another reason I think he doesn't know he's a dog. We came in contact with hoards of people yesterday and Skeet was great. Except....with this one man who walked by a couple of times...Skeeter would go nuts...barking like crazy. Don said, "that mutt is going to be a yappy little thing after all." My take is...that man is probably a serial killer or something of the sort, and you can't fool dogs or kids.
The guys got their limit and then we came home and had fish for supper. Don and I watched a movie on dvd. Don's blood sugar was close to being on target, and I think being able to relax improves his health as much as eating right and exercising.
We'll work on that....less stress and more down time.

Bridgette at the park.

Busy day today. I wrapped up all my business dealings early and decided to cook a nice meal. I cooked pork tenderloin with fennel and sauteed apples and onions. Sounds good, huh?
But....
Oh my gosh it was the nastiest tasting crap I've ever eaten!
It was that dad-gum fennel. I had never cooked with fennel seeds before and nor will I ever again. After everyone tasted the nasty stuff, I rinsed the cooked tenderloin before I put it in the fridge. I will try to salvage it tomorrow...how, I don't know. Add that one to my list of cooking disasters.
My darling, Skeeter still loves me though. And get this...Don says he doesn't think Skeeter knows he's a dog. Hahaha. Funny, but so true. In fact, since we took him from Watson Farms at almost six weeks of age, he hasn't even seen another dog. Makes perfect sense.
A highlight of my day was hearing from my old boss, Jimmy, and of course talking to the kids. Not long now and I will be hugging my babies!

I've been pissy for most of the day. I tried to work this morning, but I was in such a bad mood I wasn't accomplishing anything. Sooooo, in an attempt to transform my mood...I went shopping. Shopping is my vice of choice when it comes to dealing with my emotions. Some people drink...others eat...and I ususally spend money I don't have. Over the last few years, I have managed to keep a certain amount of control over my spending. Hallelujah for that. So today, I spent several hours in Washington at various stores. But I only spent money at Target on bras for me and Bridgette. Not bad.
And yes...my mood is much improved.

Sunday was opening day of trout season. And even though it was only thirty-two degrees...my boys were there with bells on. Everyone caught their limit of 4 fish each...and no one froze to death.
Yesterday, they decided to go again. Greg, Peterson, Donnie, Nick, and Max left around 2:30pm and headed to Meramec Springs. They said it was even colder than Sunday. Everything seemed to be going well until Don's little incident. I had to get the details from the guys.
Apparently, Don had his waders on and was wading across the river. He had just put his last fish on the stringer when he slipped on a rock and fell into the water. Keep in mind it is 30 degrees. Once he got out and was able to get to his vehicle, he grabbed a pair of overalls and his leather jacket and stripped down in the bathroom and changed.
When he got home and took his jacket off...and I saw that he was wearing a pair of carhartt overalls and no shirt, I was like, what the...???? Although I felt bad for him, it was kind of funny. He said he was just grateful he happened to have the overalls in his pick-up. I told him that old men are like babies...make sure you have an extra set of clothes on hand for both. Hahahaha.
The upside is that we're having a fish fry tonight at Peterson's barn. Some good eatin'.

Today was harried, but productive. I started early and worked my way down my 'to do list' without getting side-tracked. That itself is a major accomplishment. I went from making doctor appointments, to sales tax certificates, to dry cleaning, to FSA farming stuff, to wineries, to more paperwork, to one phone call after another, etc., etc., etc.
That is what I enjoy most about my life these days...the diversity of projects and people. Keeps things interesting.
I spoke to Ma today and I am very sad for her. She is having great difficulty being alone. I didn't expect the tough and hard working Ma that I know, to react like this. She seems so fragile. I am glad that my kids go and see her every week. It means a lot to her. Ma told me she was telling Sage on Sunday...that Ma kept her all the time when she was little...practically raised her and the other kids. And Sage says, "Ma, you did a good job."
Priceless.
And Ma loved it.

Yesterday, Don and I dropped Bridgette off at work and then headed to our first winery. It was snowing like crazy and the cinder trucks were already out on the interstate. Am I the only person in America that didn't know what a cinder truck was? I hope not. When I asked Don about it he looked at me like I was nuts...just like I looked at him when he asked about the okra. Must be a regional thing.
Anyway, for the other retards who don't know....it's a truck that scatters cinders (like from a fireplace) on the highway to improve traction. Interesting fact, huh.
Moving on...
We only went to two of the wineries and then headed home because of the weather. One of the ideas I hope to implement is using wine corks as a kind of mulch around plants in the flowerbeds. It sounds cheesy, but it looked really classy.
Speaking of classy...Don walked around carrying his coffee cup all day. Not an unusual thing...except this was my coffee mug. A large one that says Biker Chick in huge Harley orange letters.
Not cool.