I spent most of my day 'knocked out' yesterday. I finally gave in and took some night time Alka Seltzer. I had to...the pain the pain! I have been trying to shoot this moisture/cleansing solution into my sinuses cuz they are bleeding. I tried to look out the window yesterday and the light shot a pain through my head so bad...well, I thot it was going to explode. It made me nauseous. So, I took the wimp way out and knocked myself out.

Today, after I pick my daughter up from school, I am taking her to get a new hamster. She can't stand to look at an empty cage. She says she needs a new one to become attached to...hamster, not cage. She told me she wants a Panda Hamster...which is a teddy bear hamster only black and white. They look a little strange to me...but...it is her choice. She has been moping around here. The death of her Cookie took all the joy out of getting her own phone.
As she said, "it's nice but it's not warm and fuzzy".

We were unable to have a 'funeral' becuz the ground is rock hard (frozen) so the hamster was wrapped in a towel, put in a ziploc freezer baggy, then put in a box, sealed, and put in another plastic bag and sealed...THEN put in a cooler on the back porch. yikes. I really am NOT looking forward to when the ground softens so that we have to get that box out and bury it.

I managed to test out of the Word portion of my Wed. night computer class. I don't have to go for 3 more weeks. Yay! Although, we do have a paper to write on computer security. Not so yay...since I have no clue. He sent us material to read through the college blackboard. It must be a pretty large file cuz it was taking FOREVER to download. I had to clear out my temp files. sheesh

TJ's cyber schooling has gotten off to a slow start. It took 3 days for them to get his classes all online for him and for them to help him figure out how to check assignments, link up with his online class meetings, and get things turned in.

Hurry up and wait...isn't that how life works?

Yesterday was a weird day. The day itself. Spent most of the day trying to help my son figure out his new school and look over his curriculum. Even though it was his official first day of school, the staff was all out at meetings all day. So, he was left with orientation videos and looking over his class materials. They left emails promising to get with him today and help him get started.

I did my homework and went off to class...where I was razzed by the other class members that I should be able to breeze through the Employee Training course since I've had so much experience teaching. We had to do summary presentations of assigned class readings and some of the ppl in the room just about pass out when having to speak in public. Rhonda grabbed me and made me sit by her. I told her there would be no hand holding...but I did have to tap her on the shoulder and remind her to breathe. I got dirty looks becuz I did my presentation 3/4 of the way through the class and got brownie points (thank you very much) for including personal examples with the summary. They just looked at the teacher and looked at me like "you can do that?" Hey...we are ADULTS ppl. This isn't the guillotine. AND she isn't the rule nazi...you can do whatever it takes to get the point across...although I'm pretty sure we should keep our clothes on. They acted like I did something brilliant. Um...TEACHER!

So, I came home feelng really good about that...but...

I had to face something a year earlier than anticipated. My daughter's hamster was VERY sick. Barely breathing, barely moving. We took turns holding her in a blanket, keeping her warm, and giving her water from a syringe. We all took turns last night. My daughter went to bed a little later than usual. We promised to keep her warm. But...

So here I sit...with her hamster laid to rest in its bed. My daughter is getting ready for school...and I can't tell her this morning. There will be a hamster funeral after school. And I can't cry in front of her this morning. I know...it's a hamster...but she had a little personality and she was a part of the family for 2 years. TJ's hamster almost died last year. Jacques. Remember my post about the $99 vet bill for a $3 hamster? I would have paid that for Cookie.

You know, I finally broke down and ordered her a phone and added a line onto my plan for her...mostly becuz we have gone totally cellular at home and her brother is always running off somewhere with 'their' phone. Her phone is supposed to be delivered today. She is all excited about that. So now what? I can just hear her telling her friends now, "Yeah, my hamster died so my mom replaced her with a phone." Look on the bright side...you don't have to clean a cage or feed and water it, make sure it gets exercise, or bathe it. It also isn't warm, fuzzy and do cute things.

She reminded me she has Pep Band tonight. So...I guess this is how this afternoon/evening is going to go..."Hi, honey...LOOK! Here's your new phone! Yeah...um...and...uh...(hand her a shoe box) and Cookie died so we need to do the burial before you eat dinner and go off to Pep Band...so cry quick and let's get it over with!"

I remember the first day of 4th grade (altho my mother swears it was my 3rd day...really, Mom? You're gonna get picky about 2 days?) and I woke up to the family dog, Buffy (a furry Spitz with that fuzzy turned up tail...and yes...my mom named her 'Buffy') had had a stroke in the middle of the night. While I got ready for school my dad wrapped her up and took her to the animal hospital. While I was waiting for the bus, he came home...with Buffy still wrapped up in the blanket...just not alive anymore. So there I was crying on the bus on my way to school. And I never got overly attached to any of my mom's dogs again...except for Peanuts...and it would figure...cuz my oldest sister accidentally ran him over...a week before my wedding. sigh.

This is NOT going to be a good day.

I must take the time to apologize to everyone out there...most specifically...anyone who dares to travel the roads of SW Ohio.

Today, my son had an appt. with his new doctor...to get a second opinion about the meds he is/has been on. I decided, in my omnipotent wisdom, to let him drive while I finished filling out forms. I told him the doctor was over by ********* Mall and since he had driven there with Steven enuff times that he could drive to the doctor's...only I wanted to go the 'back way'...stay off the main freeway...less congestion. So, we took off.

The trip there wasn't TOO bad. It was when we were on our way home.....!!!!!! I looked at him at one point and said, "It is amazing to me that you can go anywhere without getting in a wreck!" OMG. Where in the HECK !@#$%&*!@##

We made it home, pulled in the driveway and all I could think of was that scene in The Pacifier where they pull up in front of the school and the side van door opens, the girl jumps out, gets down on her knees and yells, "LAND!" He looks at ME and says, "That's a long drive to that doctor's! You get to drive there and back...I dont' want to." Yeah...like I was gonna give you a choice!

Bethany is ready for school tomorrow...(you can't see it but right now I'm doing the 'Happy Happy Joy Joy' dance! and be GLAD you can't see it!) She is all better...attitude and all.

Troy is still struggling with finding his voice (only I know where I hid it! ) and has decided to stay home one more week. Guess what? He hasn't smoked a cigarette since yesterday morning when he announced that he had smoked his last cigarette! Don't get too excited. He will quit just long enuff for his voice to come back and his throat to heal...then he'll start smoking again. I'm not being pessimistic...just a realist. We've been through this before. But you notice...I said he'd quit long enuff for his voice to come back...and considering where I hid it...I don't think it will be coming back anytime too soon.

The title on the news. I had to read the story of course. sigh. They only meant frozen footballs... or did they?

Bethany is all better. Not sure she really had any 'flu'...turns out the antibiotics they gave her for her sinus infection were having some pretty bad affects on the rest of her body. I had asked them about that many days earlier. OH NO! That could NOT be it! But then they told me Monday to quit giving her the antibiotics for a few days "to give her stomach a rest". By Thursday...when I took her back in, the other problems had started to disappear. They put her on a different antibiotic and TADA! All good. Do you KNOW how sick that kid was? Do you KNOW how much school she missed? I have started giving her Airborne and as soon as this antibiotic prescrip is over with...I'm giving her echinacea. I'm tired of this!

Troy has laryngitis and some cough left. The cough won't go away unless he quits smoking. So...he'll cough. Forever.

I felt it coming on Thursday. I thought...too bad...I won't let it catch me. Got up Friday and felt worse...still thought I wouldn't let it stop me. BUT, Troy was feeling better...he went to the store and got a few things...OTC stuff too. He gave me some AlkaSeltzer for Colds and Sinus. I drank it. THEN he told me it was the night time stuff! I can't take that...it knocks me out! For HOURS! He just said, "Night night. Get some sleep." And I did. ALL DANG DAY!

It is so cold here today, Scrawny won't even come out looking for food. Although, it has warmed up to a balmy 9 degrees. At 9 this morning it was in the negative digits. I'm happy to be inside. I can't even imagine having to live in a little house on the prairie in these temps...with one central fireplace...drafty walls...and having to go outside to...well...you know.

TJ got his computer for his cyber school. He starts his new adventure Tuesday. As does Bethany. New semester for both of them...and they both have some ground to make up. This school that TJ is attending is one that he attended for 7th and 8th grade. I made the erroneous decision to switch him to another cyber school for 9th and 10th grade becuz I thot the other school was better organized. They sucked...he had a difficult time with it. This school has more flexibility. We will see how it all goes.

One thing he found out...the school computer they sent him has A LOT of guards on it. No downloading IM programs...no downloading any non-school programs into it at ALL! Makes MY job easier. Imagine...school work on a school computer. wow. What a concept! Thank you thank you thank you!

So, today...I shall finish laundry (hey...let me dream!), clean up that nasty kitchen floor and those nasty bathrooms! Ick to the 10th power! I cannot STAND an unkempt bathroom! or Kitchen...have you SEEN those commercials where they zoom in on all those wiggly icky germs! It is too gross for description!

Have a lovely day...and stay warm all!

Omg...I can't believe it is ONLY Wednesday night. It should be Saturday already!

No my daughter is NOT any better. I guess it is time to take her back into the doctor's and raise holy...well...get them to DO something! The Vice Principal called me on Tuesday and said, "What can we do to get Bethany back to school?" To which I replied, "Gee...I don't know...would you like to call her doctor and ask HIM that? They keep telling me to 'wait' and 'let it run its course' becuz it is a really harsh flu. But if you can get a different opinion, by all means!" "um...no, we just got a fax from the doctor's and we will certainly excuse her for these days she has been out. I was just wondering if...." "No. It does NOT have to do with her anxiety! She has had a fever...and then..." and once I started describing to him what she has been going through he couldn't get off the phone fast enough! Wimp.

The hubby isn't getting any better either. I am telling you...he not only looks like death warmed over...he looks like death got RUN over, backed up over, dragged a few miles THEN warmed over. Can I get him to go see a doctor? yeah...right. So he will end up with pneumonia and go into a coma...I will have to have him put on life support...

I went to my first HR class last night. I have a woman teacher! And not only that...she is from the Cleveland area. We have things to talk about! I like her, too! This class is about Training Employees. The class project? Come up with a 'clever' and 'entertaining' way to train employees on an area of choice (she gives us the subjects to choose from). Oh boy, am I gonna have fun with that!

Then I went to my computer class tonight. That guy is a REAL humdinger. I parked on the other side of campus and walked. I miscalculated and arrived about 5 minutes late. He was in the front of the class telling his life's story. WHY do they ALWAYS have to feel they need to tell us their life's story! He motioned me in and said, "come in! You're missing my life's story!" to which I took two steps back and replied, "I can come back." Not one giggle...nuttin'. I am telling you...that class is FULL of the most vacant looking ppl I've EVER seen! I'd say the lights are on and nobody's home...but I think the bulbs have burned out too! The looks on their faces are blanker than a freshly wiped dry erase board. The teacher even TRIED to joke...they just sat there. I was the only one that laughed. So..when he said that next week he would give us a test on MS Word and if we got an 'A' we would be excused from class for the next 3-4 weeks...don't you think my ears pricked up? Yessir! I am getting my tutorial disc out and reacquainting myself with some parts of Word that I don't usually use...and getting myself out of that class for a bit. Those ppl are clones I tell ya!

As for that teacher...I may have been 5 minutes late but I still had to endure listening to him about his life for another 15 minutes. WHat I want to know is this...why did he feel it necessary to tell me how he spent much of his college life DRUNK and tell me how many siblings he has and what they do for a living? And why do I need to know the name of his dog? SERIOUSLY!

And the night before...Training class...I really didn't think it was necessary to have to 'share' quite so much of my life with all of them! And she wanted a 'fun' fact about our life 'that no one would know'. I don't know anyone in that room...so my 'fun' fact could have been just anything. I really hate the first class. At least this semester I only had to do it twice. Last semester I had to do it 4 times.

Tomorrow TJ's cyber school stuff should be arriving. I know he is anxious to get going with it...and get it over with. He is staying in contact with some of the kids from the JVS...which helps.

okay...I am outta here for a few more days. Y'all have fun, ya hear?