This is just the beginning, I know!

So, my 10 year old started a new school this year. I was very nervous for her as she is what I like to call...socially awkward. Just like ME! Anyway, she seems to be doing ok. Making some friends and after a rough start with grades, seems to be getting a handle on that too. She has talked about this 'boy' quite a bit. He seems very smart. And I have encouraged her to be friends with him because he seemed to be able to help her with homework stuff but also truly WANTED to be her friend. Showed her how to play basketball, sat by her at lunch, etc. So they exchanged phone numbers and he gave her his email address. So, when the time came for Grandma's Halloween party, we allowed her to invite him. She was very excited.

That night he was the only one that hadn't shown up yet and I stepped outside to check once more before deciding to start the party without him but here he came walking down the driveway with his mom. (Very pretty lady.) I introduced myself and told her that the party should end in about 1.5 hours. In came Caleb and Ashley was all smiles.

Well...turns out that Scott and his kids (who were also there at the party) already KNEW Caleb! AND as they reminded me, I knew OF him too! I have heard stories of his family for YEARS! And have met his sister numerous times. Sigh... This is where the story turns...

You see, that family, is a MESS! The mom is currently in rehab (allowed out on the weekends). The dad is there and not there and is a macho asshole. The daughter was 14 when I saw her and scared the shit out of me with how mature she was. No 14 year olds should be THAT comfortable. She dressed provacatively and talked too maturely. The parents argued horribly in front of the kids and I heard many stories (some directly from the daughter) about how selfish the parents were and self absorbed into their own world. The daughter has a boyfriend and he is allowed over whenever. She is only 15 now. Here is the worst thing I heard...the mother about 6 months ago asked Scott's mom if Scott's brother, Scott's 17 year old daughter and her 14 year old could get an apartment together. And she was SERIOUS!

I am sad now. Sad that Caleb has a crazy, messed up family. Sad because this is NOT who I imagined him to be. Sad because he is NOT what I want for my daughter in the long run. And sad because I realized that this is the battle I will fight with my daughters for the rest of their lives probably...the battle of what Mom wants vs. what Daughter wants. I know, because it is a battle that my mom still fights with me to this day. So even in 8-10 years when my daughters are officially grown up...the battle will not be over. :(

Update to Blog titled "Ugh..."

Ok, so back a few months ago I wrote about the funeral I attended and then was shamed for feeling so judgemental about the family. I didn't go into it on the previous blog but I was mighty impressed with the son when he got up and spoke. His maturity (I think he is about 30) and calmness and overall sincerity.

Well guess what? He was a fraud! Turns out the f**ker has been frauding his dad (who has Parkinson's) for months. Him and his new wife were treating him like crap and had stolen about $30,000! The drama is still unfolding and I am sure the son will be arrested at some point (the bank said they would take care of that part) and you know what? I am glad! Not only that he will get what is due to him but that I was a little bit RIGHT! What an ASS!

Karma?

So I think I am being paid back for being GREEDY! I found out that my insurance was changing and I would no longer be able to get FREE hearing aids but if I hurried I could get one last one. Thing is, I didn't NEED one...I just WANTED one. You know...for a back up? Well, it worked. I intended to get the latest and greatest but uh well they don't make any 'latest and greatest' in the kind that I need so instead I was just going to get one that worked. Fine by me. Well, THIS is what I got!

Do you see how HUGE they are? Seriously? You have got to be kidding me! Sigh... So, whereas I wanted some latest and greatest, truly what I got was a 'back up' cuz there is no way I am wearing THESE! Geez!

Ok, but on top of all that goodness, there is something else. I was told that these would be Bluetooth compatible. How cool is that!? I mean I could act like the Bionic Woman or the Secret Service! You know, just push a magic button on my ear and I could hear you talking from my cell phone? AWESOME! Ok, so HERE is what I got...!

Do you see what this REALLY is? It is one of those, "I've Fallen and I Can't Get Up" necklaces. You know that LifeLine or whatever! Ok, it's not, but tell me it doesn't LOOK like it!? I am supposed to wear this while trying to be a discreet secret service agent? Hardly! And as for the Bionic Woman, well, maybe! Oh man oh man. This did NOT work out the way I hoped it would... Just another day in the life of ME!

Zoo?

So, the girls and I had some free time on Sunday afternoon. I decided to take them to this place I have 'bookmarked' for a while, called EcoStation in Culver City. Ok, first note, Culver City is a s**thole! Holy cow! I had no idea where it was, then discovered it was IN East LA! Nasty area. The area we ended up was decently nice with a park across the street but the rest...uh let's just say I kept driving and driving, no stopping in this place! Anyway, so we find the 'place' and whereas I thought it to be a ZOO type facility buzzing with people and kids and fun activities, it was NOT! It was located IN an industrial building. Huh? We pulled in the parking lot and there were 4 cars. Huh? Luckily another mom and her kids pulled up right then so we felt safe enough to venture inside with them. I didn't know WHAT to expect but what I didn't expect was an hour tour in an industrial building and then be escorted OUT! Uh, ok. Anyway, 2nd note, we had FUN! It was fun. Really. The girls loved it. The girl who led us around and seemed to know everything had no personality and it was hard to understand her since she never looked us in the eyes but we got to see lots of fish, reptiles, crocodiles, snakes and big talking birds! No cats though since that room was closed. Oh that would have been fun! Oh well. So, it turns out that it is some sort of a rescue place and they are good to save them but I doubt we will go back. I mean, an INDUSTRIAL BUILDING?

I can't believe I am going to say this but summer vacation (well i mean NO SCHOOL) means boredom! I know, I can't believe i am saying it either. I couldn't WAIT for school to get out. But now I feel at 'loose ends'. I need to have stuff to do...to fill my evening after dinner. See...my 'problem' is that I don't like TV. I watch stuff that is on if I am already sitting there and someone has it on. I can't tell you what is on this season or when. I haven't a clue. The only one I know is Grey's Anatomy on Thursday (right?). So, starting in 2 weeks, I will be having the girls work on school work 2 or 3 nights a week. I bought them some workbooks on www.half.com. I need to get in the grove as much as they do to get ready for the new school year. Not only are we going to be in new grades but in a new school. We are all excited about that change. I hope it goes well... that concerns me a bit but we will deal with whatever comes our way, because, it is what it is.

Tonight we went thru the last TWO years of school papers that we saved and decided once and for all whether to save them or not and filed them away in our 'school boxes'. All done! Now I need to start thinking about some school supplies and back packs AND first day of school outfits. Oh how fun that part is! Well, for the WEARER it is, not the BUYER. So yeah, in a couple weeks, I guess we better start thinking about all that.

Ah, ok, bath time. And time to finish yet another Reader's Digest from 2006. (Yeah I decided I needed to finish all my old magazines before I could read any of my new books. So, 2007 is next...)

Ta Ta

Ugh!

I have been wanting to start a blog for a while now because I have a lot of thoughts that run through my head and SOME of them are funny or just worthwhile to share or maybe it is just because I used to write in a journal and I don't anymore and feel I need to fill that void. Either way, I have wanted to and now of course I can never think of what to write when I have time to write! So, tonight, just to get things moving, I am writing. The title of my blog is "Not What I Thought" and guess what, that is perfect for this subject too...This blog writing is harder than I thought! :) Ha!

Here is a thought. I went to a funeral today. The person is somebody I have known for wow, almost 20 years but was not terribly close to. And to be honest I was very judgemental of her and her family. They were just not 'cute' or 'normal' or whatever. Today the room was full of people that loved her. Her brother spoke of her and mentioned how they had recently become 'friends' and not just brother and sister. And her son spoke. Very well. It surprised me. I was surprised at my emotions and surprised at the stories I heard. Now I am finding myself feeling guilty and bad for being so judgemental. I am like that a lot. I KNOW that about myself. I need to pay more attention to that and realize that people are not always who I perceive them as. Who knows if I will really change or even make an effort but I did think about it.

Well, that's it for now I guess. :) (Ah...success!)

To Buy or To Rent?

So, I finally make the decision to BUY a home. Well over a year ago I did. 2 weeks ago, was my one year anniversary in the house. I still love it. BUT...that also meant that my warranty was up. Guess what I discovered 2 nights ago? A yellow mark on the ceiling... Yep. What could that mean in a two story? Yep, a leak. OMG. 2 weeks out of warranty! Now the plumber is there as I write this trying to discover the problem. What will happen? So far they have not said anything about the whether I am under warranty. I don't want to say anything...for fear that they will then check. I do have insurance but of course I would have to pay the deductible. Arrgghh!

So, now as I sit here I think...is it better to have bought or should I just rent forever and never have to worry about stuff like this?