Update time again...

Let's see, last Sunday, Tyson & I went to church & I taught the 3,4 &5 y/o class again. It went really smoothly, since there were only 4 kids & I had a helper! This is such a fun age group. They're these little adults with amazing personalities and perspectives, but without all the pretense & crap that comes with adulthood! At one point, Maylee said to Addison, "Addison, are you ready for your makeover?" She was so matter-of-fact & grown-up about it - I guess you had to be there, but it was really cute! (They proceeded to smear eyeshadow onto eachother...which is preferable to the little "make-over" sessions I had at that age, involving scissors!)

Anyway, when Tyson & I met up after church, he told me that he'd formally accepted Jesus into his heart! Isn't that awesome?!? We then went out to the movies & finally saw The Pink Panther - SO cheesy, but hilarious. We both loved it & laughed out loud several times during the movie. Today on the way to school, we were talking about global warming (due to a recent section on this in his science class - this isn't our usual pre-school banter, which usually consists of headbanging to Green Day or Bowling for soup or singing along with Jason Mraz) & the end of the world & heaven & hell etc. I told him my theory on that, which is that if we do worship God & simply try to be good people who are kind to others & don't steal, kill etc. that we will be one of the chosen ones when Jesus comes to collect. This led to a discussion on how to be a good person & to realize that God is always watching & with us & is so proud of us when we do the right thing & disappointed when we don't. When I picked Tyson up after school today, he said that school went really well (which is a first - he really doesn't like school, even though he's a good student. The teachers are taken aback by his maturity & he can't relate to most of the kids). He said that he wasn't afraid of anything because he knew that God was with him today. He also said that he tried to "spread the word", but that nobody believed him. I told him that I was really proud of him & that it takes a lot of guts to do that! He always amazes me...

In other matters, I've decided to hang onto the Jeep, at least through summer so I can enjoy driving around topless (pun intended)! After that, we'll see. I'll probably try to sell it myself so I don't get ripped off in a trade situation.

Also note-worthy: Sarah called & mentioned that she would be going to Vegas during the week of my birthday & I told her I wanted in, so we are planning it! We'll stay at the New York, NY for 3 nights & hopefully catch a show while we're there. This is my BIG 3-0!! I think it will all work out, because I should get a tiny bit back from taxes (after paying for 2 years ago, when we ended up owing!) & it will be during Ty's Spring Break, so Seth can have him for the few days I'll be gone.

Other than that, I do have a couple of candle parties coming up this week & had a message from one of the ladies I back up for transcription to help out, which is actually just in time, since my docs will both be going to a 2-week seminar this month & I'll have free time & less $$! My F/T job has been driving me insane, but I won't go into that here (I've read about people who got fired for writing about their work on their blogs!)...I just try to do my job & go home. That's all I can do!

Oops! I almost forgot to mention that Tyson had his orchestra concert tonight, in which he did really well, of course. It was his school, combined with the other two elementary schools in Ashland & they have never practiced together! He was one of four bassists & only one of three 4th graders in orchestra out of all three schools! Also, I thought I should post some pics of his Talent Show performance, Green Day's "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" for your viewing pleasure. Well, it was a nice thought, but it's not letting me & I've tried a bunch of different times. I'll try to post them another time.

Well, it's past my bedtime, so I'm gonna crash - write more soon...

Here I sit, on hold with yet another insurance company...bored out of my skull...why can't I be independently wealthy & work for fun? Well, I only have 35 more years to work if I retire at 65, but who's counting? By then I will have tossed aside my morals to marry an old (dying) geezer with money. (I realize this may come as a surprise to some, but yes, I DO have morals!) Anyway, for fun, here's my Top 10 on Tuesday (a day late):

10 Things You Want, but Don't Need
1) A MAN!!!
2) Let's see...ice cream, cheese cake, frosting, brownies...
3) A really awesome body (which is why I REALLY don't need #2)
4) A really awesome wardrobe to go on that awesome body
5) A recording studio in my fabulous house
6) A hot tub!
7) An old-school VW bug convertible
8) A log cabin &/or a stucco house w/ Spanish tile
9) A vacation!!!
10) A dog...I miss Charlie, our bassett-beagle mix, SOOOO much!

(BTW, has anyone noticed how much I use parentheses?)

After several failed attempts at getting Seth down here to spend some time with Tyson, he finally made it this weekend! He (or should I say his girlfriend?) spoiled Tyson & got a motel room with a water slide & pool & let him decide where to eat dinner, so he chose Red Lobster. He called me at 10:30 p.m. & left a really cute message that he got an "adult dinner" that cost $25 & that he drank Mountain Dew, Code Red & some Root Beer, but assured me that he would brush his teeth really good! I'm so glad Seth finally made an effort - I don't understand why it's so hard for him. Me, I'd be calling every night & begging for time with Tyson! I finally got to meet the 43 y/o girlfriend, who was very nice & I liked the fact that she seemed comfortable with me & not insecure or jealous or whatever. I think it's a little weird that I have no feelings whatsoever in seeing Seth with another woman - it's just a little disconcerting that she's so much older.

Anyway, I had a really fun weekend. On Friday, Tyson went over to his friend, Henry's, & I went out with my gay friend to celebrate his last day at the bank he worked at (where we met). I burned him a CD with the Grease I & II soundtracks on it & he loved it. He is just SSSSSSSOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO funny & we all had a really great time. On Saturday, I cleaned house while waiting for Seth to show up, then debated over whether I should read my book & stay home & maybe do some karaoke by myself or if I should go out. There's a new girl at my work who just moved here from Bend & told me to call her if I ever went out, since she hasn't been out since moving here, so I decided to call her & go out. After a brief detour at Bath & Body Works, we met at a place where they had stand up comedy & left when that got over & went to Lava Lanes, where my friend Frankie was playing with his band. I hadn't seen him since before Christmas, so that was pretty cool. BTW, Kristin's boyfriend came with us & offered to be the designated driver, since he was on-call that night, so I figured I'd take him up on it! So we had a pitcher of beer & listened to music, then Kristin's boyfriend called his old roommate (a cute Peruvian guy) to hang out with us, so when he got there, we headed into Ashland & danced at Kat Wok for the rest of the night. It was really cool, because the roommate has a girlfriend who's in the Peace Corps, so I didn't feel like we were being set up, but it was nice to have someone else there so I wasn't the third wheel. We didn't get wasted, either, so no one was out of control or sick, which is always nice. I stayed the night with Kristin & Loren & woke up the next morning to go to church.

At church, they were having a celebration for the completion of the 40 Days of Purpose campaign we've been doing, complete with a potluck. Then I came home & jumped in the shower & Seth dropped Tyson off & headed back to Gold Beach. Tyson & I finally dug in to his science project that's due on 3/1 & rented "Out of the Blue" with Paul Walker (hot, hot, HOT!!!) & Jessica Alba (who Tyson thinks is hot, too). Pretty good flick & a nice way to end the weekend. Now it's back to the grind. I've scheduled a party for Sunday, then another on the 11th & a combined party for 2 people on the 14th. $$$$$$$$$$$$... Things are settling down, for the most part, though, & I really will get around to emailing everyone eventually! In the meantime, this blog will have to suffice!

Hey! Betcha missed me, huh? I was getting a little nutso there with all the chaos in my life, so I decided to tone it down & not try to do as much, but since making that decision a week ago, I've tried in the process, to make Tyson my priority & actually relax at night with a book or settle in to watch American Idol (helloooooooooo, Acey, baby!!!), therefore not leaving much time for blogging or emailing my far-off friends!

So, let's see....update:
Basketball is over. Baseball tryouts are March 13th & the season will start after that.
I've been doing the Partylite thing & actually sold over $1800 last month, so that qualifies me for an extra 7% bonus over and above the 25% I already make off of those profits, in addition to which, I get the "Infinate reflections" candle holder I've been coveting, plus an extra $25 gift certificate to spend on candles & whatnot. Partylite has been good to me! I've made up my mind that I'm not going to bust my ass trying to get the free trip to Aruba. Crazy as it sounds, it's just not worth it. I'll do enough parties each month so that I can bonus & make a little extra, but not so much that I'm losing quality time with Tyson.

I've decided to keep the jeep for a while & get some equity into it; I've not had great success with my attempts to trade it in for a more responsible vehicle. I know I'll be glad to have it this summer.

Still absolutely nada in the love/relationship/guy dept., but most days I'm cool with that & even a little grateful. (Other days, I feel completely undesirable & wonder what the heck is wrong with me!)

Before ending this post, I should note that my BF's Sarah & Maya, along w/ their mom, Phyllis, were on today's Ellen Degeneres Show! They were in the audience, of course, but hey, they were on national TV! Pretty cool stuff!

Just finished up four tapes of transcription after doing my first candle party on my own tonight (total sales tonight: $976.75, for this week: $1,066.45!!!) so I'm pretty beat, but wanted to share some pics that I just got back, as promised, of the new 'do & the jeep:

Alas, the flurry of activity that surrounds my life, much like standing in the midst of a cyclone, has settled (if only temporarily)! Therefore, I shall grace my avid blog-readers with some of my prose...

Okay, I'll quit being pretentious...I was trying to find a way to slip in the word "plethura", since it's just a really cool word, but I think you get the point.

So, the latest & greatest: First of all, I can't believe that I haven't yet blogged about what a great basketball player Tyson is! He's having such a blast & he stands out as one of the top players on his team! I am so impressed by his ball-handling and shooting skills. It's nice, too, that his coaches are laid back & not very competitive, while still teaching the boys how to play well. Our team is "The Squirrels", which I thought was pretty funny until I heard of another team called "The Melonheads". After such hardcore Pop Warner & Little League, the YMCA sports are just plain fun.

I also should let y'all know that I did take the Jeep out & had to use the 4-wheel drive a couple of weekends ago. It was a lot of fun & I took pics that I just sent out yesterday for developing (yep - still using the old-school film!).

Let's see...Brenda came back from her trip & relieved me of all her extra transcription work (which actually turned out to be very profitable!) & was very pleased with my work & the lack of corrections from the docs, so that's always nice to hear!

Also, yesterday afternoon I was at work & received a call from a lady I'd auditioned for a couple of years ago for a musical she wrote. (She had asked me to be the narrator instead, but Seth said that wouldn't be worth my time, so I didn't do it.) She called to ask me if I'd like to do a live reading of an excerpt from a local author's short story at a coffee shop on Sunday. I went by last night & picked up a copy of the material & did a test reading & she was really impressed & told me I had a career if I wanted one...whatever that means. I am considering picking up some reading material to practice to apply for reading books on tape for a place out of Ashland, called Blackstone Audio Books.

The candle thing is going just fine - I really haven't done much more & I have my first party at April's on the 11th. (She's a friend that used to work with me at the Eye Cente.) She's planning to do a Mexican theme with enchiladas & margaritas, so it should be a lot of fun, plus it will be my first show that I get a check for in addition to all the candle credit.

Last but not least, Seth called & apologized for the way he'd talked to me the last time we spoke & I told him that, even though I still didn't feel comfortable with the way things went during Tyson's visit, that Ty & I had talked & I'd agreed to not tell Seth what to do. The bottom line is that if I don't, we really have nothing to argue about. Besides, I have to trust (to some degree) that God chose Seth & I both to be Tyson's parents for a reason & he has something to learn from his dad, be it good or bad. I know that Tyson has a strong enough foundation at home that he won't be easily influenced at his dad's. Tyson was feeling like he was caught in the middle between the two of us, and that's the last thing either of us wanted. So, for now, at least, we are getting along & trying to be the best co-parents we can, for Tyson's sake.

I'm sure I could go on & on, using a plethura of words (hee hee!), but I'd better wrap this up for now & save something for later.

Hello, my long lost friends! I feel like I've been out of the loop for a while, but I'm slowly catching up...For right now, I'm just gonna post my Top Ten on Tuesday & then I'll try to post an update later...Here goes:

10 Favorite Articles of Clothing

1) New z.cavaricci faded jeans with cool rips & patches
2) Tan hooded very heavy coat with fleece lining
3) Tan Lands End boots that go perfect with the coat
4) My staple Levi 501 button-fly jeans
5) My orange v-neck Gap T-shirt
6) Black petite Dockers-very slimming & go with everything!
7) My flannel jammie-pants that have snowmen & say "Snowbody's perfect"
8) My maroon tank-top that has a real bra built in!!
9) My tummy-socker-inner-aka-Bridgett Jones undies
10)My cream-colored satin cami w/ the wide straps so I can wear a bra underneath (but I never get to wear, since it's low cut)

Egads! I just finished the last tape that is due tomorrow, this one being for a doc that I've only done once before, who also has a special format & happens to pay the least! 18 patients on his, alone! This one took me 3.5 hours & I think by the time I got through, it'll average out to roughly $10/hr. That's just a little disheartening! Oh, well, it keeps me in Brenda's good graces, which means she'll keep giving me extra work, and all the other docs are getting really easy now, so the pay/time ratio is much higher. Counting this tape, I did a total of 9 tapes this weekend, plus held my starter show (which topped out at $507 in sales, so that paid for my $350 starter kit, plus gave me a $257 "shopping spree" for more product & brings me to 5,000 points toward the 19,000 needed by March 31 to get an all-expense 5-day trip to Aruba with a flight straight out of Medford! Woo-hoo!! THANK YOU SOOOOOOOOOO MUCH to all who attended, purchased or booked a party from mine - or did all three)! Today (after 2 nights of 5 hours of sleep), we got up & went to Hometown Buffet for breakfast (I'm SO hooked on their breakfasts!!) as a reward for Tyson for helping out with 5 little girls, two of which were 21 months old + two 5 y/o & a 7 y/o. He was NOT thrilled to be helping me with that aspect, but he did a great job & complained very little, for him. After stuffing our faces, we went to church, picked up my new license plates for the Jeep, then met with Tracey (my candle leader) and her leader, Vicky to sign all the formal paperwork, etc.

Part of me is glad that this weekend is over, but then again, I wish I could just have my whole weekend back! I just keep telling myself this will all be over soon...Oh, in the meantime, I woke up this morning with no voice & still can hardly croak out any words. I'm hoping I can talk at work tomorrow, but I may just have to let my calls go to voicemail & call them back the next day. I'll be doing payroll in the morning, anyway. Well, I think I've managed to stay up late enough tonight already, so I'm gonna fling myself from this desk chair to my bed in one swift movement on the count of 1.....2......ZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.......

Well, so far so good...I did catch Tyson's cold, which progressed into sweats & vomiting last night, but I managed to work until 1pm, then finally gave in & came home for a nap. When I woke up, I did a few tapes, then had to go pick up 5 more in town. I've already done one more & all of these are due on Monday, so I think it'll work out ok. I do still have to clean for the candle party & Tyson has a basketball game tomorrow beforehand. It doesn't help that my garbage disposal backed up & the Drano didn't work. I'm not quite sure what to do yet, but I'm thinking I may have to be Ms. Amateur Plumber sometime tomorrow & open up the pipes under the sink, since I can't call the maintenance guy in, because he might see that I have a cat & I'm not supposed to! Never a dull moment!

Well, I'm off for now to actually sit down & watch a movie with Tyson. He's been so helpful & understanding through all of this. Man, I've got the best kid ever!

I really shouldn't be up right now, but this is my last night before all hell breaks loose & I'm drowning in transcription & candles, so I feel obligated to at least say a temporary goodbye to all of you...so if you check in here & don't see anything new, keep coming back - I'll return to the cyber world before too long!

Back to the craziness of my normal life! I guess that's what I get for complaining of a plateau period...

Tyson started basketball on Tuesday. I know both of his coaches & they're great guys who are less concerned about winning than teaching the boys & giving everyone play time, so I'm thrilled! Tyson's really enjoying this & the schedule is much more convenient than other sports have been, since both of the coaches actually work until 5:00, so practice is from 5:30-6:00 on Tues & Thurs., with games on Saturdays.

So, this Saturday is his first game. I was going to have my candle party afterward, but I've rescheduled it to the following Saturday & it will be my starter show, because I'm going to become a consultant! This means that I'll be earning points toward a trip to Aruba, as well as actual income, along with free stuff & discounts on candles. I'm really hoping I can make it work & not totally burn myself out. I will also be working in the 3-4 y/o classroom at church on Sunday, as I've mentioned before, so I went over the curriculum last night & gasped in horror! I mean, we're talking a real class here, not just babysitting! I think I can handle it, but it will be a lot more work than I initially thought!

On top of all this, I've agreed to do some backup transcription while the regular lady is out of town for four different days & five different docs! This will be the same weekend as my candle party! I'm probably crazy, but it helps to keep busy& extra cash is always nice!

Well, I figured out a solution to my need for spontanaety and change: I got a Jeep Wrangler! I've wanted one ever since I was a kid; then later my dream car was between that & a VW bug convertible. (At one point, I desperately wanted a 'Vette convertible that would be either hot pink, turquoise or a purple body, with a checkered top - thank goodness that was just a phase! Can't tell I was a child of the 80's, can you?)

Anyway, after church today, Tyson & I stopped by a couple of lots & test drove a Jeep & a Dodge Durango. Between the two, we were actually moving in the direction of the Durango, because the Jeep we drove was all jacked up & really tossed us around. I had my reservations about the Durango, though, because of the high miles. The next lot that we pulled into, I just wanted to compare prices on the Durangos, and we know a guy who works there (from Ty's football team), but when I pulled in, I immediately saw a pristine white Jeep Wrangler with a tan soft top. I was thinking that this was a beaut, but would be out of my price range, since I really didn't want to increase my payments beyond what I was already paying on the Honda. It didn't have a list price on it yet, because they had just gotten it in. Well, we talked to Dave & took this baby out for a spin, and I fell in LOVE! First of all, it's a 5-speed, which is a must when you're driving around something like this - I mean, you gotta feel all manly! It ran much smoother than the first one, & the engine idles really nice & smooth, plus, both the interior & exterior are in incredible shape! It's a '98 with only 53 K miles on it. Of course, it has 2 & 4-wheel drive (which I've never used before, but I'm sure I'll figure it out sooner or later)! I managed to get it for no $$ down, except for what I'll get back from Honda on my warrantee, and my payments will be the same. (They would've been about $20 lower, but I wanted to buy the 3 year warrantee, since it is a little older.) It also came with a really nice Clarion CD player with a removable face plate & a car alarm, which is something I didn't have on my Honda. All of the other Jeeps that I've looked at in the past week have only come with tape decks & no CD player. I just can't wait to be able to take the top off & cruise around! Down the road, I'd like to pick up a little trailer so I can haul stuff if necessary, like the quad that I hope to eventually get, or a little tent trailer/camper. One thing at a time... The only negative (besides the excellent warrantee, gas mileage & resale value of the Honda) is that I had a lot more cab room & trunk space with the car, but the back seat of the Jeep folds down & I can fit Tyson's bass in the back, even though the neck of it extends to between our seats.

This was just what I needed to shake things up & feel new again! Next Saturday, the church is having a snow day up in Greensprings at the Box R Ranch, so that'll be a fun little trip. After playing in the snow, I'm going to host yet another candle party. I know, call me crazy, but I'll tell you what: it's the best way to get great candles & holders etc. for free & for incredible savings! Partylite has a bunch of new stuff, including new scents that just came out. I've been thinking about becoming a consultant...there's no buy-in, and if I could do that & my transcription, I really think I could make around what I do now, with working 8-5 + transcription at night. I'll probably continue to just think about this for now, though, because dangit, I really am responsible, and I know that if I hang in there & stay on track that things will continue to get better.

I'm getting excited about just waking up & driving my Jeep to work tomorrow! I'm such a dork! I'll take some pics soon & post them here so y'all can eat your hearts out!

I figured I'd better post something before I completely lose any audience I may have acquired...

Life is in a plateau zone right now, which is better than it could be, so I'll be grateful for that! I have many great friends, a good job & extra side career, a wonderful family & a sweet, albeit incredibly strange, cat. What more could a girl want, really?

I don't know - I have this underlying feeling lately of needing to break free - ride a roller coaster, eat a hamburger (even though I stopped liking those about 15 years ago) or ride a quad & get dirty. I just feel that I've become so focused on being a good parent, a responsible person, keeping everything organized, clean & just so, that I've strayed too far from the spontaneous, loud, trusting, grubby country girl that I used to be. Not that I want to have a crazy, dirty, disorganized life; I've become quite comfortable in my sane zone, but I think that I need to have a release of some sort to help me remember who I started out as & to know that it's okay that I still have some of that in me somewhere. Maybe this won't make any sense to you, but it's very real to me. I just don't know what I'll do about it yet. Of course, my spontaneous escape from my everyday reality will have to be meticulously planned, so that I can maintain the balance that I've fought so hard to keep.

Maybe I just need to have a day/night out without Tyson...I love that kid with every fiber of my being, but it's not good for either of us to spend so much time with eachother & no one else. He's getting way too used to having me all to himself. Sometimes I feel just a little suffocated by him; for instance, if I try to read my email, he's right there looking over my shoulder & gets his feelings hurt or gets suspicious when I ask him to leave my room so I can check my email or write in private. I know it's irrational, but I feel guilty about it, too! But, you know, if I wanted to complain about something Seth did, like in my previous blogs, or write about it to a friend, that's not something I want Tyson to see. At the same time, if I can't express my frustrations to others, how am I supposed to deal with it?

Anyway, enough whining...off to church tomorrow morning, where I'll be given my curriculum for the 3-4 y/o childrens' class I'll be starting to help with on the 15th. I'm really excited about the opportunity, if a little apprehensive.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

2005 wasn't nearly as bad as I'd figured it would be, and I just know that 2006 will be even better! I've given up on resolutions long ago, as they tend to be just another way to feel guilty about all the things you know you should be doing, but aren't (or maybe, the things you are doing that you know you shouldn't be)!

This was a very relaxing weekend - we did the usual clearing out of Christmas stuff, and I went after Christmas shopping, which I probably shouldn't have done, because I spent entirely too much money at Bath & Body Works, but what was I supposed to do in the face of 50-75% off sales? I really had no choice! I also scored on a great area rug & picture for the living room, so I did some redecorating. I've been perusing this Trading Spaces book that Robbin gave me for Christmas, and it really gets me going! The picture is actually a painting on canvas in black, with a spotlight on a trumpet player sittig on a stool. I don't know the correct term for it, but he's made out of some sort of material that stands out from the canvas, all 3-D like. Really cool stuff!

Anyway, today is the last day to veg before our work & school week start again, so we're taking full advantage. As a matter of fact, I'm typing this naked! Just kidding! Wanted to see if you're really paying attention...But I am in my PJ's and have no desire to do anything about it! Hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas & a safe & fun New Year.

I'll begin this post with saying that Tyson & I had a wonderful Christmas & enjoyed the Christmas Eve service at Applegate Christian Fellowship very much! We were invited by my good friend, Denise. We arrived in a fantastic winter wonderland in the middle of nowhere! They had hundreds of thousands of lights in every tree & bush, plus white & red poinsettas strategically placed & decorating the main stage, next to which was a gigantic bonfire, about 8-9 feet high! They had a formal choir in robes & did a gospel-choir type thing with Christmas carols & several different soloists.

On Christmas morning, Tyson was very excited to see that his two biggest (literally!) gifts were from Santa - a coffin guitar case & a fender guitar stool that he'd been looking at in his Musician's Friend catalog. We both thoroughly enjoyed all of our gifts & eachother's company all morning, then went to Denise's house for Christmas dinner with her & her daughter & hubby. We sat around playing spoons & movie trivia games & had a good time.

Now then, let me vent about the screwy things that happened with Seth! So, Tyson went Christmas shopping for me with his Grandma Robbin on Saturday. Seth was coming into town with his girlfriend for a Christmas party at his sister's, so it made sense for Robbin to just take Tyson over to his Aunt's house to meet his dad, then go home with him over on the coast for a few days. When we made these plans, I made it very clear to Seth that I thought enough time had passed that it would be ok for Tyson to meet his girlfriend, but I asked him to sleep with Tyson while he was visiting, since I didn't think it would be appropriate or comfortable for him to see them going to bed or waking up together. He agreed that this would be fine. I also asked, since Seth doesn't have a phone, that Tyson give me a quick call every night to tell me goodnight & just check in so I knew everything was going alright. I didn't hear from Seth until Tuesday, when he called me from the bar next door to his place, to let me know that he didn't know how Tyson was getting home, but thought he'd send him home with his brother (interjection: the ex-con scam artist/theif/druggie/alcoholic/dealer who doesn't like kids & has demonstrated sadistic tendencies all of Seth's life, not to mention stole Seth's identity on three different occasions, which resulted in suspension of his license!). I said HELL NO!! I told him that I couldn't take any time off of work, but if he'd keep Tyson until Friday, that I'd drive up there & get him myself after work (7 hour round trip)! He then had the balls to say that driving one way was the least I could do. That got me really steamed, so I told him that I made Tyson readily available to him & that it was his choice to not call or visit, and that he has to make that effort. I finally got to talk to Tyson the next day, but then Seth called me Friday morning & when I asked him why they hadn't called me the previous night, he said that his mom said she didn't have time to take Tyson to a phone. He then said that he thought it was ridiculous that I wanted him to call every night, anyway, and I told him what was ridiculous is that I'd talked to my son once in six days & that it didn't matter if he thought it was ridiculous; it was what I'd asked, and it wouldn't even be such a big issue if he had a phone & I could reach Tyson in the first place! Anyway, Seth was calling to let me know that I'd need to stop by his sister's place in Medford to pick up some of the presents that Tyson had gotten me, since they forgot some there & told me that he'd called ahead & Traci had reassured him that the bag was right there. I stopped by on my way out of town, but no one was home except for their 10 year old daughter, who knew nothing about the bag of presents. By the time that Tyson & I got back to town that night, it was 10:45, much too late to drop by. So I told Tyson that it was no biggie & I'd just get them after Christmas, since I really didn't want to bug them on Christmas Eve, which was the next day, but he insisted that the majority of what he got me was what got left behind & I had to get them. So I called first thing in the morning & left a message at Traci's, asking to please call me back & let me know when it would be convenient for them for us to stop by & pcik those up. I finally got a call back at 3pm from Traci, acting all put out & imposed upon, saying that she didn't have the presents & knew nothing about them. I told her that Seth had told me he called her to make sure they were there & she said he never called her. Long story short, I still don't have the presents & have no idea what happened to them. What pisses me off most is that Robbin told me he knew exactly where he wanted to go & what he wanted to get me & got some great deals & ended up with exactly 50 cents change. All that time, effort & thought (not to mention my damn money!) and someone takes that away from him.

To make matters worse, Tyson tells me that Seth & his girlfriend got a motel room & he stayed with this aunt that first night, then Seth asked Tyson if it would bother him if he slept with his girlfriend for the duration of his stay, to which Tyson of course said no, he didn't mind - what else could he say?!? As bad as this was, that he'd deliberately disregard what I'd asked him not to do & putting Tyson on the spot, this meant that Tyson had to share a room (used to be his; now belongs to Seth's girlfriend's daughter) with a six year old girl! Tyson said that they were told to take turns sleeping on the floor or the bed, but since she was just a little girl, he gave her the bed every night. Not only is this not ok that he had to give up his bedroom and didn't have a bed to sleep on, it is completely inappropriate for him to be sharing a room with a six year old girl! I am so furious I wouldn't be surprised to see steam coming out of my ears as I type this! So, now how to proceed? I realize that it's not illegal for Seth to sleep with this girlfriend when Tyson's over, but he did directly go against my request & in the interrim, put Tyson in a compromising situation. The correct thing to do would have been for Seth to sleep with Tyson & have Sherry sleep with her daughter, which is what I specifically asked him to do! The thing is, I don't want Tyson to get in trouble for telling me what happened or put Seth in defensive mode, to where he asks Tyson to lie to me & puts him in a bad position, but I don't feel right about not recongizing the fact that nothing went as we'd discussed: I spoke to Tyson once instead of every night. I had to go pick him up myself. Then the sleeping arrangements. So I think I'm going to approach the subject by asking him & telling him that I didn't want to ask Tyson (which I didn't - he brought it up to me), so I'm asking him. Then, if he tries lying to me, I'll call him out on it & say that something Tyson said clued me in on it...I want to strangle him right now!

PHEW!! What a whirlwind it's been since I last posted! I guess it's that slightly frantic time of year for everyone, though, which is probablywhy I haven't had anybody whining that I never blog anymore!

Let's see...I've taken on even more at work (despite my emphatic protests!) and have been doing tons of transcription in Tyson's absence...he's at his dad's until Friday, which is a whole other story that I'm not even sure I have the energy or inclination to write about, but I will say that I finally let him have it a little bit today...I'm all ready for Christmas! All of my cards & presents have been bought & sent, which is a wonderful feeling! Tonight I'll do some baking (during which I intend to drink myself silly & rock out to some loud music to blow off some steam) & tomorrow we do our "Secret Santas" at work. I'm really excited, because I know mine pretty well & burned three CD's in addition to some other stuff (like her favorite cookies that I'll be baking tonight). I did a Parodies CD, an Adam Sandler movie songs & quotes & an 80'2 hair band ballads CD. I think she'll really dig 'em.

Anyway, work is screaming my name again, so all for now...AAAAAAAAaaaaaarrrrgh!!!

So I have big plans to get stuff taken care of this weekend! Other than some things for Tyson, I only have one more present to get. I finally found my address book so I can send out Christmas cards. I'm making some CDs for my Secret Santa at work, so that will be all taken care of, along with the candles I ordered from the candle party.

Tomorrow after church, we are going to Robbin's (Tyson's surrogate G'ma) for a luncheon & white elephant gift exchange. She goes all out & thinks of all the little details, so I'm sure it will be awesome.

I'm reading Mary Higgins Clark's new book "No Place Like Home" to kill some time until I reach the top of the reserve lists for Diana Gabaldon's newest book in the Outlander series, "Snow & Ashes" (I started at #80 & am now down to something like 48) and Dean Koontz's new sequel to "Odd Thomas", "Forever Odd". I love it when my favorite authors come out with new material. It's like reaquanting yourself with an old friend...

I am so disgusted! I know I totally shouldn't be surprised, and really I'm not, but still...

Seth finally called for the first time since Thanksgiving, whining about being sick as his excuse for not calling like he's supposed to on Mondays (or any other frickin' night of the week or weekend, for that matter)! I told him he could tell it to Tyson. First thing Tyson says when he picks up the phone is, "Why haven't you been calling, Dad?" Rest assured I do not point this out & I only talk to Tyson about it if he brings it up, but he has been asking & I just tell him I don't know, because I refuse to make excuses for him. After he talked to Tyson, Seth & I talked so we could go over Christmas details & such, and he informed me that he will be moving in with his new 42-year-old girlfriend, so when Tyson comes to stay a few days over Christmas break, he'll be staying there & have to share his dad's attention, not to mention that he won't have his own room. I insisted that Seth sleep with Tyson while he's there, because as much as Tyson says he wants us to date other people, he hasn't dealt with the reality, and I don't want him to see them going to bed together at night or waking up together in the morning. Why is Seth such a jack-ass? I don't really care if he wants to sleep around (as long as he doesn't expose Tyson to this) but this will be the second woman he's moved in with in the first year (technically six months) since our divorce! Yuck!

The candle party was a smashing success! We did get a late start, since the candle rep was just returning from a trip to Eugene, so the party lasted until 11pm! I can't wait to get the stuff I ordered!

On Sunday, Tyson and I went to church, then out to breakfast at Witham's Truck Stop (that brought back some memories!), where they were having a 40 year anniversary special & had all of their prices lowered to what they were 40 years ago! We're talking $.10 for a cup of coffee! So we ordered a french toast breakfast for each of us, in addition to ham & eggs with hash browns & toast, plus a soda for Ty, a coffee for me, and a pancake, egg & sausage breakfast to take home for Tyson to have this morning, and we paid all of $4.90! We sat at the counter, and we each spoke to some really interesting people. Tyson had two old ladies next to him, one of whom kept teasing him about how yummy his ham looked. When they left, one of them gave Tyson a $5 bill & told him that he was a really nice kid. The guy I sat next to was a truck driver who is one of 20 boys and 3 girls, all by the same father, who died two years ago at age 110! Afterward, we went Christmas shopping at the mall & entered a bunch of contests, then headed home to chill out for the rest of the evening & played a couple of games of chess (I won once, & Tyson won once!) I went to bed with Tyson at 8:30, and I still woke up tired, although I do have a little more energy than I did last week.

BTW, Kathy, I'm sorry I keep missing your calls!

I figured I'd muster up the little energy I have these days for a quick post...

Tyson & I did go to the open mic Thursday night & met my friend, Susan, there. It was a school night, so we didn't stay really long, but did hang out long enough to catch some pretty good performances. We haven't figured out what we're going to do up there yet, but we do plan to go back.

Yesterday, I left work early & went home to sleep. I had to get up to pick Tyson up from school, and we dropped by the university so I could talk to some people about placement tests & just how the whole thing works. I was incredibly discouraged by the answers that I got regarding financial aid. I guess they go by your previous year's tax returns, and on paper my income looks pretty good (not to mention that Seth & I both worked & filed together last year). They don't take into account the fact that I would only be working part-time if I were to enroll as a full-time student. I'm not sure what to do from here...

I just couldn't bring myself to go be an extra for the movie today, as much as I have always wanted to do something like that. Instead, I got up with Tyson & made my weekend breakfast of eggs & fried potatoes, cleaned house & did some laundry, then came into town to put in some hours at the Women's Clinic. I'm going to have a candle party tonight at my apartment. It will be a very small, intimate group, consisting of (I think): Twyla & Krista & Susan, Misty & Lisa from work. It will be nice to have some company over for a change, and the candles always make your house smell great! When I socialize, I usually go somewhere, but I do like playing hostess. Tomorrow we'll go out to church, then go Christmas shopping. Anyway, there's the latest. I'll slowly,but surely, be posting more as I rejoin the land of the living...

I'm ba-aaaack.....
Sorry I haven't posted in so long (or written to any of you, for that matter! It's really not personal)! I have been totally exhausted since my trip to Eureka.
Thanksgiving was not restful, but definitely enjoyable! I got to spend some quality time with my dad and my niece, Mary, and very little time with my brothers & my mom. We managed to pull off the "First-ever Adams Family Thanksgiving Breakfast" & had all the fixings ready to go by 11:00, which my dad thought would be impossible. My sister, Kathy, called from AZ, where she was having to deal with her monster-in-law being a total snob about her Thanksgiving plans to eat at the local buffet restaurant, even though they're living in a camper until their house is built. I know she really wanted to be with us, and I really wanted her there, too...she stayed on the phone for quite a while, though, and was passed around so she could "visit" with everyone. It seemed a little quiet this year. The only "kids" there were John, Mary & Joey (and they're 18, 16 and 12, or something like that). I really enjoyed seeing everyone, though, and my dad & I went to see Walk the Line on Friday. The theater was so packed that we weren't able to sit together, but we both thought it was one of the best movies we'd ever seen. I'm planning to take Tyson to watch it, too. On Thursday night, after my sister Laura got off work, we jammed out down in the basement with her husband, Mark, who plays the electric bass, and Mary. Unbeknownst to Laura and myself, Mark had set up a recording device before he & Mary had gone upstairs, and of course, at this point, Laura and I were getting a little goofy & making up our own words and such. I haven't heard it yet, and I'm not sure I really want to...Over at my brother Carey's (aka Allen), I video-taped him and my dad singing & playing guitar in his "studio" in the back room. I'm so glad that I finally got them on tape! Tyson said Uncle Allen should be famous & that Grandpa Charlie is "really good for an old guy". (LOL!)

When I showed up to pick Tyson up on Saturday, Seth & his mom were just pulling out of the driveway to head to Gold Beach. It was really good to see Tyson again. Time away from eachother always makes us appreciate how special our relationship is. Seth was supposed to call on Monday, but didn't again, and I think Tyson is really starting to get angry with him, which sucks, because just as my mom had said, he then starts to feel guilty about being angry with his dad. When (and if) Seth calls again, I'm going to tell him what I think of him not calling. I won't include Tyson's feelings in the conversation, but I can tell him what I feel, that's for sure! I just don't see how anyone could turn away from Tyson after knowing what a great kid he is! He just got an award at school yesterday for his sense of humor. Tonight we're planning to go to an all-ages open mic at A St. Marketplace and tomorrow we might end up going to the kids' night at the church, then on Saturday I'm supposed to be an extra in a movie they're making here, Conversations With God. We'll see how many of those things we actually do... Well, they're watching us like a hawk here at work, so I'd better end this for now. I just can't bring myself to post from home these days - I've been so wiped out! Eventually I'll catch up, though, and email all of you that I've been neglecting!

I have to share a funny from this morning: Seth called to talk about the plans for Thanksgiving, and he finished one of his sentences with "Babe". I said, "Did you just call me Babe? You can't call me that anymore!" We both had a good chuckle over that. Anyway, here's my Top 10 on Tuesday:

10 Things You Like Eating at Thanksgiving Dinner
1) Well, turkey, of course! (White meat only)
2) Olives (one for each finger)
3) Mashed potatoes and gravy (no giblet gravy, Mom, pleeeeaase!)
4) Pumkin pie w/ whip cream
5) My dad's banana pudding with Nilla wafers
6) Apple pie (preferably Dutch apple)
7) Fruit salad with mini marshmallows - no walnuts!
8) Ham
9) Deviled eggs
10) Hmmm...other miscellaneous pies?

I've been shirking my duties as a responsible journalist for a whole week, so I suppose it's time to bite the bullet & do the whole "this is what I've been doing" thing...

So, this is what I've been doing:
Monday: All I remember now is watching Prison Break (I just can't get enough!) Oh - I also went to the music store & picked up a guitar string for Tyson's electric guitar & learned how to string it. Got invited to an open mic on Thursday by a guy who works there.
Tuesday: Worked & probably did transcription like the mad woman I've become. Also went to Applebee's for kids' $.99 night; a tad disappointing. Traded in Ty's old Nintendo for a Gamecube game.
Wednesday: More work, more transcription...
Thursday: Tyson wanted to skip the open mic & stay home to play his video game. More work...after watching Reunion, of course!
Friday: After work, Ty & I went back to the music store & played with different instruments (including an electric upright bass, that I'd love to get him, instead of the big old thing he has to lug around). The guy from the store said he was waiting for me to show up Thurusday at the open mic, but I told him he lost out to video games, which he in turn called "The Devil's Box". Rented two movies & fell asleep before the first one even started.
Saturday: Had some friends of Tyson's over & went to see Sophie's play with Susan. She was incredible! I'll be able to say "I knew her when..." Rented Stealth & bought Dodgeball (My Vinnie-baby!!! XOXO)& watched both.
Sunday: Went to the 11:00 church service & the Thanksgiving potluck afterward, then went across the street to see Harry Potter "The Goblet of Fire". Awesome movie! (Very looooooooonng, though.)
Then I got up this morning to do it all again! Actually, this will be a very short week. I get off 1/2 day on Wednesday & am going to lunch with a new co-worker at Senor Sam's, then to pick up Tyson from school. I just got a message from Seth this afternoon (WHY can't he call when he is supposed to?!?) that the plans have changed again & that his mom will be working until 3pm, then leaving to go pick him up in Gold Beach (WHY can't he get his license?!?), where they will stay the night before traveling back here for Thanksgiving. This means that now, even though I took a 1/2 day off of work, I can't leave until after 3pm to drive the 5 hours to Eureka! Grrrr....On the up-side, I picked up two new karoake CD's last night for the trip. One with old country hits, including "The Gambler", "Elvira", "On the Road Again", "Crazy", & two Johnny Cash songs. The other has all kinds of music on it & should have something for everyone. I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone.

Well, I suppose I should free up the phone line on the highly unlikely chance that Seth is going to call back at the scheduled time...

At long last, here are the Halloween pics! I have to say I'm a little disappointed because you really can't see the detail that I added to my dress (by hand-sewing, nonetheless!) or make out my head-piece, but still, you get the point. I've also thrown in a picture of our spastic kitty, Domino, since I promised that in August, when we first got him!

Been super busy working (transcription) and haven't had much time for anything else. So, as much as the men have been pestering me with phone calls, flowers and such, I've been having to decline their many offers...We did manage to go to church Sunday, which makes two weeks in a row! Tyson just about flipped when one of the band members started totally wailing on the electric guitar & people were bouncing up & down like a mosh pit (without the moshing). Next week there will be a potluck afterward. I'm looking into becoming involved in the children's Christmas performance, but there's a 4 hour class I have to take first, and it's on the same day as my friend Susan's daughter, Sophie, is performing the lead in a play here in Ashland, so I think I'm going to see if they offer the class another time. I don't get to do a lot with Susan outside of work, and I adore Sophie! Anyway, that's the latest...still looking forward to Turkey Day in Eureka!

My docs have been absolutely killing me with transcription! I've gotten pretty good with these guys, because I do their stuff consistently and they use a lot of the same wordage for different patients, but one tape actually took me 2 1/2 hours last night, and since I just had to watch My Name is Earl, that meant I didn't get to bed until 12:15! (Considering that a letter on one patient usually takes me 5-10 minutes, that's a lot of dictating!) It sure will be nice to get paid, though...

I've been having a lot of fun flirting with the delivery guy at work (and the cutie pie at Dutch Bros., and one of our sales reps....) and one of the ladies at the front desk asked him if he found me attractive, and he supposedly said yes (woo-hoo! I think he's pretty normal, too!), but that he's waiting for a girl that he loves to come around. I told him that works out even better, since I'm holding out for my Mr. R., too, so maybe we could be friends who do things together to kill the time while we wait...hey, it might actually work better than dating, since that's not something I really look forward to trying...anyway, we'll see if he takes me up on it. I took a pic of him yesterday, since I'm trying to use up my roll of film with the Halloween pics so I can post them!

Looks like Dad's and my Hometown Buffet Thanksgiving fantasy has been thwarted...I do love the family get-togethers, though, and it's been a while since I was in Eureka. I think I'll bring my karoake machine so we can all jam. It just won't be the same without Kathy there, though (no offense, Laura, I'd just love it if we could all be there)! I'm sure I'll be posting more on that before too long.

Still planning to go to church Sunday & am looking forward to getting to know more people there, so I'll be more comfortable. Krista says they're always looking for musicians, and that would be really awesome. I just feel like it's so important to not only talk to Tyson about God & the Bible, but to expose him to worshipping with others before he gets too much older. He asked me on the way back from church last weekend if I was going to be all religious now, and I replied that I've always been a very religious person, but he just didn't see that side of me a lot, and that I'd still be my same fun self. My beautiful friend, Mahvelous Mahge, taught me that you can talk nasty & have a good time, but still have a close relationship with God. I figure He knows me better than anyone else, so if I tried to hide my true self, that would be pretty pointless.

Well, I'm gonna try to actually get to sleep at a decent time since I'm all done with my transcription for tonight, so signing off until next time...

Quick post - I can't believe it's almost midnight! I had three transcription tapes tonight, and I decided to leave one for tomorrow, after seeing how far into the tape the doc recorded...ugh! But, hey, it's all about the money, right?!? What doesn't kill me makes me more tired...

Anyway, I just had to brag on my boy for a sec - what else is new? I'm just so proud of him! He got 98% on his state report! (Missed one thing in the whole report, just because he forgot to fill in the population of the tops 5 cities.) He also got 100% on his spelling test, now that we're able to study the words, and he got an A- on his "What I Did This Summer" report. I know this year has been tough on him, because he's in the 4th/5th blended class, but he's really rising to the challenge & making his mama proud! And he's made friends with a lot of the 5th graders that he used to not get along with! I could just burst, really!

A Medford Cowboys' running back looks for a hole to run through as Ashland Bears, from left, Jared Cataldi, Jamie Flynn and Tyson Morris converge.(Tyson's #42.)
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Football season is over - we went to the season-end party last night & got trophies & that kind of thing. I'm totally leaving it up to Tyson if he wants to do it again next year - he felt a little overlooked this season, but he was a 9-year-old playing with 10,11 and 12 year-olds.

Went to church this morning out in White City with Krista & Dustin. It's the second time I've gone there, but Tyson's first. He really liked the music & was very responsive to the sermon. I'm planning to keep going every weekend now that we don't have football every Sunday.

I'm going to look into talking to the admissions office at SOU. It's something I've been putting off forever, and as crazy as my life is, I think I really need some intellectual stimulation - something to bring me outside of myself & to help me quit reflecting on how pitiful my love life is & something outside of Tyson, as much as I love doing things with & for him. So, we'll see where that goes, anyway. Nothing else to report, so I'm going to get some work done at Lithia Women's Care. Hopefully I'll be posting Halloween pics soon...

Alas, the time has come for the infamous posting of the "Mr. Wrong" list. Let it be known that I have taken the research for this blog post very seriously & spent basically the last 29 years of my life compliling this list...

Mr. Wrong...
...has no sense of humor
...doesn't believe in God
...believes the only way to show affection is gettin' freaky
...is insecure
...hates kids, animals & old people
...wants to control the way I look, eat, speak, dress, act & think
...doesn't like my friends & family, and they return the sentiment
...is not bright
...is a gorgeous, but vain, man-whore (yep, that one broke my heart the first time)
...hates road trips
...can't hold down a job
...gambles, is a pot-head, or is otherwise addicted
...doesn't like music
...is a liar and a smooth talker
...is city boy
...doesn't like to play sports
...isn't a gentelman and doesn't have manners
...doesn't keep his word
...expects my life to revolve around him & his plans (or lack thereof)
...is a pushover & doesn't speak his mind
...feels like the world owes him something

Ok, you asked for it! I just happened to post this on one of my pissy days. You see, people think I'm totally nuts for wanting to hold out for a guy that's unavailable & who probably doesn't reciprocate my feelings. And, although I'fve always prided myself on not listening to eveyone else, look where that got me last time! Maybe it's time I listen to the people who care about me, because they can see things more clearly than I can. But what are my options in the meantime? The freaky 60+ year old tamale guy? The 60+ year old tennis stalker? The ??+ Vietnam Vet with PTSD? Or better yet, the icky car salesman (again 50-60+)? I mean, it's not like I'm really getting asked out by any prospects I'd actually consider; why not at least convince myself it's ok, because I'm holding out for the best? But, I've been thinking about "fate" or "destiny" and "soul mates". And I think I'm probably the only person I know who actually believes these things exist. And maybe I'm the one who's wrong. It's just that I have settled too many times & for too long to accept anything less anymore. So I guess it's just me, my kid and my cat. I should probably get like 40 more cats so it'll be official. Anyway, I have to go finish watching Reunion so I can live vicariously through others, who hopefully have a Hollywood ending...

I'm back on the wagon again - abstaining from men, that is...something came up that has convinced me that I should go with my gut & hold out for the man that I really wanted from the start (no, we will not name names or discuss the circumstances).

If I am patient (yeah, I know, nearly impossible for me, but he's worth it!), eventually the same force that keeps almost bringing us together will deliver him to me, and I want to be available this time when the opportunity presents itself! In the meantime, I'm saving myself from being hurt & disappointed by meaningless relationships that don't measure up to my idea of what our future could be together. I just don't see how that could be a bad thing. The only down-side to holding onto this dream of the two of us being soul-mates & living happily ever after is that, for now, he's completely unaccessible, and that makes me really sad. But, if it really is meant to be (which is what I believe in my heart), then he will seek me out when he's ready. I've made it very easy for him to find me, so from here on out, that's all I can really do. Who knows, maybe he doesn't even want to be in touch with me, or maybe he only sees me as a friend. I'm willing to wait & see...

Ok, enough romantic daydreaming...quick update on la vida loca: Tyson & I were up till 9:30 last night completing his state report that was due today. Thank goodness that's over with! I think he'll get a really good grade on it, though. He brought home a bunch of school work yesterday, and he's been doing more extra credit & getting straight A's except for the last couple of spelling tests, which he wasn't able to study for because he kept forgetting to being the lists home. Now that I can get the list online, we've been studying & I have no doubt that he'll get 100% from here on out. Last night after football practice, we stopped by Seth's dad's for a few minutes (first time since the divorce & actually a while before that even), because Phil had to put his 15 year old Golden Retriever, Buddy, to sleep. Buddy was totally a family member (one of the few I really got along with)! He would hug & howl "I love you" on command, as well as every other trick in the book. Rest in peace, Buddy. Tyson's playoff game against the Crater Comets is this Sunday. If we win, we move on, and if not, the season's over. He wants to do basketball, and I want him to have the opportunity to try, but dangit, I'm ready for a break, and I think he needs one too! I'll probably put in a couple hours at Lithia Women's Care this weekend & carve some pumpkins, but other than that & football, I'm going to relax as much as possible! Can't wait for Halloween - I'll post pics of me & Tyson in costume afterward.

Today I was feeling a tad frazzled, especially once Tyson called me (15 minutes before football practice) at work to tell me that he forgot his practice pants & cleats at school & coach was totally gonna kill him. (He ended up having to run around the goal posts 11 times, up & down the length of the field.) Last night he told me that he brought home extra credit so that he could make up for the homework assignments that he hasn't gotten! Uh, hellooooooo...? So we've been busting our chops to make sure that he studies for his spelling (thank goodness his teacher finally posted them online for us, since he'd forgotten the list three weeks in a row & had to take the tests cold-turkey!), practices his bass, does research & writes his state report (due two days from tomorrow!) that is 25 pages long, and reads for a minimum of 1/2 an hour for a book report that's due on the 4th. All this and football practice three times a week for two hours at a time! Yikes! I told him when I picked him up from practice today (BTW, I called his teacher & arranged to pick up the gear, then drove it to practice for him, across town, before coming home to do three transcription tapes before I picked him up at 6:30) that, no, we didn't have time for a movie, or dinner for that matter...Yes, I was joking - being the extremely awesome multi-tasking mother that I strive to be, I prepared a nice meal of salmon, mashed potatoes & green beans while he was in the tub. Just as I was writing this, I realized that I never ate - oops!

Seth didn't call like he was supposed to last night (we've arranged an 8:00 call on Mondays so we can guarantee we'll touch base - he still hasn't gotten a freakin' phone!). We still didn't hear from him again tonight, although I didn't mention that to Tyson, of course. I need to talk to him so we can figure out what the plan is for Thanksgiving, although, knowing him, he'll bail at the last minute, which would be fine with me if it weren't for Tyson's disappointment. More time with the greatest kid in the world for me!

I found myself sending up a little prayer this evening on the way home from practice that was like something out of Fiddler on the Roof: "Matchmaker, Matchmaker, make me a match, find me a find, catch me a catch...for Yentil, make him a scholar, for Mama, make him rich as a king, for me, well, I wouldn't holler if he were as handsome as anything..." Except for mine went, "Ok, Lord, I think I'm ready for my the perfect man for me & Tyson to come along, and could you please make him rich so I don't have to struggle quite so hard anymore?" (I know, not quite as catchy, huh?)Not to indulge completely in self-pity, but I feel like I've done without, been through enough bad relationships & generally gone through enough crap to have built some character. Enough character, already, done with that & ready to reap the rewards now, thank you very much...Ok, somebody call the waaaaaaaambulance....

Soooo glad to be starting a new week! Last week completely sucked & I was dragging from having a cold, which carried over into the weekend. Ty & I folded out the futon & watched movies Friday & Saturday nights.

Yesterday, Tyson had his last football game of the season against the only team we've lost to in the last two years. As it turns out, his cousin (on his dad's side) was on the opposing team, literally facing him on the line, so it was all that much better when we beat 'em! This means that we'll be facing the Crater Comets in the top lineup of the playoffs, and they're the only team that we lost to this year. Let's hope the boys see it as an opportunity to even things up, rather than let that intimidate them. Since I had to drop Tyson off 1 1/4 hours early for the game in Eagle Point, I drove over to Krista & Dustin's to say hi. Their whole family had the flu except Dustin, since he's been working out of town again, but guess what?!? Our prayers were answered, and he has passed his test to become an independent plumbing contractor, so he can do whatever he wants now! I'm really happy for them; it couldn't happen to better people! After the game, Tyson went to visit with his friend, Luc, who had a birthday party that Tyson had to miss because of football. When I dropped him off, Lily's dad was there dropping her off. We'd met before & played tennis with his girls against me & Tyson & had a great time. But, wouldn't you know it, single dad up & got remarried, of course! Oh well.....

Fell asleep during the movie last night, slept in till 8:30, read until 12:30 (with a break to make Tyson breakfast) & took a nap until 4pm. Woke up feeling a lot better! I really wanted to go for a bike ride; it was such a beautiful day, but let Tyson talk me into going out to eat. We were going to see a movie, but there's just nothing that looked good to either of us, so we went to Cold Stone Creamery (dang, that's some good ice cream!) & came home.

I finally get the book shelf painted for Tyson's room & did a couple of transcription tapes tonight. It is truly amazing that this mundane life of mine can seem so hectic at times...

Well, it's been almost a whole week since my last post, so I figured I owe it to my (growing) audience to continue to chronicle the life & times of me...

Let's see, as y'all know, I left for Portland after Tyson's game on Saturday (which they lost by a touchdown & an extra point, bringing our boys their first loss & making their record 5-1 now. Coach & I both agree that one loss is good for character, but that we can't get any more...). I didn't get up there until 6:30, then managed to be in the wrong lane at a critical point in the directions once I got into town & was completely lost! I finally did the female thing & asked for directions, arriving at Sarah's mom's place at 7pm. Sarah came running out to greet me, with Isabella in her arms. Isabella is just over a year old now & kept saying my name over & over. I thought it was really sweet that Sarah had taught her to say it. Ethan just turned four & remembered me from my visit last summer. These are some cute kids! They're also very smart! Everyone was surprised at how quickly Isabella took to me, which made me feel super special, of course!

The plan was to go to the Tavern around the corner & hang out. I told Sarah that if I could only see her one night in a year, I planned to stay up & hang out all night! Well...we had a few drinks & I'm just not the partier I used to be. I was puking by 12:30. So much for my all-nighter! Sarah, of course, was busy taking pictures of me the whole time! I finally passsed out & was woken up by Isabella the next morning. She was sitting up in the dark babbling and playing. She came over & crawled into bed with me & showed me her "bracelet" (a jar ring). It's a good thing she woke me up, because Sarah had forgotten to set her alarm for the walk!

I got up & was getting ready, and Sarah told me that no one would think any less of me if I didn't go to the walk, so I didn't go. Hah! Gotcha! I just smiled & said that I knew that, while thinking to myself that I wasn't doing this for anyone else but Shannon. I got to the World Trade Center (on time!), where the walk began & got registered & had some coffee. I just kinda sat there by myself until the speakers did their announcements & we began the walk. I felt a little silly, but I picked up a sign to carry around advertising a website for suicide prevention. A young woman & her mom struck up a conversation with me & asked me who I was walking in memory of, so I told them my story & they shared theirs with me. This girl had lost her dad & a close friend within 3 weeks of eachother. Her mom explained that this was her ex-husband and she'd lost a lot of friends over the fact that they didn't feel like she should be mourning him...What is that all about? What struck me the most, I think, is that this girl had tears in her eyes & had a hard time keeping it together when she told me about her dad & friend, yet it had been three years. I guess it never goes away altogether, does it? Anyway, the walk was over before we knew it, and when we came back, we all got to light a candle in memory of the loved ones we'd lost to suicide & I lit mine & sent up a "Happy Birthday!" to Shannon. After that, I went back & visited with Sarah & her mom & brother some more before I had to come home to get Tyson & start our week.

I would go into how the week's been, but I'll save it for my next post, since this one turned out so dang long...I do want to give a shout out to my dear ol' dad, whose birthday is today! Love you, Dad! Also, happy belated birthday to my beautiful neice, Careyanna (15), my dear friend, Denise (we won't go there), one of my three favorite brothers, Joe (the big 4-0! Impossible!), and to Randy, my bro-in-law that I just wrote about last week & who happens to share Shannon's birthday! One more birthday coming up....Yep, you, Laura! Happy Halloween, ya witch! Love you!

What have they done with all my new shows?!?

In the past, I never have been a big TV addict, but I decided that some of the new shows looked good & I should check 'em out at the beginning of the season, so I got hooked on a few:

Prison Break, Head Cases and Reunion (and most recently, My Name is Earl).

So, I tune in Monday at 9 pm., telling Tyson that I have transcription to do, so I have to cut the snuggling time short. Much to my dismay, it wasn't on! The stupid TV guide said it was, and even the interet said so, but they were lying! Oh, and this is after finding out that Head Cases was cancelled after two stinking episodes! I mean, really, the show had potential, and how would you know after two episodes if it was going to be sucessful or not? On Tuesday, I kept looking for My Name is Earl on Fox and didn't realize until it was over that it's actually on NBC. So, tonight's Thursday...I tell Tyson that he really needs to get some reading time in & that I have to watch Reunion. To my surprise and delight, he was cooperative, so I settle in to watch my show, and...yep! You guessed it! They didn't air it! What is going on here? I feel like I'm in the Twilight Zone or something! (Oh, wait...they cancelled that show, too...)

On a side note, a couple of exciting things: Misty, an old friend from another lifetime (ok, like high school) has tracked me down & we've been in touch. (Hi, Misty!) Also, I stumbled onto a blog that intrigued me and ended up making an internet buddy that is going through a hard time right now, and hopefully I can help him out a little by being a friend from afar. (Hi, Mike!) Also, I talked to Krista tonight, and her awesome hubby, Dustin, will be taking a test on Saturday so he will be able to be an independent sub-contracting plumber, which will allow him to work in town & live at home, rather than traveling out of town for work during the week & showing up on the weekends. I'm really looking forward to this weekend with Sarah & doing the walk for Shannon.

So, any of you who know me know that I believe in the power of prayer, and would like to ask that you say a little prayer for Misty for will-power, for Mike for patience and peace, for Dustin for his exciting new future, for my friends Twyla & Gary, that they'll get more sleep & appreciate eachother more, for my friend Denise, that her husband will woo her this weekend, and for my brother-in-law, Randy, whom I love dearly because he's so good to my big sis. He recently fell while working on the new house in Arizona and had a pretty serious head injury.

And, really, I'll try to quit being so dang sappy in my next blog entry! I just don't know what's gotten into me lately!

Well, per Twyla's petulant request for my light banter (just one of many facets of my incredibly enigmatic personality), here's my Top 10 on Tuesday:

10 Best Presents You've Received
(As always, in no particular order)

1. My son was born 5 days after my birthday. Does he count?
2. My surprise birthday party in 8th grade. My mom had Shannon & Sarah invite all our friends from school (including boys, woo-hoo!) and we had a sleep-over.
3. My pony, J.R. My mom did a whole scavenger hunt thing starting with a card on the Christmas tree & ending in the barn, with a big red bow wrapped around his neck.
4. My karaoke machine. (Ironically enough, from my ex-husband last Christmas, after we split up, but I was still living there until my place became available.)
5. A keyboard & a stand. (We were always broke when I was growing up, so when I got something this huge, it made me feel even more grateful!)
6. A Hawaiian ginger bath & body set from Shannon. It was the last thing she gave me, and she said that she knew how much I liked hers & that my mom had taught us to give someone something you'd want for yourself.
7. A really soft stuffed kitty on a heart pillow that said "I love you" from my boyfriend, Cris, in 8th grade. (I've been racking my brain, and other than that & the gifts I got on holidays from Seth, I don't think I've ever gotten presents from a boyfriend!)
8. A sepia-type picture of a daisy in a field that I have hanging in my living room from my sister, Kathy. I spotted it when we were shopping together & she snuck back & bought it for me without me knowing.
9. My friend, Denise, always gives little gifts, like Mary Kay (since she's a rep) and one time, a haircut & color, which is how I met my current hairdresser that I love so much!
10. Other gifts from friends: the blue glass hurricane lantern candleholder & cream & taupe candle platters from Twyla & the beautiful mirrored crystal candleholder from Marge for my wedding. Tyson's grandma, Robbin, has also given me so many wonderful gifts I can't begin to list them all. She's incredibly generous & has impeccible taste (and she doesn't even read my blog, so I'm not kissing up to get more - it's just the truth)! Also, I can't end this without mentioning that my big sister, Laura, always gave me birthday & Christmas presents when I was growing up, wherever she lived. She'd mail them with stickers all over the box - and still does, as a matter of fact! She just borrowed my wedding dress & when she mailed it back to me, included a really cute memo pad with an angel on the cover. She's always been thoughtful that way. (She does read this blog...hee hee!)

For those of you who don't already know, my best friend, Shannon Rose, killed herself a year ago last April 10th, at age 27.

She & I met on the new student orientation day for Riley Creek Elementary, where I would be attending 7th grade the following year. She invited me & my other best friend, Sarah, to sit with her at lunch.

With any friendship that lasts from the age of 12 and well into adulthood, we knew eachother's deepest, darkest secrets, raised our kids together, and just had one of those once-in-a-lifetime bonds, where you can be completely honest with the other person and know that you won't hurt the other's feelings, because everything comes from a place of love, and both of you know that. Of course we didn't agree on absolutely everything, but we had a mutual respect & could acknowledge our differences without arguing over them.

When we were in 8th grade, she had a crush on a 7th grader & I encouraged her to go out with him, hold hands, etc. Little did either of us know that this would be her future husband and father of her three children, the first being born our senior year in high school.

After the birth of her second child (and a good ten years into her relationship), Shannon strayed outside of her marriage and got involved way beyond her control with a likewise married man. After a couple of years had passed, I finally told her flat out that I couldn't support what she was doing & warned her that she could lose everything - her family, her husband, her kids, her reputation...her sanity. It takes a lot out of a person to lead a double life, not to mention that she was going through nursing school (a lifelong dream of hers) and holding down a solid 4.0 GPA. I knew it couldn't last forever. There finally was a turning point in our friendship where I couldn't be supportive or just look the other way.

Close to a year passed by, during which time, the truth came out about the affair, Shannon got pregnant with her ex-husband's third child (finally, the girl she'd wanted for years!) and went into a mental institution twice for a bipolar disorder.

I finally got a call from Shannon one day, telling me that she had given birth to her baby girl just weeks before, and asking if she could have Tyson come visit with her over spring break. (Tyson and her son, Kyle, were best friends, too.) I know that it might seem crazy to some that I would allow Tyson to stay with her, but I knew that if I could trust anyone on this earth to treat Tyson well and take good care of him, it would be her. She adored him so much & thought the world of him. During the phone call, I tried to explain to her why I'd put so much distance between us, and she wouldn't hear of it. She said that she completely understood and that I had been right. I drove Tyson up to Gold Beach to drop him off & ended up staying the night with them, during which time she filled me in on her custody case and how lonely she was. We talked a lot, and even laughed a little. I'll never forget when she said that I should feel special, because she hadn't laughed in a really long time. I came back home, and she drove Tyson back at the end of the week and stayed the night with us. She slept almost the whole visit, which I attributed to having a newborn and to being depressed over not having her boys with her. When she hugged me goodbye, I didn't know that it would be the last time, or I would've held on tight & not let go! The one thing she chose not to talk to me about...

Anyway, the reason that I wanted to share all of this is that I'm going to visit with Sarah (the aforementioned other best friend from 6th grade) when she comes to see her mom in Portland on October 15th. I plan to just drive up Saturday & come back Sunday, so that Tyson can just stay the night with a friend. As I made these plans, it had occured to me that Shannon's birthday was October 16th. At work, I subscribe to the Oregon Dept. of Human Resources online, and yesterday I received a notice that there would be a Suicide Prevention/Awareness walk in Portland on October 16th, when I just happen to be there! I get chills just thinking about it & I'm definitely doing the walk!

I got this off my sister, Kathy's, blog to share. Feel free to send your own answers back!

1. are you good at drawing or painting?
I enjoy sketching, but I can't say I'm actually good at it. I completely suck at painting!

2. have you ever, or do you currently, write poetry?
I have & I sometimes still do. When I moved out on my own, I had every song, poem, story, you name it, that I'd ever written, but it all got damaged in a major rain storm when I was sorting the boxes. I vowed when I got my divorce that I'd start writing & doing more with my music again, but the time and motivation just haven't been there as I'd expected...

3. have you ever, or do you currently, write short stories?
The only short stories I ever wrote were for English class. I love creative writing & would love to be at least a one-time novelist, but I really have no imagination!

4. what musical instrument(s) do you - or did you - play?
Clarinet, electric bass & a little acoustic guitar. Also love to sing & am self-taught (meaning not-great!) at piano.

5. creativity is apparent in many ways ... decorating, drawing/painting, voice, sculpture, screen/playwriting, etc. do you consider yourself a creative person? why or why not?
Definitely! Creative can mean lots of things...

6. if you could be bestowed one creative and talented gift, what would it be, and why?
I'd love to be able to play the guitar well! It's a portable instrument that you can take anywhere for vocal accompaniment & livens up any party! I'd also like to be a better songwriter.

7. my uncle, grandmother, and daughter are artists and can paint/draw fabulously. i'm the opposite - my stick figures are uneven! who received the artisitic talent in your family?
I didn't know Grandma could draw/paint! Anyway, that would be Christine, my mom, my Aunt Linda and Uncle Gene. I know my niece, Carey-Anna, is also quite talented, but I think she & her big sis, Tara, got that from their mom...

8. i have a few artist friends who are quite happy with their ramen soup noodles, low credit scores, and crappy apartments while they wait for their "big break." do you think it is more important to follow your dream and live meagerly, OR do you think it is more important to live comfortably and plan for your future while you follow your dream on the side?
I have to agree with Kathy's opinion: if it's just you, go all out (reasonably)! But if you have kids & a family that depends on you for support, temper your enthusiasm with practicality. Unfortunately, I think sometimes that I'll never get what I really want for myself because I put others first, but I'm sure I'm wrong & that my day will come. I only have 9 more years to raise my son, but the rest of my life to pursue my own selfish dreams!

I've got a serious case of the Mondays! Mondays at work always suck, especially when I have payroll first thing, but add to that the reports due on the first day of the month, and you have a recipe for disaster!

I could go on, but I think I'd better quit giving work any more of my blogging energy.

Ty's 4th football game was Saturday, and our boys got scored on for the 1st time this season, but still managed to win (sorry - can't remember the final score...) & secure a place in the championship playoffs. After the game, Tyson & I went over to his teammate's house & watched "Little Giants" with him & his mom, then went home & vegged until bedtime.

On Sunday, we invited another little buddy to go to the Harvest Fair in Central Point with us. It would've been a whole lot more fun if it hadn't rained the whole time, but we still enjoyed it. Last night, Dad finally managed to get through to me when I was home & offline, so we caught up a little bit & made plans for Thanksgiving, since Tyson will be with his dad. If we don't get an invite somewhere, it's Hometown Buffet for us! I told Dad that would be fine with me; then we wouldn't even have to clean up! I also talked to Sarah, who will be in Portland from the 5th - 17th, so I'm going to try & go stay the night with her on the 15th & come back the next day. I haven't seen her & the kids since last September, when I flew down to San Diego for a few days.

Well, my reports are finally finished printing, so I have to get them all organized for the big wigs. Happy flippin' Monday to all...

I'm a little bummed - I wrote a post yesterday & it somehow got lost/deleted before I could publish it! Not like it was big news or anything; just filling in the details of my weekend.

Friday, Ty & I went to see Tim Burton's Corpse Bride. I snuck in candy, as always, & Tyson was extremely paraniod, saying that it was fine with him if I snuck it in, but he wanted no part of it, since there would be a man in a suit walking around looking for people who sneak in candy. He was really freaking out when the usher came up the aisle toward us to help someone else find a seat. He was sure I'd be taken away in handcuffs! Anyway, the movie was a nice surprise to both of us. The animation was really cool, of course, and the musical numbers were fun.

On Saturday, we went to Krista & Dustin's for dessert & Krista & I took a drive out to Sams Valley, then came back to the house & went through some old pictures. As always, a great visit with great friends...

Sunday, Tyson had a football game, which we won again...this is game three, still undefeated, still not scored on! If the boys go to State (which I'm pretty sure they will; they've finished in 1st place both of the years Tyson played previously), they will get to play at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, where the Ducks play.

In other big news, Tyson will be playing the acoustic half bass for 5th grade orchestra! He's totally jazzed about it, and he ordinarily wouldn't be eligible for orchestra until next year, but he is this year because he was placed in the 4th/5th blended class.

All for now...stay tuned for the next post...

I'm starting to feel discouraged again in the dating area. Yes, I enjoy being single. I love the independence & I love being able to check out any hotties I want to without feeling guilty! I also love knowing that, by being single, I'm not settling for any less in a relationship than I desire and am entitled to.

That being said, I'd just like to be asked out by a cute guy (not one of the circus freaks - they don't count!) and to go out on a real date! I know that I need to stop being frustrated & let God decide when the timing's right & send him to me, but dangit, it just seems like that's never going to happen!

Tyson doesn't help matters. We saw a guy in a jeep who was really cute & wearing a flannel shirt (on the right guy, that's sexy!), who was rocking out with his music, and Tyson said, "See Mom, we need to get one of those!" He's always pointing out guys that seem nice, but unfortunately, these guys don't seem to notice me, or if they do, they aren't liking what they see.

I mean, I realize that I'm not a stunningly beautiful or typically good-looking female, but if I were a guy, I'd totally want to date me! I'm funny, smart, a good friend, a great mom, secure in who I am, loyal, impulsive but responsible & a genuinely nice person. What's not to like?

Speaking of cats, by the way, Tyson & I got one on Sunday! His name's Domino, he's (obviously) black and white, with long hair, somewhere around a year old, and as sweet as can be! It was really important to us that we get a cat that would snuggle with Tyson & let him love on it, since the last cat he had was aptly named Scratcher, and wouldn't let him near her. Last night, Tyson draped Domino over his back and around his neck like a scarf & walked around with him without even having to hold on - the goofy cat was just hanging there, purring. I'll add pictures to this post once I get around to it.

That's my big, exciting news for the day, week, month, etc. Yippee!! (Sorry, every once in a while, I get a little bored with the monotony of work, school, football practice, dinner, work, bed, sleep and more work, etc.)

This is me at work the last two days. Every other month, without fail, I get irate patients who insist on telling me that I've done something wrong & treat me like I'm stupid. This happens to be the odd month, which I have officially termed "@$$-hole month"!

Had to comment here on the fact that I haven't received one single comment on the 10 greatest love songs! I mean, come on - with all the musicians in our family, what is up with that? And, Mom: if you won't start your own blog, the least you can do is post your answers to my questions!

Ok, enough berating for tonight; I'm off to bed.

I found this on the Friday Five & thought it would be interesting. Don't forget to post a comment with your answers!!!


Who was your first best friend? Eric.
Who have been some of the most influential people in your life? My mom, my sisters, and I suppose my friends Sarah & Shannon, since we were BF's since 6th grade, but I'm not all that easily influenced. (For those of you who don't already know this, I'm just a little stubborn.)
Do you usually have one best friend or a lot of close friends? I've always had several best friends, but all separately. I've always thought it would be very interesting to see all of my best friends at one party & see how they all relate to eachother. I have cool, young friends, nerdy friends, musician friends, and mostly older women that I've met through work & connected with that are spiritual, but fun & sassy.
Do you believe people of the opposite sex can be best friends and not lovers? Absolutely, as long as there's no physical attraction.
Have you ever fallen in love with a friend? I'll leave this one unanswered...

10 Weird Facts About Me (Ten on Tuesday):

1. I only like to sing in front of large audiences. Small ones make me nervous.
2. I love kids, but only have one.
3. I plan to build a Harley from scratch, beginning on my 40th birthday.
4. I'm completely anal!
5. I will only eat cheese on pizza.
6. I don't like any kind of fish or seafood.
7. I close my right eye when I read a book.
8. I'm double-jointed in my left pointer finger.
9. As a girl, I was able to squirt tears out of my eyes and turn my eyelids inside-out.
10. I have an out-ty belly-button.

(This is probably a little too much information for some...!)

I also wanted to share my latest project, which I did yesterday - the recovering of the kitchen table chairs that I've talked about doing for the last year, and finally got around to! (They used to be a powder-blue cord-type material that really didn't go with my cream/khaki/green living room.):

I finally got a digital camera, and I finally figured out how to upload images onto my computer! (I know, for a smart girl, I'm kind of a dummy, huh?)

Anyway, since I was so proud of me recent expoits as a landscaper, I thought I'd share the before & after pics of my jungle, er...yard:

I have to brag on my incredible nieces here for a moment (my nephews are pretty cool too):

I have several nieces and nephews (comes from having 6 siblings!), and it just so turned out that four of them are all the same age (15 y/o). I just think it's so cool that so many of our kids love music as much as we do, and are talented musicians and songwriters.

My niece, Mary, is the lead singer in a band called Crossover, who actually plays gigs in Humboldt County. Her link is posted here on my blog. On the Crossover website, you can actually listen to some of their music.

My niece, Jennifer, lives in Arizona. Aside from being an extremely bright freshman in college this year, at age 15, she is also a floutist and a budding songwriter. She's such a great writer in general, so I don't know why I'm surprised that her songs are wonderful, too! Her blog link is posted here, as well, and she has posted the lyrics to a few of her songs.

My niece, Carey-Anna, lives in Eureka, CA, and unbeknownst to me, has been learning guitar and writing her own songs, too! Her dad called me last night to tell me that she had just performed at her first open mic night at the Has Beans Coffee Company in Old Town Eureka (who happens to be the city league softball team I played for when my son was just a baby). Pictures of the open mic night can be viewed at www.hasbeansopenmic.blogspot.com.

Now that my "public" has increased its ranks, the demand for output continues to increase...ah, the pressure...

I picked Tyson up on Friday after work from Medford. We oohed & aahed at eachother for a while, saying, "You've grown" & "Huh-uh, you've shrunk!" to eachother. Tyson said my head even shrank & I smelled different. So, that was quite the experience for the two of us; our first big amount of time away from eachother. We celebrated by going to Hometown Buffet, Tyson's favorite restaurant. We had a nice time & he filled me in with a little more detail about his visit, which sounded pretty good (except that he was informed that there was no tooth fairy!). From the sounds of it, there was plenty of partying going on, but I think Tyson's already decided that's not how he wants to live his life. Since being back, he's already said a couple of times how he doesn't plan to drink when he's an adult.

On Saturday, we went to a BBQ at Krista & Dustin's, which is always a good time! On Sunday, we went rafting with a group of 22 people, including a boy & a girl from Tyson's school & their parents. That was a lot of fun - believe it or not, I'd never been rafting before! Definitely an experience I'd like to repeat!

On Monday, Tyson & I went shopping for school supplies & got his hair cut. We also went out to breakfast. I can't begin to tell you how much I enjoy going out to eat so much more as a single parent! No one is rushing us, and we just sit there & chat away, getting as many refills as we want, and actually enjoy the experience! It's so nice! It's so great to have my boy back - we always enjoy eachother's company.

Now, yesterday was a whole different scenario! It was Tyson's first day of school (he's in the 4th/5th blended class this year), so they had a 12:30 release. I picked him up (across town) and took him to Talent, where he goes to daycare. I went inside & said, "Wow! Is Tyson the only kid here today?" and they said they weren't open until the next day...uh, nice of them to put that on the schedule, eh? So I had to bring him back to work with me for 3 1/2 hours on a 2-doc day with a full schedule. I stuck him on the internet out of sight. Thank goodness the administrator wasn't here yesterday! After work, I drove him back across town to football practice, then ran home to do transcription until it was time to pick him up. Then dinner, bath & bed,and before we knew it, it was 9:00! Thank goodness he didn't have any homework! Something has got to give!

10 Great Love Songs
I know I'm forgetting some really great ones - it's hard to do up a list on the spot like this, and there are so many great songs!

1) "You Are So Beautiful" - Joe Cocker
2) "More Than Words" - Extreme
3) "After All" - Peter Cetera & Cher
4) "The First Time...Ever I Saw Your Face" - Roberta Flack
5) "Wonderful Tonight" - Eric Clapton
6) "Total Eclipse of the Heart" - Bonnie Tyler
7) "Time in a Bottle" - Jim Croce
8) "You Belong to Me" - Jason Wade (and various other artists)
9) "Two Outta Three Ain't Bad" - Meatloaf
10) "I Can't Make You Love Me" - Bonne Raitt
11) "Face to Face" - Alabama

I know you guys are simply dying to hear what's been happening in my extremely exciting life, so in order to feed your insatiable hunger for the grisly details, I figured I'd write a blog entry...(in case you didn't notice, Laura, that was me being "eloquent"!)

Abso-frickin-lutely nothing!! That's what's been going on! Although today is my BFF, Sarah's 29th birthday, and I have the Grand Opening for some fellow eye specialists tonight after work, as well as a parent meeting at 7:30 for football. I'll probably bail on at least one, if not both, of these things, since I already have two tapes to transcribe & will likely have more by day's end.

Tyson leaves from Gold Beach tomorrow morning to come home! I can't wait to see him! It sucks, though, because as soon as he gets back, it's back to school & football practice, along with all the extra transcription I've taken on, including backup for another transcriptionist, who happens to be taking her vacation next week! I'll just have to work during his practices & after he goes to bed so that we can still get that quality time in.

Anyhoo - not much else to report, so tune in next time for more "As Amanda's World Turns" (or, rather, "As Amanda's World Sprials Completely Out of Control")!