Steak night!!

Yes, for real this time!! Hilltop is open tonight and we will be there!!! I have been missing my steak and mushrooms! I grilled some steaks last night (usually I get Walter to do that) and they just really weren't that good, so I'm really looking forward to tonight!

I had a realization this morning about Leon (the neighbor) calling about taking the garbage out. My best thoughts come to me during my long soaks in the bathtub, and this morning it hit me! When I did go to take the garbage out (and I made Leon sweat it out - he called at 8am & I intentionally didn't take it out until 10am!!) this was our conversation:

Leon: "girl, you better get that garbage out!"

Me: "yeah, I got it."

Leon: "I know you & Walt (somehow EVERYONE in the neighborhood calls him WALT) got those 3 cans to put out."

Me: "uh huh."

Leon: "Did I wake you up when I called?"
Me: "yeah, you did."
Leon: "Oh, well I didn't even know if you were home or not." (that's cause I hide the car in the garage so he DOESN'T know)
Me: "uh huh."
Leon: "Is your boy still here?" (he has a name and we call him CAMERON)
Me: "yeah, he's leaving with his dad in a little while though." (have to tell him if something is happening or he'll come investigate when Neil drives up.)
Leon: "He came over to get my key because you locked him out of the house yesterday."
Me: "Actually, Walter locked him out, but thanks for letting him in."

So, then i'm thinking about it this morning because I know that I need to say something to Leon, but in a nice way because he is a nice man who really means well. And it hit me. He didn't know (or think) I was home. He was calling CAMERON to tell him to take the garbage out!!!!!! If that is the case, I will tell the man that he better NEVER think he is going to mind my business and tell my son what to do. It's one thing to aggravate me, but he has no place and is WAY beyond his boundaries if he is going to even think about telling my son to do something. Cameron does take the garbage out when he's here, so I guess that got him thinking that he was slacking on his duties. We'll have to have a little talk pretty soon! Yikes!

So anyway, I went to Walmart this morning and picked up a few things. My diet is really easy for me to stick to if I have those things I can eat handy - like the pre-cooked bacon, which I was out of. I also like to have veggies handy to snack on, so I got some of those too. I decided to allow myself my beloved glass of wine at night after doing some google searching about it. Atkins says not to drink any alcohol, but wine does not have carbs in it. It seems that the concern is about causing cravings for sweets due to insulin levels fluctuating after drinking alcohol, but I can resist the junk food and want to give it a try. I still can't force myself to go to the health club that we ARE PAYING FOR, but i'm working on it. It's so easy to go once you're going regularly, but once you stop, man it's hard to go back!

Cathy & I booked our flights to New York yesterday!!! It was a bit more than I thought due to taxes and fees, plus we are going Friday and they are going Thursday, and their flight is a little bit less. I get 10 days off per year (plus I have 5 that I have rolled over from last year), but only 2 can be used for personal days, and I don't want to use my only 2 personal days all at once like that. Plus, if JP's trial should really happen in December, I will need 5 (maybe more) days off to attend that. And that may seem odd to only get 2 personal days, but I only work 182 days a year (have 183 off), get off work at 2:30, and don't work in the summer, so I have plenty of time to do personal things without missing work. But anyway, the tickets for Walter & I together were $800, but we don't have to pay for a place to stay, rental car, food or anything while we're there.

Speaking of JP, he called last week and while we were talking, the phone cut off. It is very expensive to call ($5 for the first minute, then $1 a minute after that for a total of 20 minutes, then the phone will disconnect.) He had only been talking several minutes, then the phone cut off. He didn't call back and I figured it was because of the cost to call back and we'd talked about the main thing he'd called about. Then I noticed on the jail's website the next day that he'd been moved to a different "tank." Then the worrying started! They move the inmates around a good bit, but with the phone cutting off and him not calling back and then being moved, it worried me. He's had seizures before and in a different building (there are about 5 jail buildings on a block in downtown Houston) I know that the 7th floor is a medical floor, but wasn't sure about his building, where he's been moved to the 7th floor. So, I called and finally got someone to help me and they made some calls and determined that in his building, the 7th floor is not a medical floor. So then i'm worried that someone hung the phone up and he got in a fight or something. My only option is to wait it out, which is very hard when your child is in a system like this. If I were in Houston, I would be able to go there and check on him, but I'm not, and my sister & her kids aren't really interested in visiting (of course, 1 of her kids is actually IN the jail now too), so I wait it out, which I've learned to do fairly well. I did send a letter letting him know that I noticed he was moved and asked him to call when he can. Well, yesterday I got a letter from him letting me know that he was moved and it was because someone hung the phone up while he was talking and that he said something but handled it the right way, did not get written up or in trouble, and the guards thought it was best to move him to prevent any other problems. Wow. It's nice to hear that he did the right thing AND that the guards actually knew about it, cared about preventing a problem, and did something about it. They don't normally really give a darn about anyone and they don't see the inmates as people, and they are. People have died on the floor while inmates have pleaded with guards to check on someone who is sick or having seizures or something. All of the inmates are someone's kids, parents, sisters, brothers, friends, etc. and although people make bad choices, not all inmates are bad people. JP said he is happy where he is now and feels that he can stay out of trouble through the time waiting until the trial date in December.

On a lighter note, some people enjoyed hearing the stories about my funny cat, Nadda, who is named that because he's "Nadda our cat" after I stole him from the "bad cat neighbors" a couple of years ago. He is terrified of people, except me, but is probably the sweetest cat I've ever seen. He snuggles on my pillow with me at night, but only after Walter is asleep! Nadda actually waits for us to turn the light out before he will get on the bed. He will let Walter pet him if he feeds him pudding, but that's another story (this was taken with my new IPhone that I haven't quite mastered yet):

Anyway, I showed a picture the other day of Nadda's latest antic, which was taking Walter's shoe and putting it in the cat toy box. Nadda always takes my things and leaves them in his food bowl, water bowl, and sometimes the toilet. Well, this morning, he picked up a pair of Walter's socks and took them into the bathroom and dropped them in the toilet!! He really cracks me up. His ultimate plan is to fish them out of there, but I put a stop to that game!!

I learned how to create the super cool links to my previous posts from Mama Kat and I'm so amused by it! I can usually figure these things out on my own, but could not figure out the links for anything!!! Thank you Mama Kat!! I plan to use these way more than people probably would like!!!!!

I am going to go sit on my awesome screened porch and enjoy the rain!! Have a great Thursday!!

Oh yeah...

I forgot to mention in my post this morning that I was awoken to the phone ringing. It was my neighbor, Leon (the neighbor on the good side) who is way too involved in our lives. He & his wife are an older couple, just wonderful people, who would do anything for us. They have a large family, but never had kids, so I kind of get the feeling that we seem to them like the kids they never had. And that's great, as long as they (he) can stay out of my personal life and just be neighborly - bringing each other food or keeping up with each other's houses when we go on vacation, sitting outside and having a chat in the evenings, that sort of thing. Walter is not at all bothered by Leon's over-involvement in our lives. And when I say over-involvement, I mean things like telling all the delivery people who come to leave things at my house to leave it at his (even when i'm home), cutting my grass if he doesn't like the way Cameron cut it, hollering out the door to me if I go to check the mail and the carrier hasn't come yet (SHE AINT COME YET!!!), going into my mailbox and getting my mail some days, then bringing it to my door, searching in all of my windows for me if I don't answer the door when he knocks, coming over to tell me every car that came to my house while I was gone and why they were there (yes - he will ask - example: Leon: "your ex-husband don't like me too much," me: "how does he know you?" Leon, "well I said something today when he dropped your boy off.") and just this sort of daily intrusive type of thing. I park in the garage so he doesn't know if i'm home or not. I am just a private person when i'm home and I like to be left alone. I don't need extra parents (have some already, thank you) and I'm not looking to adopt any grandparents. We even have to go over there to tell them if something is going to happen, like if a housekeeper or repairman will be coming here, because he will come over here and say something to them. So anyway, this morning while I was sound asleep, he called at 8:00am to tell me that I forgot to take my garbage out. :::::::BLINK BLINK BLINK:::::::: Seriously??? And he doesn't even use the same garbage service we use, so his garbage comes a different day. And I was up late with Stacy & Bryce here, so I was planning to take it out today since it doesn't come until NOON. And if we missed it, so what really??? And when I did take it out, he came out and said, "girl you better get that garbage out!!" Oh man! I may have reached my limit!!!

Wednesday

The 2 days of training for work has really put a dent in my blogging time!!! The training was ok, but most of it didn't apply to what I do, but I do like to know what's going on around the schools and to be involved with different programs when I can be. Our school system is extremely involved with PBS (Positive Behavior Support) and is trying to get it working right in all of our schools. The idea is to encourage the positive behavior rather than focus on punishing the negative behavior, which with 85% of kids will lead to using positive behavior. Of course, I work with the other 15%. I still don't have to go back to work until August 6, but signed up for one other day of training next week.

I got my IPhone yesterday!! It took a week for it to come in, which isn't bad. I ordered the 16GB white phone and most people ordered the 8GB black phone and theirs are way more backordered than mine. I am still figuring out what all it can do, but it is very cool. My biggest project so far is figuring how to put ringtones on it. Apparently you have to buy a song (or use one you've already bought) and then make a short ringtone out of it and BUY the shorter version! Crazy! I only want a couple, so it's no big deal, but when I tried it, it didn't work! So, that will keep me busy today.

We were up late last night dealing with the issue with our boys again. Stacy & Bryce came over and we talked with them for awhile. The 3rd boy did something beyond what Cameron & Bryce did and it could cause some trouble down the road, so we are going next week to be "proactive" and have the boys admit what they did. I hope that the person we are talking to will appreciate the boys' honesty and help this be a teaching experience, but we aren't sure what will happen. I do think this is the right thing to do, so it's what we are doing. I called the other boy's parents yesterday and he is welcome to come with us, but if he doesn't, I let them know that we will be naming names.

Walter & I went to Cathy & Brent's for dinner last night. She cooked spaghetti and it was really good! I didn't go back on my diet until today, so I ate spaghetti AND had ice cream for dessert! Yum!! I have gained back 4 lbs. since I messed up my diet on Saturday, so i'm back on it today and trying to figure out how to add back carbs without going crazy.

Questions & Comments:
Lesley asked when we are going to New York. We are leaving on Friday, August 29th & coming back on Monday, September 1. Cameron will not be going with us. As far as my brother-in-law's bay house, it probably holds A LOT of people!! It is huge! It is built off the ground, so it is only one story, but underneath the house is set up with tables & chairs everywhere to hold lots of people. He even put an elevator in the house!

I hope you all have a great day!

Manic Monday

Walter & I had a blast on the boat yesterday with his friends & their son. We spent several hours on the river, Jim & his son went tubing behind the boat a couple of times, and went to eat at Swamp Water's Restaurant on the river. After we got home, Cathy & Brent stopped by and we all had some ICE CREAM because I totally blew my diet Saturday at my brother-in-laws house, so I bought some Bluebell CANDY JAR ice cream and we all pigged out, and now i'm back on my diet! It sure was good! Here is a picture of Jim & his son tubing:

I had to go to an all day training at work today and got home around 3pm. I discovered 2 incidents of trouble with Cameron (14) while at his friend's house and had to deal with that when I got home today since Cameron is back from his dad's. One of the incidents was DRINKING on July 4th when he spent the night with friends, and the other, I can't say what it is because of the "eyes that can see" in the blogging world, but it was something that could get the 3 boys in big trouble. I spent the afternoon talking with his dad, someone in the community who could give me some idea of what to do, and with Walter. I have instructed Cameron to have the other 2 boys' moms call me (they should tell their mom first if they are smart) and we'll see what to do. We are thinking some community service work JUST for starters! Cameron is a GREAT kid and has never gotten in trouble for anything, so I think it's his friend's older brother & friends that are causing a negative influence PLUS just being a teenager and making decisions on his own and under the influence of peer pressure. I have permanently banned him from that kids house, where there seems to be no supervision and Cameron's dad actually agreed to do the same, so that is do-able for me. I think my blood pressure is way up tonight!

I found out at our training today that our school assignments haven't been decided yet! I really just want to know!!!! I really don't mind what schools I'm at, but I am ready to get ready in my brain to get started!! I have to go to the 2nd day of the training tomorrow and then i'm free for a few more days!!

My brain is exhausted today, so I am logging off the computer! I didn't even get a NAP during the meeting and i've gotten used to napping! LOL

Sunday

Walter & I had a nice time at my brother-in-law's house. It is so nice to be able to get together in Waveland again. Hurricane Katrina completely destroyed 6 of our houses and camps there and did some serious damage to a 7th house. It wasn't flood damage like the houses in New Orleans, but these houses were completely washed away, leaving nothing but a slab. So, 3 years later, 1/2 of them are rebuilt and better than before. Here is a picture of Ed's "bay house." He has a house in Baton Rouge, so this is one of their vacation homes.

This last picture is of my brother-in-law and sister-in-law who didn't get to go on the cruise with us. They are nearly finished rebuilding their home in Waveland and are going to sell their house in Baton Rouge and move to Waveland. They were looking forward to shopping in Mexico for bright colored accessories for their house, so since they couldn't go, we all surprised them and each picked up something for them while we were there! They were very surprised and happy!

Tam requested a tour of the screen porch and ideas for furniture, so I took some pictures. Walter liked the idea of a rug, so we may end up doing that. The wall straight ahead is going to be covered with something "rustic" looking he says, so that will be better looking once it's done.

We are going to put a small outdoor sofa set with a table against the wall and possible a couple of matching chairs with it, depending on how much room is there. Then we want a couple of rocking chairs under the windows.

We will eventually move the bbq grill out to the covered deck, when we build one, but for now it will sit where it is. The long area at the end is good for putting ice chests and things when we have people over. We hosted Walter's family Christmas this year and probably had 60+ people at our house, so it's nice to be able to throw some of them outside with drinks!

Rocking chairs will likely go here under the windows.

Well, the Labor Day trip to New York with Cathy & Brent is on!!! They found out yesterday that the beach house is available, so then Walter & I really had to do some thinking about it. We have spend WAY too much money this summer between the cruise, the porch, the pier, dental surgerys, etc., but all we will have to pay is our airfare ($500 for both) and everything else is paid for. We will get to go to Niagra Falls, into Canada if we want, stay in a house on the beach in Long Island free and everything they do there is paid for by the company. Walter has been to Niagra Falls a couple of times, but I have NEVER been anywhere like that, so we decided to go! We would spend $500 or more just going to Pensacola for a weekend, so this is definitely a deal that is hard to pass up. And really, this is the first year we've EVER taken a vacation anywhere other than Pensacola, Houston, or Waveland, so we deserve it and we're going!!! Yay!!!

Walter's friend from high school and his wife & son are coming over this afternoon and we're taking them out on the boat. I've never met them before other than a brief meeting in Home Depot years ago, so I'm excited to meet them. We will probably go to dinner somewhere on the river, which is always fun.

Have a fun Sunday!

It's beautiful!!!

The porch is now screened in and came out beautifully!! We don't have the handles for the doors yet, but they will be installed Monday morning. The next project is a covered deck that will be built directly in front of the porch and we'll put our barbeque grill out there.

I also forgot to mention my diet, I guess because it's sort of become a routine for me. I haven't lost anymore weight, but 9 lbs. in 2 weeks is pretty good! I only want to lose 4 more, so it's time to start adding back carbs (good ones) and working on maintaining the weight. I haven't missed bread, rice, potatoes, or sweets at all, so I plan to try to limit those things.

I hope you have a great Saturday! We are going to have some lunch and head to Mississippi for the day!

Saturday

Walter & Allen got a lot done on the screened in porch yesterday! I am hoping they will be able to get it finished today. We have to leave around 1 or 2 to go to my brother-in-law's house in Pass Christian, Mississippi (near Waveland), for a barbeque. Here are some pictures of the porch:

The left side of the picture is mostly finished until the panel before the doors.


The wall at the end is to block the "bad cat" neighbors from looking into our house and to block the noise of their VERY loud, malfunctioning, 3 air conditioner units. Walter is going to put panel that matches the house on the inside of the wall. I am going to love the privacy it will give us, especially when we sit on the porch!

I also had to put a picture of what my scardy cat, Nadda (we stole him from the "bad cat neighbors so he's NADDA our cat), did the other day. He is the cat who lives in my closet the majority of the time that anyone is home but me because he is so terrified of people. He is always taking my things (shoes, pony tail holders) and puts them in his food bowl! Nearly every morning when I get up, I find something that he left me as an offering of some sort and it really cracks me up. Sometimes it is a favorite cat toy in the food bowl and SOMETIMES in the water bowl. Well, this week for the first time in the 2 years we've had him, Nadda took something of Walter's and put it in the cat toy basket for us to find! He and Walter have been trying to bond and I really think this means something!!

Tam requested more pictures of the inside of the house. Again, these were taken when we FIRST moved in and things were not cluttered and messy yet!!

Breakfast room (but there's no lunch & dinner room!)

Master bedroom

Cameron's room

1/2 bath downstairs

I'm not sure why I don't have any pictures of the guest room. I'll have to work on that! The office is still a big junk room, so no pictures of that for awhile!! Walter & I did pretty much everything but frame the house, paint the outside, and hang the sheetrock. Seriously. It took us 15 months to complete the house, but it was really worth it!