I will survive

I have meant to post this all day. But "Dancing with the Stars" was on tonight and I am an addict. I'm sorry. I admit it. I am not a real big fan of reality tv for the most part. But, I was a music major in school. My parents were very cool when it came to my music. My parents started me out with piano when I was 7. And both my younger brother and I took lessons for many years. When I entered Jr. High, I was in choir and they were looking for anyone who could read music that might be interested in joining orchestra. Well folks, I have a great ear for notes and musical instruments. But I am tone deaf. And choir for me was a total embarrassment. I mean, a camel in heat sounds better than my singing. But God blessed me with perfect pitch on any instrument. And on listening to anyone else sing. So, I had a great time in school. I was in orchestra, swing choir, jazz band, and I taught recorder to elementary school kids. Anyhow, the instrument that they needed to fill seats on was the bass. The string bass. The dang thing was bigger than I was when I started. But I was blessed in that the orchestra director was the first chair bass for the Toledo symphony orchestra at the time. And he was more than willing to give me private lessons that my parents were generous enough to pay for. Combine a great teacher with a small amount of talent and everything turns up roses. I found that I enjoyed doing this. I sat first chair (lead bass player) 5 years out of the 6 I was in school playing. I got beat out my freshman year in high school by a Senior. You know what's pretty cool about learning to play the string bass? You can play the bass guitar. The notes are all the same. So, I got to be part of a show choir. Not as a singer or dancer. No! I have 3 left feet and the camel voice remember? But I got to play a bass guitar with an amplifier and I played music with some kids who really had some talent. I didn't do bad. I had a 4 year scholarship offer from a big 10 school for music. I was on an album playing bass for a choir when I was 17. But, not like some of the kids I got to jam with. One girl marched in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. She also toured Europe with the all-american marching band. She was maybe 5-2 and played the trombone. The trombone was bigger than she was. But she could make it talk. And our drummer, she went to the Cincinnati Conservatory of music on a full ride. This background and my love of music may sort of at least, explain my obsession with the 2 reality shows that I actually watch.

So, I was glued to the TV tonight watching the final dances of this season's DWTS. I should have been here blogging. I should have been on here letting you wonderful folks know that I am fine after my serious pity party the other night. I appreciate all the good comments and cyber hugs that were sent my way! The bad influence child is still here. However, as every day goes by- I get in a better mood because I have survived another day and its one day closer to taking him home. And I managed to discreetly point out to the boys a few things that problem child was doing to cause issues and the boys have been catching on to his manipulations. And I think the fact that he wants to still do nothing but sit on the video game is getting to Little Man and B both. They are more active than that. It was fine for a few days but its getting old quick. That plus a few private talks with the boys have improved their attitudes immensely.

Plans are moving forward for Thanksgiving at Ruth's dad's house. Hurricane and Donna have been invited. Tara has been invited. Ruth's dad was kind enough to invite us to come in Weds night. He told me that we could surprise the kids but then Ruth asked me to bring the boys in Weds night anyhow. So, that is the current plan. I don't know if I'll have internet there or not. If I don't. I'll be back Thanksgiving night to update on whether or not Hurricane and Donna actually show up and behave.

I have survived. I am a survivor. And I usually manage to have a good time doing it. I thank you all so much for your support and caring. Thanks!

Just another crazy week and other updates

Wow!  What a week!  The funeral for Candy Grandma is on Tuesday.  I suppose you would call it that.  They are having no visitation at the funeral home.  No nothing.  Just a graveside service.  And then back to the X club where they'll all get drunk again.  What a life!  The aunt and uncle that live by me went back for the funeral with their son, K.  The other 2 siblings didn't go back either.  But now, that's not their dad's mom.  It's their dad's step-mom so .... probably a different story.  But the guy cousins have to work too.  I asked the kids briefly about going back but with the 2 younger ones starting school and work schedules for the 2 older ones, plus Little Man started a job last week- there was just no maneuvering around it all.  Even if I could have come up with the money.  Also, I thought about the Ex factor.  I didn't think it would be right to cause a disturbance at the funeral and just us showing up would cause a disturbance.  Ex would want to see and talk to the boys who have no interest in talking to him at this point and then it would get ugly and that's not what everyone else would need.  That's not what the boys need either.  If they had shown a lot of interest in going-  then I would have found a way to make it happen but only the older 2 even remembered her and both of them said they just didn't want to go back.  Sad right?  I imagine if I had pushed for a reason- it would have boiled down to 1-money and 2- their SD (sperm donor).  

So, I called the Ex-mil.  That was an interesting conversation.  It's the 1st time we've spoken in over 4 years.  She was fairly nice about it all.  Never asked about the kids.  She told me about her mom's passing.  I told her I was getting ready to leave to take LM to work and she was confused.  Take who to work? 

"LM"

"He's old enough to work?  Really? Where's he working at now?"

"X company"

"Really?  How old is he now? Is he old enough to work?"

UGH!  You'd think they'd have a general idea of the kids ages but no, she has to ask how old they all are now.  So, updated her that Ice Cube almost has his truck paid off and has had the same gf for almost a year.  Hurricane has had the same gf for going on 4 years running and got her a diamond for christmas last year (promise ring NOT engagement ring he tells me).  She never asked about B at all.  Just told me to tell all the kids that she loves them.  And didn't that get my ears burned.  Because with all the times that she's called them and sent them birthday cards or christmas cards you know?  They really appreciated me passing on that message.  Not.  But you know how it is.  If you don't pass on the message - you feel guilty for not telling them.  And when you do pass on the message - then you're the one that gets chewed out for their shortcomings.  You know the comments like "sure, I can tell she does from the last call/card/contact we had".  I hate teenage sarcasm!  Every single one of them when I said something about their grandma passing freaked out thinking I was talking about MY mom.  They never even considered having another grandmother.  I had to jump in really quick and explain who I was talking about.  Then LM was mad at me for scaring him.  I didn't mean to.  It just never occurred to me in all this mess that with Ex and the majority of his family ignoring their existence that they would forget that that part of the family existed.  I should have known.  

In other news: 

~ Tuesday is back to school day.  Hurray!  

~B has to have a glucose tolerance test on Monday.  Yuck!

We have to go by his school to pick up his new schedule and stuff on Monday too. (LM's is done) B's wasn't right and I had to have some changes made.  He has issues with Science and has vision issues so we had requested a certain teacher for him who is a wonderful lady and will work with him but not let him get away with anything.  The vision issues make certain things fun in school and she already had LM who has the same issues.  

~We still have to do some shopping for them.  OH how fun!  Shopping with 2 teenage boys.  Someone please send valium.  ;)

~We finally heard from B's new coach and he seems pretty nice.  I volunteered to do the scorekeeping for his new team and it was very graciously jumped on/accepted.

~LM's car has been diagnosed (thank you cousin B!!) and will be fixed and ready to go when he gets his license.  We will be picking up part numbers today and going to get the parts!

Well, time to go make myself look human as LM just got called into work an hour early.  Did I mention I can't wait till he gets his car fixed and his license???  Did I?