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!

let the journey begin

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I can't believe......

The Rangers beat the Yankees.   Yes, the Rangers have had one of their best seasons lately.  I don't think they've done this well in like 10 years.  But still.... the Yankees are a dynasty.  And a walk off Grand Slam for Marlon Byrd.  Congrats to the Rangers.  I, personally, am still a Red Sox fan first but the Rangers are my 2nd favorite team.  I get to see the Red Sox play in person one time a year if I'm lucky.  We, B and I, go to Ranger games about 3-4 times a month.  B informs me that it was a coaching error.  He says that they pitched a "lefty against a righty when they had a righty warmed up and they should have brought the righty to get a match up".  Now, if that makes ANY sense of all to you- congrats!  That's the 3rd 9th inning win the Rangers have had this week that I know of.  We saw them do it Tuesday and Friday when we were at the games and now tonight.  Unfortunately, my Red Sox lost tonight to Kansas City.  That's fairly unbelievable too.  

That I'm having to deal with ANOTHER boy hitting puberty!  I know it happens.  I know its part of life.  But that does NOT make it any easier.  If there is a time in their lives when I totally feel inadequate- it's when they hit this particular stage.  And I will say:  Thank God for older brothers who are right there helping us both live thru this!  And to have the 2 youngest hitting at the same time is cruel and unusual punishment for me.  Although the 13 year old still resembles a human,  the 16 year old is somewhere along the lines of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde right now.  Patience is the name of the game here right now.  

That my ex-husbands family has invaded the little town I live in.  Now to show you how unbelievable this is.  Ex and family have all lived in a medium sized town in IN.  After the break up we relocated to TX.  Came down here to where the kids god-parents lived and we had support.  Also for safety reason.  We live in SMALL town TX.  When we moved here- population was under 1300 people and that was counting a population that was 80% cows I think.  The nearest McDonalds was 20 miles down the highway.  The nearest Walmart was across the street from the McDonalds.  No fast food in town.  No stoplight or even a stop sign down the main street.  We've now grown enough that it's only 12 miles to the nearest Walmart and McDonalds.  It's still a town down the highway but still.  We even got a Sonic here in town.  But we're still the proverbial "small town".  I live on a country road that's gravel.  More potholes that you can count.  In the middle of nowhere.   So, what would the chances be that his cousin and another cousins family would both get transferred HERE.  To where I live?  And then what would the chances be that they would both buy houses in my neighborhood?  And then their parents came to visit from IN and they talked the parents into moving here.  So another one of their son's bought them a house.  ON. MY. STREET.  And it's not that I don't like these folks.  I do.  This is the only one of Ex's uncles that hasn't been in prison  (out of like 8 or 9 uncles).  They're really decent nice people.  But still....  I can't believe this!

Well, off to bed.  Hope everyone had a good weekend!