Another Year Older

Happy birthday to me - I am now officially in my last year of my 40's. Very scary to think next year I will be entering the final decade that I will feel fairly confident of getting all the way through. 

I am also getting closer to my job changing from Correspondence, which I still enjoy, to processing which I suspect I will not enjoy. By years end I will be punching numbers into a computer with little influence on customers. There is a position opening up for managing the new correspondence tool and I'm debating whether to apply. I strongly suspect it will be an office job and I really don't think I want to return to the office. An extra 10 hours a week committed to the job (for drive time) and about $5,000 a year in gas and wear-and-tear. Is that worth it for a job I'm not even sure I will like any more than processing? 

I need to check the Cerner Web site for their job listings. Even if I have to work in their office, they are 15-20 minutes from my home - much more doable. And I bet they have pretty decent health care. 

Times they are a changing!

Edinburgh, Scotland

So I am back from my trip to Edinburgh, Scotland. It was a lovely trip - toured two castles, a palace and a cathedral, visited the zoo, David's Seat and Colin Hill, ate English and Indian foods and walked multiple blisters on my feet! After 10 days I was ready to head home - I missed Shawn and my furbabies! Now I have about two months before my next adventure to Maui!

How am I going to pay for all this traveling?!?!?

Raining Babies

Ana called Wednesday - the paternal grandmother is angry at Ana for not giving the baby daddy joint custody of Eva so she renigged on her offer to host a baby shower. Ana had already put out the word - she wanted to know if I would host it. Three days. We decided to move the venue from La Mesa (they charged $80 for the room - no food) to my house. I have been moving nonstop for three days. I really couldn't afford to throw this party (I REALLY couldn't afford to!) but felt I had no option. Tom and Kathey weren't going to step up and Ana was obviously overwhelmed at having to plan a party herself. And she shouldn't have to throw her own baby shower. So - - - it all turned out well (until the bills come in) and I got a lot of complements on the party and the house in general. But I've decided that will be the last party I throw for that family - Ana's Sweet 16, Andrea's Graduation and now Eva's Shower. That's enough.

All By Myself

Tom and his family have moved to Lenexa. They came by for Andrea's stuff so she is also officially and completely out. It's just me and Shawn (and the boys) again. I hate this feeling of being left behind - even when I needed them to go. Here I sit alone again, doing the exact same thing I've been doing for 10 years.

Guess the good news is we are expecting Dan and the girls in two weeks. Dan said his Pack Out date is Tuesday so they may actually show up earlier than that - I don't know where else they are going to go. But they will also leave (while I'm in Scotland so it won't be so hard on me.) And I know George will take Piper and move in the next five years, once he gets to a good place with the house and can sell it for a small profit.

I am not going anywhere.

Free At Last

Free at last, free at last! Thank God Almight I am free at last!

Andrea moved out today. She headed to Ames, IA with Aunt Shari - the only family member that would take her. I wished Shari luck - she only has her for five weeks (though Andrea is already making plans to get back to Lansing and move in with a friend with a spare room.)

Andrea was beyond pissed - she was hating me because she suspected that if it was up to Shawn, he would have let her stay till mid-August. She was hating me because I sent her, Tom and Kathey a text yesterday reminding her she had a ton of packing still to do and it needed to be done by evening's end because I couldn't have the chaos of it all while trying to work. So Tom and Kathey sent her home from Boy Scout Camp Family Appreciation Day early to pack, causing her to miss out on whatever she thinks she missed out on. She was hating me because it was my fault she was being forced to leave her job, friends and drug dealer. She didn't even say good-bye this morning; just left. Shawn called her this evening and told her that was in bad form.

I let Tom know today that she has left her stuff in the bedroom rather than the garage like I had asked. Tom was thinking she would have a few boxes - I told him she has several boxes, bags and plastic dressers. He was not happy to hear that and said he and Michael will be over Thursday morning to get the crap out of my house so I can deep clean the room.

Sadly, our adventures with Andrea has made both of us resistance to the idea of another niece/nephew staying with us. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

Weaving Webs of Deceit

So, Andrea has a deadline of next Sunday to find new digs. She came home wtih two weeks worth of food this evening. Really? I was upstairs switching out the seasonal wardrobe when Shawn came up and told me she had approached him about staying till August, when student housing opened up. Told him she would approach him! She told Shawn that her Dad suggested she ask - I doubt Tom would have done that, not after the discussion we had a month ago. She's not staying - it's time for her to start dealing with the consequences of her actions. I am not going to let her guilt us into giving her exactly what she wants. She's going to be disappointed this time 'round. I suspect she will cuddle up to me tomorrow. Maybe I'll just go work in the office to avoid her!

Found a VERY interesting inquiry on my Facebook page - someone who may or may not be an old boyfriend. All the message said was 'did you use to live in Leavenworth Kansas'. I checked out his Facebook page which has a nice family photo but I couldn't tell you it was him. In fact, if it IS him, if he had come to my front door, I wouldn't have ever guessed who it was. I haven't responded. To be honest, the guy I remember was in such a bad place, I would be very surprised if he remembered my full name.

Post DC

Back from DC - had a wonderful time. Although we got rained out a few days, we managed to get to the American History Museum where we saw Dorothy's ruby slippers and Archie Bunker's chair; the National Zoo where we saw the giant pandas; and Gettysburg where we saw history. We tried to find the old house we lived in as very young kids, but the area is so built up that nothing looked familiar to me. I'm going to find the address and have Dan try to locate it again. I am disappointed I didn't get to see it.

Andrea is down to two weeks with us. I put packing boxes in her room yesterday. She packed one then went to her parents' and subsequently the hospital - yet again. She always puts herself in the hospital when she doesn't want to deal with something - it's become so predictable. She spent half of last week in the hospital, too. Complaining of pain in her stomach while posting 'someone bring me Chinese food' on Facebook. Really? She has no place to go from here and no money to get there. She asked George if she could move in with them for a month but I warned him against that. With her heavy drug use (she's on meth), if the cops have reason to search the house, Piper will instantly go to foster care and George will have a struggle to get her out. He has to put her first. So, Andrea has very few options right now. Maybe one of her Reilly aunts will take her in for the month, until the student housing opens. Tom said he would put down the deposit (but not pay the monthly rent.) She got ticked that he was willing to do that but not put down a deposit on an apartment, which is what she really wants. She is so in for a rough awakening when she finds she has to support herself.

But she ain't staying here - she is out July 1. If I have to pack her crap and put it on the curb, then I will.