Red Pencil Diaries

I agree with some of what’s said in this article. Beck makes a lot of good points. The question is, how do we get ourselves and our country turned around in the right direction? sigh

I know a few of my friends drop by and read and give me a comment from time to time. But who really reads this? lol It’s just something that crossed my mind. I decided to put up a little prize to find out. The first three people to comment on this post, I will make a pair of beaded earrings. My choice of style and color. But hey, they will be free. Just let me know who you are and I’ll email you about the rest. Good idea? Or crazy idea? Who knows. I just thought it might be fun to find out.

Zack has issues pronouncing a few words. He says “pizza” pretty good, but can’t say “poodle.” Instead, he says “toodle.” So he tells me the other day that we need a new pet. We need a “toodle.” My sister has one and he told me that my niece and nephew “Sydney and Evan” had a toodle. We need to get one now. lol

I think he’s frustrated because our dog is now geriatric and has health issues, so she doesn’t get up and play with him. Our neighbor has a doberman who is just beautiful. She’s chocolate colored and just a year old. They bring her over on her leash to run in our yard on occasion (their yard isn’t fenced in) and Zack loves to watch her run and play.

Sadly, I know Pebbles won’t be around much longer. She’s already surpassed the life expectancy for bulldogs. I’m preparing myself for the worst to come soon. She’s had some recent health scares, but they did tests and she’s fine, just old. I do hope she lasts awhile longer. Poor old, girl. When she’ is gone, though, I hope we can get another dog. I love dogs and so does Zack. Dave, not so much. But I just can’t imagine life without one.

Today, the sun is out. It’s gorgeous out. And I’m in here wrangling kiddos and doing laundry. I need to take them out and go for a nice walk. Maybe after lunch we will. I do need to run a couple of errands first, though. Wish they were within walking distance!

I have been upset over some recent drama caused by a certain person (see my previous post). But I’ve received a lot of support and cheers from my friends! Thank you! I’m moving on. I spent two days upset and crying (probably mostly due to PMS) over a recent email I’d received, but I now realize it’s not worth it. I’m better than that. I have so many friends who care and I now realize that person doesn’t know what it takes or means to be a friend.

So to all of you out there who call me friend, I truly appreciate you. Maybe we don’t hang out every day or call all the time, but I know who you are. And I hope you know you can call on me anytime.

Treat everyone you meet like you want to be treated.

I will try to comment on this more later, but I found a list of ways to be successful. This was on it. I truly believe this. I recently had to “end” a relationship (which of course, I’d never want anyone to do that to me, but when someone isn’t treating you with respect and is constantly taking and never giving, the relationship can’t go on forever), and I’ve felt bad about it ever since. I’ve been doing some reading and I realized that the reason I ultimately had to end it was because I felt drained. This person was sucking out my will… demanding and taking while not giving. I’m a giver! I will give even when I don’t realize I’m not receiving anything in return. But eventually, all that giving leaves me feeling empty when it’s not reciprocated.

And thus, at age 36, I finally realized that sometimes it’s better to end a relationship than continue suffering just because you feel bad about how the other person would deal with the loss. Sometimes its best for the both of you to just move on. And that’s what I’m doing. I feel relieved.

Last Thursday, Lola found an empty Diet Mountain Dew can under the couch and cut her finger on it. I didn’t realize she’d done it (I’d had a stomach virus Tuesday and Wednesday, so I was out of it and laying on the couch). I thought she’d just bumped her head or was being fussy, so I just said “It’s ok. It’s ok.” Then she crawled around the corner of the couch and held up her hand—there was blood from her hand down her whole arm! I felt like the worst mom. I grabbed her and Zack ran to get me a towel. We sat blotting her whole hand and arm until I finally found where it was coming from. Her ring finger on her right hand. I called Dave and sat with it taped up, hoping it would stop bleeding. He got home and it seemed to be ok. We put her down for a nap and she slept fine. Woke up playing. I got her up, sat her in the floor and left the room. When I came back, the whole bandage on her hand was red. Not sure if she bit into it or bumped it on something. Anyway, we then decided to take her to immediate care center. No stitches. They taped it up and then taped up her whole hand so she wouldn’t chew off the initial bandage. By the next morning, she was fine. A small red cut on her finger that looked like a paper cut by then. And now, you’d never know she’d ever been cut. Babies heal so fast!

Zack had a cough and cold that day. The doctor said he had an ear infection and gave him some antibiotics and cough meds. The next day, it snowed and snowed. Nearly 12 inches around here. He wanted to go out in it so bad. The day before, we’d told him he couldn’t go to Chuck E. Cheese’s because he was sick and coughing. So on Friday, we had this conversation:

Zack: Momma! Listen! (Opens mouth and stands there breathing.)

Me:  To what?

Zack: No coughing! Now I can go out! I can go to Chuck E. Cheese! Let’s go!

Today he and Lola have been all over the house playing together. She adores him and is finally able to sit and play with him and have some fun. She crawls after him down the hall—I keep doors shut to rooms she’s not allowed in. They came in the guest room where I was tagging clothes for the consignment sale this week. She crawled into the closet and he closed the door.

Zack: Momma, we playin’ spies! Lola in the elevator!

Me: Spies, huh? Who you spying on?

Zack: Monsters! We spy and catch monsters!

They are now back in the guest room playing “Monster Spies.” Zack “catches” stuffed animals that he claims are “monsters” and Lola helps him. It’s so funny. She really follows him around and sometimes chews on the stuffed animals. But he thinks she’s really playing, and she loves being around her “Bubby.” So it all works out!

I “stumbled” upon this cool picture of a mural an artist painted for a little girl’s room. It’s of Rapunzel, but she’s cut her hair and is tying it to the balcony and is saving herself instead of waiting for her prince. I just thought it was an excellent way to convey to little girls that they don’t have to rely on men for everything—it’s ok to do things for yourself! Love it!

For some reason, this site fascinated me. I’ve been on there for several minutes perusing the various diagrams on the many many ways to lace up a shoe or boot. I never really thought much about it. I guess back in middle school when colored and fancy laces were popular, I used to spend more time lacing and unlacing my shoes. But now, I don’t think about it much. Very cool, though. I think I might try out a few new styles on my shoes.

Today the tension built up and gave me an uber headache. I also have had bad sinus issues because I can’t take my allergy meds because I have to have additional allergy tests done on Friday. But on to the reasons for tension…

On top of the usual “taking care of the kids” tension, and the “cold weather, so I hate to get out” tension, I have a friendship that I think is ending and I honestly have no exact idea why. I have a few theories. But it’s been a bit of a rocky, moody friendship for a few years, so I guess I’m not totally surprised. She and her hubby have sort of dropped Dave and myself. I’ve been feeling guilty, like I must have done something. Who knows. It’s become very obvious that something is up—others have noticed and started asking questions. Which creates more tension because I don’t want to start things or say anything bad. Ah well. I’ve made some new friends, though, which has made things feel a little better.

Dave was having blood sugar issues today. So I was worried about him. And then there is the issue with my mom (and dad). They live in (and manage) a trailer park. I used to call it a mobile home park (back when it was new and actually fairly nice). Now, it’s become over run with crazies and freaks and anyone who can’t afford anyplace else to live. My mom and dad are the bad guys—anyone who’s gotten an eviction notice or had the cops called on them has tried to take it out on my mom and dad by screaming, yelling, cursing, stalking them. Well, this time, one of them attacked my mom. Knocked her down on her own porch and knocked a rocking chair on top of her and left her. She went to the hospital and has some bruises and stuff, but she’s ok. And the crazies also called the cops and told them that my mom had “attacked” them. The boyfriend even had blood on his face. My mom—who has severe arthritis in her knees? Attacking two drugged-out screaming freaks who’d already been banned from the trailer park because of their huge fighting and yelling matches? sigh I’m just scared for my mom and dad. Scared that the next time, the crazies will have guns or something. When I first heard the news, I tensed up and I’ve had a deep churning pit in my stomach all day after I heard the details. I just wish there was more I could do. I told them to come and stay with us. But they do have to work. That’s why they are there.