life goes

I never know when it is that is the best time to blog.

I do get thoughts and ideas at night, which I often get up and write. Debbie says I am much more coherent at 1:30 AM than she is.

However, if I blog at 1:30 in the AM, I feel I am over-blogging, if I blog again about something that happens during the day. Then, if I wait until late, I risk forgetting what great idea or thought (well as great as I get) that I had in the night.

Anyway, here is the scoop for the day. We took Tammy to the Ortho yesterday. The PA there thought it would be a good idea to raise TJ's leg until she was threatening his life. They ordered an MRI for Wednesday. Then, after telling us that he thought it was a pinched nerve (which we figured without a medical degree or paying an $80 office visit) and that we could throw a bucket of morphine at it without affecting the pain level much, he prescribed a stronger dose of Lortab?

Then, they scheduled an appointment to read the MRI a week later !?!?!? Hello ?!?!?! Did you see the pain she is in? Did you see how hard it is to move and walk? Sheesh !

She is sleeping on the couch downstairs, so she can sit up more. The waterbed is just not conducive to that. I am sleeping sitting up on the couch because .. well .. because she is my sleep mate. Last night I woke up around 4 AM with my back aching, but I am fine.

The good side is that I am doing the bulk of the cooking now. I love to cook. Tonight. I took sliced pork tenderloin, covered it with green beans, peas, and sliced potatoes. Then I poured Italian dressing over the entire mixture. then, I poured a bit of cooking wine over all of that. I covered it and popped it into the oven. It is in the middle of it's 425° forty-five minute bake. Hungry yet ?

Life will go on. Tammy will mend. We will get back to our routine. I will reluctantly give my apron back to Tammy (she loves cooking as well.) For now, we will do what we need to do.

Kyle just informed me that the kitchen timer had 18 minutes left on it. I need to do my garlic biscuits. It is just buscuits in a round dish with meled butter and garlic poured over and baked as usual. It bakes the garlic and butter right in.

Later, y'all

Out of the ordinary

Today is November 22. Tammy said I was always asking what the date was, so she got me this calendar. As you can see, it has blocks that you change daily. This reminds you of the date (except when you forget to change them for a few days.)

The problem with this is that once my brain becomes accustomed to it being there, it sees it, but doesn't see it. Case in point: Has a friend ever dyed their hair or shaved a beard, and you knew something was different, but couldn't put your finger on what it was. That is because we see things without seeing them. To combat this, I do what you see in the picture. I put the numbers in sideways, or upside down, or sideways reversed, etc. This way my brian registers that something isn't quite right and forces me to take notice. We notice the things out of the ordinary.

That being said, I want to give a shout out to my blogging buddies. Their 'out of the ordinary' senses of humor (or sense of humors) keep me noticing the things around me. I want to thank them for sharing their lives and showing the commonalities and the extra ordinariness of simple life (as if 'simple' and 'life' could ever coexist in the same reality.)

This is not a blog award, per say, but here is to Octamom, Debbie, Whitney, Red, Heather, Peg, Gill, Tricia, and Marilyn for all the laughs and provoking thoughts. Y'all have, at various times, lifted my heart, made me smile, made me laugh out loud, made me cry, inspired me to write, inspired me to believe, and filled my days.

Thanks for the stories that bridge the miles, cross the oceans, and bring your families into my homes. I hope I have done a smidgen of what you have done for me. You are my 'out of the ordinary' friends.

The weekend that wouldn't

This weekend will just not die !

I know the weekend was only two days long, but we have been in Court Days. We live right next to the festivities.

They began Friday. So, Friday felt like Saturday.

Saturday came along already felt and thoroughly confused. Saturday also brought the bongo player. Apparently, one of the close vendors plays the bongos, and it is his delight to play them non-stop. The bongos are kin to the recorder in that, it only sounds non-annoying to the person playing. To everyone else, it sends a signal through their brain to that nerve that when vibrated at just the right pitch demands a sacrificial death, usually the producer of said vibration.

Then came Sunday. Sunday we made our way out of the madness to church. It was one of those necessary trips. Now, church is always necessary, but this Sunday, it was double necessary. Anywhere out of this madness would be good. The fact that it was away to church made it all the better. but, then we came back home to the seeming endless parade of people walking up and down our street. As we were driving to get home, we came down a street that was closed at Main street and had a view of wall to wall people for about 4 blocks. One block past Main was the other court day route and it was wall to wall people for 4 blocks in that direction. Sunday was the busiest day. People for 20 square blocks.

Then came today. Now, today would normally be Monday, but it is still in the festival realm. It isn't really Monday. It still feels like the weekend. I am not sure what day of the weekend it is. Saturday has already been used twice. It could be Sunday, since it feels like it should be the end of the weekend, but it doesn't have any of Sunday's good feel. It isn't a church day. It isn't Sunday afternoon nap day. Tammy says it is Mondurday.

The crowd isn't as thick today, except around those vendors selling guns or purses. The best thing about today is that it is the last day. Until next year.

The most fun was walking around with Ava around my neck. For those of you that don't know, Ava is our 4.5 year old 3 feet Ball Python. You can imagine the reaction to seeing a live wriggling snake around the neck of someone walking by you. Kids were fascinated. Adults were mixed between fascinated and terrified. Ava was ambivalent.

I can't wait for tomorrow. The streets will be open again. The kids will be in school again. Life will return to our abnormal normal.

Jesus and other impositions

A few days ago, I posted about a person’s response to my response to a faulty political email. The gist of the post, in her eyes, was that my response went to her family and some of them were 15 and 16 and didn’t understand all this wrangling.

Let me address one thing up front. To think that a teenager today is not savvy enough to comprehend the politics of today is simply ludicrous. My son, Kyle, will be 13 in a week and a half, and he will debate politics intelligently with anyone. He watched the debates. He commented on what was presented. He has clear and definable political views.

Beyond that, one of the family members responded to my response. She did not address my politics, but stated that she didn’t know me and didn’t want me emailing her. Since my response had a Biblical reference in it, she said she didn’t appreciate me imposing my religion on her. She said I had no way of knowing if she were a Christian or not. She was respectful in her email.

I thought about it. I agree that religion does not need to be crammed down ones throat. However, as I thought about it, it occurred to me that there are impositions in everyone’s life.

When someone on the street says to me, “how about that Wildcat game,” they are imposing their sports on me. What if I am a (shudder) Cardinals fan?

Every day, in some way, or someplace, someone is imposing their view on me. Every day I get emails offering me Viagra. Here someone is implying that I have difficulties in that area and they are imposing their medical opinion on me. How do I handle this? Just like most other people, I laugh and hit the ‘delete’ key.

Every day, someone is imposing their morality on me when they look disdainfully at something one of my kids is doing, in my presence. How do I handle this? Like most folks, I let it run off of my back. Now, if you voice your opinion, you might not get the ‘run off my back’ response.

At least a couple times a week, I get a spam mail about pornography. Oh my gosh, where is my uzi? No, just like most of us, I hit that faithful delete key. But, here is someone imposing their fetish on me. How many times have you been at a gathering where someone started telling an off color joke? What do you do? Walk away. It is just that simple.

What about racial humor? How dare you impose your bigotry on me? We generally walk away. If we comment at all, it is simply a request not to tell it.

However, just let a believer mention the name of Jesus in a conversation or email, and the non-believer starts making the claims of imposing our religion. Puh-lease! If you don’t believe, his name is just another name. I might as well have said Bob. Speaking of Bob, have you heard …. Oh wait, I don’t want to impose my Bob on you ..

I am telling you this. Jesus is part of my life. I talk about my wife. I talk about my truck. I talk about my kids. I talk about my grandkids. I talk about my job. I talk about my hobbies. All of those are imposing on you. I am going to talk about Jesus. I do have a blog for Bible studies. On it, I don’t talk about my wife, my truck, my kids, my grandkids, or my job. You can see it at won-by-one.blogspot.com.

If you don’t like what I say, don’t read.

My dad told me that my rights ended where his began. Same here, my right to write, your right to read, they work together. But, that is just me, imposing my opinion on ya.

Dare I say it?

Have a blessed day.

Roughing it

yeah, we were roughing it.

Yesterday, Tammy went to take Kyle to a dance at the middle school. On an unbelievable note, it was $4 for a 1.5 hour dance. She took the Duster (boxer) with her. On the return the to house trip, Dusty it seems, pulled the phone wire feeding the house out of the old style connection box. we were without phones (house) or (GASP) DSL. that's right, no Internet!!!

Backing up a bit: Tammy was going to take the Crown Vic, but I locked it when I parked it. she didn't tell me that the keys that came with the car (we bought it about a week ago) did not unlock the doors. Hence, don't lock the car. Our friend,Jesse, was coming to go to the car auction with us. (I know, we have five cars here and we are going to a car auction?) He brought his 'kit' for people who lock themselves out of their cars. This kit has slim jims, and other apparatus for breaking into cars. It even had an instruction manual, showing the best way to break into each of the various models of cars. Of course, the one car not in the manual .. the Ford Crown Victoria (figures.)

After no luck with any of the supplied tools, I used the cars antenna and a coat hanger to push the unlock button on the door panel. It only took us thirty minutes to break into our own car. I don't see a career in hot cars in my future.

We went to the auction. We saw a few things we might have bid on, but we were here as observers only, this trip. It isn't that we need any more cars, even tho we do have two of the five for sale. It is the kids that are usually looking for cars. Chella has a potential buyer for her mustang and wants to find something a little newer (Mustang is '91.) Sierra is always borrowing our cars to run her errands. She needs to find something that is mechanically sound enough to not nickle and dime her, but won't go on long trips. Then, Tammy is already looking at selling the Vic, (since we got it so cheap,) and buying 'up.'

We got back from the auction before 9. It was early. We had no internet. SIGH! No email. No web surfing. No Pogo. No blogs to read.

Fortunately, we still had satellite. We watched the presidential debate (most of it.) Then settled in to watch a movie or so. Chella got home around 11. She was excited about her new phone. (Oh yeah, hers broke, and her loaner was acting up.) Jesse is also our phone connection. He works for AT&T Wireless.

AT&T got here this morning, replaced the old school connection box with a new updated version, drove a ground rod, fixed the wire from the pole, showed me where to hook up any new lines I may want to add later, played with the dogs, and restored our connection to the outside world.

The 'roughing it' is over.

trips back .. in time and place

Yesterday, I took a trip back.

Let me start by telling you that my oldest daughter is having surgery on Monday. She called me to discuss it and another issue. Her surgery is in the same hospital where dad died. She started her quest by asking me if I blamed the hospital for dad's death.

While Dad was recovering from cancer surgery (they had removed one of his kidneys,) he began having trouble with fluid build up. This was a great concern for his doctors. They were afraid that the one kidney was not picking up the extra work. (I am paraphrasing and simplifying.) They scheduled more tests and procedures. The orderlies came to get dad to take him downstairs for the tests. They were not able to get him on a gurney, as dad was a large man. They eventually decide to just take him down in the bed he was in. They laid it down and wheeled him out. as he was leaving the room and going down the hall, I heard him tell the orderlies that he could breathe better if they sat him up a little.

While downstairs waiting on the test, dad stopped breathing. His heart stopped. It took them eight minuted to resuscitate him. He never fully recovered after that. There were fleeting moments when he would look at someone or squeeze a hand, but they were few. After two weeks, we removed him from the ventilator. Twenty-four hours later, surrounded by his family, dad left us.

Now, to the blame thing. I do feel that the hospital had some culpability in dad's death. I believe they were instrumental in the way he died. However, I also feel that it was dad's time. I am not one of those, "If it is your time, there is nothing you can do about it, so don't fight it" type of people. I am not going to step in front of a bus and say, "If it isn't my time, I'll be okay." Nope, not going to happen. So, do I blame the hospital ? Yes and no. I know, could I be a little more vague?

She (daughter) is having surgery at that same hospital. Her doctor does surgery at the two hospital of that group. The only one with the equipment she needs is that one. "A" was freaking out a little. She has not been back to that hospital since dad's death, either. She was scared. I told her that I would be there when she went in. I would be there when she went to sleep. (It is a one night stay at the very least.) I would be there when she woke up. I would be there when she went home. Monday was going to be the first time back for both of us.

We were at home Thursday, when my phone (in the bedroom .. away from me) rang. I didn't try to answer it. Most people have both numbers (mine and Tammy's) so if it is important, they know the second number to dial. Tammy's phone rang. It was one of the ladies from the church. Her mother was at the Bourbon County Hospital and they were getting ready to take her to the hospital in Lexington. They thought she had a blockage in her heart. Our pastor, Brother Rudd was having a medical procedure at the time and would not be able to be there. I told her that I would be there when they arrived. She was going to .. you guessed it .. the hospital where dad died.

We arrived before the ambulance. We were coming from different places. We stopped and grabbed some lunch, not knowing how long we might be here. We ate it in the parking lot of the hospital. I prepared myself for any onslaught of emotion that might happen when I went into the building. I did okay. I kept myself busy while waiting. the TV was on in part of the waiting area. The family arrived. I talked with them. Eventually we were able to go into the unit to see "C". We talked to her about healing and stubbornness. We prayed with her and daughter.

From there we went home, since Kyle was coming home from school. Later the family called us to say she was going home. They couldn't find anything wrong. They ran a second EKG and it was the total opposite of the one ran in the Bourbon County Hospital. I will let you draw your own conclusions.

I think, being there with a purpose made a difference. I did not sit and think about the last trip. "A" called me today to tell me she had to be there later that day for preliminaries. I offered to meet her there, but she assured me she would be okay. She called me tonight to tell me she only broke down twice. "A" .. if you are reading this .. know this .. your daddy loves you .. you worry too much .. but it is part of who you are .. and I wouldn't change ya .. oh yeah .. and I still talk to him too .. (dad)

so, my trip back .. in place and time .. was okay. It was a good warm up for Monday.

We will see what that will bring ..

Number 771

According to Blogspot, this is my seven hundred seventy-first post on this blog.

That isn't that much compared to some of the bloggers I read, and a lot compared to others. It made me think about the ones we celebrate, posts, not bloggers. We set thresholds in our minds in most things we do. We decide that making it to certain birthdays are more monumental than others. Anniversaries, marriage or others, are the the same way. It is just something we get from growing up, I suppose. we see others doing the same thing and figure it is the way to do it. I am not saying it is wrong or right. It is just an observation.

It made me think, as I was opening my dashboard to sign on to post. I really didn't have a great deal to post about. The week finish and the weekend were mostly pleasant and non-eventful. There were no catastrophes. There were no train wrecks of emotion. There were no heart wrenching moments. It was a pleasant nondescript weekend. Don't get me wrong, there were moments.

My daughter called me and told me her son had a spot on stomach that the doctors suspected was the flesh eating, antibiotic resistant, staff infection. There had been several cases of it, it seems, in her town. That could have been a moment, but she hadn't gotten him in to see the doctor yet. So, worrying about it was moot. Not to say, there wasn't concern and prayer. There was. She called after the doctor visit to say they confirmed it was not the staff infection. It was more likely eczema, which she (his mom, my daughter) has had since she was a child.

There were storm/wind concerns on Sunday. The winds from Ike were here and unusually high. In some areas, the winds were gusting over 60 miles per hour. There were trees down on power lines and cars all over. However, we had no damage. We just had some pleasant gusty weather. Nothing catastrophic at all.

So here were were, four days since our last post, a non-eventful weekend behind us, a seeming smooth week ahead of us, and post number seven hundred, seventy-one.

Just last October, I turned 50. It was one of those celebratory birthdays. It was one of those monuments we build in our heads. It was 'The BIG 5-0'. Not to be confused with the 'BIG 4-9'. Just doesn't have the same ring, does it? The thing is, with out the big 4-9, there would be no big 5-0.

Without these non-eventful weekends, we would never arrive at the monuments of our self chosen hallmarks in life. The weekend just past, uneventful and nondescript, was just as important in getting me to my next BIG life event, as all those drama filled, event crammed, exploding, weekends and week days that we report all about. I don't remember what post 750 was about. I can't recall what post 500 was about. I am sure that post 1000 (should I live that long) will be something amazing, but here we are, at post 771. It is just a placeholder. It is easy to overlook. BUT, without it, 1000 wouldn't be 1000.

Every day, filled or boring, brought me to today. Everyone of them important in the real grand scheme of things. I just remembered the premise to the movie, "Click" starring Adam Sandler. If you haven't seen it or heard of it, it goes like this. A man is given a remote that controls his life. He can fast forward through some parts to get to the good parts. According to the movie, the remote learns his choices and begins moving him through his life from plateau to plateau. He hits only the high spots. He misses so much. He learns this just as his life ends. I will purposely leave it at that as I do not want to spoil the ending.

It is a good comedic commentary on how we, so many of us, view life as one mountaintop to the next mountaintop. So, here is to post 771, and 643, and 437, and 14. I don't know what they were all about, but I do know they got me here.

What post are you on today?

necessary panic

Sometimes a phrase will catch your eye after hearing it many times and never thinking about it. This is one such phrase. In an article about evacuations in Nawlins' as a prelude to the arrival of Gustav, the writer quoted authorities as saying they did not "want to create any unnecessary panic."

This brings to mind this thought: "There is a time of NECESSARY PANIC" ?

I don't mean to make light of the plight in Nawlins. Please do not take it that way. I am glad that some forethought is going into plans for evacuation, should it become necessary. According to the article, the state has a $7 million contract to provide 700 buses to evacuate the elderly, the sick and anyone around the region without transportation. It also has plans to let residents know, those that choose to stay are on their own. The Superdome will remain locked. If you choose to stay, you do so at your own risk. Fair enough, I think.

Still ... unnecessary panic. I can see in my mind (scary place) the police going through the streets with bullhorns announcing that it is "time for necessary panic." "all citizen are now required to panic necessarily."

"This is the police. All citizens will now panic."

And now an unrelated note from a little place I like to call reality:

While my baby was in the shop, Enterprise (only game in town) provided me with a rental car. Their first attempt was a Mazda3. I fit, barely. We drove it Tuesday night to church. OMGosh. I felt like I sat down and they molded the car around me. I went back to Enterprise on Wednesday and returned the tin can and requested something larger. I was even willing to go to Lexington if necessary to pick something else.

The biggest thing they had on the lot was a Kia Rondo. It was a cross between a minivan, a sewing machine, and an SUV. It was bigger. We took it. It wasn't great, but it didn't feel as cramped. It was an '08 with nearly 33,000 miles on it. The transmission slipped a bit. You could hear the cams rattling. But, since I wasn't buying it, only driving it, I didn't care. It got me from A to B several times and now my big red baby is back in the driveway. Happy camper.

Wheeling and dealing

Well, it turns out my deducible is $500.

My insurance company (Farm Bureau) has already sent me a check for $1492 and change ($1992 minus $500.) So, today I went out and about checking other independent body shops for a cheaper price. The less out of my pocket the better. The first place I went gave me an estimate of $1327 and the second one gave me an estimate of $1213. It looks like I will have enough to fix it without any expense. Also, there are some scratches on the side that I would like to get buffed out. Someone nameless (other driver in the house) rubbed the hedges as SHE was pulling out.

Tammy has fallen in lust over a Cadillac Deville at the dealership where we bought the TrailBlazer. She is ready to trade-in. She does say that I am a big truck kinda guy and probably wouldn't be happy unless I have the TB. One of the kids at church has a fit about me calling the TB a truck. He, emphatically insists, it is an SUV.

We will see what will be.

That's why I have insurance !

Last night, we went out with Chella and Caleb. Tammy and I had discussed going back to JD Legends for a little karaoke. Kyle was spending the night with Sierra. Chella was working, but had a ride home. Well, it seems that McD's had too many people scheduled to work. They gave Chella the option to go home early.

Side note here: Chella is working and saving her money to have a good 'moving out' amount for an apt and utility turn on fees, and such. She is doing quite well in saving her money. There have been times when they have asked her and others to choose who would go home. Chella chose once a girl that was pregnant to stay over her, because that girl needed the hours to support her and baby. Other times, Chella has told one or more of the 'live at home working part time to buy CD's and stuff' girls that they needed to go because she needed the hours. Her managers love her. She is a great worker. She usually get top choice of whether to go or to stay.

Last night she opted to go home early. Her and Caleb were going to go to the movies and see "Stepbrothers." I did warn her to be prepared to be a few IQ points lower when she returned home.

However, I asked her if she and Caleb might like to go with us. JD Legends is a restaurant, so minors can come and karaoke as well. They opted to go with us. We did tell Caleb that the only way Chella would be allowed to go to the movies with him on Friday was if he karaoke'd.

She and he did one song together. They didn't sound half bad. Tammy and I did four songs apiece. We left around 10:30 pm.

This afternoon, we went to Lexington to run some errands. One of our stops, I walked toward the front of the truck. (at home and earlier stops, I entered and exited from the rear of the truck direction. As I walked toward the front, I noticed the bumper wasn't right. It was drooping. Then I noticed the small dent in the fender in front of the tire and the crease in the plastic/rubber bumper. Last night, while in the parking lot of JD Legends, someone swiped me and left.

I stopped and got an estimate (about $2200) and called my insurance. I am filing a police report online (which is was cool to be able to do.) I have to get one more estimate. I have full coverage on the TB with a $250 deductible and rental coverage as well. The first estimate shop (where I will most likely take the truck) said it was about a four day fix.

I just hate that my truck is slightly crunched.

Oh well. time to see how well my insurance company performs.

Remain or Become

Someone I love was the victim in a crime involving violence. This is for that someone ...

Remain a victim
Or become a victor

Victims live in fear
Victors live in victory

Victims cower in silence
Victors speak out in empowerment

Victims draw away from others
Victors draw others with their strength

Victims live
Victors give

Victims hide
Victors reside

In the victim, the act becomes a whirlpool,
pulling everything down with it,
even the good that was before and comes after

In the victor, the act becomes a stepping-stone,
leading to the next pinnacle in their lives.

Victims are powerless to rise
Victors refuse to stay down

Victim’s lives are reduced to the level of the least act
Victors make the act, the least thing in their lives

Victims believe in the strength of others
Victors find that strength within themselves

Victims will find a way to turn every victory into a defeat
Victors will turn defeats into steps toward victory

Victim can never separate failing in this one act, from being a failure
Victors fully understand that failure is a momentary event and not a character trait

We become the things we do continually
The victim will always find a way to remain a victim
The victor will always seek a way to become a victor

Which will you do, remain a victim, or become a victor?
The choice is yours.

for Jay

An old friend took his life a few days ago. As I tried to come to grips with the why's (we will never know) and the mindset, this is what my head spit out.
I am lost

I cannot recall the moment it slipped from my fingers
Even then, it was still in sight, like a well-known book of the shelf
I could draw strength just from the knowledge
It was still here
It wasn’t strength I would need every day
So the day it disappeared from its familiar place
Went unnoticed as well.

It might have been only hours, It might have been the day
It might have been a week, or a month, or a year
But the day did come and I went to that place
That well-known trusted place and there I found the empty
The place where it should have been
The place where it was before
The place, where, without being seen
It was taken away

There were always winds, and rains, and storms,
And thunder, and darkness, and clouds
But, there always was, in it’s own familiar spot
Shining through the shadows, a single piercing beam
Of life sustaining, of comfort providing
Of solace carrying, a ray of untainted hope

No matter how far I sank, I could find it in that known place
No matter the cares of life that assailed my mind
I could still find my way to that fullness
My soul would find a comfort
My mind would find a respite
My weariness would abate
Until today

Today, there is no rest
There is no breathing room
There is no alcove in which to draw myself
My mind is bombarded; my soul is compassed
Today, there is no hope
There is no anchor for my soul
Today, I am lost

Ron Simpson Jr.
September 1, 2007

Still here and Spring Break (sorta)

Granny continues her defiance of dying. She refuses. She has such a high value placed on life that she refuses to relinquish it one minute too soon. Four weeks without food or water (save some water under her tongue from time to time,) and she is still hanging on.

Next week is Spring Break for Clark County. I still have to work. I am taking 3 students to Louisville to compete in the SkillsUSA Kentucky State Competition. I will be working (plus 19 hours OT .. Well .. Comp Time) Monday thru Thursday. It is going to be a busy time. The best thing about it is that TJ will be with me for the week. I love taking her on my state work trips. It makes the week so much better.

I am taking a laptop with me so I will be able to blog while there, and keep up with my email on all of my email accounts (I only have 10 between home, work, and college.)

Time to get ready for Church this morning. Y'all have a great day.

Sliding into home

Feels like I have been running the bases for the last week.

Where do I start ?

The state agrees to allow me to sign the contract to hire a tour coach to take my students to the National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville. I sign and send a check for $790. The tickets are ordered and have arrived (46 tickets for $971.) We are all set to go. Well, almost, there is the matter of permission slips. I have been so wrapped up in this State approval thing that it slipped my mind to get permission slips signed by students. It was Friday, the trip was Wednesday, and I didn't have one signed permission slip.

I have to say, these guys are the worst at keeping up with, or following through with permission slips. Half of them I expected I would be calling their parents on Wednesday to get phone confirmation of their permission. (It wasn't as bad as half, but it was close.) I told the students and parents, that if school was cancelled for weather, we were still planning on going. This is a SkilsUSA trip. It isn't a school field trip. It is a co-curricular event. I told the parents that it would be at their discretion if school was cancelled to send or not send their child.

I get up Wednesday morning about 5:30 as usual. I check the school closings. Sure enough, we are closed. I call the driver of the tour bus to see if we are still on. He calls his companies garage and calls me back. The bus is cancelled. There is state-wide ice.

Students begin calling me. I begin relaying the bad news. Several asked if they could come get tickets and go on their own. Several asked about the possibility of rescheduling. I am checking on both. The ticket office doesn't open until 10AM. by then, I have heard "Welcome to Hell" about a hundred times (my ring tone.)

Eventually, we discover that we can reschedule. We will have to pay the extra $9 per ticket, as our Wednesday trip was at a group rate discount that was only available on that day. That isn't a problem. The real problem is timing. We can get a bus only on Thursday, but there is no way i can notify all my students of the change. They are checking on a bus for Friday. Then, I find out Friday won't work, because it is homecoming for the basketball team. So, no trip. $971 in tickets is lost (actually $845 as I sold 6 tickets to students at $21 per ticket) Our fundraising was for the bus fee, which is now being refunded. We will have raised $850 by the time all the money is brought in. So, we break even, sorta.

That takes us through Thursday. Friday, I was home again. This time I was sick.

Saturday finds us going to Beattyville. Chris has been moved there. It is a 48 mile drive that according to mapquest® takes 1 hour and 31 minutes. We head out about 8:30 and arrive there about 10:00. The roads were snowy and very slick. It was a tedious drive. The snow fell as we drove. Some of the stretches of road had no tracks. Most of it had just a few tracks. Still we made it there. We went to Lexington after Beattyville.

We stopped in Winchester on the way to Lexington. We went to one of the Chevy dealers there to look at Trailblazers. We drove one that drove like a tank. Then we drove one that drove great, but had aftermarket tinting done, with it's black interior, it was like a cave. There were issues with it. The gear shifter knob came off in my hand. One of the windows was cracked. All of which, the salesman assured me would be fixed. Here is what got me. He asked me what I wanted to spend. I gave him a specific number. Then he wanted to show me a GMC Envoy XUV. It was beautiful. It drove great. We were interested. We sat down at the desk and started talking price. The first words out of his mouth was the price that was $6000 more than I told him I wanted to spend. WTHeck? Quickest way to lose a sale with me is to ignore what I tell you. I know what I want. I know how much I want to spend.

From there we went to Lexington. We stopped at Motorvation to see Randy, who sold me my last two SUV's. He had a few to look at. He had a Ford Explorer. It was nice but not as comfortable. He told me he had one *a little more than I planned on spending" but well worth the price. He didn't let me test drive it until he had told me the price and made sure it was OK with me. It was, and we did. It was nice. Oh, it was nice. It was an '03 Trailblazer with 37K miles on it. It was the extended version (2ft longer.) It had third row seating. It was very nice. It drove great. It was very comfortable.

I did some quick figuring in my head as to the price with my credit unions interest. It was affordable. I wanted to stay about the same as my current loan payment. This was going to be about $70 to $80 more. It was doable. I told them to make the deal. Less than an hour later we were on the road in the new truck. We decided to keep the Bravada instead of trading it in. Trading it in would have saved us about $20 to $30 a month on the payment. That was like saying, "you can buy this Trailblazer for this much money and for an extra $30 we will throw in a nice Bravada."

We were looking for a car for Tammy anyway. She wants to put the 'ro in the shop and would need a car for a little while. we wanted to spend about $2K on a car. The payoff on the Bravada is about $2K. So, we use that money to pay off the Bravada, and she has a car she already knows all the quirks on. It only has 102K miles on it. It is a '99. Still a great ride.

Then, on Sunday, we all did the audition thing. Tammy, Chelsea, and I auditioned to sing the National Anthem at a Lexington Legends Ballgame. I auditioned last year and sang at one of the games. We auditioned individually. The CEO of the legends was one of the judges. He gave me a thumbs up. I assume that means a good thing.

Tomorrow is Presidents Day. No school for students, It is an in service day for me.

Now, you are mostly caught up.

How has your week been ?