A Hard Week

This has been a terribly hard week. Just rough all the way around. Completely and totally emotionally draining. The Princess has been having a hard time lately. With school. With her friends. Just all the way around probably at her lowest point ever. It hurts to watch your child hurt. You just want to "fix" it, even though you know you can't. Just have to help them try and pick up the pieces and move forward.

Don't Judge, Just Love

 I'm home sick today. I've been feeling puny all week, and finally my body just said "sit your butt at home!". So here I am, sitting on the couch, watching the Today Show and perusing Facebook and reading blogs. One thing I might do today is a rework of my budget. My grocery budget just isn't cutting it anymore. I've kept it at the same level for several years, but honestly, grocery prices have risen SO much that I'm going to have make a bit more room there.

Anyway, the constant precarious position of my job for the last two years has definitely made me wonder more and more about what I would do, what I would be willing to do, what I'd HAVE to do if I found myself unemployed for a time. That's why I make sure I have "sleep at night money" in the bank, to get through a couple of months should I find myself in that position. Anyway, all that rambling is to introduce this link: Those People -- As the holidays grow near, maybe we ALL need to be reminded that sometimes we are closer than we care to admit that we could actually be THOSE PEOPLE. So, I will make every effort going forward to not judge, just love.... And maybe just maybe put a few extra cans in the food drive box at work.

Patience? Not So Much....

I have recently realized that I am not a very patient person. I used to think I was. But now, I realized I'm really not. I don't like to wait for things to happen. I like to MAKE them happen. Unfortunately, the rest of the word just doesn't work that way....

For instance:
My brother and his wife are expecting their first baby. They aren't even 8 weeks along, and I'm sitting here tapping my foot wanting to find out if it is a boy or a girl (because MY GOODNESS there are some awesome clearance deals on baby stuff right now!). But guess what? That baby is not going to grow any faster and that ultrasound isn't going to be done any soooner just because I'm tapping my foot.

Another instance:
My Mom had her follow-up with the Neuro on Monday. We had hoped she'd be able to get out of the collar and get life back to normal. But 70 year old bones take their own time to heal.... and they aren't going to heal any faster just because we want them to! (Seriously, she's much more impatient about this one than I am --- maybe it is genetic!)

Another instance:
STILL IN LIMBO AT WORK. Still just sitting here bored out of my mind waiting to get back to my fast-paced, awesome, somethingdifferenteveryday REAL job. Government bureaucracies definitely don't move any faster just because I want them to!

And there are plenty of more instances where my patience is getting the best of me. I've just got to sit back and realize that one day doesn't get here any faster just because I'm ready for it. Everything comes in its due time. But dang, I wish it would hurry!

More Important Things Right Now

Friday night, my sweet Mom was in a car accident driving home after we had a fabulous dinner out together. She's a bit fuzzy on the details, as to how it happened exactly, but she was injured pretty badly. A fracture to the C-2 vertebrae, right now, we are still waiting for it to be determined if she's going to need surgery or not. It is a scary time for us all.

We are fortunate in that my sister and I both live in the same town, and the hospital is very close to home. We are also very lucky that although the rest of Mom's family is out of town, she has a fabulous network of really close friends who are just waiting for us to determine what will need to be done and are willing to help us out in any way they can.

Mom is in pretty good spirits, although not thrilled with having to be flat on her back and immobilized. She's hungry too, as they won't let her eat until they know more. We like our good food, so that its making her a bit grouchy from time to time.

If it is your thing, I ask that you say a prayer for my sweet Momma --- that healing comes swiftly and it all works out okay.

There Are No Words

Today, 20 families sent their children off to school like any other day. Today became those parents' worst nightmare.

There are no words to express the sheer horror, sadness, grief, frustration and rage I feel for for those parents. I can only hope and pray that they find some sort of peace amid the horror. Some acceptance of the unacceptable. It is probably a futile prayer, but that's all I can offer at this time.

Peace and love to you all.

A Few Ramblings....

I think I've got about a jillion things going on right now, so this will just a few random and notreallyorganized thoughts... but please feel free to jump in and give me yours.

• I am NOWHERE NEAR the financial situation I'd hoped to be at this point in the year. I'd be lying if I said I've been paying close attention lately. That needs to stop NOW. That's how you get in trouble.

• I've got a foyer and dining room full of the Princess's stuff I brought home on Sunday, with more to come tomorrow when she arrives. Do I have ANY CLUE where I'm going to put all this crap? Um... NO.

• The Princess called Friday afternoon and the first thing out of her mouth was "I just NAILED that Math Final!". Given that she has an "A" in Math for probably the first time since 3rd Grade, that was music to my ears.

• The Princess called about 30 minutes ago and the first thing out of her mouth was "Ugh!!! That History Final was HORRIBLE!". That was NOT music to my ears. Acing Math and having a hard time in History --- College must truly be an alternate universe.

• I get the Bad Pet Owner of the Year Award --- I got a card in the mail yesterday from our vet. Thing 2 is due for her annual checkup and vaccinations --- ONE MONTH AGO. Sigh.

• Publix is running another Gas Card Promo starting tomorrow. But the ad doesn't look too awesome..... this is going to take some work on my part tonight getting the trip where it needs to be to qualify for the deal.... and I have to do a volunteer deal tonight, so my time is limited.

• Yeah, yeah, I know that some people think that coupon clipping and all that isn't worth the time it takes to work the deals. However, the time I'm setting aside after I get home last night will likely be about an hour to work it all through and plan it out. I'm looking at a MINIMUM of $10 savings (on the gas card) if I don't buy a single thing on sale or use a single coupon. Well, the whole purpose of planning it out is that I will take advantage of sales and coupons to get the best value for the money spent. And no, I will not be buying stuff I wouldn't buy anyway just to save a few $$$, I just have to look closer at the ad and look closer at what we are running low on to make it all work right.  So, I'm betting my actual savings on that grocery trip will be around $40 or so. So, that's a tax free $40 for an hour spent (and that's more than I make in an hour so it works for me).

• And a friendly PSA --- if you do NOT want everyone at work to know your business --- maybe don't talk about it constantly in your cubicle and for goodness sake don't make personal calls there! People have ears! They can't help if you are laying it all out there. Sheesh.

• And College Textbooks are a racket. Pure and simple. We spent over $600 for textbooks and the bookstore sell back only yeilded $58.50. Are you kidding me? Basically because they are now using "online access codes" --- as if we aren't killed enough. And the Princess's school wouldn't release the textbooks they were using to the students until classes started, which meant no way for her to get them online (Barnes & Noble Campus Bookstores -- you suck!). Yeah, Princess living at home this coming semester is definitely going to have its benefits. Amazon, Chegg, Half --- well, I'll get up close and personal with y'all in a couple weeks or so!

And that's it for my afternoon ramblings... y'all have a good one!!!!