I think I need some vitamins or something. Every evening about 1900 (7pm for you civilians), I am dead tired. Honestly, I don't know how I survived while in school. On evenings that I went to class (at least 2 days a week), I didn't get home before 2000 (8pm for you civilians), and I usually stayed up until midnight doing homework. Now, I'm ready for bed when P hits the sack.
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In other news, I found out by 'accident' that I am getting a bonu$ from the place that pays me. I'm not quite sure when I'll get it, but I know it's in the works. I can't ask when, because I'm not supposed to know about it. I guess someone likes my cotton pickin' skills.
I've got a question for the masses (that means you!). How old is too old for P to sleep in my bed? She sleeps in my bed EVERY night. I ask her every night if she'll sleep in her bed, and the answer is always NO! Tonight I we had a discussion about it:
Me: So, when are you going to start sleeping in your own bed?
P: When I turn 10, after you take me to Africa for my birthday.
I honestly think she is blackmailing me into taking her to Africa. If it means I can sleep elbow-free in my OWN bed, it's worth the trade. I should make her sign a contract.
Posted by Margaret
8:41 PM
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Tomorrow I am taking P to get her passport renewed. Today, I was informed that it will cost $82. For just 5 years. To renew mine costs $67, and it is valid for 10 years.
I really don't understand why her passport costs so much more than an adult's and non of the 143134 automated phone systems at Uncle LeRoy's office was able to help me find the answer.
As a form of protest, maybe I should pay for her passport with 41 $2 cashier checks.
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There is a slim chance that I won't be moving back across the pond anytime soon. That is all I can say regarding this latest development. If you know P's middle names, email them to me, and I will gladly bore you with the details (if you are a glutton for punishment).
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In the past week, I've come to realize that there are two things a person takes for granted:
I have always said that the stapler is one of the GREATEST inventions in the world. Don't think so? Lock yours away for a week, and you will change your mind by day #3. My stapler at the place that pays me broke (the springy thing has sprung), and I was without one for 2 days, and almost went crazy, because it seemed that every 10 minutes I needed to staple something.
Two weeks ago, I dropped my iron, and every time I've used it since, it leaks water. I'm not talking about drip-drip, I'm talking about POURING out of the end where the cord goes into it. Ever try to iron with a leaky iron? Basically it turns into you trying to dry the wet garment with the hot iron before you burn it up (both the garment and the iron).
Earlier in the week, I borrowed a stapler from a fellow cotton picker, and bought a new iron. All is right with my world once again.
Posted by Margaret
8:41 PM
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Thanks to everyone for P's birthday wishes! I read her all of the messages. She didn't have a birthday party, basically because she didn't want one, but she did want to go to IKEA. So, we spent Saturday afternoon at our favorite store. Saturday P got to decide what we at at every meal. Our menu for the day was as follows:
If she has a few more birthdays celebrated this way, I MAY be able to retire before 80.
Sunday afternoon, she spent a few hours with the Donor and his Bedroom Lawyer. She came home with at GameBoy (#2) and a soccer ball...a REAL regulation soccor ball.
I would like to inform the concerned citizens that P DID NOT receive a turtle, a girl kitty, and nor is there a baby sister in the works for her birthday.
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Monday, I did laundry while P and Crazy Dog did absolutely NOTHING. Now that I think about it, they did do somehting. They did this:
The picture was taken about 1600 (4pm for you civilians) and she still had on pajamas.
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Monday evening in an effort to avoid going to bed, P informed me that she had a loose tooth. After about 3o minutes of complaining, I asked her to come to me so I could see what she was talking about. While checking out her meat hooks, I realized that she had not 1, but 2 loose teeth!! Each tooth on either side of the two that already came out (bottom front) are loose. If they come out, she'll have bottom bunny teeth. Or llama teeth (ever see a llama's teeth?).
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Thanks again for P's birthday wishes!!
Posted by Margaret
9:44 PM
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P's birthday is today. I can't believe it's been 5 years since I was at Uncle LeRoy's Biggest and Busiest Hopsital waiting on her to make an etrance. Literally, I had to wait on her...I was in labor for 23 hours, and she still needed a little assistance.
I guess it's true, time does fly when you are having fun!!
Happy Birthday to my favorite girl!! I love you!
Everyone have a great weekend!
Posted by Margaret
6:19 AM
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Crazy Dog is still licking his front leg, even with the bandage on it. Every evening I change the tape covered gauze on his leg, and spot doesn't look any better than before I took him to the Doggy Doc.
So, fearing it would get infected, and would need antibiotics, I said to myselfDiane (you know the story), you had better find something to replace both the tape and guaze for Crazy Dog's leg.
While at the sports store today after getting off work early (more on that later), I found exactly what I needed for CD's leg:
Yes, they are finger sleeves, the ones basket ball players wear (WHY do they wear these?). Here is CD with his new stylish gear:
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I've been in another class for the last 2 days and fortunately the class is held near the place that pays me. Today , while leaving the hill for lunch, I noticed the street was blocked by the police and all traffic was diverted off the hill through a never used access point. Once back in civilization, I met up with the person that signs my timsheet, and was told that they found an unexploded present from one of the World Wars about 3 minutes driving from where I pick cotton. This isn't the first time this has happened, but it is the first time that everyone had to leave the area, and was told to take the afternoon off.
Hopefully everything has been defused by tomorrow, because I plan to pick cotton for half a day, then start my long weekend, which is P's birthday weekend.
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While waiting in exhile this afternoon from the place that pays me, I got THE MOST cryptic message on my handy (cell phone) from my oldest brother.What's up, call me, I've got something to tell you.
Let me start off by saying that I HATE cryptic messages!! If there is something that you need to tell me, JUST SAY IT, I don't care if you leave a message!! I tried to call him back, and of course, there was no answer. An hour after I received his call, he finally called me back to tell me that my grandfather (mother's dad) died this morning. He had been sick for some time. I haven't seen him since before I joined the Army in 1994.
One of the main reasons that I hadn't seen him in over 10 years was because there was always a chance that I would see my Egg Donor, and I was never quite ready to deal with her in any way (and still not). I haven't seen ED since I was 26 (I'm 35 now). Before that, 18. Before that, 12 (at my brother's funeral). Before that, I think I saw her only a few times.
With that said, I'll send flowers or a plant, but we won't be making the trip across the pond.
Posted by Margaret
7:02 PM
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One question you don't want your child to EVER ask you:If I tell you something, will you be mad at me?
How is one to answer a question like this? I thought about it and said to myself:Diane (I call myself Diane), you had better be VERY careful how you answer this inquiry (Diane uses big words).
I never did really answer the question. But I did find out what she did:
Me: What did you do?
P: I cut something's hair.
Me: Go get it and let me see.
She returned with an armload of stuff. There were barbie dolls, Strawberry Shortcake horses, a Dora doll, and a horse head on a stick that she jumps around the house on. I had every intention of telling her to just throw it all in the trash, and that I wouldn't replace any of it. Honestly, I did. What stopped me, you ask? I quickly calculated that she would be throwing away over $100 worth of stuff.
I said to myself:Diane (I call myself Diane), you had better do SOMETHING to let her know it's not ok to play cosmetologist (more big words).
So, what did I do, you ask? I told her to throw her trusty scissors in the trash can and clean chaos cave (her room) so she can take a nap, since she was clearly showing signs of sleep deprivation.
After an 75 minutes or so of protesting, she finally fell asleep. For about 45 minutes.
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Last Friday, I registered so Uncle LeRoy can find me a place to pick cotton on the other side of the pond. He has 90 days to do his thing and find me a place to pick cotton in NC. Since I'm using my fluff and stuff resume, I think they will find something for me within a month. I kinda hope so. I'd REALLY like to be settled by the end of summer, because P starts Kindergarten in the fall.
My other big decision is about school for P. Public, private, or charter?
Maybe I'll just send her to cosmetology school.
Posted by Margaret
8:37 PM
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This morning, while I was ironing clothes (no speeches...I know I should do it at night), it was time for P to wake up. I called her 334342 times, and I thought she had gotten up. After a few minutes, I realized that I didn't hear her in the bathroom, so I went to check on her.
This is what I found in my bed:
She must have thought I was going to steal her pillow.
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This week, I had to go to family court here in the city I live in. I was forced to go to court because P's dad REFUSED to sign the documentation to get her passport renewed. Her passport expires in April, and if I was to get a job offer after it expires, P would not be able to enter the US. I tried to go about this in a civil manner. I completed all the documents and gave them to him to sign and have notorized, but he refused to so it.
He once told me that he would complete the paperwork if I agreed to something he wanted. Of course I told him that before I let him blackmail me, I'll get sole custody in writing (I have sole custody by law, but I needed it in writing from the court), and I wouldn't have to deal with him about it anymore. He was advised by his lawyer (numerous times) to just sign the document.
Once we arrived at court, I knew it didn't look good for him for two reasons:
To make a long story short, the judge gave him more than a few opportunities to sign the doucument, and he REFUSED! The last time he refused, the judge said, 'Fine, Frau W, I'll grant you sole custody today.'
Of course, he was more than willing to sign then, but it was a tad too late.
What lessons did we learn this week?
A lesson earned is a lesson learned (maybe one day I'll post about the time he tried to take me to court in Louisina while we lived here in Germany...another lesson he earned, to the tune of about $4,000, oh, his lawyer served me by FAX...SO illegal!).
Posted by Margaret
8:21 PM
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This morning, P needed a little extra encourgement to put her coat on so we could leave the house:
Me: Please put your coat, scarf, and hat on so we can leave.
about 15 seconds later:
Me: Put your coat on so we can leave!
about a minute later:
Me: Put your coat on, now!!
P: Ok, I was just checking on Crazy Dog.
About 10 minutes later, while driving in the car on the way to daycare:
P: Mommy, I've been thinkin' that I don't like it when you scream at me.
Me: I'm sorry, but when I tell you to do something and you don't do it, I talk louder to make sure you can hear me, just in case something is wrong with your ears and you can't hear me.
P: Just so you know, there is NOTHING wrong with my ears.
After she said that, I said to myself:Diane (I call myself Diane), I think your girl just admitted that she ignores you on a regular basis.
After a couple minutes of silence, she asked me if I can buy her a snowboard for her birthday. Of course, I acted like I didn't hear her.
When I picked her up this afternoon, she handed me a piece of paper with her birthday list on it. Of course, the first thing listed was a pink and blue snowboard.
Me:0; P:1000.
I think I'm losing. What do you think?
Posted by Margaret
9:50 PM
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Monday morning, I noticed Crazy Dog licking his right front leg. I took a closer look at it and noticed that he had a sore right at his ankle joint. After P saw it, she informed me that he should go to the Dog Doctor. Today. Since the Vet office is right next door to the place that pays me, I took him to work with me. They weren't able to see him because Uncle LeRoy let his crew have the morning off, due to the fact that the Super Bowl didn't end until Monday morning. So, CD got a free day to roam around my office.
This morning, we tried it again...CD went to work with me, and the clinic was able to see him . Once the Doc looked at it, she told me it could be one of 3 things...
She attempted to get a sample from the spot using a needle and syringe. It took 3 adults to hold CD still (he's only 5 lbs).After gathering the sample, she gave me some gauze and a wrap for his leg, and told me she would call later in the day with the results.
While driving to pick up P this after noon, she called and told me that CD's spot is #3. It probably started out as a small sore, and he licked it until it was raw and calloused. And keeps licking it. Of the 3 possiblilities, this is the hardest to treat, because there is no cure for it. Basically, she said he gets depressed because he is left alone during the day, so he licks his wound. She also said that before she prescribes antidepressants for him, we'll keep it bandaged so it can heal and hopefully he won't lick it once it is healed.
When I picked P up, and she saw the bandage on his leg, she started crying.
Me: Why are you crying?
P: Because Crazy Dog has a hurt leg. (She DOES call him Crazy Dog)
Me: He'll be fine. The doctor said he's bored at home by himself, so he licks on his sore.
P: I know what will stop him from hurting his leg.
Me: What?
P: You can buy us a girl kitty so he can play with her.
Me: Who is 'us'?
P: Me and Crazy Dog!
Here is a picture of P and Crazy Dog with his green bandaged leg:
I know they are plotting against me. P has been wanting a girl kitty for over a year. I will hold strong, We are not getting a girl kitty. Or a turtle. Or a baby sister for P.
Posted by Margaret
7:39 PM
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While P and I were in the for Thanksgiving, I mailed 3 large boxes back to Germany. I received 2 of the 3 boxes before Christmas (full of P's presents). Yesterday, 62 days after I mailed it, I received the last box. One of the reasons it took so long for the box to make it to me was because I paid for it to go Space Available, and not Priority. By doing so, I saved about $20 dollars. Inside the box was a new printer/copier/scanner and a large roasting pan, items I really didn't need in a hurry.
When I picked the package up, the mail clerk told me that the package had arrived in country the day before, on a boat from New Jersey.
My Uncle LeRoy budget class in Heidelberg is FINALLY over, that means no more early morning or late evening autobahn cruising for me. I won't even begin to discuss how much gas I've used over the last two weeks! Every other day, I had to fill up. I've used over 350 liters of gas during this adventure. There are many people who make the commute everyday. By choice.
P still hasn't decided what she wants to do for her birthday party. One thing I know for sure...she WON'T be having her party here at Casa del Caos (House of Chaos). I have a 2 kid rule. No more than 2 people under 4 feet tall in my house at any given time. It's the law. I'd rather take her on a trip, but not to Africa, as she requested. Maybe to the Olympics in Torino, Italy. It's less than 8 hours from us, and there are plenty of tickets still available.
Posted by Margaret
7:10 PM
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