today I think I woke up on the wrong side of the bed. I have been such a grumpy grump. I think I need to just go back to bed and get some shut eye.

I am old fashioned. I believe one should know their neighbors, be polite and when you notice a neighbor is in a hard time you help them out, encourage them and even lend a hand when possible.

This is the way I am trying to raise my kids.

A month ago, or less, a neighbor’s house was broken into. They destroyed her (my neighbor Tink) back yard. They jumped the fence, destroyed her neatly organized recyclables she collects to turn in when school is out as she is a teacher. It helps when times are hard. So being the lovable kid I raised BigE and WahE wanted to help her out so decided to help. Just after BigE said he would help his job changed and his hours increased so he didn’t have the time to help out. WahE was working to organize and I pitched in to help. We recycled and gave Tink’s daughter (who is 8) the money because she had her piggy bank stolen.

Before we were half way done getting the recyclables into bags to take, someone came back again and took the 9 bags that were filled. WahE and I stepped up the work and got it all out and recycled before they could come back again. The thieves got away with $30 worth of recyclables.

She has been trying to get her house fixed since they broke through her sliding glass doors in the back. The HOA is telling her she can’t do this and thats and they haven’t approved of some of the exterior work. She is SUPPOSED to submit paper work. So off to the HOA meeting I went with E’s help. We talked with them and found out they don’t have a problem with the work it is only one person that has a problem with the work. I silly, mean, old, bitter woman. She is the one we have had problems with since moving in. Everyone else told Tink to do the work and that is that.

So that was 2 weeks ago.

Last night she came home and was in tears.

Being that I have been helping her by meeting her when she comes home and going around her house to make sure nothing is out of place, I clearly noticed that she was not doing ok.

So naturally, I asked her what was going on.

She just found out that her best teaching friend. The one that works in the class across from hers. The one when she is having a difficult day she looks over and gets a smile from to help her out….she passed away from cancer.

So tonight, I went over as she was coming home as usual. I had tidied up her back seat so we could just relax and breathe. And spent 2 minutes just doing that.

She will be ok.

She just seems so surprised that I am willing to help and do anything I can to make it better for her and let her go little by little.

She is doing better with the fear. When I started helping out. I was the one that walked around. Then I suggested she walk around with me. Then I walk to the side and she walks around by herself while I kept her in sight. Now ,  I just meet the car, she gets out and walks around on her own. And I only do it if it is dark if it is light I sit by my garage and watch her as she gets into the house.

I purchase Trader Joe’s  cold-brewed coffee. It is one of my weaknesses. I love iced or blended coffee (depending on my mood) To make it easier to make a blended coffee, I mix the coffee with the right amount of sugar and hazelnut flavor so all I have to do is pour  a bit in the blender with or over ice and add milk or water. I have been using a Nestles chocolate milk bottle to keep it in. One bottle makes about 8 cups of coffee. I also, for the sake of being able to say that I had tried it bought the girl scout cookie milk it is made by Nestles. It comes in the same bottle as mentioned above.

On Thursday, I purchased both the coffee and a bottle of each milk flavor to try with the kids. I got home, opened a bottle and shared with BigE, WahE and LilE asked if he could have some later. I said he could when he ate  a good meal.  I also mixed up the coffee, one line in the bottle is about a full cup of coffee when diluted to normal strength, and used a cup worth.

Lile forgot to have his flavored milk on Thursday so for lunch he asked if he could have his share. I told him he could.

He loves to sip his flavored drinks to make it last longer. So  sip away he did.

That night he went to bed and no matter what he did he couldn’t sleep. I was frustrated to no end because if he doesn’t sleep this means I don’t get much sleep either. To make sure that this didn’t happen again Saturday night I woke him up early on Saturday.

As the day wore on I could tell he wouldn’t last the day without trying to nap. So I dragged him out shopping with me. We were gone for about 3 hours, I did make it fun and we had a meal out together at his favorite burger place. We got home at almost 5pm.  As he was walking by the daily calendar he realized what day it was and that he was at 5:30 supposed to go to a friend’s birthday party. Back in the car we jumped and got him there in time. As I was dropping him off I asked the parent when to pick him up. I was told midnight. She was serious on midnight being the cut off time as she had to work the next evening and was busy the whole morning as well.

I asked if it could be earlier and she told me they were planning on a movie and it would get out after 10 so any time after they got back.

FFW to 11.

I went to pick LilE up.

When I arrived the mother invited me in and asked if LilE could stay till all the gifts were open. So we went off to chat while the kids did what kids do.

When they were all open LilE asked if I would stay till the other boys’ parents showed up, Birthday Girl’s Mom (BGM), encouraged me to as well. So I agreed.

We chatted, kids played (I guess I should say TEENS not kids and they didn’t PLAY. I am being told TEENS don’t PLAY they HANG) Teens hung out. The first boy’s mom showed up. It was 1. Now remember the mother was wanting and not just wanting but firm on the time for pick up being 12. As the girls were getting ready for their sleep over, LilE and the boy remaining are good friends, she asked if I could stay till the other mom showed up so the boys could entertain themselves leaving the girls to settle down.
Figuring that it would just be a few minutes later, I  agreed.

1:30ish Mom#2 arrived.

She came in, settled down and chatted. And chatted. And chatted. BGM  walked to the front door being that mom # 2 was there I went to leave, AND COULDN’T, mom #2 had fully blocked my car. So I commented about this, hoping it would hurry the conversation up, by this time it was 2:15. Mom #2 went to check her cell phone for some info she was wanting to get to both of us only to find she couldn’t find her cell phone. UGH.

Back into the house she went. Retracing her steps. She still couldn’t find her cell phone. BGM handed her house phone so she cold call the cell only to find that the #3 didn’t dial and Mom #2′s number has 3 in it.

Down to my car I went, grabbed my phone, thinking she probably left her phone in the car I had LiE and Boy stand by her car, and had her call it. The boys ran up and reported that in fact she HAD left the phone in the car. So back to the cars we walked.

2 steps chatter chatter chatter. 4 steps. Pause turn chatter chatter. 2 steps chatter chatter……etc.

At 2:40 am. I started my car, waited 5 minutes and she finally drove off. BGM. Walked back to my car, thanked me for being there the whole time, the only reason Mom #2 left before 4 was because I was there to “RUSH” her out.

I arrived home and thought I would have a small cup of coffee only to find, LilE on Friday had drank the whole bottle of my coffee minus  the 1 cup and had left the milk.

He did get some sleep but I had him up by 9:30 am.

Yes, life continues not only on, but getting in the way of my posting.

Let me see, kids are supposed to start doing school work but are refusing….so I am getting them prepared to go to a public school. This will be a first for me. I am hoping to find a good one that I know teachers at. I wish that I could put them in different schools but we will see. Sadly, this is after cramming the last few months in getting their school work set up for them to do. This is getting harder and harder. With them going into school it is opening my schedule for me to start writing and illustrating the books that I have put on hold for quite some time. I also have some volunteer work I am going to be doing at least once a month. We will see what happens nothing is penned in yet.

On the kid front I am struggling to let go of my 18 yo. Now that he is 18 his father has told me I have no rights and My MidE hasn’t been able to contact me because of being grounded. Seriously he is 18 “grounding” shouldn’t ever happen now.

BigE has been moved to the meat department. He doesn’t like it. He has never liked touching meat. And he is finding he like s being able to move around a bit more freely. In his old position he would walk around the store and replace things to where they belong. Now he can’t roam or help people find what they need “hands on”. This has the whole front managers trying to find someone to be as helpful as he was. The main store manager has told me he is grooming BIGE for a manager position. So he has to stay where he is for 3 months then he will be moved to another area. There for 3 then on to a final area before they can train him for management.  The store has 2 managers that are wanting to retire in 2 or 3 years.

LilE is doing better he spends less time wanting to be a jerk and more time trying to get along with all of the family. He is glad he is going to see a MFCC and he is finally talking and not avoiding. Each week they ask me what I see as an issue and then they work on the things that have caused problems during the weeks. THIS has been a Godsend. I am happy to report he is back to drawing and creating. He is laughing again and doing well.

WahE is starting to try and act up. I guess he things he needs counseling as well. If I could afford it I would take all of us. Sadly, this is something that needs addressing nation wide. For me to take my kid each week costs $25 copay each time, per person. If it wasn’t so expensive then more people would get the help they need.

And on top of all of this, I have a single mom neighbor that had her house broken into 2 times in 2 weeks. First time rattled her so bad she is so afraid of everything the second time has made it so my kids and I meet her when she comes home. We walk around her house with her and check inside, then she goes in and locks all the doors. Then we leave. If she hears anything during the night I get up and go check it out so that she can relax. She is getting better and better. We have planted around the areas she has people jumping

So life is busy, and good.

Sorry I haven’t posted we had to turn off all electronics for a while because it was over 100 for a few weeks and we still don’t have a working ac unit. IT was touch and go for a few days with me. I almost had to go to hospital but was able to self maintain and now am better. Heat is not good with me.