The sun has set, the windows are open and the cool air is flowing throughout the house. It is supposed to be in the 50s tonight and in the 60s tomorrow. Boy aint that sumpin? The leaves are falling. I'll grant you it is a very slow falling process, but they are a falling. The grass is turning brownish, of course, the lawn in front of Michael's yard is being cared for by the never- ever-comes-around-yard man so his yard is already brown for sure, no "ish" about it.

The workers are finishing up the basement, but the toilet and sink are not in. Matthew, they dont require inspectors here. I was told by an air conditioner man that there is only one inspector for this whole area and there is no way Also, the "felon" was caught driving with a suspended license and he was given 8 months in the county jail. He was released after two. i just call him a "felon" because i think it makes this situation all the more exciting.

Today was Tiger Toons day and we got to school by the seat of our pants. Actualy, Brendan had 6 minutes to spare. Then Michael jr and Aidan and i wait in the teachers' parking lot until 7:30 rolls around and i drop them off in the parent drop off zone and i drive the beautiful drive back home. This afternoon when i picked them up at their evansville address i allowed them to play with their old friends for an hour then we went home. I had worked around our house all day and for the first time since i have been here, the kitchen table is clean with a little fall decoration on it. When we got home the boys all commented on the decoration and we did their homework and they went out to paly with their newburgh friends.

Yesterday we did go to the Hallmark store and Aidan did buy a bradcelet for his teacher with $10 of his birthday money. He gave it to her today and he said she oohed about it and put it on and wore it all day long. It was a very pretty silver bracelet. $9.99 I think he is sort of "fond" of Mrs. Brothers.

Tonight i fixed hamburger helper nacho cheese and it was, of course, a big hit. All of the fast and unhealthy meals are big hits. They had milk and applesauce and a popsicle for dessert, Then they showered and we passed out clean clothes and hung up what needed to be hung up and put away what needed to be put away and then went to bed.

They are working really hard to "obey" grammy and life is just plain enjoyable. I am acting like a grammy that loves her grandsons and i am beat from allof the chores that go into taking care of them and a home.

Michael sr. is off tomorrow and is going to the hospital for the procedure that has three letteres that i do not remember. The test, i believe, is to determine where the problem exists that is causing numbness and lack of feeling in his arm and hand. He slept really well last night for the first time in days or even weeks. He was so upbeat today. Yesterday he appeared to be very aingst-filled. This was a very good day for him. Please pray for all to go well and this to be something that can easily be fixed and that it can be fixed. He keeps saying things like "permanent loss of feeling" and your prayers are coveted. He, of course, is not asking for prayers, but i sure am. love to you all. jk

today, i am again acting like a grandmother that loves here grandchildren. It is 1:05 p.m. This morning i prepared the "healthy" bacon which does not have as much fat and thus not as much flavor as the regular bacon. Consequently, this bacon is not as popular with the grandsons. This mornig i fixed the last of the "healthy" bacon and the rest was the old standard greasy and oh, so , good regular bacon. They were thrilled the choice and we also had toast with peach butter jam and a half banana apiece along wmith apple cidar for drink. Remember this is apple cidar season and we newburghers like our cidar.

This morning we had a lovely drive to school. They seem to appreciate the drive more than catching the bus in the morning and the only sacrifice i have to make is in using the extra gasoline and the fact that the drive is an hour long one round trip as oppposed to a thirty minute turn around if they catch the bus. Oh well, we are making some good memories.

I stopped by walgreens on the way home to pick up some milk,orange juice and i wanted to get some biscuits. Rats! walgreens didnt have any and i just despise going to the grocery store, which i may end up having to do . I purchased some items that Aidan's class is collecting for a "gift basket" for the teachers with a "spa" theme. I purchased a "ped egg" to scrub one's feet. I will put it in a bag and give it to aidan to take to school tomorrow.

Aidan informed me this morning that he wanted to buy a bracelet for Mrs. Brothers, his teacher. He said other kids are bringing her gifts and he would like to too. Since his grandpa and grams had sent him $30 for his birthday, i suggested that he could used some of that money to purchase a bracelet and i would take him to get one if he wished. We may do that today on our way home. i will let you know.

Today one of the felons who was on my original work team was released from the slammer and he is down working on finishing up the downstairs. Since he is such a good worker, it may actually get fininshed in just a few days. They were here when i got home this mornig at around 8:45a.m. they have been working ever since, hammering, sawing, and jack hammering all morning except for when they went on their lunch break at 11:30 to noon. They also called Matt Jones, my yard man, on their phone, since Matt never answers the phone when i call him, and Matt said he gave me his word that the work would be complete by this saturday and he would return money to me. We shall see. The reason Tony and Jerimiah (My good workers) called Matt jones for me is because they are the ones who suggested him to me as a good guy to do the landscaping because they knew he was trying to start up a new business and he had evidently talked a good game to them. Evidently Matt didnt realize that to start up a business one has to work really really hard in the beginning and that one's helpers may not be as reliable as one needs in the breginning and you , as the owner of the business, will have to take up the slack if your workers do not show up. oh well. Matt Jones gave me "his word" that it will be completed by saturday. My workers just said to me "Well, you know he is from Kentucky". They said that when i told them that matt jones calls the dwarf chery tree a "darf" cherry tree.

Michael just left for work and i need to leave to go pick up the boys so i wont be late. Today is a better day for the grandmother of the boys. She is contiuing to act like a grandmother who loves her grandsons. I am getting around a bit better today than even yeterday. love to you all. jk

This is sunday and it is 11:39 a.m. and the plumber is downstairs installing the shower. Since the boys' mother did not pick them up, they were able to go to church with me. They all enjoyed so much their class and children's "church". Because i needed to be home by 11 to pay the plumber, we did not get to do all of the actiities that the church has planned for the children. They all want to go back and so now we know that if their mother doesnt get them, we wil be able to go to church togther. The serice was wonderful and was filled with praise to our God and Savior Jesus Christ. I am unable to express the powerfulness of worshiping with the saints at the First Christian Church in Newburgh. Today i acted like a grandmother who loves her grandchildren rather than on who is in the self-destruct mode. I fixed breakfast of toast, sausage and eggs for the children. I just ate a protein bar. Our water is cut off for the present, i guess while they plugging in the shower or something. I am kind of thirsty.

Vicki i appreciate your comments and your frankness. Did you notice i said that "i acted like a grandmother who loved her grandhildren"? Ramona, thank you for your comment also. I will recall you saying "What are you doing?" in that sweet all-knowing voice of yours that convicted me every time i was into someting i shouldn't be in to. i love you all. i will write more later, if something happens that is mundane enough to make the cut. jk

Well it's 12:10 p.m. The boys' mother called Michael sr. this morning and told him to tell the boys she was sick and would not be picking them up today. She also said that she was getting ready to take a nap. Michael had purchased a computer to enable the boys to communicate with thier mother. (It is like the one you may have seen on a tv commercial where the little boy and his dad are speaking and seeing each other on a computer. They aer both eating an oreo cookie and the little boy says, "Good morning, Daddy" and the daddy says "Good night" to the boy.) She evidently has told Michaelsr. that she has been able to set up her part of this computer system and the boys should be able to communicate with her this evening. The boys were all so disappointed at this news, but are looking forward to thei computer "visit" tonight. Yesterday she had told Michael jr. that she was going to get their bathing suits and take them swimming. Michael jr was so sad. He asked me if this had ever happened to me and i said "no" , but i know it must hurt, but there is nothing we can do about it and we must look at the good things. So they are all anticiapating the "visit" tonight.



Michael sr. will be working ten out of the next 12 days. His hours for his shifts are 4p.m. to 1a.m. and 6a.m. to 3p.m. and i think one or two of the 2p.m. to 11:30 shifts. I have been over-eating and i know this is so harmful to me and my ability to be the help i need to be. The over-eating is accomplished by eating very slowly and chewing until whatever i am eating is a mushy consistency. This is just self-sabotage, i know, and i request your prayers for this horrible sinful nature of mine. I have regained weight that i had lost and my size 3x pants now fit again, although not as tight as they used to be. The 2x pants i was able to wear have split slightly at the seams and i am not wearing them right now. I am confessing this, in order to humiliate myself and try to be accountable to you. I believe this will help me get back on the right track. I handle stress this way instead of getting into the Word and gaining strength from the only Source of lasting strength. Pray for me.

Michael said the MRI shows a bone is once again pressing on his spinal cord and the wednesday test will occur, because the MRI is showing the same injury that was supposed to be taken care of by the surgery in July and this doesnt make sense. So, it does look like surgery is in the offing for him. I can tell he is feeling pressure, knowing that this is a more major surgery that again will require a breathing tube and this time they will have to go through his chest. I am assuming that this means a longer hospital stay and recuperation period. I am concerned that i will be unable to attend CC's wedding and i want to cry, truly, tears are streaming down my face as i type this. I dont know. I will just have to wait and see how michael is doing. i was planning to be gone from october 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 and arive in newburgh on monday,october 20. I am too fat to fit in a plane, and i need to drive.


Life is filled with blessings and Satan is working so hard to get my focus off of the love, steadfastness and strength that comes from God when my focus is on Him. (By the way, vicki, i want ronnie wiggins to know about this blog. I will attempt to get the info to him, but if you know how to get a blog to someone, will you get this to him? Thanks.) I want my focus to be on Him. With the wieght gain, this job that i must do for Michel sr. is extremely exhausting. Michael needs me to be in top shape so he can put his focus where it needs to be. I need to be in top shape so God's radiance can shine through me for my son and grandsons. Please pray for Michael sr.'s health and, of course, for me for strength and self-control that is s fruit of the Spirti which i can access so easily.


The boys are taking a nap and so is Michael. He will leave for work probably around 3:30 p.m.

I feel so convicted of the sin in my life of lack of self-control. Please pray for me. jk

Today was pretty routine. I awoke and fixed breakfast of whole-wheat English muffins with cheese, sort of like cheese muffins and sausage with apple cider, because, if you remember, it is cider season. Then we galloped to the bus stop and i came home. i was very tired already because two of my grandchildren had a need to come to bed with me in the night last night and i dont ever sleep as well when one of them is in bed with me. Actually, i went to bed last night with a headache and awoke around midnight feeling better. I went to the bathroom and found Brendan on the floor at the foot of my bed asleep. Aidan had climbed into the bed around ten, i guess. Oh, well. as much as i prefer to sleep alone it is sort of sweet that they find comfort in just being near me if they have a bad dream or something like that. I love these boys.

Michael went to have and x-ray yesterday and a MRIthis morning. If the MRI shows the damage, then he will probably go to surgery pretty quickly. If the MRI shows nothing, then another test will be done on wednesday, october 1, and a solution will be sought at that time. I know i must not dwell on this, however, i am. I must trust the Lord, but i am afraid because of Michael's lack of returning to God.

Today, the afternoon bus was early for the first time and i got to the house literally one minute before it disappeared on the street. So, i was sitting in the driveway and the boys had already gone inside a neighbor's house. Michael jr. called michael sr and michael sr. told him to go outside and look for me and michaeld did and there i was in the drive way. I got the boys and we went home. I know that Michael appreciates everything i do, because he has told me several times and some of those times have been with tears in his eyes. However, it is so important that i pick up the boys every day on time and this is the third time i have not made it and the boys have felt the need to go to the neighbor's house. Michael needs to trust me and i am showing myself to be untrustworthy. I need to feel so horrid about this that i am never late. Today i was cutting it close. The bus arrives daily at 2:50 and i got in the driveway at 2:46 and breathed a sigh of relief. Then i waited until 2:55 when michael jr. came out of the neighbor's house. This is the first itme the bus has ever been early. i had told Michael sr. that i knew how important that it was for me to be there every say on time and i promised that i would be there everyday at 2:3o and usually i am. i guess i sort of felt like i could beat a bus when i know it is always there at 2:50 and i get there at least a minute or two prior to that. Oh well. lesson learned. I just wish i was all good news to Michael and a continual help and not a cause of worry about anything. I know that if i were the parent i would be very upset with momo if she had been late to pick up my chidren three times and it was only september. oh well. Time will tell if i have made a proper commitent to my responsibilities.

The boys mother is to come pick them up tomorrow at noon so they are still here. Michael is in charge so i am "off" right now. This is sort of nice because i have time to post and read the posts of those i love who post also. I might even read the news or watch the news on the internet, if i can figure out how to do that. Well, i love and miss you all.

i need to talk to Matthew and see if he found out anything about the different possibe dammage sites to my houston home.

The front yard here is still bare and i hear the yard man is really enjoying his truck. Supposedly he is telling anyone that asks that he is plannng to come over to my house and finish the job "today"---whatever that word "today" means to him. Oh well, i missed the bus today after promising i would never do that again, so i guess i should not be one to attack the yard man. Wait. I desire to attack the yard man and i will. I have my issues, i know. love to you all. jk

12 responses. Boy! You talk about popularity! This must be it! I'm there! Bill, actually, i was waiting for you to post and then i would know i was "there". Famiy and friends, Biill is the Involvement Minister at my Housotn Church in Champions. He was first introduced to me when i was in the hosptal for a heart catharization as "Pastor" Bill, and i have preferred to call him my pastor ever since. Never around any of the elders or deacons, of course, but everyother time i am around him. He is hilarious and oh so much a fine Christian man, a great Bible teacher with insight into the scriptures that comes only from time in the Word.

Now, on to my life in Newburgh. The yard man has never shown up. but i hear he is driving around in a new truck. Oh, well. I am still here and i patiently wait, becasue i dont have courage to take any other recourse. I continue to love being with my grandsons and my son, Michael. Michsael sr. is continuing to have some trouble with strength in his hand and now in his upper arm which may mean more surgery. Please pray for this. It would be a major surgery that would take hours, he said, not like the 40 minute surgery that precipitated his "event" in July. He is scheduled for a test on October 1, next Wednesday, to determine if this is necessary. It is like so much of life, that when one feels like one has come to grips with life, that one gets another swift kick. Of course, Michael sr. may need more time to come up with what Solomon. deduced in Ecclesiastes when he searched for happiness in so many different areas and finally realized what the whole duty of man is. Please pray for Michael sr.
I have to leave in about ten minutes to go get the boys. I need to get to the grocery store and the market, before i pick them up. Today is the day i get two boys at their bus stop and then go to school to get our "Tiger Tooner" from practice. I took a nap when i got home today and have really done none of my "chores".
Mathew called and i think i have a roof problem and there is a repeat of a leak in my ceiling that erupts from a pipe issue, that had actually occurred for the second time the day when i left houston to come up here to newburgh in june. Matthew is in the process of determining what needs to be done.
Thank goodness that AIG was taken care of by the government, because that is where all of my money is. My mercy, and we all need money. It seems like it never ends.
Right now i am so concerned about michael. I cant seem to get my thoughts away from him. Please pray for him, i know i have asked this so much in this one post already , but again, i request your prayers for him and also for me to be strong and for these precious boys. There is so much to be thankful for and we must all dwell on those things. God is so good and He has promised to never leave us or forsake us. Blessed be the name of the Lord. jk

The plumber has been here, completed his work and gone home. The yard man and his foreign workers never showed up. Two low bids with 50% completion. Should i ever entertain the idea of even seeking a lower bid ever again? I dont know. It all depends on how long the toilet flushes without backing up, i reckon. alas. jk

what a day this has been. Actually it has not been anything out of the ordinary. I picked the boys up from the bus stop, They spent the week end with their mother in their old home and caught the bus at their old bus stop. They are so precious and we are always so glad to see each other. They all really run to my car as i wait for them in the driveway. They asked me to stop by the side of the road by the house to see if we could find Aidan's blue box filled with his birthday Pokemon cards, that fell out of the car when he tossed his cookies last saturday night when he left with his mother. Believe it or not, we found that blue box with the muddy cards inside . I have now separated each of the muddy cards and they are drying out. I know they are ruined, but Aidan will appreciate them even if they are muddy, i think. I couldnt believe we found them. It was in a construction zone and it had rained cats and dogs on sunday.

Regarding our yard: My yard man, Matt Jones, called me on saturday evening and told me he would be at my home between 3 and 4:00 on monday, which i believe is today, with his group of foreign workers and they would finish my yard completely. My mercy! It is 4:48 p.m. and there is neither hide nor hair of any of them. It is really funny how i always believe him when he tells me he is coming. Oh well. Low bid. jk

it's 4:15 p.m. and the plumber aint shown up yet. oh, well, low bid again. jk

today is the day the plumber is supposed to be here to install the toilet and sink for downstairs. It is 11:40 a.m. and he has not shown up yet, but there is still a lot of time left in this day. I received a call from my yard man, who tells me that he will be here beween 3 and 4 tomorrow--monday--with his help and will attempt to complete the work he has promised me in the front yard. He really is such a nice young man and he truly has fallen on some hard times. He got his help from the local prison and was trying to give these three guys a fresh start. However, one had problems with his probation officer that landed him back in the slammer, one had an "anxiety" attack, went to the hospital and the last one was caught drunk and driving and since alcohol was prohibited as part of the terms of his dismissal from jail, he, too, has returned to the slammer. At this time the only one not having been sent back to the slammer has since fallen off the face of the earth. Now Matt (my yard man, Matt) has rehired some men who reside in Mexico, but who are up here to find work. These men actually were with Matt in the beginning, but Matt released them to go work for another labor group when Matt hired these supposedly reformed ex-cons and thought he had a faithful crew who would apreciate being given a second chance at life and would be loyal and hard working. Alas, all in not always as it seems and just because we are attempting to do something good for our fellow man, doesnt guarantee that all will be well. Now i will let you now if they show up on monday. My experience with this group of foreigners and Matt, is that they do what they say. You should have seen them swoop in and dig up the "pretend sod" in the front yard and lay new sod. They did it in about four minutes. They really worked hard. This is why i felt ok about paying matt ahead of time. Alas, we have all learned a lesson. I will never pay ahead of time and wont ever, ever believe i have made a good deal with a low bid that is so far below anything i had ever dreamed of to actually believe it will be completed. Of course , if monday comes and it is completed, i may feel i have done a good job similar, but ,not matching, to the woman mentoned in Proverbs 32. You know i am kidding about that. i dont believe the word "noble" would have been the Biblical adjective used to describe my actions. Possibly more like "fool". I keep telling myself that i am fearfully and wonderfully made and i am a child of the King. Somehow in this mix, i forgot to to seek His guidance along with the resalization that He is the only source of wisdom. I think i sort of lost track of that concept a bit. Hopefully no, i am back on track jk

I was so tired last night that i didnt choose to post. Yesterday began with my list of activities to do which included getting Adan to his littlle freind's birthday party from 1:30 to 3;30. My "tribe" (this is what the lady at walgreens calls us because we are really regulars at walgreens. Also, she notices us each time we enter, because i am still trying to teach them not to make a mad dash into the store, each of them grabbing their own cart and beginning their speed walking down each aisle, and all of this before i can even get totally out of my car. The day really began when we left the house at 10:00a.m. We began with a trip to the donut bank where i purchased three individual cartons of milk, three creme sticks and three donut holes a piece for each of the boys. When they complained that this was no where near enough food to fulfill their dietary needs, i informed them that we would eat again iat IHOP in a couple of hours when we dropped Aidan off at his friend's birthday party. I asked them to not eat this "tiny" breakfast until we got to walgrens parking lot and we would sit in our car with the windows down and have a pretend picnic. We went to Walgreens this time in a little more organized fashion and purchased a gift, gift bag, tissue paper and a card. We put the "Hannah Montana Accessories " gift in our large gift bag, outside by my car in the walgreens parking lot, and put the gift together. Aidan signed the car and threw away our trash. then we left to get gas and wash the car in the car wash. this is always an enjoyable experience, because we all scream our loudest as if we are in great fear when the big sprinkler traverses the car with its loud pounding water attack on our car.

Next we went to Home Depot which was an event in and of itself. We went there to puchase two screens. Michael sr. likes to open the windows and let the cool air come in the house and turn off the airc onditioner when the outside air is cool . It doesnt seem to bother Michael.sr. that one of the screens is missing on one of the front windows and the other screen is all bent out of shape because Zulu, the huge Newfoundland who lives in the house with Snowball, the Great Pyrnees with all of us, had plunged her head through the "good" screen when some hapless person came upon our porch for some reason. So in my mind, we needed to purchase two screens. If anyone had seen us in Home Depot, they would have seen michael jr. walking in front with his hands folded together and Brendan following me with Aidan right behind Brendan. I told them i knew this behavior was foreign to them, but it was expected by me every time we go into any store. When i said they should have been embarrassed when i was having to order them around, Michael jr, said "Im not embarrassed." Then i explained to him and his brothers how they should have been embarrassed because i was so embarrassed at having to discipline them inside the store. I told them that when they are with me i expect perfect behavior. Brendan reminded me that no one is perfect. i acknowledged that , but i said, that nonetheless, i expected perfect behavior from them every time we are out. I felt so good at saying all of that. They are still agog, i think.

We picked up Aidan at the party at 3:30, right on time, and drove home. Their mother had said she would pick them up late saturday night and keep them through Monday morning taking them to school on monday and we will pick them up monday after school . She arrived at 10 and the boys were all so tired but glad to see her and ready to get on the road. Michael jr. had fallen off of a bike and his knee was really skinned up badly and aidan was complaing loudly about a head ache and Brendan was just watchig tv, seemingly oblivious of all that surrounded him. Anyway they all left and in 10 minutes they werr back. Aidan had vomitted all over the car as they pulled away. i washed the huge blanket Karen had covered them up with for the long journey back to indianapolis. The blanket was now covered in up-chuck. I had Aidan put his up-chuck covered shorts in the shower. Karen got about three towels and a cleaner to clean up her car seats and then she and Troy, who was following in a car behind her, all left for a final time. Actually, Garrett, Troy's son, did come in to use the restroom before the final departure. Karen and i discussed briefly of the blessing i had received in Aidan's waiting to toss his cookies until after he left the house. I was in bed around 11 and probably asleep by 11:01.

I so continue to enjoy my time up here so much. Micjhael sr. is physically back to his old self. He continues to examine his past and speak of future things. He tells me over and over again, how much my presence means to him. He thanks me for the help with the children and times where he talks and i just listen....i promise it is true, i just listen. I am not saying it is easy for me to listen, but i am telling you that i just listen. I know that is what he needs right now, just to be able to articulate his thoughts.

Lyndsey, the expectaiton of perfect behavior when we are in public, is also fueled by my mothering, teaching and principaling expectations. Ah, those were the days. These days, I must admit, are the better days. Blessed be the name of the Lord. love you all. jk

well, it is 5 p.m. and the yard man has not shown up yet. I cant believe this., He promised to finish the yard before Mike and the boys returned from Scotland, and it is still not done. He has some of my other workers on his back, but since last night when he showed up to mow, i have not seen him. He was supposed to plant the plants today, fix the bed by the mailbox at the edge of the street and tomorrow finish it all off by bringing the bedding pebbles to placein the beds. My mercy. Also, the plumber is supposed to be here sunday to work on installing the toilet and sink in the downstairs area. i met the plumber today, and hopefully, he will show up and finish his job. Low bid. Always remember to stay away from the low bid. At least that is my experience. Boy, did i get a bargain with these guys, but the work is either so very turtly slow or it is working like dead lice on a corpse (lice dont stay on a corpse). Well, at least it is cider season and it ujst doesnt get much better than this. i am going to bed for the evening. The boys mother is to come pick them up tomorrow night. Aidan has a birthday party tomorrow and he and i will go to walgreens to get the present tomorrow morning. Life is good, but i am tired. jk

Yesterday there was no post as i am sure you are aware if you read with any consistency. I believe i was in 'mourning' for the fact that i could not reach my sister, vicki, since she now has a job substituting at the local elementary school library. In addition, yesterday was a big day working with my "worker" men here in newburgh. The roof man, went to "motivate" my yard man to come do the work he had promised. They both showed up around 4 (my roof/painter/dry wall/chain-saw limb-chopper and stacker--his name is Tony) as well as my yard man (His name is Matt) I guess Tony had decided that the only way to get Matt to get motivated enough to come over here and work was to be Matt's helper. So Tony used his own truck (Matt's truck is broken for the second straight week) to attach Matt's trailer and lawn mower and pull it over here. Actually they both did my yard and the neighbor's yard that Matt had promised the he would do for them about a month ago. Now his work for me has already been paid for but Matt did make some money on the neighbor's yard. It looks really nice. Now the next thing i am looking for, is for Matt to truly show up in the flesh today and finish the landscaping of this yard. Whick is a minimal task if he do it. Time will tell.

My grandchildren and i continue to be ready to leave the house daily at 6:30a.m. and so we do. It is so nice to spend this time together, either eating at the kithen table or driving leasurely to the bus stop. Yesterday, Michael jr. decided he was going to stay with me in the car instead of gettiing out to catch the bus like his dutiful brothers did. I was unable to persuade him to get out of the car and in answer to my querie of "Why don't you want to catch the bus?" He responded, "I want you to drive me to school." Sounded totally sensible to him, so i drove him to school. What else was i to do? The bus had already driven out of our view. So Michael and i had a peaceful drive to ScottSchool. Michael continually reminded me of the "blessing " we were experiencing. (He has heard me many many times refer to this drive as a "blessing" in that we get to see the beauty of God's creation and the tree-shaded winding-road is so peaceful and beautiful such a blessing that God gae us eyes to enjoy His handiwork.) What could i say? Well i made it claear to Michael that while i enjoyed the drive with him, i would rather all of the boys ride the bus so i can get home in thirty miutes instead of the hour round trip it takes if i dive them to school. They are such wonderful boys and i love them each so much. Last night, i fixed a Chicken Helper boxed meal of Chicken Fried Rice. They all took a bite of a few grains of rice and decided it was not edible for anyone under the age of 62. I held my head up high though and gave them a nourishing drink of Aple cider and orange juice. Then they ate some fruit and some juky snack left overs from the "snack packs" i had purchased for them to have when they took their ISTEP (TAKS equivqalent) this week. You wouldn't believe if i told you how big Brendan's "snack" was. Part of it was a 20oz bottle of gatorade. My mercy. Of course, I am the one who took both he and michael jr. to get the stuff for their ISTEP snack. I told Brendan, that the school might say something to him about the large amount of "snack" he had brought. After school yesterday, Brendan told me that not a word was said, but he said that he was unable to finish his "snack". i'm telling you that his "snack" could have been sent as a care package to one of the starving cities we see on tv regularly and they would have had left overs after feeding their city. The amount of loaves and fishes taken up after the feeding of the 5000 has only a tad more than my Brendan's "snack".

In a bit, i am going to the buther shop and the orchard. They have the best apple cider and they informed me that it is now "apple cidar season" in newburgh, and that their apple cider is made in the barn out back and it is as fresh as it gets. I am telling you, that i never tasted anything like it. It truly tastes like apples. So very good. I promised the boys i would get some more.

The weather here has been so delightful that we leave the windows open and the air conditioner off. Now we do have the ceiling fans going, but it is really delightful. i think i will be going. Hope all is well with you all. vicki is enjoying her job, it seems. I hope the hecticness of a full-time job never really sets in for her. I love my two sisters, Vicki and Suzy. Suzy and her husbnd, Morton, may still be in virginia where their son and his wife Emile, greeted their first son(they have two girly girly girls, Bailey and Brylee), Samuel Caleb Jeffrey, into the world on monday, september 15. Life is good. Where is that yard man...it is 12:55. jk

i just got off the phone with matthew and they now have power. it came on yesterday around 6p.m --tuesday evening. They are on their way to the grocery store and hopefully he will do a bit of posting when he returns. Life is good.

It is wednesday, and my sister, vicki, is working for the first day of her long=term substitute resposibilities for the librarian of some elementry school in Farmer's Branch ISD. The librarian has been told to go to bed for he duration of her pregnancy. Her child's birth was to occur on october 20th, but, as we all know, these things can be predicted, but not guaranteed, so vicki is at work a month earier. Of course, vicki's daughter, catherine, is getting married on saturday, october 18, so vicki has asked for the week prior to the 18th to have a sub. All of this is to say, i have wanted to talk to vicki all morning long, and have been unable to because for the next months, until January of 2009, she ill be working.



I dont know exactly what happened this morning, but we had Cinnabon cinnamin toast from the toaster, turkey bacon from the microwave and split a banana three ways and orange juice and we had to stop by the "stop & go" to get a drink for Michael's ISTEP (Indiana's form of TAKS) snack, and when we pulled out of the parking lot of the stop & go, i realized that it was 6:55a.m. I have no idea how we got out of the house that early, but for the first time we got to the bus stop without a race to the finish line and had time to sit and visit for about 15 minutes until we saw the bus. I am still amazed we did that. i guess it was all of the microwaved bacon and the toaster-ready Cinnabon cinnamin toast and splitting the banana, thus only having to peel one. Then i got home and had a little nap, since i had arisen at 4:50a.m. I napped until around 9a.m. and arose and went to the market and the butcher shop. i tell you, the gala apples here are the best i have ever tasted. The growers live just down the street and everything is so fresh. it is a completely different way of living. The people and the shoppers at the market are all so folksy and nice and they speak openly about the Lord and bonds are formed quickly. I met a couple this morning who have been married 48 years--he was 18 and she was 16 when they married. We plan to meet at the starbucks one day soon for an extended visit. They are such dolls. Still in love with each other. she still laughs at everything he says and he appears to adore her. They make up a gospel group and he sings and she plays the piano for the group. They know the chuck wagon gang and their church is having gospel-quartet-night one sunday soon and they have invited me. I will probably go--at least i hope i actually go and don't just talk about going like i did withthe Chuk Wagon Gang. They will not be performing since their man that sings bass is having back surgery and will be unable to perform..

I have been unable to reach ramona or matthew today. I spoke with matthew twice for extended times yesterday. They remain without power and know nothing as far as any inkling of when the electrictiy will be back on. Places nearby have power, but they do not. There is no ice and the generator is not working. One of the first things i believe we will do, is purchase a good generator when i return. If is sits for years, it will be worth it if anything like Ike ever comes again. I am quite confident that this story will be a story that they refer to for the rest of their lives as one of the tough times that they made it through. Precious Karsen. He is probably excited that he has his parents undivided attention 24 hours a day. He probably is unaware that his parents are ready to pull their hair out for want of some air conditioning, a tv, and something cold or even cook to drink. Alas, this is earth, and we have struggles down here. There is always someone who has it worse, but when one is in the midst of a electric power-less life in an electric power-eeded world, it doesnt matter about anyone else, you only realize how miserable you are.

Well, i have decided that i will need to leave everyday at 2:00p.m. to pick up the boys to be assured that i am there right on time to pick them up at 2:50 p.m.. Sometime the traffic is heavy for some unknown reason and i am cutting it too close and they are at a neighbor's house waiting for me. This has occurred twice and i am determined for it tonever happen again. So, the way for it to never happen again, is for me to leave at 2:00 p.m. and take a leisurely drive to the bus stop , read and wait. I love them so much and i feel so rejuvinated by their presence in my life and my gift of being able to interact in their lives daily. Please pray for me to continue to be healthy and be able to help out in this way. I love those boys, and my son, michael, as well. I am really enjoying being aound him dailyl. I love my Matthew too, of course, and long to speak with him daily as we are able to do when i am in houston. I am so thankful that he and ramona, and Karsen, too, are able to stay at my house in houston. I am so sorry that they are without air, but so glad they are there to keep everything safe. Matthew cleaned up the yard from the "Ike" debris and i am thakful for that. I really am blessed to have the sons i have. I also am blessed, as you know i am getting ready to say, that i was able to spend 17 years, 9months, and 17 days with Mandy as her mother. Now she is safe in the arms of our Savior and has had no worries like no air conditioning or any problem at all only bliss, since that moment when she met our Savior. What a blessed woman i am and have been and continue to be. Blessed be the name of the Lord. jk

My mercy, I have found my blog. I touched something on my computer and everythng changed and i have been working for the last hour to try to find my blog spot. I have also lost all of my "favorites" list and alas, that was extremely important to me. I have been without a computer since we lost power up here in indiana when Ike came through here on sunday. Our power was out for about three hours, but the computer was out for sunday, monday and today until just about three hours ago. When the computer came back on the home page had changed and the computer asked me some questions and i thought i was supposed to answer them. Now i dont know if i changed some critical things on my computer or not, but my main page has changed and the tool bar with the word "favorite" does nothing. I dont know what i have done, but i may just have to stop this blog and fix supper for the children. We are having pancakes for dinner since i did not go to the store today for anything. I went to walgreens to purchase some milk, only to find out that they had to get rid of all of their refridgerated items because they were running on generator power and had been without power since sunday and allof their cold items had spoiled. So, both Matthew and his family, who by the way, are still without power since middle of the night on friday night, and I got to experience Ike and some of its ramifications. When talking with Matthew, i can tell he and Ramona and Karsen, as well, have had their fill of Ike. No cold anything, nothing to do and no where to get anything and wondering every day, when are they going to turn on the power. i will post more later. Probably tomorrow. jk

Ike is here. This morning when i left for church at 8:55a.m., it was more windy than usual, and i thought "Ike" is coming. After church, Ike had arrived with GUSTO and had blown down a few limbs and was blowing the van(I drove the van because i like driving the van and because it was at the edge of the driveway and i would have had to move cars to get to my car). Anyway, i was glad i was in the van because of the strong, strong wind. I did not go to the market or grocery as i had planned, but i did go to the butcher and bought some stew meat, some breakfast sausage and a couple of steaks. I also purchased packaged vegetables to go in the stew i plan to make sometime today. Now i would appreciate prayers that we do not have a bad experience with Ike through consequences of this wind. I hope we dont lose power. There wa a little blip a second ago. This sort of weather is honestly thrilling to me as long as nothing bad happens to me or mine. Church was wonderful with our focus, as always, on the Savior. Song after song, after song, just praising Him and telling Him how much He means to me and that i know He loves me and just praise, praise, praise. I took a long nap yesterday after Aidan's party and thus did not go to bed until after midnight. Then at 2:30 i went to Rawlgreens (that is what my little Matthew used to say)to get my restless-leg medicine, because i realized that i needed it badly. After i took the medicine, i was able to get to sleep quickly. That was around 3:30 a.m. I awoke at 6a.m., stayed in bed and the next thing i knew was that it was 8:00a.m. and church begins at 9:00a.m.and i needed to rush to make it. This church is so close and i made it with about four seconds to spare. Life is good in Newburgh, and i truly believe, that life, with God in it, is just good everywhere. I'm taking another nap. love you. jk

It is the end of the day and Matthew and Ramona and Karsen are fine. Matthew said they have been without electircity since about 3 and other than the tremendous annoyance of that, there was really no dammage to the dwelling at 6538 Shinnecock Hills Drive, houston, texas 77069, however, a neighbor across the street has a tree down across her driveway. Down the street another tree is down, but neither tree hit any stucture. He and Ramona and Karsen have taken a drive in the nearby area to see the dammage which amounts to trees down, power poles down across 1960 to the point one can't get by except on two lanes, a storage facility on cutten road behind the shell station has a lot of its structure blown away and the large and previously low retention pond behind it is now full, although, it still has about three feet to go to over flow and the rain has stopped. He said the wind was fierce and since he was Karsen's age when Alicia came through, this is the worst he has ever seen. I called my friend, Bobbie McDonald and at the time when i called she had located a fork and spookn and was at the refridgerator eating all of her ice cream and frozen vegetables so they would not go to waste. She was doing the only thing she could do since her fence had been blown down and there was nothing she could do about that right now. She said a neighboy had his little son, who was running around in his underware and peeing in everyone's yard as needed, picking up all of the neighborhood's tree limbs that had been blown down by Ike, and the father had started a cook out at the door of his garage. Her first task post storm, she said, was to clean up all of her dog's diarrhea that had been released by him with the final wind blast of Ike. We can all understadn theneed for sweet release in times of stress. Bottom line is my loved ones are fine.

Today was Aidan's birthday party for friends and that was a lot of fun. He had about 12 little guests at the lazerquet place and had pizza, soda and ice creaam cake. Then the little kids received tokens to go to the arcade place and they just all had such fun. One of the daddy's even played some of the games and it was just a great, fun-filled event. The boys' mother came to the party and picked up the boys for the weekend. Michael and i drove home "boyless". The ride home was a lot quieter than the drive to the party, which was a fun event in and of itself. Michael is now at work until 11 or so tonight and he will work tomorrow too, so i have a lot recuperative time on my hands, which i enjoy. my plan is to go to church tomorrow and then the grocery store, the market, and the butcher shop tomorrow. Life is good, My family is safe. Blessed be the Name of the Lord. jk

It is newn, and i am just now acknowledging my favorite activity of my daily posting. The boys went off to school in the usual way with full tummies and hopefully a great morning to reflect on. I do love those boys--thisi ncludes my son and their father. Yesterday was Aidan's birthday and a great time was had by all of the famiy at his little family party. He is having his real birthday party on saturday at a laser place with an arcade. He invited his entire class but we dont know yet how many are coming. Some chilidren have told them they are coming and some have told them they are not going to be able to make it. The invition said to RSVP by Friday, so we may get a count today. I have spoken with Matthew this morning and all appears to be fine with him and his little famiy on Shinnecock Hills Drive in Houston. He fixed the generator so the refridgerator, the microwave and fans will work. He reminded me that the little tv in the kitchen runs on batteries, so he has stocked up on batteries. We have been through so many of these projected "horrible" storms and we really have only had our electricity out once for three days, and usually only have a lot of rain and some dramatic thunder but that is all. It has gotten to be sort of enjoyable just to anticipate the storm. Anyway, he is confident that they will be safe and i believe him. Today i plan to take the boys to one of their favorite places for an early dinner--Denney's . They were really excited about that this morning. Yesterday, I was totally caught up with the laundry and last night and it had all been hung up an put away. At this moment, the dryer is buzzing and i have loaded up the dining room table with a new pile of laundry to fold and get taken care of. I did a wonderful thing to day . I bleached all of the whites. I love the smell of bleach and i love for the whites to be white. So I am excited about my folding opportunities today. Well, this is all. I need to get back to the tasks at hand. I love anyone who is loyal enough to wade through all of my verbage. I guess this is better than when i am actually in your presence and you dont know when i will ever stop talking. At least now, you can scroll down to the end of the blog, and actually see what kind of time commitment you will have to make to me. Have a wonderulf day filled with opportunities for you to cheer up your brother, so you can live and walk in the sunshine. It will all be better in the sweet by and by. jk

It's 9:40 and i am not at Bible study. I forgot and made an appointment for my car to be detailed this morning at 8:30 and didnt think about the conflict until i was almost at Dr. Detail. Oh, well. It will be my loss. I will plan better next week. I have misplaced my phone and, since it is on "vibrate", it will be difficult for me to locate it, so i am unable to get in touch with Matthew or Ramona to determine (what in the world did i touch to make all of the letters do this? I dont know how to s top it, so just be patient with this post, please) what their impression of Ike's role in their lives is. Usually i dont have a concern about hurricanes, but when i am up here and the only info i get is imflamatory, i wonder how my "peeps" are doing and feeling. Today is Aidan's birthday. He wanted pancakes and bacon for breakfast. so he got that. Then he wanted to sit in the front sesat of the car when i took them to school, and he got that. He fell down as he was running to the bus, but he jumped right back up so i guess he was not hurt badly. Today is Brendan's rehearsal asd a member of "Tiget Tunes" , and the boys and i pick him up at 3:10. We will have a fimily party for Aidan tonight. I wrapped his two gifts from me yesterday and they are sitting on the small hearth of the fireplace. He is so excited about them. And he shows them to anyone who walks into the room. He is such a fun little guy. His brothers are dolls too and I am feeling so blessed to be able to spend this time with them and wiht Michael Sr. The yard man was supposed to come yesterday and "finish" the front yard. I never laid an eye on him yesterday and if he came to the yard, he really cleaned up after himself to the extent that there is not a single trace or even a new blade of grass or leaf anywhere on the place. Oh, my. I guess this is to be expected anytime one goes with the low bid. love you all jk

Today is the 10th, a day that the Lord has made, and i am reveling in it already. I saw the first red leaves (three of them) on the trees in michael's back yard, and they are beautiful. Can you believe it is still the beginning of september and the leaves up here have already began their turning of colors. The boys had cinnamon toast and bacon this morning and they loved it. We enjoyed our drive to school and it was filled with conversation for the duration. Brendan and Aidan, kiss me good-bye (actually Aidan just head- butts me as he says 'no kiss') and michael just leaps from the car to go greet friends. The drive to school is a beautiful one through winding tree-shaded roads up and down hills. It is a joy to travel on my return when i am not so focused on getting to the school. I am learning different routes on the return trip and having some 'let's see where this road goes' times. I have seen some beautiful scenes our Lord has created and i am so thankful for my eyes that see and my brain that can process what i see and my mind that remembers. I am now in the process of rearranging this room i stay in so Michael jr. has better access to his desk and i have a little nest i can call "my own" while michael jr. is at school. i hung some things on the wall and moved my bed and swept the floor and i was bushed, so i am on my break and getting ready to get back at it. IHave you noticed that I am using periods and capital letters. This is a result of the a request from Matthew and i hope you all, and Matthew, appreciate it, becuase it is not as easy as just placing a lot of dots and just going from one thought to another with great ease and without having to think. I love everyone who is reading this blog. Thank you, lyndsey, veeves and vicki for your sweet comments on yesterday's post. i hope and trust each of you are having a blessed day. When i think of you, my blessing begins. love jk

Today is September the 9th. This is one of the three happpiest days of my life.
Mandy was born.


Blessed be the name of the Lord.

this morning was my first time to serve oatmeal ...so i served maple/brown sugar with toast and bacon and a banana with milk or orange juice....the boys,after being very squeemish about the look of the oatmeal, took their bite and decided that it was pretty good.....they were surprised and i, of course, was thrilled.....michael is planning to go to the hospital to get caught up on some work and i ma pick up the boys this afternoon, i will find out form Michael....i really do enjoy this work up here.....i am trying to catch up on the laundry...i forgot how much and how often one needs to do the laundry when one had children at home....the boys are so precious and i do love them.....when i return to houston and dallas for catherine's wedding on wednesday, october 15th, i have changed my doctor's appointment in houston from thursday at 3p.m. to wednesday at 5p.m. so i will only have to go to the doctor on thursday morning for my 10 a.m. appointment..then i will be free for the day..l...i may leave for dallas thursday evening so i can get to thursday morning's 11 am. bridesmids' luncheon easily and possibly follow someone to neiman's in dallas....i will spend what i have of thursday,october 16th , with my little Karsen and matthew and ramona.....i can hardly wait....oh, life is so good.,....jk

i dont feel like posting today...vicki, i just want to talk to you on the phone.......jk

this is my third post of the day.....vicki, in the first i described in minute detail, my trip to view the chuck wagon gang.....you just went to the second post.....now this is the third.......the boys' mother brought them back early today and so i just asked them if they wanted me to take them to Mcdonalds or out to eat, or did they want me to cook....and they all said "we want Grammy to cook".....so i am cooking....actually this is such a compliment, but i really was thinking how easy it would be on a sunday night to just go out.....but isnt it nice that they think my cooking is something they desire .....now, Aidan did continue to say "Mcdonalds, McDonalds, McDonalds" and then sort of drifted off as his brothers were chanting "Grammy cook, Grammy cook" and sort of two are louder than one......so i am now in the kitchen .............and mildly excited about what i am going to fix......i also sent my selections of pictures of Karsen to Ramona and Matthew, so i may have some to share at the big wedding.....also, i like my new beautician (they havent gotten used to the word "stylist" up here in hewburgh) and plan to cancel my hair appointment in houston to have more time to visit with matthew, ramona, and my precius karsen......surely looking forward to october 18.......the highlight of my year......and catherine's , i am sure.....jk

i do believe that that First Christian Church's serices are the most successful i have ever experienced or participated in, at having a meaningful attempt to have a praise service that is totally uplifting to our God ........it is amazing how enriched i feel and i how blessed i feel and how refreshed if feel while participating in the service........we did sing "Just as I Am", but it fit right in with the sermon which was on the book of Jonah, and was presented by the church's praise minister...the minister had memorized the entire book--just a couple of chapters--and he "recited" the book with animation in his voice and it was so clearly presented ....when the book comes to Jonah's prayer, the minister sang that prayer....it was beautiful ...i think that this was the place where we all sang 'Just as I Am".....anyway, it was a great service, a wonderful message, and one is so very glad that one is a child of the king aned that our King is to be praised and exaulted.......what a blessing......i stopped by Walgreens and purchased some detergent, milk and some orange juice....the "sleepies" are coming over me again, and i may take a nap......i had some men come over and power wash the drieway, sidewalk and front porch...this morning they sealed it and i am not supposed to park on the drieway until tomorrow nor walk on any of the surfaces ie. the sidewalk and porch......alas...i cant figure how to get out of the house without taking at least one step on the porch....oh, well.....did i tell you that the yard man came yesterday afternoon and planted many mum plants around my dead weeping cherry tree, and plantred ivy down by the mailbox.....he said he would be back on monday to continue working.....i am getting more sleepy..i think i am going to take a napa...first i will put some large pork chops in the oven and also select pictures i want to purchase of Karsen and his family....then i will go nappy pappy....love you...jk

well.......it's 8:45 and i am trying to decide if i want to go to 9:00 church or if i want to go to 10:45 hurch....i didnt make it to the chuck wagon gng last might.....as i am so often saying im going to do something and when the time comes, i find some excuse...the excuse this time was that i had gottten a haircut and i needed to make it my own by finding my way to style it, and the other reason was that i am so tired on saturday after tending to the boys and other things...im going to the 9:00 service...more will come later....jk

well, i went to bed around 9:00 p.m. was wide awake at 5 this morning feeling very rested....the ankles are down.....the left one is normal and the right one is stll a bit swollen.....i used the kinoku patches on my feet and when i examined them to take them off this morning, they were almost spotless......now i find it hard to believe that with all of the medicine that i have to take, that there would be no impurities in my body....i will use the patches again tonight and if i dont get a big wad of impurites showing up on my pads, i will put them aside or , better yet, give them to someone who thinks they may work....Matthew, i did not do the experiment, so all i know is that they did not work on me.......well, i woke up thinking that this was the day the Lord had made, and He also had created the people in the Chuck Wagon Gang and seeing them in Henderson, Kentucky, was on my agenda today....i get my hair cut at 1:00 today, so i should be lovely for the big crowd tonight in Henderson.......it starts at 7:30, but i plan to get there at 6:30 so i can get a good seat.......boy...talk about living the good life....that is me......hope your day is filled with love, joy and peace......jk

second post of the day.....it is 6:25 p.m. and michael sr. has taken the boys to meet their mother for the week end.....he should be returning soon.,.,.,.,.,.,i left the house today, since michael did not work and he picked the boys up today, and had my nails done and purchased some of those kinoki cleansing detox foot pads and a leather cover for my new Bible that First C hristian Church gave me when i showed up Bible-less at the Bible study last thursday.......they insisted that i take it...it is like the typical looking Church Bible, but its the NIV and i have already written in it.....i didnt realize that i had brought my own Bible until i looked in the glove box of my car....as you may or may not recall, i was listening to the Bible on cd on the drive up here and i had placed my Bible as well as the book of Bible cds in my glove box and had forgotten it....actualy i am glad to have a Newburgh Bible for this Bible study.......also, this must be the evening for taking care of things....i called the yard man , whom i have already paid for services not rendered and told him i wanted him to accomplish one thing every day, beginning tomorrow until this yard was done........he kept saying "Yes, maam, yes, maam" so i think things will happen....believe it or not, i am still concerned if he will do it.....he seemed like such a nice young man and he gave me such a good price, i thought,,,,,actually it was a good price if the work got done, but as it stands now, he got the money for just being a nice young man.....oh well....i'll tell you tomorrow if anything got done....also i have a hair appointment tomorrow at 1 to have my hair trimmed...i am still not getting color because i am afraid it will mess up what my man ,Patrick, has been working to achiee with my hair color for the past two years.....my roots are truly unattractive and about an inch and a half long at this time, but what should i care, right? Mathew told me i should start using one dot instead of the six or seven i presently use when i write, and then put two spaces in and begin the next thought with a capital letter.......i told him i wrote like i talk, which is to cover many many topics and the only transition is a breath on my part which the many dots represent......have you noticed that i am doing a better job with my spelling.....my ankles are still sw ollen and i will probably go to bed early so i can prop them up....they do not hurt, they are just huge....Dr. Michael says he doesnt know why they are swollen and if i came to the ER, he would tell me he didnt know why they were swollen and to watch them....so i will watch them, now i am not going to keep my eyes on them 24/7, but i will look at them from time to time to see if any change occurs...this morning i noticed they had gone down quite a bit, however, by the time i had been up about an hour, they were back like they were at their biggest which is where they are now.....try to imagine how attractive they are......lovely , just lovely......by the way, my main activity tomorrow is to drive the forty or so minutes to Henderson, Kentucky and be able to watch and hear the Blackwood Brothers and the Chuck Wagon Gang perform live and on stage.....i remember listening and loving the Chuck Wagon Gang as a child and i am certain the originals are long departed, but i have heard this new group on yootube and they have the identical sound.....so i can hardly wait..the tickets are $10 presale and $12 at the door, which i will hae to pay, but i believe it is money well spent...life continues to be so good....love to you all...jk

well, it is 9:20 and i am just now getting around to my posting........i found my billfold on the dash of the van---thanks , vicki, for suggesting i look again in the van.....now to my life in newburgh.....yesterday was brendan's first day for practice with the tiger tunes....the boys and i picked him up right on time after school and he was eager to talk about tiger tunes and his day.....i fixed chicken stuffed with ham and pineapple for dinner last night,,,,michael jr, worked hard to dig out the ham and pineapple before he ate the chicken.....i also had raw broccolli, tomatoes, mashed potatoes and green beans........sugar-free jello for dessert.....the boys raved and we had a great time together at the dinner table....then they showered and got in bed....i read them a story from a book my neice, kelly vaughn, sent me....kelly is aked periodically to review childrens' book and she has a contest for people to hae an opportunity to win copies of the books she reveiws....i wrote in and i won copies of all of the books.....the one i read yesterday was about heaven and it was so well-written and the boys all enjoyed it, accompanied by their comments throughout the reading of the story.......this morning the boys all woke up on their own, with no singing of "Rise and Shine", and we had saugage links and cresent rolls and orange juice.....they thanked me for the "best" breakfast and their daddy drove them to school....michael sr. is working now from 2 till 11:30 and he has returned and is resting now.....i have cleaned up the kitchen and taken out the trash and am getting ready to leave and do a few errands.,.,...i continue to love it here and enjoy so much, being able to spend time with my grandchildren every day....they leave this evening to spend the week end with their mother....i am confident that tomorrow will be a sabbath rest for me, but right now i am going full force and loving it.....jk

Bible study was great....ther are 10 ladies in the class.....i am the oldest in the group.....it is a Beth
Moore series on the Psalms ; Songs of Ascent........i am really excited abou the study and the time spent with these ladies and getting deeper in my learning and understanding of God's word....alert, alert, i cant find my billfold.......the last place i remember using it was at the pet groomers....i have a call in to find out if anyone found it in case i accidently droped it when i fell out of the van.....the manager is out and will call me after about 12:30 to let me know if it has been turned in.....my mercy...i hope i find it.......i will post when i find it.....jk

what a wonderful morning this has been.....i fixed pancakes for breakfast and bacon----none of it burnt, (this is a "first" for me), and milk and the boys loved it.........i put a little bit of sugar=free syrup on the pancakes so the syrup wold not be drippy and they would be able to keep their clothes clean......i was running a bit late, so while i was cooking the bacon, and after i felt the smell had had time to waft its way into the boys room and rouse them a bit, i began my "wake-up" song, "Rise and Shine and Give God the Glory, Glory" , and the boys slowly got out of bed and did their "3 d's" (deodorant, dress, dental--brush and floss teeth).....then we sat down for breakfast and they loved it....then Michael took the boys to school...... he is going to go to work again today...today is Brendan's first a"Tiger Tunes" practice after school, so i will go pick up Aidan and Michael jr. at the bus stop and then drive to school to pick up Brendan.......this is a great accomplishment for Brendan to be in "Tiger Tunes",.,.....this is a special group of about twenty children in 4th and 5th grade.......he is so happy to be included in this choir and i am excited about being able to watch him perform.....his brothers are so proud of him too.......regarding the clorox wipes: i actually never stopped using them, but wanted it to appear to you, my readers, that there was more to my life than clorox wipes, however, my real belief is that a life sans clorox wipes is a life unfulfilled.....the kitchen is clean and the place has been clorox wiped....love thos clorox wipes.......today is the first day of my Bible study at First Christian Church and i am pumped about that.....i will post when i return......i need to go get ready to leave right now......will post more when i return.....love to all who are reading.....and, of course, those who are not reading, i just wish you were reading.......jk

answers to the many quieries in the comments that have been left.......the floor did get mopped.....the dogs-Snowball, a Great pyranees, and Zulu, a Newfoundland, are now clean and Zulu, got a very short haircut and there are now green bows at each ear.....i dont know what michael will think, but i think they are kind of "girly" and believe me, Zulu is so big, and always lumbering about the yard, that there is nothing ""girly about her......alas, when i got the dogs in the car , the boys were with me and i fell out of the van as i was attempting to get in......i actually rolled out of the car and onto the gravel....the boys said i said "ohhh ,Dogies" and then "I'm all right, I 'm all right"...there i was on the gravel and trying ot look "coy".....Brendan was out of the car in an instant saying "i'll help you, Ggrammy" and i rolled over on my hands and knees and climbed back in the car, waved good-bye to the Groomers who were standing and watching me through the window at the groomers and i drove off......also, about the bacon.....somehow i managed to burn a few pieces each time i fry bacon, it is always an accident....most of it is always good....the boys are already excited about tonight's super, because it doesnt look like "juvie'...life is good....i appreciate the comments...they make me feel popular....and, you know, i always wanted to be popluar.....jk

i just made an appintment for the dogs to be bathed and so i will be leaving at 9;50 to get them there.....this morning i fixed bacon--both burned and regular--, eggs and i tried to get them to like Jewish rye toast.....they didnt care for it and Aidan said it tastes good at first, but the after- taste was a bummer...so they requested that i fix regular toast in the future, so i guess i will......Michael took them to school since he will be at work when they get home this afternoon....i made an eror in saying that Michael went to work yeaterday, actually, he just went to work to work on charts, but today is his first day back on his September shift.....last night's supper was stew and rice.....Brendan said he felt like he was in prison being fed (i was ladeling the rice and the stew on their plate) then Brendan asked if he was in "Juvie'" meaning the food appeared like prison food....alas, i thought it was quite tasty ...well, they really went to town on the rice and complemented me up one side and down the other on how good the rice was....they only took tiny bites of the stew, acting like i was askng them to eat poison......i do love these boys.....dinner time is always an enjoyable time of togetherness, seriously, it is one of my favorite times...actually i like breakfast, dinner, picking them up from school, shower time and putting them to bed........i am loving this........jk

It is 10:15 CST and the sun is shining on newburgh.......today was brendan's first session with his school choir.....he will ifnd out sometime this week if he made it in the 'Tiger Tunes' choir group......i got him to school right at the last minute and got the other two boys to school at the last thirteen minutes.......we will leave earlier and with homemade breakfast next tuesdy.......i actually threw up in the car after we dropped off Brendan and when michael saw me, he upchucked with sympathy up- chuck....we cleaned up and he changed shirts and we got to school with the buses---after some buses and before other buses......i watched Michael and Aidan as they joined in the lines to walk into school and watched as they greeted teachers and teachers greeted them......then, i started the drive back home....i got lost for a bit, but easily found my way back on the right track and made it home by 8;20.........so far , i have done a load of wash, cleaned up the kitchen and fixed sausage and boiied eggs for michael sr. .....He is going to work today and will be working the 2 to 11;30 P.M. shift so i will get the boys from school today and fix their supper and put them to bed and check homework.......these activities are really quite enjoyable to me......right now, i am wanting to take a nap....maybe i will....jk

today is Labor Day and so in honor of the working man i went out to find one to thank early this morning........but, alas, the only ones i found were in walgreens where i purchased some items to help me organize my bills up here.....that prospect is sort of exciting to me.......i still have to mop the kitchen floor, but first i felt i needed to try out the new griddle i purchased last week, so i made pancakes this morning with no butter or syrup and sausages. so Michael would be the one to be my taster......the pancakes turned out really well, so they will now be on the menu for breakfast for the boys.....unless something changes, michael is going to pick up the boys today at 5 and bring them back home to newburgh...........brendan will need to be at school at 7:00a.m. tomorrow so he can be in the choir room at 7:10, which means he will need to be at school at 7 a.m. (this is the regular 4th grade choir and not the one he tried out for which is clled "Tiger Tunes"-----Brendan will find out this week if he made itinto the "Tiger Tunes"...then i plan to drive the other boys to their bus stop and they will get on the bus at 7:30 as usual.......Michael will take them to school eery mornng in september when he works the 2:00p.m. till eleven-thirty shift.(except for tuesdays when Brendan has to be at shool early for choir) then in the month of october and on,when Michael is working the 6a.m. to 3p.m. shift, i will both drop off for school and pick up from school and michael will do it all on the days he is off.......it is going to go like clockwork i am sure.....this is such an absoulutely wonderful time in my lifer......my goals for the day.....finish laundry by folding the clothes and putting them away, mop the kitchen floor, organize my bills and clean up the kithen table......oh the joy of daily goals............hooray for the working man ...jk