Playing hooky

I know that I am late posting but it has been one of those weeks - some sort of time-sucking vortex exists in my universe. Oh wait, it's my own disorganization!

Anyway, I played hooky on Tuesday afternoon. I had some paperwork to get to the attorney and the blood bank called seeking a donation and lil man needed new boots for school and we needed a copy of his ss card and I just felt like it. I told my boss I needed the afternoon off to tend to business, picked up Julie and lil man and off we went to the big town.

First stop, the ss office. At noon-thirty, we were 17th in line and, as far as I could tell, the only folks who didn't need a translator. We decided to wait till the 3rd Thusday of the month when they come to our town.

Second stop, the attorney's office. I went to the address listed in the phone book - downtown, old town. I parked and we walked. We walked right up to the locked, vacant building.

We walked back to the car, called the attorney's office and got their new location - right next door to their old location! Drove around the block, parked, went upstairs and delivered our paperwork. Lil man loved the elevators.

Then, we went to the blood bank. Actually, this was not as easy as it sounds, either. Our blood bank recently moved into new quarters. I thought I knew where they were. I was wrong. I was not lost, however, since, as my grandson pointed out, you can only be lost if you care where you're going. We got where we were going and the blood got donated - this has got to be one of the greatest experiences ever. I will actually post about this later.

Then we went to Pei Wei's, www.peiwei.com/, for lunch. This was the MOST fun! Julie and I both ordered salads and lil man ordered lo mein. When we paid, they gave him "chopstick helpers" www.funchop.com/ which, of course, his mom and I played with. Now, we can both use chopsticks (sort of) but, my gosh, this was easy! It's like training wheels. We cajoled the lil creep into asking for more so that we could play, too.

My baby and her baby - both now proficient with the chopsticks! We played pick up the paper, pick up the carrot shred, share the chicken, share the cucumber slices, and just generally had a terrific time. The manager of the restaurant, whose name I did not get, was everything that a manager should be. It was great.

Chicks with guns

Please note: date on all pictures is off by exactly 1 month. It is not yet September...

Julie's Bersa 380

Julie building targets

Julie placing targets

Julie taking aim

Julie destroying her target

2 out of 6

Ready...

Aim...

Fire...

Hurray, I hit it!

1 out of 6(but I hit it!)

So, a couple of weeks ago, my daughter took the class to get her CHL. She scored 100% on the written and a 233 out of 250 on the practical (175 is passing). I tried out her gun last night. It was the first time I had shot a gun in about 17 years. I took the same class today and scored 98% on the written and 237 on the practical.

Since Juls and I are quite possibly the two most competitive women I know, it was a nice split. She can gloat about the written and I can gloat about the practical.

AND - best of all - no fingernails were broken either during the shooting of the guns or the typing of this blog!

Down the Block Cafe

Menus for the week of August 13, 2007

~Monday~

Spaghetti with Meatballs

Loaded Potato Soup

~Tuesday~

Meatloaf

Vegetable Beef Soup

~Wednesday~

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Creamy Chicke & Wild Rice Soup

~Thursday~

Chicken Alfredo

Hamburger Soup

~Friday~

Beef Stroganoff

Spring Chicken Soup

~Saturday~

Mozzarella Chicken

Chefs' Surprise Soup

1st day of school

As noted in my profile, I am a grandmother. It has been a long time since any of my babies started school. I was visiting MamaDrama last week and Heather does have a little one starting, if not school, pre-pre-school. The effect is the same - your baby is not with you.





http://blogs.chron.com/mamadrama/archives/2007/08/feeling_anxious.html





When my oldest daughter started kindergarten (long enough ago that the kids didn't go to pre-school), I was fine. She was independant and ready to go and I had a 2 year old at home to occupy me. She started school without any drama at all.





Fast forward 3 years - my younger daughter was ready for kindergarten. I got her dressed and got all of her school supplies. She was excited and ready to go and ready to leave me. I was excited and ready for her to go and ready for her to leave me.





Or so I thought.





She got out of the car and skipped - yes, skipped - into the schoolroom right behind her big sister. I sat in the car and sobbed. I finally got myself together enough to drive home.





I called my mother to cry on her shoulder - and I started to. I got as far as "my baby's started kindergarten" when my mother, who never ever cursed and who washed my mouth out with soap when I was 30-something for saying "damn" in front of her, called me a bitch.





I was speechless. I finally asked her what the heck she meant and she told me to suck it up. She wasn't doing any better than I was because her "baby's baby was starting kindergarten."





I sucked it up. Sometimes that's the best advice you'll ever get. Feel free to share it.

our newest blogger

I love digital cameras. I am not very skilled with them but I learned several years ago that if you hand a 4 year old a digital camera, he will be occupied until the battery runs out. We have lots and lots and lots and lots of pictures of the back of the seat in the car. It just doesn't matter. It costs no money to take a digital picture. You don't even have to download every single picture of the back of the seat in the car.

My grandson now asks for my camera often. He actually asks if he can take the camera and "just walk around." If you would like to see what the world looks like to a 7 year old, please check out his blog at www.capturedbycarlo.blogspot.com

I know that I am prejudiced but I swear the child has talent. All his. No retouching, no editing, no guidance.

I am in awe.

tongue-twister

For your amusement, entertainment and the possible embarassment of your parents:

Pleasant Valley Pheasant Pluckers


Have fun.

Down the Block Cafe menus

Monday

Taco Crunch

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Tuesday

Ham & Beans with Cornbread

Corn Chowder Soup

Wednesday

Brisket and Pinto Beans

Vegetable Soup NEW!

Thursday

Chicken Fried Steak with Mashed Potatoes

Louisiana Gumbo NEW!

Friday

Glazed Ham

Tuscan Tomato

Saturday

Fried Catfish

Chefs' Surprise