Counting blessings one at a time

Ready, set, go!

Yes, it is new year's eve and I cannot believe that there is another year in the books and checked off as done….finished….completed….no more…..moving on….forward….don’t look back…look ahead….or should we?

What is the best way to start the new year? What about the resolutions that are broken by the end of the Rose Bowl Parade? Let’s see…I think that I need to look back and see what worked and what did not. What did I learn this year? What will I do differently during 2013?

Here is what I know. I need to stop multitasking. That’s right. Once upon a time, I thought that I could multitask with the best of them. I could carry groceries and two kids across a four line highway without becoming a road pizza. I could play golf and talk to my supervisor without missing a putt. There were days when I accomplished more than as Yogi bear says: “the average bear…” but now….pooh….is all I can say.

I am missing way too much by trying to do too much. I have resolved to stop it. I am going to start tasks that are simple and finish them before I move onto the next. I resolve not to send an email when I am on the telephone. I will not have the television on when talking on the phone with family or friends. Furthermore, I will not eat or drink coffee while driving unless I am on the turnpike.

I also resolve not to bring the cell phone into the bathroom nor apply eye liner while sitting at a red light. I firmly resolve to be fully present when people are talking to me and not let my mind wander when I am listening to an important conversation. I will employ negotiation and problem solving skills and work with my students, children, and family in a calm, self assured manner.

I will look at my problems such as not being able to start the car or find a spot with Wifi as minor. The rest of the world has more difficult issues that I have and therefore I resolve to be more grateful and embrace an attitude of gratitude. Because…..

I am thankful…for everything….for the car that does not start…the bills that are mounting…the cold weather….long lines in Target….the pants that are too tight….and so on. 

I am grateful for life, my country, family, friends, and home. Problems come and go. But keeping the positive attitude can go a long way in a life that may turn out to be fairly long. If I lived in the 1800’s, I would probably be dead already. So, I am grateful that I was born when I was….

 

Oh yeah, after delivering a baby, I am also grateful for epidural anesthesia. And what about pretzels? Man, I am very happy that someone invented them. And the genius who invented boxed wine should be knighted. Talk about brilliant. Yeah, that’s what I said, brilliant. 

So tonight, when we celebrate the new year, I will crack open the box, pour three ounces into a wineglass and toast my many blessings in life…one at a time, since I do not want to multitask.

Happy New Year!

Recipe for success

As the pre and post Christmas fog begins to clear, I have discovered that I also forgot to bring the pineapple stuffing for the Christmas ham on Tuesday. The double recipe that I made on the 24th was found in the garage refrigerator. This makes my holiday blunder 4 for 4. In other words, since I did not have the potato concoction, appetizer, pineapple stuffing, and dip, I failed in my holiday effort to contribute to Uncle G's party. Fortunately, I did remember the ping pong tournament trophies. That sort of got me out of trouble....actually, once again, I think that no one noticed except me. But....

that's not the way that I roll....I try to live up to my promises and I actually thought that I did until yesterday when I found the casseroles (stuffing) in the fridge, What the heck? Is this early dementia? If it is, then what do I expect next? OR.....

is my life too complicated? In the old days when the kids were younger, I contacted a caterer and had her make the main meal and side dishes. That was pretty nice and a holiday gift for myself. Do I take on too much? Or too little? OR....

is it multitasking? I might be doing it wrong. Research suggests the brain is not designed to multitask, therefore, Do I think that I am any different than the subjects from the research studies? I am no Einstein or Steven Hawkings therefore, why do I think that I can have six balls in the air and not let any pineapple stuffing drop? Anyone need a side dish for ham?



OK, on to my big kid. On Christmas Eve, he walked into the bedroom at 5:30 am after a late night working in the bakery. "I am going to throw...then going to work..."

How are you going to throw in the dark?

"Going to the high school, turn the car head lights onto the mound and throw..."

Coming from him, I believed it. Anyone else, I would have had their head examined. But that's exactly what he did...off to throw baseballs in the 20 degree temperature in the dark guided by the car's head lights. And so baseball fans, this is what you have to do to make it in division 1 baseball....

The recipe for success is as simple as the pineapple stuffing recipe. It consists of ambition, drive, motivation, a bit of crazy, and a car battery from Sears. That's it. let's see how it works in the new year.

With that said, I am going to try NOT to multitask today....My mantra is to take one thing at a time....finish the first project...go onto the second...then the third...the fourth....fifth..and so on...have lunch.....

Later~

News Headline: I am not perfect

I hope that you had an amazing Christmas! What can I say? Well, I'm pooped. Yep, tired, fatigued, sleepy, somnolent, beaten up, dopey...you name it. The holiday came and went....where did it go? Oye, I'll tell you.....

I prepared for this Christmas like no other as family was coming into town and for the first time in my married life, I was set to go and eat two meals with two different families. Christmas Eve is always special as we go as a family to a mass at a nursing home for retired religious sisters. It is like no other event over the holidays and it celebrates Christmas in its purest form. After mass, we traveled back to the house for Philly cheese steaks. That's right, I made and fed my in laws and children cheese steaks for dinner on Christmas Eve...no seven fishes or gourmet feast. Cheese steaks and Yule Log cake from the bakery at 10 pm.



On Christmas, I was the first one up and tried to get ready for the day. Coffee, turning on lights and music, homemade coffee cake and baked french toast were concocted as family members slowly made their way to the kitchen. This baked french toast recipe was "lights out" as each person commented on how great a cook I was....yeah, that's me...a great cook. Actually, I look for the easiest online recipe with ingredients that I already own and try it. This time it worked.....With my great early morning success, I figured that I was set for the rest of the day until.....


Let me set this story up....Uncle G has his annual Christmas party and ping pong tournament. It's one of the highlights of the year....each member of the family contributes a dish or two or three to the festivities, we eat our body weight in food, and we all think that we are going to bring home the trophy, yet....


Since the in laws were in town, I opted to make a simple salad, appetizer, and a mashed and baked potato recipe. The finished potato product would look like a meringue (but it is a potato...cool, huh?). And so, around 1:15, we were finished brunch, the evening dinner's ham was in the oven, and I jumped out of my seat because I forgot that I did not make my party dishes....so, I started and finished the salad in no time. I was going to make a tomato and fresh mozzarella appetizer when I noted on the container that the cheese was expired. On to plan B and I planned to take the Costco lobster dip that I planned on using the weekend....is this story getting boring yet? Now it is time for the mashed and baked potatoes. I had all of the ingredients...10 pounds of Yukon Gold potatoes as I read the recipe...this time for real....potatoes...check....milk...check...butter....check....salt...pepper...check...check....rice millet...huh? Rice millet...what the heck is that? Why does a person need a rice millet to make this dish? Why didn't I see this very important part of the recipe before we were to leave for the party? Dang!

I did not have a plan B except for some old potato chips in the pantry. And so, we showed up for the party with the salad, crackers (I forgot the dip), and some old potato chips that never came out since we were having filet. I hate making stupid mistakes like that. My brain actually short circuited and froze like the screen of my computer when I am in a hurry to finish my work. I don't think that I have yet to recover from my Christmas faux pas yet. Although once again, since we got our signals crossed, BP Grandmom showed up with mashed potatoes and saved the day.

As far as the ping pong tournament went...I lost to my nephew Lefty as he actually played after drinking several beers. he also played with a half glass of merlot in his right hand. Interestingly, he did not spill it while beating me....Yep, all in all, a good day.....

After we left Uncle G's, we got dinner ready for the in laws as we chatted about my inability to beat someone in ping pong who was inebriated. What does that say about me? What does it really say about Lefty?

And so, this Christmas goes down into the books as one that I finally got the message loud and clear: "It does not matter if you are not perfect....no one cares.....we'll eat chips if that's all you have...." Just come and enjoy yourself. After all, 'tis the season to be jolly...fa la la la la.....la la.....

Whoop-dee-do

Good morning! As Andy Williams sang:

It's the holiday season
so whoop-de-doo and dickory-dock
and don't forget to hang up your sock
'cuz just exactly at 12 o'clock
he'll be comin' down the chimney down

Yes, the holidays...time to eat the cannolis, make another batch of cookies, create brunch and multiple dinners, and relax with family and friends.

Is that doable? You know what I mean....relaxing with family and friends....Are the expectations too much to have the perfect season? Can the Rockwell image be achieved by running around crazy for three weeks before the event?

The answer is: I don't know....but what I do know is that family and friends come together to celebrate. Therefore rather than trying to create the un-creatable, perhaps we should identify what makes us happy when we gather and focus on that. I doubt if the cookie fest IV guests knew that my china was still in the cabinet because I did not have time to get it out. I think that they had fun anyway. It also seems that whenever I get the Waterford crystal out, I break a glass. No one else does it....me....I am the only one who breaks my crystal which leads me to some advice for brides....

Do not order the most expensive Lenox china or Waterford crystal on your lists. Instead get something that looks pretty but does not break when touched. Get something that you can put into the dishwasher and not have to wash by hand. I made a rookie mistake long ago and have paid for it since. Yep, I have the nicest stuff but I don't use it. I would rather have less expensive plates that do not break when a salad is loaded onto it. So, ladies and grooms, choose the dinnerware that is easy to clean and use it every day rather than dusting it off for holidays.

Ok, enough of a commercial. Yesterday, my little friend who has been stalking Buddy finally met his hero as they played baseball in the back yard. It was so cute as Lil D had his glove in his hand and one of Buddy's college hats on his head. I got a little misty as Lil D reminded me of my boy when he was that age. He would stand by the dugouts of the teams and beg for a ball or autograph and when he did not get it, he would cry. Uh-huh...he would cry. It meant that much to him. Lil D's mom was so grateful, but I was the one who enjoyed the ball game the most. In a way, Buddy was giving back and that is another not-so-random act of kindness. So we are down to 21 to complete before Christmas.

I had the opportunity to perform two acts yesterday, but nothing since. You can't sit in your house grading papers and be able to perform the 25 random acts of kindness in memory of the Sandy Hook victims, so I have to go out today and soon......I am also going to have to get creative and maybe double up at the airport when I drop Tink and dad off for their journey south.

There is a rule about these acts of kindness. They cannot be related to things that you normally do with the family and friends. So, you have to seek opportunities to put a smile on people's faces. Try it...'cuz it's the holiday season....whoop-dee-do!

Tis the season for random acts of kindness: Pass it on

We're back! Yep, off to the north to pick up the big kid and back again in record time. But first....the nutritionist....

OK, after I spilled my guts about my horrendous eating habits, her hair did not stand on end nor did she run for cover. Nope, she took it all in and smiled. I think that my story is not much different than the guy's before me who had his stretchy pants on too. What I took away from the first session is to snack better and make sure at least half of my plate has vegetables on it. Not a big veggie fan, I will learn to like them by visualizing each broccoli tree as an ice cream cone. How is that for delusion?

Before we parted, I admitted my plan was to hit the Starbucks on the turnpike and grab a latte and something with sugar to make sure that I did not fall asleep on the way to pick up my son. She did not judge nor make me feel bad about it. So, today, I begin to alter my life....

With that said, I picked up a very happy guy at college. He filled the car with sneakers and dirty laundry and held his precious baseball glove in his hand. Yep, the car began to take on an odor and I knew that we had to get home fast before I was overcome with the smell of stinky shoes. We talked for four hours straight about life, girls, school, baseball, law school, and random acts of kindness.....

Huh? Random act of of kindness?

Yes, random acts generated by an article that I read online yesterday morning. It's the Christmas season and we mourn the loss of lives in Connecticut. In their honor, it has been suggested that people perform 26 random acts of kindness. And so, I had to pull the big kid in on this idea because I was not sure that I could do this by the 25th on my own; plus I wanted him to understand the need to counteract evil with good.

To share the rules...random acts of kindness cannot be related to the usual kind acts that a person performs each day. Therefore, a person has to seek to carry someone's packages, add change to an expired parking meeting, buy a cup of coffee for the person behind you in the line and so on. I have 25 more acts to go before Christmas, so it's time for me to get out of the house.

I have a bit more shopping to complete and a holiday menu to plan. But first, I am so thankful for having my family home and together. I have my Christmas gifts.....

Have a wonderful day!

The new me

Hello! It's time to shake the blues and get back to finishing preparations and picking the big kid up at college. I refused to leave earlier than 1 pm since I have a long awaited appointment with a nutritionist. That's right....someone who knows food and can help me to construct meals in a more healthy manner.

Now, why would I want to do this? Well, I did take a nutrition class in college but I forget everything that I learned except that my professor fed her children hot dogs for breakfast. I am at the point in life where I am not sure what is what. Television, magazines, and websites are boasting creative menus and a variety of diets but I want to do something healthy.

Last year, I was on the belly fat diet. Yes, it worked. Then I injured the knee and ate without exercising. One year, I used Jenni Craig...it worked for Valerie Bertinelli and me, but eventually, the weight came back. Now it is time for a more holistic approach and learn to eat what I like within reason. Dr. G used Weight Watchers online and lost 15 pounds. Yes, he looks pretty good. Now it is my turn and I am ready. Sitting in my stretch pants, I have decreed that January is the month of working out, eating right, and regaining my lost waist line.

And so, my new friend the nutritionist has already made some enemies as the family is dreading the "new me." The new me will be the person who does not pick up donuts on Sundays and cupcakes at the bakery. The new me will serve fruit for dessert and salads as a main meal. Yes, I feel the pounds drop off already....

Musings on joy

As a nation, we are still saddened by the Connecticut tragedy, but I cannot help thinking that we should not lose our joy. The loss of our children and sisters has been overwhelming, yet trying to stay joyful has been a challenge. My thoughts and prayers are with the Sandy Hook community, but I am going to try to work through the sadness and grief and seek ways to promote peace in my own world.

There is a great deal that we can do as a society to balance the evil and wrong. For example, bring food to a food bank or homeless shelter. Contribute money to the Santa's ringing the bells in the cold for the Salvation Army. Bring a hot meal to a shut in. Visit an elderly person in a nursing home. Bake cookies for the new parents. Send a letter or card to a member of the armed services. Donate your time to an animal shelter. And offer to take the sick to the doctor's office.

Yes, there is a great deal that we can do as individuals to bring peace and joy. During this time of the year, it's not about what we get but what we give. Again, focus on the good, not the evil. Take its power away and do good. This can reverse some of the damage done by those intent of stealing our joy.

Have a wonderful day!

Sandy Hook and the search for humanity

Today, I am having trouble focusing on holiday plans, grading, students, and family. My thoughts drift north to Connecticut and the people who have experienced a nightmare of epic proportions.

The tragedy in Sandy Hook is horrific. I cannot imagine the pain and suffering that each community member is experiencing. I, for one, feel that I am mourning each life that has been lost. It is incomprehensible and senseless.

Buddy was as crazed as I was when he heard about the tragedy and cried for the children as did the rest of the nation. Then he sent to me a link that has helped me a great deal to see the world as I had before the shooting. Click here to be renewed.

As anti gun crusaders seek to ban assault weapons, let's consider how the lack of mental health services continues to impact our world as it is close to impossible to access needed counseling. Could a counselor have picked up the signs of mental illness, isolation, and desperation? You bet. So, as we continue to spend money wantonly by our government and fall off the financial cliff, let me pose a question....

Mr. President, I see how you have been affected by the shootings. can you please designate monies to communities for the marginalized and mentally ill members of our society? They need identification and help. If they do not get the services they need, then the rest of us will as we grapple with the next tragedy.

My thoughts, prayers, and condolences are with the community of Sandy Hook. May God bless these broken individuals and world during this time of extreme sorrow.

To party or not to party? That is the question

Good morning! It's a great day! Or is it? Whazzup, BPM?

OK, I'll share...last night an email was forwarded to me sent by my son. It seems OC has planned a huge blow out party called "SL--" fest. This has nothing to do with cookies and everything to do with young inebriated women and guys getting together and having fun that they cannot remember. Despite my son's constant pleadings, his roomies decided that they were going to have a huge party during exam week and destroy the house.

Buddy was making plans for spending the weekend at a friend's house so that he did not have to be there and would not be present to bounce drunks and clean up.

As I read the e-mail, I was angry....no, not angry...peeved....no, not peeved....miffed...no not miffed....I was LIVID!!!! I saw blood, guts, and fireworks when I finished reading the note that was sent by someone who did not even live in the house.

This is too much...over the top...and wrong.

Look, I love a good party. I crave a great party. I think gathering family and friends is the best way to spend time. BUT there are limits and restrictions.

First, when I plan a party, I do not seek to ply guests with so much alcohol that they forget their names.

Second, I prefer to meet people who know that the word 'party' ends with a 'y' and not an 'ie'.

Third, I do not nor ever will serve alcohol to a minor...ever....this is a recipe for disaster. yet, the college system is built around the guys/gals who turn 21 and can run to the liquor store for the younger kids. They obviously are not thinking...ever...exams? Yeah, right.

My girl friend's son was in an altercation at a party (everyone was drunk, naturally) and hit a guy who was pushing him. The kid fell backwards and hit his head. He was then rushed to the hospital. Guess who was arrested and spent the night in jail? The kid who was defending himself....Guess who spent thousands of dollars defending her son in court and was sued by the drunk kid's parents? My girl friend.....yep..that's right. The legal system does and does not make sense...Whatever.

And so, once I calmed down, I put it out of my mind until this morning when the big kid called. It seems that he was able to convince the roomies not to have the party because it is exam week and they are on the cusp of being ineligible for the baseball team. Obviously, he did his best Oliver Wendell Holmes and convinced the guys to have their "sl---" party next year when he is  on the road with the team (two of the guys will not be on the travel squad)....amen....

Tonight, he has an exam at 6p. If he scores an "A", his gpa will rise...yeah, baby....it seems that he now is thinking law school post graduation. Yeah, I know. I was surprised too....but, this week is law school...next week may be glass blower or botanist.....

Gotta run to work....

Peace out!

"May I turn down your bed?"

Yesterday was a good day. I avoided the sugar and cookies without breaking out in a sweat. Whew....instead of eating, I hit the treadmill before work and started the long road back to sliding into my pants without a crow bar.

How is the big kid? Well, he heard a noise yesterday morning around 4:30 am and found O.C. in the living room passed out drunk. After putting a pillow under his head and making sure that he was breathing, he went back to bed.

What did his momma tell him? I'll tell ya....People will judge you by the friends that you have. This in no way is an elitist statement. Sure, hang out with Donald Trump....yeah....no, that's not what I mean. If you hang out with a bunch of drunks, people will think that you are too. Or at least they will think that you condone it.

OK, BPM enjoys a cocktail or glass of wine before dinner. But that's it...nothing more. The drinking stops and water is served. There is nothing uglier than a person who is either a sloppy drunk or inebriated to the point of impairment. What's the point? I also heard somewhere that alcohol kills off brain cells....poor O.C.

Where does this leave the big guy? Well, dad found a private apartment on campus for $$$$. yeah, we'll pay for the house's rent and a new living situation to get him out of there. Why? Because it is the right thing to do.By the way, this private dorm room also has maid service. It's almost like another mortgage payment without the tax benefits.

And so, I will look for ways to extend my life so that I can continue to pay these bills and avoid eviction from my own home. In the meantime, have a great day!

Sug-eine support groups

Good Morning! it's Tuesday and I have to think about what to wear to work. The reason that this is such a dilemma is partly due to Cookie fest eating, eating, eating, and drinking. You know when a person has too much liquor, someone usually takes the keys? Well, I think that it is time to develop a policy on trying to function on too much caffeine and sugar. I know believe that this combination can be equally deadly as too much alcohol.

Think about the effects of too much "sug-eine"...

Symptoms to note when a person has had to much sugar and caffeine are:

• euphoria
• over alertness
• giddiness
• the need to imbibe in more and more and more

Once the eating has ended, a person's blood sugar drops precipitously leaving them in a state of somnolence or near coma. That's right...it's time to take the keys. The drop in glucose and side effects can also be detrimental to operating heavy machinery, driving, or even trying to finish/start Christmas shopping. There are twelve step programs for sug-eine addicts and this time of year, you can't find an open chair in S-E meetings.  I may try to establish my own support group. I need a sponsor who will stop me from taking the third, fourth, and fifth cookie. At this rate, there will be no cookies in the house for Santa. We all know that the  man in the red suit (stretchy, naturally) gets cranky if there are no cookies by the fire place.

Speaking of fire places....we were never allowed to have a fire on Christmas eve. The kids felt that Santa would be burned trying to drop off the presents. And so, that little tradition ended when they knew about stop, drop, and roll.....The kids were not going to take a chance of picking up their gifts at the Burn Unit.

With that said, I have one hour to pick out some stretchy (naturally) pants that make me feel that I am hiding my cookie fest weight and try to hit the treadmill and shower before leaving for work.

Have a great day!

Case Race: A Fight to Finish

Whew! What a crazy few days. Sorry that I have not written BUT my life has gotten into the way. After all, Cookie Fest IV, house decorating, work, and being Santa have consumed my time and energy. Although I have no complaints. I have deliberately chosen this lifestyle and actually love it. And now.....here are the details.....

Last week's blog ended with questions pertaining to Buddy's living situation and his need to make a decision about January and the following year. Was the decision an easy one to make? Well, in my sleepless mind, it was a no brainer. In fact, if this was a multiple choice test, he could eliminate 'B', 'C', and 'D' responses and write: "'A'", I am leaving over the holidays."

Did it happen like this? What do you think?

Here are the details......For the past 10 days, he has had his ups and downs with the guys. He is also discovering a great deal about himself as a person and student. First, he is not a true party guy...yeah, he loves hanging out with his posse, eating pizza and nachos, playing video games, and watching Sports Center and games but he also loves/craves/needs his sleep. And he needs order in his life. He does not like to "wing it" and needs a plan....He does not like to bounce people out of his house when they are black out drunk.

On Saturday night, he called to share that he was on his way to Chipotle for dinner by himself. Where were his peeps? Well, most of them were at his house playing "Case Race". It seems that there were 11 teams of 3 guys. The goal of the game was for teams to drink a case of beer as fast as they could until all the beer was gone. He did not want any part of this game and left to go to the library.

However, there was a major flaw in his plan. The key to his bedroom door broke in its lock and he had to break the door in (oye.....cha-ching....$$$$) and therefore his bedroom with belongings was open for any crazed drunken case race winner to stagger into. After cleaning vomit off the door a few times as guys tried to break in, he "forgot" that they now had entrance into his room without problem....Leaving his tacos, he ran back to the house to protect his room. Once there, he found a mountain of beer cans in the back yard as the guys threw the empties as far as they could out the broken windows. When I say 'mountain', I mean MOUNTAIN. Think....33 guys.....at least 11 cases of 24 beers......It was after visualizing this scene, that I stopped listening and began to focus on Cookie fest IV again.

Cookie fest IV seemed to be a great success. I was behind in preparations and still have not taken the china out of the cabinet. At least I had paper plates. People were arriving and I was not ready even though I worked for most of the three days prior to the event. I just could not make the deadline. So, I cracked open several bottles of Middle Sister wine that I planned to drink with my sisters and began to relax. No one care that the Christmas china was not on the table. They wanted the following:
-wine, beer or lemonade
-food

-cookies....that's it...a low maintenance crowd...but a crowd, nonetheless....

Sadly, the afternoon was a blur...and I can't report what actually happened...Most people left well fed and happy. All in all, a great success (I think). People were making plans for Cookie Fest V and VI.

I must report two major culinary faux pas's...First, the Captain Crunch Crunch was unsuccessful and actually kind of gross. I found a recipe for the CCC online and thought that it sounded good (white chocolate, Captain Crunch, salted peanuts and pretzel sticks). In theory, it looked like rice krispie treats with white chocolate...but in actuality...ew.
 
The second culinary faus pax was my gingerbread cookie dip for ginger snaps and graham crackers. The recipe called for butter, creme cheese, molasses, ginger, and vanilla mixed together and placed on a festive plate. Again, no one would even touch it. BP Grandpop who will sample anything left to watch the football game at Dr. G's house. Therefore, I cannot recommend mixing those ingredients for anything of other than spackling the walls at Buddy's house.

After the clean up, Tink, Diva and I sat on the sofa with the remnants of the cake and glass of wine and ate dinner quietly as I tried to remember to chew. After all, it was time for bed.

Let's contrast the two BP family parties....

BP mom had wine, beer, and lemonade....lots of food, music and laughs. No one threw their wine glasses onto the lawn or punched a hole in the wall. There was no vomit on my bedroom door or in any of my shoes. People walked out and did not pass out on the sofa. I did not have to bounce anyone out or take their keys.

On the other hand, another window was broken at Buddy's house, lots of sticky floors, and spit and vomit could be found behind the sofa and on the porch. People did not leave the house because they could not walk. As partiers planned cookie fest V, the college guys could not even plan on how they were going to get home. Instead of eating cookies, they were "'tossing them" .....

How is that "open door policy" going, gang? Oh yeah, one more thing...after three attempts, the roomies had to order more oil for the tank and heat. I am sure that most of the new oil/heat has been sucked out by the broken windows and open doors. (Ch-ching.....$$$$).

To end this lengthy post....I want the big kid to have the greatest college experience ever....however, it seems that he is not. The stress of trying not to get evicted has been overwhelming as his roomies are not thinking past their next shot and brew. Therefore, we will continue to work on an exit strategy and try to convince him that this is no way to live....he is powerless to make any change. He cannot control his home environment which is frustrating for him and for me as he calls at midnight to report on his frustrations. What does the future hold? My thought is that my bank account is once again going to take a big hit as we work to get him into more manageable surroundings. Again, it will either be because they have been evicted or he has reached his limit...or someone has 'touched' his stuff......

Time for me to work and get to the gym...cookies have a tendency to stick around...if you know what I mean.....

peace....out!