ah, busy day again!

We were out of milk, Aaron needed contact solution, and we had no fresh veggies left. So off we went. The dollar store was nice today, I got Hot and Spicy cheese-its, Special K granola bars, 6 packs of soft pretzels, 1 lb. bags of frozen berries....all for $1 each. Then to a grocery store we hardly ever go to, Tops. We got fresh burger for $1.49 lb., and some interesting icecream novelties for less than half price. Peaches, peppers, bread, milk....then to Aldi, which has some good deals, like a 2lb container of grapes for $1.58. And the chocolate bars, being German, are pretty good for $1.29 per 5 ounce bar.

So we are home now, and I am glad we got an early start so we have the afternoon home. The two little girls are playing house on the deck. Mali and Aaron came home early from school, they skipped the Pep Rally. They are going to ride their bikes 4 miles down the road to visit their cousins.

I have heard a few comments about a squirrel in Margaret's room, but I didn't take much heed, I thought they just heard noises. Well, the story goes like this: The other day, Margaret saw a dead squirrel in the hall, so she went to get something to clean it up. When she got back, it had disapeared. She thought maybe the cat came along and got it. Well, it was still alive, and she saw it running around her room.....then it was in Abigail and Mali's room. Their solution: put the cat in there, too. First of all, Abigail has allergies, and she also does not like cats. Now the cat is in there, and apparently there are squirrel poops all over. Abigail is going to be so thrilled when she gets home from work today and finds all of this out.

So there is never a dull moment around here. I woke up with a trememdous headache this morning. I think I have something going on with my sinuses. It was pounding so hard I thought I was going to be sick to my stomach. Paul left for work after waking Mirielle to get the kids out the door for me. She apparently thought it was just a dream, because she didn't manage to get up until they were out the door......my headache dulled after a few ibuprofen. So I could function. I really wanted to go back to bed but I couldn't because we needed to go to the store early to be home in time to pick the kids up early from school....So, somehow I got through it. Out the door to school they went, all clean and fed and brushed. But, right as I am typing this I am remembering that I totally forgot to study spelling with Suzanne. Rats. No matter how hard I try, I forget things. I started the school year out all on top of things, with things so in order. Now I am scrambling for socks in the mornings, and forgetting to look at papers....

Our toilets get backed up sometimes. The kids probably put things down there. Maybe they ("they "as in Charlotte Claire) like flushing copious amounts of toilet paper. Perhaps a barette or a matchbox car. Anyways, the toilets were not responding to plunging, and Paul needed to go to work today after taking those sick days last week, so he called our nice niece's husband, who is our nephew, I suppose, Thomas. Thomas is young, but he is hardworking and ambitious, and he has his own business. He so nicely came over today and got things cleaned out. It is so nice to pay someone who is good and kind and honest, and whom you just know isn't ripping you off.

Benjamin is heading for the Navy soon, I think. He went to talk to the recruiter today. He wasn't able to get his college transcripts, so he will have to go in without any rank. The college won't release his records because they say he owes them big money, because he switched colleges, did not register for the spring courses, and was a few days late signing the papers that released him from the dorm room occupancy. The college has a huge waiting list for dorm rooms, as it is a community college with brand new dorms, so they filled his place anyway. But that didn't stop them from demanding that he pay for the room he didn't even stay in for the spring term. Their own rules state that students cannot stay in the dorms if they are not registered full time for classes, which he wasn't, since he transferred schools. They wouldn't listen, won't release his records. Nice, eh?

Anyway, he has some physical limitations due to the boat accident he was in when he was ten, so hopefully he will pass the physical exam, and hopefully he will be able to function with his bum hip. (it sort of pops in and out, but there is nothing that can be done about it).....anyway, if all goes well, he will be joining. I have mixed feelings about it. I am of course sick about it, the thought of my little Benjy going off for so long, so far away, all alone. Then I wonder if he can do it, behave and work hard and get up and do all that is required of him. Then there is the part of me that knows he needs to be more responsible, and hopes this will be good for him. To give him direction and maybe get him into the medical field, where he has wanted to be since he got in the accident when he was ten. But if he is a medic, he will certainly be in combat situations with the Army. Ouch, my soul.

I am thinking to go take a little nap...these headaches just tire me out...it started in the night, and kept me awake. So I will go and get Camille tucked in for a rest, and maybe climb into my nice comfy bed....oh, it sounds so nice.