the first-y-est first world probs...

Wah, I have to share my computer. The kids borrow it for homework, and to watch things on it. This fine morning, after my walk, and after bringing the dogs in and out and wiping paws and giving treats and water and feeding them, changing the covers on the couch (ugh, you go into the laundry room, and dang it, there are clothes in the washer...and you can't just put them in the dryer, because duh, there are clothes in there too!)...I wiped down the counters, the fronts of the cupboards (paint the kitchen cabinets white, they say. They're updated and current, they say.)

Anyway, I do all these things, then go to sit down and put my feet up,to drink my now cold-ish coffee, and wait!!! Where is my computer? It's not in my chair, where it belongs. It's not in the little girls' room, but yuppers, it was in Suzanne's room.

I was laughing at myself, putting those couch covers into the washer, at the things I perceive to be sufferings, it's ridiculous. I mean, I COULD be washing things in the creek.

Last night was not a good night for sleeping, for me. But I decided to take the time to talk to God, and sort some things out. I'm the type that will see something I need to work on, and work on it one time, and think I'm doing well. Yeah, I go on TWO consecutive walks, and yay me! I'm getting fit! I don't like tossing and turning, because I like to fall asleep before I get uncomfortable, I can't lie in any position for very long without something or other going numb or starting to ache, and the more it happens, the more it happens. I finally did fall asleep, and dang it if I didn't wake up to have to go to the bathroom at 5:36, an hour before I have to get up.

First world probs for sure, but my girls tell me it's not nice to say, "First World", because, apparently, the Third World countries take offense.

Oh wait, here's another really important complaint: my pictures aren't downloading, and I have some really nice ones.

And another: it's spider season. Cheryl, don't read this next part: spiders are coming into the house. Not teeny tiny squishable ones, but those big hairy monsters, the ones who cannot be whammed without screaming the entire time. The scurriers. They are disgusting, and they are not welcome here. Yesterday one of the girls sprayed her room and closed it up, to kill critters and crawlies, then later moved every piece of furniture and vacuumed. She has been losing sleep, and it's sort of funny but not really. I will refrain from posting a pic of one she found in a jar of flowers on her shelf because my sister Cheryl would screech and get goosebumps on her goosebumps, and also my pictures aren't loading today.

Also, stinkbugs have invaded the east coast of the United States. They are an invasive species with no natural enemies, they came in shipping containers from China, and they are awful. They eat plants and the smell horrible when they are squished. They ARE slow, so that's good, but ugh. They are coming in the house in droves, and yuck.

So the other day, I was walking across the living room, and my knee buckled with no warning, and I almost fell down. I have advanced arthritis in my poor knees, and when this happened, it was painful, swollen, and very clicky. And crunchy. But I walked around, tried to maneuver the pieces back into place, and it's not too bad, but sore. I decided I need to go on those walks, strengthen the muscles, get moving and exercising again. It's really scary to know that can happen so randomly, and I want new knees, but I don't want the surgery, just want to snap my fingers and have them.

Yesterday's adventures: Charlotte, Camille, and Danielle (Dani has been with us since Friday:)) went to their friend Amanda's house, Evelyn had to work, so that left Suzanne, Sonja, Jonathan, and me. We went back and forth and around in circles deciding what to do, before deciding on a quest: find new sneakers for Jonathan. Jon is a good boy. He said he doesn't care about brands, he basically just wanted a comfortable fit, preferably something flat. We found cute black Converse in Kohl's for $30. Since he rarely shops with me, we also looked at the clothes and he tried on some pants, and we got a few shirts. Mission accomplished, now time for lunch. I had told these three that we could go somewhere nice, in our world, anything up from McDonald's is nice. They wanted Chili's, and I said we could, then I pulled what I always pull: why don't we get some good food from Aldi instead, and go home and make it? They were all looking at each other, not saying much, and I realized that it was mean to do that to them, so to Chili's we went.

I ate too many chips and salsa, so gave away most of my chipotle chicken crispers. I only ate three french fries and gave them to the kids to save, they packed them in their lunches for today. We then went to Aldi anyway, for apples and avocados, chicken breast and sparkling water, and chocolate, the whole while they were bellyaching about how they ate too much and PLEASE don't buy any junk food. I told them we need to go to Chili's every week before we go to the grocery store, then we will hardly buy anything.

The girls are doing school work, and I am sitting here for way too long, although believe me, I have gotten up to change laundry over, let the dogs out, and back in, and then let the cat in. It's a good thing they're cute.