We’re at the caseeno and I can stay until 11:00 and still make it home for my doctor’s appointment.  I feel lucky.  I’m going down to the caseeno in a few minutes and spend some money.  Last night, I started with $4.00, took it up to $18.00 and cashed it out.  Then I took $20.00 and ran it up to $60.00 and cashed it out.  DH still wasn’t ready to call it a day so I took another $10.00 and cashed it out when I got to $40.00.  I’m ahead $82.00.  I usually come out ahead because I STOP when I’m ahead.  Today, I feel risky.  I’m going to take my twenty and, if I lose it, I’ll quit.  BUT if I win, I’m going to keep going.  If I get up to $40.00, I’m leaving the penny slots and moving up to the dime slots.  It’s one thing to risk $.45 with each spin but you never win more than a few bucks.  Being as conservative as I am, I always quit when I’m ahead. 

Reading this, you probably think I’m nuts.  Feeling like I’m taking some real risks by moving up to the dime slots when I usually stick to the pennies.  What can I say?  I’m conservative.  Cheap.  Tight fisted.  It goes against the grain for me to spend three or four bucks everytime I spin the slots.  I still won’t spend more than $20.00 but I’m going to keep going if I’m winning.  I feel lucky.  So I’m going downstairs.  Wish me luck!

At any rate, DH wanted me to take advantage of a free room, buffet breakfasts, and buffet dinners at Grand Victoria Caseeno since I’m taking off work tomorrow for a doctor’s appointment.  We’ve had the freebies coming for some time but they’re only good on Monday through Thursday.  Sistah Pam’s coaxing pushed me over the edge yesterday afternoon so I called and made a reservation.  We won’t be able to leave until I get off work today and it’s a little more than an hour’s drive so we’ll head out as soon as I can get home.  Have a nice dinner, spend the night, have breakfast and still be able to get home before I have to be at the doctor’s.  Not quite the same as a romantic weekend getaway but still, it’ll be a good break.

Gotta run.  The boys would not be happy if I get them up thirty minutes earlier than usual and then I’m not ready when it’s time to leave.

I’ve been trying to figure out what to fix for Thanksgiving dinner.  DH has decided not to pull the car to Florida so I know he’s not going to want to unhook the RV and run to town a lot.  My neighbor in Florida is a total sweetheart and I know she’ll let us use her car if we need to but she’s gone almost all the time.  Guess I should go ahead and figure out what we’ll need and take it all with us.  I’ve got a turkey breast in the freezer and six spiral cut hams (I got them on a fantastic sale) but Mom LOVES the way I fix pork tenderloin with mango chipotle sauce so I might fix that.  I really want to avoid going overboard this year.  After all, it’s just DH, Mom and I.  Still, DH has his favorites and Mom has hers.  DH wants homemade yeast rolls but I don’t want to do that at the cabin.  Too much work and very little room.  Maybe I can talk him into homemade biscuits.  Mom loves corn casserole and that’s an easy preparation but she also loves sweet potato casserole and DH can’t have it because he’s diabetic.  Wonder if Mom would be able to tell the difference if I make it with Splenda instead of brown sugar…

I’m rambling.  Better get off here and get ready for work.  I’m taking a sick day Friday because I have a doctor’s appointment and decided to take it on a Friday.  If I have to take off, I might as well make it a long weekend.  Get today and tomorrow over with and the week is over!

All I’ve done lately is work.  Work at school, stay after work at school and bring work home with me.  I’m definitely looking forward to the Thanksgiving break.  We went to Mom’s last weekend for her 87th birthday.  She’s really looking forward to going to our place in Florida for Thanksgiving.  I wish I could think of something special to do while we’re on the trip but I can’t.  She’s excited just to take a road trip in the RV, go to the discount book store in Georgia and stop for chicken at Bojangles.  I think we’re going to plan a big bonfire one night.  The stars are beautiful at the cabin.  There aren’t any major towns or cities around and the sky is spectacular at night.  I think she’ll enjoy that.

We also got together with our friends Rick and Pam last weekend.  Met them at a party and hung out Saturday afternoon and evening.

Other than that, it’s pretty much the same old thing.  I want to touch base and see how some of you are doing.  I’ve missed everyone!

What a scam. 

Enough about that.  I try to keep from dwelling on it but I go through stages when my anger gets the best of me and I still can’t believe how this all turned out.

Moving on…today is an easy day.  I met my new students Monday and they seem like a pretty good bunch.  Yesterday, we watched a “Did you know?” video on Youtube and it generated an interesting conversation about the advances of technology.  We also discussed copyright infringement and I’m always amazed at how justified they feel about downloading pictures, games and songs without paying for them. 

Nothing going on after school so I should be home by 3:30.  Yay!!!

DS - “Howard, I have to work tomorrow.  I sent you the paperwork in the mail and you said you didn’t get it.  I faxed it to your office and you said you didn’t get it.  I’ll fax it again tomorrow morning but I don’t understand why you don’t already have it and I can’t take off work to bring it to you.  I’m giving the phone to my mom.  She wants to talk to you.”

Me: “Hello, Howard?  This is Pat, I wanted to ask you if anything is being done about setting up structured visitation on a set schedule because I don’t want to constantly have to call Stacy and ask if DS can see the kids and have to be here for her to drop them off or pick them up.”

Caseworker: “Who is this?”

Me: “This is Pat, David’s mother.”

Caseworker: “Pat who?”

Me: “Pat R.  David’s mother.”

Caseworker: “You should identify yourself when you talk to someone.  How am I supposed to know who you are?”

Me: “What?  I did.  I just told you I’m David’s mother.  Pat R.”

Caseworker: “I was unlocking a door and put my phone down for a minute.  I guess I didn’t hear you.”

Me (wanting to say, “Then maybe you shouldn’t put your phone down when you’re talking to someone!): “I want to know when visitation is going to be set up at a regular time.”

Caseworker: “What do you have to do with the visitation?  It’s already been set.”

Me: “No, it hasn’t.  Everytime David wants to see the kids, I have to call Stacy and ask her if it’s okay and make arrangements for her to drop them off and pick them up at my house.  If I can’t be here, he can’t get the kids.”

Caseworker- “Why do you have to call?  Why can’t David call?”

Me: “Because there’s a no contact order between David and Stacy so I have to be the go between.”

Caseworker: “Why do you have to be the go between?”

Me: “Because that’s the way the court set it up and the judge said she wanted the no contact order lifted so they could work out visitation.”

Caseworker: “Why doesn’t he have the no contact order lifted?”

Me: “He tried that.  They said Stacy has to do it because she took the order out.”

Caseworker: “Oh.  Well, I don’t have the paperwork with me right now so I don’t know about that.  She has full custody so you and your son will just have to work with her so he can see them.”

Me: “No, she doesn’t have full custody.  They have shared custody but she has primary residential custody.”

Caseworker: “Oh.  I thought she had full custody.  Is he paying his child support?”

Me: “Yes, it’s always paid.  In full, on time.”

Caseworker: “That’s good.  He really needs to keep up with that.  That’s important.”

Me: “You haven’t answered my question.  When are arrangements going to be made so that David can have set visitation so I don’t have to continually call Stacy and ask if he can see them?”

Caseworker: “That’s something David and Stacy have to work out.”

Me: “That’s what I’m saying.  She doesn’t want to work it out.  She wants me to call her everytime he wants to see the kids and she decides whether or not he can.  I have to set it up.  I really don’t like doing that.  To be honest, I don’t want to have to call her and ask her permission for him to see them.”

Caseworker: “Is she not letting him see the kids?”

Me: “No, she usually lets him see them but it’s very irritating to have to call her and ask if he can see the kids.  She enjoys the power that comes from deciding whether or not she’s going to bring them over and whether or not he can see them on any given day.”

Caseworker: “Well, he’s the one who said he can’t pick them up after school anymore.  He used to see them everyday but he said he can’t do that anymore.  I had to work with her to get her 4Cs childcare after school. That was his decision.”

Me: “What?  He has a job.  He can’t pick them up.  He has to work when they get out of school.”

Caseworker: “Well, that’s something they have to work out.  I have to go now, I’ve got another appointment but you can call me anytime you need something.”

ARRGGHH!  Should I call him now?  At 4:00 a.m.?

How was Tunica?  Not that great.  Of course, it was great to get away and relax for a couple of days but, as for Tunica, been there, done that and it was no big deal.  Our hotel room was nice but I didn’t realize that it was not at the caseeno.  That’s not something they let you know when you book a room.  The caseeno was about a mile and a half away and you had to catch a shuttle or drive.  It wasn’t like you could decide to run downstairs and play for a few minutes.  The pool AND hot tub were closed for the season and the hotel didn’t even have a restaurant.  Just an overpriced snack bar that sold pastries, coffee, and sandwiches.  Harrah’s caseeno was nice enough and we ate at Paula Deen’s buffet one night.  I don’t know Paula Deen.  I’ve heard of her and know that she does a cooking show or something but I tell you what, that woman can cook!  This was the first time I’ve ever been to a buffet where everything was to die for.  It’s a good thing we kept winning free buffets at another caseeno because if I’d eaten at Paula Deen’s everytime, I wouldn’t have been able to get my seat belt around me on the ride home.

The slots at Harrah’s were really tight so we drove down the road to Hollywood Caseeno and spent most of our time there because we got a free buffet dinner on Friday, free breakfast buffet on Saturday and free dinner buffet on Saturday.  Not Paula Deen’s by any stretch of the imagination but given the choice of a freebie or $17.99, we went with the freebies.  Yeah, I know, we’re cheap.

As for the slots, I’m not going to be able to retire.  I kept winning but DH was losing more than I was winning so we came out about $100.00 in the hole.  Not bad for three days of playing.

The weather was great and we managed to watch a couple of movies and unwind a little bit.  Watched Julia and Julie, Pelham 123 and the Maiden Heist.  There was also an Outlet Mall in Tunica and I got a couple of shirts for the boys and three tops and a sweater for DGD, Holly.  She came over yesterday evening and tried them on. 

It’s that time again, time to roust the boys and hit the shower.  Today starts a new trimester at school and I’ll have all new students.  I can only hope they’re of the same caliber as the ones I’ve had for the past 12 weeks.  Guess I’ll find out.

6:30 a.m. update - My pants are too tight and I feel like a slug.  Looks like today is going to be a carrot and celery day to try to undo some of the damage.  Definitely going to hit the treadmill when I get home.

DH usually works from 4:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. four days a week.  He said he was only working a half day today so I guess he’ll be home around 10:00.  I need to get some clothes packed and be ready to hit the door when he gets here.  I guess, even now, I don’t have time to just relax.  I’d love to get my hair cut before we leave.  Maybe, if I play my cards right, I can squeeze it in.  So, I guess I can have a cup of coffee this morning but I can’t linger to see if it’s good to the last drop.

Yeah, now that I think about it, we’re supposed to be leaving in two hours and I have a lot to do.  I’d better get off here and get packed.  I’m looking forward to catching up on some blogs in the next couple of days.

Today’s another long one.  Go to work and then home school my two kiddos until 5:00.  After that, I’m hoping to get a haircut. 

Sistah Pam corrected me yesterday.  She’s having gastric bypass.  Not lap band.  She goes in Tuesday and will be in the hospital for a few days.  Here’s (((((BIG HUGS))))), Pam!

Gotta run.  Last day of work for the week.  Tomorrow, we head to Tunica.  Maybe I’ll win a fortune and be able to retire!

7:15 - Be at work
2:45 - Home School whiney kid
4:00 - Home School little sweetheart
5:15 - Back to school for ROTC Booster Club meeting (again…)
6:30 - Head home
7:00 - End of another twelve hour day

As you can probably guess, I rescheduled yesterday’s home school session for today because I stayed for the controversial staff meeting.  Which didn’t end until almost 4:00.  On a brighter note, had a great dinner with the girls at Sistah Pams!

Today, I have to work and then decide what I’m going to do about a controversial faculty meeting, home-school my whiney kid and then meet some friends for dinner at Sistah Pam’s.  She’s having lap band surgery on the 10th and this is what she calls “The Last Supper”.

About that faculty meeting…teachers are expected to leave Tuesday afternoons open for whatever comes up in the way of staff meetings.  In our case, that means every Tuesday we have to stay late.  We got an email last Wednesday saying this week’s meeting would be on Monday and we were expected to be there.  I, like many others, already have plans for this afternoon.  I have to teach my home school session from 2:45 to 3:45, take the twins home and go to Pam’s for dinner.  I told one of the APs that I couldn’t make it and he said, “Everyone has an excuse but you have to be there or you have to discuss it with the principal.  You’ve known about this since Wednesday and it was mentioned on the training day the first of October.”

If it was mentioned on the first of October, I sure don’t remember it and giving me notice last Wednesday doesn’t do a thing for me.  I really get my back up when someone infringes on my personal time because I have so much stuff going on all the time it’s very difficult to make changes.  Tomorrow, I had set aside time for the faculty meeting, then I have to home school the other kiddo and then I have an ROTC meeting to get things set up for the holiday fair.  Wednesday, I have to home school both kiddos after school because I have to see them twice a week on regular school days and we’re off Thursday and Friday so I have to cram in two sessions with each of them in three days.

Better get ready for work.  I’m getting testy.

Maybe I’ll check in with everyone after I ease some of the aches and pains.  I feel like I’ve been wrestling with that chair for two days but I think I won.

I did okay at potluck yesterday.  Ate some of my baked ham, a baked sweet potato, green beans, and some apple crisp made with oatmeal and Splenda brown sugar.  Today shouldn’t be much of a problem.  We have lots of leftovers.

Fake payday today!  Since they went to mandatory direct deposit, it never feels like a real payday.  Getting handed that stub just isn’t quite the same but I should reap the rewards of some of the overtime I’ve been racking up.  This check should reflect the optional parent conference day I worked, some ESS, and some home school hours.  I had another session with the whiney kid yesterday but we worked in the family room instead of the kitchen so Mom didn’t hover quite as much but she still popped in a couple of times.  The kid didn’t do half of the homework I assigned her and Mom said she just didn’t understand it.  Yeah, sure.

Last night, DH pointed out that this time next week, we’ll be in Tunica.  He said a friend at work told him that we’ll be passing the original Cracker Barrel restaurant on the way down and they have a buffet.  Big Papa got all excited about that.  Hope we pass it at an inconvenient time.  I already have to contend with the Paula Dean Buffet at the caseeno.  That’s my definition of sin city.  Actually…after thinking about it for a couple of minutes, I don’t think I do too bad at buffets.  They’re all made up of that kind of heavy, comfort food and that’s not my favorite.  I usually load up a plate and then just kind of pick at it and feel bad about leaving an overflowing plate for the server to pick up.  Still, I’ve already recognized that my leftovers are not going to impact some poor starving child in China so I’m okay with letting it just get thrown out.   I’d much rather have small portions of really good food than an overflowing plate of comfort food.

I’m going to set up a workspace in the family room and begin tackling the reupholstery project this weekend.  I know I’m going to feel really good about redoing that chair for less than fifty bucks.  I forgot to get cording so I need to pick some up after work today.  Guess I’ll go by after I finish home schooling.

Gotta run, Chicklets!  Have a fantastic Friday!

Giving myself the Straight and Narrow Award for today.  Potluck’s here!  I’m think I’m ready.  I’m bringing a baked ham and baked sweet potatoes with Splenda, cinnamon and Brummel and Brown.  If no one else brings anything healthy, I’m still good to go!  I’ve been trying to stay the path but it’s never easy.  Can’t say I’ve had perfect days since Monday but I’ve done pretty well at staying the course.  Exercise is the hardest part.  I’ve been putting in some long, hard days and then I’m tired and achey by the time I crawl in the door.  Today shouldn’t be too rough.  I’ll be finished and home by 4:00 or so.  I wish I could count on DH to fix something healthy for dinner.

I started working with another home/hospital student yesterday.  Didn’t care for her as much as the other one I’ve been working with.  This one was really whiney and Mom set us up in the dining room and hovered over her the entire time.  This girl had strep throat and it led to some kind of systemic infection.  She’s eleven years old and weighs 57 pounds.  Of course, Mom was no more than 90 pounds herself.  She looked downright anorexic so I don’t know if the kid being so thin was the result of her illness or just the way she is.  At any rate, in the hour that I worked with her she took a phone call (Mom said it was an important call from her father that she’d been waiting for all day), went to the bathroom three times (Mom said when she has to go, she has to GO!), whined continuously and was coddled by Mom every second and wasted a good fifteen minutes because she kept getting off track and telling me about how sick she’d been and how her teachers “don’t even care!”  I have another session with her today and I’m going to tell Mom we need a place to work where we can have privacy so she won’t be “distracted” from what we have to do.  In other words, Mom, get lost and stop coddling this child for a few minutes!

It’s that time.  Gotta hit the shower.  At least the weekend is in sight!

I’m so excited!  I’ve got to work on my acceptance speech.  What do you think I should wear?

And the winners are:

Straight and Narrow Award:
Susan
Sunny

Go-Go Chick Award:
Brandie
Firefly
Sarah

Just DO IT Award:
Joy
Paperskin
Beerab

Strut Yer Stuff Award
Sunny
Firefly
Sarah

You’re focused.  Controlled.  You’re in there for the long haul.  Let all those other people work out six hours a day and eat 300 calories.  That’s not your bag!  You’re in it for life.  Making those small changes that add up to big losses.  Day after day.  Hanging in there.  Sometimes, it must seem like no one notices but they do.  That’s why you got this Straight and Narrow Award!

The Just Do It Award is designed to motivate!  Having a tough time, Chickie?  Been off the wagon for a while?  Feeling used, abused and overwhelmed?  This award is just what you need to get you up on your feet!  There ain’t nothin you can’t do once you set your mind to it.  You’ve just gotta figure out what you need to do and then DO IT!  Come on, you know we’ve all been there and we’re all here for you now.  It may seem like you just can’t get back on track but we’re cheering you on.  Our mantra is heard around the world…”JUST DO IT, CHICKIE!”

Congratulations!  If you’ve received the Strut Yer Stuff Award, it’s because you’ve done some serious work and have reached some major milestones in order to get where you are!  Be proud!  Buy new clothes in new sizes and hold your head high!  Your work has paid off and will continue to pay off as long as you hold the line.  So… Go on.  Get a manicure AND a pedicure!  Buy some sexy undies!  Get a new hairdo and STRUT YER STUFF, you little Hottie!

The Go-Go Chick Award is given to those who make me feel exhausted just reading their posts!  “I have to get up at 4:00, work out on the rowing machine for an hour, breastfeed the baby, wake up the hubby and iron the kids clothes while I’m fixing them breakfast, take them to school and then head to the office where I do the work of twenty five people and eat lunch on the treadmill, come home and help the kids with homework while fixing a low fat, low carb, heart healthy dinner!”

If you’ve received this award, it’s because you are Da Bomb!!! You have a LOT to be proud of!  Even though your life is incredibly full and your cup overfloweth, you still manage to exercise and eat healthy.  YOU just totally ROCK!

Or, it could be that I’m a go-go girl because of upcoming plans.  DH and I decided to get away for a few days.  We have a long weekend coming up the first week of November.  I know he wants to go to Tunica, Mississippi and I’ve been reluctant to do so.  But, I called one of the caseenos down there and we have enough points for one night free and the others at half price so I booked us a room.  We’ll head down there on Thursday, Nov. 5th and return on Sunday, Nov. 8th.

I talked to Mom and she’s really looking forward to us taking her to our place in Florida for Thanksgiving so we’ll be heading down there two weeks after the Tunica adventure.  I haven’t been down there since June.

Lots to keep me busy.  Weight is at 185.5 this morning.  Won’t say I had a perfect day yesterday because I didn’t exercise but I ate well so I feel pretty good about it.  Even when dinner didn’t turn out, I stuck to it.  I fixed Ginger Grilled Chicken Breast with Snow Peas.  They didn’t have the brand of snow peas I usually get so I had to buy a different brand.  They were stringy and tough.  Yecchh!  I ate the dish but wound up picking all the snow peas out of it and just eating a bit of the chicken and whole wheat linguini that make up the rest of the dish.  Without the peas, there wasn’t much to recommned it.  I filled the void with an apple and a salad.

Looks like exercise is going to be 20 minutes or so on the treadmill before I go to work because I know I won’t feel like doing it after a killer day like the one that lies ahead. 

Have a wonderful day, chickies!