Jean: Those toy shows are outrageous in price most of the time. I agree with you, something that each household can play with is the ticket. Only one more day this week and you are one week closer to summer break. I know you are looking forward to it. Hope your tub holds together now and you have no more troubles with it.
I got Jack's office rug yesterday and it is just perfect. It is shag and Navy and a dusty blue that looks gray so it goes splendidly. We order the darn shades tonight then can get going on the whole project. I will just be glad when it is done and I don't walk down the hall and see that horrible red anymore! I wish you could see what it does in the daytime when the light hits that room. It is like a pink beacon all the way down the hall!
I guess it is a good thing I got up early as Jack left his watch down here on the counter and that is the alarm he uses. It is the only thing he trusts. We have an alarm clock with a battery backup in our bedroom but he refuses to use anything but his watch! Men are so screwy sometimes.
If you remember the situation I talked to you about, the family is in HUGE denial now. They have been convinced that this person is now clean and sober and doing fine and I have a feeling the wool is being pulled over their eyes. I sure hope not, but it wouldn't be the first time it has happened to a family. The statistics for someone with a long time problem kicking with help from no one else is very very low, but.......
I hope everyone has a great weekend. We have a soccer game tomorrow then back home to work on the office.
Faye
We had an exciting afternoon at school. Someone has been spray painting or marker drawing gang symbols and graffiti in the restrooms, on lockers, and in the locker rooms at the stadium. I had to be a witness to a locker search; I'm not sure what they were looking for but there has to be two adult witnesses when they do it. The kid and all of his belongings were hauled to the office afterwards. Then a boy/girl confrontation went on right outside our door. The girl broke up with the guy and he grabbed her by the arm wanting to talk to her. She was trying to get away from him and he kept grabbing her tighter. Finally another teacher stepped in and sent the girl to class then tried to talk to the boy. The boy took off after the girl and followed her into the classroom so he got hauled to the office too. It was time to come home when the last bell finally rang! 
One game was like Bingo but each box had a picture of an item that makes some sort of sound. You were to listen to the CD, identify the sound, and then place your marker on the picture. There was a little pink ballerina type skirt that had a music box in the waist band and the book was neat -- Maddy would have loved it, but it was $40 and I just couldn't justify that one. The company is called DO RE ME & You -- I didn't pay any attention if they had a website or not. I really don't like going to those parties because I always feel like I'm obligated to buy something. There were only 6 of us there and no one volunteered to host a party. The rug is a good start in Jack's room! Bob had a good watch that I bought him for Christmas several years ago. He complained it pulled the hair on his arm so he quit wearing it. He claims that there are clocks everywhere and most people wear watches so he can always find out what time it is. When he asks me I usually say, "wouldn't you like to know?!" Then I get "the look." 
I hope your family figures out they need some outside help before it is too late. I'm sending good vibes for you to sleep well tonight!
in Iowa!
I finally gave up and stayed in the basement until it was finially finished. I need to get another load going before I head to bed.
Good luck trying to get your mess straightened out! Where did you order the blinds from? I think that will be my project this summer. I want to do the bedrooms so will have to order five of whatever I decide on. We don't buy anniversary gifts although I do send cards. My mom used to send us a dollar for every year that we were married so I've been doing that for Jason and Amanda too. My problem with the grandchildren is that I buy things at random and then try to even things up at the last minute. We buy savings bonds for their college expenses so I do those all at once.
I've enjoyed watching the squirrels this morning. We have a feeder that is a huge glass jar that fits sideways in a wooden frame which has a hole in the top, bottom, and each side; the holes allow the squirrels, and brave blue jays, to get into the jar. They are pretty silly looking when their bushy tails are all wet . . . looks kind of like a mouse tail only longer. 
With my luck a delivery man would come to the door and need a signature in order to leave the merchandise. 
I hope Jack is feeling better as the day goes on. 
from Iowa!
One of the IAs overheard a student brag to another and reported it in the office. We evacuated 600+ students to a building a couple of blocks away from the school. We've practiced this, w/o students, during our workshop days in the fall, but it sure didn't play out like it was supposed to. We had kids leaving for tennis, golf, track, and soccer and I had to fill in for a teacher who had just left the building for her own son's middle school track meet. Luckily it happened about 2:40 and we get out at 3:27 -- the buses rerouted to where our students were and then those that don't ride the commuter buses, could leave but not go back to the school nor the parking lot to get their cars. Most of the teachers were calling husbands and wives to come and get them; we could go back after 7 tonight and get our cars. The police hauled the kid out in handcuffs -- it will be interesting to see what happens to him. They closed off the streets surrounding the school and had the fire trucks and all available police cars there to keep nosey people from getting too close. Fortunately I grabbed my jacket and purse on my way out the door so had my keys and checkbook. 