It's become my tradition that even when I've had nothing to say that I always try to share the "state of the family" on or near the first of the month. I hope you don't mind. This is not just for you, but for me as well. It helps me to think, to look around, to keep track of the chaos that is our life (see, I knew I named the blog that for some reason.)
School starts this month, for everybody but me and the babies (and the dogs, though they could use some obedience training!) Miss C is "going away" to school and she's a nervous wreck. I for one am so jealous of her. I'd love to be able to relive those days and weeks before I "went away" to school. The anticipation was in many ways better than the reality of it. Not that my freshman year at college wasn't amazing, it's just... well, it's like the excitement of expecting a trip to an amusement park - all you think about is the fun and not how much you're going the throw up on the spinning tea cups.
Miss C on the other hand is making up things to worry about. It's still two weeks before she goes and last night she couldn't sleep because she hadn't bought her shampoo yet. Not because she was worried about her classes or her room mate or how she's going to pay for books, shampoo.
Miss T and Mrs. A are in classes again at the college here. They are both having issues getting registered as most professors are too busy enjoying their summer to open up their classes for registration, but that's always the way it is around here. So over the next two weeks they will probably make several trips to the college to get everything set in stone.
Everyone else is anxious to go back to school too. Which I don't understand because when I was in grade/high school I dreaded the end of summer. I begged for the school to have a busted pipe or something so we didn't have to start on time. My kids, on the other hand, are counting the days more passionately than they count them down for Christmas. I'm glad they like school, but I don't get it.
As for me, not a lot has changed. It's been a rough summer, but our swamp cooler works well so I haven't suffered too much from the heat. It's getting harder for me to get around, but I'm trying to get a little exercise so that I don't lose what I already have. We got an exercise thing for the the video game and that's pretty good (when I motivate myself to do it!)
We finally got a hearing for Social Security. On the 20th. I don't know what to think. We were thinking about getting a lawyer when it came through. I don't know if we can get one now, but I'm hoping the judge will actually LOOK at me rather than going by whatever their so-called experts will say. But we can continue to appeal it as many times as it takes. We're very fortunate to have a great disability insurance plan from my previous employer that will continue to pay out indefinitely (at least for now - who knows what will happen when they start tinkering with the insurance companies.)
What else can I share? Bob, the big white van, continues to run OK. Sometimes the transmission can be a little "stuttery" when it's really hot, and for some reason the speedometer has stopped working (probably just came undone), but it's doing OK. Our little blue Subaru is running great too. That's our main car for running around and getting groceries and stuff. With gas prices the way they are going, I'm thankful for that one. It get's close to 25mpg!
This coming weekend is the tax-free weekend here in New Mexico for school supplies. We don't have a whole lot to get this year as we stocked up during tax-free shopping last year. We are going to need shoes, of course, and some clothes, some other odds and ends. The stores are busier than they are at Christmas, but so totally worth it.
What other randomness can I share? I've tried to share all the pictures and videos that I've taken lately. We haven't really gone anywhere fun and exciting this summer. We were hoping to make a trip to the zoo, but that's going to have to wait. We don't get out to movies much. We do get Netflix here at home.
That's our one luxury. We get two movies at a time so we let the kids pick one and the adults pick one. Lately we've been working our way through Battlestar Galactica. If you like Sci-Fi, and even if you don't, the show is fantastic. We're not even through season 1 and we're addicted. I heard recently that they changed the charter of the UN based on a summit the writers and actors had with the representatives. Any show that changes the world has to be pretty good.
So that's all I have to say for now. I'll be posting news about Miss C's move, the first day of school and all that stuff as it happens. Take care and God bless.
