Took the kids to see Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian this afternoon. Movie ticket prices have gone up again. But the concession stand, as always the rip off, costs more than the tickets! And I bought 4 tickets!

It rained here today off and on. And yet the frogs are croaking for more rain. This has to be the rainiest May in years. At least for this part of the world.

I am reading Susan Elizabeth Phillips' Natural Born Charmer. It was on sale at Barnes and Noble last time I was there, and I have met and worked with Susan Elizabeth Phillips, so I have to support her! Well, no I don't, but what I've read of hers, I've really liked.

Tomorrow is a family reunion I wasn't planning on attending, but at about 6:30 pm, my mother came over to announce she'd changed her mind since a cousin has come in from AL and she thinks we should go although she is sick and really doesn't feel like it. So I'll have to get up a bit early in the morning to get ready for that.

Nothing else of interest to report. :-( CL

I am downloading Steve Miller Band's Very Best Of 1991 from MP3Fiesta.com , our favorite Mp3 website. I have most of the songs on CD, but with this new "baby" computer (HP Mini) there's no CD player, only a tiny little disc slot and a USB drive for a flash drive or stick memory or whatever you want to call those stick thingies. I bought a new flash drive that had like 4GB of space on it and moved all my pictures to it. It holds more than several CDs. And doesn't get scratched up. Maybe I'll do the same thing with my music. I have a lot on my desktop that I would like to take with me to Mpls. That'd be easier than taking all my CDs. I have tons of them.

I found this cool site that has a lot of original guitar music and have been enjoying some free mp3s from it. RiffWorld.com. If you check it out, listen to Guitarshredder557. Pretty cool stuff.

More next time...CL

Feeling really tired today. Got a little disappointed that I left my car at the detailer's all day only to pick it up at 5:00pm and find it not detailed! They got the outside washed, but didn't have time to clean the inside, which to me was more important. They had too many cars today. Anyway, I stopped by the carwash and vacuumed it out myself. It only cost me 3 bucks and some advil for my lower back. :-(

Lj has taken to climbing up on top of the storage shed to get a signal on his cell phone so he can text his friends. He originally climbed from a tree that grows behind it. I put a ladder up to make it more accessible. He had just better not fall off that thing.

Ely climbed up there yesterday via ladder, but he doesn't particularly like heights and didn't stay long. I am glad. Having one son risk life and limb at the time is enough. It worries me that they like to climb, but I did too at that age. I just pray they'll be extra careful.

We have one more week and two days before we head to MN. I am so ready to get up there and get this next part of my life started. I am still worrying about how to pack so much stuff into my car. We'll probably use plastic garbage bags instead of suitcases since they are so much more malleable. Well, I have a couple of suitcases I'll use, but other than that -- color-coded garbage bags. The phone is ringing...better go. CL

It's past my bedtime but I'm having trouble falling asleep, so I thought I'd update my blog. There's actually not much to report. I had a nice relaxing day spent mostly out on my front porch swing. When I move to MN, I am going to really miss my front porch swing. MN hardly has any front porches at all. Lots of decks on the back of houses though. The one I'm moving into has a nice sized deck. I guess I'll be hanging out on it during the summer months.

I am a little bit worried about how much work I am going to have to do to the place I am renting. I know I am going to have to paint and probably by a new bedroom set. I mean furniture, bedding and all. That'll set me back a couple of $Ks probably. But it will be worth it to have my nice living space and to be close to my boys. I still can't believe they want to go live with their dad.

Well, I will just have to adjust to a whole new way of life. One without kids 24/7. I won't know how to act. Also a life with a lot less money since I'll be losing child support and spending money on rent. It isn't going to be easy. Budget budget budget. Just when I was getting used to the idea of NOT being in a financial bind. Oh well, we'll just have to get by the best we can. Hmmm, I mean I'll have to get by the best that I can. I will be on my own. I can't get used to the idea. Maybe I'll meet some hunky guy who'll want to spend a lot of time entertaining me and I won't have to feel so alone all the time. That would be nice.

I guess we'll just have to wait and see what this next chapter in my life will hold. As long as it is good stuff. I am sick of bad stuff happening. You hear that God? I only want good stuff to happen to me this time around. :-) Wish me luck on that one. Until next time...g'night. CL

I HATE CANCER!!! My cousin, JD was diagnosed two days ago with lung cancer that has metastasized to her brain. Stage IV and 3 months to live! She is only 52 years old. I am so upset and angry right now. I went to visit her in the hospital this morning. My mom went with me. She had just received a steroid dose and was non-stop talking, but she is very scared. If you are reading this, please send her energy and send God a prayer. This is really freaking me out. She lived with my family as a teenager, so we are pretty close. I was just at her house a week ago. She was feeling dizzy and diagnosed with vertigo two weeks before. Well, it is the brain lesions that is causing her to be dizzy. I don't know what prompted the scan of her lungs, but they found a huge mass in between the two. Life is so unpredictable. I mean, I knew that, but still.

I am obviously upset. I will try to blog again another time. When I am calmer.

Weighed in this morning! Lost 6 pounds! Must tell the world! :-) Went for morning walk before it rained again. But the sun is shining today, maybe the rain will miss us. I hope so; all the creeks are flooded.

My roomie, Karin, closes on her house today. That means we'll actually have a place to room. :-) Another exciting day in the life of ME. TTFN CL

Don't you hate waiting? I mean when you know you have to do something but you can't do it until a certain date. I feel like I'm in limbo or something. I can't really do anything here because I'm moving in two weeks, but I can't do anything there until I get there in two weeks so all I do are humdrum chores and wait! Laundry, check. Feed the dogs, check. Dishes, check. I mean everyday it's the same old same old. I'll be glad to have something different to do. . . in two weeks!

I am so proud of my boys. They both write. Like stories, character guides, the whole nine yards. Lj has always written. I remember when he was a tiny little thing, I'd be working on my laptop and he'd come up beside me and tell me to write (type) what he said and he'd tell me a story. He was so sweet. And today Ely was sitting at the computer when I walked by and I read in big bold letters "Chapter One: How it all Happened." :-) Isn't that the coolest? My two authors.

Of course that's today. Two days ago I was in the back room and I heard Lj and Ely "playing." They were holding court and Lj was a lawyer arguing his case against Ely to some imaginary judge. It was awesome. Lj can debate. He needs to be on a debate team. Maybe he'll do that if they have one at the school he will be attending in MN next year.

Ely says he's going to be an Optometrist. That'll work, too. Pretty steep ambition for an 11-year-old. :-) Uh Oh. Sounds like their playing has turned into yelling today. I think my presence is required. Until next time...hey, maybe next time I'll be in MN. Gosh, now the dog's barking. What next? Don't answer that! TTFN CL

It's been a couple of weeks or so since I posted, but all is still a go to Minnesota. We are counting down the days. It seems like the month of May is taking forever to go by, but that may be in part because it has RAINED EVERYDAY nearly! I am sick of this weather. Today was sunnier, but it is supposed to rain again tomorrow. Anyway, I am half packed to head north. I have packed winter clothes and clothes that I don't wear everyday. Karin, my roomie, closes on the house this Friday! YEA! then the fun starts. I have pictures so I can show some of the before and after shots of some of the rooms. Some are plain hideous. It's like, what were these people thinking? But between my fine taste and Karin's, I am sure we'll have new coats of paint and repairs made in no time. I think one of the priorities is to get a new roof. Then maybe a "heatpump." You know, the important stuff. :-o

Well, I'm making a list and checking it twice. I hope I have enough room to pack everything I want to bring and still have enough room in the trunk for all the boys' clothes and stuff. It's going to be a tight squeeze, I know.

Oh, I am reading McGuire's Wicked. Farily fascinating book. It's also a Broadway Musical. Hmmm, passed my bedtime. I'll check back in soon. ttfn, CL