Good evening -

I just got home from a good workout at the Y after church.

Church was interesting. (This is the new one). They had a long term planning meeting. It was a real dose of reality.

The church has been there since 1889. However, due to its age it is now in the really, really old part of town. The basic message was this: At the current rate the church is having to dip into its reserve funds (savings) each month, it will be totally broke and unable to pay its bills in less than 4 years. This is a trend that basically began (for the most part) about the time the new pastor began moving the church from it's ways of the past (shall we say....exclusivity?) and about 1/3 of the church members left. Interesting predicament they're in, I would say.

Demograhics:

Within a 3 mile radius of the church:

Population of 67K
50/50 white/black
42% of households makes less than $45K year
27% make less than $15K year
44% of households are "non-family" cohabitation.

Anyway, home for a big omelet, bill paying, and some work on the bedroom before bed.

Georgia

Good evening -

I found out this afternoon that my CASA case is coming up for final disposition 2 weeks from today. I'm supposed to be in Illinois, but I'm going to try to come back Wednesday night so I can be here for it.

I'm going to meet with the mom and gm tomorrow after work and discuss my position with them. This will be the first time I've sat down with both of them at the same time.

Georiga

P.S. - I think xW is "Plan B'ing" me. The one or 2 e-mails I've HAD to send her to take care of legal stuff have gone unanswered.

Hi FGG,

You're sounding much as yourself, the yourself we were used to.

Remember I told you to write a journal? It's a good choice to put down in black and white EVERYTHING, even those things you don't tell your MB friends. It makes them real, when you actually write them down.

I use to write by hand, something I don't do much anymore, but really enjoy. Because of the nature of my thoughts lately I have decided that it is safer to have myjournal on the computer and password protected. But I still write it. I still can't re-read it because it is painful, but the day will come.

You sound good.

Hi cc (and good morning to everyone else) -

I actually did start writing a journal. I've been updating it sporatically, and I do think it is a good idea.

BTW - At my doctors' advice, I've cut down to 1/2 dose of Lexapro. I think that today I'll totally leave it off, things seem to be going okay.

I have really enjoyed remodeling my bedroom. It has turned out so great (if I may say so!).

In about an hour I will be meeting with our V.P. of Human Resources. She's in town today (from our home office) for other things, but I've scheduled a meeting with her while she's here to go over the QDRO and other divorce related things. I'm hoping that she can help straighten this mess out somehow.

It seems like my thoughts are all over the place today, I've got to get my mind engaged. I've got 5 meetings before lunch today (and I think I'm moderating all of them). I'm going to leave after lunch and take Jeb to the vet. He's having problems with his "glands" again. Poor guy...makes him miserable.

The CASA situation has been on my mind a lot since yesterday too. It is so terribly, terribly sad. I've known people who used drugs, but I think this is the first time I've ever been so closely involved in watching someone's life being totally destroyed by their addiction. Really, really sad.

I know that Ashley Smith (the young lady in Atlanta who was held hostage by the court house shooter a couple of years ago) has recently moved into my neighborhood (even though I don't know where). I'm seriously thinking about seeing if I can get Ashley and my CASA mom hooked up somehow. They are about the same age and I know that she has some history with meth. Anyway, probably none of my business and I just need to MMOB.

Okay, I'm rambling now.

Georgia

Hi Georgia:

So the rest of us are in parentheses? <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

A question:



You don't think this could describe your X? It describes a lot if not most of the WSes here, IMO.

<img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Morning MIMI...(sans parenthesis to avoid offending you)..

Okay....let me say more specifically "drug addiction". Yes, WS's have an addiction, alcoholics have an addiction, even compulsive gamblers. And...all addictions seem to have similar results of a life out of control and priorities skewed to the point of self-destruction.

But...the situation I'm describing is specifically a drug addiction.

Georgia

Georgia:

Come on, of course, I know this...

I get the feeling that you want to do battle with me.

I'm ready when you are. Let's DUKE IT OUT!! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Not at all...I've got on my happy face right now.

Definitely not in the mood to DUKE IT OUT right now!

ME TOO!! I am SOOOO HAPPY these days!

But..always ready to DUKE IT OUT when and if necessary!

<img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

There are other folks here who seem to do the DUKING so much better than I, so I'll leave that to them (need I name names?).

If & when I pick a fight with you..it's going to be over church and I'm not even in the mood to do that right now.

Enjoy your day, my back to back to back to back to back meeting marathon is about to commence (I'd rather be home working on my bedroom...).

FGG,

Was in Charleston this week. Saw some Booth prints and thought of you. How are you doing these days? I have been out of town for a few weeks so have not been keeping up. Just wanted to stop by and say Hi!

God Bless,

JL

Hi JL -

Well, I'm not bored,that's for sure. There's a lot going on in my life, but that seems to always be the case.

By the way...for those of you who already know I've volunteered to work in VBS next week. The director called me this afternoon and asked if I'll work with the Kindergarten group. She says they're expecting 15 - 20 K aged kids and they need helpers. So...that's my role for next week.

I've been thinking that one of these nights when I can stay awake, I'm going to pack up JEB and drive to Charleston.

The Booth print that #1S bought for DIL looks great hanging over their fireplace. They've kinda claimed Charleston as their getaway town. I think that's great, that was always our (me and xW) favorite getaway place too since we honeymooned there. Anyway...so much for that.

I'm about to be off for my CASA meeting.

Oh...I was holding JEB at the vets office this afternoon while he was having the little "procedure" done and he bit me!! He later apologized, feels terrible about it, but I've got a bitten right pinky.

Georgia

Okay, is it just me or did anyone else look at this

"they're expecting 15 - 20 K"

and have their eyes bulge at what 20k kindergartners would look like...swarming FGG?

<img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

LA

LA -

Actually, that crossed my mind when I wrote it. Hopefully it will just be 15 - 20 wihtout the "K" attached to it!!

My meeting with the CASA folks was nice. The mom really does appear to be doing better. She's still got a lot of miles on her for 27 y.o.

I started ripping the carpet out of this room tonight and pulling the tack strips up. Tomorrow I'll problably move my bed in here so I can paint the other room. Next will come the major, major project of taking out part of the wall between the 2 bedrooms and putting in double french doors. Never done anything like that before.

HEADLINE:

Local man dies when 70 y.o. bungalow collapses. Stupidity cited as cause of death.

Oh well....getting punch drunk I guess.

Nite folks -

Georgia

LOL...you're making your own headlines...okay, I'll go with self-care (hidden in deprecation) for that.

Did you see how the space between the 20 and the K worked for others? They didn't have an astonished moment as I did.

I get to keep that one for myself. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

LA

Good Morning -

I awoke at about 3:00 AM to a really, really loud sound outside. I thought my a/c was squealing. Listening closer I realized that I was hearing frogs, not a few, but I mean like the Egyptian plague quantity.

This morning there are countless numbers of "piggybacking" frogs in and around my pond. Sitting on the rocks, floating in the pond, all over the place.

And...a bunch of little cigarette butts scattered all over the deck (okay, I made that up).

Word apparently was out that FGG's pond was the happening place last night.

tadpoles, anyone?

Georgia

I am soo tired!!

I worked at the VBS meeting about 1 1/2 hours. It was all women except for me and one other guy (whose wife is working there also). But...they welcomed me with open arms and I'm looking forward to this. It's been 2 years since I worked with VBS at our previous church. I used to always use a week of my vacation to work at VBS, I really enjoyed being with kids. Avenue Church is having their VBS in the evening so I'll not have to take time off from work.

I went over to #1DIL's GM's house afterwards. She's getting her house ready to sell (moving into a townhouse) and wanted me to help her get her pond in shape. So we worked on her pond for a while and got everything back in place, the filters cleaned, etc. (I've been walking around with wet clothes on since then, I'm glad to be back home).

She's getting ready to have a yard sale next weekend. I bought a beautiful area rug from her that will look great in my bedroom once I get the floors refinished.

Anyway...back home and I'm really, really tired.

Georgia

Busy is good. meeting people is good. We also want pictures of the remodeling!

Warning: I am BLAME SHIFTING (the caps are for MrsW's benefit)

I'm really, really tired! From reading all FGG does, I took on my house...moved beds up and down three floors, folded five baskets of clothes and now I can hardly find the energy to type.

Luckily, DH got home from work and went for Chinese food. I am eagerly awaiting his arrival...and my #1DS is the one who helped me move the furniture (including one bed to garage) and I think I'm extra tired from laughing so much (we have a narrow staircase and my ex-Army son had to use all of his strategic training to negotiate the terrain...and I just used my humor and back).

You inspire so many in many ways...and today, it was just painful.

LOL

LA

Good Morning LA -

Well, I'm glad I got you motivated. When I got home last night I disassembled my bed and moved it in here to the newly remodeled room. Fortunately, I don't have any stairs, so it was a lateral move.

I'll take some pictures and attach. Right now I have both my bed and desk in the same room so it's really crowded. When I get the other room (my former bedroom) finished, my desk is going in there and it's going to be a reading room.

Off to S.S.

Georgia