"It's been a while"

What a week! Back to work. Now, my house, which was clean all summer, is a mess. In one week. How can it happen so fast? I haven't blogged all week...everything's on the back burner, again.
The kids are mostly ready to go back. There's been a guarentee from Nazareth that they won't strike until at least September 21st, when they have a meeting to vote on the new contract. So, hopefully, there won't be a strike.
We took JJ for a haircut last night at a barber shop in Easton. Now, picture the barbershop from the movie, "Barbershop"...it was almost like that. Except, not nearly as big. It was fun just being there, listening to everyone. Keith and I were the only white people there.
The rules where I work have changed, and we can't wear open toed shoes anymore, so I had to do some shoe shopping...nearly all of my summer/early fall shoes are sandals, so I had to get new ones. Isn't it great to have an excuse to "have to" get new shoes?
Jj's been playing football on the freshman team. He's very good, but is only on second string. I hope it's just because he's new, and not because of his color. He's making friends with kids on the team though, which is really good.
Braden wanted those really tight jeans for back to school, so we got him a pair. He looks like he's starved in them. He's skinny to begin with, but at least with the baggier cut, it wasn't so obvious. His new look (and he always has one) is polo shirts and tight jeans.
The neigbor kid leaves today for his sophmore year of college. Last year, the mom was balling her eyes out the week before he left, and the week after he left. This year, she told me, she was counting the days till he leaves. What a difference a year makes.
Well, that's about it for me and my same-ole same-ole.

"Guess it's over, call it a day. Sorry that it had to end this way..."

Well, it's over. I go back to work tomorrow. After two months off. (I feel like Blu, except for the exotic travel and drinks by the pool, being single and carefree parts.) I know people who work year round don't want to hear it. Keith's gloating. I'm kind of looking forward to going back. We built a brand new building and it will be exciting to be the first to use it. The old building we were in was horrible...buckets catching water when it rained. Some rooms were 110 degrees, while others were 50. No phones in the room. All of that will be changed this year. I can't wait to see the kids' faces when they come through the front doors on the first day of school. Most of these kids haven't had anything brand new in their lives.

We're going to go do some back-to-school shopping tonight, after JJ's football practice. Braden wants to get those god-awful tight jeans. Not only are they ugly, but they're expensive too. JJ wants sneakers and some new shirts. Braden got his new sneakers last week. Also, I have to make a trip to Staples to get the 1" binders and whatever else is on their school lists.

Tomorrow night, Keith and I have a wedding to go to. I bought these really wide, flarey black slacks to wear, and a cute white and black frilly blouse. I have to try the pants on today to see if I'll need new shoes or if the ones I have will work. Saturday, JJ has a scrimmage in the morning, then we have a picnic to go to. Sunday, I volunteered to work at the open house they're having at my school. While I would have worked anyway, the principal threw in four hours of comp time for anyone that offered to help out.

So far, the Children's Home still won't let Robert come and visit. Yesterday they told Keith it was out of their hands, but that's all they said. What the hell does that mean?

Oh, and I'm going to try to quit smoking....again. I LOVE SMOKING! But, I wish I didn't smoke. Hopefully, I wish it enough to quit. It will be nice to not smell like a cigarette, to not have to spend the money every week and, you know, to not die of lung cancer. I'll die of skin cancer instead, from laying out. In fact, I already told the kids that since today is my last day off, I'm doing nothing this afternoon except sit by the pool and read. We'll see if that actually happens.

I don't know, I never should have started this lyric thing!

JJ's all registered for school. He's signed up for football, and has had his physical. He's 5'10" and 175 lbs. That sounds like a man, not a 14 year old. He's really doing well adjusting here...hanging out with the neighbor kids, doing chores around the house, he even called Keith "dad" a couple of times last week - which Keith eats up and gloats about later.

I have had neighbor kids here nearly constantly for the last month of so. About seven kids, aging in range from 12 to 16. Boy can they eat! I don't mind, I kind of like having them all hang around here. Except for picking up the gatorade bottles, the popsicle wrappers and turning tvs and video games off. I go grocery shopping on Fridays, and the snacks are almost demolished by Monday. Then, for the next four days I get to hear, "there's nothing here to eat!"

Braden's actually excited about going back to school. He's getting kind of bored with hanging around here every day. Sadly for him (and for me) it looks like the strike is on. I was telling him and some of his friends yesterday that they should organize a student picket line, to picket across the street from the teachers. The signs could read, "We want to go back to school", or, "couldn't you have worked this out months ago?". He doesn't think it's a good idea.

JJ's aunt (the one he visits when he goes to Philly) is coming up on Sunday for a little get-together. I've talked to her a couple of times on the phone, and she seems so nice. She keeps going on and on about how happy JJ seems now, and how much we mean to him, and she really would like to meet us. She's coming up with a couple of JJ's cousins...hopefully everything will run smoothly.

"Go Charlette, it's your birthday..."

When Braden was younger, we used to go all out for his birthday. You know, ponies, clowns, circus themes, dunk tank....whatever kind of party he wanted. As he got a little older, it became pricier and pricier to have this stupid party. So, we made a deal with him. You want a big, expensive party, you can have it. But then you'll get a very small present from us due to the cost of the party. Or you can not have the party (we'd still have cake for the family) and get $100 cash. Well, Braden loves to shop (for himself) so naturally he opted for the cash. After the first year, he asked if he could have one friend over to have cake with the family. But, now he has it down to a science. He asked three kids to come over and swim yesterday, then stay for cake with the family. He didn't invite any of the neighbor kids, and I wondered why. Now I know. As soon as the neighborhood kids see extra kids here, they all come over. At one point we had about 8 kids here, plus my family. This is Braden and his friends and his cake.

(Emma, if you look closely, you can see the back of tea lady's head)
All in all it was a good day. He's officially a teenager now. The big 1 3 !Everyone gave him money, so he'll be driving me nuts all day today to go shopping, but, hey, it only happens once a year.

"It's late September and I really should be back at school"

The family reunion went surprisingly well. I saw relatives I wouldn't have recognized if they would have knocked on my door. Everyone said they were glad we decided to do it, and we should make it at least a yearly thing. There were no fights. There were no drunks. There was, however, a funny game of basketball where all the men (mid 40's to 50's) decided to play with the kids (14-21)...I thought for sure the ambulance would be needed.
We've been settling in here. JJ is getting more and more comfortable. Which is great. The honeymoon period with him and Braden is over though, as they sometimes argue. Actually, Braden argues, JJ just says, "yeah you're right", which really pisses Braden off. All in all, everything's going well.
The other day we were driving through town and a group of daycare kids was taking a walk, holding hands. "Why are they all holding hands," Braden asked. "Because it's a daycare, and they want to keep the kids together," I told him. Braden said, "Daycare? It's more like Gaycare!"
Our cell phone plan is up the end of August and we have to decide if we're going to stay with Verizon or switch to Cingular. We don't have a problem with Verizon, and Keith gets a company discount with them, but most everyone we know is Cingular, so I'm thinking all the "in network" calling would make up for the discount.
Soon it will be back to school shopping. Then, back to school itself. There's talk that our school district will be striking this fall. What am I going to do with Braden and JJ when I go back to work and they don't have school? The 18th is my first day back, and the kids supposedly start on the 28th. Please don't strike, please don't strike, please don't strike.