And now, another installment of...The Buddy Chronicles

I hope you used your best radio announcer's voice for that title. If you didn't, go back and read it again.

Thanks. Now your mood is set.

Yesterday, Zac didn't have after-school practice, so he road the bus home. He had a science project due for today that we immediately started working on. He had to make a 3D model of a plant or animal cell. We chose plant cell; mostly because we had an available shoe box to start the project.

So we're gathering up all of the supplies--tape, wrapping paper, play-doh, modeling clay--and I walked through the kitchen and glanced up at the clock on the microwave: 3:35. Like a woman possessed, I screamed, "Oh my gosh!!!!!! I have to go get Jake!!!" And I dashed out of the house.

Buddy, not missing his opportunity at an escape while I was in a crazed state, dashed out of the house. My last words to Zac were, "Don't worry about going after him, he'll be back."

I flew to the school, speeding the ENTIRE way, so as to avoid another incident with being late like before. Yes, I would rather pay an $80 speeding ticket than give the Principal the satisfaction of me being late. Twisted, I know, but that's how I roll.

At any rate, I was NOT the last person in line. In fact, there were at least 15 more cars behind me when I got to the front. AND there were WWWAAAYYY more than 15 kids still waiting. I digress.

We made it home and Buddy was back. Not only was he back, but he brought home a friend. A cute little dog that looked exactly like Buddy, but with black and brown hair and a long, curly tail. This dog was also wearing a fur-lined hoodie that said "Fly Dog" on the back. He was dressed to go visiting. Of course, he was not wearing a collar. (Why, oh why, don't people put a collar on their animals?)

I was about to get frantic at this point because Zac had this project to do, Jake had homework, and we had this dog to figure out now. On top of all of this, since Zac's in a bit of trouble with the phone situation, I couldn't just send him out walking with this new dog to find his people. I did what I usually do; I called Tech Support. That's what I call George when I'm frantic, computer-wise, or other-wise.

While I was on the phone with Tech Support, Buddy and his friend are running around the living room playing, the kids are chasing them and hollering, and I was trying to get some advise from "Kevin" (my tech guy from India). I went over to the dogs--Buddy was trying to get frisky with the new dog (he's so friendly), broke up the love, and the new dog hunched his back over and hunkered down to poop!

I started screaming, "No, no, no!" over and over. I picked up the dog and carried him, still hunched over, to the back door and put him out. George is laughing at the pandemonium, the kids are in hysterics and I'm cleaning up poop from the floor. Luckily, it wasn't messy.

I went back outside, but the dog was gone. I guess he made it home...

I guess that's the lesson with bringing home a friend. Make sure they're house-trained, or I'll put them out.

One of the reasons I think the south (TEXAS) is GREAT

This weekend we took a whirlwind trip to Marble Falls, TX. My aunt had a retirement party for my mom and my other aunt. *Most* of the family made it. Actually, the usual suspects: Grandma, Grandpa, uncle, aunt, uncle, aunt, uncle, aunt, cousin, cousin's wife, cousin's boy, and US. My brother and his wife couldn't come because he's preoccupied with his newborn (and isn't ready to travel) and my sister and her family couldn't come because of a prior commitment.

We left about 1:00 on Friday and drove to Houston, where I had bought, on-line, tickets to High School Musical 3. MONTHS ago, we promised the boys we'd see the movie on opening night. At least that's what I keep telling myself. That Zac Efron is such a cutie, I don't need much of an excuse to watch him. The movie was great. Clean, sweet, and fun. It tied up all of the loose ends just exactly the way you'd want it. We headed on to MF and arrived around 1:00am, after a short detour to Fredricksburg (thanks, MapQuest).

I'll let the photos do the 'splainin' for why the south is great. Remember, this party was October 25th.







The Retirees


And finally, my sweet Grandma and Grandpa

My sister's going to kill me...

But this tattling is germane to what I'm about to tell you.

When my sister was about 7 or 8 years old, New Kids on the Block were at the pinnacle of their popularity. Marketing was rampant, pop-radio airplay was nauseating, and fan-love was rabid.

One of the marketing ploys they used was particularly insidious. During children's television programming, they advertised a 900 number that you could call and talk to your favorite NKOTB boy. Of course, a 7-year-old girl doesn't know about the $2.95 connection fee and the 99c/minute fee thereafter.

I think you can see where this is going...When my mom got the phone bill, it was about $800. It may have been more, or less, but you get the point. For a person whose phone bill has always hovered around $50, I can imagine the reaction.

I just lived it.

Skip forward 20 years to cell phones.

Zac has had a cell phone for about 3 years now. The first 2 years he had a Firefly phone. It only allowed the user to make and receive calls from those numbers the parents programmed into the phone. After he proved responsibility with the firefly for 2 years, Santa brought him a regular cell phone last year for Christmas.

He's been doing very well with it. He hasn't lost it, broken it, or gone crazy with minutes. Every now-and-then he'll have a $1-$2 charge for a ring-tone or accidentally activating the mobile internet.

Yesterday, Jake brought in the mail. Among the political fliers, insurance company EOB, and offers for $100,000 home-equity lines of credit was the cell phone bill. My bill usually runs between $175 and $200, depending on the number of times we call information for a number or accidental internet activations.

MY BILL YESTERDAY WAS $923.43.

I couldn't catch my breath for possibly a full 10 minutes. Zac immediately blamed a friend of his for watching YouTube videos on his phone. Upon further examination, the truth was finally told. Zac was the one watching YouTube videos on his phone.

We had the usual words about how much $1000 is: almost an entire house payment, groceries for the month, a trip to Roswell, Thanksgiving break. There was weeping and gnashing of teeth. He brought me his savings and forgave the $100 I owed him to help pay the bill.

Thinking about this after a night's sleep, (and with the perspective of knowing that George called Cingular and retroactively placed a media package on Zac's phone so all of the charges fall under the new plan) I think it's kind of sweet and funny.

He's been a different kid this morning. I woke him up and he dressed immediately, ate breakfast, brushed his teeth and took care of the dog without any prodding. I'm not so sure I want to tell him we fixed it.

Another Day

Slipping into stockings,
Stepping into shoes,
Dipping in the pocket of her raincoat.
Ah, it's just another day.

That's one of my most favorite songs ever.

It was cold and rainy today which always brings that song to mind. Perfect house-work weather. When I got finished helping out at Jacob's school, I ran a couple of errands then went home. I got a lot of laundry folded while I watched TV.

I was catching up on shows I'd recorded on the DVR and saw one recorded on October 13 which is one of my most favorite people ever's birthday. And it occurred to me that I did not call him (unless it was that day I called him in a panic over the stock market falling, and he had to talk me down, which was purely a coincidence).

Anyway, for his birthday to come and go without any fanfare of which I know, only speaks to his true, sweet humility. (As opposed to the sky-writing service I'd like to hire for my birthday announcement.) He is the most generous person I know, in all ways and is an absolute inspiration to me.

So, in lieu of a card or a phone call, Bruce gets a tribute on my blog for all the world to read. Or at least the 4 of you I know are reading...and you know who you are.

Happy Belated Birthday, Bruce.

OMG, Am I this old?

Zac informed me today that this Friday is the one-year anniversary of him "going out" with his girlfriend Katie. He wants to do something special for her...

Yikes. He's had a GIRLFRIEND for 1 year!!!!!

We're leaving to go out of town Friday afternoon, so aside from him taking a box of chocolates to his beloved, there's nothing more he can do.

X Country

No, I'm not getting ready to tell you about some hot, new alt/country band. Yesterday,we went to Walker for a cross country meet. Zac's been running with the middle school cc team last year and this year.

It was a great meet. All of the kids got to run in the Jr. High race. Usually, only the kids with the best times get to run in the JH race so that the best times will count (the top 7 in your team) and the others run with the Jr. Varsity High School race. Zac's first race this season was with the JV runners, but his times have been really good so he's been running with the JH kids. One race, he even finished 7th.

Saturday's time was 14:30 or :28 or something like that. He did a great job. I think he came in 8th on his team.

Really, though, once you laid your head down on the pillow Saturday night, had you run 2 miles? I know I didn't.


Can you find Zac in this picture?


Coming in for the finish.


Finished. And he didn't even run!

Smarty pants

The boys got their report cards this week.

Jake had all As and Zac had all As and 1 B. Even the B was almost an A.

We're very proud of our hard-working boys.