He's moved on from swashbuckling.

Ant needed supplies for his pyramid project and I had good coupons for Michael's and Joann Fabrics.  We were possibly picking up Bubba and we needed groceries.  We also had to take Chris to work because he got a tooth pulled this morning and was doped up on Vicodin.

The plans to get the garage organized completely fell through due to the sudden tooth issue.  We took Chris to the dentist this morning and had his prescription filled by noon.  We took him back home so he could rest up before work.  Ant and I hit the thrift store... okay, I have to back up.

On Wednesday, Chris and I were at my favorite thrift store and there was this huge table that came with two leaves and ten chairs.  I didn't see a price but hovered over it until a sales lady came by.  She said it was already sold so I said damn and continued shopping.  When I went up to the register I asked her how much the table went for.  $250.  Out of my price range.  She said to give it two solid days and come back on third day when they opened.  "I don't know what it is," she said, "but my customers tell me all the time that it works."  So that's what I was doing at the thrift store.

I found a table

for the right price but I couldn't fit it in the Dodge.  I had to come back to get the van but it was filled with stuff that was supposed to go to the dump or the recycling place.  We were going to do that after we straightened out the garage.  Ant and I drove over to the recycling place to find that it was closed.  We went back to the house and emptied out the van and went to get the table.

"I'm kind of excited now," he said as we left the thrift store.

"Excited about what?"

"The table," he said.

:D  Yes, me too.

We got back and Chris met us at the door to help get the table in and told me it was perfect.  He said he had Justin coming to take him to work so I decided to wait around so I could ambush Justin with my portrait project for photography.  I was waiting all day to hear from Bubba's dad (who is busy with a very serious family problem) and finally got a negative on the sleepover front.  I gathered up all the coupons and shopping lists and reusable bags and couldn't find my frickin frackin keys.  This has been my favorite thing to do lately.  We searched and searched and I FINALLY found them in my sweatshirt pocket.  Yes, the one I was wearing.  We got in the Dodge around dusk and as we drove up the street I wondered why it seemed like my headlights weren't on.  I pulled over and checked and- Oh joy!- they are both out.  I explained to Ant that sometimes the universe sends you signs that you should just stay home.  Thinking back over the evening, we realized that we had been getting many signals that seemed very clear in retrospect.  Message received, Universe- we're staying home.

So here I am writing this.  Ant went to watch a movie.  It was Warrior Something... or Blah Blah Warrior.  Whatever it was, it looked very comic book-y and kind of neat.  Maybe I will review it someday.  But in the middle of writing this, I sent the table picture here and to Dad, so he called me to talk and by the time I got off the phone, the movie was over and Ant was quiet in his room.

"What are you doing?" I called.

Ant came out of his room with a smile.  "Kung fu," he answered.

Proud and toast

I just finished the 9th lesson, I think, out of 14 in my independent study class.  I printed out the readings for the next two lessons, and I hope to knock out one of those this weekend.  I also hope to finish ALL of my portraits and read frigging Hamlet.  It is late and I am a little wrecked, but I followed my counselor's orders and put that 9th lesson to bed!  Yeah!  Got it done!  Aww, now I sound like that redneck guy.

Sheesh, so tomorrow we're supposed to help Chris in the garage, and I need to take those pictures.  That means luring people all the way out to my house, since we have a backdrop and lights set up.  I might be picking Bubba up and I need to get some groceries.  Then tomorrow night I will trying knocking out another lesson.  Karate CHOP!

Now let me stagger off to bed before I pass out on the kitchen floor.  Zzzzzz.

Do now, freak out later.

Oh my god, it's frigging November.

I went to see my counselor yesterday and started explaining where I thought the problems were.  "I'm sorry," she said.  "Did you expect to be able to balance all this?"

I thought about it.

"Yes?"

She told me that if this was normal life, we'd be working on a way to make it possible, but that this is only temporary.  This is a sprint, and I need to do whatever it takes to get it done.  Now, maybe that sounds obvious, but you know how stubborn I can be.  :D

I told her how I was sleeping better, but when I did wake up freaking out over funds, I got up and went to check the account and make a budget plan.  She reminded me that when I get all stressed out I start to organize and plan.  I looked up from the notebook I was madly scribbling in.

"But won't that help?"

She said it only serves to make me feel like I have control, and what it actually does is keep me from working on what actually needs to be done.  Planning out a homework schedule keeps me from homework and planning the budget at 5 am keeps me from sleeping.  She said I need to do the opposite of plan and let it go.  That sounds baffling but she reminded me that it's the unexpected things that redirect my course and you can't plan for those.  So from now on when I wake up in the middle of the night I'm supposed to listen to my mindfulness CD and go back to sleep or get up and do homework, not budget planning.  :D

I'm up early- not too early, but I'm not exactly awake either- because Chris set up music in our room and spastic jazz has been on all night.  Spastic jazz is not sleepy music!  Arrrrgghh!

So why am I not doing homework right now?  I'm headed that way.  Last night I worked on the independent study class and confirmed for myself again that even if I don't finish something, making progress is a very smart idea.  Today I'm going to print my broadside for Book Arts, dammit.

I'm very glad I got to hash this out with my counselor- I love that she knows me well enough to see the things I don't.  I needed a little mindset readjustment.  She also thanked/chided me for getting her into The Hunger Games series.  I haven't even gotten to the second book yet!  I read my September book on the plane on the way back from Virginia; now that it's November I need to read my October book.  The Hunger Games books go fast, so I started the second one last night after working on English homework. Soon I'll be looking for moments to steal to finish that and hopefully burn right through the last one for November's book.  Then I'll wait until school is over and read my December book after Christmas.  Slowly.  With a nice cup of tea.

Picture Blog

I cannot find a mouse and that is driving me crazy.

Here are some new house pictures.

Homework Cat!  Solo was napping on my leg.

This is the theory that nice thoughts help plants grow... and proof that Ant can write well when he wants to.

After way too long, I finally bathed Riley.  She had dreadlocks on her hips- it was terrible.  This is how grateful she was.

I heard a strange noise and asked Ant to investigate.  "She must have taken it off the table," he said.  Poor Jasmine was chewing on the packaging.  She was so excited when I got the toy free for her!

Deluxe Hairy Mask

These are at Savers- a wonderful idea for a warm Halloween costume.  It's a zippy sweatshirt/superhero costume!  The hood's a little tight for an adult, lol.  I call this my Strabismus Superhero look.

More to come...