Giggler

Boys will be boys no matter their age...

And THAT is why you can ALWAYS be MOM whenever you need to

LOL too true!

Tonights adventure, a birthday party. in the park.
So it was great. Basically. way to much food. I got to skip rocks across the salt water.
There was a black lab trying to catch said rocks, and a noisy squirrel chattering at us from its tree. There was a hike through the trees then back over the rocks on the coastline.
It was all good until...
I got home and read my FB page. My friend who is the Mother of the birthday boy is mad she wasn't invited. She walked out on them all 2 years ago, within a month she had another man on the hook. Within 5 months she owned her own trailer and moved said man in.
Her Mother and Brothers want nothing to do with her. Her Ex husband and children want nothing to do with her. She hasn't contacted me since June. If i want something I have to call her or beg her for attention and I am sick of it.
I tried to help her mend fences with her Mom, but it didn't work. Now I am at the point I just don't care. And she has taken to FB to whine and complain about how she is treated in the mean time saying she can't stand her family. I wish she would own up to her responsibility in this whole mess too, but she keeps saying the whole situation is one everyone else made and she had nothing to do with it.
One sour note can sure ruin a perfect evening can't it?

Oh gosh, I have one like this in my family, too. Everyone around my aunt learns very quickly not to deal with her for too long, don't get too close to her.
See, it's everyone else's fault that she's so miserable. It's everyone else's (even her own sons') fault that she got abused as a child and she never got trauma therapy. It's everyone else's fault that she cannot be happy (a physical condition? I don't know ... probably a mental illness, effectively.) So of course, it is everyone else's fault that she needs to make them feel miserable, too - they're not allowed to be happy when SHE cannot be!

So. Black lab catching rocks. How is that good for its teeth?!

Its awful isn't it. The ugliness inside some people? Or how quickly they forget kindnesses? I am always in shock when someone turns on me. This is a person I tried to help out. I gave her my car. I babysat her daughter. I had her over for Sunday dinners every week. When she walked out on her husband I gave her my spare room. (That should have tipped me off but I kept hoping) She lived with me for three weeks. She ate my food, ran up my power bill, and left me with a mess. She didn't even clean anything. I was constantly doing her dishes, chasing her dog that kept running off and entertaining her daughter and cooking for her. All while doing 8 to 12 hour shifts 5 days a week.
I remember coming home at midnight one time and she says "Oh man, we had a lovely evening, My daughter and I had steaks and mashed potatoes and salad and it was so good. So nice to have a relaxing evening at home."
BUT she didn't cook me anything to eat. I was so hurt by that one. AND she left me all the dishes to wash.
When my schedule at work changed and I could no longer babysit or do dinners she said she would invite me over for a dinner on my day off. I indicated I would love to... I am still waiting on that invite and that was back in December or January.
She got a new vehicle and said she would love to take me for a ride in it. I indicated that I would love to go... Again I am still waiting on that invite.
I haven't received a message or text from her since I spoke to her back in June. I am waiting to see how long it is before she contacts me. I think the answer is never. And she is supposed to be my best friend.
So I am quickly coming to the conclusion she was using me and didn't really care about me at all.
I don't mean to whine in here but my heart is broken over losing a friend, who I apparently didn't have in the first place... It is very hurtful.

As for the lab chasing rocks. She didn't catch any. I was skipping them on the water and she was swimming toward them trying to get them. She went too deep one time and I thought for sure I would have to jump in to save her. I had to skip them down along the shore line to keep her safe. In the end I gave up because I didn't want her to drown or to get hit with a rock. She stuck with me though and wasn't even my dog. So she had a good adventure.

Yesterday work was bloody awful! A real beast of a day. I was stuck on a 12 hour shift and couldn't run away. My Supervisor called in the middle of everything and asked me if I 'thought' I needed help. WHY? In a situation where one is so busy one doesn't have time to answer the phone, why would you call that person and add more work? Why not just pop in for a moment and see? I know that sounds rude but really when you get super busy you just don't have time to field phone calls but its required that you pick them up soooo... And she knows that so calling only adds more.
I ran our ambulance crew ragged. 4 medical calls. watching them walk through my door, downtrodden and exhausted, asking the same questions I was. One of the crew came and sat with me for a bit. She was worried about my mental health... It was so sweet of her. Together we worked through our thoughts and got our head back on straight.
Not much of an adventure I'm afraid...
Today I go back to my trees. They are calming, gentle giants with a strong base to lean on... Or you know cut down and chop up to get out any lingering aggravation. I'll feel better tonight.

Maybe just get a pair of boxing gloves instead of chopping down an innocent tree?
{hugs}

Thank you (((HUGS!)))
Innocent trees? I swear they attacked me today. I have a nice welt where one branch slapped me across the eyes. I tripped my way through the branch pile and tried to fall on my tailfeathers.
But we got a load of firewood to a person in need so it was worth it.

Ah Thank you @FireLilly! I do try to make them entertaining. Often I am forgetful on these adventures. I remember one in which I forgot all the silverware and we had to eat our food with our fingers. Food that really isn't meant to be eaten with fingers, like salad. Its what I am known for.

On Monday we did two loads of firewood and then on Tuesday we hauled 3 loads. It really was a lot of work. So lets see if I can get the Monday, Tuesday adventure out...
My son, (I am unsure if I should bless or curse him at this point!) cut down a bunch of trees at my property. Than the little bugger walked away and left them lay. There was a huge one on the side of one hill. How huge? Make a circle with your arms, now widen it, and again, and again. Make the circle as wide as you can make it and you might have an idea how big this tree was. A monster really. So my friend and I decide to get it down. The first attempt and our tow straps are about 20 feet to short.
So he ordered new tow straps. Our second attempt... Well we had 3 tow straps put together with the little one able to hold/pull 10,000 pounds... It broke. The little orange strap snapped in half. 10,000 pounds? Either the strap maker lied or we have a real beast on our hands. So he ordered a new strap.
In the mean time we attempted to take the 100 foot chains out but they also were too short. Dang it!
Finally the new strap came in and we got it to the tree. I pause here for a second to explain what some may be asking...
Why didn't you cut up the tree where it lay? It was on the side of a steep incline. For those who don't cut wood, If you are able to stand next to the tree and your feet not slide out from under you, here is the danger. If you take a round from the lower side of the tree, you lighten the upper side of the tree which may slide down into you. It would be dropping like 10,000 pounds on your head. If you go to the top and take a round off of it, (which is by far the safer method) you may drop said round onto your head, or your feet may slip out from under you. It is much safer to bring the tree down to level ground and cut. (I hope that is helpful) Back to the story...
So I was below the tree frantically cutting branches as big around as my upper arm out of the way, my friend was hooking the tow straps onto the monster. When he calls it, I turn off my saw and run off the hill. I stand back about 200 feet and he gets in the truck to give it a tug. The entire tail end of the truck comes off the ground at the first jolt and jumps back into the hillside.
He does the backup and jerk several times, but she isn't budging... SO...
We turn the truck around, face it the other way, and try again. This tree is not going to win this battle. We won't allow it to. We have our stubborn on now...
A good jerk and she moves about 10 feet. YEAH! She's coming down. A jerk, and about 10 feet, and again and again and then she really starts to come down about 50 feet, right into another tree and she's wedged herself in tight.
So we turn the truck around and tug her the other way. She comes a lot easier but that pile of branches she was pushing also acted as a wedge and stopped her progress to the ground. Doh'!
10 to 15 feet to the roadway and she ain't gonna come down. So we cut the pile of branches in front of her, turn the truck around again and with one mighty jerk she's down.
Now if my kid cuts down another one like that I might have to murder him. It took us two days to cut it up and bring it out. The weight of the rounds was about 100 pounds per. My poor truck hated hauling that much weight and sat much lower than it should have.
I am pleased to say the tree will heat the house of someone in need this winter, and it won't lie on the ground and rot.
A simple wood cutting trip turned into an adventure. Just imagine our frustration, and then our stubborn natures telling an imamate object we will not allow it to win in a battle of wills. Silly us... But we did WIN!

Yesterdays Adventure: 9-21-2020
Another trip wood cutting.
So two of my very good friends went to my property on Sunday and hauled a huge pile of wood to the bottom of the hill. May the Lord forever bless them!
So my hired help and I head out there. We have a pesto stick and OJ for breakfast. and sandwiches and and pop for lunch.
Driving time to my property is 30 to 45 minutes. My radio cuts out between 10 and 15 mile so unless we talk the last 20 minutes the ride is silent.
We get to the property. load the truck which takes 15 minutes and head back to town. Super quick turn around times. We do this 5 times yesterday. That is 250 + miles of driving...
This is what it looks like...
Going out. speed limit 55. I am pushing 60.
"How was your week?" (Me)
"Fine." (Him)
"Did you do anything fun?"
"No."
"Well I ended up with 3 12 hour shifts after all my fenagling to get out of overtime."
"Oh. Not cool."
Silence for 10 minutes.
"Did you watch anything?"
"Yeah this one show. didn't like it much."
Me ????????????????????
Silence.
"We went fishing at the Lake. I found 3 lures." (Him)
"Oh nice did you catch anything?" (Me)
"Yeah."
Me:???????????????????
More silence.
By the end of the 3rd run (About 75 miles in) we are out of things to talk about. We load the truck and start back. I am frustrated as I like a little conversation but we are down to weird comments about the weather. We decide to attempt to pick up a 3rd person to help. I bribe her with food. A trip to the restaurant if we can get the last of the wood out. another 3 loads.
So we head out, We are now about 125 miles into this wood cutting trip with another 125 miles of driving to go.
"Hey entertain us?" (Me)
"Yeah we brought you along to entertain us.(Him)
"UHHHHH...OK?" (Her)
Oh dear!
"What did you do this week?" (Me)
"Nothing" (Her)
Head desk!
Did I say 250 miles... Yeah 250 miles of nothing...
Don't get me wrong, they are really good people, the salt of the earth type of people, and they did me a huge favor. These are the people who would jump into the river to save me... It's just... Yeah Just!
Ah well I guess I can't have everything!

Guess they needed to save their breath for the hauling work

You are so funny! That made me laugh.

A cassette would be a great idea except the person I bought the truck from removed the tape deck...

This adventure was a little different, it was one in which I was the only participant.
It was a no spend challenge.
Who challenged me? I did. This was a learning adventure and boy did I learn.
So the no spend challenge is to see how little money you can spend and still be happy. The recommended is for a week, building up to a year.
I choose to start with a month. I wanted a full experience without messing around.
I read the book from Amazon.com, some of it I found to be truly unbelievable. My friends, make fun of me? Never! I was shocked when some did. How could this be? I was called both silly and stupid. I was told I should write a shopping list and just stick to it. (If that had worked originally I wouldn't have tried the no spend challenge!) I was knocked down.
The thing is, these friends didn't understand I was trying to better myself. I was attempting to learn something new, I was improving. These are the same friends who tear themselves down and never grow. They just didn't have a concept of what I was attempting. To stagnate is the saddest thing to do (from my perspective anyway.)
Then there were my other friends. They understood, they encouraged and asked questions. They too wanted to learn what I was learning through my experience. They brought me food when I was at work, they brought me treats, they invited me to go places where no one would spend money. These are the ones you would walk to hell with. These are the ones you would support and encourage and cheer on when they needed it.
So what is the no spend challenge? The first thing you learn is there is a category that isn't included. Bills are not part of the no spend challenge. If you miss a bill payment you just dug a deeper hole for yourself. Perish the thought! My bills are simple. Rent, power, telephone. Out side this category I have my Amazon prime and my kindle unlimited. but I stuffed them into bills. I also have gas for the truck and the chainsaws. I also stuffed pet food into the bills category. (They shouldn't suffer because of me ever!) I also stuffed food for my hired help into the bill category. They have to be fed.
I didn't put my food into the bills category because I had 3 months worth in the house that I wanted to use up.
So did I break? Honestly? Yes. I went shopping for me 3 times. I went after chips. lol. The pretzels just weren't going to do it.
The best question is, during this adventure what did you learn?
I learned that while others are chasing outside things, better cars, better houses, newest phones, I chase food. I shop sales. Food sales. I spend hundreds on food and then I give it to those who indicate a need to me. Yup hundreds of dollars worth of food I didn't eat, given away. It is kinda my way of 'keeping up with the jones' that others never see. Well except those I helped.
Wondering where this came from, I can see echo's of my childhood. We never had food, we always had fish. When I was little I used to dream of finding anything other than fish in the freezer. Any type of meat, anything other than another meal of fish. We had pink fish and sockeye. It was plentiful. My Dad was injured and couldn't work and Mama was earning around 400 to 500 a month for her family of four.
I learned I am unable to avoid a good sale. Oh look poptarts are on sale for .99 cents. There are 3 packs in a box so 3 meals at .33 cents a piece, SOLD! It's just the way I think. I will probably never eat them, but any meal for 1.00 or less is a bargain and I buy it. (And yes I made myself eat the poptarts I have in the cupboard this month during the no spend challenge.)
So how much did I save? I am a little red faced. I saved 1,500.00. It would have been closer to $2000.00 if I hadn't spent money feeding the crew and those 3 break downs.
Will I do the no spend challenge again? Defiantly! The challenge is not to spend no money, it is to learn about how you view money by reflection. It is about learning your relationship with money and how you view it...
I think I completed this challenge and am happy with the results, what I learned about myself, and my new relationship with money.

Today was a mishap type of day for me.
You know when you first get up and can sense something is wrong? That something is hanging over your head? Yeah that wasn't me this morning
at all.
I hurried up and washed then dried my pants... I was out again and knew I needed a clean pair for work.
I got to work at 0759, I thought I was going to be late but I wasn't.
There had been a death the night before so there was going to be a ton of paperwork for me to do.
I pulled out my notebook, read the previous hours of notes from when I wasn't working, checked my email and put my lunch in the crockpot.
Then I thought, I only have 2 pages of notebook left, I should get a new one from the supply closet... This is when it happened. Disaster. I feel so stupid!
Yesterday we had technicians in the building redoing wires. There is a trap door in the supply closet that goes under the building, about 6 to 10 feet down. Someone forgot to close the door...
Yes I did, I fell into the hole and was dangling there...
Now this is what I find most interesting about this whole thing, one should ask 'how well trained are the 911 dispatchers?', my first thought wasn't the patch of liquid seeping into my jeans that may have been blood. It wasn't that I could have broken my neck. It wasn't even the intense pain shooting up my leg.
My very first thought was 'I can't get to my phones!' Here I am in my own life or death situation and all I can think about is what will happen if someone else is having an emergency I have to answer the call.
I was in the building by myself at the time so I scrambled around got ahold of the supply room door jam and levered myself back onto the floor.
My next thought was that I was happy it had happened to me and not the nighttime dispatcher who would have lain there all night.
And the thought after that one as the phone rang and I sat back down in my chair 'Da** I just lost my favorite pen down the hole!'
I have a huge bruise on my upper leg but it didn't break through all layers of skin, just took off the top one. My employer of course was deeply concerned and we took steps to right the wrong. I filled out forms and got told to go to the clinic if the pain got worse, my back started to hurt or the injury started to heat up.
Now we are working to solve the problem of that door so this won't ever happen to someone else.
I am ok, I had to work for 6 hours after it happened but I came home as soon as someone else showed up to relieve me. My leg still hurts but the pain is starting to go away.
Anyway that's my not so fun adventure today.

Eeks! I sure am glad you made it out of there! How's the leg today? And whatever else you might have hurt? Did you have someone take a look at you?

It is much better. Still a little painful if you touch it but it is going to be for a while. It looks about the color of a deep purple plum and is about two hand widths wide. Huge. My back is fine but I may have injured my shoulder in the fall when I hit. I didn't go to the clinic. I have 30 days to report if necessary though so I am ok.
It's nice to see you back. I missed you the last couple of days.

On weekends, my GF is usually hogging my time ^^ (and vice versa)

Well GF do that...

Yes Weezee I have a lot of trouble passing up sales too. Perhaps there are worse habits we could have though? And thank you. Yes you are right, I will forever look down in that room. Lesson learned!