My Michael Jacson afternoon

I am weary tonight. Yesterday I got up with my piddling shoe on--I wanted to read, fiddle on the internet, run errands, do anything but work. Today I got up with my work shoe on, determined to get lots done. It didn't quite work out that way. I spent a large chunk of the afternoon watching Michael Jackson clips on my computer
It goes back to this morning when Jacob arrived in the driveway and proudly showed me the small journal his mommy had left for him while she's out of town. He was so proud and so excited, and he gave it to me with strict instructions to take good care of it. Thinking that the coffee table is where he drops his backpack in the afternoon, I put the book there. Forgot to take Sophie into that equation.
Right. She chewed it badly and ate the sparkly pencil that went with it. I worried all day about how to tell him, knowing he'd be heartbroken. I was ready to run him to Barnes and Noble to pick out a new one.
When I told him I had bad news and mentioned the journal, he said simply, "Sophie." And I confirmed. We had tears, we had anger, we had a deep pout. No, he did not want another one--his mommy got that one from the treasure chest (not sure if that is at home or at school) and wrote a note about how much she loved him. Sophie was never ever getting a treat again. I tried to explain that Sophie by this time had no idea what she'd done, and he was not to kick, scold, any of those things. I told him I was so sorry, it was largely my fault, and I'd do anything I could to make him happier. Eyes lit up. "Anything?" "Well, within reason." "Will you pull up Michael Jackson on your computer?" So began my marathon session of watching hip-hop or whatever it is.
He finally agreed to break for homework, ice cream and sparkling cider, and TV. Then his Aunt Betty and I took him for Mexican food, and he seemed to enjoy the evening. But once home, he wouldn't be parted from his pillow and his animals, and whenever he saw Sophie he said, "You're mean."
Before he went to bed he got the mangled book and had me spell so he could write, "Sophie is mean." Wonder how long it will take him to get over this? Meantime I haven't gotten a lick of work done today except the two hours between yoga and the retirees lunch.
Tomorrow is another day.

A grandmother's saga, part II

The fun continues. This morning we went to the pediatrician. Jacob does not have impetigo.  The very pleasant doctor said it looked like bug bites to him. Thirty-five (conservative estimate) between the time I dropped him off yesterday and the time I picked hm up--and he wasn't scheduled to be outside because of the heat. Bribery: I promised him if he' be sweet, I'd get him a Happy Meal--thought I found a McDonald's fairly close to the doctor's office, but it turned out to be one inside a hospital. Didn't want to park and go in, so we ended up going way out to Jacob's house to the one on Bryant Irvin. But he was happy. Wouldn't go back to day camp and probably should have because he was sort of a nuisance (did a loving grandmother say that?) all afternoon. He needed to burn off some energy. We went for Mexican food with Aunt Betty but Jacob wasn't hungry. I was strict about nothing else all night, so about 8:30 he ate some the rest of his taco, beans and rice. Now the child is bathed, clothes are in the dryer, and he just whispered a secret to me: "I love you." Makes it all worthwhile. But the grandmother is sort of tired.
I haven't written a word all day, but I don't figure 9:30 is the time to start. Guess I'll read while those clothes dry. It's quiet and peacful--what a blessing.

The Lost is Found ... and an unexpected day

Hooray! I have found my fetish necklaces, missing for some months now. This morning, as I was dressing, I suddenly remembered that they had tangled so much in the drawer that I hung them on a hook in my closet. I looked, and sure enough, under a sweatshirt and something else, there hung my necklaces. Overjoyed. Also have a small compensation for the lost gray shirt--I ordered pajama jeans and they came with a free T-shirt. It's short-sleeved, scoop-necked, and a nice shade of gray. Not the J.Jill one I've lost but better than nothing. So now I have hope for the good gray shirt. And the yellow dishrag? Who cares!
Book signing this morning was not a success--people don't come to a funky hardware store full of old, really old and good stuff expecting to buy a book. I made one sale, just as I was leaving, to a man who hung around all morning because his wife/partner/whatever was the sales clerk, general factotum in charge. I think he did it out of pity, since she'd already bought a copy. But she gave me lots of information on the house that first inspired Skeleton in a Dead Space--and some great ideas for the fourth book. Can  you believe that--one book out and I'm already thinking about #4. The second is done, and I need to edit the third, which is complete in draft. So here I am thinking about the fourth book. Wow! What a change from two years ago.
My friend Sue and I intended to lunch at Carshon's deli today but it was closed. So we ate Mexican at Esperanza's--Sue had tortilla soup, which I should have had, but I had the enchilada platter--one chicken, one cheese, a taco and beans. Tonight I had an upscale dinner with Mary Volcansek--steak tartare but of course I sabotaged myself by eating chocolate mousse. I got to figure out this eating thing and get more disipline.
As if it would help my discipline, I came home and made "dirt pudding" for dinner tomorrow night--oreos, Cool Whip, powdered sugar, cream sheese, and milk--oh yeah, and a stick of butter. I tell myself I made it for Jacob, and I will only have a small bite.
Tomorrow is a cooking day. Haven't really been cooking in a long time, and I'm looking forward to it. But when I'm cooking, am I avoiding editing? Oh, that blasted Puritanical conscience.

Tired all day

So didn't want to do my yoga today. Every muscle, particularly in my back, felt stiff and my right hip hurt. I wondered if that was from being beaten during the night by the arms and feet of a five-year-old ton of bricks who migrates toward you in his sleep. Once when I turned him over  he nearly fell out of bed, and I had to grab him. Needless to say, my sleep was intermittent and not very satisfying. I sat at my computer about 8:45 and thought, "I could so go to sleep right now." But I had way too much to do--household chores galore and email to check and some writing I wanted to at least get started on--I bet I wrote three sentences before it was time to run to the grocery store for coffee--uncharacteristically I was completely out, not enoiugh to make one more cup) and then to pick a friend up for lunch. Got a brief nap and could feel myself ready to fall into a deep sleep when it was time to pick up Jacob. Yawned my way across the street to the school.
Jacob wants to badly to help me train Sophie, so today when we practiced walking on the leash without pulling, I let him try it and he did a darn good job. Also at one point when I was holding her and she snuck behind me, he saved me from going down. I teetered and felt that old panic that blanks out logical thought like get rid of the leash. I called out to him to hold on to me, and he was right there with both hands. So proud of him. We train in the driveway in a part made secure by the gate, so I feel safe that she won't get away if either one of us loses control.
Tonight Betty and I tried out a reincarnation of an old neighborhood Mexican restaurant--food was excellent, though the interior looks as it always had. When I mentioned to Betty I didn't much like the ambiance, she said it was because there was none. Still we shared outstanding guacamole and tilapia puffy tacos. BYOB so Betty hoofed it to the liquor store for a bottle of wine. All in all, we had fun and a good meal.
Kids, friends, and dogs fill my days in such pleasant ways, but I am not forgetting my work. I've kept up with emails today, explored a bit more trying to learn to navigate the Goodreads site, and am about to write what I'm about to make my requisite thousand words for the day.

End of a happy weekend and back to work

The house is quiet, and the girls have all taken their children home. Megan had the longest drive--to Austin--but she reported in when she was about 20 minutes from home and said it wasn't nearly as bad as coming up Friday, which took her an unbelievable five hours. Jordan, Christian, and Jacob came by just before supper to pick up leftover food--taco meat, taco shells, refried beans--all those things I don't want. We went to Joe T.'s for lunch this morning. Christian had hoped to pick up a shift but he didn't, so he got to have lunch with us. I had "the dinner"--cheese enchiladas, small tacos, cheese nachos, guacamole, rice, and beans--but I didn't eat even half of it, and I was full. Sent the tacos, all of the rice, and some of the beans home with Christian. Still by the time supper came along I already had eaten 17 of my 19 daily points, so even though I ate modestly tonight I went 7 points over my daily allottment. I have changed my weigh day from Monday to Thursday--how dumb was that to weigh on Monday, just after the weekend.
We had a good happy morning. Everyone ate Jacob's "awful waffles" and the boys played with those inevitable guns--noisy and loud. Maddie sat at the computer for a long time with Jacob in her lap showing him something that obviously interested him, and Edie made his bed so it would be all ready for him next time he comes to sleep over. I cannot say enough about how good those girls are with their cousins. This morning I heard a little activity, got up to look, and saw Edie had Jacob in the bathroom, taking off his overnight pull-up and sitting him on the potty. Shoot! I can't get him to do that when I first get up. So after that quick look, I went back to bed.
Last year I redid the guest house at some great (to me) expense, and it tickles me that no one stays in it. Of course last night, I wanted all the kids in the house--Mel said the girls could go out there and watch a movie but I really wasn't comfortable with that. They watched the movie on their mom's computer at my desk, after Maddie sweetly said they didn't want to disturb me. They didn't--I loved having them across the desk from me. They ended up sleeping in the guest room where Jacob was on his mattress on the floor, and Mel climbed into the bed later, praying she said that Jacob wouldn't wake up at five; Megan moved the air mattress (with Sawyer) into the living room, so everybody slept cramped when the guest house stayed empty.
After everyone left, I finished straightening the house--they do a good job of cleaning up--and sat at my desk. To my surprise, I jumped into an editing project on my desk and have done 50 pages. It's a book of anecdotes about the oil patch days, and I'm enjoying working on it. A free lance assignment from Texas Tech University Press, which I much appreciate. So I'm feeling good tonight about making progress on the projects on my desk.Hmmm. Tomorrow staff meeting at 8:30. Back into busy retirement.
It has rained all weekend, and we are blessing the moisture. 3.5" yesterday and who knows how much today, though now it has slowed down but everything is very wet! Central Texas, where the drought has been awful, apparently got a lot of rain too and I read that Midlothian, south and east of Fort Worth, got over 8 inches yesterday! Feast or famine.