Monday, December 31



Please email me and let me know if this phrase gives you your hometown, okay?

Thursday, December 27

Jake and I got a lot done today. I went to the Doctor and let him know the new pain pills he has given me are working. Then, I went to a meeting. Jake waited in the other room and watched TV. When we got home, we folded and hung up clothes. I got my closet cleaned out. Now every closet in the house is clean!!! That is a miracle!

I am going to finish off this laundry tomorrow morning, have lunch with my sponsor, and then try to get the girls' room painted. We are going to paint it as lavendar color. It needs it really badly and I am looking forward to having it DONE!

I can't believe how many clothes these kids have when you can actually find them!! They have some nice clothes too, and they are going to start wearing them. I even have some decent things myself.

I really want to go see that movie "Ali", but it's too cold to go to the drive in and I can't take ALL these kids to the walk in theater. Not only that it costs so much more to go to a walk in.

Leroy is out working on his old truck. He bought a new one (don't ask me how we are going to make the payments), and he is going to sell his old one, but has to tune it up or whatever first.

Well, one more cigarette and I am off to bed!!
Doc Visit

It got really cold last night and we brought the rabbit in and let it sleep in the bathtub. We let Molly the dog in too.

Today I have to go to the Doctor.

Jake is still tripping about his (x) girlfriend and wants to call her all the time. I have had to ground him from the phone to get him to quit messing with her.

Wednesday, December 26

The day after.....

Well, of course Christmas totally wore me out!!! What a day! The kids liked their stuff though. Jamila liked her Diva doll best, Jacob liked his SouthPole clothes, Georgie liked his Play Station game, Lee Lee liked her Bop It, and Destiny her Barney tape.

Jake and his girl friend Anna have broken up. It really messed with him at first, but he is going to be okay. I thank God I have Leroy to talk to him about stuff like that. I am really not that good at it.

I am off until January 7th! Is that great or what?!?!?!?!

Sunday, December 23

STOP the Hate!
I am so proud of myself

You would not believe the work I got done yesterday. I did all the girls and Georges rooms' dresser drawers and closets. Jake got all the yard raked, but the leaves have to picked up. Still it was a huge job!!!

Today I would like to get Leroy and my drawers and closet done. The new pain pills the Doc gave me seem to be working....I am actually able to function.

Jake's Big Brother is coming to take Jake to a Bucaneer's game today. Him, his wife, and baby son live in Jacksonville, FL. He is a doctor. When Jake was 7 years old, I signed him up for the Big Brothers program and he still has a great relationship with him.

My Dad and his wife are coming over today too! I am really looking forward to that.

Saturday, December 22

Okay........I finally going to get started on the girl's drawers.
Good Mornin'

Just a few more days before Christmas. I have tons to do, but I'm gonna take it slow.

I have not heard from Joy. She was suppose to have the baby over a week ago, and I have not heard a thing. I'm starting to get worried.

Thursday, December 20

Okay where are my archives?
I have had some very hard times lately with my treatment. I was taking tons of pills, but I needed them and they didn't work well anyway. Finally, I called the Doc yesterday and he is having me come in to get some new pills. A time released version. Hope that works out better.

Leroy has traded in our car on a new truck, now we are going to get his old truck back together and sell it. The payments are almost 200 dollars a month more, but it takes us down to 2 vehicles and now I won't have that old ugly truck right in the middle of my yard anymore. He did it without me because I never would have done it.

Well AGAIN, I have spent a quadtrillion dollars on Christamas. Jake got a ton of the kind of clothes he likes. And I believe the other kids made out well too!

I am teaching my noncustodial parents this week. A great bunch of guys. I am so proud of them! This is the last class of it's kind. It is class number 20 and they truly are special.

I only have a few more things to pick up for Christmas. Only my Dad and his wife, and Jake's girlfriend Anna left, oh yeah...my friend Lillie!

Wednesday, December 19

When I take the time to write, I have a ton of stuff to say!!

Monday, December 17

Busy, busy

I haven't had the opportunity to write much here. In between the holidays, the kids, the job, Leroy's side job, household stuff, etc., it has been all I can do to keep up!

I have a new computer at work with Windows XP. It's GREAT!!

Friday, December 14

A friend of mine sent this to Leroy....LOLOLOLOL

"Leroy, THE GOLD-TOOTH REINDEER"... SING IT!!!!

Leroy the GOLD TOOTHED reindeer
had a very NAPPY fro
and if you ever saw him,
he was at the LIQUOR sto'

All of Leroy's 'homeboys'
use to PLAYA HATE his 'game'
but they can't mess w/ Leroy..
'cause' he got a big OLE thang!

Then one smoggy CHRISTMAS day
SANTA came to say,
"Leroy...have you seen my sleigh?"
I know you had it the OTHER day!

So Leroy BROKE out runnin'
and SANTA pulled out his 'nine'
and SANTA shot poor Leroy
DEAD in his black behind....

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!!

Thursday, December 13

House Cleaner

I actually have someone working five hours in my house today to help get it clean. I think I may have to get more hired help or I will not be able to continue to work. I can't do it all anymore, and I have to work.

I had my wedding ring maintenance and cleaning done by a friend in AA today, and he did a lovely job! I am going to continue to use him.

I hope you have seen the link to the new picture page I did for my trip to West Virginia and the training. It's down there a couple of days ago. Check it out and let me know what you think.

I'm still waiting for somebody to ask me for my sweet potatoe pie recipe. I may put it on my recipe page if I have enough energy this weekend LOLOLOL.

Wednesday, December 12

Am I pooped yet?
Haven't been here much

I haven't had a chance to write much here lately. I am trying to get a lot of stuff cleared up at work. I have to teach a class all next week, and then I will be on vacation for two weeks. I really need to get things done before Friday. Plus we have a new computer lab for the clients here, and there is no one else to install software.

Well, let me get to work!

Tuesday, December 11

Day in, Day out

Just a quick note...............life is so crazy here. Molly (the puppy) is visiting in the house this morning and it makes it more uproarous than it already is. I am barely moving and I might have to kill a kid or two to get them to put their shoes on. I had a rough night last night.

Ah well......life goes on.........

Sunday, December 9

Points of Light Foundation
This is the beginning of the Leadership Training web page I told folks I was going to do!!!
Life Changing Experience

The service leadership training I have just completed was unlike anything I have ever experienced before. It was not what I expected and the results were much more than I could have imagined.

We all took a Myers Briggs test thingy. Later I will look that up and put a link here. I found out that I was a ESFJ. I will describe that later as well. I want to mention a few things though first thing this morning.

First of all, I have been to tons of conferences and trainings. This is the first one I went to as a sober person. It made a big difference. No hang overs, etc. was great, but the location of the training at "The Woods" in West Virginia was the so AWESOME it is hard to describe. I put a link here before I left and I would HIGHLY recommend anyone going there for a vacation, scheduling a training there, or a personal retreat. My room's tub was a jacuzzi and I had a fireplace in my room. The air was fresh and full of pine in the evenings. The food was excellent and the staff wonderful. If you call there, ask for Mary. She even got me some free homemade apple butter!

The training itself included a lot of cultural competence and made me aware of lots of things I am now working on improving. One thing in particular.......I have always had "no problem" with gay folks, but did not want my own children to have those inclinations. I now think it important to say that I hope my children find their soul mate and if that persons is the same sex as them, or anything else..........I would be happy for them. I want them to be happy like I am. Leroy is my soul mate, and I hope they each find theirs.

I cannot explain everything in one entry here, but I will say that a whole group of people merged in West Virginia this week. I will NEVER forget it!

Saturday, December 8

I'm back

I am too tired to tell much about the trip but I will say, it was totally awesome. It was a life changing experience I will never forget as long as I live. I have pictures to be developed and stuff to be scanned and I will make a whole page about it at homestead.com. Now I am going to lay down. Tomorrow I have week's worth of snail mail to go through. Just wait 'til I tell you how great this trip was!!!!1

Monday, December 3

Ready to Go

It's not yet 5 a.m.. My flight doesn't leave TIA until 8:45, but of course, I need to get there early. Leroy has to be to work too, and he has to drop me off.

I'll let you know what it is like a WHOLE week without Internet access when I get back!!!

God is love, and all is well.

Sunday, December 2

I will be at The Woods Resort for the next week.
Clothes Packed

Alrighty, got that done. Dinner is almost ready. Jake is making corn bread. Leroy almost have the has the outside lights up. George has NOT been good. He whines too much. The girls are taking a bath and washing their hair. Destiny is asleep.

Leroy's brother, Dwight, has gotten out of jail and is now in a drug program. I went and got him some clothes. A couple of pairs of pants, a shirt, a flannel, heavy shirt, and a pair of Reebok shoes. I also got him underware and undershirts, but not socks. I forgot socks.

My sister, Sherry, called today. While she was on the phone, I hollered at Jake and she was telling me not to yell. Kind of pissed me off, but I didn't say anything. I yell at my kids. Actually, my normal tone of voice is almost yelling LOLOLOLOL. She reminded me of my mother right before she died. Had yelled all her life, and then, all of a sudden, got extremely weird about it.

My mother died in December. It was six years ago. I miss her.
Tree

Well the Christamas Tree is UP!!! I still have to pack. Leroy is putting the lights on outside. I am making stew beef and potatoes, whether it is good for me or not! We still have to get that livingroom picked back up and I have to peel potatoes. Jake has to find my causual warm clothes for my trip.

I need to go to be early!
Okay

I have tons of stuff to do. We are gonna decorate the Christmas tree today, and put the lights outside. I have to pack and prepare for a week long trip, and I wanna cook a good meal for the kids. I have to get someone to do my girls' hair while I am gone. Leroy will NEVER be able to handle it. Busy, busy, busy
Tree Top Angel


Not long ago, far away, Santa was getting ready for his annual
trip, but there were problems everywhere. Four of his elves got
sick, and the trainee elves did not produce the toys as fast as
the regular ones, so Santa was beginning to feel the pressure of
being behind schedule.

Then, Mrs. Claus told Santa that her Mom was coming to visit.
This stressed Santa even more. When he went to harness the
reindeer, he found that three of them were about to give birth
and two had jumped the fence and were out, heaven knows where
they went. More stress! Then when he began to load the sleigh,
one of the floorboards broke, and the toy bag fell to the ground
and scattered the toys.

Totally frustrated, Santa went into the house for a cup of coffee,
with a shot of brandy. But, when he went to the cupboard, he
found the elves had hit the liquor, and there was nothing to drink.
In his frustration, he dropped the coffee pot and it broke into
hundreds of little pieces all over the kitchen floor. He went to
get the broom, and found that mice had eaten the straw it was
made from.

Just then the doorbell rang and Santa cursed a bit on his way to
the door. He opened the door, and there was a little angel, with
a great big Christmas tree. The angel asked: "Where would you
like to put this tree, fat man?"

And that, my friend, is how the little angel came to be perched
on top of the Christmas tree!
HepCnet, Hepatitis C information support and resources, Hep C support
Sleep

The Doc gave me some meds for pain and sleep. I'm just getting used to them. I took two pain pills (about 9 a.m.) before I went Christmas shopping (AGAIN) yesterday. Did okay, came home about 2:30, took a couple of more after all that walking and junk. Went to sleep, woke up about 8:30 p.m. Then, I was afraid I would not be able to go to sleep, so I took a sleeping pill. I'm up now, but have made up my mind, I don't need all those extra pills. When it says "as needed". I think I can wait until they are needed.

I bought a fake tree this year. It's going to look nice. Jake is wrapping all the presents, and I plan on having most of that stuff done before I go to the airport in the morning.

In the mean time...............I NEED A CUP OF COFFEE!!!

Saturday, December 1

Craziness

I taught a job readiness training for the local "Pregnant Woman Needs Help" house here in Tampa for the last couple of days. It was wonderful but exhausting. I have had a rough couple of days but am making it through.

I will be out of town from the 3rd of December until the 8th. In West Virginia on a business training trip, so I will not be posting. No computer access. If you want to read some stuff, go to May......and read through June. That's when I went to Jail LOLOLOLOLOL, and decided to get sober. God is good, isn't he.

Well, I am going to meet Jeri (Jake's girlfriends mother) at J.C. Penney's. I have to buy my brother in law Dwight some clothes. He just got out of Jail and is in a drug program. I want to make sure he has what he need. Have to get the grandkids a couple of little toys too!