It's been a long time since I rock and rolled...

And it's also been a long time since I blogged.

Life, you know. It has a nasty habit of happening while you're making other plans.

The summer was hectic. Maddy was home with me daily, despite my almost-daily migraines. This meant lots of playing with really loud toys, lots of singing songs and telling stories and reading books, and lots of crying quietly in the bathroom for Mom. I also wore my sunglasses in the house for most of the summer, of course.

Just recently, it's finally cooled down a bit and started raining again. I love the thought of Fall coming soon, even though I know in my heart we are likely to have at least another week or two of blistering temps before it actually arrives. I just can't wait to get out my pumpkins and put up a Harvest wreath. I really hope that Sandy has her Halloween party this year ~ Maddy has THE cutest witch costume in the history of, well, ever ~ and she simply MUST wear it to a party.

Buddy is doing quite well, although he's still have trouble housetraining. Stubborn damned dog. I know this about mini dachshunds, of course; they all think they run the house, and can pee wherever and whenever they want, but I had conveniently forgotten it. That's what happens when you wait 16 years between puppies! lol He's starting to get the hang of it, though, and I had the carpets cleaned yesterday, so my house no longer stinks of boy puppy pee. (Blick! Such a nasty smell!) I could see the cleaner's nose wrinkling when he walked in. We had him out a couple of times last year, after Gretchen's final illness, and he had the exact same look on his face. I think he must be a cat person. lol

Madalyn was sick all week last week. One of the 10-fingered carrier monkeys at school infected her with a nasty head cold. I swear, she stays well as long as she stays home. Let her go to school for more than a few weeks, though, and it's snot city at my house. She actually has a bruise on her chin from asking for more medicine. Poor little doll. She was feeling much better today, though, and I think school will resume for her on Monday. Yippee!

DH is going out of town on a job next Monday. He was supposed to leave tomorrow, but they pushed it out a week. Thank God! I was dreading spending 9/11 alone. Well, with Maddy, of course, but she's really a lousy conversationalist. What I want more than anything for Monday is for nothing bad to happen, and for my family to be safe, and all together in one room. I pray I get my wish.

My SIL called today. Dearest MIL is having her gall bladder out sometime in the next couple of weeks. She's been really ill since last Saturday, and finally went in for an u/s on Friday. Her favorite surgeon is out of town, though, hence the wait. I pray it's an easy surgery and she recovers completely. She and SIL are supposed to be here in November for Maddy's 10th birthday and T'giving. We're so excited about their trip, but we have to get past this worrisome surgery first.

Me? I'm the same as always. Sick. In Pain, with a capital P. But still pluggin' along. Or maybe ploddin' along, depending on who you ask!

I got my feelings pretty seriously hurt at my parenting site yesterday, but I'm not dwelling on it. (Trying not to dwell on it?) I just unsubbed from the board where it happened, and I'm moving along. It's so hard to fit in with catty women. Even if you've known them for years, one person can turn the tide of public opinion about you in an instant.

I stewed over it some last night, but when I woke up this morning, I realized that it just isn't worth my emotional health to worry about them. I love to scrapbook, and for me it's usually a solitary occupation anyway. I don't care what they think of me, so why did I let it keep me up last night? Silly. Just silly. Anyway, I'm moving along. I can still enjoy my other boards...so far...and if this kind of thing keeps happening over there (and it's happened now several times in the last couple of years) I may just have to give up and move on. I must admit, it would feel really strange to leave after all this time (8 years, people!), but if that's what it takes to keep my mind and emotions in check, then that's what it takes.

Time to change my sleeping princess and crawl into bed.

*yawn*