So much

There just seems be a lot going on lately. Yet, I spend quite a bit of my time bored off my rocker.

• I am teaching myself how to play the piano. A long time ago, I played clarinet – badly. But, it did teach me to read some music and I know the basic signs and measures. I’ve been trying to practice for 30 minutes a day. So far, I’m doing OK. But, if I stick with it, I’ll have the music for myself. And that thought makes me very happy.
• I wanted to buy a used piano from the piano store. They would have taken away my old one in trade. It was something like $60 a month for the next 2 years and it included free piano lessons for life for me and Nathan. But, he said no that we couldn’t afford it right now. That sucks. So I’m doing my best with learning on the giant piece of crap that I do have. Of course, there are people out there who don’t even HAVE a piece of crap. I should count myself lucky.
• I am going to the Orthopedic doctor on Tuesday morning. Some time in June (I don’t remember when), I was walking through the kitchen barefoot and wasn’t paying attention and slammed my foot into a chair. Yeah, the pain is the same right now as it was that first night. I think I broke something. Either that, or I have an "epic" jammed foot.
• I have submitted my resume at several different places. So far, not even a phone call. But, I think the time is right for me to move on. I’m beginning to really hate my job. I don’t like what I do anymore. I like the people, but that isn’t really a good enough reason to stay someplace. The air quality is extremely unhealthy. There is no chance I’m going to advance. I work in a cave. And the owner’s treat me like their personal servant.
• Today I finally finished the paperwork to register Kenny for Kindergarten and Evan for Pre-K. All that’s left to do is get Evan’s birth certificate. I’ll do that on Tuesday after my doctor’s appointment. Then, I’ll run to the school and drop it all off. WOOH.
• Of course, Evan won’t be going to Pre-K if he doesn’t start using the toilet. It’s an ever loving NIGHTMARE. I’m seriously sick of changing his diaper. Done with it. Completely.
• Of course that doesn’t mean I haven’t been seriously considering talking to Nathan about adopting a little girl. Probably from China. I doubt he’ll go for it. But I really want a daughter. I want that bond. I have a GREAT bond with my boys. But that mother/daughter bond is something else I want to experience. I just know that I don’t want to be pregnant EVER again. My body just can’t do it. Not with my digestive system, heart condition and broken tailbone. I CAN’T do it. C-A-N’-T. But I don’t know if Nathan would be willing to do the whole foreign adoption thing. It’s REALLY expensive. I’ve looked into it and the minimum cost is something like $7000. That’s a LOT of money.
• Speaking of money: Nathan entered a contest at our bank. And, as usual, he WON! No, he didn’t win money, but he DID win a $300 Dell Inspiron (or however you spell it) Laptop. It’s nothing fancy, but it’s something we can use. Especially since Kenny is starting "real" school now. 3 computers will be needed. That reminds me, I need to go buy a printer.
• I still really love my iPod. I use it every day at work. I listen to episodes of Bones and Gilmore Girls like they are audio books. And I also use it to play games and listen to music and books.
• I got a sock loom. I love making socks! I’ve only finished one sock so far. I work on them during my breaks at work. Right now, I’m making these great stripy socks. Photos will come when the first is finished. It’s so great. I love it.
• I’m sad about my dog getting older. She turns 9 this month (the 20th). She’s my baby. I’ve noticed lately that she sleeps a lot more. Right now, she’s passed out on the recliner next to me. It’s "her spot" now. It has been for the past couple of months. I think her sight isn’t as good either. She has trouble seeing some of the smaller "fetch" balls we have. BUT, she’s still good at playing soccer outside and chasing the cats.
• D’Artagnan is 8 this year (September 1). He’s turned into a typical grumpy old man of a cat. Likes to laze about in the sun. But you can tell he’s getting older too. His favorite thing is to just lay across the back of the couch and watch the world, or camouflage himself in my computer chair. I don’t know how many times I’ve almost sat on him lately.
• I got new glasses. I need to get them resized though because my left ear is getting GOUGED. It seriously hurts. I’m going to try to go tomorrow after work. I’m wearing my old glasses right now and I can definitely tell the difference.
• My friend, Emily, went to the Harry Potter theme park a couple of weeks ago. She brought me back this great Hufflepuff lanyard and luggage tag AND she let me have the Harry Potter store bag. It’s great! She had a wonderful vacation. I’m seriously trying to get a long weekend out there. Maybe I’ll fly down for a long weekend and sleep in a rental car or something. I’ll figure it out.
• I think my car is dying. When it has to go after stopping at a red light or stop sign, it jerks between gears like it’s really struggling to work. I really want it to last until next spring. Nathan has promised me the ENTIRE tax refund check as a down payment. It’ll really upgrade the model of car I’ll be able to get. If I can’t wait until spring, I can only have $1000 for a down-payment plus my trade in which is worth MAYBE $750. Fingers crossed. I don’t take my kids anywhere in my car, just in case. I’m going to drive it until I’m stuck on the side of the road somewhere. It only goes from my house to my office. There are plenty of safe places along the way for me to wait for a tow truck. It’s all regular small city roads. No highway or back country roads.
• I’m slowly turning my hair blond. Last weekend there was a hair disaster, but I was able to correct it before I went to work on Monday. I have to wait a couple weeks before going lighter again, but next time it should work the way I want. Oh, and then I’ll be able to put my blue streak in too. I don’t know why I want a blue streak. I just DO. If it looks totally awful, I’ll take it out before work on Monday. But if I like it, I’m keeping it. There is no rule in the handbook about hair color.

Off to bed now. It’s almost 10PM and I have to take my meds for my stomach. Wooh fun.