Update.........

Ok, so it has been a long while since I have posted. But, other than being busy settling back into my house, my other excuse is, I have had nothing that I wanted to write about. If I ever had. So, I think I will make this a update post.

First, I am back home. My older son, David, was supposed to buy this house, but he decided about six months into it that he would rather live out in the country and not in town. Which is ok. BUT, he took forever and a day to move out and when he did he left the house in a sad shape. I have several holes in to patch, from doors being banged into walls. Two doors to either replace or fix. I can fix this, because I have done it before, but still.......Besides that, he decided that he did not need to pay bills...utilities, etc.....for the last three months, so I have been hit with paying the past due electric, water and cable bills. And, he has left a mess of stuff in the yard that I will be removing for weeks at least.

On the other hand, Phil, my youngest son, is doing amazingly well. He started a 'real' job three weeks ago and has already gotten two raises. People love him. People are always telling me what a fine young man he is. When he was younger, his teachers and other parents would complement me on the way he acts. He got the Best Citizen award so many times, it was a big deal when he did not get it. Sometimes, in the middle of one of his hissy fits at home I would wonder if they were talking about another child. But, I suppose he had to act out somewhere and where better than some place he felt secure.

And, I raised these two boys exactly the same. The only exception is that Phil is so much younger and was nine when his father died, which made us extremely close.

My daughters are doing well. Connie, the oldest, did not go to school this semester, so I did not go to Michigan. I will go up in May and then bring the boys back here for the summer.

Michael, my youngest daughter, is having so much fun with her son. Reese will be two in March. Michael was the lucky recipient of at least two generations of genetics, she has some of my mental problems. Like, going outside, sometimes. Sometimes we have no problem, then again..... But, she is doing good now. She told that it is just her luck to be extremely shy and have a son who talks to everyone he sees. This forces her to say hello at least.

This week alone I have 'won' six lotteries, been chosen by at least eight people in Nigeria as the one person who can help them recover an ungodly amount of money. I have started answering the emails and telling them that since I have won so much money that I cannot accept anymore, to please give it to someone else. Do people actually fall for this? I suppose the must, but good lord in heaven, why? Greed? Oh well.

Gumbo is almost completely neurotic now. Poor thing, he has had to deal with so much so far this year. First, trying to get used to pooping in snow that covered his stomach alone was so stressful that he tried every way he could to get out of it. Then, he spent the hurricane huddle against me on the couch, scared of the howling wind. When he was almost over that, we went to a friend's house to stay till we could come home. My friend has a huge yard that is full of shrubs and trees and possums and squirrels and unknown critters. Gumbo went out one evening, squealed (that is the only word for the sound he made) came running to me shivering and then refused to go out into the back yard alone again. From then on, he either went out front or I went out back with him to protect him from the grabbos. THEN, we come home and he seems to almost remember living here. My cat remembers him and rubs all over him. Gumbo does not remember her and freezes when she comes near. He does that weird thing dogs do, he gets very still, stares at me and every so often glances over at the cat. As if to say....see? see what I have to put up with?.....poor dog.

I am saving for a new car. My Nissan van has over 260,000 miles on it. It is still a good car, but I am afraid that it is going to die and leave me stranded. I love that old van. I have been so many places in it. And, I would trust it still to take me on more ramblings. I am thinking of taking a ramble over toward Natchez soon. Then, drive along the Trace for a bit. There are so many things to look at there. I also still am planning a rock hunting weekend soon. That will have to be with another car though.

So, there it is. My update.................