I could lie and say I've been way too busy to post, but I won't. I've just been tired in general and blase about everything. Can't shake it off. This is a hard time of year for me.

Thanksgiving weekend was hectic. The Friday night I went out with a bunch of moms from the school and my pseudo-boss showed up, she's super nice so I didn't mind her hanging out. Most of the moms went home early so it was just me, Hammer, and bossalady. Stumbled after 3 as far as Hammer's home and then she drove me the rest of the way. I'm sure I would have managed to weave my way to my door but I was thankful for the ride.

Saturday was almost a complete write-off due to Friday night's events - mostly because I had forgotten to eat both lunch AND dinner during the day so the booze hit me hard.

Sunday was thanksgiving at my mom's house which was ok but a little weird because my dad wasn't there - dad was in the states visiting his uncle who is dying from lung cancer. Monday was thanksgiving at the in-laws' - hip hop hooray. Did I mention they got another chihauhau? Ugh, I HATE those kind of dogs, I can't even tell you how much.

S is very upset with his brother, over the fact that his brother asked someone else to be best man - this wouldn't upset S so much were it not for the fact that 1) family is EVERYTHING to S - you just don't choose over and above them. S chose his brother for our wedding, even though he had a friend he was much closer to at the time, because his brother is his brother! 2) the dude his brother chose is an idiot and won't do half the stuff he's meant to, so S will probably end up doing it anyway 3) S has been there time and again for his brother, helping him move to his one ex's place, helping him move out of said ex's place when she royally screwed him over, in general helping his brother get a job at his workplace, helping his brother buy the god damned engagement ring because his brother is a nob with no credit thanks to buying a stupid necklace for the ex and then not paying for it for over a year. You know, little things like that. S has never asked for anything in return - in fact has never asked his brother for help before at all, but is always there in a blink of an eye when needed. So why his brother would choose someone is just incomprehensible.

S's brother has been pissing off a lot of people lately actually - my sisterinlaw is also upset with him, mostly for not asking S to be best man (doesn't make sense to her either, nor anyone else for that matter) but also because brotherinlaw has stated he won't be inviting ANY of motherinlaw's family - and sisterinlaw has been trying to point out to him that he simply can't choose like that, family is family and if he knows what's good for him he will suck it up and invite them. Brotherinlaw hates being told what to do, and he's stubborn, and has NO common sense, and in general very much takes after his mother. So it's been grand, let me tell you. Just grand.

I myself am trying very hard to keep out of all of this because there has been enough drama in this little circle of late, but unfortunately I am too close to the bone not to get chewed on this one.

In further adventures of "My In-Laws Are Driving Me To Drink", brotherinlaw has planned paintball for this Saturday, and invited S, but S isn't too keen on going because of this whole wedding business. Saturday night apparently motherinlaw planned brotherinlaw's birthday dinner (even though his birthday is Friday) so that "everyone can come". Sunday they planned a surprise birthday dinner for S's grandmother, even though her birthday is the weekend following, and even knowing that Sunday is S's and my anniversary. Considering S works afternoons this week, we can't even try to plan something for Friday night, something else that motherinlaw also knew. She also knew that S and I had planned to go to St. Catherine's with our kids to visit my friend Mickey & his wife, to visit their babies and in general hang out, go out for anniversary dinner with them. Now of course it is all for naught and I had to cancel plans with them, again, because last time we made plans with them there was some other sort of family event that was planned last minute. "Oh oops, you had plans? So sorry." This is her passive-aggressive way of messing with my head, because she knows I can't say anything, since these are family events she is planning, and I've iterated more than once that family is very important. Nonetheless. Fuck. Off. And then she calls me up last night and has the audacity to ask me to help her write her god damed book report (aka write it for her)

Blah blah blah. Let's stop talking about that. In other news, K is going to be Harry Potter for Halloween and C wants to be a witch. Easiest. Costumes. EVER.


Time to go make some tea and eat a biscotti and watch Judge Joe Brown or somesuch rot. Cheers.

Um. Yeah. No idea about the subject - just popped in my head. Maybe I am channeling someone driving to Salsolito? Who knows.

First week of school = survived. The kids are back in swing of things, I'm still catching up with filling in all the damn paperwork. Bleh. I hate that part of beginning of school.

I'm still waffling about going back on council this year. Those of you who know me, know why.

Tonight is a surprise party for some friends celebrating 10 yrs of marriage (20 years as a couple). I'm happy for them but not in the mood for it - too much drama in that friendship circle of late (none to do with the couple we are celebrating though) and I just don't want that.

Tomorrow: Pig roast for JG & M. It's supposed to be a laid-back pig roast but I think they are using subterfuge and what this really is, is a divorce party for them.

I helped my brother in law choose a ring for his girlfriend last night. I'm too tired to go into details now but I will. Soon. Whoever is reading this that knows these people - keep it under your hats.

I am tired and sore and we desperately need a new mattress because I'm tired of waking up feeling like a truck ran over me.

Ok off to get coffee and fill in sister in law on the details of yesterday's excursion.

Kids: back in school. Finally! I'm beginning to think a friend at work had an idea there, where March Break & Christmas were extended, and the summer vacation was shorter. The kids were driving each other (and ME) bonkers by summer's end this year.

There's a hint of a whisper of a rumor that they want me back on council this year - I might and I might not, it depends... it would be nice not to have to have that on my head anymore, but at the same time, I'm used to doing it by now...

My cousin V is getting married in May... in CUBA. She wants us to go but... ugh. I hate money. It really depends on if we can swing it financially. It isn't that we don't want to go, but life always has a way of sticking it to us, financially speaking. We'll see. I was talking to S about it and he's game, but also is of the same thought - we need to see if we can afford to.

I'm itching to re-vamp this blog site again. The only thing that has been holding me back (aside from lack of creative muse) is that I really really like the Lost in Translation thing. However, I almost find myself missing the "Mean Reds" one I did a while back. Hmmm.

Now I'm just posting crap without meaning, a clear sign I need to make coffee. And send the kids off to school. Ahhh.

With your feet on the air and your head on the ground 
  Try this trick and spin it, yeah 
  Your head will collapse if there's nothing in it 
  And you'll ask yourself 

    Where is my mind?
    Where is my mind?
    Where is my mind? 
    Way out in the water, see it swimming 

This just in: I have not fallen off the planet. I have just been extremely busy.

Wedding went over well, I was given many compliments no my role as MC so hurrah for that. Got to see some old friends I haven't seen in a long time, and scored some chocolate from Geneva - woo hoo! S got along famously with JD which was both hilarious and a relief. It makes things much nicer when boys get along. They bonded over food of all things, which I suppose is the typical Portuguese route.

Helped my sisinlaw make props and decorations for her workplace - they are having some sort of "stars" promotional event, so we decked the place out like an Academy Awards extravaganza. I had the brilliant idea to get some cheap Ken dolls from the dollar store and paint them gold, and prop them on stands. Voila! Instant Oscar. All of her employees are dressed up in formal wear for the event as well. It looks fantastic and she got a lot of compliments from their district manager, so she's happy happy happy.

School is in session next week - I can't wait to get back into routine. I love autumn, have I ever mentioned this? It's may most favorite of the seasons. October is my favorite month (ergo getting married in October) but in general I love the fall. The air just seems sweeter and full of promise. It is a time of new beginnings in a lot of ways, and to me it is the true mark of the beginning of a year. And school supplies. I cannot get enough of new school supplies. You thought my shoe fetish was bad - it doesn't hold a candle to the absolute need to get new school supplies. And I haven't been in school in a long long time.

Got the kids their back-to-school gear this weekend - phew. There goes all that extra money I was making doing overtime. Oh well, it is money well spent as far as I am concerned. The kids' shoe sizes multiplied over the summer. C is in a ladies' 7!!!! K is a size 4 boys which is ok by me, at least it's still easy to find shoes his size. C on the other hand - it is very hard to find something that isn't either a bajillion dollars, or comes with a six inch heel. Honest to Pete. Can't wait till winter... siiiiigh.

I should really be doing laundry right now but I'm sort of skivving off from it at the moment - there is so damn much to do around this house to set it back in order, and I'm just too tired from not sleeping enough lately. So I keep picking things up and putting them down again, wondering where to start. I realize that is a piss-poor way to make a wuss attempt at cleaning, but today I really don't care, so neener neener.

There was a mothers' get together last week that I missed - judging from the photos I missed a VERY good time. I'm sure the opportunity will come again though.

There's also something about autumn that makes me want to knit more. I have been scouring knitty & magknits to find a new project. I'm thinking about this because it is so fabulously ugly and crazy, how could I possibly not want to? Everyone should have a caution tape scarf, n'est-ce pas? I'm sorely tempted to make these for the kids as well. Who doesn't liken their kids to Thing One & Thing Two now and again?

Ok, I really must be going now. Laundry. Yes. That.

C is going through a funny stage in her life right now. She had finally started to get comfortable in her own skin, happy with friends, playful, good. Now puberty is hitting our little home fast and furious, and she's all a mess again. Singing along to Avril Lavigne (champion of the adolescent & teenage girl) and moping about. Crying at the drop of the hat one day, giddy as a 4 year old the next. Ah, me, I wasn't expecting this to happen so soon.

I can't say I'm surprised though. I've been anticipating this. It happened early to me as well, albeit in different ways and likely for different reasons.

K is such a little ham. FIL took me out with the kids last night for a belated birthday dinner for me, and K had to go to the bathroom. Against my inner hyperventilating "everyone is out to get my kids" self, I let him go on his own, with the proviso that he had "five minutes, and then I'm coming to get you if you aren't back". He took a little longer than that, so FIL went to see what was going on, and was back in 30 seconds with a proud little K. K said that there was a dude in the stall and that he told him that he only had 5 minutes or mom was coming in after him, so hurry up man. The dude apparently laughed and hurried up so that K would make it back in good time.

Tonight I'm going out with the wedding party as a pre-wedding bash of sorts, avoiding the whole bachelor/bachelorette regime. That's fine by me, and if it's fine by the bride and groom, it's all good. I feel kind of odd being invited out, since I'm only the MC for this thing, but I guess the bride and groom decided because I helped out a lot with things they wanted to include me and thank me for it. Who am I to disagree to a night out?

School is just around the corner. My good gravy. Where did the summer go???

Sunday I go out for dinner with Lola, I'm so excited!!!!

I'm not sure. But it seems to have passed quickly. My friend's wedding is in a little over 2 weeks now - I'm dying for it to be over with, but at the same time don't want it to come because it means summer is almost over.

Work has been a bit harried and they've had me come in full time the past week - they want me full time for the rest of the summer if I want it, or whatever days I am willing to work it. I don't know what to think about that. The extra coin would be good, but then again - would it?

I have to talk to S about it I guess.

Sleepy. Need a long hot bath.