Skywatch Friday 070116

Skywatch Friday

Ooooh, I don't think I've used someone else's blog button on a post before. 

Pretty cool!

I had the hardest time choosing my photo for Skywatch Friday!  I just got back from vacation, so I have photos out the windows of the plane, at the beach, of fighter jets & cargo planes going into / leaving the nearby US Air Force base - a huge selection!  

This was taken last week while lying on the Myrtle Beach, SC near the fishing pier.  I loved the swoopy clouds & the color of the blue.  It sort of reminds me of the ocean waves that had been rolling in. 

Home Sweet Home!

OK, we got home Monday night, but this is my first real chance to sit down and write. 

I have to break the week in Charleston down into multiple posts, or it would be crazy long.  Lots of adventures! 

Another reason that I haven't written is because I'm feeling heart-broken, anxious, and a whole lot of other emotions that make me feel like I want to cry and / or throw up.  I'm not even sure what all happened, but Miss Angela (hopefully, temporarily) moved out within the hour of us getting home from the airport.  

It's a long story that I'm not even sure how it escalated so quickly, but she & Randy got into a huge fight and she "needed to get out".  But he wouldn't let her leave the house until she had a plan.  She wasn't just wandering the streets at 10:30 at night, so he made her call one of her friends to come get her, since we took her phone and car keys.  Luckily Brittney came to get her, and agreed to keep us informed on what happened.  I wasn't surprised to hear she dropped her off at Psycho Boy's house (remember this story?) 

I didn't hear from her at all Tuesday, but she called yesterday and asked when I'd be home from work because she needed to stop by and get more work clothes.  I was happy to hear she's been spending more time at Brittney's and not at Psycho Boy's house. 

She apologized to me and said she missed me.  I miss her, too!  I even got a real hug out of her, that SHE initiated!  Normally she gives what we call flappy wing hugs.   I gave her the phone back.  I feel better now that I know she's OK and can get hold of her if I need to.  I told her she was welcome to come back anytime, but she didn't know if she could handle being around Randy.  I told her to take a few days away but she would need to come over and talk with him.  They've always clashed for some reason, probably because they're both stubborn butt-heads.  There are times I've felt like I've needed a referee shirt!  So she'll be back over this weekend. 

As extra incentive, I told her that I wasn't going to pay for her dance if she didn't live here.  Just doesn't seem fair and she got sad, but she agreed.  And sign-ups for summer classes are going on right now - they start next week!

So yeah.  All this stress, plus the knowledge that my surgery on the 11th is a real thing!  I've talked to the anesthesiologist about my medical history and also gotten pre-registered already.  I have to go for bloodwork within 3 days of the surgery and they'll be calling me on the 8th with times & locations, etc. 

Don't get me started on work!  Trying to get caught up, then ahead again since I'll probably be out 2 weeks for recovery.  And the co-worker is out 2 days next week, so I'll have to do her work......yeah.  Some things are NOT gonna get done.  Simple as that.  Unless they want to pay me a shitload of overtime!  

I need a drink. 

2 days, 7 hours, 30 minutes!

Until Miss Angela & I get on a plane heading for Charleston!  Starting to get excited!  We get there fairly early Sunday, so we'll get the car and head to Myrtle Beach for a bit - Angel wants to go just to say we've been there.  A beach is a beach to me.  Then Monday I'll dump her off with a teammate or 7 and wander off on my own to explore the lovely Magnolia Cemetery.  I'm looking forward to that!  Then Tuesday the competition begins.  I'm just hoping no hurricanes or tropical storms decide to visit while we're there!

This week has been insane!  I haven't been stressed about the trip and such, it's been work.  I'm trying to get all caught up and then plan ahead for while I'm and it's been crazy.  Then dealing with insane customers and the boss is out of town, etc. etc.  I've stayed late every day this week so far, so I made sure to email the boss to ensure overtime was approved.  I didn't mention the stuff I brought home to work on 2 nights. 

Last night I was there 2 extra hours and I was just beat.  Not sure how I even made it home!  Then I had to take a couple t-shirts to the studio on the opposite side of town to drop off to be printed.  Taco Bell / Tim Horton's for dinner brought me back to life. 

And I hate that I was so tired & ready for bed at 9:30, that I couldn't fall asleep.  And then kept waking up.  That's been happening way too much lately.  And it wasn't from Daisy finding her new toy on the kitchen table and bringing it onto the bed to play with it. 

OK, so now that I'm done whining....  the recital was wonderful, as usual.  I barely got my new camera home before having to leave for dress rehearsal, so I didn't figure out how to speed up the shutter.  I even put it on the "party" setting and couldn't get any good clear shots.  Guess I need to break down and read the manual!  I got some decent ones on my phone, but then I quit trying.   I didn't even take any at the recital, or even check in on FB!  And I forgot Angel's recital teddy bear at home.  I forgot to get her real flowers.  I totally dropped the ball.  I just sat back and enjoyed the moment!

Ballet ending pose. 

The epitome of graceful ballerina with excellent posture. 

Miss Desiree there is wearing the official recital t-shirt.  The front has boxing gloves and says Dancers Against Cancer and the back says Dance like a Beauty, Fight like a Beast.  They're teal in honor of one of the little girl's mom who is fighting ovarian cancer, and they raised money to donate to the Mayo Clinic. 

 Tap

Mid Kickline for All Stars

So I haven't begun to pack, but I have a handy-dandy notebook full of lists of things to do & to pack.  Tuesday, Angel & I went to the nail salon where I got a pedicure (and sugar scrub and hot stone massage!) and she got french tips on her fingers and we both had some much needed attention paid to our eyebrows.  The little Korean woman in there was so entertained that she came with her mom!  Most girls go in there with their friends, like she has several times. 

Studio purple!

I was surprised at the costume pieces I was able to wash.  I have her entire hiphop costume (the shirt was in the wash when I took this), jazz, her solo, All Stars, and all of tap except for the pleather vest, but even that said it was machine washable!  And I'm sure the neighbors were happy that I didn't hang her jazz line or duet costumes outside in the sun (they're the sequined ones). 

I also aired her duffle bag out so we can use it as her carry on.  Those costumes will NOT be checked!!!

Oh yeah - the shirts I took to the studio.... the owner of the studio sent out a text telling everyone that the original founder of the Applause National Talent passed away a few years ago of breast cancer, so it's now a tradition that on Saturday during Nationals, everyone wears pink and gets to go on stage for a group picture!  So we took our bright pink shirts to the studio where Terina made a deal with her printer to have the Detroit D put on the front and the studio name on the back.

I really hope at this one, they put the locations of the studios in the programs and not just their names. It's fun to see where all these studios come from!   I mean, come on!  It's Nationals - you know some of these teams have traveled some miles!

Poor Randy - how will he survive being home alone?  He'll have to take care of animals, water my flowers outside, fend for his own meals, etc, etc, etc, sigh!  He managed when he was single, guess he can survive a week or so again. 

Yawn!  I think I'm feeling sleepy, maybe I'll be able to sleep tonight!  A big load was taken off my shoulders today when I talked to the girl who does surgical scheduling for my gyn and my procedure is going to be done July 11!!  That's mine & Randy's anniversary weekend and he was supposed to be making plans for a 4 day weekend, but it'll just be cut down to 3!  I'll have to be at the hospital at 0630 Monday morning.  Its such a scary thing, because surgery, but one that I'm so happy to be having!

I don't know if I'll get to post again before we leave, but I'll be on Instagram & Snapchat & FB, etc.  

Must figure out the camera!

A moment of peace...

at least until my brain starts wandering (again!) and I think of everything I need to do / get done before we leave for Charleston a week from Sunday! 

Last Saturday I went out to my sister Laurie's to go to a fairy garden class - it wasn't really a class, but it was kind of fun to look around for the right planter, then pieces and plants to go in it.  I already have what I call a ceme-terrarium (my T post from the A-Z Challenge) and I felt this was harder, since it was so small.  It really forced me to look at scale & not get too much piled in there.   

 I fell in love with the little tent, so I started there.  

I made the mistake (OK, not really) of not having any plans, so I let myself be at Laurie's mercy.  I figured since we were already at the nursery, I'd get my annuals and flowers for the yard.  She tends to have a hard time making decisions, so I had my selection at LOT quicker than she did.  Glad they had a "Perennial Party" going on, so they had free pop & hot dogs.  

We dropped the plants & gardens off at her house, then we went to Menards.  She wanted to look for a new stove, and had 100 projects in mind.  So that took several hours there.  Then lunch.  Then it started raining.  So we went to Walmart - but that was just to grab a few necessities so it was pretty quick.  

Man - people watching at a country WalMart is primo A-1!  I swear I saw every hillbilly stereotype there.  Then we went back to her house & visited for a while, then I loaded Jack up (who loves Aunt Laurie's house and didn't want to get in the car!) and came home. 

Randy drove straight thru home from Arkansas - it took him 14 1/2 hours to get home Saturday.  He apparently had a hard time leaving his mom this time, so it helped him to know that if need be, he can get back down there in just 1 day. 

Angel had dance in the a.m. then went to the beach with Lauren.  She said they saw Psycho Boy there and he stared at her the whole time.  I don't know how he found them - there are 4 or 5 beaches at this park, so how did he know which one they were at?  Granted they both do have very distinctive cars.  All he'd have to do is cruise the parking lots until he saw one of their cars.  But still, what a creeper!  They need to go try out some the other Metro parks around here, since they both have passes to get in. 

Sunday was a lazy day.  We went out to breakfast and on the way home, we drove thru a huge downpour - but it was almost done by the time we got home!  Then the sun came out.  Then it stormed again.  It did this most of the morning!

 Angel took Jack to get his nails trimmed Monday - he was feeling pretty here!

 I truly get into my work when I paint. 

 While at Menards, I picked up some sand to mix with paint for texture.  Last night, I got the base coat on the new headstones - loving it!!  It looks quite awesome, in my opinion. 

Did you know you can stuff to scent your paint??  Glade offers paint scents.  Crazy.  

These are just cheap foam headstones.  I cut out plywood to back each one and painted that black before gluing it on.  I screwed U shaped conduit straps on the back to fit over rebar to make then stand up.  The next steps will be personalized per stone.  Some will get washed in black and drybrushed with white, some will have black details - it'll just depend on the detail on the stone. 

Hey!  I'm on Snapchat!  I added a link over on the right with the rest of my social media stuff.

I'm sort of ticked that I added an extra letter to my call-sign on my screen name, and they won't let me change it.  Oh well.  I post goofy stuff like this, nothing too earth-shattering. 

So dress rehearsal for the recital is tomorrow night!  I took a half day off work, because for some reason, I thought it started at 4 and I couldn't get her & her costumes there in time if I left work at my usual 3:30.  But it starts at 5.  It's probably a good thing, since both Angel & Sarah will be working in the morning!   Their shift ends at 3:30 but the owner of the restaurant will probably let them go early.  

I'll be going to pick up my new camera after work.  I dropped my old one on Mother's Day at the Zoo and broke the clip that keep the battery door closed.  I'm sure I probably could have gotten that replaced, and maybe I still will - so I have backup. 

That means the recital is Saturday!  I don't think we've ever had one on a Saturday so that's kind of neat.  I'm kind of cheesed that Randy will be missing it.  This is the only dance event I make him go to, so he can see what he's been paying for all year!  But it happens to be the same weekend that the Western Michigan MS-150 bike ride is, and he's done radio comms there for years.  So I guess I can forgive him.  We'll just have a movie night when the DVD comes in - and he'll get personal commentary from Angel herself!  

OMG, my mind has begun to wander.  It's already taken me over an hour and a half to write this much.  I heard the washer stop, which meant the shower curtains were done, so I had to go wipe down the bathtub so I could hang them back up.  I've had to pet Daisy.  I've had to pet Jack.  I had to go raid the fridge.  

One last thing before I call it quits (I really need to go steam some of her costumes again!) that I'm pretty excited, yet scared about.  If you want the entire story....it starts here and there's links to the follow-ups from there. Cliff-notes version.  I have both fibroid tumors and polyps in my uterus.  I've basically dealt with non-stop period since mid-January.  I even had an IUD installed in help control the gush and it lasted for 2 months, before the damn thing fell out!!!!  One of the most horrifying things I've ever seen, since it came out in a huge clot of tissue.  Thank God I was in the shower!  Sorry for the TMI, but anyhooo.  I went in Friday, the gyn checked me out (that when the polyp was discovered) and gave me the blessing for a hysterectomy!  But of course the girl who does surgical scheduling is out of the office until Tuesday.  

So they'll do the surgery laprascopically - basically 2 small incisions on each side of my stomach, then one in my belly button.  She'll cut the top connective tissue and it'll come out vaginally.  Sounds pretty straight-forward, but I'll have to stay overnight in the hospital.  And she said she'd write me a note for 6 weeks off work if I want!  But the info she gave me said 2-3 weeks and that seems more reasonable to me. There's no way in hell I could take 6 weeks off work!  

Since she only does surgery on Monday's, it looks like I won't be able to get in until July 25.  

Next week is pretty much a no-go since we leave for Charleston on the 19th.  The following 2 Monday's we'll be in Charleston.  Then there's the 4th of July.  The 11th is right after mine & Randy's anniversary, and he's making plans for a long weekend getaway.  I'm not cutting that short!  The 18th is Randy's birthday.  So that leaves the 25th.  And I conferred with my boss & 1 other person in my department at work and they're both in the office then, so that works there, too.  And Randy will be able to take off a couple days to be with me right after it's done. 

So yeah.  Actually after the morning I had today....it totally needs to come out.  I paused for a minute before I left for work this morning and changed my teal skirt at the last minute into a black one.  And I'm SO glad that I did!  It was an awful morning. Luckily, I think the problem was it was Mother Nature paying a visit & she's apparently pissed at me!  

I can't wait to say Bye Felicia!  

I'm outta here.  I'm sure there will be lots of trial photos from the new camera soon!

It was the dark of moon on the 6th of June.....

Sorry C.W. McCall - I'm liking this version today!

Looks like we got us a convoy....

Drama part II

And I'm hoping & praying that this is the final installment!  Feel free to send some good mojo our way!

So Miss Angela called me at work on Thursday, around 3pm.  I could tell she was upset when she yelled into the phone that Ronnie was a f'ing asshole.  I was like OK....this wasn't the first time I'd heard this statement.  I heard a lot of commotion and yelling & asked her if he was at our house? Since she was NOT supposed to be at his, due to her punishment from last week.  Sure enough, that's where she was.  I told her to just get in her car and leave!

So I got home shortly before 4 and this kid's car was in my driveway!  I debated whether or not to pull in behind him, but then he came storming down the driveway, got in and peeled out down the road.  So as I pulled in the driveway, I saw it was littered with stuff, so I just parked at the far end.  There was a broken picture frame, fake flowers, all sorts of stuff broken all over the place - and both glass and mirror shattered all over.  I went into the house and found more broken glass all over the kitchen & in her room & a fist shaped hole in Angel's bedroom door!  She was beyond pissed.

Apparently when she stopped at his house for whatever reason, she got a Snapchat from her friend Lauren.  Ronnie doesn't like Lauren and thought Angel shouldn't have any contact with her.  She's been friends with Lauren longer than she's known him!  So that was what set him off.  Apparently things were broken there, too but not as badly as at my house.  So the "official" breakup happened (again) but he told her he didn't want the ring back that he'd given her.  But when she left, he followed her back to our house and told her he did want it back!

So she was going to go get it from her room, but he was afraid she was going to lock him out, so he shoved his way into my house!! and proceeded into her room to grab everything he saw that he'd ever given her. So that was the stuff all over the driveway.  She took the ring & threw it across the yard.  Side note - if he truly knew her personality, he would have known that ring was NOT to her taste.  It was big & obnoxious & didn't even fit her little fingers.

He proceeded to drive back & forth in front of the house several times before parking out front.  I went out & told his was not not welcome here any more and he needed to leave.  He told me (in the loudest voice I've ever heard out of him - like a regular person's normal volume) that he was looking for his f'ing ring.  I said OK, I hope you find it soon because I will be mowing the lawn this afternoon. Then I went & called his mom.  Told her that her psycho ass kid was out in front of my house and I genuinely feared for Angel's safety.  She said kept saying she didn't know what was going on because he was just so head over heels about her, blah blah blah.  I told her he needed to get over that, because it was done and he needs to stay away from her.  She said she'd have his Dad call him.  Woo.

This was one time I was glad the metal fence post that was broken from the end of the driveway was still handy.  If he would have come back up towards the house and I felt threatened - I wouldn't have hesitated to clock him with it!

He drove back & forth a few more times and then parked again and stood at the back of his car.  I went out there again and asked why he was back.  He told me he was waiting for the police to get there.  I said great!  So I can show them what you did inside my house!!  What kind of moron causes all sorts of havoc in someone else's house, then proceeds to stand out front & call the cops??   Sheesh.

I called Randy to fill him in since he was still in Arkansas.  I barely got the basics out when the first 2 patrol cars pulled up.  A uniformed officer & a plain-clothed went to Psycho Boy out in the road and another officer and a chaplain came up the driveway to us.  I introduced myself and gave them a brief rundown of what all I'd seen, then the officer directed the rest of his questions to Angel.

Then the third car pulled up (must have been a slow day for the STPD!) and I swear everyone in the neighborhood either drove, walked or rode their bikes by.  Glad this happened before the elementary kids got home from school.  Nobody was home at the 3 houses directly across the street.  I'm thinking at least one person was home next door so I'm sure they reported the action to the rest of the family.  Mortifying.  At least we weren't the ones standing out in the road!  Anyhoo.

So the general consensus was, they both handled situations badly.  The police asked if we wanted to press charges (he was going to try to say she both assaulted him because he cut his hand when he broke her mirror in his fist and that she raped him - because she's 18 and he's 17)  Oh puh-leeze.  He's easily twice her size!  We haven't sat down to talk with Randy yet, but she has until tomorrow afternoon to turn the report in.  She heard from his friend Nate (the third party from last week's debacle) that he wasn't going to press charges on his end.  I sure hope he wasn't lying to Nate!

The officer also told her that when the police get involved with a relationship - it's over.  There's no possibility of it being mended.  I honestly think she's relieved!  I drove her to dance that evening just in case Creeper Boy was waiting around the corner for her.  And she happily was sitting there on the way, blocking his contact from all forms of social media and deleting a photos & texts.  I told her she'd been out of high school for a year now, she doesn't need to be dealing with anything related to high school - including the people who still go there (except for the girls at dance, of course!)  She's an adult and there's a whole wide world of opportunities out there!

They'd been dating for 8 or 9 months, and I swear I've tried to like the kid, for her sake.  But there was just something creepy about how quiet he was.  I've never heard him laugh & the very few times I saw him smile, it looked like it hurt him to do so.  He was inconsiderate when it came to doing things. If she talked him into doing something with us, he was on his own time frame - which meant late.  I got the impression he had less personality than an old shoe.  His mom tried to tell me its because he's painfully shy and that's why he goes to a special school half day, it's because of his social anxiety.  It could also be from her not shutting up long enough for anyone else to talk!

I still am concerned about his stability, so I will - at the minimum - get her some pepper spray.  Randy suggested self-defense classes and if need be - one of the drivers at my work is a certified firearms instructor.  I'd like for her to at least be familiar with Randy's old side-arm from when he was a constable.   Ya just never know.

After I dropped her off at dance, I went home & mowed the lawn.  We don't know for sure if he found the ring or not, so I half-heartedly looked for it while doing the front yard but it didn't immediately leap out at me.  I was really concentrating on keeping my line straight with the mower so I didn't have to make eye contact with the neighbors walking their dogs by - who I've chatted with while out walking many times, but they NEVER come down in front of our house!!

Whew.  I'm done with all this.

Gratuitous fun photos, since every post needs them!

 Daisy was rolling around playing with a hair tie.

Damn she's cute!

Jack at my sister's house, acting like Kisses is gonna get him!

I love this picture!  

Laurie & I went to Menard's yesterday to do some shopping.  We went upstairs to where the kept the boxes of lawn furniture & stuff and as soon as the elevator doors opened, we saw this guy!  I almost died laughing!  It was later when we noticed the chainsaw next to him!

An eventful Memorial Weekend

It was one of those good weekends with the smattering of bad thrown in.  

First of all - 3 day weekend - GOOD!  

Well, if I go in somewhat chronological order, it starts with a bad story.  Friday night, Angel was going to the beach and then spending the night at Lauren's house.  So Randy & I went out to dinner & wandered around a couple stores like we usually do.  We got home after dark and Randy let Jack outside - without putting him on the leash.  So of course that means there was a skunk in the yard and the Beagle nose went exactly where it shouldn't.  

Skunk - BAD

While I'm scrubbing him down, my phone buzzed - it was Angel.  I almost didn't answer because I was up to my elbows in smelly dog shampoo.  She told me she was at Ronnie's (the boyfriend) and the police were there!!  Then she put the officer on the phone!  He told me they'd been called over for a noise complaint (which I couldn't believe - noise & Ronnie would NEVER be in the same sentence) and when they showed up, they found them and another boy (all minors) happily drinking.  And could I come get her?  

So I dried off my arms and went to go get her.  The officers explained what had happened and what were we going to do with her?  I told them I'd had to confer with the hubby, but punishment would indeed happen!  They asked if I wanted her cited for MIP (minor in possession) or administer a PBT (breathalyzer).  I told them no to the citation, but I was curious about the breathalyzer.  She was standing over in the driveway, bawling her eyes out and when the officer called her over, she was hyperventilating and generally freaking out. It took her a while before she calmed down enough to be able to get her lips around the tube!  As it was, she still didn't give a good blow, but she still registered a 0.087, which is over the legal limit in Michigan!  Then they proceeded to give the test to both boys (Ronnie is 17, Nate is 15) and they blew 0.04 & 0.05, but they're both much larger than Angel is. 

Oh, by the way, Ronnie's parents were in Ohio and he was either supposed to be at his G'mas or she was supposed to be there, but neither happened.  And Nate's parents were out on the lake, but at least not too far away.  Great, huh?

So the officers told Angel to go get in my car and they proceeded to load the boys up into theirs.  They couldn't leave them there without an adult present!  Luckily Ronnie's G'ma picked him up pretty quickly, but Nate had to sit in the station for a good hour until his parents showed up. But Angel freaked out again when she saw them getting patted down and put in the patrol cars. 

Police - BAD. 

To wind up this story, Angel really only is being punished for lying about where she was.  I think the whole episode with the police got thru to her.   She has been treading on the straight & narrow with no complaints so far. 

I talked to Ronnie's mom - she said the neighbor who called is a huge asshole and they've had nothing but trouble with this guy since he moved in 3 years ago.  

Quite honestly - she's hilarious drunk!  She was sobbing that Randy was going to kill her, etc, then in the next breath, she was calm & clear and would tell some random story.  Then she'd start sobbing again about something else.  

 We had a glider fly-over.  Wooo.  Nothing screams "freedom" to me like almost mistaking them for a lawnmower 4 houses down.   

I went shopping with my sister after lunch Monday - this is the closest I'll ever get to a bathing suit bikini top!  

Successful shopping trip - GOOD!

I got some plywood cut & painted & glued on the back of a bunch of cheap foam headstones.  I just need to add the conduit hangers on the back to slide over the rebar in the ground & maybe touch up some paint. 

Halloween prep - GOOD!

My stupervisor. 

We went to Home Depot and rented a post hole digger so we could put a new post in the yard for Jack's run.  The hole was just wide enough for the head of a shovel and about 3 feet deep.  You wouldn't believe the crap that came out of that hole!  I wanted to reuse the dirt in the hole from the cherry tree so I sifted all the trash out.  A spoon, shitloads of broken glass (glasses, bottles, heavy ornate pieces, etc) bottle caps, a bunch of metal keys from cans of potted meat, nails, what looked to be 2 spent shell casings from a handgun, a whole, unbroken lightbulb (found well over 2 feet down!), batteries, fuses, a lump of melted lead - all sorts of crap. That part of the yard clearly must have been a fire pit or trash pile back in the day. 

Randy walking into the room - Timbits First

I'll have to explain this - I like to watch RuPaul's Drag Race and in the first challenge the drag queen who went on to win the crown (Bob the Drag Queen!) made a purse that showed up in every other episode until the end!  Somehow it became a thing.   I'd told Randy about it because it was funny and he did this with his box of Timbits on his own!  

#pursefirst

Monday we did our usual, met the family at the cemetery to visit Dad and then went to lunch.  For some reason we always accept the flags that the people at the cemetery hand out when you pull in.  Dad is in a niche (??  idk, I call it a file cabinet!) but there's no place to put the flag!  I brought a couple others with me that I had in the garage, but don't like how they're made.  So I put one flag on a stone near Dad, of a Marine who'd been in Vietnam and another flag on a WWII Navy guy.  Then I searched out the grave of an old friend of the family (he had no first name to me - he was Mr. Taylor.  I never even knew he had a first name til I saw his stone!) and put my last flag on his, even tho I have no idea if he'd been in the military or not. 

So the next good news is that my nephew proposed to his girlfriend!  They went to Belle Isle down on the Detroit River and it was so cute.  My sister & BIL were there and got it all on video.  

Katie will be a good addition to the family.  She is a sweetie and I think she's perfect for Jamie. 

Engagement - GOOD! 

So that's all that's going on here.  OH!  We got the schedule for Nationals!  Angel will be doing her solo Tuesday night (at like 9:30 pm!), nothing on Wednesday (the teens are doing their solos so hopefully done early) Thursday afternoon will be her duet.  Friday is the 2 small groups, tap & jazz, then Saturday is the lines & large group.  And depending on how they do, Sunday is the "Best of the Best".  So we won't know if they dance Sunday until the rest of the days happen.  

Time to go make dinner!  I was going to mow the lawn tonight, I even skipped Zumba so I could!  But luckily I checked the radar before I went & started moving lawn furniture, since it started raining about 20 minutes later and it's still coming down lightly, 2 hours later.  At least I got weeds pulled in the flowerbeds.  After dinner I'm going to repot some indoor plants. 

Randy left Sunday for Arkansas and will be back next weekend sometime.  I haven't been sleeping as well as I thought I would with him gone!  The cats haven't even been hogging the bed that badly.  

Dammit.