Coastal Comfort

11:18:55 PM EDT

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

What a crazy weekend.

First, Friday Miss T had the DARE graduation; then the DARE dance which I was informed I was helping to chaperone.

Lots of screaming kids....just yelling in each other's faces, what's up with that these days????

We left early Saturday morning to ease on down to Myrtle Beach, stopping for lunch when we got there.

Once inside, they (our staff, not the competition people) were trying to rush us all....to accommodate solo's with group awards and vicey versey.  I said NO do not rush my kid...she already is suffering lately with anxiety attacks and I will not add to it.

She did a beautiful job.  GOLD trophy and a medal on her solo .....(wishing it was REAL gold).  GOLD on the groups Saturday and PLATINUM on the production today.

What better way to spend Mother's Day for me than watching my baby dancing beautifully.....none.

Miss T and I went out to the Olive Garden Saturday night, just us.  On Sunday we met at a burger joint for a "surprise" birthday lunch for one of her dance friends.

On the way home we stopped at the Outdoor World.  We found a "Wish Pearl" Necklace kit. 

 Wish Pearl -- A Wish Waiting To Come True 

It is an actual mollusk sealed in a container of water and a necklace.  Inside the mollusk shell is a pearl of one of 5 colors.  You open the container, make a wish and open it up.  Whatever color you have is equaled to a "good luck" saying like health, or wealth.

She bought it for me.....I haven't opened it yet, I think we'll do it together - with pictures, of course. That should be real special.

Wonder what I'll wish for??????

 

 

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2:25:57 PM EDT

TGIF to me!

It is always great to have lunch with friends, truly awesome friends. 

Today was that day with my gal pal T and her hubby.  Love love love em.

I'm still struggling with a name for the photo scene.  I'm loving all your suggestions and have them saved for tossing around...it's just hard to decide.  For now I still just use my initials and year and that's ok by me.  But if I were do become famous and need a gallery.......

DUH!  Photo Scene!!

I just re-read this and DUH.  ROFLMAO!!

OK OK stop laughing at me....I'll keep thinking.  Angie I'm still liking the Photo 65 idea.

What's on tap for me this weekend?  Dance competition of course....the last one before the Nationals in June. 

We'll be in sunny Myrtle Beach (Haha Greg!) early Saturday morning and into late Sunday.  Yes, it's Mother's Day but that's OK.  I wouldn't wanna be anywhere else but with my Miss T.

I hear it's going to rain, though, I may not be able to get in my game of golf...Putt Putt that is.

Friday is the D.A.R.E graduation and dance at Miss T's school....I'll be there of course.  Just a few more days till the dreaded EOG's and then SUMMER VACATION.

WOW.....that's close!  About 3.5 more weeks.

 

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5:59:08 PM EDT

First lemme say that I'm still not sure what's in that crab hole.  I've emailed the pic to a science teacher.  Roomie says that it appears to be a large anemone that a crab has conquered for snacking on.

That's gotta be one big crab by now!  I'm just glad I wasn't digging in the sand and found it....I would have pee'd myself for sure!!

On the way home last night from dance, Miss T wanted a Subway sandwich and wanted the LO's for lunch.  So we go in and I order a foot long ham n cheese toasted with the lettuce, pickles, banana peppers, oregano and STOP!

Only put mayo and the oil/vinegar on one half please and cut it and wrap that one separately.  Yes, this is to go, thank you.

I had my eye on the 1/2 that had the mayo on it only the cashier grabbed one or the other and was shoving them into a bag as the prep guy was telling her "this is a foot long not 2 halves".

So she's shoved these in the little plastic bag and I look her dead in the eye and say "which one has the mayo?".

Get this:  she says "how should I know I didn't make them he did". 

I say "I know, and that's why I asked for them to be wrapped separately."

She rambled about how someone should tell the prep guy to write on it.......

I just stood there in a dead silent glare letting her know that I was NOT HAPPY.

(Geeesh it had the beginnings of a LISA JO story, but not quite as good.)

I'm sure by the look on my face (disgust and disdain) and the fact that I tossed down my $10 she got my point.  No, it wasn't her fault, but her cackling "how should I know" was uncalled for.

Don't I have enough of my own drama without others adding to it?

Speaking of my drama.........

Did I tell you that I was up Friday morning and out the door at 5am with Tom to head to E.City for his 9:30am court appearance? 

Attorney talked to DA and said "the cop charged him in error...he's not habitual and I have the papers proving it"....so the charges were reduced to a regular DUI and is pending the next court date of June 13th.

Yes, Friday, June 13th.

Am I letting up on him?

No friggin way!

Just today I watched as he did something....and I said "sad how no one trusts you anymore".

I had Miss T at the docs on Monday due to her panic attacks.  It's the same story of course - home drama i.e. Tom.

I called him to say "it'sthe same old story you've heard for several years now" and his reply was "OK".

OK?

OK what?

That's the same thing you said 2 yrs ago when we met with the lady counselor.

So it's NOT OK.  It never IS.  And it has to stop.

He's been sitting around reflecting on all the people he has affected......feeling the poor me's.

Credit:  Yesterday Tom called to say he wanted to go to the ABC store and drink till he fell asleep (pity party over what I said about Miss T's panic) BUT he said "I am fighting it and winning this time".

I said GREAT.

Today, same thing.....so instead of spending his last $6 on booze he went into Wendy's for a burger.  That's when I watched him till he drove away....and said

"gotta be sad that no one can trust you".

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4:44:28 PM EDT

Can someone tell me what this is?  It was in a crab hole on the beach and I thought WTH?

I'm always finding weird stuff or weird shapes.

Miss T found a "nose" rock.

 

It's fun, someone has to do it.

 

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1:28:09 PM EDT

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1:22:04 PM EDT

Dear Martha's  Perception - Martha quest to Discover the alphabet leaDs me to post a "D" picture.

Hmmmmmm, whatever shoulD it be?

I've searcheD......can't quite put a finger on any one specific "D".

Downtown Riverfront Docks in Wilmington:

Docks in Elizabeth City:

So there you have it...you choose.

Dat's all for now, folks!

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5:07:39 PM EDT

I was reading Lisa's blog Damaged Goods Three (private)today about the teenagers who committed suicide....

Because of online bullies.  Because of "fear" of reaching out to someone.  Because their "peers" started so called "rumors" about them.

What horrible heartbreak the parents and other family members must be feeling.

Looking around the funeral home, we always see a room full of people that "loved" the deceased.

Where were these loved ones?  Why did these children feel so isolated from their own family and friends?

The old song "I'd like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony" came to mind.

Why can't we all live in perfect harmony?

Do unto others as you would have them do to you?  If we'd all live by that one golden rule WOW what a difference!!

I've always told Miss T that she can come to me with ANYTHING no matter what it is or how embarrassing or silly. 

I'm the type of Mom that would jump in feet first where these bullies are and kick some bully butt.  I'm also the type of Mom to push and pull until I find out what's going on.

Wanna meet me in the parking lot?  Don't think so.

Go over to LJ's site and read today's entry.  Go home and love your children and tell them that they can always count on you no matter what!  I know I will.

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10:07:48 PM EDT

JUDGED Category

Take a Landscape photo in B & W or transform a photo into B & W.
 You can sepia tone the image, frame it, but keep in mind when framing, not to take
 away from the image. 

First photo in the entry is what will be judged in our JUDGED Category.  You may enter in both categories, but only once in each.  They also must be different photos, not the same image.
All entries need to be posted by Friday, May 2nd, 7 PM EST.

Please follow our guidelines & leave a link back to our challenge journal.  Also, leave your permalink, which the instructions are on the sidebar

Well here goes:

Gazebo

Just milling around one afternoon at the local park.  The ducks wanted to be fed and the azaleas were beginning to bloom.

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12:54:13 PM EDT

This weather is just perfect this week in my neck of the woods.  I wanna go outside and play.  I need to be home, doing something for myself.

Instead I'm stuck here in this office, with mounds of paperwork to file and process....it IS the end of the month.  I'm still a one man band at work....boss hasn't even thought about hiring any help since co-worker left for Texas in December.

Plus I have Mr Man with me.  He had a GI appointment this morning, so I am the Taxi service.

In addition to the Doc, we went over to the finance place to get the $$ for the Attorney against my car loan.  I'd rather do that than pull it from other sources.  Seemed cheaper than fees and penalties etc.  The car was 4 payments from payoff, so we basically just extended it for a year.  That's ok....it was quick and easy.  In and out in 10 minutes.

When I head out to take him home, I'll grab a bite to eat and I have to stop by boss's brother's office to help him with an accounting problem.  He really needs someone in his office 3-4 hours a day. 

Then head back HERE to grind away.  Oh yeah...I still gotta go yell at the inspections department too!

Miss T has dance pictures this week.  Monday was our longest day for pics; Tuesday was only one picture and today we get a reprieve until Thursday.

I feel like I've been running for 3 weeks......I probably have, with Miss T's dance schedule and Tom's escapades and now taxi service for both.

Where is the ME time?

Roomie has a couple new men vieing for her attention.  Maybe one of them will turn out to be "Mr Right" and she can get her life back on track.

Then I can do some serious house orgainizing.  I can concentrate on my photos and family and ME for a change. 

Can you tell I'm tired of all the drama?

I think Tom has figured that out too....he keeps apologizing and telling me he loves me.

Will he ever learn?

 

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4:15:38 PM EDT

......by attorney shopping.

I went online and found an attorney up there and Tom faxed him the info on the case and this guy wanted $5000!!!

HELLO!

So Tom spent today letting his fingers do the walking and came upon another attorney who he really liked when he talked to him.

Said "$2,000 and see you on May 2nd" - the date for the Probable Cause Hearing.  The attorney was surprised at the charges (habitual and felony) when clearly Tom did not have 3 prior DUI's....just one back in 2003.

I'm guessing the $3,000 savings will be eat up by gas and fines getting to and from Elizabeth City for this mess.

Nevertheless ........ this guy made Tom feel better about going to court.

I gotta say, last night Mr Man was a sad sack.  Reality sinking in to him......saying "I have to accept whatever happens".

True, so true. 

He's also saying that he'll probably never see his Dad again -- that's because he knows he's disappointed the family by his actions.  Of course Tom is just spouting off the "poor me's".

His Dad cancelled the family cruise.  After talking to me on Wednesday afternoon, I can just imagine him throwing his hands up, with a F*&^ it all attitude.  Now Tom is of course feeling bad about that.

Oh well, his Dad didn't have to cancel - that was his own doing.  Luckily we can get our deposit back. 

Now I'm the only thing Tom has left in this world........ sigh.

Isn't that just like a "poor me" mentality.

I know that Tom was thinking innocently that night......a couple of beer with a burger; he left out the part about the shots of vodka.  He would have never messed up meeting his old friend for anything.

Yet, that's what alcohol does to the brain.  It tells the rest of your body that you are invincible; like superman; it throws out all rationale.

I'll give Tom credit....last week he actually stopped in at a local AA place to get a list of meetings and places.  He was considering it and that means a lot!!

Moving forward.......bit by bit.

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