Staking Territory

I've driven a stake in the ground. I came home tonight and I am so tired. The whole week I've been working hard to get a bit ahead at work in preparation for my vacation. When I get off, I have had to go get Mike because his tub was being resurfaced and he couldn't bathe in his new apartment. Takes an extra 15 minutes, then I have to take him home in a few hours and then pick Jerry up at 9 p.m. We only have one car, remember.

Last night the weather was so bad they closed the "expressway" (an oxymoron here) and it took me nearly an hour to get home on the side streets. I learned something though that will help me next time but I digress.

Tonight, I had to go get Mike for him to sell blood to pay his rent but he had to go back home without doing it because he lost his cell phone and went into a small panic. We found it in the road where he got out to check his mail! So I had an hour or running after work. But he also found there is a plasma bank about three block from his house on the same street! Another bonus.

When I got home, I put a message on my voice mail. It says the standard "leave a message" stuff but I added at the end "If you are calling between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. those hours are now scheduled for my personal time and I will not accept calls or answer the phone during those hours. Please leave your name and number and I will call you back after 8 or you can call me back after 8 o'clock. Thank you."

So, we'll see how that works. I made my other son and his wife angry with me . . . again. Every time they don't get their way the get mad but suddenly, I'm ok with it. Means I don't get pestered every 15 minutes! I'm done with their Christmas. I gave them $25 each because they were hitting me up for money again and I was financially strapped this week.She called me at work to ask for it then she hung up on me when I said I didn't have it. Do you know that the only people I've ever hung up on were cursing at me? I have never been so rude in my life as to hang up on someone. I might not like what is being said but I am so thankful for a parent who taught me good manners. I started not to but I called her back and she didn't answer the phone so I left a message saying she was the rudest person I'd ever known, particularly in light of how well she was treated by this family. My son calls and starts chewing me out but with the first word I hung up on him. Well, I figured at this point they should know how that felt. He didn't like it and called back but I let it go to voice mail this time. He left a nasty message I think but I simply deleted it when I heard his voice. When I got home I took the money I'd saved for their presents and sent it to them via my husband. Merry Christmas! I've had it. I'm tired of being treated like this. I don't need anyone to pay my way!

So, the evening is mine!!! Humph, and here I sit. Actually, I've been using this time in the evenings to study and pray for an hour while Jerry is working. And the rest of the time, I think I'll be working on two novels.

I'll be back again soon. Hope you are all having a great evening. I think I am!