I met with Joe today. He said that he and Larry had a talk this morning. He thinks (and so do I) that this is probably the first time ever that Larry’s had to stop and really take a look and evaluate his life and the decisions he’s made. He’s (Larry) feeling pretty beat up right now since my email and Battmom’s phone calls to all the parents. One thing Larry did tell Joe that hurt my feelings, was that he felt I was trying to take down his battalion while Battmom was trying to keep it together. I’m not trying to destroy or tear down his battalion … he’s doing a good enough job of that himself. He certainly doesn’t need my help. Joe corrected him on that, thank you. Besides, Larry also said that I never did much to contribute in the way of help to the orienteering team, too. Joe corrected him on that. That also hurt my feelings. It’s true that I don’t go on many of the trips. I think I’ve probably only been to 3 or maybe 4 in 10 years. But camping out in a tent just isn’t my thing. Also, I don’t think Larry has any right to say that I’ve never contributed or sacrificed for orienteering. I’ve contributed a lot but it’s been behind the scenes. You know summer of 2003 was mine and Mike’s 25th wedding anniversary but we didn’t do anything special because that’s the summer we sent Erica to Europe with the orienteering team. We had no money left to celebrate our anniversary with. Maybe celebrating an event like that isn’t a big deal to a man, but to a woman, it’s a big deal. So I feel that I sacrificed plenty for the orienteering team. I’m sure Larry doesn’t see it that way.

This afternoon he was griping at the orienteering class about the fact that they haven’t been cleaning up the kitchen after themselves and taking care of their laundry. (The ROTC building has showers, a kitchen, and washer and dryer.) He had to do it, he said. So while he and Joe were locked in Joe’s office completing some paperwork the school needs, I slipped into the kitchen and cleaned it up. I cleaned counter tops, cabinets, washed dishes, cleaned the toaster oven, both microwave ovens, and opened up and put up boxes of paper goods that were just sitting around in half empty boxes. I folded a load of clothes that finished while I was cleaning. I had 3 different cadets come back there and ask me why I was doing that. They said, “You don’t have to do this, Momma U.” But I told them I wanted to do it and to please not tell Major I was doing it. I guess they found that unusual or something, I don’t know, because when I got home with Erica, one of the cadets had been there and left me a dozen pink roses and a “thank you” card. I won’t tell you the cadet’s name because that’s not important. But it really touched my heart.

That was nice, wasn’t it?

I got a call this evening from Joe (Sergeant). I’m going to meet with him tomorrow about the issues I have with Larry (Major). Joe talked with Erica privately this morning before school about how she feels. Erica said she cried during part of her meeting with Joe. I know he’s concerned about her. She’s like a daughter to him. And she cares a great deal for him, too. I’ll keep you all posted as to how my meeting with him goes tomorrow.

Sara,

I am tired of fighting the kids and parents. From now on the kids can attend whatever meets they want to with no penalty.

Major V

I thought I’d paste my email to the Major so you all could read it.

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I just got through talking with Erica about all the orienteering stuff that you all have been discussing the past few days … homecoming conflict, etc. And I don’t mind telling you that right now I’m more than a little ticked off about all this. I’m sparing you a visit from me in person because your time is valuable and so is mine. That’s why I’m emailing you. And I’m sure you’ll either email me back or catch me next time I’m in the building to let me know how you feel. That’s fine.But I’m going to have my say anyway.

Maybe I need to let you know how Erica is feeling these days. Forget the Sara Austin crap. That’s history. But she’s really put out with you and the ROTC program right now and it has nothing to do with a “social life” regardless of what you might say. I could count on at least one hand how many times since school started that I’ve heard Erica say she’s ready to throw in the towel. I’m serious about this. She’s going to say bye-bye to you one of these days if things don’t change.That’ll break my heart because she’s put in a lot of blood, sweat and tears since she was in 7th grade for this program. Apparently nobody seems to notice that.

It just occurred to me that maybe you don’t realize that your attitude sets the mood for the kids. You tell them you don’t care if they fail or succeed … so they quit trying. You tell them their social life is more important to them than orienteering … so they decide that maybe orienteering isn’t worth it. You tell Erica that colleges frown on people who sign up for the SAT at the last minute … give me a break here! You say if they don’t attend a meet the weekend of Erica Moreno’s quincenera (that, by the way, has been planned since March of 2004, long before the orienteering schedules were officially out … which I believe is August??? Hello???) that they’ll be kicked off the team … okay. Go ahead and kick her off. She’s an NTOA and ALTOS member. She can compete in any orienteering meet she wants to and she doesn’t need your orienteering team to do it. Stop and think a minute … would you appreciate your child’s teacher having an attitude like you’re exhibiting to these kids? You’re supposed to be a role model and when you’re at school in the capacity of a teacher, you need to put any personal problems you have to the side. Otherwise you need to quit your
job.

I’m sorry to be so blunt with you over this but I’ve about had all I can take. It’s hard enough raising a teenager without outside influences like your attitude, getting in the way. Stop and think about what you’re doing before you make it any worse….PLEASE.

Sara

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Would you like to hear more about the “soap opera” going on in ROTC at the high school? Well, let me tell you about a can of worms I opened up and about another parent who also opened her own can of worms. Neither of us knew the other was doing anything.

Major (Larry) made a big deal out of the fact that the kids finally have one year that Homecoming doesn’t conflict with a scheduled orienteering meet and they’ve chosen to go to Homecoming rather than select another orienteering meet they could go to instead. He also made a big deal out of the fact that one of the girls in ROTC planned her Quincenera … and invited most of the orienteering team to participate in it … on a weekend of a meet. Nevermind the fact that the Quincenera was planned back in March and the orienteering schedule didn’t come out until AUGUST. And it’s not like you can just change the dates for a Quincenera … I mean, that’s a BIG deal in the Hispanic culture … almost as serious as a wedding. So he “threatened” to kick anyone off the team who put their social life ahead of orienteering.

Well that really REALLY made me angry and I sent him an email last night giving him my 2 cents worth on the matter. I basically told him that if he wanted to kick Erica off the team for going to Homecoming, go ahead and do it. After all (I pointed out to him), she’s a member of 3 orienteering clubs and can orienteer whether she’s on his team or not. I don’t think that set well with him … Then when you add what the other parent did by calling parents and rallying them together to protect our kids … well, I don’t need to tell you that he’s plenty mad at all of us. He sent me an email this morning and said he was throwing in the towel … he was tired of fighting the parents …

Now I’m angry because he’s trying to put all the blame on the kids and their parents when he’s the one who hasn’t been exhibiting leadership skills like he should. He just doesn’t seem to get it. Parents have been telling him for the last year that he needs to step up and be the leader he’s PAID to be. I mean, what do you expect from the kids when you tell them you really don’t care anymore whether they succeed or fail? Logical answer tells me that if you don’t care whether they succeed, they won’t either and they’ll fail. What do you expect from the kids when you tell them that you think their social life is more important to them than orienteering? Well, they might just decide that you’re right and that they’re social life IS more important. See where I’m going with this?

Anhyway, I titled this website the “Whine Bar” and I guess I’ve whined enough for now. Talk to you later.

My friend Ramona called me this morning. She still works for the City of La Porte. Anyway, she ran into a mutual friend of ours at the grocery store the other night. Cindy (our friend) was one of the people that the City fired in their “cleaning house” phase when I lost my job. Cindy found another job within a couple of weeks, though … working for the City of Baytown. I suspected all along that Cindy didn’t list the real reason for leaving the City of La Porte when she filled out her application with Baytown. I think she put she left for “personal reasons” or something like that. Well, Ramona told me that Cindy said something the other night that made her believe Cindy had been fired from Baytown, too. So Ramona is going to call Cindy at home tonight and find out the scoop. If Cindy did get fired then it was probably because she lied on her job application.

You see, that’s been one of the problems with me finding a job. I’m not going to lie on my application when asked if I’ve ever been dismissed from a job … I mean, if you lie and get caught that’s automatic grounds for termination. But the minute you put down that you were fired from your previous job, they don’t even consider your application. And it’s even worse because they ask you WHY you were fired and if it’s okay to CONTACT your former employer. Okay, I mean, I’ve tried to be creative when listing why I was fired. I’ve used words like “change of management” … which is pretty much the truth. I figure if I get lucky and actually get an interview, I can elaborate then because you know they’ll be asking for an explanation. But I never give my permission to contact the City of La Porte because I know they’d give me a bad reference. That’s a red flag to them right there and you never get passed the point of submitting your application.

That’s what really makes me angry. If I lie on my application I stand a good chance of getting a job. But if I do what’s right and tell the truth, then I don’t get the job. I’m being punished for being honest.

Well Erica’s orienteering meet was cancelled due to the “remnants of Hurricane Ivan.” They were supposed to go to Shreveport yesterday. That’s why they were going to lock in at the ROTC building. Needless to say, about 11:30 Friday night, she called and said it had been cancelled. So she came home … along with Melissa, Kristin, Chad, Victor and John. The boys camped out in the living room (obviously they weren’t going to sleep in the girls’ room!). They had their sleeping bags and pillows anyway because they had been planning to lock in with the rest of the team at the ROTC building. I got rid of all the boys as soon as I could yesterday morning … but they kept hanging around like they were hungry … hah! … so Mike said go to the store and buy a box of those sausage biscuits that you can nuke in the microwave. That’s what I did and after they ate, they left. Imagine that!

Today my headache is back. Too bad Dr. Williamson can’t do his acupuncture thing on me today. I really think it’s the upcoming change in the weather. I heard on the news this morning that we might have our actual first cold front by the end of the week. Those type of weather changes always make my head crazy.

Tonight is Gringo’s night with Jim and Janet. We’ve been meeting there for dinner on Sunday nights for a couple of years now. I can only think of maybe a handful of times that we haven’t met and those were mostly during the holiday season when we were all going our separate ways anyway. With my head hurting like it does, I really don’t want anything to eat. I might just get a bowl of tortilla soup or a salad.

Gotta go. Hopefully the tylenol and motrin will kick in before too long. What I really need is something stronger … like vicadin or something!

Sounds horrible, doesn’t it? Intersegmental traction. Well, that’s the name of the thing I was trying to describe to you in an earlier post when I was telling about my chiropractor …. the table with an opening down the middle … rollers that massage your back … remember? It feels wonderful actually. And the other thing I have done at my doctor visits is called TEM … that’s the electrode stuff that sends pulses of electricity to the muscles in my back. Also feels wonderful.

Today I had another appointment with Dr. Williamson. When I got there I had a headache … I had it when I woke up this morning. Here it was, 8:15 am, I’m at the doctor’s office and he asks me how I’m feeling. “Got a splitting headache,” I say to him. So after he asks me a few questions and makes me turn my head all sorts of different directions, he asks me specifically what part of my head is hurting. I told him, and he did acupuncture on my head … yes, on my head! (Boy was I glad I had washed and dried my hair this morning!) By the time he was finished, my headache was gone and it hasn’t returned either. By the way, acupuncture doesn’t hurt either in case you’re wondering.

Erica is “locking in” at the ROTC building tonight. They have an orienteering meet in Shreveport tomorrow. Mike will go along but is sleeping at home. He’ll meet them up at the ROTC building about 2:00 am. I imagine they’ll be home late tomorrow night. That means Beth and I have all day to ourselves. We might just decide to get out of the house awhile. Who knows? Well, goodnight ya’ll. Talk to you later.

Just thought I’d clear up my previous post. My sister emailed me wondering if Terri was really someone I knew or if it was just a nice story I had passed along. It was then I realized that I hadn’t made that clear in my posting. So yes, Terri was a real person and although she was only a member of our church for a short while, she touched a lot of lives with her courage. She’ll be missed by many.

“I will lead the blind down a new path, guiding them along an unfamiliar way. I will make the darkness bright before them and smooth out the road ahead of them. Yes, I will indeed do these things. I will not forsake them.” Isaiah 42:16 from the New Living Bible Translation.

Last weekend, Terri died. She was in poor health, having been diagnosed with diabetes well into adulthood. The disease progressed fast. She lost the function of both her kidneys. She lost her eyesight and depended on family and friends to guide her as she walked. Four months ago she began attending a small group Bible study at the home of one of the church members. She eventually came to realize that Jesus had given up his life for hers and she accepted that gift by faith. Last week she went into the hospital for what was to have been a non life threatening surgery. The nurses checked on her at 10 o’clock that night and when they checked again at 4 o’clock in the morning, she was dead.

When I read the verse above, it reminded me of Terri in so many ways. First, Terri was blind … literally but also spiritually. She knew nothing about how much Jesus loved her. But like I mentioned above, she soon discovered it. Second, her family and friends guided her steps on unfamiliar paths while she walked this earth, but figuratively speaking, God really did lead Terri “down a new path” guiding her “along an unfamiliar way” until she began a personal relationship with Him through Jesus. Third, in spite of the darkness caused by her physical blindness, the morning she died, God made “the darkness bright before her” and smoothed out “the road ahead.”

Yes, God was with her all the way … His love was shown through her family and friends who loved and cared for her while she walked on this earth. And when Terri left this world and stepped into eternity, she was in the presence of God.

“Yes, I will indeed do these things. I will not forsake them.”

Mike and I had dinner with his manager tonight. We met him in The Woodlands at the Marriott. We ate at an Italian restaurant … Brio. The food was great and so was the conversation. Buddy (his manager) is a very personable type. It had been a long time since I’d been out to the Woodlands and a lot had changed. I felt like I was on vacation in another city. I think I’ll plan a “girls road trip” for me and Erica for a weekend and we’ll spend it there.

I’m tired so I’m going to say g’night. Everybody have a good week, okay?

Well I haven’t written here in a few days so I thought maybe I’d better. Erica’s friend, Alisha, drove in from Ft. Worth yesterday. Today is an orienteering meet at Challenger 7 Park and she wanted to participate even though she graduated in May. I just got an email message from Mike tellin me that they’re heading home so I expect them in another 10 minutes or so. This has been a quiet, lazy day for me and Beth. It’s been nice to have everything peaceful. I haven’t even ventured outside.

Tomorrow evening Mike and I are meeting one of his bosses (who’s in town) and go out for dinner. Mike says it’s a “casual thing” but I’m going to put on a dressy pair of pants and blouse. Regardless of what he says, I don’t think a tee-shirt would be appropriate.

What happens when you:

1) have nothing to do

2) own a sharp knife

3) have a large lime

4) own a patient cat

5) drink too much tequila

6) and it’s football season?

I’ll be going to Giddings Thursday for a Care Meeting with the nursing home. My sister (Glenda) and I meet with them …. once a quarter??? … anyway, that’s when the nursing home goes over mother’s treatment, etc. Mike’s mother (Beth) is going with me.

It’s raining here this morning. Made it pretty hard to get out of bed. I just wanted to climb back under the covers and hibernate. As a matter of fact, I think I’m going to go lie down on the couch for awhile. Be back later.

Well, Caressa survived the “puppy chow” we made Saturday night. I didn’t hear any howling from her so it must have been good.

I made another trip to the chiropractor today. I feel absolutely great. I wish I could go every day but I know that wouldn’t be very helpful nor would it be wise financially.

Well, we’re back from a day of looking at land and homes in the country. Mike printed out 3 real estate ads off the internet that looked promising. We couldn’t find the first one we were looking for. MapQuest just didn’t have enough detail and obviously the land and house was way out in the boonies. Then we found the second one and we really liked it … 1.8 acres with a house and trees … but it’s in a town called Richard, and it’s way too far north for us to live. So we went looking for the 3rd one. We found it … 4.8 acres and a double wide … but it was locked up. We called the real estate agency that had it listed to see if someone could meet us out there and let us look inside the house, but the lady we caught was the only one in the office at that time and obviously couldn’t leave. She did tell us, though, that it was a bank foreclosure … so I’m thinking we might be able to get it at a better price than listed on the internet. Anyway we left Mike’s cell # with her. Hopefully she’ll call this week sometime and we can set up an appointment to go look at it.

Now Erica is making us some puppy chow to eat … yum! Caressa is spending the night with us and she has no idea what we’re going to fix. I think she thinks it’s real dog food or something. Hah! Gotta go for now. I hear the puppy chow “howling” for me.

It’s Saturday morning and I’m still feeling good from my visit with the chiropractor yesterday. My back isn’t hurting at all. If I can get this much relief after one visit, imagine what it will be like after my regimen of treatment is completed.

Mike and I are getting ready to drive out to Grimes County and look at more property. I didn’t tell you about the incident with the piece of property we were looking at before, did I? Well, we finally left a message at the phone # listed on the sign saying the property was for sale. The man called back and Erica answered the phone. She didn’t hear anybody say anything …. she waited about 5 or 6 seconds … she kept saying “hello” over and over … so she finally hung up. But just as she clicked to hang up, she heard someone finally answer. Well it was too late then because she had already disconnected the phone. So the man called back immediately and Erica answered the phone. Before she could barely get out her “hello” he said: “How dare you hang up on me! If you’re going to be that way, I’m not going to sell my property to you!” and he hung up. Mike tried calling him back and leaving a message but to date, we haven’t heard back from him. So that’s why we’re going out to look at more land. And speaking of that, Mike is ready so I have to go. More later …

Here it is, 7:30 pm or so, and I still feel great. My back hasn’t hurt anymore and my arm hasn’t either. I hope I’ll feel okay in the morning after sleeping. I’ll let you know.

I know I posted a silly joke about finding inner peace a few minutes ago, but right now I feel pretty good. I went to see a Chiropractor Tuesday. He was referred to me by a lady from my church. She said he was not the “snap, crackle and pop” kind of doctor! Anyway, he took x-rays Tuesday and today I went back for my first treatment. I’ve been aching all over in my joints for months and months so I figured what the heck … let the chiropractor have a go at it.

We looked at my x-rays and I have some deterioration in my spine although nothing that can’t be fixed. My bones back there are out of alignment … even I could see it on the x-ray … and that probably accounts for most of my back and leg pain. So first thing he did after we looked at the x-rays was to do a little pushing and moving of his hands on my back. He was SO gentle. Then he did some acupuncture at specific pain points in the spine. Then he used some type of vibrating, rolling thing on my back. It was noisy but not painful. I felt like I could fall asleep right there.

My next stop was to lay face up on a bed that had an opening in the center from about shoulder height to right under the butt. Apparently there was some type of roller thing in the opening that went back and forth on my back. He turned the machine on and it was like getting a massage across my entire back. It lasted for 10 minutes and I wished I could have stayed longer.

My next stop was to a bed at the end of the room where he did some ultrasound pulses on my left arm and shoulder area. That area has been hurting me a lot lately. Then he attached some type of electrodes to my lower back (where it was hurting and had been hurting since I woke up this morning), attached electrodes to my left leg, and turned on the power. I guess it gave light electrical pulses to the muscle that was causing my pain. It wasn’t the least bit uncomfortable. As a matter of fact, if there had been a nice bed to crawl into for a nap after all this was over, I would’ve been there!

But ya know the good thing about it all ???? When I walked out of there my arm and my back didn’t hurt anymore. And here it is, 3 hours later, and it STILL doesn’t hurt. Man, what a difference! Much better than taking Motrin all the time. Hah! Of course just one session isn’t going to set everything correct. I know that. So I’ll try to go back about twice a week for about 6 weeks … if I can afford $20 each visit. Then after that he said once a month to keep everything in line would be good.

I thought long and hard before going to see a chiropractor. To be honest, and I told him this as well, I’ve heard lots of bad things about them. But basically I think chiropractors have the right idea. They just don’t treat the symptom … ie cover it up with muscle relaxers or other drugs … but they treat the WHOLE body. Glenda … remember that book on foot reflexology that we used to have? Well, his treatment kinda reminded me of that except he wasn’t working on my foot.

All I can say is it worked for me today. I’m looking forward to my next appointment Monday morning at 9:00.

Glad you stopped by the website. You and Birgit are the only ones who have registered so far although I’ve invited a few more. As for care meeting info … didn’t we decide on the 16th? I can’t remember what time so when you check with Sheila you can let me know.

And no, I didn’t register you when I was at your house. So you did right today. Good girl! Want another sticker?????

And Birgit … if you read this, Glenda is my sister. Ya know, the one with the eye patch???