And This Happened

I hope everyone had a good day yesterday.  It was good and a bit weird for us here.  We had the whole crew at the house, my side of the family and his side.  Of course Daddy showed up 2 hours early as usual.  Don't understand that but it's okay.  I was a bit on edge because the niece is back in town and that can usually spell trouble, and she did not let us down.  Sis and her family walked in WITHOUT the niece and someone asked where she was.  Well, Sis unloaded, very publicly and it was not pretty.  The niece has been in California since last fall in rehab, yet again, and seemed to be doing well.  She left about a month ago to go to West Virginia with "a guy", (Sis didn't even know his name).  Apparently she came back here because of a sick friend or something and was home.  Well, Sis said they kicked her out Saturday and she was on a bus as they spoke back to WV.  She stole $300 from Sis's purse, her Transfund card and the keys to their Camero and drove to QuikTrip to pull more money out and then USED again.  Oh Good Grief!  Sis said that was it she was done and doesn't care if she sees her again.  Oh my, I don't even know how I feel about it all.  I would be so torn because it's my kid but I can see how you have to do the tough love thing.  Would make me so sick inside but they still have a child at home, an impressionable child, a GOOD child.  He is awesome so I see it.  I have to say that Sis doesn't forgive well and if you get on her bad side, you are out!  It is heartbreaking.  But then, she turns around and comes up to me to show me her new fancy bauble.  She bought a new diamond ring, the second in the past 6 months and I was under the impression they were broke and she took permanent disability from work.  What gives.  Oh well, I will never EVER understand her.

Easter in it's entirety was nice and finally the sun came out for the kids to hunt eggs.  

Let's SPINNNNNNNNN

I'm a Ramblin'

This pocket used to adorn my hip-hugger jeans of bygone days.

Hello again.  It just takes me longer and longer to finally post anything here lately.  Life has been a whirlwind for months now and I get bits and pieces of down time.  

Of course work, work, work.  In fact, work has been oddly very slow and we attribute that to the fact that we have an abundance of clients that are in the oil business around here.  So since the price of oil is so wonky they are holding off spending any kind of money.  We are usually so busy in the summer that we hardly have time to turn around but that is just not happening and is incredibly weird.  I so hope things turn around soon, we have a building loan to pay off...hahahaha! :( 

Before good stuff, some bad stuff.  Yesterday as I was walking into my house from art I received a call from my niece.  Not good!  She asked me for a favor because she could not reach (bad cell service) her mother because they were at the lake at her uncles, fishing.  She had been picked up on warrants and wanted me to bail her out.  I asked if she had her uncles phone number and she said no.  I totally lied, but I responded that we were almost to our cabin and that I couldn't help.  My gut wrenched for lying but you know she has burned me and I just don't know if she is on the up and up yet.  She said her mother was going to flip out.  I asked her what she was doing to get arrested and she said walking.  Hmmmmm.   I just could not let my stomach rest so I sent a text to my Bro and he responded, "BS!  Call Sis." He was probably right.  So I called her and she answered on the second ring.  I asked where she was and she said, "home." EGAD!  Duped.  I told Sis about the conversation and her response was to let her stay in jail over the weekend, if she was telling the truth.  And that was a possibility, the truth.  What if I said sure and then how do I go about bailing you out.  She might have come back with meet my friend somewhere with the money.  Yup, could happen, then she would have the money and I would be labeled soft touch.  Even still I could bail her out and she would skip and I would be out.  Probably not much money but NOT MY PLACE OR CHILD!  It's just too bad that if she is on the up and up, still sober and still working to make her life right then THIS is the time to help her.  Sis would be doing the TOUGH LOVE thing too late in the game.  Who knows.  NOT MY PLACE OR CHILD!  Still breaks my heart.

I've been staying busy a lot with watching little snicklefritz which I LOVE!  She will be 3 Oct 1 and so personable and interactive now.  Last Tuesday I just told her momma to bring her by the house on her way to the office.  I decided to watch her while I cleaned out my closet and painted a bit.  It was such a fun day and I totally wore that kiddo out.  Of course she had Clayton at her side most of the time.  

I think I have figured out why she calls him Back.  We just could not understand and then Wednesday afternoon I was unloading my car with a giants supply of groceries with the garage door open and the kitchen door open.  Clayton is good to stay in the doorway and watch but occasionally he steps down and into the garage and I'm afraid he will run.  Well, he stepped and I caught myself saying, "back, back, back" to which he steps back into the doorway...BACK!  Eureka!

The weekend rolled around and B&B2 needed to go shopping for a car without Rio.  I said I would keep her overnight, which I love to do.  She loves to come to Anny's house too.  

Blueberries on baked chips!

Our patio is awesome for her to play on her "bikikle."

Her word for helicopter is "heliclopper." ADORABLE 

Again she has an almost constant shadow! 

Clayton and My Little Ponies.

In between the work and kid watching I throw in a bit of painting.  I've had several commission pieces and fun ones too.  

I love this one!

"Bentley and Banks"

Then this is for the Cattle Baron's Ball Auction:

Finally, a play piece that just came together in a couple of hours.

Daddy's Home

I couldn't decide how I wanted to start this post so I thought I would plunge right in.  Daddy is home.  Yes, he is finally in his beloved home, sleeping in his beloved bed and sitting in his beloved chair.  But it has not been without a few ups and downs.  Yesterday while I was at the office and watching Rio my phone rang to say Daddy was ready to go home.  Being as it was pouring down rain and I was nearly downtown Tulsa and watching little one and couldn't schlep Daddy, baby, his TV and crap I called my trusty brother to pick him up.  Unfortunately, he was having a horrid day but it was what it was.  So he dropped all he was doing and went to get Daddy.  When he got there the nursing home acted like they had no idea Daddy was going home and they couldn't find anyone to make it HAPPEN!  Daddy was hot and Bro was hot that they didn't know their arse from a hole in the ground.  Finally, about 3 hours later they were walking out the door.  I then got on the texting to my Sis to see if she could go to the store and take Daddy a gallon of milk.  After texting her that Daddy was going home and she responded "Yeah" and "I bet he's happy", suddenly nothing.  I could not  get a response out of her for nothing.  RATS!  By the time I could even think about getting away from the office, and going to the store, then to Broken Arrow, in the pouring down rain, it would be rush hour and after a day of work and watching a very active 1 year old that took a 1 hour nap...NO, NO, NO!  I called my cousin who lives around the corner and he was more than happy to help his uncle and met them at the house with Daddy's milk.  That was the only thing Daddy needed.  Whew, that was done.

I planned to go to the house the next morning, this morning right after my workout about 7 am.  It's not too early for Daddy as he is up anywhere from 3 to 7 anyway.  Well, I pulled up and the house was dark and the paper was still on his porch.  I just turned the car off and decided I would wait for him to wake up.  I figured he was having happy sleep being home.  I texted Bro to tell him I was waiting and he called and we chatted. He told me to go ahead and go on in but I was afraid of scaring Daddy.  I waited until about 7:45 and decided to go in.  I had his basket of clean clothes in my hands and I picked up his paper, stuck my key in the lock and opened the door and yelled it was me (Daddy is about deaf)..........I was greeted with the picture of a full monty of my Daddy!!!!! My first thought was "I'm going blind" ......IIIICKKKKKK!!!!!  He had just gotten out of the shower and was heading to his bedroom for clothes.  His head was down and I realized that he couldn't hear me because his hearing aids were out because of the shower.  Right, he had no idea I was even there.  I put my head down, hollored again and kept walking in towards the kitchen.  I don't know if he heard me but I turned on all the lights and went straight to the kitchen and just waited.  YIKES!

All morning long I had been texting Sister to see if she could get Daddy into the doctor.  Since they go to the same practice I thought, she could do this.  But again, I heard nothing.  So I did the research and got him in on Thursday.  I called Daddy to let him know we had an appointment and he told me that not long after I left his house this morning my niece (Sister's girl) made and appearance to see him.  Normally, that would not be a problem but this 21 year old girl has some issues that have popped up lately and that visit scared me.  She has been locked out of her parents house for stealing and lying and can't hold a job.  She has admitedly confessed on Facebook that she is addicted to drugs and drinks.  She never, NEVER goes to her Papa's by herself to visit.  Daddy said she came in, hugged his neck and immediately went to the counter where Daddy's bulk medicines from the nursing home were all spread out.  She was really looking them all over.  Daddy knows all that is going on with this girl and he told her to get away from the stuff that it was none of her business.  Am I being a worry wart...I think not.  I texted Sis again that Brit visited Daddy and she replied, "She did.  I don't trust her.  I've told Daddy not to trust her." Really.  Then you need to tell her to STAY AWAY!  (Can't believe she replied, FINALLY!)