Blue Roses

Last week, it was well into the 90s, heat indices over 100. We all melted in school. It was horrible.

Today, we didn't even hit *70*.

It seems summer didn't care to wait for Labor Day; it was done yesterday. Summer is dead, long live summer.

For now, anyway. Lord knows it can jump another 20 degress next week.

Labor Day weekend has certainly involved a lot of laboring. We followed the weather's lead and changed the house's decor to autumn. Whoo. It looks really nice, though.

Played Sims again tonight. Joey and Rina had a baby boy, Brian. Lance and Britney are 100% in love, but she refuses to propose. Which is an annoyance, as Brian is a baby for one more day, and I'd like Lance to be moved out so Bri can have his bedroom. <.giggle> But actually, Lance seems to like Brian, and has taken care of him a few times. Plus, Scott (Joey and Lance's kid) and Joey actually try to play with the baby without the baby crying. Never saw such a thing before. LOL

Waiting to hear news on my grandfather. He lives down in Georgia, and mom usually calls him every Sunday or so. Today, she couldn't get through - busy signal. And then tonight, her brother (also lives in GA) called to say he hasn't been able to contact him in days. So I guess he was driving over there, but it's been almost 2 hours, and we haven't heard a thing. I'm worried. : (

I need a happy book. A happy, fall and/or winter novel. Or story. Maybe I'll visit Don We Now Our Gay Apparel. I need the happy.

Posted by Rina at 10:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

One day of school down, 200 or so left. <.g> It went well. I love my kid, I love the teacher, I love the class. Adorable munchkins. Of course, first verse of "Why working in your hometown district is a bad idea" is well under way. Knowing people can be a Very Not Useful Thing. But I'm sure things will even out with me and my boss. I'm actually not sure if she *is having a problem with me, or if I'm just projecting. I'm still kind of upset about Friday, when we talked. The whole time, I felt like I had done something wrong, when I hadn't. And I'm sure she didn't want to seem accusing, or mean to; she's under stress with the start of the school year, too. But it's still sticking with me.

We're all allergy-ified over here. Mom's completely zonked, and Josh is trying to go to sleep but is having breathing issues. So every five minutes, it's:

Josh: (whines pitifully) Maaaaaaaaaaaaaa.
Mom: (half asleep) Rina?
Rina: (gets up and goes into Josh's room, glares in direction of father who is reading newspaper)
Josh: (slurpy noises)
Rina: Lovely.

I'm sleepy. Tomorrow's going to be horrificly hot (why NOW?!?!?), plus a full day. Heaven help me.

Posted by Rina at 09:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

So much work, so little time! And the school year hasn't even *started yet!

I had meetings all day Thursday and Friday. Thursday it was so hot - 110 in the shade. I walked to the meeting Friday morning (much cooler) and saw an egg on the sidewalk. LOL! I thought that was the funniest/neatest thing ever. Sadly, it did not, apparently, fry. Although it seemed like it should have. <.g>

Watched Monster's Inc tonight. Too cute for words.

Been playing Sims lately. I love Unleashed, man. My new couple is, I think, going to be Britney and Lance. If they like each other. Since, you know, Rina stepped in and married Joey. Lance didn't mind - he hasn't been in love with Joey for awhile (Joey flirted with too many people), although Joey is still in love with Lance. He just loves Rina more. We all live together, with their son Scott and their dog. <.g>

I'm nervous about school starting on MOnday. Only half a day, which is good, but still. Eeeep. Very worried. Happy thoughts would be appreciated : )

Posted by Rina at 10:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Hmm. In an odd twist, school stuff is now categorized as work. LOL Very weird, after 17 years of school being school. <.g>

Well, not all of it is work. Today's adventure was going to St. X University and registering for a grad level class. It went well! I only got lost twice, once going and once coming. Listened to my favorite car CD (well, it was more interactive than just listening, but whatever LOL) and managed to get myself there and back in one piece. (Oddly, even though the school's name had a "Saint" in it, I was still surprised to see nuns walking around. It's been a long time, yo.)

So, everything starts Thursday. I have orientation from 8:15-3:30, then my kidlet is coming for a tour at 3:30, I leave for SXU at 4, get there around 5 hopefully, class starts at 6:30, goes until 8:30, then I drive back home. This is my Thursdays all semester long. Eeep. But I have that hour or so before class to hang out on campus, do some studying, and probably some writing, too. And, well, I'll have lots of time to listen to my CDs. <.g>

Posted by Rina at 09:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

So, it's been a year. One full year since my Po died.

A lot has happened since I posted what became his eulogy. Some good, some bad, some in between.

I miss him a lot. He was a great guy, and I loved him. He adored me right back. We were a good pair.

Geez, I just don't know what to say. But I have to say something, becuase this day cannot go past unmarked. It's weird how clearly and vividly I still remember everything that happened last year. Damien's apartment. Talking to Po for the last time. The last time I saw Po, when we checked him into hospice. Working in that hellhole, even the day he died. How everything just seemed to go on, without regards to the man who was no longer with us. I remember it all like I'm there now, but it feels so far away. Like he's always been gone.

Maybe that's a good thing. He isn't in pain anymore. He was, for a long long time before he died. He's got to be happier now, missing us or not. Maybe it's his way of telling me, us, whoever, that it all ended okay, the way it should have.

Still sucks, though. I want him here. I wanted him at my graduation party. In person, not just spirit. I want him at our family holidays - if I have to suffer through those painful hours of extended family togetherness, by golly I want him there to mock them all with me. Not fair, not fair, not fair.

We had 21 years, and that's pretty cool. Could have gone for 21 more, but I'm pretty small potatoes on the "Let it be so!" list.

Still don't know what I'm saying. Babbling now, really, but how is that different from any time else? I know what I mean, though. And so does Po. And that has to be enough for now.

Po was around for 67 years. It was a good life. Definitely changed mine. And as long as me and my blog are here, no one's going to forget him.

Love you, Po. You're always my guy. I miss you. Even when I'm just doing my thing, not thinking about it, I still miss you. Sorry things have kinda gone to seed, family wise, without you here. You kept us together, I think. Certainly kept Grammy slightly more sane. Things will get better, though, I'm sure of it. Go listen to Elvis sing, hang out and have fun, but don't forget to check on me sometimes. I still need you around. : ) {{HUGS}}

Posted by Rina at 11:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Lordy. I've been meaning all summer to clean out my room, since I'm here all year for the first time since we moved to this house. Today: the closet. LOL

Man, the things I found!! Like the first 421 chapters of Steal Your Heart, by BallerinaJ. What's scary is that I started skimming, and then READING. Parts of it were so good and cute and funny and I adored it! And then other parts of it sucked. Really badly. But I actually kept a few of the parts that I loved this time around. LOL

I also found a few binders of Silk Stalkings stories. Dude, I didn't even remember that I'd read any or printed them out!! I was astounded by how badly written the majority of them were. Yeesh. When I see stories like those in my fandoms now, I skip them. : ( But some were good, and so I still have a binder of Silk fic on my bed ready to be reread. <.giggle>

Then I found tons of stuff (jewelry, ceafts, pins, stickers, folders, etc) from junior high, and even when we lived in Chicago. LOL Oh, and a Spice Girls CD. Then, of course, there were the pots and pans crammed in there. Just don't ask.

But it's mostly clean now. Just have to go through all my clothes and weed out the ones I don't wear anymore. Hopefully, this will be done without bloodshed on either my part or my mother's. LOL

I watched Pride and Prejudice on A&E the last few nights. God, I adore that movie. It was the Colin Firth version - I've still not seen all of it, including, sadly, the wet shirt scene, but I live in hope. LOL My copy of the book is totally falling apart, so I think I'll grab another one at Border's tomorrow. Yay Borders!

What always strikes me about the movie P&P is how very much Lizzy looks like Kristine. Same smiley eyes and round face and curly dark brown hair. <.g> Quite a lot of fun. Have you seen it, Lady K? You'd love it, it's so romantic.

Also, pretend today is August 13: Hope you had a lovely, lovely anniversary with Eric. I was going to post a pic of you and froggie here and everything! You pop up a lot from the wedding weekend on my screensaver. <.g> I also can't believe it's been three years since I last saw you! I wish we lived closer so I could visit you again. We could crash on the couch and watch soaps together. And, did I tell you, I'm really good at making your stuffed shells now. LOL It's one of mom and mine favorite recipes from TRK, and we make it pretty often. <.giggle> So, see, I could make dinner and everything! If only, you know, I didn't have this pesky job. ; ) So, in the meantime, if you didn't see my e-mail, um, can I have your address? LOL

We watched Lizzie McGuire movie tonight. SO CUTE! I do so love it. Because I am a dork. This was our third time, and Josh knows it so well, he'd tell us what scene it was before it happened. (FIREWORKS!) <.giggle>

I'm gonna go sing What Dreams Are Made Of for the rest of the night now.

Posted by Rina at 10:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Whoo! MT is back! I tried posting last week, and it was down. And now, yay, it's back!

Of course, too tired to post anything of real substance. LOL

I'm so lazy about downloading e-mail these days. I had over 200 on r@s-d, and almost literally every other one contained a virus. Then it kept redownloading mail from two weeks ago. I'm about ready to toss that addy to the wolves, man.

I've finally begun a new layout for here! I have utterly no idea how it will turn out, but it'll be something new. LOL

Coming soon - waxing poetic on Sims Unleashed (I married Joey! Who was already married to Lance!), detailed lusting over Justin Timberlake and that hot guy who stripped during one of Christina's songs, and more. Just, like, kick me to post. But don't use my rina@s-d.com addy. ::nods::

Posted by Rina at 10:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)