Salt of the Earth

It’s still spring break- only a couple of days left. I feel like I got a good break and I have completely enjoyed having the boys home with me. We haven’t gone anywhere special or done anything spectacular. We’ve played UNO and watched KING KONG and a bunch of bad sci movies together. We went shopping and they got their annual pair of sandals for the summer. We’ve been to a few art stores to get supplies, we’ve had lunch with really good friends. Today we are meeting MIck for lunch. Other than that, we haven’t done a whole lot of anything and I must say, it’s been awesome. This is what spring break is all about!

Monday we all go back to school-only 10 weeks left until summer vacation. I think this term will be a lot of fun. BUSY, but a lot of fun and I am greatly looking forward to it.

Did I mention I love having the boys at home with me?

T

I like to think that over the years I’ve learned to control my hot temper. I can’t say for sure who I got it from since both of my parents can be hot heads. My fathers’ nick name throughout school was Thunder Cloud- which is think is pretty self explanatory. My step father is pretty even keel except when he works on cars. Then the words and temper fly like the wind.
As for my temper I know it appears every now and then- mostly when I’m really frustrated, when I’m on a time crunch and things aren’t going the way I’d like them too, or when any type of car trouble arises. Mick on the other hand, doesn’t freak out in the same situations that I do. This morning is a perfect example. Went to take Thomas to school (Graham was still in my bed sleeping off his fever) and Thomas said ‘You have a flat mom”. So we hopped in the truck- which is in need of repair BIG time right now. We didn’t get above 25 mph but at least we got to school on time. When I got home Mick was outside trying to remove the flat and put on the spare. At some point not only our jack but our lug nut wrench got stolen from the van. Mick improvised and got the jack/wrench from his truck. Wrench to the truck didn’t work for the van. (at this point i would have started to get frustrated and my temper would be boiling) I called a neighbor and she brought over one that worked. Mick was on the ground getting the tire, then wrenching off the old one, etc…. I was completely amazed that he was so even tempered. He didn’t even snip at me once or say one naughty word. He didn’t complain that he was cold or that he had to crawl on the ground or under the van. I would have been doing ALL of the above because I HATE car issues. I HATE getting dirty I HATE crawling under cars I HATE car issues. But I truly love and appreciate my husband.

I hear the new season of the Sopranos is HOT HOT HOT…. I am still waiting season 5 from the library.
T

This is my wood block about 2 weeks ago- before I carved the background away. I did a test print on Thursday and it turned out REALLY cool. Tomorrow I start the printing process. I start with Yellow. Then Orange. Then Green (for the grass) the the black for the butterfly. I think it’s going to turn out really cool.

I talked to a friend/fellow student of mine who took the printmaking class last term. She said she had the very same issues with the nosey lady. She said I needed to just ignore her because she doesn’t know what she’s talking about and that she butts into EVERYONES business. Like I said, i know she means well- she just adds frustration to a frustrating situation.

Went to the auto supply store today to get a much needed headlight for the van. I’ve never been to this one but the guy behind the counter was so nice to me. He put the light in for FREE and gave me $2 off the actual light. He gave me his card and told me to come back if I had any other car problems and he and the guys in back would do all the service. I told him I didn’t trust mechanics because they liked to rip people like me off. He said he wouldn’t do that. So well see. He seemed like a good guy.

My back is better today. The hip…. getting there. We’ll see how it is after my long day at school tomorrow. Midterms are coming up. I have to do a skeletal torso with a muscle over lay. I HATE drawing the skeleton especially the torso. All those ribs and the spine is just confusing.

I caught a glimpse of Thomas the other day. He looks so much older to me now. I don’t know it it’s cause he turned 10 or if he’s just growing up. I was looking through some pictures of him and came across this one…….

He just looks so old in it. He’s hanging with his best friend Lexington. Graham is getting too big for Mick to carry to bed. He fell asleep on the love sac curled up next to me- and Mick struggled to get him to his room.

off to see if the boys are doing homework.
T

SO I finally watched the Sylvia episodes on Little House on the Prairie. When I saw her for the first time I was like- ’she didn’t look like that!” and then as i watched it I realized I had replaced her face with that of a friend of mine named Robyn. And slowly but surely as most memories do, the one that has plagued me all these years finally came back to me. During the airing of the Sylvia episodes Robyn had confided in me that someone was molesting her. She didn’t call it that but said something like “someone is doing the same to me”. I remember getting that sick feeling in my stomach and a sense of worry, i guess. She made me promise not to tell anyone and I really can’t remember if I did or not. She left school shortly after that- I believe that she was not in my 5th grade class. As soon as the molester guy on LHOP showed up I instantly got the hee-bee-gee-bees. Sent me into that full creeped out mode and i fast forwarded through all his talking parts. I still don’t know if that odd feeling I had towards the episodes was because of my friend Robyn or just because I felt very vulnerable and alone at that time in my life and was scared to death that would happen to me. I think it’s a fear that most women have- just being a woman makes us vulnerable in that sense. Perhaps I’m not the only one creeped out by this.

I’ve been getting a lot of static from my friends lately- that I’ve become a hermit. It’s not so much that I’ve hidden away- I just don’t feel social anymore. When I’m in a social environment I’m all good. But I don’t really choose to put myself in those settings anymore. I’m so content with myself now (my shrink would be happy to read this) and I don’t really feel I have that void. I think somewhere in the last couple years I’ve become very disillusioned and disappointed with people. I’m happiest with my family or in a one-on-one setting- like out to lunch with a very good friend- or IM-ing with a friend. I go days now, without talking on the phone. That’s VERY odd for me. But I’m really ok with it. I still enjoy my friends I just don’t depend on them for happiness anymore. I think that’s a good thing. Most of them understand this too. Like I’ve mentioned before my tolerance has lessened as well. Perhaps I am on that road to being an old crotchety, cat lady! ha ha ha Oh well, call it fate!

I’m going to bed
T