No, it's not funny...

Why are cats so smart yet so dumb? And why are there so many stray cats in our neighborhood that like to congregate in our yard? Last week Pat saw a kitten sitting under the front of my car, and when she went out to see how friendly it was, it jumped up into the engine area. I never saw the kitten and hadn't given it a second thought. Yesterday, Jake and I were going to get some lunch so I settled him in his car seat and then we left. About 15 minutes later we arrive home and I immediately see this kitten laying on our driveway. I knew exactly what had happened. UGH! I parked and told Jake there was something on the driveway I didn't want him to see and that I was going to cover his eyes until we got inside. Of course, he questioned me, and I explained that one of the neighborhood kittens was hurt and I needed to help it. I get Jake inside and settled down with his Happy Meal. Then I try to decide what on earth to do about this cat. I call my dad, he laughs and then tells me the story of how he saw a bunny rabbit on the road that had been hit by a car, but wasn't dead and he knew he had to put the bunny out of its misery. Thanks, Daddy, that helped so much!

Okay, so I tell Jake to stay in the house and head out to the garage for a shovel, garbage bag, and then decided on a box, too. Of course, I try to shovel up the poor animal and it just scoots along the driveway. Oh great! No way am I touching it so I have to go find something to help me get it on the shovel. Mind you, the driveway looks like, well, it was I guess, a murder scene. There's "stuff" everywhere! All I could find was some kind of wooden stick in the garage, but I knew I just couldn't do this. I go back in the house and decide to call my neighbors, Kent and Katie. They're super nice and I'm sure when they gave us their numbers, they didn't mean for us to call with this type of situation, but I'm at a loss here. Sweet Kent comes out and gets the cat up and into the bag and box. He finally tells me to go inside and he'd clean up the driveway. I was very upset that I had taken this kitty's life and I guess Kent could tell. I thanked him over and over again. Geez, what a good neighbor!!! Later, you couldn't even tell what had happened except for the "box" sitting next to the garage door.

I called Pat and left a message for her not to come home and think she had a surprise waiting by the garage and go tearing into the box. I let her know what happened. Afterward, my lunch was not looking very appetizing. Oh well.

This morning, I wake up kind of, and Pat's telling me the mama cat was going nuts. I told Pat not to say another word, that I knew I killed her baby and it was bad enough; I didn't need to hear the mama was grieving! She keeps talking though, telling me that Mama was trying to get into the box. ACK! Now I feel so much better!

Getting Ready for the Toof Fairy!

For a couple of weeks, Jake has mentioned that his "toof" hurt, and he pointed to his bottom front tooth on the right. When he'd let me, I'd check to see if it was loose and it never was. I still thought the permanent tooth was working on pushing the baby tooth out. The other morning, he said to me, "My toof is loose!" I checked it and told him I thought it was and how great that was! I must have been overly excited because he started to cry and said, "This can't be happening!" Poor little guy was pretty upset that he was going to lose a tooth.

Later that same day, I asked him if I could check it again and at the angle I was, I saw this!

Yep, his permanent tooth is coming in behind the baby tooth. You would not believe the bribing I had to do to get this picture! Anyway, after some on-line searching and a call to the dentist, we're letting nature take it's course. Of course, I tried to persuade the boy to start wiggling that baby tooth, but promptly was told "no way." Geez....I'm really looking forward to playing "Toof Fairy" and my kid can't even be persuaded to wiggle the thing even after I offered him a new SpongeBob movie!

Sale in the Old Etsy Store!

I'm putting my market bags on sale for $8 each, three or more for $7 each. I'll make any color you'd like!

I'm also currently working on 5 comfort shawls for someone! I love it! This lady actually won the pink shawl in our Relay for Life Raffle and loved it so much that she wanted some for friends of her who will soon be undergoing surgery or chemotherapy. I'm so happy to do these for her. One of her first color choices is a beautiful lavender. I can't wait to finish so I can share it with you!

Be on the lookout for some scrapbooking supplies added to the store soon!

I really need to update all that's been going on around here, but I'll be back for that! Think black widow spiders, Wilmington, NC, and painting a bathroom!

Crocheted Market Bags

I have so enjoyed making these! I've been crocheting like a fool lately and discovered this great pattern for market bags. I'll have more colors available in my etsy store very soon. Hot pink is coming today!

I've also made a comfort shawl for our Relay for Life team to raffle off. The tickets are $2 each and if you'd like to purchase a "cyber raffle ticket" just contact me! Here's a photo of the shawl we're raffling off.

What a mess!

I really can't believe what a stupid mistake I made. Have you ever NOT gone with what your gut was telling you and did something anyway? I took a job that sounded way too good to be true and it most definitely turned out to be. Long story short, it was the old bait and switch deal. They lure you in with promises and elude to things that you can expect and then you discover you're dealing with crooks, basically. Yeah, they are crooks. I started this new job March 13 and worked for four pay periods. I've received one check that I had to fight to get to clear the bank. I'm still owed over $900 and all I get is one lie after another from this "Christian based" company, it's owner and his excutive vice president. I don't care if you know you they are either.

DIT TRANSCRIPTION

FORT MILL, SC

OWNER: HADI DANA

EVP: MICHELLE WEST

IF you are a transcriptionist looking for work, please do not be fooled by anything these people might tell you. You won't believe the number of past and current employees still waiting for their money.

I have written to the Fort Mill Times, will be borrowing the f-ing money to go the magistrate's office on Tuesday of this week to file a breech of contract, and am getting ready to file my complaint with the Office of Investigations and Enforcement who are responsible for investigating complaints involving violation of a professional or occupational practice, labor complaints, wage disputes, child labor, etc. There seems to be some employees rounding up others for a civil action suit, but I'm not sure where that stands right now.

Since this started, it seems time has stopped for me. I can't do anything normal. Go to the post office for stamps? Oh crap, no money. Grocery store? Dang, can I borrow...? I'm sick to my stomach constantly and can't think about anything else. I know this world is filled with bad people, but I really wonder how anyone who does something like this feels about what they're doing.

On a much, much lighter note, my sweet boy graduated from 4-kindergarten. It was the sweetest little ceremony. The whole week prior to this, he fretted over it, even cried during practice, and I finally had to tell him this was something to be so proud of and how proud everyone in his family was of how well he'd done in school. I was so glad when both sets of grandparents showed up so that he could see that we all really were so excited and proud of him.

His teacher, Miss Lisa. She's such a sweet lady.

This is Jakira, who he talked about all year.

We have to schedule play dates this summer or I'll get in big trouble!

Ketchup, Catsup, Catch-up!

I hate Ketchup by the way. I don't eat any condiments actually. Mayo is horrible and mustard is even worse!

Crocheted pansies and other flower designs are in my Etsy shop!

It's, otherwise, just the same-old same-old around here. I think I did about 15 loads of laundry over the weekend and this time I put it all away! That makes me really happy.

I also cleaned house. We really need to do some renovating, but just can't afford to right now. Ive said it before. Whoever lived here before us must have NEVER mopped the floors. Even after 4 years here, they are actually still filthy. I never go barefoot because I see how dirty my Swiffer mop pads are when I mop and I cringe! Pat even got down on her hands and knees and scrubbed the kitchen tile and it's no better. The carpet needs to come up, too. Paint would be simple and not expensive. It's the flooring/carpeting and the entire kitchen that needs gutting that will cost out the ass. We have tile on the counter tops. I hate grout! I hate tile counter tops. Whose idea was that? And white with white grout! AAAGGHHH! Anyway, we'll get to it eventually maybe.

Visited my dad this weekend so he could laugh at Jake. That seems to be all he does. He adores Jake and just thinks everything he does is hilarious. Of course, I forgot my camera. Jake played in the rain and afterwards was so dirty that I decided to give him a bath. Now I always bring PJs and for the first time forgot them. My dad gave me one of his t-shirts to put on Jake. Well, Jake is SUPER skinny and my dad is 6'3" and a pretty big guy. You should have seen my dad working the duct tape on this t-shirt to get it to stay on just until we got home. LOL! The worst part was that Jake had it in his head that he'd get arrested for wearing Papa's t-shirt. I never did figure out why he thought that. The poor boy really was upset. I finally got him home though and into his own jammies so that no policeman would arrest him. Whew!

Another Shawl

I finished this shawl last night. I really like the way it turned out. It's in my etsy store with the hopes of a sale so I can use half the proceeds to buy more yarn and donate those shawls. This is a rosy pink and the design is a double crochet pattern. It was very easy and fast to make. This is also 100% cotton and very lightweight. I'm thinking I'll use some yellow bamboo yarn I have to make another one!