Games, Games, Breakfast And Dinner

 Today and tomorrow are going to be somewhat busy for me. Well, at least much busier than my usual days. It is Friday, so the Youngest has their Homecoming game tonight. I am not going - I do not care to sit in the stands, and all the walking.... plus I am sure parking tonight will be terrible, meaning full lots. Though myself or the Wife will need to pick him up afterwards. Also, a game my brother got into playing on the tablet, has this big 'cross-server clash' battle against three other clans, and today is the last day to "power-up" my teams to be in the battle. I will be concentrating on getting as many items to boost my team today.

Tomorrow starts out with a breakfast at Ronnie's Cafe (our favorite breakfast place) where RM will be meeting up with me. I think she mentioned she has not been there before. I mentioned to the Wife about going there, and she may join us as well. Heck, I even mentioned it to the Youngest, and he may be interested in going. Most likely he will be too tired in the morning to go after the HOCO game the night before, but will see. I am sure I will just 'veg out' the middle of the day, and late afternoon, we will be heading out to Olive Garden for dinner with Youngest and his date, prior to dropping them off.

Sunday, I would normally head up to the pub to watch NFL, but I just am not feeling it this year. a good friend that has been meeting up with me the last several years, has decided to not go this year - no reason given to me, and all I hear are stories as to why. I texted him last night, asking him to call me today at his leisure, to find out what the hell is going on. I don't know if he will call. The stories of the reasoning I have heard, are in my opinion stupid reasons to not hang out with friends. But what do I know?

Well, I best get started in on my games....

PeacE

Homecoming Shenanigans

 At the end of the Youngest's sophomore year, the band director of the school announced that he was leaving. Now this obviously was not the first time the director has changed in the many years of my kids attending this high school, so this kind of change to a new director's type of management, etc, would not be unheard of. The new director started that fall, and not many changes were initiated over the 'tried and true' settings that had been followed by several directors before her. Yes, it is a female, and barely out of college. I don't have a problem with the sex of the director, but I do have a problem.

This year, Youngest's senior year, this director has just changed everything. Band used to be at Zero Hour (before school) but this year, she requires only half the band attend that hour, so the Youngest had to give up one of his electives to be forced to schedule a band hour during the day. He is a percussionist, and that hour has ALL percussion of all levels in one class - Jazz, Advanced, Intermediate, and Beginning band. So how are they to practice? Oh, let's add in the outrageous practices this director has scheduled... Used to be just a Tuesday night, 6-8pm, aside from the mornings. No, now it is Tuesday and Thursday each week. Plus this week, she has called Zero Hour for full band today and tomorrow (like two extra practices are going to make the show come together). There is a whole slew of things that this director has changed that just really irritate me, and even sometimes the Wife. I do like that she sends out a weekly email each Monday, highlighting details of information for the week, and upcoming things, but then she ruins it by color coding the events - with no key to know what color is mandatory, optional, or what. For example, the newletter states there is zero hour practice today for full band (highlighted in blue, so blue is mandatory), but under that is the Homecoming Bonfire at 6pm (highlighted orange - so not mandatory?) but the band typically plays at the bonfire.... Tomorrow, zero hour full band (in blue) HOCO parade and assembly (in orange - during the school day? IS the band not playing the fight song or something at the assembly?) with the Friday night HOCO game in blue (again mandatory).

It is frustrating. Now worse, as I am looking at the newsletter, I missed reading before, but now she is changing the practice schedule again - Mandatory Tues nights 6-8, mandatory zero hour Thursdays and Fridays, Optional Thursday night practice (small group/individual practice). WTH?! IT says "In order to support our students’ time management, stress levels, and mental health; we are changing our Full Ensemble marching band rehearsal schedule for the rest of the season".... I think she is making things worse, not just more for the student to lose sleep and stress over, but parents as well. Who has to get up early to drive them on zero hour days? Who has to waste the time for night practices to drive/pick-up? Just ... she really upsets me.

And now I am all worked up about this crap ... at 3:30 in the morning. Looks like I will be up and taking the Youngest to zero hour today, as I am sure sleep will not be coming whilst I am angry.

So the HOCO dance is Saturday, and I guess we are chauffeuring the Youngest and his date. I don't mind, as I am the one that offered, thinking it would give us a little more time to get to know the young lady. I only had just met her last week at that stupid mandatory school meeting. I guess he wants to do dinner before the dance, so they chose Olive Garden, which I am guessing we will be going with them, since we're driving, and that means I will be paying I am sure. No biggee - more time. Then her mother will drive them home afterwards (she's a teacher at the school and is chaperoning).

Welp, this post is longer than I meant for it to be - I guess I had quite a bit to gripe about. I still have more, but just don't want to think about it right now.

PeacE

What To Do Now?

 It is another early morning for me. I had the alarm set for 6am, but thanks to the Damn Cat (aka Crack Kitty, and the One I Want to Die) woke me but evidently shaking his water covered fur-face on the bed. Of course, it startled me awake thinking he had sprayed on me... The Wife verified it was only water though. But now I am wide awake. Is it bad I think I want to see him die? Maybe. But he is around 16-17 years old, and since Daisy, our dog, had passed this last year or so, he has lost a lot of weight, and has begun to just crap/pee wherever he feels like it in the house. Yeah, so he is old, but that doesn't give him the right to just empty the old body wherever he feels like it! Thankfully, we have tile floors throughout, so easier to clean up (which we shouldn't have to do) except when he does it in other places (laundry baskets, on the bed, etc). It is very frustrating at times. And the two younger cats? As long as they don't pick up these bad habits, they will be okay, and allowed to live.

So nothing new from the Company since last week. I may be sitting here twiddling my thumbs for a bit ....

Youngest has Homecoming this week. There is a 'movie showing' today after school that he wanted to stay for, and spend time with his girlfriend. Of course, he has practices on Tuesday and Thursday, then the game on Friday. Saturday ends the HC week with the dance that he is planning to attend as well. I believe it is his first dance ever.

The Eldest, and only Daughter, is celebrating her birthday this week. She is that ripe age of 20 years younger than myself. I like to tease her about it, but she is smart (like her Mother) and usually turns it back on me. I'll have to look and see if I can find something on Amazon she could use and have it sent hopefully in time for her birthday.

Thankfully the weather has seemed to finally cooled off. Enough that we are not having 100+ degree temps anymore. This last week has been nice to be outside, and remember what it looks/feels like.

I'm all caught up on my books for review list. I guess since I am up so early, I will start browsing the sites and requesting anything that sounds good. I did load up the tablet with about 20 books the other day. Most this time around are stand-alone novels, though I have been collecting some series that will be added in next time around. 

I suppose I should close this off. I do have some time to play games today, apparently, so at some point I will be on Warcraft, and the viking game I have been playing. It really sucks being bored....

PeacE

Been a Busy Week

 This week has abeen a bit busier for some of us here in the d00d household. It is Homecoming week, and the Youngest has had something going on almost everynight. Tuesday was practice, Wednesday was the spirit bonfire, Thursday was the actual Homecoming Game, and tonight he has yet another proactice. Saturday they will be going to Flagstaff for the NAU Band Day. Which the Wife and I are going to attend. She wants to 'get out of town', and watch her son perform. I am not a fan of her driving that far, and then the return drive late at night. So that means I am going as well..

Homecoming this week also for my alma mater. Tonight is their homecoming game, and over the past couple weeks I have seen many post on social media about alumni going to the game. I signed up as a maybe - only because I am not sure I want to go. Also there is a lunch today for previous band members that I was invited to go to, which I also said 'I would try' but am not sure about attending. I like the "feeling" of participating in the spirit of homecoming, but I just don't know if I want to deal with the crowd (like I'll have to on Saturday) and do I really want to see how old people I knew in HS have gotten? Granted, some of us have kept in contact since HS, but very few. It's 9am, so I guess I have a little time to make a decision.

Daughter's family is trying to make it up to visit this weekend. I already let her knwo we are out of town Saturday, but would be open for plans on Sunday - depending on what they have planned. Hoping to be able to have dinner Sunday evening before they head back.

PeacE

A Little Bit of AuH2O

The old people in my house (meaning the Wife and I) are a bit excited for tonight. Turns out both of our high schools are having their Homecoming events tonight. Mine I had known about for several weeks. Hers she just heard about I think like Monday. Granted, my graduating class from the public school was about 10 times larger than her church school.... Either way, we are both a bit excited to be going to see old friends and do some catching-up and reminiscing. The boys will be going with her, as I know she likes to show them off, and how big they are, etc. And besides that, some of us alumni band members are meeting for drinks after the game, and I can't take the kids.

The Daughter is hitting 21 years of age in a week. It is also the week she is on school break from where she attends. Kind of nice to get the week of your birthday off! We are working on setting up some plans for time with her, and maybe even her & I get out to celebrate her 21st at the bar, doing karaoke. Maybe even let her have a frou frou drink or two as well.

I had a new drink mix yesterday. It is called Mio, and it is some kind of energy drink stuff, you add to water. I did the green one, meaning, I thought it would be like a lemon-lime taste, as the darker red one was black cherry. I learned I should read the bottle, as this one was packed full of caffeine. I fixed my drink about 5pm, and I ended up awake until 4:30 this morning. I had tried a couple times to lay down and sleep, but gave up after an hour. Needless to say, I spent plenty of time playing on the computer last night.

So, the AuH2O reference in the title? I'm a proud first full-class graduate of Barry Goldwater HS. Still doesn't make sense? Au=gold, H2O=water and it is also part of the school fight song that gets chanted!

PeacE

What Do I Say Here?

It's been weird around here. Weird is such a good word to describe things sometimes.

Last week had some momentous occasions in it, that I was so busy with them, I couldn't even post some wordage.

Yer right. I lie. It weren't that bad. Well, some of it anyways. I did have the second root canal done, and that one gave the name 'root canal' it's bad reputation. Leastways, the pain I felt, and what the dentist sayed, it's true. T'weren't pleasant like a stroll along the lake!!

So we moved on into the weekend, and the last construction of what I thought was a tooth started yelling. I been sucking Ibuprofen like a drug addict since. No, not yer normal dose of 2 every four hours - let's talk like 4 every 2. Sis offered Vicadin if I needed, but I was like, ... no. Best if I don't do that.

I finally broke down tonight and used some Jack to help. And it is only Tuesday. My appt ain't til Thursday. Guess I got enough tim e for the Jack to wear off til I see him. Good thing - Bad thing. I dunno. Prolly better in the long run.

My daughter turned 18 this past Monday. Kinna makes ya feel weird when your oldest one actually hits that age. She is a senior, and doesn't graduate til June-ish. She had Homecoming this past weekend and I'll post a pic of her at the end of this drivel.Okay, I guess we are at the end of my drivel, at least my mind and everyone else in my head says we is. Here is a pic of my daughter for homecoming....


And you pervs - don't even. I know too many good people with guns.

PeacE