Summer's Drawing to a Close

Summer is dwindling down, and will be over before you know it. Not summer the season, but summer vacation. In just 13 more days Natalie will be going back to school. I've already done all her back to school shopping for supplies, uniforms, and necessities. Which is always fun, except for all the money spent on such items. Though I love the whole school uniform thing cause it's no hassle, I hate that we're buying 2 whole sets of wardrobe....one that she only wears to school. I'm both relieved and worried. We've had enough issues in the past with certain teachers, and faculty members at the school that I'm just really not looking forward to do it all over again. I personally cannot wait until she is out of this elementary school and into middle school next year. But I am trying to keep an open mind, and remain somewhat hopeful that this year and this teacher will be different.

One of my biggest concerns is that Natalie has really gotten into playing this one video game, and doing stuff online and I'm afraid that it will interfere with her desire to learn and excel. I'm just not sure how to get her excited anymore. Maybe it's time to try Sylvan, or at least it will be if this year doesn't go according to plan. I checked out their website and found that they have samples you can download for grades K-5, and a partner site called Book Adventure where you can search for grade appropriate books, and quizzes which will come in real handy! This way I can make sure that not only is she reading, but that she's comprehending! I'm going to have to weed through all my old links and check out what other types of tools I can find to help her succeed.

Other than gearing up for school there really hasn't been a whole lot going on around here. I've been doing lots of reading. I finished my Walt Disney book. I read the MJ Unmasked book in under 12 hours - which let me just say that not all the sensational claims lived up to the hype. It did manage to change my opinion on a thing or two, but it wasn't quite the bombshell it was supposed to be. Now I am onto reading Night World.....yes, more vampire books. I'm really having a difficult time finding just the right books. Some I've picked up are just too lame, and others I just can't fully get into. But so far I am enjoying the first book even though it is considered "young adult."
Ruben and I are still dieting. I've lost 10 pounds since we came back from Disney 3 weeks ago, and Ruben has lost 18. Though I swear you can't see it on either of us. The only difference I've noticed lately is that it seems my panties are a bit larger. I know this cause they are constantly bothering me because they shift and ride up. Had they fit right I wouldn't be having this problem. I wish I could actually see the difference. I'd think that with all the walking I've been doing that my legs would slim down some, but they haven't really. Or at least not noticeably. I go back to the clinic next week for another weigh in, so I'm hoping to shave a few more pounds off before then. I'm a little concerned about my surgery coming up for the 24th. I'll probably be resting for about a week, and while I can watch what I eat, I won't be up for walking or biking. I'm hoping that the inactivity doesn't affect me in a huge way!

While I'm looking forward to the peace and quiet that comes with back to school, I feel as if I'm in a race against time. It's not like we have any last minute vacation getaway planned, but I would like to do something before school starts again. Perhaps if the weather isn't too bad we can visit a park or zoo, or even catch another movie or something. Do you have any plans to celebrate the end of summer?

Distractions, and New Addictions

Like so many others out there, I have seriously been neglecting my blogging duties because of several new time consuming addictions I have picked up recently.

First, all of my spare time was being spent reading. Now that I have finished several different series and books, I have slowed down a bit while I search for new interesting reading material. While I was at Disney I bought a new book after visiting the attraction Walt Disney: One Man's Dream. I found myself both curious and intrigued by what I had learned, and naturally wanted to know more. The book, Walt Disney: An American Original, is a biography of the life of Walt. I'm taking a it a bit slow--so I'm only half way through with it, but so far what I have read, I have really liked.

I've already selected what my next book is going to be. Unmasked: The Final years of Michael Jackson. I know, it's kind of funny. Somehow I've gotten caught up in all this craze since his death....Natalie too. She's been blaring his music at full volume for the last few weeks. Yesterday she was singing Man in the Mirror at the top of her lungs. You could say she's even become a bit obsessed with him and his music. it's funny how much she can take after me at times. In any case, I did the same thing after Anna Nicole Smith died--I bought the book Blonde Ambition.

I've become a Facebook junkie, but not so much for Facebook itself. I accepted a couple invitations and now I'm enthralled with playing Vampire & Mafia Wars. I've even downloaded the apps so I can play them on my iPhone.

All this game time has really interfered with everything else. Though I have been walking at home on the treadmill this past week, I really haven't had much desire to do so. Ruben and I have committed to dieting, and while I've only taken off a few pounds since we returned home, Ruben has gotten off to an excellent start! He's lost 10 pounds already. The first few days all he ate was salad. He even moved the treadmill downstairs to the living room. That way he watches shows he dvr'd while he walks. We made an agreement that if he loses 100 pounds, I'd get him the motorcycle he's been wanting. We really are striving to be healthier. I've just got to get back on track and return to my nightly walks. I just have been feeling like a cold is coming on though--one likely brought on by stress.

Stress has been at an all-time high since we got back. Ruben's company is once again laying off employees. It's quite terrifying when you think about it. I mean here it is hurricane season and we just returned from a vacation in which we spent mostly all of our savings--now add on our new windows, and a review of my case with Social Security. Yeah, all we need now is for Ruben to lose his job. Though it looks like he may be in the clear, at least for now. They laid off and demoted several people from his department across the country, most of whom he knew. On the flip side, he received his 10 year packet from work. It sounds like they have some really great choices this time, lots better than for his 5 year. I was surprised to find out they still offered this given their financial problems. It's a nice surprise. He gets to choose from a foosball table, a Canon camcorder, a Dyson vacuum cleaner among other things. Not bad huh?

Ruben also got confirmation from his advisor. He's all set for classes to begin in September. The school accepted 62 of his credits from ITT. He just needs to take like 18 liberal arts classes in addition to the curriculum for the BSM program. His advisor said everything was all set with his financial aid, and that he's be receiving his books and schedule shortly.

On a final note, my surgery to remove capsular contracture and correct placement issues has been approved. My surgery is scheduled for August 24. I'm excited, and I hope this final surgery really will correct my problems and even things out a bit.

Excuse my Abscence

After my Muga Scan on Monday - which was successful(!) we went to
Barnes & Noble so I could pick up a book for chemo. Well instead of
buying the series I intended to, I instead was drawn to buy Twilight.
Let me just say I am enthralled into this book! I read half between
last night and this morning. I've read so much that I had to go online
and buy the other 3 in the series so of have something to pass the
time during chemo. I'm so into it that I think I just might see the
movie once it opens.
Ok now back to my book.

I did it, I finished it! YAY!

Right before midnight last night I read the final page in Rita Cosby's new book. Let me just say I am so unimpressed, I mean really. Nothing at all was shocking - well other than the gay accusations, which I do not believe for a second are true. Cause really if Howard and Larry were lovers, why did he convince Anna to run away from him to the Bahamas? I mean if any of it were true, wouldn't they been in love as well? And why would Larry tattoo Anna on his back. Also, you can't broker a deal for the baby. DNA proved Larry was the father. Howard had nothing to with custody from the point forward. He just doesn't want Virgie to have her because he knew how much Anna hated Virgie, and that she really did love Larry. Howard can't get anything out of the Estate by being the Executor. He waived his fees, and besides that, other than a house and a few other things, Anna had nothing in her trust. Now I don't know if at the base of her financial issues was her drug habit, or if Howie had hidden all that money in off-shore accounts, so he'd be rich later. I also don't know what happened to all that jewelry she had from her late husband that was worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. But for all we know she could have hocked it to support her habit. Besides, if anything Howie funneled all this money LONG before Larry was proven to be the daddy. It's not just something you can do overnight! I have my own suspicions, and my own opinions, from what I have read, seen, and heard, I honestly believe that Howie was behind a lot of it, if not all of it - and I hope that it all comes to light one day in a courtroom. But I think that Larry goes along with him because he can't fight. If he removes Howie as executor, then it's his good buddy and attorney Ron Rale who becomes the executor, and if he's removed then it's just another one of their buddies. It's hard to fight something that seems like a never ending battle - and I'm sure that he also fears for his life and that of his daughter. I also don't blame him for suing about the rumours, because that is his good name and image - but lord help him if there is ever any evidence that he went bi. It doesn't even matter if it was on a drunken night in college, if he's ever been with a man (not even if it was Howie), he would never live it down after suing over it. He must be pretty damn confident and sure about it all, cause it looks to be going that way. But anyway, back to the book, other than that one tidbit, everything else is stuff I've already heard. I'm disappointed and want my money back. She calls herself an award winning journalist - HA! What she get, one of those phony little trophies you can buy at Spencer's or something? She's nothing but a tabloid writer and should go work for the National Enquirer. Wait I take that back, even they might be too good for her!
So now I'm on to reading some books written by my favorite author, Mary Higgins Clark. I haven't read a new book of hers in several years, so there are a couple for me to catch up on - and it won't be surprising if they are better than Rita's book. I haven't read a single bad book from Mary, and I've read and own almost all of them.
Other than that, there's nothing new going on around here really. I'm still quite bored. I've noticed that my daily hits have doubled from there norm, and have stayed that way for several days now, yet I hardly ever get any comments. I must have lots of lurkers out there. I signed up for Google Analytics which will help me learn what brings most traffic here. So while here, stop by the comments and say hello!