Hodge Podge

There's a little bit of everything in here, kinda like when I met Roger's grandmother "Wella" and she fixed dinner one night. It was a pot full of beans, boiled eggs, Italian sausage and some other stuff. It looked like to me that she had opened the fridge and added a little bit of everything. I asked Roger how to say, "clean out the fridge in Spanish and THAT is what I called it. This really was a Spanish meal, unlike this blog, which has no real point today but to ramble on... Which, really, is all I ever do...

Matt's Birthday was yesterday. He turned 9. It is a law in the LAND OF TENEA that the birthday person gets to choose "WHAT'S FOR DINNER" (pretend there is an echoing sound when you say that). Matt picked pizza with extra, extra cheese and Bo's ice cream for desert. Normally I would have had Matt's birthday this coming weekend but, alas, I am broke. From the trip up to Tennessee and the $80.00 baseboards (and whatever else I can think of) I am having a party in a couple of weeks anyway but this really benefits Matt because instead of just one day he gets to celebrate, my guilt turns it into a darn MARDI GRAS for him.
1.) He had the party at school, complete with TWO chocolate chip cookie cakes
2.) His actual birthday pigging out, getting his own way all day
3.) Tonight he got to go see a "birthday movie" with just Roger (X-MEN)
4.) The party he'll have either going bowling, skating, or another movie...
5.) A cool hair cut he's been wanting called a "BLOWOUT" with a design on the back of his neck. (looks like Victoria Gottie's son's hair) Plus Presents.

I grew sick of Bartholomeu chewing, peeing and craping everywhere and kicked him out of the house in the first part of March. Guilt ATE me up about it when I'd see him all sad in the backyard. Patch was with him because SHE'S HIS MOM. He has DESTROYED the backyard and is a garbage freak. I finally couldn't take it anymore and brought the flea bag in. I bathed Patch first for about an hour and a half, then Bartholomeu. I applied their flea medication, cleaned their ears and fed them both some fresh chicken (skinless of course). Patch is happy to be back sleep in air conditioning, but Bartholoew is confused (NORMAL). Because he still has some bad habits, I have him on a very short leash with me at all times. This has kind of put me in jail too because now I can't go ANYWHERE without him. Katherine pointed out the similarities between Gabriel and Patch. They are both STILL being POTTY TRAINED and are old enough ALREADY! You can tell them both to SIT DOWN and they will both ignore you. They both like to chew on stuff and tear up furniture. They are both BAD but are SO CUTE that it saves their lives. Difference- Gabriel doesn't get kicked out in the backyard.

I went to court today about a horrible traffic accident I witnessed. I VOLUNTEERED AS A WITNESS. I was subpoenaed and was suppose to go to court on the 15th of May. I write everything down on a calendar but I FORGOT this time. I can't stand people who are late, people who are NEVER on time for anything, but I forgot this ONE time. I have an excuse- Gabriel. Anyone could forget a court date taking care of him. So I had to go to court today to answer the judge about WHY I didn't show up last time. I didn't know this until got there and was not to happy since it took me 20 minutes to find a parking place and I still had to run 6 city blocks with 3 children to be on time. The plaintiff's attorney didn't show up and neither did the other witness who didn't come the first time either. The judge did a conference call with the attorney (who subpoenaed me) because he couldn't find the info on the other witness and he was going to hold her "in contempt of court" and issue a warrant for her arrest! He told me he was "going to withhold jail time" for me THIS TIME. BIG-WUP-TE-DO! That poor judge wouldn't have known what hit him if I had left Gabriel with him. I got subpoenaed again today to show up next week.

Things I Hate:
1.) People in charge who throw their weight around
2.) People in charge who throw their weight around
3.) People in charge who throw their weight around

Look, I know there has to be rules, and I know the courts time is valuable. But don't talk to me like a drug dealing convict when I am the one who VOLUNTEERED to be a witness. Makes you RE-THINK being a witness again.

Next time:
"Oh no, officer, I didn't see a THANG. I didn't see when that lady smashed into the back of that man's car and wrapped it around a tree. Oh no, not me! I didn't see NOTHIN'!"

I probably have more crap I could talk about, however it is 1:04am and I need some sleep. I'll save the rest of the material for another blog that I can inflate into a single story.

Surf's-up and School's OUT!

Well, it's official...School is OUT! Katherine did her testing for homeschool on Tuesday and passed- straight into 6th grade. Matthew made principles honor-roll all year -I'm sorry...does it sound like I am bragging? I AM- I am so proud of them both! AND my step-daughter Nicole has made enough credits to graduate 6 months early (even though I still want her to WALK next year with a cap and gown so we can go SEE -HINT-HINT). Smart kids are great! But what happens when they start knowing MORE than you?
I went to Matt's class today to help with the END OF THE YEAR class party. I took my surfboard prop and took pictures for the WHOLE 2nd grade. Matt missed celebrating his birthday at school by only 5 days, so anyway, I took 2 big cookie cakes in today so he could cheat -early-. He tried to play me about getting gifts early today too but he's going to be waiting on his gifts till the following weekend anyway, because his birthday falls on a Tuesday anyway ... Do you see how many times I wrote "anyway"? Isn't that annoying? I was in this group one time (don't ask for what) and every time this one girl would talk she would say "LIKE".

"LIKE I don't know why I do it but uhm, LIKE I just do, LIKE, every time. LIKE, I wish I didn't but LIKE, that's why I am here, to LIKE, talk about it and LIKE, stop doing it. LIKE, you know?"

I was SOOOO bored listening to this girl, that I "LIKE", counted every time she said, "LIKE" and almost reached across 3 people to "LIKE", choke her. This was a group at church I was in to help YOU stop "bad habits" (Notice I said YOU because I don't have any bad habits... well ugh, anymore). Anything from drinking (AA) to SAYING -LIKE- TO MANY TIMES!!!

ANYWAY, LIKE, Matt's class had a really good time and I made a storybook video of all the pictures I took with the music from -what else?- RAPPER'S DELIGHT!
1.) Because it's LIKE, a really LOONNNGGGG song and I needed that for all the pictures I wanted to use.
2.)I LIKE, like it!

And I would post some of the pictures on Flickr for you all to see but I can't BECAUSE I HAVE ALREADY USED UP ALL MY ROOM ON THAT WEB-PAGE TIL' NEXT MONTH, which is only 7 days away -COUNT 'EM- I did...

Oh yeah, Matt got a haircut called a BLOWOUT. And a design on the back of his neck that is WAY COOL!
Summer? Let me tell ya... my kids are ready!

Hayden's Christening!

This past weekend we went to Tennessee for our Godson Hayden's Christening. It was a very SHORT trip, but it was nice because Roger and I were alone for the first time in a verrry long time! We left Tampa at 6pm Friday afternoon and didn't get to Oakridge, Tennessee till 4:45am Saturday morning. We went straight to bed right after we got there and I woke up around 10:30am to the sound of Lucie's voice. I got right out of bed and opened the door and ROGER was sitting on the sofa holding Hayden while Lucie was making breakfast. I said in a VERY loud voice, "OH NO YOU DIDN'T! I WAS SUPPOSED TO HOLD HIM FIRST!. You let ROGER have him first? What were YOU THINKING?"
Roger mentioned to Lucie's husband Bobby that now he is "THE GODFATHER" and he would need to hook him up with a good gun to "PROTECT THE FAMILY" (Bobby sells guns and works shows). Honey- News- You might be Italian, but you aren't in the mob and your not TONY MONTANA! Bobby laughed and told me not to worry, he'd hook him up with a gun he can't buy ammo for!
I set-up some things up in Hayden's bedroom to take his pictures, you know, naked BUTT pictures and one's with his christening gown on. Lucie and I went out to develop them and came back home to get ready. We were at "Our Lady of Fatima Catholic church", by 4:45pm. I showed someone in Lucie's family (with an interest in cameras) how to work mine ect... Since I was actually in this event and my arm isn't as long as a croc's tail, I couldn't take the pictures and be IN THEM at the same time. I set the cameras lighting ect... and told GEORGE to take "LOTS" and he did a great job!
The Christening was wonderful, couldn't have been better. To me, it was not so much FOR Hayden because he is going to make his own decision one day. Parents are here to love, guide and teach children right from wrong and in the end they grow up and decide on their own. If you do a decent job with lots of prayer, children usually find their way (eventually!). They may not have the job you wanted for them, or always behave the way you wish (please remind me of this soon!). But if you "Train a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not turn from it" -Proverbs 22:6. This MEANS that all of you out there with grown children "MISBEHAVING BADLY", if you trained them right, well... They're just NOT OLD yet! OKAY- back to my point... The Christening was to give a sweet Christian beginning, to dedicate the PARENTS to being GOOD, to do something traditional in one's faith that feels good and last but not least, TO SHOW HIM OFF! I like this idea -Godparents-. Children can use all the love they can get, so what better way to incorporate someone else into their life? (and Luc, by the way, if something ever happens, I am now taking my vows more serious, and Hayden is MINE! To bad, so sad, Bobby & Brenda... ;-)
What is wrong with me? I keep getting off point! (Normal for me, huh?) As long as you believe that Jesus is the Son of God, he died for you, and you ask Him in your heart, I don't think much else matters. You can be a quiet Catholic, a hyper Pentecostal or a bossy Baptist and however way YOU feel personally able to connect best with God is your way. Maybe I should just visit different churches depending on my mood!
The dinner was great after the Christening. We went to a restaurant called SULLIVANS and Lucie thought it was expensive! The food tasted great but I thought the prices was decent. Note to self: bring Lucie to Tampa and take her to BURNS $$$. Roger and I both ate steak and shrimp (JUST LIKE MY B-DAY DINNER!). The plan was to go back to Lucie's and go to sleep, BUT NO... Roger did, however Lucie and I stayed up till 2:30am talking, looking at the pictures and DISCUSSING our husband's ISSUES.
Driving back to Tampa the next day, Roger drove the whole trip (except the last half-hour). We were nearing Valdosta, Georgia (the bottom of the state) and ENJOYING each other's company so much that we stopped for gas and didn't realize that we were heading back-up North for about 45 minutes! Then I noticed that we kept seeing "SEE ROCK CITY" billboards...
Uhmm, Honey...I think we going the wrong way...
Go to www.flickr.com/photos/tenea to see more pictures from Hayden's day!

What HE has been up too

I don't remember if I mentioned that I got Gabriel into a REALLY GREAT school. Dale Mabry was great while it lasted. He started going there when he turned 3. For me that as TOO early but because of his autism he needed to go. When I visited his class there for the first time and his teacher "Mr. Connell" let me know that Gabriel would be taking naps, sitting in circle time and standing in the corner, if necessary - well, I laughed! WOW! He doesn't know my son. Turns out he probably knew Gabriel better than me. Mr. Connell has a grown son with autism. He knew what it would take to make Gabriel "click". Gabriel not only did everything I thought he wouldn't in that class, he got "CARLITIS". Mr Connell's first name is Carl and he LOVES music. Most especially all the old stuff nobody else does. But that's okay because Gabriel did and he loved to sing with him. I was thinking for a while that I would have to start listening to a bunch of music I didn't like but that was not the case. Gabriel loves music PERIOD. Anyway, Carl was a great teacher. He barked out orders to the kids JUST LIKE someone who used to be in the service ...UHMMM, oh yeah, Carl retired from the service! So now when Gabriel gets in trouble, I just pretend I'm Carl and yell, "PUT YOUR NOSE IN THAT CORNER RIGHT NOW! I WANT TO HEAR YOU CRY!" If this sounds harsh- trust me it isn't. A lot of autistic people act like their deaf and unless you REALLY let them know you mean business, they will totally ignore you. Gabriel was so well trained that he would FAKE CRY, and get a tissue to wipe his non-existence tears!
As many of you know we moved last March and since we were no longer in the district for Dale Mabry elementary, Gabriel could no longer attend that school. The school he was zoned for SUCKED so I kept him home this school year. This has caused me to consider committing myself to the crazy house. Please remember that Gabriel is not a normal child. If you think he seemed OKAY the last time you saw him, well, let us just say his medicine works really well when I need it to. He has to be watched at ALL TIMES, otherwise he will do things like, pour out whole bottles of shampoo, use permanent makers to draw on new comforters, pour 120 load bottles of Downey all over the floor, eat all the binders off the Kat & Matt's book collection, get the gallon of milk in the fridge and drink out of it and then spit half of it back in, walk out the front door...ect... He LOVES to watch movies, but not the normal way most people do. He is THE MASTER of the DVD remote, which he refers to as the "DD-MOTE". If he likes a scene in the movie he will rewind it to watch it again- LIKE 35 TIMES. The movie NEMO has been banned in our house. DO YOU KNOW how many times those fish slap each other in that movie??? You would if you watched it with Gabriel, who WILL slap you each and every time the fish do. He got so aggressive watching it once at my friend Robyn's house that he tried to knock down her HUGE big screen TV.
Gabriel NEEDS structure and strictness. I really like the school but I wonder about that part. It's just for kids with disabilities of all types ranging from ADHD and beyond. At first I felt bad about sending him there. I still didn't want to think he was "bad enough" to go to a special school. Before I had Gabriel, I felt really uncomfortable being around people with disabilities. Now I don't, and I look at their parents with kinship and sympathy. It's tough raising kids that are different. You get lots of looks for either the way they look or (in Gabriel's case) act. It's even worse with Gabriel because he "LOOKS" normal (whatever normal is) but acts like the BIGGEST SPOILED BRAT. When your waiting in line and you get smacked upside your head or screamed out, people look at you like you are nuts to put up with it, the whole place gets quiet ect... It helps me feel better to say, "He has autism-". Some people don't think I need to explain myself but I feel better if I do.
OKAY! OKAY! The school, I know! I like it A LOT and he starts in August. I don't think these people have been in the military though so we'll wait and see...

Music back in the day

In the Sunday paper comics they had a bio on Simon Le bon, the lead singer for the group DURAN DURAN. When I was about Katherine's age (11 almost 12) I fell in love with the band DURAN DURAN. I hadn't listened much to certain groups, just whatever was on the radio. My friend Debbie that lived 2 doors down liked them first. She had an older brother named Billy who liked FLOCK OF SEAGULLS. At least I think he liked them, or maybe he just continually liked to make fun of them... Anyway, Debbie would get TEEN BEAT magazine and we would look through it searching for their pictures. I remember that was when MTV was new and we would watch their video...

HER NAME IS RIO AND SHE DON'T NEED TO UNDERSTAND
AND I MIGHT FIND HER IF I'M LOOKING LIKE I CAN
OH RIO RIO HERE THEM SHOUT ACROSS THE LAND
FROM MOUNTAINS IN THE NORTH DOWN TO THE RIO GRANDE

It was a cool video with a tropical locale that had beautiful crystal clear water. I was in LOVE with John Taylor. He was SOOO cute. Debbie liked him too. Some girls would lie and say they liked some of the other members. The others were okay, but the only reason I figured anyone would like anyone other than John would be they thought they would increase their odds of getting with someone in band that was less liked. I still remember all their names... Simon Le bon, Nick Rhodes, Roger Taylor, Andy Taylor and JOHN Taylor. No, they were not brothers...As I got older I had other friends who were also as addicted, and one that had gone off the deep end. Her name was Michelle and she had it bad. She owned every record and TAPE (BOTH) that they came out with. She had covered every square inch of her ENTIRE room, ceiling included, with stuff she had cut out of magazines about them. Her blue jean jacket was covered with round pins of them and I attend a party she threw once for "Roger Taylor's" birthday. We all sang happy birthday to him and then had a food fight with the cake!
As I got older, I liked other groups. I went through a phase of liking KISS and nearly had a melt down when my mother refused to let me attend one of their concerts. I liked all sorts of music like, "YOU DROPPED A BOMB ON ME & ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST". I remember my friend Christi turning me on to rap in the late 80's. AND IT WAS RIGHT AFTER A DURAN DURAN CONCERT! Yes, can you believe I got to go! Andy and Roger had quit, but HEY it was all about JOHN! It was 1987 and I could finally drive. Didn't really listen to DURAN DURAN anymore but to see them LIVE- well I wouldn't have missed that for the world! Christi and I went and met our friend Shannon there. They said no camera's at the front gate but I just took mine and stuffed it in my pants anyway (WHAT- me be without my camera?). Shannon saw someone who was on the staff there working the front and he was going to motion to us when DURAN DURAN was going to come out so we would have a running start to the front stage. We talked a bit to loud about this, so like 10 girls around us knew this info too. As soon as he motioned to us and we started to stand, so did the other girls. We almost knocked each other down to get to the front of the stage. I was only one person back from being by the front. The crowd danced to the music although it was REALLY TIGHT. All those lights started to take a toll on me till I couldn't take anymore. I do believe that if John had promised to come down French-kiss me in front of all those girls if I stayed I would have given him my regrets. I was so hot and sweaty that I felt close to passing out. I crawled across all those screaming girls and made it to the bathroom. My hair was like if I had taken a shower. I found Christi and we went and sat on the hill (it was an ampi-theater) and watched the rest. I got some pictures and every time the security saw the flash go off they would come looking up the aisle to see were it was coming from, but I would take the picture and then stick the camera back down my pants and start dancing so I looked GOOD & INNOCENT when they came alookin'. When we left the concert we went through the drive-thru at McDonald's and saw some guys from school. We drove around for a bit and listened to the radio. Christi changed it to a different station and I heard ....

WHEN I'M ALONE IN MY ROOM SOMETIMES I STARE AT THE WALL AND IN THE BACK OF MIND I HEAR MY CONSCIENCE CALL TELLING ME I NEED A GIRL WHOSE AS SWEET AS A DOVE- FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE- I SEE I NEED LOVE... This was by LL Cool J so I don't remember listening to Duran Duran much after that...

POUR SOME SUGAR ON ME! - Def Leopard
MATERIAL GIRL- Madonna
IS THIS LOVE?_ White Snake

Does this music take you back? I can spend an hour on itunes listening to this stuff. I need to stop it because if I don't, Katherine and Matthew's friends will look at them weird for listenening to OLD MUSIC. They know hardly anything about today's music like they do my old music.

Oh, wait a second... gotta go. Kat is trying to watch GREASE and Matt's turned the stereo up way to loud while he dances to THRILLER. He wouldn't turn it up so loud though if Gabriel wasn't singing RAPPER'S DELIGHT...

Master Gee, it's on you, so whatcha' gonna do?

Tribute to Jean

Since it is 12:38 am and I am still up writing this, I can say that I am going to a funeral today. No funeral is ever a happy occasion but when the person has lived a full, giving, loving life and you KNOW they are a Christian it's easier to handle. Our neighbor behind us name was/is Jean. She is one of the sweetest people I've ever met. I described her to my mother once and I told her she was just like Mamaw, my grandmother. Jean was the first to welcome us to the neighborhood. She became known as the "cookie lady" to my children because she was always baking cookies and bringing them by. She liked to read my blogs and would email me comments about them too.
The last time I saw Jean was Saturday, April 29th. I went by her house because I would sometimes print out things on her printer if I needed something last minute and the library was closed (since Gabriel FED something to our printer and it ended up in the trash). I read her a speech I had written and being the teacher she was, she corrected me. We got into a discussion about writing and then I asked her if she was okay because she didn't look well. I asked her if she needed to go to the doctor and she told me she was going on Monday and she would be fine- just a little trouble breathing. I told her she had better call me if she needed anything 'cause I'd be mad if she didn't. She told me laughing, "So if I die, you'll be mad at me?" I thought a second and said, "Yes I will, and I know where you'll be going 'cause I'm going there too, and when I get there I'll come up and say something to you about not calling me!" That was the last time I saw Jean, my dear neighbor in the back.
She went to the hospital Sunday night. Her good friend Berta took her and called her family. Her daughter came and then her son from out of state. I got to talk to her one last time on the phone and I told her to shut her eyes and I prayed everything would go well for her. And who is to say it didn't? There are so many things people don't see or refuse to accept but I KNOW, I have that assurance of where I am going and I know EXACTLY what Jean is up to right now. Kinda - I mean I don't know who she is hanging out with or what rewards she has received BUT I KNOW she has seen the face of God. I know she no longer wonders...
What it will be like when she walks by HIS side, what her eyes will see when HIS face is before her...
Surrounded by your glory what will my heart feel? Will I dance for you Jesus, or in awe of you be still? Will I stand in your presence, or to my knees will I fall?
Will I sing hallelujah or will I be able to speak at all? All of us...we really can only imagine.
When my wonderful Grandmother went to Heaven I did not send flowers. I can't stand the smell of them because carnations smell like death and my grandmother's NOT dead! So instead I got balloons that said "WELCOME HOME". (The sales clerk at the store asked my cousin's husband, whom I sent to get them, if I wanted some that said "Welcome Back" too and he stood there quiet "thinking" about it and then replied, "No, I don't think that would be quite what we are looking for").
Anyway, the whole point I am saying is that although I will miss Jean, I am so happy for her! And guys, if you think I'm nuts, well then we need to talk...
BYE FOR NOW JEAN! I'LL SEE YOU AROUND- CAN'T SAY WHEN, BUT YOU ENJOY YOURSELF WHILE I'M DOWN HERE COOKIE-LESS!

One in Every Family, or two or three or...

I found out yesterday that someone I know lied about something or fabricated it, or mislead someone. It was something so small and trivial yet they made a mountain out of a mole-hill- an ant-hill- a germ in a Petri-dish. I have been encountering this way to often latey and not long ago I got mad about it. I just couldn't understand WHY people lie! I mean, don't get me wrong, I've lied before. Not to excuse it but the lies I told were called "white lies", like if someone asked me if they looked good in a certain outfit and I knew they wanted to hear "yes", then that's what I told them. But I am talking about OUT & OUT LIES. Lies made up that REALLY hurt people, destroy families and ruin friendships. I went on GOOGLE (one of my favorite places!) and googled "pathological liar" or "habitual liar". I read several studies on liars and it says that these types of liars usually have very low self esteem and lie to make others think they are more interesting or important. They also could lie because they feel bad about themselves and they have to put down others to feel better about their own self. That pretty much sounds like the same thing to me! I am sure these people learned these behaviors at a young age, as a matter of a fact, I am sure they did. Who just wakes up one day and says, "I think I'm going start lying today!" I have 5, THAT'S FIVE people I know who lie like this. I can't confront them because they will either explode and freak-out or continue lying to try to cover up their past lies and somehow turn it around on you. People who feel guilty often act hostile. I look at every one of these people I know and I can see how they fit the outline I wrote above perfectly. I can't confront them because it's not my place, it only causes more problems and for the most part their never going to stop lying, so why waste my time, raise my blood pressure, and give myself a headache?
You know my mom gets up-set with me because I forgive people OVER & OVER again. I have gotten hurt so many times but that's what we are supposed to do... forgive. But what do you do when these people CONTINUE this behavior and you keep getting hurt? Forgive them...so you don't hold any bitterness in your heart and make yourself OLD QUICK, and then JUST WALK AWAY- because they know what they've done whether they admit it or not. Your anger subsides after a few days (or weeks) and you get on with IT without THEM. Did I tell you what else this study said? These types of liars usually end up spending their life sad and alone because they have alienated everyone (except of course other liars that lie to them and they just feed off one another). Okay, I feel better. This is like my brain, my thoughts, my way to vent or laugh about something.
Glad you all enjoy my points of view about life and enjoy sharing my day to day thoughts!
(personal to nosy and MAD- If you don't like what you are reading then why are you still logging on?)
I didn't put a REAL picture of anyone I know above but I thought the pictures representing them are doing a great job!)

QUINCEANERA!

Well the Quinceanera was Saturday night. I went to bed Thursday, Friday and Saturday night after 3:00am which is technically the next morning, I guess. There was so much to get ready... Robyn and I worked so hard on everything and Saturday her sister Vicky was there helping to decorate the place. It looked beautiful too, with all the balloons, little mini silver frames with pictures of Chantel and little purple candies at all the tables. We only had 3 practices with the kids but they were very successful... Then 5pm came and went, NO DJ. He called saying he was running late, REALLY LATE because he didn't show up till 7pm, which was when it was supposed to START. HELLO! We were really STRESSED about it. I had written down DETAILED instructions of how each song was supposed to be played, how long, who to announce...EVERYTHING. I even went over every detail with him. I had seen this DJ in action at another party before and he was great...I CAN NOT say the same for Saturday night... He messed up every song...EVERY SONG!!! The kids were so confused they just kept looking at each other... But they danced anyway. I was so upset by the end of the first part I could feel the tension headache COMING...
He did okay the second half of the night but then again he only play BOOTIE MUSIC and I COULD HAVE DONE THAT. I have been to a 101 events and I KNOW all the songs to play. I was at this wedding for a friend of ours last year and his brother had this really cool system that he set up. Plastic box speaker that opened up and sat on tall stands and all the songs you could imagine down-loaded off of itunes on his lap-top. I would have been terrified to have that many...I am guessing that he must have backed it up. I don't think it was cheap either but no more than paying a good DJ for the night would be. I am going to look into getting a set-up like that and "DJing" Roger out to some of the parties I do. I thought this morning I should start getting Roger to go to some of the jobs I have so he can see how everything flows and goes. He LOVES setting up and getting a party ready and he has no problems cleaning up after. He said if he ever got enough money, he would start up his own party/catering business. I don't know about the food part but the planning, decorating, picture taking, music playing part would be really fun. The more I am in control of the better because I am very precise. I am not saying I don't make mistakes because I do, you know to error is human... But I don't leave a wide margin for mistakes.
I know it's not a big deal, but most of you know Roger and I don't drink much at all. There is more than one reason why.

1.) I don't think God wants me going around loaded
2.) It's very expensive
3.) I don't need it to have a good time
4.) An addiction like that IS THE LAST THING I need

I don't think there is anything wrong with anyone going out to dinner having a drink once in a while. But I did think it was COOL when I was 18 or 19 and young and stupid. I used to go to this really nice restaurant in Chattanooga called GRADY'S. It is similar to OUTBACK. A lot of us would go there and get an appetizer and have a drink. They didn't check I.D'S and we just thought HOW ADULT we were. Some friends of mine were getting married soon, so one night I took them out to GRADY'S and paid for their dinner as my gift to them. I had 3 of those fruity alcoholic drinks and since I usually only had one I got drunk. When I stood up the WHOLE FLOOR MOVED. I don't think I acted weird...I probably laughed a lot but that was about it. My mom went up there the next day and told the manager that if they EVER served me another drink that she would turn them in and they would lose their license. SOOO... I guess you could say I was the reason NO ONE underage got any more drinks at GRADY'S. After that I never really had much. Didn't really see what the big deal was, and I had spent way to much that night anyway. I mean COME ON! Going out to eat cost A LOT anyway... I can count on one hand how many times I have had a alcoholic beverage since then. Did I mention that I have six fingers on one hand? I had a drink at a night club when I was 20, one on my 21st birthday ( I didn't get carded and I WAS SO MAD!). Roger and I went to see a friend in Virginia when I was 28 and got a babysitter so we could go out to dinner and just talk without interruption. She said, "Oh, they have this really good drink I want you to try!" I was 28 and hadn't had anything in 7 years. They brought this pitcher to the table and until I smelled the alcohol, I didn't even know she meant A "DRINK DRINK". I was thinking Coke, Sprite, Dr Pepper... Yeah, I am pretty naive. I had a sip and WOW - it was called SANGRIA. She said it was a mixture of red wine and fruit juice. We had two pitchers but mind you it was PACKED to the top with ice. After that it was 4 years more and I was 32 when I had a fruity drink when Roger took me out by ourselves to THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY. I some SANGRIA this year on my birthday when Roger and I got to go out for the first time alone IN A LONG TIME by ourselves.
Well, the DJ Saturday night stressed me out. I was so aggravated. I was thinking to myself that I sure would like a nerve pill but since I have never had any or knew of anyone that did... I did the next best thing... I VISITED the SANGRIA Fountain. It poured out pretty slow so I never had more than a half a cup, if that, at a time. Did I MENTION how small the cups were? I only visited it........4........or .......5 times. And ~ NO, The floor did not MOVE with me! I was fine, FINE. But you know how some people sin and say, "the devil made me do it?" Well ........... "The DJ MADE ME do it!"