16-11-16 (read 2/24/26)

I just don't know how to tell you how many times I've gotten the happy heart about Vivian.

Beverly and I went to a march downtown to support Standing Rock. The march iteself --- well, I should have paid more attention to its headline --- Standing Rock was the draw, but there was at least an hour's worth of recruitment for three different organizations. We did, finally, when we walked, at least spend some time saying, "We stand with Standing Rock," Saying that almost brought tears to my eyes. Saying that --- that was my point. 

I talked to Daddy and Kathi. Daddy is doing better and so is she. Daddy said he'd had a nice conversation with Andrew the night before. 

Beverly said in a kind of quiet voice that it was very cool that I wanted to go to the march. I told her that I wanted to, that it seemed disingenuous to send money and send prayers but then shy away from what I could actively do here in my own hometown.

Beth posted that she was excited about taking public transportation to her first day of work.

Tyler said that John told Noah, "There isn't going to be any Christmas, or any presents or any tree," and Kim said, "Oh, I'm getting my tree!" 

Shawn came by yesterday to get his ID and so Tyler got to see him for a little bit. Tyler told me later that he'd tried to keep his face straight but he just couldn't stop his smile. 

Annette sent me a message about Brittany, and Brittany putting up a tree in her apartment, and the Christmas ornaments, and kids growing up. It was a sweet conversation. 

Beverly really prefers quiet prayer walks to marching rallies. Maybe she and I will do some of those, even if it is just the two of us.  

16-12-14 (Read 2/27/26)

I'm pretty excited about the present I have for Angela for graduation. It came to me while I was at C&K salon, and Amber was washing my hair --- the fairy that I'd seen earlier at Ashton Art Gallery. Except it isn't exactly a fairy. I still like it, and I think Angela will too. 

I think that just celebrating this year in its own way is making Christmas easier for me. (oops! wrong journal!)

Anyway. Had fun laughing with other women while I was at Ashland Art Gallery. 

Did I tell you that Shawn and Destiny came by? 

I got Tyler's phone reloaded. And paid him for his work. And he came to me this morning, voluntarily, for review on his math notes for his EQT today. That was fun. 

Heard back from Andrew about the Mardi Gras parade.

We have our ticket confirmation for the Black Jacket Concert. 

Beverly and I got to visit a little bit yesterday.

JA is off work ... or is at home at least...right now, which is good, since today is his birthday.

Got to see Evan for a little minute.

We're set to get Willo on Christmas Eve.

I took two walks yesterday. 

16-11-02 (Read 3/1/26

Just a really happy day for me. When I left the office Monday, I left it clear of things that needed to be taken care of before Thursday. I did the HH Bookkeeping and Home Administrative duties yesterday, as scheduled. I kept at the laundry all day, so I can get by without worrying about it today. There are some things dry / drying that can be put away, but they can also wait till tomorrow, so my mind can really be cleared of that. I really can just spend the whole day writing without hurting anybody. That's a rare treat.

When I talked to Daddy yesterday, he told me that Andrew had written "Our phone conversations mean the world to me," on the card he'd sent. Daddy said that Andrew calls him from time to time, but he hadn't realized how much the conversations meant to him. He said that Andrew's saying so meant a lot to him. 

Annette sent a text yesterday to check on Beverly and Barry. 

Brittany helped me with Tyler's homework. :-) I posted a question in the Goodtimes group, and she answered it --- and then the next one, and gave me really good, easy to understand answers, too. 

Angela and I are counting down the days till her graduation, and got excited together yesterday that her graduation announcements had come in. 

Touched base with Beth a little. 

Did I tell you that Evan came over Sunday and visited with me for awhile? Chelsea came over yesterday with their weekly payment and I got to visit with her for a little bit and play with Jaden. 

Shawn called Tyler yesterday, and that made Tyler happy. 

Tyler said  he saw Theresa and asked her how it was not tutoring Shawn anymore. She told him it made her sad that Shawn wasn't there when he wanted to talk to him. Tyler said, "I thought that was really nice for her to say." 

16-09-21 (Read 3/14/26)

Got to have a little bit of coffee with Beth.

Jashuna resigned, which relieves me of an on-going discipline problem, as well as trying to figure out how to support this huge staff with the revenue we are currently turning. 

The household bookkeeping has been tended to and is current. I made it through all of my home administrative duties yesterday, at least the ones that were on the books when I started. I still need to call the dentist. There is always something, but I feel differently, now that it is at a manageable level. 

My Wonderland duties are caught up, and also at a manageable level. I could hyperventilate, go back to the same-o, same-o in response to Jashuna's resignation, but I am not. We're going to take a different approach here. I'm going to hold course on my three days off. I will do as much as I can do in ten hours, but no more. 

Last night, when I was telling Tyler how excited I was to be caught up, he said, "If there's anything I can do to help you, I will." I thought that was sweet. He had done all of his homework, etc., and I told him that his having done that was a bigger help than he realized. 

Shawn told me that he had brought his English grade up by taking a test and turning in one of his bell-ringers. 

Shawn and Tyler made a birthday cake for Chris. 

16-09-10 (Read 3/16/26)

This kids....

16--09-09 (Read 3/20/26)

Shawn life coach.

Shawn said he felt kinda like a life coach, the way he was able to help Destiny. 

16-09-09 (Read 3/20/26)

Shawn came in to my office last night and sat down and we talked for about half an hour, maybe longer, It was a fun visit.

Tyler went to the bee club meeting with Barry. Barry said Tyler seemed be paying close attention. 

Evan and Chelsea and Jaden came for dinner last night. Evan is caught up on the class hours that he missed. Barry and I got to hold Jaden.

Shawn said that when Destiny called in the night, upset about the surgery she has to have, he was able to give her an uplift. He said he felt like a life coach, really good about himself. He said he's been looking for jobs online. 

I got enough done out in the office that I don't have to go back out there today at all. The only thing I need to do is run the Daily Booked Loads Report for Monday, and I really could do that most any time this weekend. So, theoretically, this is "Fitness Friday." It is interrupted by laundry, but I'm going to put my hiking shoes on after lunch. 

16-07-25 (Read 5/18/26)

Shawn so sweet about spending the night.

16-07-27 (Read 6/17/26)

Beth called to invite me to something.

Tyler: Why is it bull in a China shop?  Why isn't ever bull in an American shop?

Beth. .surprise surprise birthday / anniversary.

Shawn and his new school clothes. ..Well,  how does it look?

Tyler c offering me his fries when I told him my favorite fries were those off of someone else's plate. 

Angela and Morgan talking,  happy, phone.

16-08-01 (Read 6/17/26)

Shawn hug.
Text from Beverly.
Barry complimented lunch.
Text from Angela.

16-08-10 (Opened 6/18/26)

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16-08-11 (Read 6/18/26)

We saved our drama for the second day,  but everyone is on their way.

16-08-11 (Read 6/18/26)

Andrew helping Morgan with her work project.

Shawn very talkative last night.

Andrew checking on Nana ' s birthday.

Annette "just needed that hug I got yesterday. "

Brittany came out to visit and brought Skyler.

Visiting with Morgan.

Morgan's boss wanted her to make some changes to their website -- a form for their clients to use. When she hit a roadblock, she sent out text to the family she thought could help her, and heard back from Andrew. She said he was a big help. 

Shawn was very talkative last night. 

Andrew checking on Nana's birthday. 

Annette, "just needed that hug I got yesterday." 

Brittany came out to visit and brought Skyler. 

Visiting with Morgan. 

16-08-16 (Read 6//19/26)

Talking to Daddy makes me happy.

Morgan's bulkhead down.

Shawn dressed out for PE.

Morgan and Brandon finalized their loan, and their bulkhead is now down ... their first step. 

Shawn dressed out for PE and told me without my having to ask about it. 

16-08-29 (Read 6/19/26)

Just enjoyed yesterday, and ended it feel happy --- a sense of well-being. Katelyn, the little girl I've been following on Facebook, had a good week, and is getting stronger. Tyler and I had some good talks. Autumn brought Willo for Goodtimes and we've given her the dates for them through the rest of the year. Faith and Skyler picked Willo up in the pool and played with her, and Tyler played with her a lot. (Tyler said more of the big kids need to come to Goodtimes because his brother just stays in his room, or tries to play with the little kids, which isn't much fun for him.) And we did have big kids yesterday! Angela, Tori, Kennedy, and John W were all here, and we played "Nines" together for a little while, and then Tyler joined us. Zak and Vivian came by around 4:00 or 4:30 --- they had come earlier but somehow missed us --- must have been right before noon --- they didn't see any cars, so I told them mine is usually in the pottery barn now. Vivian and I made up a potion for her grandmother --- played with the essential oils for a little bit --- and I made one for Zak, and Kennedy and I got to refill her Itzahug. Annette hadn't been sure if Skyler would make it, whether or not they would be back from their time in NOLA with Annette's mother, but they were, and so we did get to see her. John was my playground duty, and he sent me a text to let me know they were running a little late. He and Noah got here after we were in the pool, and sat together on the glider at the deep end of the pool. It was fun to watch them sitting there together, talking. Noah was sitting at the table later and when I walked by, he put his arms around me and gave me a big hug. Angela wore her new shirt --- the one Kennedy designed for her. It is so wonderful! Barry cooked a big pot of beans while everyone was here, and had fun feeding them all. 

16-07-8 (Read 6/29/26)

Shawn, at the doctor's office. Visiting. Telling me about how he and his friend stay up late, looking at the ceiling, in the dark, talking about life. He talked about trust. He talked about Destiny. Love. That he thought he felt it before, but that this felt different. That he and some friends had been watching a show on t.v. and they said something about what of the characters being hot, and he said, "I can't look at her like that. I have a girlfriend." And that he'd been proud of himself for that. 

Tyler noticing that I stepped off the curb carefully. (The back of my leg hurts.) 

Angela's text, July 6, "I Graduate December 10," and then five various happy, smiling, grinning emoticons. 

Tori's website is going live. Angela said it involved some new technology, but I've already forgotten what it was about. Tor's text to me said that She was really happy with it and that her team seemed happy with it to. She said, "I had to do a client presentation today, a small one, but they still make me nervous. Went well though." When I read that, my mind jumped to her first words "Would you please move the table in front of the t.v." I texted her that, and we both laughed. 

Got to hear from Brittany and Morgan this week. Brittany's leg is healing and she should be back running in a couple of weeks. Morgan and Brandon are moving out of their apartment today. 

Kennedy and I had a fun conversation about a book I heard about -- 10 sonnets written so that the lines are interchangeable. 

Evan and Chelsea came for dinner Tuesday, and we had a nice visit. 

June 29, 2016 (Read 6/29/26)

They are putting the roof on the writing shack today. I like the color I chose --- you never know about those things ---- if  what you get is going to match the color chart you were using. 

The view from the old writing shack, where I am now, is pretty. Lawn is green and thick. A different pecan tree with a different circle of flowers, our garden --- also a fence line backed with pallets and some Wonderland stuff, but that isn't too bad. I wonder where the bricks that line the three-legged barn came from. 

Angela is making progress on her return to college. She got word from the registrar's office that she was an out of state student, because of that one little year where she lived in Tampa, as a student. So, she is having to supply employment proof that she has lived in Alabama for at least a year. She just had her one-year anniversary at Premier, so that worked out. She came over last night to print some forms related to graduation and when she left she said happily, "I went ahead and printed the graduation application form. I think you have to turn that in the semester of." Happy as in, "I know where I'm going and what I'm doing." 

Called Kathi yesterday and had a nice little visit with her. 

Shawn seems so happy. When he asked Tuesday afternoon about his friend coming over, and I knew Barry and I would be out to dinner with Dave Ferrante and Joe, I told him that that would be fine, that he'd been mature and responsible and just not to screw me up now. He said, with that happy tone we have when we've received a compliment we like, "Thank you, Grannie!"

The baby shower for Chelsea, and Evan, and Jaden was fun. Everyone seemed happy and played the games and visited well. Except for Loren, everyone there was also part of the Second Sunday Supper crowd, and they all laughed together. Beth had a living room full, and Chelsea and Evan seemed happy. 

16-06-21 (Read 7/3/26)

We didn't hear anything about Katelyn yesterday, and I was deeply concerned. They did hit a little bobble but are still on track for moving to rehab, insurance and room in rehab pending. 

Ange made it back safe.

Shawn's text: "Is it all right if we head out? Where are you? I need my hug before I go." 

Beverly sat with me for a quick minute, even though her dinner was hot and ready. 

Little text hello to and from Brittany.

Tyler and Noah seemed to enjoy their first day of camp, although there are twice as many kids on the roster today as there were yesterday. I hope they still have a good time. 

Beth posted this on my Facebook Timeline:

I love that you are you, and that you're mine. Thank you and Beverly for instilling in me that I am smart, beautiful, and way better than I real life am. I suck at reciprocating but let it be known that my sister is the most beautiful, open, ferocious when she needs to be fantastic human and MOM, you are the cheerleader of all cheerleaders. Not the short skirt kind (except when we matched on my field trip) but the one who continually makes me believe I'm going to win. I love yall so much :-* Don't ask me publicly what inspired this post, just know you're my favorites xoxo xoxo

16-06-13 (Read 7/3/26)

Just wanted to hug you before your swim. (Shawn, this morning.)

June 13, 2016 (Read 7/3/26)

Well, I have spent the bulk of this Monday "off" catching up on laundry, but at least I didn't have to try to do that AND do my regular Monday Wonderwork. I got to run two errands that were important, both of which necessitated being on duty today, but I'm beginning to think that tomorrow might be free and clear. I don't know that I'll get every last scrap of laundry done, but I am down to the scraps --- the whites, the light blues, and a couple of strays that will just almost have to be washed by themselves. I could do them tomorrow, but I don't think I need to. 

Barry has a doctor's appointment tomorrow, so I'm not so sure that I want to go to the beach, but I do think I could plan on being over here all day. That would be fun ... just plan to read and Daddy's Father's Day card. 

Shawn and Tyler came home happy from their weekend, and also seemed  happy to be home. Hugs and conversation. 

Beverly and JA and Angela have her space at Phew! fixed up very cute and pretty with an emphasis on making it an independent space, with a reading nook and a table and chairs.