heading back to the ranch...

retirement. boy, that's a dream.

i am now starting to really relish the idea of not working, although i can't imagine that will ever happen, or at least not any time soon. i have enjoyed reading, staying in, sitting on the porch, cooking, watching old 30's-40's movies, monk, psych, the law and orders, et al. i like having been able to get some chores done around the house, or at least make a dent in them. i didn't do everything i wanted to do (hand scrub the upstairs bathroom floor and walls and make that room spiffy; making ravioli; making borscht;shampooing my carpets). but i did read a lot of books, order books, sell books, view books and read my newspapers. i got caught up on my sleep, and i am less stressed and more relaxed than i have been in a long time. hail chemicals!



austin has a bone chip in his big right toe joint and after 2 doctors appointments, he is in an ortho boot for 4-6 weeks, or so they say. i think this is a bit extreme, and i am going to see if i can get another opinion on it. on one hand, it is good to protect his foot, as that is his push off foot for baseball, but on the other hand it seems sort of out there for something so small. in any case, i am going to check again. everyone is now in on it and the yapping begins. i am really tired of doing politics with family and coaches.



austin has been both exasperating and good at the same time. on one hand, exasperating (he left his wallet with his health insurance card on the night that bebo took him to the appointment; he left his retainers at amy's last night; he forgot to call and tell me NOT to make dinner for him and amy because he was eating at her house; he didn't go in and try to do something/anything at the RBI practice today;) on the other hand, he has done more chores, argued less, and been more willing to help me out in the house and talk. i am just hoping at some point he is going to grow a brain. he is just like the jeremy character in the ZITS comic strip. he has the memory of a flea, the attention span of a gnat, and cannot be depended on to do much of anything on a regular basis.



i don't know what i am going to do with my classes tomorrow, but i am sure it will all work out. now my big focus is getting some snow! it may be possible in a week or so. already i am getting emails about bringing omar in and turning him on!