It's a Wonderful Weekend, Part 2

Ocean City has a beautiful beach in the summer. And this is one way that they keep it so nice:



The Spoils of Dredging





Dredging ALL Night Long......



Into the Water We Go...

  By the next morning, they had moved in front of the next hotel.  I imagine they were going to work their way all the way up the beach.  I'll have to remember this next summer when I am there!

It's a Wonderful Weekend, Part 1

I had such a WONDERFUL weekend that the word WONDERFUL just doesn't do it justice!  It was such a busy, full weekend that I didn't want it to end.  I am feeling kinda hung over today, without having the alcohol.  hmmmmm  maybe I wouldn't feel so bad if I had the alcohol...  NAH!!!

There was one little hiccup in the weekend but in the end, I got to laugh about it.   Serves him right!



On Friday, I left for Ocean City, MD (OCMD) to have my girls weekend with my wonderful girlfriends. There are a couple that I only see on this weekend so I HAD to go even if only for one night.  I stopped and picked up Judy and we stopped in Rehoboth for lots of shopping.  At lunchtime, we met up with Bonnie and Sherry, then went out for more shopping.  We eventually made our way to OCMD to check into the hotel where Santa greeted us.



Judy and Santa

Judy and I were roomies and our room was the gathering place.  Such fun!!  Since I was only going to be there for one night, I wanted to go see the lights on Friday, instead of Saturday like we usually do so we opted for dinner in the hotel.  And it was the perfect choice!  We had yummy drinks and food.

The DunesBerry.  YUMMY!







The Surf and Turf Burger.  Also YUMMY!

After dinner, some of us went to the lights.  Usually, its SO packed with lines every where.  And they cram you into the tram car for the ride around the park.  Not this year.  We didn't have to wait in any line and we had lots of room to stretch out....

Renie aka Evil StepMoM aka ESM





And now for a bunch of pictures of the lights.  They were fabulous as usual!

Sorry for the blurry ones.  The Tram Car was moving.

After the lights, we headed back to the room to exchange presents and catch up on all the news.  We watched a movie, which I fell asleep on and then it was morning.

After breakfast, shopping and lunch, I had to say goodbye.  I was drving back to Jersey for my Christmas Concert.  Next year, we are moving it back to the first weekend in December and I will be able to stay for the entire weekend.  I love being with these ladies and wish we could make more time for each other.  But distance and responsibilities keep us apart.  I am grateful for the time I had with them this year.

The Games Have Begun

I sit here in OCMD steaming. Not because I'm in sauna but because I checked my emails. Dumb, I know but I have a child and I worry. And the machinery on the beach outside the room woke me up at 5:30 AM! Ugh. More on that later!

The ex got the court papers early this week and I have been waiting for him to start playing games to hurt me. I expected him to file with the courts to reduced the child support, increase his visitation time, take shots at my parenting skills, that kind of thing. I didn't think he would use Jakes and hurt him in his Vengeance to get back at me but A/H has now sunk to a new low.

Jakes is with him this weekend as is his normally scheduled weekend. I had made arrangements for A/H to drop Jakes off at the college on Sunday for my concert. Jakes was excited! He couldn't wait to see us sing!

I also sent A/H an email detailing the homework that Jakes has to finish up this weekend. In addition, because A/H has said in the past that he doesn't get my emails and if I don't list for him what the homework is, then Jakes doesn't have to do it, I sent him a text message asking him to check his email.

I received an email back from him stating that there was no way he could get all this homework finished AND still be able to drop Jakes off at the college at 2:30 as planned. This is from the man that said he sees no reason to medicate him because he doesn't have problems with him. If he doesn't have problems with Jakes then there's no reason that the homework shouldn't be finished in time for the concert. Right?

I have been to pissed off to respond productively to his email. There are MANY emails that I have written in my head but they would only serve to piss him off further and since he has my child, I don't want to make things worse for Jakes at the moment.

When I get home this afternoon, hopefully I will be able to send one that is unemotional but still put a zinger in there that he is hurting Jakes more than me. Which would be a lie. I am very hurt. But he doesn't need to know that he still has that power over me.

Well. Time for my fun in OCMD! Ta-ta for now!

UPDATE:  I did respond very nicely, almost thanking him for caring about Jakes homework.  He responded that if Jakes got the stuff done, he would drop him off early.  And I thought we would leave it at that. NOPE.  Someone got frustrated with Jakes and took it out on me.

I was told by A/H that I MUST make sure that Jakes packs his school books or that I MUST provide him with the correct login information so they can access the book that way.  WELL!  Ok, I did give him the wrong username in this weekends email.  When I got home, I sent him the corrected version and also suggested that he check a previous email in which I had sent him the information.  He then had the audacity to suggest that this would not have happened if I had been home when he picked up Jakes.  HA!  Little does he know that I have NO control over the child.  I have been trying to tell him this!  And he's going to try and make me feel guilty that I was away for the night?!  Didn't work.  Jakes was in good hands, the same hands he is in after school EVERY DAY!

I think A/H was experiencing a little bit of the struggles and frustration that I go through on a daily basis.  Serves him right!

Weekend Plans

This weekend is going to be a busy one and I intend to enjoy it COMPLETELY.  On Friday, I am playing hooky from work to go to Ocean City, MD overnight.  This is the trip that we usually take the first weekend in December but got pushed back one weekend.  I also didn't think I would be able to go because the concert for my choir group is this weekend!

So because I will be singing on Saturday and Sunday, I will only be going to OCMD for an overnight but at least I will be able to go.  After I put Jakes on the bus, I will be driving to MD to pick up Grandmom Judy and then we will head for the beach.  The plan is to meet everyone in Lewes, DE for lunch, do some shopping and when our wallets are empty, head to OCMD for the rest of the fun!

I love being with this group of ladies.  I have been going for over 15 years and I intend to continue to go for as long as they are going!  Maybe even after they stop, but I hope they don't ever stop!

Saturday after lunch, I will have to say my goodbyes to them and head back north so I can get ready for my concert.  We are singing Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon.  I am so excited!  We ran through the program last night and it sounded pretty darn good!  Some of the songs that I haven't been too keen on are sounding so pretty!  When the harmony is right, they are delightful to sing and hear.  I will post pictures and maybe a video!

On Sunday, my BFF Kimber is coming down to see me sing and I am hoping she will come early so we can hang out and chat.  Her kids and fiance will be farmed out to the respective family and friends and Jakes will be with his Dad.  Its been a long time since she and I have had just girl time without interruption!

Also on Sunday, Jakes father is going to drop him off at the college where we sing.  His father of course had to be difficult over it, but did I expect less?  Nope. 

I hope your weekend plans are as much fun as mine!

Christmas Decor

My living room looks like Christmas exploded there.  This weekend, Jakes and I worked together (with minimal fighting) to get things festive.  We dug all the boxes out of the shed (outside in the COLD WIND) and put the empty ones back.  It was a good weekend.

I love decorating for Christmas.  Its my chance to see the homemade ornaments from my mom and to tell Jakes all about Grandmom Kathy.  Its a happy time, yet tinged with a little sadness.

Let me share with you...............

Our Tree

This is the first year we've had a train around the tree.  I am not liking it cause it put the tree further out in the room and we need all the room we can get.  Son put the train together and then had trouble getting it to run.  So we called G-Pop to come and check things out for us.  After a little re-wiring, we were back in business.  Way to go G-pop!

Homemade Mrs. Claus

Mom was a crafty person.  She sewed, cross stitched, crocheted and sometimes combined all of them.  She made tons of ornaments for the tree and I took some of them her last Christmas with us. 

Homemade Santa Claus

I was surprised that I didn't have more of her homemade ornaments.  The only thing I can think of is that after 11 years of her being gone, plus however old they were when I got them, they have disintegrated.  Bummer.



Jakes First Christmas



This is another handmade ornament from my aunt.  She painted it for Jakes first Christmas.  Jakes was loved because he has several first Christmas ornaments.

Jakes First Christmas from Grandmom Judy

Grandmom Judy was Mom's BFF since 7th grade.  When Mom was dying, she named Judy as Jakes stand in grandmother.  So she became and still is today, Grandmom Judy.  I know this is from Grandmom Judy because there is a cat on it and she is a cat person.

From Hawaii

I have several of these.  They were added to the tree in 2006, the same year as my divorce.  I was sent to Hawaii less than a month after my divorce by work to attend the International AA convention.  It was GREAT!

Handmade ornament made by Jakes

When you become a parent of a school age kid, these are required to be on the tree.  All the ornaments made in school to impress the parents.  These comprise most of my tree.

Another handmade Jakes ornament

In addition to the tree with the train around it, we have the winter villages that get set up.

Winter Villages

And the manger scene.  I got this from my parents at Mom's last Christmas.

Manger scene

I HATE the moving Santa and Mrs Claus but Jakes insists that we put them out.  I think only because we have ALWAYS put them out.  Oh well.  Maybe next year they can get left in the shed.

Parachuting, singing Santa

This is strung from one end of the hallway to the other.  He usually gets stuck outside my bedroom door.  I have forgotten to move him back before bed and have gotten up in the middle of the night, only to be attacked by Santa.  NOT fun at 4:00 am.  Did I mention that he is sound activated?  So when I curse because I have tangled with him, he starts singing and kicking.  Nice.  Next year, we shorten the string and he ends at JAKES door.  HA!

That's basically our Christmas Decor.  I showed you mine, how bout you show me yours....  it's only fair!

Winter Weather is Here. BRRRRRRR

Winter weather is here.  This is the first REALLY cold and windy weekend here at The Compound.  I love to live on the river, except in the winter. 

In the warmer weather there is so much wonderfulness about being on the water.  The warm breeze through the house, the boats flying by, the sunsets, even watching the storms march across the river.

Can you beat this view?

In the winter, though, the warm breeze turns cold and mean.  This weekend, the wind been out of the west, mostly and I haven't seen it go below 20 miles per hour.  I know what the wind speed is because my daddy gave me his old weather station.  Coolness!



Weather Station

But since its December, I will have to accept that eventually my view will include this:



BRRRR

 
And Spring is on its way, right?

I'm SO Spoiled! And It's the Only Way to BE!

I randomly told you about painting my neighbors upstairs, with the HIGH ceilings and the crazy angles and such.  Any painting jobs we do, Neicy and I split everything 50/50, from the work to the clean up and the pay.  Well, this job made me enough extra dough to treat myself to this:

And I am LOVING it!  I mean, I like my electronic gadgets and all but this one takes the cake!  There is one problem and that is that I can't create a blog with it.  Blogger needs to make an app for that.  I can read and comment on everyone's posts.  I just can't create new ones for me with it.  I am going to look for an app that might work with it but for now, I am having too much fun!  For now, I will create new posts on the Desktop.  Not as much fun though!

I will put it down long enough this weekend to put up Christmas decorations!  Have a great weekend!  See ya on Monday............