We Are In Vancouver

Some of us are in Vancouver with my manorexic brother...

Some of us at 7:38 are ready for bed.

Some of us are going on a 25 mile bike ride in the morning that "some of us"  are not ready for!!  (ba ha ha ha The Dad)

Some of us went to Shanahans...  No wait, we ALL did...  Alli & Britt too!

Some of us are done writing for the night.

New Tires

Okay.  Today The Dad is having new tires put on Black Betty before we hit the road for Moscow and the first game of the last season.

 

I'm excited about the tires.  I LOVE getting new tires.  Is that weird?  The cars drive smoother when you get new tires.  Yes... I love getting new tires.  When we got Black Betty two years ago, she had 22K miles on her and the tires were in great shape.  I've been telling The Dad if we're going to all of these senior games - over the hills and through the woods - tires were a must.

 

Now we love Les Schwab and they've always taken very good care of us.  But, with Jeff's last day tomorrow - we kind of have to seek out the best deal on the bigger things for a while.  When he brought up the "make an appointment at L.S. for tires on Thursday" I told him to call Mike out at Midway.  Heck, it's in Post Falls (which is like Montana to us South Hill'ers) but an oil change costs me like $17.83 cents out there.  You can't beat that.  They are AWESOME! 

 

So The Dad semi-begrudgingly called them and asked about tires.  Mike, The Great Service Manager - gave him a quote of $623.  That was $300-$500 LESS than what Les Schwab quoted us... and I'm getting the same tires that I currently have on her. 

 

No brainer. 

 

The Dad took her out - it's not often he gets her all to himself... and he decided to tack on the oil change that is coming due in another couple of weeks.  So we're good to go to Moscow, to Vancouver, to Deming, to Seattle, to Portland, to Bozeman....  And go we will!

 

It's football season.  It's fall.  LET'S GO!

 



Calling all cars! Calling all cars!

Or just cops.

I walked out of my work building today to see a newer goldish/pewter colored Chevy Tahoe with regular ole' Washington State license plates - parked diagonally in the middle of our parking lot and a person getting out of it in... ahhh... cop-ish clothes.  Mostly not as identifiable as "regular" cop clothes.  He had pulled over a nice mercedes in our parking lot.  

I watched him as he handed the now angry man in the mercedes a piece of paper and say "Have a nice day."  I mean, REALLY?  "Have a nice day." after you've given a ticket?  That's crap.

So the policeman in disguise got back into the pretty Tahoe, took the entire width of the parking lot to turn around, versus pulling into a slot, backing up and turning the car around.  The Mad Man in the Mercedes pulled up behind him at the driveway and me behind the Mad Man.  The PID turned left and then immediately got in the left hand lane to turn like you're going to my house from my work.  The MMIM turned right.  I made my left turn and got into that same left hand lane by McDonalds and took the left.  As I went along the Palouse Highway and was just passing the Claire House on the left, the PID had just done another U-ey in that lot to catch the next speeder on the Palouse.  I passed by him/Claire  House and knew it was the same car, and he took a left and immediately pulled in behind me.  And then his little lightbulb went off and he pulled over onto the very small shoulder, flipped his car around again and pulled back into the Claire House parking lot.  That little lightbulb was that he obviously saw me get in my car back at work and he had *just remembered* my car and also that I now KNEW he was a P.I.D.  I think he's one of those ones that has to get his quota or likes his whole power thing knowing most people on the roads have ZERO CLUE that he is, in fact, a P.I.D.  

I've seen more and more of these cars that are typically "family" cars.  Suburbans, Tahoes, Explorers and Expeditions.  And you know they love that no one knows they are police.  But it's deceiving, isn't it?  To sneak up behind someone in an unmarked family vehicle, pretend you're just another driver on the road... just WAITING to catch someone.  

So for today - I blew his quota.  At least right at that moment.  I'm sure he was all excited to follow me and see if I'd do a california stop up ahead or forget my blinker at the next light... Instead, I know the car - and when I head back to work... I'm gonna wave at you!  

Our Own Little Wizard!

So I aired some dirty laundry yesterday and I'm good on it all now.  The Dad asked me if I wanted to see a response to an email he wrote and I said "No".  I'm done.  He proceeded to share some with my anyhow and instead of being upset about the WORDS that were written, I was angry that he shared when I told him I didn't care.  Didn't want it.  But, it's 12 minutes later and - I'm shrugging.  EXPELLIARMUS! *Poof*. 

 

Besides... there was this "little" tidbit this morning in the newspaper.  It's football season folks and we are so excited to get our tailgate on!  Let's go!  Bring on the Minn Magic!

 

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2012/aug/27/ewus-minnerly-epitome-overachiever/

 

 



Flawed, But Cleaning Up So Well

Here it is.  Read it.  Don't read it.  

6 years ago a family member of mine divorced her husband and moved far away from him and her daughters.  Prior to that, this family member and I had a falling out and we've never come back from it.  But then - the only reason I've ever tried to was for the kids. It's been clear that this person is devoid of emotion, feeling, and caring about anyone unless it suits a need. 

I've stuck my nose in where it didn't belong - not because I am the kind that goes off an gossips about it after Sunday church - but I think mostly because I was/am so in shock that a mother could leave her kids. It's so unnatural. I live my life for mine - and would like to spend more time with them than I will ever get to again so the thought of leaving kids behind is just so bewildering.  

As time has gone on - this persons' role in the family dynamic has changed - as has mine.  I'm no longer the liar.  I'm not the one who steals.  I've never had the police called on me for disturbing the peace.  I don't tell people I take a half a hydrocodone or oxycontin a day for migraine management.  But then, even in my lying and stealing days (you know, the dippin' sticks they used to sell at Bernard Market or change from the parents change jar - yes, I did that, and worse.) I would never have had the drug issue.... so that's irrelevant.  

Times have changed.  People have changed.

A month or so back - this persons ex-husband called and asked me about stuff he found while gutting the house.  He said his ex-wife had left it and knowing she had been back to the house, stayed in the house many times over the past 6 years - she never took it with her, did I want it?  "No.  Toss it."  He went on to say "Someone might want it.  Someone should have them.  Your mom, maybe."  I still said "Nope."  But he couldn't  not toss it, so sent it here, by car, with another family member.  There was a picture of my grandparents and I thought "I might want that."  It was on top, I didn't go through the boxes as I don't have room for anything else - I have what I need or will use.  More than I need or will use or look at...

I get a text from my mom on Saturday night as Jeff and I are heading out asking if my step dad had a beer up here when he came up to get some of their stuff/his stuff.  "No."  Was he in a bad mood when he left. "No"  Whatever...  I get home that night to an email telling me that that stuff BELONGS to the person who left it in the house she was bought out of 6 years earlier and I was to bring it immediately to my step dad or the relative the next morning/day.  

We brought the stuff to his attention... it's not like we were trying to hide it or keep anything from anyone about having it.  It really didn't seem like a big deal.  At all.

But boy howdy is it.  It's a big fuckin deal.  Just so you know.  And once again... ALL MY FAULT.  It bothers me this time, sure, but each time this happens and it's NOT actually my fault anymore - I find it easier to let go of, move on.  Sometimes laugh.  It's sad - sure... but the fact that, over time, people know things are not quite right, but find it's just easier to let the scapegoat continue to do a job that she (me) owned so well, for a long time.  For them to wear the rose colored glasses.  To watch the elephant walk through the living room and pretend it's not there.  To never be wrong. Or sorry.  Or sad.  

It must be so hard never being wrong.  Or is it - It must be nice knowing you can blame someone, or anyone else's screwed up life on one person - even if that person had nothing, nothing to do with any event or comment or action.  For a long time coming now.  

Ya know what?  Who cares.  Really.  Waste of breath.  Waste of time.  I've learned.  I'm good. Why do I put this out there then?  Because writing helps me get it out.  Off my chest.  Be done with it.  There have been many many times I've wanted to put this out there and didn't.  I think because I always held out hope that there would be resolution.  That for once, one time, it wouldn't be my fault when it really wasn't... my fault.  But for some, that's never going to happen.  And I need to let it go - once and for all.  

Goodbye dear scapegoat.  You're needed at another dysfunctional family's house now.  I'm letting you go.    

One & One Makes Two

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Congratulations on your engagement...

Rob & Liz

To a man who does everything in his power to make the women in his life happy (and anyone who needs plumbing done), and the woman who through tragedy came into this "family", took care of one and all,  hugs away all of our tears, greets Rob (and everyone else in her path) with a smile...

Here's to the rest of your lives together!