The Cookbook Junkies

Last week we went to the circus. Andrew was somewhat excited to go. We went with our good friends Tim, Regina and Timmy. The kids had fun at Burger King – playing in the germ infested maze-of-illness and then we headed to the Coliseum…the one located in Nassau.

We toured the tired, listless animals. They had already done a show and they were napping. I was jealous – I wanted to be napping. We went through the expensive maze-of-cheap-ass lighted toys they force feed you – at $21.00 a pop. I’d buy my kid anything he wants – but I’m not buying him a piece of crap designed to annoy the hell out of everyone that sits in back of you (and thank God Regina felt the same way). No, thanks. We can annoy folks without a light show and without spending an extra $21.00. We are the frugal annoyers. The folks in front of us bought each of their three kids — two light toys (that’s $42.00) and a unicorn snow cone (that’s $11) and that isn’t counting the popcorn, pretzels and other treats. What’s in their wallet?

Andrew did great until the lights went out – then he cried off and on – and wanted to leave. Jim and I really enjoyed the show – and Andrew did enjoy parts of it. He basically wanted to go home. When he tells everyone about the circus, he mainly says that he and Timmy played tag outside and climbed a big rock. Kiss that $150 in ticket prices goodbye. So long. Farewell.

Later while looking at the pictures I took – I got a great one of Jonathan Lee Iverson – the amazing Ringmaster who is I believe the first African American Ringmaster. I showed Andrew the picture and I said – “this is a picture of the Ringmaster – wasn’t he amazing?” To which Andrew responded, “No, he isn’t peach like me.” What the hell!!! Where is he getting this peach, brown crap. We don’t talk that way – we have friends that are different colors of the rainbow. Is he watching All in the Family on TVLand?

We had our talk again about how people’s colors, size, gender…don’t matter that we are all the same. Dear God, I’m not going to let him put a sheet on his head anymore and play ghost.

He’s having a really hard time. Bad reports from school. Yesterday at a birthday party – he had a tantrum big time, hit a friend and then screamed for cake like a barn-raised child. This behavior sent Jim into a funk. Andrew and I didn’t even go to church today to give Jim a break from us. We’re bad bad people…Andrew and I. Then, I took Andrew out shopping for a couple hours and while gone – semi-sweet Jim came back. I still got miles to go before I sleep.

I have a whole week and a day of planning activities for Andrew. Thanks to Regina and Timmy – we got a couple days covered…the rest is in God’s hands.

Footprints in the sand….footprints in the sand.

But just barely…

Andrew is having an awful time. I had meetings at the school and everyone told me that he is having a really rough week – spinning out of control (physically), very aggressive verbally with the other children….the lists goes on.

I have nothing funny to share. I do but I don’t have the heart to write it.

Next week – he’s off. I’m hoping to survive.

What a week, what a week.

I was bred for comfort. I cannot live without electricity. Twenty hours without power and we thought we were the equivalent of Haitian refugees. How the Ingalls did it — I’ll never know. I have to say – it must be the magic of television because their lamps sure did give off a lot of light.

Long Island had hurricane force wind gusts of 70 mph Saturday. Our power went out about 6:20 p.m. – right after I finished dinner and took a shower. While in the shower I yelled out to Jim to get the flashlight ready – because I had a feeling – and I didn’t want Andrew to freak out – and freak he did — Rick James freaky. He was terrified for us to light candles (fire) but we calmed him down because it was better to fear the candlelight than curse the darkness. He was beside himself – terrified by the power outage, hiding under pillows. Trees were falling everywhere and many sirens and fire trucks going by. Thankfully, it wasn’t too long before Andrew’s bed time. He was asleep by 7:45 p.m. and Jim and I were asleep by 9.

Andrew woke up at 5 a.m. (we had the daylight savings time thing happening here so it was technically 4 a.m.) and told me that he wasn’t scared of the electric being out because it really was night time. We snuggled and he went back to sleep until 8 (thank you Jesus).

I kept waking up – praying my little cable box light would be on – but no. Our power came on about 2:30 p.m. on Sunday – not bad in comparison to others. Andrew’s school was closed due to power outage and no heat on Monday. Tomorrow if no power – the kids will be bussed to another location. I say bus them to Canada as long as there is school. Wednesday and Thursday are only 8 to 11 days for teacher conferences and this mother needs a break because Friday I am scheduled all day for special education meetings.

My 24 year old took the power outage the worse – he was distraught. He couldn’t get anything done – his words (read: gaming). I offered him a book – he recoiled in horror.

I had a cookie and butterscotch bar order last week, meetings all day one day, cleaned Rosemary’s house on Friday and this week I have a huge dessert order. I also sold two books for a total of a $100 last week – so it was a good week.

Off to finish dinner — homemade sesame chicken, garlic broccoli and almond ginger rice. Smells good in here.

Loving me some Ben Franklin – fly that kite baby.