WAH!!! I went to comment on Paula's AOL journal, but alas it was gone! POOF! All gone!

Makes me sad as I always knew I could look in my AOL mailbox (no matter what) there were alerts to be read. Oh well, guess I'll get used to the change.

Here's some bus driver stories to cheer me up...

During my midday I have 12 kindergartners I take home after am school and then I take 12 in for pm school. On the pm run the kids all basically know each other as they live in the same subdivision. They hopped on the bus all dressed up and excited for Halloween. One was a cute Alice in Wonderland, another a princess, one a unicorn, the boys were all muscle bound iron man, spider man, BUT one little girl threw me off, she pranced on all get up in a rock star outfit complete with a fake noise jewel! I shuttered and thought of a mini Britney Spears! One girl was Raggedy Ann and after a bit some of the kids looked her over & they exclaimed "who are you??" Dear God these kids know Britney but not poor Ann!!! They were all cute though.

I have a very full bus of grade school children. They are all very well mannered. Two girls now live in a house I used to live in when I was a single mom. It was actually part of an old farm house that was made into 3 apartments. These two have my old apartment. The both listen intently when I describe how the place looked when I lived there. They smile and think my stories are funny. I have a way of making all sorts of people laugh. Usually with a tinge of sarcasm. But hey humor is the only way to go these days.

Anyway, I told the kids if they were going to throw their candy on my floor they may as well give it to the bus driver...one of these lovely girls took me up on it and handed me a bag of m & m's, which to me is a good candy, not like jawbreakers or boring candy...although I like any kind of candy. yum.



Honestly these kids must of been tired as they were basically silent the whole way home!

This evening we have no little kids so hubby and I will build a fire and enjoy looking for the spooky ghouls that come out after dark!

Have a wonderful Halloween!

Warm southerly winds, clear blue sky, Autumn leaves still hanging on the trees! It's a glorious day! My middle boy is coming home! A three day weekend is approaching!

All signs point to an awesome day! The school kids are celebrating Halloween. So far I've seen sleeping beauty, bat girl and a mermaid, as the kindergartners are allowed to wear their costumes to school. I am sure I will have a sugar filled bus ride home, BUT I did throw out a hint...bus driver loves chocolate, wonder if I'll get any offers???

Still having issues with my stepson, Dale ... he refuses to change, confirm, adapt. But as we progress along the way Mark and I learn, we detach, we ignore, we set boundaries...some day we will look back at these days and realize it was all for a reason, a purpose.

Only time will tell...

way too busy girl!!!

I have seriously been way too busy. The pain in my stomach went away, most likely caused by way too much stress!

I refuse to be stressed out now, but I am still busy. Mrs H came home Friday so I was over at her place Thursday morning cleaning it. Then she wanted me there twice on Saturday and twice on Sunday. In between the kids were looking for Grandma Roses ... they wanted to sleep here Saturday night, which was a nice diversion.
Mrs H has full time help, but still wants us "girls" to come too.

My son Eric is coming home Thursday, but he will be living with his dad and step mom. I am happy he will be nearby and working at a less stressful job position. His store wasn't doing well, plus he was also doing the work of the fired payroll person, which to me doesn't see right. :0!!

Halloween is coming quickly and I am already seeing the candy wrappers littering my bus. For a couple of weeks these kids will be on a sugar buzz to beat all heck. Sometimes I swear they have candy for breakfast!...also the district has been installing cameras on all the older buses. I think it's a state law, but I am quite happy with mine. The kids now must behave or I have video proof of there misdeeds! One kid actually thought it was hooked to a live TV and was acting all goofy doing a fake news cast. Kids are funny.




















We are off on Friday for some sort of Teacher's Institute. A three day weekend for me! Plus the clocks get set back an hour so an extra hour too!! Mark and I are going to do some much needed work around the house. Jim's now vacant room must be cleaned out. Otherwise I am staying home and relaxing! And catching up with journals...which is normal for me!!

more birthdays...and a uncommon occurence!

My children many years ago...

Liz was 20 on the 20th of October, Eric will be 24 on the 24 of October ... and my oldest Tim will be 27 on February 27, 2009...all in a row, not the same year...which would be truly an occurrence, but still something to mention.

My children noticed this, I would have never thought about it. There are days I think too much, lately I've just tried to enjoy the beauty of Autumn. My kids have grown up too quick. In a blink they are not children, but young adults. The above picture was when I was a single mom living in an upstairs part of a large house. I love my life now, but I still try and freeze time. Back then I wish I had realized how quick my children grow up. Life should be enjoyed and today I am making sure I stop and enjoy the now!

Eric is coming home in about a month. He's able to transfer to another store nearby. Being 5 hours away in Ohio and living on his own has become too much for him. He misses his family. I miss him.

I have a blessed life and it's full of amazing and wonderful people, places and things...hope you all have a wonderful day also!

Liz is 20!

Happy birthday to Liz!!! My baby's not a teenager anymore!

pumpkin farm...fun!

Our tradition is to take the grand kids to the pumpkin farm each year. The first year Dakota was still crawling and Jacob was hardly talking, little Dayton wasn't even born yet!


Back then Jacob, middle guy driving, was all about the tractors. At that time he was very upset that there was no real motor in this wood version. Dayton's about the same age Jacob was at that time, he is more into the train.

It was pulled by a real tractor...They had a wooden version and he climbed all over that for a long time.

My husband was a good boy and didn't complain about the cost or there being too many people. I told him to stop and be little for a while and then he'd see how wonderful this place is...he did and he had fun! Every once in a while you could hear a kid throwing a fit, a parent trying to drag the kid some place other than were they wanted to be! I made up my mind a long time ago that I wasn't there for me, I was there for the kids and I guess experience has taught me to just let the kids have fun no matter how much of a place they see.

The straw hill was now in a small outbuilding including a slide, I will show those pics off later. Also, pictures of Jacob feeding a goat, the kid has never ever gone inside the petting pen, at least not with us...he did it this time. The little boys were almost too brave.


This picture is after the horse ride. The horses are a type of draft horse, two of them pull a wagon and go around a pond. After this year the two horses will retire. After this picture we headed for the apple cider donuts, yum!

I ok...

I am ok. I still have a pain in my lower stomach, but no fever or throwing up. So I will carry on, as usual. So much for the short week. Already today I did bus evacuation drills and had an addition to my midday. All overtime...busy busy!

I was able to spend last evening with my guys. This weekend we are planning a trip to the pumpkin farm ... for sure...

another kid pic...

AND ANOTHER!

My oldest son, Tim & his girlfriend Kristen. He is my proof that love, guidance, an occasional kick in the shorts does create a strong healthy MAN! My hope is they create a healthy, happy home and some day a wonderful family!

did my doctor duty...

Boyfriend new Mike and Liz...at my nephew's surprise b'day party...

Today Liz and I did our duty as women and went to the gynecologist. In between I got my yearly physical for my bus permit. Too many pregnant women and snotty nose kids for my liking. Usually I get my physical at the clinic that segregates the work related physicals away from immediate care, but this clinic is closer to my other doctor so I went there.

Yesterday Mark and I worked on our home both cleaning inside and out. Lately I have not been coming home until nearly 7, the necessary bathroom/kitchen cleaning had been neglected. He did the mowing and cleanup outside. He cut down a bunch of bushes near the house a few weeks ago and was still cleaning up around the house. He noticed some wires hanging from the cable we had disconnected last year, we had switched to Dish and we both figured these were just the sloppy cables left behind...WRONG...snip went the cables out went the satellite. We fixed it today. And it only cost 15 dollars.

Last evening I came back from Mrs H's and my stomach was killing me. It was burning and I figured it was just the stress listening to another exciting adventure of my stepsons and their mother. All evening my stomach hurt, but I figured maybe a touch of the flu. then my lower stomach started hurting...asked both doctors they said, "hmmmmmm could be your appendix". Dr. Gyne said, "if you get a fever or throw up call me tomorrow"...YAY! I wonder if he can find me a hospital over looking a beach??

Here's another children picture to cheer me up...
Tina and my son Eric who presently lives in Celina, Ohio and is trying to come back home, but not in this picture...Tina goes to Ohio University. She has loved Eric since high school.

3 day weekend...

Fall is in the air...too bad it's 80 degrees! That's OK. I am really not ready for cold weather yet anyway. The house is quiet...the neighbors (my stepsons) took the kids and Dale to their mother's trailer 20 miles away. Quiet...




Mark is at his weekend overnight mail run, and I have just made a cup of night night tea after going over to work for Mrs H. If all goes well for her she should be home soon with full time care. She still wants us girls to be there to help her with her creature comforts. I don't mind, Mrs H has lived her life with dignity and grace for 95 years...whatever I can do to make the next whatever time is left for her easier I'll do...



Last evening my son Tim and his girlfriend Kristen treated us to deep dish pizza. My son has come a long way. He's 26 and has a wonderful girlfriend, job, nice apartment. He was quite the party boy in college, but has settled down. So I believe there is hope for the rest of the gang. You never know, divorce, jail, loss of friends, that usually get most people to pay attention to their actions!




I used to have a bus journal, but quit using it because I was afraid to talk about the kids I had that year. They were an undisciplined group for sure. I did transfer it though to blogspot. Maybe I'll reopen it someday. Otherwise work is going fine. My routes are great, I only have one junior run which is in the afternoon. It only took me a day to get them into line after our initial honeymoon period. Junior high kids love to push the limits. Speaking of...yesterday a junior high kid ran his bike into the side of one of our buses while it was pulling into the school. His bike went under the bus and the horrified other drivers started screaming on the radio. I wasn't on the air then, but I can imagine this poor man's shock. The kid was fine, the driver came back to work in the afternoon, which was very wise as rumors spread quickly and fear can set in.


Hopefully, next weekend the weather will cool back to more autumn like temps, rather than the 80's we are experiencing right now. We are going to grab the boys and take them to our annual pumpkin farm visit. Last year it was 90 degrees and we were wore out by the end of the day.

Off to enjoy the peace and quiet!

a river of booze down my street....

I feel at home here already in these new digs!! Actually I was really ready for a change. I never realized just how many cool people that are just like me hanging out online and posting about their life's. AOL had become blah to me, don't get me wrong J-land is wonderful and it will be wonderful here too. It's the people that matter. I am still in touch with the very first person that ever introduced me to J-land. I love her dearly.

Did you know that you can go to your homepage on Blogspot, hit next blog & you go to another journal?? I found some interesting stuff that people blog about, even in other languages!

My work week is nearly over. My stepson Dale turned 22 today. Every morning I stop at my house during my layover, and usually park my bus at the funeral home down the block, today I parked on my road. Dale's mom stopped by with envelope, did not knock, just dropped it at the door and left. God that woman is piece of work, she tries very hard to steer clear of me. Dale is still waiting for his drug test to come back clean (it better) to start work at Target. He has to stay clean or he goes to big boy jail, which is Statesville (home to Richard Speck, John Wayne Gacy) in Joliet...hardcore stuff.


The kid is such a charmer that he has survived over 7 weeks with no money...either eating off his parents (us), or scrounging off friends, or as in the case last night flirting with girls at the new bar/grill down the street...then today a lady called and told me that someone from my house called her house in the middle of the night and was speaking very sweetly to some girl on her voice mail...it couldn't possible be to her...oops.

The therapist has suggested that we all sit down and make a list of rules for Dale, including me taking phone upstairs when I go to bed. No more screaming at the ex girlfriend or drunk dialing in the night. After this birthday farce/fest/ hangover. I am saying do not come home if you are drunk...stay where you are...I wonder if I could possible ever have a drunk free life?

The two next door are having their share of alcohol too....thank God I am so over that! And they stay on their side of the alley. I love my kids, but I know when to ignore behavior.

My son Tim is having us over for pizza tomorrow night. It will nice to hang out with him and his girlfriend, she is a teacher and I adore her. Actually he outgrew his over drinking behavior shortly after college. But with a start like this what can I say???

This is my boy stacking frozen (left outside) Old Style cans full of beer...don't ya just love the hair...

i made a mess!

I downloaded my aol journal and it ended up with the old name...I am just going to start fresh here. Sorta like a new start...I have my old aol journal on blogspot but I can't figure out how to merge them. When I do it just creates a new one and merge to this one. I know aol warned us of that, but me the every, "doesn't read directions" girl forged ahead. So...for now I'll post here. If I wanna live in the past I'll visit there. Everything is going to be all right

dang it!!

I followed the directions to migrate my journal over here and DAM* it I screwed up and it ended up NOT being with my new one!!!! so my old one is here! But I am happy because it's all intact, everything all 600 + entries! EVERYTHING!! But now I need you guys to come back here too! So please re-follow me k?????????????

http://rose-everythingisgoingtobeallright2.blogspot.com/

I am so confused!!

Love you!

Sunday...

These boys give me hope. . . in what can be a very, very crazy world.

The fireworks on Saturday night were a fun getaway. Mark had to work so I joined Jeremy and Jim (who are now officially roommates next door) Jeremy's old friend and his son. And of course the boys. The weather was cold so coats were needed...we picked the spot at the bottom of hill down the street from our house. Dayton kept thinking we were going to fall down the hill. "don't fffffall (a very juicy, spit filled fffff) down da'ma!" At the bottom was railroad tracks, and then the river. On the other side of the river they had set up boxes of fireworks which must of been on timers. The boys were antsy and goofing around...then the train approached in the distance...Dayton first got scared but then he waved and all the boys were thrilled at the train going by at about 50 feet away. As the last car past the fireworks went off. It was the best, we were so close too. Jacob was memorized...Dakota wanted to go to grandma's after about 5 minutes of the display.

Then they spent the night with me, took forever to calm down and go to sleep, but it's been months since they've spent the night, so I did not care.

Now that Jeremy is next door I can get my BABY FIX whenever they are with him, which is at least 3 times a week! Grandma Heaven!

my thoughts...

I have worked for Mrs. H for nearly a year. First, at the over 55 complex where I saw all sorts of older folks living life in a setting not unlike most apartment buildings. The place is smallish only 50 units. They have all sorts of activities and themes every month if folks chose to join in.

Now, Mrs H is in a nursing home after breaking her arm. She needs help for everything. My only experience with nursing homes is with my grandma who needed to be there as she was a danger to herself. She had dementia, drank too much and said all sorts of crazy things, she really, really loved men. Once when I brought Mark over to pick her up she said to me, "Oh Rosie you brought me a man.", saying this while she was rubbing Mark's back. A nice place for her to be taken care of, safe and busy. Her physical body was fine until her death at 95.

Mrs. H is in the same facility.

Now this...it is very very difficult for me to not try and touch every single person in this place. They are lined up in the hall way, in wheelchairs, looking lost and alone. Mrs H forbids me to help any of them. I can talk to them, but I can not answer any personal questions. "It's rude to ask someone their age, Rose!" of course it is...but I feel sad.

I know I can't help them, there's liability issues of course...but it's just so dang hard...and sad to watch a friend fade away...I guess the best thing I can do is just continue to be a friend...

There are very good employees there that take good care of her, but they are not family. Dear Lord I hope one of my kids sees fit to take care of me. People say it's the kid you least expect to be there...I have good enough odds ... 8 kids, 3 grand kids so far...They call me Crazy Rose at work, maybe I'll simply go nuts one day and I won't care where I am at...

Anyway, I am not there yet so it's on I go...!!

Hmmmmmm...chocolate makes everything better....

It's the weekend! The kids are taking me to the town's fireworks for the 175th anniversary celebration! Then they will spend the night with grandma!

Mark's working and I am going to help Mrs. H at the nursing home for a few hours later this afternoon.

I have some serious thoughts I'd like to post but they can wait until later. I am not breaking this happy mood for ANYTHING~!

My grand babies make the world a right place!! <3

I love it when a plan goes together...

The sun shines on a new day and I am optimistic that things are looking up. Hubby is working at the construction job. I have an extra trip this afternoon. Mrs H is doing better, while she now in the Nursing home she still wants us "girls" to work for her. She needs help eating and dressing, and she wants her own help, "the service at this place is awful!". I am most happy that she is OK, and that I still have a job. Sound selfish, but I am a realist and sometime too honest with my thoughts. Otherwise I am good for today, and that's all that matters.

Mark and I went to the therapist last night. S is someone I know from my past life as an Early Childhood teacher, she was my director. As I recall she knows me from the days I did not have my act together. Of course she was young and going through a lot too. Now she's one of the most excellent therapists I know. Very caring. Dale has agreed to see her too. Since it's a family case my insurance is paying for it. Things are better with him too. Actually, Dale is out right now completing an interview for a job at Target. He's pleased with himself, which is fine, but he still is earning my trust. S has a game plan for Dale and I am just relieved that I don't have to be the one to orchestrate this process, I am burned out emotionally right now. I'll do the work, but I don't want to create this therapy plan...besides I am not certified ;)

This treatment will actually count toward his court ordered counseling so it is all a positive thing. A lot of the suggestions S had were my idea too, but Mark balked a lot of them ... she agrees with me on my thoughts, except kicking him out...that's not an option. Which I knew deep down inside, I just get overwhelmed and considered it at times. There were days I'd come home from work and want to scream...like someone had invaded my house and I had no control over my life, except to work and work and work. But it's getting better.

I am getting to like this new blog site as I lost my entry while trying to figure out how to load pictures and while I was doing my entry it was automatically saved! So when I lost it, I easily found it! how cool is that????

I knew it was time for an aol divorce!!

A crazy life...

Paula said it all, we should put on our big girl pants and carry on. But *there's always a butt* I have the hardest time dealing with change...most people do. Especially when it comes to my sanctuary, my journal. It has become a safe place to hang out with friends, chat, vent, share and just be...I will miss that. Over the years I have come to love and respect all of you, one and all. Some I hope to actually met in real life over winter break in Florida or when I visit my son in Ohio. I hope this move keeps us together...stronger than ever!

My life right now is in a state of change also. My marriage is rock solid, but with the state of the country my family feels the pain too. As with all change the process is harder the then the actual result. But with you guys and my God things will be fine.


Thank you for being my friends...I truly mean it from the bottom of my heart.