Wow, Its Been A Long Time Since I Wrote Anything!!!

I can't believe it has been 6 months since I posted something, but the past few months have been quite busy for me. I started a job after 4 1/2 years of not working and I have to tell you, I love it!

I am a Transport Manager/Dispatcher for a company that transports vehicles throughout the Southeast, parts of the Midwest and Texas. It ranks number two on my list of most stressful jobs. But then again, I do work best under pressure.

It amazes me how many people want their vehicles transported from point A to point B by the end of the same day it was picked up. I guess my drivers are thought of as super humans that don't require food, rest or bathroom breaks! Hang in there people, it takes 13 hours to drive from Georgia to Texas in your own personal car, stopping to load and/or unload a vehicle along the way will add additional time to the travel plans. Be patient please!

Ok enough about work, it is Sunday my only day off and I want to tell you about a few other important things that are going on here at Zooville...



My grandbaby Ashton is 9 months old now and I can't wait to see him. They are planning on coming out for a visit soon. He is absolutely adorable, you can see for yourself and follow him on his mommys blog. It is "Mommy and Me" and it is listed under "My Blogging Family" here on my blog.

Back in May we started house hunting, we figured it would be a good time to purchase and get a great deal at the same time. We did, we found the perfect home that we both fell in love with. It is a new construction model home with all the upgrades you could ever want. Four bedrooms, 3 and 1/2 baths, 3 car garage and two fireplaces.

The kitchen is to die for, I will finally be able to get all of my things out of the boxes in the garage. For once in my life, I will finally have enough room for it all to fit in the cabinets and drawers. This will be my very first brand new home and I can't wait until we close on it September 15th. It is gorgeous!!!

My step-son Ethan came for his summer visit in June and just went home last week, he is six years old now and quite the little man. The last week he was here daddy took his vacation and they kept themselves busy every single day. They went fishing, swimming, golfing and so many other things that I can't even remember it all. They truly enjoyed each other.

My inlaws stopped by for a brief visit on their way to Texas to see their first Great Grandbaby and took Ethan with them to deliver him back home. I would have loved to have been a fly travelling in that car with all of them.

There were six of them in this little Kia, travelling 13 plus hours with a six year old. Granny & Gramps were riding in the back with Ethan, while my brother in law and his wife Sarah were the driver and co-pliot. I can only imagine how exhaused they must have been by the time they arrived. At one point we called them to see how things were going and where they were, we asked Ethan if he was being a good boy and he said, "I am, but Granny Isn't" Apparently Granny was being a bad girl, she was messing with Uncle Scott while they were driving.

Don't worry, when they all get together it's kinda like having a daycare, you really can't tell who is the oldest in the group, because they all act like a bunch of kids. They are honestly a fun family to hang out with... lots of joking around, laughs and just plain ole fun. I have the best inlaws a girl could ever want!!!

Well I guess it is time to stop for now, it is Sunday, my only day off and I have housework and laundry calling me. I'll try not to take so long to write my next post. Bye for now!

Reasons I Want To Stuff My Bird This Year...

And I don't mean a Turkey!

I'm talking about my African Grey bird "Ollie". He has been annoying me alot lately to say the least.

1. He won't stop talking and making unidentifiable sounds! Like passing gas maybe? I Wonder where he got that one! I have silent gas passing. Ha Ha

2. He throws his food out of the cage daily (I have a close relationship with my vacuum now).

3. He follows me around the house like a dog. Talk about separation anxiety.

4. He has become airborne again, I recently had to try to throw my hands up in the air and move them around frantically while trying guide him away from the stove when he took flight. Poor thing, I thought he was going to end up in the frying pan with the chicken I was cooking!

5. He yells "Whatca Doing" at least 25 times a day. Yes, I answer him!

6. He mimics the smoke detector every time I go near the stove. Hmmm, wonder what the neighbors think about my cooking.

7. He barks like the dog, meows like the cats and mumbles something under his breath that I can't for the life of me figure out what he is saying. It drives me crazy, but I'm thinking I really don't want to know what it is he's saying.

8. I constantly have to say "Get Back Up There" in my angry voice every time he attempts to get off his cage, which he has learned to say therefore; he now has the ability to discipline himself so I don't have to all the time.

9. I promise, it is just a matter of time before he learns the words "You're Ticking Me Off".

10. Last be not least, I can't even have a phone conversation with my sister. He gets all excited thinking I'm talking to him. That's when he says everything he knows! All 200+ words. Lord, please help us. I just want some quite time!!!

Don't get me wrong, I love my bird! I just wish he had some respect for the rest of us birdbrains that live in this house.

Ollie pleeeese be a good boy!

It's Time To Heal and Forgive...

Most of you may not know this, but I've been angry and hurting for almost twenty years now. In June of 1989, my mother died unexpectedly and I just haven't been able to move on and forgive her for leaving me. But today is a new day, I'm finally at the point in my life where I've decided to just let go of some things that are beyond my control.

Friday, August 1st was a tough day for me, it was my mother's birthday and I was experiencing an overwhelming day of missing her, yet I was still so angry at her for leaving because I still needed her. I am going to try to explain the feelings I was having on that day, because the way my day end has caused this new decision in my life. This is not a blog about my mother, but a blog about how my anger and hurt has affected my life as a parent.

Missing my mother, made me think of my own daughter. I felt my mother around me the past couple of days, I think I even heard her talking to me, not out loud, but in my head. Somethings just started to click and I felt she knew I needed her and I realized she is still there for me.

I don't know exactly how or when it happened, but at some point I finally came to the conclusion that I have done all that I can to try to mend the ongoing riffs between my daughter and myself. She and I are currently estranged from one another and she chooses not to include me in her life.

For the record, before I go on with my thoughts, I want everyone to know that my daughter is a bright and beautiful young woman who has, like the rest of us, made her share of mistakes. She feels that I have let her down and I sometimes feel that she has let me down too. That is what has happened to us, maybe it has happened in your family too. Families are often complicated and unfortunately some dysfunctional as well. I speak from experience here.

Anyway back to my thoughts, I have finally realized that there is a limit on what parents can handle. Just as children have rights, parents have a right to be protected too. Yet my decision to not beg for a relationship with her anymore and basically allowing her to cut me out of her life has not been done without a great deal of anguish. Even then, knowing that I am doing the right thing in keeping my distance it does not take away the pain.

With my mother's help I have found my peace and my closure. With that being said, my closure means "closing or being closed; a finish; an end; a conclusion." Just so everyone knows, my closure does not mean that I am writing her off forever, it simply means right now I am gently closing the door to our past problems and allowing the possibility of opening new doors for a reconciliation with her somewhere in the future when we are both ready and emotionally able. I am no longer going to be angry with my mother or my daughter and I am not going to hurt any longer.

I am choosing to no longer define my worth by my daughter's actions or her words against me. I am now defining myself based on my own actions. Some actions I'm not very proud of, but on the other hand, I know I have gone above and beyond what some people do for their children. I know I have done my best and I am still continuing to learn from my experiences as a parent. I know that I can't do any better than my best and I understand now that I should not be expected to do more than that. We all have our own life to work on and if she needs to not speak to me to get her life figured out. Then that is what I am willing to do for her as her mother.

I will always love my mother and my daughter. It may have taken me almost 20 years to figure it all out (yes, I'm a bit slow sometimes) but I finally understand why my mother is no longer here, she needed to go take care of herself. After all, I was a grown woman!

Well, it is time for me to take care of myself. I'm going to live my life focusing on me, no more pain. It is the time for me to heal and forgive everyone. After all, she IS a grown woman!

I forgive my mom, my daughter and most of all myself.

Some of this may not be written right where everyone can understand my thoughts or the situation exactly. But I didn't want to hurt my daughters feelings, embarrass her or add to my guilt anymore. So, I guess somethings are truly better left unsaid. I wish everyone the best. I want to also say, "Thanks mom! I finally got it..."

Spring Fever... Has Arrived

I woke up yesterday morning and decided to do some work in our front flower bed. Ok, you caught me, I'll be honest, it's not a flower bed it's more like a death bed decorated with flowering weeds.

After about four hours and kneeling and praying (and I'm not even Catholic) the majority of the weeds have passed on and are now buried in a large brown bag that can be purchased at your local home depot store. They are awaiting to be transferred to their final resting place, our county landfill. Rest In Peace!

As I stood back and looked at the placement of the plants, I determined that some reorganization needed to occur. I had two low growing plants in front of the windows and they were hidden by the taller plants.

I think the landscaping people didn't know what they were planting where, so I grabbed the shovel and started digging up plants and moving them. Ahhh, that's better. I'm thinking of going to Wal-Mart and picking up a few bags of mulch and call it a day.

I also picked up some flowers at the store yesterday and potted them and placed them at the front door. It's nice to see some color at the entry of our house. Kristin helped me decide on the Gerber Daisies and the Lilies, we both think the colors compliment each other.

My next project will be to take control back over from the backyard, which looks more like a weed cemetery. I have purchased a product that states it will kill over 250 common weeds... We shall see! After we get through with this next round of storms this weekend, I'm going to be spraying the holy crap outta them.

I am having a hard time understanding how I can have such nice green healthy weeds, but I can't get a single blade of grass to grow around here. All I can say is "so long weeds!" I promise to make your eulogy short and sweet! I know, the "snow" dance worked, the "rain" dance is working, now It's time for the "weed" dance. I'll post more later, gotta go practice weed dancing!

Baby Watch 2008...

Kristin had her 3 month OB check-up on April 9th. All appears to be going well for our newly anticipated little one.


At first, the baby's heartbeat wasn't detected with the doppler equipment, so they decided to do a sonogram and see if they could get the heartbeat in action and there it was, pumping up a storm, they were reassured the heartbeat is good and going strong.

The following is the first sonogram picture. Sorry about the glare on the second copy of the picture, I was trying to get a clearer picture for everyone. Instead it looks like a warm glow in there! Or, maybe it is a warm glow, something to ponder?

Anyway, they say the baby is about 3 inches long and weighs in at about an ounce at this stage of the game. After going through several miscarriages in the past, I think we can all breathe a little easier and start to get excited now. She is pretty much out of the danger zone for miscarriages.

They have scheduled a second sonogram for the 21st of this month. It will be more accurate at determining the gestational age of the baby and give a better indication of her due date. At this time they believe the due date should be around the 22nd or 23rd of October, I'll keep you all posted as things progress!!!

Psssst, Psssst.....Hey, Do You Hear Me?

It's me Itty Bitty Kitty, my human mom hasn't been blogging much lately cause she wasn't feeling too good, she's had somtin' called the bron"kite"ist newmoanya. I think she is gettin' better though, I hope so anyway, all that coffin is gettin' hard on daddy, Honda and me tryin' to sleep wiff her. So, I've decided to catch everyone up on the latest news around the zoo, okay?

While she has been takin' it easy, the rest of us has just been sittin' round watching the black box tv thing... Mom has us kinda hooked that that funny weddin' show she told y'all 'bout before. As soon as she leaves the room, I've got the remote and I'm ready to watch it... It reminds me of being back home in Texas.

Oh, she also was watchin' that loud show, it's the one where all the colorful things go 'round in circles and that man yells "Let's go racin' boys!" I kinda like that gofer they got on the show now... umm, I think his name is Digger? Problem is by the time I notice him, he goes back in his hole and that isn't much fun for me. Mom sure gets excited though!

Daddy has been workin a lot, he comes home late after a hard day and quitely crawls in bed, I think it's so he doesn't wake up mom and she starts a coffin again. Thanks dad!

My human sister Kristin moved back to Georgia last month and she brought that cat named "Batman" back with her, I'm deathly afraid of him, he litter rully scares the you know what outta me. Mom makes sure I'm in her bedroom with the door shut when he comes around so I can feel safe. Here is a picture of him, just in case you see him and he scares you too...

My older feline sister Kila has come out of her closet more than ever lately... she not hidin' like she used too! I think she is starting to like that guy my human mom likes... I think he is one of those guys that goes round in circles. I caught her sneakin' round the soft bed on the floor.


Ok, I gotta say, my canine sister Honda and I like him too!

That bird we call Ollie, well he has learned a few new words... some, not so nice. He has been saying the "S" word and it's not "Shoot". My human mom reminds him "that's a bad word Ollie!" She is trying to teach him to say "Chip or Ship" instead. He is not catchin on very quick though!

Oh, let me tell you..... I'm sure mom has mentioned this, but I've heard there is talk of a new baby on the way! I thought I was the baby of the family, but it seems this is going to be a human baby. I overheard my human mom and dad talk about it, they say it should be here around the 23rd of October. They go to the doctor today for a check-up, I hope it is all good.

I just got used to Ethan and now they have another little person coming on board, don't tell anyone, but I hope it's a girl. I'm getting ready for more tail pulling and neck hugs. Yeah, Ethan used to carry me by my neck. Awww, but I still love him and I'm very nice to him too. He's a good boy, I'm sure the next little one is going to love me too... We are all praying for a healthy little one, say a little prayer for us!

One thing I can say about the past month is that the little dog that left to go to Texas with my human sister Kristin, well she didn't come back and she even changed her name... It seems she got all high and mighty when she left, her name was "Margarita".... but now that the Southern Belle has moved to Texas.... well her new name is "Princess!" What is that all about?

I guess that is all for now. I think I'm going to get comfy, lay down and take a nap...

I'll write more if mom doesn't start to feel better soon. I think she is well on her way to recovery! Amen!!!! Hope you all have a great day!

Love, Itty Bitty Kitty

I Must, I Must, I Must

DECREASE THE DUST......

My, oh my, is it January 11th already? Boy, I haven't done much around the house this year so far. If you know me, you know just how much I hate to dust. I'm typically a pretty clean person in all areas of housework, but I do hate to dust. Now I'm seriously feeling bad because writing I love you to my husband on the furniture is probably not the best way to show a loving gesture.

To be honest with you, I have no excuse for not dusting.... you see a couple of years ago I was sitting in my house minding my own business when the door bell started to ring... so I went to the door and found this man and woman standing on my porch and let me tell you, they were all smiles when they handed me a roll of paper towels and told me they were mine to keep. At which point I was pleased at myself for answering the door... Free Paper Towels, hmmm, I wondered, what's the catch?

Well to make a long story short, I was mad at my husband at the time and we are now the proud owners of a Kriby Vacuum and Shampoo cleaner with just one small monthly payment of 78.00 forevvvvverrrrrr or so it seems. Yes, I have learned my lesson! When I'm mad at my husband I promise to not make any major purchases that require a credit check, approval or loan.



Don't get me wrong, the vacuum is great but the one problem I have is that I like to use the vacuum to dust the furniture. So, you ask "what's the problem?" It only uses Kriby bags and I just want to be able to go to Wal-Mart and buy bags, but I can't. I have to order them online or hunt down a distributor and drive 15 miles which takes an hour or more depending on traffic and the time of day. I'm not that type of girl, I just want to be able to go to Wal-Mart and get what I need when I need it.

I guess you might call me impatient. But wait, on top of that, the bags come in a package of 3 for 15.00. Come on, I get a whole lot of trash bags for less than 15 bucks! Give me a break, pleeeese!

Oh well, I guess I can always use it to vacuum up the fur balls too... Itty Bitty Kitty seems to love the Kirby too. I'm gonna go get my butt in gear and finish the laundry and dust... I Must, I Must!