I can't believe it has been two months since the last time I have written anything. I do lead a very boring life though - nothing new. Brian is doing fantastic in 10th grade, his driving is coming along and he's becoming a young man right before my eyes. His roller hockey team did not do well at all this year. They were suspended for three games due to an all out brawl - both benches emptied. It was not a pretty sight. My parents took Brian with them on vacation the beginning of Febraury to Phuket Thailand - a beach resort where the Tsunami hit a couple of years ago. I took him out of school for a week for it. It was a once in a lfie time experience that I didn't think he could miss. Luckily he did not have a lot of school work to make up when he got back. Things with Sean and me are status quo. Relationship is very strong and going well. We don't do much except watch videos. I give him NetFlix for Christmas so there is always a new movie to watch.

i will try and post more often than I have been.

Not much new, but it's been a month

It has been over 1 month since my last blog and I must admit not much is new. Our holidays were very nice and Sean and I had a quiet New Years, since he had to be at work at 6:30am New Year's Day. Brian was at a party and then slept at a friends house. He was actually out later than me!!! I have had a cold since Christmas that does not seem to want to go away. I started getting better this past Monday, but now once again it is a full blown cold, stuffy nose, watery eyes, sneezing, etc., but luckily I feel ok. My diet seems to be working and I have lost 12 pounds so far so I am very excited. Brian's roller hockey is in full swing and he actually scored a goal 2 weeks ago.

I had gum surgery this past Monday evening - my 7th one, so I am an old pro at it and I have 1 stitch in my mouth. The periodontist worked on it for 20 -25 minutes, and actually cut part of my gum off, but I only needed one stitch. I don't get pain medication either. I just take Aleve or Motrin if needed adn this time I needed it!! I kept ice on it for about 30 minutes and luckily the swelling was very minimal on Tuesday morning. The stitch comes out next Monday.

We had snow this past Saturday, about 2 -3 inches and are expecting another inch or so tonight, and boy oh boy has it gotten COLD. It's supposed to be in single digits over the next couple of days and like an idiot Sean is going out fishing this Friday, about 50 miles out in the ocean down at the Jersey Shore. His boat is out of the water so he is going with a co-worker of his on a "Charter Boat".

Brian's driving is coming along and he's doing very well.

Not much else is new here in bitter cold Dumont, NJ

It's been a while

Life in Dumont NJ is good right now. Brian is doing very well in school and his driving is getting better everyday. He drove on the NJ Turnpike the day before Thanksgiving on our way down to my borhter's house in MD. He scared the bloody hell out of me so I made him stop at exit 9, and he didn't give too much of a fight. Coming home though on Thanksgiving night I was sooo tired I told him I had to stop at the rest area at the beginning of the NJ Tpke to take a nap or I wouldn't make it, and Brian asked me to give him another try, which I did. He actually did very well on the way home other than when at one point my head snapped back and I felt like I was on a rocket ship. I quickly sat up and asked him ever so politely what the f... are you doing? He told me ever so calmly that my car has great pick up and speed and he wanted to see what it was like doing 120mph. Luckily he never made it to that speed, but you better believe I never took my eyes off the speedometer the rest of the way home. I explained to him that it would be very very bad if he got a speeding ticket doing 120 at anytime, especially with only a permit, besides the fact that god forbid he had an accident he could kill us and anyone else he hit. I explained to him that in my 30 years of driving I have never gone that fast and believe me I used to, actually still have, a lead foot, but not as bad. I hope he learned and will never ever try to go that fast again. Anyway, school is going well for him and roller hockey has started. Practices every Monday night and games mostly Saturdys and Sundays. Today was his first game against the other team from Dumont, and Brian's team lost, but it was the first time all of the kids were there. Brian and only a couple of the other kids are the only ones who actually go to practice. After todays loss, hopefully the other kids will see how important practices actually are. They have a game tomorrow in Glen Rock and have to be there at 3:30pm.

Sean and I are doing great. We don't do much on the weekends, just have dinner and watch a movie, but at least we spend time together. During the week I usually only see him once or twice a week, but we spend almost every Friday and Saturday together. Now that his boat is out of the water we will spend more time during the day on Saturdays together. His mom had a mini stroke a week ago yesterday, called a TIA, but is doing fine from it and has no lasting effects. They also found a hole in her heart, so had to do sew that up, but she is doing great after that also and got out of the hospital yesterday, 1 week after she went in.

I am tyring to do my X-Mas shopping, but money is tight, so I am doing what I can. Luckily Brian is not really asking for anything. Why would he - he already has everything he wants. Spoiled child I know.......

I have started another diet and have actually lost 8 pounds. I am trying to lose 20 - 25 pounds by February when Sean and I are going to one of his co-workers wedding. I lost a lot of weight about 2 years ago and had to go out and buy a new wardrobe, which of course does not fit right now, so I am really trying, again. Diet pills are the only things that work for me. I know not the healthiest things in the world, but this time around they are over the counter Xenadrine RFA, and they really work, for me anyway.

That should catch everyone up on what's going on with me. Oh yeah, we are having our first snowfall of the year tonight. No real accumulation, but it is sticking to the road and pavement.

Life is good

Brian's permit has been validated so he can now drive legally with a licensed driver in the car!!! The fun is about to begin. At least he will have 1 year of driving with an adult in the car before he goes for his road test. He drove tonight and actually did very well. I wasn't that nervous at all. His grades are great!!!!! I looked up his final grades for the marking period on line and he has nothing lower than a B-, an A and some B+'s, so I couldn't be prouder of him. He has come a long way since 8th grade which was a disaster. I think he has finally gotten it and he understands what has to be done to get into the college he wants to. This is the first time since 6th grade that he has not failed at least one subject in a marking period. Wasn't sure he would make it out of middle school. Anyway, he's on his way and things can only get better. The yelling and fighting between us has stopped and life in Dumont NJ is a lot happier and calmer now. YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!! More good news, my cat Kira has been adopted. I looked at the Website today and Kira's picture is now on the "I've been adopted" page!!!! I no longer feel guilty.

Brian passed!!!!

Brian passed his written test yesterday and has his driving permit. He still has to have 6 hours behind the wheel training with an instructor before his permit is validated and before I will allow him to drive my car, with me in it of course. He has his first 2 hour lesson tomorrow and then the other 2, 2 hour lessons will be next week after school. The good thing is he will have 1 year of driving before he goes for his road test when he is 17. He also will have drivers ed in school after the Christmas break. I am excited for him but also very nervous. He's growing up so fast.

Update on things in Dumont NJ

Yeah, my car will finally be ready today. I dropped it off Monday morning at the body shop and have been using a rental car from Enterprise this whole week. The car is a Dodge Caliber which I HATE. It is a bright electric blue and small. Luckily I have only had to use it for a week. Brian is 16 now and had a great b-day. Friday night he and a bunch of friends went to the NJ Devils hockey game, Saturday night I had 9 boys, including Brian at my house for pizza & bbq wings and then a sleep over and then Sunday night my family came for dinner. A busy weekend, but Brian had fun. I am surprised though he has done nothing but talk about getting his permit, and I have already spoken to a driving instructor who will take him to get the permit and give him the 6 hours behind the whell driving he needs, but he has not studied for the written test so he can't go. They don't do drivers ed in school until after the Christmas break. I had a meeting yesterday with Brian, his guidance counselor and his geometry teacher. He has an A-/B+ average, but because he does nothing but doodle, he does his initials in graffiti everyday, and does not participate in class, his talking can also be a problem, his grade will be a C for the final grade. It blows my mind that he has done this to himself. The teacher did say that for the past week he has been much better. We can only hope it stays good. Brian plans on going trick or treating today, although he doesn't like candy which is bad for me because I do. Anyway, I do miss the days of him picking out a costume and the parade at school, but I guess that's all a part of growing up. He did go out for Cabbage Night last night with shaving cream and toilet paper. I will not allow him to go out with eggs.

Brian turns 16 in 5 days

Not much is new with Brian and me other than on Sunday he turns 16 and is sooooo excited about getting his driving permit and being able to finally get a job. My parents and Sean will be coming for dinner on the 26th, my sister is busy with her kids and football, so they won't be able to make it and my brother and his family are in Maryland. Brian will hang out with his friends both Friday and Saturday nights, as a bunch of his friends all turn 16 within a week or two of each other, so they will celebrate this weekend. His best friend Larry's b-day is this Thursday. He wants to join a gym so he can start working out all the time, which is great, but I will have to drive him everyday. My car is finally being fixed on Monday, 10/27/08. I received the check from the other insurance company and they are going to pay for a rental car until my car is fixed. Brian and I still miss Kira, but are getting used to her not being there, and I must admit it is nice not to have to worry about anything being left on the floor. I do still check the Animal Shelter's website occassionally to see if she's been adopted yet, which she hasn't, but I'm still confident she will be. Our other cat Roxy seems to be doing ok, but we can tell she does miss Kira also. The weather is definately changing in NJ. No longer going out without a sweatshirt or light weight jacket. Tomorrow is supposed to be very cold and windy. I guess it's time to get my winter clothes from my sister's and put my summer clothes away. Brian continues to do well in school - YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!