IT'S BACK TO SCHOOL!





Things sure have changed since my kids were in school. For the last couple of weeks I've noticed Target and Walmart have tons of printed lists of supplies required by the different schools. They have them all arranged by class and teachers in a color coordinated file system.

Is this the norm everywhere? I can't imagine the financial dent this must put in a family budget if they have several children.

Since I don't have to worry about spiral notebooks and number two pencils.....I decided to do my part and took my Granddaughter for a back-to-school pedi.







Grandma J just doesn't always sit on the right side for picture taking, but as you can see, her granddaughter is busy reconnecting after a long vacation in So CA.

But all wasn't lost because ...........






Someone else reluctantly agreed because his mother insisted to getting his toes groomed.

Staying Focused

Before we get into the subject of staying focused, I want to back up a bit and tell you what's been going on here in my little apartment at the Compound.


I'm sure you all remember the nice card that I received from Postcard Cindy with the cute bear on it. Well, "someone has taken possession of the little bear.....



How did you guess? Yep, none other than Philip Johnny Bob. When I got in the car...there he was, grasping the little bear in his fist.

We were headed out to pick up lunch for my granddaughter, because cafeteria food, or a sack lunch doesn't cut it on game day.

So, I pick up my favorite guy, JJ, and head on over to the school.

This is how JJ stares, staying focused on the front door to the school...for over ten minutes.

But the bell rings....so he concentrates on the faces on the students as they pour out.

BINGO! He sees her! And heads over me to the driver's window.

And everyone is happy!

IT'S WHATS FOR DINNER....
....at least it was supposed to be dinner

I had a craving for good old homemade pasta sauce with loads of seasoned ground meat for body. Then after browning a couple of packages of sweet Italian sausages, I put them in the sauce and let it cook for several hours in my slow cooker.

I had to pick up my granddaughter and her neighbor friend from school at four this afternoon. I was getting ready to leave early so I could run by their house to pick up JJ. You all know how much he loves to hang out the window at the High School, and it's such an easy loop to swing by and get him. I looked at the slow cooker and even though the aroma was wonderful, I had lost my craving. Now normally that wouldn't be a problem because I could eat Italian or Mexican food every day forever.

But....I made a huge amount, and I knew my daughter would love to come home to dinner already made. So, I unplug the slow cooker, and carry it out to my car....placing in the back seat on the floor.

I drove about 6 of the 8 miles to pick up JJ and a jerk cut right in front of me...and I swerved....and I heard a glass lid fly across the back of the car, hitting the door on the passenger side. I pulled into a driveway and got out to put the lid back on. When I opened the door, this is what I saw..............


Oh yeah, the slow cooker is empty.


And I was right, the lid went all the way across the floor to the other side....with the sauce and sausage following.

I didn't pick up JJ....that would have been disastrous. I mean the car smelled like a restaurant. I picked up the girls, took them home and watched them fight over the only sausage that stayed in the slow cooker. I have no idea what they had for dinner. I had a grilled cheese sandwich, and it was good.

I WAS A BAD GIRL
......a really bad girl

OK, I'm not going to beat around the bush. I'm gonna confess and then hang my head in shame because I....well, I didn't go see Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants II at the movies. That's because I didn't go to the movies. No, not at all. I did pull into the parking lot, and I was about forty minutes early...so I wandered next door and accidently bought this......

Then Paul tried desperately to showed me how to use it. Three hours later, I had to say good-bye to Paul.

Because I had to rush out to pick up my granddaughter, who needed a ride to the school by four! In utter confusion I went to the high school to pick her up...I know, I was supposed to pick her up at home, then take her to the high school. So she called me....on my new phone....and I didn't know how to answer it until the third call! because the only thing I wanted to learn was how to do this.

When the phone rang, I realized I forgot what Paul said about the phone function....Baby Jesus, help me!

And on top of it all, did I mention that it was pouring rain all afternoon? Texas style...Cortney knows what I'm talking about.

Tomorrow is another day. I promise to see the movie and report back. And this is where I ask for your forgiveness. Pretty please?

THE SEASON FOR CLASS REUNIONS
...or is my tummy tuck showing?

Class reunions are as popular as bungee jumping this time of year. You don't bungee jump? OK then maybe as popular as butt scratching white water rafting.

My daughter her in Texas is going back to Southern California for her twentieth reunion.

The one my daughter is going to has something Friday night...maybe it's s happy hour/cocktail hour meet and greet thing, then Saturday is a day at the beach, Saturday night is a huge dinner dance on the Queen Mary, then Sunday is Family Picnic or something.

Now, my twentieth was a one night affair. Everyone showed up at the school gym.

They danced the night away to La Bamba, and Dance With Me Henry by Brenda Lee.

Of course look who shows up with her fancy shmancy camera? Like it's not as though we all didn't know she was a party crasher.

And how embarrassing is this? There's one in every crowd, I swear!

There's always the group picture....that's what memories are made of...

And after everyone goes their separate way.

Nowadays, my high school has a huge picnic in the park for all years to attend. Yeah, they go off in little groups of "their own", but it's fun. Well, I don't go, but I heard it was fun.