Four for the money, Five alive, and Six the hicks

4. Money - Somewhere along this journey I decided that if I WANT it I'll buy it. Arkie was talking about her books. I used to buy books and in my OCD I would actually use a sticky, clear book cover to keep them nice looking. Then I ran out of places to keep the books. Then I realized that I would never read them again. Sooooo, I turned to Longenbarger baskets. These were destroyed in my home fire (and were a good investment in that the insurance money for them financed a trip to Cancun for me and the boys). Then it was coats - I stopped after 6. Then shoes - I have 25 or so pairs. Then the sickness of gemstone jewelry. I have taken the advice of a smart poster and stopped buying from QVC. I rarely buy from Jewelry TV but can't resist seeing what is on Bidz. After I get them, I don't even like some of them!!

5. I'm so happy with the results of my surgery. Every day I smile because I can walk without pain. My thigh aches a little when it rains, but other than that I'm like new. Well, except for the heart issues. My cholesterol is high. I had a fasting blood draw yesterday and am anxiously waiting for the results.

6. I have become acquainted with people the likes of which I've never known. I think I have told you that my son's know people in prison. Not just county for drunk driving and small things. This is prison. My youngest best friend has been in prison for, I think two years. He gets out in January. I'm dreading that day. He's in for aggravated burglary, an act that my youngest was along with him to witness. My son, being a juvenile at the time, and due to my support in hiring a good lawyer didn't get a felony charge and with the exception of the time he spent in juvie, 2 weeks if I remember right, and his house arrest came out okay. He wasn't an active participant, but he was there. My oldest has a close friend in another prison for aggravated burglary. My oldest wasn't anywhere around this guy during the commission of the crime. He also gets out in January. Another x-close friend, now more an acquaintance, may be charged with manslaughter for providing drugs to his uncle. The drugs killed the uncle (not that he wasn't walking death before).

Last night my oldest and some of his friends came up to visit and get the last pieces of my sectional. These friends are polite, friendly, entertaining, and seem NORMAL. But both of them have been in jail.

In my southern Ohio upbringing I guess we would call these people white trash.

My foster-daughter went back with the x. She doesn't love him. She doesn't even like him. He pushed her into a corner and she caved. Using a child as a weapon is so cruel. And he is, as his sergeant said, "an unpaid volunteer" to a local police department. He has gone through the academy and is working special duty (read grocery store cop) at this time. He is paid through the grocery store. He is trying to become a full-time police officer. And he has no morals. He has no sense of right or wrong. He is violent. He is bi-polar. She has a plan to escape, one that I was not told exactly but I know what it is. It is something that NO ONE I've ever known would devise.

These things are always in my head and I want them out!

This was mostly a downer post. The next one will be on the amazing things in life. The things that make you smile. The things that make you jump out of bed every morning.

Oh, and I'm planning a March - April trip to Puerto Rico. Add San Juan to my list of capitals visited!!! And I hope we'll have a late summer one also, either New England or California coastal!!