There really is nothing I love more than all the machines in my house going at once

washer ... dryer ... dishwasher ... a/c

I appreciate living in modern times.

However, one of my biggest pet peeves ~ is when FireDude or the children don't check their pockets before a load goes in

{{aaaarrrrgggghhhhhhhhhh}}

Yeah, I know, I could "re-check" them.

Honestly, have you ever WANTED to stick your hands in the pockets of {adventurous} boys clothing?

Me neither.

In any case, I got paid for laundry today

FireDude {formerly known as DH} left the mother load behind in his pockets!! $11 ... woot-woot!!

Now that's what I call "laundered money" {heehee}

Till next time,

TOAM


 

I couldn't have said it better myself ...


Thanks Jenny ~ for being soooooo awesome.


xoxo


TOAM

As the phone has continued to ring this {Sunday} afternoon, I have continued to ignore it.

Not only am I working {well, sort of ~ does Twitter count?} but the other end of the line would reveal ...

... yet another nasty debt collector.

 I'm past the point where I want to pick up the phone & say:

"I STILL don't have the money! Or you would have been paid by now!"

I'm also past the point of:

balling my eyes out.

Now I'm to the point, at least the last time it rang {10 seconds ago} I want to answer:

"I was just thinking about you!"

Next, of course, would come {in my sexiest 1-900 voice}:

"so, what are you wearing?"

Could you imagine the poor soul on the other end? Maybe, for once, they'd finally hang up on me!

TOAM
 

Welcome 

{mid-journey} 

to 


my 


very 


own 


breakdown.

For those of you who have read my sporadic postings, you may recall that last fall I posted about TT getting into trouble with the law.


I promised to post as things progressed, but to be honest with you ~ it was just too hard to put it into words that formed sentences.


Also, I really struggled with the fact that it really wasn't my story to share {the "what he did" part} but now I think I'm ready to reflect.


So God help us all ...


Turns out TT was diagnosed with an impulse control problem & mild Taurettes {not the spewing profanity type ~ the physical discomfort type}.


Immediately, DH & I established an appointment routine with the best recommended therapist we could find. We also took TT to a Behavioral Therapist that not only came as the highest recommendation in our area but could also prescribe appropriate medication.


We sought the help of a Family Therapist that could help us with the dynamics of our family.


And most of all we kept TT in a safe environment at home.


Or so I thought.


In his most recent escapades he began sneaking our laptop up to his room at night & managed to create a few email accounts as well as a second FaceBook profile. {that commented on how he did it so his parents wouldn't know & "what a bad boy"}.


And if that wasn't enough he struck up a relationship with a girl whose father had already warned TT to stay away.


You know, I'm pretty proud of the courage I can muster up ~ but I have to admit I've never used it to my detriment. 


Unfortunately, this was only the beginning to the domino effect that has ensued.


Luckily, I have the F5 & they have been amazing.


They've helped me stay grounded & put things into perspective.


"If you take each thing on it's own, it's typical teenage behavior"
~ including the ignorance


"At least he hasn't turned to drugs or alcohol"
~ probably, because, due to his lock down conditions ... there's been no real opportunity.


But the reason I've finally hit official Break Down status?


After tossing his room on the last day of school we discovered that he had been stealing money out of DH's night stand, stealing DS2's Gameboy games & had scurried off with plenty of other "missing" items from the house.


WTH???


When did he go from Horny Teenager to Kleptomaniac??


That really was about the final straw ~ when all of us felt as though we couldn't leave things lying around our own home something's gotta give.


So ... I did something I thought I'd never do.


I called his biological dad {BD}.


Quick History on BD:

• We were HS sweethearts
• We tried hard to have TT
• When TT was 1 BD decided he didn't want to be married anymore
• BD cleaned out the bank accounts & left me on my ass w/baby & dog in an apartment I couldn't afford
• Got myself back on my feet
• Met DH
• Got married
• BD signed over parental rights {to get out of child support}
• DH adopted TT
• And we never heard from BD again.

Well, mostly.


He reached out to TT on Facebook right after I took privileges away.


Back to today ...


I called BD & explained that his son needed him & if he was sincere in his apology {about the whole abandoning him thing} then he could show it by allowing TT to come live with him for the summer.


And the song & dance began "well, I don't know..."


For crying out loud how long does the guy need to figure out how to get his life together??? It's been 15 years!


Turns out it's been yet another failed marriage for him & 2 more kids he's littered into society {that I'm sure he won't have any part in raising either}.


Urrgghh


I really want to believe that TT is still that good person inside that I've seen all his childhood, but dammit ... he's chipping away at that confidence with each thing he scurries away!


{{{sigh}}}


If you've made it this far in the post ~ I thank you. I know it was a long one.


Hopefully this can help someone else out there dealing with a teen searching for identity & acceptance in all the wrong places.


Tomorrow I have another conversation with BD to see if he can take TT.


Stay tuned & as always ~ Thanks for reading,


TOAM
 

 So I'm sure that title sparked your interest {grin}.

In the spirit of turning lemons into lemonade {or margaritas} 

I decided to take a pro-active approach to the monthly burden of being a woman who still has all her "baby making" equipment in tact.

Turns out recently, I have been truly suffering once a month with deep achy back pain accompanied by the cramping & bloating dance partners.


So instead of waste away a day {curled up in a ball} I set myself up on my bed with my handy dandy electric blanket, laptop & a few thousand midol pills, oh & of course ~ chocolate.

In a stroke of genius, I had the thought:

If I have to lay here and be miserable I may as well work my way through all the endless emails in my inbox.


Did you know ... I missed an opportunity to attend a "live" webinar {that had nothing to do with anything I'm interested in} and I could have subscribed  to a whole slew of magazines for 90% off!


Oh, yeah baby ~ life has been full of missed opportunities in the deep dark recesses of my inbox.


{grin}


On a more positive note, I did get caught up on some of my favorite Bloggers {Jennifer James over at MomBloggersClub.com & the contributions at HybridMom.com were worth getting back and reading} ...


I guess I finally figured out when my "someday" exists in email land ... the day Mother Nature said 


"lay down, shut up & take care of yourself!"

Thanks for reading,

TOAM

I've decided I'm no longer a "team player" ... at least for tonight that is!

I've had it with ignorance! And I refuse to play along {at least until tomorrow ~ when I have to put my big girl panties back on}

If you are one of the less than brilliant folks I refer to, my apologies are with/for you. But for the rest of us, I think I'm making it loud & clear ~ keep your lack of brain cells to yourself!

I'm off to pour a glass of wine & watch the hummingbirds trying to drink their "juice" from my man-made feeder ... taunting the cat.

How easily I can be entertained when I put my own brain cells away {grin}

Thanks for reading,

TOAM

I've recently realized that I'm not as anonymous as I'd like to be {here @ TOAM}.

So for those of you who know who I am {and those of you who had to search it out for your own curiousity} I'd appreciate your best Poker Face in the matter.

Why?

Well, honestly ... because this is where I let that "inner-voice" out. 

Sometimes to vent other times to be snarky but always so that I can have a place that I {the human being behind the professional} can connect & just be me.

I know y'all understand ... and that I probably didn't need to publish such a post ~ but it sure was fun to put a spotlight on "the Snarky Voice" {heehee}

Thanks,

TOAM

So, yes.

I confess.

I let my life take over lately.

What inspired me to come back to writing? 

Here? 

Now?

An email my Grandfather sent me today.

He's the kind of Gpa that made us all regret we ever taught him how to use a computer.

He's the one that keeps the "chain-emails" alive ... by forwarding them {TO ALL OF US!!!}

However, sometimes he does forward one with some great pics in it.

This one was titled "Why boys need parents"

**WARNING**

some pics are not suitable for younger audiences {but will make you laugh your toosh off!}

Hope you enjoy ...