It's been a long time

Well, it certainly has been a long while since I have posted to my favorite ranting site. This is where I can unload all my deep - and sometimes, not so deep - thoughts. Lately, the thoughts have been pretty deep.

So, for starters, just to catch up...Chris is still not acting like my son. He acts like some spoiled brat to whom the world, and particularly me, owe everything. It took a long time for me to get past the guilt of leaving him for so many years, but now...I realize his life is clearly a result of the choices he has made. He chose to leave Kristi and his sons, he chose to date a known crack dealer, and he chose to live with a girl who is too young, and too self-absorbed to put anyone's feelings before her own. The latest tantrum of Chris' is that his tax return was taken to pay child support arrearage. I don't even know if that's true because I filled out Chris' taxes and the IRS reports the refund as being deposited. There is no mention of a reduction for tax debt resulting in a balance of zero. Usually, they tell you that the amount of YOUR tax refund has been reduced, and then provides a number to call to find out the particulars. Anyway...Our relationship is so broken that I think it will be many years before Chris and I can sit in the same room again. I love him, but I have to love him from a distance.

On to other things...Eve was offered a position working for the company that laid her off last May. The offer was quite substantial and would have meant a 12,000.00 plus raise per year. This was the eye opener for Eve that her skills are exemplary and that she deserves the good things in life. We talked about why she feels it is inappropriate to ask to be paid what other experts in her field are making. In order to be an expert, a person must do something for 10,000 hours. Well, 10 years into her career (2080*10 = 20,800 hours) Eve has far exceeded the expert mark. I watched the light bulb go off in her head. She was so exicited, but also concerned because the company is a small, family owned operation and there is little room for advancement. She might actually be stuck at that pay rate, and that position for the rest of her career. Just as Eve is ready to take the position (she turned in her resignation letter), her current employer's Vice President calls Eve to his office and asks what it will take to keep her there. They quickly met Eve's demands and Eve is staying with Sun Coast Post Tension. They are an international firm with locations all over the US and in several other countries. The sky is the limit for Eve with the firm and I am glad she made the choice to stay. Whew...that's a lot of information in one paragraph....

I got a new little friend. After Frodo's passing, I just didn't think I would want another pup, but we knew that for Joe's sake, we had to get another puppy soon, or never get one until he passes many years from now. So....Nigel Pinkerton found us. The cutest little tiny chihuahua. He has the sweetest disposition, and likes people (Frodo hated everyone). Nigel is smart, cute, and very kind. He and Joe adore each other and Eve and I couldn't be happier to have him in our family.

Of course there wouldn't be an Andersen household if there weren't some kind of drama unfolding. I was out at the ranch the third weekend in January and while out there, Ed and JJ Spillmon decided to visit me. They were supposed to get a motel room, but instead showed up at Dad's gate without the money to stay elsewhere. To make a long story, very short...they jumped the electric gates in order to get to the main house. UNBELIEVABLE!!!! During this weekend, Joe was out at the ranch to get neutered by our Brenham vet (Dad doesn't like other animals out at his place, but it was just for a moment), the lights in Dad's living room somehow got disabled at the main switch, well-hidden under the carpet, and finally, Dad's antique Omega watch is missing. It was the most horrible experience, and since Dad is very paranoid and automatically assumes the worst...there was a moment of suspicion and accusation. We are going to be okay, but the feelings that always arise when Dad is angry came flooding in and because of that, I handled the situation poorly in the beginning. I had to call and apologize profusely for my bad behavior toward my father.

I got a new car and a new sofa. The Cadillac was going to start costing a lot of money so I traded it in for a 2006 PT Cruiser. I never thought of myself as a PT kind of girl, but I adore it!!!! It's the cutest little car and I love to drive it. As for the furniture, we no longer needed the sleeper sofa (not that we really ever did), and the bulk of sofa, loveseat, and ottoman made our living room feel too small. So, we got an L shaped sectional in nutmeg colored leather. It's very comfy and opens up the space quite nicely.

Eve and I were contemplating getting a larger apartment so I could have a dedicated office space. I find that having my desk and computer in a niche in the living room is quite distracting. My studies have been lacking since the room, and the house often call me away (I know that sounds weird). Anyway, with the new living room arrangement, I am no longer sitting with my back to the television...it's now in my periphery, so it's less distracting in that if some sound catches my attention, I don't have to turn completely around to see...I can shift my head a bit, and see if I need to attend to something. I also know it's not the right move to make because the thought of packing and moving makes me physically sick to my stomach. Never before has the thought of moving done that to me. I may dread the packing and such, but am usually excited about the new space. Not this time, so I will - for the first time in a long time - pay attention to my gut so I don't have to say that I knew I shouldn't have done "something".

Toodles everyone...I will write again soon - hopefully not such a lengthy post.