Why Life is Unfair

Because the only son of a single mother gets Hodgkin's disease. It was found only because they did a routine blood test for WIC. It's already spread to his spleen, liver and one lung. He's only one and a half. That puts me in mind to only have two words for cancer....... but I can't put them here because my grandma reads this blog.

Taming of the Shrew

I was watching reruns of Angel at around midnight when I heard this loud screeching noise. I thought the cat was trying to scale one of the windows with her claws, but then it continued until it became this eery sound that seemed to be unnatural. I went to investigate with knitting needle in one hand (makes a handy weapon in a pinch) and a phone in the other. My cat was at the base of the stairs interested in whatever was making the sound and as I reached the bottom of the stairs I saw whatever it was had a tail. I assumed she had cornered a gecko and it was now chirping its little head off out of fright. I shooed the cat away and moved my daughter's backpack and there was this smell and I saw something furry. Not a gecko!!! I had a rat as pet growing up as well as mice, gerbils and the like so it didn't scare me, but I was startled to find something other then a gecko in my house (I was however very grateful that it wasn't a cockroach or some hideous bug). It was kind of stinky so I thought maybe a muskrat, but it was mouse size and had a pointy nose and small almost nonexistent eyes. I opened the front door (which it just happened to be near) and shooed it out with a broom. It shot straight outside, much to my relief and amazement. Very delighted that I didn't have to chase a scurrying creature around trying to get it out the front door. Talking to other people and looking on the internet led me to the Musk Shrew. Musk obviously explains the smell and I found out that they use echolocation like bats and dolphins, hence the high pitched eery screeching noise. After going to bed I heard another chirp later. I'm hoping there's not a nest down there in that pile of things that I need to pick up. It's right at the front door where we dump everything and I clean it about once every two weeks so it couldn't have been there long if it has set up a nest. I just hope that it hasn't. I'm scared I'm going to find baby shrews and then I'll feel guilt for chasing off their mommy. It was that or the cat was going to dispose of her and I don't need to find tiny, furry dead mammals in my home left as presents by my kitty kitty. How did it get in is the question so that I can keep more from entering. It may have just snuck inside the door along with us or it came in through a hole. No reason to worry though unless I start seeing more of them. They sure are loud little things, I'll give them that. And stinky too. If I was the cat I wouldn't have messed with it after it started letting off that smell. It wasn't that bad, but I'm considerably bigger and wasn't down on it's level. I'm sure it's more pungent to a cat or other predator.
Hubby comes home today!!!! The boat pulled in this morning around 10, but, of course, they won't let anyone go because they have to muster first....... for 14 hours. I hate this command. If you are thinking of joining the ranks of the Frank Cable, just don't. It might be fine if you're a single sailor, but if you have a family and especially if you are in engineering, JUST DON'T. We've been here almost a year and my hubby just started getting his weekends off. Most of the time he would only get Sunday off (unless he had duty) and during the weekday he leaves at 5-6 in the morning and doesn't get home until after 8 pm most nights. Which would be fine if the US Navy paid overtime because we'd be swimming in money and I would have no complaints. The kids hardly ever get to spend time with daddy and if they get little time I get even less. The CO wonders why the divorce rate on the Cable is so high, well there's your problem. Better organization and leadership is needed and being able to eat meal is a RIGHT not a PRIVILEGE as the higher ups would like you to believe. No use in complaining. There's even a rumor floating around that a wife complained and her husband was given more hours. They also say that the Captain (not our current one) was responsible for the boiler explosion that took two lives last year because he gave the order to light anyways (even though someone said there was a leak) because there was a delegate onboard. Everyone has their conspiracy theories, but there's that chance that it could be true. Who knows, I might get my hubby in trouble just by writing this..... if I thought anyone actually read my blog. Really people, you can leave comments. It's okay.

Holiday Season

I'm gearing up for it. As an adult it's just not the same as it was when I was a kid. The excitement is almost all gone. The only thing that I can think of when I look ahead to putting up the tree is how much work it's going to be and the hassle of taking it down. I think I should just throw myself into it and do all the decorating, baking and other activities that my mom and I used to do. A lot of the non excitement comes from the fact that we won't see family this year. I get excited and in the mood to make and bake when I know that family is coming. We're having friends for Thanksgiving and that has my brain clicking along about what I'm going to make, how the house is going to look and all that jazz. Christmas..... not so much, but I'm trying. The kids and I made snowflakes for their Christmas tree yesterday. Twenty total. I have also been looking into other projects as well. I have a whole load of knitting to do. This past payday saw me spending almost $100 on yarn. Not really a big deal since I'm going to get about 20 gifts out of it all and I am completely out of yarn. I know there are other knitters out there who spend more then that every month and I haven't bought any yarn for several months now. I am excited about that. Waiting for a package of yarn is always exciting. I have another order that I have to place and have sent for my sister in law. I'm very excited because she's having a baby. This will be her first baby, but it's not her first pregnancy so this is a really big deal. When I met my hubby she was pregnant and she lost the baby at about 5-6 months. She was pregnant again about a year later and again she went into labor early. She had to watch as her son struggled for breath and then he passed on when they tried to give him oxygen. His lungs weren't strong enough and collapsed. I always felt really bad because both times I got pregnant soon after and had two healthy babies. I might as well have kicked her in the stomach while she was down. And I can't imagine how much it must have hurt to lose those babies. Luckily no problems with this pregnancy and she's almost ready to have him and we're all excited. Hubby was looking for baby gifts before he left and when I got to thinking about it I realized I could make something. After running it by him he seems excited about it and now I need to buy more yarn. Not a big deal, but to be honest I don't know exactly when she's due and I want to have it done in time for her to welcome the little one home with. I'll be making a blankie and hopefully some socks, a hat, and a teddy bear. The big question is should I make it white or different colors. One hides stains and the other you could bleach or set out in the sun if it got a stain on it. Knowing baby stains I'm inclined to go with color because formula stains don't like to bleach out. Sigh. I'll figure it out :-)