Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Serious and Silly


I thank you all for your words of kindess and wisdom, concerning yesterdays post.

No one from the school ever called me back, but when Big J came home, he told me that the teachers had been called up to the office (as were a number of students), to give their accounts of the incidents. The end result is that Bully Boy has been suspended for three days. I hope that this young man will receive some kind of counseling, and that there will be no further trouble when he returns to school.

Now onto other things. My leg is healing nicely. I will be in the locked brace for at least 4 more weeks. I am not allowed to be up without it on, and using as least one crutch. This is because the knee will continue to "buckle" now and then, (and because the tibia is broken), I can't risk a fall. The brace doesn't weigh much at all...until I strap the thing on. Then it weighs about 50 lbs!
It is such an odd sensation, to have to walk around with it on...it's so hard to describe. If you want to try it out for yourselves:

Take a couple of metal rods and strap them to each side of one of your legs (quite tightly), using wide strips of felt and velcro. Hit your knee with a hammer. Now get up and walk around. That should do it:)

It takes some finagling at first, to figure out of to sit down on a toilet seat (please take videos for me when you try that out), and it's really difficult to roll over in bed. The leg doesn't have much strength for a while, so you need to have a beach towel on hand. Lean over and place the towel around the bottom of your foot. Then you can use it (or a strong stretch band) to hoist your leg up when you need to get in and out of bed or on or off the sofa. Now this next bit is really fun. Try getting in and out of the car. You have to sit in the back - and make sure that the car has a bench seat, cause bucket seats DO NOT work. Because this time around, I had my left knee done, I have to get in on the drivers side. So, hobble out to your car and open the back door. Turn facing the opened door, lean over and wrap the towel around your foot. Slowly lower yourself down until your bottom hits the seat. Now remember that you have to be pulling your left leg up with the towel as you are lowering yourself down. Keep the towel taught, and then lift your right leg into the car. Using your right leg, (and keeping the towel taught on your left leg) push down against the floor of the car and push yourself across the seat. I would commend trying this in a car with leather seats, cause if you have cloth apholstry , your clothes are gonna slow you down, and by the time you have pushed yourself all the way in, your pants will be around your knees. If you happen to have a dress on...you will have strangled yourself to death at this point, unless you remembered to pull it up around your waist, before you started the whole process! To get out...reverse the instructions!

My leg isn't really the problem now...its my left wrist and lower arm. I either have a stress fracture, or more likely - tendonitis. Yesterday it hurt so bad, I had to ice it off and on all day, and finally broke down and took a Percocet. Dumb me, I forgot to take the anti-nausea medicine along with it, so I barfed up dinner and then slept for 12 hours. I won't make that mistake again today, believe you me!!!

Okay - in my title for todays post, I promised something silly. Get out your tissues. Crank up the volume on your "puter" and go HERE. Man oh man. You are gonna laugh so hard when you listen to this. Hubby and I had tears running down our faces, and son had to help me cross my legs so I wouldn't wet my pants. What you are going to here, is an eye witness account of a traffic accident in Texas. If you don't think a traffic accident is funny...well just humor me, and go listen to this, and then come back and tell me what you think!

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

This is my heart today!

Yesterday afternoon, my J-Man came home from school agitated, and wired for sound.
He came into my bedroom. Paced back and forth, back and forth. After a moment, he said "Mom, if I tell you something, will you promise not to tell dad?" I said "No, I can't promise that. But I won't tell dad, if it's something that he doesn't need to know."

The spilling of guts commenced.

Dad needed to know!

In case any of you don't know...my Big J is black and we are white. Makes absolutely no difference to us, or to him. As far as we are all concerned we are just people. Family. Parents and kids. Humans!

Not everyone feels this way.

Since starting high school last year (2007-2008) as a freshman, J has had to deal with racism at school. There are only about 15 black students - total - at his school. This didn't faze my son at all. Being raised in a medical foster home (with children with all kinds of medical problems - black, white, Hispanic - numerous faiths), and then being adopted by a big loud LDS white family - my boy has seen it all... and yet he's seen nothing. He doesn't see people with disabilities, or different colors of skin, or religions - he just sees people!

He tells me now and then, when a remark or joke has been made. I always try to get him to tell me what has been said, and who has said it. But he would never tell me. He didn't want to get anyone in trouble. Yesterday...he finally opened up.

Here is Big J's account of what has happened recently:

A young man at school has been harassing J for a while now. Last Friday, he took J's calculator during class, and refused to give it back. After J asked him repeatedly to give it back the kid jumped up and screamed " You stupid black ******* - what is your problem?" The entire class heard him, including the teacher. What did she do? Told the kid not to say things like that. Oh Wow - I'll bet that Mr. Mouth was just shaking in his shoes - yeah right!

Later that evening, J went to the movie with some friends. This same kid, calls one of the boys on his cell phone, and asks to speak to Joey, then proceeds to cuss him out.

Then yesterday Bully Boy spends an hour flicking bits of eraser at J. After class, he shoves J out in the hallway, rips his back pack, and proceeds to tell J, that he knows where he lives, and that come this Saturday he's gonna take him down! Now get this...another teacher sees the whole thing. what does he do? Grabs Mr. Meanie pants and tells him that this isn't the way we behave at school. Ooooooooooh, that's really showing him what's what.

I am so mad right now...and worried...and frustrated!

I called Big J's favorite coach yesterday afternoon, and told him what had been happening. I asked him what he thought I should do. I followed his advice and called the school at 6:30 this morning. I spoke to the assistant principal. I was calm, cool, and collected (not really - my heart was pounding, my palms were sweaty, and I was on the verge of tears - but I did the best I could to keep it together), and told him all the details. I explained that my main goal was to keep my son safe, but that I also wanted to make sure that Mr. Bigot Man got some counseling - and that some heat needed to be placed under those two teachers. I also informed him that the hubby was none to happy, and that if things weren't dealt with, to our satisfaction, they could look forward to him showing up at the school and opening up a "big ole can of whoop arse"!
(Phrase courtesy of Taters Mama) Course, I put it a lot more politely, being the dainty Southern Belle that I am. * Snicker/ Snort*

I've been assured that things will be taken care of and that I will be called back by the end of the school day. Heaven help them all, cause hubby now has the Sheriff's Office, the UCLA, and the FBI's phone numbers on speed dial. Don't nobody mess with his kid. Un-uh - no way Jose! Watch out, cause father's on the war path!

I'm sitting on pins and needles, waiting for the school to call back. Did witnesses back J's story? Did the teachers tell what happened? Is appropriate action being taken. Am I blowing this all out of proportion? Am I being a ninny? Should I even be posting about this?

Folks - I could sure use some advice right about now. I know that I can't protect my kids forever. I know that there will always be people who hate for no good reason. But dag nabbit...
I wasn't ready for this. You'd think that I would be. Shoot - I've raised ten kids. You'd think that I've seen and heard it all. But heck fire...I wasn't prepared for this!

Should I let it go? Make a stink? Call out the swat team?

Inquiring mind wants to know!

Monday, March 9, 2009

USS NEW YORK




I tried getting photo's from another source. I sure hope that these show up!

I've been having trouble with Blogger too. None of my comments seem to show up - SO - please know that I have been going back through everyone's posts!!!

It was so hard for me to sit at the computer last week, and I had been banned from that side of the house. (Susan's son got the flu. Since I had neglected to get a flu shot this year, she quarantined me to one side of the house. She also sprayed enough Lysol to give us all lung problems for the rest of our lives. Her craziness was rewarded, as I am still "flu free".)

Now that I'm back home - have I mentioned that? - I have the laptop at my disposal, so I'm hunkered down in my trusty recliner chair, and I can blog surf to my hearts content!

USS NEW YORK


The USS New York, made from the World Trade Center !



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USS New York



It was built with 24 tons of scrap steel from the


World Trade Center.


It is the fifth in a new class of warship - designed for missions that include special operations against terrorists. It will carry a crew of 360 sailors and 700 combat-ready Marines to be delivered ashore by helicopters and assault craft.

Steel from the
World Trade Center was melted down in a foundry in Amite, LA to cast the ship's bow section. When it was poured into the molds on Sept 9, 2003, "those big rough steelworkers treated it with total reverence," recalled Navy Capt. Kevin Wensing, who was there. "It was a spiritual moment f or everybody there.."

Junior Chavers, foundry operations manager, said that when the trade center steel first arrived, he touched it with his hand and the "hair on my neck stood up. It had a big meaning to it for all of us," he said. "They knocked us down.
They can't keep us down. We're going to be back."

The ship's motto?
'Never Forget'

Sunday, March 8, 2009

It Was Good


Oh yes it was good - it was very very good! Enough said!

Saturday, March 7, 2009

If I were a chimp, this would be me, cause right now I'm one happy camper cause....

I'M HOME!!!

Yep, that's right...I'M HOME!

As much as I enjoyed my antics in Florida...
As much as I loved being with friends and family...
As much as I appreciate my wonderful doctors...

I'm really, really, really glad to be back home!

Have I mentioned that?

I got to come home a week earlier than planned, and I have a "long haul" ahead of me, but, dang, It's good to be home.
I was greeted by my husband and one of my boys, when I got off the plane. My dogs have given me tons of kisses. My butt is firmly planted in my recliner chair. Pizza is on the menu for dinner.
AND
GET THIS
I GET TO TAKE A SHOWER TONIGHT.
Life is good people, oh yes, life is good!!!

It will probably take me a week or two to catch up with all of you, so don't give up on me. I'll be reading all your back posts, and leaving comments right and left.
You'll all be so sick of me in a few day's, but that's just too bad...
...cause I love you all, and I'm gonna let you know it in no uncertain terms.

Did I mention that I was glad to be back home?

Monday, March 2, 2009

The Letter L for Libby


I have been tagged by Sue at Home To The World in a game of Name Meme. Now here are the instructions for this meme so pay attention in case I 'tag' you at the end!
Directions:

1. Copy the questions from my post and paste them in a new post on your blog. Then type over my answers with yours.

2. Use the first letter of your first name to answer ALL of the following questions.

3. If the first letter of your name is the same as mine, use your middle or last name.

4. You CANNOT use any word twice, and you CANNOT use your own name for the boy/girl questions.

5. After you are done, tag 5 people.......

So, here we go:

1. What is your name?: Libby ( (Well, it's really Elizabeth.)
2. A four-letter word: Love (As in...I love you all!)
3. A boy's name: Luke
4. A girl's name: Lorelei
5. An occupation: Locomotive engineer
6. A color: Lilac
7. Something you wear:Loafers
8. A Food: Lemon Meringue Pie (I like to buy them frozen, and then eat them right out of the freezer! Yummy!)
9. Something found in the bathroom: Lit candles (Man o man - can't wait until I'm able to get into my tub again- candles, sparking cider, me and the hubby!)
10. A place: Lisbon, of course!
11. A reason for being late: getting LOST
12. Something you shout: Look Out!
13. A movie title: A Lion in Winter
14. Something you drink: Lemonade
15. An animal: Leopard
16. A song title: Leav'n on a Jet Plane (which I'm gonna do in less that 2 weeks - YEAH!)
17. A verb: (how about two?) Look and Listen

The five people I'm going to tag are:

Marni at It's-a-Pug's-Life
bz at The Mosquitoes Buzz
Jientje at Heaven in Belgium
Andrea at Finding Sirius
Linnea at NeaBears

Just having a little fun.

Just so you all know. I can only get on this computer (where I'm at for the next 4 or 5 days) for a few minutes at a time. I can't keep my leg propped up, because of the way the room is set up. I'm going to try to check in on all of you, through out the next several days. When I'm back at my daughter's home this weekend, I can take the laptop to bed with me and blog surf to my heart's content!!!