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I am not sure what to call today's post.

Good stuff...Kate had a friend over and didn't stop talking for 5 hours. She had fun shopping, chatting and hanging out with her little friend. She got a pair of shoes and pants with her gift cards from American Eagle. I was glad to see her so happy. We watched Rocky II and had a nice evening. I love the scene where all the little kids are running with him through the streets of Philly and up the steps of Independence Hall. The scene brings tears to my eyes. Kate even got choked up with me and she was all hugs and kisses at bedtime.

Tough Stuff...Jack went camping with scouts and when I left him, he seemed happy. Every time I leave him at a scout function and he seems happy, the next day when I see him, something bad happened. This time, he got stuck in a shelter with two troublemakers who were picking on him, pushing him around, etc. and he lost his temper and took his flashlight and whacked one kid over the head a couple of times. The scoutmasters came in and yelled at them both and that was the end of it.

The end of it for them, but Jack isn't used to getting in trouble and no kid likes getting picked on. I am glad he stuck up for himself. I just wish things could be different. I know all the "lessons he is learning" and that "this will make him stronger" and "he's better than them". But knowing all those things doesn't take away the pain I feel for him or the pain he experienced. I came through the door from church and he was already here, showered, unpacked and washing his dishes. I could see the look in his eyes and knew something happened. I was ready to call the other kid's mother until he told me that he whacked the kid in the head a couple of times. I have got to get him boxing lessons! A flashlight (even his head lamp) could really hurt someone.

I think the frustrating thing is that, as a parent, you feel their pain and you (I) have worked so hard to protect both kids and make a happy, safe, comfortable home for them. Then these parents with nasty, rude kids, get their kids involved in activities like scouts and it ruins the experience for the kids who are there for all the right reasons. That is why Kate isn't in Girl Scouts, there it was the parents who screamed at the girls that had us drop out. It is bad enough when you have to sit next to these idiots in class, but when you spend the weekend with someone you don't even like and then they are mean to you...well... it is very frustrating.

On a good note, we all cleaned this weekend and the house is habitable. Annie got me beautiful placemats and table cloth from Peru and they look striking on my kitchen table and nicely polished cherry end tables and coffee table.

I finished Eclipse. I forgot to go to the book store when we were at the mall. I need to read Breaking Dawn. I am not sure that I liked the ending all that much. I don't want to see her become a vampire. It is too wierd and their "love" for each other is so "intense" it doesn't seem real to me. Then to hear her say that she loves Jacob Black too. Too wierd. I am reading some short stories by Damon Runyon. He is the inspiration for Guys and Dolls. We watched the movie last weekend. Some of the songs were good. I love Frank Sinatra. He was great in it. That voice! so clear and incredible. The play itself was OK but I have seen better musicals. It will still be nice to see our students perform it in the fall. I also got my computer to download movies from Netflix. I watched a Rockford Files. I love that old 70's crime shows. As cool as NCIS is, it is fun to watch someone solve a crime with just investigation and limited forensics.

I signed up to be the coach for reading Competition in the High School. We haven't had a team in a few years and it is a shame to see it fall apart. I go to the competition anyway, so I might as well bring a team along.

I hope this week is a good one. I already had a call from a parent this evening and she wanted to bitch and I totally turned it around on her. It was great and when she started getting hysterical, I told her I had my sister on hold on the other line, long distance and had to go. "I'll call you tomorrow." I can be tough when I need to be!!!

24 tomorrow night!