Hurricane Frances

Well Guys.....This is one troubling storm....I was listening to WIRK (Country station) this am...and they had the Storm Team on to give us the updates on this hurricane...It's back up to a Category 4 (NOT GOOD) but they are having a devil of a time tracking where it is going to make landfall....last reports puts it in St Lucie County which is about 1 hour away from us and then going across Orlando (Those poor people-they're still recovering from Charlie!) Others are putting this making landfall more northward....Others are still putting landfall right across good old West Palm Beach (my home)...I can certainly appreciate their job as it's mostly guess work when you also have to consider ocean currents, warm fronts, cold fronts...anything that could push it into another direction....

Keep your fingers crossed!!!!!!

Well....as of the 11am update...hopefully will make landfall in Jacksonville over the weekend!!! YEAH! I hope this is correct...what they are saying is that it's skirting up the coastline possibly just north of us...so we may get some tail end hurricane force winds and more than likly tropical storm force winds....at any rate this is what's expected ( I love that word...it's "expected" do do this meaning in all likely hood it will but it could also turn more westward) but all in all it's looking good for us!

Weekend Endeavors..........

YIPPEEEEE!!!!

My apartment is finally painted!!!! When we moved in back in April...The landlord gave us permission to paint it as the walls were pretty marked up... I had asked if we had to stick to white and he said no...YEAH! Well between settling in and getting the kids organized, Patrick and Manisa's wedding and such...we finally found the time to paint...The living room, kitchen and dinning room has this really wonderful sort of spanish style tile (White with splashes of terra cotta coloring in light and dark splotches) so we opted to go with that...Since I have a lot of indian stuff-dreamcatchers and pictures-The effect was awesome....I want to say the color is probably about like this...maybe a little darker...but it looks totally awesome.....I am so happy! The only snafu was Asha.....I think she felt left out and decided she wanted to be a paintbrush...Yup...Backed up right into a wet wall.....Oh well....she does love her baths!!! NOT! She now has a grooming appointment to shave her hair down.....

Manisa spent the weekend with us and together we got about 3 boxes packed to send up to Patrick as he moves into the apartment this weekend....Blankets, towels, and whatnot.....

All in all a very productive weekend! So next weekend we can take it easy and just putz around the house...take naps ( I love those!) and just do whatever....That is barring what happens with Frances......

Like I said on Lisa's blog....I am really hoping that this thing just goes away quietly....the storm people down here have forcast a cold front moving in that might push this storm towards us...They also have stated that it should regain strength and be back upto a Category 4 or 5 by the end of the week...I don't want it moving up northwards as then it possibly will hit North Carolina (Where Patrick lives right in the Coast) or Massachuesetts (Where my Ex Mom in Law +family lives and Stacy lives as well)....Nope don't want this storm going anywhere but away from all these places!!!! I guess I will just have to keep track of it and make plans as needed...Should it hit West Palm Beach where I am, rest assured if it's a Cat 3 or above....I will be packing the kids, animals and heading out and away.....While I am sure that the condo will be fine....I won't take the chance...not with the kids or animals...

Anyhoo.....I had best get going here...it's also month end close at my office this week and next....so everyone is on edge here.......UGH! Makes for an interesting week!

Helping out......

I just love being a Mom! You know....as the kids get older...they need you less and less and suddenly you are soooooo uncool? Well that all changes when they are older......

I find myself in the "Cool Mom" area again with Patrick and Manisa.....I had promised Patrick that I would help out as much as possible and I think you all know that I will do just that....

Once the wedding was over and Patrick was back up in Cherry Point MCAS, he was told by his Sargent that he had until September 1st to find a place...he could no longer live in the barracks...okay that was fine...he didn't know that he would have to do that but okay...we can deal with that...I think (don't quote me-I'm still learning all about the military!) it has to do with the extra money they will now be paying Patrick....

Well...He works from 4pm to at 2am or 4am depending...5 nights a week...This didn't leave a whole mess of time to look for a 2 bedroom...So last week, I went onto Rent.com and looked up apartments by military sites...I found a really nice place in New Bern called Colony Village...He'd been looking around the Havlock area and simply put he was less than impressed...I emailed him the information on the place and he went and took a look at it...Promptly called me to say that he loved it and was accepted...it's only $550 a month for the two bedroom, and they only wanted $200 down...WONDERFUL! now he has to Furnish the place...one of his sargents are getting all new stuff so he told Patrick to come and take a look and take what he will need....I already have 2 boxes of towels and blankets to send up to him plus a microwave..Since they are going to give him back pay retro to when he got married...he's going to invest in a new full size bed set...can't blame him there...I don't think I would go used either...

He's going to go to the nearest Dollar store to get more kitchen supplies and what not...And I think family everywhere will be sending him things as well..so all in all he's off to a good start! He worried about having money to send to Manisa as she's going to finish school here, but I told him not to worry as I would take care of that....All her medical bills will be paid for under Patrick's insurance so that basically leaves maternity clothes....she's tiny so we may be able to get away with x-tra large shirts...She's been spending weekends at my house so I can spend time with her and help her learn how to take care of a new baby...plus making sure she gets her driving test! She's been terrified to drive but Patrick and I told her she really was going to need to get her license.....so I am going to help with that as well... Will be with her at all her Doctor appointments too...All in all I am truly hopeing that all goes well for the both of them!

So.....I'm going to be a Grandma.......(And how have a wonderful wedding in 4 days!)

I figured I had better join the blog community here......Should be interesting.....LOL!

Yep...I am going to be a Grandma at 39 years old...I can finally say that I am getting excited over the event...


My son Patrick has never had the best of timeing when it came to telling me news...I don't think he's ever going to get better at it...I can remember the day he called my cell phone (I was in the middle of Sam's club shopping) to let me know that he was being deployed to Iraq in a couple of weeks. Now....this is news that no mother ever wants to hear given the current situation over there...but when he joined the Marines over a year ago, we both knew that this was something that could happen...Needless to say Mom had a breakdown, cried her eyes out and had trouble sleeping over the fact that her baby boy might actually have to go there...See I still see him in red Dr.Denton's and diapers...not dressed in Fatigues working on C-130's in the hot dessert. We later found out that he won't actually get deployed until around February and it will only be for a couple of months...I hope! I later told him that the next time he has news for me to at least wait until I am home and in the privacy of my room...

Do you think he listened?.....Heck no! About a week later I get a phone call as I am walking into Walgreens from Patrick, He tells me he has news and I had better not go into Walgreens (not "Call me when you get home Mom") He then preceded to ask me how accurate pregnancy test are....I tell him pretty accurate and WHY!!!!....He then tells me that his fiance Manisa flunked 2 of them...My heart sank...He's 19 and she won't be 18 until December with a year of High School left....Now they were planning on getting married next year when she graduates but now that's all changed...Worries start to set in about telling her parents..his getting leave to get married...They both wanted to go ahead and get married and take care of each other...I have to be proud of thier commitment to each other...He came home on leave....All went well telling parents, family and what not...now on to the next part.....I also am very partial to Manisa...she really does bring out the best in Patrick....She's going to be good for him....

Do you know what it's like to plan a wedding in 4 days? HELL! Let me tell you...but it can be done and done well...

First off this was only going to be a party for the both of them... as all he wanted to do was go to the courthouse...But Manisa wanted a wedding as best as she could get on short notice...Once we convinced Patrick...we got started with the plans...Mike's brother Johnny is a Deacon of sorts with his church and assured us that we had use of it for the ceremony and reception...cross that off our lists! Everyone invited brought cover dish as we made this a pot luck....cross food off the lists! Patrick and Manisa went with her parents got the marriage license and the rings...cross that off....I contacted a notary who was available on that day....cross that off...I put Patricks Stepdad's wife in charge of decorations...cross that off!....She also had someone who could make an actual wedding cake on short notice...cross that off...The wedding dress proved trickier as most dresses have to be altered or something before the big day...after no luck 2 days before....Manisa and I finally had luck at an all occasion dress store in the mall...Finding a striking stappless wedding dress...we found shoes and a small veil...all was set....We had gotten it all done and were ready to go!

I still will not forget the look on Patrick's face as she came in and walked down the isle.....He was stunned by her....it made all the hassles worth while at that very moment....

Oh we had stuff that went wrong mind you.....stoves at the church not working....pictures of fingers cause the kids got the cameras...candles as centerpieces that we couldn't light (found out at last minute) But all in all...it was worth it....

Manisa didn't want to throw her flowers as tradition dictated so she threw one of the coursages....We laughed when Jackie caught it...She has been seeing Greg who is my "Hubby" Michael's nephew.....I am pleased to report that precisely one week later, Greg got down on one knee and proposed...She accepted! I asked his Mom if we were getting at least 5 days to plan this one!!!! hahaha......