Oy .... part 2

No pictures on this post, as it's basically a continuation of the previous one.  Well, that and I'm too exhausted to choose a picture at the moment.  

Please keep in mind that my computer thinks it's still on central time, when, in actuality, it's on Pacific.  Guess it's not as smart as Apple thinks it is.

Anyway, the rest of what I learned yesterday:

First, the very last thing I learned at 12:30 a.m. last night, after over 2 hours of tossing and turning (See!  I told you I'd never sleep again after "The 5"!) was that it might not be the best idea to take a whole Ambien that late at night.  

Actually, I learned that this morning at 7:00 a.m., not last night.  I got up to the energetic and loud S dancing down the tiled hallway (emphasis on tiled) and felt like I was going to pass out from exhaustion.  I made coffee, I drank coffee, I watched her yell, sing, dance, play and then I went back to bed, figuring I really could not handle this without a nap.

    

 When I awoke at 9:00 a.m.  J & L were getting ready to go to the beach!  How energetic of them! 

      Daughter #2 was also getting ready.  You remember her, the one that was fried yesterday!  Love for kids -- high.  Love for people -- high.  Love for  Christ -- very high

Intelligence after a day at Disney Land --  low.

But to give her some credit -- she had on a long sleeved top when she left.

     Yes, she left to go to the beach.  Did you notice that the boys haven't been mentioned yet?

That's because they seem to take after their mother and need a day to get over the trauma of walking all over Happy Land yesterday.  Oh, they're all awake, just not energetic enough to walk down the stairs.  Or it could be something else.

     OK, if I tell you the "something else" I don't want to hear (or read) ONE word about what a horrible mother I am.  I already know that.  Son #2 has scientifically proved it many times, I have accepted that and I am good with it.  That's what books are for.

     Anyway, the sons 2 & 3 have been working on me for a while about getting an X-Box.  Surprising enough, for them, the last time they asked, I said yes.  There was a stunned silence for quite some time while they tried to work this out in their wee little minds.  "There must be a catch;  she must be having one of her "Moments" and she'll have no memory of this  tomorrow; do you think she really understood the question?" --- those kinds of things.

So, I told them "yes".  They were paying for it, not me, so I wasn't bothered by it.  I have to tell you that the "before Janine" would not have gone for this.  She would've said "No way, you already have way too many stinkin' video games, your brains are going to ooze out of your ears."--- those kinds of things.  But I shocked them and said yes and that they could buy it when we returned from our trip.

Well, that day turned into Day TWO of our trip.  I loaded them up in the car and went to Target.  Oh holy day!!!  They are now upstairs playing very quietly, as far as I know.  The house has great insulation.

  

     Let me give you a weak explanation before you start judging ---- Poor, poor L feels totally responsible for her guests and for their happiness.  She has never lived with teenage boys.  I tried to tell her that just because they have a look of utter boredom and disgust on their face --- that doesn't mean they're unhappy.  That's just the way they look!  She didn't get it.  So I tried threatening the boys to get those looks off of their faces.  It would seem this is physically impossible, as they could never tell when their face was in that horrible position.  Whatevah.

Thus the ride to Target on Day 2.

And peace reigns.  And L is happy knowing they're happy.

Sheesh.

     OK, here's what else I learned yesterday.  Now pay attention because you might able to check this out for yourselves one day:

   When you drive 80 miles an hour (give or take) for an extended period of time, you can actually SEE your fuel indicator needle going down.  Really!  It's like a second hand.  And it seems to go down very, very quickly.  At least on a Nissan mini-van.  When we left in the morning I had half of a tank.  I used half of that getting to Disney.  So I figured, "Hey, 1/4 to get there, a 1/4 to get back.  No problemo."  It would seem that sometimes that could definitely be a problemo.  As I drove and watched that little needle move down and down and down I had a mental picture of me, trying to move from the HOV lane waaaaaaaaaay over to the shoulder while the fumes of gas were puttering out of my car.

But I don't know where I am (no comments, please) and am not sure about getting off to get gas.  Because once I get off, there's no guarantee that I can get back on!!!

Anyway, we made it to our exit where I went straight to a gas station.

     Which brings me to the last thing I learned (I think ..... if anything else comes to mind I'll keep you posted ..... HA!!!  Get it?  Posted! ---- awwww, never mind).

Where was I?  Oh yes,  gas.  Well, I paid $4.89 for unleaded last night.  Yes, indeed.  FOUR DOLLARS AND EIGHTY NINE CENTS A GALLON!!!!  A dollar more than my last purchase in Texas.

       What did I learn from this, you might ask?  Well, I shall tell you.

I learned that these crazy Californians don't give two shakes for what their gas costs.  How can you care and yet drive at least 80 miles an hour and watch your gas needle plummet?????

I mean, really.  Do they all have a gas pump in their back yards?  Hmmmmm, that would explain the cost of housing and land here, wouldn't it?  

OK, I believe I have ranted enough for today.  Besides, tennis is back on.  I live for the majors.

Time to watch Roger.

Oh, and K says that my kitchen is completely torn up and that it's a good thing I am here.  And she's right.

:)