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This Morning
Tommy is pulling out all stops in trying to upset me. I guess this is the punishment for having left town and planning on leaving again tomorrow.
Amy and Cathy have joined us upstairs. Time to cook breakfast.
Yesterday
Yesterday was a blur! I wasn't near a computer long enough to do anything.
The day started with a Girl Scout meeting. The boys were with the grandparents so I joined Amy, Sarah and Cathy at the meeting to help collect monies from cookie sales. Amazingly, everything is coming together and the numbers are working out! I made an inappropriate joke about tattoos and had to spend some time digging out of that hole.
A kind father took Sarah and one other scout to do a booth and we later saw them as we deposited money at the back in the grocery where they had the booth setup. The banker said "this is the first dad I've seen participatiing" and our slow thinking minds failed to say "you've got another dad on the sidewalk right now."
Since it was now just Amy, Cathy and I, we had the pleasure of 3 deep naps; 3 puddles of drool. I needed that so badly. Amy lost a pacifier and roused me so I got her a new pacifier (she calls them "bops") then went upstairs and sat on the couch until the girls were delivered. Shortly there after Sarah and her friend were dropped off at the house and immediately went to the trampoline. I was thankful that Amy and Cathy continued to sleep. I worked on the cookie numbers in the spreadsheet.
The weather today was unbelievably beautiful. We got to drive to the mall behind a tight pair of jeans. I miss my motorcycle.
Our next booth was at the mall. A serious hot spot and we were low on cookies! The distributor wasn't answering the phone; anxiety high. The parking lot was nearly as full as it would be at Christmas. People were sitting in their cars waiting for someone to leave so they could get a spot. As I walked Amy to the food court to get her some food (since she slept through lunch), I was slightly overwhelmed at the quantity of people in the mall. It was a carnival! I was trying to take in more than my mind could process. I was looking at items in stores, trying to decide what to do about my cell phone, and people watching. And there were entirely too many people to watch. The number of belly buttons, butt cracks, visible thong panties, and accentuated breasts were astounding. The pants cut so low in the front that the shape of the groin area becomes visible and because the way the body curves there leaves the jeans pulled away from the body as if inviting a peak down their pants. The pubic hair that they've only just developed has to be shaven to prevent it from being visible. It's hard to believe the statistics that I'm reading that "teen sex is down" "more teens waiting until marriage" I'd like to wear my 16-18 year old shoes again for a few days in this mall; I sure don't remember my teen years being like this! I saw one woman that was so ridiculously over endowed that I am certain that unless she runs into something that as long as she is standing she has no other way to stop her forward momentum. Then my thoughts drift to my 10 year old girl. The one that is already gives us fits over trying to wear clothing that is too small, won't wear jackets in the winter because "they make me look fat," and is trying so hard to "be cool." Then I think about my wife's words "I kept a change of clothing at school and would simply change the minute I was out of the house" and "as a teen, I never wore a bra." You can only protect them by preaching common sense and teaching good morals and ethics and lots of prayer. I can only imagine what it's going to be like when Amy is a teen. I suspect by then women will be going topless in public and maybe even wearing transparent pants. I should be a designer! I'd make a killing with just a little saran wrap!
We used an employees exit to leave the mall. Made packing up much simplier and really helped since it was raining. I love using "privileged areas" There's a sense of excitement. When I would entertain in places like Liberty Land Memphis I would get to use the employee shortcuts. I was always amazed at how those amuzement parks are designed in such a way that it takes the consumer 15 or 30 minutes to walk a certain area but there are hidden shortcuts that span the same space in 2 minutes. It's special to be back stage or in areas that the regular visitor just never sees.
After the mall we shot to a Kroger grocery where we saw a mother from Noah's soccer team (and once Sarah's soccer team). We seem to follow them at several places. Since a storm had come, Kroger let them set up inside. The previous booth sold 77 boxes! We had all of 25 or so left. I left the girls to sell out and Amy and I returned home to get forgotten luggage and shoes. We returned to the grocery and I drove circles in the parking lot (Violent Femes was playing "36-24-36") then when the song ended I joined the girls to hang out while they sold. We decided to pack up and someone bought most of their remaining cookies because they were packing up. The cookie booths are done! The sales very well! I really enjoyed helping the girls with the booths.
We then took Sarah and her friend to the grandparents where I got to see Tommy and Noah for the first time in a week. Noah instantly gave "Dad" a huge hug. Tommy needed to be prompted as he was lost in television (Hunt for Red October--I don't blame him). We all ate some KFC and chatted as Tommy energetically showed us the treasures he aquired from the cleaning of the garage. He then told us "I found enough quarters, about $20, to buy my book" so the interogations began and the lies unfolded. When I had to move him from the front seat of the car, his pocket buldged with change and the ugly confrontation began. Noah even lied to try to "protect" his brother. This bothers me because that means he'll lie for his friends which will lead to him getting in much trouble and more so getting used by his friends. There is already evidence that Noah allows himself to be used.
We made it home with a basically silent Tommy. And got everyone to sleep.
