Tired...

I'm tired. Tired of all of the crap I have to deal with every day. The Son is wearing me out. I'm tired of being taken for granted and I'm tired of having to pick up all the pieces (and pay for them). I know that I have caused the majority of the problems due to the fact I have always spoiled and indulged him. He used to be a much better child toward me. It was an easy thing to do. Now that he is older and "knows everything", it is totally different. The latest string of issues started at the end of April.

The Son was stopped at about 10pm with friends in the car. As his license is still restricted (He just received in March), he isn't suppose to have others in the car with him. Well, he crossed the center line a couple of times which got the officer's attention. Then when the Son rolled down the window, the officer smelled pot. Couldn't find the pot but found a pipe. He received a citation for crossing the center line (125.50) and I got a phone call about the fact his phone was in his lap (suspected texting and driving), what the officer found etc. This was a Monday night. Then Friday night at 1am, I receive a phone call from Morgan and a police officer. The Son had gone to a party that had been busted. He was visibly sleeping in the car and the cop gave him a breathalyzer. I had to go and pick him up and then find someone who could go back with me to get the car as it was going to be towed. One of Son's friends helped me retrieve the car. We have a meeting at the county probation office and will probably end up in court. He was charged with underage consumption. The week after that he was suspended from school for one day because he did not park in the designated student parking and then they found cigarettes in his car. A week later he wrecked the car in the school parking lot. He should've been patient but apparently forced himself out of his spot into the linen of cars trying to leave at the end of the day. The whole back passenger door is crunched as well as the back quarterpanel.

All of this stresses me out. I have begun smoking again and I don't like the fact that I have. I am trying to pack this house for the moves and although I did not expect him to be much help, I at least was hoping he wouldn't hinder me. I am still working on a wall in the basement he punched when he was mad at his girlfriend. I have 465 more days (give or take) until he turns 18. And although I know he will still need support from me, at least he can begin fixing his own messes. He wants to move out just as soon as he possibly can. It would probably be best. Even if to let him see just how good he has it.

Can You Say... Cardboard?

Life continues to be a whirlwind here. My son, well, a ticket and two calls from police officers in one week, two different incidents. Meeting with probation and court is on the way. I don't even want to think about that now. (That will be a conversation for another day). No right now, life centers on - cardboard.

Cardboard boxes that is. The need for cardboard, tape for cardboard, packing cardboard, stacking cardboard, purchasing more cardboard... I have been packing hot and heavy and it seems the amount of stuff needing packing continues to exceed my supply of cardboard boxes. Packing is only the half of it. As I will have to spend some time in an apartment, I have to divide my household decor, furniture, dishes, my clothes etc. in two. It makes packing ever so much more difficult. Constant decisions to be made. AND, as we are still living here until 5/27, the decision making multiplies. Besides what goes to which state, there is a timing issue to the packing. What can be packed at three weeks, two weeks, etc. Maybe that is why I haven't been feeling so well lately. I have overworked my brain.

Seriously though, I have been having headaches, nausea, malaise.. Generally just feeling kinda yucky off and on for about the last week or so. Strangely enough, it seems to have started around the time of CC's departure to Florida. I told him I'm love sick. :) Some days are better than others. Yesterday was fine until about 3-4 in the afternoon. Then I felt really hot, similar to when you get out of the tanning bed, hot from the inside out and all of the other symptoms hit. I never got right after that.

I miss CC terribly. The packing actually is a blessing as it keeps me busy. It makes the time pass by until I can be with him again. I go to bed early because I know when I wake, I will be one day closer to seeing him. We really are two peas in a pod, two halves of a whole. Life just isn't the same without him here. I know all of this is temporary but it doesn't make it any easier. I don't like being away from him at all. Heck, the team at work notices his absence. Apparently I wear it like a sign for all to see. I'm just not right without him. I leave on Friday to take the dogs down to our new home and CC and I will get to spend our first night together in our new home. I'm very excited! I can't wait to see him. I think this is the first time in my life I have ever looked forward to a 14 hour drive.

The Countdown Begins.....

It is officially May. We have 11 days until closing on our new home. CC starts his new job tomorrow. I know he is bored out of his mind staying in the hotel waiting for the closing but now we can officially start counting.

Life here without him is lonely but I have been keeping busy. I have begun the packing stage of this endeavor. Previously I was in the "I need to go through stuff and take to Goodwill." Now I'm in the "OMG, I don't have enough boxes" stage. I think this weekend I have made a considerable dent in the packing. I have a moving company coming tomorrow to give an estimate. I hope it isn't outrageous. I am anticipating around 3k. Much more than that and I may need to just drive a truck myself. I sure hope it doesn't come to that....

I will be taking the dogs to Florida the weekend after closing. I can't wait to see CC!

Here We Go

In all of the excitement over the impending closure on our Florida home, we have continued to overlook the consequences of this purchase. CC is leaving Tuesday morning to drive to Florida for his new job and residence in Florida. After closure he will move from the extended stay to our new home. Without me. I will be here. Without him. I plan on going down that weekend to be with him as it will be almost three weeks since leaving here. It's been sobering to say the least now that the time is upon us. The constant rain we have endured for the last 4-5 days has only added to the dreariness. I love him more than anything. I just want all of it to work out well with work, home, son and our lives.

I think we got it...

It looks as if we have bought a house at last.  It was a bit touch and go for a while.  The appraisal was 25k under asking price and I wasn't too sure if the owner would accept it.  CC and I have been pretty frustrated with the whole appraisal process. It seems as if no one does their comps properly or people just believe their homes are worth more than they are in this market.  The owners accepted sale at the appraisal price so we are moving forward.  FINALLY.  I was beginning to think CC was going to be homeless.  

There is still quite a bit of work yet to do.  The inspection is set for tomorrow.  Not that there will be much to come from it as the house is being sold "as is". But it will give us a heads up on anything that will be a potential problem down the road.  The house comes with a home warranty. The realtor is providing it.  I have never seen a realtor pay for the warranty but there you are.  Florida real estate sure is strange.  We need to finalize the closing costs, gather funds etc. and try to set a closing date.  Anyone have any boxes?

Tomorrow's the Day

Tomorrow is THE day. The day we find out if our offer on the latest house appraises okay and the owners of the property balk or not at the appraisal. I'm hoping everything goes okay. Our inspection is set for Wednesday. We are having it inspected even though it is an "as is" sale. If all goes the way we have planned, we can move everything straight out of this house right into the one in Florida. Cross your fingers!

CC's Birthday

CC's birthday was Friday. I have been planning a birthday weekend for him since September. I had all the pieces and knew what I wanted to do, but with his job situation up in the air, not knowing when he will be required to move, I couldn't put it all together until the very end.

What does a person get for someone who can buy whatever it is they want? He is responsible for the care and upkeep of his dogs but that pales in comparison to the feeding, watering, and clothing of a 16 year old. His money is really his own. I decided that a trip or event of some sort would probably be the best.

I bought tickets to the Detroit/Nashville hockey game back in September. It was a rivalry, it was the day after his birthday and it was at the end of the season right before playoffs. No brainer there. The issue was we go to hockey frequently. It wasn't really anything new or special. Hmmmmm..... I finally realized sometime later that April is also the start of baseball season. After some searching, I saw where the Cardinals are at home the very same weekend. This is where it got tricky. I didn't know where CC was going to be living. Everything was up in the air. We had put in that bid in January on the first house. If he was in Florida for his birthday I was going to have to fly him to Nashville. I wouldn't have the cash to also fly to St. Louis. All of this really didn't work itself out until March. Then the rush was on. Tickets, hotels, etc. I got it all together and was able to present it to CC on one of the worst days he had at that crummy job. It was early but I think it brightened his day! :)

We left out of here Saturday morning, dropping the dogs at the kennel on the way. It was a mild afternoon and the sun was shining. We checked in at Indigo and went to the game. Unfortunately we were disappointed. We lost in overtime. :(

We had dinner at Rippy's BBQ and then off to Lonnie's Western Room for karaoke. OMG! I really need to not drink because I REALLY need to not sing. UGH! We had a good time though. (I think CC did, I know I did...) ;)

This little guy sat behind us at the hockey game. You could hear him cheering! It was awesome!

The next day we got ourselves together and headed to the airport. We flew into St. Louis for a Cardinals game. It was about a mile walk to Busch Stadium from the hotel, (not bad). I got me a Cardinals shirt (I'm a Reds fan) and off we went to find our seats. We were down the first base line and the view was spectacular! The day was suppose to have been overcast. But nope! It was in the 80's and sunny! Perfect day for a ball game.

This is the view of the city from our seats!

It was a beautiful day and a great time!

The Cardinals won 2-0. YAY! It was their first win of the season. This was my second ever professional baseball game. I had a blast!

After the game we headed out to Charlie Gitto's. This is the place CC has been talking abut since I told him about the trip. THEY WERE CLOSED ON SUNDAYS!!! :(

He was so bummed! This was something I definitely didn't count on.... We consulted the Oracle (Google) and found a restaurant called Stefano's. It was Italian but apparently not Charlie Gitto's.....

We had an early night. It stormed all night. I was very glad the weather missed the ball game. We got up, grabbed the train and headed for the airport in the morning. Our flight was delayed a couple of hours due to maintenance and weather. We were able to call the kennel and pay over the phone. I texted Morgan and had him pick up the girls as there was no way we were going to make it by 5:30.

By the time it was all said and done, we were home around 8pm last night. The trip was awesome and it is back to work for me. We leave on Friday for Florida and more house hunting. Cross your fingers!