October 24, 2002 - Well, INFOTEC 2002 is winding down at the Dayton Convention Center... Jim's been down there since Tuesday. Last night was the banquet and we had a nice time. Jim looked so yummy dressed up in his double-breasted charcoal suit!! Finally met his friend Sherry Jones, who's the events coordinator at some big resort in Cape Cod. Very nice lady, pretty. They've been friends for a very long time. I guess her luck with marriages hasn't been the best... but I guess at least she got her son out of the last one...

Greg and Danielle were going to watch Lauren for us at Greg and Gary's house so Danielle could study for a big test she has today but I really wanted Lauren to go to bed in her own bed since she had to be up early for pre-school today. So Jim I and Marilyn saved our butts again. They were meeting Jim I's gold buddies and their wives at LaPiazza in Troy for lunch and offered to come on down here to keep Lauren for us last night. That was certainly a load off. Since they were spending the night and we knew Lauren was in good hands we went up the the bar at the Crown Plaza after the banquet with a BUNCH of people from the convention. Had a nice time, would have been lots better had I now had a headache. But when we got home Jim rubbed my neck and shoulders before we went to sleep and I also took some Excedrin and a couple Chlortimetons and woke up WITHOUT one! Hooray!!!

Tonight I'll pick Lauren up and we'll head down to Newcome's for the after convention drunk-fest. With as much stress as these people endure for this it's a much needed release. Plus we always order pizza from the OE (Oregon Express) and take it to Newcome's. Good stuff! Pam E will have her kids with her so Lauren will have someone to play with too.

I still haven't seen/met Greg and Sheri's new baby, Abbi yet. I know Sheri's hurt but it seems like there's not been a minute to spare in the last two weeks. Not much of an excuse but... and of course they're bringing her to the office tomorrow and I'll be off. I get to go with Lauren's pre-k 4 yr class to Bonnybrook Farms (south of Dayton) to do the pumpkin thing. She's soooo excited!! And so am I!

October 22, 2002 - Today is the first day of Infotec so Jimmy's at the Convention Center all day until 6 or 6:30. And yes... I'm paranoid as hell that he'll find a way to get over to see 'Her'. I make myself sick just thinking about it. Anyway, I'll be leaving work at 3:30 to pick up Lauren and then Kassi so I can have Kassi at tumbling practice by 5. Since we have the banquet tomorrow night Jimmy switched Wednesday for Tuesday with Brenda. Jim and Marilyn are coming down again to watch Lauren for us tomorrow night. Thank goodness for great in-laws!!! And I think they're going to pick Lauren up early. I'm not going to tell her so she'll be SO surprised!! I think the reason that Brenda wouldn't switch us for Thursday is that she didn't want us to have a free night with Kassi where she didn't have to do 'something'. Oh well... I'm outta here for now, gotta get my girls.

October 21, 2002 - Fiddled at work, took care of odds and ends. Jim stopped at Fairborn Camera on his way home to get film for Infotec. Lauren and I ran by the Bath Road farm to check out the new mare Jack bought. She's a beautiful girl, black with a white star and three white short socks. Not sure how old she is or what her name is yet. I can hardly wait to get my hands on her. Grilled chicken for dinner with asparagus, three cheese rice and crescent rolls. Watched CSI: Miami and looked for pictures for Lauren's me project at pre-school.

October 20, 2002 - Got up pretty late for us... about 8:40. I fixed breakfast for all of us... Eggs, sausage, biscuits... yummy... Then Jimmy and Jim headed for Lowe's to get some goodies for the yard. I straightened up the house, worked on Lauren's room a little, the big room a little. When the guys got back Jimmy started on the bathroom again and Jim started thatching the front yard. He did that (found we had some bad grub spots) mowed, reseeded and fertilized it. Marilyn and Lauren took out all of my geraniums and got them ready for over wintering. And I edged the flower beds plus the rest of the yard including down by the street (I'm sure the neighbors think I'm nuts). Jim also did the back yard! Yay!! Now I won't have to. Jim and Marilyn left about 4. Jimmy ate leftover lasagne and then went and watched Kassi's cheer practice. I stayed home with Lauren and got her bath, etc. After she went to bed Jimmy and I watched Blade II. Yikes!!! I watched a little, read a little, and hid my eyes a lot!

October 19, 2002 - Jimmy started working on the cabinet in the main bathroom! Hooray!! Jim and Marilyn came down in the early afternoon and the three of them watched the Buckeyes play and win. Lauren and I went to Greg's to get the drill and take a few things over, then went to the grocery. After the game was over, Jimmy and I went out while Jim and Marilyn watched Lauren for us. We were going to go to Carrabas' and decided to see if they had 'call ahead seating'. They do but it was a 2 1/2 hour wait and the guy said it wouldn't do any good. It was already almost 8, there was no way we could wait til 10:30 to eat. Yikes!! So instead we went to Bravo's, same story... we finally walked across that parking lot to Friday's and got seated in less than 20 minutes. I had Jack Daniel's Grilled Salmon (yummy!) and Jimmy had the Peppercorn Sirloin with Garlic Mashed Potatoes (and didn't leave a crumb on his plate). We decided we wanted to go dancing so headed over to Casablanca's. I'd never been there before but Jimmy had. We had a blast!!! Didn't get home til 1. We're definitely doing that again!

October 18, 2002 - Duh! We only thought we were going to the game! Come to find out tonight's game is away so our last game is actually next Friday. Jimmy met Mike D at W.O.Wright's for a beer or two or three and called home to see if Lauren and I wanted to join them and so we did. Ended up eating dinner there. All in all not a bad evening. Talked to Cathy Hamilton (first time since Denny died this last spring). She said that she'd checked herself into the hospital earlier this year. She'd been drinking way too much, depression. She wants Lauren and I to come out and see her. Lauren rode home with Jimmy and they dropped of Kassi's shoes and pictures at her mom's house.


October 18, 2003 - Went to the library at lunch and roamed around for about an hour or so. Then went to Joanne Fabrics and got some goodies to make an autumn centerpiece for the dining room table. Jimmy called while I was gone and said that Kassi had called. She and Jessica were off school and bored and wanted to know if Jimmy would take them to lunch. And of course, being the great dad that he is, he did!

Almost forgot!!! Jim put a new doorknob on the hall bathroom! Hooray! Jim II and Marilyn will be thrilled when they get here tomorrow. And... he wants to work on it tomorrow morning! I'm SO excited! LOL!

Jimmy just forwarded an email he received from Brenda late yesterday afternoon. Man is she a piece of work!!! Kassi'd received her school pictures Wednesday and we were trying to decide who got what so that we could just keep ours. Jimmy couldn't remember what he'd ordered so Kassi called B and asked what SHE'D ordered. B told K that she didn't have any idea and pretty much cut her short and hung up. K said her mom didn't ever sound like she cared whether she got pictures of K or not. So I told K that we'd just hang onto them until we figured out what was ours and that we'd bring the rest to B's this weekend. Then in B's email she said this:

Kassi has just informed me that Stephanie would not allow her to bring home her school pictures that I purchased. It is unfortunate that you did not keep a record of what you ordered. However, my records show that I ordered and paid for one 8x10, two 5x7's, and eight wallets. I would appreciate it if you would drop my pictures off at the house either on your way to or from work tomorrow so that I may enjoy these pictures as well.

Thank you. Brenda

She is SUCH a piece of work! My response to Jimmy that I believe he plans to forward to B:

Jimmy,

Good grief!!!! You, Kassi and I all know that I didn't tell Kass that she wasn't 'allowed' to take them home. I told her that we would figure out what we'd ordered (since Brenda couldn't or wouldn't tell Kass when she called Wednesday night and asked and then essentially hung up on her) and that we'd bring them to her this weekend while we're out and about. Given how scared Kass is of pissing her mom off I think that if she really believed that Brenda would be concerned (Kassi wasn't convinced that her mom even cared about having them) about not getting them she would have insisted on taking them. (Heaven knows she's been in tears before about getting her 'mom's clothes' back to her when I've started them in the wash with the rest.) I just hope Kassi didn't get any grief over this... she deals with enough as it is. Make sure that Brenda knows that I'll drop them off tomorrow morning since we have tickets for tonight's game. Why she thinks I'd do anything to intentionally piss her off or worse yet cause trouble for Kassi is beyond me. :o/ Oh well...

P.S. I'll also drop off her cheer shoes tomorrow morning. :)

I love you!

Hope your day gets better!

StephieI just don't get it... And Dad just called and asked me if my finger was broken... because I haven't called lately. Ummm... I've been up to my ass in alligators and just about every time I DO call he or Charlene starts in about something, now why in the heck would I intentionally subject myself to that? Sheesh!! I just consider the source!

And mom is still being weird because I wouldn't throw Jimmy out when I found about his affair... Sooner or later she'll get over it but I miss her. I'm just trying to lay low a little with the thought that this too shall pass.

I'm so thrilled this is Friday I can hardly stand myself! Looking forward to going to the game tonight. The Warriors play Fairmont. It's definitely not Lauren's favorite thing to do but she tolerates us. Not bad for a four-year-old.


October 5, 2003 - We all got up fairly early so I made biscuits and gravy for breakfast. Kassi was able to eat and have juice before Brenda got to our house at 9 a.m.

October 4, 2003 - Jim picked Kassi up from school, then they went and got Lauren from pre-school. We had tickets to the Wayne Football game but since we only get Kassi this one night decided we'd rather do something with the girls. I got off work early and the four of us went to see Spy Kids 2 at the Showcase Theaters in Huber. Afterward we went to Fazoli's for dinner. Kassi ate all of hers and part of mine! Guess she was hungry! Then we went over to Sofa Express to look around. Headed home about 8:30.