Hello from Evans Library at TAMU

Hey guys!,
I know its been a while, but I've been busy. At 7:42 I got on a computer in the library at TAMU and so here I am. DukeTIP is fun i live in A&Ms Crocker hall dorms with my triple-night-threat roommate(which means at night he whistles, humms, and talks in his sleep). It's really annoying but most nights I fall asleep before any ruckus starts. I'm taking an Architecture class which is fun but not all the time. I hate having to draw up plans, but freetime is fun. The camp DukeTIP is for kids who took the SAT or ACT in 7th grade and who scored well we take a 3 week class at a college. Lucky me, TAMU or ATM or A&M either way its the same. My teachers dont get along well but they seem to like me so its all good. I have a lot of friends, but they're also alot of annoying and "act-stupid" kids here too so it can get frustrating.


I love everyone family and friends, Mom & Dad & Amy,(associated pets), Aunts and Uncles and especially my Godson George! I look forward to seeing all of you and i will be available to IM on yahoo.com until about 9PM.
P.S.-Aunt Theresa & Uncle Chuck I went to a Brazos Valley Bombers game on the 26th of June. It was 0-4 in favor of visitors then in the last 2 innings it became 4-5 in favor of the bombers! Go A&M!
Love you all,
Colt /: 0

Still Alive

Recall how about 3 weeks go we learned that Minnie had liver cancer?

Amazingly, she is doing well. Her tummy is still firm and she does not like you touching her tummy but since she seems to be doing okay, I backed off the pain meds.

AND..

It is like she perked up. She is back to her old tricks of herding the cats out of her territory. She herds Kane to go outside in the morning and when we return to the house.

I am still spoiling her with rice and chicken meals.

The odd thing is she stinks. Like "wet dog' when she goes outside even for a minute and is back inside the smell is awful. I keep watching for jaundice with the liver dysfunction.

Colt asks if she is still alive when he calls.

Do you think she is waiting for him to come home?

It has me baffled since her liver function tests were so off the charts. I'm not complaining just commenting. I love having my little back shadow.

The Cost of Doing Business

I identified the cost to my immediate family earlier this week. And it has come to my attention that they are not the only ones who miss me.

I work every other weekend. It just happens to fall on our weekends to see PawPaw.

I love my father-in-law, Daddy. Not Dad, that would be my own departed father, but the southern vernacular, Daddy.

Over the years I have grown close to Daddy, helping him reconnect with his son, helping him care for Granny before she died and keeping him in line after her death. I promised her we would take care of him. But I haven't seen him since his birthday in May. Vernon has to pick up the hair cutting duties and the visits solo with one or both of the children. I need to make arrangements to go over some weekday when I am off and take him to lunch.

I also have to apologize to my Mother for messing up our weekend, which I am usually off of work for, But alas this weekend I signed up to help out on Saturday. This means I will be seeing her on Sunday and possibly messing up her weekend plans. Sorry, Mom.

It Is A Different World

I seem to be adapting to the night shift very well. But alas, my family is not doing so well.

Amy is in summer school and keeps Vernon busy being her chauffeur. Drop off at 7 am, pick-up at 2 pm, drop off at 4 pm and pick-up at 6 pm. Colt is away at his Duke TIP program. He is calling about twice a week, to Vernon on Sunday and to me on Tuesday. He is managing his own laundry. He told me he has lost about 10 pounds, but most students have picked up their 'freshman fifteen'. His voice is changing. It would be freaky to have dropped him off speaking an octave higher than when we pick him up. I'm not sure I will make that transition well. Although that is not really up to me.

Here is the issue with working nights; I leave for work at 6 pm and get back home between 8 and 9 am, depending on traffic and work delays. Then I go to bed @ 9 or 10 am and sleep til 4 or 5 pm. I cook dinner, then out the door at 6 pm. Tuesday is my eternal off day. So I come home Tuesday morning and try to stay awake until 10 or 11 then go to sleep until 3 or 4 pm. Here I am now, at 12:30 AM, wide awake. I am trying to get some things done but I will try to go to bed @ 2 am for a few hours then take a nap tomorrow from 1-4 before I go back to work.

Apparently, my spouse feels like I never am available. But let's look at this another way. When I get home from work he is in the midst of his workout and not available. I can't wait up until 11 or noon for him to finish, and sorry folks, but I am not going to sit in the exercise room while he grunts, sweats, and moans his way through his exercise. Yes, I am strange that way.

I think Amy enjoys the time with her dad and mom is not there, but remember Colt is not here to stir the pot with his dad and that makes a huge difference in the calmness of the house. We will have to see what happens when Colt gets back home. Amy has demonstrated more responsibility in household chores - like she is supposed to do but needed prodding to initiate and complete. Now, I come home and the kitchen is clean. Cool, huh?

Colt get all lovey dovey when I appear and seems to be okay with the new Mom working hours.

So the dilemma is finding a perfect time of the day we are both awake and oriented to each other and to the household/family/partner things we need to take care of. Colt found out that when I just wake up in the afternoon I am not WIDE awake. I have to ramp up to ALERT. Just like most people are not WIDE awake at 4 or 5 AM. From about 5-6 I am pretty alert and with it. And when I get home in the morning I am tired but usually conscious enough to have an intelligent conversation. I'm sure it will get better.

I am also putting in an extra shift or two during the work week. The rationale being a follows:
1. The hospital need the help and OT is available.
2. Through the end of June, we get a bonus for each extra shift we work.
3. It is cooler at night.
4. Who knows if the teacher will get a job, so while the opportunity is here and I am available, I am working and banking the money. After all, Vernon is at home and can cover the kiddo's activities.
5. I really love my job, really, really love my job.

I plan to back off the extra shift when school starts and that should make me more available during normal daytime hours. It has been amazing to me how well I have adapted to the sleeping during the day issue. I love ear plugs and the sleeping when it is light outside does not seem to be an issue in my world.

Driver's Ed.

First day wasn't so bad. I don't really know anyone in there, but I think I've maybe hit it off with one girl. She says she knows me from retreats, so that's nice. She looks familiar but I can't really say I know her.

The instructor, Ms. Tully, is a little on the boring side, but she throws in stories when she finds it pertains to what we're talking about, so it's not just straight reading and teaching. She's not evil, so I think this'll be OK.

I thought it'd be full of fish, but there are a few 17-year-olds. I'm not the oldest!!!! YAY!!!! :D

A good thing about the class being at the college is that if someone can't come pick me up @ 6 when we're done, is that I can head over to the library and spend some quality time there. I'm gonna start bringing my wallet that has my library card in it, so I can check out books.

Bummer: I won't get my permit until the end of the course and if I pass (shouldn't be a problem), which means I won't be driving until July. I have to have 14 hours of instructed driving and another 20 of JUST driving before I can go get my license. Oh, and 6 months of waiting (not a year, thank God). I'll be getting my license in January (?) then. Hopefully I can get it during Christmas break then and maybe I can start driving to school for the second semester!!! That'd be awesome!!!

But then Colt will want me to drive him..... :( He's got this fear of riding the bus. I think he needs to man up and grow a pair. 'S not my fault he's bullied. Not my job to protect him either. He just needs to learn my method of finding a seat by yourself and staring out the window. And when someone comes down the aisle, stare at them like "What? You really want to sit with the emo kid?" and they leave me alone. I don't have to talk to ANYONE and I'm a lovely happy camper. :) I guess it's a little more difficult for him because he's been riding the bus with those people since 4th grade and I've only had to deal with it since 6th grade.

Well, I'm gonna go work on the 84 questions I have to answer before Thursday for this wonderful class.

P.S. : One of my friends, Gabe, is Korean and the last few days of school all he could talk about was this band called SNSD. I looked them up (horribly, while Colt was in the room). Their a Korean pop band with 9 girls. So now, I have to hear constantly about how hot two of them are and everything Colt's found out about them via YouTube. Oh, joy. :/ Someone save me.

P.P.S. : I don't know if you've heard it before, but I think you guys should listen to Lover Lover by Jerrod Niemann. Enjoy!!!

And Curly....

I straightened my bangs cuz they looked stupid with a wave. I think this new do is gonna be good for my low maintenance lifestyle. :)

4 More Days

Monday so begins my journey into the world of driving. I'm SO excited!!!!! I think I'll be in the class with a bunch of teenagers like me, although probably more freshman than sophomores like me, but we'll see. Maybe I'll know some people in there.

I still don't have my permit, but I don't think that will take that long. Ashley got hers three days after she started drivers ed.

I just got a haircut, too, which makes me feel even more awesome!!! I got bangs and that's a little new. Getting used to that might take a little while, but no biggie. What do you guys think? He straightened it, by the way. My hair is gonna curl next time I wash it so it'll be interesting to see what it looks like then. I love it. Mom doesn't care, Dad's heartbroken (cutting hair is a big NO-NO), and Colt just thinks I look "different". Sorry the camera's a little lopsided. I'm technologically challenged.




So, let's see: Haircut, drivers ed. I have summer school in a little while too. That should be fun. Luckily, I'll be with all the people I know b/c it's at Cy-Fair with only Cy-Fair peeps. Weeeee!!!!

Already tired of the heat. GAH!!!! It's like the air is trying to give me a hug. Don't get me wrong, I love hugs, but the air is just waaaay to clingy for my liking.
Dad's last day is tomorrow and then Grilled Cheese Fest begins (he insists on something warm for lunch and that's basically all I can cook, so that's all he gets). Now that Mom's home during the day, though, I'm not sure how that's gonna change. She got promoted to a manager basically--she's in charge of the whole floor at night. Yippee!!! :D

Hope you guys are having an awesome summer so far. Don't die. Love you!!