Catching Up

Independence Day Parade, Rolling Meadows, IL
I'll get the rest of the pics up soon.

So it's 12:40 and I'm here in front of the screen...

The weekend was super. Driving the Grand Marshall in the parade was weird & wonderful. The town is small-ish--pop. about 35,000 and though it's not my official town of residence, I do so much *stuff* there that it may as well be (sorta). It's small enough for example, that my car gets recognized and I've gotten to the point that I don't worry about seeing the police, 'cause they know it's just a middle-aged broad that knows enough to behave herself driving through suburban streets (let's not get into how fast I go when I escape the 'burbs).

So we were the first car in the parade--a couple of emergency vehicles were blaring directly in front of us. "Us" was me driving and the mentally disabled man who was the Parade Marshall, and an aide from the agency.
I did have fun watching the people watch the parade from my unique perspective. But, I was worried about the two guys sitting up on the top of the back seats falling off and worried too about hitting kids running in the streets to get candy.
Geez Louise, candy has become such a big deal--it seems to take precedence over the other good stuff in a parade.
Anyway, it was cool, but just the start of a full day. After I finished my chauffer gig, we went to my sis and bro-in-law's annual July 4 pool/barbeque party. All day long the weather had been iffy--will it or won't it rain?--but as the party progressed it seem solidly in the "no rain" category. After leaving the party, we went home for a few minutes (let dog out, change clothes, get bug spray) before heading to the fireworks. We choose a spot we hadn't gone to in several years and as is our tradition, brought sparklers to play with until the fireworks stated.
Great fun and family time from start to finish.

I don't garden but all of you that do have my admiration--it's work isn't it, but satisfying and relaxing, right?
Working with my photographs is a way I relax. I took a lot of pictures at the parade, including many of the various participants (bands, etc.) and I worked on all of them so I can burn them to CD and give them to the people that take care of the Grand Marshall.
I was surprised that they came out as well as they did. Most needed only a bit of cropping--some not even that. Unfortunately as I mentioned, it was an overcast day, esp. early on, so the "backdrop" of the sky is quite dark and I needed to lighten them too, and of course chop down the pixel count for on-line posting./end of good news

Things are still really bad with my oldest son. I believe most of his behaviour is a direct result of the stress of having a girlfriend that abuses amphetamines. I don't blame her. She was brought up and still lives with a woman obsessed with her own weight and who takes every opportunity to tell her (now) teen-age daughter what a fat pig the daughter is (the girl is tall and can't weigh more than 120 pounds).
As someone who has had actual weight problems I find this ludicrous, but I understand the psychology of it. Nevertheless, my son's gf needs to get off the (illegal) drugs and get help in dealing with her body image issues. Because being with her has sent my son from steadily improving to taking a giant step backward, I can't condone the relationship. He has confided that he knows it won't last, but he sure has let the relationship make a mess of his head. He went off on me last night while I was cleaning and after being called every swear word he could think of as well as being branded "a bad mother," I heaved the almost-empty plastic bottle of Windex at him. I made contact, too and I have to admit, I'm glad.
My husband (perhaps wisely) does not care to get involved-- but after a while, I can't handle Jim's rantings. I asked, then told him to leave me alone and when he wouldn't that's when the Windex bottle went flying. Again, the youngest was well out of sight, but the whole situation reminds me of the bad 'ol days. I really don't need or want fighting going on in my home and plenty has been done already to affect my younger son--that is my biggest concern. Right now, things are fine as Jim is at work, but when he walks in the door, I tense up. We are going to have to figure out a solution--kicking him out is fine--except having co-signed on his (now repossessed) car that monthly payments are being made on. It really is a matter of weighing what matters more--peace of mind or credit rating--because we simply can't swing taking on the extra car payment. Farking up our credit rating screws with my peace of mind--as would the creditors calling (I've been through all that more than once) so it's a trade-off but very soon there'll be no choice. The already-heated situation is escalating and something (or someone) will give soon.

Right now though, I need to get to work & volunteer, then I'm hoping for a stress-reducing swim.
I hope everyone is having a really good (or better) day/evening.

TTFN,

--Cyn

Comments

[Cyn]

I agree chavos; your last sentence especially, speaks volumes.

[chavos]

such situations are difficult...i know from a few hard lessons learned that the most difficult thing as a "good guy" is to take enough distance and put the person in a position to take responsibility for their own life. refusing to enable addiction and self-desctruction is not an act of neglect. Lord knows, it takes effort to do right.