Friday, June 16, 2006

camoflauge

It is 4 AM when I awake with that feeling that you get when it's time for the baby to nurse when they are infants.

That same feeling lets you know they are up to something 15 years later.

I look in the living room where 4 teenage girls were sprawled watching old Friends reruns when I went to bed.

No kids.

I go out the front door and find the girls and a few boys ,too.

"Hello" I said, quite cheerfully , considering the circumstances.

They all froze, like deer in the headlights.

Do they think I wont see them?

Being a special education teacher, I know to give specific instructions.

"Girls, you need to go inside now.'

Still friendly.

They wordlessly file past me and sit on the couch.

The boys, apparently, have turned to stone (no jokes about hardness, this is my baby here)

Further instructions seem to be in order.

"Boys, you can go home now."

No, I'm not angry.

It's like a chess game.

Their objective is to get away with everything they can.

My job is to catch them.

Only poor sports get angry playing a game!

Checkmate for mom this time!

 

Thursday, June 15, 2006

vacation

so....school is over.

The speech teacher and I stood on our desks and belted out a raccous and tuneless version of "School's Out for the Summer"that would've made Alice Cooper really chop his head off (those of you who don't understand this reference probably don't have crow's feet either)

 

Here we all gathered,

 Paula and her girls with their soft Atlanta voices....

Dear Stephanie, with her spirit stronger through her illness.....

Stacey with her bluster hiding her kind heart....barreling in from Mississippi

Dana of the sharp tongue and unswerving loyalty 

There was a slight noise...

only if you were really attuned could you hear it 

It was the universe falling into place.....

The Lagoonatics were all in one spot again....

We went to Dana's

slept on the dock to the sound of the waves

woke to the sun and floated the days away on the bay.

Shouting the cry, "Party at Marti's"we spent the once in a lifetime half and  half birhday party with about 60 other brave souls from the ages of 14 months on up.

See, this summer, Mariah is 25 and I am 50!

It was a great party!

When I get my puter issues resolved we'll see pictures.

Till then, walk softly on this good green earth and party like you're halfway home!

Marti

Wednesday, June 14, 2006

catchin' up

I have been absent for awhile,

 partially due to various adventures,

 mostly due to ANOTHER COMPUTER SCREW UP!!!!!!!!!!!!

 I hate BellSouth DSL!!!!!!!!!! 

 I pitched such a bitch this time I am supposedly getting a month free service, an upgrade and a free digital camera.....

we'll see.....

right now I am still writing on a friends computer.

Updates...

well, the awful inevitable happened

Caitlin failed algebra and got booted from the cheerleading squad.

God love her, it is the first thing ever in her life she couldn't "sweetandcute" her way out of.

A hard lesson,

An overdue one.

I hope she won't have to learn them all the hard way.

She wailed.

I sniffed.

The guidance counselor and the cheerleading coach hung on each others shoulders.

Caitlin's lessons are hard on all of us.

The next day I lay in bed, dreading to face her.

She stuck her head around the door of my room of gloom and said ,

"I'm over it, Mom,

 let's go to the beach!"

More later, I promise.

I must go.....the hazards of the borrowed computer...

cyberlessly yours,

Marti

PS Thanks Martha, for giving me a nod to get started up again!