Contrary to popular belief, I am still kicking. Not well particularly, somedays not even functioning, but still around.

 

Today, the oldest kidlet got to school on time.  Now, in any other family that might not be a reason to write a column, celebrate or even take note of the event. However, as my readers know, we are NOT any other family.

 

Her mother, the junkie, is now in methadone treatment.  Her mother, the junkie is almost 6 months pregnant.  Her mother, the junkie, was found to be using again 3 weeks ago, hence my absence from writing. Sorry.  I think I have the situation under control, but I am probably wrong.

 

The private catholic school that the kidlet attends locks all the doors at 8:15 am, when the late bell rings.   To get in, you have to ring a buzzer, answer the intercom and then be buzzed in. Today is Thursday, and every other day for the last week and a half, she has been late, getting to school AFTER the doors are locked.  It is somewhat chilly this morning, and so, the door which is normally cocked open until after the late bell, was, well, closed – you know, to keep the heat in and all that.

 

My darling got out of the car, walked up to the door and stood there.  She pressed the buzzer and nothing happened.  I had to roll the window down and shout out to her that all she had to do was open the door. She was confused.  Poor baby.

 

She is late because we are down to one RUNNING car in our family. Well, two actually, but one belongs to my new daughter-in-law (ex niece), and well, they sort of need their car to go to and from work.

 

My trusty Grand Am, my beautiful running forever baby that gets 35 mpg has a huge hole in the radiator.  You may remember the story of the hot water heater and the thermostat from last week?  Well, I never DID get the bloody dang thermostat in my car changed and so, the result was a blowout in the radiator.  Although I tried and tried to patch it with 3 tubes of good old JB WELD (highly recommended) and the JB Weld DID in fact get me the 40 miles home, the car was very overheated in the driveway as we pulled up, steaming wickedly and really impressively too.  Anyway, the junkie has to take the PT Cruiser (dear hubby’s ride) the hour drive every morning to the methadone clinic, and then get BACK home before me and the kidlet have to leave at 7:30 am.

 

Obviously, THAT is not working out well.  All the plastic is maxed for the month.  It is costing me $10 a day in gas for her to go to the methadone clinic. I don’t HAVE $10 a day to pay for the gas.  Still, I manage to keep coming up with it.  The cable was shut off temporarily.  The gas may be, that is still iffy.

 

Isn’t life exciting?

 

My son got married Saturday last.  We all wore jeans.  The bride wore a lovely plum sweater.  It was during our local Johnny Appleseed Festival.  The mother, father and sister of the groom attended.  The groom wore his best striped not too wrinkled shirt and his least objectionable jeans.

 

They are very much in love, and cute as hell.  I can’t WAIT for the babies to start appearing.  Out of all the things I have done in my life, I love being a grandmother most of all.  Piss off to every other role in the world. Grandparenting ROCKS!!

 

We have a family joke now.  The bride is my biological niece. The groom is my step son.  They grew up not even knowing about each other, the bride residing in the Sacramento area of California all her life until moving out to Morgantown WV when she was 18, where we met up for the SECOND time, I was there at her birth.

 

For a year, they became the closest of cousin/friends.  Then, she moved up here in with us.  And they fought the attraction, which was futile.  It really was love at first sight for both of them and they fit like two pieces of a puzzle. 

 

She now has a ‘CUSBAND’.  He has a Wousin.  I have a Neighter.  My husband, not liking Neighter got a Naughter.  My daughter has a Cister. We can be very silly sometimes.  We love our girl however, whatever we call her.  I am very happy that they are together, as they now have the chance to have what others only wish for most of the time, what my husband and I have, and they don’t have to wait YEARS to find it.

 

The babies are well. The littlest started Head Start this week. She loves it. She gets to ride a BUS !!  Busses are the coolest thing around when you are under the age of 8.  She loves her new teacher and her new classroom and the new bus. Everything about school. They gave her a new backpack, it is clear plastic. She likes her Disney princess one better, but they are not allowed.  I thought, how weird that they require a clear (read see through) backpack for 4 year olds, then remembered that a little boy brought a gun to a Head Start last year. Sad, isn’t it?

 

Still, the school year is now officially under way.  My car will get fixed.  The junkie will move out.  Life, which is often unpredictable, usually funny, sometimes poignant, and always, always interesting will return to whatever is normal for us.

 

And, the Frac is back!