The New Hobbit Hole

[JenB]

Grab!

[JenB]

Grab!

[JenB]

Grr, this computer is too slow. Well snuck!

[HairOfTheDog]

[Corin Stormhands]

Okay I'm here now and hopefully caught up. Here's my other rant for the day:

I'm so mad at my sister I could spit! (okay step-sister cousin if you've followed my family history). My first cousins on my dad's side have always been close. Most of us grew up in the same town with the rest spending the summers there.

We lost our first cousin this summer to cancer. She was 60. Since there are only two aunts left (out of nine brothers and sisters), we've wanted to have a cousin reunion.

So, it took months to decide on October. We wanted to do next weekend, 'cause it's a three-day weekend (both the Mrs. and Corin Jr. don't have school on that Monday and I'm off from work). But my sister had to have it the following weekend so her husband wouldn't have to work (I think I've already ranted about the fact that he works 7-3).

I find out last night that the dinner where everyone gets together will be at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 19 because my step-brother/cousin is photographing a wedding that night and couldn't make an evening dinner.

We're in the midst of key rehearsals (with the choreographer who flies in from New York) that we would have to miss. We've made those arrangements, but we plan to skip family church (another looooooong story) and be back for rehearsals on Sunday.

But our problem is that Corin, Jr. has a football game on Saturday. We can't get away from Richmond before 1:00 p.m. at the earliest and it's a four-hour drive.

We're just not going. I hate it, but I won't put my family through that torture of a trip on the off chance that I "might" see some of my cousins that evening.

And, I'll tell them why.

Okay, somebody tell me I'm being unreasonable.

[Corin Stormhands]

HOTDOG CHEAPSPAM would fit nicely in the keywords...

[Corin Stormhands]

Back in a few...

[HairOfTheDog]

I don't know, are you being unreasonable? Sounds like everyone is being unreasonable! Its the "impossible reunion to go to, for those families that just hate reunions!"

[JenB]

That's absolutely impossible, I agree. Jr hasn't been removed from football, then?

[HairOfTheDog]

Now it is not spam if you sneak less than five posts... thats the rule!

[JenB]

Speaking of relatives... I just heard about this Maryland shooting madness. My grandfather and his wife live right there, the exact area, and I guess the killers haven't been caught yet... makes me worry.

[HairOfTheDog]

What do you mean by "exact area"? - They had some people on lockdown! I only half-followed it today... I have the TV on animal planet to entertain the spotted dog.

[JenB]

Well, the place names are very very familiar from visits to my grandparents. As I make it out, maybe four or five miles away.

[2Jedismom]

Steve's going to be home any second. I'm getting off the computer now. See you all later.

[HairOfTheDog]

Has anyone called them? - What is going on? - a man-hunt situation? - Do they have a particular area cordoned off or could the guys be anywhere? - Like I said, I haven't been paying attention.

[JenB]

I left home at 8 this morning and don't know anything. That's why I'm worried. Not overly worried, because they're fine for now, but concerned, anyway

[Corin Stormhands]

Jr hasn't been removed from football, then?

Not yet, but that's actually after his deadline. We took the tv and Playstation on Monday. His mom communicated with his teachers and will be getting another progress report in a week and a half. If there is no improvement, he will leave the team. He would only miss two regular season games, but they've got a good shot at the playoffs.

Even missing one game would make the point.

[rightwingreligiousfanatic]

Okay, somebody tell me I'm being unreasonable

[Corin Stormhands]

I just heard about this Maryland shooting madness.

I've heard a little about that.

Did you guys get the story about the woman in Norfolk, Virginia who drowned her three kids at home, layed the all out on a bed and then threw herself off a bridge?

I was just wondering if that got any national play because of the "demographics." (she's not a white/Christian/homeschooler)

[JenB]

Points have to be made sometimes. When I was about 12, there was a period where I did not want to work on my school, and so did badly. My dad made me do schoolwork eight hours a day for three weeks, writing down what I was doing every 15 minutes and showing the pile to him at the end... I got the point. And I never let my academics slide again.

Of course, there was that week I was reading a fantasy series and, er, did nothing but math all week as far as school goes. However I did not get caught - I had three weeks to do my unit, and "took off" week one, so I made everything up. By then I was 16 and, while still irresponsible, a good deal more clever about my irresponsibility.