BIG Expectations

I have some pretty BIG house cleaning projects lined up for myself. And I only have 3 days to accomplish them. Actually 2 1/2 days because the children have a 1/2 day of school on Wednesday. So far I'm not off to a great start having spent the better part of the morning chit-chatting with my mother. No complaints though--it's always nice visiting with her. Now that I'm home, the problem I encountered was trying to do too much at the same time. While multi-tasking is an important skill to hone, it can have great disadvantages if not done properly. I could mess around and spend 2 1/2 days half completing everything, thus defeating the whole point of taking these days off work.

So what I'm going to do is finish up this bath I'm enjoying right now and then get BUSY with my highest priority project--thoroughly cleaning the kitchen from top to bottom.

Here's a First--Thank God it's Monday!

It's very much out of the norm for me to be ready for Sunday to come to an end. Sunday's are usually the best day of the weekend for me because I relax most of the day. Unfortunately, this relaxtion routine entailed slacking up in regular church attendance, but I'm working on rectifying that, especially after the hard-hitting sermon my pastor delivered about the importance of regular church attendance.

Anyway, my weekend got off to a great start! I was hangin' with my honey on Friday--dinner at Southern Fires, a social drink & some dancing at Mitch's, a neighborhood bar, and then on to Motor City Casino. Needless to say, it was a full and fun night. Saturday was cool too. With my kids spending the night at my mom's, I got a chance to sleep in until 9AM (hey, mom's get excited about stuff like that :)) The weather was simply too beautiful NOT to do the leaves outside, so that's what the kids and I spent the afternoon doing. I didn't even care that all my daughter basically did was hold the bag while I did most of the work. I considered it a work out! Saturday night was supposed to be more hanging, but it didn't work out that way, and that was cool. I had absolutely no complaints.

Then Sunday rolls around. I figured my biggest challenge was going to be getting my tail to church (this would make 2 consecutive Sundays). But it wasn't challenging at all. I was up and ready to go. Then my daughter starts hollering my name from the basement while I was getting ready for church--I can't stand when she does that. Eventually I had to go to see what she wanted. The news wasn't good:( The damn dryer wasn't working. The motor was running, but there was no tumble action. I was instantly frustrated because my plan for the afternoon was to assemble my son's new bunkbed, NOT trying to troubleshoot whatever was wrong with the dryer. So when I got home from church, assembling that bed was exactly what I got started doing. To hell with the dryer! I was kind of hoping the problem would somehow resolve itself. Far reaching, I know, but a girl can dream, can't she???

Well, my dream would've been perfect if my daughter would've kept her mouth shut. "What are you gonna do with the dryer ma?" "I've got to dry my clothes, ma." "What am I going to where to school tomorrow, ma?" One question after another question. Sure, her concerns were valid, but GOSH, I couldn't resolve it, even if I tried, in one day WHEN I had another priority! I regret it now, but I lost my cool.

On top of the dryer and mouthy daughter issue, I had to deal with my honey's bad attitude. I really don't get why men agree to do things (help put the bed together), then when it's time, have an attitude about it. I won't stereotype ALL men, but that's how mine was acting and I didn't appreciate it. So, of course, I had to fuss at him too!

Do you understand why, now, I couldn't wait for Sunday to come to an end?

Free Day Fridays...Who's Watching???

This week has been a long one. I don't think I've ever been happier for Friday. Late afternoon I take a much needed fitness break, so I take to the stairs--of course with my iPod on my hip. So I'm jamming on the stairs to some of Whitney houston's newest music, right? A few times stopping to do my own little performance--having a much needed good time! Then I wonder, "Am I being recorded?" Crazy thought, but possible considering the "company" has cameras strategically placed all around the building. Why wouldn't the stairwells be rigged with cameras too? I'm not worried, though. The worst "they" may have seen is me singing on a make-believe microphone, doing some jumping jacks, maybe gasping for air in need of water--nothing to lose my job over, but maybe cause a few chuckles for the people watching :)

Thanksgiving--Where will I be?

Thanksgiving is in less than two weeks and the only thing I'm sure about is that I don't feel like going over anyone's house. It's not that I don't want to be around family, but you have to understand that I am around my family all of the time--literally. Like five days a week and one of the two--if not both days--of the weekend. With the holiday quickly approaching, all I can think about is to enjoying the comfort of my own home for a few days. Of course, this will drive my children completely insane! So how can I make this a win-win for all involved, I asked myself?

1. Have Thanksgiving dinner at my home and go visit my family for a couple of hours.

2. Have Thanksgiving dinner at my home and invite my family to my house.

3. Have Thanksgiving dinner at my home, drop my children off to my family's house for a few hours while I go back home.

4. Have Thanksgiving dinner at my home and don't worry about the kids wanting to go over to our family's house.

The four options all have their fair share of advantages and disadvantages. The disadvantages of any of the suggestions that require me to leave my home for any amount of time pretty much defeat the purpose of my wanting to relax on Thanksgiving day. It's not like this one day away from my family is going to be detrimental to my chidlren's lives. For some reason, they're bored at home, but, hey--mom deserves some R & R, right???

Over the last few days I've been leaning towards option #3--inviting my family to my house. Ideally this would be awesome IF my house was a bigger. As it stands, I feel like it would be a tight squeeze inviting my mom, dad, sister,brother, brother-n-law, and approximately 5 extra children over for dinner. And forget about a formal dining table--it would be a pretty casual thing at my house. Inviting family over will also involve me having to SPEND extra money to prepare more food, even though I'm sure my mom will bring a couple of dishes to help out. But this move will also involve some MAJOR housecleaning on my part and I hadn't anticipated that, but it's not like it doesn't need to be done.

God, if only I was in a bigger house! Nevertheless, isn't that what Thanksgiving is all about--being greatful for what you have--little house, big house, no car, clunker car, etc.

If I invite my family to my house for Thanksgiving, it will be a first! Perhaps its long overdue. However, I'm undecided. I'm not used to cooking for more than myself and my children, with the exception of desert, but never an entire meal. Maybe it'll be fun! I guess I better broach the idea to my mom to see if she had anything planned. Either way, I know I'll be spending most of the holiday at home and the kids just better be "thankful."

Til Later...L.A. Jefferson

It's All about Nate

Between my daughter and my activities during the week and on weekends, many times my son, Nate gets left out. It's a good thing he's only 5 and that's entertaining in itself, however, this weekend it will be all about him! We began with Saturday morning skating lessons. for the last few weeks he's been talking about going skating. Of course I know he wants to play the video games, but I figure the lessons will encourage him to actually want to skate, too. After the lessons were done he said his feet hurt but he wasn't ready to go so I take that as a good sign that he liked it :) Today is Sunday so were going to church, but after that it's more fun for Nate. Ice and cake for his cousins b-day, them
on to see Astro Boy!

Doesn't all of this make you wish to be a kid again!

Til Later...L.A. Jefferson

My Teenager Makes Me Laugh

Sometimes I have to laugh to keep from crying. My 14yr old daughter is quite a character. It's report card time and her grades are not where they should be. They're not awful--not even close--but they could be A LOT better. As her mom, it's my responsibility to curb her behavior and/or activities with some type of punishment, right? Of course, I'm right. My daughter, however, is under the impression that since they are HER grades and it's HER future that's going to be effected by how well she does in school that I shouldn't bother putting her on ANY kind of punishment. "I've got it under control", she says.

What's funny is how dead serious she is! She was in tears when we had this discussion a couple of months ago when I was implementing phone times for her during the week. "As long as I get my homework done, I don't see why it should matter to you when I get it done."

I swear these are her exact words! She has the nerve to use my own words against me. I've always told her that her getting a good education is for her benefit, not mine, "So don't go asking me to reward you monetarily for good grades," I would say. In my mind, that DOES NOT translate into "I don't care what you do because it's your future and not mine." Every now and then I have to make it plain to her that I am the mother and that I run the show!

Anyway, it's report card day and I already sense that it's going to be one of those moments. Her grades are not where they should be. She was so excited about being in high school, I think she jumped too quickly into extracurricular activities, even though that's recommended by the school. So I'm thinking the best thing to do is to pull her from some of those activities (she joined like 3 clubs, maybe just allow her to participate in one until the grades get where they need to be. While you and I know that's not a bad punishment--if you can even call it that--but she's going to have a fit!

Til Later..L.A. Jefferson

Detroit Election--The Final Results

It's finally over and the numbers are in:

21% Voter Turnout--WTF???

Mayor: Dave Bing :(

City Council: Charles Pugh, Gary Brown, Saunteel Jenkins, Andre Spivey, James Tate, Ken Cockrel, Joann Watson, Brenda Jones, Kwame Kenyatta

City Clerk: Janice Winfrey

Charter Commission: Freeman Hendrix, Teola Hunter, Ken Coleman, Jenice Ford, Reg Davis, Rose Robinson, Ken Harris, John Johnson, Cara Blount

School Board: Lamar Lemmons, Ida Short, Rev. David Murray, Carol Banks

Proposal D: Yes

Proposal S: Yes

I'm more satisfied than not with these results. Our council definitely needed the shake up that it got. The charter definitely needs to address how city council president is elected--it shouldn't be by poplular vote, though I'm happy for Charles Pugh. I'm curious to see how Ken Cockrel will conduct himself on council now that he's been knocked off his high horse. As far as Dave Bing goes, I think we're going to get more of the same. Hopefully, more time in office will make him more of a people person than he currently presents himself as.

VOTE DETROIT!!!

It's finally election day in the city of Detroit and other localities around the country. I'm excited about it and can't wait to hear the results late tonight. It is my desire that everyone who is registered to vote will get off of their butts and exercise their right. Let's do the damn thing Detroit! Let's make a difference.

Til later..Author L.A. Jefferson