About this time a year ago, my husband suggested I adopt a cat from the shelter since it was cat adoption month. I thought I was ready to be a household without a cat. I think it took me a while to really want a cat due to Tigger passing away and how sad it was that she died in my arms.

When he suggested it. I must been ready cause I ran out of the house to get to the shelter. They did the five dollar adoption all the month of June but my cat was waiting for me.

I look at cat after cat and when I seen Bella sitting in an corner cage all on her own I knew she was the one for me. She has fit in so well. She just isn't allowed in our room because she pee'd on our new bed. Other than that she hasn't been naughty. She lets Amiah lay on her and mymy tries to copy her. It's just freaking cute.

When I think of her in kitty jail. I get sad. I wonder how someone could have left her in jail. Well, I am tired and gonna get some sleep. 

I always love Saturday evenings because my work week is over. Don't get me wrong I love my job. I have two clients that I get along with. One I have been with for almost two years and the other one longer than six months. My evening time client is my favorite but I also been with her the longest.

Tonight, I brought in a pizza and shared it with her. A big part of the night we talked about turkeys in her yard. It's hard not to really come to care for your client and even though your kind of tired of talking about turkeys or whatever else is running thru her mind it's just cool that I love my job and work for nice clients. 

School is almost out! Part of me is going to enjoy the break of the daily school crap but the other part is going to enjoy having a little more time to do things with the kids and not be so rushed. I have to quit thinking of William on vacation though cause he is finished with school and actually has his gradation on Friday.

I wish I didn't have to work full time this summer. I love going to the pools, Magic Waters, laying out at the Y. I love to walk Ann on the bike path and sit in the grass and read a book. I hope we have a nice summer but not overly hot. Well, I should get to bed. 

I had promised William that if he applied for 5 jobs before Friday morning that I would take him to see the Movie he wanted to see. It was called Cherynobal and it was crazy freaky. I might have spelled that wrong but oh well.  I love movies. I would go more often if I had more money.

Shortly before we were getting ready to leave my job called me asking me to come into work early. The best that I could offer was about two to two and half hours early cause I promised William if he did his job applying that I would take him.  I don't make promises if I don't plan on keeping them. I may not be the perfect Mom but I keep my word. I loved the movie but I find it sad that I never knew about the true story of this city cooking themselves with radiation.

I dropped William off near his friends house and I was getting ready to head to my clients house when I got the call that I was to meet them at the Y.  I just happened to leave my swimming suit in my locker so I was able to swim with my client.

It was a little weird taking a shower and undressing and dressing in front of her. I didn't make a big deal out of it though because it's usually the other way around. I thought it was cute that I could say I got paid to take my clothes off.  I swam laps with my client. I am very impressed at her ability in the pool. She thinks she is weaker and I think she is doing great. However, it was my first time personally being in the pool with her.

I just love my job. I have been to so many interesting places with my clients and gotten paid to explore life a little more.

Well, I better get to sleep. Tyler has to get picked up at 9 am tomorrow from school.

Today, I am going to do Zumba.... for the 4th time this week!!!!! 

What's going on in my neck of the world??

• William has his graduation coming up in a couple weeks!!! Yay William!!
• Tad just past his 3 year mark since he quit drinking!! Yay Tad!! 
• Tyler is old enough to use the cardio machines and the big boy weights at the Y now and loves going. Yay Tyler!! 
• Tyler only has a few more weeks of school.
• Ashley and Kyle are coming back to Rockford soon for a visit!! Yay I get to see Ashley!!! 
• I have been doing Zumba at the Y now for a few weeks and I love it! I am down 19 lbs in about three months. I don't quite see it but we are the hardest critics on ourselves. 
• Tad has always and continues to be supportive of me going to the Y. 
• Amiah keeps on getting cuter and is talking quite a bit more. Yay Mymy!! 
• Our backyard is looking really nice. 
• I bought us a new tv using kmarts layaway!! Yay me!!! 
• Did I mention Ashley is coming? 

Zumba

I have started doing Zumba.  Tonight, I did it for the 3rd time. Each time there has been a different instructor so it's a little different each night. It's pretty fun but at first my hips are kind of achy. There are a ton of people that go and tonight I was thinking how it's so weird that I am a gym goer. I say that because in school I hated gym.

I was always the last person chosen when their was teams and probably because I have two left feet and can't play sports. I hated gym twice as bad when I made it to middle school. I hated the shower thing. It's funny that now I can't imagine not taking the shower at the Y. It's part of the appeal. I love the sauna and find it nice to get dressed and not worrying about my sons walking in on me. I don't like closed doors so I can take my sweet time.

Well, I better get thinking about bed. 

Today, was my long day at work. I have a daytime client and second shift client. I have been with the second shift client the longest and honestly she is my favorite. Don't get me wrong the other lady is nice and we have good moments and it's a lot better now that I only see her three times a week instead of four.

On the way, to the second client, I stopped and got Subway. Basically, I shared my dinner but I couldn't eat a foot long sub anyways. It was a turkey one with tons of veggies. I am not sure how my job would feel about me bring food to her but I have never been told no. I have bought pizza from the grocery store a few times. The fun part about her and not sure if it's an elderly thing or just her. I think more of an elderly thing cause once with the other lady when her family member brought us fast food she got all weird and thought no way the family member could afford that. It was too funny. If I could afford it then so could she. But how do you say I am under paid and I can afford it.  Well, anyways, it just doesn't take much to make the elderly happy.  I call it interactive caregiving.  I need to remember to bring Titanic cause she keeps saying she wants to see it again.

Well, it's late and I better get to bed.

Is bigger and fancier always better?

I got to go with my client to see the Nicholas Conservatory this week.  If I remember right a family donated one million dollars to build it. I think that was awesome but honestly I think the money could have been spent better.  Since, I was with my client, who can't get around very well, I wasn't really able to check it out compared to if I had gone on my own.

From what I saw of it. It was pretty and very relaxing. It wasn't as big as I imagined because when you first walk in there is a lobby and a gift shop. They even have a cafe for people to get snacks.

I remember a few different times walking through the old conservatory and pretty sure it was free. It wasn't anything that a person might want to spend more than 15 minutes or so looking at. Honestly, I still don't think the average bear would want to spend that much time there. You can only walk around looking at the plants for so long and eventually your going to see it all. Again, I wasn't on my dime so I know I missed out on some stuff.

I wanted to write about the cost. It's six dollars to get in. I know that's not a lot but if a family of four wants to go then that's 24 just to walk through looking at plants. I know in the grand sceme of things that 24 isn't much but with so many people struggling I wonder how many families from the Rockford area can come see it.

I have to wonder what was wrong with what we had? Do we as a society always have to get bigger and better? I know Faith Center wanted to get bigger and better and fell on their ass trying to do it. Now, they are running the risk of having the whole chuch and grounds taken from them. This could also affect the building down town that helps the homeless and other programs like the tutoring programs. Let's settle for what we have people.

Back to the plants. Now, I know people drop 6 per person for lots of things so it's not totally unheard of that families could spend money on something like this. However, if people are having trouble we want the best bang for our buck. Do I want to spend 6 to see plants or would I rather sit in on a movie for two hours? I could probably come up with a better example of how I could think of better ways to spend my time and money but it's late.

I should add that they have a free day once a month. But to me stopping in to walk thru the Conservatory wasn't planned. I would be walking on the bike path and just decide to walk through it. I would admire the fish the turtles and the plants. I didn't have to plan to have cash on me or plan to go on the free day. I wouldn't have to feel like I have to stay as long as possible to get my money worth cause I didn't pay.

By the way, I pay taxes to the Rockford Park district so even though I never paid to walk in to see the plants I did pay because I own my home. Even renters are paying cause the landlords are paying taxes. I noticed that they have been offering some "classes" there and saying a fee does apply.

Last spring, we went to a gardening event that was held by the Rockford Park District and I won a earth box and everyone was given free starter flowers and veggies. A fee didn't apply and everyone poor, middle class or rich had a right to go and could go.

Now these classes that say fee applies just makes it seem like they want to attract a certain type of people. It's like they are saying your kind of people stay away from here. Not that we are poor. We are probably more lower middle class. We have money and bills paid but not a lot of cushion.

Good night. It's been a long day.

I love Saturday nights because I know I get two days free of taking care of the elderly. I am happy that I really like my job and hours are going strong but nothing is better than having a couple days home with my family. Of course there is babysitting at the church and babysitting for MELD. Then, there is my trip to the Y two or three times a week. I stay way too busy and sometimes I just want to sit home and do nothing. What is odd is that I am not comfortable doing nothing. I feel nervous if I don't get a walk in or take sometime to go life weights in the basement. I don't like to walk when it's dark. It scares me. I always bring Ann but not sure how she would react to bad guys. I like to think she is on the aggressive side if she needed to protect her Mommy.

We got our new bed with part of our tax return and I feel bad that Ann won't sleep in our room anymore. I miss her. Well, I should probably get to bed. I love my sleep. I am a blanket hog though. I wonder if they have a support group for people married to blanket hogs?? haha Step away from my blanket and you can live.