Saturday

Michael - is gone. As is the way with him and his family, things can change abruptly without any forewarning. 
He got his stuff and left.  That's it.
I have no qualms with it, either.  One less mouth to feed, TV's that won't be on endlessly.  The black kids won't come over because he isn't here and that will mean even more money saved.  Life isn't all about saving money, but this was his decision. 

Caleb - is gone a lot now.  Work keeps him very busy along with school now.  Some girl at work  - his age - apparently thought it would be cute to start rumors that he is a slacker and told him that he was going to get fired.

Instead, it turns out, this girl is going into rehab.  At the ripe old age of 17, she is an alcoholic and they are going to try and bring her out of it.  What, however, is it that goes through the mind to start an ugly rumor like that?  Caleb's manager called him to him earlier this week - Caleb thought it was all over.  He was going to be fired.  Instead, the manger asked him if he could take some of the girl that is going into rehab's shifts?  Caleb told him he thought he was going to be fired and answered the question after being asked why he thought that, the manager simply replied that you don't listen to them, I am your manager, not them.

He's growing up and learning.  Dealing with workplace crap can sometimes be very traumatic.  It can certainly be a big test.  It will definitely force him to learn how to deal in inter-personal issues not only in the workplace, but in all of life.

Meanwhile, I am sitting here in a completely empty house.  No kids, no tenants.  Not that the tenants are gone permanently - they are out doing whatever they are doing.  I have not experienced this kind of tranquility and peace for a long time in this house.  No pity party desired, I am all over this.  Okay, there are 4 dogs here, but besides that....oops, forgot the trailer tenants.  They are almost always here.  He just paid me up a whole month's rent and is hoping to get a place in Mesa next month. 

My thoughts have wandered towards attempting to force myself to go to church tomorrow.  I have the church picked out - it's in Chandler.  I pass by it every day going to work.  It has drawn me.  I want to go - and yet - the old issues always come to mind.  10:30 am.   No, not committing to go, just trying to get my mind into the place where I can walk through the doors, put on a smile, find a seat, sit down and absorb whatever there is to absorb from the place.  I have some trepidation - it is a prophetic church.  I have been called out in prophetic churches before - not a bad thing I guess but still. 

I feel a great need to get back into the fellowship of other believers and start making some new friends again. I feel I am at the verge of it. 

Besides taking Caleb to work earlier, I have spent the entire day indoors.  It is very hot outside and I have simply not had the gumption to do anything but watch movies.  In fact, I have done nothing at all, not even cleaning.  The house, however, is in pretty good shape right now so no big deal.  The heat advisories (yes, there is more than one for the area I am living in) are in effect until Monday evening.  The second hottest summer on the records since they started keeping records.  My electric use is off the wall, but, I am keeping it at around 82 in here during the day if no tenants are here. 

So that's it.  I am not going into news stuff now cause' I don't much feel like it.  Obama this, Obama that.  It's amazing how much that man really WANTS the press to cover him.  Self-aborbed?  Certainly in love with the sound of his own voice. No, I'm not a fan and never will be.  At least the outcry for him to stop blaming Bush is getting louder.  More people are saying - gee, Mr. President, you have had a year and a half to deal with this and now we are looking at a potential double-dip recession. I really don't think he cares.  In fact, I don't think any of them care one way or the other.  Get their agenda through, come what may, consequences be damned.

I'm watching some freaky movie called "The Eye" on Lifetime Movie Network.  Weird stuff there.  I saw the movie once but it was late when I watched it - quite a while back - and fell asleep so I really don't even know the ending of it.

Well, that's my update.

ben