Just a little update

Well, it's been a while, eh? Let's see what's going on here. I think we've finally settled into the house, the boxes are all unpacked, it's very "lived in" ... and it's only taken 8 months. That's some kind of record for us. We had a hectic summer .. but good. Pookie went to camp, went on vacation with the grandparents to Niagra Falls -- from what I gather she was a bit underwhelmed. They went for the boat ride behind the falls, and Pookie refused to wear the rain poncho thing that they gave her .. she said she wouldn't get wet. I was dumbfounded and asked if she'd actually SEEN the falls. They assured me she had, and said that she was soaked in a matter of seconds lol

They stopped at a science center in Erie, I believe, and she loved that. I heard more about that than the Falls lol. She was back and forth most of the summer, mostly not here, as is the norm for summertime. I'm coming to hate summer. :p

I worked, as usual, while she was gone, put the house together a little at a time. It's a work in progress, but coming along nicely. I've decided finally what to do with the yard, so will be working on that a bit during the winter so that it will be nearly done by summer .. I have the feeling that next summer my yard is going to be one of the hotspots in the neighborhood ;-) Pookie made a couple friends, one little girl lives just 3 houses down from us. Her mom is my age and is a hoot! She's got a zoo down there .. 5 kids, 2 horses, 3 dogs, a few cats and some birds ... Pookie and Scarlett get along famously, and I have the feeling that we're gonna be seeing a lot of each other for several years to come :) They raise Cockatiels and told Pookie when they have babies they're going to give her one ... I'll have to thank them properly *rolls eyes*

Pookie's puppy, Snuggles, has gone on to doggy heaven *sighs* It was very sad, but Pookie has come through it very well. I found a new puppy for her and she's done very well with her, I'm very proud of her *smiles* The new pup is named Mini-Mutt .. another terrier mix, looks a bit like a Schnauzer. She's a bit wild, but not nearly as hyper and "in your face" as Snuggles was.
The cats have decided they like the outdoors ...and Bow still hates me. The trauma of moving was too much for him, it seems :-( He glares at me a lot and talks to me kinda nasty. We still have long conversations, but they're not very nice anymore. More like psychological warfare than anything else. He has yet to come into the main house of his own volition. He prefers to hang out in the yard and just give me nasty looks through the windows -- the look that says, "You make me come in the house and I'll scratch your eyes out while you sleep." I kinda just leave him alone.

Over the course of the winter and into the spring, we'll be collecting several things for the hugemongous back yard, so that the kids will have plenty to do .. soccer goals, volleyball net, trampoline, pool, sandbox, etc. This not only gives the kids more to do .. but me less yard to mow LOL :-) I'm sure y'all are on the edge of your seats at the news.

Anyway! Pookie is growing up so fast .. getting too big for her britches, both literally and figuratively. She's taken to calling me "Woman" at times .. which threw me for a little while, but I finally figured out what was going on. *nods solemnly*

She came out from her shower the other day and looked at me very seriously .. I was wondering what was going on, figured she flushed something down the toilet or stopped up the bathtub ... but, she looked me square in the eye and said,

"Mom, I had a little pain right here in my chest," and pointed to the center of her chest. I looked at her kinda funny, wondering where this was going.

She leaned in, terribly serious-like, and said, "I think I've got puberty."

I blinked a couple times ... and burst into laughter. She looked a little disgusted and went to her room.

That would explain the attitude ....

if she weren't only 8.

Ah well, just a little update on us .. I'll blog more when my brain is a bit more functional ;)