Blogging For The Fun Of It

The house is quiet...believe it or not.  Oldest son is at work.  His 3 kids got picked up by their mom about an hour ago.  Youngest son and his family are visiting her parents.  So, I've got the house to myself for a couple of hours.  Got a load of launrdry going (only 4 more loads to go today).  Kitchen floor has just been mopped.  Time for a bit of escapism.  My daughter has been 'gently encouraging' me to join the world of blogging.  Of course, she didn't tell me how addicting it could be. 

I started reading some blogs this morning before the kids were up and got so caught up in the lives of others that I really didn't want to stop to cook breakfast.  But I had promised the kids pancakes.  My bribe to get them to go to bed last night.  I admit it.  I bribe them constantly.  A Hershey's kiss if they clean up the toys in the living room.  Dessert if they try everything on their plate at dinner.  A trip to the Dollar Store every Saturday  if they complete all their homework and don't get in trouble at school.  Remember these are my grandkids I'm 'helping' raise.  Their Daddy is off to work and when he isnt' working he is sleeping or fixing a computer belonging to anyone within a fifty mile radius.  Their Mommy moved lives in town, but really isn't much help.  During the month of October so far she has seen them less than 60 hours total...which includes 2 sleepovers. 

Anyway, back to the subject at hand.  Blogging.  What an escape.  It's like reading a book of short stories.  Each one has something interesting, useful, fun, or entertaining to offer.  Over the past couple of weeks I've been an onlooker.  A Peeping Jane, if you will.  But, my daughter tells me it isn't enough just to look.  I must participate.  So, I'm going to do my best to be a good blogger.  For the newbie blogger, there should be a Blogger Bill of Rights or a Blogger Code of Conduct, or maybe just a Blogger Oath.  You know...something along the lines of 'I promise to do my duty to my fellow Bloggers by visiting and posting comments on as many Blogs as time permits; making sure my comments are relevant, informed and polite.  I promise not to let Blogging overtake the other important things in life such as cooking, cleaning and shopping.  I vow to not pass judgement when commenting on blogs and to remember that there are as many opinions in the world as there are people.' Something to that effect.  Off goes this newbie blogger to see if I can keep myself out of trouble.  Wish me luck.

October Something or Other, 2009

I know it is Tuesday.  I know I have about a zillion things to do.  My daughter suggested I start a blog journey as a way to let my friends, customers and co-bloggers know me.  I'm afraid by doing so I might learn something about myself that I don't really want to know.  Sometimes I wonder if that is why I let myself be led through each day by the seat of my pants.  You know, when there is so much to do that you know you will never get it all done.  When one list isn't enough, because if there was only one list not only would it be as long as Santa's list of children's names, it would encompass too many unrelated tasks.  There needs to be a list of household chores, a list of outside chores, a list of eBay things to do, a list of Etsy things to do, a list of activities for the kids, etc.

It is 9:30 am.  What I have done so far today is checked and answered all emails from eBay or Etsy customers, package 10 shipments for eBay (got another 15 to go), got the twins up, dressed and dropped them off at Headstart, got Trinity up, dressed and dropped off at Kindergarten, checked and answered all emails from eBay or Etsy customers again, and started blogging.  Now I realize that I am hungry.  I'll finish up this blog, grab some breakfast (a bowl of Wheat Chex), work on eBay shipping, list some McCall's patterns on eBay, catch up on Blogging (forgot to post a craft tip yesterday, way behind on Accidentily Green blog, don't remember what Thursday blog is supposed to be about, etc), and then I'll start my list of stuff to do today.

The real stuff.  Like see if the drain cleaner I dumped in the kitchen sink cleared the drain so I can do the dishes that have been pile up for 2 days...with 10 people living in the house, that's a lot of dishes.  At least I know what is for dinner tonight and I believe I grabbed all the ingredients yesterday when I went to the store for the drain cleaner.  I'm making potato soup.  Got the recipe on line by searching Black Angus Potato Soup.  Really good recipe.  And since my hands are freezing right now, I think I'll go ahead and pop the potatos in the oven this morning which will make the kitchen warm and cozy while I eat my breakfast.  Catchya later.

How I got the name Grandma Cat

Hello.  When I was born my mother selected my name very carefully.  Catherine Le'Ann Shreeve.  My first name had to be a saint's name since we are Catholic.  Why I'm named after the Martyr Saint, hopefully is just a coincidence.  The apostrope in the middle name is there because my mom's name was De'Ann (Mom passed away 14 years ago) and she wanted to start a tradition of apostrophes in all the girl names.  I got Le'Ann my sister got Ja'Nette.  Growing up I was called Cathy unless I was in trouble, then it was Cathy.  Really big trouble...Catherine Le'Ann!  My sister's name was shortened to Jan.   Since Jan and I were the only girls out of seven kids, and we were born only 15 months apart, we were especially close.  I don't know when it happened but somewhere in our childhood my sister decided that since her name only had 3 letters, mine should only have 3 letters...so I became Cat.  Very few people ever called me Cat most of my life.  My sister, my husband (during our marriage, and even afterwards), and occasionally a friend or coworker.

Nine years ago I bought the house I am living in now and decorated the plain white bathroom with framed pictures of cats.  Why?  Cat pictures were everywhere, easy to find and inexpensive.  No other reason than that.  When anyone used the cat bathroom they got the impression that I liked cats.  I started getting cats at every occasion.  Cat towels, cat statues, cat plates, cat cards, cat puzzles.  I even found myself buying cat stuff whenever I saw something cute and inexpensive.  The tiny bathroom was bursting at the seams with over 100 cat items.

Five years ago my first granddaughter was born.  Sixteen months later her twin brothers were born.  My oldest son, Dusty (their Daddy) lived with me, so they did too.  Two and a half years ago my youngest son, Timothy, got laid off from his job due to a corporate take over and moved in with his wife and young son.  One year later, Timothy welcomed another son into the world...right here at home.  So, now I've got 5 grandkids living with me using the bathroom with all the cat things in it.  It was only a matter of time before one of them would call me Grandma Cat.  And when it happened, it stuck.  Now everyone calls me Grandma Cat.

This blog is going to be the everyday life of Grandma Cat.  Oh, it may be boring at times, because I really don't do anything exciting like skydive, travel, run marathons, or join clubs.  What I do is try to survive the emotional and financial responsibilities of everyday life.  Please join me in this journey of everyday life and commiserate, sympathize, scold, share, and hopefully have a laugh or two while I try to figure out things like where all the missing socks are, why the remote control won't work, where to get money for a plumber, and what to do about the bill collectors.  Oh, and along the line pray I don't forget to pick up the kids at school on time.