Money Matters....

I was on my forum a few minutes ago and saw that a friend posted a recipe for a chocolate pudding cake. It sounded simple and easy, and best of all, it sounded GOOD. No icing, either.... which is the best thing of all when it comes to 'cake' for this family. Easter is coming, and while we do steer clear of desserts normally, when we have a family dinner with the whole bunch of us, we look forward to a bit of dessert.... Gabe got his 'ask' in first for a pineapple upside down cake... and Katy's Chocolate Pudding Cake will be a nice contrast for that. I'm pleased to have that huge decision made. lol I haven't been in the best of moods. Thursday evening, just as I was preparing to go to bed, Lar decided to bring up money matters. There is NO good time to discuss money. We simply do not have the same priorities and the easiest way to make me angry is to ask me 'what did you do with all that money that was back there?' Now, before y'all start thinking that I was stealing his money, No... not that way at all. My income is all deposited into our checking account. Lar gets his check and he does his banking and brings home cash for the week; he puts household money in the same certain spot in the bedroom. We use from it during the week for gas, groceries, his bowling, bills... whatever. We try to be mindful of the other person's expenses. Well, Lar planned to use some of the money he brought home for another purpose, and he didn't tell me. I took the money and paid our dues for an organization we belong to. It was a sizeable amount because we pay for the kids, too. He was not happy with me... and my feelings were hurt. I let it be known that if he planned the money for something else he should have put it aside, and not where he puts the money I use.... Well, money discussions never run smooth with us... and this was no exception to the normal. He went off on his tangents, like he does, and I got furious, like I always do. It escalated into other areas, too, and I was just stunned at the things he was saying! Forget sleep, I was going to stay up after that because I knew I'd never be able to sleep, and frankly I was mad as hell that he had to start in with this and a bunch of other scolding junk that he's been saving up.... He insisted I go to bed. Of course he was snoring in less than three minutes, while I was awake for at least two hours, fuming. I woke up at four o'clock and got up. By then he was in his deep sleep and I could have marched through the house banging a drum and he wouldn't have stirred. Fast forward to Friday night... He announces that I need 'attention', his word for spanking. I was not happy. I didn't think I'd done one thing to deserve a spanking. He started the whole mess, and he was in the wrong..... Not me! Well, he wasn't about to be talked out of it. He used the cane to spank with, and it was a bit more than a reminder. I went right to sleep afterwards. Yes, I probably did need the spanking to find some inner control, but man I hate getting spanked when I think he deserves one, too! He tried to be nice yesterday and we went out to dinner, but the plans I made to talk were thwarted when we were seated too close to other diners to have any privacy for a discussion. When we got home I ran upstairs to do a project for him that was to take two minutes; the telephone rang, and it was my brother for me... by the time I came down, Lar was sound asleep on the sofa, and he didn't wake up until bedtime. He is exhausted from all the crazy hours he is working. I am hoping that we can find some time today for a discussion. My laptop died. And, somehow, my backups were deleted on that little thingy my brother gave me to transfer information from one computer to another. So, I am praying that my brother can do some of his magic and find a way to retrieve my files from the laptop. Nope, not my best week..... This week will be better!!!

Goodbye Stomach Flu

Finally, after a week, I think it is safe to say the stomach flu has packed its bags and moved out of my home. Our little granddaughter brought it to Lar and I... For some reason, it was only the three of us who suffered. The Chris's and Gabe were untouched, and they are very lucky. This was probably the worst strain ever... and it lasted a full five days! A most unwelcome visistor, and the only blessing I could find during that time was that I thought Renee needed a nap more than we needed to go and visit Great-Gramma!!! Nee was cranky, and I put her to bed in spite of her "'I'm five! I don't need a nap! Naps are for babies!" She was soooo grumpy. She was coming down with this flu, but I didn't know it at the time. I am just so grateful we didn't take this to Mom and infect her. I'm afraid it could have put her in the hospital... When several of my friends were here recently I gathered all the implements that were downstairs and easily accessible into a large, rectangular clothes basket, and displayed them. Most of them were handcrafted by my friend John from LeatherThorn Paddles. The ladies were all amazed by the sheer number of implements... and I didn't have the heart to tell them that there was a large storage box upstairs in one of the attics that was packed full of even MORE implements. It truly looks like we have spent a huge amount of money on all these items, but with a few exceptions, they are all gifts. Apparently there are quite a few people in this world who think I am a brat!!!! LOL Now, the thing is... I am such an Angel that all of these implements are totally unnecessary... Lar couldn't use each one of them once in a year's time! I do intend to keep quite a few, but some are simply going to have to go bye bye. I am considering the options.... My favorite so far is having an auction and then taking all the proceeds and donating to one of my charities. I am sure that others of you have had this problem... Implements you no longer use or need... I don't want to insult any of the givers, especially John... (and a lot of his are among my 'keepers', since I prefer leather paddles to wooden ones any day... and the roses he has put on the ones he made especially for me.... well, they almost make a spanking worthwhile because they are so beautiful.... But, as I was saying, I do not wish to insult the gift givers... I thought if the proceeds were to go to a good charity that it might take the 'sting' away...? Any thoughts? Joannie

A Spanking *Sigh*

Well, fiddle. Yes, I was to the point of desperately needing a spanking if I was going to stay in control of myself and not lose it all over whoever got in the way and sparked my terrible temper. But, as usual, my target seems to be Lar when I get out of sorts and he does things that I perceive rude, unthinking, and designed to upset me. His first offense of the day was in not going for milk the night before. I had a child wanting her breakfast, and there was no milk for her. I told her to wait, and Gramma would get dressed and make a fast run to the store. Lar woke up when I went into our bedroom to get dressed, but did he offer to go get the milk? No. He did say, "I guess I should've gone out last night..." I agreed with him, out loud, and in a self-righteous tone of voice. All the way to the store I kind of felt bad for snapping at him already, so as is my way, I thought to get him something special for his lunch. I was home in PLENTY of time for him to leave for work. It was a full seven minutes before he normally leaves on a school day, but he was already spastic and having a tantrum because I was taking so long! My goodness, I was gone for an entire twenty minutes! Unthinkable, I know! I guess I should have asked permission before being gone so long!!!! (Yes, that is sarcasm...) So, he was hurrying to get past the van, which is impossible because he has so much junk piled floor to ceiling on both sides of the garage, and there is barely enough room to pull the new-to-us van into the space. I thought to remind him of that, too, hoping he would take a hint and make plans to get busy sorting out his junk before I keep my promise to hire help to go through it and pitch most of it. (Yes, he did threaten dire consequences, but as all of us Angels know, some things are just worth the sore backside.) Anyway, I'm getting sidetracked... Here he was, leaving! That did not make me happy! "Hey, I got you some things for your lunch!" He turned and said, "Today is chicken day!", and he kept right on going and left! I was insulted. The reason it took me so LONG at the store was because I was adding good food for him! And he would rather have chicken!?! My rant was a good one; too bad he missed it. I immediately started plotting how he would be punished for insulting me! It was a given that he was getting chicken for dinner. After all, it was 'chicken day!' I did my best to turn off the temper; the grands are on spring break and Renee was being difficult. (She was coming down with a bug, and we just didn't realize it yet.) All day I kept thinking of all my reasons to be upset with Lar, and there were many... top of the list was working too much... I was/am worried about all of the hours he is working. I'm upset he won't take off and go to the doctor... which he needs to do. So, once the kids were gone for the day, and nothing to distract me, I allowed myself to get a full head of steam again. I clean when I am really angry... That should have been Lar's first warning when he walked inside. The living room was absent the decorations of clutter... the card table with Gabe's tools, and all of Nee's art work. Plus the boxes the new Wii and Wii Fit came in. My first words, when he came in carrying two armloads at once was not to put stuff down and make a mess in the room I'd just cleaned. Then I told him he could take out the trash, including the bag in the kitchen he'd been ignoring for days. He said, "I didn't know you had a bag you were finished with. ANOTHER pet peeve. The man can't/won't take out a bag, no matter how smelly it is until it is packed so full you can barely close it! I gave him my normal, "If it is sitting there in the middle of the floor, it is ready to take out..." Then, a few minutes later, he complimented the chicken and said it was really good. Well, I was glad he liked it... but... "You said it was chicken day, so I simply wanted to oblige you!" Yes, that little bit was said with attitude. And, yes, I was testy all evening. Since he works so late, it wassoon close to bedtime. "I'm going back to take a shower. Don't stay out here too long." "Oh...?" "You need attention in the worst way, woman. You're going to get a good spanking." I was positive he would fall asleep. He is so tired all the time from the ridiculous hours he's been working for months now. I didn't hurry. I read for a while, and when I reached a good stopping point, I did stop, and I slowly meandered off to bed. Lar was wide awake and he wasn't pleased with how long it took me to get back there. His weapon of choice was a cane, of course. It was a long time since I'd had a spanking, and it hurt. It hurt a lot. Finally, when I got used to the sting and was over the wincing and forcing myself to stay in place, he decided to spank harder... and lower. Ouch! My attitude was fading rapidly. It is amazing how a spanking improves my mood. Then, when I was able to handle that, Lar decided to get down to business. The last ten or so were terrible, and I knew he meant each one. The sting lasted until long after I was asleep. Well, the attitude is gone this morning, but the bottom is tender to sit on. I've had much worse, but this one was more than enough, even though Lar told me last night that he'd ended the spanking sooner than he intended to. My reply was to tell him I was sore enough, thank you very much! Still, it wasn't the kind of spanking I wanted or needed... Whatever happened to romance? *sigh* He is definitely working tooooo much! Joannie

An Interview on Blushing Books Blog

Hi everyone. I know it's been a while, but I wanted to share that I was asked to do an interview for Blushing Books Blog. I hope you'll go and have a look: http://blushingbooks.wordpress.com/ Things here have finally started to settle down. As some of you know, I was in the hospital at the end of January with heart problems. I am nearly recovered now, and getting in the groove of writing again. Bethany was fantastic through this and gave me plenty of time to recover before I resumed my normal writing schedule, and once spring break is over, I hope to work more on a few special projects I have planned. Spring break... I thought I was mentally prepared, but the plans I made fell apart when it turned very cold. We even are having Snow today, of all things! I blame our weather man. He gets off on this sort of thing. I refuse to watch the news tonight to listen to him gloat. So, the kids are cooped up with me inside. We have had a very long monopoly game, which has spanned eight hours over three days. Gabe won. Took me out, and got his little sister two rounds later. He told his Mom this morning that he was close to building the monopoly tower... and he did that first thing today. lol Two more days of spring break... lol I hope you are all doing well, and I hope to get back to blogging. Joannie

Busy Busy Busy!

It is a busy time of year again. We just finished with Thanksgiving and, like always, I wonder if I will be ready for Christmas when it arrives. I'm entering this Christmas Season feeling a bit sad. There are so many people around me that are struggling just to put food on the table this year. I've tried to help, but there is only so much I can do...

I think this is causing some added stress above and beyond the norm, and I am managing to get myself in a bit more trouble than normal. So, okay, my language turns very blue at times, and lately a few choice words have been leaving my mouth that shouldn't be leaving my mouth... especially when there is the chance that a child or two is going to decide to repeat something I said and get into trouble either with their parents or at school. Larry decided I needed to 'work' on this problem. I was spanked Sunday night and again last evening. My butt is very tender, and darned if I didn't lose it again today. I had a right to get upset, but I am sure Lar won't take that into consideration when HE is the one responsible for sparking my temper. He'd just say I am being picky, but it does frustrate me when he does things to cause me more work. He gets in a huge hurry to get it done, and rushes, and doesn't take the time to get it right. I bought one of those new steamer mops... He put it away with the wet pad on it, and the water container on it was half full! It takes two seconds to take off the pad so it can be laundered, and another two seconds to drain the water. Geesh! Anyway, I am sure he will ask tonight how I did today, and I am equally sure I will blame him for the outburst. It won't work, of course, but I can try. My butt is already tender and I honestly don't want another spanking.

I have been busy writing, and will have a collection of my western Christmas stories coming out soon. I'm also working on some new stories for Woodshed, Spanking Romance, and my own store on Lulu. I also realized that I need to change some links and rework my web site. I need to add another twenty-four hours to each day... lol

Joannie

The Case of the Missing Thermometer and Bookmark

A couple of weeks ago my bookmark came up missing. This bookmark was a gift, and had an Angel attached. I use it all the time, and I couldn't imagine where it went. One second it was there; in the next second it was gone. I searched. Nada. I called my SIL and asked him to ask my grandkids, who had been here all afternoon, if either of them knew where it was. They did not. I wasn't convinced, but figured it would evenutally show up.... I cleaned thoroughly, still no sign of the bookmark.

A week or so ago my meat thermometer disappeared. I tend to wash my good knives and I place them on a town on the counter to dry. Larry had used the thermometer while grilling, and I cleaned it and put it and the plastic sleeve it goes in when not being used on the towel to dry. We needed it again, and the red plastic holder was there, but no thermometer! I searched. Lar searched. Again, I called the mother of my grands and had her ask about the thermometer, again with the same claims of innocense. I bought a new one at the store a couple days later because we really do use a thermometer a lot when cooking.

Fast forward to this weekend. Yesterday afternoon Renee spilled something all over the shirt she was wearing, and I sent her to the bathroom and her 'basket', where I keep spare clothes for the kids. She came back with a puzzled look on her face. "Gramma! Look what I found in my basket?" It was my theromometer! Now, yes, I did look in the bathroom, even glanced in the baskets, but didn't spot anything.... I just smiled and rewashed the thermometer.

Just a few seconds ago, I found my bookmark. Peeking out from under this chair. Now, I assure you, I have vaccuumed in this room SEVERAL times since that bookmark was 'lost'. This chair has been pulled out, swept under. I checked under the cushions and down the sides of the chair when the bookmark came up missing. It wasn't here. So, to suddenly find it this morning, AFTER the thermometer was found, tells me that a little mischief maker has decided to return my objects.

Not much to report on the DD front. Lar has been working twelve hours a day during the heat wave we just went through; I am working hard on stories so I am able to leave on vacation Friday! We are too tired for mischief. lol

Joannie

BUMMER!!!!

I hate it when I get outbid on Ebay! It happened about a half an hour ago, and I am still pouting. Normally I don't waste time pouting over getting outbid, but I really wanted to win this item. I was outbid in the last two seconds, when there wasn't time to do anything about it. Of course, I set 'rules' for myself when it became obvious to me that winning a bid seemed to be something I just had to do. Usually, I go in and see something I want or need, decide what I am willing to pay for it. Place the bid, and life goes on. If I lost the bid, then someone else has paid more than I was willing or able to pay. Today was a little different. I'm not even sure what I was bidding on. It was something to do with airplanes... and my son-in-law wanted it as an early birthday present. When he asked for this, the price was low. While I was watching the bidding, it jumped another $10. So, I made up my mind what I could bid, added in the shipping, set my amount... and bid. I thought I would win it, but at the last few seconds was outbid. Darn. I am disappointed.

On the DD front, I spent a few hours yesterday trying to explain to a 25 year old young single woman WHY some women actually choose to obey a husband. I tried telling her that many of us still believe in equal pay for equal work, and that we are not doormats because we choose to have a husband who leads our family. The funny part was listening to my brother jump into the conversation and say with all the certainty and confidence he possesses that a traditional lifestyle is ordained by God. He also went on to say that man was ordered to respect his wife, and she to respect him... and they are to love each other. Now, my brother is not married, but I have always suspected he would be part of my forum if he was married... I didn't realize his feelings ran so deep. Of course LAST Sunday, at my granddaughter's fifth birthday party, he was VERY upset with the female our other brother is dating. My son-in-law told Chrissy not to take a picture of him up in the tree taking down the pinata. It was a simple request... not a threatening tone... He went outside, and just that quick, A looked at Chrissy and said, "Do it now while he's not looking! He'll never know!" Chrissy said, "No. We respect each other, and I won't do that to him." Paul told A that in our family, when a man said 'no' to something, that was simply the way it was done. Our Mama tried to prevent bloodshed and she said, "Well, I didn't always agree with your Dad!" Paul looked at her and asked, "But, Mom, if Dad told you NO to something, you listened, didn't you?" She thought a few seconds and then said, "Yes, you're right." Paul said, "See? Jo obeys Larry when he says no, and that is the way it is with Chris and Chrissy. I don't like it when someone sticks her nose in and tries to cause trouble!" Chrissy and I were in the kitchen, listening to this, and giggling because A was sputtering and angry. Chrissy said, "Mom, it is an issue of respect." I said, "I know, dear." She can call it what she wants to, but she still lives a very traditional marriage. I don't think that is all bad. (I don't intend to tell you about the last spanking I got. I'm still sorting it in my head.)

Joannie