It's been a while I know...

No pictures today, just letting you know I'm still here and still stitching but I've had some grandmother duties to perform and they took up several days.  Two weekends ago Brian took Solomon to Camp Woodward for a week of skateboard instruction and fun.  Add to that the child care provider wanted four days off and we had all the makings of a bad weekend for the rest of us.  So I took over child care on Saturday and Sunday.  I had planned on taking the kids out but after Mary dropped them off on Saturday,they wanted to stay here so it became a lego and playdoh day.  It helped that Anya, Mary's stepdaughter was here with Izi because she did play with us and that helped.  But I was thrilled when Mary arrived around 4:30 to take them home.  Love my babies, but my Izi is labor intensive.  Sunday I chose to arrive at their apartment by 6 a.m. so Mary could go to work (the option was for them to spend Saturday night with me-I needed time off from the day so I chose option #2).  They woke up around 7:30 and played with their IPads while Izi multitasked by quizzing me for an hour.  Then I told them to get dressed and I'd take them to IHOP before hitting Toys R Us (I figured that would waste some time).  So I took them to Salisbury, we did IHOP and then the toy store and while I was figuring 2 hrs in the toy store (we had to be done to be back for the movie theatre by 1:25) we were in and out in an hour.  Amazing!  Anyway, Anya the 8 year old asked if she could shop by herself with her own basket to which I said absolutely buy what ever you want while I rush Izi through.  So it wasn't too painful there.  We were back in Ocean City early but went on to the movie theatre.  Now, I haven't been to the movie theatre since Sara was 14 and I took she and a friend and remembering this was over 30 years ago, it costs me over $40 for 4 of us and I said, that's it...we'll watch movies at home.  So I wasn't really looking forward to this, not because of the money now, but just the annoyance of people being so disrepectful talking, etc while the movie was playing.  But Mary said  the movie experience was really changed and the seats were fabulous and she thought I would be alright.  I figured I  would just sleep through it and that's how I'd get through it.  I simply couldn't imagine Izi sitting there not talking for 2 hrs, but anything was worth a try.  So we got our snacks and found our seats (how wonderful you can pick out your seats when you make the reservation).  As I was trying to get situated,  everytime I went forward in the seat, the seat went back.  I finally looked over at Izi who had his back and he was lounging and I said, "Is the seat activated by your movements?"  Like he would know what the hell I was talking about, but he said, "No nana, you just push on the button."  Like an idiot I had to declare that my seat was acting on it's own before I realized my fat thigh was moving the seat as I moved forward it was pushing the button to move the seat back. I finally got myself situated and  I managed to sit through "Inside Out", not fall asleep, did cry a little and enjoyed the entire experience.  The fact that I paid around $80 for the experience didn't seem to bother me so much because there were no people talking, I think I had the youngest kids there and I was totally comfortable.  I think I see more movies in my future.   When it came time to pick up Solomon from camp I volunteered to do it because Brian really is needed at the hotel.  After great discussion (I think they were concerned about my driving that distance without one of them the wheel since I usually sleep all the way to Nashville because Sara drives) but I assured them I could do it as I was going to go up on Saturday and pick him up on Sunday and drive home.  The drive was suppose to be around 5 1/2 hours but with going home traffic tie ups we arrived at the hotel at around 8:00p.m. instead of 6:30p.m.  Michael wanted to come with me so he and I made the trip.  I thought it would be easy to find something, but apparently I gave very little thought to the fact that not everyone is heading to the beach.  I checked the first 2 hotels and they were booked solid (that's when I got concerned) but after calling the 3rd and being told all their rooms were booked, the reservation person said, "we do have a suite open for one night."  I didn't care what they were charging I would have taken that darn suite, but when I was told it was only $200 a night I really was thrilled.  I initially was looking for 2 rooms with a door that opens between them and I was figuring at least $150 per room so $200 and I got 2 rooms anyway...a win win for me.  We left to pick Solomon up on Sunday at 9:00 and he was waiting outside his cabin for us.  So we were off to Ocean City by 9:30 a.m.  I knew we would run into traffic but mercy at the Bay Bridge it was ridiculous.  Now I have a major rant about inconsiderate drivers.  As we are lining up to go through the toll booths, and this starts on weekends miles back from the toll booths.  Anyway, about the time you can see the toll booths in the distance some people are switching lanes like crazy.  But some jackasses are flying by in the ez pass lane and then try to get into the cash lanes about 3 cars from the toll booth.  Meanwhile the rest of us are sitting in lines waiting to get to that point.  With these assholes crashing the line it just takes the rest of us even longer.  We were about 6 cars back when some assholes came breezing in and then started aggressively trying to cut in.  The car ahead of me was adamant about them not doing it as was I.  After all we had waited about 1 1/2 hours at this point.  So I was riding his bumper and he was riding the bumper of the car ahead of him, however, the driver trying to crash kept trying to edge in even more and at that point, windows when down and words were being screamed and I swear if one of them had a gun,  shots would have been fired.  It was getting scary as I was caught witnessing this and nothing I could do.  As this is going on a comes breezing in from ez pass in her porche  and sits there trying to get in and I'm telling you the driver in front of me was about to kill so she got a mouth full from him as well.  What really irritated me even further was she said, she didn't know she couldn't do it.  Let me tell you it is clearly written on the road that the lane is ez pass only, for miles.  There is no way you didn't know that open lane where no one is sitting isn't ez pass.  What the hell do these people think the rest of us are sitting in lines for.   Neither even tried to get in front of me after that, but when I looked back about 5 cars back someone let them all in.  We had been sitting in that line over one hour, at times not moving, so I understand the anger.  They really need to put cement barriers between the EZ pass lane and the rest of the lanes.  One car that could see they weren't getting in went through the ezpass, but stopped and knocked on the door for the toll taker in my lane (of course it's while I'm going through so I have to wait for that jackass) because the toll booth collector opened the door on that side to explain to this idiot he couldn't take his money and he would just have to continue on.  Can't wait for that asshole to get his EZPass ticket for $100.  Anyway, in todays world that really is a dangerous situation.  I mean it's at the same time when road rage in Florida resulted in one man following a family to their home and shoots the male driver and holds the rest of the family at gun point.  Really people, what the hell is that about.  We will all get there sooner or later and if you have to be there early, leave your house earlier than expected. But no one has the right to try to by-base rules made for everyone.  I should have been home by 3 p.m. but because of the Bay Bridge and then our O.C. bridge which also was backed up I didn't arrive until 6:30 p.m.  Anyway, poor Sara had to work a double on Sunday because I wasn't there and Judy needed off so as soon as I arrived back home and dropped the Gus (Solomon's friend) off and took Solomon home (and then  to the O.C. skate park) I went in to let Sara off for dinner.  But when she came back to work I went home and just collapsed.  Since Michael didn't get to do anything on the drive (I think he thought we'd have time to shop somewhere), I've promised him I'll take him to Christiana Mall so he can shop next week.  At least it is only about 3 hrs each way and there is a Cheesecake Factory, plus I said no way to going on a weekend.  Meanwhile Solomon did such a great job at camp he was tapped by the camp counselors to come back on a specific week with other campers who were also tapped to compete for a free week next year.  If he decides to do it (which he already wants to) then he goes back at a discount as well.  So I've got another weekend to look forward to and perhaps two if I do the driving both ways.  I did manage to finish part 1 of the Lizzie Kate new mystery sampler.  I'll have it up tomorrow.