Monday, Monday....

So Princess Ivi has decided she wants to see a counselor. She seemed to be worried that she is crazy (which considering the fact that she is exposed to both me and my mother on a daily basis, I can understand that fear). Once I pointed out to her that she wasn't crazy but it was hard to be a teenager, she seemed less fearful.

I am waiting on the doctor's office to call me back so I can schedule an appointment for her.

Of course, adding to her emotional confusion is the fact that she is working on building a relationship with her father whom she hasn't had any contact with in over 12 years. There is a lot of anger to work through and hopefully they can do it. We are actually supposed to go to GA to see him this weekend. Well, I am just a bystander along for the ride. My job will be to make sure my baby doesn't get hurt and to keep them talking to each other. I am keeping my fingers crossed that this works out for her because it is what she wants.

Unfortunately, him being back in our lives brings all sorts of stuff to the surface with me that I thought I had dealt with but apparently I haven't so I am slogging through all of that.

With regard to reading, I have taken a break from books for a while. I figure with as many books as I have read this year (about 200), if I don't read another one all year, I can still feel pretty proud of myself.

As for knitting, I am working on the wristers from Knit 1. They are coming along well. I should be able to finish up the first one this week. I also finished my sister's Christmas gift and have passed it on to my mom for seaming. I have also been planning on the rest of my Christmas knitting that I have to do (leg warmers for mom, hat/scarf sets for mom, pat and barry).

The countdown to Christmas is: 87 days, 14 hours, 16 minutes and 50 seconds (or so).

What I did this weekend?

First, I got my haircut. I donated it to Locks of Love so it is pretty short (right where my neck and shoulders connect). It is cool and it will grow fast. Princess Ivi said it makes me look younger but it is a grown up cut.

Second, Princess Ivi and I went to FYE and I got her the Framing Hanley CD which she went on and on about for days.

Third, we went to Applebee's for lunch. Yummm...

Fourth, we went to Books a Million and picked up some books.

Fifth, then we went home.

During lunch we talked about a decision she had to make. Her father, whom she hasn't seen in 12 years, wants to try to build a relationship with her. If I had my way, I would hold her close to me for the rest of her life but I can't do that to either of us so I told her that I would support whatever decision she chose to make about her father.

Saturday night she told me that she wanted to write to him and send a few recent photos.

So on Sunday after running to CVS to print pics, we wrote him a letter and I mailed it today. Let's keep our fingers crossed that everything goes well and no one gets hurt.

Today, I was impressed with myself because I talked to Princess Ivi's father, whom I haven't spoken to in 12 years and considering how our relationship ended, I was impressed with the fact that I was able to talk to him like an adult without getting emotional.

As for knitting, on Sunday I worked on the Feather and Fan Shawl and I decided that I hated it so I unraveled it. Then I was going to work on another shawl with the same yarn but that didn't work either. I was going to start on some fingerless gloves for Princess Ivi but I couldn't find where I put the Knit 1 magazine that had the pattern. Grrr...so instead I worked on my sister's Christmas present which I can't go into too much detail here because it is a surprise. but all in all, it felt good to be knitting again.

Nothing is more difficult than parenting a teenager...except maybe living with my mother

Man, parenting a teenage girl is tough. Especially when that girl is an unhappy one.

School is back in session but instead of looking forward to it, even a little, she doesn’t want to go and it is a fight every morning. Most mornings, she says she has a stomachache. I hate having to yell at her first thing in the morning. I hate having to yell at her at all. It makes me the mean parent but considering I am the only one she has, I guess I have to take that role.

The other night when I asked her what was wrong she said that she has no friends (which isn’t necessarily true), no one “gets” her (but, hey, she is 13 so no one is supposed to “get” her) and she hates it here (in Florida, living in the same house as my mom and I totally “get” her on that one because we need our own space).

We have been tossing around ideas on how to solve the current problem which is that both Princess Ivi and myself are ready to move on with our lives. We were considering saving up and moving out here in Florida around November. We would have moved about 12 miles away from Mom and that much closer to my office. The thought was that we would move and money would be extremely tight (being a single mom sucks) but at least we would be able to live for ourselves in our own space.

There are things, of course, that must be done in order for us to be able to move in July. First, we must save money. To do that Princess Ivi and I have decided the following:

1. We will go grocery shopping every other Saturday (after cashing my paycheck). The two of us will wake up in the morning (for a change of pace) and go while Mom is working. This way, we will not have to buy the things she insists we need. We will also make a better grocery list and post it on the fridge so that throughout the week things can be added to the list.
2. We will buy the Sunday paper to get coupons and we will shop at Winn Dixie using online coupons. We will also look through the sale flyer and base purchases of meat and produce on that.
3. I will start bringing my lunch to work every day. (Not just occasionally.) This will reduce spending because fast food is expensive and even if I picked up a salad at the grocery store (from the produce department), they are expensive too.
4. We will cut down on unnecessary spending like magazines, books, etc.
5. I will give Mom $40 every other week. I am going to tell her that I am giving this money to her to do whatever she wants (fix her car, buy her cigarettes, whatever).
6. We will stick with our budget.
7. We will save at least $200 from each paycheck toward moving/saving. We will budget $100 toward debts that must be paid before moving. Budget surplus money will be put in savings. Any bonuses will be placed in savings.
8. Tax return will be used to either pay down car loan principal or to pay any large debt.
9. We will make homemade gifts for everyone using supplies on hand (yarn, fabric, etc.).
10. When we get the urge to spend money because we are bored, we will go to the library, go to a free event, craft, play board games, watch movies we own, etc.

Now, I just have to figure out how to get Princess Ivi to go to school for this year. Hmmmm......