2008-07-18 - 7:07 a.m.

It is too late for me to take the bus to work this AM, so I am going to do some laundry and enjoy a bit of writing rather than reading this AM.

My bus taking adventures have been fun. I have made a few new friends in the process of getting to and from work. A few rides to the bus stop from lovely co workers, nice chats with other bus riders, and an invitation to a Church group of single parents that meets weekly. (Kids welcome!)

The one thing that is disappointing is that I still need to rely on my car. I can take the bus when I don't have the girls, however they will need to be driven to and from school. The transportation policy of Loudoun County is such that they apparently will not have a legal obligaiton to pick up the girls at my home- even with a court order. The School Boards have alot of discretion at the local level to set their own transportation policy so state law doesn't provide guidelines on that in VA.

I WAS excited to read however that attendance policy DOES NOT apply to children whom live over 2.4 miles from school and for whom THERE IS NOT A BUS STOP WITHIN One mile as I thought - MAYBE at least we will have some forgiveness if running 5 or 10 minutes late for school! But our home is 1.4 miles from the school. The kids could WALK with me accompanying but for the fact there is no sidewalk on the one country road leading to the school. OH WELL

That means I have to keep my car. So I did have the leaking transmission fluid problem fixed this week at a wonderful local mechanic shop which charged me around HALF of what the VOLVO dealer would have charged. I wish I had found this mechanic a year ago. But its good news I found him now. (To be MORE accurate I SHOULD have listened to my wonderful boyfriend who referred me to him when the engine was running hot! But then I was anxious to know it would be fixed as I had to drive up to Buffalo to pick up the oldest two, so I panicked and didn't trust someone new taking care of my car and impulsively dropped it off at the dealer where I have the psychological security of a nice loaner, but then the shock of the crazy bill!)

On Saturday we will celebrate one of the little girl's birthday. I wanted to make a cake this AM , but am holding off as I think it will be more fun for all the siblings to be involved. Their decorating of a cake alone should be something we will all remember.

Pocahontas got us this awesome BARBI Cake mold, so they just might want to make another Barbie Cake for her birthday. They had more fun making one of those last summer for the littlest one. Last week when Pocahontas took all the girls shopping for new summer sneakers as her gift to them all, A sparkly belt caught my eye and the birthday girl was thrilled with that as her early birthday present. (For $1.50 on Clearance I was happy with the price!) A few second hand toys my sweet man picked up at a garage sale including a baby doll and carrier will be a nice surprise for her. I think she still hasn't gotten over the fact that she sat on Santa's lap two years ago at Christmas in the Mall and asked him for a baby doll and then her SISTER dared to open the baby doll that was wrapped under the tree. She had been angry about that insistent "SANTA LEFT THAT FOR ME!It was a MISTAKE that her name was on it!"

Time heals all wounds... and perhaps her own new baby doll will help as well. Santa's elves this year only came up with RAG DOLLS and those GROOVY GIRLS DOLLS and more toys than imaginable, but none were a BABY DOLL.

Hey Maybe I can convince my beautiful sparkly blue eyed boyfriend with the lovely head of silver hair to put on a Santa cap and come over to give her the doll.... That just might do the trick!

A CHRISTMAS IN JULY BIRTHDAY PARTY. I'll run it by the crew. They might have a lot of fun with that theme and she might just love it!

�

�