Santiago Duffy

Dallas has decided she wants to move to California. Forever.

My mother woke me up at like five this morning, eight her time, but still FIVE IN THE MORNING FOR ME, distraught. Apparently Dallas sent them an email and of course my mother the one that has to be up at the crack of dawn (she'd actually gotten the email at about five her time but waited the three hours so she could call me...how nice, she couldn't have waited about three more?) to tell me this.

Apparently since Dallas came out here to visit she's just been enamored with the lifestyle out here on the west coast, she loves the nightlife as it's a lot more interesting them back home and she loves the people out here (read: men) and that she feels like she could really 'find herself' out here amongst all the positive energy that the ocean gives off. So she wrote my mother a ten page email about how she needed to figure out who she really is and what she wants out of life, how she's always been tied to a man back at home and now she wants to be free to explore other 'possibilities'.

I'm sure you all thought exactly what my mother woke me up with this morning. That's right. I woke up to her calmly, in that strange strangled voice when she's trying not to alert my father that she's in complete hysterics that my sister was a lesbian and that I should pick her up at the airport at nine twenty five this morning at LAX. And then she hung up on me. Only to call back about a minute later and explode in a bunch of gibberish that she'll love my sister for whatever she wants to be, that lesbians are wonderful, and that she is already going to be a grandmother but she never thought she'd have to be a mom that goes around with a rainbow sticker on her car...ad nauseum.

So Dallas is staying with me currently, on my floor. She went out to Walmart and bought herself an air-mattress and is currently out on a job hunt, looking for a bartending job.

Oh and she's not a lesbian. Mom just read it wrong. Or Dallas forgot to put a period between two of her sentences. Or something. Now mom's just in hysterics that her baby is moving to this coast without her. Good luck for my two younger brothers leaving the nest before their thirty now...

In result of all my good studying I did very well on a test that I had in one of my marketing classes. They ended up giving me a 29.5 out of 30, because apparently there is no such thing as a perfect test. She couldn’t find anything to doc me marks on and so she took off a half point for a misplaced comma. It should have been a semi colon. Really? I’m not too upset. I understand what she was talking about. Having such a high A on a paper that counts for 40 percent of my grade, I’m quite pleased.

So pleased in fact that I went on a bit of a shopping spree. Got myself some nice new shoes and picked up a couple of surprises for Kitten. Hopefully she’ll like them. Tiffany’s is a fun little place to go shopping, but I can’t say any more or it’ll ruin the surprise for Tinka. Then she just got home from a fun little mini vacation, so she’s nice and relaxed. It’s good to be pampered though.

My sister in law is on bed rest. She can’t do anything and she’s miserable and my brother is feeling those woes. I think they went and put a bed in the living room so she’s not stuck in their bedroom all the time, but the doctor’s don’t even want her going up and down stairs, so that’s a pain considering they only have a tiny little bathroom on the first floor with just a stand up shower and she can’t take baths. They’re considering still doing a home birth which means they’ll be setting up a huge birthing tub in their dining room…I don’t think I want to visit until this child is about one years of age. Or maybe once it can go to the bathroom by itself. That’s a good idea right there.

I’m scared I’m going to get stuck on baby sitting duty. Then I’m sure mom with her empty nest syndrome looming, she’d more then happily take care of the little monster. Got to love my mom.

So I’ve been spending a large amount of time catching up on all the work I missed while taking care of Tinka. I tried to keep up best I could while she was sick but it managed to pile up anyway. Spring break is my catch up time. I was going to go home to visit my parents but because I’ve got so much to do I figured I’d better stay close and spend some serious time clocking in hours at the library. Good idea I think. Everything’s good now though and once I’m caught up, life will be going back to normal, I’m sure.

So both my girls are happy and healthy and that’s all that matters on top of everything else.

Plus I’m going to be moving out of the dorms and in to a place with Marian. She’s going to be my second wife…or is she going to be Landon’s second wife? I’m confused as to who’s wives are whose. I have to say, the freshman class is all about the free love isn’t it?

And now that I’ve had some downtime I’ve realized I have a guitar sitting in my closet since I purchased it last year when I first got here. I don’t have much to do with it. I think I might donate it somewhere. It could probably be of use to somebody somewhere. It’s just collecting dust in my closet. I can’t play it, likely won’t ever be able to, so somebody might enjoy being able to make music with it.

Speaking of music, well…not really, but Tinka was wonderful in that play she was in…uh…What was it called again Kitten? I can’t remember these things. I know, I’m a terrible boyfriend. You’ve just got so much going on, I can’t imagine anymore things. Did I miss some…dance thing that I’m not remembering. God I need a planner book.

My sister inlaw is now in her eighth month of pregnancy I saw her photos on Facebook. She’s freaking HUGE. There is no way she’s only got one in there. She’s probably like the ocoto mom…they’ll just keep coming and coming and coming. I have a feeling I’m going to be an uncle a few times over with this one…maybe, maybe not. I can’t say I know much about pregnancy, and rightly so, but still…she’s HUGE.

I should go give Cracker a ride now that she's feeling better. Don't want to work her too hard though.

So it's been a while since I wrote in this thing. I've had far too many things going on to bother writing in my journal, but I've got some time right now, Tinka's gone for a nap and though I said I'd sleep as well, I find myself like most times when we're supposed to be taking a nap together, awake. Then a lot of the time I'll read while watching over her, but I'm managing to type quietly enough not to bother her.

So Tinka's home from the hospital which is good. My mom came on over to take care of her as did my sister. My mom's staying at a hotel not too far from here and Dallas ended up staying on Tinka's floor. Dallas has never been the maternal one, it's always been something my mother's wanted her to be, but alas, she's not. I think she came because she wanted the time away from her job in all honesty, not that she'd admit that. Dallas's gone back home now, she had to get back to work, but she had fun while she was here with Tinka, she always does. I don't think she's so fond of my sister in law, for she's a bit of a quiet one. Even though Tina's been ill she's still more of a fire cracker then my sister in law is. Mom's still here. She wants to be here when we find out the news as to what Tinka's been ailing from and if she'll be in need of assitance.

I always complained that my mom tends to end up being involved in things she shouldn't be but this time I'm kind of glad she's here. She just wants to help and I can't deny her that. Plus I'm glad she's here, I went over there and just told her everything I've been worried about. She knows how important Tinka is to me and how I don't know what I"m going to do if Tinka...well..

In other better news, Cracker's lump has gone down and is almost completely gone. She must have really kicked herself for it to be swollen like that. I was really worried it was an osteogenic sarcoma, as that's what her mother eventually succumbed to. I'm still worried it one day won't show up, but I'm glad to see it's gotten smaller and hopefully will be gone.

I think that's pretty much all I have to say. Mom will be here soon with some things she went out and bought for Tinka. I think she's enjoying babying my Kitten more then she ever enjoyed babying me.

I just got home from the stables and I'm exhausted. Cracker's got a lump on her leg. The stable hands called me this afternoon to tell me about it and I went threre straight away after classes to see her. I'm not sure what she's done to it, or if she did it at all. She might have kicked herself in the leg, she's done it before, but the lump is fairly large. I took her out on a lead and had her trot, looking for lameness, but she didn't seem too bad off. She was trying to keep weight off of it, which is concerning, but if it just happened recently, then I can understand.

Comparatively, it would be like if you sprained your ankle. You can walk on it, but you don't really WANT to be walking on it if you can help it.

The girl who boards her horse next to mine, Melinda, she helped me put together some poultice's. I'll have to go back and forth to the stable four times a day to wrap up her leg. Melinda while nice enough pointed out that I might have to call in the stable's on call doctor (which will cost an arm and a leg in money) to come and check it if it doesn't go down. I hate the idea, though I know I may have to do it. I'll wrap her leg really well is all and making sure she keeps off it as much as I can. I'm sure she'll get better. Apparently Melinda noticed the lump the last time she was around but didn't think too much of it, but it's grown since she saw it last. I should have come out last weekend to see her. I knew I should have.

In other news: Yay Obama. Can it be done now? Seriously? Sorry Lillia, I just have a headache.

Kitten, did you fall asleep last night? You didn't call me, and I waited for a little bit before going to sleep. Don't worry if that's what happened, you need your rest. You probably won't see me again tomorrow, I have to go out to the stables before class, then after class. I might just stay out there with her until dinner time and then drive back. The stable hands said they'd do the change at night.