Ah Jay, I do feel your pain. I know that there is a good in having Homeowners Associations but sometimes they just get carried away.
As for the dance, it was an interesting night. Let me give you the highlights. Boy gives Allison her ticket at school on Friday and I spend Friday and Saturday teasing her that he isn't going to take her. Boyfriend (if you call him that) asks if we could drive them to dinner and the dance because his parents have a company Christmas party. No problem. His grandfather is going to drive him here. Boy is 20 minutes late (not good since I have been teasing about him not showing up) and other couples show up 15 minutes early. Leaves for awkward moments of sitting around looking at each other because no one wants to take pictures until he gets here. Excuse for being is late is grandpa picks up boy and decides that the shirt and tie are not dressy enough so he takes him to Lazarus to buy a sweater vest. Boy is embarrassed. I think it is cute. On the way to dinner, I casually mention does everyone have their ticket. Bad question. Boy forgot his. No problem, we can stop by his house after dinner. Dinner is great. We go to boy's house. His 11 year old sister and 12 year old cousin are there. We wait and wait in drive way. Little sister motions for Allison to come in. Door is open and we can see everything through storm door. The older cousin looks familiar. We are still waiting in the driveway. Steve and I start making up excuses why it is taking so long. Allison comes out and wants me to come in. The cousin is one of my students. Boy has lost his ticket and little sis is calling him an idiot. Poor boy! He is devastated. I tell him not to worry. We have chaparoned many high school dances and by me being a sub I know the principal. I walk in with them and explain the situation to the assistant principal. Just then the boy comes over and offers $20 and his school id. What a cutie! Of course they let them in. Dance is success. Allison's first words when she walks in are "Boy can't dance" Fortunately, she has shut the door completely so he can't hear her. I break the news to her about majority of boys not being able to dance. Bottom line, she had a good time. I will be scanning some pictures of her and Chris with Princess, our dog, tomorrow and will try to post one here or may need some assistance.
My computer is acting funny so Steve is going to fool with it so I may not be on the rest of the night.
Will check in later.
As for the dance, it was an interesting night. Let me give you the highlights. Boy gives Allison her ticket at school on Friday and I spend Friday and Saturday teasing her that he isn't going to take her. Boyfriend (if you call him that) asks if we could drive them to dinner and the dance because his parents have a company Christmas party. No problem. His grandfather is going to drive him here. Boy is 20 minutes late (not good since I have been teasing about him not showing up) and other couples show up 15 minutes early. Leaves for awkward moments of sitting around looking at each other because no one wants to take pictures until he gets here. Excuse for being is late is grandpa picks up boy and decides that the shirt and tie are not dressy enough so he takes him to Lazarus to buy a sweater vest. Boy is embarrassed. I think it is cute. On the way to dinner, I casually mention does everyone have their ticket. Bad question. Boy forgot his. No problem, we can stop by his house after dinner. Dinner is great. We go to boy's house. His 11 year old sister and 12 year old cousin are there. We wait and wait in drive way. Little sister motions for Allison to come in. Door is open and we can see everything through storm door. The older cousin looks familiar. We are still waiting in the driveway. Steve and I start making up excuses why it is taking so long. Allison comes out and wants me to come in. The cousin is one of my students. Boy has lost his ticket and little sis is calling him an idiot. Poor boy! He is devastated. I tell him not to worry. We have chaparoned many high school dances and by me being a sub I know the principal. I walk in with them and explain the situation to the assistant principal. Just then the boy comes over and offers $20 and his school id. What a cutie! Of course they let them in. Dance is success. Allison's first words when she walks in are "Boy can't dance" Fortunately, she has shut the door completely so he can't hear her. I break the news to her about majority of boys not being able to dance. Bottom line, she had a good time. I will be scanning some pictures of her and Chris with Princess, our dog, tomorrow and will try to post one here or may need some assistance.
My computer is acting funny so Steve is going to fool with it so I may not be on the rest of the night.
Will check in later.
We got James and his sister, (DD's cat, which she named Precious) in April. James was the runt and didn't even know how to eat - we fed him with an eye dropper. Well, the little stinker discovered food and was twice the size of Precious! He was a real little pistol - loved food and would jump up on the table and stove and snitch anything he could! We would spray him with water to try and correct him of the habit and the dork actually loved getting wet. He never fussed during baths, either. 
I don't know why anyone would complain, tho. Ahhh... tis that special, giving time of year. I can just feel the love in the air. 
