Playing Catch Up

I'm not sure exactly how it happened, but apparently I have a small bit of time to myself - kinda. The boy is (temporarily) engrossed in a Pokemon movie, and the cast repair took lees time than expected, so here I am. I am going to try to catch up on all the stuff going on in our world....

KARATE

I am now the parent of an official white-with-yellow-stripe-belt-holder. That's right, my boy has moved up a level, broken arm and all! And he's thrilled. Almost as thrilled as Daddy is proud! Hunny took his original belt, with all the stripes, and put it up. He wants to put it in a shadowbox for display. Nope, no pride there *grin*. They did a whole ceremony thingie at the dojo, presenting certificates & belts. Well, that was the plan. But the belts hadn't arrived from the shipper, so they presented the certificates, and gave out the belts when they came in. Which is fine, really. I think the ceremony & honoring the kids in front of God & everyone, letting them know what a good job they're doing, is way more important than a piece of fabric.
Here are a few pics:

BROKEN ARM

We went to the doctor's two weeks ago, but despite waiting for 2 1/2 HOURS (I will say, that was an anomaly though), we didn't get the new cast my boy so desperately wanted. Yesterday was The Day. We have a new cast,

But as I said in last night's short post, it was too long.

My boy was very happy to have his elbow back. Not so much for the elbow itself, but more for the ability to get to all the itches, since there is no longer a bend to try to navigate! We had a few "hairy" moments, during cast application & forming, but it seems like it wasn't nearly as bad as the first one. He actually cried for a minute or two the first time. This time he just kinda grimaced...

When we left the doctor's office yesterday he was high spirits. Well, he's always in high spirits, but more so than average. But then it started hurting in the bend of the elbow. Stacey stuck some gauze in it, to try to cushion it a bit, but you know that boy of mine. No chance it would stay there unmolested! He had to take it out & re do it, if he moved (which he does pretty much constantly...) it came out and had to be put back. And of course it was a bit of a tight fit, so there was pinching. And he had Karate yesterday.
Needless to say, by the time Mom got home, he wasn't a real happy camper. But I will say this for him, while he is fully capable of being whiney, and gets that way on occasion, it's rarely about anything serious. He never really bitched about it being raw, just said it hurt, then tried to move it as little as possible.

I called the doctor's office this morning, and they had me bring him in so they could cut it down, and it seems (so far) that all is now well. He was playing "avoid the plants" as we left. Yes, my child can turn even this:

into an appropriate (in his mind) place to play. As he was very careful not to step on any plants, I let him. The game was kinda like an obstacle course, from what I could make out - left side of one, right side next, left side next, and so forth & so on.

Being the boy that he is, when I wanted to take pics of the rubbed area, he

• a. wouldn't hold still for 2 SECONDS, so they are a bit blurry. and
• b. insisted I take pics of his Pokemon tattoos (no surprise he wants to show off tattoos, I have over 40, and Dad is coming up on 10 or 15...

I figured I'd go ahead and put 'em up.

IN SUMMARY

Life isn't great, the price of gas, and subsequently everything else, is starting to put a hurt on us. It does help greatly that the Wal-mart across the street opened today (WOOOOHOOOOO) so I no longer have to drive 10-15 miles to shop, or pay an extra $50 on a purchase of $150. Charter One is still insisting that they have every right to do whatever they want with my money, regardless of the facts of the matter, so I will pursue it via the Office of The Comptroller of The Currency. Oh yeah, and tell everyone I can possibly conceive of a reason to brooch the subject with. I talk to A LOT of people every day...
The new Walmart has a bank in it, so I will be going there to open a new account & change over our direct deposits, providing they can assure me that their policy is different than Charter One's policy of theft.
One a positive note, I was graced with this view out my car window coming home the other night.

I had to stop & take a pic - isn't it beautiful..?

Ok, probably oughta get my butt headed towards works, the natives (translate to the (usually) sweet (monster) boy) are getting restless. I knew it was too good to last.....

See ya laterzzzz!!!!