No1 else wants 2 play choo-choos

Yesterday, I got a package from Dunc! It had a Playstation game in it, a game called Gems, which is apparently only available in Barbados. It's like a knock-off of Bejeweled, but made for Playstation. I figured I'd pop it in our unit and give it a try, esp. since Dad was outside getting his new model-train layout set up, so it was gonna B one of those days.

Sure enuf, as soon as I was getting really in2 playing this new Gems game (warning: it has that same "crack" effect U get from Bejeweled!) Dad was there @ my shoulder, in his embarrassing choo-choo overalls and cap (bad enuf he plays w/toy trains--he also hasta play dress-up as a train engineer). He was all, "April! Wanna come outside an' C what I'm doing w/my trains?" (Note 2 Mike: Yes, Dad sed "an'.") I was all, "No thanx, Dad... I'm on a roll!" 'Course he didn't just take the hint and move on, instead he was totally "U've gotta C my new workshop! I've got it all organized!" And I sed, "OK ... MayB l8er."

Then Dad grabbed the fone, and I guess he figged that since Mike lives down the street from us now, he's available for "look at my choo-choo" calls, LOL. I heard Dad saying, "Hey, Mike! Wanna check out my new layout?" Then I heard him pausing and sounding sad as he sed, "Oh. OK. Sure. I'll call 2morrow......... 'Bye." Watch out, Mike. That means Dad will call U 2day! Have U prepared an xxcuse not 2 come look @ the choo-choos this time?

NEway, I heard Dad making a coupla other calls:"Steve! --It's John Patterson! What? Hey-- no problem! Go 4 it! Get a hole in 1 out there, buddy!" After his call 2 Steve Nichols, he even got out his address book 2 call sum guy Dave that he barely knows: "Dave! Wanna come over? No? Well... Say 'hi!' 2 the grandkids 4 me!"

L8er on, Mom cdn't find him when supper was ready, so she went out 2 the back deck, and she found him sitting on the steps looking mopey. When she asked him what was wrong, he was all, "::snort:: ....I've got nobody 2 play w/."

BTW, during the time when we were making our plans 2 move and actually moving, I got a lot of v. supportive e-mails from peeps who understood Y I was upset abt how my fam had been handling our move. Lots of U wrote "Yr dad had better make good on his promise 2 renov8 the basement in2 an apt 4 U--if that's what U want, NEway!" Well, as U can tell, that didn't happ. The 1st thing Dad did after we were unpacked and had the basic repairs dun was 2 start working on those idiot trains and his choo-choo workshop. Tho I guess I wasn't xxpecting diff. MayB hoping a lil bit, but not xxpecting. Oh, well, next month I go 2 the farm! And tune in 2morrow, prob 4 more on that telethon.

Edit: Oops, I didn't C the last few comments 2 yesterday's post until after I published this entry. Shannon, sum ppl tell me that keeping everything in while acting "nice" is not v. "nice" @ all, but passive-aggressive instead. But when I talk 2 ppl abt what bothers me, I will try 2 B nice abt it. Jeremy, I will try an' pretend U didn't imply that I tell things boringly. Honoria, U're welcome 4 my Ger-Chihuahua house call yesterday. I'm glad I had sum samples of worm meds from Laura's vet clinic. I won't repeat the thots Ger had rite B4 he passed out, cuz I know how much U value bein' a lady an' all.

Apes