When Life Hands You a Box of Craziness: Part Two

I am sitting here at midnight, racking my brain for my next hub. A mouse is staring at me, with its beady black eyes, from between the molding of the floor board and the floor. It looks as if it wants to contemplate how much danger I will be, when it shoots across my hardwood floors to the safety of the kitchen. The yucky thing is the least of my worries...for now anyway. At least it isn't sitting there eating a roach while it stares at me. (How grateful I am that I don't have roaches! I have seen a mouse doing that before.)

I am fuming with frustration. Cold weather is preventing us from working. My time spent on HubPages is filled with interruptions from household guests, to telemarketers trying to sell me their latest deals. Even my dog wants to join in the action by making demands like a two year old.

Bella, my dog, doesn't like to be dirty, but enjoyed a good roll in a dead carcass at my sister's. Since she managed to entangle herself with stickers while she was at it, I had to shave her bald before bathing her. Now she lies at the end of my couch staring at me with a pout on her face. I scold her for rolling in the carcass and tell her I am trading her in for a cat, if she doesn't catch this mouse soon. She tilts her head at me with a “whatever mom” look, and flops her head back on her paws, to continue pouting.

I am feeling the makings of a migraine working it way up the back of my head to rest behind my left eye. I am hoping it is just from a pinched nerve, and not the stress I seem to be putting myself under. At least I have my sense of humor...I think...

My child had put me in a predicament earlier this week, making me want to run off to hide, while licking my wounds. Oh how, I would like to have beat her, but alas, due to new laws, parents aren't allowed to discipline their children like the “good ol' days”. Instead, I have to think up a new punishment, in hopes that she will learn a well deserved lesson. (“Good luck with that one.” I tell myself.) To the hubbers that supported me, I thank you very much!

It was a mistake that many teens make, and don't think twice about the consequences that come after ward. This was one such mistake. The thing is...I had to wonder why it took so long to be flagged. I am anal about my stuff showing up as duplicate content, so I have spent months trying to find out whether or not my stuff had been stolen, or by some chance flagged as duplicate. Then a couple of days ago it happened. A poem I had posted for my daughter was flagged as duplicate. In her defense I went in search of the source. What I found set me back a bit. The website claimed this poem had been posted four years before I posted my daughter's poem (which has been up for a year and a half.) I had to confront my rebellious teen. With a shrug of her shoulders, she claimed it was her's but there was a chance it could have been his. I am now furious. This is my reputation on the line. This child is a brilliant writer, but at the same time, very lazy. Rage pulsed threw my veins as I stuttered to control myself. At that moment, I was too embarrassed to claim this person before me, as part of my spawn. Here I had gone to the forums in her defense to warn others of a possible theft. Her grandmother even went to bat for her, and all she could say was, “Just delete it, it will take care of the problem.”

My mother reminds me that I needed to lift it to the Lord in prayer. This reminded me of a hub I had read earlier called “Praise The Lord in Every Situation” by hubber AnnRandolph

So, here I am, spending days trying to figure out a way to post an apology to my fellow hubbers and fans without tearing my daughter apart. I am truly sorry for my daughter's actions and that I had involved so many in a false claim. I still have my doubts about the situation, but without my daughter being upfront with me, I feel I am backed into a corner to wonder who wrote the poem, without any answers. Instead, I did the best thing there was to do. I took it down, along with other posts she had made, and had the forum closed so that the situation didn't get blown out of proportion. It is a sad day when someone is too lazy to be creative on their own and resorts to stealing another's hard work. I can't count how many times I have tried to pound that lesson into my children. I am proud of her for stepping up and posting an apology without being strangled to do so, but it will be a long time before trust can be built up again. Betrayal from a child cuts deep. Now, it is time to lick my wounds.

I am trying to focus on something positive to break up my negative world. I miss my quiet time. My time to fulfill my addiction to HubPages, to work on my schedule, to write when the mood hits, or to rip gas without worrying about who is around me.

Laughter is the best medicine, so I place a phone call to my mother. She tells me of a few humorous hubs she had read earlier. We pass ideas around for our next hub. The phone rings. It is my sisters wanting to do a four way phone call. As soon as the calls are complete, the chatter begins. I began to laugh as Pie tells me about an idea to add to my Redneck cleaning hub. It is disgusting, but effective...

Sucking up turds with a shop vac.

“Leave it to Pie to come up with that one.” I think to myself, until Bean pops up.

“I have had to do that before. It really does work!”

I can picture tears in my mother's eyes as she is laughing on the other end of the phone. My black cloud begins to lift a bit, as a story begins to form...

I just wanted to let my fans know that, do to some family issues that need to be taken care of, I am going to be taking a leave of absence from HubPages. I don't know for how long, but hopefully, I will be back before I am missed too much. I will try to do my best to answer any comments as I can. I could use some prayers from those that pray. Thank you so much to my readers, family, friends, and fans. You have been supportive and uplifting in ways that I can't describe. I appreciate every friend I have made here; every comment, follower, prayer, and helpful advice.

~Blessings and Hub Hugs~

If you can't get enough of my crazy life, here are a few more hubs to be read...

Ramblings of an Idiot

When Life Hands You a Box of Craziness: Part One

No Falling or Dying on My Shift

Best Projectiles to Throw at Your Spouse. I Win!

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