Seems like its been a three day full moon.

Monday
Train parked across Como Ave.- The train was dead and there was no going around. An engineer helped me back the bus up. I was 10 minutes late for all the stops after that.
Puker on the bus from Wellstone- There was a bad smell right after picking up students at one of the stops. We dismissed it as another funky odor from the Somalian kids. After we got to the school a boy was complaining about someone puking on his backpack. Apparently a Somalian girl puked, but no one said anything to me (which was fine, because we were already late). Not much we could've done anyways. I drove the bus home and hosed it out and sprinkled baking soda all over. Smell lingered for another day, but not nearly as bad.
Released with not all the kids in PM- Loaded at Wellstone after school and all was fine, routine. The kids were a little crazy so as soon as I cleared downtown St. Paul I pulled over (into the parking lot of Sears right by the state capitol). I called into the base to let them know I was stopping. Got the kid moved to the front (I bet it was the same Somalian girl who puked) and called into base that we were moving again. They said OK, but that I had to go back to the school to pick up more students that were left behind. WHAT!? Its the teachers that clear us to depart. So we went back. It was only Dah and another girl, Wendy, that heard dispatch tell us to go back. So we decided to not tell anyone else and see how long it would take for them to figure out we were going back to the school. We were by 6th street before someone piped up!

Tuesday
worked on cars- fixed nothing! Jeremy is Leesha's bio-father and he is a bit car-savy. It could be a lot more awkward hanging around with my wife's ex-boyfriend/step-daughter's father, but its not too bad. He has changed his attitude about Cara and Leesha and we've found common ground to actually be friends. Jeremy had some nice things to say to me about who I am and who Cara ended up with. As for the car work. I think he messed up the spark-plug wires and tried to hide it from me and to make up for it he put 110% effort into the work that morning. We also topped off the transmission fluid, which he purchased for me. It wasn't bad hanging with him. The only bad part was it took up the time I usually spend chilling. So I lost some 'me' time.

Wednesday
actual full moon.

Dah is back

Rob called with promising news about an entry level position at Accenture. This is promising news.

Leesha stayed home and is at Jeremy's house today. She probably has the flu. Cara has been exposed.

Bugs, Buses and Bombergs

I believe there is some sort of spirit that influences one's day. It may manifest in small ways- like stop light timing. Today has a good spirit. Everything was falling into place as it should today.

Some drama on the elementary school route this afternoon. Dequan is a kid with some self esteem issues. Somehow he sets everyone against him. This kid ends up in more arguments and fights than anyone else. He is so hungry for attention that he saps my energy more than any other kid on any of my routes. Today, he decided to take Dah's seat on the bus- the seat directly behind my seat. When Dah got on the bus and she saw that her usual spot was taken she went back further and got real quiet. It was difficult to tell, but she seemed more upset than I think she should have been for just a seat.

About half way through the route we ran into trouble on University and Dale. There were maybe 8 police cars in that area with crime tape and all sorts of action. They were redirecting traffic so I altered the route and took the remaining kids home all out of order which caused all sorts of questions and complaints about going home from them. I enjoy deviating from the route sometimes.

Cara picked up my check today.
My CD player in the jeep is pretty much dead.

I was in a mood when I got home. Hadn't even stepped in the house when Leesha unloads on me all about some bug in the basement. After I unloaded all my layers and stuff, used the bathroom, kissed my wife I went into Leesha's room to tell her she might want to give Dah a call to make her feel better. Leesha's reply was something about that stupid bug. I asked if she even heard what I said. She said she did, but then continued about that bug in the basement. So I gave up trying to talk to her. She's obsessed with it. Shortly after that her dad came to pick her up.

Very soon after Leesha got picked up Cara and I went to the Bomberg's house for dinner and just to hang out. What can I say about this visit. We've been with them before and had a really good time. This time didn't measure up to those visits. Kristin threw a mini fit while playing Phase 10 when Matt tried to point out she was playing incorrectly. It was awkward. After the game, Cara and Kristin went through a HUGE collection of maternity clothing while Matt kept nodding his head back and forth in some strange attempt to act not sleepy while I channel surfed. We had been trying to get together with them for a long time and maybe this was too short notice or something, but it just felt forced to me. And we didn't leave till after midnight. It was nice to see Sadie (I'm horrible).

Tomorrow we see the Jankoviches.