AUGUST 8 - Open house at the high school! I get to go once again with my son to meet the teachers, get the syllabus for each class, and then break the bank buying supplies. My sons are David, a high school junior and Robert,a college sophmore.

AUGUST 7 - The hardest part of these fam trips is finding a friend or relative with time to join me. My friend Terry is going to go this time and she's never cruised before! I overnighted my check and application with all the required documentation and now we wait and wonder.

Something's wrong with our TV, no good cable. The repairman said it's the box outside. Another day without...

Robert bounced TEN checks @ $30ea. Most of the debits were for things like, a $1 bottle of water! Went to the bank and begged NSF fee reversal. They obliged, and I was kissing feet! Must train Robert to use checkbook register and make himself a budget. If that doesn't work, he will be hung by his toes with debit card just out of reach.

AUGUST 6 - Fam rates(travel agent familiarization) for cruises are a great perk for travel agents. I got a fax today and MUST GO! Seven nights for a great price: Ocho Rios Jamaica, Cozumel Mexico, Grand Cayman, and Key West Florida. I won't even quote this rate, you'll just hate me.

AUGUST 13 - Rats! Greedy travel agents (and I'm not?) jumped on the great deal, filled up the openings, so my request was denied. No cruise this time. Instead, I am going to visit my friend Emmanuelle in Tucson, flying there on 8/30-9/3. Checked out the weather, oh 100degrees, but it only feels like 97. Gee...

August 16 - Mark and I went out to eat and then to a late movie, Pirates of the Caribbean. It was a pretty entertaining movie. I still want to see Sea Bisquit and the new Kevin Costner movie (title?). Got home at 2am, wide awake, so I took a shower and washed the dog too.

August 17 - Slept like a rock! Didn't crawl out of bed till 11. Mark and I had dinner at Sonny's BBQ with neighbors TJ and Dar.