1693I've been subtly prodding Ned towards marriage and the businesses. Not sure which idea he seems to dislike the most. I know he was seeing that Lisa girl in high school, thought it was getting serious. But he hasn't mentioned her lately, he hasn't mentioned any girls now that I think about it. I just hope he settles down soon. My days are getting numbered, and I haven't accomplished nearly half of what I had hoped. Neddy will need to carry on for me. |
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| 1688Ned left for college. This house seems so large and too quiet without any of the kids here. Almost makes me wish that Ted was still around. Maybe then my empty nest wouldn't seem quite so empty. |
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| 1686Poor Calista, I really don't think she was ready to leave this life just yet. I know that originally I had moved her in to help with the house and kids, but over the years she became a good friend. |
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| 1685 | 
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Eleanor is off to college and Ned is getting very tall. I think he's taller than me now. It seems like just yesterday that Karrie was leaving for college and Ned was born. | ||
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| 1684As I turn old and gray, I can't help but reflect on where I'm at. The house looks great, almost finished and furnished. A few rooms that we have no need for yet are still unfinished, but no rush on those. My two businesses are going well, though I had hoped to have bought more by now. Karrie seems to be a well adjusted young woman, and Eleanor is leaving for college next year. Ned is doing well in school, and I plan to start passing down business strategy to him, as soon as he becomes a teen. I suppose that taking time out to have more children was a bit foolish and time consuming, but what good is building a family legacy with a male heir to carry it on? |
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1683After much begging, pleading, and prodding; I finally gave in and took the kids to the mountains. It's nice to relax ... I guess, though the kids complain that even while on vacation I was too regimented. We saw all the sites, and cut the vacation short after only 3 days. Eleanor threw a typical teen/emotional tantrum. She's lucky I held out for 3 days, I was ready to come home the first night! Camping really! What was I thinking? We stayed at a hotel after that but I hated paying those rates. UGH! |
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1680I was promoted to general today. It's kind of weird though. I think Karrie was more excited for me than I was. It may be her dream job, but it really isn't mine. I think I'll try the business field. |
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| 1679It won't be much longer before Eleanor will be leaving for college, Ned will begin high school, and Karrie will be married. I suddenly feel very old and it doesn't seem like I have been accomplishing much over the years. |
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| 1676The years seem to be passing by quickly. Seems like just yesterday that little Ned was born and now suddenly he is ready to start school. |
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1675I can't say that I'm surprised that Alice bailed out on me as soon as she found a guy to support her. Poor Laurence, he's a sweet guy, I don't think he has any idea what is about to hit him. I've been prepared for this though. Whenever my social was low, I would call our old nanny up to chat. I invited her over and asked her to move in to help with the children. It works out well for both of us. Officially she can retire from watching the children of ungrateful and weary parents. She swears she doesn't know why the nannies in this area have such a bad reputation and she hates the way that she is treated because of it. I have someone at home with the children that I can TRUST, and know the house will be clean when I get home instead of worse than it was when I left. Plus I don't even have to pay her. On a side note, all I can say is thank goddess that Ned's hair has finally grown out. |
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| 1673Ned has grown into a toddler and unfortunately the Padilla ears get easier to spot. I only hope that his hair grows out before the entire neighborhood notices. |
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| 1672Eleanor is ready to start school, thank goodness. Alice hasn't been much help with the kids. That girl is so flighty, I swear I'd be better off with a nanny. Turns out that Alice did hire one, not sure why. I was the first one home so got stuck paying her of course. I'm sure Alice had counted on that fact. But the nanny seemed like a sweet old lady. I wonder why all the nannies in this town have such a bad reputation. |
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| 1670 | 
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Comings and goings this year. Ned arrived in the early early morning. He's absolutely perfect ... I think. He's a little too tiny to tell yet, but I think he has my ears. I finally put my foot down. I love my children, I do. But my dream is not to be a baby factory. All this maternity leave isn't getting me anywhere, especially when I'm too tired or uncomfortable to work at the store. I told him I didn't want to see him anymore, again. I just hope I can stick to my guns this time. | Karrie sent me this picture from her dorm. She looks pretty mad that I didn't take her to college. I feel bad enough without her glaring at me from a photo. She's grown into a beautiful young woman though. Bet she's going to have the boys falling all over her. She's always been very popular. |
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| 1669 | 
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Two important birthdays this year. Eleanor is growing almost as fast as the weeds in the living room. I had really hoped to have the house more finished than this by now. | Alice has become a woman, and not quite prepared to deal with life on her own I think. Atleast that's what I assume since she had some kind of breakdown during the party. I asked her to stay here, even though she's old enough to move out on her own now. She's not much help, but I can use all I can get, especially with another baby on the way. |
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| 1667Little Eleanor was born just past midnight as I was fishing. Later that morning, I stopped at the beach on the way to my shop. No, I wasn't hoping to see him, I was just going to the well. Ok so maybe I was a little disappointed that he wasn't there. He showed up at the shop though. I was my usual brainless self around him. We set up a tent for a quickie, several actually whenever he could convince me to slip away from the register for a minute. I wish I could resist his charms, but my whole body just melts when he looks my way. He wants much more than I can give him. I've already tried the whole married/living together thing. That didn't turn out so well. |
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1665I don't know what the hell I was thinking. Oh, that's right, I was NOT thinking at all. I went to Brighton Beach to do some beach combing and throw a coin or two into the wishing well. That part worked out ok atleast, I got pelted with gold twice! Painful, but well worth it. I also ran into HIM there. I don't know what it is about him that makes me lose all brain function. One minute we were just lying in the hammock talking about old times. Next minute, the hammock was swinging just like old times. *slaps forehead* Here I'm worried about the influence Alice is on Karrie and I go and do something stupid like this! But as long as I was throwing caution to the wind, I took my newly found gold coins and what little savings we have, and bought a business! Not one of the ones in town, those cost too much, but a tiny one in Bluewater. Sometimes you have to start small to reach that dream. |
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| 1662Karrie had a wonderful party. She seemed to get much pleasure out of it. Maybe too much so, as that seems to be all that girl is interested in now. I don't think Alice is the best influence for her either. I hear them giggling at all hours of the night about boys. Hopefully soon they will have their own rooms and life won't seem like one big slumber party for them. I did atleast move the tent into the living room so that it would be warmer for them. Winter is definately here. |
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| 1659And ... sacrifice is also key to acheiving a goal. Alice doesn't understand that. She whines about being too embarassed to invite her boyfriends over. I say GOOD! She's much too young to worry about such things. Maybe if she'd spent more time studying and less time making out with the paperboy she wouldn't have failed her entrance exams for college. Does she think that I enjoyed living on the lawn without two nickels to rub together? I sent her whiny butt to the beach to comb for shells that we could sell. She didn't come back with much. I bet she was busy ogling the guys sunbathing. |
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| 1655Ok, so MAYBE I spent too much on the lot. Oh but it's perfect. We're right on the point, you can see the bay on two sides, such a beautiful view. Granted, we don't have an actual roof over our heads, and we need to fish if we plan to eat. But I can just picture our house here, it will be my own little slice of heaven on earth. Years from now, generations in time, my descendants will see what you can do with a dream and a little hard work. And persistence ... persistance helps too. |
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