Revenge of the Teenagers

10:45 PM local:  My cell phone goes off.

I check the message.

"A number on your phone plan just purchased a subscription."

I wake up. I do a bed check.  All kiddies appear snug in their beds.  Hmmmm!

I log on.  I criss-cross the website of my cell phone provider.  It will tell me everything I want to know about last month's usage.  It tells me nothing about the current month.  It looks like I have everything blocked out and usage controlled.  What could they have bought?

Kids

My kids studied me for years.  They know what does not bother me.  They know what does bother me.

They know that electronic toys are one of my pet peeves.  Stories like this drive me nuts because of the situational awareness that people gave away.  It bothers me even more when it shows up on my bill.  They really do not want to believe that I have less money now that I am retired.

In fact, my kids are a little bit baffled by the whole concept of "pay for".  Belladonna was in 5th grade when the current administration came into office.  Kubota was in 2nd grade.  They have seen more and more things become "free".  More and more things have become an expectation, an entitlement. 

The demographics and economic data for Eaton Rapids has been jiggered enough so that everybody qualifies for free breakfast and maybe even hot lunch.  It costs less to give it to everybody than to pay adults to keep track of who does and does not qualify.  Neighboring school districts have "free" Ipads that they "give" to the kids.

I cannot afford to take my kids to McD's every day for a breakfast that is the equivalent of what they can get a school. 

I cannot afford to get my kid an Ipad.  My kids wonder what is wrong with me.

Revenge

Revenge is a dish best enjoyed cold, or so we are told.

Both kids who are still at home are not real happy that I am cooking more.  I cook adult food.

Last night was a simple bowl of egg noodles with sauteed garlic and two choices of cheese to sprinkle over the top.  They were cool with that.  Mrs ERJ added a vegetable and then she was happy.

Today the leftovers morphed into this:

Noodles Florentine

"Dad, you ruined them.  They turned GREEN!"

Copy of Full Catastrophy Living and DBT diary card in background are intentional.

Breathe.

Well.  I am awake now.  Might as well have a bite to eat, take a picture and post to my blog.

Does anybody have a good recipe for Liver and Onions?

Post Script:  Mrs ERJ is pretty happy about being able to eat adult food.