Things I've learned...

As I sit here on the couch, it's late on Saturday night... it's been a busy day, my brain is fading... faded... I don't know. As I sit here I ponder going to bed, sweeping the floor, mopping the kitchen, finishing unpacking vacation from the honda, folding laundry, throwing in another load, making a list of the things I need to do... instead I sit here on the computer, waiting for the dog blankets to finish drying, with an adorable cat under the couch, popping out at the adorable dog or my feet every few minutes, purring companionably the whole time. This little dog is one happy critter, she's just had a dose of allergy meds and isn't scratching her eyes at this particular moment because she's thrilled to be at my feet and entertained by said cat. It's a good life. Dog #1 is outside, which is where she wanted to be... and now that you mention it, she's probably killing something since she hasn't come to ask to be let in for quite awhile now... uh oh.

Anyway, back to things I've learned (we'll deal with the dead whatever tomorrow)...

1. Don't try to say good bye to some of your closest friends (moving across the country) at a wedding... especially if you've been so damn positive about their move for months so as to deny that it's actually happening... so then you try to say a casual good bye, see you soon, no big deal... oh my gosh, it is a big deal and I haven't cried about it in private so what the heck, let's do it at a wedding in front of everyone you know... so then they leave and you try to pull it together with some other friends, brush it off, stop crying already, and seriously, don't ask a girl with red eyes if she's okay, chances are she isn't but asking if she is only starts the tears again. Anyway, yeah, don't try that at home folks.

2. It's kinda crazy to marry off your little brother to one of your favorite life teen kids... who morphed from that into friend into brother's fiance into sister in law. Crazy, beautiful, awesome, insane, wow... welcome to the family Lindsey... more on the wedding and maybe even some pictures later...

3. Family vacation is still the best thing since sliced bread... just like any family, we've got our quirks, crazies, traditions, etc. and yet, sometimes those are the greatest parts... the things we all get because it's just "us". Hard to explain. As always, my week up north with the extended Cousino clan was too short, I just can't get enough of that crowd. Oh, and another thing I've learned... don't start traditions kids will quickly grow out of... like me taking the "little" girls kayaking... first I'd take two trips, two girls on my lap each time. Then the last year or two, I'd take two girls on my lap and the other two would be in the other kayak together (keep in mind these are single kayaks, as in made for one person). As usual, my buddies found me for our traditional kayak ride... but with 3 of them now 10 years old and one 8 years old, two of those kids on my lap doesn't leave much room for paddling or sitting or kayaking really. Oh well, it's tradition. Not sure how next year will go... so yeah, be very careful about traditions.

4. There's no place like home... I always come back to this. Even though I couldve stood another week or five of vacation, there truly is no place like home. There's no bitches like your own, no cat quite as cute or affectionate as your own, no vegetable garden that needs weeding like your own... you get the point. I sure do love home.

Lists Gone Wild

If you look at my little book of lists, you can tell I’m on overload… I have about a dozen current lists happening, and then just when I think I can tear one off and be done, instead I need to write 2 new ones, and usually have to transfer several items from the previous list onto this one since I can’t seem to finish anything! Argh!

Yes. I’m a fanatical list maker. It soothes me. When life and activities are out of control, sometimes having a list feels like some amount of control. But what about when the lists get out of control? In the past year or so, I’ve improved my list making addiction by getting these cool little notebooks that fit in my purse. I usually get them out of the clearance bin at Michael’s for 50 cents and they often have cute designs, or initials that aren’t my own on them. Nonetheless, I love having my lists with me wherever I go, and having them all in one place (I used to have lists scattered throughout the house and never where I needed them). Once I use up one book, I toss it and start a fresh one.

My current lists (not the things on them, just the lists themselves):
-Friday schedule and things to remember to bring to the hall
-Wedding stuff I’m in charge of, must remember
-packing list for vacation
-Sunday schedule
-books I want to read
-things to do before Saturday (non-wedding related)
-grocery list (a new once since grocery shopping on Weds-- can we say scattered?)
-important measurements (this is one of my coolest lists and I keep transferring it to my new notebooks, it has window sizes, the dimensions of the pantry shelf I need to replace, dog crate measurements, etc.)
-July birthday cards to send (yeah, haven’t sent a single one yet… good job Reenie)
-August birthday cards to send
-people to call
-instructions to take care of my animals while I’m gone (for housemate)

On a positive note, yesterday I did finish my Wednesday list (thank God!), but I think it’s only because I knew I wouldn’t have much time, so I didn’t put much on it:
-morning Mass
-grocery shopping
-sweep dining room
-clean kitchen, including mop floor
-clean downstairs bath
-clean / sweep / vacuum living room
-feed animals (I have no idea why I put this on my list- I always feed them, list or not- but I did enjoy checking it off)
-bachelorette party (at my house, thus the reason for the cleaning)

For those of you who aren’t totally bored with the Killian vs Maggie saga…

On Monday night, when Owen was over, I’d let the gate down and all 3 critters crowded into the small bathroom. Suzie wedged herself firmly between Maggie and Killian and gave Maggie a fierce growl when she attempted to get to the cat. Wow. For a dog that usually has no backbone at all, I was pretty impressed that Suze would go against Maggie to protect her little friend. At that point, Maggie was acting much less carnivorous than usual… so I was hoping we were making progress. Killian hid behind the door, the toilet, me, Suzie, and Maggie just whined and tried to make contact. Again, seeming much more interested than predatory… it was almost too good to be true… and frankly, too coincidental to make me trust the old bitch.

Last night I arrived home from work to see the baby gate that protects Killian laying flat on the floor (apparently I didn’t close it right and it fell down). Gulp. Suzie greeted me at the door, excited and nervous – never a good sign. My first thought was that I wasn’t sure I was ready to go downstairs and find a kitty carcass. Gulp again. I moved the fallen gate and Killian ran up the stairs. Oh thank God she’s okay!! But Maggie… no sign of the bitch yet… I called her a couple times and she sauntered up the stairs. The whole thing was rather strange and it is still unclear what transpired between bitch and feline. I left the gate down while I was making dinner, and Maggie and Killian continued the game of hide and seek, beginning in the bathroom and eventually moving to the living room- Killian’s favorite spot for these games. There’s nothing quite so fun as a game of hide and seek under the couch and then popping out to surprise whichever bitch is looking for you.

Killian is wary of Maggie, but not terrified. If either Suzie or I were there, she’d come right out in front of Maggie, purring the whole time. Maggie’s not sure what to make of her, but there was no lunging, no biting, no eating of the cat, and mostly just a lot of whining and curious sniffing!! While I’m not willing to say Maggie is 100% cat safe yet, she’s actually making progress!! Maybe Operation Kitten will be more successful than I thought.

The highlights

Highlights of my weekend:

Friday night with my mom, good heart to heart talk, then some hanging out. Then my housemate's mom and little sister came in for the weekend, so I was up late talking with them.

Saturday at home, cleaning, some reorganizing, small amount of yard work (since it started raining) - good to be home.

Saturday night a graduation party and then dinner and movie with the Thomm's... and their little Sarah, "Reenie Reenie Reenie Reenie" wanting to show me all her stuff and play... very cute. and their dog Chance who is seriously infatuated with me (although it's probably only because I smell like Suzie).

Sunday - sleeping in!! Anyone (myself included) who says sleep is overrated is just wrong. I set my alarm for 7.30, planning to get up and go to the early Mass and meet some friends for brunch at their house in Grass Lake. Well, somehow i'd reset the time on my clock incorrectly (for pm instead of am) and so the alarm never went off... so I woke up after 10 am feeling refreshed and with a new outlook on life altogether. So although I missed brunch with my friends, it definitely felt like a gift to sleep in a few hours later. Mass at CTK, seeing my buddies there and handing off some garage sale train treasures (Anthony LOVES trains so when I found a couple books and a puzzle, I knew just who needed them, especially amidst potty training..." hahaha. that's a funny pun "Potty training" since he gets trains as prizes for progress.)

On to the Mishlers for some program folding, favor assembling, bow tying wedding prep. Good times. Good sarcastic and hysterically funny commentary from Mark S. Sassy Pants made an appearance and pointed out a blooper in the program to Bridezilla ... not a bad one, but it was funny... (All things wedding bring out my other personality, Sassy Pants. Not entirely sure why, but boy she does get a little out of control sometimes... although she's pretty darn funny if I do say so myself :)

And then an afternoon of softball, first watching the ETC Mynch team, then subbing part of a game for them, then playing two of my own games with my team (and winning both). And of course seeing my friends and all the munchkins at the game.

It was a full but good weekend! and now on to the week of weddingness... (as in Donal and Lindsey's wedding, which is this coming Saturday)

"Cheese"

Can you tell personalities from behind?

I think so... Let's see if you can figure it out.

These two friends are doing the same thing. One of these 3 year old boys is a super extrovert, loves people, loves to be the center of attention. The other is shy, hates the spotlight, and gets very uneasy in public and/or new situations. Can you tell which one is which from behind???