More punishment

It sure didn't take Maggie long... without the bathroom garbage to eat and no more prescription drugs within reach...

Thursday night, Geno, Lucy and Jane came for the evening. Just before leaving they changed into PJs and loaded their clothes into the same bag and then forgot the bag on the way out the door. Oops. Thinking I'd just leave it there in the hall lest their mother decide to pick it up while I wasn't home, I unwittingly provided the next phase of the punishment: Eating children's toothbrushes and an unopened box of mac and cheese.

My roommate Leslie was the one to find the growling Maggie, standing over the empty mac and cheese box (no sign of noodles or any trace of a cheese packet) and some chewed up toothbrushes. Apparently Maggie doesn't like the toothpaste though, because after a good chomp, she decided to leave the rest. We wouldn't want to destroy things AND have good breath.

And the punishment goes on...

Homecoming

No homecoming is complete without Maggie punishing me for being gone. Mind you, she barely notices that I was gone. Her BFF Leslie was around and taking care of her all week, but my homecoming did inspire a stand up hug when I first arrived (it usually takes me being gone for at least 3 days to merit a Maggie hug). Suzie was close to wetting herself with excitement but we managed to make it outside just in time. She is beside herself happy to see me and have me home. She’s shadowing my every move and licking me every chance she gets (lovely).

I should mention that the housemates much prefer dealing with Maggie, especially in my absence. Suzie is the world’s neediest critter and as much as she loves everyone, she is most certainly MY dog and she is a mess when I am gone. Maggie, on the other hand, is her usual stand-off-ish, only-wants-a-moment-of-your-time bitch. Easy. 

Anyway, we got through my first evening home without a hitch. I tasked around the house a bit, fell asleep on the couch in spite of the licking, and I was lulled into a false sense of security.  The next morning I came downstairs to find this:

That’s right, Maggie stole Leslie’s prescription drugs out of her purse, chewed the bottle to pieces, and left them on the front rug for me to find – Thanks Mag, I get it, you don’t appreciate me leaving.

That very evening, in an attempt to curb Maggie’s other current punishment trends, I stopped at Target and bought a trash can with a secure lid for the downstairs bathroom. I decided it simply wasn’t worth fighting that fight, or finding more half eaten trash. So. Not. Worth. It.

And now, for exactly $13, I have peace of mind that Maggie is done with the disgusting bathroom trash eating disgusting habit and will now have to spend her energy thinking up new and unpleasant punishments for me… Welcome home Reenie.

Food for the soul

Warning:  This post is abnormally long and contains a lot of aunt mush. and lots of pictures. and more aunt mush. don’t say you weren’t warned.  

I got to spend Thanksgiving week with my sister and her family in Richland, WA. I flew out late Monday night, and, because my life is such an adventure, I decided to meet up with my friend Angelique during my layover in Minneapolis. So she paid for me to catch a cab to another friend, Mark’s birthday party where I got to visit with Mark and Betsy and their cute munchkins and Angelique for an hour before heading back to the airport. So awesome. Of course we ran into traffic at the airport at 9 pm so I almost missed my next flight, running through the airport to the furthest possible gate and boarding just before they closed the doors. Whew.

I arrived at the Veens to find the kids had decorated for me. Awww.

We did some photos … seriously, are they cute or what?

I got the family to myself Tuesday and Wednesday before the rest of the company arrived for the weekend. Kathleen and I did a lot of cooking and baking to prep for a house full for the rest of the weekend. Not to mention reading stories, playing in the leaves (68 degrees and sunny!!), and snuggling the new girlie. Eeeeee. She is smiling and just starting to coo. Did I mention how darling she is???

Lisa and Glen and their four girlies arrived early on Thursday morning coming all the way from Montana. So much fun!! And Mark & Lisa’s parents, Fred and Anne arrived around noon on Thursday. Thursday was a busy day (8 kids, ages 7 and under always makes for a busy day). So much fun. We all made it to Mass in the morning and then on for a day of kid fun, diaper changing, nap rotating, food prep, and eating. When Kathleen and I were planning the menu for everything, I did note we had more dishes planned for Thanksgiving than people at the table. It was quite a spread!! Lisa brought her largest turkey raised in their yard. Everything was delicious and the company was spectacular.  So great to spend time with family and extended family. 

Saturday was Mary Grace’s baptism. Another great addition to God’s family!! Mark’s sister Paula and her family came down for the baptism and party – it was great to visit with them and fun for all the cousins to be together. 

 

(Cool fact: Mary Grace wore the same dress my mom made and Kathleen, Fiona, and I were all baptized in. Aawww)

Can you tell that Grandpa Fred is a favorite? (Okay I totally love him too).

It was a weekend of a whole lot of cute…

Lisa and Glen and their family headed back to Montana and Paula and Eric and their family headed back to northern Washington on Saturday night.  Fred and Anne stayed for brunch and a card game Sunday and headed out. So Sunday afternoon and Monday were back to just the little family.

I flew out at the buttcrack of dawn on Tuesday. It was a long uncomfortable flight back since I’d managed to throw my back out again at some point over the weekend, but great to finally arrive home, in spite of the 36 degrees and rain. Oh Michigan. I miss my WA family already, but it’s still great to be home.

I am so thankful I could go meet Mary Grace and spend time with my sister and her darling family. I’m thankful I got to see Lisa and her family too. And it was delightful to be away from the office for a few days. I am so blessed!!

So there you have it – Thanksgiving adventures and Auntie mush.  Don’t say you weren’t warned.

Sometimes it's the little things

Today's phone call of the day...

Me: "xx Insulation, this is Maureen"

Customer: "Hi I'm calling about getting a quote for some spray foam"

Me: "Can you tell me a little bit about your project?"

Customer: "Yeah, I'm looking to spray foam a chevy express van... I'm going to be living in it, well I do live in it..."

Me: "Hang on, let me transfer you to Craig" (I quickly hit the hold button as I burst into tears I'm laughing so hard) I turn the the guys, tears streaming down my face and barely able to choke out what the man wants. Craig cannot believe I am transferring him the call, but it quickly becomes clear I am in no shape to talk to the man. Craig takes the call and leaves the room (sadness). He reported back that he asked no questions but gave him a square foot price for spray foaming his van.

Brian: "That guy needs a froth pack (portable spray foam kit) and a life coach!"

The long and short of it is that 20 minutes later the guy called back. We are apparently the only insulation in town willing to even discuss spray foaming the inside of a van (who knew?). He'd like to get it done before Tuesday when he will be leaving the country for grad school. He wants the van foamed and ready to go for when he returns in January to live in it. Awesome! I'm hoping to get pictures...

Good phonetics

Try this one:

In case you need some help it says: "Jane is urdsd (artist)" (I was glad she read it out loud for me so I got it.)

And there she is:

Curly Jane, the artist. Love this girl!

More reality (it's going to get old folks)

The Dream: Catch up on all the outdoor work, clean the house top to bottom, store all my summer clothes, purge my shoes, change the sheets, sew a new curtain for the bathroom, add shelves to the front closet, and clean the garage.

The Reality: I spent most of Saturday outside and made decent progress for one person:
- I pulled out the dead vegetable garden foliage, pulled up and stored the soaker hoses, coiled and put away the fencing, cages, etc

- trimmed (read: hacked nearly to the ground) the butterfly bush that was obscuring the dining room window
- pruned the out of control climbing rose (including extricating it from where it had grown into the siding)
- planted a potted mum
- pulled out dead foliage from front garden
- rearranged (ish) the shed to fit all the garden stuff, while noting how badly I need to put together the wood rack and get the last of the wood out of the shed so I can get all the garden stuff and the patio furniture in there (maybe next weekend)
- washed the inside and outside of the bay window
- repotted a few houseplants
- cooked a couple pie pumpkin and froze the pumpkin for future baking

- washed the filthy ceiling fan in the kitchen
- kicked the ball for the dogs
- and then at the end of the day, I showered, got dressed, and went out for an evening with friends. Oooh look at me with a social life :)

So... in the end, I did not accomplish everything I wanted to (because that is completely unrealistic) BUT I did use my Saturday well and got a lot done.

This is Saturday, brought to you by Reality and the letter M.