My leukemia's back.

[getaclue]

Al, have a safe trip. If you can't get anything for kid 5, wait until you get to Houston. Houston is a good sized place, so between Goodwill, and Salvation Army, and the thrift shops, you should be able to find something good, and affordable for son #5, and any of the others too.

sour, how's Jennifer today? I too hope they find answers, and solutions soon.

 

[ronott1]

Well... got the plane tickets ... crazy barf expensive.

Leaving tomorrow evening.

Got most of the animals taken care of...


kids are packing... turns out kid 5 DOESN'T HAVE A SINGLE PAIR OF PANTS! Turns out they all are torn up the wazoo, or 2 sizes too small. I thought he could just wear kid 4's pants, and kid 4 could find the next size up..... next size up does not exist. Well, maybe kid 4 has 2 pairs of pants, each kid can have 1.

Whatever.... either there will be something at salvation army when I run through town for animal feed tomorrow ... or he will look like a street child until I buy him something in houston.

Guess I should pack too.

Have a safe trip!

 

[Blooie]

We're back from Sioux Falls. Had a great week, some of it a little sad, but for the most part we really enjoyed it. Lori and I went formal shopping - I needed a new one for Ken's installation as Grand Master and since Lori is coming to the ceremonies she wanted to get a new dress too. We "took" Linda along. I hate shopping! I like to know what I want, get to the store, get what I need and get the heck out! Lori is the same way, and so was Linda. But Linda had a unique way of telling us NOT to buy something. We'd come of out the fitting room to model and she'd put her finger to her chin and say, "Mmmm hm hm." (Doesn't translate as well in type!) When we were done shopping we'd to go Gateway for a cold beer and chislic, then find a way to entertain ourselves for a while longer because we were having so much fun. Even after Linda got sick we managed to squeeze a shopping night in, even if it was just to go pick up Linda's meds or find a little something to bring home for Kendra and Evan. This was the first time it's ever been just Lori and me. Corny as this sounds, we both stuck a photo of Linda in our purses and she went with us. I tried on a formal that looked great on the hanger. Came out of the fitting room and Lori held up Linda's photo and said, "Mmmm hm hm." It went back on the rack. By the way, I did find a dress that all three of us loved, and so did Lori. Success! And the chislic was outstanding! We ordered 3 chislics and 3 beers. When we left one plate and one glass of beer was still sitting there, untouched. Wonder what the waitress thought...... It all sounds very corny, but it was also very "right" for us. I'll be wearing the formal that Linda picked out for me!

Al, I'm so sorry about your dad. Losing people we love is one part of getting older we could darn sure do without. Ma used to tell us that we knew our age groups by the events we attended. We start out attending high school graduations, bridal and baby showers, weddings, house-warmings. As we age there are less of those and more hospital visits and memorial services. I hate it that she was right.

Sour, you and your family has also stayed tight in my prayers. I appreciate that you keep us updated as you can.

Well, still haven't unpacked from getting home last night, and there's a washing machine with my name on it. <sigh>

 

[bruceha2000]

Welcome back Blooie How long til the next trip? Did the dog knock you down when you got home (or was she over at Tams?)?

I that you took Linda on the shopping trip with you. How "Blooie" Most of us would just think "Would <lost loved one> approve?" Not very creative.

 

[Blooie]

We're just a different kind of family! When little sister Bev was away serving in the Navy and we had a girl's night out, we used to go to the park at the end of the night. They had 5 swings on the big swing set. Linda, Lori, Ron's then-wife Nancy, and I would each take a swing, but we'd set the empty swing in motion too. That was our "missing man formation." (We went strip bowling one night too, but that's probably a story left untold. We went back to the swings after that - easier on our self esteems!)

Tam stayed here with Fiona. Bless her, she not only took good care of her and the house, but she also didn't slack on the training. So when we got home and approached the gate, Fiona politely wagged her tail and then went to her "wait spot" and laid down so she'd be out of the way while we hauled stuff in. This puppy is going to be huge - and powerful. So control is going to be critical. Had Tam backed off with the rules, we'd have regressed with all we've accomplished. She just had some little issues with Fiona.....like a size 10 mouth lined with teeth! That puppy is a chewer, and we came home to a stack of stuff Tam put aside after taking them away from her. Little things, like our entire set of low voltage yard lights. 8 solar lights. The pump from my fountain. Plants and planters. A big red funnel (I don't even want to KNOW where that came from). An entire roll of toilet paper. And her favorite place to lay down if Tam dozed off was in the bathtub, so the shower mat is also gone! Oh, and back when I had chickens I had seen a couple of mice in the kitchen so we put out traps. Caught two, emptied the traps, and never had another issue. So we tossed the traps. But we forgot one sticky trap, which was tucked back under the hutch. Guess Fiona's tail is long enough to get way back there when she lays down, because Tam came out of the shower and Fiona met her in the hallway, wagging her tail with a sticky trap stuck in it. She said getting that out was a wooly-booger, and she needed another shower after that experience!

 

[bruceha2000]

We went strip bowling one night too, but that's probably a story left untold.

Oh man!!!! I bet it is a good one.

Good girl Fiona (and Tam!) Good on the training and on cleaning up the house and yard of "loose" items.

 

[N F C]

@Blooie so nice to have you back! I loved the story about taking Linda shopping with you. I bet she was looking down laughing at all your fun. Congrats on finding the right dresses for the two of you.

That's great about Tam & Fiona carrying on so well. Sounds like you have Tam trained just right to keep up with her training Fiona!

 

[Alaskan]

I have a jillion things to do.... but I am frozen.....

ah, maybe I can find a crowbar somewhere and start moving.

 

[N F C]

I have a jillion things to do.... but I am frozen.....

ah, maybe I can find a crowbar somewhere and start moving.

Kids, get mama's prying board

(Hope that makes you smile Al)

 

[ronott1]

I have a jillion things to do.... but I am frozen.....

ah, maybe I can find a crowbar somewhere and start moving.

Get Busy!