Odd Weekend

I am spending an odd weekend. I think I'm alone for an entire weekend. I can do what I want. I can eat what I want. I can watch what I want on TV. I can read a book on the couch and not move for an entire weekend.

Years ago (all my life actually) I have wanted time alone. That was a real source of contention between my and my husband back in the 70's. I wanted him to go home so I could have some alone time and he wouldn't go. Thinking back, I don't think he had anywhere to go but that would be the subject of another blog post.

Once, my mother-in-law took my kids to Florida with her and I was alone. It took me about a week to realize that I didn't have to race home after work and that I could actually run down the road for an ice cream cone if I so desired to. Then the kids were back home and my free time was over.

My husband is in New Jersey in his truck. Danielle is working/house-sitting with her boyfriend. Stef pops in and out but I normally don't see her that often. Last week was an exception as her cable was shut off and she showed up at home three days in a row. Now the cable is back on and I don't expect her anytime soon.

I bought a harness for the kitten to take her outside as the two cats are insane about the outdoors and they slip outside every chance they get even as I am screaming, "You are not going out, absolutely not, No No" and they are both outside running around the driveway and I am running around after them. I plan to hook both of their harnesses to the leash and just let them enjoy the weather.

I went to Meijer and bought food for these people that probably aren't coming home this weekend. I bought a new hanging flowering basket on sale. I went to the library for myself. I added a follower to my Twitter account even though I think Twitter is stupid and I haven't tweeted in a coon's age.

I actually ate lunch. Never do that on a Saturday as I have always been too busy running errands or something. My husband asked my daughters once, "When are you two going to leave Mom alone"? I was always running them somewhere or picking them up and taking friends home after.

I am thinking that I will have a "Damages" marathon tonight and tomorrow. I have the DVD from the library. I can have pizza tonight and I won't have to hear, "I don't feel like pizza". Maybe I will skip dinner and just have dessert. Who's going to tell on me?

Actually I have a feeling that someone came home while I was sleeping last night. When I went to bed the coach lights were off and today when I got up the lights were on. That's the thing about adult children. You never know when they are going to pop in. They have keys and cars and they don't need a ride home.

Way Too Many Random Thoughts

The other night I laid awake thinking about my husband's back problems and came to a decision. In the morning I told him that I think he should go ahead with the new tests, see the back surgeon and agree to go ahead with the surgery. After the surgery, file for disability and quit truck driving for good.

As usual when I told him my thoughts, he said that he was going to wait until December as planned and use his vacation time and just put up with all his problems until then. A few hours later, he totally changed his mind and said OK to do the surgery this summer. This reversal is so typical of him.

On another note, I received the nicest email from an old friend from grade school. We had lost contact with each other when I lost her address. My fault. My brother called her cousin and got the new address for me a few months ago. I lost that. My fault again. Then somehow accidently she found my email address buried in a forwarded group email and wrote to me. This time I will not lose the address. I will not lose the address. And my old friend actually read my blog. And she liked it. Maybe it was just the wine she drank while she read all my drivel.....

Stefanie still owes me money for her last phone bill and for her brake job on the vehicle that she didn't want any input from me and bought anyway......She stopped in last night while we weren't home and ate some cookies and picked up her cat.

Haven't seen Danielle lately. I am sure she's fine. She will surface soon....

The cats are happy and trying to escape outside every chance they get. Jack is trying to teach Libby (the kitten) how to remove the screen in my front door to escape. Bad cabin fever affects cats too.

The weather is beautiful. I have cabin fever too. And I have discovered that since I am a member of a gym I don't walk outside anymore for exercise. Funny because I always said gyms were stupid. "All you need to exercise is a pair of tennis shoes".

I have noticed that many bloggers have slowed down on writing and commenting. I think they may have cabin fever too.

Not happy about Shawn Johnson winning "Dancing with the Stars". I guess the deal is if you win a gold medal in the Olympics you can win the mirror ball. Wonder how Michael Phelps would do?????

Most Embarrassing Elementary School Moment

Have you ever just felt like telling an embarrassing story? For no good reason? Well here goes.... I spent 6 years of my life at Webster Elementary School. When I was in 3rd grade we were obsessed with the game of Hopscotch. We played it before school, at recess, at lunch. That was back when children actually played outside. Before computers, before virtual reality, before all that stuff we really played on the playground and had fun.

We loved Hopscotch. I had my lucky stone. And I was good. Well, one day we were playing and a boy (lets call him T)was kinda hanging out with us and I think he was playing too. One of my friends? (Carol) pushed me like kids do and she pushed me quite hard. Hard enough to push me into the boy (T) and knock him down on his side onto the playground. His head went down onto the pavement like he was going to take a nap only instead of taking the nap I lost my balance completely and SAT ON HIS HEAD!!!!!! Carol couldn't do that again if she tried. She laughed. Everyone else around us laughed. T didn't laugh. I didn't laugh. Needless to say, T never played with us again. I don't think I ever spoke to him again even though we went to school together all through high school.

Webster School has been long since torn down. Most of the people living in Plymouth, Indiana have a brick from the school. There is a new Webster Elementary School in a different location now. I wonder if they play Hopscotch?

My Memories of Mother's Day

I have always disliked Mother's Day. I suppose I was excited back in grade school when I made something special for my mother and grandmother. I saved a card I made for Grandma Ball that stated she was the "Greatest Grandmoth of All". Funny I didn't notice the typo then but now it is glaring.....

I do remember bringing a little Petunia home from church for my mother. I was pretty proud of that little drooping flower. Hope it made her smile.

Actually I dreaded Mother's Day long before my mother passed away. It seemed to happen every year that some well-meaning lady at our church would call my mother and let her know that she had invited me to the Mother Daughter Banquet and that I had told her that I didn't want to go. It made me sad to go with someone else's mother. I wanted my mother to be able to take me places. I didn't want to go with any other woman no matter how well-intentioned she might be. And then of course, my mom would apologize for me and accept the invitation and then tell me what time my "new mom" would be picking me up. Truthfully I don't think my mother realized how sad it made me. I think she was thinking like an adult and didn't want to hurt any one's feelings. Sometimes it would be a Sunday School teacher that had never married and had no children. Sometimes it would be a woman that had no daughters only sons. It didn't matter to me. I didn't want to go.

But I did go. And I was polite. And I was sad.

Libby's Mirror Image

libbys mirror image.jpg
Originally uploaded by jntrowley

Ok just one more before I move on. Danielle took this in her bedroom. Libby was confused by the mirror and you can see Jack in the background. He isn't quite so helpful or affectionate towards us anymore because he has Libby. I guess that just means that Jack prefers the company of a cat as opposed to our company. I guess that's ok as he is a cat.