Three Little Kittens...Wait, Make That Eight

I LIKE mittens. I have several pairs of them. Some have flaps so that I can use my fingers; some are fur-lined, and ALL keep my hands much warmer than gloves.

I LOVE these mittens. My mother is just so creative. She's been coming up with all kinds of adorable mitten ornaments, which she's selling on etsy.com. There are a lot of closeup pictures on that site so you can see the wonderful details.

She uses vintage ribbon and old buttons and findings; and even though she started out trying to plan a mitten's layout and design, she found that each took on a life of its own and came together very differently from what she first had in mind.

Don't you just want to go frolic in some snow?

Wawawhat?

I was planning to write about that pesky little storm that whipped through our area last week, but it'll have to wait a bit while I deal with something MUCH more important (snack-related issues are right up there with fire safety and national security on my list of important things).

Raise your hands if you know what a Wawa is (from my last post). Well then, for the rest of you...

Here's how I found out what it was. We were with friends a few years ago, on our way to a production of "The Miracle Worker" for Flutterbug's birthday. We passed a billboard that looked kind of like this:



"What on earth is a WAWA?" I asked.

Our friends told us it was a glorified gas station with a deli and good food (not the first time I've been told that a gas station has good food - ewww).

I didn't give it another thought until the little girl playing Helen Keller arrived at the well for the famous scene of her first spoken word.

And then she said it.

I have no IDEA why that word coming out of that poor little actress's mouth struck my funny bone so hard, but when you're in the fourth row in a tiny little auditorium, during the pivotal scene of a well-loved play, it's not the best time to let out a snort and start shaking with stifled laughter.

I don't think we actually patronized a Wawa store until quite some time later, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that the food was good. They have made-to-order subs and hot food and all kinds of yummy snacks.

They have nifty touch screens for placing orders, so you can take your time and choose your options, as specifically as "Add mayo" or "Add a little bit of mayo."

In case you're wondering (Dad) why the strange name, check out their website - I need to go find a snack.

And maybe a drink of water.

So Much to Tell, So Little Motivation to Type

Yeah, yeah, it's been awhile. I feel sorta bad about that. And to make it up to you, I shall overrun you with pictures galore from the last month or so.

It's that, or having to write a bunch of stuff, which may have played a role in my recent laziness.

These pictures are in no particular order. I couldn't get much lazier than I am right now.

Last of the summer vegetables from the teeny-weeny back yard:

Lettuce, spinach, chives and beet plants collected from my favorite garden center while out on a bike ride. I can't pass that place without stopping.

Flutterbug is another year older. Again.

My mom's cat enjoying the view of the bird restaurant.

Mike's been busy doing that thing he does.

Flutterbug has learned how to change a tire.

Met one of her favorite authors, a local woman who writes humorous mysteries set in the Hampton Roads area: Christy Barritt.


AND, when we were waiting last week for a reporter to arrive to interview us for an article on Victory Home, I looked out the window of Mike's office to see a woman walk by, and I turned and said, "WHO are we meeting?"

"Christy Barritt," responded our grant-writer who had set up the interview. Turns out she writes for the paper, too, and we got to spend a little more time getting to know each other. She already knows Flutterbug pretty well, thanks to the glories of Facebook.

Now, back to short, lazy comments...

Uncle Bob feeling a little back-woodsy while shopping at the Mast General Store in SC:


Auntie rocking baby grand-nephew (not to be mistaken for baby grand pi...oh brother, I need to hit the hay).

Grandma and Flutterbug.


Victory Home Thrift Store is going strong, helped by a couple of great guys who run the daily operation:

Ummm...I'm referring to the guy in blue, and one who's not in the picture, lest you be confused.

Our heading-toward-ninety-years-old volunteer busy at work:

She doesn't like having her picture taken. If she'd known I had done this, she'd have grabbed my forearm in a death grip (I kid you not) and reminded me.

My favorite Wawa treat:

A hint of this year's Christmas gifts:

A beautiful day in the Virginia mountains.

Squint and put your finger in your ear to see the hidden object in this one:

THIS was the most awesome thing we saw in the mountains:

Never go into a garden maze with a full bladder.

There you have it - 24,000 words and hardly a thing to read!

Now that you're all caught up (and Dad has hopefully figured out what Wawa is) I'll move on to the adventure of this weekend's nor'easter, and maybe write a bit about the Cat Treat Mistake of '09, and perhaps post a pic of Buddy in his new v-neck sweater (just as soon as I wash the tinkle off it - we forgot to train him how to remove it before going outside).

Such momentous and profound things shared on this blog - aren't you glad I'm back?

Snug As a Cat On a Rug

Those of you who've been with me for over a year may remember this glorious old furnace that we'd hoped to install:

We didn't end up using it, if you remember.

We were blessed with a woodstove this year, and were just giddy with thankfulness when our houseguest's brother told her he felt compelled to install it for us! Her mom bought the necessary parts and they headed down from Richmond on Saturday, with Houseguest's sister, and a helper for her brother.

Evidently, Mother came along to supervise the job.

She did a good job (and so did her son and his helper). We're toasty warm, and that woodstove smell is causing us to listen to Christmas music and haul out the glitter and ribbon and Christmas card list.

Kiki showed up about five seconds after we fired it up.

She said, "It's my birthday?"

And promptly settled in for a long and blissful winter.

Which is exactly what we plan to do, too.

At Least It's Still 2009, or, Better Late Than Later

Presenting the 2nd Annual Creative Clutter Collectors Contest Awards!

Didn't get a whole lot of entries this year, so I added one of my own to kick things off.

The "Happiest Aquatic Vertebrates" Award goes to me. Yay!

The "Best Use of 1-inch Tin Strips" goes to my Auntie Laurie. Feel free to use a few of these to make me some cookies.

Auntie also receives the "Little House on the Prairie Apparatus Most Often Responsible for Starting Melodromatic Fires" award.

She wins the "Empty Bottles and Jars" award for, well, these lovely old empty bottles and jars.

And I present the "Pachyderm Potpourri Passel" award to Auntie. The competition was tough for this award; good thing she HAD a passel of pachyderms. Of course, she could have also qualified for the "More Trunks Than Paris Hilton on a Trip to Malibu" award.

The "It's Always Winter But Never Christmas" award goes to Brenda, for her non-Christmas-themed snow globes (her Christmas globes, poor things, are boxed up in the basement). These happen to all be musical, which would make them a nice complement to my happy fish. They're just itching to break into song.

I don't have a picture because it's impossible to capture it all on camera, but Flutterbug gets the "I Must Have My Nose in a Book or I'll Shrivel Up" award for having a massive collection of books. They multiply like rabbits. They spill out of bookcases and drawers and closets. They cover her bed, her dresser, her chair. Oh wait, that's her clothes. Well, they peek out from under the clothes.

My mother wanted to submit a picture of her ruler collection. She has a Queen Elizabeth, a Kim Jong Il...no, really, they're the measuring kind. Like we used in school. Or were spanked with. So, even though I didn't get a picture, I'll award her the "Oddest Choice of Things to Almost Submit" award.

Thus closes the 2nd Annual Creative Clutter Collectors Contest of 2009. Looking forward to next year's contest - get out there and start collecting new things! Feel free to look for them at the Victory Home Thrift Store.

Oh, and I nearly forgot THE BEST PART: all winners will receive a scrumptious Toblerone chocolate bar!! (So glad I entered.)

Up One Hill and Down the Other

Some things never change...even after 40 years. Hair still sticks out in the same places.

I still like soggy PB&J sandwiches. I still like afternoon naps. I still enjoy playing with blocks.

And my preferred method of counting is STILL on my fingers. Hey, I can count to 99 on these digits now. And I can spell big words, too, like
p-e-u-r-i-l-i-t-y.

Guess I'm all grown up now, and heading down the other side of the hill. Something tells me that I'll still enjoy soggy PB&J, afternoon naps and playing with blocks when I'm old. And my white hair will still flip out on the right.

That'll be okay, if it means I'll still have hair. I wouldn't mind still having teeth, too, so I guess I'll go upstairs and brush them before I climb into bed...

Before I head up, let me share a little classic bit of literature with you:

In the boardinghouse where I live

Things are growing very old

Grandpa's hair fell in the butter

Silver threads among the gold

When the dog died, we had hotdogs

When the cat died, catnip tea

When the landlord died, I left there

Spareribs were too much for me

One is NEVER too old for nonsense.

Golf Is Good for Something

A sight I rarely see: the sunrise!


We got up at some ungodly hour to get to the BNI (a networking organization of businesspeople) Charity Golf Tournament. Victory Home was the charity (yay!).

We spent the better part of seven hours hanging around doing next-to-nothing while nearly one hundred people whacked little white balls around.

Nancy and I DID entertain ourselves for a while, careening over the course in a cute little cart. I imagine this is the main draw of the game of golf.

I had the foresight to bring snacks, but clementines and almonds could only go so far. Within a few hours, we were all starving. Randy, who has a...robust appetite, snuck away for some dollar burgers. He pulled in to the parking lot and gave us a call ("the eagle has landed") and we slipped out to the veranda for the exchange of contraband.

Naturally, lunch was served immediately following our feeding frenzy.

Not sure how much money was raised at this event which consisted of hours of boredom punctuated by moments of hilarity, but we're quite hopeful that it was significant, between the corporate sponsorships, the raffles, the sales of mulligans and chances to win fancy boats and cars and a million bucks (if only).

Wish I could get my hands on one of those little cart thingies. That was a sweet ride.

Oops, Sorry About Your Fender

Once again I've steered my bicycle right into a parked car.

The two women slurping milk shakes as they walked down the sidewalk had a good laugh. Glad I could provide their entertainment. I would have done it again for a milkshake of my own....

I don't mind riding my bike into cars as a general rule; it's being seen doing it that I could live without.

Last time I did this, I was gingerly maneuvering my bike off the high curb and in between two parallel-parked cars. Once the front wheel was off the curb, my feet could no longer touch the ground because the back wheel was so high, and in slow motion I began to teeter toward the car on my right. What could I do but fall onto the trunk?

Fortunately, the woman inside the car was very forgiving.

Later (tonight), I passed the bike to Mike, who had been jogging, and tried my hand at jogging for a while.

I completely forgot that hard exercise and I don't mix, racing to the end of the street as if I weren't fat and old, and then had to stumble home with Mike puttering on the bike beside me and making sure I didn't lie down and take a nap on the sidewalk.

Back when we were practically kids, Mike and I used to ride around town on one bike, me sitting on the seat with my legs splayed out to the sides and Mike standing up pedaling. Ah, youth.

Life rolls on. Don't let some old car obstacle get in your way!

Slob I Am

Lest you come to the slightly inaccurate conclusion that I'm a slob, I must 'splain.

I have a perfectly good excuse for the obstacle course in the hall. We cleaned out a bedroom for our new houseguest. And as that bedroom had become one big closet, I'm having a little trouble finding room for all that stuff in our one little closet.

HOWEVER, it's well worth it. This woman is a freak of nature. She loves to clean and do laundry.

And I let her.

I mean, really. Wouldn't you? She is a WORLD CLASS LAUNDRY FOLDER. I've never seen anything like it. Perfect little squares in perfect little piles - even the fitted sheets. My method involves grabbing one end, furiously wrapping the thing around my hand and sliding it off. And patting it a little.

And when the dishwasher is full she washes the rest of the dishes by hand. Never thought of that.

Seems to me that God sent this dear woman to us for a little refreshment in a very dry time. Isn't he wonderful?

A generous man will prosper;
he who refreshes others
will himself be refreshed.
(Proverbs 11:25)

It's a Jungle Out There

A sign I'm getting old: I have to get up EVERY NIGHT to go to the bathroom.

A sign I'm not old yet: I'm able to climb over the Buddy gate, maneuver through a veritable minefield of luggage and boxes and clothing in the hallway, feel my way to the bathroom avoiding cat and dog tails, and do it all again in reverse without injury.

EVERY NIGHT.

I oughta be on America's Got Talent.

I'm Not Laughing AT You...Wait, Yes I Am

Got a little rain today.



This is the street in front of the church. Reminds me of the time a woman with a wooden leg drove right into the flooded ditch, rear end sticking up nearly vertical.

The car's rear end, silly.

A couple of Victory Home guys managed to pull her out of the car and carry her and her buoy, I mean leg, to safety.

The first time that road flooded we'd only been here a few months. That was around the time that a man got hopping mad in the morning service. Mike was quoting the ridiculous writings of a woman who believed that people aren't meant to have a single mate for a lifetime because most animals don't. The man missed the part about the beliefs belonging to this strange woman and thought they were Mike's. The further into the quote, the redder the shade of the man's face. His eyes jerked back and forth between his wife's face and Mike's and for a minute there I thought he was going to pop a vein in his neck.

Not long after that, Mike was trying to help a little old woman in a trailer park by providing some groceries. He arrived with bread and canned goods and rice, and the woman peered into the bags and complained, "Don't you have any sausage? I need sausage, and bacon. My doctor says I need meat and sausage and eggs and bacon."

Oh, those were the days. I remember a man taking offense at something Mike said during a message. Right out loud he said, "He shouldn't have said that."

Mike's a good sport and puts up with a lot of nuttiness, which is fortunate considering that on any given day a whole load of it comes his way. He tries not to laugh in front of the person delivering the nuttiness.

I won't say that he's always succeeded...

Why be ME when I can be...

...an Indian chief-slash-princess...

...or a Jack Sparrow wannabe...

...or Gladys...

...or a gypsy...

...or...TAKE A GUESS...

...check out the long hair on Flutterbug...

...her bulging arm muscles (hard to see in the pic)...

...it's from a Bible story...

WELL?

Timmmm...

berrrrrrrrr.

I lived up to my nickname yesterday, in a most bizarre way...

Picture it (to quote that old Golden Girl):

I'm facing the closet, with a tall, empty suitcase standing upright in front of me. The cover is unzipped. I lean over the suitcase to reach beyond it and grab a smaller bag on the closet floor. I can't quite reach it, so I slip my toes into the edge of the suitcase and lean farther over.

Forgetting about the suitcase wheels.

The suitcase tilts forward and down it goes, with me on top of it. Owwwwww. That thing has lots of hard ridges.

I couldn't roll off, because a radiator was on one side, and a table on the other. To add insult to injury, my right knee was firmly planted on the pant leg of my left leg. I don't think I moved for at least a minute. It took that long to get the synapses snapping and figure out how to get up.

I will admit that one single-word thought found its way through within about five seconds of the fall:

BLOG.

Maybe this'll jump start the poor, neglected thing...

A Real-Life Game of Twister

Boy, the things God has to do to slow us down and get our attention!

We sail along full-speed, caught up in daily urgencies, sacrificing the important, and paying little attention to God's voice along the way.

By "we," of course, I mean "us," not "you" - you may be on top of this whole "urgent trumps important" issue (and if so, I applaude you)!

"We" flew along with this "ship-Flutterbug-off-to-school-because-that-must-be-the-next-thing" idea and didn't slow down long enough to ask some key questions, or explore alternatives.

So here we were, getting everything settled at school, and discovering important things like:

• their counseling philosophy is not "nouthetic" (Biblical counseling) like Flutterbug expected and wanted.


• there are only five counseling classes in the entire four years. (We never did receive a course catalog - hmm, would have been a good idea to make sure we got our hands on one).


• we never discussed any other options with Flutterbug - mainly because we were trying so hard not to be controlling.


• we learned that Flutterbug's main desire was to become a certified credentialed Christian counselor (that girl is one of the most focused and purpose-driven people I've ever known and has known for quite some time what she wants to do. Me…I floundered between archaeologist (without wanting to learn that boring history stuff) and stewardess).

Well.

All three of us wanted to be certain that she was doing the right thing. While Flutterbug attended orientation classes and ice-breaker activities, Mike and I hunkered down in the motel room and prayed and talked and then talked and prayed with Flutterbug and stayed an extra day and prayed and talked and talked and prayed. All things we should have done a while back, but God brought us all the way here to force the issue - He knew what it'd take!

We sorted out the emotions from the facts - a huge and necessary step, since we know that decisions should never be made based on fear or emotions!

We also considered the general "college experience" - the dorm life and social aspect of school. Was it important enough to warrant attending (and paying thousands of dollars) for only that reason?

We talked about how important it was for this to be a new phase of Flutterbug's life, whether she went this direction or another, and that Mike and I would need to make sure that if she opted for a local or online education we'd keep her from being swallowed up in the urgency of Victory Home life and sucked back into the old routine.

And then we surrendered the whole messy caboodle to God and waited for His direction.

We're firm believers in God's personal involvement in our lives, and the fact that He is Good. He's not going to bring things to a head and then leave us hanging, confused and dazed. (Whew.)

So.....(drum roll, please),

Flutterbug has opted to enroll in the Institute for Nouthetic Studies, based in Greenville but available as correspondence, and at the same time will attend classes at a local Bible college. She'll be able to become a certified Nouthetic Counselor in just over a year – and be able to join the National Association of Christian Counselors even sooner. Then she will be able to fill in remaining requirements for a bachelor's degree after that, if God so leads, in whatever major God directs.

All three of us are confident that this is the right thing. (Take our word for it - we're the ones who struggled through that agonizing process!) And we're excited for Flutterbug as she plunges into this new and exciting phase of her life.

The moral of the story, that God ever-so-lovingly clunked us over the head with: seek first His kingdom, keep everything fully surrendered to Him, don’t get caught up in the urgencies of life at the expense of the most important things, and , lastly...

…be flexible! You NEVER know what changes may lurk right around the corner!

Where's the Walk-In Closet?

Sixteen bags, four suitcases, one ironing board, eighty books and ninety-seven pairs of shoes later, I'm pleased to announce that Flutterbug is cozily ensconced in her dorm room tonight.

I've only teared up four times.

I'm so proud of myself! (And HER.)

Lazy Daze

We're enjoying our time away, as the clock ticks closer to drop-off-day. Right now Mike and Flutterbug are playing golf in 100 degree heat, and I'm relaxing at my mother's house in front of the fan. (Every now and then, I'm the smart one.)

Poor Brother has succombed to a horrible virus and has only recently been able to peel himself off the floor and into a bed (after a visit to the doctor). We're all spraying Lysol in our eyes and up our noses and on our tongues. Brother's Itty Bitty Baby has been safely whisked away and the rest of the family, on his orders, is also abandoning camp for a day or two.

We enjoyed slightly less stifling temperatures in the mountains yesterday. And I mean slightly. As we peered over the iron bars that lined the edge of a scenic lookout atop Caesar's Head, I actually overheard an old woman say, "You'd almost think they put these fences here for safety...." as she tottered dangerously close to one on the edge of the path. She was not being sarcastic! I guess she'd thought they were for looks.

Time for me to lie down on the sofa and read and watch FoodNetwork and drift off . . . before I know it, I'll be back in the fray, with time racing by and 95 things to fit into days that only hold 35. Even empty nests have too much going on. I need to climb up farther in the tree and rig a hammock.

Snow Gray

Our housesitter's weekend updates:

Friday: We're bright-eyed and bushy-tailed this morning having turned the light out last night at 11:30p. I grabbed the pillows off Flutterbug's bed and piled them all on yours. That worked out rather well. I read halfway through the book "The Christmas Tree" that I found in the basket on the radiator downstairs by the front door, with Kiki on my left near the door and Buddy on my right at my feet. Just before I turned the light out for the night Buddy chased Kiki off the bed. He wasn't having any of that sharing business.

At 2:00a Buddy must have gone outside to do his business. When he came back in he was damp underneath from the dew and proceeded to play with my hand. He subdued and conquered. Then we both went back to sleep until something like a quarter til 8:00a. After I made a trip to the bathroom, Buddy and I played on the bed for a bit. He was the winner again, of course.

[I explained in a return message that we have a habit of piling on the bed every evening, and Buddy and Mike wrestle for a while before we pray. When Mike says "Amen" Buddy clambers over me and off the bed to head to his own bed. (And then we laugh - every time!)]

Last night I forgot to mention that Buddy was lying on the carpet in front of my little table when all of a sudden he was on the sofa with his feet up on the back and growling. Then he tore down the hallway and through the dining room into the kitchen. I didn't think too much of it at the time; just chuckled a bit. After a while when he didn't come back I went looking for him. He was lying down in the kitchen facing the back door and I could hear children somewhere outside. He was making sure no one got in on his watch.

I don't see much of Kiki. She came down last night for a bit of a scratch and then disappeared. I saw her in her bed in the hall upstairs when I went to look at the books in the upstairs room at the front of the house. So many books and so little time. Then I was petting her before I crawled into bed to read. Haven't seen her yet this morning.

I hope all is going well with you and yours. Enjoy the time away and may God bless you all abundantly.

Saturday: I was even more comfortable last night and slept the night through. If Buddy tried to wake me, I didn't notice. We played last night and again this morning. He's terrific. I was wondering why Buddy left the room after I said, "Amen" last night. I called him back to the bed and he was thrilled. We've been keeping each other company at night.

The only thing of mischief here is the kitchen faucet. I keep forgetting the hot water side makes the whole thing shimmy. ;-) Otherwise it's just Buddy standing guard laying down on the kitchen floor when he hears the children next door. He's bound and determined they're not getting in.

Nancy picked me up yesterday around 12:30p to answer the phone at the church. Working there is always a blessing to me. She'll be picking me up again today I believe she said around 11:00-11:30a.

Buddy must have missed me yesterday because he was all over me when I came home like a wet dress.

I tried making one of the little bags of popcorn you have here, but burned it. I'm going to stick to using the microwave for heating water for tea and reheating from the fridge. Burnt popcorn isn't what I prefer to use as an air freshener.

I'm glad you enjoy receiving my letters. You're a great family and I hope one day to have a family relationship like it. God shines through your family for all to see. You're an inspiration and I'm very glad you're a part of my life. Take care of each other. I'll write again soon.

~~~~~
We got a good look at the newest addition to the family yesterday - my little brother's new son. Head FULL of dark hair, cute little toesies. I have no idea what color his eyes are since I haven't seen him awake yet.

I brought my six (I'm sorry, six-and-a-HALF) year old neice back to my mother's house with me after visiting with the baby, so mommy could take baby to an appointment. I was peppered with questions all the way home, including "Who's your favorite Disney princess?"

That was a hard one. When I was a kid, I didn't have much interest in princesses, and while other girls were sporting tiaras and wands, my friend and I preferred to dress up as old ladies.


I have no idea why.

We called each other Gladys and Myrtle and other age-appropriate names, and instead of loving Cinderella or Aurora or Jasmine, we were big fans of the spinster sisters on the Waltons (the Baldwins, I think?).

And now here I am careening toward old-ladyhood myself. So...yesterday I went to the salon and had my gray hair covered, hoping to walk out of there looking more like a princess.

And LESS like an Agnes.

You've Got Mail

Our housesitter responded to my email with a delightful one of her own:

~~~~~
Hello Melanie,

I have managed to get online. However, there is a learning curve when it comes to using a laptop. It must not have been charged fully because it turns off when I try to use it without it being plugged in.

We're having a storm right now and Buddy is sitting between my feet. The lights have flickered a few times, but the power has stayed on. Kiki is on the arm of the sofa to my right. I'm sitting in Pastor Mike's chair with the little wicker table in front of me. [This is Melanie: for a while there, I thought she might be in the wrong house with the wrong cat and dog - couldn't for-the-life-of-me think of a wicker table in mine]

I'm glad you made it to your parents safely and are settling in. I hope the trip was enjoyable.

I'm glad to hold down the fort. It's a vacation for me and I'm thoroughly enjoying it though I was eaten up by mosquitoes while picking tomatoes and cucumbers and I burned my finger on the steam heating up the pizza. The animals have gathered around me and it's a cozy feeling.

Buddy was watching out the front window about the time you would be coming home and was whining for a while, but then it got dark and the storm hit and he has been sticking with me since.

I did find Buddy's leash in the top drawer of the teeny dresser near the front door. Buddy saw it at the same time. I took him out in the back yard with me when I went out to pick tomatoes. The storm has now passed over so he's out from between my feet laying down on the carpet about two feet from me. Kiki hasn't moved. [Par for the course: Kiki's metabolism is about 1/1000th that of Buddy's...uh, more like mine.]

I'm going to take a shower and call it a night early. It's the first night I've been able to do that in quite some time now. That should put me up early and Buddy and I can trot around a block or two or three. I enjoy walking and need to.

I found the food under the microwave and will be sure to mix it for Buddy. We'll do just fine with what we have until Nancy can run to the store. [I should tell her she could just hang an "open" sign on the litter box]

Since I sleep in a recliner at home I was planning to sleep in the blue chair in the front room. I have acid reflux that almost robbed me of my life when I lived at Weathered Heights. I suppose it must be something like ten years ago now. If the animals want to sleep with me in the chair, they're welcome. I certainly don't mind. [I have got to post a picture of this chair. I'd LOVE to see a human plus two animals fitting on it]

The flea medicine has dried up on Buddy's neck. I've only seen him scratch once since I've been here. Oops! Make that twice. Right now he's looking toward the front door. Probably hoping you are all going to walk in the door any minute now. Buddy and I will curly up together and be alright. The smell isn't anything to worry about. He just smells like a dog and that's okay with me. [Evidently, she has a deviated septum...and probably a bad cold]

Don't worry about sending a less wacky e-mail. I love your letters just the way they are. They make me smile and chuckle. You're great to be around and hear from.

I saw what appears to be laundry beside the dryer and thought I would tackle that tomorrow if that's alright with you. There is something rather large in the dining room--a comforter maybe--that you might have planned on washing, too. You can let me know when you write next. [I could get real used to this]

Mmhmm, I can see me trying to bathe a cat now. It would probably look like those old cartoons when someone is trying to bathe a cat in one of those large wooden tubs and they can't even manage to get the cat in it never mind wash it. I can just see her running all around the house now. What a clean up job that would be.

I think I may be getting the hang of this laptop. Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks. ;-)

I hope all of you sleep well tonight. Take care.
~~~~~

Today Flutterbug whipped us at miniature golf, and we watched our favorite Due South episode with my sister, Jen. We hope to see Flutterbug's precious 1-week old cousin tomorrow. The relaxing has begun!

Boo.

Uh...hello, old friends...haven't been able to put two words together properly with the whirlwind and upheaval around here. A maelstrom (word of the, well, month) of activity, emotion, and dog hair. Oh, and fleas.

I haven't forgotten the Creative Clutter Collector's Contest - it's on the agenda for a week from sometime. We've just arrived in South Carolina and need to relax and regroup and recreate for a little while.

In the meantime, to fill the gap, I submit, for lack of anything better, the actual email I just sent our new housesitter, a lovely woman who has no idea what she's in for.
~~~~~
Hiya Pamela, I'm finally here (at my mommy's) and settling down to write. I surely hope you have jumped on the laptop and been able to get online! If not, I guess you're not reading this...duh. I'm not the sharpest tack in the junk drawer.

Thank you again for your willingness to hold down the fort for us! It puts me quite at ease knowing you're there and that Buddy will not expire from separation anxiety.

I believe Nancy told you where Buddy's leash is; he doesn't need to be walked, but loves it when he is (in case you don't believe me, ask him - but it would be wise to be ready with the leash if you do, trust me on this). It's a nice walk around the block. Don't be intimidated by any thug-looking, saggy-pants rapper-wannabes; they're scared to death of Buddy and would scream like girls if he got near - this I know from experience;-).

His and Kiki's food is in the cupboard under the microwave. Forgot to run to the store this morning for more - I'll ask Nancy to take care of that. You should be okay for several days. Buddy, by the way, likes a little cat food with his dog food (it used to be the other way around).

The best bedroom to sleep in would probably be the front room (tan). It's the biggest bed and you'll need plenty of room with all those animals joining you (sorry about that). It's also the coolest. Feel free to adjust the a/c. The middle room (purple) has a/c, too, but it's leaking some, so it's off right now, but it can be used. The back room (blue) has no a/c. All the beds have clean sheets, though, so feel free to rotate as your hot flashes dictate!

If you have trouble getting the TV to cooperate, let me know. There are movies upstairs in the hall bookcase, by the way. Nothing better than an evening of popcorn, Jr. Mints (you'll need to provide those, they don't last in this house) and Enchanted, with a little Pride & Prejudice thrown in (poor Mike, this is such a girly home).

Buddy has flea medicine (the hard stuff) on his neck, as Nancy hopefully mentioned. It should be dry soon. If his scratching drives you absolutely nuts, you may want to stick a dog bed on the floor (I believe there's one in Beth's room) and command him to "stay" there instead of on the bed. Good luck with that.

And sorry about the stink. We were planning to bathe him but ran out of time, and with this skin condition that's making him itch, there's an accompanying odor, kind of like low tide...in Gahenna. Feel free to douse him in perfume. We do all the time. No, seriously. His is the peppermint spray in the front bedroom, I kid you not.

You insisted on a to-do list, so here goes:

1. Bathe the cat

2. Just kidding about #1.

3. I'm getting sleepy, so your to-do task is to entertain yourself until tomorrow, when I will be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and will send you another, hopefully less wacky, email.

Sleep tight!

Fluttering Away

Just can't seem to keep up with my blog lately. I suppose it's due in part to the distraction of getting a child ready to leave the nest - no easy feat! It's on my mind most of the time, even when I'm trying to relax, like the other day at the YMCA. I had the pool to myself - warm sun on my face, puffy clouds overhead in the shape of crocodiles and dancing Snoopies, the steady drone of traffic shooting out of the nearby tunnel (a peculiar feature of a city Y). But was I relaxed?

Nooooo.

My mind was whirling with thoughts of bath towels and pajamas, notebooks and nail clippers. And hovering just behind those thoughts, a shadow lurked - my little girl is leaving me.

How will I adjust to the empty bedroom (or the lack of dirty laundry all over the floor)? How will she be able to fall asleep at night without climbing on our bed to pray? And will Buddy be sitting at the front door every evening, pining for her return?

I know I will be.

Just when the thoughts began to overwhelm me, I saw something new in the clouds over my head.

I saw God's handiwork.

I saw His loving care in little details, like Snoopy-shaped clouds and gifts of highlighters and notebooks.

I saw His concern for those in His care, whether the egret flying over my head or a young lady flying out of her nest.

I saw His power, providing heat and light for lowly humans in swimming pools, and providing grace and strength for a little family in transition.

That grace is all that we'll need! And knowing that it's coming, I can rela-a-a-a-a-a-x.

Flutterbug and I tried making a little money for textbooks at the flea market this weekend.


We've already spent a lot of it on food.

Mike called on his way home from work the other night, telling us to grab our swimsuits and beach chairs. We headed to the beach and spent the evening gazing at the waves and lowering our blood pressure.

We stopped at Doumar's on the way home - I enjoyed a barbeque sandwich with cole slaw on top and a limeade. Doumar's is a well-known drive-in that's over 100 years old. Waitresses in white caps come to the car and attach a tray to the door - the only thing missing was rollerskates!

Flutterbug's pile of school supplies continues to grow - we may have to rent a U-Haul by the time we're done.

(This picture does NOT include her clothes or SHOES.)

We took naps on Sunday afternoon AND Monday afternoon (our day off). I'm so relaxed now, I'm feeling downright mellow. Well, I did have that little meltdown around lunchtime today, but all that's left is a little twitch.

That grace won't come any too soon!