A WHOLE WEEK

Yes for the first time in this blog's history I haven't written in a week... let's document why shall we?

Monday into work late due to a fender bender that turned into two car flambe! There I sat watching the smoke go from black to white and gone while hoping and praying the bladder would hold out... and then my thoughts wondered to electing a Pope for some reason- THAT was the daily highlight. Work is so dead, you can't even Zombie back into something interesting.

Tuesday - Left early doctor's appointment - tests pending.

Wednesday - worked from home - I got a lot of "work" stuff done.

Thursday - again went into the office - enjoyed the speed of the T1 line for Internet surfing and didn't even get a good lunch out of the deal.

Friday - ah Friday the excitement began...Bubba up and gone at Oh dark - are you freaking kidding me? On no planet would I possibly schedule an interview at 8 AM unless I really didn't want the job. The trick is to make a GOOD first impression - me at o-dark-early is not the way to start off... or maybe the more honest way as this is about the worst as it gets - with a possible wardrobe change.

Aunt Ing's alarm was set a bit later - Sunday night quarterbacking... should have been 30 minutes earlier. ANYWAY... got up got moving, shower and clean up the bed room, gathered up all the laundry, made the bed in the second bedroom set all that to right, set the bathrooms to right, made sure extra TP within easy reach, and upstairs done. Downstairs for "Working time" logged on - deleted all the crap email, no work email, called new employer, talked to Bubba post his interview we talked about his job, my job. Decided to go with the little guy - good paycheck, health care will be a bit more, eh, signed sealed delivered. Got the computer work done, did another couple loads of laundry, then... dealt with the girl's group stuff, since I couldn't get my fancy program working I downloaded a new (more legal) version, and went and hacked up what I had to cover all the previously peeled off elements. I gave myself 30 minutes for this project --- 45 minutes later I was freaking out. Got the kitchen done, and raced out the house.

I remembered the dry cleaning, the lodge drop off and Trader Joe's for good milk, healthy snacks and stuff for us. As I was pulling out of the parking lot... phone call. Where are you???

Rats. Missed it by 5 minutes - 10 with lights. My Brother and his family were here...

So race home, get big hugs from the nieces, and into the house we sweep into a THE WEEKEND OF NEVER ENDING CHATTER AND PANDEMONIUM!!!! And it was a BLAST!

Niece E is 7 and Niece Z is 4 they are exciting, excited bouncy and exhausting, but again we had fun. Now I figured everyone was cooped up in a car for over 4 hours so when they got to the house I figured they would run about, tucker out the dogs and all would be well. That went mostly according to plan. We broke out markers and crayons and a piece of poster board so we could welcome Uncle Bubba home from a long day of work. Oh yeah - just what he needs a welcoming committee doesn't he get enough pampering in this house? But I digress... that was a good time waster, as was the kids channel on TV, and the dogs, and running about outside, with the dogs, and talking me and asking about the train ride, and the hibachi dinner (planned for Saturday) and when was Uncle Bubba getting home, and which dog was which and did I know that we were going to see Dorthy's shoes and the Lincoln's chair and the dinosaurs and .... yet get the idea.

Finally Bubba arrives home, we light a fire under his tighty-whities and we go to dinner! SEAFOOD!!! Much to my brother's chagrin his eldest daughter has discovered crab... up in price went dinner out. We all enjoyed our seafood, and the youngest her pizza.
We arrived home to discover... the dog that doesn't usually live in my house found my Laides' group Treasurer records and proceeded to shred everything he found... almost. I've got 1/2 statements and deposit slips, thankfully those books have already been audited, and he didn't get to the current year. Oh there was one heck of a mess - that lingered until Sunday night which then we broke out the vac cum cleaner and sucked up the last of the bits and pieces... apparently that pup needs more fiber in his diet. Other than the bag which was given to me by a friend, nothing major... because he didn't eat the checks! Then finally the food coma hit home, Bubba and my brother fixed the air mattress for the girls, then slowly one by one we all .... hit the pillows and stayed there...

Saturday... little bodies are up and moving early - dogs here this - want you up and moving early - so up, out, fed, dress, (pj's + brother not so cool) everyone gets breakfast Aunt Ing - per usual was the last to get her shower, dogs tended, necessary supplies packed and away we go!!

A lot of bouncing excitement, trying to contain it all, get metro tickets, and we thought we had a good plan... the 4 year old can toss a wrench into any well laid plans. I go through, ready to catch/corral small children, Dad (aka my brother) puts first ticket through - eldest runs through, her sister tried to follow - at full 4-year-old speed only to be halted by the automatic gates. Poor little thing did a full frontal face plant, landed on her little bum and cried with shock surprise and amazement. Now all adults of course checked for bodily injury, the smirked at each other with the understanding we can laugh - after she stops crying. So... we get everyone through, up the escalator and on to the train. Of course we have to wait for it to go - while still corralling bouncing children but we're doing all right. Tears have dried, smiles are coming, and (bing bong) the train begins moving. Oh it's all very exciting, we watch the world go by - we answer the questions over and over again, we slip underground, the scenery turns into black and white lights - not nearly as entertaining, so we began the count down of stops, 7, 6 (2 more Aung Ing? - no 6 more)... but we got off one train, on to another, with 1 million of our closest friends.... then arose from the tunnel - tooooo TOURISTS. Well duh. The cherry Blossoms were in full bloom, there was all kinds of things going on, so away we went... but first Aunt Ing had to pee...

I had Bubba my phone, fearing my non-deep pockets and went inside, I saw the remainder of my family still walking on... fine I'll catch up... dorks. Only that isn't what happened, they all stopped, did the same thing, Aunt Ing meanwhile looked about saw no one - and decided to go catch everyone.... only to have left them behind. I had to borrow a phone from a kind stranger called my own phone (as Bubba's battery was dead) and post yelling we managed to see Mr. Lincoln's statue, then we hiked back to see Dorthy's shoes (from the wizard of oz) and of course in the mean time... here comes the rain - and we got wet. However, we got inside, found Dorthy's shoes took some quick pics, went and saw the pretty dresses (First Ladies' dresses), Brother's wife and I wanted to see Julia Child's kitchen - we did. Bagged the Star Spangled banner flag due the LINE.... then had to make some lunch decisions... now the suggestions came to an address that was in an unfamiliar part of town... we bagged that idea, headed back to the train and went to a place we knew and had many options for choosy small children and Uncle Bubba. We managed to get done, we ate, sat and looked at each other. The adults were pooped, the kids were showing signs of being tired... so load up the metro cards to get home, and of course my card was the problem, Bubba couldn't be bothered to read the signs where it said no bills and he has to try and cram a dollar bill into a slot that wasn't going to take it. When I pointed out that fact - well it's a good thing the kids were elsewhere... finally we get that problem tended we get on the train and relax home. Until the little ones had 20 minutes of sitting which apparently is all the recharge time they needed, so we again had to corral small children so they were not swept away with the crowds, then then not bounced against doors, poles and other people as the train emptied... we again pile into the van to .... Trader Joe's! There are lots of good things the girls can eat at reasonable prices so as my brother stated about 1/2 way through the store visit (I drove 4 hours to go grocery shopping) LOL Yes he did.

SO - we get that done, quick stop at the "Daddy's fermented Juice store" and home we went. Happily I can report, moving the crate, and having a paper free zone allowed us to get home without incident let the dogs out while we sat around wondering how we could feed the children, without moving a lot... since that didn't happen, we finally rounded up the troops to hibachi (Japanese place where they cook it in front of you) that the girls apparently love. He was very entertaining, the kids were entertained, well fed, and my eldest niece needs some remedial manners classes. Yeesh, the kid needs some help. But we managed to get through it, with some fun so laughs and everyone was well fed. Home again, baths, pjs some cuddles and to bed - the kids were up for hours. ;-)

Sunday morning was much more mellow Uncle Bubba was up showered and out the door with the bagel order. He returned, the adults enjoyed, as the children were still sleeping - power walking 12 city blocks is hard on little bodies. Plus all that train bouncing - really wears you out. They arose, debated breakfast - then Nana calls!!! She and Pap were in the DC area with the clowns and were stopping by for some computer help. They arrive there is some visiting, hugs and kisses, chat chat - Brother and family packed up and head out - we sit for a few minutes absorbing the quiet... then we get down to business with Nana. That thankfully didn't tax a body too much we got things done for the quilting ladies.

I fed Nana, as Pap had tended to himself, he took a quick nap, and away they went. The house seemed so very empty and quiet. Bubba went off to write is overkill thank you for the interview on Friday morning, I was the editor, then the emailer, as apparently attaching email is some magical skill only I have. ;-) But we got that done, then he decided he was going to do this deal on the web - it turned out to be a serious PITA. But as Bubba was going to be gone getting dinner for a few minutes longer than he planned - I ran the vacuum cleaner to suck up all the bits of paper and bag that the puff ball dog had chewed, and all the bits of leaves that attached themselves to pull ball's puffy fur - then deposited all over the place. I did start this dissertation last night - then ran out of gas. We ate dinner and returned to our quiet ways, Bubba flipping through channels, watching the stuff he DVR'd and me reading a book. :-)

I will do by best to come up with a tale during the week, this week.... but I can't promise the tales won't be as exciting as this weekends unless Bubba comes up with something new... stay tuned.