Cleaning the Attic

As you might remember, we had guests in the attic. Ava found them to be amusing. Since that time, the attic stairs have been jammed with miscellaneous items...anything to keep the guests up and Ava down. Today however, the Bean and I decided to brave it and venture to the attic. We found the neatest doll house with working lights and sounds. After playing with that for a period of time, we began to shuffle items around. We can now get to the attic, and fortunately, found no guests residing there. Another wonder today, Dick, from Dick's T.V., picked up our broken T.V. this morning, and delivered it back to us at lunch time completely fixed. Dick has been reparing T.V.s for 45 years and said plasma T.V.s are "throw-a-ways". Dick is my new best friend and if you need someone to repair a T.V. (a lost art and skill) I'll be happy to share his phone number with you.

Lessons and practice

I want to play my guitar on stage with Bruce Springsteen. And Clarence. I had a guitar lesson tonight. Monkeyboy takes drum lessons. He practices EVERY day. Bean plays the flute...she also practices. Don't get me wrong, I practice. But I AM very busy, you know. There's poker, and the book I have to finish before I have to mortgage the house to pay the fine. Monte, my instructor, has a wealth of patience. I think he should, because he is a stay at home husband and father who cares for his two young children. And he has me as a student. That takes patience, believe me. Monte amazes me. He listens to a song and writes down all the notes in five minutes time, then says "let's play it". So, I pretend and he plays. I love the lessons, and I always think I am going to someday play really well. Practice. OK, but can I finish this poker tournament.....oh, yes, then the book. It's a really good book. Besides, I don't want to put Stevie Van Zandt out of business. But someday......

Thoughts on a Sunday morning

In retrospect, it was a great trip. Put aside the overcrowded planes, the wait in the airports and the rude stafff of United Airlines. There are moments...kids in the back of the van singing at the top of their lungs and each knowing which part they are to sing, three kids sitting with kittens, so gentle with these new beings, Monkeyboy in the restaurant, waving smoke from a cigarette away and speaking loudly, saying..."here it comes again"...waving arms furiously to get rid of the smoke. Can you believe how many of us used to smoke and think nothing of it? We are now a smoke free family, and I am very glad. At the farm there was a family, a two year old named Dylan, his mother, Nina and Nina's parents. They lived in NYC. Grandpa was a very friendly man who enjoyed talking with all of us. Grandma was more quiet, more reserved. Dylan was an outgoing child with an amazing vocabulary. I spoke with Grandma while we were waiting for the hayride one morning. She was the caretaker for Dylan when Nina worked. I mentioned that she would know her grandson in a very special way. She thought for a moment and then said "Yes, but it gets very lonely". She talked about when her children were growing up and all her friends had children so there was a common bond. Now, she explained, her friends had no young children. They went out to lunch, to the theater, shopping...and she sat at home with her grandson. It wasn't all bad, she expained hastily, but it was lonely. Happens a lot now, doesn't it? Both parents working, few stay at home moms, grandparents helping out. My hat (if I wore one) goes off to them. And because of the adult interaction, I thought of what it would be like living in NYC, looking forward to having adult time and being the day to day caretaker of a two year old. In closing, I just finished watching Meet The Press, my Sunday morning ritual while I read the paper. I miss Tim Russert. I liked him. I don't know what his politics were and I don't care. I think he was fair and pressed people for answers when they tried to give the politically correct answer. The show just wasn't the same.

Where's breakfast?

Here they come, up to the front door after they have snacked in the garden (what is left of it). Babies, I think. They are pretty, but oh, so destructive. I am home with a rotten cold/cough trying to rest up for the road trip tomorrow. Couldn't even watch the Pens last night. I must say, they put forth a good effort. Not having seen the game, just the score, I am glad we at least played so there was a contest. Well, I am back to bed. Hoping to feel some better before the plane ride to Iowa tomorrow. Enjoy the deer...sometimes I can, and sometimes I can't.

WE LOVE YOU PENS

They did it when no one said they could. What a game!

There's always tomorrow

Alas, the Pens lost last night. As I said, I am very competitive, so when we lost, I couldn't even talk to anyone. I came home and went to bed, lamenting the five on three where we just couldn't seem to get tha puc where it belonged. I have to say, the RedWings are awesome. Tomorrow it is back to Detroit. I walked around the yard today, surveying the non-existant plants and taking pictures of the ones before they are gone. Ava, watching from the kitchen window, wanting desperately to come out and play. Perhaps she could frighten the deer to another feeding place????? Alas, I am fearful that if she were to get outside she would get hit by a passing car. So, I attempt to keep her safe inside the house. She has the mice to play with...what else could she want? Put your Pens gear on tomorrow, pehaps a miracle will occur!