Just Clean Up Your Own Messes

Here's what I found out on the counter this morning ... after going to bed with everything in its place. I wonder who ..........

Our Special Day

November 8, 1980:
Happy Anniversary Sweetheart! Remember when we just started out in our married life? Full of such promise ... yet living on a shoestring budget. You have always made me feel safe and protected. Never once have I doubted that the Lord would provide us a home through your hard work...Thank you for sharing the memory making process we have both lived through. We're not quite ready for the rocking chairs ... but just in case you want to sit a spell, let's meet on the porch after dinner to try them out. You bring the hot cocoa, and I'll bring a few quilts. Our love for each other will take the chill right out of the night time air.

All my love,

Babydoll

Photo: vintage 1983 photo of Mr. & Mrs. Mac & Mac Jr.

On a New Beat

Tomorrow, at 08:00 hours, Mr. Mac will begin a new watch. He's been called out of mothballs to help make the world a safer place. I hope he doesn't go back to eating do-nuts or drinking ice blended mochas every day ... he's dropped 16 pounds since retiring last May ;) As an old gunslinger once told him, "keep your powder dry" Mac.

Training The Mr.

A neighbor lady of my mom's recently passed away. She was a 'doer' and did everything for her husband. Now that she is no longer with him, he's had a very hard time getting by day to day. So the thought occurred to me that I needed to train the Mr. how to run the home ... and surprisingly, he agreed. With notebook and pen in hand, he has been following me around the place like a puppy dog, taking notes about washing and drying the laundry, where Nathan's doctor's office is located, what brands of food to buy, etc, etc. Yesterday, I got out the ironing board and a select group of ironing (his shirts, and table napkins). This was a safe bet for sure. The end result: I have a husband with a heart of gold. He now knows the basics of the laundry room ... my inconvenience of having to 'refold' stuff the way I prefer is of little consequence (although it adds a bit more work) ... in the long run, he will regain some skills that haven't been used since boot camp. Imagine: He actually got along just fine before I married him!

My Last Few Days of Goofing Off

Hubby is supposed to arrive home in three more days (Friday). That means I have only three (make that 2 and a half) days before I have to get accustomed to living with him full time once again ;) ... Tsk, tsk ... it's been a long two years ... only seeing each other every few months ... how will I ever adjust ... can I cope??? Right now I'm sporting four shades of hair ... that's right FOUR colors: There are silvery streaks in my bangs ... salt and pepper on the crown area and natural brown near the neckline. Then I have the outgrowth of brown with coppery auburn highlights waiting to grow just a wee bit longer to cut off. I'm a mess ... no really, I am. He may take one look at me and want to run back to his mother's home ... that's where's he's been living the past two years. Pity the poor person just dropping by my blog without having any prior acquaintance ;) ...

Now to the weather report: According to the weatherman, it's supposed to be in the 80's by Saturday. We'll, I'll just believe that when Saturday rolls around. So far this year, we've only had two days in the 70's ... April and now the beginning of May have been on the chilly side. After nurturing my seedlings indoors for weeks, I finally set them outside last week ... and yep, they got frost nip. Just a few will pull through. Why, oh why, did I set them out and forget to bring them in at night? I'm going to head over to Walmart and buy some tomato plants as mine are toast.

This week I sanded the top railing of our front porch and re-varnished it. The hanging planters are just waiting for some flowers (but I'm going to wait a few days) ... my bird feeders are in business ... I even spotted a humming bird last week ... but he hasn't been back. Maybe next week, eh. I think the one I saw was a 'scout' ... just checking out the dining fare before settling in for the summer.

Enough of this nonsense ... I have housework to do.

Image: similar style of a new hat I'm sporting to cover my mop :)

Homeward Bound

Ok ... I just can't seem to find the will to come out of the beautiful sunshine to blog. Winter blahs are hard to shake off and need fresh outdoor air to get rid of. My yard has been raked, new trees and bushes have been planted ... flower boxes are just waiting a bit longer for frost free nights until they get adorned.

Mr. Mac's last work day is May 10th. The first few days of next week will be spent in the administration office or working the front desk ... he's keeping a low profile and using up some 'sick' time ;) Wednesday is his going away roast/luncheon (would I love to be there ... but it's not going to happen) ... Thursday & Friday he's off to the Peace Officer's Memorial ... Saturday (last work day) he may show up in blue jeans and a T-shirt sporting two guys and two dogs sitting in the front of an old beat up pick-up truck with the caption "Double Dating" ... Sunday is Mother's Day ... which he'll spend with his mom and family ... Monday (5/12) is a send off with some of his 'utes' from his childhood ... Tuesday 5/13 he's off on the final trek making a stop at my folks and a to visit a friend in Oregon. On 5/16 (LORD WILLING) he will pull up in the driveway at our home with the comforting thought that he doesn't have to leave in two weeks. By then I'll have my honey do list completed for his first day back ... and will add to it incrementally :)

Spoiled Mama

I'm just now coming down from could nine after all of the attention given to me by the Mr. this past week. The whirlwind has passed and now the dust must settle. Back to reality. My glass slippers are shelved until the next milestone. The tiara has been returned to the vault ... butler released from duty ... cook sent packing ... maid let go ... and I now sit at home alone with my feather duster and can of Endust ... boo, hoo. I'm a survivor ... and shall rise once again from the ashes. To what? Retirement beckons ... wait a minute sister ... my life won't really change. I still have motherly and grandmotherly duties to take care of. The dawg needs her daily cookie and walk ... garden seeds need to be planted in the pony pack trays ... there are countless tasks calling my name come spring. Window tracks to clean out ... flowerbeds to clean ... patio furniture to dust off once my snow mound melts ... a BBQ to rescue ... aaah, common life is beautiful; I'm not cut out to be a full time queen.

To The Airport (again)

Mr. Mac is returning home around 1:00 today, so I'm off to the airport in about an hour. Three whole wonderful weeks of a helpmate (manservant) to take care of my growing honey-do list. After he's settled in then I'll be back to posting.

Biting My Tongue - Jeopardy Style

Answer:

What is ...

1. a courtesy flush
2. thinking like a dog
3. asking for help when reading directions on foreign made, self assembly items
4. remaining calm
5. patience, patience, patience

Question: Things I wish I had the nerve to say to hubby (OK, a few of these items I've already nagged about several times).

Seen on a country church's marque today:

Exercise regularly ... Walk with the Lord

Dont' Even Go There, Dear Hubby

Today's conversation via long distance phone: (Mrs. Mac) "Blah, blah, blah .... mumble, mumble, mumble, oh yeah, the dog fence people were by today, the carpet installers were here too, the spa man was here, blah, blah, waaah, waaah, it's hot inside without the a/c." (DH) "I think we should put in a split rail fence along part of the side yard" ... ("the multi-stacked, zig-zagged type ... I'm envisioning $$$$ signs) oops, did I just say my thoughts out loud to DH???") (DH) "Well, maybe if we use some of your "HAIR" money (did he mean my beauty parlor $?), we can buy another section of fence. " "YOU SAID WHAT!!" "Don't even go there, dear hubby."

Yes, anyone still following my trials of home building ... Heat, Humidity, and Hormones have wreaked Havoc in my life.

Update on the broken brand new a/c: Part being shipped from Texas via a UPS truck is being tracked and possibly lost (or so I'm told).

I think you are all better off if I don't post while in such a frenzied condition ;)




















.... "I can dream can't I?" ... what I'd really like to be doing right now

Here's The Scoop

It's late ... (Friday evening) and shame on me for having coffee this afternoon that has me still wired. We had our neighborhood garage sale today. The predicted showers held off until about 5 PM which was a blessing. Our "unloading of the goods" was rather puny ... and only netted us about $25. I don't think I'll reopen tomorrow as I'd actually rather spend the day cleaning ... or boxing up the leftover STUFF to give to charity. It was a nice opportunity to get out and meet a few neighbors.

Now to the "lost" dog story. As you may recall, dh was here for two weeks (having left just this past Thursday) ... anyway, I let him drive his new truck home after picking him and his mom up at the airport. Little did I imagine that once he pulled up in the driveway he'd hit the garage opener. The kids and I keep the "dawg" loose in there when we are away ... and since dh is still just in the "visiting" his own home mode for a few more months until retirement, he doesn't know our routine. Besides ... it just happened so fast I couldn't have stopped him. We didn't even see the dawg dash off for the green woods that encompass our area. Gone ... with the wind. I (being level headed about things ;) gave the Mr. a few dog treats, the leash and he and Nathan tromped off in search of the pet. I park dear mil inside our new house without as much as a "your bedroom is upstairs" and take off in the truck; being secretly delighted and sad all at the same time of the missing pooch. She's neurotic and needs medication for the tiniest thunder boom or 20 mile away strike of lightening, and barks and pants and acts stupid until I must rescue her from herself and put her away in the bowels of the basement without na're a window or door. Then out comes the muzzle if she won't be quiet ... she has managed to bark even with the muzzle ... sometimes I turn on a movie for her or the laundry room fan for a bit of white sound. In other words ... she's a real pain in the neck ... so the secret delight of her "gone missing" ... but, alas, she was not as stupid as presumed and dear mil spotted her in the backyard area to save the day.

My grandson is now three months old and just this week went to a salon and had his first little boy haircut. He had almost grown a mullet of soft fine baby hair ... the stylist nearly refused to cut the baby's hair ... something about company police and having to be at least a year old ... but, the kid really needed his ears lowered a bit.

Today is a beautiful blue sky, fluffy white cloud type of day in north Idaho ... I'm off to enjoy the great outdoors ... hope you have a blessed weekend.

Photo: Master Jake with his new "doo"

Company

This past week my mother-in-law has been staying with us. Dh lives with her when he's working his day job ... the one he is retiring from in 10 more months ... so she flew in with him this trip. Yesterday we went out on the lake for a boat tour ... next time out I'd like to try one of the float planes. Tonight we met up with her brother and sister-in-law in Spokane for a nice dinner at Anthony's on the river. I think she has enjoyed her trip ... tomorrow she returns back home. Dh has another week here. My time has been well spent taking advantage of the mr.'s brute strength to move things I could only dream of moving.

Photos: Daddy with Nathan, Float Plane on Lake Coeur d'Alene, Me and the Mr., Dh and his mom, irresistible Jacob

Grandpa Meets Jacob

Could there be more excitement than Mr. Mac meeting his first grand baby today??? Check out their matching Cardinal's jerseys ... caps ... and team Build-A-Bear!

Photos: Grandpa and Jacob;
Jacob with his mom and dad

Thanks cousin Mike for the bear ... and to grandpa for buying little Jake his first baseball jersey.

Stewing

It takes a lot for me to get a bad attitude. Most days I run around with a Pollyanna spirit thrilled at life and finding the good in everything. And there is really nothing to complain about ... EXCEPT that DH IS AWAY ON VACATION (WITHOUT YOURS TRULY)! And to make matters worse, he actually calls me each morning full of all the fun facts of his trip! ... all the while I'm STUCK here making decision after decision about landscaping, blacktop, paint choices, concrete design, running the house, taking care of HIS kids ... including one that has SPECIAL NEEDS ... oh, and walking the dog! To say that I'm not thrilled at HIS year in advance, once postponed, all guy trip to historic East Coast battlefields vacation is an UNDERSTATEMENT. After all, I've been here for over a year (day-in-day-out) designing the home, planning OUR daughter's wedding last year, greeting OUR first grandson and wondering why I've gained weight! Do you think I have a bone to pick with him? Maybe I should just shut my mouth!

A quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping on a rainy day;

restraining her is like restraining the wind
or grasping oil with the hand.

Proverbs 27:15-16

Cartoon: Ten years from now, that's Yours Truly being fed by Nathan (hee, hee).