Flip-flops and sandals mean spring is here.
2005-04-03
10:35 p.m.
Spring has sprung at our house. Just guess what the best indicator is for me? Tonight there is a pile of flip-flops and sandals by the front door, instead of a pile of sneakers and clogs and boots. By next month there will be a bottle of mosquito spray there, too.
Before I forget, I want to answer chaosdaily's comment: I smeared a very small amount of olive oil on that chicken (yes, a whole chicken) and then put some Italian seasonings on it. The seasonings were a flavor out of those four-packs they sell to add to olive oil for dipping bread. I agree that was an unusually high temeperature to be baking it, but it was so good I would do it again. Only this time I'd open the doors and windows and turn on the stove vent first.
Hubby and Oldest Son got home about 8:30 last night, and all is well in our world again. It is so nice to have them home. I didn't realize how poorly I'd been sleeping all week till this morning, when I woke up after sleeping all night without waking. I was so much more rested than the whole time they were gone.
When they got in last night we ordered pizza and then unloaded the van and unpacked all the things they brought home. About the time we finished all that, the pizza was here, and Oldest and Youngest Sons paired up in the sun room -- it was too sweet, and a site we don't see often enough -- and Hubby and I sat down at the kitchen table and caught up with each other.
It seems my brother is going to have to take out a six-pack of whoop ass on his teenagers and rein them back in control. Hubby says they are definitely running the house, and that my brother is the only one doing housework of any kind, plus he's having royal battles with my 13-year-old nephew over homework. Hubby says as soon as my brother lays down, be it on the couch or in bed, or even just laid back in his chair, he is snoring in minutes.
We talked about it and both figure it is a combination of depression and just plain fatigue. My brother and his wife's marriage was very troubled at the time of her accident, and I know he carries a lot of guilt over that. From the outside it is so easy to see that catering to his kids' every wish won't bring back their mom nor be good for them, but I know if I was in his shoes I'd be tempted to do the same thing.
I sent a box of jewelry and keychains with my husband to share with our families while he was visiting. He forgot to give it to my niece (!@#$), but he did give it to my mother-in-law and sister-in-law. They called me to tell me how much they liked everything, and that my sister-in-law took it to her office while Hubby was there and sold $200 worth of things before he had to leave at lunch time. That was a wonderful surprise. I may need her as an agent!
From their night spent at my mom's house, Hubby reported that my mom is doing fine, but that he wonders if my brother will ever walk with the prosthesis unless he loses quite a bit of weight. When he first got the prosthesis, my brother was hell-bent to use it. Now, though he has been having some problems with blisters from it, I too sense a slowing of his progress. He just had it refitted on Friday, and that should help some with the blisters issue.
I'm sure some of the problem is weight related, but I think some of it may be emotional, too. The one-year date of their accident is the end of this month, and their wedding anniversary is the next day. I pray that once he gets past that day we will see a renewed effort. He's driving now, and he's driven to his and my sister-in-law's house, but he hasn't gone in. He said he just sat in the driveway and talked to some of his neighbors.
My brother and I have pretty similar personalities, and I know him well enough to know when he really makes up his mind what he's going to do, he'll do it. And most likely not before then.
Today we went to the local arts and crafts festival in town. It was a gorgeous day, and their turnout was excellent. We let the kids do some sand art jars and bought them each a puppet and had their faces painted. I checked out a few jewelry tents while Hubby and the kids meandered on.
Hubby started looking at photographs and paintings of this city in several tents, looking for something to remember this city by when we leave. When we walked by a local photographer's tent we knew we'd found the perfect thing: A family portrait done on the beach. We have had some of our best times here on the beach, and both kids especially love it. And we've never had a family portrait done.
I took one of his brochures and checked out his web page. It's going to be pretty pricey, but his work was so impressive we've decided to do it anyway. The plan is to give both of our moms 8 x 10s for their Mothers Day gifts, too. I told Hubby my mom will cry when she opens that. She's not an overly emotional person, but I just think she will.
So in my phone call with Cindy today (hi Cindy), I asked her how that photographer is going to shave at least 50 pounds off of me. I think she agreed with me he might have trouble doing that.
I've been mulling this over all evening, and I think I'm just going to have to ignore all the voices in my head and just do it and have a good time doing it. This is what I look like now and that is that. I don't want to squelch and ruin this activity that we are excited about doing just because of my weight. And the other three people that'll be in that picture are my three favorite people in the world, so that alone makes me want to do it.
Tonight we sat out on the back deck and ate leftover pizza for dinner, then watched the kids race Hot Wheels down the slide. And I felt so happy and blessed and lucky. My life is good.
2 comments so far Fi - 2005-04-04 00:29:49
Spring weather, happy kids playing and pizza....what more could you want to make life good?
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Baby Doll - 2005-04-04 07:52:17
What a great way to spend a Sunday!! Life is great, isn't it? :)
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