In My Absence

The lack of blogging is due to a disturbance in the force.  We went camping and didn’t take the computer…. go figure!  Four families made some plans, reserved some camp spots, packed everything including the kitchen sink (but all forgot ketchup!) and headed out to the lake for four days of wilderness survival.  It was hardly wildernessy or survivally, except for the hurricane that hit with 65 mile-an-hour winds on Friday night.  The boy’s tent blew down flat… broken poles and all.  Two of them moved into the boat (with a canvas cover) and two moved into the van.  Let me just add that the wise man builds his house in the van.  By 12:30 a.m. the boat boys were soaked and texted a plea to the RV, “Please help. Wet.”

Our tent was not handling the gales well either.  A nylon strap snapped and rain was coming in on my head….. I was more worried about getting electrocuted from my electric blanket than worried about being wet.  Don’t judge me.  We also were graciously invited into the 5th wheel in the blowing blazes of the storm.

If the storm wasn’t enough, Keeve’s retainer went missing AGAIN.  This is the second camping trip where the retainer was MIA.  Thankfully it was also the second camping trip where the retainer materialized before his father could wring his neck.

AND…. our friend’s golden retriever was profusely sprayed by our neighborhood skunk.  I’ve smelled city kitties before, but not so strong where it burns your throat.  Wow…. brought tears to my eyes as well.

If all those events didn’t add enough excitement…. our car battery died…. deader than a doornail.  So we used the van as a storage unit until my knight in shining work truck went a bought a new battery.  Wow!

Yes, the water level is extremely low in Lake Pleasant at the moment, but it is filling as we speak.  Many a nap transpired by the lake and we ALL enjoyed the lazy time of not being in the hustle and bustle of home life.

Despite the disturbances in the force, a relaxing time was had by all…. most of the time.

Old Dog Tricks Die Hard

Do you have any habits or interesting practices that you inherited from your parents?  I’m sure we all do, well, except for those who grew up without parents.  Eight years ago, my sister and I were getting ready for church in her master bedroom bathroom and we could not stop laughing at all the numerous beauty tricks that we each picked up from watching our mom.  Christy finished her make-up application and then hairsprayed her index finger and ran the glue along each eyebrow.  I laughed and said, “Mom used to do that.”  Then I was having flat head syndrome and picked up a patch of hair on the crown on my head and backcombed it at a terribly rapid rate of teasing speed.  Christy started laughing and said, “Mom does that too!” 

Well, my husband, whom I love with all my heart, picked up the habit of adding water to whatever condiment was getting low on juice.  Salad dressing, chocolate syrup, catsup, you name it.  They were all watered down to clear muck before our eyes.  Recently I found out that Rick’s dad used to do that.  Probably still does.  Nothing bugs me more than cooking an Oscar Meyer wiener to perfection, laying it in a toasted hotdog bun and then dumping pink water on it from the “almost gone” catsup.  Just throw the blinkin’ bottle away already.

Another time when the catsup bottle was getting low, Rick was sitting at the kitchen table and asked for the catsup bottle from the kitchen counter.  Noticing that it was practically empty, I quickly grabbed it, removed the lid, filled the bottle with four ounces of tap water and replaced the lid.  Rick was talking and didn’t notice the delay in the requested bottle’s delivery to the table.  I really wanted him to douse his dog, but unfortunately, he has another habit of always shaking the catsup bottle before opening it…. and he noticed the clear consistency where the red goo was supposed to be.  “Look, we don’t need to buy catsup for another three weeks!” I pronounced then doubled over in ruckus laughter.  He did laugh… then he ate his dry dog.

:oD

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