It's the end of May, and this year seems to be flying by at a rapid clip.
We just came in from burying Oskar, who died last October and has been awaiting burial since then, double-zip-lock-bagged in the deep freeze. He was a sweet guinea pig, who started life as a middle school science classroom resident, spent some time in a rescue home and finally landed here. He liked being held by anyone who offered carrots, and he made all sort of interesting noises either in his cage or in arms. He never got the hang of his big purple exercise ball though -- he simply napped in it while waiting for his cage to be cleaned.
Today is Memorial Day. I'm grateful to all the soldiers who have given their lives for our countries, both the fallen and the living. My daddy served for 20 years in the Navy, and we are very grateful that he came home from his tour in Vietnam alive and well.
Yesterday we took Tigger's Nintendo Monopoly board over to Ro and Knight's and played out on their deck while we ate yummy grilled foods and nummy sides. I bankrupted first and Tigger won the game. Earlier in the day we watched Iron Man II after Critter and I got home from church.
Saturday Flar and I went to a birthday party for friends from Quest. I made a three tier cake for the party which was pronounced delicious, and the honorees liked the decorations. The kids at the party entertained all of us by playing on an 8 foot blow-up water slide. Grilled two days in a row has me spoiled: I'm making hamburger stroganoff tonight.
This is the first Memorial Day weekend in fifteen years that we haven't hosted a PWP. We just decided we were two tired for the cleaning and hosting and cleaning again, and then we got an email from one of our regular out-of-state attendees that they couldn't make it this year, sealing the deal. Maybe we'll start a new tradition next year, but it was fun to attend someone else's party this year, instead. :)
This past week, I was concentrating on cleaning the kitchen, baking and decorating three tiers, and keeping the kitchen clean, all after working 8 hour days. Ro and Knight came over after going to dinner and a movie with Flar and Tigger Friday night, and kept me company while I did the final decorations. Ro helped by cutting out the stencils and creating the three-d figures, which really wowed the guests at the party.
Saturday night after the party, Knight and Tigger and I took advantage of the free bowling cards we receive as part of our Adult-Youth bowling league. We bowled two games, and Flar bowled the most pins. He's been released from the transplant team as fully recovered from his transplant, has gotten over the pain associated with his blood clots, and has seemingly recovered from the knee pain that his doctor feared was arthritis. It's good to see him with enough energy for activities like bowling.
Mom came to visit for Mother's Day this year, and stayed for two weeks. She helped take care of Critter when he had surgery to remove an ingrown toenail, and shopped with Critter and CuppyKate to furnish Critter's apartment, and had a nice girl's night out with me when I got my summer short cut. As always, her visit seemed far too short. She and Daddy are planning to come visit in August when Critter will be moving into his apartment.
The boys bought flowers for me for Mother's day, and planted them in the plot beside the garage and along the wall by the back door. I watered them today, since we keep escaping the thunderstorms which were forecast for the weekend.
We've made our flight arrangements to spend Christmas in Texas this year -- Critter and I will be flying out after Flar and Tigger and coming home before them. Frequent flier seats were not available for four to travel together during the Christmas holidays.
I'm working almost full-time day hours now, and still hoping to be made a full-time employee, with associated holidays, vacation time and health insurance. Our company is doing well, and I've been trained for more parts of the operations process now that I'm there during the day.
Flar is working on finding more business opportunities unrelated to the partnership he's been in for the last few years, as that business starts to wind down.
Late in April, Mom and Dad provided cash for me to buy a 1987 Porsche from our mechanic, enabling me to give my Beetle to Tigger. He has his learners permit and is learning on the Beetle. He is good at balancing the clutch and accelerator, shifts smoothly, and has a good grasp of steering. He's still cautious about speed and acceleration. He's progressed from a deserted mall parking lot to a quiet industrial park to Vince Road. He still needs quite a bit of practice before he's ready for the driving test, however.
My Porsche has a decent body and paint job, a newly rebuilt transmission and good engine. It currently needs AC work though, and I'll be dropping it at the mechanic again this week.
Critter is working at UK as a research assistant, and he's been car-pooling with me and with CuppyKate, depending on each day's after work activities. Tigger is finishing up school this week, and received an award last week for his AgriBiology class. He has not found a summer job, and is considering doing projects for us this summer instead.
Bowling tonight, so it's time to get to cooking dinner.
mood:  happy |
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minikin's journal