Fish Anyone??

The kids spent all morning on Sunday fishing on our little lake. They started showing up at 7:45am and continued until we had eight people.

I did manage to put a bra on before they converged on us but that's about it. Hadn't even brushed my teeth before I was cooking up Huevos Rancheros for breakfast and serving it to whomever was hungry.

You know you have some good friends when you can whip up breakfast in your pajamas and not worry about the way you look. The boys had a ball. Caught a bunch of Big Mouthed Bass. I was so excited for them until they all informed me that they were keeping them and we would be eating them later.

"Um, I'm NOT cleaning those." 

"it's OK mom because Mr. Steve is gonna bring his electric fillet knife and clean them in the kitchen sink."

Oh Yay.

"Umm if your gonna clean those does that mean I have to cook them?"

"yes, that's what that means"

So I cooked up six tiny 2" filet's last night and had the kids deliver the pieces to the other fishermen.

They loved it and I survived my first backyard experience of livin off the land.

Just so you get an idea of the weather down here in the deep South... When I went outside to take pictures of the boys and their "catch", my camera immediately fogged up from the humidity. That's exactly the same reaction I have when I walk outside. I steam up.

What am I feeling?

I woke up this morning feeling anxious. 

nervous

scared

worried

sad

One of my children is leaving this morning. Not one of my blood children but one just as important. Ari's best friend has been here for a week. It has been a great week. Mostly because my kids have been so happy. Emily lives in new Hampshire and has been Ari's friend since the day we arrived there in the arctic tundra in January 2008. They have shared so much... good and sad, loss of a friend, loss of living right around the corner from each other. They're friendship has stood up to being separated by 3000 miles. Thank GOD for skype. they text all the time. They skype all the time. They can talk and still feel like they are in the same room, plotting, planning, talking. 

I worry because Ari hasn't invested emotionally here. She hasn't and probably won't for a while. That's OK because she deserves to take her time. I worry about how it will be around here after Emily goes home today. 

I wish for them...

a lifetime of a close and special friendship.

a bond that will not and cannot be broken simply by geography.

I wish for them to find a friend nearby that they can feel close to but that they can always know that no matter where they are in the world ... That when they both look up at the moon, they remember that they are both looking at the same moon and therefore,  are together... no matter what.

The Past Few Weeks

The past couple weeks or so have been quite busy.

WE had a quiet 4th of July. It was beastly hot which of course kept me inside and NOT wanting to do much of anything. After holding the kids off for most of the day we finally made a visit to the pool after our backyard BBQ for some fun in the water. This was Ted's second or third visit to the pool all season.(Not his scene). He was recruited as the jumping off platform for his two daughters who were more than excited to have a parent in the pool who was actually willing to get his hair wet. NO I do NOT get my hair wet as it will fade my hair color and make it look brassy. NOT a good look for the Mama.

My oldest child is a huge dork.

Ted got his first piece of mail from the AARP. I thought it was funny. He immediately picked up the phone and called them wanting to know why they were sending him this crap when he is most definitely NOT in their club yet.

Poppy Tom and Nephew Morgan arrived for a week long visit this past Tuesday and are here until next Tuesday. They have had fun in spite of me being deathly ill. As I write this I am on the sofa while the rest of the Fam are out and about eating waffles and scouting alligators. 

Alex starts Golf camp Monday and has already made a valiant attempt at getting out of it. He reminded me last night that he already took a golf lesson and therefore knows everything there is to know about the game of golf. After laughing my ass off at his usual M.O. I promptly told him "Nice try" but you are going weather you want to or not.

Indy on the other hand starts Volleyball camp this week also and is counting down the minutes until Monday when she will head on over to Southern Alabama University ( a division one volleyball school) for her week long all day camp. She has been wearing her knee pads all weekend.

Ari is just on the tail end of her count down to when BFF Emily arrives for her visit. Tuesday I will be dropping off two house guests and picking up a new one. Can't wait, love having the kids friends visit.

Me? I will be sucking on my albuterol until tomorrow when I can get to the doctor. I spent a better part of last night digging in every medicine cabinet in the house trying to find something I could take to keep me out of the ER until Monday. Thank GAWWD Ted found an inhaler from when I had pneumonia a couple of years ago. Way to go Honey!! Love ya for that!!

I Am A Boat Captain

A few weeks ago when I took Ari to get her Drivers permit I decided that I should do something constructive and try and take the Boaters exam. I studied for a total of  about 1 1/2 hours online then took the boaters exam along side Ari as she took her drivers test. She got all dolled up and had her makeup on so her driver's permit picture would be gorgeous!
Me on the other hand hadn't yet showered that day as I was NOT going to have my picture taken. I was only there to take a computerized test and then assumably have them put some sort of secret sticker on my license to show that I am indeed a licensed vessel driver. So I took the test and passed.  Yay for me!! I was so excited until I hear the lady behind the desk tell me to stand on the black line so she can take my picture.
This is where you hear the screeching sound of a needle on a record player. That's right... WHAT?!?!
me-"Oh you must be mistaken..."
" I'm not here to take a new picture, I already have my Alabama drivers license."
"See? Here is it... This was the day I blew out and straightened my hair and put make up on and actually put on earrings too!"
 Lady-"Please step on the line Honey and we need to take a new picture of you today for your NEW license"
me- " But, But, I haven't showered or  put any makeup on yet today" It's 4:30 pm  BTW.

Lady- "It's OK Honey you look fine"
I do NOT look fine... My hair is pulled into a tight ugly knot in back and I am in need of a good root cover-up if you know what I mean, I have nothing on my eyes except for a few tiny pieces of yesterdays mascara.

I desperately rip my hair out of the greasy knot and try my best to fluff and shake it into submission. I flip my head upside down hoping that I will magically flip back up and look somewhat like a super model.
NO such luck.
So here I am standing on the black line with flat hair down to my jaw from being pulled so tight for so long and the the rest of my hair is resembling something like a frizzy straw thing. Big, flat and frizzy all rolled up into one big HOT mess.
I smile and get it over with while mumbling to myself that the only people who will ever see my license is a cop or a bar bouncer. And since I don't hang out in bars and I don't get pulled over too often then maybe all will OK with the world.

Meanwhile little miss priss (Arianna) is right next to me taking the most beautiful drivers permit picture we ever did see. Even the ladies behind the desk spend a good 2-3 minutes oohing and awing about how beautiful she is and how this is the most gorgeous picture they have ever seen. She sits there politely and smiles and I write the check for all of this afternoon fun and can't wait to get the Hell outta there.
My only consolation??? I am now the proud  recipient of a license to drive a water vessel. Oh and by the way, I have NEVER driven a boat, nor do we own a boat. Nor do we plan on buying a boat.

I'm just sayin.