then Tuesday came along...

 ...it started as an empty day.  You know, no plans, just a general outline. Get up, turn the little space heater on in the bathroom, get out to the kitchen before Miss Char goes out the door to the bus.  There were some dishes to wash up, some things to putter around and clean up, then my comfy chair.  I got up for a second coffee already, and to do a few squats, walk backwards a bit, straighten up the shoes near the door...my hip has been acting up just a little, then out of the blue, that tinge of random stabbing pain when least expected, ugh.  

Anyway.  One thing I wanted to clear up:  I am not, nor was I, mad at Paul for leaving me at security in the airport.  I was in panic mode for a few minutes there, and I stand by this:  he should have told me he was going straight to the gate, or made sure I had, before he bolted.  But:  he was also stressing that he was going to miss the flight, and it was perfectly clear to him that I would have just gone on to the gate.  Misunderstanding, but not anger.  How could you be mad at a guy who went to Walmart and bought you a chair to sit on the beach in, for one day?  A towel in the sand or even just the sand is fine with him.  But for me, a chair.  When we landed home and were waiting for our luggage, he ran and got me a coffee.  He's a keeper, for sure. 

Yesterday, I went to the pool, then came home and left with Kathryn and her kids, and Evelyn, and Camille to go to the mall...they had a long standing date to go to Build-A-Bear.  Camille said, "We're living vicariously through them, things we never got to do...", she nailed it.  

Achilles chose his frog, right off the bat, and named it Sonic.  Rhys decided on the cutest bear...they didn't get clothes, just sneakers for them.  Kathryn said it was a one-time thing, and it sure was fun...they loved seeing their animals fill with fluff.  (I'm thinking to drag out the sewing machine, I could make some cute clothes...)

There's a beautiful carousel in this mall, it used to be a quarter when my kids would ride it...now it's two bucks.  They were a bit daunted by it, so they watched it for a bit before deciding to go on.  Camille and Kathryn went on and stood by their horses while Evelyn and I stayed with baby Jamie. 

Then Rhys took a turn in the stroller.  She conked.

Auntie Evelyn with Achilles.

They all came over for a bit, and the kids were all about being outside.  It turned into a little clean-up-the-yard party.  Evelyn raked, I raked a bit, I washed off the front of the house with Dawn and bleach in warm water, we picked up random things (two pairs of little socks near the trampoline!  a broken pail, a water bottle, wrappers...and so many sticks!).  I had made a pot of chili with hot sausage, onions and peppers, and Camille made a pan of rice, right as we came in the door...so it was hot and ready when we were done outside.  Surprisingly, Rhys loved the chili and had two servings with her rice!  

It was almost six o'clock when they were packing up to leave, and I went with Kathryn because we needed to go to the grocery store.  Her little ones were not in any shape to shop, after their fun day.  So home to daddy they went, while we went to Aldi.  7,537 steps yesterday, that's not bad.  In fact, it's a lot for me, in addition to the pool.  

Our April Fool's joke this year is:  we're getting a snowstorm.  The news stations greatly exaggerate these things, but we are, for real, getting more snow.  Today is gloomy and dark (and shh, very cozy!), and rain is coming...turning to snow tomorrow.  I don't know how much we'll get but jeesh, we are ready for flowers and newborn baby leaves here, not icicles and slippery stairs!  

Sonja will be getting the keys to her new apartment today, which is good, as the boxes are stacking up here.  A new mattress and bed frame, a vacuum cleaner, trash can, ect.  I am excited for her, but between you and me, I hate it.  Life plods on, day after day, but then all of the sudden you're getting old, and the past seems like it zoomed by on fast-forward.  How on earth did baby Sonja, that sweet chubby-faced little girl, the fifth of the five-girls-in-a-row in five years, how did she grow up into a responsible tax paying citizen already?!  Her feathers are just coming in, she's not ready to fly yet!  It makes me feel useless, each time one doesn't need me anymore.  Obsolete.  

In all seriousness, I know I am a rich, rich woman.  I cherish the older kids, and the grandkids, and there is never a dull moment.  My life is full and good.  But that does not negate those feelings of loss and sadness when they each up and leave.  The empty rooms add up, and the house becomes quieter, but thank the Lord for those noisy, lively grandkids, bringing life and vitality and fun into the house when they come over!  

Tomorrow, weather permitting, Adrian was going to come over to finish up the bathroom ceiling that Jonathan replaced, and bring Wulf and Tenny with him.  Grace is planning to come with Grant, Ruth, and Maeve, because Sam has class.  Kathryn might come too, because they all love playing together, and why not?  I hope the snow is just a jokey kind of spring snow...

In Aldi, I bought a big huge plastic planter.  I'm super excited about flowers in pots on the deck.  I'm excited about the garden, and the pool.  Here in the northeast, summer isn't nearly long enough, but I maintain that we enjoy the very HECK right out of it, more than anywhere else, except for maybe Norway and the rest of the arctic, ha.  

Ah well....have a really nice day.