Goings on

John went shopping for my birthday present tonight! I wonder what he got me!!! I'm thinking he went today because a few days ago I announced that it was "Only 9 more shopping days 'til my birthday!" and I have been counting them down (sometimes rather obnoxiously) ever since. He prolly wants to put a stop to that by just shopping now instead of later. Hmph. I can always use stocking stuffers, can't I? Oh yeah, it's not Christmas time. Bummer.

I think I only have a mole hill of laundry instead of Mt. Everest as of tonight. Feels good, though I still have a ton of ironing to do. Hate that. Since we've moved, our laundry is now in the basement... haven't ever had to deal with "basement laundry" since living with my parents. I have been spoiled all these years and didn't know it. It was much, much easier doing laundry when it was on the main (only!) floor. Takes me forever now, and I've had to shake off my fear of wrinkles and deal with letting the dryer stop (for a long time) before I can get to the clothes. Doing lots of ironing now. Not my favorite task in the world, as John can attest to since he's been scrounging for shirts with the fewest wrinkles to wear to work as he waits for me to get around to ironing the rest. *sigh*

So, having a *much* bigger house has it's pluses and minuses... Harder to keep clean (uff da is there a lot of vacumming and dusting now!) I constantly feel behind, but I need to remember that I have FOUR kids, and will be behind for the next I-don't-know how many years. I will feel better though, when I can wake up and know that there is a good routine already in place and I don't have to fret about it. I'm a frettin' type of a soul sometimes. But oh, am I loving that I can send the kids to a different living level to get out their squirmies. Or outside to a fenced yard. Such an enormous relief to not worry about where they are or what they're doing.

John put a seat on the rope swing tonight. We've been hearing complaints of the knot in the rope hurting people's fannies. John kept tellin' 'em that the knot was for their feet, but they weren't havin' it. So, since we care so much about the fannies around here, they can now sit in comfort as they swing through the trees...

We've had some really busy weekends lately. Family gatherings, and also getting back to Dad's house and doing some cleaning up and cleaning out. Hard stuff. I had a melt-down last weekend going through Dad's house and worrying that things were just going to be stuck in a dumpster. And also thinking that "my home" was being dismantled never to be reassembled. Kind of like saying good bye not only to my dad, but also to my mom (again), and then to a whole childhood of memories. It was the only house I ever knew. Talk about compounding my loss. Uff da.

Speaking of my parents' house, I commissioned my nephew, who is a studio artist to sketch and paint it for me. It is FABULOUS. Who better to do the job than someone growing up seeing it also... He "crazy quilted" the different eras of the house into one sketch. The old bushes were brought back. The handicap ramp was ditched to reveal the steps and the rail that used to be there. The new shed was left, and Mom's rock garden was brought back. The impression of long grass was kept as well. (Dad hated to mow, and the neighbors just loved him, I'm sure!) The original color of the house was kept, and while there were no squirrels in the yard as I grew up, there have been plenty in the past ten years or so, which Dad fattened up rather well on corn cobs. There's a rather portly squirrel in the pic. I can't wait to get this on my wall... It will be one of my most prized possessions for years to come.

Hope you're all having a good summer... It's been the best worst summer of my life. Best because of the new house, and worst because of the loss of my dad, which is rehashing the loss of my mom, and the loss of my life-long "home."