Week in Review

You'd think I'd have lost a pound or two trying to hold down the fort while dh and dd#2 are out traveling, and with dd#1's social calendar. I'm finding, however, that chocolate chip cookies with a quart of milk make me feel better about working so hard. They call my name late at night from the refrigerator.

Dd#2 has been in Hamburg, Germany this week at an international horse competition for Mounted Games. The events leading up to the day she left were an emotional roller coaster. Her riding partner had not received her passport, so tickets weren't purchased thinking that the pair wouldn't be able to go. Last Friday, the passport came, and thus began a flurry of activity to get together all the clothes and items a 13 year old needs to go overseas.

First the most important news: As of this morning, they were in second place out of 12 teams! There is one more heat to go. I am so proud of them. In addition to handling (with chaperones) their first travel overseas, they had two days to accustom themselves to borrowed ponies that were not of their choosing, and to ride for two days against some of the best junior teams in Europe. No matter the finish, they've represented the United States well and shown that they are excellent Mounted Games riders.

Read more about it on the front page of our local paper.

About the same time I saw her off, dh left for Florida and a business conference. They call it a user conference, meaning its for people that use their products. I call it a user conference because they use this as an excuse to leave the old wife at home while they play golf. Two days of golf and eating out, two days of seminars and more eating out. Staying in a hotel where you don't have to angry whisper through your teeth, "SHHHHHHH, there are other people on the other side of that wall!!!!" Eating without having to worry that the ice water will once again be tipped over onto the table or worse, into your lap. Ah, well, it was a bit windy, dh reported, ruining an otherwise nice golf outing.

Dh then continued farther south to visit his parents who live in a retirement community there part of the year. TC's account of the rules at her in-laws retirement community tickled me, as they must be at the same park. I am looking forward to his return this afternoon. Anna will be flying home tomorrow. Please pray for the safety of both.

And here on the homefront? It has rained just enough to keep the grass growing several inches each night. While trying to keep up with dd#1's social calendar (she can't yet drive, and now I know why parents count the days until they can), I've been trying to keep up with the horses (buying hay, moving manure, etc) and cutting the grass. One day, I spent over an hour cutting, enjoying the instant results, the feeling of a job well done. It was late at night though, and dark while I finished up with the headlights. In the morning, I noticed that the dandelions had shot up their flowers overnight and turned to seed, and the entire yard looked as if I'd done NOTHING.

Well, and that is why I've not blogged much this week. Aside from my dwindling sense of humor, I've been trying to hold together this fort with duct tape and baling twine. Speaking of duct tape:

DS: Mom, why do they call it DUCK tape?
MOM: It isn't DUCK tape, it's DUCT tape, with a T on the end.
DS: But why do they call it DUCK tape? What is a DUCK - T?
MOM: Ducts are the pipes they use in houses to carry heat and air. You know those metal pipes in the ceiling?
DS: No. So why do they call it that?
MOM: So they could put a picture of a duck on the front of the package and you'd know what brand to buy.
DS: Oh. (subject dropped, finally)

Private note to TC: That photo is from seventh grade, back when cheerleading wasn't a sport but rather something you could do while the boys played basketball, since the girls had no team. And I did play softball, as a pitcher and catcher, and later coached other kids. I didn't try out for cheerleading in high school, eschewing the popular crowd mostly out of a profound anxiety of hanging with the "in" crowd. I was a nerd.