Rain @ MindSay

I forgot just how soothing a spending time outside in the rain truly is. It's been looking like it's going to rain constantly ever since my return to society and tonight it finally let loose. Maybe now I'll be able to make some much needed repairs to the trails since everyone else let them go this summer (with the exception of the moron who took it upon themselves to clear out all of the undergrowth back there). That's another story all together. If I wanted trails that were out in the open I'd have built them in a field. I can't expect anyone to use common sense in the South though seeing as that typically is a bit of a stretch.





Out of focus digital picture of my muddy hand = check.

Fuzzy was moved into a room late yesterday.They are monitoring his heart and his kidneys,slowly taking him off oxygen.He is still having diaherria  though. they cant get that under control.Peggy was very tired this morning when I talked with her. She looked it yesterday,but today you hear it in her voice. She has today covered.Hopefully she can get some sleep while her mom takes dialysis, as her aunt will pick her mom up afterwards.Peggy plans to go home and try to sleep a bit. She needs to. I'm concerned about her. She is gonna collaspe if she doesn't rest soon...She will probably get me to help her tomorrow...
James and I went yard sale-ing  this morning. it gives us something to do and we never spend much. Maybe a few dollars. Its our Saturday morning routine! We found Morgan a drum set for xbox today! called and woke him up to ask if he wanted them...just $7.00!!! They put everything at half price after 11 am! They are gonna have a great yard sale by doing this and they were cheap anyway! Orginally the drums were $15.00!  Came with the rock revolution game. I just hope they work! She said they did and they seem to be in great shape! Wont know til Morgan uses them!
Last weekend we went to Hillsville to the huge flea market there. I didnt think it was as crowded as in years past. Because of the recession many didn't travel for it. Even the vendors were down.We still enjoyed it, just getting away for a day was good! Got to see Morgan too, as he popped home for the weekend cause he bought a drum set and had to pick up his glasses that came in.It was hot though last weekend! I was ready to quit at 2, but James insisted we rest a bit then plow on some more! I was wore out! we got there at 9 that morning, and we finally quit about 4:30...still about 3-4 hours left that next day to cover it all. We got to our room about 5 and collasped. I got a shower and saw that I was sunburned! ouch! I put sunscreen on! anyway, we walked over to Sagebrush to eat. we were too beat to drive anywhere. waited an hour to sit, then waited 30 mintues for our food.... Finished at 8 then went back to room and fell into bed! we were asleep by 10! whew! Up at 7 next day and started again! we finished about 10:30...I will never do that again! I cant take the heat anymore. I feel like i'm gonna pass out in it. today while yard sale-ing I felt like it again. I get really weak all of a sudden and feel shaky, and cant get a good breath... I dont know what it is...but it bothers me. Since I turned 46 this year, I feel like my body is deserting me... Perimenopause... Hot flashes, cold,chills, now this with the heat. I get too hot now...Maybe I should get checked out by the doctor. Mood swings too! I can bite someones head off if they cross me at the wrong time of the month now!!!I cant help it either. Family will just have to deal with it!! looks like I've got a ways to go before I'm out. Most of my friends tell me it ends about the time you turn 50ish!! So I'm looking at 4 more years of this!??? Ouch!!!
We went to the West game last night..It was really wierd with Ariana not cheering... Still saw a lot of parents there whose kids graduated with Ariana. Even saw some there home for the weekend from college. Just as 4th quarter started,it starts raining...I look at James and start laughing...we wait a bit, and it starts getting harder, so pack up and leave. passed several others and we said"No need to get wet this year! Not sitting in any rain!" everyone laughed. last year see, it practically rained every football game! and we had to stay then! With Ariana cheering and James head of concessions, there was no leaving. Sat under an umbrella most of the season and learned to deal with getting wet! So, last night was fun to get up and leave with everyone else!! We sat in car and listened to the rest of the game...West won, 28-21...Its a wonder though as many passes as they threw and missed,dropped or whatever...They lost over half the team as most were Sr.'s. last years team was great..
Of course all the parents still there saw James and tried to get him back,or tell him they miss him doing concessions! Some even told him that it went downhill a bit! Oh well! It's time for other parents to step up to the plate and do it!! The new couple that took over the concessions said they didnt really know just how much work it took to keep it up! Ha! We told em!!its like having a second job with no pay! and then no other parents want to help.."Oh I have to see my child play!" what's one night??? oh well, not our concern anymore! we will go to most of the home games I guess. I especially want to see Homecoming... the athletic director gave James a pass for this year, for all the years he put in as head of concessions. Old saying goes, no one appreciates you until you aren't there!
Wow! 2 days at once on here1 I'm on a roll!!

Day 3 Brought a leisurely day to sleep in a little bit. We had time to wake up to our own internal clocks (well, perhaps all of us except Kim...sorry honey...High Tea generally isn't served late in the day...lol). We all got ready and were in very high and happy spirits as we were off on yet another adventure!
Resa & Dev have both done the Reynolds Tea Room before and enjoy it very much, but the whole "proper" tea with your own tea pot, little finger sandwiches, scones, tiny tea cakes and shepards pies, etc was something new to both Kim and myself, so we had something new to look forward to. And I have to say we both really enjoyed it. It was very fancy, but not so much that you couldn't dress in a moderately casual manner. Both Resa & Kim had on long skirts, I had some black capri pants with a ruffly matching top. Dev opted for dress slacks instead of a skirt (ya had to know he would...snickers). But it wasn't like you felt like you were underdressed or overdressed at all. But it was very, well, quaint for lack of a better word, and very civilized. I opted for a simple tea as I am not as adventurous, I had Cupids Arrow which was a blend of Cherry, almond, and vanilla (yep, thought it would taste like Jergens hand lotion....but it didn't, it was quite tasty). Kim was more adventurous and had some Hawaiian type tea I can't quite remember the name of it so it shall be referred to as "KumonIwannaleiyou" tea! Dev had a nice Green breakfast tea (if I remember correctly?) and Resa had another 27 letter concoction that had a Japanese name like "KyotoYokoOnoJohnLennon&MichaelJacksonareBOTHDEAD" and she liked it so much that when Resa slipped off to the ladies room Dev tried to purchase some to take home without Resa knowing it. But that Resa is just too quick! We tried, honest we did! We were trying to slip stuff behind our backs, and Kim has a HUGE purse/bag that would have worked find if Resa was not so quick at the whole going potty thing! But, she's a fast Whizzer, so no surprise for her!
Annapolis was full of "Plateheads" as they are called. Young, babies who are willing to fight for this beautiful country. Resa told us that it use to be a tradition that if a "Platehead" took his hat off and put it on your head you were obligated to give him a kiss. I said "what if I go up to one and take his hat off of him and put it on myself? Does that mean he has to give me a kiss?" They both had to laugh at that, but you know, once I got a look at the age of these wee ones, I decided it would be too much like kissing my son, so I opted for whining that I wanted a hat like that!!! I actually would have been too leery of swiping the hat off my nephew who actually is a "platehead" from behind and have him turn around and then WOW...who would have been more shocked? But, we never saw him, and I behaved. All those white clothes to wash though!!! Glad I'm not the one who has to do that!!!!!! Ring around the collar indeed!!!

The harbor cruise was awesome! Kim had never been on any type of boat before, so it was yet another treat to watch her, (she's actually always been a little fearful of water due to a near drowning incident when she was a kid) so it was something she overcame to actually get on the boat and not be afraid. She really seemed to enjoy herself and snapped many, many pictures. Personally, this was a point in the trip where they could have just continued on and on and on, as I was soooooo relaxed, and really just enjoying the scenery, the ocean breeze, etc, and it was over all too soon. But, a longer ride will be in the plans for next time I'm sure, and I am thinking that I may be a "cruise person" after all. It's all just so calming and restful knowing that you have nowhere to go, and that someone else is driving the boat....ahhhhhhhhh.

After the harbor cruise, which I do have to say Resa would be a much better tour guide for than the prerecorded version they offer (she had many more things of interest that she offered us) we headed to main street to the shops. While there were many things to look at and enjoy, Mother Nature decided that we were just too dry. So she rained on us....and rained, and rained, and rained. And then she rained some more! I really love walking in the rain, so it didn't bother me in the least, however it can be a bit treacherous if one is not wearing the right kind of shoes. We did our shopping, got a few required souveniers, and then opted for a driving tour. We saw some pretty interesting (and old) buildings, and the funniest part I have to say was that Resa was driving along (I mean, makes sense her being behind the wheel and all) and Kim would want to take a picture. There were never any red lights when you wanted them! So Resa was a very good sport about going around again....except the lights never really did cooperate that much.

We headed back and had a nice meal, with a youngster who thought he'd increase his tip by calling me "sweetheart", "honey", "darling", etc, etc, and I just didn't have the heart to tell him that I had underwear that was older than him! When we entered the place looking like a pack of drown rats, Kim immediately headed for the ladies room to towel off. I asked him for a stack of napkins to dry ourselves with. He looked at us and said "oh, yeah, I suppose you got a little wet from the rain". I just had to say it....I wouldn't have been able to stop my mouth anymore than I could have stopped the rain from falling. I said "No, we often go out looking like this!". Youngsters....!!!
Well, you would think by then we'd have been warmed up, but this overheated perimenopausal female was shivering!!!!!!! I have never been so happy to get into dry clothes and warm up before! But what a great day filled with fun.

We spent several hours then just talking, which is always so much fun, and that was when I very ceremoniously, well, "marked my territory". Dev is a master at tongue twisters, and he just happened to be saying one to Kim as I was swilling my coke! Bad move on my part!!!!!!!!! NOTE TO SELF....SWALLOW BEFORE DEV TALKS!!!!!!!!!!
Coke out my nose & mouth! I thought Resa and Kim were going to literally wet themselves from laughter! They were both crying from laughing so hard, and it was one of those once in a lifetime moments. Can we reenact it??? Well, next time we get together, and there WILL be a next time, I'll let ya know! I can tell you that Coke does NOT lose it's fizz when it comes out the nose though! Thank heavens I was in a leather chair!

The next day......*sighs* Time to get packing and knowing we had to go home! BUT WE DON'T WANT TO GO HOME, WE JUST GO HERE, AND WE LIKE IT HERE!!!!!!!!!!!! *BIGGER SIGHS* That would be the sucky part of vacations, especially when they are so perfect and they are with such wonderful friends. You don't have enough time...it's just going too quickly, and before you know it...there you are at the airport...hugging and wishing you could turn back the clock to when you just arrived and do it all over again! Our trip home was uneventful other than having more annoying people on the plane (ya can't avoid that no matter where you go) and it all went really fast. It was good to sleep in our own beds, but Dang, we miss our friends and just wish the time would have gone a little bit slower so we could have savored it more.

Resa, Dev, you both made this such an awesome vacation for both Kim and I. There are simply not words to thank you for your hospitality and we can't wait to do it again. I don't know that we can provide as much diversity here if/when you would come to visit us...but we DO have cheese :)

Love ya both! Thanks for such an incredible vacation!