Thursday, May 31, 2012

Missed a visitor yesterday, Christen (a friend of Melissa’s) visited for a while Melissa arrived to pick up her kids.

Some things that occur within the home and family are sacred…lice, not so much; but other things that require a period of reflection, respect for others privacy, and support for those in need, should be kept in the home. I will leave it at that.

Melissa, Austin and Cole arrived today and Cole decided to spend another night. Steve arrived around 3:00 to cut the grass. Little David and Dakota came while Grace and I were at the Mock Meet.

Maddie (another friend of Grace's) returned home from the Meet to spend the night with Grace.

7 visitors today plus 1 that was missed yesterday, that makes 63 visitors in all

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

By 6:30 AM, Grace was awake and waiting for Madi to arrive (a friend from the swim team). She was dropped off by her mother, Suzanne around 7:15 and spent the day leaving after swim practice at 6:30 PM.

Melissa arrived at 11:00 with Austin and Cole. Melissa was quick to tell me that she had just been informed about Austin’s friend having head lice. His friend was just over at their house a few nights ago. We quickly checked both boys and discovered that some lice were visible. Panic stricken as Melissa was, I remained calm and went to the store to get some shampoo. Melissa asked me to wash their hair so she could return home to clean the house and wash all necessary items. I did.

The afternoon was beautiful, sunny, and hot. Mandy, Isabell, Austin, Cole, Madi, and I decided a trip to the Passage would pass the time nicely. Playing on the steps and maneuvering our way through the maze of creeks was exciting, but soon everyone was very thirsty. We decided blue raspberry slushies would be the perfect treat to quench our thirsts. While in line, and in a manner as a typical 7 year old would ask, Austin looked up at me and questioned, “Nanar, are those bugs that were in my hair dead?” I quickly gave him the finger over my lips-shhhh, bent down and whispered, “yes.” I didn’t look to see if anyone heard his question; I simply looked at the server and ordered 3 blue raspberry slushies, 3 soft ice cream cones, and a bottled water.

While returning home from the Passage, Isabell realized she had a splinter in her hand. After we finally got to look at it, we could see that it was huge and Isabell had no intention of letting me and Mandy remove it. Knowing it needed to come out, Mandy gave me the signal and I was holding on for the fight of my life when Mandy was finally able to retrieve the splinter. Isabell cried for a while, but soon realized swimming with family was more fun than crying about a splinter that was no longer in her hand.

A few crazy incidents, but all is well.

5 visitors today, 55 in all.

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Although many visitors are repeat visitors, they do continue to return. The morning began with Cole being the first visitor of the day. He had spent the night. I asked him if he was going to move in for the summer and he shook his head gesturing “yes.” He went home tonight.

My Stepdad (Pop) arrived around 12:00 to pick up Isabell. She had a play date with Kaitlyn and was very excited. During which time, I spent an hour at the local animal shelter getting city tags for my dogs who were recently incarcerated.

Pop and my Mom brought Isabell home around 5:30.

Melissa arrived with Austin around 6:00 PM on their way to a baseball game. They were starving and had leftover ribs from Sunday’s cookout. Needless to say, when I returned around 6:45, there were rib crumbles scattered about the floor. Sweeping and wiping down the kitchen counters is often my first task when arriving home after an outing.

Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for dinner, several flavored popsicles mixed in bowls, and a few bunches of grapes were consumed during the day.

5 visitors today, 50 in all my first week of summer break.

Monday, May 28, 2012

And so…the evening ends with only 1 visitor remaining in the house. Grace went home to spend the night with Austin and Cole stayed with Isabell. Hamburgers on the grill earlier in the evening for Melissa, her husband Jeff, Austin and Cole.

While at the swimming pool this evening waiting for swim practice to end, Mandy stayed at home to get things ready for the cookout. Macaroni and cheese makes a nice side item for kids; sliced tomatoes, onions, and cabbage leaves. Yes that’s right. When I asked my 25 year old daughter, who obviously cooks very little, about the cabbage; she replied by saying, “I thought it was just old lettuce.” I don’t know if I laughed more knowing that she didn’t know the difference between lettuce and cabbage, or the fact that she was going to feed us old lettuce. Anyway…

Earlier in the afternoon, David and I were visited by Roy (David’s oldest brother) and his wife Ann. They were returning from the doctor where Roy had blood work completed to determine if his white blood cells were proportionate to his red blood cells. Roy was recently diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the throat. He is receiving chemotherapy and is expected to respond well to the treatment. His hair began falling out today, but he and Ann seem in good spirits laughing about his hair growing back red. They left around 4:00 PM.

The next visitors arrived around 5:30, Bubba and Nancy (Jeff’s brother and Mom). Bubba visited with David for a while until Nancy began blowing the car horn while waiting in the driveway. With little shade in the front yard, I am sure she was getting pretty hot.

With Grace spending the night with Austin, and Cole spending the night here; we are somewhat balanced with number of individuals sleeping in the house tonight. All in all…

An additional number of visitors today was 8, that’s 45 visitors in all and 1 dog.

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Sunday morning I woke around 7:00 AM. Kids were already outside riding bikes and had a swim before a breakfast of pancakes and bacon. Dakota, Maddie, and Cole were the first visitors of the day as they had spent another night. Melissa picked Cole up and will likely return Monday. Little David arrived around 11:00 and took the kids to the Pumpkin Patch playground for about an hour while I prepared for the next visitors.

Danny and Allison, (David’s nephew and wife) arrived around 1:00. Their son Daniel was with them and Joy and Ryan (their daughter and her husband) arrived shortly afterwards. We had BBQ ribs, potato salad, baked beans, and banana pudding. We were stuffed. While Ryan and Daniel were occupied with their technology devices, the rest of us talked about the family and their well-being.

Jason (Isabell’s Dad) brought her home after we ate and she soon discovered she had a new love for Danny. She said she was going to marry him and fed him graham crackers to seal the deal. They even shared a bottled water and a glass of milk, and he didn’t even complain about the graham cracker pieces she left floating in the beverages.

Danny, Allison, Daniel, Joy, and Ryan left around 6:15.

Christy (Dakota and Maddie’s Mom) arrived to pick up Maddie around 7:00 PM, and Little David left with Dakota getting ready to drive to Texas-he is a truck driver.

Around 8:00 PM only the residents of the house are home. Finished off the banana pudding and got ready for bed.

That’s 12 visitors today, 37 in all…and 1 dog

Saturday, May 26, 2012

A pile of flip-flops at the back door is always a good indicator that several of the visitors have stayed another night. Dakota, Maddie, and Cole spent the night while Austin played during the day, but said he felt more comfortable sleeping in his own bed. I do too.

As the afternoon arrived, Grace, Dakota, and Maddie decided to walk 6 houses down the road to visit Gay (David's ex-wife of 40 years, and Little David's Mom). The visit was short but they returned with a tin full of homemade cookies. This will make for a nice afternoon treat.

Little David visited for a while, Melissa came over for a few minutes to see if Cole was ready to return home. He wasn't. The afternoon was full of several trips in and out of the pool, bathing suits and towels littering the porch and house, and popsicle sticks thrown about. A gallon of Hawaiian Punch, a bunch of bananas, several oranges, and Funjons potato chips were consumed. Hot dogs with chilli and coleslaw for dinner. Dakota said that he didn't like hot dogs but ate one anyway because he was hungry. Later in the evening, he realized his decision to eat a hot dog was probably not a good one because he threw it up on the pool deck.

Gay walked up and visited for a while with her dog Sadie. She had large rollers in her hair and the temperature was about 95 degrees. 

The night concluded with a trip to the local Dollar Tree where several glow sticks, glow necklaces, glow guns, and glow glasses were purchased. The kids had a great time and when they were finished, there collection of glow paraphernalia was loaded into the freezer; because it makes the glow last longer of course.

That's 25 and 1 dog

Friday, May 25, 2012

I soon realized that several factors should be considered when determining the number of visitors on any given day. Do I count the visitor if they leave then return? Should I count the visitor if they stay and are still at my house the next day? Well, I decided that the tally will include all visitors on any given day whether they stay or not. If a visitors arrives, leaves, then returns; he/she will be counted only one time.

Morning came with several guests in the house that had spent the night. Austin and Cole, and Dakota and Maddie. A box of Apple Jacks for breakfast and the remaining amount of milk. Swimming followed for several hours, then I decided the cheapest way to feed 6 children would be to purchase 2, 5 dollar pizzas. Washed them down with a 2 liter of sprite, then off to the pool again. Thank goodness they were occupied while I stained the back porch. Oh, and Lucy is doing well following her Spay; tired and getting lots of rest.

While at the pool, half a box of popsicles were consumed along with 12 mini ice cream sandwiches and an undetermined amount of juice, water, and soda. All were happy.

Brandon (who works for David) and Arnold arrived to help load some old furniture that needed to be hauled off to the dump. Truck full and off the city dump. How do people accumulate so much junk?

Melissa arrived to pick up Austin and Cole around 4:00. Dakota went home with her too. Little David was in and out several times through the revolving door and left to go home around 10:00 PM.

Maddie stayed another night.

8 Visitors Today, That's 18

Arnold began the day early at 7:00 AM greeting David for a cup of coffee. The day went rather smoothly after dropping off Lucy at a local spay/neuter clinic. Grace and I took Jenny on a 3.5 mile walk through the neighborhood. Removed all furniture from the back porch and pressure washed. I plan to stain the porch tomorrow. Little David (my husband David's son) came over to help Mandy move her furniture (not out of the house) but to another room in the house. Rylan's mom, Lucy, delivered cookie dough that I had ordered from her sons baseball team. Melissa arrived around 7:30 PM with Austin and Cole following their baseball game. Melissa is my oldest daughter, 27, and her two sons are 5 and 7. Around 8:30 PM, Dakota and Maddie (Little David's kids) arrived to "night swim" and spend the night with Nanar (that's me). After 3 Oscar Mayer Lunchables, 2 cans of Vienna Sausages, 1 box of Fruity Pebbles cereal, 1/2 gallon of milk, several Pop Tarts, and 6 juice boxes; everyone was ready for bed. Grace decided to sleep with her Dad, Isabell slept with her Mom, and Dakota, Maddie, Austin, and Cole slept in Grace's double bed. I still don't know where I'll sleep tonight. There is an extra twin bed in the back bedroom that might make a nice comfortable spot.

By-the-way, found out tonight that the acronym for IBS really means Instant Bowel Syndrome, according to my stepson, Little David.

That makes 10.

Wednesday May 23, 2012 my first official day of summer vacation. The Visitors. Although not a horror story to some, others may consider the continuous intrusion to a home environment somewhat horrific when the overwhelming number of visitors is revealed. This blog will give a detailed description of the events and individuals that will visit my home through the summer season. Written for your enjoyment, and to the readers who may be mentioned in this blog; your name will not be protected to spare your identity. 

Before I begin writing about the visitors, I need to mention the members of my family who currently live with me. My husband, David, of 27 years; my youngest daughter, Grace who is 9; my middle daughter, Mandy (25) along with her 3 year old daughter Isabell. We have 2 dogs, Jenny and Lucy who were recently incarcerated by the local animal shelter. We recently put up a fence and discovered that Lucy could fit through the railing, so we installed an electric wire along the bottom of the fence. So far, this seems to be working. Lucy was dropped off today to be spayed and we will pick her up tomorrow.

The first visitor of the day was David Brown; my husbands oldest son. He arrived at 9:00 AM with a suitcase in hand. He looked like he was going to stay, but after about an hour, he asked Mandy to take him to Merv's (a local burger and beer joint). Didn't see him the rest of the day. Around 5:00 PM, Arnold, David's brother arrived. He was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer last year. He has had several rounds of Chemotherapy and is actually improving. He asked for a coke and stayed for about an hour. Wow! Crazy day...well not really. The number of visitors today was actually low compared to other days.

That's 2