Monday, June 11, 2012

This morning at 8:45, Grace was dropped off in Ringgold in front of a barn with the smell of manure lingering in the air, monsoonal rains, and near a stall with a sign in red stating, “Do Not Feed, Do Not Pet, Do Not Tease.” It was a stallion who the guide said was temperamental. We left him alone.

When I returned home, a quick tally of money received from the last swim team concessions sale, a trip to the bank, then to CVS for some toilet paper. Don’t know where all that goes. I may keep track of that as well.

Melissa, Austin, Cole, and Kalel came over. The day was boring, wet, and dreary. The only relief from being inside the house came when all the kids decided to play in the garage.

David and Brandon arrived around noon to try and find some relief from the rain. Brandon visited for a while on the porch, talking about how much Isabell has grown.

Picked up Grace and Jillian (her cousin) from horse camp. It was still raining and I cringed with fear about mud from their boots getting in my new car. I did take a garbage bag and all boots were placed in the bag, and then put in the trunk.

Returned home, began cooking dinner, and informed David that he would be responsible for taking Grace to get her team picture made at the pool while I finished dinner. Within 30 minutes I began receiving calls from David and Ken (the swim team president). I had the swimmers shirts in my trunk and they needed them for the team picture. I quickly jumped in the car with Isabell and drove to the pool making it just in time to distribute shirts to the swimmers who had not already received theirs. They were all wearing their team shirt for the picture.

Harlee came over for a while this evening and visited on the back porch. She later went home.

Grace, Jillian, and Isabell must have been bored. Grace decided to turn on the hose, spray down a place in the yard where very little grass grows, and created her own mud slipping slide. It was a mess! I had no idea of their actions until they stood at the back door with mud dripping from every inch of their bodies. Where was I? I was completing a homework assignment in the quiet confines of my home with no one around to distract me.

Jillian and Grace got in the shower, I put Isabell in the bathtub, and Mandy cleaned the clothes that could be salvaged, with a hose. Mud stains filled the tubs. I tossed away Grace’s shirts and Jillian’s shorts. The trauma was more than they could handle and Jillian decided to go home.

The day ended with 7 visitors, 154 in all