Anyone need Lessons?

If anyone out there needs lessons on how to help/manage their parents through a medical crisis, I think I'm about to be pretty damned qualified to give them!

My Mom fell on Saturday, in an incredibly spectacular way. She was walking into the basement with a laundry basket, and thought she had reached the bottom step. Unfortunately, she was 1 step up. 2 broken ankles and a broken foot (7 fractures in 5 bones total) + LOTS of ligament damage = surgery today.

She'll be in the hospital for a couple of days, and then staying with family for a while after that. I'll be bouncing between my house, her house, and Grandma's house (where she will be staying).

Prayers for my patience and sanity are always welcome, but are actually NEEDED right now!

Feel the Fur Love!

It's been awhile since you've seen the kittens, so I thought I'd give you a peek!

They will be 6 months tomorrow, and are FREAKING HUGE! Bob, in the blue collar, with his little paw over his sister, is 8.2 lbs. Izzie, in the red collar, is 7.8 lbs.

We've resigned ourselves to being the house with 2 20lb cats.

They're trouble, and crazy energetic, and mischevious, and maddening... but they're sweet, and cuddly, and adorable, and affectionate, and talkative. We're so glad we got them!

That Old Familiar Feeling

It used to be a constant, dull ache that wasn't usually noticed, but never really went away, either. Silly me had gotten almost confident enough to say that for now, I've gotten beyond it.

And then?

Then that stupid bitch that is infertility sucker punched me in the gut.

I was getting our dinner ready on Saturday when there was a knock at the door. It's back to school season, which - at least in our neighborhood - means door-to-door fundraising season. The magazine subscriptions are easy to refuse, and we can usually manage to not "sign up" for anything. But, the Grumps and I both have a sweet tooth, so those overpriced candy bars are hard to say no to, especially when the seller is about the cutest little nervously grinning kid you've ever seen!

So, Grumps opens the door, agrees to buy some candy, and goes in search of singles (those kids NEVER have change, and we DO NOT NEED $20 worth of candy bars, nor are we rolling in it in ways that would allow me to have the kiddo "keep the change"), leaving the front door open enough for the Kaylah girl to wedge her furry little head out to see the kids.

And oh the squeals! of delight! and excitement!

Grumps, being the softy that he is, immediately opens the door so that Kaylah can go visit with her newest fan club members (we actually have kids in the neighborhood that come over to ask if she can come out and play). He then steps outside with her to chat with the mom and 3 kids that are now fighting over "who Kaylah loves the most".

Almost an hour later, he finally makes it back inside with a VERY TIRED PUPPY. And all I could think was that it should be OUR fucking kids that our dog is so excited to play with. Why the FUCK isn't it our kids?

Fucking sucker punch!

Desperately Seeking....

Serenity? Well, kind of, but that's not quite right...

Sanity? Close, but again, not quite right...

Simplicity! Ding ding ding, winner!

This last trip up north solidified it for us. We are not urban, or even suburban, people. We crave the peace and quiet that comes with not being able to see (or hear!) your neighbors, and of being able to tend to a garden without worrying about breaking some bullshit city ordinance. We fit in a place where "going for a walk" means spending an hour travelling the perimeter of your own property, instead of your neighborhood.

It's going to take some time, and planning, and sacrifice. But, we have a definitive goal in mind. In about 16 months, when Grumps has his degree and is fully certified to work anywhere in the state (and many other states, for that matter), we'll be looking for a new area to call home. Not necessarily a new state, but most definitely a new area...

The simple life is good for our souls, and we need to make it our everyday!

Thankful Thursdays

Short, sweet, and to the point:

This week I am thankful that

I AM ON VACATION!

Gone camping with Grumps and the furkids! NO INTERNET ACCESS! Just us, good friends, good food, a few board/card games, some books, a local county fair, and a whole lotta booze!

Back in town on Monday, but may not be back online until Wednesday!

WAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!