Couch Dusting

When my children were younger, daily chores were given "clearly defining" names. "Bath UP" meant the 2nd floor bathroom, "Bath DOWN" referred to the basement. "Vacuum MAIN" meant just that - vacuum the main floor. "SPOVAC" was the acronym for "Sweep/Polish/Vacuum". "Squirter/Wiper" was my way of saying "spray Endust on the table and wipe it clean." I have to assume that in my quest to be cleverly simplistic, I did my children a great disservice. Here is today's phone conversation between myself and Janelle (age 16), who was helping her friend with a housecleaning job:

J: Hi, Mom. This is Janelle.
Me: Hi Jay!
J: You know how I'm helping Holly clean a house?
Me: Yes.
J: Well, I have a question. What does "dust" mean?
Me: What does dust mean?
J: The list that the lady wrote says to "dust the furniture". How do you do that?
Me: (Laughing) How do you dust the furniture? (I was sure she was kidding!)
J: Yeah. I don't know what she means.
Me: Well, you first spray endust, or whatever cleaner she uses, onto the table and then you wipe all of the dust off until it is clean. OR, you simply wipe the table with a dust rag and no cleaner, depending on what the woman wants.
J: OH! I get it! Thanks, Mom!
Me: You're welcome. Good luck!

I hung up the phone, laughing loudly enough that Ryan came to see what was so funny. After I shared the story of my phone conversation, he had an idea to call Janelle himself. Here is HIS conversation with her:

Ryan: Hi, Janelle!
J: Hi.
Ryan: Mom just made a new job chart.
J: She did?
Ryan: Yeah. On my list of things to do today, it says I have to dust. Do you know what that means?
J: (Chuckling) VERY FUNNY, RYAN! I was confused because I thought that "furniture" meant the couch and I didn't know how to dust it!

HMMmmm....OK...that makes perfect sense now. As soon as Janelle gets home, we're all going shopping for dust rags intended for upholstery.....

Pegasus Lives On!!!

We have a 1993 Honda Civic that my children have lovingly (or not so much) named Pegasus. Now, Pegasus is a staple at our home. She has logged over 210, 000 miles and still purrs like a kitten, thanks to the amazing mechanical proficiency of my husband, Bill! Try as they might to send Pegasus to her final resting place in car heaven, our children have found their efforts to be in vain...time and time again! Worn brakes, leaking radiator, broken window handle, half-shafts, etc. are quickly repaired and/or replaced, much to our children's dismay.

The most recent attempt on Pegaus' life was by Ryan, our 17 year old. With his driver's license barely a month old, he skillfully propelled Pegasus underneath the bumper of a truck, causing the hood to buckle and the front frame to be pushed towards the engine. Once it was determined that no one was hurt, Ryan (with a twinkle in his eye) announced that Pegasus would have to be replaced.

WHAT?!? Did he have a momentary lapse in memory? Apparently he forgot who his father was! Bill the body mechanic to the rescue!

After disconnecting it from the car, Bill banged and bent the hood back into shape (OK, so it's not in the best of shape, but it works!) He then attached a come-a-long to the front car frame AND to a pole in our garage. Sha-Bam! It worked! The frame is now (mostly!) back where it belongs. The hood was reattached, and Pegasus is free to wander the streets again (though still in need of some new headlights).


My favorite part of this story was the look on Ryan's face when he realized that Pegasus does now, and will forever, live on!!

BEFORE and AFTER pictures:

GRANDCHILDREN

Lia Bryn

Born only 20 days after Nina, Lia is our fourth grandchild to easily wrap herself around Bill's and my heart. Although I feel for Keri, who is dreading going back to work at the end of the month, this grandma is excited to spend each Friday with Lia. :0) (Keri will work from home M-Th.)

Nina Mae

With school starting up a couple of weeks ago, and Whitney teaching one class at the High School, I have been able to enjoy some "Grandma Bonding Time" with sweet Nina Mae. We had our first shopping excursion last week....one of many to come! Nina loves to be in the car and is a magnet for other shoppers with her ready smile.

Hunter is a "walker"

Hunter has been walking for over a month now, his newly acquired skill manifesting itself a week before his 1st birthday. I've yet to see him running around in person, so the pictures Erin has sent will have to suffice until I get to visit in November. GOSH, I MISS MY GRANDKIDS!!! :0(

Bailey on the phone

I have to say that being a Grandma is the GREATEST!!! Just this morning, I called Erin. I was pleasantly greeted with "Hi, Grandma!" coming through my cell phone ear piece. Bailey proceeded to tell me what she was eating for breakfast ("pancakes") before instructing me to say hello to Hunter (who was noisily babbling in the background.) Then, she took me on a mini fieldtrip to her bedroom so I could "see" her toy horse (the one I sent in the mail) sleeping on her pillow. Aren't children adorable? After all, Bailey was convinced that if I could talk to her, surely I could see her and her surroundings as well.