Blender on High

We are living in an itty-bitty apartment for anyone who doesn't know. We have been having a great time camping here while we are watching the dirt at the site that is suppose to have a new house being built on it. We were told that something about the weather was holding things up...ok...that's probably true. In the mean time, we have discovered that our neighbors behind us smoke. The smoke travels through the walls in our kitchen and bathroom (the bathroom is actually bigger than the kitchen). We decided to take things into our own hands to solve the problem (having asthma and smoke in the apartment is not a good combination). We bought an air purifier. It worked great but we could still smell smoke. So we bought a plastic painter drop cloth and a roll of duct tape. We have completely stuffed every hole, nook and cranny in the bathroom and kitchen with the plastic and then duct taped over that several times. It works great! And if we have severe weather we are sure that the kitchen and bathroom will still be standing even if the rest of the apartment is blown away! A virtual safe room of duct tape!

Something different: Sunday Ethan (our grandson, age 2) pulled two chairs together and sat on the crack in the middle of them. "I'm sitting beside me!" he declared.

Some people have asked if it is true that I can actually retire as Supermom. It's kinda misleading, I suppose, to say that I am retiring. I am really just changing my super-focus. I will be known as "Mighty Mema" and probably do all the super-work I did before plus all the super-work for the super-grandkids! But some of my super-work will be taken over by my super-kids-in-law, thank goodness!

I spent a Saturday at Kaleb (6) and Hannah's (4) house a few weeks ago. I was changing the trash bag because we had filled it up with trash from McDonald's. I asked Kaleb "Where are the new trash sacks for the trash can?" "In the pantry, Mema." I proceed to look all through the pantry. "I don't see them." "Maybe they are at the back." I look all the way in the back of the pantry on several different shelves. "Still don't see them." "Maybe they are in the garage." I look in the garage in places I would have put them, still nothing. "Are you sure they are in the garage, I still don't see them." "They are probably up high." Again I search everything that could hold the box of trash sacks. "Still don't see them!" I yell from the garage. As I walk into the house I ask Kaleb once again if he knows where the trash sacks are. "Maybe they are in Mommy and Daddy's bathroom." I look at him closely and see a trace of his daddy in his eyes..."You really don't have a clue where the trash sacks are, do you!" "Nope!" he giggled and ran out of my reach! Hannah in the mean time had gotten in a bit of trouble with Papa. As I enter the living room I hear Papa say "Looking at me with sad eyes is not going to get your toy back!" "What if I move my eyebrows up and down like this?" she asked in the sweetest voice you have ever heard! Guess I had better get a PHD in manipulation to keep up with these two!

Jeremy: "Mema, can I go to your compartment?" "You mean 'apartment?" "Yeah, an partment!" later...."Mema, Yu-gi-oh has a 'do list' on his arm!" I need a hearing aid...for you who want to know..Yu-gi-oh is a cartoon that has a very serious game of cards going on that the players duel with....thus the 'do list' (duel-ist)......... Yeah...I know the feeling!

Firsts for Nate: Nate finally got to see his new cousin, Zachary, a month after Zachary was born. "Finally! Zachary came out!" and on the first time seeing our apartment..."Mema, are you sure this is all of it? You ARE camping!"

Then there is poor Jacob (2)...He is learning Spanish since both his parents were missionaries to Mexico, Okie from his dad and Aussie from his mum. He speaks very clearly for a 2 year old...just never know if the sentence contains just English or not! "Si, Mema, I like tannins (raisins) fo' a snack with agua."

Mighty Mema signing off....(cue super-music).....