Yummy

We're heading to California Pizza Kitchen tonight to celebrate both Michael & Megan's birthdays (Michael's is Tuesday, Megan's is NEXT Tuesday). I'm debating between the Thai Pizza or the Thai Crunch Salad. Either way, I can't go wrong.

Carpet peeps

Okay, what do you do when there are workmen (or women) taking up the majority of your house? Do you putter? Follow them around? Watch TV? Surf the net? The carpet installers have been here since just after 9. It's just after 2 now. I can't get to my kitchen or laundry. So I have spent the day in front of the TV with my computer on my lap. I've watched Regis, Private Practice, The View & P.S. I Love You. I'm all caught up on my bloggy friends, my Facebook friends & my emails. I've earned 2 "Badges" on Pogo.com. I have a fairly small house. They are carpeting 2 rooms, a (very small) linen closet & a hallway. What is taking so freaking long?! I have so much to do!!! Starting with a shower...

But I really like the carpet.

Aaargh!

You know I don't get political on here. I did my part & voted, but I was really just ready for the whole thing to be over... I prayed that whoever got the job (and I have no idea why anyone would even WANT it at this point) will be able to fix things around here. I really hate polictical ads and I was really looking forward to getting away from all that negativity.

It never occurred to me that those darn ads are all over my DVR! Aargh!

I'm home.

I got home Monday night from Grandma's funeral in Illinois. I'm so glad we went, but I really missed Michael & the kids so much, I was so glad to be home. Mom sprained her knee the day before we left which added a challenge to the trip of dealing with a wheelchair & both of our carry-ons in the airports (the plane changing in Atlanta was particularly, um, challenging, to say the least).

Grandma lived in a small town just outside of Peoria. I've only been back to visit one time since we moved to Florida when I was 11, and that was with Michael & the kids in 2000. Although thankfully Grandma came to visit Mom every year, out of mom's 1 brother & 3 sisters and my 5 surviving cousins (one died in a car accident several years ago) and all their spouses & kids, I only know one cousin & her family fairly well. Plus, both Grandma & Grandpa both came from large families, so there were loads of my mom's aunts, uncles and cousins there as well. You get the point, LOTS of unfamiliar family. It's kind of an odd dynamic.

Even though I knew Grandma pretty well from her visits, I usually saw her when she was on a vacation so I didn't see her in "her element" very often, but I heard so much what a hard-working, independent woman she was. The pastor at her service said she had a "servant's soul" and while some people might think that may be derogatory to say, I thought it was so fitting for her. She had such a strong faith in God, but she didn't preach it so much as live it every day. She was really the most unassuming woman I've ever met, never wanting to be the center of attention, but getting things done behind the scenes. I'm very proud to be her granddaughter.

The service on Saturday was beautiful. My fave cousin's daughter sang a really lovely rendition of Amazing Grace (that girl can SING... a talent that clearly missed my side of the family). The weather at the cemetary was perfect, unseasonably warm for them, just like a Florida fall for me. After the lunch at the church, my mom's siblings & spouses sat on my aunt's porch & told some wonderful stories. I was the only one of my generation there for most of the time, so I just sat back and listened. You learn a lot that way.

Sunday, Mom & I took a drive out to the farm outside of town where she grew up and did a little tour of her old haunts, then we went to my aunt's house and sorted through some of Grandma's old pictures. Although I think of Illinois as being very flat, the area where Mom grew up is pretty hilly & although I was told the folliage was past its' peak, to this Florida girl it was really beautiful. It was a really nice day.

Michael held the fort down here really well. He even had some delicious homemade pumkin chili waiting when I got home... that HE found the recipe for on the internet. He took Ben trick-or-treating and even did the vampire make-up. I'll post some pictures later.

I'm so glad to be HOME!!!

Monday Monday

Is it Friday yet?

So, tell me...

How many times would you reboot your .@!!#*!! computer to watch the season premiere of Grey's Anatomy?! The freaking thing keeps COMPLETELY shutting down on me! I have to watch it online because the .@!!#*!! networks think that Thursday nights are the only nights to put shows on that my whole family wants to DVR. I WILL get through this episode and it BETTER be worth it!