The Visit
Things learned during a visit with my fam:
1. The joy of a band concert is quadrupled with every extra family member attending. (So are the trips to DQ afterwards!)
2. A casual attitude with pets will make for embarrassing moments when company visits. Having cats that walk across the counters and sleep on top of the fridge is one thing. Having a cat sit in your sink waiting for someone to turn on the water for a fresh drink of water is another.
3. Filling your deck with plants and container gardening will leave little room for anyone to actually sit out in the sunshine. Luckily, Judy didn't seem to mind.
4. Sometimes, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. (Seeing my dad and Judy constantly picking up books to read over the weekend provided evidence #1 that I might actually be related to my dad.)
5. Evidence #2 that I might be related to my dad: for the first time in 35 years someone seeing us together for the first time said we looked alike. (Must be the mischievious twinkle in our blue eyes, huh, Dad?)
6. You can stock your entire fridge with mostly healthy items, but your guests will not be fooled into thinking this healthy eating is the norm when they see the expiration dates on the salad dressing. (How bad can balsamic vinaigrette be from Sept. 06?)
7. Never underestimate the power of $4.50. At the local redneck haven, I mean, flea market, LM purchased a billfold, snakelight flashlight, laser pointer and a pocketwatch for less than $5. Even better? When Papa slipped him $5 later.
8. It is critical to allow enough time in a weekend for a rematch of cut-throat mini-golf. Papa still won. (Again.)
9. Despite Papa repeatedly expressing his frustrations with the project to the point of exclaiming that it is not a 'keeper' item from his woodshop, the bookshelves he made for LM's birthday are gorgeous and will be treasured for a lifetime! (Do I have to let him take his furniture with him when he leaves home? Really?)
10. It is the ultimate flattery to use a recipe from the person visiting for Mother's Day dinner. (At least I hope it is. Thanks for the lasagna recipe, Judy!)
11. Despite being the British spelling of the word, 'cosy' is not permissible in a game of Upwords. (Neither was 'mele', 'lan', or 'chilt'.)
12. Boston Market needs to open a restaurant in Knoxville, TN. Although, if they did, my dad might not have any reason to visit us again.
13. Even if you have installed the exact same ceiling fan without help less than a year ago, installing one with an extra set of hands can actually prove to be more difficult. (It wasn't the extra set of hands that was actually the problem. I think trying to install a fan WITH a remote was the real beast of the issue. Thanks for your help, Dad! Left on my own, I think Jacob might have had a broken bedroom window and pieces of a ceiling fan out in the lawn!)
14. Sometimes you can fix the 'zen' of your home by changing the direction of a battery. Sure wish other things in life were as easy to fix as the pendulum clock. Although truth be known, Judy seemed the most bothered by the fact that it was always 2:44 in our home.
15. Even if you try to hide the frayed edges of your nicest towels, your company will still take notice of their decrepit state. Fortunately, when it's your parents visiting, they will suggest a trip to Kohl's and will insist upon buying you two new sets of towels to match your bathrooms. (Thanks, D & J!)
16. The best Mother's Day ever might just be homecooked lasagna (with a salad made by the boys) and watching NASCAR with Judy. (Who would've thunk it?)
17. Some things never change. While my dad might not record which exit off the highway has the best fast-food options (there are always DQ Blazier notations in our Rand McNallys), he still records where he found the cheapest gas so that he might make the same stops on the return trip.
19. Time really does fly when you're having fun. Four days just wasn't enough time to soak up all the goodness that a visit from family brings. Dad and Judy, thanks for all the laughter, the shared bottle(s) of wine, the great food, fun and conversation. You did my heart good this weekend. LM's, too.
1. The joy of a band concert is quadrupled with every extra family member attending. (So are the trips to DQ afterwards!)
2. A casual attitude with pets will make for embarrassing moments when company visits. Having cats that walk across the counters and sleep on top of the fridge is one thing. Having a cat sit in your sink waiting for someone to turn on the water for a fresh drink of water is another.
3. Filling your deck with plants and container gardening will leave little room for anyone to actually sit out in the sunshine. Luckily, Judy didn't seem to mind.
4. Sometimes, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. (Seeing my dad and Judy constantly picking up books to read over the weekend provided evidence #1 that I might actually be related to my dad.)5. Evidence #2 that I might be related to my dad: for the first time in 35 years someone seeing us together for the first time said we looked alike. (Must be the mischievious twinkle in our blue eyes, huh, Dad?)
6. You can stock your entire fridge with mostly healthy items, but your guests will not be fooled into thinking this healthy eating is the norm when they see the expiration dates on the salad dressing. (How bad can balsamic vinaigrette be from Sept. 06?)
7. Never underestimate the power of $4.50. At the local redneck haven, I mean, flea market, LM purchased a billfold, snakelight flashlight, laser pointer and a pocketwatch for less than $5. Even better? When Papa slipped him $5 later.
8. It is critical to allow enough time in a weekend for a rematch of cut-throat mini-golf. Papa still won. (Again.) 9. Despite Papa repeatedly expressing his frustrations with the project to the point of exclaiming that it is not a 'keeper' item from his woodshop, the bookshelves he made for LM's birthday are gorgeous and will be treasured for a lifetime! (Do I have to let him take his furniture with him when he leaves home? Really?)
10. It is the ultimate flattery to use a recipe from the person visiting for Mother's Day dinner. (At least I hope it is. Thanks for the lasagna recipe, Judy!)
11. Despite being the British spelling of the word, 'cosy' is not permissible in a game of Upwords. (Neither was 'mele', 'lan', or 'chilt'.)
12. Boston Market needs to open a restaurant in Knoxville, TN. Although, if they did, my dad might not have any reason to visit us again.13. Even if you have installed the exact same ceiling fan without help less than a year ago, installing one with an extra set of hands can actually prove to be more difficult. (It wasn't the extra set of hands that was actually the problem. I think trying to install a fan WITH a remote was the real beast of the issue. Thanks for your help, Dad! Left on my own, I think Jacob might have had a broken bedroom window and pieces of a ceiling fan out in the lawn!)
14. Sometimes you can fix the 'zen' of your home by changing the direction of a battery. Sure wish other things in life were as easy to fix as the pendulum clock. Although truth be known, Judy seemed the most bothered by the fact that it was always 2:44 in our home.
15. Even if you try to hide the frayed edges of your nicest towels, your company will still take notice of their decrepit state. Fortunately, when it's your parents visiting, they will suggest a trip to Kohl's and will insist upon buying you two new sets of towels to match your bathrooms. (Thanks, D & J!)
16. The best Mother's Day ever might just be homecooked lasagna (with a salad made by the boys) and watching NASCAR with Judy. (Who would've thunk it?)17. Some things never change. While my dad might not record which exit off the highway has the best fast-food options (there are always DQ Blazier notations in our Rand McNallys), he still records where he found the cheapest gas so that he might make the same stops on the return trip.
18. Even a dog can appreciate company. I think Eli is in withdrawal from all the lovin' he received while Dad and Judy were here. I think "Elijah" is Hebrew for "charmer".
19. Time really does fly when you're having fun. Four days just wasn't enough time to soak up all the goodness that a visit from family brings. Dad and Judy, thanks for all the laughter, the shared bottle(s) of wine, the great food, fun and conversation. You did my heart good this weekend. LM's, too.
Comments
Holy green thumb - look at those flowers!
And the bookcase? Is beautiful.