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Ok...so big daddy is coming home on Saturday. At least that's what we think is the plan..unless they offer big piles of money to stay a few more days...I'm becoming Mr. Crabbs. And not a moment to soon either...I've been on a quest to get some shit done around here so Mikey won't think I've been spending all of his hard earned money on playing around...although we have some and he knew it...anyway, I took my kids to meet my sis-in-law last Friday so I could work. She's been a great help. As I was leaving the drop site my check engine light comes on...go figure. Although little outback seemed to be holding her own even with the light on I haven't driven it since I left the Autozone where they hooked it up to the computer thing and told me it was a knock sensor. Swell..part only costs about $70...not bad. Entire intake manifold has to be disassembled to get to it...Haynes manual lays it all out nice and neat...this=BIG PAIN IN THE ASS..for a guy who is coming home the day before Father's day with his own kids 100 miles away at my parents house..which is where they are going this weekend because my niece has a softball tourney that could take 6 hours...that=NO FUN FOR KIDDIES.

So, I call a local garage in town and they say that if I bring the part they will install it for about $80. Seems worth the money to me. The appt. is tomorrow morning. Hope they don't find anything else wrong.

The other big thing is the lawn. It's long. Well parts of it. I had the bright idea that it would be grand if I just jumped on the rider and mowed so that he could spend his day with us...no worries. I have never been on a riding lawn mower ever before. Our yard is big and not flat...even the parts that look flat...aren't. I've never been so scared in my life. I talked myself into this for 2 days. Then when I got on and all systems were go....the blades wouldn't turn. Preston had to tell me to pull the red button. Swell...starting to mow..then notice warning label that says the thing will tip over on any incline exceeding 15 degrees....HAVE YOU SEEN MY YARD??!! Well, I'm still here...that's the good news...bad news...yard not all the way mowed. I did what I felt comfy with which was the big L-shape on the far side of the garage, the front flat part (not the bank by the road), and 1 swipe down the back property line by the woods...NEVER AGAIN!!! I felt like I needed a crash helmet, a seat belt and a roll cage! I'm like 10 times more likely to fix my own car than ever getting on a mower again.

My intention was to just push mow the rest, which would have been fine if that mower would have kept running for more than 2 minutes. Yes, it has gas. I think I broke it. What a happy father's day he'll have...poor guy. I was only trying to help. I've probably made him more work. I'll just have to shower and shave my legs and hope my period steers clear for a few extra days. Maybe even attempt a porn star quality hummer complete with red lipstick....ugh.

Tim Allen said it best in some old stand up routine entitled "Men are Pigs". Men are good for two things...LAWN CARE AND VEHICLE MAINTENANCE. The rest of it all seems to be going ok for us. We miss him. I hate single parenting.

My proud parenting moment of the week was this morning when I was rinsing my 20yr old niece's hair and my 7yr old daughter was reading Ashleigh's latest text message out loud of course...and Avery says "he said I love you too...with only one 'O'"...now this was dripping with 7yr old attitude and an Olympic award winning eye roll...as of course even a soon to be 2nd grader and not that long ago 1st grader knows that you spell too meaning also with two O's. She's a girl genius.
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Yes, it is true...that is Mike, my husband and now worldly traveler, and those are in fact THE Rocky Mountains....note..we are NOT in the pic. We are still in fact nestled into the Hocking Hills Region. Although beautiful, is clearly not in the same league. Deer in our yard simply can't compete with having to stop the car for an ELK. Not just any elk, but a big bull elk that he says is way bigger than my car. My husband believes he is in fact living inside of the Discovery Channel.

He has been in a suburb of Denver...yes Colorado..for, well it went something like this....
3:00pm Friday, May 16--on his way home from Polaris and he says they asked him to go out of town. I say "Where?". He says "Denver". I say "Colorado?!". He says "Yes". I say "What did you tell them?" He says "I told them to Fuck Off!". I say "Really??!!" He says "What you want me to go??!!" I say "Why not? The kids are in the last bits of school and what a great opportunity!"
**note--this conversation was via the nextel two-way as is most of our heart to hearts.**

5:00pm Friday, May 16--We have email conformation of flight arrangements and hotel info.

5:30pm Friday, May 16--Racing to Walmart to buy a carry-on and various 3oz or less toiletries that will fit into a quart size ziploc.

8:30pm Friday, May 16--Taking kids to Zanesville to meet my dad and Gram. Thank goodness they answered the frantic phone call from yours truly.

1:00am Saturday, May 17--trying to sleep
3:00am Alarm goes off.
3:45am leave to go pick up Fred, Mike's brother, I'm all dressed and ready for work. Be glad none of you were in my book....who needs sleep?
4:30am Meet Mike's boss in the parking lot of the McDonald's at the airport. He was the one in the big old Denali parked back by the dumpsters with a wad of cash to give the fellas for per diem. I was laughing until I cried over the whole stereotype...
5:00am Dropped off the guys at the airport and hit the closest Waffle House for some coffee....and a pecan waffle with some scattered, covered, smothered hash browns..YUM!

So, this was not only their first time to Denver but also their fist time on a plane. They loved it! They were scheduled for a week initially but, the time was extended for a few more days....it goes something like...there 10 days, home 2 days, back for 2 weeks. Tomorrow will be one week into the 2 week leg of the trip.

We are doing fine. I'm a resourceful woman as you all know and we are all coping just fine. I haven't had to make dinner for nearly a month! I made the kids some grilled pbj's instead of grilled cheese and cut up some watermelon and they thought I was some kind of gourmet chef!! Go Figure!

His sprint/nextel phone gets good service there so we have really talked more in the past few weeks than we have in a year. And that my friends is NO SHIT! He's a man of few words as you all know but, he does love his cell. We were at the ball field and out of my purse comes the words..."35 yards from a MOOSE...A MOOSE!!!" He is so cute. He is also feeling like he is very small and the world is very big. I'm so glad he's been given this opportunity. What a way to put a stimulus payment to good use.

They are bidding on an interior of the restaurant next door. If they get the bid this could go on for most of the summer. Jury's still out on that one...
Time will tell...and he brought us back cool t-shirts!

He now thinks he is as worldly as Donald Trump...I have taken to calling him "The Mike".
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