Logistics

A mother should never plan on going anywhere if she is leaving her family at home. It's just too much work.

My mom needed a travelling companion to take the spot left vacant by my beloved "Auntie Mame" who died in December at the wonderfully young age of 95. I've been meaning to write about this magnificent woman, but every time I do, I get too teary to see the keyboard. In time-all in good time.

So I jumped at the chance to travel for 18 days through Asia and India. Once I found out it did not interfere with Boy's Junior/Senior Prom. More on that later. Much more.

One would think I am briefing the generals on D-Day invasion plans. Mind you, I will be available via computer (purchased for the occasion, so I will never be more than a nanosecond away), Skype webcam and international phone.

I've prepaid all the bills for the next month. Finished the taxes- both personal and for each of our businesses. Synced the household calendar with Grumpy Guy's. Briefed him on his temporary job as my stand-in as "Track Team Spike Goddess". Ordered everything necessary for Girl's spring break mission trip to Nicaragua (that's a whole 'nother clever happening....Girl is going to Nicaragua to work in a school over spring break...so the household will be two men sitting around in boxers eating cheetos for the majority of my time away). I've written out everything needed for decorating for prom (I took the kids' ideas and drew out/designed a lot of it) in case I get trampled by an elephant or eaten by a crocodile.

Grumpy Guy helped this weekend by doing all the extant dirty laundry down to the last handknitted sock. Even took the time to NOT put sweaters in the dryer. Read labels and washed appropriately. He has risen to the occasion.

I still have to show Boy how to transfer money between accounts online and tell Girl how to sort the mail. Write articles for the local paper for the school's 5K run/fundraiser in May. Get extra prom supplies ordered. Get Boy and his classmates organized on what they need to build/paint in my absence. make sure his date's flowers are ordered. Send his tux to the cleaners, as it's probably wadded up on the bottom of his closet from when he unpacked from the family trip last August.

Oh, and pack. Yeah- that.

And cramming for all the wild and fabulous things I'm going to get to see.

If I can make it through the week until Friday.

Up To My Eyeballs

I seem to be up to my eyeballs in trying to keep the denizens of Maison Cou Rouge on track. Between school regional literary competition, school fine arts dinner and performance, and Grumpy Guy's businesses, I have precious little time to do all the normal things that a Senior Domestic Advisor/Home Executive/Goddess needs to do.

We are all very proud of Boy, who placed second in the International Extemporaneous Speaking at literary, and heads off today to compete in the state competition. He drew the topic "Should the US be responsible for Iraqi refugee relief?" He had 30 minutes to prepare a 7 minute speech without using notes. I'm so glad he got the gift of gab from his father!!

And proud of Girl, who danced and played piano at the annual fine arts dinner/fundraiser.

She was also Brentwood's piano alternate for literary competition, and enjoyed the day away from school and getting to watch Boy's speech.

In between the two, Girl and I got to travel to Macon to get travel shots---let me tell you how much we both enjoyed that! She is spending her spring break with some of the local Methodist youth group on a work trip to Nicaragua. I hate to use the word "mission trip" because it sounds so- well- zealous to this lapse Episcopalian. They are going down to work with El Ayudante, an organization dedicated to providing humitarian and spiritual aid to the people of Nicaragua.


So, off we went to get Hepatitis and Typhoid immunizations. I got them as well, as I am leaving in 11 days on a trip with my mom to Asia. I probably don't need them, as we will be on a cruise ship, but misery loves company, as they say, and I joined in the misery. Only 2 more rounds of the hepatitis shots to go....joy.


While all this has been going on, Grumpy Guy built-and I mean built- a stereo system from scratch for Boy. Seems Dad decided that Boy needs tunes when he goes camping with his buddies, and that simply opening the truck door or rolling down a window isn't sufficient. So he built this:


Yes, there was much cursing involved. soldering wires, cutting out base pieces, ordering of parts not available locally. I even helped, having the patience necessary to get the vinyl to smoothly adhere to the wood base.

Lo and behold, the sucker works..... And now Boy can party in a pasture with a system that can be carried (ok, it' s heavy -about 50 pounds) anywhere, runs off the truck's power or by a portable battery, and can be heard for miles around. He can listen to a Georgia football game over the radio, pop in a cd or plug in his ipod. Just what every teenage redneck needs.


It is a work of art! No, we are not taking orders.

For All You Monty Python fans....

The owner of the local feed and garden store has no idea of the humor in his sign.......

HAPPY FRIDAY!!!!!

Is It Thursday Already??

And what happened to February? One minute, we're celebrating Girl's birthday mid-January, and the next time I look up, it's the day before Leap-Day!! I know February is the shortest month, but SERIOUSLY....I mean....times goes by much faster the older I get.

I've been spending the week getting ready for my Girl's Supper Club. 27 of us, divided into groups of 4 or 5, get together about once every 6 weeks. Each group cooks once, and the rest of the year we get to visit. Yesterday, I made Barefoot Contessa's Tiramisu and and today I'm making Giada DeLaurentis' Shells with Pancetta and Spinach. Whatever did I do for inspiration before Food Network came along? Lots of wine will flow tonight..but not at Maison Cou Rouge- we're getting together at my friend Kay's!

Speaking of wine flowing, Crazy Aunt Purl posted this picture on her blog yesterday.

I agree with her...I, too, have a checking account here. And a savings account. And several CD's.........

Don't forget, TOMORROW IS LEAP DAY!!!

Mea Culpa

Well, I'm not starting out the new year on a very blog-friendly note, now am I?? My apologies to all, especially Dude, who tells me all the time how much he loves reading it and catching up on his niece and nephew.

Ok, now a rant/plea to the Big Guy upstairs. Enough with the death and dying for a while, ok?? The denizens of Maison Cou Rouge have had a spate of them, unexpected and not, and I am tired of counting in multiples of three to see if we are at the end of the cycle. (note to self--explore where that superstition came from...I think it's Roman..) From my great-aunt, my beloved Auntie Mame, who left on her final cruise at the age of 95, to a friend who had complications from elective surgery, to family friends from my childhood, enough already! I'm beginning to dread the telephone's ring, as it's never good news.

It's a four day weekend here. Girl had gone off with the Methodist youth group skiing here in West Virginia.

How so many teens can look so good at 9am is beyond me..and so cheery for facing an 8-hour road trip.

I sent them off with tons of junk food. Her list of "things to bring" had both a bible and a bathing suit. As Girl's boyfriend is along on the trip (he being the main reason Girl now attends all Methodist youth group activities and occasionally goes to church services) Grumpy Guy is about to bust a gasket. Ah, the life of a red-blooded father of a teenaged girl who fully understands what all teenaged boys think about. You'd think they were vacationing at the Playboy Mansion and not West-by-God-Virginia.

Chip has gotten used to the neighborhood chickens that seem to get out at every turn.

I guess she only retrieves those who are not ambulatory. It's still hilarious to me to be looking out the window and see the rooster and his harem.

Knitting wise, I've finished my pink cardigan

and made the most hilarious knitted olives

for Valentine's Day (Olive You!) I need to get a life.

And Congratulations to Girl's BFF who got her braces off this week!!

A pretty girl with an even prettier smile! Hope they survive snowskiing!