Traveling Light Erdman Style.

It's 6:30 and the kids are finally gone. The floors are cleaned to the point that an intruder won't stick to them in our absence and sue .And the suitcases (all 6 of them) are lined up by the door. Lest you think the title isn't serious or that Dennis and I cant travel light ! Only an overnight case is needed to contain our clothes and personal belongings. OKAY... if you consider the birdbath that is packed into one of the biggest suitcases a personal belonging then I guess I cant say that. The birdbath is at least PACKED. When I told Mari that I was bringing one East she gasped and said " MOTHER YOU'RE NOT ! ! " She remembers walking down the the street here in Montrose with a stuffed chicken perched upon the stroller I was pushing, and the commentsm from those passing by in cars. She thought I was bringing it as a carry on. Silly girl ! The worst I have ever carried on an airplane was a metal rooster that I found after our luggage was checked. The 5 suitcases are essentials for Thanksgiving ( A stuffed annimated dancing turkey is an essential) or Xmas gifts or a gun for Gabe so that he can go out and provide the Turkey that his wife will cook. See all of you Easterners soon. Westerners..Enjoy the 17 days of peace and quiet without Dad and Me. Please remember to water the trees and front door fern.

Silence is Golden

Silence is golden or so thinks Dennis. I caught the cold bug that has been going around but instead of the sniffles I ended up with laryngittus. Tuesday when I woke Dennis up with my usuall cheery "GOOOD MORNING HONEY" all that came out was a whispered CROAK. It has been an unusually busy week for both of us. My shortest work day has been 14 hours. Dennis has had board meetings and watermain breaks keeping him on the job until well afyer 9 pm three nights this week. A 5 hour plane ride will be a joy. Dad is hoping that my speechlessness lasts at least part of our trip. Im thinking of sitting apart from him on the plane so that I'm not tempted to yap. Last time I had laryngittus this bad was when we were first married and I was teaching 1st grade It lasted a week THree more days to go. Enjoy the quiet Honey

Memories

Shelli, earlier today called and related a "Trauma of being a parent" story. I don't always agree with any of my kids parenting methods any more than Dennis's and my parents always agreed with ours. But I do want to say that Isaac is one lucky kid to have a Mom and Dad like Bob and Shelli. Long story short ...Isaac (for reasons at the time unknown even to him) flipped out at school and almost decked the principal. (Think twice about those karate lessons as an Xmas gift - from what Shelli told me he did enough damage without them) Instead of sentencing Isaac to solitary confinement for the rest of his life, his parents went on the internet and came up with a reaction to medications that the kid was taking. as a likely cause. Dennis's doctor once ALMOST perscribed a medication that would have been potentially lethal had Dennis not done some research ahead of time. On to the TITLE...No matter how traumatic an incident with your kid or kids is, it will make for REALLY GREAT stories when they become parents themselves. I'll save some of mine for future blogs, Titles like "Dumb School - they don't tell you the rules until you break them" and "Honest Mom ! It really IS my appendix ! Could the paramedics please stop for a burger on the way to the Hospital? I'm REALLY hungry" and others

Kids Darth Vader and Cockroaches

Last night Dennis went back to the sleep clinic. Not because he snores which he does GRANDLY, but because he frequently stops snoring - gasps for breath - andf then resumes snoring. The first overnight confirmed what I have been saying, SOOOO at $2,400 (?) per night he was invited back to wear a Darth Vader type mask that is supposed to solve the problem and give him a bright eyed and bushy tailed disposition upon awakening. For what they charge it is the least that he can expect.

Since he was going to be gone anyway, I offered to watch both of Christy's kids ( my surrogate Grandkids) They were really GREAT. They slept and I was sleepless waiting for them to wake up. Again, kids are only great for someone other than parents and it is ABSOLUTELY NO reflection on the parents ! It just is the way it is. I LOVE the grandparent role. Christy on her exciting night without kids went to bed at 8 pm.

The cockroach part came in this am. Dennis came back from the sleep clinic at 5:30 am. . For what they charge they could have at least let him sleep in. Anyway, after he stumbled into bed (without the Darth Vader mask that was supposed to help him sleep,) he had no trouble catching a few extra winks before heading to work. I came across a cockroach the size of Kansas just inside our front door. It reminded me of a call from Liz a few yers ago. It was late and she had fallen asleep on the sofa only to awaken eyeball to eyeball with just such a critter. That was the year she got a BUG VAC for xmas.

When Dennis finally awoke and I told him of my encounter. (The Roach was on his back legs twithcing in the air), Dennis's comment was " Now do you believe me that it's time for you to do a good cleaning.'

IF WE EVER SPEND A WEEKEND HERE INSTEAD OF DOWN SOUTH, I STAND A CHANCE.

That being said, Jacob and I are preparing a proper funeral for the recently deceased critter, Do cockroaches make good fertilizer ?