Monday, September 8, 2014

Couple Weekends of Note

Last weekend the boys were at their fathers and we were all settled in to have a fairly quiet weekend with the small ones. The supermodel in her vast wisdom had scheduled a playdate for ElFox. In a lapse in said wisdom she scheduled it for the exact kick off of the Alabama Football Season. ElFox's date came down with something at the last minute. The morning prior was spent cleaning the house top to bottom. It may have been easier to burn it down and start over but we finished laundry and went shopping to fill up the fridge with 8, yes 8, gallons of milk.

"the way i figure, these girls should keep BigCat supplied for a couple weeks"
Said no farmer ever. Oh the cereal we eat.
Once this was all done and we looked at one another with nothing to do, the decision was made to load up and make the trek to my sisters house to watch the game with the whole famdamily. It was pleasant and fun was had by all.

Sunday you ask? My former Advisor and his wife came to town to camp out and go tubing on the Lil' Cahaba. A grad student friend of mine came over as well, Stuben. This group of three plus the supermodel and I are almost always guaranteed to have a good time and more importantly get in trouble. We dropped off Foxy and Rexy with MiMi and 2Pop. We said 9-4. This will be key later.

Now tubing. I had not done this before. I whitewater kayaked and canoed growing up and generally am more happy when I am on water. Tubing was new. This is the most passive way to enjoy an afternoon that I can think of. People laying on couches with a remote and a gallon of french onion dip are jealous of people tubing. Not only do we get tubes but our cooler of snacks got its own as well.

Our route surprisingly was the exact same at the real Magellan and included a similar mutiny
Problems arose when we put my advisor in charge of navigation. By 3 o'clock we were 1/4 of the way to where my van was. There was a phone call made to 2Pop in shame. We started making new plans to take out at half-way and hike to the car. Where we took out looked a lot like a scene from Deliverance and the people weren't nearly that friendly. If you don't get that movie reference, whatever you do, don't go watch it. I still shudder.
Never watch this movie. If you have seen it then you understand
where we took out and why I wish I had a bow and arrow. 
Other things from that day that I can share? At one point we had to pull off the side of the road so that we could collect tissue from a timber rattlesnake that met its demise via a Michelin. I had collection vials and Stuben had grain alcohol (he doesn't drink but had run out of 95% ethanol on collecting trip and well liquor store are closer than universities). That was left at my house on Monday before they all left to return to the land of Hotty and Toddy. So, I have some snake's liver and one of its testicles in my freezer next to the teething rings. Gotta watch that.
Essentially the same as our fridge but we can't afford all that fancy alcohol.
Also, more milk in ours and less open shelving. Also, more biohazards.
The work week? Spent it sick and coughing up all sorts of things that we don't discuss in polite company but just between me and you, I think some of them were alive and self replicating. By weeks end though I was moved out of the consumption ward and back to the general population.


How to beat that you ask?
Fancy Dinner Friday with friends, Spend all day saturday working on my Pinterest project three years in the making and finally a birthday party on Sunday for Big Rex. Big weekend. The project I got to work on with my best friend and use all my big fancy wood working tools and even buy a new one. Also the progeny helped wash my old busted truck and then I got to drive it to the hardware store to buy lumber. That is a good day. Also, we will have bookcases in the living room finally. I have been stressed out and dreading building these things due to a self esteem issue. Between the friend, the heat and the need we are getting it done. Should be an interesting week moving forward.
So far so good. Nailed It!