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StarDate: Saturday June 17, 2006
Dear Diary:
Again up early to make breakfast. We have scrambled ham & eggs, pancakes and fresh fruit. Jim has been out working on dissasembling the dog run. We have a moment of alarm when he saws through the first pole. Suddenly water is gushing up from the ground. Could he somehow have hit a water line when he wiggled the top part of the post loose? Every time he cuts a post off, the same thing happens. I am relieved when they figure out that the water is inside the hollow metal pole, rushing out when the pole is cut. To me, it seems he has them finished in no time at all, a task that would have taken UDad and I much, much time. After all that work, Jim will only eat fruit for breakfast. I knew he didn’t like pancakes (a food that UDad has recently confessed to me is one of the loves of his life), but I didn’t know the aversion extended to scrambled eggs.
I am a little grumpy about spending so much time in the kitchen, and try to talk everyone into a do-it-yourself pizza on tortillas lunch, but Johnny will have none of it. He promises to help if I will only make my usual pizza dough. Of course I give in, and I do get some help.
It is a very nice day, though very hot. We just kind of hang around the house playing Bocce Ball and eating. The puppies are in heaven with so much attention and so many laps. Murphy races around the yard chasing the puppies and showing off his superior running and tackling skills.
Udad opts out, but the rest of us have a little game of Cranium before heading for bed. Tomorrow the boys must leave. Sad.
Yours Truly,
UltraMom
Stardate: Friday, June 16, 2006
Am up early to make a delicious breakfast casserole for my guys. Put the puppies outside for awhile, but the little one is an escape artist and can get out into the front yard, and, consequently, the road, so they are soon back in the house. A barrier has been built to keep them in the kitchen (linoleum) and out of the living room (carpet). If the reasons are not obvious to you, you have obviously never been around puppies. Little Stetson (or Rudy, as I have renamed him while in my care), exhibits his skills by wriggling through and over the trunk, boxes and blankets that make up the barricade. By the end of the weekend, the barrier resembles a pop-art melange of assorted household objects. In making it difficult for the puppies to escape, we are, of course, making it nearly impossible for any but the most long-legged of humans to move between the two rooms. I am not one of these.
We talk about the day, and decide to head into Elko to experience a bit of the BIG ANNUAL BIKER RALLY. Heather and Heath,will not be arriving til later in the day. The BIG BIKER RALLEY is like a mini-Sturgis, or so I am told. When we arrive, we find that some of the streets have been blocked off to accomodate numerous food booths and stalls selling biker-leathers and suglasses as well as body-piercings and tattoos. I buy a couple of cool biker-scarves to tie back my hair. Every so often there are mini motorcycle shows, and we watch a little stunt bike (and rider) do some amazing stuff. Later we see bigger bikes (again, with riders) do some insane-looking jumps. As they are airborne, the riders do little tricks, like swinging their legs around. It gets less cool, however, after we watch about 25 jumps and see the same tricks repeated. Besides it is hellishly hot. We decide to get lunch in a sit-down-air-conditioned establishment. The Star, Elko’s best Basque Restaurant is only a short walk away. I am sad when I remember they are not open for lunch on weekends, but brighten when I remember it is actually Friday. Johnny is glad to be reminded of the day. It is more enjoyable, he says, if he remembers he is missing work. I totally agree. I am worried we won’t be able to get a table, but we are seated immediately. We all order the steak sandwich, which they are famous for. They also bring us a traditonal cabbage soup, sweet-mayo dressed salad, and superb french fries. I can’t finish my sandwich, but Jim helps me out.
We make a stop at Home Depot on the way home. UDad has been trying to take the biggest portion of the dog-run out of our yard, and Jim has offered to help. The metal posts seem impossible to dig out, so they are going to cut them off a bit below ground level. UDad nearly buys a power metal-cutting saw, but in the end Jim assures him a hacksaw will do. We also stop at another store which shall remain nameless. (no, not Voldemort) While I pick up some groceries, the boys are doing some shopping of their own. When we get home, I am presented with some early birthday gifts. Johnny has bought me a large, very nice cooler, perfect for keeping our drinks cold. Jim gives me two lawn games: Croquet I am familiar with, but what is this Bocce Ball? It turns out to be a marvelously fun game, and we play it, off and on, all weekend long. Johnny and I prove to be nearly an unbeatable team.
Heather and Heath finally arrive, and we grill some burgers. Afterwards I bring out the sugar-free desserts Heather asked me to pick up so we could celebrate UDad’s birthday, late. What I didn’t know was that we were also celebrating my birthday (early). We both were required to blow out candles, and then were showered with balloons and were issued those noisemaker things that shoot out and sound like a kazoo. It was a hoot. Heather and Heath had got us some really cool gifts at the Dollar Store, which included gloves, a little semi-truck model, coin counter and giant barbecuing tools for Dad, and a poodle mug, hot pad and kitchen towel with dog designs and some card games for me. The coolest thing was this throwing game that I think was actually given to Murphy. The “ball” has little suction cups all over it and sticks to the disc you each are holding, if you don’t drop it in the dirt too much. What a nice day.
StarDate: Thursday, June 15, 2006
Dear Diary:
Have had quite the week. It seems I am running into Elko nearly every day. Helped with Weightwatchers Wednesday night, and am trying to gear up for the new Weightwatcher group in Carlin. I will be sole leader of that one, and there’s a lot of preparation work to be done. Also, taking care of Pat’s dogs and yard and making sure UDad has something to gnaw on…............oh and work of course.
The best thing is that Heather and Heath are coming for a few days. Haven’t seen Heather since Thanksgiving and Heath since who-knows-when. A possibility of Jim and Johnny, but both have been a bit incommunicado, though Johnny indicates he has weekend plans.
I have tomorrow off work and plan to spend the day cleaning house, but tonight I’m exhausted…...........UDad heads for bed. He is trying to recover from a nasty bout of gout. I should follow suit, but maybe just a little bookworm to relax me….......................
11 p.m. (or so)...........the door opens and in walk two familiar faces followed by arms, legs and other body parts. It is my two youngest sons, and they have surprised us! It is a wonderful surprise. I wasn’t even sure they were coming, and here they are even earlier than I thought I could possibly expect them. The only downside is the house. Both comment on the messiness, and that makes me feel a little bad.
Of course they are hungry, and I’m glad I have a few Italian Sausages in the fridge I can throw on the Barbie (Q). Johnny claims the “Camoflage Room” (so named because of the paint scheme on the walls) and Jim stakes out the living room, notably the hideaway couch-bed. He likes to fall asleep to the soothing sounds of the television. Johnny has brought a season or two of “Joey”, so at every opportunity the boys slip in an episode or so.
The surprise is wonderful, but I think I like the knowing ahead of time a bit better. What if I hadn’t taken Friday off? But still, I am in “Mom-Heaven” and it will only get better with the arrival of Heather and Heath the next day.
Just a quick note for those 11 people who have come to our site via searches for “sleep rape” this month:
You are, under no circumstances, invited over to my slumber party.
Lots of stuff going on in UltraMom World. Lots of stuff to post about that is interesting, at least it is interesting to me.
First of all, I got a very interesting UPS package today. It was my Weightwatchers stuff; all I need to get my Weight Watcher meetings going in this town! There is an official, certifiably calibrated Weight Watcher scale, program material, registration forms, and even scotch tape, Whiteout, scratchpads, paper clips and ball point pens. I am excited and a bit nervous. It is a bit of a commitment as I have no co-leader and have to be here every week. Also, I shall have to plan lessons every week, and know all the answers to the technical questions myself, or at least pretend to. But after doing this 4 1/2 years, I shoudl be fairly competent after all…......right?........I said right?
For about a week, I will also be a puppy-sitter and dog caretaker. Sister-in-law Pat is gone for a week visiting her kids who are all together in Wyoming for a few days, and will be bringing back her granddaughter Dakota for the summer. I am graciously caring for 12 dogs, 3 puppies, a couple of cats, 2 cockatiels and a tankful of fish. The puppies are spending the nights here, and Murphy is exhausted from trying to make sure they are not playing with any of his toys, eating any of his food, or getting any attention that should be his. I really don’t mind. Its not all that much trouble, and Pat recipricates with Murphy haircuts and care.
Right now something fairly interesting is going on. UltraDad is speaking on the phone to his UltraSon, and there is a lot of laughing going on, at least from this end, and I assume on the other end as well. UltraDad is describing the lunch I packed for him today. At work, UDad drives a big haul pack truck around the mine. He gets 1/2 hour break for lunch, which he eats in his truck, so every day his loving and awesome wife packs a cooler full of delicious and delightul victuals for his eating enjoyment. This morning was pretty hectic; as we were eating breakfast, other sister-in-law Kathy called. She was in town, and Pat wanted her to take one of the puppies to the Vet. She needed to leave right away, so I threw UDad’s lunch together with a little less care than usual, but still satisfied he would enjoy the leftover lasagna I had conveniently packed in an empty margering tub. You’ve probably already guessed what happened here. That’s right; Dad had a tub of margerine for lunch, while I was left with a hunk of lasagna to spread on my toast. As UDad humorously recounted the lunch story, but without the excuses and justifications, I could tell that the two of them were reminiscing on some of my other food-related fiascos. “I think your mother is planning to write her own cookbook,” I hear Dad saying, “Featuring a tub of butter and plastic lasagna.” Actually, I’m glad he can laugh about it!
I love hearing UDad so animated talking to his son, catching up on this and that.
Well, tomorrow should be another fun-packed day. Got to pack another lunch for Dad tomorrow (Catsup anyone?), then Dentist Appt at 9 am. , back to work at the prison about noon, then back into town for Weightwatchers. Throw in a few trips to sister-in-laws house for canine-care, a little garden tending, and I’m tired already. Wonder if a little butter would help?
UltraMom
I hope UltraDad started up the truck, drove to the nearest store and bought a loaf of bread to go with the butter. Maybe you can claim his lunch was an exotic butter taco!
Yes, the margering story was hilarious, can’t wait to tell UltraGirl this one.
Great post Cougar. Can hardly read about your weekend with most of your children.
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Yesterday was one of those days; not necessarily bad, but with lots of stuff going on and very tightly scheduled. Since the kids are gone, and I don’t have their stuff going on, I don’t have these kind of days as often as I used to. I do enjoy having some unstructured time , but there’s something about having about schedules, appointments and small blocks of time inbetween that spurs me to get a lot accomplished.
It started early in the morning, about 5:15 A.M. to be exact. Now early morning is not my time of choice for being out of my bed, but it is a very enjoyable time of day, once I get there, esp in the summertimes. The neighbors are usually not up and about and there is enough coolness and few enough mosquitos to make outdoor chores much more enjoyable that they are later on. Now I knew I had to be out of the house by 6:45 so that I could make it to the hospital in Elko for my mammogram appt by 7:30, so I decided to put all of my vegetable plants into the ground. Makes perfect sense, right? I find nothing makes me want to do something I have been putting off like having something else that I really should be doing, and planting vegetables on this particular morning neatly fit the bill. I was showered and dressed when I remembered that I needed to locate the place and date of my last mammogram, so I tore through stuff in my “medical bag” until I found an old billing. In the car, and on my way at 7:00 A.M.
As it turned out, Radiology was just past the reception desk through the main hospital doors, so I was soon ensconced in a luxurious private room ensconced in a paper gown . I once got a “forward” that described how women should prepare themselves for the mammogram experience. “Lie down, on your side, on the cold, cement garage floor. Have someone drive a car tire over your breast.” Its maybe not that extreme, but not that far away! I also remember Erma Bombeck, the humorist, holding forth on mammograms. “Why do they call it a “mammogram”? Sounds like they should be mailing your breast somewhere.” Hmm… kind of like a telegram or something….................
So, anyway, I had a few hours til my next appt, a bone density scan, so I made a few phone calls. In Idaho, I used my cell phone to make all my long distance phone calls, but here, I have really bad cell phone reception where I live. In Elko, however, the reception is crystal clear, so I try to make needed cell phone calls when I am in the “big city”. I handled some Idaho insurance issues, and set up some appts for UltraDad who had been feeling lousy (all worn out). With time to spare, I went shopping! At Kings, I was delighted to find a certain toy for Murphy that UltraDad and I had been searching everywhere for. It it kind of a soft, donut shaped frisbee, and he had entirely worn out the one we had. I bought two. Then, as has been the case lately in nearly every place that sells plants, several pots of flowers jumped into my cart and I had to buy them.
After my bone density scan, I was to meet UltraDad for lunch, as he had a Dr. appt about noon-thirty. I was in a part of town a little more unfamiliar to me and…...... I made a few wrong turns and….....okay I got lost. But not for long. A few passes by “Bill’s Bike Shop” soon put me to rights. That is an old family joke. Bob used to tell people that I always got lost trying to take him to the orthodontist in Idaho Falls, but he would know we were almost there when we passed Bill’s Bike Shop for the third time. In my defense, there were a lot of detours and road constructions going on that summer!
After dining on the restaurant special, a delicious Indian taco, I raced to the grocery store to pick up a rotisserie chicken for dinner, and was just in time to be 10 minutes late for work. The day was brutally hot, so it was a relief to step into my air-conditioned store. I think the clerks felt the same way. We tried out the new guys, and I think he will work out. Matt is black, so fulfills our minority requirement for the job, but I think he was the best candidate in any case. He has “been down a while”, so is more settled and not as into the inmate games. He is also smart and personable. The day was a slow one, as far as the store was concerned, so that gave Joe a chance to show Matt around. The day was made more interesting by a power outage. The backup generator did not immediately kick on like it was supposed to, and then for awhile there was power everywhere except for the culinary and the canteen, but it was fixed before I left for the night.
After work, I ravaged the chicken a bit, told UltraDad where it was, and got ready for yet another appointment. This was an organizational Weight Watchers meeting. This means we where meeting so we could see if we had enough people to start meeting for real. We didn’t, quite, but I got several names of people who weren’t there, and I really think this thing will be a “go”, and that soon, I will have my very own Weightwatcher group right here. Everyone was enthusiastic and friendly, and I think it will also be a good way for me to get to know some people who are not prison officers or inmates, though many of them are very nice.
Back home, I spent over an hour on the phone with Ida, the former prison storekeeper. She is very chatty, and I become so when I talk to her. I find I really miss it when I haven’t talked to her for a week or so. After that, I pulled out the restaurant “to-go” box and consumed the remainder of my Indian taco, played a few games of Mah Jongg and went to bed.
Today I don’t have anything I have to do until tonight. I probably won’t get nearly as much done…...........already I am sitting here writing a post when I should be mowing the lawn, planting those flowers, planting vegetable seeds, paying bills, cleaning up the kitchen, planning meals…..........I guess that’s why I’m posting. Such is life.
UltraMom
Sorry to hear Dad hasn’t been feeling well. What is an indian taco?
Maybe an indian taco is like a Naan Dog (popular in Tokyo: a hotdog wrapped in Indian naan bread). So spicy meat, cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, salsa in a chapati? Or keema curry in a corn taco shell?
If it were Idaho, I’d feel fairly certain that the type of indian in question would be the native american kind, but we’ll see when the answer comes in.
You don’t know what an Indian Taco is? Have you never been to a State Fair? Geez!
An Indian Taco, my poor naive friends, is a fry bread, or large scone, topped with chili, taco seasoned ground beef, cheese, onions, olives with guacamole, salsa and sour cream on the side. Yummy!
Hmm, I reckon the fry bread or large scone is supposed to be indian nan, so I guess I must cede victory to Kuri in this round, but watch your back.
Great Blogs sis. Bob Louie,excited about your new home. Congradulations. Hi to Tomo.
Actually, I think the American Indian connection may be more valid, as these delightful confections are also known as “Navajo Tacos”.
We interrupt this broadcast to bring you developments in the ongoing Zushi housing saga:
Ultras Girl and Bob spent their first night in the new house. They look forward to the arrival of their new sofa, bed, and internet connection and hope to receive guests as some point in the not too distant future. UltraBeaker the turtle, will spend his first night tonight, and looks forward to it though he is not thrilled with his current temporary accommodations in a bucket as his new dwelling is prepared.
More on this story as it develops. Now back to your regularly scheduled programming.
so good to finally get the lowdownon your weekend. See you very soon.