more time with the family

The one thing I liked about living a couple hours away from my immediate family was that I was insulated from the family. It'd keep me from really getting to know them, and all the info that I might be better not knowing.

For example, Sunday after we stuffed ourselves at the casino buffet, I volunteered to take my sister for a bit of shopping before taking her home. She doesn't get out much with adults, and I felt she needed to talk about things.

She vented a while about the stresses at home. This is what I was expecting.

Then somehow we were talking about my grandmother. I was commenting about how she played the stoic widow for 40 years, and never showed any interest in companionship by the opposite sex.

"No, she went out with Leon from the garage shop for a while after Grandpa died."

"When did you hear about that?"

"When I spent that month in Chicago after Grandma got sick during our visit a few years back."

"Am I supposed to know this?"

"Probably not."

So I miss out on little bits of dirt when I lived a few hours away. Guess I better get a shovel now that I live back up here.

another rejection

So today was my first appointment for the celiac clinical trial. After getting bled, I was sent home. Don't qualify after all, and I am not going to the trouble to get qualified.

Very disappointed. Would pig out for a bit with comfort food, but I managed to fit into an old pair of pants this morning and don't want to mess it up.

oh they didn't

We've been having regular visits from javelinas. With the cooler weather, they're visiting at like 11:00 in the morning looking for some birdseed, stinking up the garage in the process.

But for some reason, they're out and about late. The other night, I was up until almost midnight, and thought I was hearing something on the front porch. Instead of getting up, I went by the cat on guard factor. Since they acted like nothing was wrong, I let it go.

The morning after that late night visit, there were piles of dirt all over the porch. The only casuality: the freshly planted marigolds. Instead of munching on the marigolds before they were planted, they waited for them to be put in their new home.

My mom thought they'd make it through this attack. She repaired as necessary, and cleaned up the mess.

Getting dinner ready in the kitchen last night, I thought I saw more piles of dirt on the porch. Thought it wasn't possible for them to sneak attack what was left of the marigolds.

Oh yes they did. What was left of the marigolds were also gone.

Keep telling my mom that she needs to put roses on the front porch. Wouldn't keep them on the front porch in the summer due to the front porch being on the west side of the property.