I am back. We have a bat in the bedroom.

I had to memorize several speeches from Julius Caesar. I don't remember more than a few lines now, though. I also remember memorizing the entire text of Father William, although that was probably a lot earlier than high school. I don't think they do that at all anymore.

Hi Kids. I've emerged. I am now the parent of an adult child I guess. It actually feels a little different. What a weekend. The party was AWESOME! I couldn't believe how well it turned out, especially after the way the day started. I woke up to DH asking where the remote for the TV in the kitchen was -- the big slideshow we've been working was going to be shown on the dvd player, through this little tv, but he couldn't find the original remote and couldn't get the dvd player to play through it without the remote. I told him where I thought it was, he spent a long time looking, then I got up () and looked too. After way too long a time, during which I was supposed to be doing 10 other things, I found it exactly where I'd told him. Except for the advanced looking-for-something-technique of picking up something in a drawer and looking under it.

Meanwhile we were having heavy rain, the dog had to be persuaded to go out to pee etc., ddbf came over and he and DD started inflating balloons in the living room. It took me 4 tries to get the dog to take care of business; each time I let her out I got wetter and I swear the rain came down harder. It was starting to look like a monsoon. Naturally while we were in a panic about not being able to use the tv, the ceiling started leaking. Once I found the remote, I was able to start on my stuff, though, so things started to progress, in spite of having to take the time to get buckets out for the leaks because they were too big for just little bowls. So, we're humming along here, balloons popping every now and then, I'm cutting up veggies, DH is doing I don't know what, and the power goes out. Yes, very convenient. Now, we don't have water when the power goes out because we have a well, so all I have is the soapy water in the dishpan and a big bowl I was using to rinse veggies. DH and I both need showers; we call my mother at the motel to let her know we are coming over for showers somewhere in between getting everything ready, and going to the other party where we planned to eat lunch (ya gotta take advantage of these opportunities when they're presented, y'know). Oy. Almost 2 hours later, we are almost ready and the stupid power comes back on. Well, that's a good thing, but it's still raining cats and dogs while we load the truck with coolers (count 'em: 5 coolers!) full of ice and drinks and food, my Explorer with food, decorations, TV, dvd player, paper supplies etc., ddbf's van with all the balloons. We send dd and bf to pick up my mother and take her to the first party so she can get some lunch, while DH and I get our showers at home. I have to move the dog's pen (we're talking a big, heavy thing) because she's under the leak and we have to leave her home. We get drenched every time we go outside, and inundated with mosquitoes. I have to go pick up the cake, which fortunately fits in the only available space in my car: the front passenger seat. Then we all show up at this kid's party, with our loaded cars, and partake of the first round of party food, after which we hightail it out of there and go to the bowling alley and unload everything, sending dd and bf on to more parties with strict instructions to show up at 4 pm!

It never stopped raining until well after the party started, but the party was a huge success!! We ordered pizzas from our favorite restaurant, directly across the street from the bowling alley, so we had a steady stream of them, and we had loads of other food. The slideshow was perfect and some people sat and watched it over and over and over (my mother...). I covered a wall with dozens of DD's early pictures and stories, which came out nicely. And people BOWLED!!! We had most of the lanes going the whole time -- from 4 PM to almost 8 PM! Everyone had a great time. We bought some 13 pizzas I think. The guy behind the counter who gave out shoes didn't give us a final count on people who bowled but it was at least 40! Which means that there were probably more people at this party than I invited!! Although there weren't any that I didn't recognize, except for some grandparents that came along with families that I invited. It was huge and fun, and DD beamed the whole time, and bowled with her friends and played pool with ddbf's grandmother and talked to everybody and raked in some awesome loot as well. I'll tell you, it surprised me and DH, but it was great. We were so tired we practically fell over on our feet, but it was worth it.

Oh yeah, and graduation was nice today too...... Miss Valedictorian, who is always so casual and comfortable on stage (on Friday at Class Day, she performed in 4 numbers without a hitch), got up to do her speech and got all choked up! Never in my life have I seen her do that, it was really something else. She had a bit of trouble getting through the first part of her speech, but laughed herself through it until she could talk better and did quite well. Her speech was truly from the heart. Her friend who did the first salutatorian speech did a flawless job, beautifully spoken with not a hitch (she is the type to rehearse until it's perfect and it was), and BF who is always nervous as **** did an absolutely excellent job. The class president then made a hilarious and very lovely speech that had the whole gym laughing. But DD's was the most touching for its sincerity, no question. Can't help but be proud of her. She raked in some more scholarships too, and looked smashing to boot. She's at the overnight Chem-Free party now and it's my turn to be choked up telling you all about it!

Probably ought to get to bed -- I told my mother I'd come over to the motel and go swimming in the morning! Night all!

Kiwi

Whoooo Kiwi! - That sounds SO fun. We need to vote you Supreme Party Organisatrix or something. Isn't it amazing how you think nothing's going to fall into place and then it turns out to be fabulous? AND I swear we're married to the same man. He can't find a thing even if it's right under his nose.

Stuff I remember from high school:

1.


2. something or other has a large surface area in relation to volume

3. interphase, prophase, metaphase, anaphase, telophase

4. H2O + CO2 = CH2O + O2

That's about it. And I don't know if I have every used any of these nuggets of wisdom ever again. Schools should teach stuff like how to scrape paint.

OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH KIWI--- i got all choked up when i read about your dear ,sweet dd getting all choked up!!! what wonderful memories for you all---this has been a great year,hasn't it---with a fabulous finish!!! peach and i still want dvd's of your talented performer ---i want my dd's to hear her too!!! i love the hilarious {in retrospect} start to your day--as you know we have the same weather and the golf tournament the dh was supposedly in got postponed for sure-----the last three weeks have been insane with rain---there are slugs all over the garden,the weeds are three feet high!!-----anyway---so glad everything worked out so well with your divine Valedictorian and congratulations on the scholarships!!---does she have a summer job lined up??? dd has hardly worked at all with this weather {golfcart girl!!}--------hi sugars---glad to hear you have such a grand memory----mine is faded with holes in it!------------nursiecow---my gut is like an apron and it hangs loose like an old arse.

Nursie, let me set you straight re: Bagz. I've seen pictures of her and she is slim. I know, as shameful as that is, she just needs to admit it. Does Birmingham still have a big statue that moons ppl? Vulcan? and the Talladegha Speedway?

Kiwi!!!! What a wonderful ending to DD's illustrious high school career! How did you keep yourself from sobbing out loud when DD was giving her speech? How touching! and your party for her sounded wonderful. I bet it was the hit of the grad party circuit.

The beach was sunny and warm. We ate and slept a lot. We visited our friends - their house is just down the beach and up a steeeep huge flight of stairs. They are only in their early 30's and they have a beach house that's nicer and newer than anything we've ever lived in. Apparently they have more energy and ambition than DD or I have ever had.

I've got to work. really I do.

I am so proud of Kiwidd ... she will represent us well in the world. I say make her an honorary cow. She and Bagz and Wabbo will be the boney maroney cows.

I forgot to tell youz that I figured out how to make a man do domestic chores. Put them in a tin can on wheels. DD cleaned our leetle RV home (complete w/ vacuuming w/ his miniature vacuum cleaner), he made the bed and he cooked me a steak dinner, and he even did the dishes. I sat in the lawn chair and read a book. As I was sitting there, it occurred to me "this is what it's like to be DH."

LOL, Wabby!!! Maybe we should all move into motor homes and start living a life of luxury?

Did anyone notice that I loosed a few pounds? I'm so tired of being fat. My shorts are squeezing me in unpleasant places.

Any tips for us sugar? I would like to loose those pounds too. Same ones. Woman came through my line buying weird food and told me her doctor told her to go on the blood type diet. I looked at it. I'm type A so I get veggies and snails and game meat. That alone could knock those pounds right off as I wouldn't eat.

Such a headache I have. Yesterday I had to go to work at 6:30 which meant waking at 4:30 and it ruined the day and made me ill.

How'd you loose the weight?

Kiwi: How fabuloso! How wonderful ! You and DH must be so very proud of kiwijr-- and now begin the college years! Yep, you done good raising that one! What is a "chem-free" party? Now I think we should throw you a party or come run a roof raffle for ya!

All youse cows have such wonderful childruns!

Wabby: How are the whirlies? Glad you had a nice vacationette! well of course men take care of caves, and a RV is I guess a deluxo mobile cave,eh... That's how I get out a cookin.. just say BBQ and DH becomes Emiril.

Suggie!!!! You svelting minx you! Yes dooooo tell how you are removing fat. I've been thinking about getting back to it -- usually mulling it over a ring ding or Ho Ho. Sigh, I never got to know these wayward cowsies ye speak of...

Bagarina: Same here..rain rain...hail... thunder... tornado... we had one touch down bout 2 miles from here Sunday night.. We have a partially downed 60 foot pine tree in the backyard.. a tree cutter is coming today to take it all the way down as it is poised to fall directly on the back of the house I'm not likin this nerth caroliner spring ... all this RAIN and lightning and tornado watches ! And Darby is just a mental case ...I feel like a modern day gunslinger wearing a tool belt complete with salt shaker, and critter killer as I venture out to deal with disgusting slugs and bugs big enough to saddle whilst weeding.

Cowp: are you in Alberto range?? I worry.

Nursie: I'm thinkin I need to develop a love of sweet tea, drop my joisey axsent.. and yeah, maybe leave da uzi home..

Worry, nervous tension and generalized nausea. Oh, and a teensy bit of exercise and trying not to eat cr*p. Actually, I did a few of the ol' affirmations every night ("I now weigh xxxlbs. My body is fit and toned, etc etc etc") and that seemed to kind of help too. Not that I'm fit and toned or anything, but at least I haven't gained any more weight.

Peach - I had a killer headache today too. I feel for you.

We have the sweeeeetest cashier at one of our local supermarkets. She needs to have her own TV show. She is always cracking jokes and making people laugh and she never gets mad when the elderly hold out their wallets and make her count out the change. She would make a good world leader, I think. German cashiers are usually the crankiest creatures on earth. Sometimes if you're not fast enough they snap their fingers and sigh while they're waiting for you to pay.

I'm meeting my nice American friend downtown for lunch tomorrow. Chinese buffet. Will probably gain 5 lbs in one day.

Yay Sugar for loosing pounds! I need to loose pounds too! Oh, well, at least I'm exercising.

I'm with you. Running sounds good, but after a minute, I generally change my mind. So I could jog for 1 minute, walk for 20 minutes and go home, right?

btb, that was Dusty Jane, not Rose. heh heh.. Maybe she'll really find us now.

Wabby, I had also forgotten about the MS. Hope things are subsiding. I have only chronic things, nothing dramatic. Allergies, migraines. Right now I seem to have leprosy of the arms -- I am covered by mosquito bites. It's so damp here that they are really horrible, and I look like a freak. Along with the armloads of bites, I have bruises on my arms, from attempting to hold onto the dog leash in inopportune circumstances (many's the time I've had her try to take off on me and I've slammed my arm into something).

Welcome, telemetrynurse, what is telemetrynursing anyway? If you can stand us, more power to you, eh ladies?

My mother is making sighing and groaning noises because I'm on the internet. You will perhaps have noticed that I have not spent much time on the internet since she arrived. She is a very high maintenance mommy.

There is no secret to killing ants. They don't die unless you squoosh them. That's what I do. Jet likes to stare at them and sometimes eat them. I've stopped worrying about them. I sure can't use real poison; Jet eats everything not nailed down. She ate half a sock last week and yesterday she ate a balloon. Can't wait to see those again...

I also have live mice, nurselady. And bats. Wow, I used to drive for Meals on Wheels now and then, but they didn't real need me, they had plenty of volunteers. We have a ton of retirees around here who are always looking for things to do.

DD is still looking for a job. She has 2 kids lined up for guitar lessons, that should net her about $15 dollars a week... Of course if she had more like 8 or 10 students it might be worth her time. But she enjoys teaching in any case. I'm hoping the radio station has some voiceover work for her or something.

I'd better wind this up before the mother comes looking for me again... Thanks for all the kudos, I am very proud of the little skinnykiwi.

Later ladies.
Kiwi

I am so happy about the idea of a cashier becoming a world leader! Movie of the Week!!

So Kiwi ... hmmm ... you've got this jar of peanut butter on the third shelf over the stove and a highway of ants coming and going up the wall and .. you squash?? You squash and squash and squash? Really?

I am going away today to take DS to honors orientation at the university. We will be gone til Friday night. I told him to BE SURE he found the printed material they sent about it. He assured me he did. Naturally, I see printed material all laid out about something entirely different.

I'm thinking about leaving a lot of cat food and pans in the tubs with water dripping in. The big problem about leaving the cats is water evaporates so quickly in the summer. Will they be ok? It's about 58 hours maybe.