Pretty sure they call this day: Darius Rucker Day

First - I haven't written in two days.  I have good excuses.  Sort of.  Kind of... No I don't.

Thursday I worked until 6, got home, the mini Minns' had taken off around 1:30 pm for the 3 day concert at the Gorge.  The Dad helped them pack up the Tahoe on Wednesday night... tents, camping BBQ, cooler, bins with all of the necessities, holy board, lanterns, pillows, blankets, the Costco table (that... if you have that, you KNOW how often it gets borrowed or used!  Top ten best purchase ever.), sleeping bags, bug spray, aloe, tylenol (oh wait, those were MY contributions).  So Thursday night I got home, exhausted but with a monkey off my back - happy to say - and gutted Thing One and Thing Twos' rooms.  

Why?

Because... <big sigh> we had family coming to stay with us and they were expected to arrive on Friday while we were at work.  I gave up around midnight - rooms dusted, vacuumed, semi organized, sh*t thrown away, laundry done - but the bedding was the hold up.  While the sheets were dry or in the dryer when I went to bed on Thursday night - they were not on the beds.  Nor were they when I left for work yesterday.  And if you've been here <this page> before - you know how *great* Fridays are for me.  I could have come home at lunch and thrown the beds together, vacuumed the living room and done a few last minute things - but I have a date tonight with Darius - so pedicure it was!  

Oh how my toes twinkle with merriment now!

Literally minutes after I walked in from work, our guests arrived.  Thankfully, thankfully, thankfully... The Dad came home around 3 and did a few things for me.  He left the beds - but that's okayyyyy because he just really shouldn't have any 'bed making' responsibilities. Scratch that - he could if I had not grown up in my mothers house.  Nuff' said.

While they chit chatted, I made the beds, folded 4 of about 12 loads of laundry and then came upstairs and told him to figure out dinner. 

PIZZA IT IS!  Without Wack around, it didn't seem quite right, but it sufficed.  Our guests (The Dads' sister and husband) left for her 30 year high school reunion and we watched the Olympics with #7 and our sweet niece Megan.  She is VERY knowledgeable about who's won, when each event is over, what's next...  She's a good one to watch the Olympics with.  

I haven't jumped on the "Why did I stay up so late watching the Olympics" bandwagon, so last night - though I could have - was not the night.  I had to get a proper amount of sleep, make sure I was up and out for my run early (7:15 am), pick up the dog you-know-what in the backyard, mow (which I started and then turned over to The Dad so I could do this, pay bills and finish getting Blue Eyes laundry done since he heads back on Tuesday.  Suck.), and get to the store for breakfast stuff to make for our guests.  

It's actually pretty funny... I've loved Hootie & The Blowfish, Darius... since Wack was 2.  I've seen HATB 3 times (not nearly enough, but then there was this little thing called "life" to tend to) and as a country artist 2 times.  I'm a girl.  Rucker is handsome and has that oh so sexy voice...  I mean, right?  BUT - The Dad seems nearly as excited as me for this gig. He wants to head out to Northern Quest and The Q at 4:30, eat dinnnnnerrrrr, have funnnnn... and I'm thinking we'd leave at, say, 5:30 and STILL have plenty of time for all of that.  Maybe it's the last two weeks that have taken their toll on him, maybe it's knowing that two of our boys are "gone" this week to start the "fall" off all over again... maybe he likes Darius as much as me?I  Balderdash!  There's just no way...

Then again, he's already laid out his "outfit" for tonight.  Hmmmm

No matter - it's Darius Rucker Day, thanks to my Twitter Friends at Northern Quest!  Good times a' comin'!  Thanks in advance Northern Quest!

The Boyz

I will, from time to time, post about these Minn Boyz that I was lucky enough to have been gifted.  Even in their "being snotty to mom because she doesn't know anything" times, I full well understand that they are a gift.  Or that a higher being realized I couldn't deal with trouble like me when I was their ages... 

Today, Blue Eyes overslept.  It happens usually once a summer (this time twice) but he got up and went to work.  Wack had left without him, at 4:50 A.M. thinking that he was late and Ry must have already left... not noticing the red Jeep out front.  I get that, we've all done that in our lives.  So as The Dad and I were heading out for our morning workout, Z called to see if Ry was on his way - their boss was wondering what was what.  (Fortunately we know the boss and he expects this from time to time with his college age seasonal workers in the summer.)  We expected that Ryan would work it out with the boss  and I yelled down the stairs "If you're going, don't speed.  Better late than never."  (Right mom?)

We got home and he was gone... and now golfing in some tournament after work.

Wack, on the other hand, sent me a text a bit ago to let me know that he was headed out to Cheney after work to help #7 move out of his apartment.  My first reaction was to be good and annoyed at #7's teammates for not helping him.  They have borrowed his truck to move, they've borrowed "him" to help them move - and not only this year, but past years.  So where are "the guys" when it's his turn?  <furrowed brow>  I let that bother me (and assume he asked and they just couldn't help... "Never assume anything." Right mom?) for a moment and then smiled at the thought that Z was willing and able to go help his big brother out on a hot summer afternoon, right after work, when he's been up and mowing fairways, weeding, doing hard work for 8 hours already!  What a good little (big!) brother!

I feel like, in my time as a youth, sibling, that there was so much more "family" time growing up.  But that with my kids - with all of the games, practices, events, homework being what it is now, something every single night of the week - that our "family" times were relegated to Thanksgiving, cutting down the Christmas tree(s), Easter, Hoopfest and vacations.  Not the every other day of the year - Leave It To Beaver life.  No bi-weekly summer games of Kick-the-Can, or Capture-the-Flag, no swinging on a tree swingy, flippy, swing thingy at the park across the street, or sledding for hours on end.  That through those times, all of those times this is where the "I'll help my brother/sister/uncle/grandma" move - on a dime, comes from.   Zach has been going to his big brothers games for 16 - almost 17 YEARS.  He's 18.  And when he isn't/wasn't going to his games, he was going to his other brothers, or playing in his own.  His big brother left the house over 4 years ago and due to his football, is rarely home because of what it requires of his time.  But on a dime, with what I feel are far fewer "Cleaver" times under his belt, he went.

So my heart is happy and lite on a day when they can help each other and talk about shit they don't want their parents to know or what's just going on.  Period.  Thursday afternoon through Sunday give me that opportunity as well as the younger two boys pack up their dads car and head to Watershed at the Gorge.  Tents, sleeping bags, coolers, fraternity boys meeting up with them, a girlfriend, her friend or sister, music, crazies, camping... fun.  My two Fiji's head out for an excursion.  So.  Awesome.

And then Monday happens.  And these Minn boys will begin to disperse from my every day life until Thanksgiving.  First goes Ryan, on Tuesday, back to WSU.  Being the "guy" he is at his fraternity, he is due back sooner than others.  Stuff to do.  He soon, will start his 3rd year, 3 out of 4 semesters already on the Presidents'/Deans' list (the good one), with an adorable girl by  his side, a new student in the Edward R Murrow School of Communications, working in a fantastic new pressbox, writing more content for Cougar sports... and living his dream.  Later that same week, #7 starts practices for his final season of college football - his last year or perhaps semester at EWU where he too, has made the Dean's list all but one quarter.  Where he works on two majors and is competitive at everything.  Just a few weeks after #7's first game...  Beano, Wack, Zach Attack, String Bean... the baby... heads to Seattle.  <heavy sigh>

So Monday  night - I get one of those cherished family times.  Dinner with the boyz.  I'm happy and sad at the thought.  But my boys will all be here, at the same time, with not a soul needing to hop up early, clear their plate and say "Thanks.  See ya mom."   Back home.  

Kate and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

The not-so-great news is starting to settle in.  As of last night.  On top of that, I ran out of black cohosh and I just don't have time to go an get more right now.  I get off of work, come  home, make dinner, go for a run, come home, shower, eat a little and pretty much want to lay on the bed and be vegetative from there on.  

I didn't sleep well  - thanks to no black cohosh and violent fits of hot flashes... the last one at 3:04 am.  The Dad was snoring pretty well so 3:04 a.m. turned to 3:24 a.m.  Then 3:38 a.m.  3:53 a.m.  4:12 a.m.  4:21 a.m.  4:37 a.m. I think I fell back asleep around 5:02 a.m. So my usual morning workout turned into yet another evening run.

So the frustration led to some bickering last night and again this morning.  It's understandable and expected...  but we haven't been "here" in a very long time and it's just disheartening.  Tough.  Ahhh yes... character building times.  

I went to get my latte on the way to work, blood still a little hot from the less than desirable "banter" prior to leaving the house, only to be handed a cup that felt half full with coffee, half filled with foam/whip.  I didn't pull out immediately, it was apparent that the gal that handed me my drink knew that my cup was half full orrrr is that... half empty?  That's what it was feeling like, looking like this morning.  If I weren't feeling so deflated I would have given a bit of a discouraged look, pulled off the lid and said "Really?" though with a bit of a wry smile.  Not today though.  Today I didn't say anything. I did a double take of the half full/half empty cup in my hand and drove off to work.

I broke two nails today.

Made little headway on some things I could be more efficient at if given the opportunity, messaged with The Dad about things that need to be handled in a timely fashion.  And so it was.  Or... so it is.

Came home and made Blue Eyes and Wack some chicken pad thai, filled up Dan the Dog's swimming pool, picked up the dog "treats" in the back and changed for my afternoon run.  The Dad hopped on board the evening run train and we were able to communicate about the stressful stuff - too exhausted from living the day to give it another worried thought.  

It wasn't our best day in a very long time.  It reminded me of the days long past where these kinds of arguments defined us... times I regret so much because of my amazing little boys ages, ears and hearts in that time.  While they are older and not here, or all too soon, not here at all this year - and a "fight" like this can't "touch" them - I still wouldn't wish it on anyone - and for all we've survived, especially us.  

Tonight though - is finishing strong....er... stronger.  He's done some work.  I've helped a friend.  I've planned "Yucca-Fest 2012".  There was a Darius Rucker commercial - therefore a reminder of the fun I get to have on Saturday night.  The boys picked up camping gear from Mema & Papa's and are looking forward to their adventure, "Moneyball" is on and Brad Pitt is not ugly.  

The only way this could  be better is if the Black Cohosh fairy would show up with some black cohosh.  On ice.  I have a feeling I'm going to need it.

The Itsy Bitsy Fider.... & The REST of the Weekend!

I couldn't MAKE myself write a post this weekend... and while I let myself feel guilty about that - It's not like I've taken a week or month long hiatus from this little goal, nor am I getting paid to write this.  So... I'm going to try and take it easy on myself for this.  

We (The Dad and I) did nothing on Friday night.  As Fridays usually go, it's pretty safe to say that I'm not good company on a Friday night.  Not even if I get a drink in me.  So - homebound we were.

Saturday presented us with an INFORMAL gathering that night out in the valley.  I went the 3.5 mile loop run that The Dad and I have been doing in the evenings and he went to the club.  On my way back The Dad drove by and informed me that I should stop at our friends (along the route) as he was going to stop in and chat with The Man at this house.  It was a short visit, we got our Starbucks! and headed home.  Idle chit chat on the deck turned into me mowing and him making breakfast and trimming trees.  All the while we were receiving an abundance of texts from a friend about the informal gathering.  Before we knew it and AFTER I had ruined the Phelps/Lochte race for The Dad (thanks to Twitter) it was time to make the food for the par-tay.  As quick as they were in the oven, we were off.  Fun times, interesting conversation, got to know another guest better (we love her) and home again, home again, jiggity jig.  (My mother will love that.)

Sunday morning I woke up with a bite on my neck.  The party was indoors and I didn't notice it when we got home, or on the way home or... anything.  So I got up and looked in the mirror and I didn't have ONE bite, but rather, TWO.  On the front/side of my neck, looking very much like Dracula bit me.  They are not super itchy, but rather, hard, sometimes itchy and very much fider bites.  Yes... Fider.  When #7 was my little #7... learning to talk with his raspy voice... Spiders, were, and shall forever remain... fiders.  At least to The Dad and I.  Just one of those things.

I don't care about the location of the fider bites... I care that I have them at all.  And that the likely place I received them was IN. MY. BED.  Seriously...  Do I walk up to a spider web and spray them with a small dose of poison while they sleep?  No. 

So the bed was stripped and I made The Dad bang on the headboard, look under the bed, move the night stand to try and raise the little creepy crawler from his hiding spot.  To no avail.  

So.  Effing.  Gross.  Imagine  if this had been last week when I blew my blood vessels all to hell after sneezing and couldn't breathe through my nose at night! I can tell you these are not little friendly black spider bites/love pats.  These are ginormous.  It surely was one of those beady eyed little brown-ish, stripey legged effers.  I just know it.  Two bites?  What did I do to it?  I shudder...  creepy.  gross.  icky.  yucky. venomous little creep.

Of course once one of us moves on Sunday morning - The Dogs know it's Dog Park day and the noises they make are horrific.  Half the time we practically leave the house without pants on or contacts in because we fear the people on the top of the mountain are going to assume we are killing something.  We got home, sat on the deck... again and talked about how the heat this summer is just not making our lawn look very nice.  At this time I spoke and said - we should try our front sprinkler system and see whats what with it.  

Many years earlier we got a quote for a sprinkler system in the back yard - and the guy that gave it to us included re-doing the entire front yard.  For some reason, at that time, we turned the system off... and have used stupid sprinklers to water our yard.  While I washed sheets, did oodles of laundry, cleaned all of the bathrooms (as we're having guests this weekend) and did some tidying - The Dad fixed an entire line of sprinkler heads and pipes yesterday.  Today he will resume to the next line where we know at least one pipe is split and two heads need replacing.  After that... we may be nearly full functioning in the front yard again.

We scratched our heads on how we let it go so long. And uhhh... why?  It was a pleasant surprise and was actually decent news coming off of a not so great week last week.  

I am, however, happy that I'm not strong enough to do the digging and tightening, and rolling around in the mud that he's doing.  

Friday, Part 37

So I don't love Fridays - that much is known.  But while the day went about it's usual self - there were a few bright spots.

1) I woke up with a smile on my face due to the Cabo Crew fiesta last night.  It started at 6:30 and ended for us... at 11:30.  On a work night, I'm usually in bed by 9:30 - so it was a little hard to get up and moving around today.  But this week, The Dad and I earned the fun of the Cabo Crew!  Good food, friends, spirits and gaming!  

B) While getting ready for work, and texting my "roommate" at work to let her know I'd be in a bit late (to which she responded she had JUST gotten out of the shower) I saw on my Twitter feed that Darius Rucker is joining forces with the rest of the Blowfish and making a new "Hootie" album.  I've been to several Hootie & The Blowfish concerts and have seen Darius Rucker twice as Darius Rucker the country artist - and am seeing him next Saturday - much thanks and appreciation to Northern Quest Casino for tickets on them!  Can... not... wait!

Next to last) We're sitting here now watching the opening ceremonies of the 2012 Summer Olympics.  And there's been some fun, amazing stuff.  A 43 million dollar "production".  Problem is - it's 9:52pm and the are only at "Ecuador" entering the stadium.  Fairly certain I'm not making it to the end of this "show" tonight.

The Dad is disappointed that there is no baseball in the olympics.  I, personally, am okay with it... besides - why watch Olympic baseball when there's Olympic Race Walking on?  I wonder if that's as exciting to watch as it sounds?  Hmmmm....

and Four) I was able to connect with all of my boys today.  Blue Eyes and Bruiser watched some of the ceremonies with us, Wack sat and chatted with us as we nommed on some Friday Night Pizza tonight and #7 has sent me a few unsolicited texts (asking questions, mostly) but allowed me some additional bright spots to a day that has become, as it were, the shits.  

Oh... and the straw broke the camels back today as far as Fridays go, so I'll be working towards effecting "change" in that arena.

A Visit to the Vet

Last December - Boone got a bit of a limp about him.  After a visit to the vet, x-rays that showed nothing, some anti-inflammatory meds and pain meds we were referred to the Pet Emergency Clinic - or at least the Imaging part of that clinic for a series of steroid tests to help what they determined was a bit of tendinitis.  The first visit was a small fortune as they had to do put him out so they could get an ultrasound done on his shoulder to find the exact spot for the injection.

What a nice surprise the second injection appointment was when it was only $68.

So it's been all well and good since then - but at the time of the second injection - we were told that this could be a yearly thing.

And so it happened last week that Boone was running in and out of Dan the Dog's kiddy pool.  He slipped going in one time and aggravated his shoulder.  We called to the Spokane Pet Emergency Clinic to get him scheduled for another injection.  They said they thought we should see our vet first, so I made an appointment for today with Michor Gentemann.  We love him.  He is amazing with the animals.  Amazing.

Boone walked right in and sat on the scale and then waited patiently for our room.  In we went and waited - Boone, sitting next to me on the "people" chairs.  Michor came in and we talked about what happened, how, when and told him we'd already scheduled the injection appointment for this afternoon, assuming that this is what they were going to advise us to do.  He concurred and said he'd call down to them to let them know he thought this was the route to go.

I was charged $32 for Boone's visit to the vet.  I was absolutely thrilled.  So it was a bit like Christmas knowing that I was going to get out of this medical situation for $100.  (If you've ever taken your pet to the vet, you know it's not usually less than $137.49.)  

As I left the vet to bring Boone home until his 1pm appointment out at the Spokane Pet Emergency Imaging Clinic, my cell phone rang and it was the clinic telling me they'd just heard from Dr. Gentemann and that they were not busy so I could bring Boone in then if that would work.  And so I did.  We walked in, it was quiet and they were waiting for him.  It's the kind of appointment where we drop him off because they have to sedate him a bit to do the injection.  Back to work I went, letting The Dad know he gets pick up duty.

A bit later on my phone buzzes and The Dad asks me "Were you expecting $322?"

Needless to say I FLIPPED out.  Uhhh.... Noooooo... wtf?  So he relayed this to them, though he knew because when I got back to work I let him know how overjoyed I was about the expected costs of the day.  He asked them if they had let me know what to expect, that they were not only doing the injection, but also more ultrasound work and they replied that no, they hadn't - but that it needed to be done.  So he tells them that, like dropping your car off at a shop - they don't do any work until it's been approved.  We knew we were coming for a $68 dollar injection, nothing more.  The poor girl at the front desk kept going back to talk to the doctors/technicians and she kept coming out with their answers to his inquiries.... instead of just coming out and answering the questions themselves.  The Dad said he wasn't paying the full amount, at least not today - and they agreed to that, telling him he had a balance to fulfill.

So - like I did after my 20 year reunion, that we held at The old Ridpath Hotel - as the most recent bank of owners let it fall apart and turned off the air conditioning prior to our event, I put the information together, wrote a stellar argumentative letter stating why we had cancelled our payment and would pay for the food costs only, netting us "back" nearly $2300 - so too, will I pen a letter and send it off certified mail.  I will include copies of the first appointment there (over $100 less than the $322 this time) and the second injection, only $68.  I will CC: Lincoln Heights Veterinary Clinic.  I will instruct the clinic on Mission that we will accept credit for Boone's next injection from the $168 we paid today.  

I'm outraged that due to them having no other patients today - that they took the liberty to just spend my money.  Which, actually, The Dad said to them.  If they want to fight it, we'll gladly let an attorney request the two ultrasounds he's had to verify that they did, in fact, NEED to do it.  If Dr. Gentemann had said "It's likely they'll need to do an ultrasound again to make sure..." then that would change this.  But he didn't... and they didn't tell us they "needed" to when I was checking him in.

So here's a "do" and a "don't".

If you're looking for a Veterinary Clinic - DO take your pet to Lincoln Heights Veterinary Clinic on 27th Avenue.

If you're needing or referred to take your furry loved one to the imaging center or Spokane Pet Emergency Clinic - DON'T forget to ask them up front what their charges will be and DO let them know that prior to doing anything at all ABOVE the amount they quote you, they better damn well not forget to call you.