I had the realization that we've not updated this since April. We are terrible keepers of this blog! Terrible!
But, I feel like, we have a few good reasons:
-Charlie travels A LOT for work. Just when we think we're going to hit a rythem for his schedule-something comes up and he has to leave for a few days-instead of just one.
-Because Charlie travels a lot and I don't really know anyone in the Red Stick just yet, I go back to Dallas a lot. Okay, not a lot-but more often than I ever imagined. It's been nice to get back and see Bizzy and Henry and whomever else I might get to see.
-My Dad passed away in June. Up until then, I got to go back to Illinois a few times to visit with him-and then in May, my sister Bizzy and I headed up there because we found out he was starting to decline. He passed away on June 1st in hospice. We had a lovely Celebration of Life for him that I was a little a nervous about, never having been to one before-but it was really good. I liked seeing the different people in his life in more of a light atmosphere. There was a bar, his favorite snackfoods (ie M&Ms, Strawberry Shortcake, Peanuts, Chocolate Chip Cookies, etc), and pictures of him throughout his life. I miss him everyday and the weirdest things remind me of him-but I'll take it all. His time here was entirely too short and frankly I feel a little cheated. But, I know he's waiting for us and that we'll get to hang out again and play with our mess of dogs.
-Our A/C was out from June 11-July 16. In Louisiana. We had a couple of wicked heat waves. The heat makes you lethargic...and not terribly motivated to do anything, least of all sit with a hot computer and make updates. The reasons we had to wait so long are too boring and just dumb to list. But, they boil down to poor service, mis-diagnosis of the problem, part order problems, and rain delays. Luckily the streak of bad luck ended and we got our A/C back last Friday...and frankly, it's been divine. I feel kind of spoiled now. And, we have a whole slew of fans we never had before, so that's something. Luckily our Warranty company pays for part of them...points for us!
-Young family reunion in late June. I got to go back to Illinois again. I never go backand this last year as taken me back quite a bit. It was actually quite a lot of fun. Charlie couldn't go with me b/c of the time off he took for my Dad, but I was able to make it work (one of the many beauties of working from home). I got to see cousins I see sometimes, and some I NEVER see-which was awesome-and then a bunch of distant cousins I only see every handful of years or so at one of these reunions. I got to be a tourist in the town I grew up in, Springfield. I actually found a beauty and charm there I never ever saw before or expected to ever see. I really want to go back and bring Charlie with me so he can experience all of the fantastic Lincoln sites. After the reunion I got to go up to Chicago to spend some days with Melissa and her family. We played tourist in Chicago proper too-it was fun. I used to be such a tourism hater-but what I've been missing! Well, I'm not sure I would've known I was missing it while I was hating. We also got to go see Eclipse on opening day. I had no idea Melissa was a Twilighter and vice versa! But, we figured it out before I came out, luckily, and were able to plan our big Eclipse outing. It was super fantastic to see it with such a close friend and such a fan! Overall, loved having the opportunity to go back up.
-And finally, we ended up with more visitors! We did get a few when we first moved down-which was awesome! But, then we got lucky by having more las tweek! We've never had so many! Marisa and Margaret came down for some Louisiana tourism and my birthday. The week was full of New Orleans walking tours, a swamp tour, food (lots of food), hanging out w/ a drunk 21 year old New Orlean Hornet Honey Bee Auditioner, and risking our limbs by wearing flip flops and sandals everywhere. I'm not sure how we survived, but somehow, we made it. Oh, and we've planned a reality show, involving a whore house and the frontier, that's all I can say-can't give too much of it up! :) Overall it was an awesome visit-and the house is so quiet! Oh, and they may have named our house...more to come on that.
I think that is mostly what's been keeping us from updating. I keep tihnking we're going to get really good at it-but I think I need to let that dream go and accept that we're only going to update occasionally.
As a parting thought-Maggie Moo's Red Velvet Ice Cream might just have crack in it--I crave it all the time. Of course there is not one here in town-the closest is in Lafayette, 1 hour away-but it's so tasty. I'm not sure that Margaret or Marisa loved it as much as I do, but Oh, do I love it. Thinking of it now is making me drool a little. So, if you've gotta Maggie Moo's near you...try it.
