May 30, 2010

  • Power Failures, Rain But Not A Bad Day Overall


    TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

    We seem to have an abundance of power failures that have nothing to do with high winds, tornadoes or even electrical storms (you know, those full of lightning).  It was raining gently when the Beast woke up around 7:30am.  He had barely poured himself a cup of fresh coffee when he heard a loud bang and the lights went out.  He barely had time to react when the lights came back on again.

    About an hour later, ANOTHER big bang and off went the lights again.  That time, the lights stayed off about 15 minutes.  When I got up around 9am (yeah, I'm a slug!), I had just sat down at the table when the lights went off.  The Beast laughed and said at least there hadn't been a big bang beforehand.  I hate the sound of those dynamite charges when they trip the big breakers on the electric lines so I was just as glad I got to stay in my skin.

    That time, however, they stayed off for almost four hours.  After two, I figured the power company should be giving an estimated time for repairs on their main number and I was right.  They were pretty much dead on the money.  Poor Sheepie went back to bed about a half hour before the lights came on.  She said when she heard me turn on the TV she KNEW the lights were on.  She jumped out of bed because she wanted some spaghetti-o's.  That was her idea of a tasty breakfast treat.

    A little later, Johnnycakes came over to the house, dropped off Chewlee and hitched up the Beast's trailer he uses for the ATV.  I had no idea he was taking it.  I just thought he was dropping Chewlee off for me to watch until the Princess got off work.  Little did I know!  It seems he has rented a bouncy house for Chewlee's birthday.  Not a little kids one but one adults could jump around in, too.  At least he has the compressor for blowing it up.

    Later on, after he brought it back here and he and the Beast got it into the back yard, he stuck around watching a basketball game with the Beast for a bit before he and Chewlee left for home.  He DID drop her off later on with some jammies since the Princess had to do some running around after work for things for the birthday party and he had somewhere to go (I think he was going somewhere for tonight, tomorrow and Monday but don't quote me).  Thankfully, Sheepie and I were at Walmart getting the gift bags, tissue and a couple things for the party, too, when he came by or I probably would have had to run out in the morning when I am so NOT in the mood for that.

    Johnnycakes stuck around until I got back (I was just heading for the cashiers when I was informed he had her at the house) and didn't just leave her with the Beast.  He can be unpredictable when *surprised* like that and he might have ignored her to MY detriment.

    She has really been in a cute mood but I discovered the poor baby has a sore bottom.  She still isn't going potty for #2 all the time, mainly because she gets diarrhea so easily.  She also seems to get a rash at the drop of a hat when that happens so I let her soak in the tub.  That pretty much takes care of the worst of the problem.  I knew she had a tender bottom when she started crying and begging me not to use the wipes on her.  I had to get a wet washcloth, pat her with it, dry it and then powder her.  That was *pre-bath* since we were almost ready to eat.

    The Beast started trimming back the bushes out front that are under the bedroom and living room windows.  That was during the short time it stopped raining and the sun came out.  I'm hoping he gets to finish it up before he leaves for his aunt's house.  He's not even sure he will be able to cut the grass and he's kicking himself for not doing it the other day.  It really needs cutting and, give it another 10 days, it will be knee deep. 

    Sheepie has been playing with the laser light and driving the dog nuts.  She just cracks up at him slipping and sliding all over the wood floors.  He sometimes gets tired and will sit down and just watch it.  He gets excited when she picks it up but hasn't seemed to realize it doesn't have a life of it's own just yet.  I do hate it when he gets so excited that he's crashing into the furniture.  I'm afraid he's going to hurt himself.

    The Princess and Sheepie went out for a late meal and then are going to the show.  After that, the Princess will pick up Chewlee to take home for the night so I can do a few things around here before the party.  I am assuming they will be sleeping in a bit but I will go to bed earlier than normal tonight to make sure I can damp mop the floors before they get here.  Shortly after Chewlee took her bath (and I gave her half a popsicle as promised), I turned off the overhead light in here, gave her a pillow and got the blanket she insisted she had to have.  I swear, within 5 minutes, she was out like a light! 

    Well, love you all.  Hope you have a great day and better weather than we are being told we may have.  I just don't want a lot of rain so the baby can jump in her bounce house and, perhaps, even play in the pool her mother bought her.