May 25, 2013

  • It Was A Happy Birthday For Chewlee

    TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

    The day was just a bit cooler than I would have liked to see since we knew the kids would be using the Slip N Slide but kids are kids.  They didn't care.

    When I got there, Chewlee was in the pool with four or five other kids, including Chance.  Others were in the Bounce House (Dora again).  The adults and babies (there were a couple of them) were scattered around the backyard or under the canopy.  Tara saw me arrive and immediately went and got me a comfortable folding chair that she put next to her under the canopy (which was also close to the barbeque...LOL).  I had brought along some of my favorite Mudslide (small bottle, but it turned out it didn't matter).  Tara got me a glass with some ice and I poured some out for myself and announced anyone could help themselves.  I was there for two and a half hours and just finished up the glass of Mudslide before I left.

    Chewlee was having a ball.  She got excited when she saw me and ran over to give me a hug with a loudly announced, *Grandma!!!*  Again, Tara took my gift bag into the house to put it with the other presents to be opened after the cake was served.  Johnnycakes was grilling hot dogs and took my request to char mine.  I do like my hot dogs charred so I am usually welcome at any picnic.  There are always a couple that get a bit overcooked due to talking, distractions from kids, etc.  There wasn't a lot of food to be wasted.  Just stuff the kids liked.  Hot dogs, a couple different dips, potato chips, lots of different stuff to drink like water, Capri Sun, sweet tea and a few sodas.  Oh, and some Mudslide....LOL.  There was also beer for the guys and any of the gals that wanted it. 

    It was really a nice party for both the adults and the kids.  Chewlee blew out her candles with one blow and immediately claimed the Rapunzel figure on the cake.  She thought, at first, that it was edible but Tara informed her that it wasn't and she should put it on her dresser or in her doll house.  Chewlee looked at it again, said, *OH!* and put it aside.  I had brought her some salsa and chips which she announced to everyone while she ate it, standing at the small table that was under the canopy.  It was in front of me so she kept coming back to eat it in-between being in the Bounce House and the pool.  Oh, and her slide and swing set got a lot of traffic, too.  I hadn't seen it since she got it at Christmas.  Johnnycakes spent most of Christmas Eve putting it together and then staining it later on. 

    Chewlee loved opening all her presents.  She got a lot of cash to spend later on plus some nice toys.  Someone gave her a nail and tattoo play set which she inspected later and tried to make sense out of.  She eventually put it away, along with the instructions, so that her mother could show her how to use it later on.  When she got to my gift, the first thing she pulled out of the bag was a big box of Skittles (a last minute purchase but the one she got the most excited about).  She ran over and gave me a big hug.  I had given her some money plus some different things for her hair (she immediately put one of the barrettes with a blue braided streamer hanging down in her hair) plus I got her some stretchy bracelets to match.  Since she had already had some of the little kids fake nails, I got her a set of those AND (as Chewlee said it....) a grownup eye shadow (light pink).  The Princess had suggested eye shadow since Chewlee had used up all the kiddie stuff she had.  I searched a couple stores and couldn't find anything like that so I bit the bullet and got her some *like Mommy uses*.  Tara laughed when Chewlee got to the two big packs of gum (one bubble gum flavor, the other fruit flavors).  She opened one of them up and passed gum around to all the kids, making sure she asked their parents if it was okay if the kids were younger than she was. 

    I got to meet the little girl that Chewlee calls her sister.  She was adorable and so sweet.  She helped Chewlee put her presents away and offered suggestions on how the nail and tattoo parlor might work.  I watched them together and it was just so damn cute.  Sarah even looks a lot like Chewlee (which Chewlee had told me before but I got to see it for myself today).  Even the Princess called her Chewlee's sister so it isn't an imaginary sister like I thought.  They live next door to each other and she is the daughter of Johnnycake's cousin.  Cousin is close enough to make your sister.  I had one that I loved until the day she died, which was a tragedy in itself but I digress....

    It was Chewlee's day and I hated to leave but I knew the Beast was hungry.  He had stayed home because he got a new *toy* today.  A new John Deere riding mower.  It's a beauty and very different since it's one of the *zero turn* ones.  He's going to have to learn a whole different steering method now.  He spent a couple hours trying to learn how to use it already and will be driving it all over our lots tomorrow, too.  The model he bought is actually one of the commercial ones.  I had to run back home to pick up my meds (which I had forgotten) and our RV-ing friends that bought the lots across from us were already at the house looking over the new mower.  Dennis will be needing one for himself and the two guys had been looking together for the best quality and the best buy.  I think, from everything the guys had talked about, that the Beast nailed both issues when he found the John Deere one he bought.  They hadn't even looked at this model of John Deere so it wasn't one of the ones they had been discussing.  I was getting a headache hearing about all the pros and cons so I'm glad that's over for me now.

    I came home from the party, tired but I had a good time.  Tara and I had sat together and talked and laughed a bit.  Poor Tara was in pain and I....don't tell anyone....gave her one of my pain pills since both her doctor and her chiropractor haven't given her anything more than ibuprofen.  Doctors are so afraid of prescribing pain pills for fear of misuse.  I told her to just take half and see how it worked for her.  Well, it worked.  Now perhaps she can sit long enough to get to her clients and get some work done for them.  She's been in such pain due to the arthritis in her spinal column.  She's going through some kind of physical therapy to relieve the stress in her muscles that's creating the problem and it should help her but it takes time.  We shall see what the future holds.

    Love you all.  Hope you are enjoying your weekend.  I am...so far.  Be good, have some fun and do a lot of smiling.  It will annoy some people but it will spread around.  Watch and see.