Where are all the bloggers?

What is wrong with my mom and my sisters? Why is no one blogging? Elle J. thanks for holding up the blogger fort while the rest of us slack off. I look forward to catching up on blogs at my 9:10 break. I'll eat too much cereal if I don't have anything else to do.

Leah's First Tube Ride

Leah so far has had only good experiences on our boat. I would like it to stay that way but with an Uncle like Adam, she can kiss that hope goodbye. Yesterday was her first ride on the tube. Adam took it easy, he only went the same speed he takes everyone else at; but the lake was smooth as glass and he didn't do any sharp turns so she survived. She didn't complain, but she also didn't ask to do it again. Not sure she really understands the thrill of it yet, since she doesn't realize what's at risk. After all, it's the risk of danger that makes it so much fun, right? Well, whatever it is, it's an intense, break your back and rip all your muscles workout all wrapped up into about two and a half minutes, or however long it takes you to get yanked or thrown off. Leah, hang in there; you're simple, secure life is not as safe as you think. Adam may adore you, but that doesn't mean he doesn't think fear isn't a part of growing up. Leah likes to point out the color of the chairs on the deck from the boat. She'll point and say "pink, ellow, boo, green."

(Pops is so proud of his latest purchase -above-). That thing might be an eye sore to some, but he loves it, and we do too because it saved us the other day when the boat battery was dead and Adam never showed up with the broken jet ski after dropping him off at the boat launch. I had nothing else to go rescue him with except that tin thing. It got the job done!

Protective grandparents following in the dingy? or grandparents wanting a front row seat to their first grandkids first tube ride? (I think they were there to supervise...)

Walter was having his own grand time. Anyone curious how he fell out of the boat three times last summer? He is biting at the wake. He can't get enough of it. He sometimes will lean so far over that his butt will be straight up in the air with his chin skimming the water that his back feet will tip up, off the seat. That's when he decides to sit back down, but not for more than a nano second. One of the times he fell in, he went right over the back and what looked like, into the prop but he must have had a guardian angel that day because he missed the blades completely. He is one lucky dog.

And here she is with her mamma... Winded - from the long ride. She said "all done" when she was climbing back into the boat.

Home - sortof

I made it home safely this morning around 2. I was supposed to get in around 11:45, which would have made for a rough day at work today, but I would have survived. My in-laws were flying in also from other locations, but since they were delayed so much, they didn't get home until 7 this morning. So I got the honor of coming over to their house to wait for the furnace men to come and install the new furnace. They are still here and my MIL is sleeping (and so was I, I can sleep anywhere, anytime). This is great. The alternative was going to work. I feel like I'm babysitting though. The phone rang and I had to run get it really fast because as soon as my MIL wakes up, I have to go back to work! So I have to tip toe so she will stay sleeping, I don't want to go to work this late in the day, I won't get everything done at this point and I slept on my hair, so now it's a mess.
The plane last night was delayed due to malfunctioning weather detecting sensors or something of the sort. But it was not discovered until after we had all boarded and were ready to go. They had to locate the replacement parts and then replace them while we sat on the plane. At one point they turned the plane off and started unloading luggage. We really weren't sure how long the night would be. But you could tell there were a ton of Red *Wings fans on the plane. The airline we were on has direct tv at every seat in the plane and the redwings* game was on so none of the men seemed to notice we were on a hot plane on the ground for over an hour. But I certainly noticed. Whenever there was a close call or someone would score the whole plane would bounce and everyone would shout. I about jumped out of my seat every time. They all had headphones on so I never heard it coming. The poor guy next to me felt so bad that I was so jumpy and I was embarrassed that I couldn't sit still. He kept apologizing. Finally I gave in, swiped my card and turned on my own TV. They ended up giving us free TV for the whole flight to make up for the delay. My luck, I'll still have a charge show up on my card and I will get to sit on the phone and waste another hour trying to get them to make it right. "Principles" is a curse, a form of OCD - obsessive compulsive disorder (mom, I know you were wondering what 'OCD' stood for). Well, I guess I should get up and let Walter outside. He was pawing me forever but finally stopped. I bet he still thinks he needs to go out.
P.S. Denver is not a safe airport. I discovered a lonely sleeping bag tucked under the seats where I was wating and reported it. The lady rolled her eyes and said she would call security. I sat there for over an hour and no one showed up to remove the free standing potential bomb*. Oh well, no big deal, right? Of course not. Now I know I can walk 5 feet from my bags without fearing the bomb*squads gonna show up.

ALMOST HOME

I'm sitting in the airport, waiting for my connection flight back home. Lori, Rachael and I had so much fun hanging out with Grandma Annie, even if we were in the hospital the whole time. Grandma Annie developed quite a reputation in the two weeks she was there. The doctors, nurses and therapists really favored her over any other patient. I can't count how many people pulled us aside to tell us how sweet our grandma was and what a riot she can be. There was one patient there who told Lori and I that Grandma Annie is the only other patient there that said hello to him, and she did so every time she saw him. It was obvious that it meant a lot to him that she was kind. One of the physical therapists told me that when she first got there, she was sitting at her table to eat and was having a hard time feeding herself so the patient next to her kept staring at her. He said that after awhile she must have had enough because she looked at him and said "don't you have somewhere to be?" That cracks me up, because I would have said something too, only I wouldn't have waited so long to do so. Grandma, much like the rest of the family has no filter on her mouth and never fails to shock you. Grandma was telling me the stories about how much trouble she had trying to get pregnant when she was younger, when she shocked me once again; she said "but Helen... all her husband had to do was hang his pants on the bed post and she'd get pregnant!" She is a crazy old lady. She told us that all of us grand kids and our kids and our husbands have to sing a song together at her funeral, and she wants her casket heated in the winter and cooled in the summer. She spends a couple of weeks in rehab and she knows everyone in the hospital. That's so like Shannon; to be friendly with people and try to make friends even though you know the friendships will never go anywhere past rehab. Lori and I think we make better northerners because it's not natural for us to be overly friendly with people, like in line at the grocery store or in casual passing. We prefer to mind our own business and stick to what we came to do rather than make friends. I gave a nice, friendly southerner a tiny taste of northern hospitality this morning. It wouldn't have phased a northerner, but probably forever changed this poor girl. We went to Panara Brea*d for coffee and they didn't put a lid on Lori's cup because it was overflowing with foam. When I tried to do so myself, foam spit into the air and all down the side of the cup and all over the counter... (but it had to be done). The lady was like "yeah, that's why I didn't put a lid on it" I was like "yeah, well I'm going in the car, I don' t have a choice but to put a lid on it." In a very genuine voice she responded with a "sorry". I felt a little bad that she had to be subjected to our way of life, but I can't be as nice as they are forever, it was bound to wear off sooner than later. I sure did like that everyone was really nice to us though! I like Oklahoma, I think I might go back!

Internet is miserably slow at our hotel.

The internet is so slow at the hotel here I can't stand to sit and wait for even one picture to load and I am so tired from a long day that I will have to wait until the morning to blog about how silly Grandma Annie is. We have been having a really good time with her though. (Finally the picture just loaded, so I guess I had the patience for just one afterall).

Grandma Annie's Baby

Almost to Oklahoma City

About half way to Oklahoma City. I'm waiting for my connecting flight in Denve*r, CO.

Lindsay, have you been here before? Please visit before you commit to anything! From the air, this place looks desolate. The landscape is flat with a bunch of farms and dirt roads. I thought this is where everyone goes to ski. I guess not all of C*olorado is mountainous. I don't think I have ever been to Denve*r... mom, have I? Big airport, but my plane just so happens to be located in the smelly, secluded, tiny terminal. It's a very small plane. Three seats across. So one isle has 1 seat and the other isle has 2. This should be interesting. Who thought you had to go to Oklahoma to get away from hillbilly town. (Sorry to you Denve*r people who ran across the post; I'll star all the words so it can't be googled or searched easily so not to offend anyone).

Talked to Grandma Annie

I talked to Grandma Annie and she sounds great. She was in good spirits and was very talkative. She doesn't like to talk on the phone; that is obvious because she keeps it short, but her short was friendly and upbeat. She sounded better than she ever has since her accident. She is glad we are coming to see her. I am excited to go. Adam still thinks I'm crazy for going, but when I made the decision to go, I wasn't even sure any of my sisters were coming too. I wasn't about to let her sit alone in the condition she was in when I left her. And then both Rach and Lori decided to go. But now that I have the ticket and she is doing great, I can enjoy spending time with her being more alert. Lori told her we might be able to take her to her church on Saturday, she would love that. All her church members that came to see her, and saw how bad she was, will think she is a walking ghost.