M.I.A.

I haven't really been m.i.a.  It's just been a strange week!  Since my last meal that I cooked I've cleaned house getting ready for company (which would make Lori mad if she knew) and I got Joe to remove the huge rug from the living room and took it outside and steam cleaned it (even though it's hand tufted wool and the directions specifically tell me not to do that.)  It had a good outcome though. Then I helped Amy fill out her first college application. Which is one of the strangest feelings in the world.  It makes you want to do that weird laugh, smile, cry thing.  Part excitement and part heartbreak. Then I went to our first high school football game of this season which was out of town.  In Miami.  (Mi-am-uh to those of you who don't live here).  Then we cleaned more all Saturday and then FINALLY Lori and Jerry got here late Saturday and it was my time to relax and have fun.  And we did manage to do that.  I deliberately took NO pictures! :)  We stayed around here most of the time except for some boat time on Sunday.  It was nice to catch up on 2 months since we last got to spend time together.  We sat in lawn chairs out by the pool.  And went up the lake to listen to a band and cut loose for a night.  But alas, Jerry had to go home and mow his baseball field!  :)
Then there's my little kitty Cleo.  We got her back from the vet and poor little girl.. she still isn't well.  Not eating and not drinking so she's quarantined in my bathroom where we can watch her.  She's going back tomorrow and who knows what the outcome will be.  Even though she and I have not always been on good terms it still tugs on my heart strings when I pet her and she rubs against me and purrs.  She is so skinny and pitiful it's just sad.  She mostly sits in one position.  The one that cats sit in when they hurt.  The "toaster" position.
Oh, and then there's the party.  We've been slowing doing some of my honey-do chores but really it's pointless to do some of those until a day or so before the party.  For example, I had planned to clean out my back flower beds this weekend.  But the wind blew hard for 2 straight days and blew all of the leaves out of the trees that were dry from this heat wave we've had recently and now we've got rain from this gulf tropical depression. So cleaning out the back flower beds just might not get done.
But I'm really looking forward to the shrimp boil and getting to catch up with folks.
The only bad thing about the party is that I'm going to miss my daughter's first cheer competition of her senior year.  They've always had these competitions in the afternoon and so I never imagined they would decide to have it at night.  On the night of the party.  I found this out right after I mailed out all of my invitations.  (sigh)  What to do?
So, that's why I haven't blogged.  I don't know whether to spit and cuss or just move forward and smile.  I guess I'll move forward and smile.  These are just mere obstacles.. and as usual it will help us appreciate the good times.  Because really... life IS good.

God bless you friends!