Sherry Ellis's Blog, page 141
July 5, 2011
Handy Mom
Lately, I've been doing a lot of home maintenance. Not the usual washing laundry and cleaning dishes, but the kind that requires the use of ladders and tools. Yesterday I was hauling ladders around the house.
"Yeah, woman. That's what I like to see," my husband said.
Today I decided to tackle putting together the fussball table. It had been sitting on my basement floor for months waiting for my husband to do the job. I finally got tired of waiting. I went to the tool box and pulled out my husband's huge socket wrench set. I pulled out another wrench and headed downstairs.
It took me a while to figure out which size socket I needed. It took me a little more time to figure out how the socket wrench actually worked (I didn't realize there was a gizmo to flip on it when I wanted to reverse the wrenching process.). Then it took me a little time to coordinate using one wrench to hold the bolt and the other to tighten it. Anyway, the fussball table is now standing on its sturdy legs. (I even flipped that thing right-side up by myself.)
I think even my husband will be proud of me. (Hopefully he won't get any ideas to have me do all the home repairs now!)
"Yeah, woman. That's what I like to see," my husband said.
Today I decided to tackle putting together the fussball table. It had been sitting on my basement floor for months waiting for my husband to do the job. I finally got tired of waiting. I went to the tool box and pulled out my husband's huge socket wrench set. I pulled out another wrench and headed downstairs.
It took me a while to figure out which size socket I needed. It took me a little more time to figure out how the socket wrench actually worked (I didn't realize there was a gizmo to flip on it when I wanted to reverse the wrenching process.). Then it took me a little time to coordinate using one wrench to hold the bolt and the other to tighten it. Anyway, the fussball table is now standing on its sturdy legs. (I even flipped that thing right-side up by myself.)
I think even my husband will be proud of me. (Hopefully he won't get any ideas to have me do all the home repairs now!)
July 3, 2011
Surprise Party
It was my brother-in-law's fortieth birthday today. We were planning on visiting him to celebrate, but he said he would be travelling and not available.
Okay, we thought. We'd save his presents and see him next week.
Well around dinner time we had some visitors.
"Surprise!" Yes, it was my brother-in-law and his family. They were in the area, (interesting because they live two hours away) and they thought they'd stop by.
So my husband and I whipped up an impromptu birthday party. My husband fired up the grill. I pulled out a birthday pie, and we all had a great time.
That's what I call a surprise party!
Okay, we thought. We'd save his presents and see him next week.
Well around dinner time we had some visitors.
"Surprise!" Yes, it was my brother-in-law and his family. They were in the area, (interesting because they live two hours away) and they thought they'd stop by.
So my husband and I whipped up an impromptu birthday party. My husband fired up the grill. I pulled out a birthday pie, and we all had a great time.
That's what I call a surprise party!
July 1, 2011
Ear Piercing
Today was the big day - my daughter went and got her ears pierced. I told her she could do it for her tenth birthday, so she's been waiting a long time.
She was really nervous about it.
"Is it going to hurt?" she asked.
"It pinches, but it doesn't last long," I replied.
"Granny says it's really going to hurt and that I'm going to cry and run away."
"Don't listen to Granny. She doesn't know what she's talking about." (I have to have a little talk with my mother-in-law about scaring her grandaughter!)
We went to the piercing pagoda at the mall. She picked out cute butterfly earings. She sat in the chair and looked at me with great apprehension.
She looked at the lady who was going to pierce her ears. "Does it hurt?"
"I'm not going to say it doesn't, but it doesn't last long." At least she was honest.
I held my daughter's sweaty hands as the lady pierced her ears.
It hurt, but she made it through it.
After the initial pain subsided, she looked in the mirror and admired her pretty earings.
"It was worth it," she said.
She was really nervous about it.
"Is it going to hurt?" she asked.
"It pinches, but it doesn't last long," I replied.
"Granny says it's really going to hurt and that I'm going to cry and run away."
"Don't listen to Granny. She doesn't know what she's talking about." (I have to have a little talk with my mother-in-law about scaring her grandaughter!)
We went to the piercing pagoda at the mall. She picked out cute butterfly earings. She sat in the chair and looked at me with great apprehension.
She looked at the lady who was going to pierce her ears. "Does it hurt?"
"I'm not going to say it doesn't, but it doesn't last long." At least she was honest.
I held my daughter's sweaty hands as the lady pierced her ears.
It hurt, but she made it through it.
After the initial pain subsided, she looked in the mirror and admired her pretty earings.
"It was worth it," she said.
June 30, 2011
Lemonade Stand
It was about ninety degrees outside today.
"Mama, can we have a lemonade stand?" my daughter asked. "Our friend wants to do it too."
"First of all, it's really hot. Second, we're in a cul-de-sac that doesn't get much traffic. Are you sure you want to do this?"
"Yes!"
So we set up the lemonade stand at the end of our driveway. Would you believe we actually had customers? First, the mail person bought one. Then a couple of lawn company guys bought some. Then some construction workers came over at bought some. I couldn't believe it. We did better at the end of our driveway than we did at the pool last year.
"So what are you gooing to buy with that money?" I asked the neighborhood kid.
"A rock at the natural history museum." Apparently my son showed him his rock collection, and that inspired him.
"I'm saving for a house," my six-year-old son said.
That's my boy. We better have a lot of lemonade stands then!
"Mama, can we have a lemonade stand?" my daughter asked. "Our friend wants to do it too."
"First of all, it's really hot. Second, we're in a cul-de-sac that doesn't get much traffic. Are you sure you want to do this?"
"Yes!"
So we set up the lemonade stand at the end of our driveway. Would you believe we actually had customers? First, the mail person bought one. Then a couple of lawn company guys bought some. Then some construction workers came over at bought some. I couldn't believe it. We did better at the end of our driveway than we did at the pool last year.
"So what are you gooing to buy with that money?" I asked the neighborhood kid.
"A rock at the natural history museum." Apparently my son showed him his rock collection, and that inspired him.
"I'm saving for a house," my six-year-old son said.
That's my boy. We better have a lot of lemonade stands then!
June 29, 2011
Burning the Midnight Oil
My daughter had a sleepover last night at our house. You should've seen the list she had for things to do.
I looked at the list. "Go swimming? Eat Pizza? Watch a movie? Eat popcorn? Write in diaries? Tell ghost stories? Bedtime 1:30 AM? What kind of plan is this?"
My daughter laughed. "It'll be the best sleepover ever!"
Right, I thought.
One by one, she crossed the activities off of the list. (Yes, we did go swimming at 8:30 PM.) At 10:00 we were catching fireflies. At 11:00 I had had enough of staying awake, so I let the kids do their own thing.
They finally went to bed some time after 1:30 AM.
Needless to say, it was hard getting everybody up this morning. My kids fell asleep many times in the car today. It's going to be an early night tonight.
(And yes, my daughter said it was the best sleepover ever.)
I looked at the list. "Go swimming? Eat Pizza? Watch a movie? Eat popcorn? Write in diaries? Tell ghost stories? Bedtime 1:30 AM? What kind of plan is this?"
My daughter laughed. "It'll be the best sleepover ever!"
Right, I thought.
One by one, she crossed the activities off of the list. (Yes, we did go swimming at 8:30 PM.) At 10:00 we were catching fireflies. At 11:00 I had had enough of staying awake, so I let the kids do their own thing.
They finally went to bed some time after 1:30 AM.
Needless to say, it was hard getting everybody up this morning. My kids fell asleep many times in the car today. It's going to be an early night tonight.
(And yes, my daughter said it was the best sleepover ever.)
June 28, 2011
Do-Wop Kid
My dad is really into the 50's and 60's. He even drives around in a '67 Corvette Convertable. My kids love when Grandpa comes into town, because they get to cruise around in his cool car and listen to do-wop music.
Grandpa wasn't here today, but my son had a "do-wop" cloud above his head, thanks to Grandpa's last visit.
"Mom, I want to listen to 'Remember When' by the Earls."
I did a search on You Tube and found it.
That kid sat in the office singing at the top of his lungs, "Re mem mem, re mem me me ber, re mem mem, re mem me me ber......" for an hour.
Then he got on the phone and called Grandpa and sang it with him for another twenty minutes.
"This is the best song ever!" he said.
Now I suppose I'll have to find a CD of it for his birthday. Thanks, Grandpa.
Grandpa wasn't here today, but my son had a "do-wop" cloud above his head, thanks to Grandpa's last visit.
"Mom, I want to listen to 'Remember When' by the Earls."
I did a search on You Tube and found it.
That kid sat in the office singing at the top of his lungs, "Re mem mem, re mem me me ber, re mem mem, re mem me me ber......" for an hour.
Then he got on the phone and called Grandpa and sang it with him for another twenty minutes.
"This is the best song ever!" he said.
Now I suppose I'll have to find a CD of it for his birthday. Thanks, Grandpa.
June 27, 2011
Kitchen Pixie Wanted
"Woman!" my husband called. "Hungry!" (He sounds like a caveman, doesn't he?)
I sighed and took my post at the kitchen stove. I put together a delicious French dish that of course required a lot of pots and pans.
Two hours later, we sat down to eat.
My husband and son practically inhaled the food.
"Woman!" my six-year-old son called. (Where do you think he got that from?) "Clean these dishes!"
"Excuse me?" I said. "How about, 'Thanks for the great meal. I'll help clean up?'"
I tell you, I get no respect.
Two seconds later, "Mom, I need you!" My son needed help with his Lego set.
"Here's your choice kid, " I said. '"You either help me, wait for me to finish, or hire another kitchen pixie."
"Hire another kitchen pixie."
Any takers?
I sighed and took my post at the kitchen stove. I put together a delicious French dish that of course required a lot of pots and pans.
Two hours later, we sat down to eat.
My husband and son practically inhaled the food.
"Woman!" my six-year-old son called. (Where do you think he got that from?) "Clean these dishes!"
"Excuse me?" I said. "How about, 'Thanks for the great meal. I'll help clean up?'"
I tell you, I get no respect.
Two seconds later, "Mom, I need you!" My son needed help with his Lego set.
"Here's your choice kid, " I said. '"You either help me, wait for me to finish, or hire another kitchen pixie."
"Hire another kitchen pixie."
Any takers?
June 26, 2011
Working Man
"Mama, I want to wear a tuxedo today," my six-year-old son announced.
"A tuxedo?" I asked. "You don't even own a tuxedo."
"Yes I do." He ran over to his closet and pointed to his suit.
"That's a suit. Why do you want to wear that?"
"It's a work day. I have to go to work."
"Dude, it's Sunday."
"My company is open every day except Saturday."
"What company is that?" I asked.
"Spy Company Incorporated."
I let the boy dress in a suit. He did a pretty good job, except that the buttons weren't quite lined up correctly on his dress shirt, and his tie was a little crooked.
"Let's work on your summer homework packet," I suggested after he was all dressed.
So he sat at the table doing his homework wearing his suit.
He looked very responsible.
"A tuxedo?" I asked. "You don't even own a tuxedo."
"Yes I do." He ran over to his closet and pointed to his suit.
"That's a suit. Why do you want to wear that?"
"It's a work day. I have to go to work."
"Dude, it's Sunday."
"My company is open every day except Saturday."
"What company is that?" I asked.
"Spy Company Incorporated."
I let the boy dress in a suit. He did a pretty good job, except that the buttons weren't quite lined up correctly on his dress shirt, and his tie was a little crooked.
"Let's work on your summer homework packet," I suggested after he was all dressed.
So he sat at the table doing his homework wearing his suit.
He looked very responsible.
June 25, 2011
Boy Genious
This morning my son announced that he wanted to make breakfast for me. Wasn't that nice? Except the fruit he was going to use was about two weeks old and growing some white stuff on it.
He sliced a banana. He put some watermelon pieces on top of that. Then he took a look at the strawberries. They were loaded with white stuff. (In case you're wondering, we were out of town for a week, so the fruit had not been eaten or discarded. I don't normally have disgusting fruit in my refrigerator.)
"Mama, I don't think I should use this fruit," he said.
"Good call," I replied.
"Are you glad I'm using my brain and thinking?" he asked.
"Yes," I said. "It's a good thing you're using your brain, because otherwise Mommy might end up in the hospital from food poisoning."
"I'm a genious."
Umm. Right.
He sliced a banana. He put some watermelon pieces on top of that. Then he took a look at the strawberries. They were loaded with white stuff. (In case you're wondering, we were out of town for a week, so the fruit had not been eaten or discarded. I don't normally have disgusting fruit in my refrigerator.)
"Mama, I don't think I should use this fruit," he said.
"Good call," I replied.
"Are you glad I'm using my brain and thinking?" he asked.
"Yes," I said. "It's a good thing you're using your brain, because otherwise Mommy might end up in the hospital from food poisoning."
"I'm a genious."
Umm. Right.
June 24, 2011
Death of the Pig
While I was away (I've been gone for about a week, in case you didn't notice), my husband was in charge of our German Shepherd, who I affectionately call, The Beast. The Beast is a most destructive character. My husband made the mistake of letting him roam around the house without a leash.
The Beast found our footstool pig. Several years ago, my husband bought this thing from our neighbor's garage sale. It was a most preposterous thing, but it soon became a well-loved part of the family. Well, the dog decided to chew off its eyeballs.
I came home and found an eyeless pig with a broken leg . It was a sad sight. The dog of course, was banished to his crate. Again.
(We did find a good use for the dog, though. We found that he has a talent for catching and killing flies. So I guess we'll keep him.)
The Beast found our footstool pig. Several years ago, my husband bought this thing from our neighbor's garage sale. It was a most preposterous thing, but it soon became a well-loved part of the family. Well, the dog decided to chew off its eyeballs.
I came home and found an eyeless pig with a broken leg . It was a sad sight. The dog of course, was banished to his crate. Again.
(We did find a good use for the dog, though. We found that he has a talent for catching and killing flies. So I guess we'll keep him.)
