8-Mile Sunday

After spending Saturday doing yard work (and squatting and crawling on rocks pulling weeds for two and a half hours), it was time to do something fun on Sunday.  We loaded up our bikes and our friends' bikes and hit the Kal-Haven Trail.  The first half of the journey was pretty tough...riding into a brisk wind and uphill the entire way.  (I'm not too proud to admit to stopping to give my poor screaming legs a break along the way. And trust me, it wasn't pretty what they were screaming.) Our goal was to reach the caboose in Kalamazoo and, I'm happy to say, we made it...sore hamstrings from the previous day and all.  The ride back to the vehicle was downhill and soooooo much better!  So, we rode 8 miles to the caboose and back...and even though my legs are sore, I'm happy to say I don't have a sore caboose!!

Spring Has Sprung!

FINALLY it feels like spring and it's getting warm outside!  Today was a gorgeous sunny day in the low 60s and we went for a 6-mile bike ride along the Kalamazoo River Valley Trail with our friends.  (The girls didn't want to be too sore after their first outing...and would like to be able to walk the next day without cursing.) It's a nice paved trail through Kalamazoo that's pretty level, which is great because I swear that sometimes the guys pick trails that seem to be uphill both ways.

Spring Break

My sister and her kids enjoyed some of their spring break by coming for a visit to their favorite sister/aunt's house.  We took them to South Haven for lunch and to see the sights.  (They agreed that Clementine's had the best onion rings they've ever had!)  We posed for pictures by the lighthouse and along the pier and were surprised to see big chunks of ice still floating in the water. We wandered through some shops and the kids had a great time laughing at the Poo-pourri (scented bathroom sprays with hilarious names like "Heavy Doody" and funny descriptions). My sister and I laughed the hardest at the "Drinking Buddies" I got:  six little plastic guys with names on their shorts that hang on the side of your glass.  I figure I'll never have to drink alone again.

We also did some house hunting along the way to South Haven. The kids liked the houses we were interested in and renamed them "The Butt House" (it's on a lake and the peninsula does kind of look like a derriere) and "The Crap House" (this one had dog poop on the sidewalk which Matt stepped in...twice).  We planned to go through the houses with our realtor on Monday and were sad to see both were taken off the market this weekend. Oh well.  Maybe it was meant to be that we didn't get to buy them. I don't think I'd want to live in a house with a really bad nickname.  I'm a little nervous about what they'll call our next house.

So, after touring west Michigan, we came home and played some pinball.  Matt was pretty happy to have some kids to play pinball with and was sad to have to go to work while the kids got to play pinball all day.  I tried to talk Karie into taking a machine with her, but she just wasn't as excited about the idea as I was.  To enjoy even more pinball, Matt got out his 1,000-piece pinball puzzle. We got 999 pieces put together and are still looking for the final piece.

Happy Easter

Matt took over kitchen duties yesterday for Easter.  He made us these cute little bunny pancakes for breakfast.  Then, he ordered Chinese for dinner. He may now be in charge of all future holiday meals while I enjoy Netflix.

  

Small Town Saturday

Last Saturday, we toured Allegan.  We've been talking about moving and we've been working with a realtor for the past couple of years.  As we do some updating to our home, we've also been searching online, driving by, and actually going through tours of some potential new homes.  Well, new for us. We're definitely ready for a change.  I would like to be in a warmer climate.  Matt would like to be closer to work and on the water. So, we have some compromising to do.  I actually fell in love with a huge old historic home.  It's absolutely gorgeous and did I mention it's huge?  It's stately and beautiful and probably comes with a ghost or two.  Matt's not as excited about having a ghost as I am. So, keeping our options open, we drove by some other homes for sale, we walked through the town and checked out some shops, and then we went and had some lunch at a local restaurant.  Oh, and supposedly, the restaurant is haunted.  I think I could learn to like Allegan.

The historic bridge behind us was built in 1866.

Girl Power!

Yesterday, I went to pick up a good friend of mine for a much-needed day of shopping and lunch.  First, though, we had a problem to tackle:  how to jump my dead battery.  As we were chatting getting into my Durango, I put on my seatbelt, turned the key, and huh...nothing happened.  So, I tried again. Nothing...double huh.  I tried the 'third time is the charm' trick...and nothing.  Triple huh. We struck out. But, we didn't let that stop us.  I called Matt and he wasn't at his desk or answering his cell.  I called Keaton and he wasn't answering his cell.  My friend went to the neighbor's house and he wasn't home. We didn't have anyone to help us, so we decided to do what all women should do in a crisis:  WE TOOK CARE OF IT OURSELVES!  My friend got out some jumper cables from her garage and we hooked them up between her vehicle and mine.  I will admit there were some sparks and I'm glad she was holding the cables because I would have screamed and possibly caught my hair-sprayed hair on fire.  We struggled getting my vehicle to turn over.  Matt finally called me and verified that we did in fact know what a battery looked like and we actually did have things connected correctly.  But, we still couldn't get it started.  So, we did what all women in a crisis should do:  WE DIDN'T GIVE UP!  We could have done the easy thing and just pushed my vehicle out of the way and had Matt come over later to take care of the problem when he got out of work. But, we aren't quitters! So, we dug out my shorter, but newer, jumper cables to try, did the Austin Powers wiggle-back-and-forth vehicle move to get the batteries closer, and finally got my vehicle started. Yay for us girls! And we did it without anything catching on fire, blowing up, or breaking a nail!!

Bathroom Update

Bathroom update:  two down and one to go!

Matt's bathroom, BEFORE:

 

Matt's bathroom, AFTER:

Keaton's bathroom, BEFORE:

 

Keaton's bathroom:  AFTER:
(The walls are teal...much more blue than green.  I'm not sure why they look so green in the pics.

Springtime Grilling

Springtime grilling in Michigan is always a challenge!

National Puppy Day

Yesterday was National Puppy Day.  Sigh.  I miss our puppy.  Double sigh.

13 years ago this little bundle of fur joined our family.
We'll miss him every second of every day.

St. Paddy's Day

We celebrated St. Patrick's Day in the comfort of our home and the comfort of our sweats last night.  To get in the spirit, I made an Irish dinner...including Drunken Leprechauns (the drinks, not the tipsy little guys).  Last Saturday, we went up to Grand Rapids for a date...totally forgetting about early St. Patrick's Day celebrations and all the people.  We went to Hop Cat for a late lunch and had a front-row view of the largest St. Patrick's Day street festival in Michigan.  It was over two city blocks long and jam-packed with 20,000 people wearing green and drinking green beer.  They started at 7 a.m. with kegs and eggs.  I don't think most of them will make it to closing.  After lunch and drunk people watching, we went to The Pyramid Scheme for some pinball and I'm happy to announce that I beat Matt in our first two games...and then he warmed up and killed me in all our other games.  Oh well.  We stopped at the casino on the way home and I did have the luck of the Irish when I hit a $60 jackpot and then another $15 jackpot, though!

Shepard's Pie, Buttered Cabbage, & Homemade Bread

Drunken Leprechaun:  sour apple schnapps, coconut rum, & pineapple juice

Yum!  Shepard's Pie:  ground beef, corn, peas (yuck...I picked mine out) topped with cheesy mashed potatoes

Chocolate & Pistachio Pudding Parfaits

Names

I usually hop on facebook every day to look at recipes and creative craft ideas to borrow.  I can't stand stupid posts people write announcing they're going to bed, how angry they are, or what they're watching on TV.  I really don't care what someone had for breakfast and think most people are like me and really don't care what someone had for dinner either.  I did come across this goofy little name quiz and gave it a whirl and came up with the following:

It's totally true...although Keaton is more laid back than I am.  They forgot to include bossy for me though.

Our Sweet Cyrus

I sadly post that we lost our sweet Sir Cyrus on February 24th.  He had been improving after being on antibiotics for a month.  Suddenly that night, he began vomiting and I knew it was something pretty serious. I had Matt go with me to the vet and after X-rays and a blood test, it wasn't a brain tumor as I feared, but multiple issues compromising his health all at once.  He began to crash and we had to make the heart-wrenching decision to have him put to sleep and it was the most awful, gut-wrenching, sob-inducing, most painful thing I've ever experienced in my life.  He crashed so quickly that we didn't have time to have Keaton come up to say goodbye.  That will always cause me pain because Cyrus was technically Keaton's dog. Matt and I hugged and kissed Cyrus and talked to him while he drifted away. Surprisingly, we did it without shedding any tears...I didn't want Cyrus to be nervous or upset. I was able to lay my head on him and feel him take his last breath, peacefully and softly.  Afterwards, we totally fell apart and I'm still trying to pick up the pieces.

Anyone who has ever lost a family pet knows the anguish we feel.  Anyone who says he was just a dog isn't really a true dog lover.  Cyrus was more than a dog.  He was a member of our family.  I've been his primary caregiver for the past 13 years.  I fed him.  I gave him fresh water all day and refilled his water bowl before I went to bed at night.  I washed his bowls every single day.  I took him to the vet.  I cuddled with him.  I made sure he wasn't ever alone for too long.  I made sure he was never in the dark.  I made sure he was never scared.  I made sure he was warm enough.  I made sure he was cool enough.  I brushed him...even his teeth.  I gave him him monthly medications.  I took him to the groomer.  I dressed him up every year for Halloween.  I changed his collar every month.  I gave him a little plate of people food on holidays.  I gave him baths.  I played with him every day.  I sang to him.  I kissed him.  I talked to him all day long...and I swear he understood every single thing I said.  He slept with me every night.  He was my companion and he filled my heart with love.  He completed our family.  I miss him more than anyone will ever know.

I'll miss his little wet nose.  I'll miss the snorting he did as he pushed pillows around on the bed.  I'll miss him rubbing up and down my legs as he scratched his face.  I'll miss how he'd yodel at me when I came in the house with groceries.  I'll miss his stubby little tail wagging so much that his whole body would shake.  I'll miss his snoring.  I'll miss how sensitive he was and the way he'd lay his head on me and just stare at me if I was upset.  I'll miss his hugs (yes, he actually would stand and put his front paws on my shoulders and lay his head alongside my neck just like a real hug). I'll miss him begging for food. I'll miss taking him for walks.  I'll miss camping with him. (He never liked to sit on the ground and would always jump in a camp chair to sit. He was so spoiled that we even brought an oscillating fan to put on him if it was hot outside or if there were mosquitoes.) I'll miss how he used to stretch and yawn. I'll miss singing to him and putting his name in every commercial jingle.  I'll miss how he would always stand and raise his paws so they could be wiped before he came in the house.  I'll miss how he'd always come trotting in the kitchen as soon as he heard me get out my cutting board. I'll miss his tricks he could do.  I'll miss seeing him lying in the sunny spot on the floor.  I'll miss the way he'd flip throw pillows down so he could lie on them on the couch...because just being on the couch wasn't enough for him.  I'll miss the million of quirky little things he did.  I'll miss him every single day for the rest of my life.

We had a little clay imprint of his paw made and had him cremated.  I made a nice little shrine for him. I talk to his picture and touch his stuff every day.  I still sniff his little jackets and leash, trying to get a whiff of him, but I can't.  That makes me sad.  I miss touching him.  I miss him not being here.  I probably hugged and kissed him no less than 20 times a day.  We talked about having a little memorial service for him and going for a walk and scattering his ashes around places he liked to walk.  I told Matt that I think I'll have him buried with me instead.  Matt asked if he could be buried with me.  I told him that it's simple:  the order of our household has always been me, Cyrus, Matt, & Keaton.  For the most part.  We had an incredible 13 years with Cyrus and we're so grateful for the memories and joy he gave us.  We'll always love him and he'll always hold a special place in our hearts.

Poor Puppy

Our poor puppy has not been feeling great lately.  One month ago today, Cyrus started having trouble walking and sitting up from a lying position.  He couldn't walk straight and seemed dizzy.  I frantically called the vet's office only to find they were closed early that day and immediately rushed him to another vet. Of course, when the vet examined him, his episodes of dizziness disappeared and the results from his blood work came back normal.  Later that night, he had another few episodes of almost tipping over while trying to walk and I really freaked out when he had a couple episodes of nystagmus (where the eyes roll continuously back and forth...like they can't focus).  It was horrible.  I immediately thought he had a brain tumor and freaked out again while Matt calmly looked up his symptoms online.  He thought Cyrus either had an inner ear infection or could have a geriatric condition (Cyrus is 13 years old now).  I still thought he could have a brain tumor.  So, we did what any crazy dog people would do and moved our mattress onto the living room floor so he could sleep between us. Needless to say, I didn't sleep all night because I was terrified of bad news...and Cyrus kept squirming all night.  We took him to our vet first thing the next morning and she confirmed what Matt had found online:  he could have an inner ear infection, he could have Geriatric Vestibular Disease, or he could have a brain tumor (although she thought it was very unlikely...whew).  So, we decided to start him on a course of antibiotics and Dramamine to see if his symptoms would improve...and thankfully they have.  We weaned him off the Dramamine and he continues to improve...whew again.  He still has little bouts of unsteadiness when he shakes his head/body, but he's not definitely not almost tipping over like he was.  And we finally were able to move our mattress back into the bedroom. We're hoping that a couple more weeks on antibiotics will get him back to normal...well, normal for him because he doesn't think he's a dog.

Sisters

I'm eternally grateful that my sisters share my twisted sense of humor.  We had the sad task of saying a final farewell to our dad almost two weeks ago.  I was assigned the difficult task of writing his obituary and eulogy.  I told my dad I didn't want to write them, but he insisted...even after I kept telling him that I'm a smart-ass.  He said that's why he wanted me to write them.  So, I kept my promise and I hope I made him proud...and laugh a few times.

My sisters and I not only share the same sense of humor, but we approach life with the same attitude. We'd much rather laugh than cry.  My dad told us there wasn't any crying when we'd tear up while visiting him in his final weeks.  He told us we were stronger than that.  (Did I mention he was an ex-Marine?)  So, we wiped away the tears and made him laugh instead...just like he did with us.  My dad had a great sense of humor and maintained it even while his body was shutting down.  While we were visiting, the hospice nurse came to the house to check on him.  When I went to answer the door, he thought he'd be funny and yelled out, "Help, help!" while my sisters were left alone with him.  They kept shushing him and he just laughed and thought he was hilarious.  So, we know who we get our sense of humor from...because we had to agree that was pretty hilarious.

My sisters and I chose to wear matching dresses for his visitation.  We've always been referred to as "the girls" and "Butch's girls".  After the service, we also changed into matching shirts.  They made everyone smile and laugh.  That was our goal.  As I wrote on my facebook wall when I posted his obituary, "Uncontrollable criers will be escorted to the nearest open bar."   He would have liked that.  He didn't want people to be sad. Neither did we.  So, we hope we made my dad proud...and laugh a few times.  

Welcome to Our Garage

I think my sign collection is going to spill onto Matt's side of the garage with any more sign purchases.

Small Town Saturday

Matt and I try to have a "Small Town Saturday" once a month where we go to a small town (hence the name), do some shopping in the little shops (my favorite part of the day), and eat at one of the local restaurants (Matt's tapeworm's favorite part of the day).  A few weeks ago, we visited South Haven.  I get many of the signs I've been collecting at a cute little shop there and they're usually on sale during the winter to help draw the tourists in.  I love a bargain and we love helping out the local economy, so it's definitely a win-win situation.  We also enjoyed the best onion rings ever at a great landmark restaurant - Clementine's. They're probably the best onion rings I've ever had!  I'm always sure to take a picture of the stack and send it to Keaton so he'll be jealous.  (He loves Clementine's too.)  After eating and shopping, we headed over to the lighthouse and actually walked onto frozen Lake Michigan for a quick selfie before we started shivering. I love Lake Michigan...but not what it does to my hair.

The Honest Truth

This is the honest truth with me and my two sisters.  It can't be summed up any better.  I'm thinking this will be next year's matching shirts.

New Year, New Box of Kleenex

Another Christmas and another New Year.  It was a definite roller coaster of emotions.  While we had fun spending time together, there was an underlying sadness.  I spent New Year's Eve in TN with my sisters visiting my dad in a spur-of-the-moment trip.  It was nice to have the chance to visit and spend time with my dad (a.k.a. tease my dad) in his last few weeks of life, but it was emotionally draining and so, so sad.  It's sad to think about what could have been.  It's sad to think if only.  It's sad to think what if.  The hardest part was leaving him with hospice, knowing what is to come.  Sigh.

After five days, I boarded the germ-infested plane and came home with a terrible cold that has decided to settle in my chest.  Thanks goodness for Matt and his company's cold medicines.  I've spent the past week sucking down meds, watching movies, and hacking up a lung or two.  I couldn't take sitting around anymore and went outside to shovel yesterday.  I'm hoping the fresh air has helped to knock out some of the congestion. I'm so tired of blowing my nose and coughing.  Cough.

Almost Ready for Christmas

It's almost Christmas and I'm almost ready for it this year.  Almost.  I'm cleaning and baking today so that should just about be the last few items to check off my 'to-do' list.  Besides wrapping.  And finishing the laundry.  And cleaning out the cars.  Oh, and doing a mani/pedi.  And packing.  We're planning to head to the other side of the state on Friday to visit the family and celebrate Christmas with them.  I'll be bringing my marshmallows for my marshmallow shots.  Since we'll be visiting for most of the weekend, I got the bag of gigantic ones.

It's Glorious!

"Isn't that glorious?!  It's indescribably beautiful!  It reminds me of the Fourth of July!"   I love 'A Christmas Story' and I watch it every year over and over and over.  (Which means that Matt and Keaton watch it over and over and over with me.)  I've been wanting a leg lamp for a while and I finally ordered one for our front window and I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT!  It makes me smile every time I look at it.  Now I just need to get Keaton in the bunny suit...
                                                     

Now we have "the soft glow of electric sex gleaming in the window" too.

"You should see what it looks like from out here."
(I have noticed quite a few cars driving by slowly looking at the lamp...
both during the day and at night.)

We love 'A Christmas Story' so much that we even visited the actual house used in the movie a few years ago. I want to go back so I can recite even more movie lines! 

New Sign

Here's my new sign for the garage wall.  My goal is to fill the entire wall with these signs.  I think they're funny and they make me laugh.  Maybe I have a different sense of humor than most people.  Maybe I'm just easily amused.  Whatever.  I know I love people to enter my home laughing...or, at the very least, smiling!

Let Festivus Begin!

We have a big Christmas tree.  (I wanted to take advantage of our tall ceilings.)  So, we approached the tree decorating like we have for the last 15 or 16 years with this tree...as a marathon.  We assembled it Friday night; we put the lights on it Saturday night; we took a break Sunday night; and we decorated it Monday night.  Whew!   (Keaton asked if we could wait to decorate it until he could come help.  I think with him being away at college the last four years, he missed out on some family traditions.  Insert smile here.)  So, Keaton came up and had dinner with us and then we turned on some Christmas music, grabbed the ladders, and got to work.  Let Festivus begin!

This is one of my favorite ornaments.
Keaton made this in pre-school when he was 4 years old.
His hands have grown a bit over the last 19 years!

So has his facial hair.

Cyrus decided to avoid me after I made him wear the Santa hat and he supervised the tree decorating from across the room. (I think he was just afraid I'd strip away the last of his dignity.)

Ta da!
(Notice the leg lamp in the window?  That will be in the next blog entry...it needs its own story.)