Saturday, February 16, 2008

Happy Birthday Cade!

Our middle grandson, Cade, just turned 6 years old!!! I know he thought the day would never come, and we, on the other hand, can't believe it's here already. Anyway, I know he had a wonderful birthday ... party and presents and cake and friends...who could ask for anything more!
Paul and I have gone through yet another week of trying to adjust to our new chapter in this adventure. Paul comes in the door any where from 12:45 to 1:15 am. I, of course, greet him with a yawn and a pretty groggy "hi honey, welcome home" .... and roll over to finish my sleep, or occasionally get up and make a cup of tea while listening to the antics of a welding shop. I wake up and leave the house about 8am, with Paul's turn to yawn and groggily wish me a good day. When I get home between 6 and 8 pm, depending on whether I had to teach or not, it's very quiet ... the cats don't make much noise ... and since Paul has gone to work around 2 ... no one is there to spontaneously break in to song or cheer along with the soccer games or the x-box. I spend my evenings doing mosaic work, planning budgets, chatting with my sister in law or cooking, as the only room in the house warm enough to live in is the kitchen at this point! Sometime in the evening when I think it's late enough, I go to bed (where I have the electric blanket on HIGH and enough covers to keep the frost out) and read until I fell asleep. Then the cycle repeats. Last night (Friday, at long last!) I was still reading when the great welder came home! He opened the door to say hello and was simply covered in welding dust, and just totally resembled my idea of what a coal worker must look like at the end of a shift! I busted into laughter!! Paul's dad would've been proud to see Paul with that much dirt on his face! They have a running banter back and forth about who can get the most dirt on their face. Until recently, Mel held the first place position. Sorry to say Mel, Paul is hands down the new dirtiest face in the place! Well, back to the stories ... he tells me all about "the guys" and the jokes they play on each other, etc. But the story of the night he actually told on himself! It seems he was trying to buy a kitkat candy bar from the vending machine. He put his money in and pressed the button, but the candy would not release! So he shook the machine, to no avail. Well, in a typical exuberant Paul type technique, he stepped back and ran at the machine and shouldered it...American football style! The machine hit the wall behind it, tipped forward and knocked Paul back across the room, where he promptly fell on his rear end! (in front of a room full of welder dudes!) In the end, he was able to claim his kitkat ... however, the guys from the room next door came over complaining that someone had knocked the clock off of the wall!!!!! I know you all understand when I say, Paul is always entertaining. I'm sure the guys at the workshop are having a much more entertaining and interesting evening than they ever had before Paul joined the "team"!!!! he graduates Tuesday to the real welder status. I'm so proud of him.
I've learned a few things here ... now that winter has lasted forever,
1. If the water is actually falling in the water fall, it just isn't that cold. If it's frozen in mid air, it's a freeze your butt off kind of day ... and I need to wear long underwear and 2 pair of socks!
2. very dry wood burns immediately and very warm. Just cut wood (green wood) burns slowly and is good for overnight. Mixing their functions up is not good. If you have a wood stove, you don't need a shredder.
3. Absence truly does make the heart grow fonder. Paul and I really appreciate our time together more and more. And we look forward to seeing each other GREATLY.
CONGRATULATIONS to all the Dancer's Pointe dancers. I hear the competition was a shoo-in .... and Angela, way to go, girl! I'm so proud of all of you!!!!
Hope everyone had a happy Valentine's Day ... and everyone has the opportunity to both give and receive love ... lots and lots of love!
Must go, my att wi-fi time is running out!
Happy Trails to all,
Paul and Cheri

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