When It Rains It Pours

We want to leave Rhode Island with a bang and the weather is helping us with our goal! (Fortunately, it wasn't an Iowa-scale storm, this one was actually pretty fun.) It was so cool I don't even mind (too much) that it decimated my Rose bushes and about-to-bud Hydrangeas.

(This movie is kinda long, but the song makes it all worth it. And have you ever seen such huge hail?!?)

(Wondering why there's a sled out on the deck in the middle of June? Oh, that would be because the boys use it to "sled" down the hillside which is our back yard. Can you say erosion?)

Now I bring you my schedule for the week:

Today, the first movers came and removed everything going to "non-temp" storage. In other words, they took the stuff we're leaving in the states. All three mover-men were extremely jovial and efficient and didn't mind a little "help" from three grabby little boys. (Let's hope the next movers are as patient.)

Today I also packaged and mailed (with a little help from Doug) a crap-load of cookies and stuffed things. Ahh, the price of blog comments! (It's worth it.)

Oh, and today is also the day of "The Big Storm". (See movie above.)

Tomorrow, the second movers come to remove the "UB" shipment. That would be "unaccompanied baggage," fyi. (And f-my-i.) This is everything we'll need upon arrival, but is limited to bare necessities. (We're sending the new computer.)

Finally, on Thursday, we'll say good-bye to our "HHG's". (Household Goods.)

I didn't realize when Doug joined the A.F. that I'd be forced to familiarize myself with a whole alphabet soup of acronyms! It's like, tw! (totally whack) (...I just made that last part up.)

We will then be left with the clothes on our backs (and in our voluminous suitcases) and our good looks. We are planning to take refuge in the basement of our generous, wheel-chair bound babysitter. (We really were planning to go to a hotel. She insisted! And yes, this is just the beginning of my floor-space mooching. There will be much, much more in the days and weeks ahead!)

Friday is Doug's graduation. ("...and there was much rejoicing! Yaaaay!") I'm hoping my hair wont be orange by then, but let's get real; it probably will be. Doug's dad is coming in to town just for the occasion, (The graduation, not to see my hair-do.) and there will be extensive celebratory eating that night.

Saturday is our last day in Little Rhody!

You've been good to us, Rhode Island!

We'll miss you!!!

Stay tuned to find out where we'll be on SATURDAY NIGHT!!! You'll never guess so don't even try! (No. It's not Japan. Quit guessing. I told you not to guess.)

I'd tell ya right now, but I'm going to bed!

Goodnight!

Just So You Know

Just in case you were tempted to highly commend and then rent and then watch Juno with your mom, I don't recommend it.  It has way more swearing and waaaaaay more, um, s.e.x. than you remember.  Trust me on this.  

(Despite my complete discomfort throughout the entire movie, I still cried at the end.  Again.  Doug left half-way through to go to bed.  Wuss.)

In other news, while Fae and John were in Newport checkin' out the Mansions yesterday, Doug and I went on our...

First Ever Family Kayaking Expedition. 

Yep.  

The whole fam-dam went...  

In tiny, rocky, tippy, none-too-staple, self-propelled water-craft.

For once I did not stay home with the baby, generously sacrificing my own pleasure so my husband could go have fun with the big boys.  

(Actually, I just like staying home so I can watch Law & Order re-runs in peace while Gabe sleeps!)

Neither Gabe, nor I, had been in a kayak before.   

(Except maybe I got in Travis's kayak in the Old Mill pool.  Don't remember.  Did I, Anna?)

As (is not) usual on our adventures, I had to carry most of the weight with both big boys in my Kayak.  Doug was in a smaller craft with Gabey-Baby.  (Probably for the best since both Gabe and I have about equal swimming skills.) 

The whole thing was actually Sam's idea.  Around 2:00 p.m., he came strutting out of his room dressed in swim trunks, his life jacket, and goggles.  

I asked what he was doing and he said;

"I want to go on a Kayak with Daddy!"  

And that was that.   

(How do you say 'no' to a boy who is looking at you imploringly from beneath ill-fitting swim goggles?!?  You don't.)

So when Daddy came home, we all went on a Kayak.

And I actually had fun!  

And we didn't capsize! 

And I didn't run out of strength and strand us in the middle of the bay forcing an emergency rescue by helicopter!  (One of the many defects of my kind:  weak arms.) 

It was a successful evening by all accounts!  (Also, extremely beautiful!  Have you SEEN where I LIVE???)

I'm just getting better and better at this Mom o' Boys/Sporty-Mom stuff!!!  One day, I may actually learn to throw something and hit my target! (which, incidentally, is Doug.)  Or I might be able to watch more than 36 seconds of a football game on T.V.!  

The possibilities are limitless!!!  

(In the mean time though, if any of you with little girls would like to invite me over for a tea-party, I'd be thrilled to attend!)  

Post Script:  The kayaks were borrowed from our generous and fabulous neighbors Art and Doris who are both in their mid to late 80's, and both way more hard-core than me.

HEAT WAVE!

It's so hot here, I can't even think up a clever title for this post.  

It's so hot and HUMID here that my head feels like it's going to implode from the pressure.

It's so hot that cooking AND cleaning are just plain out of the question  

It's so hot here that yesterday when the boys WANTED to go outside to play in the yard, I WOULDN'T LET them.  (95 degrees with 75-100% humidity)

It's so hot here that they CANCELLED SCHOOL today!

(But I didn't know that.)

(Until after I got back from dropping-off Max.)

(I thought we had just missed the bus.)

(Doug had to go back and pick him up.)

(I wasn't leaving the house in my robe and flip-flops AGAIN!)

(No.  I don't have any shame or self-respect.) 

(I dyed my own hair, didn't I?)

In other news, FAEZER arrived last night with her new husband John.  (That's my mom, for those of you who are new to the blog.)  I think at the moment they're napping in self-defense against the heat.  

I think I'll do the same.

(Take a nap, that is.)

Did I mention that it's so hot?

P.S.  Contest winners announced soon...when my head isn't about to implode.

P.P.S.  Yes.  My hair is still a strange shade of yellow/orange/brass.