Weekend at the Nut House

It's amazing how God knows just what you need. Not always do you get what you want, but you always get what you need. I needed a break. I DESPERATELY needed a break.

We are short two people in my group which leaves the three of us to keep up with the incidents coming in on the default, the steady stream of calls, the 'Crapshoot' product, the meetings, (I hear the Grinch - 'oh the noise, noise, noise!') They're piling up so fast that people are starting to get really nasty.....

It was my night to work late. The warnings are coming to my phone left and right. Yeah, it's gonna get ugly. Then comes the unknown numbers to my phone, of course while I'm in a meeting. These happen to be the calls from my girls that they have been let out of school at noon that day and are heading home due to the weather. The headache starts here.

We all pull out our cells and start calling family....for we all have children. Pull the blinds, it's just spitting ... ice - not snow. Great. Go to another meeting. Don't even have time to check the mail. Just go to another meeting. Then another. So we work .....when...????

At this meeting we even asked if we could quit having so many meetings. (know any employees who ask to have to work instead of be away from the desk?)

Get back to the desk and decide that even though I came in 1/2 hr early, I'm working through lunch to try to do some sort of catching up. (insert full-bellied laugh here) Now we've noticed the parking lot is covered in sleet - which was still coming down and the cars are encased in a thin layer of ice, much like meet encased in a thin sheet of plastic wrap. Great.

My daughter informs me it's hailing where we're at and this continues for over an hour. It's not 4 yet. The headache increases. So I'm the only one home tonight. If something happens on the way to the house..........then what? Call in Santa with his sleigh? (the noise, noise, noise!)

The first employee calls in to tell me to leave now! The roads are horrid. I verify by going outside. Yep.....it's the kids or the office. Incidents or safety. Gracious! This came to sharing with the bosses. (Who asked jokingly how much I paid the employee to call in.....ha!)


We were let out early. The 30 min drive turned into a white knuckled hour and half drive of skidding through intersections, sliding off the right side of the highway while chatting with my girlfriend (hands free folks) to calm my nerves. It's good to have someone there who understands how scared you are and can think rationally when you are scared out of your wits asking yourself why you didn't take the 4 wheel drive....


Got home and of all things, I logged into work. The headache continues. The next morning I decided to stay home instead of repeat the most recent drive and even logged into work and had a very long conference call to boot. Headache increases and now the sounds of my lovely children are careening the headache to an incomprehensible level. Even as I write this, the memory is recreating the sensation.....the headache returns...on to the good stuff!


So....when the ice that began to fall killed my internet...I took it as a hint. My oldest daughter was invited to go bowling (by boys no less). My first reaction was - WHAT! In THIS weather! Are you CRAZY! (calming down.....)

This is the boy that invited my daughter. Which all my girls' ponytails in his hair.

Hmmmm....think. The idea of throwing a 10lb ball at a bunch of pins sounded...soothing...therapeutic. Welcomed. Let's go! We went. Arrived at the still closed bowling alley, spun a couple of intentional donuts in the parking lot, waved at the plow truck attempting to do his job in said parking lot, and went to find the nearest pet shop.


After sliding on the ice a bit more, we arrive. All of us are slipping, sliding, watching the boy wipe out when we arrive. Yay! I love aminals......Now, I didn't care for the filth of the place. (even the outside of the tanks were gross) It was just nasty, but they had so much stuff! Including this adorable little Pomeranian that wants to go home with me. It was tiny, with these shiny little eyes and fluffy black hair. I immediately text my hubby. 'can I have a puppy?'

It was so much fun! There were all sorts of fish! I fell in love. I want that one, and that one, and that one. Then the girls come running back. Mom! They have a snake and I got to pet it! (I have the best kids ever) It was especially interesting to hear they feed the baby gerbils to it every Thursday.

After the girls had thier disagreement over if there was another pet shop in town, we called the number we passed on the sign posted on the side of the highway. Now THIS pet shop I like! It was clean. It smelled good. They had healthy fish. And - the employees knew their stuff. (the other place tried to sell me mollies as guppies....ummmm......)

Now, we've been talking about putting together a salt water tank as well....boy did this gal really know her stuff. She even does salt water set up on the side. Excellent! We got more fish.

It's such a cheerful little tank now.

We had a recent tragety where all but three were murdered. I fully believe there is an adorable little boy responsible. Broke my heart in pieces. Oh now you should see the tank. It's beautimous! We put in a couple of lights in the hood and the neons glow so pretty. There are two see through fish called glass fish. Two ghost shrimp, one named Casper. Some other fish I have no idea what they are called. Guppies, Mollies and even an albino frog named Kermit. We have a snail named Gary and this little albino bottom feeder named Alby.

This was so much fun. The kids and I were all excited getting things set up and watching them. Out the door again to join the boys for bowling. It's funny, the lady at the counter asks me if I want to be right next to them. She has this look in her eye which matches my own. I point to my oldest daughter who has already joined them. "See that lovely young lady there, that's my daughter. You betcha. Set me up right next to them."


This was so much fun. (I said that already) Every time my son would knock down pins he'd throw up his arms and yell. "Whoo hoo! I winner! You all loser! I winner! I rock!" Hahahaha!
The young man (who also is my daughter's ex boyfriend) who invited her to go bowling was very entertaining himself. He was really funny. I was watching this fellow flirt with both of my older daughters and my second daughter flirt back when the thought crossed my mind. 'When did I get old enough to have children old enough to be interesting to the opposite sex? When did I become the Mom? How is it I'm ok with this? Shouldn't this cause some sort of crisis? I feel old or something?'

See how much fun he was having?

It's so neat to watch all the fish when they eat. Especially the ghost shrimp. They are so cute and funny. We couldn't figure out why the frog wasn't eating so we did a little research and I about panicked. I was told they eat flake food. Liars...they eat bloodworms, brine shrimp and repto food. Holy cow! I've been starving the little guy for 2 days! I threw some beta food in there and hit the ground running.

First stop, Walmart for froggy food. (pet shop was closed, already called) We dash in, dash out. Drive the only daughter who wants to see her dad this weekend. Drive the other way to meet a friend. Back to town to go shopping. Now, normally shopping with my son makes us each regret we were born and fight the over whelming desire to scratch our eyeballs out. Today, he was very good for the most part.

It's nice when the girls and I have the time to just stroll the stores and gander over things, try things on, complain about how we don't wear the same size as before. (they have the only legit reason...) Afterwards we had a good dinner and watched The Spiderwick Chronicles. (good movie, I recommend it)

As hard as it has been...as stressed as I was...this was so much fun having a full day with my girls.

(and the midget man of course who now has a sideways mohawk)