I don't think any of my kids would understand the phrase "broken record," actually.
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| Oh, nothing, just the Middle Eastern dinner Theo cooked for us last week... |
More peach cobbler happened this week (hey, peaches were 69 cents a pound at Harris Teeter, you know) and there was a neighborhood BBQ today which I was somehow in charge of. Usually this isn't too bad a job, because Larry mans the grill and buys the beer and sets up the tables and generally does all the heavy lifting.
EXCEPT Larry had to take Brian to his college orientation day today.
So, yeah, that was bad timing. Luckily, Larry was here long enough to buy beer and ice and dig the folding tables out of our mess of a laundry room. Then he and Brian hit the open road and left me holding the bag, as it were.
No, no, I'm not bitter - why do you ask?
Happily, Theo stepped in for grill duty and lugging coolers full of ice and such things. He also chatted with neighbors about his adventures overseas like an honest-to-God grownup, because that is what he is now and have I mentioned how proud I am of him? Oh, yes, yes I am.
In the meantime, Susie and Rachel sliced watermelon, taped tablecloths to the outside tables, AND helped me clean up our house because the whole time it looked as if it were going to rain and hey, guess whose house was the back-up indoor location, eh?
In related news, I can't even sleep in my own bed tonight, because we put so many things on there in our effort to make the main floor presentable. It's the townhouse method for getting the house ready for company, you know - just throw everything upstairs somewhere.
Well, it's the townhouse method for slobs, anyway. Hey, I'll admit it. I'm not proud.
It rained lightly, but not enough to make people take refuge inside. So, for the price of a few hours in the humid, bug-laden outdoors, I have a somewhat clean house (aside from my bedroom), a ton of leftover grilled chicken (thanks, Theo!), some great coleslaw that people apparently didn't appreciate, and enough soda to drink my way to diabetes.
I guess I'll call that a win. But I still didn't appreciate Larry texting, "We're here!" and sending a photo of him and Brian in their spiffy on-campus hotel room this evening. It looked very air-conditioned and clean and as though it didn't stink at all of bug spray and lighter fluid.
Must be nice.
Ha! Sounds like a success all around. And that spread of food looks delicious!
ReplyDeleteMy house is so small everything gets shoved into my room when company comes!
ReplyDeleteSome of the kids might understand broken record, since I hear vinyl is making a comeback (who knew I was cool enough to know that? Actually, I heard it on the radio).
ReplyDeleteThe food does indeed look delicious. Coupled with the fact that you didn't have to cook it probably made it even more delicious.
At some point, you realize that you want the kids to turn into functional adults...and that most drivers are horrible, so when your kids scare you horribly when they are driving you somewhere, they are just normal adults.
ReplyDeleteAnd then they do incredibly competent things that you never did, but you remember them doing the incredibly basic thing with you that lead to the incredibly competent thing, and your heart grows three sizes...
These primates have evolved to do incredible things.
Sounds like you rocked the party, parenting and the meal. NICE WORK!
ReplyDeleteOh I need to host a neighborhood party. I'm feeling guilty as itsi long overdue. If I can get my teenage boy to learn how to make small talk like an adult I will feel like a success in life. He was commenting yesterday about the "weird haircut lady that kept asking him questions". Sigh.
ReplyDeleteI think I missed this post as I was getting ready to host about 15 Irish dancing moms and their dancers in a girls-night-out-with-your-dancer kind of thing tongight. It was a little dicey, because I was sitting for 3 year old triplets and their 5 year old brother yesterday and today. It all came together AND I baked Irish soda bread, which usually only happens in the winter. I wasn't planning on cleaning the upstairs, but when a bunch of girls get together they are going to want to check out the girls' room and you never know what other rooms they might stumble into. Down right horrifying! I am with you on Larry being with one kid in a hotel room, but hey - at least you have a kid acting like an adult! Not all bad, right?
ReplyDeleteI have a nearly-19yo who unloads the dishwasher unbidden, but I have yet to have one of my offspring make an entire meal for us. Everyone has their gifts. How is it that our kids have become so grown up?
ReplyDelete