File #:17 Subject: I'm Still Here

I'm still alive! I'm still here! I haven't quit blogging!  I have been enjoying family time with Angelina's Grandma and Grandpa from California.  They stopped here during their cross country road trip for Easter and Angelina's graduation.  So while we take a break from home projects and card games I decided to update everyone.

I know what you're thinking, "Cross country road trip?!?!" Yeah, it seems really awesome! They have a pop up camper in the bed of their pickup.  It's the perfect size, it only adds six inches above the cab, and it has a queen size bed in it!  They took the northern roads to come out east, stopping at all kinds of fun places.  Their favorite being Branson, MO.  They told us about all the different shows that they saw there, like "Noah", and some magicians.  They told us how they caught up to the storms that blasted this area, and pretty much drove under them from Missouri to Lexington.  I feel bad that they have had this nasty weather most of the time that they've been here.  There's been more rain in this past week and a half than they get in a year in California!  It's supposed to be sunny tomorrow, so maybe they'll be able to get out of the house and come watch me play hockey.  Anyway, back to the real subject of this paragraph.  They will be heading down to Florida after Angelina's graduation to spend time with Angelina's mom down there.  Then the long journey back out west.  I have officially decided that when we're retired, we are going to take trips like that. It sounds like a ton of fun, and an experience that I would love to try at least once.

They have been REALLY helpful while they've been here.  The day they arrived Grandpa helped my get my rain barrel set up. I'll tell you more about that in a later post.  Then he replaced our doorbell when I was at work, now it doesn't sound like a rat being electrocuted every time someone hits the button.  The biggest thing that he has done was him and Mike walled up the door from the bedroom to the bathroom.  Now the sink portion of the bathroom now only has three doors instead of four!  It has made the bathroom and our bedroom seem a lot bigger.  Grandma has helped with a lot of deep cleaning, and teaching us some tricks to stay on top of the harder to clean areas in our kitchen.  My Dad gave me a hard time about how Grandpa installed a new kitchen faucet when they were here for our wedding, so even though I miss him, I'm glad he's not here to witness the hard work Grandpa and Grandma have put into the house this time.  Grandma had dinner waiting for me and Angelina yesterday, which was a first for us in our house.  It was ham hocks and beans.  It was amazing!  I usually don't like that sort of food for leftovers the next day at lunch, but it was hearty enough to make a great lunch.

Having them here has helped me get used to being out of a routine.  This is good because if Angelina keeps talking about kids like she has been, there is no such thing as routine.  Especially a routine of couch sitting, TV watching and computer/video game playing.  We have spent a ton of time talking and playing cards.  It's been a ton of fun, while being a nice relaxing change of pace.  Relaxing change of pace from what I usually do? Yes, because it has gotten me out of my normal day to day, it has changed my focus at home, which has helped my focus at work.

Speaking of cards, I need to update my MP3 player, and get ready to avenge my loss from last night.  Have a good week and I will have a giant update after graduation weekend!