Sign of the times.

Over the past few years our HOA has managed to accumulate the usual assortment of maintenance items that could be a fire hazard and can't be kept in our storage area so we decided to have a small shed built next to the trash compactor. We are talking about something the size of a nice walk-in closet, a few unfinished shelves...nothing major. It was raining as I left for work yesterday morning and as I drove past the compactor I saw six men working on our storage shed. At first I chuckled and then realized the reason there were six men working was because the gentleman we hired was sharing this small job with five friends. Two years ago those same men were earning upwards of $30 an hour with more overtime then they wanted but in todays economy those jobs are gone. Five families will eat tonight thanks to the generosity of a friend who easily could have done the job alone.

Bunk Bed 1 Grandma 0

It has been a lot of years since I changed the sheets on a bunk bed and Cameron you better be taking a bath every night before bed because it will be a looooog time before Grandma changes the sheets on a bunk bed again. Let's put it this way...do you like camping? You do! Well, sleeping in a sleeping bag in your own bed is just like camping...I PROMISE, really it is, honest. After breakfast I decided it couldn't be put off any longer and I faced the dragon...CHANGING THE BUNK BED SHEETS. Taking the sheets off wasn't too bad except for the two times I managed to smack my head on the top bunk. Yes, TWO times. Apparently I am a slow learner and if I wasn't before than I definitely am now after my head injury. So about an hour later I march back up the stairs with the clean sheets and discover why only very young people should have children. Not only am I winded from my upteenth trip up the stairs but my tail is now 6 ft off the floor while I try to get that darn fitted sheet on the top bed. Tug Swear Pull Swear Pant Swear Yes! Sheet is on. All is good, right? Well, first I have to get down from the top bunk without smacking into the ceiling or getting my foot caught in the light fixture. Ladder...don't fail me now. Finally, feet are back on the floor and light fixture is intact. Bottom bunk is a piece of cake, right? WRONG! The bottom bunk is a double size bed so I slither like a lizard up under the top bunk and pop the fitted sheet on the corners and the sheet seems a little wide but oh well and combat crawl back to the end of the bed but not before I smack my forehead on the side rail. OK, tug on the sheet and DANG it's on sideways soooo I belly crawl back up to the top of the bed to correct my mistake and manage to pinch my finger between the bed frame and the mattress but at least the sheet fits this time. I crawl back out, wipe the sweat off my face and finish putting on the fitted sheet. Whew, worst part is over. Now the flat sheet, comforter, pillow shams...hey, looks good. Just as I walk out of the room I notice that I have gotten the dust ruffle tucked halfway up under the mattress and decide dust ruffles are for sissies and it deserves to stay tucked. Cameron, I'm tellin' ya sleeping bags are the bomb.

She looks good in black & blue.

Several friends have asked me if I think Eddie will be down very long. She is making progress but oh my goodness, she is so sore and and something as basic as a shampoo and shower are major ordeals involving trash bags, duct tape and consume most of the morning. It it isn't broken, it's skinned. If it isn't skinned or broken then it hurts. Thank goodness she is young and healthy as I am sure that will help in her recovery. If that had been me (yes, I know that I haven't ridden a bicycle in 30 yrs) all you would have had to to is put a headstone up right there on the sidewalk because there is no way I would have ever gotten up again. My Eddie is doing better and thank you all for asking.

I do not have my head in the oven nor am I hanging from the shower rod.

Well...after that cheerful little entry I guess I need to fill you in on what has been going on and why I haven't written. Youngest daughter Eddie is a real physical fitness nut who works out everyday, eats right, swims and all those other annoying things that keep you healthy. After completing her daily three mile run (don't you just want to pinch her little head right off her shoulders?) she returned to the house to get her bike and go to the gym for her daily workout. OK, if I just ran three miles the only way you could get me to the gym would be if they were serving FREE pizza and beer. Eddie grabbed her bike, put on her helmet and headed for the gym. Just as she came around a corner she saw that a piece of the sidewalk was missing , slammed on her brakes, flew over the handlebars and did a face plant onto the concrete. End result was a broken arm, black eye from hairline to lip to ear, split lip, skinned knees, road rash and bruises the size of a dessert plate. She had surgery on Saturday to put a steel plate in her arm and is recovering well so I plan to stay a few more days until Eddie is feeling better and then I'll head for home. Mike and Eddie have a wonderful church family who have been furnishing dinner every evening and the offers of help continue to stream in all day. What would be do without our family and friends?