Life at the Orr House

So what's new here, you ask? (Didn't know I could hear you, did ya? Wicked laughter.)

The potluck that wasn't has come and gone. We cleaned for a week. I don't mean a little dusting here. I mean, renting a sander and redoing the deck and then putting a water seal on it. I mean rearranging furniture. I mean hanging up clothes that have been in a laundry basket for six months. CLEANING. And then, the weekend for our potluck arrived--and brought 100 degree weather with it. It was HOT. And no, we don't have A/C. I worried that people would be too miserable to enjoy themselves. So, with regret, we contacted everyone and cancelled the party.

Of course, there is always SOMEONE you can't reach, right? And yes, this was the case with us. We had one lovely couple we couldn't reach. We've known them for seven years and they'd never been to our house. We only had a work number for them, so couldn't call and let them know about the change in plans. So, yup, they came over. And you know, it was nice. They remind me a great deal of my parents and so their visit was lovely. Getting hugged by them is always a poignant moment for me because they remind me so much of my mom and dad, who I miss every single day. I loved having them over for a while and heck, my house looked pretty good!
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Do you know what one of the worst ways to wake up in the morning is? A charlie horse. I get them about 2 or 3 times a week. Some are minor. Some are major. The major ones make me whimper like a little kid. I wake up crying and all day, I limp. I've gotten so many, I don't want anyone to touch my calves because they're too touchy. I think charlie horses have great potential as torture methods . . . . .
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We're hoping, hoping, hoping to go on vacation in September. We can't do the big travel several states, stay in hotels and eat out kind because finances just won't allow for it. So, instead, we are thinking about a two week trip down two lane highway 20. It crosses from one side of Oregon to the next for abou 450 miles. It is full of little towns and beautiful scenery and truly, it is the TRIP that we love, not the destination. We plan to camp all the way and eat out of our cooler to keep costs down. We will see if it all works out. Between camp schedules, my work, Nicole's part time job, it isn't easy to pin down dates.
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The other day Nicole made me almost fall over laughing when we were talking about classics . . . . Coryn wanted to read The Lord of the Flies so we were discussing what it was about . . . and I said, "How about Catcher in the Rye?" and she said, "Isn't that a sandwich?" Snicker.
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Caspian was recently in a place where he was very uncomfortable. The family rules were quite different than at home and what he has been raised with. This wasn't the first time it had happened at this house and when he called me and said, I'd really like to come home . . . I said, of course. I want my kids to always know that if they need help. we are there to provide it. If our oldest called tomorrow and said she needed us, we would be there. When I was a little girl (5 or 6ish), I was sent to my grandmother's house for the night when my parents had a big party or some other plans. I loved my grandmother--she was a sweet lady. However, I got homesick. I wanted to go home. I called--and was told no. I still remember how it felt. When my kids call, I say YES, we are on our way. They have never called without a good reason and they are more able to branch out and try things knowing they have an out if they need it. Caspian told us we were awesome parents--and I told him that no, we were just the parents of awesome kids.
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A couple we have known for some time is separating, at least for a while. It makes me sad every time. It also makes me turn and hold onto Joseph even more tightly with love and gratitude. This morning I left him a card by his keys and wallet. It was one of those cards that plays a song when you open it. I found it the other day and was so thrilled because it played OUR song! How could I NOT get it? He loved it too. Said he would keep it forever. I am unbelievably grateful that I found the right guy 28 years ago and was smart enough to nab him.
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I have a frickin toothache. Now, what did I do to deserve this one? Someone thought I needed something ELSE to handle? I've been brushing and flossing and yes Joseph, waterpic-ing, and hoping it will get better. Next to charlie horses, a dentist drill is my top torture device. Between the feel of it, the SOUND of it (shudder) and the vibration next to touchy ears, it is not my idea of a good time.
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Coryn leaves for camp in one week. ACK. Hard for me to believe. He is our fourth child to go to this camp. He dealt with a lot of homesickness issues for years so this is a huge step for him. I am positive he will deal with leaving far better than his sappy mother who will smile until he can't see me anymore and then cry because this is, after all, her BABY we are talking about.

Thanks for tuning in for the latest. Life in the Orr House (say it carefully!) is always interesting, if nothing else. Except for charlie horses. Those just . . . . hurt.