Saturday

The sky is clearing. We are so thankful for the rain that put out the wildfires, and washed the air of pollen. Friday afternoon, just after a storm, I armed myself with broom, power sprayer, and cleaned the drive of the oak tree pollen strands. Maybe now we won't track so many into the house. There are many strands left on the roof---and once dry, and a good south breeze, they will pepper down onto the drive and cars. Oh, well.

We skyped with firstborn and family in Ohio today! And then I skyped with my folks in Houston for an hour. They were enduring a rumbling storm which has dumped nine inches of water on their drenched city. It was only our second time to skype with them.

A brand new great niece was born this morning at 2:08 am. The little miss gave us all a scare coming too early, but at over five pounds and 19 inches long, and her feet look huge---she may be tall someday, like her six foot six papa. I saw notes about impending labor and when the water broke, and prayer requests on facebook yesterday. So, I waited until 8am to call my husband's sister-in-law this morning to get the news. Then I waited until the super tired couple posted something before blabbing. Ediquette.

James came home Friday night, but showered and was back out the door on a date with his dream girl before Bob got home from work. We did get to see James this morning but, he does not being pulled into skyping with the grandparents 'cause he is busy doing his pre-marital handbook homework. Sometimes I feel like we are just in the way. I know James appreciates us, but he'd rather be with Amber, as it should be. We are no substitute.

I wanted to nag firstborn to take some multivitamins, but he would resist the nag because it was from his mother. He was yawning, and quiet, but I bet he perks up for his la crosse game. Again, we are obstacles in his way. To be endured, humored, but I get the sense that a little of us is too much for firstborn, too. Maybe that is why God said to Honor your parents, because it does not come natural. Life is so short. There are things to do, things to read, things to eat. But, someday, my firstborn may wonder why his own daughter is too busy to give him a hollar.

On the other end of life, we heard of Bob's uncle, in his ninties who fell in his backyard, and even though his daughter found him a few hours later, he got sunburned, dehydrated, and is confused. All the stages are paraded before us. We can't please everybody. My own Mother will whine for us to come visit, see their house, but an hour of skype-ing, and she has learned enough of our boring lives, that she wants to go do something else. I'd break her chairs sitting in them, anyway.

Skype-ing is fun. It is free. Free to download, and sometimes the online video calls drop out or off, and get fuzzy. Free in that we are already paying $100 a month for phone, DSL and then there is the cost of the computer, camera, etc. Cheap. Cheaper than a visit/gas/wear and tear on the car, eating out, hotels, etc. It is like being there---as long as they can stand you. And my Dad likes to multi-task---show/let you hear good videos he has found or been sent. Sometimes we got to see them both, sometimes just my Dad's hair. They shared good books they have read. We shared whatall we are reading. But, Bob was trying to get his Sunday School lesson done, so I let them go. I can see where skype-ing might be used to check on the elderly, like Bob's Uncle Bill. Kind of a baby monitor for the old folks.

Bob likes to be out here in the living room and work on his Sunday school lesson on his laptop. With James home on the weekends, we turned the back bedroom into the guest room. It would be a quiet place for Bob to study, but we would need to re-arrange furniture. The way we have it set up now, Bob can look over my shoulder and see things of interest I find on the internet. And when I snort or laugh at a Cake Wreck comment, he wants to know what was so funny. So, I am a distraction. And if he is up until after midnight working on his lesson, it will be my fault for bothering him during the day. Maybe if we set up the back bedroom into his quiet cave, he could study, get 'er done, and I could skype, talk on the phone, make noise, and watch documentaries without bothering him.

After James and Amber get married, we will want to have a nice, quiet guest room for them to use when they come back to our area to attend Amber's church, visit with Amber's family, and friends. We want them to feel welcome to come here anytime, and use us as a hotel. That is what family is for.