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A Rare Smile

Posted on September 18, 2008 by auburnchick

Soccer Chick smiled yesterday.

A real smile.

The kind that comes from deep within your soul and lights up your eyes.

I hadn’t seen that in a long time.

All because I told her she could drive herself and Rockin Rooster to church yesterday afternoon…without me.

Have you ever seen the commercial for Disney Cruise Lines?  The one with the teenage daughter who seems to be sour all the time until the camera catches her cracking a smile when she’s on a jetski?  Of course the smile disappears when she realizes she’s being watched.  But the fact that she’s having fun is enough to break through.

That’s Soccer Chick.

She quickly started texting “Guy Friend,” but decided that the news was too good to type.  She had to tell him in person.  While she was talking, I hollered over, loud enough for him to hear, about how wonderful I am.  She turned, not agitated as she usually is, but with a smile spread from ear to ear.

Of course, I couldn’t let her drive off without the obligatory spiel…don’t fight with your brother, don’t answer the cell phone even if it’s your wonderful, sweet Mama calling…yada, yada, yada.

Then I watched her go out to the car.

“Wait a second,” I shouted, as I ran inside to grab my camera.  Moments like this must be captured for posterity.

The first picture (which I cannot post because you can see the kids’ faces, thus breaking my promise for anonymity) shows them both smiling…car is still in the garage.

I snapped another as she was backing out.

Then, she stopped, as instructed, and they both waved.

Click.

Then, off they went.  I got one last picture of the back of the car going down the road.

Sigh…

One day she’ll be leaving home for good.

Sigh…

She called me about ten minutes later to let me know they had arrived safely, and I followed her home from church after my own Bible study.  She did a marvelous job. I’ve taught her well.

Sigh…

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: , | Leave a comment »

AuburnChick Has Her First Subbing Job

Posted on September 17, 2008 by auburnchick

Crazy week, eh?

First, Soccer Chick gets her license, and then I get my first subbing job.  It’s almost too much for my wee little heart to take!

I figured I had to do it eventually, so I accepted a job at a local high school…for a “Reading Strategies” class.  Oh boy…what did I get myself into?

Interestingly enough, our devotion this morning was titled, “Go For It!”  What timing, eh?  It talked about Marla Runyan, who finished third in the 2000 Olympic trials and made the Olympic running team despite being legally blind.    The devotion spoke about not allowing fear to hinder us from following our dreams.

God is so good.  His timing of this devotion on this day was oh-so-perfect.

Of course, I still had butterflies.

I was a nervous wreck (a familiar feeling by now) as I drove to the school.  I was a nervous wreck as I hunted for the teacher’s parking spot.

God is good.

A teacher pulled into the spot beside me and gave me directions to the front office.  The lady in the front office gave a lot of helpful information and reassured me.

When I got to the classroom, I took a deep breath.  I noticed breakfast trays inside and kids with physical disabilities eating from them.  Oh boy…this was going to be challenging.  I trembled inside as I glanced over the worksheets provided for each class.

Then I did what I normally do…remembered that I would follow through and began class.

God is so good.

He calmed my fears and settled my nerves.  And a funny thing happened…

I realized that these students were quite bright…much brighter than some other students I’ve encountered over the years.  Perhaps it’s because they have to work harder.  Perhaps it’s because they don’t take what they are offered for granted.

As the day progressed, I grew more comfortable.  When I left, it wasn’t with relief but with joy instead.  I had made it through the day with God’s strength holding me up and guiding me.

Another day of firsts…another day to go beyond what I thought I was capable of.

Glory to God for I could never have done this on my own.

Filed under: This-n-That | 2 Comments »

Soccer Chick is a Licensed Driver

Posted on September 16, 2008 by auburnchick

What a crazy couple of days!

My afternoons have been extremely busy lately.  It’s a good thing I work part-time because the kids wouldn’t be doing what they want otherwise.  Well, okay, they’d probably be walking home instead of riding in an air-conditioned car.  Talk about living easy!

So, although Soccer Chick has been extremely rude and disrespectful, I finally decided to bite the bullet and let her get her license.  Off we went to the license place yesterday, Soccer Chick gabbing all the way there.  She got extremely nervous, though, after the examiner got up to lead her out.  I sat a nervous wreck as I watched my baby give me a look like she was being led to the slaughter.

About ten minutes later, she popped her head in the place and quietly asked me to  step outside.

“What’s wrong,” I asked.

“Mama, just come out here.”

All I could picture was a huge dent in the car.

When I finally got outside, she lowered her eyes and told me she had failed.  She hadn’t even gotten out of the parking lot.

My heart fell.  Poor darling.

Her first skill was to park and then back out.  Well, she knocked over a cone as she reversed, having parked too closely to the line.  Automatic failure.  If a car had been there, she would have hit it.  Good reason.  Bad result.

So, I took her back to school, where she had to eat crow, and I scheduled her appointment for the next day (today).  This time, she practiced parking a couple of times before going in.  Not a problem.  She didn’t look as nervous, except when she said that she would cry if she failed a second time.

I knew things were going to be okay when the examiner, a different lady, greeted us with a big, warm smile.  Score one for the easing of the nerves.  I gave Soccer Chick a few minutes to get out to the car before I sidled outside and spied her doing her thing, all the while talking to my friend on the phone (this helped me with my own case of the flutters) as Chick maneuvered her way in and out of the space safely before hitting the road for the rest of the test.

She came back with a huge smile on her face.

I knew she had passed.

She even managed to get a decent picture on her license too.

Score two for today.

Now I’m the one with the nerves.  She wanted to go out at 5pm to pick up dinner.

“Are you nuts?”  There are loads of people just waiting for a person like you.

We’ll do this slowly.  Perhaps I’ll let her drive around the neighborhood without me first…gently easing her out on the road on her own…without me.

Another hard part of parenting…letting go…literally and emotionally.

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: , | 4 Comments »

The Knitting Bandit

Posted on September 13, 2008 by auburnchick

I haven’t talked much about knitting lately.  That’s because I’ve been working on some projects and wanted to wait until they were completed to blog about them.

First of all, an explanation as to the title.  Have you ever left a gift at someone’s door, rang the doorbell, and run?  Well, perhaps your gift wasn’t so nice, and that’s the reason you ran.  We have a Halloween tradition in our neighborhood where you leave candy at a door, ring the doorbell, and run…surprising those inside.  That’s what I felt like this week.

I finally finished the Leaf Lace Scarf that I started way back in July.  Here’s the link for the free pattern.

Leaf Lace Scarf

Leaf Lace Scarf

The pattern really is easy.  The only reason why it took me so long is because I got sidetracked a few times with other projects, putting it down completely during the Olympics.

This project has a story…but of course you know that because everything AuburnChick does includes a story…

First of all, the pattern was sent to me by my Christmas KH Swap partner, who had also sent me some kettle-dyed yarn.  I had a horrendous time getting the scarf to look right because the yarn was just too thin, even though it was lace weight.  So I set it aside for about six months.  During that time, a different KH knitter found out that I had never touched Malabrigo…never even seen it in real life.  She generously sent me three skeins….two blue worsted weighted and one lace weight “Lettuce.”  You see, we had discovered that we were both working on the same scarf, although she was having much more success using the Malabrigo.  She surprised me with the skein I needed for this project.

That said, I finally got up the courage to try the pattern again…with the new yarn.  What a dream!  Malabrigo is all it’s talked up to be.  It slides through your fingers so smoothly that you hardly know it’s there.  As your project grows, you quickly discover its warmth.

Shortly after I cast on, my friend Christina (aka Rabbitrescuer on Ravelry and KH) had to rush her son, Austin, to the hospital.  He received 2nd and 3rd degree burns on 68% of his body and is currently receiving care at a Shriner’s Hospital.  You’ve heard me mention her before, but she’s important to this story.

I’ve been the liaison between her and the online community.  As a result, I’ve been blessed to become friends with her in real life.  I talk to her on the phone three or four days a week.  She is such a sweet gal…very soft spoken and incredibly generous.  We’ve had a lot of fun discussing our passion for yarns and projects.  If you’re on Ravelry, look her up and check out her stash.  Make sure you’re sitting down first, though, or else you’ll pass out from sheer amazement at the volume.

Anyhow…I have come to know several things about her.  First of all, her favorite color is green.  Secondly, she loves Malabrigo.  And third…during one of our chats, I shared that I was working on this pattern and provided a link.  She told me that she had queued the pattern to make at a later time.  By now, I had already decided that I was gifting this to her.  The revelation that she wanted to make this pattern was God’s voice in my ear…”That scarf you’re making belongs to Rabbit.”

Yes, Lord, I know.  Thank you for confirming what I thought I was hearing.  How nice to hear His will so clearly.

Somehow, making that decision changed the project from tedious to joyful.  It flew off of my needles from that point on.  I completed 37 pattern repeats before binding off.  And blocking, which is normally not my forte, went much easier too.  Check out these pictures…

Blocking the Leaf Lace Scarf Using the KnitPicks Lace Blocking Kit

Blocking the Leaf Lace Scarf Using the KnitPicks Lace Blocking Kit

The Finished Scarf...67 1/2 x 7 3/4

The Finished Scarf...67 1/2" x 7 3/4"

I have to say that I am so proud of the scarf.  When I picked it up after it was dry from blocking, it was light and airy and draped beautifully across my arm.  I photographed it, packed it carefully, and put it in the mail immediately.

Buoyed by the joy that accompanies gifting homemade items, I started work on my next project.

This one is called the Warm Stripings Hat, from the Creative Knitting Magazine (January 2008).  One of Soccer Chick’s teammates asked me to make her a hat and described some of the featurs she wanted.  This pattern fit the bill.  I ordered the yarn recommended by the pattern:  Vero, color #18.

Naturally Vero (Fiber Trends) - Color #18

Naturally Vero (Fiber Trends) - Color #18

Even though this teammate is no longer playing for Chick’s team (although she has already committed to play at a large university, and she’s only a junior!), I couldn’t forget my promise to her…especially since I had already ordered the yarn for the project!  Here’s the finished product, modeled by my straw broom:

Warm Stripings Hat

Warm Stripings Hat

A Close-Up of the Earflap

A Close-Up of the Earflap

I’ve gotta tell you that this hat almost didn’t happen this week.  When I sat down to start a new project after the scarf, I quickly realized that I didn’t really have the needles I needed.  Oh, I had the right size, but not the correct size cables or dpns.

This is where you say, “Magic Loop.”  Thank goodness for this method and the fact that I made myself learn it a few months ago.  Also, kudos to interchangeables!  KnitPicks sends you little cap things with each cable needle.  I never knew how to use them before this project.

In the photo above, I had used one cable, with needles on the ends, to work a flap and  i-cord.

One Cable...I-Cord

One Cable...I-Cord

I used an empty cable with caps on the end to hold the other stitches, which I would work on after finishing up the other side.

KnitPicks Cable and Cap

KnitPicks Cable and Cap

KnitPicks Cable and Cap

KnitPicks Cable and Cap

Perhaps you’re thinking, “easy, peasy.”  Not for me.  These things require my brain to work overtime…something I’m not good at.  But I’m glad I put in the extra effort.  It saved me money and time.

I test drove this hat on a couple of teens, who gave me a resounding Thumbs-Up, informing me that this hat is tres chic.  In other words, they want one too.

I excitedly put the hat in the mail this morning, wrapped in tissue paper and ribbon.  I wish I could see the look on the recipient’s face, but just the knowledge of having done the deed and run…

Well, that is what I call a knitter’s ultimate joy.

The joy is in the giving and the surprise felt by the other person at the unexpected package of love.

Filed under: Knitting | Tagged: , , , , , , , | 5 Comments »

I’m Really Confused

Posted on September 12, 2008 by auburnchick

I had a good day.  At least I thought I did.

I went to work and even managed to find gas when I got off (pictures of the lines to follow in another post).  I took Soccer Chick and a friend to the high school football game.

That’s about when my day went south.

Life with teenagers is like a roller coaster ride.  There are a lot of ups and downs, and every day is filled with hairpin turns.  You never know what to expect, and you’re usually not prepared for what’s around the corner.

Soccer Chick and I have a tense relationship.  It’s almost like we’re both fighting for control.  I have a problem with this.  I am the adult.  She is the child.  We have huge respect issues going on, and I don’t know how to get through them.

You think that once you’re out of toddlerhood, you’re good to go.  I mean, you finally get your kids sleeping through the night, going potty in the toilet, and eating meals at normal times.  They are fairly self-sufficient.

Then they become teenagers, and they think they can change the rules on you.

I’m pretty much at my wits end.  Chick told me one day that even if I let her do whatever she wanted, she still wouldn’t be happy.

What’s a parent to do when their child tells them that?

Needless to say, I’m very confused.

I’m not exactly sure what my role is anymore.

Oh, I know that my eternal purpose is to glorify God, but what am I supposed to do with this earthling He loaned to me.

I’m hurt, confused, and frustrated.

Parenting is so hard.

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: , | 2 Comments »

Soccer Chick Gets a Taste of Her Own Medicine

Posted on September 12, 2008 by auburnchick

As you know, Soccer Chick is a teenager.  She’s the kind of child who’s always been strong-willed.  From the onset, it was quickly apparent that I had somehow managed to give birth to a decently intelligent creature.  Almost too intelligent, if you ask me.  Intelligent children present unique challenges.  Namely, they think they are smarter than their parents, and they start thinking this from a very early age.

Soccer Chick has definite opinions about all sorts of matters.  Always has.  I remember how difficult it used to be to get her dressed for daycare each morning.  After she was born, I had to go back to my full-time job, so our mornings were crazy, as are most households that contain young children.  Mr. AuburnChick has always been quite the stylish guy, and he insisted that she be dressed appropriately.  The two of them butted heads on a regular basis.

They would have knock-down, drag-out fights over her attire.  Yeah, I know…not cool.  I mean, can you picture a grown man arguing with a one year old about her clothes?

“Soccer Chick…stripes and psychedelic designs do NOT go together.”  She had a favorite pair of pants that looked like what I wore in the 70’s.  She HAD to wear these each day.  We finally solved the daily battles by laying out her clothes each evening.

Fast forward 16 years.

Soccer Chick, while a challenge child for me, is very good at handling children.  She’s an amazing babysitter, toting a bag of goodies to every job.  I don’t know what’s in the bag.  She won’t allow me to look.  All I know is that the kids ask for her when being notified that parents are going out on the town.

Yesterday, Soccer Chick met her match…in the form of a four-year-old woman-in-training.

Chick has been warned by the gal’s mother that the child was bossy.  That wasn’t the half of it.  When Chick got home later, she recounted how the girl argued about everything.  The piece of the puzzle was part of the sun, even though some of the castle was clearly showing.  The game that Chick played with her in the pool was all wrong.  She obviously did not know how to follow her charge’s instructions.  Chick could not do anything to suite her ward.

I heard the angels singing.

Hallelujah, hallelujah.

Revenge…Illumination can be so sweet.

I sweetly (ok…maybe sarcastically too) asked my dear not-so-sweet child if she recognized anything familiar about the child.

She gave me a blank stare.

Of course she would.  She’s a teen.  Teens think they are perfect.

On the drive home, the mother (who was nice enough to save me a trip picking up Chick) discussed her daughter’s attitude.  Soccer Chick reassured her that the bossiness was just a phase.  In her word, “I’m sure I went through this phase too.”

HELLO!  I hollered to her.  Did you just hear yourself?  You used the past tense.  You’ve been in this phase since you were a year old!!

Again, another blank stare.  She did not find me amusing.

The best thing is that she will be babysitting this little girl on a regular basis.  I always thought I would have to wait for grandchildren before she would see the light.  Perhaps this four-year-old girl IS the light…15 years (I wish) earlier than I anticipated.

This is going to be fun!  😀

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Remembering September 11th

Posted on September 11, 2008 by auburnchick

I’m sure we all remember where we were on September 11, 2001.

I had just dropped off my children at school.  My regular routine was to return home afterward, watch the Today Show, and then proceed with my day.  I was a stay-at-home mom and spent most of my time volunteering at the schools.  That day, however, I had an appointment to get my hair highlighted…a long appointment given my thick hair…so I scheduled it for first thing.

I’m glad.

I wasn’t home to watch the footage that would be shown live.

I stopped at the gas station on the way to pick up a soda and chocolate bar as a treat for myself.  When I walked into the store, I didn’t pay much attention to the people around me since I was in a hurry.  But I do remember someone asking if they had a TV.  Kind of weird, but like I said, I wasn’t really paying attention.

When I got back into the car, I turned on the radio.  I had about a 15 minute drive ahead of me.  I don’t remember exactly what the DJ said as he broke in during the middle of a song, but I do remember being very surpised.  I called Mr. AuburnChick, who is in the know about this kind of stuff, and he confirmed what I had heard but explained that details were still sketchy.  As I drove, more information was forthcoming, and my heart started beating faster.

As I pulled into the parking lot of the salon, I was overcome with sadness.  By now both towers had been hit.  I, like most people around the world, felt overwhelmed by the sense of loss.  All I could think about was was the families left behind.

You see, I had just lost my dad very unexpectedly in April of that year, and I was still grieving heavily.

I composed myself and went into the salon.  After calling the school and receiving assurances that my children were safe, I decided to stay at the salon.  There wasn’t anything I could do.  My hairdresser didn’t have a TV (another blessing), but we listened to the radio.  He was the owner, and his wife manned the front desk.  They were from New York and had family there.  I lived in South Florida, which has many transplanted New Yorkers.  They tried many times to reach their relatives to get assurances that everyone was accounted for.  The telephone lines stayed busy for hours.

So we listened to the radio.  We cried when the towers fell.  We grew more fearful at reports of planes that were unaccounted for.

Such sadness and confusion…

After my hair appointment, I went to the school, not checking my children out (although many children had left), but simply feeling the need to be around them.  I ate lunch with Rockin’ Rooster, trying to act as normal as possible so as not to alarm the children, who had a sense that something tragic had happened.

By the time I got home that afternoon, the news coverage was not as graphic although still so very sad.  Again, this was a blessing for me given my mental state with losing my dad (plus some other heavy stuff that I had gone through that year).

Every September 11th, I remember the very many who died, and I am reminded about my own personal loss…my dad.

Time heals, but the memories of that day and the sadness it created will always remain.

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: | 1 Comment »

Stepping Back in Time

Posted on September 10, 2008 by auburnchick

What in the world has AuburnChick done, you might be asking yourself.

Well, something that’s been sitting in the back of my mind for a while is the desire to start hanging my clothes out to dry.  This idea was sparked during a conversation with my friend Bea (remember the gal I made this blanket for some time back?).  She’s a pretty modern kind of lady, even though she doesn’t know how to use the computer.  I was surprised to learn that she hangs her clothes to dry in her garage.

What a shock!  This woman can afford for someone to come in, clean her house, and do her laundry for her.  Instead, she chooses to line dry her dirties in her three-car garage and has done so for many years.

So, the idea sat in my head.

With my recent foray into substitute teaching and the realization that my budget needs an overhaul, I thought that this might be a good way to save on the electric bill, which has steadily climbed over the last few months.

I would hang the clothes in the backyard, but I have three mischevious little ones that would LOVE the opportunity to have some fun.

Pele...conserving energy for the next adventure

Pele...conserving energy for the next adventure

See the impish look in Mollys eyes?

See the impish look in Molly's eyes?

The smile masks Aubies grand plans, which AuburnChick will soon discover.

The smile masks Aubie's grand plans, which AuburnChick will soon discover.

With this in mind, I headed out in search of something I could use inside.  I went to Bed, Bath, and Beyond only to discover that they do not carry clotheslines!  Can you believe it?  It’s a home store!  But, one of the employees was kind enough to steer me in the direction of Home Depot, which was conveniently located next door.  I headed over and walked down all of the aisles.

I’ve gotta tell you…they need huge signs that say “Clotheslines — Here” cause it was hard to find them!  I started getting strange looks as I got near the lumber section.  What on earth would a 5’2″ woman be planning to build…was the look written on all of the guys’ faces.

Hold ‘yer horses, cowboys.  I just need a little rope, and I’ll be out of your way.

I found what I needed without having to ask for help.  The one I got is a retractable line that will reach as far as 40’.  Not bad for $9.99.  I grabbed one and stopped at Target on the way home to buy some clothespins.

I excitedly asked Mr. AuburnChick to install it for me.  Keep in mind that this was a few hours after our marathon garage-cleaning session.  He was not amused.

How dare I enter College Football Zone and ask him to pull himself away from the television to hang up something he had no interest in using.

He did it anyway.

I’m the boss.

Here are close-ups of what each side looks like…

This is the side from which you pull out the line.  When you’re done using it, you can fold it flush to the wall.

That’s on the other side of the garage.  You pull the line from the other end and hook it over.

Pretty neat, eh?

And then you get this…

I love it so much that I’m going to buy one or two more and install them a few inches apart.  There’s not near enough room on only one line (my garage is only 20′ wide) for more than one load at a time.  Plus, for the price, you really can’t beat it!  I just need to purchase more hangers and hangers with clips for pants and shorts.

Now, I will admit that I feel like I’m stepping back in time.  Oh sure, I know that lots of people hang out their clothes, but I truly think that in this day and age, convenience and speed are the norm.  Hanging the clothes out certainly is neither, as Soccer Chick has grumpily pointed out.

I don’t care.

I’m the boss.

Plus, I pay the electric bill.

We’ll do things my way and live with one foot in the 1800’s and the other in 2008, where I can blog from the garage while watching my children hang their clothes to dry.

Welcome to AuburnChick’s world, where you get the best of both worlds.

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: , | 2 Comments »

Happiness

Posted on September 8, 2008 by auburnchick

This week’s sermon at church was a good one.  It was about happiness.

Happiness is something sought after by most people in this world.  We buy things and try things with the hope that we will stay in that elated state we call happiness.  However, all too often, the new wears off, and we’re back to feeling so-so…let-down.

Why?

Because happiness is not something that we can gain from our own efforts.  It’s a gift from God.

Have you ever heard about people who have had horrible things happen in their lives, but still, they are happy.

We looked at Ecclesiastes, a book in which Solomon is credited as the writer.  Solomon was the richest man on earth.  He built palaces, married over 400 women, and conquered many people.  Yet, he became extremely unhappy…dissatisfied.

He forgot from Whom his happiness came.  Not in material gains, but in the simple fact that he was God’s child.

The pastor challenged us to be content in our circumstances, no matter how dire or pleasant.  Life is a roller coaster.  Much of it is beyond our control.  But we can find joy in the knowledge that God is in control.  Nothing happens in our life that He hasn’t allowed.  All of these things serve to make us more into His image.

This sermon convicted me.  I have been very guilty of allowing my emotional state to reflect the current circumstances of my life, whether it was the stress of going to school or the tension that exists between my teenage children and me.

Happiness is not dependent on what I’m doing or what is happening to me.

Happiness is a gift from God.

What a novel idea!

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: , | 2 Comments »

Three Hours of Family Time — The AuburnChick Way

Posted on September 6, 2008 by auburnchick

This is our first weekend home as a family.  I had big plans for us.

Cleaning.

I told the Chick children not to make any plans for Saturday morning.  We would be spending time in the garage.  It’s been terribly neglected for quite some time…dumped on and trashed.

Rockin’ Rooster tried to sleep in.  I let him…until 9:00, when I allowed the dogs to wake him up with kisses…a gentle start to a fierce day ahead.

Mr. AuburnChick was none too pleased when I roused him out of bed.  I had not informed him of my plans.  He had gotten in late last night and was looking forward to getting up in time to watch Auburn play.

What a spoil-sport I was.

That’s what wives are for.

As he grumpily walked into the garage, he asked me how I planned to clean it.

Plans?  I was supposed to actually have a concrete plan?  Great.  I had envisioned a clean garage, with no thought as to how to obtain it.

I told him that we would be taking everything out of the garage.

Do you know how much stuff you acquire during 19 years of marriage?

A lot!

Granted…some of it is in the attic…a room I was not about to tackle today…but at least half of what we own was packed around the two vehicles sitting outside.

Soccer Chick and Rooster were discouraged.  I was excited.  I like order in my life.  It’s the only way I can function with so much going on.  I could hardly wait to get started!

You should have seen the stuff we pulled out into the driveway/holding area.  I had amassed quite a collection of boxes.  I sell stuff on eBay around Thanksgiving each year (the best time to get the best prices for your stuff).  Last year, I remember having a hard time finding boxes, so apparently I didn’t want to find myself in the same situation.  I think that the problem this year will be that I won’t be able to find enough stuff to sell to fill those boxes!  A downside to having this many boxes around is that you get these nasty, long bugs all over the place.  I’m not sure what they are called, but they remind me of the bad dude on Monster’s Inc — kind of flat and really fast.  I think they feed on paper products.  Mr. AuburnChick got the kids so freaked out about them that they wouldn’t touch anything they were running around on.

Lovely.  Another excuse to make me do more of the work.

I wound up throwing out most of the boxes.  I’m proud of myself, although I shouldn’t be surprised.  I am not a packrat.  Everyone else in this family is, though, which made getting rid of things, at first, hard.  The longer we went, the more we wanted to be done, and pretty soon, we were throwing everything out.

The next door neighbors sauntered over about halfway into it.  They thought we were moving.  Our entire driveway was filled with stuff.  We should have had an impromptu yard sale.  Who wouldn’t want to buy a few deflated soccer balls?

Another thing that is taking up a lot of space is plywood.  We have plywood because we live in Florida…close to the coast.  A few years ago, we bought a bunch because a hurricane was bearing down on us.  Being so organized, I have each piece marked with which window it goes to.  We have a lot of extra pieces.  Hey, we paid for it.  Waste not, want not.  Plus, as I’ve recently discovered, it makes a good deterrent for animals that try to escape under fences.  We reorganized the wood…no easy feat.  The stuff is heavy!  We moved it back and forth…sweeping behind it and then moving it back…marked pieces on one side and extra pieces on the other.  My hands are very sore.

Once we got the garage swept out, it was time to put things back.

Sigh…

I was struck by how much it is like putting together a jigsaw puzzle.  Everything needs a good place.  My goal was to be able to exit the car without having to suck in my breath.  We threw out more stuff as we tried to find places for everything.  We consolidated boxes and stuck a couple of things up in the attic.  Boy do I dread cleaning that place out one day.  Maybe during the winter when it’s colder.

Anyhow, after three hours, we couldn’t stand the sight of each other.  But, the garage is clean.  There’s extra space beside the cars.  And I now have a place on the walls to hang the retractable clothes line I just bought…another story regarding this will probably follow soon.

So, if you’re looking for a new way to spend time with your crew, try mine.  Togetherness…AuburnChick’s Way.  Your family will love you for it…just as mine loves me (and which is why I’m sitting alone in a room right now).

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