While You Were Out...

Mama-Dirtyfoot has had the house COMPLETELY to herself for the past three days! Although I missed David and Madeline, it was at the same time rather enjoyable. How was this possible, getting the house to myself?? Well, every year for the past 20+ years, David's dad and sister have gone on a road trip to Texas to visit David's Uncle Charles (and previously his grandma too). Since David's mom's stroke, David's dad and sister needed help with mom while they were out of town. David's brother and David took turns covering the time that Dad & Carolyn were away and David was away from Sunday until today (Friday). We wanted to have Madeline go with David so that she could also visit again with Grandma since Madeline does such a great job lifting Grandma's spirits. The only problem, however, is that Madeline needed to be home for a stage rehearsal (for her upcoming dance recital) that was a mandatory rehearsal on Monday. So how could we manage both??


David left for Indiana on Sunday. Madeline and I held down the fort at home on Sunday and Monday and Madeline was able to attend her stage rehearsal. On Tuesday, Madeline and I hopped in the car and drove to Windsor, Ontario (just across the border from Detroit and 1/2 way to David's parent's house). David met us there, the three of us had lunch, David and Madeline continued on to Indiana and I turned around and went home. The round trip was close to 500 miles for me.....but I was enjoying the open road with no one to worry about but myself. I cranked my odd assortment of music and sang at the top of my lungs.

David was quite busy tending to mom, tending to Madeline and also tending to work responsibilities from a remote location. However, despite the hectic rigors of the week, David was enjoying some quality time with Madeline. (Photo above was texted to me today. It was from their roadside picnic they had while on tonight's drive home)Why didn't I go with them??? Well, it was decided that I would take advantage of some time alone by tending to some things that I just can't seem to get to with Madeline around.

Upon returning home on Tuesday, I quickly got changed into some slop clothing and was able to finish staining the pool deck....just in time for it to start raining for the next two days. (I assessed the deck today and it fared just fine, so that chore is now complete!) But the biggest project that I had weighing on me was the basement. Our basement, I guess you could say, looked like a ransacked warehouse. It was FILLED with boxes that still needed to be opened and sorted through since we moved in last August. Although it is still not complete (it took us years to accumulate this stuff so I guess I won't get rid of it over the course of 3 days), I took 2 car loads over to Salvation Army, set aside a whole bunch of items that I will be giving to a friend's daughter who is getting her first apartment, filled a few boxes for trash and organized a bunch of the stuff that we are keeping. Like I said, I am not done but I definitely made a dent.

Finally, I took one section of the basement and created a play area for Madeline for when I am down there (in the dungeon) doing laundry or ironing. We do not have a finished basement. Although we plan to eventually finish it, we probably won't even begin to think about tackling that project for another year or two. So, in the meantime, this make-shift play area will have to do....quite an improvement from the ransacked warehouse look!

David and Madeline are now home. It is, of course, great to see David and have him home. But. the hugs I got from Madeline were absolutely priceless.