I Survived the Polar Vortex and other weekend adventures

Friday night, I was BORING and sewed as much as I could.  I'm working on a couple more tops for the L.A. trip, that fit me nicely.

Left early Saturday morning and went to a large group contest at a high school in Des Moines.  Not that we HAVE any kids in high school, but Meri had offered to direct mostly seniors in their Readers Theater performance as they were going to have to do it without one.  

The performance was amazing!  Nine kids with just stools and black binders made me really believe they were stuck in a classroom during a shutdown at the school with possibly a gunman in the hall.

It got all 1s, which means that they were pretty fantastic, which I've already told you.  We find out today if they get to go to All-State.  Meri was pretty pumped!  The kids in the group have told her that she'll have to commute from whatever big city she moves to next year, at least twice a week, to direct again.  

I guess that decides it.  I have to buy a lottery ticket.

Robb and I got home at a decent time and I was able to sew some more.  I got one of the shirts completed and wore it that afternoon.  When Meri got back from her bus ride back with the students, she, Robb and myself headed to Hometown, Iowa to see my Mom and Dad.

The trip is either getting longer or shorter, depending on how many Facebook quizzes I put Robb through.  So far he's a Star Trek Captain and in another 14 years old.

The visit with my folks was bitter sweet.  

and nope.  Teresa's flowers just didn't stand the test of time...

Mom spent most of the time there in her bed and she has been spending more and more time there instead of being the active woman she usually is there.  Her skin is darker and she gets pretty quiet a lot.

We were able to stay a couple hours and then after Dad left, we made sure Mom made it down to the dining room for supper.  She would have forgotten.

Leaving is hard.  Even harder when we know that we won't be able to see her for two weeks.  And if even then depending on God's plans.

So the drive home was difficult and that horrible hour long dead zone killed any quizzes that FB might have offered to lighten the mood.  

We did stop and pick up some of our college town pizza for the drive and eating always helps.

After church on Sunday, Meri asked me to come help her clean up her apartment.  Her roommates were mostly gone for the weekend and their landlord had called to let them know that he was bringing in a prospective new renter for when the least is up.  In August.

So while Robb and Leon did some grocery shopping for us, I helped Meri clean things up a bit.  The place was looking pretty swank and Meri was happy.  Sick with a cold still, but happy.

That afternoon, we did some fix up on the dog.  Reedus had been licking his legs and then biting them.  What kind of cannibalistic  dog do we have?!  So we had to make sure he was going to heal quickly before any infection steps in. 

For the record, Reedus HATES the cone of shame...  Robb thinks because the only color they had was purple.  How unmanly!  

So far, Reedus is still coping and I had to reinforce the thing with duct tape.  He's in it forever now and banging up against every doorway or furniture piece.  Poor thing.  He gets more treats tho.

Leon got out his Legos and did some actual playing with the sets he's done instead of building them.  The creation below is for a zombie appocolypse where the zombies are outside and the survivors inside the gates.  There are three survivors.  

Sounds lonely.

BUT the survivors have two incredible beasts on their side of the war.  Leon's Lego dragon and a giant Lego spider.  The odds are better now.

 We were able to DUO with Maddy for a little bit and found out that Reedus's problem must be hereditary, because while we knew that Duke had done the same thing with his legs, it's actually partly an allergic reaction.  I guess we'll be bathing Reedus in calamine lotion once his legs heal up...  Or sneak allergy pills into his food...  ;)  I kid.  But we'll definitely not let it get this far again!

Silly dog...

While we were talking with Maddy, suddenly Robb's DUO started ringing.  It was Matthew, from their living room!  So we put the two phones together for Maddy and her husband could talk, even tho he was a mere six feet away in the other room...  He was watching the Superbowl game and had accidentally called Robb.  A pretty round about way to say hi to your wife, but whatever!

newly weds... :)

And thank goodness the Polar Vortex is over!  Robb was kidding on a FB post that he really loved the Polar Vortex as it gave him a good excuse to get out of chores.

Robb: Am I alone in missing the polar vortex? Perfect excuse for nearly everything. No I can't attend. Polar vortex. Or no I can't take the garbage out. Polar vortex.

Some of the comments were even funnier.

 Nicholas: I miss the polar vortex too.  No I can't clean the bathroom. Polar vortex.

Tim: Not sure what happened to Robb, officer... Polar Vortex

Carl: Can't miss something you didn't have                       < he lives in Colorado.
    Robb:  Carl - Oh we had the polar vortex.  It's 50 now so it was more of a bipolar vortex.

Not that the Polar Vortex really inhibited me from doing anything that I wanted to do...  As long as the cars were starting, we really had no excuses.  And it made some fun science experiments.  But Robb did ask that I not put his new frying pan on the deck during -50 degree weather anymore...

Even if for a science project that we didn't understand how to do.