After starting our spring break finding the perfect new running buddy, Ruby and I decided to hit the road and go visit my sisters and their families for a few days. Our first leg was a short trip to Clifton Park, normally short unless your 6 year old is speaking in "blah" and "fart" non-stop and quizzing you about what she's saying! I don't know how people travel with more than one child-a chorus of the abc's in "blah"-ouch! So we spent a few days at Aunt Ta Ta's house playing and training. Roxy made friends with a cat cousin who is bigger than her-pretty uneventful time in the burbs highlighted by a couple of great runs and rides at the Saratoga Battlefield.
Ruby and I crammed cousin Hillary into the car on with Quenton and Bandit and hopped onto the Thruway for Easter weekend at Aunt Kim's in Lansing. When we arrive it was wine and hot tub time-so when Hillary quietly told Ruby she wanted to go home to her family I had to explain that Aunt Kim had forced me to drink a glass of wine so I couldn't drive her the 3 and half hours home. She held it together and soldiered on! It was shortly after the hot tub that we started to notice ants, tiny tiny ants sneaking out here and there-no biggy we carried on planning our adventures not worrying about the little creepers. The next day our parents arrived-yay! Whenever Jim Farrell visits any of our homes projects usually ensue whether we like it or not, so usually we try our best to get him to chill out and enjoy himself. It was a beautiful day and we were enjoying the sunshine on the back deck watching Hillary and Ruby dredge the little pond when they could keep it dog free and coloring Easter eggs. It got so warm that we decided to pull the umbrella out. After some confusion about weighing down the base of the umbrella and a little jerry-rigging we had it set and were enjoying the shade! The wind was picking up but Kim and I both thought-wow, it's working as we headed inside to gather snacks. Two minutes later there was a loud crash, the glass table top was shattered all over the deck and Jim was about to wake up from his nap! We swept furiously and gave the girls instructions for no more bare feet by the hot tub. By the time we thought we'd done a great clean up he was asking for a Shop Vac for the tiny shards of glass we'd missed in the cracks. Farrell=thorough:) Within 2 hours the table had smashed, we cleaned up, and then he pulled a sheet of plywood out to make a new table top! When Kim couldn't locate any duct tape for the fancy blue plastic table clothe we had to improvise with coordinating blue painters tape. Farrell=industrious:)
The rest of the family poured in and they (I say they because I still play helpless youngest child busy plotting my next ride and incapable of being domestic) started prepping for the next days big meal. We all went to bed late thinking all was safe, but at some point in the middle of the night I went to the restroom and found the giant plastic bolts on the toilet seat had been removed by elves! Someone must have realized this because when I woke up there were cute notes reminding the 14 people on the house that one of the two toilets could be dangerous and to use with caution. The other discovery on that lovely Easter morn was creepy little ants that had devoured a giant pan of brownies and some delicious candy the Easter bunny had delivered. We laughed, sealed everything in ziploc bags, and decided maybe it was time to go to church and prayer for a little help! As we pulled away I heard one of the 5 dogs howling especially loud but figured our favorite Jewish, dog loving uncle would take care of him. After mass I headed out on a run to let the grown ups start prepping for dinner. When I arrived home I walked into the kitchen to see anyone needed my help and found a kitchen of women who had been visited by a 6 year old face painting monster! Kim also showed me how the howling hound had escaped via the screen door, it's so nice when dogs can take care of themselves:) Fortunately we made it through the rest of the day only a couple of broken dishes, a few more ants, the normal side effects of giant family meals and a lot of laughs!
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