Listen to the Rhythm of the Falling Rain

It is raining (again) and I really love it. It keeps the bees away from my pollinating bushes, it sounds so great to wake up to, but it makes me want to wear PJs all day long. This rain makes me think of a trip to Chattanooga not so long ago. We almost got soaked, but we had a fun day. Maybe it was the ribs from Sticky Fingers, maybe it was spending time with my sister, but I loved the rain and everything else that day.

Sometimes I Just Shake My Head

There are four people in this family with some similarities (Scott=Darby) and many differences (Roxy + Darby = small explosions). As we were playing cards last night, I made many mental notes:

Darby does not like to lose to Roxy, Scott does not like to lose to anybody, and I will gladly lose if it means someone will not get upset. Roxy just naturally wins. Reminds me of playing Yahtzee or Rummy with my brother when I was a child. The girl can't help it - Roxy has a way of making things work her way.

Roxy has to interject so many strange events into a game of cards, it gets very bizarre. First of all, she deals cards just like Joanie from Happy Days. It was painful, waiting for her to get the cards passed out. But that's not the worst part. Have you ever played a game with a person that has to constantly move, use her body to talk, run around the table, make every discard with an insult against the card she pitches out, and create new vocabulary at an amazing pace? Does it sound slightly annoying? And when you finally calm her down, she starts talking about the pandas at the zoo that scratch their bottoms and then she hops up to show us how they did it, and then it all starts all over again.

And when Darby tries to shuffle, every card ends up in every direction because logic escapes her. At the age of 10, Darby will sit and play games, but the mind starts to wander to SpongeBob Squarepants. I admit to being a fan of SpongeBob. We quote that show more than anything else. Only Darby is a Rolodex of every Bikini Bottom moment. Picture Darby rolling the dice, chanting "Escalators! Escalators! Escalators!" The comments from her can be extremely random, but then on further review they become less random and more in line with what's happening - in SpongeBob's world.

Scott does not like to gamble anything. When he finds himself in a position where he has to take a chance, he literally fidgets. This guy cannot bluff, lie, or go to Vegas. Maybe that is why he is so guarded most of the time. He manages to win at a dice game by simply plugging away with teeny tiny gains, never trying to turn the big amounts his way.

I succeeded in getting the family to come together for an hour of surreal game playing. Would anyone like to join us?

Today's Highlights

1. People on the tiny plane were odd. In front of me was a lady, very altered, that smelled like alcohol and it was 10:00 in the morning. The lady beside me might have been an elf. She was wearing a velour hoodie and yoga pant outfit in a very bright Christmas green. I predict she will regret that outfit...

2. People on the big plane were cranky and drinking much liquor. Did you know it costs $7 for a can of beer. The people around me know it and pay for it anyway.

3. My girls are beautiful. They made me feel so good to be home. Roxy was missing me so much she saved 6 Reese's Pieces for me - and she saved them for four days, waiting for me to share her treat with her. Darby keeps giving me hugs. I'm so happy to see them.

4. My hubbie is tired. He has a tendency to forget things, so this week will be a dim memory in about two days. So good to see him, too.

5. I don't know what to do with myself when I have no house to maintain, no meals to prepare, no Bible class to teach, no book club to lead, no hair to comb, no husband to support. Who knew that travelling could be so liberating?