First was The Poppets' birthday bash at Leaping Lizards in North Richland Hills, which is one of the now-ubiquitous bounce house places.  Kids love 'em, though!  It was a misery to locate, as the numbering of that section of 26 is appalling.  Eventually we (Mom and me) found it.

Here's one of the birthday girls, Bridgette; isn't she cute? 

Here's Faith scampering across the floor, with Kirstin in the back left, Beth and her Aunt Sue taking photos of Hannah most likely, Charles talking to Bryson, Mom watching Bridgette, and that's Benjamin and Jonathan largely obscured by the bounce thing:

It's difficult to say who has more fun at these places....Alex or the kids:

Above is Jessica laughing about something, with Alex and Bryson.  Here's Mom with Beth's mother, Anna, and Faith being refreshed:

Uncle Charles was here, there and everywhere, usually picking various munchkins up and throwing them around, to their squeals of pleasure:

That's him with Brianna.  And this is a nice photo of my two oldest children, Kirstin and Jonathan:

Later that evening I went to Ridglea Country Club to attend the AHHS 40th reunion with my friend, Debbe.  Don had planned on going, so I decided to go in his stead to represent him, and my name tag had his senior photo (all the name tags did, of course) with "Anne Ivy for Don" on it, which I appreciated.  I also wore a photo locket with a picture of him in it. 

Anyway, here is the Triple Threat, me with Yvonne and Debbe:

 

I didn't recognize Yvonne at all!  She paid at the door, so hadn't had a name tag at first.  Looked straight at her and didn't know it was her until she said something to me.  Gosh, it was wonderful to see her, and it turns out she lives up in Lewisville!  Not far, really. 

Here's one of Sharon, Yvonne, Barbara, and me:

I remember Mom being our Blue Bird leader and maybe Camp Fire leader, too.  We had such a good time!  And here's the five of us, taken by Barbara's hubby, Dick:

There was a group photo of all the ex-Jackets, and here's a segment with Debbe and Yvonne in it:

It really was fun seeing so many old friends, and I'm planning on attending Nolan' 40th in October.  I've never gone to a reunion before.  Don went to his 30th, and had a good time.  He was onto something....reunions can be fun. 

Tomorrow I'm hitting the road with Elaine and her girls, as we head up to Ohio.  Stay tuned for photos from the trip!  I'm hoping to be able to post frequently while we're gone.  Actually, I separate from them in Cincinnati, with them driving on to Cleveland to stay with family, while I visit my friend Jennifer.  Then I take a bus to Indianapolis and stay with Eleanor.  On the first Thursday evening of our trip we'll be having dinner at my friend, Jack's, house with his wife and youngest children (his eldest is at college).

Elaine and I will meet up again in Indianapolis, then drive on home.

Prayers for travel mercies would be appreciated. 

Saturday night is the Arlington Heights High School 40th reunion and I'm going to represent Don, who'd planned on attending.  (Yes, we'd actually talked about it last fall.)

So I ordered a dress for the occasion.  Supposed to be "business casual", which is fine for guys, but I'm never precisely sure what that entails for women, especially as it's at Ridglea Country Club.

I'd ordered it a week ago and was wondering where it was, so located the order confirmation, clicked on the handy "check your online order status" link, and discovered it's still sitting in the warehouse. 

It's not as if I can't wear something in my closet....naturally I can....but a week after the order's placed it hasn't even been shipped yet?

Emailed 'em and instructed that the order be canceled. 

MSNBC has a story titled "Recession puts squeeze on plus-size fashion".  The gist of it is that we pudgebuckets tend to be poorer than average, meaning new clothes are among the first things to be cut when times are tight.

Okay, I'm a fair person and there's doubtless some validity to that.

But there's the blurb or whatever it's called, leading into the story, which says:  "Plus-size brands are aiming to create sexy and sleek designs, but customer purchases are down."

Look, one can be sexy and sleek or one can be a pudgebucket.  I suppose "sexy" can sometimes be managed, but "sleek" simply isn't on that particular radar.  We of, er, Junoesque proportions may be many things, but sleek isn't one of 'em. 

It's frustrating to look through stores and catalogs and find all this idiotic "sexy and sleek" clothing being offered.  I'm 58 and while I don't want to dress as if I'm ready for a nursing home, neither do I intend to look like mutton dressed as lamb, not to mention a fat sheep trying to look like a skinny lamb. 

Point being, perhaps if the stores would pay more attention to what we pudgebuckets want, they might find their sales of plus-sized clothing going up.  Most of us aren't interested in attempting to mimic our svelte sisters.  We've got mirrors, too. 

This is bizarre.  What are they (whoever "they" may be) waiting for?  Him to do a little dance?

Not going to happen.

Cremate his body.  Bury it.  Heck, freeze it or shoot it into space, I don't care, but do something with it. 

 * * * * *

A couple of days ago I asked Kenny to install what he refers to in electrician-speak as a "duplex" in the hall (a duplex simply being a standard two-plug, um, plug), as there was one in the bedroom so it'd be simple to do.  The one thing I hadn't considered when choosing the wallpaper for the hall is how dark it is compared to the old paper.  Makes it a cave in there.  Kenny said he'd inadvertently trod on Magellan once, as the gray-and-black cat blended right into the dark.  So I figured I'd put in a nightlight.

Off I went to SuperTarget that evening.  A nightlight should be an easy thing to find.

Ha.  Nary a one could I find.  Searched the lighting area, the light bulb area, even cruised through the baby area.  Nothing.

Came home and looked on Target's website and there they could be found.  Ladybug nightlights.  Chandelier nightlights.  Tinkerbell nightlights.  Every manner of nightlight barring a nice, plain, ordinary nightlight.

Wal-Mart was no better.

Lowe's had some, so that's where I went the next day.  What's frustrating is that I'd been there with Kenny the day he installed the duplex, but didn't want to take the time to look for them then, erroneously assuming SuperTarget would have them.

It's astonishing how difficult it can be to find the simplest things these days. 

 * * * * *

Dmitry is in Galveston with Carolyn and her parents.  Third summer in a row!  He eagerly awaits this outing all year.  He texted that he's having fun and the weather is "perfect."  He'll return on Sunday, in time to start school on Monday.

 * * * * *

Magellan and Dracula are at the vet, where they'll be neutered and have their front claws removed tomorrow morning.  An evening without fighting off Dracula....bliss!  I assumed Zeus would be in alt at not being elbowed aside at feeding time, but truth be told, I would swear she looks a bit lonely.  Mind, she hisses and fights with the others but perhaps she has gotten accustomed to them and doesn't really like being the only cat in residence.

 * * * * *

Yesterday Alex had orientation for Dallas Theological Seminary, which starts in earnest on Monday.  He's got 15 textbooks to read this semester, and has already read one.  He's working on a Master's in Christian Education, and will be teaching private tuba lessons (is it only the tuba, Alex, or all low brass?) in Forney.  He's going to busy!  Please keep him in your prayers, and Beth as she homeschools Hannah and Faith.

 * * * * *

Don't think I've mentioned it here before, but Jessica, Brianna, and Bridgette are going to move in here the middle of September.  Between her marriage breaking up, her father dying, then her grandfather dying, and not getting a cent of child support from her ex since January, she's stressed out and needs to decompress some.

Of course, sharing a room with her girls - even if it is the master bedroom - wouldn't be my idea of decompressing but we're all different. 

I'm moving into the middle bedroom....taking my beloved adjustable bed, naturally!  I'm a fond mother and grandmother but there are limits. 

That's not all the changes.  This weekend Joe, who has lived with me for a year and a half (maybe a smidge longer) is going to basically trade places with his brother, Zhenya, with the latter moving in here and Joe moving in with Dan.  He says he's taking Max with him, which rather breaks my heart as I love Max dearly. 

At the end of the month my eldest son, Jonathan, is giving up his apartment and setting out to live an essentially nomadic life, as he can do his job from anywhere with computer access.  Isn't that the way?  Finally get all six of 'em here in the Metroplex and Jonathan leaves!  He's always wanted to do this, though, so we're all excited and pleased for him.  Prayers for his safety would be appreciated!

That's enough for now. If anyone's actually read the whole thing, thank you.  You're a pal. 

Alex had arranged a scavenger hunt for them, and the last instruction was to sing a song:

Back in July we had a get-together for Alex's homecoming, and here are a few pix from then:

The cats are usually with me, Dracula still determined to suck on my ears (though he'll accept Dmitry as a substitute if my ears are unavailable), and Magellan still exploring:

This past Sunday was Dmitry's 19th birthday, and that was the most discombobulated party I've ever given.  No real present, no beverages, no cake, no ice cream....just salads, which was what he asked to have. 

Had six of the grandkids here for it:  Brianna, Benjamin, Hannah, Bryson, Bridgette, and Faith (that's supposed to be in chronological order, though it's possible I messed up).  Bethany had another party to attend so she wasn't here, more's the pity, and neither was li'l Kirsten.  Six out of eight is not a bad showing, however. 

That's Bridgette up above, and here's Hannah giving Brianna a massage:

Several of the children gathered on the front porch while waiting for Uncle Alex (or Daddy, as the case might be) to arrange a scavenger hunt for them:

Everything's more exciting in the dark and with flashlights. 

This is simply a precious photo of my precious Benjamin Bunny:

The day before the party, I drove Zhenya down to Lynn Smith Chevrolet, where my dearest bro-in-law, John, had found him the perfect car, a 2001 PT Cruiser with 45K miles:

If you look carefully Zhenya's pleased face is visible:

Back to Sunday evening, I took Jessica's girls home then met Kirstin at her church to hand over the boys;  we beat her there so they played on the playground:

This afternoon Elaine and her girls combined entrepreneurship and generosity as they had a lemonade/iced tea stand set up so as to raise money for Operation Christ Child boxes:

By golly, they were snagging some customers!  One pulled up right as I was leaving;  here's Margaret carefully taking the lemonade to the car:

I know posting has been lackluster of late, but I think that's going to change before long. 

A friend of hers is a scribbler of "doodles and rhyme" and here's one called "Birthday Suit".

I still have on my "birthday suit,"
But it's beginning to show the wear,
Having all the signs of aging,
And places that easily tear.

Now nothing irons out the wrinkles,
And the seams seem to shrink and sag.
My once and handsome tailored garb
Fits like a shroud with a red tag.

Blotches and spots en masse appear
With no way they can be erased.
The healthy hues of pinks and tans
Have muted into paper paste.

When comes the time to take it off
("For flesh and blood no kingdom gains"),
I'll be so sick and tired of it,
I won't care much for what remains.

But pay no mind.  Have no concern.
I have a new one laid away.
It's up-to-date of highest style
and cannot ever fade or fray.

Not of water, but of the Blood
This vestment of my second birth
Is of fair cloth not sewn with hands,
And will for aye retain its worth!

Sigh.

My wretched memory has struck again, and I can't recall what I did that day, particularly.  Beyond going up to the church in the early evening or late afternoon for the 8 p.m. wedding.

I'm not going to sit around and be morose, however.  That accomplishes zip.  I'm having lunch with Jonathan at the Black-Eyed Pea, then run errands, and tonight Elaine and I are braving the wilds of Dallas to attend the Men's gymnastic competition of the United States Gymnastics Competition being held at the American Airlines Center.