TGIF

I have way too many competing thoughts in my head right now so I think I will just unload them as they come along:

RUDE AWAKENINGS
First off, I got crap for sleep last night because after getting into bed early with the windows open (ahhhh!) I was rudely awakened by a calf cramp (argh!) that made me lunge out of bed at 2:26am. I got rid of the cramp by stretching and drinking water and then I tried to pick up where I left off with sleep. About 5 minutes into that effort I heard a screeching of tires in the driveway next door (which is only like 10 feet from our bed) and heard some coughing and an "Are you okay now?". I peered out the window and saw one of my neighbors puking into her bushes (thankfully not MY bushes) while some guy stood near her.  I hadn't heard a car engine revving because the guy was driving a "golf cart" (as Emi would say) - something that is gaining in popularity in my neighborhood.  A smaller version of one my parents have.


BLOOD, BONES & BUTTER
This book is waiting for me at the library. I put it on hold the other day seconds after reading a recommendation for it from The Inspiration Files blog.  I love that I can do that. Speaking of the library, last weekend after I posted pictures of the bench that I moved into our library, I got busy culling out junk to toss and books to donate. I also went through all of the kid vids, donating what we don't want or need and chucking the empty DVD holders.  I filled up a medium sized box that is now with the other stuff in the basement waiting patiently for my next trip to Salvation Army (my charity of choice because it's the closest to my house). Even with just that cursory culling the library looks so much better.

LONG WEEK
While this week was short in days, it felt longer for me. Probably because Scott was out of town Wednesday night and I was flying solo with the kids.  While I can definitely imagine being a single mom to 3 kids, I can't imagine liking it.  It wasn't too bad but just because Daddy wasn't around, each little hobo tried to change up the schedule of events for Wednesday. Can we eat out? No. Can I sleep in your bed with you? Me too, me too! No. Can we watch a movie? No. I took all of the kids to Emi's soccer practice and was planning to hang out and play during practice until my good friend (thank you, Sharmin!) volunteered to bring Emi home after practice. I think we screeched our tires getting out of there before she could change her mind.  The Little Ones needed a bath and dinner and we needed to Skype with the grandparents at 7pm. And they needed to be in bed by 7:30. So, I did things in reverse order and bathed the kids before dinner. During the Skyping their aunt read them a book so we could skip that part of the bedtime routine.  And after they were in bed, Emi wanted to stay up so I invited her to sit in the peace and quiet with me and read. And she did until she fell asleep (like a good girl) at 8:30.

The whole house was so quiet with the windows open and I only need to tweak one thing on my blog before I could welcome sweet slumber. That's when I heard a crunch, crunch through the front porch window. When I looked up expecting to see one of my cats eating her dinner, I saw a masked bandit instead. I knocked on the window to scare him off but he seemed to open his little bandit arms in a gesture of "What? I'm eatin' here!" so I had to go onto the porch to run him off. I settled back in with my laptop afterwards until he returned. That's when I decided the front lawn needed a nice long watering. I sprayed down everything including the porch and returned to my warm laptop. Amazingly he was back so I ran him off again. This time he decided to hide in the back yard.

So I flipped on all of the backyard lights and soon spotted the raccoon walking around like "What have we here?" eyeing the water bowl, checking out the chicken coop. I came out with a broom screaming like a crazy woman and chased him up our Enchanted Pecan Tree.  As I was texting Scott about my concern for the chickens (raccoons have been known to slaughter chickens!) the little guy came down the pecan tree and headed for the front yard where he ran under the Disco. I could see him pacing around trying to figure out which way to run so I ran at the Disco to encourage him to leave and he was well on his way until a neighbor from next door drove up, scaring him past me back into the back yard. Eventually Rocky Raccoon left, chickens unharmed, and I was able to finish my blogwork and get to bed.

WEEKENDING
I'm looking forward to yoga (maybe with my early riser, David-son!); the first soccer game of the season; planting some seeds; drinking some red, red wine; carting off some stuff to The Salvation Army; reading a good book; viewing some Dexter & Breaking Bad; and maybe eradicating the Dallisgrass in the front yard.

What about you? Any exciting plans for the weekend?