Our Exciting Monday (not really)

Things that have happened around here over the past twenty four hours:

Austin brought home a sub sandwich from Ingles that was so good that I stole half of it. He really volunteered it. It was a toasted roast beef with chipotle gouda. My kid has such an evolved palate!

For breakfast this morning I had black grapes (my favorites) and pound cake. Ok. Not balanced but yum.

For lunch today I had tabbouleh and chocolate ice cream.

Later Austin made chicken rice in the rice cooker and I ate that too.

Yes, I have a carb/sugar problem. Sugar is bad for people with pain, however, at least I haven't resorted to booze or hard drugs.

My brother came over to try to fix the lawnmower last night. My niece Jamie visited me in the Whine Cellar and helped me unpack some boxes of books. She asked if we could put up a Christmas tree (my purple one) and I said, "sure, why not?" because... really, why not? There's a ton of space in the basement and ... anyways... but her dad reminded her that it wasn't a good idea to be where cats had been (she's so badly allergic) and we had to abandon the decorating in progress. Now there is an undecorated tree in my basement because, again, why not?

I woke up at some point and saw the super moon but wasn't impressed enough to walk upstairs to get my camera.

This living on three different levels is tricky. I am constantly dragging my chapstick and cup of ice water with me.

This new fridge has the ice maker in the door thing that makes crushed ice. Other than my time with Darby, we've never had that sort of new fangled luxury. I like it very much and drink either ice water or orange juice over crushed ice constantly.

Austin is explaining the difference to me between his "working in the yard flipflops" and his "dress flipflops". While wearing a striped polo shirt with patterned pajama pants. He looks like a homeless man.

It's really bizarre how well his room works. Even with him and Logan up  playing games all night, I never heard them, even though I was on the same level. These walls are thick.

UPS came today. It's the first time they've been here so that was interesting. He parked at the top of the driveway and walked down. It's not that far but it's fairly steep. He walked to the back door which we have barricaded so the cats can't get out of the screened porch. The front porch is fenced off so the dogs can go potty without running off. Where was I going with this? Oh yeah. UPS came today.

The dishwasher became unhinged this morning while I was emptying it. Just for the record, it's not a good idea for me to hold a dishwasher up. Seems like everyday there is some new insult or injury to my back. Yesterday it was unpacking books with Jamie, today the dishwasher. You would think that not working would spare me but just in the course of daily life stuff happens.

A few pictures to illustrate our lazy little Monday:

 

 This cat sleeps anywhere and everywhere... curled up on a kitchen chair...

 My mom's shoes. She wears them out to garden or fish and takes them off at the door before she comes in. There is a collection of shoes at every door. Austin, as previously mentioned, just has the "dress flipflops" and the "work flipflops". Myself... I'm pretty much an indoor girl. I have my mary jane sketchers that I wear to town and my old navy flip flops that I wear... to town... and that's about it. I do have a pair of black keds in the trunk of the car for what reason I don't know. I have more shoes than that, of course, but those are the only ones in circulation up here at the mountain house.

When my mom goes out to fish she usually goes down to the Whine Cellar and out the door there. Lady is scared of the steps so she waits at the top of the stairs for Mawmaw to come back up. So pitiful.

 Mom rearranged the living room because the couch was blocking the air vent and it got right stuffy in here every afternoon. It's not very feng sui, it sort of makes the room feel choppy but it's cooler and in the Summer in the South, that's what matters.

 Aerial view of new living room arrangement.

 The newest participant in the Feline Relocation Project, Eddie the Ginger Cat is settling into his new home. He also will not attempt the stairs so out of six animals - three cats and three dogs - only two will use the stairs, Oscar the dachshund and Little Trouble Kitty. The other four animals are confined to the main level and the screen porch. And the Poop Pen out front.

 My mom caught a fish and realized that her pliers weren't at the dock so she brought it up for Austin to get off the hook. Oscar thinks that every fish belongs to him so he bounced up and down the whole way up from the dock trying to get his fish. I couldn't get a picture of it... he was too fast.

 Austin holding the fish... mom and Logan trying to get Oscar... Lily taking her chance to escape. Never a dull moment here!

Happy Monday, y'all!