Family and friends are exhausting
2004-07-03, 4:33 p.m.

Oh what a day. We got up and lounged around awhile, and had a little breakfast. Whereupon Spouse put the dog in her run and went back to bed. I shaved, showered, dressed, and he was still in bed, so Raj and I took our walk and went several blocks. When we got home, Spouse had finally risen and was getting cleaned up. As I had suspected, he wanted to go to Milwaukee for to buy chicken, and look for a yard swing.

What I hadn't planned for was him wanting to take the kids. But we picked them up by the interstate, and gave A & J the fireworks we've had in the garage since S went to Tennessee a while back. They were pleased to get them, as it was a pack of Roman candles, a whole brick of Black Cats, and a gross of bottle rockets.

Well, we went to Tower Chicken and got three, and had them cut 'em up for us. The kids got a couple to take to their mom, and they also each got a container of homemade chicken soup. What was I gonna say? No, you can't have wholesome homamade chicken soup. Have some Cheet-Os instead?! If they ask for something like that, I tend to give in pretty easily.

We took them to Paul's Omega for lunch, because the food is great, the portions huge, and the menu is endless. If you can't find something to eat there, you just ain't hungry. My special little guy and I had the turkey club with fries and coleslaw, and Spouse had the BBQ pork sandwich. Little Miss High Maintenance had to have a rib dinner. She hardly made a dent, and said the sauce was too spicy. It was Sweet Baby Ray's, and it was tangy, but I would never call it spicy. She was too full to eat her dessert, so Spouse had her order the strawberry shortcake, and he and the boy split it. I had one bite, and it is as good as ever.

After lunch, we went next door to Wally's to look at patio furniture, and pick up some necessities. Well, he didn't find the swing he wanted. he found a better one! This thing's seat is almost six feet long, and it converts into a hammock! The back drops down flat and it turns into a bed. I'm serious! Exceedingly cool. Marked down to $100, and we got the last one.

I have to say, for a ferociously busy Wally's, they had loads of floor workers, and everyone was very helpful. One of the associates took the swing up front for us on a pallet jack, and wrote our name on it for holding, so we could finish shopping. If assocs were allowed to take tips, he would have gotten a fiver out of me!

We went back to electronics and let the kids pick out something. She got the soundtrack to "School of Rock", and he got the soundtrack to "Shrek 2". Both are pretty good CDs, but hers is by for the more hardcore. But that's the way they are. She is way tougher and rougher in a lot of ways. Oh, and I got the Ron White DVD, and S got "The Great White Hype", which he likes and was in the $5.50 table.

We hit the road after loading up, 'cause the swing box was sticking out the back and it liked like rain. Those two bickered kicked and fought almost all the way back to their house. Little shits. They caught a bit of hell from their mom about that. A&J were surprised to get the chickens, and a little puzzled by the soup, but they laughed and insisted on paying for the chickens.

We barely beat the rain getting home, and Spouse wrapped the tarp around the swing box and left it in the drive till the rain subsided.

I went in and put away the shopping, then sat down to relax a while. When the doorbell rand, it really surprised me. It was W, who had taken all three dogs for a walk, and had locked herself out of the house. She had to walk all the way back to my house (about five blocks) to get the spare key I keep for her. Well, I wasn't going to let them walk all the way back home again in the rain, so I piled them into my car and gave them a ride.

Whew! glad to do it, but now my car is lined in Siberian Husky fur, and I will definitely have to get it cleaned tomorrow. I'd planned to anyway. The worst part was...W brought along the poo bag, instead of throwing it out at my place. GACK! @&*% what a stench. I made her hang it out the open window, rain or no rain. What a goof. I think she's really tired, because that isn't like her at all. (the locking out, or the poo bag).

Well, the rain stopped, and spouse is out putting his new toy together, I'm writing this, and now I'm going to play a game and relax. I'm kinda pooped.