The Blog & Basil Are Still Alive

It's a beautiful gorgeous day. I had some time today to buy a new outside corn broom that has been on my list of things to do for underestimated months. My old nubby one was worn down to the cross stitches. I decided a few hours ago even though I have some other things I would like to do,  I would instead create some time to blog today.... it is on my important list.

I will post my updates of each muffin below, but haven't gotten to write as much because I have been engrossed in an incredible book, The Glass Castle. I can't both read and write wholeheartedly on top of my other requirements... it would leave me in total seclusion. My book is about a girl who grew up in a way of living she couldn't wait to get out of and seldom look back upon. This bringing up showed her what she never wanted to be, but instead became something incredible that SHE chose. I was at the chiropractor today undergoing spinal decompression when I got to a part that I knew would bring tears so I had to stop. Her father, an alcoholic who loved her dearly and promised a castle made out of glass to her as one of his ongoing drunken stories confessed his days were numbered. The two shared a special love for one another despite his problem. That's where I left it... and little now to continue until the end. I thought that I would actually have it finished by now. I planned on completing the pages I had left during the lengthy bus ride to the Grand Canyon chaperoning for Stink's field trip. Which, by the way rocked. The bus didn't have working lights on them at night along with the broken TV's.  So I huddled with my phone light and book until the battery went out on my phone and I had to stop.

The Sergeant had never been to the Grand Canyon, and I don't really remember ever going now that I was there and viewed it's sight. Ranger L lead the class at the start to the view of the gorge in two linear lines with a few rules: The kids were quiet with eyes closed and a gentle hold onto the person in front of them. The class didn't know where they were going. Some peeked. When the Ranger said to open their eyes they were in front of Arizona's top state sights.

Wondrous! We were about to dig into that wonder and learn about the different rocks and Canyon development with activities. I was worried about the kids getting too close to the edge and during one part my mother mode kicked in around a particular corner. As concerned as I was I think someone else was even more so. Stink kept his eye on me the whole time, held my hand and around this narrow corner told me that he didn't know what he would do without me as he gave me his friend's souvenir walking stick for protection... which wouldn't save me but he thought it might.

I have always respected the honesty of children. 
On our class hike I listened to a clever song about farts in the wind developed by one in my group and another that broad casted the zits on this mans chest that walked along by with his shirt off. I really felt old during the bus ride home when I fell asleep, then awoke to the girls passing around notes as I once did. So I decided to pass something along myself from back in my childhood day. Jacob's Ladder string trick. The girl behind me had a string and I told her I would show her. Before I knew it her seat was replaced with another that wanted to learn... then another.... and another until there was a girlie group together trying to master the trick. By this time my fingers and body were tired... It didn't help that my DTaP vaccine decided to spark my immune system this very evening. I was ready as I took my old self, Sergeant and my third son home to where Benny awaited.

Benny is out of tape. This became a crisis when he wanted to build a fort in the living room yesterday. He resorted to building a back-seat car fort instead. Benny found a blanket in the car and rolled the window up on one end of it while doing the same to the other side on the other end of the blanket. His skills are still alive even without tape and so is something else of his... Benny's Basil! We all thought that this hardy plant was a goner during the winter freeze. I got rid of the remains with sad emotions quite some time ago and it was nothing but a large, dry, dead bush. I found the green sprout a week ago. Our homemade pesto days are NOT over.

So here my day continues in it's weatherous delight...

my children are going to come home
I will kiss their mouths then fill them with lemon snaps
take the frozen cranberries off of my back
go on a tape run to the store 
BBQ some baby back ribs
watch my babies as they swim and play