Tweener....

Today is going to be a two-post day. First I need to relate some Incidents which struck me as blog-worthy. (Spongeworthy? Naw, that's something else.)

But yesterday, Saturday, requires a blogpost unto itself, the reasons for which you will find made clear when I post it. (I am now officially hiding out from language mavens and English majors, and yes - I DO know what's wrong with that sentence. Nevermind.)

First: today is the Ides of March. So if a bunch o' guys in togas turn up at the door, don't let them in. I haven't heard of roaming gangs of Roman Senators in the streets, but better safe than sorry.

However! It is ALSO the birthday of one of my Favorites: CHARLENE BUTTERBEAN ! For the uninitiated (though I doubt if any of you are), she's the surrogate Mama Cat over at Itty Bitty Kitty Committee. She is the QUEEN of Floofy (with an admitted nod to Miss Flora Underfoot) and has the most remarkable personality: her human mama fosters litters of tiny newborn kittens - and Charlene mothers the lot, time after time, keeping them in line and polished. She's never been a mom herself, but is just one of those incredible nurturing, wise and gentle girls who can tenderly attend to an endless (we hope) stream of fuzzy infants. So go over there and either add to her good wishes or just admire her. While it's true that she's most remarkable I think it's a testament to her human family, too. Every kitten who leaves there for a forever home is so steeped in love and care ... and it's the combined labor of the people and Charlene Butterbean.

Second: Friday night was our Theme Dinner night. I finally made a realization: they can only be on Friday nights, because then Daddy can come along (that would be Son #1). He's driving over the road and doesn't usually get home before about 3:00 am. Well - Late Night Knit at the Sow's Ear is the first and third FRIDAY of the month. Soooo....any sensible person would've figured immediately that the dinners should be scheduled only on the 2nd and 4th Fridays. Right? Well -- that didn't come clear to me until recently, to which I can only say "better late than never". So as I said - last Friday was The Night.

The Theme, as determined by my seven-year-old grandson, was to be "Japan". I didn't arrange any activities (you know how I've said I don't sew? I don't do origami either....nevermind). But I did find a wonderful, short story from Japan to read. The menu was a chicken teriyaki stir-fry, and Mr Dearling (a really excellent cook)was in line to cook.

Now - we had a senior program at 3:30 so I'd set dinnertime for 7:00 pm. These programs are one hour. But only -- we're talking about me and Mr Dearling here, and we got out of there at 5:40. We stopped on the way home and got some sushi (California rolls - I wasn't optimistic about a four-year-old eating raw fish). Bottom line here? We got home at about 6:10. Mr Dearling immediately went into action and so did I -- I got a huge empty bin from the basement and "tidied up the living room" and shoved it into the den and shut the door. Martha Stewart, if you're reading this, NEVERMIND!

Then Mr Dearling Points Out a Problem. (Good title for kids' book?) First a bit of background (did I ever mention I have a major trunkful of I Digress?). I drink cream in my tea. Well, actually "rubber cream" - non-dairy creamer. I like Rich's. A lot. Trouble is, it comes in quart cartons and is always frozen solid. The last few times I've gotten it, I've had to put the carton in a bowl to thaw because the seams split and it leaks. I know this.

What the HECK is this?? You may have to enlarge it, but let me put it this way: it's approximately 3/4 of a quart of rubber cream. On the bottom of the fridge. Twenty minutes before a family dinner. Because some total idiot ... erhm... I forgot to put the carton in a bowl.

See this? This is the contents of my fridge, on the table. Fifteen minutes before a family dinner. Martha Stewart? If you're reading, I agree that it's a good idea to empty and scrub out the fridge from time to time. But you know what? Three minutes before a family dinner and under extreme duress is not ideal. Just sayin'. And no, I don't keep my paper towels in the fridge. Nevermind.

The upshot? I called #1 son and put it off by a half hour; the Lovely Daughter called to say SHE would be a bit late (whew!) and...(get this) even #2 son came! He was a bit late too but in plenty of time. So in spite of Considerable Stress (no, Martha Stewart, a long bath in a tub surrounded by scented candles followed by a massage with Horvath the Hungarian Pool Boy was not an option) we had a very nice dinner. We ate in a circle on the floor out of bowls, with chopsticks, mostly (I have some that are fastened together on the end so even the four-year-old managed). The Pleasant Girl with Son #2 (very nice, we've known for quite some time) said she'd never had such an event - dinner on the floor, reading stories! She seemed to like the whole lot! We ended the evening with sherbet and the story, and while it was later than usual it was a very nice evening indeed!

When all was said and done (and gone) Mr Dearling stacked up the dishes neatly and after reading quietly for a while I washed up and went to bed -- in VERY HIGH ANTICIPATION of the Next Day Coming. Watch this space.

TEASER!