Memorial Day

How was your Memorial Day weekend. Got up around noon since I didn't get to bed until about 3:30 AM. Took cats out and then load the car towards end of walk. Precious comes over but stops short of the door. I come downstairs with an armful of flowers and discarded stuff from Spring Cleaning, and there is Precious on the steps. How did you get in here?, I ask Precious. Probably neighbor came in and he squeaked by. He follows me out and back in. He stays inside while I go get Frodo. Catfishing lure breaks and Frodo still won't out. Go into the fallen branches hanging 4-5 feet in the air caught on other tree branches from last night's storm. Grab Frodo and he sprints. Got his back foot and pull him towards me. Wrapping my arms around him to pick him up is like wrestling with a tiger cub (or alligator). His claws grab my shirt giving him leverage to jump from my mean arms. Fine, stay out here all day. I'm late picking up Mom. Hear Precious meowing in the window. Poor kitty, he wants his buddy.

Drive to my parents' house and Mom gives me a quilt from her aunt's scraps. Mom's design and stitching, aunt's material her kids didn't want. Then she tries to pass on some Bath and Body works stuff and tell her to donate it to World Relief at church cause I have enough soap and lotion. Off we go to Walmart to pick up my early birthday present, a better vacuum. Guy in aisle recommends the one we stand in front of, cause we both like the price. Well if complete stranger recommends it, Mom thinks we should get it. I look at the label and like the no bag that needs replacing part, but don't like the clean your filters instead of replacing them part (I have allergies so that will be as much fun as cleaning the litterbox). A cheaper one had a bag, so pick the recommended one. The others were over a hundred dollars and looked more like steam cleaners. Mom offers to help me carry it to my apartment. Um, I'm 10 times stronger than her so I can't imagine how much help she will actually be, plus she hates steps. I lift the box with ease to Mom's surprise and carry it to the car. Now that I don't need her she suggests we skip my place and just go to Dexter. Are you sure you don't want to walk up three flights of stairs to pet my kitties. Though Frodo is terrified of people so I doubt he will come out if she is there. She'll pet them another time. But they love attention, I say. She is sure they do.

At the Walmart cash register, I try to gently inform Mom of my plans for make-up school in Burbank, CA. Of course she is concerned about it being so far away, Isn't there one closer? she asked, the money, and Will I get a job?. I explain looking up schools on the internet and this is the best one. And there beauty schools in this area (as I discovered taking courses at Iowa School of Beauty right after high school for a month before quitting) only teach prom make-up at a salon, not special effects needed in the movies. And yes I can get a job cause I can work in a salon spraying on tans, there is a Meredith Corporation we rent cars to that puts out a lot of magazines, a new tax credit if you make movies in Iowa, and other fashion magazines. I don't like being limited. The money would be the only problem and Hey, I paid off my England trip in a few months so I can do this. I was thinking this fall when the tourist season is not at its peak and cost less on the plane ticket. I didn't bring up the bonds grandpa gave me in junior high that Mom won't let go of. She offers them saying she found them looking for something else and but never gives them to me, she will hold them for safe keeping and earn more interest. I know I am dropping a bomb here and playing with kid gloves to let her get use to the idea first.

On to Dexter, Oh, forgot we stopped at my Dad's parents grave right before Walmart. Some guy whined how someone stole the saddle wreath he put on someone's grave yesterday. Mom thinks it is totally outrageous to steal flowers off a tombstone and the guy drives away. I tell her, You know the flowers could have blown off in last night's storm. I mean on the way down signs were ripped off their posts. Even a McDonald's billboard on the interstate was half blown off. People were taking down the flag poles representing the buried veterans so I drove carefully around them. Sorry I got up so late but I needed my sleep.

Drive back to her house after Dexter and say good-bye. Go grocery shopping. Back home let Precious out to help find Frodo. Problem, there are 2 guys bouncing a basketball, which Frodo finds frightening. I did pick him up and carry him over, but then he jump down when the noisy men got closer. Put my stuff away with Precious acting as my shadow. Frodo meows as we get closer. His favorite toy broken I get another ribbon on a stick to entice him. Guys are still bouncing the ball. Half hour later, go over to the door and sit on a step on the sidewalk to whip around the ribbon. Cats come, finally. Get cats inside and it is about 8:00. Watch a new movie from Disney "Enchanted" because I forgot to decline it as Movie of the Month. My form was under a bunch of papers and I forgot about it. Modern fairytale where your true love is someone else and bit of Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (change worlds) so I would say a My Favorite Martian and Shrek combination. Ripped a piece of mud off Frodo's leg and picked out 3 burs out of his tail with his objection to me grabbing at him. And put on a new lure on the catfishing pole. These things break off so frequently. Oh, and Frodo broke a glass candle holder jumping around ont he coffee table. Off to bed now. Later.