California Visit

A bit delayed, but here are some photos of my trip to see John, Erin, Owen and Marcus. Brian flew in, too. There was plenty of good food, running around with nephews, Speed Scrabble, poker, and assorted fun. Erin put me and Brian to work helping pick out and install a new light fixture in the dining room. You can see the before and after pictures down at the bottom of this post on the Johnson's blog. 

It was really a team effort. Erin looked on line and found a couple she thought would work. It took Brian, John, Erin and me to take the old one down. It was heavy and awkward and ugly. Here it is waiting for me to take it apart and put it in a box. Erin found a woman to give her $200 or something for the whole thing and the ceiling medallion that was up with it.

We were a little concerned about getting that medallion down. Mostly just the unknown as to how it was up there. Luckily, the B was masterful with a putty knife and it was only up there with a couple finish screws. 

 

Once all that was down, Erin and I went to pick up the new fixture and assorted items to patch up the ceiling around where the medallion was. Brian did a fine job with spackle and sanding. I put up a coat of primer and we installed the new one. John played a very important role in getting the boys out of the house for a while. Brian was the height and muscle behind the whole operation. Owen was the vacuum cleaner operator to clean up our mess. Mar was just busy being cute. Erin finished up the painting in the next couple of days. I was the consultant/supervisor. ;) 

Here's a picture of Brian and me with the finished product.

 

Delayed Post of Christmas Fun

Over Christmas in Houston my cousins Kelli, Nick, Stephanie and Matt came over to play with Owen and Marcus and introduce us all to baby Ivy. They also brought along quite possibly the funniest present I have ever seen! We had a blast.

Erin got a little behind on her waxing. Marcus doesn't seem to care.

I think Owen looks like a junior Einstein with black hair instead of white.

Might be a good new look for Brian.

Even little Ivy got in on the action. She just didn't know it.

REK, Part 2

I just got back from going to see Robert Earl Keen at the House of Blues in Houston. It was such a good show. Very different from seeing him at the Capital Theater in Davenport. He had a full band, with steel guitar and everything. They were all excellent musicians.


We stood right behind this VIP-looking area before the opening band (Sons of Bill) came on. Turns out, that VIP-looking area was where REK's Uncle Joe and other family members sat. For not having seats, it was probably as good as you could get. We had a barricade to lean on and unobstructed views. 

Best part: they closed the show with "Merry Christmas from the Family" immediately followed by "Feliz Navidad." So much fun.

Christmas Memories

My friend Anne had a post this week about singing Christmas carols with her grandfather. So sweet, and it made me cry a little. 

Now, mind you, I do not ever recall hearing Papa or Grandpa sing. In fact, I distinctly remember Grandpa picking which mass he went to based on how much (or how little, really) singing would be done. I also remember that Grandpa would wear bright red suspenders under his sport coat sometimes to church. I think because it bugged Granny. 

It got me thinking about Christmases of my childhood. I don't remember lots, but I do remember one year (I don't recall which one) that the pipes in our house were frozen. We had to stay at Granny and Grandpa's on Christmas Eve. I am pretty sure that we all still believed in Santa Claus, and worried about how Santa would know where to find us. I remember opening presents on the blue shag carpet in Granny and Grandpa's living room. I think that was the year we got the "Dukes of Hazard" steering wheel toy. The other things I remember about assorted Christmases at Granny and Grandpa's was how sometimes Grandpa would light a fire in their fire place. I remember thinking that was the coolest thing ever. In retrospect, I wonder if it was ever really cold enough in Houston to light a fire in a fireplace.

So Much Fun

Well, Mom and Brian both headed home today. Mom at the crack of dawn, Brian at about 1:30 PM. 

It was so much fun having them here. Thanksgiving morning, Brian and I ran/walked the Turkey Trot in Davenport. It was cold, but really fun. It was nice having B with me...he even went slow for me. We had a great meal Thursday. My friend Chanda and her mom Michelle came to share Thanksgiving dinner with us. We had such a good time. I made the WW pumpkin pie recipe. It is now my favorite pumpkin pie! It's got molasses in it, and all the usual pumpkin pie spices, but seems "spicier" than the recipe from the back of a can of pumpkin. Spicier in a good way. 

We continued our tradition of watching the Lord of the Rings trilogy until late at night. Then we added a new one: The Bourne Trilogy movies. I forgot how good those were. 

Mom helped me put up Christmas decorations. She even did my least favorite task of spreading out the branches on my artificial tree. We put lights in the bushes out front. I also got a new little snow man to add to the outdoor decorations. We had a little photo shoot, because I wanted a picture of me and Miner to send to mom, Granny and Erin. Here's a preview, but not the one currently being printed at the drug store. 

I did have to interrupt Mom's decorating to take her for a short ride in the bug with the top down. We drove over to a friend's house, but they weren't home, so we tooled around for a few minutes and came home. Then we finished the tree. You can see most of it in Miner's "bah humbug!" photo. Miner is definitely not a fan of photo shoots.

So Excited

Tomorrow, Mom and Brian will be here (assuming all travel happens safely, timely, etc. knock-on-wood). :) Woot! 

On the schedule - Brian and I are running the Turkey Trot on Thursday. Thanksgiving dinner at my house with Chanda and her mom joining us. Friday who knows what followed by board games at the Garton's house. Saturday who know what. Sunday they all go home and I start cramming in homework that I have been putting off to grocery shop and vacuum. Oh, and there will be some LOTR watching going on. 

On the menu - 2 turkey breasts (4 actually...heh boobies). Mom/Aunt Net/Granny's dressing recipe. Mashed taters. Gravy. Cranberry sauce I am making. Broccoli cheese casserole. Pumpkin pie. 

Wah Hoo!

Long Time, No Post

I've been busy with school, running and school. Plus I am volunteering for the Go Red for Women Luncheon in The Quad Cities, so that takes some time, too.

I did make it to Houston last weekend and managed to not take a single picture. I'll have to wait for Erin to post the ones she took.

I did, however, get myself a spiffy new t-shirt from my godmother, Linda. She's in a band called the Mydolls and they are working on setting up a Girls Rock Camp in Houston. This is one of the shirts they are selling to promote/raise money for it.

I was Shawna's date...

...to her friend's wedding this weekend. I had never met anyone prior to coming to MSP for this shin-dig. I had SO much fun and met lots of very nice people. We danced our butts off. It was great.

Between the wedding and reception, Shawna and I went shopping at LB. We made friends with the manager. She was a hoot and apparently we cracked her up, too. She tried to recruit Shawna to work there.

I am tried, but looking forward to brunch with Brian in about an hour and then IKEA and headed home. AND I have discovered why I love AMC for playing Mad Men back to back...I can see the season premier even if I don't make it back home before 9 PM. Woot!

My Cousin Stephanie is Super Talented

My cousin Steph and her husband Matt were visiting Erin and John this week in Honolulu. She took some amazing photos while there. Frankly, all the photos she takes are great!!

Sweet!!

Got a call from Brian this afternoon. He is driving to Indy this weekend with some friends. They're crashing here tonight. :) Jealous, Mom?

Pousson Weekend

I took a half day Friday and drove up to MN. I got into town in time to eat some yummy broccoli with peanut sauce that Brian made. We had time to kill before Mom and Dad got in, so we went and saw Watchmen. I didn't know anything about the graphic novel or the story. Deffinitely different. Kinda crazy.

Saturday, we had brunch with two of Brian's friends at Hell's Kitchen. It was good food and good company. I saw several bald eagles on my way up Friday, so we decided to see if we could see some Saturday afternoon. We drove down to the National Eagle Center in Waubasha, MN. It was a nice drive. Mom and Dad both got to see bald eagles, which I don't think they had before.

One of my favorite things so far this weekend has been Mom commenting about the snow on the ground and the river being frozen over. Pousson's can tend to read aloud the signs we see on the side of the road. When you are out in the country and there aren't any signs to read, Mom would randomly comment about all the snow. :) I forget that it's normal for me and Brian but totally foreign for TX.

Going to see the family

I am getting very excited...I leave around noon tomorrow to go see Brian in St. Paul, MN. Plus, Mom and Dad get there tomorrow night, and will be there for a few days, too. It will be a nice little mini-vacation. Too bad it isn't to someplace really warm. That will have to wait until I get to go see Erin and John and the boys in HI this summer. :)

Like all good Pousson visits. We already had one meal planned well in advance. We have reservations for breakfast on Saturday at Hell's Kitchen in Minneapolis. Yumm, yumm, yumm!!!

Aunt Margaret

I was thinking about Aunt Margaret as I crossed the I-74 bridge, coming home from the airport last night...don't know why. Brian's been working on a poem that I just read a draft of and was wondering about the stories I shared at the funeral. I don't know what I did with the Hertz contract I wrote them on, but here's what I remember. I asked for happy memories from her siblings, and added some of mine and finished with Kelli's.

Mine: Her being in the car (debate about whose car) with me the VERY first time I drove. I know it was her and not mom or Aunt Lee Lee in the passenger seat because I know that I passed a car on the 2-lane county road we were on going from White Hall back to Waller. I remember her coaching me through that.

Aunt Lee Lee: shopping at SAM's club to buy toilet paper and them joking that if they didn't have to wipe their asses they wouldn't see each other (cleaned up because you can't say 'wipe their asses' in a Catholic church apparently)

Aunt Monnie: about how she got to be in the delivery room when Kyle was born and how happy she was to be a part of that moment

Uncle Jimmy: about how he had worked for the phone company for years and was always known as Pousson until aunt Margaret started working there and instantly became "Margaret's brother"

Uncle Jay: how he was often her chaparone on trips to the beach, charged with protecting her from the boys in the neighborhood

Dad: I can't remember what Dad's was. I can't remember if Dad actually gave me one, or if I supplied him with one about going to the farmer's market...damnit. Mom, do you remember?

Kelli: she asked Aunt Anna Marie what Momo was like. Aunt Anna Marie's response was "kind, sweet and loving...your Aunt Margaret is a lot like Momo was." Which I thought was neat, because when we were looking through pictures in Aunt Margaret and Uncle Ed's dining room, the needle point of the Serenity Prayer that Momo made was right over Uncle Ed's shoulder. So that's what I closed with.

It still cracks me up that Uncle Jay said, "I know the PERFECT person to speak at the funeral. Amy Rose can do it...she's our little corporate speaker." Talking about bulldozers is one thing...

The "Farm"

Yesterday, we drove out to my Aunt Jeanette and Uncle Dave's house. Aunt Jeanette is my mom's sister. They live in Belleville, TX which is about an hour from my parents' house if you take I-10 and do 75 or 80 the entire time. Which, by the way, was slower than most driving on I-10 at 9:45 AM on the day after Christmas.

Aunt Jeanette and Uncle Dave have 15 acres with a house, a pond, a barn-type shed, a big ass garage, 2 donkeys, 5 or 6 goats, 2 dogs, some peacocks and some ducks. We used to go out there to swim when we were little, long before there were ever donkeys or goats. Owen kept saying, "we're going to the farm, today!"

When my sister posts some pictures or video on her blog, I'll put a link to it. Owen had a great time chasing goats until Carmen the goat wanted to butt heads with him. Owen got to ride on the tractor with Aunt Jeanette and Uncle Dave took us all walking through the woods. Owen kept asking if this was the hundred-acre woods where pooh bear lives.

We had a good time, ate too much sausage and got to see our cousin Sarah and I finally got to meet her boyfriend Ben.

Photo Booth: Owen

Before lunch time, Owen had fun with Photo Booth on my computer:

Houston

It's pretty darn cold in Houston today. It started getting colder yesterday. It's still not below freezing, but cold enough.

My aunt Margaret passed away Thursday night. I'm really sad and it really sucks. My uncle Ed asked me to say a few words at the funeral tomorrow. I have an idea of what I will say, just not sure I'll be able to say it all. Plus, it's hard to find the right words.

Mom and I took Owen to the mall yesterday. We rode the carousel at the mall and then went to mickey d's for lunch. Owen had chicken nuggets and a chocolate shake. Mom and I discussed how the greatest thing ever would be to have a whopper jr. and fries from mickey d's...their fries are fantastic.

shopping...

...is sometimes fun and sometimes sheer torture for me. One of the nice side effects of being nearly single again is that I have 7 fewer people to buy gifts for. The Poussons decided last year that grown-up don't exchange presents...which was shot down by the Van Hooks. I know that it's the thought that counts, but I need more stuff like I need a hole in my head.

Thanks to the magic of the internet, the US Postal Service and UPS, all my Christmas shopping is done. I just had stuff shipped right to Mom and Dad's in Houston. Mom and Erin are under strict instructions to hide presents in the same closet where mom hid ours...and not to wrap them, because that is my favorite part. There are just a couple things for Owen that will travel on the plane with me.

And I already bought myself a nice couch for Christmas that will show up the week after, I think.

put out good mojo...

...or think good thoughts, or say a prayer or whatever it is that you do. My Aunt Margaret is not doing well. :(

Thanksgiving, etc.

Mom and Brian came to town for Thanksgiving this year. Dad stayed back in TX to go deer hunting. We made a couple of turkey breasts and all the sides. My friend Vonda joined us. She made 2 pumpkin pies, rolls and cranberry sauce. Vonda left a whole pie plus 2 pieces with us. Guess what I had for breakfast, afternoon snack and late night snack?


Movies watched from Wed-Friday: the extended versions of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Snatch and The Usual Suspects.
Miner and Brian in full-on relax mode:


Mom and Brian helped me pick out a new sofa on Friday. They both left Saturday morning. Saturday, I did more shopping, went out for sushi with friends for Sarah's birthday, and then out to see Mommy's Little Monster. It's been snowing since I left the bar last night! Today, I stayed inside and organized my closets and cleaned my office.

I also checked grades for my statistics class that ended last month. They aren't all posted, but the grades for the final exam were. I got an A on the exam! Woot!

I don't mean to brag...

...but seriously, I have the cutest nephew EVER!