3 Sisters 7 Days

This past weekend was exhausting. I worked the whole holiday weekend – including two 12-hour days! My patience has been low, along with my energy. It has taken everything out of me to get in my runs with Sammy and a little bike riding (long work days aren’t going to deter me from my cross training).

Maz, on the other hand, had a three day weekend AND he gets home at 2:30 everyday! Then why am I doing everything? I just don’t know.

Conversation One:

Me: Can you go to Costco?

Maz: What do you need?

Me: Well, coffee for starters.

Maz: I think you can go a day without coffee.

Me: Yes, I can but I need you to actually run an errand – point blank. Just because I don’t have time to go to Costco today doesn’t mean I will have time tomorrow. Have some freaking confidence; I think you can do a Costco trip on your own.

Later in the day…Maz was showing off his confidence by giving me the details of his shopping trip. The last thing on my mind was how he couldn’t find the mushrooms, so he decided not to get them.

Conversation Two…following another long day for me, while Maz got home at 2:30:

Me: Maz,  when you get home early everyday, I really need you to clean up the kitchen and empty your lunch box. I don’t want to see a full lunchbox on that table again (for those of you who don’t already know, Maz takes a lunchbox the size of a carry-on suitcase with him to work everyday).

Maz: Okay, but today I fell asleep.

Me: It’s called a NAP, and I am glad one of us has time for it.

Me (while doing the dishes): Can you take the bathroom trash out & put it in the kitchen trash, then take the kitchen trash out because tomorrow is trash day?

Maz: No response.

Then I start to see movement…Bathroom trash is gone, kitchen trash is gone, BUT there’s no new bag in the kitchen trash can.

Conversation Three…about ONE hour later:

Maz: You know, I took the trash can to the curb; I didn’t just put the house trash in the can.

Me: What, do you want a gold star?

On Sunday, the Fourth of July, my mom called crying because someone had taken her dog, Bear. Not likely; he probably ran scared from the fireworks! Nearly an hour of looking later – a group endeavor that included seven family members, four police officers responding to calls about a loose dog, and the woman who found him at a nearby park – Bear was home. My mom took Bear to the vet on Monday because he was limping. Apparently, he wore the pads off of his front paws running on hot pavement. I’m happy to report that Bear is on twice-a-day antibiotic regimen, but should recover fully. Until he does, he’ll b sporting these sassy Hanes crew socks.

On Friday, Maz and I both had the day off (doesn’t happen very often) so we decided to do all the running around that neither of us has had time to do.  We hit the bank, Costco, Target, Ranch Foods Direct, and Sunflower Market. We stocked up on all the toiletries, meat, fruits, and vegetables and now we are good for at least a week.

While shopping, Maz’s mind was completely fixated on “the American Holiday” that is, to most of us, the 4th of July.  He threw out my idea of Mexican food really quick! Nothing was to go into the cart at any of these stores unless it symbolized America. So in went the beef ribs, potato (for potato salad), the baked beans, apples for the homemade apple pie, and of course, how could we forget the alcohol beverage of HIS choice-  good ole American Budweiser?  (Even though Budweiser is now owned by the Belgians).

As we planned the menu for “the American Holiday” it occurred to me that l would be spending a good amount of time in the kitchen…Ugh!

Okay, the cooking went surprisingly well.  Went off with no real problems and I didn’t get too sick of the kitchen walls.  The beans were, like always, fantastic- my favorite; the potato salad was, you know, potato salad- it’s hard for me to get excited over  a side dish that always seems to be a bit bland; and the beef ribs were good- next time,  go with boneless- I never think ribs on the bone are worth the effort. Oh, I can’t forget the Apple Pie- fantastic as well, especially when accompanied by a scoop of vanilla ice cream and doused with caramel sauce…what a way to end the da!.

Earlier in the day, We – Maz, Brian and myself- took all six doggies on a two and a half hour hike.  We hiked the hills of Palmer Park. It was great because we got an early enough start so that the weather wasn’t too hot and we didn’t start late enough for the rain to hit us. It was quite amusing seeing three adults with six dogs! It was seriously like a zoo but went as well as can be expected…we started with six and ended with six.

Next time ,we definitely need to bring a camera, there were some amazingly clear views of the whole city.  The dogs got a good workout and were down for the count when we returned home…

Okay, I was going to go into detail about the crappy weather that visited Colorado Springs on the 4th of July but I would like to remember everything WE had control over- the food and the great hike we all took!