Cagney is home... did I ever leave?!?

Hello friends!! It is official!! I am going to make myself not blog every night!! When I do, I get a comment here and 1 there, and they are from my same faithful friends!! I seem to write my heart out, and noone writes back (except those of you that comment REGULARLY and I LOVE THAT!!!), so, I am going to cut back on posts, which I am hoping will INCREASE the comments, like it did last time!! We'll see how it goes!!

If you'll notice the title, you'll see that Cagney is now my new code name. Lacy, my partner in crime, or rather SOLVING them, is still at her home in TX, and I am back in KY. When we got home, Shane had fixed a roast and mashed potatoes for us, (wasn't that SWEET?), but then as of today, I am pretty sure that my whole trip to TX was just a dream. Back to normal... as if I never left Kansas, I mean, KY! Baby chicks are coming tomorrow, so the day was filled with preparation for their arrival. I received the honor of scrubbing feed pans today. I got the last 500 or so done. These are pans from last flock, so they have been soaking in a disinfectant solution, and then I have to get all of the "last flock's yuck" off of them. Between the cleaner, and the UV rays of the sun, where we stack them to let them dry, I am pretty sure that a person could eat off of them, although I wouldn't advise it. If they could find a way to make this stuff non toxic, I am pretty sure it could kill cancer, polio, colds, and plantar warts. It is some good stuff!! I had to take Garrett to football practice, pay some bills, scrub the pans, do some laundry, etc., and it felt like I had never gone!! As for the Cagney comment, I can't say too much about it, but Shanan and I are some TOUGH investigators, and make a lovely team. Cary assures us that he is Law and Order, but we are old school, and I think age ranks beauty in this case. Surely, if speech ever fails me, and I don't get the job being the Wal-Mart greeter, I see P.I. working out for me...

This first picture is of when the boys were going to TX. They went the weekend before Gra and I went. We don't travel well together, so we went separately! HAHA (Just kidding) I didn't realize that they had the camera in the car, but they took a few photos of their journey. They both had a great time, and really enjoyed the game and especially getting to visit with Cary. Shanan and the girls rode back with them, as they had been home the week before. I am guessing that Shanan took the next picture, because it looks as if Shane is telling everything he knows about whatever topic they were on at the time. I will tell you that 12 hours or more is a LONG time to be in the car. It is even LONGER, when your passenger is in the very back, watching movies, and singing their church musical! Of course, Graceson doesn't WEIGH enough to sit in the front, so I entertained myself on our trip in MANY different ways. I listened to a sermon on the radio about the rapture, I counted cows, llamas (yes, I passed several different llama farms), I had many deep thoughts about armadillos (which basically, from what I can see, are possums in travel trailers), and numerous other things to pass the time!! This last picture of the billboard is another one I found on the camera. I am not sure which one of them took it, but I am sure that they were thinking they were witnessing? Who knows, but here is the billboard that they photoed!! Last, but not LEAST, is the picture of Lambie, and it appears to be Shane picking Lambie's nose. I know, I know... they never grow up!! Garrett got lambie when he was ONE for his very first Easter from Aunt Beetle. Lambie has been washed, repaired, stuffed and restuffed more times than I can remember. When Lambie gets a hole, we patch it. When Lambie gets filthy dirty, we wash it. I keep thinking that Lambie is going to finally DIE, and Garrett asks if I can sew it up AGAIN. Lambie even went to with Garrett to KY Changers. I was sure that big, bad football playin' Garrett would not have wanted his buddy to even KNOW about him much less SEE him, but I was obviously wrong. Bill told me that we were probably going to have to burn Lambie, as much molesting as the animal had at Changers by the other boys in the room, but Garrett wouldn't DREAM of throwing it away!!

While the GIRLS were in TX, we decided to go to the movies and see "Beverly Hills Chihuahua". It was really cute. It was actually Bella's first movie, but I know that the bigger girls loved it. We had a really great time while we were there. Shanan even COOKED for me!! She fixed me nachos that were DIVINE!! I even took a picture as proof of it!! What I WILL say, however,

is that I am not sure if she has been cooking for a LONG time, or if she was previously such a good cook, that she doesn't want to show me up!! This store that they have called "Braums" has some chili that Cary LOVES. Shanan wanted to fix it for me. For those of you that are from here, I am sure you have had Ferrell's chili, and know how it comes in somewhat of a "stick". You add a little water to the frozen "chunk" of chili, and as it melts down, it turns into the chili we have all come to love. WELL, this chili was frozen in sort of a square shape. (the package reminded me of a folger's coffee bag that is vacuum sealed, if you know what I am talking about). Shanan read the directions, and began the preparation. The instructions indicated to add a small amount of water to the bottom of the pan and add the chili. SHE DID!! She put the water in the pan, and then put the WHOLE package of chili (I am talking COMPLETELY wrapped), into the water to wait for it to boil I guess. Once I composed myself from laughter, I showed her how to cut the package OFF of the food, in order to reduce the fiber addition from the added packing. She swore that she just thought that it was a boil in the bag product like the Jolly Green Giant's corn. I told her that I understand how she could make that mistake!!! NOT!!!!!! Anyway, Shanan, when you read this... remember that I love you dearly, and LOVED the nachos!! I know you were just checking my skills!! :)

The football game that we went to was GREAT!! Shanan noticed how my football knowledge has really improved since the last game I attended with her. I even used a few words that were football related, and used them at the right TIMES!!! Cary's team was playing his old team, where he'd coached for 7 years, so I think that the victory may have been a little sweeter than normal! Shanan was certainly hostess with the mostest, and here she is taking us to the movies. We stayed up late each night working on our "investigation", but then we would lay in bed and talk for another 2!! By the way, she passed her LAST test today, so I guess she is official!! Congrats and thanks again for everything this past weekend!! One last side note, and then I have GOT to go and fold some laundry... again... did I ever leave? While we were there, Graceson just HAD to go shopping, as she had a little money in her pocket and she HATES our mall. We go, and I decided to pick up something for Shane that I never do. I always try and get a little something when I am out of town for them, hoping that they will look forward to me coming home... if not for ME... then for the gifts!! Anyway, this time, I got him some cologne called "SoCal". It is actually the smell that you smell each time you walk by a Hollister store in the mall. I liked the smell and am hoping he will wear it. I say that I am HOPING, because there is a story. Shane USED to wear Eternity for Men. Let me tell you, I LOVE(d) it when he wore this, and I actually got it for him when we started dating. Well, soon after we married (did you notice this time frame) he stopped wearing it. When I asked him WHY he no longer wore it, he told me that it gave him heartburn. WHAT?!?! Don't DRINK it... WEAR it!! SOOOOO... we'll see how old Southern California works out for me. Now, he won't HESITATE to put on "Dead down wind" deodorant, or "I'm a deer on my period" spray to go out in the woods... I think that stuff it WRETCHED, so SURELY he can overcome, you think?

I hope everyone has a GREAT night, and thanks for sharing a day in the life of the chicken farmer's wife!! love to all! Jerri