Boxes and Boxes!

When I was in high school, LONG before Harry Connick, Jr. was popular, I was in a production of The Pajama Game. I was just a dancing member of the chorus with no speaking part, but it may have been the most fun I have ever had. There's a character in The Pajama Game, Max, that is the salesperson for the Sleeptight Pajama Company. Max also happened to be my very first boyfriend, Kenny Van Cara. In our sleep-deprived, giddy state, certain lines from the show would seem really funny if said over and over and over again. To this day, I can't think about boxes...a LOT of boxes...without thinking of my high school chums and Kenny Van Cara. For some reason, each time he delivered his line about the "Boxes and Boxes!" of pajamas piling up in the Sleeptight warehouse, we would just laugh like mad. As I was looking around the girls room, which took a full two days to ALMOST finish packing, all I could think of was Max's "Boxes and Boxes!".

I guess it's good to maintain a sense of humor!

The kids had their farewell party Wednesday night. All together, there were about 30 kids at the church next door. We had planned an outdoor party, but the forecast called for rain, so we moved to the social hall. It went very well, considering there were three different age groups there. The kids played DDR (Dance Dance Revolution), Twister and listened to music...really loud music. They ended the night by singing selections from Wicked, the Broadway musical. Again, this was very loud. A good time was had by all.

I've said so many goodbyes lately...I thought I was nearing the end of my weepiness. I was OK that night until I started saying goodbye to Christian's friends. All the kids have great friends, but I've known his friends the longest, they've been the most constant and they are really a fantastic group of kids. I will miss them dearly...their familiar banter, "band-geekiness", youthful exuberance, polite friendliness and down-right goofiness. WOOT! (band cheer)

(KATHY STOP READING HERE IF YOU DON'T WANT TO RUIN YOUR SURPRISE!!)

On a lighter note...I have managed to get in just a smidge of knitting time. I am making this baby blanket for a certain someone (sorry to ruin the surprise) from an old pattern book my mom has had for over 30 years. It is actually falling apart, but that adds to its charm.

It's my first experience with circular knitting needles. It took some adjusting (they're so short!), but I can definitely see the benefits of using them for something with many stitches. We shall see how much gets done! I have an image in my head of sitting on my new porch in the evenings after the unpacking is done and serenly finishing this sweet gift. It's my anchor...it's one of the things that is getting me through the chaos!

Gotta go do something productive like make dinner or so some laundry. The three older kids are off to camp tomorrow for a week. Hopefully I will make a big dent in the packing while they're gone, but tonight we have to get them ready to go. Went "junking" this morning with my friends Patty and Eugene. These are serious garage sale professionals! We left at 6 AM (yikes!) and blew through three towns and dozens of yard sales by noon. I got some little stuff, but the steal of the day was this sofa for the new basement...$75.

I really had fun, but it was exhausting! There is definitely real training necessary for this kind of shopping!