Got My Life Back

Yes it is back, the uninteresting life and times of ML Davis. Where did it go? One word takes it: GRADUATION.

Yesterday, May 30th, a beautiful girl, Karlie Lynn, became a confirmed graduate of Velva High School - class of 2010. Another huge milestone is behind her and with the grace of God and plenty of luck she will hurdle a few more biggies along the way. The wicked step mom will be on the sidelines praying and preaching, which by the way, I am damn good at the latter.









The girl did it!! More about her when I get some photos from Karlyn. I was too frenetic to be an apt recorder. The word Valium kept racing around in my head, they didn't call them mother's little helpers for nothing. Where is a good pill when you need one??

So back to the missing life of ML. This is the fourth (fifth, if you count our wedding) time since 1989 I have "lost me" to the wicked throws of getting the house ready for a celebration.

Why do I get so obsessed with this semi public display of the way we live? Most of our friends have been here when the bathroom looks like a gym locker, the kitchen counters and dining room table are in the living large mode and there are enough shoes in the front hall to open a second-hand Zapos. I kind of wonder if most of those friends didn't see the wreckage because I looked worse than the house.

So along comes a gala event to snap towels at both ankles for about one month prior to the big day; to get me to dance a jig for deep cleaning. I think about it all winter for fleeting moments but don't really get pumped until the word MAY is at the top of the check blank.

Here's my to do list:

Wash walls
Wash windows
Shampoo the carpet
Replace throw rugs that look like crap
Clean blinds and curtains
Touch up trim paint - paint any rooms that need it
Liquid Gold the wood and cupboards
Spot clean furniture
Wash light fixtures and fans
THROW-THROW-THROW all the junk that accumulates

...and that is inside, outside - which Ron does a good job of taking care of - needs my eye to replace, repair and redo. Just ask my friend Suzy about the umbrella(s). She was the driver they day we almost came home with three patio umbrellas. I drew the line at two. But I did have to buy the perfect fit for the new cushions, it needed to blend. Cocktails started a little early that day!

Please don't think I don't do these tasks during the interim of momentous occasions, I do - just not all at the same time, frequently not even in the same month or year. There is just more to life that a clean house. I like my stuff even if it piles up around me.

Most will say, "It doesn't matter, people walk in talking and walk out talking, they don't see it anyway." But I have to know our house is presentable. If I didn't go berserk every now and then we'd be on Hoaders before too long. We also don't move often enough to be streamlined with our belongings. So in reality, these traumatic events are necessary in my life. It's like house CPR and thankfully the patient always comes back to life.

And while I am in the industrial mode, life goes on. People want to eat, laundry continues, Lacy even had a sleep over on Friday night (she asked her Dad and he said yes - not thinking!!) Sure I could have paced myself but gosh a feller' would hate to do something too early only to have to do it over again. Some days did get awfully long, especially the last few and I won't even go into the food issue. But I did meet my deadlines, and I was able to cross off just about everything on the sacred list(s).

Now today, 24 hours later, I am about ready to fall apart. Almost every major joint in my body aches and I feel like I have walked across America, possibly without shoes and uphill. Where is the ibuprofen??

To sum things up it was a nice day. I was happy (even without the Valium). Karlie was happy. Life goes on - until next year when Carsten (more prayers needed) dons his cap and gown. I wonder if I can keep the house up for 365 days? Naw, stupid idea!

Somebody is 18

The long awaited day has finally arrived for Karlie: the day of her 18th birthday. For all practical purposes it was a "regular" day with school, work - all the usual stuff. We did manage to squeeze in a birthday cake and she had an early supper with her friends. She and I ended the day by attending the Velva Women's Club annual Senior Tea. They had a nice program with more cake and a round of "Happy Birthday to you..." for the special girl.





Happy Birthday Karlie! You are a beautiful girl with all the wonders of the future ahead of you. Use your life wisely, after all, it is a very special life! Love from the wicked stepmom.

A Special Day

How interesting: today is Mother's Day, and fifty years ago on this date the "pill" was introduced and became available to women. Hmmm.......... but it was only obtainable if you were married. And now, after all these years, not all insurance companies will cover the expense for women and birth control but they will pay for Viagra. What is wrong with this picture?

In spite of it all, Happy Mother's Day - it is the most important job I do whether I am any good at it or not. I will continue to march!

To all my children, stepchildren and grandchildren - okay, pets too: I did the best job I knew how to do and never ever meant to "do you no wrong." I love you all.

Thanks for the special honor of letting me continue on as your mother, stepmother and grandmother. It makes my day, every day! X O X

Back in ND

The Ronson and his friend, Larry, just returned from a short exploratory junket to Florida. House hunting to be exact.

Now before the rumors fly, we are not going anywhere. This was an expedition to "check out" the housing market for investment purposes. I just reel when this conversation comes up at our house because I don't want the worries of rentals, let alone property about twenty states away, managed by someone named Murrilo.

This drama unfolded about two months ago when Ron started looking at houses on ebay - Fort Myers/Lehigh Acres area to be exact. Homes, which sold for $250,000.00 when the bubble was still a bubble, are now in foreclosure and selling for about $40.00 a sq. ft. or in the neighborhood of 40-70 thousand.

His brother bought one about 6 weeks ago and the house is already rented out. Ron, having the ever cautious wife that he does, didn't jump off the bridge, holding his nose, charge in and buy one - like he wanted to do.

I believe he said I was holding him back, chicken that I am. Good or bad, Terry, the brother, doesn't have a wife to get in his way.

So it was time for a road trip.

He and Larry left on Saturday. They stepped off the plane to 90 plus degrees and horrid humidity. Ron told me I would have turned around and headed back to North Dakota, "You would have been bitching about the humidity and your hair going flat."

Got that one right. There will be no humidity in my retirement future.

So they began their exploratory tour. Ron said he has never seen so many FORECLOSURE, FOR SALE, and FOR RENT signs his whole life. He was overwhelmed with the mass of houses, many never having been lived in.

Unemployment and inability to get financing has tanked the area to phenomenal proportions. In looking at one home a neighbor came up and told the guys, "The U.S. Marshal moved these guys out awhile back."

Some houses were made with chinese drywall and had to be redone, many were of cinder block style. Very little carpet, mostly tile or wood floors. "Better to hear the alligator claws as they come looking for you." was my immediate thought.

Ron said the houses (many of them) were very nice and probably quite rent worthy. A skip down the road and then junk houses. Some homes when they went into foreclosure, the soon to be former owner would gut the house of cupboards, vanities, and fixtures. I know that is not unheard of, but what animal like people we have in our world.

Well, to shorten this up a bit, the Davis's do not have a house in Florida, at least not today. Thank God!