Holding Down the Fort - By Laurie

The guys are travelling in a communication dead zone right now. It’s kind of like the dark side of the moon, but in this case it’s the Canadian Rockies. While they are wirelessly incommunicado I’ve decided to give you news from the home front.

Mom and I had such great plans for our husband-free weeks pre- and post-Alaska! Ok…I did the planning and Mom was agreeable to participating. I had intentions of hosting multiple crafty girls nights. It was going to be my vacation before vacation. Let me tell you how that plan has worked out so far…

The guys left on Tuesday. We hosted my three cousins Wednesday through Sunday (so I guess I did get my girl’s nights after all). Convinced that it couldn’t wait until August, I began my solo effort to collect school supplies on Monday. Here’s what I was forced to deal with by Friday (I kid you not):

- Replaced the batteries in BOTH fire detectors so as to silence them
- Took my bicycle to get a flat fixed (Hey Rita--what’d you do to my bike?
- Removed a hair clog from the tub with the coat hanger technique I reluctantly learned from my Dad when I was a long-haired teen

and…drum roll please…

- Got the water heater replaced!

Now, don’t anyone panic for me. It leaked a trickle, not a flood. And I am quite capable of coping with the unexpected…but I’m afraid that when a water heater is 20 years old, you’re on borrowed time. That’s my husband for you: always pressing his luck (or mine in this case) striving for maximum output. I suppose in a way that’s kind of what this dramatic motorcycle trip is all about too. Kevin’s nothing if not consistent. I’d shake my head and say “ya gotta love him” but in this case I actually do. So I’ll let it slide that he left me with a hydro time bomb before he went cruising across the continent. I might even forget to tell him that the check engine light came on again in our 11-year “new” car. But when he gets back…he’s going car shopping because I’ve earned it! Did you catch the part where he forgot to kiss be goodbye?