No Place Like Momma's

I know I kinda skipped from New Orleans to the tonsillectomy- but I had a bunch of people emailing me about how I was doing..and since if I talk it hurts more, I chose to write about that first...BUT in between those two I went up to Pell City, AL and visited my mother. My sister Beth, and my niece and nephew (Sarah and Stephen,AKA Stevo) came down from Bristow, VA. It was their Spring Break.

I went up there on Wednesday the 19th, which was my Mom's birthday- and as it turns out is my friend Laura Byrd's new daughter's birthday. Her name is Katie Claire Byrd. I am so excited for them.

We proceeded to have a great time that whole week. My mother loved having everyone under the same roof- and for me it has been a while since I have stayed any length of time there under her roof also. I normally visit for a day or two. When I do it is with Lance and we have to rent a room as my mother doesn't have an extra room. WELL, Beth and the kids roughed it on an air mattress- and I slept on my favorite couch.

Let me tell you about that couch. When I was just into the nursing Field- working 3rd shift. I would come to see my mother...and have been complaining of insomnia....HORRIBLE INSOMNIA. 50-75mg of benadryl taken, Alluna taken, Melatonin, you name it (over the counter) I tried it. I would go to my mother's house, lay down on the couch...and BAM. I would be out like a baby. Literally. She would use her food processor, they would slam doors, yell, etc. I would never wake up. Ahhhh. I don't know if during that time in my life if it was so much the couch as it was just being at home with my mother. There is no place like your Momma's.

I liked going home this past week and sleeping on the couch. How many people say that? I liked waking up and seeing my sister in front of me. Holding out my hand in a groggy pre-coffee haze and having my sweet niece grab it. I liked hearing my nephew giggle as he tried to pretend he was still asleep. :)

SO. They brought down their Cat Miss Kitty to get declawed while they were here and it ended up getting sick. FIP for those of you in the know. She had to get a blood transfusion from the clinic cat, and needed another one. Since my mother has four cats- three eligible in the age range we picked the easiest to catch.. Bel....so we thought....it was under the driveway in a storm drain thing. My brilliant mother (normally she is smart) said "Laura you go stand down at that end to catch her when she walks out." Mom and Sarah went to the other end to shoo her out. Uh, those that have cats know that THIS ISN"T GOING TO WORK.

So GENIUS mother spots the garden hose right beside her and says "I know what will get her out" at the same time Sarah says "Maybe we should put the cat carrier down there" as mom is spraying she says "we don't have time to put it together, your cat is to sick".

Then Mother unleashes the fury known to cats as the evil H2O.

The cat in drain was NOT BEL it was CAL...the evil spawn of Satan (Kay, this is the cat I got from you). He ran (soaking wet) to the end of the storm drain. Growled at me, (yes growled), paused, BIT THE CRAP out of my thumb........which of course immediately opened the human gates for him...and he went "WEE WEE WEE" all the way to the forest.

We didn't see him for 2 more days.

Bel was inside the whole time....We just picked her up calm as can be and put her in a Pillow case (yes, I know redneck), and she really didn't even care. She looked like a trick or treat cat ghost.

Miss Kitty is doing better. She wasn't able to go home with the Murray's on Saturday, but next weekend I think my mother is going to meet my sister halfway to get the cat back home. They think she is going to pull through just fine.

The rest of the trip was uneventful......if you count four grown children getting into a tickle war and chasing each other around the house normal....and fierce competition on the wii with the adult children.......it was fun.

We did have dinner on the night of Mom's birthday at a resturant in Pell City called Cafe Avanti. It was really good. We had a blast. I don't remember the last time we were all together for Mom's birthday. Not since we lived in Washington I bet. Mom was very happy- it was a great day.

And one more picture then I will be done....this is a picture my SUPER talented niece sarah made for me. Isn't this wonderful????? She has a great eye, and wonderful taste. I love it.

It is over my TV.