"Son"shine Weekend

Our oldest son was here for the weekend. "M" came up to celebrate Father's Day with us. He brought his cat, Lucky, with him. She is a sweet old cat who needs medication twice a day. Lucky is a very nice cat to have around. She is quiet, content to sleep on the extra bed and doesn't seem ruffled by the Pupster and Cutter, even through she doesn't live with dogs at home.
I told you that the dogs would set up a vigil in the hallway while she was visiting and , well, as you can see.... Carl did.

Poor Carl just about wore himself our being vigilant. I got that "Why I'm I having to go through this" look constantly. It helped that our son gave both dogs a lot of attention. Still, Carl was determined to see this threat to his way of life, that had taken over the extra bedroom, as an invasion of the grandest proportions.

We were in the guest/computer room yesterday morning. Our son was bringing us into the advanced computer age with directions on how to use an iPod suffle that he gave his Dad for Father's Day. We were all in the room, with the cat, with the door closed. The cat got up and walked over to the door. That's when I heard a loud sniffing sound from the other side. I knew who it was so I opened the door just a couple of inches. Guess who? (above).... He backed away and sat down looking like we were all being traitors, but with an edge of despondency too. "Oh, Carl. Come over here. Come see Lucky. She's a nice cat." I said, quietly, through the crack in the door. He just sat there and looked at me. I guess there will never be an indoor cat in this house. Cutter had given up and spent most of his time outside.
We had a lovely weekend with our son. I wish our other son and his family could have been here too, but they were here a couple of weekends ago so I guess I can't have everything I want.... and The Prospector got a phone call from "J" with best wishes.
What we really need is the two story, 4 bedroom house that we sold 15 years ago. I NEED MORE ROOM!! The boys are very good about the "no room to spread out" situation here. I guess I worry about it too much. So, to compensate for tight quarters, I baked brownies and made some orange buttermilk ice cream. This always seems to work.One has nothing to do with the other but, somehow, it makes tiny spaces seem more tolerable. Isn't that weird !

We are so fortunate to have two sons that still like us after all these years. I had many moments when we were raising them when I thought that we were doing all the wrong things and that they would regret their upbringing.... but hang in there, all of you who think you don't know what you're doing. Your best efforts will be rewarded. The rest is water under the bridge....and it seems that children can be forgiving too. We all like each other. What a nice result for all the anxieties of parenthood.