Two escaped prisoners

This morning is a great example of how crazy life has been here at the Shaftics. I got up around 7 am to take my shower. Before I did my hair I thought let me feed the gerbils. So I go down to the office which is actually located between the first and second floor. It is part of an addition to the house many many years ago and it's right off the landing as you turn to go downstairs. I open the door (my husband put the gerbils in there because they were super loud) and my son's black gerbil runs up to my feet. I look at his gerbil house and there is a small hole where the plastic latch used to be. That would explain the noise!!

I grab Robbie and put him in the house and give him some food. Poor guy is more than happy to be there. I look around for the gray gerbil Matt and he is no where in the office. Great! The cat was in the house all night and I'm thinking if he squeezed under the door most likely Chester got him. I'm thinking there is going to be a body somewhere. Figured if Chester did get him then he'd take him to the attic or basement of which there was no body. By now it's almost 730 and I'm panicking that my son will be getting up soon and realize what happened. I run through the house again shaking furniture and looking in every crevice. No Matt! At this point I head upstairs and go into my daughters room to get a hair brush. What's that sound?? Could it be a gerbil under her bed?? YES! I pick up her bed- she was in my bed of course- and move it over and there he is. He pooped all under her bed but I can forgive that. I put him back in the house and he and Robbie are just overjoyed to see each other. But what do I do about the hole?

My son has been asking me for months to get a glass aquarium to put them in. He hears them chewing the plastic and has feared that they would chew a hole. He was right and I procrastinated about getting one. Not today! I called work and told them what was going on and after I dropped the kids off at school I ran across town to get one. I put them in it with new bedding and food and went downstairs to get a bowl for some water. When I came back upstairs only Robbie was in the aquarium. Matt jumped out!! Seriously dude- is living in this house that bad! Luckily he was over by the desk and I grabbed him. Okay- how do I cover the top? I thought I could tape some metal screen over the top but as I am taping he jumps up and holds onto the mesh and starts pushing the tape off. Onto Plan B. Gotta find something heavy and big enough to cover the top. As I am sitting there thinking, the one female gerbil starts gnawing away at the plastic latch on her house. Are you kidding?? Is this a mutiny?? I gave her some wood thinking she just needed to chew on something but nope, she wasn't interested in the wood just the small hole on the latch. And they say animals can't communicate!

I found a piece of plywood and put a heavy tote of clothes on top of that. Ain't no way that little 3 oz gerbil is going to move that. Just hoping that the girls don't chew off their latch before I get home from work!!

Rain and worms

Today is a wet rainy day and of course the worms are out of the ground and all over the sidewalks, driveways, and roads. So if you were one of my neighbors you would have seen me out in the driveway scooping up worms and throwing them in the grass so I didn't run them over leaving the house today. My kids laugh at me - but I hate the thought of squishing them!

I'm glad it's a rainy day. I have a million things to do at home and although I would like to put on my jammies and sleep that's just not a possibility. Well it is but then again the CDC would be at the door with the quarantine tape!

That's what you get for waking up in Vegas

Last week I had taken off for vacation. My intent was to relax and do some little things around the house. Well, intentions flew out the window when I decided to book a last minute flight to Vegas to go with a couple friends I grew up with. My one girlfriend turned 40 (she shares the same birthday as Paige). Not sure it was the best thing to do but it was fun. Unfortunately, all the walking around exhausted me though I did try to spend most of the days by the pool. We only stayed for 3 days 2 nights. Most of our plans were spur of the moment as we didn't plan anything for the days. We saw Cher and were lucky with getting seats right near the stage. I think I'm the only one that came home with winning money, but then again I didn't really play a lot.

Of course, I still don't have a camera and so I had to pick up a disposable. Not really expecting any spectacular shots but hopefully a couple of good pictures for the kids to look at. My daughter did get over me being away on her birthday. She raised a huge fuss and I almost backed out on Sunday. To be honest, last week was probably the worst week for me to go away as there were so many things going on. Monday I was suppose to take my nephew to the KISS concert in Cleveland. I got the tickets last month and we were both looking forward to it. Jeff stepped in and took him for me. Tuesday was Paige's birthday and Jeff had a big cross country meet and then Wednesday started CCD for the kids. Plus throw in the fact that my husband has to be at his school 2 hours before the kids start their school day and you can see the scheduling night mare that I had to work out Sunday before I left.

Being back to work today makes me realize how bad I hate this job. Full-time is not for me at all. Neither is the cold weather!!