The End of Summer

Summer is officially over now that Labor Day has come and gone. I had the family in for the holiday. Rick & Karen brought most of the food--bbq, baked beans, and coleslaw. I made cornbread salad and apple dumplings. Kim made a delicious and rich (wishing I had some right now) banana pudding. It was so good and I'm not even a real big banana pudding fan. Phyllis brought the drinks and ice (non-alcoholic, of course.) Brad and Sonny got the rock on the corner of my house chiseled off so the carpenters could start enclosing my carport. Karen painted most of my little bathroom with Rick finishing it up. So, it was quite a productive "labor" day at my house. Bet no one will want to come over for the holidays anymore! ha! Anyway, I'm enclosing the carport so I can move Mom in there. We're making a little studio apt. for her complete with a kitchenette. She and I are both looking forward to spending the long winter nights playing cards and games. She'll also be able to keep closer tabs on me. She likes to know all of my comings and goings. If I'm late, she calls everyone in the family and the neighbors. You do remember that I just celebrated my 50th birthday, right? I guess once a mom, always a mom. I love her and have lots of fun with her. I'm posting a picture of Sean and Emily taken at his last visitation. To me it personifies the pain of a broken home. Emily never wants to go home and this last time was the worst ever. We both cried and for me it even continued to the next day. At least she's coming back this weekend and we'll make the most of it.