So this little guy?

The quietest, smallest least demanding living being occupying space at The Drayer.

Tonight he went for it.  Yep, he waited for his chance and he decided to "bust up outta here!"

That's right.  After Sweet Sarah and I returned from our bike ride, having been gone about 45 minutes, we walked in to Teddy, the much more vocal brother cat, SCREAMING A MEOW with his head through the hole in the screen door.

Yep, that's right.  Jack, pushed through my Spannvention duct-tape, theft proof (but not kitten proof) screen repair.  

And oh.  oh.  OH!  OH YEAH!!!  I forgot to add that the backyard renovators also ripped off the back stairs.  So he pushed through the screen and promptly dropped four feet!

Nevertheless, by the time we realized what was happening, he was out of sight.  And, so you know what happens next.  Controlled panic.  Lots of "herekittykittykittykittykittykitty" and subdued run/walking trying to find him quietly praying he hasn't decided to cross the road.

We found him after a bit of searching.  He was hunkered down in the neighbors back yard under the ginormous hosta, scared to death.

Now he's lying on the floor in the family room proudly exuding the "I'M DA' BOMB!!!!  THAT'S RIGHT.  BOOYA TEDDY!!!!  I DID IT.  YOU DIDN'T.  SMELL THAT!"

And Sweet Sarah?  Well, I'm pretty sure she aged a few years in a matter of minutes.

Friends forever....even longer

With nineteen years behind us, I could write a book about these women.  Like many women of six different lives, scattered about geographically we've been through much----dating, weddings, cross country moves, sickness, babies (lots of babies!), losing a parent, job changes, new homes, retirements and much, much more.  

Through all the years, there is always one constant....conversation that feeds the soul and laughter that never ends.

Two weeks ago we got together for our annual summer getaway.  As always, we had a blast.  We saw the largest statue of Virgin Mary in North America and the longest covered bridge in the United States. We geocached [though quite dampened by the rain] and shared some wonderful meals.  Our accommodations were beautiful right on the lake and we spent a beautiful day wine tasting in Ashtabula County.  We all enjoy the adventures, but mostly, we love, love, love the conversation and laughter.

Humbling work...

I'm pretty sure I haven't ever spoken of my work on the blog before. I'm not sure that's been as much of a conscious decision as I'd like to take credit for. If pressed, I certainly could list reasons why I have made decisions not to post things about my work--confidentiality, sensitivity, assumed disinterest in the three of you that read my posts.

But today I feel compelled to share a small bit of my world. In April we went through a re-alignment, complete with new job assignments and territories. Not radically different, but enough different that I've spent the better part of 120 days building relationships and yelling at Gabby the gps "GO AHEAD AND RE-CALCULATE ALL YOU WANT! I'M NOT TAKING THAT ROUTE!!!!!!" as I have tried to navigate my new territory. (It hasn't always been pretty people).

And given the re-alignment, I've experienced and am still experiencing all of the highs and lows and early successes and stupid mistakes and "oh my gosh I'm exhausted of the newness" and the "holy cow, did I make a mistake taking this job" emotions.

So much so that today I think God sent me a clear reminder to give it the ol' Nemo try "just keep going. Just keep going". And I was reminded of WHY I do what I do.

This is a text I got from one of my agents today.

How many people get to do that for a living? To say nothing of the fact that even though she can't bring the husband back, the $250,000 check she delivered will help ease a lot of stress that comes in times like those.

Hug your spouse today.

(And check on your life insurance coverage)

A little palette party

Love it when I accidentally create a new little magic for my mouth.

Stumbled on this today.

Chili cheese wheat thin with a slice of peach

#todiefor

Spanngenuity

I come from a long line of Einsteins.  Inventing, like rock hauling, is in our blood.

Dead serious.

Completely.

Don't believe me?  Let me give you an example.  I'm not sure how long ago coffee pots starting including an auto start timer option.  But I can tell you that my grandpa was WAY out ahead of this trend.  

The man worked swing shift for many, many years.  And let's be honest.  Swing shift is perpetual walking dead.  I mean, one summer in college I worked swing shift.  No joke, on my first full 24 hours off I slept 18 hours of it.  Yep.  Went to bed around 9 pm and didn't wake up until my mom came in my room when she got home from work that evening!!!  I had NO idea where I was when she woke me.  

Anywho....Well Hurshell had just about enough of the getting up, running downstairs to make coffee and then back upstairs to shower and then back downstairs to get coffee and then back upstairs to get ready.  So, Einstein 2, whom I called Poppy, put an end to it.  

That's right.  The man put a switch in his bedroom closet that was wired downstairs into the kitchen.  Before going to bed he prepped his coffeepot.  When he awoke, he reached in the closet and turned on the coffeepot.

Voila!  The autoswitch for the coffeepot was born.

And if you dare remember not having a remote control, but were lucky enough to have a TV in your bedroom?  Back then, there were only three channels so surfing wasn't really the issue.  The issue was having to get out of bed to turn the TV off after you had dozed off to Johnny Carson.

Guess who solved THAT problem?  Yep.  You got it.  Poppy.  Wrapped around their headboard was a switch that powered the TV.

I could go on and on.  Riding lawn mower safety flap lift.  Travel remote control storage in the camper. [when my sisters and cousins read this, I'm sure they'll add to the list].

Mostly, I'm proud to report the Spanngenuity lives on in the latest invention.

My cousin, Jen recently discovered her dashboard lights were no longer working.  After a bit of research, she learned this could be a costly fix.  

Enter Spanngenuity.

She has fixed the issue.  Check it out.

6.99 with TWO settings!!!!  Who knew there were other uses for head lamps?  Who?  Jen did, that's who!

Pure brilliance!

Long live Spanngenuity!!!!!!

For a good cause....

Yesterday wasn't just wonderful because we got to spend time with family.  Yesterday was wonderful because we walked for a good cause.

We participated in the Pan Can Purple Stride in Columbus in honor of my Aunt Mar---a 4 1/2 year survivor and Donna Sanders Waddell, my cousin Jaime's aunt.

We had a blast.



But more imporantly we raised money for a good cause.  And the most moving past, as with any of these events, was seeing the number of SURVIVORS!  Honestly, pancreatic cancer s.u.r.v.i.v.o.r.s.  Praise the Lord!

Laura and Spencer

Two sleepy looking Spann girls!

How GREAT is this guy??!

1,000 participants and over $100,000 raised!

Jaime and Spencer

Julie, Jen and Mark

Yours truly and Sweet Sarah

Jaime, Julie and Sweet Sarah

And check this cheerleader out!  Tutu, Lens-less purple glasses and a kazoo!
[I have NO idea what I'm straddling here]

The wine always wins...

And this is what happens when you're more concerned about uncorking the wine than cooking your meal.

You win some, you lose some.

Tonight = winner!!