Sister Act ... !

Hello Friends!

Apologies for being MIA over the last 2 weeks but we have had visitors here at Barlow Towers and despite good intentions,  I didn't quite get to updating the blog ... soz!

So how've you all been?  Is it getting chilly yet across the pond?  I must admit I have completely lost track of what the weather is up to over there as here it is still unseasonably warm (even for the desert!) ... 102°F (39°C) today (Thursday) - a record high for October ... phew!  Next week promises a return to the 80s though, so I am looking forward to being able to get outside a bit more (not that that means anything too energetic .... for me it's just more a matter of having my coffee outside on the patio rather than indoors in the air conditioning **snort**)

Mr B has been very busy with work over the last couple of weeks including 4 days away at a Travel Conference ... 8 miles down the road (don't get me started on that).  That was followed by 3 days away in New York and now this week he is in South Carolina slumming it at some swanky waterfront resort fulfilling his duties for the Travel & Leisure Board.  He did try and argue that it was hard work and he would have to attend all day board meetings ... blah, blah ... but quite frankly we weren't having any of it.  All I can say is that if I don't get the slippers and the posh smellies from the bathroom, there will be trouble!  Oh, and did I mention that he is away again next week for a couple of days and then again two weeks later?   ... and this was the job that required 'hardly any traveling' ...  **rolls eyes**  It's all good though.  Luckily, having also been in the same corporate arena for a number of years,  I know that it's not always a choice and I get it.  It's not always fun either ... getting up at some god forsaken hour to get to an airport ... waiting around for hours on end ... being allocated the middle seat between the two largest passengers on the planet and feeling so tired and irritable that you wanted to stab the next person to utter "Have a Nice Day!"  (oh, maybe that was just me!).  Do I miss it?  Sometimes.  Would I like to do it again ... Not really.  I miss the people and the social interaction but I don't miss the politics or the endless meetings and emails ... ugh.   Anyway, who would take care of the school runs?  hang around for ever at the orthodontist/dentist? do the laundry? buy the groceries? ..... Yes, that would be me as well!   No thank you.  I am quite happy to take a back seat now and leave all of that to Mr B who (thankfully) still loves doing all of the above.    Plus I get to have to control of the TV and catch up on all my trashy shows (with NO SPORT allowed) ... in my PJs with a glass of wine and a bowl of popcorn ... whilst he's away, so what's not to like?

Last week my sister and her partner were visiting from the UK ... well, actually from Spain now where they moved earlier this year.  We hadn't seen each other since we went back for Mum's funeral last March, so it was nice to spend some time together under happier circumstances.  Mr B took a couple of days off (well, if you can count 5.30am meetings, answering emails and joining 2 conference calls days off ... **more eye rolling**) whilst they were here so even though Youngest was still at school, it felt like a bit of a holiday for us too.

Any excuse for more cocktails ...!

Last Saturday, as well as it being our 17th Wedding Anniversary, it was Mick's (Judith's partner) 65th Birthday so a double celebration was called for!  We spent the afternoon at Turf Paradise, a local horse racing track, which always feels a bit scuzzy if I'm honest but is nonetheless quite good fun.

Not exactly Brighton Races but still fun!

We had last visited in January when our friends Jane & Sal were visiting and I seem to recall Ethan picked the winner from 4 of the 7 races!  As we only bet a couple of dollars each for each race though, it didn't amount to a fortune but between us we managed to cover our afternoon out :)   This time though, as he has now reached the age where being seen out in public with your parents is clearly too embarrassing for words, he elected to stay at home and 'get homework done' (yeah right).  On the second to last race though, I laughed at a horse called 'Rob's Golden Touch' and said to Mr B "I bet if Ethan was here he would have chosen that one!" On a previous holiday to the US several years ago, after listening to commercials on the radio for 'Rob's Crab Shack' and 'Rob's Pancake House'  he had joked that everybody was called 'Rob' and spent the rest of the holiday entertaining us with made up commercials for Rob's various commercial ventures :D  I asked Mr B to put a couple of dollars on it for him .... whereby it promptly won, earning him a fiver!  Unbelievable!  Next time, I am getting him to pick all of my horses too!

After a quick trip home to shower and change, we were off out again (this time courtesy of Uber!) for celebratory drinks and dinner (I know ... exhausting!).

"I smile because you're my sister ... I laugh because there's nothing you can do about it!"

Cheers!

On Sunday we drove over to Carefree to have a look at the Enchanted Pumpkin Garden, which is a display of fabulously carved pumpkins by Ray Villafane, an extremely talented artist and who also created the amazing sand sculpture that we saw back in August when Eldest was here.

Ray Villafane's incredible sand sculpture!  So realistic!

Some of the faces carved on the pumpkins were so lifelike ... and a little bit freaky!  I would love to try and go back for another visit this weekend before it finishes to see them at nighttime, as I imagine they would look even more spectacular then.

Freaky!

So lifelike!

Remind you of anyone ...?

This week at school, there have been lots of College/University visits as the Juniors/Seniors start to make/finalise their choices and complete applications.  Whilst Ethan still has a couple of years to go yet before he gets to that stage, he told us that they were encouraged to start finding out about and researching potential colleges of interest and attend at least two presentations over the coming week.
"I have chosen to go to the ones from University of San Francisco and University of Oregan" he announced as we drove home from school the other day.
"Oh OK ... "  I said.  "What are you interested in studying?"
"No idea.  I have just been to both of those places and I liked it there ..."
Right ... well ... it's as good a reason as any I suppose to get started ...
"I thought I would just start by looking at the University of San Francisco web site before the presentation on Wednesday to find out a bit more info ..."
"Good idea.  What did you learn?"
"... that I might have to get three jobs while I'm at college as the fees are quite high"
"Really?  How much was it then?"
 "$60,000 a year ..."
"Sorry, WHAT?!?"  I thought you said $60,000 ... a year ... for a minute there!  Hahahaha! "
"I did.  It looks really nice though ... and that price includes all your accommodation and food as well as tuition and text books etc ..."
I bet it did!  I would be expecting Butler service, my own luxury apartment and someone to write all my essays for that!
"... and remind me how many years you would be there again?" I spluttered
"Four ... or maybe Six ... because apparently you can go at a slower pace if you want to"
Oh yes of course.   Why not fit in a round of golf a couple of times a week as well?
"There must be cheaper ones than that surely?"  I asked hopefully
"Well, yes, Texas is much cheaper I think ..." Phew.  "... but who wants to live in Texas?!"
OMG!!  We have created a monster!
Clearly I had better start getting to know all about this college lark in case we are still here by then ... or he is!  I am somewhat reassured though by chatting to the school's College Counsellor at yesterday's PTO meeting, who told me not to panic yet, and that there are ways of getting costs reduced, e.g. high grade averages, number of credits received at High School etc. (all still a mystery to me at this point), sleeping with the principal ... oh .. did I say that last one out loud?

I think I may have a bit of bedtime reading to do over the next few months.  Forewarned is forearmed as they say.  Good grief!  No wonder half the country is in debt!
On that note, just off to make a bit of bread and dripping for us tea ...

TTFN
Bev x