So we were going to move to Florida.....You ever get that "message", but don't hear it until it's a scream, a loud, expensive, a I've been trying to tell you, a now look what you've done type of "message"....We did on Labor Day weekend.
We had sold the townhouse in Bolingbrook, an up and coming area, and with the clock ticking, off we went to pompano Beach, Florida, for an apartment search and a job interview on the 6th, not to mention the weather was going to be great. However this trip was a cluster*$!!k from the beginning!!! We flew out from O'Hare at 6 a.m.( which is the way to get "there"), and we landed at 10 a.m. and the car rental place gave us no satisfaction until Monday evening, (yep, that was two days w/o a vehicle) ;it turned out to be my banking error and I misunderstood the rental agent and got angry. We all know that getting angry closes the major ear canals and nothing could be heard until Monday nite (thank God for friends like Jimmy B., our chauffeur for the better part of two days) when we were finally accommodated thanks to Mom and Western Union. Let me tell you about the 5 star resort we stayed at....It was the "hit" of the trip and we will stay at Fairfield's Palm Aire Resort again if we have the opportunity.
On Tuesday morning, it got a little better yet. I had a job interview in pompano, about 10 minutes from the resort we were staying at. It was a staffing company and it was a winner!! My placement councilor could place me in a driving position, at better money than I expected, when we returned to Florida for real at the end of September. Thanking him, I returned to the Resort and we started our apartment nightmare, I mean search....Okay, it wasn't painful, but arduous and at first, kinda scary. A lot of those places in those free rental books were either booked full or they actually laughed at us and said all the rentals are "condoing" and we should have called or gone to a rental agency. We were exhausted and, still not hearing the "message" went out with Jimmy B. For a meeting and dinner at Dave and Busters.
We continued our quest on Wednesday in pompano at Whispering Isles, an apartment complex about 5 minutes from the resort. We met Joyce, the complex manager, who showed us a real nice apartment. She also told us to contact Rent-Free, an agency that finds apartments and homes...Just what the doctor ordered!!Still, no "message" was being heard.
Our rent free agent Cheryl, asked what we wanted and she delivered; eventually she showed us 3 apartments after she worked the phones for an hour or so. I liked the first and the third, Shel was starting to hear the "message", but chalked it up to nerves. We wound up signing a contract for the third showing, a small 2 br apartment in Oakland Park, put a deposit, .....Whew!!! Home at last!!! And for Shel, The noise was deafening!!! The "message" was coming through.
On Wednesday evening we spent a somewhat quiet evening at the resort, I called my Mom and I told her about our good fortune, and she told us how she had to help my sister clean and replace the globes on a ceiling fixture, she was standing on a chair, in the kitchen, she's 82 years old, and the noise got louder!!!
Thursday morning came quickly and by 11 a.m. we cancelled the apartment deal, we lost a substantial deposit, but the lesson was learned, message complete...Finally!!!!!
We left on Thursday evening, had to take a connecting flight in Dallas/Ft. Worth, and came home exhausted and wondering why we didn't get it sooner.....my parents are 85 & 82 respectively, Shel's dad is in his middle 70's, we were going to leave some deep friendships, with a lot of kitties(6), and only one or two established friends we could count on, what if we had to rush back?? more than once?? would the job stand for that?? who would watch the cats??
We restarted our plans, got a nice apartment near our parents, I've finally got multiple job interviews, and we managed to stay within our comfort zone with family, friends, and ourselves.
Now, on to the next message....!!

We have 9 grandchildren:Mike, Eva, Zac, Alex, Shawn, Mike, Jay, Caetie and Megan. We also have 2 grand-pups and at least 4 grand-kitties!! Let's just concentrate on the human side of the equation for now. My children were busy:)!!!! I get a humble pleasure any time we get to spend time with them. My wife is new to the g-parenting thing, but learned a lot this summer, the summer of the grandkids, well, 6 of 'em anyway!
My daughter Kimmy and her s.o./housemates Lisa and Jon, have 3 children each. We, Michelle and I, took the 6 in 2 child increments, over the course of the summer. Among the things we learned from these experiences were to never allow the childrens mom to forget any medication, not to feed children before the 45 to 90 minute ride between the homes (they live in Lake Geneva,WI., we were living in Bolingbrook, IL.) as to avoid projectile vomiting. And of course, there is always the I'm bored thing or the defiant misunderstandings.
There were several great moments, their energy, their knowledge, their imagination, and 6 distinct personalities. There was also several decisions we made during and after the 3 visits.....
after the first set of children, Jay and Shawn,(referred to as the Devil Twins by my daughter Kimmy in her blog, khayes3819@blogspot.com) we will not be conceiving any children of our own, they have way too much energy for us, not that we're old and slow or bored, we'd rather not at this time.
Whew!! I think I need a nap just thinking about them!!! The second set of g-kids were Mike and Alex, accompanied by Abbie, a child of a friend. Abbie met Alex at our wedding and they kinda, sorta, had/have a crush on each other. This set of g-kids taught us to make sure we have a good supply of paper towels and spray cleaner in the car....I did mention projectile vomiting earlier!!!
This threesome were particularly helpful in some household clean-up and packing chores too.They were the only group to make the park district pool also!! Their self professed goal was to out do the Devil Twins....But settled in being better!
The third group were the girls, Caetie and Megan. Shel, Megan and Caetie hung together and bonded through the week. Megan had a loose tooth, the start of bankrupting the tooth fairy was forming in her mind!! Caetie got a pig kitchen, but didn't get the opportunity to use her own kitchen talents this time!I felt a little off this week (stress from selling the townhouse and being unemployed), while enjoying their company, I was preoccupied with little stuff, my bad!! We learned to realize it's all small stuff and don't sweat it!!!
And so the summer ended with the promise of Palm Trees in our future.....We wound up not moving to Florida....Yet!! But that is another chapter....One chapter at a time!!
The g-children showed us a lot of love, laughter, and larceny! One of the best things, for me, was that they all got to spend time with my mom, their great g-ma! The hearts were floating out of her heart and head...It doesn't get any better!!