Working vacation

  Home at last.  Most would wonder why in the hell I didn't stay away a few days longer but as small as it is, this trailer is all mine.  I did enjoy my trip though.  I stayed with two different friends and really felt like they wanted me to be there.  M is older and admits that I could be her daughter.  I have the most comfortable bed and hours in the evening to relax in front of the huge television.  M has told me many times that she is not going to cook for me but broke that rule twice this weekend.  Grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup for lunch on Saturday and traditional corned beef and cabbage for St. Patrick's day Monday.  Staying with E is a different story altogether.  The woman lives a don't stop to breathe life and it's catch up or get left behind.  This weekend she was only watching five dogs plus her two plus my three.  Sadie snores, Teddy is picking a fight with Jerry, someone is scratching and you can hear their foot hitting an empty crate.  The futon I'm trying to sleep on is only a few feet away and Cricket just took off after E's cat as he tries to escape through an open window.  You don't go to E's house to relax but she is one of my favorite people and it's all worth it.  One day I'll actually beat her at Scrabble, we got four late night games in and as usual I got whooped.
  I always take too many clothes and was determined to take only what I needed this time.  I groomed a total of 13 dogs in the four days I was in New York and the majority of my clothing was covered in dog hair.  I remembered pajama bottoms but didn't have a top to sleep in.  No problem, "E, do you have a large t-shirt I can borrow?"  "Large for YOU?  I'm not sure."  Ok, I admit I've gained a few pounds but come on now, I'm not that big.  This was actually the second time she brought up my weight.  She came right out and said "So what do you weigh these days?" as we drove to the nearby casino.  OK, message received, I need to get serious about losing some of this weight that has accumulated since menopause reared it's ugly head.
  I got to see two other friends when the old gang got together for dinner on Saturday night.  Lots of laughter, the biggest Cobb salad I've ever seen and a few games of quick draw made it an enjoyable evening for sure.  D has been battling cancer for years and still looks amazing.  Nobody would ever guess what she's gone through to look at her. I don't know how she deals with the constant ups and downs.  A has had her share of health scares too.  They both look at my life as a bit uncivilized but say they admire how I deal with living off the grid.  I admire the way they deal with living on it.