Jussssst Thursday 13... (that's all. really.)
Thursday Thirteen
In which YOU learn 13 things about ME
that begin with letter...
1. Ruby Tuesday's -- IF you don't already know that lunch out with friends is my favoritest activity in the world, then you are learning it now! And Ruby Tuesday's is NOT my favorite restaurant in the world -- but it IS my favorite Salad Bar! In my house, Ruby's is considered fast food! It's as fast as we EVER want food to be!
2. Rain -- You regulars know this already too. I loooooooove rain! Someday I will visit Belgium to enjoy their rainy weather! Of course, Gattina will be the icing on that cake trip!
3. Roller coasters -- Me! Me! Me! I wanna ride! One of the biggest rewards I got from losing my weight was that I was able to ride the roller coasters without a lap belt extender. (and in some cases, just being able to FIT in the seat!) I hope I haven't gained too much back for this! Roller coaster season IS upon us!!!
4. Rummy -- I love to play games -- and especially cards! Rummy rates amongst my favorites! The kids and I like to play a version (i forget what it's called) that requires certain "sets" for each round - and they grow increasingly harder with each round too. You have to "buy" cards and all sorts of nonsense! It's great fun!!!
5. Redhead -- If you don't know THIS about me, you should!!! It's THE most important thing you'll ever need to know about me! I am like Charlie Brown's little girlfriend - the one with "Naturally Curly Red Hair"... *nods*... though we've all noticed a LOT more gray creeping in recently! (no wonder Mom thinks I'm her mother...) *grin*
6. Reliable -- I definitely AM reliable! I don't think I've ever had a boss that would disagree. If given a task, I see that it's done -- to 150% of my best ability!
7. RICH -- LOL! You laugh??? I AM rich! I am rich in God's love; blessed with a wonderful family, and many many good and caring friends! What MORE do I need???
8. Rebel -- Oh yes I am! I was ALWAYS accused of being a rebel when I was young. And I don't think I've gotten over it yet! If there is "something" going on that I disagree with in principal or in fact, I will FIGHT it! And I don't think I'm wrong to do it! If I believe something is "unjust" and that I can make a difference in changing it -- I'm ALL IN on that! This is one of those things that earned me the title of "hard headed". I am that too!
9. Real -- Yea... I think y'all know ... what you read is what you get!
10. Roamer -- Rambler? Well... I'm not a house. I looooove to roam! If I'm in the car (especially away from home) and I'm not in a hurry to BE someplace, I love to see a sign or just see a road - and follow it! Let's SEE what's down here?! Some of my best explores have come about this way! Oh... I don't worry about getting "lost" either. Lost is SUCH a state of mind! No matter how "away" you are from where you want to be... there's always a way to get back!
11. Reader -- Yes! This is me! I loooove to read! As a matter of fact, I can't fall asleep at night without reading! That is bad! There are times when it is very inconvenient to need to read a few pages!
12. Resilient -- This is a good word for me. I am really pretty good at "bouncing back". I'm not always "up" the way some folks think I am. But when I get down (and I get down pretty deep when I get) I bounce back pretty quick! It's more like being on a trampoline than trying to dig myself out of a hole. (good thing - I'm not that great with a shovel!)
13. Regular -- TMI? Should I have stopped at 12 this week? Well... I'm just sayin'...
Labels: TT
Prioritizing!
The happiest, most beautiful, most energetic child in all the world is staying with me all day yesterday and today. I wasn't around much yesterday - and I won't be today! Sorry... sOme things are more important than blogging! (it's TRUE!) Don't worry... I still love you! I'll be back!
Alphabet Challenge - Zee End!
The Alphabet Photo Challenge is being sponsored byQuilly at Quilly's Pacific Paradise
"Z" is for... Zebra!
I honestly thought about photographing some soap or a
vegetable... maybe even some jeans or a music jacket...
but knowing I had THIS in my archives... nothing else could
really measure up... even though it's a couple of years old ...
and a repeat. Derek & this Little Lady (at least we think it
was a lady) really got up close and personal! :)
Zee End!
Quilly, dear... Thank you SO much for this challenge! It
has been great fun, and I have made some new friends!
What mOre could one ask for?
Labels: Alphabet Challenge
Alphabet Challenge... "Y"nding Down....
The Alphabet Photo Challenge is being sponsored byQuilly at Quilly's Pacific ParadiseAlas... tomorrow is our lassst day...
"Y" is for ... Yarn(shall I spin you one?) Labels: Alphabet Challenge
Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt - Shoes .... and Alphabet Challenge - Letter ... X !
Join the
blogroll. Visit participants.
Today's Theme: Shoes
Little Miss Luz is a 3 year old with a shoe fettish!
She already owns about 20 pair!
She can NOT pass a shoe store without trying something on...
and Thursday she convinced Nana she MUST HAVE...
THESE!
(okay... I admit I agreed!)
(immediately)
(and then I bought her two outfits to go with them!)
(i am sooooo bad!)
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"X" is for...
Xebert & Xerona
( I can 'cheat' with the best of 'em! )
But that really IS their names!
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Sooooooo... do you want to hear some "stuff"? Nothing exciting -- well to me - but not to you! My back door is IN!
It only took THREE days! And in spite of it all, I'm looking out!
Doot Doot Doot!!!
But there WERE casualties...
Dirty Ol' Man Jim just was NOT the handy-man for us! He knew it. He messed up every step along the way to putting in that door. Besides being a dirty ol' man, he is also NOT very handy, and he lies. It took him 3 days to do what should have taken one at the most. He "ruined" parts that should never have been ruined. And he actually had the storm door hung UPSIDE DOWN at one point! At that point I emailed Dennis that I was NOT happy and that I did NOT think we should let Jim do our posts... and low & behold he showed up HOME 45 minutes early today -- in time for Jim to tell us that he didn't think he was going to be
able to do our posts after all --- before we got a chance to tell HIM that he was NOT going to do our posts for us! Either way... the result is the same. He lowered his price for the doors -- he SHOULDA been payin' US for the doors! I told Dennis to write the check and get him out of here! I was totally disgusted! So... Mr. Jim is out the door. My BACK door! (no... that's not all -- but you really don't WANT the full rant.... and I'm really not LIKE that!) He had to be pretty darned bad for me to post
THIS!
Ya know?
Labels: Alphabet Challenge, Photo Hunt
A LOT of Friday STUFF!
"W" is for ... Water!
This is such not the BEST picture of Lucy Goosey...
but... y'all knOw how cute she is!
But LOOK at that water!
Look CLOSER!!!
I LOVE what this water is doing!
You can BIG it too... if you want.
You should!
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The Closet Chronicles
(update)
We are about 99% sure that my good friend Jen hit the nail on the head in my comments yesterday! We do believe there is a dead mouse in the house... stuck behind a wall... and now the debate is what to DO about it! Of course, I am of the opinion that we should locate it and get RID of it. True to form, Hubby is of the opposite notion! (this is very typical of us... *sigh*) I'm probably going to LOSE this one, because Hubby does not WANT to do this himself! ... and because the Odor People I talked to yesterday say it will cost at least $350 for them to come out and find it. Did I mention we have a handyman to pay -- and AC mEn next week? I'm living in a canister of Morton's Salt! When it rains, it pours!
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FRIDAY FILL - INS
(wanna play?)
1. On my laziest day I like to stay in my jammies ALL day and not go ANYwhere!
2. Cleaning house makes me feel like I'm being productive. Unfortunately, I'm not crazy about being productive...
3. I love little songs and big smiles.
4. This summer I want to have a LOT of fun! And I plan to!
5. My weight loss journey made me start my blog.
6. Red wine and orange roses.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to doot doot doot lookin' out my back door, tomorrow my plans include the Dierks Bentley Concert and Sunday, I want to go to church & then cook for Monday!
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is hosted by Tom
What I loved about this sky was the total contrast in weather
in such a short distance. It really made ME take notice!
Everyone have a GLORIOUS weekend!
May all your Memorial Day memories be happy ones!
Labels: Alphabet Challenge, Skywatch
Mold? Mildew? Mice?
Something is seeeeeeriously amiss in the land of Melli's Closet! This is getting to me even more than the disappearing people in
Pigeon Falls! "The Odor" ... has now been with us for a bit more than a week. AC Man has assured us "The Odor" is not in our ducts... and now that
Dennis has completely EMPTIED the closet, scrubbed out the closet, and vaccumed the closet, (what a good boy he IS because
Melli GAGS and wants to vomit every time she gets near the closet) Melli has sucked it up enough to take her Super Nose INto the closet to try to find where "The Odor" is coming from --- and can't! But I do agree, it's NOT in the duct. I stuck my nose right up IN the duct -- and it smells FAR better in there than it does in the rest of the closet!!! Fortunately 90% of "The Odor" can be contained in the closet just by shutting the door! Of course, this does not help to air OUT the closet! But at this point I'm not sure I want it aired out -- I want the source FOUND and eliminated!!! I am seriously frustrated! Dennis is seriously frustrated! It's not like we don't have enough on our plates just with MOM and her issues, and the estate settlement issues revolving around the brother! We were doing AOK to deal with the AC breaking down - we can handle that. We are okay with the dirty ol' handyman and the nightmare HE had installing the new back door yesterday. We were even okay with waiting until today to have the back door actually lock! (tomorrow we deal with getting the storm door added) But "The Odor" has gotten the best of us! My children have been wanting to burn our home to the ground for about 3 years now --- and I'm almost ON BOARD for this solution right now!!! (God, please do not allow fire to happen to my house, because as many times as I've said this out loud we would surely be under investigation and NOT collect insurance money at this point!!! I do ask this in the name of my sweet and best friend, Jesus! Amen!) A Tornado might work though!
Alphabet Challenge - Letter "V" ... AND Thursday 13... "Q" is for Quirky!
I TOLD you there would be mOre than ONE picture for letter "V"!
And it may l00k like all they're doing is volunteering to eat lunch...
But I promise you... before and after my church group delivered lunch...
That these fine young Men & Women ...
Were working HARD...
To build this Habitat For Humanity home.
As someone who has been involved in volunteer work of one type or another all my adult life (and some of my childhood too) I have great admiration and respect for all people who give generously of their time and energy to make someone else's life a little bit better. My hat is off to these people! It was an honor to ME to prepare & serve them lunch!!! God bless them all!
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Thursday 13
In which Melli makes up tells a little story
involving 13 "Q" words...
Soooo, I received a phone call this morning from the Queen... she is throwing a "tea" this afternoon at Quarter past 3. Of course I'm invited and she inQuired as to whether I would Quibble were she to serve a sausage and bacon Quiche. I felt I was being Quizzed, and never one to be Quiescent, I Quickly reminded Her Majesty that I do not "do" meat Quiche. I did however offer to bring my own Quiche if it would help! The Queen grew very Quiet and insinuated that I was behaving in a Quirky manner. She reQuested that I Quit. I replied that there was no way I was being Quirky as I had already achieved my Quota for Quirks this month -- but that I might be a bit Qualmy as I'm lacking in Qualms! Her Majesty rolled her eyes ( I could hear it through the phone! ) and said never mind as she has decided to serve Quail instead!
There ya go! FIFTEEN "Q" words -- in case the two with "Q" in the middle don't count! Now... I must go dress for the Queen! Ta ta!
Labels: Alphabet Challenge, TT
ABC Meme Thingy... AND the Alphabet Challenge - Letter "U"
ABC's of Me, I think it's called. I picked it up over at Stray Thoughts ... I think that's two in a row now!!!
Accent: I don't currently have one, but I am accused of being one of those people that picks up whatever accent is in the area where I'm living. (even if I'm only there for two weeks!)
Breakfast or no breakfast: I used to be breakfast every morning about the minute I woke up. But lately I have been coffee only until about 11:30 -- and then instant starvation!!!
Chore I don’t care for: Any of them! Think about this... if it's called a chore that's what it is! Otherwise it's called an activity! Which may or may not be a fun one! Okay... okay! So you want me to choose ONE... scrubbing floors!
Dog or Cat: Both! One dog, two cats. (used to be 3) I'm ready for none!
Essential Electronics: Microwave. Camera. Computer.
Favorite Cologne: Red Door!
Gold or Silver: I'm a mixer!
Handbag I carry most often: OY! I'm seasonal! I used to love my black one - but I had to give that up because Mom kept thinking it was hers! Right now I'm carrying a little blue & white pin stripe by Tommy. It's cute. The kids tease me about it (mainly because I NEVER buy "brands", but this time I did! I guess I'm not allowed to buy a "brand" even if that IS the purse I like the best!) LOL!
Insomnia: Not for a long time!
Job Title: Zoo keeper!
Kids: Yep! 4 of 'em! 2 girls, 2 boys... all grown! (and I didn't think they'd all make it....)
Living Arrangements: Our House is a very very very fine house (fine house) with two cats in the yard...life used to be so hard... *sigh* I am Married... with children and pets and a mother-in-law! We all live together in a little crooked house.
Most Admirable Trait: I haven't killed anyone... yet.
Naughtiest Childhood Behavior: Oh my... at what AGE? I think I pretty much broke ALL the commandments by the time I was 16... but THEN I grew up! I became a fine upstanding model citizen of the United States of America! It's a miracle!
Overnight hospital stays: Many. I don't even list them all for my doctors anymore! At this point I think I have almost as many body parts as I've lost! *just kidding*... sheeeeesh! I am missing my tonsils, my appendix, my gallbladder, my uterus, my ovaries, and 12 teeth -- 16 if you count the wisdoms! In addition to that I've given birth to 4 children - but was only pregnant 3 times! Phobias: Y'all know this one! I'm claustrophobic like crazy! DON'T FENCE ME IN!!! (they wrote that song for ME!)
Quote: I don't have a favorite quote. I've always liked Thomas Jefferson's "I cannot LIVE without books!" ... which is really only the first part of the quote ... but I mean really... that's not very prophetic or "feel good" - it just speaks my heart! I do admire him though... He is probably the one historical political figure that I would like to converse with.
Reason to smile: I need a reason? Hm. God & Family!
Siblings: 4 sisters, 2 brothers ... I think I'm adopted!
Time I wake up: Way-2-early o'clock! Especially for someone who doesn't have "a job".
Unusual Talent or Skill: ROFLMBO!!! Just being me! It's harder than you think!
Vegetable I Refuse to Eat: Is LIVER a vegetable? Honestly - I haven't met the veggie I won't at least TRY! Just don't try to feed me a POTATO Bug and call it a vegetable! I'm not buyin' it!
Worst Habit: Refusing to take life seriously.
X-rays: No thanks! I've had some! (see "O")
Yummy Stuff: Food again? Couldn't they ask if I can Yodel or if I own a Yak or what's my favorite shade of Yellow? Is it always about FOOD? YAMS! Yellow Squash! Yesterday's leftovers!
Zoo Animal I Like Most: O! Ooo! Ooo! When I was a kid my favoritest favorite animal was always the Ant Eater! I loooooooved them! And I do still think they are pretty cool - but the Washington Zoo hasn't actually HAD one for ages... they still have a statue of one - but I haven't seen an actual BREATHING one in years! So I moved to other end of the alphabet, and now my favorite zoo animal is a Zebra!!! For REAL!!! I loooooove them! They're so cute!!!
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"U" is definitely for ... Umbrella!
I know I took the easy way out on this - but with all
the rain God has BLESSED us with recently, I really
could hardly avoid it! And I really have appreciated
ALL the rain!
Thank you God!
Labels: Alphabet Challenge, meme's
Tuesday Tunes ... (I almost forgot this one!)
Tuesday Tunes... hosted at
Music Memoirs ... check it out!
And the rules (this week) are:
This week is word association week and it's all in colors! I'll give you a color and you tell me the first song/artist/album that comes to mind when you see it.Pink: Pink Cadillac (Bruce Springsteen)Purple: Purple Rain (Prince)Blue: Blue Velvet (Bobby Vinton) *boy that goes back a ways!*White: Knights in White Satin (Moody Blues)Gold: Heart of Gold (Neil Young)Silver: Silver Bells *I couldn't think of ANYthing else!*Green: The Ballad of the Green Beret (that goes way back too!)Yellow: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (Elton John)Red: Little Red Rodeo (Collin Raye)Brown: Brown Eyed Girl (Van Morrison)
Alphabet Challenge - Letter "T"....
The Alphabet Photo Challenge is being sponsored byQuilly at Quilly's Pacific Paradise.
"T" is for ... Textile Teddy's*shrug*I was "s" rich and "t" poor...(well... I could have shown you my 12 pulled Teeth!)*nods*I've got notta for "U" -- so I'm off in search of...~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Soooooo yea... AC Man came yesterday! He doesn't think the odor is coming from the ducts because it ONLY smells in our closet -- and not from any OTHER ducts. Sooooo... it is still possible that the ONE duct has some water in it -- but if that's the case it means a roof leak! OY!
So the other good news is... the heat pump is not "fixable"... actually it's not the pump - it's the air handler. The whole unit needs to be replaced... as well as some of the duct that will be destroyed getting the unit in and out. Of course, the sales guy (yea... AC Man II) told Dennis (us) that we REALLY should replace the outside unit as well as the air handler, because in 2010 the Clean Air Act goes into effect regarding heat pumps and then if the outside unit breaks down and has to be replaced the air handler will have to be replaced AGAIN as well! (because they won't match up with each other anymore...) My man is very frugal though, and so he says we'll cross that road when we get to it. I hope like CRAZY that outside unit lasts another 25 years!!! (well... at least 10!) I don't want to have to come back here in a year or two and tell you what Hubby is saying if it breaks down earlier! You're not gettin' the whOle story right now as it is! LOL!
So, today I'm off to the dentist -- step 2 of the New & Improved permanent denture assembly. Oh boy! If I'm verrrrrry lucky I should actually have my new teeth by the end of June! But I'm not actually counting on that!!! LOL!
Labels: Alphabet Challenge
Alphabet Photo Challenge - Letter "S" ... and lotsa stuff...
You would never believe -- I had SO many "S" pictures I could use today. I have a gorgeous Seagull ... I'll post it another day. I had some fabulous seashells.... I had a picture of Mom with a Strawberry Shortcake big enough to feed a 3rd world nation... but what did I decide on??? Craziness! That's what! Don't ask me why -- for some reason I just LOVE this picture ....
"S" is for ... shadow!
This ALMOST won out over "rocks" for "R" too!
I would have used "rust" - but the rust was NOT
what I was photographing when I took it!
So shadow it is!
I can't help it...
it's just the way I am!
:)
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Sooooooo... we have stuff and stuff and stuff going on! Our UPstairs air conditioner went on the blink last week. I called for service and they are coming today. In the meantime, we got a little over 10" of rain in the past week, and with having the windows open and all... well... SOMEhow we've developed a "musty" odor in OUR walk-in closet of all places!!! Now, Dennis thinks (and it sounds reasonable) that it's in the ductwork... he thinks the insulation got wet when the unit quit working. I'm HOPING that's all it is -- because the only other thing I can think is if we have a LEAK in our roof and some of the ATTIC insulation got wet that way! I think replacing a line of duct would be better than having to replace attic insulation AND repair a leaky roof! At any rate as each day progresses the odor gets worse and right now I don't think I can sleep in our bedroom anymore until it's fixed! It absolutely GAGS me! As a matter of fact, I can barely stand to walk upstairs! ICK!Our new dirty old man "handyman" is supposed to come on Wednesday to replace our back door and install a storm door! That was a fiasco too.... I had been "window shopping" on line for the new back door I wanted... had a really nice one all picked out. Then we got the price from this guy to do the work - and I got the go ahead to purchase. So I go to Home Depot to get it... well... it turns out the door that I want doesn't COME in a 32 inch door. NORMAL sized entry doors are 36 inches. But the jerk guy who built our house cut corners on the doors -- so the back door and the basement door are only 32 inch. That makes them "special order" for all but about 3 very plain styles! Soooooo... I decided to go with a regular 6 panel door and get a storm door! I've always wanted a storm door anyway -- so now I'll have one! I like the idea of being able to open the back door and let the full light come in! AND I like the idea of a SCREEN in the warm weather! This one has the built in screen and glass so you just slide the glass down when you want the screen, or up when you want the glass! I LOVE it! I hope the dirty old man handyman gets it done in one day. I'm already starting to rue the day we hired him. (Honey doesn't WANT to do these kinds of jobs anymore.... *sigh*)
You guys will not believe this! I had Luz Saturday evening and all day Sunday and ... are you ready for this? ... I didn't even pick up my camera ONE time!!! A whole night and a day and not one picture was taken!!! The family is checking my vital signs! They think I might be in a walking coma or something... I'm fine! We played gaaaaames - oh, did we play games! I had just bought a whole stack of new games to play with Mom -- Kerplunk! and a matching game, and Trouble, and Shoots & Ladders -- all totally appropriate for both Mom & Luz!!! I also got some children's card games! Mom loves 'em -- Luz loves 'em! And we colored and we hoola hooped -- Oh yea - Luz can actually REALLY hoop now!!! YAY! And we played ball and - oh! we went to Walmart to buy a "magic" toothbrush! She is sO amazed by Nana's electric toothbrush! SHE calls it "magic" -- I keep telling her it's just "power" - I guess at 3 power is magic! LOL! So anyway... I was a little disappointed that they don't actually make small electric toothbrushes. We had to get her a regular adult size! But it's "pink" and she's happy! So... you can see -- I had NO time to take pictures! But I had a thoroughly enjoyable weekend with my baby girl!
Oh! In case you're wondering... I've totally given up car shopping! I'm just not doing it! I guess when/if my Expedition dies then I'll be forced... but until then - unless Dennis wants to go out and buy me something, I'm just ... done! I haven't actually stepped on a car lot since the "almost" purchase. I think about it sometimes... but then I can't bring myself to DO it!
So... what did YOU do this weekend?
Labels: Alphabet Challenge
Alphabet Photo Challenge -- "R"
The Alphabet Photo Challenge is being sponsored by
Quilly at Quilly's Pacific Paradise.
"R" is for... Rocks!On the shore of the Chesapeake Bay Labels: Alphabet Challenge
Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt -- Candy .... and Alphabet Photo Challenge
Join the
blogroll. Visit participants.
Today's Theme - CANDY!
Mmmmmm.... malted milk balls!
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The Alphabet Photo Challenge is being sponsored by
Quilly at Quilly's Pacific Paradise.
"Q" is for ... Quiche... which MY real men DO eat!
And they were VERY happy that I needed
a "Q" picture last night!
(sorry, but the "creative" part of this post was
in the baking!)
Labels: Alphabet Challenge, Photo Hunt
Alphabet Challenge - Letter "P"... and Friday meme's...
The Alphabet Photo Challenge is being sponsored by
Quilly at Quilly's Pacific Paradise.
"P" is for ... Path
It's really much prettier in BIG.
(you can click it)
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Friday Fill-Ins 1. There is absolutely NO way you can get me to eat sushi!
2. The full pools reminds me that summer is almost here!
3. I cannot live without my coffee.4. White water rafting and Tornado chasing are two things I'd like to try.
5. When life hands you lemons Make lemon cake!
6. My doll, Dear Boy, is my favorite childhood memory.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to nothing in particular, tomorrow my plans include making a dessert and buying balloons for a church fundraiser, and Sunday, I want to sing at church!
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is hosted by Tom
This is a repeat performance for many of my readers --
but I think it's worth repeating for the Sky Watch folks!
This sky greeted me while driving to work one morning
and I just couldn't help knowing it was a gift - from God!
Do you see what I see?
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Labels: Alphabet Challenge, Skywatch
Definitely headin' in the wrong direction...
So, here's the EAR!
Definitely headin' in the wrong direction...
So, here's the EAR!
Yes, the baskets ARE on the bed during the day so
At night they go back on the floor - and God HELP
