We spent last weekend at the lake house with all of my husband’s family. With the 4th being on Tuesday, it really messed up the long weekend for me. I had to come back home to work a half day on Monday, while most everyone else was off. My husband and the 2 younger kids opted to stay through Tuesday and catch a ride home with some cousins. The 4th is a huge family event at the lake every year. We stay at the house but loads of cousins and friends camp at the lake. There are rows of travel trailers lined up around this big covered pavilion, BBQ pits smoking 24/7, volleyball being played & kids of all ages running around everywhere. Much time is spent in the water either lounging on a float or riding in one of the boats or jet skis. This year we had a lot of rain. It was still fun, but not nearly as fun as it is when it’s hot and sunny.

So, Monday morning I mentioned the weekend at the lake, driving home through awful storms and that husband and kids had stayed longer to my boss, to which he replied, "Did you come home just to work half a day?" and then he looked at me like I was crazy. Well, had I known he felt that way I would’ve gladly stayed through Tuesday. Silly me!

I still managed to salvage and enjoy my Monday evening. My twin friends and I went to have Mexican food and margaritas. It’s been a while since we’ve done anything together without the kids and ironically, we were all flying solo that night. All husband’s and kids were elsewhere enjoying the 4th or working. So we got together.

After filling up on chips, green sauce and a few Margaritas we decided to go back to Kelli's to watch the Astros. As usual, we had many good laughs that night. I'm sharing two of the highlights from our evening. Hopefully, they aren’t “guess you had to be there" laughs and you'll get a kick out of them, too.

During one of my restroom breaks I just had to look in the mirror. The Texas humidity had really gotten to my hair so I decided to work on it a little and see if I could get some body back before returning back outside in Kelli's garage where we were watching the game, and where the humidity was again waiting on me and my hair. Yeah, I know, doesn't make much sense! Shelli was sitting on the bed behind me talking on her cell phone and I didn't realize that she was watching me this whole time. I got my hair fluffed and then reached for the hair spray. I started spraying right on top where it was so flat and after a moment recognized an old and very distinct smell, then got this funny taste in my throat. I quickly pulled the spray back then quietly gasped, as in, “oh, no! I did not!”, and then read the can confirm that it was indeed aerosol spray deodorant and not a can of hair spray. It was at this point that I saw Shelli in the mirror behind me just as she fell sideways onto the bed from laughter. Kelli then walked in and Shelli was trying to tell her what I had just done in between her laughter. I was busy looking for big white clumps in my scalp, which luckily I didn't have! All I can say is that my hair stayed fresh and dry for the rest of the night! Now I ask you, who uses spray on deodorant anymore? Well, they both do, but I hadn't used or seen any in years! I didn't even know they still sold it! (ok, half kidding, but only half!)
Note: My little mishap comes no where close to my father in laws from years ago when they still had babies in the house. He went to the bathroom one morning to brush his teeth but instead of grabbing the tube of toothpaste he grabbed a tube of Desitin. You know the magical baby diaper rash ointment that is similar in consistency to Vaseline, except thicker and white! He’d already started to brush before he felt the thick, slimy, nasty tasting muck that now coated his teeth and gums, and took him forever to get off!

Back to my Monday evening with the twins………………After I’d freshened up (literally), we returned to the garage, where Shelli sat in a big chair, all relaxed and reclined watching the game. (Yes, Kelli has a recliner in her garage, but that’s a story for another time!) We had the garage door half way opened to let in a little more of the humid air. Shelli had a glass drink in her hand and all I remember is looking at her start to flail before she literally slammed her glass straight down onto the garage floor and hopped up out of that chair. Before the glass was even finished shattering I was already out on the driveway. You see, I already knew exactly what had caused Shelli to do that flailing jig. It comes from my own years of experience as a lifelong Texas resident doing that same flail! No one is more afraid of cock roaches than I am and Texas is known for all things big, including our cock roaches. I was already on “guard” and had my roach radar on, which is in pristine condition by the way. My radar is always up and running anytime I am outdoors at night in the summer. I don’t even have to remind myself to turn it on. For me it’s as natural as my heartbeat, simply because of my intense fear of cock roaches. Actually, I have enough roach stories to write about for 3 months straight, but I won’t. So, as we all scattered and ran like we were being chased by a three headed monster with a knife, we also laughed really hard once we’d reached the safety of the driveway. Then Kelli went back to investigate and convinced us that it was “only a June Bug” and to come back. Shelli was hesitant and swore that the “wings” on it felt much larger. It had landed right on her hand causing her to do that pretty dance and smash the glass. So, just as we’d been convinced to come back in, that the coast was clear and that it was only a “June Bug”, the “flying” cock roach flew right at us and we were once again 3 grown women scattering and running for safety. I didn’t know I could still move that fast. Kelli, please get your eyes checked. My roach radar rarely fails me!