home for the weekend

I'm home for the weekend. Mom's in Las Vegas, Dad and Todd are in New Mexico doing some backpacking (*jealous*). Leann will be home next week, but for now, I have the place all to myself. Well, besides the three cats I'm here to take care of. I had let Mom know the other day that I was in trouble financially, and she offered to let me take care of the house while everyone was away in exchange for some cash. It won't cover everything, but it will definitely help. I feel a little guilty because I know she didn't have any to spare since Dad's been off work for the trip. She took it out of her spending money for Vegas. Now, Mom doesn't have time to breathe, let alone take personal time, so Paula encouraged her to go with the competition group to Vegas this year. She works hard, and she needed this trip more than anyone I know--which makes me feel even more guilty for accepting the money. In return, I'm cleaning the house, doing yardwork, taking care of the cats, and setting up her new PC (which I'm actually posting this from). Running windows update at 56K is gonna suck.

Staying here is going to set me back a few days in my job search, but it's definitely worth it. I get free central air, free gas from Mom's Exxon card, and all the food I could ever eat. MMmmm... Schwann's :D

I hope I can see Grandpap before he goes in for Chemo on Monday. I know he needs some yardwork done, and I'll get a little more cash from that, but I want him to be there when I do it so I can spend some time with him. He's a strong man, with a big heart, but he gets lonely in that big house with no one to talk to. I love being there. He's not a typical "old person." He stays motivated, always open to new concepts and changes in the world around him. I set him up with a PC a few years ago, and he has since learned to surf, check his email, instant message, and even webcam conference with my uncle in Singapore. Every time I visit, he has a new book to read, and he stays educated about his health and what is going on in his body. He has so much energy, and it is torture to see him drugged up and unable to exercise due to his back surgery. Grandma would have been proud of the way he's been holding up despite all of it. I really hope I can be just like him when I'm old. Still young inside :)