Standard Time and 10:00 PM

Looks like it's going to be a gloomy day. It's snowing at our house. Elaine wants to go for a car ride later today. From the looks of things, that's not going to happen.

Today we turn the clocks back to standard time. No one told the dogs. Walter (Great Dane/Pitbull mix) was downstairs squeaking and crying at the door. This "terrifying" pitbull mix was crying like a baby because no one (including me) wanted to get out of bed to let him out.

Walter decided to change his tactics. I also changed mine. Walter started barking and scratching at the door. I rolled over and put the pillow over my ears.

Walter's (and mine) change in tactics worked. I heard one of the kids open the door and let Walter and the other dogs outside. I pulled the pillow off my ears. Now, my concern was that the kid stayed up long enough to let the dogs back in. I thought about actually getting up to see if I could determine which child was letting the dogs out . I didn't want to get caught so I remained in bed. I heard the dogs return inside, the door was shut and I heard the dogs lay down. The kid must have gone back to bed. It was time for me to get up. The house was quiet again.

Now that we have discussed my morning, do you think I was kind of mean? I think I might have been mean! I'm not feeling all that bad about it. I didn't have all these kids just to get up and let their dogs out. Oh come on! You know you can see my side in this!

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It was a landmark Halloween last week. The twins have grown up. They didn't want to "trick or treat" with their parents (Elaine, me or even Ivy). I don't think anyone really cared but me.

After moving to "the mountains" years ago it became glaringly apparent we were never going to have "trick or treaters" at our house. When the twins moved into the house at least, I would be able to take them "trick or treating". I don't know why I enjoy Halloween, I'm not crazy about candy. I think I just like to see children having fun and I don't mind giving out a couple candy bars to get to see it. Anyway, the twins were invited to trick or treat with friends. The invitation was not extended to me. However,...... The invitation that was extended to me, was to provide transportation for the twins to be with their friends. The twins are not identical (obviously). In fact, they are nothing alike. They have different friends. They were planning to spend Halloween with two different sets of friends and I was expected to get each of them to their friends. No big deal, right? Well, it was a big deal. Girl Twin was with friends on the west side of town, Boy Twin was east of town. The distance between? Fourteen miles, I checked. Fourteen miles of stop signs, traffic lights, and speed limits. Forty minutes!

The twins arranged transportation to each of their friends homes, and I was required to pick them up. Each twin asked to be picked up at 10:00 PM. "OK kids, we all know that's not going to work." Boy Twin suggested, "Maybe you could pick up Girl Twin and Grandma or Ivy could pick up me." I replied, "Wouldn't that be great? However, that would mean that we would have two cars in town until 10:00. The dogs will need to be let outside. Don't forget at least one adult needs to stay in town while you are having fun with your friends." Girl Twin agreed to be picked up first.

It was decided that I would be the adult that stayed in town until 10:00. I decided to hang out at the health club. I would work out and watch the World Series. I know, you're thinking, Monner? Health club? Right! I don't know what to tell you.

I'm going to drift a little here. There are two things I don't like about professional baseball. Dodgers and the American league! There, I said it! I don't know why that was important, but it is.

Picking up Girl Twin went off without a hitch. Considering I had never been to this house before. I made a couple trips up and down a semi-rural street with no street lights. Maybe we could legislate the need for lighted addresses on houses on streets without street lights. Just saying.

I picked up Girl Twin and headed east. I was traveling to a subdivision that was so new not even Boogle Maps knew where it was at. Girl Twin and I were driving around a subdivision not finding the house where Boy Twin was at. I asked girl Twin to call Boy Twin for directions.

Girl Twin: Monner, it's after 10:00 PM

Monner: So?

Girl Twin: Grandma placed restrictions on our phones. We can't use them after 10:00 PM Monner: (construction language) Girl Twin: Let's go this way past these unfinished houses, I see houses with lights on down there.

It was now 10:20 and we have found Boy Twin. By 10:25, both twins were asleep in the car. I had an hour ride home. Halloween has changed forever and not for the better.

Our crazy lives!

Monner