WOOHOO! School is back in session!!!!

I just had to get that out of my system! Now, that’s better. Okay, I was really ready for my girls to start back to school today. I’m ready to reclaim my house – I’m sorry, but it’s MY space during the day. Most of the time I’m here ALONE, just me, two dogs and three cats, and while that's a lot of critters, they DO NOT TALK BACK. And usually, they don’t drag out EVERYTHING DAMN THING they own and leave it in the middle of the floor. They also don’t leave TV’s blaring all night long; or invite tons of friends in to eat chips and salsa; leave empty Coke cans everywhere; or leave their Wave-Board in the driveway. They don't write with sidewalk chalk everywhere; or find a boyfriend who has a hollow leg. (Sound familiar Mom?); or get mad because I dare ask "Where are you going in that spiffy blue car"? The critters and I, we have a workable arrangement, you know what I'm saying??

Now, I know Nelson sometimes forgets and has a little accident in the floor. Neither Syd nor Rea do that (that I know of). And every now and then he invites Scout and Trooper in through the pet door, but they don’t stay long, and they NEVER have chips and salsa.

I’m not much on the reptilian gifts that Oscar is so fond of and the southern short tailed shrew (Google it) that someone brought in last week was seen briefly, but has never been found. There have been two partial frog carcasses in the last three weeks, (I think they were a love offering from Vivi). But I'm willing to overlook that because, overall the felines just don't cause me that much trouble -a little hair here, an accident there and their attitudes are GREAT!!

And, Shelley, bless her heart, (it’s the South I have to say that), smells so bad anymore, that it’s becoming difficult to give her affection, but she's happy and she NEVER talks back!

And the whole menagerie, always loves me, no matter what!

But then came Monday, I had to drop Rea off for Sixth Grade orientation. I watched her walk up to the principal and introduce herself and I had a little lump in my throat. And as I pulled away I cried. I came home to MY SPACE, with my menagerie, and I thought: "Where in the world did time go? How is is that my baby is starting middle school?"