I got time!

WARNING TO PARENTS OF SMALL CHILDREN: You might not want to read this post. Why? Because this was the kind of weekend you probably only dream about. I had three full days to fill with whatever fun and productive activities I chose. Anything. Now, please consider that I KNOW a weekend like this is a luxury, and I am sincerely appreciative for it. I enjoyed the everlovingHeck out of it, quite honestly. But my nails are SHOT. Ick.

All in all, Aunt Crazy successfully...

• Organized and cleaned her basement
• Organized and cleaned her garage
• Installed lights on her bike
• Mowed the grass
• Touched up paint throughout the house
• Labeled paint cans in the basement
• Changed various pieces of furniture throughout the house
• Reorganized and cleaned guest room (including scrubbing floors and baseboards, which is my least favorite part of the cleaning process!)
• Organized Greece pictures while watching Shirley Valentine
• Cleaned the oven manually for an hour... then said "Screw Mother Earth" and put the oven on self-cleaning for another hour.
• Organized, cleaned and painted downstairs closet
• Cleaned outside window sills (but never got around to repainting them ... next time!)
• Broke belt on vacuum... bought and fixed belt on vacuum (HASSLE!)
• Cleaned out drains throughout house, including "baking soda & vinegar" trick
• Had dinner with Cousins
• Had lunch with other cousin
• Turned in some less-loved books to used book store and used credit to buy books for the Luals
• Made 8 back-to-school bags for Luals
• Packed and mailed packages for brother, sister, returned GPS and defective Wenger watch

Less notable yet equally time consuming accomplishments:

• Read the Sunday paper cover-to-cover
• Grocery shopped
• Did laundry, including comforter covers
• Paid Bills
• Downloaded Bend It Like Beckham soundtrack to iPod/iPhone

Activities-not-even-considered-which-probably-makes-me-completely-un-American:

• Watch and/or read about the Olympics.

The pictures below represent some of the above-referenced activities, as well as some pics of Uncle Bill's new digs. Enjoy!

Grilling out at the Culkins' new house!

Kelly prepping the chicken

Kathie and I enjoy being told we can't help with anything :)

McKenna entertaining us ... I wish I'd gotten a shot of her big grin without the pacifier. She was so cute, especially when she was being silly.

McKenna looks on while Chuckie grills.

Any ideas? I didn't think so. This was Aunt Crazy's latest attempt at McGyvering a rolling tray for storing stuff in the back of the closet under the stairs. Yes, I did this myself! Can't you see the sloppy attempt at securing the wheels I found in my toolbox (from my Grandfather's old office chair) with Gorilla Glue?

What's that you say? Yes, I agree... Norm Abram and Bob Vila are probably shaking in their heads in horror right now.

After cleaning and painting the interior of the closet and the door, here is how my rolly tray fits in the back of the closet, tied to a handy dandy hook on the wall for easy retrieval!

Voila! Here is the final closet, hopefully more useful and functional than before.

Here's Bill's new place in San Diego - it's so cute!! Christie, Lauren and I are going to visit in November. I can't wait.

Sydney and the sunset on Pacific Beach ... right at the end of Uncle Bill's street. Surfers in the background. Not too shabby.