Well… If you’ve ever wondered whether I’m telling the truth about my recovery program (you know, the recovering enabler, controller, grammar hacker, the list goes on)…or possibly thought I just might be exaggerating… my tardiness in starting October’s task should prove my procrastination disability. It’s just that time goes so fast. You look up and see that the month is almost half way over even though it just began.

When I sat down at the end of January to start this “experiment”, I tried to consider skills that would be helpful for the kids to hone before flying the coop. Since many colleges and most graduate schools (at least in business) opt for a group case study approach, I thought it would be good to sharpen our teamwork skills. And let’s face it… if you can work with siblings, you can work with anyone!

So, last weekend I called an impromptu family meeting to pick our project. We came up with two. 1. Operation Ping-Pong  and 2. Code-Name Volleyball (we have a little too much military Xbox going on with one of them). Here’s a quick overview

Operation Ping Pong

We have no gameroom, so the garage offers our only table tennis location.

This is what we’re up against.

Like Where’s Waldo, our table has hidden itself somewhere in the mass of murk. But don’t be mistaken. It’s there…the host of countless hours of ping pong fun.

A whoopin’ waiting to happen.

Hmmmm… we might be in need of another one of these.

Naaahh.

Code Name Volleyball

 Voila, the VB impediments – a path of precarious stones dissecting our yard.

If you can look beyond the weeds, try to imagine

navigating these things in heels or in the dark!


Okay, so they might have some aesthetically pleasing attributes, but they really are little death traps.
Our sweet Dottie nearly killed herself one day when she dropped by for a chat.


Slow Walker, always up for hard labor, jumped on the job.
We decided to wait for Dad, 1) to make sure he wants us to do this, and 2) to get a little direction on how to best dislodge the rocks from their happy resting place.
(Then, maybe we can deal with those weeds :)

Here’s hoping we get a jump on our family unity opportunity (think positively!) this weekend … and that we’ll get our last two parties rolling. I know we can do this.

On another note, here’s a quick update on how things are going on our enabling cleanse – a check on the progress that has been made.

Today’s Car Talk –

“I’ve decided that I’m going to live in South America.” TTO blurts from the passenger seat. At least he was talking to me. I was 40 minutes late picking him up from school. No emergency or pressing engagement, I had just plum forgot. He didn’t think it was too funny … I did.

When I heard his statement, I almost didn’t believe my ears. Apparently he has been listening to my lecture-esque soliloquies on charitable living. Finally … his heart is leading him to serve – and in South America no less, following in his grandparents legacy, living with some indigenous tribe, or maybe helping orphans.

“Yeah… South America. I can take $20,000 and buy any car I want… plus a mansion – a huge one with lots of land … and I’ll have a maid and a butler – staff. Yeah. That’s what I’m doing.”

Pause. So much for charity.

“Well… I would take Spanish then,” I float … mostly as an act of surrender.

I’m beginning to think he just might be Diner Dashing me.

Thanks for walking the raod with me.

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