We got the cats new cat food -- and guess what? They hate it. It's some kind of diet cat food...not a new concept to them -- but even now after feeding them they are continuing to hound me. Walking me up and down the hall and meowing with Migo running towards the office as a hint. Their food sits there....I had to lock them in the office right now with Tim and his accordion (no it's not punishment) so that Innsmouth could finish eating her food in the bathroom. She has a special prescription food that the others must not eat. Well, I guess they'll lose weight now...I just hope that we don't need to buy another bag of food to cut it with, that would just be ridiculous.

This weekend was pretty good. It was good enough that I felt like I was away longer than just an overnight. I decided not to make a decision regarding my brothers reception until I was well on the road. It was around Tomah that I decided...yes I will go. So I called my Dad and left a message that I would arrive around 7 later that night. I drove straight until Menomonie and showed up at around 3ish.

My Mom, Frank, Shane and Josh were all there, as was Ditto and some of his friends and new family. There were about ... I don't know maybe 20 -25 folks? But they had enough food to feed an army. I was the object of slight disappointment in that I am apparently much smaller than they expected me to be. It's sort of like Liama said a while back, the belly shots photos make me look bigger than I actually am -- well I guess that is the case. It really looks like nothing when you put a hoodie on ... though I certainly feel like it's there. I also know that in the next eight weeks or so it's going to exponentially grow. But I had a nice visit with Mom and Frank, and only said one or two sentences to Josh because he was busy talking video game stuff. I talked a little with Shane too. Ditto (aka James) talked to me and Tim quite a bit...and showed me around the house and the back yard where there are concord grapes growing. He is thinking he wants to try his hand at wine making this year. He's really into subsistence living (like finding roots and berries, and that sort of thing I don't know what you would actually call it).

We left after a few hours so that we could make it to Dad's....I was driving again because Tim had a few drinks while he was there -- Ditto had a 1/2 keg! Geez, either he was overestimating how much a small gathering of folks drink .... or his friends are big drinkers. :D We got slightly lost on the way there because we tried to take the backroad shortcut from Osseo to Hatfield. An entire part of the highway was closed, so we were forced to drive around on even backer roads. Ha ha. Thankfully we eventually found ourselves some signs and made it to my Dads at around 7.45. He was already in bed after a long day of hard work apparently, so we visited with Barb for awhile. My Dad, he goes on and on about how early he gets up -- like at 4.30am. But you gotta realize he goes to bed at like 7, or even if he stays up later than there is at least at 3-4 hour nap taken somewhere in the day. He can't really judge other folks on when they get up when he has such a messed up sleeping schedule himself. I think there is actually a name for it when old people start getting up too early and going to bed too late...I know that my grandma did her best to fight it when she alive.

Sunday, we spent all day visiting. Barb went off to church and while she was gone, we ended up by the apple tree and picked some apples. Then we decided to make an apple pie and an apple crisp....and that is just what we did. Later on Barb did come back and we had a lunch of grilled cheese and pork and squash soup that Barb had made the day or two before. It was good and just right. Tim later on mowed part of the lawn that was difficult for them to do and played a game of horseshoes with Dad while I went through the rest of the apples by the tree and sorted out the good ones. I ended up bringing a 3/4 paper bag of apples back with me to make some german apple cake. Oh I love that stuff...I have more than enough apples for more apple crisp or a pie.

When we left, Barb sent us off with an awesome baby gift (though she didn't intend it as one, I made it one) of commodity food. I got a crapload of flour, corn meal mix, baking mix, corn syrup, beans, rice, egg noodles, elbow macaroni, canned tomatos, some peanut butter, mashed potatos, dried milk, government cheese, amish eggs --- and my crowning prize -- a big fucking jug of real, 100% maple syrup!!!!! I couldn't believe it! I still can't! Actually, I might in a few minutes. I am cooking some squash to go with the dinner of pasta with fresh tomatos (from Barb), basil (from our garden) and parmeasean/asiago cheese. I want to put a little maple syrup in the squash though I should ask Tim if he wants more of a butter and pepper squash. Hm. Anyway, I was VERY happy to get anything that she was willing to give us. Oh speaking of which I think that the squash must be done...

All in all it was a great weekend -- and Bacon Bit has become so active! It's like a whole baby moving around in there instead of a random kick or two. Though sometimes there is a kick these days that could kick something off my belly it's that strong! I can't help but to think it's funny -- at least it isn't on my bladder anymore. :) Bacon Bit has also been getting the hiccups quite a bit...in fact the Bit has them right now. Okay..gotta go and finish dinner and eat.