Cue the Can Can music

elNot for any particular reason. Matt just went home, and Ben and Tommy always played the Can Can music when he left after they kept him.

Really, he slept until 11:00 am this morning. I fed him lunch instead of breakfast when he woke up. I did the vacuuming yesterday, when he was home with a sick parent. While doing the vacuuming... with my new vacuum... my EXPENSIVE. New. Vacuum.... I discovered that is was barley "sucking" at all. Kept re-routing the suction system to a bypass valve. The downside of this vacuum is it has NO instructions. It came with a basic pictograph card showing how to empty the dust bucket, how to carry it, and how NOT to unplug it. I searched around on the machine and found a little "coinslot" screw that had a picture of a lock, and arrow, and a picture of an open lock. So I got a penny out and 'unlocked' it. The part fell off in my hand. Inside...

Inside.

Inside I found a clog. A very dog hairy clog. And causing that clog was...

a five inch long pencil AND a three and a half inch long metal bolt.

The vacuum had been working perfectly when the twins left. I have not vacuumed up any pencils. Tom swore he had not vacuumed up any pencils... and who would risk an EXPENSIVE!!!! vacuum on a pencil and a bolt instead of picking them up?

Certainly not the person who shelled out the big bucks for the vacuum. This narrowed my list of suspects to Al E. Cat, Jaffa, Drover, or Ben. Since Jaffa and Drover run in terror at the sight of the vacuum, I felt safe in eliminating them. Hmmm. That left Ben or Al. Al hasn't been seen cleaning anything other than herself lately. And Ben DID clean his room.

I had A Talk with Ben about what is and is NOT proper vacuum fodder.
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In Other News:
Tomorrow is Tommy "Stan"'s birthday. He will be 19. *sniffle* I won't get to see him or bake him an alligator shaped cake.

Yesterday, I called Becky and others, and posted on some web sites I frequent, about my "cousin" Amanda. (I'm not sure how exactly ones cousins are counted and seconded and removed... but Amanda is the grand daughter of my Mom's first cousin.) Yesterday we were told Amanda was in surgery from complications of a bedsore (which was a complication of paralysis, which was a result of surviving a drunk driving accident). We were told she was not expected to live. Thanks to all who have prayed and continue to pray for her full recovery. She survived surgery (wound debridation and not removal of her leg, as was feared when we heard of the surgery) and is in STABLE condition in ICU. My Mom is now in Arkansas, taking over her cousin Ruth's cake shop so that Ruth can stay by Amanda's side. Amanda is in her early 20's, she has been paralyzed since she was 14.

I suppose I better be finding out how to fix my intended supper: Beef and Broccoli. From scratch.. no mixes for seasoning. Have a great afternoon.