My trip to Seattle was wonderful. Our time there flew by as most vacations do. John was sick most of the trip. He wasn't able to get out much. Which left me free to spend a lot of time with my girls. Friday night couldn't have been more perfect. Nikki, Lysette, Sieu & I went to B & O Espresso. The food and amerciana coffee were so delicious I took John back there for brunch the next day. I cannot remember the last time I had intelligent adult conversation with such fabulous women!! It was a night I won't soon forget. I love perfect nights like that. They are magical!Since returning to Florida it has been hot, sunny and humid. The complete opposite of Seattle! I have done more laundry than I thought possible. How can we own so many clothes? We are only 3 people!! My big sister is visiting from Michigan with her family. My nephews are 12 & 10. Rita adores them all!! My MIL spent the weekend with us and it was so nice to have her around. We had a birthday party for my BIL on Saturday. My parents came over and Grandpa set up the fishing poles for my nephews. They both caught fish. It was a really great day with a lot of food and fun. I remember family functions as a child. All the women hung out in the kitchen and the men wherever - drinking. Funny what happens to me now in adulthood. I'm hanging with the women in the kitchen. That commercial IS right! A baby does change EVERYTHING!!!I drank a bottle of Merlot last Wednesday night. This is something I just don't do. I was having a fun conversation with my friend Ginny in MD. When it turned to politics. So much for that conversation. I guess I made it personal and she hung up on me. I found it all in good fun. I think George Bush is the worst President in the history of the United States and she is a Bush supporter/Republican. I don't agree with Ginny on a lot of issues so we have agreed not to discuss them anymore. When I think about it (through the fog of wine memory of course) I actually start to laugh out loud. I had a good time.Rita is growing like a weed. I've remembered to put diapers on her everyday!! She waves bye bye. She says "Hi" regularly. She called my Mom "Gramma" yesterday. She says a lot of words just once and then you NEVER hear them again. Where do they go? When will they return? She called the cat "kitty-cat" for a while. Then she called him "Tig-gah". I haven't heard either for days. She holds the bottle on her own for John, but not for me. We've been feeding her more and more table foods. She is getting really good at picking small items up off the high chair tray and eating them. The little stinker has started to blow bubbles with food in her mouth. My glasses have a coating of pineapple, pear and mixed vegetables on them. My clothes are stained with carrots & green beans. It's very frustrating. We are trying to ignore her when she does it to see if that will make it stop. Wish us luck!I was also called for jury duty for the first time since moving to Florida. I was able to request to be excused because "I am a parent or guardian of a child under 6 and not full-time employed." Isn't that an oxy-moron?? I went online and my request was granted. When I turn 70 I can asked to be permanantly removed. Now there is something to look forward to!Spring time is busy here at our house. We have a lot of company come in from up north. Thank God they don't stay with us. It's hard enough as it is. Why I forget this from year to year is beyond me. Come May I will want to hide alone in my house and not answer the phone or check email for days!! Too much stimulation and too much "my life is uprooted from the daily norm." Sometimes I don't deal well with change!! Ok, hardly ever do I deal well with change. Why lie? It's the same as saying "I work independently" Ha!!