It's been a while...

Since you last joined the Long adventures... Yeah, so it's been over a month this time, but while I hate giving excuses I actually have a decent one this time. Aside from the busyness of the Christmas season and many migraine and dizzy days I briefly lost a close companion of mine. Yes, that's right... sometime around the new year my faithful laptop took a nosedive off of the couch and sat in disrepair for almost three weeks. While no tears were shed, prayers were prayed as it is difficult to replace such a priceless friend. Fortunately, my tech-savvy husband diagnosed the problem and took it to the proper treatment center and for a mere $50 my friend is back on my lap purring like a.. well, like an older model laptop that had a fall but still works great.

In other news, we had a lovely Christmas in Greensboro with the Longs, although we missed seeing the Lipsetts. This being my second married Christmas at the Long home I was able to notice a few more differences between our two families. Drew and I quietly began a mental list of things that "would never happen at the Lipsett home." I say this carefully knowing both families are some of my main blog readers and I will be questioned intensely on this, but it is still worth the interrogation.
Overall, the best moment of things that "would never happen at the Lipsett home" began harmlessly enough after dinner; when all the Longs, plus cousins, were talking about the rudeness of some noisy neighbors who have band practice in a shed that backs up to their backyard. The band happened to be practicing that night so the conversation quickly turned to what could be done to quiet them down. [note- I don't exclude myself from any blame in this scene, but I was focused on more pressing matters.. I really wanted Rice Krispy Treats.] Anyway, it was resolved that what was needed was a certain type of fireworks, a cigarette fuse, dark clothing, and an element of swiftness. So within a few minutes we all reassembled in the living room with one cigarette fuse & lighter, dark-enough clothing, and an entire bag of fireworks... but unfortunately, of all of the explosives found in the home [this is also on the "never happen" list] we did not find the precise type of firework that would make the band know we were annoyed with them. So it was back to the idea stage... almost a twenty minute conversation of how to prank the neighbors. Amazing. My favorite highlight came following my suggestion to make Rice Krispy treats and take them to the band. I figured they would all have to stop playing and we could talk to them and ask them nicely to stop playing so loud. Guess how that went over? Yeah, I think one response was, "Okay, Martha," quickly followed by, "Does anyone have any smoke bombs?" Ah, what a wonderful family. I truly love being a Long, but anyone who knows my maiden-name sakes are well aware that this could/would/will never happen in the good land of Lipsett.

K