Let’s muse over a cupa and a piece of strawberry-rhubarb pie about Ikea, Donald, Mickey and we all know who is coming to visit–my dear mom!

It’s storming like crazy right now — lightening, thunder, and rain — oh my! The temperature is supposed to drop from 94 down to 70 today. Rascal is not crazy about the storm, so she cuddled up next to Joey the beagle.

Yesterday I ran over to IKEA to pick up a few things for the house because, you know, my mom is coming, and when I went to check out, I was told they didn’t have bags or boxes for my purchases; however, I could buy a large IKEA bag for 59 cents. I’m checking out my own purchases, bagging them in a bag that I’m paying for and then walking out of the store with a reusable bag with IKEA’s name on it. I want my name on the damn bag — I bought it!

When I commented to Cole that I found it ridiculous, an IKEA employee who was standing there set me straight. “It’s not ridiculous;” she interjected into my conversation, “IKEA is ‘green’.” Yeah, right with my green. I think they are going to see a lot less of my green in the future.

The road warriors arrive today. As far as I know, the drive has been uneventful, except for my mother’s gas light in her Honda Odyssey coming on while she was on a toll road. My mom really doesn’t like to let her gas tank fall below the half-way mark, and when — God forbid — the light comes on, she knows she is out of gas, even though she could probably drive at least another 50 miles. I know because I own a Honda Odyssey, and my gas light is usually on. In any case, they didn’t run out of gas, but it was touch and go for 10 miles or so.

Today is Donald Duck’s big day — the day he is was introduced to the world.

Donald would have loved to have out-shined Mickey, but it never happened for one very good reason . . .

Here, have a piece of  strawberry rhubarb pie, and I will tell you about it.

Mickey Mouse was Walt Disney’s main mouse. For Walt Disney, it was always about Mickey.

I have a friend who works for ABC television, which is owned by the Walt Disney Corporation, and I remember years ago, I was sitting at her kitchen counter, thumbing through the company human resource book. The book cover and dividing pages all had big pictures of Mickey Mouse, which I found very funny. I mean, really, Mickey Mouse explaining your life insurance benefits! My friend looked at me in all seriousness and said, “Katybeth,  when you work for ABC  you are told one thing very clearly: If we want to keep our jobs, nobody f-cks with the mouse.”

Cole was never into Mickey Mouse and friends (remember, we kept media out of his life for 12 years). We did go to Disney when he was about 9. Cousin Carla and her family live a stone’s throw from Disney World and know the park backwards and forwards, so they showed us a fabulous time. Cole was unfamiliar with a lot of the characters but was big fan of Winnie the Pooh; and because we were at the park, and I grew up on the Wonderful World of Disney, we made sure he paid his respects to the mouse. Frankly, I was a little worried about what would happen if he didn’t.

My biggest problem today will be coming up with something to feed everyone for dinner. I am serving reservations for the weekend meals, and Chicago pizza is a sure thing for Friday night, but tonight I am little perplexed about what to fix. Cole suggested Jimmy John’s sandwiches and was genuinely surprised when I said I thought we might need “real food.” I have been calling Jimmy John’s diner for the last couple of years. However, Chinese takey outie is real food . . . right?

I’m off to give my pups baths and pawdicures so they are sweet smelling and looking as fine as frog hair when our company arrives. Rascal loves her bath and usually joins me in the shower for a quick rinse every day. Skippy and Scooby are all about staying dry. I will brag and say that all three of my pups are great about having their nails done. I grind them, and have never taken any sass, but do offer a better than usual treat when the job is done. It works.

Hope you stick around and quack with me a little. What is going on in your neck of the woods? Odd Loves Company!

♥
Kb