I get by with a little help from my friends....

Why must I communicate everything in song lyrics? One of my bad, no, strange (yes, strange is a better word choice, I believe) habits - and yes, I have many.

Ok, to the point, Garnes, I can hear it now, so here we go. The SGGA is coming up, and many of you have already read about the SGGA from my previous blog (hit my archives if you've missed it). I love my gliders, A LOT! Sometimes, it's all that I seem to talk about (so say the family and friends). WOO HOO! An international glider meeting, and I get to meet everyone I've ever gabbed to about gliders! YEAH! Last year was my first SGGA (again, all posted in the archives about the mischief I got myself into), and I just can't wait for this year's SGGA, too.

Mischief, I swear that is my middle name! Read my "The Ohio State University Crabbing Gliders versus the University of Michigan Barking Wolverines" post if you don't believe me. I mean, really, ME... challenging Sugeebaby, of The Pampered Glider... to a SGGA Donation Raffle Item? ME? I'm a hack... and Sugeebaby, she is a professional seamstress/designer! How did I NOT "think about this" before I shot my big mouth off? See? Impulse, spontaneity... and my hyperactivity get me into more trouble than I know what do with - still - it's a GRAND IDEA... hehe. I love ideas. They are FOOLPROOF. It's the implementation that I have problems with, lol.

OK, so, all of THAT is kinda like Charlie Brown saying "Hey, Michael (Jordan) - care for a little game of one-on-one?" Does LMAO mean anything to you? I may as well because that I have plenty of, lol... oh, dear... this is ENOUGH mischief for anyone: I tell you, the things that I get myself into... but I digress - again.

Gawd.

Anyway... where was I, oh, yeah, right here in the middle of a GREAT BIG SELF-MADE MESS, haha. So, Karen and I are great buds, and she lives all the way up there in that state that must not be mentioned - but starts with an "M"; so, I don't get to see her very often. She even had a get-together in May, and for whatever reason, oh, yeah, it was close to the last week of school and I was up past my EYEBALLS in papers and grading... (why, oh why, did I wanna become an English teacher, I fretted (no regrets, I love it, but well, I wanted to hang with my buddies, but that just wasn't the weekend to do it)). Soooo... Karen, invited me up for a weekend after school was out, and I was pleased as punch to get to see her again. I love picking on her, and well, a face-to-face "bugging" is as good as it gets...

OK, I was SUPPOSED to leave home at like 8:00 or 8:30 am, but nooo, that just wasn't possible. A longer and even "boring-er" story (yes, I know that's non-standard English, but this is my blog, so there), and I will not get into all of that (you are welcome, haha, I heard that!). Suffice to say that I left home at... um. OK, it was about 3:00 pm. NOT GOOD. My God, how I get on my own nerves. Anyway, travel is not easy when you have as many pets as I do (and for you faithful readers, you haven't even met my ferrets or my hermit crabs yet)... so I thought I was doing good to even get out at 3:00!

A little background information, as if you don't have quite enough: I tease Karen about us being "The Odd Couple." That's right. That old 70s sitcom... I'm Oscar, and she's Felix. I'm "creative" in my organizational strategies, a true Pisces... I LIVE in chaos, and I like it that way. Ok, so I make myself a little cranky when I can't find my shoes in less than 10 minutes, but that's me. Karen, on the other hand, is PERFECT. A true Virgo. I mean, I admire her MANY abilities... she is incredible. I wish I could be that "together" - but if I were - I'd explode.

So, I grab all my essentials, heck, I even made my travel pouches right before I left, because Sugi gnawed holes through my favorite ones... ok, so that is part of the reason I was a "little" late, but darn it, I "dun good" on them - given the circumstances: a devil-possessed sewing machine, a time-challenged chick, and well, um, a few other disorganizational issues...

Whatever. I get my gliders, my essentials, and we take off. I called her when I hit the road (as promised - and secretly hated myself for being such a boob), and I told her to not hold dinner for me - but Saint Karen did, of course, and we had it the next day. Perfect EVERYTHING: a scrumptious roasted pork loin. Heck, that sweetheart even got HUMMUS for me, and a loaf of French bread, which I adore, and I ate all by myself... Bad me. She even had my favorite drink. Ice cold. Perfect, but that's Karen. *insert sincere smile here*

I got there, ok? Hours later, and with all of my gliders, their foodstuffs, pouches and waterbottles... but I left their toys and their Wodent Wheels (their favorite toy, actually - bad me - because they were firmly attached to their cages and I was in a BIG HURRY to get out of the house, and I was packing light. Right. With 20 sugar gliders, a big man, and a super cute kid). But it was just a weekend trip, and I didn't think they would mind too much.

Karen, Andrea, and I had a great weekend, and we worked on pouches for the SGGA, and blah blah blah while the guys hung out outside and discussed "guy things." All was great dandy, but HOW I got there was a nightmare. Karen noticed that. Felix that she is -- and she told me last week that she was sending me a box, and that I would get it on Monday. I thought, "Um, ok, must be SGGA stuff we need to finish" and I let it go at that.

Well, hey, school is out, right? John had the day off, and we went on a daytrip today, and I THOUGHT today was Saturday. Hello? Teacher here. Out for the summer. Do I notice or really care what DAY OF THE WEEK this is? Heck no. Time is irrelevant on summer breaks - the way life oughta be! Yeah!

So, when we pulled into the drive, I noticed this HUGE BOX sitting ON my house... (ok, so it was a huge box, and only on a chair on my back porch... but the point is that it was HUGE!) Hehe, I like being overly dramatic sometimes. snickers

I asked John, "What is that, did you order something?" He said, "Yes, I did a little shopping" and I am thinking to myself, Whoa, man, he got me a BIG present! Last time he did that, I got a cool XM Satellite Radio, SkyFi2 - portable sound - good for in the car and in the house... WOOOO! I am a big kid, sure, I'll admit it, and I charmed by goodies!

He lied.

We looked at the return address, and then it hit me! That Sugeebaby! I thought she said EIGHT pounds... as in Super 8, The Magic 8-Ball... "Eight is Enough", etc... this box as 18 pounds!! 1-8 ... almost 20 pounds! What in the world?!?

Of course, I ripped that box open like a giant kid at Christmas. "What in the--? A NIKE bag?" God, I know I need to exercise, eat right, and take Geritol twice a day, but really? And I wear REEBOKS® Oh, shhh. Nike is cool, that's ok.... I thought, Karen loves me, and she has sent me a TENT... that sleeps like 10 people... we must be camping out for the SGGA.... (dig, dig, root, root). What? What IS all of this stuff? Stealth Wheels?? FIVE OF THEM? Gawd!! (dig, root, poke, lift, peek, peek). Play gyms?

I stood there. Stunned. Cool, I thought, we are OBVIOUSLY working on some kinda new project for rescues or something (I have taken in a few lately), and although this was something that we haven't yet discussed, oh, well, whatever, cool! I have plenty of time on my hands... hehe, since I am SLOW to get started on my Buckeye Bag Challenge project (silly procrastinator that I am). I am going to hate myself for that, I know... I KNOW.

So, her instructions, handwritten inside the box - so I can't miss them - said, "CALL ME WHEN YOU GET THIS FOR INSTRUCTIONS." Ok, done deal.

WOW!! I tell you, that Karen, she BLOWS ME AWAY, and I thought that I was the one who was always a "little over-the-top"! She, and Tonia (Tmarie of Gliders Anonymous), along with that fabulous Anita of SugaRae's Attic... together... worked on this project to get "yours truly - and all of my 22 sugar gliders" to the SGGA - IN HIGH STYLE!

I was stunned... touched... and deeply moved by this overwhelming show of generosity, and I hate to admit it, but those gals made this "tough old bird" cry. Cry. Yes. There. I went and said it - and my makeup even looked good today, too, darn it.

Karen, Tonia, and Anita... thank you ALL for this incredibly generous and MOST UNEXPECTED surprise. My gliders and I thank you from the bottom of our soft, tender, little fuzzy hearts - with mealies on the side!

Thank you. See you at the SGGA "stylin' and profilin'"!!!

Much love,
me

PS: For giggles, here I am in with my new haircolor... you all deserve at least a good chuckle before bed... and it isn't really THAT orange...