The Terrible Catsafterme

After the mild winter (or lack-of-winter), it was a bit jarring that the first week of April wasn’t much warmer. So even though Spring didn’t bring about the change in weather quite yet, it did bring about a big change. On April Fools Day (my first one in the last five years that I haven’t been on the road with my friend Bob), Ashleigh and Silas were going to come over and visit, but instead hit me with a request that most assuredly was NOT an April Fools joke. She and Silas were ready to move back in for a while. It seems that the living arrangements in the apartment where they were staying had fallen apart, and Ashleigh didn’t want to go back to Stephen’s folks’ house.

I quickly did my best to child-proof parts of the house, since Silas in now a seasoned walker at the age of just 11 months. We’ve gone through a week of them being there (although they do still spend some nights over at Stephen’s parents where he is now living – or in Michigan as they did from Thursday through Saturday). It has taken a bit of adjusting, but overall I’m ecstatic to be able to see them so often again.

Silas and his funky long hair on his first day back home

Rubber ducky, you’re the one. I’m going to chew you, just like gum.

Monday the 2nd was nice enough that I did meet Shelly at The Back Porch for an outdoor beer after work again. And on Tuesday the 3rd, I had a date at The Pub in Erlanger, Kentucky (after an all-day Principles of Oz class at the nearby Holiday Inn by the Cincinnati airport). I met a nice girl named Diane there and we had some appetizers and I had my favorite Strongbow Cider. Unbeknownst to us, they were having trivia that night, and even though we didn’t win, we came mighty darn close. I think I’ve met my match in the trivia department, especially when it comes to 80’s music. Thursday that week saw lunch with Mom. You can guess where. And on Friday the 6th, I stopped at Heidi’s after work to pick up some salmon. Our friend Susie was over there, so I stayed to visit for a while.

This leads us to the reason I’ve gathered you all here today… to talk about Easter. I was at home alone for the first half of the day, spending my time working in iTunes. Ashleigh had gotten back from Michigan the night before, but stayed at Stephen’s. The annual Murphy family gathering took place at Diana & Tom’s house in Bellbrook. It was a come-at-4, eat-at-5 scenario. I left at around 3:45, made my stops at Kroger and Wal-Mart (yes, you heard me… everything else in the city was apparently closed), and got to the party at about 4:45.

This year the holiday fell on Sunday, April 8, 2012. This happened to once again correspond to Denise’s birthday – as it did in 2007. This time we didn’t have a cake to celebrate her 36th natal anniversary, but I did bring along her gift: the DVD of Breaking Dawn. My generosity didn’t stop there either. I brought along a signed copy of Amber Benson’s Among the Ghosts book for Natalie and a CDR of the Joseph Cosnortium’s version of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat for Darlene.

We had a nice turnout this year. Those celebrating the Easter festivities were Diana & Tom, Cathy, Debby & Mike and Tyler and Bradley, Dan & Natalie and Tori, Mom & Bob, me, Ashleigh and Silas, Denise & Aaron and Adam and Megan, Bev & Ed, Susan & Charles and Charley and Sam, Karen & Joe and Andrew, Abby, and Allie, Jim & Jan and Nikki and Eric, Jan’s mother Lois and sister Debbie, Debbie’s daughter Jennifer and her husband Nick, Darlene & Bob, and Brittney & Doug.

The food spread was particularly amazing with turkey, ham, oriental salad, spinach salad, chicken dip, my pretzels and Jarlsburg cheese dip, buckeyes, chocolate and caramel cookies, deviled eggs, fruit, and more of this and more of that and more of everything that is good in the world of food. It was enough to make you reconsider any Spring diet you might happen to be on.

Bob signs autographs for his adoring fans

Mom tries desperately to convince Silas that he will like his first chocolate bunny

Nikki and Jan, good eggs both of ’em

Doug, Brittney, and Darlene, as the newlyweds prepare to make their way back to their home in Illinois

Abby, Bev, and Allie, showing off the cheesiest Easter smile humanly possible

Silas and Tyler square off for a hug

Silas become attached and chases Tyler around

Although not all that warm, it was nice enough that the kids could play outside for some of the time. Megan requested that I go out with her and we walked around the yard, exploring sticks and the tree swing. Ashleigh brought Silas out and he learned the pleasures of rolling down their giant hill. Even though I would stop him after about two rolls, it was enough to send him into fits of elated giggling.

The Bob and Tom show Easter Patio special edition

Andrew, Abby, Tori, and Bradley enjoy life on the swing

Tyler explores the on the wild patio safari, carving his way through bamboo windchimes

Megan give Silas a big hug, but secretly dreading that he might become the center of attention at Disney World

Ashleigh assists Silas on the backyard hill obstacle course, which would ultimately lead to the rolling

Easter fling

Other kiddos on the swing-o

As tradition dictated, we had our Easter egg hunt again this year, during which we were all charged to locate the plastic candy-filled egg with our name on it, hidden somewhere in the kitchen, dining room, or living room. Mine was found in the dining room chandelier. Silas’ was on the coffee table. His was much easier to find, and he seemed to enjoy shaking it.

Silas and his egg

Megs, Denise, and Adam, with his freshly damaged eye after taking a header into the sidewalk a couple of days earlier

Mostly good eggs

Ed re-visits the holiday recline

It was a very nice time as always and I stayed around for about three and a half hours, finally heading home about 8:15 pm. Ashleigh didn’t come home that night so I just watched some Smallville while the enormous amounts of delicious food settled in my stomach.

The following week would be somewhat relaxing as I slowly prepared for the upcoming exciting events of April.

April 2012 will continue…

This entry was posted on Friday, April 13th, 2012 at 6:45 am and is filed under 2010's - Early, Family Life. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.