Wishful Slacker

Sophie goes to the Kalama-ZOO

The whole family was in the Detroit area last weekend for what was just a fabulous few days.  On Monday morning as we were packing up to drive home to Chicago, my sisters left a few minutes before us to drive back to their home in Kalamazoo.  We had spoken about stopping at their place as we passed through, but thought we would just see how the drive was going as we made our trek along I-94.

After Piper and Stacie left to go home, we came downstairs and found this on the kitchen table next to our point and shoot.

So, I turned on the camera and saw THIS:

Sophie!  The baby's favorite friend!  Gone!  So...that was how we learned that we were DEFINITELY stopping in Kalamazoo!

Once we got into our car, Eleanor sent this message to the thieves:


And THEN as we were on I-96, we received this audio message on my cell phone (I had to record it with our camera to be able to post it here!).

Sophie the Giraffe has been stolen! from Lindsay Rhodes on Vimeo.

 

The situation was getting serious, and we had to move fast for Sophie's sake!

We had some renewed hope upon receiving this picture.  At least Sophie wasn't alone....

Once we arrived in Kalamazoo, we found Sophie trapped within this semi-creepy shrine (my sister is now on summer vacation, hence her imagination is completely unfettered).


OH SOPHIE, MY SOPHIE!  YOU'RE SAFE!

And in the end, the aunties got to spend a bit more time with their niece.  Well played, ladies, well played....

 

Family Fun

We traveled to my sister and sister-in-law's house in Kalamazoo yesterday for a belated Mother's Day gathering.  My sister's house it smack in between my parents' place near Detroit and us in Chi-town.  As we were about 45 minutes outside of Kzoo, I received a text message from my mom saying that they had arrived.  Following that, I checked Facebook on my cell phone.  This is what transpired:

My sister's car window was scratched, and not broken (we think the idiots were trying to not make a lot of noise, and perhaps got freaked out by the angry Doberman who was likely throwing herself at the bedroom window at them).  This little hiccup aside (and once I realized that her status update was NOT directed at my folks), we were able to proceed with the day.

It had been a while since we had a day together void of any other engagements, and it was so nice to spend a laid back afternoon in their backyard.  It had been a loonnggg time since we had been to my sister's house- I had a day to mull over how long it had been and never came up with an answer.  I always like going to their home.  Piper and Stacie have a great eye for design and art, and their house is so full of warmth and meaning.  After coming home from their place, I look about our apartment and think, "Now what cool stuff could we do around here?..." and then I shrug and end up on the couch with my laptop. 

I brought along my camera and was excited to take some pictures out in the daylight.  I have so much to learn about indoor photography, which is a problem since in less than six months we are going to have a baby just in time for the darkness of winter.  Flash/no flash/blurry pics=hmmmm, I need to look into this further!  And I don't often take my camera with me during the week when I am heading to work- it's heavy and bulky and usually I'm in a rush to get to work in the morning and just want to get home afterward!  To wander in the backyard yesterday and to notice the flowers and plants and lawn ornaments was very enjoyable!


 

My parents brought along their two dogs, a Vizsla and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, to add to the pet menagerie already present: a Doberman, Chihuahua, Rat terrier, Cornish Rex cat, Beta fish, and some pond fish.







And it was great day to be with family!