All in a (Mapes) Week's Work

Some people slow down when they get older. Some people's minds slow, some people's metabolisms slow, and some people's need for excitement and adrenaline rushes diminishes. Some people are not my parents.

Let me recount the last week of my parents' lives for you.

Day 1: Dad talks to neighbors, learns that they are going to move. Dad tells Mom. Mom walks next door and buys neighbors' house.

Day 2: Dad takes reps for the main meal replacement product used at Alaska Premier Health hiking. Reps joke about how they should open a new clinic in Oregon/Washington/California/etc. Dad jokes back that Hawaii would be a way more acceptable option. Mom decides to open a clinic in Hawaii.

Day 3: Mom offers Lindy job at said clinic in Hawaii. Mom posts jobs at said clinic and receives tons of resumes. Mom finds perfect building for said clinic.

Day 4: Mom flies a HI doctor to AK to see if they will oversee HI clinic. Dad decides they need another source of income with all this spending.

Day 5: Dad lists Mom & Dad's house on Craigslist. 30 minutes later, Dad meets with Canadian Consulate at Mom & Dad's house. Canadian Consulate agrees to rent their house for 2 years. Mom & Dad make plans to move to newly purchased neighbor's house in August.

Day 6: Lindy quits her job and gives away everything she owns except her dog and her car (which will be donated if it can't be sold in 24hrs).

Day 7: Lindy leaves for AZ tomorrow, and then home to AK until she has an office and a home in HI. Dad flies to AZ to buy an RV and then the two of them will drive back to AK.

Still with me? Or did I lose you somewhere along the way? It's okay, don't feel bad. I've had to repeat it over and over in my head to keep it straight. That's all for today...my synapses are still misfiring trying to comprehend it all.

Vacation & Victory

Well, now its been too long and I don't remember all the awesome Austin quotes I was going to share. The best was definitely the taxi driver who asked us what big city Denver was near because she hadn't heard of it, but there were a bunch of others and now I don't remember them. Oh well. At least I uploaded photos:



In other news, I jet-setted to the East Coast last weekend and got to see both Adrienne & Scott (woo!) and the extended Mapes Family (uh...woo?). My time in NYC was brief but exciting--everything from box-blocking traffic tickets to secret restaurants accessed by phone booth. I posted a few photos:



My time in Camden, NJ was mostly spent cheering myself hoarse and making fun of my mom for her propensity to need to go to the bathroom when she's excited/anxious. Casey led her team to a decisive victory, and she collected a second gold watch and another couple trophies. We also spent time with Dad's side of the family, none of whom I've seen since I was 14. Her arms are massive...prepare yourself or you might be scared when you see them: