I was out of touch last week as my daughter-in-law and I worked to pack up and empty my mother’s assisted living apartment in east central Illinois and then drive her to Northern Colorado to live much closer to me. It was an exhausting experience for all of us, but we had a lot of fun too. Mom is settling in to her new digs just fine. I’m getting caught up on my naps. And Katie Cat has finally forgiven me for being gone so long.

Most of the funny stories I have to tell are inappropriate for a family-friendly blog. Three women on a road trip can get pretty rowdy, especially when one is 97, one 74, and one 53. No boundaries, no off-limit subjects, and absolutely no restraint. I guess that explains why we laughed so much.

And then there was the evening spent with my aunt and cousins when one of the main topics of conversation was dryer balls.

Yes, that’s “dryer” — they can be made in the dryer with wool yarn and nylon stockings and they not only soften the load but reduce the drying time. I haven’t had a chance to make some yet to try out, but eventually I’ll get around to it.

You can imagine how a conversation about dryer balls progressed from the serious to the downright silly.

Stay tuned for more blog posts (probably two of my own and a guest post per week), mini-reports on Mom and her experiences with the furry critters, and maybe even some progress reports on my writing projects. Gotta get ready for NaNoWriMo.