Sometimes I Write

I just spent a week with my brother Lennie. He had taken a week off work, then his plans were cancelled, so I talked him into coming to Colorado instead of working anyway. Helpful aren’t I? 😉 He flew in Monday morning and flew back out Friday morning. That’s 5 days of inside family jokes, much teasing, and wrestling (not with me, but with Max). I enjoyed cooking for him even though he insists I can burn water (that was when I was 13). That didn’t stop him from having a second helping. I even baked his favorite cookies an hour before he left so he’d have something to torture the other passengers with.

We kept him busy with a trip to the Children’s Museum, eating at Casa Bonita, and the old-school McDonald’s (our family name for it). We watched movies and t.v., dragged him to the gym and Dr. Zack’s, and contemplated a trip to the tattoo shop (didn’t happen). If you’re planning a trip to see the Nowell’s this year, don’t worry – trips to the tattoo shop with our guests is NOT the norm around here. (Unless your name is Angi!) LOL

He went to work with Benny a few days, including going to the pool hall Thursday night where he got his butt kicked by one of our homeless friends – a girl. I’ll be using that against him at a later date. He can probably beat me at pool, but I’ll never tell him that! We had a good time and he got to relax a little for a few days. I love every minute I get to spend with my brother – even when he’s teasing me…and he can be relentless! He so good with my kids, and Petey cried when Lennie left. Not just cried, but threw himself on the floor crying. He woke up this morning asking, “Where’s Uncle Wennie?”

His adventures didn’t end when I dropped him off at the airport. Nope…little did he know what was in store for him just a short time later. As he was going through security, the lady asked him if she could search his carry-on bags. He said, “Sure, search anything you want”. SHE FOUND A KNIFE IN HIS CAMCORDER BAG!!! It has been there so long he had forgotten about it…which means it somehow got through security undetected on his way to Colorado. He said he was way more shocked than she was. After measuring it, she let him mail it home since it was shorter than 3″. He said he could have been in a lot of trouble – it wasn’t a pocket knife, but a tactical knife – he’s a martial arts junkie. Here he is, 6′ something, a BIG guy wearing a black Dry Bones hoodie (with the white skull and crossbones logo on the front) and she finds a tactical knife. I was relieved that it ended so well, but I laughed sooooo hard I almost cried. Is that mean? Not for an older sister who just came through a week of sibling teasery. (I think I made that word up). I can’t wait to see him again! Until then, we’ll chat on the phone several times a week like we always do! Special thanks to Mom for watching Scrappy (his dog) so Lennie could come to CO!

I wish I was as close to my other siblings as Lennie and I are. I’ll have to work on that.