mosty toasty...

Lake Ontario...it was very calm, just a slight breeze.  The water was cool and refreshing though.

From the other day, I was holding Ellis and reading to Ruth and Rhys...

A bit hot when we got into the car...

This was our living room when we got home from the beach.  32.22c.  That's with the whole-house fan going, and a fan in the window.  

This fine morning, it's hot already.  Those cricket things that make the high pitched noise when it's hot out are already at it.  My deck flowers were wilting, I gave them such a drink last evening, and more this morning.  

When we got home from the beach, I got the guest room door out and put it up on two stools in the dining room area, and gave the other side of it a nice coating of primer.  Then I spray painted the two heat registers, and the door knob, outside on the deck (in a cardboard box).  Then I vacuumed up the kitchen, living room, hallway, because:  sand.  We don't even have little kids anymore, but we brought in sand.  I do not like it underfoot.  I don't even like it at the beach, ha.  Except for the pile I make to put my fee up when I'm in my comfy beach chair...

Paul made dinner for us, bacon and eggs.  I made some Ezekial toast, mmm.  After dinner, Paul was playing guitar with Camille, I was finishing an Anita Shreve book (The Stars Are Fire), and Nate and Evelyn stopped in.  She was bringing me some paint I had left there, so I can ouch up the new daybed and paint the doors.  I gave them a popsicle (I'm not getting a penny to say that the Outshine no sugar added fruit popsicles are SO good!)

The girls are at work, Paul is working from home, I am going to give the closet door and entry door for guest room a coat of paint before it gets too wicked hot in here.  Then I'm going to the small city to pick up some freshly roasted coffee.  I've been making cold brew and using it all up!  Ben and Ashley got me a little cold brew maker for Mother's Day, it's called The Dorothy.  It's basically a fancy French Press, but it makes such good coffee.  (The water spins around like a tornado, add the coffee and it tornadoes for like half hour, then you press/plunge it.)

Ah well.  It's summertime, and I love love love it.  I'll love it even more when we get our pool liner installed...wish it was simple, but we'll have to drain the pool, remove the old liner, and put the new one in.  Paul will also be reinforcing the rusty spot on the pool side.  

I always thought when the kids grew up and moved out, life would be slower and more relaxing, and it is in some ways, but oh dear we are still busy.   Anyway, you all have a very good day.  
 

the monday morning sizzle!

 Well,  97F (36.11c), sunny and very humid today...hot enough?  Hot as Hades?  We say over and over, It's not the heat, it's the humidity...It's oppressive.  I wait all year for heat and bare feet, but when it gets REALLY hot and humid, I just melt into a big sweaty puddle.  

But I cannot complain.  We put a window unit in our bedroom yesterday, we being Paul.  The rest of the house is in the high eighties right now, cool in the morning, ha.  I puttered around this morning, watering all the flowers, made a new batch of cold brew coffee, and I started to melt a little.

But, I cannot complain.  I am going to the pool in a bit for water aerobics, then:  we're going to the beach.  I am uncertain if that will be refreshing or just way too hot.  The walk from the car across the sand to the water, well, I won't think about that.  (oh, how pessimistic I can be, is it because I'm getting old?  I mean, hey, a beach day!  Why even think of the negatives?)

So we have been working on Jonny's old room, which we will call The New Guest Room.  

Camille...

Char...they sanded the walls then gave the ceiling the first coat while I painted the inside of the closet.  The window was pretty bad.  We installed wood Anderson windows when we built the house.  They were recalled years ago for rotting out, but could we find our paperwork?  ha.  So Paul replaced the window...they are so expensive, we have to do them a few at a time.

The walls aren't painted yet, and we will put up new trim.  All the wood trim in the room will be painted with white enamel, I like the wood but it's not in the best shape.  The chair you see is holding up the closet door, which got two coats of primer.  The bedroom door itself got a coat too, out in the kitchen propped on stools.  They will be white enamel too, from wood.  The walls will be a softer, warmer white, a yellowish beige-y white.  

Yesterday morning, I dragged Paul...no, he went graciously...an hour and six minutes each way to pick up a daybed from Marketplace.  A Pottery Barn daybed with a trundle, for one hundred dollars.  Of course I looked them up new, and just the trundle is $599.  The bed itself is over a thousand.  It didn't come with mattresses which is just as well, because we have a few, and yuck, right?  Anyway, it was listed with the description:  has some marks on it.    My expectations weren't too high, but I thought at least it would be nice and sturdy, versus buying a brand new cheap one for a few hundred bucks...well, the marks aren't anything!  Just a little scraping.  It looks really really nice, isn't put together yet, but I'm excited about it, it's just what I imagined for that room.

Now I'll try to find a rug, and will put some white sheers, and new mini blinds, and try to leave it relatively empty.  Maybe a side table, a dresser sometime...

Anyway.  It's always fun doing a reno project.  After giving the doors their coats of primer, I went out to swim with Kathryn and Darius.  The water is so refreshing, the air so hot, it was hard to get out.  We decided to order pizza and come here, then we went for ice cream.  

The first part of the weekend was great too, on Friday Paul and I went to our friends' place for a cookout with several couples that we've known for years and years.  It was warm and good and fun...then home, Suzanne and her Lab Winnie were spending the night!  (her husband was going on an Adirondack hike with his brothers).  Home, I made popcorn and we caught up.  

Saturday, Grace came over with her three kids, Kathryn with hers, it was warm out so we filled the little pools and hung out in the front yard. 

My feet on the cooler, I'm classy like that.  Suze in the little pool, she might kill me for posting it, but it shows what a sweet girl she is.  She's always had such a heart for the kids.  

Popsicles!  

Ah well, time to get out the door...hope you all are enjoying the warm weather...(and yes, I am purposefully avoiding mentioning world events...my head is not in the sand, but I am not going to get all worried either...things will happen whether I condone them or rebuke them, I can pray and I can be faithful in what I understand, it's written that when these things start happening to look up, so that's what I am doing...)

two posts in one day!

I cannot say that my computer had a glitch, more like I had a glitch.  In any case, today was wonderful.   In the pool, two of the ladies were talking going to a Mennonite greenhouse because all the plants and flowers are on sale.  They invited me to go along.  Why not?  

A stop after that to the Dollar General for a bag of ice, and four flower pots, they were buy one get one free.  Home:  an iced coffee, and repotting some flowers.  Paul had the day off of work, and was working hard on clearing out Jonathan's room.  Jon had installed some workout equipment right into the wall, for pull ups, ect.  Paul took it all down, disassembled his loft bunk, and got rid of the dresser.  It was old, and not the kind of old that makes you want to refinish and preserve it:).   The room is now empty, and shh, it's sad.  Jonny grew up and got married and moved out, all in the blink of an eye!   (Don't worry, we didn't get rid of his personal stuff, it's in our storage room).

We are going to spackle, sand, paint, paint the ceiling, clean the trim, paint the closet door...Paul bought a new window, he will install that.  Then I'll be looking for a daybed with a trundle to put in there, I'm thinking it will take up less room yet accommodate guests better.  My hope is to have a nice clean empty room, yet also a place for the grandkids to be able to play in bad weather.  

The projects, right?  

We have the bathroom to renovate soon.  We have the vanity and sink top, and new light fixture.  We need new faucets and flooring.  Paul thinks the tile in there is fine, I do not, so I win:). 

Another project on the back burner, simmering away in my brain, is renovating a big room downstairs.  We have three bedrooms upstairs:  our room, Paul's office, and Jon's empty room.  Downstairs Char and Cam each have their own huge room.  There is a guest room, and two bedrooms that are now used for storage (and the utility/furnace room with the hot water heater and Paul's fishing stuff). The one big storage room has potential.  I think we should just clear out all the stuff, get nice flooring, put a fireplace in at the end, and have a big gathering room.  We could have Thanksgiving here, Christmas here, the kids could play down there...it's a big project, but I would LOVE to do it.  

It was hot out today, 85 and humid, sticky.  Our pool project is on the list too, Paul is going to try to patch her up.   

I was heading out to water the garden today, but glanced at the pool, and it was raining out.  :)

Yesterday, I went to Target with Kathryn and her four small children.  I get in her car, and two year old Jamie starts saying "Grandma!  Grandma!"  It's adorable.  I didn't need much, but got a package of chicken breast that was marked down (their chicken is so well trimmed, and very reasonably priced, on par with Aldi prices).  I got a few things for Evelyn, as we are going to her new place for dinner tomorrow night.  

Home...ahh, home...but right back out the door with Miss Char and Miss Cam, to pick up their friends Amanda and Linnea, and go shopping.  Then through the Wendy's drive through, then home...ahh.  But, not for long, we had to go out to prepare for our summer conference...the girls helped put together furniture for new cabins being built, and I went to the little kids' t-shirt decorating, for the summer conference parade.  There was pizza for everyone first, so that was nice.  

Then...home.  Seriously, ahhh.  

Tomorrow I'm going with Sonja to get a really nice baby swing from Marketplace, then I'll probably work on Jon's room with Paul.  

My days are filled with fun and excitement, ha, but I do keep busy.  I have to rest frequently, put my feet up and give my poor knees a break.  If I don't listen, the consequences are worse, the longer I walk and stand, the harder and more painful to bend that right knee.  I'm learning.  

Ah well.  I hope you all are enjoying the warmer weather, wherever you are.  Have a nice night.  :)

some really good pictures!!!

 These were taken by my niece Susan of strykingphotography, she is so good.  

Twelve of the kids made it to Abigail and Derek's wedding.  Charlotte Claire, Sonja, Camille, Evelyn, Jonathan behind Ev, Paul, me, Benjamin behind Abigail-the-bride, Derek, Sam behind Emily, Margaret, Molly Rose behind Mariel.  (Joseph, Aaron, Kathryn, and Suzanne weren't there)

This is my new favorite picture:), after the wedding...

Paul is getting good at this!

Emily and Abigail, the two oldest of the family...

She is just lovely...and so happy.  

a good, kind father...

 The Father's Day post might be a day late, but oh my goodness what a good daddy Paul has been...at Sonja and Oscar's wedding...

The dance with Miss Suzanne at her wedding...

He's a pretty good grandpa, too...with Ellis

Evelyn's wedding....(I don't have the official pics from Abigail's wedding yet!)

With Sonja...

With baby Blythe

Bugs Bunny cartoons with Tennyson, Achilles, and Wulf

When we had only four kids at home and I thought that wasn't enough!  Now Sonja and Jonathan are both married....just Miss Cam and Miss Char now...

Story time with Ruth and Rhys

A hug for little Ophelia

This picture, oh dear!  Twins?  Grant in those overalls, SO cute!

Achilles...

With Cam, Abigail, Char, Sonja, Evelyn...

Paul and our oldest son, Benjamin...

An old family picture...

The day we rented a boat on Cayuga Lake, Paul with Emily

This:  one night the girls were talking about Pepperidge Farms cake, which we call Heater Cake.  I don't know why, or who started it, but it's the ultimate.  Next thing we knew, he was coming back from the store!  (This was a few summers ago...Suri was still with us.)

With Kathryn right when she moved back from Oregon, with baby Rhys

With Elise when she was small

When five kids went to Disney with us...Suzanne, Jonathan, Sonja, and the little girls.

This fine day, I called my ortho office and left a message, did not get a call back.  Paul has been in contact with the advocate for our healthcare through his work.  Other than that, no news.  I hobble around and enjoy the heck out of life.   Char and Cam didn't work today, and we were deciding what to do.  I really wanted to stay home and get things done.  When you're a little on the lazy side, when you get these urges, you need to run with them.  

The hall closets got the business today.  The first one, the linen closet....I took every single thing out of it, donated a ton of stuff, washed a two loads of things, then cleaned the inside of the closet.  The other closet has been the game closet.  I so wish I had taken before and afters!  We are donating a whole pile of games, and I threw away so much random stuff.  I took the shelves out of there, and painted the inside of the closet, after wiping it down.  Then we switched closets, won't bore you with the details, but everything is neat and tidy and organized.  

I had to tell myself:  we do not NEED all these extra sheet sets!  I have my sheets, I tend to wash them and put them right back on, but have an extra set.  The girls have their own extra sets, and that's the lot of us.  I have some for the guest room, and some random ones if anyone sleeps on the couch or anything.  I already have my favorite camping sheets in the camper.  I decided to rough it and not wash them between last camping trip and next one, just leave them in there...

So a big pile of old towels and sheets went into the utility room for painting jobs, ect.  

I need to pare down the extra blankets again, too.  We used to need so many, seriously, especially when we had a washing machine that took all the live-long day to do a load, and the kids would blow through clean bedding like mad, especially when there was a bed-wetter, or we had the throw up bug.  Oh, fun times...fun years.  Fun DECADES, ha.

I feel like I've come out on the other side, and am taking that huge breath, still.  I lived to tell about it.   I did learn a thing or two along the way, namely:  I don't know anything.  Children are very unique, and as soon as you figure one out, the next one comes along and is totally different.  There are some basic ingredients to grow good children though:

1.  Patience.

2.  Goodness.

3.  Prayer.  Pray for patience and goodness, and for mercy.  I used to hold my hands straight up towards heaven, and ask God to bless them, that I would be only good with them.  

4. Firmness, kids need boundaries, and they need to be respectful.  (respect your children, and they might possibly respect you!  Treat them well!) (never forget they came straight from heaven!)

But yeah, they do need to learn that no means no.  :)

Anyway.  Life goes by so quickly, and each day is a gift.  Enjoy your evening...:)

feels like bonus time...

 In my plans, these days were to be darkish days, recuperating days, with nothing on the schedule.  Since my plans have been usurped by the insurance company, it's like surprise!  You can do what you want!  (Imagine if I had a job and had taken the time off work!)

Anyway.  The days do get filled up, and of course I am enjoying the heck out of them.  All day long the birds singing, the fresh air coming in the windows, walking around the yard (or limping, rather) in bare feet.  

We are opening the pool.  The cover had a small tear, so some of the yucky water got in, but not much.  Paul rigged up a pump to get the water from the top of the cover, then used a big bucket to scoop the rest, from inside the pool as we were up on the deck ready to haul the cover up.  It's uncovered, the hose is in there filling it up.  I added some shock, but will wait until the water level is high enough for the filter to work to put more in.  We are also going to get new sand to put in the filter, it makes a big difference.  I'm also trying to get some steps/stairs to put in the pool, so when I'm all healed up, whenever that is, I can get in easier.  If I don't have the surgery in the near future, it sure would be easier to get in with stairs instead of a ladder anyways!  

Today I am going to go sweep off the back patio, and the pool deck, and putter around the yard.  We're having everyone over on Father's Day to celebrate Rhys' fourth birthday!  (And maybe say cheers to the dads too!). 

Yesterday, I drove down to to Target all by my lonesome.  The girls were at work, and I wanted to get out of the house.  I had a library book to drop off, and I needed a few things.  I found fresh burger patties, four packs, half price.  Sirloin steaks were half off, then buy one get one 20% off.  By the time I hobbled out of there, I dreaded the drive home because my achy knee is my driving leg, but it was not too horrible.  

There was time to put things away and get some sunshine before Margaret and Adrian brought over their kids, as they were going out to dinner.  Wulf, Tenny, and Blythe came in and the fun began.  Paul brought the boys out on the deck and lit some firecrackers from Jon's room.  Yes, Jon still has stuff in his room.   We played on the deck and blew bubbles, Char was out in the yard with the boys, when the mosquitos came out we all came in.  

Ah well.  I'm going to get moving.  I like to do as much as I can, take a break, and move again....get those steps in!  Have a really good day!

living in limbo...

 Well, since yesterday's post, I got a call from Abby at the dr.'s  office:  Did you eat or drink anything?  Me:  yes, one coffee.  Abby:  Are you okay with not eating or drinking anything else?  Dr. is trying to call insurance company and if approved will fit you in today.  Me:  I can definitely fast for a few more hours.  So.  I fasted.  I didn't drink anything.  Then, I decided two little sips of water would be okay.  A little before four, I called and asked some questions, Jolene did not even know that Abby called and told me that, she seemed a bit annoyed that I had been asked to do that.  Her update was the the dr. was not able to get in touch with any medical professional in person all day, from United Healthcare.  

So.  When and if he does, and when and if it's approved, I'll be notified.  Until then, live my life, and keep my hair clean, I guess!  He usually does surgeries on Tuesdays, so there is that.

It was a good day.  God does know the beginning and the end of everything.  And if we believe in the Bible, we know that all things work together for our good, as it says in Romans 8:28.  

One good thing:  I was able to go to the end of the year party for the activity club.  I went to Dollar General and got hot dogs and buns and marshmallows and a couple of cases of water. (Someone else was going to get it but I volunteered, easier for me as I do not have small children)  (And for me, the cutest little springtime printed plates and napkins...not even sure what I want them for, but they are so pretty!).  

So we roasted hot dogs and marshmallows, I helped make the fire and get some sticks and helped kids get their hot dogs on the sticks, and generally kept an eye on them. Some of them had been playing in the little pools and with water guns while we got the fire ready, one little boy leaned over the fire with a dangly towel around his neck, nope!  They played on the playground and had ice cream and ran around and had too much fun.  I'm glad I was able to go.

This fine morning, I find myself able to go to the pool...I had mentally prepared to not be going back for a while, so it's a treat.  :)

Yesterday I vacuumed and mopped and did more laundry and sat in the sun and talked to my sister on the phone.  It was a good day.  :)

Right now I have a purring Old Kitty on the arm of my chair, totally leaned against my right arm.  She loves me.  When we went to Delaware for the weekend, we left her in here with tons of cat food and several bowls of water, so she was fine, but she was so clingy to me when I got home.  She follows me around, and no lie:  when someone pulls into the driveway, she looks out the window and growls.  She actually alerted me that someone was here the other day.  She is a very smart kitty, and I love her too.  

Now it's time to get up out of my chair and break kitty's heart, and get into my suit for the pool...you all have a good day, and thank you SO much for all the encouraging comments.  I think it's a sad state of affairs how much power these insurance companies have, raking in money hand over fist and dictating our health care.  My girls have stories about cancer patients, patients who NEED inhalers, ect., who have to deal with these things...they never tell me names or ages or details, don't worry, they are very HIPA conscious.  :). 

Okay...thank you again for kind words and words of wisdom....