look at me, blogging again, two days in a row!

 We finally got our good soaking rain last night.  Hours of thunderstorms, rain pattering on the metal roof while we rewatched, Where the Crawdads Sing.  We took our trip to Marshall's, and meh.  I did find a few gifts for a friend who is having a major surgery this week, this mug and some comfy jammies.

We went to the thrift store after, and it was way more fun.  The four girls were silly and laughing, and it did my heart good to be there with them as they picked up funny clothes and enjoyed themselves.   I didn't find anything earth shattering, but picked up a few 49 cent books, and a few American Girls craft books, which were also 49 cents, for some granddaughters.  The girls found t-shirts, and were happy with the excursion.  After that, I had promised them dinner out, which was Moe's, a Mexican chain place, that has Moe Mondays...imagine our disappointment when we found out that it's only through the app now, the Moe Mondays...(a special with free drink, ect.).  It was rather pricey, not as good as Chipotle, and they were extremely skimpy with the meat, and with the extras.  They make their own salsas, and the chips are hot and fresh and come with the meals, and I don't like to eat the chips, but shh, I did.  Warm salty tortilla chips, mmm.   But, it WAS my breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  :)

I went next door to Aldi while the girls went to McDonalds for drinks.  We thought that was smart, one dollar drinks...and there is honestly nothing like a fountain Diet Coke.  Well. We didn't factor in that it was Friday night and half the city was at that drive-through.  I dawdled through Aldi, even perusing the Fun Aisles, and still waited almost 20 minutes outside for them.  It was dark and ominous, the thunder rumbling and the storm rolling in.  The radar on my phone showed threatening colors, magenta and red, with storm warnings.  I stood there while the rain started to sprinkle, it was almost dark out, on a June evening that should be still light until nine.

It POURED on the way home.  The water pooled on the roads and made it kind of scary to drive through.  The lighting was so cool between bouts of rain, we enjoyed it on the deck...

Sonja...

Me and Amanda...

The girls were supposed to go on a hike today, but they're thinking the rain may have flooded the trails.   So they might just hang out at a friend's house and have fancy foods and play some board games.  Sonja has her big test this Friday (studying!), and she's been working a lot, so this is a big day off.   

It's dark and cloudy and cozy in here, and I'm not inclined to get moving.  I did some laundry, walked around the yard in bare feet and inspected the garden, didn't have to water it.  I cleaned the pool filter, turned it on, put some things away...and that's about it.  I might go to a park with Kathryn today...:)

hmmmm.....

 The cat, Orange Guy:  meows to go back outside, after he's meowed for cream, successfully, and more kitty chow, and has perched on the arm of my chair for pets...he wants out.  I follow him to the door, and he goes into sloooooow motion.  He pauses halfway out, to rub against the doorframe and stretch...am I just impatient?

This fine morning, the house is quiet.  Paul is back from the gym and is working, the girls are all still asleep.  I'm leaving for the pool soon, then taking Camille to PT, then they're all working for a few hours...then we're going out shopping...it's a trip to Marshall's they've been asking for, we're too busy to fit in.  They're also having a friend over, so shh, maybe they'll do some cleaning. 

Yesterday I made my coffee and took it out to the pool.

Our house is no mansion, but the back yard is peaceful, the birds singing.  I took a nice swim, got some exercise in...

Some grandkids came over yesterday.  Sonja and Charlotte Claire played with them with the toy I got Paul for Father's Day...a stomp rocket.  We had already gone in the pool, and I was grilling dinner (coneys, burgers, chicken drums).  

Marilyn was asking how Grandma is doing.  Well.  She's not faring well.  She can make perfect sense one minute (she talking about the little submarine tragedy), but then she thinks she fell "aboard ship", she hasn't been on a cruise in years.  Last evening, she called me to let me know she made it home from her trip, and didn't know what to do next.  She's been moved to a memory care unit, and is very confused and wants to go home.  There is no way she can go home.  She cannot remember that she ate lunch five minutes after she ate it, and never knows where her phone charger is...wait, I should be in there too.  And sorry, I know it's not funny, but when I get really teary eyed about something, humor is close at hand.  I am the girl who laughs at funerals, which yes, is the nth degree of inappropriateness.  The more serious an event, the more likely I'll think of something really funny.  If my sister is in the vicinity, all bets are off.  

We leave for PT in ten minutes.  I'm all settled in the comfy chair with a hot cup of after-pool coffee.  I watered all the flowers and the garden, thus pretty much assuring it'll rain.  

The dogs have been staying off the couch pretty well so far.  It helps that it's hot in here, as we don't have air conditioning, so they like the floor.  The cat hogs the dog bed...hmm.  

I need to vacuum and clean up.  We had ten extra people here yesterday for the afternoon, which I love, and we were mostly outside, so they didn't get too many toys out.  But with in and out the door and the lawn just mowed, and having dogs and cats, the floors need to be vacuumed each day.

Ah well, not now, off I go...

when you're too busy but nothing gets done...

 ...a day late and a dollar short, maybe that's apt for the tombstone, to replace what Aaron suggested years ago:  She Tried.    How funny is that, when a teenager tells their mom that She Tried should be their epitaph?  

Anyway.  The days are full to overflowing, but each morning there is still much to do, so I feel like I never accomplish anything.  Yesterday, Camille and I went to Target...I had a dress in my online cart, but it wasn't on sale...imagine my delight yesterday morning when I found out there was 30% off clothes online only?  Order pickup, and I had the dress, for $21 rather than $30.  We wandered around Target, found baby clothes for Sam and Grace's baby girl, and for Molly and Josh's baby boy, but not for Margaret and Adrian's baby yet, because they don't find out the gender until birth.  Yes, we're getting THREE new grand babies this summer.

Camille and I also stopped at Aldi to get things to make fajitas, and some more coffee to make cold brew, and more cream.  Then home to marinate chicken and put cold stuff away...

And now it's Saturday morning!  I had to leave for the pool yesterday, so I ended the post in the middle of a sentence.  After the pool, Kathryn and her little ones, Camille and I, went to a big Mennonite store to get an assortment of sprinkles for a cookie frosting/decorating activity for our church summer conference.  We also got some fresh maple sausage, the very best chocolate covered raisins I've ever had, Cam had them open last night, and I was going to taste ONE, ha.

I grilled the chicken breasts last night, marinated them two days in lime juice and seasonings.  I drained, the coated the pieces with olive oil before grilling.  It was so moist and delicious!  We had fajitas with peppers, onions, and all the fun stuff.  I didn't eat, however, I was hurrying out the door with Paul to get our "new" couch!  

This is a very big deal for me.  Our leather couch was from the thrift store, it was $46.99 I believe, and I had a seven dollar coupon.  Through our years with it, rips and tears happened, and it started looking dumpy.  You know how once something turns into an eyesore you just have to get rid of?  Add a few years of procrastination, and phew.  It was known as "the dog couch".  So we have two confused pups.  We got rid of the big sectional, too, which was hard for me, but I am NOT a hoarder, ha.  It was an England sofa, very well built and comfy.  But, seventeen years of kids and dogs, there were tears and stains, it had to be kept covered...all the covers needing washing and straightening all the time...it got old.  Still, I wasn't ready to say goodbye...

We found this on marketplace:

The guy's apartment was on the fifth floor, thankfully there was an elevator.

We got skill, we got game, played Tetris and fit it in.  Paul's trusty dusty ratchet straps come in handy.

Of course it rained on the way home....and the couch suffered on small tear on the way in, but shh, I put clear Duck Tape on it.

The "other side" of the living room...there's a futon, which Sunny is on, and a couch facing that...then behind the bassinet is an Ikea cube storage for toys....it's the play area...it HAD a nice big furry rug that Kathryn got me for Mother's Day, but a certain chocolate cake hogging dog had tummy issues that night.

It's not hooked together yet because it's still damp, we've had the fan blowing on it.

This is the ottoman that came with it, an Ikea chair, and my comfy chair...that's my fancy footrest, the Little Tikes chair.  (My chair has a footrest, it's a rocker/recliner, but it's too high, I just like my feet up a little.

This is the pic that was on marketplace.  It looked gray, much lighter....I was a little disappointed, but it's in really nice condition, and hey, for $275, not bad.  You can barely buy a futon for that, new.  

So even though it was quite reasonably priced, I don't want it trashed.  I've managed to keep the dogs off it, they have the futon and the other couch, plus their dog beds. 

The girls were troupers, they helped so much last night.  They had already taken the old sectional out when we got home with the newer one.  But they have their opinions.  They say we still have to get rid of some things, that our house looks like a furniture store.  ha, it's been called worse.  Sonja doesn't like how I mix stripes, plaid, florals...oops.  I just like them all!  

Getting the couch was an unexpected Friday night adventure.  I had enquired about it last week, the guy was asking $300, I offered $200, he said $275, but someone else was planning to get it already...so I thought it was sold...he messaged yesterday and said the other person didn't show, did I still want it?  I did.  I was sorely tempted to revisit my $200 offer, but didn't.  We got there and he was moving out, it was one of the last things left in the apartment...I think he would've accepted the $200, but oh well.  

Paul was a really good sport about the whole thing.  He isn't picky about things, our old couch was fine, but he's nice to me, and had a good attitude about it all.  Honestly, I still expect him to start throwing things around, as my father would have done.  My father wasn't mean, but he had a short fuse, and it's just ingrained in me to flinch when anyone struggles with anything, just waiting for the expletives...but Paul is NOT my dad, and I'm still pleasantly surprised at how nice it is.  (I'm sure he has to work on being patient!)

It's raining out.  It's an extremely cozy dark day, and I don't have to water the garden or the flowers.  Paul is fishing, and the girls are all working today.  So I've vacuumed and mopped, washed dishes, put laundry through, and shh, enjoyed intermittent rests in the comfy chair.  It's hard to get used to my chair being here, but moving things around is a nice change.  

We finished the last episode of "Happy Shiny People" last night, the documentary about the Duggar family.  I'm rather shocked.   I never liked the way Michelle obeyed JimBob, or the way he exerted so much power and control over the kids.  We are not, nor ever were, like the Duggars, but that's for another day, another post...

rich but never rich...

Rich in blessings!  Fun, full, busy lives here...(remind me to write my We're Not Like The Duggars post, too!)

Can you believe that all eighteen of us lived here not too long ago?  Rich.  Extremely rich.

Yet, we'll never be REALLY rich, money rich.  For one thing, having cars and a house: money pits.  Our septic system, ugh.  The distribution box is being replaced, for a mere $3500.  There are cheaper ones, but not for this sized house.  But only five of us live here (soon six, as Jonathan will be home), I whined...  But alas, the rules is the rules, and we have to have a box that matches the septic, which matches the size of the house.  

I cannot complain though.  I was driving home from dropping Miss Char off for her very last test of the year (yay!!!!), and I was thinking about this newly dropped bomb, the unexpected expense of a brand spanking new, shiny fancy distribution box.  The company installing it is so nicely offering to take payments, and thankfully we'll be able to pay it.  It's not what we WANTED to buy, but it's life.  

The camper I'm dreaming of seems further away than ever, but oh well.  I was driving this morning, and I decided to count my blessings.  I never get very far without being filled to the brim, overflowing with thankfulness.  My life has been rich and good.  I don't want to waste one second wishing for more.  

I got home, and puttered around in bare feet, on this longest day of the year.  I planted the sunflower we bought the other day from the Mennonites, in the front box.  I watered all the flowers, then the garden.  Yesterday afternoon  Miss Charlotte Claire started planting the new plants we bought, with Achilles helping, when we heard a scream.  We pretty much knew it was a snake, and it was.  We have plastic sheeting down to cut back on the weeding, she lifted it up, and out came a garter snake, it reared up and stuck out it's tongue before slithering off.  slither.  yuck.  Nope, do not like them, but:  they do eat mice and bugs, right?  

So Char decided she was done.  She said she'd go back another time and finish, when that snake was gone.  She got the lettuce in, so I went out later and planted the cantaloupes and melons and acorn squash.   I was looking for the snake the whole time, but I think Char scared him away.  :)

So I watered the garden and all the flowers, hosed the cut grass off the sidewalk, and now here I sit.  I need to sweep/vaccum, and do some other housework, and soon go pick up Miss Char from her test.  

Yesterday I brought her to get her senior pictures done, then we went to buy the plants.  Walking through the greenhouse and choosing flowers is so much fun, but  I don't know much about these things.  The labels are ambiguous to amateurs,  indicating a specific variety, but not what the plant IS.  I mean, I recognize tomato plants, but if something just says juicy ruby, am I supposed to know it's a watermelon plant without  googling it?  (googling it was Char's idea).  I do have an app that identifies plants, it's come in handy, because shh, I've questioned whether the sweet little green things coming up in my flower box were the flower seeds I planted, or weeds!  

Anyway.  After that yesterday, Kathryn picked me up and off we went, to the store quick.  We only brought Achilles, the girls here watched Rhys and baby Jamison.  We dropped off Kathryn's cold things at her house, she grabbed their swim stuff, and we had a nice afternoon.  

It wasn't all rainbows and sunshine, but it mostly was ha. Our house may not be a palace, nor our yard fancily landscaped, but the backyard is so private and the pool is just lovely.  

I skipped my water aerobics class today, because I plan to exercise in our pool.  It's not quite as effective, as it's not so deep, but it'll be sufficient.  

Summer...ahh, summer.   It's going to be a different kind of summer.  Sonja and Charlotte Claire will be working doing landscaping three days a week, and Camille has a babysitting job for two days a week, so they'll only be here on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Camille on Wednesdays.  I'll be doing a lot of driving, or letting them take my car.  We'll still have physical therapy, too.    

I miss the crazy busy days.  On the first day of vacation, the kids full of excitement, we would make our plans for the summer, our bucket list.  We never did all the things we wanted to do, but we did go berry picking and hiking and camping and to the beach.  Packing up everything and hauling them all to the beach, oh my goodness...but we had tons of fun.  (then bringing the sandy tired kids back home for showers and clean jammies, ahhh....)

Ah well...now we have 12 going on 15 grandchildren, so our quiet days will be intermittent...:)

 

are you KIDDING ME???!!!

 

This yummy from-scratch chocolate cake, with all the finest ingredients...it was set way back on the table, not high up on top of something on the counter, because...Suri ain't what she used to be, she's eleven years old, and has trouble getting up on the couch these days.  I underestimated her piggy-ness.  We can do amazing things when presented with chocolate cake, apparently.  I walked out to the kitchen yesterday and saw this, and could have slapped myself silly.  Suri was as happy as can be.  Chocolate isn't good for dogs, but this girl has an iron stomach. ugh.

Seeing that she didn't reach the back of the cake, I did take a spoon and take a taste, and oh my, it was good, can't really blame her for the binging.  I'm surprised she didn't finish it.

I skedaddled to the grocery store to get a dessert, got a dozen of beautiful donuts,( and yes, we cut them all in half to serve them).  I had to get coffee and cream for the children's celebration, and for home:  a watermelon, some chicken drumsticks, chips and dip, hot dog buns...we had put three racks of ribs in the smoker, after 6 hours slathered them in Memphis bbq sauce,wrapped in foil, then put the chicken drumsticks, which had marinated in lime juice and seasonings, into the smoker.  Two hours later, I put those drumsticks on the grill with a bag of coneys (spicy white hot dogs), with lots of bbq sauce, and oh my they were good.  Darius had smoked a huge brisket, and brought it over, oh dear we had a feast...with a pot of salt potatoes from Marge and Adrian  (cute, tiny potatoes cooked in lots of salt water), watermelon, a nice big salad Ben and Ashley brought, a strawberry shortcake from Sam and Grace...

Is a couch ever Big Enough?  Anya reading with Sonja who's holding Rhys, Charlotte Claire, Evelyn holding Jamison, Achilles, Darius...Paul over in the corner, Sam and Grace on the other couch..

Benjamin and Adrian with Declan

Kathryn helping Ruth...Elise in the at the table playing Scrabble, Wulf...  I can't even remember how many people were here...but most of the kids and ten of the 12 grandkids.

So after the pool this morning, all dressed from the wet bathing suit, then home and into a dry bathing suit, and off to the beach!  

Miss Cam, always cute in a beach hat...

Lake Ontario, always beautiful...

Sunshine, nice and breezy, not too hot...I held Jamison with a nice thin blanket him, then Rhys took a nap on me, all covered in her unicorn towel.  Getting ready and setting up on the beach is always more fun than LEAVING the beach.  But ha, today when we were getting ready to pick up, I was thinking I had to go gather and rinse off the beach toys when I realized with a jolt:  we don't HAVE beach toys anymore!   (The grandkids had plenty, but their mamas had already gotten them cleaned up.)

I do like summer.  Tomorrow, Char has to go get senior pictures taken, can you believe that?  Then Wednesday she has another state test, then Cam has physical therapy on Thursday.  I always think: life is slowing down a little.  This week will be a bit more relaxed.   And yes, compared to when we had all the kids here, it HAS slowed down a little, but there is still plenty to keep me busy.  

Camille has been talking about pie. Doesn't a fresh, homemade blueberry pie sound delicious?  Not too sweet, a nice flaky crust, with a scoop of French Vanilla ice cream?  Or an ice cold slice of lemon meringue?  

When I was at the grocery store yesterday, I picked up some reduced steaks, so we're having a nice dinner tonight.  Why does a day at the beach make me hungry?  

like a bakery!

 A slapdash, It'll Do bakery.  But oh my, the heavenly aroma of cakes!!!  Yesterday I baked 48 miniature cupcakes and one round cake, from scratch...then today, I baked a chocolate layer cake, recipes from Sally's Baking Addiction.  I set out to make a low carb cake for Paul for Father's Day, this morning, but alas, the almond flour was almost gone...due to Miss Camille and her homemade macaron addiction.  (She made eclairs the other day.  How's a person supposed to be healthy?!  I haven't tasted one yet, but I've heard they're scrumptious.)

Anyway.  I hobbled around the kitchen this morning, washing up all the dishes, making the cakes, then cleaning everything up, vacuuming...(wait, I wanted to say I "flitted" around the kitchen, but nope.  It was almost a hobble.  After being on my feet for any length of time, my knees start to lock up, and my hip starts in.  Then I lean over too many times to pick up random things, and my back complains.  

The cakes were done, the kitchen cleaned, so I packed up a nice no cal lemonade, my sunnies, a towel, and out to the pool deck...ahh, nice and sunny.  I was home all alone, which NEVER happens.  Anyway, 20 minutes later, Mariel texted, she was on her way.  

We had plans.  We were going to frost those 48 cupcakes, and that round cake, plus the two cakes she had made at her house.  We got out the butter for the triple batch of frosting, then sat down for a coffee and to catch up.  

The cake is covered, so it's not so clear, but it's the logo for one of the kids' groups.

The before-youth age, tweens...

There are cupcakes that spell out "juniors".    

The chocolate cake.  There is canned milk chocolate frosting in between the layers, because...I did NOT feel like making more frosting.  

It's a naked cake with trim.  I think it'll be good though.  

Tomorrow after noon, the family is all invited over here for ribs, and coneys.  I've got the ribs all seasoned and ready to go in the smoker early in the morning.  There'll be salt potatoes, salad, strawberry shortcake...and as usual, I feel A Day Late And A Dollar Short.  My we're not going to have enough anxieties start kicking in...I should've bought more seltzers, and a watermelon.  ugh.  

There's a lot going on around here, so no deep thoughts tonight.  Tomorrow will be another busy day...but I'm not complaining....:)

just going!

 I drove Miss Sonja to school, then home...then to the pool, which was wonderful.  We play catch with a beachball to warm up, which, according to the lifeguard, is hilarious watch.  It's nice to be a bit silly and laugh.  Today, I got to (had to) throw the ball into the bin when we were done, as the other lady on that side of the pool missed...and I made it, so we yelled and cheered as if it were a game-winning basket, just plain fun.  I am not a competitive person AT ALL, and would rather stand in a corner and watch than participate in such things, but it's all in fun, and it IS fun.

Anyway.  After the pool, home again home again jiggety-jig.  Then, off to the school to drop off Miss Charlotte Claire for her chemistry regents.. Kathryn picked us up (Miss Camille and I), and off we went to Target...on a dark rainy day.  We got a coffee, then we wandered around...I bought some almonds, a three pack of gum, barbecue sauce, a cute kid's straw cup, and a doll stroller for Ruth's birthday.  

Camille thought Jamison would look nice in this hat...

Rhys thought so!

Achilles thought it was funny!

We picked Char up from school, then home... Kathryn and the kids came in for a bit.  We drank our coffee, made some snacks for the kids, and relaxed.  Then I had to go pick Sonja up from work...then, home...ahh, home...

The girls left to go to a barbecue, I knew Paul and I would be home alone tonight, so I bought two T-bone steaks.  They were on sale, for Father's Day, and we rarely go out to dinner.  While they were coming to room temperature on the counter with rosemary lemon salt, sage, and pepper, I made a batch of miniature cupcakes, and a small cake, for the celebration on Sunday (we're going to frost them tomorrow).  Then into the frying pan in some olive oil for the steaks, into the microwave five small potatoes, then some frozen green beans.  I wrapped the little potatoes in foil when they were done, and when the steaks were sizzled and flipped, then dotted with butter, and more rosemary, the green beans were tossed into that hot frying pan just for a little whirl with a bit of butter.  Such a delicious dinner.  

The kindergarten graduation was adorable, and sad.  You sit there and think how cute they all are, knowing how quickly they're going to grow up.  Emily was a kindergarten graduate 32 years ago, then when she was 18 and a high school graduate, 20 years ago today, baby Robert was born.  born sleeping.   Margaret was our kindergarten graduate that year, that very night Robert made his entrance into this world.  My sister Cheryl went to graduation with Margaret for us, then she so nicely hosted the big graduation party for Emily and her daughter Becky....because I really couldn't. 

Anya (our oldest grandchild, she's 9), and Elise, 5, the graduate.

Benjamin (he's our oldest son, third "child"), Anya, Elise, me, Ashley holding little Declan

Isn't he adorable?

Anya thinks so!

The sweet girls...

Anyway, so many things happen in life, things that are almost unbearably hard, things that are wonderful, and things that are ridiculous...when they're happening they're so important, then days go by, and these things are memories.  You think, hmm, even if I live thirty more years, most of my life is behind me...Doesn't that make you want to have God's good pleasure over your life?  It makes me want to make sure I'm not being selfish with my time and energy.  It makes me want to treasure the moments, and be thankful.  I try to pinch myself sometimes, and say, This.  This is life.  Tennyson running down the sidewalk, so happy to see me...this is it.  

Grandma isn't doing so well.  She's confused, and she wants to go home.  She forgets where she is sometimes, and sometimes she insists things happened to her that we know didn't happen.  (Before you ask how we know, this is the latest:  she went down to the desk to change a hundred dollar bill into smaller bills, and a lady grabbed it and ran away to where her boyfriend was working on the stairs.   Yesterday:  a lady grabbed her wallet and ran away to where her boyfriend was working on the elevator.)  I tell her her medication is making her confused, and that this didn't happen, but she insists.  It's sad, and it's hard.  

Ah well....a nice quiet evening, so nice.  We might do some strawberry picking tomorrow...:)

getting better....

...trying to blog more frequently, but:  life.  This fine morning, for example, I got up and went to the pool.  Sonja so nicely drove Miss Charlotte Claire to her English Regents exam, I just had to pick her up in the afternoon as she stayed for a study session.  

I got home from the pool, washed dishes, wiped counters, did a load of laundry, started to vacuum, and Grace was here with Ruth, soon followed by Kathryn with Achilles, Rhys, and Jamison.  It was a dark, cozy, rainy day of toys and books and some cartoons.  I didn't take pictures of Ruth doing all the hand motions to Wheels on the Bus, or pushing the little doll stroller around.  (Rhys got it for her birthday and brought it over,  but Ruth "claimed" it today!) (I got another one, Camille's old one, out for Rhys).  I didn't take pictures of Achilles catching imaginary fish, or of Rhys rocking with me...Ruth climbed up for a bit too, and we all sang a few songs.  

Dinner: I took a few baggies of frozen chicken breast out, put them in the Dutch oven on the stovetop in some olive oil, sage, rosemary, salt and pepper...thought I'd make a chicken stew.  Well, there wasn't any chicken stock, so I changed my mind.  I added two different kinds of Tikka Masala, cheat-y jars from the cupboard, to the pot of cooked cubed chicken breast.  Camille made the rice, (which I didn't eat),  and I made some Brussel sprouts.  It was a nice, hot, spicy, yummy dinner on a dark rainy evening.

The house is quiet now.  Sonja is studying to take her NCLEX, Charlotte is studying for her Chemistry Regents Exam, and Camille has been writing.  The dogs are snoring, and I'm comfy in my chair, as the kitchen is all tidied up from dinner, and most of the toys are put away.

Tomorrow I have to drive up and watch Ruth while Grace goes to a dr. appointment.  (Grant is visiting his other grandparents in West Virginia, and Sam has to work).  I think I'll run into Aldi while I'm up there.  Then it's time for Elise's kindergarten graduation!  Then Friday, I have to make cupcakes from scratch...Mariel made two sheet cakes already, we're going to frost them all on Saturday for a special children's celebration on Sunday at church. 

 Ruthie...she's hilarious...she sings and makes the hand motions, she has a huge imagination already, and doesn't get bored.  I watched her for a bit today.  Then I stopped in to see Wulf and Tennyson, then Aldi...all by myself!  I was "that person", talked to my sister on the phone in the store, ha.  Then stopped at another store on the way home to get their specials (cherries, ground beef, and shh, two steaks because Paul and I are going to be alone for dinner tomorrow night:))

And now I have to leave for Elise's kindergarten graduation, have to make dinner first...was going to grill, but the girls disconnected the propane because the deck fireplace ran out, Paul was going to hook it up, now he's on a call...so if I want to have dinner before I leave, it's in the frying pan or I haul that tank down the deck steps, nah...anyway...off I go...maybe tomorrow I'll have some quiet time to blog...to blog better:)

see ya later, alligator....

Tampa...

Evening swim!

 We did not make pizza in that oven. 

Today is a sad day.  Sad because we have to say goodbye to grandma and head north.  The "head north" part is fine, I miss not melting into a sweaty puddle every time we open the car door.  Walking across the parking lot is smothering, even if the pot of gold at the end IS Publix.  

I do like this pool, except that it's too warm.  The temperature gauge in the shade said 99.   There was a breeze though, and when I sat in the sun for twenty minutes, ahh, not too shabby.  

Saying goodbye to grandma:  she doesn't quite get it.  She sometimes forgets where she is, and really wants to go home when she does realize.  She says, "Well, you can't just leave me here all by myself!"  Well, it does not good to remind her that she insisted on living in Florida all by herself.  We can't stay down here with her, of course.  We could possibly arrange to move her to New York, but she's a Florida resident for one, and for two, she loves Florida, and not so sure she'd be happy to be moved.  So it's sad.  She needs family around to help her sort through it all each day.  

So....off we go to say goodbye, then to head to the airport...