Day 261: Memorial Day

One of my favorite community events is the Memorial Day parade.  It's only about 5 minutes long.  The local high school band, local vets, Civil War guys (always!) and then the decorated bicycles.  A big mob of kids on bikes, decorated with patriotic bunting, balloons, and streamers.  Next year Julia was have learned to ride her bike well enough to enter, and she's already preparing for it!  As a Canadian, the whole red-white-and blue, rah-rah-rah is a bit foreign, but I've learned to love the 4th--and this little Memorial Day celebration.  They're such community events.  There's an old guy who sits at the corner and watches the parade--and has since the parade's inception umpteen years ago.  All the firemen all shout "HEY PAT!" to him. After the parade, everyone gathers at the cemetery for a short but moving ceremony.  And cookies and juice.  Neighbours meet and chat and the kids race around on their bikes or play on the grass. 

It's interesting the juxtaposition of party-picnic and solemn remembrance.  All in all, a really nice day.

We're off now to get gardening stakes for the beans.  They should have been planted ages ago.  Ah well--what can you do?

Here are some of my favorite photos from this morning:

To those who have paid the ultimate price for their county?  There are no words to describe our gratitude.

Thank you, as well, to all members of the armed forces, past and present, for your service and sacrifice. 

Now go slap some burgers on a barbeque and eat yourself silly.  You deserve it.

Lynn

Day 260: Tops and Bottoms...and Mooch in the middle

Tops:

Bottoms:

And Mooch in the middle:

And here's a photo of Mooch's top.  And least it's not his bottom, which is usually what I end up getting. 

He still looks a bit annoyed by the whole thing.

The pencils are the collection of Julia's fancy gift pencils from preschool through now that have NOT been sharpened.  She thinks they're too nice to use!

The Mooch is part of a collection of two cats plus a stray Tom.  He is generally NOT impressed.  We think he's too fluffy not to pet.  He does NOT like getting his photo taken.

On another note:  Son is smelling particularly beautiful now thanks to Daughter who decided he needed to be drenched in perfume.  Good perfume.  Serves me right for taking time to post during the day.  I'm  sorry I can't take a picture of how nice he smells.  hehe

105 days left to this challenge.  105...105...105...

Day 259: Tom Cattin'

This cat has been hanging around our place.  The photos don't do him justice.  He's a big, beautiful, friendly boy.  The problem is that he hasn't been neutered.  Nope.

And since he likes our place so much, he has decided to mark it.  And ooooh yuck, do our porches smell.

I was going to catch him after these photos and bring him to the shelter or to the vet or something, but I couldn't bear to do either right now, and when I went back out after bringing my camera in, he was off on another adventure anyway.  So he has a reprieve while I figure out what to do.  Maybe just keeping a bucket of water, as my husband suggests, is the best bet for now.  But he's so beautiful and so friendly (my kids can go right up and pet him--unlike our cats, who run when they see the kids!) that I really don't want to do him any harm. 

A friend suggested a spray that keeps cats from spraying (ah, the irony).  I meant to stop at the pet store on the way back home this afternoon, but didn't get there.  Monday, I guess.

All right.  Enough of this blather. Here are the photos:

Day 258: After the rain

The kids and I were so looking forward to going outside this afternoon and spending it in the garden.  I had to work, but as soon as we were done, out we went.  At which point Adam sprayed Julia with the sprayer.  So I went inside to clean her up and put out a few familial fires, so to speak.  Went back outside again, and it started to bucket rain and boom thunder.

So that was that!

When it was over, I went out and took these:

I'm not sure which of the next two I like best.  Hmn.  What do you think?

Day 257: Oregano Rescue Society

A note to those who took me up on the Freecycle oregano offer:

They've been dug out and plunked unceremoniously in pots since Monday.  It has been hot.  I've been watering them.  Not sure how long they'll last without a permanent home.

Please save them before they expire, poor, homeless things.

Thank you. 

In other news...

I played the piano for a high school graduation tonight.  Do you think I remembered to bring my camera, though?  OK, I had my arms too full to carry it, but there were some neat opportunities for unusual pictures.  No point in normal "Joe So-and-so receiving his diploma" photos, since I didn't know anybody.  BUT I kept thinking of other things to take photos of.  And couldn't/  And it drove me mad.  The end.

Day 256: Corner View: End of my street

hehe.  Here's what's going on at one end of the street:



Yes indeedy.  Construction.

But now let's look to the other end of the street.  It's way more pleasing!

We're near one of many entranaces into this beautiful park and nature trails.  Lots of my photos are taken here.

And because even little weeds are sweet:

I love my street!

Now I think I'll take a little walk down Jane's street and see what kind of block party is going on down there!  Come along, won't you?  There might be a barbeque...  :o)

Day 255

I went out and started cleaning all the junk out of the vegie patch so we could plant this weekend.  While I did that, the kids played in the sprinkler.  Wow--did it bring me back.  Reminded me, for an odd reason, of doing this in Kamloops when I was little.  Strange how I remember playing in the sprinkler there and not anywhere else.  Strange.

Anyway, I'm not sure how much gardening I got done, since it was so fun watching the kids play.

Day 254: Taken 05/24/2010

This has gotten to be a "take a photo every day, post every other day" blog, which was NOT my intention!  So *raised hand in boy scout salute* I will hereby post a photo every day as originally planned. 

Unless I don't. 

With Meryl gone, here's my schedule:

Get up at 6:00.
exercise, shower, personal study etc.
7:00 the kids get up.  Get them ready and such until
8:00, when Julia goes off to school.
Work until 12:00.
Mom/housekeep/laundry.dishes/errands and what have you until
4:00 J gets home from school.
Afterschool thing.dinner prep and such until
5:30 or 6:  Supper.
Dishes.
7:00 kids start getting ready for bed. Jammies/teeth/scriptures/prayers/stories/songs/ good night kisses/lights out.
8-12:  Work.
Bed.

So is it any wonder that every once in awhile, when I'm putting J down, I fall asleep in her comfy comfy chair and crash, waking up at 1:00 a.m. and realizing I haven't worked or posted?

Ahem.

Here is the photo I took yesterday while I was digging up extra oregano out of my garden sometime during the "momming/errands/chores/predinner" portion of the day.

Looks like the chives need some thinning out as well.

Day 253: Stuck!

"Mommy mommy!"

"What is it sweetheart.  Can you come downstairs and tell me so you don't have to shout so loudly?"

"No--I can't. I'm STUCK."

"OK.  I'll be right up." 

At which point I take time away from rescuing my daughter to grab my camera, because this could be good.

And it was.  She was wedged in there.  I had to roll out the barrel, so to speak, and kind of tip her out.

Day 252

Just watched August Rush on television.  Twice.  Wow.  How did I miss that movie?  Amazing. The idea that music is everywhere, if you listen for it, is a fascinating and utterly true concept.  It reminds me of the story of the people in a city who didn't notice the birds singing but heard a quarter drop onto the concrete.  It's all about where priorities lie.  Such a poignant movie--and completely infused with music.  The original compositions in the film were incredibly moving.

Anyway, I didn't have a photo today, but after the second round of this movie, I dug out my husband's guitar and took this:

Good night!

Lynn

Day 251

Another desperation photo.

And it appears that the flour and what have you from yesterday's cupcakes poofed out of the mixer and onto the tomatoes.

Ah well.  Still yummy!

Day 250: More Mud and Things

Lots of photo ops today.  Not much editing going into these--it's too late, and I just want to get them up!

First, they celebrated Julia's summer birthday at school today.  Here is one of the cupcakes we made for the treat:

And the kids playing on the playground.  We arrived early, so Adam had loads of time to play before the class came out.

After school, it was back to the park to get more leaves for the caterpillars.  I still can't believe we're managing to keep them alive.  I'm willing them to cocoon soon.  Please!  This time, I remembered my camera and encouraged more mud time.

Very, very late.  Night!

Lynn

Day 249

Yup. Lunch.  With stinky fake bacon bits and green beans.

Erp.

Day 248: Mud much?

You would think I'd learn to have my camera with me ALL the time, but of course I didn't this evening.

We took a walk down into Stackhouse to get the right leaves for some caterpillars that Adam found while taking a walk with a sitter last week.  So now we have caterpillars in a jar that we're trying to keep alive long enough for them to turn into butterflies.  I'll try to take a photo of them tomorrow, just in case anyone has any idea what kind of butterfly/moth they'll turn into.  They're black with a yellow stripe.

Frankly, I can't believe they're still hanging out.  They liked the new fresh leaves.  Crawling all over them, munching away.

BUT, it sure was muddy in the park. The kids had their gum boots, and were having a blast in the mud.  Adam went so far as to get tangled up in leaves and mud and fall flat on his face.  Three times.  And for once he didn't care that he was dirty!

I'm thinking I need to go get me a pair, because they were having way much fun!

Adam on the way back kept moaning that "Mummy was going to be sooooo mad when we get home!"  Uh...Nope.

But I did take a couple of photos when we got back.  It was well after 7, so the light was kind of bad, but you get the idea.

Day 247: Because I'm desperate.

I guess I can add this ad-hoc to "not me Monday."

It is NOT 1:00 a.m., and I did NOT just take these photos now of my kitchen.  Yes, I did make cookies this afternoon, but I did NOT leave the dough on the beater for hours.  And I did NOT just now take a photo of said beaters with the dried up batter on it.

Nope.  I did not.

But I AM going to go and clean it up right now, insanely late or no, because really?  It's disgusting.

In my defence, however, as I was making the cookies, I called to make an appointment for J to go to the doctor about a tick bite.  Yes, M found a tick in her neck on Saturday.  Yuck.  So I called to make the appointment late this afternoon, thinking it would be later on in the week when she'd get in.  But nope.  They wanted her there shortly after 5.  I was making these cookies about then, so simply took the batch I was doing out of the oven and raced to the doctor.  Where we found that J has strep throat.  Incidentally, I mentioned that she'd woken up this morning with a scratchy voice, although she hadn't complained of a sore throat.  "Well, strep is going around.  Let's swab her to make sure, but more than likely it's just a cold.  Might as well swab while she's here, though."  Five minutes later, the nurse practitioner comes back with a funny smile on her face.  "You won't believe this, but she has strep!"  And the antibiotic to take care of that will take care of any nastiness from the tick, should there be any.  And then it was off to grab something for dinner, since we hadn't been home to make something and it was close to 7:00.  Then to the hospital to bring the tick to the lab for testing. Where we waited for an hour.  Then to the pharmacy to get the meds, only to find it was closed.  Then home.  Kids to bed.  10:00--yikes!  Then transcribe for two hours to get at least 5 hours into the day.  Then post photos from the past two days, then into the kitchen in search of SOMETHING to take a photo of and...

Oh.  Yuck.  I hadn't cleaned anything.

No.  That's a lie.  When the shelf fell down in the corner cupboard, it cracked a jug of oil, and there was oil everywhere.  I still haven't gotten to the stuff IN the cupboard, but it was leaking all over the floor, so I spent an hour trying to clean it up.  No small feat, let me tell you.

And it's into the cupboard tomorrow. 

Double yuck.

So. Here is the photo of my dried up cookie batter.  It usually doesn't make it to this stage, because little fingers--or larger ones--usually snitch it all before I can even get it to the sink to be washed!  Not today, though.

Triple yuck.

The cookies are pretty good, though.  Double chocolate chip with a bit of mint flavoring thrown in for J's benefit.

OK.  Let me go throw the goopy beater into the dishwasher. Then to bed.  Tuckered out, I is!

Nighters,

L

Day 246: Taken Sunday May 16. At the airport.

It's quite a different experience going through the airport with someone in uniform.  They get bumped immediately to the front of the ticket line, then through staff security, so no waits in the security line up.  And they allow family to go right to the gate, which was great not just for me, but for the kids.  So here we are, at the airport, waiting for Meryl to board.  And now he's gone for almost two years to study Arabic.

He should be able to get a pretty good job when he's done, don't you think?

I miss him already.  I've been spoiled with him being home for so long.  And I know it!

Day 245 (taken Saturday May 15)

Got a bit behind on posting. It has been a crazy few days, as we've been on the final rush to get Meryl off to California.  So I apologize for not posting--although I did take the photos each day.  Life is more important than blog posting some days.  So there! 

Anyway, these were taken while M was packing.  The kids wanted to know all about his equipment, so he outfitted them and took them onto the porch for pictures.  Here they are:

OK. I'm off to post yesterday's.  Then find SOMETHING to take a picture of today, yet.  Eep!!