Weird News Story

(Looks like somebody might have gone off his meds,)

or he's just really weird.

Just in time for summer weather.

M.M.M.M.

Mother's Marbles Maintenance Monday

Whew, that's done for another week.

Monday is usually the busiest day with mom maintenance, because in addition to the usual chores the meds boxes need filling for the next week, prescription refills need to be called in, some laundry needs doing, and garbage and recycling need to go out.

The pictures are some classic marbles that my aunt inherited from grandma.  She gave them to me because I really loved playing with them and other toys at grandma K's house when I was little, and Aunt M. was worried that when she died they would end up in the garbage.  The big clear shooter makes a cool lens when held at the correct distance.  Most of the other shooters are a bit dinged, because they were actually used to play marbles.  They really flew down the hot wheels track too!  Come to think of it, maybe that is where the idea for the giant boulder in the Indiana Jones movie originated - marble vs. miniature toy soldier.

Rain, Growing Things, and Guests

Getting Started

These are a few columbine popping up to bloom the 2nd year.

Mrs. Robin starting over on a second nest.

(The first one was abandoned when she put it

in a really stupid place.)

The rains came, and came, and came.

The winds knocked over the tripods, and they need repairs.

Some things sprouted really well, others didn't.

Of course the weeds sprouted too.

The lawn was mowed today, but more chores remain.

Pansies

Daisies

Peonies

"Mom, what is nephew doing with my duck?

I'm not quite sure about these house guests.

One uses me as a big pillow, and the other plays with my toys.

Although it isn't all bad, they scratch my head and keep me company too."

When is a Vacation Not a Vacation?

When it isn't possible to run away from home and ignore chores for a week.

On the plus side, we are getting a lot of work done on various projects.  The city will be replacing the water and sewer lateral lines to our house next week, so we have been doing some cleaning in the basement where the services enter.  A little more rearranging and that should be ready in time.  Their timing couldn't be much worse, they will begin the work the morning after our teenage nephew and niece arrive for a 2 1/2 week visit.  Maybe the nephew and niece can spend the day at the library, or at my dad's house, or at the pool, because they won't be able to use the toilet here that day between 7 a.m. and when the work is done.  I don't feel comfortable leaving the contractor alone in the house, so I will probably have to stay here and pop out occasionally for toilet breaks.

Hubby replaced the serpentine belt, changed the oil, and rotated the tires on the Element yesterday.  Best estimate, he saved approx. $200 by doing the work himself.  He enjoys doing routine maintenance, but prefers to do it on warm, sunny summer days.

He couldn't do the oil change on my car yet because I was too busy driving it, all over the place.
The destinations included the following:
the car parts store & back home
mom's place & back home to hold a wrench and kiss the mechanic
the bank
the farmers co-op for dog food
Menards to window shop shower stalls & buy miscellaneous items
  (It is helpful to know the quality of some of their products seems
  to have improved since the last time I was there, and I was glad to
  see they sell low profile Hunter ceiling fans, for those of us who
  do not own houses with vaulted ceilings.  For some reason
  Fleet Farm doesn't carry those anymore.  Menards also has
  Sylvania light bulbs.  Fleet Farm switched to GE;
  for personal reasons I will never buy a GE product
  if there is an alternative.)
Fleet Farm (hubby's belated anniversary present - a cleaning rod for his .17 HMR and a few other odds and ends.
Sam's Club - two big packages of TP should keep us,
  our houseguests, and mom & stepfather fully stocked with the
  important papers for a few weeks.
Home Depot for some expendable (cheap) mini-blinds
  and a replacement hot water stem assembly for the kitchen sink
The grocery store, because hubby forgot to tell me earlier
  that he was running out of his rather particular brand of toothpaste

Wednesday, weather permitting will see the departure of the spare 1990's vintage refrigerator that has been sitting unused with its doors off since maybe 2004.  It probably still works, but I doubt it is very efficient, and it is taking up much needed space.  I pray that the fridge we use every day doesn't up and die once the spare is gone.

Somehow this week we will try to have a bit of fun.  Even if that doesn't happen, we have already managed to squeeze in some really nice naps in spite of the chronic BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, VROOM, BANG, SCRAPE, BEEP, BEEP, BEEP of the bucket loader hauling gravel from the pile in front of our house to fill the sewer trench running down the middle of the road.  Ahh, road construction season, at least it isn't winter.

Happy Anniversary Darling

Wow, we were skinny.

Hubby and I have been married for quite some time now.  I would rather not mention how long, because it makes us feel old.  We have reached the stage where we probably should have invited a bunch of folks for a party to prove we are still alive and so they could give us silly gifts with the number of years we have been married boldly emblazoned on them.   I'm not sure why that is traditional; maybe it is in case we start getting forgetful and cannot remember how long we have been hitched.  Although if we forget the date, the news the next day usually reminds us when they mention how many years it has been since the horrible day at Tiananmen square.  It is truly a awful way to remember our anniversary, but it works.  And when we remember, we think of Lu and "Roger" and hope and pray that they are safe, well, and happy.

Now for a note to hubby's two sisters, it is time to get out the fairly useless traveling porcelain "trophies" kept from when we sorted through Ma & Pa S's china cabinet.  Wrap them up, no hurry; we can wait until Christmas.  We'll put them somewhere safe and wait patiently until it is time to give them back to one of you.  An then you can give them to some other poor unsuspecting soul when their milestone anniversary rolls around.

Of course, if someone gives us a chunk of silver, that would be nice too, but I'm not going to hold my breath waiting.

Simply put, having expensive stuff is not really the point of being married.  My husband is more precious to me than silver or gold, and I am looking forward to many more years of adventures with him.

Who knows, if we are still alive and can still walk when we get to our golden anniversary, maybe we will have enough spare time to plan a party with loud music and pretend to dance until our legs give out.  One thing is fairly certain; by then my mom won't be around to make rude objections regarding the style of music.  Of course by then all the younger folks will probably ask why we are playing such lame old music.