Loose Ends, Week 5.

In between hosting Bunco on Monday night and opening our house for a house-warming last night, I managed to tie up a few loose ends this week.

The warm-up act was Monday night's bunco party. Around 20 women and children (yes, we start 'em young) gathered for baked potatoes, salad, laughter and yes...putting out money and rolling dice. Don't call the vice squad - the proceeds will buy a bicycle for a preacher in India to be able to get from town to town faster and easier.)

It was fun, but I just want to let those who toured my home know that my vacuum does NOT hang out in the middle of my bathroom all the time. Thank you for politely overlooking it, but really - you're my friends. One of you could have said SOMETHING! I had to laugh when I walked in there later that night and there it sat.  It was one of those things.  I started to vacuum and then I saw some laundry that needed to be started, and when I got to the laundry room I realized I had a basket of assorted odds-and-ends that needed to be put away... And before long, I forgot all about vacuuming.

After Monday the countdown clock began ticking toward Friday.  Last night at 6:30, a steady stream of friends began showing up, and the last family pulled away a little after 10.  Swimmer girl and middle son took advantage of the still-flaming bonfire to make a few more S'mores while I tidied up and Mr. Official helped Little Dog and Big Dog do their business for the night.  (We have a weekend guest in the form of 35 pounds of energy and fur, also known as Sadie-the-grandpuppy.)

Where was I?  Oh yes,loose ends.

Although much of the week was spent on other things, I did tie up a few loose ends.

For starters, I moved a gob of plants from old house to new house last weekend - all my Louisiana irises, variegated Irises, Japanese purple irises, and several hostas.  To even things out, I shovel-pruned two clematis in the new house's beds. I like clematis as much as anybody, but you gotta know your varieties, and "sweet autumn" clematis is NOT a dainty little vine to plant in your formal garden beds. It's a thug. A sweet smelling thug, but a thug. They were smothering the roses on either side of them, so in the final analysis, it was the clematis that had to go.  Their departure left room for one of my birdbaths.

The deck rails and spindles are now  all stained.  They could use a second coat, but even if they don't get it for a few months, they are sealed and ready to withstand the summer sun beating down on them. So we went from this:

to this:

 and this:

I also hung curtains in the two upstairs bedrooms. Fortunately, hanging them did NOT involve a rodent-sighting.

And I hung some pictures in our master bathroom and painted over my drywall repair job. The entire bathroom needs a painting - but at least it doesn't have white spots here and there until I can completely tie up that loose end.  So that one is only half-tied.

I made a list of all known loose ends and wound up with two dozen projects, big and small.  All I can say is it's going to be a very busy summer.

Happy tying!

Really random pictures

Last weekend was a busy one:  Saturday was another workday in preparation for our Summer Bible Vacation at Highland Heights  and our 2HERS group held a mother/daughter luncheon for us moms - don't they look great?

Of course, Sunday was Mother's Day, which we spent traveling back and forth to Lebanon (long story - let's just say my husband and his mama had a failure to communicate regarding schedules.)  Then it was back for evening services and home again, when I agreed to watch Scadie (pronounced "Sadie" - the c is silent) while the guys grabbed a bite to eat.  Suddenly the sweet sleeping princess puppy turned into an ornery and over-stimulated hyperactive bundle of energy racing back and forth through the house.  Didn't see that coming.  She tormented the cat and dog repeatedly by barking shrilly at them.  They're both way too old for that nonsense, and the looks they gave her said as much.  So she then proceeded to try to rip into everything she could get her sharp little milk teeth into.  When I left to get our daughter from a youth event, the mini-me had the big dog's one-and-only chew toy all slobbery. Which didn't make anybody too happy as you can see.

Hey, sweet husband of mine, do you suppose we can get down the missing trim in the background?  I don't notice it until I take a photo and it shows up, along with the smudge on the wall where the big dog likes to roll around and put her muddy paws on the wall.    I won't complain too loudly - he's commuting back and forth to Ashland City each day, helping supervise the mucking out of the offices.  A decidedly unpleasant job, made worse by the start time (6:30...tomorrow will be even earlier.)

And while I was downloading the other weekend pictures, I happened to come across this one I snapped of the cat the other day, when she was posing as mantel art.

She was quite good for a while up there, and then she got bored with the pose and down she came.  Of course, when I took the shot, she gave me a baleful glare to let me know she did not appreciate the attention.  Who knows what really goes on in the walnut-sized cranium of hers?  It turned cool on Monday, and we actually turned the heat back on for a couple days.  Today was warmer and tomorrow should be downright hot.  Back to A/C I guess.  Maybe the garden will soon be dry enough to actually plant...

Big news: we're grandparents!

Well, not really - but until our children decide to settle down with a spouse and have real children, this 9-week-old bundle of fur will have to do. Last night, our oldest son adopted a "baby" - a pure white husky that looks a lot like our Samoyeds when they were puppies. As of yet she has no name, so we just say "here, pooch" when we want her attention. If anyone has a suggestion for a name, we're all ears (and so is she, as you can see in this picture.)

Our own dog wasn't too keen on the interloper's appearance this morning, but after a few minutes, they seemed to decide they could get along. They both agreed it was fun to play in the grass this morning, although having short legs meant "the pooch" got her belly tickled by the grass, which is nearly as tall as she is. She spent most of her time hopping instead of walking or running.

And like all good "grandparents" we immediately volunteered to watch "the baby" while Shea worked today. And like all new parents, he has called to check on her. So far, her routine is romp, stomp and nap (and a bathroom break thrown in for good measure.) Something tells me the rest of the day will be much of the same, plus food.

Let's hope my wool rugs are safe from puppy messes...which do tend to come with puppies. The cat is simply wondering what she did to deserve two dogs drinking out of *her* waterbowl, and skulking around with a bigger-than-usual scowl on her face.