MOAR VACATION!

I was brilliant when I decided to take more days off then just what I needed for LeakyCon.  Seriously, brilliant.  I did not expect LeakyCon to be so utterly exhausting.  It's been very nice to have this week to recover and get a few things done around the house.

I spent Monday running errands - library, dentist, grocery shopping - and doing laundry.

The kids didn't have cavities (WOO), but I had one (BOO).  I knew about it already so wasn't surprised.  I got REALLY lucky though, and didn't need a root canal.

The numbing of my gums left me with a crooked smile though.  I wasn't really planning on immortalizing this picture of me, for obvious reasons.  Unfortunately, it was the only photo I took that day.  It's my Elvis impression.



Those four days of LeakyCon were so warm hot and sunny that the garden took off.  Well, mostly the weeds took off.  I spent about 30-45 minutes weeding Tuesday and got a pretty good sunburn on my back. I only got through weeding half of the garden too.  I found a slug; only one, that was hopefully the only one and the little bastard that's been eating my green bean plants. I flung him out of the garden with my garden shovel.  He hit a tree.  I have no sympathy.

Then as I went to weed around the green beans I was startled by a garden visitor.  He's the biggest frog (pretty sure he's a frog) I've seen around here.  I coaxed him into the bucket to bring him inside to show the kids and take a picture.  Cause that's what you do when you a) have kids and/or b) have a blog and/or c) like to take pictures.  Carus then helped me let him go under some bushes near my garden.  I would love for him to live in the garden.  He'll eat the bad bugs.  I haven't seen him since, but still hope he didn't go far.



A photo of the flowers we have sitting on the counter (Carus's dance recital bouquet) that I was messing around with some Photoshop filters with.


4th of July

We usually host friends and family for a BBQ, but Robert wasn't feeling it this year so it was just us.  We went to see Despicable Me 2 at the theater and giggled the whole time and then BBQ'd and hung out around here.  While Robert and Adam stayed home keeping the dogs company playing video games, Carus and I went down to her school where the local firefighters were hosting their 2nd 4th of July firework show.  Live music starts around 7:30 p.m. and then the fireworks, set off by the firefighters, starts at dark.  It was a lovely show that seemed to go on forever.  We got home around 11:30.  Leia, who doesn't like the booms, did okay curled up under her blanket in the crate we borrowed next to Robert.  If he left the room, she was right on his heels.


Today we went out to the in-laws house.  Robert is building them a shed.  He and the kids went out a few weeks ago and with Adam's help Robert was able to build, set and level the base and put down the floor and then build and place one wall.


Today Robert, Adam, and Alan built and placed two more walls.



Robert helping Alan get the walls held up just so so that when he nails down the second wall, they are where they are supposed to be and level and all that good stuff.


Adam holding up another spot, and Robert nailing it down and to the existing wall.


Three walls up!


The next day out will be to build the fourth wall with the door in it, and frame up the roof (and possibly start putting on the roof).  It's a 6 foot x 8 foot shed (compared to Robert's 8 x 12 shed).

I harvested some garlic this evening.  I got 31 heads.  And remember that HUGE one I showed you?  It's there on the end on the right side.  It's bigger in person - about the size of three "normal-sized" heads of garlic.


I'm very glad I've had this vacation time.  I needed the break.  I feel caught up on my sleep, finished 2-1/2 books (3 by tomorrow morning), went to LeakyCon (seriously, I must find a way to go next year or maybe the year after), met some awesome people and did get some chores done around the house and garden so I feel productive too.  I think I'm ready to go back to work.