apple orchard

We went out to Stillwater in the afternoon, to the apple orchard.

 This is the hay bale maze.  It's hot in there and smells wonderful.

 It was about 80 degrees of bright sunshine, just a perfect day.

 When we arrived, Jay said he hasn't been there before, and what do we do?

Well, it's a very laid back situation.   First we petted a goat with big ears.

No pictures of that.

 We picked a big bag of crunchy Haralson apples.

We went on a wagon ride and bought apple treats--caramel apples, apple brats, apple bread, apple doughnuts.

There's a vineyard there too, and a man was on the deck, playing the cello.

There was a big booth selling popcorn, blowing that lovely smell all around.

It was lovely.

Plus here's Jay.

Twenty-five year old Jay would have never agreed to this, to go to this place and wander around.

"Oh hell no."

Years ago we went to the Home and Garden Show with his sister and her husband and after about an hour, when we were walking along a hallway with a high railing overlooking the auditorium, he said, "Think if I threw myself off here they'd get the idea I'm ready to go home?"

I about doubled over laughing, "Don't you try it."

Fifty year old Jay?  He's a very mellow beast, good natured even.  He pushed the little child on the swing and answered Julia's questions.

The little girl held up a sucker she didn't want anymore and he popped it in his own mouth and ate it, picked apples, wandered alongside me amiably.

Who'd a thunk it?

Oh, beautiful September.   love you all so, Val, aka MOM, aka Grandma

the big barbie house

Yes, I got roped into this at Costco.

Julia had half the money saved.

These are all the Legos Tim says are in need of repair.  I think we should put up some shelves down here for them.  

Anyway, when we brought this thing home I teased Tim, "I know how much you LOVE princesses."

He said, "I don't mind princesses, but I REALLY want to build that."

 He did it too.  It took about seven hours spread out over two days, but he got it done.

And her?  She promised if we got this doll house she'd be a better child.

Better meaning only one thing.

Nicer.

 Primarily that would mean less arguing over nonsense.

Mainly that.

Ta-da!

p.j. came to me this morning and said, "Grandma there's a THING in your basement."

I said, "Do you like it?"

She said nothing, just hugged me around the legs and ran back to the building project.

Love you kids, Mom aka Grandma

sad

So we don't know why he died, although Lydia, aka Kari is doing a lot of research on possible flaws in our care of him.

He was delicate and beautiful with transparent little toes and a cute personality.

She's researching deeply, coming up with some ideas regarding nutrients and lighting that she was not informed about when they bought him in April.  He showed no sign of illness, and often critters don't.

But, for now today?  It's just really sad that a beautiful guy died.

I love you, Sweetheart.   love, Mom and Dad

the jesus puppet, the bingo daubers, and the mice

 These are pictures from the bike ride today.   It's overcast and warm, with a strong breeze, kind of a odd day.

But this morning I went to the hospital to check on my mom who had a knee replaced yesterday, and she's doing great, so that made me a little giddy--happy for her and also relieved. 

Onward, Mama.   Onward to a pain-free 2015, maybe even with dancing.

On the way home, I stopped to pick up this little girl from her preschool, and the teacher came out into the hall to talk about their morning. 

She showed us a big, floppy Jesus puppet, robes, big wild beard, curly eyelashes.

Umm.

Wow.   That's quite a sight.

While I was still taking in the Jesus puppet, she held up a paper with perfect colorful circles and showed us how they did it with a paint thing that looked like a bingo dauber.

I guess they were working on colors?  Or their bingo skills?

Tell me the babies aren't gambling.

I felt actually a little befuddled and like I might giggle.

THEN she held up a book they'd read about mice.

Well, it's fall here and we've got a lot of death in the cupboards, especially that one under the kitchen sink.    Jay's trapped at least six mice so far--there's an open field behind us and a crawl space under the kitchen that we have never managed to fully secure.

Bam, bam, bam.   Every night, whack--just quick and done, usually instant.  I don't like it, but they poop in the potholders and cake pans.

So reading to the children about the dear little animated mice and their little, sweet fuzzy mice families was the ending.     I grabbed her hand and we ran out of there.

 Here's Sam, howling like she does when we bike past.

 And then it was leftover homemade pizza for lunch and a trip around the park.

And Mom's doing well.  That's the best part.    love, Val

september week

We bought the house late in October, so we knew nothing about the tree.  All the leaves were long gone by the time we moved in.

But it turned out to be one of the best things about the house.

 Sunday night everyone came for supper.   Jay picked up Chinese food.

$110 worth.  That's a lot of chow mein.

 Why were they dressed alike?  Accident.

Here's a Sweetie, checking out the turtle.

 Yesterday we went for a bike ride after lunch. 

 And here's today, getting some work done.

What I really don't understand though, is how we never opened these workbooks all summer, but they jumped ahead in progress anyway.

That is just weird.   Grammar and punctuation that eluded Tim last spring, no problem now.    Julia jumped ahead in math.

What to do with the rest of a day this fine?  We'll figure it out.

love, Val