wrong, but funny

 While we were at the baptism yesterday, look what Payton was doing.

She bit an entire hole in MY bedspread!

It's old, faded on the side that faces the window, not a big deal, but what a naughty dog.

This morning, Heidi's baby p.j. could not stop lifting up the bedspread and  talking about it.   "Pay-pay biiiite!"    Yes, she did.  

Oh my goodness.   Happy Monday.   love, Val

people who won't leave on their shoes

This is one of those people.   Maybe she did it all summer too, but mostly she was barefoot anyway, so we didn't realize.

She will not leave on shoes or socks.   Before we leave to do errands we must search all around for the shoes and socks.  Then between every stop in the car, we have to search around the floor of the car, in the nooks and crannies of the backseat and find her shoes and socks AGAIN.

While I wasn't looking at the grocery store today she took off a shoe and threw it somewhere.   I had to go back in and search the aisles for it.  It was on a shelf in the stationery aisle.

It's temporary.    In a few months she'll be two and that much more civilized again.  

But I think she takes after her uncle James.   He used to do this too.     It reminded me of the old story about the time we went to a museum on a Sunday afternoon, and on the way home, he was definitely tired and possibly hungry, and talking in his mouse voice, complaining about EVERYTHING.

He might have been about three years old?

Anyway, after a while of this, Little Jay slapped him across the face.

 here he's only two.

This is a No-Hitting House.   Everyone in the car turned to stare at Little Jay, and at James holding his face, howling.

Little Jay burst into tears too.    Good grief, People.

When we got home, there was James in the back seat, still making bitchy little unhappy noises.

And he was barefoot.

As he came to the door to be helped down, I scolded him, "Look.  You've aggravated Jay so badly he slapped you and now here you are with bare feet again.   When are you going to realize you are annoying this entire family?"    He gave me a look--gopher cheeks and big blue eyes.

I lifted him down and said, "Run, go!  Go fast!"

He ran to the front door, barefoot over the snow, "Ooch, ooch, ooch."   And that is the end of that story.  I'd like to say he left his shoes on in the car after that and never fussed at us again, but that seems like a stretch.

And all you kids?  All you present and former rowdies and squirrels?    I love you so.  Thanks for being mine.    love, Mom

couple weeks back

We closed up the cabin for the year. 

Fridge, all cleaned out, and all the 500 bottles of condiments are in the office fridge now.  How we do that every summer, I'm not sure.

Here he's pumping all the water out of the plumbing system and disconnecting the water softener.  We have to bring that back to the city to store in the basement here because freezing will destroy a water softener.

(One year we faithfully brought the thing home and then FORGOT IT IN THE GARAGE.)

Of course it was ruined.  Sometimes we are really, really stupid.

 I don't know what they're doing, but it involved running, and hiding and sneaking.

 Here's upstairs.   We never take any pictures up there, so I did.

That railing is the very first thing we did the very first time we stayed here.   Tim was two and that open half wall over the stairway was a disaster waiting to happen.

This game is called Farmer, I think.   The farmer is supposed to wake up the seeds and if they laugh, then they're awake.

 Why is it hard not to laugh just because you're not supposed to?

 This is Sidney having a nap in p.j.'s car seat on the way home.

 And then began a week of laundry--washing all the blankets before storing them for the winter.

This was a good summer, and it's been an even better fall, and in three weeks the Christmas tree goes up.

And also the giant inflatable Santa!     

Oh, yes indeed.      Happy Fall, love, Val

this, that, and the other thing

We went to their wedding last night.   She is an old friend who grew up with my girls, all those scrappy wild days.  Her family lived next door to us for years. He's a cute person with a generous, gentle, kind heart.  (I think she's going to be very happy, and he too.  They're both the real deal.)  It was a beautiful wedding, the perfect combination of sweetness and fun.

Love is love.

This is our other neighbor, goofing around with Jay at the reception. We're big time Democrats. They're serious Republicans.  Even in an election year?   We mutually agree to leave all that crap alone because we love each other.   

Better neighbors could not be found.  Their daughters are wonderful too.  He's offered to perform valet parking at our house for family parties, as he watches the congested driveway awkwardly fill and empty. Over the last twenty-five years we have lived side by side there has not been one cranky moment, and that's not because I am such a sweetheart.

It's because they're patient and kind.  (Thank you guys.)

Sherry and Don, fun company always.

 Here are Kirsten, Heidi, Jenny, and Liz, demonstrating props for the photo booth.

 Mine own girls.

 The dance, so fun.

 Joe and Liz.

 Oh, and today--today we raked leaves, lots and lots of leaves.  There are about 30 paper bags inside the garage too.  I have to call Monday to find out if there's a pick up limit.   The kids bitched a little about this job, but they were amazing help.

 And then we moved on to this.   That is our unfortunate dining room ceiling, damaged by a leaky air conditioner dripping into the wall upstairs.

 We had damage like this underneath windows in four rooms.    We patched the plaster over the last few days, and today sanded and repainted.  I told Alicia we have to do this because with an old house, if you don't, pretty soon your house starts to look like a crapshack.  It was looking a bit crappy around here.

 But now?  Look at this perfect dining room wall, all repaired and painted.

Aaaahhh.   Even the bathroom has a fresh coat of paint, very nice.

 Here are funny pictures from the photo booth last night.

We had such a good time.

And even though I do miss being at the lake, it's good to be here in town, to go to a beautiful, sweet wedding and get some work done around our own house.

Onward to Sunday.    love for always, Val

trick or treating, woo hoo

 There is not good trick or treating participation in our neighborhood.   You'd have to walk for blocks and miles to round up any candy when only two or three houses in each street participate.

But my parents neighborhood? They all are in.  So we trick or treat over there.

 And then? My kind parents feed everyone pizza.

 Back at Grandma and Grandpa's.

Down the hill.  I biked down this hill on the way to the pool so many times as a kid.  The trip back up is way less fun.   Some summers I had the cardio and legs to do it. Other summers no.  It's all about endurance.

 Here's our confused Cooky Monster and her mother coming back.

Today she put candy in her mouth and then slobbered it out on my bed, caused me to holler some.

But today was today anyway.  We never left the house.   I spackled the walls in all the places I intend to paint this weekend.   She helped me.  Tim read me a long book while I worked, and that was nice.

We did business records for numerous neglected months, and it was fun.  We laughed a lot while we worked, probably not a good thing to admit to our customers.  Tomorrow night  we are attending a wedding.

November, you beautiful girl--come on in.    love you so, Val