annie over

 This is an old game, played by throwing a ball over the little log cabin while yelling, "Annie Over!'

I'm not sure on the rules, but if the other team catches it, then they run around the cabin and throw it at someone and if they hit them then they're out.

Or they have to join the other team, maybe?

Anyway, a great, hot, sweaty afternoon.  love, Val

unexpected

We walked out of Target this morning, a different Target we don't usually go to, and this was the view out the front door.

It was done raining, but everything was hazy and misty and lovely.

love, Val

a soothing weekend

 Maria and I drove up to the lake Friday night with the kids.

She drove and I wrapped up in an old comforter and slept on the way.

We drank apple ale and watched Uncle Buck and laughed a lot.

 We slept late and I took a long bubble bath in the morning.

This was a strange weekend, just us at the lake with no men--Jay and Dan were moving Kirsten to Florida, so we were on our own, strangely.  (The move went very, very well, I'm told, waiting for his flight to arrive tonight.)   We went into town and checked out all the tourist gift shops we've never been in.

In eleven years at the lake, I had never been in these shops.

They were amazing, charming, fun.

 We cooked a little, wandered around, watched move old movies and went to be early and slept late.

It all felt as comfortable as that old comforter did on the ride up, welcome, peaceful, renewing.

 I didn't take very many pictures. These are it.

Cleaning is soothing to me.  I scrubbed the bathroom and shined it--something hard to do when the cabin is full of people.

And the kitchen floor?  During the movie Mr. Deeds, I watched the movie and washed the floor and put down coats of wax.   In the morning, Maria helped me carry our heavy old dining room table off the linoleum and into the living room. The kids moved the chairs and I washed and waxed that part of the floor.

Double coats of wax.

That old, scuffed, thirty year old floor actually looked nice.

Satisfying.

And then we came home, and I drove back so Maria could rest before her trip back to school.

Laundry has been churning, showers taken, homeschool packets made, family room clean and vacuumed for tomorrow's baby day.

Onward.

Life is all kinds of awesome.

love, Val

big changes

 I start a new job next month.

The call came yesterday late in the morning and the whole rest of the day was lost to just sheer GLEE.

 Jay and Dan are moving Kirsten to Florida, so they weren't here, but a bunch of the others bought chow mein and came for supper to celebrate.

It looks like the trip to Florida has gone just about perfectly, pictures to follow.

Onward.

With love always, Val

first cousin day

 These two cousins had a good time hanging out.

 So did these two:

 Homeschool on the patio:

 And the hugging of babies:

He was right in there, very interested.  It made Tim nervous having a kid at his elbow while he picked his way through his spelling.

(Dyslexic people and spelling?  Not a love connection.)

At the end of the day, Alicia took this one and sent it to me in a text and on Instagram.

It's perfect.

What a spectacular Monday.

love forever, Grandma, aka MOM

pictures from an old album on the desk

 So tonight, a guy asked me if I'm married.

Yes, I am.

How long?

Thirty-six years.

He was aghast or appalled. I couldn't tell which.

Anyway, tonight there's an old album piled on the desk.  And these pictures were in it.

John, Dan, Heidi.

 1984.

 And this, one, some hot summer birthday party at the in-laws.

Okay, good night.  love always, Val

labor day weekend

The swamp next door, so pretty.

 And there was lots of swimming.

 A couple weeks ago we had a baby snapping turtle in a bucket for an afternoon, just because he was so darn cute.

This week it was the neighbors.  Later in the evening, they let him go again too.  They had rocks and sticks in the bucket for him to rest on, and he was so little bitty with a very long tail.

 Fish were caught.

And let go again.

And there was also some hollering by the neighbor in the blue shorts as that little fisherman swung out a cast that slid right past his nose.

Fishing with babies?

Hazardous.

 Here's a close up of the island. There were boats anchored there along the shore, people swimming.

 And some jumping off the dock action for the thrill-seeking tiny guy.

And now?

This has been a fine week, back to reality and all.

Summer?  I love you so much.

love, Val