Got a complaint

... that I have not blogged lately. I am trying, trying.

Busy busy with all sorts of things. Not much can be done in the garden. It is VERY HOT ... even for me who makes a point not to complain in summer since I don't like winter.

Here is a lesson though. This came up in one of the planters. I almost pulled it thinking it was a weed but then decided to leave it alone. Look what it did:

July 5

July 12 - so pretty

I am finally serious about organizing my "queendom". When you can't find things any longer ... But first it gets worse when you pull things off shelves and out of boxes, making heaps to throw or give away etc.

James supportive as always! Making progress. The base for the shelves is up.

To get the material for the shelves we needed to swap cars with Sarah though. We met for lunch on Friday 10th before she went to work and swapped then. With her car we got everything but it took stops at three lumber yards.
The trade-off ... swapping the cars back the next day when she was off and help her with one of her closets. The girls call me lovingly the "closet queen". I have helped with many of theirs besides mine over the years. I think it's fun.
Since Caleb likes to start the day early (and we didn't want to drill and hammer during his nap time) I arrived already at 8:30 am. James came a little later because he had the monthly church men's breakfast.
Look what I saw on the front steps.

Caleb was interested.

Had to say hello and socialize a little first. Caleb wanted to play with bubbles.

Ready to work. James had a meeting at church first and I had a head start taking the old shelves out, measuring, prepping. Sarah knew what she wanted. The wide shelves across where not practical. She wanted them just on the sides. Luckily we could use what was there and it was very easy. Needed to make a little cut-out though to allow for the door molding.

Worked out great.

Of course there was the monthly lace guild meeting and the monthly quilters meetings but that is on the other blog site (well, will be soon).
We got to go to the LGBG (Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden) though last Wednesday. Sarah had a day off and we went with the water play in mind. First we did pop into the butterfly house though. Last time Caleb was not interested much. This time he really was. What a difference a few weeks make.
VIDEO!

Got videos at the water play but I think there where too many older children for him.
Video 1
Video 2
Video 3
The sandbox a few steps further was more interesting.

We went home for lunch ... on the back porch. Nice. Caleb had dragged the toy box outside. James was doing hamburgers on the grill. When I came with the plates and fixings Caleb told me "hot, hot, hot" and pointed. He does the same in the kitchen pointing at the stove. Clever boy.
VIDEO!

Caleb wasn't into hamburgers.

He was into his nap-time though.

Happy 4th Anniversary on 16th July to Sarah and Wade. James and I went to their house so they could go out for a private dinner. We went for a little walk in the neighborhood because when Caleb gets tired he wants to go to bed ... but you can't do that too early. I have never known a toddler you can just get ready for bed, lay him down and leave. He happily rolls around for a little while and then falls asleep. Glad for the monitor!

One of my contributions to our church: planning occasional workshops to get ready for the bazaar in November. It is wonderful fellowship. Look what we did. Danish hearts. All they need are their handles to hang.

Helen told me today on the telephone that William said this morning "Only three more sleeps until Omi and Papa are coming". Yes, looking forward to see our Nashvillers soon!
 

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Old Travel Reports - 2004

I am on a mission! I can't find things and it drives me crazy. Well, I mean mainly in my "queendom". I am sorting and throwing and re-arranging. My computer now has a permanent place were it is not in the way. I turned the table with the sewing machine around and it has better light and ... I can turn the chair around between the computer and the sewing machine. So much more to do ... but ... I did a really good start the last few days.

The wish to sort and organize includes papers and photos, old slides and family movies etc etc. That technology changed 10 times doesn't help either. Super 8, DVD, CD ...

Since 2011 my best photos, memories and travel reports are on this blog. Huge hopes that this will not crash or die!!! When I talked with my friend Corry in Germany via Skype today we reminisced about vacation together on a boat in France. So I wondered what happened to that report. Found it hidden in a file. I decided to upload. It was one loooooong trip ... with the canal at the end!

Trip around the World - PDF

On the Canal in France - PDF!


I hope to be able to upload more "old" travel reports. Oh, the memories!!! And when I start reading I don't get much done in the sorting and throwing department. Oh well ...

 

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Time goes too fast - 4th of July

Our little mini vacation seems ages ago. Back in the full swing of things.
I love it when James talks me into a walk/hike. Since it was very hot we just did 4 miles in our community. There are lots of pretty spots too.

I know, my gadget doesn't say 4 miles but James' did. Mine goes by number of steps I take and is only "approximate" but James' goes by GPS.

Hand sewing when I felt like a break. Determined to get the wallhanging for the church raffle (in autumn) ready. Want to check it off my list. More about that later though.
And in case you wonder. That is Marmite on the flat bread. For 40 years I just couldn't eat it. Suddenly I not only tolerate it but I love it. Love it as a snack.

Self inflicted! Yeah. I was asked whether I would do the monthly church newsletter. I thought about it (just had been able to give up the quarterly newsletter of our community) but I have trouble saying "NO" to my church if I could do it. There wasn't much time left until the beginning of July so I had to hussle but since James and I are a team ... If you are interested: lots of pictures in THE CLOAK July 2015. We had a Murder Mystery, graduation potluck, all sorts of things in June. Lots of fun. I also had a craft workshop Sunday afternoon the 28th. That takes always some time to prepare what the ladies could work on. Still, lots of fun because they are all good friends.
Tuesday 30th. Since the Cloak was done why not go for a hike. Perfect weather. Alarm rang at 6am. Can you believe that this is downtown Richmond?

From the Pump House parking lot along the James River, passed Maymont and several cemeteries over the Lee Bridge to Bell Island.

Hollywood Cemetery from the other side of the James River. The crepe myrtles are beautiful.

Back over the Boulevard Bridge.

6.64 miles. Not bad. I think we used up enough calories to have pizza for lunch. I was itching to try the stove stop pizza again I had tried it before (HERE). This one was even better. Topping: 3 spoons spaghetti sauce, leftover steamed spinach chopped some, chopped red peppers and shredded cheddar cheese.

Sarah had texted on Saturday that Caleb's best sleeping buddy was coming apart.

So when she asked whether we wanted to come over for dinner Tuesday evening I remembered to take needle and thread. The "cast" came off. Caleb looked funny at what I was doing.

Like his cousin William he likes books.

Sarah showed us in the garage what she and Wade had built to stand the washer and dryer on.

After dinner I received a gift. Sarah had read my previous blogs and that we find selfies difficult. Well, look at the next two photos.

Hikes are out for a few days. I must have done something to my right leg. It really hurts on the backside of the knee. Not bad enough that I can't do anything. Project: organizing my "queendom". I have become desperate now because often I can't find what I want and waste too much time searching. Especially Friday I made huge progress. I should have taken a "before" photo ... which would have been actually embarrassing.
Today (Independence Day) Sarah asked whether we wanted to meet them in Beaverdam to watch the parade starting at 10am. She has a friend whose mother has property there and said we all should meet there because parking could be difficult. We got the street name and the GPS found it easily.
It was quite an experience to watch a parade in a very very VERY rural area. It was great fun especially to watch Caleb. He pointed out all the trucks to us. Truck is one of the many words he can already say. He rolls the R and it sounds so funny.

He loved to run up and down before the parade came.

And there comes the parade. This VIDEO shows what Caleb thinks of it.

He is such a big helper: VIDEO!

Got to tell you something ... before the parade started Caleb needed a diaper change. Sarah and James went to her car. James was horrified when he saw Caleb's usually so cute butt. "What we're all those bruises?" Sarah laughed. She had gone blueberry picking with Caleb the day before. A lot of the berries had not made it into the bucket. The "bruises" wiped off easy.
VIDEO 1
VIDEO 2
Last Sunday she had gone with him to a water play in Stony Point shopping center. Another cute VIDEO!

And news from Nashville: William had asked for a calendar where he could cross out the days until Omi and Papa are coming. He had started that already in June. When they could change the page to July he told his mother that it was still too many days. Sweet boy, we miss you too!

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