Almost Put it Away

This is a snowballer.  Cousin Heather gave it to us for Christmas. I almost put it away for the spring, but since the Supersoaker 2000 watergun stayed in our backyard all winter long, I figured I shouldn't break my streak.

This is a dog chewing on a dog toy. I almost put her away too.  Just kidding. I point this out only to call your attention to the slippery chew toy she's gnawing on.

Dog toy and snowballer--A happy marriage.

 It can be employed all summer long now.

And it holds up to the most strenuous use. Do you think they could have doubled their sales if they had included these pictures in their catalog?

Steering Lord Chesterfield

It seems like God has endowed everyone with little gifts, little gifts that maybe others don't even know about, like the ability to tie the perfect bow or an uncanny sense for finding shortcuts. I think mine might be--keeping the ball rolling. If you've ever watched those black and white movies from the 1930's where a grand lady sits at the head of a dinner party and gently steers the conversation with, "Lord Chesterfield, I hear the hunt went remarkably well yesterday?"  and then as soon as Lord Chesterfield is done regaling the table with the harrowing events of yesterday's hunt, the hostess says, "Lady Dalton is freshly arrived from Austria, what's this about a narrow escape you met with on the steamer?"--that's what I mean by keeping the ball rolling.

Yesterday I discovered it wasn't so much a gift as it was a compulsion.  I went to get a haircut. Luckily, it's only around the corner in a neighbor's shop/home.  She's a french neighbor, so conversation is somewhat difficult, but you pay no heed to that when you must keep the ball rolling.  I had debated if I should even keep my appointment because I was fast running out of steam with this Post Viral Syndrome. I had an inkling it may have been best to stay at home and rest. But my reasoning won out--I'll just be sitting there, I can rest--I'd forgotten about keeping the ball rolling.  So even though my lungs were begging me to keep quiet and not use the precious air they needed just to breathe, my neighbor and I discussed a myriad of topics while she wielded her scissors on my shorn head-

post viral syndrome (of course)
the square footage and layout of her backyard
the french/English conflict in the province of Quebec
the social and environmental impact of the Inuit territories 
our first pick for traveling abroad
how she lost 20 pounds
the extracurricular activities of her children
museums and culture in Ireland
transport options
starting dates from transplanting gardens
good neighbors vs. bad neighbors

I had no breath, but I was compelled. I really just couldn't sit there and let the conversation fall flat. Compulsion is a blessing and a curse. After that hair cut appointment I was rendered useless and had to go to bed, after I made dinner, and after I called to see how my mom made it through her hip operation, and after I saw all the little haircuts the boys had.  I should have just gone to bed, but I was...compelled.

Why I Hate Canada on Tuesday

Monday

Tuesday

Monday

Tuesday

Monday

Tuesday

Spring was here.  And then, like these tulips..

It bowed it's tired head beneath winter's last blow.

It had opened it's delicate petals in promise of the sun's warmth and care...

...and had gotten a face full of slush.

I feel a "Life is like a blooming tulip..." saying coming on.

What used to be...

Is no more.

Tuesday lasts forever.

Hey, I see some deck furniture.

We bought it to herald the coming summer.

Pull up a chair, and have a seat.

Tuesday is so-

wrong.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Kickin' it Up a Notch

Out of a gumball machine comes a toy that can amuse you for hours. 

And if you get tired of it...

Just add legs.

Silly Putty makes very disappointing legs.

But all is not lost.  The neighbor kid gives up some guns he is too old to play with.

A matching set of orange and green.

And when you get tired of them....

Just add a trampoline.

Guns AND a trampoline, can life get any better?

Why, yes.  Yes, it can.

If you can acquire this highly valued kidlife skill.

The Girl

What's so intriguing?

 Wow, she's really captured by this genre.

It's Poe.

 Why would a nice girl like you be interested in Tales of Terror?

So sweet, so serene...

Wait.

I think I see it now.

The pull of the dark corridor and the dying ember.

It's been instilled by... Monster Daddy.

Poor little thing just can't get left alone.

Laying Around Eating Bonbons

If you've been reading posts here lately you know that I'm on doctor's orders to convalesce, but that doesn't mean I'm laying around on the couch eating bonbons.

Or am I?

 We bought this book from Scholastic.  It's a DK book, so you know it's good quality. I wanted it to inspire Kiki in the kitchen since she is so visual.

And inspire, it did!

She was able to make these all on her own. No help from me;

I was in bed.

Waiting for my bonbons to be served.

She's picked out 3 recipes to make already--she's making these next. She said, "Mom, I should make one of these a day!"

Why, yes. Yes you should.

And even though it's a cookbook made for girls, it certainly would not insult the intelligence of an adult.

unless you turn to the craft section...

...and observe the Top tip!

But I think that "tip" would insult anyone's intelligence.

 It's rather obvious. Or demanding, depending on your take on it.

 They have the "see inside this book" feature on Amazon, so you can see if it's for you. Overall, I'm glad we got this cookbook. In her words: "It has good recipes, it's creative."  There ya' go. 

It's fun to see her excited about cooking. And at least something's getting done around here.

Speaking of things getting done,  I give you--

The Laundry Basket that Swallowed a Boy.

Everyone is helping out, pitching in.

Conquering mountains.

How Does Everything Seem?

Boys are jumping.

Smiling.

Dogs are eating salad.

Cats are ignoring.

And all is right with the world.

Drawing Class

I saw him trying to drag a blue chair, a red box, and a white lid out the front door.

"What are you doing?"

"I"m going in the front, to draw."

It's a good thing we're the kind of family that keeps a spare pizza box around for adjusting desk heights.

Do you think the neighbors think we're weird? Or just resourceful?

Spring has just begun to sprung in our neck of the woods.  And he was inspired to capture it.

I'm framing this.

How do you interpret purple flowers?

Pretty good.

( I told you those clean fingernails wouldn't last long)

I love the way the light shines through these leaves.

I'd say the color is spot on.

 A gaping mouth was integral to the process. Why do we do this? Someone ought to do a study.

Here's Mr. Robin. We call him ours. He came down to hunt for worms, undaunted by the going's on.  He's such a friendly little thing.

Jaunty.  Do you think anyone would dare to cross you if you stood your ground like that? This is what I feel like doing when someone tries to merge ahead of me in traffic. Except I'm in a car. So they wouldn't see me. So never-mind.
Don't robins have such spindly legs for all their fluff?

I think he knows we're talking about him behind his back.

He does.