What are you up to today? This week?

[lmgervais]

Just got home a little while ago and, boy, am I glad to be back. The funeral for DH's grandmother was a celebration of life after 95 years, but it was over 5 hours away. We left home early friday morning and got back about 15 minutes ago. I am so exhausted! What with all of the meals and gatherings to attend over the weekend, and the fact that the family is so large, it was very tiring.

Now it's back to life until DH's mother dies!

[Sherry]

I'm so sorry you're having to go through all that. I know it's physically and emotionally draining for you all. Take a little time to relax while you can and take care of you for a bit!

DH's family reunion is here in town this week, so probably not much playing will be done around here! Chores to run this morning, the carpet cleaners are coming also. Doctor appt for DH tomorrow, keep your fingers crossed that the report is all clear, please! Then housecleaning and cooking the rest of the week until the mob descends on us on Friday!

[Muriel]

Studying is getting in the way of my mini-ing today, but I minied all day yesterday, so not complaining too much. Someone mentioned cornbread somewhere and now I just gotta make some! :yes: Hmmm, but I like sweetcorn in mine and there's none in the house. Might just have to make it without!

Today is not hugely sunny and rain is due to come through quite heavily, but it isn't too cold yet and it is so nice to sit here with the windows open and fresh air breezing through the flat. Roll on summer (doens't get too hot for open windows here)

So today and for the next two weeks is study days. I will break them up with short visits to the forum (short? lol, impossible) and maybe an occasioal mini break. Got a lot of priming and wall template making to do next on the Franklin.

[heidiiiii]

8 more days of school!

8 more days of Chelsea`s job!

I will be able to relax (at least driving) for the summer! YeeHaw.

I am freaking out a little bit. Fred got a letter in the mail on Friday for Jury Duty. Usually when he gets them, they come with a thing you can fill out to postpone till a later date. He did not get that. In fact the letter states that he has to show up on the 24th of June. Why am I freaking out? Because Chelsea has to be at the airport on the 29th. If he gets picked up for jury duty..that means I have to drive to the airport!!! I do not like driving through Rhode Island. Not one bit. At all!

So I will think really really hard and hope that when he calls on the 23rd, the recording will say he does not have to show up.

I had a lazy Sunday. I did not do much of anything at all. This morning I will pick up around the house and then head off to the gym.

[Sherry]

Went to Walmart and Dollar Tree and stocked up on junk, started the dishwasher, washer, and moving everything out of the way for the carpet cleaner who is now officially late. He better show up after all the prep for him! Painted door and windows for the interior of my puzzle house. Now I have to go out and resweep the front porch and repot my jade plant.

[heidiiiii]

Did the carpet cleaner make it Sherry?

6 more days of school. Woohoo!

Nat is going to Six flags on Saturday on a school trip. Unfortunately it is going to rain that day. Going to rain alot the next few days. Great for the garden, not so for a roller coaster ride.

Chelsea got her first tattoo yesterday. She was a trooper. I thought she would freak from the pain but she did not. She is very proud of it. Now Fred wants another one and Nat is mad cause she is not old enough. I have no interest in ever getting one. You would think I would be keen on it since my Dad had a ton of them.

It is cool today so I am going to do some weeding out in the garden.

[Wolfie]

What am I doing today?!

N O T H I N G!!!!!!!!!

[lmgervais]

I've finally got everyone back to school/work today. DH was too sick to go to work for the past two days. But, then again, DS#1 finishes school friday, and the other two finish on monday, so summer holidays will begin for them. Means there goes my quiet days of doing whatever I feel like... . Not that I don't like them being home, but it is so much more peaceful when they are at school!

[ilovecats]

I'll work on the Foxhall today. can't believe i slept in to 9 am today i'm off to a late start. the caffeine is starting to kick in!

[chesterfieldzoo]

I have bills to sort and pay. It's raining and will all day, so that's ok. Then this evening I need to go and get the rest of the wood to finish my new deck by the side door. So much better than walking through a flower bed and stepping on a pile of bricks.

[Starfire]

Been preparing for the trip to Florida and the Naples museum and Ron's!!! What? my DH says. I thought this was for my group reunion? :opera: No, I says, that is just a side trip!!!!! And to add to the good vibes, I may be able to meet with my newest favorite writer who is giving a workshop just outside of Naples the day we arrive. We have been in touch and if her schedule allows we can meet for dinner and she will autograph all her books for me!

Our DD1 is coming up for Father's day so have been cleaning house cause she has alergies. Be meaning to do a real Spring cleaning but been dragging my heels. This has jump started that!!! Spent a good part of the day vacuuming and steaming all the tile floors throughout the main floor of the house. Not that it did much good. With three sets of galumping dog paws and on and off rain and an unlocked dog door the floors already need another do. (Hi mom what cha doing?) It's in and out, and in and out and of course check the dog bowls just to see if the magic ice box has been left them with extra food. Then make sure mom is still here and beg for a treat and then go bug dad. The golden nags you to play and will provide you with a choice of toys. If one does not interest you he will raid the toy box pulling them one by one till there is a little pile of them. His latest trick is to drop a ball or other toy down the stairs and then come get you to go down and get it. He got hold of my DH' pants and tried to pull him over to the stairs and nags him until he does. Needless to say my DH is now well trained!!!.

Had to wait for a repairman to come fix the water heater day before yesterday. Water all over the basement and I could not get the laundry done. Finally finished that yesterday and now have to shampoo the rugs in the bed rooms and wash down hallway and family room walls today. (Two boxers and boy do they slobber. The golden leaves "tail" marks at the 18 in level.) Have commercial cleaners coming in to do the family room rug tomorrow. My home cleaner has real problems tackling that one and the leavings from winter's accumulation of dirt. It is the one area the dog's have continuing access to and although I :suck: several times a week, just never can get it cleaned. deep enough.

But the English Coaching house is all laid out on my work table and every time I pass by it sort of whimpers in an English voice to please come rescue me and start building me. I keep telling it I was lucky to spot the damp spot on the box and make sure it was alright. And I did get everything checked out and labeled. Oh well back to the work!!!!!

[AuntDee]

Playing nurse to Belle, who was spayed late yesterday afternoon and came home early this morning. No more making goo goo eyes at the stray tom cat!! No more being saddled with the reposniblities of kitten care!! She is not to go outside for 7-10 days. So what does this groggy cat do the minute I open the cat carrier?? Of Course, runs over to the screen door and try to claw her way outside. It's going to be a long week. Rita

[lmgervais]

DD has her end of year dance recital tonight - she took jazz this year. It means she will be up late, and still have to get up and go to school tomorrow morning. It also means chaos in the dressingrooms and hallways backstage! At least it's only one a year, and she has decided that this will probably be her last year of dancing.

[Anna]

Have been on a cleaning spree today, first in school (only a half day tomorrow...) then when getting home after a little round to the grocery store I had another round of cleaning energy left in me so downstairs is straightned up, dusted and vacumed, fridge cleared out and sorted, the shower got a good scrubbing as well and the only thing left upstairs is to mop the floors... Yay!!! That felt sooo good. Admittingly the craftroom isn't perfect just yet, but the rest of the rooms are OK which means I can spend some time with in the craft room next week putting things back in order... My PILs will be coming over tomorrow and staying til Sunday which will be so nice, its been a long time since we were able to just "hang out" together so to speak. Lots of things to talk over as well, but hopefully mostly postive memories and a few practical details for the funeral next Thursday.

Off for a shower I think, >sniffs...< yep, definitley LOL

Hugs

[havanaholly]

I got back from two weeks without a computer!!! (can't count the five minutes I got two days ago in Eufala to reply to PMs) and there's no way to read all the backlog; I hope all is well with Anna's granny and Sherry's DH, and feel free to kick me if not. Am I tired? Yes. I hiked 6 of the 6.7 miles of the Wolfden Loop Trail in FDR State Park before collapsing by the side of the road whilst DH hiked back to the truck; not to fear, passing motorcyclists and incipient foul weather kept me cool under the trees. I was still too pooped to hike more than two miles at Red Top Mountain AP, though, two days later. However I paddled my tush off for three days and 23+ miles across Weiss Lake. We had a pickup truck to haul all the camping gear; we didn't know about that until the AM we were all getting ready to launch and had not brought cots, so my getting down onto the ground and back up to hit the portable potties or to get up in the AM was almost a spectator sport. It didn't help that we got no bathing facilities the first night because of a snafu with the campground; a resort on the opposite shore let us pitch tents on their front lawn and fed us supper in their EXCELLENT restaurant; if y'all want an outstanding place to eat and can afford to rent a room, stay at the Alabama Belle Resort! The people at the last campground made up for everything else by having bathhouses with HOT running water! and fed us REAL breakfast of sausage biscuits (NOT Hostess oatmeal cakes and bananas!). The last day ended up near the Yellow Creek Falls, which were spectacular and well worth the whole paddle. There are three LARGE trilobite fossils in the rock at the foot of the falls.

We found Coleman Lake campground in the Talladega National Forest. Our first day the weather was dicey and we were still recovering from the paddle & drive, so spent the day in Anniston and found a forest service office where we could get maps for the Pinhoti Trail. Tuesday we hiked almost five miles of the trail, from a mile outside the campground entrance to the crossing at Forest Road 553. We would have had a mile of pavement to walk back to the old Shoal Creek Church, so we hiked back along the Trail through the woods, which was pectacularly beautiful. To compensate for the poison ivy along much of the trail there were also patches of fresh wild blackberries, which the critters left us a very few, and bushes full of wild ripe blueberries which either the critters didn't like as much or else was full of blacksnakes (who are very shy of people and scoot out f the way), because we stuffed our greedy little faces full of those. I almost dried because I hadn't thought to bring any plastic bags to take any home for muffins! We most definitely plan to return to that campground, when we can spend at least a week!

We stopped at Lake Point State Park N of Eufala, AL, for the last two nights. We found a wonderful restaurant, the Cajun Corner, in the old Bluff City Inn, for dinner, and we found a coffee house with wifi so DH could download email and we had mocha frappes for dessert. We paddled about five miles up the creek that feeds into Lake Eufala nearest the campground yesterday; I pooped out after a little over four miles and came on back, and DH went on the the bridge. On his way to the hand-launch a power boat came zooming by and swamped him, causing his kayak to roll over and dumping him & everything not tied down into the water. He moved into waist-deep water and gathered up all the floating objects and started to pump out his boat, all the while hearing the idiot's boat roaring around near the takeout, when suddenly he saw him come back roaring by, giving him a "if looks could kill" look. When he got back he found out he was a witness; the jerk had stopped at the dock next to the hand-launch and started to rip off everything in the fishing boat docked there; he actually stole one of the seats when the folks who owned the boat started running to the dock to stop him. Anyway, I mentioned that we had seen the boat earlier when he had his dog with him, and they were able to figure out who he is, so we left our email addie & names, in case they catch him & there's need for testimony.

We're home for ten days.

[bookmarm]

took Kellan to the HS yesterday for the 'Senior Photo' session. I am such a backwards old hippie! When did Seniors need glamor shots? Geez Louise! I'm glad I have a boy! Most of the girls had multiple outfits to change in to. Brought Moms/sisters/aunties/make-up consultants! There were four different photo sessions of 5-10 shots for each kid: Outdoor photographer, indoor pale background photographer, indoor dark background 'Moody' lighting photographer, Senior tux/drape photographer! This took us 3 bloody hours! My kid, bless his dern sleepy little heart, wanted to snooze past his 'appt', so we weren't in a good mood as we dashed over there at 0:too early 0'clock! He brought 2 outfits: one dirty green t-shirt, one okay white t-shirt to go over khaki shorts and sneakers...did I mention not too clean long hair? The only bright spot was that as we were waiting in line and fuming at each other, the manager of the operation came over to us and asked that we sign a release for one photo they'd gotten that they wanted to send to the national office for possible use in the next brochure. I was thinking "yeah, right...want to sell us something extra?" When we did see it, I have to admit we were both stunned. It was black and white from the lower waist up. Kellan had hands in pockets, looking down and to the side with his hair in shadow, but the light hit the profile of his face. It was lovely! Almost Abercrombie & Fitch. This is a kid who is so camera shy that I'm amazed they caught this.

[lmgervais]

I got back from two weeks without a computer!!! (can't count the five minutes I got two days ago in Eufala to reply to PMs) and there's no way to read all the backlog; I hope all is well with Anna's granny and Sherry's DH, and feel free to kick me if not.

Anna's granny (on DH's side) died - see the note just above yours, Holly. My DH's grandmother died June 9th. Not sure about Sherry's DH.

[Muriel]

Saturday. I'm going to a dollhouse shop I found out about a couple weeks ago! Apparently they have 40 houses on display and 100+ kits in stock, so it can't be a small place Super duper! Taking Chris along, so will probably take him out for some lunch for his patience. No money to spend minis really, but just got a return for car tax paid on my old car, so maybe a little thing or two. Just wish i got paid this weekend instead of next but think it is also probably wise to go when there's no money, rather than when there's money in the account that shouldn't be spent on minis but probably would be.

Otherwise some revision today, and thinking about what to make my colleagues as a thank you for their help this year while I've been training.

Welcome back Holly, sounds like a good busy trip! A mocha frappe sounds like a yummy idea right now!

[Sherry]

Dh is still around, can't drive or do much of anything, so he's driving me crazy. I told him I was going to put a stool in front of the kitchen wainscoting, bring him paint, and make him sit and paint! no word on his pathology report so we are assuming it was normal until we hear differently.

I'm getting ready for the reunion-casserole in the oven, cheesecake fixings on the counter, mess from last night's party to clean up, and GD screaming. She seems to have a sense for when we have a busy day and that's when she cranks up!

[heidiiiii]

Oh yes Gayle, Senior Pics are always a fashion show now. Not like they used to be. Everybody has to look uber fierce in their pics. Geez Louise is right.

I havent been around because life is getting in the way. I usually disappear until school is over. Monday is Chelsea`s last day of work and Tuesday is Nat`s last day of school. Crossing fingers on what will be on her report card.

Nat and her friend are going on a school trip today to six flags.

I am going to clean out the pantry today. Toss stuff, donate stuff to food pantry, and make a list of what is missing. I do this every season. Weeds out the stuff that has been hanging around too long.

Sounds exciting, doesnt it? LOL

[lmgervais]

I spent some time cleaning up the work space portion of the basement this morning. Put stuff away, some re-organization, emptied some boxes of books onto the bookshelves, etc. I was just so tired of not being able to find the tools I wanted to use for my dh's and having to use cardboard box tops for horizontal space. It's not perfect, but at least there is more room to work in and a place to put things!

[Muriel]

Went to the dollhouse place. Certainly not 40 dollhouses displayed as they said! not even 15 I'd say. Did have various room scenes on shelves which were used to display their furniture and accessories. But was still nice. There were two finished houses, one custom made and one built and painted kit. The kit one had the stencil compound brick work on it and that looked great. Gotta save pounds for that though. Otherwise had some building stuff like doors, windows and trim, some real slate pieces that'd be great for a floor or outside ground area, but heavy and expensive for a roof. Also had the regular furniture, lights and lots of accessories. No bargains really. Looking for nice blue glass pieces cause granny collected them, but the nice vase i found was attached to a table to be bought as a display B) Got some solder, so might do some electrics in the next month or so.

Had some yummy lunch at a pub, delicious mozerella and haddock fish cakes, and raspberry and white chocolate tart. mmmmm.

Otherwise finished the conservatory for Mummy's birthday on Friday.

Pretty good day!

[Starfire]

DD1 showed up early on Thursday to spend weekend for Father's Day. Caught us all with the house in total chaos with rug cleaners here, furniture all askew and piled in hallway. We expected her Friday afternoon. Glad to see her but wanted to have house put back together and stuff cleaned to minimize her exposure to allergy problems. Luckily DD2 had made sure the guest room was ready for her earlier in the week.

Spent most of Friday doing the laundry portion of Spring cleaning. Curtains, furniture slipcovers, dog beds, and anything else I could toss in the washer. Would like to get started on washing out and organizing the kitchen cabinets but that may have to wait until we get back from Florida. Went to grocery store to get supplies and did a salmon with rice dish, a salad and water melon. Washed windows in the master bedroom, family room and the breakfast room sliders. Good to be able to finally look out without all the nose prints obscuring the view. I am exhausted.

The dogs had pretty much ruined a chair in the family room and I could no longer do anything to salvage it even with covers. We went out Thursday and found a replacement and the dogs will not be allowed on it. Went out Friday and picked it up. It was so funny trying to figure out how to stuff it in the back of my Suburu Outback. Took the feet off and pushed down the soft puffy back cushion and finally got it pushed in. Why do all the manufacturers now attach that back cushion? Cant make a slipcover for the individual cushions. Very impractical!

DH is underfoot today because we are having problems with the satillite dish, so I told him to sort that out with the dish company but do so from his office. DD2 has started the ribs cooking for an early Father's day meal this evening since DD1 has to leave early tomorrow. She and her sister are upstairs now working on loading up the card with pictures for the picture frame we got for DH.

I think I will go sit and read a book in some quiet corner. I am to tired to do anything that requires decision making, even minis!!!! lol! One bit of mini related news, two books I ordered arrived yesterday, Masterpieces in Miniature (Miniature Accessories) part of the Barron's published series and Decorative Doll's Houses by Caroline Hamilton. Those I can look at and not have to make decisions.

[Wolfie]

Working on some custom dolls yesterday and today. I am feeling a bit better, though I still cannot sit in one chair for long before the back hurts. I have three chairs that I am alternating in. When one begins to hurt, I switch to chair #2 and then to #3 and back to #1 - however I am still taking it easy pretty much!

[havanaholly]

two books I ordered arrived yesterday, Masterpieces in Miniature (Miniature Accessories) part of the Barron's published series and Decorative Doll's Houses by Caroline Hamilton. Those I can look at and not have to make decisions.

Don't forget to post reviews of them when you've read them!