Thursday, July 30, 2009

Keeping Busy

Big I found a new way to amuse himself.



He's pushed it through the entire house. I'm pretty sure it's seen every room today. And run into at least half the doorjams.

It drives Brisco nuts. He doesn't understand why his food is on the move.

Monday, July 20, 2009

My Hero

Big I and I came home late the other night. It was well after his bedtime but he had had a late nap and was not the least bit interested in going to sleep (even though I was). Rather than drive myself batty rocking a squirmy baby, I took him to the family room to play quietly for a while. Or sso I thought.

Unfortunately, I discovered that I had left the pantry door open and we all know the consequences of that mistake. (I was so sure I had double-checked too.) So now, it was almost 10 and there was trash everywhere. Really bad trash...meat containers, unrinsed yogurt containers, fruit pits, stale tortilla chip pieces that were now ground into the carpet. I had been telling myself all day that I needed to take it all out, but never did. To make matters worse, Big I's toys were still on the floor and the dogs mixed all of those up with the trash.

And of course Brisco looked like a stuffed black olive.

Since the little guy was still up, I had to clean it all up with a baby either clinging to me, being held at bay with one hand or sitting on the floor where I plopped him crying. I had to get it taken care of since my niece and nephew were coming over first thing in the morning. Craig was at his hockey game and he usually hangs out for a while afterward with his buddies so I wasn't counting on any help any time soon. I had mentally rehearsed all of the self-pitying, accusatory things I could say as soon as he got back though. (Ha! As if it was anyone's fault but my own!)

Eventually it got mostly cleaned up and Big I went to sleep. And to my surprise, Craig comes bee-bopping through the door much earlier than I expected. Poor guy, he took one look at my face and asked "What happened?". I skipped all of my well-rehearsed retorts and just let him know that he needed to watch his step and I would mop and vacuum in the morning.

"No, I'll take care of it. You go to bed," he says. Wha??

So, my dear, sweet husband, after a long day at work and a hockey game (at least they won) proceeded to to the following at 10:30 at night:
  • pick up all the clutter off the floor
  • cut the fibers and 'stuff' off of the beater brush on the Roomba
  • run the Roomba
  • run the dishwasher
  • mop the kitchen floor
  • wash the dishes
  • clear off and do a major wipe-down of the kitchen counter
A girl can't ask for more than that.

And they lived happily everafter.

The End

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

It's official

No longer a baby, but a toddler (almost).



Look out world!

A fiber update

I've had a few things on the needles and on the bobbin recently. All are for folks who don't know they're getting something, so I here are a few hints only.


P.S. - Big I has been walking today. From a cruising position and from getting himself up off his bottom in the middle of the floor. Then he gets so excited while he's moving that he kinda crash-lands. Poor Foz got squashed this morning. Video to come I'm sure.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Rockin' Out Barbarian Style

Big I has a little CD player/radio with a big round, blue light on the front that he's been obsessed with for most of his short life. It's been a little questionable lately on whether it will play when you hit the button. As Craig was futzing with it, he showed Big I which buttons to push to turn it on and to make it play. As he's lately developed a penchant for 'dancing', Big I enjoyed this new-found power immensely.


The weird part comes when I asked what the drum-filled classical-style music was that Big I seemed to enjoy bouncing to so much. Ready for it?


Yeah.

When I asked Craig, "Why, why Conan the Barbarian?" he responded that it was the first CD he pulled out of the box.

I think he missed my meaning.

Why would you OWN the soundtrack to Conan the Barbarian?

Monday, July 13, 2009

Building

Building: as in both the verb and the noun.

A couple of weeks ago we snagged this shed for a fairly good price.

Since then, we -okay, mostly Craig- have been working on a pad for it. It started with digging out and leveling the area followed by the base material.


(Craig would like me to point out that while several of these pictures show an overcast day in the 80's, that was not the typical weather during most of the work.)

Then the sand (tamp...tamp...tamp) followed by the pavers and lots of leveling. Also included was the relocation of a sprinkler head.


Then a little Quality Assurance.


Had to wait out the work week until we had time to put the building itself up. But in the meantime, Fozzie Bear appreciated his Poodle Patio.


There are no process pictures of the 'shed raising' as we were trying hard to get it done during nap time. Fortunately, Big I took an extra-good nap and we had only one moderate problem right at the end that Craig was able to fix without too much heartache. It's pretty easy to put these things together.

And so, I give you the finished product.


And a much tidier patio.

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Bad Bug

Bad, bad Tobacco Hornworm. Away with you!














(Though you are awfully neat looking! Too bad it's not a Tomato hornworm, they have the coolest Latin name: Manduca quinquemaculata.)


While we're at it, you guys take a hike too.

Friday, July 10, 2009

I think I need my eyes checked

Remember how I was all hopefully about this little guy the other day?


Somehow I got so focused on it that I didn't bother looking 6 inches past it to see this.


I almost fell over backwards in surprise when I finally spotted it. At least now we know for sure what kind of fruit it is.

I wonder what else I'm missing in the garden?

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Good hydaration is important

Since it's already about 1,000 degrees outside by the time Craig gets up to mow the yard this time of year, he brings a CamelBak full of ice water. When he was done the other day, I hung it on the doorknob until I could get around to emptying it.

It didn't take long before it was discovered...and used...correctly.


Do you think that if I hung it on his crib he could just take a slurp at night and go back to sleep instead of waking me up?


Wednesday, July 8, 2009

What's up Doc?

We've had a minor growth spurt in the garden. Though everything's still sadly disappointing overall. But let's celebrate some victories, shall we?

Mystery curcubit:


Looks like a watermelon. I find that odd since we hardly ever eat watermelon so I'm not sure where those seeds would have come from. Could be a cantaloupe too.

A few tomatoes. Nothing ripe yet.


Sunflowers that I transplanted into the raised beds since I have no heart to simply throw them aside when I thin seedlings:


They look better than the original one in the pot.

I finally found some eggplants.


It's a bit late in the season, of course, but they do love the heat. Keep your fingers crossed.

And finally, I finally got one good thing I planted from seed that I can eat.

It was woody and tasteless, but somehow one of the best carrots I've ever had.