Monday, April 22, 2013

Catching Up

I was just downloading some pictures and realized lots of things have been happening and some day, like next month, I’ll probably have no memory of most of it, so I better document.

We had lots of water last week.  More than we’d ever had in the three years we’ve lived here.  Goshen Road was underwater at the bend and the bus couldn’t make the regular route so it really complicated getting the kids to school and back home for a few days.  It actually got over the road completely at the bridge.  I took these pictures before it peaked. 

road flood

Anywho, it was big water. 

This is the easement on Thursday night.  We got the canoe out. 

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This is just a handful of days after we worked to dig a few ditches to help drain water out of the woods.  Irony, huh?

I may or may not have gotten wet when trying to exit the canoe, experiencing the classic legs-spreading-apart with one foot on the bank and one foot left in the boat to the point of having to fall in.  My most favorite kind of funny video is not so amusing when the old lady is me and Gary is yelling “Bring your legs together” and the muscles just won’t do it anymore. 

Plus, we had just seen a giant snapping turtle. 

And this is at the easement on Saturday.  You would never imagine the temperature was just 53 degrees was since these yahoos were soaked from playing and swimming around in it. 

pasture

Isn’t this like a Bigfoot sighting picture?  haha

sis in flood happy   sam throwing water

playing in the flood water

It was a beautiful day.  See what I mean?

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And just a few days after having snow flurries.  This year’s weather has been so crazy, but it seems to me to be more than just this year.  Just especially crazy lately with highs of 80s and then freezing the next day. 

Here’s Tex sunning in the Gator.gatorjack   paul gary canoe

We got the canoe out again and this is our neighbor Paul with Gary. 

All this was later in the day after the two oldest went on a 15 mile bike ride with Gary and the other scouts, and the two littlest kids went to the zoo with Ross.  What did all-alone Mom do? 

Hit a couple yard sales and then went to Zumba, a perfect Saturday morning if you ask me.

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caroline at zoo

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This was taken at the Arts Center in town earlier this month.  Exactly the kind of thing I don’t want to ever forget!  Sam’s artwork was chosen as a featured student and we were invited to view it at the gallery.  Soo cool, huh?!  We were so proud of him. 

sam art show

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[Wish I had a shot without the reflections in the glass.] 

It was done with oil pastels and water colors.  It reminded me of when I got Grant oil pastels for Christmas one year because he was making such great artwork. 

Speaking of Grant, no recent pics of him.  He was laid up sick for several days this past week, but getting better every day.  He can’t wait to get caught up on his hair cut.

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Don't look now, but there's a cowboy

Spotted coming out of the library Sunday afternoon. Must say, not that common a sighting in this town. But he's proud and that's all right!

Monday, April 15, 2013

Sorry, I Really Can’t Shut Up About It

So, today I’m back to a regular Monday morning schedule and  : (  !  One sick kid, one running late kid, one kid missing her re-do homework that teacher sent a note about Friday and I saw the note 5 minutes before departure this morning.  And I fixed an unneeded lunch since today is hot dog day, but I failed to look at the menu.  So off to the doctor soon and getting proper postage for the taxes to be mailed off and I’ve been awake since 2 am and it’s raining and… my mind is still here:

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Plane rides are still so thrilling for me.  I love the sensation in general and whoa, the window views.  And getting served an icy drink of my choice.  Love it!

So back to thoughts of going to San Diego and all its perfection.  We had a fun sporty car and drove over to the island of Coronado which we both fell for.  You can tell this is sunset time with all the orangeness.

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Gary loved the clean quaintness of Coronado and I loved the aroma in the air, well, except right at the beach.  That had a fishy smell and wow, some unusual seaweed in comparison to what I’ve seen on Florida beaches.  I wish I had taken picture of the odd stuff.   This is a Google image I found and it wasn’t exactly like this but kinda.  Brown and bulbous and like a way-overgrown thing of weirdness.

But the smell of the flowers everyone had in their front yards had me going.  Gary said I reminded him of, ahem, Scooter, flitting around smelling all the plants.  I wish I could have bottled those scents.  I couldn’t even pick out specific scents from certain flowers, it was just the overall blend in the air.  Can you imagine living somewhere like that? 

Here at home our blend is burning trash, manure, and occasional cat pee so you understand my infatuation. 

And oh, the sunny days and nice breezes with a perfect air temperature.  Did I tell you I saw two insects during my whole stay and that was spending hours outside by the pool?

And oh, the ocean and its huge ships and crashing waves and wow.  Back to more Coronado talk.

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I don’t know why, well, yes, I do, but I felt like we were an Amish couple visiting California.  I felt so pale white and non-Californish amongst all the buff and tan runners on the beach, and everywhereIMG_0094 you looked, but it didn’t hamper our adventure.  We got in the water and got our jeans wet with one big wave and yet walked on in to the ritzy Del Coronado Hotel for a little looksy.

 

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There was sand art on the street. So cool.

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We had a fun bite to eat at a Mexican place called La Salsa and called it a night.  Our second night to go out, Gary fell asleep as soon as he finished work at 7 pm so that was it.  That was ok.  I never knew until tagging along just how hard the work is while on travel.  He’d be up at 4am to deal with things going on back in the office in St Louis and then worked on the Pacific time until the day was done.  Long, long days.  But so glad I got to go along.

One last comment… I had earlier said I’d only experienced IMG_0106two locations in California, and now I have been to San Diego twice and Los Angles twice.  I know which I’d pick to return to and it’s not the brown smog covered LA as seen here from my plane window on our connecting flight.  The smog even hung over the ocean.  That was a bummer to see, but I still have great memories of San Diego.  

Friday, April 12, 2013

At LAX right now

Don't know which I'm more likely to find here today....a real live celebrity or some souvenir under $40. They both appear elusive.

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

To those of you making this possible, I send my love and gratitude

Right now this is where I am, soaking in the warmth of the sun rays and drinking in all that delicious blue.

So far today I have had a nap, read a book, enjoyed a quiet, delicious lunch, and now am sitting in the sun, just because I want to. A true vacation for me and I am loving every minute.

I think I love this state, the geography and weather anyway. I've only been to two areas of it in all my life, but the breezy air, the flowers, the strange (to me) trees, the views, the water, are all so wonderful. I'd someday like to see the whole length of it--what some 800 miles? Should be doable, but I first said that same thing how many years ago in 1989. Someday, though.

Yesterday as I looked down out of the plane window at the most incredible cloud displays, heard the different languages, saw ships in the bay as big as my hometown, and viewed the magnificent, varying terrains across this country, I was reminded that I am just a tiny speck on this planet. Tiny!

Somehow, that is such a comforting thought to me right now.

Woohoo!

So, this is what I had going on yesterday morning...I had to pack for a quickie trip to California with Gary! I was worried that it would be hot in San Diego and I had not yet drug out any summer clothes, but no, this weather report was just the relief I needed--the temp is pretty much like at home so, yeah, I threw some jeans and tops and sweater into a carry-on and I was SET! [Well, I also had to clean the house for a noon showing and be out the door by 9:30 am for my ride to the airport but it all happened!] I'm in sunny California now and I'm so excited!