I went out this morning at just the right time. If I hadn't taken that opportunity, I probably would have skipped my walk today. The reason for it was a dropped paper towel.
Since the workers had to stop pressure-washing and painting JUST before they got to my balcony, it looks like I'm going to have to live with it one more summer. Since I had everything inside, I poured a mixture of detergent and bleach on the concrete and attacked it with the broom. Luckily, the car below me was still parked elsewhere, or I would have had to watch it. Once the floor looked nice and clean, I put back the rug and the chairs and tables and plants and started on the railings. They're white and awful, especially where the hummingbird feeder drips. It was really too chilly to stay out there long, but I think I made it presentable.
I guess I put the forced narcissus bulbs in the neglected herb pot after they bloomed, and they rewarded me with another blooming! I almost missed them.
I did drop that paper towel, so I took down the recycling and picked up the towel and just kept on walking.
I went about two blocks before I had to shed my jacket. Surprising. I did have to put it back on before I got home because of the wind and clouds, but it was a nice walk.
And before I could hang up that jacket, the rains started and have continued all afternoon.
Emily is getting all the web sites and resources together from the school so they can get organized for blocks of learning during the day. They were out of ink, so I printed the schedules for them and took them over yesterday.
I'm going to use the password and find out what they're learning in coding. I feel like I've been left behind there! And the Social Emotional Learning could possibly come in handy too.
I saw an ad for Lottie Dolls in my email, lottie.com, and went to check out the new things. They're really wonderful little dolls that I discovered a couple of years ago and gave the girls some. It's all about being strong and independent but still looking good while you do it! They're designed with input from children and present a better role model than some of the other dolls.
They have a nice Kids' Activity Page, and I printed some coloring pages and science experiments to take the girls. Most of them are simple but with good lessons and use materials found around the house.
This is the one I'm interested in. I don't see how....
I made some healthy oatmeal cookies to deliver along with the paperwork and some of their favorite little Horizon milk cartons. I told Emily they might taste maybe a little too "healthy" for the girls to love them, but she said they were delicious.
The first batch is on the left, the ones where I didn't believe the instructions about taking them out after 10 minutes - even if they didn't look done. They were right.
I used this recipe, and they were easy to make. I would have put walnuts in them if they had been for me, but I'm wasn't sure this was a week where the girls like nuts or not. I definitely didn't put the M&M's (sugar overkill) in them or the chips, although that would have probably made them taste better. I just didn't have any.
I had gotten a picture earlier of all the stuffy animals lined up at the window to greet passers-by.
And when I got there, I heard a little rap at the window.
It was so sweet to see them. They were trying to explain who made the cut to be in the window scenes - two windows - and I couldn't understand who Chief Somebody was. Katherine said, "If you'll notice, Mimi, he's on the right. Don't you see all that yellowness?"
They were freezing, but we had so much to say. Notice Emily took the cookies and is headed to the kitchen.
When I left, I saw the across-the-street neighbors heading out for a walk, so I talked to them awhile. This is sweet London (sp) who is two. I told her about the animals up in the window, and her mom - Katie? - said they had been looking for some teddy bears and animals.
Emily and I have been displeased with the girls' closet since they moved into this house. Their hanging clothes are at each end of the closet in a little dark alcove, leaving the rest of it bare for stray toys and dropped clothes. Months ago, Emily said she didn't have time to figure out what was needed and for me to send some pictures. I forgot about it - except when I was up there and picking up a fallen rod or fighting the clutter on the floor - but yesterday I decided to do it. I sent 5 or 6 similar pictures and figured she didn't have time to look for them. When I got over there, Ryan had gone to Home Depot to pick up a closet unit. He could have designed and built beautiful shelves and cubicles, but this is not the time for it, so he gave in and bought a shelving unit.
And today it's finished. I don't know if I have a before picture, but this is going to be wonderful!
Emily was too tired to get everything back in, but this is perfect. Three hanging levels and tons of storage. On the right and left where the clothes used to be hung are almost two little rooms for more storage.
Katherine's clothes on the lowest rods and what looks like out-of-season thing on the top one.
I just snapped my fingers and got this. Now I'll see what I need him to do next! I hope he didn't take it as pressure. He's now the home-school teacher as well as the housekeeper and cook and car fixer and advice giver for just about everything. He probably wishes I would get another hobby and leave him out of my remodeling dreams!
They've already decided to move the laundry room upstairs, and that will be a big job. That's the way it was in the other house - a nice roomy laundry room right up there near the bedrooms where the clothes are - instead of a cramped space just inside the garage door. Carrying baskets of clean clothes up those stairs gets old.
Well, tomorrow is Monday morning, and I don't have any alarms set or anything scheduled, so I'll find a nice movie to watch and read as long as I want to!
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