Now It's Officially Summer

But I'm still wearing a sweatshirt.

We had a few warm days last week, up to 89, and we turned the fan on and talked of going to Emily's to sleep over the weekend to stay cool.

And then we woke up freezing Friday morning.  By the time school dismissed at 11:55, it was drizzling, and I grabbed a jacket on my way out.

The older kids were pouring out of the school like I knew they would.  Some fifth grade girls were crying.  Mostly there was yelling and chasing around by the boys.

 I got last day hugs from Mrs. Boyles and Ms. Kim along with Graysen.  I can't say enough how much fun this year has been for her.  And Ms. Kim is living in our apartment complex now, and there's a chance to see her a lot at the pool this summer.

I found a picture from the first day of school and took one outside yesterday.

She was just so little and just a tiny bit scared.  She and Mom were both fighting tears - for different reasons.

Look at how different now.  So tall and confident and just thrilled to be part of the excitement.

Next year, we won't have to go inside and make eye contact with the teacher before they can come out.  I loved that, though.  I got to know so many of the kids and their parents that way.  Next year, I can stand outside and see her come bursting through the front door with the big kids.  Telling her that made her grin - BIG.

And then a year later, we'll be going back inside for Katherine.  Here is her first day picture and her last day one.  It took her a while to adjust to school every day, but at the end of the year, she was a happy girl and was calling people her friends.

On the last day of Cascade View, Katherine was home with Mom and Dad getting the camper packed, so Graysen and I walked to their house.  She immediately complained of "freezing," so being the good Mimi I am, I sacrificed my jacket.  I don't think she really wanted it, but she loved the impression she thought she made of being a sorcerer.  Funny, it doesn't do that for me - or maybe it does.

 Those boots!  With shorts!  And she's just wearing what makes her happy.

When we got on the main street, a group of 4 or 5 buses came by with kids hanging out the windows and yelling and singing.  She loved every minute of that and wondered if they knew she went to that school too.  And then here came another bus with lots of her friends on it screaming at her.  She was beside herself.  It's funny the small things that make children happy.

And this made her extremely happy.  Making a Father's Day card for Ryan.  Complete with a little mask for Super Dad.

When I got her delivered, I couldn't see I was adding anything to the packing-the-camper chaos, so I said my good-byes and left.  Seeing that big camper with the paddle board and bicycles and all that stuff on top, I knew my worrying was about to kick in big time.  But I'm working on it.

I decided to stop by the garden and water it.  I didn't take any pictures, but I came home with a double handful of strawberries.  The cool weather has kept things from growing, but it's a start.  I don't think the things I love do well up here - cucumbers, zucchini, tomatoes, and peppers.  And, of course, not okra.  They planted a pumpkin and a cantaloupe, but those have a lot of growing to do to make it before winter.  I guess pumpkins can grow in cold weather though.

So, it's been a nice organizing Saturday, and I'm looking forward to taking my book and coffee and sitting on the balcony later on.

Musings

I've just finished my breakfast and first cup of coffee and thinking what a great day it's going to be - with the weekend coming up and warmer weather.

Then I decided to check the news.  Not even the national news.  I'm not sure I have the heart for that.  But my Facebook opened with the Snoqualmie Ridge page, and the answer to my question about all the fire trucks last night was answered.

We hardly ever hear sirens unless it's involving crashes on the interstate or going toward Tiger Mountain, but last night it went on and on.  I did check the community page on Facebook only to find out it was a fire here on the ridge and a big one.  I don't have a window facing that way so didn't look, but it was just a matter of 10 blocks or so from here.

This was the first photo, taken by someone living in the valley.



This one was a biggie.  Just reading the comments, I think there were 10 fire trucks there and two firefighters injured.



And what makes me so sad is that this same house burned last year and was in the process of being rebuilt.  The first fire started because of a compost bin near the house, but I don't know how this one started.



I don't even know these people, so why the interest?  I don't know except that I feel so silly letting small things throw me for a loop when I can't even imagine how this family must be feeling.  The construction was moving along, and the windows had just been put in.  They were scheduled to move in in October.  Having lived through a fire once, it's not just the material things that are lost.  It's the trauma of being homeless and helpless, and for this to happen twice - I can't even imagine.  Does insurance even pay twice?

 My problems seem really small this morning:  Making my nearly daily call to Regions to try to close out Mama's checking account.  At least the people I've dealt with are sweet and helpful - but it's getting old.  I thought it was settled yesterday down to a 0 balance, but then this morning I opened the account page, and there is an $8 monthly fee.  I'm really going to not enjoy using my time on this.  Someone on the phone one day I suggested I just go to a branch and settle it there instead of online.  I told them that the cost of a plane ticket would be much more than the $29.10 left in the account - the one that refuses to be closed!

The only other problem I have this morning is not having enough hours in the day to get done all I want to.  I have the energy this early to get out and start painting my wicker chairs, but I refuse to do it in a jacket.  It's 48 degrees now and will only get up to 58.  I'm glad Ryan is able to go to Graysen's end-of-school picnic today.  Being chilly AND sitting on a blanket on the ground are not happy places for me.

Instead, I'll warm my half a cup of coffee and make a list of a few things I'm sure to get done.

I try to keep the door closed to the sewing room because there are way too many interesting things for kitties and children to get into, but yesterday I found these thread holders both hanging from one nail each.  All the spools were hanging on, by some miracle, but I spent some time wondering how it fell and putting up new nails.  After closer inspection, I realized that Layla could stand on the sill and bat away at the spools until she loosened up enough thread to make a fun toy.  Then when the thread catches on her legs, she runs and pulls on the thread until it breaks or causes the holders to fall.

I'll probably not spend any more time on rewinding the spools for now and just try to keep the door closed.  

I did notice this on the floor just now.  I wondered where it was.  And the bad thing is there is milk in it.

And I still have no real problems!

Sweet things this morning though.  

Graysen was sad yesterday because she didn't get to come to my house after school, but she cheered herself up by bringing Elise, Layla, and me special rocks she had painted this weekend.  Plus a picture of a duck she had painted, which is on my refrigerator.

I chose to put my beautiful rock on the table outside by the new rosemary plant that I hope will live.

Layla's is in her cat tree, which she loves so much.  Katherine spent a lot of time yesterday singing to her while she slept in it and telling her stories.  So I know that rock will be a special addition.

EDIT:  I thought this was a cute drawing of a cat's paw or something only Graysen could see, but it took a 4-year-old to set me straight.  Katherine brought me the rock and said, "I didn't know why this was called a cat, but I turned it sideways, and look!"  

The whiskers make it!

Life is good.  Elise has gotten up and is emptying the dishwasher while I waste time here, so I guess I timed it just right.  

Days with Katherine

One thing I've noticed with just Katherine alone is that there is no time for leisurely blog-writing or reading.  It's not that she doesn't play by herself and entertain herself, but she wants you in on it too.  Calling for me to look at this or listen to this or getting in a jam she can't get out of.  But this is my focus now, and I try to soak up as many memories and hugs and sweetness as I can.

Yesterday I went to Debbie's for a nice cup of coffee and adult conversation.  They're wanting to list the house as soon as possible, and it just takes so much focus and time and decisions.  I know the house will sell easily.  They just want to take as much advice as they can to make it pleasing to future lookers.  I would buy it just because of the back yard. I should have taken pictures, but it's lovely.  It backs on a green belt.  I think that's what you call it up here.  No houses but just trees and a walking trail.  It's fenced and lanscaped really nicely with patios for relaxing and cooking.  I got an upstairs tour, and I think it's perfect.  I could move right in.  Across the street from the Win-Bins.  Nice place to garden.  A sewing room upstairs with built-ins.  I'm sure it's in my budget!

I left there to pick up Kate early from school.  It would have been sad except I know she'll be back next year, just not with the same teachers.  She has really blossomed since Christmas and is excited to be there and has a bunch of "friends."  She doesn't know all their names, but they are her very special friends.

We ate lunch and headed back to school for the Rooster Valley Carnival!  When we got there, we could find no parking anywhere, even though the church across the street had rented us their parking lot.  We parked pretty much downtown and walked about five blocks - which was the most interesting part of the day for me.  Kate wanted to stop and comment on every little thing she saw - flowers, a chalk hopscotch drawing, a puppy, a lady working in her flower bed.

Graduation was not over yet when we got there, so we wandered around and got her some popcorn and a juice box and talked to Chloe and Gracie's mom.  Here they are standing in line for cotton candy.

The girls got to bounce in 3 bouncy houses with slides as many times as they wanted to, and it was SO fun.

She's a patient little line stander and didn't seem to mind at all.

Because the reward was worth it.  Over and over.

Once she tired of that, we went to see what else we could find.  We found pony rides, and she really wanted to ride the small gray one, and we stood in line for 10 minutes without moving, and she just decided it was too hot to do that, so we found a water sprinkler to cool off and another line for cotton candy.  Twice.

Everyone REALLY wanted cotton candy.

On the way home, happy to pose with her second cc twirl and a blue mouth.  The next time she goes to school, this will be her pre-K building.

Heading down the street to find the car.  Five blocks was really seeming like a long walk for Mimi.

Yesterday was our first full day together, and we filled it up pretty nicely.  We walked Graysen to school in the early morning chill.  I miss doing that.  The bigger kids were all heading to their classes, and Graysen had a moment's hesitation from going in a different door than the usual playground entrance.  But then she saw Paige who gave her a big smile and got a hug from Lola, and she was on her way.

I sent this to Emily labeled Little Cosette.

Kate and I then drove to downtown Snoqualmie to the post office, and the only thing of note was this beautiful rose.  I think it was a rose.  It was a sort of ramshackle kind of house - or maybe it was a shed - but it was surrounded by the most beautiful flowers.  I didn't want to go any closer.

We then headed to the grocery store.  It's been awhile since we've gone together, and I forgot how much fun she makes it.  Comments about everything!  She wants at least one of every fruit there.  We glide sneakily past the bakery area while she's admiring the apples, but then she sees the candy and nuts.  She doesn't beg or even ask twice.  Except for her popsicles.  

It was the day to fill up Mimi's snack shelf, so she chose Teddy Grahams and pretzel Godfish plus some granola bars, but she didn't let me forget the promised ice cream.  Every aisle, she would mention is in an offhand sort of way.  So many times!  When it came time to choose, she got something I would not have.

I would have chosen something less staining and cheaper, but she had a fit over these.  Loved, loved, loved them.  I guess one every other day or so won't be so bad.  Smart marketing, of course, to put that Paw Patrol picture on there.

The girls were perfect after I picked up Graysen, so it was a good day.

This morning, Kate discovered the Reading Club Book List on the table and went ahead and wrote her name on one.  I noticed that it's ages 5 to 12, but I'll let her do it anyway.  There's a Newborn to 4 one that I missed.

She gets to color in a square for every 20 minutes she's read to, so I set the time and told her to pick out which books she wanted to read.  

All of them.

So, that catches us up for a bit.  This afternoon and evening is the first Farmer's Market, but it's so cold and gray that I think we're going to skip it, especially since I filled up the refrigerator with produce yesterday.

A Good Week

It's exactly 8:00, and things are off to a noisy start this morning.  The moving folks got finished yesterday, it seems, but a new bunch of young people moved into a side unit across from us.  I loved hearing the laughing and excitement as they got settled in last night.  Their balcony is pretty close to ours, and maybe they will be balcony users.  I've never seen anyone use it yet.

And a geranium.  I like them already!

Across the way, PJ received plants from her daughters for Mother's Day, so they have been working on that.  They also have some dragon fly lights that look so pretty at night.  And a gas grill.  I won't be tackling that.  I'll just find out when Ryan is grilling and take my plate over there.

Susan doesn't spend any time on her balcony, but her cats do.  She filled it with greenery to give them a haven and to let her think she's looking out into a forest from inside rather than at my K garage.

This morning's noise is coming from the roofers.  Our unit is on schedule for the new roof, and it's well underway.  They brought all the suppies last week and put them on the roof, and now they're beginning.  I'm glad I remembered to move my car last night!  The workers are predominantly - maybe all - Hispanic, and I can't tell what they're talking and laughing about, but they are making the most of a hard job.  Once I get dressed, I'll try to subtly take some pictures.

One of the guys was standing there watching them and saw me taking pictures.  I think he thought I was worried about it, because he told me they would be through today and that I could park my car in my place tonight.  It was hard to explain why I was taking pictures, but he was smiling.  I think he told me - through kind of sign language - that he had fallen off a roof last week, and that's maybe why he wasn't up there.  Or maybe he was the supervisor.  I really do need to learn Spanish.  I keep planning to.  The girls want to learn too, so we'll see what we can do this summer.  They want to talk to Lauren and Allyn in Guatemala on Face Time.  We tried it a little at the beach, but those little girls know a good bit of English and Graysen and Katherine only Hola! and how to count to 10.  Not very conductive to a lengthy conversation!

I have to take my package to Snoqualmie to mail, so I'm going to go to North Bend to the hardware store and pick up some potting soil and fertilizer and a couple of herbs. And some black paint to start on my wicker chairs.

Got it all.  Paint, brushes, potting soil, fertilizer, and herbs.

Not a very good selection of herbs.  I got oregano, rosemary, basil, sage, and some mint for my iced tea.  They look healthy, but we do need cilantro, chives, and parsley.  A nice lavender plant would be nice too.

It's a cute little hardware store, and things were easy to find.  Not as big a selection as a Home Depot, of course, but less temptation.  I noticed while wandering around that there is a bigger pet section than most Wal-Marts.  There are lots of dogs in this area and no Pet Smart or Wal-Mart close by, so I guess this is the place to go other than the grocery store.

I read an article yesterday on painting pillows with fabric paint.  That might be just the thing to do for those chair cusions.  Luckily, they don't get much sun to cause them to fade, but they are showing some mildew and stains.  I tried washing them in the washing machine, but they're a little too big.

I don't know ...  I don't have the patience to tape off for the stripes, and I don't want a solid color, so I may have to live with them a few months and look for a good sale at Target maybe.

Layla has gotten very brave about using the balcony, but I think this noise is a bit much even for her.

After all that, Emily is coming over to spend an hour or so with me on her work-at-home day.  It may be our last chance to talk without kids around since today is Kate's last full day of school.

Tomorrow morning, I'm having coffee with Debbie and finding all about her plans for getting her house ready to sell.  Then leaving there to pick up Kate, feed her lunch, and take her back for their end-of-school carnival at Rooster Valley.

Then I'll see what the rest of the week's schedule is for keeping Kate.  I plan to take some outgrown clothes over to Small Threads in Issaquah to consign,  and maybe Elise will want to go with us to Target and Home Depot.

Mapping out my plans for the week and coming back with picture proof.  Somehow I'll have to fit a grocery store visit in there and working on cleaning the balcony rails.

I also need to stop at the library to take this book back.  It's one of the ones I got for the beach and left at home because of not wanting to carry the weight.  I took two paperbacks instead which were not good enough to finish.

It started off slowly but then got better just as a received the due back email Saturday.  I did a marathon read and finished it last night.  It was interesting, and I learned pretty much all I wanted to know about working in a lab.  There were secrets, a murder or two, and a good bit of psychological discussion.  I'm glad I finished it.  I'll see what her other two books are about and maybe request them.  I probably won't have a lot of time to read this summer.

I finally got this little toy working.

My old one just could not be repaired.  I worked on it and cleaned it and could never get it to print a label clearly.  It's old, so I let the girls have it for their "computer" when they play.  The new one didn't come with batteries, and I had only AA and larger, so I proceeded to try to get some AAA ones.  For some reason, I got more AA the first time and then AAAA ones.  It's like I have a battery blind spot.  Finally, I have the AAA ones in, and I'm ready to label.  I'll work on the art cabinet first and let the girls tell me what labels to make so they (Graysen) can read them.  Hopefully, that will make them (and me) more likely to put things back where they go.

I just noticed this blog post on my blog list to the right and realize I have the same labeler.  I'll have to read this and be sure I'm making the most of it.

Donuts for Dads happened this week, and I think Ryan and Graysen liked their morning together.  This is the only picture I have that I had to lift from the CVES Facebook page.  I do see our folks but looks like there were plenty of dads and kids.

They had a Mother's Day thing too, but we were out of town that day.

This sounds like a good week's plan.  We'll see.

I kind of want to get another cup of coffee and read other people's blogs now.

June Saturday Morning

I have a feeling this is going to be my month.  I finally got a little warm walking Graysen home from school yesterday and enoyed sitting on the balcony with them and listening to their chatter.

I've finally caught up from the trip and the delay on my blood pressure meds, so maybe I'll be good to go now.  I finally went into the pharmacy yesterday and told them I had been begging for my medications for over a week and experiencing delay after delay and was told very perkily that they had finally arrived!  I'm still thinking about changing back to the pharmacy Mike and I used the first year, even though it means a little drive.  That one doesn't have a drive-through, but I only use it every 3 months, so it won't kill me to go in.

I went to bed before dark and woke up twice and read but then slept late.  Someone across the way is moving this morning, very loudly and busily, but it's a happy loud, so I'm kind of enjoying it.  I almost wish it were me, but then I think about how much I love my little place in spite of the amount of rent I pay.  It's home now, and I feel safe and have neighbors I like.  Being able to walk to the library, the school, the Win-Bin house, the garden, the doctor and dentist are pluses.  I can just walk out the door and have a beautiful walk, no matter what direction I go.

I took this from the back of the library yesterday.  The smoky haze from the fires from Canada is showing up pretty clearly.  So sad.

I'm going to enjoy the weekend, because I have to get creative to keep Katherine entertained the next two weeks until Graysen gets out of school.  I have a few things in mind.  Her last-day-of-school carnival is Tuesday afternoon.  I was glad to hear her teacher say the preschool kids could show up at 1:30 and avoid having to see the "boring" graduation of the pre-K kids.  It wasn't boring last year when Graysen graduated, and it won't be boring next year when Katherine graduates, but she will be glad just to show up and get some cotton candy and lemonade and play some games.  She might even ride the pony.  Who knows?  

I'm trying to sneak back into the sewing room and get some things going, but it's slow.  I made the girls a towel last week with some embroidery on it but forgot to take a picture.

While I was looking for something else, I found three projects that I started and didn't finish, and I think I will try to get these finished before the holidays.

On one trip to Washington, Mike and I came home through Idaho, Montana, ND, Minnesota, and Michigan.  We enjoyed taking our time and finding some interesting places to stop.  We even found a little quilt shop where Mike patiently waited for me to look around.  He was so good about my hobbies and even encouraged me to make a few purchases.

I got three kits and worked on each of them - up to a certain point.

The first one is a little spooky, but I guess it's supposed to be.  I think all I need to do here is add batting and quilt and bind it.  I think the girls will enjoy having it this fall.  I might even practice my free-motion quilting if I can get up the nerve.

I think I could have done a neater job, but it will do.

The next one is a primitive hand embroidered panel that I enjoyed doing.  I don't have the packaging for this, but it looks like all I need to do is press this one and quilt and bind it.

My favorite one was this Christmas one. 

It was the first Pineapple piecing I had done, and I absolutely loved doing it.  Unlike some kits, the fabrics were perfect, and it's worth finishing.  I'm cutting back on some more of my Christmas decorations, but I think this one will definitely be used if I can get it done.

Another plan I have is to make the girls each another Hannah's Nightgown in bigger sizes.

I made Graysen a white one when she was about three.  Here's the post on the making of it, back when my camera had a dark spot on it!  She wore it constantly and loved, loved, loved twirling in it.  Then she outgrew it and passed it reluctantly down to Katherine who has worn it until it's almost threadbare and the stitching is coming loose in places.  I brought it here to repair, and she keeps seeing it and asking about it.  I just want to make them both a new one.  I have several pieces of batiste left, and Graysen has agreed to a blue one, and I'm waiting for Katherine to choose her color.  Picking the wrong color could be a deal-breaker, so I have to make absolutely sure they're sure.

I put my smocking pleater (reluctantly) on eBay, and it sold this morning for $105, which will buy some more fabric.  Maybe I'll splurge and get some lawn for the nightgowns.

The pleater was used so much back when I was smocking, but I realize I won't be doing any more now.  I had just started taking heirloom sewing classes in Meridian, and when it was my birthday, Mike sent Emily to the heirloom sewing fabric shop to get me one.  Did I mention how much he went along with every new interest I had?  He was extremely proud of the things I did and encouraged me even when I knew I was not perfect.  Adding two little girls to sew for was the icing on the cake.

It's hard to say good-bye to these special memories, but I'm hoping to make new ones as time goes by.