Same Song

Giving you a break from the monotony of my days. Will break in and update when new things or changes occur.

Busy w/room painting cleaning out stuff and getting things organized from the office reorganization. Will keep you posted-----or better yet come and see it in person. You are always welcome.

Stay healthy, be safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Busy Times at Ma's

Working on office---still peeling wallpaper---coming off nicely (real picky to not poke walls) and thinking w/the time spent on it this is might be more of a career than a remodel. Find music helps pick up the wall paper removal cadence --- Madonna's "Breathless" and "Chicago" CD's were the hit yesterday. Might just give them another go today. The pic shows some progress (2walls completed/portion of other 2 in progress.) The green is the previous painted wall beneath the wallpaper.

Having bids for an underground sprinkling system. Have lugged hose around for the last year. This has been a harsh, around the clock, extremely hot, and humid summer. Should get the 2nd bid by Monday.

Still have stones/rocks to lay down to border walkway on East of house. Neighbors had the big tree cut down yesterday between our houses and now there is a sunny spot(s) for some shrubs to disperse through the pathway.

FYI: Keith had surgery on his left knee today to repair some cartilage. He is home and doing well. Someone in NJ having a birthday tomorrow. All of you stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

In The Beginning . .

There was no color, no plants, no dogs. Now it's like munchkin land.

You've come a long way mom!

Chillin'

Chillin' and taking a weekend blog break.

Have a great weekend--stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Special Day

Be so thankful today for the people who have come into our lives. I thank God daily for the blessing of having all of you in my life and pray in thanksgiving for the time spent with Kelli, Ken, and Pop. Now, I ask you---weren't they a joy and fun to know? I ask you also to reflect on the great memories, especially on this day that Kelli would have tried to convince all of us that it was her 21st birthday. Be thankful for her life and the time you spent with her on this day.

Off to Mass, volunteer at rectory, grocery shop, take a load of paper, etc. to the recycle bin, read/nap, and visit/eat out w/friends this evening. (Spent most of yesterday outside mowing, trimming, watering, weeding, pruning...)

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Projects

Moving right along w/the "office" project. Wallpaper coming off nicely. Hauling more things out of the office. Might even begin to look at paint chips---have browsed the net and "built" rooms w/paint colors---How clever the paint companies have become--allowing you to trial the colors on line. Nice indoor project to stay out of the heat.

Off to Mass this AM, get the mowing done before it heats up, and remove more wallpaper today. Reminder: Mass being said in honor of Kelli's BD tomorrow at at 8:00am at St Patrick's Church. Keeping all of you in my thoughts and prayers on that day and always.

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Hot, hot, hot...humid, humid, humid---did not want to understate the obvious. Supposed to reach 106 degrees (including heat index). Now, that is hot and humid! Back from Mass and did a drive by of Keith and Becky's house to check out the new paint---one word---WOW!!!

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.
Love, Mom

Stuff

On another project--moved most of the stuff out of my "old" office and am now in the throes of removing wallpaper, painting, etc. Getting rid of a lot of stuff. Hopefully, Uncle Keith will follow through w/his plans for a garage sale or I will be all over his stuff because most of the stuff I moved out of the office is in the big basement room w/all the other stuff. Enough w/this stuff. Off to the store to grab some groceries before I get into my project.

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Fun Weekend and Stuff

Watered, watered, watered...Trying to keep the flowers alive...Thank heavens the grass goes dormant w/all the heat. Allergies kicking my butt, sneezing, nose stuffy, skin itching...Then visits, calls from kids and grandkids----so life is good.

Mass this AM, errands to run (buy more kleenex and Benadryl), more flowers to water, no grass to mow (remember it's dormant)...

Stay healthy, be safe, and keep in touch. Love, Mom

Day Off

Day of rest.

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Hot and Humid etc.

It is already 95 degrees and humid. Back from Mass. Plan to work in the yard for a brief spell---need to trim/thin/remove and water some plants. Grooming the silver lace and clematis over the arbor. It kind of has a mind of its own---not! Will just show it how it will grow---if the ladder stays in place and the ties hold. Sweet peas also need some restraining.

Watered flowers last night (until 9:30pm) and was bombarded by the hummingbird moths. Cannot believe all the nocturnal activity around the plants and in the back field. Owls, bats, moths, etc. It is like living in the country.

Have a great weekend, staying healthy, safe, and keeping in touch.

Love, Mom

More Butterflies

Double click and check out this Spicebush swallowtail butterfly. Chased it around the yard yesterday afternoon. It was frisky and active---would not stop fluttering its wings. I guess if someone was after me with a camera in my face I would flutter away too. Funny, it prefers the parsley and orange mint to flowers.

Thinking of taking a nap--real busy this AM (Mass, volunteering at rectory, recycling, grocery shopping, cleaning out crates to store file). Too hot to be out of doors. TTFN. Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Hot and Humid

Temperature w/humidity and heat index was 111 degrees yesterday. Hearing a big WAhhhhhh from me!!!---Mass in AM at Cathedral, mowed in AM, hauled sprinklers around to all the flowers, ran errands, read, napped and stayed inside. (Lilies obviously like the hot humid weather--see pic)

Have another project(s) in the works---not only did I shred and file but am cleaning out the entire office---pictures, wall shelf, file cabinets, desk top, got rid of all the electronic equipment/wires (except for printer/fax and wireless Internet modem). When room is bare will begin taking off the wall paper and paint walls. Have not yet thought of paint color. Then, will start on the Master bathroom. Might as well have inside project while the weather is so hot and humid.

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Ma

Time off

Taking a break, nuttin' new, same ole, same ole...

Stay healthy, safe, COOL, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Day Off

Taking the day off (to celebrate a special BD).

Love,
Mom

Rocks, Rails, and Reading

Yesterday:

(Rocks)--Out of town friends brought in a truckload of more rocks/stones for the East side pathway. Will add them to pathway each evening and hopefully, have it completed soon.

(Rails)--More work done on project. All rails in place and just finish up work to be done. Must say--I am real happy w/the project. So peaceful to sit and read ot just sit and sit.

Today:

(Reading)--Found a great quote by Nadine Stair on my calendar this AM: "If I had my life to live over, I would start barefoot earlier in the spring and stay that way later in the fall. I would go to more dances. I would ride more merry-go-rounds. I would pick more daisies."

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Snakes alive

And I do mean snake (garter)---Out taking flower pics this AM and almost captured (on film only) a snake-----he popped his head out of the ajuga and took off to the back field w/3 wild boys zig zagging after him. Quite a site. Don't know what I would do without my 12 legged entertainment.

All of the lilies have bloomed and strange enough bloomed in the shape of a halo. Contest---contest--I will put your name in for the annual Ma's contest (free room, board and entertainment at my place for one and all) if you can count and submit the correct number of lily blooms in this picture.

Do your thing today. Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Luving the blooming garden

Check it out: The Hibiscus are as big around as a dinner plate, the lilies are abundant, and the white Liatris is beginning to bloom. The lilies have an overwhelming fragrance. Can smell them from the back deck.

Off to Mass this AM, music theater in PM, grillin' and chillin' w/pup posse this evening. The weather is wonderful. Really enjoying the 80 temps. Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Flowers and Fun

Treating you to: Remnants of what is left of the morning glories on the back fence (seems the deer are also attracted to them), Lily, and Sweet peas. Still thinning out, weeding, and watching the flower garden change. This is the time of year the heat loving plants show their stuff especially the Lantana, Coleus, Marigolds, Snapdragons, etc. Changes daily.

Mass, mowing, and more of the stuff I do ahead of me for the day. Looking forward to Music Theater tomorrow, "Crazy for You" w/lots of wonderful Gershwin music. Really have enjoyed my season tickets. Last time, had to park/walk almost 1/2mile away from Century II---there was another event also going on in the area. Make a note to self---be sure to wear comfy shoes.

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Off to a great morning

Lilies are blooming (catch yesterday's pic to compare). "Boys" have already been chasing the deer away (at 5:45am) and all is now peaceful. The "boys" are lying in wait on the back porch in case the deer return---we'll see who is smarter.

Off to the Cathedral for Mass this AM, run an errand, do some volunteer work, mow this afternoon, and read this evening---pretty much same ole, same ole...but life is good!

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.
Love, Mom

Pictures and Putzing

Rained last night and slept through it. Was surprised to see the grass/ground was wet this AM. Another opportunity to take some more pictures. Take at least a dozen+ daily.

The arbor is filling in nicely on the southwest side (more shaded) but thinking the arbor on northwest side side (more hot sun) gets too hot thus scorching the vines. Know it will catch up with cooler weather. These lilies look like white peppers. They are already very fragrant and buds ready to pop.

Mass this AM at the Cathedral, coffee at the Breigs on the way home. Life is good! Plan to run some errands and spend the rest of the day putzing w/my pup posse. Life is good! All family travelers are safely home! Life is good! Keep healthy, stay safe , and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Stuff

TRAVELERS: All family travelers are safely home except one. She will fly in today. Always makes a Mom happy when her chicks are safely home.

BIRTHDAYS: July birthdays started w/a bang---first one on the 4th w/one each week until the 30th. A Mass will be said in honor of Kelli's birthday on the 23rd at 8:00 @ St. Patrick's Church.

STUFF: Got the mowing, trimming, yard work done between the rainy spells yesterday. Really do not like to mow when the grass is damp but no choice since it has rained everyday since Friday. I was in good company as several other neighbors had the same idea. It resumed raining within an hour of mowing. Mass this AM, volunteer at rectory, trip to lumber yard, pick up around the house, do laundry, and try to get in some reading before the day is over. Did take some pics yesterday---sit back and enjoy...(or not).

Keep healthy, stay safe, and be in touch.

Love, Mom

Sweet Peas

Sharing sweet peas pics. This is such a hardy plant and replenishes itself each year even though I trim it back quite a bit. It also survived the shed move. Such a nice old heritage plant. Might even try another color next year.

Had a quiet weekend--went to a show yesterday, read a book, watched TV, enjoyed the rain, and had dinner w/VC kids. Back from Mass this AM and off to run errands. Still have family traveling and ask for safe arrivals home. Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Rowdy

Rowdy and the Tiger Swallowtail have encouraged me to take the weekend off---so I am following their sound advice. Rowdy tells me he needs more attention and I should get off this Blog right now.

Love, Mom

Lilies

More lily pics. They have really done well this summer, really resilient w/all the changes in the weather. Some have a slight Georgia O'Keefe flare to them.

Plan a very quiet holiday weekend. The "boys" are already a little "skitzie" w/the noise of the fireworks. God bless our city officials for lifting the ban on fireworks in the city---we shall "enjoy" them late into the night and all weekend---Oh Hoorah!!

Mass this AM, enjoying the nice cool breeze, plan to run errands this AM, do a little (very little) housework, read, and possibly get in a nap before the day is over. Hope your day is healthy, safe, and all keep in touch. Keep our family travelers in your thoughts and prayers for safe journeys.

Love, Mom

Summertime and the livin' is...

Cooler day yesterday---think it had to do w/the humidity. Worked out in the yard last night, trimming, thinning, spreading more mulch, and lots of sweat and toil to get it all done before dark. Stuck a fork in it around 9:45pm, showered and to bed. (Lily pic worth a double click for detail. Have been so happy w/lilies and plan to have more next year along w/ornamental grasses)

Looks like another "cool" day today--88 degrees expected as high temp. Have the fan going on the back deck during the day. Real comfy to sit, read, drink tea, and watch the birds with the "boys."

Plan Mass this AM, more work expected on backyard project, more reading, more tea drinking, and more mulching. Should have the mulch project completed by this evening. Families still traveling, ask all to pray for their safety and good times together. As always, for everyone--stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom