Although Merida is usually the troublemaker around here, Dharma is the early riser that I could choke every morning. A 6:00 AM grunt call on a Saturday morning is unfair and incredibly aggravating. As I’m writing this at 7:00 AM, the fog is almost gone, but at 6:00 AM…
Recap of the past week — all the stuff I didn’t post already.
Activities to raise money for the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals meant Colette not only got to hit her Dad in the face with a pie…
But she also got to hit him with water balloons. (And they fixed her up with a bucket of water too. Either because she’s special or they just loved seeing Ben get soaked.)
Coco also ate “bar food” for the first time (prepared by Katie just for her), tested the offerings from 2 taco trucks (Crothersville’s is better by 110%), and special ordered breakfast every morning.
I spent some time on the new deck without Contractor Tim’s music blaring from his truck. That was great, but might’ve been better without my 4-legged company.
Lots of work and relaxation planned for today. REMC buried the cable this week (cut by the pool installers) and the backyard is a mess. The weather is supposed to start warming up (yippee!) and buying a new push mower is on the agenda. No way am I limping that old one with 3 wheels through another week!
It doesn’t take a crystal ball to figure out what’s next.
Katie called last night and asked what we were doing for 4th of July this year. That means she’s planning to come here. Last year, we had fireworks at Mom’s… I guess the location has changed for 2023. Coco will be here then too (every other week through the summer belongs to Mom and Dad) so we should probably pick up some fireworks. Not sure how the hounds are going to like that. š¬
And you?
No matter when you’re reading this, I hope you take time to reflect on YOUR past few days. Give your brain an opportunity to pause amidst the chaos and sort through your experiences. It helps you learn more about what makes you happy and reveals what you might want to plan for — or avoid — in the future.
My favorite granddaughter turned 13 years-old on the 4th. We celebrated her birthday today because she chose to go to a movie with friends when we planned the celebration the first time around. Sadly, that’s going to be the norm from here on out.
She inherited the other thing that’s standard from her Dad and it’s…
MAKING A FACE AT THE CAMERA EVERY SINGLE TIME.
Ben hates posed smiling photos. He always has to do something out of the norm for a “normal” photo. Just a few examples: not looking at the camera, not smiling, and putting his hand on his daughter’s head.
Coco has it down to a science. I guess someday we’ll look back on all the crazy photos we’ve collected as memories over the years and laugh. When people say that time flies and wonder where the time went? I’m thinking that exact same thing.
TIL (Today I Learned): In 1998, a preservation group began restoring Ben Franklinās residence in London. During their rehabilitation work, they discovered a secret, windowless room under his garden containing the remains of 15 people.
Still working with a client to hire multiple speakers for a multi-day event. I now have two problem children instead of only one. GAAAH!!Two of the speakers I’m working with are bigger problems than my very own two children!
One is pushy and one is non-responsive. Which is worse?
It’s a toss up! One speaker’s assistant asked me yesterday if she could get the booking completed faster by contacting the company’s executive instead of going through me (do it and you won’t get hired chick!). The other speaker’s assistant never answers calls or emails and is basically non-responsive. I waste so much time telling one to cool her jets — and waste a ton more time trying to get in touch with the other.
Performers are finicky.
Had a trip yesterday evening to attend a talent show in Indy and took the obligatory “car selfie.” One of these days I’ll learn to stop leaning forward so I look like a giant and the other person a mouse.
Colette sang some song I didn’t know and wouldn’t have chosen for her. She has her Momma’s voice — both have amazing singing talent. I’m telling you, if she would’ve sang a Disney song… she’d have brought down the house! But performers are finicky and do their own thing. š
TIL (Today I Learned): William Shatner would hide Leonard Nemoy’s bicycle because Nemoy used it to get ahead in line at the commissary, going as far as tying it to rafters or placing it in a room with a territorial doberman.
I won’t be having my first cup of coffee outside this morning. It’s only in the mid-40’s. Is it fall already?? The cool air overnight combined with high humidity and we have a foggy morning!
This coming week is Coco’s last week of school.
SCHOOL’SĀ OUT!Ā SCHOOL’SĀ OUT!Ā TeachersĀ letĀ theĀ monkeysĀ out.Ā Or are you even older and the teachers let the mules out?
Summer vacation is about to begin for kiddos everywhere. Coco will stay here while Ben is working and I’ll betcha she’ll make good use of the new pool. I love to swim… and I love the sun… but Coco and Carl are the biggest reasons I wanted a pool. They both need the exercise. š (Not that I don’t!)
When Ben was young, we always had a place for him to swim at home. I can’t remember him ever getting in the water and goofing around alone, but he had friends over about every day. I hope we get as much good out of this pool as we did out of the one we had at the little house he grew up in.
It’s been over 10 years since I’ve had a pool in my yard.
Circa 2012, Coco’s water experiences started young — and she loved it even then. We all got tired holding her in the water and passed her around till her little fingers and toes were like prunes. Next week, I’ll pick up goggles and dive rings for her and Carl — and an awesome raft for me.
Come on, warm weather! Cooperate with me on this!
TIL (Today I Learned): Fog does NOT “burn off.” That’s a myth. When the sun rises, the air and ground warm up. This leads to the air temperature being warmer than the dew point temperature, which causes the fog droplets to evaporate.
The second Coco walked in the door last night she asked for the WIFI password. Her laptop had never been online here and she had some school work to do (least that’s what she told me). She came here from an art thing of some sort and I told her how pretty she looked. I snapped this photo…
Directly afterward, she dropped to her knees like she’d been shot in the back and began crying. One of her best friends is changing schools. She wailed, “What am I going to do??” I felt awful for her, hugged her… and talked about how they can Facetime, etc. She was totally tore down — a mess.
It’s been a long, long time since I was her age so my memory could be skewed, but the girl drama I remember was more along the lines of, “Imma make her eat dirt!”
I remember friends moving away — heck, I vividly remember my friend Dianna Hughes that moved away and I haven’t seen her or heard from her since maybe 5th grade (ummm… that translates to the 60’s). I hated she moved, but it wasn’t like the end of the world or anything.
It’s tough being a girl.
It’s especially tough at my granddaughter’s age. She’ll be 13 next month and wears her heart on her sleeve. She’s incredibly dramatic even when she’s not faced with anything earth shattering. ā¤ļø
I’m surrounded by girl drama!
These two are overly dramatic too… especially Merida. Every little thing is a big deal and causes them both to overreact. If I’m away for an hour they both act like it’s been a month since they laid eyes on me. And when people come here that they see often, they still act like a serial killer has chosen their house for nefarious activity. š
TIL (Today I Learned): NASA engineers designed a make up kit because they thought female astronauts would want make up in space.
