Having a Good Time

My daughter just called from art camp. She's taking drawing, photography, and watercolor. She said she's got a lot to do before the show tomorrow but she's having a wonderful time and she's met a lot of nice people. I'm so glad!

Nice Time with Mike's Family

Some stayed around the pool (above) and some on the porch (below).

Mike and his sister Barbara.

We have a ton of barbecue left! As well as deviled eggs, chips, slaw, beans, etc. Funny. . .the sweets are all gone.

Update on Pool and Rabbit(s) - PLURAL!

Last night Mike was watering inside the pool enclosure and sprayed some toward the poolhouse--and two little rabbits hopped out! This was after he had seen (and almost eradicated) an adult rabbit earlier in the evening. He was glad he hadn't after seeing the babies. So, apparently we did not have one rabbit underneath the poolhouse--we have a nest. Therefore my remaining cucumber plant and three squash plants are not out of danger yet.

Here are two better pics. of the pool - uncovered now. The wildly colored Adirondacks are the result of a huge impulse I had last spring. And the rabbits are living under that small deck in the above picture.

Mike has been doing a fabulous job with our lawn this summer. It's amazing the way the flowers have kept going even with the lack of rain. We are becoming believers in perennials--everything in front of the garage came up by itself this year. (pink lantana, black-eyed susans, and two hibiscus--unfortunately they turned out not to be the giant kind like last year's which is still on the side of the house, but not blooming yet).

The Pool - 2008

The new porch has led to a renewed interest in the pool this year. Andrew and I have challenged each other to swim at least five days out of seven this summer, and so far we're both on track. I can put a radio out on the porch, listen to Dave Ramsey's call-in program or maybe Limbaugh, and have that extra entertainment / stimulation / call it what you will that makes repetitious laps not so . . .boring.

Andrew is keeping up the pool this summer. Last night he found a small dead rabbit in the skimmer! One of his buddies thought he saw one under the poolhouse the other night. Now I know the probable reason why my squash and cucumber plants kept disappearing. Three times I set out plants on the edging of the grassy area to the right of the porch, watered them, and then they would be, not wilted, but gone! Unfortunately, now it's about too late to set new ones out. Apparently the rabbit did not care for tomato plants as they are doing just fine. Poor little thing--thinking he was just hopping across to get a snack, and landing in the pool.

I will try to replace this picture soon with a picture of the pool opened, not still covered. It was either a covered pool with the current porch, or an uncovered pool with the old deck. I've not got time right now to go get a picture.

I, Me, My

It is impossible, and even undesirable, to write a personal blog or a personal anything without ever using personal pronouns. However, my father has drilled into his children from childhood that we should be conscious of how often we use these words in correspondence and writing, and should minimize their use--and I have used the concept in teaching English classes as well. Lately I've become conscious of this phenomenon again, partly due to some reading for a study. For example, here is one of the statements in the book:

"I don't know how many times I've repeated the statement I'm about to make, but I'll keep saying it. . ."

Or: (leaving some words out to maintain anonymity)

". . .I realize I am far from the only. . .(10 words). . .Although I would never characterize myself as godly, I will tell you that I loved God. . .(13 words). . .I know plenty of others whom I would not hesitate. . ."

This author desperately needed an editor to cut out what comes across as self-centeredness.

I will be forever grateful to Dad for pointing this out!!

Now anyone who reads this blog will be watching to see how self-centered the author is!

To Expand. . .

To expand and clarify last night's post:

My teenagers love to have friends over. I'm glad that they like to invite people and I'm glad that people apparently like to come. But it's bothered me that so often the only thing they can think of to do is "watch a movie."

"Mom, can we have friends over to watch a movie?"

I'll say. . ."Why don't you play volleyball" or "Why don't you play Taboo" or "Why don't you swim?" But the least common denominator is always. . ."Let's watch a movie."

From what I understand, this is not the only household where that is the norm.

It bothers me on many levels. There is no physical activity involved. There is less opportunity for conversation. There is always the possibility of objectionable materials in today's movies. Their minds are numbing and dumbing down through all this movie watching. It's just such a passive way for friends to be together.

I like a good movie occasionally as much as the next person. (Chick flicks please, no horror or action stuff.) But today's kids (and adults for that matter) are just too used to gluing their faces in front of a screen.

I didn't care for the movie they had rented last night, and spoke up. So that's how the game playing started. And it was fun, and they had a great time. Three cheers for a non-movie night!

Party Time

It does my heart good to see a group of teens/college kids in the big room, eating popcorn, playing the guitar, talking, and playing a game of Scattergories. . .and NOT watching a movie!!!

Yard Sale

The temperature today is 96 degrees. Tomorrow it's supposed to get to 101. And I decided to have a yard sale. Stupidity supreme. I did it because several in the neighborhood were supposed to have sales today and one lady was doing the newspaper ad and putting up signs--a nice savings of time, effort, and trouble. Still not worth it--she didn't put many up and there wasn't much traffic. To top it all off, I only made $42. The only good thing is that my daughter really, really cleaned out. So what if it was at midnight last night--she got rid of a lot of stuff. So when the Haven of Rest truck pulled up to get the rest of the merchandise, I was glad.