08-31-14

Today was an official lazy day.

Puttered on a few projects, but didn't get much done.  Little bit of scrapbooking.  Little bit of TV.  Little bit of reading.  Little bit of blackberry picking.

A lot of aimless hours.  Lazy long weekend.

08-30-14

Weekend plans of exterior painting are delayed due to weather.  Decided to tackle getting my bulk food into more permanent labelled containers instead.  Found the squared off mason jars I thought I wanted, but after working with them a bit realized I don't like them.  So another project delayed...

08-29-14

TGIF before a long weekend.  The work day crept by!

After work I headed to the tennis courts.  I forgot Xander was in Seaside with youth group, but Bruce has been assisting the coach.

08-28-14

And then there were four.

The boys went home to Fargo today.

Moving back into our bedroom, getting ready for a long weekend.

08-27-14

Look closely and you can see our nutria family.  It is hard to distinguish the marsh rats from the upturned lily pads, but look for the long skinny tails.  I've seen two adults and five babies, living under a tree near where I put my paddle board in the water.  The babies are cute, the adults are disturbing... same as the stick bug families we used to raise.

08-26-14

Ah.... the day was really really hot, but it finally cooled off and turned into a fantastic evening.

08-25-14

More baseball tonight, our last chance to watch Fargo play.  But, first, rushing to the Kelso pool for the mandatory parent meeting to kick off the swim season.  Anastasia, as one of the three senior leaders, is talking about team sweatshirt ideas.

08-24-14

More baseball.  Anastasia is posing with a Bambino wood carving that has been emerging over the course of the world series.  Fargo boys could not pull it out tonight, they are now just playing for the love of the game...

08-23-14

Fargo lost their second game today.  Bummer!

But we had a really nice meal with the boys and their relatives travelling with them - parents, sister, uncles.

08-22-14

*Poof* went my vacation day.  Not sure what happened...

Jogged the lake.  Took an adopt-a-block resident to St Vincent de Paul to get food.  Coffee date with Bruce.  Took Anastasia to oral surgery.  Went to fill her prescription for pain meds.  Made dinner and cupcakes.

Never made it to half the stuff I had hoped to, but any day off is  a good day off.

Anastasia couldn't talk coherently and was uncontrollably weepy after she had her teeth extracted, but is doing great now.

08-21-14

Go Fargo!

We're not exactly mitt toting, baseball cap wearing, concession stand manning folk, but this week the World Series fever has kicked in...

08-20-14

All four of us were home at dinnertime tonight, a minor miracle.  And yet, the house seemed quiet, since we number six mow, and the boys were at the opening ceremonies BBQ.

08-19-14

Anastasia and Sadie are showing our house guests around the area.  What to include as hot spots for 15 year olds in Longview?  RA Long High School, squirrel bridges, Electric Bean, the view from Rainier, Sweet Spot.  So far Jack in the Box has captured their hearts, they don't have them in Fargo.

#BASEBALL #PLAYOFFS #MEAT

08-18-14

We crashed a geo-caching flash mob tonight.  We talked to people who had driven from Doty and Ridgefield, and we told them we traveled less than a block.  It was blowing bubbles at the lake.

08-17-14

Family headed to Seattle, so I had a free day.  Got caught up on a few things, and indulged in a few hours of scrapbooking.  Hard to believe that I used to spend a few hours a day scrapbooking, and now I can barely eek out a few hours a month!

08-16-14

Team Fischer finished 15th place in an Adventure Scape scavenger hunt race.  Ten tasks and about 5 miles traveled in a little over 90 minutes.

None of the tasks were difficult, but deciding what order to do them in was the trick.

This was a team photo at the smallest park, a landmark we had previously explored.  We're holding root beer because the keep Portland weird challenge photo was drinking beer... 

08-15-14

Since we spent some time at our rental unit today,we decided to walk the Highlands trail instead of the lake this evening.  It looks quiet, but there were plenty of dogs and kids to observe along the way.  TGIF!

08-14-14

The last lake concert of the season.  We met our small group for dinner in the park.  Fun to catch up.

08-13-14

My big event of the summer was tonight,  And we didn't get rained on!  Our church hosted the annual block party in the Highlands, this year a taco feed theme.  Lots of people pitching in to bring a great dinner and memory to our adopted block.

08-12-14

Driving to ladies night this evening, I realized that my funky top brings me joy.  Plugging in my phone to charge for the night, I realized that my phone case brings me joy.  Life is all about the little things...

08-11-14

Today saw really high temps and a really big moon.  The moon has been fun for several days.  The over 100 temperatures are only supposed to last one more day.

08-10-14

Not sure who thinks Longview/Kelso can support two sushi restaurants.  Most people visibly squirm when I suggest we dine at the sushi place.  Never mind that both have plenty of options besides sushi.

Bruce and I decided to try the newest place today.  We like the other one a lot, but trying new places is always an adventure.  We both got a combo; Bruce of sushi, me of vegetable options.

It was yummy and a pleasant atmosphere, but I like the first Kelso place better…

08-09-14

Today was Relay for Life in Cowlitz county.

Anastasia and I were team captains.  Both kids ended up getting hauled off to "jail".  90 degree weather day, I got a bit sunburned at a cancer fighting event, oops.  I walked over 10 miles, a combination of solo, with Bruce, and with Jill.

This photo is BBQ and firewood extraordinaire taking photos of the start of the Survivor lap.

08-08-14

The red blobs are our friends Tyra and Jeremiah, riding into the moonlight.  They popped over for an evening of catching up.

TGIF!

08-07-14

Thursday night... time for market research, walking past the lake concert, and counting down to Friday...

08-06-14

I took some fun photos of the Cowlitz river tonight when we walked over it, but my camera had no memory card!

So here’s a Just Because photo Bruce snapped for me on his phone.  With my feet in it!

On BiggerPockets podcasts, I hear a lot about yellow letters and bandit signs, but don’t see them a lot in our area.  We have received two postcards for the duplex on 15^th.  This evening we saw a bandit sign mixed in with the political signs, and I wanted a photo of it, not sure why.

Evidently for the blog!

08-05-14

Fill cups with ice water. 

Fill bucket with ice and water to make more ice water.

Assemble hot dogs.

Put four carrots on the plate.

Weed out slimy carrots.

Add handful of tortilla chips.

Explain to people that dinner is free and there is no soda.

Repeat.

Repeat for three hours, with 240 hot dogs.

That’s how I spent National Night Out, in my favorite neighborhood, where free food is so appreciated, no matter how simple.

08-04-14

Things that make me happy: roosters, owls, cows, and cheeky monkeys.

Got a new bathmat for the kids bathroom.  Makes me happy when the state of the teenager bathroom and lack of toilet paper makes me frustrated.

Happy days.

08-03-14

We discovered a really gorgeous waterfall today.  With a surprisingly warm swimming hole attached.  We were the only car parked at the trailhead but not the only people at the fall, so there are multiple access trails.  Our trail wasn't more than three quarters of a mile, but it was steep and narrow with plenty of tripping hazards.  But it was shady and cool and what a fun surprise at the end.

Destination: Beaver Creek near Rainier

08-02-14

This is our last quiet weekend before things get busy again.  So we spent the day resting, exploring, helping, and preparing.  Read a book, made it to the Terry Taylor neighborhood garage sale after all these years, painted  a pink wall at Angels Closet, and got some chores and strategizing done.

We spent $2.60 on merchandise, $2 on food, and $3 on parking at the garage sale... big spenders!

08-01-14

A farewell party has been on my calendar all week.  I was looking forward to indulging in a piece of cake.

I’m trying to eat well to provide my body healthy fuel.  Some days, weeks, and months are better than others.

My first disappointment was realizing where the cake was made – not my favorite source, even though others rave.  Second disappointment was hearing the details of this insane cake.  Fruit punch flavored cake, a grape icing layer, and fruity pebbles on top.  Really?!?

My day would have been better if I would have declined.  Darn it.