Sniff Test

Little J and I hiked a two mile train around Spooner Lake on the 4th of July. Six year olds are always curious and love to discover new things so it was no surprise when Little J skipped up to the “Sniff Test” box with boisterous ambition. “What do I do with this?” he asked. I suggested he try to read the directions but in his usual stubbornness he insisted he already knew how to do this experiment without instructions. So I let him. And he learned a lesson… Bark Beetles leave behind a most odiferous substance. Somehow I think he might now be ready to but a little more effort into reading.

 

I Am NOT Addicted to Gadgets

Well, I can’t seem to find my desktop. But that’s OK, I didn’t want to do any work today anyway. Instead, I need to make my weekly trip to Trader Joe’s. I have to go today, Friday, for sure.

You see last week I went to TJ’s on Saturday when the parking lot was at it’s usual full capacity. As I got into my car to leave I noticed a couple cars backed up behind me waiting for my space. I also noticed that there were a few messages on my cell phone. So I did what all good friends do… I returned all the calls I missed while I was in TJ’s. As I hung up on the last call I ignored the the little beep beep behind me.

Little J was in the back seat getting a bit restless so I retrieved the DVD player that had fallen below his feet and helped him search for a good movie. He had left the player on while we were shopping so the battery was drained. We finally found the car charger mixed in his pile of clothes we had retrieved from the school lost and found a couple of days before. Beep beep.

Just about then I realized that Little J had a play date and I had no idea where his friend lived. So, I called the Mom for the address. It only took a couple more minutes to figure out the route on the GPS. Was that another little beep I heard? I turned around to see three cars now waiting for parking spaces.

I never drive around without listening to a few tunes so I took a moment to plug in the IPOD and find something to meet my current mood which was slightly rushed having a few frozen foods in the trunk and with Little J getting a bit impatient about getting to his buddies house. Another beep... 4 cars in line now.

Little J complained that my music was too loud so I looked around and found his headphones buried in the seat pocket next to him.
Was that another beep? Hmmmm 5 cars now and the guy behind me had more forehead furrows than a GPS has streets.

As I reached under my front seat to retrieve my Kindle, I think I heard some morse code kind of beeps coming from behind. If I remember correctly a few longs... a few shorts... and that special mixture of longs and shorts signifies something like F*** U. Ah well, soon I'd be lost into the robotic but humorous words of the latest Janet Evanovich novel I'm reading/listening to.

I started to pull out of the space when the cell phone rang. Dang, I forgot to turn on the blue tooth so I pulled back into the space to answer the phone.

There was a tap on my window. I didn't want to look. Little J looked. He told me, "drive away quick gramma because some mean guy is trying to kidnap me and he has a ransom note." I looked out to see a hand pinning a note to my windows... "Gadget-aholic Meeting - Tuesday 8pm - in front of Fry's – plenty of parking”

Here Kitty Kitty

Look closely near the middle of the picture. See those 2 little "lights". That's Fritz. I didn't let him out. I wasn't home. I went away and played for 4 days. But it seems there were visitors over the weekend and one of those visitors just happened to be a dog. Someone let the cat out. Called the fire department... they don't do cat rescues. Bought mackerel... Fritz can't smell that far away. Little J went to bed in tears (and it's not even his cat). I promised him Fritz would come down when he gets hungry enough. I promised him I wouldn't let Wanda out. I went out to check just now... Fritz has made his way a bit further up the tree. Somehow everyone blames grandma (that's me for those of you who don't already know) because she made a remark last week about "the beast" needing a new home. Oh yeah... the tree is right outside grandma's window... Grandma's gonna hear that CATerwauling all night long. Grandma always has to pay. Grandma is thinking - only 361 days until the four day escape to musical bliss at the 2010 Jazz Jubilee.

Jazz Jubilee

It doesn't get any better than this!

It’s Only a Paper Hat

Will I win the contest tomorrow????

 

Mother's Day Tea

Little J's kindergarten class performed at their annual mother's day tea. Check out the ties and hats. Little J's tie has dice on it just like the one grandpa wears gambling.

Hat Craft

Even a kindergartener can make these hats. I got full details how to make one from a young lady who sat next to me at the mother's day tea. Just in time for the red hat spring bonnet contest tomorrow!