Labor Day Monday Daybook

What I've been thinking... I've been trying to get going on a good diet, but keep getting waylaid.  Michelle and I went on our hiking date yesterday, and so, of course, I had to have some trail mix and a cinnamon roll from a little general store we passed...  And, my birthday's coming up the end of this week, so, well, naturally, I'll have to take that day (or maybe the whole weekend...) off...  I have no will power.  It's awful.

I am reading... Recently finished an old Mary Roberts Rinehart novel called Haunted Lady. Those old who-dunnits are so much fun -- and no worries about them getting off-color!  Probably won't pick up a new novel for a while, though -- just too busy, and it's too easy to get engrossed.

What I'm wearing... peach and green gypsy skirt, peach blouse.

What's new... My brother, Steve, and his son, Marky, brought their camper out to spend the weekend with us.  We'll be having a barbecue, with them (since Unca Steve is the BBQ King of the Universe) and the rest of our extended family this Labor Day afternoon.  Another reason to not diet.

From the garden... We were starting to have a grasshopper problem, so I had the bright idea of letting some chickens in to take care of a few of them.  Which they did.  But they also ate half my cucumbers.  (They actually peck at them in such a way that they hollow them out like little cucumber boats.) And they completely trampled my zucchini plants.  If it had been anything but zucchini, such a thrashing would have been the end of the growing season.  But, well, you know how zucchini is?  Two days later, they were stretching out their big ole leaves and growing new ones, while simultaneously continuing with their nonstop squash production.  Our economy should recover so quickly.

I'm thankful for... the close proximity of most of my family and will be glad to see my parents and five of my six siblings today.  I do miss my little brother, Dave, and his new family, though! (Pictured at right.)  When Dave moved to Georgia to be with his girl, we lost the life of our parties -- or one of them anyway.  There's a big gap now!  I don't know how families do it that when everyone ends up being scattered all over the country.  It must be really hard.  And lots of mileage must get racked up!

We're creating... Actually, we've been spending the weekend beginning to winterize.  Since we live in an old stucco house, we have to go through annually and patch cracks and separations in the exterior walls.  We're also prepping to repair some bad window sills and paint some trim outside.

A few plans for the rest of the week... Besides all the regular stuff, schooling, laundry, and so on --  I get to research what kind of camera Dan's going to surprise me with for my birthday.  I would love any suggestions!  Since I'm nothing but an amateur, it needs to be easy to use, easy to download.  I'd  like it to be faster than my old camera in every way, and I'm used to the good sound and filming ability in my old camera, and would like to have that again.  Naturally, I'd like it to have good picture quality.  And be less than $100.  &:o)  No, I'm kidding.  Though that'd be nice, I think Dan would go higher than that.

One of my favorite things... Campfire marshmallow roasts with the family in the front ten.  Pictures coming of that later. Spending time with each of my children, one on one. Pictures and stories of my hike with Michelle coming this week, too. 

Here is a picture thought I'm sharing...

Getting as much summer in as we can while we can.

Top to bottom, left to right: William at the apex; Gabe and Anna, being supported by Catherine, Michelle and Theresa at the base.

(Sprinkler water dotting my lens here left it a little smudgy...)

**For more Simple Women's Daybooks (summer edition), run over to Peggy's!