Everything is dry, dry, dry, dry

I kept hoping it would rain today...

So, yeah, catch up time again.  *grin*  So sorry to my faithful readers.  Lets see, I went to sewing club last week... and that was about it.

Saturday Bob and I borrowed some of Rustin's trimmers and worked on trimming vines.  Evil insidious things.  Ok, that's maybe a slight exaggeration...  They are very nice for privacy, but they're also really messy, spread like crazy, and were killing my lilac bushes (for that crime they paid dearly... bwahaha).  Anyway, there's a gap between the HS's fence and our back fence and there were vines growing across the gap and up into our trees.  Not cool.  Bob worked on cutting those back and I tried to rescue my lilac bush.  I was not making any headway and we decided we might need a chainsaw.  Soooo  we all went over the R and S's and helped them finish seeding their lawn and then they came over with their chainsaw.  This is the aftermath:

Poor lilac- it used to look nice and green, but with the nasty vine removed it's mostly just sticks.  We're crossing our fingers it will recover next spring.  The girls were getting hungry so they had a snack on the patio and made lots of noise banging on the table. 

 On Sunday we dropped little miss off at the farm and headed to Champaign for Sarah and Ryan's wedding. It was a lovely day.  I did not take any pictures.  I'll admit to getting a little choked up when she walked down the aisle.  *grin*  The reception was really nice and there was really good food.  We got to sit with cool people that we haven't seen in a long time, so that was fun.  And, of course, Cecily was better for my mom in church than she ever is for me... and so they wonder why I dread Sundays...  hehe. 
Grace and Eden came over Monday evening.  Tuesday Aunt Shelly came over and watched little miss while I spent an exorbitant amount of money at the eye doctor.  *gah*  And insurance won't cover near enough of it.  Oh well, it's only money, and hey, the last time I got new frames and lenses was 2005.
I'm flying!  She was having so much fun and I never quite got her whole face in the picture:

 
Wednesday we went swimming at Jessica's with Mom and Shelly and Lori & company.  Girl has no fear.  And she loves her floating bumble bee- "want bee! want bee!"

 
Sprout and Matt dropped this off on Monday.  I'm pretty excited.  This wardrobe was the first piece of furniture that Grandpa Koch bought.  I always thought it was kind of cool looking and asked him about it when I was there once to borrow a trimmer (yes, I know, we really should get our own).  The right side is for hanging clothes and the left side is drawers, except the top two are false drawers that pull down into a little writing desk with those square cubby things!  It even still has the Montgomery Ward stickers on the back. 

 It's not in super great shape and it probably doesn't have any real value other than sentimental, so my only plan is to wipe it all down good with murphy's soap and store sewing supplies in it.  Oh and tighten the legs a little so it isn't tippy.

While I was in the basement taking pictures.... here is my laundry.  I've been trying to make it more functional and pretty and less scary-basement.  So far we've added hooks to hang rags on, the light, the mirror, the sink skirt, the shelf, and the cabinet to the left of the dryer. And a random washboard from the farm that is "conveniently travel sized."  *grin*    The sink is still a little nasty- anybody know how to clean an old cement laundry sink?

 And I just finished tracing/painting the sign.  It makes me smile.  And think of my cousins.  And Wyss vacation.  And that one never ending Rook game.  I showed Shelly when she was here and she approved.  However, she thinks my couch is ugly. 

These, Shelly, are ugly couches.  I do not have an ugly couch:

(no offense to anyone who owns a couch like these... slipcovers are wonderful inventions.  *grin*)

Anyway, I've been seeing praying mantis all over the place this year.  More than I've ever seen at one time before. They're kind of cool for bugs.

 And last, but not least, this is why I have not done many tomatoes yet.  I'm waiting for them to ripen... hehe.  We may have to try fried green tomatoes some night. 



Mommy.... I pick it... matoe!


Blessings.