Wow! It's October!

The summer is over and we did not get to do much bicycling.
We only sent sailing once and that was back in June.
Traveling was out of the question.
But today we are going to the Air Show at Sheppard Air Force Base. Maybe we will have our picture taken with some cute airmen.

Explanation of Sorts

Years ago when we were working on our NM house, Toby's mom came for a visit. We were in the middle of putting in our counters and kitchen sink while she was there. Things were kind of a mess. She asked if we were sure we knew what we were doing. It could have been hurtful, if it were not so funny. A few months later she came back for a visit when the house was complete. She was very much impressed with what we had done.

Another time when we lived in a trailer house in RR, a friend came over for a visit. We had lived in that house for a number of years, but this particular friend had never been inside. As she walked in, she said, "Oh! This is very nice." as if she thought it was going to be some white-trash trailer house and she had been surprised. You'd have to have heard the inflection in her voice to really understand. Maybe because I am a jeans and T-shirt sort of gal, people think I have no taste.

Then I have had friends who when you tell them what your plans are on the house, they tell you all the downsides to it. The nay-sayers! I guess that is better than the ones who tell the downsides after the fact. Still, if you don't like it, I'd rather not hear about it.

One more story: Back in the day, a young friend of mine had just found out she was pregnant. She told me she and her husband had thought of this "great name that no one else had used," but that she did not what to tell the name for fear that someone would use it. So I said that she could tell me, 'cause I had my kids and was not having any more. Then in a little-girl-excited sort of way she said, "Aspen." Really! I replied, "Cindy Allen's cat is named Aspen." totally bursting her bubble. Jesse lectured me later - said I should have just remained quiet, but I thought she should know. And there is nothing wrong with naming your kid after a cat - it was a good cat.

So maybe I don't post more pics of my house because I don't want you to think I don't know what I'm doing. Or it could be that I don't want to hear the nay-sayers. Or maybe it is because I'm afraid someone will poopoo my plans. Mostly, I just want to wait until it all comes together and have one big ooh-ahh time. Then again, maybe I post one soon.

Sunday Soccer Pics.

So here is GBN2 at the soccer game on Sunday afternoon. It was difficult to get her to settle down for a photo. Does she look happy about it?
Here is Jesse sitting with friends - doesn't the sun look wonderful?
Here is the whole kit and kaboodle of football fans.
Here is my son (the blonde bossing the other players) playing soccer - and you thought he was doing a goose step. As I was writing this, I could not think of the term "goose step" so I googled chicken step, which didn't really work.
This is a photo that GBN2 took unbeknownst to me. Can you guess what it is? It took me a while, but I figured it out.

The Usual

Our weekend was pretty much the usual - work on the house. I did keep the GGs on Friday for a few hours. They were entertaining as usual. They have been telling knock-knock jokes that make no sense. At one point, they gave me a list of words and phrases that they are NOT allowed to say anymore - including : poop, pee, and what the heck. What the heck! I'm betting that they used the word poop in their knock-knock jokes, and therefore the word got banned. We took a little walk in their neighborhood, and played a little kick-the-can. My dad started this game with us back when we were kids. Whenever we had to walk somewhere, we would pick out a can or rock to kick - it was sort of a soccer/keep-away type game. Dad thought it was funny that the toes of my shoes were always worn out. GBN2 really got into the game - great fun!

Saturday we grouted and grouted some more. My fingers, wrists, arms, knees, buttocks, etc. are very sore today. Jesse hasn't been home much to help us since school started, but we used her good while she was home this weekend. We got Lindz to come over on Thursday and help a bit, which was fun. Toby called her "the good daughter." Jesse is a good daughter too.

Sunday after church we went to Bo's soccer game. It was his first game of the season - a new soccer league in Duncan. He is the coach - sort of. They lost - big time, but it was still a good time for those watching. The afternoon was beautiful - a perfect fall day. A whole group of us sat out in our lawn chairs and cheered and laughed and visited. The GGs were there, of course, making things even more fun. I'm looking forward to the whole soccer season. I'd post pictures, but I think Jesse has my camera cord. What else is new?

Plug

This is a shameless plug for Jesse's blog. But if you have not gone to her blog and seen her art work, do so. You won't be disappointed. There is more here on an older post.

When This House Is Done...

It is raining today and the temperatures are cool. Maybe fall is here - feels like it. So, in celebration of fall, I am baking apple-butterscotch brownies from the Southern Living magazine. We are suppose to be on a diet, but...

Toby will be home at noon today, and we are grouting the tile. It should be a good day for it. And we can eat apple-butterscotch brownies when we get tired and hungry. We will have worked for those calories.

Last year at this time, we were in Buffalo, NY, Niagara Falls, and Niagara on the Lake, Ontario. it was a great trip. If you want to read about it, use my blog archive or here is a link to some photos, but
Here is Toby at Niagara Falls.
Here he is bicycling from winery to winery in Niagara on the Lake. We had such fun sampling wines and riding our bikes through the beautiful Canadian countryside.

Another few years ago at this time, we were in Calgary, Canada and a side trip to Banff. I had trouble pulling a photo from those posts - you will have to go to archives of Sept 2007 to see old photos of that trip. Here is a link to one post. No wonder I have the bug to travel. First thangs first. When this house is done...famous last words.