Week of June 16 - June 22, 2014

Monday - I had a hard time sleeping, so I just got up and jogged at 4:40 AM. After I returned, I watered the flowers

and pulled out some dead tomato bushes.

I had a yummy snack...

I am just waiting for these beauties to get totally ripe. Those doggone birds better not beat me to it!

One goal for this week is to seal my floors. I have to mop and then put the sealer on, and then let it dry, without traffic on it...big difficulty. So, it is a near bedtime duty, which is my worst time of day. I admit that I was gonna do it Saturday, but didn't have the energy, so I did it on Sunday night. (It was after sunset, so in Jewish terms, the Sabbath was over - I think I am beginning to sound like Old Testament Saul...looking for loopholes.)

First area: table...which I had to get Dee to help me move back before his meeting.

Nate worked and worked on his truck all day...got it primed.

Tuesday - I had mopped and sealed the entryway over night...

Nate arrived early and worked and worked on his truck. Primed more. Sanded.

I cleaned, vacuumed, dusted, and began Grace's baptism gift.

Nate painted till late at night, so I didn't do any more mopping or sealing.

Kayty had jury duty during the day, which turned out she didn't need to be at. So, we worked on cleaning up her room, and getting rid of trash.

Wednesday - Nate didn't come...and didn't come...so I worked on the kitchen floor: scrubbed the grout with bleach, and then sealed it...twice.

 Dee was gone...and Kayty went to work. I made a visiting teaching appointment and cleaned. I used the neighbor's trashcan to get more palm fronds out...and later in the day, I discovered they had put a construction fence up, making their trash can inaccessible. Oh, well...at least I got two bags out.

Nate came later, after he got some injections, both in his jaw and in the back of his neck. I hope his headaches are helped with this...We need to get this stuff taken care of before they leave for Idaho. He ended up second coating his truck...looks awesome, and he got some work from his old boss, so he will be plumbing the rest of the week.

I worked at trimming the dried and bird eaten grapes and pulling up some more tomatoes.

Thursday - I was up and off hiking early this morning. In fact, I was the first one at the park, and had to wait for the park ranger to open the gate. Nicest thing: the temperature in my jeep read 69 degrees outside: a rare June treasure. I hurried home, started Dee's computer, swept the pool, watered the sunflowers, let the chickens out, and trimmed off 40 bird eaten grape bunches from the vines. I dusted and vacuumed, went to what I had planned to be a short visiting teaching visit, but Yvonne and I got visiting, and I got out in time to get to Dorrie's, where we went to Super Salad for lunch. I was worthless after that...just couldn't get things going. I started embroidering on Grace's baptism gift, visited with a friend from our ward for awhile, and then Dee grilled and broiled some salmon. Nate came by after work and wired his tail lights on the truck. Kayty buzzed in and out, going out with a friend in town. I put a few things in her suitcase, packed up the wedding stuff for the Wilkins family, and watched Duck Dynasty on my computer. Today ended with a quick WalMart trip and then off to bed.

Here are Dee's Trinidad Scorpion Peppers and Ghost Peppers

Friday - I decided that instead of hiking or running, I would devote 1 hour of yard work as my exercise. I picked up those awful dried up saguaro cactus fruit out back = 1 bucketload. I picked up more palm tree  muck = 1 bucketload. I raked up pine needles and took them to the bin we use for the pizza oven = 1 bucketload. I took more to the bin, plus some raked mesquite beans (grrrr...I don't like those either) = 1 bucketload. I raked more beans on my own and took them to the trashcan = 1 bucketload. I watered and clipped and raked and pulled...so I got some good exercise. Then, I decided to help Kayty get the stuff from Grandma in the car by 'making room' in her car. Ummm...I don't think we had enough buckets for those bucketloads. I did get it all in, safely and nicely, plus the stuff from the wedding they couldn't wear here.

I looked out my kitchen window, and a stinkin' bunny was sitting on top of the big rock in my garden, just eating the petals off a sunflower! Thumper rules!!! Grrr

The lock on my washing machine started acting up, so my first step was to clean everything: seals, filters, etc. (Didn't help the lock problem, but it's nice and clean now.)

I baked strawberry cupcakes for Jessica's birthday. I used the same recipe/mix from the wedding, substituting 1 1/3 cup pureed strawberries for the water in the recipe. 

I cleaned and vacuumed, in between Dee's meetings, and when he was in his weekly Friday afternoon 2 hour meeting, I sealed the walkway and under the sofa. There is still more to seal, but it will have to be done later.

Kayty ran in the door, threw a few more things in her suitcase, and headed out the door for Vegas. 

We worked in the yard, pruning, digging, watering...I gave the sunflowers an evening water this time. 

We finally took our trip to Costco, though I was so hot, I didn't feel like buying a vacuum at all! Dee worked on some stone polishing for a friend and I cleaned and watched 24 and some scary pirate show. 

After my bath, I finished reading the Book of Mormon for the first time this year. I was slow...lots of other things got in the way of longer readings...but I have three more times this year to meet my goal.

Saturday - I ran and enjoyed looking at the Phoenix Temple as the sun was coming up on the Summer Solstice: longest day of the year = worst day of the year in Phoenix (though it will only be 107 today). I worked in the yard, and Nate came early to work on his truck. We hit a couple of worthless yard sales and then set out to work. 

I made a batch of cream cheese frosting, flavored/colored with plain strawberry Koolaid, and added papers and decorations that Kayty had gotten for me ages ago...

 Dad and Nate were out in the heat: assembling, lifting, aligning, raising, lowering, kicking...

...and got the engine, transmission in. Nate bolted the bolts and wired the wires. He wants it done this coming week...Nate made lots of progress today.

I made up more pizza crusts while dad napped in the chair...ended up with 16. The doorbell rang, and then the fun began.

Ethan wanted her to jump in to him, but she was not going to have any of that. She would sit down and then jump to him. 

Kooper was famished when he came in from swimming, so Nano fed him this whole bottle!

The husband's job is to light his wife's candles. Nathan got them lit...and lit a ladybug antenna on fire as well. 

Happy Birthday, Jessica!

 And during the party, Dad, Doran, Ethan and Nate put the truck bed back on. It's looking good! Now, pray that it runs after Nate gets all the stuff put together! They NEED this to get stuff to Idaho

Everyone was great and washed dishes, Jessica swept the floors, and the house was clean when they went home. It was an interesting day. I guess I picture the perfect gathering, with joyous family stuff, instead of the constant "Shut the Door!", "That door is not a fan" or the occasional disagreement on toy possession. I was kinda let down, though all went very well. My problem is unrealistic expectations, which I need to talk to more people...cuz when I do, they learn that expectation is always false, and to just enjoy the moment. 

Sunday - Woke up, got ready, went to church, came home, ate lunch, Dee went home teaching, finished reading the July Ensign, and enjoyed pics of Kayty's Las Vegas fun...

Early bedtime on a hot Summer night seemed in order.