Delay tactics

I don't know about you, but if I have something I have to do that I'm dreading I find other things to do instead.

So yesterday I helped the boys clean out the toy box and clear out from under the beds. We found all sorts of lost toys and identified a good number of toys to donate. The room looks really good.

I had the boys take the nobs and hinges off a skinny CD stack. We had previously filled in cat scratches and nail holes with wood filler and the boys had sanded it down. Then I let them spray on primer. I thought that was the easiest primer, but when Boaz had a turn I realized that it's not after I saw the uneven coverage and drips. So I sanded the drips down and have paint on primer on my next shopping list.

I spray painted the outside of 33 masks. My fingers hurt. I tried different fingers and a thumb to relieve the pressure. The 33 masks were 2 cans worth. I have 6 more cans on my next shopping list.

I also cut out eye holes on about 25 masks.

I was feeling very good about the day. Then a neighbor came by with milk jugs and wanted to know if I needed help with the papier mache. I was trying not to do the papier mache. But with her there to help, we got going. We did 7 more masks. After all the delay tactics I could find, I still ended up to my elbows in flour glue.

Oh well, I finally called everybody on the list to see how many masks I had out there. It's looking much better than I was afraid of. I think we will make our 150 quota.

I will be so glad when this project is over!

Boaz at his happy place

 

The beach was windy and chilly. The boys moved around enough to not have a jacket. They ran up and down the dry sand. They dug holes with any implement they found. They played cops and robbers, sword fighting, fort, etc. Josh brought a buddy. I was surprised at how it changed the day. Instead of dancing in and out of the waves, they stayed for the most part dry.

I walked down to the waves with Boaz. (That is where we got the picture.) We picked up a few rocks and broken shells. I told Boaz that I would walk in the waves with him again if he wanted too. He smiled. But he gave up his favorite happy place for his other happy place of playing with his brother.

I had my hoodie on the whole time. I laid on my blanket and listened to them play. I would keep track of them, but basically relaxed on my blanket. I had sun screen, but it was so cold I didn't feel the need to use it. Now the backs of my legs from my knees to my ankles are burned. It is the worst burn I have had in at least a decade. My skin is tight and doesn't want to stretch. I've been slathering on aloe gel. I felt my legs all night long last night. When they touched the sheets or each other. I tried to get them where they would touch nothing.

You would think that by the time I have reached the age of 44 I would know how to take care of myself. Evidently I still need reminders. Craig (was at work while were playing) just shook his head and wondered how I can forget simple stuff --like applying the sunscreen that I had next to me.

Still a lovely day with the boys and Karly (who at 17 didn't get burned a bit).

I didn't send him to school like this.

 

He enjoyed it for the first day. The next day he scrubbed and scrubbed to get it off. He wore his hoodie to hide it. He did a pretty good job of getting it off, then I finished the last edge. A silly place to put a tatoo. I'm glad it was fake.

 

All tatted up. From field day, the second to last day of school.

Thea's graduation

 

Yea! We found her in the mad crush of people.

 

Smile big for the camera. :)

 

What a great day for the parents. The boys hung in there, but Dad (and me) enjoyed the moments. She is now offically out of high school. The summer has started and she is preparing for college. It's a good thing. :)

Chess

Being the Bear Den Leader has challenged me to do stuff. Like the masks and visiting the Sheriff's Office. This week, we learned about chess.

Craig taught Josh a while back. So he already knew the basics. In the past two days, Josh and I have played two games. In today's game, he tried to set me up into taking his pawn. I was not interested and he was perplexed.

"Mom, why didn't you take my pawn?"

"Josh, I'm not interested in your pawn. I'm after your king."

I've been thinking about that. How many times do we get distracted from the important things with trivial distractions. By going after the king, I was able to control the game. He reacted to my moves. I'm not a great chess player. I thought I had checkmate twice, but he saw a way out of it. Then when I did have checkmate, I thought it was check at first. I'm learning too. But I know enough to know I want to call the shots. I can't wait back and see what he is planning to do. Just get in there and find a plan and go with it. Kinda' like life.

A closed window

Last night I left the door open to our shed. It is a well hidden door. I had 27 masks in varying stages of drying. The fan was on, and I thought an open door would circulate more air.

This morning, not early at all, I went out to check on my masks to see if I could turn off the fan. I noticed immediately an Easter basket had tipped over and the colorful plastic eggs scattered all over the entryway. I bent down to clean them up and registered a frantic noise over my left shoulder.

Looking up, there was a blue bird desperately beating against the closed window. It could see the trees outside but couldn't understand the closed window was not the way to reach safety.

I reached for a broom and thought I could shoo the bird to the wide open door. The pitiful creature just hopped over the broom and continued it's useless, exhausting wing-beating against the increasingly dirty pane.

To get to the bird, I had to clear out some corner junk. It tried to hide behind a box, still right next to the impossible pane. It was tired enough and single minded enough to allow me to trap it against the window and catch it. I could feel it's beating heart, racing against my fingers. I cradled it carefully, trying not to damage feathers and delicate bones and carried it 5 steps and out the door. I put it on the lid of the recycling can and it flew off to the safety of a neighbor's tree.

I hope it can recover from the exhaustion and shock of being handled and enjoy the spring/summer day today.

I on the other hand have realized the importance of closing doors -- well hidden from people, but perhaps a lovely, dangerous invitation to wild creatures.

Miss Karlynne

 

With so many people, how do you find everyone? (And I loved her shoes. :))

 

A high school student no longer.

The boys first graduation

 

Actually, they did really good. Iy's not easy to sit still on the bleachers for two hours.

Graduation

 

Not a bad picture from up in the nose bleeds. She eventually found us. :)

 

I made her put her hat back on so I could get the picture.

 

Four friends who made it together. They sang together, played together, traveled together and graduated together. :)

 

So many people wanting pictures. Only an auntie was strange enough to take a picture from the back.

The top is done!

 

I still have the back to piece and the binding to cut. I need to get a bat. The thing needs to be sandwiched, pinned, and quilted. But the borders are on and staying put.

I put the borders on twice. The first time, they looked like crap. I didn't measure or pin. The second time I measured very carefully and pinned conscientiously. I was going to miter the corners. After I had the first border on, I realized I didn't leave enough blue fabric for the mitre. I refused to tear the border off again. So I made up a new corner design. It turned out pretty good.

I'm already dreaming up a new quilt to get started on. :)

Visiting with the sheriff's office

 

I wanted to take my bear cubbies to the sheriff's office. I said I had about 5 boys. The Weblos and the wolves wanted to come to. Plus the siblings. The sergeant was surprised. I had forgot to update the number going. Oppsie.

 

A different view of the kids.

 

After a tour, we walked to DQ for ice cream cones. In true Oregon fashion, it drizzled the entire way. The day before I got a sunburn. The day after it poured. I was grateful the deluge waited a day for us. I didn't collect trip permits. If we were going, we were walking.

summer hair cuts

 

I have been threatening to cut the boys hair for more than a month. They decided that they wanted it very short. So the other day, I got out the clippers and began. Craig from the couch told me it wasn't short enough and I should do what the boys wanted. I just looked at him and kept going. I think it's plenty short. When it was all done, Craig said, "Oh."

 

Josh going for the GQ vibe.

 

Boaz signals victory.