Taking Care of the Neighbors' Pets

Our neighbors recently asked if we'd feed their pets

while they were on vacation!

Of course, I said YES right away!

How hard could that be? 
Right???

This one loved us -- I think!  It was always out when we were there!

Later, I found out -- their pets consist of one hamster 

and two sugar gliders!

The hamster was so well-behaved.  We gave her some food

every day with a big piece of kale and she was a happy little camper.

The sugar gliders were something else!

They were well-behaved for sugar gliders, but seriously,

they freaked me out!

See her peaking out of the sleeping pouch!

They are nocturnal and in the marsupial family.

Basically, they look like small flying rodents!

Like Jimmy Johns, they move freaky fast!

We thought since they were nocturnal, they'd stay in their

sleeping pouch all day, we'd put the food in the bowls and

it would be easy-peasy!

But . . . 

one was super active and was awake and moving flying around

every time we stopped in!

It scared the living daylights out of me a couple times! EEEK!!!

We were able to get the food bowls out, but then the little critter

was flying all round super fast and I was afraid it would get out
when we opened the cage to put the food bowls back in.

Maddie did much better than me with getting the bowls back

into the cage!

One day, I waited an hour for the critter to calm down and head

back into its sleeping pouch before I was brave enough

to put the food bowls back in the cage.

You can bet we were so happy when our neighbors returned

from vacation. 
Truthfully, I was counting down the days and 

since they went to Alaska, it was a 9 day vacay!

Lesson learned -- maybe not be quite so fast to say yes!

Hello Summer!

Yay!  It's Officially Summer!

Time for swimsuits and pool parties and 

ice cream and lazy days!

But, our weather is not cooperating!

We had extremely hot conditions in May and earlier in June - 

like 98+ degree temps for days and days and days in a row.

We were roasting!!

So, we did get some pool time in then,

but now that its officially summer -- it's 70 and raining -

raining cats and dogs this week!

Oy! Hoping for better weather by the weekend!

Jodee and Kamree joined us for some pool time too!

It was a lovely hot night and the girls loved cooling

off in donut floaties!

Kamree had some mad/rad skills in flips off the diving board!

Sewing 101!

One of the classes Maddie had last semester was a

Design/Sewing Class.  I think I was just as excited as

she was to learn new things and improve on sewing skills.

But, oh my -- that class had a lot more requirements than anticipated!

The class started out with hand-sewing -- which is harder than one would

think, but Maddie did very well.  They sewed pin cushions, a little

doggie and something else that neither she nor I could actually identify -- 

something shaped like a strawberry, but unknown as to its actual purpose - 

if it had a purpose, that is.

Janie's Apron- a little small for M

Then they went on to real sewing projects.  The instructor had a long list of

potential projects with points associated with each item.  The goal was to

work up to 500 points by the end of the semester!

That may not sound like a lot, but making a pillow or pillow cover

only amounted to 20 points, so that left another 480 to go.

She learned early on, that searching on Google for "easy to sew 

beginner projects" is a better method than buying an old-fashioned pattern.

One of the sewing projects Maddie made was an apron for 

Janie B (her niece).  It turned out so adorable and it is reversible, so

I made a smaller version for Dorothy and also aprons

for Walt and Harry - also reversible!

Aprons for Walt and Harry -- "What's Shakin' Bacon?

Other items Maddie made included drawstring bags, envelope pillow covers,

a skirt (knit fabric is no one's friend), aprons and pajama pants!

She did manage to accumulate over 500 points with all her projects

and a A for the course!

For some unknown reason, the teacher would not allow Maddie to

sew any dog bandanas or bath wraps [both my suggestions]!

  What the heck!!! 

 It takes a bit of

skill to make those too!

First Communion

As you may (or not) have noticed from my last post,

my Granddaughter, Jane, recently made her

First Communion.

It was such a special day and so beautiful!

We were so happy to be able to be there and share in

such a wonderful day and celebration!

She was quite lovely and has the sweetest spirit.

We love her so!

The whole adorable family!!