Last Hurrah of Summer

Each year I make a mental "Bucket List" of things to do before this favorite season slips away.

It's been a full, busy summer and there were two things left on the list:

1. Go to Montrose beach.  

(This is on Lake Michigan in the city of Chicago.)

2.  Picnic.

Even better:  Take Miss E along with us!

We have been having some very hot days here lately.  Fog has also been a part of the forecast.

It was truly beautiful at the beach even though we could barely tell the lake was there at first.

The sky was bluer than blue and the water had fog above it with extremely low visibility.

And, as it was late in the afternoon no sunblock was needed.

  

Miss E was excited about the prospect of a picnic, but most enthused about the sand she could play with.  Coming from the City Nest and not having the beach toys one would need, I turned to our recycle bin.  The yogurt, cottage cheese and whipped topping containers would do, as well as the colorful spoons brought home from Yogurt Square.  The best toy though?  That would be the egg

carton.

There was one in our little group who chose to swim out  to deeper waters, and two who preferred splashing near the shore.

Though there were people at the beach, it still was relatively quiet.  The balloon man and the cotton candy guy didn't make many sales.

(Although they might have if we had our wallets along.)

Never would we have guessed our lives could be so filled with last hurrahs, blessed beyond belief

thirty three years ago when we bid a sad farewell to our first daughter on this August 29 day.

  God is so good.

A Way to Remember

Our family gathered earlier this month to have the final good-bye for Wes's mom, Muriel.  It was a beautiful grave site service on a perfect summer day.  My way of remembering this beloved Mom, Mother-in-law, Grandmother and Great-Grandmother on this day was taking one of her summer shirts

and sewing it into little dresses for Ellie and Maja.

This print was a little out-of-character for Muirel with its tropical print and bold colors!

 

I knew I needed to s-t-r-e-t-c-h the fabric to make dresses for both girls, so I simply added bottom skirts to pre-purchased t shirts.  I had other plans on how to use the remaining scraps.

Here's Miss E's dress with the skirt having shirt "tails" from the bottom of Muriel's shirt.  (I stitched the button placket sides together, but left the buttons sewn on.)

This is a bit of a funny angle on the picture...the dress isn't quite as long as it appears.

Here is Maja in her dress.  Her sunhat is made from shirt pieces as well.

Miss M likes to suck her fingers like this. Perhaps she will be a bowler one day.

I admit these are dresses one would never select from the racks, but I like to think this was a way their beloved "GGMa" could be present in tangible form.

Once the dresses were made, I knew how to use some of the odder-shaped scraps for my little crafter along with the addition of other fabric remnants.

Yes, I made a Craft Tote!

Tote front: The shirt pocket was removed from the shirt and became a pocket for Lilly and her purple plastic purse.

 

 

 

Tote back:  a double pocket for tucking markers inside or whatever.

 

Here's a look inside:

Crayons, markers, glue stick, scissors, tape...all in there!

 

   I had one last trick up my sleeve - a Search 'n Find game to tuck in the biggest pocket.

I collected fun buttons, took a photo of them, tucked the buttons inside a vinyl-windowed bag stuffed loosely with little plastic pellets and sewed the bag shut.

To play:  shuffle the bag contents around and try to find all 16 objects.  Place a coin or button on the photo card until all objects have been located.  (That is a baby picture of Miss E, by the way.)

Miss E seems to like having her very own Craft Tote...yay!

Now, what to do with the rest of the scraps?  Flowers, pins, rings, hair doodads and bookmarks for the rest of the crew to be given as we gather this Christmas. (Acting surprised is optional.)

Peace - and piece - to the memory of Muriel.

Right on Time

Born at 1:39 AM Aug. 11.  7 lb. 14 oz.  21.5 inches

He deserves a round of applause for starting his entry into the world on his actual due date.

(Though he was born in the wee hours of the next day.)

 He gave his out-of-state  grandparents a chance to drive for several hours and be there for the announcement of his healthy delivery.

He gave his local grandparents a chance in the waiting room to make it to Phase 10 of the game with the same name.

He gave his local aunt - a labor and delivery nurse - the chance to encourage his mother in her labor

with observations of her progress made.

He gave his labor and delivery nurse at the hospital the chance to practice her skills and proficiency to make his entry peaceful yet celebrated.

He picked a quiet, early time to be born with his mother's favorite doctor on call.

He gave his first cries of life to his joyful parents.

He gave his father his first tattoo!

Two feet:  Ten toes.  This tattoo is temporary (we think).

We are overjoyed to announce to the world the news of the birth of

Kaden John Lindahl

He is not only right on time, but fits perfectly right in the center of our hearts 

where love pumps and oozes for this newest family member!

  Welcome to the world, Kaden!

Congratulations to Kari and John!

All seems suddenly right with the world, too.

Shopping with HRH: a Tutorial

When Lady Deb and Lady Marti informed me it was time to go to the Mall to shop for the Royal Grandson, I became a bit flummoxed. However, when it was noted that the Mall had a "family" shop I found myself slightly amused.

The perambulator ride was anything but amusing.

 Now let's get shopping.

 

Some might say my Great Grandson has been born with a silver spoon in his mouth...I'd say it's more like the Royal Treasury. 

Come along, now; we've a rucksack to fill with clothes for HRH Prince George Alexander Louis of Cambridge. I abhor some of the designs on these rucksacks currently.

This is the closest I could come to my beloved corgis.

rucksack (backpack)

In your country, lads and men certainly do not think they wear jumpers - but they do.

jumper (sweater and other tops)

woolly (sweater)
jersey (see above)

No need for a mac or gumboots this summer - it is a scorcher! Perhaps you will be outfitted in these trainers instead. 

mac (raincoat)

gumboots/wellies (rubber boots)

trainers  (sneakers)

A lady can get her knickers in a knot, but a lad never can because his are called pants. Why do Americans insist upon calling trousers pants? They are very different, indeed.

 Forgive my lapse in judgement in close inspection of these Star Wars pants. Very Unqueenly of me and I won't let the Force be so forceful next time. 

Oh, bother. Here is a polo shirt - your Daddy was a lucky bloke when you were born late so he didn't have to miss his match. But, Ralph L. got it wrong, wrong, wrong. A true polo shirt is a turtleneck here in Britain, or so I'm informed. I never wear either. 

Really, it is quite elementary. These jim jams are adorned with braces and poppers.

jim jams (pajamas)

braces (suspenders)

poppers  (snaps)

Perhaps when you come to visit me you will be served some of these foods.  (I will not be amused by poor behavior and shoddy manners.)

        banger (sausage)

bath oliver (dry biscuit eaten with cheese)

biscuits (cracker or cookie)

bubbles and squeak (cooked cabbage and potatoes combined then fried)

chips (french fries)

Kedegeree (dish of fish, rice and eggs served for breakfast)

 Do put on one of these to protect your jumper and trousers.

Next time, wear a waistcoat, won't you?  When you visit me, I prefer more formal attire,  

Now, I'm off on Holiday. Regards.

Congratulations to Will and Kate on the birth of their son George!! 

Souvenir

Ah, Summertime!

Time to bask in the sun, take a road trip and experience something new and different.

Time to pull out the wallet and spend a little money on a trinket or two to recall the sweet memories of this slowed-down season.  

Yes, a souvenir is a great way to savor the summer fun long after the flip flops are stowed away.

Even though it is still July, I have something to remind me of the summer of 2013 - a small souvenir  that came to me when I least expected it....

Is it a beautiful, artistic postcard from someplace with mountains, streams and trees? 

No.  We are sticking closer to home this summer after our travels this past spring.

 

Is it turquoise jewelry from Estes Park, Colorado?

No, been there and done that.

Is the souvenir a shell that echoes with the sound of the ocean?

No, certainly not.  We have a nice collection from the kid's searches long ago.
 

Is the souvenir a rock from the shore of our cabin lake? 

No, I left the rock(s) there. Miss E can never get enough of the experience of watching them skip across the surface of the lake and Miss M is using them as teethers.

Now we are getting closer to the special souvenir I collected this summer.

Is it sea glass?

No,   unfortunately not.  No ocean visits this summer.

 It is glass, though.
Fractured glass from a broken thermometer.

I somehow managed to "collect" a rather large piece of a broken thermometer in my hand this summer...my very own  special souvenir.  It's a crazy story that didn't need to happen as a result of my carelessness.  I hope to never repeat the acquisition of a souvenir like this again.

My glass souvenir even had little numbers on it!

However, the downside of collecting this glass souvenir had to come at a price a bit bigger than this dime. I had to have  hand surgery at a hospital to get it out.  Complete with a doctor and several nurses.  A sling. Stitches.

Post surgery with my precious souvenir.

The plan is to make this a one-of-a-kind souvenir.
It may soon be thrown away.
Happily, I am on the mend now with stitches soon to be removed so that I can go out and collect
souvenirs with no ouch factor.

In Which I POSE a Question

There are so many questions
 one can ponder and wonder about: 

What is the purpose of life?

Why are we here?

Why is the sky blue?

What is wrong with a diet of sweets?

I am currently wondering/pondering this phenomena:

What is going on with all these hand-on-hip poses?

      Do you know what I am talking about?  Just look on Facebook and you will see this pose over and over again!  Not wishing to offend anyone, of course, but I see this pose on

young women graduating from high school, lined up with friends with both ends of the line posing with hands on hips as if acting as matched bookends.  I see an attractive couple posing in their dress-up clothes (weddings and "Occasions") and she has her hand-on-hip posed to perfection.

Does this mean something and I have not gotten the memo?

Is it to look thinner?  Is it to look more appealing?

Is it something learned in ballet class that I missed because I never took ballet?

 

Here is a ballet chart -  one hand on hip pose is apparently not one of the basic five positions.

Then I remembered this Red Carpet moment:

Does Angelina J. have anything to do with the current popularity of this hand-on-hip pose?

If you are so inclined, please tell me what this pose is all about...it appears to have nothing to do with 

the Hokey Pokey moves I am more familiar with.  

Thank you!

Go Bananas - Family Birthday Bash 2013

Recognize what they are all wearing  around their necks?  You probably played with these as kids.

It's that time of year when once again our family has five birthdays to celebrate within a three week time span. We met at a supper club - The White Stag - on our way to our cabin in the North Woods in the UP (Upper Peninsula) of Michigan. 

This is a tradition that we all look forward to! 

Every year I plan a theme and will go to many lengths to keep it a secret from the celebrants.

Last year the theme was dinosaurs as one in the group turned thirty.  (Get it?  She's now a dinosaur - ha!)  In past years we had themes of pirates, flamingos and All-American 4th of July red, white and blue.   Perhaps you have already surmised what the 2013 birthday theme was based upon the top picture.  Drum roll, please...it was

MONKEY BUSINESS!

The monkey faces were actually paper plates and I cut out holes so the monkey eyes could "shine" through for the party-goers shouldst they choose to act as monkeys throughout the course of the meal.

Once we sat down at our table (thankfully in a side room with fewer diners...we can get a bit rowdy), it was time to pass out the treat bags. Inside the bags were items one might use for monkey business such as squirt guns and party blowers. Yes, also chocolates were included...what's a treat bag without chocolates in this family?  For my little sweeties, the bags had monkey-related books and puzzles and a little stuffed monkey with velcro paws for hugging.

While we wait for the food to come, there's time for some monkey-ing around.

Oh, how delicious our food is at the Stag.  Miss M especially enjoyed the iceberg lettuce.

Dinner eaten...cake time!

This year it was a real treat to have an ice cream cake pre-ordered and picked up from a nearby town (Rhinelander).Tricky, too with the possibility of it melting before it could be eaten.
 It was a delicious cake!
Now, on to the gift-giving.

Games inside those boxes?  TICKET TO RIDE (ASIA), BLOKUS, NAME FIVE, CLUE and MAD GAB.

The theme of the gifts: games. Five different games were purchased and wrapped. The celebrants chose a game from the pile and could keep it or trade it.

The Monkey Business continued days after the party was over with the two most willing participants shown here tossing water balloons to each other.

Happy Birthday to

John

Jed

   Kari   

  Anne 

  Wes