Bowling, Birds and Mysteries...

This week went by so fast! Guess that's what happens when you're busy. I tried to come home for lunch this week to let the pups out but a couple of days it just wasn't possible. I guess that shows they can make it, as long as I don't stay too long after school is out.

Things were pretty quiet around here all week. Scott came home on Sunday to do his version of a clean up and then we didn't hear from him until Friday. Apparently he's having a little car trouble. When he called H the first time the car had stopped in the middle of the road and he was lucky to get it pulled over to a turn lane. He called us on the way to bowling and said he was calling a buddy to pick him up and then a tow truck. Bummer.

So we went off to bowling. We were bowling a team that had taken 4 points the time before. Three teams took 4 points, we took 3 so that put us in 4th place. Well, really tied for 4th because 4 other teams had taken 3 points too! But the really exciting part of the evening was, because I had won ladies high game the time before, I WAS ON "THE SHEET"! I don't think I've ever been on the sheet! That's the paper that let's everyone know all the standings. The rest of my team mates are on the sheet often but not me! We bowled really well Friday night. Well, I guess not really well but it felt like it because we took all 4 points! I actually beat everyone on my team one of the games and I didn't bowl all that well! However we did it we did it and that's all we care about in the end!

So, we are finished bowling and sitting at the Royal Diner waiting for our dinner to come and my phone rings. It's not a number I recognize and no one's name is attached to it and usually I don't answer those calls but for some reason I did and boy, am I glad! A sweet little girl voice comes on the phone and asks if I have a dog named Zoe! Turns out she was walking down our street after leaving the high school football game a few blocks from our house and she has found this little dog in the street. It took me a few minutes because in my head I'm trying to go down a list of possible reasons Zoe can be out of my house and on the street and I'm not coming up with anything good! I'm thinking someone broke in and let both dogs out and Charlie is long gone or something along those lines. I know we didn't leave her tied out or anything, at least I'm thinking we didn't. At any rate, I take off, leaving H and our friends behind, and race home as fast as I can. The little girl (teenager really) has told me she's just a few houses away from our house but there's no place to put Zoe so I have to get home, get the leash and then walk to meet her.

Turns out it's just one house away from me and she and a few friends and the lady that lives in the house are all standing out in the driveway waiting for me. Zoe was so happy to see me and left no doubt that she belonged to me with her crying and jumping! I thanked them profusely and took Zoe home. Now I'm worried about what I will find there. I already know Charlie is in the house because I saw him when I opened the door to get the leash. I didn't look around though as I was in a hurry. This time I walked in and announced loudly for "someone" to get the gun because we were going down to the basement to check things out! I figured if anyone got in to the house that would have been the way. Now is probably a good time to tell you that H is on the homeowners association board of directors and has just mentioned a week or so ago how we have had two break-ins in the neighborhood lately. Hence the gun comment! So off me and my brave canines go to the basement with our "gun" which really is just the leash I have in my hand. Everything in the basement looks fine, nothing open. Hmmmmmm, time to rethink this whole break-in thing. After making sure everything at home was ok I drove back to the diner to finish my dinner and pick H up. While eating we decided what must have happened was that just before we left for bowling I had been on the deck with both dogs. When I came in only Charlie made it and we didn't notice Zoe out there. We locked up and left and sometime between 6:00 and 10:00 Zoe escaped from the deck and was enjoying her freedom in the neighborhood. I think it's more likely that she stayed on the deck until maybe she heard the voices of those kids and then wiggled out and went to them but I guess we'll never know because Zoe isn't talking about her escapades!

At least that night ended well, we won 4 points at bowling and Zoe was returned to us. Turns out Scott's problem was his radiator and he got it replaced and it wasn't too expensive after all.

Oh, it was also our 38th anniversary and H brought this out Friday morning before we left for work. Such planning!! They were beautiful. He even arranged them in the vase himself!

The rest of the weekend was uneventful. H and I did a lot of cleaning up and cleaning out. Instead of Spring cleaning we saved it for Fall. More and more signs of Fall are starting to appear.

Leaves are starting to turn.

Birds are turning too.

One more exciting milestone; look who's sleeping in a big girl bed!

The report is that her first few sleeps in it were a success! How exciting!

She's getting so big! Have a good week!

Fall, Moving Day and other stuff

So, yesterday was moving day for Scott. He was hoping to move last weekend but his new roommate was sick and not in the mood. Plus he has until the end of the month so there was no big hurry. Except for Scott. However, Scott was kept busy with the first week of his new job! He likes it, he really likes it!! We are so happy for him that he has found something he really likes. His new roommate had a lot more to move since he's been living on his own for a while. Scott just basically had his bedroom stuff and his TV from the basement.

I told him he could take a few supplies until he gets to the grocery store or gets his first paycheck, whichever comes first.

Tyler made it to Hawaii with no problems and his luggage made it too! He had quite a few plane changes to he's lucky they both got there together. He's settled in his new place and has already found a car to take him around to his interviews. We were supposed to "talk" last Sunday but he forgot and then went to a movie so we just chatted via text. I find I don't get enough information that way. Hopefully we will talk today.

Amber has been busy too. First she had two weeks, back to back of political conventions, a week at home and then a trip to Thailand. She is visiting her friend, Paddy, who she lived with in NYC. I just hope she's relaxing and recharging. I haven't heard much about what she's doing, just seen a few pictures on Instagram. Quinn has been keeping her Daddy company and busy, I'm sure. They've been going places every weekend. She even had her first horsey ride last weekend.

I know she will be glad to see her Mama later today. Not much else is new. The temps have gotten cooler, especially in the mornings, and I've even had to turn the furnace on. It was down in the 40's one morning and that just makes it too chilly in the house.

The hummingbirds are still stopping by so I keep the feeder filled.

The regular bird feeders are being emptied on a regular basis and I find myself filling them up twice a week, at least.

The school year is off to a good start. We haven't started seeing students for ESL yet but probably will this coming week. I also have a new position. As I thought, our ESL hours have been cut. Each of the 3 aids hours was cut in half, from 6 to 3. The other two ESL aides are going to also be reading aides but I am taking a new position as a Behavior Intervention Aide. It is a much needed position at our building and I hope to be able to help those kids that are between basic and special ed, those that need a little extra guidance or help adjusting. So far I've intervened with a few, mostly kindergartners and a first grader. I will be starting full force this week so I'm sure I will be busy.

My pups are missing Tyler who took them to the park every few days. I took them yesterday but today we had rain so we just hung around here.

So that's the news from Michigan. Nothing earth shattering but life goes on. We are empty-nesters. Fall is here.

Have a good week!

Change Can Be Good.....

At least that's what I keep telling myself over and over and over. It's good to move your cheese, life goes on, etc, etc, etc. But first, let's review. The end of July brought a little vaca time our way. H and I headed towards Florida with a brief stop in Tennessee to visit my Aunt Elaine and Uncle LeeRoy. It's pretty much on the way and it's good to see them at least that one time a year. After all, none of us are getting any younger, except maybe my Auntie!

We arrived around dinner time so we met "in town" at the only place to eat, Doris'. From there they delivered us to their home but we had to go "the back way" as the road is being worked on the other way. It was basically a 1-1/2 lane road with twists and turns and even a couple hair-pins thrown in for good measure! The next morning we checked out the new chickens. I am so JEALOUS!! I want chickens!

We also took a little tour around the place and H and I went on a four-wheeler ride.

Here's LeeRoy and Howard posing just before we took off. Of course, no trip to Tennessee is complete without some photos of the many hummingbirds that swarm their 3 feeders which they fill daily. It's quite a phenomenon.

Then, later in the afternoon, we headed out to the lake for dinner and a swim. The water was perfect. We swam then ate dinner on the boat and headed home just before dark.

This butterfly bush was full of blooms and the butterflies were flocking to it. Many of the blooms were way up high so it was hard to photograph them!

The next morning we said our good-byes and were back on the road. We spent that night in northern Florida where that evening at dinner I discovered I had a very itchy case of chiggers! H had to find the nearest Walgreens and get me some Benedryl which helped immensely. Those suckers itched for days!!

The new car on it's maiden voyage! It was a smooth ride! By noon Saturday we had arrived at the beach. Right behind us came Tropical Depression/Hurricane Issac. Thankfully he was still a depression when we got there. Our friend, Mike, was already at the beach with his kids and grandkids.

The tide was way out and the sky was gray. In the next two days we could add wind and rain to that weather. By Tuesday the sun was out and eventhough it was still pretty windy we could enjoy the pool and beach.

Mike and two of his grandkids, Layla and Braden. Somehow we missed pics of the others! :-(

Mike left Wednesday morning and then on Thursday we had new visitors, H's sisters Sharon and Shamar. We hadn't seen Shamar in about 5 years so it was nice to catch up.

While we were down there Amber was also down that way, in Tampa, attending the Republican National Convention for ABC and gathering stories for their political page, OTIS. She checked in every day or so but was so busy she could only come over to the beach after everything was over and only had about an hour before she had to leave for the airport for her flight home. She only spent the weekend at home and then had to turn around on Monday and head down to North Carolina for the Democratic convention! She's been a busy girl with this new job and a certain little someone is spending lots of quality time with her Daddy!!

Part of her time at the beach was spent on the phone having a meeting! We left Saturday morning and thankfully had two uneventful, long days of driving. We seemed to be between storms that had developed thanks to Hurricane Isaac and really didn't have any rain on the way home.

Now to the changes, which I'm sure you've been waiting to hear about!! First, Scott had decided about a month ago that he was going to move out, with a buddy. He signed a lease on a Sunday and on Monday when he got to work he was informed that his hours were being cut in half, from 40 to 20. He got busy looking for a new job and had a couple interviews and two good leads. On Friday, which was also his 24th birthday, he got the news that he got the job that he really wanted and will start in a week! He's also moving into his new apartment the weekend before that. It's been a couple of very exciting weeks for Scott and we are so happy for him. This will be the first time he's ever lived away from home.

Tyler decided a couple weeks ago that he was going to head back to Hawaii. He thinks his odds of finding a job in his field, Marine Biology, are better there. He found some friends to stay with, purchased his ticket and started packing. He left Friday night. He wanted to stay down at the airport since he had a 6:30 a.m. flight instead of making H get up at 3:00a.m. to drive him down there. I spoke to him this morning and he made it ok, as did his luggage, and is staying with friends. He'll be busy the next week or so trying to find a cheap car and starting the job hunt. I'm happy for him but I'm sad that he will be so far away.

This time next week we will be empty nesters. That will be a very strange feeling. In other news, I'm back to school. We are busy doing paper work, going through results from last year's testing so we know the need for services for this year. We did our jobs very well and many of the kids tested so well they won't need support this year. That's a great thing but there may be some changes in our schedules due to this. We'll see. Things are still being discussed but I'm preparing for the worst but hoping for the best.

Fall is definitely in the air. The windows are open and it's a little chilly in the morning. I've been getting up at 5:45 to get my 30 minute walk in each morning. It's still dark out and I have to watch out for the few cars that are out at that hour but it feels good and gets me started for day. As a bonus, I've lost 10 pounds since I started walking a few weeks ago. Yea me!!

Bunco and bowling both start this week. That's the sure sign of fall; school, bunco and bowling!

Have a good week!