That's That

 

Filled and gone.

Rent a dumpster for as long as you need it, and fill it to the top: $250

Clean this place of 20 years of hoarding: I'm going to go out on a limb and say we'll make that back in property value.

Noted, Paid, and History

And so the first Stuber to detention didn't happen until third grade.

Nick wins the prize.

 

More Texts from the Bus Driver:

"Ask nick what he did today and why his is getting an office referral."

 

a minute later, the longest one yet, which read to me something like this:

"blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blahdiddity, blah, blah."

School Fall Festival

Alida, the first in our circular round of stomach virus these last few weeks, perked up by the time the evening came around.

Boy Scout Camping

Weekend before Halloween.

That's not me; I wasn't there for this one.

 

Milk Jug Jack-o-lanterns.

Pretty Cute.

 



Monkeying Around

At the doctor's office.

 

Nicholas was not so inclined that day.

This, This, This, This, That, Done

 

A Simple Task for a contractor, we thought.

Remove the see-through doorway  to the bathroom, and make a small kitchenette in that space under the stairs please.

Contract in hand, we began.

Um, no.

Not what we discussed at all.

Try again.

 

Um No, closer, but really? 

Really, what about finishing out the cabinetry to the stairs did you not understand? 

No.

 

Oh fine.

We're done, go away.

 

 

And so we finished the sucker off.

I paid Nicholas and Elaine $5 each to help; I'd contract with them again in a heart beat.

 

Small guest house, aired out and cozy.

Well, we still have to fix that shower that leaks, even though a plumber inspected it and signed off...

 

Really, if you want something done right, do it yourself.

But, I'm tired now.

Post-Halloween Soccer Game

 

I kept waiting for the text or e-mail last Saturday morning, calling off the games (the two hours of games) because it was 40 degrees outside

 

 

They didn't.

So we arrived in style.

Ben and Nicholas accepting the pants, hats, and long sleeve shirts that I took along anyway after they refused to wear them to the game.

 

And Alida had no such qualms about playing in her hat with leggings under her uniform--leggings with silver cats.  I love this girl.  She finally got out from being goalie.  At the end of the game she was so excited; then she told me she just wanted to be goalie again.

Time has not cured weird eating

 

For as long as I can remember, Halloween evening dinner is simple: corn dogs and tater tots. 

Not for Nicholas this year, he has declared he won't eat a corn dog.

So after asking for a fried egg and bacon (sure buddy, I've got nothing but time on my hands particularly since your dad had to be at work in Georgia on Halloween evening this time around and we live in the middle of no where and had to figure out where to go trick-or-treating), he apparently only eats the yolk, not the white and not the bacon.

Oh yes, more texts from the Bus Driver

 

This time, I didn't even answer them, we were busy taking Ben to urgent care...

 

Even though, the bus driver seriously asked me whether I wanted Ben to get an office referral or not, after sending me a shot from the scene.

 

 

Boy heals well though--stitches out a week later and all is well.

We even wound up finding a local doctor out of the whole mess, and getting everyone in for their flu shots to boot.

Halloween 2014

 

Pre-Trick-or-Treating

 

 

Alida, already victorious

 

 

Elaine, the Indian Princess

 

 

Nicholas, the Brave

 

 

Ben, the Lich.

Whatever this is.

 

(The Undead Wizard, his father tells me.)

 

After: Elaine and Nicholas, reveling in the spoils.

 

 

Alida, choosing who to give her candy to.

 

 

 

And, Ben.

He asked for a second dinner.