Hello Summer!

Weekend Wrap Up

Hey gang. How goes it? Hope you enjoyed your weekend as much as I enjoyed mine.  Friday night we didn't get to have a campfire as it was a bit breezy, but lovely just the same. So we sat out on the patio and some of the neighborhoodlums wandered over, Gerry and Sandee to be specific.

Sandee headed home because she was beat after a long day and a road trip, so G, Gerry and I headed inside for a little youtubing. We played some serious throwbacks and great craic!

Saturday, we spent some time in the yard and then I headed to my niece Cait's baby shower. She has a little less than a month to go before baby Olivia Marie arrives.

It was a perfect day for the festivities.

I even won a prize. We had to cut a length of ribbon as long as we thought Cait's baby belly was around. Well, first everyone was telling me I was going way too long so I went short. Then they were all chiming that I'd gone way to short and it would never fit around. Lo and behold, mine was bang on!

My niece Maddie (on the left) came in second with only a tiny gap.

I got to take pictures of some pretty cute munchkins at the shower, including baby Teddy, our niece Nicole's (center above) best friend Abby's latest cherub. We've watched Ab grow up and now she's a mom twice over. Where does the time go.

Cuteness alert! Just look at these toes!

When I got home it was a still a beautiful evening out.

 
G had cut down our dead (insert sad face here) apple tree. It was completely hollow inside and we had milked it as long as we could. So, G built a campfire and threw some of the trunk on.  The flames shot right up through the middle.

Sunday was another glorious day. I spent it working on the pool, which I predict I will be in by the end of today. When I wasn't doing that, I was in the garden. Planting two more potatoes, doing some more mulching, mounding up around my potatoes so they produce more spuds.

Everything is looking good, including the beans.

The cardboard and leaves combo is doing a great job of keeping the weeds down. Can I get an amen on that one?

The weekend ended with great World Cup match against Portugal, who is ranked higher than the USA.  Well, we let them score on a weird bounce of the ball off our defender's leg as he was trying to clear it away from the goal. That was in the first 5 minutes. Bummer. We didn't let it bring us down though. We played great, and our player Jermaine Jones came back and put one in from 64 feet out. It was monstrous. Then, we score another great goal, a real team effort ending with Clint Dempsey hip checking it in. It was classic. We were looking good. We were looking great. And then came 5 minutes of injury time added on. Down the the last 30 or so seconds and we couldn't stop Portugal from scoring. Talk about deflated hearts. That close to a big win. Ugh. But at least we came away with a tie and not a loss.

Then there was sunset meadows to soothe my woes. 

Ah, that's better.
And all was right with the world.

What's on your plate for the week? Mine has lots of collateral design, ad design, some email marketing design and revisions. Full plate for sure.

Make it a good one!

Ciao for now,

Country Livin' and Sky High

via Corrine Douglas

Well What? 

You know you live in the country when you have to learn to be a 'jack of all trades'. Literally. This is especially true if you own your own home in the country.  I know some of you are nodding your heads.

Due to the hose incident (which you can read about here), we hadn't had water in a couple of days. The water has recharged itself in the well, but the pump didn't want to cooperate. Not much use having water in the well if you can't pump it to the house, right? So the G-man spent the day in the well, working on the pump. Actually, first he hung upside down into the well for a good while untile neighborhoodlum Tom came over with his tractor and took the house off the well so they could have more room. 

Ugh. My poor little pump house.

THEN Gar spent the rest of the day IN the well while he, Tom and Fred troubleshooted what in the dangnabbit was wrong with the pump.

Did I say this went on ALL day? I don't mean to be repetitive.

You see the pump would run and work getting water to the house, but it wouldn't shut off. Finally, they decided that the switch was gone. Off to Home Depot for a new switch, back to install it and still.....run, run, run.

Really?

Yup. Really. This was not making any of too happy. In fact, I was far from happy.  They were far from happy.

Neighborhoodlum Gerry had just gotten home from work and they called him to see if he had a gauge. They wanted to measure the water pressure so see if they'd missed a leak or something else during the replumbing and switch install that was causing low pressure. Then, just as Gerry was walking over with the gauge, it stopped. It did what it was supposed to. 

Life really would have been 'crap' if we'd been out of beer for these guys after that nightmare of a fix.  Luckily we have the best neighbors in the world who are always here to help.

So after it finally 'did what it was supposed to we held our collective breath, did the snoopy dance, then breathed a sigh of relief. Though it does seem that the pump is still not cycling 'quite' right, it is in fact doing it's thing. This makes me incredibly happy. Thank you men. Hello water. Hello flushing the toilet without having to fill up the cystern with water. Thank you men.

This morning Garrett is off to the plumbing store for a new foot valve. What? You don't know what a foot valve is? Well, he's getting a new one and we're hoping that will fix the 'not quite right cycle' issue. Fingers crossed. Then perhaps the house can go back over the well.

How's your week been?

Photo Challenge Day 10: Sky High

What a great photo challenge this has been. Fantastic submissions, super sweet people particpating (if you want to be one, read this), a chance to get to know each other better. These were a bright spot coming into my inbox the last day. Thanks for that.

Take a moment, step outside, direct your eyes skyward. 

The signs are everywhere.

'look up', via Karen at Bridgit's Bell

Take it all in.

'spectacular spectacular', via Karen at Bridgit's Bell

You never know what you might come across.

'stag's leap', via Karen at Bridgit's Bell

One red balloon.  Not 99.

'the one that got away', via Ashley at Papyrusaurus

One tall tree. Not 99.  I know there is not song about 99 tall trees, but I thought I'd throw that in there anyway.

via Corinne Douglas

Maybe there should be a song about 99 trees.

via Corinne Douglas

Guess where the next one was taken. Go on.....guess.

'East Meets West', via Emma at My Boju Life

What's not to love about exploring tidal pools with blue sky above?

'tidal sky', via Cari-Jane at Hybrid Handmade

One of my favorite spots in the world. FYI, just bhind that tall building in the front is Wall Street. I hear it's a pretty happenin' place.

'tall ships, tall buildings', via Pam at Mercantile Muse

Yesterday ended better than it began.

'nothing but blue skies', via Pam at Mercantile Muse

'coppertone', via Pam at Mercantile Muse

Two more challenges left. If you're participating in the next, 'landscape', you'll need to get me your submission by end of day Sunday. 

What's hot for the weekend gang?  Our Dublin family Part Two arrives this evening. We will be spending time chillin' with our peeps. Pool time today for sure as it's supposed to be in the mid 90s. Tomorrow looks like rain, not a bad thing for the well and I know my nieces will be able to think of something (read shopping) to do.

Freeform Friday

I found this video last weekend while youtubing. It was a one thing leads to another discovery. It makes me happy. Even though I have no idea what they're singing, it makes me happy. O Rappa is from Brazil and they have a new fan. What I really love is the way everyone is singing along, and not just to the chorus, but to the entire song.  It's got a perfectly wonderful, lazy summer feeling to it and that's my wish for you this weekend.  Click here if you're reading the Muse by email.

Peace out,

Say I Do

Another Wedding

It's been a busy Summer. A reunion, a wedding, the big lobster bake and yesterday evening, another wedding.  It was an absolutely gorgeous evening for Andrew, our neighbor's son, and Dayna. Couldn't have been more perfect. The setting for the ceremony was amazing. Hamilton House, and historic property just over the border in South Berwick, Maine.  What a lovely way to celebrate the start of a new life together.

The groom and his father, neighborhoodlum Tom.  Looking dapper.

We went with neighborhoodlums Gerry.............

...and Sandee.  We all wandered the grounds checking out the place and wondered how we'd all missed it until now.

A new direction for Dayna and Andrew.

The best man and brother Nick making sure he's got the rings. Check.

The groom. Waiting.

And so it begins. The best man and the Mother of the Groom, Joanie.

The bridesmaid. Beautiful dresses.

Maid of honor. They looked like Greek Goddesses in Magenta.

Are you ready Andrew?

Here comes the bride.

Father and daughter.

I do.

I take your hand in mine.

With this ring.

Introducing Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Gough.

Our 'neighbor-in-laws, Emile, Carol and Kenny.

Then came the reception and the first dance as husband and wife.

Mother and son dance.

Everybody dance!

And we did.

All. Night. Long.

The Bride even did the slide.

By the end of the night we were seeing double.

Not really, but it was a good segue for Joanie and Janey.  We couldn't have been seeing double, think we nearly drank them out of water. That's what happens when you dance your sweet patootie off.

Congratulations Andrew and Dayna. It was a beautiful day and ton of fun. We were very happy to celebrate with you.

That's it from here folks. It's Tom's birthday today, and there is sure to be a 'little' more celebrating. Happy Birthday Tom!

Ciao for now,