On my walk...

Took a camera with me on my walk yesterday...As I was strolling down the side walk I spotted this squirrel having breakfast and snapped his picture. It is not a particularly good photo but I posted it anyway because just as I was taking the picture a woman came flying out of her house and said, "What are you doing?!" and I said "Taking a picture of a squirrel." She calmed down just a bit then but I was thinking 'get a grip, lady'. Geez. My camera was no where near getting her or her house in the shot. I still do not know why she had her undies in a wad.

And then as I was coming home I spotted Leo and Lexi sitting in friend Norma's driveway on the phone. Leo was on the phone, not Lexi.

Later in the evening Leo and Keri came into town to get their evening constitutional , a regular habit on their part, and we joined them for a walk to the Dairy Queen. One of the things I truly love about Jefferson is that it is a great place to take a walk at any time of the day or night. And it is pretty darn nice having family nearby as well.

Before and After-windows closed off

1.This is before the window was removed and closed in. The location is where our bathroom/laundry will be located. 

2. Closed in but no paint.

3. Finished!

No before picture for this location. You think you have every possible angle but...Wrong!

Closed in but needing paint.

Still in need of a 2nd coat of paint.

This is on the south side of the house and where the window was located will be where my stove and vented microwave will be set when we are finished.

Progress

It has been a productive week here at the little house on the Iowa prairie. We have two windows filled in along with other holes that needed filled before we can insulate. I have some annual and perennial  flowers planted. I am holding off on more till the new windows are in because they would get trampled in the process. It looks like electrical is next on the list. Butch has doubts about what is needed but I have it pretty clear in my mind where I want things located so it should go a bit smoother than he thinks. We need to get the electrical boxes and wire in place before insulation too. For me getting it insulated has become a goal of sorts as it should look a whole lot different when that is done. Let's call it a mini-goal.
The weather has been near perfect despite the fact we could use some rain. My rainbarrel was filled early on but I can tell it is getting down because I can wiggle it a bit. Cannot do that when it is full. I could also tell there was not much snow this past winter as the soil has a much different quality than last year. It is dry farther down than normal.
Must get on with the day...so till next time...

The work has commenced in earnest

Yesterday we both got down to business after our walk. Butch closed off a window on the south. It will be where the kitchen stove will be located so the window simply would not have worked in that spot. I helped him now and then when he needed a hand but in between I worked on the flower bed in front of the house. Oh yes, this was after two loads of laundry. So I feel like I worked my butt off yesterday but last I looked it was still behind me.
Today's plan is to close off another window. This one in the bathroom. Butch hates to have this one closed because the ventilation from it has been beneficial at times. But there comes a time when you just have to plunge forward. The sequence of things can sometimes be tricky.
Moving on now...

Papa Gary's birthday videos

These are all small videos.
Friends: http://youtu.be/0QyJjQVHgNc


Presents: http://youtu.be/qsQp8C3NVsg


Bike: http://youtu.be/UUeKC_Fvpes


Bubbles: http://youtu.be/cr9V5LA1rTQ


Slide: http://youtu.be/MyTdm4Ps680

From Papa Gary-Field Trip

School Field Trip to Deanna Rose farmstead


Goats: http://youtu.be/6rf9OF2fIXI


Hayride: http://youtu.be/yhWDx9RPgGk

Birthday video coming soon

Birthday weekend

Getting reacquainted with our great grand Elise on her birthday weekend.

Gary started off the weekend on just the right note by telling us he had a new job! We were all excited about this. Gary is a middle school math teacher and football coach at a small school 30 some miles from their place in Lees Summit as of last Friday.

Elise Colleen Teeter is two,
 What a surprise this little snippet is! Her vocabulary is astounding and there are many examples of this. Her Nana Susan was getting her dressed and she said she wanted to wear panties. I asked Susan incredulously if she was wearing big girl panties and she said that she was referring to pull ups. Although she is trained for the big job.  She told Elise they would have to see if her mom had sent any so a few minutes later as she was putting on her diaper she said "I want a different diaper."  A DIFFERENT diaper? That blew my mind. She not only has a large vocabulary she also knows the meaning of the big words she uses.
Later she was saying she had a hangnail. This "Hangnail" was on her sock and it was a loose string but she really does know what a hangnail is her grandma assures me.
Cheese is her favorite food and she still has a ravenous appetite. Yes, she is spoiled but that is what grandparents do. She has 'imprinted' on her Papa Gary and follows him around wherever he goes and the minute she is upset about anything she wants Papa Gary. Papa Gary is her go-to guy for everything.
Her birthday party was a big event for her and she handled it quite well with only little spots of upset. In the midst of opening gifts she wanted to do something else and started crying. Her Mom said, "Elise, there are more presents to open. She said, " I am crying". In other words, Mom I am busy right now, maybe when I finish. She talks all the time...and I mean ALL the time. Her mother was the same way but I believe Elise may have her beat. Everything she does she tells you. "Eating cheese. Now waffles and dip. Dip, by the way is syrup and just like her great grandpa Butch she likes the 'dip' better than the waffle. Go outside. Go inside. Vacuum. Fork. Heaven. (Wiley the cat went to heaven to be with God) and yes, she also says God.
I will relate more of her  vocabulary words as they come back to me or Nana Susan reminds me!
Below are birthday and other weekend pictures.

The skirt Elise is wearing is  a tutu...a craft project her mother found on Pinterest.

Part prep

Papa Gary and Elise

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