conversations with invisible pigs and sheep

Last Monday at the park:

They love the swings (and maybe each other, just a little bit…):

Morning walk:

And, last day of school:

So, 18 months after we moved in, we started painting. Each room took forever, because I’m so thorough about it. But before we left for SC, the living room, breakfast room and “dining room” was done.

Now, we haven’t eaten in our dining room but once, and that was for our party last Easter. It’s been mostly a storage area, and later, I put my laptop and printer in there. So, we decided that Dad would move his office in there, because it’s bigger, the air circulation is better (his little office got so hot) and he can have a view of the backyard and side street (which is better than the obstructed view of the side of our neighbor’s house).

Besides the fact that the color we picked for it is an awesome, grassy dark green, the bookcases fit perfectly, we put in a lighted fan, and there’s room for Jim’s computer desk as well. And there’s still a lot of floor space. Combine that with the large opening into the unused living room, and you have a great new playspace. Which Colin quickly appropriated for his trains. (Yeah, so much for getting the cushy carpet in the family room — it’s no good for trains and other toys).

Excuse the fuzziness, I didn’t realize I had a big jim-print on the lens at the time:

Jim will occasionally venture in and read a pokemon book. The only downside is that Colin will occasionally get distracted and venture under the desk to turn off one of the power strips. I have to hack a storage box for them.

Today is the first day since we’re back where we haven’t had to go out anywhere in the morning, which means, we don’t go anywhere. (Except Karate tonight, but that’s a regular Thursday). The groceries have been purchased, the laundry is done, the bathrooms are clean.

The weather was nicer earlier in the week, so we went for walks in the park Monday and Tuesday before running our errands. Tuesday I took a very muddy Colin to the library. We went bowling yesterday morning. I sewed up the tablecloth for the table, so no more worrying about yogurt in the crevices between the leaves. Today Colin and I cleaned up the front porch from the 18 months of construction dust that was making everything look dingy (you would think that I would have learned something about having white siding from the old house). I re-potted my mother’s day plants and mowed the lawn (with some much rain, I took the first opportunity to do this).

I still have a huge to-do list, like getting the window film on the windows and the curtains sewn up, and then moving on to fixing up the office for me, now that Dad is fully moved into the old dining room. I’ve got pictures and videos to process.

Oh well, time to make lunch….

Same camera, when I was allowed to use it…

Times Square

Boys and Pikachu at Nintendo World Store

Dancing Jim, at top of Rockefeller Center

Colin and the trains

Silhouette of the Boys, top of Rockefeller Center

For Jim and the family, we picked up a new point and shoot camera, since mine has been missing for months. I think it really gives him an easier way to be artistic. These are some he took Friday. I got some Photoshop actions (post-processing tools) that I tried out on them. The indoor pictures are from Top of The Rock (Rockefeller Center).

Self-portrait with brother

Fire hydrant

Air freshener

Menu

Menu man (where I got a little crazy with the actions)