Sunday Sum-Up

 We had a thunderstorm last Sunday. Lightning, thunder, hail and wind gusts up to 50mph. It took down many tree branches and a few trees looked like they were doing the hula in the wind. Monday B called a company we had used previously to take down a dead tree to get an estimate on the cost of removing one tree that is in a bad spot in relation to the house.  They were to come out Tuesday but the heat and humidity was so bad as well as the air quality due to the Canadian wildfires that he gave his workers the day off. He came out Wednesday and gave us a price that was not as bad as we thought it would be.  It would include taking down the very very tall poplar as well as a dead tree which was in the way of getting the machine in the back yard and cleaning up all the wood as well.  We are going to have it done in August.

As I said the temps and humidity was awful in the beginning of the week. We had three fans going during the day and at night.  During the day we were okay but even with the fans sleeping was not peaceful.  Can't wait to see the electric bill for this month.  Thursday, the temps went down into the 60s so it was very good sleeping weather at night but the temps are supposed to go back up by Monday.

The Canadian wildfires have been making their presence known around here with all the smoke and ash.  We have had air quality advisories for 4 days to the point that many events in the area have been canceled as well as some workers have been given time off.  Ashes were seen covering cars and falling from the sky like rain.  Hopefully that will back off soon.

We had an influx of daddy long legs spiders all over the house back and front.  It seems that this is their mating time of year.  They also plant themselves on the front and back as there are a great many insects because we have the lights on at night.  B has been using his blower to get them off the house in the mornings.  We will be happy when they are done with the mating and are gone.  My house every morning looks like a 1960s spiders horror movie.

Well, I hope you had a constructive and fun week.  Hopefully the weather in your area is something you are happy with.  Next week can only get better....Right?

Friday Favorites

                                                               Ice-cream flavor: Spumoni
                                                               Senior Activity:  Jigsaw puzzles
                                                               Color:    Purple
                                                               Season:  Summer
                                                               Holiday:  Christmas
                                                               Food: Tortellini w/meat sauce
                                                               Movie:  Casablanca
                                                               TV Show:   NCIS
                                                               Hot drink:   Vanilla Cappucino
                                                               Cold drink:  Strawberry Lemonade

(Thank you to Rian from her blog "Older but better...?" for the idea.)

Monday Smile

This would be me!

 

Saturday Sum-Up

B and I watched "A Capitol Fourth" on PBS. It's a great way to watch good performances and the fireworks without worrying about bathrooms, bugs and parking not to mention the traffic jam to leave at the end.

B and I enjoyed a nice quiet holiday weekend.  We grilled on Saturday because it was too hot to turn on a stove or oven.  Burgers and potato salad with ice cream for desert made for a lovely 4th of July dinner on the back deck.

Our youngest son and dil came over on Sunday with dil's parents - surprise! The inlaws have bought a house in the UP.  It is located only about 9 minutes from the kids and they are excited to move. They have talked about it for a long time and went ahead and did it.  They are thinking they will be moved to the UP by the end of the year. We also talked about how a move is a great time to do some purging so you don't have to move so much stuff. It was very good news.  No more traveling for the kids downstate over the Mackinac Bridge especially in not so nice winter weather. 

Monday, B and I went to the post office to mail in some bills, the library to do a jigsaw puzzle swap, picked up a few groceries, dropped off absentee ballots at the township hall, picked up B's prescriptions and donated a number of items to UPAWS (the local animal shelter).  In order to save on gas, we try to incorporate all our errands into one trip.

What with the heat wave and two days of thunderstorms B and I decided to run away to Escanaba and the Island Casino for 2 days.  Escanaba is only an hour from us and the casino is another 30 minutes from there.  We got a room which was quite inexpensive compared to some hotels we've been to. After registering for our casino cards (everytime you put the card in a machine, you earn points which can be used in the restaurants in the casino), we went to play.  Amazing how much time passes when you are sitting in front of one of those game machines.  B and I did pretty good with both of us racking up a little over $100 apiece.  We ate dinner at one of the restaurants and with points got a discount of 50% on the bill.  Friday morning, we had a quiet, relaxing breakfast in another of their restaurants and then we were off for home.  Needless to say, it was an inexpensive runaway that we both enjoyed.

The weekend will be quiet.  Our only project will be on Sunday as we have to replace our mailbox which got damaged in a snowstorm by a county plow this past winter.  B put it right temporarily with rocks and braces but now that the warm weather is here, we will be putting it more permanently with cement.  The weather will be in the 80s and sunny so it should set fairly quickly before the mailman comes Monday.

All in all, not a bad week in July for B and me.
 

Thursday thoughts