Garage sale Saturday

City wide Saturday was postponed in the spring due to Covid.  I wondered if they would end up canceling today for the same reason.  They didn’t.  Everyone knows the risks by now I’d guess. The thing is, the garage sale is our 4-H club’s biggest fundraiser of the year, and we sure hated to give it up.  We plunged in.   We asked for donations.  We were not disappointed with the amount of stuff that we were given.  I had some great help with this project, although our co-leader and the people who usually cart off our leftovers are all in quarantine.  

If I was being honest I would add that I put out on Facebook we were open for donations, and we had a ton of people give the kids stuff.  At one point, one of my co-leaders looked at me and said “what the hell did you do?”   We had so much stuff.  

We were up before the crack of dawn.  We had great help, a ton of business, and the kids made a whole lot of money.  Since it was nice out, we were able to have everything opened up, which made me feel like it was relatively safe.  We also tried to keep 6 feet of distance and sanitized often.  I wish I could say it was over, but we still have to take our left overs to the donation place.  

The best part of garage sale day is treasure hunting.  

These kids worked incredibly hard the last couple days. I am very proud of them.  

Sticker paws had some of the cutest kittens ever.  We have 5, but 3 now have been spoken for.   If the girls would ever leave them wild, we would keep them. They just can’t do it.  Tame kittens don’t live long out here.  

Friday GG stopped at the office after having stopped at dollar general.  Evie got a new phone and some clearance shoes.  She was sooo tired.  I got a kick out of her crashing out in her new shoes while never letting go of that phone!  She woke up in a much better mood!   

Enough

This week has been a little bit long and exhausting.  Seriously it feels like Friday was due 2 days ago.  Not that it has been terrible, we just really got out of practice with all the shutdowns/school out for 6 months.  Getting back into the swing of things is difficult, and there is also still the worry over whether we are jumping in too quickly.  And of whether things are being handled correctly by the county. Our school last week had its first confirmed case of covid in a teacher. This week is the first confirmed case in a student.  It feels a little like a time bomb.  I also personally know 2 people who have tested positive at their jobs but have zero symptoms.  Seriously that is the terrifying part - a deadly disease to some, that others don’t even realize they are carrying. I can see why the conspiracy theory people are losing their ever loving minds.  Still, I am trying to be positive.  Lauren is also quarantined.  I talked to her a little bit this evening, I feel really bad for her.  I know this sucks.  I wish that we could figure out an effective treatment or a cure.  I tried to put a positive spin on it by pointing out it will be a good story for her grandkids someday.  Speaking of grandkids, this girl is my best bud.   She is getting so big and has such a funny personality.  I am thankful that we get to spend time together. 

Saige was practicing getting up-do’s.  She got a little mad when I told her she could not sleep in it.  I’m mean I guess.  

We were all really saddened that grandma had to put her puppy to sleep this week. He got hit and hurt really badly.  We are so sorry grandma and grandpa.  We will miss this sweet boy.  He wasn’t ours, but we all got pretty attached.   

The girls also started back to RE this week.  I am teaching 3/4th grades.  Saige is in my class.  It’s a small class of 3, with a couple choosing to go remote.  I think it will be easy to entertain them!  

This weekend is already not looking like  the . Mecca of relaxation that I was hoping for!  I guess we will settle for making memories instead.  

A new week

I know this is a bad photo, but we were cracking up at Harper carrying Jewwy around in a purse.   This dumb cat loves to crawl in any box or bag he can fit into.  He won’t get out even if you pick him up.  He is a sweet boy but very weird.  

This weekend is the beginning of realizing that quarantine and staying home are officially over.  We have been busy playing catch up on a lot of stuff.   I will admit I got kind of used to having weekends free, and sort of liked it.   No rest for the wicked I guess.  

Even with the craziness, we did find a little time to watch a movie and snuggle with our puppy boy.   He’s getting big and is such a good dog.  We love him!  

This is our month to clean the church.  Harper and I ran over to take care of it.  She was looking at how pretty the flowers she helped plant this spring are.   She asked me to take a picture.  We can’t take any credit. Grandma and some of the other ladies weed and water them.  They do a good job!  

On the way home, we saw these buzzards on the fence looking at grandpa’s cows.  I guess they were waiting to see if any would supply their dinner.   I know they serve a purpose, but I hate buzzards.  They are creepy and gross.  Harper took these pictures out the car window.   

I got a kick out of Preston watching the Bills game this afternoon.  He wanted to yell at the tv but the dog was on his lap and sleepy, so he had to yell quietly. 

I wish that we had a 3 day weekend.  At least we are going in to the new week with a lot having been accomplished.   This week promises to be even crazier.   

Friday night normal

Football carries on.   In my opinion, the reason for fully opening school here was so that they could have a football season.  But that is only my opinion. Of course, we have no kids playing this year.  Not that they don’t like playing, or that we were against it, they just didn’t want to.  But Preston is in the marching band, and they performed at halftime.  I told Jim I am not convinced that school won’t end up shutting back down, and that we better go watch him while we could.  So we loaded up and attended the game.   I tried to mark up the photos, but when I drop them into blogger the mark ups disappear.  Silly technology.   Anyway, if you look at the pictures, Preston is waving, and then he is the trumpet just to the right of the big, sideways standing drum.   Clear as mud right?  

The band did a pretty good job and i am glad we got to go watch.  

I will go on record  and say that for all the precautions and protocol the school is following during the week, they were not following it at the game.  Huge groups of kids, very few wearing masks, no social distancing, looking like a normal Friday night on the Trail.   I hope that it doesn’t cause us problems next week.  

3 weeks in

Well we are 3 weeks into the school year (almost). The first case of covid was diagnosed in a staff member in our district.   Honestly, we made it longer than I expected.   The protocol being utilized is that they closed down the portion of the school where the staff member worked and the person is on quarantine.  A few other people are also being quarantined as a result.  I hope this is the last case, but I know better.  I believe things will not get better from here, but we are doing the best we can.  Evie keeps me entertained during the day.  She has a few books at my office.  This week, she is infatuated with this Bug book.  She keeps bring it to me and saying “flies!”  She’s hilarious.  

When I suggested that we bring home a yip yap doggy, Preston told me that was the last dang thing that we need around here.  Since that time, I have found Preston sleeping with Carlos, snuggling with him, using the words “he is a delight, and cutest doggy ever!” And the cake- putting Carlos in his shirt because the dog is incredibly thin blooded and is always shivering. I have also seen my big old tough guy husband making snacks with the sole purpose of giving the snack to the dog, and sitting in the couch letting Carlos snuggle with him as well.   I’m a genius....this dog was exactly what we needed.  

Evie is money!  

Quincy is going on the next CWF trip.  She had her first meeting last night to meet her sponsor and the other kids she will be traveling with.  We literally just got Preston’s trip paid for, and Now are beginning all over again with the fundraisers.  It is an amazing trip and a wonderful opportunity to learn so much.  I’m happy she gets to go, even if the trip looks a little different.  Preston was supposed to go back in June, but Covid.  He will travel in June 2021.  We hope!   Quincy will go in June 2022. I told the 4-H extension people we are officially on the down hill slide to no more of our kids to send.  

A Sunday for dogs

Mallory had a little party for Olive today.  Yea really. She had a birthday party for her dog. She had cake.  She had hot dogs.  She had paw-tater salad, and kibble, and paw-tato chips.  She conned Madison into making a dog birthday cake.  She decorated her house.  Basically, it was our first dog birthday but we had fun.  We will go to any party for lunch!  

Olive had fun playing with the other dogs too!  Reggie, Pearl, and Carlos were  dog party guests.  It was all fine until new treats were offered.  Small dog fight between Olive and Pearl!   The funniest part was that we broke the dogs apart and realized that Carlos had jumped in and grabbed the treat they were fighting over! Thanks for the fun afternoon Mallory and Olive! 

A week or so ago, Diablo went rogue and had a small adventure.  Harper was a little devastated. After a couple hours of searching, she found him but it appeared that he had hurt his eye somehow.  We cleaned it and gave him extra strawberries.  He is doing much better.  I think part of the problem was he was scared.  He is doing a lot better.  I am thankful. Harper really loves this dude.  

Yesterday. I told Cameron he should wear sunscreen so he didn’t get a C sunburn.  He obviously doesn’t listen.  He isn’t as bad off as “A” guy though!  

The excitement for the weekend was finding and killing a small rattle snake in the garage.  It didn’t have rattles yet, but we identified it as venomous based on its belly scales.  I really don’t like finding the tiny ones because it means there are more in my mind - small snake = nest.   I hope this is the only one that we will see.  I hate killing snakes, but in this case we made an exception!  

Another week is upon us, and again I wonder why the weekends have to fly by so quickly.  

Fishin derby Saturday

Today was the 12th annual fishing derby in Overbrook.    Preston and Quincy didn’t want to take off work, Harper and Saige don’t especially love fishing. Andrew was excited to take Evie though!   She even caught a fish!  I believe she won a prize for the biggest fish caught in her age group.  Interestingly, her daddy won a trophy at the first ever fishing derby!  I am so proud of the dad that Andrew is to this little girl. He is a really great one.  

Jim and the Park and Rec board really work hard on this derby every year.   Making sure there are awesome prizes, and seeing to it that every kid leaves with a new pole.  It’s a great event!  

I’m not going to tell you what the protocol is for attending a KSU game this year, but I can tell you that Cameron was awfully happy to be back in Snyder family stadium with his friends!