Repairing the pond front

We have had some sink holes from water washing out behind the retaining wall on the pond front. So Monday, May 19 our friend, Steve DeBoer used this little thing to dig out all along the pond front behind the wall. He also stopped at Outdoor Solutions and picked up the liner that was going against the wall and under the rock. When he got to our house he realized they had loaded the wrong liner. There were two choices of liner: one was $120 a roll the other was $890 a roll...they loaded the $890 roll, we paid for the $120. So we call them, they can't deliver the correct roll until 4, we needed it way sooner so I said I would take it back and get the right one. 

Side trail in the story here...I have been looking for 1/2 whiskey barrels for ages for some places around our house and haven't found any or am too cheap to pay $59 a barrel. (Mostly the latter)

SO...I have the guys load the roll into the pickup, I drive all the way back into town to Outdoor Solutions. They were swamped with people in line, people getting landscape materials, people needing help, you get the idea. But the second I walked in they said how sorry they were and they would change out the roll and thanks for bringing back the expensive mistake they had made. While I was waiting for the exchange I happened to think "Hey, maybe they sell 1/2 barrels" so I asked and the guy said "You don't need to buy them, you can have them. How many do you want?" I said I wanted 2. The lady says, "YOU DON"T WANT THOSE! They are rotting. Find something nicer!" I asked if I could see them and they told me where they were. They weren't rotting, there was only one band on one of them that was slipping down and there were 5 of them. So they sent two guys out to load them and the guy says "Just take them, on the house, all 5! We weren't sure they were any good any more but if you want them, they are yours!" I came home quite thrilled and triumphant!

We then had to put the new liner in behind the wall before Donn Stoner arrived with his tractor to move the rock in behind it. It was super windy on Monday! The instant Bryan and Steve unrolled the mesh the wind caught it and it was like a huge sail. It pulled Steve down, Bryan almost got pulled out of the pond and I was laughing so hard and grabbing my camera that I was no help. Donn was on the tractor laughing and going for his phone. 

It was a long, hot, windy, tiresome day but those guys stuck it out and got it done at about 6 in the evening. So nice to know that our pond will stay where it belongs and the lawn at the front will remian a lawn.

More hair cut

Bobbi cut a few more inches off my hair. I actually weighed myself after the first haircut and taking those 12 inches off, I lost 3 pounds. I knew the hair was heavy, just not that heavy. 

Also, it was so difficult sitting there in her chair, knowing that Travis was planning to ask her to marry him and not slipping up and saying something about him coming out to talk to us! 

A few random things

Suddenly we had a very hot day, no wind (that is the amazing part) and I just had to go lay in the hammock.

Bryan had ordered something and this is how it came...I think I laughed for a whole day at that mess of postage!

Sunday, May 4, Ashley planned a little party out at our house and those are always enjoyable! Love having all those guys out.

Monday, May 5, Travis called and asked to come talk to Bryan and I. He wants to marry Bobbi. But the ring wasn't done yet so I had to keep quiet about it for a week...

My lilacs started blooming. I believe that if I could decorate in a scent, it would be lilac. 

Also that day, I cleaned out the chicken house. Gross job.

I made a passing comment to Bryan about how hard it was to clean out because of the dirt floor and the next thing I know he is in there leveling the dirt, making a surround for the well head, getting concrete mixed up and viola! I have a concrete floor to make life easier. And he added more pavers to the entrance. What a great guy! The ladies weren't too sure at first about the floor.

I planted flowers and helped where I could.

Thought their house could use a few.

Planted a little kitchen herb garden in the pot outside the back door.

On Friday I made some cookies for Bobbi for Mother's Day. (Her dogs are her children) 

Ashley fixed lunch for all of us on Mother's Day. It was a wonderful time at her house, just relaxing and enjoying my family. 

This is Dave Mattingly. Ashley's rescue cat. He is seriously the most amazing blue/grey color I have ever seen on an animal. He's very sweet but a bit needy. When I got there I wasn't paying attention to him, I was just talking to Ashley. All of a sudden he came running at me, leaped up my leg and onto my chest. Scared me a little! So we went into the living room and he got to sit on my lap and get some attention.

Bryan and I had to go downtown to meet with a couple that evening. As we were sitting outside at The Mill, having coffee, the tornado sirens went off. Typical Nebraskans, everyone came outside to see what they could see. It proceeded to become a wild and rainy night. The storms that did damage were north of Lincoln but it poured rain. I took this picture, of the water running by the chicken house, when we got home. We were driving through rain that was coming down so hard you almost couldn't see the road. We call that kind of rain "pond fill". 

Bigfoot and Survivorman?!

We like to watch Survivorman and we like to watch Finding Bigfoot. A couple weeks ago Survivorman went in search of Bigfoot! Well, that constituted having a bit of a celebration. We got together with Chan and Brenda and had a bit of a Bigfoot bash. Can you have a bash when it's only 4 people? Anyway, it was a fun episode to watch and I did make cookies that looked like Sasquatch. 

Maybe too creepy to eat... But I certainly enjoyed creating them.

Pretty serious stuff...

24 days later...

My last post was 24 days ago! Honestly, I don't know how time gets away from me.

Backtrack to...

I wandered out to my garden to see what that green was that was by the bike tire and had no memory of planting a bunch of tulips out there...must have been when we were in the fall fog of looking toward Bryan's heart surgery...but I am glad I did because now they looke like this. Well, the ones that the rabbits left me look like this.

If you remember from the last post, we salvaged this old mop bucket. I decided I needed a side table by the recliner so I made a top from the wood that Bryan salvaged and there it is, a side table with storage.

Bryan is currently very into information on Bigfoot. I am concerned that our next vacation we take may include a search for Sasquatch...but seriously...I am.

One morning we woke to this...fortunately it went away fast.

Mae was a bit confused as to why it was back.

I said "Mae, it's Spring, it's Nebraska you should know this."

That Monday evening we had some company over for supper. All the girls, Travis, Jen and Will Henry and their beautiful little boy Liam, Prince and Pilar Amukamara and their hilarious dog, Stitch. It was a fun night of reconnecting and getting to know Pilar a little better. Jayme loves Stitch.

Then on Wednesday Jayme, Ashley and Jayme's friend, Trey and his little girl, Penelope (Poppy) came out to hang out and eat supper with me.

Then on to getting ready for Easter Sunday. Ashley, Jayme and I went to the Saturday evening service, Bobbi was on worship team that weekend  and of course, Bryan was preaching. For lunch on Sunday all of us, Travis, Ferne, Sandra, Alicia, Jon, Navy, Satchel, Bruce and Cheryl were here. It was a beautiful day, a bit breezy but warm. 

Had to get out the car and tractor so the kids could do some Sunday driving.

As I took this picture of Navy, I said "looks like you and I have the same hair" She looks at me and says "Please don't talk to me. I'm shy."  I cracked up!!

Satchel just posed for me.

Mae was taking logs off the wagon and trying to get to something in there. She threw about 6 on the ground. It was pretty funny.

Bryan and I ended that busy day with a fire down on the patio and just enjoying the weather.

Bryan has been building a closet into the basement at Jayme's. She wanted an old screen door to have for her door. Then put lace in the openings instead of screen. I happened to have an actual door that had no glass in the arched openings so she decided she liked that. I spent a very warm and sunny Tuesday out on the deck putting lace into that and sealing the old paint onto the door.

I got some lovely sun and had fun in the process.

The next day was cold and very rainy. Of course Hudson had a field trip to the Ager Nature Center out at Pioneers Park. Of course it was pouring rain when Boden and I got there. Of course the guide we had thought it was no big deal to walk 10 kindergarten kids and 5 adults and a 3 year old on muddy paths in pouring 45 degree rain to see nature. 

The teacher walked past me at one point as I was struggling to push the stroller and said "I don't know about you, but I am going to need a large Cappucino after this!" Hudson just kept saying "I don't sink I wike field trips." I'm with you, buddy!

So after school we drove through Starbucks and got hot chocolate! 

Then on Friday, Spring being what it is, we were presented with a beautiful day and that was good because Ashley was having a backyard birthday party for her friend, Nikki. I made a little cake for her and decorated it with cookies. Nikki loves Peeps candy so I made the bunnies look like peeps.

Then last night, Monday, we had a little birthday party here for Jayme. All of us, Travis, Jill, Jordan, Trey and Poppy were here to celebrate her.

She loves dinosaurs so I made her a cake that was a dinosaur dig. We had a great time. Lots of laughing and being entertained by Poppy.

And today Jayme is 23. Wow. 

This just doesn't seem that long ago. So glad that God is always in control and knew that we needed a Jayme in our lives. Can't imagine my life without any of these three amazing girls!

Life and a salvage Sunday

Jayme called me a couple weeks ago on a Thursday evening and after going to the Dr. I brought her home to recuperate from food poisoning. Poor girl. She had worked that whole day feeling about as miserable as anyone can. She is feeling better now.

Bobbi gave Hudson a haircut. So cute. Both of them.

It was that time of year. Time for Bryan to sort the fishing tackle.

Last Sunday we went out to an acreage where a man from church has some abandoned buildings. Ashley came a long. She wore her work clothes. Hey the boots are work clothes. We did some demo and salvaged some good wood.

We found some good stuff. Thank goodnes Ashley had a red t-shirt in her car that we could use for a flag. We also celebrated Travis' birthday that day. I made him a Strawberry-Rhubarb pie. It's his favorite.

I've been busy this week making things to sell at the Mission's Bake Sale this Sunday after church. In June Bryan and I are going with a group of 30 people to Malaga, Spain to work at Springs of Life Camp helping Glenn and Sue fix up some stuff at camp. I am really looking forward to the trip. 

 I made some cookies shaped like Spain and decorated them like the flag of Spain. Some Easter Egg cookies. Some Southwest bear cookies. Some breads.

All in all a pretty fun couple of weeks.