Wrap up of July

Blogging has fallen by the wayside these last few weeks of July. Busy, busy. Let's catch up.

Madison visits - Daughter #1 arrived for an in and out visit. Her plane arrived Thursday night a few minutes before it was legitimately Friday. Tom and I managed to stay awake long enough to collect her from the airport, but she outlasted us by far once we got her home. We crammed several days worth of favorite foods, crazy activities, and a game night into the small period she had before leaving us on Sunday night. Having both girls home was a mother's dream. And a father's dream. We both felt complete with them tucked into their beds at night. If only it had lasted longer...

16th Birthday - We celebrated one of my replacement children's birthday. These are the kids I'm co-mothering because my own children have left the nest. His family and Darcy and I went to an Italian restaurant, took up the entire back corner, and partied until we could no longer party. There was plenty of wine, decadent and rich food, and this delicious double cookie cake. Presents were plenty, and then a week later, Darcy took both kids out for a night of laser tag. We counted the 16th well celebrated.

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Pool Girl - Somewhere amid summer, pool care became my job. Our neighbors had requested some swim lessons for their visiting cousins, and because the girl was ten, I took her on, which meant I needed a clean pool. Usually, when that happens, Tom can't control his urge to return as the master, and he sneaks out at night to vacuum or whatnot. Not this year. It's been my job, and what a time it has been. With the crazy summer rains and the uncontrollable heat, I've worked my butt off trying to keep the pool chemically balanced, not to mention clean. I've suddenly begun rethinking the creepy crawler, which I poo-poohed when we first got the pool. At least in the summer months, that thing would come in handy. Not even my dog can hang outside with me when I vacuum because it is too hot. The job is better done in the water than out of it. Still...right now...today...I have perfection on all fronts.

Harvesting - Each year, I grow a pineapple...or two. Depends on the year. These plants belonged to my mother, who loved sending me out into her plantation to work with these prickly plants. After she died, we transplanted them into our yard, and each year around the anniversary of her death, we get the beginnings of a pineapple--or two. Only one sprung this year, and it was on the plant in front of our house—one of her eldest plants. We picked it this week and shall cut it this weekend. The top of this pineapple will then be put into the ground to join the others in our yard's plantation. Who knows? Maybe in five years, it too will bring forth a fruit.

Cleaning - My friend and her children are beginning a new life. In honor of that new beginning, she is purging, cleaning, and replacing things. I am the leader of whipping everyone into shape so that the dream becomes a reality. To that end, days and days have been spent working tirelessly in her house. We've been taking it one room at a time and have probably contributed a year's worth of garbage to the dump. And yes, we made a trip to the dump to drop off old computer parts and a gigantic television that we somehow got lifted into the car. Thus far, we have knocked out three closets, a laundry room, a pantry, and two bedrooms. We've met with painters, flooring people, mattress salesmen, and she has ordered new furniture. Next week we have a dumpster coming, helpers lined up, and hopefully, the entire house will be purged and ready for a transformation.

Summer is winding down slowly, and the empty nest will soon be upon me again. I've started to panic in losing my kid to college again, but it helps she isn't far. We also have a big family wedding scheduled in September when my nephew ties the knot, so I'll have a weekend with them. I'm looking forward to that.

And that's a wrap. Of July. On to August 2018.