Mending fences

Well, my vacation from this blog truly did last longer than I had anticipated. Health issues, job (and the lack of sleep that results), family stuff, new writing stuff...I was beginning to feel a little overwhelmed. It wasn't so much the taking and posting of pictures that did it. In fact, I took pictures nearly every day. It was more the keeping up with everyone elses' blog. I didn't feel right about posting here if I wasn't visiting you guys as well.

I did miss it, though. And even though I'm still feeling overwhelmed, I'm going to give it a shot. So...here's a new entry with a few pictures.

The view I see most mornings (ie, mornings when I'm working, and when it's not raining.)




My hubby put up some new fences a few weeks ago...




This is one of them this past weekend:



I don't believe in raking leaves. They're just too darned pretty. I'm glad my neighbor feels the same way.




And last, but not least, Hazel's new favorite sleeping place. We've taken to calling her The Bag Lady.

Taking another break...

Probably obvious, no?

Been rather crazy here again. My work schedule is changing, it's my kids' summer vacation, I'm in the middle of writing a novel...I’ve got my country’s five-hundredth anniversary to plan, my wedding to arrange, my wife to murder, and Guilder to frame for it. I’m swamped! Things should be calming down in another week or so. Until then I'll do my best to check back here...

Backwards

The opposite view of Tuesday's picture.

Rainy days and Tuesdays...

...can be pretty.

Sneak attack

This picture was taken by my son. He caught me taking a nap.

Okay, I'm back

Instead of posting a bunch of individual entries for all my missing pics, I'll just give you an overview of the past week.

I spent most of my time working the graveyard shift (here's some recent pictures of the construction, obviously not taken during the graveyard shift):





recuperating from said graveyard shifts (aside...I made all three quilts on my bed):



and writing:



But there were some other things going on as well. My daughter had a sleepover that left the house a complete wreck:



With careful recycling, we usually average only 2 bags of garbage each week for a family of four. I cheated and bought paper plates/cups for the sleepover. Two bags of trash in just 16 hours:



One of the mom's brought me ten yards of this funky material when she came to pick up her daughter. Whoo-hoo!



I spent some time in my garden, too. The blueberries are really starting to ripen:



Once "God of Speed" arrived from Australia on Saturday morning...



...I spent the rest of my weekend reading in my garden:

Temporary surrender

Hi all!

I've been horribly neglectful of my pet project here over the past week. Pictures have been taken, but someone has been too lazy/tired to post them. I promise to get around to doing so today or tomorrow...

Some assembly required

A little bit closer to pie...

Home sweet home

Some animals--probably mice--made a nest in this can of nails that was in our shed.

Lazy Sunday

Landscaping fun

We did some work on what will be our 'rock garden.' Yep, this is the chair my hubby fashioned out of the stump of a fallen tree.

Schedule

For his Wednesday Picture, my buddy, Ole JC, posted his work-out schedule; his "key to my losing weight and pumping up the muscles." I'm not being sarcastic when I say I think this is a very admirable thing. Since our trip to D.C., where we did nothing but walk, I've been trying to lose some weight and get healthier myself.

So, inspired by JC, I sat down to make a schedule too. I sat for a long time. Then I remembered: I don't really do schedules all that well. I tried anyway, and this is what I came up with:

Did you know...

...that potatoes can be quite pretty?

I guess this means no overtime?

The store I work at is undergoing some pretty major construction.

Whoo-hoo!

I finally got a chance to buy Coldplay's new CD. Wicked awesome!

The day after a holiday weekend

As I was leaving work this morning, the Bud guy was just getting there.

I love a bargain

$4.99 at the Goodwill Store. Now I have to buy some new dress shoes...

Where's Hubby?

Lilies of the...yard

Two gruesome headlines

One murdering asshole convicted, another one caught.

When will it stop?

Sounds like a good idea to me...

Oh snap!

I didn't want to fold laundry anyway

My new reading spot

While Mom worked...

...the rest of the family went fishing.

Cornfield part 2

A lot can change in two and a half months.

Please don't eat the daisies

She once was lost...

...but now she's found.

We looked for Hazel for almost 20 minutes before we found her hiding behind the curtains, looking longingly at the backyard wildlife.

Summertime in a vase

Shrinkage

I bought myself a Jack Bauer/24 shirt at the International Spy Museum. It shrunk. Now my daughter wears it proudly.

The Aftermath

Laundry and souveniers (this is only about 1/4 of them...)