Tag: summer

13-Hour Stand-off Ends in Surprise Surrender; 1 Creature Dead

Diana B.Leave a comment

A 13-hour stand-off in an upstairs master bathroom has come to an end this morning, after an unexpected surrender that left one creature dead.

The perpetrator, Jim “Blackbeard” Cricket, tormented Mr. and Mrs. Homeowner for several hours last night as he disturbed the peace with his loud, obnoxious chirping. Hiding himself so as not to disclose his identity or whereabouts, Mr. Cricket refused to leave the Homeowners’ bathroom all night. The Homeowners became distraught searching for Mr. Cricket, and they became exhausted as they attempted to sleep in the adjoining master bedroom. Even closing the door between the two rooms did not muffle Mr. Cricket’s disturbing racket.

Finally, around 9:45 a.m. this morning, just as Mrs. Homeowner was preparing for her shower, Mr. Cricket quite unexpectedly surrendered, flinging himself onto the vinyl bathroom flooring between two sage-colored bath rugs. He appeared to have fallen from the bathroom vent fan fixture, but that could not be confirmed because there were no other eyewitnesses.

Upon surrendering, Mr. Cricket was shaken and injured, yet still considered very dangerous. Boldly acting in self defense, Mrs. Homeowner promptly detained Mr. Cricket in a small pile of Kleenex tissues, and shortly thereafter she administered the death penalty.

Mr. Cricket was quietly laid to rest in the bathroom trash can; no friends or family were present for the memorial. At press time, Mr. Cricket’s long-time girlfriend, Christy, could not be reached for comment. Authorities expect to hear from her late this evening in a yard adjacent to the Homeowners.

In an effort to preserve precious taxpayer money, Mr. and Mrs. Homeowner will file no charges.

Teddy Bear Stay-cation: Day 5

Diana B.Leave a comment

A Teddy Bear Tea Party was the highlight of Day 5, our final day.

XteddyDay5a

We invited five little friends, and their favorite stuffed animals, to join us. Course 1 included assorted bear sandwiches, baby bear cheese bites, carrots and cucumbers. Course 2 consisted of berry and white chocolate scones, clotted cream and fresh berries. And chocolate teddy grahams and gummy bears rounded out Course 3. We also served cinnamon plum tea and lemonade. Lemonade was certainly the favorite with this crowd, but most of them tried the tea. I’ve never hosted a tea for seven kids, ranging in age from not quite 2 to 8, but I was amazed that nobody spilled anything! They were all quite polite! After the tea, we read the book Jenny’s Bear, our favorite story about teddy bears.

XteddyDay5b

Never ask an August sky

Diana B.Leave a comment

“Never have I asked an August sky, ‘Where has last July gone?’ “

That’s one of my favorite lines in the song “Many A New Day” from Rodgers and Hammerstein’s musical Oklahoma. 

Here’s where July went for our family:

  • 4 more sailing trips
  • 2 trips to the  beach
  • 1 trip to the Culpepper & Merriweather Circus
  • 1 teddy bear tea party
  • 1 trip to the Arboretum
  • 1 evening playing in the sprinkler
  • 1 trip to Teddy Bear Park in Stillwater, Minn.
  • 1 Tiny Party that was BIG fun
  • 2 birthday parties
  • 1 trip to Lowry Nature Center
  • 1 church picnic
  • 1 Teddy Bear Band Concert in the park
  • 1 trip to Sonic Drive-In
  • 1 trip to Build-A-Bear Workshop
  • 1 visit to see newly hatched Bantam chicks
  • 1 beautiful wedding & fun reception
  • 3 trips to various playgrounds at nearby parks
  • 1 trip to the community center pool
  • 1 paddle boat excursion at Centennial Lakes
  • countless picnics

Perhaps you notice a re-occurring theme? Teddy bears! I’m putting together a more detailed post complete with pictures of our Teddy Bear Stay-cation. (That’s like a vacation, only you don’t leave town.) Stay tuned for that post later this week!

Summer Adds Up

Diana B.1 Comment
It will be the 4th of July in a few hours, and we’ve come to that part of the year when everyone sees the back-to-school clothing ads and says in a freakish sort of tone, “Where has the summer gone!?”
Here in Minnesota, it truly feels like summer is just getting started. The lake only warmed up to swim-able temperature a couple of weeks ago. We haven’t even made it to the beach yet! So, in an effort not to join that familiar chorus of summertime blues, I’m adding up all the fun we’ve had since our fabulous Memorial Day weekend trip up north.
Here’s the math:
  • 3 sailing trips
  • 1 swim in the lake
  • 2 tea parties
  • 1 night at the movies to see Up!
  • 4 Arboretum trips
  • 1 piano recital
  • 2 fishing trips
  • 1 afternoon at the Old Log Theatre to see Treasure Island
  • 5 nights of Vacation Bible School
  • 1 afternoon playing in the sprinkler and eating popsicles
  • 2 afternoons playing in the backyard kiddy pool
  • 1 family gathering with BBQ and bubble wands
  • 1 family gathering with Bailey the Dog and Chinese food
  • 2 fun get-togethers friends who feel like family
  • countless picnics and park visits

All this and just one bee sting! Of course, I must mention that I was stung immediately upon entering the Arboretum. The bee flew into the van, stung me and flew back out all in the 15 seconds it took me to show my membership card to the guy at the entrance gate. Welcome to the Arboretum! Ouch!

Notably, Michael was hundreds of miles away on his four-day, guys-only trip to the Boundary Waters when my arm started swelling up. The pain only lasted a few hours, despite the fact that I did none of the five post-bee-sting treatment steps spelled out on www.surviveoutdoors.com. I just sat on a park bench, watched the girls play and tried to avoid the wasp that kept lingering nearby. 

Despite leaving us alone to fend off the bees and wasps, and despite coming home with lots of smelly, fishy laundry, Michael did get some royal treatment on Father’s Day.

Father's Day
Father's Day

 And here’s one of our tea parties; Aunt Lilac and Great Gramma were our special guests.

Tea with the Greats
Tea with the Greats
Great Gramma
Great Gramma
For the 4th of July, this afternoon we made these fun desserts — fruit pizza in red, white and blue. Yum!
another edible flag
Linnea's edible flag
patriotic fruit pizza
patriotic fruit pizza

Angel on a Pink Schwinn

Diana B.Leave a comment

One of my favorite songs is “Sweet Summer” by Diamond Rio. It takes me back to summer time when I was a kid, spending endless hours biking up and down our street with my brother and the neighborhood boys. I remember the smell of freshly cut grass, the aroma of hamburgers sizzling on the charcoal grill, and just the genuine freedom you feel on a lazy summer day. Here are the lyrics.

Sweet Summer by Diamond Rio

He had a freezer full of otter pops
Push ups, drum sticks and dreamsicles
And a paint chipped change box
Full of sticky quarters, dimes and nickles
It was automatic when we heard that song
Run home and get your money before he’s gone

Lookin’ underneath the Chrysler, in the driveway
Hey, dad whatchya doin’
The smell of summer twilight
There was always somebody barbeque’n
Truth or dare with the kids on our road
Hide and seek, till your mama called you home

Sweet summer, yeah I remember that
Sweet summer, let me take you back

Both our moms were best friends
she was the youngest of three daughters
An angel on a pink Schwinn, my first crush
‘Til this day, I aint forgot her.
Those days were never too long
And never too hot
And even though I was out of school
I was learnin’ a lot

Sweet summer, yeah I remember that
Sweet summer, let me take you back

There’s not a day that I don’t remember
From the end of May to the first of September