Grampa and the puppies are down and out . . .

Baby Loggerhead Shrikes in one of the Live Oaks

Hoping that the popping fireworks don't bother us too much. I imagine it'll be worse tomorrow and reach a crescendo Monday night. They're only light sounds tonight and with the air conditioning and closed doors I think we'll be okay. I know that expect to sleep well as I've had a few busy days and have been up early.

Thursday and Friday  from 10 to 1 in the afternoon I helped out at Immaculate Conception Early Learning Center. I was very happy that it went well. I was told I could stop any day and they'd love to have me. I think they may be sincere and not just being nice. On the first day I was with three year olds and one of them went into a crying jag and just kept yelling, "I want my Mommy!" It started on the playground and Miss M picked him up and tried to quiet him down but he would not quiet. I offered to take him but she said he'd be okay once we got back to her room. Well that was wishful thinking; he was crying hard and noisily and she decided to put him in the hall so the other kids could listen to her craft instructions .So I went with him and sat with an arm around him on the wooden steps near the door of M's room. We rocked for a bit and she came out to see how we were doing but he was still crying up a storm. I asked her if she had a book, a ball, some jacks anything and she brought me a book. B was still crying loudly and I started to read the book out loud. I told him it was just for me and he started to listen to the story. When Miss M came out again he didn't want to go in so she asked if he'd get her some cups from another classroom and he refused. I said I'd do it but I didn't know anything about the school and asked B to take my hand and show me where we had to go. Well, it worked, we made it back to the class quietly and he was as good as gold. Phew, baptism by fire! Friday I helped with the five year olds and we ended up on a scavenger hunt. I did end up having a good hot dog for lunch and watermelon along with the entire class. It's a good thing there were only 10 kids! I do believe I'm going to like it here.

Middle child and family have moved into their modernized 100 year old home in Connecticut. They sound so happy to be in their own home once again. Kiddo took me for a FaceTime walk through and I can't wait to be with them in a few weeks.

For dinner tonight I cooked up some smoked pork chops and was impressed. They were delicious along with some spicy jambalaya rice, fresh corn on the cob and watermelon dessert. I can't get over how sweet the melon is down here. But it makes sense since it is picked ripe and close by. It's never been my favorite melon but I think it will be now. Grampa cut it in half and I just scooped out big chunks, chilled them and used a fork to eat those heavenly sweet bites. I should spend some time tonight fixing up my Bomb Manual. Kiddo and I have a game we play where we have to diffuse a bomb within a certain number of minutes. I'm not very good at this game but my 23 page manual didn't print up very well so I have to go through it and fix it up. That's a lot of work but maybe I'll learn some tricks in the process.

Oh, got a call from our Vermont friends today and they are well. We've been invited to visit them which is a very gracious offer but our visits will be to Connecticut and it would be nice to go to England again but we're not good long distance travelers! Thank goodness youngest Kiddo and G will visit us.

Quote:  Let out object be our country, our whole country, and nothing but our country.   _____Daniel Webster