SEVEN DAYS OF SQUEEDUNK: DAYS 3 and 4

Hubby's holding one of several humorous signs sent by his big brother.

Well, we weren't very far into Day 2's Jammy adventure before we got a call that required my getting dressed and hopping into the car, but at least it was for a happy reason. The Wimberley Cafe called to say "Guess what? We're gonna have that apple pie for you today after all, and it'll be ready in 45 minutes!" I was going to leave John home in his jammies while I ran to get it, but he said "Ah well, we might as well both go, and have brunch while we're there." Great idea Snookems! We did, however, come straight back home afterwards, put our jammies back on, and spent the rest of the day binge-watching a new Netflix series called Virgin River. And, of course, there was pie!

Day 3 ran into snags as well (do you see a pattern forming here?). It was supposed to be "Hanging at the Bookstore Day", using up a gift card I have on the both of us and spending some time in the cafe with our purchases and a hot beverage. However, when I got the call that daughter Lex had developed a case of mastitis, and was running a fever -- on the day her hubby was supposed to head back to work -- we decided instead to go grab Mr. Goobs and bring him to our house for a sleepover, so that she and Rowan could get the rest they needed.

If you have grandkids, or kids, or even pets, you know that the first one is the practice kid. And, ever since Calvin outgrew sleeping in a crib, where we could keep him contained, getting him to go to bed, and stay there, has been a problem. We'd tried every different combination of location and who he slept with, if anyone, until we finally figured out that the key was to wear him to a frazzle first. This time we took him on his first hike at Blue Hole Park, let him play on the playground there, then took him to Wimberley Cafe for his favorite dinner, their grilled cheese sandwich.

While I was waiting for the bill, Papa took Calvin next door to the new candy store, to try his first ever Tootsie Roll Pop. He liked it!

Soon as we got home we all got into our jammies and brushed our teeth, pulled open the sofa bed in the living room, and started up a good movie I had recorded for him. This time it was Paddington, and he was sawing logs within fifteen minutes, and stayed that way for 10 or 11 hours, never even noticing when Papa and I snuck back into our own bed! We started the movie up again the next morning, and boy, was he tickled to death when he discovered that I actually had some Paddington-style marmalade in my fridge for him to have with his breakfast, thanks to a dear friend down in Louisiana who is in his 90s, but still manages to make a batch every year using kumquats picked from his own trees!

So, day four was supposed to be our biggest adventure of the week, but when Hubby discovered that our rain tank was almost empty (we never got the fall rains that usually replenish it after our harsh summers) he had to call and order some water to be delivered, and take whatever day they gave him, since we couldn't risk running out altogether. So, instead of the adventure, he got to sit at home all day long, and of course, they didn't come until the very end of the day.

We're really on a roll now!

 

IT WAS A VERY GOOD YEAR

Six adults, two children, and one dog, for three days, in a two bedroom house? Believe it or not, we actually had a blast.

 

His Doing, Not Mine!

Wiggle Butts!

        Only Oculus VR could get John Lane dancing, by himself, with a roomful of people staring and laughing at him!

 Aunt Areej gave Calvin an accordion for Christmas...

and revealed a hidden talent we never knew about!

Best find of the season? Well, we decided to give Calvin a few accessories for his bare bones Brio train set, but those tiny little things come at a very dear price, so he wasn't getting much. So, imagine the Happy Dance I was doing, all around my favorite consignment store, when I stumbled upon this outfit, still in it's original package, for less than ten bucks!

Complete with a working pocket watch, schedule card, radio, and bandana!

Oh Happy Day!
 

MY FRENCH GIFT TO YOU

Two of our kiddos just returned from an amazing journey that began in Barcelona and ended in Paris,  with a leisurely road trip up through Provence in between. They are now basking in the giddy afterglow, pouring over photos, telling stories, trying out recipes, etc. I remember that period well, after we did our Viking River Cruise through Provence. Paris was gorgeous, but Provence? Well, it was so much more than a bunch of famous landmarks to have your photo taken in front of. It's about a certain way of living -- the way we were hoping to live here in the Texas Hill Country, and our reason for choosing this as our forever home.

After that trip I was even more obsessed with that way of life, and may have gone a bit bonkers in my efforts to hold onto that glow. I read books set in Provence, bought French cookbooks, poured over all the photos we took and wrote blog posts about it all.

Even the pages in my art journals around that time were all about Provence!

Then, just as the afterglow was beginning to fade, I discovered a blog called My French Corner. It's not specifically about Provence, but it is about the French way of life -- about how they eat and shop and cook, what they think about exercise and skin care and clothes, how they decorate and celebrate, etc. It's actually written by an American teacher whose sister married a Frenchman and went to live there permanently. The teacher then began spending her summers there and fell madly in love with the French way of life. When she had shared all that she had learned, she stopped writing the blog. But, it is still out there, just waiting for you to stumble upon it as I did, start from the very beginning and work your way through to the end.

 
 Bon Voyage!
 

OH WHAT A BEAUTIFUL MORNING

This happened not long ago, and I just had to share it, for it is one of my favorite things about living where I do. 

Early Morning Fog Hovering Above The Creeks

Good thing I'm an early riser, huh?

TOO BUSY TO BLOG!

Spring in the Hill Country is always this way. No matter how many vows I make to myself, not to let this precious time go by in a blur of activity, it happens every year. It just can't be avoided, I suppose, when you only have a few weeks out of the year, in spring and in fall,  that are really pleasant, and organizers try to fit a year's worth of activities into those two tiny windows. This past week has been a prime example. First there was our wildflower adventure to Willow City Loop, with stops in Lukenbach and Fredericksburg.

Then there was a dinner party at the home of our foodie friends, only this time it was their 14 year old daughter who was in charge!

The seafood theme was chosen because Miss Bella is working to raise funds for a fabulous marine biology camp she attends each year on Catalina Island, and a couple of these dishes were ones she learned to cook in one of her classes there last year.

The very next morning we were up early, headed to College Station to spend a couple of days with our besties, the Sanfords. Normally they would be heading here this time of year, but they have a beloved elderly pet who is not doing too well right now, so we decided to go to them. We can only go so long without a Lanford Adventure!

In case you can't tell, he's doing that rude gag-me motion, having gone to UT.

Then yesterday it was time for the annual Wimberley Wine Walk. This year they moved it from downtown Wimberley to the Blue Hole Park. After just a few tastes, I'm done, but I never get tired of the excellent people watching opportunities. I especially love the groups of friends who come dressed to match!

Huh? Now that I'm seeing this close up, I believe two of these people are new friends we just met at the seafood dinner!

And, in between all these festivities, there were trips to the dentist and hairdresser, time spent with my Muses and Little Goobs, and even a couple of baseball games!

Is it any wonder that we are hoping for a nice, dull week ahead?