Memorial Day Weekend

 We've had a wonderful three day weekend.

Nat was out of town for a few days this week, at a conference in Chicago. The kids and I managed to survive on our own -- with quite a lot of help from our village.  And a little boost from the lake.

It was a busy week at work and the fun of scheduling child care and taking care of our menagerie of 15,000 living things on my own was pretty tiring.

And yet, Friday night arrived and it seemed like a great idea to take off at 6:00 for a pizza-picnic at Euclid Beach.

And it was.

 The lake never disappoints.

 This old girl enjoyed wandering the quiet beach.

 And these two kids sank into castle building as the sun sank in the sky, even collaborating for a while on a series of tunnels.

 On our way home we discovered an abandoned observatory.  So that was pretty cool too.

 Saturday:  The kids talked me into doing a "trunk sale" at a local church-- they've been jonesing to have a yard sale and this seemed like it might be easier...
Pictured here are some high points:

 Chatting up the customers (few that there were)

 and making friends with other bored kids...

Not pictured:  The dead van battery AFTER we loaded all the things, meaning we had to transfer all of the things into my tiny car, and the saddest boy in the world when his sister made more sales than he did, and the hot, rangy lot of us that headed home with a few dollars of profit at noon.

Just as the lake never disappoints, yard sales ALWAYS do.


Saved by the village.  Jack was invited to swim at the South Euclid Pool and Ivy joined a neighbor for a playdate and I got myself back together and we ended the day at an idyllic playdate with our friends.

 The only disappointment here? When I told Ivy she could not take her "trained" toad, Moonlight Obey Morehouse, home with us.

Sunday-- Nat is home!  A relaxing morning ensued.  And then, an afternoon at another pool...

... and another cookout with more friends.  

 This time, our extended Hiram family...

 ... and all of their beautiful babies!

 A doozy of a summer storm hit about halfway through the party, but that's why god made TVs...

 Today:  Morning at Edgewater...

Things were hoppin at the dog beach.  It was awesome.  Poor Cor just kind of watched.  Having an old dog is not an easy thing.

 ... and yet another cookout with Gram, Bec, and Joe.  Picture perfect and delicious.

 Complete with a Corvette ride with Joe!

The kids and Nat spent the later part of the day at yet another pool -- Beachwood, with friends-- while I stayed back to get things in order for my trip to DC tomorrow.  3:30 am is coming soon so I'd best sign off.  Not a lot of words on this post, but really, how many do you need to say "We are pretty darn lucky."...