Thursday, I am back!!!

 See this little boy!  He is 5 today! Headed off to kindergarten. I cannot believe Oliver is 5. Time goes so fast when the kids are little.

I had a wonderful time with my daughter and her two boys.  We stayed 5 days in Delaware and went to many beaches.  Beautiful weather.  Very humid, which is so different than the desert heat we have here.  We then went into Philly and spent 4 days, wandering the city.  Independence hall the Liberty bell, The Franklin Institute, ran up the Rocky steps, spent a day at the Zoo.

We walked and walked a lot.  Like averaging 15,00 steps a day.  Food was very expensive.  The cabbie's said tourism was way down for foreigners and everyone was suffering some. It is much less expensive to take cab's and Ubber's rather than renting a car. Other than day cares and summer camp groups we saw very few people at either the Zoo or the Insitute. People who rely on tips are really suffering there.

We got back on the 25 and I stayed at Jethelyn's to help her start and get things put together in the master bedroom.  I made a custom pleated bed skirt for the king size bed and dresser scarves and such.  We ordered curtains and bought curtain rods, and she is going to order wallpaper for one of the walls but that is a project for another visit.

I came home to a happy dog who missed me, although Dan loves him and he was not neglected in any way. My garden is going crazy, and weeds are nuts! I need to dead head flowers and get out and weed and spray desperately. Picked a bunch of tomatoes.  Kay has already frozen a couple bags. I do plan on canning tomatoes this year. My onions are doing great, and some are ready to pick. 

It is 107 today so not much will get done outside other than watering, just too hot.  The chickens are laying little pullet eggs, so that is fun. I made a long list of things to get done in the next month and I am starting to tick them off.

Called the county assessor about my property being over estimated, he came out this morning and was very nice and it looks like the values will be adjusted next year.  I can't do anything about this year. But I feel that at least I was proactive about them not continuing to rise and rise. I do have a view of the river that is unobstructed and that makes the property much more valuable.  Half of the 1/2 acre I own is a city easement for water drainage and not usable.  I told him to take is back and then send someone to weed it for me.  Oh, and deal with the rattlesnakes. He thought it would be easier for the county just to lower the taxes and have me take care of the mess. Nice guy.

Oh, a sadder note, Kikki ended up getting quite sick or she was sick and just fooled us.  She had cancer and had to be put down while I was away.  She is in Kitty heaven, and I will need to clean all her things out of the garage. I will not be getting another cat.  Unless a stray shows up here and lives in the garage.

Animals are expensive, and I just don't need the worry every time I go somewhere. Plus, the vet bills, the food and the litter. I loved her but until the shop closes and I don't see that anywhere in the near future, I will not have a cat.  If I could have a cat inside, I would get another, but not with the shop.

I will be taking Kiki's belongings to the animal shelter, and her old chair to the dump.  This will free up the already overwhelmed garage space.  She was the queen out there and had several thrones.

I have a few things to list on Facebook marketplace, and some general decluttering to do around here.

Now I have to get back in the saddle. But it is nice to come home to a shop that is not screaming at me.

Missed you guys, anything exciting happen while I was gone? Fill me in please.

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

God is good

Kim