Fri., 5/31/24, another raccoon made a mess, Vikki, Peyton and Isaac, Kimmy, and Eli came over, went to Wild Bird’s Unlimited in Frankenmuth, Max and Bill hung out together and built a table, Bill and I went to Kimmy & Jared’s...their gazebo is finished and is so nice!

Jenny Wren is in the house peeking out

Max and Bill spent the day making this table for when the target practice!  They did a great job!

Work on the roof continued and the gazebo was finished tonight.  

Time to enjoy the gazebo.  Me, Hope and Adam tried the first swing out under it

Our truck just turned into the Cottage Creamery for ice cream.  It was a long line out the door, but it moved fast. Their ice cream is the best, and it’s such a cute place!

Bill with his ice cream cone

Me with my ice cream cone.  He got a bigger size, but mine looks bigger.

Love this picture of Eli relaxing and watching Bo out in the field.  Kimmy was FaceTiming me so I took a picture

Vikki, Peyton, Eli, Kimmy, Isaac and me in Frankenmuth today

I got up at 6:30 and went outside to see if my orioles had food.  Another raccoon had come and made a big mess, knocking down bird feeders, oriole liquid feeders, took apart the flowers in my hummingbird feeder, jelly jar was on the ground.  I will be giving it a good last meal tonight and then off it goes to the boat launch in the morning hopefully.  I decided to take a shower instead of going back to bed.  Went out and ate oatmeal and drank my coffee on the deck.  Watered some plants in my flower garden and around the house.  Vikki, Peyton and Isaac got here.  Peyton told me about her Lauren Daigle Concert and showed me some videos.   She watered my hanging plant in the front of the house.  We visited a few minutes, then Kimmy and Eli got here.  She had picked up Adam from his half day of school and took him home, then headed over.  We all left in Kimmy’s van to go to an Estate Sale by us where we all got some things, then to 7-11 to get slurps for the kids, then to Tim Hortons to get Ice Capps for Kimmy and I and Nacho’s for Vikki, then we finally headed to Frankenmuth to Wild Birds Unlimited.  We saw another Estate Sale sign, so we went to another one in Frankenmuth.  Then we went to the store we all wanted to go to.  Vikki had to go to the bathroom, so we walked across the street to RiverPlace.  Vikki, Kimmy and Eli went to the bathroom and while they did, Peyton and I went into the Funky Skunk Store, which is where Peyton wanted to go.  Not a whole lot we liked in there, so we went back and met the others.  The kids stayed there and went through shops, while we went back to the Bird store.  Kimmy bought a cute bird bath that attaches to her feeder from Wild Birds Unlimited she has at home.  She bought a chickadee for the top of one, and a beautiful bird bath that attaches to it.  Vikki and I both got really nice bird books, and I got a bird house/feeder/etc. hanger that will attach to my deck post.  It is so cute.  The guy unscrewed it and got it down off the wall for me.  I can’t wait to hang it.  We went back and met the kids, then went to Matthew’s.  Uncle Tom was working on cleaning their pool and Matthew was reading a Christian Book on the deck getting a suntan.  We visited for a little while, then left and headed to Home Depot so Kimmy could get her last can of paint for her chairs.  They only had one can left.  All the places in Midland had been out.  We were very thankful.  We stopped so Vikki could pick up her glasses.  They look so cute on her.  She was so happy she could see clearly again and I was very happy for her.  Kimmy dropped us off, then she headed home right away, because Jared was out of work and home.  Vikki left right away too.  Bill showed me the table he and Max built for their shooting practices.  It turned out really nice.  We headed to Kimmy’s right away to help with the roof of the gazebo.  Bill had eaten with Max at Culver’s, so he gave me the other half of his sub that was left over from last night.  I ate it on the way.  Kimmy had made burgers when we got to their house, but we were both too full to eat.  We all started working after everyone was done eating.  It went pretty fast and the roof sections went up easier than I thought they would. They all worked together and  got it finished and even got the light hung inside.  Adam and Hope moved the swings up on the deck and we all carried parts of the bird feeders.  It is so nice and comfy sitting under the gazebo and you can see the bird feeders perfectly.  Kimmy and family are sure going to love sitting under it and enjoying the outside.  I know she will love it as much as I love ours.  We came home and stopped at Cottage Creamery on our way.  Yum!  It was the most delicious ice cream.  My favorite.  We came home, read our Bibles, and  I worked on the blog.  I got over 18,000 steps yesterday and the day before and 13,000 today.  I’m hopefully getting back in shape.  

Thurs., May 30,2024, caught raccoon, painted glider chairs, walked with Missy and Hailey, went to Kimmy and Jared’s To help with gazebo

Love my orioles 

Isaac in his new glasses which change to Sun glasses in the sun!

He’s a very sweet and cool grandson!

Evan showed me how he does a backwards flip now,  He’s amazing!

                                       Jack came out to visit...he’s looking very handsome

Hailey looking beautiful behind the beautiful bush!

I painted these glider chairs today

They worked on the roof panels tonight.   

Eli and one of Blaze’s kittens that was born last night

Bo out in the field when we left

 Bill woke up at 6:30 and went to the bathroom.  I got up and went outside to see if I had caught the raccoon.  I did so I had Bill get up and take care of it, because it was such a big one.  Possums I can handle, big raccoons wiggle around too much.  We went back to bed until 8:30.  I sat out on the deck and watched birds and then read my Bible.  Of course, Kit Kat joined me.  Bill filled the pool up to where he has to hook the filter hoses up, then we can add more water and the chemicals.  

I caught another chipmunk in the trap.  I went to drop a it off and then went to Menards to get  bird feeder/birdhouse wire hangers.  I’m making sure everything is hung by long wire because raccoons leave stuff hung by it alone.  It worked perfectly when I got home.  After that, I sanded and washed two glider chairs, then spray painted them.  They look so nice.  I finished in time to take a chair I brought back to Aldi, then went to Melissas.  Evan got up from the computer right away and came and gave me a big hug.  It made me so happy.  I went outside with him so he could show me how he does a back flip on the trampoline.  Hailey followed me out and I almost shut the door on her because I didn’t know she was coming out.  Jack came out too.  Evan does them so easy!   It was nice getting to visit with the kids before Hailey, Melissa and I went on our 2 1/4 mile fast pace walk through their subdivision. I got to see Max and Bruce when I went back in the house! Yay! We girls walked, with Hailey walking a little faster and then walking back to us and the going ahead again.  Melissa and I have the same pace so we enjoyed visiting as we walked.  We saw some beautiful houses and landscaping, and on one street beautiful small sheds.  We had fun even though it was lots of exercise.  I had to leave when we got back to Melissas so gave hugs and headed home.  Bill and I went to pick up pizza for the Russells and a sub for fussy Bill.  Bill had loaded all of our ladders, so we headed to Kimmy and Jared’s.  They had the frames for the roof mostly put together.  They worked on all four sections, and got it almost done.  Next step will be putting it up.  We left because it was getting dark out.  They sure work well and have fun together.