Happy Summer Solstice 2026

[Twins' Mom]

Have not CUOP-ed yet but we're home! Will catch up soon...

[CathyS]

I read that if you sprinkle coffee grounds around your gardens that mosquitoes don't like the smell, so they stay away. (Not completely, but you won't have as many. ONE is too many for me!)

Harriet thanks for the heads up re: Bama's cat.

I have put the last load of laundry into the dryer. Now the dishwasher is doing it's thing.

The Blue Jays and Cubs game has been postponed due to weather.

I sent dh a F Day greeting from the cats. He liked it. LOL!!

[Lady Maverick]

Successful Father's Day celebrations has happened here. It was the perfect length (IMHO) and as far as I could tell thoroughly enjoyed by everyone. We all chatted with DS52 and family. Apparently, everyone (except me) is excited about some game happening today......playing a sport (baseball???)...with one of our state universities (OU?) for some championship (national?). I just nod and smile while they excitedly discuss those events. When i say that I have zero interest in sports....I'm embarrassing clueless.

This has been an unusual year to not see a single fly or mosquito. With cattle next to us there is usually a large fly population, but that hasn't happened this year. Even before the town fogged for mosquitos, I had not seen one this year. Although for some reason the mosquitoes rarely bite me, but they do typically aggravate me with their buzzing sound and the thought that they might land on me. I suspect the large population of dragonflies & birds are responsible for keeping the annoying flying insects at bay.
We did have a 4' nonpoisonous snake at the door leading to the garden yesterday. I stood on my side of the glass door observing it until it slithered away. The snake looked well fed so hopefully it will continue to have a happy life.....and hopefully I will never see it again.

One of the dozen or so friends that DS17 regularly hang out with did something stupid last night. Trae and GF broke up which lead to him drinking and driving.....which lead to him leaving the road and landing his pickup in the ditch...which lead to someone calling the police. Trae is currently charged with DUI under 21 years old resulting in him being held in the jail until Monday when he will see a judge. Trae doesn't have any family except a 80+ year old grandmother that can barely take care of herself. One of his friends is going to put up his bail to hopefully get Trae out of jail on Monday. His vehicle is being held which will also cost $$$ to get out. This is going to take months (years?) for Trae to work his way out of this mess that was a result from a poor decision made last night. This is bad but it could have been so much worse. Trae has been in our home many times over the years and always super respectable toward us and others. I can't decide if I want to yell at him first for doing stupid ......or maybe I will give him a hug and then just sit and listen. Raising teenagers is not easy.

[Twins' Mom]

Waving Happy Summer solstice to all this afternoon! I am so happy to be home. It was a good trip but so glad to get back to what passes for normal around here. I'm not wanting to get myself back into things just yet.

LadyM, the game is the College Baseball World series. OK can win it if they win today. I had to go look because dh and I follow it until TN and FL State are out. Ah, looks like it's nearly over, and there will likely be a third game tomorrow.

I've been using Todoist to capture to dos, and in getting away last week I dumped a bunch of stuff into it that I need to sort out. I have a busier week than I like: two workouts, body work, a meeting at temple, lunch with a friend on Friday, a dinner evening and night at the ballpark.

This has been sitting here awhile...I should do some putting away/straightening up this evening.

[Harriet]

((Ds17's friend and the grandmother)) Well, I did not know that that would result in jail, more than a number of hours. I guess I am thinking of a quick bail set, a quick rush to post, all happening on a weekday, not a weekend ... .. the stars lining up, I don't know. At least this is something that will forever be referred to as "when he was only __ yrs old". Yes, hugs all around.

I had to fall into a nap and during that time I see that ds called. I'm not sure if he visited, though. We did just see him the other day.

We have learned that dd27's dr is not too concerned about flying. I hope that holds - she is so susceptible to every kind of travel malady.
One of the designers with the firm will be resigning so a new hire will be brought in and dd is supposed to bridge that gap somewhat by spending all next week away in NY. Also, she is the one who is called upon to unruffle ruffled feathers, smooth things over for clients, between coworkers. She tells me there is drama (of course there is). I just wanted her to be able to recover from this sinus infection because she's been in extreme pain when they thought it was TMJ at first (?) and didn't get her an antibiotic.

Should I invite my dsonil for a meal while he is batching it? Is that really more trouble for him that actual benefit? Thinking.

Tomorrow, I have bloodwork at the more convenient place.

[CathyS]

Bed has been remade. All clean laundry is away!

I need to empty the dishwasher. I did do some pots and pans. I also did the sharp knives. Everything gets rinsed as soon as it becomes dirty, so none of these pots and pans are "dirty", they just haven't been given a bubble bath.

We had a BBQed steak to go with the rest of the potato salad for supper.

[Lady Maverick]

College Baseball World series.

Yes! That is the term they were using. *sigh* Of all the sports, baseball is my favorite. But even as my favorite sport and our state university in the finals still doesn't generate enough interest for me to bother watching it. I applaud all those who are loving sporting events and hope they enjoy every moment of it.

I was digging in the garden making space to add another block when the dirt mound nearby started moving on its own. I froze and instant thought of that big snake I saw yesterday. I jumped back just as a toad/frog came out from the dirt and hopped away. I love having them in the garden because they eat the bad bugs, but they gave me a fright for a moment until I realized what it was.

[Nancy]

Harriet that is a great way for sil to get together with his own family for a meal.
Esp. as you have Rx apts. etc. to deal with let his family do that would be my vote.

I have been putting coffee on the beds around that back and don not have skeeters.

Soaked ddoggo's feet again this afternoon.
She was better but stiff again after her nap.

I did not nap today.

There were sports on a lot of channels. Now I see a MLB game on NY & Phillies. Also another person not
following sports.

I liked the David cartoon on Net Flix finished that today I've been watching 20-30 min. at a time of it
over the last few days.

[lucylee]

Twins, when you cuop, please be sure to read my geneological snafu from last night. SMH.

I have nothing on my calendar for this week except yoga on Wednesday, and tomorrow ds is going to follow me to the mechanic to have some things checked out on the car. Mainly replacing a headlight, but also checking a door lock that unlocks itself at random times, and brakes that seem squeaky after only 6000 miles since he put new brake pads on. (ChatGPT says that is too soon.)

It has been HOT here today. I was sooo glad dgd didn't mention the pool. Just taking the garbage to the road was enough for me. I did my 15 min. walk inside tonight.

Father's Day was very low key -- ds being out of town playing music. He called tonight on his way home, and I had sent both kids home for the night so they could see him before they went to bed. Also, so I could have a little bit of quiet! It has been a long week. Of course, now that I've been alone a few hours, the house is awfully quiet, and I am already getting kinda edgy about them being gone 8 days starting Friday. I don't think they've ever been gone that long -- ds has been, but not the whole family! They are going to Washington, DC, and to Gettysburg, and they are leaving Friday evening when ddil gets home from work. Now I know why my dad worried whenever we went off to big cities when ds was little.
I do miss dh, and feel sad for ds not having dh for Father's Day, but since dh never really wanted to go out or anything, it was sometimes stressful when my ddad was still living. I was just thinking about my dgrandfathers also; I was so close to my maternal grandfather. I had just turned 29 when he died. I hope my dgrands will always remember dh. The other night dgd was showing me exercises and she said, "I'm doing jumping jacks like granddaddy taught me."
One of my uncles was very special to me too. The other one -- who had no children of his own -- is the one who is still living and has some dementia. I have GOT to call him or go see him soon. I hope he doesn't remember how long it has been since I visited! (He is in assisted living, and it's about 40 miles away, and not in the direction I generally go for shopping or anything.)

Friday is dgs' 14th birthday too, but they said it would be fine to celebrate afterwards. I may give dgs $ and a card before they leave, so he can have some extra spending money on the trip, and then I'll get those t-shirts re-ordered and have that to give him when he gets back.

Hmmm... just went to Amazon and ordered travel diaries for them.

Question -- is there any reason I should NOT change my credit card to a cash-back card? I know it would be a little bit of trouble to change numbers for the automatic payments, but I'm thinking that it is silly to spend $1000 or more each month and not get money back for that. Dmom and ds both have cash-back cards, and dmom has built up almost $800 on hers! DS of course, can't get ahead, but still -- the cash back helps pay the bill, I guess.

I have not been following sports, either, Nancy. I almost feel guilty -- y'all know, when dh was alive, there was a ballgame on tv just about every waking hour. I'm embarrassed that I don't have any idea how the Braves are doing this year. A week or so ago, dgs did say they were doing well.
I kept up with the college baseball season until we were out of the chance to go to the world series. Then I saw that one of the Oklahoma teams beat that Other Team from my state, so that made me smile.
LadyM -- you sound like the wife of one of my cousins. Their whole family laughs at her -- she claims not to cheer for either of our state teams, and when they went to a minor league baseball game, she saw "3 HR" (3 homeruns) beside his name on the jumbotron when he came up to bat, and asked, "Does that mean he's been playing 3 hours?" They have great fun at her expense, LOL. Her husband was dgs' football coach the past two years.

LadyM, the last time dgd and I went to the pool, we had to rescue a frog from the pool. It was trying frantically to jump out of the water to the concrete, and he couldn't make it. I got a net and got him out. DGD was NOT going to get in that pool with the frog there. LOL. She saw a dead mouse in her carport the other day, and had me call her daddy to come outside and dispose of it before she would walk past it to go inside. (You notice, I did not offer to dispose of it myself. I do not do mice.)
(((HUGS))) for Trae and his grandmother! I understand what you mean about yelling or hugging. If he were mine, I know I'd be yelling (not that that would be the correct response, just meaning that I know myself) but as a friend's mother, you might be wise to be the calm, objective listener.

Oh Cathy! Thanks for the reminder -- I need to turn on the dishwasher before I go to bed.

And there's Harriet's dd27 going off to New York alone? My goodness how these children have grown up! I guess if you can let her go to NYC, I can let ds take his family to DC.

Mosquitos DO like me, and I am NEVER aware of them until the itching starts! DH took garlic pills for his bp, and he swore that was why they never bothered him.

Well, I must stop here -- waving to all -- hope your first "official" week of summer begins well! As I saw in a meme today, here it's been summer since 1877. LOL. I plan to spend lots of time with the ac.