Monday, 15 May 2023

The kids were here!

 It was a fun weekend. The kids arrived Saturday afternoon, while JB and I were trying to barricade the  deck. Watching for Fred groundhog, and closing the gap while he was out from under his hidey hole. (P.S. We failed: See yesterday's post!

Friday JB had picked up 5 bunches of asparagus for me. Some for dinner, some to pickle. It never occured to me that you should have smaller spears. I took out as many small ones as I could, and pickled two jars. 

Caitlin brought me a beautiful yellow petunia hanging basket. 


📲 I took this ↑photo with my phone. I've been working on mastering it. Caitlin was giving me a primer on my phone. She has the same one. I wanted to use my voice ("Say Cheese!"), and Siri would do that for me. I was training the phone, repeating phrases, and I realized we are an Apple family. I turned on Caitlin's photo app, and turned on JB's Siri on his iPad. Our voices are all very similar. Josephine can do make Siri work on Caitlin's phone, as well. 

JL had a nap, while JB and we girls watch Jeopardy Masters, which he'd taped all week. Izzy and I blew up their mattress, and retaped the hole. I think we need a new one. It deflated over the afternoon. I ordered a new one. They are marvellous. Ours dates back to 2021, during the height of COVID Gramma Camp, and it served us well. The girls are coming back next weekend, the long weekend.

 

Isabelle took a walkabout with Grampa, they were looking at the tree damage. These are their favourite climbing trees.




What a lovely visit they had! She is as tall as her older sister, now.

Isabelle & Grampa walkies from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

JL was the chef, he is excellent, and we had two lovely pork tenderloins, marinated in citrus. I cooked up two bunches of asparagus in the frypan, and JL roasted some small potatoes.

It was Isabelle's birthday last weekend. For dessert, Grampa bought us a cake, and we had a party. Grampa used his special dragon's head lighter! Isabelle has always been a fan of dragons.





Ever since I made the mistake over Josephine's 16th 15th birthday, it has been a running joke. Isabelle was 13 last weekend. We had giggles.



Grampa wrote this lovely message for our Izzy. She is loved. 

Sunday morning, Cinnamon decided it was time for attention at 5:30 a.m. He began by sharpening his claws on my wicker-framed mirror. Next, he climbed to the top of it. It is NOT attached to the wall, as it is the wrong size. I tried, but couldn't attach it to the door. 

 
JL made us some lovely buns with chocolate inside for breakfast! 

Goodbyes were said. Off they went home to get ready for another busy week! 

🐍 A couple of days ago, I went down to the dock and found two water snakes making out. It's too bad it wasn't when Josephine was here, as she loves reptiles and amphibians! They took off into the water.


snakes from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

16 comments:

Tom said...

...the more, the merrier.

Anvilcloud said...

Look like you had a fine Mother’s Day and birthday celebration too.

Barbara Rogers said...

I've never heard of pickled asparagus, but I bet they are delicious. Loved the dragon head lighter! And she's starting her 14th year actually, since we count just the completeions of years, as being age 1 recalls. SO you are right to celebrate that (though of course they think it's a joke!) No snakes for me thank you very much! I walked along a river the other day and was very cautious that nobody would be sunning on the banks of grass, and stomped hard just in case I didn't see them. Whew. Saved from imaginary copperheads another day!

DUTA said...

The yellow petunia gift is awsome!
Cake and birthday parties are the name of the game! Congratulations!

Divers and Sundry said...

Family Fun! Sweet :)

I love the snake photo. It's great you were able to capture that moment. A good climbing tree is a joy :)

Christine said...

The kids are growing up so fast!

Hena Tayeb said...

Lol.. Happy 13/14th birthday to Isabel.
Looks like you had a great family time.
Never had a pickled asparagus before.

Nancy J said...

Those beds, that inflate with power, we had one when we were camping, using the generator to inflate it. The size of a regular Queen bed and SO comfy. Just had to remember not to inflate in the midday heat, as it slowly goes down in the colder night air !!! So wonderful to see a grandad and young lady walking together.

Bindu said...

Are watersnakes poisonous?
Your breakfast buns with chocolates looks yummy!

RedPat said...

It was a nice Mother's Day for you.

Elephant's Child said...

What a wonderful weekend you had. All of you.

Jenny said...

Mmm, fresh asparagus, what could be nicer. We have an asparagus farm not too far away from us, where we go in the season, they export a lot of their crop. I like to buy the "skinnies". Must admit I've never thought of picking asparagus, I'll have to check that out. Looks like you had a lovely family birthday party.

DrumMajor said...

What a fun time! Hang that mirror on the wall, behind the door, right where it's standing now. Linda in Kansas

Red said...

You can really keep these kids occupied. In doing so you keep yourself busy too.

Jeanie said...

That sounds like the perfect weekend! Every bit sounds like it was special and fun. (Except maybe for Cinnamon climbing the mirror!)

William Kendall said...

To quote Indy: "snakes. Why'd it have to be snakes?"