Summer Fun Times

As I type this to you, a thunderstorm is raging...but not for long. Today our cooler temps will climb quite high and the sun will shine. Mid 90's we are being told by the local news. Not my cup of tea for sure, but I am trying to appreciate all that Summer has to offer with the beauty of the plants and flowers thriving in the heat, growing with the sudden downpours and thunderstorms and relishing a time of no schedules for school and activities. We are off to a good start. We've enjoyed meals in our backyard at the patio table, breakfast on the front porch, fire pits and smores at night. We've caught fireflies and gone for long walks, chased the ice cream man more times then I care to mention (he drives too fast or I'm getting slow :(   We have gone swimming and sat with family for bbqs. I love every minute of it. Although we do have the occasional bickering between siblings, we are a peaceful house :) Peaceful and quiet and reflective. I often think about what we have accomplished with this house my husband built in 2008 and although it isn't quite finished, I often reflect on what a huge project he embarked on--building an entire home by himself. As I rock back and forth in my favorite chair on the porch, I think about how we lived in the basement for one full year as my husband demolished and then completely rebuilt the house above our heads. Now I can enjoy the fruits of his labor...and we all are.
My son has been working tirelessly in our yard. He loves outdoor work just like his Dad. At 13 years old, he already appreciates so many things it can take a lifetime for an adult to realize. He loves building, he is interested in decorating, plants, farms, food, everything...He loves all things that make a family a family.  He loves hunting garage sales and tag sales and all things antique and redo-able. That's my boy!
He has been transforming one side of our yard that  had lost the 5 trees from Hurricane Irene and what a job he has been doing! I will post  photos when he is finished. He has transplanted bushes, pulled weeds, stacked brick, cultivated his way around that side yard that now it looks delightful. But he still has one section left so he wouldn't let me photograph it. We plan to replace the trees that were lost with Leland Cypress--a whole row. That's the plan...but for now it's just clean up! I'm so proud of him.
He was also the recipient of a really cool birthday gift from his Aunt Linda~~Linda knows Billy likes retro and old stuff like his Mom & Dad :)    She bought him this really cool cd holder/cabinet that looks like  50's drink machine! How cool is that? AND when we went into the Christmas Tree Shoppe we saw these retro Coca Cola signs, and Billy bought two to hang in his room. I love how it looks! One is hanging by his favorite metal sign--Cracker Jack & his doggy.
Speaking of retro~~we had some fun for lunch that day with Aunt Linda too! (BTW Linda is one of my husband's 3 sisters and she lives in Deer Park which is like 20 minutes away) We went to Johnny  Rockets! What an amazing place. My kids were teasing me that I was living my Happy Days dream---knowing my love for the Fonz :)   (hey, I'm a 70's kid and EVERYONE loved Fonzie)

CD Cabinet!

Look at the cool interior. They got it right! The juke box, the chrome tables and chairs, the music that was playing, the signs on the walls, and the staff wearing a uniform with that cool triangle hat. My Grandpa and Uncle Frank owned a Carvel from the 60's till the mid 80's and they wore those paper triangle hats! I love them. I actually wanted one from Johnny Rockets. Maybe next time....Anyway, I had a burger and a chocolate milkshake as did my kids and Linda. When they served Caitlin her plate,they had a separate plate with ketchup for her fries made into a smile :)  love those personal touches. It makes us feel special. We had fun! I told Linda her name for the lunch was Ralph Malph, Billy was Potsy and Caitlin was Richie Cunningham---I was the Fonz.....they didn't want to play :(  I really wanted to be Howard anyway and dispense good advice at the table.....   :0  ......Loved Tom Bosley.    Enough silly talk!  We had a blast!

New sign for his room!

Onto the Christmas Tree Shoppe where I got me a new flag that goes perfectly with my house. An aged, tea stained tan cloth flag! LOVE IT!  I also got some eucalyptis to fill that brass receptacle thingy I got at a garage sale (see a few posts back). We still don't know if it's an umbrella holder or what...Linda says it's a tall spittoon (yuck)...I say it's a "receptacle"  :)   say it in a "proper" voice --receptacle..... and we're going with that!!! I like how it came out! And Christmas Tree Shoppes is very reasonable. Eucalyptis only $1.99 a bunch...I used two to fill 'er up! I also got two braided rugs--one for the kitchen and one for the family room by the sliding doors.  Love that place. I could buy a whole lotta stuff there!

I also changed up the barn star birdhouse that hangs on my porch. I affixed that wooden American birdhouse OVER the plain one. It brightened it up and I added some Americana berries. Happy 4th of July!

Another sool one near Mr. Cracker Jack

Before I go, I jst wanted to share some photos of some of my other cats. Have you met Dixie? We have her for 8 years. We rescued her from a big park in Smithtown. It took us 3 visits there to catch her! She must have been there for quite some time. She is deaf and she has hardly any teeth hence the reason her tongue hangs out! The vet had told us that she probably broke her teeth trying to open up things to eat from dumpsters or from fighting. She is a sweetheart who loves her home. She is happy EVERY DAY! We call her Dixie Doodle. She is so grateful  and loves her family. We love her so much.

I know you have met Red Cat....He's called Red Cat because when he was s stray outside he used to hear me say "Where is that red cat? I want to feed that red cat" ....sooooo he thought his name was Red Cat and that is what he answers to. Now he is not a stray but for the last 6 years he is ours...and he likes to lounge on the porch chairs. He's very protective of his house. He is like O'Malley  the Alley Cat from the Disney movie the Aristocats  (One of my favorites).

Order Up!

Two happy faces!

DELICIOUS!

Love my new (OLD) flag!

Pretty RECEPTACLE :)

Dixie

The rain has ended and the sun is out! Another day ready to begin!  Have a joyous one!