July's almost over and I'm not done with my To Do list

This has been a busy month. The bathroom is painted as well as the two walls in the kitchen where we removed a huge banquette bench. I've moved all my winter clothes over to the bedroom closet and taken measurements for curtains. Noble's birthday presents are all done and the second box is on it's way. She turns 24 on Sunday. I finally got some pictures developed to send to my Dad who doesn't do email. I've helped with Dr. Hair's film project by baking cakes, breads and cookies for his fund raiser on July 4th, then shopping for costume pieces in Council Bluffs with members of the cast. I've worked in the yard pulling weeds and moving plants around; keeping a dog and two cats fed and happy, as well as taking care of a bird bath and feeder (new to my life this summer).

I've decluttered and taken bags of stuff to the thrift store. Moving is a good time to do that sort of thing. Items I haven't used or even unpacked from the last move are good candidates for removal.

My sewing room is a total mess again and will stay that way until we move out of this house and I can spread it out between the three bedrooms upstairs. I have PLANS! And with space to work in I fully expect to accomplish them.

I've given a lot of thought to my frugal lifestyle. My way of thinking is so natural now that it is automatic, without a lot of thought. The only times I think about it is when I hear what someone else does and I think to myself "That's not the least expensive way to do that." or something similar. When I think about topics for this blog I decide "Oh no one would want to know about that." I wish readers would ask questions that I could answer to give me some direction as to what you'd like to know.

This week Dr. Hair and Dandylion are off to the Scout High Adventure in South Dakota. TopDad and I are enjoying the peace and privacy. Just three short years until it will be like this all the time. Amazing! It took us ten years to get all five of the chuns here; it's only taking six for them to all leave us. (PW left in 2010, Dandy will leave in 2016) By the way, Noble is doing well in Korea. Several airmen (and women) have asked her to accompany them to Seoul because she speaks the language and can be their tour guide. She is happy to do so.

JET bought a zippy convertible sports car, red no less, and has let me drive it a couple times. It is really fun!!! He has a new job as a technician at a Honda dealership. PW is a pesticide technician for the summer earning money for school in the fall.

Everyone is happy, busy and making progress.

Lastly, the weather today is cool, dry with a lovely northern breeze. It feels like the end of September to me, rather than the end of July. But who's complaining, this is perfectly wonderful weather. Supposed to stay like this for the next week, then rain is in the forecast. Lovely!!!

How did that get in here?

Last night as I was reading in bed before turning out the light to go to sleep I was interrupted by Dr. Hair saying "Mom, there's a bird in my room and it just flew downstairs." I threw on a robe and we went downstairs to let the bird outside. I saw it flying around the kitchen, then it went into the pantry and Dr. Hair saw it go into a big box where I keep plastic containers used in lunches during the school year. I got a dishtowel and draped it over the box and took the box outside. Once outside on the patio I pulled the towel off expecting the bird to fly out of the box to freedom. It didn't! So Dr. Hair grabbed a flashlight and I looked into the box where I could hear the creature moving around but couldn't see it. I moved the containers around and finally got a glimpse of it. It wasn't a bird but a little brown BAT!!

I wish I'd had my camera handy, but didn't so couldn't get a picture. The little thing looked just like a cartoon creature peering over a cool whip container up into the light beam of the flashlight. It didn't make a sound and to get rid of it I finally had to dump the contents out onto the concrete before it finally took off.

Bats are useful for eating insects, especially mosquitos. But how it got into the house is still a mystery.

Several weeks ago I found a baby snake in the basement. It was not a friendly snake either, as it kept opening its mouth and striking. I don't know what kind it was because I couldn't hold it to get a good look at it. I captured it in a quart yogurt container and took it out to the garden. How it got in or where it came from I have no idea.

Many years ago in Virginia we occasionally found baby snakes in our house; they were beautiful light grey with a dark necklace. They never opened their mouths or struck so I could pick them up and hold them. They were smooth and lovely. Only once did I find more than one at a time. Weird. But true. No idea where they came from either.

I'm not the kind to scream about creatures in the house. I've battled all sorts of insects, reptiles and mammals in my time. Good thing too, what with raising four boys.