ready or not, here it comes

I'm hiring help on my wall.  The neighbor's college-aged son is going to come earn some cash while digging for my wall.  I have a wonderful half wall right now and I am tired.  It looks great.  I was making great progress, but it is getting hot and humid and I know the bugs are lurking and about to come out.  And school is out on Friday.  So, I am hiring help.  I assume I will still have a lot of work to do on it- leveling with gravel and sand for each block and preparing for each step up.  And I'm not even sure I'm up for that.  But, I have a half wall!  Look!

(a close up of my root solution)

I  think our family was just tired today.  Bug decided he didn't feel well enough for school this morning.  He was sniffly and coughing, probably because his lame mother hasn't gotten a prescription for the meds he needs.  But I told him to rest in bed and he wasn't able to stay put.  Then he decided he did feel well enough for school after all.  I told his teacher to call if needed.  I don't know if he's sick or not.  We had a tiring weekend.

Pook's birthday party was Saturday morning.  The boys ran around in the back yard, through the ivy paths up and down the slope.  I baked the "chocolate cake with no frosting" as requested.  Thank you, Joy the Baker for a great recipe.  We sprinkled powdered sugar on the bundt cake and served it with strawberries and whipped cream to order.  The kids slayed a dragon (pinata) and gathered up candy and Stuff.  I actually purchased a bag of something called "Pinata Mix".  All "Made in China" and all useless cr&p -mixed with candies.  And they all loved it.  (And in the fall I will gather it again and donate it to some teacher's treasure chest.  And then my children will bring it back home as rewards for good work.  And then I will gather it up....)

After the birthday party was a playoff baseball game.  Bug's team won, which means we still aren't done with baseball. (I should be more excited, I know.)  After all that the boys went to some friends for a babysitting sleepover.  Sunday we tried to take it easy, but CD and I were going out and they had my parents babysitting.  Even with an early bedtime, it is still exciting to have grandparents babysitting.  All together, they were exhausted when the alarm went off this morning.

Pook's third grade is finishing up their study of economics (yes, really, in third grade) with a "market day".  The kids are each bringing something to sell (fake money) to the other classes.  The suggestions included drawings, pom-pom crafts and bookmarks.  Pook decided to make pizza breadsticks* with our bread machine. I suspect they will sell better than the pom-pom animals.  Meanwhile, my kindergartner will be a first grader in five days.  Both kids have awards ceremonies on Thursday so it looks like I will be there most of the day.  Friday is it. 

Summer is about here.  Wall or no wall.  Ready or not.  Here it comes.

*****
Pizza Breadsticks
makes 1.5 lb
<1 c.water (save 1/4c to see if it is needed)
3 c. flour (all purpose)
1.5 t. salt
0.5 t. sugar
1.5 T. butter
1.5 T. dry milk
1.5 t. yeast
1/4 c. fresh oregano
1/4 c. chopped pepperoni
1/4 c. spaghetti or pizza sauce (jarred)
-Let the bread machine start, on dough setting and add water or flour until the dough ball is neither crumbly nor sticky.
-When dough finishes, cut or roll into sticks, sprinkle with parmesan and bake about 25 minutes.