Working for the Weekend

our backyard

Last week was a busy one as we were preparing for the party we held Friday night. Jim and his business partner decided to have a dinner party at our house for all their staff, including families. I tried to talk Jim into hiring a caterer, but he wanted to grill. And we all know the rest of the meal doesn't just appear by itself. We spent some time coming up with a menu, and then I spent a lot more time cleaning the house and then washing down all the outdoor furniture. The weather forecast was good, so I was hoping we could entertain everyone outside.

Jim took Friday off to help, so we first made the grocery store run where it took us two carts to get everything out to the car. Back at home I made the two desserts I was preparing while Jim began icing down the drinks. The day passed quickly but we were actually ready an hour before the arrival of the first guests at 4:30. Unheard of for us! I think we had about 35 people here, and it seemed as if everyone had a good time. The weather was perfect and we were able to enjoy the backyard at its finest.

Saturday Jim took a long motorcycle ride to unwind, and I finished tidying up from the party before plopping down with a good book. Yesterday we spent a couple of hours at the Missouri Botanical Garden, and made it home before the downpour occurred. Add to all of this that I had great conversations with both of the kids, and it was indeed a perfect summer weekend!

For the Birds

hawk

A couple weeks ago I glanced out the kitchen window to see a big bird sitting on the grass. Before I could grab my camera, it flew up into the tree with a bunny in its grasp. I wasn't sure what kind of bird it was, but using my telephoto lens I took a picture of it up in one of our trees. My husband identified the bird as a hawk. I have never seen one that close before. Two days later we let the dog, fresh from the groomer, out in the yard and he proceeded to rub his whole neck area in something terribly disgusting. My husband tried to wash him with a cloth, picking chunks of something out of his fur along the way. I threw Kirby in the sink for another bath, nearly gagging on the smell. I am guessing that he found the remains of the bunny somewhere in our yard. Fortunately it was a milder day and I was able to open all the windows and air out the house. I haven't seen the hawk or any bunny parts since that day.

But it reminded me of the time I went around the corner of our house with Kirby on a leash to go on our daily walk. I was startled by some rustling noise caused by a huge bird. Again, I had no idea what kind of bird it was, but I threw the dog in the house and grabbed my camera. The bird had a gangly walk, and made no attempt to fly. As I was chasing it through yards, my neighbors started coming out of their houses to see what I was doing. Soon it was like the Pied Piper, me following the bird and the neighbors following me. It was pretty comical! This went on for a couple of blocks before the bird tired of the game and flew over a fence to escape the entourage. Several people confirmed that it was a turkey! Since I have only seen the ones in the freezer compartment of the store, it was news to me. But it made for a great story, and the added benefit of making the acquaintance of some new neighbors.

Anything Goes - Despite Tornado Warnings

Anything Goes

We were at the Fox Theatre tonight when the tornado warning sirens were going off in St. Louis County. I had never really considered the best place to be in the Fox should a tornado hit. We were not advised to take shelter since the storm was off to the west, and the show did indeed go on! And what a show it was. I have never seen Anything Goes before, but what a high energy production. The music, dancing, singing and set design were great. We thoroughly enjoyed the show, and it was nice to forget about the storm for awhile.

Reality set in as we made a mad dash for the car, parked several blocks away. Interstate 44 was thankfully not very crowded, because the pouring rain made it very difficult to see the lines. It was probably the worst weather conditions I have driven in for a long time. Creeping along at 40 miles per hour made the drive home a lot longer than usual, but we made it safe and sound. So far other than some water in the basement, I don't think we had any damage here at the house. Tomorrow will tell. To all of those in St. Louis and Oklahoma who did not fare so well, my thoughts and prayers go out to you.