Jaci Dawn

(But don’t say anything or it will evaporate in morning mist and afternoon clouds):

(soto voce): summer.

Cross your fingers, knock on wood, throw salt over your left shoulder – wait! That’s only 8if* you spilled the salt.

I know, I know, I know: you are reading this from your sweaty domicile in the Midwest or Arkansas or Texas or parts of the Northeast and you’re thinking “I wish summer would just end or cool off or…”

It hasn’t been so here in the Pacific Northwest where we are not starved for rain water or cool temperatures. It has edged up over 80 a handful of times. I’ve been wearing a jacket EVERY SINGLE DAY for at least half the day.

Today was one of those beautiful days that edged up over 80 degrees. The weatherpeople are promising us eight more days of this (I never trust them so if I get three nice days out of it, I’ll be quite content for about 30 minutes). Eight whole days of summer! Woot!

And to herald in summer, my grandsons came to visit me.

Well, my son-in-law came over to help me move a large item of furniture from the garage to the studio but he brought my grandsons and my daughter along with him. Good son-in-law.

Yep, Eli is walking.

They came in the gate and Z said, “Where are my digging tools?”

“I don’t know! Where are they?”

Pointing at the garage, he offered, “In there.”

“Well, if you knew where they were, why did you ask me?”

He had to think about that.

Z and Javes hauled all the toys out. Eli toddled around unsteadily. Javes asked if he could “pay with eggs.”

WHAT? OH. Play in the hazelnut mulch. I guess the little hazelnut shells look like egg shells…?

We are eternally grateful for a handicap ramp. Every home should come with one (why do I hear a resounding “YES!!” from the handicapped section? I mean for little kids you silly people!).

Some kids get the hang of it faster than others.

“I win!” the winner proudly proclaims. Except there wasn’t a race.

We took a walk around the yard. Grandma cleaned up most of the dog poo but we stepped carefully anyway. We found: a horse, a crocodile, a goose, a frog, some mushrooms, an owl and some butterflies. And apples and green tomatoes.

Grandma has a very fun yard even if you have to watch out for dog poo.

Too soon they had to leave.

What a perfect way to bring in the warm weather. Thank you, Sam, for bringing your family over to visit me.

Oh. And thanks for moving that ridiculously large piece of furniture upstairs. I know it was a great sacrifice.