2nd to last week in Columbia

This is how our house looks right now...

It was a week of packing.  But not all the time.  Steve and I went to the movies Tuesday night and saw Guardians of the Galaxy Part 2.  The MMCO rehearsed Monday night and performed Saturday at Parkside Manor.  Then we had a lovely potluck afterwards and this is the gorgeous gift I received from the group.  It is a beautifully framed print of a watercolor by a retired art professor at MU.  The subject could actually be me in younger years.

I managed to take a couple of friends up to a little flea market/antique shop east of Centralia on Wednesday afternoon.  Of course I didn't buy anything but I sure had fun with the litter of three kittens.  Cara, five-year old granddaughter of one of my friends also enjoyed playing with them.


Not only are we packing up the house but also the yard - at least the vegetable garden which will not be planted this year.  Remember all the fruit tree covers I sewed out of the dozens and dozens of discarded pillowcases several years ago?  I had enough covers to fill a large tub and I just couldn't see saving them.  Well, I found a good use for them.  They are acting as weed-prevention on the garden.

those are logs on top.  Trust me, they are not the only way we are keeping the sheets in place.  We have tent-pole-like rods also poked into the fabric at intervals.  And rocks.

Steve had a bunch of blackberry brambles to get rid of and we had a falling-apart bench under the deck that needed dismantling so Steve had a bonfire Thursday evening.





It also happened while I had my last lessons with the Barner twins - Ethan and Andrew - and they, being normal 10-year old boys, had a blast with burning things in the fire.  And writing with charcoal tipped sticks.  They also brought me and Steve a beautiful Edible Arrangements.

 
Steven turned 35 on Wednesday.  Steve and Steven celebrated by going to a Cardinals game that night.  And we had his birthday dinner Sunday night.  Here he is sporting a ribbon from one of his gifts as he blows out his candles on his carrot cake/cheese cake birthday cake!



Julina turned 41 on Thursday.  And we got the wonderful news that Kirsti and Ryan are expecting a baby girl.