Blogging failure

Between vacation, getting back from vacation, and having a majorly unpleasant cold sweep through the family, blogging hasn't happened. I think that this is the longest stretch I've gone in years without posting something. It feels odd. I'll if I can't get back on my game. Let's see if I can catch you up on what has been going on.

• We have a new licensed driver in the house. TM got his driver's license yesterday, much to his great joy. Today, he drove Aster to the dog park and drove himself to work. 
• TM also learned that he was awarded Employee of the Month at work this month. I'm pretty proud of him.
• It is hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. I do not like super hot weather. I will be glad when it goes away, though it doesn't look as though that will be any time soon. (I do not like super cold weather, either, but you can at least put on another layer for that.)
• Did I tell you that M. was officially accepted into the competitive Veterinary Technician program for the fall? Even better, the classes are at night so M. can keep working at the animal shelter clinic during the day.
• My garden this year is a disaster. I'm not even going to show you pictures. With all the rain that we had, the weeds are totally out of control and I cannot keep up. I'm crying, "Uncle!" and seeing what I end up with, but am making significant changes for weed control next year.
• So remember the hot tub? How we were going to get rid of it, but M. decided that we could transform it into a pond? Remember how for the past year it's looked as though a hot tub fell to the earth and landed in my yard? Well, take a look!

First M. lined it, so it looked significantly more pond-like and less hot tub-like. Today, M. added some gravel and soil in preparation for some major landscaping.

As you can see, the ducks think that this is the single best improvement in their accommodations. ever. The ducks were rather dirty when they jumped in, so muddied the water quite a bit. This will be a test of the pump and filter system. Pre-duck, the water was completely clear. We'll see what it looks like in the morning. The filter is that green Menards bucket there in the corner. It will have landscaping to disguise it.

Want to see some happy ducks? Look at this.

• Since we're on the topic of ducks, they are causing some problems. Due to the sinking of the ground level in the pen, due to all that rain, the ducks can now get under the coop. Which they do. Far, far under. Where they lay eggs we cannot reach. This is all complicated by the fact that one of the ducks has gone broody and spends much time sitting on a nest... under the coop... where we cannot reach her. We have no drake, so there will be no ducklings, but while she is hiding under there, we cannot block up the entrance.

Do you see that opening there next to the ramp into the coop? That's where they are going in.

• We're also trying to do something about the sinkhole which is the pen. The massive amounts of rain have created a mud bog that is still not dry. It does not smell nice, either. This is the view of it after having dumped six bags of gravel into it. The contents of the first few bags sank without a trace. We need at least as many more.

• Aster turned one year old this past week and Kenzie turned seven. 
• D. has started reading the Inspector Gamache books and is hooked.
• D. is also working on registering for some college classes which J. works for the fall. 
• I have been spending my time going to the grocery store this weekend. There is an amazing deal on $0.99/pound pork loin for the weekend. I've been stocking the freezer. I also don't want to look like a crazy hoarder, so go and buy 6-9 pork loins, come home and go back the next day. They also had $0.89/each cantaloupes and honeydews. I've bought quite a few, but there is not an easy way to preserve them, so I have been more restrained.

And now that I am reduced to talking about grocery shopping, that must mean that it's time to close. I promise to do my very best to be a better blogger.