Rain Rain Rain SUN!

Monday to Wednesday this week it rained.

Monday was a fun day after our weekend away, filled with books and movies and snacking in the morning, and rock picking/fountain construction in the afternoon.  The rain was intermittent most of the day, heavier as the day came to a close, just enough to keep the mortar in the fountain from drying.  We went to sleep with a roaring fire in the 50 degree chilly Vermont evening, and woke up to another cold and wet morning.

Day two of cold and wet we maxed out the indoor activities by the end of the morning.  

As luck would have it, the world provided us with a new project.  Mid-nap, there was a crack/bang, and a tree limb fell on the truck. (Full disclosure, this is a tree limb u.Harry had noticed a week ago while eating around the campfire and said, "that's going to come down soon, you should move your truck.")

So.

Smashed windshield, severely crinkled cab roof, bent top edge of the door. 

I called the insurance company, they put me in touch with an appraisal company, and an appraiser from NY happened to be heading towards Rutland.  We suited up and went to town to meet him.  Stopped at the hardware store for some stuff, went shoe shopping for the kids, and he met us and did his thing in 5 minutes.

The end of that story is, I'm very thankful that limb didn't hit anyone, the insurance company is already wiring the money to our account, and as soon as we have time to leave the truck somewhere, we'll get that fixed.  


That closed out a rainy Tuesday, and we had another chilly summer night with a roaring fire and a movie.  (We watched MIB, which with constant narration from me and question answering for all of Annaliese's questions about aliens, was lots of fun for all of us.  Aside: the first time we discussed aliens about a month ago, Annaliese pondered our talk of other planets and life forms, and her response was, "does that mean we're aliens to other people?")


Wednesday morning was exciting.  The kids were going for a sleep over at their grandparents' house.  (Read: Kagan's first night alone in a month!)


I won't say I was excited, but we got an early start, and I was foot loose and child free well before noon.


The kids were very excited about their new flip flops, set them out at the base of the loft-ladder the previous night, and insisted on wearing them for the trip to the grandparents.  Annaliese insisted on her pirate panties as well.

Caspian changed his mind and wore his new shoes and shirt.  At the rate these kids destroy clothes, especially up here, I'm a big fan of Old Navy.

The kids barely said goodbye to me.  We had been selling the sleepover for a week or so, and they were beyond sold.  When I left they were already headed out on a walk with their grandmaman being pulled in this wagon.

I stopped for a new chain for my chainsaw on the way back, and then spent the day playing.

It continued to rain on me most of the afternoon/evening, but it was just me!

I played with my wife via-iphone...

Cleaned my cabin, finished the hot water system, worked on opening up the view, hauled trees up the hill with my truck and long cables, and split wood until it was too dark to see.  Then I ate all by myself, did the dishes while listening to the end of the newest Pratchett collaboration on audible, started a roaring fire, had a bath, and went to sleep in the flannel bed in the loft ALL BY MYSELF!

After a leisurely morning, lunch in downtown Springfield and a wander through the gallery on Main Street that has been open for 11 years now, I went to get the kids in the early afternoon.  Annaliese cried when I came in and said she didn't want to leave.  After hearing what their visit was like, I can understand.  I'll cover that in a bit.  


We had a lovely dinner at my parents' house, packed up with clean laundry courtesy of my mother, (yep, did our laundry, line dried, folded, while doing all the incredible things you'll see in a moment,) and the kids were asleep before we got out of Springfield.  I had a lovely drive in the crisp Vermont evening, listening to "Mort", (Pratchett's latest was good, but I needed a discworld fix,) and eating frozen blueberries.


Kids asleep, cabin clean, ready for us to depart early tomorrow for Hermit Island just north of Portland for a weekend of camping with the aunts and uncles, then on Sunday ALEXE ARRIVES!


Picking her up in Portland, sleeping at a.Kitty and u.Randall's house, and then back here for a week of family time.


*sigh*  Good times.