Grandkids at Granny's House

It was almost like they weren't even here half the time.  I picked them up at school yesterday at 5 pm as they both had track practice.  They wanted to go home for a while and attend to homework and projects so I dropped them off and waited for a phone call to tell me they were ready to come over for the night.
That  call didn't come until almost 8 pm but they're awfully self-reliant and they knew I was only two blocks over.

Hunter wanted to finish his homemade car (a science class project I think).  It had to actually move to get a good grade.  Hunter's took off across the room after he wound this string around the back wheel axis. Maddie (who said her team wasn't that good) figured Hunter's car would win the contest easily as their car wasn't even mobile.

After dinner, they pretty much had their faces glued to their phones as they read  facebook and texted friends.  I thought:  "Well, if this is the extent of the conversation we're  going to have, I might as well go ahead and watch Dexter."   I had planned on waiting until they went to bed since the language and scenes can get to be a bit much.  Anyhow, they weren't intrigued  or even interested in what I was watching. Maddie thought it was a horror show and that  Dexter was a serial killer. She was surprised I was even watching it.  I suspect she thought I was just into nature shows  and the news. I corrected her by saying that Dexter killed serial killers; he wasn't a serial killer himself and that this was actually quality TV.

I was up at least three times during the night  but was able to get back to sleep each time in the recliner.
When I finally woke up at 7:15, I thought "Oh no, the kids are going to be late."   Both were up, dressed, and packing  their backpacks - so quietly I didn't even hear them.  Maddie had a bowl of cereal 'cause she gets embarrassed if her stomach growls in class.  Hunter didn't want anything because he didn't want to spoil his appetite for the doughnuts that were being provided this morning at some assembly.

I handed the kids this bag of mini candy bar bites and suggested they take them to school to hand out to their friends as I wanted to get them out of the house.  I laughed when Maddie said: "Grandma!  That's just weird!  Besides we'd have to let someone inspect it first."   Oh.... just a thought--  my, how times have changed.

We  left the house around 7:55 for the trip to Stevens Junior High.

They groaned as I pulled out my camera and asked me why I felt the need to take their picture going to school.
"Because my blog has been extra boring lately and all I've had is pictures of trees, grass, birds, and things I've got in emails."

Pictures like this --

I set some things in the driveway yesterday with a "free" sign on them.  The two stools were grabbed by the neighbor kid next door but I had to bring the TV stand and file box back to the garage.

I watched a very interesting video on Youtube yesterday about what caused the Oso landslide. Makes sense  too.  Clear-cutting higher up on the mountain.

My phone just rang but then the caller disappeared before I could answer.  I called back and it was Linda P. who had hit my name by accident on her cell phone.  I told her I had done the exact same thing yesterday when I called Mary N after hanging up  on  another call from my sister.  These cell phones are a blessing SOMETIMES and a real pain in the butt other times.  Seems like just yesterday when my house phone  would ring its loud RINGGGG!!!! and I'd have to go running to answer it. I told her I suspected we weren't the only senior citizens struggling with cell phones these days.

About the only thing I got accomplished yesterday was two loads of laundry and a Town Kid blog post on the PT Leader website called 'All my rowdy friends have settled down.'  Read at (ptleader.com)under the blogs heading at the top.

Here's another "good timing" photo that I got in an email..............

I got an email via ancestry.com yesterday from this woman who is also researching Blankenships. She had quite a bit of data but nothing on Charlie so she's going to look into it as well.  I've got to get my new clues updated onto my genealogy blog so that others might land on it and help too.

I pick up the kids at 5, take Maddie home to change into her softball clothes, take her to practice at Dry Creek (or  Lincoln Park?) and then pick her up again at 7:30.  I guess my plans of having her help me sweep out the garage and vacuum the car are down the tube. Too many sports practices dashing my hopes.  Tomorrow, the other grandma will have to take her to the jamboree as I plan on driving into PT for a funeral and other errands.  Hunter wants to hang out at his house and work on his tractor. Then he'll call his grandpa Ed to come get him until I return later in the day.

Here's the latest from the newest member of the family... he's wearing his Dude shirt. Mary went back to work this week so they're all adjusting to new routines.  She was extremely weepy the first day.