I was going to premiere my new blog makeover/name today. But Mother Nature decided she’d thwart those plans with a thunderstorm to start off the weekend. Sure, it was on Thursday night, but for some reason our internet and phone weren’t affected until Friday. And Saturday. Two days without internet or phone. I could blame Mother Nature, but I’m pointing the finger at Verizon’s ineptitude instead.
I’m still trying to figure out how to move things and make it seamless – give me a few days and I’ll (hopefully) have it figured out. (Harriet, I’ll probably be emailing you!) As long as Mother Nature eases up on the thunderstorms we’re supposed to have today, or Verizon wises up. But you at least get a teaser – here’s a graphic that was created by none other than our extremely talented hostess of Random Tuesday Thoughts, Keely:
Isn’t it great? I love it and have been having lots of fun incorporating it into graphics for the new template. It’ll be worth the wait. Trust me.
Meanwhile, in spite of the lack of online or phone access to start our weekend off, it was sunny and hot all weekend long, so we got a lot of things done out in the yard. Princess Nagger accompanied me on my bi-monthly grocery shopping on Saturday, and we had to make a small detour to Toys R Us to pick up a ‘reward’ for her doing something she promised to do for 14 days straight:
She really wanted this kiddie pool. At least it was better than the slip’n’slide she had her eye on that has horrendous reviews. Though this one might be a close second in the bad review arena. But Princess Nagger was happy, and that’s what mattered most. The first day (Saturday) she had a lot of fun splashing around and keeping cool in the heat, so she didn’t mind so much that the basketball hoop had a hole in it right out of the box and wouldn’t inflate:
There’s a place on the arch you connect the hose to have a sprinkler spraying all around the arch and keeping the inflatable slide wet for a ‘water slide’, but when you connect the hose it pulls the arch over a bit and renders it useless. So she opted not to have a water slide. The arch kept losing air so by the end of the day on Saturday it was relegated to the shed. Princess Nagger still had a great time splashing around and practicing the swim moves she learned in swim class:
By Monday the only thing still inflated was the pool itself. Which worked for Princess Nagger to cool off after she helped me weed the flower beds.
We cooked on the grill the entire weekend. Since the summer heat arrived quite early, it was a nice break to not slave over a hot stove in the hot kitchen. Burgers and dogs on Saturday, ribs and corn on the cob on Sunday, and steak and mushrooms with corn on the cob on Monday. Those are some of the few things Princess Nagger will actually eat in their entirety. And she loved helping do all the prep. I’ll post the killer recipes later this week or next. They. are. Awesome. Don’t these ribs look scrumptious?
I forgot to take a picture after I unwrapped the corn – I was too hungry. I made a dry rub and cooked the ribs in the oven first before we threw them on the grill and slathered them with barbecue sauce. The meat was literally falling off the bone. They were delicious! I promise to post the recipe soon.
Update on our Weasel Wars – we’re leaving him/her alone for now. I think he/she will be my new best friend. Because we spied a rat scarfing up some bird seed under the feeders. And we witnessed her enter and exit not just from one hole, but from another she dug smack dab in the middle of the grass (and we’re assuming it’s a ‘her’ because she kept collecting bird seed then disappearing into a hole she dug under the grape arbor – we’re assuming she’s taking food back to babies. Ugh.)
Hubby set up his video camera and got some great footage – I’ll pull some pictures later to post. He even covered up her holes with more dirt, but we watched her dig her way out and create what looks like a mole hill under the grape arbor. My hubby’s music buddy stopped by Sunday and thought it was a gopher, until he spied the long rat tail.
The voles seem to have disappeared, probably into the belly of the weasel, now hopefully the rat will become his next meal. Meanwhile I trimmed my rose bushes yesterday, so I stuffed thorny branches into the holes. I know, I’m mean. But it’s a rat, people!
And now, the weekly picture of the pond:
Notice how nice the stream looks now? Hubby spent some time on Saturday reorganizing the flagstone on either side and moving some of the ground cover from my other flower bed to replace those that the dogs dug up. Now that the invisible fence excludes the pond and the stream, it’s going to flourish! It was exactly one year ago this past weekend we decided to dig up the ground between the apple tree and the pond to add a stream. Stop back by tomorrow to see the before and after pictures!
Head over and visit Keely at The Un-Mom for some fun randomness and get your own Random on!
I sort of want a kiddie pool.
.-= Kristina P. would like you to read ..Making Sparks Fly =-.
your new header art is the bomb! love it…and the kiddie pool!
.-= brian would like you to read ..reaching the summit =-.
It is amazing how dependent we have become on Internet service! I am a bear when ours goes out!
The grill, a kiddie pool, and yardwork…summer is here! It makes the last 8 days of school that much harder for me to teach!
Have a great rest of the week!
.-= Jenny would like you to read ..Green (Bean) Baby =-.
You guys ate like royalty this weekend…sounds delicious. Can’t wait to see the new header in place! Oh, PN has the best pool I have ever seen.
.-= blueviolet would like you to read ..Reason #1 for Being in Chicago Last Week =-.
Aw, I miss the Kiddy pool days, looks like lots of fun. And a rat?? I’d use any thorns at my disposal!
.-= Maureen@IslandRoar would like you to read ..Scars =-.
The yard looks fabulous. Princess and the Pool? Does she find it small? We have a similar problem wit one that the boys grandparents bought, the hose in and the wter is wayyyyyyyyy too much pressure, not enough pressure and it flopps over? I’d like to get the a pool but I can’t swim. 🙁
.-= kyooty would like you to read ..Friday Fill-ins. Happy Memorial Day weekend for Those in the USA =-.
I LOVE the graphic Keely did for you! I can’t wait to see how it works into the new blog design.
I miss the “kiddie pool” days too. Sigh.
We cooked on the grill all weekend as well. Oh, and how ’bout posting the recipe for that dry rub?
.-= Jan would like you to read ..RTT: The All-Natural NaBloPoMo Edition =-.
LOVE the artwork. Can’t wait to see the new site. A few of us want to come sit by the pond and taste your wine. Let us know when it’s convenient for you, lol.
We did the kid pool too. No holes yet:)
.-= Rachele would like you to read ..Totally Random June 1st =-.
The pool looks like fun, even without the b-ball. So excited to see your new look!
.-= Teri would like you to read ..Hannah is answering your questions =-.
I love your new graphic. You look like a genie coming out of the bottle. There is no such thing as cruel when it comes to rats. I would totally freak out. I hope your weasel gets them soon.
Aw, I was waiting to see the new design! Stupid Verizon. I mean Mother Nature.
.-= Keely would like you to read ..This is what I get for trying to leave the house: Random Tuesday Thoughts =-.
Sounds like some sort of serial TV show where we watch in amazement at the slowly deflating kiddie pool. “Tune in next week when we see how much the pool has deflated”.
So glad that the enthusiasm to use the pool had not deflated as well.
Happy RTT!
.-= Christopher (AKA: CaJoh) would like you to read ..Spin Cycle: My mePhone =-.
The graphic is so cool, I love it.
That is one fantastic kiddie pool!
Those ribs do look delicious.
.-= Raven would like you to read ..Totally Random Fun! =-.
Ah the amazing disappearing inflatable kingdom, a new (well maybe old) concept in pool toys! At least the important part still works.
Those ribs look so good.
.-= Kerry would like you to read ..Random stuff =-.
Seriously, you have the coolest backyard! Sprite wants a pool. Do you think she’d accept a kiddie option?
.-= Sprite’s Keeper would like you to read ..RTT: As part of a well balanced Tuesday.. =-.
What a fun pool idea. We need to get something soon like that.
And, the image is super cute.
Your backyard is gorgeous! And I love the idea of grilling all summer. I’ve been doing a lot of crock pot cooking lately for the same reason.
.-= Jeanette@Bliss would like you to read ..Tiny tantalizing tidbits for you to enjoy… =-.
that stinks about the slide not working, but at least PN was happy with the pool. We used to have a slip-n-slide and we all loved it, but we put it on a hill. It didn’t work as well on the flat part of the back yard.
happy tuesday!
.-= rxBambi would like you to read ..Six Word Saturday Plus =-.
Whoa, I’m looking, and looking okay I’m convinced. Wait for me! I’ll be there shortly. Looks like a whole lotta fun, and great food! Nice Post lady, thanks for sharing.
.-= Xmasdolly would like you to read ..The "eStore" the best on-line experience – And the WINNERS are…? =-.
My daughter wants one of those water parks. She’s a bit too old.
Love your garden!!!
.-= Harriet would like you to read ..Mom says now he’s crying because he can’t have his ciggies =-.
Can’t wait for the big reveal! Love Keely’s graphic.
I’m also strangely intrigued to see the weasel video. hehe.
.-= Gretchen would like you to read ..RTT: Summer Fun, Threesomes and Ascots =-.
I have a recipe for rat somewhere in my cook books… 🙂
Oh how I wish the “pool” we opened this weekend was nice and compact like yours!
The pond/stream look lovely. Now all it needs is a bench big enough for a Stacy and a doggie to sit on together with a book. Perfect.
If’n I were you, I’d call someone about the rats. From a friend’s experience, they won’t go away on their own, and might scare off your weasel. Also, watch the rat around the dogs! The friend I mention had a thousands of dollars vet bill when his rottweiler went after the rats and they fought back!
.-= Mama Badger would like you to read ..Happy Memorial Day! =-.
That looks like a pretty cool kiddie pool. I have to get my kids’ a new one this summer. Their old one is full of holes. Glad to hear you had an exciting weekend and all the storms have passed.
.-= Cascia @ Healthy Moms would like you to read ..Getting Defiant Kids to Cooperate =-.
The stream looks wonderful. Did you know that my Skye, back in the day, were rat hunters? I hope the weasel gets yours. That pool looks like fun but what a bummer not holding the air. Excited to see the new blog look.
.-= Debby would like you to read ..POST IT NOTE TUESDAY =-.
I love the graphic, can’t wait to see the new design.
I set up the slip n’ slide for the kids over the weekend, it works to cool them down but the younger kids can’t seem to get the launching right, so they don’t slip or slide, just kind of army crawl under the water spray, then complain about getting water in their eyes. So not worth the trouble.
very interesting 🙂
Happy children
.-= tools would like you to read ..Mechanics Lubrication Tools =-.