Nothing but Dust

4 glorious days of perfect weather.
The perfect time to tackle the fall yard work, after sneaking in a Grandson's football game, of course.

 Everyone is outside. All around the neighborhood people are blowing and mowing the leaves.. A few are burning them - Shame on You!

The rest of us are trying to mulch them. It has been so dry out that it's like mulching sand. Dust everywhere.
I spent 2 days blowing leaves out around the house and then  mulching them into a fine powder. Enough work on the leaves! Time to plant my tulips and trim up my hosta.

I need to wait till ALL of the leaves fall. Then the forecast called for rain - Mike got up on the roof and blew the leaves off - raked them out away from the house and decided that he was going to mulch them.
I told him to be my guest - I am still trying to cough away all the dust I inhaled. Not to mention the dirt that got into my eyes. It was bad people.

I strongly suggested that Mike put on a face mask. He just got over a nasty upper respiratory infection.  No arguments from him!

 He had to stop a few times to unclog the build up of leaves under the carriage.

 Nothing but dust!

So, as much as I was hoping that a little rain would wet down the mulched leaves and dust - it did NOT rain and we have another beautiful fall day.
Good thing we didn't put away our lawn furniture yet. I can sit and watch the last of the leaves fall.

Meet Owen

I heard it in his voice when he called at 3:03 am Friday Morning and woke me.
Mary had the baby and  all things pointed to it being healthy, oh yeah, and it's a boy. A big boy!
Owen Murphey Flory finally arrived.
Mary had a very smooth delivery and I have a new grandson.

When Luke was born Mike and I visited the hospital, but when I got home I realized I had pictures of everybody with the baby but me. That was not going to happen with Owen.

Mike was in no condition to make the trip to the hospital (very sick with all kinds of infections) so I was on my own. I have been to this hospital a few other times but I just rode along. Somehow I had to maneuver through traffic and  one way streets of Chicago to get to see Owen.

Traffic was light and I found the parking garage, parked the car and didn't know which way to get out. I was sure I was going to get lost in a parking garage.
I asked two gentlemen which way to go and finally found the elevators. I had it in my mind to just go back down the ramps I came up until I hit the street if I had too.

Made it to room 1387 and finally held grandson #5.
Everyone meet Owen!

 That's "my baby" on the right.

 Owen telling his Daddy " I love you, but I really want my Mommy right now."

Bryans phone beeped. "It was Andy checking in on 4 square. He's at Haymakert."
I thought it would be a hoot to surprise him and just show up there on my way home and have a draft.
Bryan walked me back to where I had to pay for my parking. (I just paid for Rahms kids college education $$$, just saying).

Now the reason I went on and on before about the parking garage was, if I thought I was lost getting from the car, finding the car was a total new adventure.
Yes, I was the crazy old lady wandering around the garage - holding my FOB above my head and trying to listen for the car horn. In my defense the paying for the parking is a different corner from where I left the garage.
I went up one ramp and down the other. I heard the horn then I didn't. OK now I am the laughing crazy lady wandering around the garage holding my FOB above my head. (Like holding it up above my head is  more efficient) I was holding my purse close thinking about what I would do if attacked. Crazy stuff!
I looked up at the ceiling of the garage and saw my lights flash. Found it! The real crazy thing was I was only on the second level. Whew!

So I have to take Michigan north till I get to Roosevelt or was it Randolph. I knew it started with a R and I was sure Bryan said Halsted. Now I am the crazy lady holding up traffic looking for a street that starts with R or Halsted.

The sad ending is I never found it, but I looked hard I really did, Andy.
I went home and had a couple Coors and toasted Owen alone.

Picker Uppers

That time of year again when the acorns have covered our lawn.
Some years are more intense than others and this looks like a year for the Acorns!
In the past Mike has sacrificed his back and raked up the acorns and we have had a bonfire to dispose of them. Makes for a colorful fire full of popping.

Well this year it looks like his back will get a rest, because we have help getting rid of the acorns.

Every morning for the last 3 weeks I have woken up to this.  These 2 beautiful creatures have been feeding in our backyard on the acorns. They sometimes come at dusk too, so our acorns are diminishing and my mower blades will be saved.
I thought it only fitting that I give them both names. I just can't keep yelling out "Hey, the deer are back."
2 songs popped into my head so -
The mama I call "Dandy" because she looks just dandy and I wonder "Where you gonna go now - Who you gonna run two?"
And her little girl I named Mandy "Morning just another day, Happy people pass my way"

First song by Herman Hermits and the second by Barry Manilow. :)