Graduation, sorta

Galen's preschool presentation/graduation ceremony was tonight. Goodness, he's come along way. He participated, sang, and enjoyed the ice cream afterward. How far he has come, and it's still only the beginning.

This fall he'll be a few months shy of the kindergarten cut off so he'll be back in preschool. That's OK: 1) he's out of the house for awhile, 2) he likes it, and 3) he learns things (and some are things I wish he hadn't). I look forward to next year's changes.

Growth rings

Trees come with growth rings - kids should. What do we get instead? We get birthdays and milestones. Galen is now 4 1/2, and Liam just turned 2. So much for the birthday. What about the milestones?

Galen can read. He's been getting some of it for awhile, but he needed a critical mass of vocabulary and confidence before doing much for us. He still is hesitant, we all like being read to, be he can follow along much better now. He's also getting good balancing skills. The Razor so handily gifted by Grandma O'Brien has been zooming up and down the street. He no longed scoots with every push, he now glides.

Liam is on the verge of speech. More words are cropping up, Beast and doggie being the newest. He babbles and gestures directly at ya, he has things to say. And today I found him standing on the dinning room table swinging the chandelier - smiling. At least he wasn't swinging from it. He has finally conquered all couch and chairs. For awhile he has been able to climb when his feet & legs were uncovered, skin is great for traction. However, get him dressed and the climbing was thwarted. No more. His high chair should be next, in a month or three...

Natasha has passed away yesterday...

Natasha was the messenger, whenever Rocky would alert, she would run back-n-forth to us and Rocky until we acknowledged him. You could see it in her eyes, "Did you hear him? He sees something, come check it out." She was quick, in a sprint she would fly across the earth.

When the kids arrived she transformed into the hovering nanny. She would watch over the kids, hardly interrupting. When she did, it was to nuzzle and get some loving. Galen never really tested her, but Liam did. He would tug at those ears - and she would push his face away with her tongue, licking his face to get him to stop. She had such a gentle kiss.

She passed away too early. We will always remember her prancing, speed, the quite gentle presence, the great joy and companionship. She was a loved member of our pack, one that will be missed. Rest in peace Girlie.

Lee! Could you help me?

It was a beautiful spring evening and I was in the middle of the cul-de-sac, walking Boris around while watching Galen play with "his kids." I heard a voice from behind, "Lee! Could you help me?" I turned to Shanna and she started about the washing machine and water softener hoses being...

At this point I must relate back to last Friday evening. My latest batch of Irish Stout is about ready to bottle, a few cases worth of bottles needed to be sanitized. A few batches ago I realized that the utility sink in the laundry room would hold about half the bottles at a time - it greatly eased & sped up the time needed to sanitized batches of bottles. However, while doing so I move the washing machine and water softener hoses out of the sink.

Yep, you know where this is going. I had forgotten to replace the hoses, probably a result of drinking home brew while cleaning bottles.

So, instead of watching the glorious interaction of children I was moving a freezer, shelves, and the detritus that collects in a laundry room. I hope I learned something.