friday... with friends

A couple of days ago we had a disaster in the pond - the pump burned up, and we had to immediately rescue Maude.  Peek had died the day before - I suspect he was poisoned from the burning pump fumes.
Smoke, sizzling, fear of electrocution, a rescue with the dog's water bowl, water consequently spraying onto the patio which held Mama's laptop and camera... a burial, a tearing out of the pond and then patching (it had a couple of holes in the liner - not from the burnt pump) and then (phew.  that was a lot of Somethings) funally a trip to the petstore this morning for the babes with their dad to find our newest family member and a companion for Maude.  He is named Harold.  (Harold II, but still Harold.)
Back to normal, then!
And hopefully he will like it here.

Madeleine picked our first red tomato this morning.

Friends are coming!

Swimmin for the girls

Spore (Xavier loves Spore, too)

Prehistory 'scapes for two

and for the other two...

Maddie and Soleil love to play in Madd's playhouse.  But ordinarily it's still a disaster from the last time they played together.
"Want me to straighten up in there, so you guys can play?" asked her mother.
"Yeah!!"
I organized a bit, put the veggies with the veggies, the breads in the bread drawer, the dishes and spoons and pan in the big box.
Lots of spider webs and dirt.
"Hey!", thinks Mama.  heehee.
"Hey, girls....  Want me to get some soap in here, and you guys can wash all these dishes?"
"Yeah!  That will be fun!"

And so it was.  Of course.  For quite some time.
(Had to do the tea party dishes, too, don't you know.)
"Don't forget to wash your kitchen!"

And Mama will just sit here in the shade (it's 93degrees at the moment) and smile and drink this taaaaaall glass of iced water.  : )

Rope swing!  (Always a favorite).

Dino creations.

And then sculpting.

 They made some beautiful things!  (More on that tomorrow.)

Swimmin' for the boys,

"how to draw" research for Maddie,

and then "just readin'."

A movie -and some shady, quiet time- was up next for a handful of minutes.

Pool's empty!
That's my cue.  Just four o'clock -and/or a few minutes more- and Mama and a glass of beer, then.  
aaah.

Soon enough kicked out.  Cuz the cannonballs are flyin'.  : )

Supper has been planned - and already prepared by the you-bake pizza place, so no worries there...

Music, then.
Mama's feelin' the Summertime, tonight.
Sittin' in the mornin' sun...
I'll be sittin' when the evenin' comes
To be followed, friends, by Janice Joplin, Bob Dylan, Jimmy Buffet, and LedZep.

Rumps in freedom and stuffed animals and imagination games were played upon the trampoline.

Supper...

and To the Park!

Home-again-home-again
jiggety-jig

and into the pool.
oof.

The pallets are made (the friends are sleeping over), Mama gets some reading time on the couch, and the babes are kicking it here on the floor with some videos.

Works for me.