More Games We Play

Sunday evening is here.  I have survived Day 3 of what is supposed to be seven days of rain.  SEVEN days of rain.  This type of weather pattern is detrimental to my emotional well-being, but it appears I am surviving, and since I've been out in the weather quite a few times, I can confirm that I will not melt.  If you know me at all, you probably already knew that I'm not sweet enough to be made from sugar, but then again, didn't the Wicked Witch melt when wet?

Anyhow, Day 3 of rain means we have not been doing much playing outside.  Which means that someone hasn't been napping at her usual times.  Which means that the rest of her sleep schedule is all out of whack.  Which means the amount of sleep this house has been getting lately has been...shall I say...Inadequate.  I'm not sure that the weather is directly related to our lack of sleep, but since I hate rain AND I hate being tired, I'd like to link the two together.  And to be perfectly clear, it isn't so much the rain that I hate, as the lack of sunshine.  Is there a way I can get both sunshine and rain at the same time?  That would be great.

Nearly two weeks ago, we went outside to play, and I took some pictures.  We have been outside since then, but my camera hasn't, so this is what I've got.  Pictures of a great game called "picking up the olives".  I don't mind the green olives, except when she puts them in her mouth and threatens to choke on them, but the ripe black olives make a terrible mess and like to stain things purple.  I don't like olives.  Unless they are in a jar with lots of salt and garlic.  Then I like olives.  I also like peppers in a jar with vinegar and lots of salt and garlic.  Remember when I talked about canning/jarring peppers?  I can't remember if I mentioned it, but I actually followed through and canned about ten jars.  After sampling them, I can say they are awesome.  Especially with cream cheese and salami.  Although, I'm thinking it's more the garlic and salt that I like, so really I could probably eat anything with enough salt and garlic, and possibly vinegar.  But now I'm totally off track.  Back to playing outside.

Another great game is "picking up dirt."  Go figure.  I think there is a theme here with picking things up. Except this game also involves carrying a handful of dirt to your daddy, putting it in his hand, returning to the dirt pile to pick up more dirt, returning to daddy to dump it off, and repeating this pattern about thirty times.  After that, you start dumping the dirt on the cat's back, but the cat thinks you're petting it, so it just purrs and rubs against your leg while you dump more dirt on its back.  All the while, I'm trying to get pictures of this hilarious baby, dirt, cat exchange, but can't seem to get it all in the frame.  So, I just give up and stop taking pictures.

Carrying the dirt, which apparently, is very serious business based on the facial expression.

Dumping dirt in daddy's hand.

Returning for more dirt.

More dumping.

Looking at these pictures makes me realize that even though everything is dead and grayish brown, I still like it.  It's my yard and I love it, and even though the area you see above is currently under about an inch of water, I know it will turn green and lovely again in a few months.  Looking at these pictures also makes me realize that my dogs do weird things sometimes.  I can assure you that Lunati is not dead in the third picture above, although it looks like she might be, and also, there are VERY few things that can distract Bailee from chewing on a stick.  Stick chewing is very serious business, just like dumping dirt.

On a less "grayish" note, this week should be a whirlwind of wrapping, baking, and last minute errands, culminating in two days of eating, presents, and good family fun.  Which all sounds significantly less depressing than the current weather.