Odds and ends

The Mighty Huntresses continue to bring us gifts -- birds, half of a mouse and so on. I'm not sure what set them off this week.

Also on the animal front, Buddy the Dog is here for a couple of weeks. Helen is in Chicago visiting and Jay is on his way to meet her there and then head to points east. So this morning on the way, he dropped off Buddy the Dog. They should be back to get him around August 5. With Tom taking care of Peg and Rich's dogs pretty regularly and us having Buddy the Dog so often and having almost taken care of Betty for Bob and Ann, maybe we should just open a kennel. Of course, we'd have to discuss it with the cats first. We already say this is a home for wayward boys and cats, and I guess adding dogs to the list wouldn't be much of a stretch.

Tom went by the Screnocks recently to help with the installation of Joe's computer in his library. That went well, but I was sad to learn that the paralegal they had hired to replace me did not work out. I noticed yesterday that they are advertising for someone, so that means they realize the need for help.

Speaking of the Screnocks, every summer Joe and Evelyn have what they call Cousins Week. They don't do any legal work and for a week they have all of their grandchildren - well, not the two now in college -- stay with them at the farm. The idea is for the cousins to have a chance to get to know one another without their parents around. So that means the Screnock grandparents get to deal with ten kids -- ranging in age from about three to mid-teens -- without any assistance. (This also gives their kids and spouses a week off from childcare for themselves, which is a nice gift to them.) They usually go to a waterpark one day, have some activities for the kids to do at the farm and take them around to various other places that are fun and also educational. They plan to bring them to the little railroad next Tuesday. They will picnic on the grounds and then take a ride and learn a bit about how steam engines work along with some local history. I am not sure if I will be there that day, but Tom will be serving as conductor and will make it special for the kids, I am sure.

Tom has been wanting to take the rugs out to shampoo them, and today is a dry and sunny day. So he hauled the dining room and living room rugs out and I did some floor cleaning while he was at it.

Now I am off to Baraboo for a meeting and maybe a few errands along the way.