All Good Things Must Come to an End...

Every year I say I'm going to hack down these small tree things that grow along my property on one side, but they provide a nice barrier and in July they produce these lovely red berries. Anyone know what they are???

I'm home from work, finishing my lunch and the kids are engaged in a rousing game of RISK with my mother. So as I sit here I have a few minutes to reflect on this past month. Y'all.. I don't even know where it's gone. I have been so busy with drumming gigs and painting and housework and working that I really can't believe tomorrow is August. How did we get here?

I can't seem to remember the first week of July, except that I think we went to a party at my friends house. Oh, yes we did. That was rather lovely actually. We went camping and blueberry picking and out for ice cream and have had good times.


Yesterday we celebrated Ms. Thang's 9th birthday. Most of my siblings, most of his siblings, their sig. others and my mom where here to party with us. The weather was gorgeous, and despite a lot of work on my part, we had a great time. She's grown 2 and a quarter inches this past year and never has she looked so old and grown up as she did yesterday. This is the last year my babies will have single digits.. next year we hit 10 and then 13. How is that possible? I'm not old enough to have these old children. In 3 school years Mr. Man will start High School. Umm.. hello?!?! What?!?!?

I'm rather glad August is here. August means a break from the craziness, before more craziness starts. The porch is almost done (just have to paint the floor) and I look forward to some lazy evenings out there enjoying the loveliness of it all. My mom arrived yesterday with my brother, and will stay until around lunchtime Saturday, and so far it's going very well. We had a rough visit last year, so I'm hoping between my trying to have a better 'tude about it, and working this week things will go much smoother. So far so good. I'll post again about it Saturday. We only get this one week a year, and it's difficult because we're a lot alike and I hate the idea that our time spent is miserable. Sometimes it's hard. This year, I have beer.