Weather report, yard work, and a surprise or two

The smoke started to clear out on Monday evening and we even saw some blue sky! By the morning we were clouded over and it stayed that way all day, but I was able to get outdoors and do some yardwork. The mosquitos were wicked, but with a high of 24C(75F) it was a decent day.

This is the bed that will be the bane of my existence. It is full of weeds, as well as the lilies, poppies (which I've cut down as they have died back), lamium, false nettle, and oxalis. Because of the lilies and the weeds we couldn't even see the latter three plants. I want to roll back the stone border, dig everything up and replant. I did use Round-up along the fence line in an effort to kill some of the creeping bellflower, thistles, and other weeds. I think I'll dig out the lilies as well - we have plenty in other parts of the yard and they hide the shorter plants. We'll see how far I get before I leave here at the end of August.

I got the containers watered and deadheaded as well, and clipped off the last few blooms on the peonies. The lilies that were planted on both sides of the peonies are close to blooming - I'm looking forward to seeing what they will be. A surprise this week was the hollyhock - the photo I posted on Wednesday. I've never seen one that colour before; my neighbour in the city had reds and pinks. 

 

I talked to my son this week, and apparently the back yard has recovered from my efforts to tame the weeds. The plan is to have a bobcat in to regrade the back yard to keep water from getting into the foundation. I'm thinking I'll get it roto-tilled as well and work at the weeds over time. 

Eli's day camp changed to Monday and Wednesday this week, and will continue through to mid-August. He had been in a small group, but the other boys were non-verbal. That's not something that is a challenge for Eli! He's now attending 3 hours each of the two mornings, with a larger group and has made a friend, Sam. The coordinator said the boys played very well together. They weren't able to venture outside on Monday due to the air quality, but on Wednesday, they went to the splash park. 

I went in with D and Eli, to pick up some more foam tiles for the basement. We made a stop at the drugstore too, for calamine lotion. Mosquito bites are itchy! The used book store was also on the list of things to do. I picked up another James Patterson book, the fourth in the series and another novel by a new to me author. I'll let you know what I think when I finish reading it.

The heat was blazing by the time we arrived home after lunch (30C/84F feeling like 38C/100F with the humidity). As a result we stayed indoors for the afternoon; I watched baseball, Eli played video games, and his mom went upstairs for a lay down. I did go out in the evening to water the containers and picked a few tomatoes.

Thursday morning was cloudy but warm with 100% humidity! We live in a climate that is usually considered arid and dry. Not this year. Sadly, there was no rain accompanying it. By noon, the temp was closing in on 30C/84F again. D and I worked in the basement in the morning, placing the remainder of the foam tiles. These are soft and warmer on the feet than the concrete and should we again have water in the basement, much easier to lift and replace. She's planning on numbering them just in case, to make it easier to know what piece goes where. Baseball kept me entertained in the afternoon, while I continued knitting. The fourth pair of mittens is near completion, just two to go.

This is the sensory area, where he can swing on the bar, walk on blocks, teeter-totter (or balance beam), climb and slide, or his favorite, the sensory swing. That's the cloth hanging from the ceiling. It will also hold an adult - ask me how I know? :)

This second area is where I expect he'll spend more time as he gets older. He has his own television, a mini-Nintendo (comes with a few cames), his Paw Patrol collection of vehicles (on the shelf), his bookshelf and other toys in the cubbies and unit to the right.

There is one more area, that is still a bit of a jumble. D picked up peg board to hang his Nerf guns but didn't realizes we'd need strips of wood to go behind. She also got shelves that we need to put up. There is a "stuffie" net that hangs from the ceiling, as well as a desk and containers for his Playdoh, crayons, and coloring books. Yes, he has a lot of stuff, much of it meant to meet his sensory needs, as well as to encourage him with his fine motor skills. Thankfully, D gets provincial funding that pays for a good portion of this, as well as his day camp, swimming lessons, and other activities. 

On Friday, he and I went to the park while D had a telephone appointment with one of her doctors. There was only a few other children there, and he played with a brother and sister who I assume, based on their size, were a similar age. They had a blast moving among the equipment and he was thrilled to be able to pet their dog. When they left, he ran through the splash pad. I saw him tuck a rock into one of the pieces of equipment and when I went to remove it, I got drenched as the water came out of it. He, of course, thought this was hilarious! We were both wet and decided it was time to head back to the house. (Apparently, one of his friends had put a bottle cap in this piece with similar results...he decided to try it with G'ma.)

He and his mom went to the library for a magic program in the afternoon, while I got caught up on paperwork and simply relaxing. After dinner, I watched football while keeping on eye on the baseball (Jays won!). We'd gotten a bit of rain overnight, but the containers still needed a slight watering so I did that at half-time.

Oh, and the other surprise this week? I received an e-mail from Princess announcing price drops on several upcoming cruises. One caught my eye, an 11 day return trip to Seattle via Victoria, B.C, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego for the end of September. The price was terrific, and even factoring in airfare, hotel for one night pre-cruise, and transportation to and from the port, it was within my preferred daily rate. So I jumped on it! The hotel I've chosen has an airport shuttle as well as a free breakfast, and is a short walk to a mall...just in case I forget something. 

I'm looking at excusions in San Francisco (Golden Gate and Fisherman's Wharf) and in San Diego (the Zoo). For L.A., the Los Angeles Maritime Museum is within walking distance of the pier and sounds interesting. I've been to Victoria several times, and will likely walk the sea wall, find a restaurant for lunch, and perhaps find a walking tour. In truth, I'm most looking forward to our 6 sea days, where I can rest , relax, and watch the ocean go by.  Just over two months to sail-away!

Today is supposed to be warm at 26C (79F), so we'll likely head to the pool at some point. I want to try digging out some of the weeds I sprayed early this week, and between baseball, football, and the Olympics, there will be lots to watch on television too.

Have a great week ahead everyone!