In the Money

My daughter earns more money per annum than I do--which isn't saying much since I'm a stay at home mom. But really, who ever heard of a 9 year old bringing in $70 in a week? She has been watching dogs for vacationing neighbors and of course, there is the steady gig next door.

To top off all the summer earning, she and Shakespeare are keeping a friend's Irish Shepherd for a week and a half. We offered to keep her sans pay, but the friend insisted on paying the kids something, considering the sizable amount she would be saving by keeping the dog out of the kennel.



Our guest's name is Polly and she is a sweet dog--but she is a dog. The kids like to play with her (outside), but the closest she is coming to my house is a nice soft bed at the foot of the industrial strength shelving unit in our garage. Bless her shedding little heart. Despite the garage thing, I think she likes us.

Things That are Alive

We've had a lot of run-ins with critters lately. First there was this that we found nesting in the garden beside some herbs. Cute--very cute, but in the garden?!


Come, Peter. Get away from Mr. McGregor's cabbages.

Then there was this that Gem caught with her bare hands and brought into the house, asking for a jar. I prayed that she wouldn't drop it before we could contain the thing.



It's a skink, a lizard thing. It had a cool blue tail and it didn't bite, but reptile and rodent are not welcome in my house--especially rodents.

On top of all those critters, I whacked down thirty-six flies this morning before breakfast. I swatted away for five minutes and made them all dive bomb to the floor. I felt like the brave little tailor. I was also a bit grossed out. I feel like I'm in a cow barn and need to hang fly tape from the door frames. Seriously, we have a very sudden fly problem. I pray it goes away as quickly as it came.