Why would we want to babysit?

Your sister suggested it so she will be arriving today and we’ll take over from Taylor and Colton’s grandparents after this first night transition. It’s only three days and we can mess around with the boys but we might have long days with Taylor waking at 5 a.m. and Colton going to bed at 11 p.m. We did this once before about 12 years ago with Jill’s twins and we counted the hours until the parents returned. Maybe this experience will remind us to avoid babysitting for another 12 years.

It is summer here now with perfect swimming weather. The pool is very green as I asked my neighbors, Janet and Carol to help me remove the cover and in their exuberance for the task we all managed to empty the murky contents on top of the cover into the pool. In a few days it will be fine again perhaps though the pool guys aren’t able to come by for 3 weeks. I’ll be pleased when I can phone and tell them they aren’t needed after all but I’m being optimistic regarding my pool cleaning expertise and filter set-up knowledge.

Lucas asked why we had the locked gate around the pool so I was explaining how dangerous the pool was for children who can’t swim. We built the fence in front when he was a baby and when all the grandsons can swim we’ll remove the fence. “But what about my babies?” he asked. When I asked what he was talking about he answered, “My babies when I get bigger?” Brett assured him we’d build a new fence when he has his children.

In my weeding frenzy this week I watched a quail come in and out of my Karl Foerster grass one foot from my front door. Later I discovered 12 quail eggs inside the grass. Now I have fencing circled around the nest so the mom can come and go yet the neighbor’s cats stay out. This is getting to be a big responsibility keeping the eggs protected.

Googling Judy Johanson and Oz Park got me this news about you and the community effort you’ve put forth for the past 40 years. Now that the statues are in place what is your next goal?