September 9, 2024 Monday--5am

Good morning!

Well, Blogger was putting in photos both center or left aligned at random.  The only way I could keep them the same today was left align.  Blogger can be quite temperamental.  It was also just making it difficult to add photos at all, so these are not in chronological order.

Okay.  Tuesday I got out and pulled all the dead plants from the planters.

Was a day for banking, rent check and the copies the Goldmark lady needed slid under the door to the office.  (No one is usually there.)

For Allie it was a usual day entire week of relaxation--lol!

Monday, though, was the day that McFamily painted the accent walls in my apartment.

You can see the boys were helpers with the first coat!

I will know what is underneath the paint. ;)

Blink was observing from the kitchen sink--lol!

Liam using the roller on the studio wall.

First coats done!  A chocolate brown wall in the living room.

You can see the pop of orange in the studio from the living room.

I have two walls of orange in there.

The colors are hard to get correct, but you get a good idea.

Dagan and Leah finished the second coat that night.  It had an extra day to dry because the finishing guy couldn't come until Wednesday.

Meanwhile--Ian finished level three at Haley's Hope (for his dyslexia).

When they finish a level they get to ring this loud bell!  I think there are about eight levels. 

Back on the previous Sunday Liam had his birthday party.

Loved how the rainbow cake looked!

Told you these photos jump around in time--lol!

Friday I went over for the day.  I brought my presents for Laim's birthday for him to open after dinner.  We had a really nice day.  I brought with a book to read to them.  I recently saw Henry Winkler on a talk show and I had no idea he was dyslexic OR that he wrote a series of children's books about a boy growing up with dyslexia!  Did you?  They've even been on the New York Times bestseller list.  Well, ever since I was over to watch the boys that one night I have thought about reading to them...so hello Amazon!  LOL!

My hearing is bad.  I thought Henry said the boy's name was Hank Zipper when I saw him on TV...but it is Hank Zipzer--lol!  But now I can't get Hank Zipper out of my head--lol!  Anyways, the story was perfect for Ian...who is also in 4th grade like the boy in the book.  Liam lost interest.  (Well, I think maybe he takes every opportunity when his big brother is occupied to play whatever video games he wants to--lol!)

I read three chapters.  This was the perfect book.  It appears to be written about Henry Winkler's time in school...so the olden days for Ian.  I think it was in New York--so a different type of atmosphere than Minnesota.  Dagan was listening, too, so we got into discussions about the differences between when I went to grade school, when Dagan went to grade school, and what grade school is like now for Ian and Liam.  I found out they don't have blackboards anymore.  They have two huge whiteboards in the front of the class with a big TV between them!  How times have changed.  It was really fun.  I'll be bringing the book with me when I go over for visits.

I took a few pictures of the finishing work that was done when the guy was there Wednesday through Friday.  Love the windows all framed!

And the baseboards.

Makes such a difference.

Here you can see the front door over on the far left.

All three pocket doors are in but I forgot to get pictures of what they look like closed--duh!  

It was quite the mess, I guess.  The pocket doors were okay, but the three regular doors...mismatched styles or made to swing the wrong way...and the maintenance door (where Dagan is standing above) was too large and they have to completely remake another door. Oh, and I think he ran out of the baseboard trim, too.  So it will take a while to re-stain and paint and remake a door...I think he comes back this Friday.  It will all get sorted out.  Since my deep dive, none of this is bothering me one bit--lol! ;)

Before Leah got home for dinner and after we watched Inside Out (which I had never seen and thought was very good)...Liam playing a game... 

...Dagan starting dinner...

...Ian trying to scare me as Darth Vadar--lol!

After dinner Liam opened his presents from me.  This year it was a small Lego Minecraft set and a card game.

Blink was there for the action.

Dagan ran me home.  I was there the longest I have been yet--(well, since covid/cancer and all)--from 2:30 till 9:30pm...so I took the weekend to semi-recover.  But I actually did laundry on Saturday and then was cooking up food on Sunday (beef stew in the crock pot--one of my favorite standards).  So that is the week that was.  I also almost got caught up on letters!  Only a few left. (About time!)  Plan to keep getting some food made up ahead of time the next couple of days.  

Our cooler days in the 70s are done for a while, I guess.  Supposed to be back to 80s to 90s this coming week.  I will try to get back over to visit the boys...because I can hardly wait to hear what Hank Zipzer, the world's greatest underachiever, is up to next--lol!  Maybe the finishing guy will actually finish up this coming week.  We'll see.  I'm in love with the windows with their deep windowsills!  I'll have to get better pictures and include the pocket doors--or have Dagan or Leah send me some pics.  Anyways, that's it till next week, my friends.  *love and hugs from Fargo*