A houseful...

of grandchildren were here when I escaped work on Friday night. Saturday found me trying to get up "early" to have time with them. Never easy on my schedule and with the way my body craves sleep! Coffee..."Monster" energy drink...soda...perhaps I should just mix them all together!

I had bought muffins for breakfast thinking they would like them; they'd rather have Krispy Kremes next time, thank you!

Saturday morning was our county's Hazardous Waste disposal day; they do 4 of them through the course of the year, and I had some things that needed to go; old batteries from the Chrysler, the AMC and my last truck; the oil changes from the boys cars through the winter. John had some things at his house too, so I loaded up mine, put a car seat in the truck and then we went to their house. Each stop we rotated kids so everyone got a chance to ride in Grandpa's truck. The girls at the Hazardous Waste site were bit worried about that car following me until I explained what was going on!

A stop at Cabela's on the way home, a walk through the aquarium and I picked up some odds and ends. Dillon found a bag of water balloons, so I bought them as well since they had come with "water toys" to play with in the yard.

One of the things John was disposing of leaked in the bed of my truck, so when I got home I washed it, and when Dottie came home she fed the kids and got them in their swimsuits, then they got to play in the hose and with the sprinkler toy they brought with them while Grandpa made water balloons for them to play with. They had quite an afternoon!

Their first rides in the boat got put off again as John wasn't feeling good and he and Noel want to be there the first time they go out in the boat.

At 5 we went back to their house for dinner, returning the grandkids and finally giving Dillon the rest of his birthday presents. They had bought him "Arthur and the Invisibles" so that was the evening's movie; quite good, really!

Sunday I really wanted to fish, but Dottie's car was overdue for an oil change and the free ones from the dealer have all been used. I tried to talk myself out of it, but I felt to guilty to let it go another week, so I changed her oil and switched it from "regular" oil to Mobil 1 so I don't have to change it as often. Then I cleaned up and we went fishing, hitting the lake about 4 in the afternoon.

The wind was kicking a bit; trying to run a trolling motor and tie knots is always fun! Dottie had one rod still rigged from last time, so I handed it to her and set about rigging two of mine. By the time I made my first cast we were most of the way across the dam and the wind was easing a bit. I caught a small bass, then a couple of casts later my first "keeper" of the year. I didn't keep it, of course...18" fish are too rare in that lake right now to only catch them once, and if she hasn't spawned yet hopefully she can pass some of her size genes on!

A few more smaller fish through the rest of the afternoon, and since Dottie had to work today we cut things short a bit after 7 and came home. Still a delightful day!

In one cove as the sun was starting to settle behind the trees there was a crane who seemed to think I was trying to take his dinner; Dottie took some photos with the little digicam. I still have to get it out of the boat, and if any are halfway decent I'll try and get one up tomorrow!

I hope you all had lovely weekends and that the work week is kind! A 4 day for me, I'm looking forward to those 5 days off!

alan