Lake Day

Suzette, who lost her beloved Tater last year, decided that what we needed was to not be home all day and so, dragged us to the lake as part of her plot to both distract us and entertain her niece and nephew who are visiting from out of state.  I have to admit, it was pretty close to the last thing I wanted to do-outside, in the direct sun, being wet, only 84 degrees.  I take my cat-ness seriously.  Being a Leo and a Tiger, I can't help but fall asleep in sunbeams, though I can say, I have never chased a moth...well, with the intent to eat it anyway.  The older I get, the less I like being in water, too.  Though that may be 'the better informed I get' about what else is in the water with me.

We agreed to go to Corinth, about 90 minutes from here, over on Smith Lake.  We looked up the directions together and talked over the route, but that did not stop Suzette from blazing her own trail the next day and arriving an hour late anyway. 

 It was not too crowded when we got there!  You know how I hate for other people to be where I am going.

 After Suzette arrived, we bobbed around in the lake a while, chatting, then I swam a while, then the water temp and the clouds blocking the sun ran us up to the blanket to lay in the warm air a while, we all got a little chilly!

 The big kids moved up to the shallows to take over the floats and the chatting.

 I wore my hat all day, I don't need any more sun on my face!
The sun came and went all afternoon, it was too hot while it was out and too cold when it was not!

 Emily attempting to tan her super-white under arms.  hahaha!

 The rocky beach was HARD to walk on, the rocks were blazing hot, too.  But that turned out to be a good thing for their cold bodies after the swim!

 Zachary's pine-cone guy.

 This blanket tarp has been the #1 most useful thing I have ever bought.  I wish I had more of them!

 After swimming, the kids had a hearty snack to get them through until dinner!

After swimming, we headed up to rehearsals, getting there with enough time to get the kids hair brushed and back under control.  I left them there after making sure one of the adults knew I was leaving them and ran to Madison to the library and dropped off books, then to the airport to get Matt, then back to rehearsals where we watched the last half hour. The choreography is coming along, it's more complicated than their usual fare, but they still have too many kids on stage.  Even though they moved mine out to the floor level...

In Zephyr news, I placed another, bigger ad in the local paper and put out a BUNCH more flyers.  I posted flyers on the backs of all the stop signs in the area and at every local business that would let me and on a few poles and such.  I hope it does not rain for a couple of days at least-give the local people time to see the flyers before the rain takes them down.  I called around and found out there are a couple local women who take in strays, so I have calls to both of them with her description and Mr. Holmes is going over to his neighbor's house today to look and see if she has her, she works with a rescue group and also takes in strays.  The Fairy Dogmother sent her description out to her contact list along with photos and all the vets offices and animal shelters have her photos and my info.  If she's out there, someone will see her, I hope.

Something has my wary meter up, the cats have been in the fenced part of the yard the last couple of weeks.  They are not ranging up and down the driveway or going off into the pasture.  I have seen them in the weeds along the fence, hunting, but not very far out at all, within 15 feet anyway.  They never all congregate around the house, Kat can be gone for multiple days at a time on a hunt and Cleo had been living down at the barn, but when I go outside, they are all right in the front yard.  I have to wonder if something is on the prowl out there.  Zeppie was barking her fool head off at the orchard gate for over a week before she came up missing.

Anyway, that's all the news I have.  Please keep your fingers crossed and send a good thought for Little Dog, we miss her so much.  It's still so raw, I keep holding the door open for that couple of seconds longer waiting for her to come in or out with me, I have gone to let her out of Jake's room 3 different times in the mornings, I hear that mockingbird barking like her when I am busy doing something and not fully thinking and go out to tell her to hush.  I still back my computer chair up carefully, so used to her laying at my feet and used to being careful not to squash her.  I move my feet carefully in bed so I don't kick her, I actually miss her odd habit of peeking in the bathroom at me while I sit there.  Or hearing her nails click in the hall while I am in the tub, hear her settle against the door and wait for me to get out of that thing.  Kat will actually come IN the bathroom and hook my arm with her paws and try to drag me out of the tub.  You'd think after 8 years she'd realize I was okay in there.