Heads or Tails - Tool

The theme/prompt for this week is:
HEADS - "Tool"

This is a pretty easy one – and it’s about time because I haven’t done a Heads or Tails post the last couple of weeks. I need something easy to get me back into it. Sometimes I just think too hard…

Anyway, there are plenty of tools being used around our house these days, because Jeffrey and Cory are building a deck.

We’ve been in this house for 11 years, and we’re finally getting a deck! Our original plan was to put in a paver patio and a pergola, but because of some changes at work, we may have to move in a year or so. The deck is going to go in quicker and cheaper than the patio, so we decided to go with a deck, and the pergola.

It’s been a nice Father/Son project, and I know we’re all going to enjoy having a deck! Cory seems to be enjoying it a lot. He wasn’t quite old enough to get into it when Jeffrey built the shed several years ago. (Shed Construction) But this time he’s really getting into it. Jeffrey bought him his own hammer and everything – so now he’s got at least one tool of his own. It’s got a lifetime warranty, too.

I can claim I helped on the deck, too, because I put a couple screws in, and I went with Jeffrey Sunday to get the posts and handrails – and the patio furniture. Cory was at another graduation party, so when I got home from the parade, the two of us went to Home Depot. I think we got the best buy we could on the deck supplies. We had a 10% off coupon and got no interest and no payments for a year – so we can build the deck, get to enjoy it, and not have to pay anything until next year. We also got the wood he already bought transferred to the no payments no interest plan.

Jeffrey and I had to go to two different stores to get the stuff we needed because the posts at the first store were not very nice at all. They all had big cracks in them, and they didn’t have many to choose from. So, we went to a bigger store, and they were much nicer! It would have been nice to get them at the closer store and get it over with, but we wouldn’t have been happy with them at all, so it was worth the extra trip. We also got them to match the competitor’s ad, even though we forgot to take it with us, so we got the posts cheaper. It wasn’t until we got back home that I looked it up and realized the handrails and balusters were on sale, too – so Jeffrey took the receipt and ad back to the store yesterday and got an adjustment, saving us $40 – and every little bit counts!

It’s coming along! This is really going to be nice.

Heads or Tails is a fun weekly meme created and hosted by Barb (aka Skittles) – feel free to join in!

of Fireworks and Floats

Image by wesbolton via Flickr

We had a pretty busy weekend. It was the weekend for the annual Kettle Moraine Days festival held in our town. The carnival comes to town, there's plenty of food, live entertainment, and of course drinking. This is Wisconsin - there's no such thing as a festival without beer. Jeffrey and I went to the park Saturday night so he could get some pie. The Methodist Church always has a pie booth, and Jeffrey always wants pie. He got peach, which wasn't really that great - store bought pie crust and canned peach filling. I expect better than that - if you're going to sell homemade pies, then actually make the pies. But, he had his pie. Then we were going to wait around for the fireworks, but it was raining a little, and then Cory called and needed a ride to a graduation party he was invited to. So, we walked home, and Jeffrey took Cory to the party. The fireworks started while he was gone, so I went out on the driveway and watched them, and then Jeffrey came home and watched the rest of them. We're only a couple blocks from the park, so we had a great view - no need to actually be at the park! For a small town, it was a really good show, too.

Sunday morning I had to be at the library at 10am so we could get the library float ready to go. I think the term float is used loosely because it was just a truck pulling a snowmobile trailer. We decorated it with signs, streamers, flowers, and copies of book covers. Then we went and lined up for the parade, which started at noon. There was a lot of standing around and waiting, but the parade eventually got going. Some people rode on the trailer and waved, and some of us walked along the sides of the street and handed out candy to the kids. It was fun!

Once the parade was over and we had removed all the decorations and carried everything into the library, I came home - just in time to go to Home Depot with Jeffrey, but I think I'll save that for the next post...

Camera Critters (#64)

Tillie and Cory:

Tillie isn’t particularly happy, but she puts up with just about everything.  She’s such a mellow cat. 

Camera Critters is a fun weekend meme hosted by Misty Dawn.Visit the Camera Critters headquarters and join in. There are all kinds of great critter pics to see.

Looking at the Sky on Friday - 19

For more info on this fun meme, click the image.

Jeffrey and I stopped at Home Depot the other night to look at deck furniture.  The ‘boys’ are building a deck, we need deck furniture - the same that that if we were going to start a cattle ranch we’d need cattle supplies.  I had to take a picture (or 2) of the sky before we went in.

and we did find some furniture that we like.

If you enjoy skies as much as I do, be sure to check out Looking at the Sky on Friday.

Take 2

Cory and I went to Waukesha again today, in a second attempt to get his driving permit renewed.  This time we had all the papers necessary, and $35 later Cory had a new permit.  Luckily there wasn’t much of a line so we were in and out of there pretty quickly.  Then we did some shopping and stopped at McDonald’s again for an Iced Mocha (for me), large fries (to share), and a Sweet Tea (for Cory) – just like last week.  Cory says it’s tradition because he and his dad went to that same McDonald’s last year when he first got his permit – and then we went when we tried to renew it, and again when we actually got it.  Yes, he will eventually get his actual drivers license, but for now it’s not a big deal, and it certainly saves us money since we don’t have to pay any car insurance on him until he actually gets the license.

Here he is – Cory with his ranch dressing and fries.  Notice his spiffy Star Trek shirt.  We stopped to check the mail when we left the house, and the shirt he has been waiting for came today.  He had to put it on immediately, of course.  This is the free shirt from Kellogg’s – and I think we’ve managed to collect another 9 tokens since we sent for this one, so we can order another free shirt.  This time he wants blue.  I guess this means he won’t be so jealous when I get the Spock  t-shirt I’m getting from Laurie!  I am threatening to use those tokens to order my own shirt, though.  After all, I’m the one that found the coupons and the sales and bought all the cereal and cookies and token-bearing things.  What do you think?  Red or blue?

Send a Gift with a Text

It seems like everyone has a cell phone these days, and people are using them for more and more things. Our phones all work as phones, digital cameras, and MP3 music players. Some phones have complete internet access and full keyboards - small keyboards, yes, but they're still keyboards. One of our friends has the cutest little fold up keyboard that attaches to his phone!

Anyway, with all the things cell phones can do nowadays and especially since most people are never far from their phones, I'm not surprised that there's a way to Send And Receive Real Gifts on teh cell phone . (sponsored link - cool idea - misspelling not my fault) A text message that's a gift - it was only a matter of time before someone came up with that. This might even be another one of those ideas that leaves me wondering, "Why didn't I think of that?"

I'm Wearin' My Socks

Image via Wikipedia

It's Summer. It actually feels like Summer. You know what that means - the people who were just last week complaining about how cool the weather has been are now complaining about how hot and humid it is. You just can't please some people!

Me, I like the warm weather, but I wasn't complaining about the cool, either. I like being able to open my windows and let the breeze blow through. Even on the hottest days it's usually quite pleasant here in the house - until evening comes and the breeze dies down. Then everyone starts complaining about how hot it is and how we should turn the air on. I put it off as long as possible, but they finally turned it on last night because it was supposed to be so hot and humid today and tomorrow. And now my feet are cold!

Jeffrey said he hasn't been sleeping well the last couple nights because he couldn't get cool. I thought it was very comfortable in the bedroom with the window open and the ceiling fan going. Last night, I had trouble sleeping. I kept waking up cold and pulling the covers up. I should have just given in and pulled the comforter up, too instead of just the sheet and blanket, but it's Summer! I shouldn't have to snuggle under the comforter in summer.

Now today I'm working in the basement, which would be plenty cool any time, I realize - but I have to wear socks just to keep my toes warm. I've turned the temperature up on the thermostat and gone outside into the sunshine a couple times just to warm up, but I'm thinking I'm going to need to turn it up again. What's a good temperature to set the air conditioning?

Oh Happy Day

Happy first day of Summer!

Happy Fathers Day!

and Happy Anniversary to me and my Honey! 23 years today.

Camera Critters (#63)

Tillie likes to get outside and check things out.  She’ll sit at the front door and meow until someone finally gives in and takes her out.  She doesn’t meow about anything else – just going outside.  Silly cat!  Cory took her out the other night took these pictures.

Basically, she just follows this wall around the house, stops to smell the flowers and check things out, and does her best to jump over the bushes that hang over her path.  For some reason she doesn’t want to touch the grass.

Camera Critters is a fun weekend meme hosted by Misty Dawn.Visit the Camera Critters headquarters and join in. There are all kinds of great critter pics to see.

Win One of 5 Blu Prizes

Here's a contest with some great prizes! It comes to you from the BluFrog Healthy Energy drink people, and you can win one of 5 Blu prizes. Choose from a gaming package, a music festival in Chicago, New Years in New York, a stock car driving experience in Orlando, or the winter X Games in Aspen. Wow! Just reading about all the prizes is pretty energizing, and I haven't even tried the drink. Note: if the people from BluFrog are inclined to send me some to try, I'd be happy to. :)

To enter, you just need to leave a comment letting them know which prize you would like to win and why. I am having a problem deciding between the New York package, the Orlando one, or the trip to Aspen. I'd love to get that helicopter ride over New York City, so I'm leaning toward that one. Cory and I just went to New York at the end of March, and it really would be fun to go back. You just can't see everything in 3 days. Then again, I love watching the X Games (I bet some of those athletes drink BluFrog because they have crazy energy!) and I've never been to Aspen, so that one would be great. I'm not so sure about the whole Richard Petty Driving Experience that the Orlando prize is about, but I know someone who lives in Orlando! And I bet Jeffrey would have a great time driving those cars.

It's a tough choice, isn't it? I guess I better decide because, in addition to choosing and commenting, there are two additional ways to enter - Twitter Tweet and Blog Post - for a total of 3 entries per person. I'm hoping that, even though this is a sponsored post, that it'll count. So, eenie, meenie, miney, moe... I choose Xtreme Blu in Aspen.

How about you? What's your choice? Comment, Tweet, and blog to win by 11:59 p.m. EST on July 17, 2009.