TUESDAY!

Huge Ducks
Look at these two! They are 4 weeks old now and have grown so much! It's getting hard to keep them fed and keep their water clean and their cage clean. I can see now why we definitely CAN NOT keep them, and Zoe will never talk me into it, as cute as they may be. Jeff built a ramp up into their swim bucket in their new cage so they spend a great deal of time swimming and diving for seeds and bugs and things that have fallen in. They are suppose to be good mosquito eaters too. We've been bombarded by the icky critters the last two days and it's hard to even let the kids play outside during the day! I'm sending all the daycare kids home with bites all over them, which makes me feel awful! Hopefully our town will spray soon, and it doesn't hurt Jack and Jill (the ducks' official names now!)

Baby Birds
We have so many baby birds right now! One mama robin has already successfully raised at least one baby, I keep seeing the practically full grown fledgling around the yard. It likes to check out the ducks. This mama is a little "silly" I think to build her nest practically at eye level. Although maybe not, as two have fallen out already, and didn't have too far to fall. One, unfortunately didn't make it (I think just because we didn't see it in time) and the other we picked back up and put back into the nest unharmed. We took these pictures of the mama feeding the remaining three yesterday. Last year the robins raised 4 separated broods throughout the spring and summer.

New Car
Yes, believe it or not, it's coming home tomorrow. We went to start our 11 year old van the other day and it made the strangest electrical sound. No idea why it wouldn't start. Jeff thought it may be the started at first, but then it made that sound, and finally it started right up. Just one more thing to add to the list. The rear hatch has to be locked in order to stay closed or it flied open while you are driving down the road...the back window is bungied shut...the handle on the glove box is broken, as are the buttons on the stereo...the check engine light is permanently on...(this one is grand...) the driver's window is hard to get to go down, you have to continually push the button over and over again, and then when it does go down it STAYS down, until you stop, turn off the ignition and then turn it back on...Jeff noticed the car was driving rather shaky the other day and then he noticed that both rear tires were bulging and ready to pop...and then now the starting problem. If we think we're going anywhere for summer break, I guess we had to take the plunge. Found a pretty blue (and big and roomy) Pontiac Montana Van, 2002 with low miles at a good price. Financing is going through as we speak. I'll post pictures later. Why in the world we are buying a new car the same week I end my career I don't know! Hopeful thinking for the future I guess.

Rambling on, as usual. Have a good night, we're off to watch Max's Kindergarten Music Program, and my hands are every color of the rainbow (we tie dyed today, and it won't come out!)

PS Having trouble getting the duck cage photo and the robin to load again, I'll try when we get back.