Beach Bum...mer (KIA)

Beach Bummer Blues....
But in a good way.

I should have spent more, I should have bought more. I should have gotten more blueberries from the Farmers Market. First of the Season Blueberries.

A Sensory treat for my pallette. Some were deliciously sweet and some were deliciously tart, but it was a surprise for my toungue. Even Ki ate some. He wants to make milkshakes with them next time.

Yesterday was grey, gloomy, overcast. and chilly. I never seem to watch the weather. I had been hoping to go to the beach. Today started out a beautiful day. Ki suggested we go to the beach today since it was nice and I didn't get to go yesterday. We went to Oso Flaco. I like is best, I think.

Due to the recent rain, the hills are such a bright green! it is lovely to drive anywhere. But I keep missing my exits.

The sand dunes are always awesome as they welcome us to the beaches!

We paid our Parking Priveledges and as I was getting out of the van, Ki closed the van door for me.... before I could snatch my bag out, with the keys. Yes, the doors were locked. Yes, we were outside of the van. Yes, my phone was in the bag, too. No, I don't even have anyone's number memorized for borrowing a cell phone. No, my husband isn't home from Ohio yet. Yes, I did have the skylight partially opened.

Ki found a stick, climbed the van, and tried to fish out my bag. Or maybe push the unlock button. The stick was too short and too flimsy.

Enter Beat-Up Orange Pick-Up. Exiting the pick-up was a young man, our To-Be Savior! He asked the Obvious; "Locked out?"

I answered to Obvious. "yes"

he asked if they inforce parking fees, he hadn't planned on coming, just decided to kill some time fishing in the lake.

I helped him with his first catch of the day:

I have NO IDEA what we would have done if he didn't come along with his last minute plans to go fishing!

After we got the van situation dealth with, Ki and I took off down the path to the beach. It takes about half an hour to actually get to the ocean.

We start with a walk down a wide path:

(I said something to Ki about his jeans.. he replies; "They Fit!" to which I say; "if your Huckleberry Finn!" the toe shoes make pants look even shorter, too)

At the end of this road there is a lake on either side. To the Righ is just a lake, it is pretty.

On the Left is a larger lake, with a board walk:

There are lots of water fowl. duscks, egrids, commorants, etc.

After the walk across the lake, we continue down the boardwalk through native plants. I always love this part of the walk, I love the colors in the native plnats. I like how they can look brown and dead and yet have a sprig of new and vibrant color.  I like the thick leaves and the feather flowers.

And there are plenty of lizards out sunning along the edges:

I got a couple pictures at the ocean... then my battery died. it was sad.

I spent the time laying on the sand with my eyes closed, listening to the roar of the ocean.  I could hear the waves crash from right to left up the shore.

The Easy Life! (KIA[8])

Yes, I miss my husband. Yes, I miss my older boys.  But I talk to them and know they are safe and I will see them soon.

I say all that so you don't think too poorly of me when I annnounce how much I am loving this life! Just my 15 yr old and me. We wake when we want, I only need to do laundry once a week. I can get away with 2-3 bags of groceries for the WHOLE week! (and the whole bed to myself is pretty nice, too, especially sans my husbands Restess Leg Syndrome kicking)

AND BEST--- We have grab a spoon and eat half a watermelon for dinner!

Yesterday, Wednesday the our first day in WEEK 2 of being 'Us 2'
Week Two of Ki & I Adventures. (KIA)

The day started as they all do, laid back, reading, a little computer time,  he empties the trash, I wash a few dishes...
I have my protein shake. My stomach seems to do much better with just a llittle liquid protein as opposed to 'real food'. (more on that later)

A little later we drive out to the local animal shleter where Ki volunteers with the kitties. Dear, sweet, cuddly kitties.
Ki broke up 5 cat fights the first hour. Elvis the fluffy grey cat was in a bad mood. Stalking and fighting with all the other cats and when they weren't close enough to fight, he'd fight his reflection in the mirror.

Then Purrcey knocked a water bowl from a shelf onto the floor. We are not sure WHY the waterbowl was elevated like it was. It took a whole roll of paper towels to mop it up.

***************
After our fun with kitties, we read more, and just chilled at home....

(to read about previous days: click the following links:
* read prologue

Day 1 &Day 2 &Day 3 & Day 4& Day 5 & Day 6 & Day7)

Sleep Dust {KIA[7]}

We survived... 1 week & going strong...

weak/weak- strong...

get it... huh?

ya, never mind.

Anyway. the last 6 days of lots of running, being on our own, must have caught up with us. The only Adventure  Ki and I had wad an adventure in  books and naps.

Well, I did bike to the post office and take Ki to the Indian Restaurant for his Volunteer gig.

Sorry, that's all we have to offer today.

Oh, and I love the author Jasper Fforde! I may be up late finishing "One Of Our Thursdays Is Missing" tonight.

I want orange juice.

And I am in need of comments to boost my spirits, so leave 'em here -->

(to read about previous days: click the following links:
 * read prologue

 Day 1 &Day 2 &Day 3 & Day 4& Day 5 & Day 6)

KIA[6]

Me, Ki, and the Cat. It's a small family these days with 3 of our members away on a trip.

Ki and I are having Adventures. This little blog is about Day #6. Monday.

I like this little pace to our days we have going.
He made his breakfast, I made mine- whenver we wake up. He does his morning chores. I wash some dishes.

We read or play on the computer a bit, talk about lunch plans, go for a bike ride, do a little cleaning. I hung my laundry. WOWSERS, opur laundry and groceries are almost non-exsitent compared to when there are all 5 of here!

We do our own lunches, too. We clean up from lunch then I was on the phone making toomany phone calls while Ki went out back to make a fire in the wheelbarrow again.

He used this fire to warm the PVC pipe he was working with:

A little later he made a yummy treat for us. He toasted some almonds and then melted some chocolate with sea salt for a yummy bark snack:

I was on the phone more, read my book I styarted a long time ago and had to back track a few chapters, then Ki and I cleaned our bathrooms. It was his idea. Yesterday he said "We should clean our bathrooms on Monday." So we did.

After that we read in his Science book. We were reading about muscle types. Skeletal Muscles, Smooth Muscles, and Cardiac Muscles. I read from the book; "Cardiac Muscles is only found in one place in humans. Time Lords have Cardiac Muscles in 2 locations."

I Ad-Lib when I read to them. And, yes, I still use silly voices when reading to my high school age boys.  The section kept talking about our SUPERSTRUCTURE and I always said it like a super-hero with a deep voice speaking in a tunnel....

Ki helped me pick flowers to put in my vase then he got started making dinner. I ws going to make dinner myself, but I had told him my plan for dinner and he thought it ws fun, so he got to work on getting things ready. I was getting hungry I guess. So we both did our part to create tonight's dinner:

Compartment Cuisine -->

Ki arranged them around our centerpiece and asked what game I wanted to play. I chose Fluxx.

 Ki has his cake decorating class tonight. I'll post a picture in tomorrow's blog.

(to read about previous days: click the following links:

Day 1 and Day 2 and Day 3 and Day 4 and Day 5)

BHF_1.1

Yesterday, I told Connor that, if he wants, for school this month all he has to do is read the Lord of the Rings books. He turned it down, saying it wasn't a very useful skill...and he wouldn't really be LEARNING anything.
I would have JUMPED at that chance had my teachers offered it to me in school!!

I said he could learn all about Middle Earth/Tolkein Lore, how to speak with an elf.....

He claims none of that is useful.

I said reading is always a useful skill... and he claimed he already knows how to read.

Ki, said HE would take a Tolkein Class (he had chosen Culinary Arts....I bet he will still be willing to cook lots for me, though)

I am waiting on pins and needles to hear what Connor will choose to learn for our 3 week J-Term. I hope whatever he decided is a useful skill will at least be fun for me. That iss what homeschooling is all about, isn't it? Fun for me?

Gavin must not think so. He always chooses stuff like Physics and Computer Programming. I guesss Computer Game Grahics Design is a little better.

At least I will have fun with Ki.

Who, by the by, was a tad temperamental today. Moody is a better adjective for him. We really need to get back to decent schedule soon....

My BHF for session 1 day 1 was to have a protein shake for breakfast...CHECK. And to fill my Vitamin Caddy thing...CHECK... and have my week planned... CHECK. I will try out my pilates DVD while the boys are at the Youth Center daily this week. I makee no promises for how far into the DVD I will get.

I welcomed the New Year doing what I am best at! Having a Massive Headache! I expect the year to only get better from here.