2014 Week 22: Car repair, yard work, accidents.

Monday was Mike's birthday, but he refused to make a big deal of it and spent most of the day working on the entrails of his 2000 Grand Prix trying to pry out the head gaskets. Actually the task stretched out the entire week. Finally on Friday he announced, "The last one is out!" (No wonder it would have cost $1500 to have it done!) Now we wait for them to be rebuilt. 

I'm so glad the robotics kids gave him a sweet celebration on Tuesday. The student that posted this photo on Facebook wrote: "Happy birthday to a great mentor in my life."

A couple of family accidents and trips to the ER happened on Monday as well.

Remember those lovely feet featured in last week's post? 

Well, Leah fell, and in no time her foot swelled double!

Elijah fell off the monkey bars on the playground! First they thought it was a dislocated elbow, but x-rays showed a break as well.

Monday                                                                                       Tuesday

Mike and I both spent regular intervals this week doing yard work: mowing, weeding, cleaning up flower beds and planting or re-potting house plants.

We've enjoyed watching several blooms open up on the one productive iris stem. Any ideas why there were no more blossoms?

Another tandem breakfast date on Wednesday.

Thursday, father and son had a fun day away--free tickets to the Memorial golf tournament in Dublin, Ohio.

Meanwhile, back home, minus the car, I tried to drive the truck for the first time. I just could not get it to start. (Mike said later that I must not have been turning the key far enough. I am such a wimp!) I was talking to my daughter on the cell phone (she was the last to drive it) and finally decided I was not meant to go anywhere. So I jumped out of the driver's seat and fell to the ground! I forgot how high the step is. I lay there laughing and concluded it was a perfect moment for a silly selfie.

After one long gardening session I discovered this little friend on the window box--a sleepy toad, not more than 2" long.

Remember the evening I helped stitch a few butterflies on the panels for the BSU Orchid collection?
This article tells about the opening of the new orchid greenhouse, Saturday. You can see a video of the event and a photo gallery showing many of the beauties housed there. I believe it is the largest collegiate collection.

There was an important graduation celebration I had to attend. This lovely young lady was with us on the Circle Tour of the Basque Country last year.

Speaking of the Circle Tour. This year's is almost here. We leave this week, June 7! A lot to do between now and then! I will try to line up posts and program them to publish each day so you can follow along.