Redemption and meanderings

For the last week, I have been feeling rather put out. Here I was, spending precious hours on deep, thoughtful blog posts for you, my gentle readers, and no on was commenting on them. Well, hardly anyone. Not that Jenny and Mari are hardly anyone, but you know what I mean. But then, when I logged in just now, I saw that there were TEN comments that needed moderating. Usually I get an email, but it seems that Blogger arbitrarily decided to quit notifying me. So now you are all published and I LOVE YOU!!!!! Thank you thank you, kisses blown and adulation accepted!
YOU LIKE ME, YOU REALLY LIKE ME......

Well.
Anyway.
Back to meandering.
Oh, that's right, I was!

Last night I went on a little coupon redemption spree at Safeway.
I haven't been using many coupons lately, due to trying to change our eating habits. But I discovered that these granola bars are gluten-free (for Josh and Bethany) and also devoid of any high-fructose corn syrup. So I acquired this snacky stash for $5.42 and also took home a coupon for $3.50 off my next shopping order.
Score!

On Saturday, one of my Mum's last acts in the country was to participate in a parade. She will be 82 later this month and it was the first time she has ever been in a parade.

They're not quite as gung-ho about parades in New Zealand.

It was stiflingly hot, so she and the Fab Four rode in the back of a truck.

Rob's Green Beans were in fine form, almost 160 of us all together. 

We ruled the Tualatin Crawfish Parade!

Yes.

Crawfish.

If you look at the right of this photo, you can see the beginning of our group waaaaaay ahead of us, to the left of the sign on the right.

Got that?

This man goes along with my wildest schemes.

Usually, he even has a good attitude.

Gotta love that in a mate!

I talked him into gleaning blueberries with me on Monday night.

For two-and-a-half hours.

We picked thirty pounds. 

That makes FIFTY-SIX POUNDS for the season.

I dare any of you to beat that.
On the way home I thanked him for helping me.
I guess that's the price I pay, he said.
Pay for what? I asked.
Being married to Sue, was his reply.
Hmph.
Not sure about the attitude on that one!

My Mum is safe and sound at home in New Zealand. It was a bit scary, sending her off to various airports in her state of mind, but she only had one faux pas. I had packed her some fruit and snacks for her waiting time in San Francisco. I knew she would forget she had them so I wrote her a reminder note and put it in her handbag, through which she is always rifling. Well, going through customs in NZ , the fruit-detecting beagles sniffed out  the orange and grapes that she had not found in her bag. My sister and I can only imagine THAT scenario! Luckily, the customs officials must have figured out that Mum has bats in the belfry, because they didn't slap her with the $200 automatic fine. Her comment to Anne? I wish I had known I had the fruit because I was really hungry.

Oh, and Don't tell Susan.

Sigh.

We will not be sending Mum on that trip.

Ever again.

Remind me of that next year, would you?

On a brighter note, I spent this morning at a piano teachers' workshop in Portland, and I have returned home invigorated and full of new ideas and enthusiasm for this teaching year. I also have some ideas for expanding my preschool and senior music groups about which I am very excited. Time to get back in the working groove, after a slightly strange summer.

Oh, and my sister loves her handbag.

Her husband even approves of it.

The JD test, Anne calls it.

His initials, if you're wondering.

AND...

We're having a baby soon. But not too soon, I hope, because Jeff and I have tickets booked for North Carolina for September 17th, and I don't want to miss too many of the early days of our little Elsie's life.

So, there's my life lately in a nutshell. 

A little bit weird, but it's my life.

Feel free to share any of your highlights in the comments section.

Did I mention how much I love comments?