Hummingbirds and Lying...

Tuesday night, I finally faced the fact that my hanging basket was dead. My own fault for buying a plant that likes shade when all I have is full sun. Oh, well...it was only $4.99 at Meijer. Anyway, I gave it a burial in the weeds and got out my hummingbird feeder and put it on the newly available shepherd's hook. Less than 48 hours later, I have 3 hummingbirds! 2 that tend to come to the feeder together and then a gorgeous one with an emerald green back and a red chest. I've had this hummingbird feeder for years, but we never saw any at our old house. The only problem with the feeder is the boys can't see it unless I boost them up by the kitchen window. They could look out the sidelight by the front door, but the glass is opaque. Maybe once we get a retaining wall in next year, I can move it down by the Florida Room.

Onto the less fun topic...lying. TJ has suddenly started doing this. At first, he was such a terrible liar, it was easy to catch and we were quick to punish. Well, now he's gotten better at it. Just before bedtime, I had him help me pick up all of his Thomas trains and track. I only make him clean it up on Thursday nights, so that I can vacuum on Friday mornings (it's in the basement where it bothers no one). I noticed we were missing Clarabel and Neville. I really have no idea how many trains he has, but Annie and Clarabel are twins, so that was easy to catch. And I have Neville's tender ('coal car'), but no Neville. I asked TJ where they were and he told me the neighbor boys took them home in their pockets. My heart stopped. The boys have only been here twice to play, and I really don't know them well. This was certainly not the way I wanted this friendship to start! Fortunately, Bill found Neville a minute later, and TJ admitted he lied. I found Clarabel after I sent him to bed, but I think he's lost his train privileges for awhile. Argh!

Bill started putting up the framework for the deck tonight. He took an odd pleasure in the fact that he got those massive boards up by himself. He thrives on being independent. Not me...I'd rather get some help and get it done faster. He's not in a huge hurry...we don't have the actual decking yet.

Sam and I took a little walk down to the last house on the street tonight. We have to pay that neighbor for our share of getting the road repaired and re-sealed (big $$--ouch!). They weren't home, but I thoroughly enjoyed my walk with Sam. There was absolutely no traffic, just two pre-teen girls zipping around on a golf cart. Sam kept talking about the golf cart...he was fascinated by it. And we passed the same neighbor and her dog more than once. Sam kept squealing, "Look! 'Nother doggy! A puppy!" The neighbor thought he was funny. It's nights like this where I really love my neighborhood. TJ was playing with his new, non-stealing friends next door, Sam was learning about golf carts, and my husband was using a pulley system to haul wood up the deck frame. Ahhh...this is the life!