Unexpected

The combined ages of Berkeley and Lincoln do not equal Harper’s current age of ten years and (almost) ten months…

After making sure all the dogs and available cats felt loved, it was time for…

Sourdough pancakes were on the menu. This was supposed to look like Mickey Mouse — close enough for an appreciative three-year-old…

Seeing my amazing skill with pancakes (!), Berkeley announced she wanted hers to look like a cat.

Oh Dear.

A little post-cooking pruning and some well-placed chocolate chips seemed to suffice…

And then Berkeley practiced with Capella for the 2023 Specialty — we are having a PeeWee event — and the little family loaded up and headed home, good memories safely planted.

I am sorry Daisy cut her muzzle and ruined their camping trip — but I am grateful to her for giving them a reason to come to Montana.

And yes, Daisy is just fine — and she also had a terrific weekend with her family.

Sometimes the unexpected is just The Best.

Montana Summer Fun

Yesterday was filled with more Grand Adventures.

After fueling up on coffee cake, it was time for our Stick Party. This involved picking up sticks for ten or so minutes and earning five dollars.

We followed that with a Garden Party. New plants were added plus each kid got to decide where a gnome should live. Lincoln thought his needed to be covered a bit…

All of the dogs are enjoying the fun — Pozy is being extra helpful…

After a quick snack, it was off to the Bitterroot River — Capella was down for that!

Berkeley is a jump right on in kind of gal while Lincoln is more contemplative…

Luckily the river is an inclusive place, suitable for those who prefer to have their feet firmly planted and also for those who do not mind free floating…

We had the spot all to ourselves — it was magical.

Lifeguard on Duty!

Her face says it all.

Summer Fun!

GRAND Summer Fun

One of the most heartbreaking and hard consequences of “the situation” (see the msontag.com blog for discussion of that) is I have been unable to do my regular Boise trips to visit the grandchildren.

This is time with them I will never get back — I feel this deeply.

And so it is hard to convey how amazingly wonderful it is to have them suddenly appear here in Montana for a long weekend. WOWZA.

Sparkle and the rest of the animal kingdom are also so happy to see the kids (almost 6 and almost 4)…

…although three of the cats prefer to observe them from a distance. This causes Lincoln to ask me repeatedly how many cats I have, as if he doubts me when I say four.

Yesterday involved hanging out…

…or trying to hang out…

Missoula has an amazing carousel — we did that and I do mean “we”…

Lincoln and I grabbed that brass ring!

Back at home, Berkeley declared that,”Grandma’s house is the best hide-and-seek house!”

Ice cream was involved — of course…

Summer Fun Indeed.