It is raining horses!!!!

Well it is raining...yet again. Seems that of late, the only time it isn't raining is when it is 90+ degrees. Either way it has not been good weather for getting much of anything completed.

Last week was a busy one. First off it was hot and when it is hot in Michigan it is also humid. Even though it was hot outside we needed to stay cool as a cucumber when planning and executing a surprise 30th birthday party for my daughter in law, B. Her sister and mother hatched the idea and I tried to help covertly to get some odd jobs completed without raising suspicion. I'm sure B was muttering under her breath about her pushy mother in law...LOL

Remember the lights B and I installed on the outside of their home about 3 years ago? There were also 3 lights that needed to be installed on the back of their house. Between racing, rain, and heat we never got around to it. We knew that having a party that involved showing off her deck, we would need those lights installed. My son laid the groundwork and said he would ask me to help. I then lied by saying "if you need my help, I can only do it on Wednesday because this weekend I will be busy busy busy." The lights were installed. Looking good despite taking until 11pm.....LOL

We had a slight catastrophe on the morning of the party. B decided to rebuild a large picnic table that R had found in the trash 2 years ago. We on the other hand had planned to use the table for seating. My son text me in the morning saying that B had just used the Sawzall to cut all the wood off the metal frame of the picnic table.....LOL Oh well.

Later that day G took B for a motorcycle ride and to see a 3D version of the new Pirates movie. Unbeknownst to B.....we were receiving updates and photos of B throughout the day. Including a photo of her inside the theater with her wearing the 3D glasses.

Finally at 6pm they rolled in.The birthday girl was surprised.
The deck looked good.
Birthday girl got the first string pull on the pinata.
We then went by age. Youngest to oldest.
The last string did the trick.The birthday party was a success despite my melted key lime pie and dried out angel food cake roll. I think the pie was good but the cake was dried out because of the A/C and ceiling fans that were needed to keep the house some what cool.

Raining horses? As I was walking to the mailbox in the rain, I noticed two horses gallop by and stop in my neighbors yard.Now that isn't something you see every day.
And they were off.
I understand that they came from a farm several miles down the road. They are now safely home and I am drenched. I had to stand in the road to keep traffic from hitting them. I'm surprised that there was not an accident because at least five cars had to slam on their brakes when they finally noticed the police lights and cars parked on the shoulder of the road. Some people drive without looking beyond the hood of their vehicle.

Gear Acres' Custom Bricks

The last stop on our road trip last week was to go to Wildcat Creek Brick Company in Flora, Indiana.

The bricks are great. Jim, the owner and head brick maker at Wildcat Creek Brick Company, made these bricks the same size as the vintage pavers that we bought and traded for last summer. I ordered 10 pavers and they will be scattered among the three brick projects we have planned for the next several years.The first brick project is the 36 inches of brick pavers that will be inset into the asphalt driveway just as you enter into the property through the wrought iron gates. The strip of bricks is suppose to be reminiscent of the 'yard of bricks' at the 'Brickyard' aka Indianapolis Motor Speedway. My Gear Acres paver will be placed in and among the vintage pavers and with the authentic 'Brickyard' paver that I already own.We had hoped to have this project done early this spring but due to a late warm up and excessive rain, that project has been pushed back until mid summer.

Wildcat Creek Brick Company can make 1 or a bazillion bricks or pavers with whatever you want emblazoned on them. They are heavy and would make a great door stop if you want just one. Just tell Jim what size you need. He has to cast the brick/paver larger than the desired finished size because the clay shrinks when fired.

Just in Time

You know how they say everything happens for a reason? Case in point.

My sister and I attended a coupon swap last night. It is well documented how 'we' as in my sister and I, never never ever ever win ANYTHING. Just two weeks ago we went to a coupon class where there were 20 participants. The instructor says she has some give aways and will draw names until all the give aways are gone. Remember just 20 people.....everyone won something except 6 people AND you guessed it.....we were two of the 6 that didn't win a damn thing.

Well, that all changed last night. There were 10 or 12 people at the swap and there were some give aways. I wasn't holding my breath on winning anything when what do you know, we both won. My sister won a tote bag and I won this...... Yup...I won a towel folded into the shape of a truck. Man oh man...I've always wanted a towel truck.
I had no idea what in the world I was going to do with a towel truck when lo and behold I starting reading the recipe for a cake I am baking and realized that I needed a towel.....maybe not a towel truck but a towel none the less.

See I am making a roll cake and you need a linen or cotton towel to aid in the rolling part. Every towel in my towel drawer is terry cloth, what was I to do?
I then remembered last night's windfall and ran to get the towel truck. Upon opening the towel truck I realized that not only did I win once but I won twice since there were two towels in the towel truck.

I suppose now because I won two towels......it will be twice as long before I win again. Pffft...in that case, I will be dead before I win again.