From Socks

Dear Vacationeers,

Where are you? I am missing you. I miss the walks you took with me.
I miss the games you played with me.
I miss the petting and hugging.

And the walks
Did I mention the walks?
I loved taking walks with you! You put your nice-smelling things in bags.
I gave you kisses you gave me kisses.
Then everyone went out the door and I could hear the car going. But I couldn't go out with you.

Now I miss you. I wish you would come back.

Love,

Socks

What I left out

You might think that you've seen here all of the fun we had this summer with the Vacationeers. Believe it or not, there is more - lots more.
The daily antics in the pool
complicated puppet plays in the basement
and mysterious communications through pipe-cleaners.An introduction to tennis
various fascinating outdoor adventures
and encounters with critters both live and dead.
Lots more about rocks than just the Rock Show -
besides Granddad's collection, there are whole classes on geology.

All the videos to watch with our friends
and playgrounds for swinging
and making a little music.
Fun foods - like cheesecurls.
You know cheesecurls just make you silly.

And there are even some un-documented times when the camera is not around and life just happens...

July feasting

Dr. Hausfrau arrived longing for the tastes of July in the Midwest - ripe tomatoes, corn on the cob - and the baked beans and cole slaw that go with them. So we prepared a feast.
Mimi added watermelon and ripe peaches.
The Bloomingtonaut had mementos for all from her Grand Tour. Her shopping encompassed two countries and four states. There were walrus teeth and caribou horn and fishy pens for the kids. There was a daintily painted antique tray and a carved polar bear from Alaska. The fancy socks were much admired.
Not to start a new theme, but notice the octopus on Mimi's socks.

Dessert was Octopus Cake.

Some are Reading

With all the activity going on this summer, are you wondering if we found time to read? Well, of course we did! In fact one of us was so involved with the "Warriors" series that she found their website and gave us all cat names. You might not expect names randomly assigned by a computer to be very fitting but somehow Granddad ended up being 'Rocksky' and I became 'Fuzzysky'. I only have to take off my glasses to demonstrate how appropriate that is.
Both 'Cheetahpaw' and 'Spottedpaw' joined the Summer Reading Program at the library. Both, I'm proud to say, finished the whole program and won a free book of their own to keep. We went to the library on Tuesdays and Thursdays, hauling bags of books and videos back and forth.
Ja -oops, I mean 'Cheetahpaw'- read with Ms Annie while the rest of us picked out books and videos to check out. It was easy to find lots that we wanted to bring home. It wasn't so easy taking some of the books back.
Fortunately we have a few books at home so we won't run out of things to read.

On with the Game

Most evenings find us gathered around the table with a game to play. It might be a lively hand of "Apples to Apples"-
or a serious game of chess.

We might be looking for treasure in "Mystery Mansion" or for words we can spell in "Boggle".
We might be puzzling over cards that are same and different in "Set".
Oh no! Someone else got my set! Or having intense moments in "Parcheesi" - Hey! Don't send me home AGAIN!

Whatever the game, the Vacationeers enjoy playing.

Incoming Too (Two?)

Our most recent arrival the Bloomingtonaut came in yesterday. We're glad to be included in the Grand Tour!

Another kind of museum

There is a lot of wonder in the local kid's science museum.Our second trip was as much fun as the first. We spent hours suspended two stories above the first floor

exploring and looking at things in our own way.
The grapevine climber is our favorite thing.
We spent a lot of time with bubbles, too.With wet hands you can even put your fist right through a bubble.
The dinosaur looks threatening but he is really just telling how tall Brother Vacationeer is.

Outside in the garden, we make real Rock Music. Like with real rocks.