Words, Big Words

Persnickety and rambunctious. Words of the week. One word to describe my vehicle, the other for my grandchildren. It looks nice outside, but here we are in the house instead...

First my van... Five times it has refused to turn over. Twice at Target, then before church Sunday morning, again Monday afternoon at Panera Bread, and then again (after having a new battery installed) last night at home when we were headed out to play mini golf. I don't regret the purchases of either the jumper cables or the new battery. They've helped narrow down the real issue, which is apparently a switch of some kind. This morning, at my husband's suggestion, I put the van in neutral and turned the key. It started up like nothing. I switched it back into park and once again she started right up. Persnickety. Yup. Our mechanic is ordering a new part.

The grandchildren... They're bouncing off the walls today. First they got out every toy on the shelf. (They move faster than I can see and there are three of them.) Of course it took them over an hour to get it all cleaned up again and in the midst of that there was plenty of squabbling, name calling, and generally forgetting they were supposed to be picking up anything at all. Lucas dropped his muffin midway through lunch and a small dog quickly gobbled it up. Loud wailing commenced but failed to produce another muffin. Then there was the biting. The middle child discovered biting effective before his first birthday and now that he is four I think that habit needs to stop, and fast. (They always say to bite them back...) Three children have been banished to the couches for a time of quiet rest which so far has produced neither rest nor quiet. I'd kind of hoped to take them outside long ago but between their rambunctiousness and the rain, it hasn't happened.

and later on....

We got outside, finally, in the rain. It was the "scoop" that showed up to dig a hole in Mr. Conner's yard across the street. Simon was so excited he couldn't stand it and came running into the living room shouting "Yuke, Yuke!" (Which translates, "Luke! Luke!") He didn't want his brother to sleep though all the fun. He just had to wake him up to watch.

And then, since they were already wet, we went out into the back yard where one discovered the barn downspout and thought it made a good drinking fountain. Blech! I think he spit out everything he sucked in. At least I hope so. By the time their mommy showed up they were in need of dry clothes. I was just glad we got out of the house for a little while. It was gettin' stuffy in there.

Another weekend has arrived. I'm planning a drive down to Auburn again to find my middle son and bring him home for the weekend. I think it will be nice to have him around for Father's Day. Besides, I don't want him to be lonely or feel forgotten. I kind of like the kid. (Twenty-six is still a kid, right?)

:0)