Heat Breaks, Power Out

Friday evening rain swept through the Fox River Valley and the 90+ degree heat diminished. In celebration, Sharon ran outside and after a lap or two around the front lawn, let the cool water refresh her.

An hour or so later . . . a more violent front washed over us, whipping the trees and dropping a torrent of water. And, resulting in 18 hours of power loss.

ComEd service used to be much worse. So far this Summer we've only experienced two outages. --Both on weekends, so the inconvenience wasn't too difficult to bear.

91

Considerable less fanfare this year as we commemorate Bruno's 91st birthday. As luck would have it Bruce and the kids drove to town for the weekend.

Alex, Alana, and Jane Kilarski

Thankfully, Bruno remains physically strong and capable of withstanding the inconvenience of chronic vertigo. He's active around the house -- frequently helping Sharon prepare supper and almost always cleaning up after dinner.

I think he was most please with having all his grandchildren near today.

Large print playing cards . . .

Hershey's Bliss chocolates . . .

Little Shaver

As I pulled up to the church this evening to pick up Arianna from Totus Tuus, I noticed a couple boys run past me covered in something white. I didn't think much of it until Arianna opened the car door. As an end-of-retreat activity, participants gathered on the church lawn and engaged each other in a 'shaving cream fight'.

Arianna fared better than the boys I initially saw when I arrived at the church.

The week went fast. I think she enjoyed this year's program.

Garden Fresh

Sharon has started to use the cook book Santa brought her for Christmas: Simply Thai Cooking. 

The recipes seem fairly easy compared to those we cooked back in the day. And, in addition to being tasty, they're very colorful. Bruno and Arianna don't always enjoy what Sharon serves as much as I do, but they at least give it a try. Tonight . . . Thai Beef Salad . . . .

 The lettuce, radishes, and cucumber is fresh from the garden . . . .

More Horse Play

Final horseback riding lesson. I offered to pay for an additional eight, private lessons, but Arianna is non-committal. (I think she thinks it's too costly and that Sharon won't approve.)

I enjoyed taking her to the stable and watching her interact with the animals.

Better photos this evening than a couple weeks ago . . .



This week Arianna began the session grooming one of the horses . . .

And then it was out to the arena . . .

The finally the walk back to the stall . . .

Pappie's Day

Quiet Father's Day. 

Weather cooperated nicely for supper outside on the patio. Bruno and I eschew restaurants on Father's Day: too much commotion. So, Sharon and Arianna spend a bit of time in the kitchen this afternoon.

A few gifts to open . . .

Arianna and her Grandpa . . .

Arianna and her Daddy . . .

Bruno Kilarski, 90 years young . . .

In appreciation . . .

A hand brush . . . for cleaning my nails after hours in the dirt . . .

A new hose . . . one that is guaranteed not to kink . . .

Supper time . . .

Sharon, our chief cook . . .

Horse'n Around

Summer vacation always flies by. And sadly without a lot of fun for Arianna. We don't / can't go on vacation. Sharon teaches and devotes an inordinate amount of time to the Epoch Times. I work in the yard.

OK . . . we're not modern American parents . . . .

In an attempt to ensure Arianna has something to do other than stare at her Kindle, a computer screen, or a television screen, I convinced her that horseback riding lessons at Chestnut Hill Farm would be an "exciting" diversion.

So, throughout this month -- once a week -- we're gonna horse around at the stable.

Arianna riding JD.

After about 30 minutes of riding, the kids spend the remainder of the session grooming one of the horses.

Then, at the end of the lesson, treats . . . the horse inhales a carrot.

This evening was Arianna's second lesson and I think she enjoys it. If she really wants to continue this throughout the Summer, I told her we could swing additional lessons. We'll see how she feels in a couple of weeks.