Matt did a lot of clearing down at the water the day before. He started a fire to burn all sorts of brush and dead trees he's been clearing and piling up...and burned a lot of it for a good eight hours. There's still a ton to do down there: more clearing, more burning, power washing the stairs, refinishing the stairs and deck at the bottom, adding another hand railing, adding lights, adding a kayak rack, and adding a lift to carry me up and down all those stairs. Our little neighbors came over for a visit and to help. The youngest boy (he's 8) spent most of the day helping Matt clear the area, getting dirty, discovering some hidden treasures, and slipping into the water twice. He and Matt filled up four bags full of stuff to throw away and/or recycle. They even found a bottle with a note inside...but the note was all wet when they opened the bottle. Darn. They took a break from working to go kayaking. The little one loved it and climbed in and out of the kayak to explore the little islands and sand bars in the lake. While the boys were at the water, the little girl (she's 10) came over and worked with me in the kitchen. We made cookies, caramel popcorn, banana bread, and Deviled eggs. I now call her Betty Crocker. (The oldest one, he's 11, had baseball practice...but he did come over to check out the progress down at the lake a couple of times. I can't believe how the kids just run up and down the stairs. I'm a slow plodder.) The kids are so darn cute! We just absolutely LOVE hanging out with them!!
Oh, and my little robin friend has been tapping on the window every morning. He taps on the window until I open the shade and talk to him. He keeps coming back to peek in at me. I think I'll name him Reese.
