Killer Bees in Gramerly Woods

We interrupt the exciting vacation memoirs to bring you late breaking news from Gramerly Woods.

Today as we were traipsing in the deep dark forest during our weekly playdate, a terrible fate befell us there. Dreadful I tell you, it was dreadful!

This year we have two sweet young ladies helping with playdate. I call them AL-ee and AND-ee.

My friend, Miss Glitzy, her little one Siddee, along with Linee, Antebellie, Bugg, Raina and the Bean were having a big muddy time in the wee creek that flows through the deep dark forest and were preparing to exit. I was standing at the top waiting as Miss Glitzy was leading the girls up through the woods with AL-ee and AND-ee following close behind. Mr. Bean, thank the Good Lord headed on down through the creek on his own. Glitzy stepped her black bejeweled sandal right on a ground bee's nest and for the next fifteen minutes (seemed like an hour) absolute chaos ensued. You have never heard such caterwauling in all your days. Dreadful-it was dreadful.

Glitzy hopped out of the fray thinking her foot had suddenly spontaneously combusted, three of the wee ones ran through, with bees attached to two, while one stood practically on the nest, too frightened and hysterical to move while one was heading right into it. I'm swatting bees on babies, trying to get the one out of the war zone and keep the other one from going in. Finally, I just reached over, grabbed the nest dweller and sailed her over my shoulder to her Mama, then tried to instruct the one turning back where there were still bees attached, so she could remove them and thus concentrate on the stings she'd already gotten. Despite using all my calming skills, I could not get one girl calm, before another went off. Even one's who weren't stung were hysterical. Finally, after getting the last bee out of Antebellie's hair, we got them all down and at least moving in the right direction.

You've never seen a sadder bunch of muddy, teary babies in all your days.

Interestingly enough, the playdaters who remained didn't even hear the wailing until Glitzy arrived with the news and some reinforcement showed to help comfort the wailers. I scrapped all stings with a credit card, got ice packs and Benedryl for all. Then made strawberry milkshakes to hopefully end the day on a happier note.

I have been so truly blessed. This is summer number four that I've had Playdate. A scratch or a mosquito bite is the worst we've ever had to show for it. Glitzy and AND-ee were the worst stung and had the most reaction, which wasn't fun, but wasn't anywhere as awful as it could be.

AL-EE is allergic to bees. She wasn't stung at all-a miracle. Later she found a bee in her clothes, and still she wasn't stung. As for me, I don't even want them to get the smallest scratch when they are here, but again, we have been so blessed and I am truly thankful to God for His angels watchin' over me and mine!

Glitzy parted ways with her black bejeweled sandal in the bee nest and Brave Handy Man faced the fearful bees to rescue it for her. He had to get it with a stick cause they mistook it for a tasty treat.

I've never found myself in such a situation where everyone needs you at once and where it had the potential for being a very serious situation. My heart goes out to people who are put in a position of not being able to help everyone and having to choose. It is an awful feeling.

What a day. I see a long hot bath in my future.

Washington and More

School let out a week late this year (due to snow), so I finished on Friday, June 4. Well, finished teaching-there's always that room cleaning thing which would have to wait, much to the principal and custodian's chagrin. Anyway, at 4:45 in the middle of the night, we hit the road to meet SueZQ and Steve and head to Virginia to see Monticello on Saturday the 5th.

Well, we were interesting travelling companions to say the least. Curvy roads make me very sick, as do buses, planes, trains and carnival rides- I'm not even talking here about me riding said rides, just looking at you riding them makes me sick. I love, love, love to see historical places, but traveling for me can be a misery. SueZQ on the other hand, injured her back a while ago and walking long distances or riding long distances in painful for her. The blind leading the blind.

I made it riding in the back to where you cross over into Virginia, then had to move to the front. I was doing good, but was excited about getting there and was intently reading the signs when the road started going a different way than my eyes, and, well, blek. Anyway, I caught myself soon enough to remember I wasn't the only one who could read and let a person with a stronger constitution than I direct the driver.

Monticello was beautiful. Just look at that garden. 80 ft by 1000 feet hanging off the side of a cliff. If there had been an opening for gardener, I'd be changing my address. Remember as you gaze that this was the first week of June. Be still my heart!

Thomas Jefferson must have been a genius. Since I've been home, I've been reading about him. And that monument to his old self ( in DC), that he designed, I mean seriously, talk about thinking a bit highly of your own self.

Since, in spite of numerous efforts I can't put that picture where I want it, you will have to gaze on Ol' Tom in the next post.

Oh, by the way, when the neighbor started the fireworks at noon on Sunday my dog Arwen ran away. We didn't find her until four o'clock yesterday, when I had long since gone from frantic to grief. Thank the Lord, she is safe and sound.

On the Blog Again

Handy Man Poppins and Missy Bugg feeding and loving on Pap's Girl.

Well, today was the day. I couldn't stand it any longer. 1st Lt., Ceece and a friend suggested I replace my old PC with an Apple. I decided to take their word for it and bought the one on which I'm now writing today.

As suspected, I had no luck in accessing the Internet, but Ceece was able to save me and here we are. I have some back tracking to do with a few piks of playdates and our vacation, but I wanted to practice my skill at getting piks off my camera and onto this new toy.

Michael and Rae-rae needed eggs and 1st Lt. and Ceece came out to see my I-Mac. I was telling them how much the chickie girls enjoy an evening snack of Japanese Beetles. That seemed to kick-off a "Feed the Chickie Girl Fest." Let's see if I can show you.

I just keep the Gramerlings on Fridays. Bean informed me last week that the next Friday would be his beloved Lambie's birthday. So, we celebrated. See Lambie blowing out his candles.

Ahh, Still Here

My computer is dead and I have not had a minute to think about getting a new one.
Our vacation to DC was awesome and I really enjoyed teaching my first college class.
Our first playdate was a great deal of fun, though the heat was quite oppressive. The kids were all so good and cute and fun. Thank the Good Lord for happy, healthy children and staying safe in the yard and creek. I feel summer has really begun.
Soon you can view all the fun I hope.
We hired a new teacher here and she was bringing her children. They came to visit one day and her little girl, that would be in my class, seemed a little tired and sluggish. The mom said she had never had allergies before, but this year they were terrible. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but it seemed the mom was very worried. It turns out she had reason to be. Her little one has a very aggressive leukemia and they've already begun treatment they say will last two and a half years. If you will, please pray for little Holly and her family. I am heart broken for them.

Moth Pictures

The Computer Blues

My home computer has given it up!

As I explained in an earlier post, I expect my stuff to last forever and h-a-t-e having to get something new. Right now, with the end of school and such, I have no time for picking out a computer.

Do you remember, way back in September, when Handy Man found a big green caterpillar on Kaye's apple tree. It spun this amazing cocoon of gold threads? Right after that I found another caterpillar at school. Both have been in jars in my room and both hatched last Friday and I would love to show you their picture, but it will have to wait until I get all this computer stuff figured out-fuss and bother!

Speaking of Kaye, she should be heading home from her vacation in Gulf Shores as I write this. 1st Lt. and Drummer Boy got her wood floors refinished. With the exception of them taking off too much water and bottoming out her BP at dialysis on Friday, it seems they have had a very wonderful trip- so happy for her!

Stay tuned for moth pictures coming your way soon!

Wednesday Fun

May is chock full of activities, both in the classroom and out. It is second only to December in busyness. I always make tie-dyed tee shirts with my kiddos for them to wear on field day. Bean always asks what we did during the day and often wants me to repeat the activity at home.
So, we made tie-dyed shirts yesterday. Bean got away without me getting a picture of his.

Missy Bugg was quite proud of her shirt. As I've said before, she has an amazing attention span for one so young. Any three year old who can wield permanent markers and color a whole shirt, earns top marks in my book.

Uncle Jimi came to visit and brought a cool box turtle. Learning can be so fun and easy. I don't know why we make it so hard.

Miss Bugg is a budding photographer.
She snapped this pic of Uncle Jimi.