Friday Fragments- Baby birds, Justin Bieber and Pinkberry

 I can't believe that it's already Friday! The summer is flying by. Because it's Friday I thought, what the heck, I'll join in on Friday Fragments.


I've really been a more laid back mom this summer. It could be that after 27 years of parenting 24/7, and only 2 months away from having no kids at home,  I'm just plain tired or maybe I'm just getting lazy or wait a second- I'm getting old. Either way, I know my daughter appreciates it.  For instance, last week the other kids were coming home for a wedding and I asked her to clean up her room. You can't even see the floor in most places and she still hadn't completely unpacked from our trip last month to Greece or her trip to Young Life camp in Canada 2 weeks ago. She ran up to clean it and was back in about 20 minutes. This was at least a 3 hour job so, I asked her if she'd done what she did when she was 12 and thrown everything into her closet. She said, "Oh no, I didn't do the 12 year old version of cleaning, I did the 18 year old version. I threw everything back into my suitcases and closed them up." Normally,  I'd have gotten mad and told her to get her butt back upstairs and not to come down until she'd really cleaned up her room. Instead I laughed and told her that it was very creative job. WTH is the matter with me. That was such a slacker reaction. I really must be tired.

We've had so many baby animals and birds around our house this year. We've got 3 baby bunnies in our front bushes and then we've had 3 nests on our front & side door wreaths. The first house finch pair had 3 chicks in a nest on the door that opens into the house. This pair has nested there for the last 3 years and they are getting very tame and used to us opening and closing the door. Even so,  I can't tell you how unnerving it is to open the door and have a mama bird staring at you 6 inches from your face. She amazingly never flew out of the nest and into the house. She'd just sit on the nest until you closed the door.  Another pair of finches was on our side door wreath and had 3 chicks as well. The second nest of birds on the non-opening front door is a nest of Say's Phoebes. We've never had this bird before. She built this adorable LITTLE nest on the other wreath and laid her 5 tiny eggs, which all hatched, and now, 10 days later, the chicks are overflowing and stacked like sardines in this little nest.

I've been so worried that one was going to accidentally fall out that I've laid thick towels over the bricks below to cushion any falls.  I'm a nerd! They should fly out of the nest today or tomorrow and I'll finally be able to take the spring wreaths off of the doors.

My daughter saw Justin Bieber at Pinkberry on Wednesday. She thought it was a girl who looked like him, until her started signing autographs. He went back later to get more but that time he stayed in his car and made his body guard go in. Pinkberry really is that good!! 

Whenever I think that High School musical and Justin Bieber are stupid, I think about Frankie Avalon, Annette Funicello and Elvis Movies. Seriously, Beach Blanket Bingo and Bikini Beach were so much worse.
Have a great Friday!!

Fractured Friday from Greece

I may be the worst friend in the world. I totally made vacation plans without thinking about the fact that the school year for the non-senior students and all the staff didn't end until a week after I left. This means that my friend Gina had to run the staff BBQ all by herself today. meanwhile this is what I was doing... I was sitting  the beach and reading. I've finished 6 books int he last 3 days sitting on the beach under an umbrella drinking sweet tropical drinks which make you feel like taking a nap. It's been such a rough time but don't feel sorry for me. it was my choice!!! If I could get a picture UPI would but I can't seem to bet it to work. I hope that someday she'll forgive me and at the lunch went well.

I've learned a lot in Greece. One: they have the hardest beds in the world. Seriously, the tile floor is softer than the beds at the resort we've been at for the past 3 nights. The bed at the hotel in Athens were only slightly softer and they were still like bricks.

The women of Europe have no body issues like we have in the US. This resort was filled with Russians, Greeks, Germans and a few Brits, We were the only Americans. Almost all the women wore bikinis. I'm talking 200+ pound women, women with big saggy tummies and all just walking around like it is nothing to be in a skimpy bathing suit. They were so comfortable in their skin. I wish I was that comfortable in mine and that US women were too. Now the one thing I could have done without was old men or any age men in speedos and while were at it the few 60 year old women topless. can you say tick tack toe with their boobs and bellybutton!!

The food has been fabulous. So many fresh tomatoes, cukes and yummy veggies. Top that off with nuts and feta cheese plus Greek yoghurt that is so thick that your spoon can stand up in it. I've had a wonderful time.

We leave for London tomorrow and I will day I am ready for soft comfy beds and some more food. Today my daughter twisted he ankle and she we are hoping that it's not broken. We got some ace bandages and I have her on anvil so hopefully she'll be able to walk tomorrow. She hobbled throughout the Athens airport today fate flying from Crete so I'm going to pretend that it's fine and in the morning it will be. Even if I thought it was broken, I wouldn't bring he to the hospital he in Greece. hey are s ray looking places with barbed wire around them. Well wait until tomorrow when we get to London. Denial is a beautiful thing.