Birds Flying The Coop

I've not been on my blogging game for a while now.  I think about it and I kind of get that "meh" feeling - not really wanting to take the time to sit here and ramble on about something that roughly 36 people read each day.  I seemed to get off blogging task when I started the house gutting in March.  April, still gutting, but preparing for the trip to Cabo.  May, one of the "birds" was home and working and my laundry piles changed, cooking had to change again and there were various EWU things to attend and plan.  June found all of the "birds" heading home to the nest, more  laundry, more food shopping to do, cars to tend to, short trips to plan out and pay for... though the gutting was officially done, I was now finding more ways to stay occupied.  "Occupy Lloyd Street" minus the protesting.

Then there was the @hausofgirls June Instagram challenge to run #56milesinjune.  So I did that and began plotting my routes and getting back into running.  It's been a long time since I ran that marathon (2004) and it always seems hard to get "back" to running.  Sure, I've been working out at Golds 5 days a week, sometimes classes, most times elliptical and some free weights... but that's just not the same as running.  When I finished Junes' challenge I bought myself a "prize" - the Garmin Forerunner 10 and I love it! It's tracked the July challenge of #50milesinjuly - which I surpassed yesterday and hooked me up with a calendar to train for a half marathon... so I've added that to my daily schedule and a new countdown to another goal.  My own "love handles" or muffin top (I hate that term) have shrunk down, almost not visible by the naked eye and I'm not even depressed that my weight has only dropped 2 pounds because I can SEE the muscles forming before my eyes.  Good stuff.

The boys (birds) are self sustaining and they come and go as they please - occasionally everyone is home for a meal together.  #7 is often off with #10 - his belongings live here more than he does... Blue Eyes and Wack are off to work at 4:51 AM every day, eat lunch at the course usually, head home, shower up, nap and then disappear out with friends, Snooze-anne, whoever... wherever.  The one constant I can count on is the "Mom, Dad... I'm home" if we're in bed when they return.  So there's that.  For now.

• AN ASIDE:  About 7 weeks ago, I was out mowing the back.  Don't ask me why the big, strong boys aren't doing it... I LIKE to do it.  Besides, they are all working and I'm... not. I've been mowing the back (and sometimes the front since The Dad always mows it too short and then it looks brownish/green) for 4+ summers and I love the workout it provides seeing as it's a hill.  But as I went around picking up after the hounds I came across a baby, baby baby bird.  Not alive.  Not half chomped on... but like it was brand new out of the shell and somehow dropped on my lawn.  I've never seen that before.  It was a few weeks later, when Jack was having his bowel issues that I found the remains of a bird (not a baby) out in the yard while cleaning up before mowing.  I wondered if the baby and the adult had been related and which of my flippin' dogs was the "bird dog".   It just couldn't be Jack... for the love of God he's a lab and hates the water.  He eats his dog food, but believes he is intended to eat human food - all day long - every single day.  He doesn't run after a ball or chew on bones.  Jack was NOT the bird dog.  So the next 3 times I mowed the lawn, no more dead birds, but each time I mowed under our bedroom deck, and by Wacks' window, I swear a bird was coming after me.  It took me a few weeks to realize it wasn't my imagination... and then... as I was cleaning up after the dogs LAST week - I saw it. Built up on two of the posts of our deck.   Two different Robins' nests.  And a mama bird standing there on top of one, mouth open, eyes watching me.  Then three little beaks bobbing up and down wanting something from their mom.  Food... of course. I didn't want her dive bombing at me so I finished picking up and told The Dad, HE could mow for once.  The second nest is empty, and as of today, mom and her chicks are still occupying the second nest.  It got me to thinking about birds, nests, what to expect when expecting... (ha!) so I Googled it of course.  Robins' have 2 to 3 broods per season and build a new nest for each brood... thus far... two nests. They lay the eggs which hatch about 14 days later and then... the babies fly off within two weeks.  Much like James Gandolfinis' Tony Soprano and his ducks in the pool (season 1) I'm enjoying watching them and the thought of them leaving makes me sad.  But that's what birds do...

So here we are - the end of July upon us.  At this point, no one is heading out of town or to the lake, though that's sure to happen given the best summer weather I can remember in a long time and then **poof** the weekend after that is August.  The Dad and I will spend much of next week readying the house and "grounds" for YuccaFest 2013, Blue Eyes & Wack will be building up their "Watershed 2013" necessities and #7 will ref, work, do whatever he can to earn more money.  That's all good.  Until the next weekend.  That's when we have our first "departure" with our WSU college student heading back.  Sure, it's weeks after that until the other two start back up, but once one leaves, it all starts to set in again, that the nest is about to be empty again.  My little birds will fly off again and those moments that we all chuckle at something funny or head out back for a "friendly" game of holyboard in the sun - gone.  

I'm not fond of my laundry piles - especially after having gotten the house in order prior to their return home and the fact that I could do two loads all week when it's The Dad and I. But I'm less fond of the quiet, empty house.  I'm 43 years old and ready to be a grandma - seeing as I don't have the parts to be a new mom all over again.  

• Thing One:  I changed the blog, as you can tell.  The running and bright colors out there now inspired me to add a little more color to the page and:
• Thing Two:  Often now, when I let the dogs out back for a while, to keep them out from under my feet while I do sometimes next to nothing indoors... I called them in and Dan The Dog doesn't come.  He's always been the first one in.  So I was worried this week when I called a few times, walked out on the deck, couldn't spy him... went down the deck stairs and began to look for holes under the fence.  As I walked halfway down the yard I looked back up towards the house and there was Dan... laying on his side under our bedroom deck/Zach's window.  He didn't lift his head as I called out and I was certain Dan was no longer.  As I slowly made my way to him he lifted his head and then I thought "his hearing must be going".  He got up, wagged his tail and followed me back up the steps.  It struck me as unusual but I let it go.  Three days later, same thing.  I head down the stairs and Dan is sitting under that deck, in the shade.  Dan...  is the "bird dog".  Trust me ~ he can hear just fine.