We opened the pool a little late this year, with a new liner coming, we weren't sure it would be in one piece and swim-able when we pulled the cover. It was, and we had a hot few weeks of June to use it. Nick was huge help in opening this year, we're getting close to retiring Grandpa out from the assignment. Nick still generally struggles to finish his chores and get paid, he'll stop 90% of the way in, or not write it down, and not collect.
A family of killdeer nested in our yard (because they nest in the rocks, and you know, my yard is so awful from the lawncare and crappy topsoil, they figured it was rocks.) They sat on that nest for 28 days, we surrounded them with reflective posts, and we fought of the stupid lawn guys together. They hatched, and left the nest right away, but I caught the moment on film. Very cool.
Brandi decided to return to work part-time (in the middle of a pandemic), and picked up some RDH days at two offices. She comes home one evening, and says, "I'm exhausted. If you're expecting me to provide dinner, your best bet is breast milk." She had a good run and made a little money, now both states are offering her an opportunity to add a nursing degree if she'll help in this COVID mess. We shall see.
Overall, with quarantine still in effect, we've gotten out a little (went out to dinner with Eric and Deana @ Manhattan's, and I got out to see Becky for dinner, that's about it), still have our private room for breakfast on Saturdays, and got to visit family.
Brandi and Nick made a trip to Atlanta at the end of the month. You'll see photos of go-carts, fireworks, and paddling on the lake. The kids generally stay to themselves, don't interact much with each other. When Thatcher gets grumpy with Nick (who is eternally optimistic), they grapple a little, in a struggle for space and dominance, and rumor is that Nick can hold his own just fine (three years of martial arts has helped.) I asked him how it went, he says "I'll play hardball when I need to." They cut their trip short, and met me in Cincinnati on the way home where I watched Noah play ball in 14U, and Kiersten took me for a ride in her new Jeep (which I didn't know at the time she's not yet tested for her license, a little detail that got missed.) With Kiersten, and now Seth, both getting their license, and Nick confidently driving, all the kids are creeping up on adulthood now. Nick says, "You hope I'm the same chill self I am now." Yes, I do.
Jason
