Tom was in town for the week. On Friday we dragged Scott off to the bike shop. We wanted to get our bikes inspected and cleaned to take on vacation this summer to Hilton Head. I discovered that my bike was in pretty bad shape. Scott had borrowed it and rode it to school for a year and it took quite a beating(along with a few falls) until he got his own bike. So I decided rather than pay to spruce it up, to go ahead and invest in a new bike. Plus I was able to trade in my old bike for a discount on the new model(Bike Max!) I really like the new style and can't wait to take it out on the road/bike path/beach! We also spent some time learning about bike maintenance. Do not wash your bike with a hose! No matter how dirty. Use a damp cloth to wipe it off. Apparently water can get into all the small spaces and damage or rust out the frame, joints, etc. . We have never done this, but thought about running it through a car wash. Instead, we can bring it back to the shop for an overhaul/cleaning as well. We enjoy the trips to our recently built, large bike shop here in Ellicott City. The staff is incredibly helpful. They have their own, huge bike workshop so you can just ride in and get an immediate inspection. Tom also bought a new bike carrier for the back of the van. It is a lot easier to load all 4 big bikes.
This was the week to buy new wheels. On Monday Tom was busy car shopping online. On Tuesday we were test driving cars. The Buick that Tom purchased from his Dad was starting to have problems with the electrical system and the front end alignment, wheels and power steering. The repairs seemed more costly than the trade in value, so Tom opted to trade it in for a Ford Escape that he found at Car Max. He also decided that it would be a good car to pass down to Scott when he gets his license. Our little Honda Echo training car is beginning to poop out. By the time Scott goes off to college(just a few years away!), it will be time for Tom and I to invest in another car. So far Tom is really enjoying all the bells and whistles they put on this Escape. This is the first Ford vehicle we have owned since my Mercury Villager Mini Van(Dad B would have been proud!).
So Tom had to clean out the garage to get his new car inside. He had several dead microwaves to disassemble for parts. Then he had to drop off what was left over to the dump, along with a dead speaker system for the tv. He also set out several items on the sidewalk for any takers, including our old bike carrier, our old snow blower(he bought a new replacement model after winter), the dead electric scooter that Scott brought home from the Hamfest sale and a few of my leftovers from the recent garage sale, like Scott's xbox guitar hero game and a coffee maker. Everything went fast. Except for the very heavy train table that our neighbor built and gave to Scott for his trains and hot wheels that was taking up a lot of room upstairs. That just got picked up Sunday after I posted it on the neighborhood webpage. Our neighborhood is constantly selling/trading/buying/giving away items and they post them online. You never know what you might find at the end of someone's driveway! Tom also had to make room for the supplies for Scott's upcoming Eagle project.
On Friday after visiting the bike shop, we stopped into Home Depot to ask for a donation for Scott's wheelchair accessible planters. I was amazed to hear that Home Depot often donates to boys towards their Eagle projects, and they requested a letter from Scott explaining his project. He dropped off the letter Sunday and hopes to hear back from them soon. We will probably have him try Lowes and Ace Hardware too. Anything to help defray the cost of the project. While stopping at Home Depot, I decided to pick up a few more veggie plants. Some of the plants I bought back in May did not make it since we had a bit of a cold spell. It is a bit late to plant new veggies, but it has been plenty warm lately, with lots of rain, so I have my hopes up that we will get something. I picked up cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini and yellow squash, along with dill and some Monarch butterfly flowers. So far our jalapenos have been the best. Scott has been busy grilling them and putting them on our burgers. We also put some in the salsa that we got from Allison's work. Her boss's Dad cans his own salsa. But it was not very spicy, so we kicked it up a bit. So I was out in the yard cleaning up the garden and putting in the new plants Friday night.
Scott helped out one of his fellow patrol members on Saturday morning by assisting with his Eagle project-self watering garden planters(which were basically a large, plastic bucket with lots of holes. Scott spent the morning drilling holes in the buckets with a power drill. Not quite sure where these projects were headed, but Scott's planters are quite a bit more complicated and expensive. Tom decided he will just have Scott and a few adults actually cut and build the planters and ask the young boys to come out to the nursing home to set up the planters, clean up the patio and the grounds and complete a gardening activity with the residents in the new planters. I can also serve them lunch at the facility(part of the project!).
On Saturday night our family headed out to a minor league baseball game with the Frederick Keys. I was singing the National Anthem with the GS choir, so we got discounted tickets. We took along my mom and good friend, John Dutton. Scott was invited to a Birthday party that evening at the Sky Zone Trampoline park, so he passed on the baseball game. He had a great time playing dodge ball while bouncing on a room filled with trampolines! Afterwards, he went home with his friend to spend the evening playing video games. Earlier in the day, we dropped him off and picked up my mom and John and headed out to Frederick, about 30 mins from our house. The game was fun(even though the Keys lost), it was a beautiful night and we had a wonderful firework show afterwards! The stadium is small, so easy to park, get to our seats(handicapped with mom), purchase good food off the grill, and even the bathrooms are easy to get in and out. So we all had a terrific evening as we continued to celebrate the 4th of July week. (although Allison seemed to be sitting near some grumpy people fighting over the general admission bench seats as well as the kissy face people). But Mom and I definitely had a good time! And John who rarely gets out for fun stuff.
I threw my mom off her schedule a bit by taking her to see the summer theatre's production of "White Christmas" at Scott's high school. They did a great job, we loved the music and they even made it snow in the theatre at the end! But mom kept thinking it was going to be cold outside. Only a mere 92 degrees outside, but they sure made it feel like Christmas in Vermont! I was mostly impressed that mom sat through both events-the play was about 3 hrs long and the baseball game was a 6 hr program. What a trooper!
Sunday night, Tom and Scott were headed to Newport News Virginia. Tom had a meeting to attend on Monday afternoon, so he thought he would take Scott with him so they can stop into Busch Gardens or WaterCountry USA along the way. Especially since Scott is free. And Tom thought it would be a good idea to let Scott get in some freeway driving in the new Ford Escape. Nothing like driving around the DC beltway! Before they left, we were invited to our neighbor's Dan and Gloria's house for dinner. We have been trying to get together for weeks and everyone has been busy. Especially since both of their kids just moved back in with them! Alex decided to live at home while going to college, and Kelsey quit her job with Verizon in Virginia Beach to move back home and look for a local sales job. She graduated a year ago with a Bachelor's in Psychology(not much available in the work force in that area). So now she is hoping to save up enough money to move back to Towson where she graduated with a more stable job. What fun for them.
Allison and I were free on Monday night, so after dropping off a registration for an upcoming wine tasting class(someone is turning 21!), we dropped into the movie theater at the mall to see The Secret Lives of Pets. Naturally, Allison and I really enjoyed it.
On Tuesday, Scott was back in town so I took him and his girlfriend Tori, and Allison up to the YMCA for a family tie dye event(or I thought it was a family event). Turns out it was for 6-12 yr olds. However, it was not advertised as such. So since we showed up with tshirts, the counselor let us make tie dye shirts after all the little kids were done. It was a bit chaotic and of course, messy. Allison and I ended up helping some of the kids since we have had practice making shirts in girl scouts and during birthday parties. To make up for my boo boo, we took Tori out to dinner for Taco Tuesday at Glory Days. On Weds night, I volunteered to teach the Nature Badge at the Boy Scout meeting. Scott made me a power point presentation and we talked about all the native Maryland birds, animals, fish, rocks and plants. We also talked about the young bear that has been traveling through the counties in search of a new home, including very close to Ellicott City! Then we went outside and played a Food Chain game with popcorn. The plant eaters had to run around and collect popcorn for food, and then the meat eaters had to catch the plant eaters and fill up their cups with popcorn. The first meat eater to fill up his cup was the winner. Naturally he won a bag of popcorn!
Looks like my schedule next week will be just as busy as we will be celebrating Allison's 21st Bday.
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