City slacking

So we are back again. We have spent most of the month out to the lake house and now we have no choice but to hang around here.

We have just had way too much fun and it has to end.

And it bites.

Problem is we have a lawn to mow here too and the house... it makes me want to cry it is such a mess.

You just cannot neglect a house and plants and chores for three weeks and have it go unnoticed. 

It bites bad.

The simplistic clean lifestyle we have created at the cottage is so easy to maintain and stress free and relaxing.

We have come to the mutual decision that we just have too much stuff in the city house.

The purge is on this week.

Anyway we managed to get back out to the lake for a few days this week to get the last of the junk pile cleared up.

The kids played in the rain while Dave loaded up the sixth massive load to haul to the dump.

While he made the treks to the dump and back (an hour round trip each time) we busied ourselves in the house. After chowing down handfuls of Saskatoon's we cracked out the muffin supplies and got busy with the last of the berries.

Last week I made cookies while Dave had the kids out for a walk and had issues with them.  I figured I either had the butter to egg ratio off or something since I had forgotten the recipe and was going from memory. The cookies turned out flat and really dark on the bottom, still edible but odd.

Well this whole muffin making experience was going to be different. I was a little worried that the cookie fiasco was the stoves fault but I was going to give it the benefit of the doubt...but err on the side of caution.

So the muffins went in. The book said for 25-28 minutes or when golden brown.

I checked them at 10 mins, I don't know why but i do this a lot.

They were done.

Ha!

Stoves fault for the cookies. The temp thinga-ma-bob is way outta wack!

No wonder the chicken the other night was so crispy. I thought I was loosing my touch. Whew! 

Despite the mess of a place we bought there are a few beautiful things about it too. There are cherry trees, a plum tree and an apple tree. A few redeeming qualities to the rubble.

Thing is we seem to get ourselves into one mess after another.

We have this habit it seems for seeing potential in things.

We buy fixer upper after fixer upper. 

It has payed off so far but that is partially because of the hot housing market. 

Why we don't just find a nice place I don't know. 

I guess it is so we can pursue our dreams in our own way. It could also be that stubborn creative bone.

As the yard clean up wrapped up a friend stopped by with his skid steer.

Ethan loves tractors, trucks and anything with wheels.

However once they start up he is terrified and starts to tremble.

He has to watch but from a very safe distance and preferably through a window. 

Thursday was finally a day of rest. With the yard cleared we now start the drawing faze. 

A day off and we didn't know what to do with it so we headed out for a little drive.

To see so much greenery this time of year is a real treat. Usually by now the hills are brown with dried heat withered grass. 

Anyway, I must get to bed so I can tackle this mess of a house in the morning, oh joy!