Family visiting means...

Home repairs get done!

I grew up in New Hampshire in a family of fixers. You need the radiator in your car replaced? No problem -- pull it into the garage and Dad will take care of it. Brake pads low? Changed in a day. Oil change? Done in a few minutes. I learned to sheetrock and spackle when I was a kid. We had a garage full of tools (including a hydraulic drill and jack) that Dad and my three brothers put to good use.

And then I moved away to Washington, DC and left my repairmen behind. I cringe every time I take my car to the shop, thinking how Dad could fix whatever problem has arisen and charge me only for the parts.

So I was very happy when Dad and two of my brothers came down for Zach's birthday party. Dad was very kind and fixed our dishwasher drain hose (a mouse chewed through it while we were on vacation in Delaware). At first I thought Jason and I could do it ourselves, but when I googled it and saw that it could involve disconnecting electrical supplies and water hook-ups, I thought it was best left to the professionals.

And my brother Walt fixed the dimmers for the lights in our kitchen (I didn't get a picture of that because Dad and I were on a Home Depot run for hose clamps when that happened). Those had been broken for, oh, say, at least four months.

Now if only I had a landscaper in the family...

Trip to the Fair

Zach and I took a trip with Adriana and Victoria to Luckett's Fair the other weekend. Zach had a blast checking out the animals. First, he tried to pet the baby donkey.

Then, he tried to eat the llama's ear. (Note, most people give their kid a binky to keep them quiet. I give mine a binky to keep him from eating inappropriate things. Like llamas).

He was content to give the llama a hug in the end.

Then it was time to check out the cows.

Since I didn't let him eat the llama's ear, Zach decided to try to eat his shoe instead.

Then it was time for a ride with Victoria and Adriana in the horse-drawn wagon.

Zach would have nothing to do with the seats, preferring instead to sit on the floor of the wagon.

Checking out the horses up close with one of their keepers.