This is when summer really starts. . . .

Today we have three sets of families here:

 Greg and Noi arrived last night around 8 from Florida.  They left Monday around 11 AM, and stayed overnight only one night.  They are ensconced in the upstairs guest bedroom on one side of the upstairs. Other sleeping arrangements are: Neenee is in the Kids Kamp with Emma on the other side of the upstairs.  Brenan is on the futon in the middle room we call the library .  Brenda is downstairs in the guest room. 

And the third set are: Sharon's visiting for the day with Charles and Ida.  Lee is taking Drivers' Ed. at school in the morning and is working at "Children's Rep" in the afternoon so we won't see him til later on this afternoon when he comes with Dave.

Gracie is adjusting to Greg and Noi's little dog, Gus.  And vice versa.  This was Gus's first trip away from home and that was a long trip for the little guy.  They said he was very good.  Both dogs are lying down here in the computer room.  Within eye sight of each other.  It's taking a while.  . 

Last night Sharon and the kids joined Brenda, Emma and us for scalloped potatoes and ham.  Originally I pictured dinner as two ham steaks with pineapple slices atop, cooked on top of the stove.  Scalloped potatoes as a side dish with another vegetable.  But as we (Paul mostly) realized there'd be 8 for dinner (including two teen aged boys) that menu needed to be changed. 

Paul went back to the store and got another ham steak, making it three instead of two, and two more scalloped potato  boxes (yes.  I'm guilty.  I didn't make it from scratch.  Paul makes a delicious scalloped potato dish) So we had four boxes of scalloped potatoes, three ham steaks - cut up into cubes, put in a large roasting pan and cooked in the oven and veggies on the side.  Worked out fine.  Salty, but good.  Very little left.

 I congratulated myself because yesterday afternoon I made a blueberry pie.  There was a lady at Curves that was selling blueberries by the quart.  So I bought two.

 I had help - Paul put both crusts on and Brenda pinched them together for me.   I must say - the kitchen smelled as good then as now! We waited and ate it when Greg and Noi arrived. I also made brownies because there were so many people and I wanted to make sure we had enough food. To me, that's a constant worry - I'm not used to feeding so many people - and one Christmas, my first one, we ran out of veggies. Never again. 

We're having a cookout tonight - hamburgers and hotdogs, corn on the cob, potato salad (Brenda's making it).  Brenda's also  making a strawberry-rhubarb pie for dessert tonight.  It's still in the oven and smells delicious! I better think of an alternate dessert.

 Lue's coming to the cookout too.    Good!


Paul put up the badminton net which will also double as a volleyball net.

Right now everyone under 18 years has gone to the movies to see Madagascar 3.  The house is quiet.