While I Was Away

Ok, I wasn't really away but I was away from my usual blogging mode.  It's been kind of a stressful time these past coupla weeks.  There were some minor annoyances in my relationship with my doctor's office, some stress at work,  busy-ness in general with kids schedules, and probably phases of the moon.  I just wasn't feeling the love, you know what I mean? 

Well now I'm back.  Come hear blog followers and give me a big smooch.  There, that's better. 

I have some photos from a bed-assembling project that The Player, the kids, and I worked on over the weekend.  First we cleaned out Sisi's room:

Then we put the pieces of the new bed out and The Player read the instructions.

The Player said the translation of the instructions into English from...whatever...wasn't half bad, which he said would make his chances of turning into a werewolf halfway through the project less than 100%.  Just in case we took a break after about 20 minutes and went for a bike ride.  Usually it's too derned cold to ride a bike in March in central Illinois but this year it's been downright balmy here.  Warmest March in recorded history! or some such thing. 

But I digress!  Here is the finished project:

Sisi loves her new Junior loft.  I love the extra floor space, the ability to actually open the dresser drawers, and (dare I say it?) the apparent cleanliness of her room. 

Back to the weather, yesterday it was 80 and I did not have to work in the afternoon.  So The Player and I went for a hike out at Lake Evergreen.    We saw the most amazing blue heron.  We saw this heron fly east then west over and over and over.  Did I manage to get a photo of the heron?  No, no I did not.  But I did get some photos of less mobile natural beings:

I think this tree is possessed by a mythological critter. 

And what in the tarnation are these things?

Quite possibly tree dingleberries? 

Are you sure you missed me????