Summer is officially over :(

How do you know summer is over? Well, that little note on your calendar that says "Start of Fall" on Sept. 21st is helpful, but I always rely on the flier sent from our "home away from home" in the non-school days: Kings Dominion. Yes, that bad-ass pic is me and Timmy slaying ghosts in the Scooby Doo Haunted Mansion, but I digress. The flier we received stated that we could already buy our season passes for next year...for the low-low price of....$75 per person. Last time I checked, the passes I already own are still good til November, so no thanks, Kings Dominion, I will wait for April's paycheck before I buy said passes that can't be used until 2010!
Note to Kings Dominion: It's not your Halloween Haunt event that scares the pants off me...it's your steadily-rising prices, $8 sodas, lack of free parking, and oil slick in the wave pool. Eeeeee-gads!

Yardwork is our Friend

After an exhausting first week at school, what better way to spend the weekend than yard work? I used to have stumps in the front bed that had once resembled "shrubs" (I use the term loosely), so those got pulled out and I put in some new shrubs that have white flowers in spring, red leaves in fall, and stay green the rest of the year. Some snazzy black edging and red mulch and I was in business! The mums have come back with a vengeance and added some much-needed color to the otherwise green yard. And yes, I do have several welcome flags in my front yard, thank you very much. And yes, the one on the left does have bumblebees and says "Bee Happy!" And no, I am not one step away from holiday teacher vests and a bumper sticker that says "My 3 reasons for teaching: June, July, and August!" Gag me now, Lord.
And Timmy has been working like a slave (oh, sorry, not very politically correct--he's been working like a mexican) on the back yard retaining walls. He is valiantly trying to keep the side yard from falling into the walkout basement area, and for now, the score is Timmy 1, Yard 0. These walls are spectacular! Mortar and everything; a girl feels so lucky sometimes. :)