Chet Collins

First Bank Account

Hard to find for kid,

Managed and got it open.

He’s up and running!

Heavy Maintenance

I don’t look forward

To car repairs with the kids.

Tired, but was good.

First Paycheck

First day on the job,

Son finished project, got paid.

Very big smile!

Griddle Smoke

Bacon on griddle;

Good dinner plan, but then smoked.

Alarm sounds; eat out?

Low Pressure

Unusually long,

Won’t build in until Thursday.

Will be a long week.

Marketing Associates

Cute in their polos,

They are part of Daddy’s team.

And a great logo too!

Late Errands

Long, quiet Sunday.

Took nap, then ran some errands.

Nice to take it slow.

Family Grocery Shopping

Went inside, so strange;

In a group, even stranger!

Delicious dinner!

Done on Friday

Accomplished rare feat,

Work and school done by Friday.

The weekend is ours!

Read Aloud Kid

Son picked up a book,

Sisters sat; he read aloud.

A pretty cool thing.

Cleaned Up List

Task list overflows,

Afternoon to clean it up.

Start back at zero.

No Energy

Completely wiped out,

Schoolwork left undone. Kids glad.

Early bed tonight.

Win Some, Lose Some

So many hours,

Can do some work, but not all.

Always tomorrow.

Mass, Live

Sunday morning, up.

Back at Church; this is quite nice!

See you all next week.

Yard Games

Got as Christmas gifts,

All played outside together.

Kids beat me; no shock.

Lots of Errands

Brutal scheduling,

Bunching is good, but come on!

Can’t do all at once.

Teaching Math

Third grade math lessons,

I learned poorly the first time.

Now I’m the class ace!

Retail Fraud

Bought a new car seat.

Got home, wrong one inside. Darn.

To the store I go.

Order Restored

Messy for a week,

Kids pitched in, house all cleaned up.

Back to normal ops.

Knocked-Out

Woke up, stomach hurt!

Stayed in bed all day; not good!

Better by night time.

YouTube Mass

All the same words, prayers,

Lesser experience, tho.

Need to get healthy!

A Bit Much

Just a single month,

Three different viruses. Yuck.

Hopefully the end!

Work or Clean

Messy house, and yet,

Would like the weekend off. So,

Work now, tidy then.

Dumb Design

Car seat can’t be cleaned;

You had one job, you losers!

This does not make sense.

Sick Kids

Been sick for a month,

May I propose we just not?

Ready for a break.

Morning Sewing

Christmas sewing kit,

So why not sew this morning?

She made rapid gains.

Reading Under Tree

Freezing cold outside,

Son chooses books under tree.

Looks like jacket helped.

Sitting on the Stairs

A quiet start, then,

Kids come down the stairs. Party!

A joyous morning.

Christmas Eve Clean-Up

Santa hates a mess;

That’s how I was raised. We cleaned,

Now house is ready!

🎅🏻

Cascade of Errors

Dinner: power out.

Later, back on. But, oh no!

Pipes are frozen!

Target Drive-Up

Just needed one thing.

Drove over, every spot full!

Well, never mind then.

Order Placed

A new business line,

All the dots almost complete.

This is happening.

Brother Reads

Around town errands,

Son reads aloud to sisters.

They are all quiet!

One Day Laundry

A rare feat is done;

Laundry run, folded, away,

All in just one day!

Decorating Cookies

Precautions taken;

Doesn’t matter, a big mess!

Beautiful mess, tho.

Clean House

A daily struggle,

Keeping the mess in check, away.

Done; satisfying.

Gate Comes Down

Small girl growing up,

Master of the stairs up and down.

Top gate came down. Nice!

Rest is Best

Three of four are sick.

Calling it; take the day off.

No day off for Dad.

Hello, Neighbors

Moved in years ago,

Finally met my neighbors.

They were pretty chill.

Office Christmas Party

My first one in years.

Kids had a wonderful time;

All made some new friends.

Push Through

Mondays are busy.

Laundry, school, work must be done.

Glad when it’s over.

Inside Internet

A stroke of genius

And some physics. We did it!

Cable runs inside.

Soft Morning Glow

Hard to start early,

Christmas tree is nice in dark,

Metaphorically.

Coffee Shop Work

Kids and Dad sit down;

They do school, I do my work.

Coworking remotes.

I Piano

Little girl climbs up,

Plays keys with joy and delight.

Look! I piano!

Fast Errands

City appointment.

Ran errands while I was there.

Faster without kids.

Flu, Day 3

Almost over hill,

“Good thing you got the shot!” Yeah,

Not that much better.

Flu, Day 2

Woke up much past two;

In bed for the day again.

Try again Tuesday?

Flu, Day 1

Woke up; huh, not great.

Maybe just take a nap? Yeah.

Down and out for day.

Train Rides Again

Three years since last time,

Kids didn’t forget a thing.

Fun time had by all.

Toy Closet Showdown

The place was a mess.

Kids couldn’t hang; Dad stepped in.

Cautionary tale.

Side Spigot

No spigot by cars,

Long hose just to wash. Not good!

Two years, but now fixed.

Walmart Shoppers

I order, they shop.

Pickup in seconds; they load.

Such a load off; thanks!

One Day Laundry

Unusually rare,

Laundry done, away: one day.

Don’t expect to last.

The Toddler & The Button

“Press button, Daddy?”

“Yay! Press button! I win! Woo!”

Oh, small, simple joys.

Tree Decorating

Lights strung on the floor,

Plugged in. Tempting to resist,

Got a good pic, tho.

Attic

Nice when it’s cool out,

Though a big job left undone.

Maybe in the spring?

Remote Work

Went to the office;

No internet. Coffee shop:

Math, business, & play!

Relaxing Thanksgiving

Work in the morning,

Rain throughout the day. Cozy,

Warm Thanksgiving meal.

Coda

A three year journey,

Comes to a beautiful close.

The art is complete.

Time Outside

Outside play is loved,

But running gets them all hot!
 Short, frequent play breaks.

Returns

Getting money back,

It’s a wonderful feeling.

Skip “buy” next time?

Dentist

Time for some sealants.

Went very quick, son did great!

He still loves the place.

Spring Rains

Rain came down in sheets,

Whole lawn, street flooded. But then,

Ended with rainbow!

Needed to Laugh

Day not going great,

Jon’s podcast made me laugh. Whew.

Day ended better.

Mom

Always there and kind,

Thanks for all that you have done.

Home is where Mom is.

Stump Removal, Part Two

A few more to go,

Small bushes, came out easy.

Now the house is bare.

Backyard

So much to explore,

Friends found on the Creature Trail.

Good-byes are still hard.

Committed

Tempted to eat carbs,

Stay out of way of success.

I got a salad.

Happy Kid at Dentist

This must be odd, right?

Son way too happy while there.

Bodes well for his teeth.

Cool Mornings

Nice to walk early,

I know these days just won’t last.

Summer is coming.

Studious

Had two good students,

Little resistance, went well.

They liked school, also.

Zoo Trip

Stormy morning cleared,

Beautiful trip to the zoo.

Toy lost, but still good.

All Got Done

A long list to do,

Everyone worked together.

Tomorrow: the zoo.

Rally

Strange, productive day.

Didn’t feel great, but got done.

Better than the start.

Sebenza, Not for Me

Best production knife,

Sorry, I just don’t like it.

I’m a Benchmade guy.

Gold Class

Crown of collection,

Great knife, pattern not quite there.

Got to get this right!

Bookstore

Home library changed,

Now son’s bookstore. Curated,

But with return date.

Boy Plays Alone

Solo backyard play,

Running around, jumping, fun.

The time of his life!

Garden Planning

A fresh and clean slate,

More earth work, shutters, then plant.

So many choices.

Door Magnets

Hard with a wood door,

Small metal plate and it works!

Really good decor.

Rainy Walk

Forecast called for light,

Heavy thunderstorms instead.

Got a bit wet, folks.

Fresh Wax

No better feeling,

Running hand on fresh waxed car.

Smooth and so shiny!

Washing Cars

Good afternoon job,

Line them up and knock them out.

Feeling accomplished.

Opening the Lawn

The season is here,

Gave the lawn a nice fresh cut.

Will repeat weekly.

Knife Case

Set up, organized,

Easy to see all in place.

Better solution.

Sunday Afternoon Walmart

A bad idea,

So busy, slow self-checkout.

Don’t do that again!

Grocery Store?

No point to being,

If you have motor oil.

Grocery stores sell food.

Full Day of Play

No school to be done,

Went to planetarium.

Built LEGOS and more!

Math Day

A full week of work,

Accomplished in a morning.

Glad the kid likes math!

Chick-fil-a

Always there for you, 
Ready to brighten your day.

Thanks for it all, friends!

Many Small Hands

House a bit behind,

Kiddos pitched in to get clean.

School work got done, too.

Manual Saw

Sawing can be hard,

Inverse: like, impossible!

Took a while, but done.

Mercy Sunday

It comes once a year,

A time to rejoice, reflect.

Always my favorite.

Oof

Went on hike first thing,

Came home and crashed. All the sick,

Without being sick.

Full Protection

One year into this,

Two weeks left for me to go.

Not bad at all, tho.

Back on Top

A week all behind,

One focused day: back on track.

All ready to go!

Amateur Plumber

Several line breaks fixed,

Charged the line, no leaks were seen.

Totally nailed it!

Teal Door

A weekend project,

Fresh coat of paint on front door.

Starting to leave mark.

Butterflies

School science project,

First butterfly hatched and flew,

The kids are amazed.

The First Thing

He rose from the dead,

First task: Jesus made His bed.

There’s a lesson there.

Decorated Walls

It is no small thing,

To have a home with decor.

Feels like we live here.

PVC Repair

Never done before,

Fixed PVC break in line.

Cheaper than plumber.

Easter Break

Done with school for week,

Now we get an Easter Break!

Possibilities!

Poison Ivy

My rash keeps growing,

Worth the price for a fresh start.

Better me than kids!

Internet Pillow

Just arrived on truck,

Custom pillow from the web.

If this fails, then what?

Done By 10

Had focused students,

All work done by 10. Oh, wow!

Now we can go play!

Stumps Gone

Heavy, wet soil.

Sixteen bush stumps removed. Gone!

On to the next phase!

Bush Removal

Not an easy thing,

But a big savings for us.

One bed down, still more.

In-Store Shopping

First time in-store. Whew!

Like we’ve never done before,

Kids saw things; amazed!

Weekend Primed

Done with our school tasks,

Ready for three days of work!

Can’t wait to go start!

Bribes

A well placed kid bribe,

Now they eat their dinner whole.

Best money I’ve spent.

Picnic Lunch

Not on the schedule,

But things just worked out. Got lunch,

Ate with Mom at work.

Irrigation System

Time to water lawn,

System tuned up and ready.

This lawn opens soon.

Social

Find me on Facebook.

Hey, follow me on Twitter!

I share on my blog.

Home Ownership

A day of projects,

Progress so satisfying.

Did not picture this.

St. Joseph

Mirror of Patience,

Glory of Domestic Life,

Good saint, pray for us!

Girl Sits Up

Something clicked in her,

Now sits up unsupported.

Yes, she is quite pleased!

Weak Power Grid

I don’t understand.

Three years, no problems. We move,

Nothing but trouble!

Swings

Nothing pleases more,

Than having swings in the yard.

They play twice a day!

Schoolwork Done

Easy to achieve,

With only one day’s school work.

Tomorrow, repeat.

Stop Time Change

A grand travesty,

Why torture ourselves? Come on!

Let’s end this madness!

Wireframe

Worked on new website,

Wow! My best work yet! But still,

Long way to publish.

Solo Cleaning

A big job for one.

Kids enlisted to help, some.

Job done by dinner!

Son Checks Mail

Put on your shoes, son.

Can you go get the mail, please?

Had time of his life!

Order Confusion

Went to Chick-fil-a.

Order hot salad; got spicy.

Hot is temperature.

Cat Care

Two weeks into this,

Big kids play with and like her.

She seems to like them.

Up On Time

A first in some weeks,

Woke up when alarm went off.

Yup, I won this day.

Day Outside

Went out for lunch, then

Stayed out until dinner time.

Lots of things got done!

Date Night

First one in a while.

Tried a local restaurant.

It was a good night!

Furniture

Three months in making,

Now I have places to sit.

Our place feels lived in.

Dilated Eyes

Strange experience,

Hard to read, sun is too bright.

Wore off soon enough.

Park Arrives

A big truck pulled up,

Forklift dropped off the pallet.

Begin assembly!

Grandpa Arrives

Here to build a park,

But first, time to play with kids.

All are quite happy.

Good Students

Not a daily thing,

A treat to teach good students!

Work gets done fast, too.

Xbox

Open and set up,

Updates, downloads for hours.

Not great. Want to play!

Family Cleaning

All hands pitch right in,

House is clean and looking good.

What will we do next?

Flexible School

We have a schedule.

When work is done: no matter.

Works well for us!

St. Joseph Art

Got some on Etsy,

Made phone, iPad, watch background.

He’s everywhere. Nice!

Climbing Cat

Too small for the gate,

Loves to climb. Solution, please!

Foil and tape. Done.

Craigslist Cat

Free kittens said post,

Uh, we’ll take one I guess?

Start of a journey.

Trash Truck

Broke down right outside,

Left in middle of the road.

Towed hours later.

End of Vacation

Unplanned, but still fun!

Tomorrow, back to business.

Big plans have been made!

Melt Off

Ice dams on the roof,

No real trouble to be seen.

A few days are left.

Staycation

How to spend our time?

Home improvement projects, bro!

Another good day.

Frosty Droning

Drone did not like it,

Nice shots of the winter scene.

No mishap; good thing!

Impromptu Vacation

Scheduled by nature,

Overdue projects checked off.

Good use of our day!

Winter Wonderland

Quite tolerable,

When you have power, and warms.

Water is good, too!

Polar Vortex

It has now arrived,

Kids got to play, but briefly.

Some nice views outside.

Valentines, What?

Not a big deal, huh.

Day passed with little notice.

Should be a big week.

Busy Saturday

Up early, lots done.

Day goes fast when starts early.

What for tomorrow?

A New Project

Some inspiration,

New life for old idea.

Ready to start it!

Repairman Win

Plumbers came over,

Fixed for less than half! Big win!

Electrician, too.

Winter Weather

Not quite expected,

Severe weather in forecast.

Reserved a hotel.

Kid Won’t Eat

Way off of cycle,

Wouldn’t eat before errands.

Held it together.

Good Students

Off to a great start!

Done with their work before lunch.

Now we can go play!

Grouchy Kids

A nap does great things,

If I can just wait that long.

Quiet is nice, too.

Walk with Daughter

Special time for us,

Rarely play alone with her.

She had so much fun!

Fudge

Diet for long term,

Must be supported. Made fudge,

I can see this work.

Fifteen Debate

Alarm rang on time,

Spent fifteen minutes in debate.

Got up and I walked.

Picnic Dinner

First one on the deck,

Taco salad. Kids had fun.

Many more to come!

Monitor Hell

Hard to make a buy,

Many specs, options, prices.

Had to make a choice.

Power Outage

Oh no, not again!

Power out is no fun. Geez.

Came back, still not cool.

Walking in Daylight

A special, rare treat,

Walking in the sunshine. Bright,

Warm, so much to see!

Goodbye iMac

Six years of service,

Turned off, put in the attic.

Until next time, friend.

Boy Reads Books

Not done for school work,

He read two books for fun. Great!

Led our story time!

MacBook

My first in 10 years,

Excited to get going.

Much work to set up.

Rhythm

Met blueprint for day,

Everything got done as planned.

Now to repeat. Gulp.

First Field Trip

Goal of two a month.

Started with the zoo. Had fun!

Good to be back there.

Board Games

Played a game with kids,

Lots of suspense and surprise!

We all had some fun.

Strop

A dull knife edge stinks.

Sharpening not hard, just strop.

Slices through paper!

Big City

Loaded the kids up,

Drove into the city. Stops.

Much traffic, people.

Laundry Done Quick

How did he do it?

First load in at 5am.

Done by lunch. Not bad.

Testing

End of the quarter,

Time for tests. He’s doing great!

Real learning happens.

Mid-Afternoon Walk

A change of routine,

Walking in the daylight. Well,

Fun, but need morning.

Filing System

Years of PDFs,

Sorting, saving, discarding.

Memories now flow.

Generic Failure

They say it’s the same,

My head disagrees strongly.

Need new solution.

Under Cabinet Lighting

Thanks to my friend Hue,

Very nice kitchen lighting.

Makes a big difference!

Weekend Warrior

Project list shrinking,

I’m more productive this way.

Outside tomorrow.

Laundry Done

A rare feat, indeed!

Laundry done and away. Whew!

Now I can go sleep.

Evening Walk

A rare occasion,

Walking at moonrise. Nice view.

I prefer mornings.

First Day Back

Always the hardest,

First walk was in the sun, tho.

Try to make a streak.

New Monitor

Thirty-two inches.

4k and ready to roll!

Desk upgrade, now here.

Power Returns

Twenty-two hours,

A long time without power.

Back on, now I’m warm!

Snow Day

A treat for the kids,

Snow falling all day. They played,

And played joyfully!

On the Move

A full schedule day.

Activity, work, projects.

More files to move.

Girl Tries Food

A first taste for her,

She seemed interested.

Perhaps a foodie?

School Work Complete

Start: not looking good.

He regrouped and powered through!

Three day weekend treat!

Meat Pie

Keto meat pie, yum!

My best yet, not sure why tho.

Hope to repeat soon!

Play for Students

What makes good student?

Hours of outdoor play! Wee!

Back on track, again.

Neighbor Cat

Kids playing out back,

Glee! Neighbor cat visits, plays.

They are so joyful.

Time Well Spent

No moment wasted,

Three days of productive work.

Now the routine starts.

Hanging Art

Sign of commitment,

Hanging things on the home walls.

I guess we’re staying!

Strong Start

Did more than I thought.

Fresh start, web, and furniture.

Let’s keep it going!

So Long, So Long

It started with hope,

Was anything but. Year gone,

Now we start again.

All Done

All came together,

A rushed project done on time.

Now on to Big Sur!

Down to the Wire

Two days to deadline.

Substantive changes still made.

Will we get it done?

End of Visits

Lots of visitors,

Came through all month long. Over.

Time to settle in.

Exotic Animals

Drive-thru safari,

Fun to see them up close. Wow!

Yes, always a treat.

Sunny Morning

Time to catch our breath.

Warm sun and patio chairs.

Great way to recharge.

Christmas Morning

A proper staircase,

Perfect Christmas morning pic.

A joyful morning.

Building Projects

Poor planning by me.

Long, late night building session.

Will not repeat that.

More Home Improvement

Another work day.

Got a lot done. Satisfied.

The list gets shorter.

Santa Comes Soon

Just a few more days,

I think the kids will be pleased.

They are excited!

Kids Free Play

A fenced in back yard,

Kids can play outdoors at will.

A win for us all.

Last Box

Two weeks of hard work,

All boxes are unpacked. Whew.

Took a nap, need more!

Batched Errands

Back to the city,

Tons of errands done quickly.

A model day trip.

Home Security

New locks now installed,

Security system on,

And activated.

Inside Focus

Work men here all day,

So I worked inside, as well.

We got a lot done.

Small Electrical

Worked outside today.

Many light fixtures replaced.

I like this challenge.

Projects List

Sat down, made a list.

Very long. Will it get done?

One day at a time.

Big City

Had to run errands,

Many stops in the city.

Took me three whole hours!

More Visitors

Another week so,

More visitors! This is great.

Help is wonderful!

Kids Tucked In

Took me ten whole days,

But cars now in the garage.

They could use a wash.

New Opener

Twenty years have passed,

Now I have a fancy one!

High tech garage space.

Handyman

Jobs around the house,

He got them all done quite fast.

I just played outside.

Bulk Pick-Up

Five dollars a month,

Huge truck hauls away my junk.

Will use again, soon!

Back on Duty

A week off to move,

Now the help has left me. Uh,

How do I do this?

Internet

A week in the house,

No internet, but now on.

The humanity!

Mass At Home

Poor planning by me,

Didn’t make it to Parish.

Lovely Mass at home.

Fan Installs

Intimidating,

Confidence helps. Got it done.

Two new fans: a go.

Move Out

Locked, turned in the keys.

Goodbye to home of three years.

Now: new adventure!

Cleaning Service

Paid to clean the house,

Made my life much easier.

Better job than me!

Adulting

Took the step today,

The last transition to adults.

What will we do next?

Movers

Hired a whole crew,

Got me packed in just one day.

They know what to do.

Ready to Move

A full day of work,

Ready for the moving trucks.

The process begins.

Final Day

Twelve-hundred sixteen,

So much change and life happened.

Time to say goodbye.

All Hands

All hands on deck, please.

Days to go and things to do.

Small hands are helpful!

Lame Black Friday

Few deals to be had,

Not many things to pick up.

So twenty-twenty.

On the Move

A weird Thanksgiving,

Just family, prepping move.

Still, a nice small break!

School Power Day

No work this week, yet.

Yikes, let’s get focused! He did.

Blasted through it all.

Under the Wire

It was a close call,

Looks like everything is done.

Closing on time, yes!

Changing Utilities

A troublesome task.

Turning some off, others on.

I made it through, tho.

Almost Ready

A week til movers,

Lots taken care of today.

The end is quite near.

Pre-Packing

Movers come quite soon.

Emptied attic, lots to toss.

One step closer still!

Laundry Table

Out of room on bed,

Had to fold in dining room.

Still not enough space.

Clean Fridge

Hard to do when cold,

Let it dry, then I cleaned it.

Looks like it’s brand new.

Salon

My daughter grows up,

Her first haircut at salon.

She is beautiful!

Installation

A big day for him,

The crowning of his career.

Had to watch online.

When It Rains

When it rains, it pours.

Fridge goes out, movers scheduled,

So much left to do

Kids Climb

We went to the park,

They went up the climbing wall,

No problem. Go kids!

Kitten Says Hello

Out on a walk. Hey!

Kitten comes up and plays, follows.

Loves the kids, a first!

Start Before Dawn

Cleaning day secret:

Start laundry when you get up.

You’ll be done by lunch!

Little Girl Cries

What do you need, girl?

A new cry for everything.

We got through it all.

Painted Rooms

First in seven years,

Color on the walls. Oh, wow,

Could get used to this.

Everything Wrong

If it could go wrong,

It did. Oh my, what a day.

Hope for tomorrow.

Idiots

A thought for you now:

Don’t do business with dummies.

Words to live by, friend.

Leaves

It’s fall o’ the leaf,

Must mow weekly. Whew, big job.

I won’t miss this lawn.

Joy

A small thing, but great:

Hard to top a child’s joy.

Makes for a nice day.

Out of Sync

I know what I need,

Now I just need to do it.

Two weeks til results.

Sisters Play

For hours each day,

A fun, joint activity.

Happy hearts, to boot!

Option Expires

5 o’clock PM,

The option expired. Well,

I guess we’ll buy it.

Back to School

A week off was nice,

Now to get back in the groove.

Will take a few days.

Fast Move

Schedule upended,

Moved up two weeks. Much to do.

Although, nice savings.

We Have A Deal

A suspenseful week,

All terms agreed. It’s a deal.

Time to start the clock.

Costumes Pass Down

One year to the next,

Costumes are passed down. So cute!

Four happy kiddos.

Home Inspection

Nerves built all morning,

House passed. Relieved at status.

Do we have a deal?

Powerhouse

Woke up, my head hurt.

Took some Excedrin. Let’s go!

Got it all done. Boom!

Light Paycheck

October surprise,

Paycheck arrives, missing some.

Must find lost dollars!

Under Contract

Signatures gathered,

Payments exchanged. Official.

Will this deal now close?

Fall Break

Instruction: nine weeks.

Everyone gets a small break.

Time to catch my breath.

DocuDrama

Technology: great!

Well, when it works it is. Sigh.

Should be straightened out.

Offer Made

A year of searching,

All comes down to this: the offer.

Will they accept it?

Too Much Laundry

One day makes difference,

Too much laundry or too few.

Today was too much.

Sisters

Little girl blossoms:

More verbal, more play with us.

She is just so cute.

Wear Off

Used to be a week,

Got it down to two days. Good.

Now maybe to one?

First Quarter Testing

Time for him to shine!

A week to test his learning,

He is excelling.

Voting with Kids

Went to early vote.

Four kids, no one let me cut.

Chivalry is dead.

Car Wash

Been a bit lazy,

Cars got real dirty. Fixed now.

Don’t want to drive them.

Dreams Dashed

Wanted to be cheap,

Not going to happen. Sigh.

Time to re-work plan.

Rate Shopping

Many things to do,

Feeling a bit overwhelmed.

Start of the process.

Green Light

Relationship builds,

To this point. A good result!

Time to start shopping.

Monumental Shift

Time to make a change,

Take that next big step in life.

But for now, we wait.

Crunching Leaves

Kids walk neighborhood,

Mostly want to crunch fall leaves.

Crunch. Crunch. Shuffle, crunch.

Kids Build Fort

Minimal effort,

Executing their design.

They are growing up!

Last Hot Day

Too hot October,

Hopefully Fall comes and stays.

Ice cream for now, tho.

Kids Pitch In

As they get bigger,

Kids help to do more chores. Nice!

Next: wash cars, mow grass.

Anthem Arrives

Full titanium,

A beautiful pocket knife.

Oh you fancy, huh?

Early Dinner

Good to be early,

Enough time to play, clean up.

Now, time to relax.

Minimum Effort

Feeling zapped today,

Managed to get nothing done.

Perhaps tomorrow.

Overslept

Breezed past two alarms,

Not a great start to the day.

A nap would be good.

Anthem

Discontinued knife,

Had to act fast. I got it!

Can’t wait to hold it.

Italian Feast

Not much work needed,

To create a great dinner.

Thank you, Italy!

Double Ant Attack

A nice fall day out,

Girls got bit by two ant hills.

Benadryl for all!

Flu Shot Disaster

Kids don’t like flu shots,

So I did them all at once.

What a huge mistake.

Oh Dark Thirty

430 wake up,

So, so much got done today.

Again tomorrow.

Up Too Late

Up past my bedtime,

I paid for it today. Whew!

Time to call it quits.

Crisp Fall Air

A long, hot summer.

One Cold Front blows it away.

Welcome back, my friend!

Soap

Toddler’s invention,

She was so proud of it all.

Was soap dispenser.

Narnia

Afternoon movie,

Everyone watched the whole thing.

Real close to the book.

Afternoon Nap

A rare, special treat,

Three hour, Saturday nap.

Now need to catch up!

Day One

4:45 start.

Go, go, go until past two.

I am beat. Weekend!

Nine Weeks Off

Sad to see her go!

A well utilized time off.

Tomorrow, I’m back!

LTE Awesome

A cellular watch,

Total game changer for me.

Can’t wait to workout.

Watch Delivery Delayed

Three days in China,

Then, a one hour delay.

Have to wait again.

Package Delays

What is going on?

Logistics networks are clogged.

Hard to wait on things.

Parent Teacher Conference

Two adults enter.

Who’s the parent? The teacher?

Depends on the day!

Decorated Rooms

Only took three years,

Kids rooms are decorated.

Adds a nice touch, no?

Deep Clean, #2

Both cars are now done.

How they shine in the garage.

Not allowed to leave!

Second TV

A first for me, wife.

Two TV’s in the same house.

Mine’s for gaming, tho.

Update Day

Anticipation. 
Download, install, meh. Ok,

Always feels like this.

Zoom Call Interruption

I never get calls,

Except when I’m on a Zoom.

Figures, doesn’t it?

Migraine Day

Don’t come too often,

Thanks to my designer drugs.

A drag, for sure, tho.

Day of Rest

All my tasks are done.

Truly got to relax. Nice!

It’s a school night, kids.

Knife Safety Course

Led a course today.

Hard to give to smaller kids.

They did really well.

Deep Clean Done

Full day of projects,

Accomplished with wife’s, kids help.

Now, a glass of rum.

Detailing Van

Time for fall cleaning.

Deep clean, full wash, and hand wax.

Hard work, great result!

Picture Order

Pictures whittled down,

A final ten shots. All gold.

Can’t wait to get them.

Bunk Bed Ready

Got the new hardware,

Quick install and it’s secure.

He’s ready to test.

Six Wet Eyes

Special guests just left,

Wet eyes as we left airport.

Very brave faces.

Veronica’s First Mass

First Mass at parish,

Friends all happy to meet her.

A special event.

Swedish Sweat Shop

Hours of hard work,

Hands worn raw from assembly.

Swedes sure do hate me.

Delivery

Delivery truck,

Pallet of furniture, fun.

Tomorrow it starts.

Home At Last

A week on the road,

Home in a rain storm, car off.

A nice place to be.

According to Plan

Schedule set first thing,

At the end of day, it’s done.

Strange quirk of travel.

Fatal Traffic Wreck

Two hour delay,

All lanes on the road were closed.

Tough day to travel.

Droning Campus

Took drone to campus,

Lots of great shots, a bit bright.

No one said a thing.

Visiting My Sister

Got to see new house,

LEGO Store, cousins played hard.

Good use of our day.

Date Night

Travelled all this way,

Got to enjoy BBQ.

Ice cream for dessert.

End Leg One

Two days, we made it.

Flexible travel, but hard.

Ready for a break.

The Gang

Friends since back at school,

Hanging out when I’m in town.

The boys are still tight.

Evacuation

A last minute call,

Getting out of the storm’s path.

Three hours and gone!

Down and Out

Head hurt all day long.

Took a nap and just laid low.

Glad to have wife home.

Back in Session

The new school bell rings,

Students gather, pray, and learn.

Now begins new year.

Last Day of Summer

The party’s over.

Back to school tomorrow morn,

Two pupils this year.

Administrative Work

A week of delays,

Time spent on priorities.

Took time to catch up.

New Cleaning Day

School year starts next week,

New routine: Friday cleaning.

Should be good weekend.

Outdoor Cleaning

Garage was dirty,

Hard to keep clean with its stuff.

Really love it now.

Day of Errands

Stanley Steemer came,

Had to stay away while dries.

Exhausting errands.

Attic Mess

One thing at a time,

Place becomes a cluttered mess.

Some light work, no more!

Kids Closet

Closet overrun,

Got it put back in order.

It’s my great triumph!

Furniture Shopping

Marathon shopping,

So many options, changes.

Ordered. Now we wait.

Late Laundry Day

Uneven last week.

Overrun today, late start.

Towels tomorrow.

Appointments

All morning in car,

Check-ups for the girls. All good.

Now time for a nap.

School Prep

Two weeks left to go,

Time to get all organized.

We’ll see how it goes.

Pictures

Out the door on time,

Picture session with kiddos.

Might be a hard choice!

Quick Lake Trip

Hot as all get out,

Went to check out the lake. Huh.

A bit nerve wracking.

First Podcast

Slightly delayed,

Girl made her first appearance.

Kids were quite funny.

Interior Spaces

All ready to start,

A week of interior,

Settling our nest.

Tidying Up

A week off of work,

Things left to be put away.

Didn’t get that far.

On Our Own

Our help has now left.

Us and them alone at home.

Trailhead; new journey.

Work Day

Cleaning in and out,

A solid morning’s work, walk.

Got a bit of sun.

Sacrament

Indelible mark,

Welcomed into family.

Treasure to behold.

Regroup

Admin work undone,

Lots of time at my desk. Sigh.

Still more left to do.

Exhausted

Three nights of no sleep,

Cannot escape exhaustion.

Glad to have some help.

Kids Meet

Early start discharge.

Quick trip home. Kids go crazy!

The way things should be.

Relaxing

Just an easy day.

Two trips to the Chick. Yum, yum!

Home tomorrow, yes?

Four

A bit of drama,

Resolved in a few hours.

Now, we must all rest.

Website Redesign

Hours of straight work,

Prototype is now working.

Wow this thing is cool!

Baby Step

Something unrealized,

Making it to this step. Wow!

On to the next one!

Day Off

Kids cared for at home,

Errands galore on the town.

A strange, odd feeling.

Trip to Airport

Went to get Grandma,

Watched her plane land. Excitement!

Dad had fun watching.

Family Clean

Everybody helps.

Home all clean for visitors.

Ready for big week!

Summer Lawn

Any better than,

A summer lawn freshly cut?

I say there is not.

Refinement

There’s room to improve,

Tinkering for hours. Done.

A nice improvement.

Girl Flies Plane

Sits on Daddy’s lap,

Touches every last button.

She had a great time.

New Design Levels

Caught web design bug.

Spent an hour going deep,

Pleased with the progress.

Dads Plan

Fall is almost here,

Time to plan activities.

Good guys and good night.

Retail Investor

Years on the sidelines,

Fun to jump in with both feet.

To a bright future!

Drone Lift

Boy’s friend wants a lift.

Some string, and payload is off.

He was quite giddy!

Washing in Rain

No rain in forecast.

Halfway through, total downpour.

Made it through and clean.

Getting Full

New one coming soon.

“Getting crowded” one told me.

I’m fine up front, tho.

Wife Works Late

Gone all day and night.

Saw her in morning, not again.

Quiet evening.

Meeting Off Rails

Went in with one plan.

Now, I’m thinking differently.

Eh, this could work, too.

Stair Certified

Soon, two-and-a-half.

Stairs: no problem. New era.

Gates came down. Relief!

Team

Big kids work upstairs.

Littlest with me. Not great:

Just read my journals.

Puzzle

Two nights of building,

We got the border done. Plus,

We are still married!

Slept In

Didn’t seem like long.

Woke up five hours late. Huh.

Thanks for watching kids!

Too Far Behind

Inbox piling up.

Where to even begin? Hard.

Push off, tomorrow.

Shoe Thief

Took off shoes, relax.

Daughter put them on, happy.

Now I can’t find them.

Thermostat Offline

Power blinked, offline.

Noticed when it got real hot.

Left house, back when done.

Four Inches

Not in the forecast.

Two days, heavy rain. Good vibe.

Four inches total.

Rainy Monday

Wasn’t in my plan.

Glad we got time this weekend.

Kids inside for day.

Afternoon Outside Play

Parents pray on porch,

Kids play in the lawn and sun.

A great weekend done.

Flying with Kids

All caught up on stuff.

Played Flight Sim with the kids. Win!

They did a good job.

Sprinkler

A hot summer day,

Shade falls, sprinkler time! Kids play,

Dad flies drone. All good!

Hit the Books

Time to be adult.

Pull out books, check references,

Going up from here.

Time to Nap

Summer afternoon,

Drowsy, must close my eyes now.

Glad it’s her half day.

Into Everything

Daughter is now two.

Closets, cabinets, shelves: in it!

This, too, shall soon pass.

Field Notes Planner

First day, new planner.

Lightweight, easy to keep track.

Let’s see if it sticks.

Work and Rest

Morning: got caught up.

Afternoon: rest, quiet, play.

Ideal Sunday.

Office Decor

Her office was moved.

So, we spent the day in it.

Nice and cozy now!

Four Weeks

Four weeks left to go,

Time spent cleaning and purging,

Feeling more ready!

Gas Station Tacos

Not my normal jam;

Street Tacos from gas station.

So good and real cheap!

Afternoon Errands

A few last to-dos,

Soon I won’t be able to.

Got them done in time.

First Meeting

First time together,

Hard to have a social club.

See you whenever?

Package Onslaught

So much to keep track,

Logistical slowdown clear.

Hope they all make it!

Father’s Day Knife

Today is my day.

What present is right? A knife!

Thanks to my kiddos.

Closet Redux

Three years of clutter,

Time to reorganize it.

Looks good, will hang out!

Going Analog

Four years Apple Watch,

Going manual for now.

Keep checking my wrist.

Stocking Up

Baby coming soon,

Time to order supplies. Oops,

Bank froze debit card.

Errand Afternoon

Had to make returns,

Went in late afternoon. Got

Dinner while out, too.

Drug Not Covered

“New drug not covered!”

Sent in appeal. “Okay, sure.”

What a strange business.

New Windshield

$500,

Cost of a single rock strike.

No deductible!

Walking at Sunset

Sun is nearly set,

Shadows across most of path.

Good time to go walk.

Advanced Droning

First time not at home,

Glad to have no trees. But still,

Much to learn, practice.

Awoken

Not normal event,

Woke up early with migraine.

Bad start to the day.

Watching Movies

When kids watch movie,

I now join them on the couch.

A much better plan.

Late Cleaning Day

Normally Monday,

But it can slide a few days.

Good to be all done.

Full Retreat

Lack of fun places,

Not much to do. Find something,

Anything else. Please!

Streak Broken

Can’t keep eyes open,

Walking streak ended. Restart

Tomorrow, good plan!

Garage Door Broken

Kids up and all dressed,

Shoes on, out the door on time.

Door broke: false alarm.

Garage Door Broken

Kids up and all dressed,

Shoes on, out the door on time.

Door broke: false alarm.

All Little Things

Today was busy,

No major project; small things.

Oh, and drone flying!

Oh What A Night

Burst of energy!

Walk, mow, wash cars. Done at dark.

Man, what an evening!

Morning Alone

Wife stayed home with kids,

I went out. Quite different!

Repeat occasion?

Just A Bit Further

More experience,

Comfortable flying far.

A new fun hobby.

Never A Rest

One task to the next,

The mantra of cleaning day.

Rest in the evening.

Back to Normal

Full morning errands,

All over town. Like old times.

It felt like normal.

400 Feet

The maximum height,

My drone was high, far away.

Shook my nerves a bit.

Small Unmanned Aerial System

Bought a drone today.

Kids more excited than me.

Picnic, then a flight.

Lunch at Work

A special lunch trip,

Eating at Mommy’s office.

It’s been a while!

Need to Walk

In a walking rut.

Need to wake up on time, go!

Meh, try tomorrow?

Venturing Out

Went to the bookstore,

Everyone in masks. Not great.

Hard to talk, breathe, see.

Corona Zoo Trip

Finally open,

Restricted crowds, paths. Not fun.

Good to be back, tho.

Family Cleaning Day

Different cleaning day,

Mommy was home to help! Wow!

Let’s do it again!

Watermelon Treat

Summer is here.

Watermelon on the back porch.

Three happy campers!

Long Weekend Mommy

A rare occasion.

Mommy home for three whole days.

Excitement abounds!

Big Kids in Back

Went to run errands.

Van fun of big kids. What? How?

They grow up so fast!

No Nap Possible

A bad night of sleep.

Can’t nap, will ruin tonight.

Rock and a hard place!

Ice Cream Run

Braved trip to the store.

We needed ice cream to eat.

Totally worth it.

Post Curation

Three years of blogging,

Some posts needed curation.

Project almost done.

Cleaning Flex

House cleaned up and down,

Laundry washed, folded, put away.

All done before bed!

Sixteen Hundred

Four years of journal,

Entry and photo each day.

Treasured collection.

SSL Blues

So many settings,

Trying to work with Cloudflare.

Mixed success today.

Walking Again

Many days off trail,

Hard to get back in habit.

Today is day one.

Castle Fort Doors

Doors made of pillows,

Not great in castle design.

Toddler demolished.

Done with School

A very big day,

The school year is now finished!

There was rejoicing.

Retreat House Visit

A break in routine,

Went out to enjoy Spring day.

All flowers in bloom!

Panera to Go

A sense of normal,

Panera feast for dinner.

A breath of fresh air.

Mother’s Day

Beautiful Spring day,

Time to say thanks to our moms.

I’m always grateful!

Outdoor Camp Out

Starting to feel trapped,

Need to do something different.

Pitched the tent out back.

Dark Morning Sky

Morning storms rolled through,

Very dark start to the day.

A calming passing.

Wall Street Journal

Subscription expires,

Oh no! Now what will I do?

Wait until Monday.

Open Enrollment

Many do not like,

One of my favorite things!

Which plans should I choose?

Post Office Woes

Two weeks since disposed.

Still trying to get claim paid.

Three hours now sunk.

Order Restored

The domestic life,

Clean the house, make a mess, clean.

Rhythm to order.

Bike Ride

A skill is mastered,

Son rides his bike around block.

Fun activity.

Out of the House

Clear blue skies, warm weather.

Driving with the windows down.

A glimpse into past.

Afternoon Outside

Lawn, cars, and a walk.

Warm, but felt much warmer. Great!

Now a free weekend.

We Did It

Official right now.

Ten year goal is now achieved.

We did it. Go team!

Picked A Rose

Was outside cleaning.

Noticed a rose bush in bloom.

One is now inside!

Pouting Girl

See what Mommy has,

Want. Does not get, so she pouts.

Ah, now she gets one!

Boy Writes Letter

School almost over.

Boy now writes letters on own.

I hope that it sticks!

Much Left Undone

I’m out of service.

Not great. Really quite boring.

Hope this passes soon.

Picnic Lunch

Special weekend treat:

Picnic lunch in the backyard.

Good weather and food.

Package Disposed

Shipment disposed of.

No return, no forward. Gone!

What could have happened?

Kids Discover Futon

They thought just a couch,

But wait! Folds flat! It’s a fort!

There was rejoicing.

Earth Day

We have this treasure, 
A whole world to be explored.

Get outside and play!

🌎

Neighborhood Walk

Beautiful Spring day.

Kids go for walk around block.

Added to routine!

Squad Up

Everybody helps.

House clean from top to bottom.

Even helped laundry!

Perfect Weekend

Turned off alarm clock. 
Nice weather and family time.

As good as it gets!

Family Walk

Cool late Spring morning,

We all went for a nice walk.

Will do that again.

No More Baths

Kids getting bigger,

Nice to not have to do baths.

All of this free time!

Back to Center

Some more cleaning done.

The trick is to keep it clean.

Let’s see what happens!

Winding Down Projects

One month stuck at home.

Done with most of my projects.

Ok, so, um, now what?

Re-watching Movies

Over one hundred,

A decent library. But,

Which one to watch now?

Cool for a Change

Woke up, looked at temp.

Nope, too cold for me. Good night!

Walked this evening, tho.

Easter Storms

Early storm warnings,

Sheltered, then clear. Now, egg hunt!

A wonderful day.

Easy Going Saturday

Early rise and shine,

Food, play, and a new board game.

Wonderful time shared.

Civilization V

A masterstroke game.

Fun every time it is played.

Trying something new.

Triduum Begins

Sacred Triduum,

To be home celebrated.

Holiest of days.

Coffee Run

First time in some weeks,

Took coffee to wife’s office.

Almost dropped at door!

Good Little Boy

What a special day!

Cheerful, not a complaint heard.

He earned new LEGO.

Everything is Clean

Kids, clothes, and the house.

Got it all taken care of.

Now, it’s time to rest.

Restful Sunday

A day full of chill.

Reading, Civ V, and light play.

Ready for Monday.

Baking

An experiment,

Special breakfast, simple cook.

It was a success!

Girl Gets Dressed

Done all by herself!

Matches, cute, and colorful.

She is very pleased!

Restocked Grocery Store

Whew, what a difference!

Eight days later, mostly stocked.

A big relief. Thanks!!

Late Clean Up

Two days behind. Oops.

Got to business and got done.

Now to rest, relax.

Thirty Days

Seventeen all done,

At least thirty to go. Whew.

This is something else.

Streaming Subs

Added all the subs,

Canceled. Too much draw to them.

Enjoy what we have!

Hope Triumphs

No darkness can win,

Turmoil must always yield.

Hope springs eternal.

🌸

Family Movie Morning

Gathered together,

Watched new Aladdin. Was great!

Excellent. Five stars!

Opening the Lawn

Finally got done,

Big kids helped with the weeding.

Curb appeal is back.

Social Distancing Forts

All throw pillows gone.

Kids have built personal forts.

We should build big one!

Half-Day Wednesday

Wife home after lunch.

Much more popular than me.

I’m cool with it, tho.

Landscaping Next Door

A whole crew showed up,

Made a mess, tore up my yard.

What a bunch of jerks.

Kids Clothes Swap

Too small: put away,

Stored. Hand-me-downs are deployed.

I don’t like this job.

Wax

A little more work,

Both cars cleaned and waxed. So smooth!

The kids are impressed.

Cars and Kids

Outside afternoon,

Kids played happily, I cleaned.

Good result for all.

Conference At Home

Vacation canceled,

No trip to NOLA. Oh well,

Projects to be done.

Spring Car Care

Both cars washed and dry.

In garage, ready for wax,

Deep clean inside, too!

Supply Run

Went out to get food.

No change in traffic. Um, what?

Get serious, folks!!!

Netflix Returns

Canceled some months back,

Subscribed for a month or two.

Lots of stuff, some good.

All Clean

Jump start before kids,

Bathrooms done while they slept. Boost!

Need tomorrow plan.

Making A Plan

Plenty of projects,

Things to do around the house.

This will all be fine!

Orderly Containment

We will do our part.

Life goes on and so shall we.

Each day is precious.

🌸

Whiplash

What a crazy week.

News updates constantly. The

Forecast now darkens.

Well Visit

Time for her check-up.

No shots, so it went just fine.

See ya next year, doc!

Clouds Gather

We have been waiting.

Announcements, cancellations.

This will soon disrupt.

Bad Cycle

I’m in a bad rut.

Need to get back on cycle.

First thing: waking up.

Reluctant Helpers

Not reliable.

Some days, love to help! Others,

Inducements needed.

Panera

Was good, then went south.

Seems to be turned around, great!

Always friendly place.

Planetarium Bust

Went for a quick show.

Topic was weather. A bust!

Stick to the stars, bro.

Late Night Cleanup

All but surrendered,

Put on podcast, got to work.

Done in few minutes.

Out of Gas

Went to grill dinner,

Got it started, meat on. But,

Flamed out way too soon!

Rainy Day Start

Storms rolled in real strong,

Kids really enjoyed action.

I love rainy days.

Playing with Rice

A bucket of rice,

Small treasures buried. Digging

Is their favorite!

LEGO Instructions

Kids love LEGO film.

Wrote them instructions. Followed!

Easy to relate.