Minnesota Vacation Continued

Okay, I know I left you all hanging.

First:

My father loves birds.

He has multiple bird-feeders,

which the squirrels raid.

My father hates the squirrels.

My husband and I love squirrels and so we often send nuts in the winter for them.

Last year my husband and I visited Julian, California and found a really cute garden shop

where we purchased a toy for my father's squirrels.

At the top is a bell which is attached to a bungee cord and corn cobs are screwed into the bottom.

The way it is supposed to work is that the squirrels should jump to get the corn

and bounce.

The squirrels do not like to bounce. 

Instead they:

 Case the situation for safety.

Then . . .

They grab it so they can swing it . . .

Up on the tree, where they can eat at their leisure and not bounce.

Squirrels are SMART.

I also wanted to update you on the knitting;

Entrelac 

First panel done.

My daughter has requested a tote.

What do you think so far?

Now on to the bikini.

First of all I should start with the last time I wore a bikini was in 1984.

In 1985 I was pregnant with my last child.

After his birth, I had a botched surgery.

The surgeon informed me that I would never be able to wear a bikini again.

Fast forward, dare I say 25 years.

I needed a bathing suit to bring to Minnesota.

I dug out my suit - PROBLEM!!!!

The elastic fabric was disintegrating.

So, I threw it away.

Then I dug deeper in my closet and found my previous bathing suit.

There was a reason I had bought a new one -

Let's just say the back end left nothing to the imagination - it was worn through.

It went into the trash, too.

So I dug deeper,

Anything to not have to go to the mall and bathing suit shop with their unkind lights.

The next one I pulled out, when I went to put it on the elastic shredded.

Okay, so these were suits that I'd had for a number of years.

I cursed the fact I would have to make a trip to the mall.

And tried to figure out when I could fit it into my busy, I'm-getting-ready-for-vacation schedule.

But being a typical woman, I put it off.

Then I found myself at my daughter's house and she was cleaning out her closet,

and lo and behold, she had a bathing suit.

It would fit me, she said.

I've lost a bit of weight lately.

So I took it.

But it was a bikini . . .

What was I thinking?

That I wouldn't have to go to the mall!

I tried it on for my husband,

he gave it a thumbs up.

So that's how yesterday,

I found myself at . . .

At fifty-plus (the specific number is not important)

exposed.

Wearing . . .

This cute little red number.

I'm hoping the locals thought I was from Europe.

While I didn't notice anyone laughing behind their hands when I walked by,

I will have to borrow or buy a shirt for my next excursion.

The next excursion will be a trip to the lake with my brothers,

they will not approve. :)