So, if you were paying attention earlier, you would remember that the Michigan cousins had sent window markers to their Kitchener cousins. The challenge was for Grandpa Frank (GpF) to come up with a theme for the cousins do a story board on their doors.  I came up with the theme of Christmas in July on Planet Plutonium. This is their contributions.

The Bishop's in Kitchener.

 the kids decided that the aliens on Planet Plutonium would celebrate Christmas by choosing a new planet to destroy, and then have a space ship race to determine who would have the honour of pressing the detonator. the whole thing is televised, of course, and the race is the most anticipated event of the holiday. plutonians have the day off, gather with their families to watch the race, and roast alien turkey (or alien tofurky, as preferences dictate). presents are exchanged under the alien trees while they await the news of the winner, and ultimately watch the main event.. the destruction of an enemy planet. 


 
this part of the window depicts the race, with the finish line and the detonator button. who will be the lucky winner? there are spectators, alien rocks and cacti and even a space caterpillar.  

  

 this is the house scene, with aliens on the couch watching the race on the big screen. there’s a tree and a ‘merry pluto-mas’ banner. outside, the BBQ roasts the turkey, and aliens frolic everywhere!

The Brown's in Ypsilanti.

 

 .
The Plutonians celebrate Christmas in July by swimming in a pond around the Christmas flower. There's food, fireworks, presents and stockings. The Plutonians (the rods and balls) are glowing with joy! If Plutonians are good they get a hook to hang themselves from the flower. If they're bad they get anti-glowing fuel in their stocking. 


Pretty good stories, eh? Now the challenge is for me to come up with another theme to challenge my genius spawn.  Just by coincidence, yesterday was Cousin Day!

 

 Monday we were at the Estate, no, no, no, we weren't there for supper! That's tomorrow. har, har. Jose had a couple of weasels that appeared to have been abandoned by their mom, so Jose fed them for a couple of days and they seem to be ready to go out on their own. 

Can you spot the hummingbird?

There seemed to be something wrong with her. She couldn't feed at the feeders 'cause the other hummers would beat her up, so she fed exclusively on flowers, of which there are millions. She would stop for a rest on the ground.

Mutant flowers, from Planet Plutonium?

Reminds me of a calf with two heads.

Resting on a flower.

Swami's advice.

 

Man, oh, man, it was hot last Tuesday. It actually got up to 35.6 @ 3:00.

Itchy, Bitchy, Richie and Addison came for a visit Thursday.

Momma and baby down at the pointy end of the lake.

Friday, big Luke came by.

Big Luke is so tough that he eats the heads off of bats, and GREEN stuff, RAW!

OK, don't show this pic to the Brown or Bishop Super kids. Grandpa Frank is practising epic water fights on Luke, Scarlet and Grace.

Saturday we went to the Estate for a welcome back Paul and Sharon, and a happy birthday dinner for Grasshopper. Here the Communities in Bloom panel check out the improvements on Crofter's Lane.

There's some serious grillin' goin' on here. And look how far away my beverage is.

Sir Edwin on his throne and Paul chillin' at the lake.

Just enough food for ten. or thirty.

Grasshopper, Jaslene, Mary-Lou, and Sharon. Jose must have been still slaving over the stove.

Sunday we Quaded to the Tomiko Restaurant with the Smiths and Paul. Funny enough, the Tomiko Restaurant is not in Tomiko, it's at Tilden Lake??? 

We stopped and fished below the Tilden Lake Dam.

A nice smallie.

We also stopped at Noble Lake.

Mr. AKA caught this little guy.

Then we went to Camp full of it for a steak supper. There was an awful racket coming from down by the lake. We found a pileated woodpecker nest! If you look close you can just make out a beak.  

A little better picture.

Even better.

Momma came by to feed. If you look cross eyed, you can see two beaks.

See? Two babies.

Papa standing guard. No picture of the dinner 'cause I killed the camera battery shooting woodpeckers.

Loons off of our dock.

This post is a long one, so you won't see earlier posts unless you check "Blog archive" on the right hand side, or "older posts" at the bottom of this post.


Don't forget your insulin, more sweetness coming at you.  Wednesday morning we left for Ypsilanti Mi. 

Going over the bridge at Sarnia. That's why we didn't stop at Wheatly, Rich. 

Welcome sign at the Brown's.

Nova and Calliope checking out gifts and letters from their cousins.

Floyd was kind of "meh" about visitors.

Calliope crocheting a blanket for Floyd.

Grandpa Frank performing a Tomiko mind meld on Nova.

Grasshopper coo coo cooing with Floyd.

My turn with Floyd, supervised by Mini Momma.

Quite often Floyd was the center of attention.

Cool T, a unicorn pooping skittles.

Calliope made scrambled eggs and toast for Grasshopper.

Is that a water gun?

THIS is a water gun.

Please don't shoot the camera lady.

Ten paces? I don't think so.

Water balloons.

The lawn mower needed some of GpF's TLC. 

Is that the mower huffing and puffing, GpF?

Success! And it comes with a full Tomiko warranty, good 'till you reach the gate.

Man that was hot work. The boys really needed a refreshment.

Joseph and Calliope chillin'.

Calliope made a necklace and wrist band with some of Grasshopper's left over pom pom yarn.

That SUCKS! Where does it say that the apprentice has to clean and put away the tools?

Nova's turn to go to the moon.

Coming in for a safe landing.

Can we launch two?

 

A looky-loo.

An older old goat.

Whatcha lookin' at, chump?

Sprinkler time.

Nap time.

Saturday morning, getting ready to head back to Kitchener. Floyd is a cutie.

BUT! Skeletor is never too far away. 

Testing Grasshopper's pom pom yarn blanket.

Rachel, Floyd, me and Nova, Joseph and Calliope.

Bridges on hwy 94.

On the bridge to Sarnia, looking back at the American forest.

Line up to customs.

We had planned on visiting the Queen of London. But, she has moved. She now lives in Woodstock. Nooooooo! Not this Woodstock. 

 

More like this one. 

 

 So, from now on we will call her the Hippy Chick from Woodstock. 

 

 No, no, no, that's not her. Here she is recuperating at the from sliding her bike. She is doing great and the other good news is that Betty Boop just has a small ding in her tank.

We were going to slide over to Burgesville, but some guy said that they roll up the sidewalk on Saturdays and turn off the light.   

Another old goat.

Back at the Bishop's, an uber blanket fort.

Testing some window markers that the Browns sent up. More on that at a later date.

We took off Athena's training wheels. There she goes!

 

Grandpa can't keep up.

I tried to give her a couple of pointers on starting on a level surface, but she said, "I don't need you anymore Grandpa".  Sniff, sniff.

 

One proud girl.

Grasshopper, Ellia, me, Kaeden, and Athena.

Meanwhile, the population of Little Tomiko grew  while we were away.

That's all folks, I'm gonna take a long walk off a short pier.

r

 Dreaming of winter.