Perking Right Along

We are into week two of Nickole's visit. She is still stuck on math- I think I have it narrowed to just a couple of things. She needs to have that instant recall of her basic math facts drilled into her head. And she needs to stop hurrying to guess an answer. She knows how to arrive at the correct answer. But then she writes down something other than what she has already (correctly) stated the answer to be. Pay attention to the details!
We are at our local public library for their Summer reading program. I'm not sure how much longer we will have Nickole, but we are trying to do fun (free!) things. We can't be running to town every day, so there is a lot we are doing at home. I had planned some berry picking for this morning, but we had early storms come through. I don't mind exchanging a few pints of jelly for some much needed rain!
The garden is doing great. In a few days, we will be harvesting squash. I put a batch of Thai basil into the dehydrator this morning, so the crop can keep growing. I have been craving some of the Thai Basil Chicken that Tommy (Stephen!) made for us when he visited last month. The deer have enjoyed our beans and beets- we got none for ourselves! They discovered my freshly bloomed and tasty cucumbers and ate those all up this week. The tomato plants are certainly heavily laden! I can hardly wait to start canning.
Mr C has "dispatched" FIVE raccoons over the past 3 days, trying to get to my chickens. They could LIVE out in the woods, eating all the bounty God provides. We wouldn't bother them at all. But when they mess with my chickens... they don't get to live.
I got my hair cut Saturday, at the salon where Nickole was having her acrylic nails removed. (This is my first professional hair cut since October of 2011. It is a longish layer cut. Still plenty of hair to ponytail, but I am able to brush it out myself.)
The manicurist took her time with Nickole's nails, gently filing off the acrylic nails. She didn't use the power tools. It took just short of 4 hours to get them all off, as they weren't the type that can be "soaked off" with chemicals. Nickole was a trooper, and made fast friends with the salon owner. The nails aren't permanently damaged, but the damages done in installing the acrylic nails will take several months to heal. DO NOT put acrylic nails on young children. To prepare a person's nails for the acrylic ones, a power grinder (like a Dremel (r)) is used to remove all but a thin layer of the natural nail. Sometimes, too much is removed. The acrylic is laid (glued) to the living "quick" of the nail bed. In a growing child, permanent damage can be done.
The manicurist says even gel polish is bad at this age- stick with the simple stuff.
(If you ever are in Siloam Springs and need your hair or nails done, call Studio 108!)
Nickole tried salmon last night, and said she liked it. She was unwilling to even give it a taste at first... but mean old CowGranny set a timer! Once tasted... the timer wasn't even necessary! (Tom grilled it with lemon pepper, and a squirt of fresh lime juice.) Her "pizza squash" was eaten without complaint, and she endured eating her coleslaw for the reward of ice cream for dessert. (I added the seasonings and parmesan one would find in pizza sauce to sliced zucchini, and grilled it along with the salmon.)