The locusts have arrived!

I like how the clown is taking a picture of the mirror man. 

The U.S.S. Turner in dock in Bremerton.

Last Saturday (the weekend before the 4th of July), my brother called me and asked about my vacation trips and life in general in the summer here.  Then he said that his vacation plans fell through and could the family come and visit in a week? Not being able to think of an excuse on such short notice, I said of course they could come.  Then on Sunday he called and said that the family would arrive Wednesday afternoon.  Yikes.  Four days notice for the family of four to arrive - one of which has extreme cat allergies.  I spent the 4th of July cleaning - a process that involved excavating my fabric room because that is where the kids sleep when they visit.  All my fabric bins are now in the entry of the house, because that's where the classy people store their stuff.

All of this does not mean that I wasn't thrilled silly to see them.  I love my brother and sister in law and my niece and nephew, while being teenagers, are extraordinarily wonderful people.  It is so nice to unexpectedly see them this summer. Oh, did I mention that in getting all this together in four days, the water heater went out on the 4th of July?  No pressure there.  I ran to Sears on Tuesday, ordered a new water heater and arranged to have it delivered the day of the family's arrival.  Timing is everything.

On Sunday we went to Seattle via the ferry in Bremerton.  We ate mini cheesecakes, lots of fresh fruit from the vendors in Pike Place Market and did our best to look as much like tourists as possible (most of that was to embarrass the teenagers).  The clumsy locusts have headed to the ocean today and possibly to head down the Oregon coast and I have the house to myself for a couple of days.  I'll try to get some work done on the Spinster quilt or just relax and coax the cats back into the house.