Lemonade Stand on Floyd

A duck walks up to a lemonade stand... is a favorite catchy tune and they loved a friends' lemonade stand in their cul-de-sac, so the girls got totally inspired.

There was much squeezing of lemons, sugar swirling and the ultimate ambition to adopt a dolphin at Clearwater Marine Aquarium.

Thanks to some amazing passers-by and the neighbors, plus the sale of rocks recently imported from Canada they raised enough money to become guardians of Winter, the dolphin.

Henna Stand, SOJ Farmer's Market

Well once one had been done then we had to get two more... They lasted for weeks, though not the sparkle.

Give Peace a Chance, Latin Ballet of Virginia

Three Beatles-themed shows, two sister-dancers and only one Miss Anna holding it all together.

The Octopus' Garden swooshed and swirled and there were bubbles floating in the air - utterly magic and the product of real practice.

Craft in the Yard

The freshly painted door with classy pastels plus a rainbow loom for lurid shades of friendship bracelets and some repurposed tools with weeds' assemblages...

Laundry on Floyd

Nice graded hang, dried in an hour and then folded!!!

Toronto Islands, Canada

Sunday in Toronto - with a return to an island I had been to some 15 years earlier, after a good brunch in Little Italy. It was busy and a little less golden than I recalled but we settled onto the sand, paddled in the utterly freezing water (stomach issues to follow), met a  girl with a guitar who tutored for Girls Rock! and got to absorb the fabulous view of the city as we sailed back to the quay and the long drive south.

Family in Canada

Great aunts and grannies - all in one town!

Music in Kitchner, Canada

Cousins' duet - Mary had a Little Lamb, Hot Cross Buns and Birthday Fun - then solos that were seriously impressive.

Water in Ontario

Water, water everywhere and plenty of PIMMS to drink. The lovely Laurel Creek Conservation Area, Christine & Sam's hot tub heaven for dolphin-training and the Corus Quay 'beach' in Toronto, thanks to Doug.

First Visit, Waterloo

Sunset, many storeys up with lots of owls and one truly great aunt.

Niagara Falls, Canada

Flip, you can build a casino, car parks and a funicular railway right beside this waterfall but nothing would stop it from being awesomely impressive. 'Don't go plop right in as that's the end of you!', advises J.

New car on Floyd

Yup, we did it with a dose of nationalism - Dutch (the dealer) and American (the crew), a dose of God too and the great auto industry of Japan, plus one careful owner. We can accommodate many with 6 changer CDs, air conditioning on every row and the genteel air of a well maintained vehicle interior, despite it's vast mileage.

Yay, for the Honda Odyssey 2008. Next stop Canada.

Doors on Floyd

A new toned-in screen door (that does jam a little - just sayin...) and one blackboard-paint door for the clubhouse. Warning of side of tin, read after the fact, does note lack of suitability for child inhalation.

Smoothie on Floyd

Pineapple, Pink Lady apple and strawberry smoothie thanks to Mrs M's newest cooking club recruit, J and her peeling sous chef, M.

Hair on Broad

A stylist who can go from a drawing... where else but here.

Mural Field Trip, Fan

A wander past some of the fab murals not far from the Studio School where we are embarking on our own... All led by the lovely Matt and a small band of enthusiasts and a chance encounter with a desert sidewalk garden.

Modern Richmond Tour, Westover Hills

A bit of minimalist lovely overlooking the James, filled with barefooted arty types imagining what they might do with their red-bricked bungalows...

Bike Path on Floyd

J joins the volunteer from Bike Richmond to count cyclists and walkers for an hour, with onlookers. Not a single passer-by was missed!

Mother's Day

I ran home to a properly wrapped 1976 copy of Winnie the Pooh, a fab (free) beer-cooler with chilled beer, a dolphin badge with googley eyes and cards.

Plus grapefruit juice, coffee and poached eggs all round for sustenance.

Easy Dunker 2, Strawberry Street Festival

They queued for over an hour, more than once, to be dunked in a freezing tub of water with floating band aids aka plasters, tissues and at least one person's scab. It was the hit of the fair!

Planter on Allen

Build and grow... a weekend's DIY task for Team P & N, down a block and round the corner. Herbs and tomatoes since added.

Urban Farm Afternoon, Manchester

It was an idyllic setting but the kids got a little crazy and things disassembled from there. They did stop to hear the bees and sample herbs and then play tag through the compost bins and the adults sipping locally brewed beers before seeking out poison ivy... but by then we'd secured a public telling off during the speeches and needed to leave.

More hearts at Fox

It was time for a freshen up and so the kids added some more to the mesh fence and a few faded ones aged-out with a snip or two...

Homework on Floyd

We got it cracked today with 'how to plant a seed' storyboarded, whilst the guinea pigs roamed at our feet and the aforementioned plants got tied to stakes aka re-purposed swords.

Evening Swim, Robious Landing

There was a party back at the playground but M sneaked off with her costume for a moment of evening cool in the James River. There were rowers, a water skier and these 2 swimmers moving by swiftly on the current.

Pencil case on Floyd

Finally a homemade gift for someone we love from the bottom of our pencil case. Complete with 1970s vibe as extra.