Labor Day Fun and Frustrations

After the family portraits this morning, Krampa and the kids went for a "last ride" in Ol' Blue, Krampa's old farm truck.  The kids have loved riding around the farm with Krampa in the rusty, dusty truck, but he bought a different one.  Ol' Blue is too old to go on the road, but Mean Green will be able to go both on the road and on the farm.  Poor Ol' Blue kinda ran out of juice at the back of the farm, so Krampa and the kids had to walk all the way back.  This was unplanned, so the kids had on flip-flops and weren't lathered up with bug spray.  So they got a few mosquito bites on their walk back up the lane.  But, they just turned it into a need for a quick, refreshing swim.  We sure do enjoy Krampa's pool, and were glad for one last swim of the summer!

Gram made a delicious pot roast for lunch, and fresh green beans from the garden.  Wow, we feel spoiled (not to mention fattened up!) when we visit!

We had such a wonderful time with Krampa and Gram this weekend.  Precious times and memories made.  We love you Gram and Krampa!!

On our way home, we stopped at Grandpa L's butcher shop.  Even though it's Labor Day, Grandpa and Uncle Eric were there working hard.  While Grandpa loaded up a couple big freezer bags for us, Uncle Eric showed us how they make bacon.  We're excited to try all the flavored bratwurst and other items they sent with us.  Mmm!

It was fun to watch the screens in Pearl the Prius on the trip this weekend.  It's just amazing how our little car gets over 50 miles per gallon!!!

When we arrived home, we were extremely disappointed to see that our new area rugs had been delivered.  Well, more like they had been dumped in our driveway!  (I had called Lowes Friday evening before we left to make sure the rugs would not be delivered while we were gone, because I didn't want them sitting outside.  I was assured that they'd just been shipped Friday morning and shouldn't arrive until Wednesday.)
  We found a FedEx post-it by our front door that, when I looked up the tag number online showed they'd been delivered Saturday.  They had been sitting outside in 90-some degrees for 3 days!  It had rained on them!  They smell terrible!  And, why were they just dumped there?!  Yes, I am angry; yes I am!!  When you spend a significant amount of money for something, you don't expect to see it dumped carelessly in your driveway!  We didn't know FedEx would be delivering them, and I hadn't been offered a tracking number or anything, but FedEx delivers to our house frequently and always leaves our items carefully on our front porch.

The darker rug is okay, but the one that is bent in the photo above is not.  We could see the moisture through the plastic before we opened it.

It is totally soaked.  We unrolled it and put it over empty laundry baskets in the living room to dry it out, but it smells really bad.  I will be calling Lowes and FedEx.  

We bought these rugs expecting to use them for years--possibly decades.  This one is going to have to be replaced.  I don't like to complain, but it really is disappointing.