All of them

I robbed both peony bushes and cut every bloom and stuck them in a huge vase with water and put them in my kitchen. On the stove. I had quite a few ants the first day and the daughter complained mightily but I stuck with it. Every hour or so I would go and smack the blooms. Some petals fell off now and again, but mostly about 5 ants would drop and I would squish, squish, squish.

My daughter says she hates flowers and the kitchen smells like beer. She always thinks fresh cut flowers smell like beer. What the heck? I put the flowers on the stove because the cats try to eat any live plants I bring into the house. Usually it is Jasper. I have not seen him even try this year. Wow. Maybe I can put them in the living room the next time? Eh - better not. I don't want them to knock the vase over in there.

They are mostly dead, now. The blooms I plucked and put in a vase. The poppies are really dropping off. Orange petals all over the lawn where they grow. I was able to finally lower the mower blades and get the grass to a shorter status. It took me all day Friday (in the heat I had to take many breaks). I ended up with five huge leaf bags full of grass clippings. I did not wear a hat, but I did take two wet wash cloths and folded them over my head and held them on with my headphones. I am not a fashion plate by any stretch of the imagination. And, I don't pretend to be.

I have my niece and nephew coming to stay Saturday for the week-end. I am fixing Italian sausage sandwiches in the crock pot. I brown sweet Italian sausages and move them to a crock pot full of spaghetti sauce with sliced sweet onions and green and red peppers. I'll make some macaroni salad, too. We will have our fill of hot dogs and hamburgers tomorrow at the family cook-out.

I love it when the sausages slow cook long enough to cut like soft butter when I serve them. I serve them on soft hoagie buns and top them off with mozzarella cheese. I might even bore you with pictures.

My daughter, her guy friend and I caught "Iron Man 2" at the theater the other night. Sometimes I make an exception and risk the noise and flashing lights. I had some earplugs but they hurt too much and I took them out. The flashing lights were awful. It was not as good as the first one. Not much "hero" story line in this at all. I do not like M Rourke but I have to admit - he played his part well. We went late on a week night and had the entire place to ourselves.

I thought that G Paltrow looked very good with a little color to her face. She was not so pale in this feature. I always enjoy S Rockwell, whether he is playing a bad guy or the funny sidekick. And I just gotta say this. Once. K Mara just creeps me out. And I did not mind Cheadle playing the role instead of Howard. I've let it go.