Wednesday, May 31, 2006
And So
And so another Birthday comes to past. A call this morning informed us that our Cindy was ill and wouldn’t be up. The new air conditioner is on a dolly in the kitchen in hopes that David would be up with Cindy and could get into the window for us. We have decided that tomorrow we might try lifting it in ourselves but haven’t quite up the guts for it yet because it could bring on the blood in the eyes again.
So we waited for the appraiser to come and look us over. After he left Brandy and I took a stroll around the yard and I spotted Momma Dove still up in her nest on top the front door light. You can see her brown head watching me move around below. We have had babies born up there for at least the last three years. That light is hardly ever used so we don’t have to worry about hurting any of them.
Tomorrow we take Brandy and Spirit to the Vet’s for grooming so we will spend the waiting time at the Birch Run Outlet Stores. Window shopping will be the order of the day seeing we invested in the AC and microwave all ready this week. But that will beat driving home and then turning right around to drive back to the Vet’s to pick them up.
Friday is Brandy’s second class so I’ll find out what I’m doing wrong and also how well Brandy is doing!
Well I hope everyone had a great Holiday Weekend and are home safe and sound again!
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
The Birthday Goes On!
Yesterday SEB, Anne, Cortney, and Richard had dinner with us. Les gave Jay a Cordless V-tech phone with an answering system . It was a very warm day and we went the Deli sandwich and salad route. Topped it off with spice cake and ice cream.
The last few days have been exciting. Things keep breaking. First the chute door for the ice maker wouldn’t shut. The air was getting in making ice form on the top of the chute. This had happened before and about $45. later it was fixed. This time, seeing it is still making ice I decided to cover the opening to the chute with tin foil. This worked well in keeping the warm air out but it did present a problem. We forgot to tell everyone what we had done so they would walk up press the control then tell us there was no ice. We would then explain they would have to reach in the freezer and get the ice. So they opened the door and cubes fell out on the floor and Brandy came running to get one .
Later that day I put some hot dogs in a baggy in the microwave, set the time, push the start, and pop then nothing. No clock, no power, and obviously cold hot dogs. Poor old thing just gave up.
Yesterday it was the window air conditioner. Les brought it up, put it in the kitchen widow, we plugged it in, and the fan would whine but not spin. Oh great we were glad that things like this come in threes.
Now today Jay’s sister Emily called and ask us to meet her for lunch for Jay’s birthday so we thought this was an ideal time to fix a couple of our problems. Now I can get the ice cubes by hand for a while longer. I could probably even get along without the air conditioner, but I can’t do without my microwave. One major reason is I reheat my coffee all day long in that thing so that is a must have. So after a delicious lunch at a Chinese buffet we went to Best Buy and got both the AC and the microwave. We blew half of both of our Christmas clubs but hey they are for gifts so we said they would be our gifts.
This afternoon I spotted a bunny on the deck picking over the end of the bird seed for something to eat.
So I eased out of the other door on the deck and tiptoed around to get a picture. I got pretty close before he decided that it was time to split.
I got one more shot as he stopped on the path after leaving the deck. I missed three bunnies romping in the yard yesterday so I really wanted to get these shots.
Still the birthday celebration continues with a visit from Cindy tomorrow.
Another Natal Day!
65 years ago a man was born. Not a full grown man at that time but as described in his baby book== baby’s hair was brown. His eyes dark blue. He was kept in the incubator because he arrived a month early. He weighed 4 lbs. and 4 ozs. So began the life of who we loving call Jay. His Mother’s note included that he first laughed out loud August 17th. He rolled over at six months, started crawling at 10 months, and took his first steps on August 4, 1942. He liked baths, spinach and butter, and frosting and pie when he was two. The vegetables with butter and the pie are still a favorite today.
The oldest with four younger sisters he tells of sleeping on the couch so his sisters had a bedroom. I sometimes find him on the couch now when the congestion, if he tries to lay down, gets the best of him . While in Arizona, where there was no kindergarten, he learned to read at six years old. This has been a life long passion also. He will laugh and say he has to read 50 thousand words a day to survive. In 1943 he suffered an injury that left his left eye permanently damaged. He has had bouts of blindness from the complications of diabetes but has learned to cope with the problems.
As a kid he used to catch baby mice in the attic and feed them to the cat. He also liked to watch ants when you took a magnifying glass and directed the sun on them. He would visit his friend Richard and they would read comic books for hours and never say a word. Then Jay would leave and go home.
In his 30s he had mutton chops and thick glasses. He looked a little scary but you had only to talk with him to get to know his true behavior. He married us (all four of of) in 1974. He has never met a stranger and will share ideas with anyone. Now if you ask him the time he will tell you how to build the clock. He wanted a dome to live in and studied them for years until he finally got one. He is a trivia nut and loves to cook and can. Jam is one of his specialities and everyone around gets samples when he cans.
On our 25th wedding anniversary he looked like a diplomat in his gray suit. We said he needed a red sash with a sunburst medal on it to complete the ensemble. Many changes have occurred in his life. In health and in goals accomplished some have been good and others not so good. But as you can see by the picture below he does get better looking every year.
We say with love Happy Birthday Jay and many , many more!
Monday, May 29, 2006
Still Wagging!
Oh Boy Brandy and I have been wagging our tails (now don’t go there) every day and we ain’t done yet.
On Saturday Wes, Deb, Jazz, and Dakota came up to bury the 30 ft long by 4 inches in diameter black pipe that is now attached to one of the downspouts. It seems that it had to be added on to change the flow of rainwater away from the house because it would seep right back onto the basement. Of course this was a good time to let Dakota drive the tractor (lawnmower) for the first time.
Both his cousin and his sister have gotten to drive it in the past and his Mom mentioned how he said he wished he could drive too. Of course this was not without engineering the mower for him. It seems in order to reach the pedals he had to sit on the front part of the seat which wouldn’t allow enough weight to depress the kill switch under the seat when he turned corners. So every time he shifted his weight the tractor would die. So Wes used a piece of cardboard wedged under the seat to solve the problem. As Dakota worked you could hear him singing his heart out in that back yard and you just had to smile because he was so thrilled.
Now to Brandy’s first class.
We concentrated on learning to walk on a loose leash. The first time out she sat that butt down and wouldn’t move. The trainer had me walk ahead and call her as she would pull gently and release. Soon it was Momma pulling gently and releasing and as if a miracle had happened Brandy would get up and walk towards me. by the end of the night she was walking (with a little coaxing) on lease and I was so thrilled I wanted to pee my pants.
This picture taken Saturday by Jasmine shows the hair band look!
Also on Saturday my brother Gene and Future Sister-in-law Jeanie came by right after Wes and family left. So Brandy soaked up some more love and attention. Before they left thay asked us over on Sunday for dinner.
So on Sunday morning I get a call from Gene saying. “Don’t forget to bring the kid”, which is what he calls Brandy. So it was off to Gene’s house which is 40 miles one way and the pork chops on the grill made it worth every mile of it. We sat around and shot the bull while Brandy did her soaking up routine.
When we got back home I took Brandy from the truck right to the exercise pen and started unloading our “travel gear”. I was so busy that when I opened the storm door to go out and saw this little white and brown fluff sitting there I almost fell over. She had jump the 18 inch fence and came right to the door. Of course I praised her profusely as I let her in. Say does any one need an 18 inch high exercise pen for a small dog?
Now the weekend continues with SEB, his family, and Richard coming up for dinner. Of course it is also to see Jay who will have a Birthday tomorrow.
Then on Wednesday Cindy and David will be up so Brandy and I will be wagging for a few days more. Hope your weekend is going great --ours is!!!
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Oh Boy Company!
A walk around the dome yesterday showed a pretty sad shape of affairs. The weeds are about to overtake the flower beds. Normally I would get out there on hands and knees and try to retrieve the beds. But in another couple or so weeks the roofers and deck people will be here and the trampling will begin. So common sense says let them go and salvage later. But I did get out the electric weed cutter and cleared the embankments.
When facing out from the deck the steepest side is on your right. Difficult to mow up the side or down and not easy to keep your balance when standing there to use the weed whacker.
The left side is not quite as bad but combined they are a pain in the butt not to mention the ankles. The yellow grass in both pictures are the inclines. I have often wished we could do away with them but the back driveway to the garage runs right between them.
But at lest they are cleaned up for a few weeks anyway and I can ignore the flower beds by staring down the hill.
One my readers asked who would be working with Brandy in the classes she starts tomorrow night. It will be me. That should be downright hilarious watching this huge old woman and this little bitty dog fighting over walking with a leash. But we can only try.
I have been upstairs looking in the picture boxes for the Mohawk haircut picture of my brothers but haven’t found it yet. I’ll dig some more in the next couple of days. I did however find some other things I’d like to share with you. So that is coming up very soon.
We got company coming this weekend! I wish I could jump up and and down and wag my tail like Brandy!!!
Remember to smile, be healthy, and do come back!
Sunday, May 21, 2006
Many Things In May!
The Snowball bush as we call it is now blooming just a few weeks behind the others I’ve seen on the blogs.
It is hard to believe that a winter storm had torn the middle out of this bush but from the other side you can see some of the damage done.
On another subject--I call this: A gal has got to what a gal has got to do to get the the attention of her Daddy when there is a puppy around.
So it is through the railing, onto the desk, across in front of the monitor, and up on the shelf. He can’t miss seeing her there.
The update on my little ‘it’ is she is 4.1 lbs, healing well, and getting bigger as you can see!
Thank goodness she is only going to be about 10 lbs. total because she is an armload now.
They changed the date of her puppy cut to the first of June. The 26st of this month she starts her beginner class which will last for the next eight weeks. This will help set my mind at ease about her being outside.
A big congratulations to Mrs. Dof on earning her degree!
Way to go girl!!!!
Many things are happening now.
Thursday, May 18, 2006
In The Country!
On the 16th Brandy went to the vet’s and had her operation. She is now officially an it. She was a little sleepy, little tail dragging, that night but the next day the curl came back and the steps started getting quicker. I was given a pain pill for her of which she was to take 1/4 of it every day for four days. I was instructed to put it in a little peanut butter if she wouldn’t keep it in her mouth. Yep you guess it. That little piece of pill went into the mouth several times and ended up on the blanket the same number. Finally I gave up and pulled out the peanut butter. Right into the mouth and on into the tummy. So yesterday we just started the peanut buttered pill and she took it right down. This morning she is almost back to normal and on the 30th she and Spirit go back to Dr. Buck ‘s office for grooming.
Jay is scheduled to see our doctor (not the Vet) tomorrow to check on the recovery of the bout with pneumonia. He was out planting seedlings in his barrels yesterday and mowed part of the lawn. He is still coughing in the morning so we need to have the follow up done.
The flowers on today’s post came from a grocery store. I felt like flowers and my so I just pick them up. I never cease to be amazed that they last so much longer than they used to when coming from a market and they are cheaper too.
Well in a couple of weeks my dearly beloved turns Medicare age! Finally he will have caught up to me. I wonder if this is going to make a difference in the medical costs? Time will tell.
I’m getting excited because we are getting quotes on a new roof and replacing our sorry old deck. The roof is slowly showing signs that it may need a new coat soon. We have learned from past experience that you replace it or find your ceiling on a living room chair. The deck was in sad shape when we bought the dome in 1999 with wood posts cracking, nailed railings trying to pull loose, and the floor sagging. Soon, very soon we will be poorer but our home will be a bit nicer. Yes!!!!
It looks like rain out there again today but I’m not complaining because every thing is greener. The lilac bushes that I put in last year seem to be coming along and a few of the trees from two years ago are still with me. Sadly the lawn mower and some of the animals found a lot of them too tasty to leave alone. Such is life in the country!
Monday, May 15, 2006
Water, Water , Everywhere!
A trip to the hardware for screen for the compost-er turned into a surprise for me. I have waited for Jay to post on this seeing it was his idea but he didn’t get around to it so I grabbed the chance. As he left the store a man followed him out with a good size box. When the box was deposited in the back of our pickup I questioned what he had bought now. Turns out it was a new fountain.
That my husband bought an outdoor ornament was almost impossible to believe. His response was that he always wanted one and the price was right. Hey that is good enough for me. So we put outside the bedroom window but it is very loud so I won’t be crawling out of bed every hour to pee.
This did inspire me to set up my Little girl with the watering can.
So indeed there is water flowing everywhere and not a drop to drink!
Last One Checked In!
The results are in:
The winners are:
What a fantastic day after Mother’s Day gift. You gotta love it when you win over the husbands in pinochle.
Thursday we went to Wes’ house and spent time with them.
Yesterday Les, Anne, And Courtney spent the day with us. I got another lesson in working with pictures, the scanner, and the blog. Someday I may know something!!!
Dave and Cindy spent the day with us and that completes the visits with the children for this Mother’s day! Hope you got to see your moms or kids whatever the case may be.
Sunday, May 14, 2006
My Mom
On Mother’s Day I have posted things about being a mother, myself as a mother but not much about my Mom.
My Mom was a Den Mother with the Boy Scouts.
My Mom was a Gray Lady who volunteered in the hospital. Even when she was a patient she would go visiting others in there that couldn’t get around.
My Mom was one of the first people with food and clothing when someone in the neighborhood had a house fire.
My Mom wasn’t a gourmet cook but she could make a meal for six from a pound of hamburger and it tasted great.
My Mom wasn’t a fastidious house keeper but we never waded dirt either.
My Mom knew how to kiss a hurt and make it better.
My Mom could make even the newest stranger to visit feel welcome.
My Mom could get pissed at you and not speak to you directly for a week but she always got her point across.
My Mom could make sun dresses out of chicken feed sacks for you in the summer.
My Mom on my first visit after I married gave me two pillows, an iron, and some meat to freeze for later.
My Mom took pictures of every bouquet of flowers ever sent her so you could see how lovely they were.
My Mom loved to harmonize with me as we stood at the sink and did dishes. Music was one of her loves.
My Mom used to load us kids into the car, pick a road, and follow it to the end even if it was in someones yard.
My Mom had brown hair and beautiful blue eyes that would grab and hold you fascinated.
My Mom was adored by my Dad even when she was being a pain in the butt.
My Mom wasn’t religious because of the heartache of the circumstances of her father’s death and his actions when alive.
My Mom loved to go out on the boat with Dad for a day trip.
My Mom showed love to each of us and to our children too.
My Mom could take a car engine apart so Dad could fix it when he came in from work.
My Mom drove a semi truck and trailer for her step father as a teenager only she couldn’t back it into the dock.
My Mom never let on that money was tight and that she and Dad were worried.
My Mom never argued with my Dad and stood beside him in all decisions they made.
The pictures I chose were to let you see her demeanor as a child. A kind of sadness in there somewhere.
But in later life she became lonely living away from everyone, and a little bitter. But that doesn’t change the love earned from me over the many years on my life.
So you have Gertrude Catherine born 1/21/16 and died 3/24/92.