Saturday, June 24, 2006
Morning Brings Coffee Eventually!
A check of the front door light fixture this morning show Momma Dove (although it could be the Daddy because the book says Daddies sit on the nest in the day time) still there. It seems like they have been sitting there forever so I checked incubation time and it says 13-14 days with two broods a year. So I don’t know if this is the first or second.
This morning started with this scratching noise waking me out of a sound sleep. Molly wanted in the basement. This of course meant Brandy was awake now too and a trip outside was urgent. On the way through the kitchen I flipped on the coffee pot. While we were out I checked on Momma/Daddy dove, went back inside for the camera because the dove was up and I could get a better shot. I then filled the suet feeder, filled the thistle feeder, and grabbed the Hummingbird and the Oriole feeders to be washed out and refilled. I brought Brandy in and filled the fountain pail with water and topped the fountains off. Molly was wanting out of the basement and outside now. I let her out, filled both Brandy’s and Molly’s food and water dishes, with a sweet Good Morning ringing in my ears. That was Spirit which meant uncover me which I did. Then Tiki and Chips saw the light of day next when I lifted their cover and pulled up all the blinds in the Living/dining room area.
I finally grabbed a cup of coffee so I could pull the picture of the dove off the camera enabling me to sit and visit with you a minute. Of course Molly is back inside, Brandy is back resting, the nectar feeders are sitting in warm soapy water to be cleaned and filled, and I’m wide a wake.
A glance out the French doors shows two beavers possibly momma and baby basking on the back driveway. I grabbed the camera and back out I went but as you can see after one shot ( the dark brown spots near the shadow on the driveway in front of the shed) I tried to move closer but they turned and were gone!
I guess it is time to get out of the nightgown. Ain’t it great to live in the country!
Friday, June 23, 2006
The Price of Children . .
The government recently calculated the cost of raising a child from birth to 18 and came up with $160,140 for a middle income family. Talk about sticker shock! That doesn’t even touch college tuition.
But $160,140 isn’t so bad if you break it down. It translates into:
* $8,896.66 a year,
* $741.38 a month, or
* $171.08 a week.
* That’s a mere $24.24 a day!
* Just over a dollar an hour.
Still, you might think the best financial advice is don’t have children if you want to be “rich.”
Actually, it is just the opposite. What do you Get for your $160,140?
* Naming rights. First, middle, and last!
* Glimpses of God every day.
* Giggles under the covers every night.
* More love than your heart can hold.
* Butterfly kisses and Velcro hugs..
* Endless wonder over rocks, ants, clouds, and warm cookies.
* A hand to hold, usually covered with jelly or chocolate.
* A partner for blowing bubbles, flying kites
* Someone to laugh yourself silly with, no matter what the boss said or how your stocks performed that day.
For $160,140, you never have to grow up. You get to:
* finger-paint,
* carve pumpkins,
* play hide-and-seek,
* catch lightning bugs, and
* never stop believing in Santa Claus.
You have an excuse to:
* keep reading the Adventures of Piglet and Pooh,
* watching Saturday morning cartoons,
* going to Disney movies, and
* wishing on stars.
* You get to frame rainbows, hearts, and flowers under refrigerator magnets and collect spray painted noodle wreaths for Christmas, hand prints set in clay or Mother’s Day, and cards with backward letters for Father’s Day.
For $160,140, there is no greater bang for your buck. You get to be a hero just for:
* retrieving a Frisbee off the garage roof,
* taking the training wheels off a bike,
* removing a splinter,
* filling a wading pool,
* coaxing a wad of gum out of bangs, and coaching a baseball team that never wins but always gets treated to ice cream regardless.
You get a front row seat to history to witness the:
* first step,
* first word,
* first bra,
* first date, and
* first time behind the wheel.
You get to be immortal. You get another branch added to your family tree, and if you’re lucky, a long list of limbs in your obituary called grandchildren and great grandchildren. You get an education in psychology, nursing, criminal justice, communications, and human sexuality that no college can match.
In the eyes of a child, you rank right up there under God. You have all the power to heal a boo-boo, scare away the monsters under the bed, patch a broken heart, police a slumber party, ground them forever, and love them without limits,
So, one day they will, like you, love without counting the cost. That is quite a deal for the price!!!!!!!
Love & enjoy your children & grandchildren!!!!!!
Thank you for sharing Skyline!
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Brandy Meets The Ice Cream Cup!
What is this--hmm taste pretty good!
Isn’t much in here! Maybe if I tip it up!
Nope no luck and I so wanted more!
The Hooterville Tragedy!
Ah yes it was a tragic day in Hooterville on Sunday.
Pinochle was the game.
Losers were our name.
My partner tried valiantly to figure a new strategy to quell this onslaught to no avail.
They were determined to trounce us soundly before the night was nigh and truly they did.
The hubby, Jay, sat there logically explaining, as if to children, why we could not win.
Sadly they proved it twice with the resulting scores.
The other hubby. David, looked on like you poor deluded things --
I feel sorry for teaching you this lesson but what else am I to do?
So as they gathered for their double victory picture so proud of the two double pinochle on the last hand.
My lips quivering, my eyes misting, I bravely push the button that would record their glee for posterity.
Then desolving into deep despair our sad little partnership wept together. ( Can you tell we are Mother and Daughter? Look at those chins!)
Sunday, June 18, 2006
On Father’s Day 2006
This is a pictorial study of fathers.
From my paternal grandmother’s side.
Great Grandfather David Ribble who worked the Great Lakes on a mail boat.
My grandfather with wife Mable( David’s daughter)
Clement S. Waggoner -Detroit fireman. Journeyman Machine Repairman, National Youth Camp Instructor, fisherman, and in his youth a railroad hobo.
My father
Clement W. Waggoner also a Machinist all his life. He used to say anything machined from metal he could make it. A smart, caring man who will be remembered by many, and my sounding board though out my life.
My children’s father
Zeb V. Jenkins with Wes and Les. He was responsible for the loves of my life--my sons, my daughter, and my grandchildren!
The father who stepped in and raised my children after Zeb died.
Albert J. Axsom (lovingly known as Jay). A brave man and a great father.
So ends my tribute Remember to love your Dad today.
Friday, June 16, 2006
A Kid Thing!
You know that feeling you used to get as a kid when you try to jump off the merry-go-round before it stopped moving? That is what I have felt the last few days. Jay’s appointment last week with the kidney doctor was not the greatest. He will be going in for surgery to insert a port in his arm to use if the kidneys fail. Strictly a precautionary measure but not to encouraging to this old mind.
Yesterday a trip to Dr. Ross’ office was better news. He is holding his own with the eye problem and the next appointment is in Oct.
The title search is on for the new mortgage but nothing firm yet.
Brandy has learn to ‘leave it’ treat wise which is the basis for several other things to be mastered. So she is moving right along.
Molly is five years old today and her nose is getting straighter every day. She and Brandy might be friends yet.
Well everyone is still sleeping so I think I’ll join them for a couple more hours of snoozing before the merry-go-round starts again. Take care and stay healthy!
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
TO: GOD: FROM: THE DOG
Dear God: Why do humans smell the flowers, but
seldom, if ever,
smell one another?
Dear God: When we get to heaven, can we sit on
your couch? Or is
it still the same old story?
Dear God: Why are there cars named after the
jaguar, the cougar,
the mustang, the colt, the stingray, and the
rabbit, but not ONE named for
a dog? How often do you see a cougar riding
around? We do love a nice ride!
Would it be so hard to rename the “Chrysler Eagle”
the “ Chrysler
Beagle”?
Dear God: If a dog barks his head off in the
forest and no human
hears him, is he still a bad dog?
Dear God: We dogs can under stand human verbal
instructions,
hand signals, whistles, horns, clickers, beepers,
scent ID’s,
electromagnetic energy fields, and Frisbee flight
paths. What do humans understand?
Dear God: More meatballs, less spaghetti, please.
Dear God: Are there mailmen in Heaven? If there
are, will I have
to apologize?
Dear God: Let me give you a list of just some of
the things I
must remember to be a good dog.
1 . I will not eat the cats’ food before they eat
it or after
they throw it up.
2. I will not roll on dead seagulls, fish, crabs,
etc., just
because I like the way they smell.
3. The Litter Box is not a cookie jar.
4. The sofa is not a ‘face towel’.
5. The garbage collector is not stealing our
stuff.
6. I will not play tug-of-war with Dad’s underwear
when he’s on
the toilet.
7. Sticking my nose into someone’s crotch is an
unacceptable way
of saying “hello”.
8. I don’t need to suddenly stand straight up when
I’m under the
coffee table.
9. I must shake the rainwater out of my fur before
entering the
house - not after.
10. I will not come in from outside and
immediately drag my butt.
11. I will not sit in the middle of the living
room and lick my crotch.
12. The cat is not a ‘squeaky toy’ so when I play
with him and
he makes that noise, it’s usually not a good
thing.
P.S. Dear God: When I get to Heaven may I have my
testicles
back?
Thank you Dar for sharing!
Saturday, June 10, 2006
Enjoy It,We Did!
There was no tree in the foyer.
No angels hung from the lamppost raising their trumpets on high.
There was no snow swirling across the parking lot.
No carols rang out from the car radios passing by.
But for Jay and I last night was Christmas.
We sat in a comfortable restaurant.
Whitey’s in Davison, known for their fish.
We dined in a room where tiny white lights outlined the windows,
Jay had the Walleye and for me two kinds of shrimp.
It was later in the evening and diners were finishing their meals.
As we lingered over our meal I remembered again.
This was a Christmas gift from Wes and Deb.
It only took almost six months to enjoy it.
But enjoy it we did.
Thank you my children for another pleasant memory.
Friday, June 09, 2006
The New Alphabet!
A is for Apple, and B is for Boat,
That used to be right, but now it won’t float!
Age before Beauty is what we once said,
But let’s be a bit more realistic instead.
Now A’s for arthritis, B’s the bad back.
C is the chest pains, perhaps cardiac?
D is for dental decay and decline,
E is for eyesight, can’t read that top line!
F is for fissures and fluid retention.
G is for gas which I’d rather not mention.
H is high blood pressure--I’d rather it low.
I for incisions with scars you can show.
J is for joints, out of socket, won’t mend.
K is for knees that crack when they bend.
L for libido, what happened to sex?
M is for memory, I forgot what comes next.
N is neuralgia, in nerves way down low.
O is for osteo, the bones that don’t grow !
P for prescription, I have quite a few.
Just give me a pill and I’ll be good as new!
Q is for queasy, is it fatal or flu?
R for reflux, one meal turns to two.
S for sleepless nights, counting my fears.
T for Tinnitus, there are bells in my ears!
U is for urinary; big troubles with flow;
V is for vertigo, that’s “dizzy” you know.
W is for worry, NOW what’s going ‘round?
X is for X-ray, and what might be found.
Y is another year I’m left here behind.
Z is for zest that I still have--- in my mind.
I’ve survived all the symptoms, my body’s deployed,
and I’ve kept twenty-six doctors fully employed !
Thanks for sharing Darlene!
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
Dakota!
When you are one the big cake stays on the table and Grandma let you investigate the little one.
But that’s how Grandma’s are when they are at their first Grandson’s party.
As life goes on there are a lot of hard knocks and accidents to live through.
But tough boys get through it!
You learn a lot---like making jam with Grandpa. That can be pretty hot work.
Then there is braces for the teeth, tonsils to come out, and other pretty unpleasant things to deal with but you do it.
Now the big thing has happened --you are 13 years old-- today! So with sincere love we wish you a Happy Birthday Dakota. A new phase of life awaits you.