Frankie and Slim

Frankie and Slim
Happy New Year

Monday, August 28, 2006

CONFESSION IS GOOD FOR THE SOUL

Phoebe, the last of the Golden Girls, is no more. Yesterday morning she was dead in the pen. The night before I had rescued her from playtime with Slim. Again, Slim was not intending to hurt Phoebe, they were playing but Slim, the 30 lb dog, seemed to be a bit rough for Phoebe, the 3 lb c hicken.

I can make all kinds of excuses, but it all boils down to my dog killing my chicken. We basically moved from Kansas because the neighbor's unruly dog was murdering my chickens. So, what do I do? I let a dog move in with us and watch it murder my chickens and call it "play".

We have got to work this out. I want to keep my dear dog that I have grown to love. I want to always raise chickens and keep them safe. Oh woe is me.........

Meanwhile, I've got a hen under the house who shall come marching out any day with chicks behind her. I'm watching for them intently -- as is Slim.

Thursday, August 24, 2006

Home Alone

I spent my first night in our new home alone. Ron stayed over an extra day in Kansas, so I was here with only Slim to guard the perimeter. All was well and I was not frightened. Ron got back this afternoon. I watched three movies yesterday afternoon:
FAILURE TO LAUNCH (bombs away!)
16 BLOCKS (big thumbs UP!)
ANNAPOLIS (boo, boo, hiss, boo)

PARTY

Mary Bea, my friend, had a party. It was an Arbonne party for her niece. It turned out to be a social gathering more than a sales meeting. It was my first time in my friend's new home. Oh, what a lovely home! It was also a time to be with very good friends. Mary Bea, Rhonda, Beth and I especially laughed and acted crazy for a couple of hours and left with a warm sense of lingering friendships. We don't get together very often, but when we do it is as if we only saw each other yesterday.

Pick Your Dessert

Pick your dessert, then look at comment section to see what psychiatrists think about you.

1. Angel Food Cake
2. Brownies
3. Lemon Meringue
4. Vanilla cake with Chocolate Icing
5. Strawberry Short Cake
6. Chocolate and more Chocolate
7. Ice Cream
8. Carrot Cake

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

POUTY JESSI

Kathrine sent this to Jessi. Jessi forwarded it to me. I had to post it here......Jessi said I could. It made me smile so big. Can anyone guess who is standing behind Jessi? I will give you one hint -- it was before Kathrine. Jessi wrote: "you have to guess who's standing behind me.....10th grade....who was my BFF? Not Kathrine yet."
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Monday, August 21, 2006

Excuse me, what century is this?

We worry about equality for women in other countries. How scary is this to be so blatantly going on in the United States? I guess there is a huge number of men and even women who believe this crap. Oops, I'm sorry, was I supposed to be SILENT????

TWO OF NORA'S LOVES

Nora loves her grandma and her red crocs. Nora loved her crocs so much she had to sleep in them when she first got them.
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NORA AND GRANT VISIT

Yesterday afternoon Nora and Grant visited their Great Auntie Chicken Annie. They arrived with three zombies in tow -- Grandma Elenore, Aunt Christy and Mama Karen.

I know their day started out with the most wonderful aspirations. It was baby Grant's debut. A trip to Tulsa to see Granny GG, Uncle Print and Aunt Elaine. They did enjoy their lunch and visit, but by the time they got to my house we had to pray that they would have enough steam remaining to make the last hurdle home.

While the adults weren't much to write home about, the children were mezmerizing. Nora has a Tommy Brock smile. A beautiful grin breaks out in her porcelain doll face, she wrinkles her nose and her big blue eyes sparkle. Grant can make almost that same face but it is only for his mama.

I thought it was so impressive when I ask Karen, "When will Scott arrive?" and she said, "Wednesday" and Nora, who was eavesdropping turned toward me and said, (with her capturing smile) "Daddy is coming Wednesday." For a two-year-old to follow the conversation and put that logic together was unbelievable. Nora also said, "No, no chickens", "No, no doggy" and "No, no fly!" She just wasn't very impressed with our nature world. She did like the cats though.

I was glad to show them our new place and Ron was happy to take Christy for a tour of the area. Plus, she managed to climb up in our new boat and give us the thumbs up on our purchase.

It was wonderful to have them here if even for a minute. We hope they will all return another day when they can remember having been here. Bless their little peapickin' hearts. Thank you for coming.

Love you guys!

GOOD LUCK!

I sure hope you love the smell of printer's ink in the morning. 1-2-3 Tandy!

Saturday, August 19, 2006

CAMERA SEARCH

We need a new camera before our trip to California. We want a digital video camera that takes normal length movies and also takes excellent still shots. I am looking closely at an Olympus 7.1 with 5x-6x which my brother has highly recommended. However, it appears it only allows 20 second video. Our grandchildren's plays are much longer than 20 seconds. Perhaps I am wrong about that video length.

I am also looking at a Sony Handycam but it appears too heavy and I'm not sure the still photos would be as good.

What I want is: A small, light weight video camera that takes still photos clear enough for my eBay use with excellent zoom capabilities. I need to be able to load the photos on my XP computer program into Microsoft Picture It 7.0 or Quick Time. All suggestions will be appreciated. (Oh yes, I also want this to be cheap......)

BABIES UNDER THE HOUSE

Now that's a movie title, huh? While SNAKES ON A PLANE is a work of fiction, BABIES UNDER THE HOUSE appears to be factual. I know there are kittens under our house somewhere. Now it looks like we will soon have baby chicks under there too.

A couple of weeks ago two of my Araucanas went missing. I decided they were Racoon food. Ron decided they were on a nest somewhere. Ron was right (of course). This morning one of the Araucanas appeared and I only caught a glimpse of her before she returned under the house. If my calculations are correct from the time they went missing, the chicks should hatch around the 25th. There could just be one Araucana but I'm hoping the other one is under there too sitting on a nest.

Slim is keeping the hens company and could also be protecting them from Racoons. I will now have to watch Slim's collection carefully for the appearance of a new baby chick.

Friday, August 18, 2006

WHAT HAVE I MISSED?

Shouldn't it be a simple matter? Wasn't there physical evidence left on the victim? Can't they simply wait for the DNA results and then know that they have or don't have the right assailant? What is all this speculation and wasted news time about? It should be as easy as 1-2-3. The first step (1) is he admits he is guilty. The second step, (2) we get his DNA and check it against the evidence at the scene. The third step, (3) we put the crazy "proven" guilty man on trial or we send the crazy crazy "lying" man to a hospital for the insane..........

Tuesday, August 15, 2006

OUR DAY

It has become an annual event. The shopping spree takes place a few weeks before the ship reunion. Elenore is my guide into the world of fashion. Her intense efforts to help me select proper shoes and pretty clothes have not failed to turn me out as one of the belles of the ball. I looked good last year, despite my much larger size. That is a feat only Elenore could have pulled off. This year, with my 40 lb loss, her job was a bit easier.

It is hard to call her my "older" sister, because she looks about ten years younger. It is even harder to call her my "big" sister, because she is much smaller than I. But you know she is older and bigger by her attitude. She is in charge of me. She shops with the intent of a CSI agent, looking at me closely and making recommendations. Elenore literally got on the floor of the store to examine my toes and make recommendations for a pedicure. If we had time, that would have been done yesterday too.

Speaking of getting on the floor......we accidentally locked ourselves out of the dressing room. Did we call for the attendant to open the door? No way. Elenore crawled under and opened it from the inside. Yes, we did laugh our guts out yesterday.

I don't know what I look forward to more -- the reunion or this shopping trip? I'm already looking forward to next year. Thank you Agent Elenore, F.S.I. (Fashion Scene Investigator)!

Friday, August 11, 2006

Tiptoeing Chicken

Tonight all but one of the chickens were in. Phoebe was a straggler. That is not unusual. Slim and I wait for her to appear almost every evening. When we spot her heading toward the house, Slim will go get her and move her along smartly. Sometimes they stop and play their crazy games. I guess Phoebe was not in the mood for games tonight.

I was going to go inside without finding Phoebe. Slim got busy playing with a gopher she dug up. I took a last look and there was Phoebe, tiptoeing toward the hen house. I swear she was sneaking home trying to avoid Slim. She picked up her pace when she saw me head for the hen house door. We both arrived there at about the same time and I opened the door and Phoebe darted inside. Not a moment too soon. Slim spotted her and came bounding after her friend. No games tonight. The chickens were all closed in and Slim was left with me and a gopher.

Thursday, August 10, 2006

SAYING THANKS!

Hail Britannia!

Do our kids know what an apron is?

The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath, but along with that, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven. It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.

From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven. When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids. And when the weather was cold, grandma wrapped it around her arms.

Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove. Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron. From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables. After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls. In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.

When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds. When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.

It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that "old-time apron" that served so many purposes.

Grandma used to set her hot baked apple pies on the window sill to cool.Her granddaughters set theirs on the window sill to thaw.

Author Unknown

FIVE FINGER PRAYER

It is surely worth making the 5 finger prayer a part of our lives.

1. Your thumb is nearest you. So begin your prayers by praying for those closest to you. They are the easiest to remember. To pray for our loved ones is, as C. S. Lewis once said, a "sweet duty."

2. The next finger is the pointing finger. Pray for those who teach, instruct and heal. This includes teachers, doctors, and ministers.

3. The next finger is the tallest finger. It reminds us of our leaders. (No, this doesn't mean give them "the finger" though it is tempting.) Pray for the president, leaders in business and industry, and administrators. These people shape our nation and guide public opinion.

4. The fourth finger is our ring finger. Surprising to many is the fact that this is our weakest finger, as any piano teacher will testify. It should remind us to pray for those who are weak, in trouble or in pain.

5. And lastly comes our little finger - the smallest finger of all which is where we should place ourselves. Your pinkie should remind you to pray for yourself. By the time you have prayed for the other four groups, your own needs will be put into proper perspective and you will be able to pray for yourself more effectively.

Wednesday, August 09, 2006

LET'S GO WITH JOE

I've finally had it. I want to do something. I am going to change my political party registration to Independent. It is well past time. I do not agree totally with Republicans and I do not agree totally with Democrats and both parties make me terribly angry with some of their zealous unbending views. I have never voted a straight party ticket but always have voted for the candidate of my choice decided by the mind of my own and not molded by a biased media. I have maintained my party registration for 49 years regardless of my political leanings. That is over. It only makes sense for me to become an Independent. This decision is my way of showing dissatisfaction with the current Democrat and Republican party leadership. This is my way of showing that I have a mind and can make my decisions without their spin and spin and spin and spin. Spinning can make a person so dizzy that they vomit.

Cookie Jars Smell The Same

Our cookie jar contains some iced oatmeal cookies, a few oreos and a few vanilla creme cookies. They each taste as they should but the cookie jar smells just like Grandma's cookie jar. Have you ever noticed how all cookie jars smell the same?

THE MINNOW FOUND?

Introducing our new (old) boat. It took us 12 1/2 hours to go to St. Louis and get her yesterday. It was worth the effort. What a deal and what a honey of a boat! Now we're ready for the Lake.
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SURPRISE IN THE COLLECTION

Slim, our new dog, has a collection. I have mentioned it in my blog before. She rearranges it occasionally and she adds to it often. If we try to throw away any of her collectables, she manages to retrieve them and place them back with the collection.

We arrived home from St. Louis yesterday with our new boat in tow. I noticed Slim’s collection was near the door. As I headed toward the house something in the pile caught my eye. It was something that moved.

Closer inspection revealed a brand new baby kitten! The kitten’s eyes were not even open. Slim was happy for me to view her newest acquisition and Slim picked up the kitten to show me better how nicely it fit in her mouth.

I tried to remain calm and took the kitten as soon as Slim laid it down. I carried this tiny baby to the back porch where Jet, (our black female cat) and Soccer Ball, (our grey and white female cat) were awaiting their dinner. Jet sniffed the baby and snubbed it. Soccer Ball did not hesitate to grab the kitten and run off with her offspring in her mouth. I did not even know Soccer Ball was expecting.

I doubt this kitten will survive, but at least she has a better chance back with her mother and probably other siblings. Slim did not mean any harm. I shall check her collection carefully from now on.

Saturday, August 05, 2006

FIRE! FIRE! NOT WOLF!

Thursday was pick up day for Jessi. I had a visit and lunch with mother before going to airport. After lunch I decided to take a nap in mother's room so I would be rested for the upcoming travel.

Mother turned on the TV because I can nap best with TV on. I was just about asleep when I heard a click then a ringing sound. I waited, thinking mother was changing channels or something. She didn't say anything because she did not want to disturb me.

I smelled wires burning and decided to open my eyes. The television was off, but the buzzing/ringing sound continued and mother was holding the remote trying to turn the TV off. Suddenly smoke began to billow out of the TV. I jumped up and encouraged mother to take hold of her walker and start moving out of the room. I pushed the button for a nurse and we headed out into the hall.

The nurse arrived and helped me get mother into her manual wheelchair. I went back in the room (stupid, stupid) and tried to turn off the TV. I wanted to pull the plug but it was behind the TV where the smoke was pouring out. Another nurse came and wanted to try to unplug the TV and I insisted she come out of the room. Soon maintenance arrived, sauntering down the hall thinking it was just a simple television breakdown and nothing to worry about. Then they picked up their pace when they smelled the burn.

I was wanting to pull a fire alarm, but it wasn't my place to do so. My primary concern was mother and we had her up in the lobby in a safe place. I waited with her while maintenance managed to unplug the television which stopped the smoke almost immediately. They said they had never seen such a thing occur. They carried the television out of her room and put it in a safe storage facility.

I believe it was a blessing for me to be there at that moment. If mother had been alone, I don't think she would have realized the impact of what was happening until it was too late. The staff does check on her very often, but who would know when they would have come in or when they would have smelled the smoke. I was so very frightened and when it was over mother said, "Well thank goodness you didn't have a heart attack!" LOL

Our family continues to be richly blessed.

I went on the airport to get Jessi. Elenore and David took charge of getting mother a new television. It is on the stand in her room and working well and mother has her AMC movies once again with probably no memory of our harrowing experience. Plus, they left Tikka with mother while they went shopping and that is what mother remembers most about the day......that sweet Tikka. And that also is a blessing.

This was a Zenith, large screen TV, purchased about 1999. Internet research is showing some history of Zenith TVs in the late 60's causing houses to burn down. Anyone else ever hear of this type of thing happening? We were totally surprised that a television could do this because we often leave home and leave the TV on.


THE GATHERING

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Wednesday, August 02, 2006

Annie's song is TOMORROW!

Jessi will be here tomorrow. She is coming for a friend's wedding. I will pick her up at there airport in Tulsa. I will take her to fit her bride maid's dress, then we will pick up Ryan, Dillon and Beth and head for New NOL-NOC. This will be Jessi's first visit since we moved.

Chelle, Mike and Hope will meet us here. Tomorrow night will be a "sleep over" to end all sleep overs. I can't wait to have two of my girls and five of my grandkids and lots of silly stuff. There just will not be time for watching GREASE and URBAN COWBOY, HOT STUFF and SHAG or sing the Cops song or watch all the family videos, or make new video, or talk about what has happened to each of us over the last year, or talk about what we're all doing right now. We won't have enough time to paint any rooms and Jessi certainly won't let us give her a bouffant hairdo or put make up on her. We'll all want Jessi to ourselves and the grandkids will be the biggest bullies for her time. I don't know where Ron will hide, but I'm sure he'll find a secluded corner.

There is a possibility of rain, but even if it does rain, I know that..... the sun will come out TOMORROW!

(Okay Travis, this will make you the only straggler. You best start making plans to head this way.)

Tuesday, August 01, 2006

Still Chicken Annie

Yes, I still love my chickens and yes, I'm still Chicken Annie. I have been busy with Slim but she blends with the chicken venture and does not replace my chicken-children. She is their friend and protector and assists me in keeping them on the farm when they free range and helps put them up at night. I know she can count to 23 because she knows when all the chickens are not in.

Tonight Slim is among her fowl friends wearing her new dog tag. She seems to be flaunting this new piece of jewelry. Perhaps I'll have to invest in tiny collars and chicken tags.

FIRST ADVENTURE

Slim went to the veternarian today. She was very well behaved. It was not only her first visit to the Vet, she also rode in the van for the first time. She seemed to enjoy herself and loved all the new sites and smells. She managed to clean up all the crumbs in the van on the way there and back.

We were getting ready to leave the house and I ask Ron to put on a good shirt. He did not understand why, until I told him we did not want to embarrass Slim on her first encounter with the world and her peers. We wanted her to be proud of her parents :-) I can't print here what Ron said in response.