Frankie and Slim

Frankie and Slim
Happy New Year

Monday, April 28, 2014

FRESH BAKED BREAD

Question Of The Week 4-28-14

Do certain odors 
awaken 
special memories 
for you?

Friday, April 25, 2014

FIRE ME PLEASE!

This cartoon has nothing to do with my post but it is just so funny I had to add it.


The first of the year I transferred my church membership to our small local church.  The congregation had been very nice to me after Ron's death.  It was a comfortable fit.

At almost the same time the Chairperson of the church Finance Committee had died.  It seemed there was not a soul to take his place.  All eyes turned to me, a brand new member having no information on the financial condition of the church past or present  Because I had been a banker you can guess the rest of the story. They believed I was the person for the job. 

One of my previous employers had said, "I don't ever have to give Annie a raise.  If I shower her with enough praise she will take on any new task."  He must have told this to my new church.  

Regardless I have been in the midst of reporting on the first quarter and meeting with the committee and preparing to meet with the council.  I am having to dig out what information I can from church members who cannot remember what happened when.  Not only did we lose the past chairman, we also have a brand new minister who is as green as I am. Thankfully the church has an easy-going, smiling Treasurer who should walk around with angel wings and a halo.

What am I saying here?  I am saying it is a mixed bag of the good, the bad and the ugly.  The good part is that it keeps me busy and away from my sadness so much.  The bad is it takes me away from the time I would rather be blogging or mowing or working on my grandchildren book. The ugly that it puts me in the political gossip stream of a small church:(  

When I fall silent as I have recently you will know why.



Monday, April 21, 2014

MORE OR LESS

Question Of The Week 4-21-14

What do you think 


is the biggest downside 



of the 21st century?


Technology or ethics and morality or too many Baby Boomers or....?

Saturday, April 19, 2014

ONCE UPON A TIME

     We all know that David had four kittens.  These kittens were born in a nest box in the hen house.  This was David's custom to give birth in the place where she had been born.  David's boyfriend had been seen sneaking in and out of the barn and the huge black cat was named Darth Vader. Therefore the darkest kitten was named Luke, and the other three were named Leia, Han and Chewy.  

     We also know that after several days Mama David moved her four kittens and there was a bit of concern until the babies were located under the Toro mower that was in need of repair and had not budged for a couple of years.  It would have been a good location for the kittens if Slim, the dog and ruler of the barnyard, did not love kittens so much.

     Nightly securing of NOL-NOC Estates found the four young kittens scattered on the lawn and Granny Annie would take a flashlight, gather them up and place them back  under the Toro for David.  G.A.would visit with Slim in a sharp tone, warning her loyal pet not to be disturbing the kittens and taking them away from their mother.

     One evening while gathering kittens, Granny came across a brand new kitten still with eyes closed. What!!!  This kitten had a much louder voice than the older kittens and Slim was very reluctant for it to be removed from her sight.   When this kitten was placed under the Toro there were several other newborns waiting for this sibling.

     Olive, another of the grown cats, seemed to have been having an affair with Darth Vader as well.  This was her first litter of kittens and since she had not a clue what to do, she deposited them with David.  Mama David was caring for all the kittens while Olive peeked in occasionally before she went back to cleaning herself and primping.

     This one small newborn kitten became a total obsession with Slim.  The dog and adoptive mama cat were in a constant tug of war trying to retain custody of the small infant.  Granny Annie would intervene at every opportunity but often Slim would grab her new buddy and get away.  Finally David did a very smart thing.  Knowing Slim was not allowed in the chicken house, she moved all the kittens back there.  They no longer fit in the nest boxes but she found a safe corner and G.A. carried in a cardboard box for creature comfort. It seems to be working very well.

     Today Granny Annie finally was able to get a count of the kittens.  Four for Mama David and six for Olive.  Ten new kittens total and only four have names.  Everyone better put their thinking caps on.

Slim says, "David, I don't think this is your kitten.  I am not going to let you take it yet." This was their first encounter.


Slim says, "You just rest here little kitten and I will go get Granny Annie.  She will figure this out."


Granny Annie discovers the tiny kitten on the grass and takes it to David where she discovers several more.  Slim is given every assurance that it is okay for Mama David to care for Olive's kittens too.

Thursday, April 17, 2014

BREAD CRUMBS

The book is started and ink has been placed upon a page:)
It is indeed a daring adventure.  My first brave step has been taken and that is the step of marking the book with my handwriting.  Now there is no turning back.  I have selected the photographs of my parents.  These go on the second and third places for pictures.  The first space is for a picture of me and that will probably be the last picture I will place.

It asks for pictures of how I remember my parents.  Of course I remember my dad standing behind the pulpit.  I would not remember him at the age in this particular picture because it was taken in 1946, the year I was born.

I would not remember my mother at the age in her photo either because it was taken when she was in college.  But I remember looking at the picture often and marveling at how beautiful she was and wondering how that lovely girl could ever have turned into my hard working sun up to sundown mother.

There is room to write a lot about them and I will get started but I do wonder if there will be enough room because they were an amazing couple and how to narrow it down will be a challenge. You will not end up seeing my entire book for my grandchildren, but I will share a few bread crumbs as I go along.

If you don't know what I'm talking about, click HERE.

Monday, April 14, 2014

TURN ON YOUR HEART LIGHT

Question Of The Week 4-14-14

What is 
different
 in your heart 
and 
the heart 
of  your
 enemy?


Sunday, April 13, 2014

SUNDAY SEVEN 4-7-14 TO 4-13-14

WORDS OF GRATITUDE FOR PREVIOUS WEEK:

Pleasure
Boost
Heritage
Blessings
Celebration
Reflections
Triumphant
today 4-13-14
Palm Sunday


Explanation of word windfall from last week: (Since it aroused the most curiosity)
Money came into my account in January without explanation. I knew better than to touch it until I received notification that it had not been deposited to me in error. No explanation came and I attempted to forget the money was in my account. The end of March another deposit arrived from the same place slightly larger than the first, again without explanation. This time I called and left a message about both deposits. Got a call last week that the money is mine to keep:)

Saturday, April 12, 2014

NOW I GET IT



My son, NOL-NOC Estate's poorly paid foreman:)


  Last Sunday my son came in the house after working all weekend with the tractor, using brush hog and box blade and the running the backhoe.  He sat down smiling and said to me, "Now I get it".  He knew the reason Ron could go out in the morning and stay out all day on the tractors. You would never know he was raised a city boy.  Ron taught him well.

Here he is last year doing a little dead tree removal.

Friday, April 11, 2014

TAKING A DIVE

"Here I go again, headfirst into the ground!"
My daughter and her family have moved a lot in 21 years of marriage.  It took a couple of moves before they learned about St. Joseph.  A few weeks ago my son-in-law got a nice promotion that involved a move so the St. Joseph statue was the first thing they ordered.  

Poor St. Joe took a dive into the ground before their home was even listed with a realtor.  Last Saturday they had their first showing of their home and that evening they had an offer they accepted. 

Tuesday my daughter went to their new town and found their new home.  She made an offer and before they left town the next day, a counter offer came and they accepted and their new home closing was set. 

While they were touring the new school their daughter would attend an office worker identified the house they were buying and said, "Oh that is the blank, blank's house.  It has been on the market a little while with few lookers.  I just ordered them a St. Joseph statue and we buried it in their yard three days ago."

Their new home.  Plus they will be 30 minutes closer to me:)
I don't really believe in this St. Joseph statue stuff but......

Wednesday, April 09, 2014

IT IS HERE!

My book arrived in the mail and I felt like Steve Martin in the movie THE JERK running around yelling "The new phone books are here, the new phone books are here!"
I will not go into a lot of detail right now except to say this is very exciting.  Susan Adcox of About.com Grandparents has invited me to review her new book, STORIES FROM MY GRANDPARENT.  It is going to be fun to complete this journey for my grandchildren and provide an heirloom for them about their heritage.  Thankfully Susan has given the grandparent freedom to X out what doesn't fit them and work the telling to suit their own life.  This experience will also be shared by me on my Facebook pages so stay tuned my friends and I will try to keep you updated from time to time.  Thank you Susan for selecting me as one of your reviewers.  I am honored. 

Monday, April 07, 2014

A GENTLE BREEZE

Question Of The Week 4-7-14
Ice cream cones, a puppy dog kiss, a tender touch we seem to miss, a gentle breeze that calls our name, a walk in moments memories frame.
What is on your list of life's simple pleasures?

Sunday, April 06, 2014

SUNDAY SEVEN 3-31-14 TO 4-6-14

My words of gratitude from previous week.

                                            Leadership
               Windfall
                                Yellow
         Preservation
                              Sacrifice
                                              Thankful
            Family

Friday, April 04, 2014

HAVE SOME WEED

Peek-a-boo
I see you:)

To some this is just a menacing dandelion weed but to me it is a color of Spring.


F.Y.I. Did not lose anymore hens yesterday and I found where David is keeping her kittens. 
Things are good right now on NOL-NOC Estates

Thursday, April 03, 2014

HEE-HAW, HEE-HAW


 
"Gloom, despair, and agony on me
Deep, dark depression, excessive misery
If it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all
Gloom, despair, and agony on me"

Remember these lyrics from the show Hee-Haw 
composed and sung by Roy Clark and Buck Owens?


These are the lyrics running through my head this 
week as I continue to count losses.  So far I am 
down 6 fat hens.  My neighbor is down over 20.  We
are nearing $300 in replacement cost not counting
the eggs production that we are out.
 
I can only explain the loss of one.  She got caught
crossing the road (oh why did the chicken?) and was
hit by a car.  All the others have simply disappeared
leaving nary a trace of wing, beak or feather.

To bring even greater agony upon me, my precious
new mama cat David* had disappeared along with her
four new kittens, Luke, Leia, Han and Chewy.  David
moved them out of the nest box as usual and still
was showing up for breakfast each morning but the
last two mornings she has not been here.  The
neighbors have not seen her and her kittens either so
I fear the worst.
 
Plus, look how this stupid post is appearing on my 
blog today and I can't fix it.   

And so I sing....."Gloom, despair and agony on me.....
 
*Happy Addendum: David showed up for breakfast and
came from the direction of my storeroom so maybe 
her kittens are safe too and hidden there.