DOG CATCHER

Slim is ready for baseball season. What a catcher! See the ball in her mouth? I threw with my right and snapped my camera phone with my left and caught this mid-air action of our athletic dog. She is always proud when she manages to catch it in the air.

CELEBRATING DOWN UNDER

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TRAVIS!

Kiss a kangaroo for me:-) Who would have thought you would be celebrating your 29th in Australia.

BAGGED OR WRAPPED

I saw a photo today of a wedding shower gift table. The gifts were ALL in bags. I love gift bags. They are the easiest way to present the gift.

Is that a good thing -- the easiest way?

Remember the days of boxes stacked on the table with pretty paper and pretty ribbons. You wondered what was in the largest box to the smallest box. A lot of time or extra cost went into preparing the package.

My first job at age 16 was a gift wrapper in a department store. Until then I did not know there was such an art to properly wrapping a package.

Remember the days when we could take the time to show a little extra love in the presentation of a gift?

I will still use the bags because they become a gift as well. Wrapping paper was usually only good for a one time use.

I shall still lament the dying art of gift wrapping.

HERE SHE IS.....

Our newest family member. She hasn't been still since we got her so I had to catch this shot on the run. Notice it's not ME driving.

RUN, RUN, RUN AWAY

Remember we are still on dial up for internet access. If only a few days of blogging are missed, the blog world runs away from me. Finally reading over 300 posts from favorite bloggers has been accomplished. I posted a few comments but this darn computer goes so slowly I will just have to try to stay caught up going forward and not try to comment on all those posts. Dear blog friends, I am lurking so don't give up on me as a fellow blogger.

The grandchildren hogged the computer during their visits so I got some of my blog fix by reading a copy of HOMESPUN HEADLINES 2005. What a fun and clever idea Ralph and Char had to come up with these nice books of their life as blogged by Ralph. We see comments and endorsements by blog friends like Rachel and Cliff. I am hoping to order 2006 and 2007 next. We need to support our published bloggers. (If you haven't ordered BUCKSKIN BESSIE by Monica James yet you should do so.)

I will probably have to drop out of blog world again soon because two exciting events are about to transpire in our life. A brand new tractor arrives today and I will be learning to drive it. Next week our baby chicks will arrive and my mother hen instincts will take over as we care for these babies in the house until they are big enough to turn out with the others.

Spring Spring!

BREAKFAST

My favorite (and only) brother stopped by for coffee this morning. We had coffee and I added, ham, hashbrowns, toast and eggs. Ron took our picture to document the rare visit.

PREJUDICE IS TAUGHT

Prejudice is not inborn.......it is inflicted.

ALL GONE

The grandchildren are gone........so is toilet paper, paper towels, cheese, lunch meat, candy, cake, cookies. We do have some fruit left.

Reality television has a whole new meaning for us. We have passed up those programs thinking this is not reality. People are not like this. After this visit from mostly teenage grandchildren, we know that these people do exist.

THE GREAT EIGHT!

NESTLED CHILDREN

The children were nestled all snug....

on the floor, on the couches, in the living room, den and bedroom. Grandchildren everywhere and they are asleep. Every grandmother's dream to have the quiet morning to view their precious faces as they slumber.

I am waiting for the onslaught. Soon the house with be bursting with laughter, arguments, and the repeated phrases, "When do we eat? What are we having for breakfast? May I have some cereal while I wait for breakfast? Can we have Dr. Pepper for breakfast? We'll pick up all our stuff after breakfast...promise. What are we going to do today? Is it time for lunch yet?"

Six of our grandchildren are here now and the other two will be here Saturday. My prayer is for continual sunshine so I can say, "Take it outside."

INTRODUCING ANNA

My daughter's family has a new puppy. She is a 7 week old Golden Retriever and her name is Anna. We cannot wait to meet Anna! I hope they will remember to put a green ribbon on her today so she won't get pinched. Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone.

FOX WATCH

Slim managed to run off the fox twice yesterday. This is how Slim stood guard the remainder of the day until we put the chickens in their house at dusk. Beth, Dillon and I actually saw the fox the second time and saw Slim do her thing. She is a gentle dog but a ferocious chicken protector. And, in fairness I must give credit to Milton the guinea fowl for his part in saving the chickens. Slim chases away the predator while Milton sounds the alarm and leads the flock to safety.

TIKKA BEER PICNIC

Tikka took Nora on a picnic in the woods behind grandpa and grandma's (my sister's) house. You will note they did not forget the beer.

VARIETY IS THE SPICE OF LIFE

Left to right, Chicken Little (Aracauna-Americauna aka Easter Egg Chicken) Milton (Guinea Fowl) and June (Rhode Island Red). I truly have Spring Fever and am dreaming of baby chicks. We will have to wait until after the Easter company goes home to bring in a batch of baby chicks. It will be a while before we hatch in the incubator again unless we attempt Guinea Fowl eggs. Speaking of eggs, my girls are all back in the swing of things and we're getting close to a dozen a day...Hooray! Now we can win friends and influence people again.

COMMUNICATION

The body language seems to indicate Slim and Simone are having a serious discussion. Don't be fooled. They love each other.

MEAL TIME

Dorothy, Simone, Tinkerpaugh (right to left) anticipate breakfast.

THE PERFECT FEMALE PRESIDENT

I did know one woman who would never have wanted the job, but would have made the perfect President.

She devoted her life to a small nation and kept the peace. People with different views were constantly striving to disrupt her nation, but she maintained the rule of law. Invaders attempted to sway the beliefs and opinions of her followers but she maintained their loyalty – even if they disagreed. She was a listener. She could made a snap decision and usually manage to rule in the favor of right. She could rarely be swayed. She moved forward and did not apologize. “What’s done is done. We can learn by our mistakes but we cannot dwell on them. Get up, brush yourself off and go again.” She assured everyone there is always hope. She rarely cried, but if she did she certainly did not feel it was a sign of weakness. She was willing to throw herself in front of a moving bus to save her loved ones. She was eloquent, well educated, soft spoken, never cursed, (but occasionally mumered I’d like to spit in his eye.” lived her faith but did not dictate her beliefs to others, embraced all children and managed to leave an impression on each life she touched. She lived by the Golden Rule, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

I would hope the first female President of The United States would be someone a lot like my mother.

P.O.D. (Plan Of the Day)

It is always best when I start the day with a listing of things to do. For the past couple of weeks I have failed to make that list. I told Ron last night that this morning I was going to hit the ground running. The time change crept up on me and while it feels like time to go feed the cats and let the chickens out, it is actually one hour past time.

We need to be preparing for a lot of exciting company. Tulsa son and grandkids are coming during the kids Spring Break and California daugther and grandkids are going to be here Easter weekend. Missouri daughter and family will get to visit on the 22nd. So, why am I on this computer?

Blogs and Netflix are messing up my P.O.D. I must get out of this chair......must get up....must clean kitchen......must do laundry........must....must....oh wait, first I need to check on Jessi and Beverly and JD and Judy and Spinkle and Monica and Moon and Nora and Maria and Rachel and Lucy and Scarlet, and Kay and Renae, and OGO, and Oh, I've got to watch Michael Clayton ........................Well heck I've already lost an hour so...............................

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

March 12, 2008 my story Gypsy Cab Ride will be published at The Elder Storytelling Place. I am very nervous because the stories there are masterful and my non-fiction telling of an event in my life is literally a scraping of the bottom of the barrel. I hope you will go visit the site and give me some support.

Meanwhile there is a cry for more stories, so if you have something to tell you should submit it -- but only if you're over 50. Yes, it is a discriminatory blog.

IS CONFESSION GOOD FOR THE SOUL

Everyone knows that I had a goal for last Monday, 2-25-08, to lose 24 pounds. Of course that did not happen and that is what I must now confess.

My Cardiologist was very happy with my blood pressure readings and my cholesterol numbers but he was not happy with my weight gain and my failure to exercise. He put the ball in my court and said that he did not want to change my meds because they were doing their job, now it was time for me to do mine. Damn, I hate to take responsibility for my own actions. (You all know that I had a heart attack, two stents, and actually died once......so this is important stuff.)

The part that was hardest was visiting my husband's pulmonary specialist with him the same afternoon of that day and learning that he had lost weight and I had gained weight and I weighed one pound more than he did.

Tomorrow we both visit our primary care physician. We love our GP and she takes good care of us. But, we are both attempting to find the lightest weight clothing we can so we can participate in the battle of the All Star Weight Loss.

Was it cheating to cook him potato and sausage casserole today?

Naked BoBo

MARKERINGS

My art pieces are done with marker pens. Once in a while the media will be mixed with watercolors. Regardless they are not really "paintings" so I call them Markerings. I think Jessi suggested that.

Either people like my markerings a lot or they simply don't get them. I'm not real sure that I "get them" but I certainly enjoy the peace each project gives me.

Little by little I will share some of these on my blog. Not the nudes.....well, except for the one today. It is called Naked BoBo. Karen owns this one so I hope she doesn't mind my sharing.

Eaghl (pronounced eagle) Markerings

BEAUTIFUL JESSI

Jessi and Joe all dressed up for the Oscars. Didn't they pick a lovely setting for the photo? LOL

WHAT JUMPED OUT AT ME TODAY

This morning I read a Ronni Bennett interview at Time Goes By. She interviewed her ex-husband who is a radio talk show host Alex Bennett who can be heard live on The Alex Bennett Program on satellite radio.

Anyway, she ask him about aging and what he liked LEAST about getting old. He said: "The endless procession of doctors who see you as a new yacht."

That is my new favorite quote.

OUT OF MOVIES!!!

I should have received my next Netflix movie on Saturday. It did not arrive. That was okay because my son and grandchildren came for a visit and entertained us.

The next movie not being there Saturday practically made it a certainty that it would be in our mailbox today. It was NOT! Now there are no movies in-house and three movies on the way. This would not be a crisis except it is snowing. If we get the accumulation expected, we won't be able to go the the post office tomorrow and I may be without movies all week.

(Heavy panicked breathing.)

How spoiled do I sound?

There are world situations of turmoil. People are having serious health problems. Political disturbances are afoot in the U.S.A. And I am upset about what? Netflix movies.

Whine and wine make a nice Monday.

THE BLONDE AND THE LORD

A blonde wanted to go ice fishing. She'd seen many books on the subject, and finally getting all the necessary tools together, she made for the ice.

After positioning her comfy footstool, she started to make a circular cut in the ice. Suddenly, from the sky, A voice boomed, 'THERE ARE NO FISH UNDER THE ICE.'

Startled, the blonde moved further down the ice, Poured a thermos of cappuccino, and began to cut yet another hole. Again from the heavens the voice bellowed, 'THERE ARE NO FISH UNDER THE ICE.'

The blonde, now worried, moved away, clear down to the opposite end of the ice. She set up her stool once more and tried again to cut hole. The voice came once more, 'THERE ARE NO FISH UNDER THE ICE.'

She stopped, looked skyward, and said, 'IS THAT YOU LORD?

' The voice replied, 'NO, THIS IS THE MANAGER OF THE HOCKEY RINK.'