This past weekend was so much fun! Alisa and Tammie arrived at the ranch on Friday afternoon for a girl’s weekend. I had the upper cabin all ready for us to stay up there so we would not “bug” Don and so he could watch his ball games and we could watch our “chick flics”.
We headed into town about 4:30 to go to the rummage sale at St. Mary’s church. It is an annual event that we love to go to----lots of good stuff and really cheap prices. Last year Alisa and I got some great quilts for $3 each. There were not near as many treasure this year but we had fun looking and found a few things. Then we headed for Mamacita’s for the best Mexican food around. Boy, was it good. We were thoughtful and brought Don a nice fajita plate home so he wouldn’t feel too left out. He was thrilled with the food but rather glad to be left alone to eat it and watch his Ranger’s game. So we headed up to our cabin, got settled in and watched “Nanny Diaries” and then off to bed early as we were getting up at 6:30 because there were 20 garage sales to hit the next morning and the first one opened at 7.
We got up , ate a quick breakfast, made some sandwiches for lunch to take with us, packed some cold drinks and off we went. We were all over the city of Fredericksburg and down pretty country roads we had never seen before. Lots of fun, a few good treasures, just a great day. Also, spend some time at Dooley’s old time 5 and dime store and walking around main street. Ran a couple of errands for Don and headed back to the ranch. It had just been a fun day. We ate the Monterrey Spaghetti I had made for our supper and talked and talked--you know, solved all the world’s problems, then watched “27 dresses” and fell asleep.
Sunday morning, all to early, my friends had to go back home. But it was such a nice weekend. It had been so long since we had done that. We all needed it!
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Just Stuff
WARNING: a really long blog (but it has been a really long time since I wrote.......)
I miss blogging something awful. Have tried several times but give up as the words just won’t come but tonight I’m determined so here goes.
I am sitting out on the porch of the ranch cabin--only place it is cool enough to tolerate. Nice breeze, lots of little birdies above me enjoying their feeders totally unafraid of my presence; sunflower seeds scattered all over the porch from the squirrel who raids the feeders; sheep and goats grazing along the creek….I put a collar with a bell on Bucky, the lead goat. Just something about the tinkling of that bell I like….plus it makes us easier to locate the goats when we are looking for them. It is just a pleasant evening--nicest part of the day is when that hot sun finally sets. Let me tell you, it is HOT down here these days. Much cooler to be outside in the shade in mid-day than in the cabin even with tons of fans running.
Today I took on the tasks of washing all the bedding in the cabin….couldn’t remember when I did it last. Sure did not take long for it to dry on the line---even the quilts flapping in the wind with the hot sun on them were dry in a jiffy. While I was doing that chore I also was tending to defrosting the old frig in the store-room. Another task I cannot remember when I did it last. This is the frig I grew up with as a child--way over 50 years old and just keeps on going. BUT….we left here in a rush last fall when we were called out to the San Diego wildfires with Red Cross and I had left a watermelon and several other items that I could not distinguish in there. Needless to say, it was NOT a fun mess to clean up. And there was a ton of ice build-up so I was glad I did the job. It is all sparkly clean now and just humming a nice tune it is so happy.
We have been at the ranch for about 10 days now--a very eventful 10 days. We came suddenly after a phone call from a neighbor telling us our goats had gotten out of the fence, jumped the cattle guard, and were headed up the road. Thankfully, they were able to get them back in our fences before we got here. Mind you, Don had just left here the day before after fixing several holes in fences and thinking he had the problems solved. But unfortunately, the grass is indeed greener on the other side of the fence so the goats were very motivated to break out. Don found another hole and repaired it but the next day the goats were out again--but they were still on our land and not causing problems so we just let them stay out and sure enough they came back in at dusk and we fed them. It was hard to blame them for wanting the taller grass in the unfenced portion of our ranch. We put the cows out on that side, too. That left only the sheep in here. A neighbor told us of a trick you could do to your cattle guard that would keep the goats from crossing it. So on Sunday afternoon Don and I worked for hours in the hot sun repairing the sides of the cattle guard and putting this little “trick” up. What it is is bungies with a rope tied between them that stretch across the cattle guard about 4 inched above the road, where a car can just run over it, but for whatever reason, goats are afraid to cross over it. We were pretty pleased with ourselves. A little later we were sitting in the yard relaxing and the cows were bellowing at us, which we ignored, and a little bit later we heard a loud crashing and it was the cows breaking through the cattle guard on the side of it and there they went running up the road. So we hopped in the truck and went to round them up. They were rather wild and not at all inclined to go back home. We finally had to tear down the side of the cattle guard we had just repaired so we could herd them back in. Don was so mad I think he could have shot them. We got them back in our fences and called it a day.
We had already made the decision to sell some of the goats and now were seriously thinking of selling the cows. There just is not enough grass here to support them. It is so hot and dry. And cows are a pain--and more expensive to feed and care for, etc. etc. But we didn’t even have a trailer to haul them to auction in. My neighbor suggested calling the auction house and asking them for names of some livestock haulers--that they would come to your ranch, load them and take them to auction. Sounded wonderful to me so I got a name and called one who was real nice and agreed to be here Wednesday to get them.
This was great news but now we had to fortify our pens so we could contain the cows and have them penned when he came. Remember my blog from last summer when the vet came and we had quite a rodeo in the pens whenthe stupid cow jumped the fence twice and escaped…….Well, on Tuesday, we rounded up all the goats and selected the ones we wanted to sell and got them easily loaded in the goat trailer and took them to the auction. We stayed at the auction for most of the day just to see what things were going for. Sheep and goats are sold on Tuesday and cattle on Wednesday. Don and I both love the auction but just wish we understood it all better. How we would love to just be mentored by one of the buyers. They just don’t miss a thing. Livestock auctions are just a great piece of Americana that we love--it is like stepping back in time. There were LOTS of sheep and goats being sold that day. The prices were down as due to the dry conditions and high costs of feed ranchers are having to sell off lots of their stock. We got an ok price for ours but not as good as in times past. But it was a relief to have less animals to feed.
We now have just 10 goats and 21 sheep. The sheep are the easiest and bring the most money. We will wait until September to thin some of them out as we have heard the best time to sell is around the Jewish holidays.
Back to the cows---after we got home from the auction we took on the task of fortifying the pens to hold the cows and be able to get them down the shute and into the trailer. We put up cattle panels and tied ratchet straps around the posts to give them extra support. We were up at the crack of dawn and out trying to find the cows to get them in the pens and our hauler was supposed to be here at 8. We got them all in and fed them a little bit of cubes at a time to keep them happy. We have two cows and two bull calves. We were toying with the idea of keeping our longhorn calf and raising him for beef for ourselves as he sure was pretty and we were kinda sorry to see him go. The hauler arrived and did an excellent job--very smooth and trouble free--of loading the cows. No crazy shenanigans from our crazy cow. We discussed our thoughts of keeping the calf and he pretty much discouraged us from doing so. We really liked him and he had lots of experience so we loaded all four of them up and sold all of them. I have to say that it was such a big relief to us both to see them go. It is so nice to be able to leave the yard gates open and not to have to fight off cows every time we go to do something. The goats seem happier and are staying in the fences.
All is well---well, we sure could use a good long rain and a decrease in temperature. We got a half inch of rain from “Dolly” for which we were grateful but sure do need more. Red Cross asked for us to go out on Dolly but we just had to take care of our livestock problems here on the ranch so we said no. We’ll catch the next hurricane.
So we will be at the ranch for awhile as Don wants to get back to work on the fence he began last fall. We do love it out here in spite of the heat.
I miss blogging something awful. Have tried several times but give up as the words just won’t come but tonight I’m determined so here goes.
I am sitting out on the porch of the ranch cabin--only place it is cool enough to tolerate. Nice breeze, lots of little birdies above me enjoying their feeders totally unafraid of my presence; sunflower seeds scattered all over the porch from the squirrel who raids the feeders; sheep and goats grazing along the creek….I put a collar with a bell on Bucky, the lead goat. Just something about the tinkling of that bell I like….plus it makes us easier to locate the goats when we are looking for them. It is just a pleasant evening--nicest part of the day is when that hot sun finally sets. Let me tell you, it is HOT down here these days. Much cooler to be outside in the shade in mid-day than in the cabin even with tons of fans running.
Today I took on the tasks of washing all the bedding in the cabin….couldn’t remember when I did it last. Sure did not take long for it to dry on the line---even the quilts flapping in the wind with the hot sun on them were dry in a jiffy. While I was doing that chore I also was tending to defrosting the old frig in the store-room. Another task I cannot remember when I did it last. This is the frig I grew up with as a child--way over 50 years old and just keeps on going. BUT….we left here in a rush last fall when we were called out to the San Diego wildfires with Red Cross and I had left a watermelon and several other items that I could not distinguish in there. Needless to say, it was NOT a fun mess to clean up. And there was a ton of ice build-up so I was glad I did the job. It is all sparkly clean now and just humming a nice tune it is so happy.
We have been at the ranch for about 10 days now--a very eventful 10 days. We came suddenly after a phone call from a neighbor telling us our goats had gotten out of the fence, jumped the cattle guard, and were headed up the road. Thankfully, they were able to get them back in our fences before we got here. Mind you, Don had just left here the day before after fixing several holes in fences and thinking he had the problems solved. But unfortunately, the grass is indeed greener on the other side of the fence so the goats were very motivated to break out. Don found another hole and repaired it but the next day the goats were out again--but they were still on our land and not causing problems so we just let them stay out and sure enough they came back in at dusk and we fed them. It was hard to blame them for wanting the taller grass in the unfenced portion of our ranch. We put the cows out on that side, too. That left only the sheep in here. A neighbor told us of a trick you could do to your cattle guard that would keep the goats from crossing it. So on Sunday afternoon Don and I worked for hours in the hot sun repairing the sides of the cattle guard and putting this little “trick” up. What it is is bungies with a rope tied between them that stretch across the cattle guard about 4 inched above the road, where a car can just run over it, but for whatever reason, goats are afraid to cross over it. We were pretty pleased with ourselves. A little later we were sitting in the yard relaxing and the cows were bellowing at us, which we ignored, and a little bit later we heard a loud crashing and it was the cows breaking through the cattle guard on the side of it and there they went running up the road. So we hopped in the truck and went to round them up. They were rather wild and not at all inclined to go back home. We finally had to tear down the side of the cattle guard we had just repaired so we could herd them back in. Don was so mad I think he could have shot them. We got them back in our fences and called it a day.
We had already made the decision to sell some of the goats and now were seriously thinking of selling the cows. There just is not enough grass here to support them. It is so hot and dry. And cows are a pain--and more expensive to feed and care for, etc. etc. But we didn’t even have a trailer to haul them to auction in. My neighbor suggested calling the auction house and asking them for names of some livestock haulers--that they would come to your ranch, load them and take them to auction. Sounded wonderful to me so I got a name and called one who was real nice and agreed to be here Wednesday to get them.
This was great news but now we had to fortify our pens so we could contain the cows and have them penned when he came. Remember my blog from last summer when the vet came and we had quite a rodeo in the pens whenthe stupid cow jumped the fence twice and escaped…….Well, on Tuesday, we rounded up all the goats and selected the ones we wanted to sell and got them easily loaded in the goat trailer and took them to the auction. We stayed at the auction for most of the day just to see what things were going for. Sheep and goats are sold on Tuesday and cattle on Wednesday. Don and I both love the auction but just wish we understood it all better. How we would love to just be mentored by one of the buyers. They just don’t miss a thing. Livestock auctions are just a great piece of Americana that we love--it is like stepping back in time. There were LOTS of sheep and goats being sold that day. The prices were down as due to the dry conditions and high costs of feed ranchers are having to sell off lots of their stock. We got an ok price for ours but not as good as in times past. But it was a relief to have less animals to feed.
We now have just 10 goats and 21 sheep. The sheep are the easiest and bring the most money. We will wait until September to thin some of them out as we have heard the best time to sell is around the Jewish holidays.
Back to the cows---after we got home from the auction we took on the task of fortifying the pens to hold the cows and be able to get them down the shute and into the trailer. We put up cattle panels and tied ratchet straps around the posts to give them extra support. We were up at the crack of dawn and out trying to find the cows to get them in the pens and our hauler was supposed to be here at 8. We got them all in and fed them a little bit of cubes at a time to keep them happy. We have two cows and two bull calves. We were toying with the idea of keeping our longhorn calf and raising him for beef for ourselves as he sure was pretty and we were kinda sorry to see him go. The hauler arrived and did an excellent job--very smooth and trouble free--of loading the cows. No crazy shenanigans from our crazy cow. We discussed our thoughts of keeping the calf and he pretty much discouraged us from doing so. We really liked him and he had lots of experience so we loaded all four of them up and sold all of them. I have to say that it was such a big relief to us both to see them go. It is so nice to be able to leave the yard gates open and not to have to fight off cows every time we go to do something. The goats seem happier and are staying in the fences.
All is well---well, we sure could use a good long rain and a decrease in temperature. We got a half inch of rain from “Dolly” for which we were grateful but sure do need more. Red Cross asked for us to go out on Dolly but we just had to take care of our livestock problems here on the ranch so we said no. We’ll catch the next hurricane.
So we will be at the ranch for awhile as Don wants to get back to work on the fence he began last fall. We do love it out here in spite of the heat.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Monday, July 7, 2008
Good Mornin' from New York
Just some rambling thoughts on my mind this morning:
- Coffee is just the greatest thing to greet me in the mornings. It is just sooo good. I only have one cup but it sure is something I look forward to daily.
- I have been sick most of the time I have been here---just a nasty upper respiratory infection--just feel lousy--sore throat, that awful tickly feeling on the back of your throat that makes you cough constantly--can't sleep good and just don't feel myself. I think I am at the end of it though as each day gets better.
- This is our last day in New York. Has been a nice, long leisurely visit. We managed to help Barb get some projects done around her house: built an outdoor shed from a kit; Don cut down two huge dead trees; Don installed the icemaker in her new frig; and he built and installed new hand rails for her back door. So we feel we have somewhat earned our keep.
- Barb, Carol, Don and I went to the Yankee game on the 30th and watched the Rangers beat them. It was just fun being at Yankee stadium--had great seats--what a fun evening. I love baseball! And for us it was a win/win situation since we are Ranger fans as well as Yankee fans.
- Last night Barb and Don went again to the Yankee vs Red Sox game (Barb has season Sunday home game seats). This time instead of driving into the city they took the train and subway since the end-of-holiday-weekend-traffic was so awful. They are still asleep after getting home really late that I do not know who won or how it all went. Carol and I stayed home, rented "Little Miss Sunshine", and watched that. What a hilarious movie!
- We celebrated Barb's 60th birthday on Saturday with a big family party in the back yard at their house. Wally's son and family from Texas were here also so we enjoyed the visit with them--had not seen them since they came to our wedding. Then after all the guests had left Barb pulled out the patio fireplace from the shed and we sat outside around the fire just talking and laughing until late. How nice that the weather is cool enough to enjoy doing that. We even made s'mores.
- Weather has been in the 80's for highs--windows open in house--so nice--so DIFFERENT from our furnace blower intense heat back home. And it is so pretty and green and lush here. It isn't brown like home.
- Barb and Carol have two friends who have a beautiful old house on about 3 acres with grounds and gardens that are out of this world. They are in Georgia on vacation so I went with Barb to help water things and was just in awe. I mean this place should be on the cover of Better Homes and Gardens or Country Living of should be a place that hosts wedding receptions or something. It is just breathtakingly beautiful and decorated all country like with old antique farm implements, etc. I took about a jillion photos and will post them when I get home. I loved their home--inside and out--exactly my kind of decorating and tastes. Just so comfy cute and cozy. I absolutely loved it. I cannot begin to imagine how much time it must take to keep these gardens so gorgeous. I never saw one single weed. I just can't wait to post the pictures and share the beauty with you.
- I am actually looking forward to getting home tomorrow. I miss my dogs and cats and my baby chickens and my goats and my gardens and all. I hear we got a little rain, too.
- It feels weird to be in New York and not go spend a day in New York City like we always do but neither of us had the desire to do it this time. Though I did see that Taylor Hicks is playing in Grease on Broadway and I would have loved to see that. Another time. We like the city best in the fall.
- So that is all the news I have for now. Hopefully, we will be home tomorrow.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Just Stuff on my Mind
- We are in Stony Point, NY at Don's sister's home right now just relaxing. And how very good it is just to relax. It has been a very busy past two weeks and I was nearing the total exhaustion point.
- We had a wonderful week of keeping Mason and Grant. They were sooooooo good, could not have asked for better behaved boys BUT...they are 9 months and 5 years old with boundless energy and I confess, uh, I am just not as young as I once was....and that Grant--he is one big boy who is a load to carry around. Let's just say that my bedtimes were very early that week--between the extreme heat and playing with those boys I was glad to see the sun go down. But I loved every minute of it and miss them something awful.
- Also, had Tammy, Brian and Ariel for the week after that with our family reunion sandwiched in between. All the extra folks at our home along with still spending time outside in the heat keeping stuff watered wore me out. I loved being with family so much but I think we have gotten used to such a quiet, routine life with just the two of us that it is such a change. Our 100+ degree heat for weeks and weeks just saps my energy so quickly. It is sure nice being here in NY where it is in the 80's.
- Family Reunion: We had a wonderfully fun, simple family reunion held at Tammy's home in Leander. She had just the greatest swim pool--one of those above the ground blow-up kind. It was a grand hit with the kids. They lived in it. Jess put on a superb fish fry--ooh, that catfish and Tammie's hushpuppies, and Jennifer's potato salad.....WOW! that was some good eatin'. I just loved watching the kids play and listening to the different converstations going on in little groups all over the yard. I loved taking pictures of our family just being together and enjoying each other. I made my first "photo story" of pictures Jenny and I took put to music and I could just watch it over and over. As one of the song lyrics goes: "...I could not ask for more" just expresses my feelings and how thankful I am for family and the chance to gather together.
- my baby chicks: The snake saga continues. One more snake appeared and this time I was too late--he had already gobbled up 4 of my babies and another lay dead. We were in the process of murdering the snake when Jenny and boys arrived. Such a great welcome, huh? So Don got to work the next day and dug a trench all round the chicken house, installed hardware cloth a foot underground and up the wall of house a foot, then poured a concrete footer all around. There is no way a snake or any other varmit can now get in from the ground and we hope most of the other holes are now sealed and the chicken house is safe. All my chickies and baby ducks are growing fast and just so cute.
- Our trip to NY: We flew stand-by using our "parents of a pilot privileges with American Airlines". We left for the airport at 5:30am so we would have the day to try for seats and hopefully get to NY sometime that day. But we were blessed with actually getting on the first flight to Dallas and then directly on the flight to Newark. Only hitch came when due to bad weather in Newark our plane was held in Dallas for an extra hour. Our seats were in the very last row against the back of the plane--weird as we could not see anything but plane engines out the windows. It was really a tight fit for Don--no leg room at all, but we were thankful to have gotten seats and be on our way. This was our first time ever not to check our luggage. We each had one carry on suitcase and our backpacks and that was all. Those of you who know me well, must be shocked. I even left my beloved laptop at home. But it sure was nice not to have to go wait for your bags and all that. We caught the train at Newark airport and made it to Seacaucaus where we managed to miss the first two trains headed for Ridgewood, NJ, where we were being picked up by Don's sister, Claudia. But we finally made it there at 7pm--had a nice supper and visit and then Barb (his sister we are staying with in Stony Point) and Carol picked us up at 10 (they were at a party). It was soooooo good to get to our bed. I was so very tired. Slept until 9 this morning and am enjoying a quiet, restful, stay at home and watch the rain fall day here in New York. We made it clear we do not need or want entertaining--just to visit and enjoy family and be here. We love their house but I have never been here except in fall (remember those pretty autumn tree pictures I posted last November?) and winter. It is nice to see it all green and flowery and pretty in the summer. So that catches you up with me.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
A Narrow Escape
Yesterday I moved my baby chickens from the garage to the hen house. Before doing this I had covered every nook and cranny and hole something could possibly get through to get inside the hen house. I felt it was truly secure and safe. But, just to be on the safe side, I put my babies inside a big dog crate inside the chicken house at night. This morning all looked well and my chickies were so glad to be set free to run about the hen house and the little outside porch area they have. I just love watching them running all about exploring everywhere.
So tonight, just before dark, Don and I were sitting down at the pond and I asked him if he thought I should put them in their dog crate or could I just shut the little door to the porch area and leave them out. Thank God, Don told me to put them in the crate and that he went with me to the barn to put them up. I guess they had learned the nightly routine already because most of them were already in the crate--just about 8 of them were snuggled down next to it. Don went inside the chicken yard to shut the little door out onto the porch and suddenly yelled at me that there was a big snake already inside the porch area and heading for the chicken house. He threw a cinder block at it but the snake kept coming and was half way in the chicken house where I was. I hollered for him to grab it (yea, right, just what he wanted to do) and he grabbed it and pulled it back but it came back inside again, and he grabbed it again and threw it out into the chicken yard, and slammed another cinder block down on it. It still kept coming back so I grabbed the hoe from the barn and handed it to him and that took care of the snake. It was a BIG ole Rat snake. I looked at him and didn't see any lumps in him so don't think he got any of my babies. I will count them tomorrow. So we took them back up to the garage.
I don't know what to do. How can you possibly make an old chicken house snake proof? Stupid guineas were right outside cheering us on but doing nothing. They are SUPPOSED to kill snakes but they sure were not doing their guard job, and neither were the barn cats. This big guy had to have crawled through the mesh in the chicken wire but he was bigger around than that. I just don't see how he could have gotten in. If anyone has any ideas or experience with snakes we need help. I want my babies to run free safely. I don't want to go through another chicken massacre. Is there such a thing as snake repellent????
My Summer Favorites
Jenny's post about why she loves summer inspired me to write one of my own. So here is what I love about summer:
- the beautiful songs of the Mockingbird--I just love to listen to their long symphonies
- the smell of freshly mowed grass and the sound of lawnmowers
- big heavenly blue Morning Glories greeting me when I step outside
- the taste of a "still warm from the sun" homegrown tomato
- Sprinklers. I love to just watch them. Refreshing. Or to just water something with the hose.
- plums, peaches, cherries, and WATERMELON--those glorious fruits of summer
- the sweet sound of laughter coming from children in a swimming pool
- a big, cold glass of ice tea with lemon (or an ice cold Lonestar) after working outside in our extreme Texas heat.
- tank tops. I can barely abide sleeves at all in summer. I love tank tops! I don't even care if my arms are "dangly" these days......
- early morning walks while the birds serenade me-(the poem that goes "What is so rare as a day in June" always comes to mind.
- floating down the Frio River-(It has been way too long since we did this-I MISS IT!)
- sitting in the swing out front reading a good book
- family reunions
- hanging out clothes on the line. I love to see a full clothesline. It just feels good.
- my Mom's lemon meringue pie. Summer is a good time for a big slice of this delicious pie.
- watching my grandkids having fun swimming in our stock tank just as their parents did.
- going barefoot--I love to go barefoot still-except there are too many stickers around here-I miss that deep carpet grass we had when I was a kid. I could have gone the entire summer with no shoes--was a perpetual battle between my mom and me.
- that delicious aroma of grilled meat on a barbecue pit...and fresh corn on the cob.
- homemade ice cream-- (we need to do more of this, too)
- ooh, those fabulous sweet Fredericksburg peaches
- The sounds and lights of ballparks with Little League baseball games--my heart aches to return to those times of watching the kids in T-ball and baseball.
- Inks Lake-- Just the smell of the water takes me back to those wonderful times as a kid I had there at Camp Longhorn. We need to go here more, too.
- Hummingbirds. I love to watch them battle over the feeders--so tiny and delicate yet swift and mighty.
- big summer roses (Peace is my favorite)
- catchin' frogs and tadpoles in the creek with Mason
- fields of freshly baled hay
- our family 4th of July fireworks show
- at the ranch, right before bed on a hot night, taking a dip in that cold well water in the swim tank under the moon and stars--aah, how cool and refreshing (after the intital shock...) and peaceful and heavenly in the dark amidst the night sounds of nature.
- at the ranch, sitting on the porch steps watching the lighting bugs put on a fantastic show
- the sound of doves calling to each other in the late evening
- all the night sounds--the locusts, treefrogs, crickets, and deep sound of the bullfrogs from the creek
- the sweet smell of the Honeysuckle growing on the chicken yard fence
- popsicles
- slip n slides--I hope I never get too old to slipnslide!
- roastin' weenies and marshmallows over a campfire
- just sitting in a lawnchair outside visiting with someone
- *a new favorite--watching Don feed his fish in the pond in the late evening and seeing the armada of turtles there waiting for him to feed. Just sitting on the rock enjoying the sunset and watching life around the pond.
- *another new favorite--watching my baby chicks as I moved them to the chicken house. They were so excited to explore such a big area--trying their wings out and running all over the place "talking" to each other. And watching the goats we have here at home as they venture out into the big field and being relieved that the dogs (long time tenants of that field) are not bothered in the least by the new tenants.
- And I agree with Jenny--I love having it get light early (I might be an earlier riser than she is) and stay light late. I love summer--even the heat. I love being outdoors and watching stuff grow--plants and animals and kids! Thank you, God, for summer.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
YIPEE!!!!
I did it. It came down to attacking my slooooooow dial-up service by bashing my computer or saying I have had enough and entering the wireless world. I was at the point of slamming my computer with a hammer (nothing, I mean nothing, can drive me to violence quicker than my computer). I could literally click on a website and then go downstairs, and outdoors, and move the water sprinkler to a new location and come back inside, go potty, and go back upstairs and still the site was not loaded. It was excruciating. So I grabbed our phone book and called every wireless provider and got their prices, etc. Then I remember an ad on TV we kept seeing for a little device that inserts in your USB port and you have wireless anywhere there are cell towers. I called my wonderful tech-support son, Micah, who suggested I look into Sprint since they are the carrier for our cell phones. I did and, lo and behold, a live person answered their phone--a very friendly, nice American person with no accent so I could actually understand what he was saying. We decided it was the right fit for us and he sent it out and we actually got it by UPS the next day. I am using it now. The cost was $49 up front and $60 per month. With a router Don and I can use it at the same time. Oh, how delightful it was to quickly get online and move from place to place quickly. I am so happy. We have 30 days to try it out and make sure it will work for us so we want to try it at different locations and with the router and all and make sure we are still happy with it. How nice it will be to not have to worry if we will have free internet where we stay with Red Cross--course, we still have to worry about the cell towers still standing after a disaster..........
Ok, so while I was solving our internet woes I figured I was on a good roll so might as well look into a DVR. Our VCR no longer works on our main TV so if we are gone we miss something and that is that. All you kids have raved about the wonders of a DVR so I called DISH and got that going, too. It will be installed on Tuesday. We are really moving into the modern age here at home.
Thank you for your nice comments about my blogging. I hope to more of it now that it is less time consuming and I am not stuck up in the unairconditioned, hot schoolroom where my dial -up line was located. Oh, boy, I can even sit out in my swing in the early morning and blog away. I am so excited!
Ok, so while I was solving our internet woes I figured I was on a good roll so might as well look into a DVR. Our VCR no longer works on our main TV so if we are gone we miss something and that is that. All you kids have raved about the wonders of a DVR so I called DISH and got that going, too. It will be installed on Tuesday. We are really moving into the modern age here at home.
Thank you for your nice comments about my blogging. I hope to more of it now that it is less time consuming and I am not stuck up in the unairconditioned, hot schoolroom where my dial -up line was located. Oh, boy, I can even sit out in my swing in the early morning and blog away. I am so excited!
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Blogger Block
What is wrong with me? I used to be able to sit down and just pour out my thoughts and the thoughts flowed and the writing was better than a primary school child's and now I just feel all choppy. When the thoughts are flowing I am in the car or someplace that I can't put them down and then when I am at the computer, zip--they vanish and I feel stuck. I truly miss blogging. I don't want to become the blog nobody bothers to check anymore because there is never anything new. I love reading all the blogs and I want to participate, I want to be read, too. So HELP---bear with me as I press through the writer's fog and blog something.
Yea! Summer is here and it sure does feel like it. We spend most of our days outdoors since we have had quite a large mess to clean up thanks to a huge windstorm over two weeks ago that demolished 6 of our grand old oak trees. Thankfully, no damage was done to our home or other buildings but Don is devastated that the three shady oaks next to the pond are no more. He had brought home three enormous rocks from a job he did and carefully placed them under those nice shady trees so we could sit there and enjoy the pond in comfort--and now there are just rocks too hot to sit on in the sun. But we have both worked very hard cleaning up all the debris, burning huge piles of limbs, and stacking up LOTS of firewood. The pond is no longer so sad looking now that it is cleaned up around it and the Martin house (which took a nose dive in the wind) and its residents (who miraculously hung on) is back up. We will plant more trees and the pond is still beautiful and the fish did not get washed over the spillway and downstream. We are very blessed as it could have been so much worse.
I spent three days at the ranch by myself this week. It had been way too long since we had been out there and I just needed to see for myself that all was well. The creek still had plenty of water, the grass was green and plentiful, and all the animals looked just fine. I gave the cabin a good cleaning and just reveled in the peace and quiet. I love the ranch. It restores my soul--I just feel so close to God there and have such good conversations with him as I work and walk on the land. It just fills me with such an appreciation of how greatly He has blessed us. I came home feeling very refreshed.
Yea! Summer is here and it sure does feel like it. We spend most of our days outdoors since we have had quite a large mess to clean up thanks to a huge windstorm over two weeks ago that demolished 6 of our grand old oak trees. Thankfully, no damage was done to our home or other buildings but Don is devastated that the three shady oaks next to the pond are no more. He had brought home three enormous rocks from a job he did and carefully placed them under those nice shady trees so we could sit there and enjoy the pond in comfort--and now there are just rocks too hot to sit on in the sun. But we have both worked very hard cleaning up all the debris, burning huge piles of limbs, and stacking up LOTS of firewood. The pond is no longer so sad looking now that it is cleaned up around it and the Martin house (which took a nose dive in the wind) and its residents (who miraculously hung on) is back up. We will plant more trees and the pond is still beautiful and the fish did not get washed over the spillway and downstream. We are very blessed as it could have been so much worse.
I spent three days at the ranch by myself this week. It had been way too long since we had been out there and I just needed to see for myself that all was well. The creek still had plenty of water, the grass was green and plentiful, and all the animals looked just fine. I gave the cabin a good cleaning and just reveled in the peace and quiet. I love the ranch. It restores my soul--I just feel so close to God there and have such good conversations with him as I work and walk on the land. It just fills me with such an appreciation of how greatly He has blessed us. I came home feeling very refreshed.
It has sure gotten hot quickly this year. It is nearly 100 today--we took the Sabbath seriously and after church just stayed inside and rested and watched a movie on TV. It takes lots of time in the evening to keep everything watered. I have a rather crazy garden this year. I have a bunch of tomatoes and peppers and eggplant growing in pots and then I took three old kid swim pools (they were cracked in bottom from being duck ponds), filled them with dirt (composted) from the chicken house and planted squash in one, cantaloupe in one, and watermelon in the other one. Everything is growing so nicely. I have lots of baby tomatoes and squash.
And this week my baby chickens arrive. We have been without chickens for almost a year now and I really miss them. So we cleaned out the barn and fortified the chicken house to make it predator safe, and I have ordered quite a nice assortment of babies. Some are rare breeds, some are Banties (probably will end up with another mean rooster), and some are our favorite barred rock layers and Aracauna layers (they lay green and blue and different color eggs). I can't wait to see chickens pecking about the yard again. I also ordered 3 Buckeye chickens which supposedly "roar" and 4 baby ducks. So the barnyard will be alive again. Yea!
And I have the cutest, sweetest, cuddliest great-grandson ever. Hayden has already gained a pound in his two weeks of life. He is already challenging Grant in the grub department. Both those boys love to eat! And how neat it is to have Hayden living right in the same town as us--I keep telling Amber they need to go out on a movie date or something so Gema can babysit.
I was given a Nintendo DS for Mother's day and have been pretty faithful in my "daily brain training". That is what I wanted it fo--Brain exercise. I can't even begin to play regular Nintendo games. Today I am feeling good as my brain age was 43. The last time it was 67--that is not good. Some of the exercises I am good at but others I am lost. But I shall persevere and strenghten my brain and keep those cells alive and well.
That is all I have for today.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
I'm a Great-Gema!!!
On Friday, May 16, Amber gave birth to a great big beautiful boy--Hayden, who weighed in at 9 lbs. 6 ozs. He was a big one and I got to witness his birth. He is just so cute and so perfect--has lots of black hair and just looks too big to be a newborn. He seems to be a good baby who sleeps three hours, eats,poops, and sleeps somemore---at least for now. Amber kinda had a rough time with the birth with him being so big and all and has to take it real easy for a few days to recover so it is nice he is so good. Jerry was so excited--like a little kid before Christmas--he was a great comforter to Amber and just did a super job of being a new Dad. Holding Hayden for the first time was real scary for him. I think he was afraid he might break him or something but you could see the strong desire in his eyes to hold his son. Amber and Jerry will be great parents. It was just a blessing to me to get to be there and be part of his birth.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
About our photo shoot......
Recently, I spent the weekend with Jenny and one of the things she wanted to do was a photo shoot of her and the boys. We wanted to do this in that wonderful magic hour right around dusk when the light would be just right for scenes of her and the boys at the city gardens downtown. Great idea, BUT, we had been out shopping all day with both boys, taxing them to the limit, and then first thing after we arrived at the gardens, Mason was running and tripped and skinned his arm and leg so was not in a good frame of mind for photos. Grant was in a great mood and absolutely loved all the grass and flowers--too much so--as it was hard to get his attention away from them to look at the camera. And then, you add to this fact that I am the photographer, not my talented daughter, so while we had fun and did get some cute shots, they are sure not in the same class as Jenny’s photo shoots. But I did get some cute ones of Grant taking his bath later, and of them at home. Thought I would share a few in the following slideshow.
Free Things I Love to Do
I have been away from blogging for way too long. I awoke this morning full of energy at 5:15 so decided to catch up on reading the blogs and my email. I read Tania's suggestion of each of posting our favorite free things to do so thought I would comply. Here goes.
Read a good book (I love Louis L'Amour westerns--they truly take me away to another era)
Putter around outdoors with Don fixin' or buildin' or plantin' or working with the animals.
Watch the birds at my bird feeders
Take pictures of pretty flowers and birds
Just look at all my favorite photos on my computer and organize them into albums.
Just talk to God and write in my prayer journal and think of all the things I am grateful for and thank God.
Read blogs and write blogs. Must admit that having dial-up keeps me away from computer because it all takes SOOOOOOO long thus sapping up my free time.
Plant things--just digging in the dirt--I love the smell and feel of freshly dug earth.
Watch our goats grazing and playing.
Go to the library and just look at all kinds of books. The library is one of my favorite places.
Talk to my family members on the phone.
Change a room around; organize or clean something;
Play games--dominoes, cards, board games.
Watch a good chick flick or an edge-of-the -seater.
Watch American Idol
Reading--just catching up on reading ministry newsletters from the various ministies we support and learning how God is working.
Learning new stuff--I love to read articles, books, internet and learn new things about what I am interested in (which is a lot of varied stuff)--photography, gardening, chickens, goats, ponds, good health
Brain exercise-- logic puzzles, trivia questions, math problems, sudoku, stuff to keep my brain alive--HINT, HINT--I am really hoping my children will all go in together and get me a Nintendo DS and a brain game for Mother's Day.
Go to garage sales (yea, I guess it is not free--but close to it)
Go for a walk--I especially love walking on the ranch
Ok--that is all for now. Tummy says feed me breakfast
Read a good book (I love Louis L'Amour westerns--they truly take me away to another era)
Putter around outdoors with Don fixin' or buildin' or plantin' or working with the animals.
Watch the birds at my bird feeders
Take pictures of pretty flowers and birds
Just look at all my favorite photos on my computer and organize them into albums.
Just talk to God and write in my prayer journal and think of all the things I am grateful for and thank God.
Read blogs and write blogs. Must admit that having dial-up keeps me away from computer because it all takes SOOOOOOO long thus sapping up my free time.
Plant things--just digging in the dirt--I love the smell and feel of freshly dug earth.
Watch our goats grazing and playing.
Go to the library and just look at all kinds of books. The library is one of my favorite places.
Talk to my family members on the phone.
Change a room around; organize or clean something;
Play games--dominoes, cards, board games.
Watch a good chick flick or an edge-of-the -seater.
Watch American Idol
Reading--just catching up on reading ministry newsletters from the various ministies we support and learning how God is working.
Learning new stuff--I love to read articles, books, internet and learn new things about what I am interested in (which is a lot of varied stuff)--photography, gardening, chickens, goats, ponds, good health
Brain exercise-- logic puzzles, trivia questions, math problems, sudoku, stuff to keep my brain alive--HINT, HINT--I am really hoping my children will all go in together and get me a Nintendo DS and a brain game for Mother's Day.
Go to garage sales (yea, I guess it is not free--but close to it)
Go for a walk--I especially love walking on the ranch
Ok--that is all for now. Tummy says feed me breakfast
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Saturday Fun
Tammie, Alisa, and I were out the door before 7am to head to the garage sales. It was brrrrrsies! 38 degrees when we left, so we were layered up in our attire. First sale was a barn sale not far from the ranch--how I wished Don was there with the flatbed trailer as they had fencing and ranch gates very cheap. But since they would not fit in my Honda I had to let someone else snap them up. I did get a comforter for the "kids room" for a buck and a cute pair of shoes. St. Joseph's rummage sale was fun--so packed with stuff, but not as great as in the past--sadly, no $3 quilts. We must have hit about 20 more sales after that. My greatest treasures were a tripod for my camera for $1.50 and a great camera bag for $2. Then we found Amber a "baby basket" like I used for her dad as a baby. It is a straw basket with a hood and handles, about the size of a bassinet, that can be used for a newborn to sleep in and as a travel bed.I hope she enjoys it as much as we did with Brian. We all found various other items we could use--got a great camping table--one of those fold-up one that makes into a table and 4 seats. It will come in handy on our family camp-out this summer.
It had turned into a beautiful sunny day--just perfect for being out and about. We had fun just being together and buzzing around Fredericksburg. Went back to the rummage sale before it close in time for the "bluelight special" where you could stuff all you could get into a bag for $1. That was fun. Tammie came out way ahead on this deal as she got a duvet cover they had priced at $35 and a wonderful set of "portly" wisemen that were also pricey.
I have to add that we also managed to pick up a nice lawnchair that was on the side of the road. I mean, it matched all the others I had at the ranch and was just begging to go home with us.....
We ended the adventure by having lunch at Mamacita's. Was just a great day of fun and fellowship and good finds.
It had turned into a beautiful sunny day--just perfect for being out and about. We had fun just being together and buzzing around Fredericksburg. Went back to the rummage sale before it close in time for the "bluelight special" where you could stuff all you could get into a bag for $1. That was fun. Tammie came out way ahead on this deal as she got a duvet cover they had priced at $35 and a wonderful set of "portly" wisemen that were also pricey.
I have to add that we also managed to pick up a nice lawnchair that was on the side of the road. I mean, it matched all the others I had at the ranch and was just begging to go home with us.....
We ended the adventure by having lunch at Mamacita's. Was just a great day of fun and fellowship and good finds.
Friday, April 4, 2008
Ranch News
It is so good to be back at the ranch. My girl friends and I are having a girl's weekend here to relax AND to go to the multitude of garage sales on Saturday including our most favorite rummage sale at St. Joseph's Hall. Last year we got beautiful quilts from there for $3 each among other wonderful treasures. There are 42 garage sales listed in the paper. No way we can make all of them as around here most sales run from 8am til noon. So I used my super map program and mapped them all out in order so we would waste no time. It is supposed to be a gorgeous day, too.
Don and I came down yesterday to the ranch--Don pulling a trailer full of granite gravel to use to improve our ranch roads here. That was some hard work unloading that trailer a shovel full at a time since Bob is back at home. I did about 1/8 of it and Don did the rest. That man is one hard working machine! Next, we pulled the trailer up to this one field we have that is really covered with rocks and we proceeded to fill the trailer with rocks. Now that is lots of work, too. And we would work and work and you could still see the bottom of the trailer. All that bending over and battling the fire ants often hiding under the rock and the cactus all around--what fun! But it was a nice day--very cloudy and breezy with thunder rumbling in the background. Was a bit humid but the nice cool breeze made it bearable.
We were delighted when our younger cow showed up with her new calf probably born a week or two ago. Such a cute calf--takes after his Longhorn father, for sure. We named him Moon Pie--with help from Beki and her friends who said his name had to have moon in it since they were sure he was born around the full moon. The mama's name is Patty Cake (or Calf Patty, as Don calls her). The other cow is Patty (Cow Patty to Don) and I named her bull calf, Pot Pie. Guess we will raise these two calfs for beef for ourselves.
Back to the rock collecting. We are gathering these rocks to take back home to be used for erosion control for the pond. I ran out of steam much quicker than Don did so he kept on pickin' and I took the goats, sheep, and cows back to the cabin and fed them and started supper. Don moved the trailer closer to the cabin where he had stacked some big flagstone size rocks last summer and he began to load those. He had that whole trailer FULL of rocks. Unbelievable! I don't know how he could still walk.
He showered and collapsed into his recliner and I fed him 4 Advil and a big steak dinner which he devoured. That was one exhausted man! But he was up early and eager to get the rocks home and start to work again putting them where he wanted around the pond. We had a cold front come in during the night along with a brief rain shower but none of the severe weather that was predicted. It is cold right now--low 50's and very windy. I am content to stay inside and catch up my blogging until the sun comes out later on. It is just so nice and peaceful out here. My friends will arrive later this evening.
Ok-it is now two days later. My computer acted up again and I could not post this blog. So here it is.
Jenny's "Try This"
Jenny said, "If you're bored and have nothing better to do, try this:"
Julie said, "Ooh, I love fun stuff like this so here goes....
1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME (first pet, current car): Candy Honda
2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME (fave ice cream flavor, favorite type of shoe): Cherry Garcia Sneakers
3. YOUR NATIVE AMERICAN NAME (favorite color, favorite animal): Yellow Dog
4. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME (middle name, city where you were born): None Colorado City
5. YOUR STAR WARS NAME (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 of your first name):Barju
6. SUPERHERO NAME (2nd favorite color, favorite drink): Apricot Water
7. NASCAR NAME (the first names of your grandfathers): William Earl
8. STRIPPER NAME ( the name of your favorite perfume/cologne/scent,favorite candy): Honeysuckle GummyWorms
9. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME (your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter): Horner Houston
10. SPY NAME: (your favorite season/holiday, flower): Autumn Pansy
11. CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing rightnow): Plum Jeans
12. HIPPIE NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree): Biscuit Pecan
Julie said, "Ooh, I love fun stuff like this so here goes....
1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME (first pet, current car): Candy Honda
2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME (fave ice cream flavor, favorite type of shoe): Cherry Garcia Sneakers
3. YOUR NATIVE AMERICAN NAME (favorite color, favorite animal): Yellow Dog
4. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME (middle name, city where you were born): None Colorado City
5. YOUR STAR WARS NAME (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 of your first name):Barju
6. SUPERHERO NAME (2nd favorite color, favorite drink): Apricot Water
7. NASCAR NAME (the first names of your grandfathers): William Earl
8. STRIPPER NAME ( the name of your favorite perfume/cologne/scent,favorite candy): Honeysuckle GummyWorms
9. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME (your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter): Horner Houston
10. SPY NAME: (your favorite season/holiday, flower): Autumn Pansy
11. CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing rightnow): Plum Jeans
12. HIPPIE NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree): Biscuit Pecan
Sunday, March 16, 2008
We have a windmill
While I was away at the ranch, Don and some friends set up our new windmill. It is big. It looks so great and creaks and sounds like a windmill should. It will pump air into our new pond. I just love it! I have always wanted a windmill and now we have one. It is quite the envy and conversation piece of the neighborhood. Don has done an outstanding job of digging this pond and putting together the windmill. I am so impressed and so excited by it all. When we get rain and the grass grows and we add a little landscaping it will be so beautiful and relaxing.
Thank you, Don, for all your hard work. I just love it! And, I love you.
Thank you, Don, for all your hard work. I just love it! And, I love you.
Julie, Alisa, and Blue's Hill Country Adventures
What a glorious weekend I had! Alisa and I left for the ranch on Friday about 5. We were driving "Ole Blue", Don's now retired, 1990 old blue pickup, which has become our garage sale truck. It was a beautiful, but HOT, spring afternoon, and Blue's AC decided to go kapoot. I must say this was the most miserable drive to the ranch ever. The sun was so intense and the wind was so HOT. I dreamed of cold ice tea...or a frozen Margarita..waiting for us at Mamacita's in Fredericksburg. It was the longest drive........but finally, we got there, and what a wonderful thing it was to walk into air conditioning and sit down and cool off and have that ice tea, glasses and glasses of it. We tried to stay as long as we could but that sun was still up when we finally left, and since we were driving west, directly in our eyes nearly blinding us. What a relief just to get to the ranch!
All the goats, sheep, and cows came rushing to meet us as we arrived. We had stopped at the feed store so had treats for them--50 pound sacks of feed and a fresh bale of hay. They were all thrilled. We enjoyed watching them. There are 9 baby goats, 7 little lambs, and 1 baby calf--so cute and frisky.
We left before daylight Saturday morning to head out to the garage sales in Fredericksburg--11 of them. BUT, in the early dawn of a beautiful spring morn the countryside was just too alluring with so many sights to behold. We stopped to watch several flocks of wild turkeys, and many, many deer were out, and the sun coming up giving that special haze to the fields and farmsteads--so many kodak moments. We stopped to take so many pictures (we both have new cameras). It was a beautiful, slow trip to town--early morning is just such a pretty time.
The garage sales were fun but not the greatest ever---no real treasures sitting there waiting for us to find them. I guess my greatest find was a hand carved wooden Nativity set from Paraguay. I just love it. And I found a really pretty quilted purse for $1. Found some books for the grandkids and thats about it. But we enjoyed looking--it is fun just getting to drive through all the neighborhoods of Fred. and see all the many old houses. I love Fredericksburg--so much history and German culture everywhere.
We were done with the sales about 11 so headed for Mason to an estate sale there and to have lunch at a little place visited by the Texas Country Reporter. It was a great little Mexican cafe that opened up in an old gas station. Had terrific gorditos and guacamole and lots of cold tea and DP. It all tasted so good. Estate sale was ok--that is where I found my nativity set. Then we just walked around Mason, a really old, small Texas town with lots of history. The writer of "Old Yeller" was raised here and the setting for the book took place here. Lots of neat old buildings and homes. We shopped a little in the shops then drove around taking more photos of grand old houses, old movie theatre, and lots of windmills. Alisa and I both love windmills.
We took a small little county road back toward Doss. Stopped and took lots of windmill, old barn, old farmstead, creeks, Llano river, and livestock pictures. Also, stopped at Hilda and took lots of pics of a beautiful old Methodist church just sitting out there all by itself in a big field. So very picturesque. We stopped and talked with some of the local people who were out and were warmly welcomed. At Doss, we stopped and got a DP at the Doss country store and took photos of the Doss school, one of the few remaining open one room school houses in the state. Then we headed back to the ranch through more back roads taking more pictures of old farmsteads and windmills and anything else unique and interesting. We had such a wonderful time. What a pretty spring day and so much beautiful country to see---and the wildflowers are not even out yet and it is still pretty. Though VERY DRY! We need rain really bad.
We got back to the ranch and crashed. Sat in front of the TV and watched movies and ate fritos and bean dip and Hot Tamales (candy) for supper. We were exhausted but sure had a grand day.
This morning we got up and got to work. Cleaned all the hunter's stuff out of the upper cabin and scrubbed it down and fixed it back up pretty to look like a guest cabin again. What a makeover! It looks so pretty and cute with colorful quilts on the beds instead of camo sleeping bags.
Then we cleaned up our cabin so it would be ready for Beki and her guests Easter weekend. All the critters came down so we treated them to somemore feed and said a sad goodbye. It is always so hard to leave the ranch. We headed home a different way through Llano on the back ranch roads. Stopped to take old school house pictures and then spent some time watching the baby Eagles in their nest outside of Llano. It looked like they were getting flying lessons. They would flap their wings and lift up about 6 inches from the nest and back down again. We took a ton of pics but I think they were still too far away for great photos. But it was fun to watch them. A great ending to our weekend. Just had to share our wonderful weekend with you.
All the goats, sheep, and cows came rushing to meet us as we arrived. We had stopped at the feed store so had treats for them--50 pound sacks of feed and a fresh bale of hay. They were all thrilled. We enjoyed watching them. There are 9 baby goats, 7 little lambs, and 1 baby calf--so cute and frisky.
We left before daylight Saturday morning to head out to the garage sales in Fredericksburg--11 of them. BUT, in the early dawn of a beautiful spring morn the countryside was just too alluring with so many sights to behold. We stopped to watch several flocks of wild turkeys, and many, many deer were out, and the sun coming up giving that special haze to the fields and farmsteads--so many kodak moments. We stopped to take so many pictures (we both have new cameras). It was a beautiful, slow trip to town--early morning is just such a pretty time.
The garage sales were fun but not the greatest ever---no real treasures sitting there waiting for us to find them. I guess my greatest find was a hand carved wooden Nativity set from Paraguay. I just love it. And I found a really pretty quilted purse for $1. Found some books for the grandkids and thats about it. But we enjoyed looking--it is fun just getting to drive through all the neighborhoods of Fred. and see all the many old houses. I love Fredericksburg--so much history and German culture everywhere.
We were done with the sales about 11 so headed for Mason to an estate sale there and to have lunch at a little place visited by the Texas Country Reporter. It was a great little Mexican cafe that opened up in an old gas station. Had terrific gorditos and guacamole and lots of cold tea and DP. It all tasted so good. Estate sale was ok--that is where I found my nativity set. Then we just walked around Mason, a really old, small Texas town with lots of history. The writer of "Old Yeller" was raised here and the setting for the book took place here. Lots of neat old buildings and homes. We shopped a little in the shops then drove around taking more photos of grand old houses, old movie theatre, and lots of windmills. Alisa and I both love windmills.
We took a small little county road back toward Doss. Stopped and took lots of windmill, old barn, old farmstead, creeks, Llano river, and livestock pictures. Also, stopped at Hilda and took lots of pics of a beautiful old Methodist church just sitting out there all by itself in a big field. So very picturesque. We stopped and talked with some of the local people who were out and were warmly welcomed. At Doss, we stopped and got a DP at the Doss country store and took photos of the Doss school, one of the few remaining open one room school houses in the state. Then we headed back to the ranch through more back roads taking more pictures of old farmsteads and windmills and anything else unique and interesting. We had such a wonderful time. What a pretty spring day and so much beautiful country to see---and the wildflowers are not even out yet and it is still pretty. Though VERY DRY! We need rain really bad.
We got back to the ranch and crashed. Sat in front of the TV and watched movies and ate fritos and bean dip and Hot Tamales (candy) for supper. We were exhausted but sure had a grand day.
This morning we got up and got to work. Cleaned all the hunter's stuff out of the upper cabin and scrubbed it down and fixed it back up pretty to look like a guest cabin again. What a makeover! It looks so pretty and cute with colorful quilts on the beds instead of camo sleeping bags.
Then we cleaned up our cabin so it would be ready for Beki and her guests Easter weekend. All the critters came down so we treated them to somemore feed and said a sad goodbye. It is always so hard to leave the ranch. We headed home a different way through Llano on the back ranch roads. Stopped to take old school house pictures and then spent some time watching the baby Eagles in their nest outside of Llano. It looked like they were getting flying lessons. They would flap their wings and lift up about 6 inches from the nest and back down again. We took a ton of pics but I think they were still too far away for great photos. But it was fun to watch them. A great ending to our weekend. Just had to share our wonderful weekend with you.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Lovin' this spring weather!
Thought I would catch you up on our life so here come the bullets:
- Don and I went to Kyle to visit Josh and Kara and see their new home. Wow! It is so nice and we both just loved it. Great floor plan, just a great house. And brand new! I am so happy for them and know they will have fun decorating it and just making it theirs. Josh cooked us a wonderful lasagna dinner and we had a fun visit. I was disappointed not to get to visit with their two cats, Sunny and Rosey, who are still traumatized by the move and in hiding. And we all need to pray for Kara to find a job in Kyle---that commute to San Antonio is about to do her in.
- Alisa and I are going to the ranch tonight to check on things AND to go garage sales in Fredericksburg and Mason tomorrow. We are just looking forward to getting out there and having fun together. It has been way too long.
- A couple of weeks ago we had a big group over on Saturday and finally got the liner put in the big pond Don dug on our acreage next to house. It was quite a project. Then he worked for a week putting together the windmill that will aeriate the pond. He said he never had seen so many nuts and bolts in his life......Now tomorrow he and friends will put the windmill in place. Don has been filling the pond for the last 10 days with the hose. I have been really praying that the well and pump holds out. We are on a really huge aquafer but still......I really don't want to be hauling buckets of water to the house from the pond for our use....... It is almost full and looks really pretty. Don wants to put fish in it and get a little boat and just use it to have fun with grandkids swimming and fishin' in it. He is putting some sod and grass seed out, too, and will line it with big flat rocks. It should really be nice when all done.
- Tammie and I leave on our adventure to Georgia to see Adam graduate from boot camp on Tuesday. We are looking forward to the time together and to get to see Adam.
- I have the planting bug. I just love this time of year with all the pretty bedding plants in the nurseries. Love potting flowers. And even wish I still had my big vegetable garden...but we are just gone too much for that. Anyway, I keep looking for the wildflowers to pop out--saw just a few bluebonnets on the bridge going to Kingsland. Can't wait though to try my new camera on the wildflowers though.
- Speaking of my new camera...I have had more fun using the telephoto to take pictures of the birds coming to my feeders. I have a finch sock that is always full of pretty, colorful little finches and another feeder that attracks the cardinals and nuthatches. I just love watching the birds and especially love that melodial water dripping sound the Purple Martins make--and the cheerful songs of the Mockingirds and the mournful calls of the doves. I just love spring!
- That's all for now--I need to finish potting my new marigolds and lantana--the outdoors bekons......
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Happy Birthday, Tammie
I have written before about how much God has blessed me by giving me the desires of my heart. Growing up an only child I had always yearned to have a sister--my idea of a sister was like having a best friend that was with you all the time--you got to share living in the same house.
Another desire of my heart was to have a big family--extended family living together or close to each other. I remember my neighbor in Houston sharing with me how she grew up in a big old house in the country with her cousins and grandparents--several families living under the same roof and how fun it was and how close they were. That was the kind of life I wanted.
And it all happened--a little bit at a time--but God fulfilled those desires of my heart. And one of those answered prayers came in the person of Tammie. Tammie and my oldest son, Brian, married very young and had two children--Adam and Amber. Their marriage fell apart and in 1989 Tammie and my two grandchildren moved in with us. Adam was almost 3 and Amber was 9 months old at the time. Our family already numbered seven: Rick, me, Micah, Christy, Josh, Jenny, and Gina (who was then our foster child). And we had foster child number 2, Robert, a failure to thrive two-month old, on his way to us as soon as he was released from the hospital. So we quickly became a family of eleven.
What can I say but that God’s grace was all over this. Tammie and I got along fantastically and shared in the raising of these kids and the many other foster children that would pass through our doors over the next seven years. Tammie blossomed from a frightened, insecure teenager who didn’t even have her driver’s license yet into an awesome, nurturing mother, a fabulous cook, a creative homemaker, an excellent college student, and a leader of the Children’s program at church, and a dear friend. Together, we home schooled, led Girl Scouts, survived T-Ball, Little League, Little Dribblers, Gymnastics, Vacation Bible School and various other kid activities along with enjoying the trials and tribulations of the older kids teen years.
Ours was a crazy, rambunctious, but fairly orderly and disciplined household. It was everything I ever dreamed of and more. And Tammie more than fulfilled my longing for a sister. Yes, technically she was my daughter-in-law, but we just had a closer, more equal, relationship than that. We were peers raising our children together; she became that sister I always wanted. Two women living in the same house can often be a disaster but for us, because of God’s grace, it was a beautiful success. Tammie is my very closest female friend whom I love dearly and thank God for bringing her into my life. I treasure those 7 crazy years together and cherish the wonderful memories we shared--and the memories we continue to make.
I am awed by her--she inspires me. She completed her degree while living with us and is an excellent, well-respected Occupational Therapist. She can just do anything she sets her mind to--a very hard worker whose creativity and love for others just spills over into everything she does. And I am so happy that God saw fit to put Jess Fisher in her life and bless her with such a wonderful husband who loves her so much.
So all this to say Happy 40th Birthday, Tammie. You are wonderful and I pray you will have 40 more wonderful birthdays to celebrate. And may our times and adventures together just get better and better. We soon will be GRAND-PARENTING together!!! Yipee!!!
You are loved.
Another desire of my heart was to have a big family--extended family living together or close to each other. I remember my neighbor in Houston sharing with me how she grew up in a big old house in the country with her cousins and grandparents--several families living under the same roof and how fun it was and how close they were. That was the kind of life I wanted.
And it all happened--a little bit at a time--but God fulfilled those desires of my heart. And one of those answered prayers came in the person of Tammie. Tammie and my oldest son, Brian, married very young and had two children--Adam and Amber. Their marriage fell apart and in 1989 Tammie and my two grandchildren moved in with us. Adam was almost 3 and Amber was 9 months old at the time. Our family already numbered seven: Rick, me, Micah, Christy, Josh, Jenny, and Gina (who was then our foster child). And we had foster child number 2, Robert, a failure to thrive two-month old, on his way to us as soon as he was released from the hospital. So we quickly became a family of eleven.
What can I say but that God’s grace was all over this. Tammie and I got along fantastically and shared in the raising of these kids and the many other foster children that would pass through our doors over the next seven years. Tammie blossomed from a frightened, insecure teenager who didn’t even have her driver’s license yet into an awesome, nurturing mother, a fabulous cook, a creative homemaker, an excellent college student, and a leader of the Children’s program at church, and a dear friend. Together, we home schooled, led Girl Scouts, survived T-Ball, Little League, Little Dribblers, Gymnastics, Vacation Bible School and various other kid activities along with enjoying the trials and tribulations of the older kids teen years.
Ours was a crazy, rambunctious, but fairly orderly and disciplined household. It was everything I ever dreamed of and more. And Tammie more than fulfilled my longing for a sister. Yes, technically she was my daughter-in-law, but we just had a closer, more equal, relationship than that. We were peers raising our children together; she became that sister I always wanted. Two women living in the same house can often be a disaster but for us, because of God’s grace, it was a beautiful success. Tammie is my very closest female friend whom I love dearly and thank God for bringing her into my life. I treasure those 7 crazy years together and cherish the wonderful memories we shared--and the memories we continue to make.
I am awed by her--she inspires me. She completed her degree while living with us and is an excellent, well-respected Occupational Therapist. She can just do anything she sets her mind to--a very hard worker whose creativity and love for others just spills over into everything she does. And I am so happy that God saw fit to put Jess Fisher in her life and bless her with such a wonderful husband who loves her so much.
So all this to say Happy 40th Birthday, Tammie. You are wonderful and I pray you will have 40 more wonderful birthdays to celebrate. And may our times and adventures together just get better and better. We soon will be GRAND-PARENTING together!!! Yipee!!!
You are loved.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Time for Bullets
- So good to be home. Got back from Arkansas on Friday night. We both enjoyed working on this Disaster Response--loved Arkansas and the great people there.
- Our weather is sure all over the place....97 one day (in Llano) and then 29 last night.....and that wind is something else.
- We had a brush fire come within a block of our house. They stopped it just before it got to the outbuilding of the house down the street.
- We have a new baby calf--about a week old--so very cute and frisky.
- Went to the ranch yesterday to get the Bobcat as Don is determined to finish his pond here. He worked on it all day today. Has bunch of friends coming on Saturday to help him put the liner in. We have big visions of fishing with grandkids in it.
- It is starting to feel like spring: my Jasmine is in bloom, the birds are singing, just that feelin' is in the air. I expect to see a few Bluebonnets poking their heads out soon. And I can already taste the strawberries from Sweetberry Farm down the road. I love spring.
- We are thankful to have escaped all the flu and bugs going around.
- That's all my news for now. Just enjoying the time at home.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Is anyone out there?
Hey, I am getting real lonely here in blogworld. We are away from home and I miss hearing from everyone and I blogged a bunch and every time I get to log on I am so excitied to see if there are comments and what do I see but......0 comments. I need comments! I need to know someone cares about me out there. I am sad and let down.
And Tania, Christy, Gina, Kara---are you ever going to blog again? I miss you.
ok--I said it, now I will take down the pity party decorations.
Our service center closed down and everyone has left but Don and I who have to stay and do casework out of our motel. There really is not much to do so it is like a day off. It is cold and rainy outside so good day to rest up in motel room. Hastings is across the street so I did have some fun browsing there this morning. We might have snow tomorrow.
And Tania, Christy, Gina, Kara---are you ever going to blog again? I miss you.
ok--I said it, now I will take down the pity party decorations.
Our service center closed down and everyone has left but Don and I who have to stay and do casework out of our motel. There really is not much to do so it is like a day off. It is cold and rainy outside so good day to rest up in motel room. Hastings is across the street so I did have some fun browsing there this morning. We might have snow tomorrow.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
My "H"
Ok--remember a few posts back when I complained about my H on my keyboard sticking and being very cantankerous. Well, after we got to Arkansas, I pulled out my laptop and the H worked pretty as you please--just like it was supposed to. Guess the gremlin just needed a little plane ride.........
Greetings from Arkansas
Don and I have been in Arkansas for a week with Red Cross helping victims of the wicked tornadoes that swept across the state on Feb. 5. We are working in Gassville and Mountain View and staying in Mountain Home. We have done lots of driving doing outreach--where we go house to house checking on people so we have seen lots and lots of awful destruction. Part of interviewing victims and doing casework is listening to their stories of what happened. The people here are just so nice, warm, friendly, resilient, gracious, giving, unselfish,--just plain good people. The communities are awesome. They take care of each other. They are there for each other. Churches all work together to serve their community and open their arms and help. We have to practically beg people to take our help. Never have we worked a disaster where more people have insurance. And these are not wealthy, well-to-do areas. The average income is around $25, 000. But they have ingegrity. They lead decent and orderly lives. I would venture to say the vast majority of them have a strong faith in God and live out that faith. It is such a pleasure to work here and get to meet and talk with this community.
Tornadoes are just so fickle. So very unpredictable. Unless you witness firsthand their destruction it is almost unbelievable. How can they destroy a brick home yet leave a vase of flowers on the table? They mow down three houses in a row, skip one, and mow down three more. They are just so weirdly awesome and so wickedly deadly. I am awed by the stories I hear so in the next post I will share some with you.
We are enjoying our co-workers on this job and just being here to help out what we can. Alisa and the animals are having fun at home. Happy Valentines Day!
oh, and this--the highschool gym where we have our service center is also a donation drop off that the teachers are doing to help the community. It is like being in the middle of a huge garage sale and not able to look or touch----it's driving me nuts!
Tornadoes are just so fickle. So very unpredictable. Unless you witness firsthand their destruction it is almost unbelievable. How can they destroy a brick home yet leave a vase of flowers on the table? They mow down three houses in a row, skip one, and mow down three more. They are just so weirdly awesome and so wickedly deadly. I am awed by the stories I hear so in the next post I will share some with you.
We are enjoying our co-workers on this job and just being here to help out what we can. Alisa and the animals are having fun at home. Happy Valentines Day!
oh, and this--the highschool gym where we have our service center is also a donation drop off that the teachers are doing to help the community. It is like being in the middle of a huge garage sale and not able to look or touch----it's driving me nuts!
Tornado Stories
I have an awesome story of survival to tell you about. There was a family who lived on Main St. in Gassville, Arkansas, one of the hardest hit areas of the state, who came to Red Cross for assistance. Gassville’s sirens never went off to warn people. This was their description of the moments before the tornado struck. The mother had been home sick in bed all day. Older son, who normally would have been on computer in his room, had gone to the school to get the younger son from basketball practice. Dad and daughter were in the living room with six year old they were watching for a friend. At about 5 pm Dad saw the friend pull in the driveway and went to tell his wife her friend was there. She got up out of bed, went to kitchen and made a pitcher of tea noticing her friend was still in car talking on the phone. Dad happened to glance out the window and saw the patio furniture levitating and the darkness of the sky. He grabbed the six year old and dove under the big oak dining table in the kitchen, covering her with his body as he yelled for the others to take cover. The mother said one moment she was reaching in the cabinet to get a glass to pour herself a glass of tea and the next moment she was on the floor with rain pouring down. The only wall left standing was the one with the cabinet she was reaching into. All the other walls and the roof were gone. The oak table saved the lives of the father and friend’s child as it kept the wall and roof from falling on them. The daughter described screaming as the wall “chased” her. The friend road out the storm in her car out front--it was battered badly and a large metal object speared the seat next to her but she was ok. The two sons were ok but had they been at home and in their bedrooms, and had the mom still been in her bed they would not have survived. All family members were unharmed except for scrapes and bruises.
And the pitcher of tea stood on the counter undisturbed.
Rob had just gotten home from work when he heard the sirens so he sheltered in the pantry of his older, rock home. His home was nothing but a big pile of rubble in just a few moments but somehow he was able to crawl out from under it unharmed. He looked around him and heard a car horn closeby that kept honking ever so often. He discovered it was jammed into the rubble of his house and contained his neighbor who was honking for help. He had to remove debris and pull the man through the truck window. Don visited the neighbor in the hospital and he said he was in Walmart when he noticed the weather getting bad so he left quickly for home. The tornado struck before he could get from the truck into his house and his house and Rob’s ,across the road, both exploded and jammed his truck between them. He is recovering quickly.
Another family came in---a single mom with two boys. They lived in a mobile home on her brother’s land. When they heard the tornado warnings they evacuated to a neighbor’s home a few blocks away. The nine year old was worried about leaving his pet guinea pig in the house. They returned to find their home totally destroyed but as they walked into what used to be their home they heard a familiar squealing and found the guinea pig still on the bottom of his cage though his cage roof had blown away. He was shook up, but fine, and his boy was elated.
Rob had just gotten home from work when he heard the sirens so he sheltered in the pantry of his older, rock home. His home was nothing but a big pile of rubble in just a few moments but somehow he was able to crawl out from under it unharmed. He looked around him and heard a car horn closeby that kept honking ever so often. He discovered it was jammed into the rubble of his house and contained his neighbor who was honking for help. He had to remove debris and pull the man through the truck window. Don visited the neighbor in the hospital and he said he was in Walmart when he noticed the weather getting bad so he left quickly for home. The tornado struck before he could get from the truck into his house and his house and Rob’s ,across the road, both exploded and jammed his truck between them. He is recovering quickly.
Another family came in---a single mom with two boys. They lived in a mobile home on her brother’s land. When they heard the tornado warnings they evacuated to a neighbor’s home a few blocks away. The nine year old was worried about leaving his pet guinea pig in the house. They returned to find their home totally destroyed but as they walked into what used to be their home they heard a familiar squealing and found the guinea pig still on the bottom of his cage though his cage roof had blown away. He was shook up, but fine, and his boy was elated.
The only death we dealt with was a sad story. A woman lived in a mobile home and when she heard the warnings she evacuated to her boyfriend’s brick home. Her mobile home was untouched but she died when her boyfriend’s home was demolished. He is still in the hospital.
An elderly lady told me a sweet story. She had lost her husband a year ago and had given her son his dad’s recliner and some of his tools. The tornado destroyed most of her son’s home but the recliner was undisturbed and the tools remained on the workbench where he had placed them.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Oh, No!
It seems our dog saga has not yet ended. Today, Don got an email from the guy who took the yellow lab, Megan (the neighborhood menace). Sherman, our neighbor whose lady friend owned the dog, went to this guy and paid him $500 to get the dog back because his lady friend was so unhappy. The guy was not at all happy as he had put lots of time and money into keeping the dog. I so hope Sherman will not let her loose and will be responsible this time. This dog has cost him $2200.00 because of her bad behavior. Just when we thought we could relax and our pets would be safe......
Leaving for Arkansas
We just got the call to leave for Arkansas. Instead of driving the ERV we will be doing Damage Assessment. We're flying to Little Rock then driving to Russellville. This will be a different kind of assignment for us but we are looking forward to it. Doing damage assessment on tornadoes is not too hard as ,sadly, their generally is not much left to assess. It is weird how these tornadoes come so badly so early in the season. This time last year we were in Daytona Beach for tornadoes that hit there. Tornadoes are the worst disasters--so fickle in who they pick on--and so incredibly viscious.
Please pray for us to have comforting words and compassionate listening ears for those we meet and for God to be in charge of our assignments. It is so hard to know what to say to comfort those whose lives have just been so devastated. We just want God to use us.
So we are off. Will keep you posted
Please pray for us to have comforting words and compassionate listening ears for those we meet and for God to be in charge of our assignments. It is so hard to know what to say to comfort those whose lives have just been so devastated. We just want God to use us.
So we are off. Will keep you posted
We're off again (I think)
We bought a truck yesterday--2003 Ford-350 4x4 FX diesel crew cab. We love it--very roomy back seat, 4 doors, white. Don is beyond excited.
We are on call for Red Cross for the tornadoes that wrecked havoc across the nation this week--expect to leave today driving the ERV.
Went to the ranch yesterday to take hay and check on things. All was well. Animals were fine--lots of baby goats and lambs--so very cute. They all followed us in two lines as we walked the ranch. It was so good to be out there--as we were leaving we both commented at same time how we hate to leave the ranch.
We have enjoyed being home and getting stuff done around here and just resting up. Feels good.
I love February--those gorgeous days that bring hints of spring. I have been planting pansies and Johnny Jump-ups like crazy. Their sweet little faces are just so pretty and welcoming on my front porch and just lift my spirits.
I miss Mason and Grant something awful--have really enjoyed all the pics Jenny has posted.
My “h” on keyboard is acting up--so in my future writing if you see the word te--that means the. Sure are lots of h’s in words--slows down my typing something awful. Tank goodness spell ceck catches some of them.
Monday, February 4, 2008
My Computer Gremlin
Hi--I have a tale to tell. I have known for sometime that I have a gremlin in my computer who just likes to mess with me and drive me nuts. In times past he has: made my list of favorites just disappear; made my entire Quicken program disappear; taken the sound away and made my CD unable to copy CDs ---all these things would occur at different times, for no apparent reason then in a week or so they would suddenly reappear and work properly with no doing on my part. I had eyewitnesses to these problems!! They were real.
Well, a week ago I had used my computer on Sunday then the next morning tried to get online only to have my computer tell me that my modem--my internal modem--had gone missing. It just was not there--nor was the COM3 port it was supposed to be attached to. I tried all the diagnostics and stuff I could to discover the problem--so did Don and Micah spent over an hour on the phone with us trying to get to the bottom of the problem. Nothing would help.
So that is why I have been AWOL from the blogworld. It was making me so mad. I had to just leave the computer alone for days cuz I wanted to shoot it. So today, I decided enough was enough and called the repair shop in town and arranged to bring it in to the "Laptop hospital". So I get there and proceed to tell the technician my problems and he boots it up and, lo and behold, the sound chimes in, the modem is all there and she is working beautifully. It is like when you take a car to the repair shop for the weird noise it is making and it purrs perfectly for the mechanic........ I think the little gremlin got scared he was gonna be found and departed on the way to the doctor.
Then, I got to thinking about the other times when problems corrected themselves suddenly and they all involved me moving the laptop---going to the ranch; coming home from New York; coming home from San Angelo, etc. We have stayed put for over a month now and I think my computer missed the travel--was bored being on the same ole desk day after day--needed some excitement and new places and once I put her in the car and took her for a ride she straightened right up. So, thankfully, I am up and running again and can get online. I am so glad even if my son, Micah, is now absolutely sure his mom is crazy. I can't wait to catch up on blogs and all kinds of stuff. I never realized how much I use the internet until it is gone.
Don and I are busy searching for a new (used, but new to us) pickup truck. He has spent hours pouring over the internet looking for good deals and learning about the different options. We have looked at a few and really like a 2003 Ford-350 diesel crew cab we found in Austin. It is just such a nice truck, one owner, and so roomy yet so powerful which we need on the ranch and to pull the Bobcat. Will let you know how it goes.
Well, a week ago I had used my computer on Sunday then the next morning tried to get online only to have my computer tell me that my modem--my internal modem--had gone missing. It just was not there--nor was the COM3 port it was supposed to be attached to. I tried all the diagnostics and stuff I could to discover the problem--so did Don and Micah spent over an hour on the phone with us trying to get to the bottom of the problem. Nothing would help.
So that is why I have been AWOL from the blogworld. It was making me so mad. I had to just leave the computer alone for days cuz I wanted to shoot it. So today, I decided enough was enough and called the repair shop in town and arranged to bring it in to the "Laptop hospital". So I get there and proceed to tell the technician my problems and he boots it up and, lo and behold, the sound chimes in, the modem is all there and she is working beautifully. It is like when you take a car to the repair shop for the weird noise it is making and it purrs perfectly for the mechanic........ I think the little gremlin got scared he was gonna be found and departed on the way to the doctor.
Then, I got to thinking about the other times when problems corrected themselves suddenly and they all involved me moving the laptop---going to the ranch; coming home from New York; coming home from San Angelo, etc. We have stayed put for over a month now and I think my computer missed the travel--was bored being on the same ole desk day after day--needed some excitement and new places and once I put her in the car and took her for a ride she straightened right up. So, thankfully, I am up and running again and can get online. I am so glad even if my son, Micah, is now absolutely sure his mom is crazy. I can't wait to catch up on blogs and all kinds of stuff. I never realized how much I use the internet until it is gone.
Don and I are busy searching for a new (used, but new to us) pickup truck. He has spent hours pouring over the internet looking for good deals and learning about the different options. We have looked at a few and really like a 2003 Ford-350 diesel crew cab we found in Austin. It is just such a nice truck, one owner, and so roomy yet so powerful which we need on the ranch and to pull the Bobcat. Will let you know how it goes.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Who is this baby?
Ok--who do you think this baby is? Leave your comment and I will tell you the answer tomorrow.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Our Weekend
Brrrrrr!! We have had some unusually cold, rainy weather lately. Though, after watching the Green Bay game last night I have NOTHING to complain about. But I have enjoyed sitting close to the woodstove and staying indoors. AND Jenny and her boys came home for the weekend. It was such a nice visit. We did nothing but visit, play games, play with the boys, eat, and watch a little football. The sausage soup and cornbread Jenny requested was perfect for our cold, rainy Friday night. Mason and Pop-pop played cars a lot and messed around outside together. It was just a nice quiet fun weekend. And now I sure miss them all since they had to go back home today. Thank you, Jenny, Mason, and Grant for coming to see us. Now, I'll go download the cute pictures I took of them. I love my new camera!
Dog Dilemna Conclusion
Don went over to our neighbors with the unruly dogs to talk to them about the problem. They acted like the only thing they could do would be to put the dogs down. Don told them that was not at all what we wanted but just that they kept them home. She said she just couldn’t keep them in all the time, kept saying they would have to get rid of them. Don suggested putting an ad online in the “freecycle” place and they agreed to that but said they did not have a computer. So Don offered to do it for them and put their phone number in the ad and they agreed. By that night he had had two responses to the ads and on Sunday someone came and loved “Megan”, the young yellow lab that is the most trouble. He lives in another town on acreage and has kids so it sounds like a great solution so Megan now has a new home far away. The new owner says he is thrilled with his new dog but it was a tearful farewell for our neighbors.
So why do I feel so awful and so guilty---instead of happy and relieved? Why did they have to let it come to this??? I feel so sad for this nice old couple that had to give up their dog. I hate being so mean. But I know we did the only thing we could do. We begged them to put up a fence, contain the dog somehow, get a neighbor kid to walk the dog daily, do something to keep the dog from being a neighborhood terror and nuisance. We ignored and tried to understand the first several killings of chickens--we have a Lab ourselves who will kill chickens when he has the chance--BUT we keep him contained in a fenced yard. It was just their unconcern for our pets and their safety that finally got to me. We did the Biblical thing and went to him first with our complaints---three or more times---we have three different eye witness reports of the dog with our chickens dead in his mouth and the owners even admitted he brought dead chickens home (and dead cats). How could they be so uncaring and unthoughtful of other people’s animals? What choice did we have but to call in the authorities? Even if he paid our vet bills but still lets the dog roam we were so fearful of Pete being mauled again once he is healed and allowed to go back outdoors. I feared for our other cats, our ducks and guineas, and I want to be able to have chickens once again. I know we did what we had to do to protect our animals but I feel lousy.
I hate stuff like this.
So why do I feel so awful and so guilty---instead of happy and relieved? Why did they have to let it come to this??? I feel so sad for this nice old couple that had to give up their dog. I hate being so mean. But I know we did the only thing we could do. We begged them to put up a fence, contain the dog somehow, get a neighbor kid to walk the dog daily, do something to keep the dog from being a neighborhood terror and nuisance. We ignored and tried to understand the first several killings of chickens--we have a Lab ourselves who will kill chickens when he has the chance--BUT we keep him contained in a fenced yard. It was just their unconcern for our pets and their safety that finally got to me. We did the Biblical thing and went to him first with our complaints---three or more times---we have three different eye witness reports of the dog with our chickens dead in his mouth and the owners even admitted he brought dead chickens home (and dead cats). How could they be so uncaring and unthoughtful of other people’s animals? What choice did we have but to call in the authorities? Even if he paid our vet bills but still lets the dog roam we were so fearful of Pete being mauled again once he is healed and allowed to go back outdoors. I feared for our other cats, our ducks and guineas, and I want to be able to have chickens once again. I know we did what we had to do to protect our animals but I feel lousy.
I hate stuff like this.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
I'm Back
I’m back. I am re-entering the blog world. I have missed it so so much. I promise not to disappear for so long again. But I had to discipline myself to stay away. The computer just sucks time like a vacuum sucks dust bunnies and I needed to spend that time getting my house and my life back in order.
Seriously, we have been home so very little this year that I actually still had LAST Christmas’s magazines on the table by my favorite chair. And there were still Christmas presents from last Christmas sitting in my office still in their Christmas boxes and bags where I put them on Christmas afternoon of 2006.
You see, we left on December 29, 2006 for Arizona to help when Don’s dad went in for surgery. We stayed there for nearly three weeks and on our way home got called to the Oklahoma ice storms with Red Cross. Then we were home a week or so when we got called to the Daytona Beach, FL tornadoes in early February where we spend three weeks. Then we were home for a week or so before going to the ranch to take care of things there. Then to San Angelo for a bit for Kylah’s wedding and Mason’s birthday then back to the ranch for several weeks.
In mid-April we were sent to New Hampshire for the Nor’Easter flooding there. We spent two weeks there, flew to Ft. Lauderdale and spent three days with Don’s sister, Chris, before departing for a 10 day mission trip to Haiti to repair water well hand pumps. Six days after our return home from Haiti,family from New York arrived. We had a great visit with them and it was now June.
We spent the summer on 5 different Texas disasters--floods in Gainesville, Marble Falls, and Wichita Falls; flooding in San Antonio from Tropical Storm Erin, and damage on High Island from Hurricane Umberto. So we were never home for longer than two weeks at a time. First of September we went to the ranch and stayed there while Don worked on building a new fence until we were called to California for wildfires on the 23rd of October. Stayed in San Diego for three weeks, flew to New York for family visit there and arrived home a couple of days before Thanksgiving when we left again to spend it in Leander with the family. I was home one day after Thanksgiving before I left for San Angelo to stay for over a month taking care of Jenny’s boys and to spend Christmas there. We got back home from San Angelo on December 26 late. On the 28th 12 more members of my family arrived for a visit over New Years.
As of New Year’s Day it had all caught up with me. I was the most exhausted I have been since we worked 15 hours a day on Hurricane Katrina. I burst into tears at the thought of preparing one more meal. I just wanted everyone to go home and to get my house back in order---just to get me and the scattered pieces of my life and house back together. Don was sick with a really bad respiratory infection and I was worried about him. I was so stressed I could not sleep at night. Had it not been for Adam leaving for the Army and me wanting everyone to be there to tell him goodbye and support him, I would have called the whole visit off and just said NO. But it WAS a wonderful visit with everyone and I did enjoy it---just wished it had come at another time when I wasn’t already exhausted and stressed and felt like a stranger in my own home, and my husband had not been so sick.
So, after everyone left I made a big long list of everything that was bugging me that needed to be done to get me back to feeling I was somewhat in control of my life again and I knew where to find things in my house and the clutter was cleared (from my mind as well as my house). And I denied myself computer privileges until I got the majority of my list accomplished.
I have worked hard and diligently the past two weeks and accomplished great things. Maybe if someone else looked at my house they could not see it, but I do.
Seriously, we have been home so very little this year that I actually still had LAST Christmas’s magazines on the table by my favorite chair. And there were still Christmas presents from last Christmas sitting in my office still in their Christmas boxes and bags where I put them on Christmas afternoon of 2006.
You see, we left on December 29, 2006 for Arizona to help when Don’s dad went in for surgery. We stayed there for nearly three weeks and on our way home got called to the Oklahoma ice storms with Red Cross. Then we were home a week or so when we got called to the Daytona Beach, FL tornadoes in early February where we spend three weeks. Then we were home for a week or so before going to the ranch to take care of things there. Then to San Angelo for a bit for Kylah’s wedding and Mason’s birthday then back to the ranch for several weeks.
In mid-April we were sent to New Hampshire for the Nor’Easter flooding there. We spent two weeks there, flew to Ft. Lauderdale and spent three days with Don’s sister, Chris, before departing for a 10 day mission trip to Haiti to repair water well hand pumps. Six days after our return home from Haiti,family from New York arrived. We had a great visit with them and it was now June.
We spent the summer on 5 different Texas disasters--floods in Gainesville, Marble Falls, and Wichita Falls; flooding in San Antonio from Tropical Storm Erin, and damage on High Island from Hurricane Umberto. So we were never home for longer than two weeks at a time. First of September we went to the ranch and stayed there while Don worked on building a new fence until we were called to California for wildfires on the 23rd of October. Stayed in San Diego for three weeks, flew to New York for family visit there and arrived home a couple of days before Thanksgiving when we left again to spend it in Leander with the family. I was home one day after Thanksgiving before I left for San Angelo to stay for over a month taking care of Jenny’s boys and to spend Christmas there. We got back home from San Angelo on December 26 late. On the 28th 12 more members of my family arrived for a visit over New Years.
As of New Year’s Day it had all caught up with me. I was the most exhausted I have been since we worked 15 hours a day on Hurricane Katrina. I burst into tears at the thought of preparing one more meal. I just wanted everyone to go home and to get my house back in order---just to get me and the scattered pieces of my life and house back together. Don was sick with a really bad respiratory infection and I was worried about him. I was so stressed I could not sleep at night. Had it not been for Adam leaving for the Army and me wanting everyone to be there to tell him goodbye and support him, I would have called the whole visit off and just said NO. But it WAS a wonderful visit with everyone and I did enjoy it---just wished it had come at another time when I wasn’t already exhausted and stressed and felt like a stranger in my own home, and my husband had not been so sick.
So, after everyone left I made a big long list of everything that was bugging me that needed to be done to get me back to feeling I was somewhat in control of my life again and I knew where to find things in my house and the clutter was cleared (from my mind as well as my house). And I denied myself computer privileges until I got the majority of my list accomplished.
I have worked hard and diligently the past two weeks and accomplished great things. Maybe if someone else looked at my house they could not see it, but I do.
- Each room is ordered to my satisfaction.
- Thank you notes have been sent.
- Bills have been paid, files cleaned out, bookkeeping caught up.
- Don is feeling much better though he did have to start a second round of antibiotics.
- I took Gina to Dallas and she is happily enrolled in her new school, Christ for the Nations.
- Pete, the mauled cat who has had to live in a cage for six weeks, gets his freedom on Saturday and is healing nicely.
- I have enjoyed getting back in the routine of having a quiet time with God in the early mornings.
- I have potted several pots of pretty pansies to spruce up the dead looking front porch area.
- Don and I have enjoyed quiet evenings alone together watching some of the DVDs we got for Christmas.
- Alisa and I had a nice long lunch together.
- All my Red Cross stuff is organized and ready for our next adventure.
I had a quick run to the ranch and reunited two lost baby goats with their mama’s and was refreshed by the tranquility and peace that reigns there. Only alarming thing is that hunters called us yesterday to say they have heard coyotes and saw a dead goat yesterday so I imagine we might be heading to ranch next week.
But I feel good. I just needed to go into hermit mode for a couple of weeks and take care of me. It just feels so good to have order restored to my life--to begin the year now refreshed and renewed. I was really blessed by Jenny’s blog about God “thumping” her. I needed to hear all that myself. Just please Jesus and all else will fall into place. That’s it--so simple, but often so hard to remember. I catch myself getting all stressed about stupid stuff--how my house looks to others, etc. etc. etc. When all I really want is for it to be pleasing to Him--to be warm, welcoming, inviting, full of love and laughter, full of Him. And me full of Him, too. That is what is important. It is so good to be blogging and sharing thoughts with family and friends again. I have missed all of you. It is good to be back. (uh, beware following post--I was a tad upset.....)
I'm so Mad!!!
I am so mad right now. Early this morning I was sitting in my living room having my quiet time when suddenly I heard all this growling and commotion on my front porch. I ran to the door to see this black lab trying to get our big old tomcat, Big Sir. In his fury to get hold of our cat he knocked over and broke my pot plants. The cat escaped up the tree and I yelled at the dog to get out of here and he took off. It was then I saw coming from behind our house the stinkin’ yellow lab dog that has killed our chickens and ducks and mauled Don’s cat, Pete, to the point of over a $1000 in vet bills. Two neighbors were walking down the street when all this occurred and were my witnesses. Both of these dogs belong to the same owner. Don immediately jumped in his truck and followed the dogs home, confirming with the neighbors walking that these were indeed the same dogs, then knocked on the door repeatedly of the offending owner. Finally his girlfriend answered the door and said she just couldn’t keep the dogs inside and she shut the door in Don’s face. So we called the Animal Control officer out for the 2nd time and issued a 2nd complaint which meant a second fine for the owner.
In December when Pete was injured and Don filed the first complaint, he went to the neighbor who promised he would get a fence built and never let the dog out to roam again. He was very apologetic and even paid our vet bill which was $900 at that time. So we did not pursue further legal action. We had also come to the neighbor three different times when his dog was killing our chickens--each time he was very nice, offered to pay for them, and swore he would contain his dog. I should have been forewarned when he laughingly said his dog was dragging home dead cats as well as our dead chickens. Stupid me. We were nice then and took no money from him, just wanted the assurance he would be a responsible pet owner and contain his dog.
Two weeks ago we found a dead duck right outside our backdoor--one of our ducks. It had no visible damage or mauling to it so we didn’t know what to think. UNTIL neighbors told us this irresponsible neighbor had put a muzzle on his dog and was then letting him roam the neighborhood again. Thus, we figured he had killed the duck by crushing and stomping it, even if he could not bite it. BUT we have no proof of that. Muzzling your dog who terrorizes other people’s pets is not a solution for your problem. I am just so angry. This is an elderly couple--late 70’s I would say--who are doing this. We have tried to be nice and respectful with them but no more. This morning I filed a complaint with the animal control officer asking for a hearing about this issue. They will put lots of demands on him about his dogs and a time period to comply and if he does not they will destroy the dog. Now, I love dogs--all animals--which is obvious by our own menagerie--and it kills me to have to do this but what other choice do I have. I was so angry this morning that had I had a pistol close I think I would have shot him myself.
And the other thing that really makes me mad is the pot he broke was one Jenny and Mason painted for me for Mother’s day and I had just planted it with pretty purple pansies. Dumb, stupid dog. I am going to try to glue it back together. So that is my tirade for today.
How quickly one can go from praising God and worship to all out fury.
In December when Pete was injured and Don filed the first complaint, he went to the neighbor who promised he would get a fence built and never let the dog out to roam again. He was very apologetic and even paid our vet bill which was $900 at that time. So we did not pursue further legal action. We had also come to the neighbor three different times when his dog was killing our chickens--each time he was very nice, offered to pay for them, and swore he would contain his dog. I should have been forewarned when he laughingly said his dog was dragging home dead cats as well as our dead chickens. Stupid me. We were nice then and took no money from him, just wanted the assurance he would be a responsible pet owner and contain his dog.
Two weeks ago we found a dead duck right outside our backdoor--one of our ducks. It had no visible damage or mauling to it so we didn’t know what to think. UNTIL neighbors told us this irresponsible neighbor had put a muzzle on his dog and was then letting him roam the neighborhood again. Thus, we figured he had killed the duck by crushing and stomping it, even if he could not bite it. BUT we have no proof of that. Muzzling your dog who terrorizes other people’s pets is not a solution for your problem. I am just so angry. This is an elderly couple--late 70’s I would say--who are doing this. We have tried to be nice and respectful with them but no more. This morning I filed a complaint with the animal control officer asking for a hearing about this issue. They will put lots of demands on him about his dogs and a time period to comply and if he does not they will destroy the dog. Now, I love dogs--all animals--which is obvious by our own menagerie--and it kills me to have to do this but what other choice do I have. I was so angry this morning that had I had a pistol close I think I would have shot him myself.
And the other thing that really makes me mad is the pot he broke was one Jenny and Mason painted for me for Mother’s day and I had just planted it with pretty purple pansies. Dumb, stupid dog. I am going to try to glue it back together. So that is my tirade for today.
How quickly one can go from praising God and worship to all out fury.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
I'm still here
I miss blogging--seems I have been away for so long. It is just that the computer sucks your time so easily and there is so much to do. I had forgotten how long it takes to get the simple things done when you have kids to take care of also. I am very much out of practice. BUT, I have absolutely loved my time here with Jenny’s boys. I am going to go through severe withdrawal when we go home after Christmas. I am sure I will be depressed for days. They are so sweet and so fun and Gema loves them so much. I will miss snuggling with Grant throughout the day and watching all his cute faces and seeing his cute grins--especially when you change his diaper. And I have gotten hooked on watching Wonder Pets and Curious George in the mornings with Mason and going on “treasure hunts” with him. I treasure every moment of this month I have been here. But it has gone by so very fast…..and Jenny and I did not accomplish near as many things as we had hoped to. My Christmas letter has not been written, my cards have yet to be sent, but that is ok--they will just be New Year cards instead.
But, Bekah did graduate from college and we celebrated that milestone last Saturday. How fast those college years flew by---seems like she just graduated high school. What a wonderful blessing she has been to us. I am just so proud of her.
And Grant was dedicated to the Lord last Sunday in church. I have really enjoyed going to church here--have loved the sermons by Pastor Henry and his son, Landon. I am really looking forward to the Christmas Eve service there. And we still need to drive around and see the Christmas lights around San Angelo--there are so many pretty ones.
I like San Angelo and love visiting here. I can finally navigate around town without getting too lost. Many trips out to Christmas shop have helped out there. I remember back to my own childrearing days when Tammie and I would do our “marathon” shopping trip and get it all done in one long day. We would have very organized lists with what we were getting for each person and then lists of the stores we wanted to go to and in what order and what was on sale there and what we were looking for there. We would head to Austin about 8am and get back home sometimes as late as midnight (Austin was an hour away). We were totally exhausted but we got it all done in one day. It was so fun and now, after many, many trips out shopping--I really like the idea of just going one day and getting it done. Of course, that was in the days before on-line shopping. The Sears catalog is what the kids would pour over and circle what they wanted.
I must admit I am looking forward to being at home for awhile. I have been away from home in MF for so long. We were at the ranch from end of September until we were called to San Diego fires on October 23 and from there we went to New York then back home only two days before Thanksgiving when we left again for Leander then back home for one day to pack up for coming here with Jenny. So technically I have not been home for three months. We will go home the day after Christmas and on Friday three of my children and their families will arrive and stay through New Years. I admit I am a bit panicked about this as I really like to be all organized and the house all clean and food prepared before guests arrive. And there is no way that is happening this time. I have so much stuff here at Jenny’s and we picked up Gina at college and have all her stuff here and then add all the Christmas new stuff……….It just overwhelms me to think about it all. At least there are no Christmas decorations at home to be put away. I brought most of them to Jenny’s so she will get to do that part. But all this is okay. It will all work out and I try to remind myself that 10 minutes after the grandchildren arrive the house will be cluttered with toys and games and stuff anyway so what does it matter. It will be a crazy wonderful time and I am looking forward to seeing everyone.
Well, the house is waking up so my quiet blogging time is ending. Just wanted to post something to let it be known I am still around--just busy--and my mind so cluttered that the thoughts just won’t flow. By bedtime when the house is quiet and I should have the time to write--or even read blogs--I am just too tired and want to go to bed. I have really missed all the blogs and the connection to everyone. Maybe after the holidays when life returns to normal my thoughts will begin to flow again. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
But, Bekah did graduate from college and we celebrated that milestone last Saturday. How fast those college years flew by---seems like she just graduated high school. What a wonderful blessing she has been to us. I am just so proud of her.
And Grant was dedicated to the Lord last Sunday in church. I have really enjoyed going to church here--have loved the sermons by Pastor Henry and his son, Landon. I am really looking forward to the Christmas Eve service there. And we still need to drive around and see the Christmas lights around San Angelo--there are so many pretty ones.
I like San Angelo and love visiting here. I can finally navigate around town without getting too lost. Many trips out to Christmas shop have helped out there. I remember back to my own childrearing days when Tammie and I would do our “marathon” shopping trip and get it all done in one long day. We would have very organized lists with what we were getting for each person and then lists of the stores we wanted to go to and in what order and what was on sale there and what we were looking for there. We would head to Austin about 8am and get back home sometimes as late as midnight (Austin was an hour away). We were totally exhausted but we got it all done in one day. It was so fun and now, after many, many trips out shopping--I really like the idea of just going one day and getting it done. Of course, that was in the days before on-line shopping. The Sears catalog is what the kids would pour over and circle what they wanted.
I must admit I am looking forward to being at home for awhile. I have been away from home in MF for so long. We were at the ranch from end of September until we were called to San Diego fires on October 23 and from there we went to New York then back home only two days before Thanksgiving when we left again for Leander then back home for one day to pack up for coming here with Jenny. So technically I have not been home for three months. We will go home the day after Christmas and on Friday three of my children and their families will arrive and stay through New Years. I admit I am a bit panicked about this as I really like to be all organized and the house all clean and food prepared before guests arrive. And there is no way that is happening this time. I have so much stuff here at Jenny’s and we picked up Gina at college and have all her stuff here and then add all the Christmas new stuff……….It just overwhelms me to think about it all. At least there are no Christmas decorations at home to be put away. I brought most of them to Jenny’s so she will get to do that part. But all this is okay. It will all work out and I try to remind myself that 10 minutes after the grandchildren arrive the house will be cluttered with toys and games and stuff anyway so what does it matter. It will be a crazy wonderful time and I am looking forward to seeing everyone.
Well, the house is waking up so my quiet blogging time is ending. Just wanted to post something to let it be known I am still around--just busy--and my mind so cluttered that the thoughts just won’t flow. By bedtime when the house is quiet and I should have the time to write--or even read blogs--I am just too tired and want to go to bed. I have really missed all the blogs and the connection to everyone. Maybe after the holidays when life returns to normal my thoughts will begin to flow again. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Adventures in Babysitting
I am into my second week now and thought I was getting the hang of this. Then today I had the bright idea of taking the boys to the library and park. My first venture away from home with both boys by myself. So Jenny and I switched cars so I would have all the car seats, etc. Story hour was at 10---we began the process of getting ready to leave and loaded into car at 9:30 but barely made it to library by 10. I forgot how hard it is to get it all together with two kids and actually out the door.....And to top it off when we got to library I realized I had left the full baby bottle warming in the sink. Then we get in the library only to find out they are not having story hour in December. How stupid (sorry, Mason doesn't allow me to say stupid)--how ridiculous is that---no Christmas stories????? We were disappointed but had fun picking out some books anyway. I love looking through all the Easy Readers remembering the days of reading the same books to my kids. (I raised 7+ kids--I am not new to this mothering thing) So picked out a few of my favorites and headed for the checkout. That is when Grant decided he was very unhappy and NOTHING would quiet him--not the pacifier, or Mason, or rocking him, or anything. It seemed like the lady took forever to check us out and he was howling like a banchee. Mason was holding the door open for me to make a quick escape. We had forgotten to bring in the book bag so Mason was trying to hold all our books and open the door, too, so of course, the books slid out of his hands into a big pile right in the middle of the doorway. I sat Grant down in his carrier and piled a stack of books on top of him while Mason grabbed the rest and we finally got to the car. As soon as I got Grant loaded and car turned on he stopped crying and fell asleep.
But I had promised the park to Mason so we went down the street to the park. I was not going to wake Grant (my mothering rule is you never waken a sleeping child) so I let him sleep while I stood outside the car where I could keep an eye on Mason playing. After 10 minutes Grant was awake and crying again so I took him out of car seat--grabbed the bottle I had brought that had less than 2 ounces left in it (the new full one being back home in the sink, remember) and we headed for a bench. It was a gorgeous sunny day but with a steady good cold wind and Grant does not care too much for wind. But in the sun it was nice and if I stood and held him with me blocking the wind he was happy for a bit. We sat in the swing and I fed him the bottle and Mason played. We had the park to ourselves except for the occasional adult walker. No other kids there. Mason had fun and entertained himself very well. We stuck it out for about 30 minutes til Grant had had enough and I bribed Mason to leave with the promise of popcorn chicken from Sonic.
I had never exactly tried to find my way to Sonic from this park so I temporarily lost my presence of mind and followed Mason's directions. Mason is 4. Need I say more. Had we turned left on College Hills Dr. we would have quickly found Sonic. But we turned right and took the long scenic route. But we got there. Thankfully, the service was quick and we were back home before Grant went off again. As we were sitting at the table eating, Mason says, "Isn't it good to just be back home, Gema?" Amen, Mason, amen
But I had promised the park to Mason so we went down the street to the park. I was not going to wake Grant (my mothering rule is you never waken a sleeping child) so I let him sleep while I stood outside the car where I could keep an eye on Mason playing. After 10 minutes Grant was awake and crying again so I took him out of car seat--grabbed the bottle I had brought that had less than 2 ounces left in it (the new full one being back home in the sink, remember) and we headed for a bench. It was a gorgeous sunny day but with a steady good cold wind and Grant does not care too much for wind. But in the sun it was nice and if I stood and held him with me blocking the wind he was happy for a bit. We sat in the swing and I fed him the bottle and Mason played. We had the park to ourselves except for the occasional adult walker. No other kids there. Mason had fun and entertained himself very well. We stuck it out for about 30 minutes til Grant had had enough and I bribed Mason to leave with the promise of popcorn chicken from Sonic.
I had never exactly tried to find my way to Sonic from this park so I temporarily lost my presence of mind and followed Mason's directions. Mason is 4. Need I say more. Had we turned left on College Hills Dr. we would have quickly found Sonic. But we turned right and took the long scenic route. But we got there. Thankfully, the service was quick and we were back home before Grant went off again. As we were sitting at the table eating, Mason says, "Isn't it good to just be back home, Gema?" Amen, Mason, amen
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