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Treking in the woods.

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Proof is in the pudding!!!!!

Richard and I have been in Minnesota since the 17th of December. From that day on we have had wind, snow, rain,freezing rain and beautiful sunshine. At this very moment in time the temp is dropping down and down. It was only 9 degrees when I got up this morning at 9 a.m. and now at 4:45 p.m. it is a mere 17 degrees. We went into Rochester to have lunch with Jason. It was nice to be with him even for a little bit. We made a weekly trip to the grocery store to stock up on all the stuff it takes to fill up a couple of growing boys. They are growing up faster with each passing day. I sometimes wish I could push Jason back into a very small boy again so he could sit on my lap. A little bit ago I went to hug him hello after his day at work and realized once again how tall he is. I sometimes long for those old days when he needed me to do everything for him. When he needed me to hold his hand and not me needing him to hold my hand. Life turns around ever so slowly it seems. With all the ice and snow around here he is very protective of me and trying to keep from falling. With two titanium knees it would not feel good or be good for me to land on either of them. So now I toddle across the icy parking lot with my hand in my sons to steady my steps. WOW!!! I am a very lucky woman to have the love of a son.
Lainey called me the day before yesterday just to tell me she had lost another tooth. I love the fact that she just has to tell me that she had finally gotten rid of that loose tooth. I love the fact that she thinks enough of me and her grandpa to call us to tell us the news. I am the luckiest Grandma in the world to have 2 beautiful granddaughters and 2 awesome grandsons. The girls all three of them, Erin, Isabelle and Lainey are the most wonderful girls I know. Erin is my best friend. We shop together, bowl together, have dinner together and confide in each other when need be. I envy her at times the drive she has to go after something she wants so much and that is to further her nursing knowledge and her degree. She has struggled and fought her way to do what has called her. With the help of Tommy her ex husband, her father and I as well as any number of friends and family members she continues to amaze me.
I feel like I have had the most wonderful life of all. At time it has been tough but most of the time and the times I remember most are the greatest. I love the hard times they made me stronger, I love the good times they made me humble, I love the so so times they made me want to make my life better. I love my life. In July Richard and I will celebrate 40 years of married life together. WOW that sounds like a lot. In all honesty at first I could never see myself married that long but for the last 20 years or so I could not see myself with anyone else or any where else in this world. God has truly blessed my life with beautiful children, stupendous grandchildren, the best sisters, parents, aunts and uncles,nieces, nephews, cousins and absolutely the best friends a person could ever be blessed with. I give my undying love and gratitude to each one of these people in my life.
In the coming days we will go back home to Idaho and our way of life once again. As much as I have loved spending this time with Jason, Christy, Samuel and Christian I would be lying if I said I was not anxious to get home. I long to sit with my feet up in my easy chair and vegitate. To not feel like I have to get up and be a member of polite society. I miss the girls I am used to seeing if not every day then every other day or so. I miss my dog Dolly and cat TC. I miss my heated water bed. The bed we sleep in here is nice and comfy just cold when first crawled into. I actually miss Dolly, the dog, snoring. She makes the strangest noises at night. I will miss my boys and Christy. I will even miss Boz! He is the silliest dog. He has such a crazy thing.
I look forward to spending a week with all of my sisters together in the place we were all born. I want to make all kinds of plans about where to go and things to see. We will have such a great time. I look forward to flowers, green grass and just getting on with life.
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL WHO READ THIS. Lucy thank you for doing this for me. You are the bomb and my inspiration. I love you!

Friday, December 25, 2009

Christmas in Minnesota!

Woke up this morning to two boys and a dog making a whole bunch of racket. It was only 6 a.m. you would think that they were only 4 or 5. Samuel who is 13 woke up really early and could not go back to sleep. We will not have Christmas presents until this evening because Christy is working today. I made a yummy breakfast casserole and will make dinner. They boys are waiting till then but none to willingly I might add. It is a bit strange but strange is ok. The only thing missing is Erin and the girls. They are home doing their thing with Tom and his family. I pray they make it a success and that the girls are happy. I believe they had Christmas with their dad yesterday. Being divorced is a very hard way to live. Been there and done that. I would not wish that on one single person.
The weather has been a bit crazy even for Minnesota. When we first got here it was cold cold then it snowed like crazy then it rained on top of that now it is snowing. Hard off and on, big and small flakes. I love the big feather flakes. They float down so slowly and land softly adding to the piles that already cover the ground. From the weather reports it is supposed to put down about 12 inches. This is really having a white christmas. At home in Idaho we are not supposed to get snow. It is cold but not going to snow. Christmas snow is always the best snow I think. Makes our world quiet and still. Full of peace and clean, I love it.
I wish for all a very cherished Christmas and a properous new year. My love to all.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

OH Fudge!!!!!!!

No I do not mean in a bad way! I am referring to the home made yummy kind. Well when it comes to home made have you ever noticed how unpredictable home made fudge is? It is a Christmas must to have a large variety of home made candies for the munching. Richard and I are blessed with the ability to visit Jason, Christy, Samuel and Christian for the Christmas and New Year holiday. The snow is deep, the air is crisp and the house is warm here in Minnesota and we are doing the typical candy making routine. From home I brought my peanut brittle and nutty noodle cluster recipes from home. I however failed to bring my fudge recipe. Christy has a large collection of cook books in which to find the perfect fudge recipe. With the help of one or two we came up with a cook book from a convent. Richard found one recipe that was "Smooth as French Silk" but with no superfine sugar and it was specific that superfine is a must. Soooooo on to the next one. Okay found one that look easy enough it used marshmellow fluff, chocolate chips, and nuts and did not make a huge ton lot. I followed the recipe very closely, cooked it up and poured it into the proper size pan than into the fridg like it said. Several hours later I pulled it out of the fridg to dump it out of the pan to cut into pieces. Whoops the only way that it was going to be eaten was with a spoon. Bummed I put it back in the fridg. When everyone had gone to bed I used on my itouch to search for the solution to soupy fudge. I lucked out and found out that I could recook it. Okay I decided the next day I will do just that. Day two of the fudge, I scooped it all into a large pan and began the long process of recooking fudge soup into real fudge. It became smooth, silky and shiny I was totally impressed with myself. After cooking for 8 minutes, discovered the recipe is flawed, I once again poured the beautiful convection into the pan I scooped it out of. I put it in the fridg once again and waited. I am a fairly patient person so waiting is not hard for me to do. I think in reality I am more of a procratinator in doing things so I do not mind waiting. I checked the stuff every so often to see if I was having any luck and guess what I was. It was firming up nicely. Okay so after everyone had gone to bed I decided to depan the fudge. It looked beautiful. I got it out in a nice 8 x 8 square and decided to cut it into small bite size pieces. I decided to let it harden up on the counter overnight. When I went to bed I left a bunch of cute little squares of chocolate yumminess. When I got up this morning laying on the counter were not little squares but little flat blobs. Christy thought they looked little cow pies. HAAAAAAAAAAA! Boy my face must have showed a ton of emotion from disbelief to disappointment. They were so cute last night now they are just not cute. They are like really soft and mushy tootie rolls. That's it I made tootsie rolls. I am going to get some wax paper and roll my little flat cow pie shaped pieces of fudge into little rolls of goodness. My grandson Samuel will be happy. It is his fault in the first place that I made fudge. I will not I repeat NOT make fudge next year. It is to much trouble, never the same twice, and hangs aroung forever. The peanut brittle, the noodle clusters, the rice krispie treats, and the cookies are a must. I will even make macaroons. Christy made some and I must say they are heavenly. Never liked them much before but they are very very good. Can't wait to share them at home.
The old saying that necessity it the mother of invention is oh so true! We do what we have to do when we have to do it and are happy about it. I wish to all of you a very happy and glorious Christmas season. God be with each and everyone of you in all your endevors.
Really wish I had some pictures of this poor excuse for fudge. You could all use a good laugh.

What to say about home made

What to say about home made

What to say about home made

Monday, December 14, 2009

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Snow Fall!


The other day we had our first snow fall of the season. It was beautiful to watch and it reminded me of when we made snowmen as kids. What fun it was for all of us to be out in the yard, rolling what we thought were gigantic snow balls. As we got them to the size we wanted we would go get some help from Dad to stack them for us. It was a race then to see who could find the eyes, the nose, stick arms, a hat and scarf and something for a mouth. Of course we had to find a pipe but that wasn't hard to do. In those days that is what Dad smoked. I can still smell the Prince Albert tobacco he used. He always had a pipe that was all but wore out for us to use.
Dad used the pipe in conjunction with roll your own. I loved to watch him roll them up. He could do it with one hand. The smell was not like the nasty cigarettes of today but of sweet cherry. It is not a smell that we smell today. Pipes have gone out and fortunately cigarettes have fallen out of favor.
It is funny the things that bring back childhood memories like they were yesterday. I can still little Lucy all bundled in her blue snowsuit, knitted mittens on, some sort of scarf on her head. Connie would be dressed in several layers of tights, socks and pants. She would have a sweater and coat on as well as hat or scarf. We would all be dressed pretty much the same way. The one thing we never had was water proof snows shoes or boats. We would put as many socks on as would go in our shoes then tie plastic bread sacks over our shoes to help keep our feet dry. We could stay outside a bit longer if we were dry. Of course our hands were always cold and wet due to the fact we did not have water proof mittens or gloves. We could stay fairly warm if we didn't touch or sit down in the snow. But what fun was there in that. We played in the snow until we could not feel our hands or our feet. We would go in the house and huddle around the oil stove to get warm. If we were desperate we would go run our hands under warm water, only problem with that was the would itch for hours after ward.
Man we had fun. I would love to back just for a few hours and play like a kid again with all my sisters there. I want to make a snow man with Carol, Teri, Connie and Lucy. Maybe one day we will get together in the winter and do just that. I love you guys.

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

The Crazy things in our Lives!

A week or so ago I was honored with a request to spend some time with my daughter Erin. I took my bath as usual, did my hair as usual, dressed as usual, and so on and so forth as usual. I drove over to Erin's we spent a wonderful few hours together catching up on all the ordinary stuff we do every day then I came home. I spent a little bit of time roaming around the house picking up this and that to put them where they belonged. I happened to walk into the bathroom to put a comb away and glanced in the mirror. To my shock and surprise what was looking back at me was not what I expected to see. I was wearing a pair of levi's, a black T-shirt with three small black buttons at the neck and a black and white checked blouse over that. I could not believe my eyes! I quickly took off the blouse and whipped the t-shirt off turning it right side out as I went. I then wondered to myself how many people in how many stores noticed the t-shirt I was wearing was wrong side out. I was so embarrassed that I have yet to tell anyone around here about it. I guess that is a good lesson learned that I should put my glasses on when I pick out my clothes for the day. Better yet I need to turn on the light so I am not fumbling around in the dark! Just one more thing to laugh at myself for. Life is good.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Thanksgiving!




I have been trying to remember some of the Thanksgiving as a kid and believe it or not I really can't get any particular one to come to mind. When your a kid at thanksgiving the only thing you can think of the fact that Christmas is only a month away. I remember one holiday season Mom made a fake gingerbread house. It was made of cardboard then covered with whipped Ivory soap flakes. It looked wonderful and I loved it. Our dog also loved it and decided to eat a mouth full or two. Needless to say the next day or two the dog did not feel so good. He actually foamed at the mouth for a bit. It was funny to see the dog in such a state but Mom was not to pleased with the dog for eating part of her hard work.
I have some pictures in my collection I will have to find and post that shows Mom sitting on the floor playing with a Incredible Edible machine. It was awesome to make these funky shaped creatures and bugs that you could actually eat. They tasted not so good but the process of fun. Mom looks so young in that picture it is fun to have. I have another picture of that same day that has Dad on his knees with Connie playing with a Hot Wheels race set. Those were some good days. I was 17 and Richard was in my life and it was good. I think that was the last Christmas we spent all together before Mom and Dad divorced the next summer.
Today we celebrate Thanksgiving! I know it is tomorrow but Erin has to work a 7a to 7p shift tomorrow and we did not feel like doing dinner at 8 o'clock at night so we opted for today. I am doing the cooking of the turkey and the basics and Erin is doing the pie and rolls. In my opinion they are the most important part of the meal. It feels a little strange to be doing it one day early but I am grateful that we can.
I wanted to write a few of the reasons why I am grateful this time of year and lament a couple of others as to why I feel so funky. First I am grateful that my family is healthy. Erin has reoccurring pain in her elbow and knee but for the most part she is good. Jason is good and enjoying getting used to a new job. Richard has the same complaints he has always had but doing good otherwise and staying busy and out of my hair. My kids in law are doing well and staying busy, the grand kids are all healthy and doing well in school. My Mom, Dad, Step Dad, Sisters their husbands and all there kids and grandkids are doing well and looking forward to a holiday filled with babies and good times together. Lucy is getting ready for a wedding in Florida. Matt is finally found someone who can wrangle his wild heart. Good for Lindsey.
As for the funky side. I am dealing with this stomach thing the best I can. Getting used to the new normal as my brother in law Jim was telling me the other night. Our normal never stays the same. There is only one fact that never changes in this life and that is THAT NOTHING EVER STAYS THE SAME, EVERYTHING CHANGES! For good or for bad that is just as it is. I am feeling a bit down because of the break up of our family. It will be the first major holiday since the divorce of Tommy and Erin that we have to deal with. I am feeling a bit unsure of how I feel about the whole deal. We will be gone for Christmas and I am unsure about that as well. I look forward to spending it with Jason and his family but I will miss my daughter and my grand daughters. I would for Erin to find really cheap airline tickets at the last minute and be able to join us. It would be fabulous but I am kidding myself into thinking that it might actually happen. I have learned to never say oh well there is always next year as we can never really anticipate what next year may bring.
This will all pass I am sure and I will have a wonderful holiday season before we leave and a wonderful holiday celebration after we get home. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you! You are all loved and missed.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Quilting with the Monks!

Yes you read it right. Quilting with the monks that is what I have been doing the last 4 days. In southern Idaho there is a place called the Monestary of the Ascension. They are a group of Benadectine Monks that staff the facility. In fact I am writing this blog on their computer as I take some time off from sewing. We gathered here on Monday afternoon and have spent the last three days in the company of 16 other women. The pattern we made was a Mariners Compass. It is very fitting for me as I have stated many times how much I love the water and boating. This particular compass will be for my dear sweet hubby. I have never made anything for him as I hear on a regular basis from him. He is going to love it. I plan to quilt it by hand and we will use it on the boat. I can not post a picture however until I get home. Just a bit hard to down load my photos to someone elses computer.
The weather has been perfect for sewing. Not to nice to be outside so what better place to be than inside doing something you love. I have a bunch of stuff I need to do at home but this gives me a real chance to unwind, decompress and think of other things besides myself. It is a very special time spent with mostly strangers with the love of quilting in common. It interesting and exciting to watch the same pattern come to life in each persons special way. So many colors and so many interpetation of the same pattern. From gold, green, lavender, black, blue, red and green, strips, flowers, dots, plain, and on and on. Just the most rewarding days to watch this happen. The food here has not been to shabby either. The gal that does the cooking is a very good cook. The first night here we had a beef tenderloin that was to die for. Her desert was a coconut cream cake the made your mouth water. We have been well fed, well watered and well cared for in the last three days. I have enjoyed this experience so much that I am already looking forward to coming back next year.
I will write more on this and put in some pictures when I get home and to my own computer. Good night to all and have a great week.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Finding Peace!




I have sorta of been out in limbo land for a bit mostly because of the way I am feeling physically. Today is a much better day. I am learning to except the limitations I have been given and imposed upon myself for the sake of feeling like I want to be here. My visit with the GI doc yesterday was much more productive than it was a month ago. I no longer feel like sitting here and bawling my eyes out for what I can no longer eat. Seems pretty petty when I think of all those who have nothing to eat. I have excepted this new normal. One that consists of fewer pills, thank the lord, because they sit to long in my stomach, the loss of unwanted pounds, to bad they are not healthy pounds, and controlling the amount of a serving. Sounds kinda of dumb when I read it back but when you have something that effects a very basic need, FOOD, it is a hard thing to wrap your mind around. I have lost a total of 26 lbs. not sure how much more I will lose but the one advantage is I have had to buy new pants. Nothing stays on my rear end. Yippeeee!
Two nights ago I sat in the family room by myself and had a real crying pity party. I kept asking God why? Why me? What did I ever do so wrong to warrant one more thing in my life to make me miserable? Of course the answer is nothing! God does not punish! It is what it is and I finally made peace with it and asked God to give the strength to deal with this for the rest of my days. I feel good about that. I am loved by God and by many people who are all praying for me. For those prayers and thoughts I am eternally grateful and feel everyone of them touching me and helping me. Thank you all for them.
Lucy was writing about going through pictures from the past. I am proud she didn't cry because I can not do that. I have a memory that is of Matt, RJ, and Kaylee. The families were all here for a graduation, I think it was Emery's, but anyway the boys found all the boy toys out in the sand box. They moved from the sand box to the vegetable garden that had not been preped for planting yet and built a series of roads that would rival any big city engineers projects. I will have to go thru all of my photos and find the one we have of them playing. I remember asking them about the roads and I got a very detailed lesson from Matt. He was so matter of fact and precise. Matt and RJ played out there the whole time they were here. It was awesome.
What I remember about Kaylee and that weekend was when she went running out of the screen door and didn't see that it was closed. She was pretty small and she bounced back off it and went running in the other room crying because we all were laughing at it. She thought we were laughing at her. I can still see here surprised face when she was suddenly still inside instead of out. Her eyes were as big as dollars and shocked. We had a few other things happen that were funny but I will leave those for another time.
Life is good and I am grateful for each and everyone of my family, my friends, and just the people I know.
The pictures at the top are of Lainey's 6th birthday celebration. Mom and Bill were here as well as Erin's boyfriend Tom, and our friend Chris. Notice Erin has a yellow splint on her left arm. The weekend before she fell, after dislocating her knee cap, at the bowling alley in Twin Falls, while bowling, she broke her left elbow and did some cartilage damage to her knee. Way to go Erin. She is feeling better but still has a week or two off work yet.

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Lost in thought!



You may be wondering about the title of this blog and the only response I have that is I truly lost in thought. Sometimes things just pour out of my mind like a faucet with a bad drip and other times it is like some idiot tightened the handle to tight and I can't turn it on. Well anyway my faucet is tight so what I have to say is stopped up in the spigot somewhere waiting to find a weak spot and drip again.
Last night was Halloween and it is always fun to watch the little kids come to the door with the parents standing at the end of the drive way. I love the faces of each one of them. Seems like we get fewer and fewer every year. When Ja and Erin were growing up there was always a herd of kids in the neighbor hood but with most of us grandparents and fewer children in the area it was a very slow night last night. The two cutest visitors came in the shape of a fairy princess and a cute little witch. I gave them a special treat because they were so cute but mostly because they are my granddaughters. They were both so cute in the costumes their dad bought for them and the make up their mom put on them. Of course the make up is the favorite part. They both are very girly girls loving all things fluffy, lacey, feminine and fun. I love doing things for them. I went so far as to make cute jumpers this last week out of some very cute cotton fabric I bought when Richard and I were at mom's in Sept. Both were a very cute pattern simple enough with just the right amount of halloween flair to them. They loved it and looked cute wearing them. Those two girls are always so appreciative of the things they are given. Mom and Bill brought some books to them when the came last week and the first thing that Lainey did was have Great Papa read to her from one of the books. It just happened to be a Stories from the Bible book. They both have to strip off the clothes they have on when they are given any new clothing. I love doing things for them. The boys are not so outspoken when given new things. They like them but are much more quiet about it all.
I am suddenly reminded of some of my trick or treats of the past. We did not buy costumes but just hard plastic masks. They were always so sweaty but it was fun none the less. Most kids in our day used pillow cases when they went out. We used a brown paper bag and not a large one. Mom did not believe in going out till all hours of the night.
When Ja and Erin were kids I always was the one to go with them. It was always fun because if the parents saw who was with them I always got a treat too. One particular neighbor always gave the local kids she knew popcorn balls. Yummo!!! I really miss Agnes she was a very special lady with a fine talent for cooking. When you visited her house you better not of had breakfast, lunch or dinner right away because she was going to feed you with no questions asked. Wow what a cook.
That thought brings me to another place in my thinking and that is about the closeness of our neighbor hood street. If anyone on the street needs help there is always someone around to lend a hand. When I recently had an unexpected ambulance ride most of the neighbors were all very concerned about what was going on and if I am alright. It is a very comforting thought to know the people around here are looking out for each other.
The pictures at the beginning of this are of last fall and the girls playing in the leaves. There is a picture of me but no way am I going to post it!

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Birthdays! Not Me!!



I guess I should be happy to be another year older because the alternative is not one a choose to think of. Well yesterday I turned 57. How about I say I don't want to be 57 but rather 27. I felt good then. Had little kids, lots of energy, no fillings, all my hair, and had only been married 10 years. Whew to much to be thinking about today. I had a good day all in all. Family and friends all wished me well and I got presents. In all my 57 years I only remember one birthday party and it was just seven years ago. My girls, Erin and Christy threw me a party for my 5oth. We had a lot of fun. I could even laugh about getting older. I sure wish I looked as young as Erin does. Oh well to much life ahead to regret and look back.
To all who wished me a Happy Birthday thank you it was great.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Timber!






You'll notice in one picture someone forgot to move the ladder!
I was only kidding!!!! Really I was! Know look what I have in my front yard, or should I say don't have a big ol pine tree. We were in the process of replacing a slab of concrete that we had to remove when we did some electrical work. When the guys came out to prep the ground for the work I was kidding them about the tree that was always in the way. When ever we wanted to park our boat at the side of the house it was a real trick not to scrape the boat on the branches or hit the duel fenders on the trunk. I told them to take it out. Wellllll they did not take it out. The next day I made a trip to the grocery store and when I came home laying across the driveway was the tree. Richard and our neighbor were taking limbs off it when I left and Richard decided to pull it over with his truck just for good measure. It so much better and the small that we were replacing grew to included a new drive way. It will look so much better than the cracked and broken one it replaces. We did tell our kids that it, the new driveway, was part of their inheritance. Both of them said it is just what they always wanted. LOL!!!!
I have been following my little sister Lucy blog since we got back from Nebraska. She inspired me to do the same and I find it so much fun. Lucy writes so beautifully and from the heart. What she said in there about me made me very proud. Connie and Lucy have always been very much apart of my life when they were growing up. I was left in charge so much of the time as Dad was driving truck four days of the week and Mom was busy working most evenings. I cooked and got us all to bed when we were supposed to. Well for the most part anyway. Our tv was in a cabinet that had doors. We would watch it in the dark then shut it off real quick when we saw Mom pull in the drive way. It is the house in Lucy's pictures. We would shut the doors so the bright dot in the middle of the tv set couldn't be seen. Sneaky weren't we. It usually got only about 30 to 45 more minutes of tv time. We had so much fun growing up together. I was heart broken when Mom moved away. I spent a good many months being mad at her for taking Connie and Lucy away from me. I was married at the time but it was still a very lonely time for me. Richard and I eventually bought that house and fixed it up when we moved to Boise. I missed never living in it when it was so cute. Next I will tell you about some of our Christmases. Keep tuned we'll see how far it takes us.

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Sleeping outside!!!

Aunt Mary Lou and her girls had come to Twin Falls to visit Mom, they may have been there for a more specfic reason but we were never in on that part. Anyway one evening Mom, Mary Lou, and I think Aunt Pat decided to go out to a place called the Military Inn. They were going to go have a drink, not that any of them drank very much, it was just a good way to get away from all of us kids and have just adult talk. Well back to the story. This particular evening in the heat of summer us kids decided to sleep outside. We hauled the sleeping bags out in the back yard opened them up and each of us grabbed a blanket and a pillow. I was dating a boy named Ron Taylor at the time and him and some of his friends decided to pay us a visit. So 3 or 4 boys snuck down the drive way of the neighbors house and hopped over the fence for a visit. Just about the time they got settled down on the bags at our feet we saw head lights heading up the drive way. Thank goodness the house hid the back yard so the guys made a dash for the fence, they made a dive for the ditch that ran just the other side of our fence, well they were in for a surprise because the neighbor had used that ditch earlier that day to flood irragate his fruit orchard. The ditch was still very wet and muddy. When the car finally stopped and they got out all three of the ladies walked over to check on us. We all must have pretended sleep very well because they never said anything to us. until the adults could get pulled around back then into the house. A couple of the guys hopped back over the fence after a bit to tell us they were going home because they were mostly wet and muddy. I guess the moral of this story is it does not pay to sneak around. I was pretty funny for a few days afterward.

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

More on the life and times of the family circus!!



Ya sometimes it felt like a family circus. I had a comment from my cousin Doris on Facebook the other day that helped bring up a flood of memories about growing up and visiting family in Nevada. I dare any of you to know where Deeth Nevada is. Well my Aunt MaryLou, Uncle Jack, and their 5 girls lived there. I am named after Mary lou but I will that for you to figure out. I always thought Uncle Jack was at least 10 foot tall. He was for many years until I got to be an adult. I remember one time when we were staying down there for a week or two, don't recall the reason, but none the less we were there. They lived not to far from a creek. The only thing that between them and the creek was a stretch of all manner of brush that was not very forgiving. We loved playing in that brush and by the creek. One day we were running around, I do mean running, acting like crazy kids and I got a buck brush thorn under my knee cap. With the help of Doris and I am not sure who else they helped me back to the house. I got sat on the table and Uncle Jack took out of pair of tweezers the size of Texas. My oh my he was using them on me! Very gently he pried around on that thorn until he was able to get a good grip on it and pull it out. I swear it was a foot long but was actually about a half an inch. Big when you have skinny knobby knees. I remember him always been soft spoken unless you were making a racket and he was listening to the news then he would yell you kids go outside. We spent a lot of time outside. Deeth was a magical place to visit. No real traffic there, no paved roads, still aren't any, a very quiet slow moving place to live and visit. Was hardly any place we couldn't go as long as we let someone know. I enjoyed playing with my cousins there are 5 of them just like there are 5 if us. Doris is the oldest. Her and I are not far from the same age, Teresa was next and she was about the same age as Connie, Laurie was after that but she is older than Lucy and younger than Connie, then came Diana closer to Lucy, then the baby of their family is Alice. I have always called her Alice Jane, some call her Jane and others just Alice. She lived in Boise for awhile but moved back to Alaska some years back. Sometimes I wish I could go back and visit those years. The couch with the wagon wheel ends and horse head stitching on them, the flour coated kitchen when Aunt Mary lou made a meal. Lettuce from the ceiling to the floor, peas in Doris's pockets caused she hated peas, the only thing I don't miss is the darn bugs that packed a sane person off in the late afternoon.
I remember baby deer, bob cats, cows, horses and so much more that with some thought I can write about. Thank God for families. Have a great evening.
The top picture is of Dad when he was a very young man and the next is Mom just a week or so ago. Richard gave her bunny ears.

I get no respect!

Little Sis Lucy said she would have gladly eaten my egg sandwich for me. Just to bad she wasn't here to do just that. No Lucy I do not glow in the dark but I have a sneaky idea that something else might. LOL! I think the next time someone asks me if am allergic to eggs I will tell them of course! The tech just had no sympathy for me not liking them. I think he was really surprised when I confessed it had been oh so long ago that I had eaten them. Now if it were an egg salad sandwich no problemo I would have gladly downed it. Love those things. Oh well what is done is done and I sure hope I don't have to do it again. I will make darn sure the next time I have to lay still for 90 minutes I won't drink anything for a long time before that. Whew! that was quite the trial not to fidget!
I guess if I write down what I am thinking about the whole deal it might be a bit scary and then that gives it power. I really hope there is something to what the tests are all about and not the fact that the Lupus has reared it ugly head. Makes me a bit nervous, but the good Lord will watch out for me. I just have to keep remembering that.
My granddaughters were here tonight while their Dad was in class and Mom was at work and the two of them decided to play in my undies drawer. You all know the one I mean not only undies but bras to. Lainey came to the end of the hall and announced that "Coming down the hall is Isabelle" of course we, Richard, Chris (our friend), and myself turned to see what that was all about. In struts Izzy wearing one of my bras under her shirt. Okay tons of memories came flooding back to a time of graduation and a video that exists to this day.
When Jason graduated from high school the whole family came to help him celebrate. We, the women I mean, were busy cooking and doing laundry. Lucy and I are folding clothes at the kitchen table when Lucy jerked a training bra out of the basket and flashed around the room asking who it belonged to. Of course we all knew and thought it was funny but Erin thought otherwise. She got all huffy grabbed the bra and flounced out of the room. Well then she found one of our Moms bras. She put it on then Carol filled it with socks and Jim, Connie's husband grabbed a hand full from behind. It was very funny and lightened the mood some what. Well it seemed everyone was obsessed with the bra thing I jerked up my shirt to show my very prim and proper, no frills bra, off. Of course I did not realize I was being filmed. Lucy and John forgot about that little exchange on the video and showed it to their Pastor and his wife. Can you just see the look on their faces when the bra scene popped up. Lucy and John were more than a little surprised but Mike and Nancy were very amused. It was fun in those days. A house full of family and lots to do. I wish I would have cherished those times more than I did. I haven't watched that tape in a long time and every time I do I cry. Emery is on there and he has been gone almost 11 years. Wow time sure has a way of getting away from us. Enjoy each day, love all the way, take care of each other, forgive first, and don't let little things dominate your life. Good night!

Monday, September 28, 2009

Fried Egg Sandwiches!!!




Ya you read it right fried egg sandwich! Probably wondering what in the world is that all about! Well I will tell you. The story really is not a long one and you may get a laugh or two but just remember my pain! LOL!!!!
Back when I was 9 or so about the 4th grade, I got real sick with Strep. I came down with it on a Sunday. Felt really bad at church that day but still went. Come Monday morning I told Mom I was not feeling very good. Oh well it was probably nothing she said so I ate a very small bowl of cereal, got dressed and sat on the couch to wait for the bus. I must have not looked so good by that time because Mom came over and laid her hand on my forehead. She sent me back upstairs to change out of my dress. I was sick and I was staying home from school. I wasn't really happy about it because I was really really sick. Mom took pity seeing as I ate very little breakfast she decided to feed me bacon and eggs. Yummy at that time I loved bacon and eggs! I ate the bacon first then attempted to eat the egg. By the time I got to it my throat hurt so bad I could barely swallow. A couple of bites and the egg came back up. I was really sick now. From that day on I have not been able to eat a fried egg. So that brings me to today. I had a test called a gastric emptying test. I couldn't eat for 6 hours before hand then had to eat something and have a video taken of my stomach working. When I got there this morning at the early hour of 6:30 a.m. I was okay with the upcoming test. At least I didn't have to drink some foul tasting stuff like a couple of weeks ago. I was just gona ingest some tracer laced stuff and lay about for 90 minutes. Bob the tech in the medical imagining dept. came and got me, sat in front of a fried egg sandwich! You have got to be kidding I said! It was huge and it was fried eggs! I couldn't believe it fried eggs! Not just one but two, two thick slices of bread, and nothing else. No butter, no mayo, no nothing not even salt. I was stunned. "I hate eggs" I told Bob. "Are you allergic" he asked? "No", "Okay eat up!" "But it is to big", I said. I can barely get down half a sandwich and certainly not a two egg one. We agreed I could take off one slice of bread, double the egg over and eat up. Yuck! I kept telling myself it tastes like bologna. Almost lost it once but I kept it down with the help of a glass orange juice. Drank a 10 oz. glass down to kill the taste of the egg then had to lay still for 90 minutes. Do you know how long 90 minutes is to a almost 57 year old bladder. The last 15 were more like torture. I was suppose to lay very still while the machine was running but I was beginning to go into over load. When the buzzer finally sounded Bob could not get that machine from over me fastest enough. To top it off I couldn't sit up by myself. I had laid with my legs propped up my upper body on some sort of slant thing for the pictures which put all my weight on my lower back and hips. I could not even sit up by myself. I was sorta numb. A numb butt, better then a numb skull. My first stop out of the hospital was the closest rest room. Whew! what a relief! Won't know until Friday what the test results were but I hope I don't have to do anything like that again. The egg I mean, shear torture!
Boating season is over! I am glad but sad in a way. We always have a nice time but it can be such work to get ready to go. I would rather go in the camper at least it sit in the yard before we go. Going on the boat I have to pack everything up and take it up there. Been doing it for so many years know I can almost do it in my sleep. I unloaded all the stuff that may freeze already! Gona put it in a clear plastic box this year so I can find it when it comes time to put it all back in. Forgot where most of it was last year. Found some stuff just the other day. Guess I did not need it so much if I went all summer without it. I'll do better next year.
Richard is happy today. We are getting a new slab of concrete poured on Friday. Our boat sat in the mud last year and it was a mess. Not again we got her covered now.
Weather is cooling off, feeling more like fall everyday. I love the color of fall just not the fact that it leads to winter.
It feels like a century since I saw Lucy and Connie. I love reading the blog that Lucy writes. I get to follow her family from the side lines. I can still hear little Lulu giggle. She is so blasted cute. Wish she lived closer I would spoil her rotten. Lucy now has an empty nest. I know so much of how she feels. Relieved and sad all at once. Got them raised and see what they do fly the coop. Ya I know! Her Matt, my Jason boys so far from home makes me ache just thinking about it. SSSSSSOOOOOOO I won't think about that just the good stuff.
Well all have a great day. Love and good wishes to all.
The pictures are the banks of Boise River, Bosley the water dog, Ja and Christys dog, my ode to summer pink toes!

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Family!

Just got back from a Auxiliary meeting in Seattle. The meeting was informative and always to see old friends and make new ones.
After the weekend was over we headed south toward Eugene to see Mom and Bill. We made a stop first in Albany, Oregon to have dinner with family. It was so very nice to see Connie and Lucy again. They brought kids and husbands and grand kids. Connie,Jim, Lucy, John, Jodie, Kenny, Holly,Nathan,Myla, Jonah, Lucy, John, Kaylee, Bryce, Lucy (Lulu) for short, Aaron, and his girl friend Alexis. So very very good to see all of them. For all but Connie and Lucy it had been 4 years. Way to long for family, but pride and stubborness kept getting in the way before.
We had a wonderful lunch a Izzy's Pizza place. As lunch was winding down little Lulu sat on her Grandma's lap, my lil sis Lucy, she had a very keen interest in the green peas I had remaining on my plate. She kept reaching across the table for them. I put one on a fork and handed it to her. She took it from the fork but was careful to not get to close. We kept it up for a little bit and she edged further up on the table each time. Finally she was taking them from my fingers. She became fascinated by my ice water and straw. I let her play with the straw and fed her ice cubes. Finally she would reach in the glass for her own ice and try to feed it to Grandma, Great Aunt Connie and Great Aunt Penny. She is so absolutely the cutest little girl. She looks a lot like her mom but has a lot of her dad in her. She has a wonderful laugh, one that makes you want to eat her up. I enjoyed our play time together and so very glad I got to see her. Myla was not to sure about me so I kept my distance until she was ready to come around. She wanted me to chase her. I did a couple of times but it really makes me mad when I have to stop doing something so much fun due to limited physical ability. These darn steel knees of mine just don't go like they used to. Jonah is a beautiful little boy. He slept a lot and I got to kiss him on his check and neck. Sure wish we all lived closer together it would be so much fun.
Our time in a park let us relax and visit about all kinds of things. I hope we can do it again before much time has passed.
When we went to Moms we just kind of crashed. You know when you have information over load. Both Richard and I had that. We spent time just sitting around resting up and talking about every day things. I helped Mom can Connie 9 pints of green beans. I hadn't done that in a long time. Gave me the bug to get some peaches and pears done. Soon Erin and I will get them done.
Mom invited me to go to her quilt group on Tuesday. I am glad she has finally been able to get together with some fellow quilters and do what she enjoys. We did see Randy, Bills youngest boy, while we were there. He is so very thin and facing a real battle. He was recently told he has liver cancer. He recently battled throat cancer. I feel his time on this earth is limited. I was glad to hear he is going to church. I guess it is true that it is never to late. I feel so bad for Bill. Just knowing that one of your children is living his last days has got to be hard on him. I know it is hard on Mom knowing how much Bill is hurting. They all have their heads held high and want quality not quantity. The best possible way to live ones last days. I pray for Gods will to be done what ever it may be.
Going through a bunch of tests to find an answer to a physical problem took me back to the farm we used to live on. I was trying to recall the accidents I have had or the other thousands of medical questions we are asked. I remembered on day when Mom took the trash out to the burn barrel. That was in the day when everyone burned what they used. Our burn barrel was located near a telephone pole. I always liked to go out there with Mom and this one particular was not different. As Mom lit the fire I leaned on the pole kicking a bleach bottle with my heel. Yes as you have probably guessed I cut my heel wide open. Back in the 50's bleach bottles were just that glass bottles and brown to boot. It is funny I can not remember if I had stitches or not but I probably did. Just one of the very few booboos I had.
I was chatting with Mom and she told me about the time that her sister Marylou and herself went to live with their Aunt Marty in a town called Pollock. They did this because their parents had moved to Richfield and they would not have been able to ride their horse to school because it was to far. They stayed with Aunt Marty because they could ride the bus from where she lived. I asked Mom how long they lived with her and it was only until early spring when Grandma and two of her sister went to get them. She also told me they had a flat tire on the way back home. Her and Mary Lou had to sit in the car very still because the car was up on a jack and if they moved the car would fall and they would be stuck out on the road for a very long time. Someone came along and picked up Grandma and her sister Julia while Jean stayed with the two girls. They sat very still for over 2 hours while they went to the nearest town got the tire fixed and the gentleman that picked them took them back to their car and put the tire back on. Can you imagine your children or grand children sitting still for over two hours. Not in this life time. Just one of the things I have learned from Mom. I need to talk to her more and write them down so I don't forget the stories.
Well it is getting late and I am tired. Still recovering from the trip. Good night and God Bless all.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

IM BACCCCCKKKKKK!






Okay so I was gone for awhile. A mild case of to much on the brain to even begin to unravel it all. Richard and spent a wonderful 4 days not doing a lot but spending time together visiting old friends, meeting new friends, and spending one of the last weeks on our boat.
We went to the Twin Falls County fair and we had a ball. Gary Loggan has been Richard's friend since Jr. High School. With his wife Marion and I we wondered around a very old and dear place filled with so many memories it makes want to cry. We ate Pronto Pups, drank real home made Lemonade (yum yum), I ate Cotton Candy seeing that I am the only one of the four that is still really a big kid at heart. While we were walking around my cell phone rang out a very catchy tune that always makes me smile. Giddy Up Giddy Up 409, can you just hear it in your head. Well any way back to the call it was my oldest and oh so far away son Jason. He wanted to know where we were and he was jealous. As he listened to the sounds around me he was taken back to a time at the fair when he and three other boys were there. They were, your not gona believe this, but Jason, Jason, Jason and Emery. Kinda reminds me of the Bob Newhart show when the guy is introducing his brother Daryl, his other brother Daryl and he is Larry. My Jason had taken his friend from Boise a neighbor Jason Squire and Emery had taken his friend Jason Carmichel, boy can you just imagine the confusion. I had to call them different nick names to keep them all straight. My Jason brought back that oh so wonderful and long ago memory. He even went so far as to ask me to send him a carmel apple. You know I almost went and had one air brushed on a shirt just so he would get his apple. Now I really wish I would have.
I have been in sort of a funk lately. The anniversary of Emery's death is fast approaching and it always makes so very sad and missing him so much. Sometimes it feels just like yesterday that I could see his large hands reaching out to give me a hug and tell me see ya later Aunt P. It is almost 11 years now wow where does the time go.
Better change the subject or I will drown my keyboard. Now wouldn't just shock me! HaHa! Gota laugh hurts to much to cry.
I have been battling my stomach for quite some time and my little trip to the hospital via the ambulance made me take steps to find the cause. I have been prodded literally on both ends not at the same time mind you but on the same day in the same visit. Slept the best I had in a while after getting a good share of Versaid, and a couple of other unnamed drugs. No results as yet so will go in on the 28th to have a gastric emptying study. What even in the world that means. Just so as they make me feel better soon I am really past the point of caring.
I am getting ready for a meeting of the Coast Guard Auxiliary in Seattle with a whole bunch of big wigs that are active duty Coast Guard. It is always informative, a tad boring at times, full of good fellowship and makes me nervous. Can you imagine me nervous. Welllllll it happens. I start to shake and have to be careful not to hold paper in my hand or it shakes right along with me. At least my voice doesn't shake. I am looking forward to getting away for a little while and the prospect of seeing my two little sisters again. I sure do miss their company. I have been trying every way possible to get my Dad out of the nursing home and back into his own home but it is just not happening so far. I feel like I am pushing a big flat boulder up a hill. Who ever said that old age was the golden years. For heavens sake take me into the woods and leave me to the animals. I get so frustrated with the whole buracratic process. If he lived closer to us or we lived there it still would be a hard fought battle because his home is not condusive to him being there. He needs a step in shower and only has a tub. I need to talk to him and find out what needs to be done on the bathroom to possibly get it fixed up. Jason said he would go down and fix it but I think us girls are going to have to pay for it. All of Dads money is going to the nursing home and he doesn't have much to begin with. I do not want Jason to pay for it. He has two boys that eat a body out of house and home. I have to do some more checking to see if it is possible if we can meet all the conditions or if he is just going to have to be content where he is. Time will tell. Right now I have this big meeting to deal with so I will deal with that issue when I get home.
On a much lighter note we are gona go to Minnesota for Christmas. It has been 4 years since I have had a holiday with my son. That is when I miss him the most. When he was growing up he was a terrible snoop at Christmas. He even so far as to take the hinge pins off a locked door to find the presents we had locked inside. We knew he had been in there because I took special note of how I had things stacked. He admitted later on that knowing wasn't as much fun as he thought it was. He still wakes up really early and he is 36 years old. Imagine that.
Well It is getting very late, I have to get up early to get on the road to Washington and I haven't even packed yet. Oh my stars!
Before I go I will do one more thing. Gona add some really cool pictures of my grandsons and some of the fishing they did this summer. Have a great week and Luc you make me smile you make me laugh and I am so glad you are my sis.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Blank mind!

I am sorry to report my mind is a blank! Wellllllll some of you may find this situation funny or typical but for me it just doesn't happen!! Truth be known it does happen just not very often. I very rarely find myself at a loss for words. I am thinking it is all the gobbledy gook that I have running around in my head that has to do with all the things I should be doing and don't want to do. Such as painting the house, weeding my flower beds, cleaning yuck. I really should get in the closets and get rid of stuff I don't wear anymore. You know how that goes when things shrink as they hang. Couldn't possibly be the fact that I have grown a little bit. NAW!!! Seems when the time comes to clean them I open them up, stand there for a few seconds and say NAH not today. Oh well it only bothers me, and sometimes Richard.
We did get to the fair in Twin. It was so much fun to walk around and see all those thing as they once were. It is a real fair with lots 4-H animals, and individual projects, home arts and tons of good food. I bought 5 bags of cotton candy to share with the girls. Jason wanted a carmel apple so I seriously thought about having a picture of one air brushed on a t-shirt so I could send it to Minnesota. He is such a goof. Well, this old well has really run dry for the night so I will post this and get on to quilting. Maybe tomorrow I can get the fair picture moved over from my phone and post it here.
I wish everyone a great night and a better tomorrow.

Sunday, August 30, 2009

School Day!


Watching my granddaughters getting excited for their first day back to school sure brings back a lot of school memories. Not necessarily the first day but special days. In my day the olden day we were not allowed to wear pants or shorts to school. Just dresses and skirts, so much has changed and for the better I might add. In the winter we did not have what you would call snow boots but those rubber kind you slipped over your shoes. Overshoes I believe they were called! HEE HEE! Anyway durning the cold or the wet time of year I would have given anything to own a pair of knee high socks, tights or leggings. Those darn ol rubber boats always chapped the leg so bad. Especially on the inside of the leg. I hated those things! We would go out and play in the snow at home but we always had either several layers of pants on or were lucky enough to have a snow suit. Still very cold even then.
When I was in 4th grade we had a class program we got to participate in if we chose. I always had what I thought was a fair voice so I chose to sing a song while a school mate, Barry Bradshaw played the guitar. We chose Swing Low Sweet Chariot. I had forgotten the day we were going to do it so when I got to school and found out it was that day I was frantically asking the teacher if I could call my mom so she could bring the dress I had chosen, my fancy frilly Easter dress, the only frilly one I owned. She brought it with just minutes to spare, helped me dress in the girls room, combed my hair then watched I as sang a not so loud song. I can't even tell you if any one clapped. I was so scared and nervous.
President Kennedy was killed that year. It was such a sad time. We got to vote at school and I did not vote for him but for Barry Goldwater. We got out of school the day of his funeral and we all watched at home. I can still see the black and white picture of John John saluting his fathers coffin as it went by.
We got to watch from school when the first space ship landed on the moon. We got to stay home from school when the snow piled up to deep to get out of our lane. We ate wonderful hot lunches everyday. Made fresh right there in the kitchen at the school. Mom was a school lunch cook for a couple of years and I loved it when I was sick because I got to with her and watch while she worked as I sat perched on a high stool. I remember getting out of school for what was called East End Day at the Twin Falls County Fair and Rodeo. Boy o Boy that was some fun. The fair was the best. The fair grounds are located in Filer just west of Twin by just a few miles. Our church we went to, The First Baptist Church, always had a booth there that Mom and Dad worked at. We got to go hang around all day and see everything at least two or three times. The fair still goes on today and we plan to take a trip down there just to see what old friends we can run into. I will take my camera and post some pictures. All the animals are in different barns, the merchants have their own space. There is a huge agriculture barn as several for 4-Hr's. The rodeo is always on the national circuit and lots of fun to watch. The carnival is a local one that spends most of its time in Arizona. The food is marvelous and I can't wait to walk back down that memory lane.
Tomorrow as my little girls head to school I hope they write on their memories some of their firsts and keep them for all time. Such a precious gift our memories.

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Animals of the past!

Lucy just reminded me of the longevity of animals we have at our house. Mom had this little Boston Terrier named Sox. He was more my dog than anyone elses. He slept with me on the top bunk and hated for me to leave him anywhere. He was killed not too long after Richard and I got married and after Mom had moved to Oregon. We sure loved that crazy dog. You didn't dare leave a beverage on the floor because he would have his little short nose pushed in as far as it would go. One New Years Eve before Richard and I were married he, Richard, was over at the house helping us usher in the New Year. Dad had mixed him a drink, a Screwdriver, to be exact. Richard was laying on the living room floor watching TV. He was not paying the slightest attention to Sox who was busy slurpping up his drink. Needless to say the dog had an obvious headache the next morning. He was the first of many in a too long of a line. We have longevity at our house so there is no need for a bunch.
With kids came many varieties of pets. We had another dog named Peanuts. I was with my Dad in the truck coming back from Utah and found her on the side of the road. She was a sweet little thing and lived to be a ripe old age. Then came Holly, her we got a little 6 week old puppy. Just a ball of fur that couldn't get up and down a step she was so short. Holly came into our lives just about the time my Sis Connie had her second child. When Holly Gayle was born Erin asked if Aunt Connie had a puppy to because the names were the same. Holly was around of more than 15 years. In those years we did have a lizard named Lionel that belonged to Jason, Emery had one named Richey. Both lizards lived a very long full life. Lionel actually died of old age. We had him for almost 4 years. The vet told us that just didn't happen in captivity.
Erin and Jason both had rabbits. Erin's was a dwarf Netherlands named Coco. He looked very much like a Siamese cat. Jason got a mini lop ear. Buuuuuuttttt!
He was not so mini! Nor was he so lopped! He had one ear that refused to stay down and he weighed in at about 8 lbs. good size for a rabbit. His name was Chewie. They were very nice rabbits. They loved to be petted and held. Chewie had a tooth problem. He needed orthodonture because his front teeth did not meet to keep them ground down. We took him to the vet every couple of weeks to get his teeth clipped. He did not do well with any of that and died after a couple of months of the treatments. Coco died of a kidney problem just a month or so after Chewie. We had them both for more than 5 years.
They had gerbils, no names on them, I made them take them back where they bought them because they were having babies and Mom was not a happy camper. Erin had an American Red Guinnie Pig named Rose Bud. Boy was she a pain. Erin used to put her cage in the living room at night because Rose Bud loved to rattle it all night long.
Jason and Erin both had hamsters. Jodie, Connie's oldest daughter came to visit for a few weeks one summer and loved them so much I bought her one. We put it in it's little box to transport back home. When we got to Chickahomny Resv. near Burns Oregon the hamster was not in its box. Her name was Peaches, and she had chewed her way out of that box. We were sure she was gone for good having fallen out of the truck somewhere along the way. The next morning she reappeared in the cab of the truck with her little bitty feet singed. She had crawled into the heater where it was hot. She proceeded home with no further trouble.
Erin also go a dog. Jason had taken her to the Humane Society and they together because Erin was not of age to get one on her own picked out the cutest black and white puppy. Richard was livid. He did not want a second dog and especially one that was as hard headed as that one was. The only way Erin could keep her was to let her dad give her a name. Hence she became Soxie. She was a good sized Border Collie that after some 4-H training turned out to be the most wonderful dog. Growing up she was a constant companion to Richard when Erin was not around. When building a shed, Richard had to constantly find his pencil, his hammer, his screw nails and what ever else Soxie would pack off. Soxie lived to be a very old dog much loved by Erin, Tommy, Isabelle, Lainey, Richard, myself, Jason, Christy, Sam and Christian. She had a partner in a small terrier type dog named Rot. He was docile and played no stop with Soxie. Erin lost them both not that many years ago and miss them to this day.
I already told you about the dogs and cat Erin now has but I forgot to mention the animals that Jason and his family have. When they moved to Minnesota they took with them a Beagle type dog named Gabby. Christy got her from the pound and had no idea how old she really was. They also had a cat named Gidgett. She came from a farmer who Jason had sold a lot of expensive equipment to when he worked for Campbell Tractor. They also had a stray cat named Teaka. She was kind of looney. Had some problems in her sinuses that made her act goofy. Ja has been in Minn. for almost 4 years. They lost Teaka when they first moved, just recently lost Gabby and still have Gidgett plus a little Yorkie named Bosley. He is the ruler of the roost. Samuel and Christian have also had a variety of other critters, lizards, hamsters, and rats. I hope we all live as long as our animals seem to. I am fairly certain when our Dolly dog is gone she will be the last. To hard to travel when you have a dog to take care of all the time. I love dogs and love this cat but I think I am done. They just hang around much to long.

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Cats and dogs!





Richard and I were sitting in our favorite place this morning enjoying the early morning cool, buzz of bees and our critters!
TC is our cat! She is a Maine Coon cross with ummmmmm, I don't know, but anyway she is fierce and mighty hunter in the back yard. She is only allowed outside in only in the back yard when one of us is out there. Needless to say her antics are very entertaining. Not to long ago she was all hunched up just waiting to spring on a poor hapless bee. Unfortunately for TC the bee was not as cooperative as she would have liked and became very indignant when she got stung in the foot. She nursed a swollen paw for several days after that. Evidently it did not dampen her love of the chase. For this morning she was at it again. Stalking ever so slowly and springing on her helpless prey. This time she was rewarded with a tasty little snack, a bee, yuck! She had her revenge. TC roams the confines of our back yard and is such a scareddy cat she gets up on the 6 ft. fence then has to have help to get down. The squirrels are safe from her marauding presence.
Dolly is our 9 year old buff colored pekinese dog. She has a very pug face. Jason calls her pig dog but we love her. She has a bad back from a jump off the bed and moves slower than she used to. She does get wound up sometimes when TC bops her on the head with a paw. Then the chase is on. Should see them tear up and down the hall and round and round. Sometimes TC jumps on her cat tree and just watches Dolly chase the phantom cat. It is very comical. Dolly also loves her toys. All of them have to have squeakers in them to really be fun. All her toys are kept in a tub behind Richard's chair and she is very good at dragging them all out. I have yet to teach her how to put them all back. Her favorite is a pink and purple butterfly she uses as a pillow. Such a funny sight.
Our house has one other resident as of late. It is a tiny amphibious frog. They need no land so it is very much like having a fish. Samuel won two the the things at the Cherry Festival in his old home town of Emmett. His mom called the airlines trying to find a way for the critter to go home with them. As you have guessed she was told no several times over. Such a bummer for Sam. Anyway the little guy is thriving in our care. He has grown and get fresh water every few days. The best kind of pet to have. Makes no noise, doesn't need to be petted, fed only a pellet or two a day and makes no messes on the floor.
Our family is not pet poor. Erin has two dogs, Gracie a Rat Terrier, Teia a pekinese sibling to Dolly, and a stray cat named Daisy.
Tommy has a very large guy named Payton. A one hundred and fifty pound Giant Great Dane. That dog has no clue how big he is or how strong he is. He really believes he can sit on your lap and fit. UUUUGGGG! HUGE!!!!!!!!
Each one loved, each one cared for, each one very unique. Can't imagine our lives without pets.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

GrandDaughters!

Sitting on the patio watching my beautiful young granddaughters play in the wading pool brings back so many childhood memories I scarcely know where to start!
Growing up on a farm had some real advantages. We had a pond down the drive lane from our house that was not very deep but one we were not allowed to swim in. When I got older I found out why I didn't get to swim in it, in the fact that it was just run off water from the fields above it. Not something one should be swimming in. We were however allowed to wade along the edges of it. I remember one late spring Carol, Teri and I spent one whole day catching pollywogs in that pond. We would tote them up to the house and put them in a big galvanized wash tub. We had every intention of watching all of them change into frogs. Now mind you they were in every stage of changing already. Some had one leg, some two, and so on and so on. When Mom came out of the house to check on our play that put a halt to our up close and personal relationship with the pollywogs. We had to tote them all back to that pond.
There was a raft like things sitting near the pond. I think some of the boys that lived over in the next section used it on the pond. Their Dad owned the land we lived on and farmed. I don't remember them ever being on the raft but the reason that it is in my memory bank because it was a great place to stand on, to get away from the water snakes that also liked the pond. I hate snakes to this day. Not because they slither or are ugly or anything like that but because they always had a way of sneaking up on a person when they least expected it.
One place we could swim in was the canal. We could only go if Dad or Mom were with us and then only in certain places. The water moves pretty fast through in most places but some were very slow. A very good place to cool off.
Another body of water that we all liked to play in and this time it includes Connie and Lucy was the Perrine Coolie. It was located down the hay field from our house out on what was called the truck route north of Twin Falls. The coolie was a wonderful cool and shady place to play. Sometimes Mom would let us take a lunch and a blanket to have a picnic. We always tried to walk on the rocks because Mom always told us their were leaches in the water. I to this day can not tell you if it were true but it did the trick in keeping us out of the water. We had the occasional slip of the foot off a rock that netted us a wet shoe. That was one place we never went bare footed. We could walk the length of the coolie from the road clear to the canyon rim. Seemed like a long way at the time but it was not as far as I remember as a kid. There were some downed tress and lots of rocks to climb and play on. I loved playing there as did all us kids.
When we moved into town. We lived not to far from the Rock Creek Canyon. That was a place we were not ever suppose to go. Welllllll you know as well as I do when you are told absolutely not to go there. It was like an open invitation to explore. It is not a deep canyon like the Snake River Canyon but more like a wide ravine filled with stinging nettle, bull thistle, sour dock, and many other perils to ourselves. We only chanced going down in there when we were at home alone. Mom worked and Dad drove truck so we took care of ourselves much of the time. I was in Jr. High them so leading Connie, Lucy and Teri into trouble was my speciality but keeping us from getting caught was not to awfully hard. We never made it to the water in that canyon just too many very tall and unforgiving weeds to deal with. It was a fun climb down in there to say the least.
I guess you could say after that we got sophisticated and started using a public pool. Now what fun was that? Also took swimming lessons after that to. Keeping cool no matter where it was ranked number one when it was the hot dog days of summer. I miss them days!!!!!!!

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

The true meaning of friends!

I am catching well deserved flak from little sis Lucy about not keeping up with my blog. Suffice it to say I have been away. Richard and I spent the weekend at our one of our favorite places Lucky Peak Lake! We had an Coast Guard Auxiliary function on Sunday so we needed to be there for the festivities. The weather was okay! Too cool to sit in the shade and too hot to sit in the sun. Very breezy and unseasonably cool for what should be hot August nights.
I had a scare on Thursday and really got a good lesson in friendship and knowing ones own body. I was home alone when I started feeling bad. I had been on the computer writing my last blog. I was beginning to think it was from the way I was sitting. I shut it down and went to relax in my chair. The pain in my chest and back just kept getting worse. I waited almost 90 minutes before I came to the conclusion the pain was not going to go away on its own and I may very well be having a heart problem. Checked my blood pressure and it was way higher than it should be. The bottom number was over 100. Okay so now I am really scared. I called my good friend Chris because Richard was at the lake waiting for me, Erin was a work and I didn't think I could stand long enough to find her work number in my purse. Guess I really should put it my cell phone. I called my son in law, although he and Erin are no longer married to call her. He did just that. She called my cell phone just about the time Chris got to my house. Erin had her give me an aspirin then had her look in the fridg where Richard keeps his nitro tabs cause he has had 2 heart attacks. She found it gave it to me then called 911. All it did was give me an amazing headache. The paramedics got there checked me out and hauled to the ER at St. Al's. I spent 5 hours in the ER. Tommy bless his heart went to Lucky Peak, found the Park Ranger another friend of our Serrat Nichols and had him call Richard on the VHF radio. Where Richard was camped he could not hear Serrat very well so another friend of ours, Ron Fritz, that was up there relayed messages back and forth to get him into the Marina. Tommy brought him home as by that time I was home also. Chris and Erin stayed at the hospital with me until I was cleared to go home. Chris went home and Erin brought me home. Don't think it was my heart after all but an ulcer caused from all the drugs I take to keep my lupus, blood pressure, my colesteral, and my arthritis at bay. Imagine that!!! LOL!!!! Anyway I am scheduled for a nuclear stress test tomorrow. Will have an endoscopy along with a colonoscopy in early September. Pray that nothing happens again like that. Not at all fun.
My friends and my family were there for me every step of the way. I value each and every one of them and thank God they are in my life and care enough about me to be there for me. I will be there for them should the need ever arise. God willing the need will never come. I want to say a big thanks to everyone who loves me and cares for me. You are truly appreciated and a huge influence in my life. Thank You!