Sunday, August 31, 2008

Magnificent Bird

Check out the hawk...

...and zooooom-

Bubble Bath

FDOS

Back to College (Sophomore)

Back to High School (12th)

On to Middle School (6th)

Back to Elementary School (2nd)

Monday, August 18, 2008

My Walk

Sooo....let me tell you about my walk today. I started out with the regimen that Tim and I did all last week, while he was off work. We would each take 2 dogs on a 2 mile walk. I admit, I had the easier of the four dogs, Wolfie and Baci. They both stay close and walk at a good pace for me. He always had Duchess, who is a good walker also and Baby who is a monster! She will not heel, she pulls so hard that you have to yank and make her stop every so often. Well, John decided to do the walk with me and he had my dogs from last week and I had Baby and Duchess. Baby would not cooperate. She pulled as though her life depended on it, as though she were in the Iditarod and I was yelling "Mush! Mush!" I felt like my arm was going to come out of my shoulder socket. After about 200 yards or so I told John, "You are going to have to take Baby back to her crate. I can't take it anymore." He gave me Wolfie and ran back to the house, which Baby was happy to do...I guess she wanted to run all along. Anyway, she was crated because she would definitely break through the invisible fence after us if we didn't do so. I told John I would walk slowly and wait on him to return for the walk. We have been walking to the large lake's beach/boat ramp area which is one mile from our house. This gives the dogs a place to cool off in the lake as well as water to drink. Anyway, I make it to an empty lot at the beginning of our street and decide to walk a bit in the grass to wait on John. After standing there for a bit, Wolfie decides to freak out like I haven't seen. She pulls so hard to get away that her head comes out of her collar and in my exasperation with her I begin to realize why she was getting away so rapidly. We were standing in FIRE ANTS which had at that very moment decided to bite me, all of them at once. What a desperate feeling that is! While trying to run after Wolfie to catch her and not lose the other dogs I was ripping off my shoes and socks to get the ants off me. It was CRAZINESS! I would estimate about twenty of them bit. It was pretty bad. I get things under control and finally, John makes his way back to me. He takes Wolfie and we continue our journey to the big lake. We sip our water bottles along the way, chat and just enjoy the walk, despite my itchiness from the ant bites. We make it to the lake and John talks about how tired he is due to his running and I tell him we will take a break and rest at the lake and let the dogs in the water and let them rest as well. When we arrive John sits on the concrete under a tree with Wolfie by his side and I have Baci and Duchess just chilling nearby while I stand in the shade. Suddenly, I feel the backs of my legs go very warm, then very wet. Baci had lifted his leg and let loose with a pee like I've never seen. I was soaked! It smelled strongly of urine. I was livid! I couldn't believe it! I absolutely could not walk back with that all over me so the only thing I could do was once again, rip off my shoes and socks and go into the lake up to my knees and basically wash the pee off me. I was so ready to be home, you just don't know. What a morning! I finally dried enough to put my shoes back on and we headed home. I doubt I will soon forget this day!

Friday, August 15, 2008

Vilas, NC

Our woods in the mountains.

Checking out the old barn.

Mystery Bug

Grandfather Mtn

Sunday, August 3, 2008

My How the Years Change Us.

 

1985

 

Now

Size 6 Fatty!


Look what I found...my how the years have gone by! This was summer of 1985 taken in Pensacola, FL...and to think...I thought I was fat! Yeah fat as a size 6! Ha!

Saturday, August 2, 2008

NYC Westin Window (before the blinds collapsed)








New York was great! Loved spending time with my little cutie pawootie. She is such a lovely young lady. I love her spirit and the woman she has become. We saw Conan O'Brien at "The Little Mermaid" which was great! It was such a full circle moment for me watching that play with Jen. I remember when she was an adorable little 2 year old listening to her sing those songs from the movie as I was recovering or resting from chemo. We would have neighbors sitting with the babies (she was almost 2 Davis was a newborn)...and I can still remember hearing her sweet voice singing "Part of that World!" in my groggy, anti nausea medication stupor. She was passionate about it, even at that age. She still loves singing and the Broadway thing is just perfect for her, but she has college to finish and she is so uncertain about what she wants to do. I want her to do what she loves to do but will it make her happy in the long run. I don't know. I do believe her heart is in NY. She still longs for K. but will he make it? I know she loves him and it breaks my heart for her. He has had such a hard life. I think deep down he is a good guy, he's just not into authority figures. I pray he can stick with it, for his sake and hers.












So I'm in that play at the Lunt-Fontanne theater and this overwhelming feeling of nostalgia and sadness sweeps over me just as Ariel leaves her father and I am just sobbing. Wow! Didn't think it would affect me so profoundly. I just wish Tim could have been there too. He and Davis are right now camping in the North Rim, AZ Campground for their father/son trip. I miss them soooooo much. Davis is almost 18 so they are my men. Love those men! The boys have been taking good care of things while the real men have been gone. John (12) and Mike (7) are big helpers during the day while Jen is at work (Fractured Prune). I am such a lucky woman. Thank God for my good fortune to have a lovely family. Amen!



Check out the photo from John's Pizzeria...it was delicious...and the Italian Margarita wasn't bad either!