This is the table out in the backyard that I always have Star jump up on to get brushed. So every time we go outside, she runs and jumps up hoping to be brushed.
Isn’t she a pretty girl? She grew into her feet like I was afraid she might and now weighs 93 pounds. The weather is starting to get nice enough we should be able to go for our walks again real soon.
and kept….
Finally!! We got some rain. The temperature has dropped nicely and we’ve got the doors open and the AC off. It’s nice to have some fresh air in the house. Hopefully, we’ll get a little more over the next day or so.
If I had a picture of the Twin Towers, I would post it. But sadly, I don’t. Every year since that day, this date has been a day of remembering and honoring, sadness and grief, prayers and petitions.
Ten years ago something happened that America just couldn’t comprehend or understand.
Ten years ago someone struck out in anger and revenge.
Ten years ago everyday people became heroes and gave their lives without thought to self.
But, eighteen years ago today, Greg and I promised before God and our family and friends to love, honor and obey ‘til death do us part. It’s hard to celebrate, when so many around us are mourning.
We’re in the home stretch with getting our house ready to rent again. I have a new found respect for scullery maids and anyone who has to work on their knees to make their living.
Things are getting checked off the list and we can see that light at the end of the mop bucket. I’ll definitely be ready for my time in Strawberry with Annie and Alice.
I’m doing my best to keep caught up with all my blogging friends. You all are such a sanctuary for me. Soon I’ll be out getting more pictures to astound and amaze you. :)
I found this fellow on the back porch this morning and he was quite nice about posing for some photos.
What I could find about him on the internet tells me he is a Leaf Bug of the order of Phasmida. The internet also said that he is most often found in Australia and Southeast Asia. I’m guessing he’s a little off course, but I have seen them here in Arizona before.
Up close and personal he’s a little intimidating.
PS: On a happy note, I believe we may have found new renters! There’s still more to do to complete the process, but so far it’s looking promising. :)
and overloaded right now. There are a lot of things going on right now and I’m going to be a bad blogging friend for a few more days. Please forgive me.
We had rented our house out so that we could come to live with Mom and care for her. That was four years ago next month…time really flies. The house has been rented to the same couple for 3 1/2 of those years. I hate to say it but they didn’t treat our house kindly and as first-time landlords, we have learned a lot. We have spent the entire Labor Day Weekend trying to bring the house back to rentable condition with the help of family. We still have a lot to do.
That meant that Nicole was charged with staying with Grandma. Saturday I received a call from Nicole saying Grandma wasn’t feeling well. I talked to Mom and felt the problem was probably gas but to keep me posted. Mom thought she was having a heart attack. The symptoms didn’t sound quite right. I called my brother to see if he could go and sit with her and see what he thought. After he spoke with her on the phone he was concerned enough to call me back. I headed home and the long (sorry) of it is that I called 911 and then the party got started. My Mom lives in a 38 year old double wide. In her small family room there were soon four firemen and two paramedics, oxygen going, IV’s started, blood pressure taken, glucose level checked…and heaven only knows what else. After a ride to the hospital in the ambulance (a first for both of us), Mom had to stay overnight for observation. Thankfully, all the tests came back negative – no heart attack, no pneumonia, no gastro-intestinal problems. But everyone assured us we did the right thing in calling 911 and to not hesitate to do it again.
Needless to say, I wasn’t much help on the house. There’s still plenty to do. Hopefully we’ll have it ready to rent by the 15th. In the meantime, I’m going to be very busy and probably neglectful. I apologize ahead of time.
This is Shelbi Lynn Pierson. She is another one of my grand nieces. She is the daughter of Todd and Amanda. Todd is the son of my older brother, Richard. Got all of that?
But what and who she really is, is sunshine. She can light up a room with that megawatt smile and her sweet little giggle.
Mom assures me she can have her moments too, but what’s that in the big scheme of things…really?
I love you little Miss Shelbi!!! Come back and visit real soon.
in search of water. Okay not quite the song lyrics you were expecting, but it fits what Tracy and I were up to on Tuesday.
This piece of art is entitled “Water Source” and is located at Goodyear’s Dog Park. The artist Marta Thoma was inspired by the nearby Gila River. The art piece is made of recycled materials and has solar-powered illumination. We’ll need to stop by some time after dark to see how it looks then.
This was, of course, also at the dog park. But it’s more what I would expect to see. :)
Remember the little man who stole my heart the minute he was born?
His name is Justin Donald. If you missed some of our fun times together, you can check out one such story here.
He so totally owns me and will get whatever he ever wants from his Aunt Nancy.
How could you say “no” to this little guy?
So HAPPY SECOND BIRTHDAY, JUSTIN DONALD….little love of my life.
of summer…
I need to get out and take some new pictures, but the heat is keeping me inside. This picture was taken in Strawberry at Annie’s cabin and it makes me smile.
I have a long weekend planned with Annie to head back up north in September. I can hardly wait. Hopefully, before then I’ll venture out and get some new pictures.
Thank you all for your kind words and support. They do mean a lot to me.
the hands of time.
Mom and I play games and do puzzles to help keep her mind sharp. Some days we see progress and some days – not so much. I’m still making that transition from seeing her as astute and focused all the time to confused and foggy more often now. It’s a hard transition to make.
Friends who have been down this path tell me that there will come a time when I will want to just nod my head and agree with whatever she says. I’m not ready for that. I want to try and keep her memory and dignity intact for as long as possible. It somehow feels less than honorable to “humor” her. I know I’ll need to make a shift in my thinking, but I’m just not there yet.
the worms crawl out….
well you know the rest of it.
I have passed this huge pile of these “worms” for months along an area of our freeway that is being widened. From the very first, they reminded me of a pile of worms and yesterday I finally had an opportunity to stop and take a picture or two.
This is what they are used for….
In an effort to keep Mom awake and entertained, I’ve resorted to jigsaw puzzles. Unfortunately, this one seems to be beyond her ability to see clearly enough and beyond my ability to just put away. So, myself and my OCD will complete this one and then move on to one easier for Mom.
"There are no extra pieces in the universe. Everyone is here because he or she has a place to fill, and every piece must fit itself into the big jigsaw puzzle." - Deepak Chopra
Hope you all had a relaxing weekend spent with family and friends.
No! Paradise found.
This is where you will find Paradise….
This is what you will find in Paradise….
This is a Caramel Cream Coffee Smoothie. As a testament of just how good it is, anyone who knows me well knows I don’t like coffee. Don’t drink it – never have. But this I love!
This is the new picture ID that comes up on my cell phone when Tracy calls me. Guess who goes to Tropical Smoothie Cafe with me all the time?
Do you have a favorite smoothie place?
Bottle of Wine.
On a trip to World Market, Tracy and I did some wine shopping. Go figure! This was back in late June and this bottle of wine (chilled) has traveled back and forth between our two houses on numerous occasions. For whatever reasons we never cracked it open.
But yesterday Tracy invited Lisa and I over for a girl’s afternoon of munchies and movies. So guess what I took with me?
So we have now gone from the Sisterhood of the Traveling Bottle of Wine to the Sisterhood of the Traveling Wine Bottle….no more wine in it. :) I think it was Lisa who got “creative” and decided Twizzlers made good straws from which to drink wine. I didn’t try it….I had already moved on to the Watermelon Martinis.
Randy, where were you? We had a Moose Drool waiting. :)
Disclaimer: In case you’re worried, we do not have drinking problems. In the five hours we were there the only alcohol consumed was this sole bottle of wine…by three of us…and one Watermelon Martini each. Okay one of us had two Martinis, but I’m not telling who. :)
This sits in a the yard of a house in my brother’s neighborhood. It is quite an unusual piece of yard art.
As the sun was setting tonight, the light outside got really weird. I had decided to not get up and try to get any pictures, when Tracy gave me a call. She was just the encouragement I needed.
It wasn’t just the sky above me that had the unusual light quality, it was everywhere. Walking around the backyard, everything had this weird glow to it.
It was really quite beautiful and I’m so glad that Tracy called and nudged me off the couch.
Weird sky at night, picture taker’s delight. :)
between a rock and a hard place?
Hope that doesn’t happen to you this weekend and that you have nothing but fun and smooth sailing.
I’m sure life is unfolding just as it should, but right now things are extra busy crazy. I’ve been neglectful of my blog, but not of my thoughts of all of you.
