Another New Week!

Busy week this week! By this time next week, I should come upon relative calm. Getting ready for the Unity conference at week's end making chili and corn bread, and some sort of pot luck dish--thinking in terms of roll-up type sandwiches; perhaps brownies.

Also want to make Dad's cookies and do some more breads. Don't know why I'm into making breads these days but I am.

Feeling pretty good. Trying to get outside more these days and plan on working more in the garden. Dad has made good progress on the greenhouse and nearly all the panels are up now. Priced stones for the floor yesterday and came to the brilliant conclusion that mulch might be better; cheaper and easier on the feet! Wow! What a breakthrough! Perhaps that can be accomplished by week's end.

Walking this AM with the dogs. Took them for a ride last night -- Chloe wanted more. Planning a mini-trip by mid-month next month to check out an azeala festival in NE TX.

Need to work more on projects! Need to get off the computer!

Peace!
Carol

Charlie Doesn't Like Walking Through Water

I hear Charlie crowing but I haven't let him out yet. We had so much rain over the week end that there are still puddles around and in his little enclosure. Dad had to pick him up off the garbage can lid last night and throw him in bed! But Charlie is forgiving and he's crowing that he's awake this AM. I'll let him out a little later. His bug search should be pretty productive today.

My youngest granddaughter is 3 yrs.old! What a joy she is! I think she has an old and mischievieous soul! I have a feeling that little Iris will get into her share and her sister's share of trouble over her lifetime but that, like her dad, she'll always come out well and well liked.

Sabu was very needy last night. He is such a sweet kitty and doesn't get his fair share of attention--or maybe he does--who's to say? I do feel bad that Sam picks on him so.

Chloe is beginning to communicate more and more--especially with her nose! She kept boinking me with it the other day and I finally figured she was trying to tell me that she needed/wanted to go outside! What a trip! She and Jake love the new toys we got them and play with them and with each other a lot.

The weather up north where we lived for so many years was really bad over the week end. Even though we had our month's share of rain in one day(!), I'm glad we're down here instead of up there!

Dad fell through the attic ceiling yesterday--at least one of his legs did! He was trying to install a light fixture for my closet and mis-stepped! So now we have extra ventilation! He's ok although he did scrape his leg and his cheek which seem to be better this morning. An example of no good deed going unpunished, I guess.

Not sure which direction I'm heading today. But I'm sure I'll find one or two!

Peace!

Carol

Happy Valentine's Day & Happy Birthday Iris!

We celebrated Valentine's Day last night with a chocolate cheesecake decorated with sweetened sour cream and hand dipped (by me!) strawberries. I'll take the leftovers plus some Valentine cookies to bowling today. Hope I get rid of the rest of the stuff 'cause that cheesecake is too good!

Spent the better part of the day in the kitchen. I also did stuffed shells and Benjamin scarfed them up like candy! For the first time in a long time he didn't need encouragement to clean his plate! 'Course he was after the dessert but that's ok--he earned it big time!

Benjamin gave us a wonderful hand-made card to Mai Mai and PaPa and a red carry container with a cute little red monkey inside that whistles! I loved it! Perfect gifts for someone like me--don't know what dad will get out of it but he enjoyed the card and got a charge out of the monkey.

We watched an old chick-flick type of movie last night after they left that had some elements of truth in it for sure. Funny to see how much actors have aged in the past 20 yrs. when you see them in the movie and compare them to now!

Today is what I consider to be my "free" day and I always look forward to Thursdays. Dad will take on the second day of his computer training course--basic but good for him to have it presented in different ways.

Not sure what I'll do this afternoon but probably work on some craft stuff. I'm way behind and need to get going on that.

Nothing much else to report--46 degrees headed for the 60s so can't complain.

I hear Charlie crowing so need to let him out to proclaim is aliveness to the world!

Peace!

Carol

Beau & Luke's Excellent Adventures

Yesterday was busy and challenging--never felt I ever got it together!

Started the day w/a walk with my friend even though rain threatened. At the end of our block live a couple of little beagles, Beau and Luke. They had escaped their enclosure and came running happily towards us eager to join us in our adventure! This was not the first time they'd escaped and this time I determined to put them in our yard until their parents came home. But when we made another pass, they had escaped our yard as well!

At this point, rain (much needed) threatened so we gathered them up again and got Luke into our house while Beau refused and by then it was raining so we tried to keep an eye on him and then he disappeared! Meanwhile, Luke made himself at home and ultimately slept on my lap while I sat at the computer!

I started some laundry and Dad went to his computer class when all the dogs set up a fuss because someone was at the door. There was a gentlemen serving me with the papers I'd been expecting--very nice and concerned about my dogs--although one wasn't mine!

I left Duke, Chloe and Jake in the back yard while I picked Dad up from his computer class. From there we went to Copy Corner to pick up and slice apart bookmarks I had made for the Unity Conference--slicing them apart took 3 hrs! Did some grocery shopping and when we got back home, everyone was fine but still no sign of Beau--at his house or ours.

Meanwhile, Luke seemed to be making himelf at home, peeing and pooping on our carpet several times but being very sweet and playing with Chloe--Jake routinely ignores young upstarts!

Still doing laundry, stewing about the papers served--I'm being sued for $250,000!--talking to my insurance agent who is trying to calm me down--successfully--this is more or less routine--strictly business like negotiating a house--always ask for more than you expect to get. Lots of reassurances that it will likely not come to trial but pointing out many factors in my favor--Maybe I'll send him some home made cookies?!

Typed a note to Beau and Luke's parents that we had one of their dogs but not the other and ran it down to their place--we don't know them--with our phone number. Turns out they're home and Beau and let himself back in the fence and they were frantic for Luke calling animal shelters. I ran back to get Luke and they were very grateful--I was actually prepared to take him off their hands if they didn't want him he's so sweet! But now they have our phone number and know how to reach us if they escape again and I know their names.

How life works--we were going to the copy center anyway so it was convenient for us to have copies made of the document--25 pgs. long that makes it look like I intentionally hit this guy!--and we were able to get it in the mail right away. I NEVER go to the copy center--this was one of the first times I'd been there for a project they'd done for me!

Anyway, made the salmon and broccoli and fed Dad--still working on laundry -- and madehis oatmeal cookies--put some wheat germ in them this time and he proclaimed perfection! Also made up cookies and started a crust that needs to be finished today. Don't know why I'm making a chocolate cream cheese cake, pepermint heart cookies and strong arm cookies--made with a lot of fruit--for today along with Paula Dean's stuffed shells for tonight's dinner when the kids come over--but that's what's lined up for today.

I've done my Yee and finished the laundry and am ready for a brisk--36 degree this AM--walk. Let Charlie out--he was up when I was!--and he immediately headed to the corner of the garden where he could crow his greetings to the world!

Looks like sun today!

Peace!

Carol

I Woke Charlie Up!

I woke up Charlie this morning! Very unusual. He usually crows off and on throughout the night so I was at first worried. But when I peeked inside his little house, he was still there. Afterwards, I heard him crow from the corner of the garden as if to get the best possible advantage for any other chicken to hear his call.

Dad's eye seems to be better. A trip to the dr. indicated a possible infection. How fortuituous that I happened to be going through some medicines in my cabinet and found a cream I'd had to use for a similar incident last year. I brought it to the dr. office and showed it to him and he was pleasaed and said this was good to use on the eye.

At first it didn't seem to do much good but by last night, he was feeling the effects and this AM says the affected eye almost feels better than the other one!

Busy day yesterday--trips to the copy center (I actually had burned the cd properly!), some revisions, and then a trip to see if the convention center will meet our needs for the conference at the end of the month--it will. Then after-care and another trip to the copy center to approve a proof for the bookmark I developed for the conference center. Interesting about liviing in a college town: This copy operation is open from 7AM to 2AM daily!!!! They said my project will be ready this morning but I'm not going up at 7 to find out!

Not sure what this day will bring and I need to plan it but I have a cup of coffee and have done my Yee so I'm sure things will fall into place.

Hope it rains--we need it!

Peace!

Carol

It's 61 degrees at 7:15 AM heading for a high of 72 today. I hear Charlie crowing. Lately, I'm trying to let him out of his little enclosure when I first get up--he seems to like that--maybe following the old axiom of the "early bird gets the worm!".

Lots of stuff going on--again more soul-searching and not always good about that--often cranky--not sure what that's all about. But talking to my granddaughters and my son and his wife do help alleviate some of the pressures.

Trying to work outside more lately. With good weather, this is possible. Dad is making progress on his greenhouse trying to get it to the point of being useable. We ordered more clips but they haven't come in yet. These are necessary to make the panels stay in with the high winds we seem to be experiencing these days.

The blackberries are almost uncovered and we're into spreading more mulch. Amazing how many fire ant hills there are! Sure made a group crazy yesterday when I pulled weeds from their abode--luckily I noticed only one bite this AM.

Trying to get back to some basics but it's not always easy. Frustrated with myself because some things don't come easily to me! like burning a cd!!!! What's that all about and why does the process intimidate me!? Makes me feel so old!

Anyway, I'm back and going to try to make this a regular missive again.

Peace!

Carol