Woodbury World

Birthday Blessings and General Updates

2012-01-30T20:13:00.000-08:00

This has been a busy month and once again, I am so behind on blogging! I have just got to get with it, especially since I recently made the decision that our family blog may be my new alternative/additive (?) to the traditional scrapbooking that I can’t seem to get done, either. I recently began fiddling around with a “blog-to-book” service that actually “sucks” your posts right out of your blog (pictures and text) and throws them on some pages. You can use their free editing software to make changes to make it better suit your liking, then upload your finished product to their website where they will print a hardcover (or softcover) book for you. I am in the middle of editing a book that has all of the posts that I have done so far, and I must say, once I got the hang of it, it has been pretty fun. I’m over halfway done and am itching to get it finished. I must warn you that since this may be our new “scrapbook”, it might get a little boring for a lot of people, but I’m so excited about the books that I’m going to post as much as I can!

The good things that have happened this month have been birthday blessings. We recently celebrated Alan’s birthday and he was a pretty happy guy. Everyone read the memo and he received cash – his one true love – and it will come in handy when it’s time for him to buy his car. He will be going back to Yellowstone in May which is a blessing in itself because the Albertson’s grocery store is closing this month. I couldn’t believe it! That was the first place I learned how to navigate to when we first moved here, and the pharmacist and I were on a first-name basis! Alan feels so very badly for all of the other employees there who do not have a Yellowstone to which they can go. He is feeling very lucky, indeed!

My birthday present from Robert came a week early. We went on another of our infamous Saturday rides and ended up at the Russell Feed Store. I had to laugh as I carried my present into the house. Last year he surprised me with two chickens and this year…well, here she is:

Introducing: Nestlé, my new “chocolate” bunny!

He not only bought the rabbit, he bought a starter kit so that we would have everything we needed to get her set up. I later added this little basket bed and she absolutely loves it!

She has been outside some, and when she is not being held and snuggled, she gets to run around the house some, too. At first, Molly was intensely interested in her, but after a while the magic faded and Molly returned to her old routine:

Mandy and her family came over for dinner on Sunday to help me celebrate my birthday. Mandy has recently gotten into baking and I was so surprised when she came bearing cupcakes. Aren’t they beautiful? (And they tasted good, too!)

Not all things have been wonderful. The most beautiful child in the world has been sick for what seems forever, and she can tug at your heartstrings with her misery:

However, even in her illness, she is still Miss Independent and her mother snapped a picture of her in the doctor’s office. While other children were sitting in their mothers’ laps, clutching at them for all that’s dear, our girl wanted to sit alone:

After this weekend’s diagnosis of bronchitis, the doctors have finally concluded that a regular regimen of maintenance drugs and breathing treatments are going to be required to keep her chronic allergies and asthma at bay. My poor girl!

In other news, Opal has finally started to lay eggs on a regular basis, and it is so exciting to go out every day and find this:

We also recently had a significant rain event which helped to replenish our lakes a bit, although we still have a way to go to really counter the effects of the drought we have been enduring. It rained for two-and-a-half days straight, and afterwards, all of the neighborhood critters were quite hungry. I was tickled to look out one day and see them enjoying the food that I put out for my feathered and furry friends:

That’s what’s going on in Woodbury World. Hope things are great wherever you are!

Minestrone Soup – My Soup/Chili Hybrid

2012-01-07T18:10:00.000-08:00

I thought I would share my recipe for what our family calls “minestrone soup” (even though it is really more like a cross between soup and chili – perhaps I should call it a “sili”?). Anyway, it is so easy that it’s ridiculous and yet it has withstood scrutiny during countless pot lucks and “company” meals.

Minestrone Soup – Basic Recipe

1 lb. ground beef

2 cans of Campbell’s minestrone soup

1 15-oz can of Ranch Style beans

1 can of Rotel tomatoes (Original flavor)

Brown the ground beef and drain. In a larger pot combine the cooked ground beef, soup, beans, and tomatoes. There is no need to add any additional liquid. Let it simmer until nice and hot. Serve topped with shredded cheese and you have dinner!

(NOTE: The above recipe is the basic recipe that I received years ago. The thing I really like about it is that you can tweak it to suit your taste and your headcount. For one thing, all you really have to worry about is getting it hot; however, I have found that the longer it cooks, the better it tastes. I actually prefer to brown the meat and then let the whole thing cook in the crock pot for a good while. Even though the recipe called for the original flavor of Rotel tomatoes, we have decided that we like the mild flavor better for this recipe. Need to stretch it a little bit for unexpected guests? You can always add a little more meat or even another can of soup and/or beans. When the whole family is getting together I use closer to 2 lbs. of meat and 3 cans of soup and it still tastes great. My mother likes to eat her sili with crackers, while I like to mix in a few Fritos in my bowl. We have also made dinner rolls or corn muffins to fluff it up a little.)

The Long Road to Christmas

2012-01-01T20:33:00.000-08:00

We enjoyed Christmas this year…the actual day that is. But I have to say that this year the road to get there was quite long. The season began with me having a good start on gift-buying, and I was anticipating that this early finish would give me the rest of the season to just sit back…enjoy…maybe do a little baking and other fun holiday stuff. (As you can see, the tree made it up, and there are gifts underneath.) But The Grinch had other plans, and this year we celebrated the fact that we were able to celebrate at all.

The main culprit was illness. Everyone was sick! Even my computer had a virus and was out of commission until I could get it fixed (leaving me looking for a support group for those suffering from blog withdrawal). Paisley, Mandy and Jeromy were all very, very sick, prompting the beautiful, real tree that they had put up this year to be removed from the premises. They were hoping that this would help with Paisley’s asthma, and while it may have helped some, their nights were still filled with administering breathing treatments and getting no sleep, all while feeling the effects of their own illnesses. There were little respites here and there, in between bouts of illness, and the most beautiful child in the world did get to visit Santa:

Unfortunately, by the time the Lackey ornament exchange rolled around, Jeromy attended solo while Mandy stayed home with a very sick little girl. For those of you who don’t remember the Lackey ornament exchange, it is an absolutely beautiful custom Jeromy’s family has. (You can read more about it here.) It makes me want to be a Lackey! Well, this year I bought another ornament for Paisley’s stash. I found it on eBay and it is a Peter Rabbit ornament:

This year I was all about Peter Rabbit. I bought her a board book and a stuffed Peter (both from Amazon), and I can’t wait until she is old enough for me to read her the little set of Beatrix Potter books that I bought for us. I hope that one day she will see her Peter Rabbit ornament hanging on her tree and tell her children about sitting with her old Lolee, reading all about the naughty little bunny!

On an unrelated note, I found this picture of Paisley in her mother’s stash. Not sure what that expression was all about, but I thought it was so cute!

Meanwhile, at our house, Mom and I had gone to the VA Hospital on December 8^th for a pre-op visit. Mom was scheduled for a hernia repair on the 12^th and they wanted to do all of the blood work, x-rays and what-not. She had been coughing (who hadn’t), but we didn’t think that much of it. After being there for quite some time we were informed that she would not be having surgery on the 12^th, but instead was being admitted that very day due to the fact that she had pneumonia. Talk about a surprise! We hadn’t even packed a bag.

For the next few days, I kept the road hot between our house and the VA. I blew down the road listening to my Stevie Nicks CD, singing along as best I could. However, I wasn’t feeling so hot myself and as the days wore on and I grew more ill, I began to sound more and more like Stevie. (Note to self: Listening to Stevie, especially “Rhiannon”, makes you drive way too aggressively. When navigating heavy traffic, you might want to consider putting in your John Denver CD. Just sayin’…)

Anyway, I was so sick that when Mom was released, she had to go to my sister’s house for a couple of days and Robert had to go get her and bring her home. We thought she was getting better, but the Thursday before Christmas she informed me that she just wasn’t feeling very well, so we blew back down the road to VA (listening to talk radio this time). Sure enough, she was still suffering from pneumonia, but was sent home with some major antibiotics and instructions to do regular breathing treatments. Since my mother is the candy-maker-in-chief, this Christmas will forever be known as “The Christmas Without Home-Made Fudge.” Needless to say, my stuffed gingerbread dolls and my reindeer sitting in the rocking chair didn't make it out to their honorary spots in the family room, either.

Robert was able to go a day or so before Christmas and visit his mother and sister (and his sister’s family). This is the way it has been for the last few years. With all of the dogs (and now chickens) to take care of, he and I rarely go anywhere together if it is going to be for very long. However, I really don’t mind. His family is so nice, and he loves getting to see them whenever he can. Here are pictures from his visit with “Grandma Lynda and the bunch”:

Robert had bought his sister this big old bear as a special gift because it reminded him of one she had as a little girl. Apparently, ever-so-naughty young Robert used to taunt poor Susan by punching in her bear’s nose or using a make-shift noose to hang it from the back of her door. Luckily, he has grown up (at least a little) and this bear did not suffer any such torture:

The limpy-gimpies were able to put together a little Christmas Eve dinner (sandwiches on little rolls, etc.) and this was the night we would open our gifts to each other. The most beautiful child in the world arrived and posed for a picture with her mother:

Jeromy was kind enough to be the one to pass out the gifts (this is normally Alan’s job, but he was working at Albertson’s until 9:00 p.m. and we thought Miss Lackey wouldn’t last that long!):

Everyone received wonderful things, but of course, our focus was on you-know-who. Her Grandma Lynda crocheted the cutest little cape and hat (ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL!):

Dee Dee bought her a little rocking horse that sings and makes a “clip-clop” sound when you squeeze his ear. Giddy-up!

And Grump-Pa surprised her with a big old bear, too! Perfect for snuggling up with:

We were surprised that we were all still rolling when Alan came dragging in, but we were, and he was able to share in the evening after all:

This was the Christmas without a lot of our usual trappings. There was neither fudge nor peanut clusters, no driving around looking at lights, no making cookies and such for neighbors and friends. This year we were stripped to the very basics – faith and family. Yet even Mandy remarked that this was one of her favorite Christmases of all. She said that each gift was more thoughtful and she felt that each moment they spent with both our family and Jeromy’s family was even more special. I felt the same way. I remember that the very first Christmas came without fudge and cookies and plush gingerbread men decorations, too. The road to Christmas may have been long, but in the end, it came… it came… it came just the same! (And we loved it!)

A “Season” of Surprises

2011-12-03T11:34:00.000-08:00

You really have to live in Texas to understand the surprises that a “change in the weather” can bring. This is the only place I have ever lived where you can have summer and winter in the same week (and sometimes even the same day). Trying to stay on top of things can be a little difficult because it is easy to develop a false sense of security when the warm temperatures seem to last forever.

Thus it has been with the chicken coop. The temperatures have been so mild (even at night) that I really have not given as much thought as I should have to winterizing the coop for the girls. When you add the fact that this is our first real experience raising chickens, I often am amazed that the girls have even survived their ten months of living with us, but somehow they have. Anyway, this colder season has kind of snuck up on me and now, even though the days are mild, the nights have been getting pretty chilly.

It was time to break out the heat lamp! Just one little problem…the girls were terrified of it. Three nights in a row I would get the heat lamp going, only to come back later and find that the girls had retreated to the other side of the coop. I tried to explain to them that it was for their own good and they would enjoy it, but they did not believe me. In an effort to try to help the coop retain as much warmth as possible, I spent a little time yesterday tacking some heavy clear plastic outside of their windows to try to help keep the warm air in and the cool air out. The girls were quite intrigued, pecking at the hammer whenever I put it down and eyeing the little tacks with a great deal of curiosity. I could not have done it without them!

Wanting to give it one last shot, yesterday I turned the heat lamp on a little earlier in the evening than I had been doing and went into the house. Imagine my surprise and delight when I returned to the coop later and saw this:

Those hens were basking in the warmth of the heat lamp like two teenaged girls sunning themselves on the beach! Hooray! (For some reason, the only time I have ever seen them get in their nesting boxes is when they want to lay an egg. They seem to prefer hanging out on this ledge, even with a roosting bar nearby that Robert made for them from an old sawhorse.)

I had another surprise when I looked in the back yard today:

Do you see him? Here’s a closer look:

A cute little parakeet, enjoying the feed that I had put out this morning for the neighborhood birds! We had parakeets when the kids were younger, so I “speak” parakeet. I stepped out onto the porch and called to him, hoping that I could charm him into coming to me. Nope! He took off and perched on a nearby bush:

Later he was back with the rest of the gang:

Knowing that domesticated parakeets are not outdoor birds, I will worry about him with the freezing weather that is to come. Hopefully he will find a warm spot among the various nooks and crannies of buildings and such that we have in our yard. In my perfect world, he could hang out in the coop, warm and snuggly with the girls!

Happy Birthday, Dee Dee!

2011-11-20T19:08:00.000-08:00

Today we celebrated Dee Dee’s birthday. It was a pretty quiet little party…Mom has not been feeling so well lately. She already has been struggling with some thyroid problems (they have found some nodes growing on it), and she will be having a biopsy performed at the end of the month. Last Sunday, she and I spent the day in the Emergency Room of the VA Hospital, not sure whether or not she was going to have emergency surgery for some abdominal issues. Although emergency surgery was not required, she will be having surgery for those problems in the near future. So we were grateful to actually be celebrating her birthday, and glad that Mandy and her little family were able to join us.

Here’s a picture of Dee Dee when she was just a wee tot living in Dodson, Texas (her sister, Jan is on the left and Mom is on the right):

And here is a giggly high school Dee Dee (on the left) with her best friend from back in the day:

Mom was 33 years old when she joined the Army (I am so impressed that she made it through Basic Training so well!):

And here’s her picture from Christmas just a couple of years or so back:

It’s been hard to see her struggling with these health issues and feeling so miserable. We are really hoping and praying that she will be back to her old self soon and really be able to enjoy time with her family again.

Of course, even though it was Dee Dee’s birthday, the most beautiful girl in the world stole the show. She posed with her Uncle Vinny in her new UT hat while we were waiting for the spaghetti to finish cooking:

After stuffing herself with spaghetti and bread, she had a ball eating birthday cake!

Paisley was right in on helping to make Dee Dee’s birthday dinner a real celebration and she certainly helped to make Dee Dee smile!

The Midwife

2011-11-05T09:20:00.000-07:00

I try to let the girls roam free in the yard every chance I get. There are times that we will be outside and Ruby disappears. A look inside the coop will show that she is in her nesting box, and that can only mean one thing – a fresh egg is on its way!

I don’t know if all chickens are this way, but our girls are very protective of each other. Neither Ruby nor Opal has any qualms about chasing away one of the dogs if that dog is dumb enough to get too close to her buddy. The closeness they share exhibits itself even more strongly when it is time for Ruby to lay her egg each day. (Opal CAN lay eggs – I’ve seen her do it – but she rarely does. She better be glad that she is my cuddle chicken!)

With all of the clucking that occurs during egg-laying time, I have concluded that laying an egg must be for a chicken what having a baby is for us. Looking at that big old egg and that little old chicken makes me think that this is a logical assumption. Therefore, I always thank Ruby for her efforts as I remove the egg from the nesting box each day. It’s only right.

When Ruby is in her nesting box, Opal watches very closely. If you happen to enter the coop before Ruby is finished, you will find Opal standing over her. I have actually seen her “nuzzle” Ruby while she is working so hard, as if to say, “Are you okay? You can do it! Just breathe!” Don’t even think about disturbing Ruby during this delicate time! Opal will be there to stop you. Here she is, protecting her best friend this morning:

What a dedicated midwife!

Finally Fall!

2011-11-02T06:10:00.000-07:00

Across the country, the arrival of fall is heralded by the changing of the leaves, the first frost, or the passage of migratory birds overhead. Not if you live in Texas. Even at Christmas I will be raking leaves, with a good half of them still clinging to the branches of our mighty oaks. The first frost (if it has happened at all) will have been nothing worth noting, and the migratory birds don’t seem to go any further than the feeders in my back yard. Therefore, I have to rely on other things to let me know that fall has finally found us.

This year, our first indicator of fall’s arrival was the arrival of Alan, back from Yellowstone. Albertson’s was happy to see that he had returned and offered him a job on the spot. It’s a mutually beneficial relationship: he is here, needing a job, just when they need a little extra help to get ready for the holiday season. About the time he leaves for Yellowstone, the high school students who work at Albertson’s are getting out of school for the summer and are ready to work more hours. Here is my boy, on his first Sunday home, ready to head to church (and so thrilled to have his mother snapping pictures of him once again):

Nothing says “fall” like a trip to a pumpkin patch. Paisley’s parents took the most beautiful child in the world to the local pumpkin patch and her mother took a few pictures:

(Just a note: If you like the "candy corn" dress that the most beautiful child ever born is wearing, I wish I could say that I made it. Not true, I'm afraid. My sister's co-worker makes all kinds of wonderful things, and I had her make it. She has an Etsy shop. To learn more, you can visit her blog, "Blingin Blooms".)

On Halloween, Little Red Riding Hood did actually make it to Grandma’s house where she donned her outfit, ready for “trick-or-treat” action:

"I've got to get this load of chocolate to Lolee's house."

"I seem to have lost my way!"

"I think I need to go in that direction!"

"I see her! I see her!"

"Oops!"

So there you go: the signs of fall are everywhere….a wonderful time of the year!

Happy Anniversary!

2011-10-09T07:35:00.000-07:00

Happy anniversary to my sweetheart! Where has the time gone?

Through the years, you’ve helped me wrestle children (even when you still looked like one yourself):

You’ve brought home critters of all kinds over which I could obsess:

You’ve built more things and done more home improvement projects than anyone I know…

…And introduced me to the wonders of nature (although I bet that you regret ever taking me to Wyoming):

You’ve always made sure that I have a night on the town…

But more than anything, through thick and thin, after all these years, you are still here with me! I am so glad that you are mine!

Retreat!

2011-10-02T19:54:00.000-07:00

It seems like forever since I have been able to blog (or read any of the wonderful blogs that I like to stalk), but I have been involved in a pattern of being sick, going somewhere, being sick, then going somewhere else. Now that I am finally home for a while (I hope) and finally well for a while (hope some more), I have to tell you about one of the wonderful places I went.

I love to scrapbook, but I hate the hassle of dragging everything out, only to put it all away a couple of hours later. Also, whenever I am home, there is always a little voice that whispers, “You know, if you have time to play with this stuff, maybe you should consider using that time to clean the bathroom.” Between the hassle and the voices, I really don’t spend much time on hobbies – at least, not as much as I would like. That’s why a little something called “Scrapbook Retreat” is one of the most exciting things in my life. I haven’t gone for the last couple of years, and when I told my husband that I thought I would just go crazy if I didn’t get to go this year he was kind enough to help make it happen.

My friend, Julia, who is also my Creative Memories consultant, is the person who arranges the retreat for her customers. There are a couple of other consultants who join us with their groups, so it makes for a lot of women armed with tape runners and paper trimmers!

My Friend, Julia:

The facility that we use is called “The Compass Centre” . It is a wonderful place that was built by a woman who loves quilting and decided to build a business by providing a facility that is a place for quilters to get away from it all and just spend the weekend on their craft (although we scrapbookers are grateful that she allows our kind to use it). Each of the rooms is decorated in a different color scheme with handmade quilts that are each made from the same material, just in different quilt patterns. You can’t see it from this excellent photography of mine, but there are four beds to each room:

One really exciting thing is that there is plenty of workspace for a girl to spread her pictures and supplies everywhere:

Even better is the fact that when you are done for the night (whatever time you CHOOSE to quit), you just walk away from the table, leaving your mess strewn about your work area.

Even more exciting than that is the fact that we have the most wonderful meals and we don’t have to do anything except stand in line in the wonderful kitchen once dinner is ready:

Since we never seem to be able to pull off full-fledged vacations, and especially since our house has turned into “critterville”, Robert and I have agreed to support each other in our desire to indulge in individual pursuits. He goes on a hunting trip each year with some friends from one of his previous jobs and I go to scrapbooking retreat. It really is about the most exciting thing that I get to do all year. Once a year (if I’m lucky), from Thursday afternoon until Sunday afternoon, I “retreat” from the whole world, don’t cook or do dishes, sit up until one-o’clock in the morning if I want to, and just work on scrapbook pages. For me, this is just heaven.

This year, I was still fighting a sinus and throat infection for the first couple of days that I was at retreat so I didn’t get as much done as I normally do, but I did get more done that I would have if I had stayed home. For the first time I was using a lot of papers from a company called “Die Cuts with a View” . I usually buy them at Joann’s because they are on sale quite often, or I can use my 40% off coupon. Anyway, DCWV sells pads of papers that are coordinated and I absolutely love the colors. I like using their striped papers by cutting them apart and using the stripes as borders on solid paper or card stock.

I didn’t work on any one specific project this year – I was all over the place as far as time line. However, here are pictures I took of just a few of the spreads that I did (the spreads are better than my awful pictures, but you get the idea):

So there you go – I had retreated from life for a while (and recovered), so I am back! I’m looking forward to catching up on the blogs that I love reading so much and doing a little picture taking and blogging of my own!

Have a great week!

Surprises!

2011-09-08T19:21:00.000-07:00

We have recently enjoyed the blessing of small surprises to brighten our day. One really terrific surprise was a pop-in visit from Paisley and her mother. Paisley stood at her mother's knee while Mandy fed her bits of banana:

Another surprise came tonight when Robert was cleaning out our little fish pond, which holds our three remaining fish. As he was scooping out the dirty water, we discovered...babies! Four in all! Aren't they cute?

I just love surprises!

Alan at Yellowstone

2011-08-14T19:51:00.000-07:00

“What ever happened to Alan?” some of you who know us may be wondering. It has been awhile since I’ve focused on him, so this little entry will get everyone updated.

As you know, Alan returned to work his second season at Yellowstone National Park. While last year was “okay”, it really was just “okay”. This year, I have been informed by Alan that he is having the time of his life. A large part of this is due to the fact that he really has the hang of everything now, plus there is a certain status that is afforded the Yellowstone “sophomores” that just isn’t held by their “freshmen”. On top of everything else, he got a promotion from being a sales clerk at the Old Faithful Inn Gift Shop to someone who does more with inventory, etc., and I am very proud of him! The only down side of all of this good news is that the first year he was gone I received a LOT of phone calls, but this year I only hear from him now and then. However, he’s busy working and having fun, and I can’t be too sad about that. Therefore, I am left with downloading pictures from his Facebook page and telling as much as I know about them. I had wanted Alan to write a blog (“Alan at Yellowstone”); however, the internet there apparently is mind-numbingly slow, and uploading a picture here and there is all that Alan feels like messing with. I guess I will do my best to include him on our family blog. So here goes:

There are quite a few activities for the workers, both company sponsored and non-company sponsored. I’m not really sure what this picture is about:

I am amazed at how many pictures there are on his FB page with Alan and all kinds of girls! For a guy who used to be a wallflower, he sure has a lot of girls around him! Here is one of the few pictures that his mother feels comfortable showing (I think this may be “Toni” – she’s the girl who introduced Alan to camping and she actually chops wood for the Inn at times – what a woman! Too bad she already has a boyfriend! I was also intrigued by how much they seem to resemble one another):

Alan has been artistic ever since he was old enough to hold a pencil. His bosses at the gift shop have called on him regularly to decorate the store windows. Here is one of the windows from the 4^th of July weekend:

It appears the theme for that week had something to do with the 1970’s because he had several pictures of workers dressed in 70’s garb:

The gift shop itself seems quite cozy and quaint. (I sure wish I worked there!):

Alan has applied to stay during the winter season, but since the number of available spots is much more limited during the winter, he has not yet heard if he will be staying. He and a couple of friends have actually discussed getting an apartment together and getting jobs in Bozeman and just staying there. His mother is waiting anxiously to hear!

Paisley in Wonderland

2011-07-31T18:49:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we attended a birthday party for the most beautiful child ever born: Miss Paisley Grace is turning one! Her parents put together an absolutely beautiful and thoughtful party. The theme was “Alice in Wonderland”, and it truly was wondrous!

Although they had a lot of help setting up (Jeromy’s family can move so fast it made me feel like I was standing still at times), Alice’s – I mean Paisley’s – parents did all of the prep work, from concept to execution. Mandy made scads of paper “pinwheel-flowers” for the tables and a pretty good number of tissue paper pom-pom things. Mandy and Jeromy also scoured the area thrifts stores, buying them out of mismatched tea cups and saucers for all of the place settings. The tea cups were filled with little bags of chocolates and became the party favors for the adults. For the kids there were little headbands with white rabbit ears, crayons, and an “Alice in Wonderland” coloring book. I loved the photo tree with pictures of our girl taken over the last year. There were quotes from “Alice in Wonderland” on the tables, and guests were encouraged to wear their craziest hats. From invitations to decorations, it was all things Wonderland.

Here’s a peek at the décor:

And there was some food, too:

Paisley was dressed in a petti-romper – blue, just like Alice, to be sure! (Although she looked a little like Miss Kittie from the old western, “Gunsmoke”, if you ask me. Just sayin’):

She had a great time with her Grump-Pa while waiting for the festivities to begin:

There were lots of gifts to open. Good thing her Dad was there to help her:

And of course, you must have cake:

I didn’t know how much I could love someone until I had my children. And I was totally unprepared for how much I would love a grandchild until Miss Paisley Grace came along (that little stink pot!). And now, I can’t believe it! My baby has a baby who is turning one year old!

Why it seems just like yesterday that Paisley’s mother was turning one, celebrating with her grandmother and mother:

My, oh my! How the time does fly! I’m feeling a little more like the White Rabbit every day!

A Favorite Party Recipe

2011-07-30T20:14:00.000-07:00

I attended a birthday party for the most beautiful child ever born today (more about that coming in a future post), and once again I was asked to bring my old standby, the “cheese ball”. Actually, I have made this thing for all sorts of occasions, and it is so easy it’s almost embarrassing because people like it so much they think I slaved away or something. I thought I would share my recipe with you.

“Party Time” Cheese Ball!

2 packages of cream cheese

1 8-ounce package of shredded cheddar cheese

1 package of Hidden Valley Ranch dip mix

Chopped pecans

Let the cream cheese sit out and soften for about 15 minutes or so. Then mix the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and dip mix together (stirring with a fork or spoon until thoroughly mixed). Form into a ball and then roll the ball in chopped pecans. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator until ready to serve. So stinking easy!

Baked Chicken

2011-07-22T19:54:00.000-07:00

As everyone in the country knows (except maybe those lucky enough to live in Seattle), it’s been hot! I must say that when I hear the reporters squawking about it on the news, I find myself thinking, “That’s not a story – that’s just summer in Texas.”

I was hoping this year would be a little milder, but no such luck. Our yard has certainly suffered. Even though we have been diligent about watering, everything in our yard has struggled. Our garden burned up to the point that we just tilled it up:

We are ready to give up summer vegetable gardening altogether and just try our hand at fall gardening. Hopefully that will work for us.

Suffering even worse than our yard are our poor girls, Opal and Ruby. I go out to check on them every chance that I get, hoping that I won’t find baked chicken. At least they’ve been able to move into their new digs. You may remember the “temporary” shelter that we made for them:

Robert did not build the new “chicken palace” from scratch. We had a storage shed that had a greenhouse on the back of it that had fallen into disrepair. He decided to do a three-for-one and fix up the shed and the greenhouse, making it one part storage shed, one part greenhouse, and one part chicken coop. He replaced half of the clear roofing on the greenhouse with some colored roofing and placed a reflective tarp on the part of the roof that still has light coming through for good measure. We don’t want them to roast!

The green part is the coop and the cream-and-brown part is a storage shed. He also has another storage shed that he built (but we can talk about his hoarding tendencies some other time):

He made me a potting bench and placed it just outside the door. I’ve always wanted a potting bench on which to stack my hoard!

He made a covered run directly behind the coop:

And he made a covered run that runs beside the coop:

Here is a picture taken from just inside the front door:

I was concerned about having too many things (such as cords and miscellaneous junk) that they could get into, and I nagged him a little (okay, a LOT) about it, but Robert reassured me that they would be safe. Sure enough, so far they have no interest in anything but the floor, their food, their boxes, and their water.

He made a covered compartment in which to store some of his classic car parts:

He also made a little door for them (which can be closed up at night). This little door allows them to enter the run whenever they wish:

Now, here’s where it really gets interesting. I have been running a variety of fans in various locations in order to keep our girls from being totally miserable. Robert (who was an engineer at heart before he ever went to school) decided to make a home-made swamp cooler. It is made from two 5-gallon buckets, some tubing, plastic mesh, a water circulation pump, and an old blower from our fireplace (which he had hidden among his hoard in Storage Shed #2):

I don’t know how he did it, but this thing actually blows REALLY COOL air. He put a metal hose on the vent so that we can direct the air to whatever area the girls seem to be hanging out.

He also mounted some kind of exhaust contraption near the top of the coop, designed to carry the really hot air that collects in the top of the coop to the outside:

We do all that we can to keep them from roasting (short of bringing them in the house – my preference). Still, the girls say that nothing beats strutting and clucking in the yard, eating my blueberry and raspberry bushes:

May you and your feathered and furry friends survive this summer heat!

Faces

2011-07-17T17:43:00.000-07:00

I see a squirrel... I see a squirrel... I SEE A SQUIRREL!

Where did it go?

I see you are sitting in the chair...Does that mean you are ready to cuddle?

Lolee...Just how many plants do you need?

Stands, Cans, and a Brand New Plan

2011-07-01T20:01:00.000-07:00

I have been working on a food storage plan for a while now (half-heartedly, anyway). There are many reasons that people undertake a food storage program. If you are a Latter-Day Saint, then you know that your church leaders have been encouraging and counseling members to do so for many, many years. Some people get into food storage as protection from economic or natural disaster. (Sometimes the economic disaster is personal. Most of the people I know who actually have lived off of their food storage did so after one or more family members lost a job. All of them have said that not having to worry about feeding the family helped a lot!) Some people use it as a hedge against inflation. Some people simply like having a large supply of the basics on hand because for those who do a lot of “home” cooking, it makes it very convenient. Some of us get into food storage for a combination of the above reasons.

My original approach to food storage was to simply store A LOT of the foods that we use on a regular basis. I soon accumulated an incredible amount of cans, and keeping them rotated and organized was quite a chore. This is when I originally became acquainted with a company called “Shelf Reliance”. They sell a wonderful food rotation system. I was able to catch them when they were having a sale and order the size and configuration that was perfect for my needs. It has become my very favorite item in my kitchen (even better than my polka-dot bake ware):

It’s very simple to use; you load the new cans in the top of the row and take cans from the bottom of the row. That way you are always using the oldest food first, saving you from having tons of stuff expire because it got pushed to the back of the shelf:

The company offers other sizes and configurations, including small, single-row units that will fit on your existing kitchen shelves. The one I got just happened to be the one that was perfect for all the stuff that I had (plus, it holds around 400 cans!).

For my staples, I frequently went to the LDS cannery near me. If you want rice, flour, powdered milk, etc., their prices are really good (as long as you don’t mind canning it yourself). In just a few trips, I was able to add lots of #10 cans to my stash!

I also have been trying to learn to garden – my dream is to someday live in the country and grow a lot of our own food. We even bought a dehydrator so that we could have the option of dehydrating all of the wonderful things that we would be reaping from our garden. There’s just one little catch: I just can’t seem to get the hang of the whole gardening thing. Granted, each year is a little better than the last, but there is still much to be desired. (I have chronicled this whole sad affair in my gardening/emergency preparedness/food storage blog called “The Gan-Green Thumb”. I must say that I read many wonderful blogs with interest and amazement, and I find so much inspiration there. For example, just the other day I was so very impressed (and just a tad envious) when I read about the harvest of blue berries that the maven from “Bee Haven Acres” enjoyed from her 100(!) bushes (to see for yourself, click here).

To make matters worse, in addition to my poor gardening skills, we live in the city, on a typical city lot…eighty-percent of which is totally shaded by two huge oak trees in the front and two huge oak trees in the back. Even though I am not going to give up on gardening (I will conquer!), I know that if we are going to live off of what we grow any time soon, I think we will be pretty hungry. Therefore, I recently decided to really get with the food storage program. After taking inventory, I found myself thinking, “I sure hope we like beans and rice and apple chips”. Yep. Variety was not abundant in that pantry. Well, if I can’t grow it and the LDS cannery doesn’t have it, I was just going to have to find another source to get a better variety of food into my storage program.

I will tell you that there are other companies that offer food storage products, but I remembered the “Shelf Reliance” company and decided to check them out. To supplement the items that I already had, they feature a whole line of freeze-dried fruits, berries, vegetables, dairy, and other products. Did you know that there is such a thing as powdered eggs and powdered sour cream? Yep, there is! You can also buy a #10 can of the powdered cheese that is similar to that found in macaroni-and-cheese dinners (although a lot of people like to sprinkle it on their popcorn for some cheesy goodness). One unique feature of “Shelf Reliance” is that if you buy at one of their home parties (or through an independent consultant), you are able to not only purchase the #10 can size, but you may also buy a size called the “pantry can”. About three pantry cans fill a #10 can and it is perfect for smaller families or those with limited space, or to use as a “try me” size for an item with which you are unfamiliar or unsure.

Even more exciting for me was the Shelf Reliance automatic home delivery plan called the “Q”. There is a feature on their website that will help you figure out how much food storage you need for your family based on the number of adults and children, plus their desired daily caloric intake. Or, if you know what you want, you can go through yourself and make a list of items that you want in your food storage plan. It will then ask you for a dollar amount that you want to set as your monthly budget, and using that budget, it will pull from the items that you have listed in your plan and set up automatic monthly shipments. It is my own understanding about the following points: The minimum dollar amount for your budget has to be enough to cover whatever is the most expensive item on your plan. Another thing that you really have to consider is that once you commit to set up a plan, you are committed for at least three months. After that, you are free to suspend shipments or leave the plan. Also, once you commit to a monthly budget/dollar amount, you are not able to change the amount during the first 3-month trial period (although after that, it can be adjusted). However, you are free to adjust which products you want with each shipment if you do not like the order of items the plan has set up for you. Once you are set up on the plan, you will receive a shipment automatically each month.

Therefore, this is something to not commit to lightly, but I was ready! I was so tired of saying each month, “I really need to order some butter powder and vegetables or something this month,” only to have the end of the month sneak up on me with no food storage ordered. This plan was made for me! I will always budget for something for which I am committed, and sometimes I just need a little kick in the tail to get me going. I am so excited to have a plan and actually be working each month toward my goal!

In fact, I am so taken with this food storage program and the “Thrive” line of food products that I just signed up as an independent consultant. If you would like to learn more about Shelf Reliance, you can visit my personal website (click here). Also, I love teaching others about food storage and emergency preparedness, so if you are interested but not sure where to start, feel free to contact me with any questions you may have!

Have a wonderful week!

Lori

Oh, So Temp-ting! (More Silly Little Things)

2011-06-21T07:55:00.000-07:00

As I have stated before, I have the ability to become excited over things that others might consider small or even silly. The latest installment in my “silly little things” saga is actually due to a quality that I inherited from my mother. My mother’s family was quite poor when she was growing up, so poor in fact that for much of her childhood they did not have a set of dishes that matched. Her mother’s dinnerware was a hodgepodge of various dishes, and they used Mason jars as drinking glasses (although I purposefully have used Mason jars as drinking glasses – I think stuff tastes great from them!). My mother swears that these early childhood experiences are what have fueled her incredible obsession and LOVE of dishes. And when I say that she loves dishes, I mean that we would have 75 different sets if our kitchen was just large enough to hold them all.

I’ve heard that as a woman gets older she often turns into her mother. Yep. That would be right. I, too, love dishes; they don’t even have to cost very much. Through the years a dish or set of dishes from Wal-Mart or Dollar General have thrilled me to my toes. And so, I proudly present my latest treasure:

Most of the items in this display are from a line of ceramic bake ware called “Temp-tations” that is designed by a woman named Tara and is offered exclusively on QVC. I love them because you can bake in them (up to 500°), and they are dishwasher and microwave safe. Most of the pieces come with wire baskets and glass trivets making them so cute that you can serve right from the baking dish (although some sets come with extra serving bowls). They also come with snap-on plastic lids, and even though they don’t give the perfect seal that you get with some plastic storage stuff, it has done an adequate job for me when it comes to stacking and storing left-overs in the refrigerator.

My original set was in a pattern called “Old World” in the color choice called “Confetti”. Here is a serving bowl to give you an idea of what that looks like:

I like the “confetti” color because it incorporates most of the colors available in the Temp-tations line, including lilac. I have never seen a kitchen done in lilac before, but the more I think about it, I bet that would be really pretty!

Well, it just so happened that I was watching a presentation on QVC one day when Tara showed a set in a pattern called “Floral Embroidery”:

Apparently, it was one of the very first patterns in the line and had been discontinued for quite some time. Due to customer request, she was bringing this pattern back in this one set for a one-time offer. “That’s really cute,” I thought. Mom agreed and so I ordered it.

When it arrived and we first saw it, Mom and I squealed like pigs. It is so cute! It's even cuter than the picture because there are flowers on the inside that are raised/embossed.

Somewhere along the way I remembered that Tara had shown just how great this set looks with her polka-dot dinner ware. Curses! Now I was going to need that dinner ware!

The dinner ware is sold in sets of service for 4, and since I needed enough dishes for 12, I ordered one set in yellow, one in red, and one in green, all with white polka-dots. I still smile every time I open the cabinet and see them all stacked there:

I especially liked the yellow set, so much so that I just KNEW that I needed to order the square bake ware in the yellow with white dots. When I got that set, it was SO bright and SO cheerful that I needed something else. I was over the moon when the little canister set arrived:

Adorable! Still, there was something missing. Oh, I know:

The tail feathers in this little chicken are no ordinary feathers – those are measuring spoons. How stinking cute is that?!

So now you know my dark, awful secret: The sight of floral and polka-dot bake ware can turn me into a giggling school girl, as I continue to find joy in silly little things! Like a moth to the flame I return to QVC for more stuff for the kitchen! (Dear Tara: I haven't decided if I really love you or hate your guts for sucking me in to your Temp-tations web!)

If you would like to see this cute bake ware, I feel that it is my responsibility to warn you that one set is not enough. It is very easy to go from being someone who simply bakes with ceramic bake ware to someone who collects ceramic bake ware (the path to the dark side is short, indeed!). However, if your restraint is greater than mine, you may examine it at your own risk: If you wish to enter into "Temp-tation", click here.

Message for My Daughter

2011-05-31T14:34:00.000-07:00

Dear Daughter:

I have had the privilege to be your mother for your whole life, and then joy of joys, I had the privilege of being there as you were granted the privilege of motherhood for yourself. It gladdens my heart to watch you as you tote, wag, cuddle, and care for my beautiful grand-daughter.

And now you have been told that she is behind on some of her major developmental “milestones”. You worry about her. And you question yourself. You think you should have done more of this…or less of that…or whatever. Well, I’ve had the opportunity to live long enough to see the child-rearing process come to fruition, and I’ve learned a few things along the way.

You and your cousin were only three months apart. My sister was a stay-at-home mom and I was a single parent, forced to leave you every day to go to work. I absolutely hated it. But, I tried to make up for it by spending all the free time that I could with you, doing lots of learning activities. I was so tickled because by kindergarten you already knew all of your “ABC’s”, numbers, and a few other things like that. Then I learned that your cousin was already reading books. Talk about “mother failure”! I became convinced that you would forever be doomed to the task of trying to catch up with your peers, subjected to a life of squalor and struggle, all because of your loser mother and her shortcomings. Well, we both know how that turned out! Somewhere along the way you learned what you needed to know, in spite of me! There are some things that can only be seen from the top of the mountain.

But even if things don’t progress as we would like, there is much to be learned and gleaned. I KNOW that you remember the struggles that our family faced when your brother was younger. They lasted for years: The scary “possible” diagnosis, all of those doctor and counseling appointments, and wondering just how “normal” his life would be. I was so worried and sad…so sad for him…my baby boy! What would his life be like? Would he be able to even have a normal life? I’ve always wanted my children to live up their potential, but with some conditions, it’s hard to know what that potential is. My heart ached for him.

I have to confess, there was a period of time when my heart ached for me, too. I LOVE being a mother…I loved both of you before you were even born. The day each of you was born was the "best" day of my life! But just like the fact that I would like to live in a location that actually has seasons, I had wanted my life to have seasons, too, each to be savored for its own unique beauty. When we were told that he MIGHT end up being with us forever, I was a little frustrated. The prospect of an endless summer loomed large before me.

“Why is this happening to us?” I asked God one day. “Why am I having to go through this trial?”

He didn’t answer right away…in fact, He didn’t answer for quite a good while. But when the answer came, it was clear as a bell.

“It is not YOUR trial. It is HIS. HE’S the one who has to live with this every second of every day. HE’s the one who gets made fun of at school. It’s HIS trial.”

If that realization wasn’t profound enough, the next part totally changed my perspective and my life: “You are just the person I placed in his life to help him endure it.”

I was humbled that God had enough faith in me to even entrust me with such a task. Doesn’t He know how inept I am at so many things? Surely, there must have been someone smarter, more patient, more EVERYTHING than I am. But there I was. So armed with this new perspective, I tailored my attitude and my life in order to help your brother endure his trials and to helping him find his place in the world. My new knowledge didn’t mean that the struggles disappeared, but this, plus other revelations, have helped me to see being his mother as the privilege that it is. The lessons that his particular trials were designed to teach were HIS to learn; I had other lessons to learn, but I was here to help him when he needed help. And although it DID take him a little longer than some, he IS on his own, doing very well at his job, and finally having the success and the friends and fun for which he has so long desired.

I have faith in our girl, that she will be just fine…and I will do all that I can to help with this. But I also have faith in you…to be her mother. Don’t doubt yourself. Paisley was sent to you because you have whatever it is that she needs to help her in this journey that we call life. And the day will come that you, Paisley, and her Dad will stand on TOP of the mountain, hand-in-hand, and say, “All is well!”

A Good Egg!

2011-05-30T07:26:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure which of our girls was responsible, but when I went outside this morning to feed the birds, I spotted this inside the chicken tractor:

Our very first egg! Not exactly "extra large", but I am so proud of those girls anyway! Hooray for chickens!

Color My World....

2011-05-20T13:39:00.000-07:00

Outside it is rainy and gray, but here in the house things are colorful and bright:

May your day be wonderful, whatever your weather may be!

Silly Little Things

2011-05-17T20:20:00.000-07:00

I have had more than one person tell me that they have never seen anyone get as tickled as I do over little things. I explained to all those people that due to the financial struggles that we had for the early part of our marriage, I HAD to learn to get tickled over little things or there would have been nothing to get tickled about! Although life is a little easier now, my ability to get tickled over silly, little things has continued. I also seem to have the need to decorate common items and to find beauty in places where you would least expect to find it.

I have recently become a fan of the galvanized trash can. I bought one in which to store chicken feed, another in which to store wood shaving for the chickens’ bedding, and a much smaller one in which to store my bird/squirrel feed. They are practical and sturdy and fairly cheap, but a little ordinary for my taste.

I had hoped to perk them up by doing a little decorative painting on them. I have always wanted to sit down and learn the “one stroke” painting method created by Donna Dewberry. However, I have yet to really take the time to work on it. Therefore, I just did not feel comfortable enough with my proficiency level to commit to painting something permanent. One day the can with chicken feed will have a checkerboard design with some baby chicks, and the “bedding” can will have some painted quilt blocks on it. One day.

However, I lucked out with my can for the bird feed. A few years ago, Home Shopping Network carried a product called “tatouage”. A decorative artist painted all sorts of cute things, and then her designs were used to create a dry-rub transfer that you can use to create your own mural on your wall (to learn more, click here). I had decorated our foyer with some vines and yellow flowers, and I remembered that I actually had some of that stuff left. Would it work on my bird feed trash can?

I cleaned the trash can first with rubbing alcohol and then with vinegar, just for good measure. I then rinsed it with water. I was delighted with just how easily and quickly the tatouage went on. Before I knew it, my little can was fully decorated. The only snag I hit was when I sprayed it with a sealant designed for acrylic paint. This caused a little bubbling in a couple of spots, and the old, perfectionist me would have “trashed” the whole project. However, the new, tired me just said, “Aaah, this makes it look vintage”, and called it a day.

Is it perfect? NO! But I still get a little chuckle over this silly, little trash can every time I see it in the yard:

Ruby and Opal Woodbury: Warrior Cuddle Chickens

2011-05-17T08:00:00.000-07:00

It’s been awhile since I have written about the girls, so I wanted to do an update on how they are doing. They have grown to be quite big now, and they certainly have personalities. As I have stated before, I knew that chickens would be great to have for fresh eggs, but I had no idea just how much fun they could be (although there IS a little bit of work involved, too).

It’s fun to watch the crazy things they do, such as sunning themselves like so many teenaged girls:

I had read in a book that if it is at all possible, if you want, let’s say, four chickens (our goal), it is best to get all four at one time. It’s not impossible to add to a flock, and I’ve seen that people do this quite often. However, you have to be able to handle the squabbling and fighting that can occur between the new chickens and the older chickens in order to establish that “pecking order” thing. “Pecking order” is not a myth – one of the reasons I picked Opal was because her little tail had been pecked at by all those other chickens until she was bloody, and I wanted to save her. Since the girls are always sweet to me, and seem to get along well with each other, I thought we would be immune from this pecking order rule (which is good – I don’t have the stomach for squabbling and bloody tails). However, watching the girls in action has made me think otherwise.

I first noticed the “warrior chicken” come out in Ruby. When they are running around in the yard, Opal and Ruby generally stick pretty close to one another. However, every now and then they will go their separate ways. Before you know it, here comes Molly, trying to sniff Opal’s bottom. Ruby Woodbury, “Warrior Chicken”, springs into action and is across the yard before you know it. She has no qualms about taking Molly on, and Molly is driven away from Opal, sent away to sniff someone else’s bottom.

The girls will often team up against the wildlife in the area. I love feeding the birds and squirrels, and I usually put their food in the fenced area behind the garden. But there are times that it is too muddy to go back there, so I will pick some random area in the yard to dump the seed. If Opal and Ruby are out in the yard, heaven help the wild life! I was shocked at how aggressive they were in chasing off a dove one day. Even sparrows can’t catch a break – the girls become warrior chickens and make sure that everyone knows that this is THEIR yard! STAY OUT!

Despite their warrior chicken tendencies, when it comes to interacting with us, they are certainly loving, especially as evening sets in. Once the sun is low in the sky they feel the need to cuddle, and if anyone makes the mistake of sitting in a chair, the girls are on it! (Although standing doesn’t always save you – I was out raking some leaves one evening and Opal flew up to my shoulder while I was still raking!) Every evening, before they go in for the night, I try to set aside some “chicken time”. Usually Opal ends up roosting on my shoulder and Ruby ends up sitting on my arm or lap (which actually allows for more petting). Tonight, Robert was the lucky ducky who got to enjoy “chicken time” while I snapped some pictures:

So there you have it: we are the proud owners of warrior cuddle chickens!

Bozeman, Yellowstone, and Heading Home….

2011-04-29T16:14:00.000-07:00

After arriving in Bozeman, we had an extra day to kick around so we drove here and there a bit. Ever forgetting something, we made a trip to the local Wal-Mart to pick up a couple of things that we found we were in need of. As we walked through the parking lot, there was a sign in a spot right next to the handicapped parking. I got so tickled when I saw this sign (I’ve never seen this before!):

It’s not that uncommon to see an airport, even in a smaller community, but I’ve never seen such a scenic route taking you there:

We also knocked around the historic part of town, and I found just the perfect house:

Here is another sign that was on that very residential street, and it is certainly not something I’ve ever seen in Texas:

Bozeman seems to be a very “organic” and green town in many respects. I saw a lot of people riding bicycles – not wearing biking pants and helmets via Lance Armstrong, but even wearing skirts and sandals with their groceries safely secured on the back. I had visited the very large organic food co-op on my first visit, but I hadn’t noticed this little co-op tucked among the quaint shops on Main Street. I wonder: how many organic food co-ops are there in town?

We spent some time in our room, and a very antsy Alan passed the time by keeping connected on Facebook:

I love watching local news when I am visiting an area, and I have been struck by the local news anchor. While still attractive, she is not a blonde, 20-something, contact lens wearing slip-of-a-girl (which seems to be a major requirement for Fox news anchors -- Hooray for women of wisdom and substance!):

On “Yellowstone” day, Alan was up a little before 5:00 a.m. He was supposed to be at the bus station across the street no later than 7:15 a.m. (not too bad), but at 6:00 he announced that he was going to go on over. He had stepped out for a while and had noticed that several people were already there. I was instructed that I was NOT going over with him (as I did last time) to wait for the bus; he would just say his good-byes in the room so as not to be the butt of “mama’s boy” jokes for months to come. It reminded me of the day that my kindergartener told me not to kiss him in front of school, and in fact, I could just drop him off at the corner. Oh, the pain in a mother’s heart! Once he was gone, I figured I might as well get going myself, so I prepared to leave. As I was loading the car I noticed that the bus was there. I couldn’t help myself – I had to hide behind the bushes and take a picture of the bus. I thought I was ready for all of this (after all, we did it last year), but I found myself unprepared for the incredible sense of sadness that I experienced as his bus pulled away. I ended up crying like a real nit-wit. My heart certainly goes out to any mother who sends her child away to war – I can’t even imagine how they must feel. They have my utmost respect and empathy.

Once he was gone, there was no sense in dallying, so I hit the road. I couldn’t drive past Sheridan, Wyoming, without stopping at this scenic turnout overlooking a beautiful valley:

Spending the night in Cheyenne, I have put my beloved mountains behind me. I am on my way home.

To Another Place and Time…

2011-04-26T18:35:00.000-07:00

I’m writing this while sitting in one of my favorite places in the world…Bozeman, Montana! Alan decided to return to Yellowstone to work this year (he’s even considering staying over the winter), and I am the one who got to bring him up. After two-and-one-half days of driving, I have been transported to another world.

Here’s Alan, at home before we left, ready to go (he is really more excited than he looks; he just doesn’t like being in pictures or taking them):

For the most part, the trip was non-eventful. I wish I had more pictures, but unfortunately my fare does not like to take pictures and I was a little busy driving. We were in some VERY heavy rain for a lot of our drive through Oklahoma, and while driving through Oklahoma City the rain was so heavy that you couldn't see the signs for the exit until it was too late to take one. Hooray for Tom Tom -- I didn't have to read the signs. The rain wasn't exceptionally heavy throughout Kansas, although it was just misty and yucky for a lot of the drive. For me, the most exciting sight in Kansas was the wind farm. Even though I’ve seen it before, I still find it striking:

Kansas was more of an audio experience this time. I lost talk radio just as we got past Hays and I started searching for a radio station. I could only get one station at one point and it was an “oldies” station. It was actually quite a hoot for me because it wasn’t playing songs from my teen and young adult years – it was playing songs that I remember hearing when I was quite a young girl. There is nothing like music to take you to a certain period in time. It was a little weird when I realized that I remembered the words to all of the songs; I can’t remember where I put my car keys half of the time!

On the second day, we got into Sheridan a little later in the day than we normally arrive on other legs of the journey. On the drive through Wyoming we listened to a radio news show, “Wyoming Tonight”(?) and it’s always fun to get a feel for an area through its news programs. Here are some of the big stories:

1. Some highway near Riverton had had both lanes shut down for a while after a truck carrying some bees had gone off of the road. The road stayed shut down until the area fire department took care of the bees.

2. Gas prices in Wyoming are some of the lowest in the country due to the fact that they get a large supply of their crude oil from Canada, and Wyoming refineries are humming along with no problems. I took this picture as we fueled up in Sheridan:

3. Of interest to my husband, the hydrologist, would be the story about Wyoming taking measures to do some controlled releases of water in the area. Apparently, Wyoming had a much larger than normal amount of snow pack this year, and coupled with the large amount of rain they have been getting/are expecting this week, they needed to do these controlled releases to make room in area lakes for storage of the large amount of melting snow/water. This made me happy because I know that often having enough water is an issue in some places in this part of the country.

Sheridan is still beautiful, and I love being able to see the mountains, no matter where in town you are:

The best part of the drive for me is the area just outside of Bozeman. That’s where you really start to see the mountains. At first they were really “misty”:

Something that I found really exciting was that it began to snow as we went further up into the mountains. The air temperature was cold enough for the snow, but the ground temperature was warm enough that it didn’t stick to the roads and posed no danger to a Texas driver. I always love to see the snow covered trees, especially the little “Christmas” trees:

Once we were at the motel, I wanted a picture of the snow:

Alan and I treated ourselves to another “blast” from our past. The “Dairy Queen” restaurant was everywhere when I was growing up, but they have all but totally disappeared from the area in which I now live. However, Bozeman has a great Dairy Queen, and that’s where we decided to go for dinner. Here is a picture of Main Street and all of the cute little shops:

After we ate, I took this picture of some birds that were sitting near a dumpster. Holy cow! I feed the birds at home (every day), but I don’t think I could keep up with these guys!

Alan doesn’t leave for Yellowstone until Thursday morning, so we are hoping to get out and explore a little tomorrow. I can’t wait!

Stinky McFinkey, Order from Chaos, and Chickens

2011-04-01T20:31:00.000-07:00

It seems like it has been forever since I have been able to read blogs (and I’ve missed that!) or write one of my own. I have been so busy that it’s not even funny. March is the “birthday” of Relief Society, our women’s organization at church and I was in charge of a big, blowout dinner celebration. Although it did not occupy all of my time, it did occupy all of my brain cells for the first half of the month. I am terrible when I have an event looming on the horizon; I can’t think of anything besides “the event” and do not switch gears very well. It is almost paralyzing at times. Glad that’s over.

I also began a new adventure in March (in fact, the week of the dinner). It’s a long story, and it’s their story to tell (not mine), but the bottom line is that Miss Popper is no longer going to day care when her parents are at work. She is now spending her weekdays with her old Lolee, who does the best she can to keep up. It is actually quite comical to see us. The little girl who arrives at my house around 7:30 in the morning has been roused from her blissful sleep by her mother, who insists on waking her in order to change her diaper, feed her, and all that stuff. By the time she gets to my house she is quite done with it all and can be somewhat irritable. I call this little child, “Stinky McFinkey”. I do my best to console Miss McFinkey, I give her some breakfast and a bottle, and then I put her little fanny down for a morning nap.

Miss McFinkey insisting on feeding herself:

Nap time is where the magic happens. Over the next hour or so, this slumbering child is transformed. When she awakens, she is no longer “Stinky McFinkey” – she has become “Cutie McTooty”. Little “Cutie” and I have a pretty good time for the rest of the day. So far, we have both survived three weeks. She is so sweet and we have been working on reaching her milestones (sitting up, etc.) together. I love having my girl here, but I will say that there is a reason that 50-year old women are infertile. I just don’t have the energy her mother seems to have.

Here is my girl, having a great time playing:

When I am not trying to keep Miss Popper alive or doing church stuff, I have been trying to work on our yard. There is a reason that I have never shown a full picture of our yard (only close-ups and snippets). You see, our dogs declared war on our yard a few years back, and they seem to have adopted a “scorched earth” policy. We also have a variety of building projects that were started, but not finished, resulting in piles of lumber and building materials scattered hither and yon. This is the year that we are finally working TOGETHER to get our yard in shape. Robert is working on finishing the mansion for the chickens and other items in an attempt to use up the lumber. I am planting flowers, herbs, and berry bushes everywhere that there is sun in the hope that if there is enough stuff growing, it won’t be so obvious that we don’t have grass. We are also looking at laying some more flagstones on all of the “paths” that the dogs have created. We are trying to create order from chaos. Once we are finished, I might get brave enough to show you some “before” and “after” pictures. For now, I will just show you a couple of things that I found this spring that were inexpensive, but that I find oh-so-neat.

I found this cute little thing at “Dollar Tree” for one dollar. By having Robert drill some holes in the bottom, I transformed it into a cute little planter, just right for one lone plant:

My favorite thing is the set of solar-powered butterfly lights. I put them among the butterfly bushes (ha ha). Once dusk arrives, they put on quite a show, changing colors in sequence. Beautiful!

I am still enjoying our chickens, Opal and Ruby. I do have to make time for them to run loose in the yard because the hawk is still in the area. Too many times I go out into the yard, only to find feathers everywhere:

That sight still makes me sick. Not my girls! So they are kept safe when we are not in the yard and allowed to run crazy when we can be out there. I tried to get a good picture of them tonight, but they don’t stay still for very long. Here is a blurry picture that at least shows what big girls they are:

So that’s it! That’s the big excitement here in Woodbury World. Hope things are going well in yours!

Kindred Spirits

2011-02-28T21:17:00.000-08:00

I recently read a post by Kathleen from “Eggs In My Pocket” that made me laugh so hard that I immediately ran to Mom’s room to show it to her. “What could be so funny?” you might wonder. Kathleen had taken pictures of her cookbook collection for her post entitled, “I Love Cook Books---" , and you will see why I found it so amusing in just a minute.

When we remodeled our kitchen, Robert decided it would be nice to have a breakfast bar along the outer wall. I asked that he not use plain legs at each end of the bar; instead, I thought it would be a good idea to have cubes holding up the countertop. Why cubes? Well, here’s the support for the left side of the breakfast bar:

And here’s the support for the right side of the breakfast bar:

Do you see the humor now?

Kathleen’s blog is just one of many blogs that I have discovered and enjoyed. I not only enjoy these blogs, but I also have found that they have helped my self-esteem like nothing else. You see, when it comes to loving squirrels, chickens, cook books, compost, and wanting to live in the country, I am the oddball in my family. This has led me at times to question the wisdom and validity of my own desires and dreams. I lived over 40 years as a city girl, and I was perfectly content. Why, all of the sudden was I morphing into an animal-loving, learning-to-quilt-and-sew, earth mother? Was I losing my mind? Was this one of those horrid side effects of pre-menopause? Was I just a nit-wit?

The blogs which I have discovered and enjoyed have let me know that I am not alone. As I read the experiences of others, those experiences are always good for a chuckle and a lot of inspiration as well! The ties that I feel toward people whom I have never met constantly amaze me.

I initially was not into reading blogs, nor was I interested in writing blogs. I am a practical girl with lots to do, and therefore everything that I do has to have a purpose. Then I became the “Emergency Preparedness Specialist” for my congregation at church. There wasn’t enough paper in the world to give out all of the neat information that I was finding, so I began my blog, “The Gan-Green Thumb”. In addition to articles about food storage, flood insurance, 72-hour kits, etc., “The Gan-Green Thumb” is also a chronicle of my misadventures in gardening (an essential part of self-reliance). I try and fail and try again, and then I report on my experiences. This blog was a worthwhile venture for me because it was a tool to help others find resources to help them in their quest for self-reliance. It had a purpose.

I had no desire to have a personal/family blog. However, two people changed my idea about that. My friend, Kim, and I had just reconnected via Facebook after losing touch for several years. I absolutely LOVED being able to check in on her and her house full of rescue dogs via her blog, “Life at Golden Pines”. Talk about connecting! Also, my daughter has a blog, “Lackey Antics”, and through her blog (as well as Kim’s) I began to see the possibilities.

Thus, “Woodbury World” was born, and it wasn’t long before I was blog surfing to see what else was out there, as well as reading the blogs that many of my new friends had listed on their reading lists. I have found treasure beyond belief!

Maura at "Lilac Lane Cottage" was kind enough to make a comment on my chicken post and let me know that she also kept some baby chickens in her house for awhile. Her love for her chickens lets me know that I am not a looney tune. Oh, and her blog is absolutely beautiful. I would so move in to Lilac Lane Cottage if she would let me!

I recently found a new smile or two over at “Life on Sassy Cat Hill”. The picture of the three baby squirrels (click here) brought a smile to my face and a tear to my eye as I thought of my sweet Chewka Marie. Also, seeing rabbits and cats hanging out together brightens my day!

As a practical girl, I am often at war with myself when it comes to taking out time to do crafts. There’s always a little voice in my ear whispering, “You know, if you have all this time to cross stitch, you could use that same time to clean the bathroom or rake those leaves.” Many thanks to Kathleen and her blog, “Yesteryear Embroideries”, for helping me to give myself permission to take time to create. Also, “Crazy Mom Quilts” and the lady over at “Muddling Through” make me want to lock myself in a room with my sewing machine for at least a couple of days.

One of the first blogs that I found was “Lallee’s Cottage”. I think that it was when reading her blog that I realized that there are some kindred spirits out there. Her love for her animals really shows, and I enjoyed reading about her remodeling her guest room awhile back (we are always remodeling something in our house, so knowing that other people are busy, too, kind of helps). I have often laughed and told my mom that Lallee is who I would be if I had a nicer house! In fact, my “grandma” name is “Lolee”, and although it was not planned nor patterned after Lallee’s name, I kind of like being in such good company.

I could go on forever: pretty much every blog that is listed on my reading list is there because I found either inspiration or kinship, or both (and all of the recipe blogs are good for a couple of pounds or so!). I am so grateful that I have the chance to find “kindred spirits”. Thanks to ALL who share of themselves so that others may have a smile or two! You often make my day!

Chicken Update!

2011-02-24T16:06:00.000-08:00

The girls are finally outside (they moved out on Sunday night), and so far things are going well(except that I sometimes miss them being so close – but not their mess!). While the “mansion” (big coop) is not ready, the “efficiency apartment” (tractor) has finally been completed. Robert did a pretty nifty job in transforming what was once Molly’s dog crate into a suitable short-term home for my girls.

Here is a picture to give you the overall idea. He eventually DID put the finer mesh all the way around the coop (even the doors) to keep the possums and other critters from being able to reach in and grab the girls:

He made a hinged lid for easy access for us:

Here’s a look at the inside (before I added the pine shavings):

There’s also a panel in the back that cannot be lifted unless the heavy, hinged door is up:

What was once the bottom liner of the crate is now a removable roof:

As long as there is chow and fresh water, the girls are pretty content:

It took them several hours to discover that the crate had a new addition, but once they did, they seemed to enjoy being in there. We have a removable panel so that if it is too cold, stormy, etc., we can lock them in:

But their favorite time of the day is when their mother comes outside for awhile and lets them run around. I do this two or three times a day. I wish I could just turn them loose on their own for hours on end, but between the dogs and the hawk that hunts in our neighborhood relentlessly, I feel like they need some watching. It tickles me to see them pecking and scratching and acting so “chickeney”. Opal found a grub on her first trip out and was so very proud of herself!

They found a spot in the yard where the dirt was somewhat soft and had the best time taking a sand bath. At one point there was so much flapping and carrying on that Opal looked like she was having a convulsion! This is one of their favorite things to do:

However, one of my favorite things occurs right before I tuck them in at night. I let them run around for one last time for the evening as I sit in a chair. It isn’t long before Ruby flies up to sit in my lap, and Opal soon follows. They will roost on my shoulder and just cuddle and coo. Ruby likes to put her cheek right up against mine and rest. Opal will move down to the crook of my arm and let me pet her until she falls asleep. They will each just snooze until I tell them, “Girls, we can’t stay here all night. I have to go in!” Then I put them back in the tractor and they settle in for the night. I just love those chickens!

Happy Valentines Day!

2011-02-14T09:27:00.000-08:00

Is there anything sweeter?

Happy Valentine's Day!

Something to Cluck About

2011-02-09T15:21:00.000-08:00

My birthday was a couple of weeks ago, and I received a very unique gift. As many people who know me have discovered, I have a real itch to move to the country and once I get there, I want to have a few chickens. I have bought a couple of books (just to be ready when the time comes) and I look forward to fresh eggs and feathered friends. Well, on my birthday, my husband surprised me by bringing the country to me. I received two baby chicks.

They are just as cute as they can be…two little gals…I was told they are Ameraucana by breed…about 6-7 weeks or so old. They have interesting feather coloration and green legs and feet. When they are older they will lay green eggs (I think there’s a book title there somewhere). According to the website mypetchicken.com they may not be true blue Ameraucana, but instead may be what they refer to as “Easter Eggers”. I don’t care; they are cute and they will lay eggs of some color, and that’s good enough for me.

There’s just one little catch: We got the chickens before Robert finished the chicken coop. He had told me that he was re-doing the greenhouse, which had fallen into a sad state of disrepair. He didn’t tell me that it would be one part greenhouse and one part chicken coop. But the time got away from him and my birthday was here before he knew it. Undeterred from giving me the birthday surprise of my life, he figured we could keep them in a cage outside for a few days while he got the coop livable. What we didn’t count on was the weather system that made history as it moved across the country. We had four continuous days of ice and below freezing temperatures – unheard of for our area.

So into the family room they went. Luckily, we still had the crate in which we had put Molly when she first came here. So: two chickens…in a dog crate…in a family room…in a house. Sounds normal…at least for around here.

(The big bag of feed in the background is a birthday gift from my daughter. I have put it up for when they are older because they are eating a special medicated chick starter feed now. It's good to know we will always have plenty of supplies!)

I will say this: Having them in such close proximity has led to having some pretty tame chickens. By the second day the golden-colored chicken, now named Opal, flew across the cage and sat on my shoulder when I opened the door. She is somewhat shy, so this surprised me quite a bit. However, she has continued to come to me on her own, every time I open the door, and she loves to ride on my shoulder and “peep” in my ear. If I hold her just right, she will snuggle down and doze in my arms. She never strays far from me whenever she is out. She lets me kiss the top of her little scraggly head, and she loves to have her “chin” scratched.

The dark brown chicken, now named Ruby, comes to me every time, also. However, I don’t think she is motivated by “love” for me; I think she mostly wants to make sure that I am not going to hurt Opal. Ruby is very protective of Opal. Ruby is also more adventurous than Opal and is more prone to hop off of my shoulder and look around a bit. However, she doesn’t go too far, and is still very good about coming right back to me. I get tickled at her boldness; she is constantly hopping on top of her feeder and playing “Queen of the Hill”. However, having pine shavings everywhere is not quite as funny, but luckily it is not forever. I have become a champion broom handler.

Robert is working on a smaller habitat, known as a chicken tractor, because he will be able to have it finished long before the coop would be ready. Also, I have always wanted a tractor because it will allow the girls to tromp around our yard and still be protected from the hawk that frequents our neighborhood. (I would croak if something bad happened to my girls -- I’m too attached now!). In the meantime, I will just sweep and sweep as they peep and peep.

Dreaming of Walnut Grove

2011-01-25T07:53:00.000-08:00

Since I was sick all weekend, it was pretty much an eat, take medicine, sleep, and watch television weekend. It’s not that I don’t watch television normally, but it is usually more of a background thing, going while I multi-task with household chores. However, this weekend there was no multi-tasking; there was just lying on the couch and watching.

The Gospel Music Channel (GMC) had the movie “Beyond the Prairie: The True Story of Laura Ingalls Wilder” followed immediately by “Beyond the Prairie 2…”. I thoroughly enjoyed these movies, so much so, in fact, that I later pulled out my old book on Laura and started reading it. It had been years since I had read it, and I had forgotten some of the details of this “true story” of Laura and her family.

They sure moved around a lot! Pa’s wanderlust far exceeded my own, and he dragged his little family all over kingdom come. Of course, many of the “little houses” are gone, but there are still a couple of Ingalls’ places to be seen. According to the book, Pa, Ma, Mary, Carrie, and Grace are buried in a prairie graveyard southwest of the town of De Smet, South Dakota. In addition to open prairie, there are actually a couple of homes that you can tour while there, including the “Surveyor’s House” (the first house in which they lived when they moved to De Smet), and the house on Third Street (the last house Pa built for the family). For more information, click here. I would so love to go there!

Of course, Laura and Almanzo ended up near Mansfield, Missouri, and the house that they built is now a museum. Many family artifacts are on display there. For more information, click here. I would love to go there, too! (Possible “bucket list” material?)

But, of course, you can’t think of Laura and Ma and Pa without thinking of Walnut Grove, Minnesota. The book I am reading was published in the 1970’s and I was surprised to read, “The town has grown very little since Laura’s day…” Really? Still? I was intrigued. A quick internet search revealed that the population of Walnut Grove in 2000 was 1,098 people! Amazing! I think there are more people than that in my little neighborhood! Of course, Walnut Grove offers all things Ingalls, and I would love, love, love to go there! (For information, click here.) Will I be able to sweet talk Robert into taking me? I can’t really say. Would my mother like to have another wild adventure with me? I’m not so sure. Maybe I could talk Mandy and Miss Popper into going with old Lolee to visit Walnut Grove! After all, Miss Popper and I WILL be reading the “Little House” books as soon as she is old enough to enjoy them. What a great time we could have! (Miss Popper’s Lolee will buy her one of everything in the gift shop, if Paisley wants her to!) This is definitely on my “bucket list”!

The more I look at Walnut Grove, the more I like this little town. After all, I’m sure there’s some farm land there, it’s not too crowded, and it even has snow! A quick check of homes for sale there show that they are certainly in our price range. (Although I am very fond of moose, and Wyoming definitely has moose. Are there moose in this area? I wonder.) Maybe I could work at the museum (how fun would that be?!). Now, if they just needed a hydrologist or civil engineer…

Finally Finished…And It’s “Plum” Perfect!

2011-01-23T18:54:00.000-08:00

Robert finished remodeling the bathroom a couple of weeks ago. That meant that it was time for me (Lori) to do MY part and put in the finishing details. I actually had been looking forward to this part for quite some time. As luck would have it, the whole world (or at least our whole metroplex) has had some kind of bug going around and our whole family (including me) has been sick off and on for this past couple of weeks. Luckily, last week I did have one good day and was able to get the bathroom finished before the next round of being sick hit.

I knew that I wanted a universal tile for the shower because I like to change things around quite often (I also am aching to sell the house in the future and want it to not be too specific). We found this white rectangular tile (universal and great for our budget, too). Robert did a great job (the tile is NOT crooked, the photographer is just inept):

I also knew I wanted a floor tile that had several different colors. The grout came out a little lighter than we wanted, but our crew will have it dark and discolored in no time:

I knew I wanted a more universal wall color than I have had in the past. I found a soft grey paint, and I really liked it because there are a lot of shower curtains, etc., that go with grey, and changing the bathroom décor won’t be too involved:

I knew I wanted a pedestal sink. This bathroom is quite small and the old honker of a vanity that was original just took up too much space. I think Robert did a good job (although this photographer can’t take a straight picture to save her life):

I was tickled that we saved our little shelves from their previous stint. They are perfect for holding our “fluffing and buffing” stuff, while still looking somewhat stylish:

What I didn’t know was that I would end up with a shower curtain and other accessories that I would have never imagined. My mother-in-law, Lynda, gave me a Kohl’s gift card for Christmas and I thought it would be a great idea to use it for the new bathroom stuff. I was on the hunt for something with grey in it, and I did find a shower curtain with a grey stripe. However, the other colors in the curtain were not colors that I would have thought of on my own, but the longer I looked at it, the more I liked it:

All it needed was a soft, cushy, purple bath rug:

And of course, you have to have some lilac colored hand towels:

Of all of the things in the new bathroom, I am most proud of my do-it-yourself project. I have a large basket that sits on the back of the toilet; it holds my hair dryer, brush, and other fluffing items, and has proven quite useful through the years. It is still like new – the only problem was that the liner was a blue and white stripe material that would not match this purple and green bathroom at all. A couple of years ago I would have never dreamed that I could cut the old liner apart and use the pattern to make a new one, but thanks to Lynda’s encouragement of me learning to sew, I was able to make a new liner and keep my beloved basket in style:

I am so glad that one more project has been checked off the list. Once my antibiotics kick in and I feel better (hopefully tomorrow) I will get started on some clutter busting or something to try to make the rest of the house match that pretty new room!

Old...School…Books

2011-01-07T20:04:00.000-08:00

Early in my career I worked in a library. This was a perfect fit for me because I have always loved books. And, freak that I am, it’s not just the reading that I love. I love the little “crack” sound that the binding on a new book makes when you open it for the first time. While other kids were sniffing glue, I literally had my nose in a book, catching a whiff of the ink. Aahh…invigorating! If I was lucky enough to get a new book with high gloss paper…well, let’s just say it was a feast for all of the senses.

We now pretty much have book cases in every room of our house. A couple of Halloweens ago, a little trick-or-treater peeked through our door, and his eyes opened wide. “Is this the library?” he asked. Yes, that really did happen!

My love of books often conflicts with my love of clutter-busting, but I just can’t give them up. People have asked me why I don’t just check books out of the library. Well, that may work for novels (which I really don’t read that often), but in most cases, if I’m interested in something enough to want to read about it in the first place, I want to go back and revisit that book again and again. Yep, better to just own it!

I know that there are new-fangled gizmos that will store all kinds of books on one little device. While this would save me all kinds of space, I’m thinking that an electronic screen just would not “sniff” the same as a new book. Are the pictures as pretty? Do they even have pictures? If I’m learning about keeping chickens, I want to see them in all of their glory!

Below is a sampling of just a few of my shelves. I still have my Nancy Drew mysteries that I read as a child, as well as a book on Laura Ingalls Wilder (I grew up reading “Little House” and it haunts me today, leaving me dreaming of a log cabin with a loft and hand-made quilts on all of the beds!):

This is just one of a couple of shelves dealing with self-improvement (I need lots of help):

This is my “dreaming” shelf, full of books I’m reading, getting ready for my “someday” hobby farm:

I’m teaching myself to quilt, so that I will be ready to make all those quilts when I get my log cabin or storybook cottage:

I have several shelves devoted to spiritual and moral growth, too (I need to read them 100 times each!):

I’m afraid that when it comes to reading, this sentimental reader will always be old-school. And now that I have the most wonderful grandchild in the world, I am delighted to be able to pass my passion for print along to her. I gave her some “baby” books for Christmas, but I can’t seem to stop buying books for her. I’m getting ready for when she’s a little older. I bought a couple just the other night.

I love this book of poetry because it has a lot of the classics like “Three Little Kittens” and “There Was a Little Girl”:

I bought this book for me as much as I bought it for Miss Popper. The puppy reminds me of Molly-Anna Marie and her muddy paws. There is actually an illustration on the inside depicting a white tile floor with paw prints all over it. We have a white tile floor, and yes, there are usually paw prints all over it:

I look forward to sharing the world with Miss Popper through all of the books that we will read together. Whenever she visits her Lolee, it will be “old-school” time!

Christmas 2010 (By Lori)

2010-12-26T06:42:00.000-08:00

Christmas this year seemed just a little different...not necessarily better or worse, just…different. For me, one difference was that I did not do a very good job of bringing service into this holiday season. In years past there has been at least some cookie baking and delivering said cookies to friends, neighbors, and those at church whom I “visit teach”. The year that our family picked an angel off of the angel tree at the mall and went shopping together was an absolutely wonderful time. Although we did do some things to help out others this year, it just wasn’t the same effort as in Christmas past, and that left a little something lacking in the holiday for me. Hopefully next year I will be in better health and all bathroom remodeling issues will be resolved, and I can do some things that will make me really get into the Christmas spirit.

Surprisingly, music played a much more important role for me this year. As a girl whose favorite song is “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer”, I don’t get overly involved in music other than enjoying my favorite song and some of the Christmas classics (“O Holy Night” is a great one!). But I happened to catch the end of a special featuring Faith Hill, and it helped me feel the Christmas spirit so very much! I knew that she sang “Where Are You Christmas”, and this song has struck a chord with me because there were some years not so very long ago when I had that sentiment and shared those feelings. However, I had never heard “A Baby Changes Everything” until this year and I did not know that she sings it until I saw her special. What a powerful song! It absolutely made my Christmas season and helped to remind me what it is all about. If you would like to hear it, click here .

The one thing that stays the same, no matter how you feel physically and no matter what shape your bathroom is in, is loved ones, and I am so grateful that we were able to spend Christmas with ours. Thanks to QVC, HSN, and the UPS guy, there were presents under the tree for everyone (although I doubt that I made all of their dreams come true this year!):

On Christmas Eve, Miss Popper arrived looking somewhat stunned by the whole affair:

However, her mother and her “Grump-Pa” were able to get her warmed up a bit:

Alan had to work Christmas Eve, but we were delighted when he showed up an hour earlier than we had expected (I guess business was slowing down). I don’t know what he and Paisley were up to, but they look a little suspicious to me:

We ate sub-sandwiches, along with cheese ball, etc., watched a video called “The Nativity”, and then opened some presents. Mandy and Jeromy always manage to look so very excited, no matter what the gift:

I loved EVERYTHING that I got, and I received some very special gifts. Alan got one of my favorite Disney movies, “Beauty and the Beast” on DVD for me – I was very glad, because it was one of those things I just have not got around to doing yet, but I certainly am happy that he did that for me. Mandy and Jeromy got me a digital picture frame, fully loaded with pictures both new and old (another wonderful thing):

And Robert got me two special things. The first gift he gave me was an old-fashioned nut cracker. It is great because I love vintage/antique things and it also says, “Squirrel Cracker” on it. To further honor Chewka Marie’s memory, he bought me this cute little figurine (also from the antique store) of a mother squirrel and two babies. It brought tears to my eyes as I thought of Chewka Marie, and I appreciate his remembering her and how much she meant to me.

After a wonderful evening, Miss Popper and her parents went back to their home, but returned the next day to celebrate Christmas Day with us. Miss Popper was certainly decked out in her Christmas finery, complete with little silver shoes:

Mom and I took a short-cut to Christmas dinner this year. We had picked up barbeque and potato salad from Riscky’s Barbeque the afternoon before, so all we had to do was heat the meat and whip out a couple of side dishes. It was actually very good, and a nice change. I was excited that I got to use my new ceramic bake ware/serving ware with the polka dots (I love silly little things.)

I certainly hope that everyone had as much of a wonderful holiday as we had, and may the new year bring forth God’s blessings upon you!

An Ornament for Paisley

2010-12-16T19:27:00.000-08:00

My daughter and her husband have started a wonderful tradition for my grand-daughter (in fact, I wish I had thought of this for my kids!). Each year they attend an ornament exchange with Jeromy’s family, and this year they actually included Miss Popper in the exchange, so she went home with her very own ornament. Mandy is going to save them in a box for her and then add an ornament from Miss Popper’s mom and dad so that she will have a little box of ornaments of her very own to take with her when she leaves home. I thought this was so sweet that I wanted Miss Popper’s Grump-Pa and her Lolee (me) to get in on this deal, so I started with an ornament for Paisley on her very first Christmas.

At first I was tempted to get her an owl ornament. Her parents love all things “owl” and have even done Miss Popper’s nursery in an owl theme. In a cute twist of fate, one of Miss Popper’s first “tricks” has been to hoot like a little owlet; if you would like to watch a video of Paisley saying, “Whooo….”, then click here . But then I stumbled across an ornament that has a lot of meaning for me, and I decided to pass this along to my girl for her first Christmas.

Anyone who actually knows me knows that I had a pet squirrel who lived in my house with me for four years. Most people don’t understand just how much she meant to me. Even though she required a lot of care and drove me crazy at times, life with her was a very unique experience and the love that I gave to her and received from her was beyond description. She brought home the fact that there is nobility in even the smallest and simplest of God’s creatures. I had hoped that Miss Popper and Chewka Marie would have the chance to meet one day, but as fate would have it, Chewka Marie left this world just as Paisley Grace was about to enter it. Chewka died the afternoon before Paisley was born; in fact we had not yet buried her when we got the call that Mandy was being admitted to the hospital with preeclampsia. So I said a hurried good-bye to my dearest little friend before heading to the hospital to check on my daughter.

I have never been the type to believe that one being can take another being’s place; to me, to say this would be an insult to them both. Each loved one in my life holds a unique place in my heart, filed away in one of the little drawers that I keep there. But I am so grateful that Miss Popper arrived safely and soundly, and she has brought me more joy than I had ever dreamed. Her arrival helped me through a tough time and she is one of God’s tender mercies, not just for her parents, but for her Lolee as well. I had made a scrapbook of Chewka Marie a couple of years ago (in story book format), and when Paisley gets old enough I will read it to her. I will show her the squirrel ornament that her parents bought for me because they know that I love all things “squirrel”. I want to give her a little squirrel for her tree to help her remember that as a window shuts, a door is opened, and we can be comforted during our dark times, even if it is in ways which are unexpected.

My squirrel ornament:

Miss Popper’s squirrel ornament:

Waiting for Christmas

2010-12-06T07:17:00.000-08:00

Each Christmas season for the past two or three years I have been lucky enough to get an early start on the season. I had the tree up and the decorations out within a couple of days after Thanksgiving. By this point, my Christmas shopping was all but complete. I loved this because it allowed me to just relax and enjoy the spirit of giving service, the joy, and the time with family that Christmas is supposed to be. However, this year the only things decking our halls are boxes of tile and building supplies for the bathroom. Having the bathroom “poop out” on us just before Thanksgiving was not conducive to holiday decorating! Robert is working on it with every spare minute that he has, but remodeling a whole bathroom is just a major project, no matter how you look at it or how hard you work. So this year I am “waiting for Christmas” in more ways than one. I am just trying to enjoy the things that ARE available to me.

We had a family Christmas party at church. It was not only fun, but it certainly fulfilled the idea of giving service at Christmas. I will soon be posting more on the story of the actual party on my new blog, “Womanly Decadence” (I think I may need to join a 12-step program for compulsive bloggers). Anyway, at the party they had set up a cute little “forest” of trees and I noticed that many families were having their pictures made in front of them, so I persuaded Alan to let me take his picture. Can you see the boyish glee on his face at being around all the little kids running around? (Me neither! But, I’m glad he was a good sport and went with me.)

Meanwhile, at Miss Popper’s house, Christmas is up and running! Her mother and father have put up not one, but multiple trees. She also had a great time the other night when her parents took her to her first official ornament exchange with Jeromy’s family. This is a tradition of his extended family, and I really like it. Since there are so many members in his extended family, the annual ornament exchange is the one opportunity for the whole clan to get together at the holidays. Each participant brings an ornament; I’m still not clear if it is like a “white elephant” game or what, but at the end of the evening each participant goes home with a different ornament. Mandy is starting a box for Miss Popper’s ornaments from the annual party, and Mandy and I plan on each adding an ornament, too. The idea is that when Miss Popper leaves home someday she will have a good start on a tree of her own with decorations that have a history and meaning.

Here are Mandy and Miss Popper, ready to go:

At the ornament exchange Miss Popper was passed from relative to relative, and seems to be having a great time:

I had bought the little outfit that she was wearing and was so tickled to see that Mandy took this shot. What a cute little bum!

Hope you are enjoying the Christmas season!

Ever So “Grate-Ful”!

2010-11-28T17:44:00.000-08:00

Early in the week, I was getting the feeling that this Thanksgiving holiday was going to be a little different than those in previous years. The right side of my face is still dead from Bell ’s palsy, and I still have headaches and dizziness that keep me from being what I used to be. It’s amazing how illness can sap your spirit if you let it. Everything I normally do has become so hard, and it has really been grating on my nerves. Then, the day before Thanksgiving, while taking a shower I noticed two tiles in the back of the shower completely bowed out away from the wall. I had been concerned about the grout, etc., in this original shower in our 1970’s house, but we had thought that we could hold off on remodeling it until next spring sometime (well AFTER Christmas and the financial damage that is done during this season). Not so…bulging tile could only mean that water was getting behind the tile (for quite awhile, I’m afraid), causing who-only-knows what kind of damage. I had thought that this Thanksgiving was going to be different, and I was right!

However, in a strange way, those bulging tiles helped me to get back to seeing things in perspective and brought a new sense of appreciation to my week. I’m grateful for a husband who is willing to spend his precious days off dutifully working on said bathroom without complaining, and I’m glad that he has the know-how to do it (he was working construction and remodeling when I met him). That has really touched me. I’m also grateful that he’s the kind of guy who didn’t have a cow and berate me when I lost control of the cart while he was loading sheet rock at Home Depot, sending the cart scraping along the underside of the tailgate of his truck. This loss of control resulted in some pretty good scratches on the outside of his tailgate. I’m also grateful that Target sells scratch repair kits. I’m grateful that we had the means (albeit borrowed) to be able to buy the materials to make the new bathroom possible. After living without this bathroom for a few days, I’m grateful we even have it in the first place.

So now we have a new remodeling project to document. Here is what it looks like now:

I also am grateful that Alan seems to be enjoying work so much more now. After returning from Yellowstone, he returned to working at Albertson’s. Apparently, they got a new store manager while Alan was gone, and this new guy is very personable and caring towards ALL of the employees. A good manager can make all the difference, and Alan seems to be much happier in general.

I’m grateful that Molly-Anna Marie came into my life. While it is true that she is a loping, big galloot, she is also very easy-going and just a joy to be around. In the quiet times (when she is NOT pouncing and wrestling Toffee), sometimes she and I just hang out together and it is quite comforting. I sure love her.

I'm grateful for all that my Mom has done for me, especially lately. I don't know how I would have made it during this time, especially the period immediately following my first coming down with my illness. I guess you're never too old to be helped by your mother.

And of course, no post is complete without being grateful for Miss Popper. She is the most cuddly, sweet package of drooling goodness in the whole world. Here is a picture her mother snapped while their little family was out doing some “Black Friday” shopping. Miss Popper’s dad will filling the car with gas and Mandy looked in the back seat to see if Miss Popper was okay. She seems more than okay – I think she knew her parents had decided to give her the big activity set/seat (intended as a Christmas present) on that day instead of waiting until Christmas. I guess we both have lots to be grateful for!

New Room…New Alan

2010-11-08T09:47:00.000-08:00

I am still having some issues with my health, and because of that I have been sidetracked somewhat. I totally forgot that I was going to write about the guest room/Alan’s room remodel! It was finally finished just a few days before Alan returned home (I like living on the edge), and I must say that it turned out okay.

As a refresher, here is the “Bordello of Blood” room that was left behind when Alan went to Yellowstone:

Here is the new room. I did a lot of purging and sorting and whittling down on things in that room. When it became a more manageable volume, I was able to put some of the things that Alan really likes on his bookshelf, along with some new organizing stuff from the Container Store:

I then replaced the cheap plastic knobs on this chest of drawers with some cheap brushed nickel knobs from Lowe’s:

I moved this cabinet from another room and hid his television and a whole bunch of video games in it:

His new bed is soft and comfy (and notice, no more blood bordello!):

Alan came home to a new room, and we got a new Alan. He has lost a lot of weight and seems to have a lot more confidence. He is also an uncle now, and he seems to think that Paisley is pretty neat. He often asks, “Have we heard from Mandy today?”

“Yeah, she called a little while ago,” I’ll say.

This is ALWAYS followed by, “How’s Paisley doin’?”

Here’s a picture of Uncle Alan with Paisley:

I think they are both as cute as can be! (That is totally unbiased, of course!)

Look at What’s Popping Up in the Pumpkin Patch!

2010-10-14T05:32:00.000-07:00

Last weekend Pod’s parents decided to take her to the local pumpkin patch to take some pictures (you have to remember that Pod’s mother is a wedding photographer). According to Pod’s mother, the shoot did not go as planned. Apparently, my sweet Pod was quite tired and wanted to sleep through most of it. Ever the photographer, poor Pod’s old mother would have none of that, and my poor little girl was stirred from her sweet repose, just to satisfy some photographers need for that “perfect” shot:

Sleeping Beauty:

After the Awakening:

Ready to Rumble (her grandmother’s favorite picture):

Looking Beautiful:

The pumpkin patch never looked so lovely!

An Unwelcome Surprise

2010-10-10T12:27:00.000-07:00

For anyone who has noticed that I have not been keeping up with my blog lately, this is to let you know that I really haven’t been doing much of anything. Shortly after my little stint with my sinus infection and COPD, my right ear started to hurt. This was about three weeks ago. In fact, I felt so crummy that I stayed home from church and just wanted to sleep. I decided to take a couple of Motrin and go back to bed about 8 o’clock that morning. When I woke up at 10:30, the entire right side of my face was paralyzed. I thought it was just a bad reaction to the Motrin (I’m usually more of an aspirin user), but when I went to the doctor the next day, I found out that I have Bell ’s palsy. I had never even heard of it, but apparently it’s a viral infection that gets into some nerve endings located just behind your ear (that explains the ear ache) and it can lay dormant for quite some time. Until it decides to wake up one day. Surprise!

I took my antiviral medication, but unfortunately I am told that it just takes time to recover. It’s funny that I had never heard of Bell’s palsy before, but now that I have it, just about everyone I know has a friend or relative who has had it. I have heard stories of recovery that took as little as two weeks, while others took almost six months to recover. I think I can live with the facial paralysis if my head will just stop “shorting out”. You know that sensation that you sometimes get when you are first falling asleep, and you feel like you are falling and you jerk real fast and wake yourself up? That’s what I feel like when I’m awake. Once about every 3-4 minutes. Even when I’m walking. It’s very disconcerting and makes it hard to get anything done. It also makes it hard to read more than a couple of paragraphs of anything at a time, and I LOVE reading. I am looking forward to having this part of this condition pass, and I know that it will. I just have to learn patience, and it’s probably a lesson that I could use. Robert’s sister just found out that she has cancer for the second time, and when I watch her, I am so inspired! It’s hard to feel sorry for myself when I know all that she is going to have to go through.

So there you go – this is what I have been up to and why I have been so lazy on the posting. I can’t wait until I’m able to show you pictures of the newly remodeled room. And of course, a day without pictures of Pod is like a day without sunshine…or water…or air! Hopefully, I’ll be up to speed soon, with lots of posts and lots of pictures.

Until then, I am grateful for friends and family who take the time to call me, and patiently listen as I try to talk like a normal person. I am grateful to my husband, who lies through his teeth and tells me he loves me just like I am (Really? Someone who looks like a comic book character? Well, aren’t you freaky?) . I’m especially thankful for my mother. I had wanted to have her live with us so that I could take care of her, but she has ended up taking care of me, instead. I know she feels bad, too, but she has been doing all of the cooking and cleaning and shopping. And she is doing it cheerfully! I am going to owe her so BIG for this one!

Still Here

2010-09-16T02:40:00.000-07:00

Assuming that anyone actually reads my blog, they might have been wondering if I fell into a hole somewhere. Well, yes, sort of. I fell into the hole that is my son’s room as I have tried to remodel before he comes home next month (he’s been working at Yellowstone this summer). I figured it would be easier to do it while he is gone, and I actually had hoped to do it long before now, but I’m a “performs best under pressure” kind of girl.

The last incarnation of his room had been inspired by a picture I had seen in a magazine. THAT room had red walls and an Asian-themed décor. It was vibrant and sophisticated, just what an out-of-high-school guy needed. Somewhere along the way, what had looked so put together and classy somehow morphed into a room that we later laughingly called “The Bordello of Blood”. Add the habits of a young adult male, plus the whirlwind activities of packing and leaving for Yellowstone, and here is what I faced when I opened his door:

So Robert and I have been remodeling. I have done a LOT of painting: ceiling, walls, and trim. Robert has been working on putting down a laminate floor (whoever thought that nailing a textile to the floor and then walking all over it was a great idea had to have been crazy!). The floor is down, and Robert is putting the baseboards back a little at a time after he gets home from work each night. This means more touch-up painting for me as he finishes each side.

I also have pulled everything out of Alan’s room – it is sitting in various rooms throughout the house, cluttering up everything. I am going through all of the various plastic carts and plastic boxes that he had, sorting through things and putting things into categories. Young adult males will put things in boxes that should NOT be grouped together. For example, the results of a cosmetology licensing exam, pictures of friends, bank statements, debit card receipts from Subway, and an old comic book from childhood will be all together in one tub (with 500 OTHER things). Middle-aged women who are obsessed with organization will categorize and divide these things and give them separate storage facilities. It takes even longer than painting!

Making things even more exciting is the fact that halfway through this process, my COPD kicked in and I once again developed bronchitis. I have to say that I am a little ticked off about the emphysema thing. If I had been diagnosed with heart disease or diabetes, well, let’s just say that I have eaten enough chocolate and drank enough soda to have earned one of those. But, no…it had to be chronic breathing problems for the girl who never smoked. Anyway, the whole bronchitis thing put me about three or four days behind, but I am finally back in the saddle.

If we ever finish this room, I will happily blog about it and post pictures of this major accomplishment. I will be glad when it IS done, because I have been so busy (or sick) that I have been missing out on some major Pod time. Luckily for me, her mother has been good about posting pictures so that I can at least see her. Pod is doing well, and even putting on some weight. The big problems are that she wants to eat ALL the time (especially at night) and she seems to have her days and nights mixed up. Apparently she becomes wide awake at 11 p.m. and keeps her parents awake until 2 in the morning.

Here is what she looks like late at night:

Here is what she looks like at various times during the day:

I just can’t wait until she is big enough to help me paint!

Pod Alert: Something Besides a Bath

2010-08-23T17:42:00.000-07:00

I had started to wonder if my sweet little Pod was going to wash away, with all the baths her parents have insisted on giving her. Imagine my delight when Pod's mother posted some pictures of Paisley doing something besides being scrubbed (I'm also glad Mandy is keeping her photography skills sharp!).

Enjoy!

Pod Alert: Her First REAL Bath

2010-08-18T18:53:00.000-07:00

Paisley finally has a real belly button now, so her parents decided last night that it was time for her first real, full-fledged bath. Since Paisley’s grandmother wasn’t there to protect her, poor little Paisley had to face the dastardly deed alone. Mandy even took pictures to document the atrocity.

(Totally unrelated, here she is in her official “1 week” photo -- just beautiful!):

Here’s Paisley’s dad, all smiles as he assembles his devices of cruelty for THE BATH:

My poor Paisley, snoozing in her tub, innocent and unsuspecting of the water and suds which are to come:

I do not have photos of the actual deed as it was being perpetrated, but I have heard that there was much crying and carrying on (just as it was with the sponge bath). However, after the trauma was over, she was positively radiant:

May she always recover so beautifully from all of the little traumas in her life!

Pod Alert: No Place Like Home!

2010-08-12T05:29:00.000-07:00

Paisley and her parents went home on Monday.

Ready to go home:

I am told that once they got home, Bacon and Turco were curious about the squeaky little creature that had invaded their house, but not aggressive. They became quite concerned when Paisley cried, but by Wednesday morning they had better things to do:

I received a call on early Monday evening, wondering if I might be available to come spend the night, just to make the transition easier. Are you kidding? I just needed a little time to finish some catching up at home and I was on my way. The first night was mostly spent trying to start establishing Paisley’s feeding schedule and taking turns getting some sleep.

This is just a “Pack and Play”, not even a full-sized crib. Look how tiny she is:

Tuesday was the big adventure, as her parents decided to give her a sponge bath. She did not like it at all:

Later, after being wrapped in a towel, all sweet and clean, the poor little thing was comforted by her grandmother. Paisley glared across the sofa at her mean old parents (giving what is known as the “stank eye”):

By Wednesday afternoon, it was time for me to come home, and Pod had her first doctor’s appointment. She had not quite made up the weight she had lost (she’s now 5 pounds 6 ounces), but everything was looking good. (I am a little worried about her mother, though. I think her blood pressure may still be a problem and I’m hoping she will get that checked out today – hint, hint!)

However, Mandy did feel good enough to whip out her camera and capture the beauty of Paisley Grace:

Pod Alert: Paisley Grace

2010-08-08T02:40:00.000-07:00

“For behold, this is my work and my glory – to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” Moses 1:39, The Pearl of Great Price

Parenthood is a unique opportunity to assist The Lord in His work and His glory. As we bring children into the world, we give them the opportunity to enter mortality. As we teach those children about Jesus Christ and the power of His atonement, we help them to hopefully enter a path which will prepare them to eventually travel back to their Heavenly Father at the end of their mortal journey. In return, we have the opportunity to draw closer to God by learning about service, sacrifice, and unconditional love – all of the qualities that He has. As we watch our children’s’ trials and triumphs, as well as woes and weaknesses, we can gain a sense of how Heavenly Father must feel as he watches each one of us.

Yesterday I had the incredible blessing of being there as my daughter and her husband accepted the sacred privilege of stewardship over one of Heavenly Father’s children. Paisley Grace is here!

Mandy had struggled with swelling and blood pressure all week. On Friday she was not feeling well and Jeromy took her to the local fire station for a blood pressure check. With the bottom number of her blood pressure being 124, they headed to the hospital. Sure enough, there was no doubt then that preeclampsia was the culprit. The first night was spent trying to get Mandy’s blood pressure down, and she was scheduled to start the induction of labor at 6:00 a.m. on Saturday morning. All of the stories that we had heard led us to believe that it would be a very long day, so Robert and I returned to the hospital around 9:00 on Saturday morning.

Mandy was lying on her side when we came into the room. She was in a lot of pain, and kept talking about “the pressure”. A nurse walked into the room as she was talking about “the pressure” and informed her that the pressure was there because she was ready to start pushing. Ready to start pushing? “Mandy, honey,” I exclaimed, “If you are ready to start pushing, that means you are almost there!”

It was somewhere in this conversation that Jeromy informed me that they had learned that they were allowed to have one other person in the room not only during labor, but also during delivery. I was actually going to get to see Pod being born!

Besides having my own children, it was just about the most exciting time of my life. Jeromy was on one side of the bed holding Mandy’s right hand, and I was on the other side holding her left hand. Together we were “Team Lackey”! During contractions Mandy worked hard, pushing with all that she had, while Jeromy and I cheered her on, reminding her to hold her breath as we counted to ten. I had forgotten just how much work having a baby is (is that why it’s called “labor”?), but Mandy did great. I was so proud of her! It wasn’t too long before you could see the top of Paisley’s head.

Lots more pushing, and then suddenly, there she was! Paisley Grace! The most beautiful baby ever! Here are some pictures to prove my point:

Here she is not long after having been born (they had just finished cleaning her up a bit):

Getting inked up for footprints:

A first family portrait, with two VERY tired parents and their beautiful daughter:

In the nursery: “Ouch! What are you doing?”

Taking measurements, getting shots, and getting her temperature taken – how much does she have to endure?

Here she is, in all of her scrawny, 5 pound 13 ounce glory!

Her mother was mostly bald when she was born, so I was surprised to see so much hair!

Sound asleep!

A grandfather is born!

What a wonderful gift is Paisley Grace! Our sweet Pod! May I always be mindful of her mortal journey ahead, and may her grandfather and I be adequate to the task of doing our part in assisting her with it!

A Hole in My Heart

2010-08-06T12:29:00.000-07:00

There’s a hole in my heart today…our darling Chewka Marie Woodbury has gone over the rainbow bridge. We found her when she was about four weeks old and she lived in our house with us for four years (which is quite a good run for a squirrel from what I understand). (You can read her full story in “A Squirrel’s Tail”). She had not been feeling well for about a week or so; during the time that she was out of her nest she didn’t run around. There was a lot of time with me just holding her and snuggling her. When we went outside, she didn’t run around the yard either; we just sat on the back porch, listening to the birds and watching the party that was going on at the squirrel feeding station. Mostly, she just wanted to sleep.

I can’t begin to tell you what she meant to me. I once read a saying, “Our friends see the best in us, and that very fact calls forth the best from us.” Chewka Marie had lived with us for quite some time when I was researching something squirrelly on the internet and I read something else: a squirrel rehabilitator warned that you should NEVER, EVER keep a squirrel as a pet. According to this person, squirrels were vicious little critters that could never be tamed. I’m so glad that I didn’t read that in the beginning. My ignorance allowed me to just go forward, building a relationship with my sweet Chewka Marie.

She really was something. She often rode on my shoulder as I walked around the house. She not only let me hold her and pet her, she actually let me kiss her neck and “gobble” on her belly. Even our veterinarian said that he had never seen such a tame squirrel. I loved our relationship, and I must admit that I loved the novelty of it, too. I have always had a soft spot for animals, and I often suspect that I don’t see them quite the same way that a lot of people do. Chewka Marie proved to me that my assumption that animals are more than we give them credit for is right. She was certainly more than just some rodent!

The picture above is my favorite picture of Chewka Marie because it captures the essence of who she was. She was a girl who loved to eat, and this resulted in a soft, cuddly little body which was just perfect for nuzzling (I often called her “My Little Plumpling”). She was a girl who had made herself perfectly at home inside our house. She slept in our family room, and she could snooze right through the noisy washing machine or a raucous debate on “O’Reilly Factor” on television. She loved to hide pecans and milk bones in our sofa cushions, and she could hop and jump from one piece of furniture to another like the best of squirrels. While the squirrels outside have a hard, harsh expression, her face was soft and gentle. She often had a little gleam in her eye and a half-smile on her face, as though she was up to something --and she often was! I'll never forget the look of total shock the first time that Chewka Marie snatched one of Toffee's milk bones, waddling away as fast as she could with her treasure. Toffee was too stunned to even give chase!

I will miss my Chewka Marie. She was the one creature on earth who truly, truly needed me, and she was such a special little squirrel, with a special spirit about her. I will always love her.

Pod Alert: Coming Soon!

2010-08-05T04:37:00.000-07:00

It’s been “up and down and all around” the last few days with Little Miss Pod, but at last we have a weird kind of normal. Mandy’s tests showed elevated protein, but her blood pressure was good, so the course of action is bed rest until Pod comes. For her wedding photography gig, well, she is going to have one of her back-up shooters shoot the wedding that is scheduled for this coming weekend. Luckily, for her job as an Environmental Scientist, she is able to work from home, with her laptop perched atop what is left of her lap. If there are any changes (elevated blood pressure, headaches, spotting before her eyes), then Mandy is to go to the hospital and Pod will be delivered! (For the whole story, chock full of details, you can read Mandy’s blog, “Lackey Antics”.)

Regardless, the doctor said yesterday that if Pod is not here in two weeks, labor will be induced. So one way or another, Robert and I WILL be grandparents in two weeks! We are so excited and look forward to meeting Pod!

Pod Alert: “Not Just Yet!”

2010-08-03T04:58:00.000-07:00

“I can’t wait until Pod gets here!” That’s what I said at the end of my last post (I was speaking figuratively, not literally.)

“Be careful what you wish for….” This weekend I was afraid that Pod might actually get here before we were ready (she’s due around August 24th). After months of having not only normal, but actually low, blood pressure, Mandy’s blood pressure skyrocketed, and stayed elevated for more than 24 hours. This came after having to leave work early on Friday because of some major swelling. The fear: preeclampsia. To complicate things further, poor Jeromy, suffering from some really bad poison oak, had gone to a 24-hour clinic and received a cortisone shot. What no one knew at the time was that Jeromy is allergic to cortisone, and his allergic reaction caused his blood pressure to reach the highest heights also. Unfortunately, the only thing that will fix his condition is time (the shot will just have to wear off).

A trip to the hospital for Mandy resulted in some lab tests (results will be back on Wednesday), orders to stay home on bed rest, and instructions to see her doctor if anything changes. If Mandy actually gets preeclampsia, the only remedy is to have the baby. So far Pod is hanging in there, and as much as I would love to see her, we all keep saying, “Not just yet.” However, Mandy is MY baby, and her health has to be considered, too.

I spent a lot of time with Mandy and Jeromy over the last few days, and it was good to have the chance to be there with them. I’m glad that we live nearby because I would have been sick with worry if I had to rely on phone updates. It’s 104 degrees here, and typically days like that cause me to hear Montana calling. However, after this weekend, I also hear a little voice that says, “Not just yet…”

Pod Alert: Everything Old is New Again!

2010-07-31T04:52:00.000-07:00

I often have trouble sleeping, and I spend most nights tossing and turning, counting down the hours until time to get up. “If I go to sleep now, I could still get two hours…” But lately, time seems like it’s ticking away, and I hate wasting time. So this morning I decided to finish up a project that I had started before Pod’s baby shower (supposed to be a gift), but just was not able to complete.

It’s a little set of stuffed toys – a mouse family to be exact. They were something that I bought as a panel of material, simply cut out, then sewed together, stuffed, and finished off. Nothing impressive as far as imagination and skill go. However, I am still excited at the idea of giving them to Pod because, you see, I bought that panel of material over 28 years ago, and Pod’s mother had a set just like them (even down to the amateurish sewing). Why I bought two panels at that time I don’t remember. But I did, and it occurred to me not too long ago that I had one still tucked away in my old sewing box. A ride in the washer and it was as good as new.

When I made Mandy’s mice I did all of the sewing by hand. I decided to try using the sewing machine for Pod’s, and in the process I learned that I need a lot more practice making curves and turns with my Singer! I don’t think that I will be called upon to share my skills any time soon! Still, how can you not love rodents (think Chewka Marie)? The little toys are soft and squishy, just perfect for Pod to gnaw on. And since they are not too “la-ti-da”, even if one of the bassets decide that they need one, my feelings won’t be too hurt (a lesson in sharing for Pod).

Here’s the little family, first for Mandy, and now for my sweet Pod:

I can’t wait until Pod gets here!

Pod Alert: Not A Shower – A Downpour!

2010-07-21T04:59:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday, I had the opportunity to be the hostess for a baby shower for Mandy and Jeromy and Pod. This was a new experience for me, and I was grateful that Mandy was willing to have it at her house. This actually worked out well, since her house has a lot more open space than mine, and the bonus for her was that she didn’t have to figure out how to get all of her stuff home! And let me tell you, there was a LOT of stuff. I have never seen as many presents in my life, and ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING that they got was just adorable.

I had visions of having a blog filled with tons of pictures, but alas, just after they got started opening gifts, my camera gave me the “Memory Full” alert. Curses! How is it even possible that someone as awful at taking pictures as I am could have spawned a child who would become a wedding photographer? Well, all that aside, here are the few pictures I did get, and I am hoping that Mandy will send me some of the pictures taken by her friend really soon! Here’s just a taste of what went down:

Mandy doesn’t like shower games, and I was so glad because I was just dreading having to do that. Instead, we decided that if we provided everyone with a really good lunch, maybe they wouldn’t notice the lack of games. We had a “make your own sandwich” bar, and I even made my cheese ball:

As for decorations and tableware, a girl who is going to be named “Paisley Grace” needed plates, etc., that were, of course, paisley:

I was excited that I FINALLY got to use my new punch bowl (a recent by-product of an out-of-control e-Bay glassware obsession):

And for dessert, there were cute little cupcakes from Mandy’s favorite bakery:

Don’t let the empty chairs fool you; we estimate that at least 40 people were there for the shower:

Jeromy’s Aunt Jan gave Pod a cute little tutu, among other things:

Mandy’s Grandma Lynda actually MADE this beautiful gown, complete with a matching bonnet, for Pod’s upcoming blessing day:

Mandy’s good friend, also named “Lori”, made this cute little “cake” out of disposable diapers:

Mandy made these cute little “owl” boxes, filled with chocolates, as her favors:

If you would like to see just how much Little Miss Pod was “showered”, Mandy actually posted some pictures on her blog, "Lackey Antics". I think Pod might be just a little spoiled when she gets here, but that’s okay!

A Thing of Beauty(?)….A Joy FOREVER?

2010-06-22T10:03:00.000-07:00

While I must admit that I am guilty of collecting animals, my husband is guilty of collecting everything else. For him, all of his things fall into one of two categories: an item is either something of great sentimental value or something that he might need to fix or build something. Period. There is no such thing as “junk”. As a girl who has “clutter busting” sessions routinely with her own stuff, his outlook on stuff has been the subject of many discussions, and somehow I lose every stinking time.

There have been times that his pack rat ways have been useful. I remember the time that I had redecorated the guest bedroom in a black-and-white motif and I knew that it would be just beautiful, if only I could find a black light switch. As I was whining and moaning about the fact that none of the area hardware stores had a black light switch, he disappeared. He emerged from his storage shed, strutting like a peacock, and handed me a black light switch. “Still think all my stuff is junk?” Mr. Stud Muffin asked.

“No, I guess not,” I conceded, clutching my treasure to my chest.

But not all of his possessions are as useful. Many years ago, we were visiting Mr. Stud Muffin’s mother and stepfather (Carl), when Carl proudly showed off his collection of glass insulators. These little jewels were used for many years on telegraph lines, telephone lines, power lines, etc. Apparently, there is a whole lot that can be learned about insulators, and you can even join an organization called “The National Insulator Association”. Anyway, somehow, someway, Mr. Stud Muffin (heretofore referred to as “MSM”) ended up taking a mini-collection of insulators home. Before too long, they were everywhere. “They breed like flies,” is a saying that I sometimes use, and that’s true of insulators:

Apparently, MSM had bought even more insulators, sorely needed because he was going to surprise Carl with a light fixture made from them. Unfortunately, Carl passed away before MSM was able to make said light fixture. There is an unwritten rule at our house (even I subscribe to it) that says that if someone passes away, anything that they gave you cannot be thrown away. Ever. This meant that those insulators would now be sitting in the garage (or storage shed). Collecting dust. Taking up space. Forever.

Everything changed when my sister called a couple of months ago. She was over the moon that she had won “the bid” on e-bay. “What did you bid on?” I asked.

“Well, you may not know what they are,” she began, “But there are these old, antique, glass insulators that are really beautiful.”

Oh My Lanta. I was stunned. To understand the magnitude of this statement, you would have to understand my sister. For her, items also fall into two categories: items that you can use and items that have no purpose. “Items that have no purpose” are usually banished from her house, for she is even more of a clutter buster than I am. Now she was collecting glass insulators? She even had a name for them: her “Little Bevy of Beauties”. (How twisted is that?)

My sister’s “Little Bevy of Beauties”:

The wheels began to turn. I explained that yes, yes, I knew what they were, and that MSM had a ton of them. I could speak with him and see if he was willing to give her a couple if she would like. Oh, yes! Yes! She would like! Hooray!

MSM agreed that he had some extras that he had bought, and within a week or two my sister was at our house, and she and MSM were clucking like a couple of hens as they poured over the treasures, comparing colors and styles and sizes. My sister told MSM all about her “bevy” and how beautiful they looked sitting in an arrangement on her mantle.

It wasn’t long before MSM had his own “little bevy” sitting on a shelf in his office (twisted, twisted, twisted!):

Still, I had to admit that they looked kind of cute sitting there. So many different colors, and shapes, and sizes. The white ceramic insulator was especially neat.

Not long after this, I returned from the grocery store, and sitting there in my flower bed was this big boy:

“How cute!” I squealed to MSM when I saw it. “I had no idea that you had that one! I love it!”

I don’t know whether it was the praise he had received, or just a desire to clean out his storage shed, but it wasn't long before even more insulators were sprouting up in my flower bed, making the whole front porch look beautiful and artistic:

I have learned a valuable lesson from all of this. I guess there really is no such thing as junk, and sometimes all an old antique needs is to have the dust wiped off and to be put in a different setting in order to shine.

This leads me to wonder…Maybe I would look cuter in a different setting? I’ll have to talk to MSM about that…

The Greener Grass on the Other Side

2010-06-03T12:11:00.000-07:00

We often catch Molly sitting at our fence, gazing longingly into our neighbors' yard. It doesn’t matter what time of the day it is, you will often find her, watching and waiting for something.

Is she looking at their back porch, hoping to see some action in their little fish pond?

Is she looking at their perfectly manicured lawn and their bird bath, where an endless number of birds come to cool off?

Is she looking at their beautiful garden spot, complete with cute little windmill?

She might be looking at those things, but here is the true object of her affection:

This is Maggie, our neighbors’ elderly golden retriever. Dee Dee and I are convinced that Molly thinks that this is her mother, and she is waiting to be reunited with her beloved mom. Maggie, who is convinced that she is human, generally has no interest in Molly at all. But today, wonder of wonders, Maggie actually made her way over to the fence, and gave Molly a little sniff:

Molly was absolutely delighted, and I have a feeling that we will now find her sitting at the fence, looking for Maggie, even more often now!

A Heritage of Service

2010-05-30T20:18:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day…It’s about more than cookouts and swimming. It is a day to honor those who have given their lives to keep our country free and to protect our opportunities to enjoy the cookouts and swimming, or whatever we choose to do. I would like to take this time to extend my appreciation to ALL who have served our country, past and present, and to their families who keep the home fires burning.

Our family has a heritage of military service, and for Robert and me, it strikes very close to home.

Robert’s father, Grant, served in the Army, and returned home safely from two tours of duty in Vietnam:

This is my father’s father, Giffin Blaine Tucker, who served (as a very young lad) in the Navy in both World War II and the Korean War. He returned home safely from his time in the service:

My father, Larry, was an excellent soldier (he made it a career), and although he returned home from Vietnam in one piece (after receiving two purple hearts), he was never the same:

My mother, Dee Dee, joined the Army and went through basic training when she was 33 years old (what a woman)! She was never involved in war, but her military duties and experience did leave their marks on her health, and today we routinely visit the VA hospital:

Robert and I were both “military brats”; I truly believe that this may be the origins of my wanderlust, since I never lived anywhere longer than two years when I was a child. Being part of a military family is a unique experience, full of sacrifice, but full of blessings, too. I saw many things and met many people when I was growing up, and the military can be like a little family when you are away from your extended family back “home”. Military families learn to adapt to almost any situation (except standing still!). And I have to say that there is a sense of pride that comes from having a family member serve that I can't imagine having any other way.

To all veterans, I want to say, “Thanks, and God bless you!”

A Welcome Guest

2010-05-20T14:10:00.001-07:00

As many of you know, I have been learning to garden -- this is my third spring to start a garden, and I must say it is going a little better this year. Except for the wildlife, that is. Every year the squirrels and the birds get my blueberries and my raspberries. This year is no exception. I also have a new threat: the Golden Marauder (you can read about her in my gardening blog, "The Gan-Green Thumb").

I was out watering the garden this afternoon when I came across an unexpected guest. This little guy doesn't eat berries or grape vines (just bugs). You won't see him at first:

But if you look really close, there he is, looking absolutely adorable and enjoying the mud:

Oh, my little guest, welcome to my garden! You are welcome to eat all of the bugs that you can hold. Just please stay away from Cookie, Toffee, and the Golden Marauder!

“Pod Watch”: New Pictures of My Grandbaby!

2010-05-20T04:54:00.000-07:00

I was so tickled when I opened my e-mail: Mandy had sent me some pictures that were made during the ultrasound that she had Monday. Even though Robert and I had gone with her and had seen that ultrasound in person (amazing!), it is so fun for this old grandmother-to-be to have something to look at over, and over, and over again!

Here is the shot that told us that Pod is a girl for sure:

And here are two pictures of her face, taken “straight on”:

And here is my favorite, her profile. Mandy and I both LOVE her little, round nose:

Mandy was able to buy a DVD of the actual ultrasound, just as we saw it, and she has posted it on her blog, “Lackey Antics”. If you are a geek at heart and like that sort of thing, click here to watch the ultrasound.

A Very Special Day

2010-05-17T19:32:00.000-07:00

Saturday, May 15th, was a very important day for our family: Mandy and Jeromy were sealed for “time and all eternity” in the Dallas Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Mandy’s Dad and I were able to be there for the big day, and Robert felt especially privileged to be Jeromy’s “Escort”, since this was the first time that Jeromy had gone through the temple.

Mandy and Jeromy had been married a couple of years ago in a traditional church ceremony, and it was a beautiful ceremony:

While this ceremony is recognized by our faith as legal and lawful in every way, it was for “time” only – that is “until death do them part”. It is within the walls of our temples, our most sacred buildings, that the ordinance of marriage “for time and all eternity” takes place – performed by those with the sacred authority to do so. When couples live according to the covenants which they make within the temple, they are on the way to being a family unit into the eternities (a great blessing, indeed!).

"And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." ~Matthew 16:19

"Marriage partners who come to the house of the Lord and partake of its blessings are joined not only for the period of their mortal lives but for all eternity. They are bound together under authority not only of the law of the land that joins them until death but also through the eternal priesthood of God, which binds in heaven that which is bound on earth. The couple so married has the assurance of divine revelation that their relationship and that of their children will not end with death but will continue in eternity, provided they live worthy of that blessing." ~Gordon B. Hinckley

In addition to having her Dad and me, Jeromy and Mandy were tickled to have the Elders (missionaries) who taught Jeromy about the church (they also attended Jeromy’s baptism) share the day with them.

Mandy and Jeromy with Elder Ranger and Elder Strong:

They also had their good friends, Jesica and Evan, there. They were the couple who taught the “Temple Preparation” class that helped Jeromy prepare for his big day:

The day brought back memories for Robert and me, because we were married in the same temple (in fact, in the same sealing room) on a very WINDY day, oh-so-many years ago:

Since Jeromy and Mandy were sealed in the temple before Pod was born, Pod will automatically be sealed to her parents when she is born (this is called “born under the covenant”):

This was not Mandy’s first experience with the temple. Mandy was 2-1/2 years old when I met and married Robert (we only dated three months – yes, oh yes, I would probably croak if one of my kids pulled that; we have truly been blessed that it worked out so well). Because she was not “born under the covenant”, we were able to take her to the temple after we were married and have her sealed to us. This truly was a wonderful day for us. (Her brother was "born under the covenant" and we did not take him to the temple for this ordinance.)

Mandy and her mother on the day she was sealed to her parents:

I am so grateful for the gospel: for the peace that it brings, for the guidance that it gives, and for the opportunity that we have to be “forever families”. It is a wonderful thing to be able to see your children claim those blessings for themselves!

Making Tracks - Day 6 of Our Trip

2010-05-07T19:34:00.000-07:00

There are no pictures to post since we are going home the same way that we came. Yep, everything looks pretty much the same.

Dee Dee and I made it to Hays, Kansas, which is where we spent the first night on the way to Yellowstone. We are ready to get home; hotels and eating out are fun for the first couple of nights, but it gets a little old after awhile. We are ready for our own beds, a bologna sandwich, and there are several little fuzzy creatures at my house that probably need kissing by now. Also, Dee Dee has had trouble breathing almost everywhere that we've been (except Bozeman, Montana).

I just read Alan's first blog entry from Yellowstone, and it made me so happy! It looks like he's having a good time so far, and that's all any old mother wants.

More Yellowstone Adventures: Days 4 and 5

2010-05-06T21:44:00.000-07:00

Bozeman, Montana, was our destination (a bus would be picking up Alan and other workers and taking them to Gardiner, Montana, where they would spend a couple of days in training). The drive from Sheridan to Bozeman went fairly quickly, and we were at Bozeman before we knew it:

We arrived in Bozeman a day before Alan was scheduled to leave, so we had some time to drive around. There are all kinds of businesses in cute facilities:

And more cute houses to see:

Even the Wal-Mart was scenic, and we went in to get Dee Dee some more pajamas. There was a “Montana gifts” shop in the front of the Wal-Mart and it had the cutest things. I got a T-shirt for Pod (I can’t wait until she’s big enough to wear it), plus there was a little more shopping that occurred. The clerk in the shop was very sweet and I learned a lot about Bozeman from her.

We eventually got tired, so we headed back to the motel, where I took a picture of Alan:

We watched the local news on television, and I’ve always said that if you really want to know about an area, just watch their late news or buy a paper. Back home, at the time that we left, one of the top stories was about a man who had beheaded his wife with a chain saw (while she was still alive) and then had thrown her body into the street. The lead story on the news in Bozeman was about the fact that Montana’s governor was happy that Montana is one of the very few states that still has money in the bank (about $400 million). There were also stories about an exercise program for some school children and another about some important legislation that passed to help veterans (apparently some Montana Senators/Congressmen had helped to work on it). On Thursday morning, the top news on the radio was about two grizzly bears being relocated because they had become too comfortable around people. What a contrast!

It had started to snow late in the day, and Dee Dee took this picture while looking out of our room:

On D-Day (Day 5), Alan woke up bright and early, and was ready to go:

The bus station was directly across the street, and there was already a little flock of people waiting to begin their summer work season at Yellowstone. The bus finally arrived and everyone huddled close to listen to the instructions:

Before I knew what was happening, I heard someone say that they wanted the workers who were going to Old Faithful to load up first. Alan helped heft his bags into the baggage compartment, and then disappeared into the bus. I didn’t even get to hug him good-bye and embarrass him to death!

It didn’t take long at all, and pretty soon, the bus pulled out of the station, and my baby boy was gone:

I had told myself that I wasn’t going to cry, but I ended up breaking that promise!

Dee Dee and I waited for awhile to leave, because it had been snowing all night, and it was still snowing. There were reports that the mountain passes were cause for concern, and since we knew that there was a mountain pass between Bozeman and Billings (if it is technically a "mountain pass" by Montana standards, I don't know -- but there was a stretch of road that sure felt like one), we actually had considered staying another night. However, there was some kind of graduation in town, and our room was already spoken for; the clerk told Dee Dee that most likely ALL of the hotels in town would be booked, so the decision to leave was made for us.

Snow was coming down when we left:

Even once the snow let up, the roads were somewhat curvey:

With a little bit of “ups” and “downs”:

At one point, we had trouble seeing a truck that we KNEW was just ahead of us:

Want to know the exciting thing? We did it! We actually drove through the snow and sludge and wind. Maybe those who live with this all the time will roll your eyes and think, “Whatever!”, but it was pretty exciting for this Texas girl to know that she could get around if she had to.

Another thing that was neat for me was an observation that Dee Dee made when we stopped at Big Timber to stretch our legs. There was snow all around, and the wind was just slightly blowing, and as she got out of the car she said, "It doesn't really feel cold at all! It should, but it doesn't." This is something that I had told my family members after our trip to Yellowstone, only to have them look at me as though I had totally lost it. Now my mother was learning what a dry cold feels like for herself.

Mom was intrigued with all of the houses nestled among the trees and hills:

And she also loved all of the interesting rock formations:

At the end of Day 5, we seem to be out of the snow and hope to make lots of progress tomorrow. I hope my boy is having a good time! I thought of him all day.

Day 3 – Sheridan, Wyoming

2010-05-04T16:36:00.000-07:00

We had made good time on our trip and decided to cool our heels for the day in Sheridan, Wyoming. I had wanted to see Sheridan for quite some time. Three years ago, while performing a job search for the Old Coot for jobs in Wyoming, several jobs in Sheridan popped up. Sheridan? Where on earth was Sheridan? Luckily for me, they have a website with tons of information, and they even have a webcam on certain parts of town, so I was able to learn a little bit about this "Sheridan". When I decided to let “Tom Tom” plan my trip for me, I was delighted to learn that Sheridan was on the route, and I would at last have the chance to check it out.

Although it is not a sprawling metroplex by any stretch, I was surprised to find that it was a little bigger than I had imagined. Their webcam does not do justice to the amount of traffic that goes down Main Street (which is very, very LONG). Luckily we were able to settle in for the night when we got here without having an accident, and we rested up before plotting our adventures for Day 3 of our trip. Dee Dee seems to have a little trouble breathing here, and she has been hitting her inhaler pretty regularly since we have been here. Still, she was ready to check out some things on our driving tour this morning.

When we went outside this morning, we were surprised to find a little snow on the car:

We drove out to see what the airport was like (small, but it works), and were tickled to see that the UPS facility was directly across from the airport (Hello, QVC!):

Although you see the mountains from almost anywhere in town, we wanted to get a little closer:

How cool would it be to be one of the houses nestled down nearby:

Obligatory wildlife shot: Was this taken up in the mountains? No! These little sweeties were actually snacking and frolicking in someone’s yard:

I have always thought that a log cabin was my dream house, but this little “story book” cottage would make me pretty happy, too:

There are lots of “vintage” style houses for sale in town, for those who don’t want to hobby farm:

And of course, I had to visit at least one quilt shop (I even bought something!):

I had wanted to get some pictures of all of the shops on Main Street, but not getting hit by oncoming traffic seemed more important at the time. If you would like to learn more about Sheridan, I would encourage you to visit their website:

http://www.sheridanwyoming.org/

Day 2: Making Progress – From Kansas to Wyoming!

2010-05-04T15:07:00.000-07:00

Dee Dee felt much better on the second day of our trip; there had been something in the air that had made her almost cough up a lung all the way from Wichita to Salina. But today was better, and she seemed to enjoy the journey a little more.

Somewhere along the way, before we reached Denver, we caught a glimpse of our first snowy “peak”, and I started to squeal like a pig:

I must say, though, that moving to Denver may not be for me. Traffic is one of the things from which I am wanting to escape, and Denver to Fort Collins was definitely some two-handed driving.

I saw something in Colorado that I had never seen before: it looks almost like what Texans would call a double-wide, but instead of leaving it on its wheels and putting skirting around it, it is mounted on top of what looks like a basement. Neat! I want a basement!

Outside of Wyoming, we saw our first silhouette on a hillside, the first of many:

We wanted to get the Wyoming sign, but there wasn’t a safe spot to pull off of the road, so Alan snapped what he could while I blew down the road at 75 mph (75 mph! – the legal limit!):

This picture is kind of interesting; you almost had to be there to really appreciate it. Driving down the road, the snow that was still in the crevices of the hills gave an optical illusion of making it look like it was a bridge going over the hill, or an overpass, or something. But the “gaps” aren’t really gaps at all -- it’s just one solid hunk filled with snow:

We stopped at a little town that I really wanted to see. When I had been bitten by the Wyoming bug about three years ago, I had talked to an extension agent in Wyoming. She told me that Wheatland, Wyoming, is in what they call the “banana belt” of Wyoming, and that if I wanted to do some hobby farming that would be a good place for growing things. We mostly just pulled off of the road for some fuel and stretching, so I took a picture of the little drag that was down the street. I also was tickled to see mountains/hills just across the way:

I thought it might be “the place” until Dee Dee tried to open her car door – the wind was blowing so hard that she could barely get the door open. Once she got out and tried to make it to the store, it almost knocked her over. I guess all of those stories about Wyoming being windy really are true!

After seeing a silhouette of a “jackalope”, we stopped at a truck stop in Casper, where once again, the wind nearly took Dee Dee’s breath away:

There was another of those interesting home concepts:

We decided to really push the day and try to make it to Sheridan on Day 2; it meant travelling over 700 miles, but we can spend two nights there before taking Alan to his destination, and I will have the chance to really check out Sheridan. Here’s what it looks like as you are getting closer:

Tomorrow: Adventures in Sheridan!

On Our Way!

2010-05-02T19:37:00.000-07:00

Today was the day for which we had waited and prepared: Time to take Alan to Yellowstone to work for the summer. I guess that we could have put him on a plane or bus and sent him on his way, but the thing about your kids is that they will always be your kids, so I felt the need to take my baby boy to Yellowstone myself. And since my former statement is true even if your kid is nearly 50, MY mother did not want her baby daughter driving back from Yellowstone by herself, so she came along for the ride.

We got up bright and early, and Alan was ready to get on the road. Here he is with just his bags, in front of Dee Dee’s Ford Focus (talk about a tight fit!):

Since I could get lost inside of a paper bag, my family encouraged me to buy one of those navigating gizmos, and I let “Tom Tom” plan the route for me. Imagine my surprise when Tom Tom plotted a route that took me through Kansas! I had never been to Kansas, and from all of the stories I’ve heard through the years, I was expecting desolation or something close to it. It’s beautiful! While it’s true that a lot of the land is flat, there are lot of trees and other features:

And the sky is the bluest blue:

I saw a sign along the way that advertised a quilting shop in Hays, Kansas – maybe we should stop there:

We were all intrigued by the wind farm:

We ended up stopping in Hays for the night (maybe the quilt shop tomorrow?), and it looks like we may see a little rain.

The good thing about a Ford Focus is that although it might be a little small, the gas mileage is amazing! It also zips down the road with ease. I was pleased at the progress that we made on our first day – about 540 miles. That’s not too bad for two old women who have to stop regularly to stretch their legs. But I must say that I am not liking that old familiar longing that is creeping back in. As we travelled through miles and miles of beautiful, uncluttered scenery, I realized once again that I am not a city girl. It was okay when I was bringing up children, and I’m glad for the opportunities that living in the city gave to them. But that part of my life is over, and I don’t like the clutter that cities bring.

“But what about shopping?” I’ve been asked by many city girls.

As long as there is QVC, and a whole army of guys (in those cute little brown shorts) who are willing to bring boxes to my door, I’m good! Those blue skies and vacant miles might be worth it.
I just hope I hate Wyoming, or I might not ever want to go home.