I missed this...

Just pretend that I posted this on the appropriate day.  I thought I had it scheduled.

Today is...

Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day

to honor those beloved pets who have gone before us, 

who will be waiting for us when we get to heaven!

I found this picture...

Bill, Linda Lou and Arnie

Sadly missed.

Happy Father's Day

There are so many reasons to celebrate Father's day...

To honor the memory of my own father...

 

 

 

 

 

To honor the memory of Mark, who loved being a father!

 

 

To  honor  Andy, my son, who is celebrating his first Father's day...

 

And to honor of Mr K, who became an instant step-father of my own four kids when he married me...

But who also became a 'step-father' to Linda...

And a 'doggie-daddy' to Shirley...

 

A 'Pappy-Ron' to Locklan...

 

As well as a dad to his own kids and a Pappy to the grandkids!

 

He's an all over handy guy to have around!

 

 

I am so thankful for all these fathers in my life...and for many others.

 

God bless you and thank you!

 

Oh, and today is my tenth blogsaversary...

but more on that tomorrow!

 

 

 

 

Dirty birds!

A few days ago, Linda Lou and I were out enjoying the sun in the back yard...

I looked up...and realized that before too long, the trees would no longer look like this...

 

We have regular visitors to the bird feeders at my feeding station my son-in-law made for me...

 

It's a work of art, with pulleys and cables and hooks...

 

But beneath the station, it's a mess! 

 

Between the seeds, the peanut shells...

 

I guess I didn't realize two things:

 

#1 there are lots of birds in our family

#2  birds are dirty!

 

Dirty or not, I love watching the birds.

 

A few days ago I commented to Mr. K that we should get a parrot or some kind of talking bird.

 

He just shook his head.

 

Later that day, I repeated it while having dinner at his son's house.

 

His son said that he had just the bird for me...

 

He went upstairs and brought this...

 

 

 ugly thing downstairs. 

 

Turns out, this is a very talented bird! 

He's motion activated and has a litany of off color phrases.

 

I brought him home thinking I'd put him in the powder room so that when

one of the kids comes to visit, it will start shouting when they walk in the room...

 

Didn't work that way...

 

But when I put it on the kitchen counter so that I would remember to return it,

each time we turned off the kitchen light, it would shout...

 

Two days later, I woke early, before the sun was up. 

I went downstairs and made coffee and turned on the news...

I was sitting in the family room when suddenly, the lights went out!

 

The minute the room went dark, this bird started screaming obscenities!

 

SCARED THE BEJEEBERS OUT OF ME!

 

Dirty bird! 

Either he needs a batteryectomy or he's going home to Rick's house, pronto!

 

Speaking of birds...

 

Remember when Tony and Noelle went to Florida and put birds on their heads?

 

 

 

Noelle claimed she was afraid of birds, but then they met her FAVORITE bird...

 

 

The Pirate Parrot!

 

Tony didn't get groped  hugged by the parrot,

but he did get cuddled by the mascot of the Wheeling Nailers

 

 

And me?

 

To be honest, I am pretty down at the moment...

If I didn't have to go out, I'd stay in my pajamas all day,

drink tea from a Christmas Mug and eat Clementines...

 

I'll be fine in a day or two!

 

Of course, I got to spend a few hours with this little guy...

 

 

 

So I KNOW I am blessed...

 

Now I'm going to make a cup of tea and wander into my sewing room to play with this...

 

 

Thanks for humoring me by reading all the way down to here!

God bless you!

Jan

 

 

 

 

Rest in Peace, Linda Lou

Yesterday I lost my best friend, my care taker, my therapist...

 

My dog, Linda Lou.

 

She took with her a huge piece of my heart. 

 

We had a beautiful love story which lasted the entire 8½  years we had together. 

 

I'll share it in a few days.

 

For now, I'll just sit back with my memories and my tears.

 

Rest in peace, my precious friend.  I'll find you again one day!

 

Linda Lou Manfred

 

11/26/2005 - 4/5/2015

March On!

Wow, it's been a busy week month and it's only the third!

I think it's the weather.  

Yes, I'm SURE it's the weather.

Sub zero temperatures, wind chills below that and snow...

snow...

and even more snow!

I kept looking out the French doors and saying to Mr. K that it was so beautiful...

and he said he was sick of snow, that he needed to see leaves on the trees and most of all, 

flowers!

Being the good wife I am, I went into the basement and found these in his

 "stash of things single men really should not have" and planted them...

Pretty?

Before too long, they looked like this...

Did I tell you that I love snow?

While Mr. K was still grumbling, I put on my fancy-shmancy boots...

 Tucked the legs of my handy dandy pajamas in...

and went out side to play...

 

But  not for long!  

I had to come in to bake some fortified oatmeal raisin cookies...

(good grief, they look like meatballs, don't they?)

We were getting some very special company...

Andy and Ashley had Allyson Bodkin come to the house to photograph Locklan...

She does wonderful work and is sooooo patient, waiting for the perfect shot...

If you are kinda local, look her up:  Allyson Bodkin!  

So many things going on in my life right now...

This:

Until someone knocked at the door...

and then Winnie discovered it wasn't Tony...

and was sooo bummed!

Mr. K is in Texas this week  on business...

At 2:30 AM I drove Tony and Noelle to the airport to catch a plane to Florida

for a little baseball, sun and sand.

They just sent me this...

 

~sigh~

Did I tell you I LOVE snow?

Maybe it was an exaggeration...

Love,

Jan

Love your pet day?

According to the authorities at Holiday Insights, Today is Love Your Pet Day!!!!!

 

Of course, that goes without saying.  Anyone that knows me, knows how much I love

 

Miss Linda Lou!

 

 

Around here, every day should be Linda Lou day!

 

 

 

Guard dog my foot!

Long story short...The house Mr K and I own once belonged to the late pastor of my church and his wife.  Most Sundays, Pastor Panther would regale us with tales of the invading hoard of squirrels in his neighborhood, complete with pictures. 
Week after week, we heard about their thievery, disrespect and gluttony. 
Everyone loved the stories.

 

Both Mr. K and I love to feed the birds.  At one point, Mr. K said to me, the squirrels are fun to watch, let's feed them too.

 

That was a dumb suggestion.  No need to feed the squirrels.  They are so brazen, they probably come in the house when we are asleep and drink our wine and eat our cheese and crackers.  Usually, Linda ignores them.  Not so the other day...

 

She noticed a squirrel out on the patio.  The squirrel was oblivious to the big dog looking out at him.

 

 

 

Suddenly, he looked up and came over to the French doors...

 

 

Linda started barking at him. 

He decided to peep in the window to see what was making all the noise...

 

 

It was a stare down. 

 

 

He put his little hands paws up on the window frame...

 

 

Linda barked again and turned and looked at me as though she was saying...

"Now do you believe Pastor Panther?"

 

She walked away...

 

And her little friend just kept looking for her...

 

 

 

I'm going to go and lock up the wine and cheese!

 

Love you!

Jan