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

 

 

 

 

Out of the mouth of babes...

Yesterday I needed a hug, big time.

 

The doorbell rang.

  Mr. K answered it. 

 The kids next door wanted to wish us a happy Easter and presented him with this...

 

 

These days, when no one talks or writes, they just text, this is a treasure.

 

I'll hang it on my fridge.

Like a paper hug.

 

 

 

 

Thanksgiving! We did it!

Ahhhh, I now have an even greater respect for my mom, who at 80-something still manages to pull off family holiday functions...she even claimed Christmas Eve again this year.  I am happy to report that I did manage to pull Thanksgiving '14 off without too much stress (hah!)...

 

I started by sitting down and  planning...

 

 

Made lists, checked them twice thrice, seventy two times...set the table

 and ordered Ron not to go near the dining room...

 

 

 

I agonized over the menu, worried about roasting a turkey for the first time and made Linda a nervous wreck!

 

 

 

 

The turkey was delicious...

 

 

The company superb...

 

 

 

I sat down my camera, gave the blessing and meant EVERY WORD of it.

 

We ate, laughed, sat back down for dessert and games...

 

I am truly blessed!

 

Thanks for stopping by,

God bless you,

Jan

 

Thanks, thanks and more thanks!

 

 

I have so many reasons to be giving thanks this year; perhaps if I share my partial list, I can also get you current on all the wonderful things going on in my life...

 

So, in no particular order, Let me share with you:

 

The hubster and his newly forged friendship with Linda Lou:

 

 

 

I'm thankful I can still, at the ripe old age of 63, run AND compete:

 

 

 

And occasionally win:

 

 

And be the proud mother of a winner as well:

 

 

This was the year I got a wonderful Father's Day gift from Andy and Ashley:

 

 

 

 

 

Yes!  it's a

 

BOY!!!

He'll be here mid-February!!!!!

 

There is the new home with enough bedrooms for grandchildren to visit:

 

 

A wonderful patio in the back:

 

 

AND a dressing room for all my shoes!

 

.

 

I'm thankful for that darn birthday fairy

 

and the opportunity to celebrate my mom's 83rd birthday!

 

 

We celebrated Ashley's graduation from nursing school...

 

 

Of course, it's a no-brainer to remember and be thankful for time on the river...

 

 

 

And bicycle rides!

 

 

Ron and I got to go all kinds of neat places, like Thousand Islands,

Atlantic City, Texas and Florida...

And Boston!

 

 

 

As always and forever, I'm thankful for:

 

 Andy, Vicky, Michael and Tony

 

 

 Michael and Catherine

 

 

Jamie and Vicky

 

 

Andy and Ashley

 

 

Tony and Noelle

Whew!  And to think, that's just a partial list...

I could go on and on and on!

 

Also, I'm so thankful for friends and family who take time to visit my blog!

 

Have a safe and blessed Thanksgiving...

I'll be back soon!

Promise!

 

Love,

Jan

 

Wow, this is taking forever!

This story is really yesterday's news, I want to get you caught up to the present, so I'm about to venture into the Cliff's Notes version of the past year...ready?

I said YOU BET YOUR BIPPY to the question he asked (while on one knee) and he slipped this little gem on my finger...

 

 

I know!  It's a beauty, isn't it?  I liked it so much, and it sparkled so beautifully, that while I was driving, I kept staring at it with my hand on the wheel.  Trust me, diamonds are much more dangerous than texting...at least in my case!

 It was November and even though it was short notice, we began to make arrangements for late February.  We talked about clothes, food, the who-what-how stuff...It was kinda cool!

Enter those joy stealers:  Health and Kids...

We were told in October that Ron needed to have his left knee replaced.  He looked frantic and I assured him I'd help him, that he had lots of support...

The surgery date was set for December 9.  We figured that would give him time to heal before the big day.  It would also give us time to find a new place to live.  I was living in my house with Tony, he was living in an apartment 40 miles away.  We wanted to be closer....

The announcement of our engagement was not taken well by his family, from his former in laws to two of his kids.  They were real joy stealers, absolute poop heads, so what was supposed to be a joyous occasion, joining the two families, ended up being a very private (as in NO family) ceremony only a few days before the knee replacement surgery.  A honeymoon was planned for a few weeks after that.

Again, long story short, the surgeon (who was adorably cute AND younger than the socks I was wearing) told us that roughly 1% of the people who had knee replacements experienced complications.  My husband, the over achiever, had not one, not two but THREE complications!  I tell people we spent our honeymoon on the 10th floor of Allegheny General Hospital. 

After two separate hospitalizations and three surgeries, I'm thrilled to say he's fine...even better than fine. 

We  bought a huge house in a wonderful plan of homes about 2 miles from Andy and Tony (who bought the house we were living in).  Linda is here with us, Winnie, the Basset Hound, is with Tony and with sadness, I'll tell you that we lost Bill about six weeks ago from Osteosarcoma. 

My kids are happy that we are close by, we have room to have everyone get together, including room for the ping pong table in the basement.  Just last Sunday we celebrated Taco Night here with a house full of friends and family. 

Is ANY of this making sense?  Can you, as the boys say, pick up what I'm putting down?  If you are more confused than ever now, please shoot me an email ( redsockmama at g mail dot com) and tell me I'm babbling.  I want to get you caught up to today 'cause I have so much to tell you, and I can't wait!

Soooooooo, without further fuss and fidgets, I'm going to bed, to dream of all kinds of silly things (Ron says I sometimes giggle in my sleep).  I'll mention all of you in my prayers...and will see you soon.

Now, get yourself to sleep.
God bless you,
Jan