About Me On Monday…

Today would have been a perfect day to sleep in…  It’s cloudy and wet outside, but I don’t care because it’s time to join Heather for her fun Monday meme again!  Here we go…

1. Where do you go to get your news?

Sometimes I’ll read the headlines on Yahoo, and if something catches my eye, I”ll click, and read the story.  However, most of the time I get the news from watching television, and reading our local newspaper.

2. What Olympic level skill do you have (e.g. One could be a world-class paper clip bender)?

Ha! Ha!  Without a doubt, my answer would have to be “wasting time on the computer”!

3. If I say the word, ‘intellectual,’ what do you think?

For some reason, it makes me think about high school valedictorians.

4. Who in your family do you look the most like?

When I was younger, I always thought I looked more like my daddy, but these days whenever I look in a mirror I see my mother’s reflection staring back at me!

My question for you is…

5.  Can you remember who the valedictorian of your graduating (high school) class was?

(Our valedictorian’s name was Richard B.  Hey, it’s only been 40 years 🙂 

Weekend Recap:

On Friday, I went to spend the day with my friend, Diane.  We had a great time getting caught up with each other, and she took me to  The Cracker Barrel, my favorite eating place, for lunch.  I always enjoy the time we spend together.  It’s sort of funny, we’re both retired now, but sometimes we have a hard time getting our schedules to match so we can spend time together!   It took us a month to coordinate Friday’s visit!

I returned home, late Friday afternoon, to find Ed up on the roof of our house, and I found myself thinking…oh, why didn’t I stay a little bit longer?  (I absolutely hate for Ed to get up on the roof!)  You may be wondering why Ed was up on our roof.  Well, it’s because on Thursday I discovered a leak!  Yep, I put my book on top of our entertainment center, and later, when I retrieved it, I discovered my book was slightly damp!  I couldn’t see any signs of water, or water damage, but upon closer inspection we discovered a little bit of water slowly dripping through a nail hole in the ceiling…Hopefully, that problem has now been repaired–and without incident, thank goodness!

The rest of our weekend was slow–which is sometimes good.  It was spent doing things around the house, and just relaxing.  Ed mowed a lot of grass with his tractor,  while I cleaned out the chicken coop, and “wasted a lot of time on the computer” 🙂  Grilled steaks on Saturday evening, with naps on both days…  I’m already looking forward to the next slow weekend!

Soaking In Some Sun And Making Some New Memories…

When I last posted, I was on my way to join my friend, Diane, for a little “fun in the sun” at the beach.  We had a lovely time together, sitting in the sun, doing some people-watching, and talking about days gone by…Our friendship goes way back to 1970!

Diane and I became friends during her senior year of high school, in 1970.  She later married Ed’s best friend that same summer.  The four of us have been friends ever since.

The last time Diane and I were at Tybee Island together (that we could remember) was back in June of 1979, when we went with our husbands–and our babies!   Those babies will turn 34 this year!

Excuse the photo quality, these pictures are old!  Of course, we couldn’t all be in the picture at the same time, so here I am, holding my daughter, Brandy…

We’d all gone to the beach together to watch our babies experience the ocean for the first time…Neither of the babies was impressed–and I have pictures to prove it!

A lot of water has gone under the bridge since those days!  Oh to look like that again–and to be that young and naive!  If only I knew then what I know now…but then, hindsight is 20/20 isn’t it?

Anyway–the weather at the beach was perfect on Wednesday, the beach wasn’t crowded at all, and Diane and I really had a nice time. We took our lunch with us, and had a picnic underneath the pier.  We ate, we talked, and we relaxed.  We even waded in the water a bit!  Special times with a special friend…

At one point, we noticed a ship, simply making a turn, but it appeared as if it were coming ashore…so we both scurried to take a picture of it!  Soon after we snapped our photos, the ship went out of sight.

Since I’d been working in the garden so much lately, I didn’t feel the need to use much sunscreen at the beach–just a dab here and there.  By the time I got home, late in the evening, my skin felt hot, and had taken on a warm, red glow!  I thought I’d messed up!

Fortunately, I tan easily, so I’m happy to say that today the only glow I’m still basking in,  is the glow of some wonderful memories, made with a dear friend…

Have a great weekend, everybody!

Feeling Loved…

I wrote yesterday’s post, then jumped into my car and drove an hour to spend the day with a dear friend.  My friend, Diane, and I,  had been trying to spend a day together for several weeks now, but “things” kept getting in our way.

Diane is a friend from back in high school–a long, long time ago!.  Even though we live in different towns, and may not talk with each other for weeks at a time, we are always able to pick up where we left off–and we can talk to each other about anything.  Diane and I had a nice visit, went out to lunch, and, as always, our day together went by way too fast!

It was late afternoon when I arrived home, and Ethan, our old hound dog, met me down the road from our house!  He was barking, and “smiling”, and very glad to see me!  I parked my car under the shelter, and was met by my husband, Ed, with a kiss.  I proceeded to walk around to the front of the house, followed by a parade of cats following me through the yard.  “Bobs”, the former house cat, greeted me eagerly on the front porch.  Within a few minutes, my daughter, Brandy, and her family walked over for a visit.    I began to get the idea that everybody was happy to see me come home!  I felt loved.

When I finally turned my computer on, I found several nice comments on yesterday’s post about Brandy and baby Alex.  Those comments were like the “whipped topping” on my “ice cream sundae” kind of day–or maybe they are the cherry on top!  Thanks, guys, you made me feel loved, too!

In talking with my husband, later in the evening,  I discovered that while I was out of town,  he’d spent his afternoon making several other  ladies feel “loved” !  Now before you go and get all excited, let me explain!

Ed visits his mother three times a week at the personal care home, where she currently resides.  He’s become well-acquainted with most of the other ladies who live there.  The other day, the subject of “fruitcake” came up, and some of the ladies mentioned they were craving some fruitcake!  After work on Thursday, Ed went by the Claxton Fruitcake Company and bought a fruitcake.  He took his fruitcake to the home, and shared it with all of the ladies there!  He said every one of the ladies ate some, and told him over and over how much they enjoyed it.  Isn’t he something?  Sharing the love–with a fruitcake, of all things!

Why not go out and make it a good day…and if you can, make somebody feel loved.  It’s a great feeling, isn’t it?

Thursday’s Thoughts…

Okay, I’m beginning to get my blogging mojo back a little bit–finally!  I finally have a few blog ideas floating around in my head.  However, today I am having out-of-town company and I don’t have time to write an in-depth post.  Instead I’ll share a few random thoughts, then I’m heading to the grocery store for food!

My brother and his wife are coming in today from Florida for a visit, although it looks like it may be a short visit due to some unforeseen circumstances.   It seems to get more and more difficult for us to get together as time goes on.  Either one or the other of us usually has something going on with one of us– or with our families.  I’d sort of hoped that we might be able to arrange a beach get-away for all of us on this visit, but it just didn’t work out.  I’ve never stayed on the beach in January, but I was more than willing to give it a try!  I don’t suppose it matters where we get together, the most important thing is that we are getting together.

Our daughter-in-law, Christina, went to the doctor yesterday (after running high fever the night before), and was diagnosed with “mastitis”.  Ouch!  That can be painful.  She says she’s uncomfortable, but not unbearable.  I told her she’s just tough!  She’s now taking antibiotics, and continuing  to breast feed baby Chase, which should take care of the problem.  She goes back to the doctor for a re-check on Friday.  Hopefully, after a few doses of antibiotics, she will be as good as new, and there won’t be anymore problems.  Thank you for all of the prayers sent up on her behalf.  I was really worried about her.  Baby Chase also had his two-week checkup yesterday, and is doing great.  He weighs about 8 pounds already!

Speaking of baby Chase, I had a great visit with him on Wednesday afternoon, following their doctor’s appointments.  He was awake and alert, and he and I had a nice talk while his mom walked next door to visit Brandy.  I recorded some of my conversation with Chase.  It will be a little something for Chase to look back at and laugh about one of these days…Forgive me– I just have to share part of our conversation.  Some of you may get a laugh out of my southern drawl and our “one-sided” conversation…

Speaking of babies, little Alex is doing good so far.  (He’s the special needs baby that my daughter began keeping last week.)  He and Brandy seem to have found their stride already.  Some days he eats better than others, but he seems to be settling in just fine–and he really loves Brandy’s daughter, Madison!  He  looks at her and just beams.  Alex also pulled up for the first time (at Brandy’s house) on Wednesday!  He’s so tiny to be on his feet!  He still wears a size 3-6 months clothing, and a size 1 diaper!  I have a feeling that will soon change if Brandy has her way!

On Tuesday I decided to spend the day doing something “fun”.  I ignored the housework and spent most of the day making ornaments for my year round tree!  I really enjoyed myself.  I used to love doing arts and crafts, but haven’t done much of that type of thing in quite a while.  I’ve had those ornament kits for over two years–just sitting there!  At the end of the day, I had several new little snowmen, snowflakes, and penguins on my tree–and a great feeling of satisfaction!  It was a day well spent.  I need to do that more often!

In a few days I’m looking forward to going to visit an old friend for the day.  She lives about an hour away.  Diane and I have remained friends since high school (way back in 1970), even though we have lived in different cities for nearly 35 years.  We dated, then married, best friends many years ago.  At one point in time, we were all next door neighbors, for several years.  Now that she’s retired, too, she and I get together three or four times a year, to just have lunch and talk–and we always have a lot to talk about.  Sometimes we talk about “the good old days”, or the “down side” of growing older…and we always talk about our grandchildren!

Did all of you enjoy yesterday’s “Hodgepodge” as much as I did?  I especially enjoyed reading everyone’s response to the “random acts of kindness” question!  It made me feel “warm and fuzzy” reading those.  Joyce, if you happen to read this, thank you again, for hosting this fun weekly meme.  I look forward to it each week, and have met so many nice people through it!

Well, my clock is telling me it’s time to go, so I’d better listen to it.   I will catch up with all of you later this weekend.  In the meantime, I’ll be catching up with family!

Flashback Friday..Friends Growing Up

Hi everyone!  I’m joining in with Linda’s Flashback Friday today over at http://www.mochawithlinda.blogspot.com I hope Linda won’t mind, but I’m giving her theme of ” friends growing up” a slight twist because today is my wedding anniversary.

I didn’t have a whole bunch of friends while growing up, but most of the friends that I had back then,  still remain my friends today.  I’d rather have a few faithful friends, than a bunch of “fair weather friends” any day.

I didn’t have many friends in early elementary school because I changed schools four times by the time I was in the sixth grade.  The seventh grade is when I began to make lasting friendships,  because after the sixth grade my family stayed put!  I always gravitated toward the new kids in class because I knew all too well what it felt like to be that new person!

Four people immediately come to mind when I think of “friends from school”.  First of all there is Karen.  I met Karen in the ninth grade when her family first moved to town.  We were friends all through high school, and she was my maid of honor when I got married.  When I married and moved away, we would write each other letters.  Later, when I moved back to town, we resumed our friendship.  We remain friends today.  I don’t see her often, but when we do get together, it’s as if we were never apart.  We pick back up where we left off.

Karen, Holly, and me during our senior year

The next friend who comes to mind is Diane.  I met Diane when I was in the tenth grade.  She was a senior that year.  Even though she finished school two years ahead of me, we managed to remain friends–and we are still friends today. I always envied Diane because she could sew much better than I could!  We actually made our bathing suits one year!  Her husband and my husband were best friends, and that’s how I met Diane.  The two guys joined and served in the army together.  At one point in our lives, after we were married, we all lived across the street from each other for several years.  My husband and I eventually moved back to our hometown, while Diane and her husband stayed in the city.  We still keep in touch regularly, and visit when we can.

Diane and me...wearing bathing suits that we made ourselves

Another friend who comes to mind is named Holly.  We became friends in the sixth grade when we found out that we shared the same birth date.  Our senior year of high school we became like sisters.  We stayed at each other’s houses all of the time.  My husband-to-be was overseas, and Holly and her fiance’ , “Bo”, kept me from going insane while Ed was gone by keeping me company.  I was their “third wheel”.   Holly and I were considered “the elite” in high school because we were both engaged while still in high school. (these days I call it crazy)

Holly and “Bo” married the following month after Ed and I did–right after high school, but their marriage did not last.  Unfortunately, Holly fell in love with someone else while she was still married to “Bo”.  We remained friends for a few years after she married the man that she left “Bo” for, but our friendship just wasn’t the same.  “Bo” got cancer and died at a fairly young age, and I haven’t heard from Holly in years.

I met my best friend in the world, and my future husband, Ed, when I was about to enter the tenth grade–I was fourteen years old on our first date.  He was five years older than I was, so he was already finished with high school, and some college, too.  Although there was a huge difference in our ages, it never seemed like it.  We were a perfect match from the start.  He had just joined the army when we met, so our courtship was “long distance” most of the three years that we dated.  It didn’t matter, we knew that we were meant to be together. 

me and my "soldier boy" cir 1969

Ed and I were joned in marriage 38 years ago today–just three short weeks after the army and high school were behind us!  He’s always there for me, and there is nobody else I’d rather spend time with than him.  I believe that he feels the same way about me.    I’ve never felt the need to “go out with the girls”, I’d rather be home with “my guy”.  Ed’s never been one to “go out with the guys” either. 

Karen, me, Ed, and Ed's dad...on June 18, 1972

Ed and I can talk about anything.  He knows me better than anyone.  We’ve laughed together, and we’ve cried together.  We’ve gone through three pregnancies, three child births, and the raising of three teenagers–and we survived it all.  We are currently enjoying our grandchildren together, and soon it will be retirement time… We’ve been together in sickness, and in health…for richer and for poorer….and we  plan to be together until death eventually parts us.  It’s  wonderful being married to your best friend!

Is That A Rabbit Hutch I See…So Glad That You Asked!

The bunny hutch in our yard...

A dear blog friend of mine, noticed the rabbit hutch in the rain picture on Saturday’s post, and she asked me about it.  Her comment prompted me to tell you a few “rabbit tales”.   Thanks for the idea Country Mom! 

While I was still working, I discovered that the woman working next-door to me loved animals almost as much as I do.  We immediately became friends.  It turned out that she raised Holland Lops for show rabbits.  A Holland Lop is a rabbit that has long floppy ears that hang down over its head instead of standing up like traditional rabbit’s  do.  I eventually asked her if she ever sold any of her rabbits that weren’t suitable for showing. 

She told me that sometimes she did have rabbits that were not suitable for rabbit shows, but that they didn’t sell them.  She said that she would be glad to give me one, however.  She even had her husband build a rabbit cage for me.  One Friday afternoon, she and her husband brought over a bunny–complete with his custom-built home!  

The following morning I woke up and hurriedly went outside to see how the rabbit had done overnight in his new home.  I gasped!  The door to the cage had been torn open and the rabbit was nowhere to be seen!  I was very distraught!  A thought crossed my mind… 

I had several dogs that I had rescued from the shelter–and one of them was a hound–who’d been very interested when we put the rabbit and cage outside.  I had an awful feeling in the pit of my stomach that my dogs may have torn open the door of that cage and gotten the rabbit.  We searched everywhere, but didn’t find any sign of that rabbit.  Many weeks later, I found a piece of rabbit’s fur in our yard.  I don’t know for sure, but I suspect that it may have belonged to the missing rabbit.

When I told my friend–and oh, how I hated to tell her–what had happened concerning the rabbit, she offered to give me a replacement bunny.  My husband built a heavy-duty rabbit hutch, and put three different locks on the doors to insure the rabbit’s safety.  He built the hutch high off the ground, and gave it a wooden floor.  Once the hutch was complete, I got the new bunny.  I named him “Honeybun” because he is the color of a honeybun.  He had a large living space, with plenty of room to move around, but it wasn’t long before he had a new neighbor.  Remember, I was volunteering at the local animal shelter… 

One summer day I arrived at the shelter,  to find a lonely rabbit housed in a kennel among all of those barking dogs!  She was white–with just a touch of gray on her head and ears.  The rabbit was quite tame, and doing remarkably well considering there were about twenty dogs that wanted to eat her for their next meal! 

I couldn’t believe the shelter had a rabbit!  It seemed like each week there was a different kind of animal being dropped off.  I took one look at what I believe was an abandoned Easter bunny, and told the shelter officer that I would adopt the rabbit.  I couldn’t just leave her in the midst of all of those barking dogs! 

We discovered that Honeybun was a boy, and the white rabbit, whom I named Sugar Pie, was a girl.  We didn’t want to raise rabbits, so my hubby put a wire divider in the middle of the rabbit hutch.  The rabbits could be near each other, just not too close!  So near, yet so far away… 

 I gave each rabbit their own litter box and they used them–until one day Honeybun just stopped using his.  Now we just put his litter in a pile in the same spot of the cage every time. He uses the bathroom in  that spot–then scatters the litter everywhere!  He’s a true male!  He also sprays urine toward Sugar Pie now and then.  Disgusting!  

Sugar Pie is “lady-like” and uses her litter box.  Her living area is much cleaner than Honeybun’s is.  She loves to eat, and has a large dewlap to show for it.  That’s the “double chin” area on rabbits–and how you can tell they are overweight!  She’s a true female!  

  Although he originally did it to help me when I was babysitting and got home late, my husband has taken over most of the rabbit care because he enjoys them.  He waters and feeds them, and cleans the cages.  He also,  takes them a piece of apple, cabbage, or carrot every day and rubs their heads.  I think they look forward to his visits.  He also cuts  a limb from the nearby pear tree for them to munch on to keep their teeth filed.   All rabbits should have it so good!

 Friday’s giveaway winner is… Kate@http://www.nocrapdiet.wordpress.com Congratulations to Kate.  Your  prize will soon be on it’s way to you!  The winning number was 74, and she guessed 72.  Thanks to all who participated.  Have a great Monday!