Par-Tayyyyyy On The Tub

The Grandkids have arrived! And as You can tell, the fishing was pretty good, Tylens first catch of the day, and one of a few of Adams Catches.

Alyssa Was doing her own thing, catching fish scales in a bottle. No, it is`nt a bottle of urine. It`s our lovely lake water color.

Danika was chilling and enjoying the scenery, unaware of what was about to happen.

Her Brother Tylen took over the driving.

Even Though he had *issues* with his Grandfather driving the car with one hand on the way home, You know, saftey issues, he was caught red handed driving......with one hand!

He looks pretty cocky here does`nt he? Again, one hand on the wheel.

We stopped in at Potato Island, why it is called Potato Island is beyond me, it should be named Gull Island, or Gull Poop Rock, but it is`nt. You can see the island below, nothing but a big rock loaded with seagulls and their babies, not one lousy Potato on it either. But we had a blast feeding the gulls bread and popcorn.

Below is Bailey, the youngest crew member, she had to wear this scarf because she breaks out from the sun and i could not find her bonnet. She looks like a russian baby does`nt she? She was thinking about getting fussy here.

Then she decided, eh, what the heck, i`m gonna laugh!

Is`nt Danika pretty?This is me and the Munchkins.

We had a blast today on Adams Tub......

Fantastic July

I am anxiously awaiting for July to begin, which it is going to starting Monday.

Monday, we are taking Grandaughter Alyssa with us to pick up Grandaughter Danika, and Grandson Tylen who are coming to stay for a few days. Alyssa is so excited to see her cousins she is ready to burst, not to mention her Auntie Sarah, who is delivering the kids half way.

We have a few plans already, and by Monday night, i am sure there will be many more, but for now, fishing is definately in the cards, tylen is shinning up his fishing rod and can`t wait to start reeling in those walleyes. I am sure when Grandpa and Tylen hit the lake for a guy day, Danika and i are going to sneak away for lunch at the casino, our lunch choices are very limited around this neck of the woods, but, we love eating there so we don`t mind.

Uncle Adam has a big big boat that we all plan to hop onto so we can cruise the lake together, for sure we will be cruising by Potato Island to see the hundreds of seagulls and all threr babies. I`ll make lots of popcorn to feed them.

On July 24th, my Grandaughter Olivia is coming to visit, she is bringing her mom Rebecca with for a couple days. New plans for that weekend are in the making. She`d like her grandma to buy a green dress so she can be beautiful too, maybe i just will, one i can twirl in. Olivia is my sassy lassy, and a barrel of laughs. Hmmm, sassy, cute nickname.

Anyway, I am all excited for July! Let the fun begin! Par-tayyyyyyyy at grandmas!

Happy Birthday!

Officially June 13th, was this Mother and Daughters Birthdays, Mom turned 30, and little Daughter turned 3. They celebrated today with a big party, sad to say, i had to miss it.


So, Happy Birthday Rebecca and Olivia!!!

Alice Does`nt Live Here Anymore

I was talking to my sister in law Jane last night on the phone, our conversation led to our black cats, we both have one, we both did not want one, and we both have daughters who sort of kinda just dropped them off at our houses stating various reasons why they could no longer keep them. My Cat Miss Kitty, has ended up being our dog Flynns chew toy, and Janes cat Baby, poops in her potted plants. This conversation led to the time several years ago when Skip and i visited his sister Addy and her cat Alice.


Before i retell this story, let me just clarify a couple things, i don`t like dead things, and i am not particularily fond of cats. I don`t touch dead things, i get other people to touch them for me, and if Miss Kitty packed her bags and said, "i`m getting the hell out of this joint, " i`d give her $20 bucks and mumble, keep in touch .



Having said that, picture this. Skip and I, with a bag of Subway subs in our hands, settle onto the couch, Addy is sitting across from us on a chair, and Alice is laying under a coffee table on the floor next to Addy. We are about 8 feet across from Addy and Alice. I pass out the subs and we start to chomp and chat away.



It was`nt long before i noticed that Alice was`nt her usual self, normally she`d be sniffing skips shoes, or climbing in back of us nawing on my head, today she was so quiet and still. I mentioned it to Addy, who proceeds to tell us that Alice has`nt been feeling well the last few days, and she`s been very sluggish. Oh, ok i think, that explains it. Onto the sub! Gosh i love them things.



After about an hour and a half, the food long gone and thoughts of getting on our way home enter my mind, but i glance again at Alice and , i say, " This is really weird Addy, Alice has`nt moved a muscle or even blinked." Addy, being the caring cat owner and lover she is, reaches down to pet poor sick little Alice. Then lets out a scream, " Alice is dead!!!" Then she starts to shudder with the heebie jeebies, it`s the dead animal thing getting to her.



Being the caring sensitive favorite sister in law that i am, I want to fall to the floor and roll with laughter. But, i stiffle it, i want to be caring and sensitive , do you all know how hard it is to do that? This laugh growing in the pit of your gut and you have to squelch it. Very difficult indeed. But i did it.....for a bit. So i shake my head sadly and say, poor poor Alice. I said that a few times.


One has to wonder how long Alice had been *gone*. I don`t know the time table for riger mortis but, she was pretty dang stiff. I watch Forensic Science shows, they are one of my favorite tv watches, so i would have to guesstimate, 4-6 hours.



Skip, our hero, gets a big garbage bag and puts poor dead Alice in the bag and takes her outside. And poor distraught Addy, is left to wonder why, how, could she not notice a dead cat laying on the living room floor, for hours , and i`m wondering the very same thing. The urge to laugh in the meantime is getting stronger, and it is becoming painful keeping the sad look on my face.


Skip comes into the living room, and i could not hold it in any longer, i mean, i feel bad that poor Alice has died but oh my gosh, i split a gut, tears rolling down my face, laughing so hard i think i might pee myself, and then Skip is laughing, and then Addy is laughing. Years later, i am still laughing.


Now please, don`t think that i am insensitive to pet death, i`m not. But, the situation was hysterical . Were we so hungry we blocked the non movement out? Or were we just dumb?


I`ll leave that for you dear readers to figure out.

Oh The Smell!!

As i was chasing down the delinquent pooch this evening, I had to walk through 3 yards to retrieve him. Each yard had a lilac bush, and the fragrance was spectacular.

Lilacs are my absolute favorite flower, it is just a shame they are here for such a short time. But for that short time, my house is filled with their smells. I gather several large bouquets and strategically place them around the house so that i can smell them everywhere i go. Not to mention their beauty alone is worth having them everywhere.

I must confess, i am a lilac stealer, i sneak lilacs off the neighbors trees.......when no one is looking. I will be doing that in about 2 days.

I feel better for confessing now. Enjoy your lilacs people!

For The Love Of Books

The Boxcar Kids were my first book love. Imagine my surprise when scouring the internet for a picture, i find these books are still being written! Of course, the ones i read were the original, and much simpler, but then, i was reading about them over 40 years ago. The boxcar kids were poor little orphan children living in an abandoned boxcar. They are the ones who inspired my life long love for books, and my imagination. How i wanted to be a box car kid back then, living in that little red train car, living the adventures they had, answering to no one, ahhh, what a life. But, now that i`m all growed up, i realize no one wants to be an orphan forced to live in a old abandoned boxcar. Duh.

The Boxcar Kids led me to The Little House on The Prairie. I read every book, and with each book, the more i wanted to be Laura, with a Ma and Pa like hers. I wanted to live in that little house in the big woods so badly. I wanted to wear those long dresses and bonnets! Many many hours i spent with my nose in these books, putting myself in Lauras place. Later, after i had a my first daughter, i came across a dress, just like the ones laura wore, with a bonnet, and i bought it and dressed my poor daughter in it.....in a sad attempt to have my own little laura ingalls. Sheesh. I just might have to read those books again one day.

Then came my Pilgrim and anything old New England stage. I wanted to be a pilgrim girl, tapping papa`s maple trees, sitting at the fire on a cold winter night watching mother knit me a new wook scarf by candle light. Playing in the forest and spotting an injun, running home breathlessly to tell papa. Ahhh what a life. I still have a facination with the Old New England, i think i always will. When i get to New England, first stop..........The Mayflower!

And those books led me to my witch stage. This has been my longest stage, i am a witch wannabe. Ever see the movie, Practical Magic? I LOVE that movie, i want to be one of the old aunts, and live in that house. Real bad. I have Tarro Cards, i have a spell book, i have graveyard dirt, I have the witches almanac, I even have the black cat, but sadly, i have no wand, nor the vintage clothes all witches wear. I remain, just a wannabe, destined to live my one day a year as a witch on Halloween, and waiting for another good witch book to come out. *sighs*

I have no new witch book at the moment, i am currantly reading something totally differant than i have ever read before, it is called, The Pillars of the Earth, which is a great read by the way.

Which book are you reading right now?

Sweet Adeline

That little lady has been My Mother-In-Law for almost 36 years. We are going to visit her this afternoon.

She used to have a tiny little house in Parkville. This little house was`nt much as far as houses go, and it needed a world of improvements , but she loved that house so much, it was her half acre of heaven. She and her husband Don, raised four kids in that tiny two bedroom house.

Her name is Adeline, She and I did`nt have the best start on a relationship when i first married her son, but after the first few years of my marriage, we began to grow closer. We put aside our differances, and began to really like each other, then it grew into love but most importantly, it grew into a mutual respect for each other.

Adeline married an older man, she was just 18, and Don was about 36, quite an age differance. She became a widow in her 40`s. She never remarried, would not even consider such a thing. Don was her husband, then and forever. After he died, she picked up the peices and took care of herself, and that little house without help from anyone.

Adelines best days were when her kids and grandkids came to visit, and we did that often. Some days we spent our time there playing Kanasta, she was a Kanasta freak, and she`d cheat, she was nortorious for her cheating. Did`nt matter if she was playing against adults or her grandchildren, if the opportunity arose, she`d cheat. Some nights we`d play table up, we`d sit around the table, palms down, and ask the spirits to raise the table, they did quite often too. Then there were days we`d just sit out on her swing sipping coffee. But always, no matter what we were there for, she`d be in her glory fixing us a little something to eat. That woman could make a big meal out of nothing, that always amazed me about her.

My Mother in Law no longer lives in that little house in Parkville, in fact, the little house is now gone, torn down years ago. It`s very sad driving by and seeing it gone. We don`t drive by very often. Life has changed drastically for her and for the family who loves her.

That little lady above lives in a home for people with ahlzeimers and dimentia. Adeline has dimentia. When we go there, we talk about the old days because she cannot remember the recent past. When we visit her, she has forgotten we were there 5 minutes after we have left. We have come home only to answer the phone and have her tell us she has not seen us in forever and when are we coming to visit? Somedays, she wakes up confused and does`nt know how she got there, she`s been there 4 years.

Our rolls have been reversed, she is now childlike, and we are the adults. Conversations are exactly the same now for ever visit. I often wonder what it must be like waking up and having not one memory from yesterday. it seems to me it would be like waking up in a black hole. Nothing there.

But, somethings have not changed. her happiest days are still when her family comes to visit, she still has her funny personality, and on her good days, you can almost forget about all the things that have been taken from her by this disease. She lives now literally in the moment, so today we are going to go and give her a few happy moments...........and bring her some smokes, she has`nt forgotten that!!

I feel kind of freaky, cuz, it`s unnatural to like your mother in law, but i always have.