"Hi Grammie!"

The phone rang early this morning.

It was my Minnesota daughter-in-law telling me that they were in the car and Owen wanted to sing me a song.

"HI GRAMMIE!" that cute little 2 3/4 year old voice shouted.

"Hi Owen!" my joyous 60 1/2 year (!) old voice replied.

And, from that point on we had a wonderful "conversation"....the first really long one... ever.

He told me that he wasn't an "Alligator" in daycare anymore...but was now in the "Snuggle Bunnies" group. He sang the entire alphabet song from head to toe.....minus the "X". : ) I clapped and congratulated his brilliant mind.

He talked about coming back here to visit me (did you hear that Adam and Jenny?!!!???). We then talked about all of the fun things that we did when he was here for the last visit. He remembered the balloons that we blew up for his daddy's birthday party and wanted me to tell him all of the colors that they were. We talked about the little thing on a stick that I had outside that spins around when the wind blows. I was beaming at this point and loving every single minute of it.

He answered all of my probing questions....including which state I lived in.

"Alabaaaama" he said, totally proud of himself for remembering. I then broke out into my own song, "Well, I come from Alabama with a banjo on my knee....etc." (crazy Grammie!) : )

I asked him all about his sister Audrey and how I would be there soon for her first birthday. And, of course, we touched upon the fact that his birthday would be coming up shortly thereafter...and that he would be: THREE! (no way)

Suddenly, out of nowhere, he said "bye, Grammie" and I realized that he had probably had enough chit chat. So we said our goodbyes and that was it.

Someday, when you are grown up enough to see my blog, Owen, you will read this and find out just how very wonderful that conversation was to me.

Pure "Grammie Heaven".

Thank you for that, Owen.

I love and miss you so much...

....the green-haired golden dog....

"The green-haired golden dog?" you ask.

I will explain. Lately, I am finding that my "recollection skills" are not quite as sharp as they used to be. (Basically, I am having trouble remembering things from one minute to the next!) So, I decided to put a new plan into action...I make a "story" of sorts with the key words that I need to know to remember things.

As I was on my morning walk today, I began to think about some things that I wanted to write about in my blog. Not having a pencil and paper handy, I came up with the words above to help me remember.

They will make more sense to you (I hope) as you read through my post today.

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I noticed how green everyone's lawns look right now since the week and a half of rain that has been falling here in Alabama. They look so lush and happy.

Of course, unfortunately, the weeds are really flourishing, too...I've never seen so many healthy and strong looking weeds interspersed on everyone's yards....kind of like the lawn is an equal opportunity place.

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Does the texture of our hair change as we age?

This is the question that I am beginning to ask myself these days. For years and years I had poker straight hair...hardly able to hold a curl. But, now, I find that it frizzes curls up at the slightest hint of moisture or humidity.

So strange.

Ah, another joyous surprise of aging....

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Have you heard about places that invite you to sell your gold? Since the recession they seem to be popping up all over...and, understandably so.

One of my dear friends is now going into the gold selling business and she invited me to a "gold party" at her house recently.

Not quite knowing what to expect, I dropped by and approached it all with a bit of trepidation. However, once I got there, I saw women really making a lot of cash on the spot for their odd, or unused pieces of gold jewelry.

So, I did what any other person would do, I ran home and began to search!

Unfortunately, I really didn't have much to collect...but, I did have a few unmatched earrings that had lost their "partners" years ago...a couple of knotted, mushed, and broken- very thin gold necklaces that I hadn't been able to wear in probably 30 years or so...and a couple of small gold bracelets that were in the same condition as the necklaces. I gathered my little group of "treasures" in a small pouch and headed back to the gold party expecting to make a dollar or two.

Right on the spot your gold is checked out to make sure that it is real...and, not just costume jewelry. If it turns out to be 14K gold, a bell is hit by the person examining it. Everyone cheers and it is quite exciting and fun. It is then weighed and the total amount of money that you have made is announced.

I was shocked to find out that my little pouch brought me over $340. in cold, hard cash!!! What a treat...and, coincidentally that was the same exact amount that I had just put on my charge card for my airplane fair to go up to MN for Audrey's first birthday in June!

Coincidence? Nah. I think that someone is looking out for me... : )

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And,finally...a sweet little story about one of my neighbors. I noticed that he drove by me in his big white car every morning that I was out walking. He drives very slowly and has both of his beloved dogs in the back seat looking out the windows. I see him often going down the long dead end street that I walk on....leisurely making his way down to the end and then turning and heading back out...

I finally got up the nerve to ask him about these daily jaunts. His answer was that he takes his dogs for a ride every day through the neighborhood. They anticipate it, expect it, and, most importantly, totally enjoy it.

"How nice", I thought as I watched the car drive away...."I wouldn't mind being one of his dogs and going for a lovely car ride every morning..."

Ahhhh... : )

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"The green-haired golden dog" worked. I remembered what I wanted to tell you today.

Pretty clever, eh?

Anyone want to buy a swimming pool? (cheap)

AH! As summer approaches...the flowers bloom....the birds are singing...the air is warm and toasty...toenails are polished as sandals become the shoe of choice...juicy watermelons are plentiful...AND, my backyard pool (or, money pit, as I like to call it) is open.

AACK.

As I continue to try and save money by doing things myself, pool maintenance is included in that grouping. Those of you who have a pool in your backyard will certainly understand the difficulty in keeping up with the chemicalizing and cleaning of an in-the-ground pool.

The pool came with the house when we purchased it 30 something years ago. Through the years when the boys were growing up there were always kids playfully enjoying the water when the temps were on the rise. Fourth of July parties were held back there along with baseball, basketball, and soccer team get-togethers. I can remember the boys coming home from playing their summer sports and delighting in being able to strip down and jump into the refreshing water! One could hear squeals of joy as they recklessly went down the sliding board into the deep end below! Those were wonderful times.... and I have so many great memories of those years.

Time passes....the boys are married and living out of town....and the pool area stays pretty quiet these days.

But, the opening-the-pool-ritual stays the same. First, the cover must be cleaned and removed and folded. This huge green mesh cover presents many challenges as it has been catching debris all fall and winter long.

Once it is removed, one is then faced with a lovely green "pond" with dusty stuff (that got through the mesh) at the bottom.

And so, the fun begins!

The pool is "shocked" with mega doses of chlorine...the pump goes non-stop 24 hours a day....testing is done regularly to see whether muriatic acid or baking soda need to be added to get everything in balance. ...the pool sweep is activated and cleaned out regularly...the yucky stuff that the filter catches is cleaned out by backwashing the system...etc. etc. etc. (and, there are many etc.'s!)

The goal? Sparkling blue, crystal clear water ready for swimmers.

Anyone interested?

Grab your suits....you're all invited to jump on in................

.....................well, as soon as the murky, greenish water turns blue!

ack.

Warning: Grammie with new photos!!

Truth be told, I had to do some "guilt-producing nagging" to get some new pictures of my grandbabies!

Hey, a Grammie's got to do what a Grammie's got to do!

Here are Audrey and Owen:

...and Celia!!

Be still my heart!!

: )

The Swans at "The Home"

I had expressed earlier how mesmerized Mom and I were watching the brand new parents: Romeo and Juliet. (No, these were not two elderly occupants having a baby together....these are the names of the two swans who live in the lake at "The Home".)

While visiting down in Florida, Mom and I spent a lot of time just observing this new little family. The new babies were quite cute and there was a lot of anticipation as to when the next baby would appear. For the occupants of the home, it was a great diversion....and something special to look forward to. Every day there was a gathering on the bridge filled with smiling faces keeping an eye out for what Romeo and Juliet were going to do next. The joy that they got from this experience was really priceless...

In these pictures, Juliet is sitting on the last egg while the four new cygnets (baby swans...I googled it!) kept nice and close to their mama. (Unfortunately, the fifth egg never hatched...so the family stayed at four).

After taking their babies for a swim, Romeo and Juliet relax on the "shore".

While they were away from the nest, there was a visitor---this adorable duck. He was trying to get a little of the swan food that was there....but, he was long gone before the new family arrived home.

Smart duck.

I couldn't resist snapping these pictures as the new cygnets (I'm showing off now that I learned a new word!) peeked out from under their mama to get a look at their new surroundings!

Aren't they cute?

I can't help but smile watching these newest members of "The Home" awkwardly, and sweetly, finding their way around.

I get the same pleasure from the pictures as I did seeing them in person.

*sigh*

Memorial Day 2009

Sending out a heartfelt thank you to all of the American soldiers who have sacrificed for our freedoms....You are not forgotten as we honor you this weekend.

Dave before "the boat ride"....looking over the situation...

etc.

OK. so, I am finally over my American Idol angst. I am realizing that life will actually go on even though Adam didn't win! : )

I saw an after-show interview that he did and, I must say, he is a class act. He was sincerely happy for his roommate and buddy, Kris...and was looking ahead to many great opportunites that the Show had afforded him.

I can't wait for his first CD to come out...

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Well, dreams do come true sometimes....and, not always in a good way.

I was having the most intense dream last night about not being able to do anything because of this painful burning sensation in my left eye.

I woke up in the middle of the night and my eye was truly uncomfortable. When I looked in the mirror it was quite red and irritated looking.

I put some eye drops in and went back to sleep...but, woke up thinking about how weird that was....

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Because of all of the A.I. stuff going on, I haven't really been able to post much about my trip home last weekend. As I said, it was bittersweet. Sweet to be with my family....and sad to be unveiling the headstone at my Dad's grave.

It is a long story that I won't go into great detail about...but, the cemetery people put the headstone in the wrong area! Talk about taking an already upsetting day and adding some extra drama to it!

Talks are still going on with the head honchos at the cemetery...but, this was an unforgivable event to have happened to my family....Mom, especially.

It now makes us wonder if they really know where my dad is buried.

**shiver**

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While we were down in Florida, my sister and bro-in-law decided that we would have a family boat ride. Both of them are trained and licensed to handle the boats....and, they have joined a place that allows them to "check out" different boats for occasional jaunts.

Now, Dave is not really a "boat person"...in fact, the last time that we were down there together, we went on a "Casino boat cruise and within an hour of leaving the dock, Dave was quite queasy....and, he remained seasick for the rest of the trip. Poor guy. (Now, I must tell you that this was an unusually stormy and windy day that we went out...)

But, being the good sport that he is (!?!), he agreed to go out on the boat after I told him that I had asked that we just stay on the intercoastal waters (and not the ocean) and slowly and gently move on the water.

My sister gave him wrist bands that are supposed to keep you from getting seasick...and, we were ready to go.

The boat was really lovely...about 18 feet long and, even had a loo down below the deck! I must say that I was quite impressed with that feature!

As we headed into the waters, I noticed that it was quite choppy that day. Our captain (my bro-in-law) zoomed out into the intercoastal at a rapid pace. (yikes) He explained that in this section it was really less bumpy to go quickly...and, so we did. It was especially bad when we got caught in another boat's wake...

At one point I glanced over at Dave's face and it was looking a bit pale (green?)....however, when I asked him if he was feeling sick...he "gently" told me to please not ask him! But, I could tell that he was not feeling his best...

Luckily, we soon got over calmer waters and all seemed to be okay on board.

It turned out to be a lovely day on the water....my sister, nephew and I even went swimming when we docked for lunch...the water was clear and warm...ahhh.

Dave made it through the boat ride almost unscathed....however, even after my nagging...he did not put enough sunscreen on and......yep, you guessed it....he got a pretty lobster-colored burn.

Ouch.

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Memorial Day weekend is here. Dave and I don't really have any big plans other than going to a little dinner party tomorrow night.

I know that he will be playing golf Saturday and Monday...weather permitting (scattered rain storms are predicted for the whole weekend!)...and, we will probably just lie low and be lazy.

I am in charge of a seafood type of dinner for tonight....and, he is going to make a bar-b-que dinner of sorts for Sunday. Monday will be left-overs!

I am hoping to squeeze in a movie at some point of the weekend...just to get out of the house for a bit...

All in all, it will be nice to just relax, take it easy....and enjoy the days....

I hope that all of my blogging buddies out there can do the same....

XOXO

HUH?

I'm very disappointed.

Actually, I am a little shocked and confused.

After watching almost two hours of incredible entertainment on American Idol tonight, my boy Adam didn't win.

I enjoyed him so much on the show tonight and I felt as though I was watching someone who would not only be a superstar...but, a musical icon....perhaps, a legend?

**sigh**

I do wish Kris the very best....his future looks bright and successful......but.....

...personally, I can't wait for Adam's CD to come out...and you can bet that I will be first in line waiting to buy it! : )

Thankfully, it's all over tonight.....

I am somewhat relieved that American Idol is ending tonight.

Don't get me wrong, I will miss the show...it has been extremely entertaining and fun to watch. But, because I entered this American Idol contest this season, I have felt the angst of second-guessing America each week as I send in my vote for the bottom two or three and who I think will eventually win.

It's a lot of pressure! : )

So, last night I was glued to watching my television as Adam and Kris battled it out for the "title". I didn't even answer the phone if anyone dared to called me.

(I know. I really need to get a life.)

Anyway, the two of them lived up to their previous reputations... as Adam (be still my heart) belted out his songs with all the drama that he could muster...and, Kris kept that good ole boy image with his boyish looks and soulful voice.

I always dislike that they make the two finalists sing a song written especially for the finale. The one last night was no exception to this thought. Both Kris and Adam seemed to struggle with the song...almost to the point of "screeching" it as they attempted to belt it out. The most memorable part (sarcasm) of the song was that the lyrics included the word "hurricane". It was the typically corny "I want to follow my dream.." kind of song....yada yada. Now I am as cheesy as the next person...but, c'mon people.

I realized as I sent in my final contest vote this morning that it was almost impossible to pick a clear "winner". Both of these guys can sing. Both of them are extremely appealing. Both of them will have record contracts in the future. But, the two of them are completely different!

How can one choose between two extremely talented singers when their styles are so contrary to one another? Apples and oranges. Rock and easy listening. AAACK.

I went through a period of angst....and then finally decided that I had to get my vote in so that I could take on my day like a normal person. I was spending way too much time on this and needed to begin focusing on other things that needed to get done.

I wrote the email.

I hit send.

For a nano-second I had second thoughts.

But, it was too late...and, I would stick with my pick for the 2009 American Idol.

This is a singing contest...and, to me, the most entertaining and unique singer should win. It should be the contestant that challenges me to enjoy music that I might not ordinarily listen to. It should be the person who fills the stage with his presence and passion. Once I began to think about it that way...my choice became pretty clear cut.

My pick?

Adam. : )

Tonight we will find out the results.

(...after tonight I will have to find something else to angst over on Tuesday and Wednesday nights....) : O

"Where we love is home---home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts." Oliver Wendell Holmes

It is always nice to head back home to Florida.

Not only is Mom there...but, two of my three sisters, one brother-in-law, an occasional nephew home for a visit...and a doggie named Baylee.

It is also a place where I can go and remember so much of my past...my childhood, my growing up years....and, family and friends.

Of course much has changed...but every once in a while a fragrance, an old building, a restaurant...movie theatre or a street name will bring back a memory.

I lived in S. Florida from age 7 until I left to go to college....with many visits in between...and then came back after graduation to get married there.

So much of my history is there....so much of "me" is still there.....

When I am down there I am always amazed at the flatness of the land...so flat that you can see for what seems like miles in some open areas. The Florida landscape seems strange in that I have now grown accustomed to the hilly terrain of Birmingham with an occasional mountain thrown into the mix.

The vegetation there is also so incredible...and it stays that way pretty much year round. A multitude of flowers grow there without much effort at all...it is amazing. The Bouganvilla vines bursting with color wind their way around walls and buildings without a care in the world. I am sure that the natives take this for granted after a while...but, it always amazes me when I go back and visit.

Then there is the heat and humidity. That I don't miss at all. : O

So, I returned home to Birmingham yesterday and smiled as I looked out of the plane window at the city that is so familiar to me now. I saw the landmarks that are a part of my life today. With all of its past issues and problems, it is a place that I have grown to love. It is the place where people move a bit slower and smile more often. It is the place where you often hear, "Hi y'all" or a "How are you doing?" from a stranger that passes by your way. It is the place where my two boys were born....where they went to school until it was time for them to leave for college and their own dreams....it is where my ex and I spent over thirty years together making memories that will never be erased....it is a place where my wonderful friendships have blossomed and grown through the years becoming "family" to me.

It is my home. It is where I belong.

That being said, I do know that no matter where my life takes me...no matter how comfortable I am in my Birmingham home....S. Florida will always remain "home" in my heart.

Sweet Home Alabama

I'm back.

I'm home.

I'm pooped.

More tomorrow...

I promise.

'nite

: )

I can't sleep...

...my sister and I just finished watching the final episode of Grey's Anatomy tonight and it left me in a strange state of mind....so I thought that I'd write a post in my blog to see if I can shake the feeling.

For those of you who may have watched it, I am sure that you can understand what I am saying. For those who have no idea what I am talking about (!)...all I can say is that the finale' left us kind of blank...it was extremely intense right down to the last second....so many things are still up in the air....which of the chararcters will end up living and who will die?? It was quite frenetic and then------a black screen...and, it was over.

aaack.

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I did have a lovely day today today with Mom at "the home". I met her there for lunch and got to visit with some of her friends...It makes me smile to see how loved my mom is in such a short time living there. I keep telling her that if they had a prom at the home, she would definitely by the Homecoming Queen! She just laughs when I say that...

But, the best part of our time together was watching Romeo and Juliet, the two swans that live in the lake in the middle of the complex. It seems that Romeo has been sitting on 5 eggs as of late....and by this morning, 4 of them had hatched! They all cuddled around their mother while the father kept watch over the group. It was really quite touching...and, Mom and I stood there for quite some time just watching them. Mesmerizing...

It was interesting to me to see how much pleasure all of the occupants of the home got from this newest event. All during the day people were constantly standing vigil over the lake keeping an eye on the mama swan. It really gave them something to look forward to...and to smile about as they watched the newly-hatched swan babies.

After dinner at my sister's tonight, I drove Mom back to the home in the early evening. As I walked her up to her apartment, she said to me:"How about if we go and check on the swans?"

I had actually been thinking of doing that myself....So, of course, I was delighted to do this with her...so she grabbed a flashlight and the two of us headed out to the lake in the pitch black evening.

Once we got there, we saw Romeo and Juliet relaxing with all of the babies tucked under her by then. We couldn't really see much in the dark of night.

I imagine that as we were walking away, the swans were probably shaking their heads and thinking..."Who are these two crazy women out here tonight flashing their light on us?"

I guess that we will just have to wait until tomorrow to see if baby number 5 has hatched. Stay tuned.

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Good night.

Heading South

Tomorrow morning at 6:30 a.m. (yawn) I will be winging my way down to Florida.

It is a bittersweet trip in that I will be getting to visit with Mom and my three sisters...but, also having an "unveiling" for my Dad.

For those of you unfamiliar with this, in the Jewish religion the headstone is not placed on the grave until a year has passed. A ceremony is held to commemorate the placing of the headstone on the grave and family members usually gather with a Rabbi for prayers and blessings.

Even though Dad passed away March 4 of last year...we are doing this on his birthday, May 17th.

Missing you terribly, Dad...but, I know that you will be smiling seeing "your girls" all together.

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I stopped by the bank while out doing errands this morning. I wanted to take the little bit (and, I mean little bit!) of money out of my money market account...where the interest rate is totally laughable....and add it to my cd....where the interest rate is still laughable...but, not quite as bad.

I was prompted to enter an office and standing in front of me was a 13 year old boy all dressed up in a suit. He was adorable, dimples and all, as he greeted me with a handshake and asked what he could help me with today.

"Yes, go and get your father so that I can make a transaction," I wanted to say before I realized that this little boy (okay, maybe he was in his early 20's) was the one that was going to handle my money.

Why does this keep happening to me....? First the doctors all look like teenagers and now my banker???? Why is everyone else so young?!?! Don't people hire baby boomers anymore?

Aaack.

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Ralph, the raccoon is gone.

After he continued to do damage to my backyard, I had to call on my neighbor, Bob, to help out.

Bob left me with a large trap to capture this critter...with the promise that if we caught him-- he would take him for a ride in his truck and let him out in the woods somewhere.

All I had to do was put some peanut butter in the trap and wait.

He was such a smart raccoon in that the first two times he managed to set the trap off by just reaching through the cage to get the peanut butter on his paw.

After covering the sides with tin foil...we finally were successful!

Of course, once that occurred, I immediately began to feel sad. Was this going to separate Ralph from the rest of his family? Would he like his new place in the woods? Would he make new friends there?

I am way too emotional for this stuff.

I never should have named him.

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I will try to blog when I can down in Florida...if not, I will be home on Monday, the 18th.

XOXO

A Man and his Remote

This has always baffled me...

What is it about a man and the remote control?

It is like a king and his sceptre, an accountant and his calculator, a doctor and his stethescope, and artist and her paintbrush, a builder and his hammer, a................well, you get the point!

I am amazed at the skill in which Dave handles the remote. He can switch through the channels faster than the speed of light. I am astounded at his manual dexterity as he maneuvers his way through TV land. He can fast forward through a commercial or mute something that he doesn't want to hear within a nano-second. I am stunned by his ability to manage the remote, read the paper, check his online messages, watch sports, eat a snack, and play a round of computer poker...all at the same time...without skipping a beat.

And, I have learned not to invade his "remote domain". I don't dare try and take the remote from those tightly wrapped fingers of his! Volume adjusted? Ask the "remote king" and he will take care of it for you.

Yesterday, I happened to catch a glimpse of Dave sound asleep on the couch clutching the remote. (He says that he was wide awake....you be the judge!!!)

Even in his sleep, he doesn't relinquish that control.

Men....and their toys!

Astounding.

Mother's Day 2009

My mom is a neverending song in my heart of comfort, happiness, and being. I may sometimes forget the words but I always remember the tune. ~Graycie Harmon

Children are a great comfort in your old age - and they help you reach it faster, too. ~Lionel Kauffman

Sweater, n.: garment worn by child when its mother is feeling chilly. ~Ambrose Bierce

Wishing a Happy Mother's Day to all of the mothers, grandmothers, step-mothers, aunts who are like mothers, caretakers...etc.

And to my own Mom....Happy Mother's Day...... love to you today and always! I will see you Wednesday...

Hugs...... : )

Saturday Stuff.

Well, the mystery of my new phones cutting out in the middle of a conversation is finally solved. After countless phone calls to technical people in foreign countries and continual button pressing and holding while listening to elevator music....along with returning one set and purchasing another.....I found out that it wasn't the phones at all...turns out that it was a problem with the Charter phone lines! Sorry that I spoke ill of your phones, Panasonic!

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I went to a local orthodontist on Thursday because I have felt that my upper teeth have been shifting as of late.

Now, I have worn braces twice in my 60 years....and, that is more than enough...but, I wanted to see what else could be done to straighten things out....before it got worse.

Sitting in the waiting room, I couldn't help but notice the huge board that hosted snapshots of smiling children who were patients of this doctor. They were all quite young, so I surmised that my picture would probably not be placed up there with the group.

This doctor is so young that I could probably be his great grandmother! That is so hard to get used to....but, then, lately everyone seems younger than me.

He is soft spoken and very kind and he suggested that I wear these clear plastic mouthpieces over my teeth for 5-6 months....getting a new one every month. It sounded plausible to me...so, I agreed.

At that point another young person (nurse) came in and explained that she would be taking impressions of my upper teeth. An impression consists of a tray filled with gooey stuff placed in one's mouth for a few seconds until it begins to set. When done they will have a perfect replica of your mouth....this is not my most favorite thing to do and quite often can reawaken my "gag reflex". Fun, eh?

As I headed out the door after the appointment was over, I couldn't help but think that they never even asked me if I wanted my picture taken!

*sigh*

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We have named the raccoon, Ralph.

No sightings of him today.

The birds seemed happy and much more relaxed.

They only had the squirrels to contend with...and, that they are used to. : )

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I am hosting a baby shower for a daughter of one of the Girlie's at the end of this month. Ten other women are hostessing with me. Today I finished the invitation that I made. It has a picture of a stork carrying two new babies wrapped in pink and lilac in it's mouth....and the words; "We're seeing DOUBLE!" across the top of the page.

I guess that by now you have guessed that her daughter is expecting twin girls!

Twins run in their family...so, it wasn't too shocking...but, I can't even begin to imagine having two at once.

It's a good thing that they are young parents....

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Mom told me today that everyone at the home gossips all of the time. She said that it is all that they do. She was critical of this and said that they don't have anything better to do.

Then, she began to tell me some of the latest gossip.(!)

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One of my friends asked me to get an online boarding pass on Southwest for their group while they are attending a grad school graduation in Indiana. For those of you who don't fly Southwest, they do not assign seats....instead you get a boarding pass 24 hours before your flight and it will give you a letter and number that defines where you stand in the line to board.

I wanted to get them as close to the front of the line that I could...so, I posted signs all over my house so that I would not forget to do this on time.

As the time got close, I opened up the atomic clock (hey, this is serious stuff!)so that I would know the exact time and got my fingers ready to punch in the correct keys. All of their confirmation numbers and names were minimized at the bottom of my screen. I was ready! It is like being in a race as you are "competing" with all of the other passengers on that particular flight. It is a bit angst producing.

Luckily, I got them some pretty good numbers, so I think that they will be happy with the results.

*whew*

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I hope that you all got to see Michael J. Fox's special on tv the other night. I found it so inspiring. He is quite a guy....and his optimistic outlook on life is awesome and, something that we can all learn from. I was very touched...and, I wish him only the best that life has to offer as he deals with his Parkinson's in the year's ahead.

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Well, off to take on my day....have a good one yourself! : )

xoxo

Grammie's Bar & Grille:now open for birds and....RACCOONS?!

I must say that I am quite generous with my backyard birds.

I continually keep their feeder filled with a wide variety of seeds and nuts...Thus, there is backyard peace and harmony for all.

However, the other day, I noticed that the feeder was emptying at a much more rapid rate than usual.

Later on, with a little detective work.... I found out the reason...

As I looked out my back window...there staring at me with those intense eyes surrounded by his furry mask was this scene:

I guess that the word got out that there was "good eatin'" over at Grammie's...because here was this raccoon holding onto the bird feeder and snacking away! What he didn't get to eat fell on the ground and he came back today to munch on the dropped food. I snapped a few shots of him...and then opened and shut the door to scare him away.

When the coast was clear, I went back out and moved the feeder as far down the branch as I could to keep him from being able to reach it. Then I settled back in the sunroom to watch "the show". Sure enough, within a few minutes, the raccoon returned.

After eating away at the food on the ground, he again attempted to climb the tree to get to the feeder. He wrapped his legs around the trunk of the tree and reached as far as he could...but his front paws couldn't get to the feeder!

Eventually, he gave up and headed back into the woods....probably to get one of his raccoon buddies to hang on to him so that he can reach the feeder again!

Stay tuned. : )

Giggling...

Celia seems to have a thing about dandelions! I just love to hear that adorable laugh...Missing you, sweet Celia.

blogging humor.....

(click on the picture to enlarge)

You win some....and you lose some....

OK. Now for the betting results from our weekend.

As you can see here, I am holding some of my losing tickets from one of the races...however, later on things picked up when I made a $2 bet on a long shot horse to "win" and she did...and I excitedly ran headed over to the window to collect my $93. winnings! Not bad for a two dollar investment!

But, the real story from our weekend was the bet that Dave and two of his buddies made together. Pooling their money, they made a $75 bet ($25 each) on a bet that picks the winning horse in both the Oaks race and the Derby race.

Their pick on the Oaks race was the highly favored horse, "Rachel Alexandra". They were pretty confident that they had a winner with her....so, for the first half of the bet they put #6, Rachel Alexandra.

That was the "easy" part. Now they had to finish their bet by deciding their picks to win the Derby the next day. After much deliberation, Dave went to the betting window with a list of numbers that they had decided on to put on their ticket. Part of the decision-making plan was to pick all of the horses in the Derby with the exception of some of the long-shots....thus, giving them a better chance of winning their bet.

The Oaks race went on and, as expected, "Rachel Alexandra" came in first place! The guys were jubilant as they now had a 50% chance of holding a winning ticket.

When his friend Dean glanced at their ticket he saw that a mistake had been made...the number 10 horse had been left off and the number 8 horse was on there instead. The woman at the betting window had made an error when she typed in the numbers! They all became concerned in that number 10 was a pretty favored horse---while number eight was a long shot...but, there wasn't anything that they could do at this point in that the first race had already been run. So, they had to accept their fate with the incorrect ticket.

Any of you who may have watched the history-making upset on Saturday...the 50-1 long shot horse--"Mine That Bird"---NUMBER 8--ended up winning!!!

With grins on their faces, the three guys realized that, because of the "mistake"...they had now won around $700!

Lesson learned: A little "mistake" can end up being a big victory... : )

The winning ticket and two of the happy "victors"!! (Dave and Dean)

...and they're off!

After a rather bumpy flight (!) Friday morning, Dave and I arrived in Louisville all ready to head to Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Oaks event that day.... This is where the fillies get a chance to show off a bit!

I couldn't wait to put on my cute little hat...so, as soon as we landed and headed to the luggage area....I took it out of it's bag....put it on..... and enjoyed watching people grin as they viewed my little girlie horses circling the band of my hat.

One of the first things we saw as we approached Churchill Downs was the new bronze statue of Barbaro.

Barbaro was the incredible thoroughbred who won the 2006 Kentucky Derby and then died tragically two weeks later while racing in the Preakness.

It was a moment that race fans, horse lovers...and anyone who tuned in to see the race... will never forget...and, it is only fitting that this statue was erected in honor of this horse who stole all of our hearts...

Here are a few shots from our "box" at the Oaks. We had a terrific view as the horses rounded the bend...and, luckily, the predicted bad weather actually held off...making for it to be a rather delightful day.

Unfortunately, this nice site was marred just a bit when I excitedly jumped up on one of the folding chairs in our box to try and snap a close up picture of the horses. With camera in hand and much exuberance I landed on the top of the chair causing it to move just a bit over the edge and collapse beneath me.

I was more humiliated than I was hurt...mostly because Dave was actually able to break some of my fall as he attempted to catch me before I fell like a lump on the concrete ground....camera flying through the air.

It was a crazy move on my part. And, I have many bruises to prove it.

**groan**

...back home again....

Leaving early this Sunday morning for home, we found ourselves flying through a storm system that had pretty much settled right where we were heading!

The turbulence was the worst that I have ever experienced...and, Dave agreed. We were rockin' and rollin' through the clouds....not my most favorite experience....But, we got home just in time to hear the tornado sirens go off and severe weather arrive in my area! (We luckily escaped unscathed from the storms as we stayed down in the basement for a while until it all passed!)

But, none of this can erase the fun memories of our Kentucky experience at Churchill Downs.

So, did we win anything at the Derby/Oaks this year????? Did any of us bravely bet on that 50-1 long shot?

That will have to be another post...for tomorrow.

: )