Thursday, January 28, 2010

History

Is history repeating itself? Or have the Shankster and myself gone totally whacked with the loss of Elvis?

A little "History"

One day in March of 1993, our dog Hooch brought home one of the best dogs. She became one of our family when hers was not found and we called her Lil Bit. She was so cute. We found out after taking her to the Vet that she was about a year old. She has so much fur on her you couldn't even see her eyes. Hooch and Lil Bit were inseparable. Lil Bit followed Hooch everywhere. And she followed Hooch home or as we see it, Hooch brought her to us. We think Lil Bit was abused as she was so afraid of loud noises, particularly loud voices and Brooms. But after a couple of days under the back porch eating biscuits & pork chops, she made her way into our home and hearts.

After losing Elvis so suddenly, we are lost. It seems too quiet here. Seems like we are missing something. We aren't sure we are ready to go get another pet just yet, as we know none will replace our Elvis. Every dog we have ever lost, we have always had another to care for and spoil a bit more. But not this time...........Until this morning.

In the wee hours of the morning while it was still dark, the security camera and light came on. Upon viewing we realized it was a dog. Ok. No big deal. Until later. There was the dog again on the back porch. The Shankster went out to shoo it away. But instead of running she came up to the Shankster wagging her tail. The Shankster liked to never get back into the door alone. Poor thing had obviously been out all nite. Looked Cold. Looked hungry. I went over to grab some grub of Elvis's but Homie said not to feed her or we would never be rid of her.


I am a bad girl....didn't obey Homie. I handed the food to the Shankster and that little baby was starving. After eating she went on the front porch and went to sleep under the sun.






I think either Homie was right or History may have repeated itself...........or maybe the Shankster and I are totally nuts, or maybe just maybe Elvis is telling us she needs a home?





But How could you ignore this starring at you through the window all day?

Friday, January 15, 2010

Our Last Baby

Our Baby Boy, Elvis

3/1996 - 1/15/2010





Elvis was one of the best dogs we had. Found him at a yard sale, and the Shankster said he was the only thing I ever got at a yard sale for free that was worth anything. He knew when it was time for bed and he made sure to get his "spot" when it was time. He loved to bury his nose in the covers. And he loved getting his treat after doing his business, and if you forgot he let you know about it. He loved cauliflower and cabbage about as much as a steak bone. We miss him already.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

For Sandi....

Mom always taught me to respect my elders....and to do what I am told by them.


So Sandi, this is for you. :)





Finally a bit of dark hole money.....ok, ok so it's just a couple of bucks, waddya expect from a tootsie roller?

Monday, January 11, 2010

Ice Castle

How Scary is this?





Thursday, January 07, 2010

Snow



forgot to put up the glider.....:(






Just about enough snow to slide down the hill...so come on down! We'll be waitin for ya~






And Yes, we forgot to put up the mower also..........maybe it will snow enough to cover it? Ohhhhh wouldn't I just love that?

Wednesday, January 06, 2010

Cold Feet?

My feet are freezing. For the past couple of weeks it has gotten colder each day until it got in the single digits. Big Deal. I don't really mind the cold...actually I prefer it. Mostly because I love the snow. But there has not been much snow, only cold. Thats ok. Doesn't much matter to me.

But when you live in a house with no real heat to speak of unless you go buy it in the form of a plug in appliance, it sort of sucks. Since being here so far we have went through 4 space heaters.
And you only stay warm if you sit directly in front of them. And in this house the plugs are few and far between, and most of those are in use....so that in itself was a challenge.

There is no furnace here but electric heat in the form of base heaters. There is one in every room in the house. There are six rooms. Only 2 of the heaters will actually work properly. Sadly neither of those are the rooms I live in. But so far it has been ok. I usually adjust to most any situation. I don't like to be too hot so its really been ok for the most part.

Except for when you get out of the shower in the morning and you can see your breath, and it isn't from the steam of the shower....Or at night when you try not to drink too much so you won't have to go to the restroom as you have to gently place your hiney on the frozen seat. (about as bad as an outhouse) But really its been ok, so far...(did I say that already?)

For some reason my feet are absolutely freezing. Its been around 68 degrees or so inside the house and outside it has been between 5-20 degrees for the past couple of weeks. Yeah a bit on the colder side, but inside my feet should be fairly warm....wouldn't you think? I like the winter months but of late I have really been thinking of this..


As my feet are so cold.


I have literally been getting up and patiently waiting for the time to come so I can get my booty back in bed so my feet will warm up. The other night I went to bed with not only my jammy bottoms on, but my sweats on over them. I got hot so instead of getting out of bed to take something off, I chose to pull my sweats down under the covers...as my warm sweats hit my feet, my feet thought they were in heaven and so I actually kept them there.

That is until I worried myself sick thinking if I awoke in the middle of the nite to go to the restroom, I would forget they were there and fall flat on my face!

So here I sit with my feet freezing even though I have 2 pairs of socks on, a cover over my feet and under them, and my wool booties on....waiting patiently for 10 pm to roll around. Last nite I cheated and got in bed at 9pm. OMG....what has my life become?



Oh well, with that I leave you this since I have been listening to the weather reports today, and we are expecting some winter weather to come tomorrow. And as you all must know by now...even with freezing feety feets.....I still welcome the snow.








Little Goofball

It didn't matter that there was nothing in this cup....but he was determined to keep trying.












We just could not pry it out of his hands...then again..why would we?

:)


Tuesday, January 05, 2010

Pizza Stone

Finally...I have a Pizza Pan...I have waited for one since I moved here as I cannot find mine which is packed somewhere in the Abyss, and I have just resigned to ordering pizzas from the local Pizza Niche which were good, but started getting expensive not to mention you had to wait until after 4pm to order one.....I mean what if you wanted one before 4..yeah what about that??? So the Shankster and I started making our own and using a stinkin cookie sheet. (although the cookie sheet is good for cookies!!!) It worked ok, but lemme tell ya, this PIZZA STONE WORKS SO MUCH BETTER. Yes I said Pizza Stone. Not Pan. Stone. I love it and the pizza was delicious.



BEFORE......




And AFTER!!!



Thank you Kimmie!

Am I Rude?

Once again, I have lost a family member. And once again there is the painful event starring me square in the face.

The Funeral.

I believe in always going to the funeral. With very few exceptions, I have went. I can remember before even turning 20, spending unmentionable hours in Farley Funeral Home. No matter who had passed that was the funeral home of choice it seemed and there was always several days/hours of showings. So I don't know any other way, than to go. I mean it is rude to not go isn't it?

I do think it is the right thing to do. Always. Even tho Always going to the funeral, may mean that I have to do right thing when I really, really, really, don't feel like it. By not feeling like it, I mean I have simply had just about my fill of death in the past few years. It isn't an inconvenience for me to go. There is nothing I have to do otherwise that would keep me from going. I am not going to be remembered for the one who always went to funerals. I just do not wish to go.

I just believe it is the thing to do and I have come to realize that its just one of life's inevitable calamities that I share with my family & friends. But some days in the past few years when someone I love or know has passed, I have simply wanted to say a prayer for the family from my own home, is that wrong? Is that being rude? Have I crossed some sort of bridge to nowhere?


In 2000 I had to attend my best friends funeral. That was the hardest. I am glad I went. But I couldn't help but think over and over, what is happening? Why doesn't everyone stop talking? Don't they realize my best friend just died? What is the matter with all these people? It was hard realizing the world wasn't going to stop because my heart was breaking. Then I remember on the second day looking around and thinking about the first showing and at how many people were there. You could hardly move for all the people. During the procession I turned and looked back, the memory of it still takes my breath away. The most powerful and humbling thing I've ever seen were all these inconvenienced people who believe in always going to the funeral.

I have had to endure in the past 6 years many more deaths. My mother, several Aunts, Uncles, a few in-laws, and cousins and now another cousin.

I take it a day at a time, and try to do the right thing, the sometimes-inconvenient task, like taking a few hours out of a day to go to a funeral, to a show a friend that he or she is not alone in their grief, and to remind myself of the insignificance of so many of my own feelings.

But then I ask myself, would it be rude of me if I didn't go to a funeral of a loved one?

Geez, I am so conflicted.