Foto Friday

An Angel Gets Her Wings

Rest in Peace

Go forth and multiply...

You might remember that we have a bit of a critter collection going on in our back yard. I have already described Melly's squirrel problem and shown you how we're handling the rabbit problem. Well, the squirrel problem has been solved somewhat with this. They are not all gone, but their population has decreased since they have had to look elsewhere for lodging. But, seriously, over the winter, the backyard rabbits took it upon themselves to follow the good Lord's wishes and multiply, multiply, multiply. Some of them may even have added, regrouped and cosin-ed a bit. Every day we have a multitude of fuzzy, cuddly, adorable, cotton-tailed bunnies eating every blade of grass, clover, and pansy in our yard. Melly loves to chase them but they are smart enough to know where the invisible fence is so they hang out just on the other side of the line. Smart little dudes. I love seeing them in the evenings, nestled in a patch of clover. Last night, there was one in the front that didn't seem to mind having his photo taken. He was content to eat the crabgrass and clover.

And, just as I was going back in the house, the good Lord gave me a sign that he liked the rabbits, too.

Happy Father's Day!

I love my dad. He is crazy smart, sneaky funny, addicted to golf, hopelessly in love with my mother and an overall big softie. He raised my sister and me with quiet strength and taught us how to do things right. He loves his grandchildren with reckless abandon and admires his sons-in-law for loving his daughters, quirks and all. Happy Father's Day, G-Dad!

Foto Friday

Praying...again

Please put on your prayer hat again for sweet baby Stellan. He is back in the hospital with SVT.

King George

Friday night, Bubba and I went to see George Straight in concert. It was totally awesome and George didn't disappoint! I have to admit that I am a converted country music fan. Didn't really like it until I met Bubba and he turned me on to George Straight. George is the real deal. He is so cool without trying. He is "the fireman," after all. The concert was held in the local outdoor amphitheatre which gives it a more intimate feeling. We got great tickets by accident and we were dead center about 10 rows up. We bought the most expensive beers ever and then took our picture waiting for the show to start.

George's opening acts were Julianne Hough (from Dancing with the Stars - when she came on stage Bubba started drooling and said "schwing!!!") and Blake Shelton. I had never heard Julianne sing so my expectations were non-existent. She was so cute and adorable...like a little pocket princess. I enjoyed listening to her (although she should probably stick with the dancing...) and watching Bubba googoo over her. My favorite song that she sang was "My Hallelujah Song." Blake was great as well. He is kind of a character and about 7 feet tall. Loved his song called "Some Beach." I think it will be my new happy place song.

And then there was George... What can I say? He was amazing, awesome, funny, adorable, sexy, and one of a kind. He sang most of his greatest hits as well as a couple of new ones. He even sang "Folsom Prison" as one of his encores.

One from the Jumbotron...he is an old troubadour!

George, you rock! I can't wait for you to come back!

Foto Friday

Surprise, Bubba!  We're going to see George Straight!!!

You Capture...Nature

Here is my first attempt at You Capture...

This week's theme is Nature...easy, peasy for me since I have been obsessed with taking pictures with my new camera and, since no one wants me to take pictures of them, I have been stalking all the foliage in my backyard.  By the way, have I told you how much I love my new camera???

The beautiful, yummy, pom-pommyness of these hydrangeas just makes me happy!

This one is hanging in my screened porch...I think it is called foxglove.  So pretty and dainty...like me!  (LOL!!!)

Large hanging basket of petunias hanging from the shed.  Love their colors!

Front stoop flower pot...got one just like it on the other side....I am all about balance!

Azaleas...can't take credit for these...they have been here forever from the looks of them...maybe even before the dinosaurs.

That's a tour through the nature that is my backyard.  How about yours?

100 Truths

Since I seem to be in a blogging funk, meme's are the only thing that are keeping me going...

April got tagged and then tagged everyone with this doozy.  Don't fall asleep reading it...it is long, but compelling!

1. Last beverage → Hardees iced tea.

2. Last phone call → Bubba

3. Last text message → haven't crossed over to the dark side yet.

4. Last song you listened to → Sober, by Pink...sad.

5. Last time you cried → This afternoon...BoyBoy had some drama today and he was fighting back tears...that always makes me cry (in another room so he doesn't see me)


SIX HAVE YOU EVER:

1. Dated someone twice? → Yes, sadly.

2. Been cheated on? → Yes, sadly.

3. Kissed someone? → Yes, happily.

4. Lost someone special? → Yes, many times over.

5. Been depressed? → Yes, little blue pill is my friend

6. Been drunk and threw up? → ummm, yes?


LIST FOUR FAVORITE COLORS:

1. Purple

2. Green

3. Yellow

4. Red


HAVE YOU:
1. Made new friends → every time I moved!

2. Fallen out of love → No, they always fell out first.

3. Laughed until you cried → Yes!

4. Met someone who changed you → Definitely.

5. Found out who your true friends were → Yes.

6. Found out someone was talking about you → yes, not fun....what did I ever do to them?

7. Kissed anyone on your Facebook friend's list → Nope.

8. How many people on your Facebook friends list do you know in real life → 100%...I am picky that way

9. How many kids do you want to have → the one I have is enough, thanks!

10. Do you have any pets → Melly the dog and 2 fish.

11. Do you want to change your name → Used to but now I like it's uniqueness.

13. What time did you wake up today → 7 am

14. What were you doing at midnight last night → Bubba.

15. Name something you CANNOT wait for → George Straight - Friday night!!!

16. Last time you saw your father → Thursday...had lunch with him and my mom.

17. What is one thing you wish you could change about your life → Nothing...pretty satisfied right now, although winning the lottery would be nice

18. What are you listening to right now → the sound of silence

19. Have you ever talked to a person named Tom → have several friends named Tom, Thom, and Thomas

23. What's getting on your nerves right now? → BoyBoy's school

24. Most visited webpage → Next

1. What's your name? → Not telling

3. Relationship Status → married

4. Zodiac sign → Taurus

5. Male or female or transgendered → female

6. Primary School → St. Andrews

7. Middle School → HRA

8. High school → HRA

10. Hair color → Blonde

11. Long or short → short

16. Height → 5’1 1/2”…pushing it.

17. Do you have a crush on someone? → Tommy Lee Jones but only in "The Fugitive"

18: What do you like about yourself? → My sense of humor...it has gotten me through some pretty tough times.

19. Piercings → My ears…6 times

20. Tattoos → None

21. Righty or lefty → Righty.


FIRSTS :

22. First surgery → Spinal Fusion - 9 years old

23. First piercing → Ears, 13 years old

24. First best friends → Tamera and Anne Hayden 

26. First sport you joined → Does sideline watching count?

27. First pet → Daisy - the best $5 dog in the world!

28. First vacation → Learned to walk in Nags Head, NC

29. First concert → Donny Osmond - he was the grooviest!  I even wore my purple socks!

30. First crush → David Noffsinger


RIGHT NOW:

49. Eating → Nothing...

50. Drinking → Iced tea.

52. I'm about to → Watch Greek.

53. Listening to → birds outside my window.

55. Waiting for → Bubba to get home from his trip


YOUR FUTURE :

58. Want kids? Got 'em

59. Want to get married?  Done!

60. Careers in mind? Love to free lance interior design.

WHICH IS BETTER WITH THE OPPOSITE SEX?

68. Lips or eyes → Both...yummy

69. Hugs or kisses → Hugs - I could hug Bubba and BoyBoy forever.

70. Shorter or taller → Taller. 

71. Older or Younger → Older...but just a bit

72. Romantic or spontaneous → Romantically spontaneous.  (Thanks, April!)

73. Nice stomach or nice arms → Butt...

74. Sensitive or loud → Both

75. Hook-up or relationship → I'm in it for the long haul...

77. Trouble maker or hesitant → Bubba is a troublemaker!


HAVE YOU EVER :

78. Kissed a stranger → Nope

79. Drank hard liquor → Yep

80. Lost glasses/contacts → Nope

81. Sex on first date →  Nope

82. Broken someone's heart → Yes, sadly, once.

83. Had your own heart broken → Yes, sadly, thousands of times

85. Been arrested → Nope

86. Turned someone down → Yes

87. Cried when someone died → Every time

88. Liked a friend that is a girl? → There was this one time, at church camp...Just kidding.  I just don't roll that way.


DO YOU BELIEVE IN:

89. Yourself → Yes

90. Miracles → Definitely

91. Love at first sight → Maybe

92. Heaven → Yes

93. Santa Clause → Totally!

95. Kiss on the first date? → Maybe.

96. Angels →  Yes!


ANSWER TRUTHFULLY:

97. Is there one person you want to be with right now? → I am enjoying a little quiet, alone time right now, but I miss Bubba.

98. Had more than one boyfriend/girlfriend at one time? → Never, monogamy rocks!!!

99. Posting this as 100 Truths? → If I have to.

100. There wasn't one - huh???

Foto Friday

A rainy day at the beach is better than a sunny day anywhere else...

Crazy 8's

Soxy Deb challenged everyone to complete this meme.  I haven't done this one so I thought, what the hey, I'll do it.  Here goes:

8 things I am looking forward to:

1.  Fourth of July - the fearsome foursome will  be back together for the day and it's gonna rock!  We haven't been together since Kimmie moved back to the USA in the fall of 2007.  If the patio's rockin'...come on over!!!

2.  Next Friday night I am going to surprise Bubba with something huge!!!  Can't write about it here because he reads my blog.  Bubba, don't try to weasel it out of me...I am so excited!

3.  The end of school for BoyBoy.  I love hanging out with him in the summer.

4.  Summertime in general.  I love the weather, thunderstorms, sandy beaches, pool side, beach books...all of it!

5.  Gosh, I don't have all that much to look forward to.  Do I really have to think of 8?!?!

6.  Getting new tennis shoes.  Mine are getting yucky and they are permanently dyed red from the concrete stain.

7.  Did I already say next Friday?  Bubba, you are going to be so psyched!!!

8.  My good friend, SJ, is having her second baby any day now.  Can't wait to meet him!!!

8 things I did yesterday:

1.  Rode my bike a looooonnnnnngggg way.  My bedonkadonk is sore but it felt so good.  I have no idea how far I rode but it took me an hour round trip.

2.  Read blogs...duh!

3.  Took something back to Old Navy...bought the bottoms instead of the top to a bathing suit I wanted...oops!

4.  Ate lunch at Chic-Fil-A....mmmmm, chicken strips salad with blue cheese dressing and unsweet tea, mmmmmm.

5.  Talked to my friend, SJ, on the phone for about an hour.

6.  Talked to my sister on the phone about a million times - and I am NOT exaggerating.

7.  Went to the funeral home visitation for my great aunt who lived to be 93 and had the greatest giggle.

8.  Watched Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern - that kat is crazy!!!

8 things I wish I could do:

1.  Whistle through my fingers really loud.

2.  Scuba dive - claustrophobic...phew!

3.  Win the lottery.

4.  Afford laser hair removal for all the important parts - waxing hurts and shaving is a pain in the tushie.

5.  Meet Oprah - I just know that we would be BFF's.

6.  While we are on the subject of meeting people, I would love to meet Jason and Molly so that I can dope smack them both!

7.  Eat more fruits and veggies - don't like 'em.

8.  Tell my loved ones how much they mean to me every day.

8 shows I watch:

1.  Survivor

2.  American Idol

3.  Amazing Race

4.  Top Chef

5.  America's Next Top Model    (are you sensing a trend?)

6.  Hell's Kitchen

7.  Anything on HGTV

8.  Greek

8 favorite fruits:

1.  Strawberries

2.  Peaches

3.  See #7 under "things I wish I could do"

8 places I'd like to travel:

1.  Australia

2.  Belize

3.  Turks and Caicos

4.  Alaska

5.  Back to Canary Islands

6.  Back to Rome - this time with Bubba

7.  Seattle

8.  Back to London

8 places I've lived:

1.  Here

2.  Manhattan, Kansas

3.  Orlando, Florida

4.  Ft. Irwin, California

5.  Leavenworth, Kansas

6.  Bad Kreuznach, Germany

7.  Mainz, Germany

8.  Kaiserslautern, Germany

OK, that's it...everything you never wanted to know about me.  Again, like Soxy Deb, I am not going to tag anyone.  Do it if you want to, just tell me if you do so that I can go read yours!  I'll read yours if you read mine!

The First Day of the Rest of Our Lives

Today, Bubba started his new job.  He was so excited.  It was making me giggle.  He picked out his clothes and then checked with me to make sure they were OK.  It is the first time in his adult life that he has had to do that, so it was a bit daunting.  He made sure he had all of his documents together - passport, Social Security card, driver's license.  The grin on his face and the pep in his step was priceless.  I am so proud of him.    

It is a bittersweet day for me.  We have been hanging out for the last six weeks and it has been great.  If anyone had told me that we would have had so much fun, I would have thought they were crazy.  But we did.  We worked our heinies off some days, relaxed others, played hooky on one or two.  It was great.  We didn't get on each other's nerves, we didn't fight, we were creative, productive and industrious.  I am going to miss hanging out with him every day - sitting on the porch reading the newspaper, eating lunch together on the new patio, playing with the dog.  It was fun.  

I have two weeks to myself until BoyBoy is out of school.  I really don't know what I am going to do with myself.  Maybe some retail therapy to get me through?  Old Navy, here I come!!!