Images ... I Have Images

Lots of images! Believe it or not, I took them all w/ my cell phone. Well, it was the most convenient at the time. It goes where I go, where all the other cameras don't necessarily do that. The photo of the puppy is Precious, my Czech Wolf Dog who just had a birthday on Valentine's Day, two days after mine!

These are the boys, the Palominos. Cosmo, the baby, and Snickerdoodle, my main man! You can see I just gave them apple cookies, they're still licking their chops!
The baby has grown all he's going to, I think. but he's 14.2hh and 900 lbs. That's pretty typical for a Doc Bar baby although I'd hoped he'd make 15hh, and really thought he would because his mama is 15.1hh. This particular photo is slightly deceptive because Snickers is actually 16.1hh. He isn't exactly standing up straight, he's kind of slumping I think.

Next is Roger, my Siamese. That's how he tries to tell me he wants attention now, he flops down on the bed or floor, rolls around, flops back and forth until I say something to him to acknowledge him. My last Siamese did that very same thing! But that's the only characteristic the two have in common, the only one.
He really and truly does have blue eyes, and yes, they're crossed. Poor soul.

This is -- well, this is funny. I've been telling Daddy forever I want a TN Fainting Goat but noooooo! The fact is, our pasture wouldn't hold a goat, the fencing would permit an escape. So Daddy got me a stuffed Billy Goat whom we call Bill. This is Precious snuggling up to Bill on the bed.
You can tell they're both ready for sleepy-bye! The thing about Bill is, he's pretty big and he's very poufy, more cuddly than any other stuffed animal I've ever had my hands on. I used to travel w/ Charlotte, my Beanie Baby sized stuffed cow but now I take Bill w/ me. No, I am not embarrassed when I check in to hotels w/ Bill. I gotta be able to sleep and I certainly can't unless I have my arms wrapped around someone.

Finally, this is my little Penguinista! Isn't she gorgeous?? But she's terribly shy, unbelievably shy. My son lived here for a year and she didn't come out to see him one single time!! She hides whenever anyone else is in my nest, she's absolutely terrified of people -- anyone except me. She's quite friendly and sweet w/ me, just a precious little girl.
Okay so maybe she is sort of chunky. But were she a normal weight for her height she'd be just a tiny thing. I think she's precious! She's also a rescue, and I just thank God I was here for her.

Oops! I nearly forgot! This is for you, Shan!!
I know how you love Gerald!

So my nest is renovated but not completely finished. The color RED of this font is just about the same color in my kitchen and it is fabulous! It's red and chrome and totally gorgeous! My bathroom is full of the palm tree motif now and I love it! I have a real bed, a sleep-number-tempur-pedic, and all of us sleep like babies! If you look behind the photo of my little Penguin, you can see the infamous Leg Lamp! I adore that lamp, a replica from Ralphie's daddy's from A Christmas Story which I watch every single year. (Many times.) My son bought me the anniversary edition DVD and it's priceless to me.

My parent's anniversary is coming up soon. It'll be 39? 40? years! Unbelievable -- I cannot imagine it. They expressed interest in taking a little trip so I got everything set up for them and yesterday they decided they don't want to go after all. Sigh! It's all expenses paid so it looks I'll be going. Bigger sigh! I'm not prepared for this emotionally or physically, I have tons of things to do before I leave ... Even BIGGER SIGH! It's stressing me more than you'd believe. OH! I almost forgot! This is my latest acquisition, a Keepall 55 so I can travel in style! *smile* It's really big so my tendency to pack everything I'd need in any eventuality is all taken care of now! Still ... I think I'll get another one day, a different size of course.
I tell you truly, I'm going to have to get rid of all my Coach bags -- at least most of them because I simply don't use them except for one or two. I mostly use my Louis Vuitton bags ... It's a sickness, really. Trust me, don't even get involved w/ designer handbags or you'll be hooked too! I have either four or five Coach bags I've not yet removed the tags from -- yeah, gotta get rid of those. I mean, they're taking up space! I've given so many away, even three LVs that a girlfriend fell in love w/. I knew she'd never be able to get one for herself. She has three kids, she's a stay-at-home mom, and she really, really loved them so -- off they went! She knew what LV is -- her mother-in-law carries them and personally, I thought this girl deserved them. Certainly more than I do.

It's summertime in the south! We had a couple of weeks of spring and now it's gettin' into the 80s! The grass is greenin' up, the mama deer are beddin' down, fixin' to have their little ones so we don't see them in the new pasture as much as we did, the trees are buddin' out and the Buttercups have been up for weeks. In other words, it's hot down here!! And it's not even July ... *SCREAM!*

Gotta run, I'm working on another reservation for my parents! And this time they better use it! *smile*

The Duck

Today is the Duck's birthday. As it happened, I was out moseying around (after I picked up my new reading glasses!) just as he was getting off work. Since the Susie was going to be late getting home he was on his own for dinner so he and I went to Nick's together where he regaled me w/ many stories. Let me tell you about the Duck.

He's a pretty good old boy but lands! He is a redneck born and bred. He was single and a real ladies man for awhile but that got old. He got pretty tired of the dating scene:

He often went to family reunions looking for dates, mostly finding his cousin Debra whom no one would date:



Oh he was a real ladies man alright but he was also lonely before he met the Susie and sometimes found himself in trouble, trying to drown his sorrows:



When he met his special girl and they decided to get hitched, he was determined to have a right proper wedding so they bought a book:


He spared no expense at the ritziest store in town:


Nothing but the finest for his little dumpling:


The two of them are real good to each other and have a fine time. For his birthday she made him this:

For her birthday, he gave her that but if you read the cover you can see he probably had ulterior motives -- see "possum" or as we Yankees call it, "roadkill":


Well, it wasn't long 'fore the babies started comin' and he took lots of photos of all his "pride and joys":

and

and

and

Here's a photo of them and the first little beauty queen:


Of course, with the babies for awhile there'd be no more of the finer things in life like boats:
Outdoor grills:

Riding lawnmowers:

Fancy swimming pools:

But it didn't take them long to get on their feet and become financially stable. It was the Susie's personal belief in teaching the little ones at home:


It wasn't long before they decided to renovate their house:


And since the Duck never would do without this:


the Susie insisted on the same for her home:


Her proud hubby added some of his own flavor to the remodeling project:


You have to have classy cars with such a classy home:



Still, you gotta have that quality time together so he Duck takes the kids fishing:


and he even came up with his own innovative way of measuring their catch -- he wouldn't take an illegal fish, you know:


And they all enjoy camping together:


The Duck enjoys cooking out when friends come over, which is why we never let him near the grill when he's here on the ranch:


And at Thanksgiving he insists on cooking the turkey himself:


He joins groups with his buddies because all work and no play makes him a very sad quacker:


But he's not exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer sometimes:


We all think it's a good thing he finally gave up deer hunting:


He tried really hard but somehow it just never worked out for him. He never did figure out why.

So today he's a year older and tonight he'll put his tooth in water:

Just like my granny did.

At Christmas there'll be the usual big celebration:



Everyone, I mean everyone has a real good time:


Sometimes him and my daddy have such a good time together they just fall asleep standing up:



And you know that Duck will put up his usual Christmas decorations:


So Duck: I know I got you good at the restaurant tonight, and you'll lay awake tonight plotting against me. But remember -- You will never get me nearly as well as I always get you -- even if Daddy does help you!! You know what we Yankees always say, don't you?

And by the way, I'm really sorry I told them you're now a Senior Citizen. I didn't realize they believed me until they gave you a Senior Citizen's Discount on your dinner. And I really didn't know they were going to advertise to the whole restaurant, "It's his birthday today!! This is his first day as a SENIOR CITIZEN!!" But I did sort of figure they'd come out clapping and singing you a song!!!!!! You will never get me that good so just feel free to wave the white flag anytime you want, dude! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!! Oh man ... I really crack myself up!!!!!!!! Gee. I just thought of something: You know every single person in that restaurant. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!! Oh me ...

For Mamma Roo

who is always so patient! Many thanks, sweets! As for the rest of you, enjoy!

I had to delete the slideshow. It's an attempt to "repair" my blog, which appears to have an intense dislike for slideshows. Sorry!

This was so much fun for me, except for finding that many of the photos I'd planned to share from the last church function are not compatible w/ the slideshow. I do not know why. It wants jpg images and that's what I gave it. I even deleted and resaved them as jpgs but no go. So I'll figure something else out! Meanwhile, the descriptions of the photos are as follows:

1. That's my Big Man, my Heart Throb, my Boy!
2. This actually is from church: Samantha, Hannah (granddaughter of), Arthur the pastor, and Joshua.
3. Baby Nose
4. Mama and Son
5. Some of the wildly rampant Kudzu -- it really is beautiful around the ranch.
6. Mama, who would not stay back enough for me to photograph her -she wanted scratches and smooches and cookies, OH MY!
7. Another Kudzu shot on our land.
8. Baby, thinking he's gonna nibble on his brother's butt!

I'll work on the rest as time permits ... As a matter of fact, I have an idea!

These are some of the images that refused to work in the slideshow. Above, Daddy is playing horseshoes. I didn't ask but I'm sure he WON! Daddy is a success at every single thing he attempts.

This is the only photo of my mama that is not blurred. Remember how I always talk about "Here she comes, on her little wheels"? She's like a whirlwind all the time, and none of the photos showed her clearly except this one. Case closed.


I just love this photo! This is Wanda, the pastor's precious wife, and of course my daddy. In the background, you get just a little peek at Glenda who is the sweetest little thing!

And tonight, don't forget to set your clocks back ("Spring forward, Fall back") but this is the last time we'll do it this way. Currently, daylight time begins in the United States on the first Sunday in April and ends on the last Sunday in October. On the first Sunday in April, clocks are set ahead one hour at 2:00 a.m. local standard time, which becomes 3:00 a.m. local daylight time. On the last Sunday in October, clocks are set back one hour at 2:00 a.m. local daylight time, which becomes 1:00 a.m. local standard time. These dates were recently modified with the passage of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, Pub. L. no. 109-58, 119 Stat 594 (2005). Starting in March 2007, daylight time in the United States will begin on the second Sunday in March and end on the first Sunday in November.

Not all places in the U.S. observe daylight time. In particular, Hawaii and most of Arizona do not use it. Indiana just recently adopted the use of it beginning in 2006.

* In 2006, daylight time begins on April 2 and ends on October 29.

* In 2007, daylight time begins on March 11 and ends on November 4. [New law goes into effect.]

* In 2008, daylight time begins on March 9 and ends on November 2.

Many other countries observe some form of "summer time", but they do not necessarily change their clocks on the same dates as the U.S.

Daylight time and time zones in the U.S. are defined in the U.S. Code, Title 15, Chapter 6, Subchapter IX - STANDARD TIME. The link will take you to the Cornell Law site. Yes ... I read all kinds of things, not all of it novels and news.

It would also be a primo time to change your batteries in your smoke detectors. Ten years of living in STL taught me that -- every time this year all the media pounded that into our heads and it's stuck -- not a bad idea!

Memphis Manatee Missing

That's right, the little devil has made himself scarce. Yesterday the Manatee Rescue Team from Sea World in Orlando were hoping for a fairy tale ending. They'd driven 14 hours or so from Orlando to Memphis to rescue a manatee in the Wolf River Harbor. When they arrived, they checked the manatee and prepared for an early morning rescue. When the sun came up, they realized the manatee had hit the road ... as it were. The poor animal is no doubt scared to death ... Yeah. I'm worried about him.
I'M OUTTA HERE
Manatee Rescue Update:
(2:30pm) Officials are calling off their "intense hunt" for the manatee in Wolf River Harbor. Search crews believe that the manatee is no longer in Wolf River Harbor, and that it may have migrated south. While local authorities will continue to patrol the harbor for the animal, crews from Sea World and the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife are leaving the scene.
They will, of course, return if the manatee reappears. I'm so hoping he just migrated south to warmer waters, which would be natural for him.

Oh, you gotta see this -- how it takes me back!
That's the tower cam high above WAND-TV in Decatur, IL looking down on SouthSide drive. If you keep driving north -- I mean in relation to this photo -- you'll head right into SouthShores, a kind of subdivision/shopping center-kinda place. You can see two of the (I believe) seven basins of Lake Decatur.

And that's a current shot of the weather nearest to me, at Jackson Careers and Technology Magnet Intermediate. Let me tell you, it's been raining horses and donkeys for three days w/ winds whipping at 20.25mph and although it's died down somewhat now we still don't have sun here on the ranch. It's not cold, right now it's 66° but it's just wettttttttttt, and I'm sick of it.

Bet you can't guess where this is!
That is actually the Aina Haina Elementary School in Honolulu, HI where it's noon on a school day. See the little kids? The weather there is 78.5° while the wind is out of the NE at 8.3mph. I can feel the breeeeeeeeeeze ... !

Meanwhile, this is the scene from Denver:

This storm dumped so much snow that schools are closed! Forget flying in and out of DIA. It ain't happenin'.
TWO FEET OF SNOW
I'd be lying if I said I wasn't envious.

Finally -- and this is only fair -- this is the scene of what will soon be a very exciting event, in less than two hours!
That's right fellow babies, that's a shot of Busch Stadium in STL from KMOV TV, where it's presently 47° w/ winds out of the NW at 3.5mph. The wind chill is presently 45° but "Tonight: Windy...colder. Cloudy in the evening then clearing. Low around 40. Northwest wind 10 to 20 mph. Gusts up to 35 mph in the evening." Oh me. That makes no difference, no one knows how to handle Busch Stadium better than the Cardinals as evidenced by their record at home. By the way, what in Sam Hell is wrong w/ the Tigers pitchers?? Could they make more errors?? I mean, even if they tried really hard?? Bad for them, good for us! Woo-hoo!

Do I have a recipe for you! Get a load of it, and tell me this doesn't sound delectable?

Title: Banana Rum Ice Cream
Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups Whipping cream
1 1/2 cups Half and half
6 large Egg yolks
2/3 cups Sugar
3 tablespoons Dark rum
1/2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
1 pound Ripe bananas; (about 3 med), peeled
2 tablespoons Fresh lemon juice

Pour cream and half and half into heavy medium saucepan. Bring mixture just
to simmer. Whisk yolks and sugar in large bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in
hot cream mixture. Return mixture to same saucepan and stir over medium-low
heat until mixture thickens and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is
drawn across, about 7 minutes (do not boil). Strain custard into clean
large bowl. Stir in rum and vanilla. Refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours.
Puree bananas and lemon juice in processor until smooth. Stir into custard.
Process in ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Transfer to covered container and freeze. (Can be prepared 3 days ahead.)
Makes about 2 quarts.

Sadly, I no longer eat this way. Yup, I've turned into a Healthy Eater aka I've Beat My Body Up Long Enough. Only fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, no refined sugars and so on. It makes it sort of difficult since I have a reaction to aspartame -- it really limits my choices but oh well, you can't have everything. I just drink tons of water now, about 48oz. per day and more if I can stand it. Also, only one soda a day. Sigh!

I'm outta here like a Memphis Manatee -- gotta get Beer For My Horses!