Little People Parties- Poster girl

My brother Mike

Mike came in last night from Yuba City. It is always a pleasure to meet him again as he is such a positive fellow. We went to a restaurant  owned by the World Champion wrestler from years ago. I don't think I have ever eaten such good food.
My brother Mike is such an an encouragement in so many ways but I respect him so much for taking his troubles and making something out of his life. He was the youngest of 5 kids and as all babies that fall into last place, I remember him as being a bit pampered but having a great personality. I left home at 15 and he is 10 years younger than me so I didn't know him all that well.
During my visit home a while back, Mike told me about his High School experience. He never finished his Sophomore year as they booted him out of  High school and sent him to this Alternative  High school. He didn't make it there either. He said he just wasn't cut out to be a student. My dad took him under his wing and he just started going to work with my dad. It was his key. Mike now says he got his education from talk radio ( which my dad always listens to non stop). That had to be a Major in Civics! He learned all his Math on the "go". You can't do" flooring" without a lot of Math. He says he has a degree in SCS (school of common sense). He has become quite a successful businessman in his field and was in Houston for a conference. It is amazing the path the Lord took him on to be able to do the job that he loves. At the conferences, he says some of the meetings are actually like College courses anyhow.
 His current schedule sounds a lot like mine, even the 5:30 thing. He has Boxers so we vary on that point.
Well, I had better get back to Lexi. I am playing the part of a Midwife today and there are 7 little Goldendoodles now. They are cream and light Golden. and so squeaky.  She is doing great and always such a good mom.

Delightfully humourous day

It was a busy day but with my "summer of Grandchildren", my days have been so wonderfully  full.. I find ways to stretch my time and try to be entertaining and creative while at the same time, keep up a busy work load. It is unusually enjoyable as I make myself do things I really want to do but never take time.
Today when Nadia left for the day, Jude sat on the lawn chair under my grape arbor while I helped Teri lather up Cheena for a bath. She has so much fur! . While we both got soaked in the process, Jude searched out  and picked all my ripe grapes and kept handing them to me. He didn't like them himself but had a great time watching me enjoy the grapes he picked. It warmed my heart. When he smiles, his whole face gets into it.
Back in the house, I answered a phone call while Violet and Jude had a diaper tossing contest. They gleefully emptied the package everywhere in their bedroom. I went a got a large bag for them to get to work and clean up but Violet cried and said she didn't want to because it was an accident.
My beautiful white poodle Lexi. emptied the trash again in search of diapers "of the more serious kind". Her brown nose caused me to run for cover and Teri came to the rescue to wash dog #2.
Well, off to the pool for an afternoon of swimming. It was great until I noticed I had gotten in the water with my cell phone. We packed up quickly and rushed home to put the wet phone in a bag of rice to dry and  got back to the pool 2 minutes late for Violet's swim class.
Well. where to now?  Back home for a special Indian meal we were supposed to all enjoy together for Mercy's last nite here.
Guess what? She is taking off for a month to take care of her Grand kids.I'd like to think I was starting a fad. I think she is really glad to be taking off as Teri also just finished the top to her new snake habitat tonight. She was constructing a screen for an old aquarium. Tomorrow we are going to pick up Ebenezer, the baby Ball Python she won in a Pet shop drawing. I am not sure anyone is happy about this except Teri and Jude.  Just think, I killed a Cooperhead last month. Anyway, yikes! Maybe Mercy needs help with her Grand kids in Dallas.
Well, my days are full. I actually just skimmed over the highlights.
I couldn't sleep so I put on a movie and watched Hachi and cried quite a bit at the end. I got up to get a kleenx and stepped on my schedules I had spread all over the floor. I had a sheet written out for each of the next 14 days and had organized them to study it all. I looked down and my foot was standing the the July 15th page and I froze in place. It all started coming back to me in a rush.
I had been trying so hard this year, not to forget. I had been planning a barbecue and had wanted to have a bit of a splash but this year but sad to say, our wedding anniversary didn't even make puddle status. When I worked up enough courage to look at the clock, I saw I had come close. I just missed our anniversary by an hour and 40 minutes. It could have been worse.
Well, I was sad at first but then I realized what a colorful day I had had and when all was said and done, it was a glorious day! There were no bad moments, only challenging ones that were fun to build on. I have not had my grandkids like this for years. Well, I just really do enjoy the little things in life. I almost woke up the sleeping man beside me to tell him we had forgotten but I didn't have the heart.
Now, I have a lot to look forward to though as since I remembered, I have time to plan something belatedly!
Just to mention also, Teri started an apprenticeship at a dog training school (once a week) and we are helping to run the Service Dog booth and Teri will be helping with demonstrations with the dogs. at the International Dog Show next weekend.. I have never been to a dog show but I am proud to be working with "working dogs" instead of just the showy beauty kings and queens. Hmmmm.....I am trying semi-faintly to hide my tendancey to be self righteous. Is it working?
Married......since 1973! Thank God for such a wonderful, spontaneous, kind, loyal, creative, brave, avant guarde, smart, hard working, handsome husband.

More summer fun.

It has been wet this month. we have had almost 10 inches of rain and that is Harris county overall. Some places have had a lot more. It has kept us in a bit more. I t is very late here and I just poked my head outside for a breath of humidity. Ugh! It is 2 in the morning and it is so noisy. We live near a big hospital and the  usual is sirens all night but tonight there are no sirens made by humans. Rain lovin' creatures get so vocal after a rain. It's quaint. I could have just jumped up on the trampoline and grabbed the telescope and star gazed all night, if it hadn't of been for the other happy creatures that loves rain- the bloodsuckers. The mosquitos are out in force.
Well, enuf of that. In spite of the knee deep mud, we went to Cypresswood Stables to work with the horses for a bit as Olivia has never worked around horses. A team had just gotten in from a 100 mile endurance race so there was a lot to do around the stable. Olivia and Teri cleaned out a barn on hands and knees. Lots of mud had to be cleaned up. After, they oiled the saddles  and played with the 2 week old barn kittens as they did that. It's a lot of fun.
 If it doesn't rain tomorrow, I have secret plans to arrange for Olivia to take a trail ride down by the creek. It will be a muddy affair as at one point,they cross the creek. I think she will be surprised and happy. Regretfully, she has to go home in just a few days. Summers are all about grandmas and their grandkids!
Oh,Violet had her first swimming lesson today and the first thing the teachers did was to trash her water wings! Yeah! She did great and was very brave. The teacher is very good, a young Mormon man raising his funds for his 2 year Mission. Teri and Jason's coach was also a Mormon and I do have to say, they are great swim teachers and coaches- real good with kids. Violet was just glowing the whole class- the perfect student!
Cheena graduated from her Intermediate Training class last night and will now go on the Canine Good Citizen and prepare for being involved in FAP Therapy work. Her trainer said she could already pass but we are taking it slow as she is too young. We are so proud of her and I am proud of Teri. She is still working with Allie, Our Service Dog.com, and getting training with her Service dogs. Pray for Adam. He needs a job and is restless to get to work. He is so well trained and would make a great mobility dog. I love those poodle mixes. Allie had a little setback as she was bitten by a baby copperhead and while the EMT people were taking her to the truck, the mother snake struck out at them. They barely missed that attack. Allie is quite sick! That makes 2 of my friends that have been bitten in just a few weeks.. The hospitals say it is one of the worst years ever for snake bites so everyone be careful!. My dogs agree with that. The only one that hasn't been bitten is Wellington!

Olivia