So Over It

How's everyone doing?  We are surviving.  My computer is dumping on me...  so I copied and then deleted a lot of files only to find out they did not copy in the first place.  I already emptied the 'trash'. So.  The stuff I have worked on for over a decade is gone.  The cloud helped me get back some - but not the most important stuff.  Computer professionals were of no help.  So I guess I'm starting over.  Kind of.  

Snow came, making it difficult if not impossible for our girl to navigate her way outside to potty.  I shoveled and I shoveled and I shoveled till I had some pretty cool paths for her.  It was so sad watching her fall all over the place in snow that she couldn't even see.  Putting harness and leash on her helped.  That way I was able to lead her around and pull her from the snow she fell into.  I cannot even begin to put into words how badly I felt for the poor thing.  

I tried to put a pic of Gary on - snow blowing the front of our place.  But my computer is still messed up and it refused.  I'm so over it all.  Ugh.  But we are good.  All is well.  

Now.  How have you been?  

 

Not Buying It

 Each morning, Gracie looks forward to her walk to my office with me to get her morning fortune cookie.  It is a tradition I started a couple years back, and now she expects it.  Daddy has been sneaking her extra's throughout the day *gasp*  yea, I know, right? How can I know that this has been happening?  The paper fortune left behind on the floor gives it away.  

Gracie says, "Why do they put paper in cookies?  I don't get it!"

Meanwhile, Bug puts on his fake smile in order to confuse onlookers.  "Yea, I love winter and snow," says he.  

 I'm not buying it.

"Uh-Oh, Bye-Bye"

Reminiscing to October when we 'fell backwards' into short, dreary days and looked ahead to gray skies, cold temps, and a long hard winter.  

Now here we are entering into the month of March and I ask myself, 

What do you think?  Looks like one of those Wizard of Oz - Come
alive with eyes, nose and mouth trees that can talk, right?

"WHAT WINTER?"

 Typical of all days, months and years in my mid 60's...  time is racing ahead of where I wish to stay a while and savor.  Yea.  Kind, treasured days are just miniscule when speeding down the road of life and all its happenings.  Here today, gone tomorrow.

In the words of a very wise, sweet 2-yr old of days gone by, 

(yea, Summer)

"Uh Oh - Bye Bye"

Today I invited one of my customers to bring his sweet Shih Tzu in from the car so I could see him.  A sweet doggie.  But when he suggested I take the pup from his arms and hold it, sweet little guy attacked me.  I was heartbroken.  The only dog ever who did not love me.  We concluded that his recent vet visit/experience likely made him apprehensive with strangers such as myself.

"That's what ya get.  Pay more attention to your own dog and stop with trying to win over every other dog in the world and maybe things like this won't happen."  ~ Gracie

We'll See How That Goes....

It's a beautiful thing.  Watching the grand-angels enjoy the Christmas village one last time before putting it away for the year.  

Next year the plan will be to get them involved in putting it up and taking it down.  It's a lot of work.  We're all getting older, which means they are becoming more able and I, less.

YIKES!

I was thinking a night of pizza, ice cream and hard work.  We'll see how that goes...

Today we have ice.  Lots and lots of ice.

And one angry ape!

Sorry, winter

Have you noticed days being longer?  I don't know about you, but my mood is better come spring, summer and fall.  Winter is merely a season to get through.  Though it's got it's good points too...  I can't really think of any that would trump those of spring, summer and fall.  Sorry, winter.  

The audiobook, "Gracie's Diary, a Memoir" is just weeks away from completion.  I'm excited!  The narrator did an excellent job and oh... BTW Samson, she tried to hook Gracie up with her sweet boy Tye-Dye but Gracie was firm in her commitment to her handsome finance' from California!  Though Tye is a real looker and a great catch,  Gracie still loves only you, Samson and she let that be known!  

In other news...

wait...

there is no other news.  Not much happening here.  Just winter.  

How Do You Deal?

And how do you deal with your hot flash?

~ Gracie

Today's Reality

So...  this is the hotel we are leaning towards (Disney).  It's The Animal Kingdom hotel and you can watch the wildlife from your balcony.  I think the kids would love that!

That's great.  Means I can go hang out with the giraffes and deer while you guys take the cookie carriers to see the princesses and pirates 

All dreams for next years vacation set aside...  let's focus on todays reality.

Yea.  I'm hungry.  I don't think you've fed me yet today.

Yes, we got snow.

Probably a good 8-10 inches.

Why is that that every time something different happens you see fit for a photo op with the dog?  I mean... really...  put me down, woman!

It is really pretty though.

Yea.  Pretty hard to find a place to pee.

Thanksgiving Turkey

Well, I do believe the right season has found its way back into being.  It is now cold.  Just like it's supposed to be this time of year.  

You complain it's too hot for walks in the summer.  Now what's your excuse?

Now, I want to make this perfectly clear ~ I am not complaining that we have not had snow or cold, bitter, wintry winds this year.    I'm just a little confused, that's all.  

You think you're confused!  What about the dog?  I mean...  You walk me, then you don't, then you do, then you don't.. it's too hot too cold too winter too summer... c'mon now.  Make up your mind woman.

Today I have my Thanksgiving turkey in the oven, thanks to our last minute decision to go out to eat on Thanksgiving day.  So I guess it will be a turkey kinda week here at our place.

Hope you plan on sharing

So tell me now, how have you been entertaining yourself through these bleak, dark, short days of *ahem* winter?  Gary and I have been binge watching a couple of series on Netflix.  

Begging for attention.  Irritating the heck out of you and dad with my strange behavior of wanting to go out and sit on the cold wet ground and repeating such behavior umpteen times throughout the day. Licking my paws.  Getting yelled at.  Playing with new toys.  Binge eating and dragging my dry food throughout the house so I can give you something to do.

Usually my office is slow for January and February.  Not so this year.  I have been very busy!  Which is good...  it does help pay the bills...  

And buy treats.  Just saying'

And...

I am in the beginning stages of planning a family vacation to Disney World (hopefully) early 2018.  We will likely skip the beach this year.  Haven't totally decided that yet either.   Within the next couple of months I should have a feel for what the year will be looking like vacation-wise.  Of course  it all can change, it is in God's hands really.  

And speaking of God, spell it backwards and it spells Dog.  Dog says no vacations unless dog goes too.

Gracie is always well taken care of when we go away but even so...  I seriously hate leaving her...  especially now that she is older.  Who ever thought that a dog could break a heart with just one look?   

You have one cold heart I'm tellin' ya.

So what's new here?  We got pictures taken for our church directory.  Below, there we are with our little church buddies.  I love that the grands go to church with us.   

Nobody asked if the dog wanted to go.  And.  I heard dogs were invited to be in the photo's.  I've looked real hard.  I don't see a dog on that picture.  Maybe I should look again..  Must be missin' something there...

And so.  As I patiently await that calendar to tell me it is spring, I pull out my flip-flops and wear them for a couple of days... then put them back away and get out my boots... then the flips... then the boots... then the...  

ugh

You get the picture.  It's been a crazy winter here.  I should have known when I purchased my beautiful new Uggs at the start of the winter that there would be no snow this year.

You are welcome.

Unless you need me to take you for a walk, please do not disturb.

It's About Life

Let's see.  What to write about.

It's raining.  It's January.  The days are getting longer.  And next month we will be able to say that the following month spring will arrive!

Gary and I are on season 6 of Mad Men.  It has turned out to be a very engrossing series...  The show takes place back in the early 60's and it's enchanting to go back in time and watch the drama unfold in the lives of these imaginary advertising agency people.

The men are all pigs and the women submissive, but slowly they are gaining their place in the world.  They all chain smoke and even chain drink.  The men cheat on their wives and think nothing of it while the women mind the children and keep the homes in tip top shape.  Kids crawl from the back to the front seat of a moving car without a care.  Women have a hissy-fit over the dry-cleaned dress that could have been left on the floor to get dirty but ignore the child that stands in front of her with the dry-clean bag over her head.  It is absurd!  But in reality, it was the way we lived back then.  We didn't think of the dangers associated with life led throwing caution to the wind.

Now you might ask, why would I be interested in such a corrupt, low-life bunch of invented individuals who put new meaning to the word sin?

Well.  Tucked deep within the story-lines of corruption and decay are lives of gentleness and love.  Ones who have good hearts and good works.  Kind of like how life is.  There are good people and there are bad ones and our works are a reflection of our hearts.  It's all a stage and we are the actors playing our parts.  Only it's the real thing.

I hate to see this series end, but when it does we will move on to another.  And then spring will be here and we will give the remote control a rest.

Gracie, how's it going with you?

So glad  you asked, mommie dearest.  You know that sound?  The music?  The depressing, deflating, awful music that fills the room when you and dad recline in your chairs with your bags full of cookies and the far-away look on your faces?  The sound has got to go!  It is haunting and stupid and ridiculous and could you pass me a cookie please...  n' then I'm headed for bed.   *Yawn*  Gracie.

Hibernation

In hearing aids, January and February usually

 prove to be poor sales months.  

We were ready for the lull in business.  

*yawn*

  

After all, it's winter.  Time for hibernation... right?

Well, January was business as usual.  

Things slowed down some, but not a whole lot.  

When do we get to rest?

Then along came February.  

This has been our best month since we opened in July!!  

We are busy, busy, busy!

As for the hibernation thing...

Gracie says she'll take care of that for us.

Stir Crazy

Winter.  Ugh!

I'm sorry...  I can't adjust.  

If I may...  I'd like to quote the Eagles: 

Don't your feet get cold in the winter time?
The sky won't snow and the sun won't shine
It's hard to tell the night time from the day
You're losin' all your highs and lows
Ain't it funny how the feeling goes away?

Desperado...  etc. 

*Sigh*

If it weren't for the job and the grand-angels I'd be tempted to grab my hubby and run away to a warmer, sunnier climate.  

*Another Sigh*

Speaking of grand-angels.. my newest, Summer (oh, how I love her name) has her first cold.  She's coughing a lot but no fever yet.  She got it from her sissie (Rissi) who was sick last week.  Summer's only 6 weeks old so if you remember, mention her in your prayers.  

Lindsey sent me a picture tonight.  I don't know why, but these phone pictures just won't rotate right for me...

*One more sigh*

Is anyone else going stir crazy?

FLUKE

I know, I know...  today's 61 degree temperature here in Western Maryland was just a fluke...  And the week ahead is a forecast for more of the same...  a fluke as well. 

Is it just me, or are the winters much milder than they were back in the day...

I'm second from right.  Others are all brothers and sister except the tall guy in the back who was a neighbor.

The above picture shows us kids - off to school ...  AND LOOK AT THAT SNOW!  (ignore the date on the side... I think it just took a while for mom to get her film developed...  remember when FILM had to be DEVELOPED? lol)  

Can you imagine kids going to school with a snowfall like that nowadays?  The very mention of an inch of snow - and school is either delayed or canceled for the day).  Very seldom did we get a day off from school.  I can remember wearing a ski mask and walking backwards so the wind and snow wouldn't sting my eyes as we went about a quarter of a mile up the road to catch the school bus.  The bus was usually late on these blustery, snowy days, and my fingers would be red and numb beneath my gloves.  The buses would have snow chains on the tires so they could make it through the drifted snowy roads.

The above picture was on February 20, 1972.   With that huge drift, I imagine that was a day off for us, since the road was closed for a while.  Oh great!  So if that was February 20... then that must mean we aren't out of the woods yet?  

Y-e-a bobbi... remember, winter has just begun.

Above picture shows the tree in our back yard and our dog Smoky.  I guess my parents wouldn't let me have a dog inside.

*insert sad face here*  

He was a tough ol' guy and lived to be over 20 years old.  I used to climb that tree and sit there for hours dreaming of the day I'd be a famous movie star signing autographs.  Seriously.  LOL!  

Okay.  Back to reality.

Today's walk.... ahhh

The movie star thing didn't work out.  And my carefree childhood existence melted into adulthood with responsibility, worries, and lots of bills to pay.

**Sigh**

Today's walk was pleasant and nice.  Gracie was ecstatic.  

But Frosty looked a tad bit worried.

I'll Pass on Winter. Summer please.

Winter can chill you to the bone...  

but Summer will warm your heart...

Tomorrow may be the first day of winter. 

 but at our house...  

Summer is here to stay!

Adjusting

  Leaves twirl, spinning, soaring through the air and landing everywhere.

Their colors look more alive than dead. 

 Yet... this is it for them.

They're saying their goodbyes. 

Making way for frost and cold and snow and blizzards.  

Blizzards? 

 Sounds kind of dramatic, huh?    

It's no secret that this is my least favorite time of the year.  

Not necessarily because of the change in climate... 

 I kind of like the cooler temperatures.

  but  more because of lack of light.

Short days.  Ugh!

My daughter Lindsey used to ask why Gary and I were always in our pj's shortly after 6 pm from Oct through March.  I'd say, 'why not?'    

That's pretty pathetic, huh?

There are good things though...  

 Warm hot chocolate with marshmallows...

Scented candles and soft lighting in the evening...   getting caught up on television shows that I didn't have time to watch during the spring and summer months...  reading...

*Sigh*

It's okay.  It's all the way it's supposed to be.  

I just need to adjust.  

And once that adjustment is made, it's not so bad.