May 27, 2018

Yella and Blackie were my first two dogs that were from the same litter.   The pups were given to me by my mother's two brothers, Bud and Clay.  The two uncles had returned from WWII and I was a baby boom baby.  I was not yet one when they gave me the pups so the pups and I  grew up together.  Mom told the story that Yella would always watch after me.  As a toddler I would head across the furrowed field to get to my dad as he was plowing.  Yella would grab me by the diaper/pants and pull me back down to keep me from going toward the danger.

Yella and Blackie had greyhound genes according to the stories from my parents.  Yella had 'that look' and that speed.  Yella loved to chase cars as they passed our house.  He would dart in and out of the clouds of dust that always followed the cars as they drove the caliche coated roads.  Blackie seems from my young child memories was a little shorter and stockier than Yella.  Blackie did not live beyond about my fourth birthday.  Blackie's early demise is why my memories are not as vivid. 

Yella was my companion for several more years.  He would come to the country school to get petted during recess.  Mom was a bus driver so Yella would lie in the shade of the bus barn at times.  I liked to use Yella like a slide.  Pretty sure one of his ticks got into my hair and stayed a few days before Mom checked my complaint.  In spite of her warnings, I continued to hug that dog that never had a bath.  I can still recall the deep sadness and feel the sting of the tears the morning I found Yella stiff and dead.  We were both nine years old.

As for Uncle Bud and Uncle Clay they lived into their eighties.  And what brings these two men to my mind right now?  Memorial Day here in the States.  I could not have had two more wonderful, generous uncles.  Uncle Bud with his black, curly hair and wry smile.  Uncle Clay with his slick, bald head and twinkly, blue eyes.  Both farm boys thrown onto the beaches of Normandy in the days following D day. 

Uncle Bud crossing France on foot.  Uncle Clay crossing France in tanks.  Uncle Bud catching pneumonia during the Battle of the Bulge as his unit advanced with Uncle Clay's tank division.  Uncle Clay once said he could not believe he was given a good pair of shoes and a heavy coat that fit him.  That is how those two farm boys had seen being in the service of their country.  Oh, how I would love just once more to watch Uncle Bud fool folks by throwing his voice or share a pack of Juicy Fruit gum with Uncle Clay.

May 14, 2018

How can it be almost 2 weeks since my last post?  We have not had a lot of games.  We did have in May 5 multiple errands, a film shoot of Prom #2 and birthday gathering for youngest grandson.  Had to rest the next day.  Did not do the family dinner due to time constraints for the grandkids.  I am puzzled by how I can waste so much time.  Oh, that is it, puzzles.  But it beats the heck out of watching the news.  I have, also, been Netflixing a lot, too.  Miss Fisher's Murder Mystery is the latest choice.

And I have been having the weirdest dreams.  Rattlesnake dream so real I did not want to turn over in bed when I first awoke.  Family reunions where I was ridiculed for my beliefs.  Woke up dreading the next family reunion.  Playing in Lucille's old store building with my BFF from childhood.  But we were adults and playing like kids.  Woke up missing Reba Jane and her mom.  Thankfully I have forgotten most of the others.  But I am not on any new drugs so just strange dreams.

birthday boy

My youngest sister and her hubby spent the weekend in the area.  Friday they spent the day with us.  We enjoyed an newly released movie, "The Life Of The Party".  (I had some weird dream that night about sex, what ever that is.)  Sis and I spent several hours working on our fall Sister gathering in get this Sisters, Oregon.  Do you know how challenging it is to find proper sized bed for elderly people on a single level home?

With two octogenarians and three septuagenarians climbing stairs multiple days in a row will leave us unable to move about to just have fun.  Oh, and why would you have a vacation home rental for 9 people and only have 3 seats in the living area?  Sis and I are still looking and sorting what we are finding.  Did I mention we are king and queen sized folks, too.  If we are not really wide, we are really tall.

This beautiful lady had a birthday on Friday.  

Yesterday was Mother's Day here in the US.  Son treated DIL and I to brunch at a favorite tavern.  Sis et al was there along with DIL's dad.  In the evening Hubby and I attended Nephew's improv troupe's performance.  What a great weekend.  Today was the yearly checkup with the blood draw and pokey punchy in areas.  And I have now officially am 5'3".  That is 2" less that 15 years ago.  By the way the height has gone to my feet as I have gone from 7-7 1/2 B width to a full 8 W.  And I do not have osteoporosis.

The reason I am a Mom:

Wearing heels and still not measuring up to Son.

May 2, 2018

Hubby met with the hematologist yesterday.  He left 12 viles of blood there for testing.  The doctor wants Hubby off the warfarin asap.  "Bad stuff", he said.  The preferred blood thinner will cost over $400 a month.  So now the search for a drug plan to help with the cost.  The new blood thinners have less risk of spontaneous bleeds.  They, also, cannot be reversed in the event of an accident.  So the adventure continues.  As well as the research into insurances.  And those tests, well, they are not covered by any of the insurances.

Now I am watching Hubby play with a power saw.  He is wanting to make a slightly different type of antenna for his amateur radio for certain bands.  Really good to see him feeling better. New doctor says we pay a lot of money to keep ourselves alive so we need to live life.  So maybe Hubby will try some biking  with a new helmet, some knee and elbow pads and a little more caution for himself.  And I hope he does not cut himself with the saw. 

As for me, just the typical aches of my age.  Watching my step count to keep active without having to get my leg irritated again.  Yesterday I decided all the baseboards and some of the cabinets needed to be cleaned.  Today my leg is telling me that was enough of the squats, thank you.  With on and off sprinkles I think I will not be going out for any photo ops.  Like for the moved house from last weeks post.  Hubby did note that when he drove by the old location, "I saw it not there."  He has such a way with words.

That's about all we have for the day from Round Rock.  Hope your week is going well, too.

Janice

from the intersection where the house is not