Fast Girl, sad Ma, TT go BY-BY

Introducing Kate (Katie) Ross. My first born and #5 in our combined family. Kate is the product achieved when you mix fierce independence with a healthy dose of goal setting. Kate was the most pretty baby in the world ( sorry Leah). Dark skinned (jaundice) and a mouth her Dad I think described as like little rose buds. Fun to dress up like little girls at least until she became more mobile. It was then the frilly little dresses went away and were replaced with sweat suits ( at least they were pink). When she started crawling the skirt of the dress would catch in her legs and she would pull so hard to remove the dress hated it. BY-BY girly stuff. Loved water. For Katie the sound of running water any running water meant " Bath Time" and she would strip herself naked in anticipation. Now mind you running water could mean the washer, hose or kitchen sink for dishes. Frustrating at times but mostly just funny. Katie's first bike was a Big Wheel, well actually she had 2 of them, she wore one out. Now she rides a mac daddy bike that costs more than my cars combined, you see she is now a professional rider. Friday night she will fly into St.Louis and drive to Shelbyville to visit for a few days before she heads out on a her biggest adventure yet...........Australia for 2 WHOLE MONTHS. Even though I haven't seen her for a while I already miss her so much. So for a few days I will have her here, a chance to hold her and smell her for a few days. It will have to be enough for me to go through the holidays. I think we will watch Christmas Vacation early this year. I will have to balance healthy foods for her perennial favorites. Stop at the liquor store and pick up some of her favorite libations. And for about 4 days it will be all about Kate. More on Kate later......

The Dennis File #2

As I said earlier Dennis (Poppy) bought me this amazing camera for my BD. We started walking on our new trail 3 Sundays ago for many reasons but one is to take pictures. While going through the shots I found one thing in common.........Dennis' fav shirt, a very raggy Bears sweat shirt that Danny bought him for Christmas 1996. It has washed down to a most comfortable weight ( I know this as I have worn it about the house, inside out OF COURSE). But sadly the cuffs and collar is nearly off and while it is fine for home he insists on wearing it out. In public!!!!

Now practically everyone I know has a favorite article of clothing. Thin, thread bare and a bit tattered. But most people reserve these pieces for lounging about the house. Not my Poppy. For instance. When we began dating Poppy had 2 unsomes a winter and a summer. The cold weather getup was a you guessed it Bears sweat pants a bit small, faded but in sweat pant land very,very short. Completing the look was a black and orange LP sweatshirt and sandals. While Poppy is a very handsome man the look did not match him whatsoever. He would proudly wear this down town Hayward in and out of stores OMG.....The summer look included old tank tops. You'll remember these, they were screen printed with that iron on stuff that eventually peeled away.....He bought them in 1968 or so after he returned from Viet Nam. I think he said they were3 for 5.oo. Can't remember the shorts all though to give ya'll a hint, he doesn't like the "new shorts" b/c they are too long, so are you getting the idea.......After a proper courting time had lapsed I brought up these clothes and their possible retirement, no go....they are my favorites and have special meaning....I get that, however, stop wearing them in public. It's a total nogo. What is a girl to do? We have teenage kids that are embarrassed enough with parents.... The big problem was how does one get their hands on these pieces? Poppy had his laundry done for him so the idea of having them disappear in the wash was out.....so patiently I waited until I was able to do his laundry for him, then like a stealth bomber, one by one they went away to sock land, ( that place somewhere between the washer and dryer that all missing socks go) never to be seen again.....................

Veteran's Day Cont......

OK, I have no idea what I did, I had written a much longer story but I lost It, lets just see if I can get it back. Dennis did a tour in Viet Nam, it was the 60's and I was about 7 or so. ( Yes, there is quite an age difference). I really didn't know much about the war except for my neighbor girls big brother was killed. Most of my knowledge base comes from the barrage of films made in the 80's. The last movie I saw was Hamburger Hill and after that I just couldn't do it any longer. Dennis does talk of that time unlike manyother guys, at least he does give some details. One day in December most of his group was killed in a recon mission. Dennis still carries the srappnel, has a purple heart and can not have a MRI. His toes are a mess because his feet were wet for days maybe weeks, he lost several teeth b/c of the water but came home. There is a memorial at the park with the boots gun and helmet placed near each other, I had seen this in the movies and asked if that is what they did to mark a death, but Dennis said mostly they were flown away and that was it. This is serious stuff. There are LOTS of funny stories about this guy but not even I can poke fun at him today. Thank You Dennis.

Thank A Vet

Today is Veteran's Day. I am very thankful for all of the veteran's and service men. Here is my favorite Vet. It's my hubbie Dennis USMC.

Pumpkins, Packers and pooches oh my......

Sunday's walk on the Dacey Trail, Really pretty

Amy and Dan in the pumpkin surgical suite. Dan is instructing Amy to be careful.....

Dan posing as HE-Man...........................

Well Halloween was another success. The pumpkin carving was just as predicted with only two revisions. ! the music chosen was a real Rockband tour of our favorite songs. My fav being Green Grass and High Tides by the Outlaws, you can hear this on youtube. We scored over 300,00 on this one and I love it. Oh how I can digress. The 2nd revision was that my friend Amy joined us. Amy had never cleaned and carved a pumpkin, yes it's true she's fourtysomething and Thursday night was her first. Therefor her kids haven't carved pumpkins and you know it the story continues. But her grandbaby was here at the end and with a little bit of luck we have broken the evil chain.

The Packers lost in overtime. Now for my opinion. That whole overtime ruling gives me a big case of redhinnie. Flipping a coin and letting the first score win is the dumbest thing I have ever heard, never mind that football has become an excuse me sport ( pass interference calls.....we stop this action so that the receiver can catch the ball, then oh yeah now it's ok to tackle them) why not just stand at the center of the field save a whole lot of time and whom ever wins the toss gets the win. Really, play for another quarter, I can not believe how much this pisses me off.

Big investment tip........................From my brother-in-law Ben, Watch exon and when it gets to 57ish a barrel buy it. It's projected to go over 300 a barrel in 2010. Read his blog about it at Thefarnsworthfile.blogspot.com If this isn't right call me and I'll find the right one, believe me when I say this man really knows stuff.

The shop is going crazy right now. These days have been full of sadness and it will continue through the next few days. Friday I met with a couple that lost infant twin girls. Then on sat am a 17 yo boy was killed in and accident. I have to go in and start as soon as I finish writing . It is really some ruff stuff and can be pretty hard to deal with. It will be a waterproof mascara day as I cry when they cry. I am blessed to have my family and thank God for their health. See you later.....................