determined

There's lots on my agenda today.  Tonight's the third Monday meal at church and I have brownies, a cake, 4 dozen rolls and a cheesy potato casserole to make.  This morning, I got up after I just couldn't take it anymore.  Daisy whined for an hour and I was determined that I was not going to give in to this morning ritual that starts right after Handsome Husband leaves.  She was not going to control me.  There are days when I wish we had no animals.  Whatsoever.  I'm feeling grumpy from head to toe.

More homeschool books should arrive today and I'm praying that they all get here before our actual start date which is currently unknown.  I thought maybe we could start when public school started here but, I'm not sure that it's possible to start without your books and such.  Looking like it'll be after Labor Day which makes me a little frantic because that just seems like centuries away and not "normal".

I like normal.  I like boring.  I like routine.  Have I ever mentioned that?  Yes, I live a fantastic mundane life.  No worries.  I like it that way.  So, when the rest of the world is starting school towards the end of August, I want to too.  I'll get over it, sooner or later.  I do worry though, that our children will hate homeschool. With a passion.  And I worry that I will hate homeschool.  With a passion.  

Worries aside, I am determined that we will not hate homeschool.  Determined.

Miss Dais and Max-a-Poo

We sure have had a crazy time here this past week.  Crazy Daisy's in heat.  Mr. Max-a-Poo's driving us batty.  Needless to say, it's been a fun couple weeks.  (dripping with sarcasm)  So, in appreciation of their "better" days, I'll share an excursion in the yard from a couple weeks ago.

Have you ever tried to sneak up on a dog?

 

 

Well, it's impossible.

 

Miss Dais with her perky little ears.

"Is that a shock collar?"  We get this question all the time.  No, it's a tracking collar.  Dais is a Walker coonhound and she likes to run.  I mean RUN! 

While I was away in Kentucky, Handsome Husband let her out after breakfast one morning and she wouldn't come back before he left for work.  So she was stuck outside all day.  When he got home, he looked at the GPS and she'd run 22 miles!  Twenty. two. miles. I say.

They've ruined our yard digging for ground squirrels.  They're checking one of their holes here.  Evidently, there was some action that we weren't aware of.

 

Happy Friday friends!

 

 

 

you would've been proud

I got up early this morning, 5:20 to be exact.  You would've been proud.  I showered and got ready, made lunches, woke up babies and shoveled the sidewalk.  I put Max's collar on and he knew as soon as I'd picked it up and he heard the tags jingle that he was goin' somewhere!

 

Miss K began getting ready, she knew she was under pressure this morning.  I assured her things would be fine, even if they missed the bus, I would be back in time to give them a ride to school.  No need to panic.  I gave her deadlines...7:00am - finish breakfast, get shoes on, brush teeth, gather back pack; 7:20 - 10 minutes til take off, post up, watch for the bus.  Then, I took off.

 

Good news.  I made it safely to the vet with one Mr. Puppy in tow.  I'm not sure how many inches of snow we got last night (plenty to go 'round, that's for sure) and snow continued to fall as we drove, but the roads were good.
 
Bad news.  We arrived and they gave me an estimate of $150- $300.  Then, the lady came back with a second estimate stating his "simple surgery" would be $300-$500 because he was over 5 years old.  You've got to be kidding me!  I gasped, told her how outrageous that was and that my husband would flip out!  It was true, you would.  I didn't raise my voice and I wasn't angry, only in shock.  I think she took it a little personal because she began explaining to me that she hadn't been there for a couple days and she'd added a couple things just to make sure this estimate was "in the ballpark".  She told me she would talk with the doctor and call me before they started anything.  You would've been proud.
 
As soon as I left and got on the road, I checked the time.  It was 8 o'clock on the east coast and Dr. Byrd would be in.  He'd be able to give me some advice and tell me if this whole scheme was crazy or not.  I gave him a call.  He was in surgery, so I ended up leaving a message.  I traveled home and made it back before the bus came.  I hadn't had any breakfast so I was in a frenzy.  It threw my whole morning off. 
 
In the meantime, the kids left for school and I ate a bowl of Fruit Loops while I turned on the TV to watch the news and see how much snow we'd actually gotten.  I watched the weather three times and never heard nor saw an amount.  I was completely distracted.  I gave up.  I went about the morning, fumbling and stumbling over normal tasks until the phone rang.  It was Dr. Byrd and I was never so glad to hear his voice.  I explained the situation and he gave me a couple scenarios and treatment options, the best he could do for an over-the-phone analysis.  Bottom line, this procedure seemed a little lot unnecessary.  I was prepared to do battle with Mr. Vet.  You would've been proud.

Dr. B asked how I liked the prairie state and I won't lie, I grumbled.  He bragged, telling me it was sunny and 65 was to be the high there today.  It just  wasn't fair, you being in the land of sun and humidity, Dr. B livin' it up in the big V-A, and me?  Stuck in the cornfields surrounded by the dreary snow!  That's where!  But who said life was fair?

In the meantime, the vet calls back.  "Good news", he says.  "No surgery!  Just 3 more weeks of antibiotics."  I'll take it!  All is well again.  I picked up our happy little camper and he was so excited to see me, all snorty and wiggling.  He said hello to the receptionist and a very unhappy kitty.  I paid the bill and we made our way to the truck.  Yes, I took your truck, just like you said.  And, I'd thrown a jacket in the backseat before we left!  Two points!  I was on an adrenalin rush and so I'd donned a hoodie and jeans with boots.  You would've been proud.

We arrived home safely and I fed Mr. Poodley.  (He hadn't eaten since yesterday morning - doctor's request.)  Once he was finished, I let Daisy out and she checked him over, sniffing and wagging her tail.  They were happy to be reunited and he soon zonked out in the kitchen on his bed.  So much excitement for one morning!  He didn't even move for pictures.

 

recent past and run of the mill

I took these photos back in December, when C was servicing his cousin's kids' four wheelers but, somehow, they never managed to make it here.  I wanted to share them anyway, now's as good a time as any.

So, now, before you gasp because these children have no helmets, let me do a little splainin', Lucy...I glanced this through the window and then went out, hoping to catch a few photos.  I didn't agree with the situation but, the man's machine had the governor turned as low as it would go.  So, I thought, OK, maybe a short ride.  He managed, afterall, to fall off after going over a little bump in the yard.  Lesson learned - Evil Knievel is the one who needs the safety equipment at all times.  Yes, this then, scared the pants off of me and my heart rose to my lips and sank to my stomach, all at the same time.  I was mad as a hornet  because I hadn't put a stop to these shenanigans sooner.  Needless to say, the four-wheeders, as he calls them, were put away until the cousins came to pick them up.

Same day, different subject. 


This is a man with a fan club here, folks.   He is the most loved dog in the world.  Yet, feared the most by the ones who do not know him.  They should be fearful of the small one, seriously.

Fierce looking, isn't he?  Or sleepy?



Don't be fooled, this big lush of an American Bulldog is THE biggest baby in the world!  He is our 75-lb. wanna be lap dog.  Known as "K's dog", he and the man grew up together as babies - their birthdays being a month apart, and still enjoy their excursions together.  He endured the man's biting phase and lived to tell about it.  No joke.  He was bitten on the ear. the tail.  and his paws.  and never so much as winced.  He is everyone's best friend.

He even lets the rat terrier boss him around sometimes. 

So, there you have it. 

An uneventful weekend. 

No photos. 

I spent most of it cleaning, cooking, sewing the Valentine tic-tac-toe games, and relaxing.  Last night, C streamed ARN - The Knight Templar through the Wii.  And, despite it being a foreign film, I'm not a fan of most foreign films, it was rated 4 out of 5 stars and was surprisingly good!

Have a fantastic week!

The Pope's nose

While tidying up the house, we took a break to do the chicken chores.  We recently moved our 1 month old baby chicks to the chicken house.  They're still not big enough to co-exist with the el grandes so, they have their own private area. 

The man and I decided to let the elders out to roam while the pint-sized pullets went over to exercise in the pen.  

I was captivated by this petite brood navigating the new world, and I wasn't the only one.



I can't resist a fluffy chicken bum.  There's just something about layers and layers of fluffy feathers, perfectly placed by The Big Man Himself.

For some, they are most unnoticed but, I delight in the small things.