It's a dirty job...

Well, I have to take [Amazing] Grace to the vet for a booster shot and a heartworm test. It is a routine visit, thankfully, but there is nothing routine about the size of her eyes when she is there. She trembles, and looks very scared. It is heartbreaking.
She's like a kid, but she can't talk.
Details later.

We're back now. Gracie did very well even though the vet waiting room was full of scary sounds. There was a crated cat obviously expressing its discontent and emitting 'altered states'

opinions. While we were in a room, we heard [through the door] a very angry dog that sounded like a fight waiting to happen.

Grace never made a peep. She did 'a whole lot of shaking' from the moment we entered the building. She's up to date on her shots. And very happy to be back on the lap of her favorite face to lick! That would be G'ma Flo.

Memorial Day

Thinking about all the men and women who are /or were in the military.
Especially Tommy.
He is now 41 years gone...twice the amount of time that I knew brother #2.
Still wish he was here. Time doesn't heal all wounds. It lessens the pain, but it's always there.
Memorial Day wishes to everyone and God bless.

How to: defunk...

Flo and I got in the car and drove to Montezuma Wildlife Refuge in search of Mother Nature's wonders.
There were throngs of carp creating quite a stir as they tried to edge their way into the main pond entrance. But it wasn't going to happen with the stream blocked and closed to them.

Red winged blackbirds were strikingly beautiful in flight and plentiful too, but the prize goes to...babies!!

Baby geese, baby ducks, and close enough for me to wonder if the automatic window would go up fast enough should the moms and dads decide that we were dangerous.
Babies crossing the dirt road, babies floating among the reeds, and babies huddled up close to their moms.



Great blue heron...egret...crane???
We saw two long- legged, long -necked birds. And a small bird annoying the large bird by buzzing and dive bombing at its head. There were many of these 'David and Goliath' air chases going on along the way home. And it always seemed that the littler bird was winning.

Did some planting: giant begonia bulbs, shell plants, and oh yes...tomato plants.
Count off forty days and you can picture me in the kitchen making sauce!! Oops...
I forgot....cooking...not my strong suit.
Okay...then it's tomato sandwiches or tomatoes in the salads for us.
That is if the former- city , now country farm girl gets any tomatoes.
Gotta go now and see if my container tomato crops [ 9 different kinds from a QVC special of the day} need my attention!!!

"And so I sez to myself...Self..."

Slight hiatus.

Pondering my existence in the universe.

What a difference a year makes...

Here is Flo's restaurant debut on Mother's Day.
Cheers!
Isn't she a beauty?

Sipping a white Zinfendel, I wanted Mom to 'not worry' about anything. So I leaned over and whispered in her ear,
"I just want to remind you that you have 'depends underwear' on...so Be Not Afraid!!"
"Thank you sweetheart!" she answers.
Paul said, "What's up?"
Flo looks at him and says, "Good news!!"

Devil or Angel...Florence or Maxine

Here is Flo having a therapy session with her alter-ego Maxine.

Who will prevail?

If you read Maxine's lips, she is saying," ?????"

"I must become the dominant personality at certain times.

Take for example: When eating something particularly good...and the dog or cat get too close...and look like they expect you to share...

Your 'polite little voice' doesn't summon help the way your 'Maxine voice' brings the White House resident zoaring to your side in an immediate way!!

So, you see, I do have a redeeming quality or two!!

And I've heard that you've mastered my exact face on several occasions, too!!"

Stick with me, kid! Wait...I am the kid!!

As par for the course, within two weeks of selecting my new
laptop computer, it went on sale for $150 less. So, I called Best Buy
to ask if they could do the credit to my account by phone,
or did I need to travel to the store. Had to be in-store for security reasons.
I asked Mom if she was up to a ride and she agreed to go.
For a moment or 10, it seemed like the credit wasn't going to happen.
The month long policy is about returning something.
The price-matching policy is 14 days. What day was it?
Day 15!!
I won't go into the details, but I will say that St. Anthony was involved.
Along with some patience, persistence, and a pleasant voice.
My account was credited the difference, and breathing a sigh of relief, Flo and I exited the store.
Across the mall diagonally was a nail salon, and I knew that Mom had always kept her nails looking good. However , post- stroke, her nails have been a source of disappointment to her.
"Hey Mom! Want to get a manicure?"
"Really? Sure!"
So I rolled her in, and her nails were shaped, buffed, and polished. She even went along with a design painted on each nail. Her nails look beautiful.
On the way home, she kept looking at her nails and saying how glad she was that she had decided to go with me.
We topped off the merriment with a hot fudge sundae from the McDonald's drive thru...

and all was well with our world.
She told me I was an angel and a miracle worker.
My reply: "Stick with me kid!!"

This photo is from my cell phone, forwarded to my email
address, and then moved to the blog.
And to think that I was computer phobic and technologically challenged not too long ago. Wahoo!!