Bringing the Outdoors In

Sometimes when I go outside, I bring the prettiest thing I see into the house.

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Dog Language:

When someone she doesn't know comes to the door, Gretchen goes into defense mode.

"Don't you try to come in this house," she barks, "to get my dog food and aggravate my step-momma! I'll be obliged to eat you up in a minute!"

Good Times

Dye-no-mite!

Friday, Susan, Pat and I had lunch at Logan's, and boy was it yummy!

This morning I had crazy dreams for about an hour, so I decided to get out of bed. Good thing, because I'm going to a party--Buffy's b'day!

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I think I'm done with Facebook--people post such tragic, controversial, sickening, irreverent and offensive stuff! Imagine--a python swallowed a porcupine and died.

The Most Beautiful Song I Ever Heard

"The Holy City

"Last night as I lay sleeping, there came a dream so fair:
I stood in old Jerusalem beside the temple there;
I heard the children singing, and ever as they sang,
Methought the voice of angels from Heaven in answer rang!
Methought the voice of angels from Heaven in answer rang!

"Jerusalem! Jerusalem! Lift up your gates and sing!
Hosanna in the highest! Hosanna to your King!

"And then methought the dream was changed; the streets no longer rang.
Hushed were the glad hosannas the little children sang!
The sun grew dark with mystery; the morn was cold and chill,
As the shadow of a cross arose upon a lonely hill--
The shadow of a cross arose upon a lonely hill!

"Jerusalem! Jerusalem! Hark, how the angels sing!
Hosanna in the highest! Hosanna to your King!

"Then once again the scene was changed: new earth there seemed to be;
I saw the Holy City beside the tideless sea.
The light of God was on its streets--The gates were open wide,
And all who would might enter, and no one was denied!
No need for moon or stars by night, or sun to shine by day--
It was the New Jerusalem that would not pass away!
It was the New Jerusalem  that would not pass away!

"Jerusalem! Jerusalem! Sing for the night is o'er!
Hosanna in the highest! Hosanna forevermore!
Hosanna in the highest! Hosanna forevermore!"

Now I remember.

 

This photo of GMR (Daddy) was part of the group/family picture that hung over Maw Maw's bed.

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Someone just phoned and told me that my friend Jackie died today. The last time I saw her was about a month ago. Her friend Gregory brought her by here on her way home from the hospital, where they had diagnosed her with stomach cancer. She had been ill for years, and nearly blind from diabetes, still a beautiful woman. I'm so glad I got to see and hug her.

From CongoCoons

None of these are for sale. C-C's only available kittens are dark colored, and most of them are reserved already.

This looks like Little Darcy. If he were for sale, I couldn't resist.

Calico

This is the color I like best.

Sweet baby!

Great White

 

I'm not sure, but the prices seem to have risen a lot since I saw this back in the winter.

 

When you buy a kitten,, they include a pet carrier and a bunch of other stuff, plus registration papers and an optional insurance policy.

 

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One night I dreamed that Jed and I were in Iceland, for the wedding of one of his friends. The wedding was over, and we six out-of-Iceland wedding guests had slept wrapped up in blankets on the floor of what looked like a wooden barn or shed. Besides Jed and me, there were a couple of his other friends, and a father-and-son pair who looked just alike except the father was short and the son was tall.

 

I had got up early and packed everybody's belongings, and I was walking around putting their bags beside them, when the son appeared fully dressed and ready to leave.

 

"You're up early," I said.

 

"Yes," he said. "I'm leaving. I'm headed north."

 

I said, "What on earth is north of Iceland?"

 

He just laughed and left.

 

Foiled again!

I set out today to steal a dog, or to buy one if I got caught stealing. But the only one I saw, that seemed detachable from his yard, looked older than I am. Wasn't sure he would survive the trip home. Seriously, I really do need a dog, or a cat, or even a husband would be better than nothing. I think. No, scratch that option.

Off To See the Wiz Again.

Fingers Crossed

I'm going to try making stuffed banana peppers for my lunch. The big old yellow peppers looked so good, I had to buy a couple. Just hope they're not the hot variety. Photo later, maybe.

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Mmm, mm, mm! I baked the meat-tomato-cracker-cheese-egg leftover pattie along with the peppers, for 20 minutes covered, and then 15 minutes uncovered to brown. I planned to freeze about half of this meal, but instead I hollered for more--but nobody answered. I even ate the remainder of the can of peas.

P.S. The peppers were hot, but just right.

Ramey on TV!!!

Sister Ramey (Pat) Channell appeared on a Birmingham TV talk show, "Talk of Alabama," at 9:00 this morning, discussing her book Sweet Music on Moonlight Ridge, the second edition of which is in the stores and online. Ramey also had a book-signing program a few days ago at the Music Room in Leeds. I'm so proud of her, and of Susy my other sibling, and all mine and their kids. I just have to conclude that we're a cool bunch. Ramey excels in more than one art form--music, drawing and painting, fiction and poetry. And all those crafts and creative stuff.

"Drawling and Stretching, and Fainting in Coils," as Lewis Carroll would say.

Yesterday, I went to the Chevron and bought gasoline, and then my car wouldn't start. The station guy let me use his phone to call Murray's, who brought the tow truck and transported us to the Garage. The Tracker's battery was plumb dead and I had to get a new one, plus an oil change. It's always something, my little Roseanne Roseanna Danna.

I spent a lot of time yesterday walking around my lot, in the hot sun and cool shade. I've been feeling weaker instead of stronger, and assume that it's because I don't get enough exercise. I think today I'll skip the afternoon nap, and EAT MORE, TOO!

When You're Feeling Broke. . .

Buy a new car. Or at least go antique-shopping, which is what I did yesterday. Found many treasures that "cost the earth," but decided not to buy anything.

Sometimes I Just Want To Complain.

What to complain about is easy. The hard part is trying to figure out where to begin.

Strange Noises

I keep seeing these TV shows, or their titles at least, about people who abandoned their homes because they were disturbed by strange noises. Buddy, they won't get my house because of a little hubbub and other tricks.

If I don't answer my phone when it rings, it will ring four times then switch to the voice mail. When it rings in the middle of the night, it just rings once and quits.

I have already gone on at length about the tintinnabulation of my doorbell, which no one rings at 2:00-3:00 in the morning. And the huge muddy paw print on the upper section of my front door.

Then there's the knocking--I know what the rat-a-tat-tat knocking is, that's a woodpecker, and it happens later in the a.m. But the two sharp, loud knocks that almost shake the walls, I can't figure out. Also, I sometimes wake myself up calling "What?" when somebody calls my name.

There are slitherings and scratchings in the walls, and I think, "Mice? Snakes in the attic?" No, Cook's Pest Patrol is faithful and effective.

I tell myself that houses settle, creak and groan; then I usually turn over and go back to sleep.

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What's Happened To Me???!!!!

I'm no longer dependent on coffee for blood flow. Don't even really like the stuff. Must be some of these pills I take.

"'. . . I am afraid no vampires can be allowed on board.'"

"'This is a sloth,' said Stephen, smiling at him. 'A three-toed sloth, the most affectionate, discriminating sloth you can imagine!' The sloth turned its round head, fixed its eyes on Jack, uttered a despairing wail and buried its face again in Stephen's shoulder, tightening its grip to the strangling-point." -- Patrick O'Brian, HMS Surprise, page 158.

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I worked all morning on a drink of rum--I mean, a couple of Cokes. Did three loads of laundry, ironed some, shopped for groceries, and then slept a couple of hours in the afternoon.

I'm glad I read "everything" while speed-reading was easy for me. Now it seems I can't read for more than a few minutes until I'm exhausted.

Famous Last Words

 

Joseph Mallord William Turner, 1775-1851 (London)

It was said that his last words were, "The Sun is God."