Two Pups

This morning I woke up hearing my dad's laughter; calling me his little turtle lee. 

I dreamed I was a little kiddo on the floor and two rambunctious pup were licking me all over the face. If I grabbed one, the other would kiss me on the eyes, lick up my nose and if I laughed they tried to kiss me in the mouth. I was rolling on the floor giggling to my hearts content, fending off the onslaught of those two wiggle worms from my face and loving every minute of it. 

My dad sat watching me. His knee crossed over the other making a big triangle lap, one of his big hands draped on the top knee and the other, resting lightly on the table. He was smiling. He was quietly laughing as my dad does. He called me his little turtle lee.

I looked around this morning to see if there were two pups or anything for that matter that could or would lick me on the face. Seeing nothing, I figured it was just what it was. A happy dream from some childhood memory. 

Klf 

Blabbing to keep from slabbing...

Yesterday I went to town. First stop, buy tile to put down in the baby/compute room. Dave talked me into tiling instead of peal and stick. Then when he gets home to unload the three big heavy boxes he says "I thought you were going to do peel and stick?" I could have bonked him on the head. While there, I also bought some of those super sonic mouse things. I think I've mentioned that I've been having problems with the little Satan's spawn. I don't know why but when I plugged them in yesterday, I expected to see mice running everywhere with their hands over their ears. I was sorely disappointed and felt mighty foolish. I mean I really did expect to see them like that; too vivid an imagination is a curse.

Next stop was to Cherry's house as it was on my way to the pharmacy. We talked and visited an hour. My goodness, that woman is going to POP! It certainly won't be long now. She goes to the doc on Thursday.

I decided to stop at the meat market next. I have a few of those nifty insulated bags to put cold stuff in so I was not worried about the meat getting hot. I still had to go to the pharmacy.

So there I was next, at the pharmacy. I love those stores. So many neat things to look at.

I went home after that, unloaded, ate lunch and boom, four o'clock and there was Dave. He unloaded the tile, ahem, and off I went to buy chicken feed. I came back home, he unloaded the three big bags of feed and zooooooommm off I went to the grocery. I got home around six fifteen, just in time for him to leave for the Union meeting. 

I spent the next hour making a Paula Deen cake I saw on TV. Volcano Cake? It looked to yummy not to at least try. OMG~ that was the sweetest, most rich cake I've ever ate. Too bad it looked ugly. Oh well the goodness of it all certainly made up for it. I don't usually go for store bought cake mixes but she worked magic on this, her rendition of, Chocolate German Cake. Dave got a small piece, then went back for more and this is after he had eaten TWO big steak sandwiches. Yeah, at the meat market I found a sirloin steak that was reduced for "quick sale". Sliced thin and cooked medium rare with sauteed red peppers, onions and garlic swimming in a bed of olive oil and butter. Put on toasted french bread, more butter and olive oil of course, and a big blob of feta cheese salad dressing on top. Like Ida says "what's not to love?" I'm watching too many cooking shows during lunch break. 

This morning, I'm procrastinating. I don't want to start tiling even though I know I should. I've already walked to the garden by the lake; it's dried out and yucky. The zucchini, squash and green beans, toast. Sadly, there may not be any more cukes either; sorry Coop. 

Then I walked to the garden behind the shop and picked a few cherry tomatoes. The pole beans I planted a while back still are not making fruit. I'm beginning to wonder if I didn't plant a sack of weeds. That's what they look like and their bloom is light purple. I've never heard of or seen such before in my life. The peppers are looking sad and wilted. I've decided if it doesn't rain today, I'm gonna have to put the sprinkler on tomorrow. I don't want to. 

I don't want to tile either and that's not like me. I guess I'm just dog tired and need a small vacation. Speaking of which, a friend of Dave's asked if he and I would like to rent his condo on Tybee Island. Did you know Hanna Montana is making a movie there? Ducky tried to rent a condo/house a while back and could find nothing; everything was all booked up. The Ocean Plaza, where Dave and I usually stay, is filled with all the movie stars and crew. I heard little Ms. Montana even sang with our buddy who plays at the Sting Ray Bar and Grill. Wheetie, also a friend of ours, whose daddy lives on Tybee Island, told us they had built a park on the beach with a ferris wheel and all other kinds of fun stuff but that they were going to tear it all down once the movie was finished. It sounds interesting if nothing else. Dave and I had planned to go see Dr. Boy and his wife the same week so I put the ball in their hands. They can either come up or we can go down. Either way, we can visit, make sand castles, eat shrimp, drink cold beer. I don't care one way or the other. It's not about the location, its about the togetherness. 

Well crap, time is slipping away and the floor is talking to me from the other room. I won't mention the names it's calling me.... Must be time for another b-12 shot. 

Klf 

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Where to begin? Life is a super speedway right now. No sooner than I wake up Monday morning, Friday is already knocking at my door. I'm now measuring my days in activities, not the date. 

Two days last week, I put up pickles. I have it down to a fine art now but it's still hot and heavy work. 

Monday: Tilled the garden behind the shop, planted okra (which by the way I noticed was coming up on Saturday!).

Tuesday: Picked cucumbers and a few zucchini, put up pickles, grated the zucchini for the freezer. 

Wednesday: Yard machined the back yard, washed my car, mowed the front yard. 

Thursday: Had my teeth cleaned, went to a couple of stores to buy Father's Day gifts and cards, and the grocery. 

Friday: Picked more cucumbers, put up pickles, made my first cheesecake and Dave a steak dinner. 

Saturday: Gave the house a lick and a promise, made a huge pot of beef stew, a small pot of Mexican dip for chips, finally cleaned and washed out the chicken coop, braided the garlic that has been drying for a week or so. 

Sunday: Movie day.  

The only project that I've been dragging my feet on is putting down the floor in the new computer/baby's room. I didn't know if I wanted to put carpet down or what. I've decided on or what; peel and stick flooring; easy peasy, Japanizie. (That line came from Shawshank Redemption I watched yesterday; one of my favorites.) 

Anyway, cleaning and working on the floor won't happen today, maybe tomorrow. I've got a dang doctors appointment at 2:30~ It ruins everything having to go to town especially during the middle of the day. Can't do this, can't do that because right when you get things going, time to take a shower and hit the road. It's going to be hotter than nine kinds of H E double toothpick today too. The AC in my car likes to blow cold air on my feet and that's all. Oh well, she has been a good one for the past nine years. I guess sooner or later things start to act up or decide not to act at all. It's about time for an oil change so maybe I will get them to look at that too. Probably charge me an arm and a leg, and next months rent... 

On one of my water breaks Wednesday I called to check on my old boss and spoke to his wife. Heart breaking news; he went blind, is now practically bed ridden, and refuses to eat. Mrs. Maggie said it was sheer torture to watch him struggle day after day. I absolutely, and positively HATE that word; cancer. I can't stand what it does to people and the ones around them. It rips my guts out and makes me want to crawl into a hole. I'm such a coward. I cried the whole time I was ripping up weeds. Such a wonderful man for something so terrible to happen to. Why all the good guys? I don't understand but I prayed for him. She said he was ready to go. Mustn't dwell on that, it will drag me down to the pits of you know where. 

Happy news; Cherry went into pre-labor last week but has since calmed down. It won't be long now before I have a bouncing baby boy on my knee. From the sonogram, she thinks he looks like a Luke Jeremiah but Oliver David and Patrick are still options. I feel like I'm on the Scream Machine at Six Flags going up, up, up, tick, tick, tick... getting ready for the big plunge into Nannyhood. Yeah, that's what all the woman are called in our family who are grandmothers; Nanny, Nan and we even had a 2Nanny. I guess I'm going to join that wonderful league and my heart sings thinking about it. 

"Nanny, I want a cookie~ an oatmeal raisin cookie." 

"Well of course you do Boy, and Nanny has one made special; just for you~"

Klf

Pearl Jam, Off He Goes

Know a man, his face seems pulled and tense
Like hes riding on a motorbike in the strongest winds
So I approach with tact, suggest that he should relax
But hes always moving much too fast
Said hell see me on the flipside
On this trip hes taken for a ride
Hes been taking too much on ...
There he goes with his perfectly unkept clothes
There he goes...

Hes yet to come back, but I see his picture
Doesnt look the same up on the rack
We go way back

I wonder about his insides
Its like his thoughts are too big for his size
Hes been taken, where, I dont know? 
Off he goes with his perfectly unkept clothes
And there he goes...

And now I rub my eyes, for he has returned!
Seems my preconceptions are what should have been burned
For he still smiles, and hes still strong
Nothings changed, but the surrounding bullshit
That has grown

And now hes home, and were laughing like we always did
My same old, same old friend
Until a quarter-to-ten

I saw the strain creep in
He seemed distracted and I know just what is gonna happen next
Before his first step, hes off again

I remember Rodney

In High School I had a friend named Rodney Newcomb. And although he never said as much, all the kids that sat in the smoking area had an idea about Rodney and his home life.

It was a vague understanding amongst us heathens, as Rodney's busted lips and bruised arms conveyed a most picturesque scenario, that his Dad was a raging, brutal alcoholic. And as the time I'm speaking of occurred during the seventies, probably a drug addict too. 

I don't think a mom was part of Rodney's picture as there were just whispers here and there running up and down the concrete stoop which we perched precariously upon day after day smoking our Marlboro Red's of just him and his dad living in a beat up trailer on "the po side of town". He pretty much wore the same clothes everyday and he and them went without the benefit of Tide or Ivory soap. None of which mattered to me or the hoodlum's; that curious cast of characters which occupied the area outside the gym. We all loved Rodney; respected him for his tenacity. 

Ever see a movie containing a jester performing for the King's Court, face made up with a fixed smile, prancing around for every ones amusement? That would be Rodney, only the smile was real and his antics were a constant hilarity to us all. He had flowing, wavy brown hair and if I had to pick someone who I think he resembled most I would have to say Peter Frampton. A very, very handsome young man even in jesters rags. 

Rodney almost never had lunch money when he skipped into the smoking area before the first bell rang, nor would he take charity or what he called "a hand out". It was insulting to him and he would rather go hungry. I remember one day a boy tried to give Rodney money for lunch and Rodney told him no, but he would do a flip for a quarter.  

So it came to be when Rodney pranced into the smoking area every morning, if someone had an extra quarter to spare, he or she would flip the silver disc into the air and yell, "how about a flip Rodney?" Books or what ever he had in his hand would go flying and Rodney would do a forward flip where ever he stood~ trying to beat the quarter before it landed.  He would then get himself, as well as his things, up off the ground, walk over and pick up his earned quarter. Some mornings he couldn't pick his books up fast enough before someone else would yell; Rodney flipping all over the place, his pockets jingling, ring~ting~ tingling.  So that's how things went. 

In this day of everyone wanting something for free, without working, without any effort on their part, the constant gimme, gimme, gimme a handout, a bailout, I remember Rodney.  

Klf

Bambino

Cherry and the Quiet Man stopped by today on their way home from the sonogram. It looks like the little fella (and it is confirmed that the baby is a boy) is sucking his thumb. 

The tech also said he had a head full of hair. Cherry said that it was no wonder she has heart burn so bad! 

It won't be long now.... 

Klf 

That's a nize...

As promised dearest, over here is the recipe for the cheddar biscuits. Oh so yummy! I'm making more this week-end. Oh, and I grated some extra cheddar and sprinkled it on top prior to baking. Crusty on the outside, airy and light in the in. You can also make these the day before and put them in the fridge for the morning :)

Yesterday I made AJ's Famous All-You-Can-Eat Bread & Butter Pickles. I went into the garden Wednesday morning and oh my gosh at the cucumbers! I would post a picture, but no time. I've got to get back down there this morning before it gets too smoking hot to handle. 

I also picked enough zucchini to grate up 9 cups to pop in the freezer. There were some real whoppers (or as I like to call them "home wreckers") down there that were no good to cut up and eat but good enough to grate and use for bread this upcoming winter. 

I'm starting to feel like "The Ant" again and that's a nize...

Klf