Hoe day?

Pizza Boy, that's hoe day!

Bad company

I spent the weekend hanging with a pretty rough crowd. You just never knew when a wrestling match would break out.

Change of address

My mother has become a homeowner again. After several years of apartment living, she just purchased a brand new condo at a bargain price. She’s having the best time planning her move, buying furniture, and thinking how she’s going to decorate it.

When she and I were discussing her new home, she pointed out that for almost all her adult life, she’s always lived in new houses. With one exception (an old apartment complex in St. Paul, MN), she and my father always bought (or once built) new houses. Even the apartment she’s currently living in was new construction. I wonder how many people can claim that?

I was relating this to a co-worker who said, “Hmmm, she sounds spunky.” Yeeeeaaaahhh, that’s not really a word I would apply to my mother. Not really.

Mom, when it comes time (and it won’t be anytime soon) to write your obituary, I hereby promise the following:

I will be sure to mention that you were Engineering Queen and a member of KKG. It’s up to you if you want to include PEO.

I promise not to use the photo of you with the napkin ring in your eye.

I promise not to say that you liked to bake and play cards.

And I sincerely promise to never, ever refer to you as “spunky”.

You’re welcome.

A royal visit

Princess Surfer Girl paid a visit to the library last week. It's always nice when royalty makes time to mingle with the commoners.

Welcome to the family

The apple

doesn't fall far from the tree...

Cookie Time!

Cookies always taste much, much better when they are delivered by Scouts as cute as this one!

Important text message

I am texting you on my cool new cellphone to wish you a very happy holiday season!

Ladies who lunch

When having lunch out with the girls, it's important to carefully look the menu over to find out what sounds appetizing. Waiter, how is the macaroni & cheese today? Excellent! I'll have that, and bring me a carton of your finest milk.

Sssshhh!!

You know that game you teach babies about animal sounds? "What does the cat say?" "Meow" "What does the cow say?" "Moo" and so on. My 19-month-old niece Maggie Bea has been learning some unusual ones: "What does the wolf say?" "Aaaoooooo!" "What does the opera singer say? "Laaaaaaa!" Her aunt taught her, "What does the cowboy say?" "Yee hah!" I taught her one too, and this is what her mother reported to me yesterday:

Maggie Bea very randomly says to me this morning: Mama …Linnnaeriaaaan…(garbage talk I can’t understand)

Mama: What honey?

Maggie bea: Linnneariannnn….shhhhhh

Mama: Shhhh? What are we being quiet for?

Maggie Bea: Linnnnearrianann…shhhh …Mama …collie…linnnnearrrian…shhhh

Mama: Oh…What does the librarian say?

Maggie Bea: Shhhhhh

We got through it together!

You are inspiring little librarians everywhere

That child is SO in my will!

Srey

I'm sorry that the summer is over too.

One big happy

Now that all the grandchildren are growing up and spreading out, it gets harder and harder for all of us to get together. Fortunately, this weekend, most of the family was able to meet up and celebrate my mother's 80th birthday. We sure do laugh a lot when we're around each other! Mom was surprised and thrilled by her iPod and stereo--now she can download the Black Eyed Peas and Lady Gaga with all the other disco kids.

I had to miss the petting zoo excursion ("CORN!!") and I forgot to take pictures during the actual birthday party, but here are some photos of us in action:

Girls' weekend

We had a really nice weekend up north with just the girls. Sliding, ice cream, and baby bison were all on the agenda. I'd tell you about picking wood ticks off the dogs, but Kate says I need to toughen up.

Happy day

We drove out East this past weekend to attend a family wedding. The bride was beautiful, the wedding was lovely, and it was nice to see family we don't see nearly enough.

Lots of love and best wishes to Nate and Elizabeth as they begin married life together!




**Click on the slideshow to see it in album format...

Guess whooooo?

My sister and brother-in-law often have a houseful of guests, but even they were surprised by this little fellow who showed up in their fireplace recently.

Little Pigwidgeon here was checked over by a wildlife rehabber, given a drink, and sent on his merry way.

I had my own screech owl encounter some years ago at my parents' house. I stepped out of the house into the garage, only to discover a little screech owl sitting on top of some shelving, about two feet from my head. Caught off guard, I was the one who did the screeching.

Thanksgiving aftermath

It's fair to say that a good time was had by all...lots of eating, Da Boys went hunting, we found some great Christmas trees, I learned a new board game called Dominion, and I came back with a cold. All in all, you couldn't ask for anything more!

For Parky Toenail

Happy now?

Baby bug

An evening out

This year, for my mother's birthday. my sister and I bought tickets for a k d lang concert. We went to the concert this week, and it was absolutely incredible. k d lang has the most beautiful voice, so full of power and beauty, and to see her perform live was wonderful. As a fan, I left the concert liking her and her music even more.

My mother asked me what my most favorite concert ever was. I told her, quite honestly, that I could never single out just one. I don't go to many concerts, but the ones I do go to are pretty darn fantastic. I've seen huge rock concerts in arenas with thousands of people, and smaller, theater-based shows that let you get up close to the performer. What they've all had in common for me, and why I enjoy them so much, is the sheer pleasure of the music. To watch professional musicians perform, and perform beautifully, is a pure delight for me.

In her concert set list, k d lang included her cover of Neil Young's "Helpless"; it's one of my favorites:

Baby toes