Little Bits of Little Things That No One Probably Cares About

 1.  We have an old plastic dish from a Chick-Fil-A promotion (circa 1990ish) that states "YOU are special."  One of Mike's high school buddies (circa 2001ish) was dancing around our kitchen proclaiming how special he was because he was eating off of the "YOU are special plate."  Mike didn't miss a beat when he said, "You are special because you are eating off the dog dish." That old dish is still used for feeding the pets-- and giving me a wonderful memory whenever I look at it.  That was funny then -- it still is funny now.  

2.  I was out taking pictures of the flowers the other day before the rains.  Flowers, and birds, and butterflies are just like God's little gifts to us.  I am convinced that anything we can do to help our bees, butterflies, insects, and birds enjoy their time on earth is a good thing.  Butterflies are like flying flowers.  

3.  Anna (18 months) talks-- a lot.....I just don't understand her.  "A-ba" is a go to for many things.  She has been calling Mary Michael "Dough-Da" and Sally "Yeah Yeah".  "Mamamamamamammana" is very distinct.  "Dada" is clear and precise.  "Nana" makes my heart melt.  BUT what I really like how she uses sign language.  The funniest one is when she slaps her thigh to get one of us to "come."  That is the universal dog signal that her mom uses for Samson, their gigantic, black rescue dog. Anna doesn't miss a beat.  

4.  I have no problems wearing a mask.  I pretend like I am invisible.  My lipstick use has gone way down.  

5.  I am thinking of writing a book entitled, "Shit that Parents Shouldn't Need to Tell their Kids."  My fact for today is "don't take a dog to a swimming pool or a funeral."  I am not talking about a legit therapy dog.  I am talking about the family pet that might .....well, the Weaver animals aren't the best behaved in the group.  (I know, I know...they have plenty of personality.).  Don't even ask why!  True stories. Thank goodness it wasn't one of my biological kids.  Molly, Dan-- don't take dogs to the swimming pool or to a funeral.   If you have a tidbit of things that society might have forgotten to teach young adults, let me know.  This should be hilarious.  

6. The afternoon rains are terrific in my book.  My plants are enjoying them even more.  God does a great job of watering.  

7.  Because I am trying to be fancy, I put pine straw around my shrubs and  flower beds.  It looks great for about 5 hours.  Then, the pets think that this is a special place to go to the bathroom.  No lie.  There's acres of woods and my animals like the flower beds.  Humble pie is served daily around this place. See number 5 about the Weaver pets.  

8.  I started watching the Waltons last week.  Each weekday afternoon, John Boy and Company are on the tv for two hours.  (I have started recording them. I don't sit like a bump on a log for two hours....okay, most afternoons I don't watch for two hours). The Waltons have a special place in my heart..I watched them every middle of the night for the years between 1986 and 1988.  I am enjoying them the second time around.  

9.  My summer reading program has kind of started.  I am learning how to use audio books and e-books that I check out from the public library.  I have not selected an author yet (for most of my life, I select an author and read all their books from Memorial Day to Labor Day.)  (Yes, sometimes it extends past Labor Day but I have gotten to read lots of great authors.)  Sheryl Wood, the author of the Sweet Magnolia series, is a front runner this year.  So is Elin Hilderbrand....I am reading Golden Girl right now.  Elin Hilderbrand won-- I'm enjoying her stories of Nantucket.  

10.  I look and listen for Mr. Biggles each morning when I come downstairs.  Bigs always greeted me with this MEOW signifying that obviously I had forgotten that he hadn't had any fresh food or water for at least eight hours....and I sure needed to get him fed before I got a cup of coffee or really opened up my eyes. We have had at least one cat since 1975...Bigs was unique.  He was the nicest cat I've ever known.  Each morning I look for him before I'm really awake.  I do miss him.  He was a tuxedo cat with a top hat personality.  

11.  Italy vs. England soccer is on my mind.  I enjoy the spirit of the Europeans.  Go Italy!

The Pets' Heads are Falling Off, but Don't Worry....I've got the Gorilla Glue

Seriously, I write lots of blog posts in my head....I usually do it between 2-3 a.m when I can't sleep.  I am brilliant at that witching hour.  I am witty, urbane, pithy, homespun, a delight, a gem, a regular Erma Bombeck of Bluebird Hill.  Then I get up, grab a cup of coffee and start living the dream....

It's the end of school.  Summer is coming.  This is the first year since 1955 that I have NOT set foot in a school building.  I am still pondering that one.  Life moves on.....and my head is full of .....stuff.  

Pandemics:

Are not for the faint of heart, are they? I thought, and thought, and thought about the entire mess.  I am scared of being an asymptomatic carrier and giving the COVID-19 to someone.  I know myself well enough to know that no way do I want to wind up in an ICU but I would hate to give it to someone else.   I have had too many people I love die this year....and I've been embarrassed my some of the people who I know with their foolish behavior or words when talking about Covid-19.  (Like, have they NOT been washing their hands? YUCK)  I got my vaccination....a woman I don't know told me I had been infected with the DNA of Lucifer after she heard I had been vaccinated.  I told her that Bill said my personality had improved.  The vaccine did nothing to improve my sassy mouth.  

My knee:

Between running from the six foot snake in June of 2020 ( it was a rat snake-- a good snake-- a big BIG GOOD SNAKE) to stepping on the old cat in July of 2020,  I now walk like Chester on Gunsmoke.  Yes, I know I should go to the doctor... but it didn't seem worth it at the time.  Now, I don't know what I'd say to any MD..."Well, ten months ago...." I figured out the other night (that 2-3 a.m. slot is full of fun) that maybe they would amputate my knee.  See how full of crazy my head is at that time?  Not my leg-- amputate my knee! I don't get real het up about doing most things medical....a dear doctor friend told me once when he was drunker than Cooter Brown-..."5% I help, 5% die, 90% get better no matter what I do. " I guess I am not going to win "Best Taker Carer of Themselves" for 2021.

  

Raggs, the Diabetic Dog

At the end of December 2020, Raggs was diagnosed with diabetics.  He has to watch his diet, exercise and take two shots of insulin per day.  Raggs is my little white dog.  He is a Maltese that runs my life.  He's ridden to Iowa with me numerous times and he is just my 'good" boy. He's doing better thanks to Dr. Brandon Pinson, Raggs' vet and all of the wonderful people who have helped him get better.   Raggs is a champ.  

The Grand Girls:

Mary Michael is ten, Sally is eight and Baby Cakes (Anna) is one.  They are terrific.  Mary is a rubrics cube solver, wall-climber, outdoor girl; Sally is a tiara-wearing, mermaid loving, unicorn riding girl, and Anna.... well, she's my cat-loving, sign-language speaking, dumpling (FYI:  Anna says NANA perfectly).  Molly and Brad have had their house full of virtual school, Truist Bank, one year old world, Sampson (the new, huge black neurotic rescue dog), doll houses, climbing shoes, Minecraft, knitting, guitars and bicycles.  

My buddy, Lynn, asked me if I was going to write anymore Cat Wranglings....I told her I was thinking....I need to just publish this and start fresh.  Life is good.  The hundreds of blog ideas I've got running through my head and heart need to be written so I better start getting them done. (Winners make commitments and losers make excuses.)  I've got the Gorilla Glue (to glue my seat to a chair) and as Alice Cooper wailed, "School's Out for Summer." Time to "get 'er done.