Bank account of Happiness...

"a 92 year old, petite well-poised and proud man, who was fully dressed each morning by 8 o'clock, with his hair fashionably combed and was shaved perfectly even though legally blind moved to a nursing home today...

..his wife of 70 years recently passed away making the move necessary.

After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, he smiled sweetly as he was told his room was ready.

As he maneuvered his walker to the elevator, he was provided a visual description of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on the window....

.."I Love It", he stated with the enthusiasm of a eight- year old just having been presented a new puppy! "Mr. Jones, you haven't see the room, just wait."

"That doesn't have anything to do with it," he replied. "Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged. It's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it."

It is a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have choices, I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do."

Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away... just for this time in my life"

Old age is life's bank account. You withdraw from what you've put in. So my advice to you would be to deposit alot of happiness in the bank account of memories. "

Remember the 5 Simple rules to be HAPPY:

1: Free your heart from hatred.

2: Free your mind from worries.

3: Live simply.

4: Give more.

5: Expect less.

Thank you for your part of filling my memory bank I'm still depositing!

BOO!

Hope Your's is a.........................

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We are OK!

For those of you who have showed concern or are wondering why I haven't posted lately, please ..rest assured we all are fine. (although we have had a few clowns try and get us bucked off ..we know how to hang on ..this ain't our first rodeo!..you know!)

Mike is doing very well with his dialysis, as he's had only a few minor problems. The cleansing of the toxins from his body is showing now as his mind is clearing and he is feeling much better, although he really hates being stuck there in that chair, tied to a machine for so much of his day. Yet he looks forward to the conversations with the nurses and has made some friendships, and I am thankful as it gets him up and showered..the bane of his existence! But Mike's not a complainer... he is so strong...but I've sure learned that peroxide works well on getting blood out of your clothes!

We're waiting on the latest scan results, as he gets them tri-monthly and so far they have been clear. He will have his usual colonosopy in the next couple of weeks.

Other than that... we have been staying busy going to our grandkids many soccer games as Kaitlyn is on a elite soccer team and travels alot and Buddy Bear's games fill in the spare time...we love watching them play sports. They are so cute!

And Oscar..well he's learned how to tunnel under the covers ..its been cold lately!

I also have working a second job. I am loving it as I get to get out of my PJS and dress up like a real female! I get to get out of our home office for a couple of hours EVERY day. I know..Thank you, Lord! He does answer your prayers.

Tom is doing great in college and living at home... Amber is working on her masters, Wes is still running the family construction business as we are still in business, (hurray!!!!!!!with me still doing the books.

Bryce never did see that elk he wanted to mount beside Keely's elk, but they soon they will be going after their deer. And..Keely has gotten a new job, also.

So we all are thankful for keeping busy!

And today is my Mom's 81st Birthday! yeah! Hope to do something special for her!

Happy Bday Mom! We love you.

Thank you to those who have sent prayers and best wishes for Mike... and for me....it is sooo appreciated. God is listening because we are so blessed. I hope you too are doing well with yours.

ps. Don't forget me..as I never forget you..just been busy.....I love reading your blogs!

Those little Katydids are Gonners!

The old story goes something like this: A woman named Katy fell in love with a handsome man who scorned her and instead married someone else. After the honeymoon, the couple were found DEAD in bed! The bugs began debating whether Katy could have done it or not. So if you listen carefully you can hear them debating .."KATY DID..KATY DIDN'T"

Well ..Katy...you're not the only one to hate these loud little blabber-mouths! I have become to detest the bug-gers and there won't be any debating whether 'KayKay did or KayKay didn't'..'cause this summer...I seriously..got serious and brought out the big ammo and sprayed those bug-gers with some dreaded potent neurotoxin! And those katydids are gonners! I mean... geesh.. I don't like doing chemical warfare but ..come- oonnn.. it was them or my wonderful shade! ..and so far.. they were winning! So when the tuff gets going ..the going gets tuffer...no, that's not it..well you know what I mean! see some of the damage they cause!

So now... THOSE KATYDIDS ARE GONNERS!

My sad story started last fall when my kids thought it was pretty funny when they came over and heard lots of very loud and strange noises coming from my trees. The kids were saying the noise sounded like a hissing..maybe a jet sprinkler system. Possibly UFS's?? (Unidentified Flying Snakes) I figured they were teasing me...they like to gang up on ONCE in awhile.... cause I COULD NOT HEAR ANYTHING!

I mean Really! Nothing!


(could I really be in need of a hearing aid?)

Super-Sleuth that I am..I had to do a little of my own investigating..couldn't take my kid's word for it.. I figured they just wanted me to think I was crazy so they could get their hands on my money! (Bwaaha! ha! I've got them fooled... ..I've spent all my money!) So...the next day I went out ...at dusk..and sprayed the trees with a very hard stream of water and knocked out a whole freaking village of... them large

..GREEN grasshop..I mean..crickets .... aptly named Katydids...out of the trees! Theese things exhibit mimcry and have fantastic camoflauge, with shapes and color of GREEN leaves! They hide high in the trees so you can't see them.

( HELLO! Earth to Mars...I thought the trees looked a little bedraggled and needy.....but in defense of moi..it had been really HOT!) Well, they're not fooling me anymore! I'm on to 'em.
So, then I knew .. a trip to the ear-doctor was in order..'cuz not only did my kids now think they had proof I was a little senile ..they were also telling me that this hearing- loss thing was "just part of growing old"! "Oh..no...wait a minute there kiddos...I don't think so" I said.. "you don't lose your hearing at the prime age of 36! *snort* snort*

But then.. we have over 75 trees surrounding the place so I guess these bug-ger's songs were sounding off pretty loud!

Newsflash to My Adult Children: Our human hearing is not sensitive enough to hear the Katydids entire melody because their untrasonic range exceeds above the 20KHZ upper limit of our hearing.




Not only did we have a slow start for our growing season but this spring was filled with such horrid winds along with bursts of thundering rain so bad that after my lovely lilacs bushes finally sprouted with their heavenly scented blooms, the cold gusts ripped through them..leaving only barren branches. And now sadly... these long horned grasshoppers-hybrids (although they are more closely related to crickets)were growing fat on the leaves of my lilacs, vines, flowers, plums, apple, cherry and other trees! And to think...the poor little quail kept taking the heat every time a plant would disappear over night!

Don't get these bug-gers confused with the infamous Mormon crickets that keep been moving across Nevada -which by the way are closely related to Katydids- or even the related spittle bug,the ever sooo-loud Cicadas! The katydid can be just as devastating.

Katydids are in the family of Tettigoniidae and are also known as brush crickets. They are easily distinguished from grasshoppers by the length of their filamentous antennae, which may exceed their own body length. They are nocturnal and arboreally sing in the evening, as they have sound producing organs (via striation) located on the hindquarters of their wings, the males are song producing and the females chirp in response which supposedly sounds like "Katy did..Katy didn't" ..hence the name!

I thought last fall's blast of crop protection would have been enough.. I really..thought I had them licked... ..well..not really licked..licked ..although I think I did get a little malathion in my mouth! hack! hack! My toxicological tests did come back and the dr, said I had only killed a few millions neurotransmitters, the paralysis only lasted a day and the convulsions and tremors have pretty much stopped. (just kidding!) To my dismay...those musical mating rituals, last fall, produced more than a just few summer recitals.. as their green..little offspring made their existence know this fall! If there is one thing I have learned.. is TO COUNT your bugs before they're hatched! (uhmm..do bugs really hatch?) and spray..spray..spray! and then spray some more!





So I have and did... that is ..kaykay did....but this time I have used a bad-As#..wide-spectrum insecticide! Nope..no more messing around...(and no it wasn't the product you see to your right..a good product in it's own right..as I also have alot of spiders and ants, but that's a whole 'nother story!)

Disclaimer: Do not use if irration persists or if visual changes occur ..seek medical medical attention. If you are pregnant or nursing ..consult physician before using.


E.S.E.T.J.F.Y.

Extra Special Educational Tip Just For You: here in case you did want to know and if you didn't..I won't debate it: Did you know that some say that Katydids are weather forecasters. According to wise observers..it's 3 months until the first frost after they start singing..and during the late summer when they begin calling during the day from the deep shade..you can expect frost in 6 weeks!

(This one is trying to suck up to me ..well.. I didn't buy it!)

Shoot..I didn't expect to hafta take a class in entomology..or learn the life cycles of the Tettigoniidae....and I realize my vision will never be the same..but still..I bravely took one for the team (the trees, in this case)..only next time I must wear a mask .. ....

I think I have won the battle .. (yet to be seen if I have won the war..) Although I still walk with a limp ..I think it was worth it cuz.....those Katydid's better be gonners!!!

....and oh yeah.. my doctor confirmed ..I AM TOO YOUNG TO LOSE MY HEARING DUE TO OLD AGE! Sorry..I didn't mean to yell..it's just that I wanted to make sure my kids could hear that! Doc said it was the bug-ger's high frequencing and I was experiencing a slight loss of hearing stemming from inflammation from Lupus. So there my dear offspring!

Go Granny Go!

"A lady was video taping her son riding a skate board when her attention switched to an old woman trying to cross the road. You might need to watch it twice to get the full effect on the driver.

You can hear the photographer giggling as she records the event.

This is hysterical."

Is it my age or what but I can so relate to Granny!
I know, I know... I have been guilty of feelings of impatience, too, when it comes to how seemingly slow this world seems to work .. like the driver in the car.. we always seem to have someplace we need to be in a hurry! But...leave it to the elderly with their lifetime of experiences, to remind us that life will go on whether we get there on time or not. Old people are great for calling attention to the fact that we should respect our elders for all they have contributed to our life's and that we still have so much to learn about the world around us. That whatever it is of the most importance to you at any given moment is most likely not life threatening or even life altering. You know..remind us to stop and smell the roses! The world needs to slow down a bit. And allow us all to cross the road of life..more slowly and safely!

Simple Minds

Hey..hey..hey..hey..Ohhhh

Won't you come see about me..
I'll be alone, dancing ..you know it..
baby!

Tell me..your troubles and doubts..
Giving me everything, inside and out...
and...


love's strange, so real in the dark..

Think of the tender things that we were working on...
Slow change may pull us apart
When the light gets into your heart..baby



Don't you forget about me
Look my way, never love me



Rain keeps falling..rain keeps falling .. Down ..down ..down..down..

Will you reconize me? call my name or walk on by?

Rain keeps falling..rain keeps falling.. Down..down..down..down

Don't..don't..don't

~the Simple Minds~

Bliss and her tiny new daughter!

"Born ten days ago at a stud farm in the Southern State of Australia, this 15 inch miniature horse is yet to be named, but has already bonded with 12 year old Sam.
Silver dun tovero in color, she was given a clean bill of health and should reach 24 inches when grown.

The birth has generated such an excirement in the community that local people are entering a competition to give the horse a name. Owner Lee Scown said she wanted a name that reflected the tiny unique nature of the horse.

"It's the smallest horse I've ever had and she's so gorgeous," Ms. Scown said.

The horse is the smallest born at River Dance and it's arrival surprised even the breeder. "We were told the mare wasn't due for another four weeks but on Sunday morning, I walked outside and called her, and out ran the little foal behind her."

Going for a walk: Sam leads the way, followed by Bliss and her tiny new daughter."

My sister sent this adorable email and I just had to share it! She is so cute..what name(s) do you think would suit Bliss' little foal?

(my grand-daughter is good at coming up with names)