Procrastinating

Oh dear, it's been eleven days since I entered anything. Mom and I have been trying to catch up on watching DVD's. We really enjoyed "Enchanted" and "Elizabeth" and "Elizabeth: the Golden Age" and "Hitman". And "3:10 to Yuma" and that made for TV movie "Flawless". And all Five of the "Harry Potter" movies, which Mom said she didn't want to watch, because she didn't like Harry Potter. Truth was, she didn't know what she was talking about, because she came in right after I started the first one, and watched every minute of it. And said she DID like it after all. Then we watched the rest. (two days) And we have been watching American Idol, and Dancing With the Stars. I need to take time out tomorrow and clean floors. Guess we won't see the kids this weekend. I think they went to Dagmar and Jo's today to get one of the BMW'S worked on. Scott's. And Amy got a promotion and a raise. Woot!
We are hoping for rain sometime in the next few days. The plants are all growing.

Obama

Speaking as a long term Republican, I have been surprised to find myself drawn to Mr Obama as a future President. He is literate, clear, and I agree with him about everything I hear him say. In the speech he gave today regarding his Pastor, and politics and racism, it was like having someone else express my views. I think if he gets elected, he will try to really be a Public Servant, and not just someone who is playing politics (like Clinton or McCain would be doing). And that would be a good thing if anyone else in Washington would cooperate and work with him. Which I'm not sure they would do, but it would be great if they would. For so many years, I have been hating the people running for office. It seems like we have been having to just pick the best of a bad lot. I have always said this was a great country, where, if you are unhappy enough with the people or the system, you have the right to find like-minded people and band with them and work for change. Unfortunately, most of us are too lazy or involved in our own insular lives to do anything like that. Now, here is someone who is saying all of those things I have been feeling. He said about his Pastor and his Grandmother, that they both said racist things which he did not agree with, and that of course, he would cut neither out of his life. That's a good thing, that he can accept the good and the bad in the people close to him, but not cut them out of his life because they have different ideas, no matter how misguided. We all do that every day with our families and friends. The media seem to think he should, what?, join a different church? Disown the Pastor? That would do exactly what he says it would do, and perpetuate the hate and insularity that is already in existance. How can you change someone's mind or have any influence on what they think or believe if you have nothing to do with them? No, you have to stick around, and work to show people what you believe in. After today's speech, I'm voting for Obama.

My magical front flower bed

Since my Mom came to live with us, the flower bed in my front yard, which is a Chinese Tallow Tree and some Purple Nandinas and some Asian Jasmine on an oval raised mound on the West side of the yard has become a magical place where all kinds of wildlife has found refuge. At her old house, she always talked about the screech owls which lived in a tree close to her bedroom window. She said she could hear them every night. Okay, there may have been some. Now it seems they have followed her here! She says they are in my front yard now. How she hears anything out there with the drapes and blinds and window shut and the snoring (she does snore) is beyond me. Especially in the summer with the AC on. I think she may be hearing the rush of her own blood . Then about three weeks ago, there were three Inca doves in the back yard at the feeder, probably passing through on their way South. We saw them for two days, and since then have not seen them. But in Mom's mind, they are living in the enchanted front flower bed with the screech owls. And we saw a possum in the back yard one night. (He has also taken up residence in the magic bed.) I do know that there are White-winged Dove who stay in the tree eating the little white tree seeds. And occasional stopovers during the day of robins, jays, mockingbirds, cardinals, grackles, starlings, and sparrows and many squirrels. So this 12 x 10 foot area, in her mind, is a hotbed of creatures. And I guess that's alright. It gives her mind something to do. It doesn't matter that if you go out and look at the area, there is really nothing there. Which she has never done. And as long as she doesn't, it can be a magical place where she can imagine all kinds of things live. What's going to be next, I wonder? I'll keep you informed about the wondrous place my front yard has become.

Being sick and getting better

Since my last post, I managed to get a UTI that laid me low for a few days. Thank heavens for Levaquin. Now I am feeling much better. Didn't feel like cooking for the kids this past weekend, since I got sick on Wednesday, and was really bad on Thursday and Friday. We did get to visit with them, though. They came by on Saturday evening on their way to the grocery store (And brought the laundry for me to do in my new wonderful washer and dryer. ) and we got to chat for a while. Then on Sunday afternoon we took the laundry back over to their house (because the weatherman said it was going to be raining on Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday) and looked at all of the improvements they have been working on. Scott had planted the Tropicannas and the confederate rose tree. Both seem to be doing well. And Amy has new light bars and hardware for the hall bath she is remodeling. So neat, Southwest style with Kokopellies and stuff.
Talked to Ashley, and she gave me a hoot, she's exploring her new ability to order drinks in restaurants, and this weekend she and her friends decided to be Irish, (St Patty's Day) , and worked on developing their inner Irishman at the parade and later trying to see how much they could drink. Hopefully, they will move on to the next big thing before their livers are ruined. lol We all have to experience life in our own way.
Turns out the weather was not bad on Monday, just warm and dry. And it stayed warm all night. The front came through today around 8:30am, and dropped the temperature 20 degrees, (YAY) and brought the rain (finally). It's noon now, and it looks like about an inch and a quarter in the gauge, and still pouring. That's okay with me, I love the rain.
Now George and I are trying to figure out what to fix for lunch with the food we have on hand. (Both vehicles have been recently washed. lol)
Anyhow, it's great to feel better. One thing about being sick, it makes you realize how much you love being well. lol

More Snow!!

It happened again! We got another round of snow! Here we only had about an inch on the ground when we got up on Friday morning, but to the north of Dallas, there was mucho snow. Denton got 6 or 7 inches, and Azle got 9 to 10 inches. Unbelievable. On March the 6th! But that's probably all the winter we'll get. Got to remember to spring forward this weekend. I hate losing that hour of sleep. Wait! Why should I? I'm retired. I'll just sleep until I get ready to get up.
Amy called and said the master cylinder on her Blazer went out when she was getting ready to turn into her neighborhood and she went sailing right past her turnoff. Luckily for her, there were no cars stopped at the next turn, and she was able to get into her neighborhood and creep home. It won't be fixed for a while since the garage couldn't get to it for a while. Think she is going to borrow George's truck so she won't have to drive her Z.
Last night we had company (Deb and Jim) and played Mexican Train, and visited. It was fun. But George came down with a virus late in the evening, and by the time company went home, he was having major abdominal issues. He was up every hour going to the bathroom. Took his temp today, and it was below normal, so it's definately a virus. Hope I'm not next. And Mom sure can't afford to get it.
Guess the rest of the weekend will be quiet.
I'm really enjoying the new washer and dryer. They are great.

Snow and the grandpuppy

WORKING ON IT... blogger only lets me post one picture at a time! I'll upload them to another page and add a link here.

SNOW!!!!!!!!

Yesterday was Ashley's birthday, and it was 80 degrees and we grilled out steaks, and had baked potatoes and salad and Granny Bes's lemon yellow cake, visited and had a good time. Around 4:30 it started getting really cloudy and sprinkling rain. Overnight, we got 1 and 2/10ths inches of rain, and the temperature until about 2:30 AM was really warm. Like the mid to upper 60's. Then a front came through, and it got colder all day. About the time for everyone to go home from work, it started sleeting, and then by 7 it had changed over to heavy snow. Now it is almost 11PM and the snow is about over, and there is a lot of white outside. But I'm sure it will be gone by morning, even though it is supposed to get down to 30. The ground is really warm. But it was pretty while it lasted, and gave us some much needed moisture, and a lot of beauty. Ash and Jayme ran around in the snow all evening. They just came by and took pictures in my back yard, and had a snowball fight. Now it's time to clean up and tuck down cozy and warm for the night. Nite nite everyone.