Lawyer With Humor and Medical Update

My youngest daughter is now into her third month of healing after seven surgeries, a skin graft, and in home wound care.  She is still here with her six year old son, Z.

Today's visit to doctor was not what we wanted to hear...the bone may never heal.  On the bright side all the screws and wires are holding her bone together. Doc said the bone would not crumble so Maria can begin to test the foot a little at a time.

The man who was responsible for the accident did not have insurance.  It's true.  He didn't and there's nothing that can be done to help Maria with her lost car, lost wages and for right now, lost ability to walk.

You know what trouble I get into when I start thinking, well, I thought anyway.  I came up with a brilliant idea to show him as an unlawful and unsafe person. I compiled a letter to the editor for local newspapers.

That letter was some of my best writing, I thought.  I crafted it carefully making sure only facts were used.  I spun a tale that would make a repo man cry and a lawbreaker run for high country.

I decided to send it to my lawyer first to make sure the letter was not slanderous.  He replied it was a good letter and by no means was it slanderous, HOWEVER, he would not advise me to send it to the papers.  Why? you ask.  Well, my lawyer knows me and he said the man would reply publicly and, knowing me, I would respond and on and on. The lawyer said he could see no benefits for me or my daughter by publishing this letter. Then he made my day by saying, "Gail, you can never win a pissing contest with a skunk."

Oh, My...

I just realized I have been lax in my posting but sadly have had little to say.  I'm all talked out.  I'm stuffed to the gills with wonderful and some strange food.  The litter from opening packages is cleared. The next to last guests have returned home.

There is some sense of order in my world again. I am comfortable with order.

I sit in my area crocheting, checking now and then on the injured daughter still here.  Zander plays with Legos while his mother naps. Monday we return to the doctor.  Some one comes here three times a week and does what ever they do with a wound vac.  

Tuesday we drop Bonnie at the vet's for her shots, check up and spaying.  Hubby has a doctor's appointment the same day.  I'm hoping I don't get the places and patients mixed up.

Wednesday I take recyclables to turn in an hour away.

Friday, Zander's school begins again.  Monday Andrew's and Jake's begins.

And we begin the year to do it all over again.  We are grateful and blessed.

Happy New Year.

Conversation With a Six-Year-Old

"The dogs got me wet"

"Is this too close?"

"Can I dig here?"

"I'm going to throw sticks for Lil"

"Look, there's a werewolf."

"Werewolves ARE real!"

Returning home before the werewolves come out.

Boy Adventures Or Running With The Pack

Boys, dogs and water

 are an interesting combination

on an extremely warm Autumn day.

No problem finding adventures

Heart warming to see cousins helping each other

I'm holding my breath but no one falls in the water.

It was difficult to keep up but

I returned with the same number 

of children I left with today

I Think...

All heroes don't wear capes.

Everyone can get along.

Tears are as real as

raindrops.

Mark Harmon is not the only guy

who can rock this haircut.

Funny faces are fun.

Fires can be like revenge

especially with thorny plants.

Doing It Over...

This is one of our figs that had produced quite well in years past.  It grew so well I did not even want to trim where it knocked repeatedly against the window.  I decided while it was dormant I would prune the intersecting limbs and give it more room to grow.

Then our winter killed it back to the roots.  We won't have an abundant crop this year but we will have figs. At first I thought I had killed it but the one I did not trim died back to the roots also.

This past week I decided to trim it back.  There were plenty other plants mixed with it.  The wisteria which Dad planted and wished he never had, the Virginia Creeper and Granny's rose bush had made quite the stand here.

All the dead limbs were removed plus all the invaders.  I used some of these for stakes for other plants. Then I burned!  The joy of seeing all your hard work reduced to ash that will feed the ground is indescribable. Maybe I just like fire.

Oh, no, I needed more to burn!!!  I started weeding and pruning all the bird poop plants from the fence. Honey suckle, Virginia Creeper, briers and seedlings were joyfully added.  I am over run with Money plants so many of them were pulled and placed on the fire.

With the green added I had some great smoke.  Burn, baby, burn.  These ashes can be added to the garden.

I had some help

and some more help.

I decided to weed my water garden

and clean all the climbing vines so you could see the fence.

I'm gonna have to quit

This is too much work.

Only three more corners to clean.

Zander for Two Shoes In Texas

My contribution for Two Shoes In Texas ...a weekly prompt.

How we walk through life is our choice.  May we all choose the right path.  With a new walk you transition onto your next path this proud grandma wishes you the best.

Today and always may you be a winner!

Editing Dummy Here...

I am working on a clip so you can finally hear Andrew play.  I have no idea how to begin but just know I am trying.

I, the photographer, am fired. I have fired myself.  Andrew has practiced twice with the new 289 Band since they have changed things up.  Two old members remain four were added.  

Andrew was the only invited "special guest" with the band.  The Izard County Consolidated High School opened this act with their school band.  The entire band played well.  I'm a sucker for sax and horns...they were great.

The theme for this show was the history of rock and roll.  Chuck the writer/announcer/guitar player told the story as we traveled from the forties to the present.  We heard Beatles, Sonny and Cher, The Turtles, CCR with John Fogerty, The Carpenters, Beach Boys, Bob Dylan, Stevie Nix, Booker T and The MGs, Janis Joplin, Elvis, Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Lynyrd Skynyrd The Kinks and many more I can't remember...not because they weren't good but because I forgot!

Andrew played three solos I think and was on stage playing back up the entire time.  He had been there since one o'clock and the show ended at nine.  He was tired but still had energy to get phone numbers

from some fans.  A young lady wanted him to join her in a talent show.  She sings.  He plays.  That's all I know.  Andrew ain't talking!

The crowd was great.  Hoots and hollers from old gray haired people...that includes me. Many people stood up during one of Andrew's solos.  He played solos in Hey Joe, Pride and Joy, Green Onions and more that I've forgotten.  Next time I will take notes and no pictures.

"...and the crowd went wild" was true this night.  The radio station from another county was there broadcasting live.  A good friend suggested maybe the radio has a recording of the complete performance

This was the best family photo I could get not including me, Hubby, Jake (middle grandson) and Stormi, Toni's daughter.  I was happy to catch this many in one spot with SOME of them looking at the camera.

Left to right:  Zander (youngest grandson, son of Maria), Toni, (nephew), Maria (daughter, Andrew's mom), Melissa (oldest daughter, mother of Jake) and our star of the night, Andrew.

I am so proud of Andrew's God gifted, self taught talent.  I am proud of all my family.

It was just a magical night.  

Soon, I promise, I will figure out how to edit film and make it small enough to post.

May your day be filled with wonderful music.

For Poetry Jam: Steps

If we're lucky
Our first steps are
Hopefully into
Trustworthy arms

The next steps
Are guided
By loving hands
Keeping us from harm

Then we climb
Step after step
Planning our choices
Are charmed.

For Poetry Jam:  Steps
and for my grandsons:
Andrew, Jake and Zander
May all your steps be true.

The Past Few Days...

 Jake prepared for the two day youth deer hunt.

No luck but there are more seasons ahead.

 I have a new bright spot in my room.

I recovered my ottoman.

 Trees downed from ice storms and tornadoes past
have been re-purposed

into fence posts.

 I saw many Turkey Buzzards in the air

 and on the ground.

Hubby informed me it was breeding season.

Always one to question I wondered

 how they could lay eggs this late in the year.

I'm just telling you what he said.

He said they "bond" now and breed

laying eggs early in the year. 

You'll have to take his word for it.

No way am I googling Buzzard Sex.

Fair warning...I have believed him many times

and he has fooled me.

 We crossed the great Norfork Lake at speeds too high for good photos.

Evan Zander became four.  I keep him every afternoon between Mom go-to-work time and Daddy come-home time.  How in the world did I ever have time to work at a paying job?

My Main Men...

Tractor Man and Andrew

Jake and Zander...

all the men I need!

A Rain!!!!

 The worst drought since 1937 has affected many states.  Stockman are selling out and farm are drying up.  Tuesday we received a great blessing.

My youngest grandson and daughter running

through the beautiful rain.

From my porch

I captured the downpour.

I did not measure it.

I only said, Thank you.

June Bugs In March

The June Bugs came early this year as has every thing.  Nothing is doing what it is supposed to be doing according to my memory calendar.

When I was a child (and I didn't grow up to be a serial killer) I captured June bugs.  I tied strings on their legs and let them fly while I held the string.  The bugs were released after play time, usually unharmed.

This pass time was such a thrill, I passed down that tradition to my children and to my grandchildren.  March the June bugs emerged extremely early.

The joy of the bug kingdom is passed to another generation.  The same way it was passed to me.  One feed sack string, one June bug, and lots of fun and learning.  Aunt Marcy passed the experience to Zander this week and it was a roaring, uh, buzzing, success.