Jake

This photo has nothing to do with anything at all. I'm just enjoying playing with my new camera. We went to the farm this evening just to check on everything and water the flowers. Jake wound up getting all muddy in the pond, and he found an old plastic whiskey bottle that he was having fun with retrieving. I don't know why he does this - whatever he carries around he'll drop it on the ground and then roll on it on his back ---??? What for, I don't know, but he's always done that. Silly dog.

The sun was going down about this time and we didn't get to stay long. The days are getting shorter now and this evening had a lovely golden glow on everything the sun touched. I love those kind of evenings...

Well, gotta go to bed. I'm sleepy... see ya tomorrow.

New Shutters

How do you like our new green shutters we put on the farmhouse? I rather like them. They kinda give the house a little more color. It stands out a bit more. My daughter wanted white, but her dad and I thought the green looked better. I'm pleased with 'em.

My roses are doing ok. They are "Knockout" roses, and very low maintenance. They don't give off big showy blossoms, but they are pretty just the same, and you don't have to do much to them. That's what I need - I have a brown thumb. We still haven't gotten to the shrubs nor have we painted the front porch. Been waitin' on dry days. It's been so hot and humid lately and we have had some rain, so it's better to wait.

Hubby has been cleaning out the garage today, but he got everything out in the front yard, came down with a bad sinus headache (the mold & ragweed are off the charts) and he's taken some medicine and is asleep right now. I get those nasty sinus headaches, too. They almost make me sick at my stomach. Not a migraine, but boy do they hurt! Anyway, it looks like we're having a garage sale at our house or we're white trash living here. I'm sure the neighbors are wondering what's going on over here....

Hometown Pageant

Hi people - I'm back and taking a little breather before we hit the road again. We've been so busy the last few weeks with the hometown Pageant that my daughter is in. She's a Lady in Waiting, and we've had trips to buy fabric in Dallas, trips to the seamstress, trips to the Court parties, to buy tiaras, working on her train, etc. It's been wild. I'm ready to collapse.

The big event happens in a couple of weeks over a two weekend period. We have a parade with floats, bands, horses, Shriners, clowns, etc., that coincides with our high school homecoming, a Revue, and a formal Ball. It's a big to-do. The whole town comes out for it. There is also a concert one night, a midway with rides, an arts/crafts fair and lots of carnival food.

Thought I'd post a couple of pics of my princess for you to see. It's a big deal in our hometown, and alot of fun for the girls who love to dress up. Princess was SOOOO disappointed when her Sr. Prom was over cuz she wouldn't be able to dress up again until she got married. UNTIL, she begged and pleaded to be in the Pageant. We caved...

My house is struggling to stay afloat right now. Not from Ike - from laundry, dishes, dust bunnies, and whatever the guys track in. I'm afraid it's going to sink! Oh well, I guess the housework will still be there after this is over... And I'd be lyin' if I said I didn't enjoy this as much as Princess is!!!

New Camera!!!!!!

HI!!! I'm baaaaack! I have a new camera and not much time this morning before work. But I did take a neat pic whalago (that's what we say in Texas) right outside my back door. We have hundreds of acres of land behind our neighborhood and from time to time get to see various wildlife. (it's also quite amusing to see the cows get out and run amuck through our back yard & into the neighborhood. I have to chase them back through the barbed wire fence with a broom.)

Well, I guess you could see these guys just about anywhere, but I was lucky enough to watch these little juvenile dove for about 30 minutes. They were on my patio, huddled together staying warm. Yep, that's right - staying WARM. After Ike, we had a little cool spell, first one. Always comes right before the East Texas State Fair. It's about 60 or so outside I think with a light breeze.

ANYWAY, I was ironing my husband's shirt & pants for work and spied these two cuties on the patio and grabbed my new camera to take their picture while hubby is standing there in his undies waiting for his clothes (first things first ya know!). The dove didn't move while I took their picture. In a few minutes, one of the parents came down to check on them - of course, the parent was alot more cautious and I didn't get its pic, but oh well. I threw bread crumbs out and the babies didn't move a muscle. They stayed for a while longer and then I guess their mama called them.

It was a good excuse to use my new camera. It seems to be working great. It's a Canon PowerShot G9 w/ 12.1 megapixels. My daughter and sons will NOT be touching this one. In fact, my husband told me to hide it and if they DID see it, for them not to touch it, look at it, breathe on it, or even think about it.

Hope you all have a wonderful day - be sure to check out Margo's blog and view all her photos from the Junk Bonanza that she is going to post hopefully today! Can't wait to see all the fun she had! Later ------------------------

Changing Jobs

Don't think I've mentioned this before. My husband is thinking seriously about changing jobs. He has worked in the petroleum industry for 26 years. Practically the same job all his working life. He's worked for a great company - small independent company - but the job has changed, the owner is aging and has himself changed and my husband is no longer challenged, and alot of other junk that I'm not going into. It's just time - we have to think about our future. At 51, it would be better for him to make a change now than to wait 5 years. The longer he waits, the less appealing he will look to prospective employers, ya know?

This has been something we have been thinking about for the past couple of years. I was ready a year ago, but had to wait until HE thought it was the right time. God's timing is perfect, tho, and perhaps we needed to wait until I could get through my illness and depression earlier this year. We're thinking either very soon or after the first of the year. I know he's scared. He's never had to do this before. Nearly all our friends have gone through this, but not us. The thing is - he can't look for another job until he's already quit this one. It's just the situation of his boss finding out, and my husband wants to do this on HIS own terms and not on the boss's.

Is it just me, or does it seem like it's sometimes harder for men to have faith in someone other than themselves (i.e. God) to take those scary steps that must be taken? Seems to me like men usually have the mindset of being self-sufficient, in charge and in control, being the boss, the breadwinner, etc., and when it comes to letting go and letting God be in control, it's really hard for them. My husband, A, we'll call him, is a good Christian man, strong in his convictions and has a deep faith in the Lord. But this is a big step for him, not having a new job already. We BOTH have to have faith.

The Lord has always been good to us - always seen us through the storms of life, the up times, the down times, the lean times, the bountiful times, and we know He will continue to do so. He knows our needs before we even ask. We know that this change has to happen, sooner or later. We think soon, very soon, when A feels the timing is right. My prayer is that the 'event' will go smoothly, that he and his employer can end on a good note, that A can find the right job preferably here in our town (our parents are aging), and that if this is not meant to be, that something will change in his present job that would keep him from making this decision if this is not what the Lord intends. I'll keep you posted!

I have officially lost my camera. I HAVE to get another one. I'm lost without my camera.....