Pucker Up, Baby!

Good Friday Morning All!

And what a day it was for us in NE Wisconsin! At least in the afternoon. At one point I seriously thought of unplugging and "UN~batteryizing" my weather radio. (But gutless me did neither).

Hot. Sunny. Muggy. (And very, very windy). More than overcast as I planted my next batch of peas.

Roberta helping me out, and Gabriel playing in the sandbox; when of a sudden a very bright flash of lightning

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...followed by a giant clap of thunder.

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I told Roberta to take the baby inside.

Punk remained out by me, as if to watch the skies for me...

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As the thunder cracked, she stopped in her tracks, with her stick in her mouth!

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I kept planting... Just a drop of rain on my back, then nothing but a darkened sky. About 85 degrees, with a 30mph wind, so it wasn't bad at all out there. (But I will be surprised to find out how crooked the plants come up; hard to keep the seeds in one place)! hehehe

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Everything getting pretty well blown over...

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Casey had gone over to Judys to help her out with a few things. Roberta had a 5:30 test at her potential new job. Gabriel took about a half hour nap, and then was back downstairs. Not really refreshed either. And a bit sassy. When he'd backtalked his Mama, she had begun to count to 5... (Uh~Oh, Mama's mad)!

Roberta was closer to the dining room, and I had an eye on him to see what he would do when she counted... Then promptly busted a gut on what he did next.

...(And NO, this has NOT happened before yesterday)...

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Looking at Mama, he showed her what 'one' was. ~Then 'two'...

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So how could anyone remain upset with such a precocious young man?

Miss Punk had her annual appointment yesterday morning. Miss Casey had brought her in to the vet. Doc Spires still wants to do that X~ray to see how her back half suffered from her accident...

(Click here if you do not know what happened to Miss Punk when she was 3 and a half weeks old)...

I am just so afraid of 'putting her under' for that xray. I had a 3 month old puppy in HS that had gone in for a hip surgery, and had never woken up from the surgery. I cannot stand to even think of that, and to possibly apply it to Punkie then. And what CAN they do about it now anyway? Perhaps I am just too afraid to find out...

Casey returned home about an hour later, with a years supply of the Heartguard; and Punkin had received her rabies booster, and her Lymes Disease shot as well.

And YOKES!, $200.00+ later, Casey told me that my Little Miss Punk is "overweight".

ummmm...

...WHAT ?!?!?!?!

Now who in their right mind pays someone else $200.00+ to have him insult their dog??? (Therefore I must NOT be in my right mind)! hehehe

But I did find it (almost) laughable that last month she weighed in at 88.9 pounds and she was fine. Now that she is 90.3 pounds, she is fat? Hmmmm.... She is over 28" at the shoulder... And I will put her on still a more restrictive diet. (And she will probably gnaw on me while I sleep)... Oh well, I guess I could stand to shed a few pounds too!

Anyway, after Master Gabriel had shown us his math expertise, he had wanted to play with Punkie. We tried to tell him that she didn't feel too good that she had been to see her "doctor" and that it is always hard on her when her back is manipulated in any way.

And so, (being smart as a whip), he did what any normal compassionate 20~month~old would do under similar circumstances...

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He gave her a BIG smooch!

(Works like magic too)!

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As (my) luck would have it, everybody was gone by the time my weather radio started having conniption fits.

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I took the next two pictures BEFORE the storm, (and yes, even BEFORE any rain had fallen)...

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I do NOT know what was flying through that first picture.

Maybe a pterodactyl? hehehe

How about a flying stingray?

(I had seen nothing when I had taken the picture; focusing instead on the rainbow)...

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Later then...

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After the storm began to break up, came a glorious picture of peace.

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There were many tornadoes around the area; the closest to here was about 25 miles away in Shawano. Lots more north and east of there too. Many without power, (and sadly, a few without homes too).

And I am very lucky that the raunchiest storms were not in Flintville... I hope you are as blessed today!

Have yourself a great weekend!

XOXO
Anne

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PS :

I do TOO know that "UN~batteryizing" is NOT a word!

hehehe

Popping Corn and Peonies!

Good Morning Everyone!

It is 50 degrees as I begin to write, and I am even a bit chilled here. (Better than being hot and sweaty though so I am definitely not complaining).

On Monday morning, Casey arrived with my little boy~bundle. Roberta had planned on going to a job fair, and needed a sitter so Master Gabriel came right along with his Auntie Casey! He was a bit hungry himself, but he demanded to feed Miss Punkie first...

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One little nugget at a time! (Miss Punk LOVED it)!

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I made lunch then, turning my cooked chicken into Chicken ala King... A few mixed veggies, and a drink, and Gabriel was down for a nap,; belly more than FULL, diaper dry, he was warm and cozy. (He napped for over 3 hours)!

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He awoke very bright~eyed and bushy~tailed too!

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Casey made a snack... POPCORN! And they munched together, herself and him...

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...while Miss Punk waited and drooled; hoping for a few kernels of her own...

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He got his own little cup for popcorn too!

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It sure didn't last long; (& needed to be refilled a few times)!

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Roberta arrived at that point. Hopefully she can get a better job at the old AMS too. She is trying, and as always when you are the sole parent, it gets to be a bit hard at times too. (Too many of us know how that goes already). As Berta sat back on the love seat, Miss Punk had seen a leftover popcorn kernel... And since she couldn't get through another way, she created her own path...

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Right over the top of the love seat... Shocked us all, but funny too!

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Yesterday was spent mowing the lawns, and the very overgrown ditches too. In some places, the weed grasses were over 6" tall too. Had I waited another day or two I could have just cut it all for hay! hehehe

I sent Casey to town for new tires on her car. (She needed them so badly, the neighbors actually knew it was her coming down the road). She had a belt on two of those radials that had let go... When she got back, she thanked me and said it was just like driving a brand new car! She was so happy. She spent the rest of the afternoon putting her new seat covers on, and cleaning her car. (By the time she left to go to Family Night at Dereks, it even looked like a brand new car)!

The peonys have popped wide open with these rains we have been having. Looked so pretty even when I was cutting that I had to get the camera (of course) when I was done with the mowing...

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Yes. Yes. I DO know that there are a few weeds in there too!

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But by far the biggest weed yesterday was this one...

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Casey~Face!!! ...hehehe

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Not to be left out, there came another weed...

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A very LARGE weed...

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...An "E~NOH~MOUS" WEED...

hehehe

Yeah sorry, I watch too much "Little House on The Prairie" on my lunch break!

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And so today I shall try to attack those overgrown weeds in my garden. My friend Judy had stopped by yesterday morning, having gotten done with work early. Casey told her she would help with her yardwork today, so that should be fun for BOTH of them! (Yup, while I am here, digging out weeds with a gutter spike). Poor little me... hehehe

I hope you all have a "Wunnaful Wednesday" !!! ...It is to storm this afternoon so I will be working fast and furious to be done with all that before the rains come today. (I don't think I want to be out there tomorrow as the hot and muggys return. To be near 90 then). Today is only to be the low seventies...

Ah~h~h~h~h those lower 70's!

my personal (and ever so perfect), 'Comfort Zone'...

XOXO
Anne

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Broken Clouds, and Bleeding Hearts

Welcome to my waterlogged world...

...And Good Morning to all!

Was your Sunday as soggy as ours was? WOW! Once the clouds opened up, there was no relief from it, and no hiding either.

Poor little Punk got soaked more than once, just having to go potty! And the fields, so meticulously planted over the past week, are now quite ruined... Those tiny Romas will probably need to be replanted...

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Taken 3 days ago...

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And yesterday to have wound up looking like this...

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Quite waterlogged; with a few rivers running through too.

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Sorry it is not from the same angle, (but I had already had my morning shower). I snuck up to my bedroom to take that shot... ...Leaned out the window, and my arm was completely soaked by the time I pressed the shutter! And it came down like this, steady, for a couple hours... it just kept coming!

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Pouring off the roof of the back entrance here...

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And bouncing back up off the roof of the pumphouse...

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A bit of thunder and lightening; but again, nothing severe either. Am quite interested to see what this latest weather will have left my own little garden with... It is still raining, and can hear the rain on the tires as the occasional car drives past; a whishing sound that isn't there when it is dry...

The forecast for today? Storms. Nuff said.

CaseyAnne and Jenny Mella did a bit of shopping for me the other day, taking the Rendezvous to save her gas... Now, for some unbeknownst reason, Casey does not believe that there is still enough venison in the freezer. (But she did inform me that my ABS brakes are working just fine).

And so that deer was not obliterated by the Buick. (Although the poor thing probably drowned yesterday)!

I have been up for hours already, and am going to try to get back to sleep for a bit before I go out and assess the overgrowth of my weeds...

Hopefully a few things can be salvaged as there is quarry rock under the farm and so it drains quite well. But I am not holding my breath either.

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Blurry or not, I don't think these little Hearts would have survived...

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Nor do I think these tender petals would have survived either...

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This is ARK Weather in Wisconsin; no doubt about it!

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And it seems good as any, my reason to go back to bed!

Have a WUNNAFUL Monday!

XOXO
Anne

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Ark Comic stolen from (CLICK) HERE

Froggy Fog... & A Baby Giraffe!

Good Sunday Morning to All;

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I awoke this morning to a pitiful bark coming from the kennel...

Miss Milly most certainly does NOT like it when she has to go somewhat blind in the fog. (Gee, I know people like that)... Looking out the window, I am having a hard time to distinguish the form of the old shed, even under the yardlight.

(Yup, foggy)!

Once Miss Milly heard Punk and I outside, she quieted down accordingly.

The fog comes on the heels of more than a few storms, (thankfully none severe)...

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On the way back from Suamico...

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And this one, arriving about 45 minutes after that one...

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In between raindrops, Casey had a bit of fun with the dogs, singing to them(?) and making them wait for their treats...

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These two dogs, being the epitome of 'patience'...

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then she makes Miss Milly 'dance' for her pigs ears!

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And after that, Punkin, to be bored once more because it's raining!

(AGAIN)!

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Still... this rain, so badly needed, and so good for my weeds too!

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And how they have almost swallowed up the 100 lb rock by the barngrade

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I won't even begin to discuss what these rains have done to my garden weeds...

Casey, out looking at the garden on Friday evening, saw the baby giraffe out by the woods. Came inside then to tell me ~and to grab the camera~ (bless her heart)!

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This picture, taken across almost 20 acres...

Do you see him, standing there?

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But it wasn't a giraffe, baby or otherwise... only a HUGE Sand Crane!!! hehehe

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But then...

THIS...

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"BIGFOOT" had chanced to take a stroll through my garden!

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.Such is Life in Flintville for the past few days... hehehe

On that note I'd better close. The drain in my kitchen sink was not working properly, and so I had used some L~Plumber. Still stinky in here from that.... Yes, I do have all the windows open, but I think the fog/humidity is not letting the stink escape... (Time for a fan then, and set to "high").

Kelli and Tim will be here to finish the roof over the back entrance. (That is, if the rain will hold off for a while)!

Have a wunnaful Sun-nie-day!!!

XOXO
Anne

PS OK, it is light outside now... The shed really IS still there!!!

Memorial Day 2007

G'Morning Friends...

Please...

If you are going to be going to any parades etc...

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Remove your hats.

Celebrate the flag.

Honor your veterans by getting up off your arses to see them pass.

Salute.

Cheer.

Cry.

Remember always...

And teach your children what Memorial Day is truly about...

Do anything but gather candy.

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I believe the following was written by Danielle Steel...

Just a few words for thought is all; not only for Vietnam, but for all who went before, who are there still, and all who are fighting now to keep us all safe... somehow.

And for all of those who are left only to relive this time and again; in their own minds, their own way, their own war with themselves... Believe only, They ARE in our own world.

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THE BOYS WHO FOUGHT IN NAM

Passed hand to hand,

the wishes,

the dreams,

the hopes of an entire generation...

An entire nation,

sent to war.

A score of old men,

leading our boys to die

while we watched in horror

in pain...

...and in disbelief

that we had to lose

so many of our boys...

Thier toys barely left behind.

Their eyes so young,

so bright

and so full of hope.

The fight so long,

so sad.

The pain so bad.

The wounds so deep.

Until at last

our young men sleep

in their Makers arms again.

Their names...

...carved in stone.

never to come home;

never to touch our tears again

Lest we forget...

Lest we grow old...

Our hearts must never be so cold.

We must run and hide.

We must remember...

...them...

...The boys who died.

Let it not be in vain.

Let us not forget the pain

the cries,

the agonies,

the braveries,

the heroes

and the smiles

The time that was

so long ago,

across so many miles...

In a land so bright

so green

Caught in a place

just inbetween

hope and lies

We must remember still.

We must promise that

we will always touch their hearts

While we still can

REMEMBER FRIENDS...

The boys who died,

who lived,

who cried...

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These Boys Who Fought in Nam

~~~~~~~~~~~

Have a safe and honorable day...

XOXO
Anne

Gravity...

Good Sunday Afternoon to all...

And yes, as I begin to write what will surely be one of my tougher blogs, it is still morning. Was up earlier and then back to bed for Round~2 of my night! hehehe Got over 5 hours off of Round 2 also! Cool.

You have seen the title above. Has it given you pause to think a bit? And no I am not referring the effect that gravity has on our bodies either. (Damned gravity anyway). hehehe If it hasn't affected you yet, rest assured it will...

Miss Dubya brought this to my attention yesterday, first with her comment on my blog, then an awesome testimonial, later with a note to me... She commented on the number of visitors, versus the number of comments. (She is, incidentally the gal who has probably saved a few of your pets too, as it is from here that I stole her pet foods link, posting and reposting it for you to keep checking for updates).

...And lest you not be aware of it, I DO take each and every testimonial as heartfelt and blessed to me! I thank you all for that!

Gravity... (or better stated as a question):

WHERE DO YOU FALL?

I am only asking where YOU fall within my friends on the 360. More than a few of you will be here 'til the end with me. (Of this I have NO doubt).

But Sweet Dubyas comments and notes are to be well appreciated by this girl... I have been blogging blindly for such a long time here.

But then a way silly & stupid thing happened to me last month... and I "lost" two players here...

I actually had the audacity to blog on April 30th.

... *gasp* ...

Many of you did.

Many of you didn't.

Most of you even accepted the fact that I had blogged etc.

I prefer to think it was a personal choice, not as anything akin to some sacreligious barometer of friendship. But two of you dropped me for doing so.

Why does my mind now recall the words: "Judge not, lest ye be judged."

...And so I blogged that day, and went about my merry way. And yes I did pay tribute to VT, and yes, I also wrote about respecting each others choices.

That blog, entitled "Silence" CLICK HERE

Two of you took my blog to mean other things, your comments being crystal clear to me. (As my own back at you should have been also). You chose to block me from reading your blogs, from commenting and even from writing you a message.

Namely this and that.

But NOW, one of you has not agreed with the other, so to speak after all this time. You have rethought your original idea of blocking me from your daily blogs. This is all well and good you know. And ordinarily I would always give anyone a second chance as it is. But the fact is that you came to as only one. And I do not care to be flouted that way. And there is no way to get past the fact that this is somehow being cruel to someone else that I held in the highest esteem for a long time now.

I did not ask for either of your absolutions, but I have been given something so absolute from your note too. I thank you for that. And it comes as NO suprise then that you wrote me off so easily then...

But just to double~check I did peek at both of your blogs... And found one that practically said it all, ahem, so to speak.

In the words of which I have copied here as you spoke of "friendship", and what it means to you:

_________

"They are overjoyed at your triumphs and cry at your falls. And when the tables are turned, you want to applaud their happiness and do anything to help them when they are down.

You also KNOW you have a loving, Christian-like relationship with a person like this because you can DISAGREE about something or have a VERY STRONG dissenting opinion about something, and still KNOW that you will be friends afterward.

You KNOW that you NEED NOT be AFRAID of voicing your opinion because you MIGHT set someone "off". "

____________

um... ...WHAT?!?

...(Shirley you jest)...

I pondered the now compromised validity of those words, and balanced them against how I had been treated by the two of you.

And I am sorry that Mombie sees those words as being nothing more than "convenient". This only makes her blog thoughts so very shallow... And also negates all of the 'friendly' feelings I might have held. Reading the comments then, and surely enough, there was one from CMM too!

My thoughts...

• Friendship is NOT a convenience.
• Friends are real people.
• People with real feelings and convictions of their own.
• "Real" friends are NOT disposable either.

It was the two of you who chose to abort this friendship, and now you come to me to 'fix' it?

My heart does NOT allow for this.

I am thinking that would fall under "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me"

Being merely human, I have neither the appetite for fools nor the patience of a saint... Do not expect me to.

And tomorrow I shall go back to blogging and writing; and maybe telling you a story or two of my days and ways... That is all I know to write about anyway, and I try to do it for those of you that have taken the time and made the effort to be, and to remain, my friend; and hopefully that you consider me the very same.

There is a gracious respect for all that have ventured here; although I cannot be entirely cordial to my lurkers either. That is just me.

Know that when I pull my chair up to your own table to share your own lives, I will be pulling this chair up to the table that seems the very most inviting.

When I write, I do not try to shove anything down anyones throats... (well maybe THIS entry anyway for just the two).

I do not hide behind my own bible, and I do not judge... (Unless you have asked for an opinion from me)...

And know too that I do ask for your own opinions EVERY TIME I HIT "POST" WITH MY ENTRY. And it goes right back to Dubya's comment... Her own words will prove to be hauntingly accurate. hehehe ...As most of her blogs are also!!!

I apologize for my bitchiness today. (but yeah, I am still smiling)!

Have a grand Sunday, and an even better tomorrow... I do not think that "Happy" is a way to describe Memorial Day, so I will not be wishing you a happy one. In my own thoughts, it is too solemn for that. So just have a grand Monday too. Be safe, have fun, and get back home in one piece.

GOD BLESS AMERICA!

XOXO
Anne

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BYO Steaks!

Good Morning All;

As the fields have given up their own 1st crop of the greenest hay, so have my own little plants given up their own 1st crop of the best chives. The above picture showing one tray of those yummy chives! Casey and I took those in, cut them and dried them. I do have another plant out by the garden... But it has a few grasses that have grown into it also. I didn't figure anyone would be wanting to be eating those on top of their taters! hehehe

CaseyAnne and Roberta were here bright and early Thursday morning with some papers for me. And when Master Gabriel walked up I felt in my pocket for the camera. (Yup, there it was! Yay)!

And I SO needed to have this camera, because overnight this little man was magically transformed by his mama!

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From "Harry"....hhehehe...................... To Master "Mister" Gabriel

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Roberta on her way to work, dropping off one of her precious young men!

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He played "keep away" from Miss Milly and Miss Punk with the velcro football...

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And then wanted nothing more than a little push on his swing!

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After that, he reached down to pick a few dandelions...

And then he actually tried to smell them!!! (Sneeze Gabriel, SNEEZE)!

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And how nice to see this in the field on Thursday afternoon.

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The old John Deere, finally ready for clearing the field of the corn, to plant!

(And it so reminds me of being 'just a touch' younger)!

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Well then...

...As I typed those words above, Roberta telephoned... Seems our little man has gotten himself a fever... 102.0

She will be bringing him in shortly, as he was fussy last night too, but only with a mild fever then. She had given him some advil and put him to bed, (where he went without any further ado)...

She thinks it is a bit of an ear infection... (Yeah, the poor little kid probably caught cold from getting almost all of his hair removed)!

Yesterday those fields did get planted, and I shall have to take a pic or two of what it looks like now. I love it when the plowing, cultivating, discing and planting are done. And there are a few gulls that remain to try to find a few bites of food.

I didn't get any pictures yesterday as there was SO much else to get done in Green Bay. Casey and I left here before noon, and didn't get back til almost evening. When we returned, Miss Punk was SO happy to see us; and jumped and rancircles around us and the car!!! Casey has left to go up north with Derek and his family for the weekend... But as they have so much work to do still on a few apartments, they will probably be back tomorrow night.

We also stopped at the cemetery to kneel a bit for Reianna, (along with a few prayers for her babies, her brother, and always for her parents too).

...And our prayers for veterans, worldwide, that have given their time, their patriotism, and even their lives to ensure freedom for all.

From there to get a shot for my warring head... We had a few more stops then to make on the way home... (A bit bizarre as the shot leaves me sort of in a world of my own)... But I do remember the sticker~shock as we stopped at the pump to fill up my gas tank. $3.43 gallon! Holy crap!!! Somebody is getting their pockets full, somewhere while stealing from the rest of us.

And I shall stay home then for the weekend. Everyone will be here on Monday, and we shall have a little cookout then...

Wanna come? Hot dogs, burgers, and of course BYO steaks! hehehe

(I am glad that cows do not run on gasoline!

Hope you all have a great weekend. We are to get a shower or two here today, but nothing more. Just 70 degree temps and sunshine!

Hope too that you all have a little bit of that same sunshine in your own lives!

XOXO
Anne

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