Where There's Smoke...

... there's fire!

Yes, the smoke you see and smell in the air today is from fire. THREE fires to be exact!

Where? Waaaay up in Quebec, Canada! The forest fires are so big, the jet stream has been able to swing the smoke from those fires all the way to the NH seacoast!

The smoke is giving me a bit of a sore throat but the weather forecasters assure us that the jet stream will shift tonight taking the smoke away from here and bringing rain tomorrow.

Have a great Memorial Day.

I was going to trim the lawn. (since B never edges when he mows. I know... I should just be happy that he mows at all! I would mow, but I can't start the machine! I have NO UPPER ARM strength) Something has happened to the trimmer. Motor runs, the trimmer string doesn't. I did get the hedges trimmed.

A "Nerd in Training"?

Carlotta seems to be enjoying her time in the Tennessee hotel where her parents are attending... a comic convention!

I noticed the "Wicked" blanket she's wrapped up in so my guess is Carlotta is well on her way to becoming part of her generations version of "Trekkie's".

Whatever!! ... Nonie still loves her & can't wait for a visit in June!!

Some More Princesses Photos 5/27/2010

Zee Swims! ??????

For 2 days in a row, the mercury in NE has topped 90 degrees. This means our A/C units are running, windows are closed tight and our cats do not understand why their favorite windowsill perches no longer have cool sounds like chirping birds.

They have taken to discovering new places to explore.

This morning, Zee found out that she enjoys splashing in water. I left a bit of water for her in the tub, threw in a few floating toys, covered my bathroom floor in towels and left for the day.

She loved it!

Now That's How It Should Be Done!

On my way home from work tonight, I got a phone call from B asking about dinner. I was running late and still had errands to finish so I told he could surprise me. He made Parm-crusted Haddock w/Roasted veggies, very nice.

See? A simple phone call, words exchanged and me... still in a good mood!

Of course, seeing that he put in the window air conditioner units (w/o me begging him, though he does need to switch them to the correct windows)... and had the house cooling down...

PRICELESS!

Gardenia Update!

Well, my Evergreen gardenia has done well with its repotting and it seems to be looking healthier now that I mist its leaves at least once a day. The yellowing leaves have returned to a green color!

Will it bloom? It does appear to have BUDS, though they may just be some new leaves. I mean really! How would I know if those things are buds or not! I hope so!

That's all folks!

Waiting at the Dentist

Going to the dentist is NEVER fun. Today was my "fitting" for partials and I was hot while waiting for my turn. T must have sensed I needed a distraction and sent me my daily photos of Carlotta. I hope T never forgets to send me a daily photo!

Best Picture Ever... so far!

Look at Carlotta holding her head up! I am so excited to see her and her mom!

A Photo Entry for My Blog

Here is Carlotta modeling the latest baby fashion trend in leggings! Her mom wore leggings a lot (her choice!) though she denies ever liking them!

Carlotta is practicing her smiles to show them off to me in person next month!

Zee is enjoying the afternoon stretched out in the sunshine on the bathroom windowsill.

Gardenias

Today, I repotted my Evergreens' gardenia plant into a much larger container. B's employer, BeliMed, sent this plant to us back in February, in honor of our late baby granddaughter, Evergreen.

I'm pretty good with plants outdoors, but indoor plants baffle me. I believe this gardenia to be an indoor plant.

I've done some research and have learned that this plant does well both indoors and outdoors, in the South, where heat and humidity are found in abundance. There's not much help for New Englanders who are trying to care for gardenias. We have heat and humidity, but not as much or as often as this plant would like. Strangely, it does not like to be watered very much. I'm supposed to let the soil get very dry before watering and to NEVER let it sit in a puddle of water. Misting the leaves once in a while is OK.

So, is there any worthwhile advice out there for me on the caring of a gardenia plant in New England?

I do not want to let Evergreen down.

Asleep

T says they're off for a quick lunch and Carlotta is sleeping with her hands folded... as usual.

Daily Pic

So So Sweet!

And So It Goes...

ET, Phone Home!

T says this scarf is a favorite toy for Carlotta!

ALSO...

I started some seedlings indoors w/the kiddos last month. They're doing well and can be transplanted soon. Today was warm and the weather for the next several days calls for warm to hot temps so I took a chance and planted some seeds in the garden.

I want to see which plants do better this summer. The ones that we started indoors OR the seeds I planted today.

We also planted some sunflower seeds for fun!

Can't Get Enough!

Yeah! She likes laughing too!

What a SMILE!!

Maybe that joke wasn't funny enough!

A Quick Pick-Me-Up!

Why Does It Bother Me?

The other day, I came home late, C was cooking. I was happy she was showing maturity. She made a nice meal.

I came home early today, with the intention of cooking. I stopped at the store, got items I knew could chew (gums aren't fully healed yet) and my family would enjoy. I'm the one who normally cooks the meal so why would I think to call home to see if others were cooking? Since I would be home earlier than usual, I THOUGHT I would have the house to myself for a while.

NOPE!

B was in the kitchen cooking. (while tasty, it was nothing that I can chew yet) I immediately felt ticked off! I know he's looking for kind words, after all, he was doing something nice, just like C did last week. But for reasons beyond my comprehension, his actions irked me. Was something wrong with his phone? I normally do the food prep. He usually gives me a heads up when he is in a helpful mood or wants to cook a specific dinner.

Then there's the being home earlier than me. I need my DECOMPRESSION TIME! Why must those people already home feel the need to seek me out and "hover" near me and try to engage in "small talk" the moment I walk through the door? Whatever good mood I may have come home in, goes out the door with all the "hoverers".

Are these feelings and mood swings part of my "change of life"?

I don't know. I believe I've made similar feelings known to my family throughout my life.

I'm in a better mood now after venting my thoughts on my blog.

Thanks for letting me ramble!

Back in the Day...

As I post ANOTHER beautiful picture of my granddaughter, Carlotta, I had a fleeting thought. I bet my girls are happy that "blogging" or "posting on Facebook" had not been invented during their younger years. Their embarrassing baby pictures would be EVERYWHERE now!

BTW, Carlotta is trying her best, in this photo, to lift her head up! Hard to believe she's old enough for such things!

RED?

OK, I'm taking a poll. Does Carlotta look like she has a head of RED hair? Hmmm. Maybe just the lighting when this picture was taken.

Dinner Surprise!

Tonight, B and I spent a few hours with friends, eating, talking, playing a game and laughing. I love to laugh.

Just after dessert, my phone buzzed, alerting me to an incoming message. This picture was what I received. I love this little bundle more than laughing!

AWWWWW! Too precious!

What Binky?

Is it just me or is Carlottas binky almost as big as her cute face?

Day of Pictures

Tutoring worked! C went from a very low grade and brought it up to an A+! Go C!

Today was picture day and a dry run on how well the grownups can dress these tiny dancers for the upcoming dance recital. Kaya and her friend Ella love the "Daisy" costumes the best!

T has been very good at sending one or more sweet pictures of Carlotta! She looks like she enjoys a good laugh now and again. Or she just "let one fly"!

Shhh. She's sleeping!

A Nice Surprise

I received a late afternoon phone call from Krista telling me she was in a traffic jam and it wasn't moving. She would be late getting home. This happens more often than not, so I wasn't surprised.

However, when I finally walked through my kitchen door just before 6pm, I was met with a sight I haven't seen in some time and while I was surprised, I was very proud!

There was C!

She was COOKING SUPPER without being asked to do so!

I'm not sure what's going on with her. Last week she asked to do the food shopping that week and volunteered to do (if we paid the bill) the food shopping every week.

Now this ... cooking a meal w/o being asked!

My baby girl is growing up! Or she's trying her best to ensure a good birthday gift from us?

Either way, it was a delicious dinner of Chicken A La King (NH Lambert style)

Another "word" From a 3 Year Old

T says she's too long for the camera to fit her in just one picture!

AND...

UPPA-SATED

What does this word mean?

Kaya tells me that she isn't uppa-sated when her brothers won't play with her.

Uppa-sated means: upset and frustrated.

She also has begun having her imaginary friend, Lizzabef (or Liz) over the house for visits. One can tell when Liz is around... bracelets appear on Kayas arms. She becomes Liz and really stays in character.

Liz is mean spirited and tells me that Kaya cannot have any other friends but her. Should I be worried?

My girls never had imaginary friends. This is new territory for me.

Happy 2nd Birthday to Gracie! (Zee's 1st b-day next week!)

Today, I received my first "NONIE" card from Charlie. Actually it was a Mothers Day card from her and her parents, but didn't she do a wonderful job coloring the envelope?

This is Zee. She turns 1 year old next week but is celebrating early with her Aunt Gracie who turns 2 years old today! They both enjoyed the extra treats and the new flavor... MILK!

And here is my bestest cat... GRACIE! She is a huge cat! Not overweight, just a big breed. Check out her front paws! Happy Birthday to my cats. C turns 19 in ___ days. I need to remember to devote a blog entry to her birthday or she might get jealous of the cats! HAHAHA

Look What I Found While Surfing the 'Net!

On occasion I look through other peoples blogs. I sometimes can get bored or down on myself. Reading blogs about woes or triumphs of others helps me to feel better about myself.

Any way, T has a few friends in Radford and one of them has a photography blog. These pictures of Charlotte were posted on her most recent post.

Not sure if I've met her, but THANK YOU for taking such adorable pictures of an adorable baby!

and Even More Pictures!

Well, at least 1 more! T says she sleeps with her hands clasped more often than not. I am sooo excited to see her during C's senior week! Will C be the only graduating senior with a niece?

Happy Mothers Day 2010

I got 3 pictures of Carlotta today! I'm sharing them with the world. Isn't she a sweetie?

See? It's Fun to Get Pictures!

This is Carlotta! Adorable!

So Excited!

Every time T sends me another photo of Carlotta, I get more excited for their upcoming visit in June! No matter how poor the resolution is of the picture, I still look forward to seeing pictures. Since I haven't been able to see Carlotta, with her living in VA and all, I wish T would send me pictures of her every day! Peace Out!

Field of Dreams

It was a beautiful day to visit the playground called... Field of Dreams.

Of all the playgrounds I've visited, I like this one the best. It's under trees, keeping most of the place in shade. There are meandering walkways, stairs and tunnels to keep kids imaginations going. A zip line, tires, swings, sand, climbing structures ( a 4 car train) and slides.

It's the slides that bring me to my blog entry today.

These kids stay clear of slides. They don't like the tube, twisty ones. If they know for certain I'm at the end, they MIGHT try to go down one but usually not.

Today, they found friendly kids to play with who were braver.

Over an hour passed with the kids having a blast! I was beginning to relax and enjoy the fresh air.

When...

I heard her cry. Very soft at first, then a strong, dramatic change of tone as she noticed her hands were covered in blood.

She had followed her new friend down a slide. The friend stuck her dismount. Kaya did not. She had taken a dive into the sandy pit, landing hard on her nose. I haven't seen a gusher like this in a long time.

Thankfully, I had brought some ice water bottles and paper towels (don't ever say I'm not prepared!). I was able to stop the bleeding and calm her down.

Blood was all over "THE DRESS" but with cold water, I was able to save it! Not so lucky with my Tshirt! My brand new $5 Walmart special! Ruined.

Five minutes later... "What bloody nose?"

Just a dream now.

The Digital Age

The past hour and a half in our household should have been filmed and made to be the newest sitcom. It would have had fantastic ratings!

Comcast is now Xfinity and insists that all their customers get upgraded with new boxes and remotes to accommodate their "On Demand" features. They believe everyone has the new, bigger HD TV sets!

Not us!! We have a 15 year old 21" set (and three 13" sets in various rooms). We don't subscribe to "On Demand". We have Basic Cable with Expanded Service (for the Sox games) so WHY do we need to "upgrade"?

B and C have been going from set to set, calling the help line, talking to themselves and each other as well as "substitute" cursing the technology. I'm not helping as it's my birthday, I'm taking the night off.

The cats have enjoyed finding lost toys under the entertainment centers that were moved to get to the wires in back of the TV.

As long as one TV set can let me watch "LOST" at 9pm, I'll be OK, though I'm enjoying the home show too.

Green Peas

My concentration has been off for a few days with tooth pain and extractions. I'm feeling much better and enjoying some canned green peas for my dinner. They are soft enough not to split my gum stitches and with some mashed potatoes, it's almost a complete meal.

I need to thank C for taking time from her last 2 days of vacation to fill in for me at Kristas. By the looks of Kaya, the kids didn't miss me much. Thanks C!