In Memory....

Brutus passed away the last week of March 2012. Come to find out Brutus had an enlarged heart...which is common in his breed to some extent similar to bad hips in large dogs.   It came as a major shock since Brutus showed no symptoms and appeared to be very healthy and happy up to the Monday evening when he first started showing very minute signs of stress.    He died Tuesday morning in his family's arms, at the doctors.

The next weekend the kids came home. It was a very sad weekend.  

Brutus was a wonderful friend and companion.  He was much loved by his family.  

He was a remarkable dog.  He never complained, never bit, never said a word.  He always went along with whatever dumb idea his family came up with (photo is case in point).  

Brutus was beloved of everyone.  He will be missed.

                                             

Annual Easter Egg Contest 2012: The Contestants

EggCycle Built for Two (this came with music)

Eggosaurus

Angry Eggs

Blue Egg Group

Jabba the Egg

Brown Eggcluse Spider

pEGGasus (this came with a light show

that was stolen by Eggcycle Built for Two )

E'gg'calibur

M EGG a Millions (with last weeks winning numbers)

PAIN IN THE EGG (like this contest i think)

16 and PR'EGGnant

Gotyegg (this came with a music tract and video)

Double E Eggs (signed by the artist..look carefully on right double E)

Easter Egg Contest 2012: The betting..

This year as the judges were busy judging ...... the contestants were busy wagering on BEST OVERALL THEME and FIRST PLACE. Everyone had to bet on both.. two bucks a shot.

The Judges (2012)

Our favorite judges ......

there were some rules this year.... not everyone should win an award... AND no throwing candy at the winners. (My sister made sure to remove all the free standing dishes of candy to prevent certain contestants from displaying any examples of poor sportsmanship. Apparently last year things got kind of wild. I wasn't there of course which is a good thing probably in case I lost).

Annual Easter Egg Contest 2012: The Winners! (cont)

And the winners are......

3RD PLACE: 16 & Pr'eggers! (Tommy)
2ND PLACE: Double E's eggs (Billy) (signed by the artist)
FIRST PLACE: Jabba the Egg

Oh.. late post.. MOST LAME: The GottyEgg (Megan)

The judges tell us it was a tough decision between PAIN IN THE EGG and THE GOTTYEGG. PAIN IN THE EGG had points taken off because the SCAR which was a pretty good effort. Thus Mike's egg(er Pain in the Egg) was disqualified as truly lame.

Annual Easter Egg Contest 2012: THE WINNERS! (cont.)

The Lamest: GottyEggs (Megan)




Judges Choice: P'Eggasis (Jim)

Most Artistic: Bicycle Built For Two (Le Roy)

Best Theme: M'egg A Million (Shannon)

Annual Easter Egg Contest 2010

The competition was fierce this year. We had a new set of judges since everyone complained about last years judges. Last year, the neighbors judged, but they brought over their kids who also judged. Unfortunately the children were easily swayed by props and candy and seemed to get stuck on the first row. We think it was because they were too short to see accross the table or something.

Over the course of the day my sister was approached by the family that judged last year. They wanted to participate this year. Things got tense as the hour approached and she had to field complaints from contestants who complained bitterly about the fact that kids wouldn't get their egg and so forth. As the day progressed things looked grim. The contestants perservered with their ideas not sure whether the contest would be fair. My sister blithely bypassed the neighbors in favor of her friend Dreama, Dreama's sister Faye, and Dreama's husband Al. Dreama and gang agreed to the judging, knowing what a competitive and surly crowd we could be. She and her fam agreed to the judging thinking that it was ok because we were going to go out to see a favourite band playing at a local bar that night, and they liked what Laura was making for dinner.

The Winners!

THE JUDGES:
AL, DREAMA, FAYE were incredible, and serious! That's Jim in the background. Just
ignore him! He thought that would help his chances for winning, EVEN THOUGH NO ONE
KNEW WHO MADE WHAT EGG. It was all very hush hush.


Brutus



We should explain that the reason Brutus is a Judge, and there is an award: Brutus' choice winner, is because when he was lifted up to the table, that's the one he tried to eat (almost immediately). One thing Brutus knows is opportunity.

THE CONTESTANTS (in no particular order BUT MINE FIRST!)

"the Emperor Who Had No Clothes"


"Fried Eggs"



"Fr 'egg'enstein"


"Egg Monkey"


"Na Egg Vi"


"Egg Petting Zoo"
Hey! How did Na Egg Vi's head get in there?


"Egg Pig"


"Egg The Scream"


"WyEgg Earp"


"Eggo"


"Eggs in a Basket"


"EggstraTerrestrial Landing"


"Eggstraterrestrial"


"Bombshell McEgg"


And the winners were:

Best in Show - Laura (Fried eggs)
First Place - Laura (Fried eggs)
2nd Place - Jim Eggstraterrestial Landing)
3rd Place - Kelly (Eggs in a Basket)
Most Artistic - Mom's Scream )
Best Animal - Matt's (Egg Petting Zoo)
Most Original – Wyegg Earp Harry's
Lamest - Billy's (Egg Monkey)
Most Creative - Na Egg VI, Eggo, Emporer ( Jenny, Mike, Anne)
Best Break Out - Shannon (Eggstraterrestrial)
Best Theme – Bryan's (Fr'egg'enstein)
Brutus's Choice - Megan (pig)

In Memorium

Pufkin
2006 - 2008

What would we do without them?

So, since publishing my last post, I have recieved many anecdotes from my vast readership... oh alright, just one from my sister! She sometimes works remotely, and has a home office, AND she has the same problem I do... yes, you guessed it, those crazy adorable pets that color our life. What would we do with out them?
Her cat is fanatical about the computer mouse, and spends the major part of her feline day fixated with the computer screen. It is a constant battle for Laura, always pushing the cat out of the way so she can work. But sometimes the cat wins.


Not to be outdone, below is the other little bugge..er I mean, charmer.

When my sister's husband put together her home office, he equipped the room with steps for their daschund to use to get to choice spots like the window above the file cabinet, or up to the sofa. With a bad back, they do not want it to jump and cause more aggravation. What a life! He's such a cutie pie, how could you not?

Winter 2010

I am watching a friends cat and this morning it got into my purse and stole my sandwich. I got it away from her and I ate it for lunch anyway. She is the Bandita alias the KITTYCAT KONG!

It has taken some adjustment but now she and my cat are getting along famously. More on those two another time.

I've been hibernating since after Christmas...but hey it is January and this is now a ritual for me that starts after the holidays.

And we've had a particularly cold and snowy winter. I hardly see anyone unless it is by accident. (My friends had a baby and because it is snowy and they live in the country and I am afraid to drive up their driveway that is on a steep and curvy hill, i put the gift in the mail and told them I would see them in the spring.)

So what do i do with my free time?
I've been going to the gym .. basic survival...doing ZUMBA! and HIPHOP! and it is my
answer to alzheimer's because you have to remember the dance moves you learned the week before. NOT! And you have to be able to step up and wave your arms and sashay and jiggle in that order and all at once. When i first started this i was so upset at my two left feet that i went out and bought the biggest padded bra i could find and the lowest cut shirt to wear to the next class. At least i look good. (This was also my solution to my lousy skiing skills about 5 years ago... a fantastic ski outfit ...)

I've been taking Spanish classes Monday nights and dreaming of retirement.

I've been going to the library and getting out books on Costa Rica. (LAST Winter it was Chile and Argentina. I like to get travel books, travel guides, AND cook books.)

I've checked out books like FROMME'S Travel Guide, Retirement without Borders, a collection of short stories by Costa Rican (ticos) and Panamanian women writers titled "When New Flowers Bloom". The Author's notes are written by a man and all he does is go through the history of literature WHICH DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY REFERENCES TO WOMEN. Who does he think he's kidding?

I am in the process of labeling my house espanol-ish and in full sentences...as for example "The basement is down the stairs. It has three rooms, but there are no bathrooms." ...and then i look at it later and i don't know what the hell i wrote. I use google translation tools. This saves time. I say what i want (i've also been describing all my pictures and photos on walls around my house.. cut and paste it into word, print out a page full of them, cut them out and then tape them to the walls and objects etc..bulk statements..but takes a while to figure out what i was thinking, how to translate, and then where to stick it). Is this a rare form of cabin fever?

A coworker sent me this:

" Anne,

My oldest sent this to me.
This is weird enough that I thought you'd enjoy.... when you have time.
Not to sure anyone else around here (at least on my team) would get it. Not that there's much to get !

TOM SELLECK WATERFALL SANDWICH LINK

The names of the sandwiches are light and hard to read.
One of the pages has a link to the Sellick Waterfall Sandwich Theme Song which
sounds like it was recorded in someone's kitchen.
I was never a fan of Tom Sellick."

Well, I am a big fan of Tom Sellick...and I thought it was terrific.
I miss the shorts guys wore back in the 80's. So much
man-leg. Ha cha cha!

How did Harry spend the summer?

He went with the FAM to Myrtle Beach. They go every other year. This year I did not go because I did not know what my finances would be like, but my family kindly included Harry in the festivities. He had a great time.

This is one of my favorite photos. It is a tradition of Mike and Jim's (my brother in laws)to get a photo of the two of them partaking in their favourite past time:

1- 2 3 AND 4-5 and 6

Go Sistahs! I love this picture. It was taken when we were visiting my brother and his family last May. BEFORE SUMMER REALLY STARTED!

And now it is past the halfway mark (July 4).

My son is headed to Chicago to go with my sisters and their families to Myrtle Beach. I have cautioned him to be careful, drive safely, and carry his weight. He will. I did not go this year because I did not think I could afford it since I did not know what my finances would be like. I wanted Harry to go though. We've always had so much fun. I just wasn't up to it for myself this year.

I signed up for dance lessons. This will be my second shot at it. I signed up in early spring for a class on SOCIAL DANCING through the community education program. I only ever went to one lesson because I always seem to have scheduling conflicts with work and all. This time I signed up through a local dance hall. I asked someone if they were interested and would like to try it with me and HE said yes! Surprise. We went last night and it was fun. West Coast Swing.

The last two times I've gone to Chicago I have gone out with my mom and we've gotten manicures. Good times!

Harry made the Dean's List for the Spring Semester. Yeah! So far so good.
He's got a job this summer with a company and he likes it. He is in a Co-op program so this will last through college if he wants and they will take him through all the departments. Harry is doing better than I ever expected, considering how many frights he gave me growing up so I am very proud of him.

I bought new furniture over the internet (with proceeds from my half of the sale of one of our tractors) and I am very excited. I've recieved the couch and its great and one of the chairs is coming today. I have never ever bought furniture before in my entire life. I have always picked it up from garage sales and second hand stores. I am totally excited.

At any rate, the summer is going by fast and it feels like I haven't done anything yet. That will change.

True confessions: A tale of two cats and disaster

If you are familiar with cat behavior you know some of their quirkiness. Cats will get excited with attention and petting and if they are excited they will grab you with their teeth or claws. A dog wags its tail. People think this is a friendly gesture but a wagging tail really just says that the dog is excited. The dog will bite your hand just as easily as lick it depending on its personality and characteristics (hmmm, just like some people when you say hello in the morning). I had one cat that tended to growl a lot. I had another that liked to jump on your shoulders, curl around your neck, and pull on your hair if you gave it a chance. These are sweet things if you like cats, but annoying if you don't, or when you are busy or not expecting it. Nothing to be afraid of, just good to know. If you don't know you can misinterpret the behavior.

My mom was kind of this way with the cats, but there is more and it is worse than that. I think my cats were this way with her. You see it was because they were familar with her in a way that they never would be with most strangers. It was a phenomenon I can't explain but I am sure she confused them. Yes, I am sure this is it.

She is the same height as me and has similar mannerisms and characteristics, so they used to do things to her, I mean treat her in a manner that they would do with me. The results were horrible. I still feel bad about it.

On one occasion she was sitting at my kitchen table and Georgette, the fat grey cousin who looks like a little Russian, was circling her legs and rubbing. Mom was ignoring her. Well trying to anyway. The cat stretched up on her hind legs and with her front paws, ever so lightly, pricked my mom's leg with her nails. Well she just wanted my mom to notice her, but mom got startled and freaked, and tried to kick her off. Of course THEN the cat freaked and hugged my mom for dear life and dug in with all her claws full throttle. She put a terrible scratch on mom's leg that wouldn't heal. Eventually mom had to go in and have the spot removed by a doctor ...melanoma or something. I felt awful and after that my mom always reminded me to put the cats out. Which i did most of the time, EXCEPT for one other visit.

It happened again, but with a different animal. Our orange cat, the youngest, smallest and most playful had gotten in the house and was on a stool, looking for attention. The cat was my baby.

I was in the room, and so were some other people, but for some reason the cat was focused on my mom. The cat was formulating a plan and I could see she was ready to leap. She wanted on my mom's shoulder's and she has never done this ever to a stranger. I have no idea what the attraction was except that maybe she resembles me.

This cat has always been shy of strangers. Mom was about 10 feet away and you could just see the cat calculating. My mom was talking but then she noticed too and she started to back up slowly and this look of horror took hold of her. I tried to get in the way but not soon enough. Mom was turning, and the cat was in the air. Because mom was moving the cat couldn't get the perch she wanted so with front paws first she hit my mom on the back and latched on with claws engaged. My mom did this twirly screaming thing and in seconds the centrifugal force sent the cat flying the other way. The look of horror on my mother's face when she realized what this cat had in mind will live with me forever.

A couple of weeks ago... to Cleveland

A couple of weeks ago I went to Cleveland with my sister Jennifer, my mom, and my nieces Megan and Shannon. We had a good time. My nieces are fun and I enjoyed the drive. Jennifer drove for the first couple of hours and after that we unanimously vetoed any offers she made to do some driving. We all wanted to go faster.

I drove at some point on the way and my mother sat up front with me. We share the trait for complaining about everybody else on the roads driving habits (too slow, what the heck are they doing? no turn signals). At one point my mother offered to
flip some guy the bird who was dawdling. I thanked her but didn't think it would be appropriate. Geeze, but it could shake the guys whole faith in humanity to have such a genteel and sweet looking white haired lady do that to him. However, I appreciated my mom's enthusiasm for getting even. On the way back I sat shotgun with her and we were having the same types of observations (thank god we aren't too big on road rage) and I kept offering to give other driver's the finger in her defense but then would (chicken out) er not do it and she realized I had no backbone but was totally about saving face for me, so I would say "should i give 'em the finger?" and she'd say "give 'em three, the bum!" knowing I wouldn't do anything because i was a coward. It was fun.


Jennifer and I went that Saturday morning to see my dad. I was driving. At one point he was in the car with us...we took him to breakfast and his comment to me was "So Anne, are you just showing off?"

I think my driving was making him nervous. He hasn't lost his sense of humor.


This is my dad and his brother, Uncle Robert. We had such a nice visit. They sat and talked about family and old times, how their parents met.. great stuff.