Monday, November 30, 2009

Fun Weekend

The A-Team heads to the airport this morning for their flight home. Sigh! Visits are always far too short but we did make the most of the time we had and enjoyed a fun fun weekend. I have lots of pics to post, but most are still on the camera. I do have these from Friday night ready to go though, so enjoy.

Auntie Puff seems to have caught Jboy's attention.
Auntie Althegal made Jboy this quilt. Wow! You did a great job Auntie A!
Of course if Auntie Althegal makes something you are sure to have a signature bat or two in there.
Smudge is sharing a quiet minute or two with Amma until she gets used to the whirlwind of activity that always breezes into the house when the Aunties visit.
Oh my, the Aunties brought Smudge a Tonka Garbage truck and she thought that was pretty grand.
Amma gave Smudge some help to open the box, and Jboy came to and check out what was going on. He quite liked the truck too, and gave sister a hand exploring all the moving parts.
If you remember this post you will know why they choose a garbage truck for Smudge. She is still fascinated by them and Mommy even buys the garbage men a little Christmas present to say thank-you for making an extra-long stop in front of their house to put the truck through it paces for Smudge.

Well, must run now and get ready to head to the airport. Stay tuned for lots more pics.

Friday, November 27, 2009

More library pictures

Seeing as I was in bed with this blankety-blank cold for most of the week, my camera has been gathering dust. I did have more pics of our trip to the library last week though, so thought I would post these for you to enjoy. Grandmas can never have too many pics of the Grandkids.

Smudge moved from the table to the floor with her books, and was quite comfy down there too. She soon moved back to the table though when she heard another Grandma reading to her Grand-daughter. She joined the group and made a new friend.
Jboy in the meantime was exploring on his own.

Big Sister came over to see what he was up to...
and then was on her way again.

Thursday, November 26, 2009

It's the latest, it's the greatest - it's the LIBRARY!

After Smudge's hair appointment last week, we packed up the kids and took them both to the library, then toddled over to Swiss Chalet for a Festive Special for lunch. Yum! I had these great pics to post of our trip to the library, but have been too bleary-eyed and groggy with this dab-blasted cold to sort through them or post much of anything for the past couple of days. I am feeling better today though, so here they are. My eyes are open and my head is clearing, so full health is just around the corner. Yahoo! The A-Team comes home from Vancouver for an early Christmas celebration this weekend, so I am very happy to be on the road to recovery and have the worst of this nasty cold behind me.

Smudge has been to the library with us a number of times, and has even started to ask to go there almost every time we get in the car now. Here she is sharing a Toopy and Bino story with Mommy.
Cute huh?
On our first few visits to the library with Smudge she would spend most of her time running around, but she is now sitting quietly and actually looking at the books. Oh joy!
Jboy is now getting into the act...
and seems quite at home at the library too.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Coming out from under

I am eventually coming out from under, and feel like I just might survive this nasty, nasty bug. It's a doozy for sure.

Thanks for all the well wishes guys. I am moving in the right direction and should be back soon. I spent more time out of bed than in today, so that is a real improvement.

I must toddle off to bed now, but will talk to you again soon.

Monday, November 23, 2009

Down for the count

Sorry I don't have any pics for you today. I have been attacked by a nasty cold germ and I am down for the count. When I can get my head off the pillow for longer than two minutes and my eyes are clear enough to focus on a pic or two I'll be back.

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Whiny McWhinerson

When Smudge was sick last week Mommy called her Whiny McWhinerson. Well, if she felt anything like I feel today it is no wonder she was whiny. Cough, splutter, hack, sneeze!!!!! Oh my poor head.

Excuse me while I go make a cup of tea and look for the cough medicine.

Whiny McWhinerson over and out.

Saturday, November 21, 2009

After the Hair Cut

Oh dear! Mommy was running late, and didn't get to the salon until after the haircut, and Smudge was trying out the rest of the car/chairs.
Jboy looks a bit discombobulated doesn't he? I think he was napping in the car.
Oh, that's better now Mommy has adjusted the hat.
We took the hat off and then it was time for Jboy to play with the toys while Smudge continued to ride cars and Mommy shopped.
He didn't move from this spot and seemed quite happy to stay put.
All in all the experience at Goober's was terrific and I would highly recommend it for a kid's haircut.

Friday, November 20, 2009

The Hair Cut

When I was out shopping one day I noticed this fabulous kid's salon and was really impressed with their set-up. When it was time for Smudge to get a haircut, we decided to give Goober's a call. I explained to the girl that we had a very active 2 year old and she might not sit still for a cut or be very happy about the whole process. The owner suggested we bring Smudge in early to play for a while and let her get used to the place before the hair cut. So we did just that. Here she is checking out the toys by the door.
Then she noticed another little girl going in for her haircut. Hmmm? She wasn't too sure about the whole thing, so...
she promptly went over to Buppa for a snuggle and some reassurance.
In a few minutes she was ready to sit in the car/chair of her choice and let the "nice lady" tend to her hair.
First of all they dampen the hair with a spray bottle instead of trying to shampoo it for a fussy kid.
Then the stylin' began.
Smudge was looking rather preplexed...
but soon busied herself with her car and not a tear was shed.
Here she is ALL DONE and looking cute as a button!
Time to pose with Buppa before trying out the rest of the cars.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Play or Work?

Jboy loves to check out everything his big sister does. Cute huh? Notice the small space that they are both playing in. Good grief! They have the option of the whole room but they both choose the tiny space between the table with a sharp corner and the chair by the window. Crazy kids! They both go to this spot over and over again! What's with that?
Smudge has two big baskets full of toys at her disposal, but what does she choose to play with for quite a while? A glass full of hair elastics. She took them all out, put them all in, took them all out, arranged them on the table, put them all back in the glass, and...on and on and on she repeated these steps. The concentration was fierce too. She had important work to do arranging those elastics and she was bound and determined to do a good job.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Cute little elves

When we put this Santa hat on Jboy Smudge thought he looked just grand. I don't know what Jboy thought of it though.Mommy came home from the Dollar Store the other day with a few Christmas things and Smudge thought she had better check out all the purchases thoroughly.
This hat was a joke for Buppa, but...I think Smudge might make the cutest little Elf in it.
What do you think?

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

November Picnic in the Park

We had such nice weather on the weekend we packed up a picnic lunch and took it to the park. What a treat.
The geese were enjoying the mild weather too. I tried to tell them it was time to fly south, but they just weren't in a mood to listen to me. I can't blame them. I wanted to stay and enjoy the sunshine too.
I left them alone then and went for a little walk.
This is what I was looking at while leaning against the tree. What a pretty view.
I do love quiet afternoons spent at this park. Hope you were able to get and enjoy the sunshine this past weekend too.

Monday, November 16, 2009

More Mary Oliver

Lots of time has been spent thinking about Zeus this past weekend, so lots of time has also been spent with my poetry books. In her book, Red Bird, Mary Oliver shared these three poems about her beloved dogs and lessons to learn from them. I thought they were worth sharing with you too.

Luke
by Mary Oliver

I had a dog
who loved flowers.
Briskly she went
through the fields,

yet paused
for the honeysuckle
or the rose,
her dark head

and her wet nose
touching
the face
of every one

with its petals
of silk,
with its fragrance
rising

into the air
where the bees,
their bodies
heavy with pollen,

hovered-
and easily
she adored
every blossom,

not in the serious,
careful way
that we choose
this blossom or that blossom-

the way we praise or don't praise-
the way we love
or don't love
but the way

we long to be-
that happy
in the heaven of earth
that wild, that loving.

Percy (nine)
by Mary Oliver

Your friend is coming I say
to Percy, and name a name

and he runs to the door, his
wide mouth in its laugh-shape,

and waves, since he has one, his tail.
Emerson, I am trying to live,

as you said we must, the examined life.
But there are days I wish

there was less in my head to examine,
not to speak of the busy heart. How

would it be to be Percy, I wonder, not
thinking, not weighing anything, just running forward.


I Ask Percy How I should Live My Life (ten)

by Mary Oliver

Love, love, love, says Percy,
And run as fast as you can
along the shining beach or the rubble, or the dust.

Then, go to sleep.
Give up your body heat, your beating heart.
Then, trust.

Zeus would add one more lesson to these, and that would be; whenever you can, join in the song of life with a friend, and when you do, sing with all your heart!

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Her Grave - by Mary Oliver

I am sitting here hurting from the loss of Zeus so I go to my poetry books to search for some balm for my aching heart. Nobody puts thoughts and feelings into words like Mary Oliver. Ahhhh, that feels better.

Her Grave
by Mary Oliver

She would come back, dripping thick water, from the green bog.
She would fall at my feet, she would draw the black skin
from her gums, in a hideous and wonderful smile-----
and I would rub my hands over her pricked ears and her
cunning elbows,
and I would hug the barrel of her body, amazed at the unassuming
perfect arch of her neck.


It took four of us to carry her into the woods.
We did not think of music,
but, anyway, it began to rain
slowly.


Her wolfish, invitational, half-pounce.


Her great and lordly satisfaction at having chased something.


My great and lordly satisfaction at her splash
of happiness as she barged
through the pitch pines swiping my face with her
wild, slightly mossy tongue.


Does the hummingbird think he himself invented his crimson throat?
He is wiser than that, I think.


A dog lives fifteen years, if you're lucky.


Do the cranes crying out in the high clouds
think it is all their own music?


A dog comes to you and lives with you in your own house, but you
do not therefore own her, as you do not own the rain, or the
trees, or the laws which pertain to them.


Does the bear wandering in the autumn up the side of the hill
think all by herself she has imagined the refuge and the refreshment
of her long slumber?


A dog can never tell you what she knows from the
smells of the world, but you know, watching her, that you know
almost nothing.


Does the water snake with his backbone of diamonds think
the black tunnel on the bank of the pond is a palace
of his own making?


She roved ahead of me through the fields, yet would come back, or
wait for me, or be somewhere.


Now she is buried under the pines.


Nor will I argue it, or pray for anything but modesty, and
not to be angry.


Through the trees is the sound of the wind, palavering


The smell of the pine needles, what is it but a taste
of the infallible energies?


How strong was her dark body!


How apt is her grave place.


How beautiful is her unshakable sleep.


Finally,
the slick mountains of love break
over us.

Friday, November 13, 2009

Zeus - King of the Dogs

All day long I have been pining for the past.
That's when the big dog, Luke, breathed at my side.
Then she dashed away then she returned
in and out of the swales, in and out of the creeks,
her dark eyes snapping.
Then she broke, slowly,
in the rising arc of a fever.

And now she's nothing,
except for mornings when I take a handful of words
and throw them into the air
so that she dashes up again out of the darkness,

like this-

this is the world."

from The Leaf and The Cloud
by Mary Oliver
Zeus is my sister's dog but the whole family loved him dearly and we ache today from the loss of him.
We will miss you Zeus, but sweet memories of you will be under every tree at Riverwood and will accompany us along each path.
You were indeed King of the Dogs. Rest in peace old buddy!

Fresh Air and Sunshine

After a busy day of housecleaning it was time to go out to catch a few rays of sunshine before it was too late. Smudge was more than happy to join us for a walk in the woods...
and even helped push Amma on the swings.
I loved it, and I think Smudge thought it was great fun too.
Then it was time to put Buppa through his paces. She wanted to be lifted up, over and over and over again to touch the basket ball hoop. Poor Buppa was worn out by the time we dragged her away from that activity.
Next time we should bring a ladder!

She was still a little Miss Whiny McWhinerson today, but had fun at the park with us, and that gave Mommy a little break too. Now it is time to move onward and forward into the weekend and hope that by next week she is feeling better and is Little Miss Sunshine again.