The Face on the Cat

Today Libby was found resting in the bathroom sink. She must do this often, because we see the hair or feel her slight dampness when picking her up, but rarely do we catch her.

She loves to drink from the faucet left on a slow trickle. Brooke will occasionally turn it on for her and after she drinks, she still may lie in the sink. What an odd cat.

Look at those gorgeous green eyes!

I immediately went for the camera. Adorable pictures. But when we uploaded the pictures to the computer, we saw it. The Face.

On her back leg. Do you see the face? With the big, handlebar moustache? It was in EVERY SHOT!

Crazy!

The Best Place

My bed is the best place. It's the best place to look out the window and watch squirrels if you are a poodle. It's also the best place to curl up at night if you are a poodle. Delilah LOVES to sleep on my pillow and, says Steve, she didn't miss me one bit at night. She was content to take my spot. Traitor.

It's also the best place to take a nap in the middle of the day. Just ask Libby. She stays there much of the day.

It's also the best place to take a bath. Just ask Stewart (who looks a bit surreal and bluish in this picture).

Unfortunately, it's not the best place for humans to sleep. Just ask my aching back. Oh, for a new mattress! But THAT is another post.

Old Friends, New Friends

My oldest and dearest friend, Joy, came for a visit today. She brought with her two "newer" friends - her first child, Big J, and her last child, Little J. Here are some pictures of the "last." Isn't she adorable?

She told Joy on their drive here that she "wanted to play with Brooke." Joy was confused because she usually adores Morgan and avoids Brooke. "Nope, Brooke," she insisted. Good thing because Morgan was at a friend's house. So today Brooke made a new friend. Brooke isn't much for little kids, but was very sweet with Little J and loved all the funny things she said and did. I told Brooke that little kids ages 2 to 3 are generally sweet, but she's never believed me before.

Here's a picture I took that came out really shadowy. I Photoshopped it and added a soft focus. I liked it because it looked like a painting. Brooke didn't like it. But it's my blog, so pfffttt.

Happy Cat

Morgan and I returned home from Oregon late last night.





Boy, is Stewart ever glad Morgan is home!

Leaving Oregon

Today we leave Oregon and return to Louisiana. It has been a nice, albeit sad, trip. But Steve says he's not sleeping well and misses me :::smile::: so I guess it's time to go home.

Mother and me.

Morgan and her Gran.

Obsessive, Me Thinks

This morning Brooke left to go to "horse camp" as a counselor. She LIVES for horse camp and has been looking forward to this since November. That's when the last one was.

But this time, she was leaving while Morgan and I were gone. Which meant leaving the animals in the care of :::gasp::: her dad. She left him a note or two....

She left him a note by the front door.

One on the computer desk.

One on the computer. (No, that's not dust. Why do you ask?)

One on the oven. (And, no, those aren't finger prints. Why do you ask?)

One on the outside of the fridge.

One on the inside of the fridge.

One inside the kitchen cabinet.

Three in the bathroom.

Two in the hall. (No, I definitely did NOT pick this wallpaper.)

Two on my mirror. (Yes, my mirror is old and needs re-silvering. No, I won't do it because it will devalue the piece. And I love this old mirror. And the bad silvering makes me look better in the morning.)

Two on Steve's chest of drawers.

One on the fish tank. (Yes, those are cat footprints on the top of the fish tank. And the cats have drank the water level down quite low. Why do you ask?)

"Hmm....there is something I'm supposed to do," says Steve, "but I can't recall what it is."

Yes, I believe the child is a bit obsessive.

He is Risen, Indeed.

Luke 24:1-6

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!"

Dinner With My Favorite Aunt

Tonight Aunt Caryl fixed dinner for us. Prawns (or Shrimp) Capellinni. Oh. My. Goodness. We ate until we couldn't move. I BEGGED for the recipe and Aunt Caryl kindly shared with me, so I'll share it with you. I can't wait to make this for Brooke, Steve, and Joshua.

1 cup virgin olive oil
1/4 cup butter (NOT margarine)
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. crushed rosemary
1 tbsp. herbes de Provence
salt and pepper to taste
5 cloves garlic, minced

Heat slowly. Do not burn garlic or you'll have to start over.

Add 1 pound of peeled shrimp or prawns. They'll cook in 3 minutes.

Now add:

3 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1/2 pound asparagus, each stalk cut into thirds and lightly steamed
1/2 - 1 cup white wine
1/4 cup lemon juice

The shrimp should be done. Just heat through for the asparagus and tomato.

Serve over hot cappelini pasta with plenty of crusty French bread for dipping. YUM!!!

My brother, Michael, with Aunt Caryl and Morgan

Aunt Caryl's apartment is SO adorable! She loves France and has visited many, many times. She speaks fluent French and has been mistaken for being local while there. She usually rents a car and tootles about the French countryside, seeing wonderful sights off the typical tourist path. She says she is "too old" to go again (silly, I know), and I will try to talk her into one more trip - for I'd love to go with her!

Her apartment is in whites/creams and antique gold. She has all the names of the cities in France where she has visited stenciled in gold on the walls. She takes the most fabulous photographs while in France and has some of them framed on her walls. She had someone paint a mural from one of her paintings and I simply love it!

Aunt Caryl also has an adorable calico cat. She is a "senior citizen" cat (Aunt Caryl's second she has saved from untimely death simply because they were aging) and she is the sweetest thing. Morgan just loved her to pieces.

She has kidney disease and drinks "special water" with her medicine in it. But what a lucky kitty to share her last years with my lovely aunt.

Oregon Nature Hike

Today Grandmother and Granddaddy were interred at Willamette National Cemetery. My Granddaddy passed away a few years ago and was cremated, but he and Grandmother wanted to be interred together. Because Granddaddy served in the Army in World War II in Normandy, he received military honors. The weather was nice and the ceremony very moving.

Afterwards it started raining and was cold, so we stayed in. So for today's "viewing pleasure," I'll add the pictures I took when my brother, Michael, Morgan, and I went for a walk on a little nature trail along the Tualatin River.

Michael and Morgan reluctantly stop for a picture.

I love this little trail along the river.

Skunk cabbage - pee-you!

Look how well this little guy is camouflaged!

I absolutely adore forsythia in the spring. We don't have it in Louisiana.

The ornamental cherry trees were simply stunning.

Leaving on a Jet Plane

Today Morgan and I leave for Oregon. My Grandmother passed away on the 13th of the month and she and Granddaddy will be interred together this Friday.





My Grandmother was quite a woman. She had many challenges in her life, but always faced things head on and made the best of any situation. She was very intelligent and loved learning new things. She loved working crossword puzzles to keep her mind "sharp." She spoke bits of French, German, and Spanish and was a BIG geneaology buff, going back in both her and Granddaddy's family history to the 1500's. One of my greatest treasures is the geneaology book she put together for me. For someone who was adopted and wondered about where I came from and where I belonged, this book is precious.



The picture above is my spunky Grandmother and my gentle Granddaddy on their wedding day.

7 Things

This challenge is from CFHusband. If you've never read Nathan's blog, I suggest giving it a visit. His wife has cystic fibrosis and is awaiting a double lung transplant. Their baby, Gwyneth, was born 15 weeks early and is two months old.



I'm supposed to write 7 things people may not know about me.

1. My favorite feature is my eyes. I have my Dad to thank for them.

2. I was adopted. Both of my precious adoptive parents died by the time I was 17.

3. I was raised as an only child.

4. I have met both my biological parents and have good relationships with them.

5. I'm the oldest of ten children! What a surprise after being an only for so long! And I never had to fight over the bathroom with any of them!

6. I came to Christ after meeting the man who later became my husband. He told me (after eight years of marriage) that he had given God a deadline for me to get saved or he was breaking off the relationship - I made it by four days.

7. I cannot stand having my hair in my eyes. I usually get it cut every 4-6 weeks. I'm well overdue. See photo above. I go for a haircut on Tuesday. It's driving me CRAZY!

If you are reading this, consider yourself tagged. Post a comment so I can check out YOUR seven things!

March Hostess Club

Here's tonight's layout. No comments about the date of these photos. I gave my class a choice between blue....

...or pink. Same kids, one year later. This was fun. Brooke, on the other hand, was duly mortified.

Page Recipe: Stamps: Doodle This, Letterpress Alphabet and Numbers (on the pink page), Headline Alphabet and Numbers (on the blue page). Cardstock: (Blue page) Bordering Blue, Certainly Celery, So Saffron, Whisper White, Sarah Designer Series Paper. (Pink page) Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, Rebecca Designer Series Paper. Inks: White craft, Certainly Celery and So Saffron for blue page (Chocolate Chip and Regal Rose for pink page). Accessories: Ribbon, On Board Accents, Pop Up Glue Dots to hold chipboard, white Uniball gel pen.

There Must Be An Easier Way

Today Morgan wanted to "blow out" and egg so she could paint the shell and keep it "forever." So she gets an egg and a large needle. I successfully poke the obligatory holes in either end (eggs are tougher than you think) and tell her to "blow." So she blew and she blew and she blew.

And only one drop came out. So Mama had to get in on the act. And, because I've posted the picture of my beautiful daughter blowing on an egg, so I must post one of myself. Like Pioneer Woman says, "I'm just keepin' it real." Very real. No makeup. Still in PJs. Paint in hair. You know it's real. Real ugly. Sorry. I warned you.

I, and all my lung power, emptied out the egg. (Insert superhero music here.) Really, there must be an easier way to get the egg out of the shell than blowing it. Yeah, I know. Crack the thing. Wise guy.

Morgan painted the egg a beautiful shade of blue with a cross on it. Why didn't I get a picture of THAT? Oh well. Just keepin' it real.