Odds & Ends...Playing the Catch-Up Game

Ok, so it's like this...there are not enough hours in the day to complete everything that needs to be done. With Dave and I commuting an hour each way to our jobs (in the opposite direction), working all day, and then commuting back seems to eat up more and more time (go figure!). We get home and make dinner, make our lunches for the next day, go through the mail, take care of the chickens and dogs, pay bills, etc. and then boom!.....it seems like it's bedtime. I'm finding it very difficult to get schoolwork done during the week! I'm pooped after all is said and done! Yikes!!! But, I'll make it work...somehow. Therefore, the blog suffers...sorry. Then all of the weekend is devoted to household and outside chores, errand-running, schoolwork, and hopefully finding time to visit with our daughter, son-in-law and grandson. But, life is good and we're blessed....and tired. Ah the joys. But, really, we're not complaining. Anyone know who needs a job--I could use a housekeeper?!

Over the past two to three weeks there have been all kinds of things going on. The world seems to be getting slammed with horrible and devastating weather and disasters. Tornados have dessimated some towns here in the south, the cyclone hit in Meyanmar (formerly Burma--forgive the misspelling), wildfires in California and Florida, and the devastating earthquake (7.9) in China. Our heart goes out to all the victims of these tragedies.... So, when you put it all in perspective, we have a pretty nice life. We are blessed.

About two weeks ago, our amaryllis were blooming. Aren't they pretty?

Then our cactus started to bloom last weekend (and it still is)... you have to catch these flowers when they are in full bloom, because they only last ONE day and then they are dead, dried up, and gone.
Up close, pretty, huh?!
The chickens were in the path of my camera one day. They were enjoying some scratch grains and the sunshine! We are getting between about 10 and 18 eggs a day! I peddle free eggs out of the trunk of my car every Sunday in the church parking lot. It's kind of the running joke.
Coco giving us a raspberry (actually it is for Stef, but you'll learn why later in this post). Actually, this little 11 month old puppy is one smart cookie! She wanted to sleep in her kennel one evening before her official bedtime and the door had been pushed shut--she used her teeth to successfully open the door. She also LOVES to chase the squirrels. She runs lightening fast (she'd be great in agility) and cuts them off in their path. She could catch one, if she wanted, but I don't think that's her objective. She just loves the chase. She also stalks---and it's the funniest thing to watch! She and Riley will turn a year old on June 9th!
Dave has been busy with his garden. He has finished the fence, installed a sprinkler system, and been busy planting.

Our little blueberry bushes look like they are going to produce this year. Dave is still planning to build a netting system to protect all these berries from the birds. Our mulberry tree (not shown) is already producing yummy mulberries!
Riley likes to walk on the railroad ties. The poor kid has allergies, probably to all the pollens, and has been chewing on his legs and feet. Yesterday he went to the vet and was put on all kinds of medication to help him feel better. Yesterday he got a bath in this really yummy-smelling oatmeal shampoo and creme rinse. I think they are already helping with his itchy owies. :-)

Pepper turned 14 years old on May 8th. She is still very active (although slower). Her all-time favorite thing to do is lay in the sun...so here is a picture of her doing what she does best. See how she is smiling?!
Coco follows suit--she and Pepper love to lay in the grass in the sun. Ginger and Riley do not like to lay in the sun at all!
The three amigos. Coco and Riley just LOVE Ginger. It's funny to watch Ginger when she has had enough of the puppies--she pins them! Isn't this a sweet picture of them? It is so fun to watch Ginger play with the puppies.
And then there are the random things---at least I am getting 28-28.9 mpg out of my V-6 Acura. I love that car. I sold the Legend to the daughter of a family we know here in town. She is in college and the old Dodge Caravan she was driving died. She LOVES the Legend--so it has gone to a great home. I had a hard time selling it, but it really was the best thing to do, and she'll take really good care of it. Dave's car is still running strong (knock on wood). The truck is the weekend car. It just turned over 50K miles (it's a 2001), and we drive it around town and to haul. The price of gas around here is about $3.74 for regular. The prices are nuts. I found a receipt from last January when I paid $3.09 for midgrade.

Then there is the Presidential election race. I am sick to death of the bantering between Barack Obama and Hilary Clinton. I saw a sign that made me laugh: "Clinton or Obama: We can have a nut with boobs, or a boob with nuts" LOL!

We got some rain yesterday--today it is in the low 70s, beautiful sunshine, and low humidity. We all know that that will change soon and we'll back in the 90s with humidity so high it's unbearable. Here comes summer. Let's just hope that hurricane season doesn't end up being a doozy!

Oh, and one last thing...why is my baby ticker for Stef's baby off from hers?! Because mine is right! When she first learned she was prego, I pulled out my handy-dandy gestation wheel and predicted her due date as December 3rd. Well, a week later she went to the doctor and his handy-dandy wheel gave her a December 2nd date (this is not uncommon between wheels). I immediately took that info to the computer and set up the baby ticker to December 2nd. So there, Stef!!! ~please scroll back up to Coco's raspberry picture~ that one is for you! ;-)

Happy Saturday to all! Until we post again, I bid adieu...

P.S. You may now wake up! :-) Sorry, we're pretty boring...but that's all we've got!