I'll be in Seattle with my son Dustin and my dil Joy the 26th-3rd. Mike has a check up with his hematologist in Dallas Monday morning, then I will leave from DFW airport at 2:30. They insisted that I come see them, and even bought my ticket. I thought they were using frequent flyer miles, but they didn't:eek: Mike will stay home with the dogs:p I'm looking forward to spending time with them. We always just relax and manage to see beautiful sights at the same time. I'm taking my camera:)

Oh Betsi, I hope you have such a good time. I know that you're really missing your other kids!! Take lots of pictures for us!!!

Betsi! You really are the traveler!! Are you back from the beach, or are you still there?

I know you will have a great time! I'd love to go to Seattle!

Betsi...you know I'm living vicariously through you right now right? I would love to just get out of my county..lol. You take lots of pictures for us okay?

Have a wonderful and safe trip Betsi!! I'm so glad that you are gonna be spending some time with your son and his wife. You all will have a great time!!!:) Can't wait to see pix!

Thanks everybody! I was just at the beach for 4 days. The seaweed came rolling in the 1st day we were there, due to the tropical storm in the Gulf, I think. It made things pretty nasty:mad:

I think Dustin wants to see with his own eyes that I am ok. Michael moving so far away has really been hard on all of us, and we just need to be together for a while.

I'll take pictures for you Janet! I never really went anywhere until Dustin moved off. I hate airports, but I don't mind flying. I much prefer having somebody to travel with, but I'll go alone if I have to, lol!

Have a wonderful flight Betsi, and enjoy your visit with Dustin!

I'm glad that Dustin and his wife ask you to come and visit. Being with family will help with having your other son moving so far away. I know that I would really have problems with it too. Jaci lives only 12 miles from us and I don't like her even being that far away. I think that it's the mother in us that wants to watch over our kids and make sure that they're ok. Like when it storms I just want all of my family HERE with me!!!!! Anyway, I hope you're having a great time!!!!

Pictures would be really nice!!! Hugs!!!

I forgot to mention that we're leaving for the weekend. We're going to Shangri-Lloyd's!!!! LOL My Mom and some of her sisters are going and some of their cousins and some of my cousins. I'm not sure how many. I'm planning on soaking up some sun and swimming my heart out!!!

We may or may not be coming home with the bird. My cousin said that her husband is having some problems with giving her away. I told her that was fine and that I understood so we'll see. I'll be disappointed but it will be alright if I don't get it.

I'm not sure how much I'll be on because I have soooo much to do to get ready!! We're not leaving until tomorrow sometime. It will be so different just having Glen and I going. I'm so used to having Jaci go with us on vacation!!

I think that I'm going to take Jazzi but leave Reuger with Dae Lynn. Karlie is so excited because watching him is going to be her responsibility and I'm going to pay her!!! Jazzi is a little harder to get along with and I worry about her getting snippy with Karlie......also Jazzi gets along with other dogs better than Reuger and there will be another dog at Lloyds.

Well....I better get off of here and get busy I have lots to do!!! Hugs....I'll see ya'll on Monday!!!!!

Have a wonderful time Diana! Is it a lodge or a campsite?

How cute that Karlie is babysitting Reuger! She must be so proud!!

Maybe next time you can take Jaci and hubby with you!

Have a great time Diana!

We got peaches at the farmers market yesterday. I made a big peach cobbler (with splenda) and today we are making homemade peach ice cream (with sugar). It's 99 degrees, don't you think that calls for homemade ice cream!

Yes it does! We need to get our ice cream maker out and put it to work..lol. Not much really going on here to even write about. Not sure if I mentioned it or not, but I've decided not to breed anymore. Husband wanted to know what we were going to do with the dogs.....what the heck does he think we'll do with them??? He said it's too many for pets...so I told him if he left, he wouldn't have to worry about it. So far....he's still here. CRAP!!

My job hunting has not been going well at all. The job market isn't good, but being 55 that doesn't help. Would like to have part-time to suppliment the bus driving. I need out, but can't without money...lol. Funny how that works isn't it?

Ricky graduates this month from Lincoln College of Technology. His last day is the 20th. He's still working at the auto parts store and loves his job. I told him on his days off, he needs to find something in his field of study. He wants to, but also loves where he is at. We'll see.

Still have one puppy left to sell. Have to use some of the puppy money to pay off my credit card. Put all the expenses on this litter on charge. Then need to use some for spaying two females and neutering 2 males. Hopefully I'll have some left over.

LOL! You go girl!!!

I'm sorry the job hunting is not going well, it is a tough time to be looking right now. My sister-in-law is 62 and looking for a part time job. She's been looking several months, not too hard, but looking (in Kansas City). She hasn't found anything either so she's going to help her nephew in the office at his bar/restaurant. Hopefully, it will turn into a part time job for her because the job market is just not very good right now.

Yes, he definitely needs to try to find a job that utilizes his training. I was wondering where he was working, I knew he'd found a job, but did'nt know what he was doing. It's good that he enjoys the auto parts store - that is "sorta" in his field.

We're home!!!!

YAY! Did you have a good time?

You know, we don't even need any other threads...we all seem to come back to this one, lol!!
I'm still in Seattle, but I leave tomorrow:o Dustin and Joy wish I would just move in with them, lol! But Mike is a little lonesome, so I better go home;) It's nice to be wanted:)
Sounds like everybody is having a good summer. I have some pics on facebook if anybody is bored:rolleyes:
It's so cool here! I'm going to DIE when I get home:eek: It was 103 in the big city of Carthage today, with a heat index of 115. I'm sure the humidity is horrible!
Joy had to go to work tonight. Dustin is out on the streets with his homeless friends, but when he's done there he's taking me out with some of his co-workers to a pub. I'll let you know how that goes, lol!!

I just had a really busy August long weekend! Scott's birthday was on Wednesday and we kind of celebrated all week and topped it off by going to the drive-in for a double feature movie night on Friday :) We took Layla too! We watched Dinner for Schmucks and the newest Shrek movie.

On Saturday, we went to Scott's friends' wedding. It was at this little vacation ranch east of the city that I didn't even know existed! The grounds were just beautiful and the weather was HOT and sunny. When we first got there I said that's where I want to get married. It was a simple outdoor wedding and there were even GOATS wandering around!!! The inside areas for the dinner and dance were a little too western for me though, with antlers and wagon wheels and even a buffalo head! So we've nixed that for a venue for ourselves now, but outside sure was gorgeous. This is the place: http://www.champetrecounty.com/frames/Frameset.html

Saturday night we stayed at my grandma's house in the city because it would have been twice the distance to go home. She was visiting my parents for the weekend so we were there alone! I'm so glad she let us stay there though, it was so much more convenient! We also kept Layla there for the day and drove back in between the ceremony and reception so we could express her (and we all had a nap :D)

On Sunday morning we got up early and went out for breakfast with my cousin, her boyfriend, and her three kids. She was in town for the weekend visiting HIS family, and will be back again in 2 weeks to visit me and my grandma and take her kids to the fair. It's a big deal for them to come because it's about a 5 hour drive with 3 kids under 7 :rolleyes: They are not the best behaved kids either, but they were a bit better at this meal than the others we've had! The oldest girl has a big diva attitude and is getting her mom's hypochondriac tendencies too. My cousin is already taking her to therapists for anxiety, when I feel it's probably just a way for her kid to get attention :rolleyes: But I smile and nod because it's not MY child!

After breakfast, we headed down to Regina for Scott's nephew's first birthday! We got home late last night and didn't even have time to unpack our bags before bed.

I can't believe that a year ago on Sunday, I moved into my condo :eek: It feels like so much longer! I moved into that condo thinking I'd probably stay there for the next 3-5 years before buying a house. Was I ever wrong! I still miss it sometimes though. I love my house, but that condo was MINE, and when we were done with it, it was beautiful and I knew I designed it all. It was sad to let it go so soon but we just couldn't pass up the house!

WOW! Lindsay, that made me tired just reading it. It does sound like you had a great time though. I love visiting lots of family, but it is so tiring. We live away from all our family so when we go to see them, it's a never ending parade of visitation. We come home just absolutely worn out!

I'm glad you had such a good time. It sounds like Layla did well too!

Happy Birthday Scott! What a busy week you have had! You really have so much energy!

It sounds great that you visited so many people. You and Scott, and Layla are definitely participants and not observers of life!

lol I don't have much energy! Everything is stuffed into the few months of summer here though so it's always so busy busy busy! And I'm just exhausted all the time! This weekend I just want to stay home, maybe do some painting, and relax! I'll probably be stuck at the office working though :(

Lindsey, you have been busy!!! How nice that you could stay at your Grandmother's house and got to visit with your cousin!!!.......Tell Scott....Happy Birthday!!!

Gayle, peach cobbler and ice cream sound wonderful!! I haven't made ice cream for such a long time!! I may need to get my freezer out!!

Janet, Yay!!!! You got two puppies sold!!! I know that you've been worried about getting them sold......and you'll get the last one sold too!!! I just know it!!!

Well.......we had a good time at the lake!! Several aunts, uncles, some of Mom's cousins, and some of my cousins, were all there. We always have lots of food!! And lots of swimming!!! I spent two hours in the water swimming.......I float very well and don't have to have much movement to stay afloat......and I found out that it was too long.....my blood sugar dropped when I got out so I made sure that I didn't do that again!!!

My cousin decided to keep the bird which was fine.....we really weren't sure that we really wanted it anyway. We talked about going to Branson but had to be home by Tuesday so we decided to just spend the night somewhere on the way home......which was Joplin. The next morning Glen dropped me off at a big flea market there and I got to shop while he ran around to places he was interested in. I bought an antique parlor table to go here in the living room. It was a good trip.

Then....on Tuesday....yesterday.....we went to the lake with our children's church kids. Amy planned a picnic and we went swimming. The lake we went to has a nice sand beach which you don't find normally in Kansas. Dae Lynn even had Baby Dean out.....he was so cute with his little hat and sunglasses!!!!

Oh... and Dae Lynn, Damon, and the kids came out and housesit for us......they also watched the dogs. Karlie was so excited because she was going to get paid for doing it!!! She got $5 and was so excited!!!!

Now we have VBS tonight......gotta' dress like an Egyptian again!!! Lots of fun!!!!

I have been outdoors much (well some) of the day in the 90-100 degree heat. YUK!

But my sweet honey got me a couple of rose bushes for the pots in our front yard, so I needed to take out the old potting soil and put in new rose potting soil and plant them. I still have one pot to do this evening after it gets into the shade.

I also repotted an impatiens plant. It was completely root bound so I got a new hanging pot for it. We don't actually have it hanging right now, because the location gets too much sun for it now - so it's sitting on my back porch. Hopefully though, we will be able to hang it in the fall (if it lives that long. LOL). I've been to the nursery TWICE!

We are looking for some ground cover for a spot in our back yard that gets total shade and another place under a tree where the grass is almost gone. I think we have found some native plants that will work well, but we'll have to drive an hour and half to get them! I think we'll make that drive on Sunday.

Gayle, you are such a busy woman!!! I bet your roses will be beautiful!!! I've never had good luck with roses. You're so brave to be out in this heat!!!

Well, I was Mrs. Green Jeans (for those of you old enough to remember that Mr. Green Jeans was a farmer and Captain Kangaroo's right hand man) for most of the weekend. With the 100+ temps, if you have any outdoor trees, grass, garden or flowers, they need A LOT of attention right about now. It seems I watered off and on all day on Saturday. Then Sunday, I tended to the garden, watered a few more spots and then Gary and I shopped for gutters for the back of the house and started to work on them a bit (no, he really isn't able to do the work, but he wants to try, so I'll help him as long as he can work at it).

We saw some rain barrels at the Farmers Market a couple of weeks ago and we have talked about setting up barrels to catch the rain off our roof, for some time now. Gary needs "projects" :rolleyes:, so we bought rain barrels. Here is a link to see them. The pictures all show two barrels together, but we only have one barrel in 3 locations. http://austingreenwater.com/rain-bar...om-green-water

They are nice as they are elevated on the wood platforms and the valve where you hook up the hose is at the bottom of the barrel, so the water will drain out through the hose via gravity. You can use a soaker hose also.

We can get a rebate from the City of Austin to pay for about 25% of each barrel. We have one in the front (or side of the house - it's hidden behind our crepe myrtle bushes) to water our white oak tree and crepe myrtles in the front yard. We'll put two in the back yard, one at one end of the house for the red oak and one at the other end of the house for the chinquapin oak and the garden.

We've needed to put up gutters in the back of the house for several years, but just haven't done it. We have friends who will help us if we can't get them done. We already have gutters in the front of the house, so we just have to adjust the downspout to empty into the barrel.

We are also having an arborist come tomorrow to trim our trees. We have a 3 1/2 year old white oak (Montery oak) in the front yard that needs the lower branches trimmed off. Then we have a red oak in the back yard that is rubbing the roof in places. Hopefully, tomorrow they will look all prettied up when I get home!

Those rain barrels are great Gayle! That is one good idea!!! Luckily, we get rain almost every day for at least a couple of hours. It's raining now, and I think it rained overnight. I rarely have to water the plants. I do have to separate my coleus. They are growing fast, and are probably root bound. I forgot to buy a pot, so will have to hunt for one today.

I saw rain barrels somewhere recently and I think that they're a good idea. It's really nice that the city will give you a rebate for them too. It will be nice to have water that hasn't been treated to water your plants with and they'll probably do better. You could even add some water soluble fertilizer to the water as well.

I know that our temps have been really high and we're in an "extreme heat warning" again today. The corn is drying out really quickly and Glen told me today that they'll be cutting corn early this year. We could really use some rain......Judy, why don't you send some of that rain here!!!!

The yard is looking so brown and dry. I watered my plants and flowers last night but I know that it's not enough. I probably should start running a trickle on some of the shrubs so the water can soak in really good and not just be on top of the ground.

It's been really hot here too. Today it's 94 and the heat index is 105. Naturally...I'm staying in. Way too hot for me. It's suppose to be this way all week and we are under a heat warning also. I don't do well when it's this hot.

Spoke with Mom a little while ago and she told me that my brother Brad is taking her to Lafayette on Saturday to look for a car. SHE DOESN'T NEED ANOTHER CAR!! My brother has got to be out of his mind. She wants a station wagon/van type so she can load everything to go to Florida. Don't know what she'll do when my sister-in -law tells her she won't take her. Well....yes I do...mom will drive herself. Heaven help those on the road. Hopefully they won't find anything she likes.

Nothing else really going on here....pretty boring.

Well, we put up 20 foot of gutter this evening. Actually it is only up with temporary screws - we still have to put in the permanent screws, but that won't be very hard. We only worked about 30 minutes today and 30 minutes on Sunday, so for an hours work, we have a lot done. We only have 10 more feet on one side and then 12 feet on the other side so it won't be too bad. It's been pretty easy so far. We'll have to put in the down spouts when we get the gutter up, and then we'll have to caulk all the seams, but I think we can do it!

How did you get up to get the gutter up Gayle? A really tall ladder, I guess! Good job!

I would love to send you all the rain we're getting! It rained again last night. The weather up here is hot during the day, but we have the pool. Honestly, if it wasn't for that, it would be terribly hot. I would have to invest in air conditioning, which is really expensive for casement windows. As it is, we don't stay in the house during the afternoon when it is too hot. Max lays on the bathroom floor to cool off. Poor guy! It's too hot to take them outside during the day, and too buggy in the evening. There's a flea explosion due to the rain.

But, it cools down beautifully at night, and I am really enjoying this summer. I have my summer friends, and my winter friends (I don't see them that much), and the pool.

I really am lucky!

Janet, you're just going to have to put a ball and chain on your Mother!!!! She's going to keep all of you hopping!!!! I'm sorry that you're going to have to deal with this. Maybe your brother could find something wrong with everyone she picks out.

Gayle, you and Gary have gotten a lot done for just working an hour. Having the guttering will really help with your water barrels. I have a place in my guttering where I really need another down spout because it always runs over.....it just carries too much water in that one spot and runs over.

Judy, I can just picture you lazying around on a float reading a book!!!! How nice!! I'm in a dirty pond....with mowed grass floating in it!! I'm not complaining.....I'm just glad that we have it to enjoy.

Yes, a couple of really tall ladders! LOL! Gary was a carpenter in a former life, so we have all that "stuff" stored in our garage/shed. It comes in handy sometimes!

No floats allowed in the pool! When it's really hot, a pool, or a pond - both are great!

Well....I'm getting ready to leave again. I have a cousin that is having his 25th wedding anniversary and I haven't seen him for years. Then Glen and I are going to stay a few days and have a short vacation visiting with family. Glen's really busy right now so I might ride down to Texas with my Mom and Step-Dad......and possibly my brother.....YUCK......Don't get me wrong...I love my brother....he just likes to talk about himself ALL the time and he's doing drugs again and I just want to let him have it with both barrels!!!!! So it should be an interesting trip down!!!! Glen will get there when he gets his work done her.

I'm not sure when I'll be back.....probably sooner than I would like since corn harvest is coming up so quickly!!! Hopefully sometime the middle of next week.....We'll see!!!

Oh.....and we're leaving in the morning.

Have a safe trip Diana. You will definitely be missed. Will you be able to check in with us at all?

Have a good trip Diana! We'll be LEAVING Texas tomorrow. Time to go get Kirby:D I can get him Thursday 19th. We're going to Springfield, Mo. first so we can go to the Bass Pro Shop..fun, fun. Then we're going to St. Louis to do tourist things for a couple of days. When we leave there, we're going to the Mall of America...it's just a couple of hours from Tink's house. It's just so hot, I know it will put a damper on the trip. After we get Kirby we'll come straight home.

Now a little about Jack. He was limping when we got back from Seattle. We took him to the vet, and he had to be sedated for x-rays because he's so big. The xrays showed the bones in his leg had bad changes that looked to have been going on for a long time. The tendon was pulled completely away from the bone. This happened just from him stepping down from the bed:eek: Long story a little shorter, he had bone cancer. He could barely walk because of his size. We could have prolonged his life for a little while, but that just seemed cruel when the outcome would be the same.

Mike and I sat in the floor with him at the vets while he went peacefully to sleep :o

I'm going to take the computer so we'll see.

I thought that things were going to work out for Glen to leave on Saturday morning but it's not.....so I guess that I am going down with my Mom, Step-dad, and my brother. I promise that I'll TRY not to kill him!!!!!!

Oh Betsi, I was wondering what happened to Jack. You made the right decision, but oh my goodness, isn't that hard. I have not had to be there when any of our animals have had to be put down, I don't know if I could do it or not. I've been with so many people while they died, but somehow I can't imagine what it would be like to be there with our babies. I just can't even think about it.

I'm so sorry, but so glad you all are getting Kirby right now!

Diana, have a great trip! I wish I could come to north Texas to see you! I hope everything goes well with your family. I know that it difficult. I have a nephew who can't stay off drugs, or out of jail for that matter!

Have a great time!

Diana, I have a brother that does drugs and alcohol. He has completely ruined his life. He had a great job for 25 years and made 6 figures. He has wiped out every cent he saved. I have taken him to rehab twice myself. He is a good-looking, kind hearted man. I want to beat some sense in to him with a baseball bat every time I see him...which isn't often anymore. Try hard not to kill your brother:o